The side hall of Qianqing Palace.
Li Waner changed into a black uniform with a golden dragon embroidered on the hem. She sat upright with a cold look in her eyes. She was not angry and intimidating, and her aura was overwhelming. She glanced at the ministers in the palace and said, "Tang Xuanyi, the leader of the southern thieves, has proclaimed himself the king." , how should we fight this battle, what do you all think?"
Several cabinet ministers stood in the hall without saying a word, because they had been arguing about this matter for a long time, and the opinions in the cabinet were not unanimous. At this moment, no one spoke, and they were silent.
Seeing this situation, a strange color flashed in Li Waner's eyes, "You are all the pillars of the country. You are little rebels who only occupy the land of the five states. Even if they have the support of the Demon Cult, I, the Great Zhou Dynasty, are still not afraid. , why are you hesitating and shrinking?" The cold voice was full of dissatisfaction.
Finally, Zhang Daozhi, the chief minister of the cabinet, stood up and bowed, "Your Majesty, please calm down. The important matters of the country are enshrined in the army. We fight together, and good or bad fortunes are unpredictable. If we really fight with hard power, I, the Zhou Dynasty, will naturally not be afraid, but on the battlefield Above all, there are too many factors that determine victory or defeat, and we need to consider all aspects.”
Another elderly cabinet minister, Li Wenxuan, nodded and agreed, "What the cabinet minister said is absolutely true. Now, the rebels in the south are confronting us. The war starts together and affects the overall situation. Maybe someone will take action by then." It’s not just the Demon Cult anymore.”
Li Waner frowned slightly, "Ai Qing means that there are other forces that will intervene?"
Li Wenxuan cleared his throat and explained, "The three major sects in the world of immortality have profound foundations and long-lasting inheritance. I, the Great Zhou Dynasty, are far behind. The three major sects used to check and balance each other, so the current Demon Sect is so restrained. Otherwise, the anti-thief sect now occupies It’s not just the land of five states.”
"However, your Majesty, don't forget that the three sects are restricted by the agreement and cannot directly participate in the war, but the Dragon Clan and the Monster Clan are not restricted. The south is full of water and densely covered with hills, which is not conducive to cavalry fighting, but for the Dragon Clan, it is Excellent battlefield.”
"Your Majesty, just imagine that when the Great Zhou Dynasty was fighting the rebels, a dragon navy suddenly appeared to attack the back roads or cut off the food and grass supplies. This would be a devastating blow to the soldiers of the entire war."
"Furthermore, the Monster Clan and the Dragon Clan have already torn up their alliance and invaded the territory of the Great Zhou. If they are not from my race, they will have different intentions. Sooner or later, these two tribes will confront the Great Zhou. I would not be surprised at all if they participate in this war. "
With just a few words, Li Waner quickly calmed down. It was not that she had not thought of these things, but she had subconsciously ignored them. What she was thinking about was not the war.
It is the influence of the traitor becoming the queen. If the Great Zhou Dynasty is still so tepid, and slowly tries to do it, it will definitely shake the people's hearts. Those family gentry are just grassroots, and the wind blows them both ways, although they have not done anything blatantly. He supports the rebels, but no one knows what he thinks secretly.
If the Zhou Dynasty turned a blind eye to the rebels and did not use thunderbolt methods to attack them, this would have a great political impact. She must have this determination, and the same is true for the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty.
Li Wan'er nodded, her expression softened, and she said with a smile, "This is really the words of an old man who plans to seek the country. My mother often said that Mr. Li is an old minister left by my father and the pillar of the country, and I deeply agree."
"Your Majesty, your Majesty is ridiculous. This old minister is useless. If I am old enough to seek the country, I will not be able to compare with all of my colleagues here." Li Wenxuan waved his hands, looking humble.
Before other cabinet ministers could speak, Li Waner stopped the conversation in time, "Let's get down to business, now, we have to fight this battle. Tomorrow, you all will come up with a charter, and everyone will discuss it together, and we must send troops as soon as possible." Zhongman is full of determination and cannot be refuted.
His Highness's ministers looked at each other and could only accept it.
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At this time, Su Ming had returned to the Imperial Master's Mansion. As soon as he entered the mansion, a white shadow ran into his arms. , soft and furry.
"Xiaobai, long time no see." Su Ming pulled Xiaobai out of his arms, strangled her by the back of her neck, and put her in front of him.
Suddenly, Xiaobai stopped moving, lowered his claws, and roared dissatisfiedly at Su Ming.
"Ouch."
"You're already a soul demon, why do you still like sleeping so much?" Su Ming put it in his arms, and it immediately found a comfortable position and lay down, with a pair of claws firmly grasping his clothes.
