In the evening, Qin Mubai held a banquet at the Governor's Mansion to meet the prince and his daughter of Jiangxia. Lanzhou's generals and officials were present, and it was very lively.
The border areas are not as luxurious and extravagant as the capital city. In the spacious hall, a large military banquet was lined up. Wine jars and barbecues had to be carried. "The Music of the King of Qin Breaking the Formation" was played and a generous military dance was played. The silver knives were dazzling to cut the barbecue, and the cups were filled with endless drinks.
The rugged and heroic frontier fortress military atmosphere is vivid and vivid.
Qin Mubai and Li Daozong have long been accustomed to such scenes and love the atmosphere deeply. Princess Wencheng and Wu Meiniang, who attended such a gathering for the first time, were deeply affected and shocked. Being among such a group of bloody men, even a slender woman will be tainted with a touch of heroic spirit.
So, Wu Meiniang got drunk, and Princess Wencheng was also half drunk.
Wu Meiniang owns a restaurant and has always had a good drinking capacity. It was a rare occasion for her to be drunk. At this moment, her steps were stumbling and her eyes were blurred. Her red face seemed to be able to squeeze water out of her mouth. Her every frown and smile were as charming as a magical temptation.
There is no man in the world who would not be tempted by such a woman.
Li Daozong stared at Wu Meiniang for a few seconds, then shook his head and said: "Mu Bai, you are so lucky. Such a beauty in the world... tsk tsk!"
"Her charm is far more than just her appearance." Qin Mubai smiled, rarely speaking humbly in front of Li Daozong, "Her wisdom, talent, understanding and aura are far better than her appearance."
"This kind of woman is rare to see in a hundred years." Li Daozong narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "She is beautiful but not as talented as her; there are those who are capable but not as knowledgeable and assertive as any man; she is even more obtainable. , It is her unique aura of spirituality that makes her one of the best among people. If this girl were born as a boy, Mu Bai would be as good as you and me."
"That's right." Qin Mubai smiled and thought to himself, if I, a bastard, hadn't traveled through time to disrupt the situation, classmate Wu Meiniang would still be your emperor!
"When will you get married?" Li Daozong suddenly asked.
"It's still early." Qin Mubai replied casually.
Li Daozong suddenly smiled and said: "Then you have to watch carefully. No man would not want a woman like her. It seems that you snatched her away from His Majesty the Emperor in the first place, right? You are quite capable, Mu. white!"
Qin Mubai grinned awkwardly and joked: "Does the prince also want to get involved?"
"If His Majesty had not given you a marriage contract, I would really want to!" Li Daozong laughed unscrupulously, "If a man doesn't want such a woman, she is either a eunuch or a hypocrite. However, since she is already your woman , That’s it. Come to think of it, I can’t do such discord.”
"Haha, Your Majesty is so kind. This is where Qin likes to meet you the most." Qin Mubai said with a smile, "Come on, Your Majesty, please cheers!"
"Please! - Come to my residence after the young man's banquet. I have something to ask you privately."
"You should obey your orders."
At night, the banquet at the Governor's Mansion dispersed, and Qin Mubai sent Li Daozong and his daughter back to their home as promised. Wu Meiniang, who was drunk, was served by her confidants and maids, and she went back to the back house of the Governor's Mansion to sober up and rest.
Qin Mubai knew what Li Daozong wanted to ask.
Sure enough, not long after he sat down, Li Daozong said: "Mu Bai, when we were outside Lanzhou City, you told me that your position as the Governor of Lanzhou was conferred on you by Changsun Wuji himself. Why did he do this? I am puzzled by this."
"If the prince understands the situation in Lanzhou and the Helong Western Region, he will naturally understand." Qin Mubai said, "The imperial court issued a decree to promote my father to the position of Chief Military Officer of the Guanxi Road March and Chief Protector of Anxi, to take charge of the Helong and Western Regions. All military and political power was directly handed over to him. On the surface, it seems that my father is a high-ranking feudal official who is worth more than ten thousand people, but this is not the case. "
"That's right." Li Daozong's expression became more solemn as he said, "In the more than ten years since His Majesty ascended the throne, it has not been easy to sweep across Mobei and conquer the Turks. But in Helong and the Western Regions, our Tang Dynasty's power is still very weak. Not to mention, as early as a few years ago, Lanzhou was in a precarious situation, and it could change into other hands at any time. Finally, Lanzhou was run by you and your son, and Datang had a foothold in Helong. You will soon make great achievements. After recapturing Dafeichuan and attacking Tuyuhun, the Tang Dynasty's strength on the western front increased sharply. However, this was only limited to the area of Tuyuhun and Lanzhou. Even Yumen Pass and Yangguan were still in the hands of the Tubo people. The enemy fought eighteen battles and finally surrendered to Gaochang Kingdom... At this time, our Tang Dynasty had its first inch of strength and territory in the Western Region, and it was still quite unstable. The Protector-General has a big official position, but the power in his hands is very small. Moreover, it is very dangerous and the pressure is huge. To put it bluntly, Changsun Wuji flew your Qin family and his son like kites and threw them to the Helongxi Region. It’s up to you to fend for yourself.”
