Emperor Que Shaohua

Compared with the prosperous Luocheng, Zhaolin, the king's capital of the Northern Liao Dynasty, was much more deserted, especially when the news of the defeat at the border came, a chilling shadow seemed to hang over the huge capital city. Hong Chou's fury has been like a cold wind, and it has not subsided after more than a month.

It's approaching Shuodong, and it's already past Chen's hour, half of the shops on the street are still open, most of the passers-by in twos and threes are wearing fur caps, with their hands tucked into their muffs, and they walk hurriedly with their heads bowed.

On the way Ji Wuya rode his horse to the palace, he saw such scenes along the way.The Liao people are tough and brave, not lacking in cunning and tenacity, but the biggest problem is that they are a little lazy, always thinking about looting, and unwilling to work hard.Whenever the weather is cold, I don't want to do anything.He can foresee that in the long winter of the next three months, as long as most people are not hungry, they will stay at home and warm up wine at home, resting until the beginning of next spring.Yin envoy Wei Wuze believed from the very beginning that Yu Zhou was the target territory for expanding his sphere of influence, which was very wise.At least now, he is enjoying himself in the warm south of the Yangtze River. He only needs to give orders, but he has to stay next to him in this cold place. It is difficult to have any fun.

But from the looks of it, this winter is quite unusual, and it is likely that he is leaving Zhaolin for a trip to Yuzhou.

Thinking about the palace is close at hand.The palace in Beiliao was still magnificent and grand, and the walls inside were mostly built of polished stones. Compared with the Chonghua Palace he had entered once, it was naturally much rougher, but it seemed more indestructible.

"Mr. Ji is here, and I'll be waiting for you." The internal officer next to Lord Liao was waiting outside the hall, bowing his waist and leading him in.

Ji Wuya quickened his pace, Yelu Hongchou had often summoned him recently, and the envoys from Yi and Jin had arrived two days ago, it seemed that some crucial decisions would be made today.

The palace used by Lord Liao to discuss matters is quite large, with few furnishings inside. A single throne is placed at the end, which looks a bit small, but Yelu Hongchou likes this feeling of emptiness, and others will naturally have to get used to it .

Sure enough, there were quite a few people in the hall, the second prince Yelu Shicai, the third prince Yelu Shibao, Ouyang Yinian who ranked first in Pinwutang, Suo Luntai who ranked second, and his younger brother Wen Erdu.

"See Your Majesty." Ji Wuya saluted.He was very scheming, when he first arrived in Beiliao a few years ago, he saw that the Liao lord was more resourceful than a brave man, so he didn't enter the martial arts hall, but took some opportunities to be a white-clothed counselor beside Yelu Hongchou , now the status is detached, faintly more talkative than the number one master of Pinwu Hall.

"Mr. Ji came just in time." Yelu Hongchou, who was over fifty, with a dignified appearance and piercing eyes, waved his hand and said, "I have something, I want to hear your opinion."

He signaled others to say that Suo Luntai cleared his throat: "Guardian Ji must know that the envoys sent by Yi and Jin two days ago were to discuss that Pin Wu Tang and Jin Tiesi would join forces to go to Luo City together, and defeat Yu Zhou's prestige." one thing."

Ji Wuya nodded: "How many people are they prepared to send? There is no shortage of mobs here. If we want to cooperate, we should send a few experts. Don't just make up the numbers like last time."

The last time he mentioned was the battle in the Taiping Canyon, when Suo Luntai and others fled back in defeat, Pinwu Hall and him, the guardian of the Kunlun Mansion, were all shameless, and suffered a lot in the Beiliao court. A while cold reception.It wasn't until Yu Muli was also defeated in the battle that Yelu Hongchou began to rely heavily on martial arts experts again.

"These Yi and Jin people are very annoying. They don't want to send people to directly participate this time, but plan to use another name to send envoys to Luo City alone. On the surface, it sounds nice, and they will definitely cooperate fully and make an appointment to advance and retreat together. But he wants to fight the third prince." Suo Luntai's face was sullen, whether it was a battlefield swordsman or a sneak attack in the rivers and lakes, Yi Jin's soldiers and horses or Jin Tiesi's subordinates all joined the deployment of Beiliao and obeyed orders, but now he dared to take it Shelf came to cause another trouble.

