It's the first day of the first lunar month and the weather is still very cold.
The people of Qi are all from the north. If they can gain a slight advantage in fighting in this kind of weather, they will naturally not miss this opportunity.
Just after the Lantern Festival, the war started, and the left and right armies started fighting at the same time. Now both Su Ding and Ling Su have gone to the front line to command the battle.
The only good news is that after a few days of fighting, the combat intensity is not high. After all, the Qi people are not made of iron, and they will also get cold.
Moreover, the textile industry in the south is relatively developed. In addition, Mr. Shen has money in his hands and is willing to spend money on his subordinates. He has arranged cotton-padded clothes. If the two sides fight, the Huai'an Army may not suffer.
There is another reason.
Even Su Ding on the front line clearly felt that after this new year passed, Northern Qi's Southern Conquest Army seemed no longer willing to contribute as much as last year.
As a result, the intensity of the war plummeted.
Under such circumstances, if the front line is given to someone at the deputy general level, it can be fully supported. Even Su Ding can escape, let alone Shen Yi.
In addition, the army in the rear really needs to be reorganized, otherwise it is likely to be delayed in the face of the upcoming decisive battle.
After Zhang Jian stayed in Jingxian for two days, on the morning of the third day, the two brothers rode back to Jinan.
Jingxian County is only a little over three hundred miles away from Jinan. After riding on horseback, the two returned to Jinan at noon the next day.
Mr. Shen has often traveled on horseback in the past few years and has become accustomed to this kind of running around. However, Zhang Fantai is a little unable to bear riding in winter. After getting off the horse, his lips were blue and blue from the cold. Shen Yi quickly helped him down and shook his head slightly. He smiled and said: "Senior brother, this body is still a little weak."
"When you have free time in the future, you can walk with me in the military camp more often, and you will gradually develop your skills."
Zhang Fantai got off his horse and finally stood upright. He rolled his eyes at Shen Yi and said helplessly: "In the past two years, I have been traveling around the states in Shandong and I have been riding a lot. It's just that it's too cold this winter. be unable to support."
As he said that, he looked up at the sky and said, "It's almost noon, let's find a place to eat."
"Should we go out to eat, or should we go to the Chief Envoy Si Yamen to eat?"
Mr. Shen put his hands in the sleeves of his robe and said quietly: "Go to my governor's Yamen to eat."
"Speaking of which, I, the governor of Shandong, have not returned to my governor's office for several months."
He laughed at himself: "It can be said that he is extremely incompetent."
He pulled Zhang Jian's sleeve and said with a smile: "Go to the governor's office to eat, maybe you can meet some acquaintances."
Zhang Jian nodded, and the two mounted their horses again.
Master Shen was riding on his horse, looked at Jiang Sheng, and said, "Have someone prepare a table of wine and food and send it to my governor's office to get some more food."
"I want some strong wine, give it to Lord Fantai to take away the cold."
Zhang Jian also got on his horse and was a little curious: "How can we two eat a lot?"
Shen Yi smiled and said: "Maybe there will be more than two people while eating."
"Anyway, senior brother doesn't have to feel bad about spending the imperial court's money."
Hearing Shen Yi's last words, Zhang Jian frowned subconsciously.
Because such words are not suitable to be said in public.
With Shen Yi's temperament, he would never say such a thing.
However, Zhang Fantai's mind changed and he understood immediately without saying anything.
Jiang Sheng bowed his head and went down to arrange the food and drinks.
The two junior brothers rode to the gate of the governor's Yamen.
At this moment, the governor's office is still operating normally.
Because His Majesty the Emperor has made up his mind to set up official offices in Shandong, some officials from the governor's yamen have already been appointed. Although they are not all appointed, it is not like before that only Shen Yi is the commander-in-chief.
Nowadays, there are seven or eight officials in the Yamen.
It's just that Shen Yi was not in Jinan, and most of the political affairs were handled by the Chief Envoy Si Yamen. The Governor's Yamen had a somewhat "powerful devolution" feeling.
As soon as the two people entered the governor's yamen, the officials from the governor's yamen immediately came out to greet them. A group of officials lined up on both sides and bowed their heads in salute to the two.
"Zhongcheng, Fantai!"
Mr. Shen looked around at the officials with unfamiliar faces, but they were indeed his subordinates. He could only smile and nod without saying a word.
Zhang Jian was actually more familiar with him than him, and he returned the favor with some familiar officials.
The two brothers arrived at the backyard of the governor's Yamen one after another.
