The Bad Guys: Playing the Fake Li Xingyun at the Beginning

"By the way, there are many famous generals in Hedong. Who did you bring with you this time?"

Historically, both the Northern Han and the Later Zhou relied on the Hedong area to rise. All this can be traced back to the time of Li Yuan, when he started his army in Taiyuan and marched straight to Guanzhong.

If Chai Rong had not died early, Zhao Kuangyin might not have had the opportunity to become emperor.

Shi Jingtang was delighted and said quickly, "Your Majesty, Huangfu Yu, An Shenqi, and the brothers of the Chenzhou Fu family are brave and good at fighting. The eldest son of the Fu family, Fu Yanchao, is in the army. These three are all my trusted generals and can be used."

Su Ming had no impression of the first two, but he seemed to have heard of the latter Fu Yanchao. The famous Empress Fu and Empress Fu in history seemed to be from the Fu family.

Su Ming nodded and said in a deep voice, "These people will temporarily lead a battalion, and they will be promoted later if they have military merits. As for you, you will serve as the deputy commander of the Imperial Guards and temporarily lead an army. How do you think?"

"Your Majesty, I bow to you in thanks!" Shi Jingtang was overjoyed. He had finally left Li Siyuan's broken ship and boarded the court's new ship.

At this time, Li Siyuan was still revising memorials in the Prince of Jin's Mansion, sweating profusely and unaware that his son-in-law had already defected to the emperor.

Chapter 258: Reopening the Martial Arts Examination

Shi Jingtang left happily, but Su Ming, who was sitting on top, did not show any joy on his face.

These generals were all Shi Jingtang's men. When Qi and Jin surrendered, another large number of surrendered generals would be resettled. These people would either be given money and land by the court to allow them to enjoy their old age, or be promoted to higher positions, otherwise they would definitely make trouble.

No matter who is replaced, if their conditions are not met, they will always continue to make trouble. This has been the tradition of military rebellions that lasted for hundreds of years during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period.

Because the people above rely on them to fight hard to protect their territory and their own wealth and glory, so they have no scruples.

This is not something that can be solved by killing one or two people. This is a trend that has already formed. If it is not resolved in time, I am afraid it will take him a long time to integrate the forces in the Central Plains.

A cancer is a cancer. If it is not eradicated, it will only grow bigger as the imperial court expands and eventually blow itself up.

This was the case with the Guanlong clans when the Tang Dynasty was established. The clans lasted for several dynasties before they were finally pacified. The Five Surnames and Seven Aristocrats were famous throughout the world, even the royal family could not match them.

The Song Dynasty, which was later to this day, failed to resolve this issue until its demise. Local refugees rebelled and were directly recruited to become imperial guards, eating the emperor's food. The strong trunk weakens the weak branches, and using civil power to control military power left far-reaching consequences.

It seems that we still need to hold military examinations and establish military academies.

Establish a military school like the Imperial College to continue the legacy of military commanders, so that there will be no one available when generals die or retire due to illness.

Whether it is a soldier who has been trained slowly from the bottom of the army or a student of the military examination, they must study in a military academy before they can be promoted or join the army in a border town.

As the emperor, he served as the principal of the military academy, and all the generals, both big and small, who emerged in the future could be called disciples of the emperor.

In this way, it can also balance the civil and military forces in the court, avoid the situation where weapons are put into storage and the military strength of the court is greatly reduced after the horses are released to the mountains, and avoid the situation like the Tumu Fortress in the Ming Dynasty, where a large number of military generals and nobles died and the civil and military forces of the court were suddenly unbalanced.

Civil officials can rely on the imperial examinations to continuously recruit new blood, but military generals can only have their sons inherit the family line after their father's death, or adopt adopted sons and grandsons. This is too backward and it is easy to have a lack of successors.

Family inheritance will also cause the border town to become increasingly powerful, its system to become rigid, and it will become a military town like the Liaodong generals.

After thinking it over, Su Ming found the empress and Li Wentong the next day to discuss the matter with them.

The military examination had already appeared as early as the Wu Zetian period, but it was not taken seriously.

As for military academies, I have never heard of them. After searching through history books, it seems that there has never been one.

Li Maozhen was a soldier who had climbed up from the bottom, and he knew the military affairs best. He quickly figured out the key points, "Your Majesty, such a brilliant idea and move, I admire you."

Once the middle-level generals become loyal, it will be much more difficult for generals to rebel in the future than before.

