After Yan Yunwei delivered the letter, he did not stay for a moment before setting off back to Sichuan.
After Zhang Wenshan read Lu Heng's letter, he was so busy that he didn't even sort out the description. He took off his shoes, trotted all the way, put on his clothes, ordered the bearers to prepare the sedan, and entered the palace to meet the saint.
Sitting in a sedan chair all the way, speeding towards the palace.
When he arrived outside the palace, Zhang Wenshan hurriedly jumped out of the sedan chair and threw his badge directly to the Qianniu Guard guarding the gate. He was so busy that he entered the palace gate without saying a word, leaving behind to check.
The finished Qian Niuwei held up his waist badge and chased all the way.
I jogged all the way, and when I arrived outside the imperial study room, I was already out of breath.
Zhang Wenshan raised his sleeves and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He asked the gatekeeper, "Is your Majesty here?"
Seeing that Zhang Wenshan was sweating profusely, the father-in-law had no choice but to report something urgent. After hearing this, he bowed respectfully and said: "Your Majesty is talking to the prince. Please wait a moment, sir!"
After saying that, the father-in-law gave a slight salute, then turned and walked into the imperial study room.
Outside the door, Zhang Wenshan stood quietly in the autumn sunshine, waiting anxiously.
The wind blew, sending a bone-chilling chill.
Zhang Wenshan couldn't help but shiver, and now his clothes were already soaked with sweat.
Now, when the cold wind blows, it would be strange if it is not cold.
After waiting outside the door for a while, the father-in-law came back and bowed: "Master Zhang, your Majesty will let you in!"
Zhang Wenshan nodded and arranged his clothes haphazardly. He looked down and realized that he had just forgotten to wear official clothes because he was too anxious. Until now, he was still wearing a loose robe.
However, at this time, Zhang Wenshan didn't care much. After hearing this, he quickly raised his feet, walked up the steps, and walked into the imperial study room.
Behind him, the father-in-law shook his head and smiled when he saw Mr. Zhang describing it like this.
He turned around, closed the door respectfully, and then stood solemnly outside the hall, motionless.
In the royal study, it is as warm as spring.
The sunlight passed through the window and was blocked by the window lattice into broken rays of light, which shone on the floor of the Imperial Study Room, showing dazzling mottled patches.
On both sides of the door, in the crane copper furnace, the smoke of incense curls up.
This incense has a magical effect on calming the mind. When I entered the imperial study room, I couldn't help but feel calm.
Zhang Wenshan stepped forward and bowed respectfully towards the emperor who was sitting on the dragon throne and talking to the prince.
"His Majesty!"
The emperor smiled, turned around, looked at Zhang Wenshan, who was dressed in casual clothes, and said amusedly: "What's wrong with Zhang Aiqing?"
Zhang Wenshan smiled bitterly and shook his head: "I was so anxious that I forgot about it. I hope your majesty will forgive me!"
The emperor looked at Zhang Wenshan, who had white hair and beard, shook his head and smiled. When he saw that the shoes on Zhang Wenshan's feet were worn backwards, he couldn't help laughing.
The emperor picked up the tea stand, took a sip of tea, raised his sleeves to cover his mouth, chuckled and joked: "What urgent matter can make Master Zhang so embarrassed?"
It seems that Zhang Wenshan, an old man, is most particular about his clothes. Often during court meetings, if the official is found by Zhang Wenshan because of his disheveled clothes, he will definitely be reprimanded.
Now, seeing Zhang Wenshan in such a mess, the emperor couldn't help but feel amused.
However, after seeing Zhang Wenshan's casual clothes soaked with sweat, the emperor also put away the smile in his eyes. The emperor, who knew Zhang Wenshan's nature well, was keenly aware that what Zhang Wenshan was about to say was very important.
It can be very serious.
After putting down the tea cup, the emperor looked seriously, frowned and asked, "Why are you so anxious?"
After Zhang Wenshan took a deep breath, he took out the sweat-soaked envelope from his arms, held it above his head, and said in a deep voice: "This is an urgent report from Sichuan. Your Majesty, please read it!"
The prince came over and took the envelope from Zhang Wenshan. Then he walked back and handed it to the emperor.
After seeing the familiar handwriting on the envelope, the emperor felt warm. He straightened up and took the envelope seriously. He opened it and took a look.
Sure enough, it’s Lu Heng’s handwriting!
The emperor felt at ease, and a smile appeared on his old face.
However, the next moment, after seeing the contents of the letter, the emperor's face instantly turned livid.
"How brave!" The emperor was furious. After arranging the envelopes on the table, he grabbed the tea cup on the table and threw it down.
With a bang, the emperor dropped the blue and white porcelain tea cup in his hand to the ground, shattering it into pieces. Tea leaves, porcelain shards, and water stains were scattered everywhere.
In Lu Heng's letter, he described in detail the information contained in the Tubo spies and the seized letters. Huang Guoan's exorbitant expropriation in Chengdu, the scandal of forcing girls into prostitution, and Huang Guoan's collusion with the Tibetan people and deliberate failure of Kangding were actually Duan's story.
The reasons why Peng's troops were attacked from both sides, and finally, the explosion in Chengdu and the regicide at the Kaichun Hall, were completely explained.
"It seems that I have indulged these people too much. Do they think that I am really old and can no longer carry a knife?" Seeing that his officials were so hopeless, the emperor looked gloomy.
