The night conversation between father, son, and son-in-law that night in Qionglin Garden still had a certain impact on Emperor Liu, or it deepened his thinking on the governance of the Hu people, border security, national finance, the Han military system, and military supplies.
Of course, the main reason is that Emperor Liu himself knows very well that some problems have to be solved. The longer it is delayed, the more serious it will be, and the greater the damage that may be caused after the outbreak.
It has to be said that Emperor Liu has been a little restless recently. Even though he appears calm and peaceful on the surface, his mood is always anxious.
There is no other reason than that he doesn't like the current state of governance. In the past, especially in the Qianyou era, it can be said that Emperor Liu was always ahead of the wind and waves, guiding and leading the Han Empire forward.
At that time, Emperor Liu gave full play to his subjective initiative, was energetic, tireless, and moved forward. But after entering the Kaibao Year, that proactive ability seemed to be gradually lost as the years passed and the empire became more stable.
In the past, Emperor Liu was often able to anticipate events in advance, be prepared, and proactively discover and solve problems. Nowadays, we can only passively wait for problems to arise, and then seek solutions. And the whole process is not as efficient as before, and seems to be sloppy.
The Han Empire became powerful and once again became a behemoth dominating the east. Similarly, this power and hugeness also gradually restricted Emperor Liu, making every move impossible for him as easily as before.
Emperor Liu felt that all of this revealed a problem. His control over the empire was declining. Of course, it could also be said that his concerns were growing. This feeling is very uncomfortable, especially for a monarch like Emperor Liu.
However, when Emperor Liu made up his mind to do something, no one could stop him. Of course, unlike before, this time, he was completely supported by the ministers, especially in the area of military expenditure. The central ministers stood neatly with Emperor Liu.
When the emperor and his ministers are of the same mind, all changes and innovations will not be a problem. The only obstacle may be the attitude of Emperor Liu. Unconsciously, Emperor Liu became more and more inclined to be a conservative lord. While building a great empire, he also bound himself within it and was unwilling to make changes easily.
Of course, Emperor Liu, who was in the state, also gained enthusiasm again, even if it was only a few points and short-lived. He had the motivation to continue to transform the great man and maintain his empire, just like a surgeon who started to operate after diagnosing some problems with his empire.
Before the dog days of summer had passed, Emperor Liu returned to Bian Palace from Qionglin Garden, and a series of discussions followed. Whether it was an individual interview or a group discussion in front of the emperor, Emperor Liu steadily and orderly promoted a new round of reforms. Perhaps it is not appropriate to describe it as reform, and reform should be more appropriate.
Li Jilong, who returned to Beijing, unexpectedly attended a meeting with a group of central ministers to discuss military and political matters and even made a speech.
One can imagine how much he values this son-in-law. Of course, there was no favoritism between one and another. Yang Yanzhao, who was still serving in the capital, was also appointed to attend, even if he only occupied the last seat. As for the second son-in-law Chai Zongxun, he did not have such preferential treatment. After all, he was not good at military affairs.
In addition, during Emperor Liu's private meeting, Li Jilong was also called into the palace by Emperor Liu the next day to further report to Emperor Liu on his ideas on the reform of the military system.
Such an honor is eye-catching and enviable, but it also puts great pressure on Li Jilong. For Li Jilong, Emperor Liu was both the king and his father-in-law. The dual identity suppressed him, and the pressure he felt when facing the saint alone was also unique.
No one dares to take Emperor Liu's favor for granted. Overly generous favor can easily crush people. Of course, Li Jilong was not that fragile, but he was a little more careful when facing Emperor Liu.
After the ambush, the weather began to change, with showers and thunderstorms from time to time. Not long after, the city of Tokyo was once again shrouded in strong winds and torrential rains. The sky and the earth changed color. Raindrops as big as peas dripped violently on the palace tiles and royal pathways, splashing up bursts of water mist.
Although the rain was annoying, it also dissipated a lot of the midsummer heat. The door of Chongzheng Hall was wide open, and there was heavy rain outside the hall. From time to time, raindrops drifted in and wetted the curtains inside the hall.
With the sound of rain as the curtain, the husband-in-law Liu Emperor and Li Jilong were talking about a game of backgammon in the palace. Of course, they were playing backgammon. However, Emperor Liu paid more attention to his son-in-law than to the chessboard. He had been observing this person for a long time since he returned to Beijing. He did not know whether it was due to his father's early death, his maturity after marriage, or his growth. With the training of time, Li Jilong is much calmer now than before.
