When the war devastated the northern land, Chang'an, thousands of miles away, was still lively, and the two cities in the east and west were full of traffic, and they were making money every day. The sword soldiers in those distant places, except for a few more sighs in daily chatter, have not affected the lives of the people at the bottom too much. And the center of the Han Empire, the painted dragon Shuangque still stands solemnly and solemnly in front of the North Sima Gate of Weiyang Palace, and the guards of the southern army wearing majestic armor hold halberds to guard the safety of the palace city.

In a place that many people don't know, the impact of this war on the young Han Empire is far more than what seems on the surface.

In the autumn and August of the seventh year of the first century, the news of the invasion of the Xiongnu came, and the "heavenly family" in Lin Guanggong was furious, and he was angry for a while, and he couldn't see things. All state affairs are temporarily handled by Empress Dowager Lu. Empress Dowager Lu decisively requisitioned Ba, 30,000 Shu County officials, and at the same time ordered Qu Zhou Hou Lishang to be a general, and the army was finely willow battalion.

"Where the hell is the Emperor now?"

In the Changle Palace, in the imperial history, Cheng Cao Cave and Han Changliu, the middle attendant, knelt in the empty hall, listening to the fierce questioning of the Empress Dowager Lu, they didn't dare to raise their heads, and their faces turned pale.

As the empress dowager of the East Palace, over the years, although because of Liu Yingruo's obstruction, Lu Pheasant has not taken over the power and adjudicated state affairs as in history. But the tentacles of control over the entire Han have also reached a surprising level. Liu Ying left Yunyang, but on the third or fifth day, Empress Dowager Lu, who was far away in Chang'an, found out. Because the whip is out of reach, he can only cover up for his son. After all, even if she is dissatisfied with Liu Ying, this is her only son in the world, and she, as a mother, can she do nothing if she doesn't help with the aftermath?

At this time, she needs to exercise extreme restraint so that people can not see the trembling hands hidden under the vermilion brocade sleeves.

Cao Gu bowed solemnly and didn't dare to raise his head, "At this time, the minister doesn't dare to deceive the Queen Mother." Wechen made an agreement with His Majesty. The stagecoach goes back and forth for three days, and knows the news. It's just that after Xinyou Day (autumn July 30), the road to the clouds has been blocked, and the minister has not known the news of His Majesty for more than half a month. ”

Lu Pheasant closed his eyes.

After a long time, Fang Youqi said weakly, "You all go down." ”

"No."

"Do your part, if people know ......." The Queen Mother's face suddenly changed, and she said lightly, "What are the consequences, you are worried about yourself." ”

Most of the thatch in the censer has been burned. Empress Lu thought distraughtly for a while, and said loudly, "Someone." ”

"King Xuanzuo entered the Changle Palace to see him."

The tomb of the Marquis of An Guo is now past the age of old, and he bowed tremblingly, "The old minister sees the queen mother." ”

"Old brother," Lu Pheasant stepped forward and helped him up. "What is our relationship, and why do we have to do this?"

When the first emperor Liu Bang was in the cold, he once served as a brother to Wang Ling, and the two families of Liu Wang had a family friendship. Later, before his death, Liu Bang ordered Wang Ling to be the minister of auxiliary orphans, which shows his trust in Wang Ling.

And the two Xiangguo who were orphaned by the first emperor. Zuo Xiangwang Ling is mediocre, but his mind is loyal; The right phase Chen Ping is sleek but talented. Before Liu Ying left, she entrusted the matter to Chen Ping in a vague way - Chen Ping was more sleek and charming. In such unseemly matters that the king insists on, he is more likely to be obedient, and even helps the emperor to complete everything from beginning to end; But at the critical juncture, whether it was Liu Ying or Lu Pheasant, they both trusted Zuo Xiangguo'an and Marquis Wang Ling more.

Wang Ling smiled. "Etiquette cannot be abolished." ”

Lu Hou said in a deep voice. "Brother, brother-in-law, this is asking you for help."

Wang Ling's face changed slightly, knowing that the Empress Dowager Lu Pheasant had a straightforward personality, so that she could say such low-voiced words, but she was afraid that the matter had reached the point of being serious, and asked in a deep voice, "The Empress Dowager speaks slowly, what's wrong?" ”

Lu Pheasant was a little embarrassed, hesitated, gritted his teeth, and said, "I'll tell you the truth." The emperor was not in the palace at this time. ”

Wang Ling's complexion changed a few times, and finally said dejectedly, "In May, after Your Majesty went to Lin Guang Palace, the old minister felt that something was wrong. ”

After all, since he ascended the throne today, except for the first two years of filial piety, he has been diligent in government and loves the people, how can he not see his ministers for more than half a month.

