Chapter 445: Broken Leaf Fengyun (10)

As night fell, the imperial study room of the Zichen Hall in Chang'an was still brightly lit. Zhang Huan looked at the sand table in front of him for a long time. He just got the news of the 20,000 Dashi Army missing in the northern part of Saiye this afternoon. The 20,000 troops attacked Ashi but failed to come to the city. He turned north and bypassed Qianquan Mountain, attacked the hinterland of the Yili River, occupied the Yaolong City and Yili City, and cut off the connection between Beiting and Saiye, but then suddenly disappeared. The whereabouts of these 20,000 people made Zhang Huan deeply worried. He was very worried that the Uighurs would launch a large-scale attack on Beiting in response to the Dashi's military operations. The 20,000 Dashi Army was just a side response. It cannot be said that there was no such possibility. Otherwise, what is the purpose of 20,000 Dashi people entering the Yili River Basin?

This afternoon, I received news from Gongyue City that the scouts of the 20,000 Dashi Army appeared near Gongyue City. The development of the situation seemed to confirm his concern that Dashi had signs of attacking Beiting.

Zhang Huan walked slowly in the study with his hands behind his back. Since the Battle of Saiye broke out, he has been paying attention to this battle that determined the fate of the Western Regions of the Tang Dynasty every day, but the development of things was somewhat beyond his expectations, that is, the strength of the national strength of the Great Food. The pigeon letter from Saiye, the Great Food man mobilized 300,000 troops one after another, not including the most elite guards of the Great Food man.

Not only that, from the month before the outbreak of the war, until now, the delivery of various materials from Dashi has never stopped. Although the Tang Dynasty was the same, Zhang Huan has felt some difficulty in the past few days. The problem is that it comes from the flooding in the Huaihe River Basin and the drought in Guanzhong. At the end of this summer, the rain in the Huaihe River was extremely concentrated, resulting in the breach of the Huaihe River, and more than 100,000 hectares of fertile fields were flooded and millions of people were affected. The problem of the Huaihe River has not been healed yet. There has been another drought in Guanzhong. It has been three months since June to date. Although the court urgently transferred one million stones of grain from Bashu and Jingxiang for emergency response, the unfavorable news has caused panic in the psychological state of the people. The price of grain in Chang'an has exceeded every hundred cigarette, and many grain shops have even relucted to sell.

Taicang in Chang'an still has 800,000 shi of grain, followed by some grain reserves in Hedong, Bashu, Shannan, Zhejiang and other places, but it will be a little nervous to maintain until June next year. Although there are still 5 million shi of official grain in Longyou, it is reserved for the Sailing Leaf War and cannot be moved no matter what. Now Zhang Huan is worried about the outbreak of the Beiting War and the Tang Dynasty's supplies are really a bit too tight.

In any case, the Beiting War between Hui cannot break out again. With the national strength of the Tang Dynasty, it is now impossible to deal with two large-scale wars at the same time. This is his bottom line.

At this time, a eunuch came to report, "The King Yong has arrived and is waiting to see you outside the hall."

King Yong is Zhang Huan's eldest son Li Qi, and King Yong Fu is Li Mi. Zhang Huan was excited and immediately ordered: "Summon Li Xuefu to see me immediately."

Soon, Li Mi hurried into Zhang Huan's imperial study. Although Li Mi had gradually participated in many major military and national decisions in the Tang Dynasty as King Yong Fu, he still maintained a low-key style. If it were not for Zhang Huan's call, he would never have participated in any important meetings. Today, Zhang Huan summoned him urgently, and he knew that there must be something important to discuss with him.

"I am going to see Your Majesty the Emperor!" Li Mi came in and gave a deep tribute, with a very humble attitude.

Zhang Huan nodded. This was one of Li Mi's advantages. No matter how he valued him or how important officials admired him, he always maintained a humble attitude. He did not have a arrogant attitude towards anyone. He had never heard any complaints about him in the five years since he ascended the throne.

