Liu Zhuang groaned: "What is the best plan for the prime minister?" Chun Shoushi said: "Before leaving Shanshan and coming to the Heavenly Empire, I had many long talks with General Ban Chao. General Ban believed that it was necessary to unite the countries of the Western Regions to contain the Xiongnu. The Han Dynasty garrisoned the border in Hexi. In this way, the Xiongnu attacked, the east and west attacked, the Xiongnu will be defeated, its momentum will gradually weaken, and it will eventually become a big disaster. I thought this was the best policy. Liu Zhuang couldn't help but nod his head, and thoughtfully.

Dou Gu said: "Your Majesty, this time the minister appointed Ban Chao as the great Sima, and led more than 30 people to talk about Shanshan, and succeeded in one fell swoop. Listening to what the minister of Chun said, now the countries of the Western Regions are looking forward to the restoration of the Western Regions by the Han Dynasty, and today Shanshan has returned to the Han Dynasty, and the passage of the Western Regions has been opened, and His Majesty can send smart and capable people to the Western Regions to persuade the countries to return to the Han Dynasty, and the ministers think that the resumption of the Silk Road is just around the corner. ”

Liu Zhuang said with a smile: "Ban Chao led thirty-six people to respond to the situation, calm and resolute, went deep into the tiger's den, killed more than 150 Xiongnu envoys, he is a shrewd and capable person, so he worshiped him as the general Sima, gave him the right to arbitrarily, and went to the Western Regions to appease the countries. Li Yi, who was standing in the middle of the train, shook his head and said: "This time, the class was in danger and succeeded. There are more than 50 countries in the Western Regions, and if the Western Regions are determined, it is necessary to send additional people to select officials, subdue a country, and send officials to govern it. Otherwise, the Huns will repeat themselves once they come, and then all their achievements will be wasted. ”

Liu Zhuang ignored it when he heard this, turned to Dou Gu and said, "What does Dou Aiqing think?" Dou Gu said: "Although Wei Hou's words are reasonable. However, the Western Regions are thousands of miles away from the Central Plains, and more than 50 countries have different customs, so it is difficult to unify laws and regulations and govern. If you send officials to govern, you must send an army to guard it, so you need a large number of officials and troops, and it will be difficult for the country to bear it in the long run. This is because Sima Banchao once analyzed the interests and disadvantages to his ministers, thinking that Enwei should be used at the same time, reconcile the countries of the Western Regions, and restore the Western Regions to protect the palace, so as to protect the Western Regions as the best policy. The minor Xiongnu offenders were rejected by the Han army's garrison, which could repel the enemy army. The Black Overlord attacked in a big way, and the Han army could hit him in the back. If the Black Overlord invades and disturbs Hexi, the armies of the Western Regions can disturb him. Under the attack of the two sides, the strategic position of the black tyrant is lost, and it cannot become a great harm to the Han Dynasty. Liu Zhuang said: "This statement is reasonable, let Ban Chao go to the Western Regions to make meritorious service, the general has worked hard, I have set up a state banquet in Fengze Hall for the general and Chun Guo to meet the wind." Dou Gu and Chun Shoushi got up and said, "Your Majesty." Seeing this scene, Li Yi gritted his teeth helplessly.

After the banquet, Liu Zhuang returned to the harem. He Xiaoshun stood at the door to pick up the driver, and when he saw Liu Zhuang, he smiled and said: "Long live Lord, you will only come back now, everyone is waiting for you to come and taste the poems." Liu Zhuang patted He Xiaoshun's head and said with a smile: "Don't be like just signing there, go and ask the queen and Ban Zhao to come over, I have something to say." He Xiaoshun said loudly: "Yes! After saying that, he slipped away.

After a while, I only listened to the ring, Queen Ma and Ban Zhao entered the hall. I saw that the queen was dressed in a phoenix costume, graceful and luxurious, and Ban Zhao was dressed lightly. Seeing the emperor, Ban Zhao said a thousand blessings: "The minister visits the emperor." Liu Zhuang said: "Quickly stand up and speak." Dou Gu is back. After speaking, he shouted at He Xiaoshun: "You go and call a few people to carry Dou Gu's boxes." Queen Ma hurriedly said: "The general has been gone for more than half a year, is he okay?" Liu Zhuang said: "It's very good, and I brought you something back." After a while, I saw a few little eunuchs snorting and carrying several wicker boxes into the harem.

