Wang Ning'an returned to Beijing and enjoyed a super-standard reception, and the prince welcomed 30 miles in the suburbs, personally led the horse and pedaled, and welcomed Wang Ningan into the capital.

"My father originally said that he would greet Mr. in person, but after the autumn, my father's leg disease worsened, and he was not good at walking, so he could only let his disciples do it for him."

Zhao Shu went to the northwest for his father, and when Song Jun pulled back a game, he returned to the capital in advance.

If he doesn't come back, it won't look good, and Wang Ning'an can't go back to Beijing to toss and leave the prince in the northwest, isn't it possible to take Zhao Shu as a hostage?

I have to say that Wang Ningan is much more careful than usual.

I heard that Zhao Zhen's legs and feet were inconvenient, Wang Ning's head kept falling, and before leaving Beijing, he knew that Uncle Zhao was not in good health, and it was estimated that it was much more serious than at that time......

Wang Ningan guessed that he followed Zhao Shu into the palace and met the emperor.

When he really saw Zhao Zhen, Wang Ningan was startled!

Is this still Uncle Zhao?

In the past, although Zhao Zhen's health was not good, he was still very rich, and his face was ruddy and radiant. This time, Zhao Zhen's face was sallow, his cheeks were retracted, his temples were deep, his eye circles were deep, and his sideburns actually climbed up with a few age spots, which was at least ten years older than before...... Even if he doesn't understand medical skills, just judging from his face, Uncle Zhao's days are numbered.

Seeing Wang Ning'an coming, Zhao Zhen barely squeezed out a smile, and he asked Zhao Shu to help himself up.

"Jingping, isn't I ugly?"

Wang Ning'an hurriedly saluted, "Your Majesty's watch of heaven and man, the posture of the sun and the moon!" ”

"Hahaha, Jingping is still so good at talking." Zhao Zhen smiled and asked people to bring a chair and invited Wang Ningan to sit on the edge of the bed, he looked Wang Ningan up and down, and found that he had also lost a lot of weight, and it was difficult to hide his tiredness.

"Jingping, the battle is very difficult?"

"Back to Your Majesty, it's all stable now, don't worry." Wang Ningan said: "The Western Xia is about the same as the men and horses we can use, the 100,000 horses and horses that surrounded and annihilated the Great Song Dynasty last time, they also lost some, plus the 30,000 destroyed in Longzhou, the Western Xia almost lost 50,000 people." Western Xia was no better than the Great Song Dynasty, they had difficulty replenishing men and horses, and the logistics were limited, at least for three months, they were unable to attack Hengshan. ”

After listening to this, Zhao Zhen nodded, and couldn't help but sigh: "Although the front line of Hengshan has been saved, the time to enter the Hexi Corridor has been delayed, in the final analysis, it is still my fault!" ”

"Your Majesty doesn't have to mind, the minister has received the news that the king of Dongping County has won the battle against the Qarakhanate. The original attack on the Hexi Corridor was to protect the Western Regions. Now that the Western Regions can win, it will not hinder the operation of the Hexi Corridor later. ”

"No!"

Zhao Zhen shook his head, "Over there in the Western Regions, in order to win this battle, but all the Bosten Lake has been dug up, and the water veins in the Western Regions are in chaos, and if there is a slight difference in the pool, Puchanghai may dry up...... The price is too high! ”

After Wang Ningan listened, he was also dumbfounded.

Of course, he knew that Murong Qingchen was bold and dared to do anything, but he didn't expect that he would be crazy to this point! Even Bosten Lake dares to dig up!

Those are the only two big lakes in the east of the Western Regions, is he crazy?

Wang Ningan thought about the time for a while, but shook his head with a wry smile, in the end, it is still his own debt!

"Your Majesty, you must issue an edict to let them repair the lake embankment as soon as possible, no matter what the cost, they will not hesitate to do it, didn't they capture a lot of prisoners! Just let the captives do it, even if these people are exhausted to death, it is worth it to restore the landform of the Western Regions! ”

Wang Ningan can still be ruthless, Zhao Zhen also nodded and agreed, in fact, they don't need to order, Murong Qingchen, Zhao Zongjing, and Lu Huiqing, Zhang Dun, none of these bad guys are fuel-efficient lamps, they know what to do!

