Zhurou

Chapter 242 Toast

Pei Yong also held a glass in his hand. The glass was originally for the emperor and was larger and heavier. It was handed to him by Zhao Hongqiang, so he could not refuse. He held it in his hand for a long time and even forgot to put it down.

It was not until a eunuch at the side came forward with a tray that he lowered his eyes slightly, put the wine glass back, and turned around with everyone else to bow and express gratitude. After completing all the procedures, he could not help but look up again. There was no Zhao Mingzhi there. There was only a breeze blowing by, and the curtains outside the princess' carriage were tightly closed, moving gently with the wind.

Pei Yong felt sad for a moment, but within that sadness, there was also a slight indescribable sadness.

He was still in a daze, and standing beside him was Wei Chengyan.

The latter was left alone in Beijing, with countless questions in his mind, but it was not convenient to speak in such an occasion. He could not help but look at his second brother repeatedly, but the other party ignored him and kept looking down the stage.

Wei Chengyan didn't dare to say anything and followed his gaze several times, but the two were two or three body lengths away from each other, and there were tens of thousands of people outside. How could he find the one Pei Yong was looking at? Moreover, in the current situation, he couldn't even turn around in place. He could only ask himself "What are you doing?" a million times in his mind. Anyone who put his head into that belly would hear the noisy noises inside.

The emperor went out of the city to welcome him, and there were many ritual requirements.

Zhao Hong did everything the ceremonial officer said, and then he was led to inspect the soldiers on and off the platform in order.

He had only taken a few steps when he saw a group of people kneeling on the ground. He really didn't know what to say or do at this moment. Thinking of what Zhao Mingzhi had said before, he hesitated for a moment, then turned around and said to the person behind him: "Pei Qing."

When he turned around, he hesitated and looked at the soldier in front of him.

Pei Yong was slightly startled, then quickly stepped forward. Without Zhao Hong's further instructions, he pointed at the man who was saluting and introduced him, "This man's name is Xue Xiaoyou. He is originally from Xiangfu County in the capital. He is thirty-four this year. He has been a volunteer in the city defense army for only half a year. At the beginning of the year when the capital was guarding, he faced the enemies and threw stones at them. He poured more than twenty barrels of tung oil under the city alone. He did not retreat even though his hands and face were injured. Later, he followed the officials to chase the Di people. He rushed into the Di people's formation first, fought hard, and killed eight bandits..."

Following Pei Yong's introduction, Xue Xiaoyou, who was already very nervous and could only kneel on the ground, forgot the instructions she had heard countless times before. She could not help but raise her head, her eyes became red, and her lips trembled. She wanted to respond but did not dare to make a sound, and she did not know what to say.

Zhao Hong was already very excited after hearing this. He turned around to look for Wang Shu, but saw that the man had nothing in his hands. He then looked at the yellow door with a tray not far away, waved his hand, took the wine glass on it, poured the wine, and brought it to Xue Xiaoyou himself, saying, "On behalf of the people of the capital and the refugees in the north, I toast you! It is because of your bravery and loyalty that our Great Jin has won today!"

Xue Xiaoyou swallowed several times and hurriedly rubbed the sweat from both palms onto his body. However, the armor was too hard to wipe clean, so when he took the wine cup, he was unsteady and spilled half of it. He didn't know how much regret he had in his heart. He swallowed the wine in one gulp and then turned the wine cup over. But at this time, he still didn't know what to say. He could only kneel on the ground, his eyes were hotter, and tears had already blurred his eyes. After a long time, he knew how to say "I... Thank the emperor for the reward!"

After Pei Yong and Zhao Hong finished encouraging each other, he gently put his hand on Xue Xiaoyou's shoulder before continuing forward.

He introduced the soldiers on the stage one by one, describing their origins and achievements clearly, using simple and concise words, without any distinction between high and low, as if he were also an ordinary soldier. As for Zhao Hong, it seemed as if he was also a comrade-in-arms with the same heart and mind, and could support each other.

Zhao Hong was facing so many people all of a sudden, and he was unfamiliar with them. Although he had already got the list of names and had already thought of an explanation in his mind, when the time came, he felt that it was too awkward to say it.

But now that he had been introduced by Pei Yong, he did not feel that he was just going through the motions. Instead, it was as if he was meeting real faces. When he spoke again, he had no previous awkwardness at all. He did not even need to say much. He just solemnly poured a full glass of wine for the other person and said a few words of encouragement. However, all of it came from his heart, and he felt more at ease.

The Jin Dynasty had been at war for many years, and the system that required officials from all over the country to come to the capital to meet the emperor before rotating to the capital had long been in name only. Moreover, those who could come to the capital to meet the emperor were all people who had experienced ups and downs in the officialdom, let alone the officials from the two governments who could meet the emperor every day.

But this time, because Zhao Mingzhi specifically instructed, most of the people selected were lower-ranking officers and soldiers.

