Before I knew it, the originally gray sky had turned completely dark.
The hall where the two were whispering gradually became dark as the firewood in the fire pit gradually burned out.
There were no servants around, and Zheng Pu didn't know where the grease lamp was, so he took the initiative to leave the table and walk closer to the fire pit to add firewood. The flickering light of the fire swayed his shadow, almost covering the entire wall.
Prime Minister Zhuge Liang, who was sitting upright, raised his wine cup and took a sip.
The slightly cold wine cooled the abdominal cavity after entering the throat, making the sleepiness of the long journey disappear like a tide. The corner of the eye could not help but be attracted by the constantly swaying shadow.
By the light of firewood, the figure is so big that the walls cannot contain it.
If I don't hesitate to encourage him and gradually transfer arbitrary power, I wonder if he will be able to carry the banner of the Han Dynasty to conquer the Central Plains in the future?
That should be possible, right?
He has not yet reached the age of 30, and still has a lot of time to experience and accumulate.
Moreover, among the great men now, there is no other officer who is more talented and learned than him.
If he can't succeed me, it might be even harder for others.
Well, let’s promote it first.
When I die, I can see whether he is alive or not.
"Zijin planned every step of the plan. Not only was he meticulous, but he was also able to achieve things that others could not. He often had extraordinary plans. He was a genius! In the past, I once said that Zijin might be as good as Faxiao if he had a ten-day holiday. Today, it turns out that
That’s how it is!”
Prime Minister Zhuge Liang, who was determined, looked at Zheng Pu with a gurgling smile and said, "Qi Zijin is leading the army on expeditions. He is good at making decisive decisions on the spot and can make the soldiers fight to the death. This method cannot be matched by filial piety."
Well.
It’s better not to compare me with Fa Zheng.
If my destiny is revealed, I don't want to die early like Fazheng.
Zheng Pu couldn't help but feel a little thump in his heart, and he quickly raised his hand and said modestly, "Pu dare not take the prime minister's words. What Pu said was just taking advantage of the plans of the former generals, Guan Anguo and Jiang Boyue. How dare you take credit?"
Huh!"
"Ah"
There was still a very familiar chuckle, and the Prime Minister waved his hand, "Although the three of them are in front, Zijin is also behind, so there is no need to be modest."
There was a slight pause, but then he said faintly, "Well, Zijin has been leading the army for nearly ten years. Generals such as Ju Xiaoxing, Wang Zijun, Liu Xiuran and Zhang Boqi have all served as generals under you. Today is the time.
When the imperial court appoints people, Zijin would like to tell me, what are their strengths? Where should they serve more appropriately?"
Comment on the ability of the younger generation of generals in the military?
Do you still want to give advice on the position you hold?
Does the Prime Minister plan to let me participate in this kind of power?
Unable to help, Zheng Pu was stunned.
For a moment, there were no words.
"Um?"
Seeing this, the Prime Minister suppressed his smile, frowned and asked, "Why doesn't Zijin say anything evil?"
After finishing his words, before Zheng Pu could reply, he closed his eyes and rubbed the root of his nose, his voice slightly harsh, "When discussing state affairs, you should be fair-hearted and speak your mind, but only for the benefit of the country! If you are asked to give advice, you can speak freely.
What's there to worry about? Besides, there are only two of you here, so any mistakes will not be spread."
"promise!"
Hearing this, Zheng Pu quickly raised his hands in salute and apologized, "This is a pure state of mind that is neither honor nor disgrace, so it was in a trance for a moment."
But the Prime Minister didn't say anything, didn't even raise his eyelids, and was still rubbing his brows.
The meaning is obvious - don't do more nonsense!
"Ahem!"
After clearing his throat to relieve his embarrassment, Zheng Pu stopped talking and started to speak eloquently.
"Those who have a filial piety are brave and resolute, and they are the generals of Jitu. Moreover, they have a loyal and honest temperament and can win the hearts of the soldiers. In time, they may be comparable to the right general Wu Yuanxiong."
