Chapter 23 2. Hostage plan

An ox cart covered with gold tents drove into the Hongmen barracks.Concubine Yu was practicing singing and dancing in her sleeping tent when a maid came in to report, "Pei Gong's wife, Lv Pheasant, is visiting."Yu Ji's eyes lit up. She and Lu Zhi hadn't seen each other for a long time, so she hurriedly greeted her. "Sister" and "Sister", the two are very affectionate after meeting.Yu Ji took Lu Zhi's hand and asked, "Why did you come to Guanzhong?" Lu Zhi pinched Yu Ji's small nose affectionately, and said: "You can come with your hero, so can't I come to see my old man? I just arrived too. You know Liu Ji, an old man. Yes, seeing a beautiful woman is like a cat smelling fish. Now that he has made a fortune, I am afraid that he will take the opportunity to divorce me and marry another beautiful woman like you, so I quickly followed Come here and watch him." While teasing Liu Bang, he also praised Yu Ji.

Concubine Yu was relatively simple, she didn't have a city like Lu Zhi, she just smiled from ear to ear and pulled Lu Zhi into the tent.Lu Zhi looked at the furnishings in the tent. Although it was a temporary tent, it contained everything that should be found in a noble woman's boudoir, and it was inlaid with gold and jade, and the workmanship was excellent. Not cheap.The gorgeous furnishings show the noble status of the owner, and it can also be seen how much Xiang Yu cherishes Yu Ji. Even during the march and war, she will not let her suffer or suffer a little bit of grievance. Lu Zhi stared at the brocade dress on Yu Ji's body. The color and style of the clothes matched Yu Ji's temperament very well, which brought out Yu Ji's graceful figure and fair skin, and her fresh and pleasant appearance like clear water , standing in a magnificently decorated tent like a fairy palace, like a fairy in the nine heavens.Lu's pheasant's jealousy is ready to move, Yu Ji's youthful beauty and her husband's dedicated love are what Lu's pheasant does not have.However, she did not forget the situation in front of her and the mission she had undertaken. She could only bury her jealousy in her heart and never show it on her face.

Yu Ji and Lu Zhi sat at the same table, as close as real sisters, telling each other about the past and their respective experiences after parting.Lu Zhi recalled the past with great affection, "Do you remember that this pair of Wangnian friends drank together, and we cooked together to cook for them." "Of course I remember. I don't know how to do anything. My sister will teach me by hand, but I still can't do it well." Yuji laughed "giggling" as she spoke.Lu Zhi felt disgusted in her heart, she hated others to act like a simple little girl in front of her.This kind of appearance is most pleasing to men, but at her own age, imitating this kind of style is disgusting, so she can't tolerate others doing it.

"A few years have passed in a flash, and now these two brothers have achieved great success and become the two most powerful people in the world, the leaders of the pack. It seems that the two of us are really lucky! One of us has caught one." "The two of them had some misunderstandings some time ago, but it's all over now. I hope they will live in harmony forever in the future, and we can still be sisters like before, and be happy. You taught me cooking and female red ..." "You taught me rhythm and singing and dancing." Another burst of laughter came from the sleeping tent, and it was very happy.

After chatting for a while, Lu Zhi patted himself on the forehead, made a look of sudden realization, and said, "Sister, I forgot. I tried a new thing today, and it was very comfortable. Do you want to try it too?" "What the hell?" "You'll know when you get there." Lu Zhi dragged Yu Ji to the outside of the tent, pointed to the ox cart parked outside and said, "That's it. It's very comfortable to sit in. It's much better than a horse-drawn cart. Come and ride too." , let’s go out for a ride.” At that time, the nobles all rode in horse-drawn carriages. The carriages were small, and they were called “small carriages.” Due to the high speed and bumps, a lot of dust would be raised, and the carriages were not covered. You have to sit upright, so it's not comfortable enough.Bullock carts are larger than horse-drawn carriages and are called "big carts". They are slow, stable, and less dusty. They have a canopy and four walls, and can be closed. People inside are free to sit and lie down without restraint.However, the ox carts at that time were mainly used to transport goods, and ordinary people would occasionally ride them, but nobles would never ride them, as it would be demeaning.That's why Lu Zhi introduced the ox cart to Yu Ji as a novelty.She herself had ridden an ox cart in her hometown in Pei County and understood the benefits of an ox cart, but Yu Ji had never ridden one.

