Thief Emperor

Chapter 967 Letter from home
When he first started his business, Li always led the charge in every battle, and he fought for several years.

However, after his career grew, especially after he became the king of Jiangdong, he rarely commanded wars personally. Occasionally he went to the front line only to supervise the battle or coordinate the overall situation.

Because in the later stages, there was no one worthy of him fighting in person.

Ultimately, this is actually a leadership at the institutional level. When Li Yun started his business, the military system, structure, and concepts were far superior to those of the natives of that era.

When he was in Jiangdong and only managed the three regions south of the Yangtze River, he spent a lot of money on the army, and the treatment of the army was almost as good as that of the imperial guards of the old Zhou Dynasty.

If it weren't for a series of small tricks, he would not have been able to support the Jiangdong Army at all.

It was only after a series of huge investments that the autumn wind swept away the fallen leaves.

By now, Li has become the emperor and has been away from the battlefield for a long time. Now reading the military reports sent back from the front line, he can't help but feel his blood boiling.

Because the leader of the village, Li, was actually a very warlike and reckless man. Even today, he is still a warmonger at heart, but he has suppressed his passion with rationality.

After looking at the map of Hebei Province for a long time, he turned his head and looked at Wu Erlang, smiling and said, "To be honest, Brother Wu, I haven't personally commanded a war for more than ten years. Now that the war has started on the front line, I am itching to get my hands dirty."

Wu Yuanyou hesitated for a moment, then sighed, "Your Majesty, although I am an outsider, I dare to give you a few suggestions. Since my father, the world has been in chaos, and it has only been peaceful for a few years. Your Majesty is itching to do something..."

"It's not a good thing for the people."

"Itchy hands mean itchy hands."

Emperor Li was not someone who could not listen to opinions. He did not care when he heard this. He just smiled and said, "Whether you really have to go to the battlefield or not, I have been locked up in Luoyang City by the government and cannot move."

For seven whole years, Li Yun never left Luoyang except for a trip to Chang'an in Guanzhong.

It's not that he doesn't want to move, but the situation doesn't allow it.

All in all, transportation in that era was still too backward, and the emperor's travel was complicated and cumbersome. If he wanted to go out for some activities, it would take at least several months to go back and forth.

In the previous few years, the country was just beginning to be established, and the court system and all aspects were in their embryonic stage. There were many things that needed him to do, and many things also required him to make the final decision.

I can't move now.

However, by this year, all aspects of the court have become perfect and can basically operate on their own.

Li Yun no longer has to be trapped in the city of Luoyang. If the time is right, he can actually go out for a walk.

After chatting with Wu Yuanyou for a while, Li Yun finally got down to business. He looked at Wu Yuanyou and said, "To be honest, the chaos caused by Wu Zhou lasted for far more than 20 years, so I have never liked the Wu Zhou royal family very much."

"However, the accounts from that year have been settled. What we agreed to do in the past is what we will do in the future. Brother Wu is a rare sensible person in the Wu family. You must keep an eye on the Wu family from now on."

"Stop making it difficult for the court in the future."

Wu Yuanyou was a very smart man, so he naturally understood what Li Yun meant. He nodded without hesitation and said, "Your Majesty, rest assured. I will manage the Wu family well."

He took a deep breath and continued, "At least as long as I live, I will not let the Wu family cause trouble for Your Majesty or the court."

"As for me after you..."

When he said this, Emperor Li patted his shoulder and said with a smile: "Don't think too much about what will happen after you die. Not only you can't control it, but I can't control it either. Let's just do our job well in the Zhangwu Dynasty."

"All right."

Emperor Li took a letter from the table and said with a smile, "I still have some things to do. Brother Wu, if you have nothing else to do, you can go back."

Wu Yuanyou quickly bowed his head and left Ganlu Hall.

Emperor Li took the letter and went all the way to the harem, where he found Concubine Liu's palace.

At this time, the imperial concubine was teaching a little girl of five or six years old to read and write. After hearing the palace servants singing that the emperor had arrived, she hurriedly took the little girl to the palace gate to greet him. When she was about to bow, Emperor Li held her hand.

"Family, why are you so polite?"

Emperor Li picked up the little girl with his other hand, kissed her on the cheek, and said with a smile: "My dear daughter, do you miss your father?"

Over the years, Li Yun and Concubine Liu had two children. The eldest son was naturally Li Yun's second son Li Zheng, and this little girl was their second child. Her full name was Li Ling and her nickname was Afu.

She is the third among many imperial daughters and is the current third princess.

Li Yun was very close to his first two concubines, now Concubine Liu and Concubine Lu. In addition, Concubine Liu and the Empress were sworn sisters and were very close to each other. He was also very fond of his third daughter.

The third princess was only a little over six years old at this time. After being kissed by Li Yun, she put her arms around the emperor's neck and kissed Emperor Li on the face. She smiled and said, "I haven't seen my father for a few days."

