Ping Yuanhou's eyes became unfocused, as if immersed in imagination.
Zhang Yunming waited for a moment, then asked again in a soft voice but clearly speaking: "Father, at that time, the Northern Army had penetrated deep into the hinterland of our dynasty, the capital was in danger, and the soldiers of the kings from all directions were not dispatched or could not reach them. You will let your soldiers protect you." Shall we run away?"
Marquis Pingyuan came back to his senses, and murmured: "If this is the case, the country will be defeated, the people will be ruined, and the nest will be overwhelmed. How can my family be spared? What's more, as a general, I have a remnant soldier in my hand. Go out to fight against the enemy? No, I can't escape with my family, I must call in volunteer soldiers and fight to the death."
Zhang Yunming nodded and said: "Then, that person is talking about something that is very likely to happen. She has never met father. These years, father has released military power, kept a low profile, and ignored political affairs. Dad is not the only general in the court. Why would she say that Dad will fight when something really happens? Dad just told us today that there are soldiers around the capital, but how could she say that Dad can summon volunteer soldiers?"
Ping Yuanhou frowned, his lips pursed into a line.
Zhang Yunming continued his efforts: "Father, think carefully about the prince's personality, isn't this 'story' too reasonable?" At the beginning, he was shocked by the inevitability hidden in this incident and believed Zhang Yunzheng's words.
Ping Yuanhou's face was pale, his hands were sweaty, he stood up, and walked back and forth in the room. After a while, he stopped suddenly, ignored Zhang Yunming, but put his face in front of Zhang Yunzheng and asked, "Who is the person who said that?!"
Just as Zhang Yunzheng was about to open his mouth, Zhang Yunming rushed ahead of Zhang Yunzheng and said, "It's... a person my father doesn't know!" At the same time, he lightly touched Zhang Yunzheng's arm.
Zhang Yunzheng blinked and nodded. Dad has never seen that little liar, so it shouldn't be a lie. If it is said to be a little liar, then my father will definitely not believe it.
Marquis Pingyuan glanced at Zhang Yunming angrily, hating him for ruining his surprise, he could only ask Zhang Yunming again: "Where is this man now?"
Zhang Yunming said calmly: "She doesn't want to show her face, so we made an oath not to reveal her identity to others."
This is understandable, those tall hermits like to dodge. Ping Yuanhou twitched the corner of his mouth, and paced around the room again. He was suspicious by nature, Zhang Yunming made the person who said this very mysterious, so he couldn't help but speculate.
After a stick of incense, Marquis Pingyuan stopped and said: "The person who told the 'story' must be related to the residence of Marquis Zhenbei!"
Zhang Yunming and Zhang Yunzheng glanced at each other, Zhang Yunming asked: "Why did father say that?"
Marquis Pingyuan snorted, "Don't tell me that you are a stranger you met on the mountain!"
Zhang Yunming smiled indifferently, not shy at all for telling an unsuccessful lie.
Marquis Pingyuan walked slowly back to the table, and said slowly: "This man can see the opportunity, and he can't bear to see this tragedy, so he must have a plan. In fact, he has already done it. The Second Miss Shen of the Zhenbeihou's Mansion was not good at the beginning, the queen poisoned the third prince in public, the assassination of the third prince was ruined during the hunt, and the appearance of the fourth princess was broken, until the empress was abolished... These things are not good for the prince but beneficial for Zhenbeihou Mansion, so this person must be related to the Zhenbeihou Mansion."
Neither Zhang Yunming nor Zhang Yunzheng dared to speak, they listened carefully to Ping Yuanhou's analysis, feeling like they were walking on thin ice.
Ping Yuanhou continued: "He should have dragged you two in recently... No, it was last year. He asked you to buy food..."
Zhang Yunming and Zhang Yunzheng are very honest at the same time, looking at Pingyuanhou alertly and obediently like cats: The reason for this is that Shen Wen came to the mansion to ask Zhang Yunzheng, and Pingyuanhou will speculate on Shen Wen next. Now, if it is found out that Shen Wen said it, a girl under the age of twelve, Ping Yuanhou probably won't buy it...
