Exclusive golden branch

Chapter 575

The streets in the city were empty, and the owner of the still-closed spice shop stood at the door, looking at the empty streets and couldn't help shaking his head and sighing.

With all the turmoil in the city in recent days, besides the rice and grain shops that are necessary for life, is there any other shop that has business?Business is bleak, and I can't even pay the rent.

While sighing, a fast horse passed by the door, the boss was taken aback for a moment, and instinctively looked in the direction the fast horse was going.

That is... the imperial city.

The fast horse went to the gate of the imperial city, but he did not get off his horse like ordinary people and entered the palace on foot. Instead, he directly sacrificed the banner behind him. Come.

The gate of the palace was wide open, and the fast horse drove straight in, heading straight for the king.

This is... the urgent order soldier on the battlefield!

The owner of the spice shop came back to his senses, as if he just remembered that the reason for the chaos in the city these days was someone's rebellion.

Probably because there are too many things happening in recent days, and everyone is in danger, lest they will be reported or arrested, so that people almost forget that the front line is still fighting!
By the way, how did the battle go?

It is not good news to report directly to the emperor so urgently, but...

General Wang Lin of Linshan was injured by an arrow and fell into a coma. Vice General Changping Hou was temporarily in charge of the post, but his skills were not as good as others, and he lost two battles in a row.

It is not a good thing for the commander of the first army to be injured. Although Wang Lin is not a first-class general in Dazhou, he is still a good general. Unexpectedly, the main general was seriously injured within half a month after the battle started.

"What's going on here?"

"Wang Lin is greedy for merit?"

"Or is the command negligent?"

"Or carelessly underestimate the enemy?"

……

The officials in the Golden Luan Hall were discussing a lot, losing the first battle is not a good thing, His Majesty was so angry and left, leaving only the officials in the Golden Luan Hall who were discussing with red faces.

"Wang Lin still can't do it. In my opinion, it's better to choose another person! My Great Zhou Liang is not just Wang Lin, there are many, not to mention far away, hey! Marquis of Fushun!"

The Fushunhou father and son who were pointed out nodded at the civil official who mentioned his name, and explained with a smile: "The water bandits in Dengzhou are causing chaos. The two of us have received orders yesterday, and we will go to Dengzhou tomorrow."

The phrase "Water bandits cause chaos" reminded the officials that there were water bandits in Dengzhou, but it was too far away from Chang'an, so they often ignored it.

"The water bandits are a problem caused by the foreigners in Dongying, so don't take it lightly!" Marquis Fushun glanced at his son Liang Jin, who was winking at him, and said, "Since the two of us have received the holy order, we will solve the water bandits for your majesty, and protect my uncle. Zhou people's."

Just listen to such high-sounding words. The officials who discussed the matter didn't care about how Fushun Hou solved the water bandits. What they cared about was another matter.

"How long will it take you to solve the problem of water bandits?"

Marquis Fushun thought for a while and said, "Three to five years if it goes well, seven or eight years if it doesn't go well."

As soon as the words of [-] and [-] came out, the corners of the officials' mouths twitched.

In three to five years, seven or eight years...by then, the daylily might be cold!

Marquis Fushun don't think about it here.

Who else besides Marquis Fushun?
"Where's General Li?" Someone looked around, wanting to find General Li's figure, but he searched the crowd, but he didn't see the dark face that he used to.

"What about others?"

"General Li and Young Master Li were injured." Liang Ting and his father looked at each other delicately, "They fell from their horses a few days ago and were injured."

Most of the people present didn't know the inside story, but His Majesty, who left in advance, knew about it.

The Li family father and son conducted internal drills in the army some time ago, each of the Longxi Army had their own hilltops, and the generals in the army were even more heroic. It was clearly an internal drill, but they were merciless in their actions, as if they were life-and-death enemies on the battlefield.

The Li family father and son were injured at this time, General Li injured his leg, and Young Master Li injured his back.

Although it doesn't matter if the man has some injuries, but the Li family father and son are good generals on the battlefield, and they will go to the battlefield to kill the enemy.His legs, feet and back were injured. If his legs, feet and back were sore for no reason on the battlefield, it would be fatal.

There are not a few generals in the Longxi Army who have been injured like them, and the remnants account for more than half of them.

"The Longxi Army is abolished for the time being, and it won't be able to get up again in three or five years." His Majesty frowned slightly, "Where's that Li Xuanjing in his family?"

His impression of Li Xuanjing was still on the "poor man" who had been divorced one after another, and he vaguely remembered that this son was good at both civil and martial arts.

