Of course, He Hao of Daning City did not stop. Within half a month, someone sent the news to the Liaodong Metropolitan Division.

At the beginning of the month in Liaodong, there has been more than one snowfall, and at this time it is snowing heavily. The wind in the air was not strong, but it was bitterly cold. When a green-robed official opened a curtain on the door of Cao Yi's house, his face turned purple and his lips were already frozen.

Cao Yi saw that his hat and fur coat were full of snowflakes, and immediately beckoned: "Governor Li come and sit by the fireside." ”

The middle-aged civil servant, known as Governor Li, bowed first, thanked him, and then walked to the fire, and he gently patted the snowflakes on his arm a few times, and said, "At this time, I can't stand still outside. ”

"Liaodong is like this, it has to be frozen for several months." Cao Yi responded, his gaze resting on Governor Li's face. Obviously, Cao Yi wanted to hear more of the report.

Governor Li stretched out his hand and handcuffed it by the fire, his eyes staring at the flames and being silent for a while before he spoke: "General He has stopped trading with the Uliangha people, but the salt merchants of Daning City are doing that. ”

Cao Yi's expression changed suddenly, and the anger that he couldn't hide showed on his face, he took a breath and said coldly: "Cover your ears and steal the bell." ”

"Isn't it?" Governor Li said, "Since King Ning's men and horses and officials are gone, there are only so many people in Daning City. Without the secret permission of He Hao's gang, the salt merchants certainly did not dare to do business. He paused, and then said softly, "General He still can't give up." ”

Cao Yi had already stood up from his chair, his mood became melancholy, and he said, "He Hao is about to turn the sky upside down. The old man warned him several times in the Yamen of the Dusi, and sent someone to Daning City to supervise. Is he trying to go it alone? ”

Governor Li asked cautiously, "Why don't Lord Cao find an excuse and transfer him back to the capital and change someone to Daning?" ”

"It's useless for a while, who doesn't have a share in those generals in Daning City? Only one He Hao can be transferred, and it can't solve the urgent need. All the substitutions are not easy to do. Cao Yi said.

Cao Yi quickly held back the anger in his heart and said calmly: "Things are tricky. ”

He said this, and there were other worries in his heart.

It turned out that He Hao was very obedient when he was on the side of the Liaodong Dusi, and he usually always complimented and flattered Cao Yi. Now that He Hao began to have the courage to disobey Shangfeng, he made Cao Yi's intuition unreliable and uncontrollable, but he was afraid that the persecution would be too tight, so that the bold martial artist dog would jump over the wall in a hurry.

Of course, Cao Yi is also lacking in confidence, he still has the bulk of the benefits, and many people in the Liaodong Metropolitan Division also have a share. If something leaks, it will be a large number of people, and Cao Yi is the main culprit! What happened in the Liaodong Metropolitan Division, if it is not for his support, I am afraid that no one will believe it.

At this moment, the heavy curtain was lifted again, and the light in the room was bright. A man with his hair in a bun, no hat, and a robe walked in, he glanced at Governor Li who was sitting below, and then bowed his head, and then walked straight to Cao Yi's side, bowed his head and whispered a few words.

"The Holy Army's army has crossed the Shanhaiguan?" Cao Yi was surprised, "The weather is so cold, what is the saint doing in Liaodong?" ”

The robed man said: "That's true, I heard that the Holy Lord has to go through the Liaoxi Corridor before returning." ”

Cao Yi raised his hand and said, "The old man knows." ”

The man in the robe made a gesture and withdrew.

The news made Cao Yi even more panicked, and he always felt that the emperor was coming for Liaodong officialdom. But he wasn't entirely sure, and that such fear might just be a lack of heart.

Governor Li's voice said: "To be honest, as long as the border general has a way to get some money, it has never been a big deal. Now that there is no chaos in Liaodong, the financial road is very involved, and the saint may not be able to do anything? ”

Cao Yi immediately shook his head without hesitation and said, "Definitely." ”

Cao Yi can't fully confirm whether the saint is going out of the customs for Liaodong Dusi, but Cao Yi does not question the judgment that the saint is determined to prohibit the border generals from making money.

Cao Yi said: "The old man is in this position, and he can't help but care about the situation in the court. In recent years, the imperial court has indeed received a lot of silver, but there are also many places to spend money, and it seems that it is not very rich. Now that the Liaodong Guard House is still rich in food and clothing, the Holy Lord has to increase the transportation of money and grain to Liaodong, and there must be a purpose. The purpose is also clear, and the saint has clearly said it in Beiping Mansion. ”

Governor Li answered, nodded slowly, and did not argue.

Cao Yi paced back and forth on the ground a few times, and suddenly said: "We can't twist this matter, but we can't twist our arms and thighs." ”

Governor Li muttered, "The Holy One is really determined to do this......

Cao Yi said in a low voice: "The old man has gone through several dynasties and has been in officialdom for many years, and he must not be wrong about this little thing he has realized. He thought about it, then stomped his feet and said, "He Hao, He Hao, those two stunned people made the old man miserable!" ”

The situation in front of Cao Yi was urgent and chaotic.

As long as the imperial court investigates this matter, the Liaodong Metropolitan Division will not be able to get out of it, and no one will want to stay out of it. At present, at the beginning of the matter, most people are not worried, after all, everyone thinks that the law does not hold the public accountable.

But what will happen to a battle-hardened martial artist like Zhu Gaoxu, once he is annoyed? Cao Yi pondered for a long time, but he couldn't think of any way to resist and resist the emperor.

