"Good archery skills!"
In the palace garden, Yang Ye, the deputy commander of the front department, gave a high praise and made a positive evaluation of Emperor Liu's archery skills. Emperor Liu shook his sore arms and looked at the arrow hitting the bullseye thirty steps away, with a smile on his face.
After he had some free time, Emperor Liu also practiced archery. Although he didn't have much talent, he could make up for his shortcomings through hard work, and he made some progress. Now, he can shoot an arrow from thirty steps away with a certain hit rate, making outstanding progress. Of course, thirty steps, if converted, is about thirty-six meters.
Compared with those sharpshooters in the army who can shoot arrows accurately even from a distance of seventy or eighty steps, there is no comparison at all. However, Emperor Liu's goal was not to shoot far and accurately, but to enjoy the training process and the progress he made.
"Don't compliment me. After practicing for so many years, my archery skills are still mediocre and not worth mentioning!" Liu Chengyou smiled at Yang Ye and said, "It's quite boring for you generals to accompany me to practice archery!"
Over the years, Emperor Liu would summon ministers and generals to attack from time to time. He would chat, eat, ride horses, and shoot arrows with him to win over the heroes and get close to each other. This was something he had insisted on for a long time. As a senior general in the Forbidden Army, Yang Ye was a frequent visitor to Liu Chengyou's seat.
After strumming the bow string and listening to the pleasant vibrato, Emperor Liu abandoned the bow, turned around and sat down, took the silk handkerchief from the chamberlain, and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Seeing this, Yang Ye also stopped moving, came closer, and said with emotion: "Your Majesty, why do you need to hide yourself? With the size of the world and your Majesty's wisdom in employing people, if there are any vicious beasts, you will have soldiers to shoot them for you!"
"Okay!" After hearing this, Emperor Liu smiled happily, looked at his favorite general, and said: "As expected of Yang Wudi, these words are encouraging! Only with brave and strategic people like you can I sit on the dragon's throne. Court, see the world at peace!"
"Your Majesty is also a wise man, a virtuous minister and a fierce warrior, who can display his wisdom and courage to guard the inside and outside for your Majesty!" Yang Ye said.
"Over the years in Beijing, my knowledge has greatly increased!" Emperor Liu said with a smile.
"Rely on Your Majesty for promotion and training!" Yang Ye said.
"Okay! Don't say any more modest words!" Emperor Liu looked at Yang Ye and said, "You are thirty-five years old now!"
"Exactly!" Yang Ye said softly, why did he care about his age? He probably didn't think he was too old.
Noticing the look in his eyes, Emperor Liu motioned for him to sit down and said with a touch of emotion: "I often recall the past recently, and I can't help but think of the days in Jinyang. I still remember the meal. A meal, in exchange for a person. A world-famous general, worth it!"
Emperor Liu's words were still full of praise and love for Yang Ye. Yang Ye said: "Your Majesty, it is my honor to follow the Ming Dynasty and make great achievements."
"Someone told me that General Yang Ye's talents should be used on the border, to protect the country, to intimidate the Rongdi, and to confine his talents to the capital. What do you think?" Emperor Liu asked again.
It doesn't matter who told Emperor Liu. The important thing is that Yang Ye heard what the emperor meant and seemed to have his own ideas. He immediately raised his hands and said, "Your Majesty has great trust in you and has entrusted him with the high post of banning troops. I am grateful to you. If your Majesty wants to use troops, I am willing to be the king's vanguard. I will not hesitate to do so!"
What Emperor Liu liked about Yang Ye was his loyalty and pride.
Looking at him, he asked: "What do you think, if we want to use troops, where should we use them?"
Seeing the emperor's expression, Yang Ye couldn't help but become solemn and responded: "The only one who can be regarded as the great enemy now is the Khitan Liao Kingdom!"
"Do you think that if I launch the Northern Expedition again, it will be at the right time?" Liu Chengyou asked directly, as if it was true.
After thinking about it, Yang Ye also answered seriously: "If you let the heroes of the Han cavalry roam across the northern part of the fortress, defeat their tribesmen, plunder their cattle and horses, and then return, it would be easy; if you want to destroy their country, destroy their Zuo, and take their principal officials captive. Also, I have to say it bluntly, the time has not come yet and the big man is not prepared enough!"
