The sky was cloudy, and the north wind blew in the evening. People came and went outside Moyan Tower. The business had already ranked first in Yangzhou.
"Have a bath first?" Qiao Rong said, "I'll come to the side garden for dinner later."
You Miao nodded, then went to take a bath with Li Zhifeng, drank some ginger soup, and relieved the fatigue of the journey.
When entering the side garden, I heard a familiar voice.
"Have you been in Yizhou for so long, do you not plan to come back?"
You Miao and Li Zhifeng were startled at the same time. It was Zhao Chao who was waiting in the side garden.
"Third Brother" You Miao said with a smile.
Li Zhifeng nodded and the two took their seats.
"What happened in Yizhou?" Zhao Chao asked.
You Miao replied, "There is a gambling house at home, let's go and see the business."
Zhao Chao thoughtfully said, "Did you meet anyone?"
You Miao's heart thumped, and Li Zhifeng frowned slightly.
Do you know? No, you can even know about Yizhou? This is too great. Who sent him the letter? Or is Zhao Chao just suspicious? Impossible, no one should be suspicious of him Youmiao. It should just be a test with ulterior motives.
After a brief silence, You Miao replied, "I didn't meet anyone, what's wrong?"
Zhao Chao didn't answer any more, and said casually: "There are many people in the rivers and lakes in Yizhou, and dragons and snakes are mixed."
You Miao nodded without saying a word, and said after a while, "Do you think there will be news about that person?"
Zhao Chao was slightly shocked.
You Miao said: "Don't worry, I don't think anything will happen."
Zhao Chao nodded relievedly, and said, "You've had enough fun, and you've had enough rest. When will you come back?"
You Miao never expected that Zhao Chao would mention this matter. He thought he was just here to drink tea and listen to music. Unexpectedly, after more than half a year, Zhao Chao still regarded You Miao as just tired and resigned and went home to rest.
"May you keep your position." Zhao Chao said: "Tang Bo is not my person, and I am not at ease to hand over the political affairs hall to him."
You Miao said: "Everything is on the right track in the DPRK now, I... To be honest, I'm not an official."
You Miao did not like last time, saying that he would not be offended in front of you. He really did not want to take this position, instead of being angry with Zhao Chao. Just as the prince told him, he had to get out of the way as soon as possible, and he couldn't sink in any longer. If you bring up the old things again, Zhao Chao will inevitably say that I'm not angry with you anymore, which will make it more difficult for You Miao to step down.
"Second brother is still a general." Zhao Chaoyun said lightly: "Although I don't fight, I still occasionally have to go back to the DPRK to do business. Are you staying in the villa alone?"
Li Zhifeng said, "Third brother, listen to me, You Miao doesn't want to go back to the court, so you don't have to force him any more."
Zhao Chaowei was displeased, but in the end he didn't say anything.
You Miao said with a smile, "The dishes made by the cooks in Moyan Building are delicious. Since you're here, just listen to the music and drink some wine."
Zhao Chao snorted, You Miao got up and went to give instructions. After a while, the dishes came, and Zhao Chao was a little absent-minded in the sound of the song. At the end, he said to Li Zhifeng, "Your eldest brother and He Motie'er have formed an alliance, do you know about this?"
Li Zhifeng nodded slowly, You Miao's heart was up and down, and Zhao Chao said again: "Originally, the fourth brother wanted to be an official in the court, and I planned to release the eldest brother. Everyone is still the same as before..."
You Miao secretly said that this move was too damaging.
Li Zhifeng said lightly, "If You Miao doesn't go to court, will Big Brother not be released?"
Zhao Chao sneered.
"Without you here." Zhao Chao said, "As soon as eldest brother came out, didn't he eat me?"
"He won't." You Miao smiled.
"Only you think he won't." Zhao Chao said coldly.
The three were silent again. You Miao thought that meeting Zhao Chao today was really bad. It felt like he was saying what he and Li Zhifeng were fighting for. If there was a chance, let him take a step. But what Zhao Chao proposed, he couldn't let it go.
After a while, Zhao Chao also felt a little stiff, so he changed his words and asked, "Second brother, who will win the war between you and your brother?"
Li Zhifeng pondered for a moment, and then said: "If there is a fight, I will take You Miao to the expedition. There is about a 50% chance of winning."
