The Prodigal Son of Zhenguan

"It's cold outside, but if you go hunting on horseback, you will feel hot at noon, so I won't pick too heavy clothes for you. When you set out in the morning, you should wear a thicker cloak to block the wind and cold." Xiao Tao said.

I'm afraid it's impossible to take a carriage to the palace. If you really go hunting in a carriage, it will be a joke.

After breakfast, Li Fu took Wu Liangye to the palace first. At this time, the sky was just a little bright.

A group of people gathered outside Chengtian Hall in the palace.

Soon, the court officials who were standing in groups of three or two stopped talking and turned to face the entrance of Chengtian Hall.

Li Fu looked up and saw Li Shimin in military uniform, with Empress Changsun standing beside him. Behind them were four eunuchs and four palace maids. Prince Li Chengqian stood beside Empress Changsun.

Civil officials and military generals stood in two rows and saluted the emperor and empress.

"Your Majesty and the Empress are here to see you."

"My dear ministers, please excuse me." Li Shimin said in a loud voice: "Today is the Laba Festival. We will go out of the city to hunt according to the ancestral system. There is no need for too much red tape."

The Qianniu Guards in the palace and the accompanying palace servants have all been prepared.

Li Shimin stood outside the Chengtian Hall, holding the sacrificial table written by the Ministry of Rites and reading it aloud. Then, the eunuch beside him handed over three thumb-thick tribute incense. Li Shimin took it, bowed to the sky three times, and inserted it into the huge bronze tripod outside the Chengtian Hall.

Laba Festival is a festival for worshiping ancestors and gods. The royal sacrificial rituals are even more complicated, but also magnificent.

At dawn, the mighty team left the palace and headed for the hunting ground outside the city.

Li Shimin and the people around him rode on horses.

And the crown prince Li Chengqian and Empress Changsun went together in a carriage.

Li Chengqian was young and did not need to ride a horse and shoot arrows to hunt, but he could not be absent from such an occasion.

There was also the ancestor worship session later. He was the eldest son, the crown prince, and the future heir of the Tang Dynasty, so he could not be absent.

The emperor led the civil and military officials to travel. The mighty team could stretch two miles, and the flags were straight against the cold winter wind.

Li Fu rode a horse and went with Li Xiaogong. Wu Liangye, as a guard, followed on the periphery.

"Brother, your riding skills are becoming more and more sophisticated. How about this winter hunting? Are you ready to make a splash?" Li Xiaogong asked.

He and Li Xiaogong were brothers. In addition, they met on the farm before and were familiar with each other. When the two chatted, they became more familiar with each other. They called each other brothers.

"Don't you know what I am like, brother?" Li Fu said with a smile, "I have tried my best to be able to ride a horse skillfully. Before, His Majesty asked me to practice archery with the leaders of the Qianniu Guards in the palace training ground. I couldn't stand it after just one afternoon. The so-called skillful archery and horse riding requires practice since childhood. I am a latecomer and I am not that kind of material. Later, I never went to the training ground again."

Li Xiaogong laughed.

"It doesn't matter. In fact, most of them are just here for the formalities. This is true for the nobles, but it is different for the leaders in the army and the generals in the court." Li Xiaogong said.

"Oh? What do you mean?" Li Fu asked curiously.

"Your Majesty also wanted to see the true abilities of the soldiers of the Qianniu Guards during this hunting trip.

Therefore, the Qianniu Guards in the palace will show their best abilities and will not let Your Majesty down.

And the generals.

You know that after the battle of Weishui and the signing of the alliance with the Turks, Your Majesty was thinking about fighting back all the time. The ability of the Qianniu Guards in the palace represents the ability of the soldiers in the army of our Tang Dynasty. If Your Majesty is not satisfied, I am afraid that their days will not be easy."

The Qianniu Guards in the palace are guarding the palace and protecting the emperor. They are all good players selected from various armies.

Otherwise, what is the point of protecting the emperor?

In addition, there are a small number of children of nobles who serve in the Qianniu Guards. It is considered a job and it sounds good to say it out.

But there are not many such people.

Most of them are good players in the army, representing the best soldiers in the army and the best military force of the Tang Dynasty.

If they can't do it, then there's no way they can fight back against the Turks.

Li Shimin took this opportunity to test them.

That's why he trained soldiers in the parade ground and trained the middle-level commanders of the Qianniu Guards.

The better the soldiers are, the greater their role will be in the army in the future.

There are excellent generals in the court.

Li Xiaogong beside him pacified the south alone.

There are Cheng Yaojin, Yuchi Gong and others, and the military god Li Jing.

Li Yi and Xue Wanche who understand the Turks.

There are many talents in the court., there are many people who lead troops.

If there are excellent generals, there must be excellent soldiers. The combination of the two will surely be invincible.

"No wonder." Li Fu said: "When your majesty trained them in the palace, I heard that the court officials had some complaints about it, thinking that it was against the rules for soldiers to bring weapons into the emperor's residence."

"Your majesty wants to fight against the Turks, and everyone in the court knows it." Li Xiaogong said.

But no one will say it, everyone just knows it in their hearts.

Moreover, if it really comes to leading troops to fight against the Turks, Li Xiaogong will not fight for this job. His merits are already great enough. Now, he just wants to retire in Chang'an City and have a good end.

He is also afraid of being tossed around.

When he was leading troops outside and the emperor was in power, someone in the court falsely accused him of treason. The emperor became suspicious and ordered him to return to Chang'an.

The military power was handed over, and the investigations were also done. Fortunately, he was upright and upright, so even if they were investigated, nothing could be found.

If something went wrong at that time, there would be no Zhaojun Wang today.

At that time, Li Xiaogong knew in his heart that there were some things that he could not touch, and some things that he could not do.

Anyway, relying on his previous merits, it didn't matter if he just waited for death. It was good to be a county king. There was a big house in Chang'an City, and a beautiful wife and concubines.

"Yes, General Li Jing spent a lot of effort to find Xue Wanche back."

It was because Xue Wanche knew more about the Turks.

And Li Yi, these two people were mentioned by Yuchi Gong.

Thinking of Li Yi, Li Fu thought of something.

"Where is General Li Yi now?" Li Fu asked.

"He is guarding Jingzhou." Li Xiaogong said.

Li Fu frowned...

In history, Li Yi rebelled.

Because he was in the party of Crown Prince Li Jiancheng, after Li Jiancheng died and Li Shimin succeeded to the throne, he was worried that Li Shimin would liquidate him, a general who commanded a large number of troops, so he took action in advance.