Marquis Pingyuan continued: "The reason why you went to buy food is because Marquis Zhenbei's youngest daughter said some nonsense about dreaming, and I let you use it as an excuse..."
The two brothers are out of breath. They have been in contact with Shen Wen recently, and they have fully accepted that Shen Wen is a person who has foresight and has plans. People believe in Shen Wen, that's simply whimsical! If Marquis Pingyuan had his own ideas, how would he handle this matter in the future? Two people caught in the middle, who should listen to
Ping Yuanhou then deduced: "That person must have ordered Zhenbeihou's youngest daughter to have a relationship with you! When you came back from the south, you often went out of the mansion to meet him and even give him gifts!"
The two brothers breathed a sigh of relief secretly, Ping Yuanhou didn't notice, and continued to say to himself: "That person is definitely not Zhenbeihou, Shenhou is stubborn and stupid, he went all the way to the dark, he is not here now .It's definitely not his eldest son. That child is just like Zhenbeihou, and he is not very smart... "
Both Zhang Yunming and Zhang Yunzheng were silent, waiting for Marquis Pingyuan to say something before making any fuss. Ping Yuanhou shook his head: "Although his second son is a smiling tiger, he doesn't look too profound. The third cub is smarter than the two older ones, but he is not yet an adult, so how capable can he be?..."
Marquis Pingyuan frowned: "The person who can order the second young lady should be a woman, could it be the eldest daughter? Impossible! That child is too young, and still... Yang's? Not to mention, she is almost a shrew, unable to keep her words... Old madam? Maybe... But, Mrs. Gu is soft-hearted, and she doesn't seem to... "
Zhang Yunzheng became impatient: "Father, stop guessing, anyway, this is what's going on now! There are already clues to many things!"
Zhang Yunming thought that Marquis Pingyuan would reprimand Zhang Yunzheng, but Marquis Pingyuan nodded unexpectedly: "If you said that last year, there is no evidence, but now, the crown prince wants to send grain and ironware to Beirong without permission. It's very suspicious..."
Zhang Yunming asked in surprise: "How does Dad know this?"
Ping Yuanhou asked back: "Didn't you guys know this? Did you write it down?"
Zhang Yunzheng yelled: "Father! You actually went to my bedroom to look through my things?!"
Marquis Ping Yuan waved his hand indifferently: "So what? I gave your kid's life, so what about looking at your things? I haven't settled with you for cheating my parents yet!"
Zhang Yunzheng said angrily, "If I starve to death, I will just give you my life back!"
Marquis Pingyuan said without love: "You are not allowed to eat unless you make it clear! You are so big, you can't die if you starve for a meal or two!"
Zhang Yunming hurriedly pleaded and said: "Let's give him food, otherwise he will always quarrel and beat people."
Ping Yuanhou said: "No! Tell me what are you going to do now?"
Zhang Yunzheng said irritably: "What else can I do? Of course I've turned into a bandit!"
Marquis Pingyuan snorted, "You're saying you're going to pull up the bandits..." At this point, Marquis Pingyuan coughed artificially, raised his shoulders, and sat behind the desk again, half-raised his chin, with a somewhat haughty expression on his face Looking at the two brothers.
Zhang Yunzheng asked Zhang Yunming: "Father, what does this mean?"
Zhang Yunming asked back: "Just now you said that the fallen grass is a bandit, do you want to recruit the grass bandit to rob the prince's food, grass and iron?"
Zhang Yunzheng said: "That's right... little... that person said there would be bandits and water bandits from Lianghu..."
Marquis Pingyuan agreed, "It's easy to move it like this. If it's robbed on land, it can be transported to a boat, in rivers and lakes. Where can I find it? It's a good idea. Where is he going to put it?"
Zhang Yunzheng said, "She said she wanted to build a wine cellar."
Marquis Pingyuan frowned suddenly again, "So much food can be used to raise soldiers and sold for money, why would he use it to make wine? Besides, there is still a lot of wine..." He groped under the desk, opened a drawer, and opened a He took out two jade balls from the box and turned them in his hands. There were a few rattles, he stopped, and suddenly blurted out: "It's so vicious!" He looked at Zhang Yunming and Zhang Yunzheng, and said, "This person is cruel and merciless. Do you trust him?"