When Ji Wuya heard him talk about Yijin's arrangement, he fell silent for a moment.Yijin's strength cannot be compared with that of Beiliao or Yuzhou. Over the past years, he has been very obedient to Beiliao. Every time he joins the action, he also wants to share some benefits without having to take responsibility.Now the Northern Liao has suffered consecutive defeats, especially the heavy losses in the Guiyan Summit battle, which has shaken the national power, and Yi Jin's attitude has also changed accordingly, to the point of taking advantage of the fire to loot.

Now the envoys of the other party revealed these intentions, both as a test, and it could also be said to incite the flames, hoping that the dispute between Yu Zhou and the Beiliao would intensify, and they could benefit from it.

He looked at Yelu Hongchou, and saw that there was no obvious joy or anger on his face, and the two princes beside him were also calm.Yelu Shicai looks very similar to Liao Lord, tall and broad, not angry and arrogant; while the appearance of the third prince Yelu Shibao is more refined and handsome, and he is more scheming; Yelu Shiji, who was originally the most hopeful successor to the throne, died on the battlefield , the other princes are either weak or mediocre, and the future successor must be one of these two princes.Yi Jin's move seemed vaguely to support Yelu Shicai.

"Your Majesty asks, and I will express my own opinion directly." He weighed a bit before saying, "Originally, the main purpose of the third prince's trip to Luocheng to discuss peace was to deter Yu Zhou and strive for more favorable terms. The proposal to marry Princess Danyang was just to use As one of the conditions of the exchange, whether the other party agrees to marry does not affect the overall situation. But now Yijin is going to ask for a marriage, and it has to be judged by martial arts. The situation is completely different. We have recently lost, if we do not participate, It is bound to be underestimated by the other two countries; and to get involved in it, we need to win with all our strength, neither let the princess be married by Yi Jin, nor lose the wind on Yu Zhou's side."

About half a year ago, the envoys sent by the Yi and Jin courts congratulated Yu Zhou on Emperor Tianyi's birthday, and deliberately insulted him in the Chonghua Palace, and suddenly proposed to marry Princess Luo Xuening of Danyang.The fifth prince Luo Ping Yuan came to make a fuss, and expelled him from Luo City on the spot without martial arts.It seems that the Yijin regent has not yet swallowed this breath, and now he is making use of it.If Yu Zhou didn't want to promise the marriage contract lightly, he could only fight.

Naturally, Beiliao couldn't sit idly by under such circumstances. If Princess Yuzhou was really married by Yi and Jin, the two countries would conclude an alliance, which would definitely pose a threat to Beiliao, who had just suffered a big loss; You can't lose to Yu Zhou, otherwise don't talk about revenge, you can't even expect to receive the effect of deterrence, how to win benefits when negotiating a peace agreement.

Yelu Hongchou nodded slightly, originally proposing a marriage contract to Yu Zhou was a kind of revenge for Yelu Shiji's death, he killed his beloved son and tried to get Emperor Yu Zhou's palm beads, which was considered a bad breath, but now he It must be grabbed.

He said: "Mr. Ji is very sensible. Wanyan Zhuo wants to take advantage of the fire to rob. The king has recorded this account, and he will settle it with him sooner or later. Originally, the World Insurance will leave in a few days. Now that the situation has changed, do you have any countermeasures? This trip promises to win but not to lose, if you need to re-plan and make more preparations, you can just delay it a little longer."

"Your Majesty, don't worry," Ji Wuya stroked the long beard under his chin. He was always proud of his beautiful beard, which was rolled up with a small hook when eating, and put into a special gauze bag when sleeping. "The manpower has been mobilized almost. They were all able to arrive in five or six days. They are all masters in the Western Regions and Northern Wulin. Several elders who were originally retired were also invited out to lead the battle. Although Yijin has added some changes, it is expected that they will not dare to go north with me. Liao is the enemy, and I will spend a few more days to make some adjustments with Mr. Ouyang and Master Suo, and turn some of the dark manpower into a bright path."

He knew what Yelu Hongchou was worrying about. Yu Zhou was currently on a very strict defense at the border, and King Ning's Jingyu Guards were dispatched repeatedly. Trade routes were also cut off one after another.The Liao people have long been accustomed to relying on buying grain and plundering. Now the autumn grain in the territory comes down, which is enough for a while, but if the contract is not reached by next spring, there may be a famine in Beiliao.Therefore, the time of departure should not be delayed.

