Chapter 285: Gao Lishi's final advice

After Li Linfu's prime minister's mansion, it was already dark. It was a clear night. Countless stars blinked in the sky. A golden crescent moon hung in the distant sky. The wind was warm and the wind contained a faint fragrance of flowers. In this world without industrial pollution, it was even more refreshing.

Li Qing's carriage slowly stopped, next to it was Gao Lishi's mansion. Tomorrow, Li Linfu will formally submit the report on personnel changes this year to Li Longji. Li Qing also temporarily changed his plan to visit Gao Lishi tomorrow. He must arrange everything tonight, and he cannot lose his plan due to negligence in one link. So, after leaving Li Linfu's mansion, Li Qing rushed to Gao Lishi's mansion without stopping.

Gao Lishi's housekeeper had already received the instructions from his master. He didn't have to report to his master, so he took Li Qing to the outer room of the small study. This was the fourth time Li Qing came to Gao Lishi's mansion. The first three times he had been in a small reception room, but today he entered the study room of the inner residence.

Like Li Linfu's inner study room, it is also a kind of honor to be able to enter Gao Lishi's small study room. The decorations in the study room are extremely simple, and the tables, chairs and cabinets are all old products for decades. The paint has been peeled off in many places, revealing the grayish-white logs inside. Here is just an outer room and a door separated from the inner room. There was a joke in the court, "When entering Li Linfu's inner study room, it was a Jinshi's small study room, but when entering Gao Lishi's small study room, it was a fifth-rank entry."

In fact, this is the case. For some powerful officials who were prominent for a while, such as Li Linfu, Yang Guozhong, An Lushan, Gao Xianzhi, Yuwen Rong, Gai Jiayun, Wei Jian, Yang Shenjin, Wang Gong, An Sishun, etc., there is no support from Gao Lishi behind it, but this power is often invisible. Except for the parties involved, it is generally not known. Just like a candle in the wind can burn vigorously, Gao Lishi's role is to block the invasion of wind and rain for it, silently, but it is crucial.

Li Qing didn't want to experience the glory of entering Gao Lishi's small study for the first time. He was still thinking about possible loopholes in his mind.

First of all, the opposition of the Yang family. Yang Guozhong was the Minister of Personnel. His obstacles were inevitable. However, with Yang Huahua's internal strength, the Yang family could not make trouble. Li Qing was not too worried about this. After all, the Minister of Personnel could only interfere with the promotion of officials under the sixth rank. If the fifth rank or above, the prime minister must nod, and the third rank or above must be signed and approved by the emperor before they can be approved.

The key is that Li Longji transferred him back to the court. From a certain perspective, it was Li Qing's unauthorized behavior that caused Li Longji to doubt and deprived him of his military power.

Now he is going to be released from the outside again. How could Li Longji ignore the lessons of the past? If Li Qing does nothing and allows Li Longji to be appointed, the result of "Linxuan Ces" is likely to be the governor of a state in Jiangnan and in charge of the local economy, which is very different from his original intention. This is what Li Qing is most worried about.

For this reason, he had already begun to deploy the letter from Wei Yingwu to Yang Yuhuan for him, and seek the final repayment of Yang Guifei with his kindness to the Yang family; Yang Huahua is also the one who can change Li Longji's ideas, so he doesn't have to worry now; and Li Linfu, although his own prospects are not good, he is still the right prime minister now, and he must draft the plan for submitting personnel changes at the top level, and now the two sides have reached an agreement; the other is Gao Lishi, which is crucial to guide Li Longji's ideas, and there are almost no omissions. The rest may be a conversation between him and Li Longji.

"Haha! Let the minister wait for a long time."

While thinking, Gao Lishi, the eunuch of the Tang Dynasty who was appointed as General of the Cavalry and Duke of Bohai County, appeared at the door with a smile. He wore a blue and white wide-body Zen robe, without a hat, and only used one side to tie his hair, looking leisurely and indifferent.

"I just came back from the palace and changed my clothes. The assistant minister came. The time was very accurate!"

Li Qing quickly stood up and saluted, apologizing: "I just came from the Prime Minister's Mansion. I really don't know that the general has not yet rested. It's really rude."

Gao Lishi glanced at him, with a smile of praise on his face, "Yes, I'm willing to tell the truth to me, a child can teach you!"

He pushed open the door of the inner room, and a few little maids went in to clean up first. The dim room quickly turned warm and bright. Gao Lishi pointed to the chair and smiled and said, "Sit down! I don't have guests here often. The room is simple and vulgar, so it's not as good as the Prime Minister's Mansion that actually opened the door to welcome you."