"Prince Jun is strict in self-discipline and meticulous in his actions. He can be called a general in Qiancheng. Although he is from a humble background and is less than ten years old in literacy, he knows the world well and obeys the law. In time, he may be able to serve as a barrier to the country."
"Although Liu Xiuran comes from a wealthy family, he has a pure temperament and has no regard for family status. Interacting with him is like drinking wine and getting drunk unconsciously. He is a man of strategy and bravery. Given time, he may be able to become a governor.
Will."
"Zhang Boqi has an open-minded temperament, a good understanding of the situation, a generous and courageous man, and a decisive act. Whether he is guarding a side or supervising an army to attack a city, he can be called a good general. Pu Tie believes that given time, his talents will be no less than
Ma Dexin, the commander-in-chief of the surrender."
"Zhou Anyue's courage is extraordinary, but his temperament is cautious and careful. It can be said that he is 'wisdom enough to defend the crowd and courageous enough to defeat the enemy'. Moreover, since he entered our Han Dynasty, he has been trying to achieve great achievements and has always had the intention of dying in service. Therefore,
Pu thought that given time, he would be no less powerful than Wen Zhongye, the late governor of Jiangxia who was against the Wei Dynasty."
"The rest, such as Liu Lin, Hu Zhong and others, can be called minions."
Having said this, Zheng Pu once again handed over his hand, "Prime Minister, Pu does not have enough experience to say that he knows how to judge people. Prejudicing the talents of the generals is also a temporary judgment. I hope the Prime Minister will clearly understand what will happen in the future."
"Yeah, I know."
The Prime Minister, who had already opened his eyes and listened carefully, nodded gently, stroking his hair and thinking.
Because of Zheng Pu's talent, he also made vague suggestions on the duties and powers of many generals.
For example, Jufu, who is called the general of the Shantu Army, is good at breaking out into battle and can command a group of soldiers and horses as a vanguard general, but he cannot command many soldiers and horses.
Previously, Jufu was Chen Shi's deputy.
After Chen Shi died of illness, half of the troops and horses he supervised were assigned to the Guanxing Department, and the other half was led by Jufu and stationed in Ayang City, Longyou.
In other words, Zheng Pu's suggestion to Jufu was to return as a general to lead the prime minister.
For example, Wang Ping, who was said to be the general of Qiancheng, was good at guarding.
It happened that Wang Ping was appointed deputy to Gao Xiang's Ministry and had been stationed in Daxia County, Longxi County.
If the Prime Minister relied on Zheng Pu's plan to confuse the rebels against Wei and let all the senior generals in the Han army lead their troops out of Xiaoguan, then it would be equivalent to making Wang Ping the general guarding the border of Longxi County.
Regarding Liu Yin and Zhang Yi, Zheng Pu thought that they could both serve as commanders of the partial division.
In other words, Zheng Pu's suggestion to the prime minister was to allow them to command more troops and train these two men as reserve generals with important titles.
Among them, Zhang Yi's talents are more balanced and he is capable of guarding one side.
As for Liu Lin, Hu Zhong and others, they are just like the late Chen Shi, who fulfill their duties, are law-abiding, and are temperate generals. No matter who they are transferred to as generals, they can do it.
But Zhoutai’s evaluation is the highest.
Although Zheng Pu only compared it to Wenpin in the Wei state, his assertion that he was "wisdom enough to defend the masses and brave enough to defeat the enemy" was equivalent to the ability of a dictatorial governor!
This also made the Prime Minister quite surprised.
After Luo Hu thought about it for a moment, he asked urgently, "Since Zhou Anyue joined our Han Dynasty, his achievements have not been obvious, but Zijin admires him the most. I don't know how to stop this evil?"
"The reason why I return to the Prime Minister is that he is knowledgeable and does his job diligently."
Zheng Pu spoke in a soft voice as if he was talking about something ordinary, "In the past he was captured by our big men. About a thousand prisoners from the old army were sent to Mianyang to work as superintendents and as coolies. After he had completed his filial piety for three years, he was appointed as our general.
