Then, the great eunuch unfolded the holy decree and said loudly: "Fengtian carries the emperor's system, the third son of Zhenhai Marquis Shen Gong Ao is intelligent and resolute, wise and generous, canonized as the Viscount of the Empire, titled Qingping, and crowned as the hereditary thousand households of the Imperial Black Dragon Terrace, Qin this!" ”

As soon as this will came out, Shen Gongao was particularly stunned.

Why?!

The other two sons of the Shen family are not knighted.

Why knight the Innocent?

Even though this is a viscount, it doesn't make sense.

If you want to talk about merit, the eldest son Shen Wuzhuo has made great contributions to the empire, and the imperial court has only made a four-rank general.

There's no such thing as a knighthood.

Shen Wujian has made great contributions to the Shen family, but he has no credit to the empire.

And the emperor is very particular about knighthood.

The Shen family already has a marquis, and it is hereditary from generation to generation.

Now that he has a viscount, it means that the Shen family has one more nobleman. Even if Shen Wujian inherits the position of marquis in the future, then this viscount may remain in the Shen family, and his two sons, one inherits the marquis and the other inherits the viscount.

Just like the previous Ying family, there was a duke, two marquises, and two counts.

is also like the Mi family today, a prince, a duke, and two marquises.

These are all top Chinese families that have accumulated hundreds or thousands of years, and the Shen Gong family has only risen for more than ten years.

But......

After hearing this will, Wujian did not have any joy, but showed a bit of solemnity.

The eunuch said slowly: "Along with this holy decree, there is also an edict. ”

Verbal?

Generally speaking, the emperor's dictation is more precious than the decree.

Although the decree is very formal, the dictation is more intimate.

"Your Majesty, I read Shen Wuji's article, I like it very much, and when it is convenient, I hope that Shen Wujian will come to the palace to write and read for me. By the way, I came to Beijing and pointed out a good marriage for you. ”

As soon as this oracle came out.

Wuqian and Shen Gongao didn't understand it at all.

The emperor wants to marry?

However, Shen Wujian is already married, and he already has a wife.

It's weird.

After the oracle was recited, the chief eunuch said: "Shen Wuji, your big exam article, and the poems you made." Whether it is a poem for Yuan Hu or a poem for Wen Daozi, His Majesty has read it and said that he likes it very, very much. Especially the one that worries the world first, and the joy of the world after the world, when His Majesty practiced calligraphy, he often wrote this poem, and also gave it to many courtiers, hoping that they also have this spirit in your poem. ”

Wuqian said: "Weichen is afraid. ”

Then, the eunuch stood motionless, waiting for Shen Gongao and Shen Wujian to thank him.

And Wufeng looked at the eunuch motionlessly.

If I'm not mistaken, there should be a will.

The eunuch looked at Wujian and said slowly: "Shen Wujian, you are really sharp, and you don't know how to hide it." ”

Then, the big eunuch said in a cold voice: "Shen Wuji, not long ago, you did a lot of things. Just outside the gates of the Marquis of Zhenhai's mansion, you shot and killed more than a thousand people, including the garrison of Nanhai County, which was the army of the Empire. What do you want to go? Rebellion? ”

Then the great eunuch opened a box, threw out three copies of the fold, and threw it in front of him.

"Do you know how many twists and turns there are for you? Hundreds, if not thousands, of them, and these are three of them! ”

Wujian opened the first notebook, which was the Taishou Li Shiyun of Nanhai County, and ruthlessly participated in Shen Wuji's crime of rebellion.

The second is from Bai Linghou, and the third is from Fu Jianzhi, the governor of Tianshui Province.

Every twist and turn, the words are sharp and intense, and Shen Wujian is directly put to death.

The eunuch said coldly: "I have the first holy decree to praise you. As a result, halfway through, you ordered hundreds of Imperial soldiers to be killed, and hundreds of officials joined you. What do you want? Your Majesty has just issued a commendation to canonize your will, and you have committed the great crime of treason? ”

Then, his face suddenly became stern, his eyes were cold, and he took out the second holy decree and slowly unfolded it.

