Yangguan soon got the news from Yanmenguan that the Hu army led by Lang Tushuai also began to retreat.
Xue Poye had already written a note, detailing the battle situation in the northwest and some things to be done next, and Fei Ge sent the letter back to Kyoto.
Five days after the Hu people retreated, leaving ten thousand troops behind, other troops began to retreat to Yongzhou City. It was nothing more than a post-war appeasement work, because the main leaders of Yongzhou City had died, and Xue Poye could only temporarily take charge of Yongzhou affairs. , in addition to rewarding the army for repairs, it is mainly to clear up statistics on the population and materials of Yongzhou.
Now everyone understands that since King Mingyue is no longer here, the previous autonomous rules of Yongzhou will no longer exist, and it is impossible for Yongzhou to be a country within a state.
Of course, Xue Poye is not interested in these administrative matters, so let the court handle them.
Xue Poye is most concerned about the defense situation of Yangguan.
Regardless of whether the Hu people attack or not, the defense line of Yangguan must be done well. The so-called "born in sorrow and died in peace", if the Chu people really think that the Hu people will no longer attack and neglect defense, when the time comes The frontier defense is in disarray. Even if the barbarians have no intention of attacking, seeing the scum-like border defense may arouse their desire to attack.
In addition to expanding and strengthening Yangguan, Xue Poye's ten earthen cannons also contributed to Yangguan, and he issued a letter urging Lu Gongying to continue transporting shells to the northwest.
Half a month later, the officials and decision-makers from Kyoto came to Yongzhou.
In addition to bringing a large amount of military supplies, and sealing a large number of Northwest military officers, some of the officers were even transferred to Kyoto. The officials sent by the imperial court and the local officials in the Northwest all got some official positions in the Northwest. Of course, the distribution of these official positions, That was well thought out by the imperial court. Not only did the officials sent by the imperial court control the main forces in the northwest, but the local officials in the northwest did not neglect and gave them certain rights.
The distribution of power, in terms of politics, is an art. In the imperial court, there are courtiers who are good at playing this art. When it comes to sweetness, I can't say too much.
People in the northwest always complain about the interference of the court, whether it is officials or common people, but everyone knows that if there is no such talented, kind and prestigious leader as King Mingyue in the northwest, then the days of working behind closed doors in the northwest will definitely be very difficult. It's hard, it's better to accept the governance of the imperial court. After all, only by integrating into this huge country can the safety of the Northwest be guaranteed.
Of course, the officials from the imperial court all consciously visited Xue Poye. The Northern Expedition Army commanded by Xue Poye not only achieved a great victory in the northwest, but also stopped the Hu people from invading south. This news spread throughout the Great Chu Kingdom. The statement is now in full swing.
Xue Poye didn't get involved with the affairs of these officials, everything was done according to the rules of the court.
Only two days later, the imperial court sent imperial envoys to reward the army once again, and passed the decree that Xue Poye was conferred the title of Marquis of Xiyong, and his title was promoted two ranks, from Viscount to Marquis.
In addition, the most important thing is that the imperial envoy brought two other decrees. One is to exempt the Northwest from taxes for three years, which can be regarded as a great sweetener for the people in the Northwest and to win people's hearts. Second, for Xue Poye's remonstrance Regarding the rebuilding of Yangguan, the imperial court will withdraw funds, and the Ministry of Industry will send officials to repair and strengthen everyone in Yangguan.
These two decisions naturally made the people in the Northwest very happy, and they felt the court's favor for the Northwest to some extent.
As for Sima Feng who was sent to Yongzhou as an imperial envoy, Xue Poye almost forgot it at first, until the officials of the household department checked the household registration of Yongzhou, and even found him in the prison, and rescued the dying and emaciated Master Sima from the dungeon Xue Poye immediately ordered Mingxu to make a good diagnosis and treatment, and when he recovered a little, he immediately sent someone to Kyoto for recuperation.
The post-war work in the Northwest was carried out in an orderly manner. Xue Poye was nothing more than drinking and bragging with the Chu army and the Northwest generals occasionally, and occasionally patrolling around.
During this period, no matter Da Chu or Bei Hu, women can accept the reality of three wives and four concubines, so Xue Poye newly accepted Su Mayou, and the green lady didn't care, but she knew in her heart that Xue Poye's side There are too many women, and I can only make him focus more on me by using the bed technique, so whenever I have sex, I have to let Xue Poye be soft and comfortable.
The army stayed in Yongzhou for more than half a month. Xue Poye saw that the general situation had been settled and the situation in the northwest had also stabilized.
