This was the first time Li Nuan had seen Zhang Mai, although when he was in Luoyang, he had already begun to imagine what kind of man Zhang Mai was, but only then did he really see him.

At first glance, he is no longer young, he started his army in Anxi in his twenties, and he fought all the way to the east, spending the strongest years of his life in the yellow sand, ten years of journey, ten years of wind and frost, although it has not yet reached the time when the snow dyes his temples, the corners of his eyes have been secretly wrinkled. Since war and government affairs occupy most of life, and there is rarely the contamination of wine and entertainment in the middle, the eyes appear more majestic and focused, but less romantic and soothing.

Looking at the past again, I felt that this man's temperament was different from the people he had seen before, without the imperial aura that Li Congkeshi Jingjiao showed as soon as he ascended the throne, nor did he have the flying and domineering style that naturally formed after leading troops for a long time like Fan Yanguang and Du Chongwei, and there was no scholarly style like Feng Daohan Yanhui. Three religions and nine streams, emperors and generals, saints, Ming monarchs, tyrants, traitors, heroes, there is no suitable to describe Zhang Mai, Li Nuan feels that this man feels that he seems to be out of step with this world.

"Is it because he's from the Western Regions?"

However, the third time I looked at the past, I felt that although Zhang Mai's temperament was incompatible with the world he knew, it was integrated with the surrounding environment now. I already had this feeling when I was in Minamishi, and I walked along the avenue. The further north you go, the stronger this feeling becomes, after entering the Golden Horde. Li Nuan felt uncomfortable all over his body, and he didn't suddenly appear until now. The source of this abnormality is in Zhang Mai.

"Is this also because he's from the Western Regions?"

He looked at Fan Zhen, then at Wei Renpu, and then at Fu Yanqing, the first two seemed to have completely integrated here, and the latter seemed to be very adaptable, only he still felt a little awkward.

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Zhang Mai also saw Li Nuan for the first time, and he guessed his identity, but he didn't think too much. Even his gaze only lingered on him for a moment, and then he pointed to a chair in the tent and said, "Sit down." ”

With the same feeling as Zhao Zan, Li Nuan also had a feeling of being despised by Zhang Mai at this moment. In the history books, Mingjun's attitude towards the virtuous ministers, what thatched cottage is not to think about, what to greet each other, at least he has to show respect for himself, but in Zhang Mai, Li Nuan did not feel his deliberate contempt, it seems that this kind of "rudeness" is just his habit. Well. That's right, it's true that there is no "etiquette" in Zhang Mai's body.

"Is this because he's from the Western Regions?"

If you want to say that his style is not like the Han people in the Central Plains, but if you want to say that he is like Hu'er in the Western Regions, it is not.

"Perhaps. It's just more focused. ”

Li Nuan had an impulse to "transform Zhang Mai" for a while, this impulse was not unique to him, Fan Zhen and Wei Renpu had done such things. And they still want to do it, and the Confucian scholars who are a little learned always hope to be able to polish their monarch according to their understanding of Confucianism. And then to repair the whole world, just as Shusun Tong repaired the Han Gaozu and repaired the entire Han Dynasty, Wei Zheng repaired the Tang Taizong and repaired the entire Tang Dynasty - although in historical facts this kind of repair has never succeeded. But at least in the history books, they all succeeded.

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Zhang Mai is indeed more focused now, he is dealing with the affairs of Chenzhou and Yingchang.

The two younger brothers recommended by Fu Yanqing are very powerful, or very suitable.

The eighth brother Fu Yanlun is a man, he is a general, but he can't give him many troops.

Kaifeng is a big house, and is located in the traffic artery, the grain in the Huaisi area is transported to this side and piled up, after the fold of the German wall into the city, it seized a grain depot larger than the flat warehouse, now the Tiance Tang army is not short of soldiers, not short of generals, not even lack of money, but lack of food, get Kaifeng not only blocked the contact between Luoyang and Shandong, got this granary is for the future Zhang Mai army to defend a logistics supply point, so after the capture of Kaifeng, the German wall did not dare to leave, no longer attacking in all directions, but tightly fortified, But the troops he brought were only a few thousand, although Zhang Mai added additional troops in the follow-up, plus the surrender of Kaifeng Mansion also had tens of thousands of troops, but the new troops did not dare to entrust the heavy task for the time being.

