"I've seen your adopted father this morning."

Li Mu said calmly: "I guess my adoptive father is here to thank him... Yesterday, His Majesty Jin's adoptive father was the Duke of England, and I happened to be present."

Li Shimin shook his head and said, "He is not here to thank me. Thank you is a cover. He is here to test me."

Test? Or a subject tests the emperor? This is not a good word!

Li Mu quickly said, "Your Majesty must not be misunderstood. The loyalty of the adoptive father can be used to understand the sun and the moon. He will definitely not be the kind of villain who tests the king and the father..."

"Don't worry," Li Shimin interrupted Li Mu and said, "You listen to me first..."

Li Shimin paused and said, "I have always believed in your adopted father Li Ji. Otherwise, I would not have ordered him to guard Bingzhou and guard against the Turks when he was ascending the throne and when the four sides were unstable. However, your adopted father was too cautious by nature. When he came to see me today, he wanted to return to Bingzhou and ask me for my approval."

Li Mu was stunned for a moment, then thought about it, and then realized.

Li Siwen is Li Ji's son. Now that he has done something wrong, he also leads to the past when Li Ji helped Li Jiancheng more than ten years ago. Although Li Shimin did not over-punish the punishment and even added Li Ji, Li Ji was still worried. He asked Li Shimin to send him to Bingzhou, which was a temptation. Bingzhou was one of the "Jiuzhous of the Han Dynasty" and was a military important military place to guard the Central Plains. Further north or west, they were all territory that originally belonged to the Turks. Although the Turks were destroyed, there were still many nomadic tribes that should not be underestimated.

In such an important place, the emperor will definitely use the person he trusts the most. Moreover, the generals guarding the border must have the military power. If the emperor is suspicious of a person, will he dare to use it? Not afraid of rebellion?

Li Ji used this method to test his position in Li Shimin's heart. If Li Shimin agreed to him, it would mean that the emperor's kindness was still the same, and he would be at ease. But if Li Shimin refused, even if he had no suspicion, according to Li Ji's personality, he would be in panic all day long.

It was precisely because Li Shimin saw through this that he said that Li Ji was testing him.

Li Shimin observed Li Mu's expression and guessed that Li Mu already understood what was going on. He sighed: "Li Mu, I feel very sad. I can't understand why everyone in the world is so suspicious of my words and deeds? Li Siwen did something wrong, and I punished him. Did I do something wrong? I was still worried that Li Ji would think too much and be granted the title to him. I didn't expect that he could not feel at ease. On the other hand, he had to test my thoughts... I am really like a cunning person?"

How to answer this question?

Li Mu couldn't help but complain, this is a question that must be wrong. If you say yes, Li Shimin will be dissatisfied, if you say no, it seems that you regard him as a fool again.

Li Mu would not answer such a stupid question, saying, "Your Majesty, I think it has nothing to do with cunning. Your Majesty is the emperor as the emperor. Every word and action of the emperor affects the world. It is human nature to be afraid of something in his heart. Didn't I also lose my composure yesterday? I thought, if anyone else would be worried, right?"

Li Shimin smiled, not taking this compliment, but asked: "I didn't give him a reply immediately. Now I'm here to ask you, do you think I should let your adoptive father go to Bingzhou?"

"Um..." Li Mu pondered.

When Li Mu was in the Ministry of Works, he had seen the geographical map of mountains and rivers in the Yu tribe. This Bingzhou area was a large area. In ancient times, the world was divided into "Jiuzhou", Yuzhou, Qingzhou, Xuzhou, Yangzhou, Jingzhou, Liangzhou, Yongzhou, Jizhou, and Yanzhou. After King Wu destroyed the Yin and Shang dynasties, he merged Xuzhou into Qingzhou, merged Liangzhou into Yongzhou, and divided Bingzhou and Youzhou with Jizhou. Since then, there has been no Liang, Xu, but You, and Bingzhou.

During the Han Dynasty, this place of Bingzhou led nine counties including Taiyuan, Shangdang, Xihe, Yunzhong, Dingxiang, Yanmen, Shuofang, Wuyuan, Shangjun, etc. Jinyang, the Longxing land of Li Tang, and Shuozhou, Taiyuan, which produces coal, were all in Bingzhou.

Li Ji served as Bingzhou. According to the current territory of the Tang Dynasty, he managed at least one-seventh of the Tang Dynasty, and it was not a pity for him. But in terms of the court, it would be a big disadvantage. If the three provinces and six ministries were vacant in the future, the ministers who were in banned from the border would definitely not be given priority. Li Ji wanted to enter the center, which was considered an obstacle.

But Li Mu could guess how much Li Ji thought. If Li Shimin asked him to go to Bingzhou, he would not have to worry about what happened back then. Secondly, after Dingxiang was taken back, he was re-established and established as Zhechong Prefecture, which happened to be under the jurisdiction of Bingzhou. He became Li Siwen's boss and could take care of him.

For Li Mu, in addition to these two, if Li Ji was in Bingzhou, his mining career would have become more appropriate. Li Mu has always been worried that he would have no influence in the local area and had no support in negotiations with the Wang family in Taiyuan, but if Li Ji was in Bingzhou, it would be very different.

Li Mu thought for a long time and finally spoke, "Your Majesty, if you ask me about your opinion, my opinion is that Your Majesty should allow your adoptive father to go to Bingzhou."

