On the morning of the fifth day of the lunar month, when noon was approaching, Shang Cheng came to the outer yamen of the military department in the inner city alone.

He wasn't supposed to be here. This is because the foreign yamen of the six ministries are all set up for those middle- and lower-level officials from other places who come to do business, and they generally deal with relatively less important matters in daily official business. But he couldn't go directly to the military headquarters in the imperial city, in order to keep secrets. He thought that although there may not be spies in the Sixth Division, it is always not a fault to be careful, although the outer yamen of the Ministry of War only receives officers from the fourth rank and below, there is usually one person on duty here on the left and right of the Ministry of War; As long as he can meet the squire on duty, then he can report Yan Shanwei's latest ideas......

In order not to attract attention, he deliberately wore the green robe of a seventh-rank military attache today, and he did not bring guards with him, and even the horse was a very ordinary variegated four-year-old horse. He felt that with his dress, standing in front of the yamen outside the military headquarters would definitely not be dazzling. Who would pay attention to a seven-grade captain who came to Beijing from other places?

But then it turns out that a wish is a wish because it is pinned on by people with hopes and expectations, and the cruel and lovely reality often shatters it like a toy.

He had just jumped off his horse in front of a row of tethered stakes in front of the yamen, when an official in front of the yamen, who had been staring at him, hurried up to him, and when he was still a few steps away, he threw his hand at him with a happy face, and said loudly with joy: "Ah! Yan Du, why did you enter Beijing so quickly? The day before my daughter's day, I received an official letter from Yanshan Weifu, saying that you had already left for Beijing. We thought it would be a few days before you got to ......."

Shang Cheng leashed his horse and looked up, it was the right squire of the military department. When they entered Beijing last year, the two of them had a lot of exchanges, and they also ate a few "working meals" from the small stove of the military department together. He smiled bitterly in his heart, but said on his lips: "Lord Xu, has you always been good?" Alas, he also said that he secretly entered Beijing to secretly obtain the support of the imperial court, and then secretly returned to Yanshan. It's appropriate now, Lord Squire will greet him personally, what kind of secret do you keep?

"When did you arrive in Beijing? Why don't you say hello to the ministry and let us pick you up? Xu Shilang walked over happily, and it was a long time when he got closer. Look at you, you're blaming us for not being considerate by wearing such a suit today, right? It's because we're slow, Lord Yandu, there are a lot of them, but don't be angry. Fortunately, I came out to send someone and happened to meet you. Otherwise, if the people below don't know your dignity and make you sit and wait, then you won't blame us to death? ”

Shang Cheng was not angry. He really couldn't be angry. Others greeted each other with smiles, and when they came up, they apologized again and again, what did he get angry about? But he was not happy in his heart. Xu Shilang called "Yan Du" one by one, as if he was afraid that others would not recognize him as a blind Yanshan businessman.

Now, there were already a few people around the two of them pointing and muttering. Most of the people who come and go here are military officers, and the nineteenth know this important minister of the imperial court, or they have also heard of the right squire, and they can't say it with a cold face, but they are not a good talker, and they are not happy, even if the prime minister is in person, they will not be so enthusiastic. But now this right squire is smiling and talking to a young lieutenant, apologizing and asking for warmth, but this lieutenant is still a fresh face, and no one knows him......

Shang Cheng laughed dryly and asked him, "It's been a long time, you don't sit in the public house, why did you come here?" ”

Xu Shilang immediately heard the anger in Shang Cheng's words. But he didn't blame Shang Cheng at all. Compare the heart to the heart, no matter who it is, no matter how good the person's cultivation work is and how broad-minded he is, he suddenly encounters such a big injustice and suffers so many grievances, and he will inevitably have a fire in his belly. Looking at the young and ugly face of the person in front of him, a very complicated emotion suddenly surged in his heart; The emotion was so complicated that he couldn't even tell it clearly. There is not only regret and sympathy for Shang Cheng, but also indignation at Shang Cheng's injustice, and at the same time, he is also happy for Shang Cheng's suffering...... He sighed silently and said to Shang Cheng: "Let's go, go to my mansion to drink saliva, and let's talk." Lord Shangshu happened to be there; If you have any thoughts or thoughts, you can also tell him. ”