It was only in the autumn and July that Liu Ying sent the ministers to the ministers with the request of Zhang Kai, the captain of Yanmen, to change the military system, and ordered the ministers to discuss it, and it took five days to set up a charter to set up a guard in Chang'an, and set up a Yanmen army in Yanmen, and tried it for more than a year, and then watched the after-effects. The three princes and nine kings were summoned in Lin Guang Palace, Wang Ling saw that the emperor was a little haggard, but it was not a big problem, so he put his mind at ease, and the old man was relieved, only to feel that the emperor had finally grown into a generation of virtuous monarchs, before he was just his own suspicious, but he did not expect ......, did not expect .......

"I don't know, where has the Heavenly Family gone now?"

There was silence in the hall of Changxin.

"Could it be that," Wang Ling's heart tightened, and he reacted, "You actually went to the Northland?" ”

Lu Hou was silent.

Wang Ling's face instantly seemed to be ten years old, and he asked carefully, "Does Chen Youxiang know about this matter?" ”

The corners of Lu Hou's lips hooked a sarcastic arc, "When Your Majesty left, it's hard to say whether he knew or not." Just looking at the recent appearance, Chen Youxiang probably already knows. ”

Know that the important thing at this time is to cope, not complain. Under the crisis, Wang Ling's mind was rapidly overloaded, weighing the pros and cons of all parties, "If a country wants to be stable, it must first be at home, and then externally." The whereabouts of the Heavenly Family are unknown, and there has been a hidden danger of instability within our Han Dynasty, so although the Xiongnu military situation is urgent, it is no longer the most important: the vassal states of Kwantung have become the focus instead. The Empress Dowager should strictly order Guo Meng, the governor of Hangu Pass, to strictly abide by the customs and not let people from the Kwantung countries enter the pass, and at the same time guard the Weiyang and Changle Palaces, and pay close attention to the movements of the Kwantung countries. ”

"The safety of the heavenly family is also the most important. Fortunately, the Heavenly Family had the foresight to dispatch the Yingyin Marquis to Guanying Tun Army to the county, and the Yingyin Marquis was brave and good at fighting, and asked the Queen Mother to immediately order the Yingyin Marquis to meet the Xiongnu, and at the same time send henchmen and courtiers to sneak into the north to find the whereabouts of the Heavenly Family and protect the safety. ”

Empress Dowager Lu smiled bitterly, "The prince and the old man are seeking the country." The palace has ordered Quzhou Hou Lishang to lead the 30,000 troops of Bashu officials to set off, and the second palace of Changle in the central government, with the palace in charge, there will be no accidents, but ......"

"The bronze tiger talisman that dispatched the whole * team is now gone."

"What." The old Xiangguo suddenly changed color.

……

"Chief Han," in the side hall under the Changxin Palace, Cheng Cao Gu in the Imperial History asked, "You are the most trusted minister by Your Majesty's side, before Your Majesty leaves. Entrust me with foreign affairs, and entrust all internal affairs to you. Now that the Huns have entered the Kou, the Son of Heaven is covered with dust, but the tiger talisman is missing. The matter of transferring troops, the queen mother can still be transferred in the book, if you want to set off against the Xiongnu elite army in Shangjun, you must have a tiger charm to serve the public, where is the tiger charm, do you know? ”

"What did Lord Cao say?" Han Changliu glared angrily, "I grew up with everyone since childhood. Now that everyone is in trouble, am I not anxious? It's just that everyone set up Fujitai at the beginning. The three imperial seals and the tiger talisman were transferred from the Yushi Temple, but only the emperor's seal and the emperor's letter seal were stored in the Fu Jietai, and the matter of the tiger talisman was not revealed at all. If Han Changliu has a lie, he should be thundered by the sky. ”

His tone was indignant. Cao Cave calmed down instantly, "It's the cave that is reckless." He sincerely apologized, "Now that we are at a critical moment of life and death, we are all His Majesty's most trusted courtiers, and at this time, we should work together." Since His Majesty has dispatched the Marquis of Yingyin to irrigate the infant tun army to the county. You will definitely leave a tiger talisman. It's better to think about what was different in the period before His Majesty left. ”

"This ......," Han Changliu groaned.

