Tiantang Splendid

4254 - Direct Surveillance
After the rain, Kunming Lake is as clear as blue, and the sun shines on the water surface blown by the breeze. The vast lake surface is slightly rippling and shimmering like a huge silk.

The ruins of the former foundry bureau on the north shore have long been cleared away. Spacious workshops and huge waterwheels have sprung up. Countless craftsmen and peasants shuttled among them. This building carries the highest level of industrial casting in the Tang Empire. The architecture of China is gradually returning to its former prosperity, and even worse.

Fang Jun came to the newly built gate of the Foundry Bureau in a carriage. Before the carriage stopped, several six or seven-year-old children in the carriage poked their heads out of the windows, chatting in low voices curiously.

A white boy with a big head turned around, looked at Fang Jun and asked, "Uncle Fang, my father said that the most powerful weapon of the Tang Dynasty is produced here, is that true?"

Fang Jun stretched out his hand to touch his big head, smiled and nodded, "That's right."

Another child with thick eyebrows and big eyes came over and asked again: "I heard that the firearm was invented by you, Uncle Fang?"

Fang Jun nodded with a smile.

The last child is chubby, looks a bit simple and honest, and the youngest in the grade is only six years old. He tugs at the corner of Fang Jun's clothes, and his eyes are full of admiration, "Uncle Fang is really amazing!"

Fang Jun laughed out loud. This is Xue Rengui's son Xue Na. It's hard to imagine that Xue Rengui, who is upright and old-fashioned, can give birth to such a son who looks simple and honest, but is actually cunning and clever and good at talking well...

Of the other two, Su Dingfang's only son, Su Qingjie, and Pei Xingjian's second son, Pei Yanxiu, were the most important. Although he was the second son, Pei Xingjian's eldest son died early, and this child is now Pei Xingjian's eldest son.

The generals under his command, although they are in all directions and might shake the world, when the situation is tense, they still take the risk to send their sons to Chang'an as hostages...

Li Chengqian may not need his courtiers to be so cautious, but for the courtiers, this is indeed an indispensable attitude.

The current situation is complicated. Even the civil and military ministers who are now subject to the imperial power, who is loyal and who is traitor?It is very difficult to rely on the emperor to make the distinction. As a courtier, he must take the initiative to use all means to show his position. The method of "sending a son as a pledge" is very old, but it is very effective.

The level of secrecy in the new Foundry Bureau is not much higher than that of the Taiji Palace. There is an East Palace patrolling around the periphery. Any suspicious person who tries to approach will be arrested immediately. Prison, there will be countless tortures to entertain.

Inside is the foundry bureau's own guard team. 2000 people surrounded the entire foundry bureau tightly, with one post at three steps and one sentry at five steps, and not even a fly could fly in.

At the gate, there are three checkpoints to strictly check the people who enter and exit, and there is no omission in terms of identity, position, and belongings.

So until now, no one outside knows how much production capacity the Foundry Bureau has recovered from the past...

Liu Xun, a doctor of the Ministry of War, got the report and hurriedly led a group of officials from the Foundry Bureau to greet him. Fang Jun got off the car with a few children, and Liu Xun stepped forward to greet him.

Fang Jun smiled and waved his hands, and said: "There is no need to be polite, I have nothing to do today, and I will bring a few juniors over here to get some air."

The children all respectfully saluted Liu Shi.

Knowing the identities of the children, Liu Xi didn't dare to trust them, so he hurriedly returned the courtesy, and said with a smile: "These nephews are very good-looking and aggressive. It is true that the heroes are born in youth, and they will be as good as the father in the future."

As one of Fang Jun's team members, how could he not know Su Dingfang, Xue Rengui, Pei Xingjian, Fang Jun's confidantes?What's more, the power of these few people has long been known to the government and the public, and their future achievements will be limitless, so even if they are facing a few children at this moment, they dare not neglect or underestimate them.

Fang Jun didn't take it seriously, walked towards the gate and said: "They are all my nephews, why should you be so polite? The children are not knowledgeable. Let's take them to see the gun workshop today. It will be better for the imperial army in the future." Understand, you can defend your home and country.”

Liu Xun said with a smile: "If you can be interested in this when you are young, you will be more proficient in the future. After all, there are endless firearms, and it needs generations of Tang Haoerlang to work hard and strive for perfection."

The two were talking and stepped into the gate of the casting bureau.

The three children followed behind arm in arm. Their curious eyes were simply not enough. Looking around, they felt that everything was new.

Fang Jun walked forward with his hands behind his back, and while observing the surrounding buildings, he asked, "How is the production capacity restored now?"

Liu Shi has already deeply tied himself to the foundry bureau in his life, and he understands that as long as the foundry bureau is managed well, the future will be limitless, so he must do everything by himself, and keep all the data in his heart. Ten doors, seven thousand catties of gunpowder, three hundred thunderbolts... still can't reach the previous peak production. After all, half of the original craftsmen were unable to continue production due to death, injury, etc. It needs to be adjusted. However, the Duke of Yue can rest assured that when the new batch of craftsmen become proficient and the various equipments are adjusted, the production capacity will definitely be better than before.”

In the Battle of the Eastern Expedition and the Guanlong Mutiny, firearms were used on a large scale, and the effects produced were enough to shock the world. He was able to control the largest gunpowder and firearms production workshop in the empire. Liu Shi believed that this would inevitably enter the emperor's power core .

A group of people came to the Kunming Pool Drainage Canal. Apparently, the Drainage Canal had also been dredged and widened. Dozens of huge waterwheels stood on both sides of the canal, and the water from the pool was released from this to push the flywheels erected in the water to drive various machinery, and then rushed downstream. Go to the Jichi, and then form the Jishui to flow into the Weishui to the north.

