Huang Jue, after three marriages

Chapter 435
border town.

It snowed heavily for several days in a row, and the entire border town stood on the vast snowfield like a giant ice castle.

In the confusion of Xuewu at night, huge fireworks exploded in the sky, bringing a warm celebration.

Zhao Hao entered the city at night, and after entering the city, he drove his horse up to the city wall.

Pulling down the hood a little, Zhao Hao looked at the snowfield, then turned his head to look inside the city.

There was no city in the border city. After the Song Dynasty opened, the Zhao family rebuilt the city on the wasteland outside the Great Wall in order to connect the sixteen gates of the border.

On the right is Shuozhou, on the left is Yuzhou, and behind it are steep mountains.

More than a hundred years ago, this place was just a military town, but now it has developed into the largest border city with not only 15 elite garrisons, but also more than 20 military members and civilians.

Standing on the city wall, you can see the strict layout of the city. The houses in the city are not higher than two floors, and most of them are based on stones. Once covered with snow, it brings a sense of solemnity and cleanliness.

However, at this time, the seriousness of the past was swept away in the city, and the lights were brightly lit everywhere. With the fireworks, there was also the cheerful laughter of the children.

And the lights in the north of the city are even brighter. Through the snow and fog, it seems that people's laughter in the mansion can be felt.

Zhao Hao frowned tightly.

There was a sound of horseshoes, and Lao Liu ran up the city wall on a big black horse, stopped beside Zhao Hao, and said in a low voice, "I just asked, the 55 guan in cash that the Duke will bring back, The 50 yuan was distributed to the two battalions of Tiewei Iron Cavalry, and the other [-] yuan was given to the personal guards. It was said to be a reward for everyone at the end of the year, but it was not said to be military salary, and the other two battalions did not."

The garrison in the border town is the direct line troops of the Zhao family. Among them, the two battalions of Tiewei Iron Cavalry are the direct line of the lineage. They are led by Zhen Guogong himself, with a total of 10 people, and the other two battalions have 5 people. The two military towns ten miles away from the border town were divided into Zhao Hao's subordinates three years ago.

After several vicious battles where Zhao Hao personally led the charge, those two battalions were equivalent to Zhao Hao's direct troops.

Zhao Hao's personal guards, except Zhao Shen's eight who had been with him since childhood, the rest were picked out by Zhao Hao from the two battalions, and then brought out by himself.

It's just that Zhao Hao is the only son of Lord Zhen Guo, and from now on the Zhao family army will all belong to Zhao Hao, and they have never felt any difference.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Hao handed over 55 guan to Duke Zhen, but Lord Zhen didn't give Tiefeng Tielin two battalions at all.

Moreover, Zhao Hao made it very clear that this was to make up for the lack of military pay for the past few months. If he took this money, he should not think that the imperial court would send military pay.

But Lord Zhen said that this was a reward at the end of the year, that is to say, the military salary would be paid separately.

With such an extra income, it is no wonder that the soldiers and common people in this city are so happy.

After thinking about it, Lao Liu said in a low voice: "There is one more thing, I thought it was nothing at first, but now it seems that the Duke really has this intention."

Zhao Hao raised his eyebrows and turned to look at him.

"When we were in Wucheng," Old Liu's voice paused, and he said in a lower voice, "Didn't you tell the Duke of the country that the money was given by Xie Ye because he wanted to open up the Beibei Business Road?" Well? Before Grandpa Guo and the others left, the younger one saw that Deputy General Park next to Grandpa Guo approached Ding Qi, and told him to pass a message to Grandpa Xie. , In the transaction with Beirong, 600% of the net profit must be given to the Zhen Guo government, otherwise, this matter will not be completed."

Seeing Zhao Hao's face was dark, Old Liu hurriedly said: "At that time, I thought that Vice General Park had his own selfish intentions, and this was just a pretentious trick. Thinking about Mr. Xie, he wouldn't believe a lieutenant general's words. Besides, didn't you say that you can't startle the snake? So, I didn't say anything."

How can such a condition should not be proposed by Zhen Guogong?

Just a businessman, even if he wanted to gain some benefits from the trade with Beirong, the benefits were not so huge.

