Chapter 1030 The bright moon rises again

Chapter 1030 The bright moon rises again

Located in the southern city of Jinyang, the residence of the Prince of Xianyang has become lively again today after being deserted for a long time.

In the sixth year of Tianbao, the Wei army invaded the east, and the Prince of Xianyang, Hulu Jin, led his army to Heluo to fight and block it. As a result, the battle was won at first but lost later. Even Hulu Jin was besieged in Jinyong City by Li Boshan, a Wei minister who joined the war later. In the end, he fought hard and committed suicide on the day when the city was broken.

Later, because the East and the West stopped fighting and negotiated peace, Hulu Jin's body and the rest of the captured soldiers were able to return. Afterwards, the court discussed the reason for the defeat in this battle, and many soldiers said that Hulu Jin, the commander of the army, had misjudged the tactics and thus led to the defeat. Therefore, the funeral honor was simple at that time, and no great posthumous honor was given.

However, as one of the founding heroes of Northern Qi, Hulu Jin had a great reputation and qualifications, and he could not be completely rejected because of the defeat in one battle. Therefore, shortly afterwards, the court gave him various special titles and made his son Hulu Guang, who was still in mourning, inherit his title.

Now it is the beginning of the ninth year of Tianbao, and it is the day when the Xianyang King and his family have ended their mourning and removed their mourning clothes. The mourning period of more than twenty months may not be able to alleviate the pain of losing a loved one, but people who are still alive always need to move forward and not indulge in sadness for a long time.

Since Hulu Jin started the rebellion with Emperor Shenwu, he has made great contributions, and his students and former officials are all over the court and the country. His sons Hulu Guang and Hulu Xian are also young and strong, and have made outstanding contributions. Now that they have removed their mourning clothes and can return to the world, there are endless visitors.

Hulugu himself was not keen on such interpersonal exchanges, but he also knew that his brothers had been away from current affairs for so long, and if they wanted to return to the current situation and make achievements, they would inevitably need to rely on interpersonal support, so he patiently received waves of visitors at home.

While Hulugu was still chatting with the guests in the hall, another team of knights rode to the door. The leader was a burly middle-aged man still wearing military uniforms. After getting off the horse, he nodded to the Hulu family members who were welcoming guests at the door. Several family members hurriedly came down the stairs to greet them. It can be seen that they are very familiar with each other.

The middle-aged man, led by his servant, strode into the hall. When he saw Hulugu, he bowed and said, "I pay my respects to the king!"

When Hulugu saw the man, he immediately stood up from his seat, bowed his head and looked at him and said, "I am now unemployed and no longer your superior. Modulou came to see you immediately according to the usual etiquette. There is no need to do this!"

The middle-aged man's name was Modulou Jingxian, the son of the late Minister of the Interior Modulou Daiwen. When he heard what Hulugu said, he bowed again and stood up, bowed his head again and said: "It is a pity that I cannot continue to serve under the king. But now that the king has been released from mourning, it is difficult for him to stay idle with his great strength. He will be back soon. I am busy with work in Pingyang, Jinzhou. I came to congratulate you a few days ago, but I am still busy with work, so I came late. Please forgive me." "Coming or not, it is just a vulgar courtesy. It is not worth delaying the business." Hulugu was not a good social person. Seeing that the minister was visiting, he was in a good mood. He did not realize that his words made the guests present a little embarrassed. When he heard Modulou Jingxian say that he was busy, he immediately frowned and said in a deep voice: "Is the situation in Jinzhou unstable?" "This..." Modulou Jingxian was embarrassed when he heard this question. He looked around the crowd and did not answer Hulugu's question. Hulugu realized what was happening. He had been in mourning for a long time and was eager to understand the external personnel and affairs, but he ignored the fact that some issues could not be discussed in public, so he stopped asking questions. After a brief pause, he apologized to the guests in the hall, and then told his younger brother Huluxian to entertain the guests, and he signaled Modulou Jingxian to follow him to the side hall.

After entering the side hall, when there were no other guests present, Hulugu asked the same question again: "Are the Qiang bandits making trouble in the south of Fen?"

Moduolou Jingxian nodded after hearing this, and sighed: "In recent years, the Qiang bandits have become more and more rampant in the border. They have built defensive fences along the Fen River to the north and have invaded hundreds of miles to the north. Their soldiers even often invade Beijiang County and other places. Sometimes you can see Qiang bandits in Pingyang."

Moduolou Jingxian is now the Sima of Jinzhou and the governor of Pingyang. His jurisdiction is not far from the Hedong area controlled by the Western Wei Dynasty. When talking about these disturbances in the border, he can't help but look worried.

Hulugu was appointed governor of Jinzhou for his meritorious service after accompanying the emperor to fight against Kumoxi last year. Therefore, he was quite familiar with the situation and importance of Jinzhou. After hearing this, he frowned and looked at Modulou Jingxian and said in a deep voice: "The situation in the border is so bad. Have you reported it to the court? What is the court's plan for this?"

