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Chapter 623 Jiangshan and Beauty

Hearing Liu Lan urging him to present Li Yuan with the power to control Shandong to Zang Junxiang, Qi Gongshun raised his face, folded his hands on his chest and said, "Other things can be done according to you, but this matter is hands-free. Boy, how can I, Old Qi, live under him and see his face. Don't try to persuade me about this matter, there is no need to discuss it."

It's no wonder that Qi Gongshun is angry, no matter today's forces and troops, Qi Gongshun is above Zang Junxiang, not to mention Zang Junxiang is still his defeated general.Ask Qi Gongshun to obey Zang Junxiang's orders, how can he bear this tone.

Liu Lan listened to Fu Xu and said with a smile: "Okay, if you can't do it, then do it according to Minggong's wishes. Please give the right to control Shandong to Minggong. Minggong will send Mr. Zang when the time comes." But Xu Shiji's army is stationed in Yanzhou, if he comes to attack, will he first attack Beihai which is close at hand, or attack Junxiang Zang of Donghai who is a Langya county away?"

Hearing what Liu Lan said, Qi Gongshun's expression changed and he said: "Xu Shiji will definitely come to attack me, so Prime Minister Zang Jun will never spare no effort to save me."

"That's right, if Duke Ming has great power and Beihai County is at fault, Prime Minister Zang has nothing to do with it. He even wishes Li Chongjiu to eradicate Beihai. But if His Majesty will control the power of Shandong and give it to Prime Minister Zang, then if Beihai County has something wrong, it will be Prime Minister Zang." It's my responsibility." Liu Lan said.

Qi Gongshun slammed his fist on the table.

"Duke Ming is a person who does great things, so you need to be careful when you think about it."

Qi Gongshun glanced at Liu Lan and said, "I just don't want to bow my head to him after fighting Zang Jun for so long."

Liu Lan persuaded from the side: "Duke Ming, you can't get angry at the moment. No matter how much power a person holds, there are heavy burdens on him. If the burden is too heavy, let others bear it. Just don't crush yourself."

Hearing what Liu Lan said, Qi Gongshun calmed down a little and said, "Then what job should we recommend to Mr. Zang? Too high is really cheap for this kid."

"If the official position is low, Mr. Zang will not pay attention to it. Anyway, it is a favor. If you don't give it away, you will recommend him to your majesty as the Minister of the Military Department of Daxingtai, Shandong Province."

After hearing this, Qi Gongshun's teeth chattered: "I'm selling my old Qi's face, but I ended up taking advantage of this kid."

"No, I believe that what His Majesty sees instead is your magnanimity and mind, Mr. Ming." Liu Lan said confidently.

Inside Luoyang Palace.

A pair of maps of Shandong were laid out on the ground, which was the benefit of capturing Luoyang. No matter where the mountains and rivers of the county were, they were all in the treasury, just take them at hand.

Li Chongjiu was wearing a dragon robe and stood in front of a map the size of two beds, with Xue Wanshu, Zhang Xuansu, and Yu Shinan on the left and right.

The servant presented a bamboo stick to Li Chongjiu.Li Chongjiu swiped his bamboo stick forward and said, "Right now King Bo of Shandong, Duke Meng Hai has surrendered, Xu Yuanlang has been punished, the heroes of Shandong, Zhang Qingte of Jibei County, Li Yiman of Qi County, Duke Qi Shun according to Beihai, the second county of Gaomi, Prime Minister Zang has Donghai County, Langya County, part of Donglai County in Chunyu Nan, and Xu Shishun in Rencheng of Lu County. Zhang Aiqing, please tell us the details of these people."

Zhang Xuansu said: "Among the heroes, Zhang Qingte served under Liu Heitai last year. Most of his main force was wiped out in the battle against Liu Heitai by our army. Right now, he is barely alive. The land and the city are small and there are few soldiers, so they could only rely on Xu Yuanlang at the beginning, but now that Yanzhou has been destroyed, Xu Shishun is alone and helpless."

Yu Shinan said: "Both of them are insignificant. You can send someone to say surrender. If the rumor cannot be determined, it will be at the palm of your hand to destroy them."

Zhang Xuansu continued: "Li Yiman of Qi County is brave and resourceful. He was originally a native of Qi County. At the end of the Sui Dynasty, he merged clans and protected his village. Therefore, he was appointed as the general guard of Qi County by the imperial court. Shandong and Shandong have always been the township Heroes of the party are troubled, so is the Li family in Qi County. Li Yiman also promoted his son Li Junqiu, nephew Li Wuyi, and Li Xing as generals. They are very united. However, Li Yiman does not have any ambitions, and he is just attached to Qi Gongshun at the moment."

"So, only Qi Gongshun, Chunyu Nan, and Zang Junxiang are worthy of our army's attention in Shandong." Xue Wanshu came to this judgment after hearing Zhang Xuansu's analysis.

Zhang Xuansu said: "Right now Qi Gong Shun occupies three counties, Zang Junxiang occupies two counties, and Chunyu Nan half of the counties. Among the three, Zang Junxiang has many troops, but most of them are mobs. Chunyu Nan is brave and good at fighting, but there are not many troops. Dengzhou was lost. There is no more food and money, so Qi Gongshun is the strongest."

