Chapter 22 1. Flourishing

Ziying didn't come back until the sky in the east was turning white.He dragged his heavy steps to his bedroom. Last night, he drank in Bashang first, then ran all the way back to Xianyang City, and then planned with the ministers all night. Ziying felt that his body was about to collapse, and he was exhausted. edge.He pushed open the door, walked in with his head drooping, and sat down by the table, looking for some water to drink.When he reached for the kettle, he saw several cases on the opposite side that had fallen to the ground.Ziying looked up and saw the queen's naked body hanging in the air, motionless.

No matter how beautiful a person was in life, the appearance of death will be hideous and terrifying.Ziying was so frightened by the strange scene in front of him that he sat on the ground paralyzed, and when he came to his senses, he jumped up from the ground and rushed over.The queen's cold and stiff body was put down by Ziying, and she hugged her tightly in her arms, as if she wanted to use her own body temperature to warm up the lifeless body and bring her beloved wife back to life. Ziying's appearance was exactly the same as that of the queen before she hanged herself. Her mind was already numb and she couldn't feel any grief. The only thing in her mind was to bring the queen back to life.After sitting like this for half an hour, the bell of dawn echoed in the sky above Xianyang City, Ziying's heart skipped a beat and he regained consciousness, but it was followed by a heart-rending pain.A shrill cry came from the bedroom.

Startled by the shout, Ying Fu and the two princes rushed in.Seeing the naked queen lying in Ziying's arms, Ying Fu turned his face away, tears streaming down his face.The two princes cried and rushed to their mother.The appearance of the child brought the crazy and desperate Ziying back to his senses. When he saw the bloody coat on the ground, he grabbed it and said, "Take care, restore the country, and take revenge." Several bright red words written in blood came into view. . Clutching the bloody clothes tightly, Ziying's low voice said, "Don't cry!" Although the voice was not high, it had the power to overwhelm the two princes, which made the two princes stop crying involuntarily.Ying Fu looked at Ziying nervously, worried that his master would have an accident and become mentally disturbed due to the sudden blow.But Ziying's expression was gloomy and determined, as cold and indestructible as steel. The queen's suicide note awakened a hidden power in his heart, which was unimaginably large, and his desire for revenge exploded.

Ziying turned to Ying Fu, "The news of the queen's death must not be known to anyone. It is related to the queen's reputation and the great cause of restoring the country."Several people realized that the queen's death must be related to Liu Bang. Once the news leaked out, it would not only tarnish the queen's reputation, but also arouse Liu Bang's vigilance, and even kill people to silence her. "Go to the backyard and dig a hole. We will bury your mother first, and tell the public that the queen is sick and cannot see guests!" Ziying gave orders to his two sons, his voice was devoid of emotion and unusually calm.

After the two sons and Ying Fu left, Ziying carried the queen to the bed, found out a set of clothes she liked most during her lifetime, and put them on for her.He put the queen's blood book in his arms, sat beside the queen, straightened her messy hair, and said softly: "You can go at ease, I will take care of the two children and myself, your I must fulfill your wish for you. That beast, I will catch him and torture him with all the tortures until he swallows his last breath, and then chop him into meat paste and burn his bones into ashes.” These should have been Gritting his teeth, Ziying spoke very gently in the queen's ear.

Since there was no coffin, the queen's body was buried in a brocade quilt.After the two princes settled down, Ying Fu went back to Ziying's bedroom and asked Ziying who was sitting in front of the table, "My lord, what should we do? We want to avenge the queen! Tell General Han to fight back!" Ziying shook his head, "The time is not ripe, everything will go according to the original plan, and the soldiers outside the pass will not move; spread the news that Liu Bang wants to worship me as prime minister, and see Xiang Yu's reaction; tell the dead soldiers in the city to be ready and stand by at any time." .Ying Fu felt that the Queen's death had caused Ziying's temperament to change suddenly, becoming more decisive, ruthless, and more patient.

Not only Ziying stayed up all night.In Liu Bang's sleeping tent in the Bashang barracks, Lu Zhi sat under the lamp all night.Liu Bang disappeared from the banquet and never came back.Lu Zhi knew exactly what Liu Bang was doing, but she was not waiting for Liu Bang, but was thinking about her own strategy.Now, the relationship between her and Liu Bang has undergone a qualitative change, and everything has to be repositioned.But the current top priority is to implement Liu Bang's position as the king of Guanzhong.Now it seems that Xiang Yu will not voluntarily give Guanzhong to Liu Bang. At most, Liu Bang and Zhang Han will be half of each other, so Xiang Yu can only be forced to withdraw from Guanzhong.Lu Zhi had a premonition that after the news of Liu Bang worshiping Ziying as his prime minister, it would definitely cause a chain reaction in Xiang Yu, causing the situation that had just calmed down to deteriorate rapidly, and Liu Bang would be in danger again.A bold plan has been brewing in Lu Zhi's mind for a long time, "The first is the best!"

