While Qi Ning was enjoying the world of two people in the wooden house and Gu Qinghan, Emperor Longtai was furious in the palace.

Although Xiao Shaozong's rebellion gave the imperial court a great shock, Longtai did not set off too much turmoil in the ensuing period, just because the war on the front line was tight, he could only stabilize the situation in the capital with the fastest speed and the most peaceful attitude, and put his energy back on the war on the front line.

At dusk, Lu Xiao, the secretary of the military department, hurriedly entered the palace to ask for a meeting, bringing a courier that was sent back to the capital from the front line for 800 miles.

Lu Xiao lowered his head, his face was also very ugly, the emperor saw the urgent report submitted by Lu Xiao, his expression also became solemn, he slapped the table suddenly, and said angrily: "Isn't Yue Huanshan a famous general who has been on the battlefield for a long time?" Why such a stupid mistake? ”

Lu Xiao finally said: "Holy Lord, in the few excerpts that Yue Huanshan sent before, it shows that the situation on the front line is very favorable to us. There must be a problem with the grain and grass on the side of the Han army, and it has been shrinking the front, Zhong Liao's main force refuses to accept the first line of Zheng County, which is the only way to Luoyang, so to march into Luoyang, it is necessary to take Zheng County, but Zheng County's defense is strong, it is extremely difficult to overcome, and it forms a quality defense with the left and right counties, Yue Huanshan said in the excerpt, Zhong Liao chose to retreat to the front line of Zheng County, which is cunning, if our army attacks Zheng County with all its might, the soldiers and horses of the two counties located on the flank are likely to outflank our army. ”

Long Tai said: "In that case, why don't you cut off its wings first?" ”

"Holy Wisdom." Lu Xiao arched his hand and said: "Yue Huanshan's mind is to break Zhong Liao's two wings first, and then concentrate his forces to attack Zheng Jun. Chengyi County, located in the southwest of Zheng County, has a weak army, and Chengyi's Dinghe City is relatively weak and easy to overcome, so Yue Huanshan sent Xiao Pingzhi to lead troops to attack Chengyi. ”

"Xiao Pingzhi's 5,000 men and horses were wiped out ....... the whole army!" Long Tai's face turned blue: "Five thousand soldiers, so easily cut off ......!"

"Yue Huanshan has already sent people to Dinghe City to fight for intelligence in advance, and there are only two thousand defenders in that city." Lu Xiao said: "Xiao Pingzhi is good at fighting tough battles, and the five thousand soldiers and horses are also brave elite soldiers, and Xiao Pingzhi has set up a military order......!" ”

"What's the use of a military writ?" Long Tai threw the emergency report on the table and said angrily: "He has died in battle, and the military order is a piece of waste paper." Yue Huanshan didn't know that there was a problem with that river in advance? ”

Lu Xiao said: "The Baishu River has always been extremely shallow, and you can cross the river on horseback, Yue Huanshan has also been careful, and sent someone to inquire, the Baishu River has begun to dry up more than ten years ago, and the water level has been decreasing year by year, and many fields along the river are due to the lack of river water irrigation, and the harvest is not as good as a year." With a solemn expression, he said: "But Yue Huanshan didn't expect that the Baishu River was a tributary of Baiyang Lake, Xiao Pingzhi crossed the Baishu River, and the soldiers came to the city, Zhong Liao immediately sent people to block the other exits of Baiyang Lake, destroying the embankment of Baiyang Lake, so the Baishu River rose sharply overnight. ”

Longtai was a little depressed, and his face was still extremely ugly.

"When Yue Huanshan learned that the water level of the Baishu River was rising, he knew that something was wrong, and sent troops to reinforce it." Lu Xiao said solemnly: "Zhong Liao secretly transferred troops to Chengyi County, several times more than Xiao Pingzhi, Xiao Pingzhi encountered an ambush and could only retreat, but was blocked by the Baishu River, and there was no time to build a boat to cross ......the river at that time!" ”

Long Tai said angrily: "Thousands of soldiers have been wiped out, I not only deplore those soldiers, but the most important thing is that this battle has greatly dampened the morale of our army. ”

"Holy Lord, in the final analysis, it is still Yue Huanshan who does not have a deep understanding of the terrain in the north." Lu Xiao said: "Our army is pressing forward step by step, but the deeper it goes into the territory of the Han Kingdom, the more unfavorable it is to our army, but the more beneficial it is to the Han army." Zhong Liao knows the land of the Han Kingdom well, the husband and the soldier, the time and place are favorable, Zhong Liao occupies the time and place, and is good at taking advantage of the geographical advantages of the north. Sighed: "With all due respect, this can't all be blamed on Yue Huanshan, there is no detailed map of the north on the imperial court's side, and the battle map in Yue Huanshan's hand is incomplete, so it was taken advantage of by the Han people." ”

Qi Ning got up, put his hands behind his back, wandered, and suddenly asked, "I summoned King Yiheng, why didn't I see him coming?" ”

"Holy Lord, I heard that King Yiheng has been out of Beijing to do some private affairs these days." Lu Xiao said: "I'm afraid I haven't returned to Beijing yet." ”

Long Tai said angrily: "I have something to look for him, but he is busy with his own affairs. Send someone to get him back to me. He said: "Yes, Yue Huanshan's side, so that he can't venture forward, Zhong Liao is not an ordinary person, don't fall into his trap again." ”

"Commandment." Lu Xiao took a step forward, wanting to speak and stopping, but his expression was even more solemn.

