Lang Taoxuejin ran away from the camp without running far, it stopped on the snow slope at the north end of Chashi Tiankeng. The snow and fog were wet, and Shen Zechuan seemed to be on the vast lake with smoke and waves, and his eyes were all white.
Xiao Chiye got off his horse and took off his helmet. There was sweat on his temples, he was panting slightly, his eyebrows were full of energy, and he said, "Can you see Duanzhou?"
Shen Zechuan held the reins of Lang Taoxue's lapel and handed the blue handkerchief in his sleeve to Xiao Chiye. In the white air he breathed, he could only see the watchtower of the abandoned post station in the distance. But he understood Xiao Chiye's joy and said, "I look at Duanzhou right now as if I were looking at my own pocket."
Xiao Chiye raised his chin slightly, sweat dripped, and he smiled. Shen Zechuan looked at him and found that he still retained the unruly and unruly when he was in the capital, which was the look that Shen Zechuan wanted to occupy.
Shen Zechuan leaned over, his breath sprayed on Xiao Chiye's cheek, the tip of his nose was close, and along Xiao Chiye's temples, he licked Xiao Chiye's sweat as he wished. The bitter and salty sweat melted between Shen Zechuan's teeth. When his Adam's apple slipped lightly, he said, "This will be your Xiao Ce'an's racecourse in the future."
Xiao Chiye raised his hand and covered the back of Shen Zechuan's neck. The iron fingers that had not been removed were cold and hard, covering the soft and white neck, leaving a blade-like touch.
"I don't want a racetrack," Xiao Chiye rubbed his straight nose along the place where Shen Zechuan had just slid, stared at Shen Zechuan's squinting eyes, and said dangerously, "I want Shen Lanzhou."
Shen Zechuan took a breath of heat towards Xiao Chiye, Xiao Chiye thought he was going to kiss him, but who knew that Lan Zhou took advantage of the gap to pull back the blue handkerchief in Xiao Chiye's hand, sat up straight again, and wrapped his body tightly 's cloak. The man who was afraid of the cold only showed his eyes and the tips of his ears were red, and said in a muffled voice, "Shen Lanzhou froze to death."
Xiao Chiye's arms were empty and he had not yet reacted.
Shen Zechuan saw that Xiao Chiye's expression changed a bit, and he had a posture of grabbing himself, and immediately shook the reins, urging Lang Taoxue to return. Xiao Chiye was holding the helmet, and there was still heat from being licked on his temples. He touched it, as if he was a frivolous good family, and gradually became annoyed.
"Shen Lanzhou..." Xiao Chiye watched Shen Zechuan run, stretched out his long legs, slid down the snow slope, and shouted, "Bo Qing Lang!"
* * *
A Chi, who had a solid victory, defeated Chashi Tiankeng, and the people of Biansha, who had won the battle in the north for half a year, did not expect that A Chi would lose to Xiao Chiye. The remnants of Duanzhou were defeated by Wu Ziyu's surprise attack, so all the six states of Zhongbo were brought under the command of Shen Zechuan. It was not until seven days later that Qi Du got the news. At the same time, the military report of Qi Zhuyin's army of Qingshu was also sent into the palace.
The Empress Dowager sat with the curtains down in the Mingli Hall, and threw the Zhezi in the middle of the banquet across the Pearl. Dongzhu swayed in her ear, holding back her anger, she said to the courtiers in the hall, "Has the Ministry of War rejected the case for sending troops from Qidong? Chen Zhen, you are dealing with military affairs, can't you even speak clearly!"
The Minister of War, Chen Zhen, immediately knelt down, knowing that the Queen Mother was angering. Qi Zhuyin's army is strong and strong now, and Qi Du easily refuses to offend him, so he can only pinch the soft persimmon in front of him. He listened expressionlessly, and said, "The commander of the first month, Chen Shuyu, wants to send troops to the Green Rat Division. We rejected her petition because of insufficient rations. The cabinet has left behind on this matter. Yuan Fu and your lords. Everyone knows it."
The queen mother understood that this was by no means an order from the Ministry of War, but she was angry and paused for a while before saying, "Why is she this time?"