Zhang Yunming nodded involuntarily when he thought of Shen Wen's chubby duck appearance when he first met Shen Wen. Zhang Yunzheng thought that Shen Wen had confessed all the causes and consequences to him, no matter how vicious she was, it would be justifiable, so he also nodded.
Marquis Pingyuan took a deep breath: "This man's resourcefulness is unfathomable, I can only speculate about it. If you have any doubts in the future, you should immediately withdraw and tell me, so that I can make arrangements."
Zhang Yunzheng was straightforward, and couldn't help asking: "Why did dad say that because she wanted to build a wine cellar?"
Marquis Pingyuan sighed: "If I hadn't read the annals of scenery and people widely, I wouldn't have thought of this. This man needs so much food to make wine. If he doesn't sell it for money in the future, he will use wine as a weapon. If he wants money, I think it must be I will ask you for it, instead of selling wine, the business is trivial, and the turnover of money is easy to reveal. Then the wine brewed is a weapon."
Zhang Yunzheng asked: "How does wine become a weapon?"
Marquis Pingyuan lowered his voice and said, "There are books that say that someone in a certain place brewed wine that was so strong that it would ignite when it met fire. The water could not stop. If it was poured on the water, it would continue to burn."
Zhang Yunming suddenly said: "That fat... that person can make this kind of wine..."
Marquis Pingyuan nodded and said: "In the future, he will definitely fight in the formation of fire!"
Thinking of the flames everywhere and people's screams, Zhang Yunming couldn't help shivering, echoing Ping Yuanhou's exclamation: "It's so ruthless."
Zhang Yunzheng curled his lips: "If this can prevent you from dying on the battlefield, I think it's pretty good."
Marquis Pingyuan sighed: "One must always have a compassionate heart..."
Zhang Yunzheng stood up and interrupted: "She said she wanted to 'punish the guilty'. Those people must have deserved their crimes and deserved to die! Dad, what else do you have to say? I'm starving to death, I really have to go eat!" He was in the eyes of the sky Seeing the tragic death of his mother, he felt that the other party deserved it.
Ping Yuanhou remembered his idea just now, picked up his airs again, and started spinning the jade ball with a clatter.
Zhang Yunzheng looked at Zhang Yunming: "Why is Dad acting like this?"
Zhang Yunming said helplessly, "Didn't you say you want bandits and water bandits?"
Zhang Yunzheng nodded and said, "That's right, but why did Dad start to play tricks?"
Zhang Yunming clicked his tongue: "Why didn't you listen to what Dad said? Didn't he say that he was discharged from the military, but there are still people under him?"
Zhang Yunzheng suddenly said: "Oh, Dad wants us to use him?"
Zhang Yunming sighed: "This is indeed the best choice. The people under Dad must be reliable, and they were sergeants before, so we don't need to find someone now."
Zhang Yunzheng said: "That's great!" Turning to Ping Yuanhou, he said: "Father, lend us a hundred people!"
Pingyuan Hou said: "Has no one taught you manners? How do you speak? This is it?!"
Zhang Yunzheng was in a hurry: "I'm starving! I don't have time to spend with you, what do you want?!"
Ping Yuanhou said seriously: "I want you to tell me every step. If there is a reason, you must explain the reason clearly. If there is any consequence, you must tell the consequence!"
Zhang Yunzheng looked at Zhang Yunming, Zhang Yunming nodded, Zhang Yunzheng said: "Then let me tell you, I'll go eat first!" By the way, Pingyuanhou saluted carelessly, Pingyuanhou waved his hand helplessly, Zhang Yunzheng ran away .
Marquis Pingyuan frowned and watched Zhang Yunzheng close the study door casually, and asked Zhang Yunming, "He was raised so carelessly, do you really think that person is okay?"
Zhang Yunming shook his head firmly: "It's okay, she... she's a nice person. It's just..."
Ping Yuanhou immediately asked vigilantly: "What is it?! He threatened you?! You still have to tell me why your brother went to fight fire!"
