When he returned to Shengjing, Mu Beimo's injuries had already healed most of them.

Mu Yicheng was very satisfied with Konoha's performance this time, and praised her in the court.

Konoha saw that he was happy, and took the opportunity to ask when he would be able to start training his troops so that he could open up territory for Xiling to defend against foreign enemies.

Without waiting for Mu Yicheng to answer, he listened to the ridicule of the ministers.

A military general with a tiger's back stood up: "The county lord still thinks this is Nanwanna?" I have countless good men in Xiling, all of whom are good at riding and fighting, where can I use women to fight. ”

Konoha smiled: "Don't say Xiling Nanwan, which country in this world has a woman leading troops to fight, I'm just alone." Although I am a daughter, I can also be called a good soldier, so why can't I lead the army? ”

Mu Yicheng listened to the two arguing with interest, but did not say a word.

Prime Minister Yao Hong bowed slightly: "The county lord is naturally a person with extraordinary talents, but the county lord doesn't know my Xiling national conditions. With the ability of the county lord, he should at least be the commander of the first army among the 10,000 troops, but now where am I, Xiling, going to recruit 10,000 new soldiers, even if I really recruit 10,000 people, where will there be so much food to feed this new army? Has the county lord ever thought that after 10,000 yuan of military service, how many fertile fields would be left uncultivated and how many herds would be left unattended, so where would the grain come from and who would pay the taxes? ”

Without waiting for Konoha to speak, Yao Hongzhi said again: "If it is less than 10,000, how can the county lord defend against foreign enemies and expand his territory?" An army of thousands of people can only hold on to the city, Your Majesty is naturally reluctant, then there is only Gongwei Shengjing, but the county lord is respected and has the right to dispatch the Imperial Forest Army when Shengjing is in trouble, why bother to recruit and practice again, isn't it a superfluous move? ”

Mu Yicheng nodded: "The prime minister's words are reasonable, Ye Yatou was found by me with great difficulty, where is it willing to let her go to the barracks to endure hardships, it is enough to stay by my side." ”

Konoha still wanted to say a few words, Mu Beimo tugged at her sleeve and motioned her to stop talking, Konoha didn't understand what he meant, but he still obeyed Mu Beimo's meaning and shut up obediently.

After going down, Mu Beimo took a few steps to catch up with Konoha: "Angry? Blame me for not speaking for you? ”

"Brother Wang is naturally thinking about me, and Ah Ye doesn't dare to be angry."

Don't dare, that is, he is really angry that he didn't help her refute Yao Hongzhi's words.

Mu Beimo smiled: "Okay, don't be angry, I'll take you to relax today." ”

Konoha followed Mu Beimo to a restaurant called "Tianxiang Pavilion", she looked sideways at Mu Beimo, curious about what he brought her here for.

Mu Beimo saw her doubts: "This is the best restaurant in Shengjing, and today I invite you to make amends." ”

Obviously, Mu Beimo is a frequent visitor here, and as soon as he entered the door, a shopkeeper came to entertain him: "Why don't you say a word when the prince comes, the small shop is ready in advance." Your little shop can be picked up every day, and outsiders are never allowed to go there. ”

Mu Beimo nodded: "Don't be restrained today, your good wine and good food will come up, but no one is allowed to disturb you." ”

The shopkeeper was so happy that his eyes narrowed into a slit, and he nodded in agreement.

Tianxiang Pavilion has a total of five floors, the bottom two floors are scattered seats, there are many people in the market, storytellers, singing operas, tricks have everything, lively and extraordinary. The third and fourth floors are private rooms, and the sound of silk and bamboo orchestras is endless. The top floor is specially prepared for dignitaries, and the one that Mu Beimo is used to is naturally the best.

As soon as I entered the door, I felt that the noise of the lower floors was much quieter, almost inaudible. The room is elegant and clean, and the room is a faint sandalwood fragrance, which makes people feel refreshed when they smell it. Looking carefully, it feels luxurious, the Wen Xi poison chopsticks are placed on the gold-painted red dragon sandalwood table, sitting on the pineapple wood carved chair, and pouring wine is the celadon lotus phoenix head pot. The black gold wooden shelves on the side are also extraordinary, and Konoha can only barely recognize a purple gold relief hand stove, and the others can't be named.