…
On the second day after the banquet was held by officials of all sizes in the Northwest, the Northern Expeditionary Army began to march from Yongzhou. At this time, the northwest was already very cold, so for the Northern Expeditionary Army, it was a dream come true.
The army set out from Yongzhou and headed south all the way. After crossing the Yihe River, they rested in Yizhou for two days.
The Northern Expeditionary Army was composed of soldiers and horses from each prefecture, so they made some adjustments in Yizhou. The commanders of each prefecture gathered all the soldiers and horses from each prefecture, and began to rush back to their respective prefectures to camp. Before leaving, Xue Poye naturally had a good banquet for Yang Yi Jun, Liu Xiao, Ye Tianxiang and other battalion generals said goodbye.
These people are all generals who have fought hard. After the experience of this war, there is no doubt that if there is a war in the future, they are absolutely capable of taking on great responsibilities.
Xue Poye waited until the soldiers and horses from all walks of life gradually left, and then he and Song Fei led the 1,000 cavalry and 3,000 infantry brought from the capital to return to the capital.
Of course, the thousand cavalry and three thousand infantry have always been Xue Poye's guards. Although they also participated in the battle, the casualties were not many. Although hundreds of people were lost, they were still largely intact.
Xue Poye did not let Qian Hong and others who were named "Grain Protection Team" who were actually Qinglianzhao follow them to Beijing, but asked them to withdraw to Hangzhou temporarily and wait for his orders.
Of course, before they left, Xue Poye reminded them very seriously that without his order, if Qing Lianzhao dared to act rashly, he would no longer be responsible for the consequences, and Qing Lianzhao could only say yes.
Along the way, the government offices of all the states were beating gongs and drums to welcome Xue Poye's arrival. The crowds lined the road were welcoming crowds, which reminded Xue Poye of the phrase "people's children, soldiers, people's love".
Although all the states are very grand, Xue Poye and Sein Fei did not delay the trip, but it is still possible for the subordinates to eat good wine and food every time they pass by. After all, everyone has recovered their lives from the battlefield. , You still have to eat what you should eat, and you should still drink what you should drink. The "gifts" given to Xue Poye and Sein Fei by officials from all over the country are also what they should take.
Mingxu followed Xue Poye. Although he was a disciple of the Buddhist family, he hadn't repaired it for several months, and his head had already grown hair. He muttered in a low voice, "Wine and meat have passed through the intestines, and the Buddha is in his heart." I ate my fill.
When it was still a day away from Kyoto, the first snow in the Great Chu Kingdom finally fell.
Goose-feather-like snowflakes fell from the sky profusely, and the heaven and earth were soon filled with romantic snowflakes. Xue Poye and Sein Fei led their subordinates, stepping on the light snow, and rushed to the capital without stopping.
At dusk the next day, the team finally saw the majestic and solemn city of Kyoto.
In the rustling wind, the snowflakes still did not stop, and the earth began to be covered with a silver veil.
Ten miles outside the city, the little emperor personally came out with all the civil and military officials to welcome the heroes of the Great Chu Kingdom. A few miles away, there was a warm atmosphere that was opposite to that of Dongxue.
The pennant was fluttering and fluttering in the wind and snow. The little emperor was wearing fur, surrounded by Lan Wuqing and other ministers, looking anxiously at the road ahead.
A few months, on the little emperor's body, it seems that he has gone through several years of experience. He looks much more mature and stable, and the light in his eyes is more hidden.
This was his first war after he ascended the throne, and in this war, his master did not lose face for him, he solved the Northwest War beautifully, and ended the chronic illness that had been haunting the imperial court. The Hu people let the history of the Chu army and the Hu people's repeated defeats get a very happy catharsis, which greatly improved the morale of the people.
When Xue Poye's team appeared in everyone's eyes, it was already dark. If Xue Poye hadn't ordered his subordinates to light the torches, everyone might not have been able to find out.
"Master!" The little emperor shouted emotionally, and hurried to meet him, while Lan Wuqing and the others hurriedly followed.
Xue Poye also saw the little emperor who was coming to meet him, and immediately got off his horse, and hurried to meet him, a few steps away, he was about to reach out his hand, wanting to embrace the little emperor, but at this moment, he also woke up. , Remembering the identities of the two parties, he hurriedly prostrated himself on the ground, and said respectfully: "My lord, I have fulfilled my mission and returned in triumph!"
Sein Fei and a group of soldiers behind him also knelt down.
The little emperor helped Xue Poye up, looked at Xue Poye's tired face, and said sincerely: "Master, thank you for your hard work."
