An advertisement in the Chang'an News newspaper that the news of the Chishanpu 8,000 slave auction made Chang'an boil.

At first, most people thought it was just a joke, and it was impossible. But now there is news from the palace that proves this to be true.

It only took a month for Li Xiao to go to Goguryeo and return to Dengzhou, bringing back 8,000 slaves.

What is even more surprising is that these 8,000 slaves were not bought.

Li Xiao went to Goguryeo for half a month, but instead of doing business with the Goguryeo people, he robbed the Goguryeo people there for half a month, and 8,000 people were snatched back.

Many people heard the wind and moved, there are really 8,000 slaves, this is a scarce resource, how can there be no reason not to grab it.

Zhongshu Province, Political Affairs Hall.

Cui Dunli, the secretary of the same Zhongshu Sect and the secretary of the Ministry of War, criticized Li Xiao for many irregularities in this operation.

"Li Xiao, as an official of the imperial court, was appointed by His Majesty as the assassin of Wuzhenzhou, why did he go to the mouth of the Hunjiang River in Pyongyang? It's still going to be windy and rainy there, who is allowed to do it? ”

Cui Dunli came up and banged on the table and roared.

As the prime minister, that's everything.

Li Ji, a member of the Tongzhong Shumen, raised his eyelids, and said in a slow voice, "Cui Xiangmo forgot that Li Xiao was also awarded the post of Andong Taoist strategy and pacification envoy by His Majesty this time. ”

Andong Road, this is a new one set up by Datang, and it is also the eleventh one of Datang. Although it is said that this new Andong Dao cannot be compared with the other ten provinces in the world, in any case, Andong Dao is also a Dao officially set up by the imperial court, even if the vast majority of the territory of this Dao is still in the hands of Goguryeo and Baekje, it cannot change this fact.

And Li Xiao, who is the pacification envoy of Andong Dao, theoretically speaking, is naturally qualified to appear in his own jurisdiction.

Li Xiao ran to the mouth of the Hunjiang River in Pyongyang, and he simply acted within his own jurisdiction, without crossing the region, and did not need to ask the court superiors.

Cui Dunli was pushed in mid-air by Li Ji, a little embarrassed.

He opened his mouth, slowing his tone a little.

"Li Xiang, even if Li Xiao is the pacification envoy of the Andong Dao Jingluo, but the others have not yet gone to Wuzhenzhou to take office, and they have not asked the imperial court in advance, so they directly led the troops to the mouth of the Hunjiang River in Pyongyang to be pirates, this is always inappropriate, right?"

Li Ji smiled.

"The old man didn't think there was anything wrong with Li Xiao, he was an envoy of Andong Province to appease him, and there was nothing wrong with going to Pyongyang's Hunjiang estuary. As for being a pirate, that's a misnomer. Li Xiao is an envoy of the Economy, this is a general with troops, and now that my Tang Dynasty is conquering Goguryeo and Baekje, Li Xiao, the envoy of the Economy, is turning around at the mouth of the Hunjiang River in Pyongyang and disturbing the coast of Goguryeo, which is not a major matter, let alone anything inappropriate. ”

To put it bluntly, this is because of Li Xiao's title of strategic envoy. Li Xiao plundered the mouth of the Hunjiang River in Pyongyang this time, using his own troops, and the family tribes of several major families in his company, without using a single imperial court soldier.

The envoy did not transfer the government troops, let alone the troops in Andong Province to conquer the Liao field, so theoretically speaking, even if Cui Dunli was the secretary of the military department, he would not be able to control Li Xiao's action this time, this was just a normal action of local officials under his jurisdiction.

Cui Dunli looked at Li Ji dissatisfied, Li Ji was too protective of Li Xiao, he would say a word, and he would not give face at all.

He wouldn't give up.

is also the prime minister, he Cui Dunli does not need to be afraid of Li Ji, after all, he Cui Dunli is the prime minister, in fact, it is also because he took the initiative to serve Emperor Li Zhi earlier, and he has the right position because he stood on the right team early, and he has his current position, plus he is the head of Boling Cui's family, and he also has weight.

"Li Xiang, since you said that Li Xiao was a strategic envoy and did not mobilize the government soldiers, there is nothing wrong with this operation, then Cui asked whether Li Xiao's operation was public or private?"

Li Ji glanced at Cui Dunli and did not answer.

Cui Dunli continued, "If Li Xiao's action is an official action, and it is an official matter of the Andong Dao Jingluo Yamen, then a certain person has to ask, since it is an official action, then even if Li Xiao does not need to consult the military department first, then he will have to report to the military department and the political affairs hall in detail afterwards." Moreover, Li Xiao attacked dozens of villages and towns in Goguryeo, looting more than 8,000 people and a lot of money, so these should belong to the spoils of the imperial court, right? ”

And what is Li Xiao doing now? In the name of Anton's envoy, he did not ask in advance, did not report afterwards, and ran to Pyongyang with a few boats before he officially took office. After robbing a large number of people and money, they didn't even have the slightest intention of handing it over to the imperial court, but openly advertised in the newspapers, what kind of slave and maid auction was going to be held, what does this mean? It's his own pocket. ”

Privately dividing the spoils of war is indeed inappropriate behavior.

Li Yifu has always been unaccustomed to Cui Dunli, although he and Cui Dunli are both former ministers of the emperor's palace, but one is a fifth surname and the other is from a poor family, so they have always been unaccustomed to each other. Li Yifu doesn't like Li Xiao much, but he just doesn't like Cui Dunli.

Seeing Cui Dunli biting Li Xiao, he stood up.

"Why did Choi Xiang insist that Li Xiao's Pyongyang action was not an official action? Didn't His Majesty give Li Xiao three months to take up his post? It's only been a month now. ”

His meaning is obvious, Li Xiao has not officially taken office yet, so Li Xiao's looting of Pyongyang can also be his own private behavior, and he did not mobilize the imperial court soldiers and horses, and attacked the Goguryeo people with his own troops, robbed thousands of people and some money, and then brought it back to Dengzhou for auction, do you care about this?

"How can that be?" Cui Dunli felt that of course he could take care of this matter.

Li Yifu sneered and asked, what is the reason for your control, and what is the basis, may I ask where Li Xiao's action violated the laws of the imperial court?

Cui Dunli could not find such a legal basis, but he just insisted that Li Xiao's behavior was inappropriate.

He insisted that the government affairs hall order that Li Xiao's slave auction be cancelled and that the more than 8,000 slaves and money looted by Li Xiao in Pyongyang should all be confiscated from the imperial court.

"Shameless!" Li Yifu mocked Cui Dunli very unceremoniously.

Cui Dunli endured Li Yifu for a long time, and suddenly blew his beard and glared, and as soon as he rolled his sleeves, he was about to compete with Li Yifu.

Li Jile sat there and watched the excitement, not persuaded at all.

However, Yushi Dafu Yuwenjie spoke, "Both of them are prime ministers, don't lose their demeanor, if you openly fight in this political hall, don't blame the two of them." ”

As soon as Yuwenjie's words came out, Cui Dunli and Li Yifu immediately became honest.

They glared at each other and returned to their positions.

Li Ji came out to speak at this time, "I think I can ask Your Majesty for this matter, and how to deal with it in the end is all up to Your Majesty's orders!" ”