Zhang Yunming sighed: "It's a long story. A while ago, before the Beirong envoy arrived, she said that Huo Luo was a vengeful person and would propose marriage in the future. The prince would ask the emperor to marry the fifth princess to him. She said that the fifth princess He Fanhou died soon... "
Marquis Pingyuan said "Oh": "That's why your younger brother pretended to be the eunuch of the fourth princess to beat him! If the prince doesn't mention marrying the princess, he can still keep his sister. But I read what you wrote, the prince's people Tell Huo Luo that he can marry the princess in the future, and if this happens, Huo Luo will marry the fourth princess! The crown prince wants to plot against the fifth princess, but he will lose his own sister. This plan is very vicious!" He frowned. Look at Zhang Yunming: "You all should not be exposed in this plan, why are you sighing?"
Zhang Yunming was a little embarrassed: "She said that she did this and saved the fifth princess. When she... that third son Shen asked to marry my sister, I can't speak ill of her."
Marquis Pingyuan was puzzled: "He wants to save the fifth princess, so what does it have to do with you?"
Zhang Yunming's face was a little red, and he didn't dare to look at Ping Yuanhou: "No...not me...what's the matter."
Ping Yuanhou tilted his head slightly, staring at Zhang Yunming, the jade ball in his hand rattled, Zhang Yunming's ears were red, and he said cautiously: "Father rest first? I'm going to sleep?"
Marquis Pingyuan nodded, Zhang Yunming was secretly relieved, turned around and walked out, and when he was almost at the door, Marquis Pingyuan said slowly: "Do you want to marry the fifth princess?"
Zhang Yunming stopped, turned around stiffly, and said with a smile: "Who thinks...who thinks?" The marriage is up to the parents, and if they make up their minds, they will be left behind.
Marquis Pingyuan twirled the jade ball: "He must have said that he would allow you to marry him in the future, didn't he?"
Zhang Yunming bowed his head and hummed, his shoulders drooped, looking decadent.
Marquis Pingyuan cut it out: "The fifth princess is also a girl, so it's nothing." He thought highly of himself, so he naturally felt that his son was worthy of everyone. What happened to the son-in-law? Being a son-in-law can't be an official anymore, and I have wronged my son.
Zhang Yunming didn't say anything: that deep-rooted charm, that natural generosity, that sweet shyness...how could it be nothing
Marquis Pingyuan sighed: "I can't do it now, wait for two years, and see what the emperor means..." In the second half of his words, there were no words. With that "story" in mind, the idea is never the same again. Marquis Pingyuan felt that he was extremely vigilant, and the original mentality of living a comfortable life was gone.
Zhang Yunming hurriedly said: "Don't worry about this matter for now. Father, tell me, can my sister marry that young master Shen?"
Marquis Pingyuan pondered and said: "It seems that this person is really targeting the Marquis of Zhenbei. If it was before, I probably would not agree. Now, if it is true in the future as he said, we should keep in touch with each other. Shen San, that brat, is quite smart, and fits well with your sister. Besides, that man Shen Hou doesn't like beauty, and his son won't be a rotten person..." He looked at Zhang Yunming: "Your sister's marriage is up to you Mother decides."
Zhang Yunming said: "The man said that she will naturally let her mother consider Mr. Shen San, as long as I don't say bad things." But he didn't say that I can't tell my father! I'll let my father come forward to stir things up for you!
Marquis Pingyuan chuckled: "Then we'll just wait and see how he makes your mother think about it."
Zhang Yunming smiled and asked: "Why did father lend us soldiers?"
Marquis Pingyuan sneered: "How can we allow those grains, weapons and ironware to be transported to Beirong?! Of course we have to do this in secret, but when we are really discovered one day, it is reasonable for us to tear our face apart and explain clearly. of!"
Zhang Yunming hurriedly said: "Father, don't think about using this method, it will arouse the envy of the emperor and prince even more!"
Marquis Pingyuan sighed: "Why don't I understand. So I agree to give it to you, and use it as a bandit to rob."
Zhang Yunming breathed a sigh of relief, saluted and said: "Thank you for your accommodating father."
Ping Yuanhou asked: "Who do people in Zhenbeihou's mansion know? Except for that silly second lady?"
