Chapter 991: Meeting
Chapter 991: Meeting (Part )
On the first day of February, spring sowing had not yet begun, and the servants outside the Xiahou family manor in Qiao County had just finished an exercise.
This is the first and last drill of the month.
Tomorrow we will celebrate the Community Day Festival. Because it falls around the second day of the second month in the lunar calendar, it is called the "Spring Community Festival."
After the Spring Festival, the busy farming season begins.
Those who planted winter wheat last year were not so busy, but they were still called upon to dredge rivers and dig ditches to facilitate agricultural irrigation.
Last year, more people did not plant winter wheat, but planted millet in the spring and harvested it in August. A very small number of people planted spring wheat, but to be honest, wheat as a food is still in the stage of widespread popularization. If it were not for the strong promotion of the government, it would not have been possible to achieve this phenomenon within two hundred years if it relied on its natural evolution.
That afternoon, Lieutenant Gai Hou of the Chu Palace arrived from Zuoguo Garden with a hundred cavalrymen.
Each of them rode three horses, with complete armor and armor. Their horse lances were long and thick enough to be used as flagpoles. When they appeared outside Xiahou Manor, they immediately caused a sensation.
As expected of Youzhou, the hometown of cavalry, there is no shortage of men and horses. As long as the armor and equipment of these one hundred men can be fully prepared, it will not be difficult to form an armored cavalry.
When Gai Hou arrived, Shao Gui personally went out of the manor to greet him.
Huan Xuan, Huan Fu, Huan Wen and Yin Yi followed behind and also saw the same scene.
"Armored cavalry." Huan Xuan sighed when he saw it, "Everyone says it's not worth it to build this army, but if two armies are fighting in formation for a long time and their formations are scattered, suddenly charging out may have a miraculous effect."
"In the Battle of Luoyang Stone Bridge in the past, the vanguard of Chengdu King Sima Ying was defeated by Luoyang's elite cavalry." Huan Fu said: "However, at that time, the cavalry could charge directly into the infantry, but now they can't do that."
"If I get this army, it would be easy for me to achieve great things." Huan Wen looked at the hundreds of elite cavalrymen with some envy.
When the infantry have been fighting hard for a long time, their physical strength has been greatly depleted, casualties have been heavy, and their morale is low, it only takes a hundred armored cavalry to charge over and it is very likely that they will win the battle.
Young people have the dream of making great achievements and leaving their names in history. Huan Wen was particularly utilitarian and longed to be recorded in history.
"You are a surrendered person without any roots or foundation." Yin Yi sneered, "Your Highness didn't even talk to you yesterday. How long do you want to wait before you can lead the army? Throw away the military books, they are useless."
Huan Wen came closer and whispered, "Your Highness is right here. Do you think I dare to hit you?"
Yin Yi subconsciously took a step back, then remembered that Huan Wen was just threatening him, and his face suddenly turned pale and blue.
Huan Wen looked at him with disdain and said, "You bastard!"
Just as he returned to his original position, he caught a glimpse of someone looking at him from the corner of his eye. Upon closer inspection, it was Shao Fan, Prince of Lu.
That look made him very uncomfortable.
No one knew what was wrong with the Prince of Lu, who was standing on the ground. Naturally, he was not the protagonist. Instead, he was used to giving the main seat to others and observing quietly from the side.
His eyes were not cold, but very complicated. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking. In short, it made people feel very uncomfortable.
This is a weirdo.
"Let the boys have a good meal." The voice of the King of Chu came from the front.
Well, it seems a bit pretentious. Obviously, I am not used to saying these words on a daily basis.
If the emperor were to do these things today, it would be more natural and easier for him to do them.
"Thank you, Your Highness, for your reward." Gai Hou gave a call and asked the troops to enter the manor and find a place to station.
Shao Gui turned around and was about to say something when he bowed to Shao Fan again and said, "Third Uncle..."
"Come here, I'll watch." Shao Fan said simply.
"Oh, OK." Shao Gui laughed dryly and said, "I was in a hurry last night and didn't have time to discuss it in detail. Today, let's discuss it carefully in this beautiful place with deep forests and clear waters."
After saying that, he entered first and everyone else followed closely behind.
******
The weather is nice today, no wind and sunny.
There are more than ten tables in the pavilion in the backyard of Xiahou Manor.
Shao Gui and Shao Fan sat at the head of the table.
The Grand Administrator Huan Xuan, the King of Chu's teacher Cui Yue, the friend Xian Yu Qu, the literary scholar Li Huai, the lieutenant Gai Hou and others occupied the lower part.
Zu Ti's brother-in-law Xu Liu, Sima Huanfu, military officer Yin Yi, and Huan Yi's eldest son Huan Wen sat respectfully in the back seat.
