A good night's sleep, a sound and sweet sleep. When I was about to wake up in the morning, I felt itching in my nose. A thought crossed my mind, it must be Shuang'er who is causing mischief again.
So Qin Mubai deliberately pretended to be asleep, and scratched his nose as if to turn around. As expected, there was a low chuckle coming from the bedside. At this time, he suddenly opened his eyes and grabbed the hand in front of his face, which made the man scream. It was so scary.
"You're going to scare people to death, you!"
Sure enough, it was Shuang'er who was complaining angrily!
"You girl, you are naughty again." Qin Mubai yawned loudly, "Can't you just let me sleep in?"
"Hehe, do you want to try the little Tiansu made by Sister Yao'er?" Shuang'er said with a smile, "Didn't you promise us yesterday that you would teach us how to play the piano every morning? What, you forgot?"
"Okay, I'll get up!" Qin Mubai chuckled, got up, put on his clothes, washed up, and went directly to the back courtyard with Shuang'er.
Sure enough, Yao'er had prepared a rich and exquisite breakfast, and a group of little girls had already sat down, waiting for Qin Mubai to come and start eating breakfast.
Looking at these dazzling arrays of sweet and delicious breakfasts, Qin Mubai sighed secretly: Yao'er really has a delicate heart with seven orifices. Although his eyes are blind, he is smarter and more dexterous than a sighted person! How many ordinary women can make such an exquisite breakfast
A circle of people gathered around to have breakfast. There were so many people, and the meal seemed to be particularly delicious. Yao'er's craftsmanship was not bad, and Qin Mubai had a great time.
"If this continues, I will gain weight very quickly." Qin Mubai said with a smile, "By the way, let's go to Prince Wu's Mansion together today!"
I thought that Shuang'er and Yao'er would readily agree, but unexpectedly, the two women's reactions were unexpectedly cold. Shuang'er shook her head: "Brother, you go, I won't go."
"If Shuang'er doesn't go, I will naturally go too. I'd better stay here to take care of them." Yao'er said.
"What's wrong?" Qin Mubai couldn't help but be a little surprised, "Didn't you have a lot of fun yesterday? We also made an appointment to go to Prince Wu's Mansion today."
"Nothing..." Shuang'er smiled slightly bitterly and stood up, "You guys rest, I'll clean up the dishes."
After Shuang'er left, Qin Mubai asked Yao'er, "What's wrong with her?"
"Third brother... I don't know whether I should say it or not." Yao'er said, "This morning when you were still sleeping, Duke Yi Guo came."
"Well, what is he doing here?" Qin Mubai asked.
"Probably... I came here specifically to see Shuang'er." Yao'er said, "As for what he said, I'm not sure. Anyway, after Duke Yi left, Shuang'er stayed alone and depressed for a long time. Asked She just shook her head."
"I understand..." Qin Mubai nodded and thought to himself: Dad probably taught Shuang'er a lesson, telling her not to run after me and not to get too close to Li Ke... Dad still objected. Shuang'er and Li Ke are together!
Qin Mubai shook his head and said: "Forget it, just ignore her. I will teach you how to play the piano later. It's cold, you can stay at home and warm yourself by the fire."
"Aren't you in a hurry to go to Prince Wu's Mansion?"
"Don't worry, King Wu will definitely send someone to urge you. It won't be too late to go then."
Later, the three of them got together to study the ancient piano. Qin Mubai taught them to play for a while, and no longer mentioned Shuang'er's troubles. Finally, she put aside her worries for the time being and started laughing happily again.
More than an hour later, Yin Yang drove a carriage to pick them up, and two carriages came. Qin Mubai told him that he was going alone. Yin Yang did not dare to ask more questions, but just said that King Wu might be a little disappointed.
When they arrived at Prince Wu's Mansion, Li Ke was already waiting. It can be seen that he is in a good mood today, and he has prepared a banquet early to entertain Qin Mubai and others. Seeing him walking in alone, he looked behind him.
"Don't look, I'm the only one." Qin Mubai said.
"Yao'er and the others didn't come?" Li Ke asked, "I'm still planning to ask her for advice on card skills!"
"She is accompanying so many little girls and wants to teach them how to read and write. How can she escape?" Qin Mubai smiled, "You are so easy to become addicted to playing mahjong. Do you want me to go to the emperor to sue you? ?”
