〖In April of the first year of Tongtai in Southern Chu, the lord Long sent the envoy Dayong, paid tribute and declared himself a minister, and turned to seek peace, asking for redemption with a lot of money.
- "The History of Chu in the Southern Dynasties: The Biography of King Yang of Chu"〗
I slept soundly in the middle of the night, but was suddenly woken up by someone. When I opened my eyes angrily, I saw Xiao Shunzi happily holding a basket of hot sweet-scented osmanthus cakes as a gift. I was surprised and asked him where he got it. , after all, this is the specialty of the most famous bakery in Southern Chu, "Guixiangfang". I took a bite and took a bite. It was sweet and soft, and it melted in my mouth. I asked with satisfaction, "Where did you buy it? You should visit it more often in the future."
Xiao Shunzi's expression changed, his expression was bleak, I asked strangely, "What's wrong?"
Xiao Shunzi hesitated for a long time before telling the truth. It turned out that he thought about it for a long time, and finally decided to find a delicious food from Dayong. Who knew that as soon as he went out, he heard that the envoy of Nanchu had arrived in Chang'an, and he went to the post house overnight to check. Originally wanted to see if there was anything against me, but who knew that the mission brought two masters from Guixiangfang over, and happened to make two baskets of the most famous sweet-scented osmanthus cakes, ready to be sent to the state lord Zhao Jia and Princess Changle who were under house arrest. , Maybe they wanted to please Princess Changle in order to negotiate and succeed, but they were cheap for Xiao Shunzi. He used the trick of stealing a basket of sweet-scented osmanthus cakes that had just been made.
I almost fainted. I wonder if the Southern Chu embassy who lost the sweet-scented osmanthus cake would report to the official. After thinking about it, I should eliminate the evidence as soon as possible. It was getting brighter, and Xiao Shunzi slipped away. I was just about to sleep a little longer, when Xiao Shunzi came to report again: "Young Master, Nan Chu is sending Lu Can to see him."
In my heart, why did this former student of mine come to see me? Shouldn't he be dismissive of me, after all, I'm already a rebel of Nan Chu. I asked Xiao Shunzi for advice in doubt, and Xiao Shunzi said with tears and laughter: "Young Master, now you are a confidant of His Royal Highness Prince Yong. In this matter of peace, His Highness can at least be the master of four points. It's not the best candidate, although they are all defeated and seeking peace, it is also beneficial to Nan Chu to gain an extra point."
I sat up, took the coat that Xiao Shunzi handed over, and thought about how to solve it while putting on the clothes. Originally, I thought, "Seeing each other and fighting is not going to happen", so I wasn't going to meet Lu Can. It would be a bit too much if I didn’t give him a chance. In any case, I used to be a servant of Southern Chu, but now I am a subordinate of King Yong. If I politely declined, then outsiders would think that His Royal Highness King Yong was unintentional. Peace Conference, this matter can be big or small, so I can't handle it at will. After walking a few steps, I felt that I was in good health today, and there should be no problem with meeting guests, so I said, "Please ask General Lu to meet me in the flower hall. It's still early, so I asked someone to bring breakfast to the flower hall, and prepare more. General Lu is eating. Your Highness should already know. You should send someone to ask your Highness's intention, whether you want to receive the envoy of Nanchu. I don't know much about the negotiation, but Gou Lian should understand better. If His Highness is inconvenient to come, please Brother Gou came to accompany him, so as to explore Nan Chu's bottom line. Xiao Shunzi, did Lu Can come alone?"
Xiao Shunzi replied, "Young Master, General Lu has brought a young man with good looks, and he should be a man of extraordinary intelligence."
I smiled slightly: "Alright, Lu Can is young after all, if he comes alone, I suspect he is just here to see me privately, and if someone is with me, then it's business. Okay, go and invite them in. Bar."
Lu Can stood quietly in front of Prince Yong's Mansion. At the age of twenty-two, he was full of vigor and vitality, but his years in the military made him look more mature than his peers. The divine light in his eyes is faint, and his temperament is heroic and elegant, and he knows that this young general is a genius with both civil and military skills. Standing half a step behind him was a twenty-six or seven-year-old young man with a square scarf and a Confucian crown.