The host showed up only once, lit incense for everyone present, served wine and food, said a few words, and then left tactfully.
The grass in front of the pavilion is covered with carpets.
The musicians sat on both sides and began to play. Soon, a group of dancers came and attracted everyone's attention.
Shao Fan had a blank expression on his face, didn't drink much, just watched quietly.
Shao Gui was a little nervous, but soon immersed himself in it.
The atmosphere today is very good.
I was so bored living with my father, and I had no money to spend. I had to rely on my mother for support.
Now my mother has no money either, and she relies on tribute from my uncle's family. After marriage, she will have to rely on her wife's family until he can receive taxes from his fief.
I may be amused to say this, but the first time my father used the fragrant medicine from the Western Regions, he sighed and said "it's too much, it's too much", and as a result, he and his brothers did not have a good life.
It’s more comfortable to go out and no one will bother me, eh—Uncle San?
Shao Gui subconsciously glanced at Shao Fan.
Shao Fan was calm and said, "Why did my nephew behave so unpredictably today? What is a big deal and what is a small deal? If you handle the big deal well, the small deal is not worth mentioning."
After that, there will be no more words.
Shao Gui felt relieved and said, "It is a great honor to meet you all today. Let's have a drink first."
Upon hearing this, everyone raised their glasses and drank.
Afterwards they began to talk about romantic matters, mainly with the people in the palace taking the lead, and the others joining in the fun by saying a few words.
After the dance, Shao Gui waved his hand, ordering the musicians and dancers to disperse, then calmed down and said, "Is the man in the white robe at the back the eldest son of Duke Huan?"
"Hun Wen greets Your Highness." Huan Wen knelt down at the desk and bowed.
"He is indeed quite spirited." Shao Gui said with a smile, "I love young heroes like this the most."
Huan Wen looked calm after hearing this, but Yin Yi turned pale.
No matter how arrogant he is, he cannot be arrogant in front of the King of Chu.
No matter how much he looked down on the military strategists, he couldn't show it on the spot.
Huan Wen was about to take the path of a military man and was willing to fall into depravity. There would be plenty of opportunities to correct him in the future.
"I heard that Lord Maolun and Lord Yu have an old relationship?" Shao Gui asked again.
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone looked at Huan Wen to see how he would respond.
Huan Wen was silent for a moment, then replied, "In the past, Huan Bao was the chief clerk of Yang Gong (Yang Jin, Yang Xianrong's grandfather). My father traveled between Luoyang and Qiao State and passed through Yingchuan many times, where he got to know the people of the Yu family."
Shao Gui tilted his head slightly and looked at his uncle. Shao Fan said, "When Sima Jiong was in power, Huan Bao was the censor. He did not report to the Prince of Qi first, so he was reprimanded and dismissed from office. At that time, Huan Yi was the chief clerk of Yuzhou and later became Jiong's cavalry commander."
Shao Gui nodded repeatedly, his third uncle knew a lot.
"Mr. Yu is in mourning in Yingchuan. Do you want to visit him?" Shao Gui looked at Huan Wen and asked.
Huan Wen did not hesitate and said, "I have a letter from my father and I will go to Yingchuan."
Huan Fu glanced at Huan Wen and thought to himself that he had already made up his mind.
Yin Yi secretly groaned.
Huan Wen only slapped him once. If Yu Liang came, he would probably beat and kick him, and he would never be able to get back at this humiliation.
The Yin family also has to listen to the Yu family!
It’s a pity for Shao Gui.
Huan Wen was a young man, and for him, being an official in the royal palace was a very good way to enter an official career.
These officials mainly depend on the prince's own opinions, and middle and lower-level officials can be recruited directly by themselves without going through the Ministry of Personnel.
Senior officials need to report to the Ministry of Personnel, but it is just a formality.
The most important thing is that the officials in the royal palace are regular officials, generally between the fifth and ninth ranks. This rank can be used as a reference when they take up other positions in the future.
Although Huan Wen was a commoner, he was unwilling to submit to him. It seemed that he was going to follow Yu Liang's path and seek refuge in the Palace of the Prince of Qin?
He had no interest in recruiting more, as the Yan people were still considerate.
So he got to the point and said, "Sima Huan, has the Jianye court issued an order to move the troops?"
"Not yet." Huan Fu replied immediately: "When we crossed the Huai River, we received a report from Guangling's express horse. The officials of Jianye urged Sima Rui to ascend the throne for the second time, but Rui refused again. As a result, the counties in the south of the Yangtze River frequently offered auspicious signs to show that the world was peaceful under Sima Rui's rule."
"So it seems that the third persuasion will be quick?" Shao Gui asked.
