In order to ensure local tranquility, it is difficult for the surrounding counties of Luoyang to recruit too many people, and Han Jian's imperial expedition can only bring a small number of people, most of which are the ones he led to fight the Xiwangfu last time. By the time all the soldiers and horses were dispatched, it was already the ninth day of the first month of March, and the war on the border had begun for almost half a month.

Han Jian is about to drive the imperial expedition, and it is also busy for the imperial court. Ning Yuan, as the head of the civil officials, especially asked Han Jian to think twice about not taking risks in person, but Han Jian had already made up his mind. The army was scheduled to set out on March 11, and after Han Jian led his troops north to cross the Yellow River, Jiangdu would also send 50,000 horses to Luoyang. This is the largest scale of transfer of troops after Han Jian led several 200,000 horses to conquer Luoyang and repatriated most of the Jiangdu people.

The dispatch of grain and grass was mainly based on last autumn's grain, and at the same time, it was stipulated that the localities must pay a sufficient amount of grain and grass to cope with the war. After several years of war, the people have long suffered unspeakably, and this war is tantamount to making things worse. But compared with the original civil war in the north, this time the ordinary people are still supportive, especially some gentry in Hebei, after the imperial court transferred Su Tingxia's people to the north, they seemed to be relieved, saying that they would support the new court to pay for food. Even so, the requisitioned military rations were not enough to last for two months, and the battle with the Xianbei people was likely to be protracted, and when the soldiers were hungry, many chaos would occur, and Han Jian had to take precautions in advance.

On the tenth day of the first month of March, on the last day of Han Jianlin's expedition, he put down a lot of official work to accompany the women around him. The situation in Luoyang is relatively stable, Lin Ke and others in the previous rebellion are still imprisoned, and some officials and generals involved but not the main culprits have been assigned to join the army, and will follow Han Jian's team to Beiguan this time. And Han Jian still couldn't communicate with Yang Rui normally, and Yang Rui hid in the dormitory for a few days and couldn't see anyone. Even if Han Jian occasionally passed, he ignored Han Jian.

As for Han Xi, he moved out of the palace after being deposed as the crown prince and moved to an official residence in the city, which was also arranged for Han Xi to live in the future after he was knighted.

“…… Your Majesty, among the officers and men who will accompany the army tomorrow, several have resigned ahead of schedule. I'm afraid I don't want to go on the expedition with Your Majesty. The ministers asked these soldiers to be sent to question them, and they were also killed as an example for the crime of slacking off the military aircraft. Ning Yuan held the notebook in his hand and played to Han Jian in the Ye'an Pavilion of the Imperial Palace.

This is the second time since Han Jian ascended the throne to discuss state affairs in Ye'an Pavilion, this time there were many people in attendance, but they were all civil officials, involving Shangshutai and the six departments, some of which were officials of the former imperial court faction, but they were all subordinate officials of Ningyuan. The officials of the Eastern Palace, on the other hand, had just been assigned to Shangshutai and the Six Ministries, and they were still familiar with and mastered official affairs.

Han Jian asked, "Which generals have resigned?" ”

Ning Yuan carefully looked at some of the resignations submitted by the Ministry of War, and said, "There are Li Shaoqi from Hedong Road, Xu Ye from Beizhen Road, and ...... Some of the lieutenant generals were recruited in His Majesty's personal government. The minister thought that these people did not think about the emperor's grace, and if they were allowed to do so, it would only get worse in the future. Now it's about to fight with the foreign invaders. To avoid it is to forget the duty of a soldier! ”

Han Jian nodded slightly, someone resigned before the war. In fact, it was also embarrassing him. These generals were either "loyal ministers" of the Wei Dynasty, or they were greedy for life and afraid of death and did not want to fight with the Xianbei people with the army. However, if there are no soldiers available in this battle, after the Xianbei people move south, with the Xianbei people's tradition of slaughtering the city and burning and plundering in the past, even if they will not be able to take refuge.

Han Jian said: "Approved their resignation." If there is a resignation submission. All on time! ”

"This ......" Ning Yuan couldn't help but be stunned, Han Jian's answer exceeded his expectations, now that the troops are about to be dispatched, and some generals resign, Han Jian not only does not kill a hundred people. Not even a little indication, isn't this tantamount to connivance? If only a few generals resign, it is only a superficial matter, but if this trend spreads, I am afraid that it will reach the point where there are soldiers but no generals, and what is more terrible is the effect of going up and down.

