Chapter Seventy Famous People
"How boring!" The little girl, like a well-fed kitten, wrinkled her cute nose and let out another big yawn, restlessly twisting back and forth on my lap.
Returning to the army is not just a matter of gathering many scattered troops together, three Langjiang, five Junbing, twenty-three camps, and other generals and lieutenants need to be unified into a new army. Not to mention how troublesome it is. All the flags, officials, and officers need to be rearranged. Wei Lao Er was busy day and night because those Du Zhi and Zhuan Yun Shi in Shu Nan Dao were all related to Yang Dang and were imprisoned waiting for disposal. I just appointed people to urge the counties around Hanzhong to handle taxes and labor services. I couldn't even take a break to help with this. Not to mention that several accountants of the Sword South Jiedushi saw me with a gloomy face and a dark forehead.
So this is the special treatment for not seeing each other for a few days, she can stay as long as she wants. I tap her little nose and she makes a few discontented humming noises like a little piggy. "Alright, I'll make you some new pastries when we get back to the kitchen." "Pine nut cookies" "Honeydew melon cake" She hears this and her eyes light up, only then does she calm down.
Looking at the troops named after her, receiving their cheers and attention. Watching people of all kinds shouting and fighting, it was exciting at first, but it got boring after a while.
On the day when the new Left Golden Army was established, I specially brought her to review the new army and boost morale. Also, from the Tingye Bureau, a group of cheerleaders were brought over, originally just saying some encouraging words about building merit and glory for their wives and children, but when most people saw on the high platform, there was also a lovely little princess leading a group of women, chirping and cheering to boost their morale. For a moment, they were stunned, and these soldiers were greatly encouraged, shouting loudly, similar to seeing a male peacock, with a very Nth power multiplier effect. The performance was exceptionally enthusiastic, but I'm afraid this unconventional move of mine will create another hot topic for several days.
It was easy to wait for the Left Golden Guard, Front Army, Rear Army, Left Army, Right Army, Central Army, Left and Right Yu Hou Troops, Odd Troop, Jumping Camp and other soldiers to finish their drills one by one. As the wind blew, the banner teams gradually disappeared into the distance. The little hand that had been waving for a long time was getting a bit sore, and the small face was sweating profusely in the sunlight, sparkling and translucent, making people feel pity. Fortunately, from a distance, it wasn't clear, otherwise, one could see this young master, dazed and yawning, shaking his hand habitually while looking impatient.
I had seen enough, so I signaled the servant to lower the sunshade, and immediately someone brought over some iced drinks. A few fans were hastily fanning away. Just then, I saw my younger sister Yu'er leaning over, holding a few small animals that I had made out of honey wax. The little girl quickly snatched them away and irresponsibly pushed Yu'er into my arms, saying "A'siao is borrowing them to use". Then she ran off in a flash, starting to tease her.
"Brother, you're so bad!" Yuer leaned on my shoulder and whispered in my ear, making me feel ticklish. "The bullying Ah Man sister is nowhere to be found." I couldn't help but be shocked, "How dare she not show her face?"
Since that night, there was an imperial edict issued by the central government, formally confirming Xie Yuan as Xiaoyu's first personal maid, a maid who would follow her to her new home. As soon as she entered the palace, she received an imperial decree with a rank of fourth-grade junior official, which was the highest position Yang Guifei had fought for on her behalf.
However, according to a certain shameless guy in the Imperial Court, it is said that the so-called personal female officer has a special meaning of educating the princess on her wedding night. Although I have taught what should and shouldn't be taught, it still makes me look forward to it. Indeed, the emperor's grace is boundless, even the substitute is ready.
It wasn't until after that she disappeared again, and before I could even enter the house, I was already considered one of Yang Taijun's people. Although I had the title of inner attendant and chief guard, which allowed me to come and go freely within the palace, it wouldn't be good for me to be too hasty.
I used Rain as a little spy to gather information for me. Pinching her small face, I said "What's this all about", "I want fried chicken" Apparently she had also been spoiled by Xiaoyu and learned to make demands, so I pretended to be helpless and agreed. Rain whispered some more words to me, and I had a plan in mind.
