Liu Mingzhi took a long breath with a smile on his face and looked at his uncle Song Yu again.
"Song Shu."
"The old minister is here."
"One hundred thousand recruits have been in the army for a long time. How is your Ministry of War handling the matter of naturalization and registration of soldiers?"
"Reporting to your Majesty, this matter has been settled ten days ago. All military registers are stored in the Yamen of the Ministry of War. If Your Majesty wants to take a look, I will rush back to the Yamen immediately to bring people over."
Liu Mingzhi narrowed his eyes slightly and pondered for a moment, looked at Song Yu and shook his head with a smile.
"No need to go to the trouble again, just wait until I have time to go to the Ministry of War office."
"Yes, I understand."
Liu Mingzhi used the tea lid to push the tea leaves off the water, nodded, took a sip of tea and fell into silence.
After a long time, Liu Mingzhi tapped his fingers lightly on the table and looked at Honorable Marquis Cai Jun hesitantly.
"Lao Cai loves Qing."
"The old minister is here."
“Old dear, my dear, now the positions of the generals of the three armies in the new army camp have been decided, but I have not yet assigned the position of quartermaster who supervises the supply of grain and grass.
The position of quartermaster for an army of 100,000 is a top priority, as it is related to the supply of food and fodder for 100,000 soldiers, so it must not be taken carelessly.
I just thought about it for a long time but couldn't think of a suitable candidate, so I'm going to listen to your opinion, Lao Aiqing, do you have a suitable candidate?"
Cai Jun couldn't help but be startled when he heard Mr. Liu's questioning words. After he realized what he was saying, his heart felt a little abrupt.
How important the position of quartermaster of the armed forces is. Cai Jun, as a veteran general with outstanding achievements, naturally knows it very well.
Why does Your Majesty ask for your opinion on such an important position? Is there any hidden meaning in His Majesty's move?
Not to mention that His Majesty has been in charge of Dalong Jiangshan for many years now. Even when His Majesty was still the King of Yizi, his subordinates were full of talents. It was only a piece of cake to appoint a quartermaster.
Now that His Majesty has been in power for many years and has a lot of talented people at his disposal, how could he not be able to find a suitable candidate to take up the post of Quartermaster?
There is no need to think deeply. Your Majesty must have an ulterior motive for asking me this question, but I still have to let me think about it carefully as to what the purpose is.
Cai Junming understood the key point, and didn't care if Liu Mingzhi and the others were looking at him. He tasted the tea in his hands and began to think quietly.
After a long time, Cai Jun's dim pupils suddenly shrank, and he couldn't help but feel a little excited.
Could it be that...your majesty, he wants me to take over the position of quartermaster? If that's the case, doesn't it mean that I can ride on the battlefield one more time before I close my eyes?
Cai Jun suppressed the excitement in his heart, looked at Liu Mingzhi pretending to be calm, and smiled apologetically.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, I am confused. I couldn't think of a suitable candidate for a while. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."
Liu Mingzhi looked at Cai Jun's pretending to be calm, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. He knew that Cai Jun had understood what he was thinking.
It's a pity that although he understood what he was thinking, he was still somewhat wrong in the end.
"Old love."
Cai Jun, the Honorable Lord, stood up suddenly, and knelt on one knee in front of Young Master Liu with a resolute look on his old face.
"I'm here, please give me your Majesty's instructions."
"Old love, what are you doing? Get up quickly and sit down."
"Yes, I am rude. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."
After Cai Jun stood up and took his seat again, Liu Mingzhi sighed with a complicated expression.
"Old love, you are seventy-two years old this year, right?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, I am already seventy-three years old this year. Heaven has shown me mercy that my body and bones are still strong even after I have passed through my seventies.
Although I am old today, I am still capable of catching tigers and leopards alive. If Your Majesty does not believe it, we can go hunting in the wild at any time.
As long as I see a ferocious beast, I can capture it with just my fists and kicks without using a weapon or a strong bow, and I can cook and drink it for Your Majesty."