The only thing that worries Wang Ningan is the lack of materials in the Western Regions, and large-scale projects, even if they use prisoners, they have to give people food to eat, so they still have to take the Hexi Corridor as soon as possible and transport the grain over.

When the grain passes, the silk will pass, and as long as the Silk Road is opened, there will be a steady stream of taxes, and the entire Western Regions will live.

Of course, these things are not the most important, and they can be pressed a little.

Who knows that Uncle Zhao no longer wants to lose the opportunity to expand his territory because of his mistakes.

"Jingping, who is in charge of the northwest now?"

"It's Jia Xianggong." Wang Ningan said: "Jia Xianggong has experience in commanding troops, and there are many fierce generals, which is enough to keep Hengshan safe." ”

"Nope." Zhao Zhen shook his head, "Jia Xianggong can only defend it, not make progress, and Di Xianggong is injured again and needs to raise soldiers...... In this way, let Yang Wenguang go to Hengshan, pick up the burden, and tell him that he must take Liangzhou within the year, how many soldiers are needed, how much money is needed, tell me, I will not be stingy. ”

Wang Ning'an was a little stunned, his father-in-law has been in Hebei all these years, first recuperating from illness, then training, and fighting a lot of battles with the Khitan, which can be described as experienced, and his merit and prestige are top-notch, but the problem is that the position of the father-in-law is not suitable for any matter how you look at it......

"Jingping, you're still a little worried!"

Wang Ningan said: "General Yang has been fighting in Hebei, and he suddenly came to the northwest, I'm afraid it's inappropriate!" ”

"There's nothing wrong with that, I can trust him." Zhao Zhen thought for a while, and said: "Jingping, between you and me, you don't have to think so much, just like before, you are bent on seeking the country, I believe in you!" ”

Unconsciously, there was a trace of longing in Uncle Zhao's eyes.

Wang Ningan was even more frightened, he didn't want to blame Uncle Zhao for anything, sitting in the position of the emperor, even if it was himself, it was impossible to be more magnanimous than Zhao Zhen, as an emperor, there was nothing wrong with him...... It's just that sometimes once the thorn is buried, it is not easy to pull it out.

Wang Ningan gritted his teeth, "Since Your Majesty thinks General Yang can, let him give it a try." ”

……

The promotion of Yang Wenguang at least showed Zhao Zhen's attitude, and between the monarchs and ministers, it was a lot easier, and he was finally able to get to the point.

"Jingping, I never imagined that those two brutes would actually mobilize people and horses under the banner of me, and caused such a big mess, I have soldiers who died in battle!"

As he spoke, Zhao Zhen's eyes were red, and he couldn't help coughing.

"Your Majesty, please protect the dragon body, the minister said something excessive, Your Majesty has hundreds of millions of Li people, the common people, Kyushu Wanfang, how vast, there is no need to be too sad for a momentary gain and loss, and damage the dragon body."

Zhao Zhen shook his head, "Jingping, died on the battlefield, the horse leather shroud, there is nothing to say." But these 100,000 people are all because some people are doing nonsense under the banner of me, they died in my hands, and I am ashamed of them...... I have already ordered the bereavement of the dead and wounded to be done, and we must be generous, and their families must also take care of it, and I will find a way to raise this money...... It's just that if you want the soldiers to look blind, you must avenge them and find out all the black hands behind this! ”

Zhao Zhen's voice became higher and higher, "The secret spy department, the political affairs hall, the Privy Council, and the military department, from top to bottom, are all too disappointing to me, these officials will only meet each other, and they are completely unprincipled, if one of them can insist, it will not be like this!" ”

This is true, because the Great Song Dynasty has a complete system, as long as you follow the rules, such a thing as privately mobilizing the army will not happen.

