Chapter 15 Ling Jing bows his head
Li Yuan killed Dou Jiande and many of Dou Jiande's confidants, and forced Liu Heita, an old subordinate of Dou Jiande, to rebel, causing Hebei to fall into war again.
Li Yuan did not think it was his fault, so the ones who were wrong could only be Dou Jiande's former subordinates.
Therefore, Li Yuan was very disgusted with Dou Jiande's former subordinates.
As an old subordinate of Dou Jiande, it is understandable that Ling Jing was not valued during Li Yuan 's Wude period.
But if he was not valued during the Zhenguan period of Li Shimin, that would be a bit hard to understand.
Li Shimin had a lot of surrendered generals and ministers under his command. As long as Ling Jing was willing to work for him, he would not care who Ling Jing belonged to.
But Ling Jing only left a few records during Li Shimin's Zhenguan period.
It was left behind when Ling Jingqi was begging for his remains and when Li Shimin went to Wei Zheng to make a report.
Therefore, Li Yuanji decisively ruled out the possibility that Ling Jing was not valued.
Ling Jing was a counselor under Dou Jiande and also the chief academician of the Imperial College under Dou Jiande's rule.
It can be seen that Ling Jing is not only smart, but also knowledgeable.
How could a smart and knowledgeable person be at a loss for ideas?
Even if your brain is not enough, can knowledge not be enough?
Therefore, Li Yuanji also ruled out the possibility that he had run out of tricks.
So Li Yuanji guessed that Ling Jing was unwilling to work for Li Tang.
Li Yuanji had a rough guess as to why he was unwilling to contribute to the Li Tang Dynasty.
Ling Jing is a civil official and a counselor , and he is a man of integrity.
Dou Jiande discovered him, employed him, and was very kind to him.
After Dou Jiande was defeated and surrendered to the Tang Dynasty, he followed Dou Jiande and contributed to the Li Tang Dynasty. There was nothing wrong with that.
But Li Yuan turned around and killed Dou Jiande, his benefactor. He ran around to work for Li Tang. Did he still have that integrity?
It's good enough that he didn't rebel against Li Tang.
"I'm afraid this person won't be of any use to me, right?"
Li Yuanji looked at Xie Shufang questioningly.
A man of character will not be easily conquered.
Xie Shufang said confidently: "I can't say what others say, but I have a way to deal with what he says."
"oh?"
Li Yuanji's eyes lit up, "Tell me in detail!"
Xie Shufang said: "When I was investigating him, I found an interesting thing. He seemed to be looking for a way to rescue Dou Jiande's young daughter.
Dou Jiande's young daughter is in the Ye Ting Palace. Apart from the Saint, only you, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and His Royal Highness the Prince of Qin can rescue her."
In the past, Xie Shufang would never say such words to Li Yuanji.
Li Yuanji had a heart-to-heart talk with Xie Shufang today and told him about his own difficulties.
Xie Shufang felt that Li Yuanji treated him as his own, so he appropriately crossed his own limit.
Li Yuanji was happy, "Then I have him for sure, right?"
If a person has integrity and has no desires or demands, you really can't do anything to him.
But if a person of integrity has something he wants, it is easy to handle.
Li Yuanji had previously wondered why Ling Jing, since he was a man of character, did not resign from his post and retire after Dou Jiande's death, but instead became a ninth-rank official in Chang'an City.
Now I understand that Ling Jing is worried about Dou Jiande's orphan.
"Anyway, I feel that the Saint, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and His Royal Highness the King of Qin will not help him save people."
Xie Shufang told the truth.
Li Yuanji nodded in agreement. The more Liu Heita caused trouble in Hebei, the more Li Yuan hated Dou Jiande.
Liu Heita was about to conquer all of Dou Jiande's old territories, and Li Yuan probably hated Dou Jiande to death.
If Ling Jing dared to go find Li Yuan, it would be strange if Li Yuan didn't send them down together.
Because of Li Yuan's attitude, Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin would send one of them down even if they would not send them down together.
So now he is the only one who can help Ling Jing.
Li Yuanji thought of this and asked with a smile: "I am the only one who can help him, so the way he wants to find must be me, right?
Who is he going to find to act as a matchmaker for him, and what is he going to use to impress me?"
Xie Shufang nodded and said, “He found an official in the mansion, and the price seems to be a rare treasure.
I haven’t found out what it is specifically.”
"Then there is no need to check. Take my letter and go to the Ye Ting Palace to summon Dou Jiande's young daughter to be a maid in the Wude Hall.
Then send someone to invite Ling Jing to the palace."
Li Yuanji ordered with a smile.
Now that he can get Ling Jing into his pocket, he is not willing to wait any longer.
As for the rare treasures mentioned by Xie Shufang, he was not very interested.
There is no shortage of rare treasures in Prince Qi's Palace.
If you need anything, you can ask Li Yuan for it. There is no need to be greedy for Ling Jing's treasures.
“Yes!”
Xie Shufang bowed and rushed to the Ye Ting Palace with Li Yuanji's handwritten letter.
After a while, he brought Dou Jiande's young daughter to the main hall of Wude Hall.
Dou Jiande's little daughter was very young, only eight years old. She looked delicate and pretty, very cute. She was timid when looking at people, and when being stared at, she would involuntarily hide where no one could see her.
Li Yuanji stared at her for a few seconds, and she hid behind Xie Shufang, tightly holding the belt that held Xie Shufang's armor.
"She's not having a good time in the Ye Ting Palace, is she?"
