While thinking in his mind, Qin Mubai wandered around the imperial garden. It was already cold winter, and most of the vegetation was in decline. The grass growing in the imperial garden was not too prosperous, which gave it a sense of desolation.
The imperial palace is all too familiar to Qin Mubai. When they first met in the past, he and Princess Gaoyang left many footprints and laughter here. It feels good to revisit my old place. He sat down by a pavilion and felt a rare peace of mind.
After listening to Master Qingshan's talk that day, Qin Mubai felt that his mood had become much more peaceful and peaceful, and he seemed to have calmed down. Originally, Qin Mubai was not very interested in Buddhism and Taoism, but now he feels that religion is not without merit. If you feel restless and depressed someday, it might be a good idea to chat with Master Qingshan.
I was sitting alone and thinking about something, when someone from far behind called out: "Third brother? Is it the third brother?"
Qin Mubai looked back and saw an unusually tall figure, his eldest brother Qin Tong.
This half-brother has not been seen for a long time. Qin Mubai stood up and greeted him, clasping his fists respectfully: "Foolish brother, pay homage to elder brother!"
The most important thing in the Tang Dynasty was filial piety and brotherhood. When the father was away, the eldest brother was like his father, and he should be upright and respectful. Moreover, it had been several days since he returned to Beijing, and Qin Mubai had not taken the time to visit his two brothers, and he felt somewhat sorry.
Qin Tong is a typical natural warrior, a rugged man who laughs unrestrainedly: "Haha! What a third brother!"
He happily came forward and hugged Qin Mubai's fists, and said with a joyful smile: "I've heard that you're back a long time ago. Brother Yu is working in the palace and can't get away. Today is the holiday, and I'm about to make an appointment with your second brother. I went home to meet you to visit my mother, and unexpectedly I met you here. It’s so nice, so nice!”
"Shame on you, stupid brother!" Qin Mubai said, "I have been back in Beijing for a few days, and I didn't take the initiative to visit my two brothers first."
"Third brother, what are you talking about?" Qin Tong waved his hand and said with a nonchalant smile, "You are now a famous person in front of the emperor, and you are going to be the consort again. There must be a lot of things going on inside and outside, so I don't blame you. Just come back, just come back. Your second brother and I were planning to go to Lanzhou together, but dad didn’t agree, so we don’t dare to make a mistake now that we are together.”
"That's right!" Qin Mubai was also very happy. Close or not, flesh and blood, brothers are brothers. They are always better than outsiders, and there is no such barrier.
The two brothers were in high spirits, chatting while walking, and then planned to go to Hongwen Hall to invite Qin Bin, the second brother, to go home together for a lively gathering.
When we arrived at the Wude Hall of Taiji Palace, it was the place where the emperor usually went to court and handled political affairs. The Hongwen Hall was not far from here. The two brothers were passing by when they happened to meet Li Shimin's Luan Jia, so they stood by the road to greet him.
It was a sunny day in the winter, and Li Shimin was riding in a canopy car, and he saw Qin Mubai from a distance. He stopped the car and waved to Qin Mubai: "Mubai, come with me to the imperial study. I just have something to do with you."
"I obey the order." Qin Mubai agreed and said to Qin Tongtong, "Brother, please come as soon as you go. You and your second brother will wait for me at the Hongwen Pavilion."
"Okay, go ahead!"
Qin Mubai followed Li Shimin's car into the imperial study. A large stove was lit in the room, and the living man Chu Suiliang was also there, recording Li Shimin's words and deeds. Several eunuchs brought a large number of memorials selected by the cabinet and put them on the desk. Li Shimin asked Qin Mubai to serve Yongmo.
In the past, when I served as the Hundred Cavalry Envoy, I had done this kind of thing more than once. At that time, Li Shimin intended to cultivate Qin Mubai's political talents and expand his knowledge. Now it seems that the results are not generally good. Today's story is about again. Qin Mubai still feels very familiar and friendly. Originally, Chu Suiliang was the one who did this kind of work, but now he is sitting aside and writing notes, with a gentle smile on his face.
