The emperor would rather have a

Chapter 210 The Feast at the Circular Mound Altar
As dusk settled and the last rays of sunlight faded, a chill swept in from all directions.

The solemn drum music of the sacrifice to Heaven and Earth still echoed in my ears, and wisps of white smoke curled around the altar.

After the suburban sacrifice ended, Emperor Chai Rong did not immediately return to the palace.

Instead, a banquet was held on the spot in the huge open space next to the Circular Mound Altar to reward the civil and military officials who accompanied the group that day, as well as the imperial guards who participated in the ceremony.

Since the founding of the Later Zhou Dynasty by Emperor Taizu Guo Wei, he was well aware of the desolation of the country and the hardship of the people. Therefore, he advocated frugality and demanded that expenses be reduced as much as possible in the national ritual system, especially in the costly sacrificial ceremonies.

Last year, Zhang Zhao, Minister of War, and Tian Min, Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, understood the Emperor's intentions and submitted another memorial, earnestly requesting a further reduction in the number of sacrificial animals used in the ceremonies.

The emperor agreed and issued an edict to reduce the number of offerings. Only the most solemn "Tai Lao" ceremony—one cow, one sheep, and one pig—could be used for the ceremonies of worshipping Heaven at the Circular Mound Altar, Earth at the Square Marsh, and the ancestral temple.

All other medium and minor sacrifices were downgraded and replaced with sheep and pigs, and the number of animals was greatly reduced.

Even today's grand suburban sacrifice, though based on the "nine sacrificial animals" system, is only symbolic.

After the sacrifice, the entire animal was not buried or burned. Only the head of the cow, sheep, or pig was taken and thrown into the incense burner to offer smoke and fire as a tribute to Heaven.

Then, the blood of the sacrificial animals was poured onto the land around the altar as an offering to the spirit of the earth that nourishes all things, in order to pray for the prosperity of the nation and the abundance of the land.

As for the remaining enormous sacrificial animals, they were put to good use, with special personnel dividing and preparing them, and then bestowing them upon civil and military officials as well as the Imperial Guards.

The remaining portion of the wine used for libations to the land and sacrifices to the gods was also distributed among the officials.

After all, the country's financial resources are limited, so we should save where we can, as long as the sentiment of the sacrifice is there.

Surely the Jade Emperor and all the gods can understand the suffering of humankind and will not diminish their blessings because of the apparent simplicity.

At this moment, the makeshift banquet hall was brightly lit.

The thick pine torches burned brightly, illuminating the surroundings as if it were daytime.

Although we were eating outdoors and it was chilly, the heat from the campfire did slightly dispel the cold of the night.

A huge bonfire had been set up in the center of the open space, with several iron pots hanging above it. Boiling water was bubbling, and the rich aroma of meat soup rose and spread with the white steam, making the hungry crowd swallow their saliva.

Tables and simple seating are laid out radially around the perimeter, like countless veins guarding the center. Although the arrangement is not neat or ornate, it exudes a rugged atmosphere reminiscent of a battlefield camp.

Whole cuts of beef and mutton were roasting over a roaring fire, their fat dripping and crackling in the flames, occasionally bursting into bright flames.

Chai Rong had changed into a plain-colored everyday outfit and sat calmly on the main seat. There were no elaborate ceremonial guards. His warm gaze swept over the civil and military officials below and the soldiers sitting around the campfire on the outer edge of the Circular Mound Altar in the distance.

Officials who could sit and dine with the emperor were at least of the fifth rank or higher, while lower-ranking officers and soldiers naturally did not have this qualification.

The eunuchs guided the servants, according to their rank and status, to distribute plates of steaming roasted meat, large bowls of millet rice, freshly baked flatbread, and pickled vegetables to their respective tables.

The portions on each table were limited, and there were no delicacies.

But in this open space, with the glow of the campfire, and especially after the long and arduous ceremony, the simple food in front of them exuded an irresistible allure.

Once everything was arranged, Chai Rong took a celadon wine cup from the eunuch. The cup contained the remaining wine from the sacrifice, which had been filtered to remove impurities and become relatively clear.

He slowly rose to his feet, and the commotion in the square quickly subsided, with all eyes focused on the emperor.

The flickering light of the campfire illuminated Chai Rong's composed face as he raised his wine cup and proclaimed:

Emperor Taizu once said: "The harvest of a single man's plowing is no more than ten bushels of grain per year; the harvest of a single woman's weaving is no more than a bolt of cloth per month. How enormous are the expenses of the empire!"

"I am well aware that the country has just been established, and the unrest on all sides has not yet subsided. Guanzhong is devastated, Yan and Yun are still under the control of the northern barbarians, and Jiangnan has not yet been returned to our territory. The people's livelihood is particularly difficult. We must be deeply wary of the extravagance of the previous dynasty!"

"The sincerity of our sacrifice to Heaven is evident to the heavens; the simplicity of our feast is also a way of showing respect to the gods and caring for the people, and of seeking practicality, not a sign of disrespect. The gods are merciful and will surely understand the painstaking efforts we have made."