……

Liu Bang started when he was reckless. Every time there is a big war, it is also common to mobilize the army with an edict and a feather tree. Later, the Han Dynasty established the country and made the tiger talisman in bronze. One is cut in half, and the emperor and the courtiers each hold one of them. When the troops were to be transferred, the envoys were ordered to set off with seals and tiger talismans, and under the witness of local officials, they jointly mobilized the army. The tiger talisman is a certificate of military power, and the seal book clarifies the combat tasks and authority of the generals who lead the troops, and only when the two exist together, the transfer of troops can be considered completely legal.

Zuo Xiang Wang Mausoleum is thinking in his heart: Quzhou Hou Lishang and the Lu family have always been close, if the Son of Heaven dies and the Lu family falls, he will not have a good future. Only then was he willing to lead the Bashu officials to battle without the Tiger Talisman; Although Yingyin Hou Guan Ying looks reckless, he has a neutral position, and is bold and careful, and cautious, if there is no tiger talisman, he may not be willing to fight for the future and gamble on the Lu family. However, the army that the Son of Heaven sent to Shangjun before was the most elite of the Han Dynasty, and if he did not fight, he would not be sure of victory against the Xiongnu.

And, most importantly:

Wang Ling sighed in his heart and did not say anything about his worries.

The heavenly family is still prosperous in spring and autumn, but there are four out of twenty, and there is no prince under his knees. If this time it is really in the north, where should the great Han Dynasty and the majestic Changle Second Palace go?

While thinking about it, he inadvertently raised his head, met Empress Lu's gaze in the air, and quickly avoided each other.

I hope that the heavenly family is safe and sound.

After all, this big man really can't afford the bad luck of another Changjun collapse.

……

Empress Lu's face became resolute again, "The details of the outside world, this palace has its own plans." All the things in the DPRK and China have to be entrusted to the old minister. ”

"The Queen Mother must not," Wang Ling hurriedly stopped and promised, "This is a matter for the ministers." The old minister has tried his best to protect the royal family to the end. ”

"That's good," Empress Lu raised her chin and said, "This palace is in this crisis, and for the time being, as the queen mother, will temporarily take over state affairs." The phoenix's eyes are slightly raised, tough and bright, with indescribable majesty, "After so many years of wind and waves, this palace has come over." If you don't believe it, you'll fall here. ”

The night was slightly drooping, and there was silence in the Changxin Palace, and the thatch was spitting its fragrance in the bronze gluttonous incense burner in the corner of the wall.

Empress Lu reopened her eyes, faded her weakness, picked up the tenacity and strength in her bones, and her voice was cold, "Su Mo, bring in the mother and son in Yongxiang." ”

"No."

A child dressed in a washed, pale linen garment has a hole in his foot, revealing his toes. Standing on top of the rich and empty hall, he timidly looked at the gorgeous and majestic woman above.

"Why do you look so thin?" Empress Lu frowned and asked, "How old are you this year?" ”

Su Mo hurriedly smiled, "The Queen Mother has forgotten." This child is born in March of last three years, and he is five years old this year. ”

"Really?" Lu Hou said lightly, "It looks pitiful, if you don't know, whoever sees it will think that she is only three or four years old." Come here. ”

The boy looked in the direction of his mother, but without any hint, then at the woman above, and finally walked slowly.

Empress Lu grabbed his thin wrist, "What's your name?" ”

“…… A-Niang calls me Tuanzi, and everyone else in Yongxiang calls me Xiaoshan. The boy was afraid, but his words were clear.

"Mountain?" Empress Lu pondered, "Do you know, what is your surname?" ”

The boy's face darkened for a long time. Fang snorted, "I don't have a surname. ”

A cold smile appeared on Lu Hou's lips, patted the boy's head, and remembered, "Your surname will be Liu in the future." The surname Liu of the Han Dynasty is your surname. ”

She got up and walked over to the green-clothed woman who was trembling on her knees, "You are the Yuan maid?" ”

“…… Be. ”

She only glanced at it, then turned her head, "The biological mother of the eldest son of the Great Han Emperor." How could she be such a cowardly woman? Leave the child behind, and you can step back on your own. ”

"Queen Mother," Yuan Luo looked up. looked at the noble woman in front of him in amazement, revealing a face that was not young. Yongxiang's difficult life over the years has sharpened her too roughly, and she has not seen the youth of a woman in her twenties.

At that time, an ordinary green cloth ox cart was driving into Chang'an City from Xuanping Gate.

The young man in white came up to the pavilion. He bowed his hand and said, "My nephew has seen my uncle." ”

On the Guang Pavilion in the courtyard of a house in Qili, the middle-aged man in Xuanyi turned his head and said with a smile, "The virtuous nephew is here." ”

"The virtuous nephew has just arrived in Chang'an," the young man laughed loudly. Before he had settled down, he came to see his uncle. I haven't thanked my uncle for sending someone to tell me. ”

……

Looking down from the high platform in the court, it is a house with a dense chessboard in Chang'an. Further south. It is the majestic second palace of Changle Weiyang. The vermilion carved railings stand in the wind and rain, silent and gloomy, declaring the highest majesty of the Han Empire.