"Jinwu Zhongjunfu subordinate, long history each one person, record things participate in military affairs each one person, warehouse Cao participate in military affairs each two people, soldier Cao participate in military affairs each two people, ride Cao participate in military affairs each one person, helmet Cao participate in military affairs each one person, left and right Si Jie each two people, left and right Zhong Hou each three people, left and right Si Ge each five people, left and right execute halberd each five people, left and right street messenger each one person, judge official each two people. Left and right wing middle general. Have record things one person, history two people. Warehouse Cao, Fu two people, history four people; soldier Cao, Fu three people, history five people; ride Cao, Fu two people, history four people; helmet Cao, Fu three people, history three people. Left and right street Dian two people, lead chariot spear three hundred sixty people, lead chariot feather six hundred sixty-six people, big horn hand six hundred people."
Although many of them were promoted from the Longwu Army, the long list of official titles made me drowsy.
It's easy to draw circles and dots, pour a cup of deep well water with ice and honey, and Xue Jingxian, who is standing with his hands clasped together, hands over a new register, which is the case file for the northern expedition generals. He says "you've worked hard" and waves his hand for him to sit down and rest, also pouring him a cup. This guy is similar to Cheng Moliang, because of some coincidence or other, he's one of the few people I can trust since coming into this world.
Give power, give favor, give the opportunity to show off and advance. And with enough thunderous and sharp means, there will still be no shortage of people who follow. This is the skill of driving people down.
It was right in front of my eyes, the two big characters written in official script, it made me feel a sudden jolt in my heart, I swallowed half a mouthful of tea and suddenly spat it out, my mind racing with anxiety, how could it be this guy?
After all these days, I can also recognize most of the traditional characters. On that file, two red characters stood out - Gao Shi, courtesy name Dafu, from Cangzhou, Bohai...
"What's wrong with the army?" My reaction made him jump. That one splash also splashed a lot on him.
"Sorry about that," I hastily called someone in to clean up, "Quickly go change your clothes, lest you catch a chill."
"Summon General Gao Jun to me"
Many people do not understand why I stood out from the crowd and let him go. My reason for recommending him is very simple. Gao Da Fu has a calm mind, is good at planning and decision-making, and has a broad vision. He is also one of the few reliable generals I can rely on.
He was also an interesting figure, and when we first met, it was quite dramatic. When I saw him standing among the new generals, he looked particularly old and worn out. I only asked one question: "Is General Lian Po old?" He immediately glared at me loudly and said: "Not old! Eat three pecks of chestnuts, pull a big bow, ride a fierce horse!" And then appointed him as a general.
This was a big misunderstanding, and at the beginning when I recruited him, I simply asked if he was under the command of Geshu Yuan, and since he looked quite senior, according to his own report that he had been a participant in the Left Vanguard Army, I didn't ask further and just enlisted him. It wasn't until Xie Si came to surrender that I realized he had a big background, and his actual position was always as Geshu Yuan's chief secretary, who was entrusted with important tasks, but only temporarily granted the military title of Left Vanguard Army participant for the convenience of commanding those arrogant generals. When An Lushan rebelled, the court summoned Han to suppress the rebels, and he was appointed as the Left Remonstrance along with him, then transferred to be the supervisor of the Imperial Censor, assisting Han in defending Tongguan.
In Tongguan, Geshu Han led the vanguard of the Taizi army as the commander-in-chief, with Tian Liangqiu as the military governor, Xiao Xin as the judge, and Wang Silie, Qian Er Dafu, Li Chengguang, Gao Yuandang, Su Fade, and Guan Chongxi as subordinate generals. Huo Baren, Li Wuding, Hun Yuan, and Qi Ning were under his command with their original troops. There were a total of 200,000 soldiers from twelve tribes, including the He, Long, Shuo Fang, and Nu Ci, guarding Tongguan. The composition of the defending army was too complex, with good and bad mixed together, and the generals did not belong to the same unit. Only about 30,000 were directly under Geshu's command, while most of the others were new recruits added later.
