Bang!
Lord Li slammed his fist against the wall.
The imperial court established the Northwest Grand Marshal's Office, and who else could be the first Grand Marshal but him?
Lord Li is in the academy, but his mind is on the affairs of the court.
As soon as there was any movement in the court, he got the news.
He was so excited that his heart almost beat out of his throat.
Who tipped off Lord Lu, the Minister of the Central Secretariat, to the idea of establishing the Northwest Military Governor's Office?
Is it the eldest prince Liu Zhao?
Or Madam Zhao?
It can't be that Lord Lu and he have the same idea by coincidence.
Really, before blowing the wind, I didn’t even think to give him a hint.
Lord Li wanted to meet with Liu Zhao to find out what he thought.
As a result, the message was sent but fell on deaf ears.
Liu Zhao didn't respond to him at all.
Lord Li was angry.
Also panicked!
What does it mean that Liu Zhao didn’t respond to him?
Could Liu Zhao find someone more suitable than him?
Lord Li has been active in officialdom for decades, but unexpectedly, when he got old, he became worried about gains and losses.
This shows that one's self-cultivation and concentration are insufficient.
Sanyuan Gong Yang Yuanqing invites Lord Li to play chess.
He refused, "Brother Yang asked Brother Sun to play chess with you, I don't have time."
"You are obviously free." Sanyuan Gong Yang Yuanqing exposed Lord Li on the spot.
Lord Li felt a little embarrassed and changed his words, saying, "I'm not in the mood to play chess today."
Sanyuan Gong Yang Yuanqing walked into Lord Li's house without waiting to be greeted.
"I've been in the Northwest for almost 30 years. I know every plant and tree there like the back of my hand."
Lord Li's heart skipped a beat and he stared at Lord Sanyuan suspiciously.
Duke Sanyuan remained composed and continued, "Your Majesty's sudden decision to establish the Northwest Grand Commandery is clearly an attempt to mobilize the Northwest. If it were just a military move, the Duke of Zhuguo would be more than qualified. However, it's clear that Your Majesty wants to influence not only the military but also local government. This puts the Duke of Zhuguo at a disadvantage. Right now, the court is arguing frantically over the selection of the Northwest Grand Commander. Brother Li is probably tempted as well."
Lord Li laughed heartily, "Brother Yang, you're such a jokester. I'm just an old man retired now. The affairs of the court have nothing to do with me."
Sanyuan Gong looked at the other person with a smile on his face, and did not expose the other person's lies, at least giving the other person some face.
"I'm glad Brother Li isn't tempted. Power can be deceiving, and the Northwest doesn't understand gentleness. No matter who becomes the Grand Commander of the Northwest, it won't be an easy job. If you're not careful, you could lose your life in the Northwest."
Lord Li smiled and said, "Brother Yang is not in the officialdom, but he knows a lot about official affairs."
Mr. Sanyuan Gong Yang laughed at himself, "Although I am not in the officialdom, I often have to deal with officials. After all, I was once a wanted criminal of the imperial court."
Lord Li hesitated for a moment, then asked tentatively, "Brother Yang, what do you think of the Marquis of Lu?"
Sanyuan Gong Yang Yuanqing raised his eyebrows and smiled.
He said he was not interested, but he was really hypocritical.
He coughed lightly before speaking, "Everyone knows that the Marquis of Lu is not easy to deal with. You either submit to him or be beheaded by him, or you suppress him in all aspects to make him realize your power and become fearful. If you try to wrestle with him as a court official, be careful not to lose your head in the middle of the night."
Lord Li shuddered. "He dared to kill an official appointed by the imperial court. This is rebellion."
"Who told you he killed an official appointed by the imperial court? Couldn't he have died from a serious illness caused by poor acclimatization?"
Oh, oh, oh…
Who are you trying to scare?
Lord Li had a better understanding of the Marquis of Lu and realized that he was an extremely bold and daring man.
