Yan Cigui.

This summer in Beijing is extremely hot.

Lin Yunyan arrived at Cining Palace.

The Empress Dowager waved to her: "Come over quickly and cool down."

As he spoke, he sighed again.

"They say that a calm mind naturally cools down, but it seems that the Ai family is still not calm enough."

"That's the bad thing about getting older. If you don't use enough ice, you'll feel uncomfortable in the heat. If you use too much ice, you'll feel uncomfortable."

"The cicadas were also chirping so loudly that the Ai family couldn't sleep for several days."

Lin Yunyan smiled and said: "Everything must be done in moderation. Don't be greedy for coolness."

"You're not a child." The Queen Mother said cheerfully.

After saying a few common words, what Lin Yunyan wanted to ask about was the situation at the border.

It has been a month since Xu Jian set off.

During this time, military reports began to arrive in Beijing one after another, and Yumen could not be said to be optimistic.

Xiliang and Gu Yue were approaching fiercely. It was supposed to take advantage of the Dashun reinforcements to step up the attack on Yumen. The defenders were ready to defend to the death, but the enemy started to delay.

The formation call was made every day, but Dashun soldiers did not come out to fight, and the enemy troops were not in a hurry. They still entered at sunrise and retreated at sunset.

Worried that this was a deliberate strategy used by the enemy to make people relax their vigilance, the defenders did not dare to relax at all, and worked hard to be on guard day and night until Ji Xin led the vanguard army to arrive.

Reinforcements arrived, and the defenders' confidence increased.

After Ji Xin discussed with the general, he was not in a hurry to leave the customs. He still focused on guarding and waited until Dingbei Hou's army arrived.

With the commander in charge, the morale of Dashun soldiers was greatly boosted.

The Xiliang side seemed to have just woken up at this moment, and stopped calling formations, taking advantage of the darkness to launch several attacks.

Marquis Dingbei used to command more wars in northern Xinjiang and was more familiar with the Tatars, so he lacked experience in fighting against the Xiliang people.

He did not advance rashly, and did not choose to go out to pursue the enemy after repelling them several times. He was afraid that he did not have a clear understanding of the nearby terrain, and he was fighting in the dark and his sight was blocked. It would be dangerous for him to be led into the encirclement by the enemy.

Therefore, the three parties faced off in Yumen for a month and were still in a stalemate.

"The Holy One came here yesterday, and what Aijia heard from him was that there will be a stalemate for a while," the Empress Dowager said, "We rely on the Yumen natural moat to resist the enemy. We have trained soldiers in the pass, so we can stop the enemy.

Yongjia fell in the eighth year because a surprise attack by the Xiliang people took advantage of the opportunity and took the lead. However, they paid a heavy price for their victory and were unable to advance eastward.

Now that there is a confrontation, it won't be a surprise attack.

In the stalemate, the enemy wants to break through Yumen, but the coalition forces they currently display are far from enough.

If we call for formation, we will ignore them, and if we attack, we will push them back. If we delay them any longer, they will not be able to bear it anymore. "

Military supplies, food and grass are all problems.

Dashun can go to Yumen for supplies, but Xiliang and Gu Yue won't consume it like this. It's fine for a short time, but over time, there will be quarrels among them which one produces more and which one consumes more.

Once the cool autumn turns to winter, Xiliang will not be willing to fight in winter.

At that time, Dashun, who was waiting for work, could turn from defense to offense and find ways to push back the enemy.

Lin Yunyan understands this idea.

Xu Jian also explained it carefully to her before leaving Beijing.

This is also the reason why the war started in the summer, but preparations for the war took several months and half a year.

"We have such a plan, why don't Xiliang and Gu Yue know about it?" Lin Yunyan said.

The winter outside the customs is very difficult. They are coming fiercely and they are bound to want to achieve some results before winter.

In particular, there were also two people with strange thoughts, Li Du and Su Yi.

If Li Du wanted to make a comeback, he would not be able to watch Yu Men's side just confront each other without fighting.

Just the fuse is missing.

Lin Yunyan thought that the current situation was like the recent weather, which was very hot and muggy, just waiting for a thunderstorm, thunderbolts from the sky, and rain pouring down.

It's just that the fuse, I don't know where it was placed.

In Qianbu Corridor, Li Shao tugged on his collar.

It was so hot that it made him very hot.

The Ministry of War has been watching politics for a month, and the situation has become somewhat clearer, but it is also very boring.

Everyone in the yamen was very busy. Even though the border border was just at a stalemate, the Ministry of War did not dare to relax at all. Those who urged dispatches and asked for food and grass were also racking their brains to ask the yamen of the Ministry of Households for more money to prepare winter military supplies.

"There's still half a year left. Maybe you won't need it after you prepare it..." Li Shao muttered to himself.

He did intend to express some ideas, but the results were not obvious.

Li Shao complained a few words to the emperor in the imperial study.

The Holy One said: "It's time for war and they have rich experience. Shao'er, you should listen more and watch more."

Speaking of this, can Li Shao still understand?

This is to keep him from pointing fingers.

