Xuanfu, palace.

Zhu Houzhao's life was extremely free, and it could even be said to be unprecedentedly comfortable. It was more interesting than staying in the capital. There were scenery he had never seen before and a dazzling woman.

After leaving the capital, Qian Ning, Zhang Yuan and others became more and more unscrupulous in their actions, and forcing the people to steal the women was different from the emperor's feet. No one pursued the crimes here, and some even made accusations for the tiger and indulged the emperor and these celebrities in front of the emperor.

Xiao Zhuozi and Lifei also joined the ranks of favor, and Zhu Houzhao usually sees more women.

Zhu Houzhao entered Xuanfu and was completely inquiring about military affairs. This was similar to his situation in the capital. What's worse was that Xie Qian or Chen Xi would not make any comments here. Even if Wang Shouren and Hu Lian reported the military information, they would not be able to see Zhu Houzhao himself. He said that it was Zhang Yuan's report, but Zhang Yuan would not tell the truth about the bad things. When Zhu Houzhao asked about military information, Zhang Yuan all said that the local area was well prepared and could send troops at any time.

In this way, Zhu Houzhao felt that someone had already arranged and managed everything for him, and he only needed to enjoy himself in the palace. He didn't know that if Zhu Houzhao's will, the people below would not obey it. By the end of April, the nine sides of the Ming Dynasty were still like a pile of sand and had not been mobilized.

Now, among the Xuanfu soldiers, in addition to the Xuanda border army, there are also troops from the Beijing camp, as well as the local troops transferred to the capital to change garrisons and then followed the emperor to fight. Together, there are more than 200,000 troops. These people belong to different governors' offices, and it is difficult to form coordination and unity. Even if Zhang Yuan is arrogant, he has no confidence to mobilize them all.

As for more people, they were waiting for Zhu Houzhao's orders, but now Zhu Houzhao doesn't care about anything. There are signs of riots one after another in the city, and disputes arise every day. Hu Lian, Wang Shouren and others have been busy mediating, which is in a state of turmoil.

On April 20th, Chen Xi's memorial to go to the expedition was sent to Xuanfu, but Zhang Yuan kept suppressing him. He knew that once the war began, the situation would be out of control. In order to prevent Chen Xi from remotely controlling the emperor, he did a lot of lip service.

On April 29th, there were only ten days left before Chen Xi requested to send troops. Zhu Houzhao was still indifferent to military affairs. Just like the time of work and rest in the capital, he basically went to bed in the morning, got up in the afternoon, and hid in the day and went out at night.

Zhu Houzhao got up very early in the afternoon. I don’t know what was wrong, but suddenly wanted to ask about the preparations for the war. So Zhang Yuan, who had not seen Zhu Hou for several days, was quickly summoned to the palace to meet him, and basically did not leave much preparation time for Zhang Yuan.

Zhu Houzhao finished washing and was sitting at the table for dinner.

After arriving at Xuanfu, Zhu Houzhao was restrained in terms of diet. The dishes were not required to be very good, as long as they fit their appetite, but they were not restrained in drinking and having fun.

Zhu Houzhao held the bowl and glanced at Zhang Yuan from time to time. There was a eunuch next to him who helped pick up food. What did Zhu Houzhao want to eat? He pointed his finger and the eunuch would put it into his bowl.

"...Your Majesty, the Xuan Mansion has been prepared everywhere, and the army can go on a war at any time... Your Majesty doesn't need to worry, there is still a month before the troops are sent..."

Zhang Yuan always reported good news but not bad news. He followed Liu Jin. Whenever he encountered troubles in Xuanfu, he tried not to bother Zhu Houzhao as much as possible, for fear of being angry because of his poor handling of affairs. As for the court affairs transferred from the capital, he would not ask for instructions.

Zhu Houzhao was a little confused, "Is that true? Is there any news from Shangshu Chen?"