Seeing Yu Ji hesitated, Lu Zhi couldn't help but pull her into the carriage and put down the brocade tent.There are mats and mattresses inside the carriage, and it is soft to sit on.Concubine Yu still habitually maintained a sitting posture. Lu Zhi smiled and said: "Sister, people outside can't see us, you can sit however you want, lie down if you want, as long as you are comfortable, you don't have to be restrained." Concubine Yu covered her mouth with a smile and said, "That's right! This ox cart is just comfortable." She leaned on the carriage, stretched her two legs, stretched out her two jade arms to reach the roof of the cart, with a satisfied expression on her face.Seeing Concubine Yu's happy appearance, Lu Zhi had a kind of affectionate impulse, as if she was treating her younger sister, but also towards her daughter. She was twice as old as Concubine Yu, and she was a mother and daughter in terms of age, but Lu Zhi married late. , was thirty years old when she married Liu Bang, so her daughter was young.But the affection was fleeting, and her plan was already in motion.

Lu Zhi raised the curtain in front of the carriage, and winked at the coachman, and the ox cart slowly started to drive out of the barracks.Concubine Yu didn't doubt at all, instead she lay down willfully, bit a lock of her beautiful hair between her white and neat teeth, and asked Lu Zhi, "Sister, where are we going?" "Go around Xianyang City and see the excitement." "Shall I tell the king so that he won't worry?" Yuji was used to letting Xiang Yu make up her mind for everything. Lu Zhi blamed: "Sister, there is nothing to worry about going out with my sister. Don't bother King Xiang. My sister brought a few guards, and the people stationed in Xianyang City are your brother-in-law's subordinates. Who dares to touch us? That's not it. Are tigers plucking hair from their mouths?"

Lu Zhi's witticism made Yu Ji laugh again, and put aside the matter of greeting Xiang Yu.She opened the curtains and took a look outside. There were more than a dozen casually dressed knights on both sides of the ox cart, armed with swords and arrows, looking very capable, guarding the ox cart and driving outside the barracks.These guards were carefully selected by Fan Kuai for Lu Zhi.Concubine Yu was completely relieved, chatting and laughing with Lu Zhi in the carriage, and opened the curtains from time to time to see the scenery outside. After the ox cart left the barracks, it turned onto a remote path. The road was narrow and bumpy, and the ox cart was also a little bumpy.Concubine Yu asked Lu Zhi in confusion: "Sister, did you go the wrong way? My Majesty and I have been to Xianyang before, so we didn't take this way!"

"Don't worry, it won't. The coachman knows a small road, which is much closer than the main road. After visiting Xianyang City, he will be able to come back before dark. Otherwise, the king will really miss you." Hearing what Lu Zhi said, Yu Ji didn't ask any more questions. About an hour later, the ox cart stopped, and the driver reported outside: "Madam, this subordinate should be damned, he has gone the wrong way, the Bashang barracks is ahead." Lu Zhi opened the brocade curtain and reprimanded angrily: "It's useless, and you said you know the shortcut, how did you go back to Bashang?"

Yu Ji looked into the distance, and it really was a mighty military camp.She persuaded: "Sister, forget it, the coachman is also kind. He wanted us to go to Xianyang quickly, so he went the wrong way. Don't blame him." Lu Zhi was still angry, "For my sister's sake, I will spare you."Instead, she apologized to Yu Ji and said: "Sister, it seems that Xianyang City will not be able to go. Now that you are in your brother-in-law's territory, go in and rest for a while! My father is also here, you can meet them." "Okay!" Yu Ji didn't suspect fraud, but was very happy.The ox cart and the guards entered Liu Bang's barracks.

