Wu Erya nodded.
"That's true. Being a powerful minister is not interesting. It would be better to be a powerful emperor."
She said,
"Either don't do it, or be the strongest! Otherwise, you are likely to die suddenly."
"If your godfather wants to compare his lifespan with that of a tortoise, he should stay away from the center of power, hee hee..."
Xu Fenglei: "..."
"I think your skin is itchy!"
He said angrily.
The father and daughter were arguing when they heard a voice.
"Sir, Eunuch Gao from the palace has come to convey the order."
Zi Maid said warmly.
Xu Fenglei was stunned.
What kind of trick was Li Shimin going to do again to send him an imperial edict?
"Invite him in."
he ordered.
In a moment, Eunuch Gao had already entered the courtyard and saluted Xu Fenglei with a smile.
"I've met the Grand Master."
"We met again, and after going round and round, the Grand Master returned to Chang'an."
Xu Fenglei looked at him and smiled.
"Yes, I will come back eventually."
"Let's go to Jiuwei Mountain to take some time off."
For this eunuch with high emotional intelligence. He didn't have any bad feelings, and the two of them could exchange pleasantries.
In fact, there are good eunuchs among eunuchs, but they cannot be given a taste of power.
"I'm afraid the Grand Master is quite busy right now."
Eunuch Gao smiled and said,
"There are two imperial decrees."
"First, the Zhaoling Mausoleum is about to be completed. It is extremely fast and of extremely high quality. This is all due to you, Grand Master. Your Majesty will give you a vat of gold as a reward."
"From today on, Grand Master no longer has to go to Mount Jiuyi."
Bang!
After the words fell, the two young eunuchs carried a pot of gold and smashed it heavily on the ground.
"Wow! Such a big jar of gold?!"
Wu Erya's eyes sparkled, he stepped forward to take a look, rubbed his hands and said,
"Godfather, this is good stuff!"
This vat of gold contains at least several hundred taels!
"Gold and silver rewards, ordinary things, are better than nothing."
Xu Fenglei was very calm.
To him, money and silk are really just things outside of himself.
Not to mention this little gold, he doesn't care even if it's thousands or even thousands of taels.
"Better than nothing? Then give it to me!"
Wu Erya said,
"I have been with you for so long, and I have worked hard without any credit! Just think of this jar of gold as my reward, okay?"
She is older now.
What's the biggest worry growing up?
Just lack of money!
Especially now that I'm back in Chang'an, I need to spend more money to enjoy life!
After such a long hard life, we must live it up and enjoy ourselves!
"You little money addict."
Xu Fenglei laughed and said.
"Okay, you can take it, your godfather is not far behind me."
"If you are really short of money, just go to your sister Qingquan and get it. It will be deducted directly from my annual dividends."
He was very doting on Wu Yatou, treating her completely like his own daughter.
"Great!"
Wu Erya shouted excitedly. shouted,
"I'll ask some servants to move it!"
With that said, she ran out in a hurry. Like a rabbit.
"The eldest lady is really full of energy."
Eunuch Gao smiled and said,
"It's so enviable..."
Seeing Xu Fenglei and Wu Erya laughing and joking, he also had some thoughts of taking his daughter into his heart.
He is a eunuch and cannot have children, but he can still have adopted sons and daughters. As long as you choose your children well, you can still provide for yourself until you die!
"She's used to escaping."
Xu Fenglei responded,
"I accept this imperial edict."
"However, there is only one finishing work left on the Jiuwei Mountain side. It will only take half a year at most, or even less than half a year. It will be completed before the year!"
"I'd better finish the work and go back to Chang'an. A person must have a beginning and an end."
Giving up halfway has always been his style.
"Grand Master, there is no need to worry too much. His Majesty has already considered the candidate to succeed you, and you will definitely be satisfied with this person."
Eunuch Gao replied,
"The imperial court needs a grand master even more!"
When Xu Fenglei heard this, he couldn't help but raise his eyebrows.
"oh?"
"What should I say? Who will take my place?"
There are indeed a large number of people who are qualified for the position of Prime Minister.
But it may still be a bit difficult to satisfy him.
"This slave cannot tell you yet. I can only say that you will know when the time comes."
Eunuch Gao hesitated for a moment and began to play dumb.
Xu Fenglei didn't take it seriously and waved his hand:
"What is the second decree?"
Eunuch Gao quickly took out the second imperial edict, presented it respectfully with both hands, and said:
"His Majesty has decreed that you should be fully responsible for the case of Hou Junji's rebellion!"