Zhang Yunming didn't dare to correct Ping Yuanhou, and said: "Three sons."
Marquis Ping Yuan asked, "Did you tell Marquis Shen?"
Zhang Yunming shook his head: "Second Young Master Shen said he was afraid that he would destroy his relatives righteously."
Marquis Pingyuan smiled: "This kind of person, whoever marries him will be unlucky. He is at the border all day long, and his wife and children are all in the capital. I don't know how long he will stay..." Thinking of the "story", He sighed again and said, "But if something happens to him, we won't have a good life."
Zhang Yunming also smiled and said: "Then let's help him out. Father, what's the matter first? Are you resting?"
Pingyuan Hou let out a long sigh of relief, waved to him and said, "Remember to tell me the situation in detail every day, every day!"
Zhang Yunming saluted and left in a good mood.
Ping Yuanhou himself sat in the study for a long time, carefully recalling the "future" mentioned by his two sons, and comparing those pages of records, the more he thought about it, the more he felt that the development of the situation was unstoppable: attracting foreign barbarians to eliminate internal troubles, vying for the throne and cutting off siblings … Those incidents are closely linked, making it impossible for people to break free.
He frowned and said to himself, "What would that person do?"
Like the fourth prince, Ping Yuanhou thought that the person hiding in the dark must be a very old and well-educated person, and it might be a woman, but he never thought that it would be a child.
He believed that at the last moment, that person would definitely contact him formally. Although he is no longer in charge of the army, but if the "prophecy" Zhongzhenbeihou Mansion and Pingyuanhou Mansion are victimized at the same time, the people from Zhenbeihou Mansion will definitely come to unite their forces. Now, that person is only instructing his two sons to make small troubles, so it can be seen that he doesn't want him to intervene. Then I will prepare on the side, help my two sons, and act according to the situation.
He picked up the pen, carefully wrote a list, and repeatedly outlined it. After finishing writing, he burned the list on a candle.
It was late at night when Marquis Pingyuan returned to his bedroom. Tonight, Mrs. Li was looking at the account book, but she hadn't slept yet. Seeing him coming, Mrs. Li put down the thick account book in her hand, got up with sleepiness, changed his clothes, and asked in a low voice: "What's the matter, Lord Hou? You stayed so late."
Li Shi didn't dare to sleep because she knew that the study room was surrounded, and only her two sons were allowed in. She asked people to inquire, and the two sons went in one after another, but they didn't come out for a long time. She was still worried that her two sons were in trouble, but when it was late at night, people said that the "cousin" was very hungry and came out arguing for raw fried buns and egg dumpling soup. Eat a bowl of leftovers first. The other one came out with a smile on his face, pulled out his fan again, and fanned all the way to the yard where the boys who were waiting for him returned together. It sounds like the two traitors should be fine. Although this incident passed without a sound, Mrs. Li still wanted to hear from Marquis Pingyuan to see if he was really angry because of what his two sons did.
Thinking of Li Shi's tragic end in that "story", Marquis Pingyuan held Li Shi's hand tightly, and sighed: "Madam, you have worked hard."
Mrs. Li was a little embarrassed by the sudden intimacy of Marquis Pingyuan: "How hard is it for me, Lord Hou has been busy all day, how about the food delivered? Those two rebellious sons have angered Lord Hou?"
Marquis Pingyuan pulled Li Shi to sit beside the bed, and said: "Madam gave birth to such a good child for me, how could she make me angry." How many? !
Mrs. Li smiled: "It sounds like there is nothing about Master Hou."
Marquis Pingyuan was still in a heavy heart, shaking his head and said: "All these years, I have relied on my wife to support my family and me. Does my wife feel wronged?" Jun, and died protecting his young son, Ping Yuanhou was touched in his heart, and sighed: "How can I have such a good wife!"
Mrs. Li blushed, and said in a low voice, "What did you say, Master Hou? I have heard of the prestige of Lord Hou, the young general, brave and invincible, how many times I have taken risks alone, and returned in bloody battles... At that time, I thought that Lord Hou should be the number one hero in the world. I heard that Lord Hou would To marry a wife, I begged my mother as a concubine..." After so many years, now that she is getting older, Li Shi has the nerve to say this. She didn't have such a face when she was young, and now she feels very ashamed when she says it: At that time, she heard Marquis Pingyuan said that he would marry a rich woman. For the first time in his life, he was glad that his family was the richest man in Jiangnan, and secretly prayed that Marquis Pingyuan would choose him for the sake of money.
