Many generals cursed Li Chengliang in their hearts, but there was nothing they could do. They had money and power, but they had no power. They could not touch Li Chengliang, who had military power and the backing of civil officials.
After waiting for a long time, they finally received an earth-shattering piece of good news. After Li Chengliang, the second general with a real title of nobility had appeared, and that was Comrade Xiao Ruxun! Comrade Xiao was a legitimate general, and several generations of his family had been generals.
Now, his father was a subordinate of a group of generals and nobles, holding a position to earn money for them. He was originally quite valued because he had been assigned to a real job. Now that there was a real soldier with a title of nobility in his family, Xiao Wenkui's attention increased greatly.
Ever since this news spread, there were constantly generals and nobles who came to get close to Xiao Wenkui, such as the Xu family of Count Xing 'an, the Li family of Count Xiangcheng, the Tan family of Count Xin Ning, the Sun family of Count Ying City, the Wang family of Count Chengshan, and so on.
In the beginning, it was still a count family. Because of Xiao Ruxun, she was only conferred the title of count. But as Xiao Ruxun arrived in the capital, and the news of the chaos in Daehan spread, the sharp-witted families had a premonition that Xiao Ruxun was about to become active.
Therefore, the marquis families also began to get close to Xiao Wenkui, eating and drinking, thinking of building a relationship with Xiao Ruxun. Once there was a chance, they would send their children to Xiao Ruxun to be gilded, and then come back to get some benefits, or simply rise up — the military groups were not willing to be suppressed by the civil officials. After their father died, they still had to be tested and approved by the civil officials to inherit the title. How aggrieved would that be?
"Let's wait a few days for you to settle down first. Then, I'll take you to visit the various large families and get closer to them. Civil officials look down on us. Your father, I, have been rejected many times over the years. Only now do I understand that to be a general, one must have a foundation.
Our foundation is in the capital barracks. Although we have no power, as long as we are in this circle, the civil officials have to take care of us, and do not dare to act recklessly. Even if we go against them, they have to take into account our contributions and not be calculative.
These civil officials, you may think that they are in the limelight, but don't look down on us. They are only in the limelight for a while, but we are in the limelight for generations. If they offend us now, when they lose their positions, won't they be at our mercy? We can't touch those big fellows, but the lower ranks of the Martial Selection Division who always make things difficult for us, once they are removed from their positions, they will immediately make things difficult for us. So, Si 'er, don't be like Li Chengliang! "
Xiao Wenkui kept nagging because he was worried that Xiao Ruxun would walk the same path as Li Chengliang. In fact, there was no need to worry, because Xiao Ruxun was destined to be Li Chengliang's enemy. Even if Li Chengliang did not want to act against Xiao Ruxun, Xiao Ruxun would definitely get rid of Li Chengliang.
Whether it was for public or private reasons, Xiao Ruxun would never give him a second chance to guard Liaodong. If the first time Li Chengliang guarded Liaodong, it could be said that he was dutiful and responsible and at most allowed the enemy to grow stronger, the second time was purely destroying the Ming court's main military power in Liaodong, causing the desperate situation that followed.
However, Xiao Ruxun knew very well that if he wanted to get rid of Li Chengliang, it was absolutely impossible to rely on the military group alone. Behind Li Chengliang was the big shot of the civil officials group. They needed Li Chengliang to increase their weight in their political struggle. If Xiao Ruxun could not become the weight in the hands of the other group, there was no need to talk about how to deal with Li Chengliang.
Of course, another way was also possible — directly leave the civil officials group, take the route of the emperor's upper class, become the emperor's confidant general, and completely go against the civil officials group. In any case, a military general could not even think about getting the recognition of the civil officials group. They would not even accept a civil general, let alone a military general.
Xiao Ruxun kept turning the sandalwood prayer beads that Zhu Yijun had rewarded him, his mind racing.
In the evening, Xiao Wenkui, who was in high spirits, prepared a feast for Xiao Ruxun. Other than Xiao Ruxun and Yang Caiyun, he did not let anyone sit at the table. Xiao Wenkui was obviously very good to Yang Caiyun, even a little polite. Otherwise, he would not have taken the initiative to ask Yang Caiyun to sit at the table with him.
Yang Caiyun also knew her limits and did not overstep it. After getting Xiao Ruxun's consent, she sat at the table quietly. Xiao Wenkui did not ask or say a word, scrupulously abiding by the etiquette of a wife, which made Xiao Wenkui feel very comforted.
