The Emperor ordered Zhao Tang

Chapter 86 Fat

It was already dusk when the man returned to Chunyang Village.

Chunyang Village is located on the plain east of Baqiao. The roads in the village are neat and orderly, and you can see families along the ditches, but they are not clustered together like "li". A village is a place where households intersect and live together, and a village is a place where large and small groups gather.

There are currently 143 households in Chunyang Village, which are subject to "immigration and relocation".

"Bang, bang." The man hurried back to the thatched cottage surrounded by the fence in the dark and knocked gently on the wooden door.

After abandoning his land and property in Fengxiang and fleeing, he became poor. In fact, even this thatched cottage was hastily built by corvée labor organized by the Sino-Agricultural Temple so that these refugees would not have to sleep in the wilderness after being given land.

"Tada." Footsteps were heard, and the wooden door opened. A barefoot woman stood inside and asked unhappily, "Why are you back so late?"

The man laughed twice and asked, "Have you had your supper? Is the child asleep?"

"No. Dalang and Erlang will wait for you to come back to eat together. I'll go heat up the food, you can wash up for a while."

"I ate in the city." The man put his hands together and lifted a heavy bag into the doorway, saying, "Tomorrow you go to Chang'an and make new winter clothes for yourself and Dalang and Erlang!"

The woman flared her nostrils and immediately smelled a foul odor. She opened the bag and reached in to touch it, and found that it was four or five pounds of mutton with bones, wet with blood, freshly killed!
"Look again!" the man raised his eyebrows.

"Hmm?" The dusk was so thick that the woman couldn't see clearly, so she had to reach out and grope again.

This was a big deal, as she discovered two new pairs of shoes, a piece of thick silk, and at least five hundred copper coins!
The woman was immediately frightened. Although she knew her husband was honest and sincere, when she saw so much wealth, she thought he must have been so poor that he stole it. She couldn't help but look serious and asked, "Did he do something bad?"

"Don't talk nonsense." The man walked in carrying a bag and said with a smile, "Today the yamen officials asked us to go to the county because they issued a military order. The strong men who are selected over 25 and under 40 will gather at the county tomorrow and prepare to go to Chang'an to receive training from the two departments. This is not only in Wannian, but also in other counties within the capital. These goods are issued by the county so that you can settle your wives and children."

"What are the two departments?" The woman was confused.

"I don't know either." The man rolled his eyes and recalled, "I asked the county magistrate, and he said it was the Ma Bu Du Jiao Division."

"How long will the training last?" The woman was very concerned about this time. She had just fled to the capital from Fengxiang in May, and there was no summer harvest at all. She could only wait until autumn to sow winter wheat. How could she manage the more than ten acres of fertile land without a man at home?

"I heard from the county magistrate that it will end in October."

"This..." The woman felt a little uncomfortable. The official was so cruel that he took the man away for more than three months.

"Do you have to take care of your own food and drink?" If he had to pay for it himself, she would never let her husband go.

"They are all in the camp." Seeing the woman's resentful face, the man comforted her, "Don't worry. The county magistrate said that you will have no worries about food and drink. On the day when your service is over, you will have drills and military lectures. Those who perform well will be rewarded by the emperor. At least five or six pieces of silk! Five or six pieces, do you know how much that is?"

Is there such a good thing? The woman sneered.

"Even if you can't get this reward, the government will still give you food rations during the winter. If you don't have a loom at home, you will get one and a few mulberry seedlings." The man chattered, describing the policies he heard in the county, and was a little excited: "In the future, if you make meritorious contributions, the government will assign you a few villain soldiers and take them home to serve you."

The woman felt a little better and sighed, "You've been gone for three months, and I'm the only one left at home with my three children. Sanlang is still so young... Besides, I heard that the warriors are very dangerous and dare to fight even the emperor. If you go to the camp and break the law one day, and the warriors kill you, what will you do? Don't lose your life without earning the reward."

"You should return this wealth to the government and not leave." The woman said in a heavy tone and pushed the bag away.

"oops!"

The man hugged the woman and advised, "More than a dozen other strong men in the village said they wanted to go, but I won't go. It's shameful! Besides, there are people to take care of food and drink in the camp, and you will get winter rations after your service. You and your three children won't starve during the New Year. As for the danger? There are more than a dozen people in our village going together, and we can take care of each other. As long as we don't break the law, who dares to bully us?"

