Yin Lihua asked, "Will Your Majesty give them the two counties of Lelang and Xuanyu?" ”

Liu Xiu shrugged his shoulders and said categorically: "This is impossible! I won't give up an inch of the Han family's land. ”

Yin Lihua breathed a sigh of relief, and then said with some concern: "But you can't let the Goguryeo people make trouble at the border. ”

Liu Xiu sighed, the problem of Goguryeo is really very difficult to handle. It's not that the Goguryeo people are good at fighting, in Liu Xiu's eyes, the Goguryeo soldiers can belong to the shrimp soldiers and crab generals, mainly because the road is too far away.

If the imperial court sends troops to attack, it is estimated that it will take several months just to walk from Luoyang to the border, and the consumption is too great, and the imperial court does not have such a thick family foundation to do the consumption.

But if he didn't fight, Goguryeo kicked his nose and face again, and he didn't stop at the border, making a lot of trouble.

The best way is to solve the border problem by the border counties themselves, and if there is a capable and trustworthy Taishou who can fight in the border counties and solve the harassment of Goguryeo, it would be the best.

After this idea came to Liu Xiu's mind, the more he pondered it, the more it made sense. But the question is, who are going to be sent to the border to be this guard? Liu Xiu couldn't think of too good candidates for a while.

From noon to noon, Liu Xiu had dinner in the West Palace. Because there is the Son of Heaven, the meal in the West Palace today is also very rich, Liu Xiu ate a bite of red stewed elbow, and felt that it was well done, the meat was tender and melted in the mouth.

He picked up a piece, put it in Yin Lihua's bowl, and said with a smile: "Today's red stewed elbow is really good, Lihua also tastes it." ”

Yin Lihua smiled at Liu Xiu, and as soon as she put the meat in her mouth, she spit it out, then covered her mouth and whined and retched.

Liu Xiu was startled, hurriedly got up, and shouted sideways: "Quickly ask the imperial doctor!" ”

Soon, the imperial physician rushed over when he heard the news and finished diagnosing Yin Lihua's pulse, the imperial physician smiled, and said to Liu Xiu: "Congratulations to Your Majesty, congratulations to your nobles, your nobles are happy!" ”

Hearing this, Liu Xiu's eyes lit up, and the expression on his face was also surprised and delighted, so Zhang Kun rewarded the imperial doctor, and then walked up to Yin Lihua, held her hand, and said, "Lihua is going to add an heir to me again!" ”

Yin Lihua didn't expect that she would get pregnant again so soon, after all, it had only been two or three months since His Majesty returned to Luoyang.

She gently stroked her lower abdomen, glanced at Liu Xiu, and asked rhetorically: "How does Your Majesty know that the concubine is pregnant with a prince, not a princess?" ”

Liu Xiu laughed and said: "As long as it is born to Lihua, whether it is a prince or a princess, I like it!" ”

When Yin Lihua heard this, her heart was warm, and she put her head close to Liu Xiu's arms.

In the afternoon, Liu Xiu did not work, but stayed in the West Palace to accompany Yin Lihua. The two were sweet, Zhang Kun walked to the door of the hall and said, "Your Majesty! ”

"Come in!"

Zhang Kun lowered his head, walked into the main hall, and said, "Your Majesty, the great Sikong asks to see you." ”

If other ministers ask to see him, Liu Xiu may change places to meet him, but Li Tong is his own family, and Liu Xiu doesn't need to talk so much about etiquette. He smiled and said, "Please come to the West Palace to see me." ”

"Yes! Your Majesty! Zhang Kun agreed, bowed, and exited the hall.

Knowing that Li Tong was coming to the West Palace, Yin Lihua wanted to get up from Liu Xiu's arms, but was held back by him, and the latter said happily: "The dimension is not an outsider, it doesn't matter." ”

Yin Lihua's face turned red, and in the end she continued to snuggle in Liu Xiu's arms without moving.

After a while, Li Tong walked in from the outside, and saw Liu Xiu sitting lazily on the collapse, and holding Yin Lihua in his arms, his body stiffened, and he considered whether he should withdraw first.