"How about Qi Gongshun?" Li Chongjiu asked.

Zhang Xuansu said: "The original intention of this person who raised the rebellion is unknown. Originally, he was just one of the dozens of rebels in Shandong. But after receiving the help of Liu Lanzhi, a Confucian student in Beihai, his power gradually grew. He not only captured Beihai, but also defeated Zang Junxiang. Even Li Yiman, a hero in Gaomi County, has taken refuge in this person."

"Liu Lan's name, I have seen his name many times in the memorial, what is so special about this person?" Li Chongjiu asked.

Zhang Xuansu said: "Wei Chen has also investigated, and from Qi Gongshun's subordinates, if there is no such person, Qi Gongshun would not be where he is today. As far as I know, although Qi Gongshun is a reckless man, he obeys Liu Lan's words, and Li Yiman The others took refuge in Qi Gongshun because of Liu Lan's suggestion. As for Li Tang, it was Liu Lan who suggested to Qi Gongshun."

"Is Qigong Shun really obedient to this person?" Yu Shinan said in disbelief.

"Yes, rather than saying that Qi Gongshun is at the mercy of others, it is better to say that this is what Qi Gongshun excels at others." Zhang Xuansu recounted Liu Lan's experience in detail, and Li Chongjiu couldn't help nodding and said: "A thousand troops are easy to get, but a general It’s hard to find. Qi Gongshun is not a stupid person, but a person with self-knowledge.”

Yu Shinan said: "Your Majesty, from this point of view, if these three people join forces, it will really be a big problem."

Xue Wan said: "It's not just a problem. At present, our army in Yanzhou has no more than [-] troops, and Wang Bo and Meng Hai have only [-] to [-] troops. Even if Xu Yuanlang's troops are recruited, there are only [-] people. Although there are [-] troops, there are many. It's a mob. It's not easy to rely on them to pacify the six counties in Shandong. I think we have to send troops from elsewhere."

"But right now our army's strength is stretched, where should we deploy our troops? Is it possible to transfer Xue Wanche's military guards again, but in this case, only the Yiwei army is left in the capital."

"What did Xu Shiji say?" Li Chongjiu asked.

Zhang Xuansu said: "General Xu asked His Majesty to rest and recuperate in Yanzhou for half a month to incorporate Xu Yuanlang's surrendered army. He said that if His Majesty wants to pacify Shandong, he will need to transfer another five thousand naval forces from Donglai County and five thousand counties from Bohai County. Soldiers to help."

"I will give it to him," Li Chongjiu said resolutely, "immediately pass on my edict to order Li Deyi, the governor of Bohai County, and Zhao Xin, the governor of Donglai County, to come under the control of Xu Shiji and help him pacify Shandong!"

Lishan Palace in Chang'an.

In order to escape the heat, Emperor Li Yuan of the Tang Dynasty ordered his prince Li Jiancheng to supervise the country, and he brought Qin Wang Li Shimin and Qi Wang Li Yuanji from Chang'an to Lishan Palace to escape the summer heat.

Li Yuan, Li Shimin, and Li Yuanji's two sons, who were over half a hundred years old, climbed the mountain and said as they walked: "Since the Qin and Han Dynasties, Lishan has been a place for emperors to visit. You see, this mountain is full of palaces and other palaces. I don't know how much effort the people have spent. To spend the summer in Lishan, I only ordered to repair a few palaces at will, but the people below cater to the holy will, hmph..."

Li Yuanji said: "Father, the emperor is rich all over the world, and he should be respected by all people. The residence should not be too shabby. Father, this is also the intention of the courtiers."

Li Yuan looked at Li Yuanji and said, "I can't think about one person. The summer grain harvest is already abundant, but the rice price in Chang'an remains high. I can't eat, and I can't sleep well. How can I live in a beautiful mansion? "

Li Shimin said from the side: "Father, it's better to take care of your body, and the body of the dragon is the most important. The crown prince and the officials will share your worries about these matters."

"I hope so," Li Yuan coughed twice, "I have ordered the reduction of the palace personnel in the Wuji Palace. In a few days, besides the Imperial Army of the Northern Yamen, the Imperial Army of the Sixteen Guards of the Southern Yamen, and the Prince's Changlin Army, And the guards of your palaces have all been reduced by one-third."

The Forbidden Army of the Tang Dynasty was divided into two armies, the North and the South. The Beiya Forbidden Army was stationed at the north gate of the palace city. It was served by Yuan Congjun soldiers when Li Yuan raised troops in Taiyuan. Directly under the Ministry of War.

After Li Jiancheng became the crown prince, he also selected elites to serve as the guards of the East Palace. Because the army was divided into the Changlin Gate on the left and right, he was named the Changlin Army and was led by General Ke Zhida.

And the guards of Prince Qin's Mansion and Prince Qi's Mansion are not small, especially after Li Shimin was named Tiance General, the number of guards in Tiance Mansion has increased a lot, and the number of troops is not inferior to that of Chang Lin's army.