"Li Xuefu, please sit down." Zhang Huan asked Li Mi to sit down, and he also sat down, not talking about state affairs, but smiled slightly and said, "I heard that Qier has been working hard recently and has been tired."

"His Highness Yong is a beautiful jade. I am dull in my qualifications and can only be a jade-knowing person. To make the beautiful jade shine, I need your Majesty's words and deeds to set an example."

Zhang Huan knew that he was implicitly persuading him, so he smiled. After a change of topic, he came to today's topic. "I invited Mr. Today, mainly because I want to discuss the matter of the Uighur with Mr.."

"Uighur?" Li Mi was slightly stunned, "What happened to Uighurs?"

"Nothing happened yet, but I am worried that something will happen to it." Zhang Huan sighed lightly, then quickly walked to the wall, brushed the ground and opened the curtain, revealing a map of the Western Regions.

He pointed at Ashibulai City with a wooden pole, and followed the eastward route of 20,000 Dashi Cavalry, and pointed to Gongyue City. "I have been concerned about the movements of 20,000 Dashi Cavalry. They originally wanted to capture Ashibulai City, but suddenly changed their minds and bypassed Qianquan Mountain and approached the Yili River Basin, and occupied Yaolong City and Yili City one after another. Today I just got the news that its vanguard had appeared outside Gongyue City. I suspect that they wanted to jointly attack Beiting with the Uighurs. If that is the case, I am very worried! The current national strength of my Tang Dynasty may not be able to support the two fronts fighting at the same time."

Speaking of this, Li Mi already understood the emperor's meaning. He was asking himself to come up with a countermeasure not to allow the Uighurs to send troops. Li Mi walked to the map, stared at the map for a long time and said slowly: "I think the initial task of these 20,000 cavalry should be to seize the city of Ashibulai. Entering the city of Yili River is just a temporary decision. Of course, it can also be said that the capture of Ashibulai City is just a fake shot. Their real purpose is to seize the Yili River basin, but no matter which reason, there is a kind of trick. The treacherous person is guilty! If the great cannibal really reaches some agreement with the Uighurs, he will definitely send troops uprightly, and will not be as sneaky as he can, which will make the Uighurs doubt their sincerity."

"What you mean is that there is actually no agreement between Dashi and Uighurs, but Dashiren deliberately made an attitude of attacking Beiting and misleading our decision?"

Li Mi nodded, "I think this is similar to Your Majesty's plan to take Tochar. They not only want to freeze Your Majesty's reinforcements prepared to support Sai Ye, but even issued a strong desire to cooperate to the Uighurs. Maybe the Uighurs will really not be able to withstand this temptation and send troops to Beiting. This is a plan that kills two birds with one stone. The great cannibal is indeed a strong enemy!"

Zhang Huan looked at the map silently. He had to admit that Li Mi could see thoroughly. It was very likely that this was the case. The Great Cannibal used the power of the Uighurs and frozen the 80,000 people who had deployed Beiting with only 20,000 troops. The 60,000 Tang troops in Shule were restrained by the Tochar Big Food Army. Moreover, this small 20,000 troops might really win the lottery, attracting the Uighurs to attack Beiting.

Suddenly, Zhang Huan felt something, and he glanced quickly. Seeing Li Mi was tugging his beard and laughing. Knowing that he had already made up his mind, he pretended to be angry and said, "Sir, since he has something to think about, why don't he say it? Do you still want me to ask you?"

"I dare not."

Li Mi quickly bowed and said frankly: "I have considered the three strategies of superiors, middles and lowers, which can be used for your reference."

‘There are three strategies?’ Zhang Huan’s eyes flashed with great interest, “Sir, please tell me the best strategy first.”

"The best strategy is to fight for the pro-Tang faction of the Uighurs and ask them to persuade the Uighurs to not take the Tang Dynasty as an enemy. The court will inevitably give them some more food to win over their hearts."

The best strategy is to make an open plan, which is feasible, but Zhang Huan doesn't want to send food anymore. The Uighurs are greedy people. If they can't feed the wolf, they will hold grudges if they don't give it less. If they send too much, they will not only instigate him to ask for more food, but also not enough people in his own country! He pondered for a moment and asked again: "What about Zhongce?"

