I am not a deposed emperor of Han Dynasty

Chapter 348 I, Huo Guang, am miserable. I have to bully the emperor for the younger generation and worry about the emperor! (Please subscribe)

The last snow of Yuanfeng's seventh year lasted all night without stopping.

Even at chen o'clock the next day, there was still no sign of stopping. On the contrary, it was getting worse and worse.

The entire city of Chang'an is covered in silver and is extremely enchanting.

The eaves and corridors of the pavilions are white, and the people and birds are clear of wind and smoke.

In this chilling silence and biting cold wind and snow, Great Sima General Huo Guang still went out early in the morning.

Although today is not the day for major and minor court discussions, he still has to go to the Shangshu office to discuss matters.

In the past ten days, Huo Guang was not very interested in going to the Shangshu Office because he was always overwhelmed when the emperor was there.

Naturally, there is nothing to do.

Today, Huo Guang wore a brand-new robe, with a very delicate purple ribbon around his waist, and his overall popularity was extraordinary.

Under the escort of the chariots of the great general Sima, Huo Guang, who was in the car, braved the wind and snow and galloped towards Weiyang Palace.

This neat chariot is like a sharp knife. When it runs over the official road, it will leave two ugly scars on it, which is shocking.

In this freezing weather, there were very few passers-by coming out of the snow, so apart from the jingling of carriage and horse bells, there was no other noise.

The Anchai that Huo Guang rode in was specially designed for winter and had extra compartments for keeping warm. It was different from the Anchai that he rode at the turn of spring and summer.

There were heavy felt curtains hanging on the windows and doors, and there was a burning stove in the carriage, so Huo Guang didn't feel cold at all.

The fire is blazing, the robes are new, and he is calm and relaxed... No matter how you look at it, Huo Guang must be in a good mood.

But in fact, this was not the case. Huo Guang was in a very complicated and panic mood at the moment - at least half of that calm and confident look was just an act.

Now, there are three "good news" in his arms - at noon yesterday, he received the good news from Fan Mingyou; in the evening, the good news from Tian Shun and Tian Guangming also arrived.

These three "good news" were what Huo Guang thought about day and night, but when they were actually delivered to his hands, they did not make Huo Guang breathe a sigh of relief. Instead, they felt a little hot.

The reason is simple, this good news is really unseemly.

Tian Shun's troops set out from Wuyuan and marched [-] miles out of the fortress. They arrived at the Yuwu River and killed and captured [-] Huns.

Fan Mingyou's troops set out from Zhangye and traveled [-] miles across the fortress to arrive at Xijunji Mountain, where they killed and captured a thousand Huns.

Tian Guangming's troops set out from Xihe and traveled [-] miles from the fortress to Dongjunji Mountain. They killed and captured only nineteen Huns.

Fan Mingyou and Tian Guangming seemed to be far away from the fortress, but Xihe and Zhangye where they started were both on the Hexi Corridor, much further south than Wuyuan.

In total, although Fan Mingyou and Tian Guangming traveled more than a thousand miles from the Great Wall, the Junji Mountain they finally arrived at did not penetrate deep into the hinterland of the northern Great Wall.

Except for Tian Shun's troops who were close to Shan Yuting in the old days, the other two groups were still [-] miles away from Shan Yuting.

It is simply wishful thinking to find most of the Xiongnu in Dongjunji Mountain and Xijunji Mountain.

What's even more shameful is that these three groups of troops killed and captured less than [-] Huns.

To be honest, how can the heads of these three thousand Huns be regarded as a victory?

Not only were the results in the victory reports unworthy of the name, but the words of the three leading generals were also surprisingly consistent.

All three people clearly mentioned in their victory reports that due to the sudden change in the weather in the northern part of the country, with dripping water turning into ice and heavy wind and snow, it was difficult for the troops and horses to move forward, so they had to return south to the island in advance.

The time when these three armies broke out of camp and returned to the south was October 29.

Calculating this distance, several armies will be able to return to the south before November [-]th, half a month earlier than the original date of return.

The attack on the Huns was scheduled for two months, and the withdrawal began within a month. This was no different from blatant disobedience to military orders.

