Chapter 97
In the past regime of Jing Country, there were two issues encountered during military expeditions. One was entering the malarial jungle during the scorching summer, where the high temperature could easily cause severe illness among the soldiers. The other was fighting at the border during the bitter cold, where many soldiers would freeze to death amidst the ice and snow.
"Your Majesty, did you just mention winter expeditions?"
Duke of Dingguo was startled by the Emperor's words and looked up in astonishment.
"What can a dress made by Concubine Liu do?!"
Not only Duke of Dingguo, but all the military generals present at the morning court had stopped their clamor. Even the Minister of War, Ma Rui, was staring at Emperor Xiao Yunzhou without blinking.
Xiao Yunzhou, with an expression that seemed to say 'Didn't I just tell you not to rush?', stood up from his throne.
"Since Duke of Dingguo is curious, let's go to the drill ground together."
Duke of Dingguo was taken aback, and the other generals and ministers of the War Department who stayed in the capital followed Xiao Yunzhou out with curiosity.
The group of civil ministers followed with twitching lips.
"Mr. Liu, haven't you heard about the fur coats that the Empress developed?" Jiang Li curiously squeezed next to Liu Wenchang.
"I don't know," Liu Wenchang waved his hand and firmly closed his mouth, "I don't know anything, I'm also very surprised."
The civil ministers: "..." They were really fed up with this old man!
The morning court session had just started not long ago, and daybreak was just beginning. All the civil and military officials followed Xiao Yunzhou out of the Hall of Humble Administration, shivering in the cold.
The North wind was howling, and their official robes were no match for it.
When the ministers entered the palace, they were covered in fur or cloaks made of mink or rat fur. But since they had just had an audience with the Emperor, they had taken off their cloaks and handed them to the young eunuchs when they entered the Hall of Humble Administration.
Now, the morning court session was not over yet, and the young eunuchs dared not appear. The ministers, without their cloaks and furs, were shivering from the cold, and had to tolerate it!
"Hisss—" The frail civil ministers had already shrunk their necks and dared not speak.
The moment they opened their mouths, the cold wind would pour directly into their throats.
The generals were okay, after all, they were used to the hard days, hunger, and cold.
"Your Majesty, let's walk a bit faster, so we don't freeze the elderly ministers to death," Duke of Dingguo still had the leisure to care about the civil ministers.
But after saying this, Duke of Dingguo also sucked in a breath of cold air.
The nape of his neck felt like it was frozen by the sudden drop in temperature outside.
His limbs were stiff, and his movements were slowing down.
Ah, he was old.
He couldn't even stand the cold in the capital.
Think about the border, with few trees and low walls, the ice was three or four times thicker than in the capital.
During the reign of the previous Emperor, when the armies of Jing and Chu were at a standoff, he had led his soldiers to guard in the icy land for an entire night. By the next morning, many of the soldiers had frozen stiff.
He was strong back then and survived. But that night, he was carried into the tent and it took him a while to recover.
Ah.
Now he was old, completely old...
Duke of Dingguo looked worried as he looked towards the northwest direction.
The wind in the capital this year was sharper.
It must be colder at the border.
He didn't know how many soldiers stationed at the border had fallen ill or frozen to death.
"Your Majesty, you know. I don't like to joke about matters related to war."
Duke of Dingguo clenched his square face, his white beard was wet from the condensation of his breath.
He was the first to follow the Emperor into the drill ground, and said in a deep voice, "If you're trying to deceive me today, I will resign immediately!"
Xiao Yunzhou's mouth twitched.
Look, one by one, they are all his elders, all subjects of the Former Emperor!
Their loyalty exists, but it's not to him, Xiao Yunzhou, the emperor, but to the Jing Country left by the Former Emperor!
From beginning to end, they are not completely devoted to him, the successor to the throne.
Xiao Yunzhou takes a deep breath, turns his head to see a bewildered Liu Wenchang standing in the corner, and the feeling of defeat in his heart suddenly dissipates.
He needs to learn from Concubine Liu, learn from Concubine Liu.
I'm not angry.
Even when her own father stole the money for her candied hawthorn, Concubine Liu didn't get angry.
What is he angry about?