But the bad is bad up and down, lack of courtiers who dare to adhere to principles, in the face of chaos, no one dares to stop it, Zhao Zhen has been reflecting these days, no wonder Tang Taizong said that Wei Zheng is dead, he is missing a mirror.

In the face of the emperor, the courtiers who dare to speak the truth are too precious.

In the past, Ouyang Xiu counted one, and Bao Zheng also counted one.

Now these two people are obsessed with academics, and the other is seriously ill, and neither of them can share the emperor's worries.

Wang Ningan can tell the truth, but the problem is that he is a powerful minister, not a direct minister, and he can't stop the emperor at will.

Thinking about it, there is only one way, which is to reduce the emperor's direct orders, hand over the power to the political affairs hall, and let them dispose of it, and if there is less interference, they will not make mistakes.

Uncle Zhao sometimes thinks that it's not that the emperor wants to neglect the government, but that the world is too big and things are too complicated, and it is really not something that ordinary people can solve.

Emperor Taizu, who fought the world, fought all the rivers and mountains by him, and how to govern it is, of course, handy.

But the descendants of the younger generations, completely relying on the ancestry of their ancestors, and not asking what their ability or interest is, they have pressed down the burden of the country, and frankly speaking, there are not many who can carry it.

If the emperor can't carry it, he needs to find eunuchs, relatives, civil servants, military generals, and clansmen...... All in all, someone who can help him share the burden!

Zhao Zhen was a little stunned, stunned for a moment, and shook his head.

"Let's talk about the case, Jingping, do you have any evidence?"

Wang Ningan said: "Your Majesty, the minister controlled Tan Xian, and according to his confession, it was Shen Duan who made him do this in order to snatch military merits." ”

"And what do you think?"

"The minister thought that Shen Duan would not be able to escape the involvement, but the problem was to mobilize all aspects and cooperate with the release of water, which was definitely not something that Shen Duan could do, and the minister thought that behind it...... And people! ”

"Hmm!"

Zhao Zhen nodded, "Jingping, I'll let you investigate now, maybe find out the case?" ”

Wang Ningan hesitated, "Back to Your Majesty, this case is too big, besides, the minister is also implicated, let the minister investigate, it is inevitable that someone will say that the communiqué has a personal vendetta, and the minister thinks that it is better to change to a more suitable candidate, right?" ”

Zhao Zhen smiled playfully, "Jingping, since you put it forward, I won't strip your request." ”

As he spoke, Zhao Zhen glanced at the crown prince Zhao Shu.

"Emperor."

"The son is here." Zhao Shu hurriedly stood in front of his father.

"You will be the chief judge of this case and let your master be a jury!"

Zhao Shu hurriedly said: "Erchen is willing." ”

After speaking, he turned to Wang Ning'an again, and also bowed down and said: "Master, this case has stolen the authority of the lord and caused a big disaster, which is almost impossible to clean up, if it can't be thoroughly investigated, it will really damage the royal prestige, the disciple, as the crown prince, has an unshirkable responsibility, and I also ask the master to mention more and find out the case as soon as possible." ”

This time, Wang Ningan was embarrassed, what he said just now was just polite, but he didn't expect Uncle Zhao to send the prince out.

Is it possible to let the apprentice be scolded for himself?

What kind of master is this!

"Your Majesty, the prince is young and can only serve as a jury, the minister is willing to bear this case, if His Majesty does not allow it, the minister can only sue for illness!"

Wang Ning'an's tone was resolute, and there was no room for maneuver.

Zhao Zhen smiled, "Emperor, you have a good master, learn more from your master!" ”

Zhao Shu nodded hurriedly, Zhao Zhen said so many words, he ran out of energy, Wang Ningan and Zhao Shu withdrew together.

The little prince was a little jubilant, and couldn't help but say, "Master, what are you going to do?" The disciples are looking forward to Master's slaughter! ”

Wang Ningan smiled, "What did His Highness say, handle the case, pay attention to evidence, and can't be nonsense." ”

"Oh...... Does Master have any proof? ”

"Of course...... No! Wang Ning'an stretched out his voice and added, "However, it will be soon!" ”