Xue Poye chuckled and said, "Your Majesty, if you can win the battle, no matter how much hard work you have to do, it will be worth it." In front of the little emperor, he didn't need to talk nonsense like "everything is wise from the Holy Majesty".
The little emperor nodded, and ordered all the soldiers to stand up, and the ceremonial band sent by the Ministry of Rites beat gongs and drums to welcome the group of victorious warriors back to Beijing.
In Kyoto, the streets and alleys have long been filled with celebratory people. They looked at the group of soldiers who were triumphant with great reverence, and cheered one after another.
It was also this fierce atmosphere that made Xue Poye deeply understand the people's desire for victory in Dachu.
He even believes that this victory is not as simple as quelling internal strife and preventing foreign invasion. It awakens the self-confidence of the people of the country, which will have an inestimable effect on the future development of Chu.
…
In the imperial garden, the emperor hosted a banquet for Xue Poye and Song Fei, and all officials above the third rank in the court accompanied the banquet.
There was a lot of praise, and Xue Poye tried his best to maintain a humble attitude. Although he felt at ease seeing that the little emperor had no grudges against him, Xue Poye knew that at this time, it was better for him to keep a low profile.
It's just that on occasions like this, something inappropriate always happens.
When all the ministers were drinking happily, You Shaoqing came to Xue Poye amidst the crowd, raised his glass and said, "Commander, I respect you, congratulations on your triumphant return!"
Under such a cheerful atmosphere, Xue Poye was in a good mood, and raised his wine glass: "Boss You is too well-reputed, this is a wise man, and the three armies use their lives, but this officer has no great merit!"
"The commander-in-chief is wrong." You Shaoqing said with a smile: "The lower official is no longer the head of the internal affairs treasury. Thanks to the grace of the sage, the lower official has already served as the Minister of the Ministry of Officials."
Xue Poye smiled and said, "Congratulations!" Suddenly he came to his senses, and frowned, "What did you say?"
You Shaoqing originally wanted to please Xue Poye, but when he saw his face suddenly changed, he was a little afraid, so he couldn't help taking a step back.
Xue Poye looked at him, and said indifferently: "Shangshu of the Ministry of Officials? Isn't the Minister of the Ministry of Officials He Ruhui?"
At this time, the voices of all the ministers had quieted down. Seeing that Xue Poye was in a bad mood, they all looked at each other in blank dismay, and the Prime Minister Lan Wuqing, who was sitting next to Xue Poye, noticed all this and hurriedly got up and smiled: "Marshal , the banquet tonight is to welcome you and celebrate your success, let’s not talk about state affairs for now, come, I respect you!"
Xue Poye gave You Shaoqing a cold look, although he felt something was wrong in his heart, but it was not good to brush off Lan Wuqing's face, so he got up to take the glass of wine.
You Shaoqing was bored, so he had to back down disgruntled.
People say that once you are in a bad mood, you can get drunk if you drink water. There is a lot of truth in this saying.
You Shaoqing's unintentional words made Xue Poye feel very depressed. Although he still didn't understand the real reason of the matter, he could smell a bad breath keenly.
There was an endless stream of people toasting to him, and soon, Xue Poye was drunk.
When Xue Poye woke up slightly, he realized that he was sitting in the carriage, and the sound of the wheels rubbing against the bluestone road could be clearly heard.
He opened the curtain of the car, only to see Ximen Lei Zang riding a big horse and guarding him.
Seeing Xue Poye waking up, Ximen Leizang said respectfully, "My lord, are you awake? We're almost at the house."
"I'm drunk!" Xue Poye rubbed his temples, feeling better, before asking: "Is the banquet over?"
Ximen Leizang said: "The Holy Majesty saw that Your Majesty was drunk, so he ordered me to wait for the messenger to return to the mansion. The Holy Majesty personally sent Your Excellency out of the palace and covered him with clothes. When he came out, the Holy Majesty also said that he was tired, so he went back to the palace to rest. , the ministers have also dispersed."
Only then did Xue Poye realize that he was covered with the fur cloak that the emperor had worn earlier.
It was already late at night, and the street had long since returned to its former calm, and the people who were celebrating all returned to their homes to rest, only the snow in the sky was still flying all over the sky with great interest.
There has been a light snow accumulation on the street, which is not thick, but among the rubble of the gates of the houses, it is covered by snow.
"Gui Hong's voice breaks the remnant clouds, and the snow falls on the back window and the smoke rises!" Xue Poye groaned softly.
"My lord!" Ximen Leizang said in admiration, "You are not only good at martial arts, but also good at literature. I really admire you for your humble job."
Xue Poye laughed and said: "Master Ximen, you are not usually a person who likes to flatter."