This is the intention of the imperial court to defend against the great enemy, but although Geshu can do things, he has been suffering from a chronic illness left over from his early years of war, and often cannot see things due to his poor health. Tian Liangqiu, who took charge of military affairs on his behalf, was a civil official and lacked experience in leading the army and prestige to convince the crowd. With General Wang Silie commanding the cavalry and Li Chengguang commanding the infantry, they often quarreled over who should be in charge when things happened, causing orders to be unclear, the army to slacken, and chaos between superiors and inferiors. It was also natural that they did not recognize each other (this is also the reason why I was able to deceive Geshu's old subordinates for a long time without being exposed). Therefore, after the defeat of the enemy, although there were many soldiers left in Guannei, the military morale was chaotic, and everyone had their own thoughts, which eventually became the path to final defeat.
At that time, he was the left Xun Wei Bing Cao Can Jun Tong Zhang Shu Ji, Fu Jian Cha Yu Shi, as Ge Shu's representative, with a low position and great power, residing in the middle to coordinate and handle affairs properly, making great contributions. Later, he was guilty of Yang's clan and removed from office and imprisoned.
When I rushed over, I mistakenly took the civil officer's job as a military general. However, he continued to do it and seemed not only unfazed but also grateful, often saying that he had achieved his wish, and that leading troops into battle was more in line with his aspirations, and he did it with flair. At the time, there was no one to replace him, so he took on the role of chief historian as well, and it wasn't until later that I discovered he was a talent who not only excelled at fighting wars but also at organizing and coordinating.
In the midst of ambushes and surprise attacks, his old ways were always thorough, often able to make up for some of my so-called clever plans' shortcomings. So gold will always shine through, thus becoming my trusted assistant, eventually rising to Left Lieutenant General of the Dragon Martial Army.
He is a free and easy-going person, not bound by trivial matters, with a sense of self-exile, which made me wonder how such a generous and chivalrous guy could do copywriting and staff work. For me, this young general, he didn't have the usual disdain and distance that people generally have in their bones, because General Shu Pingfan was wrongly accused and exonerated, and I owe him a debt of gratitude for his kindness, so I worked hard with all my heart.
Because I was going to be sent on a mission, I had to supplement my military registration and personnel file. Secretary and clerk Xue Jingxian had organized my resume, but it made me stunned on the spot, giving rise to an intense feeling of absurdity.
This Gao Daifu turned out to be Gao Shi, I'm dizzy. All these are the troubles caused by the surnames of the ancients. At that time, it was very impolite to call someone's name directly, so generally only called their courtesy names or pseudonyms to show closeness or respect. This "Daifu" is a habit, and I never thought of connecting it to the historical figure Gao Shi.
His great name is like thunder in my ears, thinking back to when I read Tang poetry and often admired the surging tide of emotions, one of my favorite poets of the same era as Li Du, who was also a famous general with the lifelong ambition of "leading the army to sweep the vast desert, capturing the Xiongnu chieftain in one battle", Gao Shi. That several times came out of retirement to serve as prime minister, holding high office and daring to speak his mind, known throughout history for his integrity, enfeoffed as Marquis of Bohai County, posthumously awarded the unprecedented honorary title of "Loyal" - the famous statesman Gao Shi.
Compared with his early career, I had a feeling of déjà vu, and I was sure that I had found a treasure. According to the Tang Poetry Chronology and Poets' Biographies, he was a young man with great ambitions but not good at managing his life. He lived in exile in Liang and Song, and was appreciated by Zhang Jiugu, the governor of Songzhou, who recommended him for the Imperial Examination, where he passed with high honors. However, he was not satisfied with his position as a minor official and left to travel extensively in Hexi for many years. Before joining Geshu's camp, he was close friends with famous poets like Du Fu and Cen Shen, and wrote many masterpieces that have been passed down through the ages, earning him great reputation in the poetry world as a grandmaster of his generation.
