Han Shizu

Chapter 264
Subconsciously stroking his big belly, Xue Huairang tried his best to make an ugly and humble smile, and replied: "It's all thanks to His Majesty's grace."

"Hey, I don't have any kindness to Xue Shijun. If you want it, it's the kindness of the late emperor!" Liu Chengyou waved his hand, and before Xue Huairang could reply, he changed his tone and said sharply: "In comparison, Xue Shijun received Li Shouzhen's favor." Grace, ask for more!"

Hearing what Liu Chengyou said, Xue Huairang's face suddenly changed, his cheeks felt dry and hot, but he felt slightly cold, but he broke out in cold sweat.Not caring too much, he got up and knelt down directly: "Your Majesty, forgive me. It was Li Shouzhen who wanted to know that I was greedy for money, and sent people to give gifts, trying to buy me off. I was blinded by greed for a while, so I had no contact with him, but I never The meaning of rebellion. When the rebellion occurred, the minister also commanded the people of the same state to resist the rebels."

Xue Huairang probably used all of his few eloquence, and it seems like he wasted a lot of brain cells by saying these words.

Seeing his performance, Liu Chengyou sneered slightly, and said in a "curious" tone: "I still remember how heroic and unyielding Mr. Xue was when he was in front of him last year. Why is he so cautious and humble now?" It's polite, but it makes me look at it differently, and I don't quite get used to it."

Xue Huairang's expression froze. Although he was a reckless man, he could still hear something wrong in Liu Chengyou's words.With red face and red ears, he hesitated and said: "Minister, minister"

"My eyes don't mean that I can see the details, but I also think that I am clear, and I know the situation in Tongzhou well. Xue Shijun's cunning and cunning arguments here, do you think I can be deceived?"

Xue Huairang weighed heavily on the stone hanging in his heart. He lowered his head, his expression changed, he raised his head suddenly, looked directly at Liu Chengyou, clasped his fists and said loudly: "If your majesty wants to punish the crimes in the past, you should behead your ministers. Dare to complain."

It was Xue Huairang who couldn't bear Liu Chengyou's yin and yang words, and this venting felt a bit broken.Liu Chengyou was only slightly surprised, and then glanced at him, clearly seeing nervousness and panic in the warrior's eyes.

The light nodding action made Xue Huairang's back sink a lot.Seeing this, Liu Chengyou showed him a slightly stiff and indifferent smile, and suddenly looked at Hou Zhang on the other side, and glanced at his clothes: "Hou Shijun's clothes are extraordinarily exquisite and gorgeous!"

Hou Zhang was taken aback for a moment, but he simply bowed down: "I am guilty, please punish me, Your Majesty!"

But he had planned for a long time, no matter what the emperor said, he just apologized, and his attitude was extremely respectful.Thanks to Xue Huairang's performance, at least from the scene, his attitude of admitting his mistakes and repenting is much better.

While lowering his head, feeling Liu Chengyou's appreciative gaze, Hou Zhang couldn't help muttering in his heart: Brother Zhao, believe your words, this time I bet the lives of my family
After scanning the two of them left and right for a while, Liu Chengyou showed his face, leaned back slightly, relaxed his whole body, and said, "Er Qing, don't kneel down, get up and answer!"

Feeling the change in Liu Chengyou's tone very clearly, the two people with their heads down couldn't help but tilt their heads and looked at each other. They were a little at a loss, but they got up quickly and still waited cautiously below.

The unpredictability of the emperor and the sudden change in the atmosphere obviously made the two very uncomfortable.

His expression slowly returned to calm, and Liu Chengyou said slowly: "I heard that in the past year or so, in the two prefectures of Huatong, the two of you have gathered a lot of wealth, wealth and wealth, fertile fields and rice fields, and a hundred thousand dollars in your waist."

Seeing the bewildered faces of the two, Liu Chengyou asked: "Why, what I heard, is there something wrong?"

Really not sure what Liu Chengyou's plan was, after being silent for a while, Xue Huairang couldn't help but said: "Not so much!"

Faced with Xue Huairang's "sincere" answer, Liu Chengyou no longer had the intention to argue with the two of them, stood up, swayed to the two of them, and said indifferently: "The Khitan Lord took advantage of the internal rebellion of the state and raised troops to invade Hebei. , Raiding prefectures and counties, and plundering our people. The border affairs are urgent, and there is a shortage of money and food. However, this time to suppress the rebellion, the imperial court has spent all the money. Recently, I have been raising money and food for Beiji, but I have a headache."

