Great Han Empire

Chapter 172
Emperor Liu Hong succeeded to the throne in 168 AD (12 years old).

The emperor is 30 years old this year. He is tall, thin, with a long and slender neck, a small face, and a pair of small eyes.He is unsmiling, has no expression on his face, can't concentrate when he speaks, and has a cold and withdrawn temperament.

"Today, dear friends, don't go back home." The emperor stood up, threw the slips on the table casually on the ground, looked coldly at the ministers in the hall, and said in a low voice, "When will the matter of Li Zhonglang be settled?" It's settled, when will I go back." After speaking, he shook his hand and left.

The ministers looked at each other.

Zhang Rang, the Zhongchang servant who stayed on behalf of the emperor to discuss matters, leaned over to pick up the bamboo slips on the ground, and recited the contents of Li Hong's letter aloud.

"My lords, there's neither a stove nor food here, so I'll feel uncomfortable after a long time. Haha... hurry up and discuss it." Zhang Rang said with a gleeful smile.

Zhang Rang is more than 50 years old. Because he has been pampered in the palace all year round, he is well maintained, but he is very thin and dry all over his body, just like dried orange peel.

Senior Secretary Wang Han hesitated for a moment, then said slowly: "Master Hou, if Li Zhonglang's troops detour to Hongnong County..."

Zhang Rang waved his hand and said resolutely, "Master Wang, I told you that there is no room for discussion. You know that His Majesty has purchased a large amount of land in Hongnong. Who would dare to talk about it? Wang My lord, why didn't you say it when His Majesty was here just now?"

Wang Han sighed and remained silent.

It is well-known in the world that people are rich today, and secondly, they are stingy, very, very stingy.Last year, the emperor spent a huge amount of money to build a Wanjin Hall in the West Garden. After the completion, he ordered the chief minister Wang Han to move a lot of money stored in the palace and the treasury to the Wanjin Hall.After a period of time, he worried that the money would be stolen by people around him or embezzled by ministers, so he converted all the money into tens of millions of dollars and transferred it to the homes of Xiaohuangmen and Zhongchang attendants.But he was still worried about this, so he ordered Zhong Changshi and Xiao Huangmen to help him go to Jizhou Hejian County, Yanzhou Dong County, Hongnong County and other counties to buy a large amount of land and build luxury houses in order to preserve the value of money.

Hedong County has the private properties of princes and nobles, relatives of the emperor and the servants of the central government. Hongnong has the fields of the emperor, ministers and small officials, and powerful families. No one wants to let the westward army step on their land.Letting them pass by means that you will suffer a heavy loss.Therefore, both parties do not want to give in, and neither is willing to take a step back.Now the ministers and clansmen in central Beijing have let go, as long as the emperor is willing, everyone will pay.But who dares to tell the emperor?It's good that the emperor doesn't lose his temper, but if he loses his temper, just wait for bad luck, and he will definitely have his head chopped off by the emperor who loves money like his life.The Taiwei Zhang Yan who was just dismissed is an example.Zhang Yan just said a few words that the emperor didn't like to hear, but he was dismissed from office and went home.

===

Situ Cui Lie said: "Master Wang, let the westward marching troops detour to Hongnong. Firstly, it will increase the troop's itinerary, and secondly, it will also increase the troop's loss of food and grass. In my opinion, it is more appropriate to go from Hedong County."

Zhang Rang said with a smile: "So, Master Cui is willing to donate alone?"
Cui Lie stared, and said angrily: "All my money has been donated to the West Garden Wanjin Hall, where is the rest?"

Today, people are crazy about money, and every official position is clearly marked with a price, and whoever does not pay will get out.Although Cui Lie is a celebrity and was a court lieutenant in the past, he still can't do without money.He paid 500 million for this Situ.After the emperor sold it, he regretted that his discount was too low, and he sold it cheaply, and he has always complained.Although Cui Lie sat on Situ's seat as he wished, his reputation was seriously affected because of spending huge sums of money to buy an official. As a result, his reputation plummeted and he was often ridiculed.

"Does Master Situ have any advice?" Guanglu doctor Zhu Jun asked.

"Give me the money. Turn the grain and grass into money and give it to Li Zhonglang, and let them buy it in Hedong County." Cui Lie said.

"Where does the money come from?" Da Sinonong Wang Han is in charge of the national treasury, so he immediately shouted, "Lord Situ, where does the money come from?"

"Deducted from the military pay allocated to the Xiliang battlefield." Cui Lie said loudly, "They don't even say they are defeated, but they still ask for reinforcements every day. Just like this, why should they be paid double the military salary? There are 10 of them. Lai has been in Chang'an and Fufeng County for several months. He neither fights rebels nor Qianghu. Iron cavalry went south to attack the army of hundreds of thousands of ant thieves. They fought fiercely all the way, wiped out more than 30 enemies, and killed the leader of the ant thieves, Zhang Niujiao. Look at the two battlefields, whether it is the comparison of troops or strength, there is too much difference. How did Li Zhonglang win the battle? Has the imperial court paid them military salaries?"

"What do you think?" Cui Lie asked while looking at Sikong Xuxiang, General He Jin, Zhongchang Attendant Zhang Rang, Taichang Liu Yan and other ministers.

"Okay." Zhang Rang called first, "Good idea. First starve the Xiliang army. Zhang Taiwei is too gentle, and those Xiliang subordinates are unruly. He may not be able to stop them. A hundred thousand troops can't beat them." A bunch of rebels, it's a bit unbelievable. Let them eat two meals a day, and punish them well. Good idea."

General He Jin and Sikong Xu Xiang also expressed their agreement one after another.Cui Lie's idea was brilliant, he didn't offend anyone, and harmed no one's interests, only the poor hundred thousand soldiers on the Xiliang battlefield.If Lieutenant Zhang Wen knew, his lungs would explode.

