Wu Huifei looked on enviously from the side. She could imagine that it was not important who the crown prince was. What was important was who could enter the eyes of Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan.
Not to mention the son of the empress, even if it was the former Prince of Huaining, Li Xun, and Zhang Xiaobao, who had interacted more often, how many people were on tenterhooks?
Now, he was still in the Bohai Commander-In-Chief's Office and had not returned to Shuzhou.
"Qing 'er, go and meet him." Wu Huifei was so bold. She clearly knew that Zhang Xiaobao and Empress Wang were close, but she still dared to bring her son here.
Li Qing knew the relationship between his mother and the other party. He braced himself and went over to greet Zhang Xiaobao, "Xiao Bao, I've always heard about you. It's good that I can finally meet you today."
Zhang Xiaobao was quite familiar with Li Qing. It was not that they had met often, but the other party involved a person, Yang Furong. Li Qing was Yang Furong's first husband.
Wang Juan had already explained the situation to Zhang Xiaobao. Li Qing still had another name, Li Mao, which meant that his wife was Yang Furong and Yang Yuhuan.
This was a person that Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan were very wary of. After meeting, they had to firmly suppress him and not give Li Longji any chance.
However, Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan were not very interested in this matter now. With them around, who could cause trouble?
Wang Juan felt that Li Longji was wrong to steal his son's wife, so she had to help him. How pitiful.
Zhang Xiaobao looked at Li Qing with pity and said, "Okay, okay, what are you busy with now? You're not in Jiannan, are you? "
Li Qing did not know that Zhang Xiaobao had a good impression of him because he was a coward in history. Hearing Zhang Xiaobao speak, he felt that Zhang Xiaobao was a good person and easy to communicate with.
"No, I'm currently in charge of Haozhou in Henan Province. I've troubled you a few days ago."
"Really?" Zhang Xiaobao turned to ask Wang Juan.
Wang Juan carefully recalled and shook her head. "Where?"
"It was decided a few days ago." Li Qing explained to Zhang Xiaobao and Zhang Xiaobao.
"Oh, then what happened a few days ago has nothing to do with you. It's not troublesome, not troublesome at all. The Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Court, and the Censorate are in charge of the lives of the arrested officials. I'm just going to take a look.
You … are skilled in archery? "
Zhang Xiaobao warmed up to Li Qing. He found that Li Qing was still very honest. She did not rely on her mother to be arrogant and despotic.
Li Qing was confused by Zhang Xiaobao's enthusiasm. He did not know what Zhang Xiaobao was thinking. If he knew, he would be very helpless. His mother was Imperial Concubine, but there was still the empress. What's more, who would dare to be arrogant in front of Zhang Xiaobao?
Li Qing was stunned and quickly replied. "I'm skilled. Do you want to hunt?"
"Yes, but you don't need to be skilled. We don't use bows and spears. We can't ride horses in the mountains. Don't always think about riding a horse. You should practice your spear on the road. Don't hit people."
Zhang Xiaobao said something that made people speechless. Since you said it was useless, why did you ask him?
Wu Huifei raised her eyebrows. She could not understand why Zhang Xiaobao was so enthusiastic. Li Longji did not pay attention to it. He just watched his son and daughter perform.
In less than half a month, Xiao Bei had already trained the two children to the point where they were almost as good as her. She always liked to show off in front of others.
Pan 'er was very smart. She already knew how to do math. She knew that one plus one equals two, two minus one equals one, one plus one equals two, one plus one equals three, three equals one minus one equals one. When the adults heard this, they felt it was very complicated.
Xiao Bei patiently corrected them over and over again. From time to time, she would accompany the two children and laugh foolishly.
Xiao Fang played the zither on the side, making people feel more lively. She played the song 'Spring River Moonlit Night' over and over again. She only knew this one song and never got tired of it.
Wang Juan accompanied Empress Wang and Wu Huifei to chat. Dignified and elegant, they talked about the fabric of the clothes, the workmanship of the jewelry, and so on.
If Wu Huifei did not know about Wang Juan's family, she would have thought that she was born in a famous family. Of course, she did not know that Wang Juan was born in a rich and powerful family. She had to learn diplomacy from a young age.
When the fleet was ready, the group of people boarded the ship. They lifted the anchor, left the shore, and went downstream. The west wind blew, making the sails creak.
In the cabin, Empress Wang first accompanied the two clingy children to play with building blocks. When the children were sleepy, they climbed onto the bed and fell asleep. Only then did Empress Wang have time to go to the other cabin to thank Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan.
