concubines

Early the next morning, Li Chen woke up, took Qi Yunruo's body temperature first, and felt relieved when he realized that there was nothing wrong. Chen hurriedly grabbed him, "I'll go out by myself."

Qi Yunruo just woke up, lowered his head, looking lonely.

Li Chen hugged him, "What's wrong?"

Qi Yunruo said: "I really feel that I am useless, I can't do anything well, and I always annoy the people around me."

Qi Yunruo felt that he was not a weak woman, but a man, but he couldn't do what a man would do, and he would get into trouble if he went out to wash things.

Li Chen rubbed his head, and said softly: "Because Xiao Qi is so kind, so sensible, so well-behaved, and good-looking, so many people are rushing to want you, rushing to like you, you are waiting in the tent today." Yes, I will go out with you after I settle the matter."

Qi Yunruo said: "I want to go and see Qi Yunying."

Li Chen said: "Okay, wait, I'll bring water back."

Qi Yunying's upper body was bare, several bandages were wrapped around his arms and abdomen, and there were bloodstains on his arms. Qi Yunruo frowned and sat beside him, but neither of them spoke.

Li Yue helped Qi Yunying bring back breakfast, and his body was still steamed. He didn't see that there was another person in the tent, so he shook off the rainwater on his body and complained: "Why is it raining again? Today is Zamian pancakes, you eat Don’t you want to eat? I can’t bring that meat porridge back..." He was stunned when he saw Qi Yunruo.

Qi Yunying said lightly: "Eat."

Li Yue took out two yellow dry biscuits from his bag, Qi Yunying took them silently, and ate them in big mouthfuls, Li Yue looked at Qi Yunruo curiously, and said, "What are you brothers talking about?"

Qi Yunruo had already stood up, picked up the umbrella standing at the mouth of the tent and went out.

Seeing that Qi Yunying didn't want to talk, Li Yue lay back on his bunk and said, "I see it will rain for another day, and the road is muddy. I don't know how many days it will take to reach Heluo County."

After a while, Qi Yunruo came back, took a food box and put it on the ground silently, and took out a bowl of meat porridge and half a roast chicken from it.

Li Yue: "..."

Qi Yunruo said: "The chicken is left over from last night."

Qi Yunying was silent for a while and said, "Thank you."

Qi Yunruo lowered his head and handed him the porridge, put the plate with chicken in front of him again, and a pair of clean chopsticks, "I'll bring you lunch at noon." After finishing speaking, Qi Yunruo held the food box and held the umbrella left.

After he left, Li Yue found a paper bag next to the plate. He opened it and found a dozen red dates. He took one and put it in his mouth with a thoughtful expression. When his hand was reaching for the second one, Qi Yunying used another Only the intact hand slapped it at once.

Li Chen was holding an umbrella, standing in the crowd, looking expressionlessly at the soldiers who were practicing in the rain not far away, there was a group of troops, the leader seemed to be injured, walking a little unsteadily, a soldier secretly wiped his face, He kicked it too.

The eldest daughter of the Marquis of Wuding's family refers to marrying the Yongwang. Su Yuan became the brother-in-law of the fourth prince Li Xu. The future is limitless.

It's a pity... Li Chen's gaze was a little gloomy.

The Su family, the Zhou family, the Yuan family...the Lan family.

Grandmother, Li Chen's expression fluctuated for a moment, he let out a long sigh, thinking, Grandmother, if you were in the position of your grandson, what would you do?

Thousands of miles away, the Empress Dowager Lan, who was kneeling devoutly in front of the Buddha, suddenly opened her eyes.The woman who once had all the power in the world slowly stood up, and a frightening light suddenly appeared in her usually calm eyes.

Many people have forgotten that Emperor Taizong was incompetent in his political affairs in his later years, and Mingzong tried his best to pull back half of the declining Li family during the years when Emperor Mingzong ascended the throne. When the Empress Dowager Lan was in power, nothing was violated on the frontier, the courtiers did not dare to be greedy, and the people enjoyed their work... But Zhou Rushan went to cry about the imperial mausoleum and Li's change of owner, and Yuan Lichi went to kneel outside the palace with his students, Kneeling and begging the queen mother to return to power.Those people were like clowns, jumping up and down, but the grandmother was just disappointed. The son who was disappointed and depended on him would rather trust outsiders than personally say a word to her that he wanted to be in charge of the government.

