Chapter 189 Chapter Sixteen

The Sixth Book of Everlasting and Everlasting Chapter Sixteen In December of the seventh year of Longsheng, Dayong was defeated in Huainan. Pei Yun, the military governor of Huainan, and Sun Ji, the general of Jingbei, wrote a letter of apology. Sacrifice to the sky to tell the heroic soul. ——"Zi Zhi Tong Jian".Yongji III "Jiangxia Daying went eastward on November 4th, and the guards along the way were heavily guarded. They declared that due to the emergency in Huaixi, Jiujiang was empty, and they would go to Jiujiang to prevent the Yong army from crossing the river."

In the cold garden, under the bright lights, Huo Cong was reading aloud with a paper in his hand, while Jiang Zhe was leaning on the soft couch, leisurely playing with the crystal clear black jade chess pieces, and Xiao Shunzi was sitting on the chess pieces. Sitting on the chair opposite Ping, he looked at the chessboard in front of him with a frown. On the board, a big white dragon was about to be encircled by black chesses. As a national player, it is easy to defeat Jiang Zhe, so Huo Cong read the military newspaper sent by the Ministry of War, and still peeked at it from time to time. When Huo Cong read that Jiangxia Daying joined the battle at Guazhou Ferry, I stopped playing chess pieces, raised my head and said, "Lu Can really has made great progress, and he is also courageous enough. Didn't he create the emptiness of Jiujiang?" Why, instead of fighting with Pei Yun in Huaidong, they transferred the Jiujiang battalion to Jingkou, showing signs of instability in the defense line in the central part of Southern Chu, and then transferred the Jiangxia battalion to Jiujiang under the pretext that Jiujiang was empty, which seemed to demolish the west. The wall patching the east wall actually confuses our army's eyes and ears. First, it prevents our army from thinking that there will be a possibility of riding a battalion to help Shouchun. Second, it also makes our army ignore the Jiangxia camp to join the Jiujiang camp for a decisive battle in Yangzhou. However, Lu Can's plan is extremely dangerous. The outcome of the battle in Huaixi is not yet decided, and our army is cruising in Jingxiang. Once Shouchun falls, or General Changsun bypasses Jingxiang and goes straight to Jingnan, then the Southern Chu army will He will fall into a place of eternal doom. However, Lu Can must have known well that this time our army's main attack direction is not Xiangyang, and General Changsun is a steady and steady man who will not take risks. Only the battle of Huaixi, Lu Can is indeed taking risks. It's risky, but this move is already known as a famous general. If there is a 30% chance of winning the Huaixi battle, it is worthwhile to do so. Well, Conger, read the military newspaper in Huaixi, I want to see how Lu Can is doing there Arranged?"

Huo Cong found the Huaixi military report and read it in detail in order. When he read that Lu Yun and Shi Guan's son Shi Yujin had killed Dong Shan, my hand shook, but the expression on my face didn't change at all. He smiled and said: "Okay, Lu Can did a good job. If the pheasant eagle is not driven out of the nest, it will not be able to fly high. Lu Can put his parents and children in a dangerous place. No wonder the Huaixi Army is so tenacious. Otherwise, Cui Jue, Dong Shan It is also a rare and fierce general, and he will not be blocked in Shouchun. In fact, the emperor underestimated the enemy. If he sent a cautious general, and sent tens of thousands of troops to guard against enemy reinforcements, the army would definitely not be exhausted from the long battle. In fact, it’s no wonder that Lu Can’s cavalry battalion is so secretive that Si Wencao doesn’t know anything about it. I’m afraid that even the Southern Chu court didn’t know about it. No wonder Cui Jue and Dong Shan were slack. However, Dong Shan was killed by two teenagers who were less than fifteen years old, which is quite surprising. I remember that he is a fierce general."

Huo Cong said: "According to Si Wencao's investigation after the incident, General Dong fought hard after the end, and it should have been at the end of his battle at that time, and General Lu and General Shi were both rare young warriors, so they were able to achieve such a record. I heard that at that time The battle situation is very dangerous, and the two major generals almost lost their lives." I sighed softly: "After this battle, the morale of the army and people in Huaixi has been high. Although Lu Yun is young, he has become a force that cannot be ignored by the Southern Chu military. Lu Can will definitely take this opportunity to expand his army in Huaixi and strengthen his defense against Huaixi Control. When the Huaixi army is strong, they can attack Suzhou and Xuzhou to the northeast, or Haozhou and Suiyang to the northwest. If you think about it, within a few years, Lu Can will send troops from Huaixi to attack Huaibei and train soldiers.”

Huo Cong said suspiciously: "Sir, although Lu Can has already mastered the military power in the south of the Yangtze River, Dayong has a million troops. This defeat did not hurt his muscles and bones. Lu Can should rest and recuperate, and take precautions against Dayong's southern conquest. How could he take the initiative to provoke a war?" ?” I chuckled and said: "Although Lu Can has the military power in the Jianghuai River, he is not cruel enough. Most of the forbidden army is still in the hands of Shang Weijun, and Jianye is still dominated by the Shang family. The heavier the military power in Lu Can's hands, The more civil servants who claim to be loyal ministers will worry that he will use his military power to rebel, so Shang Weijun will have more and more supporters. Just wait, after the meritorious deeds are rewarded, someone will try their best to weaken Lu Can Therefore, if he wants to protect himself, he can only take the initiative to send troops, and the border wars are endless, in order to preserve his wealth and life."

