"Bang-bang!!"
Thunder rolled, lightning was like a dragon, and the majestic ancient capital of Chang'an also trembled under the shock of the rumbling power of heaven.
Tonight is destined to be a sleepless night for many people. Changsun Wuji is one of them.
There were no lights on in the study, and the occasional lightning that tore through the night made their faces look very ugly.
Therefore, he became acquainted with the young man, Changsun Wuji, who has been following the emperor for nearly thirty years. Today, only today, Li Shimin almost slapped him in the face in public.
In Changsun Wuji's mind, he was constantly replaying the scenes that happened during the evening court meeting... King Jin of the Supervisor Kingdom came in a hurry, but was kicked back by Li Shimin as cold as iron. At that time, he said - "You have nothing to do here. ”.
This short and ordinary sentence was like a dagger, piercing directly into Changsun Wuji's heart.
As everyone knows, it was because Changsun Wuji disliked the former prince Li Chengqian, was at odds with the King of Wei that Li Shimin had always loved, and supported the King of Jin, Li Zhi, that he could sit on the dragon chair that did not fit him at all. , Supervisory Director.
At that time, the fight for heirloom and heir was at a critical juncture, and the emperor even asked Changsun Wuji to announce the decision in public - what an honor and respect this was!
From then on, Li Shimin retreated to recuperate and handed over all state affairs, big and small, to Li Zhi. In fact, he handed over to Changsun Wuji... Everyone can imagine what this means. Obviously, Li Shimin just wanted to see what would happen if he really gave up his kingdom to Li Zhi, a mediocre and dull son-in-law in the future.
To put it bluntly, Li Shimin was making a bold attempt, or experiment, while he had time.
The results of the experiment are visible to all today.
Li Shimin was extremely disappointed—first of all, the blueprint for hegemony in the Western Regions that he had set a few years ago met with strong opposition from a group of civil servants headed by Changsun Wuji. This led to today's situation - Gaochang fell, Qin Qiong died for the country, and Tubo was raging, and the country's prestige was lost!
Someone hit Li Shimin, the Heavenly Khan, in the face first!
In fact, Li Shimin also knew what Changsun Wuji was thinking. In Changsun Wuji's thoughts, everything is based and core on Li Shimin. In his opinion, following Li Shimin's method of governing the country, following his path, and continuing the prosperity and stability of Zhenguan, let Li Zhi be a successful king who does not seek vain achievements but seeks no faults. His eldest grandson Wuji The task is completed.
A hundred years later, when we go underground, we can explain to Li Shimin!
Personally speaking, Changsun Wuji's loyalty and support for Li Shimin was absolutely unquestionable; publicly speaking, he based the rise and fall of the entire dynasty and nation on the word "account", which made Li Shimin very angry!
During today's court meeting, Li Shimin criticized Sang and Huai more than once, implying that the civil and military officials in the Manchu Dynasty only wanted to flatter his eldest grandson Wuji, forgetting their own responsibilities and capabilities. For his eldest grandson Wuji, this was undoubtedly a wake-up call like a thunderbolt from the blue!
No emperor, especially a master like Li Shimin, who possesses domineering power and ability, would easily have a powerful minister in his court who has the power to overshadow the emperor!
However, the current situation is precisely that the civil servant group headed by Changsun Wuji has firmly grasped the power of speech in the court. Even the generals who lead troops outside must be restrained and restrained at every turn. This is Qin Qiong who died in Gaochang. The tragic product of an imbalanced power struggle!
If Changsun Wuji and others were not in charge of the court, but Li Shimin was still in charge of the court, then the plan for the Western Regions he had set in his early years would have been implemented step by step; in this way, there would not have been a situation where the military situation was in turmoil. , Qin Shubao resisted the decree and raised troops to go deep alone, but the well-prepared army would advance and level the small country of Gaochang in one fell swoop without any suspense; thus, there would not be such a passive situation and tragic and humiliating results as today!
It can be said that today, after paying homage to Qin Qiong, Li Shimin directed part of his grief and anger directly on Changsun Wuji, the indirect "murderer"!
"Bang-bang!"
