The imperial court’s order to raise money and grain soon reached the wealthy rice-producing areas of the south of the Yangtze River.
Since Government Minister Pei made drastic changes to the administration of officials, the administrative efficiency of officials has been greatly improved. Even thousands of miles away, orders are carried out the next morning, and officials at all levels dare not delay at all.
Soon, donated grain and money from wealthy merchants in Jiangnan began to fly to Jingdu like snowflakes, and the gentry in other states also took the initiative to donate to show their gratitude to the court.
Of course, the imperial court also gave the wealthy businessmen some sweet treats, promising to gradually open up and support foreign trade and use part of the silver donated by wealthy businessmen from all over the country to build canals and open up the maritime silk road to provide more convenient transportation for the circulation and trading of goods.
At the same time, the three battalions of the imperial guards were training intensively and preparing for war.
“They are all elite cavalrymen who have fought against the barbarians in the West with Zhen and have combat experience.” Xiao Shen stood in front of the training ground, inspecting the training of the imperial army. “Zhen plans to lead 8,000 cavalrymen first, and the infantry and the transportation of heavy supplies will follow closely behind.”
“The humble minister thinks that leading the army in person is no joke. Your Majesty, please think twice.” The minister of the Ministry of Rites followed behind the emperor and spoke carefully.
“King Zhenbei is seriously injured, and the morale of the Youbei army has been crushed. If Zhen doesn’t lead the army in person now, then when?” The emperor replied in a deep voice, “The barbarians have repeatedly invaded the border of Dayong, burning, killing, and looting. As long as this great worry is not eliminated, Zhen will be uneasy.”
“Your Majesty is wise.” Pei Yanqi echoed, and then changed the subject, “But the barbarians are all soldiers, and they are all brave and good at fighting. They are good at guerrilla warfare and have strong mobility. They are like wildfires that cannot be extinguished. The minister is afraid that it will be difficult to completely eliminate them in the short term.”
The Minister of Revenue agreed: “Lord Pei is right. Your Majesty, the country cannot be without a ruler for a day. If the battle line is prolonged, then—”
“When Zhen is not in the court, the Grand Tutor will supervise the country on Zhen’s behalf and handle all state affairs.” The emperor turned around and said, “Zhen has made up his mind. Dear ministers, there is no need to say more.”
Several ministers looked at each other and dared not persuade him any further.
Government Minister Pei bowed and sent the emperor away, then turned around to discuss matters with Lord Shen but was told that Lord Shen was in the Armory Bureau.
He turned around and went to the Armory Bureau. At that time, Shen Qingzhuo was holding the drawings from the Ministry of War and asked the Armory Bureau to urgently produce a batch of firearms.
The Armory Bureau was an institution specifically responsible for manufacturing military equipment. During the reign of the previous emperor, the court centralized the right to cast firearms and did not allow local private production. Among the three major battalions of the imperial guards, only the Shenji Battalion was equipped with muskets.
“Lord Pei.” Shen Qingzhuo nodded slightly and turned to walk out the door. “What’s the important matter that has brought Lord Pei here?”
Pei Yanqi did not answer but asked, “Is this batch of muskets to be distributed to the Imperial Guards?”
Shen Qingzhuo shook his head. “No, it is distributed to the cavalry that His Majesty is going to take away.”
Pei Yanqi was startled. “Lord Shen already knew that His Majesty was preparing to lead the army in person?”
“Yes.” Shen Qingzhuo lifted his skirt and stepped out of the door. “This batch of muskets and improved bows and crossbows are all weapons prepared for His Majesty to lead the army in person.”
“I don’t understand.” Pei Yanqi was puzzled. “Since he came back from the Suixi border, I thought you wouldn’t let him go to the battlefield again.”
Shen Qingzhuo paused and sighed: “If there were another way, I would not want him to take risks on the front line, but…”
Just as he did not want his little disciple to interfere with his decision, he could not pour cold water on the young emperor, who was full of enthusiasm either.
“The Beirong are constantly merging with several large tribes on the northwest border, and their territory is expanding. If we can’t defeat them now, they will become a big problem in the future.” After a short while, Shen Qingzhuo calmed down again. “My father is seriously injured, and my elder brother will inevitably be affected. The Youbei army is unstable at this time. What can be better than His Majesty leading the army in person to boost morale?”
Pei Yanqi whispered to comfort him: “King Zhenbei has spent his whole life defending Youbei and has made great contributions to Dayong. This time, he must be blessed by heaven.”