Admittedly, this will create factions of students such as the first and fourth term students, but it is much better than the situation where the son inherits the father's position.

The empress stared at him with her beautiful eyes, her heart filled with pride, "This is the man I chose."

Seeing that the two had no objection, Su Ming nodded and said, "The military academy is not urgent for now, but I will let the Privy Council prepare for the military examination, and it must be carried out at the same time as the imperial examination."

Then, he looked at the empress again and said, "You should appease the generals and soldiers of Qi State first. The court is short of manpower now, so let them take charge first. Just send the money and food on time."

"By the way, there is no need to keep too many soldiers in Qi. According to the normal standards, those who should be dismissed should be dismissed, and those who should be dismissed should be dismissed. I do not allow anyone to suck the blood of the soldiers. In the future, the court will send someone to take over the payment of military pay, and it will not have to go through the hands of the generals."

The empress's smile faded and she said solemnly, "Don't worry, leave Qi Kingdom to me."

She knew Su Ming's thoughts and understood his ambitions even better. It was true that many people would lose their heads and their livelihoods during this cleanup, but so what?

In the context of the times, they are just tiny specks of dust, not worth mentioning.

……

A few days later, the news that the court was going to hold a military examination spread in Luoyang, and quickly spread across the country through the channels of the Bad People.

The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms was a golden age for military men, with all kinds of brave generals emerging one after another. Anyone who could survive on the battlefield was very capable.

When the news spread, scholars scoffed at it and did not take it seriously at all, while military men regarded the military examination as a new step for promotion.

The heroes in the martial arts world, the bandits in the mountain strongholds, the roaming defeated soldiers, all kinds of people, when they heard the news, were moved and came out from all over the place and gathered in the direction of Luoyang.

Give it a try and turn your bicycle into a motorcycle.

There is no shortage of warriors willing to risk their lives in this world.

……

"Shi Jingtang, you are really my good son-in-law. I didn't expect that you are also a bad person!" In the Prince of Jin's mansion, Li Siyuan, who learned that Shi Jingtang led 5,000 elite troops to surrender to the emperor, saw the message from Tongwenguan and his teeth were about to break.

As soon as he left Luoyang, someone jumped off the boat. What would the other people in Hedong think?

Li Siyuan was also a very decisive person. Seeing that Li Cunli was indifferent to him and was pretending to be polite, he made a decision immediately, "No, I can't waste time haggling with Li Cunli. No matter what conditions the emperor offers, I can't refuse them. It's better to be straightforward. If I continue, my only remaining trump card will be emptied. Only then will I be at the end of my rope."

Thinking of this, his eyes flashed with brilliance, and he kept calculating his chips. An hour later, he raised his head and said, "Come here, prepare the car. I want to go to the palace to see the emperor!"

……

Ganlu Temple.

Su Ming was lying on the couch with his eyes closed, resting his mind, when suddenly a palace servant came in and reported, "Your Majesty, the King of Jin wishes to see you."

Li Siyuan?

Su Ming immediately opened his eyes, thought for a moment, and determined that he might be unable to sit still. If it were him, he would be unable to sit still either.

"Let him wait in Qianqiu Palace."

After a stick of incense, Su Ming arrived at Qianqiu Hall, where Li Siyuan was standing in the main hall.

"Your Majesty, I, your humble servant, kowtow to you. Long live the emperor!" As soon as he came up, Li Siyuan knelt down with a very humble attitude.

"Stand up." Su Ming sat down on the chair, picked up the teacup and took a sip slowly.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

"Li Siyuan, do you know everything about Shi Jingtang?"

"Your Majesty, I just learned about this."

"You don't have to pursue this matter any further. He has already joined the Imperial Guards. Do you understand what I mean?" Su Ming looked down at him.

"I dare not. Although Shi Jingtang is my son-in-law, he is still a minister of the Tang Dynasty. I will never say no."

"Then I'll be relieved. Hedong has a lot of problems. Taiyuan and Jinyang are both important military towns with complicated relationships. I heard that your adopted son is very restless."

Li Siyuan was shocked and said quickly, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I have nothing to do with him. If Your Majesty wishes, I will return to Hedong immediately and bring him to Luoyang."

Li Siyuan's desire to survive was naturally unquestionable. He immediately distanced himself from the matter and made his attitude clear.

