Pyongyang has just reached peace, and everything remains to be determined.
After Li Er accepted Gao Jianwu's surrender, he put him under house arrest. Hundreds of officials above the fifth rank were also kept in the hall and were not allowed to return, so as to avoid causing trouble. At the same time, he calmed down his emotions, understood the situation, and took the opportunity to examine everyone's character, ability, etc. After Goguryeo was captured,
Governance is needed, and governance is inseparable from officials.
Qin Huaidao was concerned about the affairs of the city and did not want to interfere with the surrender, so he asked Li Er to resign and left. He first came to the military camp to find Luo Zhang. Seeing that the surrendering army was quite honest, and there were troops from the imperial court to help guard it, it was not a big problem, so he signaled Luo Zhang to come.
When there was no one around, he whispered: "How are the mercenaries feeling?"
"Everyone knows that the imperial army has arrived. Everything else is fine. We are just worried about the silver reward." Luo Zhang said bluntly.
"As expected, you go to Yuchi Baoqi and tell me what I said. We still have a batch of silver in our supplies. Take it and distribute it to everyone. The military merits must be calculated well and there can be no mistakes, lest anyone gossip."
"I understand, but..." Luo Zhang hesitated.
"What's wrong?"
Luo Zhang looked around carefully and said in a low voice: "Uncle, it is only a matter of time before Pyongyang is captured and Goguryeo is incorporated into the Tang Dynasty. The next battle will probably take care of the imperial army. After all, it is not easy for them to come here. They have to give them some points."
Thanks to the credit, the mercenaries won’t have any fighting to do next, so how can we arrange for so many people?”
Qin Huaidao had already planned this issue and said in a low voice: "Your worries are right. We can't fight any more battles in the future. Leave it to Xue Wanche and Niuda. Your Majesty must consider the mood of the imperial army and the balance. The mercenaries are next
It will be fine. There are two ways. First, everyone can disarm and return to Yingzhou and wait for the unified arrangements of the court. We have made some money and have no big problems in life; second, Mohe."
"You mean the imperial court will take the opportunity to capture Mohe?" Luo Zhang asked in surprise.
Mohe was in the north of Goguryeo, and there was no way he could allow others to sleep beside his couch. With Li Er's talent and strategy, the opportunity was present and impossible to miss. The imperial army finally came here, and there was no reason to go back like this. Qin Huaidao nodded and said: "Take it."
There will be no shortage of food after we go to Goguryeo, and the imperial army is at full strength. Your Majesty will have some ideas, and I will also suggest that your Majesty take action and seize the opportunity to avoid trouble in the future."
"Will the imperial court use mercenaries?" Luo Zhang asked.
"It's unlikely, but if the mercenaries are willing, I can suggest it. It's hard to say whether the court will adopt it or not," Luo Zhang said uncertainly.
Luo Zhang thought for a while and said seriously: "Uncle, in my opinion it's better to forget it."
"Oh, tell me what you think." Qin Huaidao was interested, but he didn't really want to. He just wanted to give everyone more opportunities because the mercenaries had made a lot of achievements during this period.
"If I participate in the attack on Mohe, it means that I have to stay. If you are here, it doesn't matter if I stay. If you go back to Chang'an, then I will definitely not do it. Secondly, more than 10,000 mercenaries have come out, and there are still seven
About 8,000 people fought continuously and were worried about their families. After Pyongyang was captured, they became war-weary and did not want to fight."
The words made Qin Huaidao think deeply.
In a different place, if I was hired, I picked up a knife and a gun in order to find a way out, but my family is still a prisoner. I don’t know what happened for so long. I must be missing and worried. I have been hacking all the way here, and I have a lot of money in my pocket. The biggest
After Pyongyang has chewed off his bones, he really won’t want to fight again.
"Uncle, if the imperial court attacks Mohe, what will you do?" Luo Zhang asked.
"Did you want to say something?" Qin Huaidao asked.
