“Although the Qiao family died, they were not the first to die, nor the last.”
"The Qiao family is just trying to carry on the legacy of Lonely City that has been burning for forty years."
"And the 100,000 soldiers who kept the flame of humanity alive for forty years, who died in the vast desert during those forty years, are the true heroes who served their country and their people."
"Your Majesty, what you owe is not the Qiao family, but the people in the city who have been trapped in the isolated city for forty years, and the one hundred thousand heroic souls who have stood firm and refused to kneel for forty years."
Qiao Mu paused, looked directly at the ashamed Emperor Yonghe, and said in a sonorous tone:
"One hundred thousand soldiers did not let down Da Yan, but Da Yan let down the soldiers trapped in the isolated city!"
"Three hundred white-haired soldiers dare not forget Da Yan, why did Your Majesty forget the soldiers fighting on the front line first?!"
These words were sonorous, like a sharp sword, with no concealment of its edge, pointing directly to people's hearts.
Captain Hai's entire body was shaking uncontrollably.
His already cloudy old eyes warmed up slightly and he almost shed tears in front of the Golden Palace.
These words fully describe the suffering and desolation of these old soldiers trapped in the middle of the desert for these years... .
If given a choice, who would be willing to stay in that kind of hellhole for forty years, until their hair turns white
Isolated in the desert for forty years, Dayan has become a distant spiritual symbol for these old soldiers, rather than just a country that rules over the nine provinces.
They lived up to Dayan. This isolated army represented the last will of resistance of Dayan Dynasty forty years ago!
However, as time passed, when they walked out of the desert, they found that the nine major immortal sects had become the guests of honor in Dayan... Needless to say, there was pain and desolation in their hearts.
At the beginning, Jian Zexian repeatedly asked them whether their sacrifice was meaningful or just to move him
Captain Hai already had the answer in his mind, but it seemed that not many people in the court had the answer.
The court officials who had been outraged just now were suddenly speechless. Looking around, they saw that the other court officials had complicated expressions.
Is it possible to say this...
Just now they thought that this old man named Qiao Shui was a stubborn and obedient donkey, so they were moved by Emperor Yonghe's words of respect and humility...
Who would have thought that after scolding all the officials in the court, he would actually direct his criticism at Emperor Yonghe
Is that how you take on the role
Emperor Yonghe wants to act like a prodigal son today. Can't you just go along with what he says? Why do you have to do this? Are you afraid that he has too good a temper
If we follow what he said, it would be the story of harmony between the ruler and his subjects, and the return of the prodigal son. If it gets out, it will be regarded as a good story of harmony between the ruler and his subjects, and it may even be recorded in the history books and recorded by the historians.
The ministers did not dare to look up at Emperor Yonghe's expression, but just lowered their heads.
But Emperor Yonghe's face turned pale and blue, and he felt that many invisible gazes were cast at him from all around him.
The white-haired soldier has lived up to Dayan. As the emperor of Dayan, he feels guilty towards these old soldiers!
In recent years, as the emperor of Dayan, although he had bowed to the immortals sometimes, they were immortals, so they were a different matter.
As an emperor, when had he ever been accused like this to his face
After all the calculations, it was only when he was in Heyang Prefecture, Nanzhou, that a man named Qiao, whose identity was unknown, discussed state affairs... Hmm? Why is he surnamed Qiao again
But that was different from today.
He was just making a private visit that day, and except for the Feiyu Guards around him, no one knew that he was Emperor Yonghe.
But today this is the Golden Palace, today he is the Yonghe Emperor, and in front of these ministers... .
Chapter 224: Harmony between the ruler and his subjects, a good story (4k
In the Golden Palace.
Emperor Yonghe's expression was uncertain.
As the emperor of Dayan, this was the first time that he was questioned face to face by his own people, especially in front of the Golden Throne Hall.