Emperor Li was delighted and lifted his daughter up high. Both father and daughter laughed happily.

Princess Liu, who was standing by, just smiled and looked at the father and daughter quietly.

She is still a little thin and not in good health, otherwise they would not have only two children after so many years.

After watching for a while, Concubine Liu spoke up, "Your Majesty, why did you come here in broad daylight? Is there any news about Zheng'er?"

Li Yun then remembered the serious business, put his daughter down, took out the letter from his sleeve, handed it to Concubine Liu, and said with a smile: "This rascal, joined the army under a false name, served as a scout in the army, and now went to Jizhou and Yingzhou with Meng Qing. He has been gone for so long, and just received a letter to report his safety."

"Let me tell you something."

Concubine Liu cried out in surprise. She suddenly looked up at Li Yun and said in a lost voice, "Your Majesty, why...why did he become a scout?" Emperor Li was silent for a while, then said, "Before he left, he came to me and asked for it. He said he wanted to be a soldier in the army."

"Only Meng Qing and Liu Bo know his identity."

Speaking of this, Emperor Li was a little absent-minded.

His second son looked very much like him, tall and strong, and also very good at martial arts.

He left Beijing at the beginning of the year and did not intend to go to the northern army as the King of Yue, but wanted to be a soldier. After many requests, Li Yun finally agreed to his request.

Concubine Liu had no idea about this matter beforehand.

Seeing that Liu Su was a little panicked, Li Yun gently patted her shoulder and said softly: "Don't worry, he has good hands in the palace. Liu Bo is also in the army now, and there are people from the Nine Departments watching secretly."

"Nothing serious will happen."

"This time, let's see if he has any talent for martial arts. If he does, he will be able to contribute to the court in the future."

Over the years, the prince has begun to get a little involved in state affairs.

The prince's temperament is more like Queen Xue's, he is quiet and gentle. Although he is not a genius, he is a very qualified prince. For now, Li Yun is satisfied with the prince.

After all, the emperor could not last long, and after the Zhangwu Dynasty, the world also needed a benevolent and peaceful emperor.

And the second son kept clamoring to join the army.

It is certainly not a bad thing to let him command the troops. If it were not for the precedent of Zhu Laosi, after Liaodong is pacified in the future, Li Yun could even let him be transferred to Yandi and guard the northern border.

Thinking of this, Li Yun's thoughts drifted away and he couldn't help but become a little absent-minded.

Princess Liu was still a little worried.

"Your Majesty, the battlefield is extremely dangerous, swords and guns are merciless..."

Li Yun shook his head slightly and said, "I told you, someone is watching him. He is much safer than ordinary soldiers."

"He is dangerous, and so are the other soldiers."

Emperor Li said slowly: "The other soldiers are not sons of man?"

As he spoke, Li Yun patted Concubine Liu on the back, then frowned slightly: "Why do you look thinner again?"

He looked back at Ah Fu, who was only five or six years old, and said, "Little Ah Fu, you live here and you have to look after your mother for your father and make sure she eats more."

"Did you hear that?"

The third princess nodded seriously, then bowed in a pretentious manner: "As ordered..."

Emperor Li was amused by her appearance. He bent over and held her in his arms, saying with a smile, "Little Ah Fu, you are really clever and eccentric."

After getting intimate with his daughter for a while, he ordered the palace servants to prepare meals for him to have dinner with Concubine Liu.

"Okay, okay, don't think about it."

Li Yun looked at her and said with a smile: "After this war is over and he returns to Luoyang, we will find him a suitable princess and let him start a family."

Liu Su came to her senses after hearing this. She nodded and asked, "Your Majesty, I heard that the Crown Princess has already been chosen."

"Isn't it?"

"In recent days, the threshold of the Qian family has been trampled down."

Emperor Li snorted softly: "The slightest noise in the palace will cause a deafening noise outside."

At this moment, Concubine Liu had finished reading the letter of safety sent by her son, and felt relieved. She patted her daughter's head, then looked at Li Yun and said with a smile: "This is not a small noise. It is normal for the noise outside to be deafening."

As she spoke, she sighed softly and said, "Time flies so fast. In the blink of an eye, the prince is about to get married. When he was young."

"I still hug him often."

Hearing this, Li Yun also felt a little emotional, then turned his head to look at Concubine Liu and asked, "Last month, they said those people were from your family. Are they your family members?"

"It's my sister's family."

Concubine Liu nodded and sighed softly, "But after so many years, we are no longer close."

Li Yun touched his chin and nodded slightly.

"I see."

Concubine Liu looked at Li Yun and said, "Your Majesty, if there are any more letters from home from the front line, please remember to send them to me."

Li Yun nodded and said with a smile.

"it is good."

(End of this chapter)