I was kicked out of the house, and I was reborn and became the emperor

Emperor Taining coughed a few times and asked slowly, "Duke Ning, what do you think about this?"

Shangguan Ba, Duke of Ningguo, is also an old man with fluttering silver hair. His family title is hereditary and he was awarded the title for his contributions to the founding of the country.

And his recommended eldest son, Shangguan Yu, the General of the Left Guard, was the head of the Shangguan family.

Shangguan Ba's eyes lightly swept across Xuanyuan Hongru and said calmly.

"Northern Border and Youzhou do need good generals to take charge. Shangguan Yu has been in the army for many years and has some experience, but he lacks experience in commanding a large army. Your Majesty needs to make the final decision on such an important matter, so I, an old minister, should not say too much."

After he finished speaking, he gently lowered his head.

"I beg to differ."

On the side, Xuanyuan Hongru spoke slowly. His calm demeanor attracted the attention of all the civil and military officials in the court. Even his son was puzzled as to why his father supported the Shangguan family.

The words of this evergreen in the political arena were like thunderclaps out of the blue, causing a stir.

"As for the lack of experience, it is not a difficult problem. Just ask the famous generals of ancient and modern times, who did not grow up in the baptism of war? Duke Ningguo should have confidence in your son.

Moreover, to ensure a worry-free campaign, I have another recommendation - Yangzhou Lieutenant General Zhao Zhixun, who is the first choice for deputy general."

He continued, his words revealing his sophistication and foresight that should not be underestimated.

Shangguan Ba ​​secretly sighed in his heart, thinking this was another cunning trick of the old fox.

Xuanyuan Hongru will never let go of his political enemy for many years easily.

On the other hand, the Minister of Personnel Zhao Zhigang was shocked when he heard this proposal. His thoughts were in a mess and he didn't understand what the Xuanyuan family was up to.

Zhao Zhixun is his second younger brother. The two of them support the Zhao family together. One is a scholar and the other is a warrior, and they complement each other.

My father retired to Yangzhou to enjoy his old age. Why did the Xuanyuan family choose his younger brother only at this moment?

Emperor Taining was also shocked. He pondered for a moment and said, "This matter has been discussed for now. I need to consider it in detail."

In the winter in Kyoto, the cold weather has not yet arrived, but it seems that several major families are undercurrents, trying to resist the cold of the coming winter with the fire of wisdom.

As soon as the court meeting was over, Xuanyuan Chenghua returned home and rushed to his father's study, with doubts in his heart that needed to be resolved.

"You, despite my repeated warnings, are still impatient and irritable. You should be calm when faced with a major event. How can you be capable of shouldering the heavy responsibility of the Xuanyuan Family if you are so impatient?"

His father's rebuke was like a torrential rain, which made him just say yes.

"Father, why did you recommend the Zhao family in the court?"

He finally couldn't help but ask.

"Humph, you are in charge of the Ministry of War, and you have touched the foundation of the Qi Party. How can they sit back and watch? I had expected this to happen, but I didn't expect it to happen so quickly."

Xuanyuan Hongru stood up calmly, poured tea himself, handed a cup to his son, and spoke slowly.

"Since we don't have any suitable chess pieces in the army, we might as well be the profiteers and drag the Zhao family into the game. Fish in troubled waters and show our heroic qualities in troubled times."

After he finished speaking, a cold smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, which was unfathomable.

There was still doubt in Xuanyuan Chenghua's brow.

"Father, the Zhao family has firmly established itself in the Ministry of Personnel, and its power is at its peak. Although Old Zhao has retreated behind the scenes, his two sons, one civil and one military, are powerful and cannot be underestimated. If we win this battle, wouldn't the Zhao family take a step further in military power? This would be disadvantageous to our Xuanyuan family."

Xuanyuan Hongru's fingers wandered over the priceless purple clay tea set bestowed by the late emperor.

He lifted the pot gently, and a thin stream of tea trickled down from the spout. The hot steam rose, and the moment it met the top-quality tea leaves, the fragrance of tea filled the air, intoxicating him.

Hongru took a deep breath of the tea, his face filled with enjoyment.

