Turbulent Times Chapter 1520: Two excellent candidates

After the decision was made, the plan for storming Chang'an City was quickly drawn up.

And no matter who Li Yuan set his sights on, any general will no longer try to preserve his own strength. Several rebels from Guanzhong and the Green Lin Dahao even had a dispute over the ownership of the main attack mission, and none of them was willing to lag behind by half a step. They were so red-faced that they almost fought in front of Li Yuanzhi.

"Okay, let's attack from all sides at the same time! No priority!" At the critical moment, Tang Gong Li Yuan once again made a decision, "Hou Junji, Sun Hua, Wang Yuantong, Qi Poning, you guys decide for yourself Go to the city first, whoever will fight the second wave!"

"No!" Hou Junji and other generals stepped forward happily, and took the command arrows from Li Yuan one by one.

"The north gate belongs to the left army of Jiancheng's headquarters, and the old man personally led the Chinese army to detour to the east of the city. Whoever enters the city first will be the commander of the northern conscript army!" After a pause, Li Yuan continued. "You are much younger than the old man, don't be afraid to move forward, let the old man take the lead!"

"The last general dare not lose to Tang Gong!" The heroes responded loudly.

"Go down and rest, the sunrise tomorrow morning will be the time for the old man to compete with you!" Li Yuan waved his hand and ordered with a big smile.

"No!" All the generals bowed to him again, and then paid out their accounts one after another. When the lively Chinese military tent returned to silence again, Li Yuan, who was confident and energetic just now, immediately became exhausted. At this moment, he let out a sigh of relief, and slowly sat back on the Hu bed behind the handsome case.

He was really tired, not only because of the complicated military affairs in front of him, but also because of many invisible wars happening in the dark.

It's not easy to compete in the world, and the emperor's seat is not comfortable. Before raising troops, Li Yuan made preparations in his heart. However, he never expected that the surging undercurrent would come so early and so violently.

"Mr. Tang did a great job just now!" The voice of Pei Ji, who had recently served under Li Yuan's command, sounded from He Dong Wenxi's Pei family, and Li Yuan was so startled that he immediately put his hand on the handle of the knife.

"My lord, it's a subordinate! Not an assassin!" Pei Ji, who was used to laughing with Li Yuan, stepped forward quickly, pulled up a wooden stool, and Shi Shiran sat opposite the handsome case.

"Sit down, no matter how you walk, you don't make any noise, like a ghost. Whoever is on duty tonight let someone in without making a sound!" The disrespectful disobedience, smiled, lightly reprimanded.

Pei Ji shook his head with a smile and said: "My lord, please make amends. This subordinate didn't make a big deal just now. It's because the lord is too tired, so I didn't see my subordinate!"

"I'm a little tired. I'm old, and I'm no longer as energetic as when I was young!" Li Yuan sighed and responded in a low voice. He and Pei Ji are old acquaintances for many years, so when not in front of the generals, Li Yuan intentionally or unintentionally behaved less rigidly.

As the head of the family, he is already tired enough, if he can't even find someone to chat with, wouldn't it be more and more boring?

Pei Ji knew that Li Yuan's mood was not as happy as he showed in front of everyone, and he also knew the specific reason why Li Yuan was exhausted.

And he also knows that this is one of the prices to pay for fighting for the world, and no one can escape it.

Like his elder brother Pei Shiju, he is good at observing words and expressions and speaking eloquently, but he has ways to make Li Yuan's life easier, such as chatting with each other about women and fine wine.

"I heard that Yang Guang hid many peerless beauties in the palace city of Chang'an. Many women entered the palace from the age of thirteen until they were in their twenties and never had their turn to be blessed!"

"That's Li Mi spreading rumors. Although His Majesty the Emperor of the Sui Dynasty was careless about government affairs, he was extremely devoted to the empress. It's not like you haven't seen the palace servants we released along the way, and the total didn't exceed three hundred. Many people, and many of them entered the palace when the former emperor Yang Jian was alive!" Li Yuan knew that the trusted minister was out of good intentions, so he cheered up and said.

When the heroes rebelled against the Sui Dynasty, they naturally wanted to completely overthrow Yang Guang in terms of personality. So in recent years, rumors about Yang Guang's licentiousness and stupidity have been widely spread.

However, Li Yuan and Yang Guang have known each other since childhood, and they are even cousins.

Yang Guang is certainly a tyrant, no one can deny this conclusion.

