northwest.
Deng Cunli came out of the signing room and kicked over a weapons rack next to him.
Clang clang clang...
Make a lot of noise.
The laughter of the Duke of Lu came from the signing room, and it sounded really annoying.
Pei Meng came out and took a look. He was delighted. "Eunuch Deng, why would you bother with a weapon? It's just a dead object. Just ask someone to move it away."
Deng Cunli took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and turned back to stare at Pei Meng.
"Next time, we will accompany the caravan and go to Xiliang in person."
"I'm afraid not! The situation in Xiliang is tense, and there are strict restrictions on caravan personnel. Eunuch Deng is obviously from the palace, and going to Xiliang will easily attract attention."
Deng Cunli chuckled, "General, you misunderstood. We went to Xiliang mainly to visit Master Wuwang. I heard that the King of Xiliang intended to appoint Master Wuwang as the Imperial Preceptor. Of course, we couldn't miss such a grand event."
"Hopeless bald donkey, a wine-drinking monk. The King of Xiliang must have been brainwashed by him and only then appointed him as the national teacher." Pei Meng was very disdainful.
Deng Cunli laughed heartily. "My wife has a keen eye. General Pei, please don't resist. Goodbye!"
"Send Eunuch Deng out of the military camp. Be careful not to be mistaken for a spy and killed."
The personal guards received the order and escorted Deng Cunli out of the military camp.
It was ostensibly an escort, but in reality it was surveillance.
Deng Cunli snorted coldly and left in a huff.
Gu Ting sneaked out to see Eunuch Deng.
This matter involves cooperation between two parties and the amount involved is as high as tens of millions of taels. Gu Ting has no say in such a big matter.
He was just a little worried.
Gu Ting showed up only after Pei Meng's personal soldiers left.
"Eunuch Deng, I'm sorry for wronging you."
"It's General Gu. Madam sent you two boxes of parcels. They've already arrived at the courier station. Go pick them up when you have time."
"Thank you for your concern, Eunuch Deng. I'll go to the express station when I'm free. The Marquis and the General are in a bad mood, so please forgive me, Eunuch Deng."
Deng Cunli laughed. "General Gu, do you know why Madam doesn't let you get involved in the cooperation? Because you value affection too much. Cooperation between two parties is all about profit, not affection.
I'm arguing with the Marquis and the General because I represent my wife's interests. Every penny counts, and I must fight for her. Friendship pales in comparison to profit. Apparently, the Marquis and the General also agree with this approach to cooperation, focusing solely on profit and keeping other matters out of the equation. It's a win-win for both parties. Only in this way can our cooperation endure."
Gu Ting was a little confused. He didn't understand the ins and outs of this.
Deng Cunli added, "General Gu, don't worry about the cooperation between the two sides. It will definitely continue. Just do your own thing."
"oh!"
Gu Ting seemed to understand, "I didn't interfere because I was afraid you would become enemies."
If the two sides become enemies, he will be caught in the middle and will be like Zhu Bajie looking in the mirror, neither of them is human.
Deng Cunli laughed, "Don't worry, we won't become enemies."
Deng Cunli patted Gu Ting on the shoulder and left the military camp.
Inside the signing room, Pei Meng drank this year's new tea and said, "Father, it may seem like we got the upper hand this time, but Deng didn't suffer any loss either."
He was quite happy at first, but when he calmed down and thought about it, he realized something was wrong.
This is not how the account should be calculated.
There are many advantages to having the surname Deng.
The Duke of Lu hummed, "As for cooperation, we can just take advantage of it here and there. We can't take all the benefits. We have to give the other party some benefits. Only then can the cooperation last."
Pei Meng was a little unhappy, "It seems that all my happiness was in vain."
The Duke of Lu snorted, "Alright, don't dwell on those petty gains. A few hundred thousand taels are nothing compared to tens of millions. Don't lose the big picture for the sake of a small one. The person who really matters now is that bald donkey Wuwang. This bald donkey is really capable. He actually persuaded the King of Xiliang to appoint him as the Imperial Master.
I have great respect for Madam Zhao's ability to select and employ people! I had never imagined that Hopeless Bald Donkey could be so useful. He might be an eyesore to have around, but in Xiliang, he's just too good to be true.
However, many in the Xiliang court opposed the appointment of Wuwang as Imperial Preceptor, and the King of Xiliang had to consider their opinions. Therefore, the decree to appoint Wuwang as Imperial Preceptor was delayed. If this matter dragged on, there was a risk of change.