But now that things have come to this, can he still stop performing midway
If that happens, his image as Emperor Yonghe in front of old soldiers like Hai Duwei would probably collapse soon.
Emperor Yonghe plays a humble king, and the focus is not on his acting skills.
Because as the emperor of Dayan, even if he has no acting skills and calls a horse a deer in the court, there will still be court officials who agree with him.
The key point is whether he still has the desire to continue playing the role.
Emperor Yonghe lowered his head and glanced at the Human King Sword in his hand, his eyes slightly deep.
He felt an indescribable sense of frustration in his heart at this moment, and he almost couldn't suppress the excitement in his heart.
One has to bow down before the Immortal Sect because of the situation.
Since when has an old man from the Qiao family been able to question him in the Golden Palace
But... at this point, he is in a difficult situation and can only go down this path.
"You are right. Da Yan feels ashamed of the old soldiers who have defended the lonely city for forty years." Emperor Yonghe said solemnly:
"The Immortal Sect is powerful and has many tricks. They have kept it a secret from Da Yan for forty years. But now that I know about it, I will naturally not treat these veterans who have walked out of the battlefield of the alien war unfairly. I will have my own rewards."
"Hai Siyuan, you have made great contributions in leading the lone army to hold on. I will appoint you as the third-rank General Guide." Emperor Yonghe pondered and said:
"For the three hundred veteran soldiers who have survived to this day, all officers and soldiers will be promoted five ranks higher, and will be rewarded with gold and silver based on their military merits."
"These gray-haired soldiers should no longer go to the battlefield. Let them enjoy their old age." Emperor Yonghe said deeply:
"As for the people in the isolated city, I will also consider it and provide them with a place to settle down."
The official rank in Dayan is the ninth grade and eighteen levels. The three hundred veteran soldiers were promoted five levels in a row, which means that even the most ordinary soldier who can survive to this day can be awarded the seventh grade as a military official.
As the sixth-rank captain in the army, Hai Siyuan was promoted to a third-rank general.
Of course, these are all casual officials who have salaries but no real power and are not official officials.
It was impossible for Dayan to suddenly reward more than 300 military officers with real power, so the ones who were awarded titles such as Hai Duwei were naturally officials without real power.
"You have held fast for most of your lives. Thank you for your hard work in defending the borders of Great Yan." Emperor Yonghe said solemnly:
"How can a great country like Great Yan allow white-haired soldiers over 60 to continue to fight in the battlefield?"
"Those who have survived a hundred battles should return home in glory. This is what should happen!" Emperor Yonghe said emotionally:
"The blood and tears of the lonely city in the desert over the past forty years have been recorded by historians, and their names will be recorded in history and spread across the country."
He wasn't actually acting.
The old soldiers' indomitable will to resist for forty years really touched the emperor.
But he is the emperor of Dayan after all, and he cannot act on impulse. He must think twice before acting.
certainly.
Careful consideration does not mean that one can make the right decision. These are two different things.
Sometimes his forethought actually delayed things, which made others feel disappointed.
Emperor Yonghe has made his words very clear this time.
He could give reputation to old soldiers like Hai Duwei, give them more official titles, and give them gold, silver and other money as rewards.
But that’s where it ends.
Although he was moved by the tenacious resistance of old soldiers such as Captain Hai, the war with aliens was already a thing of the past. He had no intention of risking the pressure from the Immortal Sect and re-employing old soldiers such as Captain Hai under the current situation.
"Hai Siyuan and his three hundred comrades thank Your Majesty for your grace." Captain Hai said loudly.
But for some reason, my heart feels a little empty.
When he entered the Golden Palace in the imperial capital, one of his purposes was to speak up for the 100,000 comrades who died in the battle, so that they would not die in obscurity and be forgotten by the court and the world.
Now his goal has actually been achieved, but Captain Hai feels a little empty in his heart.
This so-called status was not something he asked for. Some of it was won by the righteous words of old man Qiao Shui next to him.