"Li Xuan actually took General Li's private soldiers to Datong, Shanxi to suppress the bandits. As soon as he entered Zhanshan, he lost contact with the army. Datong's local soldiers and horses were searching in Zhanshan." Zhong Hui said from the side.

Zhong Hui did not forget to explain to the gazes of the rest of the people present at him: "General Li couldn't find his second son, so he came to look for me and asked me if there was any way to find him..."

In a word, the people present were even more silent for a while.

"Li Cheng, the Longxi Army, looks very fierce on weekdays, but at a critical moment, he lost such a chain!" Someone couldn't help shaking their heads, "What's going on?"

When Wang San heard this, he was thoughtful: it was a coincidence that he almost became in-laws with the Longxi Li family, especially Li Xuanjing, who disappeared after entering Zhanshan Mountain, would really disappear at his own time.

Of course, it is not impossible to be a coincidence, after all, it is not uncommon for people not to be seen in a hundred thousand li barrier mountain.

But the problem is that his disappearance indirectly contributed to the immediate abolition of the Longxi Army.

The Longxi army could not be used, Fushunhou and his son went to Dengzhou to suppress the bandits, so there were really not many available troops.

Compared with the previous officials who speculated like headless chickens, the few officials called here by His Majesty are well-informed, and the inside story of Wang Lin's injury is not unknown.

It's not greedy for meritorious deeds, it's not command negligence, and it's not careless underestimating the enemy...

But...

"General Wang did not fail at the first station. On the way back to the camp, he encountered a thousand-strong light cavalry squad, and one of them was injured by accident." The urgent soldier who came to report the order said, "That thousands-strong The light cavalry squad came out of nowhere and injured General Wang. General Wang wanted to use himself as a bait, and waited until the reinforcements came to wipe them out in one fell swoop, but they did not take advantage of the victory to pursue after they injured General Wang. But they retreated, and when the reinforcements came, the people had already disappeared."

It is also for this reason that it is still unclear whether the Qingqi squad of thousands of people belonged to those former generals.

General Wang was indeed injured, but it was not as serious as the rumors said. He was not unconscious and was awake.

"That is to say, besides the soldiers and horses returning to the camp, there are also soldiers and horses beside them." The officials looked at each other and immediately thought of the biggest possibility.

Wang Rin, who was fighting head-on, also guessed this possibility.

"General Wang suspects that it is from the former army of Baidi..." the urgent command soldier said, he took off the feathered arrow behind him and presented it up, "This is the feathered arrow that injured General Wang, and there is a word on the end of the feathered arrow."

Zhong Hui, who was very close to His Majesty, saw the word "Zhao" at the end of the feather arrow at a glance. This feather arrow seemed to have confirmed the identity of the other party.

"Those Baidi's old troops have cooperated with those who returned to the camp from the previous dynasty," Ji Lingbing said here, his hands clenched into fists, his eyes were red, and his voice was choked, "General Wang asked his subordinates to bring a message to His Majesty, those Baidi The soldiers from the old department are now cooperating with the rebels, and they are united to devour my country!"

"The country that devours my Great Zhou!"

Thinking of the expression that made Bing choke with excitement, Zhong Hui yawned.

"Zhong Hui!" Master Zhou who came out together stopped him angrily, strode up to Zhong Hui, pointed at his nose and trembled angrily, "Are you still yawning at this time?"

"What's the matter? Master Zhou even cares about people yawning and sleeping?" Zhong Hui raised his eyelids, looked at this so-called upright old man, and said softly, "Master Zhou, don't go back to coax your old wife? You have raised her for many years. The outer room is still jumping!"

The Lord Zhou in front of him was famous for being upright. When His Majesty raised his troops, he called out for His Majesty, and then he was sent to prison. When His Majesty ascended the throne, this loyal minister who had "spoken" for His Majesty would naturally change. Become a big Zhou dignitary.

His people said that his ability is not bad, but the reputation of "never abandoning a wife of dross" has been passed down for many years. In the end, Zhonghui was asked to find a concubine, which made the people laugh for a while.

Mr. Zhou, who was captured by Zhong Hui as an "outside room", turned pale and pale, very ugly, but still pointed at Zhong Hui and said angrily: "The rebels are rampant, but your attitude is so lax. Is it reasonable?"

Zhong Hui moved the finger pointing at his nose aside, and said, "Don't worry about my attitude, Mr. Zhou. Is there anything wrong with Zhong doing the things His Majesty instructed?"

Master Zhou's expression froze: What's wrong?Except that the method is a bit thunderous, I can't find any faults.

Zhong Hui shook his head, ignored Master Zhou in front of him, and waved his hand: "Does Master Zhou have any advice? If not, Zhong will continue to investigate people!"