"This Chang'an City," the man in Xuanyi spat lightly. "It's really raining."

After Liu Bang established the Han Dynasty, he guarded the Han court with the same surname as the princes. After the princes and kings came of age and became kings. Non-emperor conscription is not allowed to enter Beijing. Each time he can only stay in Chang'an for a certain period of time. All these strict restrictions are intended to restrain the princes and kings from doing disobedient things.

The princes and kings submitted to Anshun in the past, but because Liu Ying succeeded to the throne as a son-in-law, the status of the monarch and the minister had been decided, and he had governed the country quite methodically over the years, and there was no fault that could be faulted. Only then did they get along with each other. But at this time, the Xiongnu committed the Han Dynasty, but the emperor was seriously ill and did not appear in front of everyone for more than half a month.

“…… But Uncle Huang, the Queen Mother is a decisive figure. I think that at the beginning, a character like the Marquis of Huaiyin was finally disposed of in her hands. The monstrous wealth is in front of him, and Liu Xiang, the king of Qi, can't suppress his excitement, but after all, he is afraid of Lu Pheasant.

Can such a strong woman be caught with her hands tied?

"Afraid of what?" Liu Bi smiled solemnly, hiding the contempt in his eyes. Explained him, "If you don't enter the tiger's den, how can you get the tiger?" Do nothing, just stay in the feudal country and wait peacefully, the position of the emperor can fall on your head? No matter how strong the queen mother is, after all, she is just a woman, if she is really a character, how can she tolerate your eldest mother and father in the township before, and later became the queen, she can only let Mrs. Qi until her son ascends the throne, and then she will be resentful. The Marquis of Huaiyin, the Marquis of Huaiyin is really a character, he was not defeated by Lu Pheasant, but by Xiao He. Now, the Queen Mother has no son to rely on, no Xiao He Cao Shen to help, and two Xiangguo, Chen Ping is cautious and will only be a bystander. There is only one old man left, the tomb of the Marquis of Anguo, can't you take it? ”

"That's what Uncle Huang said." Liu Xiang gritted his teeth and made up his mind.

"King Qi's nephew," Liu Biruo said meaningfully, "You remember, we are not guilty of rebellion, but to maintain the honor of the Liu family, which is also the intention of the first emperor to divide the princes and kings with the same surname." ”

Now that Liu Ying has lost her trace, the only thing that the Queen Mother can hold tightly in her hand is the eldest son of the emperor she hid in Changle Palace, but because of her thoughts over the years, the eldest son of the emperor has no reputation in the two palaces and the court, which is her means and her fatal weakness. When the time comes, we will threaten her with this handle and force her to step down by taking advantage of the power of the world. ”

"Good." Liu Xiang promised, "If Xiang can really ascend to the throne one day, he will not forget the benefits of Uncle Wu Wang." The two looked at each other and smiled.

"Send King Qi back."

Liu Bi watched King Qi's back disappear outside the back door, and a sneering smile appeared on the corner of his lips. asked the black-clothed attendant beside him, "Is it all arranged?" ”

"Back to the prince's words, one of the city gate guards in Shangqingmen is one of our people, and it has been arranged."

"That's good." Liu Bi nodded, "When the emperor's eldest son sees us in the temple, we will leave Chang'an overnight, go out of Wuguan and go straight back to Wudi." ”

……

The young Han Empire, which had just been established for less than twenty years. At this time, it is like the water surface under the dark night, chaotic. The situation has become very treacherous.

——4,765 words, revised on May 13, 2011

***************

Note: Here, a brief introduction to the Han Dynasty's rune seal system and troop transfer system.

During the Qin and Han dynasties, only the seals of the emperor, empress and prince were called seals. The emperor has countless seals, but there are only six of them with practical value. Wei Hong said in "Old Han Yi", "The seals are all white jade and tiger buttons, and the text says: the emperor's seal, the emperor's seal, the emperor's letter seal, the seal of the Son of Heaven, the seal of the Son of Heaven, the letter seal of the Son of Heaven, and the six seals." The emperor's seal, where the seal is given to the princes and kings; Letter Seal. Sending troops to recruit ministers; The Son of Heaven travels to the seal, worships foreign countries, and does things with heaven and earth. The Emperor's Seal was used to bestow royal letters on princes. The Seal of the Son of Heaven was used to recruit ministers, and these two seals were admired by the emperor. The remaining four seals are kept in the talisman table. But in fact, in the early years of the Han Dynasty, there were only three important seals around the emperor, not the six that matured later. Yan Shigu quoted "Meng Kang" and said: "In the early Han Dynasty, there were three seals. The seal of the Son of Heaven admires himself, and the seal and the letter seal are in the Fuji platform.

