The Military Governor in Dream of the Red Chamber

Liu Guangde snorted, which was taken as acknowledgment of Liu Tianwang's guess.

He was quite satisfied with his son, who resembled him in many ways, such as his experiences in the military.

However, there is one major shortcoming: apart from military affairs, they don't pay much attention to other matters.

If it were just a low-ranking soldier or officer, it might not be a big deal.

But he is now a guerrilla general, and his family has served in the military for generations. If he didn't have a keen sense of the affairs of the court, he probably wouldn't have remained wealthy for many generations.

Three years ago, he was dismissed from his post due to a major defeat in suppressing a rebellion, and now the hope of revitalizing the family rests on this son.

"This? Chen Tai is only a lieutenant general, isn't he too inexperienced?" Liu Tianwang was puzzled.

He knew Chen Tai quite well.

Because the training battalion was located on the North East Road, he had done some research and understanding of this North East Road adjutant beforehand. Only by understanding the other party's background and personality could he work better with him.

Chen Tai didn't actually have much of a background; compared to the other military commanders, he was far inferior.

He was able to become a brigade commander because he fought several tough battles when he was young and made considerable contributions. He rose to the position of brigade commander based on his merits.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Chen Tai's career will likely end at the rank of lieutenant colonel, and it will be very difficult for him to rise any higher.

According to my father's wishes, we should now skip the deputy commander-in-chief and go straight to the commander-in-chief position.

"Seniority?" Chen Tai sneered. "The deputy commander of Datong Town, and the other military commanders might indeed have higher seniority and background than me, but so what? This time, His Majesty's wrath was so great that he didn't pursue their crimes, which is already an act of imperial grace. Do they still want the position of commander?"

Liu Tianwang thought about it and agreed.

Although Chen Tai also exaggerated his battle achievements, it was still within the reasonable range he had previously described.

Regardless of whether Jia Chen and his men were from the Beijing Garrison, they at least obtained the heads in the North East Road, so Chen Tai should rightfully be credited with one of them.

In terms of actual military achievements, the North East Road was indeed the best in Datong Town.

The Emperor was clearly very disappointed with the others this time, and Chen Tai was the only one who stood out.

Another point is that Chen Tai doesn't have a complicated background or connections, which Liu Tianwang thinks is probably the key reason why the Emperor took a liking to Chen Tai.

"It would be good if Chen Tai were promoted to the position of General of Datong. I know him quite well; he's considered one of the more pragmatic military commanders among the border towns," Liu Tianwang said.

"Don't you have any other ideas?" Liu Guangde asked, staring at his son.

"Other ideas?" Liu Tianwang paused for a moment, then thought for a moment and said, "Father, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the training battalion will be returning to the capital soon. Even if Chen Tai becomes the general, I won't get any benefits from him."

Generally speaking, when it comes to promotions, as long as you have a good relationship with your superior, you'll naturally have an advantage.

When one person attains enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs rise to heaven; superiors will also promote their cronies.

Although his relationship with Chen Tai was alright, it was a cooperative one, not a completely superior-subordinate relationship.

In fact, a guerrilla general is one rank lower than a lieutenant general, but in terms of their duties, they are not in a superior-subordinate relationship.

Because guerrilla generals usually command an army independently and are directly under the command of the general.

Not to mention he was from the Beijing Garrison, not the border troops from Datong Town.

Therefore, Chen Tai couldn't promote him even if he wanted to.

"Foolish!" Liu Guangde couldn't help but curse.

This scolding made Liu Tianwang's expression change, wondering what he had done wrong again.

"Didn't you ever think about leaving the capital?" Liu Guangde continued to berate.

"Huh?" Liu Tianwang was a little taken aback.

What does "father" mean?

Did he not want to continue serving in the Beijing Garrison?

How could Liu Guangde not understand what his son was thinking: "What opportunities do you have in the Beijing Garrison right now? Will Wang Ziteng let you get promoted?"

Liu Tianwang shook his head and said, "It's good enough that he's not causing me trouble, why would I think of anything else?"

He wasn't on Wang Ziteng's side, nor was his father.

Back when my father was the deputy commander of the Fifth Army Battalion, he wanted to gain merit by suppressing the rebellion in Qingzhou and earn the position of commander of the Fifth Army Battalion.

Unfortunately, it failed in the end.

Outsiders say that the eunuch supervisor was secretly plotting something, and that's true, but he knows very well that Prince Teng, the military governor, also secretly did a lot of things.

The promised reinforcements were delayed, and with the deadline set by the Emperor fast approaching, my father had no choice but to risk launching an attack.

His father mentioned these things to him afterwards.

Therefore, he has been walking on thin ice in Beijing all these years.

Even when transferred to remote corners, they dared not let their guard down for a moment, for fear that Wang Ziteng would find a handle against them.

"Since the capital garrison is not a good place to stay, we might as well change locations," Liu Guangde said in a deep voice. "The border towns are dangerous, but they are also full of opportunities. It just so happens that Chen Tai is about to be promoted, so the position of Assistant Commander of the Northeast Route will be vacant."

Liu Tianwang's eyes lit up instantly. He wasn't stupid; if he still didn't understand his father's meaning, he would truly be a fool.

"Father, is it possible?" Liu Tianwang was a little excited; he really hadn't thought about such a thing.

Frankly speaking, those transferred from the capital to other places are usually promoted one level.

It makes sense that he, a guerrilla general of the Beijing garrison, was promoted one rank to serve in a border town as a deputy general.

However, the position of deputy commander guarding a route is a powerful one.

Even if they are promoted, they are often assigned to less important positions.

The position of Assistant General is vacant, and obtaining it is not so easy.

"You have rendered meritorious service this time, and the conditions for becoming a deputy commander can be met," Liu Guangde said. "Furthermore, you must write a letter to the Emperor, with sincere words, requesting to remain in Datong Town to defend against the northern barbarians."

Liu Tianwang took several deep breaths to suppress his excitement.

"Father, I understand what to do," Liu Tianwang nodded heavily.

"Very good." A look of relief appeared on Liu Guangde's face. "As for the position of Assistant Commander, His Majesty will probably have to listen to the opinion of the newly appointed General Chen Tai. As long as there are no problems on his side, I believe this matter is almost settled."

"I'll find an opportunity to mention it to Chen Tai," Liu Tianwang said. "I don't believe he'd be that heartless, would he?"

Liu Guangde smiled. This time, Chen Tai was able to rise to power because his son had done him a favor.

I believe Chen Tai wouldn't be so heartless.

Moreover, Chen Tai's foundation is too shallow. Even as a general, it won't be easy for him to control the various subordinate officers.

His own son came from the Beijing garrison and had little connection with the locals, making him a natural ally.

I believe Chen Tai knows what choice to make.

"Tianwang, I disappointed His Majesty last time. This time, you must prove me wrong. Perhaps I will be able to make a comeback in the future," Liu Guangde said solemnly, staring at Liu Tianwang.

"Father, really?" Liu Tianwang asked in surprise.

The Emperor had high hopes for my father during the suppression of the rebellion in Qingzhou, but the outcome turned out to be terrible.

In recent years, the Liu family has lost the emperor's favor.

If he could successfully assume the post of Assistant Commander of the Northern East Road, it would not only be due to his own merits and Chen Tai's approval, but also to whether the Emperor was willing to trust the Liu family again.

If His Majesty can give me a chance, he will naturally be able to give my father a chance in the future.

Thinking about this, Liu Tianwang understood the heavy responsibility on his shoulders.