His Royal Highness, Prince Jin, has been very troubled recently.
He originally thought that being able to take charge of the Ministry of War would directly leverage the crown prince's foundation, which would increase his chances of winning the throne. Changsun Wuji even more considerately transferred Gao Jifu to the Ministry of War as his assistant to help him control the Ministry of War.
His Royal Highness, Prince of Jin, was filled with ambition and arrogance for a while, as if the position of crown prince was already within reach.
However, before he took office, he suffered a blow...
The death of Gao Jifu is equivalent to throwing countless thunderbolts in the city of Chang'an, which caused people to fall over and the sky and the earth to change color.
Dali Temple and the Ministry of Punishment immediately formed a temporary yamen under the emperor's anger and were fully responsible for investigating the case.
The investigation process of the case was not smooth.
Although there were many witnesses, the murderers were all masked from beginning to end, and the weapons used were all standard military equipment. There was nothing special about them, and ordinary people could not tell them apart. Then they investigated the weapons supervisor and other personnel in charge of the weapons.
In the Yamen, not many clues were obtained, but a corrupt official was discovered...
As we all know, although ordnance is extremely strictly managed, it has always been the focus of corruption and fraud because it is too valuable. Even though the laws are becoming more and more stringent, some people still take risks. In the face of increasingly stringent supervision, such money
It is by no means a monopoly of one person. It becomes a chain of interests that colludes from top to bottom and cooperates inside and outside. Once investigated, a lot will be uncovered.
Therefore, there was not much progress in the assassination case, but a large number of worms who were greedy for military weapons were implicated. His Majesty Li Er was furious. Arms are the foundation of the country, how can we tolerate the existence of such worms? With a wave of his hand, he ordered the department to investigate strictly, no matter what.
Anyone involved will be severely punished.
The entire Chang'an officialdom was suddenly panicked.
Most of these officials came from aristocratic families, and their families pushed them to the top, and then used their power to support their families. If we really investigate, who dares to say that they are as clear as water and as clear as a mirror?
Although we are nominally investigating the assassination and ordnance cases, if something else is involved, I will have to get involved myself...
It was under this situation that Jin Wang Li Zhi began his life in the Ministry of War.
…
Early in the morning, before the sun had risen, Princess Jin got up early, arranged for the maids to prepare breakfast, then woke up the stunned Prince Jin, helped her bathe and change clothes, had breakfast, and sent the guards away.
The chamberlain has tied up the carriage and is waiting to go to the military headquarters to take charge of duty.
"Nowadays, people in Chang'an City are in panic. Your Highness should be more cautious. The military department is composed of the prince's men. If you make the slightest mistake, they will publicize it, which will damage your reputation of being diligent in government affairs. So not only must you not be late,
, but also show your courage in the Ministry of War."
Princess Jin came from a well-known family. Not only was she beautiful and graceful, but her knowledge was beyond the comparison of others.
Li Zhi nodded, boarded the carriage in front of the door, and gradually walked away under the expectant eyes of Princess Jin, and went straight to the Yamen of the Ministry of War in the imperial city.
The sky was still dark, and the wheels crushed a thick layer of white frost on the road. The horse driving the car slowly arrived outside the military department with its four hooves blowing white air.
The gatekeepers had already seen the carriage of His Royal Highness Prince Jin and came out quickly. Someone helped Li Zhi get out of the car, and someone led the carriage and horses to the backyard to prepare fodder...
Li Zhi adjusted his python robe and jade crown and entered the gate of the Ministry of War with a solemn expression.
At this time, the light was dim and the sun had not yet risen, but all the officials from the Ministry of War had already arrived and started working. Many of the rooms on duty had lit lamps and candles due to the need for approval and writing official documents. There were also people coming and going, and it was quiet and peaceful.
But a tense and busy situation.
Seeing Li Zhi, all the people passing by stopped, bowed and saluted, and then hurried away.
Li Zhi smiled and nodded to everyone, showing the grace of a prince, and then walked into his check-in room.
There was a candle in the room, and a pot of hot tea had been brewed on the desk, and the tea was fragrant.
Li Zhi was very satisfied with the clerk's preparation. He sat down behind the desk with a golden sword, poured a cup of tea, and took a slow sip. The hot tea flowed down his throat, leaving a fragrant aroma in his mouth, and his whole body warmed up.
The officials of the Ministry of War were busy with their own affairs and completely put him aside as the "Inspector of the Ministry of War", causing the large duty room to be deserted...
