Chapter 287 – Wind and Snow Iron Cavalry Goes Down to Jiangnan (IX)

Xu Fengyen said softly: ”North Mang’s road southward to the Central Plains, before Liyang, since ancient times, there are roughly two roads to choose from, one is to enter North Liang to occupy West Shu, to the west to the east, and to stay on the high ground. The second is to go south by the gateway of Jizhou, straight into the hinterland of the Central Plains, so there are three times to enter the plague of the capital city of the Dafeng Dynasty. Now the road has three, in addition to the attack on the Northern Liang Jizhou, there is an additional two Liao, the reason is very simple, the capital city of Liyang is too close to the north, the emperor Zhao Li in that year to the monarch when the guardian of the border gate of the country as the reason, rejected the proposal of the capital city southward to move to the area of the Guangling River. So according to common sense, North Mang’s army knocking on Liaodong, as long as they win, they can attack Tai’an City directly, almost considered a once-and-for-all move.”

The old monk smiled and said, “Your Majesty, you can say but ‘two words’.”

This time, not only did the old spy have to be forcibly held down by Yuan Zuozong to not pull out his sword and chop people, even Xu Yanbing, who had always been a cold-eyed spectator, began to furrow his brows and vaguely felt a few moments of anger.

Xu Fengnian did not move and said: ”But, but there are Beiliang 300,000 border troops, the most important is the existence of more than 100,000 elite cavalry, of course, also because of half of the country’s efforts to build out of the two Liao Liao border fortifications, both coexist, so that North Mang do not dare to act rashly, once the attack on the Tai’an city in January can not be, the Beiliang cavalry can be Jizhou as the core of the northern border line as a support for food and grass, with the fastest speed long distance raids to Liaodong, and the fastest speed long distance raids to Liaodong. The speed of long-distance raids to Liaodong, in this way, the North Mang army can only do beasts of burden, and wait until the south of Liyang all the way to the King’s army to arrive, the North Mang never have a chance of winning. As for the North Mang army from the center of the Jizhou as a breakthrough, I guess only paper talk of the countryside showman, all know that is a fool to do the initiative. So, does it mean that our Bei Liang border army is to blame for Liyang, for the Central Plains, is to be credited?”

The old monk asked rhetorically, “By that inference, isn’t it?”

Xu Fengnian smiled, “No, and yes. The key lies in the fact that no matter whether it is the imperial court or Northern Liang, they all consider the Northern Liang Iron Riders to be just the private army of the Xu family, recognizing only the Xu character King Flag, not the holy decree or the Zhao family’s Son of Heaven. Then there is a problem on the table of the two families of Xu and Zhao, there is no side to get around, Xu Snapdragon thought of this problem, his eldest son, if it is a neither follow his father nor his mother’s embroidered pillows, then can not go to Tai’an City, as a no matter how the wind and rain of the emperor’s son-in-law of the side of a team of horse harnessed by the side of a team of enjoyment? Or can he go to the Central Plains and become a peaceful prince in a new feudal land? I think Zhao Dun, the former emperor of Liyang, has thought about this question many times, that is, how to ensure that the North Mang first and North Liang dead, and to ensure that the transition of the military power of the North Liang is stable, on the premise of the unruly and untamed North Liang to change the family name, change the proprietor? Many people in the Central Plains said that the Spring and Autumn War, replaced by just later than Xu Snapdragon’s Gu Jiantang, the same can destroy the six countries, but because of the Spring and Autumn outside the Liyang eight countries, early to Xu Snapdragon destroyed six, he Gu Jiantang can only be helpless to follow in the rear of the Xu family army to pick up the leakage, it is unable to do things, who let him younger than Xu Snapdragon more than a dozen years old, join the army is also late in the dozen years? Otherwise, Great General Gu Jiantang definitely did not just stop at the merits of the two kingdoms, and at this point, Master might not be able to help but ask ‘isn’t it’ again, right?”

The old monk couldn’t help but laugh.

Even the young monk who had listened to the whole thing from beginning to end in a cloud, also found it amusing.

Yuan Zuozong would smile. Xu Yan Bing also loosened his tight frown.

Xu Fengnian sighed, some smiles at the corners of his mouth, some rare pride, shaking his head to himself, ”The answer is yes and no. Because in the place of Gu Jiantang, he wouldn’t have been able to win the Battle of Xibi Bi, much less Xichu who wasn’t without a fighting chance at the time after the defeat.”

The old monk was noncommittal and clearly would be skeptical. Although the old man is the Western Chu survivors, but after all, very early resigned to do far away in the rivers and lakes of the dispersed, at first and prefer to talk about not good military affairs of the civil officials, for that incomparable magnificent battle between the two countries, the bitterness is extremely deep, but the insight may not be profound.

Xu Fengyen held back his laughter and said, “Can’t win the battle of west base wall, back then it was Gu Jiantang himself who said, and it was when no one was around, he personally told Xu Snapdragon.”

The old monk with some embarrassed look subconsciously raised his arm as if he wanted to touch the bald head, but only touched the worn out leather cap.

Xu Fenian suddenly asked, “Why did master earlier say that only Xu Snapdragon could guard the important northwestern land at the beginning of Yonghui?”

The old monk did not hide anything and said, “It was the previous Jiangnan Taoist Nun Maku Xu, Longchamp General Xu Gong who said something in his heart with the poor monk. The poor monk was aware of it and borrowed it.”

Xu Fengnian smiled bitterly, “Truth be told, this time, to stop the Northern Liang iron horsemen from traveling to Guangling, General Xu Gong of the Ministry of Military Affairs is precisely the leading general.”

The old monk was dumbfounded.

Xu Fenian shifted back to the previous topic, “When I first traveled the jianghu, Zhao Gou had a number of assassinations, as for the earliest several assassinations that happened on the side of the Northern Liang Royal Palace before, without Zhao Gou’s arrangement, I believe that the master wouldn’t believe it either.”

The old monk nodded, he was convinced of this matter.

Xu Fenian laughed, “It was only after I entered the capital as a son that I realized that the then Empress now the Empress Dowager, had privately stopped Zhao Hook.”

“And why was that?”