He is a maritime merchant, and the conditions are not right, so he just quits immediately, but your Zhenguo government is still counting on this money to make up for the shortfall.

So he didn't take it seriously at the time, but just paid more attention to some of the deputy generals.

But today, when I saw Lord Zhen Guo doing this, my heart skipped a beat.

Maybe that was really what Lord Zhen wanted. He thought that even Zhao Hao could easily get 55 guan from Xie Jue. Xie Jue's plan was huge, so he made such a statement, hoping that Xie Jue would agree. Conditions, don't you have to worry about the food and salary in the future?

Zhao Hao took a deep breath, nodded to Lao Liu, and then turned his head to the inner city.

Compared with his previous life, Duke Zhenguo in this life has gained power in his hands for the past two years, and even influenced the former emperor and the new emperor, his whole mentality is completely different.

Power is charming.

He thought it would not be easy to persuade Lord Zhen Guo to submit a letter, but he did not expect that he just said that this method could clear up the border army and gain fame, and let the emperor realize the righteousness and importance of the frontier army. He agreed without saying a word.

At that time, he thought that the Duke of Zhen was the Duke of Zhen, and he understood the righteousness, but then the words of Duke Zhen shattered his illusion.

Lord Zhen said that that bastard Cai Bing forced their father and son to leave the capital, so this time, he will take advantage of this to go back to the capital, and then let the emperor recognize Cai Bing's true colors, and let him be an official privy envoy and command There are soldiers and horses in the world.

At that time, he will persuade the emperor to replace Cai Bing, a treacherous minister!
It turned out that Duke Zhen did not serve the frontier army or the common people. He just saw this opportunity to return to the center of power.

This made him immediately take precautions. When Zhen Guogong asked him where he had been during this time, he didn't even say that he was injured. He only said that he had secretly met with a businessman for military food and military pay. .

And it has been negotiated with the businessman, the frontier army will open the door to the businessman, let the businessman monopolize the trade with Beirong, and the businessman will give the frontier army 50 yuan in cash every year, and 30 dans of grain, plus trade profits [-]% of it.

The matter of the port and the change in Aye City were not mentioned at all.

And after he handed over 55 guan of silver and copper coins to Duke Zhen, Duke Zhen never asked about his whereabouts.

He even asked casually about the Shui family.

Instead, I asked a few more times about the woman's death. I heard him say that the woman colluded with the Beirong people and planned to give the wife of Duke Zhen Guo to the Bei Rong people, so as to disadvantage their father and son. asked.

However, he was noncommittal about what he said about adjusting the military strength of the border town.

The next day, he took the money and left.

Only he was left in Wucheng to deal with the aftermath.

At that time, he thought that Lord Zhen Guo trusted him, so this matter just passed.

Now it seems that Duke Zhen didn't trust him at all, but began to guard against him.

That's why they sent someone to put pressure on Xie Jue's people in private.

The conditions mentioned here are nothing (conditions can be discussed), the important thing is that what Lord Zhen Guo wants to disclose is that what Zhao Hao said does not count, he is the commander-in-chief of the frontier army, and if he wants to open up this business If there is no way, you have to talk to him about the state!

As for the distribution of the money, it is also a message to the subordinates.

Following Lord Zhen Guo is the right way!
Regardless of whether it was Duke Zhen who was influenced by the woman Tangxiang in the past few months, or Duke Zhen himself was aroused by power, what he did in Jinzhou City and Wucheng this time is in Duke Zhen's heart. challenged his authority.

Therefore, it was clearly the Shui family's doing, but Lord Zhen still took advantage of his absence to beat General Wen with a hundred sticks!
Originally, he was not without worries when he wanted to seize power from his own father.

But now it seems that only doing so can save Duke Zhen's life.

Otherwise, even if he did not die at the hands of the Beirong people, he would have died in the struggle for power because of his obsession with power.

"Let's go, let's go to pay New Year's greetings to the Duke." Looking at the lights in the city, Zhao Hao smiled faintly, turned his horse's head and ran down the city wall.

At the same time, with the strong wind at night, he whispered a few words to Lao Liu.

The horses galloped, and when they got down to the city wall, some of the horses left the team and headed out of the city.

The North Wind Shuosuo, heavy snow again.

It's the time of winter.

(End of this chapter)