At two o'clock in the morning, a garden in the front hall of the palace is brightly lit; beside the bustling flower garden and the sparkling clear stream, there is a waterside pavilion with its doors and windows wide open. The tables and couches in the pavilion are simple, elegant and full of ancient charm. ; The placement is also quite ingenious. This elegant and simple layout style is different from the splendor and magnificence advocated by the nobles.
Yang Ji, who had just welcomed the guests here to drink tea and talk, was sitting on the main seat in the pavilion. On both sides were Xiao Ying, Pei Shuying, Zhang Chuchen and Liu Xu who were accompanying him. Sitting in the guest seats were Princess Leping, Yuwen Eying, Li Min, Princess Nanyang, Yuwen Shi and others.
At this time, the osmanthus, rose, and orchids in the garden outside the pavilion are in full bloom, and the bursts of floral fragrance carried by the wind are refreshing.
"Vajra slave, is this battle going well?" Princess Yang Lihua of Leping looked at Yang Ji with deep emotion in her heart. Yang Ji used to be a good-for-nothing in her mind, but in just a few years, he became a good thing. It was Shangshu Ling who became the invincible military god of the Sui Dynasty and the head of hundreds of officials. His majesty and demeanor cultivated by his long experience in the battlefield and his long stay in high positions gave her a feeling of inner peace that she dared not face directly.
"Smooth, very smooth!" Yang Ji's eyes fell from Li Min to Yang Lihua's face. If nothing unexpected happened, Yang Lihua should have come for Li Min this time. He smiled and said: "War is actually a contest of national strength. Our Sui Dynasty surpassed Goguryeo in all aspects. When they faced the Sui Dynasty, they were in a weak position psychologically and were timid in fighting. But I had the powerful Sui Dynasty at my back, so I could let go of my hands and feet. . In short, it’s just bullying others with no skills at all.”
"I, a woman, don't understand military affairs, but your triumphant return is enough to prove that you commanded them well." As Yang Ji expected, Yang Lihua was indeed here for her son-in-law Li Min.
If Yang Lihua had listened to Yang Ji's suggestion and let Li Min serve as a civil servant in the Liangzhou Prefectural Mufu, she would not only have accumulated sufficient political experience and qualifications, but also share a certain amount of credit from the Tuyuhun battle.
But she couldn't bear to have her daughter and son-in-law living in two different places, and refused to listen to Yang Ji's good advice. Although Yang Ji and Yang Guang both said that Yuwen Eying could live in Zhangye, the problem was that she herself couldn't bear to be separated from her daughter. So Yang Guang was asked to transfer Li Min to the capital.
Yang Guang heard that Yang Ji said that Li Min had done a good job in Yinwu, so he appointed him as Wei Weiqing. However, Li Min himself did not listen to Yang Lihua's advice and boarded Yuwenshu's pirate ship; when Yuwenshu's army reformed After the failure, Li Min, who was deeply involved, was also beaten to the end by Yang Guang and has not held any official position so far.
It was too late for Yang Lihua to regret, so she planned to ask Yang Ji for help and reassign Li Min a position. The reason why she did not ask Yang Guang directly was mainly because she had begged Yang Guang too many times and now she had no shame to ask Yang Guang. But she had also rejected Yang Ji's kind words, so she couldn't speak directly at this time, so she said with a smile: "When I come back this time, I will have to rest for a few days. I will be a host some other day, and let's go to Longmen Mountain with a few rooms and a family." At the same time, let the master of Xiangshan Temple perform rituals for the generals and soldiers who died in the king's affairs. What do you think?"
"I guess I won't be able to go! The saint only gave me three days, but I won't be free during these three days." Yang Ji picked up the teapot on the table and poured a cup from the teacup in front of him. At the same time, he was thinking about it. He refused; after a long while, he picked up the tea cup and took a sip, and sighed and said: "Youzhou Army and Jizhou Army did not enter the court, but returned to their garrison along the way, and Liangzhou Army was the northwest army, so they followed. Luoyang. But after all, the Liangzhou Army is a foreign local army, and many strategic locations in Liangzhou are empty of troops. It is really not suitable to stay in the center for a long time. In the next three days, I want to express my condolences to the soldiers of the Liangzhou Army and arrange the return of the Liangzhou Army. .”
Yang Lihua knew something about military and political affairs. She also knew that Yang Ji was not an excuse, but that the imperial court did have this military regulation. If the Liangzhou Army stayed in the center for a long time and did not return, all kinds of rumors would inevitably boil over. This would be a big blow to Yang Ji. Not a good thing.
