Shen Xi followed Zhang Mao, who had dispersed, to the Governor's Mansion of the Five Armies, and handled the handover of the army under Zhang Mao's care. Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info

While he was worried, Xie Qian appeared in front of the Governor's Mansion of the Five Armies.

Xie Qian asked, "What's the matter, the errand is done?" ”

Shen Xi thought to himself, what kind of errand is this? At most, it is to return the military power to the imperial court, which means that the more than 10,000 soldiers and horses outside the city have nothing to do with themselves, and Hu Songyue and other generals and soldiers of the three armies are waiting to enter the city, but they have nothing to do.

Thinking of this, Shen Xi couldn't help but feel embarrassed, and said with a wry smile: "Sort of, what is Xie Ge doing here?" ”

Xie Qian smiled and said, "I know that your kid has no place to rest tonight, so I've found a place for you to go, let's go!" ”

Xie Qian was secretive about where to go, but in fact, Shen Xi knew some of the situation.

Many of the ministers of the DPRK and China, especially the cabinet scholars, need to be on duty all night, and if they are busy, they may not be able to go home once for ten days and a half months.

The core institutions of the Ming Dynasty, except for the Criminal Department, the Metropolitan Procuratorate and the Dali Temple, are not here, and the rest of the yamen are basically around the Daming Gate. Although Shen Xi knew that Xie Qian had a temporary residence outside the palace, he had never visited.

In the dead of night, Xie Qian didn't make lanterns, it seemed that the terrain around Daming Gate was ripe, and he took Shen Xi to an alley on East Chang'an Street.

Xie Qian introduced as he walked: "Don't underestimate here, maybe there may be a random person, all of them are squires and scholars!" If you stay in the capital in the future, when the official becomes bigger, you have to find a place to live here. Rest assured, you don't have to pay the rent yourself, and most of the surrounding houses are owned by the government......"

Shen Xi didn't say anything, followed Xie Qian to the door of a small courtyard, only to see a small guy waiting with a lantern, seeing Shen Xi follow Xie Qian to arrive, the little guy hurriedly stepped forward and saluted: "Master, Aunt Sun, you are back!" ”

Taking a closer look, Shen Xi knew that this little guy was not young, it seemed that he was in his thirties and close to forty, and he was expected to be a servant of the Xie Mansion, and he had been staying here to take care of Xie Qian's food, clothing, housing and transportation.

Entering the small courtyard, Shen Xi found that the layout of this courtyard was simple, a standard courtyard house in the capital, and when he entered the courtyard, he smelled a smell of urine, obviously the toilet was in the utility room at the door, he didn't want to know where it was, just this environment, he felt that it was too ordinary.

Shen Xi thought to himself: "This is the temporary residence of the cabinet scholars, how can it look like a commoner's courtyard?" ”

Entering the main house, the servant lit the two candlesticks, and when the light returned to the house, Xie Qian waved his hand, and the servant withdrew from the door, Xie Qian added: "Prepare some food, make more, the old man and the two have never had dinner!" ”

"Yes, sir!"

The servant answered outside.

Xie Qian asked Shen Xi to sit down, Shen Xi looked around, no matter how he looked at it, he felt that this house was too simple, he didn't know how Xie Qian could live here with peace of mind, and often didn't go home, if it was good to have an outer room here, it would be easy to explain, after all, Xie Qian was a lot old, and he always needed a woman to take care of him, otherwise it would be difficult to get food, clothing, housing and transportation.

Xie Qian sat down, picked up the teacup on the table, and opened it only to find that it was empty, which confirmed what Shen Xi thought before, Xie Qian is such an old stubborn, let him go to the intrigue with the people of the DPRK and China, let him take care of his own life, a little powerless.

Shen Xi asked, "Elder Ge, did the student pour you a cup of tea?" ”

Shen Xi was about to stand up, when Xie Qian waved his hand: "Eh! You kid, you are a guest today, where is the reason to let the guest do it? ”

"This place is close to the Daming Gate and the Liubu Yamen, so you can enter the palace as soon as possible. But there are also disadvantages, that is, it is too simple and simple, but the old man is used to it, and he has lived here for 20 years unconsciously! You sit, the old man will pour you tea! ”

Although Xie Qian wanted to show the host's hospitality, Shen Xi still came to the courtyard with Xie Qian, and when Xie Qian entered the kitchen and asked, he knew that there was no hot water, and the servant Zhen Zhen said: "The master and Aunt Sun came back late, and the boiling water that was boiled before had already cooled, so you can't waste Chai He has been boiling water, right?" Now the stove has to cook, and it is estimated that it will take half an hour to have hot water......"

Shen Xi originally thought that Xie Qian would be angry with the servant, but he didn't expect Xie Qian to come out of the kitchen with a smile, which was very different from the image in Shen Xi's usual impression.

From this point of view, Xie Qian's personality is quite easy-going, but he likes to show the demeanor of the head of the family in front of his family and younger generations.

