Chapter 192: Li Jinglong, Duke of Cao

Chapter 192: Li Jinglong, Duke of Cao

Chapter 192: Li Jinglong, Duke of Cao
As evening approached, the Imperial City of Yingtian was gently enveloped by a layer of soft afterglow.
The setting sun poured into the sky like molten gold, dyeing the clouds into brilliant orange and red, which contrasted beautifully with the well-organized palaces and pavilions in the city.

The blue bricks and ancient tiles on the city wall glow with warm light under the setting sun.

The guards at the gate of the imperial city were wearing armor and stood as tall as pine trees. Their shadows were elongated and intertwined with the shadows of the city wall.

The Yingtian Imperial City in the evening was not as quiet and solemn as usual.

Instead, there were people coming and going and the place was bustling with noise.

More and more carriages and sedan chairs came here, making the originally wide street crowded.

Dingyuan Marquis Wang Bi and Lu Yunyi arrived late. The two got off the carriage.

Wang Bi's expression remained normal, and he had already greeted several people in less than two breaths.
Lu Yunyi followed beside him and also smiled.

He was wearing a carefully woven black robe, with fine silk and gold brocade interwoven.

The decorations outlined with gold and silver threads glowed slightly under the sunset, making them particularly eye-catching.

In addition, he had a tall and straight figure, like a pine or cypress, a handsome face, sword-like eyebrows slanting into his temples, and eyes as bright as stars.

More and more people cast their gazes over here, their eyes sparkling.

Well-informed people have already guessed Lu Yunyi's identity.

Most of the court officials looked puzzled.

I wondered which distant cousin of Dingyuan Hou this person was? Why had I never seen him before?

Wang Bi walked and laughed, and so did Lu Yunyi.
Only when he started laughing until his face became stiff and his head felt dizzy did he come to the front of the crowd.

This is where the most powerful people in the Ming Dynasty gather. Others who come here may feel uneasy.
But for some reason, Lu Yunyi suddenly felt the heaviness in his heart dissipate a little, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

Just because he has many familiar people here.

Geng Bingwen, Marquis of Changxing, Deng Zhen, Duke of Xingguo, Hu Hai, Marquis of Dongchuan, Zhang Yi, Marquis of Heqing, Zhou Wu, Marquis of Xiongwu, Cao Xing, Marquis of Huaiyuan and others all gave him kind smiles.

Of course, there is also Yu Tongyuan who has a deep hatred for Lu Yunyi.

He was standing next to an old man with a long beard, who looked somewhat similar to him.
But the one with a stronger body should be Yu Tongyuan, Marquis of Nan'an, now the second-in-command of the Chaohu navy.

On one side of him was the highly respected Nanxiong Marquis Zhao Yong.

Just by standing there, many people came up to chat with him, including civil officials and military generals.

When Lu Yunyi arrived here, he felt several gazes coming at him one after another.

One of them had a look full of ill intent.

As for the others, we should look down upon them or ignore them.

Lu Yunyi raised his head slightly, as if looking at the gate of the imperial city in front of him.
But he was already looking at the few people out of the corner of his eye. Yu Tongyuan and Zhao Yong's gaze did not linger for long, but quickly moved away.

However, Yu Tongyuan refused to give in and there was a hint of sneer on his face.

He had anticipated this situation.

If Yu Tongyuan attacks again, he has even prepared a countermeasure.

But until the gates of the imperial city were opened, Yu Tongyuan still stood there without making any response.
This made Lu Yunyi slightly surprised and secretly alert.

A dog that bites doesn't bark.
Yu Tongyuan's flattery has brought him some troubles.
If we can't do anything to him this time, the next attack will surely be more fierce.

As time passed, the atmosphere outside Hongwu Gate became more and more lively, and the noisy voices gradually calmed down.
Even though the palace gates were opened, the military officers and civil and military officials did not come forward and continued to stand there quietly.

At this time, a sharp and melodious voice sounded from behind.
"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has arrived~"

The sound of armor colliding with each other continued.
The many guards standing in front of the Hongwu Gate stood straight with solemn expressions, and put back the spears and swords that were originally pointed out.

All the courtiers looked sideways,
Not far away, at the end of the street,

A ceremonial guard came slowly, led by guards holding golden spears and axes. They walked in unison and with a steady demeanor.

Then, a magnificently decorated sedan chair with eight bearers came into view. The sedan chair was made of mahogany and inlaid with gold-rimmed jade ornaments.

Exquisite satin curtains were hung all around, swaying gently in the wind, and a slightly luxurious carriage followed behind.

The prince was naturally in the sedan chair.

What is surprising is that the person driving the car from behind is actually the current Duke of Liang, Lan Yu. Who is the person in the carriage?

