There is no phoenix

"Your Majesty, the battle is urgent. Now the Northwest is fighting fiercely. I suggest that you set up a list in the capital as soon as possible to recruit the children of the aristocratic family to take the lead in the Western Expedition, and then select the most appropriate commander in the Jingxi Military Camp in the East City. Bring the elite soldiers and go to the Northwest immediately. The household department will make preparations immediately. Food and grass, let at least half of the food and grass go west with the first batch of soldiers on the Western Expedition."

Shi Yunzhou, the minister of the Ministry of War, said.

Sun Jizhong, Minister of the Household Department, said: "Your Majesty, I can prepare food and grass for 20 soldiers in three days, and straw for [-] soldiers in five days, but the emperor will decide who will be responsible for the escort."

"Your Majesty, I am willing to lead the army to go to the west! It's just that I have never been to the Northwest, and the general needs someone who has combat experience in the Northwest!"

Everyone saw that it was Liu Xianglian, the commander of the imperial guards.

"Your Majesty, let me go. I am also willing to lead the army in the Western Expedition. I went there with the King of Beijing and my father!" Feng Ziying reported.

"Your Majesty, I am also willing to go to the west!" Zhang Jian also stepped forward and said.

Shi Yunzhou, the Minister of the Ministry of War, played again: "Your Majesty, if you talk about the best experience in the Western Expedition, it should be the old King Beijing and General Shenwu, but they are old, and it may not be appropriate for them to go to the Western Expedition this time. However, I think Feng Consort Commander Liu and Consort Zhang both have the talents of generals, so they can be considered!"

All the ministers also agreed.

Half an hour later, the monarchs and ministers finally agreed that Feng Ziying would be the general who conquered the west, Liu Xianglian and Zhang Jian would be the left and right vanguards, and Feng Ziyong would be the central vanguard, leading 16 troops first, and heading to the northwest three days later, Zhang Jun and Tang Biao would lead [-] troops to escort food and grass accompanying.

After coming down to court, Shui Ze did not return to Chengde Hall, but first went to Yunyang Palace to meet the Supreme Emperor Shui Ruoyang, showed Shui Ruoyang the urgent report from the northwest, and then informed Shui Ruoyang of the agreed arrangements one by one.

Shui Ruoyang nodded and said: "Soldiers are precious, and the army will leave in three days. This decision is fine. The soldiers in the northwest are fighting hard. If they know that the imperial army has already left, their courage will be doubled. Ziying, Xianglian and Zhang Jian are still young, and their courage and martial arts are good. , I’m worried that they don’t have enough experience. To boost morale, we must go with our men from the Shui family. Ziying and Zhang Jian are just son-in-laws after all!”

Shui Ze said: "Father, Brother Hong has just left the capital to go to the fiefdom. Uncle Beijing Jing has already taken leave when he is old, so has Uncle Zhongshun. Yun Qing and the others are still too young, and Brother Rong has gone to Jiangnan again."

Shui Ruoyang said: "Ze'er, call Rong'er back quickly, as long as you send a message quickly, Rong'er will definitely return to the capital within 20 days, and he can go to the northwest with the second batch of soldiers escorting food and grass!"

Shui Ze hurriedly said: "Father is right, I will send someone to bring the order to Suzhou now!"

Shui Ruoyang said: "Ze'er, if you need to go quickly, you shouldn't take the water route. From the capital to Gusu, the water route will take ten days at the fastest. If you ride a horse and speed up the transmission, you should be able to arrive in seven days. Let Rong'er get the order to leave quickly, Princess Lin and The child will come back one step later."

Mizusawa nodded and said, "Okay, Father, I'll send people to Gusu now!"

Shui Ruoyang said: "There are two groups of people, riding horses and boats. After seven or eight days, it is also possible that Rong'er has already left Gusu."

Mizusawa hurriedly agreed to back down.

Not long after noon, Shui Ze, who couldn't rest due to the war, was still watching the memorial in Chengde Hall, when Xia Shouming came in and said, "Your Majesty, old Prince Beijing asks to see you!"

After hearing this, Shui Ze hurriedly said, "Please!"

At that moment, Shui Ruoning came in, first gave Shui Ze the courtesy of a monarch and minister, and then said: "Your Majesty, if there are no children from the royal family in the Western Expedition, the morale will be low. The so-called victory in the flag, the first thing is to have morale. Our soldiers ten I haven't experienced any battles in the coming year, if I can't win in one fell swoop, the war will drag on longer and longer, so I beg the emperor to let me go to the northwest!"

Shui Ze hurriedly said: "Uncle Huang, we all thought of you at the court meeting today. You are getting old and have old injuries. This time, you will rest at home well. Father Huang said, when Brother Rong comes back, Brother Rong will accompany the second brother." The soldiers who escorted the food and grass went to the northwest! The one I sent to deliver the instructions to Brother Rong is already on the way."

Shui Ruoning said: "Your Majesty, even if this is the case, I don't feel at ease. I used to fight the Turkic people, they are very brave and fierce, Feng Ziying, Liu Xianglian and Zhang Jian are too young."

