The soldiers set up a simple awning in front of a forest on the roadside. Cheng Yaojin and Li Xiaogong sat across from each other. The charcoal fire in the stove quickly ignited, and the flames licked the kettle. After a while, the spout appeared.
heat.
Rain was pouring outside the canopy, and tens of thousands of troops were meandering forward, shouting in front of each other, and the rear troops were not seen yet. Without a single person, the hour could not be completed...
"The prince is here, but what teachings do you have?"
Cheng Yaojin smiled and stroked his beard, his posture very relaxed.
In recent years, Li Xiaogong has been pampering himself, slandering his reputation, and enjoying himself in the mansion all day long. Although he briefly returned to the Western Regions to serve as the Great Protector of Anxi, he also showed a hint of returning to his peak, but after all, he had surrendered his military power for many years, and his reputation was
It's not as good as before, and the top military officials only respect him, not fear him.
If it had been placed in the early years of Zhenguan or the Wude period, how would Cheng Yaojin dare to sit across from Li Xiaogong? Where the prince sat, there was absolutely no seat for Cheng Yaojin...
Li Xiaogong's own mentality has long since calmed down. The fierceness of the past has completely disappeared, replaced by more calmness. At this moment, Cheng Yaojin smiled playfully in front of him and did not feel dissatisfied. He only said calmly: "You, Duke Lu, are now in charge of the army."
, he is like a hero, compared to when he was in Wagang, he was arrogant and unscrupulous. How can I dare to teach you? I have to speak with trepidation, for fear that my words will be disrespectful, and you will order your head to be chopped off and thrown into the roadside water.
ditch."
"Hey! What the king said is embarrassing. You are the king at any time. You can fight, scold, and do whatever you want! But now that I am older, my temper is inevitably rough. In the past, I was a bit groveling.
If you can’t do it, it seems a bit casual, but we are respectful of it!”
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The kettle was bubbling "gudugudu". Cheng Yaojin raised the kettle and made tea while chattering in his mouth.
Li Xiaogong nodded: "It's better to be casual. After all, today is different from the past. If you still act like a county king wherever you go, wouldn't it be offensive to others?"
With one hand, he took the tea cup that Cheng Yaojin offered with both hands, blew on it, took a sip, and praised: "The tea is good."
Cheng Yaojin said with a smile: "The king of the county is here, so the general will naturally bring out the good things from the bottom of the box to entertain him, but this year is not peaceful. Half the autumn tea from Jiangnan did not reach Guanzhong, so he drank it all
It’s gone.”
Li Xiaogong said: "Just go to Fang Er and ask for some. If others don't have it, his family will always have it."
"I have thought about it, but even though Fang Er is known as 'Yuntian', he is actually a miser. He is the best at doing business. Even if there is good tea at home, I am afraid he will not give it to me. It would be reasonable to charge a sky-high price."
Maybe, although I like this, I would feel bad if the price is too expensive, haha."
…
The two exchanged words, but most of them found it boring, so they both fell silent and just drank tea in silence.
The rain is pouring outside the shed, the fire is blazing inside the shed, there are water steam, birds, and the fragrance of tea, which is quite artistic.
After finishing the cup of tea, Cheng Yaojin held the pot and poured tea again, and then asked: "The prince has always been cheerful, but I don't know why he came here this time?"
Verbal exchanges are boring, and hiding things is equally boring. It is better to be open and honest.
Li Xiaogong held the tea cup and felt the heat, and asked: "You are not an idiot, but I really can't understand what you are doing. What are your plans?"
Cheng Yaojin was silent for a moment, took a sip of tea, and said, "The general has no plans at the end."
Li Xiaogong nodded: "It's okay if you don't have any plans."
Then he said: "I came here to comfort you based on your Majesty's instructions. Your Majesty has said that you should not be afraid. As long as you are loyal to the king's affairs and loyal to the country, you can know your way back. For all the past, let it be bygones. Let's talk about it now."
When you are rewarded for your merits, you will not be treated lightly."
Cheng Yaojin drank tea and said nothing. The footsteps of soldiers and horses outside the shed were messy and clear, but he was a little distracted.
After a long time, he sighed quietly: "Your Majesty is so generous."
Li Xiaogong deeply agreed: "Throughout the ages, there have been few such merciful monarchs. You and I are lucky."
He could see that His Majesty did not have any reluctance when he said these words in the Hall of Wude. He meant every word sincerely. He really had no intention of severely punishing Cheng Yaojin. It was by no means a gentle policy under the tense situation.
Keep a grudge in your heart.
Cheng Yaojin had the military power in his hands and no one could touch him, but the emperor really didn't want to touch him...
Sometimes he couldn't figure it out. When he was the prince, he was sensitive, perverse and violent, but how could he be kind, kind and open-minded once he sat on the throne?
How can a person's personality change so much?
Or maybe Emperor Taizong's original strategy towards the crown prince was completely wrong, which led to his son being in a state of collapse and despair all the time, leading to an extreme personality and erratic behavior?
But no matter what, having such a monarch is truly a blessing to the people.
Cheng Yaojin sighed: "I have no objection to Your Majesty, General Mo, and of course, I have no objection to King Jin either. It doesn't matter which of the two brothers becomes emperor, as long as he is the son of Emperor Taizong. Otherwise, General Mo will never stand idly by even if he is shattered to pieces..."
...In the final analysis, I am still obsessed with power. The promise of the "feudal side" of the Jin Dynasty is really too tempting. If a real man establishes a career in heaven and earth, and has a wife and son, can he ever build a country and pass it on to future generations?
Endless glory?"