After Li Yuan revealed his intention to reduce the army, he seemed to be asking for his second son's opinion. Li Yuanji said anxiously: "Father, the guards in the palace have followed my sons and ministers for many years and have gone through life and death on the battlefield. If they are abolished, where will they go to settle down?"

Li Yuan said indifferently: "This is not easy to deal with. They are recruited to enrich the local Chongzhe Mansion. Chang'an has too many people, and it is difficult to bear the burden. As such, the food price can only remain high. Didn't I also reduce the Nanya Imperial Army? What do you think, Prince Qin?"

Li Shimin said calmly: "I am also reluctant to follow these soldiers, but my father has orders, and I must obey."

Li Yuan said comfortingly: "It's still you who know the general idea. I know that you have a lot of talents in Tiance Mansion, but it's the same with the edict. It's up to you to deal with it."

"Yes, royal father, the minister must have handled it properly."

Li Yuan was going to rest in the palace, but Li Yuanji couldn't bear it long ago and said that he was going hunting, Li Yuan agreed immediately.

On Mount Li, a leisurely day had begun. Li Yuanji drove the lynx to hunt with the guards of Prince Qi's Mansion.

In Li Palace, only Li Yuan and his son accompanied him.The palace people sent white fungus porridge with rock sugar to cool off the heat.

While drinking porridge, Li Yuan said to Li Shimin, "I remember you also like hunting, why don't you end up?"

Li Shimin put down the bowl and said: "My son likes to hunt, but it's so hard that I can accompany my father today, so I won't go."

Li Yuan smiled and said: "What can I do for an old man? You young people have their own affairs."

Li Shimin said: "Father came to Lishan this time, did he only bring Concubine Yin De and Zhang Jieyu with him?"

Li Yuan said: "Yes, I have only been in Lishan for a month, and it is enough for the two of them to take care of the affairs around me."

Li Shimin showed a worried look and said: "Father has been dealing with state affairs recently, and he has worked hard all night. My son is a son, and I am anxious. My son learned that Xue Daoheng, Duke of Linhe, has a daughter. She is well versed in the history of the family and is good at literature. I recommend it to my father. Emperor, I hope I can explain a thing or two."

Li Yuan heard the words: "Xue Daoheng's daughter, Xue Daoheng and I are old friends, the old man's daughter..."

Li Shimin smiled and said: "Father is the daughter of an old friend, so he can know his heart. Beautiful women are easy to get in the world, but talented women are rare, and it is even rarer to have both talent and appearance. With such a woman by your side, life will not be lonely."

Li Yuan laughed happily when he heard the words: "It's a big talk, a real man should be his true colors, but it's not that I don't have true colors, but that I am too old to have enough energy, but since my son has made a wish, I am here in Lishan Let's meet this beautiful woman for a while. Xue Daoheng was famous all over the world, and his daughter will definitely not be far behind."

Li Shimin lowered his head and said: "Father has an order, and my son will do it immediately."

After Li Shimin left, Li Yuan put down the half-drunk porridge in his hand, stroked his beard and remained silent.An old eunuch walked out.This old eunuch was the one who went to Hulao Pass to deliver Li Yuan's imperial edict to Li Shimin's class teacher. Everyone called him Eunuch Zheng.

"Your Majesty, this Xue Daoheng has another son, named Xue Shou, who is joining the army for the record office in the Qin Palace."

Li Yuan heard Eunuch Zheng say this: "Very good, my sister serves my father, brother and minister, Shimin still has a heart."

Speaking of this, Li Yuan and Eunuch Zheng both smiled.
Eunuch Zheng thought for a while and said, "Your Majesty, please forgive me for talking too much. Don't you think King Qin has been trying his best to flatter you after he came back from Luoyang?"

Li Yuandao: "I raised Shimin since I was a child. I know his temperament. What cannot be bent can only be broken. He understands this truth. If Sanniang has the temperament, he can also be like his elder brother." Enough."

Having said this, Li Yuan's face showed a sigh of relief.

"Your Majesty, I heard some news about the princess from Chang'an?"

Li Yuan raised his head and smiled, "Speak slowly, I want to listen carefully..."

At the foot of Lishan Mountain, Li Shimin rode a horse, accompanied by a beautiful car, and walked slowly.

The curtain on Li's car was lifted slightly, revealing the face of a young lady. She looked at Li Shimin and said, "Your Highness, King Zhou You smiled for Bomei and lit a beacon here in Lishan."

Li Shimin held the rein and looked at the Lishan palace road in front of him and said silently for a while: "I think if Bao Si really falls in love with King You, even if King You doesn't light the beacon, the beauty will always smile."

The beauty smiled slightly and said: "King Qin is right, then you also know that if you send me here to Mount Li, I will never have a smile in my life."

Li Shimin said: "Life is full of helplessness. For the sake of the Xue family and the world, please be patient. After a hundred years from the father, I promise to return you to freedom."

"No, I am going to Mount Li, not for the Xue family, not for the world, but only for His Highness."

Li Shimin's expression moved slightly but he didn't speak.
The beauty sighed quietly: "Your Highness, can you take a look at me? I am more beautiful than the world in your eyes."

(End of this chapter)