Early in the morning on December 15th, Yang Guang sent someone to inform Yang Ji that Yang Jian would personally interrogate his grievances with He Ruobi today and asked him not to be late.
Yang Ji had a strong sense of time. He arrived at the Zhonghua Hall of Daxing Palace ① two quarters before midnight and was invited to have breakfast in the Dongshang Pavilion next to it.
Most of the people who can enjoy breakfast here are important officials of the imperial court. At a glance, they are full of nobles.
The arrival of Yang Ji also attracted everyone's attention; especially He Ruobi glared at him fiercely, as if he wanted to bite off a piece of his flesh, but in this situation, he did not have the courage to pounce on him!
"Wenhui (Yang Jizi) came just in time. I was mentioning you to several envoys! Let me introduce you!" Yang Guang has been operating in Yangzhou for ten years and has developed excellent communication skills. As the crown prince, he has always dominated the atmosphere in Dongshang Pavilion.
He led Yang Ji to the thin old man sitting in the middle. This man was wearing a purple robe and a jade belt around his waist. Although he was sitting there quietly, he had a majestic aura that enveloped the entire room. He introduced with a smile: "This is The person you have admired for a long time is Zuo Pushe, the Minister, and Yang Su, the Duke of Yue. His achievements are known all over the world, and I can’t even count them in a short time."
Yang Ji secretly admired Yang Guang's communication skills. Although he said these words to himself, in fact, he was using himself as a "prop" to flatter Yang Su. But then again, he can run the army on horseback, rule the country on horseback, and can write poems and paintings. Yang Su is indeed a rare genius in thousands of years. He solemnly raised his hands and said: "This junior has seen the God of War!"
The ancients had a good reputation, and Yang Su was very fond of the word 'Army God'. He smiled and said politely: "King Wei was so complimentary. The title of 'Army God' really offends me."
"If Mr. Yang takes the last step, he will definitely be a military god who will never live without a book." Yang Ji's words are not a compliment. In terms of military merit alone, Yang Su is no worse than any military strategist who has left his name in history. He was denounced as a famous treacherous official by later generations because he and Yang Guang "complicitly committed adultery".
But in fact, Yang Su was the pawn that Yang Jian pushed to the stage, and it was definitely not something that Yang Guang, who had an uncertain future, could win over. After all, with his status and connections, Yang Guang could give him very little, even in Yichu. If you remain neutral, you will be as stable as a rock in the future. There is no need to participate in a huge risk-taking competition for reserves.
"Oh?" Yang Su asked with great interest: "I am about to be buried. My physical strength and energy are not what they were before. What else can I do now?"
"You can't say that. Mr. Yang is my Great Sui Army God. Your body can age, but you have commanded more than a hundred wars in your life. How can this rich experience age? And this is what we are waiting for. The most lacking and most needed treasure for the younger generation. If you have your valuable experience to point the way, we, the young generals of the Sui Dynasty, will definitely avoid decades of detours." Yang Jizheng said: "The ancients said: 'The Supreme Being has good moral character, and secondly There are meritorious deeds, followed by meritorious deeds. Even if they last for a long time, these are called the three immortals." Yang Gong has reached the highest state of "making virtues" and "making meritorious services". If he writes his precious combat experience into a military book, then It is the 'establishment' that affects the world, which is much more meaningful than writing poems and paintings."
Hearing these words, Yang Su's heart suddenly pounded, and he suddenly burst into hearty laughter. He saluted Yang Ji and said, "I remember King Wei's golden words. I never thought that I, Yang Su, would be so old. I can still contribute to the Sui Dynasty! I don’t have any other skills, but I still have a certain degree of confidence in my lifetime of combat experience, so let’s try it.”
In fact, he has always wanted to leave a name in history like Sun Wu, Han Xin and others, and wanted to leave a brilliant mark in the history books. From now on, when the name of "Yang Su" is mentioned, future generations will give a thumbs up and praise "The Emperor of the Sui Dynasty" God of War".
But he is already a very popular minister, and judging from the fact that Yang Jian appointed him as Shangshu Zuopushe, it will be difficult to get the opportunity to lead troops in the future. Although becoming a general and becoming a prime minister is the pursuit of every official, he prefers to use his military skills as a soldier. Even if you dedicate your life to the battlefield, you don't want to die on the bed like a waste. Yang Ji's words were like an enlightenment, which made him think of compiling military books to bring his military career to a perfect end, and at the same time, his reputation could be passed down through the ages.
He looked at Yang Ji with some admiration: "The prince has told me many times that King Wei is very clever and quick. When I saw him today, he was indeed worthy of his name. Tomorrow, I and a few old friends will go to the mansion to walk in the snow to look for plum blossoms. There are also some young talents, can King Wei honor them?"
Some people looked envious after hearing this.
After the Battle of Yang Suping and Chen, he stayed in the capital for a long time. He would wear armor and go into battle only when he was needed. In his free time in the capital, he mostly held or participated in some elegant banquets. Because Yang Suxiang was very popular, Yes, once young talents who receive his praise can become officials, they can overwhelm their competitors.
This also made many people rush to get a good comment from Yang Su, but Yang Su now easily refuses to comment. Only when he meets people he really admires will he say a few good things, and he takes the initiative to invite the rich and powerful, which is even rarer. And little.
"Even if Mr. Yang doesn't say anything, this junior will still come to visit." Yang Ji nodded with a smile.
Yang Guang then introduced a fat old man to Yang Ji: "This is Shangshu Youpu She and Pi Guogong Su Wei."
Yang Ji smiled and cupped his hands and said: "Su Gong led the revision of the "Kaihuang Code" and established the universal standards and regulations for the format of legal provisions. It also allows the younger generation to know what can be done and what bastards can be trampled. I am very grateful."
