The old Qin family set up a family banquet, and a figure like Concubine Yin De visited, and the whole house was flattered. Hugh said that it was the Qin family, even if it was a royal family like the eldest grandson Wuji, he had never been patronized by Concubine Yinde, which had to be said to be an unprecedented thing.

Concubine Yin De is a luxurious and generous person, noble and does not make people have too much sense of distance, very friendly. Therefore, this family banquet was also relatively relaxed. It's just that today is a special day, and the atmosphere is somewhat depressing and dull.

After dinner, Princess Gaoyang stayed in Concubine Yin and lived in the Horse Mansion. Concubine Yin De insisted on going back, saying that now that the emperor is seriously ill, how can she sleep outside as an imperial concubine? One sentence aroused Princess Gaoyang's worries, she said that her father was really the emperor, and he didn't let us visit him when he was sick, and she didn't know what his condition was. No, I'm going to have to see it tomorrow.

Qin Mubai stopped her and said that now that the situation is special, you don't want to make a mistake. Princess Gao Yang didn't insist, but her heart was still not smooth.

Later, Qin Mubai arranged for the guards and carriages and horses, and sent Princess Gaoyang's mother and daughter back to the palace together. Li Daozong's father and daughter lived in Chang'an City but were free, so they stayed and continued to drink tea. Li Xueyan is a smart and sensible woman, knowing that her father and Qin Mubai have important matters to discuss, so she went with Shuang'er to accompany those little orphan girls.

Soon, Li Tao really came to the door, dressed in civilian clothes, and rode lightly.

The three of them sat in the quiet room, brewed tea and discussed things, and discussed the topic directly to the point.

Li Daozong said: "Mu Bai, when this is the case, we shouldn't discuss these troublesome things with you. However, in these extraordinary times, please put aside your selfish thoughts for the time being and put national affairs first. ”

"The prince doesn't need to say much, Qin Mou has saved his priorities." Qin Mubai said, "The matter of the demon child, I was unexpected. My heart hurts, but it doesn't mess up. My husband has something to do and something not to do, and I will not leave anything behind. ”

"Well, that's fine." Li Daozong nodded appreciatively, and said to Li Tao, "Mao Gong, I specially invited you to come here today to hear your high opinions. This king has been absent from the court for a long time, although it is still far away in Youzhou, but the national affairs dare not be ignored in the slightest. Now that such a major change has occurred in the court, it is the time for innovation. At such a juncture, there is not only a big risk, but also a big turning point. I can't say it, it's an important turning point for my Datang. Therefore, those of us who are ministers should devote ourselves to the interests of the king, share worries, and seek affairs for the country. ”

"What the prince said is very true." Li Tao smiled indifferently, stroked his beard and said, "Actually, Li knows what the prince and Mu Bai want to discuss with me." Wang Ye rest assured, today is different from the past, even though Li is usually a timid person like a mouse, but at this moment he will definitely not have reservations. Knowing everything, saying everything, in order to repay the trust of the two. ”

"Huh!" Qin Mubai smiled, "Uncle Shi is really good at laughing. If you are as timid as a mouse, who was the seventeen-year-old commander of the troops in Wagangzhai back then? I also heard my father say that after Li Mi surrendered to the Tang Dynasty, he came to surrender to you. You descended to the Tang Dynasty as a minister of Li Mi, and were praised for your loyalty by Gaozu. My father never praised people easily, but in his opinion, Uncle Shi is the real person who values love and righteousness. It's just that I never talk about it, but put it into action. Uncle Shi's character and morality, Qin has always admired him the most. ”

"Haha! Did your father praise me? It's not bad if he doesn't scold me behind his back! Li Tao laughed and said, "My second brother Qin, for so many years, he has been as upright as a fire, and he can't rub a little sand in his eyes. Sometimes, I'm in awe of him. I don't have to say, you are much more clever and sleek than your father, but you are also the same passionate and affectionate in your bones. Otherwise, if it were me, I might not have had a bandage on my hand today. ”

"I'm ashamed." Qin Mubai smiled self-deprecatingly and arched his hand, "At that time, I was angry for a while, and I was completely forgetful. I only recognize my bitter enemy in front of me, I don't remember who he is, and I have forgotten that the country has national laws. ”

"Angry at the crown, the man is hot, why bother?" Li Daozong smiled indifferently and said, "If this king is twenty years younger, he will also act like you. What if you hit and kill, what should you do? Dare to do and dare to be a blessing and a curse on your shoulders, Fang is the true nature of a man. Mao Gong, you don't have to talk nonsense, if you could still think about it at that time, you wouldn't have cut off a piece of your own meat and gave it to Shan Xiongxin to eat. ”

