Wen Yanbo and Wu Chong were sitting in the hall. Beside them, Zeng Xiaokuan, the direct bachelor of Longtuge and the Privy Councilor, sat sideways.
Below are the officials from the three departments taking turns to discuss the matter.
"Zhang Longtu has not made any achievements since he led the army in the northwest for the second time. The documents he receives every day are asking for money and food, but this is not the case. There are some words that are really difficult to say in front of the two husbands."
"What's there to say? Let me just say, Xihe Road used to cost 15 million guan to go to the imperial court, and now it has to cost another 15 million guan. But what? Three months of food and salary wasted in vain, and Zhang Longtu has been here since then.
There was no action, just a confrontation, it was really scary. Even though we were thousands of miles away, we wanted to kick Xihe in the face."
"What you two said is absolutely true. Our Third Division has tried every means to support the expenses of Xihe Road. These days, the Prime Minister has turned gray with worry. We have also tried our best to come up with plans from the Northwest Fifth Route and the Yongxing Army.
, even the people east of Tongguan provided them with food, but now they really can’t use it up, and really can’t find even a grain of rice.”
"His Majesty and the Privy Council are urging us one day at a time. If we miss the military supply, we will be fired. However, there is really no food available in the northwest. Now is the time when there is no supply. Now even Qinzhou has a bucket of rice.
It has reached more than 300 yuan. Now even the mice in the granary are starving to death."
"The Third Division really has no choice. It's hard for a clever woman to make a meal without rice. It's only right to ask the Privy Council to order Zhang Longtu to retreat quickly. If you say something unflattering, what if Zhang Longtu really captured Xihe? It's just a false name.
Are the lives of the people on Qinfeng Road not good enough? The lives of the common people are not easy, but the imperial court wants such a illustrious name, and yet it is infamy in the history books!"
Wen Yanbo said with a look of deep sympathy: "You guys are also tired, so just rest aside for now. I'll talk to you when I have something to say."
The officials of the three divisions saluted in unison, and then retreated to the side to rest. They all shook their heads and sighed, looking helpless.
Wu Chong wanted to say something, but Wen Yanbo drank a cup of tea leisurely, pressed his hand to Zeng Xiaokuan and asked: "Let some censors come in too!"
Soon several censors arrived.
The leading censor was named Du Chun. He held a document and said loudly: "The previous impeachment of Xihe Road for excessive use of public funds has already begun. I have been inspecting the money in and out of Xihe Road and the three divisions.
Compared with the record preparation, there are indeed many discrepancies, and the cost is also wasted."
"Zhang Longtu should be immediately transferred from the Xihe front line back to Beijing for questioning!"
After listening to Du Chun's words, Wu Chong couldn't help but criticize the case and said: "Tens of thousands of soldiers and horses of the imperial court are fighting in Xihe. At this time, because of such a trivial matter, you sent the general in front to return to Beijing for investigation. Isn't this a disaster for the country and the people?"
Du Chun didn't show any fear at all and said back with a straight face: "What Wu Shuxiang said is wrong. The daily consumption of money and food in Xihe is so huge, and the burden on the people of the entire northwest five roads is so heavy. Could it be that the Xihe Economic Strategy Department doesn't know anything about it?"
Frugal?”
"I have audited many of the items as unnecessary expenditures. The people in the rear are frugal and save money to support the army in the front, but the army in the front does not know how to cherish it. It is so extravagant and wasteful. This not only chills the hearts of the people in the world, but also chills the heart of His Majesty.
.”
"Zhang Longtu is responsible for the creation of the northwest."
Wu Chong said angrily: "Okay, tell me which of these should be used and which should not be used?"
Du Chun said: "The lower official drafted a plan for Wu Shuxiang on the spot."
Seeing the two people quarreling in front of each other, other censors quickly pulled Du Chun down from the hall of the Privy Council.
Du Chun also had a bad temper and even yelled at Wu Chong before being pulled out of the door. Wu Chong was so angry that he felt pain when he touched the tumor on his neck.
Wen Yanbo said to Wu Chong: "Chong Qing, you have been in office for so long, why are you so angry? They are not here for you and Du."
Of course Wu Chong understood that the officials of the Third Division criticized Zhang Yue because the emperor, in order to supply supplies for the northwest war, was too hasty in urging the Third Division to collect food and money every day, and often threatened him with a certain deadline, otherwise he would do whatever he wanted.
The officials of the Third Division were forced to jump over the wall. They did not dare to fall out with the emperor, so they cursed Zhang Yue for wasting the opportunity to fight.
As for Du Chun, he was also an official with a very good character and integrity. Someone had previously impeached the Xihe Economic and Strategy Department for spending money and wasting the court's money and food. The emperor asked Du Chun, who was an upright person, to investigate whether this was the case.
Du Chun was also a very upright person. When the Emperor asked him to investigate, he did so seriously and prepared to list 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
Wu Chong said to Wen Yanbo: "Mr. Tang, I don't have to worry about this. It's just that my son-in-law is in charge of military affairs. How can I clearly calculate the expenditures one by one? You also know that these are all left to the people below.
of."
"And there are some expenses that can be saved. This person is too bookish, and he actually cares about it. He doesn't know how to settle the big account, the entire country's account."
Wen Yanbo said, "I understand your expression very well: Mr. Chong, we have to suffer more from this position. The officials below don't understand the inside story, and we don't understand either? They only know how to get it from their own official titles."
We have to worry about things, and what we have to worry about is the entire world, family and country.”
"In the past two months, you have blocked so many open and covert attacks for your son-in-law. Let's reconsider whether this is really the case. If it doesn't work, I will accompany you to plead guilty to the officials."
Wu Chong listened to Wen Yanbo's words but didn't know what he meant.
His son Wen Jifu was under Zhang Yue's rule, but he opposed the use of troops in the northwest, and he would win anyway if he bet on both ends.
Listening to the words of the two privy envoys, Zeng Xiaokuan shook his head. Just then, a man rushed in and said: "Xihe military situation... Xihe military situation..."
Upon hearing the news, the officials of the Third Division who were resting in the side room stood up one after another and looked towards the middle hall.
As for Du Chun, who had just been carried out, he immediately returned to the hall.
Zeng Xiaokuan took the military report with trembling hands, then turned around and walked a few steps to hand it to Wu Chong.
Wu Chong also swallowed his saliva and opened the military newspaper tremblingly.
…
In the Zizheng Palace.
The official was reading on the bookshelf and talking to Li Xian. The slightly yellowed map of the northwest was in a conspicuous place in the study.
The official asked seemingly casually: "Li Xian, has Xihe come to report to the army?"
"I haven't reported back to Your Majesty yet."
The official pretended to be relaxed and said: "It seems that good things come in hard times!"
After speaking, the official was flipping through the book casually. At this moment, someone reported: "Your Majesty, Mr. Wang and Mr. Wen are leading hundreds of civil and military officials to the palace to see your Majesty!"
When the official heard this, his movements paused in the air for a long time, and then he didn't say a word.
The official tried to calm down his emotions and asked, "Did Xihe win or lose?"
When the officials came to their senses, they saw dozens of eunuchs in the palace kneeling on the ground and saying in unison: "Your Majesty, Xihe has won a great victory!"
After hearing this, the official took a deep breath and wanted to speak but found that he was already choking.