On the tenth day of November, in the main hall of the General's Mansion, Huo Guangzheng was handling the military affairs in hand as usual.

The Shangshu Department has been re-located in accordance with the edict of the Son of Heaven.

Every day, all kinds of chapters and government affairs will be distributed to the six Shangshu offices for specific disposal through the hands of the Lingshang Shushi.

As a result, Huo Guang was really a lot free.

In the past, he would stay in the Shangshu Office for several hours every day, and he would not leave until he had disposed of all the government affairs.

But now it's different, Huo Guang only stays in the Shangshu Department for half an hour at most every day.

Because Zhao Chongguo, the secretary of the Ministry of War, and Fan Mingyou, the imperial historian of the Ministry of War, are not in Chang'an for the time being, matters related to the Ministry of War are still handled by Huo Guang temporarily.

He waited for Zhao Chongguo and the others to come back, and Huo Guang might not even be able to stay for half an hour in the Shangshu Bureau.

Instead of staring at the Son of Heaven and chatting lukewarmly in the Shangshu Office, Huo Guang preferred to stay in the General's Mansion to arrange the affairs of the battle to conquer the north.

This made Huo Guang feel more comfortable.

Just after the hour, Huo Guang finished disposing of the urgent military affairs.

He looked up at the sky outside the main hall, and the dark clouds rolled and weaved into an impenetrable cloud curtain, making the sky appear very low.

Like the other subjects and people in Chang'an City, Huo Guang was also waiting for this snow to come down a little earlier.

Compared with the snow, Huo Guang wanted to know whether the 150,000 troops who had gone on an expedition to Mobei had achieved results.

In the more than ten years that Huo Guang served as an auxiliary minister, he had never transferred troops on such a large scale in the direction of the Xiongnu: almost all the troops in the northern counties and the entire Guanzhong were mobilized.

The momentum is huge, and the results must be achieved, otherwise Huo Guang's situation in the court will not only not improve, but I am afraid it will be even more severe.

Although the planning of this war was a little hasty, after all, the Han Empire had been cultivating for many years, and its manpower and material resources were at its peak.

Relying on this huge gap, Huo Guang had no doubt that he would achieve a big victory.

However, this confidence began to wane over time.

And on this day, Huo Guang's confidence has turned into anxiety.

The Fifth Route Army left the fortress on 6 October, and more than a month has passed since then.

From Saiwai to Chang'an City, although there is a distance of thousands of miles, it can be reached in less than ten days by speeding up the horses and changing horses to pass on the military information at the post station.

But there is no news yet, which means that before October 30, several armies have not obtained decent battle reports.

The day of the return of the Fifth Route Army was set for November 30, and Huo Guang pinched his fingers and calculated, at most ten days, they would return south one after another.

Ten days, that's a pitiful amount of time.

How could Huo Guang not feel anxious and nervous?

Now in the court, the young emperor still respects Huo Guang on the surface, but Huo Guang feels suffocated day by day.

It's the end of the year now, and there aren't too many important government affairs to deal with in the court, and Huo Guang has already felt depressed.

At the beginning of the next year, the new year is coming, and many important things will be implemented.

The transfer and promotion of the county and state guards, the replacement and change of the color of the Tiger Fu Bronze Festival, the ruling of the Confucian scriptures, the implementation of the first imperial examination, the corruption case of Taichang Lecheng, and the reinstatement of the prime minister's palace......

Each of these things is very important.

not only has an inseparable relationship with Huo Guang, but also determines the life and death of the "Huo Party".

If Huo Guang can't regain the power in the court before then, then the Son of Heaven may take this opportunity to reduce the strength of Huo Guang and the Huo Party again.

Huo Guang has retreated too much in terms of face, and he can't retreat anymore, otherwise the Son of Heaven, the courtiers, and the Huo Party will all think that Huo Guang is at the end of his rope and the oil is dry.

When the time comes, I don't know how many people will pounce on and bite Huo Dang like that An Le.

The Son of Heaven may take into account Huo Guang's "merit of welcoming the establishment" and "merit of auxiliary government", but those who want to step on the Huo family's top position have already sharpened their knives one by one.