"Your Majesty, please give me the best strategy first. My best strategy is to continue to dispatch troops to Beiting and use enough troops to intimidate the Uighurs to not send troops without authorization."

Before Li Mi finished speaking, Zhang Huan shook his head and denied it. Not to mention that the current financial resources of the court can no longer bear to send troops to Beiting. Even if the Uighurs are forced to send troops, the Uighurs are very mobile. If they do not attack Beiting, but instead attack Shuofang and Hebei, what should they do? Should they transfer the troops back again? The key is to make the Uighurs not send troops.

"Sir, just talk about Zhongce directly!"

In fact, Zhongce is Li Mi’s real idea. If the best strategy is an open conspiracy, Zhongce is a conspiracy against the best strategy. He briefly sorted out his ideas and said slowly: “My minister’s Zhongce is actually Zhang Yi’s plan to talk about King Huai of Chu!”

Zhang Huan seemed to have understood something, but he remained silent and asked Li Mi to continue talking.

"In the past, Zhang Yi used the greedy nature and swaying position of King Huai of Chu. Xu was highly valued by King Huai of Chu and tempted him to stop his idea of ​​attacking Qin. This is very similar to today's Uighurs. The Uighurs used the battle between the Tang Dynasty and the Dashi countries to win the benefits of the fisherman. He married the princess of the Dashi and the sister of the Dashi to blackmail the Dashi. This typical two-faced method is the face of King Huai of Chu. Therefore, this time the Dashi stationed troops in Gongyue City. The Uighurs will have some actions. If the expected one is not bad, it should lead troops without making any attempts. He will blackmail the Tang Dynasty. Your Majesty can use his greed and uncertainty, Xu and the Dashi, and pretend to use actions to confuse his heart. He dragged his Majesty to use horses to exchange for food until the Battle of Sailing Ye is victorious. Your Majesty will order him to exchange horses for food. On the contrary, if the Battle of Sailing Ye fails, Your Majesty will really fulfill his promise to seek the two families to fight the Dashi eastward."

Zhang Huan walked slowly to the window with his hands behind his back. He stared at the night outside the window and said nothing. This plan could be done for a while, but in the long run, if the Uighurs were untrustworthy, he would sooner or later push him to the big food. He was really a little confused.

Li Mi seemed to understand Zhang Huan's concerns. He smiled and added: "Your Majesty may be worried about breaking trust in the Uighurs. I also admit that this possibility is very high, but I think that the relationship between countries is more determined by strength. Zhang Yi plotted to deceive King Huai of Chu. No one in the world said that the King of Qin was breached, but laughed at King Huai of Chu. Why is this? Similarly, if the Tang Dynasty was not fully equipped with armor and soldiers, even if the Uighurs were sent millions of silk every year and all the benevolence and righteousness were all done, it would still wave its sword to go south and drink horses in the Central Plains. Just like after the Anshi Rebellion back then, if the Tang Dynasty was strong, even if it was coaxed a hundred times, it would still obediently lead the horse and hand the saddle for the Tang Dynasty. Your Majesty, the Uighurs always believed in hard fists, not soft-heartedness!"

Zhang Huan didn't say anything for a long time. He suddenly laughed, turned slowly, and said to Li Mi indifferently: "I am not worried about this, I am the King of Qin, and the person who does this should be Zhang Yi."

After finishing the consultation with Li Mi, Zhang Huan cleaned up briefly and prepared to return to the palace. His personal eunuch An Zhongshun was sick today and temporarily changed to another eunuch named Ma Yuanying. He was very smart and capable. He turned out to be a eunuch in Luoyang Palace. After the Luoyang Palace was closed three years ago, all the palace maids and eunuchs were incorporated into the Chang'an Daming Palace. Ma Yuanying was assigned to Zhang Huan's imperial study to clean up the miscellaneous items. His cleverness made Zhang Huan slowly remember him, so he transferred him as one of his personal eunuchs. Because he knew the superiority and inferiority and the good and the mercy, he got along quite well with An Zhongshun and others.