She thanked the two for being willing to play with the children and thanked them for their guidance.
"Cuckoo, it's been hard on the two of you. Jun 'er and Pan' er are not like other children. I've troubled the two of you a lot." Empress Wang thanked Wang Juan.
Wang Juan denied, "It has nothing to do with me and Xiao Bao. Xiao Bao saw it just now and said that we have to find a way to make Jun 'er and Pan' er play. It's not good for the children to be too obedient, so Xiao Bei will be responsible."
It was the first time Empress Wang heard such a thing. Wasn't it good for the children to be quiet and stable? She didn't understand, so she didn't think about it. She believed that Xiao Bao and Cuckoo wouldn't harm her children. She would just let them play.
She asked with concern, "The military exam may be held on the ship. Cuckoo, are you ready?"
"Almost. It's best to wait for a while. When we're on the shore, let them deepen their theoretical knowledge on the ship. Let them compete with each other first and be more familiar with each other."
Wang Juan had a look of "I'm doing it for their own good."
Empress Wang didn't say anything else. She chatted with Wang Juan again.
In fact, the generals couldn't wait anymore. They rubbed their hands and wanted to fight. A few days ago, they were tortured by them. As a general who led the army to war, they didn't test the military formation and ranks. Instead, they had to test the relationship between the army and the people.
When they finally got through it, they found someone to discuss it and colluded with each other. Only then did they finish the written test. In the end, the emperor had to go out again. It was almost the New Year. What was the point of going out? They had to solve the seasickness problem first before the military exam.
For a while, the generals were still pondering. They thought that Wang Juan would take this opportunity to start the exam immediately. In the end, they got the news that they should familiarize themselves with it. Moreover, the sand table was from the Jiangnan Circuit. This made them feel relieved.
It was a good buffer. Only Li Longji and Gao Lishi knew Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan. They thought that the two of them were definitely up to no good and would come up with bad ideas again. The two of them muttered to each other but couldn't figure it out. They could only put it aside for the time being.
Wang Juan accompanied Empress Wang. Li Longji called Zhang Xiaobao over. He first asked with concern, "Xiao Bao, have you recovered from your injuries?"
"Okay, okay, it's been half a month. If it's still not good, I'll have the people of the medical college die with me. They can make my illness worse. With such ability, I'll take them to harm others."
Zhang Xiaobao patted his stomach to prove that he was very healthy.
"That's good, that's good." Li Longji already knew that Zhang Xiaobao had recovered from his illness, so he tried to find a topic to talk about.
Zhang Xiaobao should have followed up with a question, but he didn't say anything. He smiled bashfully and waited.
"Uh! Jun 'er and Pan' er, I'm very relieved to see you two today. Xiao Bei is really capable. "Li Longji started talking about his children.
Zhang Xiaobao was still bashful. "Yes, Your Majesty is right."
"Have you eaten?" Li Longji was really at a loss for words. He suddenly asked the usual greeting.
"I've eaten. Is Your Majesty hungry?" Zhang Xiaobao was about to get up as he spoke. Li Longji was hungry, so he had to go cook. He really owed Li Longji something from eight hundred years ago.
Li Longji hurriedly stopped him. "I've eaten. I'm not hungry. I just drank a big bowl of shredded potato soup before I came out. It tasted very good."
"Yes, I also like to make shredded potato soup with a layer of chopped green onions and oil on top. I also like to make radish strips, taro heads, pickles, and dry pancakes with a pan. It's the simplest and most acceptable combination. Many people will eat until they're full."
Zhang Xiaobao wasn't afraid that Li Longji would talk to him about food. He could choose any of the eight major cuisines.
Li Longji didn't want to talk about food, so he was silent for a while.
After a quarter of an hour, he asked Zhang Xiaobao, who was about to fall asleep, "Xiao Bao, you planted potatoes in the northern part of Hebei Province. It's said that you planted a lot of them. Do you still plan to go back?"
This was the main topic, so Zhang Xiaobao paid attention to it.
"Whether I go back or not depends on my father's arrangements. If I enter the imperial court, my official position can't be low. However, my father's official position is higher than mine. With father and son in the same court, I might have to side with my father. It's easy to give people the impression that we're in control of the imperial court."
"Then, what if you send your father out?" Li Longji suggested. He planned to keep Zhang Xiaobao in the imperial court so that he could ask him about it. After all, being an official in the capital was also a kind of honor.
