At this time, on the Xuande Palace, a pair of copper gilt inlay stone hollow heavy eaves hexagonal incense pavilion, the refreshing agarwood incense is curling with light cyan smoke. Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ｂｉｑUｇE。 ｉｎｆｏ

More than a dozen ministers of the Great Qi Kingdom were standing under the imperial case, twisting their eyebrows, rubbing their hands, or taking steps, all looking worried.

It turned out that for several days, several 800-mile urgent folds had been sent to the southern border of the Great Qi Kingdom, which contained urgent messages from local officials.

These urgent items are all about one thing. Even after the beginning of autumn this year, there has been no rain or snow in the south for five months, and I am afraid that it will be difficult to sow seeds at the beginning of spring. Yiguo, which is relatively wealthy, has collected rice from previous years into the national treasury and is reluctant to sell it to foreign countries, and the price of rice is 30% higher than usual.

The cost of the 300,000 troops stationed in Baicheng, Anji, and Chengzhan has been much higher than in previous years. Now Yiguo wants to close the trade market with the Great Qi State in Chengzhan on the grounds that the road has collapsed and it is inconvenient to walk.

If the trade bazaar is really closed, the source of food and grass for the defenders on the southern border of Qi will become a big problem.

At the same time, the influence of the beneficiary countries, Wei Guo and South Korea also seem to be ready to move, and there are many disrespects to the Great Qi State, and this year's tribute has not arrived. In the long run, the prestige of the Great Qi State in the south may be compromised. Therefore, the local officials wrote to the imperial court and asked the imperial court to allocate grain and grass from Luoyang to the south in case of emergency.

In the face of the behavior of the three pillar states, the opinions of the ministers were not unanimous, and the privy envoy Cheng Xinxin was the leader who advocated solving the problem by war, and the prime minister Luo Dao was the head of the prime minister Luo Dao, who advocated a gentle response.

Zhao Yuan sat on the throne of rosewood carved lacquer heart, watching the ministers below arguing with red faces, but he couldn't come up with a proper plan, and he became a little irritable for a while.

He wore a bright yellow silk dragon robe embroidered with nine dragon teng cloud patterns today, tied a gold silk jade turquoise belt around his waist, held the imperial case in his hand, frowned, and looked at the ministers thoughtfully.

Seeing that the ministers had been discussing until noon and there was still no result, Zhao Yuan finally spoke: "You Aiqing are tired from debating all morning, and the Inner Government Bureau has sent you to eat in the corridor, and you Aiqing please go to the side hall to eat." I'll discuss anything in the afternoon. ”

"In addition," Zhao Yuan's voice became a little lowered: "The head of the household department will record the treasury revenue and expenditure in detail, and it will be presented tomorrow." ”

When everyone else bowed and retreated, Cheng Xin stayed at the end. He saw that there was no one around, so he told Zhao Yuan something.

Five years ago, an insect plague broke out in the northern grasslands, and most of the Khitan livestock starved to death, so Yelu Ada ventured into Fanyouzhou, and Zhao Yuan, who was then the general of the auxiliary state, was ordered to quell the Khitan rebellion.

However, due to the successive wars, the Great Qi State could use soldiers and horses to claim 300,000 to the outside world, but in fact there were only 100,000 people, in order to relieve the siege of Youzhou, Zhao Yuan rushed to exceed 200,000 young and middle-aged soldiers in various places.

In order to let the people join the army, Zhao Yuan promised that the whole family of the enlisted people would be exempted from conscription for five years, and the soldiers would be able to return home after five years.

After the people and horses were in order, Zhao Yuan led his troops straight to Youzhou, and Yelu Ada saw the heavy troops of Qi coming, knowing that there was a huge disparity in strength, and he had no intention of fighting, so he withdrew his soldiers and horses cleanly overnight.

Zhao Yuanbing solved the predicament of Youzhou without bloodshed, and his reputation was greatly boosted for a while, and he was called "Marshal Tianwei".