Can't wait for the next caravan to depart, you must quickly send Mr. Dou to Xiliang King City and ask him to lend a hand to Wuwang. No matter what, you must help Wuwang become the Xiliang Imperial Master."
Mr. Dou bowed slightly and said, "I dare not disappoint the Marquis. I will do my utmost to help Wuwang become the Imperial Master of Xiliang."
The Marquis of Lu pointed at Mr. Dou and said, "I know your abilities and I'm very confident in you. Also, Old Deng said that Madam Zhao has also sent two people to join us on the journey to Xiliang."
Pei Meng hurriedly asked, "Who could Madam Zhao have under her command? Could it be Qian Fu again?"
"The one who came back this time was not Qian Fu, but a student from Shanhe Academy."
"Ridiculous! Why are the students from the academy joining in the fun? Such a secret matter cannot be known to outsiders. My son will take people to kill those two students from the academy right now."
"You can't kill him!" Mr. Dou hurriedly stopped Pei Meng. "General, you know, Shanhe Academy not only offers the Four Books and Five Classics specifically for the imperial examinations, but also offers courses on mechanical engineering (Mohism), agriculture (agriculture), the Dao of Nature (Taoism), the natural world (Yin-Yang), and the art of alliances (diplomacy)... The two students sent by Madam Zhao this time are the best in the art of alliances."
"What the hell is this?" Pei Meng frowned.
Marquis Lu laughed heartily. "Madam Zhao has so many ideas. I heard that the Shanhe Academy also offers subjects such as divination, geology, engineering, archery, music, chess, calligraphy, and painting?"
"That's right!" Mr. Dou bowed slightly. "Last year, I went to the capital and stayed at Shanhe Academy for a few days. I had the experience and benefited greatly from it. Shanhe Academy has only been established for a short time, and its advantages have not yet been fully realized. But I am sure that in another ten years, Shanhe Academy will be the leader.
"By then, no academy in the country will be able to compete with Shanhe Academy. From local government offices to the imperial court, all will be occupied by students who graduated from Shanhe Academy. Shanhe Academy will truly become the best academy in the world."
"Mr. Dou, stop exaggerating!" Pei Meng scolded softly.
The Duke of Lu raised his hand to stop Pei Meng and asked solemnly, "Is what Mr. Dou said true?"
Mr. Dou said solemnly, "I dare not deceive the Marquis. Last year, all the outstanding students who graduated from the Department of Divination at Shanhe Academy were taken away by the Ministry of Revenue. These students only had the title of Juren. Relying on their outstanding Divination skills, they successfully entered the court.
It is said that the Ministry of Revenue has already reserved outstanding graduates from the Department of Divination this year. There are many similar examples. The Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Justice, and even the Ministry of Finance have all recruited people from the Shanhe Academy.
At this point, Mr. Dou brought up last year's imperial examination. "Your Majesty, I'm sure you still remember last year's competition. Over two hundred students from Shanhe Academy took the exam, and ultimately twenty-three passed. This result caused a huge sensation in the capital last year."
Of the 500 candidates who took the imperial examination at the Imperial College, only about 20 passed the exam and became Jinshi. Not to mention other academies, even if 3 or 5 of them passed the exam in the same year, it would be something to boast about for 20 years.
Due to the outstanding performance of Shanhe Academy, a large number of students who have obtained the titles of scholar and juren have flocked to Shanhe Academy to study since last year.
Some students traveled thousands of miles from Lingnan, from the Jiangnan and Southwest regions where literary culture flourished, to study at Shanhe Academy.
Shanhe Academy had a strict rule that every student, in addition to studying the required subjects for the imperial examination, must also take two or more elective subjects. Many students chose the subjects of divination and archery.
Among the many subjects, the "He Zong Lian Heng" (He Zong Lian Heng) is recognized as the most difficult and challenging subject at Shanhe Academy. This is because students who want to graduate from this subject must master at least three foreign languages. The two people Madam Zhao sent this time are both outstanding among them, and can speak and write Xiliang.
The Duke of Lu laughed heartily. "With ten to twenty years of development, an academy will have students from all over the country, from the local areas to the imperial court. By then, a single word from the academy's founder, Gu Jiu, will be enough to give Liu Zhao a terrifying influence. She's truly a woman who excels at long-term planning."
While other princes were still fighting for their lives in the court, the couple had already withdrawn from the court, making long-term plans and laying out their plans calmly. They just waited for the right time, and everything fell into place. When he ascended to the throne, there would be no need to purge the court. From the court to the countryside, students from the academy would be in charge, and they would be at his beck and call. It was incredible!