"Fengtian carried the emperor's edict and said, Shen Wuxian was extremely rebellious, and dared to shoot and kill 635 people in the garrison of Nanhai County. However, Shen Gongao worked hard and made high achievements, the death penalty could be avoided, and the living crime could not be escaped, and he was escorted to Beijing, and the three divisions were tried. ”

Then, the big eunuch shouted: "Come on, take Shen Wujian down and escort him into Beijing!" ”

Suddenly, more than a dozen royal warriors poured in.

Shen Gongao looked at all this and looked at the eunuch.

Now there are two decrees, but only one can be chosen.

Moreover, there is not half a word in this holy decree mentioning the Red Clay Collar and the Red Clay City.

But the heart is in this clay collar.

According to the previous rules, most of the territories that Shen Gongao defeated belonged to the empire, and a quarter became Shen Gongao's new territories.

In the battle not long ago, Shen Gongao seized more than 10,000 square kilometers of land in Nanban.

Among them, the red clay territory will be owned by the Shen Gong family, which is more than 3,000 square kilometers.

This land is extremely important to the Shen family, because there are two million acres of fertile land on it.

Although the Shen family's territory is now very large, there is a lack of fertile land on time, and the grain is not independent at all, and it needs to buy a large amount of grain every year.

It's not just a matter of money, it's strategic passivity.

Food is the root of life, how can it be in the hands of others?

Therefore, the more than 3,000 square kilometers of the red clay collar are completely the top priority for the Shen family.

And for this grain-producing area, how much did the Shen family pay?!

Nearly 30,000 private troops were killed or wounded.

The whereabouts of the eldest son, Shen Wuzhuo, are unknown.

The empire had been delaying the measurement work before, and did not want to give the red clay collar canonization to the Shen family.

But not long ago, a plague broke out in the Red Clay Territory, and the tribal alliance of the Great Departure Kingdom attacked the Red Clay Territory again.

The army of the empire immediately retreated for hundreds of miles, leaving the army of the Shen Gong family in front and facing several times the army of the Dali Kingdom alone.

Shen Wuzhuo did not retreat, and chose to fight.

I didn't come to this battle without a problem, but I also knew that it was unprecedentedly tragic.

Thanks to Shen Wuyu who led the Moro coalition army to support at the critical moment, he won this crucial battle and kept the red clay territory.

But at the cost of nearly 30,000 casualties, Shen Wuzhuo disappeared, and Shen Wuyu became a walking corpse.

Therefore, it is impossible to say that the empire will not canonize this red clay collar to the Shen Gong family.

Then, Shen Gongao is faced with a choice.

Either the declaration is perfect, that is, the first decree, but the red clay collar will be lost.

Either keep the red clay collar, but you have to give up Shen Wuxi.

Of the two, you can only keep the same.

The great eunuch said nothing, waiting for him to make a choice.

After a long while, the eunuch said, "Marquis Zhenhai, which of these two wills should I give in the end?" ”

Wu Jian said slowly: "The Imperial Center and the Great Departure Kingdom are negotiating, and they want to use the Red Clay Collar as a bargaining chip, right?" Even more than the Red Clay Territory, my father seized nearly 20,000 square kilometers of land this time, and it must be used as a bargaining chip in negotiations with the Dali Kingdom, right? ”

The eunuch said: "We are internal officials, and we don't understand such national affairs." ”

At this time, a sentence came to Wuji's mind.

In the face of the interests of the empire as a whole, the interests of any individual are completely negligible.

In the face of the general trend of the country, any individual effort is in vain.

The fall of the Dongyi Empire led to a series of chain reactions.

Both the Sky Book City and the Great Xia Empire set their sights on the Great Departure Kingdom.

The Great Xia Empire needed to leave the kingdom as a vassal and become a vassal state.

Sky Book City needs the conversion of the Great Departure Kingdom to offset the consequences of the fall of the Eastern Departure Kingdom.

In order to resist the eastward advance of the Western Holy See, the entire Bactria Empire needed to change its strategic direction.

So, the southern crusade is over.

The southward expansion ended.

In order to negotiate peace with the Dali Kingdom, all the territories occupied by Shen Gongao this time need to be returned to the Dali Kingdom, including the Red Clay Territory.

The Shen family paid an astronomical price, and it was in vain.

