A few days passed, and by mid-August, preparations for the war against Goryeo were ready. Just waiting for Li Shimin's order, the army could march to Liaodong. .At this time, Li Ke was fortunate enough to attend a court meeting, where he once again felt the naked conspiracy of the old owl Changsun Wuji.
Because this time, Li Shimin personally led the expedition, and he was accompanied by ministers such as Nanya General Xue Wanche, Qianniu Guard General Li Xianzhong, Qianniu Guard General Meng Zhao, Youzhou Governor Cheng Zhijie, etc. Fang Xuanling and Cen Wenwen were in charge of grain and grass management. To supervise the transportation work, other people accompanying him included Chu Suiliang, Du Yan, etc., but they lacked Changsun Wuji and the princelings. What surprised Li Ke even more was that Hou Junji, who was the Minister of the Ministry of War, also stayed in Chang'an. As for Wei Zheng staying in Chang'an, Li Ke didn't think there was anything wrong with it. However, Hou Junji, who was the Minister of the Ministry of War, stayed in Chang'an, and Changsun Wuji, who was the Secretary of the Zhongshu, stayed in Chang'an. The issues here deserve further study.
After the morning court ended, Li Ke returned to the mansion. After sitting quietly in the study and thinking for a long time, he still couldn't figure out why Li Shimin asked Hou Junji to stay in Chang'an this time. Changsun Wuji's stay can be said to be to assist the prince Li Chengqian in managing the government, but what about Hou Junji, the Minister of War?
¡°Brother, Your Highness, it¡¯s time for you to eat something!¡±
Just when she was thinking about it, her brows were furrowed and her mind was confused, Wu Meiniang walked into the study at some point and whispered.
Since the last time we visited Yangzhou, Li Ke left Yangzhou, while Wu Meiniang and Ashina Yun returned to Chang'an.
"Mei Niang, I have no appetite, you go and eat!" Li Ke sighed lightly.
"Your Highness, brother, is there something on your mind?" Wu Meiniang asked with concern.
"Yeah -" Li Ke agreed and said nothing.
"Your Highness, your brother, is worried about your father's personal conquest?" Wu Meiniang continued to ask.
"How do you know?" Li Ke suddenly raised his head and stared at Wu Meiniang's face with a sharp gaze.
"Brother, Your Highness -" Wu Meiniang said timidly when she saw Li Ke's cold gaze, "Isn't it just for this matter that you returned to Chang'an? The situation is unclear now, and it is normal for you to be worried. Meiniang is worried about everything. I didn¡¯t ask, I just made a guess after seeing His Highness¡¯s frowning face.¡±
"Meiniang, please tell me, what is your judgment on this matter?" Li Ke said in a gentle tone. He had no doubt about Wu Meiniang's political sense, even if she could guess her own from just a few words. Concerned, Li Ke also wanted to hear her opinion, and by the way, see how terrifying Wu Meiniang's political sense was.
"Meiniang doesn't know much. I hope your highness, brother, won't be angry if what she said is wrong!" Wu Meiniang said.
"Sit down and talk!" Li Ke said with a faint smile.
"Well -" Wu Meiniang sat down and then said, "Your Highness, brother, before the emperor ordered the northern expedition to Goryeo, only one major event happened in the Tang Dynasty, which was heavy rain in Luoyang and the water of the Luo River flooded the Luoyang Palace. Let's first Let¡¯s not talk about the strangeness here. Let¡¯s just talk about Luoyang Palace. It was my father¡¯s palace in Luoyang, the eastern capital. It was comparable to the Tai Chi Palace in Chang¡¯an City. However, it was flooded by the Luo River due to a heavy rain. This in itself foretells bad luck. It¡¯s a sign, as the emperor of the Tang Dynasty, doesn¡¯t my father have other ideas?¡±
"You continue-" Li Ke nodded.
"And what will my father do in this situation? I must ask about the good or bad omen of the Luo River flooding the Luoyang Palace. This will give others an opportunity to take advantage of it."
Li Ke said nothing and continued to listen to Wu Meiniang's analysis.
Seeing that Li Ke was listening seriously, Charming Niang continued, "Also, the Luo River flooded the Luoyang Palace and the art of divination. This is just an introduction. Wei Zheng's letter is the last powerful medicine for the emperor's decision to march eastward."
"Huh?" Li Ke said in surprise, "Why do you say that?"
"Because, Wei Zheng's letter told his father that the Tang Dynasty still had many things that he needed to do, but now the Tang Dynasty has become prosperous step by step, and all it needs is time. The father wants to be diligent and leave his name in history, so he What else can be done? The only shortcoming is merit." Wu Meiniang said this, looking at Li Ke, as if she had something hidden that she didn't dare to elaborate on.
