Chapter 458 [Returning to Beijing on a Winter Night]
Yangguan soon received news from Yanmen Pass that the Hu army led by Commander Langtu also began to retreat.
Xue Poye had written a note a long time ago, detailing the battle situation in the northwest and some things that should be done next, and sent the letter back to Kyoto via flying pigeon.
Five days after the Hu troops retreated, leaving ten thousand defenders behind, other armies began to retreat to Yongzhou City. This was nothing more than post-war pacification work. Because the main figures in Yongzhou City were dead, Xue Poye could only temporarily take charge of Yongzhou affairs.
, in addition to rewarding the army for repairs, the main thing is to clean up statistics on Yongzhou’s population, materials and other matters.
Now everyone understands that since King Mingyue is no longer here, the previous autonomous rules of Yongzhou will no longer exist. Yongzhou can no longer be a state within a state, and the imperial court will soon send officials to manage Yongzhou.
Of course, Xue Poye was not interested in these administrative matters and left it to the court to resolve.
Xue Poye was most concerned about the defense situation at Yangguan.
No matter whether the Hu people attack or not, the defense line of Yangguan must be done well. As the saying goes "born in sorrow and dies in happiness", if the Chu people really think that the Hu people will no longer attack and neglect defense, when the time comes
The border defense was in disarray. Even if the Hu people had no intention of attacking, seeing the scum-like border defense might arouse their desire to attack.
In addition to expanding and strengthening Yangguan, Xue Poye's ten cannons naturally also contributed to Yangguan, and with the urging of the emperor, the Lugong Battalion continued to transport artillery shells to the northwest.
Half a month later, officials and decision-makers from Kyoto arrived in Yongzhou.
In addition to bringing a large amount of military supplies and conferring titles to a large number of northwest officers, some officers were even transferred to Kyoto to serve. Officials sent by the imperial court and local officials in the northwest were given some official positions in the northwest. Of course, the distribution of these official positions,
This was carefully considered by the imperial court. Not only did the officials sent by the imperial court control the main forces in the northwest, but the local officials in the northwest also did not neglect and gave them certain rights.
The distribution of rights is an art in politics. In the court, there are many courtiers who are good at this art. They can not only benefit the court, control the political situation in the northwest, but also allow the people of the northwest to taste the power.
It's so sweet that I can't say much.
People in the northwest always have some complaints about the interference of the imperial court, whether it is officials or ordinary people, but everyone also knows that if the northwest does not have a talented, kind and prestigious leader like King Mingyue, then the days of the northwest behind closed doors will definitely be very difficult.
If it is difficult, it is better to accept the rule of the imperial court. After all, only by integrating into this huge country can the security of the northwest be guaranteed.
Of course, officials from the imperial court consciously came to visit Xue Poye. The Northern Expeditionary Army commanded by Xue Poye not only achieved a great victory in the northwest, but also prevented the Hu people from invading the south. This news spread throughout the Chu Kingdom, and he
The statement is now in full swing.
Xue Poye did not interfere with the affairs of these officials, and everything was done in accordance with the rules of the court.
Only two days later, the imperial court sent an imperial envoy, once again rewarded the army, and passed a decree, conferring Xue Poye the title of Marquis of Xiyong, and his title was upgraded by two levels, from viscount to marquis.
In addition, the most important thing is that the imperial envoy brought two other decrees. One is to exempt the northwest from taxes for three years, which can be regarded as a great sweetener for the people in the northwest and win people's hearts. Secondly, regarding Xue Poye's admonishment
Regarding the reconstruction of Yangguan, the imperial court allocated funds and officials from the Ministry of Works were dispatched to repair and strengthen Yangguan.
These two decisions certainly made the northwest people extremely happy, and they felt to some extent the imperial court's favor for the northwest.
As for Sima Feng who was sent to Yongzhou as an imperial envoy, Xue Poye almost forgot about it at first. It was not until officials from the Ministry of Revenue checked the household registration in Yongzhou and even found the prison that he rescued the dying and haggard Lord Sima from the dungeon.
, Xue Poye immediately sent Mingxu to receive proper diagnosis and treatment. After he recovered slightly, he immediately sent someone to Kyoto for recuperation.
The post-war work in the northwest was proceeding in an orderly manner. Xue Poye was nothing more than occasionally drinking and bragging with the Chu army and the northwest generals, and occasionally patrolling around. When he had a little free time, he even accompanied the green lady and Sumayu and other female relatives.
During this period, no matter whether it was Da Chu or Bei Hu, women could accept the reality of three wives and four concubines, so Xue Poye took in Sumayu. Lady Green didn’t care, but she understood in her heart that Xue Poye was surrounded by
Since there are so many women in his life, he can only use bed skills to make him focus more on himself. Therefore, whenever he has sex, he must make Xue Poye feel soft and happy.