"Oh, I still have to practice." Looking at the white kitten nestled in his arms, Su Ming laughed dumbly.
There is still some confusion. Although Xiaobai is a great demon of the soul, her mind is no different from that of an ordinary ten-year-old child. She has grown up too fast and has experienced too little. Even though she has the memories inherited from the white tiger bloodline, her mind cannot inheritance, so Xiaobai is very dependent on Su Ming.
Of course, when it comes to fighting with the enemy, Xiaobai doesn't know how to hold back at all. She has the blood of the white tiger and the blood of the dragon clan, and the fighting gene is engraved in her bones. Normally, her ambition is not high, but once she is on the battlefield, she It will instantly turn into a killing machine.
After playing with Xiaobai for a while, Su Ming cast a calming spell on her. Looking at her petite body, pink nose, long beard swinging restlessly, and her naughty and cute appearance, he placed his head on her head. Caressing it gently, he sighed, "Go on to sleep, there won't be many days like this in the future."
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The next day, the court meeting started normally.
It has already dawned, and the clear and slender sunlight comes from the sky and shines on the flying tiles of the eaves. The red and green colors blend together, folding into haloes of different sizes, which fall one after another below.
The glazed tiles, white jade railings, reflected by the sky, and the various atmospheres make the entire imperial city exude a bright brilliance, making people feel the majesty of the imperial city.
Wearing court uniforms, the civil and military officials came in from the outer door and whispered to each other. After entering the inner door, they remained silent, straightened their clothes, entered the hall safely, and found their places to stand.
After a while, a bell rang, and the palace maid and eunuch came slowly with their yellow caps on. Li Waner, dressed in black court clothes, walked up to Lord Dan and sat down on the dragon chair.
All the ministers came forward to salute. After the ceremony, they stood up again.
Li Waner was sitting on the throne, and the eyes of the person under the crown were deep and reserved, unpredictable, "Today's meeting at court will still discuss the matter of dispatching troops. Dear ladies, you can speak freely."
Regarding this matter, several cabinet ministers had already communicated with the emperor, so the court meeting was not as noisy as before, and the general route and framework had been formulated.
But eventually, it got stuck somewhere.
"Your Majesty, it is reasonable for the imperial court to send troops to exterminate the rebels. However, the border areas of the Great Zhou Dynasty are not yet stable. If these forces unite with the rebels, how should the frontline soldiers respond?"
If you want to send troops, this is a reality that you have to face.
Although the courtiers did not say it clearly, everyone knew what those forces represented. Although the Great Zhou Dynasty was a traditional court, it was no stranger to monks and would not keep silent. It was just that the expression was relatively obscure.
Zhang Daozhi stood silent in front of the ministers. Li Wenxuan behind him stood up and shouted, "The court will handle this matter by itself. You just need to do your duty and prepare for war with peace of mind."
At this time, a military general came out and said, "Master Li, even if you say this, you must give us an explanation, otherwise we will not feel at ease."
"Yes, Mr. Li."
"Master Li, why bother hiding it? It's time now."
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The military commander's words immediately aroused the echo of other military officers in the palace. Most of them were people who were about to go on an expedition, so they asked this question.
At this moment, a cold voice sounded, "Don't worry, military and national affairs are nothing but child's play. I will let you rest assured." After saying that, the eunuch standing aside took a step forward and shouted loudly,
"Xuanqin Tianjian is coming to Pudu Cihang for an audience!"
"National Division!"
"When did he come back?"
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Immediately, the courtiers looked at each other and began to discuss in low voices. In their impression, the Imperial Preceptor had always been a mysterious person who rarely appeared in court meetings. Why was he here today?
Compared with the differences between civil servants, the military attachés relaxed when they heard this name. At this time, His Majesty brought the Imperial Advisor to the court meeting, making it clear that he would accompany the army on the expedition. With such a great god sitting in the army, they can feel at ease.
Under the guidance of the chamberlain, Su Ming came to the main hall, passed through the civil and military courtiers, and came to Danbi.
"I am here to see you, Your Majesty."
"Imperial master, please be freed." Seeing Su Ming in the palace, Li Waner felt an inexplicable emotion in her heart.
At the same time, Zhang Daozhi, who was standing at the forefront of the civil servants, saw Su Ming, and a complicated look flashed in his eyes: He still hasn't changed! A few years ago, when he first met this monk, he thought he would be a sycophantic minister, a lucky minister who relied on the favor of the Holy One and could not withstand the storms of the court.
But now, he had to admit that he was wrong.
