Pei Ji was an orphan, and he was raised by his older brothers. He became a boss at the age of fourteen, and it was not easy for him to get to where he is today. Because of this, Pei Ji didn't want to lose his current status.
When the world was in chaos and many people were still confused, Pei Ji began to look for another way out. Li Yuan was one of the forces he was particularly optimistic about. But who could have imagined that in just one year, Liu Ziqiu would suddenly rise to prominence, and
Li Yuan is already in danger.
A good bird chooses a tree to roost, and a good minister chooses his master to serve. Pei Ji is not a foolish and loyal person, and he is not willing to hang himself on the same tree. Therefore, whether Li Yuan surrenders or not, and in what way, Pei Ji does not really care.
, what he is concerned about is how Liu Ziqiu will treat himself in the future.
But Liu Ziqiu continued to say: "Liu has asked the Empress Dowager to issue an edict. As long as all the civil and military officials, generals, and sergeants who followed Li Yuan give up their resistance, their past sins will be forgotten! All those who have made meritorious deeds should also be rewarded.
."
Pei Ji's heart moved, and he cupped his hands and said, "May I ask Mr. Liu, what is a meritorious minister?"
Liu Ziqiu waved his hand and said: "Those who take the initiative to abandon the dark side and turn to the bright side like Mr. Pei are ministers with meritorious service. The rest of the people can also be regarded as ministers with meritorious service as long as they can maintain order in various places and protect the peace of the people."
Pei Ji frowned and said, "If Li Yuan surrenders unconditionally to Your Excellency without damaging every plant or tree in Luoyang City, is he considered a meritorious minister?"
Liu Ziqiu nodded and said: "Of course it can be counted."
Pei Jiruo realized something, bowed and said: "I am confident that I can convince Li Yuan."
Liu Ziqiu's face turned solemn, and he said: "Master Pei, don't force it, pay attention to your own safety. Liu is still waiting to have a drink with Master Pei in Luoyang City. Regardless of whether Li Yuan is willing to surrender unconditionally, Liu's army will be killed in two days."
They will all point directly to the western suburbs of Luoyang!"
Pei Ji hurriedly said: "Without further delay, please resign as an official!"
Liu Ziqiu smiled and waved his hand and said: "Liu just ordered the attack on Yingchuan City. By the time Master Pei returns to Luoyang, the news that the army has conquered Yingchuan should have reached Li Yuan. Presumably Master Pei should also be more confident.
Come on!"
It is only a day's journey from Hongnong back to Luoyang. Pei Ji sets out now and can return to Luoyang tomorrow. In other words, Liu Ziqiu's army can capture Yingchuan in only half a day. How confident and confident is this?
Be confident!
Pei Ji secretly rejoiced at his choice and hurriedly said goodbye.
However, Wen Hao was still full of dissatisfaction and kept saying: "My lord, that guy Li Yuan is cunning and cunning, but if you want to count him as having merit and demerit, wouldn't it be unfair to him?"
Liu Ziqiu shook his head and said: "Fortunately, Liu's wife and children are not seriously injured. Li Xuanba, who massacred the villagers, has also been punished by God. Li Shimin is just a young man. Liu had no intention of dealing with him. As long as Li Yuan agrees to surrender unconditionally
, to save Luoyang soldiers and civilians from the disaster of swordsmanship, what does it matter if Liu puts aside his personal grudges? "
Yu Shinan nodded silently, strengthening his belief in following Liu Ziqiu.
Because it was agreed that the troops would be deployed in two days, everyone dispersed to prepare for the troops. Liu Ziqiu also slowly walked back to the back house, but saw a maid prostrating herself by the roadside, saying softly: "Come back to your lord, Madam, please leave Miss Li.
If you stay overnight in the house, please stay away."
Li Mingyue was an unmarried woman. She stayed in the back house of the Yang family. It was really inconvenient for Liu Ziqiu to go in. I don’t know what kind of **** soup Li Mingyue poured into Gao Xiuer, but she actually won Gao Xiuer’s favor and let her stay overnight. This is probably a legend.
The wife's route is right, but the Li family made a clever move.
Thinking of this, Liu Ziqiu shook his head helplessly and went to the military camp.
But he didn't know that Li Mingyue didn't give Gao Xiuer any sexual soup, but Gao Xiuer told her a few past events. Li Mingyue was immediately fascinated by the twists and turns of Gao Xiuer and Liu Ziqiu's poignant and beautiful love story, where they stayed together for life and death and never left each other.
I was so deeply moved that I stayed there and refused to leave.
Empress Xiao's decision to make Gao Jiong the Duke of Nanqi will soon spread across the country, and Gao Xiuer no longer needs to hide her identity. Li Mingyue originally thought that Gao Xiuer, like Liu Ziqiu, was a villager from the countryside, but now she knows that Gao Xiuer is also from the countryside.
Being born into a noble family, any sense of superiority that one had originally disappeared.
There are often fights within aristocratic families. Although Li Mingyue is a prostitute, she has heard and witnessed many intrigues and intrigues. On the contrary, although Gao Xiuer is the head wife and an important minister in the former Sui Dynasty, she is in front of Lin Qiaoer and Mu Duoli.
There is no airs about them and they are truly treated like sisters.
Li Mingyue saw all this, and her mentality gradually changed. Staying with Gao Xiuer felt indescribably relaxing, and she didn't want to leave anymore.