Li Yuanji sat cross-legged behind a long table, looking at the little girl who hid behind Xie Shufang and refused to show her head, and couldn't help asking.
After all, the little girl is Dou Jiande's daughter, and was born during the years when Dou Jiande was at his most glorious. Even if she is not favored by Dou Jiande, she still has fine clothes and delicious food, and has many followers. She will definitely not develop such a cowardly character.
Therefore, the reason why she was so cowardly must be because of the Yunting Palace.
There were more than 10,000 people living in the Ye Ting Palace. It was common for some people to bully others and for others to be bullied.
The little girl is only eight years old and has to make a living in there. It is normal for her to be bullied.
People in the Ye Ting Palace don't care who the little girl was in the past.
After all, there is no shortage of people of noble status in the Ye Ting Palace.
There are countless emperors' concubines, princes' princesses and wives, dukes' wives, marquis' wives, and so on.
There were many people who rebelled at the end of the Sui Dynasty and the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, so there were many emperors and princes, and they had even more female relatives.
Naturally, Li Tang had more female captives.
Xie Shufang nodded without hesitation and said, "She is indeed not having a good time in the Ye Ting Palace..."
Xie Shufang stopped there and didn't say much more.
The little girl's life in the Ye Ting Palace was not just bad, it was in dire straits.
No one knows which crazy female official actually arranged her to be together with those crazy people.
The little girl was timid when seeing people because she was scared by those crazy people.
"what is her name?"
"Dou Xian!"
Li Yuanji nodded and told Ajiu to take Dou Qian downstairs to wash up.
Ajiu walked up to Dou Qian and spoke to her in a low voice for a long time. Dou Qian then timidly walked out from behind Xie Shufang and followed Ajiu to wash up.
After Dou Qian left, Li Yuanji sighed and said, "The Ye Ting Palace must be quite chaotic, right?"
Xie Shufang hesitated for a moment and nodded.
"With more than 18,000 women of different identities locked up together, it would be strange if there wasn't chaos."
Li Yuanji sighed.
The concubines of those wild emperors and self-proclaimed kings suddenly changed from high-ranking nobles to palace maids driven by female officials.
If you don't obey, you will be slapped, whipped, or caned. Under the huge gap, some people will definitely not be able to bear it and go crazy.
Even some of those who can remain sober are probably unable to avoid intrigue.
After all, even the palace servants are divided into different classes, and no one would miss the chance to leave the Ye Ting Palace.
"When will Ling Jing arrive?"
"I sent someone to invite him when I went to the Ye Ting Palace. He should be here soon."
Li Yuanji nodded, picked up a book, and flipped through it while waiting for someone.
Half an hour later, Ajiu washed Dou Qian clean, dressed her up carefully, and brought her to the main hall of Wude Hall.
After washing, Dou Xian became even cuter, with a rosy little face.
She was chubby and wearing a small light red embroidered jacket.
But he was still timid and hid behind Ajiu and refused to show his face.
"It's good and festive."
Li Yuanji praised him and asked Ajiu and Dou Qian to sit not far from him.
Not long after Dou Xian arrived, a middle-aged man with a thin face and a long goat beard appeared at the entrance of the main hall of the Wude Hall.
After seeing Dou Xian in the hall, he stood there in a daze.
When Dou Xian saw the middle-aged man, her eyes lit up, but she didn't dare to move.
The middle-aged man stared at Dou Qian for a long while before he straightened his hat and stepped into the hall.
When he walked into the hall, he bowed to Li Yuanji in a standard manner.
"Your subject, Ling Jing, the Supervisor of the Shepherd Department, greets His Royal Highness the Prince of Qi."
Li Yuanji looked at Ling Jing carefully before speaking slowly, "No need to be polite, sit down and talk."
Ling Jing bowed and thanked him, then sat in an empty seat to the right of Li Yuanji.
After sitting down, Ling Jing couldn't wait to speak, "I wonder what instructions His Highness has for me?"
Li Yuanji smiled and said, "I heard that you were looking for ways to meet me. I was very curious about what you wanted to see me for, so I specially asked you to come over to ask."
Ling Jing was stunned for a moment. He didn't expect Li Yuanji to speak so bluntly.
Ling Jing took a deep breath and said straight to the point: "Your Highness should have known the purpose of my visit to you."
Ling Jing's target was Dou Qian, and Dou Qian was kneeling next to Li Yuanji. It would be strange if Li Yuanji didn't know his purpose.
Li Yuanji smiled and nodded, "I do know your purpose, and I can help you achieve your wish, but what can you give me?"
Ling Jing's gaze fell on Dou Qian, and after staying for a while, he fell on Li Yuanji.
Li Yuanji was not in a hurry and just watched quietly.
After Ling Jing's gaze lingered on Dou Qian and Li Yuanji three times, he slowly stood up, walked into the hall, and paid great respects to Li Yuanji.
"Your Highness, I am willing to serve you!"
"Very good... Ling Mujian is indeed a smart man."
Li Yuanji was in a good mood.
Ling Jing guessed his purpose even though he didn't make it clear, which is enough to show how smart Ling Jing is.
If Ling Jing started talking about some rare treasure, he would look down on Ling Jing.
"From today on, Ling Jiancheng will serve as the secretary of the Qi Wangfu. Later, I will order Li Changshi to draft an appointment document and send it to the Ministry of Personnel. All the documents, official seals, and official uniforms will be delivered to your residence.
Now, I will call you General Ling.
General Ling, please stand up and sit down. Tell me, how did you know that I wanted to recruit you?
