Hairpin Phoenix

   Chapter 362 Steady

   The battle reports of successive defeats came, and the ministers in the cabinet couldn't hold back.

   Mr. Qiao Ge and six ministers gathered in Wenhua Hall. The Imperial Guard General Liang was also invited. The Fourth Prince had a certain say in such political occasions due to his achievements in pacifying the chaos before.

   Several ministers were discussing whether to send more reinforcements. The fourth prince said in a deep voice, "In this battle, all the elites of the Great Wei have come out. The two armies add up to 200,000 people."

   "If you send reinforcements again, you will have to deploy troops from all over the Great Wei Dynasty. I think it can hold up now, but it's not time to send more reinforcements."

   Yang Shangshu of the Ministry of War nodded: "His Royal Highness the Fourth Prince is right, and the minister also thinks that we should wait and see for the time being, and there is no need to rush."

   Old Qiao frowned and said, "Dawei has been defeated one after another, and his morale is low. If we don't send reinforcements, the war will not go well, will it be a complete defeat?"

The fourth prince hurriedly replied: "The capital is so far away, and it takes more than a month for news to come and go. Even if you send troops to support, it will take nearly two months on the road. When you get there, I'm afraid the battle has already been fought. It's over."

   Old Qiao Ge took over the words: "That's why the old minister thought that reinforcements should be dispatched as soon as possible, and we couldn't wait any longer."

   The rest of the ministers were all civil servants and had no knowledge of the war. Some supported reinforcements, while others believed that they should be patient and continue to wait for news.

   General Liang, who had never spoken for a long time, finally opened his mouth: "Wait a minute!"

   Old Qiao Ge looked over and said, "General Liang also thought it was such news?"

General    Liang nodded slightly, and his words were brief and powerful: "The emperor Xingyang and the king are all on the front line, as well as the Meng family's army and the Zhao family's army. If they can't win, it's useless to send garrison troops to reinforce. Just wait!"

  …

   As soon as the Xiaochao meeting was over, the fourth prince went to Jiaofang Palace and asked to see Queen Qiao.

   The fifth prince is not very useful when he is young, and the fourth prince is now in the court, so he can finally be used. Queen Qiao now relies more on the fourth prince, and when she saw the fourth prince, she asked about the affairs of the day.

The fourth prince said in a low voice, "...I thought that two defeats would not be considered a defeat, and the main force of the army is still there. There is no need to rush reinforcements. General Liang thinks the same way. However, Qiao Ge is worried about his father and emperor. The safety of the second brother, I am anxious. I was stopped by the son today, I am afraid that I will soon come to the mother to discuss it. "

   Queen Qiao cheered up and replied: "Don't worry, this palace knows what to do, and can hold on to Qiao Ge and all the civil servants."

  The fourth prince secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

  The civil servants are sitting in the court hall and don’t know anything about war, so it’s best not to point fingers.

   Maybe, the father emperor and the Xingyang king deliberately lost the battle, leading to the army of Yan and Chu.

  A movement is worse than a stillness. At this point, keep calm and wait patiently.

   After the Fourth Prince left, Queen Qiao turned her head and sighed at Lu Mingyu: "You guessed it all."

   Early in the morning, the cabinet was in a hurry to discuss matters. Lu Mingyu said to Queen Qiao: "After successive defeats, Elder Qiao will definitely be unable to hold back. However, with General Yang Shangshu Liang and his fourth brother, they will definitely stop Elder Qiao."

   As a result, Lu Mingyu got it right.

  Lu Mingyu smiled lightly: "Elder Qiao Ge is also wholeheartedly thinking of the country and society."

   However, since the civil servants are not familiar with the war, it is better not to intervene.

  Lu Mingyu thought for a while, and then said: "If Qiao Ge asks to see the queen and persuades to send reinforcements, the queen can stabilize."

   Queen Qiao nodded: "Don't worry! If Elder Qiao really comes, I have to persuade him."

   Before she finished speaking, Cailan came in to report: "Qi to the Empress, Mrs. Qiao Ge came to ask to see you."

   Queen Qiao quickly looked at Lu Mingyu.

  Lu Mingyu stood up: "The mother-in-law is talking to Qiao Ge, and the daughter-in-law will avoid it for the time being."

   When the father and daughter talk, she should not be annoying.

   Queen Qiao nodded slightly: "Alright, you take your brother and sister back to the East Palace first, and come back in the afternoon."

  Lu Mingyu replied with a smile, holding Brother Jue in one hand and Sister Xuan's hand in the other, the mother and son left the Jiaofang Hall together. Just happened to meet Qiao Ge who was waiting outside the hall.

  Qiao Ge old bowed his hands and saluted: "The old minister has seen the crown princess and the empress."

  Lu Mingyu said with a smile: "Elder Qiao, please get up quickly." Then he instructed Brother Jue'er and Sister Xuan: "See your great-grandfather soon."

  叝geer and sister Xuan won't say such long words, but they can bow their hands and salute. The two children, the same size as dumplings, bowed their hands in a serious manner, very childish and cute.

  Elder Qiao Ge always didn't like Lu Mingyu, his grandson-in-law, but he loved the pair of dragon and phoenix brothers and sisters very much, and said with a smile: "The two little princes salute the old minister, and they are ruining the old minister."

   After a few simple greetings, Lu Mingyu left with the child.

  …

   Old Qiao Ge entered Jiaofang Hall and bowed his hands first.

   Queen Qiao hurriedly stood up and helped Qiao Ge Lao: "There are no outsiders here, father don't be too polite, sit down and talk quickly!" She brought tea to Qiao Ge Lao herself.

  Qiao Ge Lao drank the tea served by Queen Qiao, his eyebrows and eyes slightly stretched, and he opened his mouth to tell what happened in the morning.

Originally thinking of winning Queen Qiao's approval, she never thought about it, but Queen Qiao in turn persuaded him: "My father is all for the sake of the great Wei Jiangshan, and my daughter understands it. However, my daughter doesn't know about war, and my father is also a civil servant. In the war, with the emperor and the king of Xingyang, there is no big mistake. There are Yang Shangshu and General Liang in the court, father may wish to listen to their advice."

   Old Qiao Ge: "..."

  Old Qiao Ge was dumbfounded for a moment, then sighed: "It's okay. The old minister has written down what the Empress said."

Empress Qiao saw her old father with white temples and a hard-working expression on his face. She felt quite uncomfortable, and said in a soft voice, "It's not that I don't trust my father. It's just that the emperor had instructed him before he left to entrust his father with all government affairs in the court. The hand. When my father manages the affairs of the government well, he has fulfilled the loyalty of his ministers."

   "The emperor is not the one who waits to die to save face and suffer. If reinforcements are needed, he will make an order. Now that there is no such order, the court must be stabilized."

  Elder Qiao Ge was silent for a moment, then nodded: "The Queen's concubine said it well, but the old minister was too impatient and lost his composure."

   Queen Qiao smiled and comforted Qiao Ge Lao: "Everyone is flustered when encountering such a thing. To tell my father, I have already messed up my hands and feet. Thanks to Lu's calmness, he often gives me ideas."

   "Even the affairs of the cabinet, she expected it."

   Therefore, it was Lu Mingyu who persuaded Queen Qiao to support Yang Shangshu and General Liang.

   Old Qiao Ge was a little dissatisfied, and couldn't help but say: "The harem must not be involved in politics. It is a good thing for the empress to trust her daughter-in-law, so don't let her go too far."

   Queen Qiao glanced at Mr. Qiao Ge and said calmly, "She is right, so what's the harm in listening to her."

   Old Qiao Ge: "..."

   (end of this chapter)