Lu Gong quietly left the barracks while everyone was having a banquet in Liu Bang's big tent last night, and came to the small wine shop in Xianyang City.As soon as they met, Lu Gong asked the owner of the restaurant: "Did you check the identity of the person who met Zhang Liang that day?" "I found out, it's Xiang Yu's uncle Xiang Bo!" Lu Gong frowned, could it be that Zhang Liang and Xiang Yu were colluding, and were Xiang Yu's traitors planted beside Liu Bang?If this is the case, it is dangerous.The owner of the restaurant also considered this point, "It seems that Zhang Liang's identity is suspicious! Did Xiang Yu send him to monitor Liu Ji?"

"We can't make a conclusion yet, but we must be careful, and send someone to keep an eye on him. Once we find that he is in collusion with Xiang Yu's camp, we should get rid of him immediately, and we must do it cleanly. He is the Situ of the King of Han. He has a special status and must not be left behind." Any clues." "My lord, don't worry!" "In addition, you told our warriors to be prepared. Ziying's visit to Liu Ji must have ghosts behind him. He must be trying to intensify the conflict between Liu Ji and Xiang Yu. I have a feeling that the situation will change suddenly, so we must be prepared. Just in case."

"Obey!" When Lu Gong left, the boss reminded: "My lord, bring a few guards with you when you go out again! The situation is turbulent now, and the world is not peaceful. If something happens to you, we will be leaderless." Lu Gong said with a smile: "I'm an old man, and I don't have much money with me. No one will think of me. Bringing guards is too eye-catching, and it is easy to attract others' attention, but it is inconvenient to move." "Your public identity is Liu Ji's father-in-law. Based on this alone, those who want to deal with Liu Ji may target you. Be careful!"