After Zhang Mai's order was issued to Kaifeng, Fu Yanlun did not seek to be a strong general, and only drew 3,000 people from the army of Kaifeng Prefecture, and after a few days of preparation and training, he went to Chenzhou - yes, not to Yingchang, but to escort his seventh brother Fu Yanyi to Chenzhou - Zhang Mai's order was only for the two brothers to go to take the land of the two states separately, but did not limit the order of seizure, so Fu Yanqing adjusted on the spot and let the two younger brothers go down to Chenzhou first. The ending is really no surprise, there is a heavenly strategy army to suppress the realm, and there is a strong and powerful person who is attached to the Fu family inside, and the states and counties of Chenzhou quickly surrendered.

After the Fu brothers received Chenzhou, they gathered the local fathers and elders, Haoqiang, and gathered a lot of soldiers and horses in a few days, Fu Yanlun expanded the soldiers and horses to 12,000 people in Chenzhou, and then went to Yingchang, Kaifeng, Chenzhou successively returned to Tang Dynasty has already caused a huge shock to Yingchang, and now I see a large number of soldiers to cover up, and the officials, soldiers and civilians of Yingchang have also changed banners.

The good news from the south came frequently, and it was rumored that Fan Zhen and Wei Renpu were a little numb, and now for the people of the world, it seems that it was natural for the Tiance regime to take over all the inheritance left by the Shi Jin Dynasty.

In the next situation, even Li Nuan was a little excited, and continued to march southeast from Chenzhou, and Huaisi could get it! Continue to march southwest from Yingchang, and Xianghan will be able to get it. But Zhang's order made Li Nuan feel stunned: "There are Kaifeng, Yingchang, and Chenzhou in the south, and we can gain a firm foothold in the Central Plains." Pass the order down, let Zhede and Sanfu use the army conservatively. Xianghan and Huaisi are not in a hurry. In the next period, we will focus on Hebei first. ”

"Hebei?" Li Nuan said secretly: "Why Hebei? What else can happen here, even the war on the front line needs to be delayed? ”

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At this time, Zhang Mai finally took his mind back from the map. looked at Li Nuan, a relatively high-profile Wenchen who has been regarded as the representative of Hebei Shilin recently.

He invited all the generals out and asked Fu Yanqing to go down to deal with the military affairs he had just arranged. Only Fan Zhen and Li Fang, who were also from Hebei, were left in the tent, as well as Cao Yuanzhong and Wei Renpu.

After the re-prostration. Li Nuan began to report the situation of Yedu to Zhang Mai - Zhang Mai transferred him in the name of reporting on his work this time, and a statement was inevitable.

Yedu has heavy government affairs, and it took half an hour for Li Nuan to finish speaking. It should be said that Li Nuan did a very good job in Yedu, not only rectifying the market of this big city in Hebei, healing the wounds caused by the entry of soldiers and horses some time ago, but also stabilizing the surrounding shape as the hinterland of Hebei. The Ningding of Yedu played a very good role, and the reason why so many prefectures and counties in Shandong surrendered was the deterrence of troops, and the smoothness of civil affairs also played an exemplary role.

Li Nuan was able to achieve such results in such a short period of time, not only because of his skillful political skills, but also because of his administrative strategy -- first, not to break the original social pattern in the localities, second, to try to balance the requirements of the new political power with the needs of the localities, and third, to rely on the original local tyrants and scholarly forces to govern the localities. To put it mildly, it is with mud.

Li Nuan can be said to be very harmonious, but Zhang Mai listened and nodded. But the frowning brow showed that he was not completely satisfied.

After listening to it completely, Zhang Mai said, "It's hard work." ”

"The Lord is above, and the people are below. The upper is for the king to share the worries, and the lower is for the people to relieve their needs. It's not hard. ”

This is the standard wise man's response.