"And you don't know, these five catties of fresh mutton, a piece of silk, and six hundred coins, all depend on my selection by the county. More than a hundred men from the village went, and only 17 of us including Leopard were selected. How can I refuse such a good thing? It's just one life, and instead of starving to death, freezing to death, dying of illness, or being eaten by others, it's better to try in the camp. Maybe you and your mother can live a good life."

The man glared at the woman as he spoke. Finally, he picked her up and went into the house, pressing her down on the couch. "That's it!"

----

In the Xianju Palace, the pale-faced Lady Chen fell into a deep sleep. The saint who was sitting beside the bed stood up holding the crying baby and said happily: "I have a beloved son! This child is born fat and strong, so let him grow fat."

The baby was chubby and weighed more than four pounds. Concubine Chen almost had a difficult delivery.

"We congratulate you." Han Yu, the Imperial Academy Scholar and Right Fufeng, Yuwen Rou, the Imperial Envoy, Zhao Ruxin, and others standing nearby all congratulated him. It was obvious that perhaps because of his mother's favor, this little guy was very much loved by the Saint.

"Since Concubine Chen has a son, she should be given a higher honor." Xuanhui Envoy Yu Wenrou stepped forward and said, "Concubine Chen is from Puzhou and is from a military family in Hezhong. She can be given the title of Lady of Hezhong County, or Lady of Fengling County."

"The second one." The saint vaguely remembered that there was a Lady Feng Ling in the later Zhaozong. On the way when the court was moved to Luoyang, she was beheaded on the bank of the Yellow River by the people of Bian along with Lady Yang Kezheng of Xinqin County and Lady Nangong Chongyan of Zhao State for resisting Quanzhong. Her surname is no longer traceable.

"Yes, I will send a letter to the relevant officials and choose a day to confer the title and receive the imperial decree." Yuwen Rou turned and left.

It is definitely necessary to seal it.

Among the concubines in the harem, except Concubine He Yuqing who was born into a commoner family, the other ones all had prominent backgrounds.

Yang Kezheng, the deputy envoy of the Xinqin County Lady Privy Council, is from the Yang family of Linzhou. She has thousands of soldiers and joins hands with the Zhe family to fight against the Tuoba family who occupies the position of Xia Sui. In the future, if she wants to deal with Tuoba Sigong, she will have to deal with the Yang and Zhe families.

The power of the Privy Councilor Zhao Ruxin's family in Qinzhou is not small. When his elder brother-in-law Zhao Fu entered the court, he brought 700 well-armed troops with him. In the past, when Li Maozhen invaded Qinzhou, the Zhao family had fought against the Qi army and did not lose. How could this be bad? If they were not worried about the suspicion of the court, they could probably bring in 2,000 to 3,000 Han and Fan warriors.

I won’t talk about Zhuxie Wusi.

Concubine Chen, Lady of Hedong County Pei Zhenyi, those who know this surname will know. Concubine Chen is the daughter of a general in Hezhong. Her three brothers and one younger brother are all generals in Hezhong. Her father Chen Xiong served as the training envoy of Yanei and the military officer of Du Yuhou, and served as the commander of An and Jie Salt Ponds for a long time.

Zhaoyi, Lady of Longxi County Li Jianrong's father was an official in Liangzhou, and he was a subordinate of Zhang Huaishen's family. The Privy Councilor Wenren Chuchu was a powerful man in Xingyang. Lady of Handan County Nangong Chongyan was from Chengde, and someone in her family was a general under Wang Rong.

Of course, this situation has both advantages and disadvantages. The disadvantage is that the harem is brewing crises, and it is difficult for the wife to be the first wife. Either she has to endure it, or her son is very outstanding and surpasses other sons. The emperor is caught in the middle as a referee, mediating the disputes, and is extremely annoyed.

The advantage is that these families are tied to the saint.

For example, if the imperial court continues to maintain its strength, Chen Xiong, the father of Lady Chen, may be able to take the position of commander with the support of his son-in-law. If he does not stand with his son-in-law, what else can he do? If the Zhao family wants to maintain the status quo in Qinzhou, the tribes that split in Hewei after the collapse of Tubo and the Jingyuan Town in the east are potential threats. If he does not help his brother-in-law, will Zhao Fu lead his soldiers to fight against the miscellaneous Hu people all over the ground?

The water in the harem is not shallow. Life is like this, there is no such thing as a beautiful thing with only benefits and no harm.

“Your Majesty, since you have a plan for the revival of the country, you need to make plans early.” After leaving Xianju Palace, Han Wei reminded him implicitly: “The emperor has no personal feelings, so you cannot show your affection to a certain person in front of others. Otherwise, your ministers will cling to you and form cliques, your concubines will enmity each other, and your brothers will be at odds with each other.” The saint remained silent.