He opened the car door of the dragon chariot, Zhang Huan sat in, and the carriage slowly drove towards the inner palace. The lights could be lit in the carriage, but Zhang Huan was tired for a day and just took this short opportunity to close his eyes and rest. He was half lying on the soft mattress and kept silent. The moonlight did not shoot out from the gap in the curtain of the car, shining on his body, and it flashed light and dark. Ma Yuanying, who was serving in front, seemed a little worried. He was holding a memorial in his hand, not knowing what to do. This memorial was sent to him by Cui Yu, the servant of the household department, and asked him to transfer it to the emperor on the way back to the palace, but now he can't take it.

"Is there anything wrong?" Zhang Huan's eyes opened slightly, and he had long seen that Ma Yuanying was restless.

"Your Majesty, just now, Prime Minister Cui gave me a memorial to me and asked me to pass it to your Majesty."

"Why didn't you take it out soon?" Zhang Huan's tone was already unhappy.

Ma Yuanying was panicked and quickly explained: "It was Cui's prime minister who refused to let the slave take it out, and pointed out that he wanted the slave to give it to His Majesty now."

Zhang Huan sat up all of a sudden. What memorial made Cui Yu so mysterious. "Take it to me!"

The lights in the car lit up. Zhang Huan took the seemingly ordinary memorial. As soon as he opened it, the folded side page inside fell off suddenly. It was not because it was not sticky, but because it was too long, folded four or five times, and fell off and was about to be long.

The side page is the place where the opinions of the Prime Minister and the Office of the Menxia Provincial Government were written by the government. Generally speaking, there is only a small page, with concise opinions of the Prime Minister and the Office of the Menxia Municipal Government. This is the first time Zhang Huan has seen this since he ascended the throne.

Zhang Huan was slightly surprised. The sub-page was filled with the sub-pages of the Secretariat and the rebuttals of the Menxia Province. From these sub-pages covered with red seals and densely packed with small characters, we can see the tug-of-war between the Secretariat and the Menxia Province on this memorial. This was never happened. After turning two pages, his face suddenly sank. This was a memorial that strongly opposed the Battle of Sailing Ye.

Zhang Huan turned back to the front and looked at Shang Zheren's signature, "Wugong County Magistrate Lu Yan", and frowned. He turned out to be a small official from the eighth rank. Although his official position was humble, he was the first person to openly oppose the Thunder Ye War.

‘This is the third time I have submitted a memorial. I hope Your Majesty can hear my heartfelt words.

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’

Zhang Huan looked gloomy and saw the memorial page by page. He closed the memorial page and threw it aside. He was extremely angry. The memorial pointed out sharply that the Broken Leaf Silver Mine was just an excuse. The real reason for launching the Broken Leaf War was to satisfy the vanity and unrealistic empire glory of the superiors, but he did not hesitate to exhaust the little material resources that the Tang Dynasty had just accumulated. "The tomb of the Central Plains is not old, and the lonely sighs are still there, but the emperor does not care about the people's livelihood and strives for the small town on the border for thousands of miles, which is not what the people want."

To satisfy the vanity of the superior, who is the superior, isn’t it just a reference to the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty? A small eighth-rank county magistrate dared to accuse him of fighting to satisfy the vanity. Doesn’t he know the order of hierarchy? Doesn’t he know the importance of the Shattered Leaf Silver Mine to the Tang Dynasty’s finances?

The whole country is full of dignity of the country and regardless of personal gains and losses. The civil and military officials of the court have worked hard for it. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers abandoned their wives and children and headed to the front line of the Western Regions. The Battle of Saiye has become a stalemate, and every move has touched the hearts of the people. However, this person does not offer advice and advises on state affairs, but publicly accuses this battle of an unjust war. If the news reaches Saiye, it shakes the morale of the army and the people, the life and death of hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians, and the gains and losses of the country, now is the critical time for thousands of safety to gather on the front line. You can only encourage but not discourage it. But this person does not know the times and advocates the unrighteous war. Is it true that everyone is drunk but he is awake?