A cold light flashed in Huo Cong's eyes, and he said: "There is no reward for great achievements. This is an unforgivable crime. Will General Lu simply establish himself as king? Jiangnan will be monolithic by then, and there will be no more opportunities." I raised my voice and said with a smile: "Cong'er, do you think mutiny is so easy? Yes, Lu Can has a large army in his hands. Once the troops are established, he can sweep the court, control the Southern Chu court, and even establish himself as king. However, some things cannot be achieved by the army alone. Once Lu Can raises troops to rebel, those soldiers who served for the Lu family because of their loyalty and prestige will be disappointed, and some people will even raise troops to serve the king. Although Xishiguan and Jiamengguan Yu Mian all respect Lu Can as the leader, and they have a lot of ties with the Lu family, but they are loyal ministers of Southern Chu. If they are allowed to rebel with Lu Can, I am afraid it will not be possible. Shang Weijun has been in control of the court for many years, and has an intricate relationship with the major families of Southern Chu. Now, six out of ten officials in the Southern Chu court belong to the Shang family. If Lu Can clears the king's side, what will these officials do? If they were all killed, the Southern Chu court would be empty, and the political situation would immediately fall into chaos. If they didn't kill them, would these people really respect the Lu family as king? The Lu family's power is mainly concentrated in the military, and there is no way to control the entire Southern Chu family. The imperial court, I am afraid that the government will be controlled by the power of the aristocratic family who took advantage of the situation. At that time, the major aristocratic families will inevitably attack each other in order to fight for power and profit. I am afraid that the situation in Southern Chu will become more corrupt. Therefore, Lu Can cannot use mutiny to solve the problem. The pressure we are about to face, the only way is naturally to provoke foreign aggression. As long as the Jianghuai war is still going on, Shang Weijun and others will not dare to harm Lu Can and his soldiers casually. Moreover, Da Yong’s desire to conquer the South will not be eliminated. Yes, instead of sitting and waiting for Dayong to attack, it is better to take the initiative to attack, and use these small-scale battles to sharpen morale, train soldiers, and make the border of Southern Chu as stable as Mount Tai. Why would Lu Can not do such a thing that kills two birds with one stone?"

Huo Cong listened fascinated, and said after a long time: "Sir, Shang Weijun is afraid of Lu Can's military power, so he must not dare to act rashly. Instead of fighting for power in the court, it is better for Lu Can to control the army and respond to everyone outside. Only in this way, If the situation in the south of the Yangtze River is stable, it is impossible for Dayong to successfully destroy Southern Chu, and it is difficult to unify the world, so it is impossible to stop the war." I glanced at him and said, "Lu Can is very loyal. The reason why he fought for the military power was because he didn't want to see Dayong's iron cavalry go south. To him, he is the leader of the army, and Shang Weijun is the leader Zheng, that is the best. Of course, he will be a high-ranking and powerful man in the future, and it is unknown whether he will have the idea of ​​disobedience, but in my opinion, this person has no possibility of rebellion. The loyalty of the Lu family has been deeply rooted for generations. Lu Can is no exception. Although his methods are more powerful and his actions are less fearful, he has no self-reliance. However, although his intentions are good, Shang Weijun will not agree. Now it is only a temporary compromise. This kind of military-government separation cannot last long, unless the Southern Chu king has enough prestige to take back the military and political power, or Shang Weijun is willing to surrender, but these two points are not realistic. The confrontation between the North and the South cannot last long after all. , one side must be wiped out, the same is true of the struggle between the two countries, and the struggle between two powerful ministers. Even if Lu Can compromises, or uses some thunderous means to suppress this hidden danger, once it breaks out, it will be a catastrophic change. But if the rulers and ministers of Southern Chu were not If it’s too stupid, it shouldn’t be a problem to maintain a balanced situation for a few years. However, Cong’er, why do you ask these things, do you also want to compete with Lu Can to see who is the number one under my sect?”

Huo Cong said with an embarrassing look on his face: "How could this disciple have such an intention? It was the king of Jiajun who asked me to test the tone of the gentleman, and wanted to know if the gentleman had already made a plan to flatten Chu, perhaps it was ordered by His Royal Highness King Qi Bar." I sneered coldly and said, "Midget your own business. Since Li Lin is the king of the county, it's all right to spend some thought. You are just a white man. Why bother with so many things? You just need to read your book well. By the way, tomorrow After sorting out the military newspapers sent by the Ministry of War, you say that Jiang is an idler and is not interested in these military newspapers. If you send such documents again in the future, say that I am recovering from illness and have no time to care about the outside world. You are not allowed to accept these military reports without authorization."