Li Ke was obviously a little disappointed, and immediately used a dry laugh to cover up his embarrassment: "Haha, it doesn't matter, it's boring to play mahjong too much. Let's talk about business today!"
"Happy to accompany you."
The two sat down, drank some refreshments, and chatted.
Li Ke said: "According to the Tang Dynasty system, I, the prince, can raise up to four hundred private soldiers after opening the palace. If I am sent to a military town or appointed as a governor, I can raise eight hundred private soldiers. Now I have been appointed as the governor. If you compromise, you can recruit five to six hundred soldiers. You have stayed in my house before and know the situation here. "
Qin Mubai nodded: "If I remember correctly, at the beginning of the year, the government claimed to have four brigades, but in fact there were less than 300 people, each led by three captains. Not only was there a shortage of soldiers, but also the generals It’s also extremely rare.”
"Yes!" Li Ke said, "The only military attaches I can use now are Yuwen Hongtai and Yin Yang. They are assigned to the positions of school captains, but they don't even have a chief or deputy officer. That's what I think. Yes, as soon as the heavy snow stops, I will ask your majesty to issue a military recruitment list to recruit the sons of common people from the Chang'an Shi clan, recruit those who are willing to serve and have courage, to enrich the personal army and promote some generals. "
"Soldiers are easy. All soldiers are recruited. As long as you are willing to pay, someone will come." Qin Mubai said, "As the saying goes, it is easy to get a thousand troops but hard to find a general. With all due respect, Yin Yang is cautious and considerate, but I will serve as the deputy general to assist the emperor; Yuwen Hongtai is brave and unparalleled, and he can serve as a vanguard. Now the palace is in need of a unique general."
"That's right!" Li Ke said, "Before, I hoped that you could always stay by my side and help me, but it's a pity that my small pond in the palace can't support a rare Kunpeng like you. But that's okay. , Facts have proved that I made the right decision to let you go. Look, you are so helpful to me now!"
"Haha, His Highness is a broad-minded person, and I always admire him." Qin Mubai said with a smile, "After talking for a long time, I know you are thinking about Xue Rengui, right?"
"Yes!" Li Ke said, "That day at your house, I witnessed with my own eyes his martial arts contest with the old general Cheng Zhijie. Not to mention his proficiency in martial arts, I like him very much just for his magnanimity and self-cultivation. Like him There are not many talented people who are both capable and humble, and they are both dedicated and ambitious. I missed you, Xue Rengui!"
Qin Mubai nodded and smiled: "Your Highness is really thirsty for talents now. Please tell me, how do you plan to recruit Xue Rengui?"
"Fairness, justice, in this way, let Xue Rengui come to me with peace of mind!" Li Ke said, "Xue Rengui has lofty ideals and is self-respecting. If he is unwilling to accept your favor and receive charity from others, then let him rely on his own If you have enough strength, come to my palace to compete for the post of military officer in the palace!"
The Dianjun of the Prince's Palace is the highest-ranking military attache in the Prince's Palace. From the fifth rank, he commands all the troops and horses in the Prince's Palace and takes orders directly from the Prince. Strictly speaking, this type of military attache does not belong to the establishment of the Tang Dynasty's Ministry of War, but is the commander of the prince's private army. To put it bluntly, he is the head of a personal security regiment. However, this official rank is recognized by the Tang Dynasty, and he enjoys the same treatment as other fifth-grade generals, and can also be transferred at the same level in other armies. He was a relatively special type of military attaché. Qin Mubai was directly transferred from an accountant in Prince Wu's palace to become the Hundred Cavalry Envoy.
"It's feasible." Qin Mubai nodded, "But how about a fair and just one?"
"I plan to follow the example of His Majesty the Emperor in selecting hundreds of cavalry, and set up a martial arts platform in the palace grounds to compete in equestrianism, archery, swordsmanship, swordsmanship, swordsmanship and other skills. At the same time, there will also be a written test for the general's challenge to test the art of war, strategy and The current affairs and military system are based on the selection of the best. But in this case, an authoritative person will definitely be needed to make an appraisal. Therefore, I would like to invite a few people to preside over the military lectures. "
"Who are you inviting?" Qin Mubai asked.
