Chapter 37： idle military officer

Although all the officials are now obedient to the public, given that some people dare to bully the empress and threaten the empress with the matter of the harem, Li Zichou feels that it is time for her to strike hard.

No, half of the idle military officers in the court were announced into the palace by an imperial decree, and Li Zichou entertained all the generals in Baoyue Pavilion.

"Old Zhong, have you been called into the palace by the emperor?"

Zhong Lin stroked his inch-long beard and nodded: "Marquis Deyuan is here too?"

A group of military officers in dark official robes surrounded the cabinet and looked at each other.

Outside the pavilion is a group of soldiers from the Zuo Battalion of the Forbidden Army, armed with sharp swords, spears, swords and halberds, staring at each other.

Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that the Empress held a banquet with ulterior motives. Several military officers including Hou Yuanhou were a little apprehensive.

"Even several seniors are here, what does the empress mean?"

"Did the Marquis Deer hear anything?"

"This Marquis has been staying in Qinghai before, and he only entered the palace after receiving the imperial decree, so I don't even know the reason."

"I always have an ominous premonition, what does Mr. Zhong say?"

"Hmph! It's just a girl, what are you afraid of?! The old man wants to see what the queen is up to."

Several people listened to General Zhong's speech, and tried to dissuade them again and again: "Mr. Zhong is careful!"

Let the female tyrant hear it, but it's a matter of losing his head.

Zhong Lin's composure is in stark contrast to the rest of the people's apprehension.

He is the most qualified general among them, a veteran of the three dynasties, once led the Marshal Marshal, and fought with Emperor Lie in the south and north. Now he is also an octogenarian, with pale temples, but it may be because of a martial arts practitioner, his body is still very strong.

Zhong Lin's prestige in the imperial court is comparable to Bai Xun's popularity among the people, even though he spoke rudely just now, several officials seem to have found a backbone, almost secretly determined to embrace him.

The imperial dining room began to deliver dishes, Li Zichou brought Zhou Huaijin over from Tianshu Palace, and Lu Xiaoying followed behind.

"The ministers are waiting to see the emperor."

"All lovers are free of courtesy." Li Zichou came to the main seat and sat down, letting them sit flat.

What Li Zichou sang today is the release of military power with a glass of wine. She and Zhou Huaijin carefully excluded all the people present here. They are idle military officers who are not currently involved in national defense but hold heavy troops. Her purpose is to take the military power from these people.

Li Zi paid them tea instead of wine, and had a "happy conversation" with them.

Several officials made their own calculations in their hearts, thinking that it was time to get down to business after drinking for three rounds.

Sure enough, Li Zichou and Zhou Huaijin looked at each other and started to get into today's topic.

"All the generals are the pillars of my great prosperity, and each of them has made great contributions to this country."

Hou Yuanhou felt guilty, because he was the only one who inherited a title from his father, and had never been on the battlefield at all.

"Nowadays, the country is prosperous, the country is peaceful and the people are peaceful, and there are very few wars. The lovers have also fought for most of their lives. I am not a person who does not care about heroes. Why don't we each take a spare job, buy a few fields and houses, and enjoy the family happiness as soon as possible."

When Hou Yuanhou heard this, he knew in his heart that the empress had taken a fancy to the military power of the generals including himself.

His Marquis Mansion is in Qinghai, which has already surrendered to the Dasheng Dynasty, and there is no more war.

For the matter of handing over the military power, Hou Yuanhou actually didn't resist. He had never used the army, so he handed it over, but he didn't care, someone just...

"Your majesty wants to hide all the birds, and cook the rabbits to death?"

Hou Yuanhou silently lowered his head and supported his forehead, marveling in his heart what a bold master he is.

The person who spoke was Zhong Lin.

He is a loyal minister of the Li family, but he is very puzzled and dissatisfied with the late emperor's behavior of passing the throne to the princess.

Although there was a precedent of a princess and queen regent in the previous dynasty, it has never been heard that a woman can be called emperor.

Zhong Lin sighed that the first emperor was confused, and even looked down on Li Zishou, the female emperor.

The people present were also shocked when they heard his words, and they didn't dare to express their anger for an instant, waiting for the empress to get angry.

Li Zichou was silent for a while, but she was not angry, but just made eye contact with Zhou Huaijin.

This person is the general of Fuguo who they both did before, named Zhong Lin, and he is the general who fought with Emperor Lie, the grandfather of the former Li Chou.