Luo Zhang nodded and said bluntly: "Ordinarily, if the imperial court really decides to fight against Mohe, I suggest you not to participate. With the Holy One on top, you can't do your best as before, not to mention that Duke Wei is here, and Wei
The Duke is old, and this battle may be his final battle. It is better to give them the opportunity and form a good relationship. The more important thing is that your merits are too great, so you must retreat bravely to avoid shocking the master with your great achievements."
These words were spoken from the bottom of my heart, and they were also said to be heart-wrenching, and I would never dare to say them unless I could trust them.
Qin Huaidao could feel Luo Zhang's care and trust, nodded, and whispered: "Don't worry, I have already thought that since you don't want to continue to perform meritorious services, then let the mercenaries go out and wait until the situation in Pyongyang stabilizes and they leave. Before leaving,
If you reveal something secretly, you can say that you will come back to them if you have the opportunity."
"In the future?" Luo Zhang had some differences.
"Yes, we may have to fight against the Western Turks and Tibet in the future, but we can't make it too obvious to prevent leaks and others making trouble. Moreover, I may not be used to fight against the Western Turks and Tibet, understand."
"I understand...Uncle, can you pick some of them and take them to Chang'an so that they can help guard Meishan and the like? They are all men who have been killed. They are tough, so don't worry about them." Luo Zhang suggested.
"I can't say it to avoid suspicion from the Holy One, but I can suggest that they live in Chang'an. They will figure out how to do it. I believe that Governor Xue will not be stuck. We can't rush this. We will operate secretly in the future. As long as they arrive in Chang'an, they can be recruited through recruitment."
"I understand, leave it to me." Luo Zhang understood instantly and agreed.
Qin Huaidao nodded and went to the government office under the protection of Yu Linwei. He met Li Junxian and his son. The three of them chatted for a while. Qin Huaidao stayed at the inn opposite the government office. He was really tired during this period. As soon as Li Er arrived
, it was considered shift change, and I fell asleep soundly.
I slept until noon the next day and finally came back to life with full blood.
After washing up, he went to the restaurant next door. Just after the war, the restaurant didn't dare to open for business, but he didn't dare to offend him, so he had to bite the bullet and start business. Qin Huaidao saw that Yu Linwei was obviously nutritionally unbalanced and depressed. It was obvious that he had spent the last night to protect himself.
I didn't sleep much, so I asked the restaurant to set up a few more tables and treat everyone to a meal to express my gratitude.
On the battlefield, the Habayashi Guards are really life-and-death guards. Although their duties are their duty, they must not be ungrateful.
The Yulin guards all knew something about Qin Huaidao's temper, so they did not refuse and thanked him one after another.
After eating and drinking, the group walked towards the palace.
Arriving at the gate of the palace, gatekeeper Cheng Chuliang came up to him, signaled him aside and whispered, "Brother Qin, would you like to have a few thoughtful words?"
Respecting each other as brothers, rather than official positions, naturally involves private matters.
Qin Huaidao saw through the other party's thoughts, nodded and smiled: "Are you considering your future plans?"
"I really can't hide anything from you. Pyongyang has already invaded. There are not many battles to be fought next. And the imperial army is here. We will definitely have nothing to do later. We can't eat the meat and not even give the imperial army a mouthful of soup.
, then should we just wait for the troops to withdraw?" Cheng Chuliang asked in a low voice.
"Tell me what you think?"
"We three brothers made a summary last night. A good situation is very rare. Although it doesn't matter if we wait to withdraw our troops, it would be better if we can take the opportunity to gain more military glory. After all, the opportunity is rare, but we have to discuss this matter with you. I will listen to your arrangements. You
If you let us go back, we will definitely go back. If you let us fight, then we will continue to fight."
"Does Chu Mo and Chu Bi mean the same thing?" Qin Huaidao asked.
"What's more, the Yuchi brothers also have this idea."
Qin Huaidao could see that everyone actually wanted to continue fighting and take the opportunity to gain more military merits. Martial arts were different from those of civil servants, who all relied on military merits. After finally getting the opportunity, they naturally wanted to earn more, and it was understandable. He patted Chu Liang on the shoulder, but Qin Huaidao said lowly.
He said in a loud voice: "Tell brothers, I don't want to fight, but I will help you guys fight for opportunities. Whether it can happen depends on the arrangement of the Holy Lord."