Li Ke smiled slightly: "The first one is, of course, your father Qin Shubao. No one is more authoritative than him, the God of War of the Tang Dynasty. I will go out to invite you in person, but I have to trouble you and go to your father-in-law first. ”
Qin Mubai frowned and thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "I'll give it a try. My father is in a good mood recently, and he's about to go out again, so he probably won't mind showing his face in public to help you."
"That's good." Li Ke said, "There are three more people, one of whom I need you to invite for me."
"who?"
"Of course it's Father's favorite brother, General Cheng Zhijie!" Li Ke said with a smile, "He and Duke Yi have always been inseparable from each other. I invited Duke Yi, how dare I not invite him? Since he is Your mentor is Lao Shishu, so only you can invite him."
"It's easy to say." Qin Mubai said with a smile, "As long as my father agrees, there will definitely be no problem with Uncle Cheng. I know his character well."
"That's good." Li Ke rubbed his hands, obviously a little excited, and said, "The other one is my uncle King Jiangxia who is idle at home. Now that he has retired from official duties and enjoys leisure at home, I have to pick something for him. Do it. When it comes to military skills, my uncle is top-notch. If you can invite him to be a judge, he will surely convince everyone."
"Yes. King Jiangxia is a very suitable candidate." Qin Mubai nodded in approval, "Based on your friendship with him, it doesn't seem difficult to invite him."
"Well, I know this well, so it should be no problem." Li Ke frowned slightly and said, "This fourth one is a bit difficult to invite, but I really want to invite him."
"who?"
"That is the Duke of Hubei, Wei Chi Jingde!"
Qin Mubai was a little surprised and said, "Why did Your Highness suddenly think of inviting him? Do you have any friendship with him before?"
"No." Li Ke shook his head, "Actually, Yuchi Jingde has no friendship with anyone."
"How do you say it?" Qin Mubai asked curiously.
Li Ke smiled and said: "In the early years when my father was pacifying the world, Yuchi Jingde was a general who came here, and there was a gap between him and the officials and generals of the former Qin Palace. With his loyalty and bravery, he helped His father ascended the throne and made great achievements. He was called one of the four great heroes of the Kaiyuan Dynasty by his father. He was originally a rough man with a hot temper, and he became a little arrogant from then on, so he often talked with Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, Changsun Wuji and others. Arguing, and even making a loud noise in the court. In addition, you should also have heard that at a celebration banquet in the early years, he actually punched King Jiang Xia and almost blinded him in one eye? "
"Yes, I have heard of it," Qin Mubai said. "At the banquet, he was angry that someone was sitting on top of him despite not having as much merit as him, so he argued with that person. King Jiang Xia came forward to dissuade him, but he argued with that person. King Jiang Xia got into trouble and later even punched people. It can be seen that this person has an extremely hot temper and is not very good at being a good person. "
"Yes!" Li Ke nodded, "But he is definitely a good hand when marching and fighting. Since he surrendered to his father, he has been entrusted with important tasks. Now he often leads troops in the Jingbian area and holds military power. . Due to his personality, his relationship with most of the important ministers in the court was not harmonious. If his father had not favored him, he would have ended badly. Furthermore, he had a bad relationship with his fellow generals. The relationship between the military generals was not particularly good. He was strong and brave and liked to show off his martial arts. In his early years, your father often challenged him. The senior generals in the Qin Palace were declining, so Yuchi Jingde became very proud and often boasted in front of others about how he was better than Qin, Cheng and others. As word spread, the relationship between Yuchi Jingde and your father naturally worsened. relationship."
Qin Mubai smiled: "I'm not too clear about the grievances of the previous generation. I just feel that Yuchi Jingde is like a double-edged sword. There is no doubt about his ability, his surly character and fiery temperament." His temper is also a headache. I guess only someone like His Majesty can control him easily."
"Haha, even my father called him the 'Black-faced Devil'. If Yuchi Jingde had a bad temper, he would be a little scared." Li Ke said with a smile, "I heard the day before yesterday that Yuchi Jingde returned to Chang'an We’re getting ready to celebrate the New Year. Wouldn’t it be a good time to invite him here?”
Qin Mubai smiled to himself and said: "Your Highness, since you know that my father, Uncle Cheng, and Yuchi Jingde are not on good terms, and I also have issues with his son Yuchi Baoyun, why do you still invite him?"
