When he left Qiongyu Villa after bathing and changing clothes, Qin Mubai felt that the place was quiet and pleasant, and the wind and moon were boundless.
"Mei Niang, you know romance better and enjoy it better than me." With a smile to himself, Qin Mubai left this gentle village and headed to the Governor's Mansion.
Since arriving in Lanzhou, I have been busy for days. Recently, everything has gradually gotten back on track, and Qin Mubai is finally a little more relaxed. After Su Dingfang came to Lanzhou to serve as the governor of the governor's office, most of the military affairs could be left to him, and Xiao Liang was also in charge of civil affairs. With the help of his right and left hands, Qin Mubai was finally relieved.
Today he came to the Governor's Mansion much later than usual, but it didn't bother him at all. In the morning, Su Dingfang and Xiao Liang had properly handled the day's affairs, leaving only some important matters for Qin Mubai to come to the district to make decisions.
Just entering the governor's office, he bumped into Su Dingfang.
Su Dingfang usually spoke little and was reserved, but his thoughts were extremely thoughtful and sophisticated. At first glance, he glanced at Qin Mubai and saw that there was no one around. He smiled and said, "Mubai is so proud of the spring breeze today. He must have been so sentimental last night."
"Senior brother only makes fun of me." Qin Mubai said with a relaxed smile, then sat down to get a cup of tea and asked casually, "Are there any important military affairs that need to be approved?"
"Not really." Su Dingfang replied, "However, there are a few things that I must report to the Young Marshal."
"Let's talk about it." When it came to business, the two resumed their status as superiors and subordinates, and Qin Mubai's expression became a little more solemn.
"First, Liu Shanyin, Minister of Honglu Temple, has set off this morning via Dafeichuan to Tubo to discuss peace and marriage." At this point, Su Dingfang paused and said with a smile, "Young Marshal has not spoken to Liu Shanyin yet. He is a wonderful person with many good causes.”
"What's the trick?"
"Sharp tongue, extremely adaptable. Careful and careful, and wise as a fool." Su Ding said in a concise and concise dialect, "It is appropriate for the imperial court to send him as an envoy. Regardless of these, some of his subtle actions before leaving made him feel humbled. interest."
"What did he do?"
Su Dingfang smiled and said: "He prepared four portraits of Princess Wencheng, with different beauty and ugliness, and different expressions. Before leaving, he asked the King of Jiangxia which painting should be shown to Tubo Zanpu. How could the King of Jiangxia A delicate person would naturally not speak clearly. So he glanced at him with a cold expression and said, "You can do whatever you want" and then burned the other three portraits."
"You left the ugliest one?" Qin Mubai laughed.
"Young Marshal is smart." Su Dingfang also smiled and said, "How can I say that this Liu Shanyin is a wonderful man? When he came to Lanzhou, he must have known that Lanzhou was at least handsome and below, and he was the main battler. It is impossible to say, this person Although he is pedantic and weak on the outside, he still has a bit of a man's heart, and he is probably inclined to the warring faction. It is just because he is humble and does not attract attention in the court. His actions when he left were nothing more than asking Jiang Xia. The king and the young marshal made their position clear. Such an envoy was sent to Tibet, and he thought it was despicable..."
Qin Mubai's eyebrows sank, and a star flashed in his eyes. The two of them nodded understandingly and stopped talking.
"Young Marshal, now we in Lanzhou have to be prepared for both things." Su Dingfang said, "First, if the peace is successful, Tubo will become our nephew country of the Tang Dynasty. The defense center and main force of Lanzhou can be sent to us. Withdrawing from the northwest, the main focus will be on establishing the Anxi Protectorate and managing the Western Region. Secondly, if the peace cannot be achieved, war is imminent. At present, our troops in Kansai are too scattered and the front is too long. After some discussion, we can temporarily withdraw from the Gaochang stronghold and be conservative. We can remain invincible first and then make further progress. After all, the Western Region has a vast territory with numerous countries and the situation is complicated. Tubo and the Western Turks have strong strength in the northern and southern counties. The power is still powerless to contend with!”
"I have been thinking about this matter for a long time, and I have always wanted to ask the handsome father to withdraw first." Qin Mubai frowned, shook his head in embarrassment, and said, "But even if the handsome father understands this truth, He will definitely not withdraw. Otherwise, he will not be the Shangzhu Kingdom of the Tang Dynasty who bears the name of God of War."
"That's true..." Su Dingfang sighed deeply and said, "The hero of Yi Guogong lived an upright life, and only His Majesty the Emperor obeyed. If His Majesty the Emperor had not asked him to retreat, he would never have taken a step back."
