Start with detective Li Yuanfang

Chapter 78
Duke of Wei.

Inside the courtyard.

Li Yan and Li Dejian were playing chess, while Wang Xiaojie stood behind him, a little bored.

He originally thought that when Li Yan came back, he wanted to show his prestige, so that the Duke of Wei's mansion, which had not paid enough attention to him before, but was now down and out, had a better experience.

But in fact, Li Yan was very low-key all the way into the mansion, and there was no conflict at all.

But this estranged attitude actually made the Duke of Wei's mansion very uncomfortable.

Li Dejian asked him to enter the ancestral hall to worship, and brought him to the backyard. The father and son didn't say ten words before starting to play chess.

Li Yan could play Go, so he didn't refuse. He just took the opportunity to look at this cheap father.

The eldest son of Li Jing's concubine is already over [-] years old, counting the time, he was about [-] years old when he gave birth to his sixth son.

Not surprisingly, there is a famous rumor on the Internet in later generations that after Li Yuan was forced to abdicate, he gave birth to children in the harem. He was in his sixties, and he asked the concubines to bear more than a dozen sons and daughters for him.

This is a lie. In fact, after Li Yuan ascended the throne, he gave birth to a total of [-] children, which can be counted as the time when he was the Supreme Emperor, but not only during that time period, most of the children were born when he was the emperor.

And this is already very remarkable, because Li Yuan was enthroned and proclaimed emperor at the age of fifty-two. At that age, he had crazily given birth to thirty children, so he could be called old and vigorous.

In comparison, Li Dejian gave birth to one in his fifties, which is too low.

The Duke of Wei, who inherited the title of Li Jing, had a gray beard, a thin body, and a haggard face, but his eyes were very peaceful.

After winning a game at this time, Li Dejian nodded slightly: "Liu Lang, your chess style is dignified and upright, but also flexible, very good!"

Li Yandao: "It's mainly a job, my lord, I come back to recognize my ancestors, can you lend me the power of the Duke's Mansion?"

Li Dejian laughed: "You are so impolite!"

He said sternly: "You are the blood of my Li family, and the Duke of Wei's mansion is naturally your backing. If you ask for something, I will give up my old face and run around, and I can bring you three or five strong support!"

Li Yan said: "Thank you, sir."

Li Dejian said: "Between father and son, you are too alienated when you talk like this, don't worry, take your time."

Li Yan looked at this good-tempered Duke of Wei, imagining his high-spirited appearance in his heart, and felt a little sentimental.

The title of the duke of the state is high or high, after all, it is from the first rank, and there will be no shortage of treatment, but because there is no specific position, it is low or low.

If Wu Minzhi hadn't been a foreign relative, and there was a queen aunt who held great power, no one would have cared about his Duke Zhou.

And what about the Duke of Wei's mansion now?
Li Dejian's eldest son and third son have all died of illness, and the rest are Erlang, Shilang, and Goro, and there are three other prostitutes who are not married in the mansion.

Erlang is a doctor of Taixue, he is on the sixth rank, that is, a teacher who teaches Taixue students, and after Li Dejian dies, he can inherit the title of Duke of Wei.

Silang is on the left and right side of Beishen, under the sixth rank. This position is similar to that of Qianniu Beishen. In the Xuanzong period of history, it was merged with Qianniu Beishen.

Goro is Habayashi Nagashi. From the sixth rank, this position is the chief of staff of the imperial army. If he is good, he is good, but if he is not good, he is just dawdling.

The youngest, Goro, is already in his thirties, and obviously has no future.

No way, who made Li Dejian and Li Chengqian get so close back then.

He was able to survive the turmoil of the prince's rebellion, or was it because his name was Li Jing, he even retained the title of Duke of Wei, and his children were also arranged to be officials, what else did he want?
But in fact, Li Dejian's son still has a sixth-rank official position in this generation, and then the next generation, such as a few grandsons, are already unemployed at home.

As for the title, there is no guarantee.

In the Tang Dynasty, the title of the clan was lowered, and each generation was worse than the next generation. The non-clan dukes were hereditary in theory, but they were passed on for several generations. If they have no credit, they will gradually be lowered, and finally they will disappear. .

The Li Jing family in history probably did not exist like this.

Li Yan's appearance was really a surprise.

In Liangzhou, Li Yan opened up the situation by virtue of his status as the grandson of Li Jing. When he arrived in Chang'an, the Duke of Wei, who had not spoken out in court for a long time, could naturally use him to rebuild his influence.

After all, Li Jing's contacts are still there. Once the Weiguo Palace regains momentum, Li Yan can also benefit. This is a virtuous circle between family backgrounds.

But what Li Yan cares about now is actually the more practical team.

He was really blunt: "My lord, did Xu Da, who caught up with me that day, ever follow General Su?"

Li Dejian nodded: "Not bad!"

Li Yan's eyes brightened: "How many soldiers like this are there?"

Li Dejian said: "There are more than a hundred people, Liu Lang, do you want them to do things for you?"

He shook his head: "I'm afraid not. Most of these people are disabled and can only do some miscellaneous things. There are only a few of them who have not lost their martial arts and are agile."

Li Yan was taken aback for a moment, then understood something, and looked at Li Dejian with a different look: "When the number of people was the largest, how many veterans did your lord raise?"

Li Dejian said: "There are more than five hundred people."

Li Yan didn't quite believe it, so he said to Guan Shi who was waiting not far away: "Old Qi, can you show me the roster of the servants in the house?"