She smiled with complicated thoughts, and then said: "Shu Sheng has also been an official in Liangzhou for several years, and he has a friendship with the army lieutenants. He is idle at this time, why don't you let him follow you? "
Seeing that she finally got to the point, Yang Ji said unhurriedly: "Sister, although Shusheng is your son-in-law, he is already thirty years old. He is older than me, Xian Zhen, Yang Yan, Yang Shidao, Yang Zhiliang, Yang Zhiyun, Yuwen Xie, Yu Wenhao and others are all older. Now Xian Zhen has performed well in Qingzhou, winning for two consecutive years
He was rated as superior by the inspector; while Yang Yan and Yang Shidao galloped across the battlefield without a single defeat. Even the youngest Yu Wenhao did not change his face in the face of tens of thousands of enemy troops. When I look back at Shusheng Zaizai, I really can’t look at it. "
Seeing Li Min lowering his head in shame, Yang Ji sighed and said to Yang Lihua, whose face was gloomy and uncertain: "I'm not saying that Shu Sheng is incompetent and has mediocre talents. In fact, Shu Sheng has done quite well and quite well in Yin Wu. Excellent, that's why I plan to make him a civil servant. So the root of the problem still lies with Sister."
"Sister, children and grandchildren will have their own blessings. You can protect him for a while, but you cannot protect him for life. If he has no use in the officialdom and does not have the ability and experience to deal with storms, he will be slaughtered in the eyes of others in the future. It’s hard for a fat sheep to even live in peace. Sister, let him go! Let him go on his own and make the decision for his own life. If he makes a mistake now, you still have to take care of him. If he makes a mistake again in a hundred years, who will take care of him? ?」
As soon as these words came out, Yang Lihua's expression changed.
Yuwen Eying also felt a strong sense of worry in her heart. When her grandfather Yang Jian was still alive, one of them achieved enlightenment, and their chickens and dogs ascended to heaven. As the empress dowager of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, her mother, Yang Lihua, dared to look at her father with the same eyes as a female official. She wanted and had to get whatever she liked. Yang Jian felt guilty and tried his best to satisfy her excess. Demands.
However, the Emperor of the Sui Dynasty was no longer Yang Jian, but her mother still treated the emperor's uncle like her grandfather, as the eldest sister from time to time. Once her mother passed away a hundred years, she was really worried that the emperor's uncle would one day be angry with the couple.
Yang Lihua hesitated for a moment and said: "If I live for a hundred years, won't I still have uncles like you in the future? Can you not take care of me?"
"Although the royal family is united, each branch and each household has its own kinship. Each has its own children to manage and take care of. How can it manage so many other sects? For example, I have three children now. If Aying, Rumei, and Aying have three more sons, they will have a sixth family. I won’t even be able to take care of my own family affairs in the future, so how can I take care of Shusheng?” Yang Ji likes Yang Lihua's style of "relying on others rather than relying on oneself" and "kidnapping others with family affection". If Li Min were his son or son-in-law, although he would create opportunities for him, he would definitely not be so biased and protective. .
Yang Lihua obviously couldn't bear to hear Yang Ji's words, so she said, "Why can't you control it?"
Yang Ji was too lazy to talk nonsense with her. He glanced at Yuwen Shiji, who was standing next to him, and said in a deep voice to Yang Lihua: "Because Eying is the daughter of the previous emperor, her descendants have the blood of the previous dynasty. I remember the second year of Renshou. During one of the court meetings and the Five Rites, someone said that E-ying had exceeded the etiquette, and then used E-ying's background as an excuse, which eventually led to Shusheng losing all his positions. This has happened before and will happen in the future."
Saying that, Yang Ji added: "If someone makes an article or frames this in the future, and Shusheng and Eying have no way to solve it, it will be difficult to justify it. Who do you think can control it, and who dares to control it?"
"Then there is yourself. The more active you are now and the more you fight, the more pressure Shusheng and Eying will bear in the future. All the consequences you have planted will also be borne by them."
It has to be said that Yang Ji was right to the point at this moment. Yuwen Eying was frightened when she heard this. Her almond-shaped eyes flashed and she said to Yang Lihua, who was frowning silently: "Mom, uncle is reasonable, can you just listen to uncle for once?"
Yang Lihua's expression suddenly changed, and she sighed happily: "That's it, that's it! I don't care from now on, as long as you are safe."
Yang Jixin said that it should have been like this a long time ago. He even made the princess mansion into a mess, but he still cares so much. This is clearly a good intention to do bad things and harm future generations. But in the end, he stupidly said that I was doing it for your own good!
Yang Lihua sighed and stopped talking: "Vajra slave, that tree..."
Yang Ji understood what she meant and said, "I'll mention Shusheng's career to the saint, so I don't have to worry. But this is also the last time. If you interfere again, you won't want me to help him in the future." sentence."
If I remember correctly, Li Min was killed by Yu Wenshu in history, and the Li Mu family in Longxi related to it was uprooted, and next, I will
To join forces with Yu Wenshu to deal with the entire Longxi Li family, it is best to transfer Li Min to a remote place so that he can avoid this storm.
Yang Lihua sighed: "I will no longer interfere. You can just follow the arrangements."
Okay, you are all good people, and I am the only one who is evil? But Yang Jigang's words no doubt filled her with a sense of gloom and urgency, and she did not dare to interfere any further.
