"Huh?" Zhao Wende was stunned when he heard this, and before he could figure out what was going on, he heard Liu Cheng say: "She is already pregnant, she can't be so nonsense!" ”

"Pregnant?" Zhao Wende, who fully understood, immediately turned pale, and nodded hurriedly: "Yes, my lord, I'll do it right away!" ”

"What about Du Guoying?"

"So he sent a letter saying that the thieves had only tried twice, and if they did not succeed, they only dug a trench outside the city, and did not send troops to attack."

"Dig a trench?" Liu Cheng frowned: "Who is the master of the siege?" ”

"It seems to be Yue Tuo, and Kong Youde." Zhao Wende took out a Tang newspaper from his sleeve: "My lord, there is a Tang newspaper from Shanxi, saying that the Dongyu broke through dozens of fortresses from the right guard of Datong, looted on a large scale, and suffered heavy casualties among the soldiers and civilians!" ”

"Datong right guard?" Liu Cheng didn't take the Tang newspaper, but walked to a bookcase on the side, took out a scroll from the middle drawer, opened it on several cases, and muttered to himself while looking for it: "Datong Right Guard, Datong Right Guard, I found it, it is four or five days away from Naturalization City even if it is a cavalry, so the Tartars don't want to go too far west this time, but just want to get a handful." ”

"That's how I see it! If the captive chieftain wants to go west, he will definitely go all out to take the Naturalization City first, and will not divide his troops to break through. Zhao Wende said with a smile: "As you can see, the main purpose of the chieftain this time should be to win over the Mongolian tribes and force him to be the master. ”

Liu Cheng smiled noncommittally, his sense of smell in this regard is still very good, but he doesn't know how to respond: "Then how do you say you should deal with it?" ”

"The imperial court will definitely severely reprimand the governor of Xuanda to repel the northern captives, and you also know the situation in Xuanda Town, which is better than Ningxia and Yansui, but it is only good. The soldiers are in arrears, the generals are cowardly, and naturally they will not go to fight with the sharp soldiers of the eastern captives, I guess they are defending the city separately, watching the northern captives plunder outside the city, and when they are full of retreating troops, they will kill a few old and weak people who are pulling behind, and use their heads to ask the court for credit. Anyway, it's late autumn, and it's impossible for the Tartars to stay in the mouth for a long time, as long as they can take back the city, they can explain to the court. Speaking of this, Zhao Wende looked at Liu Cheng's face before continuing: "It's not okay to send troops to Shanxi, we are guest troops when we go there, we have to listen to the dispatch of Governor Xuanda, and we have to rely on others for food, accommodation, and people." And it is common for my Ming main army to pit the guest army, we are not familiar with the place, and if we are not careful, we will suffer a big loss. ”

"Is that just sitting back and watching?"

"He beats theirs, we beat ours!" Zhao Wende pointed to the new naturalized city on the map: "As long as the siege of General Xiao Du is relieved and the troops are joined with him, the back road of the Eastern Captives can be threatened, and the captive chieftains will definitely not dare to go deep." There is grain and medicine in the city, and there is the Yellow River as a grain route, and if you want to fight and defend, you will have to do it all in my hands. Dongyu came out full, everyone has a heart of self-preservation, and it is definitely not as sharp as when he first came out of the division, and the odds of victory are much greater than directly saving Datong. ”

"Did Wei Wei save Zhao?" Liu Cheng smiled and said: "Jiansheng, you and I want to go together, but my expedition to Mobei this time, after a long journey, the horse is thin and tired, so I can only rely on staying in Ningxia." ”

"My lord, please rest assured, in the past few months that you have been gone, I and the Heshuo Special Department have exchanged tea, salt and other goods for almost two thousand good horses, plus the original three or five thousand horses are no problem, the battalion left in Ningxia has been cultivated for a long time, and there are 1,000 cavalry members, and Bai Wang's boat division also has 1,000 people."

"With the addition of my battalion of infantry, it is still a little thin for more than 5,000 people!" Liu Cheng thought for a while and said: "It's too late to recruit mercenaries, so let's do it, I have to recruit volunteers in the expeditionary teams, the salary is doubled, and I should be able to recruit another two or three thousand people, this is about the same, if you can relieve the siege of the new naturalization city, plus the defenders in the city, there are more than 10,000 people, and you can fight with the Dongyu." Then the matter of reorganizing the army will be left to you, and you must hurry up and strive to complete it within ten days! ”

"Yes, sir!"

Jingshi, Qianqing Palace, Yangde Zhai.

It is a rather secluded courtyard, located behind the Qianqing Palace, and it is only a few minutes' walk away. Chongzhen didn't rest at the concubine's place on weekdays, so he slept here. Although he is still a young man in his early twenties, and he is "rich all over the world", surrounded by beautiful women like flowers and jade, under the heavy pressure of heavy military and political affairs, where can he still have the heart to look for flowers and willows and enjoy the blessings of the Qi people. Even Queen Zhou may not be able to share the same bed with the Son of Heaven for a month, but nine out of ten days on weekdays live in this Yangde Zhai.