Marquis Pingyuan shook Li's hand with both hands: "But who would have married a nameless..."
Mrs. Li hurriedly stopped and said: "Master Hou can't speak ill of himself. Who is Master Hou? Don't you know about me? Master Hou is so thoughtful, how many arrangements can we make to keep our family. I have to marry Hou Lord, only then can we live a life without worry, even my parents can not worry about the burden of money."
Ping Yuanhou thought that if it was like the "story" said, he actually did not keep his family. He led most of his subordinates away from the capital to fight against the enemy, but his family was killed by someone. His eyes turned red again in a moment of anger, and he held Li's hand tightly and did not speak.
Seeing Pingyuanhou's sad expression, Mrs. Li thought that Pingyuanhou had misunderstood what he meant, and it sounded like he married Pingyuanhou only because he expected to get Pingyuanhou to protect his family, so he suppressed his shame and said : "Of course, this is not the reason for my concubine to speak well of Lord Hou. At that time... I was in the south and had no chance to meet Lord Hou, so I let my parents make a marriage. Many sisters said that warriors have no appearance. Regret... The bridal chamber took off the hijab, and I took a look at Lord Hou, who was so handsome, with bright eyes like stars, and treated people kindly, it was a hundred times better than what I thought... At that time, I thought that it was Hou Ye who was at that time Grandpa is dead, and there will be no regrets in this life... "What is money? It's okay to give you my life, that youthful feeling! Li blushed.
Marquis Ping Yuan felt pained and moved, he took Li Shi by his side, and said in a low voice: "Madam, I am ashamed of my husband! Madam is as beautiful as a fairy, with such a good appearance, married me, an incompetent man..." In the end, he failed. about you!
What happened to my husband today? In such a bad mood, Mrs. Li hurriedly stopped Pingyuan Hou and said, "Master Hou must not say that! I have been married to Master Hou for almost 20 years, and they love each other. That child is guilty, so there is nothing to worry about. Although my father favored me a little bit and gave me more dowry, which of the sisters in the concubine’s family was not married with a box full of gold and silver? All of them are rich and powerful wives. My housekeeper came from Jiangnan When I came back, I told me about many sisters. Their family was full of concubines and concubines, and they were beaten into a miasma. A happy and innocent girl. Master Hou, it is a blessing from countless lifetimes that I can spend such a peaceful time with Master Hou!"
Marquis Pingyuan put his arms around Li Shi tightly and said, "In my life, I am so lucky to have a wife."
Mrs. Li said in a low voice: "When my concubine gets old, Lord Hou may find that there are many other women who are younger and more beautiful..."
Ping Yuanhou asked in confusion: "Since I married my wife, why can't I see other women anymore? Please tell me the truth, are there any other women in this world?"
Mrs. Li chuckled, her eyes lingered on Pingyuanhou's face, and she asked in a voice, "Is—is—?"
Ping Yuanhou nodded firmly: "Yes! In my eyes, Madam is only a woman. I am really pitiful for my husband. I must be sick. I will never get better in this life. Madam must take good care of me."
Mrs. Li suppressed her smile, and said coyly: "Master Hou, don't worry, this concubine will take good care of Master Hou."
The two held hands, and Li Shi was surprised to see Ping Yuanhou smiling with tears in his eyes, maybe out of embarrassment, Ping Yuanhou immediately got up to wash up, and then the light went out.
----------------------------
Huo Luo woke up the next day and found that his nose was swollen from the beating the day before, and his face was also swollen. This is nothing, what is fatal is the severe pain in the front chest, and the pain becomes even more unbearable when he moves. Every breath felt like thousands of needle pricks, so he could only breathe slowly. Be careful when drinking water, and swallow every meal in small sips. Unlike in the past, when he was occasionally hit by a knife or gun, he took a deep breath and could forget most of it. This kind of pain made him unable to speak loudly, obviously there was phlegm in his throat, and his chest was uncomfortable, but because coughing was too painful, he could only bear it.