"The prince is wise and hits the nail on the head." Qin Mubai took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, and said, "There are a hundred thousand soldiers and horses in the Lanzhou Governor's Mansion, which is a lot, but our defense line is quite long. From Tuyuhun to Dafeichuan Go to Lanzhou, then extend to the Qishan Mountains to Yu and Yang Pass, go north to Ganliang Prefecture, and go west deep into Loulan and Gaochang... Thousands of miles of territory, a hundred thousand troops, is actually a drop in the bucket. Moreover, my father. In Gaochang, there are only more than ten thousand soldiers and horses to stand alone, and they are like a fortress. Don't talk about establishing the Anxi Protectorate. I am worried that if the four surnames of Gaochang play another trick under the instigation of the Western Turks and Tibetans, my father will. How to resist the invading enemies from all directions? It is easy to win but difficult to defend if you attack the enemy from all directions. Although Lanzhou is now as solid as a rock and its morale is high, this thousand-mile defense line is like a majestic buffalo, but the Tubo Turks are like iron nails. . Although the buffalo is strong, the iron nails can penetrate the cowhide at will, and even kill it with one blow. So... I actually feel like I am walking on thin ice, and the pressure is very high."
Li Daozong's eyes narrowed, he looked at Qin Mubai intently, nodded slowly and said: "It seems that His Majesty the Emperor always has a unique vision. What you just said, Your Majesty has already thought of it in the deep palace. He also told me that he had heard of it. Otherwise, even if I always follow his lead, I would not compromise with the Lord and agree to send my daughter to marry Tibet. Lanzhou is already surrounded by enemies and has a weak foundation. After your father went deep into Gaochang, it became even more critical. At this time, we can no longer fight with Tubo. We must make peace with them and relieve the pressure in the Dafeichuan and Tuyuhun areas. Then, Lanzhou can focus on the line between Loulan and Gaochang until it penetrates into the Western Regions. We only have enemies like the Western Turks and the small countries in the Western Regions, without Tibet as a powerful enemy. Moreover, if the Tibetans agree to make peace and accept the marriage, they are my son-in-law of the Tang Dynasty. It is reasonable to ask them to help me. Among them. To eliminate a powerful enemy and gain an ally for the Tang Dynasty, my daughter, Li Daozong, is worth the loss!"
"The prince's magnanimity and magnanimity are far beyond the reach of Qin." Qin Mubai clasped his fists and said with emotion, "The prince was once the most determined leader of the war, but he would rather cut out the flesh and blood in his heart to take into account the overall situation... The Tang Dynasty has a loyal minister like you. Liangxun, why can't you conquer the world?"
"It's an exaggeration." Li Daozong smiled slightly and said, "I have followed His Majesty in the North and South since I was young, and I have risked my life long ago. It is a great satisfaction to live to this day, sit on the throne and have children. . Yan'er, she is the daughter of the king, but she is also the daughter of the Tang Dynasty. If the king is willing to die, why should Yan'er marry? ... Haha! I think the top priority is to send envoys to Tubo quickly. , talk about the proposal of marriage to Zizong Nongzan, whether he agrees or not, it will always give Lanzhou a chance to breathe. I see that your recent military and political focus has been on Liangzhou's defense. You are very worried about your father's safety in Gaochang. Your strategy is correct. The foundation of Loulan and Gaochang is unstable and there are many dangers. The main force in Lanzhou should take over as soon as possible to lay the first foundation of the Tang Dynasty in the Western Region."