Chapter 259 Burying Li Xingyun

"No, I don't mean for you to take him to Luoyang right now. The situation in Hedong is complicated. If your adopted son wants to make trouble, then let him make a good one."

"If there is no trouble, how can Hedong be pacified and how can the court get a clean Hedong? Li Siyuan, since someone is willing to be the villain, you just need to clean up the mess at this last moment." Su Ming stared into his eyes and said meaningfully.

Originally, he planned to let Li Siyuan cut off his retreat and deal with Shen Ke in Hedong, but the appearance of Li Congke saved him from disaster.

However, if this happened, Li Siyuan's direct line of power would inevitably suffer great damage, and this was simply unavoidable.

In an instant, an invisible imperial majesty enveloped the surroundings, and Li Siyuan's waist suddenly bent down involuntarily, as if a huge rock was pressing on him, preventing him from standing up straight.

Li Siyuan's heart stagnated. He was about to say something, but swallowed it back. "I understand."

Su Ming showed a hint of approval in his eyes, and said with a smile, "Very good, Li Siyuan, do you know what I admire most about you?"

"Wei Chen doesn't know."

Su Ming stood up from his chair and walked into the hall. “In troubled times, there are countless heroes who can take advantage of the situation to rise, but there are only a few who can finish their careers well and have a decent ending. Li Keyong and Li Cunxu are both like this.”

"A man of insight is a wise man, and a man of understanding is a wise man. The one thing you are better than them is that you are flexible, you understand the big picture, and you understand the current situation. Your era is over. The only thing I can do is to give you a dignified exit."

At this point, he looked at Li Siyuan again, "After you finish dealing with Hedong, you can retire and return home to enjoy your old age. As for the grudge between you and Zhang Zifan, I will not interfere. If one day he wants to seek revenge on you, I will give you a fair environment. What do you think?"

Li Siyuan's heart tightened, but his face showed an expression of disbelief, "Your Majesty, is it true?"

"I don't joke around. I have no reason to lie to you. If I wanted to kill you in the first place, why would I have waited until now?"

Immediately, Li Siyuan knelt on the ground and kowtowed heavily, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your grace."

This sentence is sincere and without any leniency.

If it was Yuan Tiangang standing here today, Li Siyuan didn’t think he would be able to live to the next day.

Su Ming's words completely put his mind at ease. As long as the emperor did not target him, Yuan Tiangang would not do anything unnecessary. As for Zhang Zifan, Li Siyuan did not take him seriously at all.

Even if he is given another twenty years, he may not be able to beat me. By then, half of my body will be buried in the ground. There is nothing to be nostalgic about. Even if I die at his hands, this life will be worth it.

Ever since the battle for the Longquan treasure, Li Siyuan has been worried and waiting for Su Ming's promise. Although the emperor said that he would not kill him, he did not say that he would not allow others to kill him.

It would be easy to beat himself half to death and then let Zhang Zifan take action. At worst, Yuan Tiangang could easily deal with him.

The old coin who likes to stab others in the back always likes to judge others by himself. The world collapses little by little in such an environment until it falls into the abyss and cannot be redeemed.

"Get up. You know what to do about Hedong. Remember my words. The court only wants a clean Hedong."

"Your Majesty, don't worry. That rebellious son will not escape from my grasp." Li Siyuan said respectfully with a mocking look on his face.

When it comes to backstabbing, he is an expert. He wants to turn the tables just because of a mere Li Congke. Does he really think he has no precautions against the people around him?

……

Jieliang in Hedong is a salt marshland.

In the cave where the Longquan treasure was buried, all the gold, silver and treasures had been taken out by the bad guys, leaving only an empty cave.

The gilded stone pillars had dragon patterns on them, and Yuan Tiangang stood in the passage, looking at the deep pit below with a gloomy look, and it was unknown what he was thinking.

At this time, a bad guy came over and said, "Marshal, everything is ready!"

After a long silence, he seemed to come to his senses and said, "You go down first."

Soon, the bad guys in the cave withdrew one after another, leaving only Yuan Tiangang.

He walked to the round platform. The dragon throne that was placed here had been moved away long ago, and what was placed here now was a bronze coffin, the bronze coffin that opened the Longquan treasure.

This bronze coffin had lost its function after the Longquan treasure was opened. Yuan Tiangang ordered skilled craftsmen among the Bad People to fill it with copper materials and make it into a coffin to bury the dead Li Xingyun.