Shui Ze didn't reply yet, Xia Shouming came in again and said, "Your Majesty, Prince Zhongshun is asking to see you."

Mizusawa said hurriedly, please.

For a moment Zhongshun Wang Shui Ruo'an came in, saw that Shui Ruoning was there, first gave Shui Ze the honor of the emperor and said: "Third brother, do you want to go to the northwest? Let me give this opportunity to my younger brother. My younger brother has lived to be 50 years old." How many years old, today I finally have the opportunity to go to the northwest to make up for the regrets of my life, so don't fight with me this time, third brother!"

After hearing this, Shui Ze said with great joy: "Both uncles are loyal to the country, I am so happy. However, Uncle Zhongshun, I was just telling Uncle Beijing that you are old, and you should let those young people go try."

Shui Ruo'an said: "Your majesty, third brother, listen to me. I know that the men from the Shui family are missing in the western expedition army. How can this boost morale? Don't worry, although I have never been to the northwest, But I think I can still be a deputy general. I will not interfere with the arrangements made by the emperor and the ministers, as long as the emperor lets me go, even if I die in the northwest, I feel that I deserve to die!"

Zhongshun Wang Ruci stated that he insisted on going to the northwest. Not only Shuize was surprised, but Shui Ruoning was also surprised.

I remember that shortly after Shui Ruoyang ascended the throne, there were often wars at the western border, but Shui Ruoan not only never asked to go, but several times, Shui Ruoyang told Shui Ruoyang that he was not in good health and just wanted to be an idle prince. Ruoan is the youngest prince.

Right now, Shui Ruo'an is only one year older than Shui Ruoning, and is already 57 years old. It is really surprising that he is vying to go to the Northwest, and that he only wants to be a lieutenant general.

Shui Ze hurriedly said: "Uncle Zhongshun, if you insist on going to the northwest like this, Aunt Wang is also willing? Don't worry, Uncle Wang, although there is no man from our Shui family in the army at the moment, I have already sent a word to Brother Rong, as long as he returns to the capital , let him go west.”

Shui Ruo'an looked at Shui Ruoning and said, "Your Majesty, third brother, it's all the more reason for me to go. Over the years, several generations of Beijing Palace have made great achievements in the Southern and Northern Wars. But I have always enjoyed the king's salary. The emperor also specially asked me to stay in the capital without going to the fiefdom. Now I live to be more than 50 years old, and I have not devoted myself to the country for a day. My son is still young, so he can’t go. Although I am old, I also studied literature and martial arts when I was young. Yes, I just hope it can be used this time.”

Shui Ze heard that King Zhongshun was sincere, so he had no choice but to say: "Since Uncle Zhongshun said so, I promise you that I will make you the deputy vanguard of Zhengxi. The army will leave Beijing in three days, and Uncle Wang will go back and arrange all the affairs of the palace. I will let people know about other things, Feng Ziying, Zhang Jian, Liu Xianglian are already preparing for the expedition."

King Zhongshun was overjoyed when he heard this, and hurriedly knelt down to express his thanks: "Thank you, Your Majesty, I will definitely not let you down! I will go back to the residence to make arrangements!"

Seeing that Shui Ruoning was still standing up, Shui Ze hurriedly smiled and said, "Uncle Bei Jing, you should go back and rest well, you have to worry about bringing so many children at the mansion. I believe that Zi Ying, Xiang Lian and Zhang Jian Let the brothers go, even if the battle cannot be won for a while, it can still be a tie, and when Brother Rong returns, I will choose another good general to go with Brother Rong, I believe that we can definitely win!"

Shui Ruoning nodded and said: "Okay, Your Majesty, if our imperial court goes west and the army cannot turn the tide of the war, we will go when Shichen comes!"

Coming out of Chengde Palace, Shui Ruoning went to Yunyang Palace again, told about Shui Ruoan's scrambling to go to the west, and sighed: "I didn't expect fourth brother to be so old now, and his head is open, so I won't argue with him anymore."

Shui Ruoyang said: "Forget it, it's rare that he has changed his temperament in the past few years, but he still has the style of our Shui family's royal family. He must have grown older and understood a lot."

Shui Ruoning said: "Your Majesty, the terrain in southern Xinjiang is complicated, and the Huis and Tibetans are at odds, so the Turks have an opportunity. If the place is to be peaceful, the conflict between the Huis and Tibetans must be resolved. The water and grass are abundant there. The people are relatively rich. But because of this, the Turkic people have been eyeing it. It would be a good thing if they can take advantage of their invasion and completely defeat them this time, but the imperial army of 16 is still relatively small.”

Shui Ruoyang said: "I know, I have already told Ze'er, he said that the 16 troops are first-selected elite soldiers and good generals, they will go for now, and when Rong'er comes back, they will select another [-] troops to assist the Western Expedition."

Shui Ruoning nodded and said: "It is beneficial for us to start the war in spring now, we must have sufficient food and grass."

Shui Ruoyang said: "Don't worry, Brother Wang, Ze'er asked Zhang Jun and Tang Biao to lead two brothers and [-] elite soldiers to escort the food and grass to ensure that the army has no shortage of food and grass at any time."