The old Qin family held a family banquet, and the whole family was flattered to have someone like Concubine Yin De visit. Not to mention the Qin family, even a family like Changsun Wuji, a relative of the emperor, has never been patronized by Concubine Yin De. This has to be said to be unprecedented.
Concubine Yin De is a dignified, generous and decent person. Although she is noble, she does not make people feel too distant, and she is very friendly. Therefore, this family dinner was relatively easy to eat. It's just that today is a special day, and the atmosphere is somewhat depressing and dull.
After dinner, Princess Gaoyang left Concubine Yin De to live in the Prince Consort's Mansion. Concubine Yin De insisted on going back, saying that the emperor was seriously ill now, how could she, as an imperial concubine, sleep outside? This sentence aroused Princess Gaoyang's worries. She said that it was true that our father would not let us visit him even when he was sick. We didn't even know how sick he was. No, I have to go and see it tomorrow.
Qin Mubai stopped her and said that the current situation is special, so don't make mistakes. Princess Gaoyang didn't give up, but she still felt uncomfortable.
Later, Qin Mubai arranged for guards, carriages and horses to send Princess Gaoyang and her daughter back to the palace. Li Daozong and his daughter felt free to live in Chang'an City, so they stayed and continued drinking tea. Li Xueyan was a smart and sensible woman. Knowing that her father had important matters to discuss with Qin Mubai, she went with Shuang'er to accompany the little orphan girls.
Soon, Li Ji came to the door as expected, dressed in casual clothes and riding lightly.
The three of them sat in a quiet room, making tea and discussing matters, and discussed the topic straight to the point.
Li Daozong said: "Mu Bai, at times like this, we shouldn't discuss these troublesome things with you. But in extraordinary times, please put aside your personal thoughts and put national affairs first."
"Your Majesty, there is no need to say more. Qin can save his priorities." Qin Mubai said, "I was not expecting the Yao'er incident. Although my heart is hurt, it is not a big mess. A real man has something to do. No matter what, I won’t fail to do anything.”
"Well, that's good." Li Daozong nodded appreciatively and said to Li Ji, "Mr. Mao, I specially invited you here today because I want to hear your opinions. I have not been in the court for a long time. Although I have been activated, I am still far away. In Youzhou, national affairs cannot be ignored at all. Now that such a major change has occurred in the imperial court, it is a time of reform. This is a moment that brings both great risks and great opportunities. An important turning point in the Tang Dynasty. Therefore, we ministers should devote ourselves to sharing the worries of the king and doing things for the country."
"What the prince said is true." Li Ji smiled calmly and stroked his beard and said, "Actually, Li knows what the prince and Mu Bai want to discuss with me. Don't worry, the prince, today is different from the past. Even though Li is usually a timid person, I am like a rat, but I won’t hold anything back at this moment. I will tell you everything I know to repay your trust.”
"Haha!" Qin Mubai said with a smile, "Uncle Shi really knows how to joke. If you are as timid as a mouse, who was the seventeen-year-old man who led the troops and charged into battle in Wagang Village back then? I also heard my father say that back then After Li Mi surrendered to the Tang Dynasty, he came to surrender to you. You surrendered to the Tang Dynasty as a minister of Li Mi, and your loyalty was praised by Emperor Gaozu. My father never praises people easily, but in his opinion, Uncle Shi is the real important person. Qin always admires Uncle Shi's moral character and morality. "
"Haha! Has your father ever praised me? It would be great if he didn't scold me behind my back!" Li Ji laughed and said, "My second brother Qin has been as upright and upright as a fire for so many years. Not a little bit of sand. Sometimes, I am really in awe of him. Needless to say, you are much smarter and smoother than your father, but you are also passionate and passionate at heart. Otherwise, if it were me, I might have this hand today. There won’t be any bandages.”
"I am ashamed." Qin Mubai smiled self-deprecatingly and cupped his hands, "At that time, I was so angry that I completely lost all emotion. I only recognized that my mortal enemy was in front of me. I couldn't remember whose son he was, and I also forgot about the national laws. "
"If you are angry at your crown, why do you need to talk about a hot-blooded man?" Li Daozong smiled indifferently and said, "If I were twenty years younger, I would act like you. I'll kill you when I hit you, so what? ? Dare to carry blessings and misfortunes on one's shoulders, that's the true nature of a man. Mr. Mao, don't talk nonsense. If you could think ahead and be timid at that time, you wouldn't have cut off a piece of your own flesh. Give it to Shan Xiongxin.”