Yesterday evening, when Huo Guang received these three good news, he wanted to get angry on the spot.

I wish I could reach out thousands of miles away immediately, pull Fan Mingyou and others in front of me, and ask them if they are insane.

Together they stalled, together they returned without success, and together they returned south to the frontier in advance - Huo Guang keenly smelled a hint of conspiracy.

To say that these three people have not discussed and hooked up in private, I am afraid that even Huo Xian, a womanly person, would not believe it.

But now Huo Guang couldn't figure out what the purpose of these three armies was to come back in such a hurry?
Fan Mingyou and others were deliberately vague in the victory report, not only because the results were too small, but also because they deliberately concealed him!
This made Huo Guang even more angry, and he colluded privately to conceal military information, which was another serious crime of genocide.

But angry, Huo Guang quickly calmed down.

In this delicate situation, it is not the time to hold Fan Mingyou and others accountable.

On the contrary, Huo Guang still wanted to find a way to help them cover up the past.

After all, Fan Mingyou and others are his cronies - even if they have not made any achievements, they are still the biggest bargaining chips in Huo Guang's hands.

No matter what problems Fan Mingyou and others encountered, or what "conspiracies" they had, Huo Guang could only hold his nose and help them clean up.

After they return to Chang'an, I will ask them for clarification.

Huo Guang felt exhausted mentally and physically. The emperor would not let him worry about it, and the "Huo Party" would also cause trouble for him.

……

Because of the snow, Anche drove much slower than before, which gave Huo Guang time to review his plan.

Fan Mingyou and others are considered veteran generals, but they have failed to achieve results, so I am afraid that the two armies of Zhao Chongguo and Han Zeng will also have difficulty in achieving success.

In this way, it would not be so shameful to achieve nothing.

Comparing it again, "Tian Shun killed and captured more than [-] Huns" is shabby, but it can be done.

Fortunately, the emperor grew up in the state of Changyi, away from war and ignorant of military affairs. Although Zhang Anshi, Wang Ji and others were military generals, they had never gone on an expedition.

In other words, none of the courtiers who are qualified to speak in Chang'an City are "knowledgeable" people.

In this way, Huo Guang was left with room for whitewashing.

Huo Guang had already made up his mind last night.

First, play up the unfavorable weather conditions this year.

Secondly, when talking about the hardships of soldiers going to war, Fan Mingyou and others all had hard work.

Once again, Tian Shun's killing of [-] Huns was set as a great victory.

Finally, please ask Your Majesty to issue a copper festival to allow the three armies to return to Chang'an immediately - this is the top priority.

In this way, Huo Guang can at least get some help in Chang'an City, stabilize the precarious situation, and then slowly make plans.

Although it was a pity that there was no gain in this expedition, as long as the Han army was there, Huo Guang would be able to make a comeback.

Huo Guang has now seen clearly that compared with the "foreign troubles" of the Xiongnu, the emperor's "internal troubles" are a serious concern.

"General, we have arrived at Beique." The voice of the guard outside the car came in, interrupting Huo Guang's thoughts.

Before I knew it, I had already arrived.

"Well, the old man knows."

There was a noise, and the door behind An's car opened. The vast white outside made Huo Guang feel a little dazzling.

Huo Guang got out of the car, turned around and looked at the two tall castles to the north.

They stood high in place, with white snow falling on their tops. They looked like two guards guarding the palace in silence.

He felt a pressing sense of oppression, and the aging heart in his chest beat even more violently.

Unexpectedly, he would actually "falsely report the results of the battle" and "deceive the emperor" today: Although he, Huo Guang, is good at exercising power, he never bothers to do such things.

Fortunately, the emperor in Weiyang Palace at the moment is not Emperor Xiaowu, so he should not be able to see through this military matter.

Huo Guang had a bit of luck.

"General, Xue Da, please take a superior position." The guard beside him said again.

"Ah."

As Huo Guang said this, he walked up to Bu Chu, hesitated for a moment, and sat on it.

Ordinary courtiers would have to get out of the car and walk when they arrived here, but starting from this month, the emperor specially allowed Huo Guang to ride in a chariot to the front of His Highness.

This is also a kind of preferential treatment.

