General Ashina said: "Your Majesty should have sent the new Anxi Protector. When we return to Xizhou, the Anxi Protector should also arrive."
In fact, the new Anxi Governor is still in the capital at this time. He only received the order yesterday. He said goodbye to his relatives and friends today and plans to set off tomorrow.
Because the war is urgent, and the distance between the two places is too far, the news is lagging behind. No one knows what the situation is in Xizhou now, so he cannot stay for a long time. He will not take his family with him this time. He only plans to take his guard generals and take office.
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As soon as he decided who would follow him, a chamberlain came to deliver the message, "My lord, Your Majesty has hosted a family banquet in the palace, and has invited you to come to the palace to have a simple meal."
Duke Qiao thought for a while and then took his wife into the palace.
It was said to be a family banquet, but it was really just a family banquet. Apart from the emperor and his wife, there were only the prince, the princess and a few princesses.
Duke Qiao and his wife saluted, and the emperor waved with a smile and said, "There is no need to be too polite as a family. Sit down quickly and let the dishes be served in the imperial kitchen."
The prince led a group of sisters and called "cousin" before sitting down separately.
Of course, the royal family didn't really say a word when they ate, they just ate.
While eating, the emperor recommended dishes to Chai Wei that he thought were good, and said some things about the Western Regions by the way, "You have taken office in a hurry this time, and the Anxi army is brave. I am afraid you will be a little dissatisfied. You can ask Ashina for advice."
The emperor said: "Even Li Qing said that Ashina is the best among the vassals, and there are many Han generals who are inferior to him in terms of strategy."
Chai Wei responded.
The emperor then thought of Guo Xiao and snorted coldly: "Guo Xiao is far inferior to General Ashina. I heard that even when he went on an expedition, he brought gold and silverware with him. Even his tents were inlaid with gold and silver.
He gave his military tent to Ashina, but Ashina refused. From this we can see the merits and demerits of these two generals. If you go to Xizhou, don't imitate Guo Xiao."
Chai Wei agreed more seriously, saying that he would manage the Western Region well and live up to His Majesty's expectations.
The emperor nodded with satisfaction, "What the Western Regions have to the Central Plains is not the width of the land, nor the luxuriant population, but the trade routes. Seventy percent of the exchanges between the Central Plains and the Western Regions, and even further places, depend on this Western Regions trade route."
, only 30% of it lies on the sea, so you have to guard the trade routes and don't let those Turks ruin the trade routes again."
Chai Wei nodded repeatedly.
The emperor looked at the prince and said with a smile: "I have already given you everything I want to tell you. I would like to ask your cousin if there is anything else you need to tell me?"
The prince thought to himself, what could he say to his cousin and minister who wanted to deploy a large number of troops?
Could he just say it in front of the emperor? After he said it, could the emperor still sleep at night?
The prince complained in his mind, and raised his head and said to Chai Wei: "When my cousin arrives in the Western Regions, why not help him find Dr. Zhou and the others."
He said: "The news that came back last time was unclear. It only said that some information about cowpox was found, but there was no specific information. The prevention and control of smallpox is a big deal. They have been out for almost a year, so there should be news.
Bar?"
He glanced at Mingda who was sitting beside him and then said: "Also, the consort is still in the team. Mingda became a filial piety after the Chinese New Year. Is she also married?"
The emperor had wanted to say this for a long time. When the prince mentioned it, he immediately perked up and nodded: "Yes, you go to the Western Regions to find Bai Cheng. If they find a way to inoculate cowpox, come back quickly."
, if you can't find it, you have to go back to Beijing to report on your work, and go out again later."
At least come back and get married.
The emperor smiled and said: "He is your cousin-in-law. If he behaves badly, just teach him a lesson."
Chai Wei just listened to what he said. Didn't you see that Princess Mingda sitting next to her was blushing with embarrassment?
Obviously he is very satisfied with this future prince-in-law. As the saying goes, a son-in-law is half a son-in-law. Especially this one is not only the princess's prince-in-law, but also seems to be very popular with the princess. If he really teaches someone a lesson, the one who will be taught a lesson later is probably
He did.
However, Chai Wei still agreed, and complimented Bai Cheng, "Mr. Bai is also a talented young man. He passed the Jinshi examination at a young age. He is a man of etiquette, so how could he act imprudently?"
The emperor thought of the boy who stood in front of him and patted his chest to express that he would treat his young master well, and nodded secretly.
Seeing that the emperor nodded in agreement, Chai Wei didn't want to "teach" Bai Cheng any more.
The meal brought friendship between the king and his subjects. No, it was because the relatives were happy. Anyway, Chai Wei finally took his wife out of the palace happily.
Mrs. Qiao Guogong was a little worried. It was a good thing that her husband was promoted, but she went to such a far place in the Western Regions. I heard that there was yellow sand everywhere and some people didn't take a bath for half a year.
Mrs. Qiao Guogong said to her husband: "When will we set off for Xizhou? Wait until you have settled in?"
Duke Qiao glanced at his wife and said, "What are you going to do? The sky is full of yellow sand over there, the sun is still strong, and the children are still young. It is a critical time for studying and practicing martial arts. It is not easy to find a gentleman there.
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He said: "Just stay in the capital, and come to the palace to sit around if you have nothing to do. Your Majesty, the empress, and mother have a very good relationship. You can go to the palace to sit around more often. When the children are older, maybe you can visit the empress."
Go to Chongwen Hall because of your relationship."
Mrs. Qiao Guogong was stunned, "The prince is already so old. There are many companions in the Chongwen Hall now. Why do they still need to enter?"
Qiao Guozheng said: "As long as the prince is still the prince, he must study. The teachers in Chongwen Hall are not the prince, but the lecturers. No matter how many students there are, as long as the prince is still the prince, then Chongwen Hall will
You have to have a reading companion."
Mrs. Qiao Guogong:......
She paused and then whispered: "Didn't you tell us to have less contact with the prince before?"
"Today is different from the past," Qiao Guogong said: "The prince has a little grandson, and even if...then we are obeying the imperial edict, your majesty will not blame him."
Are the risks now comparable to those before?
So we can still get closer.
Mrs. Qiao Guogong nodded, thinking that she didn't have to go to the Western Regions, and she was secretly happy in her heart. When she was happy, she wanted to make Duke Qiao happy too, "I will send a few more people to serve him over there."
In the bitter cold, someone must take care of the Duke."
The Duke did not refuse, but still said: "Send a few less. Your Majesty does not like extravagant people."
Mrs. Qiao Guoguo please come down.
Chai Wei was the emperor's nephew, his father was the founding general, and his mother and the emperor were siblings. Whether they were siblings or between emperor and minister, the relationship between the two parties was very good.
Especially his mother, Princess Pingyang, this princess was truly a hero of life and death, and she was also a female general with both wisdom and courage during her lifetime.
Chai Wei's ability was not bad, so the ministers did not have much objection to the emperor's unusual move to upgrade Chai Wei several levels to the position of Protector of Anxi.
Everyone accepted it calmly, and Chai Wei took up his post calmly.