But he just made a few comments, how could he be considered as giving advice?

As a result, Li Shao felt more and more uncomfortable with his political views.

After Wang Gouzi was arrested by Eunuch Cao, the eunuch who was following Li Shao was named Gao. Gao's eunuch was clever and troublesome.

Li Shao didn't like this person, but there was nothing he could do about it.

He leaned back in his chair, looked at the hurried officials outside the room, and wiped the sweat from his forehead: "It's better to fight quickly."

Confrontation?

Dingbeihou said that he was not familiar with the situation outside Yumen Pass, but weren't the guards and Xu Jian familiar with it?
One month is not enough time for them to make arrangements and take the initiative?
As long as the Xiliang people are killed, the war will be over. Why do we need to consider autumn and winter supplies or ask the Ministry of Households for money?
Xu Jian then returned to the court.

Although Li Shao still didn't like Xu Jian, he found it even more boring since Xu Jian was not in the capital.

The room was bored when suddenly, the clerk outside was running in and out in a hurry, looking extremely anxious. Li Shao saw this and raised his chin to the waiter.

The high chamberlain understood and went out to inquire.

Not long after, the chamberlain Gao came back in three steps and two steps, and closed the door as soon as he entered the room.

"Isn't it hot enough?" Li Shao asked.

Gao Neishi walked to Li Shao's side, leaned over and whispered: "It seems that something happened in Dingbei Hou Mansion. I'm not sure. Master Shangshu has a dark face and is unwilling to reveal more, but I guess it's not serious. ”

Li Shao stood up and said, "I'm going back to the palace."

If you can't find out from the Ministry of War, why don't you just go to the imperial study and ask?

The sun was shining brightly, and Li Shao was sweating profusely after walking for such a long distance.

He simply tidied up and went inside to salute the Holy Master: "My son, I heard that there was something going on in the Dingbei Hou Mansion, and I was very concerned."

The Holy Emperor motioned for him to sit down without further explanation.

It was almost evening when Cining Palace received the news.

"Is Marquis Dingbei from Li Du?" The Empress Dowager was stunned, with disbelief written all over her face.

Eunuch Yu Yu reported: "The Eunuch Tong couldn't resist the questioning and suddenly said that he had given him two gold bricks in order to win over Dingbei Hou." "How can we believe Eunuch Tong's words?" Lin Yunyan said to the Empress Dowager, " Let me tell you, he probably learned from someone that Dingbei Hou was in command, and now he deliberately told it to stir up trouble and throw dirty water on Dingbei Hou. "

When it comes to saying that others voted for Li Du, Lin Yunyan is not so confident yet.

But it happened to be Dingbeihou.

If Dingbeihou had been won over by Li Du, he would not have been accused of having an affair with Li Mi in his previous life, and ended up having his family confiscated and his family exterminated.

"I won't believe him easily," Eunuch Yu sighed, "but when the news was reported to the emperor, An Yibo was talking to the emperor. When he heard about the dirty water, he was very angry and insisted that the emperor send Yulin to go there. Dingbei Hou Mansion, search, be sure to clear the Hou Ye's name.

The Holy Emperor asked Commander Wan to go and found two gold bricks on the beam of Dingbeihou's study.

There is also Li Mi's mark on the gold brick. "

Lin Yunyan took a deep breath.

At this moment, she suddenly remembered what Xu Jian said.

Some things are meant to happen.

The gold brick that once made An Yibo and Dingbeihou's mansion speechless still appeared in Dingbeihou's mansion.

Under completely different circumstances, they were dealt a heavy blow.

"Empress." Lin Yunyan looked at the Queen Mother.

The Empress Dowager held her hand and asked Eunuch Yu: "What does the Holy One say now?"

"We surrounded the Dingbei Hou Mansion and said we wanted to investigate carefully."

The Empress Dowager comforted Lin Yunyan and said: "This is a serious matter. Since something has been found, an investigation must be carried out. Failure to do so would be unjustifiable. The matter is strange, and it is impossible for the Holy One not to notice it. The siege of the house now is actually a kind of protection."

Lin Yunyan nodded.

The next day.

In the Jinluan Palace, the courtiers were quarreling.

"That person who has no descendants will not open his mouth sooner or later. The Marquis of Dingbei opened his mouth when he led his children to fight against the enemy in Yumen. His intention is to be punished!"

"He just wants to demoralize our military."

"It's better to believe that he has it than to believe that he doesn't have it. The chamberlain named Tong was locked up long before Dingbei Hou took command. How could he hide gold bricks in Dingbei Hou's mansion?"

"Yes, I heard that the gold bricks are the same as those found in Chenmi Hutong, and they have Li Mi's mark."

"The incident in Chenmi Hutong has been confirmed to be Li Du's fault. He had already bribed Li Mi's side Wang Sixian, and a lot of Li Mi's gold and silver fell into Li Du's hands."

"If Marquis Dingbei is really Li Du's man, he holds the military talisman in his hand, and he turns around and attacks the capital..."

The Holy Emperor was sitting on the dragon throne, his face gloomy.