But Zhang Mai said: "The place in Hebei is now stable, which is the credit of you." But after steady dìng. Does Mr. Li hope to maintain the status quo and not make changes? After Li Nuan took over Yedu, Zhang Mai added a bachelor's title to him according to the model of Jianyi.

Li Nuan's eyebrows jumped, and he asked with some vigilance, "What changes do you want to make?" ”

"The current local order is a product of the secession of feudal towns after the Anshi Rebellion, and it is actually not healthy." Zhang Mai said: "If the agricultural administration is not repaired, the laws and regulations will not work. The power of the feudal towns and the military people are in power, this is a big secession, the local self-protection, the order is not good, this is a small secession. If you really want to end this troubled world, it is not the end of entering Luoyang and sitting on that throne, you must end this chaotic order, and you must really calm the troubled times. ”

Li Nuan said: "Now my lord is powerful in the world, no one dares to disobey the order, Hebei and Shandong, all under the orders of my lord." ”

"Really? So why can't a tax exemption order be implemented? Zhang Mai sneered: "One acre of autumn tax, but only half a bucket, a thousand acres of Zhongtian's family, pay no more than 50 stones, 100 acres of fertile land, only pay 500 stones." In this way, it will be passed on to the heads of the ordinary people! The conscience of these people is eaten by dogs! ”

Li Nuan said: "The thirty or so gentry who did not obey the law did have the grace of the marshal. ”

Zhang Mai was furious and said, "Li Nuan! ”

He is now the invincible commander who controls the Wancheng Heroic Division, the male lord who is angry for thousands of miles, this roar is not loud, but it makes everyone in the tent tremble in shock, although Li Nuan feels loyal but his heart is also beating violently, he naturally knows why Zhang Mai is angry, if Zhang Mai really believes that the thirty or so gentry are all the tax collectors, he will not be called here today.

Fan Zhen also looked at Li Nuan and motioned for him not to contradict Zhang Mai again.

"I obey orders, but I disobey the yang and the yin," Zhang Mai said angrily: "This is more hateful than direct disobedience!" ”

Although Li Nuan was a little empty in his heart, he still said: "If the decree can win the hearts of the people, the people below will naturally not disobey the yang and the yin, and if the decree is unpopular, it will naturally encounter resistance." ”

Zhang Mai smiled when he heard this: "Why is my tax exemption order unpopular? ”

Li Nuan said: "It is not the tax exemption order that is unpopular, and the gentry in Hebei also support the tax exemption order, but the marshal heard the rumors of the gentry evading taxes from somewhere, and then sent people to the countryside to investigate. ”

Zhang Mai said: "In the locality, there are ordinary people and small people, and there are gentry and heroes. What you say is disturbing the locality, you are disturbing the common people. Or did it disturb the gentry and the powerful? ”

Li Nuan: "The people are one, and the people are the rate." If the morale is unstable, there will be turmoil! Marshal, now that the unification of the Central Plains is in sight, and Hebei, as the rear, it should be a matter of stability and unification of the world, and at that time, it will not be too late for the marshal to implement better good governance. ”

Fan Zhen saw that Li Nuan was facing Zhang Mai every word, and his face became more and more ugly. Busy said: "Li Yulan is actually not against the marshal's decree, he should just think that this decree should be relaxed, in terms of it, Brother Yu Lan is still loyal to the marshal." ”

Seeing that Zhang Mai's expression eased slightly, Li Nuan took two steps forward and knelt down and said: "The minister has a secret pair, please screen everyone, and leave the minister alone." ”

When Fu Yanqing heard this, he was already about to get up, but Zhang Mai said, "No." If you have something to say, just say it, my Tiance Datang's politics is above board, and I don't need so many intrigues and tricks. If you have anything to say, just say it here! ”

Li Nuan was stunned for a moment and said, "If you don't keep it secret, you will lose your country." The art of the emperor cannot be said in front of everyone. ”

Zhang Mai said: "If a regime is to be maintained by intrigue and intrigue. This regime, don't do it. Our country has only just been founded. I don't want to, I don't need this ethos. ”

Li Nuan was completely stunned, he didn't expect to hear such an answer at all.