But Yang Guang is not a pervert and an idiot, otherwise he would not have deceived Yang Su, Yu Wenshu, Mai Tiezhang, heroes of the world who come from different backgrounds and interests, to support him, and forcibly removed his own brother from the position of prince. Squeeze it down.

Thinking of the tragedy of Yang Yong's family, Li Yuan thought of his two sons, and the mood that had just cheered up was low again, and he sighed in his heart: "It's easy to see other people's jokes. I didn’t even realize it! Alas, if I knew this earlier, why would I have to plot such a world!”

At this time, the wind outside suddenly became stronger, blowing the candles crookedly, the marching commander Shi Peiji hurriedly stood up, and closed the felt door of the military tent again.

He pricked up his ears and listened when Li Yuan was not paying attention, and after making sure that no one was approaching, he sat back opposite Li Yuan again and said cautiously: "Actually, every family has scriptures that are difficult to recite. Are all the sons worthwhile, and the parents don’t know who to hand over the family fortune to. But if the children are worthless, the parents will be even more worried. So, the lord might as well take it easy. Anyway, It is not up to the lord to decide who will inherit the family business!"

Recalling that the eldest son Wuji and Hou Junji blatantly opposed the eldest son Li Jiancheng on behalf of the second son Li Shimin just now, and there was someone who took the lead, even if the second son was not present, the words of the eldest son Jiancheng failed to gain the upper hand, Li Yuan sighed With a sound, he shook his head and said, "I'm afraid, the children's wings are hardened, and it's hard to manage when they are old!"

Speaking of this, Li Yuan paused for a moment, and then said with emotion: "Pei Qing, I don't want to keep you, anyway, there is no one around

, don't think of me as some kind of lord, just think of me as old woman Li, who was hanging out with you in Jinyang Palace and peeking at beauties! "

Pei Ji was amused by Li Yuan's words, stroked his beard, and said with a smile: "Then I must hurry up, I am afraid that there are not many opportunities to talk to the lord like this. After entering Chang'an, the lord might as well award it to the I have a thousand hectares of land and a hundred thousand coins. My lord, don't pretend to be fair and honest with me, so that I will follow you and rebel in vain!"

"You Wenxi family is still short of this field, so you are not afraid to support yourself to death!" Li Yuan glared at Pei Ji, and said with a smile: "With that money, the old man has to help the refugees. Here it is, your Pei family You are already rich, so why add more flowers!"

"One size is one size!" Pei Ji smiled, salivating and stretched out his hand again. "Everyone follows Tang Gong today because of justice in the world. But justice is something you can't eat. But how many people with their heads on their belts are not doing it to grab money, land, or women. My lord, you might as well look at The heroes of the world, no matter what the banner is to rebel, the ultimate goal boils down to the three benefits of money, land, and women?"

It's just to grab money, land, and women. Tang Gong Li Yuan did not expect that the war launched in the name of his righteous "Qingjun side" would be so unbearable in the eyes of old friends.

But he couldn't get angry and refute Pei Ji's words, because it was the truth.

Development and growth require money and food, and competition is for territory. As for women, even the greatest heroes will occasionally feel lonely...

Chewing the old friend's words, Li Yuan sighed and nodded, and said: "Pei Aiqing is right, Chang'an, which is waiting to be breached, should indeed be rewarded for everyone's achievements. The impulse summoned in the name of righteousness can't last long. Everyone has to eat!"

"Then my lord sees this loyal advice from my subordinates, is it worth a thousand hectares of good land?"

Li Yuan picked up the official document on the table, threw it at Pei Ji, and said with a smile: "Bullshit loyalty, you are just a traitor. Your old Pei family does not produce good people, but some treacherous and cunning people!"

Pei Ji couldn't dodge in time, his official hat was skewed and his clothes were disheveled. He was not in a hurry to tidy up, and while laughing, he replied in a low voice: "My lord, if you want to be a Daoming Lord, you must have a few treacherous men like me around. In this way, if it is inconvenient for you to say something, you can't let it go." I have done everything for you. Whatever other people like to say, the lord and I can understand it in our hearts!"

Li Yuan was greatly moved by what he said. No one is willing to admit that he is a treacherous minister who has no scruples. On the road to the emperor's career, he has to always pay attention to his words and image. And what Pei Ji can act as is the emperor's other hand, an invisible, vicious black hand.