Everyone had a question in their mind.
But soon, they saw a little head popping out from behind the curtain of the carriage, with a look of understanding in its eyes.

The sight softened, especially the many generals in the army.

The slightly violent face relaxed and a smile appeared on his face involuntarily.

Seeing so many people, the young Zhu Yunhuan felt a little scared.
As the convoy approached, blurry but somewhat memorable faces appeared one after another, and he gradually became quiet.
Soon, when the convoy reached the front,
He immediately saw the tall, dark-looking, and imposing 'Black Grandpa', and his eyes lit up.

But due to etiquette, Zhu Yunhuan could not shout loudly.
He only dared to raise his little hand and wave it gently to greet Wang Bi.

Wang Bi didn't have so many concerns.
He raised his hands to make claws and made a face, then Zhu Yunxun's little face suddenly smiled.

Just as Lu Yunyi was confused and wondering who this child was?
Suddenly he felt a pain in his shoulder, and when he turned his head, he saw that it was Marquis Dingyuan who was elbowing him.

Lu Yunyi blinked and quickly reacted.

He also imitated Wang Bi and made faces
This time, Zhu Yunhuan did not suppress his laughter and laughed out loud.
Her small eyes looked back and forth at the young brother, appearing very happy.

As the carriage passed by, Zhu Yunhuan's head retracted.
Soon he came out from a small window on the side and continued to laugh at Wang Bi and Lu Yunyi.
The clear laughter of children echoed in front of the imperial city gate. No one thought it was inappropriate, but instead it added a touch of warmth.

The convoy gradually faded away, and the laughter also gradually faded away.

Only when he disappeared from sight did Wang Bi put his hand down, heaved a long sigh, and smiled bitterly:
"I have never coaxed my own grandson like this."

Lu Yunyi also put his hands down, and his facial muscles trembled slightly to relieve the stiffness.
He lowered his voice and asked in a low voice:

"My Lord, what is that?"

"The Crown Prince's legitimate son, Third Master."

"Third Master?" Lu Yunyi realized instantly that it was Zhu Yunhuan.

Soon, his mood became heavy.
He scanned the surroundings and saw that most of the generals were similar to Wang Bi.
He couldn't take his eyes off the carriage that was going further and further away.
Lu Yunyi's emotions were churning. Judging from the performance of General Lan Yu driving the car himself,
The rumor that Lan Yu supported Zhu Yunwen as the crown prince is completely nonsense.

How can it make sense to not establish your own child but establish someone else's?

Seeing the generals present like this, Lu Yunyi had some understanding in his mind and also had some guesses.

Perhaps it was because of the support of the military generals that the current emperor did not make Zhu Yunhuan the crown prince.

If he is established, he may not only have to face the situation of foreign relatives interfering in politics,
There is also the possibility that military generals will monopolize power and become extremely powerful, and the dynasty will follow the old path of the previous one and collapse after a hundred years.

Lu Yunyi's thoughts were in turmoil and his eyes were empty as he followed Dingyuan Hou Wang Bi into the imperial city.

Inside the imperial city, the palace complex is majestic and magnificent.
The glazed tile roof becomes more dazzling in the sunset, and the golden dragon and phoenix sculptures appear and disappear in the light and shadow, making it even more majestic.

When he left the imperial road and walked between the palaces, he suddenly realized that

I felt as if I was surrounded by a warm halo, and the towering palace seemed to reach straight into the sky, majestic and magnificent.

The dinner was held at Fengtian Hall, which was beyond Lu Yunyi's expectation.

According to normal etiquette, banquets in the imperial palace should be held in the Huagai Hall and the Jueshen Hall, that is, the Zhonghe Hall and the Baohe Hall.

As for the Fengtian Hall, it is of great significance. It is the place where important ceremonies are held and congratulations are received from civil and military officials, but it is usually not used.

But the founding monarch was so casual, and others could do nothing about it. After all, etiquette and laws were set up for power.

After going around in circles and going through a series of inspections,
Lu Yunyi finally arrived at the Fengtian Hall, the central government of the Ming Dynasty.

For no reason, he felt a surge of excitement in his heart.
But he did not show it on his face. He walked into the Fengtian Hall with steady and confident steps, wearing official boots with cloud patterns.

The hall is spacious enough to accommodate hundreds of people without appearing crowded.
Several thick pillars with dragon patterns on them are particularly eye-catching, as if reaching the sky.

In the center of the Fengtian Hall is a wide red carpet avenue leading directly to the lofty dragon throne.
Looking at the throne far away, Lu Yunyi felt a little nervous for no reason.

On both sides of the avenue, rows of square tables were neatly arranged, with exquisite porcelain and silverware placed on the tables.
The air is filled with light scents of incense and flowers, making people feel relaxed and happy.