Qi Yunruo noticed that Li Chen was in a low mood, so he sat at the low table, Li Chen lowered the curtain of the tent, and the small tent quickly became dark.

"Xiao Qi, come to my side."

"Yes." Qi Yunruo put down his book and sat down beside Li Chen.

Li Chen stroked the smooth black hair on the back of Qi Yunruo's head, and sighed softly: "Xiao Qi, I can't do anything to Su Yuan right now."

Qi Yunruo was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "My lord, I've been fine for a long time."

Li Chen leaned his head on Qi Yunruo's shoulder with a calm expression, "Even if there are thousands of ways, I can't attack Su Yuan in the army. Father clearly wants to lift Su Yuan up and train him to become a general who can fight. If something happened to my subordinates, besides being afraid of me, my father will continue to uphold people from the Su family or the Yuan family, and maybe the Zhou family as well." King Qing's Yue family, Beichanghou's family, had relinquished military power a generation ago, and he himself Father-in-law Ziyangbo is from this generation, and Concubine She of Prince Jing's Mansion is from the Jiangnan clan, so she has no military power at all. Why did the emperor only promote the fourth brother's Yue family?Li Chen thought about it, and continued: "Now, I don't have the capital to express my dissatisfaction with my father, and I can't let my father misunderstand that I exclude dissidents... But, when I return to the capital..."

Qi Yunruo interrupted him, "My lord, you don't have to do this, I can't help you, but instead caused you trouble, I'm a little uneasy, you don't have to worry about me."

Li Chen didn't speak, but patted Qi Yunruo on the back.

Three days later, the army arrived in Heluo County. A middle-aged man from the Qu family was waiting there. Li Chen accompanied Zhao Weidu's deputy, Shangguan Ling, to negotiate. Uncle said: "The problem is big. At the beginning, neither Si De nor Situ Xu accepted the other. Si Tu Xu was the general of the Northwest by the Holy Lord, and Si De was a veteran who had guarded the border for many years. Originally, Si De planned to send troops from the Holy Lord. He Hold the power by yourself, but the Holy Majesty doesn't believe him anymore, tsk tsk, even Zhao Wei has a hard time with him."

Qu Qing nodded and asked, "Is there enough food for Heluo?"

The uncle hesitated for a moment, and said: "Heluo has transferred a lot of food to the northwest this year. His Royal Highness Chun knows it. According to previous years, the remaining amount of Heluo is also sufficient, but I have been here for half a month. Look. Heluo county magistrate has made a lot of moves, it doesn't look like he is ready."

Qu Qing said: "This time the army needs at least one million shi of grain. Heluo covers a vast area and the land is fertile. Even if we can't make it up for a while, we can get it together from several neighboring counties."

The uncle said: "What if they did it on purpose?"

"Delaying military rations is a serious crime!"

The uncle of the family sighed: "Heluo is a fat meat that everyone competes for in Suzhou. In ten years and five county magistrates, no one has achieved the top. Our Qu family does not fight for these things. Your father simply went to the south of the Yangtze River to become an official, but from the capital When you come to Suzhou, those interests are not just for fun."

Qu Qing said seriously: "I will tell the prince what the uncle said."

Uncle Clan patted him on the shoulder and nodded.

Zhao Wei tried his best to save time, so he didn't show up at all. At that time, Shangguan Ling only needed to say that it was urgent and he could take the food away. He just didn't want to be left with wine and meat to serve and flatter him, but the county magistrate of Heluo dragged him to the county government He insisted that they taste Heluo's best mutton, saying that the generals tasted it well, so they added more Heluo sheep to the army's ration list.

Shangguan Ling said: "Our general issued a death order. If I can't bring the food back tomorrow, I will be killed with a knife. Don't make things difficult for me, my lord."

The county magistrate of Heluo laughed and said, "No way, no way, the preparations are almost ready three days before I am appointed, and I can go straight away after the general checks and accepts everything tomorrow."

At the banquet, the county magistrate of Heluo kept saying, Heluo is difficult, the food in the northwest is provided every year, and there is also the tax and food for the common people. Luo these years is getting worse every year...