Shang Cheng silently led Xu Shilang by his hand towards the yamen. He's a little baffled. It's so dignified, why did Lao Xu suddenly say so heavily? Could it be that the imperial court finally made up its mind to order its own generals and let himself go to the southwest with Xiao Jian to fight the Southern Zhao?

When the military department Shangshu heard that Shang Cheng had rushed from Yanshan to Shangjing so quickly, he was also taken aback. He hurriedly invited Shang Cheng into his public office, and handed him a cup of hot tea and soup with his own hands, and accompanied him to greet him, the topic started from last year when Shang Cheng entered Beijing, and until yesterday's Daughter's Day, the Son of Heaven and the clan were close to the Dacheng Palace Amusement, and Princess Nanyang won a lot of silver money cloth from the Son of Heaven on the table......

Shang Cheng listened patiently to Shangshu. It's rare for Shangshu to talk about it, so it's not good for him to interrupt other people's conversations rashly, right?

But the topic of Lord Ke Shangshu is getting farther and farther, from Princess Nanyang all the way to the hundred skills offered by the Inner Garden for the Son of Heaven in Dacheng Palace, what is stepping on the sword mountain and spraying three feet of flames at the mouth of the sea...... The knife on the mountain is full of bright real knives, and the servant only climbs to the end of the ten-zhang high pole with his bare feet on the blade, and then steps on it one by one without hurting half a point; The sea of fire was paved with red-hot charcoal, and the Lingzi was also a pair of half-distangled, barefoot, dancing back and forth on the coals; And that three-foot flame spew......

After listening to it for two moments, Shang Cheng really couldn't hold his temper, and interrupted Shang Shu's words very rudely, saying, "My lord, I actually came today to ......."

"Come, please have tea. This is the Jiangnan Shangpin tribute tea 'Yumantang' given by the Son of Heaven before the festival, and Yan Du must taste it carefully. Lord Shangshu, who was interrupted, also rudely interrupted Shang Cheng's words. He refilled Shang Cheng's cup with tea soup, and said with a smile, "Yan Du is so good, this is this year's raw tea that was only delivered at the end of last month." This is also the first box of our military department this year's 'Jade Mantang'. This year's tea is quite different from last year's tea, you can see that there is almost no residue at the bottom of this pot, and the taste is also a long aftertaste. ”

Xu Shilang took a sip of tea and said: "In previous years, the 'Jade Mantang' was only supplied to Ouchi and the Prime Minister's office, and even the Xiangguo could only get a few boxes occasionally. Speaking of which, the boxes of tea that our military department have received are still stained with Yandu's ......" Lord Shangshu, who was sitting next to Shang Cheng a few cases, seemed to be choked by a mouthful of tea soup, and turned his head sharply and coughed softly. With this light cough, Xu Shilang's words quietly turned around: "...... Stained with the light of Yandu and Bohai Dingjin and Xilong, the three of you Weizhen...... "When I said this, I was silent. He couldn't go on. He originally meant to say that Shang Chengcai was given a few boxes of tea cakes, but with the addition of the other three guards, it was difficult to say that the rest of the words were round.

Shang Shu arched his hand in the direction of the imperial city, and said with a smile: "The Son of Heaven is grateful for the hard work of you border soldiers, and sympathizes with the difficulties of our military department, so he gave a few boxes of tea cakes to show condolences...... he couldn't continue. This sounds like the military department has tarnished the merits of the four guards in the north, and it is a bit like saying that the emperor is stupid, and he indiscriminately distributes rewards without even figuring out the people who should really be thanked. He awkwardly picked up the teacup and drank water to hide his embarrassment, not wanting to cough violently without swallowing a mouthful of water......