I used to like the grandeur of Tang poetry. Some people have studied his works, and Gao Shi's personality is unrestrained and uninhibited, with extremely rich life experiences. In his youth, he befriended wandering knights and lived a carefree life, "playing chess and hitting the zither in the daytime, drinking wine and singing loudly under the willow trees in spring" (from "Farewell to Wei Zhenjun"). When traveling through Liang and Song, he would also "linger in taverns, and often moor his boat by the riverbank" (from "A Reply to Xue San's Poem, Also Sent to Guo Shao"), with no fixed abode. Du Fu called him "Gao Shi riding a horse, like a heroic young man from You and Bing" (from "Sending off Gao Shi, Secretary of the 35th Regiment, in 15 Rhymes"). Yin Fan said he was "open-minded and unrestrained, not bound by petty rules" (from "The Collection of the Spirits of the Rivers and Mountains").
His character and experience are also reflected in his works, making his poems have a deep and thick characteristic. He is full of confidence in his own ambitions and talents: "All the princes are my peers, and I am good at strategy." (《和崔二少府登楚丘城作》), and he also yearns for the heroic achievements of historical heroes: "I climbed to the top of the Jiuyan Gate, and saw the vast desert. With a sword in hand, I thought of Wei and Huo with a sigh." (《淇上酬薛三据兼寄郭少府微》) "Painting a picture of Qilin Pavilion, entering the Mingguang Palace. Laughing at the literary officials, what is the use of being an official?" (《塞下曲》) The poet's bold and intense personality is an important factor in forming his majestic poetic style. With great ambitions, he permits himself to be "strategic", and has been submerged in the lower levels of society for a long time, making him enthusiastic about many realistic problems and expressing them in his poems.
He once spoke on the way, saying that the Emperor's defeat at Tongguan was a shame, and he dared to point out the gains and losses of the Emperor. He defended Geshu Han, saying: "Han has always been loyal and righteous, but his illness has taken away his wisdom, leading to chaos. The monitoring generals did not care about military affairs, but instead entertained themselves with music and dance, while the soldiers from Longxi and Hexi were fed coarse rice every day, yet they were expected to fight to the death. It was bound to fail. Moreover, Yu Chaoen, He Lizheng, and Zhao Guozhen were stationed in Nanyang, but one or two eunuchs monitored the military and took charge of affairs. Could this lead to victory? I have spoken to Yang Guozhong several times, but he refused to listen. Therefore, Your Majesty has today's journey, which is not enough to be deeply ashamed." The Emperor nodded in agreement, and thus appointed him as a Shiyushi, so he dared to speak out and correct the wrongs, making those in power cast sideways glances at him.
He was a man with great ambitions and practical political talents. At the beginning of his career (as the county magistrate of Fengqiu), he abandoned his official seal and left because his grand vision did not match that of the imperial court. During the Anshi Rebellion, he voluntarily went to the capital to offer his plans and successively gained the recognition of two emperors, Xuanzong and Suzong, who entrusted him with important missions in times of crisis. He pacified the rebellion of Yong Wang, led military campaigns in Western Sichuan, and fought against the Tubo people. With great ambitions and talents, he was not one to make empty boasts.
Historical evaluation: Still, he was a man of integrity and justice, with a grand vision like that of the great kings. He faced many difficulties in his time, but he allowed himself to be guided by his achievements and reputation, and his words were not overly elaborate or showy. However, his governance was simple and lenient, which greatly won over the hearts of scholars and common people. He belonged to the type of person who achieves greatness late in life.
I even gradually recalled that, following the historical trajectory of the years, he should have been following the old emperor as a censor at this time, but his military talent did not emerge until the mid-term of the Anshi Rebellion when he was sent to the local area.
Now, because of my reason, I mistakenly took the lead as a military general ahead of time. Moreover, he has been lurking under my nose for a long time, and I didn't hear or ask about it, and he didn't say anything. With his years of tempering, he has developed a character that is not revealing his true nature. He just went on like this without making a sound. What kind of thing is this?
The plot and background, this is really a troublesome era for celebrities, one careless move and more people and things will pop up, one careless move and you'll write too much, being scolded for padding the word count.