"If you don't fight, then why should we fight?" Cheng Chuliang was anxious.
"You have a different path than me. I don't intend to be an official. I just want to make some money, become a rich man, and live with several wives and concubines." Qin Huaidao said and left.
Cheng Chuliang looked at Qin Huaidao's back and was a little confused. A real man should fight on the battlefield, become famous all over the world, and leave his name in history. Why should he be a rich man?
The path you choose is your own. There is no question of whether it is good or bad, only whether you want it or not.
Qin Huaidao could understand the ideals and pursuits of a passionate young man like Cheng Chuliang and supported it, but he did not want to take this path himself. He strode into the palace gate and walked a distance. When he saw Wang De coming out in a hurry, he asked curiously: "Wang
My father-in-law is leaving in such a hurry, do you want to find a horse instead?"
"General Xie Xuanwei is concerned and was about to find you when the Holy One summoned you."
"Looking for me?" Qin Huaidao said somewhat differently.
"Let's go, don't keep your Majesty waiting."
The two hurriedly came to a side hall. The door and surroundings were full of Yulin guards. They stared at the surroundings with vigilance. Qin Huaidao glanced at the Yulin guards. They were all equipped with repeating crossbows. Without thinking much, he waited at the door for Wang De's announcement.
When he went in again, he saw Li Er and Li Jing chatting, and he quickly stepped forward to salute: "Greetings, Your Majesty!"
"No courtesy, I'll give you a seat." Li Er shouted, with a smile on his face.
When Qin Huaidao saw that it was not a bad thing, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He bowed to Li Jing as a junior and sat down on a stool. Li Er couldn't wait to say: "Huaidao, I asked you to come here because I want to hear how you fought all the way here. Give it to me."
Tell me, the more detailed the better, I've long wanted to know how you fought."
"Go back to the Holy One. Every battle has a detailed battle report. Go get it..."
"Don't read the battle report first, let's talk directly." Li Er interrupted.
Li Jing saw the doubts in Qin Huaidao's heart and explained: "Don't be pressured. This is not a report, just an exchange of military techniques. I also want to know how you fought. Please tell me in detail the situation before the war, what you thought at the time, and what you did.
What, what happened during the war, how to deal with it, how to deal with it after the war, etc., I have already been itching. Five thousand troops sent out to conquer such a large territory, it is simply incredible."
"Pure exchange of military arts?"
"Of course, I have commanded countless battles and I have some experience in the art of war, but I still can't figure out how you did it. Please tell me." Li Er affirmed.
Qin Huaidao is not a hot-blooded young man, so of course he won’t believe everything, but he has to say it. He only knows how to organize the language. Starting from the dispatch of troops, he tells the truth one by one. There is nothing to hide, and there is no need to hide it. Of course, there is no need to hide it.
, Li Er will definitely verify it afterwards, and concealing it is deceiving the emperor.
There were too many things to do, and I couldn't stop talking about it. My mouth was dry when I talked about it. Fortunately, Wang De was very discerning and asked someone to bring tea to the three of them, but my mouth was still dry when I talked.
Li Er and Li Jing were excited when they heard the cheers. They interrupted from time to time and asked for some details. Qin Huaidao had to explain patiently.
This was said in the evening. Li Eryou was not happy. He asked people to prepare meals and continued the communication. However, the method changed. Li Er and Li Jing made various assumptions about something and asked Qin Huaidao how he would deal with it. Qin Huaidao one by one.
The answer is, you can cope with it by relying on the memory of later generations.
However, Li Er and Li Jing were indeed very accomplished in the art of war. They constantly raised new hypotheses and new questions, and the angles became tricky. Qin Huaidao was still able to handle it with ease. Gradually, the three of them started to argue about a certain issue. No one was convinced by the other, and the war report changed.
It became a real exchange of art of war.
It was late at night before I knew it.
However, Li Er and Li Jing were enjoying themselves, as if they had obtained some kind of satisfaction, and did not want to leave. Qin Huaidao also became more interested, and kept throwing out forward-looking ideas, as if he had returned to later generations to conduct tactical deductions with his brothers. Unfortunately, there was no sand table, facing the two sides.
