At the same time that Chen Pu, the squire of the military department, told her sister Nanyang about the absurd thing that happened in Lanzhen, more than a thousand miles away, another squire of the military department, Zhenqian, the left squire of the military department, was also talking about this matter.

“…… In the submission sent back by Wang Yi, it was mentioned that since the beginning of the 14th century, when Wuyi was divided into eastern and western countries, Tibet had persecuted the eastern Wutong very much. On the one hand, the people complained that the people could not bear the oppression of the Tibetans, and on the other hand, the Tibetans were hoarding heavy troops on the border, and the Dongwuzheng were forced by the situation and did not dare to resist. The biological mother of the current king of Dongwuyu is a Zhao person, and she has always longed for the Central Plains, so this time she quietly sent her two sons to hand us the credentials, hoping to get the recognition and protection of Da Zhao. ”

The person sitting across the coffee table from Zhenxiang is Shang Cheng, who has been recuperating in Fangzhou. While listening to Zhen Xiang's words, he smiled and pushed a few plates of delicate dim sum in front of Zhen Xiang. It's really embarrassing, under the banner of condolences to the Yanshan Guards on behalf of the Ministry of War, the wind, frost, rain and snow all the way in the winter ran thousands of miles, and I didn't even breathe when I got out of the car. I drank almost two pots of tea, and the conversation hasn't gotten to the point. However, since Zhenqian is not in a hurry, he is even less anxious, accompanying Zhenqian to talk nonsense one by one, and from time to time to praise and sigh with emotion, lest Zhenxiang talk to himself and be easy to be cold.

He asked, "Then the imperial court has agreed to accept Dongwu's credentials?" ”

"Not yet." Zhen Qian shook his head. "The opinion of the imperial court is that without the Tubo people nodding behind their backs, Dongwu Yu would never have the courage to send two princes to Da Zhao, so Dongwu Zong's move must have been instructed by Tubo. But why the Tibetans did this is incomprehensible. Moreover, there are still disputes between Tubo and us in the southwest, so the imperial court did not agree to Dongwu. It was Yan Gu who submitted a letter in early October saying that although Dongwuzheng was small, it was always a country, and that he could be ordered to come to congratulate the Son of Heaven on his birthday next spring, and then decide whether to allow Dongwuzheng to be a vassal state at his discretion. After speaking, he picked up the lamp and drank water.

Shang Cheng refilled the tea soup for him, and said with a smile: "Whether Dongwulang is a vassal or not is none of our business, let the Ministry of Rites and the Prime Minister's Mansion worry about it." ”

Zhen Qian nodded with a smile, his eyes looked at Shang Cheng, waiting for him to say something.

But Shang Cheng looked at him happily, but he just didn't speak.

Zhen Qian had a smile on his face, but he was secretly complaining in his heart. It seems that the topic still has to find a way to pick it out. He came to Fangzhou this time, in fact, not to inspect any Yanshan military affairs, but to come by the order of the prime minister's office, and there were several things to consult and consult with Shang Cheng in person. He knew it was a chore. He originally thought that by virtue of his identity as a guest from afar, Shang Cheng would definitely not be able to embarrass him. Who knows that he thought about everything he cared about, or underestimated Shang Blind, and praised Shang Cheng for planning thousands of miles away as soon as he came, and then used two interesting things in the army to make a speech, but Shang Cheng didn't answer his own words at all, so, what? He had no choice but to change the subject.

He took a sip of tea soup and said with a smile: "Zida may not know that this Yanshan victory, you are in the limelight in the Prime Minister's Mansion." At the beginning, Sun Zhongshan was troubled by the vague garrison and hesitated to enter, Ximen Sheng and Zhang Shao were struggling to support in Yandong, and many people in the public party were so anxious that they jumped to their feet, that is, Zhang Xiang said 'Shang Yanshan is here, then Yanshan is in', saying that since you didn't go to Yanzhou to preside, the Yanshan war is at most a small misfortune and no big danger. As a result, everyone thought about it, and it was indeed the truth, and then no one was anxious about the Yanshan war. ”

This evaluation is too high, it is okay to talk about it behind his back, talk about it in person, and it is said from the mouth of a "Qincha" like Zhenxiang, Shang Cheng does not dare to accept it no matter what. Moreover, this is not true. He restrained his smile and explained: "This is a misunderstanding by the prime ministers. It usually takes five days for the military report from Duanzhou to be delivered to Fangzhou, and it takes ten days for the military report from Mogan, and there is more delay on the way when the post road is not smooth. In this case, I can't help even if I want to. Instead of helping, it is better to read books and recuperate to guard Fangzhou for Ximensheng. ”