"I know the importance of border affairs. I will report all disturbances to the emperor. I dare not make a decision on my own. However, it's just..." Modulou Jingxian hesitated when he said this. He hesitated and stopped talking.

"There are only you and me in this hall. Why can't we talk?" Hulugu said in a deep voice after hearing this. He also wanted to know what hidden truth made Modulou Jingxian so embarrassed.

"It's just that after the defeat in the Huainan Campaign last year, most of the ministers in the court were afraid to talk about military affairs. Even if there were some discussions about war, they were all put aside. Although I reported the border affairs in Fennan to the various tribes, the only reply I received was to abide by my duties and not to start a war rashly for the sake of greed for merit, so as not to provoke border conflicts." Moduolou Jingxian sighed at this point, and felt helpless about the court's slightly conservative attitude.

Although Hu Luguang has been in mourning for more than two years, he is not completely ignorant of external affairs. Even if he does not deliberately inquire about it, with his family's status, many relatives and friends will pass on some important things.

It’s just that few major events have happened in the past few years, especially in the military field. Since the series of defeats in the sixth to seventh years of Tianbao, Northern Qi has hardly made any pioneering moves to the outside world. It seems that everyone is content with this. current situation.

Such an atmosphere naturally made noble generals like Hu Luguang dissatisfied, especially since he had a grudge against the Western Wei Dynasty for killing his father, and he was already quite dissatisfied with the court's conservative and restrained approach. It's just that he was still in mourning at that time, so even if he was dissatisfied, he could only hold it in.

Hearing the court's attitude at this moment, Hu Luguang became even more dissatisfied. He said in a deep voice: "What do you mean by going to war rashly and provoking a border provocation? It has become a crime to protect the family and the country! Do we allow the Qiang thieves to be allowed to do so?" Being bullied but not daring to fight back is what makes people in power follow the common ideal of practicing martial arts and cultivating literature?

Yang Zunyan and others ignored the needs of the general situation and did not cultivate military affairs. Do they really want to support thieves and bandits to respect themselves? Duan Xiaoxian and others did not know the importance of Jinzhou. Could it be that the Qiang bandit army attacked Jinyang again and only then knew that a disaster was coming? Huainan is a barbaric and wasteland, but it is still possible to make waves with tens of thousands of envoys and troops. However, the important gate of Jinzhou is not paid attention to! "

"This, this... I will be in a foreign town for a long time. I really don't know much about the people and affairs of the country. It is really difficult for me to explain my doubts to the king."

Hearing Hu Luguang's irritation, Mo Duolou Jingxian's expression changed for a moment. He did not have the guts to criticize the highest-level personnel in the country. Instead, he looked at Hu Luguang expectantly and said: " The king is so concerned about Jinzhou affairs. Could it be that he wants to return to Jinzhou to take charge? If so, that would be great.

In fact, the current situation in Jinzhou is not just because the imperial court is not paying attention to it. The talent and conduct of King Changle who governs the state are far inferior to the king. Some commentators speculate that the reason why the Qiang thieves dare to be so rampant is actually because King Changle deliberately condoned the situation. It doesn’t matter…”

The current governor of Jinzhou is Changle Wang Wei Can. His father is the late Grand Master Wei Jing, and his mother is the sister of Emperor Shenwu Gao Huan. Because of his status as a distinguished relative, Wei Can has repeatedly held prominent positions.

"What do you think of this? Is there any conclusive evidence?"

After hearing this, Hu Luguang's expression suddenly changed. He just scolded Yang Min, Duan Shao and others, just to vent his dissatisfaction due to emotion, but he did not really think that they should be so guilty. But listening to Mo Duo Lou Jingxian's accusation against Yu Can, it is already a relatively specific accusation. If there is no conclusive evidence, this kind of statement will be classified as slander.

After hearing the words, Mo Duolou Jingxian hesitated for a moment, and then said in a deep voice: "King Changle has no moral character and is greedy for money and good goods. He does not miss the opportunity to enrich himself despite the great power of the country. There are many beautiful goods among the Qiang. , King Changle took advantage of his duties and often used his servants to go deep into the enemy's territory to make profits.

The last general had personally witnessed a few such things, and the people in Jinzhou also had their own opinions, but they did not dare to expose them because they were afraid of the power. Nowadays, there are many Qiang products for sale in Jinyang City, so much of the income comes from the Qiang, including colorful malts, and everything! "

Hu Luguang was listening while mixing buttermilk, and was using a silver spoon to measure some sugar for seasoning. After hearing this, his movements froze. After a while, he pondered again: "If it is just selling on the market for profit, it can be criticized for greed." , It cannot be said that he has lost a great deal of integrity and is a serious crime. But based on this, it is indeed not appropriate for the King of Changle to stay in the country and be rich and noble. Jinzhou should still choose capable people."

