Vol 2 Chapter 861: Three hundred thousand taels

Emperor Wen De secretly left the palace.
Brought Master Lu to the north gate city wall.
Standing on the wall, looking far away, the refugee settlements in the distance are like a honeycomb, densely packed, making people feel frightened.
"I heard that countless refugees flood into Gyeonggi every day. Is there a hundred thousand people in the settlement?"
Master Lu said: "Preliminary statistics show that there are already 100,000 people."
Emperor Wende frowned, "The property and population looted by Beirong are being transported out of the border in batches. But I can do nothing, this is a shame!"
"Your Majesty calm down!" Master Lu said this persuasively: "The Royal Court of Beirong left the palace with the army, and he is now somewhere in the grassland. The Northwest Army stayed there, just trying to follow the North Rong army, who was transporting people and supplies, and find the Royal Court of Beirong. Once the Royal Court of Rong was destroyed, the army of the North Rong had to retreat. For ten or twenty years, they were unable to go south."
Emperor Wen De looked solemn, "Do you think the Northwest Army's plan is feasible?"
Master Lu said: "At least half the chance of success, it's worth a try."
"If it loses, not only did it fail to capture the Royal Court of Beirong, but it also lost a large amount of population and materials. Beirong received these materials and population and its strength greatly increased. The plan of the Northwest Army was too risky."
"Weichen thinks it is worth the risk. If the North Rong Palace cannot be found, the Northwest Army will decisively intercept and kill the group of people transporting supplies."
"In the vast prairie, finding someone is like finding a needle in a haystack. How to intercept and kill? I want to give Li Bingming an order to make him ready to dispatch an army at any time."
Master Lu frowned.
Will be subject to orders from the foreign monarch.
The battlefield situation is changing rapidly, and the test is the commanding ability of the generals on the spot.
It is most taboo for the imperial court to command blindly in war.
"Your Majesty might as well wait, maybe new news will come in a few days."
"How did I wait."
"Your Majesty, the battlefield situation changes every day. Perhaps now there is a new situation in the northwest."
Emperor Wende frowned, "I understand what Ai Qing said. Looking at this settlement outside the city, is Ai Qing still unmoved? These are my people, who left their hometowns, and traveled thousands of miles to the capital to escape the war.
If Bei Rong does not retreat, they will stay in the capital for one day. With so many people, the court can support it for half a year and a year, but can it also support it for two or three years? Aiqing didn't know the situation of the household department. This battle must end as soon as possible. "
"Your Majesty, whether it is Luhou or Li, are all foresight veterans. Weichen believes that the two adults will make the best choice."
Emperor Wende stared at Master Lu, "Does Lu Aiqing distrust me?"
"Your Majesty has misunderstood. The Weichen just wants to remind your Majesty not to rush. This is a national war. Even if you really fight for one or two years, three or four years, it is normal."
"Humph!"
Emperor Wen De walked away.
Obviously angry.
Chang En stomped anxiously, watching Master Lu sigh repeatedly. Hurriedly chased after Emperor Wende and got off the city wall.
Emperor Wende urged Li Bingming with two decrees.
Li Bingming discussed with Luhou and decided to start a battle.
From the Beirong Palace, continue to send people to follow and find.
In the midsummer, after various seesaws and trials, Da Zhou and Bei Rong finally joined together to organize nearly 100,000 troops and fought a general battle.
According to reports, fighting can be heard ten miles away from the war.
The war lasted for nearly half a month, and the two sides launched several charges.
In the end, the North Invalids retreated outside the customs, hiding in the grassland.
The Great Zhou army barely fulfilled the requirements of Emperor Wen De and drove the Northern Invalids from the Great Zhou realm.
Is the war over?
It's far from the end.
Bei Rong looted a large amount of materials and population.
The vast grassland is where they live.
After three to five months, after they digested the materials and population, the Beirong army would once again go south to raid the grass valley.
If Beirong is not destroyed for one day, the war between the two countries will continue.
The difference is that the duration of the armistice is three to five months, or one or two years.
However, being able to smoothly drive Bei Rong out of the Great Zhou realm is also something worth celebrating all over the world.
The court rewarded the soldiers and soldiers on the frontier.
Emperor Wende was rare and generous once, and took out a million taels from the Shaofu as compensation and rewards after the war.
Rewards for soldiers, simple.
The difficulty is how to reward Luhou? And Luhou's son Pei Meng.
Pei Meng personally led the Sirius Army, fought hard several times, beheaded thousands of times, and contributed a lot. The court could not fail to reward.
However, Pei Meng has achieved the pinnacle of a general. Next, he can only be knighted to reward him for his military exploits.
The courtiers could not decide on this problem, and could only throw the problem to Emperor Wen De.
Emperor Wen De did not make a statement.
Neither say rewards nor say not rewards.
Instead, Empress Pei summoned Luhou and Pei Meng's family members and rewarded them.
Even Pei Yun, who was married, was summoned by Queen Pei.
Queen Pei's position is very difficult.
On one side is her husband Wen Dedi.
On one side is her natal Pei's house.
Emperor Wen De wanted to use the Pei family and guard against the Pei family.
The success of the Northwest Army means that it is difficult for the court to rule Luhou.
A few months later, the North Invalids detained and moved south again. What should be done then?
