One hundred and seventieth chapters go their separate ways
Early the next morning, Guo Song met Aunt Gongsun at Tianlai Music Square.
Aunt Gongsun just came back last night. She was in a low mood and looked a little listless. Guo Song saw that she was in a low mood and asked, "Sister, what happened?"
Aunt Gongsun sighed and said: "Yesterday, the new servant Liu Yan and Zhongshu Ling Yuanzai jointly submitted a letter to the emperor, requesting the cancellation of the three towers of Tianyuan, Tianqing and Tianying. The emperor has approved it, which means that the outer hall of the Hidden Sword Pavilion must also be cancelled.
Disbanded together."
"Sister, isn't this normal?"
Guo Song comforted Aunt Gongsun and said: "These warrior groups appeared to deal with Yu Chaoen. Now that Yu Chaoen has been killed, they have also completed their mission."
"Then you are wrong!"
Aunt Gongsun said seriously: "Do you know where Li Jiangzuo, who was forced away by you in Kaifeng County, is now? He took more than thirty warriors to defect to Ziqing Jiedushi Li Zhengji, and established the Qilu Martial Arts School in Zizhou.
In name, it trains talents for the army, but in fact it is Li Zhengji's samurai group.
Not only Li Zhengji, Tian Chengsi, Li Huaixian, Zhang Zhongzhi, Xue Song and other vassal towns, who are not forming a samurai group? The disbanded warriors in Chang'an will flow to them. This group of civil servants are all brainless, waiting for them to be assassinated by the vassal town.
, they will know the pain.”
"Sister-in-law is right. We still need to keep some of the essence. It would be a pity to let them go."
"I will have a good talk with the emperor tomorrow. Not only can the Hidden Sword Pavilion not be disbanded, it must also be strengthened. The feudal town sharpens its sword and we cannot destroy the Great Wall."
Guo Song nodded, "I'm afraid I can't help Senior Sister anymore."
There was a look of regret in Aunt Gongsun's eyes, but she could completely understand Guo Song's choice. Guo Song was walking the same path as his master. With such a good disciple, senior brother Jiuquanxia should rest in peace.
"I already know about you. Since you have chosen this path yourself, I don't want to advise you. I just hope you understand that going to the Western Regions will be very dangerous. You are lucky to come back alive."
Guo Song was silent for a moment and said: "I have thought about it for a long time. Now that I have made my choice, I will never regret it."
"Then I won't say anything else. Is there anything else you need my help with?"
"I hope that Senior Sister will take good care of Qingxu Palace and the wine shop. I don't have anything else to worry about."
Aunt Gongsun smiled slightly, "Why do you think Jinchangfang opened the north gate? Do you think I never care about my senior brother's golden body?"
"Thank you, Master!"
Guo Song stood up to say goodbye. He suddenly remembered something and asked, "Why was Yuan Zai's gold medal confiscated?"
"He made some small moves in setting up the crown prince, which annoyed the emperor, so the emperor took back his gold medal as a warning."
Guo Song cupped his fists and saluted, turned around and left in a hurry.
Aunt Gongsun looked at Guo Song's retreating back and let out a long sigh. This young martial nephew with superb martial arts finally embarked on the path of his master. Is there really God's will in the dark?
........
Guo Song returned to Qingxu Palace, and his junior nephew Qingfeng ran out and said: "Little master, the fourth junior uncle is here and waiting for you in the room!"
"Where is your master?"
"Master went to the county government to complete the land purchase procedures. The county government promised to sell us a stretch of land near the wall of the square, which is almost ten acres. Master has been very busy these days! Every day, people send their children to become monks and become Taoists.
We already have thirty-five people in Qingxu Temple."
Guo Song smiled and said: "Then you are also a senior brother. You should help me more and lighten my burden."
"Well! Now it's me and my three junior brothers who are responsible for offering incense to benefactors."
Guo Song patted him on the shoulder and walked quickly to the backyard. Yang Yu came unexpectedly. He hadn't seen him in almost a few months.
Guo Song walked to the backyard and saw Yang Yu practicing in the courtyard with his Fangtian Painted Halberd. Although Yang Yu was thin and small, he was very strong. Back then in Kongtong Mountain, he could carry three hundred kilograms of wood.
Go and sell.
However, being able to carry three hundred kilograms of wood on his back does not mean that he can wield ninety kilograms of weapons with both hands. Yang Yu was okay at first, but after practicing more than ten moves, Yang Yu found it a bit difficult.
"Stop playing around! Lao Wu, this halberd of yours is so damn heavy. Do you really use it as a weapon?"
"Nonsense! If you don't use him as a weapon, how can he be used as a decoration?"
Guo Song took the halberd and put it back into the house, and said to Yang Yu: "I'm about to go find Third Brother, let's go together! Let's go to the restaurant for a drink."
Yang Yu said with a smile: "I haven't had a drink with my junior brother for several years. Today I want to try my junior brother's good wine."
........
At the Yunting Restaurant opposite the West Market, the three brothers found a seat by the window on the second floor. Zhang Lei specially brought two bottles of Meishou wine, "This is the best Meishou wine. The base wine is ten-year sake.
You can't buy it on the market at all. We sold it to the powerful people in Chang'an for fifty guan a bottle. You guys have a taste."
Yang Yu's eyes widened and he said in surprise: "Fifty a bottle, third brother, you've made a fortune!"
Zhang Lei's fat face twitched, "How can I make a fortune? The real rich man is the guy next to him, and he makes a fortune silently."
Yang Yu glanced at Guo Song, and then said to Zhang Lei: "Lao Wu has been promoted now, and he is actually the fifth-rank Dingyuan General. I have been working for four years, and I haven't even gained an official hair. Lao Wu has only been here for a few months.