The huge waterwheel aroused the amazement of several children, and they all stepped forward to stand by the canal, looking up at the huge waterwheel, their eyes widened in shock.

Fang Jun was thinking about explaining to the children how not to stick to the rules and how to follow the development of the times and accept new things, the soldiers who stayed outside the door hurried over: "A servant from the palace came, Your Majesty invited Erlang into the palace to discuss matters. important."

Fang Jun didn't dare to delay, he told Liu Shi to take care of several children, wait until it was dark before sending someone back to the East Palace, he followed the soldiers out of the gate, saw the servants, and after carefully listening to the emperor's order, rode his horse and galloped back to Chang'an City. Enter the city through Mingde Gate, go straight to Zhuque Gate along Zhuque Street, then enter Chengtian Gate, and go straight to Wude Hall.

……

In the side hall, Li Chengqian discussed with Li Ji and Cen Wenwen for a long time, but when Fang Jun arrived in a hurry, they still hadn't reached a conclusion on Li Daozong's matter.

Fang Jun sat down, and a secretary Lang handed him the minutes of the meeting recorded on one side, asking him to familiarize himself with the current discussion and the opinions of the emperor and ministers.

Fang Jun nodded to express his thanks, he glanced at the young secretary Lang, his heart moved suddenly, he smiled and nodded again, the secretary Lang also greeted with a friendly smile, then he stopped looking at Fang Jun and concentrated on recording the minutes.

Fang Jun flipped through the minutes in his hand, only to realize that it was Li Xiaogong who actually suspected that Li Daozong might be rebellious and endanger the imperial confinement...

But his mind stayed on the secretary Lang for a while.

Doulu Qinwang, his father, the governor of the state, Doulu Renye.Doulu's original surname is "Murong", the Xianbei royal family, Doulu's ancestor Doulu Chang was the commander of Rouxuan Town, one of the "Six Towns of the Northern Wei Dynasty", and the family was even more powerful among the six towns of the Northern Wei Dynasty. To this day, he is still one of the backbones of the Guanlongmen Clan, but although he is powerful, he has always been low-key, and he has been quite at odds with Changsun Wuji these years, and the contradictions are deep.

Under the leadership of Yuwen Shihe, the Guanlongmen Clan attached themselves to Jin Wang Li Zhi, and stationed troops in Tongguan to conspire to rebel. As one of the backbone of the Guanlongmen Clan, the Dou Lu family put their son next to Li Chengqian as secretary. This is an obvious political Signal.

The Guanlongmen Clan is on the verge of splitting under the control of Yuwen Shiji, and the day of disintegration is not far away...

After reading the minutes in hand, Li Chengqian looked at him and asked, "In your opinion, how should we deal with this matter?"

Fang Jun pondered for a while, and said cautiously: "After all, it is only the Hejian County King who has suspicions. If he makes a big move because of this, the consequences will be really serious."

Since Zhenguan, Li Xiaogong has gradually faded out of the highest power class. If it hadn't been for the fact that the Anxi Protectorate's Mansion was in danger of being invaded by foreign enemies, His Majesty Li Er had no choice but to use Li Xiaogong to go out to the Western Regions.

The one who replaced Li Xiaogong was Li Daozong, who followed His Majesty Li Er since childhood, obeyed and loyal to His Majesty Li Er.

Within the clan, Li Daozong is far superior to Li Yuanjia, King of Zhenghan, in terms of status, power, influence, strength, etc., and can be regarded as the No. 1 clan under the emperor.

Even in the army, Li Daozong's prestige and influence are definitely not low.

It is absolutely impossible to convict such a person on the basis of "unnecessary" crimes, and it is even difficult to be transferred, which will inevitably trigger a strong reaction from the clan and the army. Well, if it is rare for negligence to break through the Bashui defense line and rush into the city of Chang'an, it will be a catastrophe.

Li Ji nodded and said: "Erlang's words are justified. If there is no solid evidence, the King of Jiangxia County can't act arbitrarily."

Obviously, he and Fang Jun agree with each other and consider the same things.

Cen Wenwen frowned: "But if Prince Hejian's conjecture is true, is it true that Prince Jiangxia is allowed to control the important Xuanwu Gate, and suddenly riot into the palace in the future?"

The strategic position of Xuanwumen is too important to take any risk. Once Li Daozong really attaches himself to the king of Jin to start an incident at Xuanwumen, his soldiers and horses can rush into Taiji Palace in an instant. Even if there were twice as many central guards, they would not be able to resist.

It was still the situation before Fang Jun came, with a dilemma and a dilemma.

Fang Jun thought about it carefully, and suggested: "If you send someone to Xuanwumen to serve as a deputy general, does your majesty think it is feasible?"

Li Ji's eyes lit up, he glanced at Fang Jun, and said to Li Chengqian: "Send someone to monitor directly, this method is feasible."

To openly send a lieutenant general to Xuanwu Gate, this is to tell Li Daozong clearly: the imperial court has doubts about you, no matter what you think, you should restrain yourself.

So no matter what Li Daozong's position is, it is impossible to refuse such a deputy general to serve in Xuanwumen, otherwise the intention of treason will be obvious.

With such a nail nailed to the Xuanwu Gate, as long as Li Daozong had any troubles, he would be notified immediately, and the palace would be notified in time to take countermeasures.

This can be regarded as a very clever conspiracy, and it is a wonderful move that can be direct and avoid conflicts in the current situation. It is not easy for young people...

(End of this chapter)