"Someone must rule Luhou and the Northwest Army."
"Li Bingming is incompetent, I really can't have much hope for him."
"The most important thing at the moment is how the court will reward Luhou and his son."
"Never titled!"
This is the bottom line of Emperor Wen De.
Everything else is easy to say, Pei Meng must not be knighted, and Lu Marquis must not be promoted.
Master Lu gave the Emperor Wen De an idea, "You can't be knighted, only gold and silver rewards."
"How much gold and silver is worthy of the credit of Luhou and his son?"
"Weichen believes that it cannot be less than one hundred thousand taels."
Emperor Wen De frowned.
Master Lu persuaded: "Your Majesty, there has been no news from the Beirong Royal Court. A few months later, the Beirong Army will go south again. At that time, the court will also count on the Northwest Army. If you can't give a title, you can't be stingy with gold and silver rewards. Weird ministers even I think one hundred thousand taels are less."
"One hundred thousand taels is less?" With Emperor Wen De's stinginess, one hundred thousand taels is already an astronomical figure.
Master Lu suggested, "Your Majesty, the Weichen thinks that since it is a reward, it is better to give a generous reward. How about giving them a reward of two to three hundred thousand taels for the father and son, but just a little gold and silver. At least it can block the world's leisurely people, so as not to Some people say that the court treats heroes harshly."
"Absurd! How did I treat their father and son harshly."
"Weichen knows that your majesty has never treated Luhou and his son harshly, but the military generals don't know it, and the people of the world don't know it. This time, you might as well give a lot of money to show that the court attaches great importance to Luhou and his son."
Emperor Wende frowned and thought deeply. After a long time, he nodded and agreed, "To give Luhou father and son three hundred thousand taels of gold and silver, this is the compliment of me and the court to their father and son. I will leave it to Aiqing to handle this matter. Let everyone know how the court treats Luhou and his son kindly."
If one day Luhou rebelled, he would be cast aside by the world.
The court treated him so kindly, and he rebelled. It goes without saying.
Master Lu bowed his orders.
Master Lu is also a good hand at manipulating public opinion.
He used all the newspapers and periodicals and declared in the newspapers the court's rewards for the father and son Luhou.
For a while, the streets and alleys were talking about how generous the court was to the heroes and how to treat them favorably.
The news spread all over the world from south to north.
The people were very simple in thinking. Hearing the news, they all said the court was meaningful.
In private, people who are envious and jealous of Luhou and his son are like crucian carp crossing the river.
After that, Master Lu went to great fanfare and sent someone to send three hundred thousand taels of gold and silver to the northwest.
Yes, sent to the northwest.
Instead of sending it to Pei's Mansion in Beijing.
Three hundred thousand taels, most of which are gold.
The yellow gold was piled on the carriage and set off from the West Gate.
As early as three days ago, Master Lu sent someone to let out the wind.
By the time the team set off, Xichengmen was crowded with no less than 100,000 people. Outside the city gate, there were countless people guarding both sides of the official road, waiting for the car door to pass by, and it was strange.
Everyone is very curious, how much is 300,000 taels?
"Look, the carriage is coming."
"Gosh, is that all gold?"
"So much gold, I'm afraid it might not be a million taels."
"Idiot! They all said three hundred thousand taels, how can there be a million taels."
"It's done, it's done. Luhou and his son have made a fortune this time."
"It would be great if these money were given to me."
The crowd was excited.
Countless people are imagining that if they had so much money, it would be great.
What Master Lu didn't expect was that the manipulation of public opinion inspired countless young men to join the army.
The former deserted conscription office was overcrowded for a while.
It’s a blessing to join the army one after another!
The courtiers were all congratulating Lord Lu for having a beautiful hand.
Master Lu naturally wanted to be humble.
From the imperial court to Emperor Wende, this manipulation of public opinion was basically satisfied.
It not only solved the reward problem, but also attracted people's hearts.
...
northwest.
Luhou's mood in the barracks of the Northwest Army was not wonderful.
On his desk, there was a newspaper delivered from the capital quickly.
After reading the contents of the newspaper, he smiled coldly.
"Lu Pifu, even if you send Benhou with 300,000 taels, he still took the father and son to make a wave of fame. Benhou has never seen such a shameless person."
Pei Meng squeezed his fingers and creaked.
Three hundred thousand taels, before the change, father and son must be rare.
Since doing business with the Four Seas Commercial Bank, the father and son have long been ignored.
A mere three hundred thousand taels is a fart.
Such a great contribution is said to be turning the tide and saving the common people in the world, and the great Zhou Dynasty cannot be overstated.
As a result, 300,000 taels were sent to their father and son.
Pei Meng asked: "Father, when Bei Rong goes south again, it's better to be passive. Give Emperor Wen De a lesson."
Luhou was noncommittal.
Mr. Dou directly changed the subject, "Master Hou, the old man has heard that Lord Lu is a stereotyped person, how could he come up with using newspapers to manipulate public opinion and win people's hearts? And one shot is 300,000 taels. Looking at this dynasty for more than 100 years This is the first time."
Lu Hou raised his eyebrows. "Sir, I mean, Master Lu has some advice behind him."
Mr. Dou nodded, "I am afraid it is still our old acquaintance."
"You mean Mrs. Zhao?"
"Exactly!"