"No matter how many people you bring, it's still Yu Zhou's territory. You might as well tell us how much confidence or concern you have today." Lord Liao said, his eyes glanced at the two princes and the three people with the highest status in Pinwutang, and followed He sneered: "It's unnecessary if you are obedient. Yu Muli swore before mobilizing [-] elite soldiers, and even issued a military order. What's the use? Even if this king cuts him to pieces, can he afford to pay for his life?"

Everyone looked at each other with a chill in their hearts.After Yu Muli escaped and came back, he was almost executed by the furious Yelu Hongchou. If it weren't for the tradition of the Northern Liao Dynasty, it would be unlucky to kill a defeated general, and his head would have been removed.Lord Liao these days, actually hated his teeth itchy.It is indeed difficult to make a guarantee now, but it seems difficult to speak out about the possibility of failure.

"If your majesty is worried that Yu Zhou will take advantage of the location, I think there is no need for it." Ji Wuya was the first to say, he had already figured out Yelu Hongchou's temper, and at this moment, being outspoken is better than being respectful. "My Kunlun Mansion will definitely help me this time. The Wei Yin Envoy has been in Yuzhou for many years and has good intelligence. When I go there, there will be arrangements to respond. Although Langhuan has some strength, it will be restrained in the south of the Yangtze River. Jing Yuwei is even less of a concern. What needs to be taken care of now is that besides Li Pinglan in Luo City, there is Shoushan Ming King Chai Ming. However, we have already prepared for this."

Having said that, he glanced at Sorentai inquiringly: "Is there any reply from Master Suo?"

"My master is in Qingxiu, but I have already promised me and my junior brother that we will go to Los Angeles. If there are experts in your mansion, my master can save this trip." So Luntai said with a sullen face. Ji Wuya always put on a strategizing posture, always talking about the Kunlun Mansion, and he was really disgusted, so he couldn't help stabbing.

"I've heard for a long time that Master Hangu's skills are profound, and he hasn't come out of the mountain for many years. It's all because of Master Suo's affection. I can't help but make people envious." Ji Wuya didn't think he was disobedient, but praised with a smile, "If In terms of fighting alone, it is hard to find peerless masters who can stand up to Yu Zhou's top three martial arts masters. Ying aid, the two of us work together, and we should be able to draw with Li Pinglan or Chai Ming. In this way, it will be difficult for Yuzhou to gain the upper hand. The outcome depends on how to deploy troops. I really want to meet the Sect Master of Langhuan for a while .”

Ouyang Yinian has not spoken all this time, upon hearing this, a sneer appeared on the corner of his lips.Among the Kunlun Nine Protectors, Tan Huayu ranks first in martial arts, with a noble temperament, and he does not want to join the yin and yang envoys and get involved in factional disputes, so no one has moved him except the old mansion master these years.Unexpectedly, he was also pulled over as a helper now, no wonder Ji Wuya was full of joy, let's see how long he can be proud.

"Father, my minister is also looking forward to meeting the princes of Yu Zhou." Yelu Shibao bowed at this time and said, "Mr. To marry Princess Yuzhou back, you have to observe King Yun carefully, waiting for an opportunity to avenge your fourth brother."

"Third brother, don't be too reluctant. Although if King Yun dies, it will be difficult for Yu Zhou to fight against me in Bei Liao if the war resumes in the future, but he must be surrounded by many guards. No matter how many masters you bring, it may not be easy for you to attack. "The second prince said with concern, "Other things are easier to deal with, this matter of revenge, you must be careful, lest a single mistake, even you will be trapped in Los Angeles."

"Brother Er Wang, don't worry, I will definitely distinguish between serious and serious for my younger brother, and I will not put myself in danger, otherwise my own safety will be minor, and I will be the sinner of Beiliao if I delay the conclusion of the contract." Yelu Shibao said with a smile.Assassinating such a thing, how could he do it when he was still in Los Angeles, but Yelu Shicai said that if he couldn't assassinate King Yun at that time, he just didn't complete his mission. "No matter who prevents me from achieving the purpose of this trip, I will never show mercy."

"There is no need to argue. What Shicai said is serious. Shibao is thinking about avenging your fourth brother. I am very pleased, but there is no rush at this moment." Yelu Hongchou waved his hand to stop the two brothers from trying their best Feng said to the third prince, "Since you said that it will take a few days to plan, you will set off in ten days. The operation in Luocheng is of great importance, and the enemy must not be underestimated. Everything must be discussed with Mr. Ji and Ouyang Hall Master. Yu Zhou Among the several princes, although King Ning is young, you should not take him lightly; their prince has always advocated peace talks, you should make use of them as much as possible, but you must prevent them from being used by him; the one who needs to be the most careful is King Jing Luoyan Hua, he is the enemy of your trip."