"Today, as we offer sacrifices to Heaven and Earth and our ancestors, we rely on the watchful eye of the Supreme God of Heaven and the protection of our ancestors, as well as the concerted efforts of all those present, for the stability of our nation is assured!"

Chai Rong paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, his voice now tinged with even more fervor and passion.

"Sharing the remaining sacrificial animals and fine wine is a blessing from heaven and earth, and also a vow between me and you all to protect this land and share this hardship! Come, let us drink from this cup together!"

After speaking, Chai Rong raised his wine cup high and drank the wine in one gulp, displaying a rather heroic demeanor.

"Your Majesty is wise and enlightened! Long live His Majesty! Long live His Majesty! Long, long live His Majesty!"

The voices of the courtiers suddenly rose up, shaking the surrounding area, and even the lingering smoke in the direction of the altar seemed to sway in surprise at the powerful sound.

Then, the banquet officially began.

The civil officials, though seated, maintained proper etiquette, conversing in hushed tones and carefully chewing the food on their plates.

For military officers, however, things were less particular, and the atmosphere was naturally much more lively.

Large chunks of roasted beef and mutton, crispy and fragrant, are cut off with skin and bone and placed in a rough earthenware bowl, steaming hot.

The fragrant wheat flatbread and steaming hot millet rice are both incredibly tempting.

……

Li Yi sat upright behind the table, his seat relatively close to the emperor's, so he didn't act as unrestrained. Instead, he cut off a small piece of tender roasted lamb loin and slowly chewed it.

But a thought lingered in his mind: Where exactly was the Desheng Army's garrison? Was it within the territory of Zhou, or outside its borders?
Previously, when Chancellor Fan Zhi was announcing the imperial edict, Li Yi was distracted and did not hear the whole thing about his own reward.

However, it is certain that the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Palace Cavalry has not changed, but the honorary title of Jiezhen (military commander) has been changed from Zhaowu Army to Desheng Army.

As for the honorary official ranks, the bestowed titles and honors, and even the brocade and copper coins, they were secondary to him, merely embellishments.

However, Li Yi pondered for a while but still couldn't remember where this so-called "Desheng Army" was.

After all, since the mid-to-late Tang Dynasty, the power structure of regional military governors had changed repeatedly.

Initially, the Tianbao Ten Military Governors were established on the frontier as a protective barrier, and gradually this practice extended to the heartland of the Central Plains, where military governors and garrisons were also established.

Later, in order to limit the expansion of the power of local warlords, and in addition to the court's declining control over local areas, measures were taken.

He then divided up the powerful vassal states that had too large a territory, and lavishly rewarded the military leaders and generals as vassal commanders, letting them fight amongst themselves.

During the chaotic Five Dynasties period, the regional military governors of the country were divided and merged within a few decades. Over time, this led to a surge in the number of regional military governors. The larger ones could even govern several prefectures as "branch prefectures," while the smaller ones could only survive by attaching themselves to one prefecture.

Moreover, with the rise and fall of dynasties in the Central Plains, the names of many regional military governorships changed frequently. Even more so, in separatist regimes such as Later Shu and Southern Tang, many of the towns within their borders no longer had their original names.

Apart from a few well-known regional military governorships that Li Yi could still vaguely recall, he knew nothing about the rest, including their locations and territories.

Meanwhile, the emperor did not remain seated for long.

He ate only a small amount of food and accepted toasts from several important officials before gently putting down his bowl and chopsticks and being helped to his feet by the eunuchs standing on either side of him.

Facing the gazes of his ministers, Chai Rong said with a faint smile, "I am not a good drinker, so I will take my leave to rest."

He knew that with him there, the others wouldn't be able to enjoy themselves to the fullest. Besides, he was quite tired after a long day, so he decided to go and rest early.

After speaking, before the officials could shout their respects and bid him farewell, Chai Rong simply nodded slightly and, under the protection of eunuchs and armored soldiers, headed straight for the curtained palace not far away.

Once the emperor's figure disappeared behind the brocade curtain, the slightly tense atmosphere at the banquet eased.

The clinking and clattering of wine cups suddenly intensified, and the boundaries that were originally separated by official rank and grade became blurred and loose.

The officials left their seats one after another, carrying their wine cups as they walked toward their superiors and colleagues.

The flickering firelight illuminated faces, some flushed with intoxication, others beaming with eager smiles, making them exceptionally clear.

……

As a member of the Imperial Guard and a relative of the emperor, Li Yi was greeted with a constant stream of toasts during the banquet.

He smiled and maneuvered for a long time, dealing with the situation skillfully, before finally extricating himself to offer a toast to several prime ministers and privy councilors. At the same time, through subtle probing, he finally learned the location of the "Desheng Army"—

It is Luzhou!

It is said that in the third year of Zhenming of the Later Liang Dynasty, which was the fourteenth year of Tianyou of the Yang Wu Dynasty, the powerful minister Xu Wen established the Dutuanlianchashi (Commander of the Military Observation Commission) in Luzhou.