“Personally, probably at that moment, she felt that there was still some incense love left between the two families of Xu and Zhao, or maybe it was for the capital white case of that year, inevitably a bit of guilt. But the real crux of the matter, is that she considered a more long-term, but also more conducive to the country, that is, Beiliang has a foppish Shizi His Royal Highness, there is a chance to do the court puppet of the Xu family’s first son, far better than the Xu Snapdragon in a fit of rage simply rebel, in fact, at that time, she and her that sit in the dragon chair of the man, there is a great divergence of views, the late Emperor Zhao Dun has always been hoping that Beiliang surnamed Chen, I hope that he is extremely admired by the The late Emperor Zhao Dun had always wanted the name of Northern Liang to be Chen, and wanted Chen Zhi Bao, the white-robed soldier saint whom he greatly admired, to guard the gates of the country for his Zhao family. But Empress Zhao Qian in addition to Chen Zhi Bao bias very scrupulous, there are selfish, that is, in the bad Liyang Zhao room to establish a long not young, let the first eldest son Zhao Wu sealed the king of the vassal in the northern Liang, to go to the word of the north to stay in the word of Liang, to become a word side by side of the king of the king of the Liang, when the two biological son, one sitting in the dragon chair and wearing a dragon robe to reign over the world, and one to let it whip the desert, but also considered a kind of compensation for Zhao Wu to be unable to do the emperor, the All will be happy.”

“Master, let me ask you, do you think that if I die violently and Xu Snapdragon also passes away, or it’s more or less the same situation, I’m not happy to be tossed around in Guanwai, I only think of going to the capital to the Central Plains to live in peace, and Xu Snapdragon also agrees to come down, then assuming that there’s no great chaos and infighting in the North Liang military generals, then in the place of Gu Jiantang who goes to lead the army of the North Liang in the position of a Great Pillar of State Grand General, how would it be like in the light of the day? ”

“Although the poor monk does not know the military affairs, but think it will be a good thing, Gu Jiantang led the North Liang border army to die to the end, the court can also promise to let Gu Jiantang die posthumously as a king, but probably will not be hereditary, or else it is the second Xu family, after all, the poor monk also knows that the matter of the military heart is to rely on the constant fighting of wars to fight, but also to rely on the deaths of dead people to die out. ”

“Right, this is indeed the best ending. Then I retreat one step, come to say that I and Xu Snapdragon at the same time is not alive, North Liang military generals will obey Gu Jiantang’s control?”

“This …… poor monk does not dare to jump to conclusions.”

The night was deep and fell into silence.

Yuan Zuozong blandly said, “Can the master trust that I, Yuan Zuozong, will say a few words of holding the peace?”

The old monk was a bit surprised and smiled, “So this is General Yuan Baixiong Yuan from the battle of Princess Tomb! You and say, poor monks believe it.”

Yuan Zuozong slowly said, “Under the premise of the righteous father and the king have put out a strict order not to cause trouble, only to say that the set of ‘old man’ words of the Northern Liang, I Yuan Zuozong will leave Northern Liang, may go to the western region, this life will not enter the Northern Liang Central Plains again half a step. The remaining two righteous sons, Chu Lushan will be in the flow of the state around the king, and may even be in the righteous father’s death directly defected to the North Mang, and Qi Dangkang will be removed from the iron armor, to the king as a houseguard escort. North Liang border army cavalry and foot army of those commanders in command, Yan Wenluan may directly run to Qingliang mountain fight, even if not go, most likely will be alive, not dead will be closed, Chen Yuntui, Zhou Kang, He Zhongshu and so on, all leave the border army. Among the young generals, Liu Yunu, Hu Kui, Shi Fu, Ning Emei, Wang Lingbao, Li Mo Fan, and so on, almost all of them will leave the border army in anger. In the end, those who stayed in the border army, the old man do not need to think about, only Cao Xiaojiao and so on, still can be used. Once these people are gone, even if Gu Jiantang brings all the old Chunqiu troops to Northern Liang, even if the framework of 300,000 border troops is still there, I think the war power is less than half of the original, maybe the masters will think that half of the war power is also 150,000 troops, plus Cai Nan’s army, plus someone’s Western Sichuan, plus the support of grain, and a steady stream of reinforcements from the Central Plains, such as the Qingzhou army, or even mobilize the capital city’s army to the north-west, and in the end, still There is a chance to stall the North Mang army and slowly exhaust the North Mang’s national strength, isn’t it?”

The old monk said this for the third time tonight, “Isn’t it?”

Yuan Zuozong took a deep breath and laughed coldly, “Yes? Of course not! You should know that in this Liang-Mang war, my Bei Liang also won the Bei Mang by a fluke, how come, once the master heard that Bei Liang only died 100,000 and Bei Mang died 30, you think that the victory is easy? May as well tell you the truth, at that time the three fronts of combat of Bei Liang, as long as a front collapse, that is the situation of all the lines of defeat, at that time the death is not Bei Liang 100,000, but the entire 300,000 border troops plus 300,000 are more than!”

Xu Fengyen looked up at the night, murmured in a tiny voice that he could only hear himself, “Only 100,000 will die.”

Yuan Zuozong somewhat realized his outburst and tried his best to regain a calm tone, “But these are not the real dead ends, the real hidden danger is ……”

Xu Fengyen interrupted Yuan Zuozong’s words by calling him by his name, “Yuan Zuozong!”

Yuan Zuozong shut up, and even directly assumed the posture of closing his eyes and concentrating.

A chance meeting, somewhat unfulfilled, at the same time not quite a happy ending.

As the five horsemen rode slowly, Yuan Zuozong suddenly laughed, “Feeling more comfortable?”

Xu Fengyen closed his eyes and breathed hard, as if he had the unique refreshing spring cold, he smiled and said, “A breath of air to pour out all the grievances, the whole person is much more comfortable. In Beiliang can’t say so, after all, follow me are angry people, especially the second sister and Xu Beihuan these few, did not take me as a punching bag even if it is very generous.”

Yuan Zuozong laughed, but soon some hidden worries, “because of the two Huai border army’s defeat, and have the banner of pacification, we all the way south are still quite peaceful, but the next Jibei elite cavalry, western Sichuan foot soldiers and Qingzhou soldiers and horses converge in the near future, coupled with the battlefield of guangleng is getting closer and closer to the north of the border of Wu Chongxuan’s army eyeing, I am afraid that very soon someone will want to jump out of the disgusting in order to fetch panders! The imperial court, not hindering the major events, but ultimately troublesome.”

Xu Fengnian shook his head and said, “Since I decided to go south, I no longer have the luxury of hoping that I will have a good reputation in the Central Plains in the future.”

Xu Yan Bing flirted, “Your Highness has managed to save up a little reputation for Northern Liang in the past two years, but most likely he will be beaten back again.”

Xu Fenian bristled, “This kind of thing just isn’t a thing.”

Xu Yanbing tsked, “These words, worthy of being said by the King of Northern Liang.”

Yuan Zuozong chimed in, “Worthy of being said by the Grand Master of Martial Appraisal.”

Old Spy and Zhang Longjing said in unison, “Yes!”

