"Captain Li, the emperor's decree has been read out. Do you think... when should we set off?"
Li Jiangyao glanced at the other party and asked calmly: "Are you from Beiya?"
"Um... I am the head of the Criminal Department."
"Head of the Criminal Department?" Li Jiangyao chuckled and said, "Then you are doing well. From a mere sixth rank, you can serve as an imperial envoy to declare the imperial edict and escort the naval commander of the third rank to the capital."
"Ahem... the governor is joking. To be honest, this official is the envoy of the third section of Beiya Nilin Division." Zhu Junjie said in a low voice.
Li Jiangyao was sorting out the volumes on the table and said: "The third section is responsible for operations and is a master of arrests, assassinations, and raids. I guess your martial arts are also pretty good."
Zhu Junjie was stunned when he heard this: "I'm an official...his kung fu is just average."
"Humility." Li Jiangyao smiled and said: "Someone once told me that in Nilin Division, modesty is the first virtue, and you can live longer."
Facing Li Jiangyao's teasing, Zhu Junjie didn't know how to answer the question. He laughed dryly and asked again: "Director Li, when will we set off?"
Before Li Jiangyao could respond to him, someone suddenly shouted angrily outside the handsome tent door: "Hurry up! We need to discuss the military situation, you go outside and wait."
Zhu Junjie turned around and saw that the person speaking was Yang Li, who had just been appointed deputy commander of the navy. Behind him, there were more than a dozen navy officers with unpleasant expressions.
Yang Li walked up to him and stared at Zhu Junjie fiercely, as if he wanted to eat people: "Are you deaf? Why don't you get out of here?!"
Zhu Junjie's face suddenly darkened: "I am the imperial envoy, can you speak..."
"No!" Yang Li retorted directly: "The rebels are coming soon, how about you stop them?"
Hearing this, Zhu Junjie was slightly embarrassed, and turned to Li Jiangyao and said: "Captain, the emperor's will is very clear. From now on, you can no longer participate in naval operations."
Before Li Jiangyao could speak, the officers were already shouting.
"Damn it, this battle can't be fought!"
"Now that we are facing a powerful enemy, you are still trying to do this? You are so full!"
"I won't do it anymore! Whoever of you wants to do it will do it!"
"What about military law? What is the crime of changing generals on the spot and disturbing the morale of the army?!"
Facing such a group of wolf-like military leaders, Zhu Junjie felt a little frightened. If you really get into trouble on the spot and trigger a mutiny, even if you are an imperial envoy, they will dare to kill you even if the King of Heaven comes.
He gave a panicked smile and looked at Li Jiangyao.
Li Jiangyao was silent for a moment, and suddenly said calmly: "All of you, stand at attention."
There was a crash and the armor shook. All the officers in the commander's tent, including Deputy Governor Yang Li, stood silently and neatly with their chests raised.
"Brothers, you are all soldiers of Shengtang," Li Jiangyao said calmly, "The state has national laws and the army has military regulations. This Master Zhu is only following orders, so there is no need to embarrass him."
"Yang Li, Wen Lie, San Sheng, and General Gu. During my absence in Yiling, I hope you can unite as one and stabilize morale. Discuss problems more often and support each other more. Try to seize the opportunity again. , defeat the rebel fleet."
"The Commander-in-Chief..." Yang Li choked up slightly and said, "The Navy cannot live without you."
Li Jiangyao smiled casually: "It depends on what you said. Our Holy Tang navy is invincible in the world, and we can still win without anyone! You can be appointed as deputy governor by the imperial court. This is what everyone expects, and it also shows that the imperial court is objective and wise. Qian Don’t let down everyone’s expectations.”
After that, he bowed his hands to everyone: "Everyone, I'll take my leave now. I hope to hear the good news of your victory in the imperial capital!"
"Follow your Excellency to the death, our army will win!" All the officers responded in unison.
Under everyone's gaze, Li Jiangyao slowly walked out of the handsome tent. Unexpectedly, as soon as he came out, he was startled.
In the square outside the tent, tens of thousands of sailors stood densely packed. Seeing his appearance, they all knelt down in unison.
"Congratulations to the Governor!"
Zhu Junjie was barely shaken by the huge sound, and his heart was beating wildly.
Li Jiangyao's eyes were moist, and he waved his hand and said loudly: "Everyone, get up!"
The soldiers responded to the order and stood up one after another, looking at him with bright eyes. Although Li Jiangyao arrived not long ago, it was he who saved the entire navy in times of crisis and led the navy to defeat the enemy and regain dignity and confidence.
In the hearts of the soldiers, they have already deeply recognized this young coach.
Li Jiangyao turned to Zhu Junjie and smiled: "Don't worry, they won't do anything to you without my order."
Zhu Junjie heard the implication of these words: As long as I give the order, you will never leave here alive today.
He hurriedly smiled flatteringly: "The commander-in-chief manages the army well. He is deeply loved by the soldiers and admired by the subordinates."
Li Jiangyao laughed loudly, immediately took the reins handed over by his subordinates, got on his horse, and, accompanied by Zhu Junjie and other agents, passed through the crowd of thousands of sailors and left the Yiling camp.
Unexpectedly, the scene outside the camp made Zhu Junjie even more dizzy.
Ten thousand ghost-faced white-robed troops were now sitting on their war horses and lined up in order, calmly and calmly waiting for their great protector.
"This..." Zhu Junjie didn't know what to say.
A captain of the white-robed army rode forward, looked down at Zhu Junjie condescendingly, and said coldly: "You see clearly, we are not the navy. Whether the general protector is the captain of the navy or not has nothing to do with us!"
