In the autumn, the imperial garden is colorful, and occasionally there are palace maids dressed in colorful clothes passing by. Many of them are pretty. Whether the people are more beautiful than the flowers, or the flowers are more beautiful than the people, Li Xiao really can't tell.

Many maids saluted Zhu Youjian from a distance, and when they quietly raised their eyes, their damn eyes were watery, as if they had hooks. Li Xiao's heart was pounding and pounding.

!

Damn it, no wonder so many emperors were promiscuous. In the huge Forbidden City, this is the only one who can be called a man. It can be said that a seedling in a thousand hectares of land, with suffocated women, can do anything.

It's really trivial to seduce an emperor.

"Haha! People are more delicate than flowers. If Li Qing likes it, you can tell me." Seeing Li Xiao's appearance, Zhu Youjian said to Li Xiao with a smile.

This is a gift for a beautiful woman? It seems that the emperor attaches great importance to himself!

"I heard that Li Qing hasn't gotten married yet? You will be twenty years old after the Chinese New Year. You should also consider marriage. You can also tell me which house you have chosen, and I will make the decision for you."

Good leader! Zhu Youjian is a damn good leader!

"I already have a concubine, and I have no plans to get married yet." Li Xiao could only refuse the kindness of the emperor who likes to hold red strings. What can I do if I am a daughter of a wealthy family? Li Xiao has met a few of them, each one.

Just like a Bodhisattva, no matter where you go, your eyes won't even move.

Who the hell likes to sleep with their arms around Buddha statues!

"You can tell me if you like it in the future, and I will make the decision for you. Haha!" Zhu Youjian didn't behave like a seventeen-year-old emperor. He was more like a thirty-seven-year-old emperor, who always spoke with a tinge.

Smiling, giving people a feeling of spring breeze.

This kind of person is born to win the favor of others, but Li Xiao really can't match his feelings with Zhu Youjian's actual age.

"Long live thanks!" Li Xiao was extremely vigilant, and there was a voice in his heart that kept reminding him that this guy is the emperor. The most powerful person in the Ming Empire, he can be approachable to you. If you want to be equal, this guy will be the first to win.

He raised the butcher knife for a moment.

Accompanying you is like accompanying a tiger!

"Don't be restrained. I heard that your family was originally a banker in the Imperial Manor?"

"Oh! Ivory Village at the foot of Wang'er Mountain is an imperial village specializing in rice cultivation. The water and soil along the Liao River are good, and the rice grown there is delicious."

"Oh, I've never heard of it. Looking through Aiqing's resume, I found out that there is such a village." Zhu Youjian was telling the truth. He probably didn't even know where Wang'er Mountain was.

The imperial village of Ivory Village is located in remote Liaodong. It is estimated that the chief executive does not even know that such a place exists.

"Since Aiqing was born in the Imperial Palace, you are one of my own family members. My family members speak their own language, and today we monarchs and ministers will talk about what is in their hearts.

You were organizing and training the new army in Liaodong, and there were always voices in the court. They said that you were arrogant, domineering, and illegal in stationing troops, and that you seemed to have rebellious intentions. They also said that you respected yourself in raising the bandits and never took the initiative to attack the Tatars in Liaodong. It was all because of Jinzhou's strong will.

The city is defended.

I have only been on the throne for two months, and there are already no less than ten memorials asking me to replace him with a more enterprising general to go to Liaodong. Now that you are the governor of Shandong, what do you think of the candidate for the general of Liaodong?"

Li Xiao felt a chill running down his spine. He knew that if he couldn't answer this question well, he would have to develop Zhang Wuji's skills in an instant if he wanted to get out of the palace.

"Long live! It is true that I am organizing and training a new army in Liaodong, but the new army only has 18,000 people. The Ming Dynasty has millions of troops, and there are many generals who have more soldiers than I have.

In the bitterly cold land of Liaodong, the ground freezes to crack in winter, so you can only use strict words when leading your troops. Otherwise, why don’t they all run away?

There are some ministers who are domineering, but if you say that the troops are stationed illegally, I will never dare to admit it." Being domineering is not a big mistake, and it is within the tolerance of the emperor. You must not admit the crime of stationing troops illegally, and you will be killed immediately if you admit it.

disaster.