A few years have passed, and the situation has changed. The man who sat on the dragon throne at the beginning has passed away. He was still the chief minister of the dynasty, but has gradually entered his twilight years, but this monk is still as elegant as ever, and is unfazed by favors and humiliations.
Although this person is not above the court, he is very familiar to both the government and the public. Even if the emperor changes, his position is still so stable, and the Holy Scroll is even more powerful than when the previous emperor was alive.
Under such circumstances, it is really rare that he can still maintain his original intention and not participate in political affairs.
"This time to suppress the rebellion, the Imperial Guard will lead the soldiers of the Xuanjing Division to accompany the army. What do you think?" Just as Zhang Daozhi was confused, Li Waner's voice gradually became clearer in his ears.
It turns out that His Majesty’s trump card is him!
Zhang Daozhi understood clearly and had no objection. In fact, he also believed that this was the best way to deal with it at present. Troops from other states should not be easily mobilized, otherwise it would easily lead to local instability.
Hundreds of thousands of troops are displayed on the northwest border. Although the Tatars in the steppe are severely weakened, they still cannot be underestimated. Moreover, water from far away cannot quench the thirst of the near, and the number of troops that can be supported is limited.
Therefore, for this expedition, the imperial court planned a force of 500,000 troops, coupled with two million civilians to run the logistics. This figure was derived from the data deduced by the ministers of the DPRK and China many times, and it was very appropriate.
When the military attachés heard Li Waner's words, they immediately felt at ease and had no objections, "Your Majesty is wise!"
After entering the main hall, Su Ming has been observing the ministers in the main hall. Compared with when Emperor Shenwu was alive, the ministers in the court were much fewer and less bloated. Many figures disappeared in the court. Some of them retired and returned to their hometowns. Some were sent to prison, their homes were confiscated and their families were exterminated...
The atmosphere in the court hall is relatively harmonious, without any decay, bloatedness or smog.
The tone of the court meeting has been set, the issues that need to be resolved have been resolved, and the next step is to fully implement this matter and other political matters.
After going to court, before Su Ming could walk out of the square in front of the palace, he was stopped by the chamberlain, "Master Imperial Master, Your Majesty has summoned you." Seeing the chamberlain in front of him, Su Ming was a little surprised. He didn't notice it yesterday, but he only discovered it today. , I have only been out for half a year, but I feel like the people in the palace have changed, and the demon seeds I planted have disappeared a lot.
It seems that the palace has not been peaceful in the past six months.
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In the Qianqing Palace, Li Waner changed into a palace dress as soon as she left the court meeting, and wore a phoenix hairpin on her head, which made her look less majestic and more feminine.
"Master, long time no see." As Su Ming was taken to Qianqing Palace, Li Waner signaled the eunuchs and maids to step back and came to him, talking and smiling.
When he came back yesterday, he did not enter the palace, but just handed over a memorial. Today is the first time he entered the palace.
"The poor monk has met Your Majesty."
"No need to be formal, there are no outsiders here." Li Waner wrinkled her nose, seeming a little displeased. As she further took control of the power, she gradually let go of herself, and some small thoughts could no longer be suppressed.
"Sit." Li Waner walked to the couch and sat down on her knees.
Su Ming did not refuse and sat directly opposite her. There was a small table on the couch with a tea set on it. Li Waner, without opening a word, picked up the teapot and poured two cups of tea. The whole process was smooth and complex, yet extremely interesting. Beauty.
Li Waner gently pushed the tea cup in front of him and said casually, "I heard that you like to drink jade bud tea, so take two pounds with you when you leave later." Just as Su Ming was about to speak, Li Waner glared, "Don't refuse! "
"In this case, the poor monk would be disrespectful." After saying that, he picked up the tea cup and took a sip. The warm tea was filled with fragrance, and when he took it into his mouth, his teeth were filled with fragrance, which was refreshing.
Good tea art!
Su Ming was a little surprised. Li Waner was still young and had government affairs to deal with. How could she be so good at tea? Although he was confused, he didn't ask.
He sipped the tea quietly, silently.
Li Waner also picked up the tea and drank it carefully. After finishing a cup of tea, Li Waner picked up the teapot and refilled the cup. However, Su Ming did not drink anymore at this time, but looked at Li Waner quietly, waiting for her to speak.
Sipping tea quietly, silently.
Sure enough, after Li Waner put down the teapot, she turned her gaze to Su Ming, but unexpectedly met his gaze. Her heart trembled and began to beat wildly. She was so frightened that she quickly looked away, and a trace of blush appeared on her pretty face.
Su Ming was a little surprised by her gaze. How could it be like a young girl Huaichun seeing her lover?