Xu Fengnian grimaced and said, “Unbridled, drag them all out for the king to be beheaded!”

A burst of cheerful laughter traveled extraordinarily far in the night.

As one of the Buddhist ancestral temples, Cold Mountain Temple has always been known for its “small temple and big Buddha”, unlike the two Zen temples that occupied a vast area and had many monks, Cold Mountain Temple had a maximum of only a hundred or so monks in its history, and as one of the three founding fathers of the Buddhist sect, Monk Kuanxin, he has been respected by successive kings and emperors of the Dafeng Dynasty, and the last Emperor of Dafeng honored him as a bodhisattva. The last emperor of Dafeng even honored him as the Bodhisattva of Flesh, and the origin of today’s Buddhist rosary beads is also the soybean counting first proposed by Monk Kuanxin. This ancient temple was able to survive the wars of Spring and Autumn, and was well preserved. But the court just a paper order, so destroyed.

In that five riders disappeared in the night, the old monk Fa Xian let the little monk with an oil lamp first returned to the land temple to sleep, the old man along a night dew dipped boots walking alone on the road, as a lonely ghost wandering in the wilderness, after about half an hour to return to the land temple, different from the previous temple cold and silent like the graves, this time the land temple even in just half an hour to become the lights and colorful, brilliant atmosphere, there are a few points! Kings and lords of the family’s rich and noble temperament, stone steps paved brocade fireplace to add charcoal not to mention, there is a suave and elegant as the exiled middle-aged man sitting on the edge of the stove, beside more than a number of looks like heavenly fairy maidservant attentively waiting. The old monk is not strange look, walked up the steps, squatting in the fireplace side of the fire to reach out and roast the fire to warm up, the middle-aged man posture like a picture of the man, softly asked: “how?”

The old man took off his leather hat and put it on his knees, and said softly, “It’s better than his father’s ability to listen to reason. And when he himself speaks about reasoning, he also has a set of words and narrates them, in short, better than his father Xu Snapdragon.”

The old man lifted his head and looked at this man who could almost be considered as the only remaining strategist of the state in the Spring and Autumn, “Mr. Nalan, do you really want to provoke the Jiangnan Dao priests and jianghu people to go against the Northern Liang Cavalry? Aren’t you worried about making a mistake? I don’t think that young man is a person who can be fooled at will. Are you really not afraid of going too far?”

The middle-aged man who was addressed as Mr. Nalan by Monk Fa Xian lowered his head and fiddled with the charcoal, his face like a crown of jade, glowing with a beautiful luster, he replied, “You Buddhists have sixteen visualizations, but do you have a visualization of the self? It seems like there isn’t, it’s too late to give up one’s body, why would one need to visualize it.”

The old monk sighed helplessly, “You ah, more like a monk than a poor monk.”

Nalan right Ci sneered, “Fa Xian, don’t forget that year you should have also been an important pawn in Hong Jia’s north run, should have gone to the North Mang South Dynasty as the head of the Buddha, you yourself nodded your head at that time and agreed to it, but then reversed it, this account, that person can be disregarded, my mind’s eye is not as big as his!”

The old monk touched his bald head, “can’t ah, that year in Confucian books can’t find a place to return to, and then in the Huang Lao doctrine can’t be settled, originally is a temporary clasp, follow the crowd together to escape a Zen only, didn’t want to set to escape, really take the foreign land as home. Since I really became a monk, I shouldn’t bother with mundane matters anymore.”

Nalan Yuanci said angrily, “Ignore the common things, the common world also do not care? The people of the world also disregard?”

The old monk smiled and said, “Being in the mundane world, a skin thrown in this life only. All beings have their own blessings, all beings have their own suffering ……”

Nalan right Ci violently stood up and angrily shouted, “Uncle!”

The old monk stared at the pot of charcoal fire, his eyes in a trance.

Nalan Yuci angrily said, “Cao Changqing secretly contacted the Southern Dynasty remnants, and even Wang Sui and Gu Jiantang were persuaded by him, promising that after the Western Chu is accomplished, Wang Sui will be allowed to restore his country to East Vietnam, and Gu Jiantang will be allowed to become the No. 1 person in the world, instead of just being that Xu Snapdragon’s leftover Liyang Great Pillar State, and that once he pacifies the Central Plains and annexes the Northern Mang, he even promises that the Jiang Clan of the Western Chu will only exist for one generation, and that Jiang Si will then be replaced by Gu’s children. The emperor will be the son of the Gu clan. This is the Spring and Autumn Grand Finale established in Cao Changqing’s mind!”

The old monk sighed tersely, “The great suffering of all beings.”

Nalan Righteousness stood on the steps, pursing his lips, his eyes somber.

The old monk no longer addressed this latecomer within the family of yesteryear as sir, but asked bluntly, “Are you forcing Xu Fengyen to confront the imperial court like this, forcing the Central Plains to view Northern Liang as an enemy, are you planning for King Zhao Bing of the Yan Edicts or the Shizi Zhao Zhuo?”

Nalan Yuci’s face was cold and hard, he said in a deep voice: “As long as the North Mang loses the power to go south in the future, the Xu family which has a strong army in its hands will not be allowed to stay in Liyang, and the Beiliang which is in the form of a clan will not be allowed to stay in the world, this is the general trend, the matter of the death of the rabbit and the cooking of the dog, anyone who becomes an emperor will do it, not to mention the current son of the emperor Zhao Zhuan, and even if the son of the Emperor, Zhao Cu who is assisted by me, even if he and Xu Fengyen are close friends since childhood, he would do it. Even if he and Xu Fengyen have been brothers since childhood, as long as Xu Fengyen is still the king of Beiliang, the situation of Beiliang won’t be changed in the slightest, and it may be even worse than the past twenty years. Nowadays, Liyang can’t do anything about the Northern Liang Iron Cavalry, it doesn’t mean that it will still be helpless in five or ten years.”

Monk Fa Xian turned his palm over, his palm was replaced with the back of his hand to roast the fire, “Calculating quite long term, even Xu Fengyen’s friendship with that young scheming master of yours is included in it, but let me ask you, a rabbit dying and a dog being cooked is the reason to be an emperor, then a dog jumping over the wall in a hurry is considered to be the reason as well?”

