Tai Chi Palace, Yangxin Pavilion.

Li Bing stared at the imperial post on the table, slightly distracted.

He already knew what happened in the court yesterday, and what surprised him was not only the sudden withdrawal of the two imperial concubines, but also the intervention of Li Jiangyao, who insisted on postponing the public meeting by himself.

Countless questions suddenly surged into Li Bing's heart:

Concubine Ma Yunfang and Concubine Hui Murong Ling, why did they withdraw from the election without warning?

Why didn't they talk to me about this beforehand?

What role did Ma Hongjie and Murong Xue play behind this?

Were they being interfered with or coerced by someone?

Why did Li Jiangyao dispute this?

Why did the generals react so strongly?

Why didn't Feng Xiang, the Qing of Zongzheng Temple, take the initiative to report to me?

Why did Wei Zixuan have to set up a separate volume for the two imperial concubines?

These questions kept hovering in Li Bing's heart, making him a little breathless: It seems that the issues involved in my election as the queen of the main palace are still very complicated.

At present, the rebels in Jiangnan have not been destroyed, and the puppet Jin king Li Ji is wantonly recruiting troops and buying horses, in a vain attempt to make waves; The states on the eastern coast were invaded by pirates, and the army tried their best to strangle them with little success, and I am afraid that in the end the main army will have to be requisitioned.

These two major events have already made him feel anxious, and there are continuous disagreements within the partial court, adding new worries.

Li Bing sighed softly, and was about to ask Concubine Shuhui about the reason, but he didn't expect the chamberlain to come at this time, saying that General Yunlu and Li Jiangyao, the governor of the central capital, asked for an audience.

Hearing this, Li Bing was slightly stunned, and then said in a deep voice: "Xuan! ”

After a while, Li Jiangyao walked into the pavilion under the guidance of the chamberlain and saluted the emperor according to the law.

Li Bing waved his hand lightly: "Li Qing, don't be polite." Why did you come to see me today? ”

"Back to Your Majesty, the minister wants to ask when he can return to the front line." Li Jiangyao responded: "The rebels have been on the verge of moving recently, and their intentions are unknown, whether it is the Yiling Navy Fleet or the Chuzhou Zhenjiang Army, reports have been sent to ask for instructions. The minister is concerned about the safety of the front line, and he has come to ask for an order. ”

Li Bingyan nodded when he heard this: "Indeed, the front line is inseparable from you." ”

He paused slightly, and muttered: "Yesterday, Hitian Mu played and said that the case of Sun Chen and others has been clarified. There is nothing wrong with you rectifying military discipline and killing decisively, so there is no need to suspend you from your post pending investigation. Li Qing, I just want to ask for your opinion, should I return to the Yiling Water Army next, or continue to be in charge of your own army? ”

Li Jiangyao arched his hand and said: "The minister is willing to listen to the dispatch of the imperial court, and he can go anywhere." ”

"What do you think...... Can Yang Li afford the water army? Li Bing asked.

Li Jiangyao said loudly: "Don't hide it from Your Majesty, Yang Li is a rare talent in water warfare. At the moment, although he is still a little lacking in experience, he can completely stabilize the overall situation. In time, Bao Yuchun's uncle and nephew may not be his opponents. ”

Li Bing said curiously: "You mean, let him practice more?" ”

Li Jiangyao bowed slightly: "That's right." Only by constantly carving can beautiful jade shine with infinite brilliance. In the same way, excellent generals must have fought from the battlefield! Therefore, the minister thinks that Yang Li can be allowed to play the role of the navy. ”

Li Bing pondered for a moment, nodded and said, "You're right, if you want to train famous generals, you have to let go of the tempering and kill one battle at a time." Whether it is Yang Li or the water army, only after the test of thousands of difficulties and dangers can they become stronger and stronger. Okay, then you will go back to Luzhou and Chuzhou and continue to command the Phoenix Legion to fight. ”

Li Jiangyao replied: "Obey the order, the minister will set off tomorrow to return to the front line." ”

"Wait a minute," Li Bing called out to Li Jiangyao, who was about to retire, "Don't be busy, I still want to talk to you again." Come on, show Li Qing a seat. ”

Li Jiangyao sat down as he said and said with a smile: "Your Majesty, is this planning to stay with your ministers for dinner?" ”

Li Bing was slightly stunned, and then laughed dumbly: "The one who dares to talk to me like this is you." Okay, I happen to be hungry too, waiter, let's pass the meal, I will have a few drinks with Li Qing, which can be regarded as a grand deed for the general. ”

The chamberlain agreed, and got busy with his hands and feet, and without much effort, he served sumptuous food and wine.

Li Bing first had a drink with Li Jiangyao, and then asked, "Li Qing, do you think the time is ripe for a decisive battle?" ”

Li Jiangyao knew that the other party was a guide to quell the rebellion, and shook his head with a smile: "Before Bao Yuchun's main fleet is completely destroyed, it is difficult to say that the time is ripe. But...... It's not that the southern expedition can't be launched. ”

"Oh? Why did Li Qing say this? Can you tell me more about it? Li Bing humbly asked.

