Huan Rong

In the Taiji Hall, the monarch and his ministers sat down, and the servants brought tea soup, and guarded outside the hall together with the eunuchs.

Huan Rong took out the text message sent back by Jia Ke, and after Xie An, Xi Chao and others circulated it, they were all guessing.Wang Xianzhi even made it clear, bluntly saying that Huan Rong had the intention of conquering the North.

"The Northern Expedition is imperative, but the timing needs to be carefully considered." After Wang Xian, Xie Xuan said, "This time the Emperor Qin won a great victory in defeating the Hu thieves. The leader of the Di family was beheaded, and the tribes of Wusun Gaoche were leaderless, scattered like birds and beasts, and more than a few thousand generals died at the hands of the Qin army, and more than ten thousand were captured."

"At this opportunity of great victory, Emperor Qin's martial arts will be deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. All the things in Chang'an before will also be weakened by this battle."

"If Your Majesty launches troops at this time, firstly, it will break the covenant and give people a reason to be dishonest; secondly, it is very likely to lose the hearts of the people in the North. If there are people who are willing to add fuel to the flames, it will be very detrimental to Your Majesty."

To unify the Central Plains and restore China, it is inevitable to launch a northern expedition.

A year ago, the court of Chang'an was fighting for power and profit. Qin Ce was eager to consolidate the monarchy, but was deceived and restrained by the court's military and tyrannical powers.

To add fuel to the fire, not long after the Tang Gongluo incident subsided, the Xiahou clan suddenly raised troops in Chang'an, which almost shook the foundation of the Qin State.In the end, the Qin brothers led their troops to wipe out the rebels and ended the rebellion, but the old Xihe troops stationed in various places began to lose their hearts.

This is the right time to raise troops.

Unexpectedly, Gaoche Wusun suddenly moved southward, threatening the Central Plains.Huan Rong weighed things up and down, discussed with Xie An and the others, and for the sake of the overall situation, gave up this rare opportunity.

Now, when Qin Jing first came to the throne, he won a big victory over Wusun and Gao Che, quelling the border troubles and stabilizing the border state.As long as there are no accidents and no foolish tricks, the class teacher will definitely win the hearts of the people after returning to the court.

Especially the people in Shuofang and other places will be grateful for the kindness of the emperor.

Even though there are frequent natural disasters in the north, and refugees in Bingzhou and Qingzhou are prevalent, as long as there are such achievements, the foundation of the Qin family cannot be shaken in a short period of time.

Xie Xuan analyzed each item one by one, showing his admiration for Qin Jing.

Regardless of the positions of the two sides, the hero who stepped on the grassland and wiped out the bandits is always admirable.

"Everything Xie Shilang said is reasonable, and I also know that the opportunity to fight is important."

Huan Rong had thought about Xie Xuan's worries for a long time.

Qin Jing's victory and return to the court will surely increase the popularity of the people.Sending troops to the Northern Expedition at this time will definitely experience a bitter battle.However, Huan Rong was even more reluctant to send troops when the Hu thieves invaded and threatened the Central Plains.

He made an agreement with Qin Jing that no matter who wins, the restoration of the Han Dynasty will come first.

With this premise, the land of Huaxia will not fall into the hands of foreigners, let alone the tragedy of the chaos of China.

Wouldn't it be contrary to the original intention if we do the opposite?

Thinking of this, Huan Rong secretly sighed, inexplicably feeling desolate.

"Your Majesty," Xie An was silent for a long time, and finally said, "In my opinion, the matter of the Northern Expedition should not be delayed. Today's Chang'an is no different than when Emperor Wu Lie was in power. The longer it is delayed, the more trouble it will be."

Sending troops when Qin Jing's prestige is soaring, of course, will encounter a lot of obstacles, and may even encounter spontaneous resistance from the people of the Northland.But the situation is in front of him, hesitation, procrastination will only make it more troublesome.

During the Xiahou clan's rebellion, most of the civil and military personnel in the Chang'an court disappeared.

When the new emperor came to the throne, he faced the dilemma of no one available.

However, behind the predicament is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.Without the restraint of the old ministers, and without the obstruction of powerful forces, it is easy to promote talents.

Qin Jing led his troops to sweep the north, and Qin Jue temporarily took over the government.

Xie An paid attention to the news from the Northland. The changes in Chang'an were expected, but also somewhat unexpected.

He once discussed with Wang Biaozhi that Qin Jing was in power, Qin's internal affairs were twisted into one rope, Chang'an court elites and capable ministers gathered, and it would only be a matter of time before the weather was restored.

"If you want to take the north, you must raise your troops as soon as possible."

Huan Rong gave up the previous opportunity, Xie An did not feel regretful.

Prior to this, the reason why the Jiankang gentry made concessions to the emperor, turned a blind eye to official examinations, the establishment of colleges, etc., and even took advantage of them to promote them together was probably because Huan Rong put the overall situation first. What we do is focusing on "the world" and "the people".

Since the end of the Han Dynasty, China has been suffering from wars and chaos for a long time.

To restore the Han Dynasty, the north and the south must be unified.