"Haha, okay, okay, we don't have to talk about it." Li Tao waved his hand and smiled, "Okay, all the people present are hot-blooded heroes and heroes, okay?" The hype is over, it's time to get down to business, right? ”

"Well, you have to be a hero to sit together and discuss such a national event." Qin Mubai smiled jokingly, "Ruthless may not be a true hero, how can a poor son not be a husband, and encourage the two of you." ”

"Haha!" Li Daozong and Li Tao laughed together, and praised Qin Mubai for his dual cultivation of civil and martial arts, and he was very good.

Qin Mubai, who had done plagiarism again, was secretly amused, and he was so touted.

"Mao Gong, what do you think of the eldest grandson Wuji's decision to call for a war with Tubo?" The atmosphere was a little more lively, and the distance between them was shortened, so Li Daozong cut to the chase.

Li Tao nodded and said, "In fact, from the overall situation, the eldest grandson Wuji is not wrong. As the saying goes, those who know soldiers are not warlike, and if they kill a thousand enemies, they will lose eight hundred, and war is not a good thing after all. Especially now, my Tang Dynasty suddenly suffered from internal trouble, the East Palace collapsed, the court was panicked, and His Majesty was sick and could not be a director. If we brazenly use force to increase foreign troops at this time, it will be worse for the country. ”

"But in the long run, if you give up the fighter at this time, it will cause a huge loss to my Datang." Qin Mubai said, "Tubo and my Tang Dynasty have been fighting for several years, and they have changed all kinds of methods to fight against me, but they are all invincible. Now that they have failed in their marriage proposal, they have returned to the plateau with a breath of resentment, instigating the Gaochang rebellion, just to blockade our Datang from the periphery and stretch our battle line. As we all know, our Datang's control in the Western Regions has always been weak. From Liangzhou in the east to the Green Mountains in the west, dozens of countries of all sizes are adjacent to me, eyeing the richness of the Central Plains. There, although some countries called me a vassal, and said Gaochang figuratively, it was actually just a false name. On the contrary, the Tibetans and the Western Turks had a stronger grip on them. Originally, people were thousands of miles away, and whether they surrendered or not actually had little impact on our Central Plains. However, the Silk Road of our Datang Dynasty is a source of living water, and it is cut off, which is not only a loss of wealth, but also extremely unsafe from a long-term strategic point of view. If Gaochang turns a blind eye to us, the rest of the small countries will dare to follow suit. In this way, the prestige and control of the Tang Dynasty in the Western Regions should be completely lost. As a result, Tubo dared to entangle these allies and attack the Tang Dynasty together. At that time, the ants and elephants, coupled with the tiger lying on the side of the couch, how will my Datang deal with it? ”

"What Mu Bai said is extremely true." Li Tao took over and said, "It seems that His Majesty the Emperor has not mistaken you, you do have a long-term strategic vision. Yes, Gao Chang is anti, and now it seems that it is just a disease of scabies. But if you let it go free, it will become a problem for your elbows and henchmen. It is not terrible for the Tang Dynasty to lose a vassal country that sends a little cattle and sheep to play every year, and it is not terrible to lose the wealth of the Silk Road, but the fatal thing is the tiger and the ant colony, and within a hundred years, the Central Plains will inevitably be in a catastrophe. Lanzhou is a pair of fists placed by the Tang Dynasty in the Western Regions, if you don't fight out at this time, you will be waiting to be beaten without a backhand in the future. From this point of view, Lanzhou must send troops, and it must not sit back and watch Gaochang rebel! ”

Speaking of this, Li Tao paused and said sonorously: "My personal position is to support Lanzhou to send troops and attack Gaochang in the west!" And take this opportunity to attack the Western Soil and dominate the Western Regions. But it's not an easy thing to do! Not to mention that there are many small countries there, and the politics and religion are very complicated, and there are big forces such as Tibet and the Western Turks behind them. When it is by force, my Datang will definitely not be able to achieve the goal of dominating the Western Regions. Attacking the city and attacking the heart and destroying the army and governing the people must be done at the same time. It's not that I, Li, said bad things about Second Brother Qin behind my back. In a war, Second Brother Qin is absolutely no problem, and there are few opponents today; But he can't do without your son. ”

"Mao Gong told the truth." Li Daozong nodded approvingly and said, "The Battle of Gaochang seems to be just a small counterinsurgency war on the surface, but in fact, it is a huge battle related to the national policy of the Tang Dynasty and the great plan of China's millennium. To command such a campaign, one must have great skill, great wisdom, and great ability. Today, there are probably four people who can do it. ”

"Which four?" Li Tao asked with a sip of tea and a smile.