After a while, a table of delicacies was set up, and Mu Beimo instructed Yin Kang and the wolf guards to open a table and go out to eat, and the shopkeeper was busy taking people out.

After Mu Beimo came, no one else was allowed to come in on the fifth floor, and the wolf guards guarded them on the fifth floor, which also ensured that there would be no ears on the wall.

Mu Beimo personally poured wine for Konoha: "I didn't expect you to be so anxious, and you just came back and asked for soldiers with your father." ”

Konoha took a sip of the wine glass, and found that it was quite to his liking, so he poured himself a few glasses of drink.

Mu Beimo stretched out his hand to stop her: "You drink less, eat some vegetable mats and drink again, otherwise it will be uncomfortable." ”

"I don't understand, isn't it because Xiling welcomes me back because he likes my ability to arrange troops? If I hadn't defeated Brother Wang, how would Brother Wang and my father think of checking my identity, and why would they go around such a big circle to force me to betray Nanwan. But why don't you give me the right to fight now? Konoha was obviously extremely angry, "Yao Hongzhi, Yao Hongzhi again, what am I hindering him, he has targeted me so many times." ”

Mu Beimo looked at the tantrum of Konoha and felt happy, Konoha was too guarded, he never showed any of his feelings in front of people after coming to Xiling, but now he played a child's temper in front of him, Mu Beimo knew that Konoha might not be so angry, this was just Konoha showing her trust.

"You have been in Xiling for too short, and you don't know all the things in the court. A group of nobles led by Yao Hongzhi held great power, but his father did not care about it and relied on them very much. Xiling's soldiers were divided into two parts, one was in the hands of the royal family, a total of 10,000, and the military camp was fifty miles outside Shengjing City. The rest were the private soldiers of the nobles, who obeyed the king's orders with tiger talismans during the war, and were in the nobles' fiefs the rest of the time. The royal family did not need to pay them a salary, and relied on the nobles' own fiefs to support them. If you are the commander of the army, it will inevitably weaken the power of the nobility, so Yao Hongzhi strongly opposed. Mu Beimo patiently explained to Konoha.

Konoha was shocked: "The military power has fallen to this point, the nobles are so powerful, the royal family is like a vassal of the nobles." ”

Mu Beimo sighed: "It's not wrong for you to say this, but it's a pity that my father doesn't think so, he trusts these nobles, especially Yao Hongzhi, I have tried many times to weaken the power of the nobles, but all of them have failed." ”

A little loneliness flashed in his eyes: "Now that the nobles are powerful and the royal family is in danger, I am afraid that it will be difficult for me to deal with them in the future." ”

He laughed at himself again: "If it weren't for the fact that my father only had one son, with my relationship with the nobles and old ministers, my father might not have made me the crown prince." ”

"So you persuaded my father to come back? You want me to help you break this deadlock. Konoha pointed out sharply.

Mu Beimo nodded, which was regarded as an acknowledgement. He knew that he wanted to let Konoha use it for himself, and it was the best strategy to force her with tricks, and being honest with each other was the most useful way. Konoha knows what he wants, so he can judge his sincerity.

Sure enough, Konoha was not angry: "I understand, my army can help you suppress these nobles, which is good for you and me, so it's okay if you don't help me speak today, why stop me?" ”

"Ah Ye, the court is not as fast as the military camp, but the court has to be patient. The more anxious you are, the more flaws there will be. ”

Mu Beimo took a chopstick and chopsticks, and said slowly: "And you said something wrong, I want to break this game, I just need to pull you into the court game, and you don't have to be in charge." So you should ask yourself, why are you in charge? ”

Konoha was stunned, and she suddenly realized that the current situation was different from Nanwan.