Shen Qingzhuo forced a smile: “Thank you for your good words, Lord Pei.”
***
Soon, the two returned to Beizhen Fushi and sat down.
“The Rong tribe is cunning. They often retreat after one strike, consuming our troops and food in advance, and then wait for an opportunity to launch a sneak attack. His Majesty and I suffered a lot in Suixi.” Pei Yanqi said again, “This time against the Darong, the chances of winning are unpredictable.”
“You are right. The Darong are all cavalry, good at thousands of miles of rushing. When Xiao Qi defeated the Xirong, he also adopted the tactics of long-distance rushing and rapid assault. It is the so-called surprise attack, attacking when the enemy is unprepared and giving the enemy a taste of their own medicine.” Shen Qingzhuo smiled coldly, “This time, we will also equip the cavalry with muskets. In close combat, the Darong cavalry will have no advantage at all. Equip the infantry with bows and crossbows improved by the Ministry of Works, with a range of six or seven hundred steps, which is enough to drive the invaders out of the border of Dayong.”
Pei Yanqi glanced at Lord Shen, who had a cold expression. “It turns out that what I thought of, the Grand Tutor had already planned it out.”
Shen Qingzhuo’s eyelashes drooped slightly, and he said in a low voice, “Now I am just talking about the end of the war on paper. When we really get to the battlefield, the situation will change rapidly. By then… I can’t help at all.”
As if he couldn’t bear to see the beauty depressed, Pei Yanqi couldn’t help but raise his hand, covering the jade-like back of his hand, silently comforting Lord Shen.
At this moment, a shout suddenly came from the door: “What are you doing?”
It turned out that the emperor, who had been on a round of inspection, turned around and came to Beizhen Fushi again.
Shen Qingzhuo was frightened and quickly pulled his hand out, saying innocently, “We didn’t do anything ah.”
Pei Yanqi stood up silently and saluted: “Your Majesty.”
“Is the Ministry of Personnel very idle, Lord Pei?” The emperor stared at Government Minister Pei with angry eyes. “Should Zhen find Government Minister Pei something serious to do?”
“Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. The Ministry of Personnel has many official duties, so the humble minister doesn’t need it for the time being.” Pei Yanqi bowed without changing his expression. “The humble minister will take his leave now.”
The emperor watched him go away coldly and suddenly took a few big steps to the desk, grasped his slender wrist, and examined it carefully. “Did he just touch the back of Master’s hand?”
Shen Qingzhuo: “……”
“If I hadn’t come, would he have planned to do something else?” Xiao Shen’s jealousy was overturned, and his fingertips rubbed the white and tender skin back and forth. “I knew that Pei Yanqi had always been unkind to Master—
“What are you talking about? We didn’t even touch.” Shen Qingzhuo interrupted him helplessly, “Do you think everyone is like you, facing Master all day long…”
The second half of the sentence was on the tip of his tongue, and he didn’t spit it out.
His handsome face turned from cloudy to sunny, and Xiao Shen kissed the back of his hand several times in a row, staring at his master, and asked maliciously: “What’s wrong with me? What did I do to Master all day long?”
Shen Qingzhuo didn’t want to pay attention to him, so he just changed the subject: “Before leaving, do you want to go see your mother consort?”
Instantly, Xiao Shen’s expression faded.
After he ascended the throne, he followed his master’s advice and issued an order to release his mother consort from the cold palace.
Originally, according to the custom of the Dayong Dynasty, when a new emperor ascended the throne, if the central palace was left without a master, naturally, the new emperor’s biological mother was able to gain status through her son. But the case of the Zhao family had not yet been reversed, and Noble Consort Zhao was insane, so it was not right to honor her as the empress dowager.
Moreover, the new emperor felt that his mother consort was unworthy.
Fortunately, after Noble Consort Zhao was released, her madness was cured without treatment. She asked to go to the royal temple to practice, accompanied by green lamps and ancient Buddhas, chanting scriptures and praying for the Emperor and the Dayong.
“She is not crazy at all. It means she is torturing me on purpose.” Xiao Shen lowered his head and played with the delicate hand in his palm. “I am releasing her from the cold palace because of Master’s face.”
Shen Qingzhuo let him play with him and asked tentatively, “Xiao Qi, have you ever thought about the possibility that maybe she pretended to be crazy and stupid to protect you?”