"Oh! Go on." Zhu Youjian nodded, agreeing with Li Xiao's statement.

"When it comes to supporting the bandits with self-respect, it's still the same sentence. The soldiers in Guanli are unwilling to go to Liaodong to fight. I only have 18,000 people, but what about the Tatars?

According to reports from my informants, there are more than 73,000 flag soldiers in the Eight Banners of Houjin. They are all vicious and stubborn people. Back then, the Baigan soldiers and the Qi family army were both capable troops. On the bank of the Hun River, I was on the battlefield.

Even for such an elite Ming Dynasty, the whole army can only be destroyed in a field battle. I only have 18,000 people. If I go out to fight with the Tatars, I am looking for death. If I say that I am one of my own, then I will take Long live as my own.

To be honest, with my current military strength, it would be good if I could defend Jinzhou.

Last year, the red-haired men came and set up cannons to blast the city wall of Jinzhou. The city wall in the south city was blown into powder. If it hadn't been for my second brother who desperately bombarded the Tatar army, Jinzhou might have been in ruins now!

This year is even worse. The Tatar soldiers organized the Eight Banners of the Han Army. The weapons in their hands are all firearms learned from the red-haired people. They are as sharp as the ones in my hands. This winter, if the Tatars attack Jinzhou again,

I’m really not sure whether I can hold it or not.”

Li Xiao kept Sun Chengzong's words in mind and said how critical the situation in Liaodong was. Anyway, I didn't lie. I guess the information Jin Yiwei gave to the emperor was similar.

"The situation in Liaodong is very worrying for me! Ai Qing is now the governor of Shandong. Can you recommend a general who can fight and be in charge of military affairs in Liaodong?" Zhu Youjian's expression did not change much. It seems that Li Xiao's answer was not surprising.

His expectation.

"I think that Yuan Chonghuan is bold and careful. Although he is a civil servant, he is brave enough to hold a big position." Li Xiao recommended Yuan Chonghuan without any hesitation.

"Oh, I thought you would recommend your brother Li Xiu." Zhu Youjian was slightly stunned. Although it was only for a short second, Li Xiao still discovered it.

It turned out that the trap was here. Zhu Youjian guessed that Li Xiao would definitely recommend his younger brother instead of Yuan Chonghuan who was transferred from the Ministry of War. No matter what time, his own family would always be more trustworthy than outsiders.

Unexpectedly, Li Xiao didn't even hesitate and directly said Yuan Chonghuan's name. Could it be that... this Li Xiao really promoted talents for the country?

"Although my second brother is also brave in battle, but...! But he is still young after all, and he cannot accept this important task. In addition, I have some small thoughts. It is not appropriate for the army to be in the hands of one family. If Li Xiu is really recommended,

, I’m afraid that Long Live here will receive a lot of bullets again.”

"Haha! Aiqing thinks too much. Don't trust people you employ, and don't trust people you doubt. I trust Aiqing. Li Qing, don't think too much. If you don't trust Li Qing, I won't hand over Shandong to you.

Since Li Qing said that Yuan Chonghuan is suitable for the Liaodong General Army, then Yuan Chonghuan is fine. After Wei Zhongxian's disaster, the world has been overwhelmed.

I want to work hard to govern, but it is a pity that there are so many evils in the world. When I have something to do, I am more than willing and unable to do anything. I always think that there is a minister who supports me. Is Li Qing willing to come to Beijing to assist me? Cui Chengxiu's death is not a pity.

But I feel that the position of Minister of the Ministry of War that is left behind must belong to Ai Qing."

Li Xiao's eyes narrowed, this was another trap.

He gave up the governorship of Shandong and came to the capital to serve as Minister of War. It seemed that he was promoted to a high position, but in fact he became a tiger that Zhu Youjian raised in a deaf house.

Right under Zhu Youjian's nose, people can deal with you however they want.

"Long live! I am only nineteen years old this year, and will only be twenty years old after the new year. At such an age, when I am appointed as the Minister of the Ministry of War, my qualifications and prestige are difficult to convince the public. Although Gan Luo became the prime minister at the age of eight, and Zhou Gongjin was appointed the governor at the age of twelve. But.