The army stayed in Yongzhou for more than half a month. Xue Poye saw that the general situation had been settled and the situation in the northwest had stabilized, so he sent an order to prepare for the division.
…
On the second day after the large and small officials in the northwest held a banquet, the Northern Expeditionary Army began to regroup from Yongzhou. At this time, the northwest was already very cold, so for the Northern Expeditionary Army, it was a dream to regroup at this time.
The army set out from Yongzhou and headed south. After crossing the Yi River, it spent two days in Yizhou for repairs.
The Northern Expeditionary Army was composed of soldiers and horses camped in various states, so they made some repairs in Yizhou. The commanders of each state gathered the soldiers and horses from each state and began to rush back to their respective state capitals to camp. Before leaving, Xue Poye naturally entertained Yang Yi.
Jun, Liu Xiao, Ye Tianxiang and other battalion generals said goodbye.
These people are all generals who have experienced hard battles. After the experience of this war, there is no doubt that if there is a war in the future, they will definitely be able to take on important tasks.
Xue Poye waited until the soldiers and horses gradually left, and then he and Song Fei led the 1,000 cavalry and 3,000 infantry brought from Kyoto back to Kyoto.
Of course, these one thousand cavalry and three thousand infantry have always been Xue Poye's guards. Although they also participated in the battle, there were not many casualties. Although hundreds of people were lost, they were still generally intact.
Xue Poye did not ask Qian Hong and others named "Food Protection Team" who was actually Qinglianzhao to follow him to Beijing, but asked this group to temporarily withdraw to Hangzhou and wait for his orders.
Of course, before they left, Xue Poye reminded them extremely seriously that if anyone in Qinglianzhao dared to act rashly without his instructions, he would no longer be responsible for the consequences, and everyone in Qinglianzhao could only say so.
Along the way, the government offices of various states were beating gongs and drums to welcome Xue Poye's arrival, and the streets were filled with welcoming crowds. This reminded Xue Poye of the phrase "the people's soldiers love the people."
Although the various states were very solemn, Xue Poye and Song Fei did not delay their schedule, but it was still okay for their subordinates to have a good meal of wine and food every time they passed by. After all, everyone recovered their lives from the battlefield.
, you still have to eat what you should eat, you still have to drink what you should drink, and the "generous gifts" given to Xue Poye and Song Fei by officials from various places should be taken as they should.
Mingxu followed Xue Poye. Although he was a disciple of the Buddhist family, he had not repaired it for several months and had already grown a head. He whispered in his mouth, "Food and wine pass through the intestines, and the Buddha is in my heart." The same goes for big fish and big meat.
Eat to the fullest.
When we were still one day away from Kyoto, the first snow finally fell in the Great Chu Kingdom.
Goose-feather-like snowflakes fell from the sky, and the world was soon filled with romantic snowflakes. Xue Poye and Song Fei led their men and rushed to Kyoto non-stop through the light snow.
At dusk the next day, the team finally saw the majestic and solemn city of Kyoto.
In the howling wind, the snowflakes still did not stop, and the earth began to be covered with a silver veil.
Ten miles outside the city, the little emperor personally came out with all the civil and military officials to greet the heroes of the Chu Kingdom. For a few miles, the place was filled with a warm atmosphere that was opposite to the winter snow.
The silk flags were fluttering and rustling in the wind and snow. The little emperor, dressed in fur, was anxiously looking at the road ahead, surrounded by Lan Wuqing and other ministers.
A few months have passed on the little emperor, but after several years of experience, he looks much more mature and steady, and the light in his eyes is much more subtle.
This was the first war after he ascended the throne, and in this war, his master did not lose face to him. He successfully solved the Northwest War and ended the stubborn illness that had been lingering in the court's heart. In addition, it also made a great breakthrough.
The Hu people gave a happy outlet to the history of repeated defeats between the Chu army and the Hu people, which greatly improved the morale of the people.
When Xue Poye's team appeared in everyone's sight, it was already dark. If Xue Poye hadn't ordered his men to light the torches, they might not have been able to show up.
"Master!" the little emperor shouted emotionally and walked over quickly, while Lan Wuqing and others hurriedly followed.
Xue Poye also saw the little emperor coming forward. He immediately got off his horse and walked towards him quickly. He was a few steps away. He was about to stretch out his hand and wanted to hug the little emperor into his arms. But at this moment, he also woke up.
, remembering the identities of both parties, he hurriedly knelt on the ground and said respectfully: "Your Majesty, I have fulfilled my mission and returned in triumph!"
