Jiuxi

Chapter 495 Chapter 493 [Seize the day and night]

On the eastern outskirts of Yongjia City, there is the Jinwu Camp of the Qi Jingjun.

On the school field, the soldiers are practicing hard.

Lu Chen walked slowly along the edge of the school grounds, followed by a group of generals from Jinwu Camp.

After he petitioned the emperor and received permission, Chen Lanyu is now the marching commander of Jinwu Camp and the commander of Zhenwei Army, while Yan Bing is still the commander of Liwei Army.

Liu Yin, as Lu Chen's confidant general brought from the border army, had made many contributions in the Northern Expedition, so it was logical that he should be strengthened and promoted to the commander of the Zhenwei Army.

After looking around, Lu Chen nodded slightly and said, "The morale is very good. You all worked hard."

"Thank you for the compliment, Lord Marquis. This is the duty that a general should fulfill!"

The generals spoke modestly, but the smiles on their faces betrayed their true thoughts.

Even Yan Bing, a fringe figure in the Jiangnan clan, seemed relaxed.

After the rebellion of the Beijing army subsided, Yan Bing was in a panic during that period. Although he did not participate in the rebellion and stood upright on major issues of right and wrong, he was still worried that he would be kicked out by Lu Chen. After all, he was just an outsider to Lu Chen.

However, Lu Chen eventually retained his military position and did not deliberately make things difficult for him in the future.

Yan Bing suddenly discovered that leading troops could be very simple.

He no longer needs to indulge in intrigues all day long like before, nor does he need to care about the entangled interpersonal relationships in the capital. All the wind and waves outside are isolated from the camp by Lu Chen, and no one can reach in.

Every month's pay will be paid on time without any deductions. Of course, from Yan Bing to the generals below, no one has the courage to reach out and drink the soldiers' blood. Therefore, the atmosphere in the army is getting better day by day, and the soldiers can have enough to eat every day. , and there is no longer any resistance or perfunctory attitude toward training.

What Yan Bing has to do is very clear: study military books and train troops seriously.

Lu Chen only had these two requirements for him.

Yan Bing had never felt so fulfilled and relaxed. At this moment, he suddenly realized how happy it was to lead troops under Lu Chen, and he understood more and more why the frontier soldiers who followed Lu Chen to the capital were so loyal.

Although Lu Chen never asked him to express his loyalty, Yan Bing had quietly made up his mind to follow the young prince for the rest of his life.

He knew that he had no talent and could only be regarded as a middle-class person at most, but after experiencing this kind of comfortable life, he could no longer flatter the stinky feet of those Jiangnan nobles.

At this moment, Yan Bing's voice was quite loud, even louder than Liu Yin's.

Lu Chen smiled lightly, took advantage of the situation to encourage them, and then said, "Go and do your work. Manager Chen will accompany me for a walk."

The generals immediately bowed and retired, while Lu Chen and Chen Lanyu continued to move along the flat land in the camp.

Lu Chen has always respected this old acquaintance beside him who has the temperament of a Confucian general but is a little alienated from him.

Not only because Chen Lanyu is now the emperor's confidant, but more importantly, Lu Chen cannot see through this person's thoughts at all. He appears calm and calm no matter where he is at any time, with a vague attitude of neither being happy with things nor sad with others.

In fact, when he was in the Huaizhou Army, Lu Chen had a very clear perception of this. The generals under Xiao Wangzhi's command had different temperaments, but whether they were as upright as Song Shifei or as calm as Duan Zuozhang, their every move would more or less influence them. Express some inner thoughts.

Only Chen Lanyu seems to be hidden in the fog, his sharp edge hidden, but he has a power that cannot be ignored.

After a while, Lu Chen took the initiative to start the conversation: "What do you think of the current situation?"

Chen Lanyu muttered: "The war between the north and the south is now going on, but the general believes that Nanzhao's 100,000 soldiers and horses are mostly just a bluff. As long as my army north of the Yangtze River is not defeated, the leader of Nanzhao will not dare to offend me too severely." , Now it's just a matter of taking advantage of the situation. As long as Yongdinghou leads the two armies of Wuwei Camp to Taiping Prefecture, the situation in southern Xinjiang will stabilize, so the battle in Jiangbei is crucial. If our army wins, Jing's army will definitely win. Morale is severely damaged and there is absolutely no determination to go south again within a year or two.”

Lu Chen nodded and said: "Jiangbei is still in a stalemate for the time being, but I predict that this delicate balance will be broken within two months at the latest."

Chen Lanyu thought for a moment and agreed: "What the Marquis said is absolutely true. It is impossible for Jing's army to waste food and grass in vain for a long time."

"So I am requesting His Majesty that you lead the Zhenwei and Liwei armies to prepare and dispatch in advance to support the Jingzhou Army at a critical moment."

Lu Chen stopped and said solemnly: "This task is too important. I don't feel comfortable leaving it to anyone else. At present, you are the only one who can do it. I will talk to you now. Your Majesty's decree and orders will be announced later today." The troop deployment order is sent to you."

Chen Lanyu's eyes narrowed slightly, and he lowered his head and said: "The last general will take orders."

Lu Chen explained part of the plan to him in detail.

Even though Chen Lanyu had always had a calm face, he couldn't hide his surprise after hearing Lu Chen's plan, and finally said in admiration: "The Marquis' plan is so high-level that it will be far behind in the end."