Let him go and bring back his old troops, and everyone is willing to serve him. He is so eager to win over the soldiers, which shows that he has both power and grace."
"good."
The Prime Minister nodded, and a smile appeared on his eyebrows, "In the old battle of Xicheng, I thought that the gains from the battle were captured property and moved back to the common people in Li. I didn't expect that such a good general would be given to me."
After saying this, he paused and continued to ask, "I generally know Zijin's intentions regarding the positions of the generals. However, who does Zijin think should guard the garrison outside Pingxiang City and Yuzhong County in Jincheng County? Liu Xiuran
Or Zhang Boqi, or Zhou Anyuehu?"
"Returning to the Prime Minister, Pu thinks all three are acceptable."
Zheng Pu raised his hand and said with a smile, "However, Pu thinks that Zhang Boqi has served as the Xuanwu Governor for a long time and has personally fought there. He is well versed in the terrain and is the best candidate."
"Hahaha~~"
Unexpectedly, after hearing this, the Prime Minister immediately raised his hands and laughed, "The reason is Zijin's cunning ears!"
Without waiting for Zheng Pu to ask, he continued, "In the past, when Chief Wen of Wei was guarding Pingxiang City, Liu Xiuran was the governor of the Xiaoli Army, and was also under the control of Chief Wen. An Neng didn't know that the terrain was evil? Furthermore, Zi
Jin and Xiuran were close friends in the common people, and they had worked together to make great achievements. Now they recommend Zhang Boqi to Bo Liu Xiuran. There must be a reason for this!"
oh.
So is the Prime Minister!
Why bother exposing me?
Can't you just be confused once in a while?
Guan Xing and I led the army to attack Zuli County. If I didn't separate Zhang Ni, how could I blame Guan Xing for the position and credit of the general because of the small number of troops?
After Zheng Pu heard this, he couldn't help but secretly curse.
Of course!
He recommended Zhang Yi to serve in order to seize the opportunity to separate his own troops. The biggest reason was what he had thought about when he came to Hanzhong - to try his best to push the achievements of his peers Guan Xing and Jiang Wei so that they would have more opportunities to show their abilities.
.To prevent yourself from showing off in the forest, or to attract the Prime Minister’s attention.
This was also one of the reasons why he planned to recommend Jiang Wei as the general after the attack.
After all, in the plan, Jiang Wei had to oversee more than 10,000 people on his own!
Such a large number of soldiers and horses, among the generals of the Han Dynasty, only Wei Yan and Wu Yi had this honor, and it was too much for Jiang Wei, who had little qualifications now.
"Haha~~~"
After a few dry laughs, Zheng Pu responded with surprise, "Pu did not dare to hide it from the Prime Minister and recommended Zhang Boqi instead of Brother Xiuran. He wanted to ask the Prime Minister for permission to let Brother Xiuran lead his headquarters and go with Pu to attack Zuli County.
.”
Let Liu Yin also lead the army to Zuli County?
The Prime Minister raised his eyebrows slightly.
His eyes fell on Zheng Pu in surprise for a moment, and then he asked aloud, "What Zijin means is that if Jiang Boyue succeeds in attacking the Yinsai around the back, Liu Xiuran will be stationed there?" But the words
As soon as it fell, before Zheng Pu could reply, the prime minister suddenly raised his palms and said, "Hey! I know! Zi Jin wants to appoint Zhang Wenrong as the governor general!"
It has to be said that few people can match the Prime Minister's wisdom.
In a moment, Zheng Pu's intention was analyzed accurately.
Indeed, Zheng Pu just wanted to advise Zhang Bao to be appointed as the governor general.
Zhang Bao's identity was that he was a descendant of the founding emperor and a relative, so he was destined to become Emperor Liu Chan's military supporter in the future.
Just thinking about the future of Emperor Liu Chan is enough for him to accumulate meritorious service, promotion, and control the authority in the military as soon as possible.