No wonder the civil servants serving in the northwest all kept their distance from the Duke of Lu.
I will not deal with the Duke of Lu unless necessary.
Lord Li asked again, "Anything else?"
Sanyuan Gong said casually, "The Duke of Lu is very good at training his troops. His soldiers are the most capable and daring in battle. Of course, his soldiers are as unruly and undisciplined as he is, and difficult to get along with."
Lord Li nodded secretly, the Marquis of Lu was a man of real ability.
Before the Marquis of Lu went to the northwest, the Northwest Army's combat effectiveness was only average. Among the border armies, it was not even among the top three.
Since the Duke of Lu went to the northwest, the Northwest Army has undergone a major transformation after being reorganized. It has become the most powerful unit, and other border armies are wary of it.
The Duke of Lu himself also benefited from the rise of the tide.
Until today, it has become an existence that the court and the emperor fear.
If you want to control the northwest, you must first subdue the Duke of Lu.
Lord Li pondered over it.
Sanyuan Gong Yang Yuanqing knocked on the table, reminding the other party to wake up, "His Majesty will not send you to the northwest, Brother Li, don't worry about it."
Lord Li was furious, "Brother Yang, it's a little too early to draw conclusions."
Yang Yuanqing sneered, "You should know that His Majesty dislikes you and doesn't trust you. You are a descendant of the late emperor. His Majesty allowed you to roam around in the court for several years because of the late emperor."
Lord Li snorted coldly, "Then we'll wait and see. I'll show Brother Yang what it means to make the impossible possible."
"It seems that Brother Li is determined to obtain the position of Northwest Grand Commander. Then I wish Brother Li the fulfillment of his wish in advance."
…
The court officials attached great importance to and were very active in selecting the Grand Commander of the Northwest.
The court officials actively recommended candidates, and Emperor Wende's desk was soon filled with a stack of documents and files.
As he looked through everyone's biographical information, Emperor Wende's expression grew increasingly gloomy.
Bang!
Emperor Wende threw the document heavily on the table, very angry.
"No matter who they are pushing, no one can satisfy me."
"Your Majesty, please calm down! Here is another page of the list." Chang En said cautiously.
Emperor Wende waved his hand in disgust, "I won't read it anymore. The more I read, the angrier I get."
After saying this, he pulled out a document from among the numerous documents and files, "So far, only the Duke of Zhuguo is suitable."
Why!
It is not easy to choose someone who can suppress the Duke of Lu.
If you choose the wrong person, you may be sending a head to the Duke of Lu, or sending a wall plasterer, or being directly bribed by the Duke of Lu.
Emperor Wende thought again and again, "Announce the Duke of Zhuguo to enter the palace."
Duke Zhuguo looked up at the sky, seeing the pie falling from the sky, and felt like crying but had no tears.
He avoided the position of Northwest Commander-in-Chief, whom everyone was vying for.
Others have never had any communication with the Duke of Lu and do not understand his character.
He had fought with the Duke of Lu several times and knew the Duke of Lu's character very well.
To be honest, Duke Zhuguo really didn't want to go to the northwest and deal with the Marquis of Lu.
Damn it, it's simply shortening your life.
It's our duty to do a good job.
If I don't do well, I will be criticized by thousands of people and face the anger of His Majesty.
The wife of the Duke of Zhuguo asked him, "Is the Duke worried?"
"I have to worry. The Marquis of Lu has always considered the northwest his territory. Anyone who dares to enter his territory will be treated as an enemy without exception."
The wife of the Duke of Zhuguo frowned, "What's the difference between what the Duke of Lu did and rebellion?"
"The difference is that he is still a marquis and military commander of the Great Zhou, ostensibly obeying the imperial court's orders. He has not actually raised the flag of rebellion."
The wife of the Duke of Zhuguo pondered for a moment, "Let me ask, sir, do you have a chance of winning against the Duke of Lu?"
