Tiger Guards

Chapter 750 Inspection Tour of Hebei
Regarding what happened in Langya, Zhao Ji was not as anxious or concerned as outsiders or insiders expected.

Whether they are from Hedong, Langya, or any other place, as long as their eye color and skin color are not too strange, and they do not have any evil beliefs or pursue evil witchcraft, they are all human in Zhao Ji's eyes.

The so-called politics has changed with Zhao Ji's changing position and various experiences.

For Zhao Ji now, politics is like kneading dough; if there's too much water, add flour; if there's too much flour, add water.

You don't need to knead it too hard. Often, the dough will rise on its own for a while, which will produce better results than if you knead it while sweating profusely.

While all parties, both inside and outside, were paying close attention to the battle situation in Langya, Zhao Ji, after confirming that the various armies in Youzhou were making smooth progress, decided to give himself another short vacation.

Even in Youzhou, in the southernmost part of the Yi River basin, the summer heat in June is not actually that intense.

As June approached, Grand Tutor Zhao Yan remained in Jinyang, while Grand Preceptor Zhao escorted the Empress Regent and the eldest son of the Emperor, Liu Feng, on his inspection tour of the border.

They took the official road from Lishi in Xihe County and crossed the Yellow River westward at the newly established Mengmen Pass.

The Battle of Youzhou has begun, but Zhao Ji has left Jinyang and taken the Empress, Consort Zhao, Consort Cai, Lady Lü, and Lady Zhen to Hebei to escape the summer heat... Zhao Yan thinks this is a good thing.

As someone in a superior position, one cannot reverse the balance of power.

In Zhao Yan's eyes, the state was merely an institution, and the civil and military officials within it should serve the ruler, not the ruler himself, who should be working hard for the happiness of the civil and military officials within the country.

Zhao Ji doesn't know how to enjoy life, which Zhao Yan sees as a dangerous thing.

As long as one is human, that string of diligence will eventually break down one day.

If one works diligently and tirelessly for half a lifetime, only to collapse in one fell swoop, indulging in pleasure and living a life of debauchery under the unanimous cover of his ministers, he will surely bring even greater harm to the country and its people!
Therefore, Zhao Yan's view is to maintain a balance between work and rest, enjoy what you should enjoy, and clearly define your own and the organization's position.

If this organization cannot meet Zhao Ji's demands, then it must be destroyed and reorganized.

Whether it is for enjoyment or for governing the country, one cannot rely on established systems and regulations... Zhao Yan lacked trust in regulations and conventions. These things failed to restrain the emperors of the two Han dynasties, nor did they restrain the powerful clans and wealthy families in various regions. So why should they be used to restrain Zhao Ji?
Anyway, Zhao Yan is old and can't enjoy much anymore. In fact, in order to stay healthy and live a few more years, he pays more attention to health preservation.

The officials and nobles of Jinyang were very curious and admiring of the tour to Hebei.

Not only were many high-ranking officials and nobles accompanying the procession, but they also generally brought their families, making the procession unprecedentedly large. Since the Empress's carriage left Jinyang, the entire entourage had been constantly growing and extending.

So when they crossed the Mengmen Pass pontoon bridge, they roughly counted the population. Including the guards, there were more than 34,000 people and nearly 20,000 vehicles.

There were existing empty camps along the way, and the entire procession was divided into seventeen sections, each section advancing in turn, stretching for more than three hundred li.

After the original Sheyan royal court defeated the various Hu tribes, Zhao Ji renamed this place Suide County.

Suide means to pacify the people with virtue.

This is a name with a beautiful meaning, and it can also be seen as Zhao Ji's promise to the Hu people under his rule.

When Suide was newly built, only a perimeter wall for sheep and horses was constructed. Even Jinyang did not have a proper city wall. How could county magistrates who came from Jinyang dare to trouble the people to build city walls when they were governing a region?
Because Suide was named by Zhao Ji and was also the initial frontline base for the campaign against the various Hu tribes, Suide was of a very high standard and was a county with a production capacity of 1,000 shi (a unit of grain).

The magistrate here also participated in the campaign against the Hu people and was transferred to the position of magistrate of Suide County with the rank of miscellaneous colonel.

