For Zhang Shoufu, Zhuang Maohua and Wei Jingze, the silence at the moment was a bit depressing.
The three of them maintained the bowing posture without moving, all paying attention to the changes in Gu Jue's expression.
In contrast, Gu Jue, who was separated from the three people by a desk, seemed very comfortable, as if they were just chatting casually.
"Do you know how many soldiers are there in the Northern Army? How many generals are there?"
As Gu Jue spoke, he casually played with a small cat-shaped black jade paperweight. The black cat's two front paws were placed in front of it and it stretched gracefully. The carving was lifelike and the jade was translucent.
The other two didn't know, but Zhuang Maohua, as the Minister of War, knew it and answered immediately: "Except for the Black Armor Army, the Northern Army has a total of 200,000 soldiers and 40 generals above the fourth rank."
When he answered, he had already roughly guessed Gu Jue's plan in his heart, and the same was true for Zhang Shoufu and Wei Jingze.
Wei Jingze raised his eyelids, slightly retracted his fingers in a bow, and then returned to their original position.
Gu Jue's fingers suddenly closed, holding the small paperweight in his palm, and said with a smile: "If the old doesn't go, the new won't come."
Prime Minister Zhang: “…”
Zhuang Maohua: “…”
Wei Jingze: “…”
All three were speechless.
They understood what Gu Jue meant. As long as they selected talented generals from the Northern Army for promotion and transferred them to various garrisons, it would be enough to fill the 30% vacancies.
The new emperor has been in the North for many years, and these soldiers of the Northern Army have a special relationship with him. If they are promoted by the new emperor this time, they will certainly be grateful for his recognition. Then, once the various guards have passed the adjustment period between the old and the new, the entire Da Qi army will achieve an unprecedented unity.
This should be the new emperor's plan.
Prime Minister Zhang stared at Gu Jue, his lips pressed into a straight line, as if he was thinking, or worried about something.
A faint smile appeared on the corners of Gu Jue's lips, lazy and proud, elegant and willful, and he said lightly: "The court needs fresh blood, so next year's special examination, I plan to add a military examination."
This means that after the military examination, there will be a new batch of young generals in the court, and Gu Jue will not have to worry about having no generals to use.
The expressions of the three elders changed slightly again.
It is definitely a good thing for the imperial court to add military examinations.
The previous emperor, Gu Lang, valued civil officials over military officials, and during his reign, he never held military examinations. Most military positions in the court were inherited by hereditary succession. However, there were limited official positions in the court, and most positions were strictly one-to-one. Only one or two people in a family could obtain hereditary succession, and the rest could only do nothing and spend their days in idleness.
This time, the new emperor's addition of a military examination is bound to attract a lot of attention.
Especially those nobles and military families would definitely be happy to see this happen, and they would even support the new emperor in rectifying the army because of the military examination. After all, the military scholars selected by the new emperor are also "disciples of the emperor", which has a different meaning.
The new emperor used the military examination as a bargaining chip to win the support of some nobles and military families.
The three elders all thought of this, and their expressions were different.
There was no expression of joy or anger on Wei Jingze's face, his eyes were deep, like a deep pool, without a single ray of light.
Zhuang Maohua was impressed, his eyes showing admiration. Previously, he thought the new emperor's methods were too cruel and hard, but now he has changed his mind. The new emperor's methods can be said to be a combination of hardness and softness, kindness and power. High, really high! Prime Minister Zhang still frowned slightly, with his eyes half closed.
Gu Jue glanced at the three elders with a cold gaze and asked, "Any other questions?"
Prime Minister Zhang finally reacted and looked at Gu Jue again.
Obviously, before ordering the Black Armor Army to capture these generals, Gu Jue had thought carefully about it and figured out how to fill these vacancies in the army later.
For Gu Jue, by replacing these derelict generals with a team he trusts, he can keep the military power firmly in his hands.
In fact, there are many monarchs in history like Gu Jue who like to control the military and political power by themselves. After all, emperors are suspicious and authoritarian, and naturally like to appoint and use their confidants.
However, even if the emperors of all dynasties wanted to use their own confidants, they would slowly and steadily replace the old ministers of the previous dynasty, which would take at least one or two years, or even longer.
It is impossible for someone like Gu Jue to replace the entire military system just three months after ascending the throne.
