Man Tanghong

Chapter 55
Ma Zhou's eyes widened in astonishment. Li Yuanji's words contained a lot of information.

Li Yuanji didn't care about Ma Zhou's reaction, and continued: "Once Gao Kaidao colludes with the Turks, he will definitely lure the Turks south. Not only Youzhou, but also several places near Youzhou will suffer.

Li Yi will definitely be dizzy by the Turks and Gao Kaidao.The people in Youzhou, as well as the people in several places near Youzhou, will also suffer unspeakably. "

Ma Zhou slowly came back to his senses, and said in a deep thought: "Your Highness wants me to remind Li Yi to be wary of Gao Kaidao?"

After hesitating for a while, Ma Zhou said again: "Since Your Highness knows that Gao Kaidao has ulterior motives and may betray me, why don't you go directly to the sage and take down Gao Kaidao first?"

Li Yuanji stared at Ma Zhou meaningfully and said, "Because I want the five heroes of the Xue family in Li Yi's hands."

Ma Zhou's eyes widened instantly.

Li Yuanji's words contained even more information.

Although the Xue brothers under Li Yi's hands were not as powerful as the Tang Dynasty, they were still well-known figures in Hebei.

There are countless warriors under him, and he is even a first-class warrior on the battlefield.

Li Yuanji, a direct prince and a person who is qualified to inherit the throne of the Tang Dynasty, recruited them. Does that mean that Li Yuanji intends to fight for the throne?
"Your Highness...Your Highness wants to..."

Ma Zhou spoke hesitantly.

He was a little scared.

He felt that he might have been hasty in agreeing to follow Li Yuanji.

In his opinion, Prince Li Jiancheng has great righteousness and a good name, while King Qin Li Shimin is famous and has many servants.

Li Yuanji has nothing but a bad reputation, and his chances of winning against these two are almost zero.

Li Yuanji is seeking his own death.

Li Yuanji saw what Ma Zhou was thinking, and sighed: "Don't think too much, I never thought about competing with my elder brother and second brother, I just wanted to protect myself.

My elder brother and the second elder brother were fighting, and I was caught in the middle. If neither of them took refuge, it would be easy to be regarded as a weasel.

If they voted for either side, they would immediately use me as a pawn.

So I have to strengthen myself so that they don't dare to use me as a pawn. "

Ma Zhou said suspiciously: "But when you grow up, if you don't take refuge in anyone, you will be more likely to be regarded as a yellow bird."

Li Yuanji nodded slowly, and said: "You are right, when I grow up, if I don't take refuge in anyone, it is indeed easier to be regarded as a yellow bird.

But after I grow stronger, even if they treat me like a yellow bird, they will be afraid of my strength and dare not act rashly. "

Ma Zhou frowned and said, "But this is not a long-term solution after all..."

After Li Yuanji grows stronger, Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin may be afraid of Li Yuanji's strength, will not act rashly, and even try to win him over many times.

But once Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin decide the outcome, the winner will definitely turn around and deal with Li Yuanji.

Because Li Yuanji had so much power in his hands, if he didn't help at a critical moment, he would definitely be hated.

If Li Yuanji has too much power in his hands, it will also affect the winner's exclusive access to imperial power.

The winner will take care of him anyway.

Li Yuanji also thought about this problem, but he was not afraid, because he was not fighting alone.

Between Li Shimin and Li Jiancheng, there are too many people who remain neutral.

Such as Lee Hyo-gong, such as Li Xiuning.

Whether it is Li Shimin following the historical position, or Li Jiancheng fighting back under his influence, the winner must move a neutral person, and it is a group of people who move, not him alone.

His strength is not as good as Li Shimin and Li Jiancheng.

Even if he catches up now, when Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin meet in battle, his strength may not be able to catch up with Li Shimin and Li Jiancheng.

But counting Li Xiaogong and Li Xiuning, their strength is not inferior to any of Li Shimin and Li Jiancheng.

Li Shimin and Li Jiancheng, no matter who is in power, if they are liquidated, the consequences will be very serious, and Datang cannot bear it.

Li Yuanji had no way to say these words to Ma Zhou, so he could only smile calmly: "You don't need to worry about this matter, I have my own plans in my heart. Just follow my orders, I will keep you safe and promise you A fortune."

Now that Li Yuanji had said this, Ma Zhou couldn't chase after him to get to the bottom of it, so he could only bow down and say, "I would like to follow Your Highness's instructions."

Li Yuanji nodded, took out the promotion document and the official seal certificate that he had prepared for Ma Zhou, and handed them to Ma Zhou.

He accompanied Ma Zhou to a sumptuous farewell banquet, dispatched twenty 'bodyguards' to Ma Zhou, and then returned to Luoyang City drunkenly with his people.

……

The next day.

After Li Yuanji got up, Xie Shufang quietly ran to Li Ji to report that Ma Zhou had already left.

"understood."

Li Yuanji rubbed his temples, agreed vaguely, and ordered: "You take someone to the arsenal of Luoyang City, and someone will give you three thousand armors, and you bring those armors back."

Xie Shufang bent over, hesitantly said: "Your Highness is planning to equip the soldiers of the Zuo Santong Army with iron armor?"

Li Yuanji gave Xie Shufang a blank look, "You still ask after you know?!"

If Li Yuanji wanted to build the Zuo Santong Military Mansion, he would definitely have to worry about the equipment of the Zuo Santong Military Mansion.

The armor reserve of Prince Qi's Mansion is simply not enough to arm the soldiers of the Zuo Santong Army Mansion.

Li Yuanji could only take advantage of Li Shimin's chance of stealing food to fight against Li Shimin, and he could also use this to give everyone a reasonable excuse to expand their troops.

