Your Majesty the Empress, I am really not a traitor!

These words sounded so pitiful, but Qin Ji knew that Lingyan was just talking.

But even if it's just talking, this look really doesn't make people have much resistance.

"Okay, okay, don't always be hands-on in the future, this is the boss, right?"

"it is good."

Changing face is faster than flipping a book.However, Qin Ji is also very clear that her so-called face-changing is actually just playing with herself, and she has no bad intentions.

"Where's Consultant Cheng? I'm free today and I want to meet him."

Qin Ji asked.

After he came back, he hadn't met with his advisor Cheng yet. Before that, he had assigned his advisor Cheng to be responsible for the recovery and resettlement of the frontline cities. Now that the war is over and the front is stable, his advisor Cheng naturally returned to the court.

"Him? I heard that he was also called by His Majesty. I heard that it was also about promotion." As the leader of the Huilin Department, the current Lingyan has more or less certain inside information, and he can also know that he is in the palace. It's an innocuous matter, and she naturally knows that consultant Cheng was called over.

It's just that it's unclear how he will be promoted.

"Really, that must be a leapfrog promotion."

In all fairness, Adviser Cheng seemed like a jerk during this battle, and was only responsible for some rear work, but although these tasks did not require direct contact with the enemy, they were extremely important.

Needless to say, raising military rations, if the military rations cannot be properly prepared as scheduled, then the army is likely to stagnate on the front line due to insufficient supplies.It is even more difficult to be responsible for restoring the city and appeasing the hearts of the people.You know, most of those front-line cities are citizens of Samanjan.

Although the citizens of Samanjan don't have much sense of belonging to their country, they want to appease their hearts among a group of civilians who are also unfamiliar with the Daxia army, maintain order and resume production, and even mobilize the manpower in the city to restore the city defense. That was no easy task.

A little carelessness and improper handling can easily cause the city that was captured to fall into mutiny. It is fine for other insignificant cities, but if it is an important city like Shiqiao City, if something goes wrong, it is likely to be fatal. of.

Advisor Cheng did all these things very well, without any mistakes. When he was in Anmin, he did not blindly allocate funds to Anmin, but recruited some people to build city defenses, restore buildings in the city and farmland around the city. Destroyed workshops also reorganized production.Civilians who do these jobs can get some pay and food.

This kind of measure reassures those civilians who originally doubted the Daxia army - after all, conditional rewards are more reassuring than unconditional gifts. Long-term experience has taught the people of Samanjan a lesson : Things that are free are often the most expensive.

A series of laws and restoration measures were implemented, making the areas captured by the Great Xia army orderly, and there was no large-scale resistance.

It has been very rare to be able to do this.

Now is the time when Xia Yuxiao intends to reuse the consultant Cheng, and what he did in the rear this time is so appropriate, naturally he will be promoted by leapfrogging.

"Leapfrog promotion, won't the ministers have any objections? I remember that the advisor Cheng Zaichao didn't have many people in the court, and he should have offended those noble gentry not long ago. I'm afraid..."

"They won't have any objections, because now, almost no one dares to publicly oppose Advisor Cheng when His Majesty and I are getting engaged."

Qin Ji sneered.

The current advisor Cheng, standing behind him and Xia Yuxiao, what's more, his advisor Cheng has indeed made great contributions to the front line, and the generals in Daxia can't pretend to be blind about this.

"Why do you want to protect Advisor Cheng? I think, Advisor Cheng is a clean stream, and he doesn't have much power. What's the point of wooing him?"

Lingyan didn't understand this very much.

"I need him to bring a sword to Daxia's officialdom, a sword that can keep an eye on all officials." Qin Ji said, "It's not enough for me to suppress Daxia's court alone. I can suppress it, but I can’t always rely on me alone, the consultant Cheng can often be my replacement—he is well aware of the weaknesses of these officials, and it is perfect to use him to deal with these officials.”

"I see."

Although Lingyan still didn't understand, at least she understood one thing: the young master needs to consult Cheng.

"Moreover, a Qingliu who can handle internal affairs well is not just as simple as Qingliu, but an existence that can be entrusted with confidence."

If the time went back to the time when he just met the advisor Cheng in the court, Qin Ji might only think that this was a "clear" who had a reputation for being unsuccessful in officialdom, but now, his attitude towards this young man has changed a lot. Big change.

His aloofness is not the kind of posturing that he thinks highly of himself, on the contrary, he has a deep understanding of the officialdom, and his own ability is also excellent.It's just that seeing through the officialdom and integrating into the officialdom are two different things.

He is really demanding himself strictly.

It looked really unpleasant, but Qin Ji had to admit that this guy was definitely a talent.

After enjoying the massage from his guards and having breakfast, Qin Ji got up and went to the living room.

At this time, an official was sitting on the wooden chair in the living room.

This is an old man over sixty years old, his gray beard looks kindly to him.

The old man was called Lu Fengchang.

"Old Lu."

Qin Ji smiled and nodded in greeting.

"Qin Taiwei, long time no see." Lu Lao showed a gentle smile, then looked down at his legs, "Sorry, I have a lot of trouble standing up, so I can't return the greeting to you."

"Just sit down."

Qin Ji said respectfully.

Among Daxia and Jiuqing, if Qin Ji has any respected elders, Lu Lao is one of them.

The reason why he became this Fengchang was purely because the first emperor gave him a job to provide for the elderly. If it wasn't for the purpose of providing for the elderly, he could be competent for many positions in the Great Xia.

After all, in terms of seniority, as a general in the late emperor's period, Lu Fengchang's qualifications are older than General Bai; in terms of merit, Lu Fengchang's nearly disabled legs are enough to prove everything.