Lv Zhi led Yu Ji to the sleeping tent, and said somewhat sourly: "Sister, I am no more carefree than you here. It is simple and shabby, just let it go!" "What are you talking about, sister? Marching and fighting is like this. It's just that the king spoils me so much that I can't bear it. The place where the soldiers live is so simple, but I live so luxuriously." What Concubine Yu said was the truth, but it sounded harsh to Lu Zhi, who felt that she was flaunting her husband's love, pretending to be considerate of the soldiers, and she was really cheap and good-looking. "Sister, as long as you don't dislike her!" Lu Zhi's tone was cold and full of disgust.Yu Ji didn't notice it at all. Lu Zhi winked at the maid, and the maid quickly brought a bowl of warm goat's milk, "Sister, drink some goat's milk to warm up." Yu Ji said embarrassedly: "Sister, I never drink goat's milk, it's too fishy!" Lu Zhi scolded in his heart: "It's really difficult to serve, and I still think of myself as the eldest lady when I get here!" He said: "This is my sister's wish, my sister can force me to drink some! You are weak, in case you catch yourself When it’s cold, I can’t explain to King Xiang. Don’t embarrass my sister!” Lu Zhi took the bowl from the maid and handed it to Concubine Yu, with an unquestionable determination in his tone.Yu Ji glanced at Lu Zhi hesitantly, took the goat milk, and reluctantly drank half a bowl. Watching Yu Ji drink the goat's milk, Lu Zhi finally relaxed, feeling a sense of success.She calmed down, and said to Yu Ji: "You rest here for a while, I will call Liu Ji, and invite my father over, and we will have a meal together." After that, she left Yu Ji alone, turned around and left .After leaving the tent, Lu Zhi glanced at the guards outside, and said viciously: "Don't allow her to leave the tent for half a step!" Liu Bang was not in the big tent, so Lu Zhi went straight to Lu Gong's tent, just in time to meet Liu Bang.Someone presented Liu Bang with a bearskin coat, and Liu Bang used it to honor his father-in-law.Lu Gong stroked the smooth and thick bear skin, and praised: "It really is the top grade! Wearing it, walking in the heavy snow, you will not feel cold, but very comfortable. Just imagine that the sky and the earth are black and white. How profound!" Liu Bang was uneducated and didn't understand the poetry in the beautiful scenery depicted by Lu Gong, so he just sat there and giggled.Lu Gongdao: "Liu Ji, have you prepared one for Mrs. Liu? With such a treasure, don't forget about him!" Liu Bang curled his lips and wanted to say something, but he opened his mouth and didn't say it, "Let's talk about it later!" At this time, Lu Zhi broke in.Mr. Lu hurriedly greeted him: "Come on, come and have a look. Liu Ji gave it to me at this time. My son-in-law is not wrong. I always think of my father-in-law when there are good things." Lu Zhi said contemptuously: "What time is this, you still have the heart to please my father here!" Liu Bangdao: "Father-in-law has great kindness to me, no matter what time, I will find a way to honor him. Just now my father-in-law has taught me that I should not worship Ziying as a relative. This is openly against Xiang Yu and other princes For the enemy. But, didn’t you go to Yu Ji? If she came forward to clear the way, it should be fine. My intention is also good, but I want to use Ziying to win over the remaining forces of the dead Qin and occupy Guanzhong! I just don’t think about it. Zhou, it's not a big mistake." Lu Gong was also helping Liu Bang to speak: "Yes! Since the matter has already happened, it is enough to find a way to remedy it, and you should not be reluctant. Then, you can have lunch with me! I will order people to prepare wine and food. " Just as Lu Gong was about to get up, Lu Pheasant stopped him and said, "Father, don't bother, go to my tent and Liu Ji's! There is someone you need to see." Liu Bang and Lu Gong looked at each other, wondering what kind of medicine was sold in Lu's pheasant gourd.They followed Lu Zhi to the tent, and the maid was waiting at the door. Lu Zhi asked, "How is she?" The maid bowed and replied, "I've fallen asleep and don't know anything." Lu Zhi nodded reassuringly, raised the curtain and walked in, followed by Liu Bang and Lu Gong.Lu Zhi pointed to the bed, "Who do you think this is?" Lu Gong didn't recognize Concubine Yu, and didn't know where Lu Pheasant got a girl. He glanced at Liu Bang and thought it was Liu Bang's mistress hiding outside.Liu Bang opened his eyes wide, "Isn't this Concubine Yu? Why is she here?" Gong Lu took a step forward when he heard that, and looked carefully at the woman on the bed, "Is she Concubine Yu?" Lu Zhi nodded triumphantly and said, "That's right, this is Xiang Yu's most cherished person. I believe Xiang Yu can do anything for her." Lu Gongdao: "I asked you to find her to clear up, why did you get her here? What's wrong with her? She doesn't seem to be asleep!" "I drugged her, and she will sleep for hours." "What?" "What?" Duke Lu and Liu Bang exclaimed at the same time. "What are you doing?" Lu Gong felt that his head was getting bigger. Seeing Lu Gong and Liu Bang's frightened appearance, Lu Zhi became more confident in his courage and means.She sat down in front of the table in a hurry, picked up the jade cup and filled it with wine, took a sip, and said calmly: "You let me go to Yu Ji to clear up and explain to Xiang Yu the reason for worshiping Ziying as a relative." Things, but I don't think this can solve the problem fundamentally. After explaining and explaining, there will always be times when the explanation fails. Xiang Yu can't tolerate Liu Ji, and he will have to deal with Liu Ji sooner or later. Therefore, it is better to solve the problem cleanly and once .Xiang Yu is stronger than us, but he has a fatal weakness, that is, too much affection, love for his sons and daughters, and Yuji is his lifeblood. He is a good man, but as an emperor, this is his flaw. "Speaking of this, Lu Zhi glanced at Liu Bang, suggesting to Liu Bang: As a man, you should learn from Xiang Yu. Both Lu Gong and Liu Bang waited eagerly for his next words, ignoring her meaningful eyes at all. "So, I got Yu Ji here, just to ask Xiang Yu to withdraw from Guanzhong, fulfill the promise of King Huai, and let Liu Ji be the real king of Guanzhong. Then, we will use Guanzhong as a base to enter the world." Say your own After planning, Lu Zhi looked at Lu Gong and Liu Bang with his nostrils upturned, waiting for their reaction.