The young man looked at Lu Can with an indifferent expression, and his heart was turbulent. His name is Yang Xiu. He was originally from the Kingdom of Shu. When the Kingdom of Shu was destroyed, he was still studying abroad. When Southern Chu occupied Shuzhong, he returned to his hometown. Shuzhong was very peaceful under the rule of Luhou. Although the Splendid Alliance was raging, But they didn't make any big waves. Yang Xiu lived very peacefully at home. Two and a half years ago, one of his cousins was convicted for participating in the assassination of Lu Hou, and Yang Xiu was also implicated in prison. It was Lu Hou's only son, Lu Can. This young general handled things brightly, decisively, and rationally. Yang Xiu was soon acquitted, and when Lu Can saw that he was so talented, he personally invited him to the door. Be your own enlistment. Yang Xiu is not a pedantic person. He has never made a name for himself in Shu Kingdom, and it is not a disobedience to serve in Southern Chu. After following Lu Can, he has become more and more aware of this young general's extraordinary qualities. The planning of the formation and the tactics of war are all superhuman. When King Yong raided Southern Chu, Luhou led troops to return to the rescue, King Qing of Dongchuan took the opportunity to suppress the border in the middle of Shu, Lu Can led his troops to meet the enemy, and the two armies confronted several times. Lu Can's hard-trained elite soldiers actually defeated Dayong's heroic soldiers, forcing King Qing to retreat, ensuring that Southern Chu would not be attacked on both sides. Although Lu Can's exploits were not made public because of Jianye's fall, the Southern Chu army has vaguely regarded Lu Can as the heir of Prince Zhao Jue of Germany. What impressed Yang Xiu even more was that although Lu Can came from a family of military generals and did not know how to write poetry and composition, he had unique insights into classics and history. I have to admire Lu Can's extensive knowledge.
A few days ago, Yang Xiu couldn't help asking Lu Can who could teach the children of military generals like Lu Can to be proficient in literature and history. Bring yourself to visit Jiang Zhe, whose name has been heard for a long time. Although Yang Xiu knew about Jiang Zhe, he didn't take him seriously. He was just a genius of Southern Chu who had surrendered to Dayong. If it wasn't for the high-profile assassination a few days ago that made him pay attention, he wouldn't have thought about it. Will notice the existence of Jiang Zhe. Only yesterday did he know that Jiang Zhe was actually Lu Can's mentor. He still remembered last night, under the silver light, Lu Can's face was hidden in the shadows, and said lightly: "I was naughty since I was a child. Those green skins were fighting on the street. My father didn’t want to see me being so ignorant, so he invited Xi Xi to teach me. I used my fist to beat several Xi Xi. Mr. Jiang was the fourth Xi Xi. I originally thought Give him a slap in the face, but as soon as he came, he told me that he was just a mess. Anyway, if I beat him away, my father would have to invite a new one. If I was willing to compromise with him, he would let him. We both got better."
Having said this, Lu Can showed a faint smile and continued: "Mr. Jiang said that as long as I stay in the study every morning and do whatever I want in the afternoon, he will not leave me too much homework, and he will also I will help me to lie to my father. I agreed at the time, but I regretted it within a few days. Every morning I was bored in the study, watching Mr. Jiang read with relish, and ignored me, but it would be a shame to regret it. Later, I had to ask Mr. Jiang to think of a way to let me pass the time. Mr. Jiang said, if that's the case, why don't you give me a lecture, although I feel bored, it's better than being bored alone, but I didn't expect that Mr. Jiang really The talent is unparalleled. He will not let me be swayed by those four books and five classics, nor will he ask me to write poems and compositions. He said that I am a child of an aristocratic family, and I don’t need to participate in the imperial examinations. The analects of Confucius, which was boring to say, was made interesting by him, and then he told me the history books. He didn't tell me the original text. He just told me the historical facts like a story, and also mixed a lot of his own opinions and some Things in wild history, since then, I have been listening to him tell stories every morning. Later, he saw that I prefer to fight with soldiers, and he taught me the art of war and battle examples. I don’t know how he knew so many things. I'm a few years older, but unfortunately I was too playful at that time and didn't understand how precious Mr.'s teachings were. It was not until I led the army that I realized how important what Mr. Now. Yang Xiu, I said this to make you understand what kind of person my mentor is. Now he has surrendered to Dayong, and it is inevitable that we will meet in battle in the future. You are full of strategies and will be his opponent in the future. A person is bound to fail, you have to seize the opportunity to get to know him well, if you don’t understand your enemy, then you will not be sure of victory.”