"After seeing the decree, I immediately went to the Prison Prison to interrogate the case. His Majesty requested that the trial be completed within two days and the punishment be made!"
Xu Fenglei's mind moved.
Compared with that vat of gold, this will is the real reward!
"I obey the decree."
He stepped forward to receive the order.
And from the moment he accepted the imperial edict, Hou Junji's life was completely in his own hands!
How to kill him, what crime to use, what method to use...it all depends on his words!
…
Tai Chi Palace.
In the study room, Xue Rengui stood respectfully in front of Li Shimin, looking a little uneasy.
He still didn't know what the emperor meant by summoning him alone...
"Rengui."
Li Shimin dropped the brush in his hand and looked at Xue Rengui.
"Whatever your Majesty orders, I will do my best!"
Xue Rengui was flattered and hurriedly saluted.
This shout from Rengui was so kind that it made him feel a little flattered.
"Haha, why are you so nervous?"
Li Shimin smiled and said,
"Your eldest brother and I are close friends, so naturally I regard you as a dear junior."
"Sit down, don't be too formal."
"...Yes, Your Majesty." Xue Rengui sat down timidly, but he still didn't dare to touch his butt too much.
Uneasy!
"I called you here today because I want to give you an important task."
Li Shimin said seriously,
"After much thought, you are the only one suitable for this important task."
Xue Rengui suddenly stood up again!
"Your Majesty, please do as you please, I dare not sacrifice my life to serve you!"
Li Shimin laughed and waved his hand again.
"Okay, okay, don't get excited, sit down and sit down."
He said,
"You are quite capable, but I have many capable young ministers under my command."
"The reason why I value you is because you have a stability that others of your age don't have. In this way, you are just like your big brother."
Xue Rengui looked nervous.
As we all know, the more preparation, the bigger things will happen!
Your Majesty is still laying the groundwork, so how difficult will the task assigned to you be? ?
"so……"
Li Shimin handed over the imperial edict he had just written in his hand and said in a deep voice,
"I'll leave this matter to you."
Xue Rengui received the imperial edict respectfully and took a closer look with great anxiety.
Then……
"Well……"
Xue Rengui was stunned.
He wanted to say...that's it? ?
Let him go to Jiuwei Mountain to complete the remaining projects of Zhaoling?
This is nothing!
Although it is the unfinished business of the eldest brother, this task does not have any technical content or difficulty at all!
However, Xue Rengui did not show any disappointment, but reacted quickly──
If it were really that simple, how could His Majesty lay so much groundwork?
Therefore, he calmly collected the imperial edict, kowtowed and thanked:
"I obey the order."
Li Shimin stared at him and smiled slightly.
"Do you think this is a trivial matter?"
Xue Rengui shook his head.
"When it comes to Your Majesty, there is no small matter. Moreover, this is a career that the eldest brother has not yet competed for. As the younger brother, he should take over the task and complete it."
After some words, Li Shimin nodded with satisfaction.
"Okay, I didn't praise you for your stability in vain."
He stood up and said,
"This is an explicit decree. Next, I have a secret decree!"
"Longmen Marquis accepts the order!"
Xue Rengui was shocked and quickly bowed down.
"After Zhaoling is completed, there are still 100,000 craftsmen left. I will not allow them to disband. Instead, I will train them into an army of 100,000!"
Li Shimin said solemnly,
"This army is called Zhaoling Guards!"
"This Zhaoling Guard will be trained by you. You must train their combat effectiveness so that they can at least reach the mid-range level of the Tang Army!"
"I will give you five years, Zhaoling Guards must be trained! If not, come and see us!"
"It's a great responsibility, do you understand?"
Xue Rengui: "!!!"
The emperor's secret decree made Xue Rengui's mind tremble! Even though he has a calm personality, his figure can't help but tremble a little at this moment.
Your Majesty actually wants him to train troops!
Turn 100,000 craftsmen into an army of 100,000!
The difficulty of this task has suddenly risen from the valley to the top of the mountain!
As for what His Majesty is training for, Xue Rengui dare not even think about it. That is not an area that he can involve at all!
"Weichen... I'm afraid that I won't do well."
Xue Rengui's energy suddenly dropped.
He is not the military immortal Han Xin. He can train any team into an army.
Training is difficult!
These 100,000 craftsmen finished building the mausoleum and could have gone home happily, but in an instant they all became military households. They couldn't even return home, and they didn't know when they would have to fight and sacrifice!
Who would be happy with this?
When the time comes, there will be thorns everywhere.
