At this time, in the Imperial Study in the Qianqing Hall of the Imperial City.
The court meeting was suspended today. Emperor Li Longze ordered the Imperial Household Department to sort out all the memorials from the Ministry of War and send them to the emperor for his personal review.
The eunuch Chen Jin, who was in charge of writing, stood by meticulously, sorting the daily greetings and urgent memorials about the war into different categories, and placing them carefully on the desk.
A young eunuch slowly entered the hall carrying fragrant tea.
Chen Jin took the teacup and placed it on Li Longze's left hand, reporting softly, "Your Majesty, this Mengding Ganlu has been dried beautifully."
Li Longze didn't even raise his head, and casually said "hmm", his eyes still fixed on the memorial in front of him. After a moment, he asked casually, "Is he still outside?"
Chen Jin glanced casually outside the hall, then retracted his gaze and said in a low voice, "Yes, Your Majesty, General Duan has been kneeling outside the hall for half an hour."
His tone was calm and nonchalant, as if he was just narrating a trivial matter.
Li Longze casually put down a memorial, rubbed his furrowed brows lightly with his fingertips, and showed impatience. The contents of these border reports were trivial and irrelevant, which really annoyed him.
"It's really hard for him. He's already in his fifties," Li Longze snorted coldly. "I originally thought Feng Shaoying was just an insignificant son-in-law in the Duan family. After the incident of embezzling military rations was exposed, Duan Ande would definitely distance himself from him."
"...I didn't expect that just as the Imperial Guards took Feng Shaoying to the prefectural prison, Duan An personally entered the palace to plead for his son-in-law. This was truly beyond my expectations."
Chen Jin listened quietly at the side and understood what the emperor meant.
He sorted out the memorials that Li Longze had read and carefully placed them aside before he spoke slowly, "Family affairs, national affairs, and world affairs, which one can escape your Majesty's discerning eyes?"
"General Duan's daughter is now pregnant. Naturally, the old general doesn't want his grandson to be born without a father. The old general is old and it's inevitable that he will be soft-hearted." Chen Jin said lightly.
"The hero is old, and the southern border stretches for thousands of miles. I am indeed worried that the old general is no longer able to handle it."
Li Longze spoke softly, the jade ring on his fingertip turning slightly, and a glint of shrewdness and calculation flashed in his words, which only Chen Jin could keenly capture.
Chen Jin reviewed every memorial sent by the Ministry of War before it was submitted.
At this moment, on the desk in front of the emperor, Li Longze specially left a list and resumes of three generals recommended by the Minister of War. They were good at leading troops and fighting in the deep mountains and rainforests.
Chen Jin knew Li Longze's thoughts very well.
"I fully understand your Majesty's concerns," he responded. "However, the soldiers at the Nanzhao border have grown up under General Duan for over a decade. If a new general were to lead them, not only the soldiers, but I, too, would be dissatisfied."
Li Longze turned around, picked up the exquisite teacup and took a sip. Then, a trace of sadness flashed across his eyes, and he slowly spoke: "I remember when I was a child, my father doted on the youngest son born to Concubine Mei. Even while sitting on this dragon throne, my father would hold the child in his arms while reviewing memorials." As he said this, his hands unconsciously stroked the armrests of the dragon throne, and a hint of envy flashed in his eyes.
"And if I want to see the Emperor, I must write calligraphy so beautiful that even the Grand Tutor would praise me, in exchange for a brief compliment from the Emperor."
Li Longze looked through the window of the imperial study and cast his gaze from afar at the loyal and brave old general Duan An who was kneeling in front of the palace.
His voice betrayed a deep sense of emotion: "How can one obtain what one desires so easily? One must always exchange it for something equally precious, to realize that there is something to be gained through sacrifice."
Chen Jin understood the emperor's intention and continued, "The old general is in this situation, so it's inevitable that he will be anxious and confused. Why don't I go and persuade the old general? He still has old wounds from past battles. If he faints in front of the palace, it will only cause the censors to talk about it, saying that Your Majesty is not sympathetic to an old minister."
Li Longze glanced at Chen Jin, secretly approving in his heart. He nodded slightly, a barely perceptible smile curling up at the corner of his mouth: "You are right. I must be considerate of these old ministers left to me by my father."
As he spoke, Li Longze turned and walked to the imperial desk, picked up a porcelain bottle, and handed it to Chen Jin: "Take this ginseng heart-tonifying pill and give it to General Duan as a reward. Let him know my care and compassion."
Chen Jin took the porcelain bottle, bowed and said, "I will obey your order and do it right away." After that, he turned and left the imperial study and went straight to the front of the palace.
Li Longze watched Chen Jin retreat, the smile on his lips gradually faded, he took a deep breath, and sat back on the dragon throne.
Chen Jin walked steadily to the side of the loyal and brave General Duan An. There was no arrogance on his face, but rather humility and respect.
He softly consoled him, "General Duan, the offense committed by Lieutenant General Feng will be handled by the Jingzhao Yin according to the law. You are kneeling here. If you make a mistake, it will embarrass His Majesty."
Duan An's eyes were dejected after hearing this. He also understood that what he did was definitely not the way to be a minister.
However, this morning, he was practicing boxing leisurely in the garden of the mansion when the sudden arrival of the Royal Guards broke the tranquility. They broke into the house and caught Feng Shaoying, who had just returned to the general's mansion after spending the night outside.
His daughter Duan Yujiao was pregnant and almost had a miscarriage. Duan An learned the whole story. For the sake of his daughter and unborn grandson, he had to sacrifice his reputation and kneel in front of the palace to beg His Majesty to give his son-in-law a way to live because of his past loyalty to the country.
"Eunuch Chen, please convey to His Majesty that the General's Office is willing to compensate Feng Shaoying three times the amount of military rations he embezzled. I beg Your Majesty to spare Feng Shaoying's life for my loyalty to the Great Zhou."
When Duan An said this, thinking that his daughter's body and mind could not withstand any more blows, this old general who had been a strong man all his life could not help but burst into tears, his voice full of pleading.
Seeing this, Chen Jin hurriedly helped Duan An, who was staggering a little, to his feet. The young eunuch waiting in the corridor also rushed over immediately and helped to support him.
"Old General, His Majesty is well aware of your loyalty and is sympathetic to your health. He has specially gifted you with the ginseng heart-tonifying pills carefully prepared by the Imperial Hospital. You will return to Nanzhao this autumn to guard the border. You have a heavy responsibility on your shoulders, so you should take good care of yourself."
Chen Jin tried to comfort him gently, but then he changed the subject and gently reminded him, "Old General, no matter how important this family matter is, it cannot override state affairs. As an important official of the court, the burden on your shoulders is not light."
Although these words were said lightly, they were like a bolt from the blue that made Duan An suddenly wake up.
His hand, which was about to take the medicine bottle, suddenly stopped in mid-air. There seemed to be a layer of unclear and impenetrable fog, but now it seemed to become clear.
Duan An suddenly pushed away the two young eunuchs who were supporting him, looked up at the solemn plaque of the Qianqing Hall, and a bitter but relieved smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.
He bowed solemnly and deeply in the direction of the Qianqing Palace, and did not even take the ginseng pills that Li Longze had specially given him as a reward, and strode towards the palace gate.
Chen Jin watched Duan An's gradually receding back, and casually put the bottle of ginseng pills into his sleeve.
It seems that Duan An understood what he meant. Feng Shaoying's fate is not actually in the hands of His Majesty, but in the hands of the old general himself.
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