Lu Chen smiled and patted his shoulder, shook his head and said: "There is no need to be so polite between you and me. I have already told the right minister that you don't need to worry about any logistical issues when you lead troops out of Beijing. As long as you send the Zhenwei Army on time, Just bring it to the predetermined location with Li Weijun.”

Chen Lanyu said sternly: "General, I promise that I will never delay the military aircraft, otherwise I am willing to engage in military law!"

……

The next day, at the beginning of Mao hour. Imperial City, the emperor's palace.

There is still nearly an hour before the court.

Since Li Duan ascended the throne, he has slightly adjusted the time of going to court. In summer and autumn, it is at the third quarter of Mao hour (six o'clock in the morning), and in winter and spring, it is at the beginning of Chen hour (seven o'clock in the morning). This is for those in Beijing. For an elderly official, this is enough to be called the emperor's grace.

When the late emperor was on the throne, no matter the spring, summer, autumn, winter, cold wind or rain, the imperial officials had to get up from their beds in the middle of the night and rush into the palace to wait before the first quarter of Mao hour. This was undoubtedly an extremely painful torture.

It was through these countless small details, and more importantly, delegation of power and respect, that Li Duan gradually gained the loyalty of some ministers in the court, instead of just relying on impassioned principles and vague promises.

The candlelight in the bedroom was as bright as day. This was not because he liked extravagance, but because he had to do something very important today.

Li Duan leaned on the couch, while the weaver, Qin Zheng, and Prince Li Zongben stood aside.

There was also a middle-aged man with white hair standing in the hall.

His expression was solemn, and there were beads of sweat on his forehead.

Although the emperor's palace was quite warm and not as cold as the outside, he looked too nervous.

Upon seeing this, Li Duan joked: "Gui Aiqing, don't be so nervous when you are about to give me the acupuncture. Your hands hold my life."

"His Majesty……"

The middle-aged man hesitated to speak, and forced out a smile, but it was uglier than crying.

Li Duan said calmly: "This is my own decision. Gui Aiqing doesn't have to worry. You have been in the Taiyuan Hospital for twelve years, so you should know that I will never take my anger out on others."

The middle-aged man was Gui Qiuliang, the chief of Taiyuan Hospital, and the elder brother of the miracle doctor Xue Huaiyi. The two of them were the most outstanding disciples of the late emperor Zhengyu Liren of Taiyuan Hospital.

Gui Qiuliang was deeply touched by Li Duan's words. Of course he knew that throughout the ages, the profession of imperial physician was extremely dangerous, and the slightest mistake would be a death penalty. However, in the twelve years since he entered the imperial hospital, the emperor and the nobles in the palace have never made things difficult for the imperial doctor. Even on the night when the eldest prince died of his injuries, the emperor, who was extremely sad and angry, did not vent his grief and anger. On the part of the imperial physician who failed to save the eldest prince.

Over the past twelve years, people have come and gone from the Tai Hospital, and some people have been severely punished by the state law, but everything happened for a reason, and no one died unjustly.

This is why Gui Qiuliang firmly believes in the emperor's statement.

However, he looked up at the emperor's weak expression on the couch, and felt sad for a moment. He knelt down and kowtowed: "I am not good at medical skills. Please forgive me!"

Li Duan sighed softly, motioned to Qin Zheng to help the loyal Imperial Hospital official up, and said: "I know you are loyal and want me to live a few more years. If this vision can be realized, of course I will not take it. My life is at risk. But now that Daqi is being invaded by a powerful enemy, how can I stay on the bed and linger? Since my time is short, I should be diligent in my destiny, and I have already accepted it calmly."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Gui Qiuliang's tone trembled slightly.

Li Duan glanced at the prince beside him who was in deep pain, and said slowly: "No matter what, I can't make a fool of myself in front of all the officials, so let's do the acupuncture."

Gui Qiuliang was silent for a moment, and finally knelt down to kowtow to the emperor again, saying word by word: "I accept the decree."

He stood up and went to the case, opened his medicine box, and took out a roll of brocade ribbon. After unfolding it, dozens of long needles on it glowed coldly under the bright candlelight.

This is the golden needle technique passed down from his mentor Yu Liren, and only he and Xue Huaiyi have complete mastery of it.

Qin Zheng and the prince watched silently, with sadness and sadness in their eyes.

Gui Qiuliang calmed down, his hands were as steady as a rock, and the golden needles stabbed into the emperor's acupuncture points one after another without shaking.

Li Duan had never practiced martial arts, and his body was extremely weak due to fifteen years of hard work and disease. However, anyone who practiced martial arts would feel the excruciating pain of golden needles on his face. He was still as calm as ever, and his eyes were as deep and calm as before.

He knew that his time was short, and he also knew that this secret method would bring him to the end of his life faster.

But that's not important.

Because the golden needle in Gui Qiuliang's hand can temporarily forget his physical pain and temporarily restore him to the seventh son of the emperor who galloped across the territory of Daqi.

That's enough.

He was the Emperor of Qi. Even though he was suffering from illness, how could he linger on the bed, waiting helplessly and desperately for death?

More than half an hour later, Li Duan, who had freshened up and changed his clothes, wore a black dragon robe, boarded the royal chariot with steady steps, and headed towards Duancheng Hall surrounded by the prince, imperial guards and palace officials.

At this time, the morning light first appears, and the world can see light.

(End of this chapter)