Because Emperor Xiaowen Li Rui was only ten years old today and had not yet taken charge of the government, the power of the Great Zhou Dynasty was basically controlled by a cabinet composed of five important ministers. According to custom, as expected, on the first day of every ten days of the cabinet, the five important ministers would discuss matters

They meet in the room to discuss state affairs together, which is a small court meeting.

And today is April 11th, which is the day when the cabinet holds Umrah meeting.

The four court officials waited in the meeting room for about a stick of incense when a burst of footsteps sounded outside the meeting room.

Hearing the sound of footsteps, the four people in the meeting room all looked solemn and adjusted themselves. Soon, a slender and imposing middle-aged man wearing crane robes walked into the meeting room.

Seeing this person's arrival, the four Zhou Dynasty ministers in the meeting room all stood up and saluted: "I have met the Chief Minister!"

Shangguan Hongyuan looked around at everyone, nodded slightly, and sat on the vacant main seat in the meeting room. As he took his seat, the others slowly took their seats.

Everyone seemed to know what was going to be discussed next and what would happen, so the atmosphere in the meeting room was very solemn at this time. Except for Shangguan Hongyuan, whose expression was still calm and calm, the other four people all had serious faces.

Extremely.

Seeing that none of these four people spoke first, Shangguan Hongyuan was not surprised. His eyes shifted to Xu Bingyang, the Minister of War sitting first on his right...

As an important supporter of Shangguan Hongyuan in the court and his only ally in the cabinet, Xu Bingyang sighed in his heart after feeling the eyes of his superiors, but without refusing, he said:

"I'm telling you, Lord Chief Assistant, that the Luobei people in the eastern border have invaded the border many times over the years, burning, killing, looting, and committing all kinds of evil. The people on the border are in dire straits. This time, they are even more plotting to instigate the king of the palace, Li Zaiyuan, to betray the Zhou Dynasty.

The deed is outraged by both humans and gods, and the wolf’s ambition is clearly revealed!”

"Therefore, after careful discussion with my colleagues in the Ministry of War, I requested the Chief Assistant to train the Zhenwu Army in Liaoyang, stabilize the eastern border, and guard against the Luobei people. As long as the Luobei people dare to cross the border, they will be attacked head-on!"

After Xu Bingyang finished speaking, Shangguan Hongyuan nodded slightly, and then said lightly: "Sir, what do you think of the proposal put forward by the Ministry of War to train the Zhenwu Army?"

After his words fell, the room fell into silence again. The people who could sit here were all the best among people. They all understood the proposal of organizing the Zhenwu Army. Although it was Xu Bingyang who said it, the mastermind behind it was

The messenger was, Chief Assistant Shangguan Hongyuan. Shangguan Hongyuan just used Xu Bingyang's mouth to raise this matter...

After Zhao Yuanan, Yang Chunchen, and Lin Yi exchanged glances in silence, Yang Chunchen, who was sitting behind Xu Bingyang, bravely stood up and said carefully, "I don't know if this Zhenwu Army is planning to train."

How many soldiers are there? How much military expenditure is needed?”

Although it was clear that this old guy Yang Chunchen was asking questions knowingly, since he brought it up, Xu Bingyang, as the Minister of the Ministry of War, still had to patiently introduce:

"The current plan is to establish the Zhenwu Army. A group of military attachés will be transferred from the Forbidden Army, and then 30,000 troops will be recruited and trained in Liaoyang. The first batch of military expenses will be 500,000 taels of silver, and the following will be 300,000 taels per year."

Listening to this answer, which was the same as what he had heard before, Yang Chunchen did not embarrass Xu Bingyang, but turned his attention to Shangguan Hongyuan, who was sitting in the main seat, and said very cautiously:

"Lord Chief Assistant, I heard that the Luobi people's envoy arrived in Luo'an three days ago. I wonder if this is the case?"

As soon as Yang Chunchen said this, the eyes of the four important court officials present were all focused on Shangguan Hongyuan. Under the gaze of the four people, Shangguan Hongyuan nodded and said: "It is true!"

"Then, may I ask, Lord Chief Assistant, why did the Luo Bei delegation come?" Yang Chunchen refused and continued to ask:

In response to Yang Chunchen's continuous questioning, Shangguan Hongyuan still showed no anger and said calmly: "Peace talks!"

After getting this satisfactory answer from Shangguan Hongyuan, Yang Chunchen bowed his hands to Shangguan Hongyuan, then sat in his seat without saying a word. He had completed a mission as a pioneer, and the rest was

It depends on others!

"I wonder what you, Lord Chief Assistant, think about what the Luobi people want?"

After Yang Chunchen finished speaking, Chengguo Gong Zhao Yuanan, who was sitting first on the left hand side of Shangguan Hongyuan, took over the conversation and asked tentatively towards Shangguan Hongyuan:

"We need to talk, but the Luobei people are barbarians outside the wall and have no faith at all. We must be on guard against them!" Shangguan Hongyuan's tone was calm, but the meaning revealed in his words was unequivocal and unquestionable.

When Zhao Yuanan, Yang Chunchen, and Lin Yi heard this, their hearts sank. The three of them quickly exchanged glances, and Zhao Yuanan spoke again to advise:

"The words of the Chief Assistant are very kind, but I heard that the reason why the Luobei people are seeking peace this time is because the Kipchak Khanate is preparing to invade the Elonqen Grassland again, and there will be another protracted war outside the Great Wall.

, the Luobi people should be unable to attack us in a short period of time..."

"The income of the imperial court is tight now. Sir, please take a look at the training of the Zhenwu Army. Can we take a long-term approach?" After saying this, Zhao Yuanan looked up at Shangguan Hongyuan and observed the expression of the powerful chief minister of the Zhou Dynasty.

.

Although his idea was opposed by the important ministers at the cabinet meeting, Shangguan Hongyuan still showed no displeasure on his face. Under the gaze of everyone, Shangguan Hongyuan said expressionlessly, ""

"I think Cheng Guogong must have made a mistake. There is no way for the Luobi people to invade our country in a short time, but this does not mean that we can live in peace!"

"You must know that if the enemy can go, I can go too!"

"In recent years, the Luobei people have frequently invaded the territory, which has made the Khitan, Shiwei and other foreign tribes in Liaoyang just ready to make trouble. If we don't give them a severe lesson and let them know the mighty power of the Great Zhou, then in the long run, Liaoyang will still have

Is it Liaoyang in the Great Zhou Dynasty?"

After he finished speaking, a chill appeared on Shangguan Hongyuan's angular face, which immediately made the hearts of several people in the room sink.

At this moment, Lin Yi, the Minister of Rites, who was sitting behind Zhao Yuanan and had been silent, said in a deep voice: "I would like to ask the chief minister to think twice. The imperial court is in financial difficulty. It is already stretched to maintain the current situation and cannot afford it."
Chapter completed!