"You are always in Fangzhou, so you can teach the soldiers in front of you to rest assured!" Zhen Qian said with emotion. That's what he really said. Whether it was the good news sent by Sun Zhongshan in Heishui City, which was not the rhetorically polished good news announced by the imperial court, or the good news documents of Zhang Shao and Ximen Sheng in Yandong, they all specifically mentioned Shang Cheng's stay in Fangzhou. The three generals unanimously agreed that it was precisely because Shang Cheng remained unmoved, that they had confidence in victory; This is very helpful for them to make ad-hoc judgments on the battlefield.

Shang Cheng only smiled bitterly. He wanted to move, but the question was whether he could move? He's gone, what should Fangzhou do? Yanxi has 20,000 or 30,000 soldiers and horses from the Turbulent Ci Da Tengliang Department and the Wannuer Department on the grassland, all of them are so hungry that their eyes are green, it is not that he showed his face twice to scare these two big tribes, the cavalry of the two tribes is afraid that they have already rushed to the city of Fangzhou, where are they willing to obediently exchange war horses and livestock for food? But this matter can't be said, and the imperial historians will definitely not spare him, so he had to push and say: "My headache is very bad, I can't ride a car, I can't ride a horse, even if I want to go back to Yanzhou, it's impossible." As he spoke, he rubbed his temples, as if the problem of headache was really committed at the mention of the problem. This is also true. After a period of treatment and recuperation, his headache has been reduced, but he is still dizzy all day, and it is estimated that he is still far from complete recovery and recovery, and the most optimistic estimate is that it will take more than half a year of peace of mind.

Zhen Qian listened to Shang Cheng talk about his condition with concern. He felt that he couldn't go around like this with Shang Cheng anymore. He had dealt with Shang Cheng a few times, and he knew the ability of this young admiral, if Shang was blind and didn't want to talk about business, the topic could be pulled to the sky. He had no choice but to reveal the intention of this visit: "You can rest in peace, don't worry about anything else." When I was about to leave Beijing, Zhang Xiang and several deputy ministers also asked me to bring you a message. Seeing that Shang Cheng was listening attentively, he said, "For the reward of meritorious soldiers in Yanshan and Bohai Liangwei Town, the Ministry of Rites has put forward a preliminary proposal. Bohaiwei didn't say it, on the Yanshan side, Sun Zhongshan gave the founding prince and the sixth generation; Zhang Shao, Ximen Sheng, and Sun Huan were all given marquises, each with a hereditary lineage; Guo Biao is also posthumously awarded to the Marquis, Enga I; Below Shao Chuan, such as Ji Zheng, Qian Laosan, Fan Quan and other highly meritorious generals, they were knighted. All the soldiers who went out on the expedition were promoted to the first level, and those who had meritorious service were counted again. He stared at Shang Cheng and said slowly, "At the beginning of the discussion, I will give you the title of Shangzhu State, give you the title of Viscount of Ying County, 400 households in the food estate, and 280 households in practice." ”

Shang Cheng didn't hear it at all, Zhen Xiang was talking to him in a consultative tone, and he didn't realize the profound meaning behind the word "Yu" in Zhen Xiang's words, and he didn't know what the four hundred real seals of Shiyi nearly three hundred meant in Da Zhao's usual "half of the virtual and half of the real seal". In his impression, Da Zhao's actual knighthood is very few, and the vast majority of people are fictitious knights, like Xiao Jian and Yang Du, the title of the founding duke is only a fictitious knighthood, and he receives a knight's due money and food every month, and the land he has at home is actually not a fief. There are only two real lords he knows, one is the Marquis of Poyang County, and the other is the former Yanshan Admiral Li Wei. Li Wei seems to be a county uncle, inherited the title, after the defeat of Mogan the year before last, the imperial court traced the responsibility for the defeat, Li Wei had a major mistake in the military deployment on the west bank of Alepgu, and the blame could not be escaped, and the plain Li clan was seized by the imperial court because of this...... Therefore, whether it is the knighthood of Ying County, or the title of Shangzhu State, he feels very satisfied that he has been busy for two years, at least teaching others to recognize himself. But he is from Yanshan Yi County, why did he go to Ying County in his fiefdom? Does he still have to move his family to Ying County? But he didn't have to be busy, he had to find someone to ask about it when he got back. He asked first: "The imperial court intends to posthumously seal Guo Biao." One by one, Guo Biao's news confirmed? "He is very concerned about Guo Biao's affairs, as well as Zheng Qi and the whereabouts of the stone. These people are his good comrades-in-arms, good friends and good brothers.