For the sake of the empire, for the sake of Eastern civilization, you can only sacrifice the interests of your Shen family.

Shen Gongao closed his eyes in pain.

Red clay collar!

Two million acres of fertile land.

With this land, the territory of the Shen Gong family will be complete, and it will have food independence.

At the cost of 20,000 or 30,000 casualties.

Is it just gone?

Then, Shen Gongao looked at Wuji.

The eldest son is missing.

The second son was unconscious.

There is only this third son left, such a good, such an excellent third son.

Are people important?

Or is the land important?

Why?

The empire negotiated with the Great Departure Kingdom, why should I sacrifice the price of my Shen family?

When he needed me before, he was a marquis, and he allowed me to expand, and he appointed me as the governor of the southern capital.

I don't need me now, I need peace with the kingdom of Dali.

Just the birds are hidden?

But not a single word can be uttered of these words.

To say it is childish.

After a long while, Shen Gongao looked at the eunuch and said, "Eunuch, please tell me a word." ”

The eunuch said: "If you have any words, the Marquis of Zhenhai can write a secret fold to Your Majesty." ”

Shen Gongao said: "There are some words that are inconvenient to write as dense folds. ”

The eunuch said, "Then you can talk about it." ”

Shen Gongao said: "If you want to kill someone, you can't think the knife is too sharp." And once the knife is in the sheath, it is difficult to pull it out. ”

Once people's hearts are cold, it is difficult to warm them up again.

The previous Shen Gongao, although he had been working against the Mi family, was still loyal to His Majesty the Emperor.

Because over the years, His Majesty the Emperor has continued to increase the number of officials and knights to Shen Gongao, and let him expand.

The Shen family has become so powerful that it has even begun to secretly fight against the Mi family?

Isn't it the result of the emperor's acquiescence and even covert support?

But now, in order to negotiate peace with the Great Separation Kingdom, the emperor did not hesitate to sacrifice the interests of the Shen family.

So, of course, Shen Gongao was cold.

But in the eyes of the emperor, isn't this very normal?

The emperor's mind is unpredictable.

The eunuch said lightly: "Marquis Zhenhai, it will be dawn in a few hours, and I am in a hurry to rush back to the imperial capital." ”

Shen Gongao must step out of the choice.

Do you choose the clay collar or choose Shen Wuji?

"If you save people and lose land, you will gain both people and land. Saving land and losing people, people and land are lost. Shen Gongao said hoarsely: "I, Shen Gongao, have already lost two sons, and I can't lose my only son anymore." ”

Then, Shen Gong Ao said hoarsely: "I will immediately write a secret fold and dedicate the red clay collar to the empire free of charge." ”

After the eunuch listened.

Suddenly, he put the second secret decree into the box, sealed it completely, took it back to Beijing, and handed it over to His Majesty the Emperor to destroy.

Then the eunuch said, "Call everyone in, for such a great event will be proclaimed publicly." ”

Next!

The door opens.

Mu Hongyu and the others all entered.

The eunuch once again unfolded the holy decree and said loudly: "Your Majesty has a decree. ”

Shen Gongao led hundreds of people, all of whom knelt down.

"Fengtian carries the emperor's system, Zhenhai Marquis Shen Gongao's third son Shen Wufeng is intelligent and resolute, wise and generous, canonized as the imperial viscount, titled Qingping, and crowned as the hereditary thousand households of the imperial Black Dragon Terrace, Qin this!"

The voice of the great eunuch resounded through the hall.

"The minister accepts the order, thank Your Majesty Hongen."

All the people of the Shen family, kowtow and thank you.

Wujian stepped forward and took over this holy decree.

I suddenly felt that it weighed a thousand pounds.

"Congratulations to Viscount Qingping, I hope you will enter Beijing as soon as possible, Your Majesty wants to see you very much." The eunuch smiled: "Let's leave." ”

It is said that Shen Gongao should have bribed a large sum of silver and left the eunuch to eat and drink.

But now he can't.

And this eunuch has achieved his goal, and he doesn't care about this meal anymore.

A moment later, the eunuch left the Zhenhai Marquis Mansion with a guard of honor.

…………………………………………

In the study, Shen Gongao looked at the map on the wall, in a daze.