Chapter 49 Old-timers

In the Great Xia of the late Emperor's period, martial virtues were abundant, everyone knows this.

Therefore, at that time, those who could serve as military officers were basically people with strong martial virtues.

Lu Fengchang used to be a member of the Great Xia army, and along with the late emperor's battles, he had more and more scars on his body.His legend on the battlefield did not really end until his last injury——

A rolling stone thrown from the city wall broke both of his legs. Although the first emperor asked the imperial physician to treat him with all his strength, in the end, his legs were still permanently disabled. Even if he could barely stand up, he no longer had the strength he had before.

With such an injury, it is naturally impossible to continue to serve as an officer in the army. In order to commend his achievements, and also to allow this great summer hero to rest in peace, the then emperor decided to transfer him to the post of Fengchang.

Of course, the original Fengchang was suspected of having connections with foreign countries. The first emperor simply asked Lu Fengchang, who had not yet taken office, to chop up the original Fengchang and his followers before taking office, and then directly filled the original Fengchang's vacancy.

Qin Ji respected Lu Lao. Because of his father, Qin Ji often played with Lu Lao when he was young, and almost became Lu Lao's adopted grandson, but later his father gradually became more powerful. In order to avoid implicating the old man who is living in the Fengchang mansion, this matter will be let go.

"I'm sorry to trouble you, Mr. Lu. If it wasn't for the fact that I don't know what to prepare for the many documents at home, I would have sent them directly to your house." Qin Ji said.

"It's okay, the bones of my body are almost rusted, and it's good to move a little bit."

As Lu Lao said, he took out the notebook from his pocket, and the guard next to him immediately handed over the pen and ink.

"Qin Taiwei, if you want to be engaged to His Majesty, according to the etiquette, you need to prepare an engagement gift. Of course, this ceremony does not need too much, just a few etiquettes. After all, Your Majesty does not lack these things.

"However, you must buy the livestock for worshiping heaven and earth yourself. Remember not to cause problems. If time permits, I suggest buying it three days in advance, because once the livestock is bought, it cannot be easily replaced. If you get sick during the period Or die, that would be disrespectful."

"For three days, the sacrifice needs to be cleansed and bathed, and then slaughtered on the altar on the day of the engagement ceremony. The Taiwei must remember this sacrifice."

"Juniors keep in mind."

These procedures are not complicated, Qin Ji remembers them very clearly, and besides, there is someone who is responsible for recording them to help him remember them.

"Your birthday, Taiwei, write it here. I can send it to the Taimiao when the time comes, and I need to write a good essay along with it."

"Yes."

Qin Ji bent down and carefully wrote down his birthday on the notebook brought by the old man.

"In your mansion, are there any offerings?"

"Yes, it enshrines the spirit of my father."

"Okay, your mother's spiritual tablet... Sorry, I'm so confused," said Mr. Lu apologetically, and then changed his words, "People who are buried in foreign countries have to send someone to send it to you." As a tribute, to inform you. If you can go in person, it is best to go in person. But I think, Taiwei, you don’t have that time, do you?”

"......Yes."

"You don't have to feel guilty," Lu Lao sighed, "If she is alive in heaven, she won't mind these things. It is helpless to serve the country and not be able to be filial. At this time, it happens that Daxia needs it most. When you are here, you really can't go far away."

When talking about Qin Ji's mother, Lingyan's eyes fluctuated a little.

"Old Lu, before my mother left, she expected a lot from me. I don't know...Do you think I can satisfy her now?"

"No one can criticize what the Taiwei has done." Lu Lao said with a smile, "You have indeed lived up to her entrustment."

Qin Ji nodded, and then returned the notebook with his birthday to Lu Lao.

The next step is the preparations before the engagement ceremony that Lu Lao explained. Fortunately, these tedious ceremony preparations do not need to be remembered by Qin Ji himself, and can be left to the housekeeper.Moreover, Lu Lao will also send someone to help deal with it when the time comes.

After finishing all the work, the old man stood up tremblingly on crutches.

Qin Ji hurried forward to help, but was gently pushed away by the old man.

"Qin Taiwei, I'm not old yet."

Leaning on crutches, he took a few breaths, then nodded to him, turned and left.

Qin Ji watched the old man leave. Suddenly, Lu Lao turned around and looked at him:

"Qin Taiwei, you still remember what your mother told you before she died, right?"

"It's clear."

"Now, you and your mother are quite similar."

There was an unconcealable brilliance in the old man's eyes.

"I'm her son, so I'm naturally similar." Qin Ji said with a smile.

"I'm old, Lieutenant."

"You said just now that you are not old."

"Hahahaha, no one wants to admit that they are old, but when they really move, they still know whether they are old or not," Lu Lao said openly, "Taiwei, we old guys should almost It's over. Even that kid surnamed Bai is now considered a veteran, and that's all we can do. You and Your Majesty..."

Speaking of this, Lu Lao was silent for a moment, he seemed to be hesitating whether to say the next thing or not.

It has been nearly 20 years since he retired in Fengchang's position. After 20 years of official career, Mr. Lu's disposition is no longer as sharp as it used to be.Facing this junior, he didn't know whether he should disregard official etiquette and those cumbersome hints and try to speak his mind.

Finally, he still spoke:

"You and Your Majesty...Even if there is a day, don't do anything wrong...For the sake of our old guys and your mother, and for the sake of the common people in the world For sake."

When this was said, the atmosphere became a little strange.

After all, it is very dangerous to put such words in officialdom.

"Your words, the younger generation will remember."

Qin Ji wasn't unhappy in any way, just smiled and said.

.......................

After seeing off Lao Lao, Qin Ji sat on his chair and sighed helplessly.