The old monk didn’t wait for Nalan Righteousness to speak, continued, “This time, why didn’t Northern Liang send out the left and right cavalry to the south of the Central Plains? In favor of the Great Snow Dragon Cavalry, the backbone of the Northern Liang Iron Cavalry? It is this ten thousand people cavalry army deep into the hinterland? Is it because the young King is overzealous? Did he want to show off the Xu family’s power and show off to his neighbor in the Central Plains? I don’t think so. The Xu family has fought the Northern Mang barbarians for twenty years outside the Northwest Pass, and has never coveted the Central Plains, not before or since. Especially what you said earlier secretly dependent on the twenty families of Northern Liang, squarely in the court’s field of vision, so that the Northern Liang is not to tell the city of Tai’an, this time out of the army is not a rebellion? Playing the flag of pacification is a step back, so it is another step back, the North Liang’s proportion, at a glance. Now you Nalan Ruoci want to break the two sides, what you do, not afraid of reducing the love between Xu Fengyen and Zhao Zhuo? At that time, Zhao Casting is not enough to see the dagger, really think Xu Fengyen will not be angry, it will rebel? To know that at that time the North Mang most likely also crippled, the Central Plains of the deer to die, perhaps Xu Fengyen’s Northern Liang iron cavalry has been able to let go of their hands and feet a game of …….”

The old monk suddenly stopped his words, slowly turned his head and looked at the slender figure beside him with a face full of shock, “You …… you Nalan Righteousness are trying to make Xu Fengyen the emperor?!”

Nalan Youci didn’t admit or deny, and began to laugh with a cackle.

Nalan Yuci stretched out two fingers, gently twisting a strand of long hair hanging down his ear temples, gritting his teeth, “Li Yishan’s only disciple, how come he can’t be the emperor?!”

The old monk lowered his head and muttered, “Crazy, crazy ……”

At that time, by the time the knocked out Lianghuai Jingliu Envoy Han Lin woke up, it was already on the way back to the Jingliu Envoy’s residence, this official to the second grade of the feudal government officials lying in the carriage, sitting up and leaning against the wall of the car in a daze.

He has a lot of things can not figure out, just like that year can not figure out why the teacher in the talent of the Zhang Lu, did not pick Zhao Yu Ling Yin Mao Chun, only picked a clearly no prime minister’s instrumental qualities of Wang Xiong Gui as a successor, and now this is the court has high hopes of Han adults, the same can not understand why the matter of the waterway has been a brow, the court has been loosened, why that young man will personally lead the troops south to trip into the muddy waters of the feudal lords! The clan king is the obligation to pacify the rebellion is not false, but now the emperor has not been miserable to the point that even an imperial decree can not be sent out of the capital ah, how do you Northern Liang cavalry dare to leave the jurisdiction without authorization? Han Lin also do not understand why there is no friendship and personal friendship of the Festival Minister Cai Nan, why they want to withdraw, to be able to peacefully away from this enough to let the career of the abortive heave of the storm, rather than dragging themselves into the water together with the disaster.

Only until this moment, in the capital of the official field step by step Han Lin only understand one thing, no matter how much learning people, and that group of sand field martial arts is not all the way people, because you never know what they will do next amazing move.

Han Lin lifted up the car curtain and looked at the white snow outside, through the body cold.

He felt ashamed of Cai Nan and hated the unruly Northern Liang King.

Han Lin thought that if Cai Nan is not dead this time, even at the risk of being suspected by the court, but also with this Gu Jiantang old generals to talk about wine and have a good time. But Han Lin soon some despair, in that powerful iron cavalry under the charge, as the main general, Cai Nan will not die?

Han Lin sighed gently, and then his eyes firm up, he made up his mind, Cai Nan’s family, as long as he Han Lin in the two Huai as an official one day, will take care of them one day!

But at this time, the Lord Secretary must not have thought, Cai Nan actually did not die in battle, but seriously ill in bed unconscious for many days, the bed is not in the Cai family house, in the army tent, it can be seen that the injury is so heavy, has been to the point of not being able to withstand a little bit of bumps in the carriage of the horror of the ground.

So when from the capital all the way “rushed to” Hezhou to declare the eunuch, holding the rhinoceros horn shaft of the imperial decree into the tent, also smelled the heavy smell of medicine, as well as that can not be covered up the smell of blood. In fact, before lifting the curtain, the eunuch has seen those section ministers adults’ wives and children, one by one anxious and miserable, both worried about a family backbone of life and death do not know the fear, more worried about the court’s thunderous fury down on the crime of apprehension. Along the way, those army tent scene, most of the although a glimpse, but that everyone lost their souls mourning the scene, can not be false, is a big defeat, and must be a tragic defeat of the kind of mourning army.

As too An City Palace seniority is not the oldest generation of the Secretary Secretary of the eight with the eunuch one, under normal circumstances for the two grade border officers of the Oracle Declare the decree, but far from his turn, but this Declare the decree, obviously a pile of big red python robes of the big names of the undeclared bad things, Secretary of the Secretary of the Secretary of the Secretary of the Secretary of the Secretary of the Secretary of the seal of Song Tanglu is not likely to leave the side of the son of God, as the second-in-command of the pen eunuchs, according to the law will only hold up those goat’s fat alabaster Axis son of the imperial decree, otherwise it is also too down, the next is the rightful accompanying eunuch, eight people, counting him the most shallow seniority of this poor man, the lowest backing, he does not come who come? Self-loathing middle-aged eunuch face, narrowed his eyes, first looked around, and then slowly bet the line of sight on the sick couch, the bedside stood a pale young generals, can not stand up straight, crutches, the attendant eunuchs frowned, before coming to the Zhao hook head roughly told the situation of Cai Nan’s army, some of the main generals have detailed exposition, the front of this sturdy young man, should be the only borer of Cai Nan’s righteousness. is Cai Nan’s only borer son, is the early death of a robe in the territory of the Southern Tang orphans, very early to follow Cai Nan’s last name, called Cai Bai, in the Cai family, Cai Bai’s status is not lower than Cai Nan’s three sons, Cai family a lot of things that can’t be put on the stage, it is said to be the Cai Bai hand in hand to smooth out the clean, responsible for the stalking of the Cai Nan’s Zhao Hook also give some not bad comments, that it is worth the court to draw together and cultivation, once the thing is done In the future, the tens of thousands of troops that Cai Nan has trained will be able to logically become available to the court.

The middle-aged eunuch originally is absolutely not in contact with this kind of insider, but this trip thousands of miles to declare the decree, outside the decree is too much, from the beginning of the mystery, first of all, the powerful eunuch to find him to talk about, urged him to go to the two Huai Road to promulgate the decree to act in secret, and the more bizarre thing is to hand over to his hands is not a decree, but two! Only the box is slightly different, the eunuch with the pen to submit two gold nanny box, in one of the box with a fingernail scratch a hidden trace, said if the Cai Nan army to stop the Beiliang cavalry, on the promulgation of the decree in this box, if you lose, and must be a crushing defeat, before opening another box, if it is scribbled to deal with the pretense of putting on a big show, but in fact privately by the Beiliang iron cavalry swing across the border! Then two boxes do not have to open, you as a trip out of the Beijing border patrol, how to go how to return, what words do not say what people do not see. But be sure to remember, no matter which imperial decree, are in the dust settled thoroughly see the situation after the war promulgated, can be late not early, or even a few days at night does not matter! If you can not eat the fire, then there will be someone to help give ideas.