Looking around, I saw dozens of palace servants busy shuttling between the halls, pouring tea and water for every square table.

Their movements were light and orderly, with faint smiles on their faces.

At this time, a loud laugh and the crisp sound of rings and pendants came from far away, breaking the slightly silent atmosphere in the Fengtian Hall.

"Uncle Wang, you are finally here!!"

Lu Yunyi looked in the direction of the voice and saw the person coming in was wearing a well-tailored brocade robe.

The man came towards me with fluttering sleeves, steady steps, each of which seemed to be carefully calculated, not hurried, not dragging. He was handsome, with a handsome face, about twenty years old, and his eyebrows revealed a unique temperament of bookishness and heroism.

His eyes were bright and lively, with a faint smile on his lips, which made people feel close to him involuntarily.

As he approached, Lu Yunyi could clearly smell a faint fragrance drifting away.

Lu Yunyi was confused, who is this person?

But Wang Bi on the side had already greeted him with a smile, and Lu Yunyi hurriedly followed.

"Hahaha, Jiujiang, it's been a year since we last met, and you seem to be getting more and more handsome."

Jiujiang? Li Jinglong, Duke of Cao!

Lu Yunyi's thoughts moved, his eyes dilated slightly, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, and soon returned to silence.

But little did he know that his subtle changes in expression had been noticed by Li Jinglong, who was slightly surprised and also wondered who this person was.

Li Jinglong walked over quickly with a warm smile on his face.

Looking at Dingyuan Marquis Wang Bi, there was some emotion on his face:
"Uncle Wang, I've been away for a year and I miss you so much.
Fortunately, the army returned victoriously to the south, and I am still waiting to go boating and drink with Uncle Wang."

Wang Bi's dark face blossomed like a flower and he laughed:

"No hurry, no hurry. Are you planning today's banquet?"

Li Jinglong showed some bitterness on his face and nodded slightly:

"My nephew is not as good at fighting as Uncle Wang, so he has nothing to do in the capital.

So I asked Your Majesty for this errand, and I am doing my part.”

"Hahaha, you're still young, why are you in such a hurry to fight?
We are fighting outside just to let you youngsters enjoy the good life in the capital.
You want to go to the front line and suffer, then wouldn't it be a waste of our lives fighting?"

Li Jinglong showed a reserved smile on his face, and quickly moved closer to support Wang Bi:

"My nephew, I see that Uncle Wang is getting old. You have fought for your whole life, and it is time for you to enjoy your life."

Wang Bi laughed again, and seemed to be in a particularly good mood.
Several military officers not far away also laughed and joked when they heard this.

Duke Cao Li Jinglong responded calmly and seemed to be able to handle it with ease.

The more he looked at it, the more Lu Yunyi felt that Duke Cao was experienced and considerate in everything he said and did.
He was particularly close to all the princes, which was somewhat inconsistent with his impression of a stubborn and dissolute man.

At this time, Cao Guogong Li Jinglong looked at Lu Yunyi, with a hint of doubt in his eyes:
"Uncle Wang, who is this family member?"

"If he was a member of my family, I would have been enjoying my life at home, and there would be no need to run around everywhere."

After hearing this, Li Jinglong's eyes became more and more confused.
But soon, he was startled, a look of realization appeared on his face, and he asked tentatively:

"Could it be that this is the former general Lu Yunyi who was valued by Governor Yu and specially submitted a petition to request for merit and title?"

what?
Hearing this, Lu Yunyi almost fell over as his eyes went dark. What was supposed to happen had happened.

Lu Yunyi quickly gathered his thoughts, straightened his body, put his hands forward and clasped them together, and said respectfully:

"I, Lu Yunyi, pay my respects to Duke Cao."

If I remember correctly, Li Jinglong was only 19 years old in the 21st year of Hongwu, just one year older than him.
As Lu Yunyi was performing the ceremony, he felt something very strange in his heart.

So this is what it feels like to salute a young person. No wonder some people in the army always look weird when they salute him.

"Are you Lu Yunyi? I've heard of your name for a long time. I heard that you made a great contribution on this trip, saving Uncle Wang and others from so much hardship!"

Duke Cao Li Jinglong was far less calm than he had just been. He was more like a young man who met his idol for the first time.

In this situation, Lu Yunyi did not get carried away, but was secretly alert in his heart.

Li Jinglong lost his father at a young age, and the huge Caoguo Mansion needed him to manage.
I guess he has already mastered the skills of being a sophisticated person.
And, as far as Lu Yunyi knows,
Li Wenzhong's death was indeed controversial, and the situation he left behind was not very good.
He was in charge of the Grand Military Governor's Office and concurrently the Imperial College Supervisor, and was both civil and military, which was a taboo in the court.
If he were alive, everything would be peaceful and no one would dare to say anything.