Zhang Yuan thought about whether he should inform Zhu Houzhao of Chen Xi's request to send troops. He had discussed with Zang Xian before, and Zang Xian made many suggestions, so he was mentally prepared.

Zhang Yuan said: "Shangshu Chen has submitted several memorials before, but it is not too tight. It probably means that he has arrived in Datong and is preparing to send troops. However, because the summer grain is about to be in storage, the three sides and Xuanda land will be recruited to help collect them. If the war starts rashly, it will be detrimental to the military farm."

Because it was Zang Xianjiao's rhetoric, there was no problem with rationality, Zhang Yuan was extremely confident after he said it. Zhu Houzhao nodded repeatedly when he heard it, obviously not completely ignorant of this.

Zhu Houzhao said: "That's right, it's the summer harvest season, and people's livelihood should be the priority. This year, the Tartars should not dare to invade the border, right?"

“That’s, that’s.”

Zhang Yuan smiled and complimented, "Your Majesty is in charge of the border, where can the Tartars have the courage to attack? So far, the border has not received any news that the Tartars went south to invade the border. I guess those barbarians are thinking about how to escape into the desert in the north to prevent them from being annihilated by our Ming soldiers!"

These words benefited Zhu Houzhao a lot and nodded with a smile: "I am displaying the soldiers on the border at the brink of heaven. Even if I don't go out of the frontier, the Tartars should know our determination to never give up until we achieve our goal. If you dare to invade the territory at this critical moment, isn't it like a meat bun hitting a dog?"

Zhang Yuan was worried. In fact, the truth was not what he said. After the end of April, the Ming Dynasty gradually matured from south to north and began to enter the summer grain harvest season. However, this was also the time when the Tatars invaded the country most frequently. In addition to Datong Town, warnings were heard everywhere on the nine sides.

As for why Datong Town has not been violated, it may be a coincidence, but it can basically be considered that even the Tatars knew that Chen Xi was in charge of Datong and were very afraid of Chen Xi.

Zhu Houzhao asked, "Did Shangshu Chen say when will the troops be sent?"

Zhang Yuan licked his lips and did not answer the first time. Because Zhu Houzhao asked the question about it, he hesitated for a moment before saying, "This...Shangshu Chen did not explain in detail, so the war was presided over by Your Majesty. How can Secretary Shen decide the time for the troops? Everything should be based on Your Majesty's imperial decree."

Zhu Houzhao felt very comfortable when she heard this. She wanted to ask, but because she was too lazy and didn't want to bother, she said, "That's right, then set the day of sending troops after the summer grain is put into the warehouse... When will the summer grain be harvested?"

Zhang Yuan smiled and said, "It will take about one month to one and a half months."

Zhu Houzhao frowned: "It sounds like there is plenty of time... By the way, what day is today?"

This question scared Zhang Yuan. Only then did he realize that the emperor in front of him was even more unreliable than he thought. After arriving at Xuanfu, he had no idea about basic time, so he felt more at ease because it meant that Zhu Houzhao was very easy to fool.

Zhang Yuan said: "Your Majesty, it is April 29th."

Zhu Houzhao calculated in his heart, "Then set the date of sending troops on June 15th. What do you think?"

Zhang Yuan smiled and said, "Your Majesty is nothing better than your Majesty. This is just the right time."

Suddenly, a woman's voice came from behind the screen, "June is the hottest time of the year. Is it okay to have soldiers go on a battle with heavy armor?"

Zhang Yuan's face suddenly stiffened. He could hear that it was the voice of Concubine Li.

Zhang Yuan was very annoyed and thought to himself: "Didn't this woman say she wanted to cooperate with our family before? Why did she obstruct her again?" He looked behind the screen quietly and saw Concubine Li tidy up in the inner room.

Zhu Houzhao also recalled it at this time and hesitated: "It's right, going to fight in mid-June is going to kill the officers and soldiers, or they can go on fight in July."

Zhang Yuan was even happier when he heard this and complimented: "Your Majesty is kind and kind. He has worked hard for the soldiers. It is naturally more appropriate to go to the battle in July than in June."

