Xiaoqi

"Dong is here for this purpose."

In the inner hall of the east courtyard, the main door is closed, and the lattice windows are lowered.

Dozens of burly servants stood on both sides of the door, all with awe-inspiring expressions, guarding the entire courtyard meticulously.

There are two old and three young sitting in the hall, facing each other on the left and right, the two old men at the top are the only surviving famous generals in the world, Huangfusong and Zhu Jun.

General Zhengxi's mansion is exactly Huangfusong's mansion, with him as the landlord and the first place on the left.On the opposite side, Zhu Jun, although he is currently a high-ranking captain, but a strong army does not overwhelm the master, so he had to sit first on the right.

However, today is different.Nowadays, the situations of these two world famous generals are very similar; although the two occupy a prominent position comparable to the Sangong in name, they have no real power, and even their freedom of movement is restricted, which is not humane.

In comparison, Huangfusong's situation is far better than Zhu Jun's. Although his position is not as prominent as Zhu Jun's, there are no soldiers guarding the mansion day and night, and the people in the mansion are free to come and go without any restrictions.In addition, Huangfusong's salary has always been paid in full, and has never been cut by half. Since the Chang'an Rebellion was put down, it has never been cut off.

Among the hundreds of officials in the current Manchu Dynasty, Huangfusong is the only veteran of the three dynasties who has not cut his salary and has no county soldiers to monitor the mansion.Because of this, Zhu Jun secretly came to Huangfu's mansion to discuss the upcoming upheaval with him in secret tonight.

However, the initiator of this secret meeting was not either of them.It was Yilang Dong Cheng who was sitting under Zhu Jun's head.

Dong Cheng, who was approaching middle age, was no longer young, but he was sitting in front of Huangfusong and Zhu Jun.But he is quite young, as if he is a late learner, a junior.

Therefore, in this inner hall, Dong Cheng was also one of the three young people, and the other two sat at the lower head of Huangfusong, followed by Huangfusong's eldest son, Huangfu Jianshou.Congzi Huangfu Li.

At this moment, they have been discussing together for more than an hour.However, before, they had always been indifferent to each other.The endless chatter.As a result, Huangfu Jianshou, who was so weak, was drowsy and couldn't lift his spirits, so he had to squint his eyes and fall asleep, even so.But his ears were still filled with repeated polite words.If it weren't for him to know that this secret meeting is of great importance.He left the inner hall early and went back to the dormitory to rest.

Compared with Huangfu Jianshou who lacked interest, his younger brother Huangfu Li listened with great interest, so he watched Zhu Jun and Dong Cheng's expressions with great interest when they spoke.During this period, the corners of his mouth slightly turned up from time to time, showing a meaningful smile, which seemed to be a smile, but also seemed to be mocking.Anyway, it gives people a weird feeling.

After exchanging pleasantries, Zhu Jun took the lead in breaking the deadlock.Directly break the subject of the secret discussion: Li Li will return the class teacher to the court soon.

Then Huangfusong nodded slightly, and responded unhurriedly. Although he affirmed the accuracy of the news, he didn't express any opinions, as if he was noncommittal.

Seeing Zhu Jun and Huangfusong asking from afar, hearing Dong Chengyun's mist, his eyes were full of confusion, he didn't know what to say.Immediately, he felt very anxious, sweating profusely on his brow, so he wiped the sweat from his brow, and simply spoke.

"Dong's trip is just for this purpose. Presumably the two of you already know the current situation in the palace well, how can you use the word 'miserable'!"

As soon as he said a few words, Dong Cheng had a sad expression on his face, and the pearls in his eyes flickered, but he restrained himself from crying in public.

After he regained his composure, he whispered with some choking: "Since General Hussars launched the Northern Expedition last year, Li Jue's villains have been doing mischief in the capital. Under the guise, cleverly set up a name to force the ministers and ministers to donate money and food. The name is donation, but it is actually extortion and robbery. In the end, the old thief went so far as to put his idea in the inner courtyard of the palace!"

Speaking of this, Dong Chengyi was filled with indignation and anger, and his expression became agitated again, even more than before.However, just now he was miserable, but now he was burning with anger, his fierce expression and face bared with teeth, seemed to want to choose someone and devour him, his eyes were full of ferociousness.

Looking up at Dong Cheng's wrathful face, Huangfusong, who was over sixty years old, looked slightly gloomy, and a trace of unbearable color flashed in his eyes.However, this kind of sympathetic look was fleeting, and then his face was still calm and indifferent, his eyes were dull, as if he was old and dim, and he couldn't see Dong Cheng's angry expression clearly.

Compared with Huangfusong's calm, Zhu Jun who was sitting beside Dong Cheng couldn't calm down.Turning his head to look at Dong Cheng who was full of anger, he seemed to see himself who had been repeatedly humiliated by Li Jue and Li Li's uncle and nephew.