"Wrong. Even if the emperor asks him to retreat this time, he may not retreat." Qin Mubai shook his head with a wry smile, "Otherwise, he would not have resisted the order from the beginning and raised troops to attack the Eighteenth Formation in the West and kill Gaochang in one go. . My old father is probably performing the final glory of his life, and he is risking his life for it. Who can persuade him to do so?"
"Since it is impossible for the commander to retreat, we must follow him as soon as possible." Su Dingfang said, "Xue Wanche of Liangzhou has moved to Yuyang Second Pass and Puchanghai, but it is still hundreds of miles away from Gaochang. If something happens to Gaochang, it may not be possible We can rush to help at dawn and dusk. Furthermore, Yuyang Erguan and Puchanghai are the key points and hubs of the Western Region. They are not only the throat of our military strategy in Lanzhou, but also a pair of double-fisted gateways, which are surrounded by enemies on all sides. The troops are scattered and empty inside, and it is easy for someone to take advantage of it. At that time, not only will all the previous efforts be wasted, but the heart of Lanzhou may also face a direct threat from the enemy. "
"Senior brother is very worried. This is the big problem on my mind right now." Qin Mubai said with a worried look on his face, "It's true that the biggest problem in Lanzhou now is that the front is too long and the troops are too few. In the past, , our 100,000-strong army in Lanzhou are tightly grouped together to guard Dafeichuan and Liangzhou. One man can guard the gate and no one can open it. Even if a million-strong army attacks, we can not panic. Now it is different. We have to attack. We have to hold on to the territory while plundering the city, and we are still attacking the enemy thousands of miles away. Therefore, although it is peaceful for a while, I always feel that there is a huge potential crisis that may not be dealt with once it breaks out. "
Su Dingfang nodded solemnly and asked, "Then, what clever plan does the young marshal have?"
Qin Mubai raised his head, looked at Su Dingfang with burning eyes, and said word by word: "To be honest, I want to recruit troops!"
"Ah?" Su Dingfang was startled, "Recruiting troops?"
"Yeah." Qin Mubai snorted, and said with a frown, "When I left Chang'an, the court only gave me 10,000 soldiers and horses. I had this idea at the time. There were frontier troops in Lanzhou before. One hundred thousand, my father took away 20,000, and I brought back 10,000. In addition to the losses from successive battles, it is just an imaginary number to say that we now have an army of 100,000, and only such a small number of troops can resist the Tubo. The hundreds of thousands of plateau cavalry are pretty good. What are they going to do to manage and dominate the Western Regions? Let me tell you, some people in the imperial court are so hungry that they give me 10,000 soldiers before leaving. Tens of thousands of horses and grain and grass are considered a great favor. I am afraid that someone from Qin will support himself in dividing the territory. Now besides recruiting troops, I really can't think of any other way to cure the symptoms and the root cause. "
"You finally said something useful!" As soon as Qin Mubai finished speaking, a high-pitched voice suddenly sounded outside the door.
Qin Mubai and Su Dingfang were both stunned, "Hou Junji?"
At this time, Hou Junji pushed the door in uninvited, glanced at Qin Mubai and Su Dingfang, and sneered: "Ha! We're all here, not bad, not bad!"
Qin Mubai and Su Dingfang looked at each other, smiled, cupped their hands and said, "Senior brother."
"No, I can't bear it." Hou Junji responded with a careless gesture, then picked up a pot of tea and drank half of it, flicked a riding crop in his hand, sat down with his arms stretched out and groaned. , "Qin Mubai, what kind of bad soldiers did you pick! I won't practice anymore!"
"What's wrong?" Qin Mubai asked.
"Each one is like a pampered grown-up girl. She has tender skin and tender flesh, makes a snoring sound, cannot be beaten or scolded, has no work for her subordinates, and has a tough mouth. They are not good at anything other than eating, drinking, and defecating." Hou Junji cursed continuously, " Such a naughty soldier is really naughty at heart, and I, Hou Junji, can't handle it. Even if Hou Mou can turn his head into gold, he must first be a stone!"
"Haha!" Qin Mubai laughed, "Who boasted last night that it would be effective in just twenty days? It's only half a day, why did you give up?"
"Mu Bai, you may have misunderstood what senior brother meant." Su Dingfang smiled faintly, raised his hand to Hou Junji and said, "Actually, senior brother is probably here to persuade you to recruit troops."
