Northern Dynasties Imperial Industry

After arranging the arrangements for the people of the Li clan in Longxi, Chen Yuankang went straight back to the Prime Minister's Mansion.

After King Gao's return, he has been lingering on his bed and unable to recuperate. Therefore, the military and political affairs of Jinyang Bafu are now handled by the crown prince Gao Cheng.

Jinyang's affairs are much busier and more important than Yedu. Especially after the army retreats and returns, there are a lot of aftermath matters that need to be dealt with urgently, which is enough to make people anxious.

In the beginning, the prince was really in a hurry. Although he has been assisting the government since he was a boy, he only needs to deal with some superficial matters. The truly important military and political affairs are still concentrated in the Jinyang Ba Mansion. Of course, he is a little at a loss when he takes over.

However, the prince's ability to learn and adapt is extremely strong. With the help and guidance of many important members of the Prime Minister's Office, he quickly adapted to the types and rhythms of these affairs. Although he is not yet able to handle them with ease, he can still be considered a master. Be methodical.

Without King Gao in charge, Bafu affairs were gradually put back on track. Although some aspects are still not as smooth as when King Gao was in charge, it is only because of the new personnel and new style that the government officials cannot match the prince's style of doing things, not because the prince is incompetent.

When Chen Yuankang returned to the main hall of Bafu, there were more than a dozen officials waiting in the corridor to make an announcement.

There was nothing special that these officials needed to report to the court. It was just because the prince was energetic, quick-thinking, and had many ideas, and he was impatient to be summoned from everywhere to wait for the officials to arrive, so they simply ordered all departments to report to the court. One member is here, available to ask questions at any time.

In the main hall, the Crown Prince Gao Cheng was sitting at the main seat, with several official documents spread out on the desk in front of him. While writing, he was conversing with two people on the other side of the case. When he saw Chen Yuankang walking in, he motioned to him to wait. He sat down first, while he continued to talk to his subordinates.

Chen Yuankang sat aside first and listened for a while. When he heard that the prince was explaining the border defense matters of the Beishan Great Wall, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

Jinyang was attacked this time, and the disaster caused was serious. Although the situation around Jinyang has barely stabilized, the aftermath is still lingering elsewhere.

Especially outside the Beishan Great Wall, the remnants of Bu Luoji and Liu Lisheng who had been severely suppressed earlier had been hiding in Yunyang Valley and did not dare to cause trouble. However, now they are wreaking havoc again when the Western Bandits invade, causing constant riots outside the Beishan Great Wall. , Sizhou and other places suffered particularly serious harm,

If these thieves dared to wreak havoc like this as usual, they would naturally kill as many as they saw. But now that the army has returned home after a new defeat, King Gao is ill and unable to take care of his duties, and the prince suddenly assumes a great responsibility. The most important thing now is to temporarily stabilize the core area and block these thieves from outside the Great Wall of Beishan and prevent them from infiltrating further inward. , wait until the situation in the country has stabilized before trying to suppress and exterminate them.

Based on this idea, Gao Cheng quickly explained the defense adjustments of the Beishan Great Wall. Fearing that the two clerks would not remember clearly enough, he first asked them to repeat it and confirmed that it was correct before allowing them to write it down on paper. , and ordered it to be implemented as soon as possible.

When Chen Yuankang saw this scene, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart. If there is anyone with extraordinary talents in the world, then it must be the eldest son Gao Cheng in front of him.

He was as intelligent and agile as Chen Yuankang had ever seen in his life. Others were still considering many things, but the prince was already able to draw inferences from one instance. His understanding and reaction ability were much higher than those of ordinary people.

However, no one is perfect, and the prince is certainly no exception. Because he is too smart and alert, he is quite arrogant. Sometimes he will appear stubborn and conceited, making it difficult to get along with others.

But such small details are innocuous. With such a family background and status, even if it is difficult to get along with him, it must be someone else's problem. How can a sparrow be as good as a swan?

Chen Yuankang was still daydreaming, while Gao Cheng lowered his eyes and looked down. Feeling the gaze, Chen Yuankang hurriedly stood up and handed over the document: "Your Majesty, all the male and female members of the Li family in Longxi have been escorted and arrived."

