.

Late at night, in the Bianliang Palace City, Chongzheng Hall, Zhao Kuangyin, who had finished reading the memorials, was wearing his clothes and looked at the scrolls piled up on the desk, rubbing his hair's temples with some fatigue. The emperor was really not a good job, and his strong body could not bear it. When he was an officer of the Guard, he saw that Emperor Shizong of Zhou was extremely energetic and had to do everything himself. He only slept for one or two hours a day. Some ministers even wrote to say that water conservancy was difficult. In a few days, Shizong actually made a detailed plan and handed it over to him to execute. It was really amazing. Under such a wise and powerful emperor, his greatest wish at that time was to be a Huo Biao who wiped out the world.

Shizong was kind to him. At the age of thirty, he became the governor of the army and from the army's primary and secondary school to the commander of the imperial guards, for only more than ten years. People were very strange. They climbed up step by step. Every time they went up the steps, they thought there was a different feeling on the steps upwards, but every time they were disappointed, they wanted to go up to the level. In the end, they had great power. I had it, but I realized that the feeling of being an emperor was not much different from that of ordinary people, and they were even more tiring. But when people got a step, they could never retreat.

Zhao Kuangyin sighed deeply at the dark night sky in the north and fought a cold war. It was almost June, and the night air in Bianliang was still a little cold. Cao Bin submitted another memorial to request the delivery of food and grass. A 200,000 army besieged Jinling, and only 50,000 defenders were guarding the city. If he were his leader, he would have taken down Jinling City a long time ago. Thinking of this, a self-deprecating smile appeared on the corner of Zhao Kuangyin's mouth. He was really more suitable to be a military general. Although this yellow robe was comfortable on his body, he did not feel as steadfast as the heavy armor.

There are also outstanding generals and generals in the court. Fu Yanqing and Zhang Yongde have all been their bosses, and they are veterans of all war-torn veterans. Shi Shouxin, Han Chongzan, Liu Shouzhong, Liu Tingrang, and the ten brothers of Yishe have almost expanded the rising stars among the imperial guards. Who knows their abilities better than themselves? Unfortunately, the more capable a person is, the less dare they use them. Thinking of this, a sarcastic smile appeared on Zhao Kuangyin's face. Cao Bin was really a scholarly man. Two hundred thousand troops stationed in Jiangnan.

In that rich land, he actually had to ask for military rations from him. When Zhou Shizong's army conquered all directions, there were still countless grains left when he withdrew his troops. Most of them were collected from nearby prefectures and counties, and the small half were collected by the soldiers themselves. When he was a general, he did not expect the food and grass in the rear could be brought up on time. However, this person was loyal and respectful, not as domineering as his relative Cao Han. Although Cao Han was indeed very capable of fighting, the world was almost pacified, and the general still had to be headed by his loyalty and sacrificing master.

After conquering Jiangnan, conquering Taiyuan, and recuperating for a few years, you can consider Yanyun. The money in the Fengzun warehouse had already exceeded five million. The so-called redemption of Yanyun's Sixteen Prefectures was just a joke. I remember that when I was a lieutenant, he once told him the story of Maodun Shanyu for the Prime Minister Wang Pu Suwei. In the late Qin Dynasty, the Donghu was strong and his leader asked the Xiongnu for a famous horse. Shanyu agreed. The Donghu people were greedy. He heard that the Shanyu's beautiful family was beautiful and sent people to ask for the Yan family. At this time, the warriors under the Shanyu could not bear it, but Maodun Shanyu said,

How could I let you die for a woman? I gave the Yan family to the Donghu. Later, the Donghu people sent people to ask for a barren land on the border between the Huns and the Donghu. Everyone thought that Maodun Shanyu could even give up his beloved woman and would definitely agree, so they stopped advising him. Maodun Shanyu got angry and said, "Land is the foundation of our ancestors' establishment. How can we abandon it easily? The Donghu people bullied too much." So they gathered their troops and defeated the Donghu people, took back the famous horses and the Yan family, and chopped off the head of the Donghu King as a chamber pot.

Even if the Huns had such knowledge, how could the Khitans be greedy for money and returned to the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun? There was no general in the court to entrust the entire country's army, so they could only fight in person. Having said that Prime Minister Wang was really knowledgeable. He watched him and Zhou Shizong with his own eyes, and in just a few years, he would have cleaned up the dilapidated north in an orderly manner, and the scene of a revival. If he and Zhou Shizong were still alone, he would probably be a leader with peace of mind.

Zhao Kuangyin couldn't help but shook his head as if he had thought about how he had returned to being a leader, and he was really a blessing. If it weren't for the genius and the general of Zhou Shizong and Prime Minister Wang, with his talent and ambition, he would probably not be tolerated by those mediocre men and women. Although Wang inherited Prime Minister Wang's wisdom and decision, he did not inherit his mind. It's a pity.

However, the secret memo sent back by Wang Wei several times recommended an enemy general from Jiangnan, named Chen De, who said that he could support the crowd in literature, be powerful in martial arts, and be more intelligent and capable of being a rare general. Although Wang Wei was not broad-minded, his vision should be good. He had been in the center for a long time and had experienced the Northwest border. People who talked about war on the Internet on a casual paper could not get his eyes on him. Chen De probably had some tricks. By the way, it seemed that Qian Jiao, the fat man from Wu Yue, died at his hands, so he would avoid his own dealings. In addition, Cao Bin's nephew was also castrated by him. He was really a lawless person. He offended the Qian and Cao families. It would be better that he was more dependent on the favor of the emperor than those generals with deep foundation in the imperial guards and was easier to control.