Mr. Dou nodded repeatedly, "The Marquis still has a long-term vision."
Duke Lu sneered, "I'm afraid someone in the court has seen through Gu Jiu's plan and has a plan to suppress Shanhe Academy. Unfortunately, during the years of famine, all plans have to be postponed."
At this time, Gu Jiu sent the academy's most adept student in overall strategy to gain experience. His intentions were profound! Even this marquis is on the chessboard of the two of them. "
Pei Meng frowned, "What should I do? Please tell me, father."
The Marquis of Lu waved his hand. "Don't worry. Pushing the front westward is their plan, and it's also my plan. Mr. Dou, please go to Jinzhou City on my behalf and meet these two students first to see if there's any possibility of winning them over. If not, proceed according to the rules. Don't give them too much face."
"Students will head to Jinzhou City now!"
Mr. Dou did not delay for a moment and took his men directly to Jinzhou City.
The Duke of Lu waved his hand and called Pei Meng to come over.
He tapped the table. "Gu Jiu once said that we should relocate the population to the grasslands for farming and grazing."
"Exactly."
Marquis Lu smiled. "It's obvious she wants to drive the wolf out and devour the tiger. And we, father and son, are the wolves in her eyes. It's too dangerous to leave us in the Great Zhou, and we might be attacked back. It seems she wants to drive us out of the Great Zhou and head west."
"What qualifications does she have to drive us out of the Great Zhou? She hasn't even become the Queen yet. Even if she does become the Queen one day, she won't have the qualifications, let alone the ability."
Marquis Lu shook his head slightly. "No! She does! She has the qualifications and the ability. With the resources she has now, if she becomes the queen one day and wants to become the emperor herself, she can directly kill Liu Zhao and ascend the throne. I think most people will not object."
Pei Meng was dumbfounded. This was the boldest and most incredible statement he had ever heard.
"Why would father have such an idea?"
"I was just thinking, what would a man do if he had the resources in Gu Jiu's hands? He would never be content to be inferior to others and would definitely aspire to the highest position. He would even go to war to achieve this."
Pei Meng frowned, "But she is a woman."
The Marquis of Lu said, "It is precisely because she is a woman that our cooperation has been able to continue to this day. I have observed Madam Zhao's actions and I know that she is good at planning, but she is not a bloodthirsty person, nor is she greedy for power.
This is a blessing for us, and also an opportunity for us. When I lose hope of becoming the Imperial Master of Xiliang, I will have to personally discuss our future cooperation with Madam Zhao."
Pei Meng was the son that the Duke of Lu valued most, and the Duke of Lu did not hide many of his thoughts from Pei Meng.
Pei Meng's entire body tensed. Even though he and his father were the only two people in the signing room, he instinctively lowered his voice, "Father, do you want to move west?"
The Duke of Lu did not deny it. "You've been to Xiliang. There are many countries and vast territories west of Xiliang. Great Zhou cannot take over those territories. But if we split the Northwest Army and Great Zhou into two, do you think our Northwest Army can take over those territories and populations?"
"But the soldiers are reluctant to leave their homeland." Pei Meng immediately pointed out the crux of the problem.
They and their son can march westward, but the soldiers under them may not be willing to do so.
The Duke of Lu laughed. "That's why we need to strengthen cooperation with Madam Zhao. She's best at managing the people's livelihood and economy, and winning people's hearts and minds. Every profession has its own expertise, and professional matters should be left to professionals."
"I wholeheartedly agree with Madam Zhao's words. I suspect she would be delighted to see my plans for a westward advance, and would be very willing to lend a hand."
No one wants a civil war.
However, it was impossible for the Duke of Lu to hand over his military power obediently.
Trying to seize the Duke of Lu's military power would very likely lead to a civil war.
The Pei family had been stationed in the northwest for generations, their power was so extensive that they were like the kings of the northwest. This was extremely disadvantageous to the court's strategy in the northwest.
The Duke of Lu himself knew that the Northwest Army was a threat to the court.
This situation will be broken sooner or later.
By then, either the Pei family will be destroyed or the imperial court will be destroyed.
No one wants to see that day come, but everyone is always preparing for it.
But now, there is another possibility.
Split the land and become king!
Yes!
It means to split the land and become king!
Follow the example of the Zhou emperor and enfeoff princes across the world!
Ambition and desire burned in the eyes of the Duke of Lu.
Pei Meng was burning with a fanatical desire to fight!
Kill! Kill! Kill!
Push west!
Carve out a place for the Pei family to survive.
－－－－－－Digression－－－－－－
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