Li Xiaogong said in a waning tone: "I thought you had already conquered Li Yi, and the quarrel for a long time was just a deal."
After saying this, Li Xiaogong asked curiously, "What did you give Li Yi that Li Yi would actually repay you with nearly ten thousand warriors?"
You must know that in troubled times, it is easy to recruit nearly 10,000 young men, but it is difficult to train nearly 10,000 elite soldiers. Li Yi gave Li Yuanji nearly 10,000 elite soldiers in one go, which was a real investment.
Li Xiaogong really wanted to know what Li Yuanji gave Li Yi to deserve such a huge investment by Li Yi.
Li Yuanji picked up the teacup placed not far away, moistened his throat, and said with a smile: "It's nothing, I just promised him that I will save his life at the critical moment."
Li Xiaogong was taken aback for a moment and sighed in astonishment: "No wonder Li Yi spent so much money. The price of your promise is not small."
In this kind of struggle for the throne, everyone may die. Li Yuanji himself has to walk on thin ice every step he takes, let alone protecting Li Yi.
Li Yuanji smiled calmly and said: "If you can't let go of the child, you can't trap the wolf."
Li Xiaogong couldn't help but said: "Then you can't spend such a large amount of money." This is almost like gambling with your life. Li Yuanji smiled and said: "High risk means high reward."
Li Xiaogong curled his lips and said, "What you said is novel, but I always feel that you are risking your life."
Speaking of this, Li Xiaogong stared at Li Yuanji and said, "Since you dare to risk your life, why don't you fight for that position?"
If you don’t care about your life, why not fight?
Anyway, it's a bloody profit, and the price is within an affordable range.
Li Yuanji couldn't explain to Li Xiaogong what impact his fighting for that position would have on the entire Central Plains. He could only smile and say: "I only promised to protect Li Yi's life, but I didn't promise to help Li Yi fight for his life." It’s not life-threatening, right?"
Li Xiaogong was completely stunned.
Li Yuanji continued to smile and said: "In other words, I will help Li Yi within the scope of my ability. The rest depends on Li Yi's own fortune."
Li Xiaogong's eyes rolled around and he said, "Did you fool Li Yi?"
Li Yuanji shook his head and said: "I did not play tricks on Li Yi, nor did I play word games with Li Yi. I told him clearly that I could only help him within my ability."
Li Xiaogong couldn't believe his ears, "If that's the case, how could Li Yi give you so many warriors?"
Those are nearly ten thousand warriors. They are capable of destroying cities and villages, tearing apart soil and sealing borders, and possessing the power to become kings.
Li Yi gave it just because he made a promise that he might not be able to fulfill in his lifetime, or that if he fulfilled it, he wouldn't be of much help?
Li Yuanji nodded, "Yes, just for that, Li Yi gave it to me." As for the other things, I couldn't tell Li Xiaogong.
After all, before Gao Kaidao showed signs of rebellion, telling Li Yi that Gao Kaidao would rebel, and reminding Li Yi to be wary of Gao Kaidao, was somewhat mysterious.
Li Xiaogong may not believe it even if he tells it. And it is easy to expose some of his own secrets. So he can only pick up some tell-tale things to deceive Li Xiaogong.
"Is Li Yi so stupid?" Li Xiaogong's eyes widened in disbelief.
Li Yuanji said with a smile: "It's not necessarily stupid. It may also be that he spent money to avoid disasters, or he was wise to protect himself. After all, as a surnamed vassal king, he held in his hands enough to overthrow the Tang Dynasty, and even My father will definitely be wary of him. If he wisely surrenders some of his troops, my father might not be so wary of him."
While Li Xiaogong was savoring Li Yuanji's words, he said disdainfully: "If he really thinks so, why doesn't he just hand over the territory in his hands and all the troops and horses, and become a wealthy and idle man in a down-to-earth manner. He said this I handed you over bit by bit, do you really think your father will wait patiently?"
Li Yuanji smiled and said nothing.
Li Xiaogong patted his thigh and snorted coldly: "Your father will only think that he is not straightforward and has two intentions."
Li Yuanji sighed with emotion: "Not everyone is like you, handing over power so simply."
Li Xiaogong pointed to his forehead, "I'm not being naive, I just have a clearer mind. I know what kind of person your father is, and I also know that even if I occupy the entire south of the river, I am no match for your father. So I He happily handed over the power in his hands. Li Yi obviously hasn't figured out what kind of person your father is, nor what kind of person he is in your father's eyes, so he is procrastinating in doing things. Damn it. He is seeking death, and your father will deal with him sooner or later."
Li Yuanji looked like, "Yes, yes, everything you say is right." Li Xiaogong hummed and closed his mouth, and did not continue to complain about Li Yi.
"Now can we tell you whether the changes in my eldest brother's palace are related to Li Yi?" Li Yuanji waited until Li Xiaogong was completely quiet, stretched his neck and asked with a smile.
Li Xiaogong pondered for a while and said, "It's hard to say, but I can check it out when I get back."
Li Yuanji asked again, "Why didn't you say this in front of Uncle Wang?"