Those are all jokes and cannot be taken seriously.

If you promote me to this position, the generals below will definitely not be convinced that such a young person is commanding them. The most taboo thing in the army is discord among generals. When fighting, I have no prestige, so how can I mobilize those generals?

Even if you ask for an order to kill them all afterwards, the battle will still be lost. Losing the battle is not something that can be said by touching the upper lip to the lower lip.

From Fushun to Liaoyang, no battle was defeated without a mountain of corpses and a terrifying number of human lives.

When that time comes, is it that I have used the wrong term, or that I have not tried my best? Long live, please take back my life.

After I have practiced in Shandong for several years, made some achievements, and gained some prestige, I will receive the favor of Long Live and be the Minister of the Ministry of War. Then everything will fall into place and the courtiers will not have so much resistance."

You must not step into this pit! During the Chongzhen Dynasty, the position with the highest mortality rate was the Minister of War. He was either killed by others or by the sincere emperor in front of him.

From Yuan Chonghuan to Chen Xinjia, Chongzhen worked conscientiously to trick the Ministers of the Ministry of War to death one after another. After careful calculation, seven were tricked to death in just seventeen years.

This is not to mention Sun Chuanting who sacrificed his life at his job.

If you want me to be the Minister of War, I won’t do it! Even if I’m killed, I won’t do it!

"Uh...! I don't think about this. Well, you can work hard in Shandong for a few years. I will leave Shandong to you!

Hey! It's all Wei Zhongxian's fault. There are pirates in the south, and our Ming Navy is no match for the pirates. Since this year, the Admiral of Guangzhou has been defeated in battles.

What about the southwest? Those barbarian chieftains have been dissatisfied with the king for four hundred years. A few years ago, Yang Yinglong came out. Who knows whether there will be some Wang Yinglong or Zhang Yinglong in the future.

The land in the northwest is barren and bandits are rampant. According to military reports last month, large groups of bandits even dared to attack the official army.

What is peaceful now is only the Central Plains and Jiangnan. Shandong is a big province in the Central Plains. I entrust it to you. If you have any requests, just ask. As long as you take care of Shandong, this biggest worry in my heart will be gone.

Already."

The Ming Dynasty had a population of 123 million, and Shandong had a population of 25 million. It was a well-populated province. Zhu Youjian gave this place to Li Xiao, which really showed his trust in Li Xiao.

"I must not betray Long Live's trust, uh...! I want to ask for two people from Long Live." Li Xiao rolled his eyes. If he didn't make a request at this time, why would he ever make a request? Now is a good opportunity to reach out to the emperor.

, can't let it go.

"Oh, as long as you like it. Just ask!" Zhu Youjian's eyes wandered among the crowd of palace maids in the distance, as if he was trying to estimate which one Li Xiao was interested in. He had not forgotten that he had just promised to send Li Xiao as a gift.

Look at some beautiful palace maids.

"Long live Hui! I want to imprison a pair of prisoners in the prison, Cao Wenzhao and Cao Bianjiao, uncle and nephew." Chao Prison is the top prison of the Ming Dynasty, and the emperor has to say something about who should be put there.

"Oh, Cao Bianjiao, Cao Wenzhao?" Zhu Youjian tried hard to search for these two names in his mind, but couldn't remember them after thinking for a long time.

"Cao Wenzhao was originally a guerrilla under Xiong Tingbi, the governor of Liaodong, because he was implicated in Xiong Tingbi's case. It has been five years since he was imprisoned in the imperial prison by the eunuchs. I thought that the blame for the defeat that year was not on a mere guerrilla.

What the eunuchs did like this was to cover up their defeat. They just grabbed anyone and dealt with it. Now that Wei Zhongxian is under the law, all the eunuchs have been given the title of leader. Long live the eunuchs to bring order to the chaos and rehabilitate the Zhongzheng soldiers. I will take all the officers and soldiers who have been wronged. Long live my thanks.

grace!"

"Oh, that's it. I know about this matter. If it is really an unjust case caused by the eunuchs, of course I will set things right, oh! Lunch is ready, and I also invite you to try the craftsmanship of the imperial kitchen." Zhu Youjian pointed out.
Chapter completed!