Gao Cheng took the document and browsed it quickly, his face suddenly darkened, and after a moment he sneered: "The thief drove Li Taichang straight in and out of this place. It can be said that he is quite strategic. Thinking about it, it is obvious that his close relatives must also be talented. It's impressive. But none of the Ding men in this household are in official positions. This Longxi Li family is very arrogant. Could it be that they think I'm not worthy of controlling them?"

Although Chen Yuankang admired the reputation of the Li family in Longxi, he was not to the point of admonishing the prince for this. After hearing this, he also echoed: "These famous disciples have strong ancestral roots and have no worries about their origins. Within the gate of the high-rise pavilion, there will be rewards for success, so there is no need to be sensitive to the current situation, no need to respect the benefactor, and no need to be diligent in making meritorious deeds. It seems to be open-minded and desireless, but in fact it is extremely greedy..."

"You Cheng's words are filled with deep resentment. Within the Great Dao, everyone has his own place. Each of these may have their own qualifications to rely on, but none of them are as deep into my heart as You Cheng. Isn't this considered Everyone is good at it?"

Gao Cheng heard that Chen Yuankang's words were a bit extreme, so he looked at him with a smile and said.

Chen Yuankang felt a little embarrassed when he heard this. He quickly lowered his head and cupped his hands and said: "But if you have the favor of the great lord of this world, why should you covet the withered bones in other people's graves! The support I have is far beyond this kind of support."

After Gao Cheng heard this, he laughed again and said quite contentedly: "Of course I am not as great as these famous ancestors and sages. After all, my age is limited and my stories are ahead of me. But of course I must be fair to my close friends. It’s a bit partial.”

While he was talking, he gave Chen Yuankang a paperweight with a gold statue of a lying tiger lying on the table, and said with a smile: "Thank you for this kind words."

Chen Yuankang hurriedly accepted the gift with fearful hands, but he couldn't help but murmur in his heart. He couldn't guess whether the prince was happy or angry at the moment.

He seemed very angry when he complained that the Li family in Longxi had no descendants to serve as officials. But because of his simple flattery, he rewarded her so generously, and he seemed to be in a good mood.

Chen Yuankang was a little unsure for a moment, so he simply closed his mouth and said nothing more after thanking him for the reward.

Gao Cheng did not continue the conversation with him, but put the document aside. He picked up a pen and paper and started writing quickly. After about a quarter of an hour, he put down the pen and immediately started writing the letter he had just drafted. The officer passed it to Chen Yuankang and said: "Send another officer to Yedu to capture Cui Changru and bring him into the government!

This guy has always been arrogant and looked down on the masses, but now that he has a talented thief born in a family of close relatives, he is not offered to the government. I would like to ask him whether he is ignorant or is he deliberately trying to support his enemies! "

After Chen Yuankang heard this, he immediately understood that the crown prince had another purpose in bringing the Li clan members of Longxi to Jinyang, and he actually wanted to target the Cui clan of Qinghe.

The name of Cui Changru he mentioned was Cui, and he was a member of the Cui clan in Qinghe. The Li clan in Longxi lived in Cui Township and had a close relationship with each other.

Cui, who was a member of the Gao Wang Xindu, was a representative figure in the Hebei family. He not only had great achievements in the Yuan Dynasty, but also had a noble family background. He could be said to be a role model between the government and the public.

However, his character and style are very problematic. He is too aloof and arrogant. He often prides himself on his family status and is arrogant. Even King Gao lamented: Cui Ying served as a servant and hated his spirit. Because his character is too arrogant, the masses cannot agree with him, so he is unfit to serve as a minister and other ruling officials.

The crown prince, Gao Cheng, had been in power in Yedu for a long time. Although he did not have many frequent contacts with Cui, he had heard of his arrogance and always wanted to overwhelm him to show his power in controlling others. It's just that there has never been a suitable opportunity before, and Cui is not an ordinary person who can add punishment and humiliation at will.

This time, he finally got an opportunity to bring Cui in. Gao Cheng naturally didn't want to let it go, and wanted to use this matter to beat Cui Henhen up, thereby strengthening the awe of the Hebei clan towards him.

After explaining the matter, Gao Cheng was about to continue handling other official duties, but there was a noise outside the hall. After hearing the commotion, he frowned and said angrily: "What happened outside?"

"There are, there are several generals, they are kowtow in front of the mansion to see the king..."

A government official hurried into the hall and kowtowed.

