Daming: I can’t kill such a greedy prince-in-law?

This veiled threat made Qi Tai feel extremely uncomfortable.

When Qi Tai was in the Ministry of Works, he had already established a firm foothold in the court with his achievements in the construction of the Beijing-Pingcheng Railway. However, he is now casually classified by Ouyang Lun as a "probationary official", which is undoubtedly a devaluation of his abilities and qualifications.

Secondly, Ouyang Lun mentioned "putting national affairs first" many times during the conversation. On the surface, he was emphasizing the importance of the military cabinet, but in fact he was warning Qi Tai not to get involved in factional struggles.

Qi Tai knew clearly that Ouyang Lun was hinting at him not to work for the Huaixi Party, let alone try to check and balance him.

This naked suppression made Qi Tai angry. Qi Tai's entry into the military cabinet was Li Shanchang's plan to check and balance Ouyang Lun's power. However, Ouyang Lun tried to make him give up his position with a few light words, which was obviously impossible.

What made Qi Tai even more dissatisfied was that Ouyang Lun maintained a condescending attitude and a kind of contempt throughout the conversation, as if he never took Qi Tai seriously.

He neither expressed real recognition of Qi Tai's achievements nor made any specific suggestions for his future work. Instead, he always showed an attitude of "You are just a newcomer, don't think too much."

This attitude made Qi Tai feel that he was being looked down upon. When he was in the Ministry of Industry, he had won the respect of the court with his ability and hard work. But now he was treated like this by Ouyang Lun, and it was natural that he felt unbalanced.

In addition, Ouyang Lun mentioned "Your Majesty" many times during the conversation, which seemed to imply to Qi Tai that his entry into the military cabinet was entirely due to the emperor's grace, not Li Shanchang's support.

Qi Tai was also dissatisfied with this deliberate downplaying of Li Shanchang's role. Although Qi Tai was loyal to the emperor, he knew that his current position was inseparable from Li Shanchang's cultivation and the support of the Huaixi Party. Ouyang Lun tried to sow discord between him and Li Shanchang, a tactic that Qi Tai despised.

After leaving the military cabinet, Qi Tai stood outside the palace gate, looked up at the sky, and thought to himself: "Ouyang Lun is indeed a tough opponent as Lord Li said. He was very careful in his words, and he not only warned me but also tried to make me give up my position. However, he underestimated me. Although I, Qi Tai, do not like to fight, I am definitely not a soft persimmon that can be manipulated by others. Since he is so arrogant, I don't have to be polite to him anymore."

Thinking of this, Qi Tai's eyes gradually became firm.

He knew that after entering the military cabinet, he was destined to engage in a secret contest with Ouyang Lun. Ouyang Lun's arrogance and contempt aroused his fighting spirit. He secretly made up his mind to gain a firm foothold in the military cabinet, gradually accumulate strength, and strive for more initiative for the Huaixi Party.

"Ouyang Lun, do you think you can make me surrender with just a few words? That's too naive." Qi Tai sneered in his heart, then walked away, with a resolute look in his back. He knew that this game had just begun, and he would never give up easily.

After Qi Tai returned to the office, the unhappiness of being looked down upon by Ouyang Lun was like a thorn in his throat, and it took a long time to calm down.

He stood in front of the window, looking at the vigorous old pine tree in the courtyard, his eyes gradually became firm. He knew that he had to prove with practical actions that he, Qi Tai, was not a soft persimmon that could be easily manipulated.

From that day on, Qi Tai began to devote himself to the work of the military cabinet. He first carefully sorted out his responsibilities and found that the allocation of military supplies and logistical support, although trivial, were the key to the operation of the entire military system.

Qi Tai knew very well that if he could make achievements in this field, he would not only win prestige for himself, but also gain more initiative for the Huaixi Party.

He found several trusted staff members and analyzed the current military supply situation in detail. He found that although the material reserves were sufficient, the deployment efficiency was low. In particular, the garrisons in remote areas often got into trouble because of the untimely transportation of materials. Qi Tai realized that this was where he could show his talents.

Therefore, he personally drafted a detailed reform plan, including optimizing transportation routes, setting up transfer stations, introducing an assessment mechanism, etc. In order to ensure the feasibility of the plan, Qi Tai also personally visited several important material warehouses and transportation hubs, and even followed the convoy in a transportation mission, experienced the entire transportation process, and discovered many problems in details.