Li Daozong smiled: "Didn't you ask knowingly? First, of course, he is the pharmacist of the Dingding Army, but it is unlikely that he will re-don his military uniform to kill the enemy; Second, it is your British Duke Li Mao, but as the Great Wall of Northern Xinjiang, how can you get out of the Western Regions and use troops? Third, it is easy for everyone to ignore another military god of our dynasty, His Majesty the Emperor himself. ”

"I agree." Li Tao nodded.

"The fourth one is naturally Duke Wei's closed disciple, Qin Mubai." Li Daozong said, "Although you have been studying with Wei Gong for the shortest time, you are the most talented and quintive. In particular, in addition to your military strengths, you are also in politics and people's livelihood, as evidenced by the changes in Lanzhou in the past two years. ”

This is not a compliment, and Qin Mubai did not shirk and deny it, but said: "As the prince said, my teacher, my uncle, and Your Majesty, all three of them can be competent, but it is impossible to go in person, only Qin is left." Shrewd like the eldest grandson Wuji and Chu Suiliang, they must also be able to think of these. Isn't it? ”

Li Daozong and Li Tao glanced at each other and nodded.

"But they resolutely and decisively prevent Lanzhou from using troops, in addition to considering the overall situation, will they have other motives?" Qin Mubai asked.

"That's a good question. That's the heart of our topic today. Li Daozong's expression became more serious, and he said, "The emperor is seriously ill, and Li Zhi, the king of Jin who has never been thought of, suddenly stepped onto the stage. As far as this king knows, the emperor gave a very lively edict to the eldest grandson Wuji at that time - let him assist the prince in supervising the country, but he did not say which year the prince was. The implication is to force the eldest grandson Wuji to express his stance and push the prince he supports to the stage. ”

"The emperor's hand is also a helpless move." Li Tao said, "In recent years, the dispute between the princes and the emperor has almost been chaotic, the eldest son has lost his morality, and the king of Wei has risen sharply, but the eldest grandson Wuji has disagreed with the king of Wei. However, the eldest grandson Wuji is the most relied on and trusted prime minister of His Majesty the Emperor, although the emperor is the king of Wei recently, but if the king of Wei comes to power, he and the eldest grandson Wuji are not in harmony, which is a greater disaster than the dispute between the princes. In desperation, the emperor forced the eldest grandson Wuji to express his position. Unexpectedly, the eldest grandson Wuji was really a little daring, and he actually dared to push out the youngest sister-in-law, King Li Zhi of Jin, which could be regarded as a complete break with King Wei and a clear position with His Majesty the Emperor. ”

"There are many troubled times, I have to admit that this time, the eldest grandson Wuji is also going against the current and daring to do things." Qin Mubai said, "Actually, the eldest grandson Wuji must understand the emperor's intentions, which is to force him to shake hands with King Wei at this juncture and make peace with the court." But he actually dared to disobey the emperor's will and support Li Zhi. This had to make me feel sudden and surprised. This is not like the ordinary behavior of the eldest grandson Wuji. In my impression, the eldest grandson Wuji is just the opposite of Wei Zheng, who dared to resist Yan and speak out, no matter what the emperor does, he will fully support and praise him. This characteristic of his has always been criticized by people. But now he is going against the norm with the emperor, which is really weird. ”

"It's not weird, Mu Bai." Li Daozong said, "King Wei is the son-in-law, King Jin is also a suspicious son, and he is also the nephew of the eldest grandson Wuji, and the palms and backs of his hands are all meat, so why should he support King Jin?" For such a question, the emperor will definitely ask the eldest grandson Wuji, and the eldest grandson Wuji must have his own sufficient and convincing reasons. Otherwise, why did the emperor stay sick in bed and ignore the government with peace of mind? Doesn't you just want to use a period of time to test whether the eldest grandson Wuji's choice is correct? ”