This is the arrangement that I introduced before Liu Ying left the palace in Chapter 182 of Volume 3. Prior to this, whether it was the Three Seals of the Son of Heaven or the Tiger Talisman, they were all in charge of the Fuxi Yushi (do you remember.) The current imperial historian Zhao Yao, before he was promoted, did the position of this Fuxi Imperial History).

Liu Ying played a trick. It is to set up another Fu Jietai, separate the responsibilities of the Yushi Temple in charge of the Fu Xi, transfer to the Fu Jietai, and take the henchman Shu Sheng as the Fu Jiejie. However, at the time of the transfer of the rune seal. Liu Ying only handed over the emperor's seal and the emperor's letter seal to Fujitai. entrusted the tiger talisman to another place, and the seal of the Son of Heaven was brought with him (this is also a foreshadowing of the later plot).

So, let's introduce the Han Dynasty's military system.

At the beginning of the Western Han Dynasty, the system of sending troops was relatively loose. Liu Bang was in the midst of the four campaigns, and an edict and a feather could be used to levy troops. However, after the founding of the country, the system of sending troops gradually became strict and enriched. In the second year of Emperor Wen, he was the bronze tiger talisman and the bamboo talisman with the county guard. The transfer of troops with a bronze tiger talisman, and the rest of the requisition with a bamboo talisman, each divided into half, the left and the county guard, and the right in the Son of Heaven. Before Emperor Wen, I didn't find the corresponding information about the military system of the Hui Dynasty, and there is a certain amount of speculation here, so you don't have to take it too seriously.

The tiger talisman first appeared in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, and Xinling Jun stole the talisman to save Zhao, and it was this tiger talisman that he stole from. It was not the first to be created by Emperor Wen. In the time of Emperor Wen, it was sent to the hands of the county guard, in my guess, after Liu Bang was stable, before Emperor Wen, the Han also had tiger talismans, but the number was not as much as when Emperor Wen (a pair of tiger talismans in a county, more than 100 counties in the Han Dynasty, Khan, and Fujietai should keep more than 100 tiger talismans. In the Chinese History Museum, there is a "Western Han Dynasty Hall Yanghou Cuo Silver and Bronze Tiger Talisman", which shows that the Western Han Dynasty Tiger Talisman is not only held by the county guard.

According to the strictest system of sending troops in the Han Dynasty, it was only legal to send troops when the seal (or edict) and tiger talisman (or talisman) were complete and correct, and in the presence of key local officials. The tiger talisman is a document used by the vassals to control the military and the mobilization of the army, while the seal book clarifies the combat tasks and authority of the generals who lead the troops.

Among them, the seal used to send troops with the seal book is the "Emperor's Letter Seal", that is, one of the two imperial seals that Liu Ying left in Fujietai. (This seal is extremely important, and the tiger charm can be used to recruit the country's soldiers and horses, and the bamboo messenger can be used to appoint and dismiss the country's officials).

Talismans can also mobilize armies at times, but they are far less authoritative than Tiger Talismans. When the army sees the seal, the tiger talisman will send troops to help the battle, but when it sees the talisman, there is no compulsion to send troops. For example, when Emperor Wu was outside, Prince Wei rebelled and ordered the army to send troops, and not all the troops were sent by the festival, which can be seen.

In the past, when "Liu Ying" was seriously ill and could not take care of things, Empress Lu temporarily came forward to take charge of the government as the queen mother, and her order, during this time, could temporarily replace the seal book. In the absence of tiger talismans, Empress Lu mobilized the Bashu officials with seals and runes. However, in order to mobilize the army of the Marquis of Yingyin, who was previously arranged by Liu Ying in Shangjun, it is necessary to have a tiger charm to be completely legal. During the reign of Emperor Yuan of the Han Dynasty, Chen Tang, the deputy captain of the Western Regions, was good at sending soldiers and horses from the Western Regions to attack the Xiongnu Zhizhi Shan Yu, and it was not enough to have a rune, but it still needed to be "corrected" (forged or falsely passed on the emperor's book. "Making" is the seal book).

Finally, you can guess, where did Liu Ying put the tiger talisman?