After talking about family affairs and life in the capital, Xiao Wenkui gradually led the topic to official affairs.
"A few days ago, on the 17th of June, I heard in the military camp that Governor Ji Liao sent the Deputy Chief of Army Zu Chengxun to lead the Liaodong army into Korea. It seems that the Japanese pirates almost destroyed Korea, and Korea asked the Daming for help. Do you know about this, Si Er?"
Xiao Wenkui reached out and picked up a piece of chicken for Xiao Ruxun. Beside him, Yang Caiyun's body trembled slightly.
"I have heard that the situation in Korea is not good. Otherwise, they would not have asked the Daming for help. It seems that if the Daming does not send troops to intervene, Korea will be destroyed."
Xiao Ruxun replied very calmly.
"I heard from the people above that the envoy of Korea has visited several yamens in the capital. I don't know what His Majesty is thinking. Earlier, there was news of the preparation against the Japanese pirates, but the location was in the coastal area. Unexpectedly, this time, the Japanese pirates did not come from the sea, but from Korea. The families of several Country Dukes and Marquises are very concerned. They are probably itching to see Si Er get the title of nobility."
Xiao Wenkui pointed out, "When I take you to visit these families, they will definitely bring up this matter, because they think that His Majesty will probably let Si Er fight against Korea."
Yang Caiyun raised her head and looked at Xiao Ruxun.
Xiao Ruxun squinted his eyes, "In father's opinion, are there any capable people in the families of these Country Dukes and Marquises?"
"Hmm …" Xiao Wenkui stroked his beard and thought for a while. He laughed bitterly, "If we talk about earning money and eating without pay, a hundred Si Er together would not be a match for them. If we talk about marching and fighting, a hundred Si Er together would also not be a match for Si Er. The civil officials only want to rear us like pigs and dogs. If Si Er had not just made a great contribution, if it was the second or third generation, I am afraid that they would not have the opportunity to fight."
Xiao Ruxun naturally understood. She laughed awkwardly and said, "I don't have any communication with these civil officials, and Lord Tai Shan doesn't have any friendship with them either. This is a battle that they think is certain to win. Naturally, they will send their direct descendants to fight for the credit. I'm just a loner, how can I compete with those nine sons of Li Chengliang?"
"Hmm?" Xiao Wenkui frowned, "Si Er, what do you mean by this? Could it be that this battle is disadvantageous to me, Daming? The Wei Nation is a small country, and they are arrogant. How can they be a match for me, Daming? "
"Father, the Wei Nation's army is not the Japanese pirates. The Japanese pirates are just pirates. Father, have you ever seen a country's pirates that are better at fighting than a country's army? If I am not wrong, the Wei Nation will send no less than one hundred and fifty thousand soldiers to fight against Korea. "
Xiao Ruxun's words made Xiao Wenkui turn pale with fright, and Yang Caiyun was also quite frightened.
"One hundred and fifty thousand?!" Xiao Wenkui exclaimed, "Si Er, you can't say such things! One hundred and fifty thousand soldiers, even the current imperial court may not be able to mobilize so many soldiers. Wei Nation is a small country, how can they mobilize one hundred and fifty thousand soldiers? How much food and supplies would they need? "
"Father, the Wei Nation, no, it should be Japan, is not the small country that we think it is. Although its land is small, the fighting power of its soldiers is considerable. During the Jiajing period, Japan was still divided, just like the Central Plains during the Spring and Autumn Warring States Period. It was divided into many small countries, and the small countries kept fighting against each other until the strongest country emerged. At that time, the fighting power of Japan was at its peak, and that time is now!
The Prime Minister of Japan, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, was equivalent to the Prince Regent of Japan, and was above the Emperor. He had already wiped out nearly a hundred small countries in Japan, big and small. What about the fighting power of his soldiers? The territory of Japan was small, and it was not as vast as the Central Plains. It was fine if there were no ambitious people, but once there were, it was inevitable that they would go on expeditions to expand their territory. Toyotomi Hideyoshi was such a person.
Although it was a small country, its soldiers and horses were elite, and the bravery of its generals could not be simply described as a small country. Father, if the imperial court did not take Japan seriously and fought against Japan with the attitude of a lion fighting a rabbit, they would definitely suffer a great loss! I heard that this time, the imperial court only mobilized a thousand soldiers from Liaodong into the imperial court, and the number of soldiers would not exceed three thousand. If Zu Chengxun rashly sent out his troops, he would definitely lose, and it would be a crushing defeat. "
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