Zhang Huan was exhausted for a day and was already exhausted, but now he suddenly jumped out of a mess. He was upset and furious for a moment. If this person was not severely punished, he would definitely attract more people who harm the overall situation. "Come!" He shouted sternly.

Ma Yuanying was so scared that she hurriedly shrank in a corner of the carriage and did not dare to let out a breath. At this time, a guard officer rushed forward and obeyed the order, "Assued your Majesty's order."

Zhang Huan didn't speak for a long time. Although he was an emperor, the appointment and removal of officials below the fourth rank were the authority of the prime minister and the Ministry of Personnel. He did not have the power to dismiss the person directly. This is second. If this person was dismissed immediately, it would make the matter worse in the court, which would be detrimental to the current war. He had to deal with it first and delay it for this period before dealing with this person.

Thinking of this, he was stuffy in his heart and waved his hand and said, "It's nothing, I'm a little tired, and I'm a little tired, and I'm driving faster."

The dragon chariot accelerated, drove over a stone bridge, and slowly stopped in front of Lingqi Hall. This was the queen's bedroom. After Zhang Huan returned to the palace every day, he always came here to have dinner. Pei Ying also came to report to Tai Chi Palace. At noon, an eunuch came to report. Queen Mother Ningde Cui Xiaofu was seriously ill. She immediately went to visit her and said something to her for an afternoon.

She was arranging dinner when suddenly the palace maid came to report, 'Your Majesty is back, and it seems like she is in a bad mood.'

Pei Ying didn't know what happened, so she hurriedly went out. She saw her husband coming in anger before she walked far. She quickly smiled and said, "I welcome Your Majesty."

"The queen is not a gift!" Zhang Huan's wrath was slightly relieved. He suddenly realized that the anger in the court could not be brought to his home, so he exhaled and waved his hand and said, "I'm a little hungry, are you ready for dinner?"

"I am ready, please have a meal for your Majesty."

Pei Ying turned around and returned to the room lightly, laying a cushion for her husband himself, "Your Majesty, please sit down."

Zhang Huan shook his head and smiled, "Don't be so polite, it makes me feel uncomfortable. Just like at a state banquet, it's better to order your own home casually."

"That's why I personally put a cushion on you!" Pei Ying smiled, picked up the wine pot, and poured him a glass of wine with her little finger. "Doesn't you feel like getting sick?"

My wife was serving her meal by her side, feeling its plump and moving body and a faint orchid fragrance. This was the smell he was very familiar with. Zhang Huan's heart gradually calmed down. The fatigue and worries of the day were comforted by his wife's faint warmth. He picked up the wine glass and took a sip.

"Take it slowly first. I'll go see Qiu'er and come soon."

Pei Ying arranged her husband and walked quickly to the door. She walked out of the door and turned a corner to her daughter's room. She pushed a gap and looked at it. Seeing her daughter lying on the side in the curtain and sleeping soundly, while her wet nurse was sitting aside with a purse embroidered with gold thread. She did not notice the arrival of the queen. Pei Ying smiled and quietly closed the door.

She thought about her husband, so she hurried to the dining hall. When she walked to the door, she saw Ma Yuanying standing with her hands down with a grim face, as if she had made a big mistake. She moved her heart and asked Ma Yuanying in a low voice: "What's wrong with Your Majesty today? It seems that she is in a bad mood. Has something happened?"

"It was already fine, but the Prime Minister Cui gave His Majesty a memorial to persuade him. After reading it, His Majesty was in a bad mood. I blamed me for being troublesome." Ma Yuanying was extremely depressed. He would have not accepted Cui Yu's memorial if he had known it.

Pei Ying nodded thoughtfully, turned around and entered the room. Seeing that her husband had already started eating, she slowly walked up to him and sat down opposite him and smiled, "Why don't you drink anymore? Let's have another drink! I'll have a drink with you too."