So the Secretary of the Palace of Justice with the eunuch in the Zhao hook someone’s hints, so confused to come to the tent of Cai Nan.

Cai Bo limped forward a few steps, bowed and cupped his fists and whispered, “I, Cai Bo, have seen the eunuch.”

The attendant eunuch nodded and said in a shrill voice, “General Cai, Lord Festival Minister hasn’t woken up? If so, the matter of receiving the decree will be difficult.”

Cai Bai tried his best to hide his sadness and said softly, “Your Excellency, my father woke up once yesterday, but soon fell unconscious again, a few of the accompanying doctors, as well as the Doctor Ma that we sent to bring in overnight from Liuzhi County in Hezhou, all said that my father has injured his internal organs this time, and that even if he can wake up someday, he may not be able to charge into battle again. ”

The eunuch did not move and asked, “The horse doctor from Liuzhi County? But the Ma family whose ancestors have produced six or seven Imperial Doctors of the Great Household?”

Cai Bai nodded and said, “Precisely.”

The middle-aged eunuch hmmm, in fact, that divine doctor after leaving Cai Nan’s tent, soon had Zhao Hook secretly looking for, has initially confirmed Cai Nan’s injuries, is indeed extremely heavy, injuries to the internal organs, ordinary people injured bones and bones still have to lie down for a hundred days, not to mention so?

He finally showed a bit of sadness, emotionally, said: “I did not think that the festival so seriously injured ah, just, as the section of adults lying down to listen to the decree, we believe that His Majesty will not be blamed, even if some of the chastisement, but also our thing, no matter how, even if the life of the section of loyal service to the country will not let you be wronged by the half. ”

Cai Bai heard, in the sands of blood without tears of hard man, not waiting for the eunuch declared the decree, even has been a sound on the knees, just sobbing, as suffered a great aggrievement, only do not speak.

At this time, the middle-aged eunuch only some really moved, if this young man to make a little bit of grateful behavior, then he will have to be suspicious. Cai Bai’s endowment how, Zhao hook secret files can be recorded clearly, is definitely not the kind of character who can kiss ass.

After the test, the eunuch only moistened his throat, began to read the decree.

The word is naturally a good word, not like any of the Hanlin Academy Huangmen Lang’s handwriting, but with their own handwriting of the eunuch in charge of the seal has a few similarities.

The content of the imperial decree is very shocking, even the accompanying eunuch himself is a bit stunned, only to be well hidden by him, to the effect that the Northern Liang 10,000 cavalry left the jurisdiction of the border rushed to the road to Guangling, is to receive the decree to act, the imperial court was to be the Northern Liang Cavalry in the end of the spring time to hide out of the country, and the main general of the Southern Expedition Lu Shengxiang as well as the Secretary of the military Department of the Ministry of War, Wu Chongxuan, to give a heavy blow to the rebel army of Guangzhou, and strive to a war and end the trouble forever. Therefore, after hearing that the Northern Liang early troops for no reason, the court has been simply too late to inform the two Huaihuai, which has led to this pile of trouble storm.

Cai Bai snapped his head up, full of tears on the face of the border army primus, there is shock, there is bewilderment, there is unwillingness, but also as a Liyang subjects should not be revealed in the form of indignation.

The middle-aged eunuch was inwardly satisfied with this young man’s performance, because this was the emotion of a normal person.

The eunuch who had received Zhao Hook’s secret instructions did not rush to reveal the bottom, but instead frowned and said grimly, “What, does the general have a dissatisfied heart?”

Cai Bai’s face was pained, and finally smashed his fists on the hard ground, “The last general has absolutely no dissatisfaction with the court! I only hate that Northern Liang King, why did he send out his troops earlier? Taking a step back, since you Xu Fengyen got the imperial decree, why don’t you talk to your rightful father and my two Huai border troops? Is it just for him to be able to make a name for himself in the dynasty, to take my two Huai generals as a stepping stone? He Xu Fengyen is clearly on my father’s heart hate for many years, the end of the general Cai Bai disobedience! If I am able to take charge of the army alone, I will do it for my righteous father, for my brothers who died in the war …….”

Off the cuff said here, Cai Bo snapped his mouth shut and bowed his head even lower.

One is lying half dead, one is kneeling staring at the ground, no one in the tent has looked at themselves, so the middle-aged eunuch slightly hooked the corner of his mouth, slowly said: “small general, our family is to see your Cai family full of loyalty, only willing to tell you some words that do not pass six ears ah, some things, don’t put in your mouth, put in the heart on the right, after all, not everyone is like our family like this Not everyone is as tight-lipped as our family.”

Cai Bai raised his head, wiped his cheeks with his arm and nodded vigorously.

It was an enlightened and intelligent person.

The middle-aged eunuch smiled, but when he thought of that Zhao Hook wanted him to do the hook, his expression was a bit gloomy, just since the eunuch with the pen had already had a padding earlier, compared to the unexpectedness of reading out this imperial decree just now, that secret decree that could not be put into writing was a bit reasonable.

Quickly step forward, a hand holding the decree, a hand to help up this young general, look kindly said: “We also dare to make an exception, do not say that the word receive the decree, the young general to take the past is.”

When Cai Bo solemnly received the decree with both hands, the eunuch lowered his voice and said, “Young General, besides this decree in your hand, there is actually another secret decree from His Majesty’s own mouth, although there are not many words, but you have to listen carefully!”

After Cai Bai was surprised, he immediately knelt down again.

The middle-aged eunuch said in a deep voice: “Royal Decree appoints Cai Nan, Minister of the Two Huai Provinces, as a loyal uncle!”

Cai Bai looked up this time with a very different look of surprise and gratitude.

The eunuch carefully considered the wording, and slowly said, “There are some things that young general understands in his heart, we are not a flying land god, but just a eunuch with mediocre feet, why are we able to bring this secret decree for your righteous father today? It’s not that the first time His Majesty learned that the Northern Liang barbarians had sent out troops in advance, he thought that your father and the elite of the two Huaihuai provinces would be brave enough to stop them. That this day would come? Otherwise, how could the Cai family have this imperial decree? Obviously, in His Majesty’s heart, he relies on you two Huai as the pillars of the nation.”

Cai Bai faced the east, facing in the direction of that Tai’an City, thumping his head vigorously.

