Chapter 95, Chapter Six: Busy Military Life
The air was thick with incense smoke. Before even entering the hall, Liu Jun was choked by the smoke and coughed violently. It took a lot of effort to open his eyes and he found Sima Ye kneeling on a prayer mat, chanting incantations.
He leaned closer to listen and heard that it sounded like Buddhist scriptures. He chuckled inwardly, but still bowed respectfully and said, "Your Majesty, I am here by imperial decree to request an audience."
Sima Ye put down the prayer beads in his hand and looked at him through the rising smoke. "When do we set off?"
The news that the emperor believed in Buddhism was such a big deal that there had never been any clue before. Liu Jun decided to go back and question Yin Xiaocheng. Should the spies in the palace be replaced? Either they were bribed or their methods were not up to par. "We will set off early the day after tomorrow, and I will go to the camp tomorrow afternoon."
Sima Ye sighed deeply, "Our time together is short, and every now and then I have to send you off to war. I don't know when it will end..."
"When the country is at peace, I will serve Your Majesty in the palace every day." Sima Ye seemed to be getting up, but Liu Jun supported him with one hand and actually lifted him up.
Sima Ye was speechless for a moment, and Liu Jun also felt that this was somewhat inappropriate, so he tried to smooth things over, saying, "Your Majesty has been busy with state affairs and has become a bit too thin lately. However, if Your Majesty is a Buddhist, would you like to adopt a vegetarian diet?"
“As a Buddhist disciple, how can you kill?” Sima Ye took his hand and they went to the inner hall together. After taking a few steps, he stopped. “No, I killed people in my early years, and my soldiers have been killing enemies all along. So, it can be considered that I have killed people.”
Liu Jun smiled and said, "Your Majesty's virtue extends to the world and you love your people like your own children. I will bear the blame for these killings on Your Majesty's behalf."
Sima Ye gripped his hand tightly. "If there is karmic consequence, how can it be considered to be on the blade, unaffected by the master?"
Blade?
Upon hearing this, Liu Jun raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Then I shall be Your Majesty's precious sword."
Sima Ye was startled by his raised eyebrow, his delicate earlobes instantly turning red. His fingers touched the hook on Liu Jun's belt that should have been used to hang the Flying Scene Sword. "You are not a golden knife, but a precious sword."
With that, he yanked and ripped the belt off, then threw it aside.
Liu Jun swayed slightly, and seeing that Sima Ye himself stumbled, he calmly put his arm around Sima Ye's waist and glanced indifferently at Guan Tong, who was serving not far away.
Guan Tong led his men away and then sent a message back to the Sikong headquarters, but that's another story.
It was well past midnight, but Sima Ye was still lying on his side with his arm bent, showing no signs of sleepiness.
"Is something on your mind, Your Majesty?" Liu Jun suddenly asked, his already deep voice sounding even more muffled and weary in the darkness.
Sima Ye looked at the moonlight on the mottled wall and said, "I have heard that in the Han Dynasty, walls were painted with pepper, which was called the 'Pepper Chamber'. It is a pity that the country is now poor and weak. Not to mention the Pepper Chamber Palace, I cannot even give you a decent house."
Liu Jun wrapped his long hair around his finger and chuckled, "If I can bring glory to the capital, Your Majesty can bestow upon me the original residence in Luoyang."
“That was yours to begin with, how can you call it a reward?” Sima Ye said unhappily. “Besides, I am in Chang’an, but you want to live in Luoyang…”
Liu Jun said helplessly, "Can't I even go for a short stay during my vacation? That's a bit too domineering."
“He always says ‘I will do my utmost until my dying breath,’ yet he’s always thinking about taking a break,” Sima Ye knew perfectly well that he worked tirelessly day and night, but he wouldn’t let it go, “You can go, but only if you accompany the emperor.”
Seeing that Liu Jun was just smiling, Sima Ye felt a pang of sadness at the thought of their long separation. "That doesn't count. Let's pick another one."