"You go ahead!" Li Ke said lightly.
"Also, my father is the emperor of the Tang Dynasty, but now your achievements, brother, have surpassed my father's great achievements. What do you think my father will think in his heart?" Wu Meiniang saw that Li Ke wanted to speak, so she rushed to say, "Yes, my father will not be jealous of your achievements. He believes and trusts you, but that is under normal circumstances, but what if something like Luo Shui flooded Luoyang Palace this time? Add the fortune teller's What about the ministers who deceive the public with their lies and have ulterior motives, saying that this is a sign of the decline of imperial power? Do you think my father will remain indifferent?"Li Ke didn't speak, and cold sweat ran down his forehead. He knew very well how much weight Wu Meiniang said to him. This was only Wu Meiniang's wife who dared to say it. If it were to be put on others, no one would have such courage. Dare to doubt Li Shimin's intentions.
Seeing that Li Ke was silent, Wu Meiniang also kept silent and waited quietly for Li Ke.
After a while, Li Ke came back to his senses and asked Wu Meiniang, "Aunt Hua, what do you think this king should do?"
"Hua Gu" Li Ke hadn't called her this way for a long time, but calling her out now showed his trust in Wu Meiniang.
"Brother, Your Highness, my father is marching north to Goryeo. This is not a problem. With Goryeo's current national strength and combat effectiveness, it is absolutely impossible for the Tang Dynasty to be defeated. But the key to the problem is that there is a problem with the people who stayed in Chang'an City this time." Wu Meiniang is very serious. said.
"Can't Father see it?" Li Ke asked rhetorically.
"Is it because your father can see it that you arrange it like this?" Wu Meiniang replied loudly.
"Why?" Li Ke asked in surprise.
"Because of you!" Wu Meiniang said without thinking.
Her answer gave Li Ke a chill.
"Because of me?" Li Ke asked.
"Yes, your highness, brother, can't you see clearly that all the ministers my father has taken into Chang'an City are members of the prince's party?" Wu Meiniang asked, "In Chang'an, besides the prince's party, who can restrain you?"
"¡ª¡ª" Li Ke didn't speak.
"Moreover, letting my father conquer Goryeo and letting you stay in Chang'an is Changsun Wuji's real purpose. As long as my father goes north to conquer Goryeo, the capital will be empty of soldiers and horses, and he commands the Sixth Army of the East Palace, and Changsun Shunde is General Zuo Jinwuwei. Under such circumstances, they have to come up with some countermeasures and use the emperor's suspicion to harm you. Do you think you still have a chance to fight back? When the time comes for my father to conquer Goryeo, it will be difficult for Chang'an. I will definitely leave your matter to Wei Zheng and Changsun Wuji, but Wei Zheng is a straight man. He has been used as a spearman by Changsun Wuji before, and there is no guarantee that he will be used by Changsun Wuji again this time." Wu Meiniang analyzed calmly. .
Li Ke didn¡¯t speak. He was silent. He didn¡¯t expect that the problem would be so complicated. It was just one link after another. Changsun Wuji was really vicious. If he didn¡¯t make a move, he would get bloodshed.
"Then what if I stay behind closed doors, making it difficult for them to frame him?" After a long silence, Li Ke asked again.
"Could it be that given Changsun Wuji's intelligence, he only came up with such a strategy?" Wu Meiniang asked.
"Who are you -" Li Ke did not speak, but he already understood the meaning of Wu Meiniang's words.
The atmosphere in the study was very solemn. Although there were only two people, Wu Meiniang and himself, the depressing atmosphere still made it difficult for Li Ke to adapt. He suddenly felt that his military career in the past few years had made him slack on politics and his sensitivity was not high enough. He had not even analyzed such a major issue that was related to his life.
"Then what do you mean, what should I do?" Li Ke asked.
Seeing Li Ke's serious look, Wu Meiniang smiled lightly, "Brother, Your Highness, let's go to the northwest!"
"Well -" Li Ke was startled, then suddenly realized, and laughed and said, "Okay, let's go to the northwest, and I will ask my father for permission when I enter the palace tomorrow!"
"Well - Meiniang really wants to go to the northwest!" Wu Meiniang said coquettishly.
Li Ke held Wu Meiniang in his arms lovingly. He knew clearly that Wu Meiniang had told her exactly what to do, but as his wife, she spoke tactfully and did not put forward her suggestions like a counselor. Instead, she The identity of a wife is stated.