After the plan was formulated, Qi Tai did not delay and immediately convened a meeting of relevant officials to announce the reform measures.

He said at the meeting in a firm tone: "Military supplies are related to the life and death of soldiers on the front line, and there is no room for carelessness. From today on, all material allocations must be strictly implemented in accordance with the new regulations. Those who slack off will be severely punished!" Qi Tai's swift and decisive action surprised many officials. They originally thought that this new cabinet member was just going through the motions, but they didn't expect him to be so serious.

In order to ensure that the reform measures were implemented, Qi Tai did not rely entirely on his subordinates, but personally participated in various tasks.

He often appeared in the material warehouse to check the storage of materials; he would also suddenly appear in the transport convoy to check whether the materials were delivered on time. Once, he found that an official deliberately delayed the allocation of materials, resulting in a batch of military supplies not being delivered to the front line in time. Qi Tai immediately ordered his dismissal and personally took over the subsequent allocation work. This hands-on attitude made many officials look at Qi Tai with new eyes. They began to realize that this new cabinet member was not just here to "gild", but really wanted to make some achievements.

At the same time, Qi Tai did not forget his original intention of entering the military cabinet - to gain more initiative for the Huaixi Party. While promoting reforms, he also maintained close communication with other members of the Huaixi Party to ensure that every step he took would benefit the Huaixi Party.

For example, in the process of allocating materials, Qi Tai deliberately assigned some important transportation tasks to the caravans controlled by the Huaixi Party, which not only improved efficiency but also gained practical benefits for the Huaixi Party. He also obtained a lot of intelligence about Ouyang Lun and his faction through the Huaixi Party's network of relationships, preparing for future games.

As time went by, Qi Tai's reform measures gradually showed results.

The efficiency of material allocation has been greatly improved, and the supply problem of the frontline soldiers has been effectively solved. The evaluation of Qi Tai by the court has also begun to change, and many people have begun to recognize his ability and contribution. Qi Tai did not become complacent because he knew that his game with Ouyang Lun had just begun. He continued to keep a low profile in the military cabinet and quietly accumulated strength. He knew that only by gaining a firm foothold could he take the initiative in future struggles.

While Qi Tai was working hard, he was also secretly planning. He used his authority in the allocation of military supplies to gradually expand his influence.
He promoted some capable young officials and trained them to be his confidants; at the same time, he also used the relationship with the Huaixi Party to win over some originally neutral cabinet members, gradually weakening Ouyang Lun's power. Qi Tai knew in his heart that Ouyang Lun would never sit back and watch him grow stronger. He had to stay vigilant at all times and wait for the right opportunity to give Ouyang Lun a fatal blow.

A few months later, the results of Qi Tai's reforms in the military cabinet gradually emerged. The efficiency of material allocation was greatly improved, and the supply problem of the front-line soldiers was effectively solved. The evaluation of Qi Tai by the court and the people began to change, and many people began to recognize his ability and contribution. These changes naturally did not escape Ouyang Lun's eyes and ears.

One day, Ouyang Lun was reading official documents in his study when several trusted officials came in hurriedly, with some anxiety on their faces. The leading official was named Chen Qian, Ouyang Lun's right-hand man in the military cabinet. As soon as he entered the room, he said anxiously: "Sir, Qi Tai's actions have been getting bigger and bigger recently. Not only has he implemented reforms in the allocation of military supplies, he has also promoted many young officials and even started to win over some neutral cabinet members. If this continues, I'm afraid his power will become stronger and stronger, which is not good for us!"

Another official echoed, "Yes, sir. Although Qi Tai is new, he is quite sophisticated. Not only does he do things himself, he also gradually expands his influence through the Huaixi Party's network. If we allow him to continue, I'm afraid he will threaten our position in the cabinet."

Ouyang Lun listened to his subordinates' report, but he did not show any panic. He put down the documents in his hand, smiled slightly, and said calmly: "You don't have to worry too much. I have seen through Qi Tai. Although he has some talents, he is just a newcomer and his foundation is still shallow. His little tricks are just to prove himself."

Seeing Ouyang Lun so calm, Chen Qian still had doubts in his heart, and couldn't help asking: "Sir, Qi Tai's reforms are indeed quite effective, and the morale of the soldiers on the front line has been greatly boosted. If his reputation in the court grows, I'm afraid it will be disadvantageous to us."