"Well, you are smarter than Qin Mubai." Hou Junji patted the dust on his legs and stood up. He looked at Qin Mubai with sharp eyes and said, "Qin Mubai, Guan Long is originally a Han Hu. In a place where people live together, the people are strong and the knights are strong, and there are many heroes since ancient times. If you don't recruit soldiers here, you will be the biggest fool in the world. In addition, you are sitting on the largest horse farm in the Tang Dynasty, Longyou Horse Racing Prison. Thousands of good horses are available. Believe me, I can train you 50,000 elite cavalry in less than three months - just add these 50,000 more cavalry to sweep across the plateau and conquer the Western Regions, no problem!"
"Sweeping across the plateau and conquering the Western Regions?" Qin Mubai couldn't help but smile and asked, "Brother, let me ask you. During those days when you were in Feichuan, did you feel out of breath and dizzy?"
"It's a little bit, but it's just acclimatization. What's wrong?" Hou Junji said nonchalantly.
"The reason why the Tubo Plateau is so difficult to conquer, apart from their fierce cavalry and the frozen snowy terrain, is that the air there is thin and ordinary people cannot adapt to it." Qin Mubai said, "The reason why I asked Xue Wanjun to station troops was a big mistake. Chuan is working hard there to use it as a stronghold for counterattack on the plateau. All troops who want to set foot on the plateau must adapt there for at least three months and then advance step by step. The general strategy formulated by Tubo. Of course, for now, it is just a piece of fiction. I am just telling you this to explain one thing-whatever the circumstances are, we will do whatever we need to do. Don’t be too ambitious.”
"Hmph! Look at Ji Qingqing, but she is so old-fashioned and knows how to teach others." Hou Junji snorted dejectedly, "Okay, just pretend I didn't say it. I'm too lazy to point fingers at you. Feet. You are the governor, and everything is under your command. I am just making a suggestion, right?"
"Of course you can." Qin Mubai said, "You heard it just now, recruiting troops, I also thought about it. But it will not be easy to implement it."
"That's your business! Hou has nothing to do with it! Farewell!" After saying that, Hou Junji strode away.
After Hou Junji left, Su Dingfang smiled and said: "Young Marshal, Hou Junji has such a temperament, don't worry about it. In fact, he also has good intentions. His words are rough but not rough, and he is quite reasonable."
"I know this." Qin Mubai smiled slightly and said, "How can the Sixteenth Guards Army in Guan be compared with the strong knights of Guanxi in Helong? Here Han and Hu people live together and produce good horses. People regard horses as their The people in our family are strong and all of them are born good riders. In fact, I have had this idea for a long time. But now, my country in the Tang Dynasty implements the imperial army system, and there are only a handful of imperial soldiers who are supported by the imperial court. It would be a big mistake for me to start this initiative in Lanzhou. By then, there will be many rumors that I, Qin, are really going to establish a separate state with their own troops."
"But if we don't recruit troops, it will be really difficult for Lanzhou to support us right now." Su Dingfang frowned and said with a look of embarrassment, "This is really a big trouble!"
"Actually, even if the imperial court allows me to recruit troops, I may not really be able to recruit many soldiers and horses." Qin Mubai said, "In war, we fight for money and food. If Mei Niang hadn't privately raised a lot of food and grass this time, we Lanzhou soldiers and civilians would They all have nothing to eat. In this situation, what does Qin do to recruit troops? Hey, this is a vicious cycle! The war is not limited to the fact that the trade routes are blocked, and Lanzhou is poor and unable to develop and raise troops. We are always on guard against every move in Lanzhou. The situation is currently in a stalemate. Unless a surprise force suddenly breaks the balance and injects vitality into Lanzhou, we will have a bright future."
"Where did such a surprise force come from?" Su Dingfang smiled bitterly, "Now, we are fighting against Tibet, Western Turks and other countries in the Western Regions with the power of Lanzhou County. To tell you what the young commander least wants to hear, Su Sometimes I feel so angry that I just hope that the marriage will be successful and give Lanzhou a chance to develop first, and then talk about other things.”
"It's not just you who has thought about this? Princess Wencheng's biological father, King Jiangxia, also has such a conflict in his heart. He has told me more than once." Qin Mubai sighed, "Of course he is a million people who don't want me My daughter is marrying to the plateau. But now, there seems to be no other way to delay the war except negotiating a peace and granting marriage, which can buy me some time to breathe. What a contradiction! I suddenly feel that no matter who I am, I feel so insignificant in the face of the overall situation. and powerlessness.”
"Young Marshal, regarding the matter of recruiting troops, can you write to the court to test it out?" Su Dingfang said unwillingly.
Qin Mubai frowned and thought for a moment, then said: "I will definitely test it. However, no matter how you test it, you can't take the ordinary way. If you write a memorial and submit it to the court, you will definitely die in the face of light. Some people will still If you use my memorial as a basis, you might want to impeach me. After all, this is a deviant approach that goes against the current military system of the Tang Dynasty."