"Haha, okay, okay, we don't need to mention such things." Li Ji waved his hands and smiled, "Okay, everyone here is a hot-blooded and heroic man, okay? Is the flattery over? We should talk. Is it serious?"
"Well, you must be a hero to sit together and discuss such national affairs." Qin Mubai said with a joking smile, "A ruthless man may not be a true hero. How can you be a pity son without being a husband? Let's support you two."
"Haha!" Li Daozong and Li Ji laughed together, and praised Qin Mubai for being a master of both civil and military matters.
Qin Mubai, who had committed another plagiarism, was secretly amused that he was so praised.
"Mr. Mao, what do you think of Changsun Wuji's insistence on giving up and fighting Tibet?" The atmosphere became more lively and the distance between them became closer, so Li Daozong got to the point.
Li Ji nodded and said: "Actually, looking at the overall situation, Changsun Wuji is not wrong. As the saying goes, those who know how to fight are not willing to fight. Killing one thousand enemies will only cause eight hundred losses. War is not a good thing after all. Especially... Now, our Tang Dynasty is suddenly suffering from internal troubles and the Eastern Palace has collapsed. There is a lot of noise in the court and the people are in panic. Your Majesty is ill and unable to take charge. If we use force at this time, it will be worse for the country. "
"But in the long run, if we give up the fighter plane at this time, it will cause huge losses to the Tang Dynasty." Qin Mubai said, "Tubo and the Tang Dynasty have been fighting for several years. They have used various methods to fight against me, but they have failed. Victory. Now that their proposal failed, they returned to the plateau with resentment and incited Gaochang to rebel, just to block our Tang Dynasty from the outside and extend our front line. As we all know, our Tang Dynasty's control in the Western Region has always been weak. From Liangzhou to Congling in the west, dozens of countries, large and small, are all adjacent to me, and they are eyeing the richness of the Central Plains. Although some countries there have professed vassalage to me in the Tang Dynasty, such as Gaochang, but in fact they are just illusory. On the contrary, the Tubo and Western Turks had stronger control over them. Originally, they were thousands of miles away, and whether they surrendered or not actually had little impact on us. However, the Silk Road of our Tang Dynasty was a source of living water. , being cut off in this way is not only a loss of wealth, but also extremely unsafe from a long-term strategic perspective. If Gaochang turns a blind eye and turns a blind eye, other small countries will dare to follow suit. In this way, Datang's prestige and control in the Western Regions will be lost. So, Tubo will dare to entangle these allies and attack the Tang Dynasty. At that time, how will the Tang Dynasty deal with the swarm of ants and the tiger lying beside the bed? "
"What Mu Bai said is absolutely true." Li Ji took over the words and said, "It seems that His Majesty the Emperor did not misjudge you. You do have a long-term strategic vision. Yes, the Gaochang rebellion is just a scabies disease now. But allowing them to be free will become a serious problem for the Tang Dynasty. It is not terrible to lose a vassal state that sends some cattle and sheep to play every year. It is not terrible to lose the wealth of the Silk Road. What is fatal is the combination of tigers and ants. A hundred years later, the Central Plains will be in disaster. Lanzhou is a pair of fists placed by the Tang Dynasty in the Western Regions. If it is not struck at this time, it will be beaten without any backhand in the future. From this point of view, Lanzhou will be unable to fight back. We must send troops and we must not sit back and ignore Gaochang’s rebellion!”
Having said this, Li Ji paused and said sonorously: "My personal position is to support Lanzhou sending troops to attack Gaochang in the west! And take this opportunity to attack the Western Territories and dominate the Western Regions. However, this is not a simple matter. Ah! Don't you think that there are many small countries there that are very complicated politically and religiously, and there are big forces like Tubo and Western Turks backing us. If we rely on force, we in the Tang Dynasty will definitely not be able to achieve the goal of dominating the Western Regions. The people must work together. I am not saying bad things about Brother Qin behind his back. Brother Qin will definitely have no problem in fighting. There are few opponents in the world; but in order to govern the people, he cannot do without your son. "
"Mr. Mao told the truth." Li Daozong nodded with deep approval and said, "The Battle of Gaochang appears to be just a small counter-insurgency war, but in fact, it is a battle related to the national policy of the Tang Dynasty and China. A huge battle of a thousand-year plan. To command such a battle requires great skill, wisdom, and ability. Looking at the world today, there are probably four people who can do it.”
