At the end of the seventh year of Zhenguan, in the middle of winter.

All local officials, state governors and above in the Tang Dynasty must submit a memorial to the Taiwan government at the end of the year. The memorial state will explain the local people's governance and officials' governance in this year. Then the provincial government will report the examination at the end of the year and report it to the emperor Li Shimin at the end of the year, and then Li Shimin will decide whether to pass on the post in the capital, whether to be promoted or demoted.

Of course, these are all ways for foreign ministers to pay homage. As a prince and a prince favored by Li Shimin, Li Ke is naturally not listed here. Li Shimin sent an order early in the morning, asking Li Ke to return to the capital as soon as possible so that the father and son can meet each other.

Just after December, Li Ke was ordered by the emperor to return to Beijing.

Yangzhou City, Yangzi Ferry.

The cold wind at the ferry is bone-bone. Although it is not as sharp as the northern part of the Mo, it also has a unique wet and coldness in the south.

Li Ke was standing on the dock at the ferry, following Wang Xuance, Xi Junmai, Daner and other close friends who returned to Beijing with Li Ke, and in front of Li Ke, Ma Zhou, who was staying in Yangzhou by Li Ke, waiting to take control of the military affairs of the Grand Governor's Office.

By the river beside the dock, the Wangfuwei and the canal boatmen were busy preparing the ships and carrying Li Ke's belongings onto the big ship in boxes, busy. On the dock, Li Ke was also explaining the matters of the local government.

"King Bin, I will be in trouble for you in Yangzhou when I return to Beijing this time." Li Ke stood in front of Ma Zhou, patted Ma Zhou's arm, and told Ma Zhou.

Ma Zhou was good at internal affairs. When Li Ke was in Yangzhou, most of the military and political affairs in Yangzhou were Ma Zhou Fubi. When Li Ke went out to patrol the county and county, he waited for Li Ke to take over the power of the commander-in-chief, and Ma Zhou would undoubtedly stay in Yangzhou.

Li Ke was so powerful that he was the best in the southeast and was also the real king of the southeast. Li Ke was ordered to return to the capital and handed over the Southeast to Ma Zhou, which was also a great trust. You should know that two years ago, Ma Zhou was just a scholar who had spread to the streets, but now, his words and deeds were able to fluctuate in the southeast without any hesitation.

Ma Zhou bowed and replied, "I am grateful to your highness and entrusted the matter in the southeast. Although I know that my talent is very simple, I should do my best."

Ma Zhou's ability was highly praised by Du Ruhui, who had only met him alone, and even intended to recommend it to Li Shimin, the prime minister, to comprehend the world. How could a mere Southeast defeat him? Li Ke was naturally relieved.

Li Ke said: "With Bin Wang in the southeast, I will naturally feel at ease. There is only one thing, and I still need Bin Wang to be careful."

Ma Zhou said: "I don't know what happened, but your highness, please give me instructions."

Li Ke asked, "What does Binwang think He Xiu's person?"

He Xiu was the governor of Yangzhou. In terms of his official position, He Xiu was only under Li Ke. Li Ke suddenly asked He Xiu, how could Ma Zhou not know? Ma Zhou thought about it and replied: "These aristocratic families have always been very strange. Judging from what He Xiu did recently, I am afraid that it is not the one in my Taoist path."

Li Ke was the King of Chu and the Grand Governor of Yangzhou. Yangzhou was his fiefdom. Yangzhou was the foundation of Li Ke. Li Ke’s emphasis on Yangzhou was self-evident. In such a place, how could Li Ke feel assured that the governor of Yangzhou was not the same as him?

Li Ke said to Ma Zhou: "If you act in Yangzhou in the future, you don't have to pay too much attention to He Xiu in everything. Since he cannot be used by me, he should not stay in Yangzhou anymore. This time I will return to Beijing and try to transfer He Xiu from Yangzhou."