"I can give you a thousand hectares of land, but it's all wasteland. You have to organize your own people to open up wasteland. Let's forget about 100,000 yuan. We have just established a firm foothold, so we have to spend money carefully!" Li Yuan suddenly envied the king. The policy implemented by King's Landing on the territory under his command does not need to allocate a large piece of cake to the big and small aristocratic families who support him for every piece of territory.

But it was really hard for him to understand what kind of means Wang Junlin used to make the civil and military officials under his command willing to die, especially some of the officials who came from aristocratic families.

"Thank you, my lord!" People from the Pei family have cultivated the ability to perceive words and expressions that a minister should master from an early age. Turn around, quickly salute Li Yuan, and solemnly said: "My lord, in fact, there have been many wars between Guanzhong and Hedong in the past two years, and there are many unowned lands. In the name of the Qing emperor, I will copy some big families, treacherous, and Xiaoxiao who support the tyrant, and count them down." , The land obtained is enough for the brothers to share dozens of acres each. The refugees who are looking forward to the peaceful life can also share a few acres of land. With land and hope, people's hearts will naturally settle down!"

"What you said...isn't this Wang Junlin's strategy of equalizing the land in his own land?" Li Yuan was very smart and also very vigilant. He can see the benefits of Pei Ji's suggested strategy for consolidating his own territory, and he can also keenly feel the risks hidden in it.

"Of course we can't have the same strategy as Wang Junlin. He casually confiscated the land of the powerful and powerful aristocrats. But we are different. We are here for the Qing emperor. Anyone who is obsessed with following Yang Guang to the dark, greedy and sycophant Those who are famous, as well as those who oppress the people and are rich and unkind, can be included in the liquidation list. The land that can be vacated and the money and grain that can be confiscated will not be less than what Wang Junlin did. And Chang'an has been rich since ancient times. A few of them are enough for the lord to spend for several months. As for the soldiers and the common people, they only remember who gave them money and land, and they will not ask where this strategy originated!" Pei Ji put away his hippie smile, Said sternly.

Li Yuan took a deep look at Pei Ji, nodded and said: "I will appoint others to do this. You can assist from the side, lest you take the opportunity to embezzle, and I will not be able to help you if you are impeached in the future!"

"My lord has a deep understanding of how to use people!" Pei Ji flattered Li Yuan without a trace, making the other party shake his head and laugh.

Seeing that the lord is in a much better mood than before, Pei Ji thought that most of today's goal has been achieved, he thought about it again, and continued: "Actually, the lord doesn't need to take it too seriously. According to me In my opinion, the talent of the second son Shimin appeared, but he didn't intend to win over the army. He was just in a momentary mood and forgot to consider the master's feelings as a father!"

"I hope so!" Li Yuan let out a long breath and responded lightly.

"Then again, the power to reward money, land, and women is all in the hands of the lord. Others want to establish prestige, and it is not so good to cultivate them."

Seeing that the expression on his face was still somewhat lonely, Pei Ji continued to explain with good words.

Li Shimin is proficient in bow and horse, brave in battle, has never been defeated in commanding an army, has a high prestige in the army, and is well-connected, which obviously made Li Yuan, a father, feel jealous.

The words have already reached this point, Li Yuan had no choice but to tell his whole heart, and sighed: "I'm not afraid of what the people of the world will do to me as a father, after all, he is my own flesh and blood of Li Yuan, and will not become Even my father is a beast. I am worried that after a hundred years, Jian Jiancheng will be a generous brother, but in terms of fighting with soldiers, he is indeed far inferior to the people of the world!"

After hearing Li Yuan's worries, Pei Ji, who had always been known as an organic change, hesitated for a moment. After a long while, he sighed, and said gloomily, "Perhaps the son needs more opportunities to practice. After all, he has met the rules and distances along the way. Although he hasn't won any big victories, he hasn't made any big mistakes!"

"I don't know how to create opportunities for him. At the beginning of the army, except for Liu Hongji, I sent all the most capable generals and best counselors under the command of the son! As for Changsun Wuji and Hou Junji At that time, he didn't show his talents, but after following Shimin behind him, his talents appeared and he made great achievements repeatedly." Li Yuan sighed and shook his head, very disappointed with Jiancheng's performance.

As a father, he has done enough eccentricity. However, it is a well-known fact that Li Jiancheng's record is far inferior to that of Li Shimin.