He understood the truth, but couldn't he be happy on the day he had his son?

"In the past, Emperor Taizong favored Prince Tai of Wei, and he even favored him more than any other prince, which led to Prince Tai's ambition to seize the throne, and the crown prince rebelled." Han Wei's attendants saw that no one was around, so they continued, "Even though Emperor Taizong was so brave and powerful, he still killed his own flesh and blood. If Your Majesty really wants to coordinate the court, perhaps the status can be determined earlier."

"Otherwise, wait until the princes are older..." Han Wei hesitated, but still said with a folded hand: "Please forgive me for my boldness in disobeying. If the prince of virtue is not talented, how will the concubine deal with it?"

The saint had many descendants, six sons and one daughter.

The eldest son, Prince De Yu, was eight years old. His mother was Consort Shu, He Yuqing, and she was born in the residence of Prince Shou. The second daughter, Princess Pingyuan Zhen, was six years old and was also born to He.

The third son, Yu, was six years old, and his mother was Zhaoyi Li Jianrong.

The fourth son, Qi, was six years old. He lived the life of Concubine Pei Zhen, Lady of Hedong County.

Wu Ziyin, three years old, his mother is Li Jianrong.

The sixth son is fat, not even a month old, born to Concubine Chen.

At this time, Zhu Xiewusi, Zhao Ruxin, Yuwen Rou, and Yang Kezheng were also pregnant, and Pei Zhenyi and He Yuqing were probably pregnant again.

"Let me think about it." Mr. Li held his forehead. He had already had six children in less than a year since he came here, just like his mother was a stud. Maybe he should really consider giving up masturbation.

As for what Han Wei said about determining the status as soon as possible.

At this time, the status of the empress was extremely high. She was not enthroned by the Ministry of Rites as in later generations, but by the Grand Commandant, one of the Three Dukes. The Grand Commandant usually also served as the Prime Minister, which shows the standard. She was given a posthumous title, a title of honor, and a mausoleum with a sleeping chamber. On formal occasions such as congratulations from the ministers, winter solstice, new moon and full moon, meals, and sacrifices, the empress and the emperor would sit on the throne together to attend the court, and they were called the Two Saints.

It is better to establish than to abolish.

Therefore, since Emperor Dezong, the national dynasty has lasted for a hundred years.

Furthermore, the sage's sons are still young, and he needs to train and observe them slowly. If he decides on their status early, what if the eldest son Yu turns out to be a jerk who is a lackey, or a fool who can't tell the difference between morning and evening, or like Emperor Yizong, who never cultivates good deeds and only loves to eat and travel? What should he do?
Children's education should be put on the agenda! Nowadays, all sons are born in the deep palace and raised by women. It's not that it's definitely not good, but it's too big a defect, which is not conducive to letting sons understand the dangers of the world.

"Your Majesty, I have one more thing to ask." Han Wei continued, "I was ordered to be the Youfufeng. Yesterday, I went to the government office to take charge of the affairs. More than ten county magistrates said that there were tigers and leopards in Qi, and there were thieves in some areas. They requested to send troops to help suppress the tigers. I checked the imperial edict and found that Youfufeng did not hold the post of garrison commander, so there were no troops to be dispatched. Now there are many refugees who have moved to Fengxiang..."

Tigers are a big problem, not to mention now. After the Jingshi Rebellion, tigers foraging for food once broke into the suburbs of Chang'an. At that time, Emperor Xuanzong issued a special decree to all prefectures and counties to cut down all the trees on both sides of the post roads to prevent tigers from squatting there and ambushing pedestrians.

"How many soldiers do you need?"

"Three to five hundred strong soldiers are enough."

"You can take charge of the garrison and capture, and recruit a maximum of 1,000 soldiers to catch bandits and fight tigers." The sage thought about it. This matter still depends on You Fufeng himself. First, there must be some security troops. Second, it is impossible for regular troops to suppress bandits and fight tigers in just three or five days.

It's not that saints are stingy, but that warriors are arrogant.

In the first year of Baoying, a general in Hedong broke the law and was captured by Du Yuhou, who was about to execute him. The generals went to the governor Deng Jingshan to plead for mercy, but he refused. The general's brother asked to die in his brother's place, but he was also refused. Then, the general's family brought a horse and asked for a pardon, and Deng Jingshan agreed. The generals were angry and said, "Are we not worth a horse?" They started a rebellion and killed Jingshan.