He has never been so useless since he grew up. The anger in his heart and the pain in his body made Huo Luo's mood extremely violent. If it wasn't for him, he didn't dare to stand up suddenly. He really wanted to kill dozens of people to relieve his anger!
Just when Huo Luo was suffering in the house, the soldiers in front came to report that the prince of the Southern Dynasty had sent someone again!
Huo Luo resisted the pain and asked the translator to bring him in. The prince's people first offered condolences to His Royal Highness Huo Luo who fell into the water yesterday. Huo Luo kept a cold face and didn't speak—he wanted to cough when he opened his mouth, so he could only bear to listen to the translator's long-winded politeness.
Then the prince's people said that they should not cut off contact in the future. After the northern border was settled down, Huo Luo could ask Tugu Khan to marry the emperor's princess for him.
After Huo Luo listened to the translation, a ball of flames burned from his chest, burning his face and neck red, and the prince's people thought he was just shy, so they didn't care.
But Huo Luo shouted in his heart: I want to marry that fourth princess! I'm going to kill her! No, drag her to death with a horse! ... But he knew that he had no right to ask for marriage, and the marriage had to be proposed by his father. Now if I show my thoughts, not only the other party can ignore him, but the fourth princess treats him so contemptuously, if I don't get married right away, I will never have another chance.
Beasts on the prairie are inherently cunning, and the reckless Huo Luo completely concealed his intentions. He just said a few words like gold to the people sent by the prince not to break his promise in the future, to deliver grain, iron and other things on time. .
The prince's people agreed with their mouths that 300,000 catties of grain is not much, and usually a big family has 200,000 to 300,000 catties of grain in one granary. It was worth the money to get Huo Luo's cooperation for such a small price.
The two sides bid farewell, and as soon as the prince's people left the courtyard, Huo Luo couldn't help coughing loudly, vomited a mouthful of blood, and then cried out in pain, his face turned pale, and his head was sweating profusely. Get angry. He repeated "revenge" in his heart over and over again: sooner or later, he will pay back to the fourth princess ten times and a hundred times what he suffered! That eunuch, he wants to chop him into mud!
On another day, the two sides signed a covenant, which was nothing more than the recognition of Tugu Khan, the lord of the northern border by the Southern Dynasty, and Tugu Khan's respect for the Southern Dynasty. The emperor didn't promise any grain—no one defeated anyone, so why give gifts? The two countries have not even established official trade exchanges, and the border often strictly checks the goods exchanged. In this way, the 300,000 catties of grain and the weapons and ironware promised by the prince in private are very precious to northern Xinjiang, which does not produce grain and iron.
Huo Luo didn't have any impression of numbers at all, he was a lion and asked for prices, and the prince's people bargained for 300,000 catties of grain, which was less than one-tenth of what he originally mentioned, but he thought it was pretty good. Bei Rong mainly eats meat and doesn't do farming. Grains and grains are non-staple food instead. If you have some food, you don't have to come in vain, not to mention some iron and weapons.
The covenant is certain, Huo Luo will not visit the capital anymore, and will soon be preparing to leave for the north. In the next few nights, the two brothers who came to listen to the wall did not hear anything. Only on the last night, Zhang Yunming and Zhang Yunzheng came, Zhang Yunming was left in the outer courtyard, Zhang Yunzheng heard the people who were seeing the prince off, and mentioned that the grain and ironware that they transported would be sent to northern Xinjiang in the spring of next year, and did not say a specific schedule.
Zhang Yunzheng immediately told his father and brother the news when he came back. The next day in Guanyi Pavilion, Zhang Yunming passed this sentence to Shen Zhuo.
On the day the Beirong envoys left, the four sons of the Zhang family and the Shen family gathered on the second floor of the Huanyin Pavilion and watched from the window.
Although Huo Luo's nose was not so swollen, it was still black and blue in the middle, the bridge of the nose was obviously broken, and the nose became a little crooked. He didn't want to lose his airs, so he rode the horse anyway, but because of the pain in his ribs, he could only bend his back slightly, frowned and endured the pain, completely lost the arrogance he had when he first entered Beijing.