A seemingly careless sentence implies that Li Qing, Li Linfu's every move is under the control of the emperor, and this specific person who operates is exactly his Gao Lishi, the implication that if Li Qing does not come, then Gao Lishi cannot cover it up for him.

Li Qing secretly called out luck, and he sat down and said straight to the point: "General, I want to go back to the Western Regions?"

"Western Regions? Yesterday the emperor said he would let you be the governor of Suzhou and the interview envoy of Jiangnan East Road, but you want to go to the Western Regions!"

Li Qing was shocked and asked anxiously: "Did you have already given a metaphor?"

He immediately realized that he had made a big mistake, that was, he ignored Li Longji's plan. He was somewhat influenced by some later views. How could Li Longji be foolish in the late Tianbao period and be led by Li Linfu, Yang Guozhong and others? In fact, Li Longji's slackiness in state affairs may be true, but if he was foolish, it would be a big mistake. Not only was he not confused, but he also focused all his attention on the layout of power. Wasn't he planned to use Yang Guozhong to attack Li Linfu this time?

Li Qing simply wanted to slap himself in the face. It has been eight days since Yang Huahua passed his birthday, but Li Longji was silent. How could he not pay attention to the situation in the court? It was extremely stupid to ignore him. If Li Longji had already drafted the order, it would be too late.

Thinking of this, Li Qing glanced at Gao Lishi nervously, and saw that his smile was plain and he was not moved by his surprise, as if he was expecting it. He felt enlightened and then he breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that he had time.

"Speaking of this, you have to thank Mrs. Cui Qiao, the eldest daughter of King Ning. If she hadn't come to cry this afternoon and begged the emperor to take back his life, it would have been delayed by the emperor for an hour, I'm afraid the order would have been issued."

Gao Lishi smiled. Cui Qiao moved to Guangzhou Chief Secretary. His wife cried and made a fuss. She made a fuss at Xingqing Palace. The emperor had a headache and had to hide in the deep palace. He delayed the new appointments of several important officials, including Li Qing as the governor of Suzhou.

"But if you want to convince the emperor to let you refry old rice in the Western Regions, it may be difficult. You have to think of some solutions!"

Gao Lishi only said that it was difficult, not impossible, and asked him to find a way, and his intention was already revealed.

The political situation in the court has been in chaos since the prince was deposed. No one can see the road ahead clearly. Many people only rely on instinct to find a way out in this huge vortex, making chaos. You just finished singing and I came on stage, while Gao Lishi played the role of watching the show. The only thing he had to do was to find the real protagonist in this chaotic power fight.

Li Qing in front of him was the protagonist he had a unique eye for, a young politician who could play the prince and the prime minister. Zhang Yun once told him that it was a pity that Li Qing was born in a humble and had no background. He was difficult to stand out in the Tang Dynasty officialdom of a very important family. Yang Guozhong, who was at the same time, was able to rise to the top. This is also where many people sighed for Li Qing, but Gao Lishi was disdainful of this argument. Only because of the difficulty of walking, every footprint would be profound and down-to-earth. Once he went up, he would not fall easily. Perhaps because he was also from a poor family, he would quietly bet on Li Qing who was almost forgotten when everyone praised Yang Guozhong.

Now Li Qing told him frankly that he wanted to return to the Western Regions and asked him to support him. Gao Lishi knew that this was his strategy to avoid the real and go to the virtual, and to establish strong strength in the local area. After five or six years, he would have the strength to be the prime minister. In terms of strategy, this was brilliant. Gao Lishi did not want him to stay in Chang'an. After all, between Yang Guozhong and Li Qing, Li Longji chose the former, and Li Qing's tone had already been set when he gave him a paperweight, which was to ask him to assist the heirs behind him. This was why Gao Lishi bet on Li Qing, and Li Qing could be kind to his descendants.

But the problem now is that King Li Chu of Guangping, he is the button that connects Gao Lishi and Li Qing, and it is also something that Gao Lishi must make clear before Li Qing leaves.

At this time, when he saw Li Qingshang thinking and did not directly answer his hint, he smiled gently and simply said, "You have gone to the Western Regions, what should King Guangping do?"

Li Qing was silent all the time. Gao Lishi's hint he understood that he wanted to ask him for help, but in front of such a heavyweight figure, he could not speak rashly. He had to figure out what Gao Lishi's real intention was. It was impossible for King Qing to be King Yong, or another prince, or even represent Li Longji, to make himself a chess piece for Li Longji again.