Huo Cong murmured in his heart, didn't you listen very carefully just now, and analyzed the situation plausibly, why did you change your mind now, but quickly said: "It's all disciples making decisions without authorization, sir, please forgive me." After saying that, respectfully backed out. Looking at Huo Cong's back, a sneer appeared on the corner of my mouth, hmph, what does King Qi mean, King Jiajun is probably ordered by the prince, and the prince is probably ordered by the emperor, but he just wants to test me Mind.It seems that the fiasco of attacking Chu this time has cleared up the minds of King Dayong and his ministers. They naturally thought of my letter that day. It seems that the emperor has understood that it is not because I am nostalgic for my homeland, but because they underestimate the enemy.Now that the situation has changed to this point, these people must all want to hear my judgment.But I, Jiang Zhe, am I a person who comes and goes when called. Since they have doubted me, I will simply not intervene in the battle between Yong and Chu. This is my hope. Anyway, their monarchs and officials are all experienced Famous generals in the war, step by step, under such circumstances, with 20 to 30 years of hard work, there should be no problem in capturing Nanchu, right?After all, there are still many internal worries in Southern Chu. If Lu Can has no enterprising spirit, I predict that he will experience drastic changes within four to five years. The current king of Southern Chu, Zhao Long, should be crowned in a few years. Time is supposed to be pro-government, and that is Shang Weijun's best chance to regain military power.However, Lu Can's methods these days are ruthless, unlike his style. It is difficult to change the style of doing things alone. Most of them are Wei Ying's plan. The cooperation between the two is very good for Nan Zheng.Forget it, why am I thinking about Pingchu again? Didn’t I plan to stay out of it?

Looking sideways at Xiao Shunzi still thinking hard, I secretly laughed. I got a chess record of a national player a few days ago, and there were several Linglong chess games on it. To save face, recalling the horror of being killed by him in cold sweat, I proudly looked at Xiao Shunzi, hoping to see him admit defeat.Unexpectedly, when I was triumphant, Xiao Shunzi suddenly raised his brows and put down a white crystal chess piece. The situation on the board suddenly turned around.I sighed, knowing that I didn't bother Xiao Shunzi, I casually took out the chess book from under the jade pillow, threw it to him, pushed the chessboard away in a fit of anger, and lay on my back on the soft couch, with the warmth beneath my body. The soft bedding and the faint fragrance in the air made me a little tired.In order not to want Changle to speak for the emperor, I am going to stay in Hanyuan these days.

Xiao Shunzi smiled slightly, opened the chess record, put it in his arms, and packed up the chess pieces while saying, "My lord, are you fighting with the emperor? After all, he is a king, and your lord is a minister." For a long time, Jiang Zhe remained silent, just when Xiao Shunzi packed up the chess pieces, thinking that Jiang Zhe would not answer, Jiang Zhe said calmly: "When things happen, we must guard against the passing of time, the emperor can distrust me this time, what about the future? I can't leave behind hidden dangers. And if I'm magnanimous and tolerant, with the emperor's intelligence, how can I not see that I have doubts about him? It changed the perception of him." Xiao Shunzi was silent, he didn't continue to ask, for example, is Jiang Zhe really dissatisfied with the emperor?Is it true that Jiang Zhe still has nostalgia for Nanchu, so he is unwilling to offer advice to Pingchu?Once Jiang Zhe made a decision, no matter how unreasonable it was, he would never object.After putting away the chessboard, he added some benzoin to the incense burner, and then took a blanket to cover Jiang Zhe, who had fallen asleep.After doing all this, he sat on the futon beside him and meditated to adjust his breath. For him, sleep was no longer a very important thing. After a while, he suddenly frowned slightly, and glanced at Jiang Zhe who was still sleeping. He turned around and opened the door, and walked out. At a glance, he saw a group of people walking towards here, one of them was wearing a cloak, covering His face was blurred, but the faintly exposed bright yellow robe and the guards around him still made Xiao Shunzi recognize his identity at a glance.When those people approached, the middle-aged man who covered his face asked, "Has Suiyun fallen asleep?" Xiao Shunzi lowered his head and frowned and said: "Master has already fallen asleep. It is difficult for you to fall asleep recently, so I lighted a benzoin. I am afraid that you will not wake up before tomorrow morning, and you are not feeling well recently. drive." The man smiled wryly, raised his head, and the hood slipped off, revealing his age-gone, but still graceful face. He ordered