Jiuxi

Chapter 510 Chapter 508 [Green Mountain Pines and Cypresses]

Spring returns to the earth and everything revives.

The sun cleared and the capital ushered in a rare good weather.

Looking at the spring scenery is not only a hobby of young people, but also older people are even more greedy for this warm spring scenery.

Although Li Duan is still middle-aged, he is more aware of the ruthlessness of time, so the little time left becomes increasingly rare.

Although the flowers in the Royal Garden have not yet ushered in the blooming season, the green color can already be seen, exuding joyful vitality.

"I sometimes wonder why flowers fade and flowers bloom, and the four seasons reincarnate."

In the moon-viewing pavilion, Li Duan was sitting on a reclining chair specially prepared by the Shaofu Palace Supervisor, looking at the scenery in the garden and sighing softly.

There was an old man sitting on a round stool next to him. Hearing this, he chuckled and said, "Your Majesty's question is too profound for me to answer."

The corners of Li Duan's lips raised slightly: "I think there is nothing in this world that Mr. Li doesn't understand."

He couldn't help but smile and said with emotion: "This is enough. No one is perfect. There is no one who can be perfect in all aspects. Take Lu Chen as an example. He is a minister who I have single-handedly promoted and valued. , whether in Northern Xinjiang, Beijing, or Shazhou, he did his best to fulfill my instructions. In the eyes of many people, Lu Chen is a perfect minister, and he is still so young, and he will definitely be the pillar of the country that I leave to the prince in the future. "

Li Daoyan sighed and said: "The great righteousness is not compromised, but the small details are."

Li Daoyan laughed and said, "Unexpectedly, I turned into a monster in His Majesty's eyes."

Li Duan continued: "Of course this idea is not wrong. I do plan to arrange Lu Chen's future that way. It's just that I know Lu Chen better than others. This young man is very thoughtful and wary, until he Only after he came back from Shazhou did he really put down his guard against me. In the past few years, no matter where he was, he would hide his true thoughts and manage his image according to the world's standards for a loyal minister. "

This was the first time he talked about Lu Chen in front of Li Daoyan.

Not to mention that Li Daoyan, as the leader of the Jiangnan clan, had been on the opposite side of the emperor for a long time in the past, including the resolution of the Northern Expedition that was not passed for the first time until two years ago.

At this point, he sighed and said sincerely: "So in my heart, there is nothing in this world that Prime Minister Li can't do."

Of course Li Duan's words were just a joke, but then he recalled the past with emotion.

Li Daoyan couldn't help but chuckle and said: "Your Majesty, if Marquis Shanyang hears these words, I am afraid he will not be able to sleep all night."

Throughout the ups and downs of the past fifteen years, the monarch and his ministers have worked hand in hand, but there have also been many disputes and contradictions.

"Your Majesty's compliment, I am truly worthy of it."

If Xue Nanting were here, he would probably tactfully admonish the emperor, fearing that he would be too suspicious of Lu Chen.

The old man is Li Daoyan, the left prime minister of the court. It has not yet passed the fifteenth day of the first lunar month and the court is still on vacation, so today it is the emperor who invites him to the palace.

Li Duan said calmly: "Why should you be ashamed?"

To put it more seriously, this is called using power for personal gain.

Li Duan also smiled lightly and said in a calm tone: "I just find it interesting. Lu Tong and Xiao Wangzhi were Yang Guangyuan's old subordinates back then. It is normal for them to be wary of me and the court. I do not force them to do anything to me. Loyalty, as long as they keep Daqi and hundreds of millions of people in their hearts. However, Lu Chen is in his twenties and has never experienced Yang Guangyuan's era. He is not the kind of person who is loyal and filial, but he seems to be born with an understanding of the human heart. , isn’t it interesting to know how to protect yourself?”

In just fifteen years, the Jinlin Li family could stand out from the first-class families in the south of the Yangtze River and become the head of the nine families recognized by the world. Naturally, it was inseparable from Li Daoyan's care and preference for his family.

"Although it's a joke, it can be considered a sentiment. How could I forget that fifteen years ago, I fled across the Yangtze River like a bereaved dog and traveled to various places. I thought that the building would collapse and die without a burial place. It was Prime Minister Li and Duke Jing who went to Huzhou Liuhe Mansion found me and escorted me all the way to Yongjia. It was you who helped me ascend the throne. In those years, I was worried about internal and external troubles. It was Li Xiang who helped me stabilize the government, and Jing Guogong prepared the Beijing army for me. Even if we are lucky enough to be alive, we are just waiting to die, and Daqi has long since ceased to exist."

Li Daoyan's answer is not very hypocritical.

Li Duan turned around and saw that the old man looked calm and his eyes were candid.

The old man listened quietly.

However, Li Daoyan really understood the emperor's thoughts very well, and even Qin Zheng couldn't compare with him in this regard.

In fact, this is not surprising. After all, he has watched Li Duan grow from a wandering prince step by step to a king who has such power and power that no one dares to harbor evil intentions even if he is suffering from illness. In the past fifteen years, the old man was both a witness and a bystander of every major event that happened in Daqi and every decision made by Li Duan.

Therefore, Li Daoyan just said gently: "Your Majesty is right, no one is perfect. The Marquis of Shanyang can achieve this, which is better than most people in the world."

Li Duan smiled and said: "So I have always felt that I have a heart-to-heart connection with Mr. Li. I give absolute trust to Lu Chen, and Mr. Li also sent his most valued juniors to him."

