I painted skin in the cemetery for 15 years

Although this is a Viscount, it doesn't make sense.

In terms of merit, the eldest son Shen Wuzhuo has made great contributions to the empire, and the imperial court has only appointed a fourth-rank general.

There is no such thing as a knighthood.

Shen Wuque has made great contributions to Shen Gong's family, but he has not made much contribution to the empire.

And the emperor's canonization is very particular.

Shen Gong's family already has a marquis, and it is hereditary from generation to generation.

Now that a viscount has been conferred, it means that the Duke Shen family has one more nobleman.Even if Shen Wuque inherits the title of marquis in the future, the viscount may remain in the Duke Shen family. His two sons, one inherits the marquis and the other the viscount.

Just like the previous Ying family, there is one duke, two marquises, and two earls.

It is also like the current Mi family, with one prince, one duke, and two marquises.

These are all top Chinese families who have accumulated hundreds of thousands of years, and the Shengong family has only risen for more than ten years.

but……

After Wu Que heard the will, he didn't feel any joy, instead he showed a bit of solemnity.

The eunuch said slowly: "Accompanied by this imperial decree, there is also an oral order."

Word of mouth?

Generally speaking, the emperor's oral instructions are more precious than imperial edicts.

Although imperial edicts are very formal, oral edicts are more intimate.

"Your Majesty, I have read Shen Wuque's article and I like it very much. When it is convenient, I hope that Shen Wuque will come to the palace to write and read for me. Come to Beijing by the way, and I will point you to a good marriage. .”

As soon as this oral order came out.

Both Wu Que and Shen Gongao didn't understand at all.

The emperor wants to marry?

However, Shen Wuque is already married and already has a wife.

too weird.

After reading the oral order, the eunuch said: "Shen Wuque, your essays for the final exam, and the poems you wrote. Whether it's the poems for Yuan Hu or the poems for Wen Daozi, His Majesty has read them all, and said they are very, very I like it very much. Especially the one about worrying about the world first and enjoying the world later. When His Majesty was practicing calligraphy, he often wrote this poem, and even gave it to many courtiers. I hope they also have your poem. in this spirit."

Wu Que said: "This humble minister is terrified."

Then, the eunuch stood motionless, waiting for Shen Gongao and Shen Wuque to thank him.

Wu Que, on the other hand, watched the eunuch remain motionless.

If I didn't guess wrong, there should be another will.

The eunuch looked at Wuque, and said slowly: "Shen Wuque, you really show your sharpness, you don't know how to hide your clumsiness."

Then, the eunuch said coldly: "Shen Wuque, not long ago, you did a great thing. Just outside the gate of Zhenhai Marquis Mansion, you shot and killed more than 1000 people, including those from Nanhai County. Garrison, this is the army of the empire. What do you want to go? Rebellion?"

Then, the great eunuch opened a box, threw out three memorials from it, and threw them fiercely in front of Wu Que.

"Do you know how many memorials you have received? Hundreds of copies, these are three of them!"

Wuque opened the first memorial, which belonged to Li Shiyun, the prefect of Nanhai County, who ruthlessly participated in Shen Wuque's crime of treason.

The second was from Bai Linghou, and the third was from Fu Jianzhi, Governor of Tianshui Province.

In every memorial, the words were so sharp and intense that they would directly put Shen Wuque to death.

The eunuch said coldly: "I brought the first imperial decree to reward you. As a result, on the way, you ordered hundreds of soldiers from the empire to be killed and hundreds of officials to join you. What do you want?" Huh? Your Majesty has just issued a will to reward and canonize you, and you have committed the crime of treason?"

Then, his face suddenly became stern, his eyes turned cold, he took out the second imperial edict, and slowly unfolded it.

"Following the Emperor Chengyun's decree, Shen Wuque was so mad and rebellious that he dared to shoot and kill 630 five members of the Nanhai County garrison. Such actions are beyond the eyes of a king and father, and the laws of the country cannot tolerate them. They should have been punished according to the law! But read Shen Gongao's hard work, Capital crimes can be avoided, but living crimes cannot be escaped, escorted to Beijing, and the three divisions will interrogate."

Then, the eunuch shouted incessantly: "Come here, take Shen Wuque down and escort him to Beijing!"

Suddenly, more than a dozen royal warriors poured in.

Shen Gongao looked at all this, looked at the eunuch.

Now there are two edicts, but only one can be chosen.

Moreover, in this edict, there is no mention of Hongtu Territory and Hongtu City.

But the core lies in this red clay territory.

According to the previous rules, most of the territories conquered by Shen Gongao belonged to the empire, and a quarter became Shen Gongao's new territories.

In the battle not long ago, Shen Gongao captured more than 1 square kilometers of land in Nanban.

Among them, the red soil territory will belong to the Shen Gong family, covering a total area of ​​more than 3000 square kilometers.

This piece of land is extremely important to the Shen Gong family, because there are 200 million mu of fertile land on it.

Although the Shengong family now has a large territory, they lack fertile land on time, and they cannot control their own food at all. They need to buy a large amount of food every year.

It's not just about money, it's about strategic passivity.

Food is the lifeblood, how can it be in the hands of others?

