There is a black lotus in the deep palace

Chapter 178 Northwest Frontier
When women meet, they just greet each other with hello, me, everyone.

After weeping, Tang Wanning drank tea and chatted with her mother and sisters-in-law, each telling their stories after parting.

When it was busy, suddenly a childish voice came in.

"Auntie, Auntie!"

Tang Wanning's eyes lit up.

I saw a little boy running in. He was dressed in crimson-colored clothes, holding a three-foot curved bow in his hand, and his eyes, which were very similar to Tang Wanning's, were icy clear and lovely.

"Auntie, you are back!"

"Chang'er!" Tang Wanning's eyes turned red as she hugged her little nephew.

"Chang'er, don't be rude, how did Auntie teach you last night, hurry up and salute to auntie?" The young lady of the Tang family looked at her son tenderly and with a smile.

Tang Yichang tilted his little head and thought for a while, and he twisted his body and stood out from Tang Wanning's arms. His small body stood upright, with his small fists in his hands.

"Chang'er salutes the princess and aunt!"

The six-year-old doll is already very sensible, although her voice is childish, her movements are already mature like a little adult, making the whole family laugh together.

"This child is really getting smarter and smarter. I have never taught him that way. I guess it was your idea." Mrs. Tang looked at the eldest daughter-in-law and laughed heartily.

"Mother, Chang'er is still young, it's always right to learn more manners and manners, I also taught some casually!" The eldest young lady smiled lightly, knowing the book.

"Okay, okay! You're doing the right thing, and you won't have to tell those civil servants to say that our Tang family has no rules! Hmph!" Mrs. Tang sat on the chair, her eyes were bright and her posture was dignified.

Tang Wanning smiled, pinched her little nephew's chubby cheeks, "Get up quickly, our young master of the Tang family is really polite!"

"Thank you, aunt!" Tang Yichang bent his body before getting up, causing everyone in the room to laugh again.

The women in the backyard were laughing and laughing, but the front yard was much quieter.

At this moment, Xia Houjue was sitting in the front seat, Tang Zhenxiao was sitting on his left, and Tang's eldest son and second son were sitting on the two stools below.

"Why don't you see the third young master?"

When facing his father-in-law, Xia Houjue deliberately put on a rare smile, but the smile was a little unnatural and looked a little creepy.

The careless Tang Zhenxiao didn't pay attention, and only said respectfully.

"Gouzi always likes to go out and travel. Since March this year, he set off from the north all the way to the south, and never came back. There are a few letters from his family, but the return date is uncertain!"

"So it is like this!" Xia Houjue held his lips with difficulty.

No wonder that woman always looks like I've seen everything, and I don't care about anything. It turns out that there is such a well-informed brother beside her.

"Gu is very envious of people who walk away like this, read thousands of books and travel thousands of miles!" Xia Houjue narrowed his eyes, with envy flashing faintly in his eyes.

When he was young, he also had ambitions in all directions, wanted to travel to famous mountains and rivers, and wanted to go out vigorously.

But in the end, he was still trapped in the square inch deep palace, in the square quagmire, as a loach drilling the sand, secretly laying out plots and disturbing the situation.

On the bright side, he still smiled, despite the knife called hatred stabbing his heart repeatedly.

When his heart was heavy, Tang Zhenxiao suddenly smiled heartily.

"His Royal Highness is a great talent, assisting the emperor in governing the country, that is... a great ability, I really admire it!"

He didn't know how to flatter, so he was at a loss for words. Thinking about it, His Royal Highness shouldn't blame him.

Sure enough, Xia Houjue was not angry, but just smiled.

"The general is serious!"

After you came and I exchanged polite words, everyone was at a loss for words.

The few big men were not good at talking, so they fell into silence at this moment, staring at me and you, the atmosphere was a little awkward.

After a while, it was Xia Houjue who spoke first.

"General Tang, what's the situation on the northwest border these years?"

Speaking of the northwest border, Tang Zhenxiao had something to talk about, so he told Xia Houjue all the battles between the northwest and several barbarian tribes over the years like a few treasures.

Finally, he stroked his beard apprehensively.

"His Royal Highness, the old man doesn't understand the twists and turns in the court, he only knows how to fight, and he can only fight. Please excuse me if you have a few words!"

"Say!" Xia Houjue said with a serious expression.

"In the past five or six years, several barbarian tribes have become stronger and stronger, and there is still a faint situation of collusion. In the war three years ago, the old man led his troops to severely damage the enemy. Now that three years have passed, they have had enough rest and become more restless. There have been frequent changes recently!"

"I'm afraid...the days of peace in the northwest are numbered. I hope the imperial court is prepared. I'm afraid there will be another tough battle to come!"

"How could this be?" Xia Houjue's complexion was heavy and his voice was thick.

"The climate in the north is harsh, and they can only live by grazing cattle and sheep. They have long coveted the fertile territory of my Great Xia Dynasty, and they are a nation on horseback. Once they fight, I'm afraid...the losses will be immeasurable! "

"How many soldiers do you have now, and how long can you keep them safe?" Xia Houjue said bluntly.

Regardless of the conspiracy and struggle in the palace, he can't ignore the people of the world.

"The veteran only has [-] infantry and [-] cavalry. These soldiers are the savings of the veteran's life. Although there are a lot of them, most of them have reached the age of this old man. I'm afraid it will be impossible to fight! It won't last for three months. .”

"Then recruit again!" Xia Houjue made a decisive decision.

"But there is no food and grass for the army. Since three years ago, the emperor has halved the military salary here and then halved it. The food and grass are even more pitiful!"

Tang Zhenxiao didn't care much, and complained about the emperor without showing any sympathy.

Xia Houjue blamed him flawlessly, only frowned and clenched his fists tightly: "Three months, how can three months be enough?!"

"Gudu has seen that the bandits in the Gobi Desert in the north of the city are making trouble. The Crown Princess also said that some of the bandits here are starving people and some are not!"

"Anyway... this matter can't be delayed any longer!"

The emperor's self-confidence is too high, the courtiers are busy fighting among themselves, the national power is no longer as strong as it was in the past, and the national treasury has long been empty. The current Great Xia Dynasty is just a paper tiger.

It's okay to say it to bluff people, but if you really want to be real, I'm afraid you won't be the opponent.

"Your Highness, please show me!" Tang Zhenxiao stood up and knelt on one knee, clasping his fists.

"As long as His Royal Highness gives an order, the three of us, father and son of the Tang family, will go to battle to kill the enemy, and will never back down. We will defend Yongguan City to the death!"

Xia Houjue looked at the father and son kneeling in front of him, and suddenly thought of himself back then.

At that time, he really lacked experience, let alone mention it.

"You all get up!"

"I know that your Tang family has been loyal and good for generations, and I also know...my father has wronged you!"

"But..." Xia Houjue's eyes were troubled.

After a long while, he finally took out an exquisite tiger-head token from his sleeve.

"When it's really urgent, go to the southwest and send [-] troops to protect the people in the northwest from being bullied!"

"Yes!" Tang Zhenxiao's voice was loud and deafening.

　The last paragraph is super difficult to write. It took a long time to delete, delete, and modify. Haha, no matter how scolded in the comment area, I will write meticulously and happily. It is so stubborn!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)