But he died suddenly, and the emperor even hinted that he was poisoned.

All this shows that some people in the court were dissatisfied with Li Wenzhong.

Once he dies, Cao Guogong's mansion will certainly suffer.

However, there has been no news of any major problems in Duke Cao's Mansion in the past few years, which shows the ability of Li Jinglong.

Various thoughts flashed through Lu Yunyi's mind, and he quickly responded, smiling and bowing:

"Reporting to Duke Cao, I am a soldier. It is my duty to fight for the country and relieve the worries of the generals. Duke Cao has gone too far."

"Hahaha, he is indeed a capable person.
When the banquet starts, I will have a few drinks with you.
General Lu, you may not know that I have longed to join the army for a long time, but I have never had the opportunity.
General Lu is so young, and we won't be as reserved when talking to each other as we were with Uncle Wang."

Li Jinglong seemed very excited, and his dancing and gesticulation did not seem abrupt.

On the contrary, his comprehensiveness makes people feel comfortable.

Wang Bi laughed again, and so did Lu Yunyi, but he became more alert in his heart.

Li Jinglong smiled and stretched out his hand:
"Uncle Wang, come with me. I will arrange a seat for you. As for General Lu, we are juniors, so we will sit at the same table."

Damn, if someone is being too nice to you for no reason, he is either a traitor or a thief!

Lu Yunyi was certain at this moment that Li Jinglong must have some plan.

Otherwise, how could the Duke of the current dynasty be so kind to a mere lieutenant general like him.

"I dare not. Duke Cao is busy organizing the banquet, so I dare not disturb you.
I will just sit at the back. It is an honor to be here."

At this time, Dingyuan Marquis Wang Bi waved his hand and decided:

"Your Majesty is here tonight, so please do not lose your manners.

You arrange a table for Yun Yi, and when you want to drink with him, you can come back."

Li Jinglong was delighted: "Uncle Wang is really thoughtful."

As he spoke, Li Jinglong waved to the messenger beside him.
A pretty palace maid walked over slowly and bowed slightly.

Li Jinglong ordered: "Take General Lu to Room 1, treat him well and don't neglect him."

"Thank you, Duke Cao. Then, My Lord, I will leave first." Lu Yunyi bowed slightly.

"Go ahead, go ahead. Most people have arrived and the banquet will soon begin."

Wang Bi waved his hand with a smile, and Lu Yunyi followed the palace maid and left.

After he left, Wang Bi smiled at Li Jinglong:

"No. 1 Yizi is almost going to be among the six ministers. With his current status, I'm afraid he will be restless."

Li Jinglong also smiled, supported Wang Bi and walked forward, lowering his voice:

"Uncle Wang, a minister is only of the third rank, and General Lu is no worse than him."

Wang Bi's eyes flickered: "Has the reward from the Governor's Office been decided?"

"It has been preliminarily decided. It can be issued after His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and His Majesty stamp their seals." Li Jinglong lowered his voice again.

Wang Bi smiled and nodded, with a look of emotion on his face:
"The Northern Expedition is finally coming to an end. I am so exhausted. Tell me, what are you trying to achieve by getting close to Lu Yunyi?"

Li Jinglong's face flashed with restraint, and he smiled a little embarrassedly:
"Uncle Wang, nothing can be hidden from me. Your Majesty has arranged for my nephew to go to Huguang for military training next year.

But you also know that military training involves a lot of things and is complicated.

My nephew has no merits, so he will definitely not be able to convince others, and he might even make a fool of himself."

Speaking of this, Wang Bi thought about going to Shaanxi to train troops next year, and he felt a little upset. He nodded slightly:

"You are still young, and you really can't convince others. You will be looked down upon by others, so you want to? Go to war?"

Li Jinglong's smile was as bright as ever, he nodded like pecking at rice, and then looked a little aggrieved:
"Years ago, I wrote a letter to Uncle Mu, asking to join him in the expedition to Luchuan.

But His Majesty agreed, but Uncle Mu disagreed.
My nephew went to ask His Majesty again, but His Majesty said he had no other choice and told me to listen to Uncle Mu.
My nephew didn't have any thoughts.

But in the afternoon, the Governor's Office added 5,000 troops to the army that was sent to attack Luchuan. There was no specific battle plan.
After much investigation, I found out that it was arranged by the Crown Prince and Uncle Lan."

Wang Bi's expression was extremely strange: "So you want to join Lu Yunyi's army?"

Li Jinglong widened his eyes and nodded repeatedly:

"I don't plan to make any great achievements, I just want to gain some experience. I hope Uncle Wang can help me."

(End of this chapter)