In the spring month, Mo Nan'an Mountain sent Xi Yang to dispatch the vanguard troops from Weizhou to the south. The Fuyang army went to Lingxiao City to join the main army, and then rushed to the south together.

Among the children of the Lingxiao City family, many people have also received positions in the army. As the army is about to depart, everyone gathers and invites friends to gather in the bustling wine alleys of Kyoto to enjoy the last fireworks before the expedition.

Qing Ling found an excuse in advance to leave the palace and return to the mansion in the city, and when night fell, he appeared at the door of the Red Moon Fang dressed as a man.

Although Kyoto Red Moon Fang belongs to the place of fireworks, it is a place where nobles and celebrities are eligible to enter and exit, the decoration is very magnificent, the head of the color is radiant, the golden door of the Zhu Zhu, after the transfer to the inner courtyard, the scenery is suddenly exquisite and elegant, the spring stones, flowers and trees, are extraordinary.

Qing Ling was accustomed to seeing the Chongge Lin Palace, strange flowers and plants in the Vermilion Bird Palace, but he was not surprised. It's just that all kinds of instrumental music and singing voices linger during this period, all of which are clear and tactful, with excellent skills, and are by no means ordinary and charming, so that she can't help but slow down and listen to the rhythm since she was a child.

The woman who led the way had a graceful waist, a light sara skirt, and a jade cicada flower, always smiling gently, introducing her and the accompanying Xun into a private room in the attic.

Qing Ling sat down in front of the main case, and Nian Jue regained his appearance. Xun stood behind her, the silver mask on his face reflecting the candlelight in the room.

Not long after, another woman introduced another guest, who was the imperial Shi Cheng of the dynasty, Mu Duan.

Mu Duan raised his eyes to look at Qing Ling, his expression was slightly apprehensive, and he saluted: "His Royal Highness the Emperor." ”

At first, he heard his daughter Linglu say that Emperor Qingling made an appointment to meet, and thought that there was something wrong with his ears. This emperor is flamboyant and well-known in Kyoto, but her friends have always been only courtiers' daughters and young ladies of the family, and the party talks about nothing more than the gossip of the daughter's boudoir, what is there to talk about with him as an old man?

Qing Ling got up and returned the salute, motioned to Mu Duan, and said with a smile: "Lord Yushi, you must be very busy these days, right?" At this time, it is a bit rude to take time out for me. ”

Yu Shi Cheng was in charge of the appointment and dismissal of state officials, and this time he was ordered to arrange military positions for the children of the family, so he naturally became the object of competition for everyone. In fact, before coming to the Qingling Covenant, Mu Duan had already eaten a tour of wine in Hongyuefang.

Mu Duan has been immersed in the court for many years, and he will never lose to Qing Ling when he talks about the scene, "Where is Your Highness." Don't say that His Royal Highness is the emperor of the dynasty, and his status is noble, just because he has taken care of the little girl in these days, he has made Weichen grateful. The little girl has used the elixir given by His Royal Highness, and the asthma that has been haunted for many years has improved a lot, and every time she mentions Her Royal Highness the Emperor, she is praised and admired! ”

Qingling did send a lot of imperial pills to Mu Linglu, but those drugs treated the symptoms but not the root cause, at most they only alleviated the symptoms for a while, where did Mu Duan say so exaggeratedly. However, she also taught some cultivation methods to the Mu family, and she was praised by others for nothing.

The two praised each other for a while, and Qing Ling turned to the topic and said: "This time, I invite you to meet adults, but in fact, you want to ask for something." ”

She turned her head to look at Sun.

Xun immediately took out a roster and brought it to Mu Duan's case.

"This ......" Mu Duan flipped through the roster, his eyes wandering.

Qing Ling said: "These people on the roster are all good men who are interested in making contributions on the battlefield, and I hope that the adults can be entrusted with important tasks in this southern expedition." ”

Mu Duan raised his head, his face suspicious. He looked at Qing Ling and saw that her expression was solemn and her eyes were fixed, and she was definitely not joking with herself.

"Your Highness, this is ......"

Interfering in government affairs? Plotting military power?

As the emperor of a country?

Qing Ling raised his lamp and slurped, "Your Excellency, don't be in a hurry to guess my intentions. Just tell me, is it possible? ”

Mu Duan came back to his senses, looked at the list carefully, and replied: "Most of the people above have vague family backgrounds and have no merits, so it is difficult to be entrusted with important positions as soon as they come up. His Royal Highness also knows that the matter of the ordination is not the final word of Weichen alone. Patriarch Fangshan, Patriarch Monan, and General Xi Yang have much more weight than Weichen in terms of military positions. ”

Qing Ling heard his prevarication, and was not in a hurry to press, put down the wine cup and said, "My lord is reasonable. It's just that General Xi has never been interested in government affairs, and the two patriarchs have their own clansmen and children to take care of, and in the end, I am afraid that there is only one adult who can give these poor soldiers a chance. ”

Mu Duan opened his mouth in embarrassment, but listened to Qing Ling continue: "The day before yesterday, my father told me about the old things of Cangli and Xianxia Pass, and also sighed that Jiuqiu and Lieyang were meritocracy and were not limited to the bloodline of the gate lord, so they had a military strength that could match Chaoyan. I pondered that if there were a few more names of civilians in the results of this southern expedition, my father would probably be pleased. After all, in the future, Chaoyan will unify the Eastern Continent and accept the people of all ethnic groups, and there will be a lot of places where people need to be employed. ”

Mu Duan groaned when he heard this, chewing Qing Ling's words carefully in his heart.

If he wanted to talk about vigorously using civilians, he didn't believe that Emperor Hao would really have such a plan. But Emperor Ji's words also reminded him that His Majesty may not have weakened his heart for the family gate......

He hesitated for a moment and glanced at the roster on the case, "That being said...... But these people ......"

Qing Ling followed his line of sight and understood that he still had doubts about the identities of these people, so he smiled, "I have a wide range of friends every day, and I also have confidants in ordinary people's boudoirs. They opened their doors to me for the sake of their brothers, and I naturally couldn't refuse. ”

Everyone in Lingxiao City knows that Qingling chooses friends very often. But anyone who is recommended by a friend, regardless of blood origin, can become a guest of the emperor of the dynasty.

Mu Duan thought to himself, the big truth that he had been talking about for a long time, in fact, most of it was that the emperor accepted the benefits of others, and then came to sell his favor.

Anyway, if he sells this favor, one can be regarded as saving the face of the emperor, and the other can show his neutral attitude of not being attached to any family in front of His Majesty.

Then he said: "Since His Highness has opened his mouth, it stands to reason that the minister should not refuse. However, it is not easy for so many people to be entrusted with important positions at the same time. ”

He pretended to think for a while, "That's it, Wechen will try to arrange them to a camp that is good at making meritorious achievements." In the future, when it comes to meritorious deeds, Wechen will also try his best to ensure that they will not be excluded and suppressed. What does Your Highness think? ”

Qing Ling raised his glass and sipped the wine, thinking with a difficult expression, "So...... That's all there is to it. ”

She thanked her, and told Mu Duan to keep it a secret. Mu Duan has been an official for many years, but he just knows the trick, and he nods his head and only promises.

The two chatted for a while, chatting about some trivial matters such as Miss Mu's body and marriage, and Mu Duan got up to say goodbye and leave.

Qing Ling sighed and asked, "How is it, I'm not doing well, right?" ”

A secret door in the screen behind him slowly opened, Mu Chen's white clothes fluttered lightly, and the silver embroidery reflected the bright candlelight, and he said softly: "Very good." ”