[In view of the general environment,
"That's good!" Yang Ji looked at Yuwen Shiji and asked, "Ren Ren, what about you?"
Yuwen Shiji was a little embarrassed to speak, because his request was somewhat contradictory to Yang Lihua's. He did not ask for promotion, but only hoped that Yang Ji would help persuade Yang Guang and Empress Xiao so that he could be promoted to an official position. , instead of being a mediocre official here.
It would have been fine if he had spoken before, but now...?
Princess Nanyang also knew her husband's difficulties. She bowed to Yang Ji and said, "Uncle Wang, a benevolent man is a son of a general. He aspires to the frontier and serves the country. Now it is not his wish to serve as an imperial chariot in the capital. He I hope that I can also go to the border to increase knowledge and benefit the people there. I also hope that Uncle Wang will mention it in front of Aye."
Yuwen Shiji is like a son-in-law who married into the Yang family. He is very different from his brothers Yuwen Wenji and Yuwen Zhiji. When Yu Wenshi and others in history rebelled against the Sui Dynasty and killed the emperor, they regarded him as an outsider and an outsider of the Yang family, and did not have any discussion with him.
Now, even Yu Wenshu, who is my father, cannot decide his future. However, Yuwenshu was reluctant to let his most promising son go to waste, so when he was in Chang'an City, Liaodong, he tactfully mentioned it to Yang Ji, hoping that Yang Ji could help Yuwenshi and let him go out to serve as an official instead of Continue to waste your time in the palace.
After listening to Princess Nanyang's words, Yang Ji said to Yu Wenshiji: "Benevolent man, tell me honestly, are Nanyang's words your own thoughts and decisions? Or is Nanyang nonsense."
When Princess Nanyang was teased like this by Yang Ji, her face turned red and she said coquettishly: "Uncle Wang, we grew up together, how have you ever seen me being so unreasonable? If a benevolent person didn't say this, how could I say this?" "
"Uncle Wang, this is indeed my decision and has nothing to do with the princess!" Yu Wenshiji immediately said, "Originally, I planned to go to the Anle Protectorate. As long as there is a place to serve the country, even if it is a local The county magistrate is also very happy. However, I heard that there is still war happening there..."
Saying that, Yu Wenshiji explained: "This is not because I am afraid, but mainly because I am self-aware. I have never been a local official and have no experience in managing politics or leading troops. I am afraid that I will miss important national events. "
Yang Ji smiled and said meaningfully: "So, you are planning to go to Liangzhou?"
"That's true!" Yu Wenshiji said very calmly: "Many new policies of the imperial court were all made by Uncle Wang and came from Liangzhou. I want to learn the methods of governing and leading troops nearby so that I can better serve in the future. Serve the country!"
Yang Ji pondered for a long time and asked: "Zhangye Wulan County, do you know about it?"
"I know!" Yu Wenshiji said with a cup of his hands: "Uncle Wang conquered and recovered Ulan County. This county is located on the shores of Ulan Lake. It is south of the Great Lakes, north of Zhangye, and west of the Turkic Madam Fan City. It is extremely critical. place. In addition, Ulan County is very close to Yudujin Mountain and the Turkic Northern Khan."
"You're right!" Yang Ji nodded and said: "But the people there are mainly uncivilized Hu people, and there is no peace, and there are even wars. If you want to go to Liangzhou, start from Ulan Start with the county magistrate and start learning. You don’t have to make a decision in a hurry. Go back and discuss it with Nanyang first and then talk to me."
"Uncle Wang, what a benevolent person means is what I mean. There is no need to discuss it with me!" Princess Nanyang knew that her husband had lofty ambitions, and it was not easy for her to find someone willing to convince her parents. She did not want to delay her husband any longer.
Yang Ji asked Yu Wenshiji again: "What do you think of the benevolent man?"
"Uncle Wang, I like challenges and am not afraid of difficulties!" Yu Wenshi said solemnly: "If I can, I will do my best to govern Ulan County."
"Okay!" Yang Ji nodded and said, "This matter is guaranteed.
On my body. "
Yu Wenshiji was overjoyed. Although this was a demotion and a job, he didn't care. He stood up and thanked him: "Thank you, Uncle Wang!"
Princess Nanyang also stood up and saluted: "Thank you, Uncle Wang, for taking the trouble. Benevolent people have always talked about this, but there is no suitable opportunity. If I can serve as an official in the border area, I will get my wish."
"It doesn't matter!" Yang Ji felt in his heart. They were both the eldest princess, but the gap between the aunt and nephew was really too big.
Princess Nanyang knew that the matter was settled, and asked happily: "Uncle Wang, if a benevolent man goes to Liangzhou to serve as an official, can I live in Zhangye?"
Yang Ji picked up the tea cup, took a sip, and said with a smile: "Of course I have no objection. If you go, you can live directly in Zhangye Prince's Mansion. But after all, you are not my daughter, and your problem is not something I can decide. You have to ask your parents."
"Here!" Princess Nanyang responded.
