A few days later, in Northern Xinjiang, General Huaihua Mansion.
Zhao Shi frowned and looked at the family letter in front of him.
He is in his forties this year, only one year shy of fifty. Because he has been stationed in the bitterly cold northern Xinjiang all year round, his temples are already a little frosty.
Probably because he was deeply influenced by his family tradition in his childhood and adolescence, when Zhao Shi was in the General's Mansion, he didn't like to wear armor and always dressed like a scribe. His temperament also leans toward the elegance of a civil servant. Only when he occasionally rolls up his sleeves to reveal his muscular arms can he glimpse some of the characteristics of a military general.
"Unknowingly, it's been sixteen years!" After a long time, he put down the letter and looked out the window with some regret. A clump of green bamboo swayed between the black panes. In the season of late September, you can still see greenery in Chang'an. , but in this northern border, the vegetation in the huge courtyard has been destroyed, and this clump of bamboo can still remind the fifty-year-old general of the scenery of his hometown.
"I remember that when the child was just born, I personally drew his likeness in the middle of the night and sent it to Northern Xinjiang with a letter from home." Zhao Shi looked at the bamboo leaves for a while, then turned to the other person in the room and said, "That painting is still there today. I keep it in my bedroom, and I look at the loving face of my mother that I painted with my younger brother all the time... I felt sorry for him for a long time when something happened to him. Now that he has returned safely, he has been cultivated to become the number one scholar, but there is some distance between us. This is another What's the point?"
The man was tall and burly, with an ordinary face, but his small eyes were bright and revealed a bit of wisdom. Although he is dressed as a scholar like Zhao Shi, he looks like a tiger general with his strong waist and tiger back.
Hearing this, he raised his eyebrows and said, "From the general's tone, do you think he disapproves of the old lady's decision?"
"Of course I don't agree." Zhao Shi said, "First of all, my nephew has been living abroad for many years and has become estranged from our relatives. If he plots against the wife he chose, he will most likely turn against us. ! My mother said it was better to be more secretive, and she didn’t even think about the child’s experience. He fought in the pirate den and almost won an unprecedented six songs! Is such a person so easy to fool? "
"Given his future prospects, all it takes is suspicion, without even the need for evidence!"
"Secondly, the melon is not sweet. The child is very fond of the Sheng family and has only a brother-sister relationship with Tao Mei. Not to mention that my Zhao family poisoned the Sheng family and let Tao Mei marry him. Even if the Sheng family is gone, the child You may not fall in love with Tao Mei."
Speaking of this, Zhao Shi's eyes flashed with nostalgia, "When Taomei's biological mother passed away, whether it was my mother or the people around me, they saw that I was heartbroken. Why didn't they persuade me to marry a famous lady to comfort my loneliness? However, the two of them saw that I was heartbroken. Is it so easy to find someone who is in love with you? Especially a wife who we married when we were young. The love we have built together over the years cannot be compared to those who come after us!"
"The general has a deep love for Mrs. Qiu, which is enviable." The man chuckled and said, "But the old lady's worries are not unreasonable. After all, in this world, good intentions are not rewarded, and infatuated hearts are betrayed throughout the ages. , is not uncommon. Especially for generals who hold great power, it is rare for them to die well. The old lady loves her son very much, and it is reasonable to advise the general to think more about his family. "
Zhao Shi said calmly: "It is reasonable, but caring can lead to chaos. My mother has probably never considered why Tao Mei is superior to the Sheng family in terms of talent, appearance, origin, and conversation, and is related to Sleeping Crane. However, Sleeping Crane chose the Sheng family instead of Tao Mei?"
The man said: "General, do you think it was preconceived? Before Prince Mi Zhen met the third lady, he was already in love with the princess at this moment?"
"The Sheng family is not the only girl in the Sheng family." Zhao Shi said, "As far as we have found out, there is also a young and beautiful girl in the Xuanyu family who has been in contact with Suihe, and there is also the daughter of Shuihe's sworn brother. Today's Ningwei Marquis' wife is said to be Suihe's niece, but she is actually about the same age as Suihe. Judging from Suihe's marriage to the Sheng family who was once his brother and sister, this child actually doesn't care about the ethics of fame. Chong, why among the girls Suihe came into contact with in his early years, why did he choose the Sheng family who was spoiled and had no obvious strengths?"
"Although she was pampered, she neglected her homework and wasted her reputation as a daughter of the Han Dynasty." The man laughed, "But now, everyone knows the reputation of a rich girl."
Zhao Shi said: "Sleeping Crane was born into a noble family, but he was exiled when he was young and suffered a lot of injustice. However, since he returned, he has never delved into the past. He almost accepted whatever the palace told him. This shows that he has a deep grudge against this matter and is also deeply concerned about it. He is arrogant and too lazy to engage in verbal disputes. Such a person is unlikely to give in when it comes to marriage. The reason he married that Sheng must be because he truly loves her."