"Do you think the Jurchens are easy to conquer? In recent years, the Jurchens have risen rapidly and unified the grasslands. Their fighting power far exceeds that of our Great Zhou. These soldiers in the capital have not experienced war for many years. If you do the math, I guess Shangguan Yu is more likely to be defeated."

He took a sip of tea and spoke slowly.

Chenghua frowned: "But if we win, wouldn't that be helping others?"

A smile appeared on Hongru's lips.

"If we win, it will be a blessing for the Great Zhou. Our army is invincible wherever it goes, so we should consider it as a favor we owe to the Zhao family. Two tigers fighting in the army is always better than one dominating alone. The generals we have secretly supported over the years have not yet reached the right time, so let them hone their skills outside for the time being."

Chenghua nodded as if he understood something, and the study returned to silence, with only the tea set spinning in Hongru's hands, making a slight sound.

……

In the Ningguo Mansion, the Shangguan family has a strong military atmosphere. It lacks the luxury of the nobility, but has a bit of the coldness of war.

Various weapons are displayed in the courtyard, showing a majestic momentum.

Shangguan Ba ​​admonished his son.

“Although the imperial edict has not been issued, since there is no objection, it is difficult to change your majesty’s intention.

We must be cautious in this expedition and must not underestimate the Jurchen cavalry. This is no joke.

If you win, the Shangguan family's position in the army will be further elevated, and then the position of Duke of Ningguo can be legitimately passed on to you."

Shangguan Yu nodded, feeling unwilling: "It's a pity that the Zhao family intervened, and there might be some unexpected changes. It was all caused by the old fox Xuanyuan. I thought I could catch the Xuanyuan family off guard."

"No problem, you are the commander, what can the Zhao family do? Xuanyuan Hongru, it's just the same old trick, if you can't get it, you have to disrupt the situation, haha."

Shangguan Ba ​​waved his hand and closed his eyes to rest after he finished speaking.

At this time, the Zhao family rode like an arrow and headed straight for Yangzhou.

In the winter of the 17th year of Taining, in response to the war between Northern Xinjiang and Youzhou, the imperial edict was issued, and Shangguan Yu, the General of the Left Guard, was awarded the title of General Anbei and led 30,000 elite troops of the Left Guard to Youzhou to govern the military and political affairs of Youzhou and Liangzhou.

Yangzhou Lieutenant General Zhao Zhixun was appointed as Deputy General of Anbei, to assist in military affairs, and to lead 20,000 Yangzhou troops to set off immediately.

In the official system of the Great Zhou Dynasty, in addition to the permanent military positions, there are also four general positions in Zheng, Sizhen, Si'an, and Siping, which are named after the east, west, south, and north. On weekdays, they are vacant and are merely honorary. When a war breaks out, they will have great power and high positions, commanding the troops of many states.

When this order was issued, the capital was shaken, and the official families competed for activities. There had not been a major war for many years. If they won this war, they could send their children and grandchildren to the army to win military merits, and their future careers would be much smoother.

In addition, everyone believed that victory was certain. The allied forces of Northern Xinjiang and Youzhou numbered nearly 200,000, while the Jurchens were a mere 150,000 barbarians. How could they be their opponents?

The Ningguo Mansion was crowded with old friends, who came one after another, hoping that their sons and nephews could join the army and were willing to privately donate military supplies and weapons.

Shangguan Ba ​​and Yu adhered to the principle of not offending anyone and agreed to all the requests, and all the noble families returned home satisfied.

Shangguan Ba ​​warned: "Those dandy boys are not worthy of being used. If there is an opportunity for military merit, you might as well let them gain some experience. Otherwise, don't force them."

At the same time, the Zhao family in Yangzhou also encountered a similar situation. In the south of the Yangtze River, the imperial examination has always been the right path to officialdom. Now, the rare opportunity of military merit attracts people like a magnet, and they come one after another, intending to use the influence of the Zhao family to smooth the way to promotion.

In the capital city, 30,000 elite Zuowei soldiers are ready to go, with flags fluttering and armor shining with a cold light. They display a majestic momentum as they march, but there is an indescribable strangeness in the ranks.