Behind him, Sein Fei and all the soldiers also knelt down.
The little emperor helped Xue Poye up, looked at Xue Poye's tired face, and said sincerely: "Master, thank you for your hard work."
Xue Poye laughed and said: "Your Majesty, if you can win the battle, no matter how hard it is, it is worth it." In front of the little emperor, there was no need for him to say such nonsense as "Everything is the result of His Majesty's wisdom."
The little emperor nodded and ordered the soldiers to get up. At that moment, the ceremonial band sent by the Ministry of Rites beat gongs and drums to welcome the victorious warriors back to the capital.
In Kyoto, the streets and alleys have long been filled with people celebrating. They look at the group of soldiers who have returned with victory with great reverence, and they cheer one after another.
It was this fierce atmosphere that made Xue Poye deeply understand the desire of the people of Dachu for victory.
He even believed that this victory was by no means as simple as quelling internal strife and blocking foreign invasion. It awakened the self-confidence of the Chinese people, which would have an immeasurable effect on the future development of Chu State.
…
In the imperial garden, the emperor Xue Poye and Song Fei held a banquet, and all the officials of the third rank and above in the court attended the banquet.
There were cheers and compliments, and Xue Poye tried his best to maintain a humble attitude. Although he was relieved to see that the little emperor had no grudge against him, Xue Poye knew that at this time, he still had to keep a low profile.
It's just that on such occasions, something inappropriate always happens.
While the ministers were having a drink, You Shaoqing came to Xue Poye amidst the bustle of people, raised his glass and said: "Commander, I respect you, and congratulate you on your triumphant return!"
In this cheerful atmosphere, Xue Poye was in a good mood and raised his glass: "Manager You, I am overly complimentary. This is a wise man. The three armies serve their lives, but I have no great achievements!"
"The commander-in-chief is wrong." You Shaoqing said with a smile: "Xiaguan is no longer the director of the internal affairs treasury. Thanks to the grace of the Holy Spirit, he has been appointed as the Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs."
Xue Poye smiled and said: "Congratulations!" He suddenly woke up and frowned: "What did you say?"
You Shaoqing originally wanted to please Xue Poye, but seeing his sudden change in expression, he felt a little frightened and couldn't help but take a step back.
Xue Poye looked at him and said calmly: "Minister of the Ministry of Personnel? Isn't the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel He Ruhui?"
At this time, the voices of the ministers had quieted down. Seeing that Xue Poye looked bad, they all looked at each other in confusion. However, the Prime Minister Lan Wuqing, who was sitting next to Xue Poye, saw all this and hurriedly stood up and said with a smile: "Commander
, I am holding a banquet tonight to celebrate your victory. We will not talk about state affairs for the time being. Come, I respect you!"
Xue Poye glanced at You Shaoqing coldly. Although he felt that something was wrong, he could not brush off Lan Wuqing's face and stood up to take the glass of wine.
You Shaoqing felt bored and had to retreat in frustration.
People say that once you are in a bad mood, you can get drunk by drinking water. This sentence has a lot of truth.
You Shaoqing's unintentional words made Xue Poye feel very depressed. Although he didn't understand the real cause of the matter, he keenly smelled a bad breath.
There was an endless stream of people toasting him, and Xue Poye soon became drunk.
When Xue Poye woke up slightly, he realized that he was sitting in a carriage, and the sound of the wheels rubbing against the bluestone road could be clearly heard.
He opened the curtain and saw Ximen Lei Zang riding a big horse and guarding him beside him.
When Ximen Lei Zang saw Xue Poye waking up, he said respectfully: "Sir, are you awake? You are almost at your house."
"I'm drunk!" Xue Poye rubbed his temples and felt a little better before asking, "Is the banquet over?"
Ximen Lei Zang said: "The Holy One saw that the Lord was drunk, so he ordered us to send people back to the palace. The Holy Lord personally sent the Lord out of the palace at that time, and also covered the Lord with clothes. When he came out, the Holy Lord also said that he was tired and went back to the palace to rest.
, the ministers also dispersed."
Only then did Xue Poye realize that he was covered with the fur cloak that the emperor had worn before.
It was already late at night, and the streets had long since returned to their usual calm. The celebrating people had all gone back to their homes to rest. Only the falling snow was flying all over the sky with interest.
There has begun to be a light layer of snow on the streets, which is not thick, but the rubble in front of each house is covered with snow.
"The sound of returning home is broken and the clouds are green, and the snow falls from the window behind the window and the smoke from the furnace is straight!" Xue Poye chanted softly.
"Sir!" Ximen Lei Zang said in admiration: "You are not only good at martial arts, but also good at literature. You are so humbled by your humble position."