But what Gao Lishi said later made Li Qing suddenly understand. The shadow of Li Longji in front of him actually took a fancy to Prince Guangping Li Chu. I'm afraid that this is the purpose of Gao Lishi coming to him today.

Since he figured out this, Li Qing's thoughts suddenly became clear. He smiled and said, "The General is willing to speak frankly to Li Qing without any hesitation. This shows that this trust is hypocritical if Li Qing cares about him."

He bowed slightly, showing a sense of modesty and sincerely: "The General is the emperor's eunuch. No one knows more clearly than the general. If the King of Guangping is not likely to ascend the throne, the General would not care so much about him. I am the same. I think the real purpose of being a governor is also for him. But if you go to Suzhou to be a governor for three or five years, it is nothing more than accumulating a reputation and getting a few high-profile reviews. There are no one hundred people in this governor in the country, and there are eighty people, but it is different to go to the Western Regions. There are military achievements and the opportunity to be a king in one battle. This is not as good as a governor for twenty years...."

Li Qing talked and Gao Lishi listened attentively. He didn't say a word, looking up at Li Qing from time to time, with sharp eyes. Li Qing wanted to push King Guangping to the throne. This can be confirmed. However, with his decades of official experience, Gao Lishi vaguely felt that there seemed to be another purpose hidden behind Li Qing's eagerness to go to the Western Regions. Although he could not clarify what this purpose was, he could see it himself and the emperor could see it too.

"You have to remind him!" Gao Lishi said in his heart.

"The Minister of the Secretariat was once the governor of Shazhou, so he could show it all. The Emperor also understood it in his heart, but there was probably a reason why the Emperor decided to put you out to Suzhou. After all, the Minister of the Secretariat was young and he was not careful about some things. Like the matter in Xunyang County, the Minister of the Secretariat was a little unconsidered."

"Xunyang County?" Li Qing suddenly remembered Wang Zhongsi. He looked at Gao Lishi incredibly. He was already very careful. Li Longji probably didn't know that it was.

"Maybe it's no wonder that the Minister of the Secretariat was the Minister of the Inspector. He didn't know that there was a special person there, so he got off the boat. But the Emperor knew that the Minister of the Inspector had been stationed in Xunyang County, so he would of course have some associations, so when he was considering releasing the Minister of the Inspector, he would be affected."

Gao Lishi said this to remind Li Qing that in the future, he should be careful in everything, not act irritating, and not do anything taboo, which would make the superiors doubt. Seeing that Li Qing's eyes gradually became deeper, he knew that he had listened to it, so he changed his mouth and said frankly: "Since you have been to Li Linfu's Prime Minister's Mansion, you should be on the last batch of personnel transfers he presented tomorrow. The emperor will definitely test your attitude. What should you say, I don't need to teach you."

An hour later, Li Qing left Gao Lishi's house. The night sky was full of stars, and it was still so clear and pure. The wind was still warm and fragrant. However, Li Qing felt a hint of chill. Visiting Gao Lishi made him gain a lot. These days he was so smooth, planning and layout were all invincible, so he developed a little arrogant and even took everyone seriously. Yang Guozhong, King Qing, Li Linfu and even Li Longji, but today Gao Lishi's alarm bell woke him up. Not everyone was in his plan. He was looking at the scenery, but the people who saw the scenery were also looking at him.

Li Qing couldn't help but think of Li Longji's far-reaching layout in Shazhou. He played him in his hands, which made him suffer a lot. The East Palace case and the Wei Jian case were silently eliminated a large number of people who supported the prince and finally abolished the East Palace.

Gao Lishi was right. If he wanted to establish power in the Western Regions, the biggest threat would probably be Li Longji. Think about the local officials who once held military power, Huangfu Weiming, Zhang Qiu Jianqiong, and Wang Zhongsi, they were all eliminated. The living were grateful and the dead were convinced. Who would be the next one? Gao Xianzhi or An Lushan, or Shuofang Jieduan An Sishun and Beiting guard Cheng Qianli. Li Longji seemed to have a schedule in his hands. He was replacing and eliminating one by one, and none of them were spared.

"What about myself? Can't you escape Li Longji's palm?"

Li Qing looked up at the sky, where there was an endless universe and an unknown world for humans. When he came to the Tang Dynasty, did he have already arranged the causal relationship?

Li Qing's waist gradually rose up. He would never be the loyal Wang Zhongsi or the miserable An Lushan. He wanted to be a Li Qing who fought for the country and the people, and for his own glory and power.

"I will never fail!"
Chapter completed!