"What is Qiu'er doing?" Zhang Huan took a bite of the rice and asked vaguely: "Why don't you come to see her father?"

"You are late today. The little guy can't wait, so he falls asleep. Well! Eat slowly, don't choke." Pei Ying picked up a chopstick dish for her husband, held her cheek and looked at her husband's voraciously. This is the husband she likes. Just like when he was in Wuwei, she poured herself a glass of wine and filled his glass with her glass. She smiled and said, "Qi'er is very hardworking. She has been practicing calligraphy for almost two hours. After getting sick, she will go to see him after dinner. You two haven't met for several days. In the afternoon, he said he wants to learn from his father!"

"Is that so? What does he want to learn from me?" Zhang Huan ate the rice in three mouthfuls, then picked up the wine glass and asked with interest.

"There are many places to learn, such as learning from the emperor's diligence, learning from the emperor's frugality, learning from the emperor's humility to accept advice, etc.." Pei Ying took a sip of wine and smiled slightly, and a hint of redness suddenly flew on her snow-white face.

The four words "humble and accept advice" hit Zhang Huan's heart. After staying with his wife for a while, his fatigue and worries gradually disappeared, and his anger slowly calmed down. He put down his wine glass and sighed: "It's really annoying to say that. The war between Sai Ye is tight these days. Everyone saves money to support the front line. Even the queen leads the harem to sew shoes, socks, and winter clothes for the soldiers. Everyone is united, but there is a person who doesn't know the current affairs. A letter from the eighth-rank county magistrate criticizing Sai Ye for being an unrighteous battle and accusing me.

This kind of objection is not impossible. If it was raised before the war, I might not only be angry but also praise him. But now the war is in full swing, he opposes loudly. Will the soldiers of the Sailye surrender to the cannibal? Isn’t it wasteful and the people hurting money? Is it not that the war ending is exhausting and the people hurting money? Is it that the matter has happened, and everyone should unite and settle the accounts and wait until the war is over before accuse me. But at this time, it makes people feel that he is suspected of sensationalism and ruining my original good mood."

Pei Ying smiled without saying a word, and poured her husband another glass of wine, "Your Majesty is tired, so I will take a break tonight and deal with this matter tomorrow."

Zhang Huan picked up the wine glass and looked at his wife, "What, do you think I've wronged him."

Pei Ying shook her head, "I don't know anything, so why can I come to a conclusion? Maybe he wrote this memorial before the war, but because he was so gentle that his Majesty could not see it until now."

Zhang Huan seemed to remember something. He took the memorial from the side. When he opened the first page, he saw a sentence he ignored, "This is the third time I have submitted a memorial. I hope Your Majesty can hear my heartfelt words."

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’

‘Third time!’ Zhang Huan frowned slightly. He knew that he had wronged this person, but he couldn’t take any more shame. He pondered for a moment.

Seeing that he had already realized something, Pei Ying patiently advised him: "Your Majesty, no matter how good things are, they will never be perfect. There will always be an unfavorable side. Someone will see it and point it out for Your Majesty. This is a good thing. Everyone is afraid of being united. Everyone cheers for Your Majesty's wiseness. In the end, your Majesty is used to flattery. If you occasionally make noises, your Majesty will be angry and think that this is destroying the overall situation. But if Your Majesty really dealt with this person, I am afraid that no one will dare to tell the truth in the future. I often listen to Your Majesty's words and take Emperor Taizong as an example. I don't know that Emperor Taizong achieved the Zhenguan rule because of humbly accepting advice. Your Majesty, I hope Your Majesty think twice."

"I know I'm wrong." Zhang Huan drank the wine in his hand and sighed: "Actually, I should have thought that since I can see this comment, it means that the prime ministers have also read it. If it is really sensational, will the prime ministers still present a small comment from the eighth-rank county magistrate? I will talk to the prime ministers about this matter tomorrow. Today I am really tired and will rest at the queen."

After saying that, he put down his wine glass, stood up and smiled, "Before resting, I will go and see my son first and tell him about my age."
Chapter completed!