The young emperor and Zheng Yuheng both seemed reluctant to show their "annoyance", "targeting" and "dislike" in front of the Empress Dowager.
　　In order to maintain the impression in the heart of the Empress Dowager, the two had to pretend to be generous and natural, and spent the whole autumn in a very awkward atmosphere.
　　In addition to receiving disaster relief documents from Fuzhou from time to time, Dong Lingjiu also found that Meng Zhaiyue finally made a move.
　　Since returning from the inner prison that day, Meng Zhaiyue locked herself in the mansion for several days without seeing anyone. I don’t know if she was frightened by the torture scene or "trapped by love"?
　　Fortunately, this only lasted for three or five days. After that, Princess Zhaoyang changed her usual behavior and went to the Dali Temple to review the judicial files of previous years. At first, the Dali Temple was startled, and it was only after asking the emperor that the princess was allowed to stay.
　　Fortunately, she was checking the case files of previous years, and she was very well behaved, unlike the arrogant and jumpy in the past, and even helped to sort out one or two errors in the date. Over time, the Dali Temple had no objections, and because the princess was here, she enjoyed the tea and snacks sent by the princess's mansion.
　　Since the inner prison was responsible for torture, it often had exchanges with the Dali Temple. Dong Lingjiu estimated that the two of them should have met more than once, but judging from the quiet posture, it seemed that nothing happened after the meeting.
　　She was relieved.
　　Another thing that relieved her was that when Dong Lingjiu was planning and arranging for disaster relief and was unable to fulfill her "promise", Zheng Yuheng happened to be too drunk, and it seemed that she didn't remember her promise in her mind, or maybe she remembered it but didn't dare to speak out.
　　The little doctor just waited for her eagerly, serving and waiting as usual.
　　Until the autumn passed and the early winter came, the first thin snow covered the window lattice.
　　Dong Lingjiu received another disaster relief from Fuzhou. Wei Que, the Minister of State, did a better job than she had imagined. The imperial envoy's wrist was very tough, and the local snakes could not suppress it for a while, so they had to spit out the benefits that were about to come to their mouths.
　　However, most of the people who arrived at the Cining Palace at this time were the situations reported by Wei Que. If you want to confirm the truth, you still need the detailed accounts and official documents in Wei Que's hands.
　　After reading the memorials submitted, Dong Lingjiu sent someone to summon General Geng Zhe to the palace.
　　Geng Zhe entered the palace in the afternoon and saluted outside the pearl curtain as usual. Dong Lingjiu said casually: "General, no need to be polite." General Geng
　　looked up and saw the dignified and upright figure of the Empress Dowager through a thin curtain of pearls and jade. She was sitting behind the desk, holding an imperial pen dipped in cinnabar in her hand, and bowed her head in thought.
　　Beside Empress Dowager Dong, the imperial physician Zheng, who had only met once but had left a deep impression on General Geng, was copying documents very quietly and docilely, with a very focused look.
　　He was a little surprised that the Cining Palace could still maintain such a calm situation when the matter had been fermenting in the court for so long and His Majesty should have known about it - the new emperor's broad mind and tolerance made General Geng a little dazed.
　　Reminded by the auspicious snow, Dong Lingjiu raised her eyes to look outside the beaded curtain. She did not mention official business first, but said gently and casually: "General Geng has snow on his shoulder."
　　Geng Zhe tilted his head and saw that the left shoulder of his robe was wet with melted snow, with only a shallow layer of crystal still covering it. He bowed and said: "The Empress Dowager cares about me and I will be grateful."
　　"There is no need to be grateful," Dong Lingjiu said, "I just remembered that... when the first snow falls in the year, Kyoto will hold a fairy parade along Jinxiu Street outside the palace to celebrate the good time of the year. The girls in the capital dress up as fairy concubines in heaven and go to Yongning Temple to worship and pray."
　　General Geng was silent for a moment, and followed her words to think of the Empress Dowager's past when she was young. It is not an exaggeration to say that she was the most respected person in the capital, and it is no wonder that the Prince of the East Palace came in person to propose marriage at that time.
　　He said, "If your Majesty misses the magnificent scenery, you might as well go out of the palace to take a look."
　　But Dong Lingjiu shook her head and sighed, "It's only suitable for missing, not for seeing... I summoned you to
　　an audience this time because I have a special request for you." Her relaxed expression gradually restrained, and she became solemn and dignified, with a melancholy look in her eyes: "Wei Que brought people to supervise the relief of food and money for the victims, and traveled to Fuzhou, where he has been staying for several months. The document in my hand is his request to return to Beijing with the account books and many evidences of transactions and negotiations."
　　Geng Zhe bowed his head and bowed, waiting for the next words.
　　"I want you to send a group of people to go quietly to the official road back to Beijing to greet and protect him, so that he can return to Kyoto safely. Because the things in his hands might be the charges or evidence of someone's crime, and might even put someone to death. An innocent man is guilty of possessing a treasure. If these things are targeted by me, firstly, they will not fall into my hands, and secondly, Minister Wei's life will be in danger." When
　　Dong Lingjiu said this, Geng Zhe's back tightened. Thinking of the fact that most of the imperial envoys in the past few years did not have a good end, he felt anxious and broke out in a cold sweat.
　　He realized the seriousness of the matter and immediately replied, "Please rest assured, Your Majesty, I will dispatch the best troops in the camp to protect Minister Wei."
　　Dong Lingjiu relaxed her tone and continued, "Originally, I should have used the Qilin Guard to do this. Commander Jiang was reported by the censor a few days ago for flirting with cats and dogs and sleeping with prostitutes. The report is still in my hands and has not been reviewed... The court and the country are peaceful, but he has nothing to do but stir up trouble. He really needs to be taught a lesson."
