"When your father and I returned to the capital to report on our work, His Majesty verbally instructed us not to obey orders from the emperor while we were away, and granted your father and me the power to make decisions when important matters arose.
Although this was a verbal order, it was also an imperial decree. The grain officials at the border warehouses dared not release grain without the emperor's order. Isn't this an imperial decree? Prepare a grain loan receipt with your father's seal, and then pass on the emperor's verbal order to borrow grain from the border warehouses. Without food, the three armies will at best be demoralized, at worst, there will be mutiny. The grain officials are not stupid; as long as they have a legitimate reason, they will most likely lend the grain.
If the grain officer refuses to lend, we can turn to the three counties and borrow from them. If they lend, our food shortage will be solved. We can also report this to the grain officer later. If this happens again, I'm afraid the border warehouse will be more likely to lend us grain. If the three counties refuse to lend, we can go to the border warehouse and seize grain. There's no need to wait until we're almost out of food after just two or three days of porridge.
Our Northern Army was originally led by the Empress's family, the Twelveth Son of the Zhang Family, who rose to become the Duke of Fuguo and then to us. The Fifth Prince was sent to the Ren Family Army for training, and the Third Prince and Miss Ren became a married couple. From that time on, the Ren Family Army has been considered a trusted division of Your Majesty.
"The trusted army openly seized food, their actions seemed lawless, and they also provoked discord between the civil and military officials... Could it be that Your Majesty has not given us the power to do so? Well, we will do our best to make amends as much as we can."
Ren's father, who had been staying in the back tent, suddenly came out and asked He Qing, "Brother He, last time His Majesty said that a general on the battlefield is not subject to the emperor's orders, and gave us the power to make decisions on the spot. Is that true? It's not just talk. There are some things you say to me that I can only listen to, but there are other things you say that are really applicable.
When we left the palace that time, I asked you, "Can't we just discuss it later? Since you have so many ideas, I'll just listen to you on these troublesome matters." What did you say then? You said I should report it to His Majesty or write a memorial for his approval. Doesn't that mean it can't be taken seriously?"
He Qing pondered for a moment, trying to figure out how to explain, "We act according to the circumstances. The power of decision-making is granted by the Emperor only when the situation becomes urgent. Even matters that are not urgent on weekdays still require the Emperor's approval. In other words, memorials to His Majesty must still be written. It's my fault for not saying more and not explaining it clearly to you."
Ren's father asked, "How big do you think this matter is now?"
He Qing said, "Let's handle it this way for now. The person who tied the bell must be the one to untie it. First, appease the grain officer who filed the complaint and his grain protection team. If we can appease him, he can write a memorial, which will probably be better than ours. Of course, we have to submit ours as well."
The younger brother of the Ren family asked again: "Uncle He, the military rations for both sides were delivered in batches, so why didn't you run out of food?"
He Qing nodded when he saw that his younger brother's two questions were very on point. The child was still young, but he might think further than his father and brothers. Maybe he would be a man of both literary and martial arts in the future.
He smiled and said, "Uncle He is quite cautious, and so are my soldiers. My cook has calculated this amount of military rations month after month, year after year, and has already set aside ten days' worth. This time the rations are seven days late, but we still have three days' supply."
Ren's younger brother asked again, "Uncle He, do you plan to continue stockpiling food in the army?"
He Qing smiled and said, "It seems you've thought of this. We shouldn't overstock the army with food and fodder. Ten days' worth is enough."
On this side, the grain officer at the border warehouse was frightened by the dozen or so soldiers who came to apologize with thorny branches on their backs, and he broke out in a cold sweat: I wrote a memorial to complain, and they found out and came to beat me up?
Bare-chested, holding whips? Who are they trying to scare by exposing their muscular bodies? He thought so, but his voice was still a little trembling: "You, what are you doing?"
The leader said with a smirk, "Our coach asked us to take the blame for something, and that means we need to apologize to you."
My God, if I hadn't told you, who would have known that this was a scene of people carrying thorns on their backs to ask for forgiveness? I would have thought that this group of people came to rob food again.
The grain officer calmed his mind and said, "I, I don't need you to apologize. You can go back."
"That won't do. From now on, we'll follow you. We'll carry your sedan chair, bring you water, and light the fire and chop wood for your family's cooking."
"No, no, my temple is too small to support such a large Buddha."
"We monks bring our own money for offerings, and each of us brings a large pancake. We won't eat your food."
The grain officer was worried. He went on duty, and the dozen or so people cleaned the small courtyard where he and the grain protection team worked. They cleaned it so clean that the trees were bare, saying that they would prevent them from losing their leaves. Seeing that bare tree, I really don't know what to say.
He was looking for people to repair the granary. Two of them went back and brought a group of soldiers with them. They were all carpenters and masons before they joined the army. Some of them could make mud bricks, weave straw mats, and make candied figurines and candied haws.
They repaired the granary, and the repaired part was obviously stronger than the original one. They also gave each of the grain officer and the grain guard a handful of candied haws and sugar figures. The man smiled happily and was very strong. He couldn't refuse and stuffed the food into their hands: "Eat some sweet food, sweet food is delicious, even the Kitchen God eats sweet food."
I see. This is because they are afraid of being complained about, so they want those who enjoy the sweet things to say good things.
The grain officer's wounds had not yet healed when the two generals, the elder and younger brothers of the Ren family, arrived. As soon as they arrived, the large group of soldiers lined up in an orderly manner almost instantly.
The two generals presented silver, saying it was for the grain officer and the grain guards to heal their wounds, and bowed to apologize. The grain officer wanted to refuse, but the two rows of soldiers came over in a neat row, and the grain officer quickly accepted it.
The two Generals Ren left, but the dozen or so remained, along with an additional military doctor. Every day, the doctor examined their wounds, prescribed medicine, and watched them drink. The dozen or so followed him in and out, working alongside them.
Somehow this matter was discovered by the common people and gradually spread: the grain officials were high-ranking officials, so they bullied these soldiers.
The people were fed up. These soldiers had shed blood and sweat for them, and now they were being bullied?
The door to the courtyard of the grain officer and the grain protection team was blocked by the people. At first, the grain officer was still a little upset. Although he was moved by what the people said and saw that these soldiers were a little different, he was still a little upset.
An old man stepped out of the crowd and said to the grain officer, "Young man, are you sure you want to be an enemy of the soldiers and civilians at the border?"
A word of advice woke the grain officer up, and he figured out the situation. This was at the border, surrounded by foreign enemies. He, the people, and the soldiers, all of them were together, and they could only support each other.
What's more, isn't the purpose of building warehouses on the border to ensure the safety of this large army and the people in the border towns? I have already filed a complaint and vented my anger. They have admitted everything. The punishment for the crime should not fall on me. So why am I still angry? I should just quit while I am ahead.
After figuring it out, he quickly wrote another memorial.
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