The assassination of Guo Shao had caused a sensation a few days ago. It was said that Zhao San had planned to assassinate the general of the imperial guards. However, because the incident happened in the suburbs outside the city, the impact was not great. Those who knew about it were mainly people who had some dealings with the government. However, when the Zhao family suddenly held a funeral, it was like pouring a bucket of oil on Mars, and rumors began to spread rapidly.
Zhao Kuangyin was a popular and powerful figure in Tokyo. His father and brother had both died. It would be strange if people in the market did not talk about this strange thing. Then the clerks and servants in Kaifeng Prefecture who knew a little about the inside story told some of the inside stories, and the discussion became more and more. Li Chuyun and his daughter, who had been unknown before, also became famous.
Li Chuyun was having lunch and drinking some wine at a restaurant with his fellow military brothers at noon when he heard the guests in the restaurant talking about him. They also said that Li Chuyun's daughter was very beautiful, which led to a fight between the two powerful families.
Lady Li was indeed very pretty, but she was only pretty and did not attract attention in Tokyo, and she rarely appeared in public. This time, her fame had spread far and wide for some other reason, and it caused the two generals to fight. Such things were easy for people to talk about with great relish.
Li Chuyun was exhausted and had no intention of being on duty, so he left a few lieutenants to guard the military camp and went home.
When his wife saw him coming back so early, her face wasn't good. She thought he was going to scold Madam Li, so she hurriedly advised: "My daughter is usually well-behaved and obedient, she never even goes out. Who would have thought that someone would keep thinking about her all the way from Bingzhou to Tokyo, and she is always restless."
Unexpectedly, Li Chuyun did not blame his daughter. Just then, Li's wife came in to greet him. Li Chuyun responded kindly and looked his daughter up and down. He saw that she was thin and strong, with black hair and fair skin. Li Chuyun himself was a burly man with a big beard. Although his daughter's hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes were also quite fine and lush, her skin was smooth and white, her body was soft and plump, her waist was soft, and her buttocks were round and perky. She was beautiful and had a pretty figure.
Li Chuyun sighed, paced back and forth for a few steps, and suddenly said to Li Xiaoniang, "Your father has no choice but to give you to General Guo as a concubine. Will you blame your father?"
After hearing this, Li Xiaoniang was slightly surprised, but didn't say anything.
The wife was very dissatisfied and said anxiously: "How can that be possible? Although Shao Ge has a high position, he is still a military commander. How can our daughter be like a concubine? Is it easy for me to raise a daughter?"
Li Chuyun said: Is there any other way
The lady asked hurriedly: "So Shao Ge forced you to
Li Chuyun shook his head and said: "At this point, my daughter has become a disaster in the eyes of the world, and I have been pushed into the fire. It was impossible for me to switch to the Zhao family in the first place. Now that there is a commotion, it is even more impossible for me to switch to the Zhao family. Otherwise, I will really bear the stigma of being disloyal and unjust for the rest of my life. When did I, Li Chuyun, become such a disloyal and unjust person
The wife is puzzled: What does infidelity have to do with her daughter being a concubine
Li Chuyun said: The Guo and Zhao families are incompatible. I can't just sit there and sit on the fence. I can only focus on joining the Guo family because I can't just wait and see. No matter what, will the Zhao family appreciate it? If they have a chance, I will die without a burial place.
My daughter has been rumored to have an affair with the Guo family, so it is not appropriate for her to marry someone else. I might as well marry her to General Guo as a concubine. On the one hand, I can make the affair public, and on the other hand, I can show my position and determination to the master, and I will follow the master and his people wholeheartedly. If we can gain power in the future, I will have made great contributions; even if we lose, it will be a worthy death. At least I will not be infamous for being fickle and will not be ruined.
The lady choked up and said: Is there no other way
Li Chuyun asserted: I have made up my mind, let’s do it.
Madam Li knelt down and said: I feel very guilty for making my father worry.
Forget it. Li Chuyun helped her up. You can't be blamed for this. Even if you don't know General Guo, it's impossible for Zhao San to let him take a fancy to you. If he wants to get you by any means, General Guo is still the one who stands in his way.
Madam Li bit her teeth lightly and said resolutely: Thank you, father, for your support.
Li Chuyun was stunned. He originally thought that he was helpless and felt a little sorry for his daughter. When he heard her say that, he could only sigh and said nothing more.
Since the decision had been made, Li Chuyun, who was originally a military general, immediately made an appointment with Luo Yanhuan, and the two went to Guo's house to meet Guo Shao. Guo Shao was also in a state of panic, and was in the hall of the outer courtyard with Zuo You and others.
Li Chuyun felt embarrassed to talk about this, so he stayed outside the mansion and asked Luo Yanhuan to come in first. When Luo Yanhuan mentioned that Li Chuyun intended to let Li Niangzi be Guo Shao's concubine, Guo Shao was startled at first, and looked at each other with Zuo You and others, and remained silent for a long time.
After a moment of embarrassment, Guo Shao said: "General Li is willing to do so. This is fine. But let's put this matter aside for now and wait until the situation is less tense."
There were rumors that Li Niangzi had a secret crush on Guo Shao, which caused an internal struggle. Regardless of the truth, Li Niangzi's reputation was ruined. Guo Shao thought it would be better to let her be a concubine, so that she would not be bullied by others in the future. Besides, Li Chuyun's favorite daughter was willing to be his concubine, which also showed Li Chuyun's position.