Next without any eunuchs and Beijing officials common that a few polite pleasantries, with the eunuch this is going to leave the tent back to the capital to resume their duties, Cai Bo will have to let people for the eunuch to hastily send some more valuable than the silver on the good things, but the middle-aged eunuch smiled and refused to go dry and sharp.

Under the sky is not greedy for money eunuchs, but very few, and he is not, only to be able to do with the eunuch, especially the two successive eunuchs are Han Sheng Xuan Song Tanglu such a character, he should understand that some times, dealing with some people, do not collect money not only sleep peacefully, and in fact, than to collect money is worth more money.

Cai Bai carefully put down the imperial decree, limping insisted on sending the middle-aged eunuch to the gate of the camp, and saw this big eunuch into the carriage far away, until it completely disappeared from the field of vision, and only then returned to the dead tent, sat back on the small bench next to the bed, did not say a word, his eyes dark.

A voice that shouldn’t have been there rasped into his ears, “Bai’er, that eunuch is gone?”

Cai Bai did not have any shock, nodding his head, “Righteous father, gone far away.”

Cai Nan’s body did not move, only the lips moved slightly, would have liked to sneer a few times, but unfortunately it was really difficult, after all, this root of the disease is fallen, a thousand times true, only that young feudal king’s shot, extremely measured, very well thought out.

As previously that north cool 10,000 iron horsemen did.

Is open formation.

Instead of breaking the formation.

Two Huai border army dead? Of course the dead, and most of them are Cai Nan direct line, but here is very interesting, look at the heavy casualties, but in fact there are dead people, but not much, injured people are countless.

This kind of thing, not a hundred battles of the old pawns, will not understand the mystery.

However, to say that Cai Nan had a telepathic relationship with the Northern Liang iron horsemen from the beginning, and wrongly accused him of this section minister, at the beginning Cai Nan did have the heart of certain death to block the road, if not, he would not have put the elite under his command in the first line.

The body is far from healed, but the essence of the recovery quickly Cai Nan fluent said: “Parker, it is difficult for you so brown people acting.”

Cai Bai smiled bitterly and said, “Righteous father, it’s a matter of life and death for our Cai family, how can Cai Bai not be concerned? But to be honest, it’s a lot harder than going into battle to kill the enemy.”

Cai Nan asked, “What do you think after hearing the two imperial edicts?”

Cai Bo said with mixed feelings, “If I didn’t know beforehand that it was impossible for that Northern Liang to be allowed to go south, and with that Northern Liang cavalry’s weird behavior, Cai Bo would really believe that eunuch’s bullshit today!”

Lying on the bed, Cai Nan looked straight at the top of the tent, “It is said that the rabbit is dead and the fox is grieving, although I don’t know what our great general thinks, but I do have such a mind, so many years to watch the Liyang deal with the means of the Northern Liang, on the stage, as well as under the stage, endless, inevitably, the heart beat the drums, do you think that why my righteous father has always been able to hold the power of the army at the border, is it that I, Cai Nan, have a great ability to lead the army and fight? I’m not sure if I’m a good fighter, but I’m not a good fighter. I see ah, the ability is not small, but really did not have much, compared to Lu Shengxiang Xu Gong these a few, but also a little inferior. The reason why all the way up, to do a section minister, in fact, is the reason for two people, one is a great general, one is still a great general.”

The last sentence sounds like nonsense, but Cai Bo clear not only is not nonsense, and the richness of the moral, not only can be jaw-dropping, but also creepy.

The first great general, was talking about his righteous father’s benefactor, the second great pillar state of the Liyang Dynasty, Gu Jiantang. The second great general was the old Liang King Xu Snap, who was cursed as the Spring and Autumn Man Slaughterer.

Cai Nan said in a low voice: “But even if there is a heart, but I Cai Nan to the old emperor Zhao Li, the late emperor Zhao Dun, to these two people only reverence, no other half a little treasonous thoughts, for what? Simple, they are powerful, regardless of the inner reason, after all, can also pressure the two generals, the pressure of the dynasty, Zhao Li can let Xu Snapdragon willingly help his old man to fight the world, and to the death of all to help Li Yang to fight the North Mang to keep the world, can be in his death, all let us Gu generals wearing official robes instead of iron armor, in the cramped and unbearable Ministry of War Yamen, sat on the bench for twenty years. Zhao Dun is not bad, to that powerful world Zhang Fu died, Bieye child obediently died, Zhao Dun died, the same to the present day the son of heaven left a good large payment of family property. It’s a pity that although Zhao Dun has a personal grudge, generally never harmed the country, to the hands of Zhao Zhuan, can not hold the scale, but this kind of thing, you can not say that the young prince is really wrong, the world is so, can only be interpreted as the creation of the people it. Having said that, I also believe that if Zhao Li was the emperor, I’m afraid that Northern Liang wouldn’t even think of sending troops to Guangling, whereas Zhao Dun, on the other hand, would have sent the imperial decree to us much earlier, and definitely wouldn’t have been so wriggly about it.”

Cai Bai hesitated, “Although I don’t have a good feeling about the young prince, but if it were me, I’m afraid I would only do worse.”

Cai Nan hmmmed, “Zhao Zhuan is not bad, as long as he is given time, he might do better than his father and grandfather. But in the end, he is still a bit young, plus today’s temple, Biyaner died, Tantan Weng seems to be still, I think it’s almost disillusioned, although there is still a Qiyanglong left by the late emperor to us in Liyang, but compared to this halfway out of the Palace of the Shangyin School of the High Priest, especially Yuan Benshi’s teacher, Zhao Zhuan naturally trusts the Chenwang that he himself promoted, but unfortunately, trust to trust, but at the critical moment, the heart will not give too much weight to Chenwang, and he will not give too much weight to Chenwang. Unfortunately, at the same time, when it comes to critical moments, Zhao Zhuan will not give too much weight to Chen Wang’s opinion, because Chen Wang is young, and the emperor is also young. Without Xu Snapdragon in the northwest, the Northern Mang immediately attacked, and without Yuan Benxi and Zhang Julu in the temple, problems arose. I guessed that if Zhao Zhuan could be a bit more generous in the matter of the canal transportation, then Xu Fengyen would at least do some superficial work for this inexplicable troop trip, such as sending someone to ask for an imperial decree with Tai’an City. Only the young prince’s heart, or hope to use our two Huai border army to weigh the weight of the Northern Liang iron cavalry, to see how much water in the end. Now well, a mess, the court is no more Bieye’er this kind of sewing maker …… the last two days as long as I think of this, I heart that a little bit of sulking, at least can be less.”

Then Cai Nan sighed: “If at this time Qi Yang Long and Huan Wen don’t say a few words of justice, with a great situation in Liyang, I’m afraid that there will really be a great disaster.”

