prosperous age

Chapter 955 1044 The Li family’s speculation

"I will finally pay my respects to Mr. Wang."

In a duty room of the Ministry of War, Li Chengliang, who had always been worried, finally met one of the few acquaintances he had in the court, Wang Daokun, Minister of the Ministry of War.

After coming out of the imperial city to meet his son Li Rusong, he explained the reward given by the emperor. His son was happy, but Li Chengliang was unhappy in his heart.

But there is no way, this is the capital, not Liaodong, and it is not a place where he, Li Chengliang, has the final say.

Even in Liaodong, only in the army, he could speak so well that even the governor Zhang Xueyan had to stay away.

Yes, although the governor of Liaodong is in charge of military affairs in Liaodong, Zhang Xueyan cannot stand up to the actual generals in the army.

Because the so-called military affairs are actually about winning wars.

If the generals and lieutenants in the army work together in secret and fail to work hard during the war, his career will be over after a few defeats.

Therefore, in these border towns in Liaodong, civilian officials must leave some face to the generals and are unwilling to easily intensify conflicts and cause trouble.

After coming to court, Li Chengliang came to the Ministry of War to report.

I stayed outside the city for two days before, just waiting to enter the city today.

As a military general arriving in Beijing, he naturally has to report to the Ministry of War.

But this time was special. The palace had already issued a reward decree, allowing him to stay in Beijing and take charge of the Fifth Army Governor's Mansion, so he had to come to the Ministry of War to receive his official uniform and title so that he could take up the post.

"Ruqi, come on, sit down here, no need to be polite."

Wang Daokun valued Li Chengliang because he could win battles, so he was very polite.

Ruqi is Li Chengliang's character. Calling it out at this time can also express goodwill to Li Chengliang and build a closer relationship. We are all acquaintances.

After Li Chengliang sat down, Wang Daokun smiled and said: "I would also like to congratulate Ru Qi. He has already taken charge of the Governor's Mansion of the Fifth Army. In the future, he will be able to get the title of National Honors at his fingertips."

"Lord Wang is flattering me. I was doing well in Liaodong, but was suddenly transferred back to the capital. I am still very uneasy and don't know what I did wrong.

Mr. Wang, although Wang Gao has been annihilated this time, it can be regarded as a comfort to countless soldiers in Liaodong, but there are still many Jurchen tribes over there who have slipped through the net.

Let's not talk about the distance, let's just say that Atai and Ahai, the sons of the rebel king Gao, are still absconding.

According to the news, before our army besieged Gule City, Wang Gao sent one of his two sons to Mongolia, and the other to lobby among the Jurchen tribes, hoping to promote their joint attack.

It's just that our army is advancing so fast that we don't give them a chance to attack together.

Nowadays, Liaodong is still full of dangers. I am transferred away at this juncture, and the general is really worried about the safety there. "

Li Chengliang talked eloquently in front of Wang Daokun. Now he can only hug Wang Shilang's thigh tightly, otherwise he will have no one in the capital and cannot even discuss with this person.

After all, the place in Liaodong is not as good as Jiangnan, where the literary style flourishes, nor can it be compared with other places in the north. From the founding of the People's Republic of China to the present, the number of Jinshi in Liaodong is only about seventy.

Most of these people were Jinshi during the Chenghua period. However, in the two imperial examinations during the Longqing period, only one person was on the list. Because he ranked low, he was sent to another place as an official.

In the capital, it is impossible to follow common sense and find a fellow countryman who is an official in the court to get information.

This is the only person in front of me who is considered a high-ranking official of the imperial court and can help speak in the court, so naturally he must catch him.

"You don't have to worry about Liaodong. No matter what happens there now, it has nothing to do with you."

Wang Daokun smiled and shook his head and said, "Besides, Qi Laohu is now in charge of military affairs there. You wouldn't think that his reputation as the chief military officer of Ji Town is in vain, right?"

When Wang Daokun came to Liaodong, Li Chengliang kept the stove hot, so now he thought he should be able to get some useful information from him, so he solemnly said to him: "Master Wang, I don't know what the imperial court is doing. ?

Now that Liaodong is in turmoil, leaving me in the capital is not considered a temporary change of generals. "

When Wang Daokun heard this, he glanced outside the door first. Seeing no one, he whispered: "It is not the intention of the Ministry of War to keep you in Beijing. The Ministry of War originally thought it would be good for you to be in charge of Liaodong."

"hiss"

Wang Daokun's words really frightened Li Chengliang. It was not the Ministry of War's intention to keep him, but it could only be the intention of the three cabinet ministers.

Li Chengliang had no joy at all in being promoted from the right governor to the left governor. In fact, both the left and right governors were of the same rank. There was not much difference, it just sounded nice to say it.

He still likes real rights, because only rights can bring benefits.

If you stay in the capital, it doesn't matter if you are the governor of the left. There are at least four governors of the left in the capital, and there are a lot of counts, marquises and even dukes above them. How can you be as strong as the local emperor in Liaodong?