Two years later, he was renamed the Jiedushi of Desheng Army, which governed three prefectures: Luzhou, Chuzhou, and Shuzhou.

The Southern Tang Dynasty continued this system after its establishment, and the current military governor of Desheng Army is Sun Hanwei, a military official of the Southern Tang Dynasty.

If it were someone else, being reassigned to a regional military governorship would be a normal transfer. Whether it was a nominal or substantive post, everyone was bound to be moved around.

But when it came to his own situation, Li Yi couldn't help but wonder: Could the emperor have some hidden meaning?
Just like last year when he led his army to conquer four prefectures in Longyou, the emperor appointed him as the military governor of Zhaowu Army of Later Shu, which may have been a warning to Meng Chang and a declaration of legitimacy.

Li Yi has now been reassigned as the military governor of Desheng Army, which is now under the actual control of the Southern Tang Dynasty.

Considering the background of Zhou Jun's setback in the southern expedition... could it be that he intentionally sent him to take over the territory of Yaoling?
It's not surprising that Li Yi would overthink things, because not long ago, when the emperor consulted with the Privy Council, he suggested "attacking Chuzhou forcefully and threatening Nanjing."

And Chuzhou happens to be under the jurisdiction of Desheng Army. All these factors combined make it hard not to speculate on the emperor's true intentions.

Given Li Yi's current position and his sensitive and important post in the Imperial Guard, who would believe that the Emperor's every arrangement for him was made without any consideration?
Just then, Ma Renyu saw Li Yi return to his seat at the table, so he quickly took the wine bowl and went over to him.

Of the sworn brothers, only Li Hanchao stayed in Huainan with Zhang Yongde and did not return because of his military post.

The rest of the group returned to Tokyo with the emperor.

However, Zhang Jiangong, Zhao Yanwu, Xia Renhui, and Xu Kuangrong were not of high enough status to dine with the emperor and could only sit with ordinary soldiers around the campfire on the outskirts.

But Ma Renyu was different. He was, after all, the Commander of the Inner Palace Guard, a military officer equivalent to a commander of a garrison, only slightly lower in rank than the main force of the Four Armies and Eight Garrisons in the Imperial Guard.

He was certainly qualified to be seated here, so he took the opportunity of toasting to find Li Yi.

"Commander Li, this humble general offers you a toast!" Ma Renyu said with a slight bow.

In front of outsiders, the brothers of the Righteous Society would not call Li Yi "Big Brother" directly, but would usually address him by his military rank.

"please!"

Li Yi smiled and nodded, raised his glass in return, and then tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp.

Immediately, Ma Renyu plopped down next to Li Yi. Since each person had a small table, there were no extra seats, but he sat on the floor without a care.

He was already shorter than Li Yi, and sitting on the ground made him even shorter.

People around couldn't help but glance at it a few more times, but no one thought there was anything wrong with it.

After all, everyone knows that Li Yi and Ma Renyu both came from the Inner Palace Guard and were from the same hometown of Xiajin, so their friendship must be extraordinary.

At this moment, Ma Renyu suddenly leaned forward, almost touching Li Yi's ear, and whispered, "Brother, I thought the Emperor was going to promote you in the military, but who would have thought that in the end you would just be changed to a regional governor?"

Li Yi's eyes flickered slightly as he glanced at his outspoken brother, but he didn't immediately respond. Instead, his fingers unconsciously rubbed the rim of his wine cup.

He naturally understood Ma Renyu's meaning. As his own brother, Ma Renyu certainly hoped that he, as the eldest brother, could advance further and be promoted faster.

But he's only 22 years old by the traditional Chinese age reckoning. He's already risen fast enough in just two years. Where else does he want to go?

Just like Li Chongjin and Zhang Yongde, this time the emperor only changed their status as regional military governors and gave them some money and cloth as a reward.

Why? Because there are not many rewards left to bestow upon them.

Li Chongjin was slightly better off. He was nearly forty years old and was also the nephew of the founding emperor. Regardless of his age or seniority, he was barely in line with his current status.

Zhang Yongde is not yet thirty years old, but he has already reached the pinnacle of power as a military general, holding command of nearly half of the Imperial Guards.

His power and status were far greater than those of his contemporaries in history.

In this way, the emperor's rewards naturally seem stingy, and he can only squeeze them out little by little, like toothpaste.

If one day the emperor suddenly bestows upon them a grand title, it is not a good thing, as it means that the emperor no longer needs them and is thus stripping them of their real power.

In comparison, Li Yi currently has ample room for promotion, and at least for the time being, he doesn't have to worry about running out of promotion opportunities.

Of course, this all depends on the lifespan of Emperor Shizong Chai Rong; otherwise, given Li Yi's age and the speed of his promotions, that day will inevitably come.

As his thoughts raced, Li Yi chuckled and said, "His Majesty has treated me well. Although I haven't been promoted in the military, who in the Palace Guard can surpass me now, besides Prince Consort Zhang?"

Ma Renyu paused for a moment, then thought about it and agreed, nodding and saying, "That makes sense..."

(End of this chapter)