On this morning, as usual, Chongzhen got up before dawn, freshened up under the service of the palace maids and eunuchs, put on the crown clothes of the Chang Dynasty, and came to the courtyard in front of the Qianqing Palace to burn incense and worship the sky. After the sacrifice was completed, he prayed silently again before returning to the westernmost room of the Qianqing Palace. Since there is no bad news these days, Chongzhen's mood has improved a lot, so he did not dismiss the queen as usual, and the concubines and children asked for peace as usual. The innocence and cuteness of the children washed away a lot of unhappiness in his heart, and made a smile and blush appear on his face, which was always grim and pale on weekdays. Zhou Hou saw it in his eyes, secretly happy in his heart, and glanced at Concubine Tian on the side, and Concubine Tian, who understood it, smiled and said: "Emperor, the concubine's family sent two bottles of fine Lanling wine a few days ago, I heard that it was Wanli Ye who entered the cellar when he just ascended the throne, and it is the most mellow, why don't you let the concubine be a dong this afternoon, please all the sisters and the emperor to go to the concubine, and have a drink?" ”

Chongzhen was stunned when he heard this, his eyes immediately swept to the high stacks of folds on the several cases behind him, and he was about to open his mouth to refuse, but when he saw the eager eyes of Zhou Hou and Concubine Tian, he felt the child's gentle pull in his hand, and swallowed back the words when they reached his mouth.

"Emperor!" Zhou Hou saw that Chongzhen did not categorically refuse, and also opened his mouth to persuade him: "You haven't sat down to eat wine and play dice with us for many days, that is, the field Sheweng has worked hard for a year, beaten a few stones of wheat, and also brewed a pot of wine and drank a few sips with his wife, not to mention that you are the Venerable of Ten Thousand Times?" Just rest for a day, and with so many ministers watching the state affairs of the inner court and the outer court, there must be nothing wrong. ”

Chongzhen and Zhou Hou were husband and wife when they believed in the king, and they knew each other very well, how did they not know that Concubine Tian had a hint from Zhou Hou when she heard this, and the purpose of his wife was nothing more than to see that she was too hard working a few days ago, and wanted to take this opportunity to relax. He couldn't help but think of the idle days when he was still the king of letters, when he and his wife had nothing to do, chanting poems at home, playing chess and playing the piano, and now he looks back on it like a world away.

"Father, come!" The crown prince Zhu Cihong took Chongzhen's hand and pleaded in a milky voice, he was seven years old at the time, and he was born with fair skin and a handsome face, which was very loved. Chongzhen's heart suddenly softened when he asked for this, and he turned to Wang Chengen on the side and asked, "Wang Daban, there was nothing important in the Tang newspaper yesterday, right?" ”

"Tell the emperor, nothing matters!" Wang Chengen said respectfully: "The slave said something unruly, the emperor, you have a good life, even the grain households in the township with 100 acres of water are not as good, but when it gets dark, the grain households can still hold their daughter-in-law and sleep on the kang head steadily, when did you go to stay before the first watch?" ”

"Wang Daban, Wang Daban, I still think you are a loyal person!" Chongzhen shook his head and smiled bitterly: "But the rivers and mountains left by my ancestors, I don't do my best, who does my best?" I only hope that the river will clear the sea as soon as possible, and the people of the world will share the peace, and I will naturally be able to rest for a few days. Speaking of this, he sighed, his eyes swept over Zhou Hou and Concubine Tian, and finally fell on his son, and said with a smile: "Okay, if there is nothing else to do today, let's have fun with you!" ”

Zhu Cihong heard that his father had agreed to him, and immediately cheered, and Zhou Hou and Concubine Tian glanced at each other, and their eyes were full of smiles. After saluting Chongzhen, he exited the house. Chongzhen began to review and read the folds as usual, as the saying goes, people are in good spirits when they are happy, but today they are in Chongzhen's body and they are in good spirits. Even the contents of the Tang Bao memo in the past were much less than those popular uprisings, famines, and pleas for tax exemption and relief, and by the time it was close to noon, Chongzhen had already dealt with most of the folds on several cases, he looked at the water leak on the side, and hesitated whether to approve some more excerpts, or go to Concubine Tian to eat and drink according to the agreement. Just as he was hesitating, Wang Chengen behind him said in a low voice: "Emperor, go to Concubine Tian's mother, all you have to do is this, hurry up tomorrow!" ”

"Well, I'll be lazy today!" Chongzhen remembered Zhu Cihong's eager and expectant gaze, gritted his teeth and put the brush in his hand aside, and said to Hu Kejian, who was waiting for him: "Gonggong Hu, I will go to Concubine Tian, I will not clean the palace in the afternoon, if there is an emergency military situation, you will send it to Concubine Tian!" ”