In this case, Huo Guang needs Fan Mingyou, Tian Shun and others to bring him a hearty victory.

Looking at the cloudy clouds, Huo Guang stood up from the couch.

He rubbed his sore back, walked to the door of the main hall and looked out: the subordinate officials were still performing their duties, and the pavilion guards were even more subservient.

Huo Guang finally felt a little satisfied, no matter how the Shangshu Office changed, the General's Mansion did not change.

The things that haven't changed are the best things.

But inadvertently, Huo Guang saw that the eaves and pillars and carved window lattices had some traces of decay.

If you think about it, the front and back houses of the Great General's Mansion have not been renovated and renovated for several years.

In the coming year, we must build a lot of construction in this general's mansion to give this place some new atmosphere.

When Huo Disc was calculating whether he should ask Dasi Nong for money or ask for money from the Ministry of War, Huo Xian came from the direction of the back house and saluted in front of Huo Guang.

"Husband, lunch has been prepared, should you bring lunch to this main hall, or will you go to the back house?" Huo Xian asked very carefully, and there was some tiredness between his eyebrows.

"The good news of the northern front line is coming in the next two days, and the old man wants to see it as soon as possible, so for lunch in the past few days, I will send Mrs. Lao to this main hall."

"No."

Huo Xianjiao replied, and went down immediately, although she didn't say anything, but when she left, she blatantly threw Huo Guang a amorous look.

This bold and pungent flirting method made Huo Guang's heart flutter, he smiled slightly, and shook his head helplessly - this is the reason why Huo Guang can't do without Huo Xian.

After Huo Chengjun entered the palace, Huo Xian's mood was very happy, and he finally returned to the appearance of "IKEA": the anxiety, anger and panic that Huo Xian often revealed in the past few months finally disappeared.

Without these shortcomings and arrogance, Huo Xian is still endearing, which naturally makes Huo Guang forget the daring things she once did.

Moreover, the Huo family is also inseparable from Huo Xian.

Especially these days, it is the day when the Huo family comes to think about the family family all year round.

In other wealthy families, the people in charge of this matter are all men, but the Huo family is very different.

After all, if Huo Guang wants to be the home of the entire Han Empire, then Huo Xian will come to be the home of the Huo family.

It is not a simple matter to settle the family, Huo Xian often has to check the various expenses of the Huo family in the past year with his retainers in the account room all night.

So much so that the husband and wife have a lot less to do.

However, Huo Guang had heard Huo Xian mention it a few times, and the Huo family seemed to have a lot of savings this year.

Huo Guang didn't care about money, but every time he saw Huo Xian talking about it happily, he naturally felt a little complacent, who would really hate money?

About a quarter of an hour later, Huo Xian personally brought the lunch, she put the food on the table in the main hall, and then softly called Huo Guang over for dinner.

"Husband, lunch is ready, let's eat, today is a rare thing."

Huo Guang walked back to the front of the desk, and only after sitting down did he look at the food on the desk.

There are many large and small plates, and inside are colorful side dishes.

In the middle is a large bowl with half a steaming bowl of "soup" – much more refreshing than a regular soup.

And in this soup, there is something like a white thick line, which makes Huo Guang feel his index finger move when he looks at it.

"Huh?" Huo Guang expressed his doubts in one word.

"The recipe sent by the county official and the chef in the palace sent by the queen is called rice noodles, and it is a kind of food that the county official just came up with."

"The county magistrate has a heart." Although Huo Guang said this, he still felt contempt in his heart for the Son of Heaven pondering these things of eating and drinking.

If you are just blindly obsessed with eating, drinking, and having fun, how can the Son of Heaven be in charge of political affairs?

But suddenly Huo Guang had a strange thought, the Son of Heaven may not be intoxicated enough with eating, drinking, and having fun.

"Husband, it's not beautiful to eat it when it's cold, you have to eat it while it's hot." Huo Xian added the side dishes to the soup bowl and urged softly.

The soup is hot and fragrant, and the people have a soft voice, all of which are very attractive.

"Okay, then the old man will come and taste it."

Huo Guang picked up the chopsticks made of ivory and ate them without a moment's pause.