Even though Li Shimin is not in Guanzhong now, some victories still have Li Shimin's shadow. Except Chai Shao who has repeatedly defeated famous generals under Li Shimin's command, Hou Junji and Changsun Wuji have made great achievements. The one who stood up for Li Shimin the most was Liu Hongji, the commander of the left, who fought from Huoyi, Fufeng, and Weishui all the way to the foot of Chang'an. Without waiting for other brothers from all walks of life to follow up, Wen Sheng, the left guard in Chang'an, was killed with only one vanguard and vomited blood.

If he had known that Chai Shao, Changsun Wuji, Liu Hongji, and Hou Junji could have made such great achievements, Li Yuan would rather have sent them all under Jiancheng's command. The more he thought about it, the more powerful he felt about his second son, Shimin.

As he has many years of experience in knowing and employing people, he is very clear about the relationship between whether the talents of his subordinates can play a role, and whether the person in charge can make good use of them. As the saying goes, a raging soldier will make a nest.

In contrast to Jiancheng, with the help of veterans like Chen Yanshou and Qian Jiulong, there are very few achievements.

You must know that the second son Li Shimin himself is not in Guanzhong. If the second son is in Guanzhong, there is no chance for the eldest son to make great achievements.

In a short period of time, Li Yuan can help the eldest son suppress the edge of the second son. But as the battle for the top spot gets farther and fiercer, at that time, why should Jiancheng compete with his younger brother for glory?

If a brother who is not strong and kind-hearted becomes the crown prince, and the younger brother is both brave and ruthless, and has always won the morale of the army, wouldn't it be the second Yang Yong and Yang Guang?

"If the lord can think of this in advance, he is far wiser than Sui Emperor Yang Jian." Pei Ji was also at a loss for Li Yuan's predicament, so he could only try his best to say something that Li Yuan liked to hear, "My lord has taken precautions so early. It will have no effect. Moreover, the previous arrangement of the lord itself has problems, it seems to take care of the son, but in fact it limits his display space!"

"Oh! How do you say this?" Li Yuan listened to Pei Ji's words with the faint intention of defending Jiancheng, so he quickly listened carefully.

"Lao Chen, Lao Qian and the others are indeed veteran generals, but they are old after all. They are more than conservative, but not aggressive. And my army is heading south. It is the time for pioneering. My lord uses a few conservative generals to assist The son opened up the territory, didn't he tie his hands and feet on purpose? Take a closer look, my lord. Since we sent troops, the most skilled fighters are those young people such as Hou Junji and Changsun Wuji. Especially those who are inexperienced Seniors, using soldiers to fly wild, ordinary people can't figure it out at all!"

"That's true!" Li Yuan thought for a while, then nodded again and again, expressing his deep understanding.

"So, in the future, my lord might as well send more young people under the command of the prince. The prince has always been tolerant, and the young people under his command will not worry about being useless!" Pei Ji said while sorting out his thoughts, and finally thought of He came up with a few brilliant ideas that could be appreciated by Li Yuan. As for whether it is useful in the real situation, only the ghost knows.

"Indeed! These few words of yours are worth a thousand hectares of land!" Li Yuan's tightly knit brows gradually relaxed. He must create more opportunities for Jiancheng, and must work hard to increase the thickness of Jiancheng's team. But now who else in his hands is suitable to be placed under the command of the eldest son?

Liu Hongji, Hou Junji and Changsun Wuji have always been alienated from Jiancheng, and it is difficult to win over the eldest son.

The newcomers Wang Yuantong and Qi Poning are capable, but they are still far behind Liu Hongji, Hou Junji and Changsun Wuji.

Thinking about it, Li Yuan did not find anyone among the younger generation under his command who could stand shoulder to shoulder with Liu Hongji, Hou Junji, and Changsun Wuji.

Of course, he could force Hou Junji and Changsun Wuji to work under the command of his eldest son, Jiancheng, but they have already become Shimin's ironclads. As a father, I am already very eccentric, and I can't do too much to make the second son's teeth cold.

Until midnight, Li Yuan finally found two suitable candidates in a daze. Of those two people, one is brave and good at fighting, and he is his third son, Li Xuanba, and the other is Li Jing, who is resourceful and capable of fighting.

"With the help of Xuanba and Li Jing to complete the construction, I think it will be able to suppress the people of the world!" Turning over, the stone in Li Yuan's heart fell to the ground with a loud crash, and finally fell asleep with peace of mind.

PS: The second update with more than 5,000 words is here, and once again I wish the brothers who read my book to be free from poison———————