I'm a marquis in Datang

Wang Ji said: "Now both of them are in the inn. After they followed me to Gaochang City, they stayed in the inn for the time being. Now I am going to visit His Highness first and explain the situation of the two of them."

Du Qi said: "Invite them to the palace, and I will meet them in person. Mr. Wang, which inn are they in?"

Wang Ji said, "His Royal Highness, we live in the Ping'an Inn on Dafeng Street in the southern city of Gaochang. Well, it's on the street, so it's very easy to find."

Du Qi immediately called for his attendants and ordered them to invite Ma Zhou and Laiji.

After arranging attendants, Du Qi looked at Wang Ji and said, "Mr. Wang, you are now in the Western Regions, I don't want you to continue

Staying in the academy to teach, my subordinates are too short of talents, so I hope Mr. Wang can work in the palace. "

Wang Ji said, "I will listen to Your Highness."

After several years of training in the academy, Wang Ji's disposition has changed a lot from before, and it is no longer what it used to be.In the past, Wang Ji had a very irritable temperament, and his words were even more irritating, and people who were pleasing to the eye were fine.Once you meet someone you don't like, your words will be choking, and you will be too angry to speak.

That's exactly the case, Wang Ji only cares about teaching and ignores other things in the academy.In fact, as the dean of the academy, Wang Ji couldn't really ignore everything, and Wang Ji had to deal with many things.After a few years of tempering, Wang Ji's temperament has become more stable, not like it used to be.

With a smile on his face, Du Qi said: "With Mr. Wang joining, I will have more confidence. If Mr. Wang has any talented confidants and friends, these people can be recommended to the Western Regions, and I am willing to reuse them."

Wang Ji said: "Your Highness, many of the good friends I knew in the past were in the academy. Except for some who left, those who stayed with me, I asked carefully. These people are not willing to be official, but willing to work in the academy These people used to be wronged in the officialdom, they were unhappy in the officialdom, and they didn't like the intrigue in the officialdom, so they didn't want to be officials, they just wanted to be scholars."

Du Qi said: "Okay, don't force them."

Wang Ji took the initiative and said, "Your Highness, what am I in charge of?"

Du Qi said: "Mr. Wang's official position will not be arranged for the time being. Well, in these two days, I will prepare to establish a country in the Western Regions, and then readjust all the personnel. I am still thinking about this matter. So Mr. Wang, don't worry , When I sort things out, I will arrange according to the official system after the founding of the country."

Wang Ji said, "I will listen to Your Highness."

He was even more emotional in his heart. When he met Du Qi in Chang'an in the past, Du Qi was only a young man at that time.Although at that time Du Qi had already emerged, was extremely talented, and had already made too much money.

After a few years, Du Qi now dominates one side, as the overlord of one side.What's more, even if the emperor led an army of 20 to crusade, Du Qi never retreated at all, especially the emperor's army retreated directly, which shows Du Qi's strength.

This is Du Qi today.

Such a change, Wang Ji also found it incredible, because Du Qi's rise was too fast.

Through Wang Ji, Du Qi learned about what happened in the academy today, and also asked about Chang'an.When the attendant entered and reported that Ma Zhou and Lai Ji had arrived outside the hall, Wang Ji resigned on his own initiative and did not stay any longer.

Du Qi didn't want to stay either.

The conversation that followed was between Du Qi, Ma Zhou, and Lai Ji, and they didn't need to intervene.

Wang Ji walked out of the hall and looked at Ma Zhou and Lai Ji who were standing at the door. The two saluted Wang Ji together. Very respectful.

Wang Ji nodded and said, "King Pingxi has now stopped the Tang army and is preparing to establish a country in the Western Regions. For you, this is an excellent opportunity. Learn literary and martial arts, and sell goods to the emperor's family. You come with me from afar. Isn’t that what the Western Regions are for? So, seize your chance.”

Ma Zhou and Lai Ji nodded in unison.

The reason why the two came to the Western Regions with Wang Ji was that on the one hand, they wanted to see the Western Regions, and on the other hand, it was because Du Qi had just established a foothold in the Western Regions, and the lack of manpower was their opportunity.

Ma Zhou and Laiji can become officials in the Tang Dynasty, but their promotion speed is relatively slow.Because everything has already taken shape in the Tang Dynasty, if you want to show your ambition, you can only go up step by step, even if there is no one in the court, you may not be able to succeed.