Chu Suiliang is a good person and worthy of friendship. Qin Mubai has always thought so.
After approving the memorial for a while, Li Shimin didn't say much. He only occasionally asked Qin Mubai for his opinion on the memorial, whether he listened or not, refuted or agreed. It was more of a "discussion" than asking for advice. In the past, Qin Mubai increased his talents and knowledge through such criticism and debate.
The memorial was almost finished. Li Shimin breathed a sigh of relief, put down his pen, prepared to take a rest, and took a walk in the room. Chu Suiliang still sat and wrote, recording the emperor's every word and deed.
Qin Mubai saw that Li Shimin was hesitant to speak, as if he was a little wary of Chu Suiliang, a daily man, so he took the initiative and said: "Your Majesty, I just wandered around in the imperial garden for a while, and I felt a sense of desolation when I saw you, which is as big as the spring flowers and autumn moon." If there are differences, you can express your feelings and write poems. If your Majesty is interested, you may wish to take a walk there or rest."
"Okay!" Li Shimin immediately took the words, turned around and said, "Chu Suiliang, sort out the memorial I just approved and take it to Hongwen Hall and give it to Fang Xuanling."
"Yes." Chu Suiliang agreed, smiled knowingly at Qin Mubai, and went to pack up the memorial.
The monarch and his ministers left the Wude Hall and came to the Imperial Garden. After walking a few steps, Li Shimin shooed the eunuch and maid who were following him away and said, "Mu Bai, I have something to ask you."
"Your Majesty, please speak."
Li Shimin frowned and said, "Do you still remember what I told you about letting you serve as the child slave's Wang Fu?"
"Weichen remembers, what happened?"
"It's like this. After the Chinese New Year, Zhinu will be fourteen years old. He should have opened a mansion two years ago. Thinking that he lost his mother when he was young, I stayed with him for two more years to accompany his little sister. Si Zi. But recently, I have been thinking about it, and it is not an option to keep him by my side. It would be better for him to leave the palace and live on his own." Li Shimin paused at this point, "What do you think? ?”
Qin Mubai was stunned for a moment: Is it my turn to ask me about this? What a strange question to ask... Listening to the meaning of Li Shimin's words, it seems that he is not happy to let Li Zhi leave the palace and open a palace, so he wants to keep him in the harem and raise him by himself, doting on him very much. Is it possible that someone else could put pressure on the emperor to get Li Zhi out of the palace
Thinking of this, Qin Mubai's mind flashed: It's possible!
Relating to the scene when he went to the Duke of Wei's mansion to meet Li Jing, Qin Mubai analyzed that now there seemed to be a force in the court that even the emperor could not control, and some balance was lost. This was probably brought about by the struggle for the right to inherit the throne, which in turn restricted the emperor's initiative to choose a successor. Otherwise, why would the emperor be so anxious to push a young man like me, Qin Mubai, who has just entered the official career, to a high position
Isn't the purpose to balance the balance of power in the court and make it easier for him to control it
This is the emperor's mind.
After thinking about it, it seems that there is no one else but Changsun Wuji who can unbalance the power in the court!
Only he, as Li Zhi's biological uncle, has the qualification to ask Li Zhi to go out and open a mansion.
But what is his purpose
Thinking of this, Qin Mubai couldn't help but think: In history, wasn't it Changsun Wuji who vigorously supported his nephew Li Zhi who finally ascended the throne
I see! …
"Your Majesty, I think..." Qin Mubai considered his words and said cryptically, "This is just your Majesty's family matter."
"Yes, that's good." Li Shimin also answered ambiguously, and suddenly changed the topic, "It's a family matter, yes, but aren't you my son-in-law? A son-in-law is better than a son-in-law. I should ask you this, right?"
It seems that the emperor is determined to conquer this army. Qin Mubai smiled a little helplessly, but he also knew that it was time to answer after he had tried to shirk the blame for a while, so he said: "Actually, Wei Chen is thinking that His Highness the King of Jin is old, but... Princess Yang would be lonely in the palace without her brother who she had grown up with. Especially since Princess Jinyang was not in good health, it would not be a good thing for her if she was not in a good mood. ah!"