Wang Yuanzhen, the general of the Shuofang Army, wanted to start a rebellion. What ridiculous excuse did he find? He called everyone and said, "Get your hoes ready and go dig trenches tomorrow." The soldiers were all angry and said, "How can a Shuofang warrior repair his house?" Then they killed the general Li Guozhen.

When Li Keyong rebelled, Dou Han, the governor of Hedong, ordered the construction of fortifications outside the city of Jinyang. The warriors despised them and killed Deng Qian, the commander of the cavalry and infantry.

The list goes on and on.

In short, the prevailing trend is that if you want to kill a warrior, that's fine. If you want a warrior to fight for his life, that's fine to a certain extent. But if you ask them to do something other than fighting, your head will most likely be hung on the city gate. It's fine to let them have fun in fighting tigers, but if they treat it as a job, there's no guarantee that they won't make trouble.

As for stationing troops in Fengxiang, it is impossible.

In the next three years, the Saint will not station troops abroad.

"Everyone." As soon as he returned to Penglai Palace, Yang Kezheng walked in quickly: "30,000 people have entered the military camps in Yongjiali and other places. The cavalry and infantry training departments have reported that the training will start tomorrow. At that time, everyone can come to the scene to check the troops."

"Very good, very good." The saint was delighted to hear this.

The first group to go to Beijing for training were farmers from more than 20 counties in the capital. The summer harvest had already passed, and after a selection process in each county, 30,000 people came. They were basically farmers in their twenties and under forties, who were in their prime.

The people at this time were no different from those in other times. In the Qianfu year, a thousand peasants were sent to guard Daizhou. When they arrived, they did not get paid, so they fought with the garrison on the spot. When the Zhaoyi soldiers plundered Jinyang, the citizens fought back in anger, killing more than a thousand warriors. They were so fierce, did they really treat the peasants as sick cats? Most of these warriors now were also escaped peasants. If they were used well, trained diligently, and assisted the regular army in battles from time to time, they would be fine.

If we don't manage it, we will still have to recruit soldiers and motivate them with rewards after ten or twenty years, which is not good. It is appropriate to motivate soldiers with money and goods on the basis of protecting their wives and children from being killed, their property from being plundered, and their land from being taken away.

"Look at this again."

Yang Kezheng sat down and handed over a memorial: "Yang Shouliang reported. More than 100,000 troops from Hanzhong, Xiakui, Xingfeng, Longjian, and Wuding attacked Lutou Pass to lure Wang Jian to rescue them, and then defeated the rebels at Suolongtai east of Lutou Pass. Wang Jian fled back to Chengdu on a donkey."

really?
Are the outsiders going to Lutou Pass now?
The sage stood up and asked, "How did Wang Jian lose?"

"Wang Jian was short of food, so he led his troops to attack the twelve states. When he heard that the army of Wai Zhai Lang had arrived, the powerful landlords rose up in rebellion. Jian sent his adopted son Zongbi to quell the rebellion, but unexpectedly the army rebelled after leaving Longquanyi, and took Zongbi back to Chengdu, where they were defeated. Later, the general Zhang Qianyu rebelled in Jiazhou." Perhaps he had memorized the petition by heart, so Yang Kezheng didn't even bother to read it, and continued, "When Shouliang and others attacked, the soldiers were unwilling to die. Now the defeated army has retreated to Chengdu, and the city gates are closed. There are rumors that Wang Jian has been killed by the rebel army, but it is unknown whether it is true or not."

As expected, the relationship between Wang Jian and his subordinates and adopted sons could not stand the test. Later, Wang Jian held the imperial seal and entered Shu smoothly. Heroes from all over the country came to him, some offered food, some offered people, and advised him to be loyal to the royal family, hoping that Shu would be peaceful from then on.

With the support of the people, Wang Jian quickly conquered the two Sichuan provinces.

However, at this time, the Wai Zhai Lang were not hurt in the war with the imperial court, Li Maozhen, Wang Xingyu and others as before, and they were terrified of the rapid rise of Wang Jian, so they united to resist. The sage also learned a lesson from Zhaozong and pretended to be dead despite Wang Jian's repeated requests.

However, even if Wang Jian died, Shu would not be at peace for a while. Don't the Ganyi Army Mancun, Shannan Yang Shouliang, Longjian Yang Shouzhong, Wuding Yang Shouzhen, and Weirong Army Yang Sheng want to occupy the two Sichuans? Killing Wang Jian would be a difficult problem, how to divide the cake.

There might even be a civil war.

(End of this chapter)