On a sunny autumn day, the sun is shining and the golden chrysanthemums are in full bloom.
There is a refreshing fragrance of flowers everywhere in the Imperial Garden, and the bright stream gurgling by takes away a few rootless fluttering plants.
Li Shimin was sitting on an imperial chair by the stream, leaning back and squinting his eyes lazily in the sun.
There is the fragrance of earth and the wet smell of water plants in your nose. Behind you are several piles of Taihu stones that have been polished by running water until they are shiny and discernible.
It was peaceful all around.
Not far in front of him, Xiao Sizi was sitting on a pouf, painting seriously. Li Shimin asked him to paint his portrait, and Xiao Sizi immediately agreed. At this time, she would look up at her father from time to time, then lower her head and draw carefully.
After a long time, Li Shimin almost fell asleep. Xiao Sizi smiled and called out: "Father, I've finished the painting!"
Only then did Li Shimin wake up, yawned and said with a smile, "Bring it to your father quickly."
Xiao Sizi brought the painting over with a smile. Li Shimin took a look and laughed on the spot.
"Xiao Sizi, you are so naughty! How can you draw my father sleeping?" Li Shimin pointed at the painting and said with a smile, "Look, you have made my father's belly so big, and there are still... A little bird stood!"
"Hehe, that little bird is Xiao Sizi!" Xiao Sizi said with a smile, "Is your painting good, Father?"
"Okay, that's great." Li Shimin nodded, smiled, touched little Sizi's head and said, "As the saying goes, calligraphy and painting are like people. I can see from the thickness of the ink and the firmness and softness of the lines that you have a kind heart."
At this point, Li Shimin sighed again, as if he was speaking to himself: "Xiao Sizi, you may be the smartest, smartest, most well-behaved and docile among my children."
Although Xiao Sizi is young, she has always been extremely smart and considerate. She murmured: "Father, do you think of your fourth brother again?"
Li Shimin smiled slightly, but his smile was a little bitter. He said: "It's not just your fourth brother? There is also your eldest brother who is far away in Lingnan, your second brother who died in infancy, and your fifth brother who left the golden body in Famen Temple. Brother..."
Little Sizi's mouth pouted, and he whispered sadly: "Father, why do these royal brothers leave us so early?... Brother Ninth also doesn't come to the palace to see me, and Emperor Gao Yang Sister, they are gone too. I miss them so much!”
Li Shimin was speechless. He stared at Xiao Sizi for a long time, his eyes full of lingering love and sadness.
"Xiao Sizi, I will marry you to an ordinary family in the future, okay?" Li Shimin said suddenly.
Xiao Sizi blinked in confusion, then shook his head, "I don't want to get married."
Li Shimin laughed, "Why? Girls will get married when they grow up."
"Because when you get married, you have to live with your husband and leave your father." Xiao Sizi said seriously, "Several imperial sisters are like this. When they get married, they don't come to the palace. I’m accompanying my father. Sister Gaoyang, we’re still far away... I don’t want to get married, I want to stay with my father forever!”
Li Shimin's heart felt as if a red iron stick had been pierced, touching the tender place deep in his heart that had been buried for a long time. Suddenly, the bitterness, emotion, regret and sadness all came up.
My eyes almost turned red and I couldn't stop crying.
"Father, what's wrong with you..."
"It's nothing..." Li Shimin smiled hard, touched Xiao Sizi's head, and said softly, "You know, Xiao Sizi. When you were a child, Princess Gaoyang, you were as well-behaved and smart as you, and you also talked to your father. If you live like this..."
Xiao Sizi listened very seriously. He nodded first, and then shook his head decisively: "Sister Gao Yang means what she says. I can't. I will definitely mean what I say!"
"Silly girl!" Li Shimin chuckled, feeling a long-lost warmth in his heart.
Finally, he left the court temporarily and was able to return to the harem to rest. Here, Li Shimin is with Xiao Sizi every day, and the old and the young are inseparable. It seemed that only when he was with Xiao Sizi, Li Shimin could truly feel that he was a father, not the king of a country.
Not the king of the Tang Dynasty who had to make a choice and give up between family ties and imperial career.
The imperial doctor boiled the medicine and brought it over. Xiao Sizi took the bowl and fed Li Shimin the medicine spoon by spoon, blowing on the medicine spoon as if coaxing a child and saying, "It's not bitter, it's not bitter. Father, be good. Drink it quickly and your illness will be cured." La'!
Li Shimin took the medicine seriously and drank the medicine with a smile.
When the palace servants and eunuchs nearby saw this scene, their faces had smiles as warm as the sun, just like the autumn chrysanthemums blooming in the imperial garden.
Just after drinking the medicine, while Li Shimin was rinsing his mouth with tea, Li Ke came.
Xiao Sizi greeted him from a distance, "Third brother, you are here!"
Li Ke laughed heartily, "Xiao Si'er, you are accompanying father again! How is it? Did father take medicine today?"
"Drink, my father is very good!" Xiao Sizi smiled, showing two small tiger teeth, and said, "Third brother, is the village chief back?"
