After waiting for Xu Guan, the left attendant of the military department, to return to the military department, he informed Li Fang, the secretary of the military department, of the request of Zhao Yuanzuo, the king of Southern Liang.

As soon as the 130,000 sets of weapons and equipment were mentioned, the stubborn old man Li Fang, the secretary of the Ministry of War, couldn't help but be silent.

After all, this incident started because of him, if he hadn't personally gone to the Vertical Arch Hall and invited Wei Tianzi to intervene, the relationship between the Ministry of War and the Smelting Bureau would not have been in this situation.

But the problem is that Li Wei couldn't go at that time, after all, in his opinion, if he turned a blind eye to the smelting bureau that developed the new process, the smelting situation would gradually occupy the resources that belonged to the military casting bureau, and eventually replace the military casting bureau.

But then again, in fact, Li Fei did not have the luxury of the new process of the Smelting Bureau at that time, he just hoped that the War Casting Bureau could maintain the current situation, but to his surprise, Wei Tianzi not only protected the War Casting Bureau, but even forcibly ordered the Smelting Bureau to teach the new technology to the War Casting Bureau.

This move made many officials in the Ministry of War greatly relieved, after all, Wei Tianzi's move meant that His Majesty still valued the military casting bureau.

However, no one expected that the reaction of the Metallurgical Bureau would be so great, and His Royal Highness King Su withdrew from the military casting without saying a word.

This made Li Fu can't help but have other thoughts.

He was already vaguely suspicious: Wei Tianzi, is he really helping the military department?

No one dares to reveal this speculation, after all, once this kind of thing is leaked out, it is bound to be spurned by the government and the opposition: Your Majesty has protected your military department to such a point, what do you Li Feng want?

I believe that ordinary people must have this kind of thought.

But in Li Yan's opinion, Wei Tianzi's "action" of "helping" the military department was a bit big, and it obviously touched the scales of His Royal Highness King Su.

The new process that he had worked so hard to develop in the bureau had to be handed over to another department for no reason, and His Royal Highness King Su and the people of the Smelting Bureau were furious. It makes sense. After all, even if this kind of thing falls on their military department, I'm afraid the reaction will be the same.

But the question is, did Wei Tianzi really provoke His Royal Highness King Su in order to help the military department, or did he ...... What's the catch?

"If there's something else going on...... That's a big deal.'"

Recalling that in the Vertical Arch Hall at that time, Wei Tianzi smiled and comforted himself, and Li Yan sighed secretly.

He has been in contact with this scheming genius for more than ten years. He already had some understanding of this majesty's heart, so he couldn't believe that this majesty would do this in order to protect his army.

"Would you like to test it?"

Li Fu stroked his beard thoughtfully.

Yes, there is a way to test Wei Tianzi's true intentions.

After pondering for a while, Li Wei went to the Vertical Arch Hall again in person.

When Li Feng came to the vertical arch hall in the palace, Wei Tianzi was as usual and the three ministers of Zhongshu were in the palace to approve the chapter folding.

"Your Majesty, Lord Li (鬻), the secretary of the military department, asks to see you."

A little eunuch said to Wei Tianzi.

『……』

Wei Tianzi was slightly stunned. Immediately, a faint smile appeared on his face: "Announce him into the palace." ”

"Yes."

It didn't take long for Li Fei to step into the hall and bow to the ground: "Minister Li Fei, knock to see Your Majesty." ”

Wei Tianzi put down the brush in his hand, and asked with a strange smile: "Li Aiqing, isn't it Hongrun's bad son who has caused me some trouble?" ”

"Huh?" Li Feng was a little embarrassed when he heard this, and hurriedly told the truth: "The minister is not here for His Royal Highness King Su this time, but for the new army of King Nanliang......"