"It makes sense." Li Tao said, "In fact, the establishment of the prince, in the final analysis, is the emperor's family matter. There is a family account, and the twists and turns in it are not something that we outsiders can think about and guess. According to the emperor's personal wishes, the King of Wei was of course the most suitable candidate. But if things don't go according to people's wishes, even if he is the emperor, he can't say everything. Choosing the prince, the so-called bloodline is actually just a coat. What really plays a decisive role is to see who stands behind this prince - now it's okay, the eldest grandson Wuji stands firmly behind Li Zhi, and even the emperor has to look at it squarely. Because the eldest grandson Wuji is not only a national uncle, Situ, and prime minister, but also a force representing a group, the largest force above the court today, and a force that is enough to reverse the history of the entire dynasty! ”

"Hit the nail on the head!" Li Daozong stroked his palms and praised, and said, "I'll just say it, although Mao Pingchang doesn't have many words, but Zhifu has deep and insightful insights, and now you can tell such a big truth, it is enough to see that you have already dissected the two of us." ”

"It should." Li Tao arched his hand and smiled slightly, and said, "Take the same boat, and work together." ”

Qin Mubai nodded to show his appreciation. Li Tao is right when he says this. As the saying goes, different ways don't conspire with each other, it's not a family that doesn't speak the same language. Now, a mysterious bond has tied Li Daozong, Li Tao and Qin Mubai, who represent the military forces. And the civilian-official group headed by the eldest grandson Wuji is firmly embraced.

The division of civil and military affairs, from the day of the East Palace incident, has been gradually revealed. Now in the case of Lanzhou, the distinction is clear. There are some things that Qin Mubai, Li Daozong, and Li Tao did not make clear, that is, in addition to public intentions, everyone has selfish intentions in this kind of thing.

If people don't do it for themselves, heaven and earth will be destroyed!

The eldest grandson Wuji was unwilling to go to war in Lanzhou, in addition to the consideration of the state affairs and the court, there were also considerations of self-interest. First, Datang Shangwu attaches great importance to military merits, and it is common for generals to enter the prime minister. Generals with outstanding military achievements have returned to the court to be prime ministers, and Li Jing and Li Tao have done it, and it is commonplace.

Now, Li Jing is retired, Li Tao is outside, and the military representatives above the court are rarely seen. There are even fewer who can compete with the eldest grandson Wuji. After the fall of the East Palace, King Jin appeared, the eldest grandson Wuji began to purge dissidents and cultivate party henchmen in a hurry, and the leader of the Mesozoic generals in the military circle, the official Shangshu Hou Junji, was instantly purged, which was a big move by the eldest grandson Wuji in order to weaken the military's power in the court.

Under such a premise, how could the eldest grandson Wuji allow Lanzhou to go to war, release military power, wealth and military achievements, and then set up a strong enemy for himself?

And this potential rival is Qin Mubai.

is as shrewd as the eldest grandson Wuji, of course, he knows that Qin Mubai's position will definitely not be consistent with him, and he will not be willing to stand behind him and stand in the camp of the eldest grandson Wuji as a standard-bearer to cheer for him. Moreover, the deeper and more profound contradictions and divisions are that the eldest grandson Wuji is determined to choose a king for Li Shimin, who can continue the prosperity of the Zhenguan Tang Dynasty without major chaos, and his eldest grandson Wuji is enough to make a difference; Qin Mubai, on the other hand, wants to be an ambitious pioneer and continue to carry forward the national prestige of the Tang Dynasty.

The difference in positions determines that Qin Mubai and the eldest grandson Wuji are destined to be impossible to stand in the same camp.

And at this time, the eldest grandson Wuji, who had the power in hand, was the first to strike. Wooing the two eldest sons of the Qin family, Qin Tong and Qin Bin, was his first move; Freezing Lanzhou to stop the war is the second step of the flag. I don't know how he should come down this third step flag.

Qin Mubai knew very clearly that with his strength and ability today, he was definitely not the opponent of Eldest Sun Wuji. He needs a good helper, and he needs a chance to soar.

And Li Daozong and Li Tao in front of him are comrades-in-arms in the same camp as him. Li Daozong sat in Youzhou to defend Beidi and Goguryeo, and Li Tao was the mobile Great Wall of the Great Tang Dynasty, the lion of Mobei, and both of them were military giants who stood alone in the country.

Of course, they hope that Lanzhou can go to war, firstly, out of the retribution and ideals of the soldiers, and secondly, if Lanzhou is frozen, then the rabbit dies and the fox is sad, how long will it be the turn of the eldest grandson Wuji to unload the mill and kill the donkey?

In terms of interests, the three are absolutely unified!

"We can't ignore a character." Li Daozong said suddenly.

"Who?"