The Western Regions are different.

After Wang Ji left, an attendant notified Ma Zhou to enter.

Ma Zhou's clothes are very ordinary. In fact, this is Ma Zhou's best green shirt, and he rarely wears it on weekdays.He brushed off his wrinkled clothes, straightened his collar, took a deep breath, and stepped into the hall.

The hall is deep and deep, and when you step into it, you can hear the sound of your own footsteps.The echo of the footsteps put a little pressure on Ma Zhou, and he looked up at Du Qi who was sitting on the highest seat in the innermost.

Although Du Qi was dressed in ordinary clothes, in Ma Zhou's eyes, he felt an inexplicable pressure.

Chapter 845 The Prime Minister's Talent

Prime Minister's talent

Ma Zhou stood still and said, "Ma Zhou, a grass-roots man, see King Pingxi."

Du Qi said: "Sit!"

Ma Zhou thanked him and sat down, only to hear Du Qi say: "Ma Zhou, Mr. Wang said that you are an outstanding student in the academy. I have no doubts about your talent and learning. People who can enter Mr. Wang's vision are not mediocre. "

Ma Zhou said hastily, "Your Highness is absurd."

Du Qidao: "I just want to ask you one thing. I am based in the Western Regions. Although I belong to the vassal state of the Tang Dynasty, I have already offended the emperor. When the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty finishes dealing with internal problems, he will definitely attack me next. This king is going to war with Datang, do you think you can win?"

After Ma Zhou heard it, his expression was calm, and he said neither humble nor overbearing: "Your Highness, Ma Zhou has just arrived here, and he has never understood the strength of King Pingxi, and he does not know how King Pingxi retreated from the Tang army this time."

"But I believe that it will take at least a year before the Great Tang attacks King Pingxi again, or even longer. With this time, King Pingxi will be even stronger."

Ma Zhou said: "The current King Pingxi is not strong, and he can still make the Emperor of Tang retreat. As time goes by,

Move, I believe it will be easier to let the Tang army retreat. "

Du Qi laughed and said, "Ma Zhou, what you said is a bit tricky."

Ma Zhou said neither humble nor overbearing: "Because Ma Zhou doesn't know the situation of King Pingxi's army, the deployment of the army, and the equipment in the army. They are all secrets. If there are no such factors, they don't know anything. They can only play tricks."

Du Qi nodded, and had no opinion on Ma Zhou's response, which was actually a good answer.Du Qi paused for a moment, then asked again: "Ma Zhou, do you have family members in Datang?"

"there is none left!"

Ma Zhou shook his head, and said: "When I was young, my parents died, and I lived alone since I was a child. Although I married a wife, my wife came to the Western Regions with me."

Du Qi nodded and said: "If you work for me, you may not be able to reach the sky in one step, and you may need to start from the smallest official. You may even be allowed to go to the village and serve as the chief of the village. Are you willing to do all of these?"

Ma Zhou said without hesitation: "Your Highness, I am willing even if I am only the head of a village. You can go a thousand miles without taking a few steps. If you don't understand the basics, it will be difficult to govern a place. Governing a big country is like cooking a small fish, that's because Everything is well known. If there is no such thing, it is impossible to govern a big country, so I am willing to sink to the bottom to serve."

"Okay, not bad!"

Du Qi nodded and said: "You come to the Western Regions, I welcome you very much. However, your official position needs to wait for a while. This king will give you an official position after careful consideration."

Ma Zhou said: "It all depends on His Highness' arrangement."

Ma Zhou thought it was worthwhile to be able to serve as an official in Du Qi's place in the Western Regions.Because after this step, the next step is to rely on his ability to advance step by step, and he believes that he is fine.Compared with the talents in the Western Regions, he Ma Zhou has enough confidence and ability to do things.

Du Qi said, "Back off."

"Yes!"

Ma Zhou bowed and saluted, then turned and left.

Du Qi ordered Ma Zhou to call Lai Ji, and after Ma Zhou responded, after leaving the hall, he saw Lai Ji and said, "My dear brother, King Pingxi invites you in."

Lai Ji said, "Thank you, brother."

He never asked Ma Zhou what Du Qi said, nor what Du Qi wanted to ask.