The more Yang Xiu thought about it, the more emotional he became. He really wanted to see what kind of a teacher he respected and respected like the young general he respected very much. So the longer he waited, the more worried he became that Jiang Zhe would not meet them.
Fortunately, after a period of time, a young guard came over and saluted: "General Lu, Lord Sima met the general in Hanyuan. Your Excellency is recovering from a serious injury, and it is inconvenient to go out to greet him. Huyanshou was dispatched to meet him."
Lu Can glanced at the young guard and saw that this man had a simple appearance, but his eyes were cold, his palms were wide and large, his knuckles were protruding, and his tendons were tangled. It's not surprising, it can be seen that the fire has reached the point of perfection. Looking at this person's body and body, he is full of murderous aura, and his body is tall and straight. This must be a warrior who has been in the army for a long time. King Yong asked such a person to be the bodyguard of his mentor, it can be seen that he Respect for the teacher. Thinking to himself, Lu Can smiled and said, "Please Huyan guards lead the way."
The two followed Huyanshou for a long time before arriving at a quiet and far-reaching garden. Seeing the plaque on the garden gate, Lu Can knew that he could finally see Jiang Zhe. Huyanshou greeted the four colleagues who were guarding in front of the garden gate and led them into the cold garden. As soon as he walked into the cold garden, Lu Can felt a big shock in his heart. Although he didn't see it, he could vaguely perceive that there were people hiding in all key positions in the garden. Murderous, you know that the guards here are at least on the same level as Huyanshou. It seems that King Yong's respect for his teacher is unparalleled.
The two were invited into the flower hall, and the first thing they saw was Jiang Zhe sitting there and Xiao Shunzi standing behind Jiang Zhe.
Yang Xiu looked boldly and saw a thin and pale young man sitting at the table. He was wearing a light blue robe, and his hair was tied with only a hairpin and a snow-white silk scarf. He just sat idle like that, with a peaceful expression. If he hadn't seen him described as haggard, he would never have thought that he had just come back from the death line. Yang Xiu was in awe. He thought that since Jiang Zhe escaped from the Nanchu assassin just now, he would inevitably be very indifferent to Lu Can. He did not know that someone else had succeeded in assassinating Jiang Zhe. The truth had already been hidden, that is, King Yong. It is also said to the outside world that Jiang Zhe was seriously injured by the assassination of the Southern Chu assassin. After all, no one wants to expose Dayong's internal disputes to the outside world. Therefore, Jiang Zhe did not feel discouraged and disappointed with Nan Chu, but he did not hate him very much.
I glanced at Lu Can. He seemed more calm than the last time we met. He must have matured a lot after being on his own. I stood up and said with a smile, "Little Marquis, I haven't seen you for a long time. You have become more and more majestic."
When Lu Can saw me, he was stunned. He woke up when he heard my words, and quickly went up and down and said, "My disciple pays respects to my teacher." His tone was choked. I knew he was sad when he saw me describe it like this. Even when I look at myself in the bronze mirror, I feel a little out of shape. This is also a helpless thing. I am lucky to be able to save my life. How can I dare to ask for it
I raised my hand and said: "Little Marquis, hurry up, no, you are already a general of Nanchu now, I should call you General Lu, but Zhe has been a general for a few days on the west seat, how dare you be called a master and a disciple. ."
Lu Can's mood has calmed down, and said lightly: "The disciple was naughty back then and didn't know the importance of the teacher's teaching, but now it's too late to regret it. I also ask the teacher not to shirk the blame. thing."
I smiled bitterly and said, "You're still so straightforward, that's all, I don't want to argue with you either, get up, I haven't had dinner yet, can you accompany me, who is this?" I looked at Yang Xiu.
Lu Can stood up and said, "This is Yang Xiu, who joined the army under the disciple's command."