"Your Majesty, please think twice!" Ning Yuan took out his exhortation tone again and said, "If you don't punish you, you will ...... His Majesty personally marched north, and the soldiers below were not convinced, fearing that His Majesty would not be able to command the three armies. ”

Han Jian had already gotten up and looked at a flower bed outside the back window of Ye'an Pavilion, at this time it was the time when the spring flowers were blooming, and a few rare famous flowers in the palace were already budding and ready to be released, and when he heard this, he turned around and said, "How do I use soldiers, do I need Master Ning to teach?" ”

Ning Yuan was speechless, Han Jian didn't allow him to ask about military affairs before, but now the general is about to resign, so when the resignation is submitted to the military department, he will have the opportunity to ask about military affairs. However, Han Jian obviously didn't want to discuss with Ning Yuan, a head of civil officials, how to deal with those cowardly generals before the battle, so Ning Yuan had no choice but to keep quiet, divert the topic and continue to report on the big and small matters of the imperial court these days.

"Your Majesty has said before that the levy reduction will be lightly levied around Luoyang, and now that the officers and men of the three armies are about to send troops, will the reduction be postponed?" Ning Yuan asked.

Han Jian looked at the officials present and asked, "What do you think?" ”

Among the ministers present came out to express their opinions, and the general result was to agree with Ning Yuan's statement, since the imperial court is now going to use troops, grain, grass and materials are very tight, and even the local government has been forcibly requisitioned military rations, as for the light levy reduction around Luoyang, there is no need to implement it immediately.

Han Jian said: "Luoyang is the capital of one dynasty, and Luoyang is more stable than before. If the promise made to the people is not kept, the people will complain, so they will first reduce the tax by half, and as for the soldiers, they will not need to pay from the surrounding counties of Luoyang. This time, the soldiers and horses going north can all be recruited and transferred by the Jiangdu locality! ”

The conscription is exempted first, and then half of the tax reduction is implemented, which is also preferential treatment for the people around Luoyang. But for those big businessmen and landlords, this reduction is a bit cold, they hope that through the pressure on the new court, so that the court is exempted from taxes around Luoyang, after all, the rebellion before the rebellion has been in trouble, and before Yuzhou soldiers and horses attacked Luoyang, but also trampled on the surroundings of Luoyang, anyway, in the past two years, the surrounding area of Luoyang is generally stable, but it is also the place where the war is the most, and the local gentry have reason to ask the court to reduce taxes.

Ning Yuan wanted to say something, but Han Jian said, "This matter will not be discussed for the time being." After the end of the war with the Xianbei people, the imperial court will implement a policy of rest and recuperation, and the place will have long-term tranquility. ”

Ning Yuan received the order in his mouth, and he was also worried about the military rations in his heart. Now he is the head of the imperial court. Now it is a big war with the Xianbei people, if you don't know the price of firewood and rice, he always felt that Gu Weipan was old and incompetent, but no matter what, when Gu Weipan was in power, the two major use of troops by the imperial court did not make a big mess due to the problem of grain and grass. The pressure on him this time was even greater than before, and he didn't know if he could bear it. But at this time, Han Jian still made a decree to reduce taxes around Luoyang, which made his previous plan to collect grain from the surrounding areas of Luoyang stranded.

Han Jianlin's last court meeting ended in a relatively strange atmosphere before he set out on the expedition, and several things that Ning Yuan played were basically vetoed by Han Jian, which made Ning Yuan feel disgraced. Waiting for Ning Yuan to leave the palace, several officials behind him followed, wanting to talk to Ning Yuan, but Ning Yuan walked in front with a black face and didn't want to pay attention.

"Ning Shangshu walks slowly, the old minister still has something to discuss with Ning Shangshu." An old voice called Ning Yuan, who was the oldest minister of the Six Ministries. There is a sixty-seven-year-old Tobe Shangshu Xu Jin. Ning Yuan turned his head and glared at Xu Jin, to say that this Xu Jin was in-law with him, but before Yang Yu usurped the throne, he always relied on his old age and seniority to disdain him.

"I'm afraid Xu Shangshu's title is wrong, right?" Ning Yuan didn't speak, but the person next to him reminded him.

Xu Jin patted his head and said, "Seeing that I'm old and confused, I should call Ning Taishi." ”

Ning Yuan sneered: "Xu Shangshu has something to say, the old man has to hurry back to the house to accompany his wife." ”

Ning Yuan's words provoked several slightly younger ministers next to him to laugh lightly. Ning Yuan is only fifty years old, and he does not look old at all. But he called himself "old man" in front of Xu Jin, and said that he wanted to go back to accompany his wife, obviously embarrassing Xu Jin. Everyone knows that although Xu Jin is old and old, he has just married a few young concubines and is wanton.

Xu Jindang didn't hear the meaning of Ning Yuan's words, and said, "Dare to ask Master Ning." Tomorrow, Your Majesty will go on an expedition, can we and other ministers go out of the city to see each other? ”

One sentence made Ning Yuan not know how to answer. The Son of Heaven drove the expedition in person, and it stands to reason that hundreds of officials should go out of the city to send each other, which is also to show loyalty. But now Han Jian has nothing to say about this matter, if it weren't for today, all his invitations would have been vetoed by Han Jian. He would also remember to ask Han Jian alone before leaving, so that Han Jian could give him a definite answer. It's obviously too late to go back and ask now.