Liu Xiu smiled: "The dimension is here, sit here!" ”

Li Tong lowered his head, walked to the side of the bedding, and knelt down. Liu Xiu asked, "What's the matter with the dimension?" ”

"Wechen has two things." Li Tong lowered his head and said, "First, the price of grain in Luoyang has been rising recently. ”

Liu Xiu blinked his eyes and said, "I remember that all parts of the country have not been affected by disasters this year, and there has been no lack of grain harvest. ”

Li Tong Zhengse said: "Your Majesty, Weichen has sent someone to find out the reason for the rise in grain prices. First, grain merchants joined hands to stock up grain and raise grain prices, and second, some grain merchants secretly spread rumors that the imperial court had taken out all the emergency grain in order to support the Western Expedition, and that there would be a serious shortage of grain in the capital this year. ”

Liu Xiu's face sank suddenly, and he said, "These grain merchants, they are so bold! As he spoke, he patted Yin Lihua in his arms, then sat up straight and asked, "What are you going to do?" ”

Li Tong said: "Weichen plans to set up a banquet in the palace and invite the big grain merchants in the city to participate, at that time, Weichen will explain the stakes to them, if they are interested, they will naturally choose to stop, if they are not interested, they will continue to maliciously store grain and raise the price of grain, then, you need to ask Your Majesty to decide." ”

A glint flashed in Liu Xiu's eyes, and he said: "For profiteers like this, they need to be severely punished!" No matter what the dimension does with them, I will support it! ”

Li Tong bowed and said: "With Your Majesty's words, Weichen is relieved." After a pause, he added: "The second thing is that Weichen plans to inspect the banks of the river and check whether there are any omissions in flood control in various places. ”

Liu Xiu thought for a while and said: "Beware along the river has always been a difficult problem that has plagued the imperial court, and in many places, the terrain is steep and extremely dangerous, so I want to go to investigate it in person, I ...... I don't agree. ”

Li Tong Zhengse said: "Your Majesty, this time Weichen used emergency food, the emergency reserve of the imperial court, only 100,000 stones, along the river, there must not be any sloppiness, any accidents, do not go through it in person, Weichen is really not at ease!" ”

Liu Xiu frowned and asked, "Can't you send someone below to inspect?" ”

Li Tong said: "As long as the minister goes in person, he will be at ease." ”

Liu Xiu pondered for a long time and said, "Then, the dimensional must be more careful!" ”

Li Tong smiled: "Your Majesty, rest assured, Weichen will pay attention!" ”

Yin Lihua asked, "How is the recent health of the dimension?" "Yin Lihua and Li Tong have a good relationship, and before, she hid in Li Tong's Zhuangzi for a long time.

Li Tong owed to Yin Lihua, and said with a smile: "Thank you for your concern, Weichen's body is much stronger than before." ”

Yin Lihua Zhengse said: "The dimension is now a big sikong, and the affairs are complicated, so you can't work too hard, don't get tired." ”

Li Tong hummed and nodded again and again.

Liu Xiu said: "The matter of the grain merchant, the dimension doesn't have to take care of it, I'll deal with it." ”

"This ......" Li Tong looked embarrassed, this was originally his own job, but now it is very inappropriate to push it to His Majesty.

Liu Xiu saw what Li Tong was thinking, and said: "The time required for the dimension to inspect the banks of the river is not short, go early and return early." ”

Now there is still some time before the flood situation, at this time to inspect, the risk factor is not high, if it is delayed until the flood time to inspect, it is really too dangerous, accidents may happen at any time.

Li Tongying said: "Weichen knows, thank you Your Majesty!" ”

After Li Tong left, Liu Xiu also left the West Palace and went to the Qingliang Palace, and at the same time asked Zhang Kun to pass on the decree and summon Dong Xuan, the commander of Luoyang, and Zhang Ben, the county lieutenant.

After more than half a time, Dong Xuan and Zhang Ben came to the palace together.

The two walked into the main hall and looked up, Liu Xiu was sitting in the center.

Dong Xuan and Zhang Ben bowed their hands together and said, "Weichen greets Your Majesty!" ”

Liu Xiu waved his hand, signaling the two of them to be flat, and he asked: "Recently, Luoyang grain merchants have hoarded grain and raised grain prices, do you two know?" ”

Dong Xuan and Zhang Ben glanced at each other, and the former said: "Recently, the price of grain in Luoyang has risen, but the specific reason is not clear to Weichen. ”

Liu Xiu said: "Because of the westward expedition, Dasi Air Conditioning provided a part of the emergency grain, and some grain merchants took advantage of the problem to spread rumors and raise grain prices at the same time, so as to make a windfall. What do you think should be done about this matter? ”

Zhang Ben Zhengse said: "Weichen believes that these insatiable illegal traders should be treated with an iron fist and severely punished!" ”

"What did County Lieutenant Zhang say about severe punishment and no loans?"

