He didn't recognize the others, but Sun Jian did.
These three new recruits were Sun Jian's most loyal followers.
After the brainwashing I had done, and the many things that happened afterward.
These three captains practically worshipped Sun Jian as a god.
Sun Jian dared not speak for others, but how could he not know these three people?
Sun Jian was confident that if he immediately ordered these three men to kill their relatives, they wouldn't ask a single question or even flinch.
They even considered themselves more important than Emperor Ganwu and Emperor Daqian.
Liu Shiyun, that kid, is actually quite interesting.
After he was promoted to deputy commander of the Tiger Warriors, he only gave two of the promotion slots to his loyal subordinates who had followed him for many years, and gave the remaining officer promotion slots to those who were loyal to Sun Jian.
Otherwise, how could these three recruits have risen directly to the rank of captain or general?
Military officers who achieve great military merits must undergo rigorous vetting before being promoted.
For a raw recruit to become a captain or general, he must first be promoted to squad leader, then platoon leader, and finally centurion.
If you want to advance from centurion to general, you need to earn a lot of military merits!
Because a captain is the lowest rank of general!
Liu Shiyun's actions were equivalent to a raw recruit in later generations suddenly becoming a battalion commander after only a short time in the army.
With Sun Jian's intelligence, he could immediately figure out Liu Shiyun's intention in doing so.
This guy is repaying a debt of gratitude in this way...
Sun Jian could only offer Liu Shiyun five words of advice.
This child is teachable.
After Liu Shiyun finished exchanging pleasantries with His Highness the Crown Prince, Crown Prince Li Gancheng hurriedly invited Liu Shiyun to take a seat.
But to his surprise, Liu Shiyun politely declined.
The reason for his refusal was also perfectly legitimate. Liu Shiyun said that when he learned that His Highness the Crown Prince, Commander-in-Chief Sun, and Governor-General Yao were gathered here, he immediately rushed over without stopping.
They came not to participate in the banquet but to act as guards to protect the safety of Sun Jian, the Crown Prince, and Governor Yao.
The locust plague has just passed, and although it has been successfully suppressed by Commander Sun, the possibility of unrest cannot be ruled out.
The prince's personal guards numbered only a few hundred, which was certainly insufficient to handle any sudden changes in the situation. Therefore, Liu Shiyun led five thousand soldiers to come.
Liu Shiyun said earnestly, "Thank you, Your Highness! Your Highness's words have moved me to tears, but my status is too lowly to sit at the same table as Your Highness and the ministers!"
"This humble general has come here because His Highness the Crown Prince is the heir apparent of our Great Khan, of unparalleled honor, and deeply concerned with the safety of the nation. There must be no mishap whatsoever."
"Commander-in-Chief Sun is the core backbone of our Tiger Legion, the very soul of our army, and extremely important!"
"Governor Yao, and all of you gentlemen are pillars of our cause, the backbone of the nation. I and my men will remain here until the banquet is over. I am willing to lead five thousand elite soldiers to escort His Highness the Crown Prince and all of you safely back to the capital!"
"This subordinate will immediately lead his men to guard the area outside the camp!"
"This humble general takes his leave!"
Liu Shiyun bowed again, then left.
"All right."
Seeing that he couldn't persuade Liu Shiyun to take the seat, Li Gancheng didn't try to persuade him any further.
The banquet lasted for about an hour, and finally ended with an order from Crown Prince Li Gancheng.
After packing their belongings, the group set off in a grand procession. Liu Shiyun led five thousand elite soldiers to escort them along the way, and they finally returned to the capital city at night.
It was already late at night. Since the morning court session, which was held every ten days, was just two hours away and everyone was heading to the palace hall, no one planned to return to their residences. Instead, they all stayed at the official post station near Xuanwu Gate.
————
The next day, at the Imperial Palace, in the Golden Palace.
Emperor Ganwu, dressed in a dragon robe and wearing a purple-gold crown to bind his hair, sat high in the center, exuding majesty.
Hundreds of civil and military officials stood on both sides holding protective panels, shouting "Long live the Emperor!"
With the announcement from Wang De, the chief eunuch of the Imperial Household Department, "His Majesty's decree: all officials, rise!" the morning court session officially began.
Emperor Ganwu scanned his ministers with sharp eyes and recounted in a domineering tone the various ways in which the locust plague had turned from a disaster into a blessing.
Finally, he didn't forget to commend and reward all the ministers who had performed outstandingly in this disaster relief effort, and then conclude the discussion.
However, Sun Jian was not mentioned in these words. Everyone understood that the emperor wanted to put Sun Jian in the last position.
Surprisingly, Emperor Ganwu did not mention Sun Jian in his next words. Instead, he made a series of appointments, removals, and promotions of officials in various positions in the court.
The imperial edict had already been written and was read aloud by Wang De, the chief eunuch of the Imperial Household Department.
A total of twelve officials were transferred, nine were appointed or dismissed, and seven were promoted.
As soon as the news was released, hundreds of officials were filled with anxiety and their expressions were complicated.
Some were even so frightened by Emperor Qianlong's sudden move that they trembled with fear and lived in constant anxiety.
The reason why the ministers reacted this way was because what Emperor Ganwu was doing at this moment was extremely rare in all dynasties!
It's not that large-scale, wide-ranging transfers, promotions, and dismissals of officials are rare.
Instead, he did not consult with anyone, nor did he convey the drafting of the edict through anyone, nor did he even inform the ministers of the Three Dukes and Six Ministries. He simply announced it suddenly during the morning court session.
This behavior is extremely rare and does not conform to the procedures of the imperial court.
Not only was this a major undertaking, but even in the various historical dynasties before Sun Jian's time travel, emperors rarely engaged in such behavior and actions.
The reason why the imperial court operates in an orderly manner from top to bottom, and why all departments and offices are well-organized, is because each matter has its own unique process and steps.
For major events like large-scale reassignments and the appointment and removal of officials, even if the emperor had an idea, he should first communicate with several important ministers and obtain their unanimous agreement before drafting the edict and conducting a second evaluation and review.
Once everything is confirmed to be correct, the officials on the list will be notified first, and then the announcement will be made in the imperial court.
Emperor Qianlong suddenly pulled this stunt, and most of the officials who were dismissed were protégés or cronies of the powerful minister Lin Xuanfu. How could this not make people wonder about the emperor's intentions and purposes?
Lin Xuanfu's face turned ashen, and his lips twitched involuntarily.
Not only him, but also several other key ministers in the court who were in the same party as him did not look much better.
This included Li Kui, Minister of Personnel; Li Hongyun, Minister of Justice; Lin Jingsi, Minister of Rites; and Xue Zhen, Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial.
Leaving aside the others, the four people in question looked as uncomfortable as if they had swallowed flies.
They were all Lin Xuanfu's men, and those dismissed on such a large scale were all his confidants.
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