"Okay, okay, Lao Aiqing, don't get excited, I believe in Lao Ai Qing."
"Old minister, thank you for your trust."
"Old love."
"The old minister is here."
"Old dear, just listen carefully to what I'm going to say later. There's no need to think wildly, and there's no need to get excited."
"I don't dare, my Majesty, please speak clearly."
"Old dear, as the saying goes, seventy years is rare in life. Seventy years old is a big threshold for anyone!
You are seventy-three years old this year. As far as I am concerned, as far as the civil and military officials of the entire dynasty are concerned, except Xia Lao Aiqing, you are already a long-lived person.
Dear dear, if you could be ten years younger, I would definitely ask you a question today.
Can you still eat?
But now..."
Marquis Rongwei once again stood up without warning, looked nervously at the somewhat sentimental Young Master Liu and nodded heavily.
"Your Majesty, I am capable, and I am willing to do my best for Your Majesty."
"Old love, you are excited."
"Old minister, I have lost my temper. Please forgive me, Your Majesty.
But your majesty, I dare to say this, I can really serve your majesty and the court again, and expand the territory until the blood is gone.
As a soldier, I am willing to live and die for my country. Even if I die, I will have no regrets. Even if I die, I will die in my rightful place."
Young Master Liu looked at Cai Jun's pleading eyes and took a deep breath.
"Old love, sit down."
"Old minister, I obey."
"Old dear, I understand your daring loyalty, but the Western Expedition is no small matter. This journey is a long way across the mountains and thousands of miles away!
You have also seen the battle reports sent by Zhang Shuai and Nangong Shuai from time to time in the past few years. In that barbarian land thousands of miles away, many young soldiers sacrificed their lives in their prime years because of the incompatibility with the climate.
.
Old dear, you are already so old, if I send you out again to conquer the foreign barbarians.
How can you bear it in my heart?
Furthermore, once this matter is spread, how will the civil and military officials of the imperial court view me? How will all the people in the world view me? How will the hundreds of thousands of soldiers in the north and the hundreds of thousands of soldiers and horses in the new army camp view me?
You also have to understand my difficulties!"
When Cai Jun heard Young Master Liu's earnest words, he sat weakly on the chair and looked at Young Master Liu with a low expression, smiling bitterly and nodding.
"The old minister is confused, the old minister understands."
"Hey, dear dear, can you please listen to what I have to say first?"
"Your Majesty, I am all ears."
"Old dear, when my father was still alive, you will not forget the fact that you followed Mr. Yun Yangyun, the Duke of Jingguo, in the Northern Expedition to restore the land, right?"
"Return to Your Majesty, I will never forget it for the rest of my life."
"Well, just don't forget. I remember that your eldest son Cai Yan is the quartermaster of the Northern Expedition. I remember correctly, right?"
Cai Jun was stunned for a moment, and finally understood what Mr. Liu was really thinking.
After a moment of silence, Cai Jun looked at Young Master Liu with a complex and excited look and nodded heavily.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, the veteran's dog Cai Yan was the quartermaster of the Northern Expeditionary Army at that time."
Liu Mingzhi nodded with a faint smile, reached out and took out a token from his sleeve and gently placed it on the table.
"I would like to say something unpleasant. If Cai Yan and Cai Aiqing unfortunately die for the country, I would like to order Cai He, the second son of Lao Aiqing, to inherit the title.
As for whether Cai Yan was willing to serve as the quartermaster of the second line of troops, Lao Aiqing thought twice.
However, I think it would be better for Lao Aiqing to discuss things with Cai Yan after she goes back. As for whether she is willing or not, it all depends on Cai Yan's own decision. I will never force it.
If Cai Yan is willing, I will wait for him to pick up this token at any time."
The complicated look on Cai Jun's face suddenly disappeared, and he stood up and picked up the token that Mr. Liu placed on the table.