Before the decisive battle, we must beware of foreigners, so as not to repeat the tragedy after the Yongjia Rebellion.

Xie An's words were like a heavy hammer, hitting hard on the heart of the important person.

Xie Xuan looked at his uncle, exchanged views with Wang Xianzhi, and finally turned his gaze to the Son of Heaven, and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, I didn't think carefully before and sent troops to the Northern Expedition. It is really better sooner rather than later."

wait?

Waiting for another civil strife in the Qin Kingdom, the Northland is facing a catastrophe?

Xie Xuan and Wang Xianzhi shook their heads together.

It's easier said than done.

Huan Rong nodded, turned to Xi Chao and Jia Bing and said, "What do Jing Xing and Bingzhi think?"

"Returning to Your Majesty, I think that there is no need to send troops immediately, but you can mobilize people in the north to contact the assassins of Qing, Bing, and Ji prefectures in secret, understand them with reason, move them with emotion, and persuade them to go south. .” Xi Chao said.

"Is this possible to succeed?" Huan Rong was slightly taken aback, and asked, "How sure is Jing Xing?"

"To be honest, Your Majesty, it's too early to say success at this time. However, it's man-made. How will you know if you don't try?" Xi Chao smiled slightly and continued, "Emperor Qin returned to the court after a great victory. After the chaos, hidden worries in the court have long existed, and it cannot be resolved overnight."

The hidden worry of Chang'an is the opportunity of health.

The court of the Qin State adopted newcomers on a large scale. Although it could make the politics clear and stabilize the rule of the new emperor, it inadvertently pushed the old Xihe tribe to the opposite side.

To put it bluntly, one radish and one pit.What should the old man do if the newcomer occupies the old hole?

The old tribe of Xihe followed the Qin clan to conquer the north and south, and followed the Qin clan since the establishment of Wubao, and all of them made great military exploits.

Nowadays, some boys with no hair at all are in the imperial court, and they are planning to make government orders, and their prosperity is just around the corner, but their rights are being continuously reduced. How can they not feel dissatisfied?

The aftermath of the Xiahou clan's rebellion has not completely dissipated. In the north, it seems that the misunderstanding between the monarchs and ministers has disappeared.When the wind blows again, it can start a prairie fire in an instant.

"In addition, although the Tang family and his son are in Nantou, their reputation in Qingzhou and Bingzhou has not diminished. The governor of the same Bingzhou is old. You might as well ask him to write a letter and send it to Beidi."

What Xi Chao meant was that it is inevitable to raise troops, but why not persuade the assassins of the three states to take the initiative to confront Chang'an and invest in Jiankang in order to reduce losses?

"Your Majesty, don't think this plan is too poisonous." Jia Bing said solemnly, "There was a secret report from Liangzhou a few days ago, that some scholars from the north used the name of traveling to study, crossed the border, and sent a note to pay a visit to the prefects of Hanzhong and Wenshan counties."

Judging from the secret report submitted by the prefects of the two counties, the performance of the visitor is really doubtful, and there is a faint hint of co-option between the lines.

Liangzhou borders the state of Qin, and Hanzhong County can not only station heavy troops but also produce food, it is a place that must be contested by military strategists.

Judging from the map, Hanzhong County looks like a protruding sharp corner, piercing into the territory of the Qin family.Qin Guo chose to start from here, intending to shake Huan Han's rule, which is really natural.

"Emperor Qin led the troops in the north, His Majesty would never have thought that Chang'an would send people to lobby at this time."

It's good if the matter succeeds, but if it doesn't succeed, the news will spread, as long as Huan Rong is a little suspicious, the Hanzhong County will be hit by an earthquake.From the prefect down, including county officials, more or less, the future will be affected.

Innocent being suspected by the emperor, it's okay to be broad-minded, but if you are narrow-minded and confused for a while when things happen, it is inevitable that Chang'an will get his wish.

"Your Majesty, these scholars from the south must not be taken lightly."

"Looking at the tactics used by Emperor Qin to conquer the north, you must have studied the army of our court. The so-called strike first is the best, why not send people to the north as soon as possible before the Emperor Qin takes the lead?"

Jia Ke's identity was exposed and he could no longer stay in Chang'an. Most of the nails buried by his hands could no longer be used.

However, if one news net is gone, it can still be woven into a second or third one.

Jia Ke went to the Western Regions, and other dark threads could start to move.Compared with Jaco, these people are more low-key, but they can play a greater role.

"Your Majesty, do you still remember that the younger brother of the stone thorn envoy was doing business in Xuzhou?" Jia Bing said.

Shi Shao's brother?

Hearing this at first, Huan Rong was in a daze for a moment, and the boy who followed Shi Shao back then flashed before his eyes.

"Mr. Shi Lang did not become an official. A few years ago, he hid his name and led the caravan from north to south. The farthest reached Mobei. He even went to Shanshan to deliver food for the army."

"Youdu and Zijing also know?" Huan Rong looked at Xie Xuan and Wang Xianzhi.

The two looked at each other and said: "Return to Your Majesty, I know it is the Xuzhou caravan, but I don't know that it is Jingde's brother."