Shen Jian whispered to Zhang Yunming: "It seems that your cousin beat him hard, it's a pity we didn't see it."
Zhang Yunming laughed, unfolded the fan in his hand, shook it lightly and said: "My little brother really has heavy hands."
Perhaps feeling something, Huo Luo raised his head and saw a few young men in bright clothes upstairs on the side of the road. They were all straight as a pine, looking down at him with obvious malicious intentions. Although they were not wearing the same clothes as last time, Huo Luo still recognized that they were the people who had sneered at him when he entered the city.
Huo Luo glared again, but just as he was about to straighten his chest, he felt pain in his chest as if he had been hit hard, so he could only grit his teeth and hold his chest in his mouth, and looked at those people a few more times.
Several people on the window sill responded with bright smiles at the same time, including Zhang Yunzheng who was standing in the shadow behind Zhang Yunming also grinned sarcastically. It's a pity that Huo Luo couldn't see Zhang Yunming's face clearly except that there were two rows of white teeth faintly behind him, and naturally he couldn't recognize the "eunuch" who beat him up watching him leave.
Huo Luo turned his face away, and in an instant, he also wondered if his beating was a trap set by these people. But when I think about it carefully, I don't think so. What happened that day was entirely caused by him taking the initiative to step forward. When the opponent made a ruthless move, he also drew out the dagger first. The eunuch didn't use his full strength at first. In other words, if I had known that the eunuch was highly skilled in martial arts, I would definitely not have challenged him so rashly. If these people have the heart, they should come to find fault with themselves.
Huo Luo's mind turned to that matter again, and in a trance, he saw the extremely beautiful half of the woman's face and the eyes that drove him crazy... For a moment, blood rushed to his throat, and he almost lost his breath. The streets of the capital seemed extremely crowded and long, he really wanted to burn them all down!
The team of Beirong envoys finally left the gate of the capital and the crowd watching the fun. Huo Luo reined in and motioned for others to help him off his horse. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he bent down and vomited a mouthful of blood on the ground, and then he couldn't straighten up in pain. After a long time, he was helped into the carriage by someone—his ribs couldn't stand the jolting on the horse. He just came out of the capital on horseback, and all his willpower has been exhausted, so he can only go back lying down.
On the hillside not far from here, the old Taoist stared at the scene dumbfounded. When the group of people passed by, the young Taoist looked at the expression of the old Taoist, and asked puzzledly: "Master, what's the matter? You look like you have seen a ghost."
The old Taoist shook his head in disbelief, and asked the little Taoist in a low voice, "Did you see anything?"
The little Taoist tilted his neck: "Should I see something?"
The old Taoist said in the young Taoist's ear: "When he came, he was full of royal air, and he could enjoy wealth and longevity, and his descendants were full. But when he left, he was full of bad luck. Don't talk about royal air, it will be difficult to live to the age of 30." Tell me, what's going on here?"
The little Taoist was worried: "Why do you ask these questions that I can't know? I don't know him, so why would he tell me?"
The old Taoist Nian Xu squinted his eyes: "In the capital, something that can change the world happened, and that person who defied the sky took action."
The little Taoist asked: "Did you shoot? Just beat him up?"
The old Taoist shook his head: "It's not that simple. If you just hit him, it won't break his royal spirit."
The little Taoist muttered: "I can't see anything, master, what should I do in the future? What do I rely on for food?"
The old Taoist also sighed: "Yes! How could I be so wrong? The psychic who can see the past and the present is actually a mortal with naked eyes! If it is really impossible, you should return to the vulgar."
The little Taoist shook his head: "No! Then there is no food to eat! I have to follow you, Master, maybe you can live to be three hundred years old, and I will die before you."
The old Taoist scolded: "You lazy bastard! You don't want to recite the spell! Do you want to spend your whole life idle?!"
The little Taoist nodded and said, "Shouldn't that be it?"
The old Taoist pulled the little Taoist and said: "Of course not!" He began to explain to the little Taoist the principle of heaven rewarding hard work, and the two walked back to Xiaoyun Temple.