"Otherwise, if you just look at the fact that he went to Western Xinjiang before, he traveled a long way and was assassinated and harassed constantly. In this situation, even if he has a rift with Ziye and his wife and is unwilling to ask for help from them, I am his biological uncle. He sent someone to deliver a message to me. Will I ignore it? Besides, he just doesn’t believe that I will defend my nephew I have never met. He only talks about the pros and cons. If Meng Boqin’s son becomes powerful in Western Xinjiang, is it good for me?!”
He sighed, "As a result, I waited and waited, and the child seemed to have no uncle like me at all... Even though he had other people to rely on, it can be seen that he was so arrogant! He would rather let Meng guess him. It was not easy to live abroad for those years, and he was not willing to bow his head and beg for help! In this case, do you think he will pretend to be a dowry for the Sheng family? "
The man said: "General, I think that the reason why the county prince refused to come to seek help from the general was not only because of his arrogance, but also because of what happened to the third lady, which made him feel embarrassed? Moreover, the prince is not close to his biological parents, and he is not close to his wife's family. How to get close?"
"The reason why he doesn't kiss Ziye and his wife is because he has resentment." Zhao Shi shook his head and said, "But even if he doesn't kiss the Zhao family, he has no resentment at all. This child knows very clearly: he has been in the Gaomi Prince's Palace for a long time, and he has always been He refused to be called 'Father' and 'Mother', even to Qingzhu and his wife, he always called them 'Prince' and 'Prince'. But when Tao Zhuang and Tao Mei came to the palace to stay for a while, he immediately called them 'Prince' and 'Prince'. They are like cousins."
"This is not because he has any special affection for his young and beautiful cousin, but because the Zhao family is not his father's family and owes him nothing... "
Zhao Shi seemed to have thought of something, and sighed slightly, "He was also young and didn't know much, so he thought he had nothing to owe, right?"
Shaking his head, he had no intention of continuing this topic and said, "The reason why Sleeping Crane likes the Sheng family is, in the final analysis, because the Sheng family is spoiled and has no scheming. With Sleeping Crane's experience, he can rise from Tortoiseshell Island. It's not easy, and he's used to intrigues and intrigues, so it's hard not to be suspicious in his temperament. There's nothing that can be done about it. In an environment like a gangster's den, if you don't keep an eye out and have more calculations than others, Maybe there won’t even be any bones left.”
"If things go on like this, for a girl with a big heart, no matter how beautiful she is or how good she is at flattering her, due to the habit of sleeping like a crane, the first thought when encountering her is not to appreciate her, but to be on guard!"
"His defensiveness, just look at the fact that he was seventeen when he left Tortoiseshell Island. At this age, some people on the shore could have become fathers. He also had an identity on the island at that time, but he didn't even know that he was a maid who warmed the bed. How profound.”
"And the Sheng family is naive. The most important thing is that when Sleeping Crane entered the Sheng family, she was only thirteen years old. She was in her mid-teens, and she didn't know how to hide it. For Sleeping Crane, it was natural that she could see everything at a glance. "
"After that, she learned some tricks. After all, it was within the scope of Suihe's understanding, and he watched her grow up. Only in this way can Suihe have no doubts about her, but also trust, so that he can be sincere and sincere."
"Although my Tao Mei is not the kind of deep-thinking femme fatale, she has never been able to get along with this cousin for a long time, so even if she sees her true nature, she won't trust her as much as she does Sheng... After all, These two children are not destined to be together, so if we force them to match up, it would be a bad fate!"
Zhao Shi shook his head, "So, why take the risk to break up Sleeping Crane and the Sheng family? It's better to tell them Master Sheng's plan exactly, and then be a good person. In this way, their little couple will be different in the future. If they are nostalgic, they will naturally There is a reward; if you are ungrateful, what is the point of letting Tao Mei squeeze in?"
The man said: "Since the general said that Prince Mi Zhen would like a simple girl who knows everything, if the Sheng family dies, wouldn't it be almost the same if he asked the third lady to spend more time with him?"
"Marriage is about bringing two families together. Isn't it a matter between the couple?" Zhao Shi sighed and said, "The Sheng family recognized Suihe as their son in order to let him inherit Sheng Xinzhang's lineage and take care of him. Come on, the Sheng family! This request is simple, clear, reasonable, and there is nothing to be suspicious about. After all, the Sheng family has always been trying to suppress Nanfeng County, right?"
"And in Shuihe's ambition, a mere Nanfeng County is nothing. Since the Sheng family's purpose is so limited, why should he be worried?"