Thinking of Princess Jin's instructions and Changsun Wuji's teachings last night, Li Zhi briefly read a few documents, made some instructions, then put down his writing brush and knocked on the desk.
A scribe came in from outside immediately and asked respectfully: "What are your orders, Your Highness?"
Li Zhi asked: "Have the two ministers and several principals arrived?"
The clerk respectfully replied: "Your Highness, Minister Cui and Minister Guo have arrived, and several principals have also arrived at the Yamen before Mao Shi. However, Principal Du had a conflict with the local gentry when the officials of the ministry were drawing maps in Longxi.
He was injured, so he rushed to deal with it, but he reported it to His Highness yesterday and His Majesty allowed him to go."
Li Zhi nodded.
It had only been a few days since he came to the Ministry of War, but as he was talented and intelligent, he had gradually figured out the details of the Ministry of War. In addition to army deployment, ordnance maintenance, promotion and selection of generals, and military trials, the entire Ministry of War attached great importance to ordnance research and development and map drawing.
Li Zhi did understand the research and development of ordnance, and focused on research and development of the foundry bureau to improve new firearms.
As firearms played an increasingly decisive role in war, the whole Tang Dynasty believed from top to bottom that firearms would become the mainstream of warfare in the future. Therefore, early research and development and improvement must be the top priority, and investment in further
A lot of money is not an exaggeration.
But map drawing is a bit baffling.
From ancient times to the present, maps have long been the most important part of war, but we have never seen a war where a new map was drawn before the war began. Maps are of course important, as they are important for the general's decision-making in arranging troops and formations.
Such a strategy has a very big impact, but it consumes a lot of manpower, material resources and time, which is a bit overwhelming.
In Li Zhi's opinion, this was completely a prank created by Fang Jun to please others...
Although he was dissatisfied, he had just joined the Ministry of War, and everyone from top to bottom was Fang Jun's old friend. As the king of Jin, he did not dare to rashly cancel the decision left by Fang Jun, otherwise it would easily lead to a collective confrontation among all the officials of the Ministry of War.
It would be ugly if I couldn't get off the stage.
Just be patient, sooner or later let the Ministry of War run according to their own will...
With his mind spinning, Li Zhi gathered his thoughts and said: "Go and call all the ministers and principals over. I have something to say."
"Here!"
The clerk didn't dare to ask any more questions, so he quickly turned around and went out to inform the rooms one by one.
Li Zhi sat in the duty room and drank tea leisurely. His mind was spinning rapidly, thinking about what attitude and wording he would use to express his disdain for the commander-in-chief and his "self-indulgence" to the military department.
"You can't be too tough, otherwise you will easily encounter resistance, but you can't just muddle along. No one in the entire military department comes to ask for instructions. If it sounds good, they are "performing their own duties."
King Jin takes this seriously and wants to exclude him...
After a long while, the pot of tea was finished, and no one was seen.
Li Zhi couldn't hold back his anger, mother!
I am a prince after all, you bastards really don’t take me seriously?
I wanted to have an attack, but after thinking about it carefully, I endured it.
After all, this is Fang Jun's territory and the foundation of the crown prince. As an outsider who has just arrived and is an enemy, it is inevitable that he will encounter some resistance. If he just wants to be happy for a while, he may have confirmed his purpose of poaching.
This makes more people turn against themselves.
For the sake of my big plan, I endure...
After enduring it for half an hour, just when Li Zhi almost couldn't bear it anymore, footsteps were heard outside the door. A group of military officials, headed by Zuo Shilang Cui Dunli, filed into the duty room. They all saluted and stood in a row, respectfully
He asked in a voice: "I wonder what your Highness ordered us to do when he called us here?"
Li Zhi suppressed the anger in his heart and said with a smile: "Don't be formal. Although I have a noble status, I like to get along with my subordinates the most. Only by working with each other can we get twice the result with half the effort. Haha, everyone, sit down, sit down."
Cui Dunli and others looked back at the two chairs in the duty room. Where could they fit in here?
It stands to reason that the left and right ministers are qualified to sit down in front of Li Zhi, but once they sit down, the entire army of military officials will be divided, showing a gap in status.
Cui Dunli was extremely cautious and would never allow such a thing to happen. He said respectfully: "We are all ministers. How dare we sit in front of His Highness? Your Highness has any orders, but please speak frankly. We will obey them."
In words and deeds, all military officials are placed on the same level without distinction.