Li Ke smiled mysteriously and said: "It was precisely because everyone was unwilling to pay attention to him and stayed away from him that I thought of approaching him proactively. Now, how difficult is it for me! Almost no one in the court looked at me. They are either on the side of the prince, or they are colluding with the prince of Wei. To be honest, I don't want to fight with the prince or the prince of Wei, and I know that I don't have the power and qualifications. Paul, it’s not too much to make a few more friends who can speak a word for me, right?”
"It's not an exaggeration." Qin Mubai smiled and said, "Yuchi Jingde is arrogant and domineering, and he doesn't know how to behave. When he came to Chang'an, few people paid attention to him, but His Highness took the initiative to condescend to treat him as a distinguished guest. Yuchi Jingde You should be so grateful."
"It's hard to say. Yuchi Jingde, the black-faced devil, thinks differently from ordinary people. He behaves and does things entirely according to his own preferences. Except for my father, he will not listen to anyone else in the world and will not give him face." Li Ke smiled bitterly. He groaned, "I can only give it a try!"
"In that case, it's time for you and I to start preparing separately!" Qin Mubai said, "The New Year is about to start. As soon as the heavy snow stops, we'll start immediately. It's best to get all the people together before the New Year, so that we can have more time. The grinding of time!”
"Xue Rengui, I'll leave it to you!" Li Ke said, "No matter what, you must never persuade him to come to my palace to apply!"
"Don't worry, I have a solution." Qin Mubai smiled slightly and nodded.
After chatting for a while, the two agreed to separate and prepare separately immediately, and Qin Mubai said goodbye and left.
After leaving the palace, Qin Mubai wandered slowly on the snowy streets of Lifang, thinking in his mind: Looking at Li Ke's posture, he looked like a beast that had been hibernating for a long time and finally yawned. It's time to start showing off your teeth.
He is really similar to Li Shimin. They both know how to recognize, employ and manage people. Successful entrepreneurs are people-oriented. It can be seen from Li Ke's hard work in seeking talents that he must not have small ambitions!
If he really wanted to be a peaceful prince, he would definitely not do anything like this. To protect yourself? ... It's really just for self-protection. Continuing to spend the day drinking and doing nothing is the best way. He had been pretending for more than a year, but finally he couldn't pretend anymore.
"Li Ke, after all, is not a thing in the pool! It seems that my father still has a good vision. He identified Li Ke early on as a talented and rewarding person, but his embarrassing identity happened to be incompatible with his ability. It's an inverse comparison." Qin Mubai thought to himself as he walked, "Since I came to the Tang Dynasty, it seems that there is an invisible hand that has always been arranging for me to get closer to Li Ke. I left Prince Wu's Mansion. Now I am tied to him by some strange combination. Moreover, the emperor seems to have acquiesced that Li Ke and I are on the same side. Not only that, but even the prince and the king of Wei probably thought so at the beginning. Wu Meiniang went to the East Palace as a guest, why did the Crown Princess repeatedly ask about my relationship with Li Ke? "
Thinking of this, Qin Mubai couldn't help but smile: Why do you think so much? What a fuss! The Tang Dynasty today is no longer the Tang Dynasty in history. Who can say clearly what will happen in the future? Will Li Ke die unjustly like in history
No one can tell!
Although the sayings "No eggs are left unfinished when a nest is overturned" and "Fire at the city gate affects the fish in the pond" are reasonable, they are prophecies commonly used to scare away the mediocre and cowardly people. Since I can steal the emperor's Wu Meiniang and make Princess Gaoyang devoted to me, why can't I change Li Ke's fate
After all, Li Ke is kind to me and relies on me as a close brother. He is also my future brother-in-law and Gao Yang’s favorite third brother! As for being implicated, I have no connection with him now!
"To change Li Ke's destiny is to control my own destiny!"
"It's challenging, I like it!"
Thinking of this, Qin Mubai couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth and smile, and walked a few places with his fists slightly excitedly, heading directly towards Wu Mei's mother's house.
If you want to persuade Xue Rengui, you still have to rely on the face of "Wu Dongjia" and her sharp tongue!
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[Even if this chapter is an additional update, there will be another update during the day tomorrow. I have been very busy recently, so I often combine the two chapters into one chapter and update them together. Each chapter basically has more than 5,000 words. I came back very late today and spent three hours writing this chapter. This is a promise to everyone for supporting this book! Calling for everyone’s red ticket support, thank you! ]