In mid-November, it started to snow in Beijing, and the wind was freezing and biting, making everyone huddle up in thick clothes.

A little eunuch wearing a green eunuch uniform curled his head and led Li Yi through the palace gate and through the tall walls. The entire palace was quiet, but there were often groups of palace maids beside the road. The eunuch passed by, but They were all cautious in their words and actions, and did not make the slightest sound.

The solemn and solemn atmosphere made Li Yi couldn't help but arch his body and follow the little eunuch straight ahead, but his two bright eyes kept looking at the surrounding buildings and secretly marveled.

Walking to the Qianqing Palace, the little eunuch pointed to the eaves and whispered: "Wait here."

Li Yi nodded and did not dare to speak. He felt that if he spoke out, he would break the solemn atmosphere created by the palace, which would be a bit unwise.

The little eunuch patted the snowflakes on his body, straightened his clothes, and quietly got into the palace.

The heavy palace door opened, and a wave of heat hit his face. Li Yi looked inside and saw only bright lights and nothing else.

He looked up at the name of the palace, which had the words Qianqing Palace written on it.

After a while, the little eunuch came out and whispered: "The emperor has summoned you, follow me in."

Li Yi followed and walked into the palace. A wave of heat enveloped him. The warm hall made the blood on his body melt. Li Yi felt that his neck had been wet.

He walked in, knelt down in the hall under the eunuch's silent command, and looked around.

The furnishings of the main hall are simple, but it is this simplicity that gives it a sense of grandeur and vastness. When people take a sudden look, they can't help but feel their own insignificance and feel a sense of awe for the imperial power.

There is a large mahogany chair in the main hall, and a young man with a good appearance and bright eyes is sitting on it, staring at him.

Li Yi understood that this was Emperor Chongzhen, and immediately kowtowed: "Your Majesty, Li Yi, pays homage to the Emperor. Long live the Emperor. Long live the Emperor."

This young man is Zhu Youjian, who nominally controls ten million people and is known throughout the world as the Emperor of Heaven.

Zhu Youjian was wearing a black dragon robe with green piping. He looked at Li Yi who was kneeling below. He had seen many people kneel to him, but he had never seen anyone look at the furnishings in the hall like Li Yi did. He couldn't help but feel a little agitated. curious.

"Stay flat and give me a seat."

A loud voice sounded, and a eunuch brought up a round stool and placed it next to Li Yi.

Li Yi followed He Shucheng's instructions and kowtowed again, saying: "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Then he stood up and sat down.

He looked up at Zhu Youjian, who was looking up at him. He could see it more clearly this time. Although the man in front of him was the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, he was only a seventeen-year-old boy with a good appearance and a short green beard on his lips. There were a lot of memorials on display, and he looked a little tired, but he looked a little aloof on the solemn dragon chair.

"Your meritorious service in Liaodong and the capture of Nurhaci's Six Sons Pagoda worship are very important to the ministers of the government and the public. It also greatly inspired the morale of our Ming army. It is really very satisfying." Emperor Chongzhen tried his best to make his voice louder, but he was still too young and his voice was Somewhat harsh.

Li Yi said: "This is a great blessing for the emperor. With the support of the supervisor, I was able to accomplish this feat by luck."

"If I were truly blessed, the Donglu would not be so arrogant and frequently cross the line." Emperor Chongzhen stretched his waist and said.

Li Yi was slightly surprised. He didn't expect Emperor Chongzhen to say such passionate words.

Chongzhen smiled and said: "How old are you this year?"

Li Yidao: "I am sixteen this year."

"Sixteen?" Chongzhen looked at Li Yi, who was tall and handsome. He didn't expect that he was younger than himself. He couldn't help but said in surprise: "What did you eat to grow up? You have grown so tall at the age of sixteen."

Li Yi was also a little strange. In his impression, emperors should be aloof, strict in speaking and doing things, and obeying etiquette, but Emperor Chongzhen didn't seem to be like this.

Chongzhen saw Li Yi's doubts and said with a smile: "Are you wondering why I am so casual?"

Being guessed about his intentions, Li Yi could only lower his head and say: "I am guilty."