"Yes!" Qin Mubai said, "It has been nearly a month since I arrived in Lanzhou. I first stabilized the situation in the city and then went around to inspect the defense. I was afraid that there would be another chaos in Lanzhou or that Yuyang and Loulan would fall. In that case, my father would Gaochang has really become a broken kite. The defense change from Liangzhou to Yuyang is almost over, and I can breathe a little easier. Now, it is time to train my troops and prepare to go west to meet my father. But this time the court has allocated it. I am really stingy with money and food for my troops. If Mei Niang hadn't brought 300,000 stones of food and grass privately, I don't know what would have happened."
"Mubai, I know about this matter. You... don't blame His Majesty the Emperor." Li Daozong looked at Qin Mubai with a thoughtful gaze and said, "He has his own ideas and his difficulties. Do you understand? ?”
"I understand... Not only do I not blame His Majesty the Emperor, I don't even blame the eldest grandson Wuji who allocated money and food for the troops." Qin Mubai sighed and said, "If I were them, I would not fight to conquer the country. In fact, since I left Chang'an, I have been very clear... I left like a kite that was flown out by the Tang Dynasty. I don’t know where it will fly or when it will land. Because the people who pull the strings just let it go and never think about taking it back. To put it more harshly, my father and I, as well as the 100,000 troops in Lanzhou, are all abandoned by the imperial court. If we win, it will be an extra surprise; if we lose, the imperial court will lose a Lanzhou and 100,000 troops, which will not damage the Sheji Dynasty. "
"This is cruel, but it is indeed true." Li Daozong nodded and said, "The fact that you can think of this proves that you are very wise and calm. But don't blame everyone, because those who achieve great things often end up risking their lives to survive. If there is no Jedi What great things can be accomplished with counterattack and overwhelming domineering power? If it is a must-win battle, there is nothing worth boasting about if it is won; if Lanzhou, one state and one county can fight against the Western Tubo Turks in the Helongxi Region? If you add the ten small countries in the Western Region and win, you will be a true hero standing tall in the sky!"
"hehe!"
Qin Mubai smiled.
He held the tea cup and played with it gently, with a very playful smile on his face, and said easily: "I never wanted to be a hero. I just think that there are always some things in this life that a man should do. ”, regardless of success or failure.”
Li Daozong didn't say much. He always didn't like to say anything grand. He just nodded and smiled gently. Then he changed the topic and said, "I saw a familiar figure at the banquet today. He was sitting alone in an inconspicuous corner drinking. Drinking alcohol."
"Your Majesty, are you talking about Hou Junji?"
"Yes." Li Daozong nodded and said, "I knew that as soon as you came to Lanzhou, you would find him. But I also knew that he would not easily let you do what you wanted. What are your plans for him, or Is there any way?"
"I'm not in a hurry." Qin Mubai smiled, took off his saber from his waist, and placed it flatly on the table and chair.
Li Daozong took a look and said: "This is not the Guiyi Sword that I gave you. It is very beautiful and suitable for your status."
"In a place like Lanzhou, not to mention soldiers and generals, even warriors and merchants usually keep their swords with them." Qin Mubai said, "Your Majesty is right, this is an ordinary general's sword. It has been with me for a while. It’s almost unsheathed, let alone exposed to blood. It’s only used for decoration.”
"What do you want to say?" Li Daozong frowned and asked.
"Hou Junji is like a sword." Qin Mubai smiled slightly and said, "He is simple and unpretentious, and seems a bit obscure and gloomy. It's like the Guiyi sword that the prince gave me."
Li Daozong raised his eyebrows, "Have you ever used the Guiyi Sword in battle and killed the enemy?"
"Of course. Not only did I use it to command the Xiangzhou Water Battle and the Dafei Battle to recover, I also personally wiped the enemy's neck." Qin Mubai said, "A murderous knife will not be unsheathed without blood. When you unsheath it, you will see blood." Hou Junji, it's like he is hiding in his scabbard. I won't take it out to show off or show off when I have nothing to do. He will only take it out when he goes into battle to kill people."
Li Daozong stared at the handle on the table with his eagle eyes, and said slowly: "The murder knife can kill people, but it can also hurt yourself."
"But this will never be the reason for me to abandon the sword." Qin Mubai smiled lightly and said, "It's just like the Guiyi sword that the prince gave me. Is it because it is too sharp and cruel, so I should abandon it. If that’s the case, why should Qin be with the sword?”
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[There have been some bottlenecks recently, mainly because of the push and reverse push issues between Xiaomei and Xiaobai... It's very tangled. How about you give me a red ticket to stimulate me? ]