gnovel Chapter 15 Zhao Kuangyin's Visit
Chapter 15 Zhao Kuangyin's Visit
Inside the workshop, upon hearing that Zhao Kuangyin had arrived in person, Wang Jun was waiting outside with proper etiquette. He immediately led his assistant, Liu Hou'er, out to greet him, repeatedly apologizing for his rudeness and offering his forgiveness.
Zhao Kuangyin smiled and said politely, "It is we brothers who have come uninvited and without any invitations. We are the ones who have been impolite. Tongjifang has been transformed in just half a year. It is truly amazing."
"Grand Commandant, please, let's talk inside."
"it is good."
When everyone arrived at Wang Jun's office, Wang Jun turned to Liu Hou'er and said, "Go and brew tea for the Grand Commandant. Make sure it's the best."
"Yes."
Liu Hou'er responded and began to brew tea, but Zhao Kuangyin stared at him for a long time before suddenly saying, "You are Wu Tiebian's son, Wu Liulang, right?"
Six Monkeys smiled wryly, then clasped his hands and said, "I never thought that the Grand Commandant would still remember a nobody like me. I will always remember the Grand Commandant's mercy in sparing my life. If the Grand Commandant gives any orders in the future, as long as it does not affect the interests of the Lord, I will go through fire and water without hesitation."
Wang Jun's eyes widened: "Liu'er, you actually recognize Grand Commandant Zhao?"
Six Monkeys smiled bitterly: "Back then, my fifth brother and I both served as personal guards under Fan Aineng. Later, my fifth brother rose to the position of Commander-in-Chief, and I also served as an army commander."
After the Battle of Gaoping, the late emperor executed Grand Commandant Fan and Grand Commandant He, implicating more than seventy mid- to high-ranking generals and more than two thousand soldiers. My fifth brother and I were both from Grand Commandant Fan's personal guards, and we were just a hair's breadth away from being executed...
"At that time, it was Grand Commandant Zhao who was in charge of purging Fan and He's subordinates, selecting their elite troops to incorporate into his army, and choosing their confidants to be executed. It was thanks to Grand Commandant Zhao's leniency that those who could have been killed were spared."
That's why my fifth brother and I were able to survive. After that, we left the army and made a living as wandering knights in Tongjifang.
Wang Jun suddenly realized that Pan Wu and his group must have military backgrounds, but he didn't know that their backgrounds were so powerful. He quickly clasped his hands and said, "So, Liu'er, you used to be a commander. My apologies."
Six Monkeys quickly replied, "My lord, please don't make fun of me. If it weren't for your support, I would only be a rogue and a scoundrel. Your kindness to me is like giving me a second life."
Wang Jun quickly waved his hand, indicating that he didn't need to be so polite. At the same time, he also understood that he had been keeping Liu Hou'er by his side as a personal assistant recently and found that the man was actually very capable and did not seem like an ignorant rogue or wandering knight of this era.
It wouldn't be surprising if he had served as a commander.
Zhao Kuangyin also lamented: "During the Battle of Gaoping, the two Grand Commandants, Fan and He, defected on the battlefield. In the midst of the battle, they suddenly shouted 'Long live the Emperor!' to the opposing side."
This led to the complete collapse of my Zhou army, and the entire Imperial Guard was thrown into chaos and paralyzed. It was truly the most perilous time since the founding of my Great Zhou Dynasty.
Of course, it was precisely because of his outstanding performance in that battle, which turned the tide of the war, that he was able to be promoted several ranks afterward.
More importantly, although Zhang Yongde was nominally in charge of the post-war military reorganization, the actual task of selecting the best troops in the country fell to Zhao Kuangyin.
Although Zhang Yongde, the commander of the palace guards at the time, was Guo Wei's son-in-law, he was originally a merchant. Before Guo Wei ascended the throne, he was actually Guo Wei's front man, helping him make money. He was a latecomer to the profession.
If you ask him to select personnel, he is completely clueless about the middle and lower-level generals, he doesn't know anyone, he is purely focused on the upper echelons.
During that great purge, two Grand Commandants at the level of Commander-in-Chief were killed, and more than seventy mid- to high-ranking officers were beheaded. This does not even include those like Pan Wu Liu Hou'er, who were expelled from the army but survived.