Speaking of this, he looked at Mo Duolou Jingxian and said: "Yes, I do intend to take office in Jinzhou. Not only do I hope to contribute to the country, but I also have the selfish intention of avenging my father. The Qiang thief Li Boshan is cunning and cunning, and he is very cunning in my family." The country has deep hatred and is facing serious troubles. My current plan is not to achieve a high official position. I just hope to kill more Qiang people and plunder more Qiang lands during my lifetime. If I can eliminate this big trouble for the country, I will die. What a pity!

Originally I was too shy to tell anyone because of my deep personal agenda, but now that I heard Mo Duolou say that the situation in Jinzhou has become so chaotic, I have nothing to say. It's just that I have been away from the world for a long time, and I am very unfamiliar with the situation in the border area. I hope you, Mo Duolou, can explain it to me in detail so that I can use this to plan this matter! "

"Your Majesty has your orders, how dare you disobey!"

After hearing this, Mo Duo Lou Jingxian nodded quickly and said, even if the friendship between the two parties is not mentioned, in terms of personal ability, serving under Hu Luguang is far more reliable than this guy Wang Wecan of Changle!

Therefore, he also introduced his current situation in Jinzhou to Hu Luguang in detail, hoping to help Hu Luguang win the position of Jinzhou governor.

Hu Luguang also listened to this very seriously and felt quite sad at the same time. If his father was still alive, it would not be difficult for him to seek the position of governor of Jinzhou. Even if there was no private exchange between father and son, as long as his father made a statement, the government and the public would not agree. There will be others who will object.

However, with the death of his father, although Hu Luguang's family still seemed to be a prominent family, as the head of the family now, Hu Luguang could clearly feel that many things were different from before.

Even if we don't talk about the twists and turns of his father's posthumous honors, during the period of mourning for their brothers, the court did not issue any edicts to them, which is a bit unusual.

It should be noted that even the noble descendants of Jinyang who hold other less important positions are often ordered to end their mourning and resume their official duties within the mourning period.

Hu Luguang did not think highly of himself and felt that the affairs of the country could not be carried out without him, but the court did not make such a statement during the entire mourning period, which shows that some people in the court hoped to use this mourning period to free their brothers from the position of front-line military commander. Downplay the influence of the Hulu family among Jinyang soldiers.

Such a reason cannot be thought deeply, and Hu Luguang does not dare to resent anyone because of it. Now that the mourning period is over, he just hopes that he can take revenge on his family while serving the country. But now, the forces of the Western Wei Dynasty in the east of Hedong are about to make a move. He strives to be the governor of Jinzhou, which can not only ensure the stability of the country's borders, but also attack the arrogance of the Western Wei Dynasty. It can be regarded as killing two birds with one stone.

In the next few days, relatives and friends came to visit Hao one after another. Occasionally, someone asked Hu Luguang what he thought after that, but he did not reveal his thoughts. It was not until Changshan King Gaoyan came to visit that Hu Luguang immediately cheered up.

After arriving at the door, Gao Yan clasped his fists and said: "I have been in the court for a long time, and I have no time to stay in Jinyang for a long time. This time the Empress Dowager came back to visit because she was ill. Only after listening to the Empress Dowager did I know that Brother Mingyue's mourning period has expired, so I came to see you. Please forgive Brother Mingyue for neglecting to visit me before."

"How dare you, how dare you! Your Majesty is the leader of the country and is in charge of the country's affairs. He is willing to take the time to come and see you. How can you secretly be greedy for intimacy and look after me for a long time?"

After hearing this, Hu Luguang hurriedly waved his hands and said, and then respectfully invited Gao Yan into the hall.

They sat down in the hall and exchanged greetings. Gao Yancai looked at Hu Luguang again and said, "Brother Mingyue is mourning and filial piety. Although he said that he was receiving the courtesy, he has put this good talent aside for a long time. Now in addition to mourning After the ceremony and return to the human world, you should also pick up your mood and be brave enough to devote yourself to the country! I came to visit you this time. Besides greetings, I also wanted to ask Brother Mingyue what you have to say about the situation. I hope you can address the current situation. Brother Mingyue is willing to teach me!"

"My humble talent is so appreciated by your Majesty, so I dare to give you a few words."

Hu Luguang had been waiting for someone who really had the right to speak in the country to ask questions these days. When he heard Gao Yan say this, Dangjie no longer held back, and Dangjie said to Gao Yan: "Jinzhou City At the gate of the country, the traitor village is not far to the south. Guang wants to go to town, repair his armor, and advance into Fenjiang. If he can capture the north of Fen, Guanzhong and Hedong will be under my sword. Even if he does not make a big advance, Thieves also need the strength of the whole country to prepare for me..."

At the beginning of a new volume, I have to pick out the timeline and sort out some personnel relationships. I will update one chapter today. . . I wish you all a happy life