The streets in Tokyo's inner city are paved with bricks and stones, and the sound of horse hooves stepping on the road is particularly crisp, and each sound is as crisp and clear as peas falling into a plate.
Guo Shao looked at the scenery outside and his eyes were quickly attracted by a group of unfinished buildings. He looked around and asked casually: Is this the Merit Pavilion that we asked the Ministry of Works to send people to supervise the construction
Li Chuyun nodded quickly.
As the carriage moved forward, Guo Shao's head turned and he looked at that place for a long time. He retracted his gaze and looked at Li Chuyun who was sitting opposite him. Li Chuyun also bowed hurriedly.
A hundred years after General Li's death, his portrait can still be hung inside, Guo Shaoyong said casually.
Li Chuyun clasped his fists and said: All the achievements are your Majesty's, I dare not take credit for them.
Li Chuyun's attitude was very reserved, but Guo Shao spoke directly: But my portrait cannot be hung in this place, it should be in the Taimiao.
Li Chuyun looked embarrassed for a moment, as if it was difficult to respond to this sentence. Guo Shao then thought that if Li Chuyun agreed, it seemed that emperors in ancient times were more taboo about death, otherwise how could there be a saying of "live forever".
Forget it, let’s not talk about this. Guo Shao waved his hand.
Li Chuyun looked around and changed the subject.
But Guo Shao's thoughts did not change so quickly. He was still thinking about the Xuanren Merit Pavilion he had just seen. Suddenly, he had an idea: most of the civil and military ministers supported the Northern Expedition, and the Merit Pavilion might also have a reason. They wanted to make as many achievements as possible and seize the opportunity to leave their names. However, this was not the purpose for Guo Shao to build this place when he ordered it to be built.
Not long ago, the scope of the attack on Youzhou was expanded to the political hall. Such a big thing had to be informed to the prime ministers, which was opposed by Prime Minister Fan Zhi. Fan Zhi wanted to scold those who supported the Northern Expedition for instigating the emperor to be aggressive. However, this kind of achievement in opening up new territories did not have much to do with civil officials.
The man who left his portrait and achievements in the book had countless lives at his fingertips. As the saying goes, one general's success is based on the sacrifice of thousands of people. Guo Shao himself didn't know how many lives he had lost.
In front of the ministers, Guo Shao could not say whatever he wanted. In the past, Li Chuyun and he were good friends and colleagues, so it was easier for him to talk, but after Guo Shao ascended the throne, this was no longer the case. During this trip, he talked a lot with Li Chuyun, but it was obvious that Li Chuyun was also very cautious in what he said.
Guo Shao also kept silent about his thoughts.
After a while, he looked at Li Chuyun and said seriously: No matter what we do, we can't avoid the suffering of the people. What we did was to exchange the lives of the soldiers for the lives of the people. The soldiers are sacrificing for others.
Li Chuyun's expression froze and he said: Your Majesty treats the people of the world with kindness, and the people are very fortunate.
Guo Shao elaborated: The Liao people occupy Youyun, and once they have the chance, they will easily invade the south. Just like the Youzhou army looted Yiding and Dingzhou last year, if the main force of the Liao army goes south, the land will be destroyed even more.
We are not seeking glory or militarism, we are doing what should be done, even if it requires many people to sacrifice their lives.
Guo Shao was reasoning with Li Chuyun, and also seemed to be convincing himself.
However, he certainly did not start the war just for noble reasons. Everyone has desires or dreams, and Guo Shao is no exception.
After returning to the imperial city, Guo Shao did not go to Jinxiang Hall, but went straight to Xuanyou Gate. Because today was the ten-day holiday, the emperor and his ministers would not work, which was a day off for people to bathe and change clothes, equivalent to the weekend in later generations. However, the weekend originated from Christianity, and the bathing holiday was an ancient traditional custom.
Guo Shao didn't want to go to the Zide Hall or the Wansui Hall, so he simply went to the Sanqing Hall, a Taoist temple in the imperial palace.
This place is very peaceful and is a place for spiritual practice. He went to visit Qingxu first and talked to her for a while, but he and Qingxu had little in common, after all, they were too young.
Guo Shao thought of Concubine Zhang who had become a nun here, and asked her if she was still in Sanqing Temple. He vaguely remembered what Concubine Zhang said, that after one meeting, it would take one, two, or ten years to see the emperor again. So Guo Shao decided to visit Concubine Zhang on the spur of the moment.
Zhang welcomed Guo Shao into the hall at the entrance. There was only one Taoist nun around and the etiquette was relatively simple.
Guo Shao immediately asked: "Is the Grand Concubine doing well in the Sanqing Palace? Is there anything she needs?"
Zhang said slowly: Your Majesty and the Queen treat the people in the palace well, I am very happy here. Your Majesty, please sit down.
Guo Shao sat down on a futon next to a wooden table in front of a wooden window. Zhang whispered again: "People like me would never have asked about this. Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern."
Guo Shaodao: No need to thank me, Grand Concubine. I also think this place is great, far away from the mundane world.
Zhang immediately whispered: "Your Majesty, if you want some quiet time, you can come and sit here often. I don't usually have anyone to talk to."
The nun was boiling water and making tea inside, and her figure could be seen from the hall outside. Guo Shao did feel that the atmosphere here was different. Although he was in the palace, he seemed to be isolated from everything.