Emperor Chongzhen smiled, stood up and said: "The person who is high above me is not only the emperor, but also a Bodhisattva. I am used to being worshiped by others. I summoned you today just to find someone to talk to. Since it is not a court meeting, there is no need to show off.

The compassionate appearance of the Cheng Bodhisattva will be shown to those sluggish ministers."

Li Yi raised his head when he heard this, moved his stiff body slightly, and said with a smile: "Since the emperor has spoken, I am rude."

Seeing that Li Yi was so knowledgeable, Emperor Chongzhen had a smile on his face. Since he entered the palace, he rarely saw his peers. All he faced were ministers with long beards and eunuchs and maids with dead faces.

Really boring.

He walked down, looked at Li Yi and said: "It seems that the teacher knows the students best. Mr. Sun is right, you are bold, but you are a genius; you do not respect etiquette, but you value friendship."

Hearing this sentence, Li Yi was slightly stunned and said: "Has your teacher told your Majesty about me?"

Emperor Chongzhen nodded and said: "Earlier, I wanted to ask Mr. Sun to return to Beijing to serve as Minister of War, but he was rejected. I also know that Mr. Sun is old and wants to take care of himself. However, natural disasters and military disasters have continued in the Ming Dynasty in recent years, and Mr. Sun is urgently needed.

Such a talented person returned to Beijing. In the end, my husband recommended you to me. No, there was a discount for recommendation half a month ago."

Emperor Chongzhen picked up the folder from the table, and the eunuch next to him took it obediently and handed it to Li Yi.

Li Yi did not look at it, but raised it high and said: "I am scared."

Emperor Chongzhen waved his hand and said impatiently: "If you have something to say, just say it. Don't worry about the customs. There is no one else here."

The eunuch next to him trembled, and glanced at Li Yi secretly, remembering his appearance. The emperor's words just now clearly meant that he regarded this person as his confidant, and he must not offend him in the future.

Li Yidao: "My teacher is indeed very talented, but I'm afraid my talent is not as good as the teacher said."

Chongzhen climbed onto the high platform again, sat on the carved dragon chair, and said: "You know how to be humble. From a small disaster victim to becoming the biggest powerful man in Baoding Prefecture, isn't this enough?"

As the imperial court attacked Li Yi many times, Chongzhen had also found out An Xin's situation clearly. Accordingly, Li Yi's background was inevitably investigated.

Li Yi understood this truth and could only say: "I am a refugee. The only thing refugees do is to live and work in peace and contentment. I don't want to be a powerful man, let alone a powerful man who bullies the people. Please give me a clear warning from the emperor."

"Okay, okay." Emperor Chongzhen nodded with satisfaction and said: "What you said is true. I understand what you have done. Whether it is resettling the refugees in the northwest or relieving the victims in Henan, you have made great contributions. Although I

I didn’t say anything, but I still remember it in my heart.”

"Your Majesty's words are serious. Your Majesty has given me the official position of Cheng Lang. I am already grateful." Li Yi spoke politely without hesitation.

Hearing that Li Yi remembered his favor, the smile on Emperor Chongzhen's face became even brighter and he said: "No wonder Yuan Chonghuan also wanted you to serve under him. People like this kind of talent will be snatched up wherever they go."

Yuan Chonghuan wanted to stay in Liaodong by himself? Li Yi was slightly startled, and suddenly realized that what Zu Dashou said was not a joke.

It seems that I have become a hot commodity in an instant, and everyone wants it.

Li Yi secretly smiled bitterly and said: "My lord, I am really grateful that you value me, but I have important things to do in Anxin and I really don't want to go to Liaodong to take up a post."

"You don't want to go to Liaodong? Why?" Chongzhen was a little surprised and said: "Yuan Chonghuan values ​​you so much. If you serve under him, you will be reused. This is what many people dream of."

Li Yi looked at Emperor Chongzhen, thought for a while and said: "Your Majesty, although I have achieved military merit, I have always wanted to take the imperial examination and not hold a military position."

Chongzhen was slightly startled. He didn't expect Li Yi to answer him like this, "It's understandable that you take the imperial examination, but you are just a scholar now. If you want to be admitted to the imperial examination, it will take three to five years for an ordinary person, so you can

So confident?"