"The New Army." Wei Tianzi groaned. "What's the problem?" ”

"Back to Your Majesty, Lord Xu Guan, the left attendant of my military department. Half a day ago, the king of Nanliang had been led to the Yushui military camp outside the city...... "Li Fa told Wei Tianzi about the arrangements of the army in detail and detail, and Wei Tianzi nodded again and again.

"Isn't that well arranged?"

"That being said." Li Feng paused, hesitated, and said: "However, the king of Nanliang asked our army to hand over the weapons and equipment of the 50,000 new army as soon as possible......

A smile flashed in Wei Tianzi's eyes, and he said quietly: "This request is reasonable, I will not refuse it." ”

"It's not a question of whether Your Majesty allows it or not......

Li Wei smiled bitterly in his heart, and said with some embarrassment: "Your Majesty." The minister also knew that the request of the king of Nanliang was reasonable, but now that it was only six months before the end of the year, he wanted to deliver 50,000 sets of weapons and equipment to the king of Nanliang within these six months. It is necessary to rush to work day and night...... But in this way, the replacement equipment of the sixth battalion of the garrison may have to be delayed......"

Speaking of this, he arched his hand and pleaded with his head: "The minister thinks that it will be difficult for the Military Casting Bureau to complete 130,000 sets of equipment before the end of the year, so I dare to implore Your Majesty to release the loan within a time limit......

"This old boy...... Are you tempting me?'

Wei Tianzi looked at Li Man's expression, and after thinking for a moment, he said quietly: "Hmm...... Thirteen sets of weapons and equipment were cast in half a year, which is indeed difficult for some strong people. …… In this way, the equipment of the new army of the King of Southern Liang cannot be delayed, and as for the sixth battalion of the garrison, Li Aiqing might as well send someone to inform several generals that it will be delayed until next year. ”

"Your Majesty has agreed?"

Li Feng was surprised when he heard this, after all, Wei Tianzi was relieved, which meant that Wei Tianzi was indeed on the side of their military department.

It's just that when Li Yan thought about it carefully, he felt that something was wrong.

The military department sent someone to negotiate with the general of the sixth battalion of the garrison? If this is the case, then the generals will not be able to send someone to overturn the compound of their military headquarters?

It doesn't change at all!

Secretly gritting his teeth, Li Feng had no choice but to bite the bullet and say again: "Your Majesty is magnanimous, but the minister feels that this move may not be appropriate." ”

"Huh? Isn't this Li Aiqing's plea? Why does Li Aiqing feel inappropriate again? Wei Tianzi looked at Li Feng with a smile, and said with a smile: "Li Aiqing, what do you want?" ”

"What do you want", hearing this sentence, although Wei Tianzi's tone was very flat, it was like thunder in Li Yan's ears, making him subconsciously kneel to the ground.

Gritting his teeth, he pleaded: "Minister...... I beg Your Majesty. Let the smelting bureau come forward to help. ”

"This old boy ......"

Wei Tianzi secretly snorted coldly, but his face showed a look of embarrassment, and he frowned and said, "This, I'm afraid it's not easy to do." …… A few days ago, the smelting bureau called Hongrun handed over the new process to your military department and reprimanded him severely...... What a bad character. It has always been like this, my own things are not good, and I am always thinking about other people's ...... But having said that, a few days ago, at the request of Li Aiqing, I ordered the Metallurgical Bureau to withdraw from this matter, but today Li Aiqing came to implore me again, hoping that the Metallurgical Bureau would come forward to help...... Li Aiqing, are you teasing me? ”

"Minister...... Don't dare! Li Fa kowtowed to the ground and hurriedly said, "It's just that the minister didn't think it through at that time." "Say it. He hesitated, gritted his teeth and said, "The minister was confused at the time, and mistakenly thought that His Royal Highness King Su wanted to rob me of the power of the Soldier Casting Bureau, so he ...... The minister is guilty! ”

『……』

Wei Tianzi looked at Li Fu lightly, and said in a calm tone after half a sound: "The cause of this incident is Hongrun, so I don't blame you." …… However, Hongyun's personality is similar to me, once the decision is made. It won't change overnight. …… Do you understand? ”

"The minister understands......" Li Man's mood was very complicated.