Red Clay Ridge!

The clay collar he dreamed of.

He fought for several years for the Red Clay Collar and paid 30,000 casualties.

At the cost of two sons.

Now, completely lost.

For the sake of the third son, for the only one intact son.

He chose to abandon the clay collar.

Taking a deep breath, Shen Gongao sharpened his ink and began to write.

There is no flowery rhetoric, no four Li Liu, it is just a straight sentence.

"Chen Shen Gongao, willing to dedicate the red clay collar to the empire for free!"

Left, there is no more than half a word.

This shows the personality of this person.

After writing, seal the wax seal, stamp it, and put it in a special close-fold box.

Shen Gongao has the right to play secretly, and he used to feel very proud, but now he only feels ashamed.

"Someone! Eight hundred miles to expeditious, send this secret fold to the capital! ”

A samurai entered, took the folded box, bowed and said, "Yes!" ”

Then he left directly, with a team of knights, galloping north, to the imperial capital.

Wufeng entered the study.

Shen Gongao said bitterly: "No defect, you don't have to comfort your father, and you don't have to feel guilty, all this is not to blame you." It's not your fault that someone uses you as a weapon, that you're a weakness for your father. ”

Wu Que said: "You should be on the front line of the Red Clay Collar at this time, why did you come back early?" A few hours ago, I had already sent someone to carry gold to the front to hand out pensions. ”

Shen Gongao said: "There is no defect, there is no other ability for my father, but there is the ability to fight." Wasn't the granary in Magic Stone City burned? Aren't we short of food? So I used the Picking Star Pavilion as a mortgage and borrowed 800,000 taels of silver from the Tianxia Association to buy grain. ”

There is no flaw in the head, indicating that he knows about it.

Shen Gongao said: "On the one hand, I asked people to buy grain, and on the other hand, I led two thousand people to go deep into the Dali Kingdom and plundered three cities. There was enough food, and more than one million taels of silver for the brothers were also snatched up. ”

As soon as these words came out, Wu Feng was shocked and speechless.

Awesome!

This Shen Gongao's thinking is really simple and rude.

When the grain is burned, I go and grab it.

The silver is gone, I'm going to grab it!

"Of course, the people who went to loot were the Moro army, and they had nothing to do with our Shen family." Shen Gongao said with a smile.

"Seriously, the father doesn't dare to have much hope for you, because the time is so short, it is too difficult to earn three or four million taels of silver, how can the father put the burden on you? So he went out in person, pretending to borrow money to buy grain, and even mortgaged the Star Pavilion, and the other side plundered. ”

"But I didn't expect that you really did it, earning six million taels of silver, which is nothing compared to this little achievement for the father."

Wufeng is still speechless.

He also thought that Shen Gongao went to the front line to maintain the morale of the army and prevent mutiny.

Unexpectedly, people directly fed the war with war, and maintained the morale of the army with looting and fighting.

So on the military, Shen Gongao is absolutely YYDS.

Then, Shen Gongao sighed: "However, all the price of all this has been paid in vain. We have lost the Red Clay Territory forever, and from now on, the expansion of our Shen family is over. ”

Wujian said: "Do you know whose hand it is all this?" ”

Shen Gongao said: "Who? ”

Wu Feng said: "Nanhai County is too guarded by Li Shiyun, and this strategy is what he dedicated to the emperor." ”

"I killed Li Shiyun's cousin, I killed hundreds of garrisons in Nanhai County, Li Shiyun did not provoke, did not publicly reprimand, but used this charge to force you to hand over the red clay collar to protect me."

"When I ordered the Nanhai garrison to be killed, he began to plot all this."

"Now, in front of the emperor, he should show his face greatly. If I guessed correctly, after the eunuch who announced the decree left our house, he went directly to the Taishou Mansion of Nanhai County to praise Li Shiyun. ”

Shen Gongao said: "Li Shiyun, stepping on our heads to make meritorious service in front of the emperor? Use the heads of hundreds of Nanhai County garrisons to dye the top of his official hat red? ”

Wu Feng said: "Yes! All along, we have been staring at the Mi family, but we have underestimated this Taishou Lord. ”

…………………………………………………………

The guess is not bad.