He stood behind the jade railing and thought about his thoughts intently. Yelu wet his clothes without realizing it. A man behind him said softly: "Your Majesty, take care of the dragon's body and rest early."

Zhao Kuangyin looked back and saw that King Zhao Guangyi of Jin stood behind with a respectful look. The tired look on his face swept away, and said happily: "It's so late, why are you still free to see me? How many times have you told you that when the court officials are away, just call me brother like you used to."

Zhao Guangyi remained respectfully and explained: "Although I and Your Majesty are the flesh and blood of our compatriots, the distinction between the king and the minister is more important, and the weak ministers should set an example for outsiders and court officials."

Zhao Kuangyin nodded helplessly. The men of the Zhao family were all fighting on the battlefield, but they confessed that Guangyi, a scholar, originally thought that Guangyi would be a civil servant in the future, but the Zhao family finally didn't just put their heads on their belts. Unexpectedly, those who have read books are serious, not as heroic as brothers in the army.

Maybe these scholars are right, or why don’t they dare to use the old brothers in the army, and can only rely on some young juniors and civil officials who are powerless.

Perhaps I have been in the army for a long time and always felt out of place when interacting with these scholars. On the contrary, since I was a child, Xiwen's younger brother Guangyi was highly praised by the civil officials, and they all praised him for being gentle and polite, and treated others with kindness. Many celebrities and scholars have joined him in the curtain. They also asked those civil officials to see that the Zhao family is not all rough.

Seeing that the emperor's face was still worried and still not regained, Zhao Guangyi asked, "Is Your Majesty worried about the war in Jinling?"

Zhao Kuangyin nodded and said, "The army will be delayed and will not return. If Taiyuan or even Khitan takes advantage of the opportunity, I am afraid that the decades of cultivation and preservation since Shizong have been destroyed."

Zhao Guangyi said: "According to the reward of Wang Yi's spies, although Yelu Xian is not as lewd and indecent as Yelu Shulu, he has always been in poor health and is difficult to ride a horse. He does not often look at the court. There are several ministers and even the queen Xiao in the court, which is like a hen holding the morning." He paused at this point. Seeing Zhao Kuangyin's uncomprehensible expression, he explained: "Women interfering in politics is a sign of chaos in the country. And children in Taiyuan are still too busy to protect themselves, so how dare they provoke? Your Majesty does not have to worry."

Zhao Kuangyin nodded and said, "There are some truths, but women interfere in politics and chaos in the country, so they must not mention it in front of my sister. Be careful that she will beat you with a rolling pin and your nose is bruised."

Both brothers smiled, the eldest sister of the Zhao family was quite fierce. Even Zhao Kuangyin, as the commander of the imperial guards, had eaten her rolling pins a lot, and even after becoming emperor, he was criticized. However, when he thought of his elder sister, the two brothers couldn't help but feel a warm feeling in their hearts at the same time. Zhao Kuangyin said again: "It's never a perfect solution to rely on the enemy country, by the way. I heard that there was a young general named Chen De in Jinling who killed King Qian, and recently cut Cao Bin's nephew's eggs."

Zhao Guangyi had a little unnatural expression on his face and replied, "Yes, this person is quite capable."

Zhao Kuangyin nodded and said, "The counter-espionage plan left Lin Laohu, and another Chen De came out. There are many heroes in the country and the country are thousands of miles away. He ordered Cao Bin to capture this person alive, he should not be humiliated and brought to Bianliang to see me."

Zhao Guangyi bowed and agreed, and saw that his brother was happy, and took the opportunity to say, "Zhao Pu had a letter coming yesterday."

Zhao Kuangyin said, "Oh? But Heyang is so stupid that he wants to go back to Bianliang again?"

Zhao Guangyi nodded and said, "Although the letter did not say it clearly, it said that Heyang is narrow and poor. On the snowy night in the middle of winter, my sister-in-law wanted to buy some barbecue, so it was not easy to buy charcoal."

Zhao Kuangyin felt sorry for his heart. He remembered that when he was in the last moments, he and Guangyi were both bachelors. Zhao Pu's family had a good wife and cooked good dishes. He often brought fine wine from other places to Zhao Pu's house to eat barbecue. At that time, he often took Zhao Guangyi with him. Although the prices in Kaifeng City were high and Zhao Pu's salary was not very large, and his life was short, Zhao Pu's wife never rolled his eyes. He and Zhao Guangyi also called Zhao Pu's wife sister-in-law in the name of the same clan.

He pondered for a while and said, "Zeping is my old man. As a prime minister, he is a model for all officials in the world. Who knew that he had no idea of ​​his own love, and actually accepted bribes from the vassal kings and forced them to sell them in Bianliang City, causing the discussion of goods to be excited. If there is no further treatment, I am afraid that all officials will follow suit. You can send him ten cars of good carbon from the mansion and let him stay in Heyang for a few more years."

At this time, the bell and drums sounded from afar. The two brothers went together to ask Queen Mother Du for good night, and then they went back to rest under the crowd of palace maids and eunuchs.
Chapter completed!