Li Xiaogong nodded and expressed his understanding: "At the beginning, Emperor Taizong also consulted the ministers of the court about the hereditary governor and the feudal side. The ministers unanimously opposed it and left it alone. But in fact, everyone understood that Emperor Taizong was just using this to test
That’s all. If Emperor Taizong really meant this, how could the ministers not be happy and accept it happily? No one is a saint who has no desires and desires. Even a saint has his own pursuit. But no matter what, the important thing cannot be lost. "
This is meaningless. It means just casually talking about a secret from the past, because when Cheng Yaojin's mercenaries were self-respecting and watched the rebels enter the city to attack Chengtianmen, the King of Jin did not promise Cheng Yaojin "the feudal side"...
…
But at this point, His Majesty has stopped pursuing the matter, so why should he pursue it?
Cheng Yaojin also understood the meaning of Li Xiaogong's words, nodded and said: "Don't worry, Prince, if you don't want to understand the reason, how could the general withdraw from Mingde Gate and rush to Xianyang Bridge? Please report back to Your Majesty, the general will We are all loyal to the Tang Dynasty, and we are willing to rush to Xianyang Bridge to block the rebels who may attack Chang'an, and do our best to reverse the situation in Chang'an."
"I am very pleased that you can figure out the key to this."
Li Xiaogong took a sip of tea and asked calmly: "The Guanlong clan has staked everything on this mutiny. It is life or death. It will never sit idly by and watch the Jin King's defeat. It will definitely make every effort to contact the garrison and clans stationed in various places in Guanzhong. Would you rather The fish is dead and the net is broken, and both the jade and the stone are destroyed. So when you rush to Xianyang Bridge this time, you are very likely to face the rebels coming to attack Chang'an. I wonder how you plan to deal with it?"
This guy said that he was trying his best to stop the rebels who wanted to attack Chang'an through Xianyang Bridge. But if there were really rebels who attacked Xianyang Bridge, whether or how to attack it is a completely different matter.
How to say it does not mean how to do it.
Why did Cheng Yaojin dare to swing back and forth between His Majesty and the King of Jin?
It is because he has a loyal and powerful Zuowuwei under his command. This army has been managed by him for many years. All of them are his close confidants, who are willing to go through fire and water for him and obey his orders.
No matter whether the emperor is firmly on the throne or the king of Jin succeeds in ascending the throne, no one dares to attack such a Zhenguan minister with strong military power. They can only endure it, smile at each other, and treat him with extra hospitality.
If the troops under his command were exhausted and crippled, why would Cheng Yaojin dare to march slowly and deliberately threaten the emperor?
Therefore, if rebels really attack Xianyang Bridge, Cheng Yaojin is not sure how to make a decision...
Cheng Yaojin shook his head and laughed, his voice like a bell: "We are still at odds with each other. The prince actually forgot about the general's character... Although delaying the march this time is suspected of intimidating his majesty, it is also a last resort for the general. In short, the general may not consider his own willingness to be punished, but he must consider these old brothers who have followed me through life and death for many years, and cannot tolerate their being dragged down by me to a good end. However, since your majesty has forgotten the past, then the general will still be your majesty's ministers. If you know your mistakes, you will Reform is the right path, how can you make the same mistake over and over again? Don't worry, the prince, as long as there is one person in the Zuowu Guard standing still breathing, no one from the rebels can cross the Xianyang Bridge!"
Li Xiaogong glanced at him and hummed: "I hope so."
Cheng Yaojin raised his eyebrows: "How has the general ever spoken nonsense in front of the prince? Please wait and see."
Then he turned his head and shouted to Niu Jinda, who was standing outside the shed wearing a raincoat. "Send the order. The whole army should speed up. No rest or food is allowed on the road. Get to Xianyang Bridge and set up camp before dark!"
"Here!"
Niu Jinda accepted the order, and immediately saw more than ten famous captains called to one place. After giving careful instructions, the captains all saluted, turned around, mounted their horses, and galloped to various parts of the army to convey military orders. After the military order was issued, the originally procrastinating marching team Immediately, the army was in full appearance, the corps was in command, and the brigade leaders were shouting and shouting, and the marching speed suddenly accelerated.
After all, it is one of the most elite troops in the world today, and it is easy to follow orders and prohibitions...
After Niu Jinda conveyed the order, he came to the awning to meet Li Xiaogong first, and then said to Cheng Yaojin: "Commander Qi, the order has been conveyed, and the whole army hastened to Xianyang Bridge."
Cheng Yaojin nodded, and Li Xiaogong had already waved: "Old Niu, come and sit."
"Here!"
Niu Jinda glanced at Cheng Yaojin, stepped forward and sat on either side of them.
Li Xiaogong personally held the pot and poured a cup of tea for Niu Jinda, and said with a smile: "You and I have not been able to sit together and chat like this for many years. It is very emotional to think about our military career."
At the beginning, Qin Qiong and Cheng Yaojin led Wagang to attach themselves to the King of Qin Li Shimin. Niu Jinda, as his younger brother, also followed him. Over the years, he fought for the throne for the King of Qin and appeased the border areas of the Tang Dynasty. He charged into battle. Although his status was slightly lower, he was a real soldier.
Zhenguan Xunchen.
Then, without waiting for Niu Jinda to speak, Li Xiaogong said with a half-smile but not a smile: "The late emperor once told me that Niu Jinda's outstanding achievements and loyalty are enough to be in charge of one of the Sixteen Guards, but he is tightly held by Cheng Yaojin.
If you don’t let people go, what can you do?”
Cheng Yaojin's eyes widened immediately, "Wow, you Li Xiaogong, who has thick eyebrows and big eyes, looks upright, but you don't expect to be a treacherous person. This plan to sow discord has actually led you to come here?"