After a gust of wind swept away the clouds, Huo Guang, who was already a little hungry, finished the big bowl of food.

There are soup and vegetables, which not only fills Huo Guang's belly, but also makes his whole body very hot and very comfortable.

After Huo Guang put down the dishes and chopsticks, Huo Xian, who was waiting, immediately sent tea again, so that Huo Guang could eat and rinse his mouth.

After eating a full stomach, people's minds are not so flustered, Huo Guang's anxiety is temporarily put aside, and he also has the leisure to ask about the trivial matters in the back house.

"What is this food called?" Huo Guang asked.

"I heard that it's called rice noodles, and it's a recipe that the county officials have come up with in the past few days."

"I'm afraid it won't be a few days, and this rice noodle will be popular in Chang'an again." Huo Guang said with some contempt.

In the past half a year, many recipes have been passed out from the palace, and they have been widely circulated among the people of Chang'an City.

"Husband, no matter what, the county official first thought of letting us taste it, which shows that he still respects his husband."

Huo Guang nodded, but did not comment.

Xuan wine, meat sandwich buns, mung bean porridge, moon cakes, glutinous rice balls...... They have all entered thousands of households and become frequent visitors to the Han people's cases.

With these foods, there are thousands of households, as well as the reputation of the Son of Heaven.

"Without the Son of Heaven, we can't eat these good things." This is a phrase on the lips of many people.

These things more or less added some fame to the Son of Heaven.

And because the people are eager for these foods, there are many people who make a living from it.

Needless to say, there were many things that could be sold in the restaurant, and merchants began to sell wheat, rice, sesame oil, and other goods from Kanto to Chang'an Castle.

Back and forth, these businessmen benefited, but they made the people impetuous.

In Huo Guang's view, this is still a thing that outweighs the loss.

Huo Guang looked at the tea in his hand, this little "hobby" has become a custom in the Han Empire.

From the officials and nobles to the peddlers and pawns, they have to drink tea every day.

There are more people who drink tea, there are more people who sell tea, and there are more people who grow tea - then there are fewer people who grow food.

Agriculture-oriented, without people who grow food, can the world be stable?

Huo Guang was one of the best people in the Han Empire, but due to the limitations of the times, he did not know the truth of "interests promote change".

If there are fewer people farming, then the price of food will rise again, and naturally there will be people who will farm – and then form a kind of regulation and circulation, without strong intervention, and will not completely collapse.

Moreover, this coming and going, it seems to be a toss, but it is not meaningless.

Food farmers who grow grain will find ways to increase their yields, and tea farmers who grow tea will also find ways to increase tea yields.

Over time, there will be further abundant harvests of grain and tea.

Huo Guang preconceived the view that "agriculture is the foundation of the country", and of course he could not see Liu He's idea of using the consumption side to drive the supply side.

Naturally, he can only equate these efforts of the Son of Heaven with the "extravagant and wasteful penchant" of the Son of Heaven in the past dynasties.

Huo Guang put down the teacup and followed Huo Xian's words and asked.

"Is this the recipe sent by the queen?" Huo Guang asked.

"The messenger from the palace said that it was the county official and Chengjun who issued an edict to let them send it." Huo Xian said.

"Well, don't call Chengjun in the future, call the queen, otherwise outsiders will listen to it, and they will say that the Huo family doesn't know the severity." Huo Guang reminded.

"No." Huo Xian hurriedly replied.

Huo Guang didn't let Huo Yu call him his father, and of course he wouldn't let Huo Xian call Huo Chengjun's daughter.

This seems to be strictly abiding by the code of ethics of kings and ministers, but in fact, it is just trying to cover up.

"Then did the queen send you a letter privately?"

Alone and privately, four words and two words, revealing the smell of conspiracy.

"Not yet, maybe the queen and the county officials are just like glue, and they haven't been able to find time to write letters." Huo Xian carefully observed Huo Guang's joy and anger.

This reason is actually unreasonable, Huo Chengjun has not entered the palace for a day or two, but for ten days.

If you have time to send this inconsequential recipe, won't you have time to write a letter back?

Not to mention that in the days before Huo Chengjun entered the palace, Huo Xian reminded her again and again.