Li Xiaogong glared and said, "No one can say whether Uncle Wang is of the same mind as us now. There are certain things that we must not say in front of Uncle Wang, especially military matters."
Li Yuanji nodded slowly and said, "I thought it was my illusion, but it turns out you think so too."
Li Xiaogong was stunned for a moment.
Li Yuanji continued: "I also feel that Uncle Wang is always separated from us, so some words can be hidden in front of Uncle Wang. What do you think Uncle Wang thinks, and who does he want to be with? "
Li Xiaogong frowned and thought for a long time, "I definitely don't have the same heart as your eldest brother, nor do I have the same heart as your second brother."
Li Yuanji nodded and said: "We are separated by one floor, so we can only face my father."
Li Xiaogong shook his head slightly, "Not necessarily. I think Uncle Wang is sandwiched between us and your father."
Li Yuanji was silent for a moment, nodded and said: "That's right, in some purposes, my father and I are connected. In this way, Uncle Wang can believe it, but he can't believe it all."
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Li Xiaogong nodded solemnly.
Li Yuanji understood roughly what he wanted to know and had no intention of continuing the conversation.
After putting away the scroll and stretching his waist, Li Yuanji said to Li Xiaogong: "It's getting late, go to bed."
Li Xiaogong stood up and walked quickly to the bed. Li Yuanji opened his mouth in surprise, but said nothing. He really wanted to ask Li Xiaogong, 'Don't you take a shower?'
But I didn't ask about the exit. The next day.
When the gastrodia was cold, Li Xiaogong braved the frost and left Jiulongtan Mountain. At noon, the news came back to Jiulongtan Mountain.
Some of the cities that Dou Gui likes to visit have not changed much, but the number of idle people in the city where Dou Gui's mansion is located is declining at an alarming rate.
It is said that Dou Mansion built a new village outside Chang'an City, and Dou Mansion brought all the people to Zhuangzi to work as villagers.
It is said that he only accepts idle men, and the treatment is quite generous.
There is meat for every meal, and wine every now and then. You only have to work for one and a half hours a day, and you get two days off for repairs.
Listening to these conditions, it doesn't sound like recruiting a banker at all, but more like recruiting an uncle.
Ordinary people would definitely not believe it, but those idle men believed it to be true.
There is no other reason.
The smart men guessed the moment they heard the news that the Dou Mansion was not recruiting bankers, but recruiting some people to do some shameful things.
This kind of job, which is well paid and full of curiosity, is very suitable for the appetite of idle men.
The idle men, in order to prevent others from grabbing what they thought was a good job, rushed to Dou Mansion to apply for it.
Then they disappeared.
Their family received wages from Dou Mansion ten days after they went to Dou Mansion.
The wages are very generous. Not only is the salary equivalent to an adult working for ten days in Chang'an City, but there are also three feet of linen and four taels of coarse salt.
Their family members saw their idle children and grandchildren starting to create wealth for the family. They happily accepted Dou Mansion's wages and asked the people in Dou Mansion to send messages to their children and grandchildren, asking them to work well for Dou Mansion. If not,
If you work well, the people in Dou Mansion can give you some appropriate punishment.
"Hahaha... what a wonderful person he is."
Li Yuanji sat in the pavilion, and after reading the letter sent by Li Xiaogong, he smiled and sighed.
Although Li Xiaogong didn't say anything explicitly in the letter, it was basically certain that Prince Zan Dou Gui had indeed returned to Beijing.
After all, in the Tang Dynasty, only Dou Gui liked to do this kind of thing that he couldn't bear to see street liars wandering on the streets and liked to drag them to labor reform.
Hey, you're lazy, right? It doesn't matter, I'll help you work harder. You don't want to?
It doesn't matter. I have knife handles and leather whips here. You can choose one. "Your Highness..."
Just when Li Yuanji sighed that Dou Gui was a wonderful man, a school captain hurried to the pavilion.
It looked like he was dressed as a lieutenant of the Tongjun Mansion, commanding the secret sentries throughout Jiulongtan Mountain. Li Yuanji put down Li Xiaogong's letter and asked with a smile: "What's the matter?"
The captain raised his hands and said: "Brothers found someone painting soil and plowing fields in the east. After asking, they said they were people from Dou Mansion. However, there was something wrong with the people plowing fields. People from Dou Mansion said they were farmers, but the brothers saw
He looks more like a prisoner. Because the people plowing the fields obviously don't have much energy, and the people guarding them are all a group of tough soldiers, all holding horizontal swords in their hands. Anyone who dares to be lazy will be killed."
The corner of Li Yuanji's mouth twitched, and he wanted to laugh but didn't, "Then what?"
The captain said in a deep voice: "Brothers are afraid that those people are real prisoners. If they are forced too much by Dou Mansion and escape together, they will easily disturb the people in the mansion, so I came here to ask for instructions from His Highness. If they escape,
How to deal with it?"
Logically speaking, Jiulongtan Mountain and a large area of land under Jiulongtan Mountain are now Li Yuanji's private territory.
If someone who is neither rich nor noble breaks in, Li Yuanji can make whatever decision he wants.
However, the other party was from the Dou family, and the captain did not dare to make the decision without authorization, so he could only come over and ask for instructions.