The current Da Qi is like a wounded patient, many of whose wounds have become festered and rotten. Gu Jue has always been decisive in killing, so his solution is to cut it directly with a knife and remove the pus and rotten flesh on the wound at once.
His starting point was of course good, but his methods were a bit too radical. Has he ever thought about what would happen if the new generals were unable to control the garrisons in various places, or if some of the garrisons mutinied as a result?
This will cause a big mess! Prime Minister Zhang frowned even more tightly, and said slowly while carefully considering his words: "Your Majesty, adding a military examination can help the court select military talents, which is beneficial to the country and the people. However, most of the military scholars are only military talents, and it is difficult for them to become commanders who can plan and strategize..."
What Prime Minister Zhang said was true. The military examination was based on answering essays and performing martial arts tests. The military scholars who stood out from the examination were actually only good at talking about military affairs on paper, which was different from actual combat.
Most military generals have grown up little by little through years of practical experience in the army, and these newly selected military scholars will not be of any use for three to five years.
Prime Minister Zhang thought that the special imperial examination was a good idea and should be held with great fanfare. The new emperor could then use the next three to five years to train new military talents, while gradually sidelining those generals who had failed in their duties.
Unfortunately, he didn't have the chance to say the rest of his words, as Gu Jue interrupted him and asked calmly, "Who does the Prime Minister think is the most handsome man?"
“……” Prime Minister Zhang was speechless.
Of course, there were talented generals in the Great Qi Dynasty, but they were few and far between.
A general must not only have the ability to command the entire army, but also must have brilliant battle records and merits. Only in this way can he have extraordinary prestige in the army and become an almost religious existence. Only such a person can be called a general.
In the more than 100 years of history of the Great Qi Dynasty, there were no more than five people who could be called talented generals. Gu Jue was one of them, and Emperor Taizu was also one of them. But how many "Gu Jues" and "Emperors Taizu" were there in the Great Qi Dynasty?
Among the generals captured by Gu Jue this time, there were also some with outstanding military achievements, but their military achievements were nothing compared to Gu Jue's.
In other words, these people are at most generals and can be replaced by others, but commanders are irreplaceable and symbolize an era.
For example, if Gu Jue had not ascended the throne, he would not have been drowned in the torrent of history. He would have been recorded in history as the "Prince of Chen". In the dynasties after Da Qi, people would know that Da Qi had Gu Jue, an invincible general, but they would not necessarily know the previous emperor Gu Lang.
Gu Jue probably also saw the emotion on Prime Minister Zhang's face, and continued, "Whether he is a talented general or a talented commander, I don't need a 'parasite'."
The three elders all looked stern.
Gu Jue casually placed the cat paperweight on the desk, making a soft "pop" sound, and said calmly: "If you are worried that people will panic, then go and calm them down."
"I can't always have to worry about everything."
Gu Jue's tone was neither high nor low, neither fast nor slow. From beginning to end, his expression and tone were very calm, with a sense of ease and confidence.
Prime Minister Zhang: “…”
Zhuang Maohua: “…”
Wei Jingze: “…”
The three elders were silent again. Facing the new emperor, they were always at a disadvantage and were completely suppressed by him.
At this moment, the door curtain was opened from the outside, and a tall and thin figure walked in.
Su Mubai, who was elegant and refined, walked over and came to the side of Prime Minister Zhang. He reported to Gu Jue, "Your Majesty, Xu Chi, Xue Ziyi, Cheng Huiyan, Wu Yanqi..." He recited a series of names in one breath without even a pause, "They have all been captured."
Each name frightened the three elders, but Gu Jue didn't even raise his eyebrows and decisively ordered: "Let the three courts hold a joint trial and announce the results to the world!"
Gu Jue said that he would let the three judges hold a joint trial, which was actually equivalent to sentencing them to death by beheading. After all, a joint trial by the three judges meant sentencing according to the law, and the only result was "death".
"Yes, Your Majesty." Su Mubai bowed calmly and accepted the order.
The three ministers all knew that Su Mubai deliberately chose this time to report back, just to show them.
They did not try to persuade Gu Jue anymore. They had clearly realized that they could not persuade Gu Jue. Since the first day he ascended the throne, he had been a monarch with his own ideas, skills and courage.
He is as unshakable as Mount Tai, as indestructible as the legendary magic weapon, and as vast as the night sky that can accommodate thousands of stars... He cannot be underestimated.