After returning to Luoyang, the first emperor was afraid that Zhao Yuan's military power was too heavy, so he ordered the 200,000 soldiers and horses to be divided into two, 100,000 to garrison Youzhou, 100,000 to garrison Baicheng, it has been five years now, and there are five months left to go home when these 200,000 soldiers go home.

Zhao Yuan has led the troops for many years, and naturally knows that he has not returned home for five years, and these 200,000 people are already returning to their hearts at this time. But if these 200,000 people are allowed to go home, the war has been going on for many years, and the people of the Central Plains have withered, how can they recruit so many soldiers and horses to replenish the team for a while?

Moreover, these 200,000 people, who have fought many battles in the past five years, are precisely the time when they are disciplined, the army is complete, and the tactics are proficient immediately, if there are no 200,000 old soldiers in the army, if the Zhu State in the south unites to attack the Qi State, I am afraid that the Qi State will be difficult to deal with effectively.

But if you want to keep these 200,000 soldiers, you will lose your trust in the world. Moreover, if these soldiers knew that it would be difficult to return home as scheduled, it would provoke anger and cause a mutiny in the army. If this happens, it will put the Great Qi Kingdom in danger.

Cheng Xin couldn't make up his mind, so after the officials dispersed, he stayed alone to ask Zhao Yuan. Of course, Zhao Yuan understands the stakes, especially when the southern and northern Xinjiang are not at peace, the stay of these 200,000 soldiers has become a big issue related to the overall situation.

Zhao Yuan pondered for a moment, and did not immediately answer Cheng Xin, but said: "Everything will be carried out according to the promise made when the troops were recruited at the beginning." Remember, the spirit of the army must not be shaken! ”

After listening to the emperor's will, Cheng Xin knelt down and bowed and withdrew.

Seeing that the ministers had dispersed, Zhao Yuan sat behind the imperial case, raised his hand and pinched his eyebrows, wanting to soothe his somewhat hairy mind.

At this time, Liu Fuquan walked in, stood not far from Zhao Yuan, and said in a respectful voice: "Your Majesty, it's noon, do you want to pass the meal?" ”

Zhao Yuan opened his eyes, shook his head and said, "No need, I'm going to go to Qiao Palace." ”

Liu Fuquan was taken aback, and wanted to persuade, but finally didn't say anything, and only replied quietly: "Yes." ”

Zhao Yuan stood up from the throne at this time, and he strode outside the hall. Although the sun was shining at this time, there was always a gust of north wind blowing from time to time, and it blew on the face as if it had been cut by a knife.

Liu Fuquan brought a young deer skin inlaid with sable wool and a leather fur with silk and gold buckles for Zhao Yuan to wear. At this time, a eunuch had already brought the Royal Horse Thunder Head Beast over. Zhao Yuan turned over his horse and walked towards Qiao Palace surrounded by two teams of forbidden army guards.

After passing the Fanglin Gate, it was only a hundred zhang away from Qiao Palace, and Zhao Yuan remembered that the guards had been standing in the cold wind for a few hours, and they must have been hungry.

Zhao Yuan ordered the guards to go out from Fanglin Gate to the camp for dinner, and he rode his horse to Qiao Palace alone.

Because he was hiding something in his heart, Zhao Yuan let go of the rope and let the thunder beast move forward alone. He himself looked up at the sky, and saw that dark clouds were condensing in the sky, and the surrounding palace walls were towering.

At this time, the wind was bitter, the snow did not melt for many days, and now many tall trees are bent and bent by the heavy snow, and they are almost broken. Seeing this situation, Zhao Yuanxin couldn't help but be shocked: "I have just ascended the throne, the foundation is not stable, and after many years of war, the Great Qi Kingdom has been broken. ”

"Now that I am leading the Great Qi Kingdom forward, it is really like walking on the edge of a cliff in the middle of the night, and the blessings and misfortunes are uncertain. If you go right, you can climb the nine-fold dragon and phoenix, and if you go wrong, you are afraid that you will enter the tiger's wolf's den. ”