All kinds of strange and weird questions from people are answered one by one.
Before I knew it, a few more hours passed and the sky became brighter.
The three of them still had unfinished thoughts, but they had to end it. After this exchange, Li Er had a deep understanding of Qin Huaidao's military tactics, and even felt a little fearful for some reason. Such a great talent must be won over, otherwise it will not only be a loss for the royal family, but also a greater loss.
It may be a hidden danger.
Wang De brought breakfast and the three of them finished eating. There were too many things waiting for Li Er to deal with. Qin Huaidao was fine. Seeing Li Jing's throwing eyes, he followed behind knowingly. The two of them walked forward and arrived at the first floor of the palace.
Being on the city wall, with no one around and flags flying around, it is also suitable for secret conversations.
Li Jing said with a look of relief: "My nephew, regarding Li Derjian, I owe you a favor."
"Shibo is seeing someone else. Our two families are family friends and we should help each other. Besides, Shixiong's talents are all obtained by his own ability." Qin Huaidao said quickly.
"Okay, I know what kind of character and abilities De Jian has. He is a little clever but lacks great wisdom. His structure is just mediocre. I won't say any polite words. What do you think will happen if he goes to Shiwei?" Li Jing asked bluntly, as a man
As a father, who can not care about his son?
Qin Huaidao smiled and said: "Don't worry, Shibo. Brother Shi has changed a lot since he went to the battlefield. He was responsible for joining the army at the beginning. He kept detailed records, was good at thinking, had a unique vision, and made rapid progress. Otherwise, the younger generation would not dare to let him take charge of his own affairs.
With Zhu Huchen here, plus Xue Feng, Xue Wu and Fang Yiai here, even if Shi Wei can't win, he will be restless. If another large army passes by, it will be easy to win."
"What if not?"
"I'm still 60 to 70 percent sure."
"Why is it only 60% to 70%? What are the variables?" Li Jing keenly noticed something and asked.
"Mohe!" Qin Huaidao reminded bluntly.
Li Jing, the military god of the generation, naturally did not have a wasted reputation. He revealed it in one point. After pondering for a moment, he said: "The only way is to send troops to the north to capture Mohe. Let's not talk about it for now. You performed very well last night. I don't understand something. You are not easy to show off.
Why were you so active last night?"
"I did it on purpose." Qin Huaidao said, looking at the rolling residential buildings in front of him with emotion.
"Deliberately, why?" Li Jing became more and more curious and reminded: "My nephew, since ancient times, accompanying the emperor is like accompanying a tiger. The more dazzling and powerful you are, the more fearful the emperor will be. With the emperor's mind and magnanimity, naturally,
I won’t tolerate you, but I will also recruit you as my son-in-law and become my own. This is the bottom line, otherwise I will feel uneasy. Don’t you like Princess Shang as your son-in-law?”
These words were sincere and he treated Qin Huaidao as his nephew.
Qin Huaidao felt a warmth in his heart and explained in a low voice: "Shibo, taking Pyongyang is a great achievement. If Your Majesty were not afraid, there would be no candlelight talks last night. In fact, His Majesty wanted to pass
Communicate and learn about the war and get to know me so that you know what you are doing, but you are worried that I will not tell you and deliberately drag you along."
"you mean……"
"Shibo, what I mean is not important. What is important is what the Holy One thinks." Qin Huaidao interrupted.
There was a wry smile on Li Jing's face, and he said with emotion: "Back then, when I took over the Eastern Turks, my thoughts were different from yours now. However, the sages, sages, talents and strategies are tolerant, so there is no need to think too much about it."
"Shibo, to say something disrespectful, you are old and have physical disabilities, so you don't need to think too much about it. I am still young, and I am at odds with the prince and King Wei. In a few years, the emperor will definitely think about what will happen in a hundred years.
Will you keep me or not?" Qin Huaidao asked in a low voice.
A flash of light flashed in Li Jing's eyes, and he thought of many things in an instant, and whispered: "In that case, why do you deliberately show your strength to make the Holy Emperor afraid?"