The dead will be recorded in history, the living will be promoted five levels, and rewarded with gold and silver... ..
Captain Hai actually understood that this was actually a good ending for the old soldiers in the isolated city.
Now, forty years later, I am afraid that few old soldiers would not want to retire and return to their hometowns.
Especially given that the current situation of Kyushu is very different from what they had imagined before.
His goal has been achieved.
but... .
Captain Hai glanced at the court officials around him.
After the foreign war, the integrity and backbone of civil and military officials have been lost. Among the current generation of court officials, there are more clever people who change their attitudes according to the situation.
He remembered clearly the questioning and scolding from the court officials just now, and he also took Emperor Yonghe's statement into consideration.
Even though the goal has been achieved and the comrades who died in the past have been brought to fame, I can't say that I am very happy.
“As for the several members of the Qiao family who died in the battle…” Emperor Yonghe frowned slightly.
Among the Qiao family, there are assassins like Qiao Zhong who were executed by his own order, and there are also people like Qiao Shuangsen, who call themselves the Great Yan Immortal Conquering Army and are considered by Emperor Yonghe to be warriors who have made Great Yan famous.
Let's deal with each matter separately.
What Qiao Zhong does belongs to Qiao Zhong, and what Qiao Shuangsen does belongs to Qiao Shuangsen.
"The several members of the Qiao family who died in the battle will also be rewarded, and those who died in the battle will receive compensation."
As for the Qiao family, he only rewarded them but did not give them any titles. They had no official titles, only money as pension for those who died in battle.
Immediately afterwards, the court officials discussed matters again, and Qiao Mu, as a military man who had nothing to do with court affairs, was naturally asked to leave by the palace guards.
Only after Qiao Shui and Captain Hai were sent away did Emperor Yonghe breathe a sigh of relief.
Today's play is finally over.
The king was modest and magnanimous, and the king and his subjects lived in harmony. He generously rewarded the white-haired soldiers in the isolated city... If this matter was recorded in the history books or spread outside, it would probably be considered a beautiful story.
With this in mind, Emperor Yonghe continued his morning court session.
Those who walked out of the lonely city in the desert were not just three hundred old soldiers, but also a large number of women, children and disabled elderly people in the city.
How to properly accommodate these extra people is also a major project.
At the same time, he also ordered the Minister of Rites Hai Wuya to go on behalf of Dayan to pay tribute to the deceased in front of the Anxi Pass Stele Forest...
..
One day later.
In Hai Wuya's mansion.
"A reward of five thousand taels of silver?" Qiao Mu was very surprised.
He originally thought that Emperor Yonghe would just do a perfunctory job, but who knew that he was so generous with gold and silver.
Based on a purchasing power of one thousand to one, five thousand taels of silver is a huge amount of money that an ordinary person could never earn in a lifetime.
"This is the pension for Qiao Shuangsen, Qiao Rusen, Qiao Rusen... and others." Hai Wuya explained.
Five thousand taels of silver was not one pension, but four.
Qiao Mu was quite tempted by the amount and naturally would not refuse it.
Not only did he not refuse, he even had an urge to die a few more times to defraud insurance... and to defraud the court of pensions.
But when he thought of the long dream after death, Qiao Mu just went through the thought in his mind and didn't take it seriously.
"I couldn't help myself in the Golden Palace yesterday. After seeing Emperor Yonghe, I really couldn't control myself," Qiao Mu sighed.
It feels good to show off.
The crematorium afterwards.
In the past, Qiao Mu had no other hobbies except showing off in front of others. He actually liked all kinds of burials, whether cremation, burial in the ground or water. The more tragic the death, the happier he was.
But that's all in the past.
He is Qiao Shui now. He just couldn't control himself for a moment in the Golden Throne Hall before, and he is still subconsciously doing things according to his previous style.
From now on, he will naturally not be the same.
"What are Mr. Qiao's plans for the future?" Hai Wuya asked politely.