The first day of the first month of the twelfth year of Chongzhen.

The beginning of the new year.

Tongzhou Zhangjiawan.

Dozens of troop transport ships braved the heavy snow to dock and spit out the mighty soldiers from their cabins one by one.

Because the officials and gentry of Tongzhou all knew that the governor Liu Yuliang had won two consecutive victories over Jiannu with Lu Yuan as the general this time, he was highly valued by the emperor, and Liu Yuliang's position as the first assistant would undoubtedly be more stable, so they all braved the heavy snow to come to the dock to greet him at this time.

"Supervisor, this Tongzhou official gentry is much more enthusiastic than Jinju City!"

Lu Yuan also accompanied Liu Yuliang down the bow of the boat.

Liu Yuliang was dressed in a royal python suit, wearing a jade belt around his waist, and stepping on moire high boots, and walked towards the dock covered by spring snow.

Lu Yuan also put on a layer of scarlet official robes of the fourth grade outside the iron armor, wearing a black veil on his head, and followed Liu Yuliang.

Liu Yuliang smiled proudly: "These are the masters who see the wind and make the rudder, knowing that we are now favored by the emperor, so they naturally rush to get close." ”

"Xiaguan Tongzhou Zhizhou Li Boling led the civil and military officials and squires to see the supervisor and General Lu, the supervisor and General Lu defeated Jiannu this time, the class returned to the dynasty, the people of Tongzhou did not feel the merit of Dai Wangshi to protect Shenzhou, so the lower officials in order to show the respect of the people of Tongzhou, have prepared a little wine in the post station to entertain the supervisor and General Lu, and also invite the supervisor and General Lu to come and enjoy the light."

Li Boling, the governor of Tongzhou, walked over with all the civil and military officials and squires in Tongzhou City.

Lu Yuan naturally didn't say a word, and let Liu Yuliang sing the leading role.

Liu Yuliang is naturally very comfortable with these red tape in the officialdom, and in just a few words, he rejected the good intentions of these Tongzhou official gentry to entertain them.

"Jing Fang, you must know that when dealing with these people, the gift can be accepted, but the dinner can be pushed as long as it can be pushed, otherwise who knows if they will do anything in the meal and what promises they will make when the time comes."

Liu Yuliang reminded Lu Yuan at this time.

"The last will be taught".

Lu Yuan said a word, and went back to the post house with Liu Yuliang.

Soon, although Lu Yuan and Liu Yuliang refused to go to the banquet, these Tongzhou gentry still sent gifts.

Lu Yuan naturally accepted the gift list, but he didn't promise a word.

As for the gift list, it was also made for the emperor according to Liu Yuliang's instructions, after all, as a civil and military general who has made new achievements, if he is not lustful and not greedy for money, it will be difficult not to be suspected by the emperor.

However, Lu Yuan gave Liu Yuliang a copy of these gifts.

Liu Yuliang naturally knew Lu Yuan's intention to do this, although he, the supervisor, was about to step down, he would continue to be in charge of the cabinet, and naturally he still needed a strong general like Lu Yuan as an ally.

Therefore, Liu Yuliang also asked Lu Yuan directly: "Lu Yuan, this time you have made outstanding achievements, Your Majesty will definitely promote you to an official, where do you want to serve." ”

"The last general is about to discuss this matter with the superintendent, and the last general still wants to return to Shandong, so he also asks the superintendent to mediate for the last general in front of His Majesty:

First, don't transfer the last general to other places, because the foundation of the last general is in Shandong, and only in Shandong can the superintendent be given help and enough filial piety every year;

Second, don't let the last general's department participate in the battle, the last general's department and Jiannu have fought several times, most of them have been damaged, and it will take time to recover, and the last general will not dare to monopolize the world, and some of the other towns should be shared;

The three also asked the superintendent to let the imperial court allow the last general to set up a main barracks between Dongchang and Linqing, and now after Jiannu plundered the three prefectures of Jinggi and Beizhili, the next time he entered the customs, he would inevitably go south to Shandong, in order to make up for the shortage of money and food for Jiannu, so that the last general would train troops in Dongchang or Linqing in the future, once Jiannu entered the customs, he could protect Caoyun in the future!

Fourth, the superintendent was asked to suggest that the imperial court set up a camp in Denglai Wendeng, so as to respond to Liaodong in the future, once Jiannu entered the customs, he could attack the rear of Jiannu by sea, and the battalion officer of this Wendeng camp hoped that it was still gratifying. ”

Lu Yuan replied.