However, after most of his life in the ups and downs of the officialdom, Zhu Jun has already passed the age of being prone to anger, and he has already mastered the control of his emotions.Therefore, when he saw Huangfusong's indifferent expression, the anger on his face quickly disappeared, replaced by a calm expression, as calm as water.

But these are all superficial phenomena. In fact, Zhu Jun's heart is boiling like a river and a sea, and his mood fluctuates greatly.Don't look at him now as a Taiwei, one of the three princes in the world, an extremely human minister, one person under ten thousand; but, he knows the reality of the situation better than anyone else, and the pain in it is hard for him to talk about. unspeakable.Now, the most direct thought in Zhu Jun's mind is that he is really useless in his life!

For Li Li and Li Wenchang, who are in full swing nowadays, no one knows how Li Li rose to power step by step better than Zhu Jun, because Li Li originally rose to fame by stepping on Zhu Jun's shoulders.It is no exaggeration to say that without him helping Li Li to become famous, there would be no General Li Wenchang today.It's a pity that the reason why he helped Li Li become famous was not voluntary, but Li Li put a knife on his neck and had to be a stepping stone for others.This pain or shame, like a nightmare, has always been entrenched in Zhu Jun's mind, lingering and lingering, and it is still vivid in his mind today.

Therefore, whenever someone mentioned Li Li's name, Zhu Jun couldn't help but think of the scene under the lonely mountain outside Nanzheng City.That day was the first time in his life that he was defeated and captured, and he was defeated by a boy under the age of 16. From that moment on, he firmly remembered the boy's name Li Li.

Time flies, and five years have passed in a blink of an eye.Zhu Jun is still the same Zhu Jun, the only change is that his temples are gray and his back is not straight anymore.However, the once unruly young man has now risen to the top of the sky. From a small school where he was not even a military commander, he has skyrocketed to [-] miles, and has become a hussar general with an extremely human minister, in charge of power in the world, and hundreds of thousands of soldiers. Across the world, all-powerful.

It can be said that Zhu Jun has witnessed every process of Li Li's growth, and watched with his own eyes the young man who captured him reach the peak of power step by step, only one step away from reaching the peak of power and becoming the supreme existence.Compared with power, what Zhu Jun really cares about is that the 50 Xiliang army in Li Li's hands is the most solid and powerful existence in the troubled times.

Although Li Li has always claimed that he has 40 soldiers, as a veteran soldier who has led soldiers for half his life and fought for a lifetime, and holds the post of Taiwei, Zhu Jun is very clear about the existing number of troops in the Xiliang Army.

When Li Li pacified the Chang'an Rebellion, there were 30 troops. Later, when he pacified Yongliang and Liangzhou, he recruited no less than 40 soldiers and horses from Han Sui, Ma Teng, and the four counties of the Western Regions. This means that long before Li Li implemented the strategy of recuperating , the Xiliang Army already had 50 troops.After two years of recuperation, the Xiliang Army no longer expanded its troops in name, but in fact it was still slowly increasing. Over the past two years, at least [-] to [-] soldiers and horses had been added, and there was no movement at all. Completed, because the Xiliang Army has a large base and a large number of cavalry battalions.In other words, before the Northern Expedition, the Xiliang Army was close to [-] strong.

During the Northern Expedition, Li Li mobilized 6 cavalry in name, but in fact, he dispatched a motley army with only 10,000 elites but a so-called [-] army.But it was this miscellaneous army that made brilliant achievements under the command of Zhou Yu, wiped out the Southern Huns in one fell swoop, and took hundreds of thousands of prisoners of the Southern Huns.At the same time, Zhou Yu also recruited tens of thousands of Qingqi from the Southern Xiongnu. The [-] Qingqi from the Shuofeng Camp were only part of them. The remaining prisoners of war were enough to form another cavalry battalion.But due to Li Li's order, Zhou Yu had to mix up the surrendered soldiers of the Southern Huns and the captured infantry, and then marched into Bingzhou.After taking over the entire territory of Bingzhou, Zhou Yu had [-] soldiers in the prefecture, plus [-] to [-] troops in his headquarters, and Zhou Yu alone had [-]+ troops.

So far, the number of soldiers and horses of the Xiliang Army has exceeded 60.Even if 10,000+ troops were lost in the Battle of Hangu Pass, Li Li's army still has no less than 50 troops.However, after the decisive battle in Loudiyuan, the Xiliang army became a little chaotic, and the good and the bad were mixed.The soldiers and horses of the main battle battalion with strong combat power were all damaged, and some battalions suffered heavy casualties, but the army of the county government was unprecedentedly large, accounting for more than 50% and nearly [-]% of the total strength of the Xiliang Army.However, no matter what the combat power is, with the rapid expansion of the territory, the number of soldiers and horses under Li Li's command has indeed reached [-].