Zhang Mai said: "Do you say it or not, if you don't say it, then there is no need to say it." ”

Li Nuan gritted his teeth: "Marshal Rongyu, the reason why the minister opposes the marshal's tax evasion for the gentry in Hebei is not for his own selfishness, nor for the interests of the family, let alone for the interests of relatives and friends, but to hope that the marshal will not lose a big deal because of a small one." ”

"Lost a big one? What is Small? What is Big? ”

Li Nuan said: "As the marshal said, the field is only five liters per mu, and the small people Li Shu have more than half a bucket of rice, but the days are a little wider, and they will not be rich because of this, and if they lose this half a bucket of rice, the belt is a little tighter, and it will not provoke a popular uprising." Since the marshal issued the tax exemption order, everyone in the world has known the marshal's benevolent government and has won the hearts of the people. Even if we make a big deal about the gentry evading taxes, even if we dispose of a group of gentry, the prestige of our Tiance Datang will not increase much, this is small. ”

"So big?"

Li Nuan said: "Now the Central Plains has not yet been unified, there are Fan Yanguang unruly inside, An Chongrong, Shi Chonggui, Liu Zhiyuan outside, and Wu Yue, Shu, Han, Chu and Min in the south, and the powerful gentry are staring at the Central Plains. Since the small things in front of us can get in the way of the overall situation of unification, then it is time to make way for the big picture. ”

"It turns out that this is the small and big in your mind, it turns out that as long as you don't go to the bottom line of stirring up the people's uprising, Li Shu can handle it at will......" Zhang Mai said: "You only take into account the gentry and heroes in various places, but you don't take into account the people of Li everywhere, what was the first thing you said when you came in just now!" The king is above, and the people are below! Listening to the two paragraphs just now, do you really think of the word Li Min in your heart? ”

Li Nuan almost smiled bitterly: "Marshal, the minister didn't take it into account, but ......" Speaking of this, he was forced to be helpless, and finally said: "The people of Limin, there is no strength, in the end, the only one who can help the marshal get the world is Haoqiang, and in the end, the only one who can help the marshal stabilize the world is the gentry!" The strong are warriors, the gentry are literate! If the marshal wants to win the world, the hearts of civil and military men cannot be lost. If the heart of the civil and military warriors is lost, then the current situation is good, and I am afraid that it may be fundamentally shaken in the future. ”

Speaking of which, the official article was finally punctured, although Fan Zhen Wei Renpu and others felt that these words were harsh, but if the essence of taking the world and sitting in the world is concerned, Li Nuan's words are not unreasonable, for the people of Li and the people, it has always been just a slogan, and taking the world and sitting in the world has always relied on the ruling class.

Fu Yanqing also stared at Zhang Mai closely, to see how Zhang Mai responded.

This time, Zhang Mai didn't stay long, so he said word for word: "Li Nuan! You...... Wrong! ”

Li Nuan was originally prostrating himself on the ground, but at this time his head was raised suddenly.

Zhang Mai said: "Li Nuan is wrong, many people are wrong!" You are wrong, you think that my brothers and I came from Anxi thousands of miles to the east, started a war, killed so many people, and shed so much blood, so that I, Zhang Mai, wanted to be the emperor? For the sake of my brothers to worship the marquis and be rich for generations? ”

Li Nuan couldn't say a word in his throat.

To be an emperor and to be a marquis and pay homage to the prime minister, this is not easy to say, but in fact, isn't it? Regardless of a martial artist, even if he is a scholar. Although he talks about the people of Li all day long, who is not for fame and wealth in the end?

Zhang Mai looked at Li Nuan. Look at Fu Yanqing again, and then look at Li Fang: "Some words." You can't say it after all, but you know that you really think so. But you're wrong!

