At this moment, Li Zhi's mood was far more depressed than Xue Shao's, and it could even be said to be painful.

On the surface, the emperor reactivated Xue Rengui with great fanfare today and sent him to guard the northern gate of the country, which was very atmospheric and majestic. But in fact, this is the idea of the diva and the prime ministers. Even when he was about to meet Xue Rengui, Li Zhi didn't know that this old minister who was demoted by him ten years ago had returned to Chang'an!

All personnel appointments for Xue Rengui have been drawn up in advance. Emperor Li Zhi just said it in the court. When Li Zhi wanted Xue Ne and Xue Chuyu to accompany Xue Rengui to the northern frontier, he found that his words didn't seem to be very good. As the emperor, the Ninth Five-Year Supreme of the Tang Empire, Li Zhi wanted to do something on the court that should belong to him, but he was hindered everywhere!

"Water can carry a boat and can also capsize a boat", this is an important admonition left by Emperor Taizong Li Shimin to Li Zhi. This made Li Zhi always convinced that even if the emperor had the supreme power under the whole world, he had to be reasonable and abide by the system, so that the subjects of the world could obey him, and this country could sit firmly.

But in fact, if Li Zhi was an emperor like Li Shimin who was powerful and pro-government all the year round, even if he occasionally did something that exceeded the system, his courtiers would not raise strong opposition. Even if there was an opinion, the minister would generally only give advice in private, at least not force the emperor to retract his order in front of the Manchu civil and military forces.

Because, the emperor's face and prestige itself are the biggest political power above the court!

Therefore, when Pei Yan moved out of the system as the prime minister to veto Li Zhi, Li Zhi finally found that although he was still the emperor of the Tang Dynasty, he seemed to be a little rusty and distant from this country and this court - even the prime minister could dismiss his face in public because of a trivial matter!

At this moment, Li Zhi really wanted to be the queen of heaven and cut Pei Yan. But he knows better that even if the current Tang Dynasty does not have him as an emperor, it can still operate freely; But if there is no queen and Pei Yan, maybe the world will be in chaos, which is the most unacceptable thing for Li Zhi!

At the same time, Li Zhi also understood better that the situation he was facing today could not be blamed entirely on the Queen of Heaven and Pei Yan, it was all caused by himself, the emperor. If he can be as wise and wise as Emperor Taizong, his queen will definitely be able to hide obediently in the harem and not be able to come to the front desk of the court; If it weren't for the fact that he had suffered from chronic illness over the years, the government of the Tang Dynasty would not have been firmly controlled by others, and the supreme power that should have belonged to him would not have been eaten by the queen of heaven and the prime minister little by little!

Freezing three feet is not a day's cold, even if Li Zhi wants to work hard now, he can't completely change the situation for a while.

The civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty are still shouting long live in the mountains, singing the praises of the emperor's majesty. But Li Zhi, who was sitting on the dragon chair, did not have the slightest happy look, he was covering his forehead with his hands and closing his eyes without moving.

At this moment, no one can understand the deep remorse, pain, helplessness and anger in his heart!

"Ladies and gentlemen, Your Majesty is not safe in the dragon body, so let's stop here for today's court meeting!" After the bead curtain, Wu Zetian spoke at this time.

"Wait! - Queen, I'm fine. Li Zhi suddenly interrupted, "I still have some things that I must talk about in front of the Manchu Dynasty's civil and military affairs." ”

"Please train Your Majesty." Wu Zetian remained silent.

"After the triumph of the Northern Expedition, I have never personally asked about the reward of meritorious soldiers." Li Zhi said, "This is a major military matter, and I don't want any unfair rewards and punishments to happen, so as not to chill the hearts of all the soldiers." Pei Zilong, you come to tell sù me, who had the highest military merit in the last Northern Expedition? ”

Pei Yan pondered carefully in his heart and replied: "Back to Your Majesty, Pei Wenxi Pei Lao Linggong, who is in command of the expedition, should be the first to take credit." But after the triumph of the army, Pei Wenxi suddenly became bedridden due to a vicious illness, so he resigned and returned to his hometown without being rewarded. The court struggled to keep it, so it had to agree. ”

"Pei Lao Ling's announcement is not sick, it is really a heavy loss for the imperial court!" Li Zhi sighed and said again, "Next?" ”

"Secondly, it should be the military merit of Cheng Wuting, the deputy general manager of the marching road, which is the highest!" Pei Yan replied, "According to the records of the imperial court in the military merit book, Cheng Wuting has been promoted and rewarded in accordance with the four virtues and twenty-seven most examination methods, and has been edicted to the world to show fairness. ”

Li Zhi nodded quietly, "Cheng Wuting's military exploits are famous, and he really deserves his name-General Cheng, is he here today?" ”

"Your Majesty, the minister is here!" Cheng Wuting hurriedly stood up. For the past twenty or thirty years, he had been fighting at the border gates, and rarely met the emperor in person. Today, he was named by the emperor himself at the Shuowang Dynasty, and Cheng Wuting's expression was quite excited.

"What a tiger general!" Li Zhi nodded with a smile and praised, and said, "General Cheng, since you are the deputy chief of the marching road, you should know the big and small things of the Northern Expedition, right?" ”

"Back to Your Majesty, the minister knows!" Cheng Wuting answered with a glance.

