Chapter 193: Jinglong's Difficulties, Congratulations
Chapter 193: Jinglong's Difficulties, Congratulations
Because Wang Bi had sufficient seniority, he almost reached the seat closest to the leader, and was then led by Li Jinglong to sit down.
After he sat down, Li Jinglong did not leave immediately, but waited with a look of trepidation on his face.
After a long while, Wang Bi smacked his lips, shook his head and sighed:
"I can't make the decision on this matter. I need the general's consent."
Li Jinglong was stunned for a moment, and quickly moved his head closer:
"Uncle Wang, isn't General Lu the commander of your front army? How come you want the general's consent?"
Speaking of Lan Yu, a trace of fear flashed in Li Jinglong's eyes.
There are few people in the court today who have a stronger background than him.
It just so happens that Lan Yu was one of them, and he had made great contributions. The status of the two was very different.
He relies on His Majesty, and Lan Yu relies on the Crown Prince.
When Li Jinglong thought about dealing with Lan Yu, he felt a little scared.
Wang Bi picked up a melon from the table and started to eat it, saying as he looked at it:
"Although he is a general in my front army, he has always been under the command of the general. From beginning to end, I have never had the opportunity to intervene.
This requires more than just getting close to each other on a daily basis to cultivate friendship.”
The astonishment on Li Jinglong's face became even more intense.
In the afternoon, he got the news that Wang Bi, Marquis of Dingyuan, was taking Lu Yunyi for a stroll around the city.
He previously thought that Lu Yunyi was Wang Bi's confidant and even a successor to be trained.
In this way, it was just a matter of a word for him to go to the front army scout unit.
But unexpectedly, there were sudden twists and turns.
Wang Bi sat there, watching Li Jinglong's expression change constantly.
Knowing that he had a hard time these years, I kindly reminded him:
"The front scout unit is not a good place to be.
Lu Yunyi's army is different from ours. He is destined to be on the front line and risk his life for military merit.
If you rashly join the front army, the daily training will kill you. It is better to find another way.
If it really doesn't work, you can follow me to Shaanxi to train, and you'll be fine after a few more training sessions."
Li Jinglong knew very well that this was the safest way.
But unfortunately, in today's Ming Dynasty, if you don't have military merits, you will have an unstable foothold in the court.
He is young, although he is the Duke of Cao.
But not to mention the nobles in the army, even some generals in the army looked down on him.
The warriors in the governor's office usually showed him a warm attitude.
But it is not uncommon to see people spitting as soon as they turn around.
In the past, since he was young and we were all elders, we just had to be more tolerant.
But now he is getting older,
When the country was founded, the warriors were already fighting on the battlefield and among corpses at the age of eighteen or nineteen, but he still had never done any housework.
Li Jinglong could feel that as these older military commanders retired and a new generation of military men came to power, his situation would become increasingly delicate.
This is also one of the reasons why he wanted to make a contribution, so that he could at least have some qualifications.
Li Jinglong sighed in his heart, a trace of regret flashed in his eyes, and he bowed slightly:
"Thank you for your advice, Uncle Wang. I will think about it again."
“You have an enterprising spirit, which is good.
Your father went through life and death for so many years to build this family business so that you can live a good life.
If you want to join the army and fight, we all support you. If you really make up your mind, go and tell the general, he will agree.
But if you don't want to take risks, that's fine, just stay in Beijing.
We will protect you wherever we go and won’t let others bully you.”
Wang Bi's tone was sincere, and his face was a little softer.
Li Jinglong felt a little sad after hearing this. He pursed his lips and bowed respectfully:
"Thank you, Uncle Wang."
"Well, entertain those civil servants more and don't gather here. They are petty and we don't care about that."
"Then my nephew will take his leave."
"Go."
Li Jinglong stood up and shrugged his nose.
The heavy face gradually showed a smile, becoming the same as before.
After doing all this, he slowly turned around and greeted the gentlemen who had just entered the Fengtian Hall.
Wang Bi listened to his hearty laughter fading away.
He shook his head and sighed slightly.
The Ming Dynasty was newly established, and the generals who founded the country had not yet all passed away. It was the time for them to be arrogant.
