The two ordered some exquisite side dishes in the private room of the restaurant, drank wine and chatted:
"Are you going to Yangzhou to reward His Majesty the navy who have returned from overseas?
What a job!"
Li Ji: "Hey, it was really a good thing?
It’s a pity that someone caused trouble…”
After telling Qin Qiong what happened at the Ministry of War today, Li Ji sighed:
"Li Jing was hiding at home and not doing anything, and His Majesty suddenly asked me to act as the Ministry of War,"
"You also know who controls the Ministry of War, and those bastards don't take me seriously at all!"
Qin Qiong smiled and said: "Just ask your Majesty to resign. There are many people who are interested in the position of the military department."
Li Ji: "I'm afraid it won't be that easy. I guess Your Majesty wants to reorganize the military department. I'm afraid I have to do it for Your Majesty..."
Qin Qiong frowned: "I also heard some rumors!"
"Your Majesty is paying more and more attention to the navy. The Guanlong military leaders feel that their status is not secure and are resisting the navy in every possible way. Your Majesty is very angry about this!"
Li Ji: "It's because of this that the ignorant people at the Ministry of War actually said that Su Chen lied about military merit."
"I guess those desperate people will not give up and will continue to seek death."
"It doesn't matter if they seek death, I will probably suffer the same fate!"
Qin Qiong smiled and said: "You can either help His Majesty organize the military department, or you can pass the burden on to others..."
Li Ji rubbed his head: "Hey! Let's talk about it after I come back from Yangzhou!"
With Li Ji's intelligence, he certainly knew what Li Er meant when he asked him to act as the deputy for the Ministry of War.
However, more than 60% of the generals in the army are from Guanlong Juntou. Most of the soldiers in Zhechong Prefecture in the north are under the control of Guanlong Juntou.
Li Ji was tactful by nature and did not want to offend those Guanlong military leaders easily.
To scold the officials of the Ministry of War is a last resort.
Compared to Guan Long, Li Ji dared not offend Li Er, let alone the princes Li Chengqian and Su Chen.
Li Ji sighed and showed Qin Qiong the list Li Er gave him:
"Your Majesty just gave it to me, asking me to go to Yangzhou and bring these people back to the capital to face the saint,"
"This is to vigorously promote these people!"
"Look, each of these names is more familiar to me than the last, and I have never heard of most of them!"
"When these people come to Beijing, Your Majesty will at least give them a fifth-grade title,"
"If you promote so many people at once, then the size of the navy will grow..."
Qin Qiong glanced at the list in Li Ji's hand: "It seems that His Majesty is eager to expand the size of the navy!"
"It's no wonder. The territory of the Tang Dynasty is already extremely vast. It is impossible for me, the Tang Dynasty cavalry, to expand the territory again."
"Next we can only rely on the navy!"
"Not to mention that a powerful rebel force suddenly appeared overseas!"
Li Ji frowned: "I just can't figure out how those noble families who were dealt with by His Majesty gathered so much power overseas in such a short period of time?"
"You have also seen the military report sent back by His Highness and Su Chen. Those rebels have actually gained the strength to compete with the Royal Navy,"
"How on earth did they do it?"
Qin Qiong also sighed: "The accumulation of thousands of years of family members cannot be underestimated, and the manpower and material resources they control are really immeasurable."
"The most important thing is that they stole all the new things that Su Chen came up with."
"With the yield of sweet potatoes and rice, how many people can those rebels just reclaim a piece of wasteland overseas and feed them?"
"Not to mention the current steel smelting technology,"
"From the Sui Dynasty to the Wude Period, the steel production over the past several decades combined could not compare to the annual production of the Guanzhou Iron and Steel Works!"
"I won't talk about the train! I ran back and forth from Guanzhou to Chang'an several times last year just to make myself believe that it was real!"
Li Ji took a sip of wine. He had done this stupid thing before!
"Hey, forget it, let's not mention this anymore."
Li Ji held the list in his arms and said, "Your Majesty is determined to build a large navy!"
Qin Qiong: "There is no way. The navy's big ships carry tens of thousands of stones of supplies and can travel hundreds of miles on the sea every day. How can the army compare?"
"Besides, Datang basically has no enemies on land. In the future, enemies will probably come from the sea."
Li Ji said depressedly: "What a pity! My two sons are a waste and a medicine jar..."
Qin Qiong: "Where are those bastards of yours? Why don't you train them properly and throw them into the navy?"
"If I want to join the military in the future, the navy will be my first choice."
Li Ji: “This is the only way!”
"Don't talk about me, what's going on with your two brothers?"
Qin Qiong: "Don't mention it, I'm too embarrassed to tell anyone for fear of embarrassment."
"Those two bastards went to Yangzhou at the beginning of last year and didn't even stay for half a month before they were kicked back. They failed the examination!"
"I am training two boys from concubines and will send them to have a look next year."
Li Ji: "Hey, among our brothers, the youngest and the most rogue are pretty good in the navy."
Qin Qiong also sighed: The children and grandchildren are not up to expectations, and the father is just a poor man.
"By the way, what's going on at Zhang Liang's place?"
Qin Qiong had little contact with Zhang Liang, but she was quite curious about the Dengzhou Navy.
Li Ji frowned: "It doesn't seem to be good. I heard that His Majesty lost his temper several times, blaming Zhang Liang for not being strict with the army."
"Just think about it, what will happen if even the little bastards from Fang Xuanling's family look down on the Dengzhou Navy?"
Qin Qiong nodded and gave up the plan of sending his son to the Dengzhou Navy. He would rather send his son to Su Chen to try in the future.
After having a drink with Qin Qiong in a restaurant, Li Ji decided to send his two sons from a concubine to the navy.
Early the next day, I immediately rushed to Yangzhou with my two sons.
…
At the end of October, Su Chen led his fleet into the Yangtze River and finally returned to Yangzhou.
Li Ji had already arrived in Yangzhou early, and together with Ren Ji, the governor of Yangzhou, were at the riverside to welcome the returning army.
The fleet entered the water village and berthed in sequence.
Su Chen and Li Chengqian stepped onto the shore with joy and joy.
Li Ji and Yangzhou Governor Ren Ji were already waiting in front of the camp on the shore:
"Welcome Your Highness, the Protector of the Country has returned triumphantly with his army!"
"The soldiers went on an overseas expedition and worked hard all the way!"
After meeting Su Chen and Li Chengqian, Li Ji read Li Er's decree to the soldiers, praised the naval officers for their military exploits, and announced that he would reward all the officers and soldiers heavily.
"Your Highness, Lord Protector, the army has returned from this expedition with great food and great victory. The Sacred Heart is overjoyed. This is your Majesty's reward."
"Your Majesty is very concerned about His Highness and the Lord Protector, and is in the capital looking forward to your early return."
As he said this, Li Ji handed two imperial edicts to Li Chengqian and Su Chen.
One is His Majesty's son and the other is son-in-law, so there is no need to declare a decree to express gratitude.
"I'd be happy for you, the British father-in-law, to make a trip in person."
Li Ji laughed loudly and said: "It is my honor to come here to welcome His Highness and the Lord Protector on their triumphant return!"
"Your Highness, Lord Protector, you have worked hard all the way! Please!"
Su Chen stood in front of the camp and said with emotion: "It took a year and a half for the army to leave Yangzhou last summer and return this winter."
"This expedition to eat food has come to a perfect end!"