He drove the Turkic people out of the northwest, where he raised a group of troops like heavenly soldiers, and made the dry Western Regions witness the violent storm. From then on, the Turkic people retreated to Central Asia without any offense.

Zhong Lin is a person with a lot of old-fashioned ideas, and he believes that women should not be called kings and emperors. He actually has no respect for the female emperor Li Chou.

Zhou Huaijin also said that he was one of the most loyal retainers of the Li family. Although he did not participate in party struggles, his influence in the court was very important.

Therefore, it is impossible for Li Zifu to threaten him with violence. If he wants to take over the military power of these people, he must first gnaw off his hard bone.

Li Zishou then released an approachable smile: "General Zhong is too worried. Everything I say comes from the bottom of my heart, and there is absolutely no other intention."

Zhong Lin snorted coldly: "Nowadays the northwest has been at peace for a long time, but the old man still holds a heavy army. If the empress is afraid of the old man's high skills, she can resign from my military post and take away my military power. There is no need to go to great lengths to arrange a grand feast !"

Zhou Huaijin couldn't understand his haughty look, and was a little displeased: I've seen someone tougher than him, but I've never seen someone tougher than him.

This old antique, if he hadn't been highly respected and loyal, he and the empress were really planning to take away his power with an iron fist.

Li Zichou was still calm, but even though she didn't get angry, her tone was still cold: "So, General Zhong wants to resist the order?"

Zhong Lin raised his brows thickly: "How about the old man resisting the edict?"

You've finally shown your true colors, you bratty little girl!

"...General Zhong, do you know where my title of tyrant comes from?" Li Zichou has now learned to threaten others with his title of tyrant.

It can't be said that the donkey is poor in technology, it can only be said that it has been tried and tested.

The other officials were a little panicked. They originally thought that they would not have to hand over their military power if they followed Feng Fuguo's general, and the Queen had nothing to do with them.

Who knows that this elder is really brave, daring to speak out against the edict, the empress seems to have a posture of swearing that she will not give up until she achieves her goal, and she also means to make fun of everyone's heads in her words, who is not afraid after hearing this? ? !

The two faced each other **** for tat, and the rest were sweating profusely.

Hou Yuanyuan twisted his face: He was just a carefree little son who had just passed the weak crown, why would he throw his life in Baoyue Pavilion in this palace after inheriting the title...

The guards outside were all staring, he didn't want to walk in vertically and carry it out horizontally.

Absolutely not!

He hastened to express his opinion: "Why does General Zhong have to make trouble with his own life? The emperor must have her reasons for making this decision."

Zhou Huaijin nodded, a cowardly and easy-to-handle young master like Yu Yuanhou may not accomplish great things, but he may sometimes help others achieve great things.

Zhong Lin ignored Hou Yuanhou's advice, he was going to crash into Li Zichou's south wall.

Hou Yuanhou looked at his attitude, and at the vacillating looks of the others, and thought to himself, he would not accompany him if it was a matter of fate.

"Your Majesty, the people in the Qinghai region are safe and secure. I am willing to hand over the army of the Marquis of Youyuan to be driven by Your Majesty." Houyuan stood up and said to him with hands clasped.

His actions seemed to give some military officers a head start. Looking at each other, they all gave in to their desire to survive and said they were willing to surrender their military power.

Li Zifu didn't show it on the surface, but he was overjoyed in his heart.

She thought that these generals were all on the same side as Zhong Lin, thinking that General Zhong must be taken down first, and then the others would hand over their military power.

But now although these people have surrendered, Zhong Lin and Li Zichou feel that it is necessary to fight him twice.

"Xiaoying, send off the generals." Li Zichou ordered.

"No." Lu Xiaoying stepped forward, "My lords, this way."

Seeing that they had nothing to do with themselves, those officials breathed a sigh of relief, and followed the maid beside the empress. Although the army is gone, life is still there!

Li Zichou: "Old General Zhong is over eighty, right? Even if you are brave and mighty, you can't go against the sky. Surrender the military power, and I will let you live."

Zhong Lin sneered: "The empress has offended the old minister, and the old minister is not a person who is greedy for life and afraid of death."

Li Zichou stood up, looked at the pictures of mountains and rivers on the screen of Baoyue Pavilion, and said, "General Zhong thinks that I am not worthy to be the emperor?"

Zhong Lin: "...how dare you."

Li Zichou turned his head: "Didn't Old General Zhong always feel that I was not the destiny of heaven, but a shame of Dasheng?"