Gaining power at a young age is a disaster if one has no ability.
You will be regarded as a thorn in the eyes of others, and they will be eager for you to give up your position as soon as possible.
Duke Chang Mao of Zheng is an example. He was reported and demoted to Longzhou as soon as he took the initiative.
At this moment, a sturdy figure rushed over quickly.
Without further ado, he punched Wang Bi with a loud bang.
"You are such a fool, you are so grown up, yet you still hang out with kids."
Wang Bi was hit by this sudden punch and saw stars.
When he recovered and looked carefully, his brows immediately raised, and without thinking, he started to curse:
"Damn you, you idiot Cao, you just love sneak attacks!"
While he was saying this, his hands were not idle either, he also punched out!
The man didn't dodge, but took it head on, then patted his chest in a show-off manner:
"With my physique, when you, Wang Shazi, die of old age, I will still be alive and kicking, and I will dance on your grave."
The two started to curse each other, but as they cursed, they sat together.
Patting each other on the shoulders, a sense of sadness began to spread.
The man who came was Jingchuan Marquis Cao Zhen, who was born in Fengyang.
He joined the Red Turban Army very early and has a long history.
But it was not until the 12th year of Hongwu that he followed Mu Ying and Lan Yu to pacify the Western Barbarians, and was granted the title of marquis and an official salary of 2,000 dan.
Wang Bi was also granted a title of nobility for pacifying the Western Fan. The two had a very good relationship and were Lan Yu's direct descendants.
In the 20th year of Hongwu, Dongchuan intended to rebel, and Ye Sheng, Marquis of Jingning, led an army to suppress it.
In the 21st year of Hongwu, he put down the rebellion and captured more than 5,000 people, but he also missed the Northern Expedition.
Otherwise, with his qualifications, he would have appeared in the northern expedition army.
The two of them fought for a while, then gradually stopped. Wang Zhen asked with emotion:
"Is the battle in Dongchuan going well?"
"Damn it, it's going too smoothly, it's just some natives causing trouble,
Seeing that the people of Sichuan were living a good life, they also wanted to join the Ming Dynasty.
But those ignorant people in the Provincial Administration Office did not agree, which led to the rebellion.
When I led the troops to arrive, before the battle even started, they all fell to their knees, which scared me so much that I missed the Northern Expedition!!”
Cao Zhen looked indignant. He also took a melon from the fruit basket and started eating it with a grunt.
Wang Bi looked strange, blinked his eyes and asked:
"I don't see that in the military newspaper. It should be that the battle is fierce."
“Nonsense, how can I get any credit if I don’t write it like this?
If the matter is reported to the emperor, those old guys will be chopped off by His Majesty.
Now we can kill two birds with one stone, they save their lives and we gain military merit."
Cao Zhen curled his lips, not caring at all about falsely reporting military achievements.
Wang Bi had no way to deal with it, and looked helpless:
"You'd better control your temper. If you continue like this, something bad will happen sooner or later."
Cao Zhenye curled his lips and continued to raise his voice:
"Bah, Wang the Fool, your own son is not doing well and hangs out with other kids every day, and you don't feel ashamed, how dare you criticize me?"
Cao Zhen's voice was so loud that Lu Yunyi could hear it even from a distance.
The melon that was about to be put into his mouth paused slightly and blinked his eyes.
I nodded in agreement. That's right.
Judging from the time he has been back in Beijing, Lord Dingyuan is indeed very popular with children.
Half an hour passed, and the sky gradually darkened.
The originally empty Fengtian Hall was now filled with people, probably more than a hundred people.
Among them, he only recognized a few military officers sitting in the front row.
I don’t know anyone else and can only entertain myself.
However, he had memorized the faces of everyone present, so he only needed to know their names to find the right seat.
During this half hour, quite a few people came to greet him.
Most of them were generals who came with their own lords.
His position is higher than Lu Yunyi's, but his attitude is particularly kind.
Lu Yunyi was a little confused and could only respond repeatedly, so much so that his face was now a little stiff and painful.
Not far from him, Li Jinglong stood there silently.
I saw all those generals taking the initiative to talk to me, and I felt mixed emotions.
