We have fought to the Arctic Circle, and you want me to inherit the throne?

Chapter 967 The Prince of Jin's Arrangements

When Wei Xun was mentioned, Luo Yueniang's expression clearly showed some sadness.

Wei Xun had only been gone a short time, and she was clearly still grieving.

He had been busy with matters in Shu, and this grief had been temporarily suppressed. But now that he had received a reassuring answer from Li Che, the grief had quietly resurfaced.

Li Che then comforted him, saying, "Wei Qing's unfortunate passing is a loss to the court."

"However, you are the commander of the Shu army, and you are the kind of talent I crave."

"You must have seen quite a lot along the way from Chengdu to the capital. I would like to ask you... what do you think is better, the new policies of the court or the old system in your Shu region?"

Luo Yueniang put down her teacup, pondered for a moment, and chose to be frank with him:

"Your Majesty, on my journey, I have witnessed the Qing army's strict discipline and impunity; I have also seen the prosperity of the various prefectures and the peaceful and happy lives of the people."

"Your Majesty's new policies are beneficial to the people and stronger than the old system in Shu, without a doubt."

Although Luo Yueniang had no experience in governing, she had been influenced by Wei Xun's presence and had her own understanding of politics.

Wei Xun's governing methods were very simple: avoid unnecessary disruptions.

By allowing the people to cultivate their own land, reducing corvée labor and miscellaneous taxes, the people of Sichuan, while not becoming extremely wealthy, lived a stable and peaceful life.

Li Che's governing style was similar; after taking power, he did not drastically change Emperor Qing's policies, but only made minor adjustments in a few aspects.

Examples include the imperial examination system, tax inspection, and road construction.

These minor changes will obviously not disturb the public too much, and will have a positive effect on the reputation.

This is why Luo Yueniang is optimistic about Li Che's new policies. Although they are sharpening their knives against the powerful families, they are subtly influencing the common people.

Li Che nodded, quite satisfied with her honesty.

The two chatted for a while longer, but both tacitly avoided mentioning surrender again.

At this point, it's no longer a matter of surrendering or not.

When the tea had cooled slightly, Huai'en stepped forward and replaced it with hot water. Only then did Li Che speak, saying, "General's talent is truly rare, and I will certainly give him an important position, but I also respect your opinion."

Luo Yueniang looked at Li Che with a serious expression, knowing that the crucial matter had arrived.

Li Che said, "I will give you two choices."

"The war in the south is not yet over. You can join the army and lead a troop. If you can make military achievements, you will surely be given important responsibilities in the future."

Luo Yueniang remained silent upon hearing this. It was certainly a good thing that she could continue leading troops into battle, as it at least showed that His Majesty had no suspicion of her.

But she still wanted to hear about the next option.

Li Che added, "Secondly, he should remain in the court to participate in military affairs and learn the tactics of the new army."

"I presume you have already witnessed the Qing Army's fighting style. I will not hide it from you, but future wars will be dominated by firearms and artillery. Only generals who can skillfully master new weapons will be able to step onto the stage of history."

Now that the Qing army has entered the era of firearms, Li Che has no shortage of firearms troops, but what he lacks is people to command them.

Apart from the generals of Fengtian Army, the other noble military officers of Daqing were all getting old and found it difficult to accept new things, so their speed of learning new tactics was very slow.

Luo Yueniang is not yet thirty years old and is quite intelligent. With proper training, she will surely achieve great things.

Li Che looked intently at Luo Yueniang and asked, "The choice is entirely up to the General."

Luo Yueniang remained silent for a moment, seemingly deep in thought. Li Che did not urge her, but simply drank his tea, giving her ample time.

Not long after, Luo Yueniang made up her mind, stood up, and solemnly performed a deep bow:

"Your Majesty, I come from humble origins, but thanks to my late husband's kindness, I have been able to learn about the ways of both literature and martial arts."

"In the past, I was blinded by personal grudges and failed to recognize the opportune moment, resisting the royal army, which was already a grave sin. Your Majesty spared my life and treated me with sincerity. I am deeply grateful."

She raised her head and said firmly, "The Shu region is now pacified, and the southern war is fought with many capable generals from the court. We do not need Yue Niang alone."

"This humble general wishes to remain in the capital and humbly requests Your Majesty's permission to study the new methods and weapons of the royal army. This humble general is willing to learn from scratch, and if Your Majesty does not reject me in the future, I am willing to go whether to defend the border or expand the territory, and I will do my utmost!"

Upon hearing this, Li Che finally smiled.

She's definitely a smart person; she knows how to choose the option that's most beneficial to her.

In other words, a choice that benefits oneself is a choice that benefits Luo Yueniang.

"Very well!" Li Che said loudly, "Since General Luo has this intention, I will grant your wish!"

After a moment's thought, he immediately gave the order:

"By imperial decree, Luo Yueniang is granted the title of General Guide, a residence in the capital, and the rank of military commander."

"Effective immediately, you will enter the Qing Army for further study. Once you have completed your studies, you will be put to a new post!"

"Your subject, Luo Yueniang, accepts the imperial decree and expresses her gratitude!" Luo Yueniang bowed deeply in gratitude, her voice trembling slightly.

She knew that from this moment on, her life, along with the fate of Sichuan, had turned a new page.

Li Che said softly, "Do you know the Marquis of Jingning?"

A strange light flashed in Luo Yueniang's eyes: "Is she the only female general in His Majesty's army?"

"Exactly." Li Che nodded slightly. "How about you become her deputy first?"