The Liao Lord kept Yelushi alone, and the rest left the palace.Seeing the sour and unwilling expression of the second prince, Ji Wuya couldn't help but sneered in his heart.He can foresee that in the next few years, Beiliao will need to replenish a large number of depleted troops, and there will still be fierce internal fighting in the court, so it is unlikely to invade Yu Zhou.

He didn't care much about what Yelu Hongchou was teaching the third prince face to face, he thought he already knew what he should know, whether it was the secret communication between Concubine Han Guifei and Beiliao in the past, or the strangeness in Luo Yanhua's body poison.He once had this thought: If Beiliao and Yijin are good at restraining their subordinates and not trying to attack Yuzhou frequently, then maybe after a while, Emperor Yuzhou will think that King Jing is no longer useful, and he will Get rid of this serious problem for them.Now that he was in a hurry to provoke, it actually helped Luo Yanhua, allowing him to maintain the balance.

For Wu Chaohuan, the Yang Envoy I am attached to, there is no need to get involved in it. Let Langhuan Sect Master consume Wei Wuze's power in Yu Zhou. Since it will not hinder the layout of the Northern Liao and Yi Jin, why not wait for the ebb and flow of the other? , take the opportunity to occupy a dominant position in the Kunlun Mansion?

However, Yelu Hongchou was completely enraged by the loss of his son during the previous disastrous defeat, and obviously couldn't hold back, and Yijin also wanted to fish in troubled waters; He completed the integration of Langhuan, so he must seize the current opportunity to attack Luocheng with the power of Zhongpin Wutang and Jin Tiesi, and defeat this opponent together with the Jingyu Guard led by King Ning. Yuzhou Wulin lost his backbone. It is no longer difficult to integrate.

Ji Wuya didn't say what strategy he thought of, but he felt that the Kunlun Mansion's move this time was too aggressive, especially Wu Chaohuan's martial arts were high, but his scheming was obviously not as good as Wei Wuze's, and he was led to become the main force to deal with Langhuan. what condition.

With his current status in the mansion, it's not his turn to decide the strategy, but this trip to Los Angeles, Beiliao's tactics are in his hands.Thinking of this, I can't help but feel complacent. If I can win this battle, my position in the Kunlun Mansion will be greatly improved, not to mention that I must be the highest among the Nine Protectors, maybe I can take Wu Chaohuan's position as the Yang Envoy instead.

He left the palace and mounted his horse facing the cold winter wind, thinking endlessly in his mind.In a short while, they will set off to the south to enjoy the prosperity of the Yu Zhou capital.Thinking back to the time when Xiao Suyu, the right envoy of Langhuan, was intercepted and killed in Luo City, it was nearly ten years ago.Luo Yanhua, the eldest son of the emperor who thought he had no power to fight back in the past, has now become the biggest opponent of the Kunlun Mansion, and is about to drive Wei Wuze out of Yu Zhou.He is very much looking forward to the next match, and he should remove this thorn in his side by himself.

Compared with the intensive deployment of Northern Liao and Yijin, Luocheng in late autumn is filled with auspicious joy, the border is victorious, the Liao people seek peace, and the people of Luocheng seem to even walk a little more briskly than before. All those who fought in the war put incense burners in front of the door, thanking God for his protection, and looking forward to their relatives returning home for reunion.

Congratulatory badges from all over the country flew into the capital like snowflakes, and the most proud and busy part of the court was the Ministry of War.However, there are also many complaints and requests in the memorandum submitted together. This is the local officials who were found to be in debt in the granary and treasury bank, imploring the emperor's kindness to make up for it within a given time.Now the biggest headache among the six departments is still the household department, because King Ning no longer has any worries after winning the battle, and got the emperor's acquiescence, so the intensity of investigation and urging has increased significantly.

The autumn grain has been harvested, and when it’s time to collect the autumn tax, the Ministry of Households has to urge the grain and rice from all over the country to be put into storage, and the tax and money to be sent to Beijing. Do not understand suffering, unreasonable.