"You're wrong, you're wrong, you're wrong. You think that the five liters of rice of the small people in Hebei are small, but the matter of dominating the world is big, now I sue you, I can be the emperor, or I can not be the emperor, the world can be unified or not. But Hebei's tax exemption is so important to me that I must carry it out. Those who conceal the tax exemption order and pass it on to the small people, I will definitely investigate thoroughly, because in my opinion, the matter of the five liters of rice is not a small matter, it is a big thing! In addition, who sued you, I, Zhang Mai, must dominate the world? ”

If Zhang Mai's first few sentences are gone, Li Nuan Fu Yanqing can still think of it. Then the last sentence was extremely surprised, not only him, but also Fan Zhen Wei Renpu was also stunned.

I don't know when the concept of great unification has been deeply rooted in the hearts of the Chinese people. Once a powerful regime has the possibility of unifying the world, it will definitely do this, and when it comes to Zhang Mai, everyone thinks that it is a matter of course for him to seek unification. It is unimaginable to win the championship without winning the championship!

Li Nuan and Fu Yanqing's eyes were also straight. Staring at Zhang Mai, he felt that his brain was not enough.

Zhang Mai said: "What." I don't want to dominate the world, can't I? ”

"This ...... This ......"

It stands to reason that as the supreme leader of the Tiance Tang Army, Zhang Mai can certainly decide whether to dominate the world or not, but ...... But how can this be! How is this possible!

Li Nuan knelt on the ground, he wanted to speak but couldn't speak, he almost wanted to yell at Zhang Mai: "Marshal, don't raise the bar with me!" ”

But Zhang Mai's eyes were very calm, without the slightest hint of banter.

"Me and my brother, but all the way through, ours, and different from what you think. In your opinion, it seems that the goal is to dominate the world and ascend the throne and become the emperor, but the original intention of our expedition to the east has never been like this! ”

Li Nuan couldn't help asking, "What was the original intention of the marshal?" ”

"Our original intention was just to go home."

Go home......

Go home!

Although they had heard the story of the Anxi Tang Army's Eastern Expedition before, with the rise of the Tiance Tang Army to become the most powerful force in the world, the legend of the Western Regions had become very distant.

Yes, how many people have forgotten that the Tiance Tang Army raised troops in the Western Regions, and their original purpose was to go home.

"We went all the way to the east, and our destination was Datang, which was Chang'an. Although Chang'an has not yet arrived, people have finally arrived in the Central Plains. But this Central Plains has become completely unrecognizable to us! ”

The Tang Dynasty in Anxi's old mind is the Tang Dynasty described by his ancestors, the Tang Dynasty recorded in Tang poems, and the Tang Dynasty beautified in their hearts.

And what about the Tang Dynasty in reality?

In reality, the world is full of shame, chaos, darkness and injustice.

Now, with the defeat of the Hui in the Western Regions, the defeat of the Tubo in Ganliang, and the defeat of the Khitan in Mobei, the history of shame has come to an end. But chaos, darkness and injustice are still going on in the Central Plains, and they are even ready to devour the Tiance regime in turn.

"In the process of our crusade, a lot of things were born, and as the team grew, many new people were added."

Zhang Xiangxiang looked at Fan Zhen, Wei Renpu, Fu Yanqing and Li Nuan father and son, and in this tent, only he and Ma Xiaochun and Liu Heihu were the old people of Anxi.

"Because there are a lot of things, some old people have forgotten our original purpose, because of the addition of new people, so some new people do not have our original wishes. But this purpose, this wish, I have never forgotten it. Yes, the purpose of our army, the original purpose of our expedition, is to go home! Back to Datang, back to Chang'an! ”

Li Nuan couldn't help but say: "Marshal, this is already the Central Plains, as for Chang'an, as long as Liu Zhiyuan surrenders, Chang'an will ......."

"That's not Chang'an!" Zhang Mai interrupted him: "The land under my feet is not Datang, at least, it is not Datang yet!" ”

Li Nuan and Fu Yanqing both shook slightly, Zhang Mai's words made people seem a little confused at first hearing, but after tasting it carefully, they vaguely understood what he meant.