Ximen Lei Zang laughed, and said: "My lord, the humble official is telling the truth, no flattering!" Pointing to the front, he said, "It's almost time to arrive at the General Guard's Mansion, Your Excellency hasn't seen your wife for several months, the ladies must be very worried about you."
Only then did Xue Poye's face show excitement, but he was still a little uneasy.
After entering Beijing, he arranged for someone to send Lv Niangzi and Su Mayou back to the General Guard's Mansion. Along the way, Lv Niangzi and Su Mayou got along very well. The relationship between the women is pretty good, but this time these women came in suddenly, and I don't know how Xiao Suzhen and Xiao Yuezhu are feeling.
Soon, the carriage arrived at the General Guard's Mansion, the driver lifted the curtain, Xue Poye tidied up slightly, and got out of the carriage. As soon as he returned to Beijing, he attended the celebration banquet. Qiu cloak was in his hand.
The sky was dark, but in front of the majestic General Guard Mansion, there were lights flickering and shadows dancing.
"Xue Lang!" "Master!"
Two voices came over at the same time, and in the voice, two figures were walking towards them, Xue Poye took a closer look, it was Xiao Suzhen and Yuezhu, with a feeling of warmth in his heart, he stretched out his hands, one left and one right held their hands , smiled and said: "It's such a cold day, why did you come out, don't freeze my wife."
The two girls, one on the left and the other on the right, held Xue Poye's hand, they were all very excited, they couldn't speak for a while, and a group of people on the opposite side cheered: "Master Hou is back, Master Hou is back!" They were all from the mansion. The servants and some guards are in the Habayashi Guard of the General Guard Mansion.
Zhang Hu also came forward, laughed and said: "Master Hou, you are back, everyone misses you to death."
Xue Poye stepped forward and hugged Zhang Hu, and said with a smile: "Brother Zhang, I have relied on you to take care of my family during these days in the northwest, thank you very much."
Manager Hu at the side smiled and said: "Master Hou, it's snowing outside and it's cold, so go back to the house and talk. There's a stove in the house, keeping it warm."
Xue Poye hurriedly said: "Yes, yes, let's all go back to the house." Turning to Ximen Leizang, he said, "Master Ximen, you haven't seen your family for a few months, go back and have a look, and let me say hello to them."
Ximen Lei Zang said his goodbyes and left, Xue Poye led the crowd back to the mansion, saw Su Mayo, Lv Lady and Xiao Lingxian also in the crowd, their expressions were very natural, it seemed that they were not as expected. Trouble in the harem".
She was extremely gentle to Lv Niangzi and Su Mayou along the way, so for the time being, she handed over all the gentleness to Xiao Suzhen and Yue Zhu, holding their hands, and said softly, "How is your food? How is Yue Zhu?" Zhu, after I leave, will you listen to me and stay at home honestly?"
Yuezhu glanced at Xiao Suzhen, pursed her lips and smiled, "Can I not stay at home, I have to take care of two people."
"Oh!" Xue Poye laughed and said, "Who wants you to take care of me?"
"Sister Suzhen." Yuezhu smiled softly.
Xue Poye nodded and said: "You should take care of each other." After a pause, he asked: "Is there another one? Didn't you say that you need to take care of two people? Who else has such a big shelf and wants my Yuezhu to take care of you?" to take care of."
Yuezhu looked at Xiao Suzhen, smiled and said, "Just ask my sister."
Xue Poye turned to look at Xiao Suzhen, only to see Xiao Suzhen looking at her tenderly, she stopped and said softly: "Xue Lang, our family will soon have one more person." After finishing speaking, she pulled Xue Po Ye's hand lightly pressed on his stomach.
Xue Poye would be an idiot if he didn't understand at this time.
"Suzhen...you...you mean...!" Xue Poye was surprised and happy, his eyes widened.
Xiao Suzhen smiled softly, nodded and said: "In a few months, you will be able to be a father!"
At this moment, Xue Poye felt that the greatest happiness in the world swept over his whole body, money, power, conspiracy, tricks, fights, all fucked up.
Since traveling to this time, Xue Poye always has a feeling of illusion, as if all people and things are like dreams, even though many things are so real, there is always a shadow of illusion deep in Xue Poye's heart, But at this moment, he really understands that everything is so low and real, his life, his woman, his life, everything is flesh and blood, and now, he can even have children, belonging to his blood, in this place where he used to be The world that I thought was illusory countless times has continued with his flesh and blood!
Holding Xiao Suzhen's hand, Xue Poye was extremely excited.
Suddenly, both Xiao Suzhen and Yue Zhu could clearly see tears rolling down from the corners of Xue Poye's eyes.