Liu Zhuang ordered them to open them one by one. The first box was filled with yellow melons, densely covered with white lines. Everyone hadn't seen it, and they all chattered and guessed. Liu Zhuang smiled: "Don't guess, this is something we don't have in the Central Plains, forgive you for not seeing it, let alone tasting it." This melon is called Xiyu melon, which is abundant in Shanshan, sweet and delicious. Queen Ma smiled: "Has the emperor eaten it?" Liu Zhuang laughed and said: "Where have you eaten, I also heard what Dou Gu said just now." As he spoke, he reached out and opened the second box. There was a finely made purple wooden box in the box, and Liu Zhuang opened it with his hand, only to see two general-sized jasper luminous cups. Seeing this, everyone exclaimed. Liu Zhuang said: "I heard the general say that on the night of the bright moon, this cup full of grape wine will sparkle, so it is called a luminous cup." These two glow-in-the-dark cups were the tribute of King Shanshan to the imperial court. I will give one to Ban Zhao today to thank you for your efforts in educating the princes and princesses of the harem. Ban Zhao hurriedly knelt down and said: "This is a rare treasure, and it is a tribute, such a heavy reward, Weichen deserves it." Liu Zhuang said: "You're welcome, you are the first talented woman of my Han Dynasty." Now your brother Ban Chao has entered the tiger's den again to kill the strong enemy of the Black Tyrant, so that Shanshan will return to the Han Dynasty, which is a national merit. I heard the general say that he was an all-round talent in civil and military affairs, and I heard that he was in Lantai and made great ambitions. Ban Zhao said: "Your Majesty is the wise lord of my Han Dynasty, strategizing and winning thousands of miles." My brother has been practicing martial arts since he was a child, and his ambitions are lofty. As for the success or failure of right and wrong, there are still many variables, but it is a long-cherished wish to be under the grace of His Majesty, in a peaceful and prosperous era, to learn amazing arts and works and the emperor's family, and to spread his life. He will definitely work hard to move forward and live up to His Majesty's high expectations. ”

Liu Zhuang smiled and said, "Well spoken, well spoken." By the way, how is your eldest brother Ban Gu doing? "Back to Your Majesty, my eldest brother was entrusted by the Holy Lord, inherited his father's will, and worked hard day and night to record the history of the Han Dynasty to distinguish gains and losses, show loyalty and treachery, and promote the prestige of the country. Liu Zhuang said: "Compiling the Han Book is a major event of the country, please tell Brother Ling, if necessary, just tell me that compiling the history of the Han Dynasty is also my wish." Ban Zhao said gratefully: "Thank you, the minister will definitely convey His Majesty's high hopes to his brother, so that he can work hard to live up to the emperor's grace." Queen Ma said: "Your Majesty, the Ban family is worthy of the name." Ban Gu is excellent in literature, he is a talented man of my dynasty, and Ban Chao has made meritorious contributions to the Western Regions this time, which is respectable and congratulatory. ”

Emperor Ming listened, and nodded again and again: "Xu Ling Ban Biao, the father of the Ban family brothers and sisters, is also a generation of talents, when the Huns and relatives, the court was indecisive for many days, Ban Biao gave his father a copy, ingenious, not only rejected the harmony, but also reconciled the black tyrant. When my father was there, he praised him many times, and Ban Biao's vision of the black overlord was better than mine? When Ban Zhao heard this, he said embarrassedly: "Your Majesty has an overreputation." The ancients said: He Dynasty has no talents, and it is left behind in the grass. The world is big, the characters are numerous, and the outstanding talents are like the stars. If the political level is clean and the people are meritocracy, the talents will be used by the country, so the talents will be abundant and the country will be prosperous. If politics is corrupt and people are hired for personal gain, then the slaves will be used by the country, the traitors will be in charge, and the state will decline day by day. Today, His Majesty has made great efforts to govern the country, learned from others' strengths, and was wise and wise, so our dynasty is full of talents and prosperity, and all of this is due to the emperor's blessing. Liu Zhuang smiled: "Well said! Well said! The class has a good way to teach the children, the women don't let the eyebrows, and the little woman can also be a pillar. Bring back a few of these melons for your sister-in-law to taste. "Thank you, Your Majesty." Everyone continued to talk and laugh, and Liu Zhuang sent two little eunuchs to send Ban Zhao back to his house with gifts from the Western Regions.