Having such a monarch might be a blessing for the Great Qi, but for his subjects, he was like a mountain pressing on their backs.
Amidst such complicated emotions, the three elders withdrew from Chengguang Hall, while Su Mubai was left behind by Gu Jue to talk.
Outside Chengguang Hall, night has fallen.
Five or six officials were waiting anxiously outside. When they saw the three elders finally come out, they hurried over to them and tried to find out the news:
"Prime Minister Zhang, what does the emperor say?"
"What on earth did they do wrong? Why were they suddenly arrested..."
Since Gu Jue has ordered the three courts to hold a joint trial, the case is no longer a secret. Zhuang Maohua roughly explained the cause and effect.
As the officials listened, their expressions became increasingly solemn.
In fact, some of them had also heard some rumors from the Ministry of War and knew that the new emperor had ordered the Ministry of War to investigate the case of "eating empty salaries", but they did not expect that the new emperor would arrest people as he said and capture so many high-ranking generals at one time.
As the saying goes, if you pull out a radish, you will bring out the mud. If these generals are convicted, their subordinates will inevitably be implicated, and I'm afraid the entire court will be shocked.
Wei Jingze frowned deeply, sighed and shook his head: "I have also advised the emperor that if the water is too clear, there will be no fish, but...ah!"
"I have long heard that the emperor used to lead troops in battles. He was always daring and ruthless in killing and strict in military discipline. His reputation is indeed well-deserved."
Wei Jingze was clearly praising Gu Jue, but the officials present heard something else.
Gu Jue's methods are too strong, and his personality is even more powerful. His "decisiveness in killing and strict military discipline" are advantages in fighting, but when he is like this as an emperor, people can't help but worry, and everyone feels even more depressed.
A short and fat middle-aged official glanced at Wei Jingze and said worriedly, "The lips and teeth are interdependent. Lord Wei, after the emperor has dealt with these people, will it be the turn of us civil officials?"
His words expressed the worries of many people present.
Ever since Gu Ming's case last month, there had been a vague rumor in the court. The officials began to worry that after the new emperor had disciplined the military and royal family, he would target the civil officials next.
They were all old officials left by the previous emperor Gu Lang. If Gu Jue wanted to target the civil officials, he would probably start with them. Once they were convicted, the family would be without successors and would probably fall into decline.
An uneasy atmosphere permeated among the crowd. They couldn't help but feel a little breathless, as if there were many ants crawling around in their hearts.
"Everyone, please be patient," Prime Minister Zhang's gray eyebrows moved, and he slowly put his hands behind his back, his expression calm and peaceful, "The emperor always knows how to act."
He just said this briefly and left with his hands behind his back.
Zhuang Maohua and two officials hurriedly chased after Prime Minister Zhang and left as well.
Only Wei Jingze and a few other officials were left standing there. The middle-aged official looked around and asked again, "Sir Wei, does the emperor really plan to add a special military examination next year?"
"Yes, the court is really in need of people, and the emperor is eager to seek talented people." Wei Jingze said as he looked back in the direction of Chengguang Hall.
His mind was still thinking about what Gu Jue had just said, and there were flickering lights in his eyes.
The discussions outside also reached the ears of Gu Jue and Su Mubai.
Su Mubai said with a smile: "Master Jiu, you cast the bait very well."
"Has the fish taken the bait?" Shen Qianchen asked casually, walking out from the green gauze cabinet at the back.
She had just taken a nap in there and just woke up. There was still a hint of laziness on her delicate little face.
When Su Mubai saw Shen Qianchen coming, he immediately stood up, not even caring about the cup of Longjing tea he had just taken a sip of, and perfunctorily said, "Master Jiu, I have something else to do, so I'll leave first."
Su Mubai knew that Shen Qianchen hated them coming to see Gu Jue at night, and was afraid of being scolded by her, so he ran away.
Shen Qianchen was too lazy to be distracted by Su Mubai and sat directly opposite Gu Jue. She folded her hands on the desk, then rested her chin on the back of her hands, blinking at Gu Jue, waiting for his answer.
Gu Jue reached out and rubbed the top of her head, and said meaningfully: "Those who are willing will take the bait."
The cold voice is particularly attractive in this quiet night, like a feather gently touching the tip of one's heart.
I will be participating in the activities of Yuewen these days, so the updates will be less frequent~ (End of this chapter)
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