Gu Jiantang nodded. Lu Baijie took the lead and walked to the two empty tables on the far right side of the room. Soon, the second-ranked scholar who had written the Drunken Eight Immortals and had been personally "threatened" by Minister Bai Guo arrived with tea. He first served it to Gu Jiantang, who was "far away", and then to Lu Baijie, who was "close at hand". After Gu Jiantang took the tea, he slowly asked, "You're not going to Gao Tingshu of the Ministry of Rites?"
The young manager of the Department for Purging Officials, who didn't dare to make any unnecessary moves and only wanted to leave as soon as possible, couldn't help but tense up. He said in a trembling voice, "That's me."
Gu Jiantang didn't have a smile on his face. He asked the newcomer of the Ministry of War a rather sharp question, "Why didn't you serve tea to Minister Shangshu first?"
Gao Tingshu was speechless.
Lu Baijie laughed and said, "Great General, oh Great General, you're obviously secretly happy. Don't take advantage of the situation and pretend to be obedient. Manager Gao took a huge risk to come to our Ministry of War. No matter what, he's half a family member of yours. You don't have to scare a junior like this. "
After being "disturbed" by Lu Baijie, Gu Jiantang no longer deliberately kept a straight face. He smiled and said, "Just for the sake of you serving tea first, even if the Ministry of Personnel suppresses you in the future, I'll first ask Minister Bai for a favor. I guarantee that I won't delay your promotion in the future. But you should learn a bit more. Look at how Minister Bai became an official. He not only gave himself a way out of the embarrassing situation, but also made you remember that he helped you get out of trouble. "
Lu Baijie's face was full of helplessness. "Hey hey hey, Great General, you're not being kind. It's one thing to freeload tea, but you're also undermining me. In the future, I'll have no prestige in this room. "
Lu Baijie turned his head and glared at Gao Tingshu. He pretended to be angry and said, "Stinking brat, get out of here! Aren't you afraid that I'll make things difficult for you? Do you want to annoy all the ministers of the Six Ministries? When the time comes, even if you have the Great General to protect you, at most you'll have to run to the border to drink the wind and eat the sand! "
Gao Tingshu hurriedly wiped the sweat on his forehead, turned around and trotted away with a silly smile.
The officials of the Ministry of War, who were actually secretly listening, immediately burst into laughter. Amidst the laughter, everyone was naturally envious of Gao Tingshu's good fortune. He immediately left a good impression in the hearts of the two Ministers of War.
Gu Jiantang finished the tea in one gulp. After putting down the teacup, he sighed, "It's not easy for Minister Lu."
Lu Baijie lowered her head and took a sip of the bitter tea. She nodded with a bitter smile and said, "It is quite difficult."
Gu Jiantang was silent for a long time. After standing up, he said, "I'm about to leave the capital and return to Liaoxi. I won't disturb you any longer."
Lu Baijie stood up as well and said calmly, "Let's see the Grand General off."
After the two of them walked out of the room, Lu Baijie hesitated for a moment before asking in a low voice, "Is the Grand General really leaving?"
Gu Jiantang grunted. Like the Minister of War beside him, he was not as relaxed as he was in the room. His expression was serious. "If I had decided to stay before we reached the capital, there would still be hope. Now, even if I insisted on staying, do you think it would be possible?"
Lu Baijie was speechless.
The Grand General Gu Jiantang's meaning was not deep. When the late Emperor was alive, Gu Jiantang had accompanied him all the way back to the capital. However, he still could not persuade the late Emperor to let him, a pillar of the Northern Region military and politics, replace Lu Shengxiang to preside over the southern expedition. Now that the new Emperor had ascended the throne, how could Gu Jiantang rely on his past achievements to coerce the new Emperor? In fact, Gu Jiantang and Lu Baijie both agreed with a certain someone's prediction of the situation. The suppression of the rebellion in Guangling should be done quickly. The imperial court had sent Lu Shengxiang, Yang Shenxing, and Yan Zhenchun to the southern expedition, assisted by several Vassal Lords. In terms of military strength, it was actually enough. It could not be considered a genius, but it was certainly not a bad move. However, a very small number of people had forgotten one thing: the deployment of troops and the deployment of troops on the battlefield was much more straightforward than the officialdom where everyone could sit behind closed doors and drink slowly. Lu Shengxiang had excellent talent as a "general", but at that time, the undercurrent of the imperial court did not give this "general" of the assistant minister of the Ministry of War a chance. Not only did he not have a chance, but he was also a burden to the point where it was extremely difficult to deploy troops. As a result, the imperial court forcibly turned the situation into a rotten quagmire. If Gu Jiantang had been in charge, even if there was a group of rich playboys who did not know the immensity of heaven and earth stirring up trouble, Yang Shenxing absolutely would not have been greedy for merit and rashly advanced. Thus, the imperial court would not have harmed Yan Zhenchun's entire 30,000 cavalry and caused the two Vassal Lords, Zhao Ying and Zhao Xun, to almost be sent to their deaths.
