The Great General and His Little Scholars

Zhao Qun looked at Aunt Cheng wonderingly and said, "Which year didn't you go to the general's mansion a few times for business?"

"It's not an ordinary business." Ms. Cheng reminded Zhao Qun, "My lord is also a nobleman who forgets things too much. I still remember Aunt Zhu from the General's Mansion said that the origin of his cousin was unknown. My lord suspected that it was a criminal surnamed Tong at that time. An illegitimate child was hidden by the general's mansion, so we went to track it down."

Zhao Qun frowned, and suddenly said: "Is that what happened? I remembered, but at the time it was said that it was the general's illegitimate son, and I was bored. It is said that the general's wife sent the child away soon , I guess I must be very unhappy."

After finishing speaking, he said awkwardly: "Perhaps since then, he has offended the General's Mansion."

Aunt Cheng said: "Your Excellency, you never thought about where the child was sent?"

"Who cares about those things, it's a taboo to investigate privately." Zhao Qun shook his head.

"Does your lord still remember the age of the general's illegitimate son?"

"About seven or eight years old, kid, he looks really good-looking."

Aunt Cheng said in her words: "A child of seven or eight years old looks very good-looking. If he is now 17 years old, he will be [-] years old. If he really looks like the general's illegitimate child, he will definitely not end up in an unknown place. .”

Zhao Qun frowned, turned to look at Aunt Cheng and asked, "What on earth are you going to say? After asking about the old affairs of the General's Mansion for a long time, what riddles are you playing?"

"Isn't this going to give you the answer to the mystery?" Aunt Cheng rolled Zhao Qun's eyes coquettishly, "My lord is also too careless, I never thought that the young man who looked so refined back then might be under my lord's nose today. Are you an official in the same dynasty?"

Zhao Qun was stunned for a moment, then smacked his lips and said: "The appearance is refined...an official in the same dynasty...you...are you talking about Master Sima of the Imperial Academy?"

Aunt Cheng clapped her hands and said, "You've got the hang of it, you're not talking about him."

Zhao Qun shook his head and said, "How is that possible? Master Sima is the youngest son of King Fucheng, who lives in Tanzhou. It is said that the general's illegitimate son was sent to Binzhou."

"But Sister Zhu told me today that the Hanlin lord and the child who was rumored to be the illegitimate son of the general in the house are basically the same person."

"Ah?!" Zhao Qun was very surprised, grabbed Aunt Cheng's wrist and said, "But it's true?"

"Of course it's true." Aunt Cheng pouted, "If it's not true, would I dare to talk nonsense about such a big matter? Oh, my lord, you're hurting me."

Zhao Qun hurriedly let go, and asked again: "Did Aunt Zhu say why he went to Tanzhou again and became the son of King Fucheng?"

"That's not true." Aunt Cheng shook her head and said, "Sister Zhu is just a concubine in the general's mansion. She has a higher status after giving birth to a son. You also know that the general is cold-tempered and has many concubines. But the mansion However, the big and small matters have always been handed over to the official wife, and no concubines are allowed to intervene."

Zhao Qun nodded, thought about it seriously, and said in a deep voice, "This matter is really too strange. What is the identity of Master Sima?"

Aunt Cheng reminded: "Didn't your lord say that His Royal Highness Zhao Wang is thoroughly investigating Lord Sima? If this matter is really suspicious, you report it to His Royal Highness Zhao. Will he look at you with admiration?"

After hearing this, Zhao Qun was enlightened, stretched out his arms to hug Aunt Cheng, kissed Aunt Cheng a few times and said, "It's really my good boy, I knew it was right to let you into the mansion back then."

In the imperial palace, the Zichen Hall, the emperor Song Yuanxi looked at the stack of battle reports on several cases, frowned tightly, and said coldly: "Since the beginning of winter, the army guarding the northeast border has retreated steadily. This month alone, I have eaten twice The defeat, this time even the Jiedu envoy who was chaman in the border town was seriously injured. Doesn’t the general Li Chengwu not want to do it!”