And He Hao and the group of generals in Daning City, if they don't stop immediately, they will have to do something; The method that will work immediately, only He Hao and other rewards will be arranged by Du Si. Otherwise, the top and bottom of the Liaodong capital will have to go through some adjustments of open and secret fighting, and the daylily will be cold by then.

Cao Yi sighed helplessly: "The knife didn't reach the neck, it's too difficult to get everyone to take the fat out of their mouths at this time." ”

Governor Lee nodded again in agreement. However, it is unknown whether he understood the meaning of Cao Yi's words.

Cao Yi's words really didn't make it clear, what he meant was that if this continued, everyone would be finished. He didn't want to use such a serious tone to say it in front of Governor Li, who had a low status, so as not to show that he was startled and did not have the calm bearing of a general.

"That's all for today." Cao Yi said.

Governor Li immediately stood up and bowed, "Your Majesty will take your leave." ”

Cao Yi sent Governor Li to the door and stood in place and fell into deep thought.

…… In winter, the temperature in Liaodong is lower than that in Beiping. In the escort army, the soldiers were all red from the cold. However, when people walk during the day, it is not too cold because they are exercising, but their faces and hands are uncomfortable.

Zhu Gaoxu has already set his itinerary, and after walking all the way through the western Liaoning corridor, he will go to Jinzhou City, the seat of Guangning Central and Zuotunwei, and celebrate the New Year there. Then we will set off for Beijing in the first month of next year.

As for the remnants of the Tatars who had originally driven to Beiping, including the mother and son of the former Khan's concubine Asari, they had stayed in Beiping and did not follow Zhu Gaoxu to continue north. Asari was determined to return to the grassland, and had hope for the future of Benjari's Khan son, but Zhu Gaoxu could not convince her, let alone force her, so he had to let her wish. He also had no intention of taking advantage of Ben Yari's widow, so he handed over Asari and others to the people who guarded the Northern Department of the Imperial Department and guarded them in Beiping City. In any case, Zhu Gaoxu will definitely let them go sooner or later, but he will have to wait for the news of Chen Ting, who sent the Tartar envoy.

Traffic is slow at this time, and it is difficult for people to get home in time after going far away.

Zhu Gaoxu wrote several letters to his family, and sent a messenger back to Beijing privately to bring back some greetings to his family. He also wrote in the letter that he would return to Beijing in February or March next year.

There are many festivals in the lunar month, and when the army passed through the dense guards in the western Liaoning corridor, Zhu Gaoxu also felt the atmosphere of the New Year early. He felt a little strange, missing his wife and concubines and children in Beijing on the one hand, but on the other hand, there was a secret lightness. Because he traveled outside during the New Year, he no longer had to go through endless feasts, sacrifices, and ceremonies. I remember that when he was young, he liked to be lively, but now he is gradually getting a little tired of those scenes.

The army had just passed through Ning Yuanwei, and in the afternoon, they had come to a place that attracted Zhu Gaoxu's attention. The west side of the place is a mountain, and if you look east, you can see the sea. The seashore was white, and the water was already frozen.

Zhu Gaoxu sat on horseback and watched for a long time, and couldn't help but look back left and right and said: "How long will the sea surface of Liaodong Dusi freeze?" ”

Hou Hai arched his hand and said: "Back to the saint, the ice age is roughly between one month and three months. ”

Zhu Gaoxu heard that it was Hou Hai who answered, and said casually: "Hou Zuo knows a lot." ”

"The minister is not talented, and it happens that he has this involvement." Hou Haidao.

Zhu Gaoxu asked again: "What about the ships in winter?" ”

Hou Haidao: "When it freezes in winter, ships can't enter or leave the port. However, there are several places near Liaodong that do not freeze, one is in Lulong County, Yongping Prefecture, which is located in Shanhaiguan. Jinzhouwei (Lushun, Dalian) has two bays that do not freeze all year round. Sea boats can go to these places in winter, but they are usually deserted, and most of the places that do not freeze are not in the estuary. ”

Zhu Gaoxu nodded and said: "It makes sense, if there is a river that dilutes the seawater, it is easier to freeze." ”

Hou Hai was stunned for a moment, as if he didn't quite understand this truth, and then he bowed: "The Holy One is wise." ”

Zhu Gaoxu said: "In this way, the mouth of the Liao River should also freeze?" ”

Hou Hai thought for a while and said, "I'm not sure, but I haven't heard that there is no ice over there." ”

Zhu Gaoxu had already pulled out a corner of the rolled up map, glanced at it, and said: "There is no guard at the mouth of the Liaohe River, and there is no port and wharf set up by the government, and there is a Haizhou guard far to the north. ”

Hou Hai echoed.

Zhu Gaoxu then ordered: "Choose two people, take some entourage to the mouth of the Liaohe River, and see if there is a place where a port and wharf can be set up." ”

Hou Haidao: "The minister's order." ”

Zhu Gaoxu pondered that if the sea ships could anchor and unload their cargo at the mouth of the Liaohe River, the goods would be able to penetrate into various parts of the Liaodong Prefecture through the Liaohe River and the Hunhe River in the future. Lower-cost, larger-volume sea and water transportation will completely change the situation of Liaodong Dusi. This is also very much in line with his new policy, which emphasizes the use of maritime and water transportation for trade and transportation.

It's just that for the time being, everything is still in the imagination. The reality in front of him is that the winter in Liaodong seems very barren and deserted, and Zhu Gaoxu looks at the land of ice and snow, except for the long dragon-like army honor guard, there seems to be no people nearby.