"Then you can talk to me, in the last Northern Expedition, who were particularly outstanding and made a special impression on you?" Li Zhi said as if he was gossiping, and his face was also smiling, "It's okay for me to know something about the war." ”

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Cheng Wuting is an upright person, and he is ready to open the conversation right away.

At this moment, Cheng Wuting coldly found that the prime minister Pei Yan on the side was giving him a look, Cheng Wuting saw it, but he didn't know what it meant, he just wondered...... What does Pei Xianggong mean by this?

"Why, if I ask you, do you need a nod from someone else before you can answer?" Li Zhi threw out a sentence coldly.

Cheng Wu was quite flustered, "Your Majesty forgives the sin, the minister definitely didn't mean that!" ”

Pei Yan was also choked in public, and obediently stood up straight and stopped giving Cheng Wuting a look.

"Then you don't want to say it quickly?" Li Zhi was full of interest.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Cheng Wu hesitated, and said, "If you want to talk about the last Northern Expedition, the people who made the minister feel the most surprised are none other than Xue Shao Xue Horse, who is new to the army, and a small new army led by him, the Three Swords Brigade!" ”

The Manchu Dynasty let out a big exclamation, and Li Zhi said as if he was beating a snake on a stick: "Then tell me in detail what you know about the deeds of Xue Horse and the Three Swords Brigade!" ”

"Minister...... Yes, sir! ”

Xue Shao finally realized that Li Zhi had gone around in a big circle, as if he was pulling the topic on his Xue Shao! …… As the emperor, he actually wants to make such compromises in the court, and he is really aggrieved!

Cheng Wuting, an honest man who was difficult to ride a tiger, told in detail the story of Xue Shao's military service in the army that he knew in front of the Manchu Dynasty civil and military forces and the two saints.

In the Tang Dynasty, where there was no developed communication, it was difficult for the officials and lords in the capital to understand the details of the battlefield in detail. In addition, the interlacing is like a mountain, even if they hear some rumors, they will not repeatedly scrutinize and find out. Hearing Cheng Wuting say this today, many people exclaimed from time to time. Especially when it came to Xue Shao leading the people of the Three Swords Brigade to surprise attack Heisha Sheng and capture the ambush, the full court even resounded with cheers!

Justice is at ease in the hearts of the people, and this kind of miracle example and outstanding achievements of winning more with less can still win the recognition and appreciation of most people.

When it comes to the battle of Yudu Jinshan, which later decides the final victory, Cheng Wuting, an honest man, has no intention of being greedy for merit, he completely said that he is a tactical executor who is only responsible for charging into battle, and attributes most of the credit to Xue Shao, the former army marching commander and the actual combat commander!

In addition to the surprise and applause in the court, there was a faint number of whispers.

"I can't imagine that Xue Yuma, who is in the army for the first time, can actually make such miraculous achievements!"

"Could it be that he was born a genius?"

"You're wrong, he's a protégé of Duke Wei and Duke Pei!"

"The name is well deserved, and it is indeed worthy of the name!"

Pei Yan stood quietly in the first place, holding the wat with both hands on his lower abdomen, his eyes slightly closed like an old monk, and there was no expression on his face.

Cheng Wuting glanced at Pei Yan's expression as he spoke, and the more he talked, the more worried he became. But the arrow had to be sent on the string, and he couldn't let him, an honest and upright person, suddenly change his words and lie in front of the emperor and the Manchu civil and military. What's more, now the object of his talk is still Xue Shao! -- That is not only the emperor's nephew and son-in-law, but also his own robe of life and death!

Therefore, Cheng Wuting is more or less selfish. Didn't he always think that the court's post-war reward for Xue Shao was unfair? Therefore, since the emperor has asked clearly, he will answer it clearly. According to Cheng Wuting's logic, even if someone wants to blame it afterwards, it is better than committing the crime of bullying the king!

Xue Shao understands Cheng Wuting, so he can best understand Cheng Wuting's intentions at the moment. His heart was both moved and a little graceful, thinking that an honest person would suddenly play with his heart, but it would catch smart people off guard and be difficult to parry!

"Cheng Aiqing, according to what you said, Xue Shao's military exploits don't seem to be smaller than yours!" Li Zhi asked rhetorically.

Cheng Wuting was stunned for a moment, and blinked his eyes in confusion, "Your Majesty, the minister doesn't read much and fights at the border all the year round, so I don't know much about the imperial court's 'Four Virtues and Twenty-Seven Most', which is a troublesome and deadly method of merit and demerit examination. ”

Many people laughed secretly on the spot, Xue Shao was also gentle in his heart, it turned out that Cheng Wuting would also play treasure and pretend to be stupid!

Li Zhi also smiled, "You spoke very well, and step back first." ”

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Cheng Wuting walked back to his train with a loud voice, and secretly glanced at Pei Yan, but found that Pei Yan looked away with expressionless eyes, and he didn't even bother to glance back at himself.

Cheng Wuting simply stared at his toes, and muttered in a low voice: "Cheng someone will make mistakes when he tells the truth with his conscience?" ”

The old general Li Jinxing, who was standing behind him, replied in a cold whisper, "Evil comes, evil comes, the court is not as good as the army." Truth be told, there is a price to pay! ”

Cheng Wuting was stunned for a moment, then gritted his teeth and turned his head and replied in a low voice, "No matter what, it's better than lying so shameless!" ”.

[Too few tickets, too few tickets!] 】