I am expanding the army, not because of any evil intentions, but because the thieves are too fierce and always miss my things, so I want to expand the army to guard against thieves.

This lame excuse is a little lame, but it is in line with the style of King Qi in the past.

Xie Shufang hesitated, "Is it a bit extravagant?"

At present, in the entire Tang Dynasty, only the Prince Six Commanders, the Xuanjia Army of Prince Qin's Mansion, and the guards of Prince Qi's Mansion are all equipped with iron armor.

Li Yuanji also equipped the soldiers of the Commanding Army Mansion with iron armor, which was obviously a bit extravagant.

Li Shimin didn't do that, and he didn't dare to do it.

Once it's done, Li Yuan and Li Jiancheng won't be able to sleep.

If Li Shimin led 20,000 iron armors, he could gallop across the world. If he led more than [-] iron armors, no one would be able to stop Li Shimin from doing something in Chang'an City.

Li Yuanji glared at Xie Shufang, "Is the armor more important, or the lives of the soldiers?"

Xie Shufang said without hesitation: "Iron armor is important."

One armor is worth five soldiers.

A family can be passed down.

The preciousness of a pair of iron armor in the Tang Dynasty far exceeded the lives of ordinary soldiers.

Li Yuanji glared at Xie Shufang viciously, "In my eyes, the lives of soldiers are worth more than armor."

Xie Shufang still wants to talk.

Li Yuanji stared at Xie Shufang, and said seriously: "If the armor is gone, it can be rebuilt, but if the person is gone, then it is really gone."

Xie Shufang opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

He was very happy to meet Li Yuanji, a lord who valued the lives of soldiers more than armor.

But he still felt in his heart that iron armor was really more important than the lives of ordinary soldiers.

"After you go, remember to keep an eye on it, don't let people fool you with some broken and rotten armor."

Li Yuanji stared at Xie Shufang and told him.

Xie Shufang bowed and said, "I understand."

Li Yuanji waved his hand, Xie Shufang immediately left the side hall of Luoyang Palace, and led his people to the arsenal of Luoyang City.

Until noon, Xie Shufang escorted three thousand armors back to the side hall of Luoyang Palace.

Accompanying him was an acquaintance of Li Yuanji.

Liu Jun, the servant next to Li Yuan.

Seeing Liu Jun, Li Yuanji was quite surprised.

Li Yuanji ordered Xie Shufang, who had a happy expression on his lips, to send the iron armor to the storage in the side hall of Luoyang Palace, while staring at Liu Jun curiously and asked, "Why did you come to Luoyang?"

Liu Jun actually bowed his hands to Li Yuanji with a bright smile, and said: "The minister is ordered to come here to announce the decree."

Li Yuanji was taken aback. When he was in Chang'an, Liu Jun seldom showed him a smiling face...he didn't ask a question yet.

Liu Jun smiled and said: "His Royal Highness's in-law Xie Shufang has made meritorious deeds by presenting Yuan clothes. Everyone has specially decreed that Xie Shufang will be named Marquis of Pingyao County, and promoted to Qi Wangfu Zhifu Zuocheqi General and Xun Hujun."

Li Yuanji looked surprised.

Li Yuan was really generous enough, he gave Xie Shufang a marquis at once, and promoted Xie Shufang several levels in a row, and his honor was even mentioned to the third level.

Xie Shufang can be considered to be on the rise.

From now on, I can stand upright and speak in front of him.

But... what the hell is Yuanyi?

"I would also like to congratulate Your Highness for adding a hundred households to Shiyi."

Liu Jun bowed his hands to Li Yuanji again, announcing the good news with a smile.

Xie Shufang is a member of Prince Qi's Mansion, and Li Yuanji will also benefit from Xie Shufang's contributions.

This is to reward Li Yuanji for being well-mannered, and also to remind Xie Shufang, don't forget who supported you.

Liu Jun specially announced the good news to Li Yuanji, and Li Yuanji had to reward him.

After groping around, he found that he didn't have anything of value on him.

Li Yuanji immediately ordered the guards around him to get it.

After the ten golden pancakes were placed in Liu Jun's hands, Liu Jun's smile became brighter and he talked a lot more.

"To tell you the truth, Your Majesty, this time Uncle Xie from your mansion presented Yuan clothes, which relieved the severe cold that the soldiers had to suffer in the winter battle. Everyone was overjoyed, and specially showed it to the officials during the banquet on Yuan Day .

The ministers praised him highly, and when everyone was happy, they personally named him Yuanyi. "

Li Yuanji suddenly realized, and made a fuss for a long time. The Tang version of the down jacket has just become Yuanyi.

That's right, so far only Li Yuan can name things casually.

"In this way, it is a good time for Xie Shufang to present Yuanyi."

Li Yuanji sighed.

Yuan Day is Yuan Shuo Day, which is the first day of the new year.

In the new year and new weather, Xie Shufang presented new clothes at his meeting, Li Yuan must be happy.

The ministers also praised this matter happily, and Bo Li Yuan was happy.

When Li Yuan was happy, it was reasonable to reward him generously.

After all, there is no title that Li Yuan dare not confer, and there is no position that Li Yuan dare not reward.

In Li Yuan's hands, the princes and dukes spread out as if they didn't want money.

A mere marquis is not worth mentioning.

If Li Yuanji remembers correctly, it was this year in history. After Li Shimin defeated Liu Heita, Li Yuan was so happy that he sealed more than a dozen kings in one go.

Li Daozong is on this list.

Liu Jun said cheerfully, "It's indeed a good time."

(End of this chapter)