"Which four people?" Li Ji asked with a smile while sipping his tea.
Li Daozong smiled and said: "Aren't you asking questions knowingly? First, of course he is the pharmacist Shenwei Gong of the Ding Ding Army, but it is unlikely that he will put on his military uniform again and go into battle to kill the enemy; secondly, it is your British Duke Li Maogong, but you are For the Great Wall of Northern Xinjiang, how can we escape to use troops in the Western Regions? The third is our other military god who is easily ignored by everyone, His Majesty the Emperor himself."
"I agree." Li Ji nodded.
"The fourth one is naturally the close disciple of Duke Wei, Qin Mubai." Li Daozong said, "Although you have studied with Duke Wei for the shortest time, you are the most talented and the most important. Especially, in addition to military skills, The advantage is that you are still trying to do the same thing as others in terms of politics and people’s livelihood, as evidenced by the changes in Lanzhou over the past two years.”
This was not a compliment. Qin Mubai did not deny it. He just said: "As the prince said, my mentor, uncle Shi, and your majesty are all qualified for the job, but they cannot go there in person. Only Qin is left." . Smart people like Changsun Wuji and Chu Suiliang must also be able to think of this, right?"
Li Daozong and Li Ji looked at each other and nodded.
"But they resolutely and decisively stopped Lanzhou from using troops. Apart from considering the overall situation, do they have any ulterior motives?" Qin Mubai asked.
"Good question. This is the core of our topic today." Li Daozong's expression became more serious and he said, "The emperor is seriously ill, and the King of Jin Li Zhi, who has never been thought of, suddenly stepped onto the stage. As far as I know, The emperor gave Changsun Wuji a very flexible command at that time - asking him to assist the prince in supervising the country, but he did not say which year the prince was. The implication was that he was forcing Changsun Wuji to express his position and promote the prince he supported. Get on the table.”
"The emperor's move was also a helpless move." Li Ji said, "In recent years, the battle for the crown prince has almost disrupted the imperial court. The eldest son has lost his virtue and the king of Wei has risen sharply. However, the eldest son Wuji has always been at odds with the king of Wei. It is the eldest son Wuji who has always been at odds with the king. He is also the prime minister whom His Majesty relies on the most and trusts. Although the emperor is the closest to the King of Wei, if the King of Wei comes to power and he and Changsun Wuji are at odds, this will be a greater disaster than the fight for the crown prince. The emperor has no choice but to do so. Changsun Wuji was forced to express his position. Unexpectedly, Changsun Wuji was really brave enough to push out the youngest legitimate son Jin Wang Li Zhi. This was considered a complete break with the King of Wei and made his position clear to His Majesty the Emperor. ”
"There are many tycoons in troubled times. I have to admit that this time, Changsun Wuji also went against the current and dared to do something." Qin Mubai said, "Actually, Changsun Wuji must understand the emperor's intention, which is to force him to do something at this juncture. He shook hands with the king of Wei and ruled the court together, but he actually dared to go against the emperor's will and support Li Zhi. This made me feel unexpected and surprised. This was not like Changsun Wuji's usual behavior. In my impression, Changsun Wuji is exactly the opposite of Wei Zheng, who dares to stand up and rebuke. No matter what the emperor does, he strongly supports and praises him. This characteristic of his has always been criticized, but now he is out of character. It’s really weird to go against the emperor’s will.”
"This is not strange, Mu Bai." Li Daozong said, "The King of Wei is the legitimate son, and the King of Jin is also his son. They are both Changsun Wuji's nephews, and the palms and backs of his hands are full of flesh. How can he support the King of Jin? Such a question, the emperor He will definitely ask Changsun Wuji, and Changsun Wuji must have his own convincing reasons. Otherwise, why would the emperor stay in bed and ignore the government affairs for a period of time? Is it the right choice to avoid?”