Long Tai saw that Lu Xiao seemed to have something to say, and said, "Lu Aiqing, you have something to say, but it doesn't hurt to say it." ”

"Holy Lord, you mentioned King Yiheng, and the minister suddenly remembered that in the past two days, the capital has ....... There are some rumors in the capital. Lu Xiao said cautiously.

"Rumors?" Longtai asked, "What rumors?" About King Yiheng? ”

Lu Xiao said: "Exactly." It is rumored in the market that King Yiheng ...... Not...... It's not the blood of the Qi family! ”

Long Tai's body shook and changed color: "Who is spreading rumors?" ”

"It's hard to find out where the rumors come from." Lu Xiao said: "I don't know who posted notices about the rumors of King Yiheng in some places in the capital, although the people of Kyoto Prefecture quickly tore up those notices, but the rumors still spread. I heard that Tie Zheng has investigated the matter, and it is strictly forbidden for the people to spread false rumors, but ...... Or some people are talking gibberish in private......! ”

The corners of Long Tai's eyes twitched, and he muttered, "Xiao Shaozong, it doesn't make people peaceful when you die." ”

Lu Xiao heard it clearly, and said suspiciously: "Holy Lord, are you saying that these rumors are from Xiao Shaozong?" ”

Long Tai waved his hand and said: "Such rumors slandering the pillars of the imperial court are really bold, and if the decree continues, such rumors must be put an end to immediately, and whoever slanders again will ...... immediately!" Speaking of this, he paused and thought thoughtfully.

Lu Xiao said softly: "Holy Lord, the mouth of the people is more important than the Sichuan. There are such rumors in the market, and they should be strictly investigated and dealt with, but if they make a big move, it will make people feel that these rumors may not be false, and they will be ignored, and no one will say them again after a while. ”

Long Tai groaned slightly, and suddenly asked: "Lu Aiqing, these rumors, will anyone really think they are true?" ”

"Naturally, it's fake." Lu Xiao said: "It's just that some people are stupid and dull, listening to the wind is rain, and the saint doesn't have to care too much." ”

Longtai was silent for a moment, and finally said, "You should retreat first." ”

After Lu Xiao retreated, it didn't take long for the queen to take a palace maid into the imperial study, and when she saw the queen, Long Tai's originally solemn expression finally eased down, showed a smile, greeted her, and supported the queen and said: "Let you rest well, don't move around, if you really have something to look for, just send someone over to say it, why come here in person?" He stroked the queen's abdomen and whispered, "Don't let him work too hard." ”

The queen said angrily: "The emperor knew that the concubine was pregnant, so he only began to care about him, and the concubine did not follow." ”

After Xiao Shaozong's rebellion was put down, the palace quickly returned to the previous order, and the queen was naturally welcomed back to the palace from Sima Mansion.

Of course, this is a great joy for Longtai, but not long after the rebellion, Longtai did not publicize such a happy event to the outside world, even in the palace, not many people know about it.

Longtai helped the queen to sit down, and the queen said: "The emperor has not rested much these days, although state affairs are important, but you must also pay attention to your body." The concubine asked people to prepare some ginseng soup to replenish qi, and the emperor drank some of it. Summoned the palace maid to send the ginseng soup over, and personally poured a bowl for Longtai, Longtai took the soup bowl, and drank a few sips without a spoon, seeing the emperor like this, the queen turned her face sideways, and her eyes were slightly red.

Seeing this, Long Tai hurriedly handed the soup bowl to the palace maid, held the queen's hand, and said softly: "What's wrong?" Empress...... Why are you in tears? ”

"Nope." The queen smiled reluctantly: "Concubine..... The concubine just thought that the emperor was good to me, so she ...... 1”

Long Tai took the Jinpa in the queen's hand, helped her gently wipe her tears, and said softly: "You are my queen, I naturally want to be good to you." ”

"But...... The emperor was wary of his concubines. The queen sighed lightly: "Your Majesty, the concubine is the princess of the Qi State, and the Great Qi was destroyed by the Chu State, and the imperial brother ..... The imperial brother is also under house arrest in the capital, is it ..... Could it be that the emperor never suspected that his concubines would be disloyal to you? ”

Long Tai smiled and said: "Before you entered the Chu Kingdom, you were the princess of the Qi Kingdom, but after you set foot in the Chu Kingdom, you are the queen of my Great Chu." Stroking the queen's abdomen, her eyes shining: "If you give birth to a prince, then he will be the crown prince of my Great Chu, and the emperor of Great Chu in the future, I only know that you are my queen, in this case, how can I doubt my own queen?" ”

The queen smiled, took the soup bowl from the palace maid's hand, took the soup spoon, and said, "Then I will serve the emperor to drink the soup." ”

Long Tai drank half a bowl, and then said: "The queen will go back early, I am done, go over immediately." ”

The queen nodded slightly, and stopped talking, Longtai observed the words, looked at the eyes, and said softly: "Is the queen still worried about Changle Hou?" ”

The queen smiled bitterly and said, "The concubine heard that Shen Tuluo had committed suicide, so she was only worried about ......!" ”

"I have already asked people to prepare the Hou Mansion for him, although I can't let him leave Beijing, but the glory and wealth are still indispensable to him, the queen should not worry." Long Tai said: "I also ordered someone to bury Shen Tuluo, he is the governor of Qi State, as a soldier, he ended up in such a situation, with his temperament, it is not surprising that he finally made this choice." ”

The queen knew that some things were a foregone conclusion and could not be changed, so she hummed lightly, thought of something, and asked: "Does the emperor know that there are rumors outside that King Yiheng is not the bloodline of the Qi family!" ”

Long Tai frowned: "There are also rumors in the palace? ”