Luo Pingyuan naturally ignored it.What he saw was that the shortfall was gradually made up and turned into a considerable amount. He also took time to visit Taicang and Chencang, surveying the harvest and collection of land taxes in the suburbs near Los Angeles.Someone always needs to do these things, he doesn't care about being complained by court officials, and, like Zhong Lin who has been sticking to the household department, he gradually has more courtiers who support him.

Occasionally, Luo Pingyuan just laughed when he heard someone talking about "King Ning who ransacked the house" behind his back.I don't know who gave it another name, because since he took charge of Jingyu Guard, the Liu family in Yuzhou, the grain merchants in Zhangzhou, and the Qing'enbo Mansion not long ago, let alone the Kunlun Mansion in Luocheng swept over a dozen places overnight. There are all kinds of industries, whether they are big households or officials, but he seems to copy everything that breaks the law and falls into his hands.

There are too many things to do, and he still needs to rectify Jing Yuwei and collect intelligence from all parties.The war in the northern border has come to an end for the time being, and next, it's the turn of Luo City to prepare troops.

Some courtiers have gradually noticed the tenacity of the fifth prince, and most of them are annoying and trivial tasks. Even Emperor Tianyi was shaken or found it troublesome after many complaints and pleadings and even complaints, but Luo Pingyuan still insisted silently Going on, he compromised when he had to compromise, but as long as he could do what he was supposed to do, he never stopped.Neither the Crown Prince nor King An seemed to have such tenacity. Most people in the court still believed that the investigation by the Ministry of Household Affairs would be unsustainable and would end hastily. However, as time went by, many courtiers had unknowingly refrained from looking forward to a good show. , replace it with respect.

Some people can't help but think, the fifth prince is under the age of weak crown, it is the age when he loves new things and enjoyment, why is he so self-disciplined and diligent, he is busy every day, even if he receives an invitation, he rarely goes out for a banquet, every evening he goes straight Returning to Prince Jing's Mansion where he lived temporarily, don't you think the days are too dull?After all, he is a master disciple of the Hanshan School who has cultivated for many years, which is really embarrassing to himself.

Luo Pingyuan understood that all this was not enough.He feels that he has calmed down a lot compared to the previous period, and is no longer influenced by emotions, but his heart is still filled with all kinds of thoughts; therefore, he always wants to do as much as possible, as if he is busy with business affairs, which means that he has not stopped on the right path , is closer to the target.

He could feel that Jing Wang attached great importance to his experience and progress in the household department, so he worked harder.It's just that sometimes I suddenly feel confused. Is what I'm doing now really the top priority?Can you help Brother Huang, find Qingluan, and settle old grudges?Because I don't want to lose anymore, I worry about gains and losses, for fear of missing something.

Fortunately, he can see King Jing every day when he returns to the mansion.As long as you see the clean lintel of Lancangju from a distance, your mood will become peaceful.Others would not know that Prince Jing's Mansion, where he lived as a guest for less than half a year, is the only place where he feels relaxed and at ease.

King Jing is of course also very busy. Messages from Xie Ji and Mingyue Tower are constantly flowing every day, and sometimes he has to go to the palace to go to the palace or face the saint.He knew very well in his heart that even if he helped King Yun win the victory, Emperor Tianyi would not have much sincere gratitude to Langhuan, and more would be fearful.In order to make the court's support stable enough, it is necessary to spend more time to analyze the next situation for the emperor.

Sometimes Luo Pingyuan is worried about the body of the emperor's brother, but as always, no matter how many things there are, Luo Yanhua always feels calm and orderly. Clear up.The Langhuan subordinates in the northern border will be divided into two groups, one part will follow Qin Su back to Luocheng, and the other part will follow Zhu Jin to Jinling Huaibi Village, Su Lingxue will stay in Yunbao, thus ensuring that news from the northern border can be spread in time to where it is needed.

I don't know if the traitor Wei Wuze planted in Caobang and Wanjian Villa in Taihu Lake has been found out, maybe not so fast, Zhu Jin probably rushed back to deal with this matter.Luo Pingyuan saw that Brother Huang didn't take the initiative to mention it, so he didn't ask, and he would always find out when the time came.

The past two months have passed by in a hurry.Entering November, the first snow fell in Luocheng, and news came from the border that King Yun had led his army to set off from Shao'an, and envoys from the Northern Liao Dynasty would come to Luocheng to negotiate a peace soon.Xi Minghua thought that he couldn't wait any longer, and finally announced that Luo Yanhua must start recuperation, and the time was set for twelve days.