When I arrived at Xingsheng Palace, it was already a long time. In any case, he was seriously late. Shen Ruoyu followed the guards at the door anxiously and walked into the palace. Zhu Di was sitting on the main hall, saw him, and said:

"No need to say goodbye; If you are young, you come here. ”

Shen Ruoyu lowered his head and stepped forward.

"Lord Wang—have you eaten? I...... I came too late. ”

Zhu Di looked at him sternly.

"Shen Ruoxiao, Lone has been waiting for you; The officials of the two divisions are already waiting at the door, and now they have enough time to eat a steamed bun. What the hell did you do? Sanbao came back yesterday and reported that you clearly promised well. Or do you want Gu to feel that you Shen Ruoliao can't be entrusted with important tasks in the future, and you can't even do what you have said? ”

Shen Ruoyu's face was flushed, and he was embarrassed.

Zhu Di said: "Lone doesn't have time to worry about this with you now; You stand on the edge of Luo Yang first; Sanbao, you pass the decree and invite the officials of the two divisions to come to the Xingsheng Palace. ”

Shen Ruoyu was ordered to stand beside Luo Yang and looked around. Yao Biao and Dao Yan stood on the left side of King Yan; Below them were Yuan Hui and a man he didn't know. This person is of average stature, thirty years old, slightly stronger than Yuan Heng, gentle and respectful, and Yuan Heng is very similar. On the right side of King Yan, there are five generals, Zhang Yu, Qiu Fu, Chen Qi, Zhu Neng and Tan Yuan.

After a while, Ma Sanbao came back and stood behind Zhu Di, side by side with Luo Yang. Four court officials entered the hall from outside the door, walked to the center, knelt down, and bowed to Zhu Di:

"Beiping political envoy Zhang Hao, Senator Jing Qing, all commander Xie Gui, all commander Zhang Xin, all command Zhang Xin, to meet His Royal Highness King Yan. His Royal Highness Chitose Chitose Chitose. ”

Zhu Di said calmly in his unique mellow and low voice:

"Four adults, please get up, please take a seat."

The four of them thanked them, stood up, and sat down in the order in which each of them gave his name.

Shen Ruoyu observed the four court officials with novelty. Even if he doesn't report his name beforehand, he can tell who is who at a glance. The political envoy Zhang Yu and the commander Xie Gui had an arrogant attitude, and in the face of the famous Yan King, who made it difficult for the Son of Heaven to sleep, he was actually a little arrogant; And Zhang Yu's civil and official temperament and Xie Gui's military general temperament are clear at a glance, not only in the second-grade golden chicken on Zhang Yu's chest complement and the third-grade leopard print on Xie Gui's complement. Senator Jing Qing is about forty years old, thin and small, with elegant manners, and there seems to be deep worry hidden in his solemn expression, and he is from a literati background. and Zhang Xin, the commander of the capital, was born slender and capable, with a calm appearance and a smart look, and delicate facial features; He looked to be in his early thirties, the youngest of the four.

Zhu Di picked up a letter from the ministry on the table next to him and said:

"The four great names have long heard of it, and today I have to pay a visit. There will be many troubles in the future, and I hope you will give me advice. All things in Peking also depend on your hard work. ”

Zhang Yu said: "As long as His Royal Highness King Yan keeps to himself, the court will be very lucky, and the country and society will be very lucky; We don't have much more to do. ”

When Qiu Fu and Tan Yuan on the side heard this, they were furious and immediately wanted to ridicule each other; Zhu Di raised his hand, stopped them, and smiled at Zhang Hao:

"What Master Zhang said is extremely true; However, if there is a treacherous villain who slanders the court and separates the flesh and blood relationship between Lone and the Son of Heaven, Lone is no matter how honest he is, he can't help the villain's tongue. ”

Zhang Yu said: "The body is not afraid of shadows; If Your Highness has a clear conscience, why should you be afraid of the slander of traitors? ”

Zhu Di smiled tolerantly: "A gentleman must guard against villains; Especially when the traitor is in power and Yu is lucky, how can Lone not be afraid? ”

Xie Gui said coldly: "His Royal Highness King Yan, the Son of Heaven appointed me to be in charge of the two divisions of Beiping, we should be loyal to the imperial court, discern everything, and completely eliminate all treacherous and evil plots, just in case of accidents; Especially for the vassal kings who support their own troops and act lawlessly, the last general and Lord Zhang must be iron-faced and selfless, and strike at them mercilessly. ”

Zhang Yu said: "Xiaguan and Commander Xie will definitely enforce the law impartially and mercilessly; Please rest assured, His Royal Highness King Yan. ”

