The twelfth year of Qi Jianwu, October 28.

The almanac says that the crane does not sing.

At three o'clock, before dawn, the square in front of the palace was already crowded with important ministers, except for a very few high-ranking officials who were not in the capital, the Beijing officials above the seventh rank were already waiting here.

Wenchen and military generals have their own groups, although it is not absolutely clear, but it can probably be seen that there are relatively fixed circles one after another.

There are palace people around the square holding torches, and by the swaying firelight, most of the people's eyes are focused on the corner on the east side, where there are twelve border army generals, who are also the absolute protagonists of today's court meeting.

The three commanders made Chen Lanyu, He Gui and Huo Zhen stand in the front, and the back are arranged in order according to their military positions, each of them standing upright and solemn, revealing their sharp momentum.

After the seven lieutenants, there was a pair of young men and women who were currently the lowest in military rank.

Even in this slightly dim light, Lu Shen and Li Bingxue still seem to be a pair of beautiful people, which attracts everyone's attention.

"I don't think the grown-ups are looking at the monkeys."

Lu Shen laughed softly at himself.

Li Bingxue said: "That's why I hate the capital. By the way, did you eat more before you went out? ”

Lu Shen responded: "I have eaten a lot, and I still have some support." ”

Li Bingxue said leisurely: "That's good, today's court meeting will definitely last for a long time." ”

Before the words fell, the palace door in front of him slowly opened.

With the singing of the imperial history, hundreds of officials rushed in.

After several expansions, the imperial palace of the state of Qi is now composed of Duancheng Hall, Hanging Arch Hall, Chongzheng Hall and Wende Hall, its Chinese Hall is the place where the Son of Heaven works daily and privately summons important ministers, the Chongzheng Hall is the place where the Son of Heaven lectures, the Vertical Arch Hall is the place of the Chang Dynasty, and the Duancheng Hall is the place where the Great Dynasty Meeting is held.

Under the guidance of the officials of the Ministry of Rites, the hundred officials entered the palace from the left and right gates respectively, went up to the grade bridge, crossed the Fengtian Gate, came to the square in front of the Duancheng Palace, and entered the Duancheng Hall according to the rank of the position.

Lu Shen and Li Bingxue stood in the middle and back of the military attaché column, about seven or eight zhang away from the dragon chair on the imperial steps.

Then the drums sounded.

When the third drum sound stopped, and the magnificent and neutral Shao music sounded, the Son of Heaven led the palace under the Duancheng Palace.

His Majesty's music played, the officials of the Ministry of Rites called for signs, and the hundred officials bowed to the Son of Heaven four times.

At this point, the etiquette is complete.

The ministers knew this set of procedures well, and there were no mistakes, and Lu Shen was able to complete it decently because he had received a face-to-face instruction from the eunuchs in the palace yesterday.

He knew that this was just an ordinary court, not a dynasty such as Zhengdan or Daqing, and the etiquette was relatively simple, but to a certain extent, it highlighted the majesty of the Heavenly Family.

The atmosphere in the hall was calm, and all the officials were solemn.

On the dragon chair, Li Duan looked around at the ministers below, paused slightly when passing a corner, and then continued to move to the side, and said calmly: "Ladies and gentlemen, today's great court meeting is a little late, I originally wanted to hold it in the middle of the month, but considering that the detailed and accurate battle report has not yet been sent from the north, I postponed it for half a month. ”

His tone was as usual, with no obvious eagerness or exaggeration.

The ministers knew exactly what the war report from the north meant.

Li Duan looked at one of the Wenchen trains, and said gently, "Ding Shangshu." ”

Shang Shuding of the military department will immediately go out and say: "The minister is here." ”

Li Duan said: "It's up to Aiqing to talk about the battle report in the north." ”

"Obey."

Ding Hui's face was slightly happy, as if he was really proud of the victory achieved by the officers and men of the border army, and said unhurriedly: "The battle in northern Xinjiang began on April 25, and the army of the puppet Yan Dongyang Road brazenly invaded the northern border of Huaizhou. Finally, on August 12, Meng Zhixiang, the defender of Jianghua City on the pseudo-Yan Moyang Road, moved the city to Shun. ”

"This battle lasted for three and a half months, and the soldiers of our dynasty fought bravely and resolutely as one, and successively won the great victory of Guangling, Qingxia and Jiangbei. Annihilated and captured more than 82,000 soldiers of the Puppet Yan and Jing Dynasty, and recovered the seven cities of Yingze, Yongchun, Yangzhai, Jianghua, Jiangle, Youxi and Xunyang, and Jingzhou and Huaizhou were connected and no longer separated by the Puppet Yan army. ”

"Millions of people from the north returned to the rule of Great Qi, and the conspiracy of the pseudo-Yan was directly foiled, which is a great victory celebrated by the whole world for twelve years, and the ministers are congratulatory to the Great Qi! Congratulations to Your Majesty! Long live my emperor, long live, long live! ”

Ding Hui's tone gradually raised, and his loud voice echoed in the hall.

Long live the ministers, no matter what they thought in their hearts, the expressions on their faces at this moment were roughly the same, all full of excitement and generosity. Especially some old ministers who are over fifty years old, after listening to this brief but detailed battle report, tears flashed in their old eyes, and they couldn't help but bow to the Son of Heaven on the dragon chair.

"Zhongqing is flat." Li Duan looked at this scene quite moved, perhaps at this moment he remembered that the old capital fell thirteen years ago, and he took on the responsibility of continuing the national honor in a dazed and fearful state, at that time he couldn't sleep well all night, lest he open his eyes and hear the news that the Jing Dynasty army had arrived in the city.

