"That's not the case. We are mainly here to discuss official business. However, Minister Hu of the Ministry of Works and several familiar commanders of the Imperial Camp are indeed a little worried. They also asked me to come and take a look privately... After all, if the Southeast can think of it, how can Tokyo not think of it?" Liu Hongdao also told the truth, because he could see that the other party also supported the Northern Expedition. "But I didn't expect that the emperor's doubts were so obvious."

Guo Zhongxun sighed slightly, and finally expressed his opinion: "The current situation is that the arrow has been put on the string and has to be shot... And logically speaking, the emperor is not a person who looks ahead and behind... But the autumn harvest is unusual, and we have status and obstacles. As long as the emperor does not make it clear, we cannot speak directly. However, Minister Liu's qualifications are extraordinary, and the current assignment is also very important. If you want to speak frankly, of course it is great. Even if you want us to follow suit, it is also natural."

Liu Hongdao nodded slightly.

And then, now that he got the answer he wanted to know, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War certainly did not linger in the military camp any longer, and he turned back regardless of the darkness and slippery roads... As for Guo Zhongxun, who quickly sent a team of people to escort him carefully, that was another matter.

Returning to Shengguo Temple in the rain, they had already had dinner, but Liu Hongdao was of low status, so he didn't even want to say a word, and the monks surrounded him and served him warmly... When he entered the room, a monk had already served him hot water. After he changed into clean homely clothes, another monk led him to the kitchen and served him freshly fried seasonal vegetables.

After the meal, there was even some fruit cut into a platter and carefully placed on the table.

However, Liu Hongdao had something on his mind, so why would he care about these things? While eating and drinking, he was thinking about how to write a letter to clarify the situation and persuade the government to put down their burdens and focus on the Northern Expedition. After thinking about it, he felt that there was no need to write a letter directly, but to ask Lu Benzhong to publish an article in the Phoenix Weekly to test the waters.

And after thinking of the idea, eating and drinking, this guy actually wanted to take more... He thought that the dry biscuits at Shengguo Temple were fragrant and crispy, and the fruits were not bad either, so he wanted to take some away for the officials accompanying him to taste.

The monks had no choice but to quickly find a cloth bag for Minister Liu to fill the food. Just as he was filling the bag... another person came to the kitchen, and the monks were so frightened that they quickly sent people to serve him.

Liu Hongdao and this man were both in plain clothes, and it was night and raining outside. Although he heard the monks call him "Sheren" when they went up to curry favor with him, he did not recognize him at first. But when he finished packing the bags and met the other party face to face in the light under the kitchen, they immediately recognized each other - the man was none other than the attendant at the gate of the cabinet, and the government had to use Ren Baozhong, a close minister.

Besides, Ren Baozhong is an old man, but he is cunning and unruly, and he is also an old Tangut dog with his hair not in good shape. Therefore, even the close ministers who are used by the emperor would not make friends with him... Of course, this man is probably used for this reason... But no matter what, it is awkward for the two of them to bump into each other like this, and Liu Hongdao hesitated for a moment, but did not want to offend this man at this critical moment, so he asked him a question casually because of his age, and then hurried away without waiting for his response.

Only a flattered so-called Dangxiang old dog was left standing there in a daze.

After the chance meeting in the kitchen, Liu Hongdao originally thought that the matter would end here, but unexpectedly, that evening, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War returned to his room and began to work under the window on the draft of "On the Inevitability of Delaying the Northern Expedition" which he was going to submit to Lu Benzhong the next day. He had only written about a hundred words when suddenly someone knocked on the door... When he opened the door, he was even more surprised to see that it was Ren Baozhong.

"Minister Liu." Ren Baozhong did not go in, but bowed in the corridor. "Excuse me... The emperor is beginning to hesitate, has the Minister noticed?"

Seeing that the other party was so straightforward, Liu Hongdao was too lazy to even complain about the two barbaric words "Sir". Instead, he became more energetic.

When Ren Baozhong saw the other party like this, he also came to his senses, but he did not hide it at all, and bowed again: "Minister Liu, I also want to march north, because if I don't march north, if I don't let all the Dangxiang men go out of Hebei and serve the country, the rift in Shaanxi and Ningxia will be difficult to resolve..."

If the Dangxiang men don't all leave Hebei, how can you, an old Dangxiang dog, show your ability and make further progress? Liu Hongdao finally had room to complain, but then the other party's next sentence made him completely wake up.

"Minister Liu, we are on the same side. I just saw that you are a polite person in the kitchen. Moreover, I also guessed that with your identity and mission, you must have come here not only to greet the emperor, but also to pay your respects. You must have been watching the summer taxes and autumn harvests in Tokyo and noticed the emperor's attitude... But, I have a reminder, please consider it... The emperor may not only be worried about natural disasters and man-made disasters, but he may also be worried that the court is now united and has a reckless attitude!" After speaking, Ren Baozhong turned away, leaving Liu Hongdao stunned in front of the door.

But when he closed the door and returned to the desk in front of the window, he hesitated again when he looked at the article he had prepared long ago, because Ren Baozhong just provided him with a new idea that he had not noticed before... that is, after a series of continuous purges, the court was basically full of people like himself who advocated war or longed for the Northern Expedition.

From the prime ministers, generals, and secretaries to people like myself, Ren Baozhong, and Guo Zhongxun, and down to young newcomers like Hu Quan and Yu Yunwen, if they did not advocate war and think about the Northern Expedition, or did not take the initiative to change their position and declare a Northern Expedition, they would have been eliminated long ago.

In fact, if we think about it carefully, starting from the first year of Jianyan, not to mention those who advocated peace like Huang Qianshan, even the ministers who advocated defense and slowness, such as Li Gang, Lu Haowen and Xu Jingheng, were all driven by the current situation actively or passively.

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