Li Yi said: "I have nothing else to ask for, I just want to be a Jinshi and bring honor to my family."

Emperor Chongzhen looked at Li Yi and suddenly said: "Do you really think so?"

Of course Li Yi didn't think so. The reason why he said this was just that he didn't want to go to Liaodong to wade into the muddy waters.

You must know that although Yuan Chonghuan has been pursuing Lao Sun's policy of "nurturing the Liao people with the Liao soil and using the Liao people to defend the Liao soil", it seems that the results are not great. Although there are 100,000 soldiers in Guan Ning Jin direction, they can defend hundreds of miles of land.

It's enough, but there is no room for attack.

This policy was originally divided into three aspects. The first was to build castles, then to train new soldiers, and finally to farm for self-sufficiency.

Although the construction of the forts from Daling River to Shanhaiguan has been roughly completed, no matter how good the fort is, it still needs people to guard it.

However, due to the difficult environment, the soldiers in Liaodong were often in arrears with their pay and food, their military discipline was loose, and their combat effectiveness had become very poor. The cavalry of the Jin Kingdom came and went as if they were in an uninhabited land, and could not play an effective role at all.

As for the trained Liao soldiers, although Sun Chengzong initially trained the forward and rear battalions and prepared the car camps for field battles, with his departure and financial difficulties making ends meet, these elite soldiers were taken under the general's control and served as servants.

Then he lied about the number of soldiers and defrauded him of his salary, which he used to support his own servants and bodyguards, which in his eyes weakened the combat effectiveness of the new army.

It can be said that the Liao army originally established by Sun Chengzong has been hollowed out by a group of low-level military attachés.

As for farming, it was difficult to implement due to the harassment of the Jin Kingdom and a bunch of corrupt officials. This also made Sun Chengzong's idea of ​​raising Liao people in Liao land and raising an army through farming completely failed.

It is difficult to build a house, but it is very fast to demolish it. The Liao soldiers were weak and could only defend themselves, unable to take the initiative to harass them as expected. The fundamental reason lies in the military system of officials.

Like his teacher, Li Yi also saw through the reality and understood that as long as the court did not reform as soon as possible, the corrupt situation would never end. If he went to Liaodong at this time, he would probably be asking for trouble.

Li Yi thought this way, but in explanation he could only say that he only wanted to take the imperial examination. In fact, he wanted to return to Baoding and continue to run his home.

When Emperor Chongzhen saw that Li Yi didn't want to go to Liaodong, he thought he wanted to come to the court.

"The imperial court is at a time when it is employing people. If you can seize the pagoda and make great contributions this time, I will definitely reward you. Liaodong is not good. Do you want to become an official in the imperial court?" Chongzhen said.

Instead of going to Liaodong, he came to the court. Chongzhen gave Li Yi multiple-choice questions. It can be seen from this that he really planned to use Li Yi.

Li Yi's idea failed and he could only say: "I don't want to be an official in the imperial court."

Chongzhen was very surprised and said: "Don't you want to be an official?"

Li Yi nodded. In fact, he really had no interest in being an official. He said: "I just want to return to Baoding, and I ask the emperor to make it happen."

At this time, Chongzhen completely understood that Li Yi did not want to be an official at all.

He didn't expect that a young and promising official like Li Yi could be so devoid of desire, so he couldn't help but stand up and said, "Aren't you willing to help me?"

Li Yi said quickly: "I don't dare. It's really that I don't want to be an official. I just want to be able to do something among the people for the well-being of the people."

Chongzhen paced with a thoughtful look on his face. He did not expect that things would develop to this point.

Originally, he thought that Li Yi should be grateful to him for being so involved, and then share his worries and work for him in Liaodong or the court. Unexpectedly, he ignored his importance and did not want to be an official at all.

Thinking of this, Chongzhen was a little angry. He felt that he was the emperor and had already expressed his sincerity. How could Li Yi be so indifferent.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, Chongzhen said: "Do you think that I can't use you, so you are willing to be an idle cloud and a wild crane?"

Li Yi was shocked when he heard this. Such words were too serious. It seemed that he had really angered the young emperor.
To be continued...