There was another thunder and lightning, and Changsun Wuji felt chilled and trembled slightly, as if he had goosebumps all over his body. Just as he was about to get up and close the window, there was a knock on the door.
"Has father ever gone to bed?"
It was his second son, eldest grandson Huan.
"Come in!"
Changsun Huan came in, closed the door, knelt down in front of his father respectfully, and bowed his head to salute.
"What's the matter?" Changsun Wuji said coldly, feeling a little down and upset.
"Father, the child knows what happened in the court meeting today." Changsun Huan said carefully, "The child has been thinking about it for half the night and can't sleep. So... come and talk to father."
"What did you say?" Changsun Wuji said calmly with no expression on his face, "You are a gatekeeper guarding the city, it is not your turn to discuss such matters."
Changsun Huan grinned awkwardly and was speechless for a long time. Ever since he was kicked out of Baiqi by Qin Mubai, Changsun Wuji has been treating him coldly like this. That incident was a minor shame for the Changsun family, which was crowned the Tang Dynasty. Changsun Wuji's son was not as good as Qin Qiong's son. Isn't that what everyone was talking about
What's more, Qin Mubai is now a man of the moment who has a hundred thousand soldiers and governs thousands of miles, and is famous all over the world. His eldest grandson Huan is still a small gatekeeper of Chang'an. To put it mildly, he was just a watchdog in the corner of the Imperial City.
The difference between cloud and soil is nothing more than this.
"Father, please calm down. The child does not want to discuss anything. It's just that... I have an idea and I want to get my father's consent." Changsun Huan said cautiously.
"Speak." Boss Changsun Wuji said impatiently.
"My child is thinking... Since the overall situation is like this, His Majesty has already turned his favor to the main fighting faction and Qin Mubai, why don't we accept this situation for the time being?" Changsun Huan whispered, "As the saying goes, mountains cannot change and rivers change. , People have to bow their heads under the roof, no matter what we do, we can't resist the will of the Holy One, right?"
Changsun Wuji frowned: "What do you want to say? Don't beat around the bush, go straight to the point!"
Changsun Huan took a deep breath, mustered up the courage to hold his hands and said, "My child means... At the moment, why don't we join forces with Qin Mubai to release our former direct descendants?"
"What did you say?" Changsun Wuji said in shock, "Don't you always hate him with all your heart?"
"Father, there are no eternal enemies and no eternal friends in the court, there are only eternal interests. This is what you taught me!" Changsun Huan said, "In your early years, didn't you also fight with Qin Qiong, Yuchi Gong, and Cheng Yaojin? Will they work together to support the King of Qin through life and death, and finally achieve great things and share the glory? After that, the Taoism was different and the civil and military affairs were incompatible. My father joined forces with Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, Wei Zheng and others to take charge of the central government; Later, didn't his father become incompatible with Fang Xuanling, Wei Zheng and others... Now, His Majesty is obviously dissatisfied with his father and wants to begin to weaken his father's power in the court, thereby cultivating a group of people such as Qin Mubai. The military force headed by the general simply hopes to restrain his father and achieve the goal of a stable mutual restraint of civil and military affairs, which will be easier for him and his future generations to control. The boy is thinking that in a few years, the military will be in the court. The people who are most likely to become military leaders are Li Ji and Qin Mubai. Li Ji is aloof and scheming, but Qin Mubai is the only one who cannot be plotted against."
Changsun Wuji looked at his son with complicated expressions in his eyes. He was stunned for a long time and was speechless.
"Father... what do you think?" Changsun Huan said timidly.
Changsun Wuji took a deep breath, swallowed it hard, held back his anger and said, "Are you asking your father to surrender to that yellow-tongued brat Qin Mubai and fawn over him?"