Ouyang Lun shook his head slightly, his eyes revealing a hint of depth: "You only see the surface, but not the essence. Qi Tai's reforms are indeed effective, but he overlooked one point - the more eager he is to show off, the more likely he is to expose his weaknesses. He thought he could gain a foothold with these small fights, but he didn't know that the ever-changing situation in the court was far beyond his control."

At this point, Ouyang Lun stood up, walked to the window, looked at the vigorous old pine in the courtyard, and slowly said: "Qi Tai is backed by the Huaixi Party, and the Huaixi Party's foundation lies in Li Shanchang. Although Li Shanchang is shrewd and calculating, his influence in the court has been much less than before in recent years. Your Majesty's attitude towards the Huaixi Party is also quite subtle. The more eager Qi Tai is to show off, the more likely it is to arouse Your Majesty's suspicion. By then, he will find that he is just a pawn."

After listening to Ouyang Lun's analysis, the anxiety on Chen Qian and others' faces gradually dissipated. They realized that the reason why Ouyang Lun was so calm was because he had already seen through Qi Tai's trump card. Ouyang Lun continued: "Although Qi Tai's reforms are effective, they have also affected the interests of many people. Those officials who were dismissed by him must have resentment towards him. We just need to wait and see, and when the time is right, we can use others to completely suppress him."

Chen Qian nodded, a smile on his face: "Your Excellency is indeed far-sighted. Although Qi Tai has some tricks, he can't escape your control after all."

Ouyang Lun smiled slightly, with a bit of confidence in his tone: "The affairs of the court have always been carefully planned step by step, and we can't be impatient. The more anxious Qi Tai is to show off, the more likely he is to reveal his flaws. We just need to use calmness to control movement, and wait for him to lose his composure, and then we can defeat him in one fell swoop."

After saying that, Ouyang Lun turned back to the desk, picked up the official document again, and said calmly: "You don't have to worry about Qi Tai's affairs anymore. Just continue to do your own work and wait for the opportunity."

Seeing Ouyang Lun so confident, Chen Qian and the others' worries completely disappeared. They bowed respectfully and then left the study.

After his men left, Ouyang Lun put down the documents in his hand, and a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes. He whispered to himself: "Qi Tai, do you think you can compete with me with these little tricks? That's too naive. The chess game in the court has long been under my control. The more you struggle, the more you will find that you are just a trapped beast fighting."

After saying this, Ouyang Lun picked up the document again and his expression returned to calm. He knew that the initiative of this game was always in his hands. And Qi Tai was just a chess piece in this game.

For several months, Ouyang Lun has focused on the assessment of military cabinet officials.

This assessment was huge in scale and involved officials at all levels, from the grassroots centurions to the middle-level leaders, without exception.

Ouyang Lun personally supervised the assessment, and the assessment standards were strict, not only examining the ability and achievements of officials, but also focusing on their loyalty and background. On the surface, this assessment was to rectify the atmosphere of the military cabinet and improve the quality of officials, but in fact it was a hidden secret.

The results of the assessment came out soon, and hundreds of unqualified officials were removed from the military cabinet, most of whom were members of the Huaixi Party.

These people were either incompetent or had made mistakes during their tenure, and some were even found to be corrupt and derelict in their duties. Ouyang Lun cleared them out one by one with thunderous means, without mercy.

At the same time, dozens of outstanding grassroots officials and centurions were promoted, most of whom were young talents with outstanding abilities and outstanding political achievements. However, a closer look revealed that among these promoted officials, there were very few people from the Huaixi Party, and only a few such as Qi Tai were spared.

This result caused quite a stir in the court.

Members of the Huaixi Party discussed the matter privately. Some were indignant, thinking that Ouyang Lun was using the name of the assessment to suppress the Huaixi Party; others were secretly worried that they would be the next target to be purged.

However, Ouyang Lun was very calm about this. He publicly stated at the court meeting: "This assessment is aimed at selecting truly capable and responsible officials for the military cabinet. No matter who they are, as long as they can serve the country, I will treat them equally. As for those officials who were eliminated, it was just because of their lack of ability or bad character, and it has nothing to do with factions." (End of this chapter)