Returning to the gate, this time He Tian did not restrain his footsteps, but deliberately used a little force to let Shi Yi realize that someone was coming.

Shi Yi was awakened by a sudden voice, and hurriedly stood up and looked in the direction of the stairs on the second floor.

It turned out to be the master, Shi Yi exhaled softly.

"I knew you were here." He Tian looked at Shi Yi and said.

"Do you want to read a book?"

Shi Yi nodded.

"What book did you read just now?"

Ah, I was wandering just now, and I didn't notice what I was reading.....

Shi Yi was a little flustered, he didn't know how to respond to the master, and he didn't feel good if he wanted to make up one, so he honestly hung his head and said: The apprentice just studied and didn't concentrate, I'm sorry, master.

He Tian saw the pitiful little man with his head hanging in front of him, and his eyes were full of pampering.

"It's okay, just concentrate next time you read a book. By the way, I remember, your birthday is almost here, right? ”

Shi Yi heard that the master was not to blame, a smile appeared on his face, and he raised his head and nodded sweetly at He Tian.

He Tian took out a parchment roll and handed it to Shi Yi, "I have never helped anyone celebrate their birthday, nor have I given a birthday gift, this is the first time." I thought about it for a long time, but I decided to give you this. ”

Shi Yi habitually wanted to refuse, but after thinking about it for a while, he still took it.

Shi Yi slowly opened the parchment scroll, which was stamped one by one, and it looked like the seal of an army general.

"This is the end of those surrendered generals since I fought for so many years."

He Tian still chose this gift in the original play, and at this stage, I feel that there is no more suitable gift than this.

Shi Yi was very happy to receive the gift, but he still hesitated for a moment, and said: Is the master really going to give me such an important thing?

He Tian smiled and said, "As long as you like it." ”

Shi Yi smiled and nodded, and squeezed the parchment roll tightly.

"Okay, it's late at night, I'll send you back to rest."

Shi Yi nodded, and together with He Tian, blew out the lights in the library, closed the door, and left one after another.

It's just that Shi Yi didn't notice that the distance between the front and back this time was much shorter than the previous one.

.......

Pleasant times always pass very quickly, and there is an urgent report from Zhongzhou, and there is another war.

He Tian looked at the urgent report with a serious face, and the three of Hong Xiaoyu, Zhou Tianxing, and the military advisor stood behind him, waiting for orders.

He Tian turned around and handed the urgent report to the military advisor, and said, "The grassland people in the northwest have invaded my Beichen border again, and Your Majesty has ordered me to lead troops to resist. ”

Xie Chong opened his mouth and said: "Your Highness, rest assured, due to the promotion of chemical fertilizers recently, there has been a lot of grain and grass, and I will also arrange the city defense of Xizhou." ”

He Tian shook his head at Xie Chong and said, "The military advisor doesn't have to bother, the Xizhou Army will not be dispatched for the time being. ”

Xie Chong said strangely: "Why is Your Highness so abnormal this time?" ”

Hong Xiaoyu and Zhou Tianxing next to them also looked at the master with a surprised expression.

He Tian glanced at the three of them and replied, "Does the military advisor still remember the military exploits I asked you to sort out before?" ”

Xie Chong was of course deeply impressed by His Royal Highness's unexpected move: "I remember that His Highness should have handed it over to Zhao Teng at that time and asked him to submit it to the Central Committee. ”

He Tian nodded and said, "Well, the military advisor should also know that it has been a matter of some time, but so far, there has been no reward." ”

Xie Chong nodded, Hong Xiaoyu and Zhou Tianxing were still beside him with surprised expressions, only to know that such a thing had happened.

"Xiaoyu, Tianxing, among all the apprentices, you have followed me the longest, and you should know the changes in the Xizhou Army before and after His Majesty's registration today."

The two of them have been in the army all year round, so they naturally know this very well.