Zhu Di smiled happily: "It's so good; The two adults are conscientious, and the lonely nature is a hundred at ease. ”

He turned around and instructed, "Sanbao, you go and prepare, I will feast on the four adults." ”

Zhang Yu said: "Your Highness doesn't need to be polite; The lower officials still have official duties, so it is difficult to accompany His Highness. Today, I paid homage to His Highness and fulfilled the duties of a subordinate official; The lower official asked for his resignation. ”

"What are you crazy about-" Tan Yuan scolded; Zhu Di drank him and smiled kindly at Zhang Hao:

"Why do you have to come and go. It has long been a customary practice for vassal kings to entertain newly arrived local officials. Isn't Master Zhang worried that Lone has the intention of bribing? ”

Xie Gui said: "His Royal Highness doesn't dare either. ”

"Bastard-" Tan Yuan was about to rush forward. Chen Qi and Zhu Neng immediately grabbed him. Zhu Di glanced at Tan Yuan reproachfully, and he stopped making a sound.

Zhu Di said: "What Lord Xie said is extremely true. Lord Zhang doesn't have to worry about it, the first time we meet, it is also the obligation of the four adults to feast. The four adults, please don't excuse yourself. ”

Zhang Yu looked at Xie Gui, and then said bluntly:

"That being the case, His Royal Highness Xie has entertained him. Routinely, although the lower officials do not want to disturb His Highness, they have to listen. ”

Jing Qing and Zhang Xin, who had been silent, also thanked King Yan with them, and then looked at Zhang Yu and Xie Gui worriedly.

Zhang Yu and Xie Gui's arrogance continued throughout the banquet, until Zhu Di personally sent the four out of Chengtianmen, and the two also warned His Royal Highness King Yan to be more careful from now on, they would always keep an eye on every corner of Beiping, even the palace.

When Zhu Di returned to his bedroom, Tan Yuan couldn't hold it back, and complained angrily:

"Your Highness is too cowardly, isn't it, letting those two pigs be so ridiculed and not reciprocated?"

Zhu Di looked at him, smiled, and asked Zhang Yudao:

"Shimei, what do you see?"

Zhang Yu smiled calmly: "They are just too premature. ”

Zhu Di nodded and said, "Shimei still understands; Let them toss, the grasshoppers after autumn will not be able to jump for two days. ”

"What's next?" Qiu Fu asked, "It seems that the imperial court is about to move the army. ”

"Inevitably," Zhu Di said, "don't worry, if you come, you will be safe." ”

"The commander of the envoy is now in the hands of Xie Gui and Zhang Xin, and the entire army of Beipingwei has to be at their disposal. How can we still be safe? Qiu Fu, like Tan Yuan, couldn't hold his breath anymore and complained stupidly.

Zhu Di groaned: "That Zhang Xin, who was secretly observed just now, may not be the same as Xie Gui. - Shihong, you go and quietly investigate the details of this person, including the situation of his family. ”

Qianhu Zhu Neng is about thirty years old, not as tall as Qiu Fu and Tan Yuan, nor as burly as Zhang Yu, just of medium height, lean and capable, with an alert and calm face. Hearing King Yan's order, Zhu Neng immediately stood upright:

"Back to His Royal Highness, the last general has secretly inquired, Zhang Xin is a native of Linhuai, his father's name is Zhang Xing, originally Yongpingwei commanded the service, and later died in battle, Zhang Xin's father's official, accumulated merit to command the service. After the Son of Heaven ascended the throne, someone recommended Zhang Xin to be brave and strategic, and the Son of Heaven transferred him to Beiping to command the envoys. The family has a mother, a wife and a daughter, and now moves from Yongping to Beiping with Zhang Xin, and lives in Heyimen. Zhang Xin is extremely filial to his mother, his mother is frail, stubborn diseases, once a serious illness is about to die, Zhang Xin waits by his mother's bedside day and night, never leaving an inch, tea and dinner. Later, after recovering from his illness, Zhang Xin took out half of the family property to thank the doctor. ”

Zhu Di nodded appreciatively and said with a smile:

"Good; If you keep an eye on this person, you'd better find a way to get to the bottom of his mind. Don't let the news slip out. ”

Zhu Neng said: "Your Highness, rest assured, Shihong knows the severity." What about that Jingqing? ”

Zhu Di thought about it. "Jing Qing - this person remains to be seen. He is a literati and does not have soldiers in his hands, so we don't need to worry, we can slowly deal with him. ”

He suddenly remembered something, looked at the person beside Yuan Jue, and asked with a smile:

"Mr. Yuan, I don't know what Ling Lang thinks of the four of them?"