In the past six months, Huo Guang has received too much preferential treatment, more than all the courtiers in the Han Dynasty, but he is still angry at losing power.

After decades of protecting the great man, why did he become so feared by the emperor?

"Let's go into the palace." Huo Guang said in a deep voice.

"only!"

Huo Guang's chariot was lifted up and headed towards the wide-open north gate between the two palaces. …

When the hour was about to pass, Huo Guang came to the main hall of Shangshu Office.

The imperial censor Cai Yi and the young master Bingji have already arrived. They are sitting on the same side - the empty couch opposite belongs to Huo Guang.

The main seat in the hall naturally belongs to the emperor.

After Cai Yi and Bingji saw Huo Guang, they quickly stood up and saluted, and Huo Guang also nodded in greeting.

The relationship between the three is now very delicate.

Both Cai Yi and Bingji once served as subordinate officers in the General's Mansion.

Especially Bingji, he even served as the chief historian of the General's Mansion.

To put it bluntly, Huo Guang was kind to the two of them.

But the current situation is different.

Last month, Cai Yi directly attacked Huo Guang in the court, setting off the emperor's attempt to seize power from Huo Guang.

Although Bingji did not contradict Huo Guang face to face, he must be the humerus minister beside the emperor.

As a result, the two of them were labeled "ungrateful" by Huo Guang.

For more than ten days, Huo Guang wished he could "eat the flesh and sleep on the skin."

But now, Huo Guang has temporarily restrained his "hate", and at least on the surface he seems to be living in harmony with them.

Huo Guang relied on caution to make his fortune. Now that the foundation of his power has been shaken, it will not be difficult for him to use this cautious skill again.

"Second Master, you came early. It's not easy to get up early with such heavy snow. I almost missed the time." Huo Guang took the initiative to greet him after he sat down.

"The general has a lot of things to do every day, how dare we compare with the general." Cai Yi seemed to be flattering, but his back was very straight, which was different from the previous flattery.

This is perfectly normal. Cai Yi is now the imperial censor, the minister in charge, and the future father-in-law of the country. He believes that his status is not what it used to be, and he is not willing to please Huo Guang, a "late born".

Even if he insists on trying to please the emperor, Cai Yi is only willing to please the emperor.

"Nowadays, the imperial censor's office is in charge of petitions from officials and citizens. It is a matter of public opinion. The burden on Mr. Cai's shoulders is not light either." Huo Guang said calmly, much more approachable than before.

"It's all within my duties. I don't dare to say I'm tired, let alone bitter." Cai Yi dared to call himself "I" in front of Huo Guang.

"Hey, the general and the imperial censor, you are the pillars of the court. You can't do it without any one of them." Bingji came out to smooth things over very appropriately.

Huo Guang doesn't care about Cai Yi's disobedience now. Xia Chong Bu Yu Bing, Cai Yi is the insect that can't live long.

He looked outside the courtyard where snow was still falling, and found that the emperor seemed to have arrived a little late today. On weekdays, the emperor should have arrived at this moment.

There was an awkward silence, no one knew what to say, and the atmosphere in the main hall was a little strange.

In the end, Huo Guang couldn't help but start the conversation again.

"Mr. Cai, do you think the snow this year is heavy?" Huo Guang asked as if nothing had happened.

"Such heavy snow has indeed not been seen for many years, and it can be considered a sight." Cai Yi said, looking at the fluttering snowflakes outside the door.

"What do you think, Mr. Bing?" Huo Guang asked Bingji again.

"Well, Xiaguan may not have seen such heavy snow for many years, but the county magistrate said that auspicious snow heralds a good harvest, and there will be a good harvest next year." Bingji said with a measured smile.

Nowadays, Bingji plays a mediating role in the court. Who would have thought that this courtier who looked like a Confucian scholar had assassinated the emperor a few months ago?

"What the county magistrate said is reasonable, but it only hurts the soldiers and officers of the army that conquered the north." Huo Guang deliberately sighed softly.

"Huh? Has the General received any good news from the Northern Army?" Bingji keenly heard what Huo Guang was implying.

Huo Guang was silent for a moment and nodded after a long time, but he had no intention of explaining further.