the Ministry of War to send documents in advance, and passed Huo Cong's test, originally to express his apology, but looking at it now Coming to Jiang Zhe didn't appreciate it, this person is still the same temperament as before, and has not changed so far. Thinking of this, Li Zhi felt guilty for his suspicion of Jiang Zhe a few days ago.Look at Li Shun standing in front of him. Although his posture is so humble, Li Zhi knows that that kind of obedience is just a disguise on the outside. He believes that if he wants to force his way in, the evil shadow Li Shun will not care about his identity. Once things get to that point, there is no room for recovery.In desperation, Li Zhi had no choice but to turn around and leave, thinking how to convince Jiang Zhe this time, wouldn't it be more difficult than convincing him to join him? Next, when Dayong's emperor and ministers were busy dealing with the aftermath of the defeat, the Marquis of Chu, who had always lived in seclusion, became the focus of Dayong's courtiers.A rumor spread quietly among the officials in Yongdu that the emperor visited Princess Changle's mansion several times in person, but Jiang Zhe turned him away from the cold garden. Except for Shi Yu and others who had seen Jiang Zhe's fierce side at the beginning, the rest of the courtiers were I can't believe this. In fact, this is just a guesswork.The emperor would not talk about this kind of embarrassing thing, and the guards around him did not dare to say it, but most of the ups and downs in Princess Changle's mansion were carefully arranged by the emperor and queen, so this matter was originally unknown.But no matter how secretive things are, there are traces to be found. The emperor visited Princess Changle's mansion several times, but always returned in disappointment. All kinds of clues were passed on by word of mouth, and the truth was outlined.It was spread by those who wanted to, and it was involved in the street talks.It's just this matter, even the most upright admonisher is silent, not to mention how powerful Chu Junhou's secret power is, only relying on the emperor's trust and favor for him, and knowing that if this person can't kill him with a single blow, he will die in the end. It's better not to offend.And if no one knows about this matter, the emperor can still save some face. If it spreads out, I'm afraid it will make the emperor angry, and the officials who provoke the incident will be in trouble. This rumor has not subsided, and after some days, new rumors spread again. Some people said that the reason why Hou Jiangzhe of Chu County refused to make suggestions and refused to meet him was because he was nostalgic for his homeland, and now Nanchu is a well-known general. It was his direct disciple, Jiang Zhe and the Lu family of Nanchu are still inseparable and have many contacts.This rumor is well-founded, and many officials and people believe it, even the important officials in the court can't help but believe it to a certain extent. Hearing this rumor, Li Zhi was very annoyed. Now, he naturally would not still doubt that Jiang Zhe would leave Dayong for the sake of Southern Chu, but he also knew that Jiang Zhe's temper was the most stubborn. Let him know this rumor, maybe he will really keep silent in a fit of anger, wouldn't that be extremely bad.So he ordered the Ming Jian Division to trace the source of the rumors, and issued a strict order not to allow anyone to spread the news to Jiang Zhe's ears.It's just that rumors and rumors spread all over Chang'an, but there was no source to be found if he wanted to investigate. Li Zhi couldn't help being furious, and the atmosphere in Yongdu became extremely tense. A few days later, Li Xian came to Han Yuan in a light and simple manner. He came to seek peace at Li Zhi's will.This time the Southern Expedition Li Xian did not submit a letter to ask for orders to go out. Firstly, he did not take the strength of the Jianghuai army in the South Chu into consideration. In his opinion, he does not need to be in charge of the attack on the Jianghuai this time. It is not too late to ask for orders, and secondly, it is because Lin Bi is about to give birth, and he is also a little bit reluctant to let go of his wife and son, so Li Zhi had no intention of letting him go south, so he didn't take the initiative to bring it up, but was just a counselor at the side when making the plan for the south expedition That's all.When Jiang Zhe wrote a letter against the Southern Expedition, he, like Li Zhi, thought that Jiang Zhe would inevitably have feelings for his homeland, so the two brothers cooperated tacitly to hide this matter, so that no one would take the opportunity to criticize Jiang Zhe.Unexpectedly, the Southern Expedition suffered a disastrous defeat. Jiang Zhe's words were accurate. Both Li Zhi and Li Xian were generals killed from the battlefield.After ten years of recuperation, it was not only Dayong who restored the national strength, but also Nanchu was no longer the exhausted scene it used to