This land is no longer the Tang Dynasty depicted in Tang poems, and the city that Liu Zhiyuan seized is no longer the supreme Chang'an in the minds of the former people of Anxi.

Zhang Mai said: "What is Datang like? She should be progressive, bright, fair, and orderly! He is a happy land created by the Chinese nation for this world, and a country that the Chinese nation is proud of and proud of. And now, now this land is it! The court is full of martial arts, the townships and counties are chaotic and disorderly, the civil rule relies on the gentry like bullshit, and the martial arts are all a bunch of martial artists without discipline! What the hell is this Datang! ”

"We returned to the Central Plains, but we couldn't find Datang, we captured half of Guanzhong, but we didn't dare to enter Chang'an, not because of the cowardice of the hometown, but because the city has become a city! Weishui is still the same Weishui, but Chang'an is no longer that Chang'an! ”

"Therefore, we can only establish the Tang in our minds in the four towns of Anxi, in Lianglan, Gansu, according to our understanding! We have established a set of political order that is more reasonable than the current Central Plains, we have maintained a folk customs of Yunwen and Yunwu, we have aroused the courage of men, we have protected the survival of women and children, and then every place we go to, we will sow the fire of civilization with justice, and ignite the hope of returning to the Tang Dynasty with iron and blood. ”

"Li Nuan, do you understand what the Tang Dynasty we want to return to is like?"

Li Nuan's body trembled, and he knelt down and said, "Please show the marshal!" ”

Zhang Mai said: "The Tang Dynasty in our minds is not a territory of thousands of miles, not my Zhang Mai's imperial lineage, not Yang Yi Xue Fu and their princes, but a set of reasonable political order, a kind of folk customs that are still literary and martial, a vibrant society, and a group of people who have the courage to forge ahead!" ”

"Do you understand? It's not that we don't have the ambition to dominate the world, but we dominate the world in order to make all the states and counties in the world become the real Datang, not just let the cities of all states and counties hang the banner of Datang! And I can't agree with the political order that we have so hard built up in order to dominate the world, and pollute the civil and military atmosphere that we have so hard to stir up! Dominating the world is just a process, and returning to Datang is the ultimate goal, Li Nuan! Do you understand! ”

Li Nuan was there, the expression on his face was indescribable, and suddenly he burst into tears, and once again bowed to the ground, crying: "Minister, all these years of books have been read in vain!" After listening to the marshal's words today, I realized that I had abandoned the teachings of the sages as if they were sages, and the ministers were guilty! Please, marshal! ”

Fu Yanqing also knelt on the ground and said: "In the past, I surrendered, but I was forced to ask for a new lord for myself, and it was not until today that I knew that the marshal had a big heart. Fu Yanqing is willing to follow the marshal, and he will not give up his life and death until he returns to the Tang Dynasty one day! ”

Zhang Mai was overjoyed, helped the two of them up, and said: "The way we have returned is not only to expand the territory, not only to expel the enemy, but also to find like-minded peers. The five liters of rice under the tax exemption order seem to be a small matter, but in fact it is a big matter! I can't even give the promise of these five liters of rice to the people, what kind of admiral am I! I can't even manage the one-third of an acre of land in Hebei, what kind of face do I have to rule the broader Hedong, Central Plains, Huguang, and Jiangnan? Therefore, these five liters of rice from the people of Hebei are not my reward to the people of Hebei, but the bottom limit of my tolerance for the political order of Hebei! ”

Everyone in the tent was shocked, and the youngest Li Fang was even more excited that his lips trembled, Zhang Mai pointed to the south and said: "So, from today onwards, all the external development of my Tiance Datang will be temporarily stopped, because we have to rectify the interior first, if Hebei does not sweep, how can we sweep the world!" ”

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Recently, I have written more painfully, half of it is about things in life, and half of it is because the book itself is stuck.

The book "Tang Cavalry" has only one theme from beginning to end, which is to return. There were twists and turns, but I never forgot my original intention.

The day Zhang Mai stepped into Chang'an was the end of this book.

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———————— (To be continued......)

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