After hearing this, Gao Cheng's face suddenly darkened again, and he slapped the table and said angrily: "Your Majesty is tired from the journey and is recuperating in his palace. He does not want to summon outsiders, so he must quickly retreat. If you still stay here to cause nuisance, Arrest and punish him immediately!”

He knew that these generals had heard various rumors from outside, so they repeatedly asked to see King Gao to verify the authenticity of the rumors. In addition to being worried and curious about King Gao's life and death, they were also naturally worried about whether their respective fame and status would be affected.

But Gao Cheng was already having a hard time maintaining the current situation, and he had no time to appease the hesitation of these arrogant warriors. What's more, King Gao's condition is still relapsing, and it is not suitable to summon the masses at this time.

Therefore, Gao Cheng was too lazy to respond seriously to this type of request, and only regarded it as adding trouble, and naturally did not have a good attitude towards this.

But when Chen Yuankang heard what he said, he couldn't help but said: "The generals of Jinyang have been following the king for a long time, and they have made great contributions to righteousness. Since we have not seen each other for a long time since we returned home, it is inevitable that we will have doubts in our hearts. In addition to the loyalty of serving the king, they also have a friendship when things are difficult. It is best to ask the king to make a decision. "

Gao Cheng frowned slightly after hearing this, and Chen Yuankang subconsciously covered the golden statue that he had just received with his hand. Fortunately, the prince did not get angry. He just pointed at the pile of papers on the case and said, "The affairs here are still complicated. It will not be too late to report to the king after the cases are cleared."

It's not that Gao Cheng couldn't understand Chen Yuankang's so-called friendship in difficult situations. After all, when his father became prosperous in Hebei, he was already sensible. Before that, he had lived a miserable life of being naked, hungry, and homeless for several years. He still vividly remembers it when he thinks about it.

But being able to understand it does not mean that you agree with this kind of friendship. In Gao Cheng's view, there is no rule without rules, and without respect and inferiority, how can there be rules?

Compared with illusory emotions, he is more accustomed to and better at controlling the masses with power and laws. They couldn't agree with their father's act of showing kindness to old friends, and thought it was a violation of national law. Although their father and son's business relied on the strength of these townspeople, and these townspeople also relied on the success of their father and son's business to achieve high official status, there was really no deep friendship between them that could confuse the laws of the country.

The government officials knew that the prince was impatient with this matter, so they did not dare to disturb him again. They could only hurriedly exit the hall, and then went to the front of the house to persuade the generals who were kneeling here to retreat.

Rumors have been circulating in the city for many days, saying that King Gao is in serious trouble. Without seeing King Gao, these generals were naturally unwilling to retreat. When they looked at these government officials, their expressions suddenly became a little unkind, and they cursed one after another: "When a certain person was driven by King Gao to kill the thief bravely, Where are you? Now you are surrounded by the lord and his subordinates, but you are excluding a certain confidant from the house. You deserve to die!"

As they spoke, these generals became even more excited. They actually grabbed these government officials and beat them with their fists, making the scene in front of the government even more noisy.

After the Jinyang Rebellion ended, the security inside and outside the Prime Minister's Mansion was even tighter. When he heard the sounds of fighting, another group of armored soldiers rushed out of the mansion. The leader was a general in his early thirties who was the governor and guard of the Crown Prince Gao Cheng's confidants. General Hu Luguang.

Seeing that these powerful generals dared to beat up the officials of the Prime Minister's Palace, Hu Luguang did not dare to neglect. He hurriedly ordered the soldiers to come forward and arrest the generals who took action, and at the same time ordered to disperse the other onlookers.

But the matter did not end there. Each of these generals also had a tribe of relatives and friends. Seeing them being arrested, the others naturally tried to rescue them, and soon more and more people flocked to the Prime Minister's Mansion. Come.

After the army withdrew from the Yubi front line, they were not completely repatriated to their respective garrison cities. Many of them were still stationed around Jinyang. As the commotion in front of the Prime Minister's Mansion became more and more conspicuous, the crowd gathered around him also increased rapidly, and soon reached thousands.