At this time, because the people in the yamen knew that Shen Yi had entered the city, the charcoal fire had been lit in the Nuan Pavilion. After the two people entered the Nuan Pavilion, they took off their cold shoes and outerwear and walked in wearing only their socks.
Under the steaming fire of the furnace, white steam appeared faintly on both of them.
After all, it rained a little along the way, so my clothes were not too dry.
Feeling the heat wave hitting his face, Zhang Fantai let out a sigh of relief, sat down on the mat, stretched out his two hands, put them on the edge of the stove to warm the fire. While warming the fire, he shook his head and sighed: "Put it on ten Years ago, how could I have imagined that one day I would be riding horses outside in the middle of winter without even a carriage with a stove."
Shen Yi also sat down opposite him, looked at Zhang Jian, shook his head and said with emotion: "When I first met my senior brother twelve years ago, he was a handsome young man, rich and powerful, but now he is on my pirate ship. In a few years After all the hard work, there are faint wrinkles on my face."
"More than just wrinkles."
Zhang Fantai shook his head and said, "I even have white hair."
He warmed himself up for a while before he calmed down and smiled in relief: "But it's all thanks to your blessing, Zi Heng. Otherwise, according to my eldest father's original arrangement, I would be extremely lucky to be the prefect now. ."
"How can one expect to have the power to know the chief executive of Shandong?"
The so-called right knowledge is the word "generation".
"In two years, the word "power and knowledge" will be removed from my senior brother."
"I think Zhang Xiang has a lot of knowledge and will be proud of senior brother's achievements."
Zhang Jian smiled when he heard this: "My eldest father is indeed very happy."
The two chatted for a while, and the food and drinks were served one after another. Shen Yi lowered his head and took a sip of wine, sighing: "I just received the news that Mu Shizi has succeeded to the throne."
"Prince Jin is a good man. If I were in Jiankang, I would go and see him."
Zhang Jian followed with a drink and said silently: "Time is not forgiving."
He looked at Shen Yi and was about to say something when Jiang Sheng's voice came from the door: "Master, General Pei and General Wei are outside asking for a meeting."
Hearing this, Shen Yi put down his wine glass and said with a smile: "Look, someone is indeed here."
Zhang Jian also smiled: "Do you want me to avoid it?"
"Senior brother is in charge of Shandong, what do you need to avoid?"
Mr. Shen looked at the door and said calmly: "Please come in."
After saying this, Mr. Shen yawned, stood up from the ground, and said with a smile: "These two are powerful people. Let's go to the door to greet them."
Zhang Jian stood up and said with a smile: "I want to welcome you."
Soon, the two generals arrived at the door of Nuange. After seeing Shen Yi and Zhang Jian, Pei Jun bowed his head and saluted.
"The general will pay homage to the Marquis and Zhang Fantai."
When he heard the word "final general", Wei Xiong was stunned for a moment. After looking at Pei Jun, he could only lower his head: "The last general pays homage to Lord Marquis and pays homage to Zhang Fantai."
Pei Jun didn't need to shout "Last General", but Wei Xiong had to shout it because he was ordered to go south this time and was directly under Shen Yi's control.
Zhang Jian lowered his head and returned the gift.
Shen Yi helped the two people up and said with a smile: "That's too polite, that's too polite."
Mr. Shen turned sideways and said, "It just so happens that the food and wine have just been delivered. The two generals would like to show their respect and have a meal together?"
The leader had spoken, and the two of them did not dare to neglect, so they could only bow and walk into the Nuan Pavilion and take a seat.
Shen Yi sat on the main seat, looked at the two of them, smiled and said to Pei Jun: "General, how are you doing during this period of rest?"
Pei Jun lowered his head slightly and said, "I'm already resting."
Shen Yi stretched out his hand to pour him a glass of wine and said with a smile: "It seems that he can go into the battlefield."
Pei Jun lowered his head and clasped his fists and said: "Always listen to the command of the Marquis!"
"The general's words really offend me."
Shen Yi smiled and said: "We are cooperating in the Northern Expedition. I cannot directly control the general and his subordinates."
"but…"
The smile on Mr. Shen's face faded: "I heard in the north that the general's subordinates have been living a pretty cool life in Jinan Mansion recently."
"Not only did some people disturb the local people, but they also caused several deaths."
"I also heard that many people were robbing women outside Jinan City."
When Pei Jun heard this, his expression changed drastically, and he was about to speak, but Lord Shen did not give him a chance to argue.
He picked up the wine glass and toasted Pei Jun with a smile.