At this moment, he felt like he was riding a tiger with a hard time getting off.

The gold bricks in Chenmi Hutong have nothing to do with Li Mi or Li Du. They were made by him following Xu Jian's suggestion.

Li Du collected Li Mi's gold and silver, but the Holy Spirit actually didn't know what Li Mi's gold bricks looked like and whether they had the mark. In other words, no one knew except the person who originally handled them.

Everyone relied on Xu Jian's fake gold bricks to judge their ownership.

But this time, what Dingbeihou Mansion found was indeed exactly the same as the original fake.

The Holy One sighed.

Could it be that he wanted to reveal what he had faked in the first place?
Another person who was riding a tiger and had trouble getting down to the point of regret was An Yibo.

He regretted it so much that his intestines were blue.

Yesterday I heard that Eunuch Cao was determined to be the Marquis of Bei, and An Yibo was very angry.

He trusted the Marquis of Dingbei and knew that his family would never be won over by Li Du. He also knew that when the general went on an expedition, rumors from behind would hurt the morale of the front line the most, so he immediately wanted to clear up the stigma.

Therefore, An Yibo proposed "Searching the House".

But he forgot one thing.

How could a child eunuch grab and bite randomly?
Now that he has bitten it, everything is ready except for his mouthful of east wind!

A full set of opera and opera singing, two gold bricks have already been stuffed into Dingbei Hou's study!
"I will vouch for the Marquis of Bei with my own life. There is no way he is from Li Du. This is a frame-up!" An Yibo stood up, "I believe that the people who have come into contact with the child eunuch in recent days should be thoroughly investigated. He has never been How did he know that Dingbei Hou was in command, and how did he know that everything was ready outside?"

"Uncle and Marquis Dingbei are related by marriage. It's normal for you to be attracted to him. It's just that uncle, you are in charge of the Gyeonggi camp now. You guys are going here and there. If you have other ideas..."

"Bah!" An Yibo was impatient and spat out after hearing this, "I'm going to kill you right now. Do you have any other ideas?"

"Dingbei Hou's Mansion has been searched. Will An Yibo's Mansion also be searched?"

"I just found two boxes of gold bricks. I stood straight and walked straight, with a clear conscience!"

For a time, there was a commotion in the court.

Lin Yu frowned and looked at it.

Some people believe it, some people don't believe it, this is normal.

There are also a few people who stir up trouble in the fire, probably because of military power, and I can guess their general thoughts.

However, there must be an explanation for the matter here.

"Your Majesty," a censor stood up and said, "Although I don't believe that Marquis Dingbei defected to Li Du, before the matter is found out, it really doesn't make people feel reassured that he will lead Yumen again."

"Dashun has sufficient troops but only defends but does not attack. Whether Marquis Dingbei really wants to retreat from the enemy, or if he just takes power and does nothing, we still have to say two things."

"The war has made no progress for a month, so changing the commander is also a way to make a change."

"How about handing over the military power to the Duke of Fu? If the young man is ambitious, let him focus on the offense."

Li Shao, who was standing at the front of the team, said nothing from the beginning to the end.

He had been hurt by Li Du, and the thought of two gold bricks gave him a headache. Therefore, it was difficult to judge whether Dingbei Marquis was an enemy or a friend.

Anyway, as for the battle situation and various other matters, he could only listen and watch more, as his father would not let him say more.

Li Shao simply kept silent.

But when he suddenly heard such a sentence, he couldn't help it anymore.

"Let Xu Jian take charge of the offensive?" Li Shao turned around, trying to find the person who said this in a daze. "It's just a precaution. He can still stay in the pass. If we really fight, you are afraid that he will hurt his leg." No recurrence?
I caused him to get hurt, and you all scolded me for causing harm to good people.

It's better now, thinking of ways to make Xu Jian die outside Yumen Pass.

Li Du hated Xu Jian so much that his teeth itched with hatred. I thought, maybe you were the one who voted for Li Du, right? "

Li Shao actually didn't find the person speaking. As he said these words, his eyes passed over the courtiers, sweeping away the doubtful attitude among them.

Those who had not said anything before naturally turned sideways to show their innocence.

After saying that, his face turned red and his neck was thick. He was so angry that he didn't know what to say to Li Shao. He had to face his Majesty and said: "Your Majesty, I have no intention of assisting the Duke. I just think that in this situation, I will definitely It is not appropriate for Beihou to continue to hold the commander's seal."

Cough cough twice.

A man came out of the queue. He seemed to be feeling unwell, and his face turned pale on a hot day.

Li Shao glanced at him.

The man's surname was Liu, and he was a Hanlin scholar. He was also Liu Guiren's father and Li Mian's grandfather.

"Your Majesty," Academician Liu cupped his hands and said, "when I paid homage to His Highness the other day, His Highness was in the process of reciting something like, 'A general facing an enemy has faced difficulties since ancient times. This is why Le Yi resigned from Yan, and Zhao Kuo used it to defeat Zhao.'" Chen Shen I think so." (End of chapter)