be.But even though they realized this, the change in the situation was irreversible. Lu Can controlled the military power in the south of the Yangtze River. In this way, half of the country in the south of the Yangtze River would be difficult to overthrow. In their eyes, Lu Can became the biggest obstacle to the Great Yong's southern expedition. Lu Can, if you want to get rid of Lu Can, then one person's opinion is the most important, and this person is Jiang Zhe.No matter how outstanding Lu Can is, it cannot be denied that most of this person's ability is related to Jiang Zhe. In this case, who else can formulate a strategy for Ping Chu except Jiang Zhe?Neither Li Zhi nor Li Xian hoped that the confrontation between the two countries would last for decades. Since Jiang Zhe didn't want to sell Li Zhi's face, then Li Xian came to persuade him without hesitation, but even though he wanted something from others, Li Xian's temper was still so arrogant, he went on a rampage all the way, and the guards at Princess Changle's mansion didn't dare Even though the host said he would not see any guests, no one dared to stop Li Xian when he went all the way to Hanyuan.As soon as Li Xian walked to the door of the study, he heard Jiang Zhe's furious scolding.Li Xian was curious. After all these years of acquaintance, he seemed to have never seen Jiang Zhe curse like this, so he couldn't help but stop and listen. I looked at Shen'er who was kneeling there honestly, and my heart was full of anger. This brat was obviously punished to kneel there, but you can see that he is clearly thinking wildly, and he has no regrets at all. mean?Couldn't help cursing again: "I only know martial arts for fun all day long. I taught you to read, but you sneaked out for me. After reading a book of Analects for half a year, you still can't memorize it. Listen, today I will punish you to copy the Analects of Confucius. Three times, if you can't hand it in, don't even think about having dinner." Shen'er is already eight years old this year. He was born with beautiful features, smart and cute, but he has a stupid stomach. It is more difficult for him to study than anything else. I don't know who he is like. His mother is also a smart person, why is he so stupid, but the old monk Cizhen actually said that he is a martial arts prodigy, really unreasonable? As soon as I finished talking about the method of punishment, Shen'er jumped up and said, "Daddy, then I'll copy the books, but Daddy, it's none of my business if I can't memorize the Analects of Confucius. It's all because of your poor teaching, Daddy. This article, daddy wants to ramble about, talk about a lot of things, my sister also said, if you want to study, it is much better to follow Brother Huo." I was so angry that I almost fainted when I heard these words, I picked up the ruler and was about to hit his palm, but Jiang Shen turned around and fled away, very agile, disappeared at the door like a wisp of smoke, I roared: : "Xiao Shunzi, bring him back for me, I will smash his palms." Before he finished speaking, he heard Shen'er cheering, "My lord father-in-law." My heart froze, and I immediately changed my words: "Shen'er, run slowly, don't fall." In an absolutely loving father's tone, Xiao Shunzi, who was standing next to him, showed a funny smile, of course, the smile disappeared before I ran away. . Then I saw Li Xian pulling Shen'er in, with an extremely unfriendly expression on his face, I swallowed my anger and went forward to salute: "It turns out that Brother Six is ​​here, I made you laugh, Shen'er is too naughty." Alas, since Li Xian After returning to Chang'an, I almost occupied Shen'er. Every time Shen'er came back from Fuyun Temple, he would pick me up before staying at home for two or three days. If I wanted to refuse, I would face his coldness. Mori's face, that is to say, was better during the years when he pursued Lin Bi.After Li Ning was born, King Qi intensified his efforts, first abducting Shen'er and calling him father-in-law, and then leading him away grandiosely.It's my father who can't discipline his son.However, I rubbed my nose, if I hadn't liked to bully Shen'er since I was a child, this kid wouldn't have changed his mind so quickly, right? Li Xian hesitated for a moment, he treated Shen'er as his own son, and when he heard that Jiang Zhe wanted to hit Shen'er's palm, he felt unhappy, but he came here to seek peace for the emperor's brother, so it's not easy to give Jiang Zhe looked at his face, hesitated again and again, and finally said: "Suiyun, I think you should hire an enlightened gentleman for Shen'er. If you don't want to, just let Huo Cong teach him. Listen to Roulan, you can do it as soon as possible." He likes to quote scriptures when he lectures, so it's no wonder Shen'er can't understand." Shen'er was very clever, and when he heard that his father-in-law's tone was weak, he immediately became honest, looked at me helplessly, and said, "Daddy, Shen'er is too stupid to understand your lectures, unlike Huo Brother, you