Xiaoyu opened his mouth and said: "The disciple knows that when the first emperor was still in power, every time the Xizhou army won a big victory, there would be a reward, although there was occasional suppression, but it was not big. ”

"However, since His Majesty ascended the throne today, the Xizhou army has fought more and more battles, and sent troops more and more frequently, but the rewards from the imperial court have become less and less, and in recent years, there have only been verbal rewards, without any actual rewards."

Zhou Tianxing added: "Since Your Majesty ascended the throne, foreign enemies have bullied me Beichen Xiao'er to govern, and there have been foreign enemies harassing me from time to time on the border, and the casualties of the Xizhou Army have been much larger than before. ”

He Tian nodded: "Then you should also know how many troops the Xizhou Army has lost because of these things over the years, and it is said that there are 700,000 troops under my command, but how many veterans and remnants are inside, outsiders don't know, you know." ”

The 700,000 army had a lot of water when they heard it, a bunch of disabled old and young, and many of them were just auxiliaries, and the real elite soldiers were at most one-seventh or eighth.

The three of them all turned pale when they heard this, and nodded silently.

He Tian continued: "The imperial court ignored the merits of our Xizhou Army for many years and deliberately suppressed it, most of the people of Beichen respected the Xizhou Army, but fewer and fewer people were willing to join the Xizhou Army. What is the reason for this? ”

"It's because I know that joining the Xizhou Army can only get a name, and I can't get the reward I deserve."

"It's because I know that the Xizhou Army is feared by the central government, and I am afraid that one day the court will be liquidated and will be buried with me."

"It's because I know that the Xizhou Army has fought the most battles in the entire Beichen, so it is the easiest to die, or be disabled."

Hong Xiaoyu hurriedly comforted: "Master, my Xizhou army is not afraid of death, let alone injury. ”

He Tian looked at her and said: "But there are only so many people in the Xizhou Army, and they will only fight less and less, and besides, do we really want to watch these sergeants who entrusted their lives to us die one by one?" ”

Hong Xiaoyu hurriedly said: "Of course I don't want to, the robes in the army are all brothers and family members." Master, I see what you mean. ”

Xie Chong interjected: "What does Your Highness mean?" ”

Xie Chong didn't dare to guess at this time, His Highness's thoughts have changed too much recently, and he can't keep up.

"Wait, when Zhongzhou is in a hurry, return the things that should belong to Xizhou to Xizhou, and we will send troops again."

"Military advisor, you are going to write a letter and reply to Zhongzhou, saying that the Xizhou Army has fought too many battles in recent years, the loss of troops is too large, the morale is low, and it is temporarily unable to share the worries of the imperial court."

Xie Chong nodded, said goodbye and went out to handle the matter.

Hong Xiaoyu and Zhou Tianxing also wanted to retire, but He Tian motioned for them to stay.

He Tian took the two of them for a walk in the garden of the palace, and asked as he walked, "Do you think what the teacher did today is inappropriate?" The people at the border are being invaded by foreign enemies, but I am here to calculate my own little abacus. ”

Hong Xiaoyu and Zhou Tianxing were silent, and in the end, Zhou Tianxing opened his mouth first: "Master, I don't think there is anything wrong with the master." I often chat with the generals in the army, and they do have a lot of complaints about the reward, but the army is strict and does not let these complaints become too widespread. ”

Hong Xiaoyu nodded and said: "The imperial court does not promote meritorious generals, and is not even willing to give them the money and food rewards they deserve, and the soldiers are sometimes confused and don't know why they are fighting." Sometimes I enlighten them in the army, but in fact, I also know that what I say is false, and I don't believe it myself. ”

"Yes, don't say anything about loyalty to the country, why do you become soldiers, isn't it just money, food, and money, and you will be added to the knighthood? The Xizhou army can't give them this, so it's natural for the soldiers to resent. ”

After saying that, the two people behind He Tian were silent, they didn't notice that the number of silences tonight seemed to be a bit much.