"It was probably in February," Huan Fu said. "Sima Rui pretended to be lenient and pretentious. He wanted all the ministers to cry and bang their heads against the pillars, and the royal family to show their loyalty, before he could advance to the throne."
Shao Gui looked at his third uncle again.
"Rui, a distant relative of the royal family." Shao Fan said, frugally using words as if they were gold.
Shao Gui understood.
Sima Rui's bloodline was relatively remote among the royal family, which was a huge disadvantage.
Starting from Emperor Hui of the Former Jin Dynasty, he had to find someone from the descendants of Sima Yan to be the crown prince or younger brother.
When Sima Yue killed the emperor, he did not dare to ascend the throne and become emperor because he was a descendant of Sima Kui.
Therefore, Sima Rui needed all the ministers and clan members to express their opinions and pass the test, and he also asked them to persuade him to ascend the throne again and again, so that in the end none of them could get off the boat and no one could escape.
This person appears to be kind, but in fact he is not that simple and has a dark heart.
Shao Gui came back to his senses, looked at Huan Fu again, and asked, "What is Liu Kun doing?"
"Liu Yueshi has been trying to win over the officers and soldiers in the army every few days to divide General Zu's power." Huan Fu said, "According to rumors, General Zu may be appointed as the governor of Huainan, and his troops will be transferred west to prevent them from causing chaos in Xuzhou."
"The soldiers' families and properties are all in Xuzhou, right?" Shao Gui asked.
Huan Fu was slightly surprised and said, "Yes."
The fact that the King of Chu could ask about the whereabouts of a soldier's relatives and property shows that he was not aloof and ignorant of practical matters.
If you replace him with a son of a noble family, he may not be able to think of such details.
"What is the prestige of Young General Shi? Is he grateful to the soldiers under his command?" Shao Gui asked.
"In the past, General Shi Zhi gathered refugees in Huaiyin—"
"What I'm asking about is Zu Shishao." Shao Gui said.
"There is also a sense of gratitude." Huan Fu was sweating a little when asked this question.
Shao Gui glanced at Yin Yi and said nothing.
The soldiers' property and relatives are all in Xuzhou. It is not so easy to ask them to rebel with you in a foreign place with their lives at risk.
"Why did Major General Zushi start the rebellion?" Shao Gui continued to ask.
"They just made up a rumor." Huan Fu said, "Then they used Zu's private soldiers as a base, coerced others, and told the soldiers to fight back to Xuzhou. This way, one person would respond to the call."
Shao Gui was about to turn his head to look at his uncle again.
Shao Fan coughed and looked at his nephew with calm eyes.
Shao Gui resisted the urge to seek "off-field assistance" and after thinking for a moment, he said, "If we really fight back to Xuzhou, most of the troops will be wiped out. It is better to capture Huainan and welcome the king's army. If the soldiers are dissatisfied, you can first distribute gold and silk from the treasury as rewards to appease their hearts. When the king's army arrives, the chances of victory will be greater. You should respond to Zu Shishao in this way."
After saying this, my heart was pounding.
It was the first time he made such an important decision and his palms were sweating.
"Third Uncle..." Shao Gui looked at Shao Fan.
"It's not easy to capture the entire Huainan. If we divide our troops, we may be defeated one by one by the Jin army. It's better to just occupy the key garrisons and hold on until help." Shao Fan said.
I have said so much in one breath, which is an exception.
"Uncle San is right. I haven't thought it through carefully enough." Shao Gui said with a blush.
He felt that he had not performed well today and felt a little embarrassed.
However, Huan Fu and others spoke well of him, at least he was not overambitious.
I heard that he is only nineteen years old and has only two or three years of experience, which is quite good.
Even Huan Wen couldn't help but look at Shao Gui twice more.
"Let's do as proposed." After Shao Gui calmed down, he said, "The court is mobilizing elite troops. If we don't move, it's fine. But if we move, we must succeed."
After saying that, he was about to get up and leave, but he felt like he had forgotten something he should have said.
Suddenly, he remembered and said, "My wife is the niece of the military commander. From now on, we are a family. When we start a rebellion, don't doubt me. I will never let down my ancestors, Daliang will never let down my ancestors, and you will all be rich and noble."
……
After the meeting, Shao Gui avoided others, approached Shao Fan, and asked softly, "Uncle San, how is my nephew today?"
"It's okay. You are only nineteen years old." Shao Fan said.
"How does he compare to his father?"
Shao Fan smiled for the first time and said, "When my second brother was nineteen years old, he was already famous all over the world, and Sima Yue couldn't control him."
Shao Gui smiled awkwardly and said, "I still need a few more years of experience."
(End of this chapter)