know what you hear, let others teach me." I couldn't help but smile wryly in my heart when I saw this, who exactly does this child look like? At this time, King Qi said again: "Actually, Shen'er won't need ten years of hard work in the future. Wouldn't it be good to be a general in the future? I think this kid has a solid foundation in martial arts, and he is very courageous. He looks a bit like me." Somewhat proudly, he stroked Shen'er's head.Shen'er also had a smug look on his face, as if Li Xiancai was his father.There was a sour feeling in my heart, and I said in a bad tone: "Xiao Shunzi, send Shen'er to his study to copy books, copy the Analects of Confucius a hundred times, you watch him, if he dares to sneak back to Fuyun Temple, you Catch him back and hit his board for me." When Shen'er heard it like thunder, he immediately froze, until Xiao Shunzi stepped forward to pick him up and walked to the door, then he shouted: "Uncle Shun, please forgive me, your neck hurts, father-in-law, please help!" Ah, mother help, brother Huo help, sister help." After a while, the earth-shattering cry for help faded away.I couldn't help but feel ashamed, this kid really humiliated me, he gave Li Xian a hard look, it's because he spoiled Shen'er, so no matter what he came to do today, I won't let him do what he wants. Li Xian is so smart, he knew at the first sight that he had stabbed a hornet's nest. This Jiang Zhe was clearly preparing to avenge his own personal revenge, so he couldn't help showing a wry smile. The purpose of coming here this time is absolutely impossible to achieve. Nine palaces, hundreds of towers, golden palace roads, jade carved railings, inside the imperial study, Li Zhi frowned, looking at the secret chapter of a book case, but couldn't calm down to read it, Song Wan lightly He walked in and reported: "Your Majesty, His Royal Highness King Qi is waiting outside." Li Zhi hurriedly said: "What are you waiting for? Since when did he obey the rules? Hurry up and announce it." Song Wan walked out, led Li Xian into the study after a while, and brought the waiter in the study with him without ordering. The maid of honor withdrew, leaving room for the two brothers to talk in secret. As soon as the figures of these people disappeared, Li Xian immediately reverted to his old ways, pulled a chair and sat down, complaining: "Brother Emperor, I've messed up this matter, Sui Yun won't listen to my advice at all." Li Zhi didn't take Li Xian's arrogant behavior as disobedience at all, and said with a smile: "When you left, didn't you pat your chest and promise success?" Li Xian said embarrassingly: "This is really not a coincidence." After Li Xian told the situation today, Li Zhi smiled wryly after hearing this, and Li Xian said seriously: "Brother Emperor, it seems that Suiyun is just a momentary mood, You will definitely change your mind after some time, and you don't have to worry, now that Suiyun is in the same boat as us, he won't watch us capsize." Li Zhi smiled wryly and said, "Time waits for no one. If it takes a few more months, I'm afraid that the Jianghuai defense line will be impenetrable, and we will have no chance. If there is no Suiyun's opinion when formulating the strategy for Ping Chu, I really don't think so." Don't worry, the current Southern Chu is not the former Southern Chu. I don't want to win this battle. I will lose both sides and the people's livelihood will be ruined. Therefore, I must persuade Suiyun to participate in this battle. In fact, I plan to establish Jiangnan Xingyuan in the next year. You sit in the town personally, Governor Jingxiang and Jianghuai battle, Suiyun I also intend to let him serve as military counselor, so I need to convince him quickly, Suiyun's temper is really too stubborn." When Li Xian heard about Jiangnan Xingyuan, he only raised his eyebrows slightly, but did not make a sound, but when he heard the last sentence, he smiled and said: "Suiyun is a national soldier, and the emperor treats him as a national soldier, so that he can serve his life willingly. Besides Brother Huang, who else can control him? I think he was just angry for a while. In fact, I think his anger has dissipated. It’s just that there is no step down. If it wasn’t for the bad luck that I went today, maybe he is now Follow me into the palace." Li Zhi also smiled slightly. He has a lot of eyes and ears in Princess Changle's mansion. He naturally knows that Jiang Zhe's mood has recovered in the past few days. To persuade them, after thinking for a long time, there are not many important officials in the court who can talk to Jiang Zhe. For these years, Jiang Zhe has been hidden in the court in Yongdu and has no acquaintances. The subordinate officials also have little contact.What's more, this kind of thing can't be known by too many people. Li Zhi doesn't want to give people the impression that Jiang Zhe is arrogant.For a while, the two brothers sat in a sad city, but they had no idea. At this time, Song Wan came in again to report: "My Majesty, Lord