Xue Poye chuckled and said: "Master Ximen, you are not usually someone who likes to flatter you."
Ximen Lei Zang laughed and said: "Sir, I am telling the truth in my humble position, and I am not flattering!" Pointing to the front, he said: "We are almost at the General Guard's Mansion. Your Excellency has not seen my wife for several months, so the ladies must be worried about you."
Xue Poye's face now showed excitement, but he was still a little uneasy in his heart.
After entering the capital, he arranged for someone to send Green Lady and Sumayu back to the General Guard's Mansion. Along the way, Green Lady and Sumayu got along extremely well. In addition, the little fairy was innocent and smart, and several of them got along very well.
The relationship between women is pretty good, but this time when these women suddenly came in, I didn’t know how Xiao Suzhen and Xiao Yuezhu were feeling.
Soon, the carriage arrived at the General Guard's Mansion. The driver opened the curtain.
He held the fur cloak in his hand.
It was dark, but in front of the grand Guards' Mansion, lights were flickering and people were dancing.
“Xue Lang!” “Msang Gong!”
Two voices came over at the same time. In the sound, two figures were walking over quickly. Xue Poye took a closer look and saw that it was Xiao Suzhen and Yue Zhu. He felt warm in his heart and stretched out his hand to hold their hands, one on the left and the other on the right.
, smiled and said: "Why is it out in such a cold weather? Don't let my wife freeze to death."
The two women held Xue Poye's hand, one on the left and the other on the right. They were both extremely excited and speechless for a moment. A group of people opposite them cheered: "The Marquis is back, the Marquis is back!" They were all from the mansion.
The servants and some Habayashi guards guarding the General Guards Mansion.
Zhang Hu also came forward and said with a laugh: "Master Hou, you are back. Everyone misses you."
Xue Poye stepped forward and hugged Zhang Hu, and said with a smile: "Brother Zhang, I have relied on you to take care of my family during these days in the northwest. Thank you very much."
Manager Hu on the side smiled and said: "Master Hou, it's snowing heavily outside and it's cold. Let's go back to the house to talk. There's a stove in the house, so it's warm."
Xue Poye said hurriedly: "Yes, yes, everyone, go back to the house." He turned to Ximen Lei Zang and said: "Sir Ximen, you haven't seen your family in a few months. Go back and have a look, and I will say hello to them."
Ximen Lei Zang said goodbye and left. Xue Poye then led everyone back home. He caught a glimpse of Sumayu, Green Lady and Little Spirit Fairy among the crowd. Their expressions were all natural, and it seemed that there was nothing he expected.
Trouble in the harem".
Along the way, he was extremely gentle to Green Lady and Sumayu, so for now, he gave all his tenderness to Xiao Suzhen and Yue Zhu. He held their hands and said softly: "How are you eating? How is your health? Yue Zhu."
Zhu, after I leave, will you listen to me and stay at home?"
Yue Zhu glanced at Xiao Suzhen, pursed her lips and smiled: "Can I stay at home? I have two people to take care of."
"Oh!" Xue Poye laughed and said, "Who wants you to take care of me?"
"Sister Suzhen," Yuezhu said with a gentle smile.
Xue Poye nodded and said: "You should take care of each other." After a pause, he asked: "Where is the other one? Didn't you say that you have to take care of two people? Who else has such a big arrogance and wants my Yuezhu?
To take care of."
Yuezhu looked at Xiao Suzhen and said with a smile: "Just ask sister."
Xue Poye turned to look at Xiao Suzhen, only to see Xiao Suzhen looking at her tenderly. She stopped and said softly: "Xue Lang, our family will soon have one more person." After saying that, she took Xue Po's hand.
Ye's hand gently pressed on her stomach.
If Xue Poye didn't understand at this moment, he would be an idiot.
"Suzhen... you... you mean...!" Xue Poye was surprised and happy, his eyes wide open.
Xiao Suzhen smiled tenderly, nodded and said, "In a few months, you can be a father!"
At this moment, Xue Poye felt the greatest happiness in the world rushing through his whole body. Money, power, plots, tricks, and fights were all gone.
Since traveling to this time, Xue Poye has always had an illusory feeling. It seems that everything and everyone is like a dream. Even though many things are so real, there is always a shadow of illusion deep in Xue Poye's heart.
But at this moment, he truly understood that everything was so low-real. His life, his woman, his life, everything was of flesh and blood. Now, he could even have a child who belonged to his bloodline.
The world that I thought was an illusion countless times has continued with his flesh and blood!
Holding Xiao Suzhen's hand, Xue Poye was extremely excited.
Suddenly, both Xiao Suzhen and Yue Zhu clearly saw tears rolling down from the corners of Xue Poye's eyes.dd