"Behead the public as an example." Zhang Ben said in a deep voice.

Liu Xiu didn't speak immediately. Dong Xuan glanced at Zhang Ben and said: "Your Majesty, you can't be too tough on dealing with grain merchants, otherwise, the Luoyang grain market is bound to be chaotic, and the price of grain will be higher. ”

"Hmm!" Regarding what Dong Xuan said, Liu Xiu thought it was reasonable, and he asked: "So, what does Dong Xianling mean?" ”

"Wechen thinks that it is only necessary to deter and warn the grain merchants, so that the grain merchants can understand that their actions have angered the imperial court, and if they continue to do nonsense, there is only a dead end, so that Wechen believes that most of the grain merchants will stop."

Liu Xiu nodded again and again, Dong Xuan's statement was very much in line with his mind. He said: "What Dong County Decree said is very much in line with my wishes, and this matter will be handled by Dong County Order." The county government can give appropriate rewards to grain merchants who are sensible and willing to stop, and the county government can also take tough measures for some obsessive grain merchants! ”

"Yes! Your Majesty! Dong Xuan and Zhang Ben both bowed in response.

Leaving the palace, on the way back to the county government, Zhang Ben said: "My lord, I think this time, one of us has to be white-faced and the other red-faced. ”

Dong Xuan thought for a while and said, "Okay!" ”

Zhang Ben was overjoyed and said busily: "My lord, you can do ......"

"I'll make a white face, and you will make a red face." Dong Xuan said: "If you can't talk, it's okay to kill one or two people on the spot." ”

"Hey!" Zhang Ben nodded in response, shook his head and smiled, he knew that this offending people and doing dirty work would have to fall on his head in the end.

Dong Xuan glanced at him and asked rhetorically, "What?" Could it be that the county lieutenant wants me to draw my sword and kill someone? ”

"No, no, no, of course Xia Guan didn't mean that!" Zhang Ben waved his hand again and again with a smile on his face.

"Zhang Ben, wait for you to go to Baixianglou, wrap up the entire wine house, and use it tonight." Dong Xuan said.

Zhang Ben first nodded in response, and then asked in a low voice, "What about the money for Baixianglou?" ”

Dong Xuan said: "Don't worry, you don't have to pay this money, it comes from the county government." ”

Zhang Ben smiled and said, "Xiaguan is going to Baixiang Tower!" ”

Baixianglou is a wine house located in Luoyang Guo District, the scale is not small, up and down two floors, just running there are more than a dozen guys.

On weekdays, the business of the wine house is good, and in Luoyang, it can be regarded as the No. 1 restaurant. Of course, compared with the big restaurants in the city, it is still a grade worse.

That night, Luoyang ordered Dong Xuan to invite all the grain merchants in Luoyang to Baixiang Building.

Dong Xuan's face, there is really no one who dares not to give it. First, Dong Xuan is Luoyang Ling, Luoyang's parent official, for businessmen, offending Dong Xuan, it is undoubtedly self-inflicted.

Second, Dong Xuan is a well-known person, even Liu Huang dared to offend back then, in front of His Majesty, he dared to stiffen his neck and refused to kowtow.

But none of the grain merchants who received Dong Xuan's invitation made excuses for not coming.

When everyone arrived, the hall on the second floor was almost full, and there were more than 20 grain merchants of all sizes. These grain merchants not only control the grain market in Luoyang, but also control the grain market in most of the towns in Henan County.

Glancing around at the people present, Dong Xuan cleared his throat and said, "Everyone is here, I won't say much nonsense, I want to know, what's going on with the recent rise in grain prices in Luoyang?" ”

The grain merchants looked at each other, and one of them said: "Dong County Order, there are too many people buying grain now, and there is not enough grain to sell, so the price of this grain will naturally rise." ”

The other grain merchants nodded their heads, indicating that they were right.

Dong Xuan laughed out loud and asked, "So, why are there so many people buying grain now?" ”

Without waiting for the grain merchants to speak, Dong Xuan restrained his smile and said coldly: "I have heard that someone is secretly spreading rumors, saying that there will be a serious shortage of food in the capital in the near future, which will cause panic among the people, and the people are crazy to buy food, I don't know, who are the people who spread the rumors?" All of you here, are there also people who are secretly manipulating rumors? ”