, pressed his hands on the table, trembling all over, and shouted sharply.
After sitting down, Zhang Wenshan was shocked when he saw the emperor was furious.
For many years, he had never seen the emperor so angry. Even when it came to the Turks, the emperor was still very calm.
but now……
Moreover, judging from what the emperor just said, the emperor was really murderous this time.
On the side, Prince Xiaowu took the envelope, opened it and took a look, his expression also changed.
After putting down the envelope, Xiao Wu took a deep breath, and his face showed a calmness and sophistication that was inconsistent with his age.
"Grandpa Huang!" Xiao Wu stood up, bowed respectfully to the emperor, and said in a natural manner: "Thieves are hateful, but this letter from the teacher also shows that our policy towards Tubo a few days ago was very correct!
"
The furious emperor gradually calmed down after hearing this, turned his head and looked at Xiao Wudao: "You mean?"
Xiao Wu nodded, his eyes flashed, he clenched his fists and said in a deep voice: "The Tubo thieves spent so much money to deal with the imperial court. It is obviously a desperate move. It should be caused by our economic blockade in the past few months.
, forced into a desperate situation! As long as we increase the intensity of the blockade and extend the blockade time, Tubo will be in chaos without a war!"
The emperor nodded and took two steps with his hands behind his back before suddenly stopping: "However, it would be best if the matter could be resolved as soon as possible. After all..."
When the emperor said this, a hint of worry flashed in his eyes. A few days ago, he paid a private visit incognito to a famous village outside Tokyo.
During the Turkic War, twenty generals came out of this village. Thirteen of them were made marquises. The emperor wanted to see what kind of place this general’s hometown was. At the same time, he also wanted to take the court there.
Take a look at the family of the pillar of the empire.
Originally, the emperor was very happy when he went there. But after arriving in the village and seeing the life of the villagers, the emperor's heart suddenly sank to the bottom.
The whole village was full of old, young, women and children, and not one of them was fully clothed.
In this late autumn season, children in ragged clothes are grabbing hold of gray-haired old men and thinking that they are hungry.
The old people stroked the children's heads with sad faces and told them to wait.
The emperor, dressed in casual clothes, walked through the village with his guards and went straight to the village chief's home.
The village chief, who was over sixty years old, leaned on a cane and welcomed these noble people into the thatched house.
The four walls of the home were bare, and the broken sunlight shone in through the leaky roof, without a trace of warmth. The autumn wind blew in. The child huddled up on the bed looked at the group of people who entered the house with horrified eyes.
The village chief scolded his wife and took out the little rice he had left in the house.
Seeing the old woman's heartache, the emperor's eyes turned red, and he walked over and stopped the millet from being put into the pot.
After drinking a bowl of hot water at home, the village chief took the emperor and Qian Niuwei, who were all dressed in casual clothes, out of the room and walked straight to the back of the village.
When we arrived there, among the withered wormwood, there were a total of five hundred cold tombstones, which instantly stung the emperor's eyes.
"Originally, there were a thousand families in the village. Later, there was a war. According to the imperial court's order, there were more than a thousand people over the age of sixteen in the village. All of these thousand people participated in the army that conquered the Turks. But...
..." The village chief sighed, and Lao Lei walked hunched over to the tombstone, stretched out his withered palm, gently groped for the name on the tombstone, and said heartbrokenly: "It's just that after death, five hundred dolls are like this.
died!"
In the biting autumn wind, the emperor stood quietly on the mound, with wet eyes as he watched the village chief burst into tears in front of his son's tombstone, and felt great pain in his heart.
Turning his head and looking at the group of old, weak, women and children walking out slowly, the emperor raised his head, took a deep breath, and sighed: "We can't fight anymore!"
The war was fought on and off for decades. The cruel war not only defeated the arrogant Turks, but also brought the entire Zhou Dynasty's economy to the brink of collapse.
Seeing the miserable life of his subjects in front of him, the emperor's heart was as sharp as a knife.
Nowadays, even Chengdu, known as the Land of Abundance, is involved in the war, and the people of Chengdu are also suffering from catastrophe. The emperor is frightened and wants to end this war as soon as possible.
But how does it end?
The emperor raised his head, feeling extremely tormented in his heart.
After sitting down, Zhang Wenshan hesitated for a moment, took a step forward, and said cautiously: "Your Majesty, the Imperial Master is in Chengdu now, look!"
On the side, Xiao Wu's eyes lit up when he heard this.
When the emperor heard this, he thought for a while, smiled bitterly and shook his head: "Lu Heng has a deep resentment towards me, I'm afraid..."
Zhang Wenshan shook his head and said: "Your Majesty, you also know Yongzheng's character. He is not the kind of person who ignores the justice of the country and the nation for his own selfish desires."
"Yes, Grandpa Huang, the teacher is not like that!" Xiao Wu knew that Zhang Wenshan wanted Lu Heng to come back, and with a clear heart, he quickly persuaded him.
The emperor thought for a while, clenched his fists, and made up his mind. He strode to the table and took out the military talisman from beside the jade seal.
"Zhang Wenshan, you immediately send someone to send the military talisman to Chengdu!" The emperor held the military talisman in his hand and stared at Zhang Wenshan with a glint in his eyes.
Zhang Wenshan was stunned for a moment, but did not pick up the military talisman. He raised his head and looked at the excited emperor, but hesitated to speak.