Several officials standing below all glanced at King Zhao Song Yuanhao at the same time. Song Yuanhao's face was gloomy and he didn't say a word.

At this time, Zhongshu ordered Qin Zhong to take a step forward and said, "My Majesty, General Li has always been known as the 'Ma Su's Second' and only talks on paper. That's why I tried my best to send him to fight against the enemy. Remonstrance."

Cao Qian, the Minister of War at the side, looked at Song Yuanhao's face and said hurriedly: "General Li Chengwu was born in a martial arts family. He is highly skilled in martial arts and extremely brave. He is also familiar with military books and has his own way of dispatching troops. This time defending against the enemy is really a surprise attack." The heavy snowfall caught the three armies off guard."

Qin Zhong sneered and said, "Didn't the food, grass, and military equipment of the three armies have already been sent to the border towns before winter? Now that we have cotton-padded armaments, why are we afraid of sudden changes in the weather?"

Cao Qian was stunned: "Master Qin, what do you mean by this? Could it be that you suspect the army that transports food and grass?"

Qin Zhong didn't answer, but everyone present knew that the generals who transported the food and grass were all from Song Yuanhao.So Song Yuanhao finally couldn't help but said: "Qin Zhong! You are so daring to accuse court officials of guarding and stealing for no reason!"

Qin Zhong said calmly: "This is what His Highness said, and I didn't say a single word."

Song Yuanhao glared angrily, and just about to get angry, Song Yuanxi slapped the table and said: "If I want to watch the quarrel in the market, I will move to the Dongcheng Grand Bazaar, and you need to fight here."

After finishing speaking, he looked around at the officials and said: "Nowadays, it is urgent to check the fullness, this is the top priority! What good strategies can you have?"

Song Yuanhao's eyes moved, and he winked at Cao Qian.Cao Qian immediately said: "The Russian captives are ferocious, their temperament and physique are like wild animals, they are warlike and can fight, and they are not afraid of death. Such a barbaric army, I am afraid that the Liao family army of Liao Mingsi, the loyal military general, can withstand one or two such barbaric troops."

Liao Shan, who had been standing aside without speaking, frowned.Song Yuanxi also shook his head and said: "The Liao family's army has just returned from the border town and has not been rested yet, so it is not suitable to go out rashly to check the situation."

Song Yuanhao looked at Liao Shan coldly, and said: "General Liao is familiar with the battle on the battlefield, according to the general's opinion?"

Liao Shan looked calm, and said with a smile: "General Li's army is better equipped than Ming Division's, and the number is [-] more. It is still unable to defeat the Russian captives. It is true that Ming Division has just returned from a battle, and both men and horses need training."

After speaking, he said to Song Yuanxi: "The emperor's lesson, I believe that it is in the depths of winter, and no matter the time and place, large-scale mobilization of troops is not allowed. The northeast frontier is freezing, and the Russian captives will persist for a long time. General Li Chengwu has sufficient supplies, although he cannot Retreating the enemy can still hold them back. If the army can be rested by the beginning of next spring, it will not be too late to send reinforcements."

Song Yuanhao immediately said angrily: "Raising soldiers for a thousand days and using them for a short time, at this juncture, the general actually finds an excuse to shirk sending troops?"

Qin Zhong next to him smiled and said: "That's exactly what you said, Your Highness Zhao Wang. General Li Chengwu's army has been idle for three years, and you used this sentence when you strongly recommended him. And didn't you say that Li Chengwu The general is well-read in military books, can he be good at fighting? Could it be that he can't persist for a few months?"

"You..." Song Yuanhao was about to lose his temper.

Song Yuanxi stopped and said: "Okay, since General Liao said so, the sending of troops to support will be postponed. In addition, Babaili urgently sent an imperial decree to Li Chengwu to reprimand him and fine him half a year's salary as a punishment! If you lose the battle again, you will be handed over. Troop talisman!"