The real strength of the Xiliang Army may not be clear to others, and they have no way of knowing it, but they cannot be hidden from Zhu Jun's careful observation.Through the information obtained by the subordinates and servants, as well as the indirect knowledge of the food and equipment consumption of the Xiliang Army, he can accurately determine the number of soldiers and horses in the Xiliang Army.Otherwise, his reputation as a famous general in the world will be in vain, and his decades of fighting career will be considered in vain.

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The cold is much better, and the whole body is much more relaxed. Let's continue to fight, and hope to get your support and affirmation, thank you!

The fifth volume is the top priority of Xiaoqi. All the contradictions and many leads are concentrated in this volume. I hope you can read it comfortably and enjoy it.This is Huben's greatest achievement.

Chapter 801

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It is precisely because he knows Li Li's current strength very well and the many entanglements between himself and Li Li that Zhu Jun's dislike for Li Li has become more and more complicated as time goes by.

Whenever someone mentioned Li Li, he couldn't help but get angry, blowing his beard and staring.However, apart from his anger, he also felt a strange sense of relief.After all, he had watched Li Li grow up. Even though he was always on the opposite side of Li Li, this did not prevent him from admiring Li Li.And this is purely the special affection, appreciation and love of the elders towards the younger generation, which has nothing to do with the position.

For a person like Zhu Jun who devoted most of his life to the Eastern Han Dynasty, everything can be changed, but the perseverance in his heart remains unwavering.Although I dare not say that it will never be able to change it, but this loyal belief is as important as its life.

Zhu Jun, who was boiling in his heart, was silent for a long time. After finally calming down, he said calmly and softly: "Li Jue forced the collection of food and salaries, and these old men have also heard of it. Before that, Li Zhiran raised food and salaries for the army The old man agreed with this matter, and donated a year's salary and two hundred bolts of silk and satin for it. After all, Xiliang is bitterly cold, and it is a land of hundreds of battles. The people live in hardship and the treasury is exhausted. If there is no money and food, how can the army resist the barbarians? Invasion rampant?

Therefore, it is not an exaggeration to cut officials' salaries and raise food and salaries. At most, the methods are too brutal and a little inappropriate.At least Li Zhiran didn't force food and salaries from the common people, and since we have the ability to support some food and salaries.It should be taken out.In the final analysis, money and food are just things outside the body, as long as they can fill their stomachs.Why force too much! "

Speaking of this, Zhu Jun turned his head and stared at Dong Cheng with a look of scrutiny in his eyes. He was obviously very displeased with Dong Cheng's behavior of ignorant of military affairs but making false accusations.However, because of his sympathy, he didn't say it directly, to save some face for Dong Cheng, otherwise it would be difficult to meet in court in the future.

After a short pause.Zhu Jun asked suspiciously: "As for Yilang's claim that Li Zhiran attacked the inner court of the palace, I don't know where he started? Could it be that Li Jue dared to follow Dong Zhuo's example and seize the late emperor's concubine without permission?"

The voice did not fall.He went on to say: "It shouldn't happen, right? As far as I know, Li Zhiran's stepmother, the Yang family, has always been strong, and has beaten to death several concubines that Li Jue had married in private, but Li Jue turned a blind eye to this. Let it run wild. From this point of view, it is too far-fetched to say that Li Jue took the concubines of the first emperor by force, and it is really difficult to win people's trust. At least the old man does not believe it, because the old man knows Li Jue, he is not a lustful person."

Indeed, the relationship between Zhu Jun and Li Jue has always been good, and his post of Taiwei was recommended by Li Jue.In other words, the reason why Zhu Jun's Taiwei's mansion has always been guarded by county soldiers.It was because he had always held prejudices against Li Li, which made Li Jue willing to help even though he wanted to.But it's inconvenient to say much because of the affection of uncle and nephew.

However, after Li Lili's army went out, Li Jue took good care of Zhu Jun, and usually only arranged a few soldiers to guard outside the Taiwei's mansion, purely for show.In addition, Zhu Jun and Huang Fusong were not included in the list of reducing the salaries of hundreds of officials, but they both volunteered to donate a lot of food, grass and cloth.This awareness of guarding the territory of the Han Dynasty is indeed worthy of recognition. After all, they have spent most of their lives fighting for the Han Dynasty. When they are old, they will never lose their national righteousness because of political differences.And this is precisely the reason why the two of them have always been enemies of Li Li, but they have never been dismissed or executed by Li Li.Regardless of political opinions and positions, Zhu Jun and Huangfusong are worthy of being famous generals in the world. Their conduct and integrity can be called models of military generals and deserve to be respected.