The first thing he did upon taking office was to build a fence to protect the core area of ​​the royal court, preventing its relocation or destruction, and he also sent official servants to clean and sweep it regularly.

A year later, the county magistrate never expected that Zhao Ji would escort the regent empress, as well as ministers such as Han Rong, Ma Teng, and Zhao Jian, to come here for an inspection.

Under the blazing sun, the dense forests outside Suide City make it difficult to wear armor only at midday. In the mornings and evenings, the mountain breezes make it relatively cool.

Since the Empress Dowager began her tour, she has been dressed in military attire, wearing lacquered leather armor decorated with red and purple, and a scarlet-purple sleeve covering. A cluster of yellow feathers on the top of her helmet is particularly eye-catching.

This cluster of yellow was plucked from a type of lark. It takes the yellow down from a hundred or so larks to make such a pure cluster of yellow.

Fu Shou stepped into the former military council hall and saw that there was not a speck of dust anywhere, nor the earthy or watery smell that would be produced during a sudden cleaning.

There were still traces of incense burning in the military council hall, and the sand table made of tables and desks was covered with coarse silk sewn together.

She stopped in front of the sand table, and the female official immediately led several palace maids forward to slowly remove the coarse silk with a pole.

What lay before them was a rather disorganized array of war pieces: Lushu Hu, Beidi Qiang Hu, Xianbei, Xiongnu, and Han army pieces were locked in a fierce battle, while the chariot-shaped war piece symbolizing Zhao Ji's central army was placed in the Xianbei central army, pressing down on the surrounding Xianbei war pieces.

Upon seeing this, Fu Shou began to imagine the scene of the last military council. It must have been Zhao Ji grabbing the war chariot chess piece symbolizing himself and smashing it hard on the Xianbei central army. Then he roused the officers and soldiers with great enthusiasm. Finally, the whole army was mobilized and achieved an epic victory that could only be achieved by the combined efforts of Wei Qing and Huo Qubing. He even killed the Xianbei king on the spot.

Zhao Ji looked at these crudely made imitation war games with a blank expression.

Fu Shou snapped out of his reverie and, without turning his head, said, "Magistrate Yang Wu has done a great job protecting this place and deserves a reward."

"Your Majesty, I dare not claim credit for this."

County Magistrate Yang Wu quickly stepped forward, bypassed three or four people, and knelt down with a thud: "Your subject is guilty."

Fu Shou then turned to look at Zhao Ji, the leader of the ranks of dukes and ministers: "What does Lord Zhao think?"

Zhao Ji glanced sideways at Yang Wu, who was kneeling in worship, and then looked at the crudely made war game that Yang Wu had copied. He asked, "What are you thinking?"

"Your Majesty, it was a great pity that I could not see clearly during the military council while standing on the side. Later, when I was fortunate enough to govern Suide, I dared to create a war game and simulate the battle situation."

Yang Wu answered with his head down, not daring to look up at Zhao Ji and Fu Shou.

Zhao Ji stepped forward and came to the sand table. He reached out and grabbed the lever to adjust the positions of some pieces. He had fought the battle, so it was almost impossible for him to forget this crucial information.

After correcting Yang Wu's erroneous war game arrangement, she turned to look at him and said, "I remember you. During the military council, you were the one with a hundred generals holding halberds, guarding the main tent. The war against the Hu has ended, and it was a complete victory, so I will not pursue your crime of leaking military information. As for rewards, it is entirely up to the Empress's will."

"Your Majesty's leniency is deeply appreciated!"

Yang Wu kowtowed three times, then slightly adjusted his direction and bowed to the Empress: "Your Majesty, I dare not take credit for this."

"He deserves a reward and should be promoted one rank."

After Fu Shou spoke, he turned to look at Zhao Ji. Zhao Ji thought for a moment and then said, "Promote Yang Wu to one rank in the military."

"Your Majesty, I thank you."

Yang Wu started kowtowing again. His name, Yang Wu, was actually given to him by Zhao Ji.

Yang Wu, courtesy name Wen'an, was a native of Yang County, Hedong. He was recruited by Zhao Ji as a member of the Bai Bo surrendered army.

(End of this chapter)