The Duke of Zhuguo sighed, "I have no troops, so how can I win? Even if I reorganize the Northwest Army, I won't be able to compete with the Duke of Lu in two or three years."
The wife of the Duke of Zhuguo frowned, "My Lord, you are so worried. I'm afraid this trip will be detrimental to your future. I'm afraid your leg pain has been acting up these days."
The Duke was stunned for a moment, then reacted, clapping his hands and laughing, "Madam, you are right. My leg disease has come back, and I am unable to go to the northwest on official business."
Having made the decision, Duke Zhuguo did not delay any longer and went to the palace to meet the emperor while it was still early.
He knew exactly what Emperor Wende meant.
So without waiting for Emperor Wende to appoint him directly, he first mentioned his leg disease.
Emperor Wende was worried and had doubts, so he ordered the imperial physician to examine Duke Zhuguo.
Zhuguogong's leg disease is an old age disease, so it is indeed not suitable for him to travel long distances or ride a horse.
Emperor Wende was greatly disappointed.
After much difficulty, a suitable one was picked out from a crowd of candidates, but he had a leg disease and was unable to take on the heavy responsibility of being the Grand Commander of the Northwest.
Emperor Wende encouraged Duke Zhuguo and told him to go back and recuperate.
The Duke of Zhuguo felt relieved.
"Please invite Lord Lu here."
Emperor Wende frowned, and the balance in his heart once again tilted towards Lord Lu.
Lord Lu came to Xingqing Palace to meet the emperor.
"What is Li Bingming doing?" Emperor Wende asked directly.
Lord Lu came back to his senses and said, "Your Majesty, Li Bingming is currently teaching at the Shanhe Academy. I heard he is teaching several successful candidates."
Emperor Wende laughed when he heard this, "He actually became a teacher."
Lord Lu echoed, "Li Bingming has always been a good teacher."
That's quite well said.
In the past, Li Bingming often held poetry and literary gatherings at his residence, where he would instruct scholars. This was partly to attract recognition, identify talent, and cultivate future talent. It was also due to his penchant for mentoring.
Emperor Wende did not hide the fact, "The Duke of Zhuguo refused the position of Grand Commander."
This surprised Lord Lu a little.
Emperor Wende explained directly: "He has had a leg disease for a long time. The imperial physician said that he should not travel too much or ride a horse."
After a pause, Emperor Wende continued, "I see that the Duke of Zhuguo has aged considerably. He is full of old age and lacks fighting spirit."
Lord Lu bowed and asked, "Is the Duke of Zhuguo afraid of fighting and afraid of the Marquis of Lu?"
"That's what I meant. I didn't expect that the Duke of Zhuguo would actually be afraid of the Marquis of Lu."
Lord Lu thought for a moment and said, "I remember that the Duke of Zhuguo had several dealings with the Marquis of Lu in his early years, but he never gained the upper hand."
Emperor Wende was filled with disappointment. "As a duke, you are afraid of fighting. I am really disappointed."
Lord Lu remained silent. He was not the kind of person who would kick someone when he was down.
Emperor Wende thought about it and said, "Ask Li Bingming to come to the palace to see me. I want to first assess his worth."
The eunuch brought the oral order from Emperor Wende to Shanhe Academy, summoning Li Bingming to the palace to meet the emperor as soon as possible.
Li Bingming could not hide his excitement. The position of Northwest Commander-in-Chief would definitely be his, and no one could snatch it away from him.
Compared to the Duke of Zhuguo, Lord Li was clearly full of fighting spirit. Like a soldier, he couldn't wait to go to the battlefield and kill the enemy to gain merit.
In terms of fighting spirit alone, Lord Li clearly won.
Moreover, he has been in the officialdom for decades, once held a high position and is experienced. With his status, position and influence, no one dares to look down on him. He is an old fox.
Lord Li was ready and took a carriage to the palace.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