At the beginning of Nanwan, even if the court and the central government were full of opposition, she had to stay in the Lieyue Army, because even if her official rank was only from the fourth grade, she was a real deputy marshal of Lieyue, and with this identity, even if the Gu Mansion was dissatisfied, she couldn't do anything to her. But if she really gave up this identity, she, a humiliating concubine, could only be disposed of by Gu Fu at will. And in addition to the consideration of self-preservation, the only thing left is the reluctance to his brother and everyone in the Lieyue Army.

But now that she is the county lord, she naturally doesn't have to worry about someone dictating to her, and there is no one in the army who is worthy of her nostalgia. So why go to that battlefield where the sword has no eyes? She didn't even have to be in the middle of that treacherous court. Dressed and fed, she already has everything she once hoped for.

Konoha thought of Gu Yunlie, why did he choose the path of joining the army? He is the eldest son of Gu Fuyan, and unlike her, Gu Taishi has high hopes for him. found the best teacher to teach him to read, arranged everything for him after the imperial examination, and followed the arrangement of Gu Taishi, with Gu Yunlie's qualifications, it is not a problem to be a second-grade member now.

But he chose the most difficult path, and at the age of thirteen, despite all opposition, he insisted on going his own way. Gu Taishi knew that he was determined to abandon literature and join the martial arts, and once wanted to sever the relationship between father and son, Emperor Jianzhao thought that the Gu family was too greedy and wanted to get involved in military power, which was even more difficult.

Such a difficult road, Gu Yunlie insisted on it. Repeatedly built military exploits, in just two years, Emperor Jianzhao relied more and more on him, and even used the strength of the country to train the Lieyue Army, which was all cavalry, and Gu Yunlie was in command. Gu Taishi also gradually understood that only this deviant eldest son could continue the glory of the Gu family.

But he obviously didn't have to, he could choose Yangguan Road, which was full of flowers, but he took the thorny single-plank bridge.

Konoha knew why, Gu Yunlie never hid anything from her.

Because Gu Yunlie found that the sage book he learned was completely different from the Nanwan officialdom he had seen with his own eyes, Nanwan's officialdom was too dark, everyone was busy fighting for power and profit, but no one looked up and saw that the country was about to be broken and the people were struggling to make a living.

Therefore, he wants to join the army, and he wants to protect the territory of Nanwan, at least so that the people will not be displaced. He also has to quell rebellions of all sizes, every time the rebellion is quelled, it is the purge of local officials, Gu Yunlie has the power skills he learned from Gu Taishi, he knows who is a corrupt official and who still has a little conscience, he knows how to calm the people's anger, how to make the people's life less bitter. He knew that there was only one way to do this.

He knew that Nanwan's officialdom was suffering from chronic diseases, and it was difficult to return to it, so he could only join the army, force each other with military power, and draw salary from the bottom of the kettle, or he could see the light of day. So he kept his head in obscurity, waiting for an opportunity.

Establish a heart for heaven and earth, establish a life for the people, continue to learn for the saints, and open peace for all generations.

What nice words, what hard things to do.

Konoha had always known about it, but only now did she understand Gu Yunlie.

Xiling is no different from Nanwan, and Konoha is no different from Gu Yunlie. She is a girl taught by Gu Yunlie, if she is indulged in a life of worry-free food and clothing, she will feel satisfied, and after so many years of Gu Yunlie's words and deeds, Konoha himself will look down on herself.

Konoha knew that he had a talent for martial arts beyond ordinary people, and he also knew that being born in troubled times was a good time to make a contribution. She didn't know if she could do as well as Gu Yunlie, but since she had this ability, she shouldn't waste herself.

Mu Beimo looked at Konoha who was deep in thought, and he was not in a hurry to urge, Konoha had to figure out why she was in charge of the army, so that she would insist.

The fire that burns from the heart will not be easily extinguished by wind and rain.

"Since I am the county lord of Xiling, and I am supported by all the people, I should protect this mountain and river for all the people."

Mu Beimo was surprised, he knew that Konoha was not a girl who grew up in an ordinary boudoir, her ambition was written in her eyes, in his opinion, the reason why Konoha should find it should be her own desire for power. She should have a thirst for power, and that desire would be a weapon for him to use her.

But this is also very good, and Konoha who still believes in the feelings of family and country is better to control than Konoha who is bent on selfishness.