Zhenguan: I, Dou Fengjie, will not be the first cuckold.

Chapter 129 Liaodong, Martial Arts Training

July 21st.

Honglu Temple.

Minister of State Affairs Li Tai led the officials in a Tai Chi practice session, and all the officials, big and small, broke out in a light sweat.

Changsun Huan, the Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies, glanced at Dou Fengjie, who hadn't moved an inch, and then his eyes darted around: "Hey, why isn't the Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies practicing Tai Chi? Does he look down on your style, Master?"

Li Tai just grinned mischievously.

Dou Fengjie moved his body, and the slow and gentle Tai Chi Chuan in his hands became fast and slow, sometimes hard and sometimes soft. The whistling wind of his fist made Changsun Huan change color.

Oh no, I forgot that this idiot's martial arts skills are better than ordinary people. Li Tai's Tai Chi might have been taught by him.

What was originally intended to annoy Dou Fengjie turned out to be an assist!

This is helping Dou Fengjie become famous!

With a muffled thud, Dou Fengjie leaned his shoulder against a pine tree in the courtyard, about the thickness of a thigh. The trunk trembled slightly, and a sparse layer of pine needles fell.

Liu Shan clapped his hands and cheered, "Excellent! Truly worthy of being a guerrilla general and a light cavalry captain!"

Changsun Huan forced a comment: "Not bad. Looks like the deputy chief steward didn't serve in vain."

Dou Fengjie grinned, too lazy to refute.

Having been classmates for many years, Dou Fengjie understood Changsun Huan's temperament; his stubbornness was comparable to his "winning too much."

"Yesterday, the magistrate of the Guangzhou Governor's Office visited my home in Chongrenfang. When he spoke of the Jingguan (a mound of corpses) in Liaodong, even my father, with his heart of stone, couldn't help but shed tears, so—"

Inside the office of the Minister of State Ceremonies, Changsun Huan uttered a rare, pleasant remark.

The previous dynasty's million-strong army suffered a crushing defeat, a loss shrouded in mystery. No wonder the Tang generals gritted their teeth at the mere mention of Goguryeo.

"In addition, the Great Wall built by Goguryeo along the Liao River has become an obstacle to the eastward expansion of the Tang Dynasty."

Changsun Huan carefully explained the situation.

"We still have to fight!"

A fierce look appeared on Li Tai's chubby face.

"I request the Emperor to issue an edict to the Xi tribe, Yuling tribe, Chiluyu tribe, Fufuyu tribe, and Xueyantuo, and to also contact the Shiwei and Mohe, so that they can take turns putting some pressure on Goguryeo."

Dou Fengjie spoke casually.

All of the above is easy to say, but the Shiwei people have never been warlike. Without something to entice them to send troops, even just a feint, it's not easy.

Liu Shan reminded Dou Fengjie: "The Shiwei and Mohe are not easy to command."

Dou Fengjie chuckled and said, "As long as they keep Goguryeo in check, we'll give them the design of the curved plow."

Liu Shan shook his head with difficulty: "It may not work. The Shiwei people use wooden plows and don't even use livestock; they rely on human power to pull the plows to cultivate the land."

"The Mohe—among them, the Black Water Mohe with braided hair are the most ferocious and closely associated with Goguryeo."

"That's not right! I remember that in February of the second year of Zhenguan, the Mohe submitted to the Central Plains!" Minister of State Ceremonies Li Tai couldn't help but exclaim.

"The Mohe were divided into dozens of tribes, and the most ferocious Blackwater Mohe had sixteen tribes. Who knows which tribe came back then?" Dou Fengjie explained to Li Tai.

After all, the Mohe and Shiwei were tribal alliances, not a single kingdom, and they did not have a unified command.

The ambitious emperor pretended to be unaware and, with a wave of his hand, added another large exclave to the Tang Dynasty's territory.

Although it was a tributary state, it was still considered part of the territory under the legal system of the Tang Dynasty.

Dou Fengjie's plans did not require them to send troops across the border; patrolling the border intentionally or unintentionally was sufficient.

If the Liao River could block the Tang army from Yingzhou, could it also stop the various states and tribes to the north?

If Goguryeo were to truly hold them accountable, they could argue that they had not crossed any boundaries.