Xiao Shen froze slightly, his thin lips curled up in a mocking arc, “The kind of protection that strangles me to death with her own hands?”
“Ai…” Shen Qingzhuo sighed, stood up, and gave him a gentle hug.
***
A few days later, all the food and supplies were ready, and the three battalions of 20,000 elite imperial guards were ready to go.
On the eve of the emperor’s personal expedition, after dealing with state affairs, the emperor looked up at the grand tutor, who was leaning back in his chair reading a book, and the fatigue on his face disappeared immediately.
“Have you finished reviewing the memorial?” Shen Qingzhuo noticed his gaze and looked back sideways. “Go to bed early after reviewing it. You have to get up early tomorrow.”
Xiao Shen walked over, resting his slender and strong arms on the armrests of the chair, forming a siege posture. “Master, please don’t go back to the Shen Mansion tonight, alright?”
“Not good.” Shen Qingzhuo raised his head slightly, smiling, “There is a difference between the emperor and his subjects, Your Majesty.”
Xiao Shen lowered his head and rubbed his smooth forehead affectionately, acting like a spoiled child going into battle, “I don’t know when we’ll be reunited when I go to Youbei. Don’t you miss me, Master?”
“When you win, you will naturally reunite with Master.” Shen Qingzhuo was unmoved.
“Master…” Xiao Shen still didn’t want to let him go, and kept pestering him, “Master, stay with me, and I promise to just hold you in my arms and sleep, and do nothing else, is that alright…”
After a while, Shen Qingzhuo compromised for the umpteenth time: “Fine, Master won’t leave tonight.”
Xiao Shen kissed him hard as if he had succeeded and straightened up impatiently. “Then I’ll go take a bath first, Master, wait for me.”
Shen Qingzhuo’s smiling eyes followed him until his tall figure disappeared from sight, and the curve of his lips gradually faded.
After a while, Xiao Shen sat in the bathtub with his eyes closed and suddenly heard very light footsteps.
“Who?” His phoenix eyes suddenly opened, he turned his head to look at the source of the sound, and a graceful figure came into view.
He was stunned for a moment. “Mas, Master?”
The bathroom was filled with steam, and he could vaguely see his master wearing a white undergarment and bare feet, walking slowly towards him.
The slow steps pulled the hem of the undergarment, and the gold chain on the beautiful ankle was vaguely revealed.
The master in front of him almost perfectly overlapped with the scene in his dream when he first fell in love many years ago…
The dark eyes suddenly sank, his adam apple rolled heavily, and his hand on the edge of the bathtub unconsciously clenched into a fist. Xiao Shen asked in a hoarse voice, “Why did Master come in?”
“I…” Shen Qingzhuo stopped a few steps away from him, his beautiful face already flushed pink like petals from the heat. “Master also wants to… take a bath…”
Xiao Shen stared at him intently, swallowed again, and said with great restraint, “Then I’ll go out first and let Master take a bath.”
He was about to get out of the water, but the next moment, his master stepped into the bathtub without making a sound.
His muscles became stiff, as if he was nailed to the spot, unable to move at all.
Amidst the white mist and the clear sound of water, Shen Qingzhuo walked up to him step by step and raised his hand to press on his broad and straight shoulders.
With almost no effort, his little disciple was obediently pressed back by him.
The white undergarment was wetted by warm water, fitting the beautiful curves. Shen Qingzhuo held the shoulders of his little disciple and slowly sat in the water.
“Master…” Xiao Shen looked at him almost absentmindedly, completely losing self-control, “What are you going to do—”
“Shh…” Shen Qingzhuo held his wet, handsome face with his hands, kissing his thin lips for the first time. “Don’t say anything…”
During this time, he was busy and methodical, making full preparations for the emperor to lead the army in person. No one could tell the real thoughts of the Grand Tutor.
His Xiao Qi had just returned to his side, why did he have to go to the battlefield to kill the enemy again?
Only he himself knew how anxious, scared, and reluctant he was in his heart…
After the kiss, Xiao Shen finally came back to his senses, excitedly and passionately took back the initiative, and kept uttering words of love: “Master, Master… I love you so much…”
The slender, swan-like neck was raised high, and the red fingertips sank deeply into the muscular arms. A drop of crystal tears fell quietly. Shen Qingzhuo called out in a trembling voice with red eyes, “Xiao Qi…”
“If you return safely, Master will tell you the words you want to hear most…”
The author has something to say:
The Wolf Cub: I will crawl back from Youbei even if I have to!