Therefore, the more than 3000 square kilometers of the red soil territory is completely the top priority for the Shen Gong family.

And for this grain-producing area, how much did the Shen Gong family pay? !

Nearly [-] private troops were killed or injured.

The whereabouts of the eldest son Shen Wuzhuo are unknown.

The empire had been delaying the surveying work before, and did not want to confer the Red Earth Territory to the Shen Gong family.

But not long ago, a plague broke out in the Red Earth Territory, and the tribal coalition forces of the Dali Kingdom attacked the Red Earth Territory again.

The imperial army immediately retreated hundreds of miles, leaving the Shen Gong family's army in front, facing the army several times larger than the Dali Kingdom alone.

Shen Wuzhuo did not retreat, and chose to fight.

This battle has not come personally, but also knows that it is unprecedentedly tragic.

Thanks to Shen Wuyu who led the Moro allied forces to support at the critical moment, they won this crucial battle and kept the red soil territory.

But the price was nearly [-] casualties, Shen Wuzhuo disappeared, and Shen Wuyu became a walking dead.

Therefore, it would be unreasonable for the empire not to confer this red soil territory on to the Shen Gong family.

Then, Shen Gongao faced a choice.

Either Baoshen is intact, that is, the first imperial decree, but the red soil territory will be lost.

Either keep the Red Territory, but give up Shen Wuque.

Two things, only one thing can be kept.

The great eunuch said Shen Gongao silently, waiting for him to make a choice.

After a long while, the eunuch said, "Marquis Zhenhai, which of these two orders should I finally give?"

Wu Que said slowly: "The center of the empire and the Dali Kingdom are negotiating, do you want to use the red soil territory as a bargaining chip? Even more than the red soil territory, my father has seized nearly [-] square kilometers of land this time. Is it a bargaining chip for Dali Kingdom?"

The eunuch said: "We are internal officials, we don't understand such important state affairs."

At this moment, a sentence came to Wu Que's mind.

In the face of the interests of the entire empire, the interests of any individual are completely ignored.

In the face of the general situation of the country, any individual efforts are futile.

The fall of the Dongyi Empire led to a series of chain reactions.

Both the Sky Book City and the Great Xia Empire set their sights on the Dali Kingdom.

The Great Xia Empire needs the Dali Kingdom to become a vassal state.

Sky Book City needs the conversion of Dali Kingdom to offset the consequences of the fall of Dongli Kingdom.

In order to resist the eastward advance of the Western Holy See, the entire Great Xia Empire needed to change its strategic direction.

So, the Southern Expedition is over.

The southward expansion is over.

In order to negotiate peace with the Kingdom of Dali, all the territories occupied by Shen Gongao this time must be returned to the Kingdom of Dali, including the Red Territory.

The Shengong family paid an astronomical price, and it would be in vain.

For the benefit of the empire, for the sake of Eastern civilization, you can only sacrifice the interests of your Shen Gong family.

Shen Gongao closed his eyes in pain.

Clay Territory!

200 million mu of fertile land.

Owning this piece of land, the Shen Gong family's territory is complete, and they have food independence.

It paid a price of [-] to [-] casualties.

Is that all?

Then, Shen Gongao looked at Wuque.

The eldest son is missing.

The second son was unconscious.

Only the third son is left, such an outstanding, such an excellent third son.

Are people important?

Or is the land important?

Why?

The empire negotiated with the Dali Kingdom, why should we sacrifice the price of my Shengong family?

When I was needed before, he was appointed Marquis, allowed me to expand, and appointed me as the governor of Zhengnan University.

I don't need me now, I need to make peace with Dali Kingdom.

Just run out of birds?

But these words, not a single word can be uttered.

Saying it, it seems childish.

After a long while, Shen Gongao looked at the eunuch and said: "Superintendent, please tell me something."

The eunuch said: "If you have anything to say, the Marquis of Zhenhai can write a secret letter to His Majesty."

Shen Gongao said: "Some words are inconvenient to write in secret."

The eunuch said: "Then tell me."

Shen Gongao said: "If you want to kill people, you can't think the knife is too sharp. And once the knife is in the sheath, it will be difficult to pull it out."

Once people's hearts are cold, it is difficult to warm them up again.

Although the previous Shen Gongao had always been against the Mi family, he was still loyal to His Majesty the Emperor.

Because over the years, His Majesty the Emperor has continuously promoted Shen Gongao and allowed him to expand.

The Shengong family became so powerful that they even started to secretly fight against the Mi family?

Isn't it the result of the emperor's acquiescence and even his secret support?

But now, in order to negotiate peace with the Dali Kingdom, the emperor did not hesitate to sacrifice the interests of the Shen Gong family.

Therefore, Shen Gongao was naturally disappointed.

But in the eyes of the emperor, isn't this normal?

The emperor's mind is unpredictable.

The eunuch said indifferently: "Marquis Zhenhai, it will be dawn in a few hours, I am in a hurry to return to the imperial capital."

Shen Gongao had to make a choice.

Should I choose Hongtu Territory or Shen Wuque?

"If you save land, you will gain both. If you save land, you will lose both." Shen Gongao said hoarsely, "I, Shen Gongao, have already lost two sons. I can't lose my only son anymore."