"Slaves obey!" Hu Kejian hurriedly kowtowed. Chongzhen got up, Wang Chengen hurriedly followed, and before going out, he whispered to Hu Kejian: "Grandpa Hu, Long Live Lord has not taken a breath for a few days, you can postpone everything until tomorrow, let Long Live Lord also breathe a sigh of relief, and be happy with Prince Niangniang!" ”

Hu Kejian smiled and said: "Oh, Wang Gonggong, look at what you said, is our family such an eyeless person?" Don't worry, it's this Qianqing Palace that ignites the fire, and our family won't disturb the Long Live Lord! ”

Wang Chengen smiled and nodded, and then quickly followed.

Chongzhen came to Concubine Tian's residence, and Zhou Hou, Concubine Tian, and the prince had been waiting for a long time, and Chongzhen hurriedly opened the banquet as soon as he arrived. Because Concubine Tian is a native of Yangzhou, the dishes are Huaiyang taste, although there are only six or seven dishes, but the utensils are exquisite, the cooking skills are superb, and Chongzhen who eats is very satisfied.

"Concubine Tian, these dishes today are very good, and the Huaiyang cuisine master in the imperial dining room has made great progress!"

Hearing Chongzhen's praise, Concubine Tian and Queen Zhou couldn't help but look at each other and laugh, Chongzhen felt strange and asked, "What's wrong, what are you laughing at?" ”

"Please forgive your majesty!" Concubine Tian got up and blessed Chongzhen: "Today's cook is not from the imperial dining room, but temporarily brought from the concubine's house." ”

"Oh!" Chongzhen's brows furrowed slightly, although he didn't say anything, he had some faint dissatisfaction in his heart. He was also quite dissatisfied in his heart, feeling that in the eventful autumn of the country, these noble relatives who were resting with the country not only did not share their worries with themselves, but while extravagantly ruining the world, they cried to themselves and asked for all kinds of rewards, and they actually surpassed their own days in terms of enjoyment. He wanted to reprimand a few words, but he told himself that he finally had the opportunity to get together with his wife and children, and the children were by his side.

"Emperor!" Wang Chengen was on the side, and he had already seen Chongzhen's thoughts, and he smiled slightly: "Speaking of this cook, the slave heard an anecdote a few days ago, but it was very funny. ”

"Oh?" Zhou Hou also saw it, and hurriedly said: "Wang Daban, you said to listen to it?" ”

"Yes!" Wang Chengen responded, but his eyes turned to Chongzhen, and when he saw Chongzhen nodding slightly, he smiled and said: "When the slave heard about Wanli Ye, there was an old gentleman who put his hand in his sleeve every time he came to the pavilion in the morning. It reached the ears of the Long Live Lord, and the Long Live Lord thought that the gentleman's family was poor and the weather was cold and had no clothes, so he gave him a fox fur. But I didn't want the old gentleman to be the same, and I was surprised when I saw it, so I invited the old gentleman to ask. Grandma, do you guess why that old gentleman did this? “

Chongzhen was aroused by Wang Chengen's words, and said with a smile: "Isn't that old gentleman a little expensive on his hands?" ”

"Long live the Lord is really wise!" Wang Chengen smiled: "But that old gentleman's noble illness is not in his hands, but in his stomach?" ”

"In the stomach? So why did he put his hands in his sleeves? ”

"Long live the old man, every time he comes to the pavilion in the morning, he hides a few Hu cakes bought on the street in his sleeve as breakfast. But as the prime minister of the court, he did this against the rules, so he had to hide it in his sleeve, so as not to be seen by the old men of the imperial history and impeach him for dishonoring. ”

"I see!" Chongzhen couldn't help but laugh when he heard this. Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, was born poor and a workaholic, and the time set for the early dynasty was "ambiguous", that is, when the day was just dawning, about five or six o'clock. In those years, there were no buses and subways, and in order to avoid mistakes, civil and military officials actually had to get up at about three or four o'clock to wash and change clothes, and wait outside the noon gate. Obviously, most of the people didn't eat breakfast at this time and came to the court hungry. Those Hanlin, Yuanwailang, and Yushi are also okay, and the young body is tough and strong, but those who have done the six books, university scholars, etc., how can they have a little fifty in terms of seniority, like this, the third watch gets up in the middle of the night and is hungry and tosses in the cold wind for a morning, even the iron body and bones can't stand it. So he came up with all sorts of strange methods, one of which was the old gentleman's hiding a cake in his sleeve. Chongzhen smiled, and suddenly sighed: "No, Wang Daban, I remember that when Emperor Xian, the gentlemen in the cabinet all provided meals, why did that old gentleman still hide Hu Cake in his sleeve?" (To be continued.) )