At that moment, how could he have thought that in the past twelve years, he had not only defended half of the south of the Hengjiang River, but also turned defense into attack and achieved such a brilliant victory.

The ministers gradually calmed down, and Li Duan said emotionally: "If it weren't for the loyalty of the ministers of the DPRK and the Central Committee, and the soldiers of the border army sacrificing their lives for the country, how could there be such a great victory?" Over the years, whenever I think of the fall of the old capital and the destruction of the Heavenly Family Temple, I often feel guilty about how I will face my ancestors and ancestors in a few years. I...... I am really unfilial descendants. ”

The Son of Heaven's voice trembled, and when he ascended, he attracted a louder wave below.

"Your Majesty, it's the incompetence of the ministers, they can't share the worries of the king, and the ministers deserve death!"

"Your Majesty, the haze is gradually gone, the light is returning, and I will definitely be able to recover the homeland of Jiangbei!"

"Please also ask Your Majesty to be relieved, and take care of the dragon's body as your mind!"

The crowd is surging, and there are many noisy scenes.

Lu Shen lowered his head slightly, didn't say a word, and quietly watched this scene.

Li Duan sighed, raised his hand to wipe the corners of his eyes, and said with great relief: "Now that Jiangbei has recovered the seven cities and millions of people have returned to the rule of Great Qi, I can finally sleep peacefully these days." At the end of this year's festival, I want to dedicate the prisoners of war and the fruits of victory to the Taimiao to comfort the souls of the kings of the Heavenly Family. ”

The ministers bowed their heads and praised.

Li Duan said again: "I want to talk to all the Qing family today, and I have been hiding my heart for thirteen years. The change of Yuanjia, now there are fewer and fewer people mentioning it, and the court is almost extinct, I know that the people don't want to embarrass me, but how can I forget? The old capital fell, the imperial palace was burned, the temple was destroyed, the first emperor, the queen mother and the imperial brothers died, and Daqi suffered a humiliation that has never been seen in the 140 years since the founding of the country. ”

His eyes were slightly red, and he looked at the ministers and said, "This is my shame, the shame of your Aiqing, and the shame of the Great Qi Imperial Court!" I don't dare or forget for a day! ”

After hearing this, Lu Shen's mood was a little weird.

He could understand the reason why the emperor was so excited, after all, for an emperor with grand ambitions, the situation of Nanqi was really embarrassing, there were strong enemies outside and constraints inside, and no matter what he wanted to do, he had to consider the influence of all aspects. If it weren't for the support of Xiao Wangzhi and Li Tianrun, Li Duan might not have achieved anything.

But one of the things is related to the Lu family, the fire that burned the first emperor and the crown prince to death in Heluo City back then was a revenge method that Lu Tong had painstakingly planned for four years.

Of course, Lu Shen will stand on his father's side, not to mention that Lu Tong's revenge for the unjustly killed Yang Guangyuan is blameless, but he has not cultivated to the level of that old fox after all, and there will inevitably be some entanglements in his heart.

This determines that he cannot be as defenseless against the Son of Heaven as Li Tianrun, and perhaps this is one of the reasons why he firmly wants to return to the border.

In the main hall, hearing the sincere and deafening words of the Son of Heaven, all the officials were solemn, and no one dared to jump out and sing the opposite tune at this time.

Li Duan calmed down a little and said slowly: "I am glad that I still have the support of Zhongqing, and there are hundreds of thousands of sons and daughters who are not afraid of life and death to fight for Daqi, so that I can ease my strength." They serve the country, and how can I turn a blind eye? Therefore, I convened a great court meeting today to reward these soldiers who participated in the war in northern Xinjiang! ”

This is the proper meaning of the question, and the ministers have expected it.

Li Duan looked at the eunuch next to him, who immediately took a step forward and spread out the holy decree to read out two rewards.

Xiao Wangzhi, the governor of Huaizhou, was crowned as the Duke of Chong'an County for his merits, awarded the title of Zhuguo, and gave 5,000 households of food.

Li Tianrun, the governor of Jingzhou, was crowned as the Duke of Huai'an County for his merits, awarded the title of Pillar State, and gave 5,000 households of food.

In the title system of the Qi State, the founding county duke is the fourth class, second to the prince, the county prince and the founding prince.

The Pillar State is the second rank in the system of honors, second only to the Upper Pillar State.

For the generals of the border army, such a reward is already the top level, after all, Qi has always been very cautious about the reward of the title, and Li Duan has only been rewarded with two founding princes when he first succeeded to the throne in the twelve years since he ascended the throne.

Some people among the hundred officials think that the reward is a little too much, after all, Xiao and Li were both earls before, and now they directly cross the marquis and become the county duke, which is not appropriate. However, because of Li Duan's previous foreshadowing, the significance of Jiangbei's victory was raised to an extremely important level, and it was difficult for them to oppose it at this time.

Therefore, after a short silence, the hall resounded with the praise of "Your Majesty's Holy Ming".

In the military attache train, Lu Shen suddenly turned his head to look at Li Bingxue without a trace, and said softly with a smile: "Congratulations." ”

Li Tianrun is now the lord of the county, and he is also the governor of the border army with an army of 100,000, and his status in the court is one step further, even in the face of the privy envoy and the general who are in power.

As his most beloved eldest daughter, Li Bingxue can now be described as a real lady of the sky, and Li Sanlang and the like are not worth mentioning in front of her at all.

However, Li Bingxue didn't have much joy on her face, she turned her head to meet Lu Shen's gaze, and there was a faint worry in her eyes.

(End of chapter)