Hearing Cui Lie's suggestion, most officials were very happy.Master Situ's idea saved them a lot of money, such good things don't happen every day, many people clapped their hands and applauded.Although Zhu Jun, the official of Guanglu, Liu Yu, Lu Zhi and others had different opinions, they saw that several high-ranking adults said that it was feasible, so they naturally dared not say anything, for fear of causing trouble and delaying the itinerary of the westward marching troops.

===

General He Jin is of medium build, burly, with a white face and short beard.He looked at Cui Lie, who was criticizing the war situation in Xiliang, and said, "Master Cui, do you have any suggestions for the organizational structure of Li Zhonglang's westward march?"

"General, Li Zhonglang's trip is a hard job, a hard job of a narrow escape, no matter whether he wins or loses, it is very unlikely that he can return to Jizhou alive, so you might as well be a favor and arrange a few captain positions for him ?” Cui Lie laughed.

He Jin shook his head and said, "Li Zhonglang himself is just a school lieutenant, and his Zhonglang will only be a vacant position, with no rank and salary, and no rights, so..."

"So you just report to Your Majesty and let him be promoted to General Zhonglang. Zhonglang will have the right to arrange military commanders and recommend captains. You call Li Zhonglang all these headaches and let him arrange them himself. You Wouldn’t it be fun to just put a big seal on the document.”

He Jin suddenly realized, and said with a smile: "Since Madman Fu left Luoyang, Mr. Situ has returned to his demeanor. Congratulations."

Cui Lie heard the sarcasm in He Jin's words, immediately lowered his face, and said very unhappy: "I have been wise all my life, and I have fallen into the hands of this madman Fu. From now on, the general, don't mention this person in front of me again." " Then he curled his lips and retorted: "The general probably wanted to arrange some cronies to go to Li Zhonglang's army, so he forgot that there is such a simple method."

"Why did your lord say that?" He Jin was also unhappy.

"Hmph..." Cui Lie sneered and said, "The general probably forgot that this is going to Xiliang, right? Your people will die if they go, and there is no hope of surviving. The rebellion in Xijiang and the rebellion of the Qianghu in Xijiang are related. What's the difference? How many people in this world can win a battle that even Huangfusong can't win? I am the three famous generals in Liangzhou, "Sanming", Huangfugui, Huangfu Weiming, Zhang Huan, Zhang Ranming, Duan Jiong and Duan Jiming. They fought in Liangzhou for decades. After thousands of battles, they killed more than 400 heads of Qianghu and captured millions of cattle, horses, mules, donkeys and camels. The court spent more than [-] billion yuan. How about it? Qianghu is still fighting again and again. You Do you think this is to kill a few yellow-turban ants? The Xiliang battlefield is a place where you can make military achievements casually? Even if Li Zhonglang went, he would also be blood-stained in the yellow sand, and he would have no return date."

He Jin said angrily: "Lord Situ seems to have forgotten that this Li Zhonglang was jointly recommended by you, Lord Sikong, Lord Taichang, and a dozen other important ministers. How did you tell Your Majesty at that time? You said that as long as Li Zhonglang brought 5 People support Xiliang, and under the command of Lord Taiwei, they will definitely defeat the rebels and pacify Xijiang. Now you are spreading rumors here, saying that you are invincible in a hundred battles, and there is no return date."

Sikong Xu Xiang immediately interjected: "The General's words are different. Sir Situ means that the battle in Xiliang was brutal, and it will take a process to put down the rebellion. General, don't misunderstand."

Doctor Guanglu Zhu Jun hurried forward and said: "My lords, Mr. Taiwei and Li Zhonglang are both urgent, we should ask His Majesty immediately to settle the matter."

Shangshu Lu Zhi also said: "The battlefield in Xiliang is in great danger, and troops are urgently needed for support. Your lords should hurry up to see the emperor, and immediately order Li Zhonglang to lead his troops westward after receiving His Majesty's approval."

Cui Lie probably realized that he tried to scold He Jin for a while, but He Jin got hold of the conversation, so he hurriedly fell silent.

"However, it is very inappropriate to promote Li Zhonglang as Zhonglang General." Sikong Xu Xiang said calmly.

There was a sound of echo in the hall.

"A slave of the Xianbei people, I heard that he can't even write. If he becomes a general of Zhonglang, he will lose all the face of my Han Dynasty."

"Having been in the army for just over a year, he is already a fourth-class lieutenant, and he is a general in the middle class. It is the first time for a commoner to be such a high-ranking official in our Han country. How much merit does he have? What are his achievements?"

"I have been in the court for more than 20 years. I have worked hard if I don't say credit, but I am only a doctor of Zhongsan with [-] shi. He only killed tens of thousands of people, which is better than a captain with [-] shi. What is the world?"

"The cavalry he led were all bearded. I heard that killing us Han people was particularly bloody. With such a person, what great credit can he have? I suspect that he is a spy of the Xianbei people."

"He colluded with the ant thief. The evidence is solid. He should be arrested and brought to Beijing for trial."

"The deaths of Lord Muguo of Yizhou and Lord Feng of Julu County, as well as the sudden escape of all the ant thieves from Jizhou to the Taihang Mountains, are all suspicious. The general should send someone to investigate carefully."

"When this kind of person arrives at the Xiliang battlefield, if he joins forces with the traitors and cooperates with the inside and outside, Chang'an will be in jeopardy."

General He Jin was dizzy and dizzy after being quarreled by a group of ministers.In the letter, Liu Yu and Lu Zhi looked at each other and smiled wryly, they didn't dare to speak for Li Hong at all, it would cause public outrage.

(End of this chapter)