Zhao Chao pondered, and You Miao said, "Don't be in a hurry these few years."
Zhao Chaodao: "The speed of Jiangnan's recovery this year is faster than you and I expected. In two or three years, we will be marching on the Central Plains, and we can't wait any longer."
You Miao calculated it carefully, this year was also the third year of fleeing south. When Sun Yu was still alive, You Miao said during the debate in the political affairs hall that in five years, at most ten years, he would have to raise troops in the Central Plains, otherwise he would have no hope for life. After the people's livelihood is restored, there is no doubt that going to war will get the most support from the people.
You Miao imagined that after the imperial court announced the war, the public opinion among the people would not be the same as a few years ago.
"The next three years are indeed the best time." You Miao said: "But to declare war, you must make the best preparations."
"What preparations?" Zhao Chao asked lightly.
"One: Make sure that there is sufficient confidence in the rear, and everything can support the front line to the maximum extent." You Miao said: "Two: There should be no conflict of opinion among the generals, and the elder brother should lead the troops. Three: As long as the war starts in the Central Plains, we will It is bound to face the danger of multi-line battles, and the three parties will be very difficult to deal with. The three parties will be very difficult to deal with. Fourth: Prohibit the children of the southern gentry, and take the opportunity of this war to infiltrate the army and make meritorious deeds, and they must not be restrained in any way. Five: The court cannot recall General Nie and other front-line generals for any reason, so as not to fall short..."
Zhao Chao said: "You should go back to the court, You Ziqian."
You Miao let out a long breath.
"I'll think about it again."
This time, You Miao did not directly reject Zhao Chao. After all, the restoration of the Central Plains was the last step they had agreed on a long time ago, and it was also Sun Yu's last wish.
"I plan to forgive Tu Risheng's crime first." Zhao Chao said: "Let him participate in the training."
You Miao raised her eyebrows and said, "Tu Risheng... This man can assemble a 100,000-strong peasant army, he is indeed a bit capable, but I have never tried to confront him directly..."
Zhao Chaodao: "He wrote a memorial of tens of thousands of characters in prison. He analyzed the situation in the north and the conditions for Jiangnan to support the war for me. I think it's quite reasonable. You come to the palace when you are free, and I will show you when the time comes."
You Miao nodded.
Zhao Chao said: "Although this person is poor and has failed the imperial examinations many times, he still has some skills. He has read a lot of military books, and I just hope that he will not talk about military affairs on paper."
"Try it." You Miao said, "When he heard the order of appeasement, he disbanded the peasant army and was willing to return to die alone, which shows his loyalty to His Majesty."
"Hmm." Zhao Chao took another sip of wine, thinking silently.
You Miao was suddenly a little relieved, Zhao Chao finally understood something, and he no longer acted according to his own likes and dislikes.
Li Zhifeng said, "If you want to beat my eldest brother, how many people will you give me?"
Zhao Chao asked: "I was about to ask you, what are you going to do after defeating your big brother?"
Li Zhifeng said: "As promised."
Zhao Chao said, "Quan Rong will no longer invade the Central Plains, right?"
Li Zhifeng nodded.
Zhao Chao asked again, "Can you persuade the clan?"
Li Zhifeng said, "Yes."
Zhao Chao said, "I'll give you 20,000 people."
Li Zhifeng: "Not enough."
Zhao Chao said: "I'm welcome, you have to go back to fight for the throne, not by your strength, but by your brain."
As he said that, he glanced at You Miao, meaning you understood.
After speaking, Zhao Chao added: "I can't send any more people. Besides, this time the declaration of war is in the name of the Northern Expedition. Otherwise, I promise you, I know it in my heart, and the people don't know it. Soldiers It's impossible to go all out for you, a foreigner."
When Li Zhifeng heard this sentence, he seemed to get angry, and asked back: "Only foreigners are allowed to work hard for you Han people, but the Han people are not willing to work hard for me, a dog and soldier? Whose life is expensive and whose life is cheap?"
You Miao quickly persuaded: "Okay, okay..."
Zhao Chao was also angry, and said angrily: "Why do you help the Han people to fight? Don't you know the best in your heart? It's not because of You Ziqian, you will go to war? Don't come with me like this!"