With over a hundred mid- to high-ranking officers needing to be recruited, given the circumstances at the time, this heavy responsibility naturally fell to Zhao Kuangyin, who was born and raised in the military, was a leader among children from a young age, and had sworn brothers everywhere in the army.
He didn't even consider avoiding any appearance of impropriety; all the people he promoted were his childhood friends and buddies, like Shi Shouxin and Wang Shenqi—they were all promoted during that period.
The fact that Zhao Kuangyin, a young man in his early thirties, had such a deep foundation in the Kaifeng Imperial Guard, with his people everywhere not only in his own Palace Guard Division but also in the Imperial Bodyguard Division, was mainly due to this major reorganization of the army.
Therefore, this battle was of extraordinary significance to Zhao Kuangyin, one he would never forget in his life; otherwise, he would not still be able to recognize Liu Hou'er to this day.
A short while later, Liu Hou'er roughly prepared the tea, poured it for everyone, and then tactfully got up to take his leave. He also made a point of saying that he would stand guard outside the door and not let anyone near. Seeing this, Zhao Kuangyi said, "Brother, I'll go and stand guard at the door too."
"No need. There's nothing we can't say to others. Even if we were discussing treason, we're not afraid of being overheard right now."
Zhao Kuangyi: "…………"
Sometimes I really think my older brother is too honest, almost to the point of being stupid.
Wang Jun was startled by what he heard, and then quickly lowered his head, not daring to make a sound.
"I've heard that you once cultivated Taoism on Mount Hua? Are you a disciple of the venerable Chen Tuan?"
"Yes," Wang Jun said, forcing himself to speak.
Zhao Kuangyin nodded, then asked, "Taoist Master, can you discern the will of Heaven? In your opinion, to whom will the Mandate of Heaven ultimately fall?"
"Ah, this..."
"Please speak freely, Daoist Master. The current Emperor is only seven years old, and the Prince of Wei is old and unwilling to come to the capital. The Empress Dowager and my family have exchanged letters with him many times, but the old man is determined not to come to court and get involved in this mess."
The Empress Dowager herself didn't really intend to protect the empire for the late Emperor. Li Chongjin is far away in Yangzhou, and neither the Empress Dowager nor Chancellor Fan like him, so he probably won't be able to return. Therefore, the fate of the nation should be between us and Han Tong.
Wang Jun quickly replied, "My father-in-law has absolutely no such intention, nor does he have the ability to do so."
Zhao Kuangyin scoffed, "Han Dengyan has no such intention? That's probably not the case. The Taoist priest is so eager to defend his father-in-law; does his statement imply that he believes destiny is in his hands?"
Wang Jun nodded repeatedly: "I dare not speak of destiny, but it is the will of the people, and the people's hearts are indeed with the Grand Commandant."
"I am only in my early thirties and lack the qualifications. If I were to rashly become emperor, wouldn't the people be in uproar and dissatisfied?"
"It is precisely because you, Grand Commandant, are in the prime of your life that you have enough time to govern the world and end this chaotic era."
"Does the Taoist priest think that if our family truly takes a step forward, the feudal lords of the world will not rebel against us?"
Since the fall of the Tang Dynasty, the Central Plains have been in turmoil, with emperors changing every few years and dynasties rising every ten. If we were to truly rebel, who knows how many days we would have left?
"this……"
"Please speak freely, Taoist priest."
Wang Jun smiled bitterly: "To tell you the truth, Grand Commandant, I am a person outside the secular world. I only know how to study Taoist arts. Now I have lost all my magical powers. I only have the arts, but no more Tao."
As for the general trend of the world, politics, and the hearts of the people, although I know a little about it, I am far less insightful than my son. If the Grand Commandant truly wishes to discuss this, why not speak with my son?
"Your son? Isn't your son only eleven or twelve years old?"
"Yes, he... although he is young, he is precocious and has a good understanding of the ways of the world and the general trend of the world."
Zhao Kuangyin's eyes widened, revealing an expression of disbelief.
"Is the Taoist priest serious? Or is he just making fun of us?"
"No, no, I would never dare."
"Alright, then please, Taoist priest, call your son over for a chat."