Although he was the Duke of Cao, many people still attached themselves to him.
But most of them were incompetent people who valued the power of Caoguo Mansion.
As for the truly elite generals in the army, most of them were people he took the initiative to talk to, but he had no way to recruit them as his disciples.
While he was thinking, a voice came from behind him.
"Jiujiang, Jiujiang, can you add a seat here?"
Li Jinglong looked back.
The palms at his sides clenched into fists, veins on his forehead throbbed wildly, and anger flashed across his eyes.
But a smile immediately spread across his face, and he walked over quickly:
"Of course you can. We are all in the military. If we get closer, we can get closer and get to know each other better." "Hahaha, I said Jiujiang is easy to talk to. Come on, come on, sit down!"
The person who spoke pulled his colleague to sit down, then looked at Li Jinglong:
"Jiujiang, thank you very much, you can go and do your work first."
Li Jinglong smiled and nodded, but when he turned around and walked away, he could no longer suppress the frustration in his heart.
The man was Zhao Anfeng, the deputy general of the rear army. He was over 40 years old and a backbone of the army.
The 4,000 guards he led participated in the Northern Expedition and made great contributions in destroying the enemy. However, he was arrogant and domineering.
He has always looked down upon those who have done nothing but merit, even he, the Duke, is among them.
If it were normal, Li Jinglong would not be angry about this matter.
But he had seen Zhao Anfeng chatting with Lu Yunyi with a smug look on his face, with a flattering smile on his face.
Even though Lu Yunyi ignored him, he just stayed there for a long time!
The discrepancies almost destroyed the good image that Li Jinglong had always maintained.
Li Jinglong took a deep breath and calmed down his emotions. A hint of determination flashed in his eyes.
The two fists placed at my side clenched silently, and I muttered to myself silently:
"My father's achievements cannot be lost to me. If others can do it, I can do it too!!!"
Because he used too much force, Li Jinglong's clenched right hand was shaking slightly.
As night falls, the glazed tiles of the Forbidden City glow with a faint silver light under the moonlight.
The Fengtian Hall is brightly lit, presenting a prosperous scene.
Inside the hall, the beams and pillars made of golden nanmu wood are decorated with dragons and phoenixes, shining brightly.
The central imperial table was filled with delicacies, the aroma was overflowing and made people salivate.
"Your Majesty, the auspicious time has arrived and the banquet can begin."
A chief eunuch dressed in a dragon robe and a black gauze hat, holding a whisk, walked lightly into the back hall. His voice was neither too loud nor too low, but clearly audible.
"Pass the order and start the banquet."
Zhu Yuanzhang, who was sitting in the back reading the memorial, responded calmly but had no intention of getting up.
Instead, he finished reading the memorial, put it aside, and slowly stood up.
He turned his head to look at the Crown Prince Zhu Biao not far away, with a hint of tenderness in his eyes:
"Biao'er, let's go."
Crown Prince Zhu Biao did not raise his head, but continued to stare:
"Father, go ahead. I'll finish reading this memorial."
Zhu Yuanzhang had no way to deal with him. He nodded indifferently, his face stern and dignified, and walked towards the main hall with the gait of a dragon and a tiger.
Open -- banquet --
Following the eunuchs' high voice,
The hall suddenly became solemn.
Zhu Yuanzhang showed up and frowned when he saw this scene.
He waved his hand casually, signaling everyone present to do as they pleased.
The music began to play, and the melodious music continued to echo.
The palace maids moved around the banquet, pouring wine and serving food to the guests.
About a quarter of an hour later, there was a steady and powerful sound of footsteps coming from the back hall, accompanied by the eunuchs' respectful greetings:
"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has arrived!"
At this time, it was not as relaxed and casual as before.
All the civil and military officials present stood up hurriedly, showing respect.
The sounds of stringed instruments suddenly stopped, and one could hear a pin drop in the Fengtian Hall.
I saw Crown Prince Zhu Biao, wearing an exquisite brocade robe and a jade crown on his head, with a gloomy face, walking into the hall with steady steps.
"I am waiting to see His Highness the Crown Prince!"
There was a loud shout in the hall, and Lu Yunyi was among them.
