Chapter 390 The King is Sitting Inside
Chapter 390 The King is Sitting Inside
On November 25th, there was heavy snow.
The Zhenjun General's Mansion has changed greatly.
If it was just a manor before, it has now become something between a fortress and a city.
The walls are so thick and high that they look almost like a city.
The existence of gate towers and corner towers is also a distinct feature of the fort.
After entering the gatehouse, there are three rows of houses. There is even a small pond in front of the last row. Next to the pond is a bamboo forest, and behind it are four barns lined up in a row.
The first two halls each have left and right wing rooms, which are quite large, but they are not for living, but for offices of shogunate officials.
Of course, we all know that staff are divided into different levels.
Most of the people working in the left and right wing rooms of the first entrance are lower-level staff such as officials from various departments, as well as some middle-level staff.
Most of the people in the left and right wing rooms of the second entrance are middle and senior-level staff such as the Chief Secretary, the Sima, the Canjun, and the Zhonglang.
The last entrance did not have side rooms, but several separate rooms were set aside and even servants were arranged to clean the rooms regularly.
Obviously, this place belongs to the military commander Shao Xun.
To know how high the status of a military commander is, just look at Zhuge Liang to Liu Bei. But the question is, is it necessary to live next to the lord's house?
When Sima Pi came to visit the military commander Shao Xun, he subconsciously glanced at his study, which was next door to his mother's residence. Who arranged this?
"Your Majesty." Military Advisor Luqiu Chong was coming from the front yard holding a wooden box containing a letter. When he saw Sima Pi, he hurriedly saluted.
"Luqiu Jijiu." Sima Pi returned the greeting hastily.
This Luqiu Chong used to be the chief secretary in the Taifu's office, later he entered the court as a Shangshu Lang, and now he is back to be the military advisor. After all the twists and turns, he is still a villain.
"Are you here to see the military commander, Your Majesty?" Luqiu Chong asked.
He didn't know that Sima Pi was secretly criticizing him.
How could a sixteen-year-old boy guess his "pattern"?
Being the Chief Secretary in the Taifu's office was a way of expressing gratitude to the Taifu for his recognition and support.
Entering the court as a Shangshulang means being loyal to the emperor and wanting to support the country.
Now he returns to the Yanzhou government office to serve as a military advisor, hoping to do his part for his hometown.
The logic is self-consistent and there is no problem. In this matter, there will be no cracks in Lvqiu Chong's "Dao Heart".
"Yes, that's right." Sima Pi said, "I have some questions that I want to ask you."
After saying that, he waved his hand and asked the two people behind him to retreat.
Lu Qiu Chong took a look.
He was the son of the King of Xincai and the King of Rencheng, and he studied and played with the King of Donghai.
The two stopped talking and went in one after the other.
There was another person in the study, it was Bian Dun who had returned from the Shanjian Shogunate. He was introduced by the Concubine Dowager and was appointed as the Military Advisor before Lu Qiu Chong.
Bian Dun's father, Bian Jun, was once a court judge.
Jun had six brothers, named Cui, Fu, Chun, Zhan, Jing and Jun, commonly known as "Six Dragons of the Bian Family". They were a prominent family in Jiyin and one of the top three wealthy families in Yanzhou.
In the past ten years, due to the war, the six dragons of the Bian family have been scattered everywhere.
Bian Cui was killed by Sima Yi, King of Changsha. His son Bian Xu fled back to his hometown and later went to the Xuzhou shogunate to seek refuge with his elder brother-in-law Pei Dun.
After Pei Dun surrendered to Zhao Gu, Bian Xu fled south to Jianye and served as a secretary in Sima Rui's court.
Strictly speaking, Bian Xu and Shao Xun were de facto brothers-in-law.
Bian Fei's branch has been serving as an official in Guanxi, commanding the military of a certain state, and still lives in Guanxi.
Bian Chun's branch is in Shu.
Bian Zhan was once the General of Cavalry, and Bian Jing was once the Minister of Works. Some of these two groups crossed the river to the south, while others stayed in their hometown.
Bian Jun's branch also moved south, but with Bian Dun returning to Yanzhou from Jingzhou to take up his post, it could be considered a reverse migration.
Both of Shao Xun's military advisers came from Yanzhou, which was actually just a microcosm of the Yanzhou shogunate.
As time goes by, this shogunate will gradually become localized, and at most some places will be left for Qingxu scholars, but people from other places will probably have no chance.
"It shouldn't be a big deal that the King of Rencheng is renamed the King of Puyang." Bian Dun was reporting to Shao Xun, "Since the King of Puyang Zang was killed, the State of Puyang has been without a ruler for ten years. During these ten years, the court was in turmoil, and no one abolished the State of Puyang or selected a royal family member to change the title."
"Then let's settle it." Shao Xun said, "King Ji of Rencheng will be renamed King of Puyang, and the three counties of Rencheng will be merged into Gaoping. I will also resettle more than 1,800 households of 'common people'."
"Yes." Bian Dun replied.
Lord Chen has set his eyes on the land of King Rencheng.
But King Rencheng seemed to have no good solution. He was previously bound in Fan County by Sima Yue, and now he was confined in the capital by the emperor. The three counties of Rencheng, Fan and Kangfu in Rencheng State had always been managed by the internal historians appointed by the court.