Cai Bai did not know what to make of it.

Cai Nan also did not explain anything, the already hoarse and low voice is vague for a few more points, “This time, my righteous father is picking up a life from the gates of hell, after thinking about it, there is one thing that is better to talk to you, but my righteous father did not really think through it, so you can figure it out on your own.”

Cai Bai leaned forward and lowered his voice, “Righteous father you say, I’ll listen.”

Cai Nan said in a calm tone, “‘Protect against the Xu family in Northern Liang in the open, protect against Chen Zhi Bao in the dark, do well as your border general, and great things can be expected.’ This is the only secret letter that the Great General has sent to me, Cai Nan, over the years, it was a verbal message, not written on paper.”

Cai Bai’s pale face instantly grew snowier and snowier, but a sickly flush soon surfaced.

Cai Nan closed his eyes and said wearily, “After dying once, it turns out that nowadays, looking around, it’s still that young man surnamed Xu who is interesting, and the others are just like that. By the way, Bo’er, when to wait until I really receive the hand that was awarded Zhongyi Bo’s holy decree, you can lead the army, as for whether you can become a festival minister, depending on your own ability, righteous father can not help much. You also don’t persuade, righteous father I ah, perhaps I feel that there is no point.”

Cai Nan stopped talking and just opened his eyes.

The ears vaguely have the drums of the Spring and Autumn War, the eyes vaguely have the smoke of the Spring and Autumn War, and the heart vaguely have the youthful defiance of life and death.

Yong Hui years, the world only know the temple has Zhang Lu Gu Lu, do not know a half inch tongue strategist living in the edge of the palace city. By the time the current xiangfu year, the civil and military officials still do not know in the Yuan Benxi residence not far away, there is a secluded house more than a blind resident, surnamed Lu name boasts, around only a personal maid to wait for his food and drink.

On this day, a young man with a special identity came to Lu Fang’s residence, the former is both a guest and a host, because although he is surnamed Zhao is a guest of this small courtyard, but he is the master of the whole Liyang.

The current Son of Heaven, Zhao Zhuan, not wearing a dragon robe and a jade belt with a green shirt, sat opposite to each other in the house with Lu Dang, who had secretly become the Heavenly Spy of this dynasty.

There was only a box of chess pieces on the table without a chessboard, which was a small habit of Lu Dang, no matter whether he was flipping through a book or thinking, he would always place a box of chess pieces in his hand, and grabbed a handful of them and slowly rubbed them in his palm when he had something to do.

Zhao Zhuan’s tone was indifferent, and his words carried a bit of blame, ”Why did Mr. Zhao not just order Zhao Hook along the way to hold his troops still? You even ordered the local jianghu people not to show their faces and not to stop the Northern Liang cavalry?”

Holding a handful of cool chess pieces, Lu Yan’s five fingers moved slightly, creaking slightly, facing a country’s king’s rebuke with anger, this blind young man who had become the center of the dynasty overnight had no expression and slowly said, “Liyang’s face is not on such trivial matters, while His Majesty’s face is on the border wars of the two Liao, Beiliang, and the two Huaihuai. If his majesty thinks that anyone under the sky can tolerate, only can not tolerate Xu Fengyen, and therefore want Lu Dan to take matters into his own hands, then it is very simple, Zhao hooks the big man died in bits and pieces, but in the local area is still a huge force, not to mention what to stop the readers and the jianghu people are not allowed to do anything, that is, in the north of the Liang cavalry on the way south, each and every state, each and every county and every county, there are people who have stood up to the north of the Liang war blade hooves, there are people who have died in the north of the Liang war blade hooves. People will die under the hooves of the Northern Liang’s swords and horses, so what’s so difficult about that?”

Zhao Zhuan was silent, but the indignation between his brows did not diminish.

Lu Daan stretched out his arm and leaked out a chess piece from his palm and crashed it on the table, “From the practical point of view, a family’s money and money, a place’s soldiers and horses, and from the virtual point of view, the people’s heart, the army’s heart, and the time of the day and the general situation, leaving aside the future harvest, at the moment, all of them are using a little less than a little more. Northern Liang cavalry this big south, although playing the banner of pacification, but in the hearts of civil and military officials, is that the wolves, in the eyes of the people in the Central Plains, is that the young king of the feudal lords of the act of domineering. Now the situation, the worst situation, is Xu Fengyen collusion West Chu, first regardless of the war in North Mang, and Cao Changqing reached an equal division of the Central Plains of the intention, such as to be later Xu Fengyen and the empress Jiang Si married, to a hand of the left hand for the right hand of the throne of the transition, the country is still Chu, the emperor’s surname is Xu, in the final analysis, it is still a fertilizer water flow outsiders field. Right?”

Zhao Zhuan nodded his head in a sulky manner and said, “Indeed, as you said.”

Lu Dang smiled, “But then again, Your Majesty ask yourself, would that Northern Liang rebel?”

Zhao Zhuan shook his head and said, “That’s not true, the Northern Liang border army of 100,000 died in battle outside of Guanwai in the front, and only 10,000 or so cavalry troops went to Guangling in the back, the Northern Liang won’t rebel.”

Lu Dang dropped a few more chess pieces on the table, “In that case, then the court should not force Beiliang to rebel, or at the very least, not to take the initiative, and let Beiliang fight with North Mang to the end. Guangling grain, you want? Then give it to you, the martyrs who died in the war, you Xu Fengyen can not pull the face to ask the court? But the court will give it to you. In the second battle of Liangmang, you may not have enough troops? The court will lend you the army of Cai Nan, the governor of Lianghuai. If Cai Nan isn’t enough, there’s still Han Fang and Yang Huchen’s two vice generals’ troops in Jizhou, and they’ll lend them to you together.”

Zhao Zhuan frowned.

Lu Daan calmly said, “The court shouldn’t be thinking about how to guard against Beiliang, but rather think about how to separate Beiliang and the Xu family, don’t hope that the second generation head of the Xu family will still not be loyal or rebellious to the court, but rather think about how to make Beiliang’s young and strong generals unable to have the slightest intention of being rebellious, and make them and the entire Beiliang Dao believe that Beiliang is the Beiliang of the Liyang territory, and that the Xu family is only helping the court to manage and control Beiliang. help the court to manage and govern Beiliang, even if one day Beiliang has no more Xu family iron horsemen, but even if the Liangmang war is unfavorable, they Beiliang from the officials to the people, everyone has a way to retreat, Beiliang has no foothold, then the court will let them feel at ease to retreat to the two Huaihuai, to the Shu Zhaozhao, and even be able to retreat all the way to the south of the Yangtze River.”