　　She paused, "It's a pity that the Qilin Guard is the capital guard. If the two guards in the capital make any move, even As for such a major event as leaving the capital, it must not be done quietly. If you fail to act and alert the enemy, you will be harmed instead. This is why I asked you to come to see me. "
　　General Geng said: "I understand, I will be careful." Dong
　　Lingjiu nodded and sent a female official to escort him out. However, when the female officials moved the bead curtain and came in front of Geng Zhe, General Geng's feet were rooted and he did not move immediately. Instead, he asked: "Excuse me, Empress Dowager... Have you read the secret report submitted to the palace overnight two days ago?"
　　Dong Lingjiu raised her hand to drink tea, and the tea came to her. She paused, took a sip, moistened her throat, and said: "I have read it."
　　General Geng said: "What does the Empress Dowager think?"
　　"What do you think..." Dong Lingjiu put down the teacup, and the hollow armor made of metal and pearls gently knocked on the table, and asked back, "What do you think, General?"
　　"I advocate the conquest of the north." This is what Geng Zhe had been waiting for. "In the first year of Xining, when Your Majesty first ascended the throne, I cleared out the pirates and bandits and led the Shenwu Army south to quell the rebellion. The country was not peaceful enough to take care of the unrest in the northern border. Nowadays, the northern border is increasingly plundered and disturbed by nomadic tribes. After the autumn harvest, there are signs that grain, cattle, sheep, and even women are looted by small groups of nomadic cavalry."
　　When he said this, seeing that Dong Lingjiu did not interrupt him, he continued in a stiff tone: "It is also described in the secret report that the various nomadic tribes have plans to unite and go south to invade Dayin. They actually formed an alliance. It has only been more than ten years since the northern border was pacified, and this group of people have forgotten the original agreement!"
　　Dong Lingjiu pressed her lips together without saying a word. After a long time, she suddenly asked: "General, do you remember who pacified the northern border?"
　　Geng Zhe replied: "It was Qin He."
　　"Yes, the general who conquered the north, Qin He." Dong Lingjiu nodded, "Do you remember his end?"
　　Geng Zhe was stunned for a moment, he clenched his fists and said solemnly: "Qin He is brave and unmatched, but also arrogant and reckless. He is good at military affairs and fighting, but he also despises the emperor, abuses his power and advances recklessly. He has great wealth and has made great contributions, but he is also a traitor, colludes with court officials, deceives his superiors and subordinates, and has a disloyal heart."
　　He added: "I am definitely not that kind of person."
　　Dong Lingjiu shook his head and said: "He was charged with treason, but he was not beheaded. He died from battle injuries and illness after the Northern Expedition. Because of this, the Qin Party collapsed in one fell swoop."
　　Geng Zhe did not understand for a moment.
　　She said slowly: "I am afraid of two things. First, I am not afraid that you will commit crimes and rebel against the Meng family because you hold absolute military power. But I am afraid that the general, a brave general, will die in the wind and snow in the northern border in his prime."
　　Geng Zhe was stunned, but what he said was: "If I can conquer the northern border for the queen mother and incorporate it into the territory of the Great Yin, and die in battle for your expansion of territory, it will be a worthy death."
　　Dong Lingjiu knew that he had this in mind. If only a small number of cavalry were roaming around, it would only take border defenses to strengthen the troops and prevent the nomadic tribes from forming an alliance. Geng Zhe mentioned this at this moment in order to eliminate this scourge forever, expand the territory and make contributions to future generations.
　　Dong Lingjiu said: "Should I let the general stay in the court and maintain peace for 30 years, or let the general march north to fight for eternal achievements? I am undecided. This is the first option, as for the second option..."
　　She coughed lightly, and suddenly turned to look at Zheng Yuheng who was carefully copying documents beside her, and called out, "Yuheng?"
　　Zheng Yuheng raised his head when he heard the words, as if he was not listening to the affairs of the court, and blinked at the Empress Dowager.
　　Dong Lingjiu repeated the incident and asked him, "What do you think?"
　　Zheng Yuheng looked at her, then at General Geng outside the curtain, and said carefully, "Can I say this?"
　　Dong Lingjiu: "Speak frankly."
　　Zheng Yuheng put down the imperial pen, stood up and saluted the empress dowager, and said in a clear voice, "In my humble opinion, I think it's not possible. Please, Your Majesty, put the people's livelihood first and give them a rest. This is what will benefit the world and bless the people. Once the troops are sent out, the military pay and increased taxes, plus this year's disaster relief funds, and your majesty only ascended the throne last year... all these things together will make it difficult for the people of the world to live a good life."
　　Dong Lingjiu nodded, thinking that this child really has the foundation of a civil official. Most of the civil officials in the court and the public must hold this view, and their words will be more intense and severe than Zheng Yuheng's.
　　As soon as he finished speaking, General Geng had already raised his thick black eyebrows, and his voice was almost murderous: "As a medical officer, Doctor Zheng should just serve the Empress. You are not too clear about your status to point fingers and make comments on the major events of the court and the public."
　　Zheng Yuheng was not afraid of him. When faced with such a situation, his cold and stubborn civil official spirit was revealed. He said: "General, please forgive me. Although I am just a medical officer, I also know that this is suspected of being a warmongering."
　　Geng Zhe said: "This will eliminate the trouble forever!"
　　He was a military officer with a low voice, which was inevitably impressive when he raised his voice. Dong Lingjiu drank a sip of tea, tapped his fingertips on the table, and stopped him: "Okay, the civil officials in the court and the public will at least have a three-day and three-night quarrel with you... This is the lightest. This is the second."
　　The author has something to say:
　　General Geng: balabalabala
　　Xiao Zheng: balabalabala
　　Queen Mother:... Ah. I really want to take a vacation.