Li Shimin stopped for a moment, with a look of relief and gratitude on his face, and smiled sincerely: "So I said, it would be great if you were my biological son! You know better than anyone else It’s nice to think about the family ties.”
Qin Mubai grinned and said: "Your Majesty, there is no need to praise. In fact, I have been accompanying King Jin and Princess Jinyang for a long time. I know that they are brothers and sisters, so I don't think too much about it. If King Jin wants to open a mansion, it will not be later than one or two days." "
Li Shimin nodded with deep understanding, "These words warm my heart. This time, I will listen to you!"
"On behalf of Your Highness Princess Jinyang, I would like to thank my emperor!" Qin Mubai smiled and cupped his hands.
"Haha, you kid!" Li Shimin laughed happily, put his arm around his shoulders like a father and gave him a shake, and whispered to him, "Mubai, outside, you help me eliminate the enemies and open up the border. Tuotu, you are here to help me solve my family problems. You are really one of my blessed generals! Those ministers, whether they are relatives of the emperor or famous ministers and generals, are too selfish in doing things. Considering my feelings, it seems that I am not a human being and a father. Sometimes, I am really heartbroken."
"Your Majesty, it is not easy to be a minister, and it is even more difficult to be a king. This little minister knows it better than anyone else." Qin Mubai said, "It goes without saying that the little minister himself is a minister. I spent a lot of time with your majesty, and I am deeply aware of your majesty's troubles." Experience it! In fact, His Majesty is probably the hardest working person in the world."
"Hey! I feel so relieved to have you say this!" Li Shimin sighed deeply and said, "Everyone in the world thinks that power is good, but you don't know that every share of power brings harm; every share of exaltation comes with a share of harm." Suffering. The more I gain, the more I lose. I am determined to be a good emperor, and for this goal, I have actually sacrificed a lot of happiness and beauty that ordinary people can enjoy easily. What an unattainable hope! Sometimes I get tired, let alone take a break, and I don’t even have a close friend to talk to... No one knows about my suffering!"
Qin Mubai smiled slightly: "Concubine Yin De, aren't you your Majesty's close friend?"
"Oh?" Li Shimin was startled, then laughed loudly, and grabbed Qin Mubai's shoulders hard to knock him down, "You brat, that silly girl from Gao Yang must have told you, right? Haha! Hello! How dare you interfere with my personal affairs!"
"Haha, your Majesty, forgive me!" Qin Mubai also laughed and twisted away from Li Shimin's arm.
"Oh! The weather is really nice today, and I feel very happy! I haven't felt as relaxed as today for a long time! Don't mention it, I haven't moved for some days - Mu Bai, come with me to go hunting in the Imperial Garden of Daming Palace!" Li Shimin was in great spirits.
"Wei Chen obeys the order!"
"Be careful, don't let Wei Zheng, that old man, know? - Haha!"
"Don't worry, Wei Chen will make arrangements." Qin Mubai smiled and walked away. He found the Baiqi officers who were on guard duty nearby and asked them to gather their hunting gear, stuff them into the carriage and drag them out of the Xuanwu Gate. Li Shimin also changed his military uniform and mounted his horse, and together with Qin Mubai and a group of hundreds of cavalry, they left the Xuanwu Gate.
Hunting is the best recreational activity in winter. Li Shimin, the emperor on horseback, has always had this hobby. However, he has always been "criticized and educated" by Wei Zheng and others because of this matter, so he has been very restrained in recent years. I'm in such a good mood today that I don't care about so much. Accompanied by Qin Mubai and others, he had a great time hunting and gained quite a lot. Li Shimin also showed off his outstanding equestrian and martial arts skills in front of Qin Mubai for the first time. From Qin Mubai's point of view, he would never be inferior to generals like himself and the Xue brothers. At most, he would be slightly inferior to Xue Rengui's magical arrows.
