The so-called romance is always blown away by the rain and wind. After seven years, the Taifu Shaoqing who was so high-spirited and scolded Fang Qiu in Liaodong City that day is now old, haggard, skinny and yellow, and needs help when walking.
.
He looked completely different from Pei Xu when he arrived. Seeing He Chou staggering, Li Po immediately took two steps forward to help him. This was the first time since he started the army that he had such a low posture.
In his eyes, this old man was a walking national treasure. When he heard He Chou's arrival, he felt as if he had been hit by a big pie falling from the sky.
Because craftsmen... These days, whether they are leading troops in battle or bringing peace to their territories, craftsmen are indispensable figures.
The status of craftsmen in the Sui Dynasty was not very high, but it was definitely not low either.
After the fall of the Sui Dynasty, craftsmen were even more in demand.
The status of craftsmen has been rapidly improved. For example, in the two states of Bingdai, craftsmen have become like military lieutenant generals, and no one can easily offend them.
As for the subsequent plummeting status of craftsmen, it was all the fault of the literati who governed the world with half of the Analects.
In fact, He Chou's talents and achievements were much greater than Li Po imagined.
This man also comes from a wealthy family and has been fond of tinkering with novel things since he was a child.
He was not a pure craftsman, but he loved craftsmanship and was talented, so it soon became his main business.
He designed crowns and ceremonial guards for the emperor and made many reforms. He also participated in various projects during the Kaihuang and Daye years.
And, what's even more surprising is that he is also a general.
During the reign of Emperor Kaihuang, he repeatedly led troops to quell rebellions and made great achievements. When he conquered Goguryeo three times, the first time he showed his exquisite craftsmanship skills. The second time he went north to Liaodong, he became General Zuotunwei.
, and became a serious military leader.
Of course, this is not surprising. These days, the boundaries between civil and military affairs are extremely blurred. There are many people who manage the army on horseback and govern the people on horseback. There is no one more than one.
But it is no exaggeration to say that this man is a living legend.
In Li Po's eyes, ten or one hundred Pei Xus are not as good as one He Chou.
Because this person alone almost represents the highest level of productivity in this era.
Many people understand He Chou's value, but no one understands it as thoroughly as Li Po.
This is the most peculiar creature that grew up in the land of the Sui Dynasty. Its role will be far more than just a city, some siege equipment, or the emperor's gorgeous clothes. It has even exceeded the boundaries of this era.
.
In Li Po's view, if such a person really dies in the war, it will be a loss for everyone. The person who killed him will not be able to make up for his fault even if his body is cut into pieces.
The death of another great craftsman, Yu Wenkai, was actually a major loss. Officials and generals could be replaced, but people like them died one by one and were almost irreplaceable.
The emperors always thought that they were supreme. In fact, the death of a few emperors meant nothing to the entire ethnic group. Only people like Yu Wenkai and He Chou were what the entire ethnic group needed most.
But often people don't care about destroying them, and few people know what they destroy.
Li Po has always been good at pleasing people, but now there are fewer and fewer people worthy of him. He held He Chou's arm and smiled: "I was just a soldier in the army back then. Under your instructions,
It can be said that Sifang City was built under Liaodong City and has benefited a lot so far."
He Chou was also in a good mood at this time, and Corporal Li Xian was nothing more than that. Although this man was young, he was already the lord of two states, and now he had captured tens of thousands of Tang troops in a battle. It was said that it was because of the climate.
It is no exaggeration to say that it has already happened.
Seeing the other party's attentive appearance, He Chou felt grateful and a little proud. Wherever He Chou went, as long as his head was still there, he would be treated as a distinguished guest.
Moreover, the decision to come north this time seems to be really wise. If they go south, they will not be able to cross the Yellow River.
But when he heard the name of Sifang City, He Chou's heart trembled.
Even if the emperor was satisfied at the time, Sifang City could indeed be regarded as his proud work, but after so many years, he saw wars breaking out in the world, people displaced, the emperor also died in Jiangdu, and he and others were driven away like pigs
Heading north.
Referring to others, every bit of the past has become clear and organized in his memories.
It is true that the Sifang City was built very quickly, but in the Liaodong War, perhaps it was precisely because of the construction of the Sifang City that it failed. As a result, the soldiers were resentful and alienated, which laid the foundation for future wars.
He glanced at Li Po with a little surprise, and said to himself, he didn't expect that this person had actually done something under him before? He just didn't know whether he was used harshly or not. He hadn't been whipped by him, right?
Li Po continued talking with a smile, "Although I benefited a lot, it was quite hard that day. Seeing you still pressing the construction deadline, I was thinking that if you fall into my hands one day in the future, you will definitely not cry.
You're better off..."
Well, Li Po is now in a high and powerful position, and even when he tries to please people, he starts to sound intimidating. I don't know if this is an improvement or a degradation.