Zhao Zhuan’s brows loosened slightly, “If this can really be the case, it doesn’t matter if the Xu family rebels or not?”

Lu Daan laughed dumbly, “Your Majesty, remember, if you want the Xu family in Northern Liang to become a source of water, it’s still early, one relies on the court’s careful operation, shedding and giving up some things to Northern Liang first. Second, rely on the next Liangmang consumption, three rely on the hearts of the people of Northern Liang tilted court, the court can no longer recognize it as unenlightened Northern Liang barbarians, can not be in the matter of the Imperial Examination merit constraints on the cool land scholars. Four rely on the temple hall has a foothold in the northern Liang officials, not without Sun Yin Yao Baifeng, can not only Jin Lanting stream. Five rely on Liyang hurry to let Xu Gong Lu Sheng Xiang Song Kasa these life and can be used to stand out, hurry to the end of the war in Guangling, do not think of to the death to reduce the power of the local generals, the water is clear there is no fish, once the generals in the Liyang completely speechless, the North Mang army is still in the north has not been hurt fundamentally, is it in the end only rely on the iron horsemen of the Xu family to go to war? Then the previous ‘four relies’, won’t it become a joke?”

One by one, Zhao Zhuan picked up the pieces from the table that had slipped out of Lu Fang’s hands and clutched them tightly, falling into deep thought.

Zhao Zhuan subconsciously mimicked the blind youth’s movements, the chess pieces in his hand rubbing against each other, “In the final analysis, is Mister wanting the court to retreat in order to advance?”

Lu Daan did not hesitate to say something treacherous, “It is for His Majesty to advance by retreating.”

Zhao Zhuan smiled sarcastically, strangely enough the young prince was clearly not angry.

Lu Dang suddenly asked, “Doesn’t Your Majesty wonder why, with the vision of Zhang Julu Yuan Benxi and the two of them, why they couldn’t come up with this crude tactic of pulling out firewood from the bottom of the cauldron?”

Zhao Zhuan’s heart shook and he laughed, “I only know that this handiwork of Your Majesty is by no means shallow.”

Lu Dang loosened his grip, the pieces clattered down the table, “The two seniors, they just can’t think this way, I believe that at that time, all the layouts of the two men were mainly aimed at the two men in Beiliang, not Xu Fengyen. The same prescription, used in different places, the effect is diametrically opposite.”

Zhao Zhuan said incredulously, “Other than Xu Snapdragon, who else could it be?”

Lu Dang raised his head, his face expressionless.

Zhao Zhuan suddenly realized, “Chen Zhibao!”

Lu Dang’s words were getting more and more shocking, “In the early years, no one could have imagined that Xu Feng Nian would really be able to successfully succeed in his hereditary succession, but with the great talents of the two men, Zhang Shoufu and Mr. Yuan, they were still able to mend the fold, but unfortunately, the late Emperor did not give Zhang Julu the chance, and Your Majesty, you did not give Mr. Yuan the chance either.”

Zhao Zhuan’s face was gloomy.

Lu Dang “looked” at the young emperor, “In fact, your majesty is here to ask why I, Lu Dang, dared to ‘act before deciding’ and appoint Cai Nan as a loyal uncle without authorization after I took charge of Zhao Hook? ”

Zhao Zhuan laughed, “Initially, I was indeed shocked and angered, and I was even tempted to kill someone, but after listening to Mr. Zhao’s off-topic remarks, I was relieved, but I don’t want to see this kind of thing happen a second time.”

Lu Dang frankly shook his head, “There won’t be a second time, your majesty’s trust in me is almost used up, Lu Dang’s head is only one after all.”

Zhao Zhuan stopped his hand movements and said with emotion, “Sir, I can promise you that as long as you are dedicated to strategizing for my Liyang, even if one day you commit a capital crime, I can tolerate it, tolerate it once! If mister doesn’t believe me, I can go to the ancestral temple and swear to the ancestors of the Zhao family ……”

Lu Dang hurriedly waved his hand and smiled, “No need, Your Majesty is a good emperor, I’m sure of that. Otherwise Lu Dan, a blind man destined to not be able to climb up the career ladder, would be willing to run to Tai’an City?”

Zhao Zhuan asked in a small voice, “Sir, I also know that there are some questions that I shouldn’t ask, and the history books have never had a good ending whenever a subject answered the monarch to this question, but I still have the luxury of being honest with you.”

Lu Daan said blandly, “Since your majesty does not yet have many imperial sons, you should be asking me who can succeed Qi Yanglong as the chief minister of this dynasty in the temple hall? And do you tolerate that chief minister to grow up under your nose to become a standing emperor like Zhang Julu, who has no political enemies in the dynasty? If you ask this question, does it mean that Your Majesty won’t even trust Chen Wang? Then Your Majesty is truly alone.”

Zhao Zhuan said in a sincere tone, “It’s not that I don’t trust Chen Wang.”

Lu Dang did not deny it, and said to himself, “Chen Wang is the only one who can fill this position, there is no doubt about it. Yan Ji Ji, Sun Yin, Fan Chang Hou, Li Jifu, these five people, each with their own fatal flaws, are not as good as Chen Wang, who is expected to be a ‘perfect man’. In the transitional stage before them, such as Yin Maochun Zhao right Ling Han Lin and the stream, but three or five years of scenery ‘short-lived ghost’ first minister, not worth mentioning.”

Zhao Zhuan spread out his hand and looked down at the handful of chess pieces, “I am enlightened.”

Zhao Zhuan suddenly looked up and smiled, “Do you have any more chess pieces to give me, sir?”

Lu Dang smiled, “No.”

Zhao Zhuan clenched his hand tightly and got up, “Then I’ll take these chess pieces.”

Lu Fang stood up, “Then I won’t give them away either.”

Zhao Zhuan laughed, “I don’t need to send me out, but I’ll continue to send the chess pieces in the future, so that at the end of our lifetimes, we can sit together face to face like today, slowly counting the pieces, talking about the past, and putting them back into the box one by one, which is not a bad idea!”

Waiting for Zhao Zhuan to quietly leave.

The maidservant, Apricot Flower, who had followed Lu Dang to the capital from the Jing’an Royal Mansion, she suddenly noticed that her own mister was sitting upright, but there was a lone chess piece on the desktop at some point, which had not been given to the Emperor, Zhao Zhuan.

She asked curiously, “Why did mister keep one for himself?”

Lu Daan said softly, “It’s not reserved for myself, it’s reserved for someone.”

The woman was creeped out.

Lu Dang stretched out his finger and gently pressed it on top of that chess piece, “I shall be rewarded as a national scholar!”