Li Ke was startled for a moment, then smiled and knelt down to hug little Sizi.
Xiao Sizi suddenly took two steps back, "No!"
"What's wrong?" Li Shimin and Li Ke were both stunned.
"The third brother is a boy, and I am a girl, so I can't hold him!" Xiao Sizi said seriously.
Li Shimin and Li Ke both burst into laughter, laughing so hard that they almost shed tears.
"Third brother, what are you laughing at? I'm asking you, has the village chief come back?" Xiao Sizi was still a little angry.
"Not yet." Li Ke said with a smile, "He... still has some things to be busy with. When he is done, he will come back to play with you."
"I don't want him to play with me." Xiao Sizi showed a hint of displeasure, and murmured, "I want him to see the portrait I drew for him. Father said he would build a Lingyan Pavilion, put in the portraits of the heroes of the Tang Dynasty. The other portraits of the heroes were all painted by my teacher (Yan Liben); only the portrait of the village chief was painted by me! "
"Is that so? Little Sizi is really amazing!" Li Ke nodded gently and smiled, "When he comes back, I will definitely let him come to the palace to see you and make a special trip to see this portrait, okay?"
"Okay, it's a deal!" Xiao Sizi smiled happily.
"Good boy, little Si, my father wants to talk to your third brother about something. You and the nanny and the others can go and play with the chrysanthemums first! Later, my father will teach you calligraphy." Li Shimin said with a smile.
Xiao Sizi walked away obediently.
Li Ke then met Li Shimin and said, "Father, the main force of the Guanxi Army, 300,000 strong, has returned to the court for many days. My son has issued an edict, and the British Duke Li Ji will return to Chang'an in a few days." I would like to ask my father how to organize these 300,000 troops and who should lead them?"
Li Shimin leaned lazily on the throne and said, "Why don't you have a suitable candidate?"
"It is a matter of military and national importance. I still want to ask my father what he wants."
"Since I asked you to supervise the country, I will leave all these matters to you." Li Shimin said, "What happened to the military and national affairs? Can't you handle it?"
Li Ke smiled bitterly and said: "I will tell you my humble opinion. I think that the Guanxi Army is the elite division of the Tang Dynasty. It is not only brave in combat and strict in military discipline, but more importantly, this army is very capable." Unity, orders and prohibitions. Erchen believes that it is not appropriate to dismantle and reorganize this army after returning to the dynasty, and then call it back during the war. Therefore, Erchen suggested that the original army should be left alone. The general of the Guanxi Army will command this army and let them be stationed in Chang'an as the main force to defend Chang'an."
Li Shimin did not comment, but said: "Whatever you think makes sense, do it well."
"My son suggested that the four pillars of the Guanxi Army should continue to serve as the commander-in-chief of the Guanxi Army." Li Ke said, "Earlier, my father had decreed the formation of two new armies, namely the left and right Longwuwei. After the Battle of Pingfan, the left and right Longwuwei were in disarray due to casualties and various reasons for returning to the government. Therefore, Erchen suggested that Pang Fei and the top general of the Kansai Army, Xue Rengui, should be appointed as new officers. The two guards and horses on the left and right guard the imperial city; in wartime, they serve as the vanguard and the main force to destroy the city. "
"Okay." Li Shimin finally expressed his attitude and said, "You have to put more effort into the transfer of generals and personnel to make everyone convinced. The original left and right generals Longwuwei, Qin Tong and Li Jun Xiandu is the inspector, and now Pang Fei and Xue Rengui are officially appointed as generals. You have to appease these two people first. "
"My son, I obey."
"By the way, you just said... the Four Court Pillars?" Li Shimin frowned slightly, "I seem to remember that in addition to the Four Court Pillars, the Kansai Army also has the 'Eight Military Platform'?"
"Yes." Li Ke said, "In the Guanxi Army, there are many good ministers and fierce generals. The Four Court Pillars and the Eight Military Platforms are all unique heroes and rare tiger generals in the world. Especially the Four Court Pillars, Su Dingfang is now Sitting in the Western Regions, Pang Fei once acted as the governor of Lanzhou, and Xue Rengui was a general talent that was rarely seen in a century. The remaining eight military stations, after pacifying the Western Regions, established their own governor's offices under the orders of Qin Mubai, and now they are temporarily in charge of government affairs. They each took their own positions in the Western Region to protect the country and the people of the Tang Dynasty... Only Yuwen Hongtai, one of the Four Court Pillars, resigned from his post and left together with Qin Mubai. "
Li Shimin pondered for a moment and said: "Since they are talents, they must be reused. After some time, when the Western Region is stabilized, all the eight military stations will be transferred back to Chang'an, and they will hold important positions in the left and right Longwu Guards, or other positions in the guards. important position.”
At this point, Li Shimin paused thoughtfully and said, "In the future, they can also serve in the Six Rates."