Zhen Qian shook her head. Neither the two Wei towns of Yanshan nor Bohai have any definite news of Guo Biao. At least he didn't know there was such news.

Shang Cheng looked at Zhen Qian in surprise. The news is uncertain, so you have to chase someone else, what is Shangjing doing? He said angrily: "If you do this, aren't you afraid that one day Guo Biao and they will come back, you will feel cold?" ”

Zhen Qian shook his head and smiled bitterly. He personally insisted that he must deal with it after getting the exact news from Guo Biao, but neither the military department nor the prime minister's office agreed. In particular, the Ministry of Rites insisted that a great victory like Yanshan and Bohai Liangwei Town should be rewarded immediately, and it was impossible to delay it because of one or two people, which would chill the hearts of other soldiers and make the people think that the imperial court was reluctant to give up the title and money.

Shang Cheng was speechless. It's not wrong to go to Beijing to do this. But he immediately said indignantly: "Then you can't put aside Guo Biao's affairs first, and first reward everything that should be rewarded?" ”

Zhen Qian explained with a wry smile that if Guo Biao is not rewarded, no one else can be rewarded. Because Guo Biao is Yan Shanwei's fake commander, Sun Zhongshan and Zhang Shao are his subordinates, Guo Biao fell on the grassland, and he still doesn't know his exact whereabouts, which actually means that Sun Zhongshan and Zhang Shao both have the crime of "trapping the boss and ignoring it". But the news of the victory of the imperial court and Heishui Yandong has been announced to the world, and now it is suddenly said that a group of heroes are all guilty of crimes, how can this be said?

This is indeed a difficult matter, and Shang Cheng can't think of any way to solve it. After thinking about it for a while, he felt groggy in his head, so he simply stopped bothering his brain. Anyway, Guo Biao will hit the door to make trouble when he comes back in the future, and the unlucky one is also the Ministry of Rites! Hmph, these guys who don't know how to count, those are one or two people? That's three thousand cavalry! The Ministry of Rites has been busy for a while.

He pressed his temples on both sides, thought about it, remembered another question, and asked: "I remember, Emperor Taizong once said, 'The prince who takes the black water, the descendants will continue to inherit and rest with the country', why did he suddenly become the founding prince of the sixth generation?" How did the imperial court think about this? ”

Zhen Qian pondered and said: "When Emperor Taizong broke the oath, he said 'the Duke of the Black Water Taker', and Sun Zhongshan is only breaking the Black Water City now, so all the ministers of the court and the central government feel that this situation cannot be hereditary. After a pause, he added, "The Ministry of War received a military report from Sun Zhongshan in Blackwater City on the 21st of last month, and he had withdrawn his troops from Blackwater City on the third day of October, which also proves that he did not 'take' Blackwater City. ”

Shang Cheng grinned. One word difference, Sun Zhongshan's descendants want to lie on the credit book for the rest of their lives, and it seems that there is no hope. As for Zhenqian repeatedly explaining to him the difference between "taking" and "breaking", he didn't listen much. Take it or break it, that's not the point. The key is that Sun Zhongshan is only thirty-six years old, and he has just become a general of Huaihua, and he has become a hereditary founding prince at once, so he has to cooperate with the promotion of the title to make a pillar country; In this way, how will Sun Zhongshan progress in the future? You can't let him go through the divorce procedures now, right? He estimated that it was probably because of these considerations that the imperial court forced Sun Zhongshan's knighthood down. It doesn't matter, though. Anyway, there is still a big battle to be fought in Yanshan next year, and if nothing else, their own county can be changed to a county uncle or county marquis, and Sun Zhongshan and they can also pull up the Jue Yaxun again.

Regarding Yan Shanwei's strategy for the next battle, he is only sketching a general outline now, and many details have not been carefully considered, so he is not busy talking to Zhenqian.

But he didn't want to say, and he wouldn't ask. In fact, one of the purposes of Zhen Xiang's special trip to Fangzhou this time was to solicit opinions on behalf of the Ministry of War and the Prime Minister's Office: After the situation between Da Zhao and Tu Ji Ci has changed, what should Yan Shanwei do next?