Li Daoyan was not surprised, because he did not hide anything from anyone when he asked Li Gongxu to become his apprentice. With the Warp Weaving Department's current control over the capital, perhaps Qin Zheng sent the news in the night when Li Gongxu first entered the Shanyang Marquis Mansion. In the palace.

He said calmly: "The family has been in a family for hundreds of years, and it is hard to eliminate the atmosphere of decay. Fortunately, the old minister's grandson is not stupid yet. Let him follow Shanyang Marquis to gain experience outside, broaden his mind, and maybe he will have a better understanding of the future of the Li family. There are some benefits.”

"It is inevitable for a husband to be unfilial even if his wife is unvirtuous." Li Duan laughed at himself and took a breath: "At the beginning, I also considered whether to let the three princes go on a tour to prevent them from living in the palace for a long time. In the hands of the woman, I just considered the difficult situation outside, so I couldn't make up my mind in the end. Now it seems that I shouldn't be looking forward and backward, maybe I won't be in this situation."

The three princes are now dead and imprisoned, leaving only the second prince to support the future of Daqi alone.

Li Daoyan's mood was a little complicated.

He knew very well that the emperor's condition was deteriorating rapidly, and the departure of the eldest prince was a very fatal blow.

Even though the emperor had never expressed his sadness in front of outsiders, Li Daoyan understood the pain of a white-haired person sending a black-haired person away, and he also knew that this was the reason why it was difficult for the emperor to continue to persevere.

However, this kind of pain could not be relieved by words. The old man could only whisper: "Your Majesty, the deceased is gone."

"I know."

Li Duan raised his head slightly and said calmly but resolutely: "I went to see Lao San once before, and I could see that he still harbored hidden resentment. Although he did not participate in the rebellion, it was not because he didn't want to, but because he Knowing that those people have no chance of winning, I told him very clearly that after the boss died, I couldn't bear to kill another son with my own hands. If he thought this was his chance to cross the thunder again, I would not hesitate to take it. his life."

Li Daoyan actually understands this feeling very well.

Li Shizhi has been extremely honest recently, focusing solely on the government affairs of the Ministry of Rites. He has never met anyone else in private, except for the palace, the official office of the Ministry of Rites, and the Li family mansion.

But Li Daoyan knew that Li Shizhi's behavior was just an illusion.

He couldn't place his hopes on his son's awakening like the emperor did, nor could he think of solving the problem by relying on backhand, because Li Shizhi was not the third prince, and the Jinlin Li family was not from the Tian family.

At this moment, after hearing the emperor's candid statement, Li Daoyan gradually realized that this was an explanation full of trust.

The monarch and his ministers have been side by side for fifteen years. They have experienced countless ups and downs, conflicts and countless tacit cooperation.

Li Daoyan originally thought that he would watch the emperor recreate the grand scene of peace in the Qi Dynasty, and then leave this world contentedly, but he did not expect that the sky would be so ruthless that he would let the emperor walk in front of him.

When he thought of this, the old man's tone trembled slightly and his expression was sad: "Your Majesty..."

"Cough cough."

Li Duan raised his hand and pressed his chest, and said with a forced smile: "Prime Minister Li, there is no need to do this. Birth, old age, illness and death are the normal course of life, and I am not immune to it. Now a great victory on the border is expected, and this battle can temporarily dissuade the emperor of Jingguo from going south. , it can ensure peace on the border for several years. The implementation of the border law can strengthen the court's control over various places in the south of the Yangtze River. A sufficient treasury is more important to the prince. After a few years of border troops, the central government does not have to worry about the recurrence of the troubles of separatism a hundred years ago. "

He spoke one by one, and Li Daoyan listened carefully, keeping every word in his heart.

Li Duan continued: "I can't do anything more. I can only leave the prince a worry-free situation for three to five years. From now on, he will have to rely on himself and all the ministers in the court. Regarding the structure of the court, I We have also made some arrangements, and there should be no problems in the short term. Perhaps in the eyes of others, I deliberately kept Lu Chen in the capital to rely on him to take charge of the overall situation and ensure that the prince takes power smoothly. I do not deny the former. His reputation is enough to intimidate Xiao Xiao, but I cannot rely on him to maintain the overall situation of the court. "

He turned to look at Li Daoyan and said, "It's not that I don't trust him, it's just that he doesn't have the reputation and qualifications yet."

Li Daoyan nodded and said, "Old minister, I understand."

Li Duan was silent for a moment, looked at the white-haired prime minister, and said sincerely: "Prime Minister Li, after my death, the prince and the court will be entrusted to you."

Li Daoyan stood up.

Li Duan said regretfully and guiltily: "It was you who protected me from ascending the throne. I thought I could give you a hundred years in person to complete the relationship between king and minister. I didn't expect that my body is so unsatisfactory. I can only work hard for you." Support the prince one more time."

"Your Majesty, there is no need to say more."

Li Daoyan's lips moved and he said word by word: "I have received many favors from the emperor and have nothing to repay. I will definitely do my best to live up to His Majesty and Da Qi, and I will never live up to the expectations that I have cherished for decades."

Li Duan nodded slightly.

Li Daoyan bowed.

The spring breeze passed through the imperial garden, blowing the old man's clothes and sleeves.

The wind whimpered, like a sob.

In this weeping wind, it seems that all the past of this monarch and his ministers is hidden.

Those ambitious words, those sleepless nights.

Those quarrels and concessions, those hand in hand and side by side.

There are also countless joys and sorrows, all integrated into the wind, floating to the ends of the earth.

(End of this chapter)