After all, the emperor Liu Chan, who grew up in the deep palace, is not the late emperor Liu Bei who always attends every battle!
It has not established enough prestige in the hearts of many generals and soldiers in the army; it is also impossible to have the opportunity to personally conquer and establish prestige.
Under such circumstances, allowing Zhang Bao to take control of the military in the future will be a preparation for long-term peace and stability.
Since the last years of Emperor Ling's reign in the Han Dynasty, there have been examples of Dong Zhuo, Cao Cao and others relying on military power to act recklessly and disobediently, and they have become examples for countless people in the world to follow.
The cohesion of today's Han Dynasty is mainly due to the legacy of the late emperor Liu Bei.
But no matter how generous the legacy is, it will eventually be used up one day.
For example, after all the old officials promoted by the late Emperor Liu Bei have withered away, no one dares to say that others will not be dissatisfied after taking control of the military.
Just like the Yuan family of Runan who had four generations and three princes in the past.
When it comes to the generation of Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu, one is claiming to be emperor, and the other wants to establish a new emperor!
Only by being prepared can you avoid trouble.
It’s better to plan ahead for things that can be planned.
Naturally, the Prime Minister also knows this.
Previously, Zhang Bao was appointed as the Cavalry Superintendent because there were only a few good cavalrymen in the Han Dynasty and Zhang Bao's bravery was unparalleled.
But now that the armored cavalry has begun to take shape, the successors can only use the gourd's plan to show the prowess of the armored cavalry in rushing into the formation. It would be a waste of talent to let Zhang Bao control hundreds of cavalry.
Moreover, the army led by Liu Yin was originally recruited by Zhang Bao.
There is nothing wrong with letting Liu Yin return to Zhang Bao's control.
"Nothing can be hidden from the Prime Minister."
With a slight smile and a compliment, Zheng Pu made a solemn look, cupped his hands and said, "Prime Minister, Brother Wenrong is Pu's wife's brother, and he has a distinguished status. If he continues to be controlled by Pu, Pu will not be at ease."
"Um"
The Prime Minister nodded and raised his eyebrows slightly.
I also sighed in my heart: This guy already knows how to balance things!
There is no intention to fight for power!
That’s commendable!
However, if Zhang Bao were to become the commander-in-chief now, he would simply be commanding Liu Yin's army, and his strength would not be enough.
The only option is to allocate the remnant troops that originally belonged to Li Yan and the Mi Wei tribe stationed in Longyou to Zhang Bao's command, so that he can gather five to six thousand cavalry.
But this will bring new problems.
Zheng Pu was separated from Zhang Yi's tribe. Which troops should be dispatched to make up for the lack of troops in his headquarters?
Is it possible that Zheng Pu, who was the first among the younger generals of the Han Dynasty to be promoted to the rank of general and had the reputation of being "invincible in a hundred battles", had less than 3,000 troops in his army?
In an instant, the prime minister rejected this idea.
This time, he specially recalled Zheng Pu back to Hanzhong County and promoted him to the top. He originally wanted to use his reputation as a good fighter to dilute the negative impact of Li Yan's defeat.
How can he reduce the strength of his headquarters?
If the soldiers were aroused to suspect that the imperial court had reduced Zheng Pu's troops because the rewards and punishments were unclear, then it would be putting the cart before the horse.
"There is nothing wrong with letting Wen Rong take over the post of governor."
The prime minister, who was full of thoughts, slowly said, "But the current situation is still too early. After this battle is over, I will ask the court to record his merits and confer him with the post. However, what Zijin advised,
Let Liu Xiuran lead the army to attack Zuli County, but it can be done. Well, by then, he will be under your control for the time being."
After saying this, without waiting for Zheng Pu to say anything, the Prime Minister stood up from the case and said, "Everything has been decided briefly, and the remaining details will be decided at another time according to the time. I am tired, so I will go and rest first, and Zijin can take care of himself."