When he lowered his head, there was a look of strangeness in his eyes. It was really strange that the emperor did not bow to the prince.
"Be flat."
Crown Prince Zhu Biao spoke calmly, and then walked down to the table.
Paying respect to his father, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, the voice was eloquent.
At this celebration banquet, the crown prince read the congratulatory message, which was also written by the crown prince.
"Crown Prince Zhu Biao respectfully presents a congratulatory message to His Majesty the Emperor:
I humbly wish that Your Majesty’s virtue is great, your achievements are unparalleled, your grace is widespread, and the whole world is peaceful.
I have recently heard frequent news of victories in the northern border, the Northern Yuan Dynasty has surrendered, and the border has been permanently stabilized. This is all due to your Majesty's wisdom and bravery, and your strategic planning.
When I heard this, I was overjoyed and led all the officials to present a memorial to express congratulations.
In the past, the northern border was in turmoil, the Hu people were spying on the border, the people living on the border were suffering, and all lives were lost.
Your Majesty is so concerned about the country that he forgets about his family. He is resolute and decisive and sends a large army to conquer them.
Plan in the temple and win the battle thousands of miles away.
The soldiers fought bravely and were invincible, and the bandits fled at the sight of them.
Today, the northern border has been settled, Yuan Chen has not risen, the border people live in peace, and the country is stable, all due to your Majesty's wisdom.
Your Majesty's wisdom is like the sun and the moon across the sky, and the rivers across the earth, reaching everywhere and penetrating everywhere.
As a son, I look up to your holy virtue and feel like I am bathed in spring breeze. My heart is longing for you and I cannot help myself.
May Your Majesty live long, long, and long, and may you enjoy eternal peace and eternal honor.
I wish Your Majesty good health and a long and healthy life.
As a son, I should strictly abide by the duties of the crown prince, assist my father, and jointly manage state affairs to ensure the safety of the country and comfort the people.
The joy of the Northern Expedition is indeed a blessing for the country and the people.
Your sons and other civil and military officials are willing to share this happiness with your father and celebrate the peace together.
I would like to use this to congratulate His Majesty the Emperor."
Crown Prince Zhu Biao bows his head and kowtows again!
Until this moment, all the court officials bowed and saluted again.
Lu Yunyi also took this opportunity to get a glimpse of the emperor's true appearance, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.
It is very different from the shoe-horn face that is popular among the people.
He looks like a typical Anhui man, with a square head, round face, big ears, bulging cheeks, shallow eye sockets, and looks particularly fierce.
While he was thinking, Zhu Yuanzhang's majestic voice came from above:
"I have fought in wars, too. What credit can I get from staying in this palace? It's all the credit of the soldiers."
Crown Prince Zhu Biao smiled and bowed slightly:
"Father is right."
Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and said:
"Everyone present here is a key figure in the imperial court, and we all work for the prosperity of the Ming Dynasty. We are all one family.
Don't be too restrained, eat and drink as you please, have some fun, and sit down."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
As Zhu Biao and the court officials took their seats, the banquet officially began.
The music became more cheerful, the wine was fragrant,
The guests raised their glasses to celebrate and wished the Ming Dynasty prosperity and peace for the people.
In less than half an hour, the entire Fengtian Hall was filled with the aroma of wine, and the noise gradually became louder.
The generals at the front were already clamoring to have a drinking contest. The emperor and the prince sitting at the top did not stop them. Instead, they looked at those in front of them with a smile.
Lu Yunyi sat behind a square table, surrounded by strangers, and there was no need to start a conversation.
I could only drink silently and eat the food on the table bite by bite.
Although it was a bit cold, it tasted really good.
As the atmosphere in the Fengtian Hall was becoming increasingly heated,
A figure holding a wine jug walked up to him, slightly staggering.
He sat down right away, which frightened Lu Yunyi.
When he turned his head, he saw that it was Li Jinglong, Duke of Cao.
Li Jinglong's cheeks were red, his eye sockets were a little flushed, and his eyes were a little drunk.
Not as suave as before, but rather a bit sloppy and casual, he spoke vaguely:
"General Lu, I'm here to have a drink with you."
(End of this chapter)