Xiahou Yuanfeng is asking to see you." Li Zhi didn't say anything, just waved his hand, and Song Wan backed away.Li Xian knew that Xia Hou Yuanfeng was Li Zhi's confidant, and he shouldered the heavy responsibility of supervising all officials, so there were inevitably some secret things that he didn't know, so he stood up and wanted to leave. Li Zhi smiled and said: "It's okay, the sixth brother doesn't need to avoid it, I asked Xia Hou to find out who is spreading rumors recently, trying to drive apart our monarchs and relatives, I think he has a result, you can listen to it." Not long after, Xiahou Yuanfeng walked in. Although he was already in his early thirties, and he had been in the officialdom for many years, he had added a little bit of wind and frost. He was not as handsome and unparalleled as before, but the years did not seem to have left many marks on him. Xiahou Yuan Feng is still personable, handsome and elegant, living up to his reputation as a handsome man. Entering the study, Xiahou Yuanfeng stepped forward to salute and said, "I report to the emperor, after careful investigation, the person who spread the rumors may have some connection with Southern Chu." Li Zhi was not surprised at all. Now that the North and the South are confronting each other, if someone wants to drive a wedge between him and Jiang Zhe, the Southern Chu people are the most sincere. He said indifferently, "It is inconvenient to publicize this matter. You can submit the list and we will discuss it later. Monitor them carefully, and control them if there is any abnormality." Xiahou Yuanfeng presented the written papers, and was about to turn around and leave. He accidentally saw Li Xian's troubled face, and said in his heart, "The emperor and His Highness King Qi are bothered by the matter of the Marquis of Chu?" Hearing this, Li Zhi smiled bitterly and said, "Xiahou, what can you do to solve this matter?" He was just asking casually, Xiahou Yuanfeng and Jiang Zhe had always had some old grudges, and Li Zhi would never believe that Xiahou Yuanfeng could have any way to persuade Jiang Zhe Philosophy offers advice.Unexpectedly, Xiahou Yuanfeng stepped forward and said respectfully: "The duty of the minister is to share the worries of the monarch and father. I am willing to go and persuade the Marquis of Chu." Li Zhi was startled, looked Xiahou Yuanfeng up and down for a moment, and then said, "You can try it." Xiahou Yuanfeng retreated with a smile, as if persuading Jiang Zhe was an extremely easy task, which made Li Zhi and Li Xian also born Heart of hope. It is snowing all over the sky, and the clouds are densely covered. Sitting in the Linbo Pavilion, I sit quietly and play the piano.After a long time, I pushed Yuqin away and sighed softly. The tree wants to be quiet but the wind keeps blowing. How can the turbulent undercurrent in Chang’an be hidden from my eyes and ears these days? exist.Caressing the broken lines on the body of the piano, I thought of Qiu Yufei. Since the fall of the Northern Han Dynasty, the Mozong retreated, but Duan Lingxiao and others naturally could not withdraw casually. Duan Lingxiao lived in seclusion in Da Nei, and Xiao Tong followed Lin Bi. , the other Mozong disciples either joined the army, or stayed in the palace as bodyguards. Although the Mozong disciples were relatively unruly, their abilities and methods were outstanding. Now the Mozong had faintly become a force that could compete with Shaolin and other sects.Among them, only Qiu Yufei stayed out of the matter and took Ling Duan to live in seclusion in the Jinghai Villa I gave him.You can enjoy the scenery of the East China Sea all the year round, or you can enjoy the scenery of the East China Sea in a flat boat, or you can play the piano under the moon, and you can feel at ease.After receiving the warm wine handed over by Xiao Shunzi, I drank it all in one gulp, the soft and sweet nectar made me feel intoxicated. A guard came walking on snow, Xiao Shunzi went out of the pavilion to listen to what he reported, then turned back and said, "My lord, Xiahou Yuanfeng is asking to see you." I was slightly taken aback, why did Xiahou Yuanfeng come to me? Ever since the incident in Dongchuan, this person always hides away, as if I were a ghost, curious in my heart, I smiled and said: "Please come here, Mr. Xiahou .” Not long after, Xiahou Yuanfeng came along with the guards. The snow-colored fur, the jade tree facing the wind, was as bright as the moon. If this person looked at his appearance, he would never have guessed that he was the head of the Mingjian Department with blood-stained hands. I stood up and greeted each other in the pavilion. Outside the pavilion was snowing like weaves. Naturally, I would not experience the cold air inside. I stretched out my hand to appease the guests. I invited Xiahou Yuanfeng to take a seat. If you have time to visit, it is snowing all over the sky, there are good guests coming, you must have wine, Xiao Shunzi, bring a jar of imperial wine, this pot of 'Ningchun' is