Zhang Xiaobao shook his head. "Why don't I continue to stay outside? My father's role outside is not as good as staying in the Ministry of Works. I'm fine with going anywhere. I'm not picky."
"Yes, I know you're not picky. The people in the places you go will enjoy life. However, no matter how much you manage, it's just one province. How many provinces and prefectures can you manage? I can't let you manage half of the country. "Li Longji was speaking the truth.
Gao Lishi had already discussed with Li Longji before Zhang Xiaobao came. At this time, he played along and asked, "Xiao Bao, I see that you like to stay in the Bohai Commander-In-Chief's Office. Is that place important?"
Zhang Xiaobao lowered his head and thought about how to explain the importance of the northeast to Li Longji and his godfather. At present, the northeast didn't have any heavy industry, so it couldn't be considered a heavy industry.
The resources weren't particularly good either. Other than animals and plants, Great Tang also had other resources. If one had to say that there were good resources, there were oil and coastal resources. There weren't many other places.
However, he was only using the oil that was easy to find for research. He didn't plan to exploit Great Tang's energy and mineral resources. He wanted to leave them for future generations.
When did they say that they weren't capable enough? If they couldn't get what they wanted from others and were beaten back, then they would just pick their own. If they were beaten back, then there was nothing they could do. They couldn't just wait for their ancestors to do everything. Their ancestors couldn't control the future generations.
If there was really something that was hard to find in other places, it would naturally be the amber produced by the Fushun Coal Mine. It belonged to the economic category. It could be sold for money, but it had no other use. There was a fly in it, so its value could be raised.
The importance of the northeast lay in its climate and geography, as well as …
"I want to go and snatch energy. The Bohai Commander-In-Chief's Manor continues north and east. There are many energy sources and tribes there. I can't wait for them to grow stronger and leave behind a hidden danger for Great Tang. I have to eliminate them or assimilate them."
Zhang Xiaobao pointed in the direction of Russia and said to his godfather.
Gao Lishi was still puzzled. "You've always wanted to occupy territory, but have you considered population? Without enough people, who would be willing to go north with you? The further north you go, the colder it gets. "
Li Longji also nodded in agreement.
"I don't intend to occupy the entire world tomorrow. There are many new species now. Other than those from Duoshi, there are also those that were found from distant places.
I can wait for population to increase, but I have to hold on to my current position. The cold isn't a problem. I have to wear more clothes, live in a warm house, eat more oily food, and drink more wine. Otherwise, if I really lose that place, I will regret it for the rest of my life. "
Zhang Xiaobao couldn't talk about history with Li Longji and Wang Chong. He could only express his determination.
Li Longji couldn't guess why Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan were so stubborn about a place that seemed to have no future, but they were still prepared to support it.
"Then you should go back and be a regional commander. Don't just stay there and not come back. Come to the capital two or three times a year and cook for me. Don't you want to build a railway there? It'll be more convenient and less time wasted on the road."
Li Longji couldn't bear to part with Xiaobao and Wang Juan in Beijing. He would feel very safe if Xiaobao and Wang Juan were to stay in Beijing. He wouldn't have to worry about anything. He could call them over for a meal and chat, and he would be able to get good ideas immediately. It wasn't easy to have someone to talk to.
This was especially so for Xiaobei and the others. Although they liked to show off in their official robes, they didn't show the emotions of an official in front of him. They were afraid of saying the wrong thing.
They were very peaceful and were closer to him than his own children. When they ate together, they were unrestrained and called him Uncle Emperor. This made him feel less lonely.
It was just like the book of poems written by Wang Juan. Oh, she said she copied it. The most heartless imperial family. Almost everyone was afraid of him. Only Zhang Xiaobao and his siblings were not afraid of him. It was rare.
Zhang Xiaobao felt awkward when he heard Li Longji speak. You're a man, why are you being so sentimental with me?
Seeing that Li Longji wanted him and Wang Juan to go back, he quickly rejected, "Your Majesty, it's better not. Send a prince or someone from the imperial family. This subject won't go."
"Are you afraid that people will say that you have too much self-respect? There's no need for that. Zhuge Wuhou also had a lot of troops in his hands. He was also one of them. He was also one of them. However, Liu Shan still ascended the throne. Your current position in the imperial court is still far from his. "
Li Longji was open-minded and used Zhuge Liang as a comparison.
Zhang Xiaobao's eyes widened. He didn't know how to reply.