There are not a few officials involved with Yang Yan, and he has to check them one by one.

Before leaving, Zhong Hui glanced at the imperial study room behind him, and saw a guard of the imperial army being led into the imperial study room.

What is Your Majesty doing when you see a guard of the Imperial Guard at this time?Zhong Hui frowned.

……

……

After entering the hall, Zhou Fang knelt down and got up.

This is also the second time he has entered the palace to face His Majesty.

"Zhou Fang," His Majesty above asked, "Is he still alive?"

This sentence made Zhou Fang's heart tighten suddenly: this was the first time he was asked this question.When he saw His Majesty the last time, he originally thought that His Majesty would ask, but unexpectedly, His Majesty did not ask this question.

Who this "he" refers to, no matter whether it is His Majesty or Zhou Fang, they all know it well.

Zhou Fang took a deep breath, lowered his eyes and replied: "Yes! He is still alive."

"That time he went straight into the imperial city to get the Ye Mingzhu?" His Majesty asked again.

These words should have been asked the first time I saw His Majesty, but they were not asked until now.

Zhou Fang nodded: "Yes!"

The voice of "Yes" fell, and the curtain swayed slightly, and said: "Who is so familiar with this imperial city mechanism and has this skill, who else in the world besides him?"

Zhou Fang moved his lips, and was about to follow His Majesty's words.

Unexpectedly, His Majesty suddenly changed the subject and asked, "Wang Lin won the first battle, but was suddenly attacked on the way back to the camp. He won the first blow but didn't want to fight, and pulled away in time. Do you think this is his handwriting?"

His lowered eyes were as sharp as thorns.

Zhou Fang lowered his eyelids, did not meet this gaze, and said slowly, "I... I don't know. It might be him!"

His Majesty above gave an "um", picked up something in his hand and threw it over: "Look at this."

What was thrown in front of him was a feathered arrow stained with blood. Zhou Fang stretched out his hand to caress the word "Zhao" at the end of the feathered arrow, his eyelids trembled: "This... this is our arrow!"

"This is the arrow that hit Wang Lin." His Majesty said.

Zhou Fang's pupils shrank suddenly, and the hand holding the feather arrow tightened unconsciously: They... have cooperated with the people from the previous dynasty?
The curtain was lifted slightly, seeing Zhou Fang's pale face, His Majesty waved: "Go down!"

After Zhou Fang, who was in a trance, was taken away, His Majesty turned his side slightly and shouted in the empty hall, "Come out!"

A figure flashed in the side hall, walked slowly to the front of the hall step by step, raised his head.

The sunlight poured down from the patio on the top of the hall and fell on that face, which was almost exactly the same as the face behind the curtain.

"I have seen Your Majesty!" The person who appeared bowed to him and saluted him, and when he spoke, his voice was somewhat similar to that of the Son of Heaven.

"Did you see Zhou Fang's reaction just now?" His Majesty asked him, "What do you think?"

The person at the bottom replied: "This person can't be trusted."

"I can't believe him either," His Majesty got up from the dragon chair, walked around to him, looked at the face in front of him that was almost similar to himself, and said, "Although I can't believe it, it's not that I can't use it. Just now his The reaction... actually confirmed my guess!"

To those people in Baidi City, he is untrustworthy, but how about those who returned to the camp loyally from the previous dynasty?

From the old Baidi tribe to the current situation, no one is innocent.

Whether this matter was done by Baidi or the others, although he had a guess, he was not sure whether it was true or not, so he took Zhou Fang to test it out, and Zhou Fang's face turned pale just now, and it seemed that the feather arrow was indeed theirs up.

"I think there may be a feeling between the brothers in the dark, and I feel that he is not dead after all these years." His Majesty said, untied the curtain of the emperor from his head, put it on the head of the person in front of him, and said, "I am 20 I didn't have time to send him a ride a few years ago, luckily he lived 20 years longer, so he can give me this chance again!"

"Your Majesty!" Hearing the words, the subordinate hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty is a true dragon, so you shouldn't risk yourself! Why don't you let the minister..."

"What's the use of you going?" His Majesty looked at him, shook his head and sneered, "What they are afraid of is not the identity of the emperor, but the person I am."

So what's the use of having a double and decoration?

"I don't know what the court's civil and military thoughts are? Some are politicians swaying around like weeds, some are secretly colluding with the soldiers and horses of the loyal returnee camp of the previous court to turn against the Great Zhou, and there are still some who want to take advantage of the opportunity..." His Majesty lightly He said, "It's okay, if these people dance again, I won't be able to dance anymore after I get rid of the remnants of being loyal to the camp and aliens."

(End of this chapter)