Knowing that he had no hope of going back, Li Chengliang could only accept his fate.

I am a fish and a fish, so I can only wait.

"Why, you're worried, haha."

Seeing Li Chengliang's appearance, Wang Daokun chuckled and said, "General Li has just made great achievements in Liaodong. What are you worried about?"

"The last general, a rough man from the countryside, can't stand the rules of the court."

Li Chengliang could only say modestly, "I just don't know which of the adults in the court is interested in it, and I would like to ask Mr. Wang to inform me."

"Doesn't General Li have any guesses about who can influence the Ministry of War?"

Wang Daokun still had that smiling face and said calmly.

really.

Li Chengliang secretly thought in his heart that when he was named to come to Beijing, Li Chengliang had some suspicions.

The person behind Qi Jiguang is too obvious.

There are three people in the cabinet. Zhang Juzheng oversees the general affairs, Wei Guangde is mainly responsible for military matters, and Lu Tiaoyang is mainly responsible for civil affairs. It is said that the division of labor between the three is clear.

Since it was Qi Jiguang who arrived in Liaodong inexplicably, Li Chengliang naturally suspected Wei Guangde's role in it, otherwise how could he send the general troops of Jizhen here.

Now that Wang Daokun Yanming is there, he naturally knows that he has guessed correctly.

However, he didn't know whether staying in Beijing was a blessing or a curse for him.

Li Chengliang's face was uncertain, but in Wang Daokun's eyes he just felt funny.

Many officials want to stay in Kyoto but can't. Don't think that military generals should choose to go on business trips and lead troops in local places, but in fact this is only the idea of ​​​​some ambitious generals.

For most generals, staying in Beijing and enjoying happiness is what they pursue.

No matter where you are, you are earning military pay anyway, and you will get a lot of money.

That is to say, the consumption level in Beijing is higher, but the services you enjoy are also better.

"What are you worried about, Ru Qi? I can see how your expression changes. It doesn't matter if you say it in front of me."

Wang Daokun smiled.

"Master Wang, the last general is a rough man. He only knows how to lead troops and fight. Now he suddenly wants to stay in Beijing and serve as an official. I'm worried that he won't be able to do well."

Li Chengliang replied with a wry smile.

"hehe."

Wang Daokun just smiled and didn't answer.

Li Chengliang finally couldn't sit still and said in a slightly aggrieved tone: "Master Wang, you know the last general, you are a vulgar Wufuer. I really would rather be stationed in the border town than be an official in the capital. I don't know what the imperial court is." How to arrange the final general?"

"You"

After saying these two words, Wang Daokun shook his head slightly and said, "Even if you want to stay in the capital, I'm afraid it will be difficult. Enjoy your time in the capital. The court has its own arrangements."

Hearing Wang Daokun's words, Li Chengliang felt happy, knowing that Wang Daokun knew the truth, at least roughly what the situation was.

The imperial court has arrangements, should he be allowed to take over the post of chief military officer of Jizhen?

The idea was dismissed by him as soon as it came up.

Impossible, he has no support in the court and cannot be trusted to guard Ji Town.

Moreover, relatively speaking, he, Li Chengliang, was more willing to stay in Liaodong and make contributions.

If it were during the Jiajing Dynasty, Ji Town would be a good place, but not now.

But since Wang Daokun mentioned it, he naturally knew about it, and perhaps had plans to tell him.

"Master Wang, please inform the general, otherwise I will always feel uneasy."

Seeing the drama, Li Chengliang immediately stood up and respectfully spoke to Wang Daokun.

"Don't ask about this matter. Just relax and play in the capital for a few days. When the time comes, you will go to the Right Army Governor's Mansion to sit in court."

Wang Daokun knew the news about Li Chengliang's stay in Beijing two days ago. Although he didn't understand Wei Guangde's plan, he had more or less guessed about the news about Beijing and the Ministry of War.

In particular, he is also in charge of the Ministry of War's financial expenditure, so he also knows some things that the outside world does not know.

That is, Liu Shouyou had borrowed a large sum of money from the Ministry of War before, saying that he was sending people on foreign missions.

Everyone thought that the Jinyiwei were pro-military, as if all expenses should come from the inner court, but in fact this was not the case.

The Jinyiwei's expenses are actually the expenses of the Ministry of War.

At the same time, spies are spread out in the four directions of southeast, northwest, and the amount of activity funds that need to be prepared is definitely not a small amount.

With such a large expenditure, he would naturally have to intervene.

Although Liu Shouyou did not tell the details, the general direction could not be concealed.

Although Wei Guangde often consults files from the Ministry of War, his biggest move in recent times is undoubtedly to check all the military newspapers about Yunnan from the Jiajing Dynasty to the present. The cabinet actually transferred one copy of them all.

The unusual flavor was so strong that the scribe responsible for copying it all noticed the difference.