He was just robbed of his subjects' loyalty by his own father.
Sooner or later, he will gain the trust of these old subjects!
Xiao Yunzhou calms his mind and waves to Wei Zheng, "Choose two groups of guards, one group to wear Concubine Liu's down jackets, and one group to wear normal cotton clothes."
"Group fight!"
In the schoolyard, rows of weapon racks stand tall.
The guards follow orders, drop their weapons on the spot, take off their original cotton clothes, breathe white mist in the cold, but they remain silent.
The Duke of Dingguo's eyes flashed with satisfaction, and he praised.
Turning his head, he saw five little eunuchs carrying five trays filled with new winter clothes.
At this sight, the Duke of Dingguo didn't even care about his own coldness, widened his eyes and stroked his beard, "Emperor, is this the new winter clothes you've been praising?"
"Bullshit!"
Xiao Yunzhou's eyebrows twitched.
Over there, the Duke of Dingguo saw on this tray — winter clothes that were almost twice as thick as the old ones, and he was so anxious that he sprayed, "These new clothes are four to five inches thicker than the old ones! The palace ladies don't know the battlefield situation. Warmth is important, but if they can't move around, what's the use of looking like a bear!"
"When someone stabs at you with a spear, the clothes are so thick, dumb and bloated, how can you dodge it!"
"Your head is about to be poked off... it's as warm as July, but it's useless! It's obstructive, obstructive!"
The Duke of Dingguo was so angry that he didn't even want to scold the ladies, surely, this mistake must be the emperor's fault, "Emperor, are you confused? It's normal for palace ladies to not understand, but you don't understand either, what a waste that you even learned archery with me."
"Ah, I've taught you in vain, I might as well teach your palace ladies directly! Perhaps the palace ladies would learn better than you, it makes me furious!"
The Duke of Dingguo always had a hot temper, like a firecracker when he was young, and even more so as he got older.
The whole court was looking at their toes.
After Xiao Yunzhou ascended the throne, he proposed that the Duke of Dingguo, under the pretext of caring for the Duke's old injuries, only needed to attend the morning court three times a month.
This approach was absolutely right.
If the Duke of Dingguo attended the morning court a few more times, the emperor would sooner or later be annoyed to death by him.
Sure enough, when they looked at Xiao Yunzhou's expression, they saw he was not lightly angry — his face was red, and he was trying hard to hold back his laughter...
Hmm?
The whole court was stunned.
The emperor is holding back... laughter?!
The Duke of Dingguo finished scolding the emperor, without any regret.
While he was still alive, he should scold the emperor a few more times, wake him up, and stop the emperor from living in a dream. Otherwise, once his old eyes closed and the Jing Country faced war, the country would be in danger!
He would rather the emperor hate him and fear him now, than let the country fall and the emperor be forced to hang himself by the enemy in the future!
Duke of Dingguo's eyes, like those of a tiger, stared unblinkingly at Xiao Yunzhou, only to quickly become stupefied.
With his hands behind his back, Xiao Yunzhou gave a small smile and lifted his chin towards the Duke, signaling him to look back at the guards on the field.
"Duke of Dingguo, you taught me, and I haven't forgotten."
"Plan before settling on the battlefield."
"But today, it seems you've forgotten this principle yourself. You haven't observed carefully, so why are you rushing to conclusions?"
"Duke of Dingguo, turn around and see."
The Duke blinked, then finally turned around.
During the turning process, he had already seen the surprised look in the eyes of the Minister of the Military Department next to him, gazing behind him.
The Duke quickly followed his gaze and was instantly taken aback.
He saw the five guards who had taken off their old clothes, accepting the thick, new-style winter clothes, about four or five inches thick, from the hands of the young eunuch.
With just a pat, the thick winter clothes were instantly pressed flat on the ground!
These five guards, holding the winter clothes, were stunned, "So light!"
What?
Duke of Dingguo perked up his ears and widened his eyes.
How could such a thick piece of clothing be light?
But very soon he saw that these five guards, now wearing the new-style winter clothes, moved like cheetahs, swift as lightning, and threw the guards in old clothes over their shoulders and onto the ground!
Everyone in the court was left with their mouths open.
The Duke's eyes were almost popping out of his head.