Luo Yueniang breathed a sigh of relief, feeling even more moved: "I will follow Your Majesty's arrangements."

She was, after all, a female general, and her husband had just died. If she were to stay by the side of other generals, rumors would inevitably spread.

Following Yang Xuan, these concerns were obviously eliminated.

Li Che also had his own ideas.

He knew he would have to give Yang Xuan an explanation sooner or later; once she was made a concubine, she would no longer be able to lead troops.

As fellow female generals, Luo Yueniang was clearly Yang Xuan's best successor.

After comforting Luo Yueniang, Li Che told her to go and rest first, and that the formal investiture would be held the next day.

Luo Yueniang had no objections and bowed to take her leave.

Watching Luo Yueniang's retreating figure, he softly asked Huai En beside him with a smile, "Where is the Prince of Yan?"

Huai En replied, "Your Majesty, His Highness has been waiting in the Hall of Mental Cultivation for quite some time."

"Ah."

When Li Che brought Huai En to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Li Lin was sitting there in a daze.

"Fourth Brother," Li Che smiled gently, "Is everything settled at home? Is Sister-in-law no longer angry?"

A hint of embarrassment flashed in Li Lin's eyes: "Don't make fun of your brother. Although your sister-in-law is exceptionally intelligent, she is also gentle and polite. How could she be jealous over such a trivial matter?"

Li Che saw through it but didn't say anything: "Yes, yes, you're right."

Li Lin gritted his teeth. He didn't know why, but every time Li Che said that, he felt that the other party was being sarcastic.

Fortunately, Li Che didn't embarrass him any further and changed the subject: "How is the Shu region?"

Li Lin said seriously, "Just as you said, the climate is mild, the produce is plentiful, and the people are simple and honest. Moreover, Luo Yueniang's husband is also a good administrator who manages the people's livelihood in an orderly manner."

Li Che nodded and said, "Not only that, Shu is connected to Hanzhong in the north, Jingchu in the east, and the plateau in the west. It has been a strategic location fought over by military strategists since ancient times."

"I have already informed the Ministry of War that the old troops in Shu can begin to be reorganized, but the process should be gentle."

Li Lin agreed, saying, "The Shu army is still very capable, but their equipment is inferior, and their food is not as good as ours."

Li Che knew the fighting strength of the Shu army without Li Lin needing to say more.

He added, "I don't know what that kid Li Huan is thinking. He'd rather be the King of Shu than the one who wants to seize the throne. If he could just behave himself and be a carefree prince in Shu, he could live a comfortable life."

Upon hearing Li Che mention Li Huan, Li Lin immediately thought of the Prince of Jin who killed Li Huan.

He couldn't help but ask, "Third Brother has been staying at home for half a year now, what do you plan to do with him?"

Li Che smiled and said, "What do you think... about sending him to Shu?"

Li Lin was slightly taken aback: "Demoted to the King of Shu?"

Among the titles of kings, Jin was extremely prestigious, while Shu, though not bad, was ultimately inferior.

If the Prince of Jin were sent to Shu, he would naturally be renamed the Prince of Shu, which would be a demotion.

Li Che shook his head and said, "It's not the King of Shu, but the Governor of Shu Province."

Li Lin asked in surprise, "To appoint a prince as a high-ranking official in charge of a region, this......"

“Exactly.” Li Che explained calmly, “Third Brother is the most capable of governing among the princes. Back when he was in Jin, he governed the area very well, and his talent has been proven by facts.”

"The situation in Shu is complex, and it needs a capable minister who is knowledgeable about people's livelihood and economy and has enough prestige to take charge."

Li Lin looked at Li Che and knew he wasn't joking, so he also began to think about it seriously.

Taking this opportunity, Li Che told his most trusted fourth brother about his ideas for the future of the Li imperial family.

"Fourth Brother, we're brothers, so we can speak frankly about some things."

"There will never be another hereditary prince with real power; you are the last one."

“The titles of prince and duke in the future will be honorary titles, and the court will no longer endlessly support all the members of the imperial family as before.”

Li Lin listened silently, showing little surprise on his face; he had long anticipated that Li Che would implement this reform.

Li Che continued, "But as compensation, I will encourage members of the royal family to participate in the imperial examinations based on their talents and abilities, to enter the court as officials, and even to become generals or prime ministers."

"I have no ill will towards the royal family. Rather, my goal is to open up all avenues for advancement in the world, so that people from humble backgrounds and commoners can all have a chance to rise in rank. There is no reason for me to shut out my own family."

Li Lin knew Li Che's temperament well and knew that since he had made the suggestion, it was by no means a test, but a genuine intention to implement it.

He nodded and said, "That's good. It's better to give the imperial family members something to do than to let them do nothing all day and cause trouble."

"It's good that Fourth Brother understands," Li Che said with relief, then returned to the main topic, "As for sending Third Brother to Shu, it's better to do it sooner rather than later."

"The Qiang and Man tribes in Shu need to be appeased, people's livelihoods need to be restored, and the Shu army needs to be disbanded and reorganized as soon as possible and incorporated into the imperial court system."

Suddenly, he thought of something, and a mischievous smile appeared on his face. He said to Li Lin, "There's no time like the present. Since there are no urgent official matters at the moment, why don't we go to Third Brother's residence now to see him and settle this matter?"

"Now?" Li Lin was startled; this was far too sudden.

"Right now." Li Che nodded, displaying remarkable initiative. "Let's go, let's set off!"