"Seven days ago, the night patrol of the frontier county encountered a surprise attack from the Green Mouse Department," Chen Zhen said, raising her head slightly, "The commander was forced to send troops."
"Amur is at war with Libei in the north, what is the Green Mouse Department doing to provoke Qidong?" Han Cheng had received Qi Zhuyin's cold face when he was sending off his marriage, and now sitting in the hall, he smiled abruptly, "Besides, what a coincidence, The Green Rat Department made a surprise attack, and the commander happened to be in Bian County, this battle was fought very fast, and the good news and the petition were presented together, and they were all successful."
Kong Qiu fell ill after the year, his face darkened, he sat in the hall and covered his lips and coughed a few times, and said, "You can't listen to one's beliefs in everything. If the Qingshu Ministry seriously invades, the commander will send troops urgently. The frontier was unstable in the past year. When Lu Guangbai was still stationed in the frontier county, the Green Rat Department often came to commit crimes. The details of this matter still need to be reported by the commander. The most important thing at the moment is, how long will this battle last? The large and small state capitals of the Thirteen West Cities are all waiting to be arranged, and the supply of military rations is a big problem.”
Pan Xiangjie timidly copied his sleeves. Xue Xiuzhuo wanted to investigate the Pan clan in Dancheng. This matter has been deadlocked for a long time. The fields are not clean.
The empress dowager did not agree to send troops, firstly because Qidong's sending troops at this moment was equivalent to supporting Libei, and secondly because Xue Xiuzhuo was too hasty in chasing the account. The Eight Great Families pull the whole body together, and the fields are the root, and all the playboys in the eight cities have to rely on these fields to continue their lives. If this were investigated, the family would be hurt just by returning the land and making up the tax and silver, not to mention the danger of being dismissed and investigated and imprisoned. Qi Zhuyin attacked the Qingshu Department, and the salaries of the soldiers, horses and troops in the five counties in Qidong had to go to the account of the household department, and the treasury was empty, and the old affairs of the Yongyi period had to be pulled. The grandchildren exercised the power of the crown prince, and there was still the prince who was eyeing him beside him, so she did not dare to act rashly.
The family does not know whether Amur is a wolf or tiger, but they know that the current situation should not be delayed any longer. Zhongbo has already raised a serious problem, and sticking with the prince and the cabinet will not be of any benefit to the family.
"Since it was the Qingshu Division who attacked, Qi Zhuyin can just repel them, and there is no need to send troops further." The Queen Mother's anger had calmed down, she considered it, and said, "The Ai family knows that the border is bitter and cold, and the battle with the people from the border will definitely be fought. But not now, just as Yuan Fu said, the spring ploughing is about to begin, and the people of the world should be the most important. Last year Juexi was not a bumper harvest, and the granary of Qidu was not filled yet, so how could the court have any spare food for it? Qidong's war? You have to talk to Qi Zhuyin about this matter, she is in charge of the government affairs of the five counties, and she should have known about the difficulties of the court."
Mingli Hall was silent for a moment, the curtains at the door were tucked tightly, so that no air leaked. Because of Qi Zhuyin's dispatch of troops, the atmosphere in the hall was solemn.
In fact, Qi Zhuyin wanted to fight the Qingshu, Kong Qiu and Cen Yu agreed, but they were fighting with the noble family at the moment, and it was Pan Lin who was holding the household. Pan Lin was being bitten by Xue Xiuzhuo. Qidong army pay thing? Moreover, because Pan was the first to bear the brunt, Pan Xiangjie did not dare to let his son get too close to the cabinet at this juncture.
Pan Xiangjie is used to the grass on the wall, and it is because of this ability to sway with the wind that he has lived to this day. He didn't want to offend Xue Xiuzhuo, nor did he want to offend the Queen Mother. With the victory and defeat of Qidu in a single day, he would not let the Pan family follow anyone easily. In the past, he followed Hua Siqian and Wei Huaigu, but both of them used him as a scapegoat. He was wary and didn't believe any of these three parties.