No one ever expected that they would be able to see the emperor. It has always been said that those who are brave and righteous are mostly butchers, so this statement may not be without reason.

Soldiers in the army do not think much when doing things or treating people. They just act based on their emotions, thinking that how you treat me is how I treat you.

Now that Zhao Hong had come face to face, although he spoke few words, he was just a little boy, and his sincerity and genuine attitude could be felt by all those who came from the countryside and towns. No matter how their superiors had previously instructed them to pay attention to etiquette and rules, they could no longer control themselves at this moment. Some could not speak coherently, some were nervous and taciturn, and could only nod and kowtow, and quite a few even shed tears.

Zhao Hong was originally nervous, but his nervousness eased a lot after seeing Pei Yong's reaction. Seeing the soldiers' reactions, his mood gradually calmed down.

After meeting everyone on the stage, he walked down to the audience, only to see that there were three or four people in the row in front of him who were very short, more than a head shorter than the people on the left and right, almost like a "concave" character. He could not help but take another look.

Seeing this, Pei Yong pointed at those people with his palm, first saying their names, then their hometowns and origins, and finally saying, "These people are all conscripted laborers in the court. This time they set out from Dengzhou, first to the capital, then to Xuzhou, and then to Damingfu, Taiyuan and other places. There were many difficulties along the way, and even encountered the Di people's left wing interception on the way, but not a single person fled, but gathered together to fight them, and risked their lives to protect the baggage they transported, which included 50,000 arrows, especially 10,000 wooden feather arrows. If they cannot be delivered on time, the battle on the front line will be delayed for a while, and I don't know how many more soldiers will die."

"This time, Your Majesty wants to see the meritorious officials, but you need the princess's advice and the recommendation of the people in the camp to select them. Just as Your Majesty said just now, without the logistics, without the servants, without the people, there would be no today."

Compared with the rest of the soldiers, these servants were all skinny and short, with weather-beaten faces. They looked no different from any other farmers or common people seen in the fields by the roadside.

When they heard what Pei Yong said, even though their faces were tanned and no color could be seen no matter how much they blushed, they were all so excited that they could hardly control themselves and could not help but look up at Zhao Hong.

Zhao Hong took two steps forward, picked up the wine cups beside him with both hands, and presented them to the people one by one, saying solemnly: "You have done a righteous deed, and the court will certainly reward you. I also have a glass of wine to express my gratitude. Please drink this cup to the full, and the rest of the words will come from the full cup!"

After he finished speaking, he took another cup and drank it all with everyone.

He was short, and from a distance he seemed to be the same height as the people kneeling on the ground, as if they were one with him.

Not far away, the civil and military officials saw all this, but stood there in silence. Some were jealous, some were envious, and some were sighing.

As for Zhang Yi, Yang Ting and others, their faces were gloomy and their eyes were drooping, and they did not react at all. Zhao Hong did everything himself, not wanting to be negligent in the slightest. Naturally, the emperor's reception on this day ended very slowly. By the time all the procedures were completed, the sun was at noon.

The ministers were feeling uncomfortable due to the heat and kept complaining. However, on their way back, the roadside was full of common people who lined the streets to greet them and cheered and applauded. Some even hung lanterns and colored streamers in front of their houses. Some came with fruits and wanted to give them to the emperor, but were stopped by the patrolmen and guards. They had to send them to the patrolmen instead. Some people pushed carts and carried loads on their shoulders. They were not all peddlers. Occasionally, there were ordinary people and wealthy families who pooled their money together to reward the three armies. Although the money could not be actually sent to the army, it made the place lively.

At this time, a banquet had already been prepared at the camp outside the city. When they returned to the city, a banquet had already been set up in the palace. Zhao Hong presided over the banquet, and officials from both governments accompanied him. The soldiers were entertained inside and outside the Zichen Hall. No matter what other people thought, at least at this moment, the army and the people were united, and there was joy from top to bottom.

Zhao Hong was young and weak, so he didn't dare drink too much and just drank plain water instead. Zhao Mingzhi was already exhausted both physically and mentally, and just managed to hold on.

Today, the three armies returned to the court and the welcoming ceremony was completed. When my younger brother was visiting the soldiers, Pei Yong was standing by to guide them. Not only did it go smoothly, but everyone at the top and bottom looked at him with admiration.

Since it was nothing important, Zhao Mingzhi put his mind at ease. He could no longer hold on to his fatigue. He explained to his brother that he had other things to do and would not attend the banquet. Then he left. When he returned to the palace, he washed up and fell asleep.

For some reason, I still didn't sleep well this time. I woke up several times. I was sweating all over, my head was dizzy, my hands and feet were weak, and I felt weak all over. In a daze, I thought about the many things I still had to do the next day. I suddenly woke up, opened my eyes, and saw that it was already noon.