Let her send a letter back in three or five days, and report to Huo Guang and Huo Xian about the daily life of the Son of Heaven in Weiyang Palace.

Which courtiers did the Son of Heaven meet?

Is the Son of Heaven's body sick?

What are the special preferences of the Son of Heaven?

What's the rumor of Weiyang Palace?

……

Since the Weiyang Guard was cleaned up by Wang Ji under the Son of Heaven, Weiyang Palace has become a real "palace ban" for the Huo family

Although Huo Guang can still enter and leave the palace, he can't spy on the things around the Son of Heaven.

This made Huo Guang lose a lot of opportunities when he made a decision.

Sending Huo Chengjun to Weiyang Palace, one of the most direct and clear functions is to monitor the life of the Son of Heaven, so that Huo Guang can regain control of the Son of Heaven's movements.

Now that no information has been sent, this hope is naturally in vain.

"Didn't you send six or seven old maids to the palace with the queen, and did they send letters out?"

Huo Guang was not angry, but there was no emotion in this tone, and he already revealed a trace of dissatisfaction that could not be concealed.

"I heard that the Weiyang Palace is now very strict, and ordinary slaves and maids are not allowed to communicate with outside the palace......"

"These old maids have just entered the palace, and if they want to buy off the Lang Wei and Bing Wei of Weiyang Palace, and find a loophole that can be exploited, I'm afraid it will take a while."

Huo Guang didn't answer after listening to Huo Xian's explanation, but just said "um" in his nose, saying that he didn't want to delve into the matter, but he still felt dissatisfied.

"Don't worry, husband, I will write a letter to the queen today, and remind me a few more words in the letter, presumably the queen will immediately remember the matter of writing the letter."

I can't find a secret channel in Weiyang Palace, so I can only ask openly: The queen is not like those old maids, she wants to send a letter outside the palace, and no one can stop her.

After Huo Xian finished saying this remedy, Huo Guang's face finally eased a little, and nodded.

"I also have to mention a few more words about the matter of the imperial heir, only you, who are mothers, can talk about this matter."

"You have to let the queen know that everything in this Weiyang Palace is fake, and only the birth of the imperial heir is real, so as to protect her glory and the respect of the Huo family."

Huo Guang said these words highly, and he couldn't hear the slightest emotion in them.

At this moment, in his heart, Huo Chengjun was no longer his daughter at all, but a tool to take advantage of.

"No, the concubine knows." Huo Xian hurriedly responded.

Huo Guang nodded again, and did not dwell on this matter anymore, which made Huo Xian finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"In addition, the old man has a family matter to ask his wife."

"Husband, just ask."

"In the past few days, my wife has worked hard with her retainers to calculate my Huo family's family affairs, and the old man has never taken care of this family's affairs on weekdays, so I am really a little ashamed."

Huo Guang said stiffly, and put his hand on Huo Xian's hand, expressing reassurance and approval.

This finally made Huo Xian let go of his last worries and nervousness, and his face became bright again.

"The male protagonist is outside the female protagonist, this is what a concubine should do." Huo said decently.

"What the old man wants to ask you is, how many families does my Huo family have now?"

After Huo Xian heard this, he was shocked.

She didn't know why Huo Guang, who had never interfered in this business, suddenly asked about it.

"Husband, what did you do when you suddenly asked about this?" Huo Xian asked with some vigilance.

Of course, Huo Guang was not on a whim, but because of Le Cheng, who was still locked up in the edict at the moment and didn't know life and death.

The Son of Heaven sent someone to take Le Cheng, and also sent his cronies Chen Xiu and Huang Ba to take care of it, obviously treating this person as a card in his hand.

Moreover, the Son of Heaven issued an edict to let the officials of Chang'an City report their families.

He also wants to use anti-corruption ink to set off party disputes.

This reminded Huo Guang of one thing, he wanted to see if he had the tail of corruption hanging behind him.

"Madame, don't worry, it's just that Le Cheng was impeached, and one of the charges is corruption and perversion of the law."

"The old man sees that the Son of Heaven has the idea of prospering in prison, so he wants to have a bottom in his heart." Huo Guang asked calmly.

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(End of chapter)