Cen Yu sighed lightly, he rarely speaks in Mingli Hall now. When Yu Xiaozai left the capital, he took his letter to Shen Zechuan, but Shen Zechuan did not reply, so he understood what Shen Zechuan meant. A year ago, everyone ate wine at his house. He still remembered the demeanor of Shen Zechuan and Xiao Chiye, and now he feels a pity.
Cen Yu turned his gaze to Li Jianting, who was sitting beside him, staring at the tea in front of him, as if he hadn't heard the discussion in the hall. After the meeting was over, Cen Yu and Kong Qiu walked on the long snow-swept road.
The eaves of the palaces on both sides drooped down, making the road dark. The eunuch in front was holding a lantern, and Cen Yu was walking in the room, flipping his robes. The wind blew away his new short beard. He raised his hand and stroked it.
Kong Qiu said, "How come you didn't say a word just now on such a big thing today?"
Cen Yu raised his eyes and said, "The Queen Mother has made up her mind. It's the result of whether to say it or not."
When the two walked out of the palace gate, it was already dark. Instead of getting on the carriage, Cen Yu carried the lantern by himself, and walked on the flat road with Kong Qiu stepping on the snow.
"Xunyi has a lot of thoughts today," Kong Qiu looked at him, "what are you thinking about?"
"I think of last year today," Cen Yu said, "At that time, Tongzhi and Hou Ye were still in the capital..."
If Emperor Tianchen hadn't been assassinated, maybe Shen Zechuan and Xiao Chiye were still in the capital today. Cen Yu has always cherished talents, and once thought about Shen Zechuan's entry into office, but in the end it didn't happen, and Shen Wei's crime was too heavy.
Kong Qiu also sighed, thinking of Hai Liangyi again.
"If Emperor Tianchen is half-distracted by the prince, how could you and I have fallen to this point? I've been feeling more and more powerless recently, and many things are really lacking. The military rations involve the fields of Bacheng, but I see that the Libei war is very tight, and even the Libei king Xiao Fangxu has been defeated. The benefits of his words can't solve the contradictions in the capital today, and it is difficult for the family to abandon the existing interests.
Not long after the two of them walked, they saw that the bamboo umbrella in front of them was independent, and they were waiting with a person. Cen Yu and Kong Qiu exchanged glances and looked at Xue Xiuzhuo in front.
Xue Xiuzhuo's official robes were fresh, and he didn't wear a jacket, so he just stood here alone, like a floating leaf in the rapids, his sleeves were swayed by the wind. He put away his umbrella and saluted Cen Yu and Kong Qiu.
Kong Qiu said, "You are standing here, but something happened?"
Xue Xiuzhuo raised his body, and the snow drifted sporadically. He said, "Xiaguan is waiting for the two teachers here to discuss in detail about Dancheng's fields and taxation."
Cen Yu frowned slightly and said, "There is no reason to discuss privately about the court affairs. This case must be avoided in particular. If others see it, it will inevitably cause some rumors. Go back and wait until tomorrow. In the morning and later, let's talk in the Cabinet Office."
"If it wasn't for an emergency, the lower officials would naturally not dare to disturb the two teachers." Xue Xiuzhuo did not change his face, "At the beginning of the month, the Queen Mother proposed a decree to accompany important members of the household department to investigate the case, and Pan Lin assigned him to be in charge of the salt tax in Hezhou and Juexi. Liangluoshan."
Both Kong Qiu and Cen Yu knew Liang Luoshan. He was recommended by Xiao Chiye when the official ditch collapsed. He was appointed by Emperor Tianchen as a household official to inspect Wei Huaigu's military ration case. He was very talented in managing financial taxes. I sorted out the old accounts of the Thirteen Cities with Jiang Qingshan in Juexi, and managed the water transportation for a while in Hezhou.
Yan Heru told Shen Zechuan that the current waterway business is not good, and the goods that Yan's family ran to Juexi were strictly checked, because of Liangluoshan. This person is slick, but not slick. He stays in his position and handles thousands of taxes every day. Yan Heru wants to go through his back door, but he bounces back like cotton.
"Liang Maoshan has returned to the capital at this moment, and he will enter the palace early in the morning to see him," Xue Xiuzhuo hugged his umbrella, "but he will die on this trip, and he must meet the two teachers tonight."