Gu Jiantang quietly slowed down his steps and said, "Lu Shengxiang has obtained the position of General Piao Yi. If nothing unexpected happens, he will vacate the position I just sat in. At that time, my subordinate, General Tang Tieshuang of Liaoxi, will enter the capital to take over. This is not good news, but it is also not bad news. I'm just taking this opportunity to tell you about it first. Tang Tieshuang is different from Lu Shengxiang and Xu Gong. He is not good as an official, but he is very good at leading soldiers in battle. After he enters the Ministry of War, Minister Lu, you should try to get him to bring a few young people with him to the Guangling Circuit … at that time, it might be south of the capital. "
Gu Jiantang said calmly, "The reason I'm saying this is not out of selfishness. I want Tang Tieshuang to have a smooth career as an official. I just hope that in your hands, the Ministry of War can retain the taste of the battlefield for a few more days. In the future, those sitting in the Ministry of War probably won't know what horse dung tastes like, and even fewer will have calluses on their thighs from riding horses. "
Lu Baijie sighed and said, "This matter shouldn't be too difficult."
Gu Jiantang suddenly turned his head to look at the former Gu Lu. In the dusk, there were still some remnants of the spring sun shining on the roof.
Gu Jiantang then smiled at Lu Baijie and said, "There's no need to see me off. I'm going to a place I never had the chance to go before."
Lu Baijie stopped in her tracks and watched the Great General leave.
He knew where Gu Jiantang was going.
The former Zhang Lu.
Zhang Lu was originally where the Ministry of Personnel was located. After all, no matter how arrogant Gu Jiantang was when he controlled the Ministry of War for many years, the yamen of the Ministry of Personnel was still nominally the most important place of the external court in Liyang. Later on, Zhao Youling parted ways with his teacher, and the Ministry of Personnel was moved. At that time, Wang Xionggui, the only one left who stood firmly behind the Grand Secretary as a proud student, did not move into Zhang Lu. However, at that time, the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Rites, and the Ministry of Justice all had an assistant minister sit obediently in Zhang Lu so that the civil official leader could convey his intentions, or rather, his will, to the various joints of the five ministries as quickly as possible. Now, Zhao Youling was promoted to the Hall of Governmental Affairs, and Yin Maochun was in charge of the Ministry of Personnel. The latter unexpectedly chose to sit in that room.
Of course, there would no longer be any mention of Zhang Lu in the world. Compared to the oft-mentioned Gu Lu, this place was not even mentioned again.
It was as if it had never appeared in the Liyang imperial court.
Gu Jiantang walked to that place and looked there.
Under the curtain of night, compared to Gu Lu, there was not even a trace of afterglow there.
On his return to the capital, that night, the Emperor, who had not yet been called the previous Emperor, stood in the imperial prison. That was the last time Gu Jiantang saw that person and passed on his last words.
That person was separated from him by the iron fence, but he did not say even half a word of his last words. He only waved his hand at Gu Jiantang.
Gu Jiantang gathered his thoughts. He did not look at the important members of the Ministry of Personnel who rushed out of the room and down the steps to welcome him. He also did not look at the Prime Minister, Yin Maochun, who had stopped at the door.
Gu Jiantang turned and strode away.
— —
An additional person had silently appeared in the capital. Logically speaking, let alone an additional person in the most virtuous place in the world, even an additional thousand people would be like a drop of water. However, no one could underestimate this sinful guest.
King of Jing An, Zhao Xun, the youngest vassal of the Liyang Dynasty with the surname of Zhao.
From the time Zhao Xun was summoned to the moment Zhao Xun entered the capital, the Ministry of Rites had not been able to interfere. Everything had been handled by the Imperial Clan Court. There were no walls in the capital that did not let in the wind. Small news had already begun to spread rapidly in the higher levels of officialdom. However, no one knew whether Zhao Xun's trip to Great Peace City was a blessing or a curse. In the battle outside Yaoyou Pass, the Duke of Huainan, Zhao Ying, who was also a vassal of the Imperial Clan, had died in battle after three victories. It was not appropriate to say that he was sullen, but it was also wrong to say that he was brave. He was brave, but he was too unstrategic. Abandoning the three passes and running to the plains to play a battle of cavalry, how could he be called wise? As for Zhao Xun, there was more praise than criticism. After all, this King of Jing An had gone to save the Duke of Huainan and had almost been killed by the cavalry of the West Chu rebel army. The two vassals, who were one generation apart, did not have much of a relationship. From this, one could see that Zhao Xun's loyalty to the court was unquestionable. Compared to his father, the old King of Jing An, Zhao Heng, there was a world of difference. However, His Majesty the Emperor had just inherited the throne, and the Emperor's heart was hard to fathom.
Zhao Xun temporarily lived in a mansion on Junwang Street that had nothing to do with him. More than a hundred years ago, it had been the private residence of a powerful official of the Liyang Dynasty. It was extremely illegal and occupied a large area, with more than four hundred rooms. Among them, there were even halls that were several zhang above the street level outside. Later, about forty years ago, the Liyang Emperor bestowed it to Prince Zhongyi. Unfortunately, the title of Prince was only hereditary for one generation before it was lost due to a crime. In the last forty years, it had changed hands several times, and the owners did not live far away. The most famous of them was, of course, the old Grand Preceptor of West Chu, Sun Xiji.
Although Zhao Xun was nominally a vassal who had gone to the capital to ask for punishment, the wording of the imperial edict was very strict. If not for the blind Mister Lu's prediction, Zhao Xun really might have been scared out of his wits. At the time, Lu Xu's words were very simple, "Since you have gone, you should make the best of it."
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