It took the Song army ten days to sort out the Xingqing Mansion where the epidemic was raging, and the treasury of the magnates, the official treasury, and the imperial palace had 13 million taels of silver, 5 million taels of gold, millions of catties of copper coins in stock, hundreds of thousands of silk and satin, and millions of sheepskins, all of which were wealth obtained from the treasury and were not infected by the disease.

No one dared to touch the people's belongings, rescued more than 50,000 sick people from the city, burned and buried more than 100,000 corpses, and when the last group of Song soldiers came out, they took off all their shoes, socks, coats, and masks, and washed their hands and faces with spirits.

Thousands of soldiers fired rockets into the city together, and in just a moment, the city quickly turned into a sea of fire, and the fire burned for five days and five nights, burning Xingqing Mansion, the capital of Western Xia, to a white ground.

50,000 patients have been sent to Huaizhou, where military doctors have treated them, and more than 30,000 people have been rescued.

This epidemic, the people of Xingqing Prefecture died of more than 200,000 people before and after, together with the rebellion, the population of 900,000 was reduced to 600,000, they were transported back to the Central Plains in five batches, and placed in the various state capitals of the Great Song Dynasty.

The Liang family kept their wealth, and the young son Li Bingchang was named the Duke of Xia Guo and lived in Bianliang for a long time.

Fanning left 100,000 troops to garrison the hometown of Western Xia, and the rest of the nearly 500,000 troops returned triumphantly, the battle that took a whole year was finally over, the Great Song Dynasty destroyed the Western Xia, recaptured the Hexi Corridor and the Hetao Plain, the news came out, the whole country celebrated, and the capital was a night carnival for three consecutive days.

Zhao Zhen, the son of heaven, was very excited, led the clan to worship the temple, and then issued an amnesty to the world, changed the year name to Pingxia, and allocated 5 million taels of silver, 10 million horses of silk, and 100,000 hectares of Ueda, which were used to reward all meritorious soldiers.

In the evening of that day, Fanning, wearing a gauze hat and a blue coat, returned to the capital silently on a passenger ship of 500 stones.

Ten days ago, Han Jiang and Di Qing led the army back to the capital, and the imperial court specially held a ceremony for the entry of 100,000 troops, and the city was boiling, and 500,000 people beat gongs and drums to welcome the return of the triumphant soldiers.

Fan Ning gave the honor to Han Jiang and Di Qing, but he himself was silent.

He is only thirty-three years old, he is already the king of Wujun and the prince, and he is already the best official residence, and then upward, unless it is to add nine tin, it is not what he wants.

At night, Fanning returned home from the dock at the back door, only to be warmly welcomed by the family.

After a sumptuous dinner, Fanning took his wife Juppey for a slow walk in the backyard.

"Husband seems to have something on his mind?" Juppe asked in a low voice.

Fanning gently hugged his wife's shoulder and smiled: "Don't you think it's strange that I came back so low-key?" ”

"It's not strange now, it's just that there was no figure of you in the city at that time, which disappointed Zhen'er and Ling'er, and they went to see their father."

"Why do you think that?"

Zhu Pei was silent for a moment and said, "Does the husband think that he has a high merit?" ”

"Do you feel that way?"

Zhu Pei nodded, "Actually, it was my mother-in-law's words that woke up the dreamer, someone slandered you in the newspaper in those days, but the court didn't care, I was very angry, so I went to the queen mother, to resign the name of the princess, the next day to the queen came to our house, the left one apologized, and the other comforted, the mother-in-law said that her son made the emperor afraid, which is not a good thing." ”

Fan Ning nodded, "This is the reason why I didn't participate in the entrance ceremony, my reputation in the army has surpassed that of the Son of Heaven, if the popularity of the people surpasses him again, things will be troublesome, I am afraid that when I enter the city, someone shouts Long live Xiao Fan Xianggong, and my life will be sad." ”

"But my husband is a civil official, so it should be better!"

"What about civil servants? If you offend the Son of Heaven, you will not be able to escape the catastrophe. ”

"What are you going to do?"

Fanning was silent for a moment and said, "I want to take three months off and go to the North Island." ”

"You're going to the North Island, but..... Ah Xiu is about to give birth in a month. Juppé was a little surprised.

Fanning grabbed her shoulders hard and smiled, "Isn't there still you?" You sit for me, I don't go this way, my heart hanging in the air will never be able to let go. ”

Juppe sighed, "Okay! Fortunately, I didn't expect you to come back before. ”

"I'm also going to bring Zhen'er and Jing'er with me, so that they can understand what Beidao means to us?"

........

Early the next morning, Fanning still went to meet the Queen Mother first.

When Empress Dowager Cao heard that Fan Ning had taken a three-month leave to go to sea, her brows couldn't help frowning, "Ah Xiu was so easy to keep the fetus, and she was about to give birth in more than a month, so you can't wait for her to give birth before leaving?" ”

"I agreed with Ah Xiu that there would be a family to take care of her." Fanning did not intend to compromise on this matter, even if the other party was the queen mother.

Empress Dowager Cao said for a while: "That's too, you already have five children, and you don't value children so much, okay!" The mourning family approves your vacation. ”

"Thank you, Queen Mother!"

