Xiao Siye smiled bitterly and said: "My lord, I don't know. These barbarians love to fight by nature, and for them, if they lose the fight, the whole country will lose face. Therefore, even if the officials arrest them and lock them up for a few days, they will wait for a few days."
They still made trouble when they were released. I can't just kill them, right?"
Wu Chengsi frowned and said, "I heard Zhuge Nan said that anyone who makes trouble more than three times will be deported. Aren't they also afraid?"
Xiao Siye hesitated and said: "...Master Wu, this method is actually of no use. If we really count, most of the envoys will be driven away. By then, I am afraid that this grand gathering of all nations coming to court will also be ruined."
Wu Chengsi scratched his temples and thought: "For countries in this era, the coming of all nations in the Tang Dynasty is actually a world event. All countries hope to show their faces in the event. This sense of national honor can only be achieved by
It cannot be suppressed."
"Then why did you come to me? There's nothing I can do."
Xiao Siye hurriedly said: "Master Wu, please don't say that. These foreign envoys respect the strong, especially generals like you who have just annihilated the Khitan Kingdom. As long as you come forward and say a few words, they will definitely listen!"
Wu Chengsi thought for a moment and said: "It's useless. It involves national interests and cannot be suppressed by just saying a few words from me."
Xiao Siye's expression turned bitter, he stood up and said, "Then let me go and think of other solutions."
"Wait a minute." Wu Chengsi was moved in his heart and said: "As the saying goes, it is better to block things than to block them. If we want to prevent them from making trouble, we might as well give them a platform to make trouble. When they are tired, they will naturally stop making trouble."
"Platform?" Xiao Siye blinked, looking confused.
The more Wu Chengsi thought about it, the more feasible it became. He smiled and said: "It's very simple. We will hold a martial arts meeting of all nations. All envoys can participate. At that time, the ranking of each country in the meeting will be determined based on the results of the martial arts meeting.
!”
Xiao Siye thought quickly and said in surprise: "Yes, these barbarians admire the strong the most. As long as they lose the fight, they have no shame in continuing to fight. This method is feasible... I just don't know if Her Royal Highness the Queen agrees."
"Her Majesty the Queen, let me tell you."
"In that case, thank you sir."
After Xiao Siye left, Wu Chengsi went to meet Li Jingxuan, Wang Bo and others respectively.
Li Jingxuan mainly came to congratulate Wu Chengsi on his promotion to general. Wu Chengsi did not have a close relationship with him, so they exchanged a few polite words before he took his leave.
Wang Bo and others reported to Wu Chengsi on the work of the Hanlin Academy.
Wu Chengsi left Wang Bo and the four of them to eat in the mansion. The four people at the dinner table were obviously more relaxed, and the conversation gradually changed from official matters to private matters.
Zhou Xing smiled and said: "Master, you don't know something. During the time you left Chang'an, the three of them had already gotten married and started a business."
Wu Chengsi was slightly surprised and joked: "You three move very quickly. I wonder whose girl you are marrying?"
Wang Bo smiled bitterly and said: "The student married the Cui family on the orders of the two elders, which made the prince laugh."
While eating the food, Meng Huailiang said with a smile: "Brother Lu and I are not as good as Brother Wang, and we all marry ordinary folk women."
Zhou Xing snorted: "It's not ordinary either. Headmaster, do you still remember Lan Xiaolou?"
"Everyone in Pingkangfang knows about it, and I naturally know that she also helped us with Xu Jingzong's matter. Why, is this the woman Huai Liang married?"
"That's her!" Zhou Xing said, telling the story of Meng Huailiang's hero saving the beauty in Luoyulou.
However, unlike Wang Bo who married a daughter of the Cui family, Meng Huailiang married Lan Xiaolou as a concubine.
Wu Chengsi asked about Lu Zhaolin again, and Lu Zhaolin replied respectfully: "The student married a woman he grew up with."
Meng Huailiang said with a smile: "Brother Lu is better than me. Originally, his family wanted him to marry a girl from the Zheng family, but he insisted on marrying his childhood sweetheart, Qi. In the end, his family agreed."
Lu Zhaolin lowered his head and said: "Qimei has been married to me since she was a child. Later, her family fell into decline and she took the initiative to break off the engagement for fear of delaying my future. How can I let down such a woman?"
Zhou Xing curled his lips and looked disdainfully. Suddenly, he noticed that Wu Chengsi had a look of admiration on his face. He quickly put his expression away and thought to himself: "It seems that the president likes people who value friendship and righteousness."
At this time, Wang Bo looked serious and said: "Master, since King Pei returned to the capital, the students have noticed that he has changed a lot from before. He has also sent people over and over again to show his kindness to the students. The students are very confused."
