After Xiao Ziqing and the others got permission to enter the palace after the report, they took off their court shoes, knotted the heavy wooden sword in their waists, and handed it to the eunuch to put on the sword stand outside the hall.

After tidying up his clothes, he bowed down and walked into the hall, and raised his eyes slightly to see Emperor Xiao Zhen sitting in the middle facing south, and Prince Xiao Changmao sitting on the lower right seat of the emperor. Behind the emperor's side, there is also a large screen more than one zhang high, on which hangs a map, which is the layout of the field of hunting martial arts.

On the left side of the emperor's head, there are Da Sima Taifu Yuzhang Wang Xiao Wei, Shangshu right servant Xiao Luan, Xichang Hou Xiao Luan, Situ Jingling Wang Xiao Ziliang, Ministry Shangshu Xu Xiaosi, Duguan Shangshu Jiang Yi, Duzhi Shangshu Cui Pingzhong, Yushi Zhongcheng Shen Yue and others. Among the military ministers on the right side were Shen Wenji, the leading general, Xue Yuan, the right general, Xiao Zijing, the general of the protection army, Xiao Zijing, the king of Anlu, the general of the town army, Chen Xianda, the general of the left guard, and Xiao Feng, the king of Jiangxia.

"Xiao Ziqing, the general of the Chinese army, see Your Majesty!" Xiao Ziqing bowed

Xiao Zhen nodded, waved his hand to signal Xiao Ziqing to get up, Xiao Ziqing got up and walked to the right class after a long bow, and knelt down to Xue Yuan's upper hand.

"Shogunate Mountain Xia Miao talked about martial arts, how did the northern envoy reply?"

"The minister has passed on his edict, and the northern envoy said that he will go to the edict tomorrow."

Xiao Zhen nodded, and said to the leading general Shen Wenji: "The day before yesterday, Yiqing went to the shogunate mountain camp to make a military tent, set up a gate, seal the paddock, and everything is ready?" ”

Shen Wenji took out a sparse seal from his sleeve, and said with both hands: "Chen Wenji, in accordance with His Majesty's edict, has sent five thousand Taiwanese soldiers to ride five thousand to the south enclosure of the shogunate mountain with Wang Xuanmiao, the general of the right guard. The martial tent is erected on the north hill of the Xuanwu field, and the sealing table of the four doors in the Xuanwu field has been completed. Just waiting for His Majesty to come. All kinds of preparations, the ministers have been painted and painted in the table, please see it for your majesty. ”

Xiao Zhen took Shen Wenji's table from Shao Shengzhi's hand, and unfolded it, which detailed the number of sergeants arranged, the scope of the paddock, the number of military masters and generals above the military master who participated in the martial arts lecture, and so on.

Xiao Zhen closed the table and said: "Governing the army, Xia Miao, these are two things, and there is no reason for the same thing in the past dynasties. Today, the prince of the captive dynasty is the reason for this, so he cites these two things to Wei Beiyu. One is to let him see the majesty of China, and the other is to make the head of the Qianqian know the original intention of strengthening the army. ”

"Now that the paddock is over, the ban on the mountain can be lifted. Just don't let the people enter the hall by mistake. If any of the people of the capital want to go and see the grand occasion, there is no need to hinder it, and I should rejoice with the people. ”

After saying this, Xiao Zhen shot Xiao Luan to the right servant and said: "On the day of field hunting, you should set up a banquet in the military tent and feast with the soldiers." There is not enough kitchen in the palace, and the secretary can collect it among the ministers. If there is a shortage, you can open the palace to make up for it, so that the officers and men of the three armies are satisfied."

"Yes, Your Majesty. Taichung had issued a document the day before yesterday to levy and send subordinate servants to the Shogunate Mountain to prepare for various things. In the afternoon, the minister went to inspect with the subordinates of Shangshutai Province. Jiankang County and Moling County also sent documents and instructed them to keep the county in order tomorrow. Xia Miao read the official documents of the martial arts and sent them to the provincial department Cao, before the next duty yesterday, the provincial Cao selected the ministers according to the system, combined the book, the door, scattered the provinces and the scattered officials, a total of 337 people, 1,223 officials sent to the palace gate. As he spoke, he also took out a list about two inches thick from his sleeve and presented it: "Feng Zhi ministers, the ministers have been recorded in the list, please read it for your majesty." ”

Xiao Zhen roughly flipped through the list submitted by Xiao Luan, put it on the desk, and asked, "Is there an echo of Taishi Ling?" ”

"Yes, Taishi Ling Li Yan said, there should be no rain in two or three days, and there will be no hindrance to martial arts. Just ......"

"What else?"