Lu Gong nodded, and was about to turn around to leave when he suddenly thought of something, turned around and said to the boss seriously: "In case something really happens to me, you go to Lu Zhi. My second daughter is the youngest among several children." She is outstanding, with great ambitions, and she is quite scheming and resourceful. With her leading you, you will be able to achieve a great career in the future, and your future will be guaranteed." "My lord..." Lu Gong waved his hand, did not let the boss continue, turned around and walked into the night. Bashang military camp, in Cao Wushang’s camp, although he did not attend the banquet, the cronies who inquired about the news reported to him everything that happened at the banquet, including Liu Bang’s public announcement that he would appoint Ziying as prime minister and molesting Ziying. baby queen thing.After Cao Wushang heard this, he smiled sinisterly, "This Liu Ji, does things unexpectedly, and even wants to use Ziying as a prime minister!" The cronies have been urging Cao Wushang to join Xiang Yu, and now he took the opportunity to say: "Xiang Yu has a deep hatred with the state of Qin, now Liu Ji openly declares that Ziying is the prime minister, obviously he wants to use the power of the dead Qin to consolidate his position in Guanzhong, and reject Xiang Yu and Qin. His puppet Zhang Han. If this news is reported to Xiang Yu, Xiang Yu will definitely not be able to spare Liu Ji, a traitor against the great cause of Qin." Cao Wushang snorted, "Liu Ji is not only making an enemy of Xiang Yu, but also molesting Ziying's queen. This is a slap in the face of all the nobles and common people in the Qin Kingdom. If this continues, there will be no place for him in Guanzhong. Qin is his enemy from top to bottom." "Then shall we contact Xiang Yu now, pass on the information, and express our position earlier?" "No, we have to wait. This alone is not enough to completely anger Xiang Yu, we need something more weighty. The news that Liu Ji worshiped Ziying as a prime minister will soon reach Xiang Yu's ears, and when he When I have doubts and dissatisfaction with Liu Ji, I will add fuel to the fire, and I will be sure enough!" Cao Wushang walked to the door of the camp, looked up at the stars, and fantasized about his promising future and Liu Bang. After the downfall, he beat the dog who was in the water hard. It was already dawn when Lu Gong returned to Bashang barracks.He woke up his entourage and asked him to prepare a bowl of hot mutton soup for himself to drive away the cold.There are many Lu Gong's subordinates in Liu Bang's army camp, and under his arrangement, they follow Liu Bang to fight.After Lu Gong came, he established a secret relationship with these people. His entourage and guards were composed of these people. Under their cover, Lu Gong could enter and leave the military camp without anyone noticing. . After drinking the hot mutton soup, Lu Gong was about to take off his clothes and rest for a while, when Lu Pheasant hurried into his tent. "What's the matter? Look at your flustered look!" Lu Gong asked. "Father, it's not good, Liu Ji got into trouble again." "What happened?" Lu Gong felt more and more headaches towards Liu Bang. He had already made a mistake in meeting Ziying, and now he has made a mistake? "Ziying is here this time to support Liu Ji as the king of Guanzhong..." "I've already thought of this. He's just starting a fight between Liu Ji and Xiang Yu. I've already prepared my subordinates for the contingency. Of course Xiang Yu will be dissatisfied because of this, but this incident alone will mobilize everyone. I'm afraid it's not enough to convince the princes!" "Not only that, that Liu Ji also publicly announced that Ziying will be used as a prime minister!" "What? This bastard, isn't he openly antagonizing Xiang Yu and the anti-Qin princes? Isn't he impatient? Why did he do this?" Lu Gong became angry and lost control of his emotions. Lu Zhi now understands the real intention of Liu Bang's move, but facing her father, she has no face to tell her husband's scandal.Lu Zhi also concealed Liu Bang's molesting and adultery of Queen Ziying from his father. "Liu Ji wants to use this to win over the various forces of the perishing Qin and use it for himself to help him counter Xiang Yu." Lu Zhi explained the reasons Liu Bang used to prevaricate himself at the banquet, and dealt with Lu Gong's questioning. "Confused! Ziying and those who are loyal to him only want to restore the country, so why would they help Liu Ji fight against Xiang Yu? They hope that these two people will lose both in the fight..." "Ziying wants to return to the country?" Lu Gong slipped his tongue in a hurry, but Lu Zhi caught him. Lu Gong was stunned, and realized that he had made a slip of the tongue, so he hurriedly said: "I guessed it this way. Judging from Ziying's performance in eradicating Zhao Gao, this person has a resolute character, acts decisively, and refuses to be controlled by others. Therefore, I guess he I will never be reconciled to being the king of a subjugated country, and will definitely try to restore the country." Before Lu Zhi asked, Lu Gong immediately changed the subject, "Even if the forces of Ziying and the dead Qin were captured by Liu Ji, these people combined would It may not be Xiang Yu's opponent. The Great Qin Empire has collapsed. Although the land of Guanzhong is the homeland of the Qin State, the power loyal to the King of Qin has been greatly weakened by this fatal blow. Ziying and his people can help Liu Ji Are you busy? Relying on these people to compete against Xiang Yu's 400,000 troops is simply wishful thinking!" "What my father said is very true. The situation was chaotic at that time. The incident happened suddenly. We didn't realize it. Instead, we were bluffed by this Liu Ji and thought he was using a brilliant move. So, how can we remedy it?" Lu Gong pondered for a while, and said: "The news of worshiping Ziying as prime minister will soon reach Xiang Yu's ears, and we must explain to Xiang Yu before that, so as not to cause his misunderstanding. Liu Ji has already come forward to explain the matter to Xiang Yu; if Liu Ji comes forward again this time, I am afraid Xiang Yu will not believe it. Therefore, it is more appropriate for