The civil and military officials around him all understood the grievances between Yang Ji and He Ruobi, and they burst out laughing when they heard the words "What bastard can be crushed?"
Su Wei glanced at He Ruobi, who was half-eyed, and returned the gift to Yang Ji with a wry smile: "King Wei, thank you."
"This is Shi Wansui, the general who led the left army. General Shi used his troops in an unconventional and unconventional way. He fought wherever he could win. Therefore, he led the troops for decades without a single defeat and made extraordinary contributions to our Sui Dynasty. Yang Guang pointed at a tall general with a beard and said.
Shi Wansui sided with Yang Guang in the marriage incident. Not only did he escape the historical disaster, but he also followed Yang Guang to the north to perform meritorious service and was promoted from the general of the left leader to the general of the left leader.
"General Shi, can you still dance with your horse's stick?" Yang Ji and Shi Wansui gathered in the East Palace many times and received his guidance on horse riding and riding skills.
Shi Wansui grinned: "Don't worry, King Wei, my penis is hard and cruel."
He Ruobi glared at Shi Wansui fiercely, feeling that he was mocking himself and his son.
"This is Bao Guo Gong Yu Wenshu. Bao Guo Gong is brave and good at fighting, familiar with bow and horse, humble and strict. He made great contributions in the battle of Pingchen."
"Hello, father-in-law!" Yu Wenshu's second son, Yuwen Shi, married Yang Guang's daughter Nanyang Princess. Yang Ji was right to call him father-in-law.
Yu Wenshu looked at this 'father-in-law' who was more than forty years younger than him, and returned the favor with a wry smile: "Hello, my father-in-law."
Everyone laughed again when they saw the old and the young calling each other in-laws.
The atmosphere was lively.
Yang Guang then pointed at a vigorous young man and introduced with a smile: "This is Yang Xuangan of the Zhu Kingdom, the eldest son of the Duke of Yue. Xuangan is brave enough that no man can deserve it. The world respects him as an overlord. You can call him brother." .”
"The world spreads rumors, but I don't dare to be called a tyrant because of my humble position." Yang Xuangan said modestly.
Yang Ji raised his hand and asked, "Brother, how is your water quality?"
Yang Xuangan shook his head in shock: "I don't know how to swim."
"If there is a chance, let's find a small boat and then go to the Lotus Pond to have a discussion?" Yang Ji gave Yang Xuangan a thumbs up and said with a smile.
"On a small boat?" Yang Xuangan raised his eyebrows. Why did this sound so weird?
"Xuangan, ignore him!" Yang Guang said with a dark face: "This kid has excellent water skills. He has crossed the Furong Pond many times before. In terms of water skills, there are really not many people who can match him. And I have many generals in the Northern Sui Dynasty. If you don't know the nature of water, if you get on the water, you won't be able to perform even 30% of your abilities. If you fight like this, aren't you asking for trouble?"
Yang Su smiled and said: "King Wei has a flexible mind and uses his strengths to avoid weaknesses. This way he has gained a deep understanding of the art of war."
"Mr. Yang is so complimentary. I actually don't understand any art of war. I just came up with this bad idea because I was afraid of losing."
"Just as the prince commented on General Shi just now, the use of troops should be eclectic and practical. If a bad idea is used correctly, it is a brilliant idea. The same is true for martial arts competitions, and the same is true for using troops. Only fighting ruthlessly is a reckless behavior. "
"Thank you, Mr. Yang, for your teaching."
"..."
Yang Guang then introduced Yang Ji one by one. During the introduction, he also quietly mentioned the other person's strengths and achievements. From the prime minister to the general, from the ministers to the generals, Yang Guang was familiar with them all, showing that he was a prince. The level it should be.
When introducing Yang Ji, Yang Guang did not skip He Ruobi and showed the self-cultivation a prince should have.
He Ruobi, like Yang Ji, now has a false position that only earns a living, but he is only a first-class Duke and Shangzhu Kingdom. Even if he hates it to death, he has to salute Yang Ji, a prince-level Wei Wang.
Yang Ji also met his second uncle Dugu Sheng. He entered the officialdom with his family background and is now also a cavalry general of the Sui Dynasty. Although his rank is not high, as long as Yang Guang ascends the throne, Dugu Sheng, who is a die-hard confidant and has great achievements, will definitely rise in rank. .
After some introductions, Wen and Wu present finally realized that Yang Guang's belief in Yang Jizhi was not groundless, but was true; he was now not only an introducer to Yang Ji, but also demonstrated his role in the dispute between Yang Ji and He Ruobi. Let everyone decide what they want to do.
When the prince of the dynasty personally raised the platform, the royal family became involved with him. In addition, there were also important civil and military officials such as Yang Su, Su Wei, Yang Da, Pei Ju, Niu Hong, Shi Wansui, Yu Wenshu, Chang Sun Sheng, etc. who had a deep affection for him; and these people were deeply favored. The huge lineup formed also made some people who originally supported He Ruobi begin to weigh the interests and losses in their hearts.
In fact, this was also Yang Guang's intention. He took advantage of the prince's natural "power" that no one dared to ignore, and created an atmosphere of subjugation without fighting, so as to reduce the resistance at the court meeting.
"Dang, when, when..." At this time, the Bell and Drum Tower of Chengtianmen in the south rang the bell, followed by the sound of drums.
As the bells and drums of Chengtianmen rang, the servants in charge of beating drums and bells from all over Daxing City rang the bells and drums, and for a while the sound of bells and drums echoed over Daxing City.
Morning time has arrived.
——
Note ①: Zhonghua Hall is the second hall among the three main halls of Daxing Palace. It was the venue for the Inner Dynasty. It was renamed Liangyi Hall in the Tang Dynasty.