The emperor's hint was almost explicit, but Xue Huairang and Hou Zhang didn't react for a while.

It was Hou Zhang, whose head was not completely filled with fat, and took the initiative to say: "I am willing to donate five thousand coins of my family's wealth to support the imperial court and northern imperialists!"

This time, Xue Huairang also came to his senses, and immediately said: "The same is true for the minister?"

Seeing this, Liu Chengyou immediately raised his hand: "This matter is not allowed, if it is passed to the ears of ignorant people, it will be treated as if I seized the property of my ministers!"

Hou Zhang seemed to be getting smarter, and immediately bent down and replied: "This is my voluntary dedication, in order to repay His Majesty and the court, to prepare for the frontier politics, and to do my best for the soldiers of the northern border."

"The minister is too."

Liu Chengyou nodded his head slowly, his eyes were a little playful, looking at the two, the corner of his mouth curled up a cold arc that seemed to be a smile but not a smile.

The atmosphere in the hall was a bit awkward amidst the weirdness.After being silent for a while, Hou Zhang seemed to understand something, gritted his teeth, and said again: "I am willing to donate ten thousand coins."

Xue Huairang looked at Hou Zhang unexpectedly, then at Liu Chengyou, with a look of pain on his face: "The same as the minister."

"Ten thousand coins?" Liu Chengyou walked back to the case slowly, sat down, and seemed to sigh with emotion: "It seems that Er Qing's family is indeed rich!"

The tone of Liu Chengyou's words seemed to be implying something.

"."

The silent oppression forced the two of them to raise their contributions to [-] yuan and [-] grains of rice, and Liu Chengyou just let them go.Quite embarrassedly said: "The second minister made a fortune to help the country, and even if it is a bucket of water, it also shows his sincerity. I have seen and believed the loyalty to me and the court. The former second minister was deceived by the traitor Li Shouzhen. !"

"Your Majesty is wise!"

After a pause, Liu Chengyou finally revealed his real treatment for the two: "This time, you two must have suffered quite a bit of fright. Life is nothing more than fame and wealth. You two have been in the army for decades, and you are tired today. In this way , I will give you a beautiful house in Xijing. You can move your family, buy some acres, and buy some property. From now on, you will be pampered in Xijing, have grandchildren, and spend your old age in peace."

After saying this, the expressions of the two of them changed at the same time, with anger and unwillingness evident in their eyes.

"Why, what's your opinion? If you have an opinion, feel free to mention it!" Seeing the bitterness on the faces of the two, Liu Chengyou said aloud.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" At this point, the two of them could still have any opinions, so they agreed in a daze.

When they resigned and left, the two of them were still a little unresponsive, and their footsteps were a little vain.His life was saved, and the lord was not deprived, but the two of them were not happy at all.

In this era, without power, especially military power, even if you have tens of millions of wealth, it is still a fish to be slaughtered.My lord, what kind of rotten fish and rotten shrimp is that? Look at how miserable those people in Xijing have been punished by Shi Hongzhao, and the two of them will join his ranks.

"The little emperor is too ruthless, so much money and rations are enough to pay a wave of military pay!" Xue Huairang couldn't help complaining.Tongzhou is a poor place, he worked so hard to collect money and food, and it was never easy for him to have that little wealth.

"It's a fluke to save my life!" Hou Zhang's expression was not good-looking, but he was a little more open-minded: "I was still frightened by the emperor. He doesn't seem to have any intention of killing us."

After sighing, Xue Huairang quickly cursed: "It's all the fault of Li Shouzhen, if he is present, a certain family will screw his head off."

"Brother Xue, the emperor has deprived us of our rights. From now on, when we go to Luoyang, we have to support each other." Hou Zhang lacked interest, shuffled along, and gave Xue Huairang a fist.

"That's natural." Xue Huairang replied.

Having gone through this catastrophe, the relationship between the two is obviously closer.

"Brother Hou, how old is your husband?" Xue Huairang asked suddenly.

Hou Zhang turned his head and looked at him suspiciously.

Xue Huairang said, "I have a daughter who is seventeen years old and hasn't married yet."

Soon, the pair of suffering brothers began to discuss the marriage of their children.Late autumn has arrived, and the weather is getting colder, so we can only report to the group to keep warm.

　The end of the year is really difficult, troubled by everything, physically and mentally exhausted, staying up late every day, and my body is about to collapse.That's all for today.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)