Being awarded a title and being an official at the same time, it’s really irritating to compare one person to another!”
Zhang Lei raised his eyebrows and asked: "Lao Wu, have you joined the army?"
Guo Song raised his wine glass and sighed lowly, "This is Master's wish. On the first day I learned martial arts, Master asked me, should I learn the martial arts of a general or the martial arts of a chivalrous man? In fact, I learned the martial arts of a general, so that's it.
I was destined to be on the path I am today.”
"Then why didn't you join the army in Lingwu? I heard from Liang Wu that Duan Xiushi wanted to reuse you."
Guo Song smiled lightly and said: "It's not that I don't want to join the army in Lingwu, but I think the starting point is too low. What Duan Xiushi can give me is nothing more than an eighth-grade brigade commander. To be honest, I don't like him."
Yang Yu lamented again, "I'll be satisfied if you give me an eighth-grade official."
Guo Song smiled and said: "Senior brother, come with me to the Western Regions! As long as you agree, I will make you the eighth-grade brigade commander tomorrow, how about that?"
Yang Yu rolled his eyes, "I'm just saying it, you really believe that I will continue to be an assassin. This is the life I like. My aunt is ready to promote me to the first-class warrior in the inner hall."
Guo Song was too lazy to pay attention to him. He took out a flying ticket worth 140,000 taels of silver and half a piece of jade from his arms, and handed it to Zhang Lei. "This is the silver you gave me last time for profit distribution. I don't need it. I'll use it to continue investing."
, you don’t have to be in the wine business, you can also do some other businesses, you can think about it yourself.”
"Why can't we expand the wine business?" Zhang Lei asked puzzledly.
"The profits of the wine business are too high. The court has already thought of running it as an official business. Just like salt, it may not be possible now, but it will be hard to say in ten years. By then, the profits will all be taken away by the government, so we must prepare for a rainy day and give ourselves more."
Prepare some escape routes."
"Okay! I'll go back and discuss it with my wife."
General Guo Song filled the glasses for the three of them and raised them: "After drinking this glass of wine, we may embark on different paths, but no matter what, the friendship between our brothers will never change, come on! Let's
Let’s drink this cup.”
The three of them raised their glasses together and shouted: "Let's cheer!"
........
The next morning, Guo Song rode to the Bashang Army Camp. His personal belongings were all stored in Qingxu Palace. Guo Song only brought his halberd, black sword and bow and arrow to the Bashang Shence Army Camp.
After waiting at the gate of the camp for a while, Han Chongqing came out to greet Guo Song in person. He was now the Shence Army General and was still responsible for commanding Guo Ziyi's soldiers.
"Did Liang Wu come to report yesterday?"
"Here he comes! He came early yesterday morning. The old man likes him very much. He even commended him for his willingness to communicate with the Western Regions for the country and made him a brigade commander."
Guo Song nodded and asked: "Does the old man know about my appointment?"
"Of course I know. I knew it the day before yesterday. In the past few days, he is forming an elite border army, about 20,000 people. They will go to Shuofang to station for a long time and restore the establishment of Shuofang army. You need 300 soldiers for the long march.
Athletes will be selected from this army."
Long March Athletes is a special term from the Tang Dynasty. It refers to the young and strong men who rushed to Anxi from all over the Tang Dynasty during the Kaiyuan Period. Later, soldiers or individuals who went to Anxi were generally called Long March Athletes.
"To be honest, I am also confused about the emperor's official appointments. For example, I was granted the title of General Dingyuan. This is a military official without a specific official position. And the director of the Anxi Protectorate, Shi, seems to be a civilian official. I really don't understand. What should I do?
How to understand?"
Guo Chongqing smiled slightly and said: "Generally, the emperor only appoints casual officials below the fourth rank. The specific official positions are determined by the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War based on the vacancies. Only important official positions above the fourth rank are decided by the emperor. As for military generals holding civilian positions, it is hard to say.
, there has never been a clear boundary. Our old man serves as the commander-in-chief of the Shence Army, he is also the minister of the military inspection department, and Duan Xiushi serves as the governor of Shuofang. Doesn’t he also serve as the governor of Lingzhou? "
Seeing that Guo Song had understood something, Guo Chongqing explained with a smile: "The key is to look at the scattered officials. This is basically qualitative. If you are granted the title of General Dingyuan, your nature is that of a military commander. Other positions can be adjusted. You are now the capital of Anxi."
Governor Shi, maybe a few months later, you will be appointed as deputy envoy of Anxi Jiedu. This official position can be changed at any time. When you reach the third rank, you can be appointed as a civil official or a military official. At that time, your status will not be the same.
It’s the same.”
"Is it different for civil servants to hold military positions?" Guo Song asked again.
"Of course it's different. Just like when the old man put down the Anshi Rebellion, he was the governor of Shuofang, but the title of the casual official was Jin Ziguanglu. The typical civilian official held a military position. This is a commander-in-chief. You are still a general now, even if you are a civil servant.
You are also a general. When one day you change your position to a civilian officer, then you will be in charge of the army. Then you will be the commander-in-chief, you understand!"
"Listening to your words is better than ten years of reading. I have learned a lesson!"
Guo Chongqing chuckled, "Actually, I'm just talking in general terms. Things need to be looked at in detail. For example, if you lead 300 people to the Western Regions, although you are General Dingyuan, you are the commander-in-chief of this army. This is the title of the emperor.
Because you are the pacifier of the Western Regions, there are many twists and turns in the officialdom of the Tang Dynasty, and you will gradually understand it in the future."