The second year of Kaiyuan, November 2nd.

Li Xun led the subsequent 20,000 imperial guards and a large amount of food and supplies to Jinyang City after a five-day trip.

"Li Xiangguo, thank you all the way."

The prefect of Jinyang Pei Shichang went out of the city to welcome him.

Pei Shichang was transferred to the prefect of Jinyang two months ago, and he took the initiative to request it.

The position of the prefect of Jinyang is not low. It is from the third rank, and it is the same as the six ministers, but one is the local and the other is the central government. In comparison, the position of the six ministers is obviously much more important than that of the prefect of Jinyang. Moreover, when it is close to the center of power, as long as you can seize the opportunity and take a small step, you can reach the top and enter the political affairs hall as the prime minister. The prefect of Jinyang is not low, but it belongs to local officials. If you are far from the core of power, you will naturally have much smaller opportunities.

The family where Pei Shichang is located is relatively mediocre and neutral in politics. Although he took advantage of the opportunity of the replacement of imperial power and entered the court again, the political motivations and choices of the Pei family were obviously not favored by the two forces. The aristocratic families were neither close nor hostile to them, and both sides did not violate the rivers. As for Zhao Xun, he was a little attracted to the Pei family and had some investment in politics, but not very heavy.

Zhao Xun was originally planning to appoint Pei Shichang as the left minister of the Ministry of War, and asked him to partner with Li Xun to manage the affairs of the Ministry of War well. However, the House of War also took this position. Zhao Xun naturally valued the House of War more. Therefore, in the end, Kou Xiong successfully took office and became the left minister of the Ministry of War, while Pei Shichang was defeated.

Afterwards, Zhao Xun was preparing to appoint Pei Shichang as the left minister of the Ministry of Rites, but the aristocratic family group took a fancy to this position and fully recommended Lu Zhongxun to the position. There is no need to say much about the final result. Lu Zhongxun became the left minister of the Ministry of Rites, and Pei Shichang was defeated again.

Later, Zhao Xun discovered that Pei Shichang was a little close to Liu Jie, which aroused his vigilance and suspicion. So in the end, Pei Shichang was transferred to the Secretariat and became a free position.

Since Pei Shichang entered Beijing, he has been doing nothing in the past two years. It is not because of his poor ability, but because of political factors. Until a few months ago, the fiscal reform launched by Zhao Xun was fully launched. Liu Guanghui performed extremely well and became the leader of the entire reform.

Two months ago, Liu Guanghui recommended Pei Shichang to Zhao Xun.

Nowadays, Liu Guanghui has been fully trusted by Zhao Xun and regarded it as the most important ally in the court and politics. Therefore, Zhao Xun will definitely not refuse Liu Guanghui's recommendation, and also gave Pei Shichang a good position and the prefect of Jinyang.

Pei Shichang knew very well that although the Pei family is among the aristocratic families in the court today, it is no longer politically important and the family cannot provide much help to him. There are only twelve ministers in the six ministries, with too many monks and less porridge. Pei Shichang understood that if he kept waiting like this, it would be difficult to have a chance to make a comeback.

Therefore, Pei Shichang used his family's good relationship with the Liu family for generations to ask Liu Guanghui to say a few words to the emperor. Liu Guanghui did not refuse and agreed to Pei Shichang's request.

Pei Shichang seemed to have gone from the central government to the local government, far away from the political core, but the rank of the prefect of Jinyang is not low, and his position is also very important. As long as he does well and can achieve political achievements, he can enter the court again after three to five years. At that time, his position will be rotated, and the minimum position will be the Left Minister of the Sixth Ministry.

Pei Shichang did this, which was equivalent to going around a big circle, but the final goal was still the same.

Pei Shichang went out of the city to welcome him, which was very embarrassing.

Naturally, Li Xun would not be too arrogant, so he got off the horse's back and smiled: "I'm sorry, Lord Pei, come out to greet him, I dare not take it!"

The two of them made some polite decisions, and then Pei Shichang asked Li Xun to go to the city to rest.

Li Xun said to Cao Guoan, the imperial guards general around him: "Camp on the spot, let's rest for one night, and we will go on a journey tomorrow morning."

Cao Guoan nodded: "Yes, sir."

After arranging everything, Pei Shichang turned sideways and asked, "Please, please."

Li Xun also asked, "Mr. Pei, please."

The two walked side by side.

Pei Shichang said softly: "Li Xiangguo, you are late."

According to the normal marching speed, Li Xun and others could arrive at Jinyang Mansion in the latest three days, but in the end it took a full five days, and the speed was a bit slow.

Li Xun said: "This time I brought a lot of siege equipment, which was a bit slow, so I delayed for two days."

Pei Shichang smiled and said, "It seems that Li Xiangguo has made a perfect plan for his trip to Hebei this time."

Li Xun said: "Be prepared for any trouble. Li Conggu, Weizhou, is now strong and powerful. I don't know how long it will take to fight him. If the two sides are stalemate for a long time, the more things are prepared, the more we have, the more chances of winning will be."

Pei Shichang nodded: "Li Xiangguo is right. Before the three armies move, food and grass will come first. Be well prepared. It will be of great help to the war."

That night, Pei Shichang held a banquet for Li Xun as a welcome to him. However, Li Xun obviously did not have much interest. He politely talked with officials at all levels of Jinyang Prefecture, drank a few glasses of wine, and then said goodbye on the grounds that the alcohol was not continuing. The banquet lasted less than half an hour and ended.

If Pei Shichang hadn't left the city to greet him and gave Li Xun face, Li Xun wouldn't have been to the evening banquet at all. It wasn't that he had any objections to Pei Shichang, the two had no grudges, and even had a good relationship. However, Li Xun was indeed a little tired after the five-day journey, and the battle situation in Hebei was not decided, Li Xun rushed there and met with Zhang Jin and others. As for other matters, Li Xun was not interested at all.

Early the next morning, Li Xun got up early and had a good rest all night. All his mental and physical fatigue was wiped out.

When Li Xun left, Pei Shichang naturally left the city to see him off.

At the time of separation, Pei Shichang promised that within half a month, he would gather 300,000 grain and grass and send it to Hebei for use by the army.

Li Xun was naturally extremely happy about Pei Shichang's words, thanked him repeatedly, and praised him very much.

Afterwards, Li Xun led 20,000 imperial guards, carrying a huge amount of money and grain, and set off again and rushed to the land of Hebei.

Li Congshan looked at the letter in his hand, which described in detail the recent movements of the court, as well as some other unknown news.

After reading the letter in his hand, Li Congshan said indifferently: "The court is moving very quickly!"

General Huo Chuo said loudly: "Three Generals, I really don't know what we are waiting for. We have gathered 100,000 troops in Zhaozhou now. Zhang Jin and others, Gao Shancai and others seem to echo left and right, forming a clamping force, but the troops are dispersed. We restrain one, and then concentrate the main force, first attack one, and eliminate them. It is not difficult."
Chapter completed!