"It makes sense." Li Jidao said, "In fact, the appointment of the crown prince is ultimately a family matter of the emperor. Family affairs are a ledger, and the twists and turns are beyond the imagination of outsiders like us. According to the emperor's personal wishes, The King of Wei is of course the most suitable candidate. But if things don't work out, even if he is the emperor, he cannot have the final say in choosing the prince. The so-called bloodline is actually just a cloak that plays a decisive role. Look who is standing behind this prince - now, Changsun Wuji stands firmly behind Li Zhi, and even the emperor has to take a serious look at him, because Changsun Wuji is not only an uncle, a Situ, and a prime minister. "
"Hitting the nail on the head!" Li Daozong applauded and said, "Let me tell you, although Maofeng usually doesn't speak much, he has deep knowledge and insights. Now that you can tell such a big truth, it is enough to show that you have a deep understanding of the two of us. Cut open the liver and drain the gallbladder.”
"That's right." Li Ji cupped his hands and smiled slightly, and said, "We are in the same boat and we should work together."
Qin Mubai nodded to show his approval. Li Ji is right. As the saying goes, people who are different do not agree with each other. It does not mean that one family does not speak the same language. Now, a mysterious bond has tied Li Daozong, Li Ji and Qin Mubai, who represent the military forces. The civil servant group headed by Changsun Wuji was tightly united.
The distinction between civil and military affairs has been gradually revealed since the incident in the East Palace. Now when it comes to Lanzhou, the distinction is clear. There are some things that Qin Mubai, Li Daozong, and Li Ji did not clarify, that is, in addition to public motives, everyone has selfish motives in this kind of matter.
If a man does not serve himself, he will be punished by heaven and earth!
Changsun Wuji did not want to go to war in Lanzhou, not only for state affairs and court considerations, but also for personal gain. First, the martial arts of the Tang Dynasty valued military merit, and it was common for them to become generals and become prime ministers. It is common for generals with outstanding military exploits to serve as commanders and return to the court to become prime ministers. People like Li Jing and Li Ji have done this.
Nowadays, Li Jing has retired, Li Ji is away, and there are few military representatives in the court. There are even fewer people who can compete with Changsun Wuji. After the fall of the East Palace and the emergence of the Jin Dynasty, Changsun Wuji hurriedly began to eliminate dissidents and cultivate party members. Hou Junji, the leader among the Mesozoic generals in the military world and the Minister of Civil Affairs, was instantly purged. It was Changsun Wuji who wanted to weaken the power of the military in the court. A big move.
Under such a premise, how could Changsun Wuji allow Lanzhou to go to war, release military power, wealth and military achievements, and then create a strong enemy for himself
And this potential rival is Qin Mubai.
As shrewd as Changsun Wuji, of course he knew that Qin Mubai's position would definitely not be consistent with his, and he would not be content to be behind him and stand in Changsun Wuji's camp as a flag-bearer to cheer for him. Furthermore, the deeper and more profound contradictions and divisions are that Changsun Wuji is determined to choose a conservative king for Li Shimin. If he can continue the prosperity of the Zhenguan Tang Dynasty without causing great chaos, his Changsun Wuji will be able to serve the future. However, Qin Mubai wanted an ambitious pioneering king to continue to carry forward the national prestige of the Tang Dynasty.
The difference in stance determines that Qin Mubai and Changsun Wuji are destined to be unable to be in the same camp.
At this time, Changsun Wuji, who had the power in hand, was the first to take action. Winning over Qin Tong and Qin Bin, the two eldest sons of the Qin family, was his first move; freezing Lanzhou to stop the war was his second move. I don't know how he should take this third step of the flag.
Qin Mubai knew very clearly that with his current strength and ability, he was definitely no match for Changsun Wuji. He needs capable helpers and a chance to soar.
Li Daozong and Li Ji in front of him were comrades in the same camp as him. Li Daozong was stationed in Youzhou to defend Beidi and Goguryeo, and Li Ji was the moving Great Wall of the Mobei Lion of the Tang Dynasty. Both of them were military giants who stood alone in their own way.
Of course they hope that Lanzhou can go to war. Firstly, it is out of revenge and ideals of the soldiers. Secondly, if Lanzhou is frozen, then how long will it be before Changsun Wuji's turn comes to punish them
In terms of interests, the three of them are absolutely unified!
"We cannot ignore a character." Li Daozong said suddenly.
"who?"