The son, who was supporting his father on the other hand, immediately grasped his father's arm after hearing this. These words sounded sinister and not quite right.
He Chou's body also stiffened, and all his pride suddenly disappeared.
He rolled his eyes and sighed after a moment, "On that day, under Liaodong City, the soldiers were bleeding in front of the enemy. I wished I could go forward with a gun and fight with the enemy... The construction of the Sifang City that day was an imperial order that could not be violated, but it was a hardship for the general.
Already."
The old man is not young, but his mind is not slow at all, and he is very skillful in official responses. He first talks about the feelings of colleagues, and then talks about his difficulties. It doesn't sound coherent, but the meaning is not bad at all.
Li Po smiled and patted He Chou's arm.
"Don't worry, don't worry. At that time, I was young and energetic and couldn't stand the orders of others. Now that I can make the decision, I can see some things. You can come from thousands of miles away, how can I let you down?"
"Come on, come on, sit down and talk first."
After the three of them sat down and drank a few sips of tea, it was He Chou who spoke first, "I am deeply grateful to have the general treat me like this. I will serve tea instead of wine here. Thank you so much for saving my life, general."
Li Po laughed and said, "Don't be so polite. Your old masterpiece is still in the world. What does it matter if a young boy puts his best efforts into it?"
After saying that, he greeted He Chou, took a sip of tea, and then said: "I want to ask more, what are your plans for the future? I heard that you want to live in Jinyang."
He Chou held up his hand as a courtesy and said, "The old man can no longer be driven. He just wants to find a place to stay and spend his old age. However, the general will not give up and save the old man in danger. The old man is not an ungrateful person. The general but
I have been ordered to do my best to serve you with this broken body."
Ah, he is a very happy person. Li Po was surprised and immediately returned the greeting: "It is indeed the time for me to employ people here. With your old talent, you should be entrusted with important tasks. I can see that you are old and talented.
Neither leading troops to fight nor governing the territory, how difficult would it be to make the best use of people's talents?"
He Chou was also surprised and thought to himself, what I said is clear enough, right? Did he not understand or was he just pretending to be confused?
To be honest, he is a bit obsessed with officialdom. What he said before is that he wants to be an official. He has been an official for a long time, and he will not be able to survive without an official hat on his head.
And he also saw very clearly that there was no emperor here, only a hero. There was no need to think about being a minister of the Ministry of Industry or something like that. Instead, he would do his best to open a military mansion or supervise the construction of ordnance and repairs to the city.
But hearing the meaning of these words... He Chou's heart felt cold. If he didn't have an official position... what would he do in Jinyang? He might as well go to Li Yuan. Li Yuan would not be so stingy.
The old man looked at Li Po eagerly, and his heart was lifted from his initial confidence, "What the general means is..."
Even though He Chou is old and has been an official for many years, he is still a little behind compared to Li Po.
He only hesitated for a moment, and after Li Po glanced at it, he already understood which of what this man said was true and which was polite.
Li Po changed his strategy almost immediately, his smile gradually faded, and his eyes became deeper.
"Speaking of which, my government still lacks a Sima to be in charge of craftsmanship, casting and other matters. If you are always interested, you can take up the post later. Of course, the pain of war is still spared. I will send you to Jinyang in a few days.
…”
He Chou breathed a sigh of relief. Although this was very different from the official position of Minister of the Ministry of Industry, it was still far less prominent than when he was a young minister of the Taifu, Doctor Jin Ziguanglu, and General Zuotunwei.
But seeing how hesitant and stingy he is, it's definitely not easy to become a decent high-ranking official. If he tries to force himself again... I'm afraid he's going to fall out with me.
The old man handed over his hands in aggrieved manner, "I would like to thank you, General, for your kindness."
People's names changed so quickly. Li Po was not willing to be outdone. His posture suddenly became reserved and arrogant. He waved his hands gently and said: "It's just a small matter. I originally wanted to... Well, everyone has their own ambitions, so it's okay not to talk about it."
The old man poked his head, and his curiosity was suddenly piqued.
Speaking of which, he is indeed a bit restless. I'm sorry for his age and experience, but it is this strong curiosity and desire for power that makes him perfect. Otherwise, he would be different from ordinary wealthy children.
There is no difference.
"General, you have other important responsibilities entrusted to you? Are you too old and too old to be driven around?"
Well, he has completely entered Li Po's rhythm...
(Monthly ticket, monthly ticket, Ah Cao has a cold today, runny nose, sneezing, and feels dizzy, but I still coded two chapters. If there is any quality problem, please forgive me, for the sake of Ah Cao still diligently updating even though he is sick.
, should we give some monthly tickets as rewards or something? Haha...)
This chapter has been completed!