Coming out of the Zichen Palace, Song Yuanhao walked into the bedroom without saying a word, Cao Qian followed and said, "I didn't expect General Liao to know so much about General Li's food, supplies, etc. It seems that the emperor won't send a major general to reinforce him anytime soon."

Song Yuanhao frowned, and said coldly, "Hmph, if Li Chengwu is captured by the enemy, do you think the emperor will send troops?"

"What?" Cao Qian was taken aback: "Your Highness means..."

"Immediately let the secret history go..." Song Yuanhao made arrangements like this.

Cao Qian said anxiously: "However, although we have secretly had a private relationship with the Russian prisoner in the past few years, the other party is extremely barbaric and always opens his mouth like a lion. What if we take this opportunity to blackmail instead?"

"Then let's use Liao Mingsi's hand to kill them. There is no evidence of death, how can you blackmail me. Instead, I can take this opportunity to negotiate terms with the new leader of the Russian captives again." Song Yuanhao said coldly: "Hmph! Anyway, as long as the emperor sends Liao Mingsi to send troops, no matter which side can be destroyed, it will be beneficial to us and harmless."

Suddenly, Cao Qian went down to make arrangements.

Liu Chang came in and asked, "Your Highness is resting in the palace today, or should you go back to another courtyard?"

Song Yuanhao thought for a while and asked, "Yuan Zhenke went to the Queen Mother to pay her respects?"

"Both the king and county master of Sufeng County are with the Queen Mother."

A secretive smile floated on Song Yuanhao's face: "The county lord is here too? Then this king can manage a good marriage for her."

Liu Chang said again: "A few days ago, someone sent word that a captain named Zhao Qun of the hussars guards seemed to have found out some old things about Sima Jiangtong."

"Oh?" Song Yuanhao's eyes lit up, and he said, "Tell that person to meet the king in another courtyard tonight."

In Fukang Palace, Song Yuanzhen was very preoccupied, and she didn't care when Xu Pinyan told Xu Wen some jokes.

Seeing this, Xu Pinyan asked, "Is the princess on your mind?"

Xu Wen sighed and said: "What else is there, she just stubbornly thinks about that Liao Mingsi. The Japanese Palace also told the emperor, but the emperor said that the frontier is tight now, and it is time to employ people, so it is not good to treat him The general's mansion is here."

Song Yuanzhen did not pout to refute as usual, she looked sleepy for a while, then suddenly looked at Xu Pinyan and said, "What about you? Has there been an answer from the General's Mansion about the matter with Sima Jiangtong?"

Xu Pinyan shook his head and looked at Xu Wen.Xu Wen frowned and wondered; "How far is it from the capital to Tanzhou? Why hasn't there been any reply from Fucheng Palace for half a month?"

"It's a long journey, maybe something went wrong." A voice came from outside, and Song Yuanhao strode into the palace, saluting: "After seeing the mother, the son heard that the two younger sisters were there, so he happily forgot Let them pass it on."

Xu Wen loved Song Yuanhao very much, and said with a smile: "Whatever is important, it's all from my own family." After saying that, she hurriedly laid out a warm cushion for Song Yuanhao to sit down.

Song Yuanhao looked at Xu Pinyan, and said: "Pinyan, you are of noble birth, but Sima Jiangtong is just a concubine. In fact, the mother's queen directly pointed out the marriage. There is no need to wait for the reply from King Fucheng."

When Xu Wen heard this, complex emotions flashed across her eyes: "Is this..."

Song Yuanhao looked at Xu Wen with both eyes, and said with authenticity in his words: "Could it be possible that the queen mother still has to look at King Fucheng's face when she does things? King Fucheng should have understood the principle of monarchs and ministers 20 years ago."

Xu Wen's complexion changed slightly, and the atmosphere became a little awkward.