"Chu Suiliang!" Li Daozong said, "Don't you think this person's sudden stubbornness is very weird? Originally, he was just a living room of His Majesty the Emperor, a confidant. But now that he has changed, he can stand shoulder to shoulder with the eldest grandson Wuji. He is younger and more restrained than the eldest grandson Wuji. Often, the more such characters, the more talented they are; If it's dangerous, it's even more dangerous. ”

"Chu Suiliang, it's indeed a mystery." Qin Mubai said, "I have worked with him a few times, and this person is as wise as the foolish city mansion is extremely deep, and the combination of rigidity and softness is not leaky. Compared with the eldest grandson Wuji, who is in the limelight and has a strong desire for power, he is much more low-key and introverted. In the East Palace, he suddenly appeared on the scene. An important opportunity was for him to give his eldest grandson Wuji an edict. So from then on, he stood with the eldest grandson Wuji and became one of his right-hand men. But I always feel that Chu Suiliang and the eldest grandson Wuji are a little inseparable. Chu Suiliang's roots have always been with the emperor. He is the only person who is allowed to enter and leave the emperor's hospital room freely, so I guess Yang, Chu Suiliang at this moment, is actually an incarnation of the emperor above the court! ”

"That's a fitting analogy." Li Daozong smiled slightly and said, "Maybe the eldest grandson Wuji just regarded Chu Suiliang as one of his party friends, but in fact, the one who really decided the big thing was Chu Suiliang, because he was the emperor's hands, eyes, mouth, and tongue." Therefore, if you want to find a turnaround in the current crisis, Mu Bai, you have to start with Chu Suiliang. It would be best if you could see His Majesty the Emperor. At this time, except for His Majesty the Emperor, no one has the ability to turn the tide. You, me, Duke Mao, even if you add Wei Gong Li Yaoshi, you can't compete with the eldest grandson Wuji above the court. And the more we fight, the worse it is for us. Because the eldest grandson Wuji has mastered the right to speak above the court today, we are opposed to it, that is, to oppose Li Zhi, the prince of the prison state, and in disguise, to oppose the court and the emperor. ”

"What the prince said is true." Li Tao stroked his beard lightly, and said meaningfully to Qin Mubai, "Mubai, at this time, you must use skill. You are a concubine, and you are also the emperor's favorite general, the eldest grandson Wuji will definitely not dare to move you, and can only use methods such as wooing, isolating, alienating, and squeezing out to deal with you. On the other hand, you can't go head-to-head with the eldest grandson Wuji. He now wishes that you would take the initiative to turn against him, and then justifiably depose you and drive you out of the court. Even people like Hou Junji were knocked down by him day and night, let alone others? So, you are both safe and dangerous now. This is not only a turning point in Datang, but also a turning point in your life. Take advantage of it and be cautious. Making the most of your identity and relationships to change the situation is the best way to do it. ”

"Hmm...... Uncle Shi's words, the little nephew remembered every word. Actually, I'm not worried about it now. Instead, I was worried about my fiery father. What if he knew that the court had rejected his petition for war? Qin Mubai frowned and said, "Outside, the king's order is not affected." If my father resists the order and rises up to attack Gaochang in the west, no matter whether he succeeds or fails, he has already given someone a handle. In this way, my father and son will be quite passive, and they will be completely seized by the eldest grandson Wuji! ”

"I'm very worried!" Li Daozong stroked his palm, "I can't say it, you immediately leave the book and send your cronies to Lanzhou for 800 miles." Even if a few of his men and horses are killed, this letter must be delivered to your father as soon as possible! Otherwise, the consequences are unpredictable! ”

"I'll take a leave of absence immediately!" Qin Mubai stood up, asked the four treasures of the study room to immediately wave his pen and take a break, and at that time, he sent several hundred horsemen outside the room to leave Chang'an in the starry night and run to Lanzhou.

After doing these things, Qin Mubai breathed a sigh of relief. At this moment, he always felt that a pair of eyes were staring at him behind him, staring at Li Daozong, Li Tao and the group of people in the eldest grandson Wuji.

Those eyes naturally belonged to Emperor Li Shimin.

Qin Mubai felt that now these people were like the legendary "Gu refining", like poisonous insects and poisons, they were locked in a crockpot together, biting and fighting with each other, whoever survived in the end would become Gu!

Li Shimin, he doesn't need too much poison to jump around in front of him. He only wants a Gu to assist his son, to stabilize his court, to stabilize his country, and to continue his hegemony!

As for who this son is, on the contrary, it is not as important as that Gu......

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[Ask for a red ticket!] ］