"Don't be afraid. There is nothing bad in this world. I have encountered much more difficult obstacles than this, haven't I overcome them?"
Li Shimin patted him on the shoulder and encouraged,
"I allow you to reclaim the land outside Jiuwei Mountain for farming."
"Besides, if the military salary is not enough, just ask, and I will naturally allocate funds to you. You don't need to worry about money and food at all!"
"The only thing you have to do is to train your troops well, and of course, you have to keep it secret."
"This is a secret decree. You must conduct military training in secret. You are not allowed to tell anyone, including your eldest brother! At least it cannot be leaked from your mouth, do you understand?"
"If you do this well, I will raise your title to another level."
Xue Rengui took a deep breath.
At this moment, he thought a lot, but in the end he became determined!
If he gets promoted to another level, he will become a county prince!
These two words were enough to make his heart surge. Forget all the difficulties and hardships!
"Wei Chen takes orders!"
He knelt on the ground and said with great solemnity,
"Please rest assured, Your Majesty! If Zhaoling Guards cannot be trained, I will never return to Chang'an!"
Bang bang!
"good!"
Li Shimin put his hands on his hands and laughed and said,
"Well done!"
"With such faith, nothing can be done badly!"
"I believe you will be able to train the Zhaoling Guards into a powerful army! I also believe you will be remembered in history and become one of the best generals in the Tang Dynasty!"
Xue Rengui was inspired by the meal, as if he had been given a shot of chicken blood, and he thanked the Holy Grace again and again!
The emperor thinks highly of him, so he will naturally try his best to do his best!
"Go ahead and prepare yourself. The next few years will be very hard for you, and you may even hear nothing from you."
Li Shimin patted his shoulder and said in a deep voice,
"You have to endure loneliness and work hard in a difficult environment."
"When it comes out of its sheath again, it will definitely be extremely sharp!"
"According to the decree!" Xue Rengui bowed and bowed again, then turned and left.
Li Shimin just watched him go away, and couldn't help but sigh:
"Ting Ming, Ting Ming, you can be regarded as discovering a famous general for me and the Tang Dynasty... You have meritorious service."
"Cough cough... cough cough cough!"
He didn't say a few words, but he started coughing, which made the waiter behind him startled and hurriedly came up to massage his back.
"Ahem...I'm fine. I smoked too much before."
Li Shimin spit out a mouthful of yellow phlegm and whispered.
"Let the Taiyuan Hospital prescribe some medicine to relieve cough and reduce phlegm. I can use it."
"Yes, yes. I will make arrangements right now." The waiter responded repeatedly and quickly made arrangements.
Li Shimin returned to the chair. His brows were frowned slightly, with a hint of sadness.
"Can I... really survive for a period of sixty years?"
"You know, the First Emperor only lived for less than fifty years. Hey... it's not too early to start arranging funeral arrangements now, it's really not too early..."
He murmured, took a sip of honey water, and his expression relaxed a lot.
"Has Xu Fenglei entered the palace?"
he asked abruptly.
"Go back to Your Majesty. Not long after the Grand Master entered the palace, he went to Tianyao Prison. He should be trying to interrogate Hou Junji and convict him.
The attendant responded.
"Well, arrange a chariot to go to the Criminal Department."
Li Shimin nodded slightly, waved his hand and walked out.
…
Punishment Department, Tianlao.
A weak moan sounded in the cell. Wang Zhong, who was locked up with Hou Junji, was now a bloody man! His whole body was torn in many places, and he was no longer human. He was lying on the ground like a useless dog, screaming desperately...
One can imagine the inhuman torture he suffered that night!
Xu Fenglei stood outside the cell, looking very calm.
Since he chose to rebel against Hou Junji, he should have expected this tragic end.
Wang Zhong's miserable situation can only be said to be a basic operation.
"help me…"
"help me…"
Wang Zhong raised his heavy eyelids and saw Xu Fenglei as if he had seen a life-saving straw. He tried his best to make a sound from his throat for help.
However, Xu Fenglei did not look at him, and his eyes fell on Hou Junji.
"Brother Hou, we are back to this familiar place again."
Xu Fenglei said with a smile,
"You have lived here for so many years, you should be used to it, right?"
Hou Junji's hair was disheveled at the moment, like a savage. There was still blood in his teeth. It was not clear whether it was his own or Wang Zhong's.
His ears twitched slightly and he raised his eyes slightly to glance at Xu Fenglei.
"Ho... ho ho..."
Laughter is extremely cautious.