"But behind Tao Mei is me, the Zhao family. You only look at the official positions of me and my younger brother. You said that the Zhao family tried every means to betroth Tao Mei to him because they just thought he was a good son-in-law candidate... Do you believe it?"
"Not to mention that I have already said that Sleeping Crane is very suspicious. If the Sheng family dies in Western Xinjiang and he escapes, no matter how reasonable the experience is, he will probably be the first to doubt the Zhao family."
"At that time, the Zhao family will be the one who works hard and works hard, but it won't end well in the end!"
"After all, it's hard for my mother to put aside the feelings of flesh and blood. She can't help but look at the child from the perspective of a grandmother. As an elder, isn't it normal to coax a child?"
Zhao Shi said with a little lack of interest, "However, my mother treats Suihe as a child. Suihe has little affection for her grandmother, and she is no longer a child! Dealing with such a suspicious, sick and promising person , cannot play calculations, because when they are suspicious, they don’t need evidence or reason at all, just their feelings.”
The man said: "It's just that we have been guarding the border for many years, and we will have to fight for the future of the county king. In the end, the glory may not be as good as that of the Sheng family and the Gongsun family who were born in a reckless way... The general thought about the reason why the old lady You have always wanted to marry the third lady to the prince, but you are somewhat unwilling to do so?"
"This is why I suggest not to play tricks on Suihe, but to be sincere." Zhao Shi said slowly, "Why does the Sheng family have a different status in Suihe's mind? In the final analysis, isn't it because the Sheng family has raised him for so many years? Did you pave a way for him in the year? Not to mention the Gongsun family, who saved his life."
"Sleeping Crane can be moved by their kindness, but why can't he be infected by the kindness of our Zhao family?"
"Even if the Sheng family and the Gongsun family take the lead, it's not too late to make up for the situation before it's too late. It's better than doing nothing or even pushing the sleeping crane further away!"
"The Sheng family and the Gongsun family are not related to each other. We, the Zhao family, have a close relationship with Suihe. If we don't show sincerity and run the business well, we will play tricks with him... If he is a fool, how can he Those who are coaxed, or those who have little ability, like Rong Qingzui, who can achieve nothing without the support of the Zhao family, will cheat and scheme. However, if he is not, how can he do what his mother said? "
The man pondered for a while and said: "If this is the case, the general will advise the general that when informing the prince of the Sheng family's plans, there is no need to let the princess know. Or, alternatively, let the prince decide whether to inform the princess. .After all, although the county prince was once deeply loved by the old man of the Sheng family, how can he compare with the love that the county princess is the direct granddaughter of the old man of the Sheng family? Even if the county princess is in danger by then, the kind of woman who has never experienced real suffering in the world will probably It will also be painful. Hiding it from her will show our compassion and love for the prince."
Zhao Shi said: "Well, you can make your own decisions on these matters after you go to Xijiang."
The man said in shock: "Will you go to Western Xinjiang in the end?!"
"If you don't go to Western Xinjiang, who will?" Zhao Shi smiled when he heard this, and said Wen Yan, "I can't go by myself, right? I still have to stay in Northern Xinjiang and keep an eye on Meng Boqin! Besides, if our plan goes well, I am either worried or unwilling to give such a big contribution to other people! So you should work hard and take people there yourself!"
Seeing that his subordinates were silent, the smile on his lips grew thicker, and he spread his hands and said, "Of course, all the above are just words. In fact, we are the only two here at the moment, so don't prevaricate: I, General Huaihua, who comes from a scholarly family, When it comes to fighting, we can only talk about it on paper, which is far worse than Meng Boqin. In other words, we have a good life. As long as Bei Xinjiang has not gone wrong in these years, and with the help of people like you, we won’t be able to pretend anymore!"
"This is a rare opportunity to annihilate Ruru's main force. You are not so prodigal as to watch me ruin it, right?"
The man was silent for a while and sighed: "Although the general is not good at arranging troops, there is an ancient saying that attacking the heart with troops is better than attacking the city. The general is really the best strategy."
Zhao Shi's talent in military strategy is indeed very poor, and he is not the least bit qualified as General Huaihua. The reason why he can become the highest representative of the Gaomi King faction in the military is that he is excellent at winning people's hearts and knowing people and making good use of them, which is enough to secure this position.
"It's just that there are rumors that there is a deep rift between Prince Mi Zhen and Prince Gaomi and his wife. Previously, Meng Jiagan led 3,000 Northern Xinjiang troops to the west, but he never sent anyone to ask for help from the general. I don't know if he really wasn't angry with the general? "After the man calmed down his excitement, he couldn't help but reciprocate the favor and worry about Zhao Shi, "If this is the case, after I go to Western Xinjiang, I will have to explain it to the general!"