Li Shimin kept silent and continued to ask, "What's the reason?"

"Your Majesty, I have two reasons, half public and half private. Which one does Your Majesty want to listen to first?"

"Let's talk about Yu Gong first."

Li Mu said solemnly: "Your Majesty, my adoptive father is an upright and loyal man. In his early years, he worked for Li Mi. Later, Li Mi was defeated and had no choice but to surrender. The adoptive father controlled the troops and horses and territories of Wagang Village. He could have been independent, or offered the troops and territories to the Supreme Emperor to be his own advancement. But he still insisted on counting these troops and territories on Li Mi and seeking rewards for Li. Such loyal and righteous people are believed to be trusted."

"And since his adoptive father surrendered to the Tang Dynasty, he has never done any rebellious acts. In the Xuanwu Gate incident, although his adoptive father did not stand on His Majesty's side, he did not stand on His Majesty's side. I asked him about his adoptive father, and he replied that he was loyal to the emperor, and the emperor at that time was the emperor. Therefore, I do not think that his adoptive father had done something wrong, but instead felt that Your Majesty should trust such ministers. Now his adoptive father has made great contributions to destroying the Turks, which is exactly what I think. My adoptive father is a loyal and upright minister. As long as Your Majesty trusts him, he will not let Your Majesty down. But his character flaws cannot be compensated. If Your Majesty does not allow him to go to Bingzhou, he will be in panic all day long. Your Majesty will also lose a general. What are the benefits for Your Majesty?"

"On the other hand, Bingzhou is a place to rush, and Your Majesty also needs someone to guard it. When Your Majesty ascended the throne, he used my adopted father to take over Bingzhou. Why did he use him at the beginning but now he doesn't use it? I think that Your Majesty's original choice shows that in Your Majesty's heart, the adoptive father is the best candidate, and it should be the same now. This is my first reason."

Li Shimin nodded and said, "What is the second reason?"

"mine!"

Li Mu said loudly: "Do Your Majesty still remember 'coal'? The coal-producing Shuozhou and Taiyuan are both under the jurisdiction of Bingzhou. Although I proposed to cooperate with the Wang family in Taiyuan, it is a fact that the influence of the court is not as good as that of the aristocratic family in the local area. I am worried that cooperation will lead to blinding situations. If my adoptive father stares in Bingzhou, it will greatly reduce the possibility of the court being blinded and will increase bargaining chips for the court during negotiations."

Li Shimin frowned. The second reason was that he talked about his heart. Li Shimin had a natural distrust of the family. Li Ji had been neutral for many years, and Li Shimin saw this. He believed that Li Ji would not be in harmony with the Wang family in Taiyuan. This would indeed play some role in the local area.

But he still did not express his opinion, but asked, "What about that half-public and half-private reason?"

"Uh..." Li Mu was a little embarrassed and said, "If his adoptive father could be in charge of Bingzhou, he would also be convenient for me to do some business. To be honest, I have made some small things recently, all of which are luxury goods, and I plan to sell them to 'high-end people' with consumption capacity, such as the young lady of a family and the young lady of a local family. It is useless, but very expensive things. Bingzhou has two major families and dozens of major families. For me, it is an indispensable market!"

"Is there something new?" Li Shimin still trusted Li Mu's ability to make money very much, and immediately said: "Don't forget, you kid, are you still carrying the order of the treasury? Don't just focus on making money yourself and forget my treasury!"

"Of course I won't forget it! That's why I said it was half public and half private?" Li Mu smiled and said with a pity: "Your Majesty let go, and you have a share of the business you do."

Li Shimin nodded and said, "This is almost the same. Okay, I will give you a face. I will issue an order to order Li Ji to be the governor of Bingzhou and take office tomorrow!"

Li Mu quickly stood up and bowed, saying, "I will thank Your Majesty for your adoptive father first."

"You... are a kind-hearted and righteous child. Li Ji accepted your adopted son and he got a bargain." Li Shimin said, and stood up to help Li Mu up and said, "Go and do your business for me. And... this mahjong, I want a set of jade carvings for collection. I guess... you won't let me down, right?"

Knock! Bamboo! Bar!

Jade mahjong, you really dare to want it!

Li Mu was about to refuse, but seeing Li Shimin's expression, if he didn't agree, it seemed that something was going to happen. He hurriedly squeezed out a hint of "happy" smile and said, "I am naturally happy to serve Your Majesty. I will make arrangements immediately. Within three days, I will let Your Majesty see jade mahjong."

Li Shimin smiled with satisfaction, patted Li Mu on the shoulder, and said, "I just knew that you would not disappoint me."

After saying that, he laughed and left. Li Mu looked at his back, said ruthlessly several times, but said nothing. Li Shimin walked out dozens of meters, stopped to ask the Grandpa Gao behind him, and said, "Gao Guan, please help me see the expression of that boy Li Mu? Is his face dark?"

Eunuch Gao stretched out his neck and glanced at it, gloating: "Your Majesty, it's dark, I look so distressed, I'm stomping my feet there!"

"I'm just happy to knock on Li Mu's bamboo axe! Jade mahjong must have cost him a lot of money!"

Eunuch Gao quickly flattered: "Your Majesty is wise! I can't even think of such an idea."
Chapter completed!