"Then, what about the request for reinforcements, money and food?"
"Stop dreaming! If I could give it, I would have given it long ago when I was in Chang'an. Now that I'm not in Chang'an, it's even more impossible." Qin Mubai sneered, "The tea got cold before I left, even more What’s more, I’m still far away now?”
"Then what should we do? Hey!" Su Dingfang spread his hands and sighed heavily, also frowning.
Qin Mubai suddenly had a flash of light in his mind and shouted, "Oh my God! Why did I forget my trump card!"
"What? Why did the young marshal suddenly remember that your Qin family has a golden weapon? Could it be that you want to practice martial arts?" Su Dingfang was confused.
"Haha! The secret must not be leaked!" Qin Mubai laughed and walked away, saying as he walked, "Senior brother, I am going out for a few days. In the past few days, you and Xiao Liang have been responsible for the military and political affairs in the Governor's Mansion! "
"Where are you going, young marshal?" Su Dingfang chased him out in surprise and asked.
"I'm leaving!" Qin Mubai said this and disappeared.
Su Dingfang was at a loss and naturally couldn't figure out a clue.
After leaving the Governor's Mansion, Qin Mubai went to the princess's residence to say goodbye to Li Daozong and Princess Wencheng, saying that they would be away for a few days and could not ask for greetings every day. As the head of a county, he naturally had many things to do. Li Daozong didn't ask any more questions. He just told Qin Mubai that he had already told the messenger Liu Shanyin that he had gone to the plateau and did not care whether the negotiation for peace and marriage could be successful. , just wait as long as possible. If he can delay for one day, he will be considered a credit. When he returns one day, the prince and the young marshal will not treat him badly.
Qin Mubai laughed loudly and said: "Your Majesty, it is better for you to handle matters carefully and carefully! Time is really important to us now! Liu Shanyin, an inconspicuous little role, may still play a decisive role by then. ! These words from the prince are priceless!”
Li Daozong blinked at Qin Mubai suspiciously and said, "Do you have any plans?"
"Not yet, but it may happen soon." Qin Mubai smiled mysteriously and said, "Your Majesty, please wait for a few days and wait for Qin to return, then we will have a detailed discussion with Your Majesty."
"Okay, if you have something to do, go ahead and do it!"
Then Qin Mubai invited the Four Treasures of the Study and wrote a letter asking his confidant Baiqi to send it to Dafeichuan to Xue Wanjun. He also brought a confidant guard consisting of only ten people, dressed in casual clothes, and left the Governor's Mansion to Qiongyu Villa.
Wu Meiniang was still lying in bed and resting. Although it is not as exaggerated as a sickly face, it does look a bit haggard. If it weren't for her peach-shaped face and spring dew in her eyes, Qin Mubai would really think that she was sick.
When Qin Mubai came, Wu Meiniang was lying on the couch reading a book. As soon as he walked in, Wu Meiniang smiled and said: "It's broken, it's broken!"
"What's wrong?" Qin Mubai asked in shock, "What's wrong?"
"You've only been away for an hour or two and then came back. Are you so attached to your boudoir? Aren't you ruining your ambitions?" Wu Meiniang joked, "Is there nothing going on in the Governor's Mansion today? Why are you back so early?"
Qin Mubai walked over with a smile, took her hand in his palm and said softly: "Are you feeling better?"
Wu Meiniang's face turned red, and she was still a little bit confused about whether to laugh or cry. She said angrily: "Why do your words sound so strange? It seems that I am seriously ill or have given birth to a child?"
"Haha!" Qin Mubai slapped his forehead and laughed, and said, "Mei Niang, come with me to an important place."
"where?"
"That is a place where, except for me, Qin Mubai, no one else can enter or leave freely, not even the prime minister or even the prince." Qin Mubai said mysteriously.
Wu Meiniang blinked her big smart eyes and said with a sweet smile: "By doing this, does it mean that Meiniang is already a very important person to you?"
"You always have been." Qin Mubai smiled, "More than that, you are like my other half. Do you think I can let half of Qin Mubai go there?"
"Okay, I'm fooling people with my sweet words again!" Wu Meiniang pursed her lips and smiled, but her smile was very intoxicating and gratifying. She stretched out her arms and raised her head, and said in a rare sweet voice, "Don't hug me yet. Shall I get up?"
Soon after, several inconspicuous carriages drove out of Lanzhou City and looked northwest.
On the carriage, Qin Mubai and Wu Meiniang were enjoying lunch. Just because I was in a hurry, I took all the food and drinks on the road to eat.