"Let's put this matter aside, let's talk about a few important things first, one is the people of Western Xia, it costs too much to settle them in various parts of the Great Song Dynasty, and some people in the court propose to resettle them overseas, such as the Central Continent or something, what do you think?"

The middle continent is Irian Island, and the Song Dynasty has not yet had the heart to develop it, Fan Ning pondered for a moment and said: "If you put them overseas, it is equivalent to preparing them to rebuild Western Xia overseas, is this what the imperial court means?" ”

"That's what some ministers think."

Fanning shook his head, "If we let them go overseas, then there are many private islands that will be annexed by them sooner or later, their race is too big, once they develop, they will become our biggest enemies overseas." ”

"You don't approve?"

"Weichen is resolutely opposed, it should be according to the original plan, although it is a little troublesome, but they are all familiar with the party, sooner or later they will melt into the Great Song Dynasty, and the party will completely disappear, this is the long-term way."

Empress Dowager Cao smiled slightly: "You have absolute authority in this matter, they are all your prisoners of war, it should be up to you to decide, you go back and write a written report, and present it to the Son of Heaven tomorrow, and slap those people in the face." ”

"What else does the Queen Mother need to discuss with Weichen?"

"There are also the three law change projects, expanding Taixue, restoring the three provinces and six ministries, and reducing redundant officials, the first two governments and the opposition have basically reached a consensus, and they have all agreed to change the law.

But the third project to reduce redundant officials, the argument is very strong, for a whole month, the newspapers are arguing about this matter, the only consensus is to exchange titles and land for virtual officials, the official said this is your plan, but in how to place a large number of redundant officials, it is really related to the interests of too many people, the mourning family is really embarrassed, so I want to ask you, what should the mourning family do in this matter? ”

Fan Ning bowed and said: "Thank you for the Queen Mother's trust in Weichen!" ”

"It's not the relationship between the monarch and the minister, you are my niece and son-in-law, and you can be regarded as my family, I hope that from this relationship, you can give my aunt a suggestion."

Fan Ning nodded silently, "I have only one suggestion, the Queen Mother..... It is necessary to adhere to a principle, any change in the law must reach a broad consensus before it can be implemented, if the differences are too serious, then it is better not to change, that will tear apart the imperial court. ”

Empress Dowager Cao secretly read it twice, and said with a smile: "It seems that the official family also said this, and you also told him?" ”

Fanning nodded, "That's actually my principle. ”

"This principle is very good, and the mourning family remembers it."

Fan Ning immediately retired, and Empress Dowager Cao asked, "When are you going to leave?" ”

"Wechen plans to leave in ten days, lease an official fleet, and send some supplies to the North Island and South Island."

"When you leave, take your father-in-law with you and tell him that if he really doesn't want to come back, I won't force it this time."

Of course, the Empress Dowager Cao refers to Cao Ning, who has always wanted to settle overseas, but the Empress Dowager Cao just didn't agree, it seems that the Empress Dowager Cao finally changed her mind.

.........

Coming out of the Empress Dowager Cao, Fan Ning came to the Ziwei Hall to meet the Son of Heaven again.

When Zhao Ji heard that Fan Ning asked to see him, he was both happy and surprised, and hurriedly asked the eunuch to take him to the imperial study.

Fanning stepped forward and bowed, "Weichen see Your Majesty!" ”

Zhao Ji hurriedly asked the eunuch to raise a chair and invite him to sit down, Fan Ning sat down, Zhao Ji asked with a smile, "When did Fan Xianggong come back?" ”

"Weichen took a boat to the capital last night, and early this morning, he specially visited the Queen Mother, and then handed over the military talisman to His Majesty."

A eunuch stepped forward and placed a plate on the table, which contained gold medals, talismans, and the sword of the Son of Heaven.

Zhao Ji nodded, "This sword of the Son of Heaven, I will give it to Xianggong." ”

"Thank you, Your Majesty for your trust!"

Zhao Ji said again: "Did the Empress Dowager talk about the resettlement of the people of Western Xia?" ”

"Got it!"

Fan Ning said with a resolute attitude: "Weichen resolutely opposes the resettlement of the people of Western Xia overseas, that will leave great hidden dangers to all parts of the country, and sooner or later Western Xia will swallow up all the interests of the Great Song Dynasty overseas, who is making this suggestion, should be impeached and dismissed!" ”

Zhao Ji was stunned, he didn't expect Fan Ning's attitude to be so resolute, he nodded, "I understand, I told Fu Xianggong and Wen Xianggong before, this matter is decided by Fan Xianggong, this is his power." ”

"Your Majesty, the people of Western Xia and the Han people live together, after a hundred years, the party will no longer exist, this is the right way, banishing them overseas, that is the way to sacrifice the original and seek the end, and take trouble."

Zhao Ji understood Fan Ning's attitude, nodded and said: "There is also the reduction of redundant officials, the differences are too big, only the virtual officials have accepted Fan Xianggong's plan, and exchanged titles and overseas land for official positions, which is very smooth, but it is not possible to divert officials, I proposed the establishment of township-level officials, which was also strongly opposed by hundreds of officials, and I want to listen to Xiangguo's opinion again." ”