After all, Wei Tianzi's words implied that since he had stopped the Smelting Bureau from snatching the right to the Soldier Casting Bureau. There will be no more orders for the Metallurgical Bureau to intervene in this matter again, and the order will be changed at a moment's notice, which is a taboo for any king.

Does this mean that Wei Tianzi is on the side of the Ministry of War?

Li Yan said it badly, Wei Tianzi's attitude made him unpredictable.

But there's no denying it. Wei Tianzi has already said this, and he Li Wei has no face to plead anymore.

As for the purpose of this trip to test Wei Tianzi's true intentions, it also failed.

Wei Tianzi's attitude made Li Feng unpredictable.

"Is there anything else, Li Aiqing?"

Li Yan shook his head. Immediately, he came to his senses, bowed down and said, "The minister has nothing to do, and the minister has retired." ”

"Hmm."

Wei Tianzi nodded and watched Li Fei leave the Vertical Arch Hall.

"Hey! This old boy is cunning...... Tempting me?'

Wei Tianzi had a little smile on his lips, and asked lightly: "Tong Xian, what has Hongrun's bad son been doing lately?" ”

The great eunuch Tong Xian is a confidant of Wei Tianzi, and he knows many hidden secrets that others don't know, no, he whispered with a strange expression when he heard this: "I heard that His Royal Highness King Su has recently lost his temper because His Majesty intervened in the gambling game between his smelting bureau and the military casting bureau, so he hasn't been going to the smelting bureau much recently, except to visit the prince of Su, that is, in the Su Wangfu, or to a water pavilion...... In addition, the people of the Smelting Bureau are also full of resentment against the War Casting Bureau and the Ministry of War, no, there is also a wooden sign hanging outside the door of the Department of Smelting and Manufacturing, which reads "The Ministry of War and dogs are not allowed to enter". ”

"The military department and dogs are not allowed to enter? Hah!'

Wei Tianzi shook his head happily, and then asked meaningfully, "The crowd is angry?" ”

"Yes." Tong Xian lowered his head and said in a low voice: "I heard that Li Jin, the director of the Bing Casting Bureau, asked to see His Royal Highness King Su the day before yesterday, but not only did he not get his wish, but he was also driven out by Wang Fu of the Smelting Bureau......

"Did you guess that, that bad boy? Or is it the sixth ......

Wei Tianzi frowned slightly, maybe he felt that there was a big difference between the truth he personally understood and the truth told by others.

Not to mention the vertical arch hall, and said that Li Mang returned to the military department in a daze and saw Xu Guan, the long-awaited left attendant.

"What did Your Majesty say?" Xu Guan asked anxiously.

Li Wei shook his head, frowned, and said, "Your Majesty said that he protected my military department once, and he will not protect it a second time." As he spoke, he told Xu Guan about the conversation with Wei Tianzi in the Vertical Arch Hall.

After hearing this, Xu Guan pondered and said: "Your Majesty's meaning, is it that you want my military department to solve the contradiction with His Royal Highness King Su by itself?" ”

"I'm afraid so." Li Fu nodded, and said with a heavy heart: "It seems that only the old man will go to the smelting bureau in person tomorrow." ”

Hearing this, Xu Guan said with a strange face: "Negotiate with His Royal Highness King Su? I'm afraid the results will not be satisfactory. ”

“……”

Li Yan was silent.

He has dealt with Zhao Hongrun, the king of Su, many times, how can he not know this truth?

However, the problem lies in the fact that only the Smelting Bureau has the ability to resolve the current embarrassing situation of the Ministry of War.

Of course, the premise is that the military department pays a sufficient price.

It was enough to make the king forget the great price of resentment in his heart.

"Misstep!" (To be continued.) )