As for the lighter and more efficient curved plow, it was an irresistible temptation for any farming group, and the Shiwei were no exception.

Li Tai said fiercely, "Fine! I will immediately submit a memorial to the court, reporting the Minister of Ceremonies' idea!"

Changsun Huan glanced at his second cousin with a complicated expression.

Originally, the Changsun clan thought Li Tai was a bookworm and wouldn't amount to anything, so they gave up on supporting him.

Anyway, no matter which nephew rises to power, he will still be a descendant of the Changsun family.

But now it seems that this King of Yue, who was not favored, has actually begun to show his true colors.

Compared to the self-destructive Li Chengqian, Changsun Huan saw in Li Tai the responsibility that a crown prince should have.

Unfortunately, the emperor's heart wasn't with these two brothers at all.

After the others left, Li Tai lowered his voice and said, "Uncle, I've heard that Yan San Niang has a very fiery temper. Can you handle her?"

Dou Fengjie glared at Li Tai: "You're young now, aren't you? At worst, you and your husband can each take a kitchen knife and chop at each other for a long time without getting hurt. If outsiders ask, you can just say you're practicing martial arts."

Li Tai gasped and gave a thumbs up.

These skilled players really know how to play; it's a high-level game.

"Uncle, the Crown Prince has publicly announced his impending abdication. Should I—"

Li Tai finally couldn't hold back any longer and his heart fluttered.

"stupid."

"This is something that can never be forced; the harder you try, the more counterproductive it will be."

"Have you thought about it? The emperor is still strong and healthy. Even if you win the crown prince position, you might end up benefiting someone else."

Dou Fengjie criticized him mercilessly.

"I understand. I can't play the brotherly love game, but I can promise not to kick someone when they're down."

Li Tai let out a soft sigh.

In fact, Dou Fengjie's statement was expected; he simply needed Dou Fengjie's confirmation.

Li Tai didn't have the ability to reenact the Xuanwu Gate Incident, and he didn't have as many civil officials supporting him as he had imagined.

After all, the majority remain silent!

The emperor was using Li Tai's intentions, and the chubby boy was well aware of it.

The court quickly approved the submission of the officials of Nanping.

The officials of Zhunnanping were attached to Nanping County, and Zhu Daihao was appointed as the county magistrate, while Jianli Wang was appointed as the deputy governor of Yuzhou.

The positions of Assistant Magistrate and Registrar of Nanping were filled by officials who had been sidelined by the Ministry of Personnel. Pi Yangqiu, who had been dismissed from his post, was reinstated as Registrar of Nanping.

The conditions in Yuzhou were definitely not comparable to those in Sinongsi, but Pi Yangqiu had no other choice.

Dou Fengjie could certainly have ruined Pi Yangqiu's future with a single sentence, but there was no need for that; Pi Yangqiu was no longer a nobody to him.

Zhu Daihao was appointed magistrate of Nanping, and the Nanping lieutenant was also recommended by the officials of Nanping. This was certainly not in accordance with the official system of the Tang Dynasty, but it was in line with the actual situation of Nanping County.

It will take a long time for Nanping County to quickly advance to the point where it fully follows the rules of the Tang Dynasty, with the positions of magistrate, assistant magistrate, and lieutenant all held by people from other prefectures.

He was just a minor official from Nanping with only four thousand households. He didn't really deserve such treatment; it was just a matter of buying bones with a thousand pieces of gold.

"Duke Zan, when you arrive in Yuzhou or Nanping, please be sure to invite me for a drink!"

"If I don't accompany you, I'll be a complete idiot!"

Zhu Daihao waved his hand heartily, laughing as he led his men out of the imperial city.

What does "儿豁" mean?

Curious, Li Tai poked his head out.

"In the Sichuan dialect, 'son's only fool you,' where 'fool' means to coax or tease."

Dou Fengjie explained.

Li Tai got things under control at the Imperial Medical Bureau. The Bureau would send specialists to guide the purchase of snake skin, snake meat, snake gallbladders, and snake venom from Nanping County, and would buy them at relatively fair prices.

This is the real reason why Zhu Daihao completely submitted to Zhu Daihao.

From now on, Nanping County will be the base of Li Tai and Dou Fengjie.