Gao Lishi didn't agree with Li Longji's words. How was it far from his position? If he wasn't in the imperial court, wouldn't Xiao Bao and Cuckoo's words be of no use?
Not to mention managing money, even if they took over the current position, Yuan Qianyao wouldn't even have a chance to resist. A few days ago, when Cuckoo went to Henan Province, she didn't even need to discuss with the imperial court. She could mobilize the entire Henan Province army with just a word.
Although His Majesty gave her the power, she didn't say that she was no worse than Zhuge Liang. It was almost the same. She didn't need the throne.
But if there was a difference, it would be that she was better than Zhuge Liang. Did Zhuge Liang know how much oil to use when frying shredded potatoes? His godson, Xiao Bao, knew.
Did Zhuge Liang know how to teach children? If he really knew, Liu Shan wouldn't be like that. But look at his godson, Xiao Bao. What did he teach Xiao Bei and the others? If they could meet at the same age, Liu Shan would be bullied to death by Xiao Bei.
"That …" Zhang Xiaobao encouraged himself and tried his best to treat himself as someone more awesome than Zhuge Liang before replying.
"That, Your Majesty, I don't care what others say. As long as no one stops me, I will let them say whatever they want. What I mean is, you can send a prince or something over there to hold down the fort. I will still command from afar.
I have discussed with Cuckoo. This time, I will go back to the Turks' place and stay there. I will bring 100,000 soldiers there to graze and train. I will plant potatoes, corn, and so on. Then, I will exchange rice and wheat with other places in the Great Tang.
For a year, I will not do anything else. I will stay there obediently. Occasionally, I will come back to see my parents. When Japan and Xinluo are settled, I will bring countless supplies and cooperate with Cuckoo to attack and eat more. "
Zhang Xiaobao finally spoke of his future plans. His tone was calm, as if he was chatting normally.
However, Li Longji couldn't treat it as a normal conversation. As soon as Zhang Xiaobao finished speaking, he sat up straight, his eyes filled with shock. No matter what, he had never thought that Xiao Bao and Cuckoo would send troops.
Gao Lishi also trembled. Couldn't his godson and daughter-in-law stay put? If Zhuge Liang knew, he would definitely be jealous. He was so tired that he wanted to vomit blood.
When it came to Xiao Bao and Cuckoo, it was as if they were playing. Yes, this was the feeling they gave people. No matter what they did, they seemed to be very relaxed. In the end, they either doubled the Great Tang's grain output or created medical, industrial, and other systems.
Moreover, they would often plot against the country. They would look at the two of them all day, study how to eat and drink, tell stories to their younger siblings, play games with them, and then run around as if they were traveling. In the end, Tubo was gone, Turks were gone, Xinluo was crippled, and Japan was also troubled.
The more Gao Lishi thought about it, the more he felt that he was right. Zhuge Liang's life was really sullen. He was busy with this and that, and he was always busy. Looking at his godson and daughter-in-law, he could even accompany the Emperor for a stroll. It was all thanks to Zhuge Liang that he met Zhou Yu and Sima Yi. If he met Xiao Bao and Cuckoo, he would probably die even earlier.
Li Longji had the same thoughts as Gao Lishi. He still had doubts in his heart and asked, "Xiao Bao, is Japan worth so much of your attention? Can't you go to war if you don't pack up? "
"That's not the case. Even if you don't pack up, you can still fight. However, it is difficult for the soldiers to adapt to the environment. This subject wants to transfer 100,000 soldiers from Tubo to the Turks. The changes in the climate there are even greater. This subject has to let the soldiers familiarize themselves with it before they can go to war.
War is not a game. No matter how good Cuckoo's command is, she does not want to always fight a war like the one in Tubo. Who would be willing to dance on the tip of the blade for no reason? If they all fight like that, Cuckoo will die of exhaustion.
After a year of adaptation, the chances of victory will be higher. This subject also wants to do something in this one year. We cannot let the people of Tubo be idle. We cannot stop small scale conflicts. Firstly, it is to train the soldiers. Secondly, it is to confuse the enemy. "
Zhang Xiaobao said.
Li Longji listened and nodded his head. He admitted that Wang Juan's battle was awe-inspiring, but he really did not want to let Wang Juan always take risks. He also understood what training soldiers was, but he could not describe the confusion.
He then asked Zhang Xiaobao, "How do you confuse them? What kind of goal can they achieve? To be proud of the soldiers? "
"Speaking of which, things are getting interesting." Zhang Xiaobao chuckled.
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