Li Chen remained calm, holding the wine glass, watching the fat county magistrate pour bitter water with a bitter expression.

Sure enough, the Heluo county magistrate, after drinking for three rounds, said: "But since it is the imperial court's order, I have to collect the grain no matter what. I have collected all the grain grown this year. The general ordered , the next officer will ask someone to load the car."

Li Chen's heart trembled, Shangguan Ling slammed the wine glass on the table, and said coldly, "Master He, what do you mean?"

County Magistrate He laughed and said: "Delaying the military rations is punishable. I have nothing to do with it. One million shi, tsk tsk. I have nothing to do with it."

Li Chen said: "Without growing grain, how will the common people farm in the future?"

County magistrate He looked at Li Chen, "Who is this general?"

Shangguan Ling sneered, "I also want to know how the people will farm without growing grain. What will the people eat if they don't have any surplus grain?" Wheat is also the main food for the army.

The county magistrate He said unhurriedly: "Who told the imperial court to rush? When the officials collected the grain, they had already told the people that General Zhao's army wanted to eat. We ordinary people are not important. First, we should be tight with Zhao Da. Come, soldiers of the general."

General Shangguan and Li Chen didn't believe these words at all. They knew the situation of Heluo. Heluo was known as "Little Suzhou and Hangzhou". The land of fish and rice in the northwest, Heluo would have food wherever there was no food, but the county magistrate was obviously not cooperative. They also have to pour dirty water on their heads, which is disgusting.

General Shangguan glanced at Li Chen secretly, and Li Chen said: "Although your lord said so, General Zhao came all the way through the wind and sand, not to drink the blood of the people. General Zhao rushed to the border for the sake of the country and the people. If he Knowing that our subordinates took away the rations of the common people without telling him, General Shangguan and I simply tied ourselves back to the capital and settled the matter with one blow."

Magistrate He narrowed his eyes, "Dare to ask the general's name."

"National surname." Li Chen said lightly.

"So it's General Li, sorry."

Li Chen and Shangguan Ling stood up and left the banquet. Magistrate He pulled his face down and sneered.

Shangguan Ling anxiously said: "My lord, what are we going to do? Are we really taking away the grain? There must be grain in Heluo County. As long as they don't take it out and say it's collected from the people, we don't have any." Method."

Li Chen said indifferently: "Some localities are vying to become the second Heluo County."

"Your Highness means..."

Li Chen pushed away the room prepared for him, but saw not only Qi Yunruo, but also a beautiful young man standing there, his eyes lit up when he saw him coming.

Qi Yunruo's face was a bit grim, he waited in the room, but the person who brought the meal didn't leave, and looked at him from the side, Qi Yunruo looked over strangely, seeing the hostility of the person, he immediately understood that Heluo County not only prepared delicious food The sheep, and they have prepared good-looking people——Li Chen was spotted by the sharp-eyed magistrate He when he brought Qi Yunruo into the city, and the original beauty was immediately replaced. Let's see which set Li Chen and General Shangguan will take.

The handsome young man said earnestly: "General, the county magistrate asked me to serve you."

Li Chen's face darkened, and Shangguan Ling quickly retreated to open the door next door. As expected, there was a beautiful woman with a beautiful body and a charming expression. It seemed that she had been waiting for a long time.

……

Qi Yunruo served tea for the two of them, then went aside by himself, General Shangguan wiped off his cold sweat, and asked, "What does the prince mean just now?"

Li Chen opened a map of Suzhou. Heluo is in the middle, surrounded by mountains. Heluo, but the sum is always more than that, but Heluo County is famous all over the world, and these two places are poor and remote in the eyes of others. When the king was inspecting the household department, he saw that the county magistrates of the two places were rated as top-notch every year. , but they are not taken seriously, they have stayed in office for many years without moving, and there is a chance to become the second Northwest County, do you think they will be tempted?"

General Shangguan clapped his hands, "Then let's go out of the city now and tell General Zhao."

Li Chen pursed his lips and smiled, "Are we going to come here for nothing? Since there is no 100 million in Shiheluo County, is there 80? Is there 50? Even if it is [-], he will give it to me."