If He Xiu was a man, he was naturally very respectful to Li Ke. However, He Xiu came from a clan in Hebei. He represented not only himself, but also the entire He family of Guangping. He was always a little distant from Li Ke. Li Ke had also deliberately tried to win him over many times, but he turned a blind eye to Li Ke's intention and was determined not to interfere with the dispute between the crown prince. Such a person, Li Ke was just a disaster in Yangzhou, so what's the use?

Ma Zhou asked, "Your Highness wants to move He Xiu, it is reasonable to be early but not late. But I don't know if Your Highness has a suitable candidate to replace He Xiu?"

Li Ke obviously had thought about this matter for a long time, and Li Ke replied without hesitation: "The governor of Luzhou Zhu Cong once helped me in Luzhou and was also a classmate of Master Cen, so it was very good. What does King Bin think?"

Ma Zhou nodded and replied, "Governor Zhu is indeed a good candidate. He can be a confidant of Your Highness and his official position is not low. If he is the first to pass the exam this year, it is no problem to be promoted to another level."

When Li Ke was assassinated in Luzhou, Zhu Cong pushed Li Ke, which made the arrow avoid Li Ke's heart. Although Li Ke planned this matter, in Zhu Cong himself and outsiders, at least Zhu Cong saved Li Ke's life. With such contributions, Zhu Cong's identity as a clerk in the King of Chu was naturally confirmed.

Moreover, Yangzhou is the capital of the southeast and has a critical location. If someone is transferred rashly, it may be inappropriate. Zhu Cong was originally an official in Huainan. If he was promoted from another level and promoted to the governor of Yangzhou, it would be reasonable. As for the official examination at the end of the year, Li Ke was the ambassador of Yangzhou's promotion and demotion. His attitude played a decisive role in the examination of local officials in Yangzhou.

Li Ke intends to entrust Ma Zhou to Ma Zhou in the future, and the governor of Yangzhou who has dealt with Ma Zhou the most, Li Ke naturally wants to ask Ma Zhou for his opinion.

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Jingzhou, Jiangling City.

Li Ke was about to enter the capital, but at the same time, the warrior Wu, who was far away in Jiangling, also received an edict summoned to enter the capital at the end of the year. However, the reason why the warrior Wu came to the capital was different from that of Li Ke. There were two reasons why the warrior Wu came to the capital: one was to meet Li Shimin in the morning, and the other was to visit the Supreme Emperor Li Yuan.

Since he entered Zhenguan seven years, Li Yuan's daily colds and colds have become more unintentionally, and his body is much weaker than in the previous two years. The warrior was once a close minister of Li Yuan. This time, the warrior went to Beijing to visit Li Yuan.

"Dad, I heard from my grandmother that my grandmother will set off to the north soon and enter the capital to pay homage, but is it true?" On this day, the warrior had just returned from the government office and entered the inner room to rest. The warrior's daughter Wu Meiniang walked in and said to the warrior.

The warrior is about to enter Beijing, and it is not a secret matter. The warrior smiled and replied: "Yes, my father has received the imperial edict from the emperor and the emperor yesterday, and he will set off in the middle of the month."

Wu Meiniang said, "Dad, I also want to see if my dad comes to Beijing this time, how can I bring me with me when I come to Beijing?"

Upon hearing this, the warrior asked in confusion: "It's okay to bring you with you, but you're going to Beijing to do something. Last year, you still had a very unhappy rant at the Chang'an Lantern Festival, and you're not going to Chang'an again?"

In the sixth year of Zhenguan, Wu Meiniang had guilty of the Changsun brothers at the Shangyuan Lantern Festival, and was worried that they would be recognized and cause trouble for the warriors, so she said she would not go to Chang'an again.

However, the situation has changed now, Wu Meiniang has other ideas when she goes to Chang'an, so she begged the warrior to take her to Beijing.

Wu Meiniang said, "Dad, this time, there are times, and my daughter is just going to Chang'an to have a long experience, so she will not go to those lively places where there are so many people."

Warriors have always favored this second daughter the most. It is not a taboo for officials to go to Beijing with their families at the end of the year. On the contrary, it is common, and Warriors will not refuse.
Chapter completed!