Shen Ruoyu was slightly taken aback, only then did he know that the person was Yuan Zhongche, the son of Yuan Hui, who arrived in Beiping at some point, found his father, and was also introduced to King Yan - I think it should have been yesterday or this morning. The father and son are really very similar.

Yuan Zhongche saw that King Yan was asking him a question, and that his father was nodding at him, so he replied respectfully and calmly:

"Back to His Royal Highness, I just looked at the faces of the four people, except for Zhang Xin, who commanded the servant, they were all fierce."

"Oh?" Zhu Di was interested, "How can you see it?" ”

Yuan Zhongche narrated:

"The political envoy Zhang Yu has a square face and walks like a snake; all commanded Xie Gui to be swollen, flea fat and short of breath; Senator Jing Qing is short and male; All three of these are punishable by death. ”

Shen Ruoyu was secretly surprised, it is said that Yuan Zhongche passed on his father's skills at a young age, and now it is true that the four court officials only sat in His Royal Highness for a short time, and he saw that Zhang Yu "walked like a snake" and Xie Gui was "short of breath"; Senator Jing Qing didn't even say a word, but only reported his name at the beginning and asked King Yan for peace, and Yuan Zhongche had already heard what his voice was, which was really powerful.

Zhu Di thought for a while and said with a smile: "I still want to find a chance to have more contact with this Jingqing, it must be a rare talent." Now it seems that it is a pity for him. - How is Zhang Xin? It seems that he has an auspicious appearance? ”

Yuan Zhongche said: "Your Highness is wise; Zhang Xinlong is quasi-sparse, his eyebrows are Changping, and he is a noble marquis. ”

Zhu Di couldn't help but laugh and said, "He also wants to be a marquis?" It's interesting. ”

He pondered for a moment and asked Zhu Nengdao:

"Shihong, just now you said that Zhang Xin has an old mother who lives with him in Beiping's house, his mother is weak and sickly, and Zhang Xin's maid is extremely filial?"

"Exactly."

"Have you found out the exact address of his house?"

"The last general has never been there, but some of the last general's subordinates have seen him enter and leave the house with their own eyes and know the detailed location."

Zhu Di said: "This couldn't be better. Shihong, you will go to Zhang Xin's house with Master Yao tomorrow, and in the name of Lone, you will say that you will visit his mother and see a doctor for the elderly. - Shude, I'm going to trouble you to take a trip, give the old man a closer look. ”

Yao Biao smiled and said, "Your Highness, rest assured, Shude understands." ”

The heroic and decisive Zhu Neng asked, "Your Highness, do you need to bring any gifts from the last general?" ”

Zhu Di said: "Leave it to Lord Yao to do it; Bring some good supplements, you don't need anything else,—— Shude, you know what the elderly need, you can take full responsibility. In addition, Shihong, don't publicize this matter, the fewer people who know about it, the better, and it is best to limit it to Zhang Xin's family. ”

Zhu Neng said: "The last general understands; The last general will go to Zhang's house with Lord Yao in civilian clothes, without a single soldier. Your Highness may rest assured. ”

"I've always been reassured of you." Zhu Di smiled appreciatively.

"Your Highness, what are we doing?" Qiu Fu and Tan Yuan on the side asked a little unwillingly.

"You guys?" Zhu Di said with a smile: "Responsible for training soldiers, guarding the palace, repairing and strengthening fortifications - how have you accomplished these consistent tasks?" Still feel like the task is not enough? ”

Qianhu Chen Jue, who had been silent, opened his mouth at this moment, and played unhurriedly:

"Your Highness, in recent days, the general has found that the soldiers have many doubts about the movements of the court, and they have speculated and gossiped everywhere, which has made the soldiers worried and the morale of the army discouraged. Not only the middle guard where the last general is located, but also in other armies. If this continues, when the imperial court orders the withdrawal of the feudal domain, we are afraid that we will not be able to parry the imperial army. ”

Zhu Di asked, "Shimei, Tan Yuan, is that so?" ”

Zhang Yu said: "Back to Your Highness, among the left guards of the last general, there seem to be some people who have been unsettled recently. ”

Tan Yuan said: "In the right guard, the last general also feels that some people are panicking. ”

Zhu Di pondered for a moment and said, "Shimei, have you heard the face of the four officials of the two divisions of Yuan Zhongche clearly?" ”

Zhang Yu said: "The last general heard it clearly and kept it in mind. ”

"Good; You have to find a way to spread these words,—— don't say it yourself, you have to find a way to spread Yuan Zhongche's words in the army like rumors through some low-level soldiers. Not just for your left guard, but for all three armies. But remember not to say too much, to be too clear, to be as vague as possible, both true and false, so that people can't figure it out, let alone guess where the rumor came from. Let all the soldiers hear that these three court officials are going to die, and let them think for themselves whether it is true or not. ”

"The last general understands," Zhang Yu replied. "In the end, this will be arranged, and the custody will be done without knowing it."