The caution with which he faced himself, and the subconscious observation of his words, made Emperor Liu quite curious. This caution and humility did not have the arrogance or impetuosity of young people, and he did not know who he learned it from. One thing is for sure. , definitely not from Li Chuyun.
"Officials, Xiao Yuancheng and Wang Shijun are outside the palace asking to see you!" Yantuo took a small step forward and bowed in salute.
"Oh?" Emperor Liu turned his head and looked outside. The dim sky set off the bright lights in the palace, and the wind and rain were still swaying outside the palace. He couldn't help but feel curious. He waved his hand and ordered: "Xuan!"
But after Emperor Liu's eyes that were attached to him from time to time were diverted, Li Jilong, who was sitting opposite, couldn't help but stand up and said: "Your Majesty has important matters to discuss, so I will leave first!"
After hearing what he said, Emperor Liu's eyes slightly widened and he pointed at the seat: "Sit! What's the rush? Are you afraid that I will eat you? Wang Yinwu and Xiao Siwen came hand in hand, and what they did must be something about the Mobei Khitan. Let's listen together! "
Emperor Liu said this, but Li Jilong didn't dare to refuse, so he had to return to his seat and sit silently.
Xiao Siwen's life has been much better in the past two years, and the benefits of Xiao Chuo's marriage to the prince are gradually becoming apparent. He has truly begun to integrate into the upper class society of the Han Dynasty, and has been accepted by the ministers. There was obviously a lot less vigilance. Even the defection incident of the newly attached Khitan tribe, which had deeply worried him before, was eventually passed smoothly without criticism.
There were also obvious changes in the position. The empty post of Minister of the Ministry of War was removed and he was transferred to Li Fan Yuan Cheng. As the deputy of Dongping King Zhao Kuangzan, he managed ethnic relations and Hu Min vassal affairs.
At the same time, Wu Desi still stayed on the job to assist in the compilation and analysis of Mobei Khitan intelligence information. From the virtual to the real, this is Xiao Siwen's biggest gain in the past two years. At least the Han Dynasty has truly gained its place.
Not only that, but his sons who came south with him also began to serve in the Han Dynasty. Although their titles were not high, this was also a sign that the Xiao family had truly integrated into the Han Dynasty.
Not long ago, after the imperial doctor found out that Xiao Yanyan was pregnant, Xiao Siwen became even more motivated.
Emperor Liu was asked to wait for a while. Xiao Siwen and Wang Yinwu just entered the palace together. Both of them were a little embarrassed. After all, they came in the rain and there were still obvious wet marks on their bodies. Most of the time wasted on getting ready.
"No courtesy!" Seeing the two people bowing down in a hurry, Emperor Liu waved his hands lightly as if he was disgusted with this troublesome rule, and asked directly: "The two ministers came hand in hand, what do you mean?"
The two looked at each other, and Wang Yinwu reported: "Your Majesty, happy event!"
In fact, something can be seen from the expressions of the two of them. Xiao Siwen looked serious, and although Wang Yinwu tried hard to restrain himself, there was an obvious look of joy in his eyebrows.
Listening to his words again, he actually dared to hide himself, which must be a happy event, otherwise Wang Yinwu would not dare to be so sure.
After a change of thought, Emperor Liu smiled softly and said: "How happy are you? It must be that the Khitan master is dead..."
Hearing this, Wang Yinwu was obviously stunned. He noticed Emperor Liu's careless look and reacted immediately. He immediately raised his hand and said, "Your Majesty is a sage. A candle can shine thousands of miles away. He knows all the major events in the world without leaving home. I have received an inquiry from Mobei. Reporting that Khitan Lord Yelv Xian passed away twenty days ago!"
"Huh?" Emperor Liu was obviously not mentally prepared for this sudden news, and he couldn't help but show a little surprise, and confirmed: "Is it true at this time?"
Wang Yinwu looked affirmative and said: "I have received three reports from different teams, all of which mentioned this matter. According to the report, the Khitan leader visited the west in May this summer to inspect his subordinates in the west. When he returned east, he died of illness. On the way! I think, even if the news is wrong and wrong everywhere, the reports from the three teams today all tell the truth, so they should be credible, and more detailed information will reach the capital one after another!"