Xie Qian shook his head and sighed: "No way, let's drink some cold and boiled first, there is it in the pot, pour it yourself!" ”

Shen Xi was speechless for a while, didn't you Xie Lao'er just want to prove the hospitality of the host's family, why did you let me pour water as soon as you turned your head?

Shen Xi was very tired at this time, after all, he worked hard for the war during this time, and it was not a brisk thing to march and fight one after another, it was rare to return to the capital and work all day, and he didn't even eat a hot meal until now, he knew that there were many rules in the palace, so he didn't complain about anything, but he was not very satisfied with Xie Qian's hospitality.

Shen Xi said secretly: "Since you let me come, you should prepare everything in advance, it is best to eat hot rice and drink hot tea when you enter the door, you pour it, let me pour cold boiled water to drink, I don't know when the meal will be ready, wait for your servant to cook the rice, and I don't think about having a stomach in half an hour!" ”

Shen Xi was slandered, but Xie Qian didn't realize it. This time he didn't enter the main room, but went to the candle-lit east wing study, Shen Xi followed into the room, Xie Qian sat at the familiar desk, picked up the books on the table and flipped through them at will, and greeted:

"Shen Xi, since you have returned to the capital, you will often come over to see it in the future, the house on the other side of the West Chamber, you will be cleaned up tonight, you can live for the time being, and I will buy you some things tomorrow, but there is no extra room here as a study, so I will prepare a desk for you in the house."

Shen Xi frowned, and heard Xie Qian's voice: "You kid came back, just help me to play the promissory note in detail, be a good staff officer, and go home after work in the future, you have to be like me, just spend the night here if you have nothing to do!" ”

As a traverser, Shen Xi pays great attention to the quality of life.

Since he returned to the capital, he didn't reunite with his wife and children on weekdays, but he wanted to live with Xie Qian, an old guy, in a place that made him feel uncomfortable, and the ghost was happy!

Shen Xi said: "Elder Xie Ge, the student's qualifications are shallow, and he doesn't dare to dabble in the core secrets of the imperial court, which is not in line with the rules......

Xie Qian scolded angrily: "You kid, do you still want to stay in the house?" By the way, the old man has some things, you take a look at it first, and then ask you! ”

As soon as he finished teaching a lesson in the tone of an elder, in a blink of an eye, Xie Qian unceremoniously arranged the errand to Shen Xi.

Shen Xi knew that it would be a good thing for him to come over, Xie Qian couldn't come back alone, so he went to the Governor's Mansion of the Five Armies to wait for him, needless to say, there were any difficulties that could not be solved.

Shen Xi took the transcript of the inscription handed over by Xie Qian, looked at it carefully, and Xie Qian specially explained it to him: "This is the transcript of the household department, alas! You also know that this war has emptied the treasury, and the ministers of the DPRK and China have not paid money for two months, and I thought that the situation would improve after the war, but Di Yi has newly withdrawn, the soldiers and horses have not yet left Zhangjiakou, and the soldiers and horses on the three sides still need a lot of money and food, and even your little men and horses are waiting for a reward......"

Although Xie Qian's words were roundabout, to put it bluntly, the court had no money.

Shen Xi thought to himself: "The purpose of the emperor's choice to go to war is to take advantage of his own life to lay a good external environment for his son, and prepare to take advantage of the internal strife of the Tatars to eradicate it in one fell swoop, and at the worst of all, to recover the Hetao area." As a result, the imperial court started the war in a hurry, and there was a big gap in the preparation of grain, grass and materials, and now it has suffered successive defeats, and the problem is even more prominent! ”

Shen Xi finished reading the question book, looked up at Xie Qian, and asked, "Elder Ge, the student doesn't understand what you mean!" ”

Xie Qian said: "Finished reading? ”

"Hmm." Shen Xi nodded.

"After reading it, I put it down, the old man didn't let you find a way to solve the problem, he just wanted to hear your opinion, well, that's it." Xie Qian pretended to be deep, "Looking at the current situation, Your Majesty doesn't want to continue the war any longer, otherwise the deficit in the treasury will become more and more serious...... Shen Xi, what do you think? ”

Shen Xi said: "Now whether the imperial court will strike the army, also ask the students?" ”

Xie Qian said dissatisfiedly: "I just want to hear your opinion, don't talk to the old man in such a sour tone, the old man asks questions, you can just talk about the matter!" ”

Shen Xi pondered, Xie Qian sighed, obviously he had been worried for the past two days, thinking about how to play with the emperor.

At present, the withdrawal of the Tatars is a good opportunity to pursue, and the imperial court not only does not want to expand the results of the war, but also wants to directly shake hands with the Tatars and make peace, which is a bit of a nest in Shen Xi's opinion.

But there are some things that must be done within one's means, Xie Qian explained that the imperial court has no money and no food, and even if it has an advantage on the scene, it can't afford to fight, so it can simply strike the army.

To sum it up in two words - no money!

This reason is very sufficient, but the imperial court wants to give an account to the people of the world, and it can't simply say "no money" and stop fighting, especially for those people in the northwest who have been eroded by the war, it is difficult to face this reality.

In a word, it is to find a good excuse to accept it for the Ming Dynasty!