too fragrant, Master Xiahou will not like it." Xiahou Yuanfeng laughed and said: "Your Majesty, don't worry about it. I have heard for a long time that the 'Ningchun' wine brewed by Her Royal Highness from hundreds of flowers is fragrant and soft, and it tastes like fine nectar and jade dew. I have long wanted to taste it, but I just didn't know how to do it." Come on, I am lucky enough to see you in person today, how can I miss the fine wine." A gleam of light flashed in my eyes, and I said: "This 'Ningchun' wine is brewed by Changle. In addition to the essence of hundreds of flowers, there are also many nourishing medicines added to it. It's too soft and mellow, not suitable for Yong people's taste, but Lord Xiahou can understand the beauty of it." Xiahou Yuanfeng said respectfully: "His Royal Highness the eldest princess is deeply affectionate, and she brewed this wine for the sake of Lord Hou Kangtai. How do those outsiders know the heart of the eldest princess, and how can they appreciate the profound meaning of this wine? Besides, ordinary people are not qualified to taste this peerless wine. Fine wine." I heard here that I already knew the purpose of Xiahou Yuanfeng's visit, and reminded me with Changle's deep affection not to forget the inseparable bond between myself and the Dayong royal family, but he was smart enough to use the "Ningchun" wine that enshrined Changle's affection Expressing my heart makes me unable to feel annoyed. Signaling him to sit down, I poured a glass of wine for him with my own hands, and said: "Since Lord Xiahou knows the value of this wine, please drink a glass. Only twenty-four altars of this wine are brewed every year. Apart from the altars of Your Majesty and His Highness Princess Qi, there are no more rumors." Xiahou Yuanfeng took his seat calmly, and said: "With the grace of Empress Zhuojing, I have been rewarded with a pot of 'Ningchun', and I am lucky to taste this rare wine. If Lord Hou is generous today, it is better to let the officials drink a few more cups. " I already guessed the reason for Xiahou Yuanfeng's visit, but I was also curious why he believed that he could persuade me, so I deliberately didn't ask him why he came, and instead tried to persuade him to drink. Since I have known Xiahou Yuanfeng for so many years, I only know that he is meticulous in thinking, powerful in plot, excellent in martial arts, and ruthless, but after talking about it today, I realized that this person is really good at both civil and military. After talking for a long time, I felt that chatting with this person was very pleasant, and I couldn't help but gradually forgot the reason for his visit. Seeing the harmonious atmosphere, Xia Hou Yuanfeng was secretly happy, and said with wine: "I heard that Hou Ye used to write a poem with him in the Northern Han Dynasty to express his feelings. I don’t know if the sentence about burying me by the Chu River is the truth?” 我心中一动，知道他终于开始进攻了，他所提及的诗句，是我感于谭忌绝命词的悲恸，所和之诗，这件事情夏侯沅峰也知道，倒也不甚意外，他是明鉴司主事，当时我身边的侍卫都是虎贲卫高手，必然有人将这诗词送到御前，夏侯沅峰得到李贽宠信，这又不是什么隐秘，他知道也是可能的。不过他是要指我留恋故国么？嘴角露出淡淡的嘲讽微笑，我淡淡道：“故国之思，人之常情，夏侯大人敢是要上折子参我么？” 夏侯沅峰却又转移了话题，道：“这一次裴将军在淮东轻身涉险，计取楚州，虽然立下大功，可是未免太冒险了。” 我随口道：“裴将军性情如此，喜欢亲自上阵厮杀，不过若是到了紧要关头，他不会这么做的。” 夏侯沅峰笑道：“不过裴将军倒是胆子极大，镇淮楼公然折辱侯爷至亲，想来也令下官佩服。” 我心中一凛，目光低垂道：“荆长卿虽然是江某表兄，但是他是南楚忠臣，道不同不相为谋，裴将军此举并无不当之处。” 夏侯沅峰摇头道：“裴将军不过是没有留意罢了，若是他早知道那人身份，必然不会轻辱，不过侯爷对贵亲十分关爱，没过几日，荆长卿就从楚州大牢里面失踪了，听说已经回到了嘉兴，虽然这一战南楚胜了，令表兄不免有弃职私逃之嫌，不过想来没有人会为难荆氏，毕竟陆大将军如今权倾朝野，看在他的面子上，也不会有人对荆氏下手。” 我露出一丝冷笑，当初在东川，夏侯沅峰就想夺取锦绣盟的权力，虽然我让他如了愿，可是也给了他一个教训，如今他又想插手我在南楚的势力么？莫非他此来不是为了说服我和李贽和解？ 站起身来，走到琴台之侧，轻抚琴弦，琴声铮铮，透出肃杀之意，我淡淡道：“夏侯大人还有什么要说的么？” 夏侯沅峰毫不理会我逐客之意，又饮了一杯酒，道：“陆灿长子陆云，少年英杰，阵斩董山，名扬淮西，此子据明鉴司所察，曾经在长安滞留多日。” 我眼中闪过嘲讽的神色，陆云之事我早知道难以瞒过明鉴司耳目，否则我何必将霍琮、李麟和柔蓝都牵扯进来，除了历练这几个孩子之外，就是让某些人投鼠忌器。但是转瞬，我眼中的神色变得悲伤，原本希望能够保住陆云，可惜他在淮西的所作所为，已经让我的努力成了泡影，谁会想到一个十三岁的少年可以有这样的本领成就呢？ 夏侯沅峰或许察觉到了我心意的变化，又道：“侯爷出身南楚，对故国多有眷恋，更有亲友弟子在彼，战事一起，难免玉石俱焚，侯爷或有周全之意，然而若是侯爷置身事外，将来以何功勋为荆氏、陆氏缓颊，下官曾听说，侯爷曾承诺德亲王保全南楚一脉香烟，若是侯爷不肯献策平楚，将来拿什么向皇上陈词。猎宫之变，侯爷昔日有功于大雍皇室，然而皇室以长公主下嫁，可谓无亏侯爷，侯爷有平汉之功，然而侯爷如今身为郡侯，子为国公，女为郡主，一家荣宠备至，平汉之功已经得偿。难道等到了南楚覆亡之际，侯爷要以这些旧日功绩换取皇上的恩典么，到时候就是皇上不说什么，侯爷能够无愧于心么？而且若没有侯爷亲赴江南主持平楚之策，只怕侯爷的一番苦心都将成为泡影，下官放肆，但是句句都是肺腑之言，请侯爷明鉴。” 我眼中闪过莫名的神色，看向夏侯沅峰，这个人当真不简单，这一番话已经彻底将我说服，而且这番话也只有他能说，李贽、李显若是这样说了，反而会让我觉得他们有意要挟，若是石彧那些大臣说来，不免会变得冠冕堂皇，反而像是以大义相责，更令我生出逆反之心，只有夏侯沅峰这个心中只有功利之人说来，我才觉得情真意切。 夏侯沅峰微微一笑，又道：“还有一事，侯爷不知可否知晓，韦膺如今就在陆灿幕中担任客卿，此事虽然隐秘，可是也瞒不过司闻曹、明鉴司的耳目。” 我神色淡淡，这件事情我早已知道，在夏侯沅峰这个聪明人面前，我也懒得惺惺作态。 夏侯沅峰心知肚明，道：“韦膺对侯爷十分憎恨，他才智过人，手段阴狠，陆大将军又是军略出众，与侯爷又是少年相交，师徒投契，对侯爷十分了解，这两人联手，必是侯爷强敌，侯爷才智过人，遇到这样的对手，难道不想和他们较量一下么？陆灿掌握南楚军权，侯爷也可左右大雍平楚策略，不若在江南之地对弈一番，看看是侯爷才智无双，还是陆将军青出于蓝，这岂不是一大快事？” 听到此处，纵然是我也不免生出好胜之心，忍不住笑道：“夏侯大人的口舌之利，不亚于苏秦张仪，哲今日领教了。” 夏侯沅峰面色不变地道：“侯爷谬赞，下官愧不敢当，只是昔日对侯爷多有得罪，所以今日前来相劝，也是希望侯爷功成之日，能够记得下官的一番好意，不要仍然记恨下官才是。” 我终于忍不住大笑出声，道：“好，好，夏侯沅峰果然不愧是夏侯沅峰，想来你也急着回去复命，我就不留你了，禀报陛下一声，明天上午我会入宫觐见。” 夏侯沅峰笑道：“侯爷之意，下官一定禀明，不过不知可否送下官一壶'凝春'呢，此酒下官实在喜爱得很。” 我向夏侯沅峰面上瞧去，怎也看不出他有半分虚情假意，这“凝春”酒香甜绵醇，但是并不合北方男儿的口味，所以此酒除了送给太后、皇后和齐王妃之外，长乐是不送给别人的，就是齐王妃林碧，我猜她也多半更喜欢北地的烈酒。忍不住轻轻摇头，我淡淡道：“小顺子，让人送一坛'凝春'到夏侯大人府上。” 夏侯沅峰含笑致谢，然后告辞离去，望着茫茫飞雪中他俊逸的风姿，我心中生出敬佩之心，要留心啊，这个人从前我可以将他玩弄于股掌之上，多半是他甘心如此，若不小心提防，只怕将来吃亏的会是我吧。