"Because of fear, the junior will agree when he comes back to ask for resignation."
"You still don't want to serve the imperial court?"
"I don't have to worry about serving the Holy Lord, but I have to consider that in the future, I will be an emperor and a courtier. What's more, if I don't have this ambition, I will just be a rich man in An An's life. Therefore, I do not intend to interfere in the subsequent wars, and I will try my best to do so in the future.
If you don't participate in political affairs and stay out of sight, if your Majesty insists on the younger generation marrying a princess, that's fine. Having a consort will also provide you with an extra layer of security in the future." Qin Huaidao simply made it clear.
These words were equally heart-breaking, and if spread, he would be beheaded, but Qin Huaidao believed in Li Jing.
Li Jing was also very touched that Qin Huaidao could confide in him. After thinking carefully for a moment, he said: "Be prepared for a rainy day. Your idea is good, but it is also a bit too cautious. The prince is benevolent and righteous..."
"Shibo, I have made up my mind." Qin Huaidao interrupted. He was not worried about the prince. In a few years, the prince would rebel and become a passing thing. The King of Wei would also be demoted and die in two years. What he was worried about was the successor.
Li Zhi, that guy is not bad at other things, but he was involved in incest. He was obsessed with Empress Wu and finally handed over the power. Empress Wu was also a ruthless character who killed many people. If he was an official in the court, would he be spared?
You can’t rebel, right?!
"You don't like the prince?" Li Jing asked bluntly, his eyes blazing.
Qin Huaidao met Li Jing's gaze and said with a calm smile: "Uncle Shi is not the same."
"Hahaha!"
The two of them laughed in tacit understanding, and both wisely avoided the topic. After chatting for a while, Li Jing suddenly said: "My nephew trusted me and spoke from the bottom of my heart. I also said a few words from the bottom of my heart. Yuchi Gong led the army across the sea to attack Baidu."
Ji, according to time calculation, has been captured, and the remaining new city can only be easily changed. However, Mohe is a bit tricky. I will suggest that the imperial court seizes the opportunity to recover it. The Holy Spirit intends to let you continue to lead the army, but I suggest that you refuse."
"Xie Shibo, this junior has this intention."
"You are so young, but you can see so clearly. Qin Qiong's spirit in heaven must be very happy. It will be good for you to retreat bravely. I was originally worried that you were young and acted on impulse. Now it seems that I am overthinking it. Go back to Chang'an. Some time ago, someone planned to impeach
You have been suppressed by the Holy One. You are just a few leaders, but the Holy One still values you very much. Also, by the way, I heard that life in Qinjiazhuang is difficult and the sales of briquettes have dropped sharply. I don’t know the details."
"Thank you, Uncle Shi, for informing me. I have already guessed that it will be difficult to sell when the weather warms up." Qin Huaidao had already guessed, so he thanked him gratefully.
"It's not because of the weather. I heard that coal mines have opened in other places."
"So that's it!" Qin Huaidao was stunned, but he didn't care. In business, there is always competition, can it still be a monopoly? But after about three months, it's time to go back and take a look, otherwise people's hearts will be unstable, so he asked: "Uncle Shi,
When do you think it’s appropriate to resign and leave?”
In terms of political experience, Qin Huaidao feels inferior to Li Jing.
Li Jing thought for a while and said: "Either go back as soon as possible or wait together. However, I estimate that the Holy One will keep you. I suggest that you find an oil man to pick it up as soon as possible, but you must listen to the Holy One's arrangements."
"Understood." Qin Huaidao said clearly. Resigning is a statement of attitude, telling the Lord that he has no intention of making any further contributions. Obeying the arrangements is also a statement of attitude. Telling the Lord that he has no second thoughts and only wants to live his own life will gain more trust.
.
Li Jing patted Qin Huaidao on the shoulder and left with satisfaction.
Qin Huaidao looked at Pyongyang City, his thoughts flashing. Li Er was a good emperor, but it was a pity that the successor was too different. Once Empress Wu took power and wooed him, should he agree or not? If he didn't agree, he would definitely die. If he agreed, he would be aggrieved. He had to
The problem is that planning in advance is difficult, so we can’t deny Li Zhi’s hope, right?
