When Wang Chonggu looked at Nan and sighed, Li Shimin was on his way to visit Qu Tutong.

Qu Tutong was the general of Zuo Xiaowei at the time, not only the head of the forbidden army today, but also the right servant of Shangshu in Daxing Xingtai, and there is no doubt that he is one of the landlords of Daxing City today.

Because yesterday evening, Li Shimin had already asked his subordinates to deliver the post, so Qu Tutong did not go to the yamen to work in the morning, but stayed at home and waited.

This attitude towards Li Shimin is also quite amiable, and he treats the latter as his own son and nephew.

Qu Tu Tong's surname is Qu Tu, his father is not the Northern Zhou Qiongzhou Thorn Shi Qu Tu Changqing, the ancestor is a Kumo Xi race, after attaching to the Xianbei Murong family, he gradually became a Xianbei noble surname. However, when Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty implemented sinicization, Qu Tu's surname was changed to Qu. Therefore, this general Zuo Xiaowei can actually be called Qu Tong.

Today's Hanoi Qutu clan, although it is not the top Jiangmen family, can be in the Kansai and Henan Hebei generation, it is also famous. Especially in today's Great Sui Dynasty, because Qu Tutong and his younger brother Qu Tugai are both prepared for the trust of the Son of Heaven, the momentum of this clan is even more unprecedented.

And the martial arts Li clan and Qu Tu clan, although the relationship is not very close, but there is still a bit of incense between each other.

Therefore, Li Shimin also treated this elder with the same courtesy as a nephew. He is intended to flatter, but also able to speak kindly, erudite and talkative, and when he touts Qu Tu's great achievements in the past year, he is not overly exaggerated, but he can scratch the itch just right. In the main hall of the General's Mansion, Qu Tutong's loud laughter was heard from time to time.

It wasn't until he mentioned the matter that Qu Tutong's expression gradually became serious, and he smiled bitterly: "Virtuous nephew, your trip this time really caught me off guard." Only this night, most of the Huaxuan Zhumen in Chang'an City were crying bitterly, and the wails were everywhere. ”

"What Shibo said is too exaggerated, they complain about the little nephew or some, and it is natural to feel sorry for money, but it is absolutely impossible to say that they are crying bitterly and wailing for this. The loss of the Chang'an black market is only a drop in the bucket for them. And the little nephew bears the heavy responsibility of the Son of Heaven and should fulfill his duties. If you can't let these people feel heartache, then it will be the turn of the nephew and the court to be heartbroken. ”

Li Shimin's face also became solemn, and at the same time, he bowed to Qu Tutong apologetically: "But this time, before the action, I didn't inform Shibo, but it was my nephew." Therefore, this time I came to visit the house, one is to greet General Qu Tu on behalf of my father, and the other is to invite sin for the matter of the day before yesterday. ”

"It's right to not know the old man about this matter, you can take the dark city this time, and you rely on being unprepared to attack it by surprise. Too many people know about it, and it only increases the risk of leaking the news. ”

Qu Tutong waved his hand very generously, indicating that he didn't care much, and then he asked with his eyebrows: "I'm more worried about you now, my nephew, and after this incident, I'm afraid that I will inevitably repeat the old man's example." ”

- Like what Li Shimin did two days ago, Qu Tutong actually did it when he was young.

In the seventeenth year of the emperor's reign, Qu Tutong served as the governor of the pro-guard Dadu (left and right pro-guard mansions, subordinate to the left and right guards, ranked above the ordinary forbidden army captains, changed to the pro-service mansion in the year of the great cause, and the metropolitan governor was changed to a school captain), and the embroidered clothes general. He was ordered by Emperor Yang Jian to inspect the major pastoral supervisors directly under the imperial court in the area of Longxi. Qu Tutong was selfless and impartial, and after arriving in Longxi, a total of more than 20,000 hidden horses were found. The first emperor thundered and was furious, and he was ready to behead all the more than 1,500 officials in charge of the Taifu Temple and the military department.

At that time, the decision of the first emperor made Qu Tutong himself startled, so he strongly persuaded the Son of Heaven: "Human life is the most important, human life is crucial, and people cannot be resurrected after death." Your Majesty has tended the world with the most merciful decree, and will you allow fifteen hundred people to be killed in one day because of livestock property?

The first emperor was still angry, and reprimanded loudly in front of these ministers in the palace. Scold Qu Tutong to the dog's bloody head. Qu Tutong did not refuse, and continued: "The minister is willing to be killed himself to exempt more than a thousand people from the death penalty. ”

The first emperor was angry this time, so he said: "I don't know this reason, it has come to this point. Now it is time to exempt Murong Siddha and the others from the capital crimes, and commend you for your good advice!"

Li Shimin had heard of this allusion, and he had mentioned it when he was chatting with Qu Tutong just now.

He once speculated that the attack of the first emperor was probably Qu Tutong's intention to preserve. However, Li Shimin has no way to confirm what this matter is, and he is not interested in studying the truth in detail.

But even Qu Tutong's intercession saved the lives of these 1,500 people. In the years that followed, Qu Tutong still suffered a lot. Behind the many criminals of the Taifu Temple and the Ministry of War, there are many big lords of the family, and they will naturally not let Qu Tutong, who is just a four-rank general, pass it better afterwards.