There were only fifty guards on the fief of King Rencheng. The Xiongnu invaded this time, and Rencheng suffered heavy losses. However, compared with Puyang, which had fought back and forth many times, the output of the three counties of Rencheng was still higher than that of the five counties of Puyang. For Sima Ji, King Rencheng, this change of fief was definitely a big loss, but he really had no choice.
As for who the 1,800 households of "common people" arranged by Shao Xun were, Bian Dun got to know a little bit after reading some documents. In fact, they were the so-called "government soldiers." Chen Gong planned to separate the infantry from the Yicong Army and place them in the three counties of Rencheng to serve as government soldiers.
Together with the Yamen Army, the ten counties of the new Gaoping County will have 5,700 soldiers, which is considered the number one military force among the counties and kingdoms in Yandong.
When it comes to the palace soldiers, Bian Dun feels very puzzled. Why are they called "palace soldiers" instead of some other kind of soldiers?
Moreover, he felt that Mr. Chen seemed to be making changes.
This kind of thing is quite sensitive. Reforming the official system and the military system is not something a prefect can do. He does not have the power to do so.
Fortunately, Mr. Chen seemed to be more cautious. He has been using the government soldiers as garrison soldiers until now, and has not set up special officials or government offices to manage the government soldiers.
Bian Dun guessed that this government must have been brewing in Mr. Chen’s mind for a long time and should be called “a certain government”.
Thinking of this, he suddenly found Sima Pi and Luqiu Chong coming in, so he stood up and saluted.
Shao Xun also stood up and bowed.
Sima Pi returned the gift.
The military advisor was the nominal second-in-command of the shogunate, so Sima Pi had to show respect to him. Therefore, he asked cautiously, "I don't know about the re-title of the King of Rencheng..."
Shao Xun gestured, and Bian Dun took out a written memorial and said, "Your Majesty, you can use your seal now."
Sima Pi was a little annoyed.
In the past, all kinds of seals of the royal palace and the shogunate were kept by the dowager concubine. After the dowager concubine became bedridden, the seals were returned to her, so all official letters and memorials had to be reviewed and stamped by her.
What does that mean now? Are you using him as a human seal?
Shao Xun, Bian Dun, and Lu Qiu Chong waited patiently for him. The invisible pressure made Sima Pi breathless. He forced a smile and said, "I'll have someone bring the seal in a while."
The atmosphere in the field suddenly relaxed.
Shao Xun smiled and said, "It's all for the sake of the king's foundation."
"Thank you for your help, Military Commander." Sima Pi said with a smile.
After his mother fell ill and before Shao Xun came back, he really enjoyed power for a month.
Admittedly, governing is very boring and there is no fun at all, but it is very fresh to him. Looking at the respectful eyes of his staff and officials who came to report on their work, he enjoyed it very much.
He wasn't bored yet and was having a great time, but suddenly someone took away his "toy". You can imagine how disappointed he felt.
Have you forgotten that I am the King of Donghai, the General of Zhenjun Army, and the Commander-in-Chief of the Military Affairs of Yanzhou?
If I want, I can even change a military commander.
Well, Sima Pi is not stupid. He knows that this military commander cannot be replaced, and there is no need to replace him. He just has some emotions.
Well, the reason I came here to wait for Shao Xun today is not because of these “trivial” things!
Sima Pi calmed himself down, swallowed his saliva quietly, and asked softly, "Since the military commander has visited my mother, I wonder if she has recovered from her illness?"
Before Luqiu Chong understood what was going on, Bian Dun had already lowered his head.
The king is not that stupid, is he? Are you going to lift the lid?
"No." Shao Xun glanced at him and replied.
"Then we should invite a famous doctor——"
"Your Majesty, don't worry about this." Shao Xun said unhappily, "Just rest for a few months."
"Why?"
"Since the beginning of this year, bandits have repeatedly crossed the river and moved south, harassing Chenliu, Puyang, and Dongping, trampling crops and burning houses, leaving the people homeless and starving. After September, tens of thousands of Xiongnu infantry and cavalry broke into Yanzhou, spreading poison for hundreds of miles, causing countless casualties." Shao Xun said, "The Concubine Dowager was in charge of government affairs, and she was so worried and angry when she saw the reports coming in from all over the country that she got sick."
Sima Pi stopped talking.
Shao Xun was upset and didn't intend to let him go. He continued, "You don't know how expensive firewood and rice are until you manage the household. Is it so easy to sort out this mess in Yanzhou? Even though I defeated the Xiongnu this year, thirteen counties and kingdoms in Yu and Yanzhou were invaded by the Xiongnu. I don't know how many people will starve when the harvest is poor next spring. Fighting on your own territory, even if you win, the losses will be huge. Your Majesty, just stay inside and I will handle the external affairs."
Sima Pi felt aggrieved, but he dared not say anything.
Shao Xun nodded to him and left the study.
As he walked through the courtyard, the shogunate's officials and clerks all saluted him.
Even the 500 soldiers sent by Mi Zhi here greeted him in the Donghai accent.
Shao Xun greeted with a smile.
On the surface, this shogunate looked like it belonged to him.
I believe that in a few years, it will not just be like this on the surface, but he will really be the one who has the final say.
(End of this chapter)