"These are not enough," Zhu Di said, "and ordered that the daily ration of food and clothing for all soldiers should be doubled, and their families should be treated as such." The fighters must be fed and drunk well, and their families must be well fed, so that they have no worries. In addition, the leave for wounded and sick of the three armed forces should be extended by one day for minor cases and for serious cases, and each person should have no less than one day of leave per month, and the cumulative amount of night duty should not exceed four hours, so that the soldiers should rest well. Only with abundant physical strength can there be a stable mood. Before the battle began, the morale of the army was already shaken, and this was okay. ”

Zhang Yu said: "Your Highness, the monthly grain payment in the local area is fixed, and other expenses are removed, and the monthly offerings in the army are also fixed. There is a huge Beiping, all kinds of expenses are expensive, plus the imperial court grain is also tight, just enough, how can you add more military food? ”

Zhu Di said: "I don't believe it, Beiping's grain harvest is bumper every year, and the production increases year by year, if there is no corruption and encroachment on the public, it will not be enough for me to increase military rations." If it really doesn't work, it will be deducted from the palace food. The soldiers complained about the lack of food, and I had heard it many times, so it had to be increased. Not only more, but also fine, and more good food and meat. The soldiers who can't wronged themselves are the pillars of the country on the battlefield, and they are the capital to survive. ”

Zhang Yu said: "Your Highness, isn't the matter of vacation and night post a little too lenient?" Our current strength is by no means enough to compete with the imperial army, not to mention that in the future, the imperial court will definitely draw and strip away our army, so that my combat strength will not be left. Isn't it a little ...... for the soldiers to take such a vacation?"

Zhu Di thought about it carefully and said, "It's not loose; Everyone practiced day and night every day, slept only two and a half hours, and stood guard at night - no relaxation. Warriors are also flesh and blood, not swords and guns made of steel. Even if it is relaxed, it will never make them slack off. At this time, it is relaxed in order to recuperate and recharge, so that in the future they can have enough spirit and strength to fight continuously all night and night. ”

Zhang Yu said: "The last general understands. That's what I'm going to do. ”

"You don't have to worry about money and food, it's not your responsibility in the first place, just leave it to Master Daoyan." Zhu Di said, "Chen Qi, Qiu Fu, Shihong, Tan Yuan, your task now is to strictly train the soldiers, be meticulous, and make sure that everyone is proficient in martial arts and not afraid of the enemy. At the same time, we must cherish our soldiers as parents love their children, know their well-being, hunger and hunger, share weal and woe with them, advance in front and retreat behind, and do not get tired of horses and rain without rain. When you return, tell this to the other thousand households, and to the hundred households under your command. Shimei, you are here to take charge of these affairs. The two guards in the center and on the right are also under your jurisdiction, and the two guards command the same knowledge and obey you. ”

Zhang Yu said: "Shimei leads the order. ”

Zhu Di sighed softly: "'Those who want the same up and down win'; we must let the officers and men of the three armies be as united as Lone, share weal and woe, and let our army become one person, so that this person can be invincible and tenacious enough not to be hurt by the enemy." In this way, even if the imperial court really separates our army, transfers some of the soldiers to other places, and assigns them to other people-their hearts are still in Beiping, and they are still with my Yan King; When we meet on the battlefield after the army is raised, they must still be my people. The imperial court made a big move, but in the end it was just a waste of effort. ”

Zhang Yu sighed: "Your Highness is far-sighted, why worry about big things!" ”

Zhu Di smiled and said, "Without you heroes, and you thinkers-" He smiled and glanced at the Wenchen on both sides, "It is difficult to achieve the ambition of encompassing the four seas." ”

The five generals immediately bowed down and said in unison: "The last general swears to swear to the ground for His Highness, and the horse leather shroud!" ”

Zhu Di said: "I don't want your horse leather shroud, I want you to one day divide the five armies and five generals for me, accompany me to the Fengtian Palace, and I will give you the title of marquis one by one." ”

Then, without waiting for them to give thanks, he said, "Go down; Do what you have to do. ”