"Li Yan played, in the middle of summer this year, it should have been rainy, and Jiankang has not rained for nearly thirty years, which is really abnormal. I'm afraid that this month's rain may cause growth. ”

Xiao Zhen was silent for a while, frowned and said, "I am also worried about this. Saying that, he raised his head and said to Xiao Luan: "After the summer seedlings tomorrow, Qing Ke will urgently send civilian service officers and troops, dredge Qingxi, (Qin) Huaishui, and strengthen the embankment of Houhu Lake, so as not to make the official office in the palace gather for fish and turtles, and for the trouble of the people of Shishu." ”

"Yes, even if the minister returns to Taiwan, the provincial Cao will issue a conscription document."

。。。。。。

Xiao Ziqing walked out of the hall, put on his shoes, stretched out his hand to take the sword, tied it to the seal, and paced down the steps of the hall. Brother Wei has a few words that I want to say to my brother. ”

Xiao Ziqing stopped, turned around and saw Xiao Changmao and Xiao Ziliang, so he saluted Xiao Changmao and said, "What instructions does His Royal Highness the Crown Prince have?" ”

But there was no instruction. It's just that I heard that yesterday the northern envoy stayed in the mansion of the virtuous brother until the time of Hai? ”

"Exactly, the junior brother talked to the northern envoy in detail about Tian Hunt's martial arts last night, so he delayed a lot of time."

Xiao Changmao nodded and said, "What the virtuous brother said, don't you believe it." It's just that seeing and receiving is a business matter, so why do you need to quit the slaves? You are a minister of Your Majesty, how can you have a personal relationship with a foreign minister? Such recklessness is not the way of the ministers. ”

Xiao Ziqing's heart swooped. Tuoba was careful to stay until the time of Hai, and there were more people who knew about it, so it was not a big deal. But when he talked to Tuoba Shen about Xiao Changmao yesterday, for safety, he didn't leave a slave to serve, and he didn't expect the crown prince Xiao Changmao to know so soon.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince said seriously. The ministers have always been hospitable, and they are courteous and courteous to make friends, which is what the prince knows. Although the slaves and maids were retired yesterday, and the princess and the little sister were there, how could it be said that they were personal friends with foreign ministers. The minister is the son of His Majesty, the brother of the crown prince, and the king of this dynasty, so why should he have any personal relations with outsiders? The prince was deeply responsible, and the ministers did not dare to accept it. ”

"It's good that Brother Xian knows these truths. Brother has no other meaning in today's words. It's just that "the brothers are on the wall, and the outside is insulted", I have to say. ”

"What the prince said, the minister wrote it down" Xiao Ziqing sneered at Xiao Changmao's high-sounding words, his grievances with Xiao Changmao can't be said to be petty grievances, how can he still "resist his insults"?

The death of his younger brother Xiao Zixiang hit him hard, and it also made him see Xiao Changmao's ruthless determination, and made him feel a little afraid of it. The reply is no longer as casual as it used to be.

"Hmmm! Since the virtuous brother has important matters, he won't delay you much as a brother, so let's go! Xiao Changmao stroked his mustache and smiled.

Looking at Xiao Ziqing's distant back, Xiao Changmao touched the hilt of the sword in his waist and said, "Brother, how kind did his brother be in the past, even if he was lonely, he dared to be contemptuous, what about today?" Is it okay to be happy? ”

Xiao Ziliang sighed and said, "Brother, Brother Luling's courage has been lost now, why do you bother to worry about him anymore." ”

Xiao Changmao secretly instructed Xiao Shunzhi to kill Xiao Zixiang, and he also knew that he only knew about Xiao Zixiang's death after the news of Xiao Zixiang's death came, so he also went to find Xiao Changmao, and Xiao Changmao did not hide it from him after seeing that the big thing had been completed. Although Xiao Ziliang was angry with Xiao Ziqing's brothers for their disrespectful past, he was not yet to the extent of killing them. Today, although Xiao Ziqing was still a little unconvinced in his words, his actions were obviously fearful, and he didn't feel pity.

Xiao Changmao looked at Xiao Ziliang with a slight pity on his face, snorted coldly, and said, "You are a woman's kindness, and there is no one between charity?" How rampant his two brothers were in the past, did Brother forget? It's not because his brother doesn't know his friends, but because what his brother has done has not been the way of his subordinates for a long time. If you are disrespectful to your brother and disloyal to your ministers, if you don't deal with it strictly, how can your uncles and brothers not despise us. You are my half-brother, how can you not be considerate of my pains? ”

Xiao Ziliang lowered his head and was silent.

Xiao Changmao also sighed when he saw it, and said, "Brother, if you don't restrain your woman, Xiaoren, you will definitely regret it in the future." With that, he walked forward.