On the way back, the sun was already turning to the west. Li Shimin felt quite relaxed physically and mentally after having a good time. He and Qin Mubai talked a lot about current affairs, national customs, and family and private matters in different parts of the world. He even vaguely mentioned that he was actually very happy that Concubine Yin De could come back. Just because of face, he refused to say it clearly.
When he arrived outside the Xuanwu Gate, Li Shimin stopped his horse and asked the hundreds of horsemen to wait in front of the gate. Then he stood side by side with Qin Mubai and said, "Mubai, actually I have been thinking about something. Today I want you to express your opinion. Personality."
"What is your Majesty thinking about?" Qin Mubai asked.
"It's about the vacancy of General Zuowei." Li Shimin said, "Previously, General Zuowei was my brother-in-law, Huo Guogong Chai Shao, but he passed away. Since then, the position of General Zuowei has been vacant. You You know, Zuo Wei is the head of the Sixteenth Guards of the Tang Dynasty, and it is extremely important to lead the elite of the capital to defend the capital. Only those who are capable and trustworthy cannot be qualified for the position of general. Many people fought for this position. The open and covert fights are annoying me so much. Please tell me who should be in charge today."
"This..." Qin Mubai was stunned for a moment and said blankly, "How dare I, a humble minister, speak nonsense about such important military and national affairs?"
"It doesn't matter. If I ask, you just tell me. To be honest, there is no need to beat around the bush and make excuses. Also, I may not believe you if you tell me. I just want to listen to one more opinion." Li Shimin's expression was relaxed, just like chatting.
Qin Mubai frowned and said: "To say that this left guard is indeed crucial, he must be the most trusted and capable person by His Majesty to be qualified. A humble minister who has just joined the army is not a general in the army. I understand very well. Based on my impression and feeling, these are the only candidates.”
"Talk about it."
Qin Mubai then said: "The first is Yuchi Jingde. The second is Cheng Zhijie, the third is Li Daliang, and the fourth is Li Junxian."
After hearing this, Li Shimin frowned and pondered for a moment, then shook his head and said: "Yuchi Jingde and Cheng Zhijie are definitely not good. These two people are one of the sixteen generals, and they are now in charge of troops at the border or in prefectures and counties. The responsibility is not small. If I transfer any one of them back to serve as the general of Zuowei, wouldn't it be possible for Li Daliang? He is too old and his health has not been very good in recent years. Yes. Moreover, he is a right-back general, almost the same as a left-back one!"
"Haha!" Qin Mubai smiled bitterly, "Your Majesty, all the ministers have said that they really can't come up with any good ideas."
"No, you are dishonest and unwilling to tell the truth. You are perfunctory with me!" Li Shimin's face became serious and he glared at Qin Mubai.
"Uh, um..." Qin Mubai smiled awkwardly, "Your Majesty, it's really hard for Wei Chen to say much about such important military matters. Moreover, Wei Chen himself is also the one in charge of the army. Isn't it suspected of being a man in the field?"
"Oh, I understand what you mean." Li Shimin smiled, "What you actually want to say is that you are the most suitable candidate, right?"
"No, Wei Chen definitely didn't mean that." Qin Mubai said with a smile, "Wei Chen has his own position. Lanzhou is very important, and Wei Chen has not planned to leave there yet. There is no need to say anything but stay there. It will take three to five years to smooth things over there."
"This is quite the truth." Li Shimin nodded, "So, I am going to promote Li Junxian. Although he is not particularly capable, he is valued for his loyalty, and I can use it smoothly. As a Beijing official, especially in front of me. A military general, this kind of person is quite suitable.”
Li Shimin nodded: "It's pretty good."
Qin Mubai was not completely without illusions about the official position of General Zuowei. In other words, he is also the head general of the Sixteenth Guards Regular Army. Although it is not as impressive and dazzling as the Hundred Cavalry Envoy, it does have real power in its hands. However, Qin Mubai also knows how important he is now, so it would be good if he can run Lanzhou well first. Everything else will fall into place naturally in time, no rush.
