"My Lord, you are biased!"
As a few people were speaking, Wu Yong, the commander of the Fourth Division, appeared at the doorway, complaining with displeasure.
Ever since the battle in the Western Regions, after dealing with Motorola, the Tianhuo Army had not had any opportunity to go into battle and had been idle in Shenyang.
Every day, it was nothing but training. Fang Er wouldn't believe it himself if he said these lads had no complaints.
"Fourth Division, stay behind and guard the house!"
Fang Er glared at him unceremoniously.
"His Majesty is currently reforming the court. You came from the Imperial Guard. If you don't stay now, who will?"
"Since I joined the Tianhuo Army, I am no longer part of the Imperial Guard. Why should I be the one to stay!"
Wu Yong angrily sat down on the threshold, casting an unfriendly glance at Ma Chao.
"Your Highness, if anyone is to stay, it should be the Second Division!"
"They just returned from the Western Regions. It would be good for them to rest. Why must they go with us!"
"Oh really?" Ma Chao heard this and immediately stood up with a "swish," rolling up his sleeves and walking towards Wu Yong.
Seeing his posture, if Wu Yong didn't change his tune, he was in for a beating.
"What is it? Want to fight? Who's afraid of whom!"
Fang Er stepped forward, pushed Ma Chao back into his chair, and stared intently at Wu Yong.
"Remember, you are His Majesty's Imperial Guard!"
"You were, you are, and you always will be!"
"Don't think that just because I sent you over to me, you have no connection with the Imperial Guard!"
"His Majesty is enacting reforms. There are many people watching from below. It's possible we might need to dispatch troops to quell rebellions any day now."
"Get back and continue your training!"
"Don't you dare shame me when His Majesty needs you!"
Wu Yong was stunned. The news of the reforms had not yet reached Shenyang, and he was too focused on Fang Er's initial remark.
But now, hearing about the possibility of dispatching troops to quell rebellions, it meant that this reform was no small matter!
"Yes! Your subordinate understands!"
"The Fourth Division of the Tianhuo Army will never shame Your Highness!"
He dared not say anything else, stood up, saluted, and then turned and left crisply.
After Wu Yong was sent away, the expressions of Ma Chao, Liu Meng, and Tie Lao Ba also became somewhat solemn.
"Your Highness, the three of us will go back and assemble the brothers, ready to depart at any time!"
None of them were fools. While the court was undergoing reforms, Fang Er was leading them away at this time.
There were obviously other subtle reasons for this.
"Your Highness! King Wei, King Han, Duke Fang, and King Hejian have arrived!"
Not long after Ma Chao and the others left, Lai Yifa ran over to report.
Su Feng and Su Mu were on duty in Australia, so the guard's duties naturally fell to the East Factory. As the head of the East Factory, delivering messages became his responsibility.
Fang Er frowned upon hearing this, wondering what Li Lao Jiu was here for!
"Please invite them in!"
"Yes!"
Before long, brothers Li Tai and Li Ke entered, each pushing a wheelchair from outside.
In those wheelchairs were none other than Fang Xuanling and Li Xiaogong.
Seeing Fang Er's gaze still carrying a hint of anger, Li Xiaogong was displeased. He stared at Fang Er with the look of an idiot and cursed.
"What do you mean by looking at me like that?"
"Do you really think Lord Jiu is targeting you? Use that pig brain of yours and think properly. How many vested interests would this reform touch?"
"Lord Jiu got you out of this early. Instead of thanking me, you sent those two brats to attack me!"
"Damn it!"
"Compensation!"
"I'm telling you, if you don't give me two packs of cigarettes, you won't get away with this!"
Fang Er: ???
Li Tai and Li Ke stood silently beside him, but Fang Xuanling shook his head with a wry smile.
"You, ah! I'm afraid you've really misunderstood Lord Jiu this time."
Fang Er gave Li Tai a look, signaling him and Li Ke to go out first.
Then he stared at Li Xiaogong and said, "You did it on purpose?"
"Otherwise?"
Li Xiaogong glared at him contemptuously.
"No matter what, I'm still surnamed Li!"
"Li of Longxi!"
Fang Er brewed a cup of Mingqian Longjing for each of them and then sat down to ponder.
At this critical juncture, Li Xiaogong's willingness to actively stir up trouble, even at the cost of demoting his title, was not just to extricate himself!
And the reform, as he had just said, would inevitably touch the interests of countless powerful families.
In the face of imperial power, what were princes, dukes, and marquises?
But now, imperial power was retreating. So what about these powerful families?
Retreat or not retreat?
If not, what would be said?
If they retreated, what should be said?
The matter itself was not complicated. Fang Er had also been blinded by the bloodshed in court.
Now, hearing Li Xiaogong's words and combining them with Fang Xuanling's earlier statement.
Fang Er seemed to understand something and looked at Li Xiaogong speechlessly.
"You are doing a chicken... "
"And not only are you doing the chicken yourself, but you're dragging me into it to do the chicken with you?"
"Not only are you dragging me to do the chicken with you, but you've also handed the knife to His Majesty!"
"Making him use us as a warning to others."
"I say, Lord Jiu, next time there's something like this, can you give me a heads-up in advance!"
"Otherwise, I'm really afraid I'll end up killing you..."
"Haha..." Li Xiaogong burst into laughter, but as soon as he spoke, his face turned ashen green.
He reflexively arched his back and covered his backside with his right hand.
"Damn it, after this is over, I'll skin those brats from the Qin and Yuchi families alive!"
"Ouch... hiss..."
"Hahaha, serves you right! Who told you to set a trap for me!"
Fang Er laughed heartlessly from the side, a very happy laugh.
"Damn it, cigarettes, three packs!" Li Xiaogong was ashamed and indignant.
A lifetime of reputation ruined by two juniors...
Damn it, the fact that his chrysanthemum was violated must have already spread throughout Chang'an!
"Lord Jiu, Lord Jiu, your vision is too narrow!" Fang Xuanling on the side shook his head and laughed again, "Three packs are not enough. At least thirty packs!"
Fang Er smiled without comment and picked up the walkie-talkie to give an order.
"Laizi, go to the warehouse and bring a cartload of cigarettes!"
Fang Xuanling: ...
Li Xiaogong: ...