Zhu Junjie could really feel the murderous aura coming from the white robe army, and he stammered to Li Jiangyao: "Uh...them?"
Li Jiangyao asked with a smile: "Zhu Zhangqi Envoy, the Holy edict asked me to return to Beijing to report on my duties. Did it make it clear that I was not allowed to bring personal soldiers with me?"
"That...not really," Zhu Junjie wiped his forehead subconsciously: "But, so many people..."
The white-robed captain stretched out his hand to hold the handle of the knife and sneered: "There are many people but few people. Are you qualified to ask?"
Zhu Junjie waved his hands repeatedly: "No, no, no, that's not what I mean. I'm not qualified to ask. Please help yourself."
In this way, Zhu Junjie and his twenty Nilin Division spies, accompanied by ten thousand white-robed troops, set out for the imperial capital. In order to ensure their safety, the white-robed army specially separated a thousand elites, who surrounded Zhu Junjie and others, walking at the back of the entire team. At first glance, it was hard to tell who was escorting whom.
Five days later, Li Jiangyao arrived in the imperial capital successfully.
According to the rules, he should go to the palace to see the emperor in the morning the next day, so after entering the city in the evening, Li Jiangyao went straight to Hu Yufei's house next to the Prince Consort's Mansion, intending to stay overnight.
Mr. Hu was very happy about his arrival and quickly ordered his family to hold a banquet to protect Dadu. Unexpectedly, after receiving the news, Princess Fenyang next door came uninvited and insisted on asking for a drink at Mr. Hu's house.
When Hu Yufei was an official in the court, he had been the teacher of the prince and princess. He was familiar with Li Xi and always treated her as a granddaughter, so he didn't mind much and hurriedly called the seventh princess to take a seat.
"Brother, when you come to the imperial capital, you don't go back to our own home first, but instead come here to bother Master Hu. It's really true." Li Xi looked at Shenghui and complained to Li Jiangyao with half anger and half joy.
Li Jiangyao smiled lightly: "Mr. Hu and I get along very well. I lived in his house last time, so I'm used to it."
"It doesn't matter where you live." Hu Yufei stroked his long beard and smoothed things over for Li Jiangyao: "Princess, isn't this old man the one who protects me?"
Li Xi smiled sweetly and said: "Forget it, of course it does. You are always my master, and you are half a father."
Li Jiangyao especially admired Li Xi's approach to getting close to each other. It was both kind and natural, and with a simple sentence, he immediately connected the relationship between the three people.
He clinked glasses with Hu Yufei and Li Xi, and said with a smile: "I'm going to be in a lot of trouble when I come back this time, so it's best not to involve you."
Hu Yufei put down his wine glass and asked, "Is it because of the killing of Sun Chen and others?"
"You know everything?" Li Jiangyao asked with a smile.
"Although the old man is not in the court, there are still a few students," Hu Yufei sighed softly: "Oh, His Majesty is surrounded by traitors now. It is unreasonable that you led the navy to win a great victory, but you were recalled to face charges. "
Li Xi smiled nonchalantly and said, "Master Hu, you don't have to worry, my brother should be fine."
Li Jiangyao was a little curious: "Oh? Why did the princess say this?"
"Isn't this simple?" Li Xi responded: "Who is Sun Chen? Who is Huo Rulun? Who is Cao Xun? The three of them together are not as good as one of my brother's little toes. What else can he do because of three cheap toes? Did you humiliate my life, the number one general of the Holy Tang Dynasty?"
Li Jiangyao waved his hands quickly: "No, no, no, you can't say that. I am not the number one general in Shengtang, and they are not cheap. They were just punished by me because they violated military law and delayed the navy's operations."
Hu Yufei said thoughtfully: "The princess is right. There is never any real sense of right and wrong in the court. Everything is only about weighing the pros and cons. The emperor should not convict the governor just for the sake of three small characters. At most... …It’s just a slight punishment on the surface, so as to save some face for the court.”
Of course Li Jiangyao understood this truth, so he nodded slightly and said nothing more.
Just listen to Li Xi continue to say: "Compared with killing Sun Chen and others, there is another thing that should attract my brother's attention."
Hearing this, Li Jiangyao and Hu Yufei were very curious and quickly asked what was going on.
Li Xi sneered and said: "The emperor has been struggling for some time to choose the queen. All the princes and important ministers are recommending suitable candidates. Master Hu, your family's threshold is about to be stepped on, right?"
Hu Yufei smiled bitterly and shook his head: "That's not true. The old man retired from the position of Dr. Jin Ziguanglu. He is a third-rank official and is not qualified to recommend candidates. But according to the rules of the imperial court, retired officials who have stayed in Beijing should meet with the court. For major matters, they are automatically promoted to the first level of counselor, so they are barely qualified. Therefore, those disciples, marquises and countes, as long as they have daughters at home, all come to see me for help, which is annoying to death. "
Li Xi couldn't help but chuckle and said, "Then who did you recommend?"
"No one recommended me." Hu Yufei said depressedly: "I will report my illness directly and will not see the guests."
Li Jiangyao nodded: "A wise move."
Li Xi glanced at Hu Yufei meaningfully, turned to Li Jiangyao and said, "Brother, you might as well guess who the left prime minister recommended."
Li Jiangyao was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said: "I am a leading soldier in Xisai, a noble person in the court. I don't know a few of them, so I really can't guess."
Li Xi turned to Hu Yufei again: "Has the teacher received any news?"
Hu Yufei shook his head: "It's too late for me to hide, so why would I care about this matter? Princess, please reveal the answer directly. Which company did Wei Zixuan help?"
Li Xi sneered every word: "Zhenguo Duke's Mansion, Cheng Wen."