Li Shimin heard that this person's concern for him was indeed sincere. In addition to his surprise, his expression also became more and more solemn: "Uncle Shi, rest assured, the little nephew also thought about the consequences before acting. Those mediocre people in the DPRK and China, who are literal and martial arts, and who eat and wait for death, are expected to have no choice but to be a little nephew. And those who can do a little bit, the little nephew also has his own way to deal with it. ”

As long as the 'five nobles' in the court are not annoyed by this, then the target of others is the level between pain and itching. At most, after avenging Xuanba, he first kept his light and stopped for a while.

What's more—

"What's more, for our courtiers, the trust of the Son of Heaven is the most important thing, isn't it?"

For example, Qu Tutong in front of him, after the Longyou Mu Supervisor case, he was in the heart of the emperor, and was increasingly reused by the first emperor, and in just a few years, he was promoted to the general of the right Wuhou Cheqi. And after the Emperor of Daye, this is the new favorite of the Son of Heaven. In the five years of the Great Cause, he served as the general of Zuo Xiaowei and became the top existence among the generals of the Great Sui. Now he is serving as the right servant of Shangshu in Daxingxingtai, and is entrusted by the Son of Heaven with the responsibility of guarding Xijing.

"That's true!"

Qu Tutong smiled dumbly: "You can understand the consequences yourself." The Son of Heaven Shengming will not let people like you suffer, and the old man will not sit idly by. Speaking of which, I am not afraid of your nephew's jokes, for this dark city of Chang'an, the old man has also been willing to get rid of it over the years. If the dark city is just like the Luoyang black market, making some silk salt tea, and the ink armor piece business, then in recent years, seventy percent of the ink armor and weapons that have flowed to the Eastern and Western Turks are from the Chang'an dark city. As the right-hand servant of the Daxing Xingtai, how can the old man sit back and watch these greedy people, abuse officials and corrupt officials, and mess up my Lang Lang Qiankun of the Great Sui? However, these black businessmen are really powerful. I only need to make a slight move here, and I will know in advance over there. Therefore, your nephew's move this time is really happy for my heart. I thought that he was really worthy of being the tiger of the Li family, and he was indeed worthy of the name of 'Crouching Tiger', no wonder that in the past year, he has done many great things in the Eastern Capital, and won the other eyes of His Majesty. ”

"Shibo has an overreputation, and the few small works of the little nephew depend on my great Sui luck and prosperity, and the emperor and queen are blessed with all the sky. Where do you dare to call it credit?"

Li Shimin found that Qu Tutong really appreciated him, he immediately hit the snake with the stick, and after a few words of self-humility, his voice changed: "In fact, the little nephew came to visit Shibo this time, and it was also to seek Shibo's full support. Now that the Dark City has been won, there are still many endings left. And the little nephew Quan is soft-spoken, but I am afraid that it will be difficult to cover everything. ”

Qu Tutong is such a smart person, he immediately heard the song and knew the elegance, and immediately smiled: "I will transfer some people to you, all of them have followed the old man for many years, and they can be entrusted with important tasks." If someone comes to you and says that they can't stand it, they can also report the name of the old man. The old man can still help you delay for a few days, and it will be no problem to wait until the Son of Heaven's holy decree arrives. ”

"Thank you, Shibo!"

Li Shimin couldn't help but look happy, but then he had to take another inch: "In addition, there is also the case of the Demon Dragon Eight Divisions Rebellion Party-"

"You little one, it's not endless. ”

Qu Tutong didn't wait for Li Shimin to finish speaking, and shook his head for a while. However, he did not refuse, but took out a piece of paper from his sleeve: "I will send some second- and third-grade experts from the forbidden army to you." In addition, if you want to mobilize the Forbidden Army, you can use all the characters on this list. The old man has greeted them, and he must obey you. To say in advance, the old man has also heard of the conflict between you and Xue Ju. Your personal grievances, the old man doesn't care, these people can't be transferred out of Daxing City no matter what. ”

Li Shimin took the blank piece of paper. Then there was a gleam of satisfaction in his eyes.

There are not many names in this list, but they are enough for him to use during his time in Chang'an.

As for Qu Tutong's statement that he couldn't be transferred out of Daxing City, Li Shimin didn't care, after having this force, then part of his manpower in the embroidery guard could be liberated and used elsewhere, which would also help him fight against Xue Ju.

※ ※ ※ ※

Li Shimin stayed in the palace of General Qutu for a long time, and did not leave the mansion until he finished lunch. However, when he went to see another landlord in Daxing City in the afternoon, he seemed to fall into the ice cave from the warm spring of March.

This Shangshu Youshilang, Jingzhao Juncheng, neither deliberately waited in the mansion, nor did he give Li Shimin a good face when they met. This person didn't even bother to let the handymen below offer Li Shimin a cup of tea, so he just sat in the public hall of the Jingzhao County Government with a big thorn, and looked at Li Shimin, who was sitting at the head of the city.

This made Zhang Yurou, who accompanied her, so angry, that she already knew some of the rules of officialdom.

Knowing that Gu Yi's current status is actually equivalent to Jing Zhaoyin, he also has an additional official who is a straight and scattered horseman, and his status in the court can be compared to Jiuqing. But Li Shimin is also the dignified founding county uncle, and the Kaifu Yi is the same as the three divisions - if this is placed in the Kaihuang period when the rank has not been adjusted, it is also a dignified three-grade high-ranking official.

Even if Gu Yi does not show the etiquette of meeting the official, he should be equal to the right, but Gu Yi put on this posture today, as if the boss is meeting with his subordinates - this is undoubtedly a contempt and provocation for Li Shimin.