"Since he is a minister, how can the Son of Heaven not send us to the imperial court?" Ning Yuan said in a cold voice, which made the ministers who were originally about to leave also stop, not only did Han Jian, who was the emperor, not say anything about this, but even Ning Yuan was also "temporary", and actually said that they would go out of the city together tomorrow to send the army out. This kind of thing needs to be prepared and notified in advance, after all, it involves the opening of the city gate and the opening of the road to clear the field, and it is necessary to let the hundred officials wait in formation, all this is still a trivial matter, if even the Son of Heaven is not notified, and the hundred officials will arrive after the Son of Heaven has passed, it will become a joke.

Xu Jin nodded slightly and said, "That old minister...... I went back to prepare, and went out of the city with Ning Taishi tomorrow. ”

After speaking, Xu Jin also seemed to be in a hurry, and walked out of the palace gate one by one with a quick step. Ning Yuan glanced back at the direction of Gong Yu, and guessed that now Han Jian should go to see Yang Rui before leaving the palace, and it was not certain when he would leave the palace. But he was going to wait at the gate of the palace, at least he had to tell Han Jian about it, and if Han Jian didn't agree, he would have to go and inform him that the matter of sending him off was canceled.

Ning Yuan asked his entourage to go first and inform the main ministers of the six ministries to prepare for the delivery of the army tomorrow, and he waited at the gate of the palace alone. Until the lights were on, Han Jian still didn't come out, and he couldn't help but be a little anxious. Han Jian and Yang Rui are husband and wife after all, if Han Jian is going to spend the night in the palace and not return to the East Palace, he feels that he can't wait all night.

"Master Ning, haven't you come back yet?" When Ning Yuan was waiting impatiently, a voice came from behind Ning Yuan, which made Ning Yuan startled.

Ning Yuan turned around, but saw that it was a young official, who seemed to have seen him in the Ministry of Rites. After all, he used to be the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, and he still knows some officials of the Ministry of Rites and Xuetai, but the yamen in Luoyang are also mixed, and he can't remember everyone, especially these little-known rising stars.

"Who are you?" Ning Yuan looked this person up and down, this person was able to pass through the first guard of the palace gate to the main gate without being blocked, which means that he either had an edict to come to the palace, or he had enough reasons.

The young man saluted respectfully and said, "In Xia Gongsun Shu, I have seen Taishi Ning. ”

Ning Yuan muttered this name in his heart, but he had never heard of it at all. And Luoyang did not have any famous eunuchs with the surname Gongsun in the past, so he really didn't know the origin of this Gongsun technique. Ning Yuan nodded and said, "Why did you come to the palace?" ”

"Ning Taishi is a noble person, didn't Ning Taishi play with His Majesty before, saying that there are two vacancies in Shangshutai, please arrange manpower for Your Majesty?" Gongsun Shu said with a smile, "Your Majesty asked the lower officials to go to Ning Taishi to implement this matter, but when I went to Shangshutai, I learned that Ning Taishi might return to the house, and when I arrived at Ning Taishi's mansion, I learned that you have not returned." Xia Guan had no choice but to come here to look for it, but he was surprised by Ning Taishi. ”

Ning Yuan was muttering in his heart, when he told Han Jian that there were two vacancies in Shangshutai, he wanted Han Jian to send these two officials down and let his own people fill them. It's not just someone to be in charge, but in this way, it seems that Han Jian arranged for his cronies to go to Shangshutai, probably because he wanted someone to supervise him after the imperial conquest and report the matter to the front line. But the young man in front of him looks like he is only about twenty years old, young is young, but at first glance, he is a fledgling with no qualifications, such a person has arrived at Shangshutai, what can he do to help except be able to monitor him? He was already embarrassed that Han Jian had rejected many of his proposals, but now that Han Jian had arranged for a young descendant to stare at him, he felt even more resentful.

"It turned out to be a talented man in Jiangdu." Ning Yuan's tone was a little disdainful, "Just go to Shangshutai tomorrow." However, it is necessary to have His Majesty's decree and an official letter from the Ministry of Officials. ”

Gongsun Shu smiled: "There is no one below." ”

Ning Yuan looked at this person, frowned, and said, "You said no?" Does Your Majesty have any official credentials for you? ”

Gongsun Shu continued to shake his head.

Ning Yuan sneered: "You don't even have official credentials, but you want to enter the palace to see Your Majesty in person, and let Your Majesty confirm your official position and identity?" ”

Gongsun Shu smiled: "I think Ning Shangshu is mistaken. First, he is not a Jiangdu talent, but his ancestral home is Yangzhou; Second, there is no need to confirm your identity with Your Majesty, and I am afraid that I will not be able to catch up if the distance is too far. ”

Ning Yuan sneered: "Third, you want to say that you are not a person from our dynasty at all, but just here to have fun with this official, right?" (To be continued......)