Cai Yi was not a core figure in the imperial party, so he did not think about the stakes of this matter at first. Instead, he thought Huo Guang was showing off, so he was very disdainful.

But Bingji was different. He knew that the army marching to the north was Huo Guang's bargaining chip for a comeback, and good news could double the weight of the bargaining chip.

Although the emperor usually spoke with a confident expression and tone when talking about the army marching to the north, he never gave an explanation to Bingji and the others.

Therefore, in the eyes of Bingji, Zhang Anshi and others, the victory of the Northern Army was like a sharp guillotine hanging over their heads, which could fall down at any time and chop off all their heads.

Now, is this guillotine really going to fall?

Suddenly hearing the news that the army was conquering the north, even Bingji, a mature and prudent man, inevitably showed a look of panic.

"When Mr. Bing heard the good news, why was he not happy but sad?" Huo Guang asked deliberately.

"I just heard from the general that the soldiers have to endure the freezing weather, so I feel guilty." Bingji found an excuse to excuse himself.

"So it is even more difficult for them to achieve a great victory." Huo Guang nodded.

"Since ancient times, these soldiers have suffered the most during battles." Cai Yi also interjected.

"Mr. Cai is very righteous, what he said makes sense." Huo Guang rarely agreed.

Huo Guang was not making meaningless pleasantries, but using words that he had thought about in advance to set a tone for today's events.

Although Cai Yi and Bingji were from the emperor's side, the emperor liked to act like a "courteous and virtuous corporal" so much that they were inevitably influenced by the courtiers.

Now, if Cai Yi and Bingji preconceptionally believe that the "great victory" is hard-won, then they may be able to influence the emperor later.

Once the "muddleheaded" emperor, who doesn't know how to fight, recognizes this great victory, everything else will fall into place.

"General, can you tell us the inside story of this good news in advance?" Bingji asked pretending to be flattering, wanting to get some information in advance.

"Well, it's getting late, and the county magistrate seems to be arriving soon. It's better to wait until the magistrate arrives before I start the memorial."

Bingji couldn't keep asking any more, so he had to keep his mouth shut.

At this time, the snow outside started to fall rapidly again, and the temperature in the hall dropped a bit.

The three people with different positions had "ulterior motives" and began to gossip again and again.

However, they all looked out from time to time, waiting for the emperor's arrival.

Half an hour later, a visitor's voice finally came from outside the door: "The Emperor is here!"

Together with Huo Guang, the three of them quickly stood up from the couch and took three steps at a time to the courtyard of Shangshu Office.

The six ministers, six censors and seal officials present at the office, as well as dozens of subordinate officials, all came to the courtyard to welcome the Holy Master.

Except for the officials from the inner court who were not in Chang'an, everyone else was present - they each had official positions in the outer court, so they only came to the Shangshu Office in the morning every day.

People of all sizes, old and young, filled the cramped courtyard of the Shangshu Office to the brim.

Snowflakes fell on their heads, melted into mist by the heat emanating from the people's bodies, and then transpired into the air.

For a time, the fog and snowflakes merged together, creating a foggy scene.

When someone who doesn't know why sees this scene, they will definitely think that these people are practicing the art of immortality.

After another time of burning incense, the emperor finally arrived belatedly and walked into the courtyard with his head held high.

"The ministers greet His Majesty the Emperor."

"All the gentlemen are flat."

"promise!"

"It's freezing today. My dear friends, please go back to the pavilion. You don't have to suffer the cold here."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Everyone bowed and dispersed, and Liu Hecai came straight to Huo Guang and others.

He seemed to feel a little guilty and said: "My dear friends, I was studying with the queen last night and forgot the time, so I got up late today."

"Your Majesty and the Queen should take care of their holy bodies and should not injure their bodies just to study. Otherwise, they are putting the cart before the horse." Huo Guang said with seeming concern.

"Father Zhong is right, come on, let's go in and discuss today's political affairs."

"promise!"

After entering the hall, the monarch and his ministers sat down respectively, and Liu He caught a hint of anxiety from Huo Guang's calm demeanor.

It seems that Huo Guang is anxious to talk about the "good news" today.

Liu He was not in a hurry, on the contrary, he wanted to delay for a while.

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(End of this chapter)