Li Ke was shocked: Six rates
Are the soldiers and horses of the Prince's East Palace's personal guards in the East Palace six rates high
After hearing this, Li Ke was not actually surprised, but gradually felt relieved. Just now he deliberately mentioned the Guanxi Army, the Four Court Pillars, and the Eighth Army Platform in front of Li Shimin, just to test his father's attitude towards these people. Now things have proven that after Qin Mubai left, the generals of the Kansai Army were no longer a "power group". The imperial court can easily control and absorb them, and use them according to their talents.
And listening to Li Shimin's words, his intention is obvious - he hopes that the Guanxi Army can be firmly united around Li Ke and become a powerful arm to consolidate his position as prince!
Both father and son were silent for a moment in tacit understanding. Li Shimin suddenly said: "Qin Mubai... is there any news?"
Li Ke said softly: "Still in Mobei. It's almost winter, and the weather in the grassland and desert is cold and windy with sand, rain and snow, making it difficult to travel far. It is estimated that he will stay there for three or four months before he transfers to the Western Regions. "
Li Shimin nodded and said, "What about your marriage?"
Li Ke frowned and said, "Please ask my father to help me choose a noble lady from a famous family for my son... let's get married!"
Li Shimin chuckled softly, "Why, you are rejected by someone, and you are frustrated and want to give up?"
Li Ke smiled slightly and said: "Everyone has his own ambitions and cannot be forced. Today is different from the past. It is natural for the brothers and sisters to have their own ideas. Shuang'er said it well in a letter to me... It is better to forget each other than to help each other. Jianghu. Maybe we are really destined to be together, we can only miss each other and cannot stay together. "
The expression on Li Shimin's face did not change at all, and he said calmly: "Ke'er, just like your father, you are a temperamental person. But you have to remember that God is actually fair to everyone: the more you get, the more you get. The more you lose, the more you lose. Don’t try to have the best of both worlds, as that will make you lose more than you gain.”
"I understand..." Li Ke sighed softly, frowned again, and said, "My son is now ordered to supervise the country, so he should treat state affairs as the most important thing. My marriage is no longer just mine. It is a private matter, but a national matter. Therefore, I still ask my father and mother to make the final decision on this marriage."
Li Shimin nodded gently, "I understand."
"Father, do you have any other instructions?"
"Remember, whether it is the emperor's own cultivation or the promotion of ministers and people, in times of peace, the most important thing is to cultivate one's virtue; in times of crisis, one should use one's skills." Li Shimin said, "It's okay, you can go!"
"My son, please retire..."
After bidding farewell to Li Shimin, Li Ke walked slowly in the imperial garden, thinking about Li Shimin's last words, thinking in his heart: My father suddenly said such a sentence to me, there must be some hint. In times of peace, virtue is the first priority; in times of crisis, one should use one's skills - is this talking about Qin Mubai
Analyzing what my father said, a person like Qin Mubai, according to the standards of Confucian moral requirements, is only average in virtue, at least not on par with many famous Confucian scholars and moral kings in the court; but he is indeed capable. Outstanding and great talents have their own unique characteristics no matter how they use military force to govern the people.
Relevant to reality, Qin Mubai has been to Lanzhou in recent years and has repeatedly made astonishing moves. From the beginning, he immigrated people to Lanzhou, opened markets to attract business, monopolized the grain market, and collected taxes for his own use, to the later conscription and military expansion. , privately surrendering the rebels, deceiving the enemy with defeat, including privately enabling Hou Junji, and a series of Hou Junji's subsequent actions, all can be blamed on Qin Mubai.
Measured according to the standards of secular etiquette, Qin Mubai's actions are absurd and outrageous enough. In other words, in the eyes of many old masters, he is actually a person with "bad conduct" and "disobedience" rebellious minister.
However, even if Qin Mubai sent 10,000 old masters to accomplish these great achievements by himself, they would not be able to accomplish them.
Looking back, Li Ke felt that his father's words just now hit the nail on the head and pointed out the king's way of employing people - use virtue in prosperous times and use ability in troubled times!
"Mu Bai, I finally understand why you resigned." Li Ke suddenly realized it and said to himself, "You are a pragmatic person and do not seek fame for nothing. After the war is over, the Tang Dynasty will definitely return to Wenzhi. If you return to the court, you will You will work with countless Confucian scholars and old masters in the same court, and you will also have to put down your sword and pick up pen and ink, and do the same things as them. Although you are famous all over the world and have great achievements, most of the civil servants in the court may not really know how to do it. I respect you and accept you from the bottom of my heart. What awaits you will be endless intrigues and intrigues, and even settling accounts. There is a huge pile of memorials to impeach you on my father's court. I know...
"How similar is this to the Hou Junji of that year?"
"Okay, I won't force you anymore! But as my father said, if the Tang Dynasty is in trouble, you must step forward and fight side by side with me!"
Thinking of this, Li Ke smiled bitterly; Qin Mubai, Qin Mubai, now I am looking forward to seeing you, but I also don’t want to see you! -If you and I don't see each other, it means that everything is fine in the Tang Dynasty; if you and I meet, it means that the Tang Dynasty is in trouble!
"What should I do?"
"Do you really agree with that sentence... It's better to miss each other than to see each other?"