…
The two-day deadline came quickly, and Li Mingyue still stayed in the back house of the Yang family. The three women were in front of her, but Liu Ziqiu couldn't get a chance to get close. He was so angry that his teeth were itching, but he had no choice. Seeing the army
As they were about to set off, Liu Ziqiu didn't want to take this unsophisticated eldest lady of the Li family to Luoyang, so he had to give an order to meet the Li Changshan brothers.
The Li Changshan brothers pursued them from Longxi to Chang'an, and then from Chang'an to Hongnong. They had never been welcomed by Liu Ziqiu, but unexpectedly they were received today. Li Mingyue's request to see Gao Xiuer had a miraculous effect.
The army was about to set off, and Liu Ziqiu no longer made any false promises or polite remarks to the two old brothers, and asked directly: "If you two old gentlemen have any requests, just put them forward directly."
With Liu Ziqiu's army overwhelmingly attacking the city, Li Changshan also knew very well that it was no longer possible for the Li family to run Longxi, so he had to retreat and settle for the next best thing. He handed over his hand and said, "Master Liu, I have an unkind request.
Could you please send me a message to honor my family, the Li family in Longxi, as the head of the world’s noble family?"
There are seven top aristocratic families in the world. These seven major aristocratic families are closely connected with each other and often secretly compete with each other. Currently, the Cui family of Boling ranks first, the Lu family of Fanyang ranks second, and the Li family of Longxi temporarily resides.
third.
Although it is just an illusory ranking, it is equally crucial to the development of the family. The higher the ranking, the easier it is to get official recognition from the court. As long as they do not rise up against the court, they will be able to obtain many conveniences in various aspects. In addition,
On the one hand, the top-ranked aristocratic families are more likely to attract talents, and their strength will become stronger.
But Liu Ziqiu shook his head and said, "Please forgive Liu for being unable to do anything."
Li Mingyue entered the back house of the Yang family and never came out again. Although brother Li Changshan also knew that Liu Ziqiu had been living in the military camp these days and could not have anything happen to Li Mingyue, Li Changfeng still thought that Liu Ziqiu had some interest in Li Mingyue and quickly handed her over.
Said: "Actually, it would be beneficial for you to respect my Li family as the best family in the world, not to mention that among the seven major families, my Li family has contributed the most."
The so-called contribution is just a transaction. Of course, the Li family's help also greatly accelerated Liu Ziqiu's rise.
After listening to Li Changfeng's words, Liu Ziqiu couldn't help but laugh and said: "Liu is not a person who forgets his roots. Liu will remember the help of the Li family in his heart. It is precisely because Liu is unwilling to forget his roots that Liu cannot respect the Li family as the best in the world."
One family."
Li Changshan said in surprise: "Why is this?"
Liu Ziqiu smiled and said: "I guess you two old gentlemen have heard of the Xie family in Jiangnan."
The Xie family and the Wang family in the south of the Yangtze River are both old-established aristocratic families. It was only in the Jin Dynasty that they moved to the south of the Yangtze River to avoid war, and their status deteriorated and they were gradually replaced by the seven aristocratic families.
Of course, brother Li Changshan had heard of the Xie family, and when he thought that Liu Ziqiu came from Jiangnan, he couldn't help but be surprised and said repeatedly: "Do you want to respect the Xie family as the head of the world's famous families?"
Of course, the current strength of the Xie family cannot be compared with that of the seven great families, but if the status of the Xie family is officially confirmed by the imperial court, then the Xie family's take-off will be just around the corner, and it will not be difficult to rise in one day.
Sure enough, Liu Ziqiu nodded slightly and said: "Without the help of the Xie family, how could Liu be where he is today? Drink water and remember the source. The day Liu succeeds is the time to repay the Xie family! When the world is settled, Liu will tell the world.
Respect the Xie family as the first of all families!"
In fact, if Li Changshan had not reminded him, Liu Ziqiu would not have been able to think of a way to repay the Xie family. For Xie Wengshan and his son, if they heard this news, they would be even happier than Liu Ziqiu giving them thousands of hectares of fertile land and thousands of gold and silver.
But things rarely have the best of both worlds. The Xie family and his son were happy, but the Li brothers were a little disappointed, and their frustration was palpable.
Liu Ziqiu couldn't help laughing and said: "The ranking of aristocratic families is just a game among the people. The court should not ask too many questions. But the court should also promote righteousness. It cannot judge the status of aristocratic families solely by the amount of land and money. It should also consider the status of each family.
Contribution to the court and the people, the size of the effort."
When Li Changshan heard this, his hope was rekindled, and he raised his hands and said: "My Li family in Longxi is willing to contribute to the court, Mr. Liu, and the people of the world!"
Liu Ziqiu waved his hand and said: "Old sir, please rest assured that when the time is right, Liu will reset the ranking of the world's aristocratic families in the name of the court!"
Although they did not get a clear answer from Liu Ziqiu, and the best family in the world would definitely fall into another family, the Li Changshan brothers still felt that the trip was worthwhile. At least so far, the Li family's help to Liu Ziqiu can be ranked second.
Brother Li Changshan returned to Longxi with hope, but Li Mingyue stayed. It wasn't that Li Mingyue refused to go back, but that Li Changfeng didn't mention it at all, as if he had forgotten Li Mingyue's existence.
Liu Ziqiu was helpless, but time was tight, so he had no choice but to embark on the eastward march. Because this road had long been under Liu Ziqiu's control, the army advanced very quickly. That night, it crossed Yiyang County and arrived at
Set up camp fifty miles southwest of Luoyang City.