He saw a Go board on the table and immediately lowered his head to look at the chessboard.
Zhang smiled and said: "If your majesty is interested, let's play the Gomoku you taught me last time."
Guo Shaodao: That game is too simple. It is boring to play it all the time.
Zhang looked at Guo Shao's face and said: Your Majesty really doesn't know how to play chess
To be honest, I was just a warrior before, how could I know these elegant things? Guo Shao said it was no pressure, he found it was indeed easy in this place, but I know the most basic rules, if you are surrounded to death, your flags and places will be eaten, and then we count who occupies the larger territory.
An almost forgotten imperial concubine of the previous dynasty would be imprisoned in the imperial palace forever. Guo Shao really felt that she would not be able to have any influence on the government.
After listening to this, Zhang explained several strategies in detail, and then asked Guo Shao to practice chess with her.
After a long time, the Taoist nun beside Zhang brought the tea. Everything was done very slowly. The simple hall was filled with the faint fragrance of tea. From time to time, the sound of light falling pieces could be heard, and time seemed to pass even more slowly.
The furnishings in this place were simple, even the table they played chess on was made of ordinary wood, not even painted. However, Guo Shao felt that the atmosphere was relaxed, without so many decorations to affect people's mood.
Guo Shaodao: I heard that one must have a worthy opponent to play chess with. It would be boring for Concubine Tai to play chess with an opponent like me.
Zhang smiled and observed Guo Shao attentively, shaking her head without hesitation.
The two continued to play chess in silence. Two people who had only met once before really lacked understanding of each other and there seemed to be not much they could say to each other.
Taking advantage of the gap, Zhang picked up the teapot with a thin spout, poured a cup of tea into the small cup, handed it to Guo Shao, and said softly: This is a place of purity and abstinence. The tea sets are not particular, and there is no good tea. I hope Your Majesty will not dislike it.
Guo Shao looked at her after hearing this and felt that a truly pure person would not care about these material things. Zhang did not look like a truly pure person. She was too gorgeous, with black hair, white skin, red lips, the charm between her eyebrows and the lines between her plump breasts, all of which destroyed her temperament.
He calmed down and said: As long as the teapot does not leak, something worth a hundred strings of coins is the same as something worth a few coins.
Zhang looked at him thoughtfully.
Guo Shao added: "Things are valuable only because people recognize their value. As long as we both agree that these things are very particular, then they are good tea."
Zhang gently lifted the sleeve of her cloth to cover her mouth and said with a smile: Your Majesty's words are really interesting.
There was another silence, with only the sound of chess pieces falling. The two of them were talking at random. Guo Shao suddenly asked again: "Does the Imperial Concubine believe that there are ghosts in this world after death?"
Zhang stopped smiling and her expression changed. Guo Shao suddenly realized that she might be thinking of the deceased Taizu.
Her eyelashes trembled in the light coming through the window, and she pursed her lips and said nonchalantly: I am a Taoist priest, I should not be afraid of ghosts.
Guo Shao looked up at her and said: What I am thinking about is that we have fought so many wars in the past few years, and I can’t even count how many people have lost their lives.
Since ancient times, great undertakings have been built with corpses. Zhang changed her words.
Guo Shao nodded: "This game of Go is also very interesting. The person who invented it must have been a high-ranking person who participated in the struggle for the world. Both sides of the game are trying their best to occupy the territory. The more territory they occupy, the more they can win. They keep trying to fight for more territory, to be bigger and stronger, and they can't stop.
Zhang said: Although Your Majesty has just started learning chess, he immediately grasped the artistic conception of it.
Guo Shao gave a forced smile: "I just can't help thinking too much about everything now, maybe it's not a good thing. Recently, I feel more and more that I have lost my previous spirit of perseverance. Even when I have already made a decision, I often hesitate and feel uneasy.
Zhang pondered for a moment and said kindly: Your Majesty, you have captured the mighty city of Jinyang in half a month, shocking the world. You have long been a wise and heroic ruler. However, it is inevitable for people on the throne to have a lot of thoughts.
Oh, Guo Shao finally felt that this person who had been a royal concubine had really seen the world.
At this time, his body and mind were relaxed, and the emotions that had been pent up in his heart came out. Normally, even if he had any emotions in front of others, he would show them openly and confidently, so as to calm people's hearts.
Guo Shao really felt that he had been in a bad mood recently. Now that he had more and more things and his situation was getting better and better, his mood had become worse. He really didn't know what was going on.
The two played several games in a row, and because they were not evenly matched, the games went very quickly. Guo Shao saw that it was almost noon, so he stood up and said goodbye.
Zhang said: If Your Majesty does not mind the simple food, we can also have lunch in Sanqing Hall.
Guo Shao immediately smiled and said: "I am here to visit the royal elders, it would be inappropriate to stay too long and have a meal. Take care of yourself, Grand Concubine, I will come to greet you later."
He then added: I will remember my conversation with the Grand Concubine.
I recommend Meng Shang's new book, The Lord of Burning Heaven Sword. In this vast world, heroes coexist, and all races compete for supremacy. There are countless swords and shadows, grudges and hatreds. Foreign invasions have brought disaster to all living beings. Where are the passionate men? The young man crossed the Fire Spirit Continent, traveled across the world, taking revenge, fighting heroes of all races, beheading foreign monks, and shining a cold sword across eighteen states. With the sword in hand, he asked who was the master of the world.
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