"Father, father, it's not like that!" Changsun Wuji said anxiously, "Those who achieve great things don't stick to trivial matters, and enduring humiliation and bearing heavy burdens is also what a man should do! Why not put the overall situation first in everything? There is nothing more than a little personal enmity between the Changsun family and the Qin family. . With the respect of his father, if he is willing to take the initiative to repair it, how dare he, Qin Mubai, not give his father this face? Besides, Qin Mubai is also an extremely treacherous and powerful person. He seduced the princess, took refuge with King Wu, and became a disciple of Li Jing, To flatter the King of Jiangxia, everything about him is enough to show his character! - Just imagine, which one of these people can compare with you, father? If you take the initiative to invite him, why would he not wag his tail to show your favor? In time, if he really rises to prominence, my grandson family will have a powerful ally. Wouldn't it be convenient? If he fails completely, I won't lose anything at all, father!"
Changsun Wuji pondered for a long time and exhaled a long breath.
To be fair, Changsun Wuji knew that what Changsun Huan said was very reasonable; but it was indeed difficult for him to ask Changsun Wuji to take the initiative to show favor to Qin Mubai!
The country is easy to change, but the nature is hard to change!
If Changsun Wuji had the mind and magnanimity of Fang Xuanling, and was not so stubborn and domineering and greedy for power, how would he be where he is today
"Father, why don't you think about it?" Changsun Huan took advantage of the situation and said.
"As a father, you have to beg Qin Mubai for mercy. You have to know that this is absolutely impossible. Not to mention the young Qin family boy. Even when Qin Qiong was alive, he would retreat even three points when he saw his father!" Changsun Wuji He raised his eyebrows, looked at Changsun Huan, and said in a deep voice, "If you are half as successful as him, why should your father end up in such an embarrassing situation!"
Changsun Huan looked embarrassed, really embarrassed. His father brought up that old incident again - after all, the eldest grandson's family and the Qin family had never had any quarrels with each other. Wasn't it that his eldest grandson Huan and Qin Mubai had formed an inseparable relationship when they were in Baiqi
"Father, calm down, the child has his own opinion..." Changsun Huan said carefully, "There is no need for father to come forward in this matter. The child is also a military person. Although he is not a weapon, he can ride a fast horse, shoot a strong bow, and fight in front of the battle. He asked! Now, isn't the Tang Dynasty at war with Tubo? Father, please transfer me to Lanzhou and let me bear the humiliation and serve under Qin Mubai!"
"What did you say?" Changsun Wuji was really angry now. He raised his hands and roared, "You worthless thing!"
"Snapped!"
A slap landed firmly on Changsun Huan's face!
Changsun Huan refused to give in and accepted the slap. He didn't dare to touch his face. He still lowered his head and cupped his hands and said, "Father, please calm down, but please take care of yourself! In fact, the child's thoughts are nothing more than for his father and the long-term future of Changsun's family. ! It would be better to lose ten friends than to make an enemy. If Qin Mubai really succeeds in his career, and he has a character that will repay his ambition, my eldest grandson's family will be in trouble! Father, if you are not afraid of evil people, you are afraid of villains! In Chang'an, there is nothing to do, so why not go to Lanzhou and work hard to achieve the glory of the military industry
Changsun Wuji was still angry and shouted: "Do you think Qin Mubai will throw you in front of the battle and be slaughtered by the Tubo people like a pig or dog?"
"No, no! Definitely not!" Changsun Huan said quickly, "Don't hit the smiling man with your hands. After all, I am also a relative of the emperor and your son, father! Moreover, now your majesty is against my father's objection to the use of troops in Lanzhou. I am quite dissatisfied with this matter. Wouldn't this opportunity help your majesty to eliminate the estrangement between you and your father? This will accomplish many things. Father, please think twice!"
These last two sentences were the ones that spoke to Changsun Wuji's heart.
Indeed, in Changsun Wuji's mind, nothing could compare with his "relationship" with Li Shimin. This relationship was once so harmonious that even Li Shimin said, "I have the world mostly because of Changsun Wuji; but now, there is a slight crack in this relationship, which has to make Changsun Wuji restless and frightened."
If it is true what Changsun Huan said and his eldest son Wuji sent a son to serve on the front line, it would not matter whether he could obtain military industry or not, but it would at least show that even if his eldest son Wuji deviated from his political views, he could change his mind at any time and still remain the same. He is firmly and wholeheartedly following the emperor's footsteps!