Shang Cheng became more confused the more he listened. Emperor Dongyuan took advantage of the festival to send a few boxes of tea to the yamen, and the little thing with a big needle tip was not even a favor, why did the Shangshu and the squire of the military department not even tremble a word clearly? Even if the two of them have a rich relationship, they realize that "Jun'en is as deep as the sea" from a few tea cakes, and they want to do something earth-shattering to repay Emperor Dongyuan, they don't need to show it in front of him, right?

However, his nervous mood just now has also relaxed a lot. It doesn't matter how the two of them want to repay Emperor Dongyuan, as long as the military department doesn't say that they will be transferred to fight Nanzhao!

He took a sip of water and said, "It is indeed good tea." He put down the teacup and said, "Actually, I'm here to ...... today."

The two adults looked at each other silently. Xu Shilang seemed to have made a lot of determination, interrupted Shang Cheng's words, and said, "Governor Yan doesn't need to say it. We all know the purpose of your entry into Beijing. To be honest, it is indeed very difficult to resist the inevitable retaliation of the Tuqi people with the existing forces of Yanshan. For this Koubian of the Tuqi people, the imperial court has been prepared, and Yan Du can rest assured, even if there is an unfavorable war in the future, or if there is a difficult situation in Yanshan, the military department and the prime minister's office will not blame you. ”

Shang Cheng suddenly opened his mouth and was speechless. He didn't know whether he should be grateful to the court for understanding his difficulties now, or should he scold them for breaking Yanshan one by one, does this seem to be what the squire of the military department should say?

At the same time, the military department Shangshu, who also served as the deputy minister, nodded solemnly, indicating that what Xu Shilang said was not a lie. He also said: "Regarding the difficult situation that Yanshan may have, Tang Lao Xiangguo and Zhang Xiang both expressed their attitude: I hope that Yandu will not think of personal honor and favor, but focus on national affairs." Just ......"

"As long as you can defend Yanshan!" Xu Shilang interrupted Lord Shangshu's words again. He said, "Governor Yan, the imperial court has decided to use troops against Nanzhao, and General Xiao will leave Beijing to camp in Jiazhou in the near future, so the situation in Yanshan must be stabilized no matter what." The imperial court is about to march south, and the use of troops is very tight, and there are not many people who can be allocated to Yanshan. However, I have already discussed with Lord Shangshu that no matter what, we will find a way to allocate two brigades from the Liyuan Forbidden Army to Yanshan. At present, this matter has been prepared as an official document and sent to the Prime Minister's Office, only to be approved by a few prime ministers. I don't think this should be a problem......" said and looked at the military department book.

Lord Shangshu nodded vigorously and said with a smile: "Lord Xu doesn't know yet, the official document has been passed early this morning. The forbidden troops of the two brigades will be able to be deployed in a few days, and it is expected that they will be able to reach Yanshan in early to mid-August. He looked at Shang Cheng again and asked, "Yan Du, you should be satisfied now, right?" ”

Shang Cheng smiled from ear to ear. Satisfied, of course he is! One of the purposes of his coming to the military department was to ask for more soldiers; Even if you can't ask for the Liyuan forbidden army, you can't ask for formed garrisons in various parts of the Central Plains. He didn't need to open his mouth to know anything, the military department had already prepared for him. He grinned and said, "Then I'm so grateful to the military department and the two adults." Oh, and thank you to the Prime Minister. Then he said, "Actually, I'm here today......

This time, neither of the two adults interrupted Shang Cheng's words.

Can two brigades compensate for the injustices and grievances suffered by the blind man? Apparently not! Watching Shang Cheng persistently change the subject, they knew how deep the anger and anger in his heart were about this matter......

Moreover, those two brigades were still reinforcements sent by Yan Shanwei who repeatedly pleaded with the imperial court......

They all lowered their eyes and waited quietly for Shang Cheng to make a move.