Zhong Lin saw her walking beside him, Li Zichou was standing, he was sitting, his skinny-looking hand was pressing on his shoulder, and she heard her whispering, "Why don't Zhong Lin become the emperor? "

Zhong Lin's eyes widened upon hearing this.

Zhou Huaijin clicked her tongue: This woman is so ruthless...

It is one thing to dare to criticize and satirize the monarch, but it is another to want to replace him. That is a crime of treason and will be reviled by the world.

Zhong Lin didn't dare to speak so condescendingly anymore, he got up on his knees and cupped his fists: "Your Majesty, this old minister has no such intention!"

Li Zichou nodded in satisfaction, and returned to his seat: "General Zhong's loyalty can be learned from heaven and earth. Tell me, apart from my reasons, what else makes you refuse to give up your military power?"

Zhong Lin hesitated for a while, but still explained various reasons. Li Zishou and Zhou Huaijin were listening carefully, nodding their heads in thought from time to time.

The General of Fuguo Zhong Lin was once in the same robe as the General of the Hussars, Wei Chi Rui, and he had the merit of following the dragon.

The northwest guarded by him is the boundary that the Turkic people will never dare to touch.

What Zhong Lin was worried about was that once the Turkic people learned that he had left the northwest and would no longer lead the army, those nomads would probably invade the Dasheng border again.

And the northwest region was originally adjacent to the three border states-that is, the three state capitals closest to the Shuobei Khanate.

Even if the Turkic people did not move, Shuobei would find something to do. If they went south, the Northwest garrison led by Zhong Lin could rush to rescue them in time, otherwise...

It's not that Li Zishou didn't think about what he said. With Zhou Huaijin and Li Xunchao, two know-it-alls, Li Zichou thought as much as Zhong Lin.

But she has to think about the country as a whole, as well as herself.

"Old General Zhong, I think what you said is not unreasonable. But I still say the same thing, you are old now." There was no emotion in Li Zishou's eyes, and Zhong Lin felt that the sullenness in her tone just now was like a flash in the pan.

"Old General Zhong is also an ordinary person. You can guard the land of the Lie Emperor, the land of the late Emperor, and perhaps the land of mine." Li Zichou talked a little too much, she poured herself a cup of tea and continued, "But can you guarantee that you can protect Li Sheng's country forever?"

"Of course it is..." Impossible.

Zhong Lin lowered his head, it's not that he doesn't understand this truth.

Li Zichou looked at this old minister who was full of vicissitudes, and suddenly changed the subject: "Many courtiers in the court also treat me like you. I am a female, and I have no right to inherit."

Zhong Lin looked at the emperor's face suspiciously, not knowing what she wanted to say.

"But I don't think I'm inferior to men." Li Zichou said in a calm and serious tone.

The old Fuguo general was a little uncertain.

He admits that he has a natural prejudice against the empress, but this person is the daughter of the late emperor. If she really has that determination and ambition, he should help her with all his strength, but...

Zhong Lin was still deliberating carefully, while Li Zichou waited patiently, waited and waited, and suddenly remembered something, so he gestured to Zhou Huaijin and whispered something to him.

"Huaijin, is there no one for our military academy's instructor yet?"

Zhou Huaijin rolled her eyes, and instantly understood what Li Zishou meant. She took a fancy to Zhong Lin's war experience and military talent, and wanted to pass it on to younger generations through military education.

Previously, Li Zichou had always wanted to organize a military academy, an agricultural academy, and a management academy, and Zhou Huaijin was taking over this matter.

Because the dragon boat accident gave Li Zi a ptsd payment, she couldn't trust the people from the Ministry of Industry, so she asked Zhou Huaijin to take the empress's personal savings and go out to build infrastructure.

The location of the military academy has already been selected, in a mountain on the outskirts of Linjing, relying on the abandoned training camp of the former garrison outside the city, Li Zichou is going to conduct closed military training there.

Now the renovation and expansion are in full swing, I really didn't expect to start recruiting people at this moment.

Zhou Huaijin felt that this was a good opportunity. After confirming his eyes with Li Zichou, he asked Zhong Lin: "Old General Zhong, I have an errand. I wonder if you are interested?"

The author has something to say:

Hou Yuanhou: I don't want to sit on a hundred thousand troops, I just want to be a rich second generation.

Zhang Shangshu (handshake)

Zhong Lin is different from Liang Jing, although he is a bit conservative, he is a good person.