"But then, the problem arises again." Li Shimin said, "Li Junxian is in Baiqi, and there is no one to replace him now! He holds the dual positions of deputy envoy and chief historian. After you left Baiqi, he He is a commander in a practical sense. I have been selecting people to replace him, but it seems that they are not very good at it. The other two Baiqi deputy envoys, Yuchi Baoyun and Cheng Huaibi, are not outstanding, nor can they be said to be incompetent, so that's it. . Without the backbone of Li Junxian, I am really worried that Baiqi’s team will break up. You know, Baiqi now has one or two thousand people, and they are constantly supplying talents to the Tang army.”
Qin Mubai's heart lit up: I understand! After a long round of detours, Li Shimin actually wanted me to recommend someone who could make him feel safe to take over Baiqi! After all, I built Baiqi with my own hands. Who else has more say in this matter than me
"Your Majesty, I think that the organization of Baiqi has been very perfect. Now it is not impossible to replace it with a commander who can 'keep it'." Qin Mubai said, "In other words, we must be loyal, reliable and down-to-earth. The kind of person who gets things done.”
"Hit the nail on the head." Li Shimin nodded happily and smiled, "Then tell me who is suitable?"
Qin Mubai couldn't help but smile, cupped his hands and said, "As the saying goes, don't avoid relatives when doing things internally, and don't avoid enemies when doing things externally. That's what I said."
"Tell me, who is it?" Li Shimin looked at Qin Mubai with interest.
"My eldest brother Qin Tong and my second brother Qin Bin. The two of them can serve as deputy envoys and chief historians respectively to fill the vacancy left by Li Junxian." Qin Mubai said.
"Haha! You brat, you really dare to say that!" Li Shimin laughed loudly, looked at Qin Mubai meaningfully, suddenly whipped his horse on the buttocks and ran forward, leaving behind a sentence To Qin Mubai—
"I will think about it carefully when I return to the palace!"
The corners of Qin Mubai's mouth raised slightly, revealing a smile, and said secretly: When one person achieves enlightenment, chickens and dogs ascend to heaven. Even people like Yuwen Hongtai, Xue Rengui, Pang Fei and Tu Youhai have been promoted by me. How can I treat my two brothers badly? Baiqi, the ace division that I personally built, the current Datang Military Academy, can it fall into the hands of others? Li Shimin talked about it for a long time, but he still just rested that my Qin family would be in charge of Baiqi - isn't this what he wanted
This army of Baiqi is different from others. In other armies, if you take the appointment letter and military symbols from the court, the officers and soldiers will only obey your orders. This is not the case in Baiqi. Everyone in this army has a natural sense of pride and superiority. Moreover, the nature of this team is also extremely special. They are the emperor's personal bodyguards. The emperor must first be reassured.
If a stranger is suddenly put in, it is certain that he will be ostracized. It is hard to say whether the emperor and the people in the harem can rest assured.
From this point of view, Qin Tong and Qin Bin are perfect for each other. Both of them were direct descendants of the generals of the Qin family. Qin Tong had served as a guard of the imperial guard for many years, while Qin Bin was a member of the emperor's think tank. The two were very familiar with the palace, and the emperor knew them well. In addition, the two of them are Qin Mubai's biological brothers, and they have joined the Hundred Cavalry Army. Who dares to disobey? This also solves the big problem of possible exclusion of them within Baiqi.
From this point of view, these two brothers seem to be the perfect candidates to fill the vacancy of Baiqi!
Qin Mubai felt very happy. Although he has been holding the title of Baiqi Envoy for a long time, he always felt that Baiqi was drifting away from him, and at most he only had a little "mental power" left there. Now, if the emperor can appoint his two brothers as deputy envoys and chief historian respectively, it will undoubtedly be an announcement that Baiqi is back in his hands.
Lost and found, what a strong capital!
[This chapter has nearly a thousand and six words. I will add another chapter later. How is it? The recent updates are awesome, right? Justifiably ask for red tickets for encouragement! ]