you to come forward." "Shall I explain to Xiang Yu?" "No, Liu Ji and Xiang Yu are brothers. Didn't you and Xiang Yu's beloved wife Yu Ji get along very well in the past? You can go to Yu Ji and ask Yu Ji to help resolve this misunderstanding. Yu Ji is in Xiang Yu's heart His dearest love, Xiang Yu valued two people most in his life, one was his uncle Xiang Liang who raised him and died in battle, and the other was Yu Ji. If Yu Ji is willing to mediate, this matter should be redeemed room." "Concubine Yu", upon hearing this name, Lu Zhi's heart skipped a beat, and the bold plan that had already been brewing came to mind. She wanted to ask her father's opinion, but she swallowed the words again.This plan was too risky, and she was worried about being opposed by her father, which caused the plan to run aground.Therefore, Lu Zhi decided to hide it from Lu Gong and operate it alone. "Okay, then I'll go find Yu Ji right away. In Xuyi (xuyi, where Xiang Liang established Xiong Xin as King Huai of Chu) and Pengcheng (after Xiang Liang died, King Chu Huai, Xiang Yu, Liu Bang and others surrendered Pengcheng) At that time, I met Yu Ji several times, and I love her sisters, I believe she will give me this face." Lu Gongdao: "You have a strong personality and a masculine attitude, while Yu Ji has a gentle and gentle personality, and she is a little bird. It is precisely because of this diametrically opposite nature that they complement each other that you can get along very happily. If only you are so tough I'm afraid there will inevitably be friction!" Although Duke Lu has never met Concubine Yu, he has heard some things about her from Lu Zhi. "Does father think I'm a shrew?" Lu Zhi said with some dissatisfaction. "No", Lu Gong said: "You have the heart and spirit of a man, and you will definitely achieve some achievements that will go down in history in the future. My Lu family will rely on your shadow to become famous. It's just..." "Just what?" Lu Zhi was curious. "Everything has both pros and cons. Your character is also a double-edged sword. It can bring fame and fortune, but it can also bring disasters. E Ji, you must be cautious in your actions in the future, and leave room for everything. To do things absolutely, you must learn to hide your strength and bide your time. This is the way to accumulate blessings and avoid disasters." "I understand. Thank you father for teaching me!" After Lu's pheasant left, Lu Gong stood silently in front of the tent for a long time, no expression could be seen on his face full of vicissitudes and ravines, and his deep eyes stared into the distance.Lu Gong said to himself: "Do your best, let's live in peace! Whether it is a blessing or a curse, there is a definite number in the dark." The entourage standing beside him couldn't help asking: "Is my lord worried about the king's affairs?" Lu Gong said with a wry smile: "I am worried about the safety of our Lu family!" Lu Gonggong wanted to go back to the tent and take a nap, but suddenly he heard someone calling him from behind: "Old man, you got up so early!" Lu Gong looked back and saw that it was Zhang Liang. "It's the ovary! To be honest, I didn't sleep at all last night." "Is it because the king received Ziying and worshiped him as his prime minister made you worry?" Lu Gong nodded and let Zhang Liang into the tent.The attendant brought hot tea, Zhang Liang took a few sips unceremoniously, rubbed his hands and said, "The weather in Guanzhong is colder than in Guandong, it's so cold that people's hands and feet are cold." "Is there anything Zifang wants me to do?" Mr. Lu was a little surprised by the sudden visit of Zhang Liang, who didn't have much contact with him, and he was a little tired, so he was eager to find out his intention. Zhang Liang smiled embarrassedly, and said: "The old man didn't sleep all night, so he shouldn't have disturbed your rest. But Zifang was a little confused, so he didn't sleep well. He got up early in the morning for a walk, and left without knowing it. We are near your camp, so I would like to ask the old man for guidance." Lu Gong said strangely: "I, an old man who has never seen the world, how can I give advice to Zifang, who assassinated Qin Shihuang, is familiar with "The Grand Duke's Art of War", and is famous for his courage and strategy in the world? Zifang, you are so flattering and old. !" Zhang Liang shook his head and said, "Although I don't have a deep friendship with the old man, Zhang Liang can tell from your experience and wisdom. I would like to say that the old man's life experience is absolutely extraordinary. Among the 100,000 troops, if you If Zhang Liang has any doubts and needs to ask someone for advice, the old man is the best candidate." Lu Gong smiled but did not answer.Zhang Liang also stopped playing around in circles, "Last night, the king announced at the banquet that he would use Ziying as his prime minister. After thinking about it, I couldn't figure out why the lord would do this, and who gave him the brilliant trick."While speaking, Zhang Liang glanced at Lu Gong, implying that you gave him this move. Lu Gong was amused by Zhang Liang's rhetoric. "Zifang, you say I'm smart for a while, and then suspect that I gave Liu Ji this stupid trick. Isn't that contradictory? Are you laughing at the old man?" "Don't dare, dare not!" "It's really unwise for Liu Ji to do this. Even if you can't see it at the time with your brain, you can figure out the stakes afterwards. Don't worry, I have asked Lu Zhi to go to Yu Ji for accommodation, hoping to eliminate the storm in the future. budding state." "The old man is really foresight, so I can rest assured, don't bother me anymore, and leave!" Zhang Liang got up and left the table, then stopped suddenly, as if he suddenly remembered something, and asked seemingly inadvertently: "The old man two days ago Have you ever been to a small restaurant in Xianyang City? I have vaguely seen your old man, but I am not sure." Lu Gong replied calmly: "When I was bored, I went to Xianyang City for a stroll, and I also had a drink in the shop, but I didn't notice that I went to the ovary too. Maybe it was me you saw!" Zhang Liang didn't ask any more questions, got up and left.Mr. Lu picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip, "This ovary is not simple!"