Zhou Xing and the others looked at each other with concentration, and all looked at Wu Chengsi.
Wu Chengsi took a mouthful of food and said calmly: "He has a second thought."
The people present here are all smart people, and they immediately understood the meaning of his words. King Pei wanted to compete for the throne!
Zhou Xing said solemnly: "Master, according to students' observations, in the recent occasions when King Pei and the prince attended together, King Pei's demeanor completely overshadowed the prince. It seems that he has no intention of concealing his purpose."
"Yes, he plans to win the position of crown prince in an honest and fair manner."
Zhou Xing wondered: "Isn't he afraid that His Majesty and Her Majesty the Queen will find out?"
Wu Chengsi was silent for a moment and said slowly: "They already know."
The four of them were all shocked, which meant that the emperor and the empress had tacitly approved of this behavior. No wonder King Pei has been acting unscrupulously recently.
Meng Huailiang said: "Master, when we encounter trouble in the future, shall we stand on the side of the crown prince or the side of King Pei?"
"First wait and see what happens. Don't rely on either side." Wu Chengsi said in a deep voice.
The four of them nodded, and after a while of silence, Zhou Xing suddenly said: "By the way, Headmaster, He Lanmin has escaped."
Wu Chengsi was surprised and said: "Escaped? Why is there no news from the court?" This matter is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Punishment. If it really happened, Li Jingxuan could not hide it from him.
Zhou Xing solemnly said: "The students don't know the specific reason. Since He Lan Minzhi was assigned to Lingnan, the students sent people to Lingnan to bribe an official and asked him to keep an eye on He Lan Minzhi. The news was passed back by that official.
."
Wu Chengsi looked at Zhou Xing for a while and asked, "Why did you bribe the officials to keep an eye on He Lan Minzhi?"
Zhou Xing said respectfully: "After all, this person is the nephew of Her Royal Highness the Queen, and he has many gang members. The students were worried that he would make a comeback, so they took it seriously."
Wu Chengsi nodded. If he wants to fight with others in the court in the future, he will need more talents like Zhou Xing. He praised: "You are very thoughtful."
Wang Bo raised his eyebrows and said: "Headmaster, judging from the fact that the court has not received this news, someone has covered up this matter. Do you want students to go to Lingnan to investigate?"
Wu Chengsi said: "The Chinese New Year is coming soon. If I go to Lingnan now, I might miss the opportunity to spend the New Year with my family."
Wang Brown said in a loud voice: "It is very likely that someone is targeting you behind your back. If the students don't investigate clearly, I'm afraid they won't be able to live a safe life this year."
Zhou Xing cursed secretly and then said: "Students are also willing to go to Lingnan to investigate." Lu Zhaolin and Meng Huailiang also asked for orders.
Wu Chengsi smiled and said: "Very good, I'm very happy that you are all willing to share my worries. Let Zian take care of this matter. I'm afraid it will be difficult to find out the whereabouts of He Lan Minzhi. Please help me find out who is behind it."
Just cover it up."
Wang Bo accepted the order with his hands raised.
…
The next day, Wu Chengsi went to the Hanlin Academy and sent an envoy to Wang Bo who was out on business so that he could investigate the matter.
Then he went to the Zichen Palace to find Wu Mei, and mentioned to her about holding a martial arts competition from various countries, and based on the ranking of martial arts, the ranking of the nations coming to the court would be determined.
After Wu Mei heard Wu Chengsi explain the reason, she agreed immediately.
After leaving the palace and returning to the Duke's Mansion, Wen Rong came over from the courtyard and said, "Master, the princess is here and is waiting in the hall."
Wu Chengsi nodded and came to the hall, where he saw Princess Taiping sitting on a chair drinking tea, with two scholars standing next to her.
One of them was very young, about the same age as Zhugenan, and the other was Du Shenyan, who had a relationship with Wu Chengsi.
"Second cousin, can you bring it to me?" Princess Taiping walked up to Wu Chengsi and stretched out a small white hand.
Wu Chengsi was stunned: "What?"
"Of course it's a gift! You went to Liaodong, don't say you didn't come back with gifts for others!" Princess Taiping said softly.
Wu Chengsi said angrily: "I'm going to Liaodong to fight, so I don't have time to bring you a gift. Others come to me to congratulate me on my promotion. It's better for you to ask for gifts as soon as they meet." As he said that, he walked to a chair.
Sit down.
"Who told you to be my cousin?" Princess Taiping walked up to Wu Chengsi, clasped her hands behind her back, looked at him with a smile, and nodded: "Well... it seems that I am still the second cousin from before.
After hearing that you defeated the Khitans, I was really worried that you would be a different person when you came back."