Liu Yuliang thought for a while and said, "It's okay to stay in Shandong!" Just in time for the future! It's just that why do you want me to speak for Shang Kexi, and let him go to Shandong. ”

"Shang Kexi betrayed Jiannu now, and he can no longer take refuge in Jiannu in the future, this person is a general, and he has no foundation in the court, so he is in Shandong with the last general, just don't worry that he will hinder the last general."

Lu Yuan replied.

Liu Yuliang nodded: "In this way, the old man will fight for you when the time comes!" ”

Three days later.

Lu Yuan and Liu Yuliang went to the capital, Liu Yuliang went home first, Liu Tingshu went to the Beijing camp, and Lu Yuan and the mighty army were temporarily stationed in the Yongdingmen urn city to wait for the meeting.

The Ming Dynasty used literature to control the military, so according to the system, Lu Yuan, as a guerrilla general, could not participate in the discussion of politics.

This is also the reason why Lu Yuan wants to win over Liu Yuliang, if there is no Liu Yuliang, a civil official who speaks for himself, if he wants to stay in Shandong for development, he has to directly disobey orders.

But the emaciated camel is bigger than the horse, no matter how poor and weak the Ming court is, it is still the most powerful in the world, so he can't directly disobey now.

Next.

Liu Yuliang entered the palace first, and officially replied to Chongzhen, saying that he, the supervisor, had completed the task of pursuing Jiannu and driving him out of the customs.

Emperor Chongzhen looked at Liu Yuliang and laughed, he asked Liu Yuliang to be the supervisor Originally, he wanted Liu Yuliang to carry the black pot for himself, once Jiannu wantonly plundered Baoding, Hejian, Zhending and other people, he just dealt with Liu Yuliang to calm the people's grievances in the world, but he didn't expect Liu Yuliang to really rely on Lu Yuan's more than 1,000 soldiers and horses to win twice in a row, and he also successfully burned Jiannu's grain and grass, killed Jiannu Yibeile, and captured Jiannu Yigu Mountain Ezhen.

Chongzhen knew that it might be caused by Lu Yuan's bravery, but now he had to admit that this Liu Yuliang was indeed a soldier: "I remember that the first person to mention Lu Yuan to me was Aiqing, right?" ”

"Back to Your Majesty, this is indeed the case, Lu Yuan is loyal and brave, and he is tenacious in battle, and the minister has heard of it before."

Liu Yuliang replied.

"Lu Yuan is also a thousand-mile horse, and you are undoubtedly his Bole, why, is your Bole now impeaching him?"

Chongzhen asked angrily.

Liu Yuliang behaved neither humbly nor arrogantly: "Back to Your Majesty, the minister is the cabinet assistant, deeply favored by the emperor, and he should be loyal to His Majesty, this Lu Yuan is brave and good at fighting, and his military achievements are impressive, and the ministers are naturally not able to hide their merits, but this Lu Yuan is arrogant and arrogant, and the ministers are naturally unable to hide their faults!" ”

"Aiqing is really loyal to the country, does not treat people with selfishness, and passes on the decree, and promotes Liu Yuliang to be a scholar of the Jianji Palace, and the prince and the prince!"

Chongzhen said with a smile, Liu Yuliang's words made him feel that he might have mistaken this cabinet chief assistant in the past, after all, how could a person who can look at problems so objectively and fairly be an incompetent person, and he also felt that Liu Yuliang said this It seems that he is not a person who forms a party for personal gain.

Liu Yuliang hurriedly thanked him, his heart was naturally excited, and at the same time, he secretly thought that as Lu Yuan expected, after taking Lu Xiangsheng and Lu Yuan as generals, not only did he not become the backstopper, but he was valued by His Majesty and became a veritable cabinet chief assistant!

Xue Guoguan's face was quite ugly when he saw this, he thought that Liu Yuliang would not have any achievements this time, and he would even be punished by Chongzhen, and he would succeed him as the first assistant, but he didn't expect that Liu Yuliang not only did not take the blame, but was also valued more by the emperor.

Yang Sichang also shook his head and smiled bitterly, he had to admit that Liu Yuliang's luck was really good.

But Yang Sichang didn't want Liu Yuliang's luck to be so good all the time, he knew that Liu Yuliang's success this time must be related to Lu Yuan, so he stood up first and said: "Your Majesty, although Jiannu has been out of the customs, Hong Chengchou and Sun Chuanting have Chen Bing Jiliao to defend the Beijing Division, but the thieves in Shaanxi still have to be guarded against, and the ministers will transfer Lu Yuan's troops to Shaanxi!" ”

As soon as Yang Sichang said this, Liu Yuliang suddenly felt bad, he remembered that Lu Yuan told him yesterday that he didn't want to leave Shandong, so he hurriedly stood up: "Your Majesty, the minister thinks it's impossible!" ”