Concubine Li said in it again: "It will take place in July, and a war will last for three or four months. Will it not end until October? The weather will be cold at that time. I am afraid that the military supplies have not prepared cold clothes? Then the weather will be cold and the mountains are covered with heavy snow. What if the soldiers go out of the block and go but don't return?"

Zhang Yuan was even more annoyed, but he still didn't dare to refute Concubine Li, especially in front of Zhu Houzhao.

Zhu Houzhao was not angry and asked with her chin, "Concubine Li, what do you mean is to let me go to war again next year? This June is too hot. If you go to war in May, you will naturally experience June. However, if you go to war in July, you will experience bitter cold. It will be even worse for the New Year's Eve after July... What do you mean?"

Zhang Yuan couldn't help but be stunned. When did Zhu Houzhao care about Concubine Li's opinion so much?

However, he didn't know that from the beginning, Concubine Li stayed in the army as a think tank of Zhu Houzhao, and every suggestion was targeted, so that Zhu Houzhao gradually put away his contempt.

Concubine Li said: "It is better to go out early than go out late. If it changes later, changes should occur. We should still follow the opinions of Shangshu Shen. Shangshu is good at governing the army and is well versed in military tactics, so there will naturally be better arrangements."

Zhu Houzhao thought for a while and nodded: "What my beloved concubine said makes sense, then hurry up and go to Datong and ask for Shen Shangshu's opinion within three days. I want to know what his decision is!"

Zhang Yuan was very unwilling to accept it and said, "Your Majesty, you are the magistrate of the Nine Five, and you are the emperor in person. How can you ask Shangshu Shen everywhere?"

Zhu Houzhao said angrily: "If you ask you to go, I will say that I am the commander in person, but I can't let me rush to the front line, right? Do you want to replace Shangshu Shen as bait? Shangshu Shen is the vanguard of the entire army. Of course, his opinions are crucial. Moreover, he is also the young tutor of the Ming Dynasty and was invincible against the Tartars before!"

"It was the past..." Zhang Yuan was still quibbling.

Zhu Houzhao said angrily: "Do you think you are the emperor and can make decisions for me, right?"

When Zhang Yuan heard this, he knelt on the ground and kowtowed to admit his mistake.

Zhu Houzhao said: "Ask the matter clearly, what is Shen Shangshu's opinion? If I see Shangshu Shen's memorials, I cannot just rely on some people to pass on the message. I will think that it is a deception of the emperor!"

Zhang Yuan clearly felt Emperor Zhengde’s distrust of himself and was worried.

He actually knew Shen Xi’s arrangements for the battle, but he still chose to deceive him, so he could only find a way to make up for it at this time.

After Zhang Yuan left, Zhu Houzhao said angrily: "This Zhang Yuan knew there was something wrong at first sight. If you could, you could push it. It was just a daydream to think that he would give me advice."

Concubine Li walked out from behind the screen, saluted Zhu Houzhao respectfully, and asked, "Does Your Majesty fully trust me?"

Zhu Houzhao smiled and held Concubine Li in her arms, saying, "Who can I believe if I don't believe in my beloved concubine? The beloved concubine is usually loyal and repeatedly makes unpleasant words. I always keep it in mind... I know very well who treats me well and who treats me perfunctorily."

Concubine Li smiled. She knew that Zhu Houzhao was telling the truth at this time, but it was not certain how long she could tell. Recently, she and Xiao Tiaozi gave Zhu Houzhao a lot of women and fun things, so she was only valued.

Zhu Houzhao has such a personality. Whoever can win him like will get more trust. Zhang Yuan and Qian Ning feel good about themselves, but they don’t know that Zhu Houzhao has lost patience with them. After all, the women they found were either village women snatched from the people or maids from wealthy families found by Yang Wu and others. These people cannot attract Zhu Houzhao’s interest.

Concubine Li asked, "When will your Majesty send troops in his heart?"