"Chu Suiliang!" Li Daozong said, "Don't you think this man's sudden stubbornness is very strange? Originally, he was just a servant and confidant of His Majesty the Emperor. But now he has suddenly transformed, and he can stand on par with Changsun Wuji. He is younger than Changsun Wuji and more reserved. Usually, the more talented a person is, the more dangerous he will be."
"Chu Suiliang is indeed a mystery." Qin Mubai said, "I have worked with him a few times. This man is as wise as a foolish city and has a deep and strong mind. He is both strong and soft. Compared with Changsun Wuji, who is in the limelight and has a strong desire for power, he He was much more low-key and restrained. An important opportunity came when he suddenly made his appearance when the incident in the East Palace happened, and that was when he delivered a speech to Changsun Wuji. From then on, he and Changsun Wuji stood together. One of his right-hand men. But I always feel that Chu Suiliang and Changsun Wuji are somewhat inseparable. Chu Suiliang's roots are always in the emperor. Suiliang is actually the incarnation of the emperor in the court! "
"This metaphor is quite appropriate." Li Daozong smiled slightly and said, "Maybe Changsun Wuji just regarded Chu Suiliang as one of his party members, but in fact, I guess it was Chu Suiliang who really decided major issues. , because he is the emperor's hands, eyes, and tongue. Therefore, if you want to find a turning point in this crisis, Mu Bai, you have to start with Chu Suiliang. This is the best time. Except for His Majesty, no one can turn the tide. You, I, Duke Mao, and even Duke Wei, Pharmacist Li, can't compete with Changsun Wuji in the court, and the more we fight, the more disadvantageous it will be for us. Ji has already gained the right to speak above the imperial court. If we oppose him, we are opposing the prince Li Zhi. In other words, we are opposing the imperial court and the emperor."
"That's what the prince said." Li Ji gently stroked his beard and said meaningfully to Qin Mubai, "Mubai, at this time, you must use your skills. You are the consort and the emperor's favorite general. The eldest grandson Wuji will move. He will definitely not dare to touch you, and can only use methods such as wooing, isolating, alienating, and ostracizing you to deal with him. On the other hand, you can't confront Changsun Wuji. He is now eager for you to take the initiative and fall out with him. He justifiably deposed you and drove you out of the court. Even people like Hou Junji were brought down by him in a matter of days, let alone others. So, you are now both stable and dangerous. This is a turning point for the Tang Dynasty. It’s a turning point in your life. It’s best to grasp it carefully and make full use of your identity and relationships to change the current situation.”
"Well... my nephew will remember every word of my uncle's words. In fact, I'm not worried about what's going on now. Instead, I'm worried about my fiery father. What should he do if he knows that the imperial court has rejected his petition for war?" Qin Mubai frowned and said, "The general will be outside, and your orders will be ignored. If my father rebels against the order and raises troops to attack Gaochang in the west, no matter whether he succeeds or fails, he will have been given the authority to do so. In this way, my father and son will be quite passive, and will be completely ignored by the eldest grandson Wu." Don’t get the upper hand!”
"I'm very concerned!" Li Daozong clapped his hands, "I can't say it. You should write a letter of divorce immediately and send a trusted person 800 miles to Lanzhou. Even if a few of his people and horses are killed, this letter must be delivered to you as soon as possible. In my father’s hands! Otherwise, the consequences will be unpredictable!”
"I will give up my letter immediately!" Qin Mubai stood up and asked the four treasures of the study to write a letter of divorce immediately. At that time, he sent several hundred horse guards outside the room to leave Chang'an at night and rush to Lanzhou.
After finishing these things, Qin Mubai breathed a sigh of relief. At this moment, he always felt like a pair of eyes were staring at him from behind, staring at Li Daozong, Li Ji and Changsun Wuji.
Those eyes naturally belonged to Emperor Li Shimin.
Qin Mubai felt that these people now were like the legendary "refining the poison", locked together in the earthen jar like poisonous insects and poisons, biting and fighting with each other. Whoever survived in the end would become the poison!
Li Shimin doesn't need too many poisons jumping around and causing chaos in front of his eyes. He just wants a Gu to assist his son, to stabilize his court, to stabilize his empire, and to continue his dominance!
As for who this son is, on the contrary, it is not as important as that Gu...
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[Please give me a red ticket! ]