Li Dejian nodded, Manager Qi quickly brought the roster, Li Yan took it, and opened it for a closer look.

The service power of the Duke of Wei's mansion and that of the Duke of Zhou's mansion are really two extremes.

Zhou Guogong's government counted the private slaves it raised as part of the court's service force, and forced the common people to pay for their labor.

This can't be regarded as Wu Minzhi's black spot, because many dignitaries do this now.

The Duke's Mansion of the State of Wei used its generals to recruit military households. The old mansion soldiers who had retired from the battlefield originally wanted their sons to serve in the army, but were taken in by the Duke's Mansion of the State of Wei to help their families save a labor force.

During the period when the number of veterans was the largest, there were more than [-] veterans. The surplus people were not included in the military force, but were supported by the Duke's mansion, and they happened to help the disabled to work.

Behind Li Yan, Wang Xiaojie's eyes changed drastically, and he looked at Li Dejian with more sincere respect.

As the team leader of the Zhechong Mansion, he is very clear that the treatment of the soldiers in the mansion has become worse and worse in recent years.

According to the government military system, the soldiers who returned from victory should be rewarded with land, money and food, but in reality, a large number of military households fought for the battlefield of the Tang Dynasty, but they did not get the land, money and food they deserved, and they returned home disabled, with a miserable end.

It's not that the lower classes are greedy for ink, but that since the Gaozong Dynasty, the government military system has gradually collapsed.

This can't even be blamed on Li Zhi, it can only be said that the flaws in the system itself have led to the weakness of the Fubing.

A few years later in history, in order to deal with Tubo, Li Zhi also held recruitment in the land of Longyou, the Long March athletes, and recruited heroes.

It is very likely that the original Li Yuanfang joined the army like that.

Seeing the change in his expression, Li Dejian explained: "Not only did I do this, but the Xingguo government also did this."

Both Li Mi and Fang Xuanling, who descended to the Tang Dynasty, were named Duke Xing, but what Li Dejian said was Su Dingfang: "Before General Su died of illness, he was very worried about the future of these soldiers..."

Li Yan's eyes were bright: "If my lord doesn't do this, and use the gold and silver property to deal with the officials of the bureaucracy, relying on the support of the family, my brothers will not be mixed up like they are now..."

Li Dejian laughed: "You have to take it easy. In your eyes, a sixth-rank official position is not considered an official? This is too serious. Our family is rich in money, so we won't starve ourselves. Yours." The elder brothers are not expected to be officials, and they are in high positions, which is a misfortune rather than a blessing."

His tone became complicated, and he said slowly: "My official career is over, and I can't continue the glory of the Duke of Wei, so I can only do my best to do something, so that I can face my father when I am under the Nine Springs."

Li Dejian is the son of Li Jing, and honor is also a shackle.

Li Yan quite likes such shackles.

"Respect Grandfather! Respect Father!"

At this moment, he stood up solemnly, saluted Li Dejian sincerely, and only when he looked around again did he feel something.

This is the Duke of Wei's mansion left behind by Li Jing!

When Li Dejian saw that Li Yan respected him and saluted him because of this matter, he was also a little relieved when he sighed: "These soldiers who can serve as regular guards are indeed only Xu Daqi, but there are still many skilled people who can make bows Crossbows, Yuan Fang needs, though they can be called upon."

As long as the armor is not hidden privately, the court will not ask questions. Li Yan nodded repeatedly, picked up a pen and began to circle the names on the list, and quickly selected fifteen people.

Soon, fifteen soldiers gathered. Li Yan looked at this group of veterans whose average age was over forty years old, and said seriously, "Would you like to join me as patrol soldiers?"

Xu Da laughed and said, "Xiao Lang, of course we are willing to serve you. It would be even better if we are loyal to the country and beat up the barbarians!"

The others also showed smiles, with light in their eyes.

Ordinary people are afraid of the battlefield, but for these veterans who have made great achievements on the battlefield, the most memorable moment in their lives is the time when they were golden and iron horses.

"it is good!"

Li Yan nodded heavily, looked at Wang Xiaojie: "Xiaojie, go and practice with them."

Wang Xiaojie rubbed his head: "Liu Lang, I'm in my prime, so there's no need to compare..."

Li Yan said with a smile: "You win first and then talk about it, don't hold back, I will watch over you, so you won't get hurt!"

Wang Xiaojie walked out with some reluctance, but seven veterans who still had martial arts, looked at him carefully, and after a while Xu Dao said: "There is no need for seven, we only need three, and we can deal with this martial guard."

Wang Xiaojie was not happy anymore, he stretched out his arms, and the horns stretched out: "You seven go together!"

Then he was mobbed and beaten.

Li Yan looked at Wang Xiaojie's left and right, and soon fell into a one-sided situation, and smiled slightly.

There is an arrogance in this guy's bones. It is not obvious when he is in a low position at present, but as his power increases in the future, he will become a arrogant and arrogant person, which is perfectly normal.

If Li Yan is not going to completely wear off this edge, then he is not Wang Xiaojie, what he wants is this edge for his own use.

Wang Xiaojie and the servants of Duke Wei's mansion will become his first team and must be cultivated well.

Just as he was appreciating how his subordinates were mingling together, an inner guard from outside the mansion asked for an interview and brought Qiu Ying's message.

Li Yan raised his eyebrows after hearing this:

"Wu Minzhi is crazy?"

　Thanks to the book friends for the reward of "Give the youth fat for nothing".

　　
　
(End of this chapter)