Zhu Houzhao thought for a while and said, "The grassland must be different from the Ming Dynasty. I think... it's not impossible to send troops later..."

Although Zhu Houzhao had ambitions to surpass his ancestors, he began to give up when it came to specific matters. The result he most hoped was that Chen Xi solved all the problems. However, when people praised him, they placed him in the most visible position, and his reputation was passed down through the ages.

I don’t want to work hard and want to win the first prize, but there is no one else.

Li Fei shook her head and said, "It can barely survive the heat on the grassland, because the north is, the lower the temperature is than the south. But if it continues until winter, the soldiers may not be able to adapt, because the weather in the northern grasslands is severely cold and sometimes urinating freezes. This is a situation that most officers and soldiers have never experienced before. If they are not careful, they may collapse."

"oh?"

Zhu Houzhao frowned, her eyes full of suspicion.

Concubine Li saw that Zhu Houzhao did not trust her as much as she said, and said, "I am just giving some suggestions to Your Majesty. The final decision is still in the hands of Your Majesty. Perhaps Shangshu Chen will have different opinions."

Zhu Houzhao smiled and said, "No matter when he will send troops, I will not treat you badly... Then you will stay in Xuanfu and don't have to accompany me to go out to suffer."

Concubine Li was firm in her attitude: "No!"

“Why?”

Zhu Houzhao frowned again, "Do you want to go to the grassland with me to live that hard military life? This is not a joke. Compared to here, the conditions are much harder, and I may not be able to bear it myself, let alone you?"

Concubine Li said: "I guess that after your Majesty goes out of the frontier, he mainly cooperates with Shangshu Chen. When the troops travel west, they may not necessarily go deep into the hinterland of the grassland. Naturally, someone around you needs to provide advice. Even those who Your Majesty trusts will be negligent. I hope that you can use your own strength to solve your problems."

Zhu Houzhao's face showed a slightly contemptuous smile, "You don't fully understand the war, and I can't explain it in detail."

Concubine Li stared at Zhu Houzhao with wide eyes: "Have you forgotten how you promised me? I said I would give advice to you... I did not move forward in Juyongguan before, so how did I do it? I advised you because I felt uneasy... And even if Your Majesty is in the military, you can bring me with me, and there are still some sisters around you, so this can relieve Your Majesty's hard work on the journey..."

Concubine Li said she wanted to give advice, but Zhu Houzhao was not moved by it. However, Concubine Li said that taking the woman to the battle made Zhu Houzhao's eyes lit up.

Although Zhu Houzhao has ambitions, he can never change his nature of playing and playing. He attaches great importance to the outcome of this war, but does not care about the process, and does not even care about how to win this battle. He does not want to live a hard life like an ascetic after going out of the frontier.

Zhu Houzhao sighed: "I suddenly remembered the days in the early days of the war... it was indeed very hard. If someone could pinch my waist and legs, it would be a way to relieve the hardships of the journey!"

Concubine Li smiled and said, "That's it. Your Majesty keeps me by my side, so I can talk and relieve the hard work of the journey. Why do you have to leave me in Xuan Mansion? I am Your Majesty's person. As the saying goes, you share blessings and suffer difficulties. I don't want to separate from Your Majesty for a moment."

Zhu Houzhao smiled and said, "I don't want to separate from you. If conditions permit, I will take you with me... Oh, by the way, my beloved concubine, didn't you say you would accompany me to the palace to see the customs and customs of Xuanfu? How was the arrangement?"

Concubine Li said: "I have arranged it, but if your Majesty travels, it is very difficult to have a safety problem. It is best not to approach the military camp easily, for fear that someone will abruptly."

"Well. I don't want to patrol the military camp. It's a delicious and fun place to go." Zhu Houzhao almost said that she was going to visit the Qinlou Chuguan and visit prostitutes for fun.

Concubine Li stood up and bowed to Pingting: "Your Majesty will be out of the palace tonight!"
Chapter completed!