After the great eunuch left the Marquis of Zhenhai's Mansion, he did not return directly to the imperial capital, but went to the Taishou Mansion of Nanhai County.

"Your Majesty has a decree, Nanhai County is too shou Li Shiyun to take the decree!"

Li Shiyun knelt down.

"Li Shiyun, a prudent industry, loyal and patriotic, crowned the bachelor of Tongwen Pavilion, and his mother Lin was crowned with the four products, Qin this!"

Li Shiyun kowtowed, and said with tears in his eyes: "Thank you, Lord Longen!" Long live His Majesty the Emperor, long live, long live! ”

The great eunuch handed over the holy decree to Li Shiyun and said, "Li Taishou, keep up the good work." ”

After Li Shiyun received the holy decree, he said: "Thank you for the encouragement of the eunuch, a certain has prepared a banquet, please appreciate the face of the eunuch." ”

The chief eunuch said, "I won't drink the wine." ”

Li Shiyun pulled the eunuch's sleeve and said, "No, you must drink it!" Otherwise, the world will rumor that I, Li Shiyun, don't know etiquette. ”

The eunuch couldn't delay it, so he stayed to eat and drink.

At the banquet, Li Shiyun called two beauties to accompany him.

"Li Taishou, you are in danger of wealth and wealth, you stay in Nanhai County, guarding a Shen Gongao who doesn't know how to advance or retreat, but you are not afraid that you will have no merit." The eunuch said with a smile: "Originally, Shen Wuyu was here, and it was difficult to take advantage of the Shen family, but now that Shen Wuyu is unconscious, the Shen family has become a treasure, and people can take it for granted." ”

Li Shiyun said: "What about Shen Wuxi? What do you think? ”

The eunuch said: "Extremely smart, but sharp, I don't know how to hide." is another version of Shen Gongao, except that Shen Gongao is the edge of the martial arts, and Shen Wujian is the edge of the Wendao. But they are all just smart, without wisdom, and they are not far from death. ”

Li Shiyun said: "I deeply feel the same way, when Shen Wujian ordered to shoot the Nanhai County garrison in the Zhenhai Marquis Mansion that day, and killed Bai Chongguang and Li Tianyun in anger, I was extremely shocked!" There are still such people in this world who don't know how to advance or retreat, people who are so crazy to die. I was shocked and ecstatic, Shen Wujian really put the great responsibility in my hands, and let me take what I wanted. ”

Then, Li Shiyun said: "Poor Shen Gongao, lost his two sons, and suffered 20,000 casualties before he captured Hongtu Ridge." Because Shen Wuji's momentary spirit and prestige were lost forever. This Shen Wujian seems to have made a great contribution to the Shen family, but in fact, it has harmed the entire Shen family. ”

The eunuch said: "I heard that Li Taishou and Na Fan once married each other? ”

Li Shiyun said lightly: "This woman seems to be smart, but she is actually stupid, since he has made a choice, he must pay the price." ”

The eunuch smiled: "Li is too arrogant, why should the big husband have no wife?" However, Your Majesty does appreciate Shen Wuji's literary talent, so you have to find a way to keep him here, and it is better to sleep here for a long time! ”

"It's not just me, King Mi will also do everything possible to let the flawless son sleep here!"

Then, Li Shiyun's beautiful face emerged.

This woman, he is still determined to win, but in another way.

Shen Wuji, how can you not die? For the sake of the Brahma, you have to die!

…………………………………………

Inside the study room of the Marquis of Zhenhai's mansion.

Seeing the incomparable pain and loss on Shen Gongao's face.

Shen Gongao smiled: "Why be annoyed? ”

Shen Gongao reluctantly smiled and said, "Yes, since it has been lost, why bother?" As long as our father and son are connected, what family business will not be able to earn back in the future? Besides, in the past ten years, my Shen Gong family has expanded to this point, and I should be content. ”

Having said that, Shen Gongao is still in a heartache.

Wu Jian said slowly: "No, we will not lose the red clay collar. ”

Shen Gongao was stunned and said: "The secret fold for my father has been handed over, and the red clay collar will be presented to the empire free of charge." ”

Wu Feng said: "What I want is for you to hand over this secret fold, so that my plan can be more calm!" ”

Shen Gongao was stunned.