The problem is that the prince is hopeless. The King of Wei is close to the family, which violates Li Er's taboo. There is no chance. Except for Li Zhi, there is no more suitable candidate among the legitimate sons born to the queen. Moreover, Li Er also likes Li Er.
Well, this is simply a dead end.
Qin Huaidao shook his head, suppressed the matter for the time being, and hurried down the city wall.
The Yulin guards gathered around, and the captain asked: "Commander Zuo?"
"Find an inn to sleep." Qin Huaidao said, he was too sleepy after chatting all night.
After sleeping until the afternoon, Qin Huaida got up, washed up, and was about to have dinner. Wang De came over and said that the Holy Spirit would invite us to have dinner with him. This was a supreme favor, and it also sent a signal to the outside world, telling everyone
From now on, Qin Huaidao is his consort and his family, so don’t mess around.
Qin Huaidao agreed and hurried away with Wang De.
There were only two people at the banquet, and Li Er was already waiting. When he saw Qin Huaidao coming over, he immediately announced that the banquet was open, and the food was served like an assembly line.
After drinking too much, he casually said: "Huaidao, you have contributed greatly to the victory of Goguryeo for me. I am very happy. I will issue an edict to announce your marriage to Yuzhang when I get back."
Qin Huaidao has already thought through that there is no free love in this era, it is all the orders of the parents and the words of the matchmaker. Princess Yuzhang is gentle, virtuous, and polite. The key is that she is beautiful. She is a good match. It is not a loss. Rejection will only arouse suspicion. She will die.
It's faster, but it won't work if you agree directly. It seems too perfunctory, and it will also arouse suspicion and pretend to think seriously.
Li Er didn't say anything else, pretended to drink and observed secretly.
After a while, Qin Huaidao said seriously: "Your Majesty, it is a great honor for me to marry Princess Yuzhang. However, I still say the same thing. If I want to marry more concubines, I would like your Majesty's permission."
Marrying a concubine was the reason for insisting on it in the first place. It doesn't matter whether you can get permission or not. It won't matter whether you marry me in the future or not, but you must insist on it. Suddenly changing your words will not only deceive the emperor, but also arouse suspicion.
"Nonsense, it makes no sense to marry a princess and think of other things." Li Er glared and cursed.
However, Qin Huaidao could feel that Li Er was not as resistant as before, and he felt confident in his heart, so he continued: "Your Majesty, I have been fighting for more than three months and I am exhausted. I would like to take leave and return to Chang'an. I sincerely ask your Majesty for your permission."
"If you want to quit, that's not possible. Goguryeo still has a lot of things waiting for you. You, the marshal on the left, can't leave. What is the next step in the war in Goguryeo? I want to hear your opinion." Li Er refused.
Qin Huaidao was well prepared and said bluntly: "The Holy One can send one person as the chief general, with the Cheng family brothers and the Yuchi family brothers as assistants, to lead the expedition, and then send a large army into Shiwei, merge with Li Derjian, and attack Shiweihe at the same time.
Mohe, if they are not allowed to join forces, they will be able to level it within two months."
"March in two directions?" Li Er's eyes were bright, and he was still drunk from just now.
Qin Huaidao saw this and became more and more sure of his guess, so he said: "Your Majesty, the imperial army has come from afar and is eager to perform meritorious service. The hearts of the soldiers cannot be chilled. As for me, I am really exhausted mentally and physically during this period and am unable to do what I want. I want to take a good rest."
For a while.”
Li Er's eyes were bright and he didn't answer.
If you don't use it as soon as you have made great achievements, you will have a bad reputation of being suspicious of your subordinates, and it will also affect Qin Huaidao's reputation. However, when the imperial army comes, it is really unreasonable not to give him a chance. As a king, he has to be a balance. It is really difficult for Li Er to do it. Unexpectedly,
Qin Huaidao was so considerate and even found excuses, and he valued and liked him more and more.
After pondering for a moment, Li Er said: "We will discuss this matter later. Let's talk about it. How to fight next?"