After hearing what he said, Emperor Liu showed a satisfied look and said, "I thought you would directly suggest me to attack the Liao Kingdom!"
Yang Ye responded solemnly: "I am willing to drive for your majesty to defeat the enemy, but military and state affairs are ultimately not a battle of wills, so we must not be careless!"
Looking at Yang Ye who was confident and calm in front of him and answering questions fluently, Emperor Liu felt emotional. Only now Yang Ye has truly grown into a great general who can be entrusted with great tasks.
"I won't beat around the bush!" Waving his hand, Liu Chengyou said, "I do have your intentions!"
"Please give me your Majesty's orders!" Yang Ye stood up immediately and bowed.
"You don't have to be so restrained!" Emperor Liu asked him to sit down again, and then said: "I will definitely use you in the Northern Expedition to Liao Kingdom, but as you said, the time has not yet come. Let's test your skills first. I want you to go to the northwest. Let’s go and collect the Xia Sui area!”
"His Majesty has finally decided to take action against the Dingnan Army?" Yang Ye's eyes glowed with excitement.
"There is a foreign body in the skin. If it goes on for a long time, the skin will fester, and the whole body will be damaged!" Emperor Liu made a metaphor, and then said the real reason for mobilizing troops: "I just received the news that Li Yiyin died of illness. He is already in the mansion, and I have issued an edict for Li Guangrui to come to Beijing to help the coffin..."
Since Li Yiyin entered the capital in the twelfth year of Qianyou, he has been detained in Kaifeng. Seven years have passed in a flash. For Li Yiyin, these seven years were torturous. Although he had good food and drink, he had no freedom, and the restrictions did not relax as time went by, but became more stringent.
As for Li Yiyin, he had been ill for many years. Emperor Liu originally thought that he would not survive for long, but he never thought that he would survive the illness. It was not until the fourth year of Kaibao that he died in the palace.
As soon as Li Yiyin died, Emperor Liu wanted to solve the problem of the troubled army, so he decided to take action. As for the person in charge selected, Wen was Wang You, the inspector in charge of the customs, and Wu was Yang Ye.
After understanding the emperor's thoughts, Yang Ye thought about it and said, "I'm afraid that Li Guangrui won't come to Tokyo!"
"Of course I don't dare!" Emperor Liu said with certainty: "However, if he disobeys the imperial edict and fails to come, he will be unfaithful to me and unfilial to his father. In this way, the imperial master has a reputation, and he will use the right to defeat the unjust. By then, I want to see how many people from the Difficult Army and Party members can join us?"
Seeing Emperor Liu talk about his plan in an understatement, Yang Ye couldn't help but feel a sense of awe. This kind of conspiracy seemed familiar. Emperor Liu had done too many things in these years.
In his mouth, he complimented: "Your Majesty is strategizing and will surely win a thousand miles away!"
"Haha!" Liu Chengyou chuckled twice and said: "I am in Tokyo. How can I really decide affairs thousands of miles away? Military issues have to rely on the frontline soldiers!"
He suppressed his smile and said to Yang Ye, "I don't plan to make a big move against Xia Sui this time. I will use Yan, Yan, Feng, Sheng garrison and Guan Nei Dusi, a total of 30,000 soldiers and horses. You will recruit the envoys. Governor and troops, do you have any questions?"
Yang Ye said confidently: "It is difficult to defeat the enemy because the territory is narrow and the army is weak, but it is not difficult to defeat it!"
After saying that, he glanced at Emperor Liu, and Yang Ye said again: "However, there are so many party members, and if they stubbornly resist the Li family, there will be obstacles!"
"The imperial court has been running for many years, and it is not useless. Differentiation, wooing, and interest connections are also effective!" Emperor Liu said lightly: "However, people who are not of my race must have different minds. I think there are many stubborn people. I am right You only have one request, those who surrender will live, those who refuse will die, that's all!"
Regarding the party members, Emperor Liu was very confident at this time and was not afraid of causing chaos at all.