She was about to get up, but felt even weaker, so she had to ring the bell to let someone in and summon the doctor on duty. After feeling her pulse, she found that the summer heat had invaded her body, and she had also suffered from a cold. She had a weak spleen and damaged liver, a symptom of alternating cold and heat, and was now running a fever.

The medical officer wrote out the medicine and naturally gave many instructions, telling Zhao Mingzhi to worry less, rest more, avoid the cold and heat, and recuperate.

Only Zhao Mingzhi took the medicine. His fever subsided at that time, but when the effect of the medicine wore off, his fever came back in the evening. He was so feverish that he was confused for a while. He still remembered asking his brother not to call him over to prevent him from passing on the disease.

She had recurring high fevers, and the pain was unspeakable. She was still taking care of the affairs of the court, and struggled to read memorials for half a day. But as she read on, she could no longer hold on. She felt her chest tighten, her eyes were red and hot, and even her breathing became a little difficult. She had to let go of her hands and lie down again.

As Mo Xiang and Yu Shuang were not around when the patient fell ill, the other palace maids were undecided and did not dare to report to Zhao Hong, so they had to go and summon the medical officer again.

Zhao Hong left the banquet in a hurry. Although he was not very proud of himself, he had many things to say to Zhao Mingzhi. However, when he just left the palace, he was told that everyone had gone to bed. Knowing that his elder sister had worked hard, although he was a little disappointed, he did not go to disturb her and went to bed. He went to ask again early the next morning, and then he found out the whole story. He became angry, but could not blame others, so he could only hurriedly urge the medical officers to come.

This time, Zhao Mingzhi's illness came on very seriously. Several medical officers took turns to treat him, using medicine and moxibustion, but the fever kept coming back and forth.

She was in great pain from the fever. Her mind was in a state of clarity yet confusion. She was clearly unable to function, but she could not sleep well day or night. She felt hot and cold all over.

For several days, Zhao Hong was extremely anxious. He almost broke into Zhao Mingzhi's bedroom to check on her, but was stopped every time. Not to mention the daily imperial lectures, he could hardly concentrate even during court meetings. He summoned the medical officer for questioning seven or eight times a day, and he wished he could go out and post a notice to recruit all the best doctors in the world to come to the palace to treat his eldest sister.

Seeing the emperor in such a state, the two governments naturally had many thoughts. Some people were positive and praised him for his "deep love between sister and brother" and "shared blood". Some people were negative and said he was "young and impetuous" and "acted frivolously". As for Zhang Yi and others, they shook their heads and secretly cursed him for being "brought up by women".

On this day, Zhao Mingzhi had a high fever and was still having problems. As soon as the court meeting was over, Zhang Yi took a few quick steps and glanced at Yang Ting.

The two men fell to one side and walked out together. They walked for a while without saying a word. When there were no other people around, Zhang Yi sighed and said, "If Your Majesty is like this, I'm afraid that the royal family may not be able to have peace in the future."

He couldn't help but sigh again, saying, "That Zong Gu died at a really bad time."

Yang Ting said: "It is better to die early. It is also easier to fight three to five months less. As for the rest..."

He paused, glanced at the guards standing in the distance, who didn't seem to take it to heart, and said, "It is important for people to know themselves. If they don't know themselves, they can find other ways. But after all, this has been a contribution. If it doesn't get to the end, we should give them some face to avoid gossip."

Zhang Yi looked at him and sneered, "I heard that the palace had a lot to say about the personnel assignment submitted by the Secretary of State last time. Let's wait for a while and see how the Minister of State will give us some face after we get the approval!"

As he spoke, he quickened his pace and went ahead.

Yang Ting stood where he was. Although his face remained expressionless, his hands slowly clenched into fists in his sleeves. After a long while, he continued to walk forward.

Now that the north has been recovered and the Di people have retreated, it is natural to select officials to go north as soon as possible. However, there are prefectures and counties of all sizes, some near and some far, some high and some low. There are so many people watching the few high counties near the capital, and the forces among them must be balanced.

The appointment and dismissal proposals submitted by Yang Ting naturally had some tendencies.

Zhao Hong was just a kid who couldn't even fully understand the official duties and assignments, so how could he have said anything? In the end, the person behind the screen just refused to agree.

Unlike Zhang Yi, Yang Ting would rather sit firmly on the throne than the one in Xiazhou. However, taking history as a mirror, and looking at the temperament and behavior of the current emperor, he cannot help but feel more worried.

It's just an ordinary illness. Your Majesty is so flustered after being sick for only a few days. Normally, you always have to look to the person behind the screen for his opinion on everything.

Hens crowing at dawn is never a good sign.

  Thank you Ayunbo and Siyueweiyu for the sachet you gave me. Ni Zao gave Xiao Lu a... razor blade? Huh?

Thank you to book friend 20170222134110318 for the two amulets, and book friend 20211110015000935 for the amulet I gave you:)