Li Jiangyao put down his wine glass and said loudly: "The southern expedition is just a general statement of strategic action. The main army crossed the river in an all-round way and launched a general offensive as a southern expedition, the advance troops crossing the river to reconnoiter and harass the southern expedition, the southern expedition to fight in the lower reaches of the great river, and the southern expedition to fight in the upper reaches of the great river and even in the Bashu region. Your Majesty understands what you said? ”

Li Bing nodded thoughtfully: "Understood." What Li Qing means is that the southern expedition is the southern expedition, and the decisive battle is the decisive battle, and the two cannot be confused. The southern crusade can start at any time, and the strategic decisive battle must wait until the rebel naval fleet is destroyed before it really comes, right? ”

Li Jiangyao replied with a smile: "The minister thinks so. ”

"How long do you think this big battle will take?" Li Bing asked, "Or, how long will it take to completely eliminate Li Bing and Lao Jianhua." ”

Li Jiangyao said: "War is a common matter between the enemy and us, and it is difficult to judge the length of the war based on the situation of one side alone. In my opinion, at least be prepared to fight a big war for another two to three years. ”

Li Bing couldn't help frowning when he heard this: "It's going to take so long?" Yin Chengyi told me a few days ago that he was confident that he would be able to solve the problem completely within a year. ”

Li Jiangyao smiled faintly: "I don't know why Governor Yin has such confidence?" ”

"Faith comes from you, the frontline soldiers." Li Bing said frankly: "The main army of more than 300,000 of the Phoenix Legion is all a strong force that can fight well. In addition, the three legions of Vermilion Bird, Qinglong, and Xuanwu have also fought for a long time before and have rich experience. On the other hand, the Jiangnan rebels were mostly newly recruited recruits, with low morale, insufficient training, and far inferior numbers to the imperial court. According to Yin Chengyi, as long as the legions can successfully break through the Dajiang defense line, Li Zhilao Jianhua Bao will meet the likes of Chun, and the only way to capture them will be tied up. ”

Li Jiangyao smiled: "That's right. Four legions, six or seven hundred thousand people, can drown the rebels just by spitting. ”

Li Bing heard the mockery in his words, and frowned dissatisfiedly. Still, he asked seriously, "Is there anything wrong?" ”

"There aren't many things that don't go wrong, just three." Li Jiangyao said calmly: "One is a boat, the second is a boat, and the third is still a boat." ”

"Boat?" Li Bing was stunned and said, "Are you playing a dumb riddle with me?" What's wrong with the ship? ”

Li Jiangyao said with a smile: "Your Majesty, don't worry, the three ships I mentioned are the ships that transport troops, the ships that transport grain, and the ships that fight. If the warships can't beat the opponent, the troop carriers will not be able to organize a large-scale river crossing, and even if they are lucky enough to send their troops over, the follow-up supplies will also be intercepted by the enemy. When the time comes, let alone fighting, the back road will be cut off by the other party. ”

Li Bing was slightly puzzled: "When the main army passes, isn't it possible to storm the city and rob the enemy of food and grass?" ”

"Once the enemy sees that there is a problem with the supply line of the imperial army, it is enough to kill us by simply clearing the wilderness." Li Jiangyao smiled bitterly and shook his head: "Bao Yuchun is a veteran who can fight well, if he wants to do this action, I'm afraid it will be very simple." And hundreds of thousands of troops, without adequate material support, will collapse in a few days. Does Your Majesty want us to be like the Turks and horse thieves, plundering the common people in Jiangnan everywhere to supplement our own needs? ”

Li Bing hurriedly waved his hand: "That's not good." Plague the people will lose the hearts and minds of the people, causing more people to turn to the rebels. ”

"So, the key issue is the boat," Li explained, "or more accurately, the control of the river." Only when we have absolutely mastered the great rivers and waterways can we talk about the issue of an all-out decisive battle. ”

Li Bing pondered for a moment, nodded and said, "Well, what you said makes sense. It seems that Yin Chengyi still thinks about the problem simply, and only sending the main army across the river cannot really solve the problem. ”

Li Jiangyao said: "We are now competing with the rebels to see who is faster." The imperial court was faster in the speed of shipbuilding and formation, while the rebels were faster in the speed of conscription and training, and the two sides accumulated their own strength and competed simultaneously. Therefore, the minister said that the war may last for another two to three years, and this is the reason. ”

Li Bing listened convincingly: "Indeed." When our fleet is beginning to take shape and can compete with the enemy for control of the river, and the rebel recruits are also mature, the gap between the two sides will be relatively narrowed, and the difficulty of victory will gradually increase. I agree with your judgment, and we must be prepared for the long term. ”

"Of course, we can't just wait." Li Jiangyao said: "Before the decisive battle comes, it is the correct way to constantly send troops across the river to attack and disturb, so that the enemy will not be at peace, and then slow down their preparation for war. You see, didn't the thieves come to invade our rear at this time? It shows that Lao Jianhua and Bao Yuchun also thought of the same strategy. ”

Li Bing suddenly realized when he heard this: "That's right! The thieves don't come sooner or later, but at this time, they invaded on a large scale, obviously they intended to make trouble for us, I'm afraid it's really as you said, it's the helper that Bao Yuchun found. Their navy has been fighting in the open sea for a long time, and they have dealt with many thieves. ”

Li Jiangyao smiled faintly: "At the beginning, our Zhenjiang army resisted the thieves who attacked Donghai County and Langya County, and some adults in the court were very dissatisfied with this, and I don't know if they were really confused or pretending to be confused." ”

As soon as these words came out, Li Bing's heart suddenly tightened: Wasn't it Shang Shuzuo's servant Wei Zixuan and Dadu Governor Yin Chengyi who had suggested that the newly recruited government soldiers should resist the Japanese thieves, and later accused the Zhenjiang Army of transferring troops to fight the Japanese thieves without authorization?

The two of them ...... Is there something wrong?