It's just a matter of military affairs, and most people won't talk nonsense outside.

But when asked by the Minister of War, he would naturally not keep it secret.

So doubts arose.

There were many reports from the Jiajing Dynasty outside Yunnan, and they were all reports of three announcements and six comforts quarreling with each other and attacking each other.

After losing the battle, all parties acted like Ming Dynasty, hoping that Ming Dynasty would come forward to stop the other party's aggression against them.

However, after the middle and late Jiajing Dynasty, such reports became significantly less frequent, and even basically disappeared.

Those scribes are certainly not fools. To say that everyone in the Southwest Peninsula is at peace and no longer attacks each other, someone has to believe it.

Looking at the previous handling of the court, it was obvious that they were weak and weak, which should have made them lose confidence, so even if they lost, they would not bother to seek justice from the so-called suzerain country of Ming Dynasty.

This news naturally reached Wang Daokun's ears.

The affairs of the Jiajing Dynasty naturally had nothing to do with him.

However, he could sense something unusual from the southwest.

But this time, the imperial court kept Li Chengliang in Beijing and appointed him as the Left Governor of the Right Army Governor's Office. The Right Army was not only in charge of military affairs in the direction of Yunnan. If there was to be a fight, the troops from the Right Army Governor's Office would definitely be dispatched.

Therefore, Wang Daokun had actually guessed Wei Guangde's plan, but it was related to Mr. Ge. Wang Daokun really didn't dare to expose the truth to Li Chengliang at this time.

But seeing that Li Chengliang still wanted to ask questions, he simply said: "You can stay in the capital with peace of mind, and someone will naturally talk to you when the time comes.

It's probably not a bad thing. It's probably because they value your ability to fight, but they just need to transfer you to other directions.

Ruqi, don’t you think that our Ming Dynasty only has one foreign enemy in the north? "

In the end, Wang Daokun still did not tell Li Chengliang his guess, but only gave appropriate hints.

After Li Chengliang reported to the Ministry of War, he still temporarily lived in the post house, but he still arranged for his soldiers to find a place in the capital to find a place to live.

Although he didn't get the information he wanted from Wang Daokun, Li Chengliang's restless heart temporarily settled down.

If the imperial court just wants to transfer him to fight in other directions, he is not afraid.

Soldiers originally rely on battlefield achievements to accumulate merit.

What he fears most is that he will be trapped in the capital with no place to make meritorious deeds. Then when he gets old, his children will have to follow his old path again.

It was difficult to get a job, so the family really had no hope.

This is because he is eager to make great achievements so that he can be awarded a title. At least there is hope for his children.

Although at the moment, it is too difficult for Ming Dynasty to be knighted.

"Dad, don't you think the imperial court wants to transfer our family to the southwest? I heard that the barbarians there often rebel."

When talking about the matter back at the inn, Li Rusong analyzed it.

"Your father is in charge of the right army, not the southwest one. It seems like that."

When Li Chengliang sent the army, he actually guessed it, but he didn't know that Wei Guangde was planning to let him conquer Burma, and thought he was letting him pacify the southwest.

Who is the most dazzling general in the Ming army now?

Not the one who was once exclaimed by Emperor Jiajing as "not as brave as Ma Fang", nor Qi Laohu, who relied on the Qi family army to gain fame, but Yu Dayou, the admiral of the Nanhai Navy, who served as the admiral of military affairs as a military general. This is a governor-level official position. In the past, it could only be held by civilian officials.

Li Chengliang naturally knows Yu Dayou's experience.

In fact, he knew very well the previous experiences of people like Yu Dayou, Ma Fang, and Qi Jiguang.

Yu Dayou fought against Japanese pirates in the southeast and served as the chief military officer of Zhejiang Province. He was later convicted and imprisoned in the capital for two years. Then he led troops in Datong to attack Bansheng City and was reinstated.

After that, it would take another year to go to the southwest to suppress the rebellion.

It can be said that Yu Dayou's achievements are not only in the north, but also in the east, north and west. He has proven his strength through military exploits.

And what about Qi Jiguang?

They defeated the Japanese pirates in the east, and then defeated the Duoyan Sanwei in Jizhen, but they were inferior to the results in the west.

Thinking of this, Li Chengliang whispered his analysis to his eldest son Li Rusong.

"Rusong, do you think the court really values ​​being a father and plans to let me practice everywhere?"

Li Chengliang asked in a low voice, "Look at that Yu Dayou. Not only does he have the naval divisions of the four southeastern provinces in his hands, but he is also the commander-in-chief of Guangxi. It can be said that if the Ming Dynasty wants to send troops to the south, it must be him. He is not running away."

Before becoming a father, I had only fought in Liaodong. The court was not sure of using me, so it sent me to fight elsewhere to test my skills? "

"Maybe that's it."

Li Rusong nodded and said with a smile, "I'm not afraid of that. If we fight a war, our family doesn't just have the power to fight."

(End of this chapter)