The red clay collar, which has been dedicated to the empire, can it be taken back?

Wujian said lightly: "If the emperor wants to make me a viscount, then I will accept it politely." But I want the title, and I want the clay collar. ”

Shen Gongao couldn't believe it, and looked at it without a trace.

This, this can't be!

"Not only do I want to get back the red clay collar, but I also want to kill Li Shiyun in one fell swoop and let him behead all over the house!"

"Originally, my plan was not very satisfactory, but as soon as this eunuch came today, as soon as these holy decrees came, my plan was completed, and my steps could be more leisurely."

Then, Wujian took out his pocket watch and looked at the time.

It's twelve o'clock in the night!

"Give me an army." Wu Jian said: "You don't need too many people, but you need to be very strong, five or six hundred people, and you need the top and most elite warriors!" ”

Shen Gongao trembled and said, "My son, what are you going to do?" Don't take any chances, leave it to the Father! ”

Wujian said: "No, you can't do this." Only I can do such a vicious and shameless thing. And I think the less you know, the better! ”

After saying that, Wujian stretched out his hand towards Shen Gongao.

To the power of the army.

Shen Gongao's heart trembled.

He really didn't know what Shen Wuqian was going to do.

This son is very caring and close.

But sometimes, it feels mysterious.

Because, what he wants to do, he will never tell Shen Gongao.

For example, during the big exam in the school city, he won a big victory and killed Fu Tieyi.

For another example, not long ago, he earned back six million taels of silver from Floating Zero City.

No matter what happened, he didn't discuss it with Shen Gongao.

But in every single thing, he succeeded.

And it was an unprecedented success.

And what about this time?

Before Wufeng didn't ask for a single soldier, he had already done a big thing.

Then this time, he actually asked for military power?

How big of a thing is he going to do?

Is this to pierce the sky?

Before, Shen Gongao would definitely ask Shen Wuqian what he wanted to do.

But now, he was a little frightened by this son.

Once people care about something, they are easy to be grasped.

Shen Gongao trembled and said: "My son, can I ask, what are you going to do with these soldiers?" ”

Wu Jian said: "Go and kill!" Kill a river of blood, and by the way, let Li Shiyun's whole family die! ”

Shen Gongao trembled and said, "Yes, how much risk will it be?" ”

"If everything goes well, there is probably no risk. ”

Shen Gongao said: "For the rest, you can't ask for the father, right?" ”

"There are some things, you know, the less the better." If you know more, it will be unfavorable and will become a flaw. ”

Shen Gongao had a headache.

As a father, as a monarch, he shouldn't be so passive.

But......

There have already been two examples.

And, is it just like watching the red collar lose forever?

Could it be that he watched Li Shiyun step on his head, and his official fortune was prosperous, soaring into the sky?

I thought about it for half a quarter of an hour!

Wufeng did not urge, but waited quietly.

After a while, Shen Gongao stretched out his hand and handed a tiger talisman to Wu Jian and said, "Take it!" Even if you pierce the sky, you will admit it for your father! ”

Wujian took the tiger talisman and said lightly: "You just wait for the good news that Li Shiyun's family is dead!" You just wait for the Red Clay Ridge to return to the hands of the Shen family. ”

Half an hour later!

In the dense forest outside Zhenhai City.

Five hundred of the strongest warriors of the Shen Gong family stood quietly.

Nothing is missing and turned on the horse.

Han said in a cold voice: "Next, don't ask a word, don't say a word." ”

"The only thing you have to do is, obey, obey, obey!"

"Who am I asking you to kill? Kill whomever you want. ”

"I'll set you on fire, and you'll set it on fire!"

"Let's go!"

With an order.

Wu Jian led the five hundred elite warriors of the Shen Gong family and disappeared into the night.

With a murderous aura, rush in a certain direction!

………………………………………………

Note: It's still out of town, and this first one was written in a café outside. The hotel I stayed in last night was requisitioned, and after I finished writing, I went to have lunch first, and then went to find a hotel to check in, and wrote the second update.

Engong, if you have a monthly pass, don't keep it.

Cast it for pastries, it's really a matter of grasping every minute and every second in the code word.