Seeing that Zhu Jun actually questioned what he said before, Dong Cheng hated and was angry and annoyed, but he had to force his mind to stabilize his emotions and not show it.Because he came here with a request to Zhu Jun and Huangfusong, and came with a major mission, how could he offend people before the matter was settled?

Therefore, Dong Cheng forced himself to remain calm, took a deep breath, and said sadly: "The Taiwei doesn't know, the old thief Li Jue is indeed not a womanizer, but his methods are far more vicious than Dong Zhuo's before his death! This thief arbitrarily withheld the money and food needed by the palace, and dismissed more than half of the few eunuchs and maidservants left in the palace, so that only two of the sixteen maidservants in His Majesty's bedroom are left. , while the situation in other imperial family residences was even more serious. Thousands of retinues and maidservants were forcibly dismissed successively. Now, there are less than ten eunuchs and maidservants in and out of His Majesty's palace, and only three thousand beauties left in the inner courtyard For the concubines who are more than half a hundred years old in the next dozen years, all the servants inside and outside the huge palace add up to less than 500 people.

This is not over, the old thief Li Jue is still not satisfied with this, and keeps declaring that His Majesty is still young, and there is no need for so many maidservants to serve him.However, the remaining servants are all 'old people' who have been in the palace for decades, even if they are dismissed, they have nowhere to go. The old thief became angry because of this, and strictly stipulated the monthly food intake of everyone in the palace, and the distribution was not too much .

Today, the servants in the palace have been starving for more than three months, and they can't get enough to eat every day. Even His Majesty has not seen any meat for half a month, and is so hungry that he is as thin as a stick.A month ago, after the veteran learned about this, he tried his best to get some wine and meat for His Majesty, but he did not want to be discovered by the Habayashi Imperial Guards, so he could not help but be sentenced to thirty sticks, and then sent to the Sikong Mansion to be handed down by Li Jue. "

Speaking of this, Dong Cheng could no longer hold back the tears that welled up in his eyes, and the old tears flowed horizontally.Fortunately, after all, he was concerned about his own face and did not cry in public. Even so, he was choked up and speechless.

Zhu Jun, Huangfu Song, Huangfu Jianshou and Huangfu Li, who heard these words, immediately stared at Dong Cheng with dumbfounded expressions, their hearts couldn't be more shocked, and they all showed expressions of horror.

At this moment, Huangfu Jianshou, who was already drowsy, was no longer sleepy, his eyes were opened like copper bells, his mouth was wide open, he wanted to say something but his throat felt jerky, he didn't know where to start.You know, his body was weak since he was a child, and he didn't get better when he grew up. He has been relying on ginseng soup and tonic to continue his life.Therefore, he has never cared about the political affairs of the court, and he has really kept his ears to the outside world, staying in the mansion for many years.The only time he went to the court was because Dong Zhuo wanted to kill his father Huangfusong, forcing him to intercede with Dong Zhuo.As a result, Dong Zhuo thought of his filial piety, and he had a relationship with him several times before, and because Huangfusong had indeed supported him before, he released Huangfusong and gave him the post of Yushi Zhongcheng.

This was the only time Huangfu Jianshou appeared in the court hall, and he stayed in the mansion since then, never leaving the gate.And his younger brother Huangfu Li is actually his cousin, that is, Huangfusong's nephew. It is because he is weak and sick that Huangfusong stays with him sooner or later to teach him as a follower.Because of this, the Huangfu family's heirs are not prosperous, and it follows that there are not many entanglements with the officials in the court, and there are very few things that can implicate the Huangfu family.

Just when Huangfu Jianshou and Huangfu Li were in a daze, Huangfu Song, who had been taciturn all this time, suddenly asked, "There are only five hundred maidservants in such a huge palace. This matter is too absurd. Why didn't there be any rumors before?" In the majestic palace of the Han Dynasty, there are not ten thousand eunuchs, maidservants and concubines in total, but eight thousand. How could Li Jue dismiss so many people quietly? Yilang's words are probably exaggerated, too Too sensational?"

"Well, what brother Yizhen said is reasonable." Before Dong Cheng could explain, Zhu Jun interjected: "If Li Jue wants to hide from everyone's eyes and ears and dismiss thousands of concubines and eunuchs without leaving a trace, unless they Kill him directly in the palace, and then bury the body to wipe out the traces; otherwise, it is absolutely impossible!"

There was a slight pause in Zhu Jun's voice, a look of doubt appeared on Zhu Jun's face, the conversation turned abruptly, and he muttered: "However, in the past few months, His Majesty has indeed often not been in court, and most of them are Li Jue who presides over the court affairs. It is rare to see His Majesty appearing. Could it be that what Yilang said,,, is true?"

"Everything that Dong said is true, if even half of it is not true, it will be struck by lightning!" Dong Cheng spoke decisively.