This statement is not surprising.

For one thing, Shi Shao was an official in the local area all the year round, and he rarely showed up in Jiankang, and only had a quick meeting during the first moon court celebrations. They were not familiar with each other, let alone had any friendship.

Secondly, Shi Shao and Shi Mian have different mothers. Shi Shao looks handsome and elegant, very similar to his father.Because of Shi Mian's Di ethnic origin, his facial features are more profound.As they got older, the gap between the two became bigger. Without knowing the inside story, few people would think that the two were brothers.

After Huan Rong ascended the throne, Shi Shao was promoted to Xuzhou Assassin envoy by county magistrate and prefect along the way.

The territory under his rule is the two counties that Yecheng was destroyed, Murong Xianbei was expelled from the Central Plains, and Youzhou sent troops to snatch it back.

In terms of the size of the land, it is not as good as a county in Hanzhong. However, the imperial court established a state here and built a wharf with the advantage of the land, which became an important road connecting the north and the south.

With the management of Shi Shao, Xuzhou has become a transit station for maritime trade. Merchants from all over the country come and go frequently. Start buying a house.

Today, Xuzhou's population has reached [-], exceeding the level of some counties.

Most of the people in the prefecture are engaged in commerce and trade, and some young and strong people who are not good at management work at the docks, get up early and return late, waiting for the merchant ships to dock.

Although it is more tiring, the wages are very generous, and it is more than enough to support the whole family.If father, son and brothers work together, they can save a lot of money over the years.

To take advantage of this, Shi Mian traveled north and south pretending to be a businessman.

It was difficult at first, but as the situation unfolded, the business grew bigger and bigger, and the reputation spread, and everyone in the neighboring border states knew about it.Some Hong merchants and Hu merchants took the initiative to vote, hoping to get asylum and travel north and south with the caravan.

"Right now, Mr. Shi Lang's caravan can travel unimpeded in Bingzhou and Qingzhou."

When Jia Bing spoke, everyone present listened intently.

What Xie An, Xie Xuan and others think, Huan Rong doesn't know for the time being, but he did have an idea in his mind: If Jia Ke starts from Chang'an and moves from "central" to "local", Shi Mian is the opposite. Follow the path and surround the "center" with "places".

The ancients naturally did not know the theories of later generations, but the central idea is very similar.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty?"

After Jia Bing finished speaking, Huan Rong didn't move for a long time, and even called a few times without much response.

Several people looked at each other, looking at the sky silently in tacit understanding.

Needless to say, the officials were distracted again.

Other civil and military people may not know it. The people present are all close ministers of the emperor, and they are all well aware of the problem of officials being distracted at every turn.

Outside the Tai Chi Hall, Huan Wei and Huan Xuan stood upright, called Ping Hao who was saluting, and expressed their desire to see Huan Rong.

"Bao Nu and Ah Quan Ah Sheng have been to Jiankang several times before, but they have never seen a sea boat. It just so happens that the four brothers did not go to sea. My brother and I have reported to my mother that they are allowed to leave the palace today, so I just took them to have a look."

"Mum has already nodded, I asked my brother, and I will take them to Qingxi."

Huan Wei and Huan Xuan made it clear, Ping Hao asked the young gentlemen to wait a moment, then turned around and went into the hall to report.

As soon as Huan Rong came back to his senses, he heard the report from the eunuch, Huan Wei and Huan Yin came.

"The Sixth Highness and the Seventh Highness said that they have obtained the permission of the Queen Mother to take several gentlemen to Qingxi."

If it was Huan Rong himself, he would definitely call several people into the palace and give them careful instructions face to face.When things are not busy, he will go out of the palace with a few young boys.

Now in the middle of the discussion, there are important officials such as Xie An Xichao, so it is really difficult to call people into the palace.

After deliberating for a while, Huan Rong made up his mind, and was about to send the eunuch a message, not wanting to be interrupted by Xie An.

With a smile on his face, Xie Situ said on the spot that several young gentlemen came to see His Majesty, so why didn't they enter the palace.

Xi Chao agreed.

Others may not know Huan Rong's intention to choose an heir in the clan, Xi Chao can really guess to a certain extent.Since it is necessary to observe and cultivate heirs, everything must not be neglected, and it should set a benchmark for the future crown prince.

Jia Bing stroked his beard and chuckled, but didn't make a sound.

Wang Xianzhi and Xie Xuan glanced at each other, then turned to Xie An.

A few days ago there were rumors that Xie Situ loved the grandson of the General Hussar so much that he even "robbed" Huan Zhiyu to his side at the Yuan Ri banquet, regardless of the General Hussar's dissatisfaction.

The two thought the rumors were exaggerated.With Xie An's personality, he probably wouldn't intentionally snatch someone else's grandson.

Looking at it now, it is not necessarily without reason.

Thinking of Huan Huo's face as black as the bottom of a pot, and thinking of Huan Chong's meaningful words, Xie Xuandun felt a chill down his spine and felt a lot of pressure.

He had felt strange before, after a long time no see, why Taiwei Huan would suddenly care about his children, the original reason was here!