Yang Xiu stepped forward and saluted: "I have heard for a long time that Mr. Jiang has a great reputation, and I will pay you a visit."
I wanted to step forward to help, but I felt a pain in my heart, so I had to frown and said, "Please forgive me for the inconvenience of returning the salute. Yang Canjun is also invited to be seated."
Yang Xiu saw that Jiang Zhe had a cold sweat on his forehead, and quickly said, "Your Excellency is inconvenient, so you don't need to be polite."
The three of us sat down, and Xiao Shunzi brought three bowls of porridge in person. I smiled and said, "These porridges are carefully made medicated meals with nourishing medicines added. You two may try it."
Lu Can stood up and took the bowl that Xiao Shunzi handed over. He knew that Li Shun killed the poisonous hand Xiexin at the Yangtze River Ferry a few days ago. The poisonous hand Xiexin was a master in Southern Chu before he took refuge in Prince De and went incognito. He even attempted to assassinate "successful" in Prince Yong's mansion, and even fought for thousands of miles and escaped from Dayong, and his reputation soared. Can dare not neglect.
Lin Xiu also stood up to take the porridge bowl. He couldn't help but glance at Jiang Zhe. What was so peculiar about this thin young man that he actually made such masters willing to be slaves and do the things of servants
When I saw them being so restrained, I couldn't help but smile, and said, "I heard that Lu Can, you are the official envoy of Nan Chu, I must have made a comprehensive plan. I don't know how I can help you?"
Lu Can looked a little embarrassed, but soon returned to normal, respectfully said: "Although Nan Chu was defeated, but now the new monarch has established, the top and bottom are united, and the troops and horses are ready, so this time, although he is a minister and begging for peace, I hope Dayong Don't ask too much for gold and silk, and hope to redeem the emperor of Taishang and the civil and military officials. It is only possible that this matter is false with the approval of the military of Dayong. His Royal Highness is the most important person among them, so the disciple knows that Your Highness means,"
I said lightly: "The matter of peace is presided over by the ministers in the court and the middle, and who would dare to speculate on His Highness King Yong's intentions, and besides, His Majesty has no intention of embarrassing Nan Chu, you are overthinking it, and I don't care about these matters. You've found the wrong way."
Lu Can knew that what Jiang Zhe said was just an excuse, and was about to continue to persuade, when a hearty voice came from outside the door: "How do you find the wrong way, if General Lu came to see you first, this king would definitely not let it go. Nan Chu is at ease."
Saying that, Li Zhi walked in with Gou Lian. Both Lu Can and Yang Xiu stood up to give their salutes. Li Zhi smiled and said, "General Lu, this king once had a relationship with Duke Lu, and I had heard that Duke Lu had a tiger under his knees, and when I saw it today, it really lived up to its reputation. He was very impressed."
Lu Can said calmly: "The young general is just a fake father Yu Wei, His Royal Highness King Yong is the most important soldier in the world, how dare Yinghuoguang compete with Haoyue for glory."
Li Zhi sat down and said calmly: "The two countries are repaired, and this king also knows that it is imperative, but your country has proclaimed itself an emperor, regardless of the status of your vassals. My day Yongxing troops to crusade is where the righteousness lies, although your country has suffered losses. It is very heavy, but the land should be ceded and the compensation should be paid. As for the redemption of the captives, this king has no opinion, but how much ransom does your country want to pay?"
Lu Can Zhengrong said: "Although Nan Chu has its own faults, it is also a fact that the distinguished guest King Qi first invaded the territory. His Highness captured Jianye, kidnapped our country's monarchs and ministers, and even took away countless gold and silk. Now our country is united, if your country still If we want to bully, even though our country is small and weak, we must resist to the end. Although Dayong of Nanchu is a monarch and a relative by marriage, your country has long wanted to invade and occupy. The new monarch has already ascended the throne, and the former lord is already a commoner, if your country wants to stay, please do so, the former lord and your princess Changle are husband and wife, and the son-in-law depends on his father-in-law to live, and it is only natural.”
Li Zhi's eyes lit up, and he smiled: "Well said, it is indeed a young hero, and there are so many geniuses in Nanchu. This king admires it." Then he said meaningfully: "Things are also negotiable, although this king cannot decide, but It won't embarrass General Lu either."