When this situation was reported to Zhitang again, Gao Cheng was dumbfounded and did not dare to take it lightly. He was not really afraid that these soldiers would gather to cause chaos, but he was worried that the commotion outside the palace would disturb the inner palace. He wanted to go out in person to calm the crowd, but Chen Yuankang quickly dissuaded him and said: "This is the moment. The public sentiment is fierce, and it is better to be quiet than to block it. If the prince agrees to the call of the crowd, it will only lose his prestige, but the situation may not get better. It is better to quickly summon the senior generals who are respected, such as Da Sima, to calm the public sentiment."

After hearing the words, Gao Cheng nodded, and immediately went to Hulujin's mansion to summon his people. He then entered the inner hall and put on his armor, and immediately stood in front of the hall with his sword in hand, waiting for the next incident.

But soon someone from the inner palace came here to convey the summons of King Gao. Gao Cheng didn't want to disturb his father's recuperation, but he still couldn't avoid it, so he had no choice but to go to the inner palace.

In the inner palace bedroom, after many days of recuperation, King Gao, although he has not recovered as before, the distortion of his eyebrows and facial features has improved a lot, and his speech and language skills have also recovered slightly. He is pacing in the room with the support of two maids, and he looks up. When Gao Cheng walked in fully clothed, his face suddenly darkened, and he shouted angrily: "You don't dare to disarm within your own family, how can we be so incompatible with our old soldiers?"

Gao Cheng did not argue with his father. After hearing what he said, he just lowered his head and said, "I didn't want to disturb Aye, but these arrogant and powerful generals are really lawless and bullied me, the new official, and they dared to do it in front of the house." If I beat my subordinates and do not threaten them, I am afraid they will not obey me. Aye does not like this attitude, so I will immediately remove my armor and leave the house to persuade the people."

After hearing this, Gao Huan's expression softened slightly, and he immediately said: "These disciples have been raised by me for a long time, and it is inevitable that they will not adapt to the new order for a while. I am still here, so I can still train them for you. It is a blessing for you brothers to be able to share my love, so cherish it, don’t throw it away, don’t lose it!”

As he spoke, he ordered his maid to put on his robe, and signaled Gao Cheng to come in and help him get on the chariot, and then he went straight to the front of the house, followed by the guards in front and behind.

At this time, in front of the Prime Minister's Mansion, as far as the eye could see, there were surging heads of people. As dusk fell and the field of vision was restricted, the border could hardly be seen. There were probably tens of thousands of soldiers gathered.

After hearing the news, Hu Lujin, She Di Qian and other senior generals rushed over and hurriedly tried to comfort them. They only managed to keep the situation calm for the time being, but they could not persuade the soldiers who were eager to see King Gao to disperse at all.

When the chariot driven by King Gao appeared at the gate of the mansion, the originally noisy front of the mansion soon became silent. Immediately after entering, all the soldiers knelt down and worshiped, and they all shouted with joy: "Your Majesty, Ankang , Great Wei!”

Looking at these loyal and brave soldiers, Gao Huan's eyes were filled with excitement. Unfortunately, he could no longer climb high to swear an oath and inspire morale like Xinyang Juyi did in those days. He just ordered with a trembling corner of his mouth: "Get the food and wine quickly. Here, here to reward the masses!”

It was night, the lights were brightly lit outside the Prime Minister's Mansion, and tens of thousands of soldiers were sitting on the ground around bonfires, eating the barbecue on the fire rack and drinking the wine from the wine vats. Everyone was so happy that they couldn't help but talk about the past. King Gao's appearance wiped away all their previous hesitations and worries, and they were confident and looking forward to continuing to make great achievements under the leadership of King Gao.

In the big tent in front of the mansion, all the generals also gathered here to surround King Gao. King Gao ignored the prince's dissuasion and raised his glass in response to the generals' toasts. When the wine was full, he pointed at the neighbor Hu Lujin and said with a smile: "It's such a joyous night, can Da Sima sing?"

After hearing this, Hu Lujin quickly stood up and looked at King Gao's face, which was much thinner than before and still sickly and haggard. His eyes were slightly red. After taking a deep breath, he sang a melodious song: "Chile" Sichuan, under the Yin Mountain, the sky is like a dome, covering the surrounding fields..."

"The sky is blue and the fields are vast. The grass is blown by the wind and you can see the cattle and sheep..."

Gao Huan also knocked on the table and began to sing. As he sang, tears fell from the corners of his eyes. He almost wanted to bring the glass to his lips, but his trembling arms only spilled all the wine on his front.