"Meiniang, you said you have something important to discuss with me, can you talk about it now?" Qin Mubai asked while eating.
"Yes." Wu Meiniang solemnly put down her chopsticks and cup, and said seriously, "Mu Bai, I did a few things without telling you. I hope you won't be angry."
Qin Mubai paused in his hands and asked, "What's the matter?"
"I ended all my businesses in the Central Plains, and whatever I could sell as money was exchanged for money and brought to Lanzhou." Wu Meiniang said, "Except for an old house in Chang'an, I left almost nothing. In a few days, I am planning to bring my mother over. As for my brother and others, they will stay in Chang'an to guard the old house."
"Huh?" Qin Mubai frowned in surprise and asked, "Why are you doing this? After so many years, you have finally worked hard to make a difference. The Qinxian Pavilion in Chang'an, the business and wine shop in Xiangyang, What a pity!”
"It's not a pity." Wu Meiniang smiled slightly and said, "My time in Xiangyang made me understand a truth. No matter how capable and great a woman is, she still cannot do without the shoulders of a man. Doing business in Xiangyang, It's a hundred times easier than when I was in Chang'an, and I make more money. In the final analysis, it's not that I, Wu Meiniang, have become more capable, but because of the foundation you and Li Ke laid for me before, and because of your huge disciples. It opened the door for me. In just one year, I, a foreign businessman from Beijing, became the leading wealthy businessman in Jingxiang. Outsiders know how smart and capable Wu Meiniang is, but in fact, only I understand. After all, I am just your shopkeeper, and you are the real boss.”
"Mei Niang, we don't need to be divided so finely, right? How about more divisions!" Qin Mubai said with a smile.
"I actually have no other meaning." Wu Meiniang smiled and said sincerely, "I just want to say that no matter how much money I make from what I do, maybe half of it was for myself in the past, but from today on, it must be all for you. Because , Wu Meiniang is already Qin Mubai's person; you say I am half of you, but you are all of me!"
Qin Mubai paused in his hand and smiled slightly: "Mei Niang, what do you want me to say?... Well, any words seem hypocritical and pale in the face of real actions. In fact, I have given you very little over the years. , I have always been ashamed of it. Now tell me, now that you have decided to take root in Lanzhou, what do you want to do? "
"I want to be the Zheng Fengchi of the Helongxi Region!" Wu Meiniang said categorically, almost word for word, "I also want to surpass the Zheng family and reach a height they have never reached!"
"Yes!" Qin Mubai nodded, "Don't worry, I will do my best to help you. Helping you means helping myself."
"You are wrong Mu Bai, it is not you who helps me, but I who help you." Wu Meiniang said, "Don't underestimate businessmen. Although businessmen are humble and humble, there are gods and ghosts in places like Helongxi Region where money and food are needed. Unpredictable power. You shoulder the heavy responsibility of conquering Helong and dominating the Western Regions. What I have to do is to organize all this for you. Mu Bai, I should not say that you have heroic ambitions. But when it comes to actually doing things, you still need a heroic courage!”
"What do you mean by heroism and courage?" Qin Mubai asked with interest.
"Heroic ambitions, ambitions to reach thousands of miles; courageous, unyielding and unyielding." Wu Meiniang said, "Although I have only been in Lanzhou for a short time, I can see it. Although you are very ambitious, you are hampered by many constraints. At this time, you need a heroic heart - why bother with so many old-fashioned systems? Those who achieve great things are always the ones who challenge the shackles! The question is, do you have the courage, Mu Bai?"
"Heroic ambition, valiant courage..." Qin Mubai took a sip of wine and took a deep breath. His eyes became brighter and he said, "Meiniang, you are really my female Zhuge. You are right, just as long as you have ambition and Thoughts are far from enough. The key is to have the confidence and courage to push forward without hesitation! ... I am very ashamed that I have always kept myself within the rules and have not dared to go beyond the limits. For such mediocrity and forbearance, and be proud of it.”
"Mubai, you don't have to blame yourself. Among the ten thousand people in the world, nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine people are like this." Wu Meiniang looked at Qin Mubai, her expression was mostly gentle, but there was a hint of smear. Without losing her sharpness and fortitude, she said, "But you are Qin Mubai, you must be different. Otherwise, why would Wu Meiniang marry you?"
Qin Mubai was stunned for a moment, then laughed, "I finally understand why so many men have fallen in love with beauties throughout the ages! Mei Niang, Mei Niang, if I, Qin Mubai, achieve anything in the future, I will definitely It's all thanks to you; if it goes up or down, it will be infamy for thousands of years..."
"Wu Mei Niang, I am with you!"