Isn’t this right
"Tomorrow, I will follow my father into the palace to meet the Holy Spirit!"
The yellow sand is rolling, and the west wind is like a wild wind.
Qin Mu's white soldiers and horses wore white helmets and wore white mourning, leading a group of hundreds of horse guards to walk in the huge school grounds; the one-armed Zhang Tong held high the handsome flag with the word "Qin" flying in the wind.
The more than 30,000 newly recruited recruits are undergoing their first drill after being mixed with the 40,000 field troops of Lanzhou Zuoweiwei led by Hou Junji.
In the large camp and the large campus with a radius of dozens of miles, thousands of horses galloped and shouted to shake the sky, and their morale was like a rainbow reaching into the sky.
The high morale and unified military spirit are what satisfy Qin Mubai the most; but what worries him the most, and also the most fatal problem, is the sudden increase of more than 30,000 troops and tens of thousands of mouths to eat, and the logistics supply. Quite tight.
Although the people of Lanzhou are united in their hatred of the enemy, and most of the people who voluntarily joined the army brought their own grain, rice, clothes, quilts, and even horses, we can no longer let the people of Lanzhou pay for all the army's expenses and drain him dry!
Besides, even if it has to be drained... Although Lanzhou's economy has improved greatly, it is not a prosperous and prosperous place like Chang'an and Xiangyang after all, and the people don't have much money.
Not just food and grass. At present, more than 90% of the recruits in this large camp are still wearing colorful military uniforms. In the past, only 24 people went to the marching tent, but now at least 30 people were crowded into it. In addition, there are weapons, armor, horse materials and flags, all of which are indispensable.
In line with what Fang Xuanling said, when fighting a war, you fight for money and food. What can you accomplish with just blood and courage
Wu Meiniang's financial resources are already extraordinary, but she has not yet reached the level of wealth that rivals the Zheng family. There has been no war and no conscription to expand the army. She, a dominant military businessman, can barely cope with it; now, she needs to support her. It is really impossible to raise such a huge army and not be able to grow fat seedlings in poor soil.
Seeing that the Mid-Autumn Festival was approaching, but the army under his command was still lacking in logistical supplies, Qin Mubai really had a headache. In the past few days, he had summoned officials at all levels under the governor's office and governors of prefectures and counties several times to discuss logistical matters. It can be said that the military and civilians in Lanzhou have done their best together, and the people have to tighten their belts to live a better life. However, there is still a huge gap in logistics.
The days are approaching day by day.
Qin Mubai had some thoughts of "disarmament". But he knew that this was never feasible, because as long as he opened the door to disarmament, it would greatly discourage the enthusiasm of the people in Lanzhou and weaken the morale of the army. At the same time, it would also give people the impression of "shaken confidence and lack of confidence."
The general's mind is unstable and the army's morale is timid!
There was no turning back when he opened his bow. Qin Mubai gritted his teeth and stood firm!
Now, the only thing we can hope for is to win a quick battle, defeat the Garqin Mausoleum in one fell swoop, and obtain food from Tubo!
"Tibetans have always done this kind of thing in the past, so why can't we do it?"
"The army must prepare 50% of its armor and three months of rations before setting off for the expedition!"
"Don't let those Tubo barbarians in Garqinling look down on our Lanzhou Iron Army and think we don't dare to go to war!"
"If you lack swords and guns, share them with others and take turns fighting. If someone dies in battle, inherit his armor and avenge him! The Tibetan scimitar is also very well made, go and grab it from me!"
"The Tibetan army's highland barley, milk wine, and dried meat are also very good, go and grab them!!"
These are the exact words Qin Mubai said to the generals of the three armies. Finally, he said something that made Hou Junji feel elated and hearty—
"Hou Junji, you have a saying that I really like to hear - tigers are not as good as wolves! Our Lanzhou Iron Army will not be tigers that dominate mountains and draw the ground as a prison, but wild and fierce wolves that can fight thousands of miles! We want to eat meat. , just hunt, bite, and fight to the death! Otherwise, you are just a dog, only worthy of eating shit!"
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[Book friends, Happy Dragon Boat Festival! ^_^]