Liu Jun pulled him into his arms and sighed, "Then grant me the Golden Valley Garden."
This was Wen Qiao's first time accompanying the army, and although he didn't show it on his face, he secretly observed the situation, sometimes making jokes and sometimes remaining silent.
Within three or four days, he felt that Liu Jun's troops were quite different from other large armies he had seen. First, military orders were absolute, with everyone from generals to soldiers strictly adhering to the law and each level strictly obeying the orders of the next. Second, rewards and punishments were clear, with severe penalties for violating military orders and discipline, but those who fought bravely, discovered enemy positions, or assisted friendly forces could also be generously rewarded. Third, morale was high. Perhaps due to the example set by their superiors, these soldiers were also quite motivated. Some did not give up their work in addition to training, so as to grow more food for their families. Others took the opportunity to learn to read and write, hoping to find a way out in the future. He did not see the drinking, disorderly conduct, whoring, and gambling that were common in ordinary military camps. In fact, there was not even a military brothel in the army of hundreds of thousands of people.
Finally, he couldn't resist any longer and one day got into Liu Jun's carriage and quietly asked him.
Liu Jun was initially bewildered, then sighed and rubbed his forehead, "I knew traveling would be boring, but I didn't expect my brother-in-law to have nothing better to do than inquire about these things. If my brother-in-law is feeling restless, I..."
“I’m not a lustful man,” Wen Qiao quickly explained. “I’m wondering why your soldiers are so clever. Aren’t you afraid that if you keep this up for too long, you’ll mutiny? Or do those shameful things like robbing innocent girls?”
“My father used to have military prostitutes in his army, but I thought it was more important to increase the population, so I sent them all back home to marry. Many of them married soldiers.” Liu Jun looked at the map absentmindedly. “If they weren’t desperate, who would be willing to do this?”
"It's really hard to choose between being a goddess who welcomes and sees off guests and makes a living by selling smiles, or being a peasant woman who works from sunrise to sunset." Wen Qiao looked out of the carriage. The army was densely packed and spread across the wilderness, like ants under the sky.
However, even the rulers of ten thousand chariots and the monarchs of a thousand chariots are subject to birth, aging, sickness, death, love, hate, and separation. Under the laws of Heaven, they are no different from ants.
Before Wen Qiao could detach himself from his philosophical discussions, Liu Jun sighed, "Luoyang is easy to defend but difficult to attack. I previously instructed Jingdao to build fortified villages and Hulao City in Yuzhou. It has been a short time, and I don't know how well it is progressing."
Wen Qiao frowned. "The terrain of Hulao Pass is extremely dangerous. Even though Liu Jingdao is talented, it will be difficult for him to repair it within one or two years."
Liu Jun's fingers wandered between the valley and Mangshan, and he smiled slowly, "There is another place that Shi Le could never know, which can be used to build fortifications for warfare."
Seeing that Wen Qiao had no clue, Liu Jun explained, "North of Luoyang City is Jinyong City, which consists of three smaller cities, each with its own walls. The walls are sturdy, and the terrain is strategically important, with Mangshan Mountain to the north and Gushui River below..."
"More importantly, from the time Emperor Wen of Wei built Jinyong City to the previous emperor, successive emperors continuously repaired Jinyong City, making it as solid as a rock." Liu Jun smiled sarcastically, "But such a strong city was the imperial palace where the emperor took his concubines for pleasure. After Yongjia, it was probably already in ruins."
Wen Qiao had fully grasped the meaning. "You want to occupy Jinyong City and use it to fight against the other two sides? They are facing each other west of the Luo River, while Jinyong City is northwest of Luoyang, which is quite suitable."
Liu Jun fiddled with a small jade seal, saying, "The timing is also crucial. We must not let Shi Le and Liu Yao take advantage of any loopholes."
“Oh, right,” Wen Qiao’s eyes lit up, “I just remembered something that might be something we could work on.”
"oh?"
“Now Liu Yao is addicted to alcohol and has become completely incoherent,” Wen Qiao said meaningfully.
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