Madam Li is now famous for her beauty. Guo Shao also thinks she is very beautiful. But being famous is not a good thing. If Guo Shao falls one day, the famous woman in his family will be coveted by others.
Just like Lady Huarui of Shu and Li Yu's wife of Southern Tang, they were all famous for their beauty. What good is this kind of fame for them? In addition to conquering cities and territories, heroes all covet beautiful women as extra trophies.
The righteous way is that a man is innocent but guilty of possessing a treasure. Guo Shao is very insecure now. Lady Li is only famous because she is involved in a scandal. The real beauty that can topple a country is Fu Ermei, who Guo Shao wants to marry. These people are in Guo's house, and their safety can be guaranteed. In the future, they will be treated like playthings and fought over.
After Guo Shao had discussed the matter with Luo Yanhuan, he summoned Li Chuyun to meet him.
Several people gathered in the hall, and Guo Shao said bluntly: We are all brothers. The situation is not peaceful now. I hope that the brothers can think together and overcome the difficulties together. Otherwise, if something goes wrong, no one here will have a good ending.
Guo Shao's words were too straightforward, but everyone nodded in agreement. The truth is that the words were rough but the truth was true. All of them were promoted by Guo Shao and had a close relationship with him. If Guo Shao fell, they would be very lucky to be able to maintain their hard-earned positions and not be involved in the disaster.
After a discussion, everyone finally dispersed. Guo Shao was exhausted, so he went back to the back garden to relax. In the living room, he saw Yang and Yulian again. He thought that although they were not famous, they were both beautiful women.
Not to mention Yang, who was originally sent by the emperor as a beauty; Yulian used to be a piece of dusty pearl in the market, no one cared about her. But Guo Shao now raised her to be fair and clean, and dressed her up to be no less beautiful than Yang, and even had a more delicate temperament like a beautiful girl emerging from the water.
Guo Shao couldn't help thinking: I have raised such a good woman, I love her so much, I don't even want to hit her or scold her, is it possible that one day she will be kidnapped and tortured by someone else
He didn't feel that way before, but now he feels more and more that keeping a beautiful woman at home is very stressful. Zhao Kuangyin is a man who can become an emperor. If he becomes an emperor, Guo Shao simply can't imagine how miserable he would be and how ugly his death would be. A person dies and dies, but the key is that the woman he loves and cares about will also suffer a tragic end. He will definitely be worried and die with regrets.
Guo Shao recalled the Jingkang Shame during the Northern Song Dynasty, when tens of thousands of royal princesses, ministers' wives and women from Tokyo were captured, and the emperor ran away very quickly. People at that time were also miserable. They were captured on the grasslands. There are records of how some well-known royal ladies were tortured to death. They were tortured to death alive, and one can imagine what they experienced before they died.
If Guo Shao encountered such a thing, he really didn't know what fun it would be to escape to the south of the Yangtze River and live there. It would simply be a torture to live. He might as well fight to the death with the whole city and die in battle himself. After death, he would no longer have to see or be bothered by it.
In this era, civilization is vulnerable to barbarism and violence. The barbarians are completely inhumane to the powerless losers. In order to make the opponent humane, the opponent must be made to feel the same violence and threats, so that they will be afraid, because what they have done may be retaliated in the same way. Only power and threats can create compromise and concession, and praying is useless.
Countless things flashed through Guo Shao's mind. Lady Huarui was shot as prey; Xiao Zhouhou was raped and painted as a souvenir, leaving the shame to countless descendants to watch and discuss after her death. All these things warned Guo Shao that those victors had no mercy at all. It was a ridiculous idea to hope for the other side's mercy.
At this moment, Guo Shao found Jingniang in the back garden, standing by the lake. He walked out, called her over, and said in a deep voice: "We must find a way to tell the queen that I did not send someone to kill Zhao San."
Jingniang asked: Should we bring Qingxu into the palace
Guo Shao paced a few steps and said: No, I am being watched by countless people now, I dare not provoke the Queen again. He hesitated for a moment and continued, the Queen once said that at the beginning and middle of every month, the eunuch Cao Tai would go to the East Market to purchase some expenses. You and Cao Tai know each other.
Jingniang nodded and said: I recognize him. I have seen him more than once.
Guo Shao said: Very good, you go to the East Market in the middle of the month, if there are people around Cao Tai, don't alarm others. After the eunuch finds you, he will take the initiative to find an opportunity to meet you. Then you ask him to tell the queen: Zhao San was not killed by me, and I would not kill Zhao San even if I wanted to.
Jing-niang confirmed that.
Guo Shaodao: Just put it this way, it’s better to understand it clearly.
If he had to kill someone, he would not kill Zhao San. This was as clear as day. Guo Shao was much weaker than Zhao Kuangyin, and he could not compare to Zhao Kuangyin in terms of the emperor's trust and favor. Therefore, Guo Shao needed the queen very much and did not want to disappoint her and make her think that he was a reckless fool.
When it came to a life-and-death struggle, Guo Shao would definitely not choose Zhao San as his target. His target should be Zhao Kuangyin. Once Zhao Kuangyin was gone, all the people in the Zhao family, including Zhao San, would be hopeless. Why would he save the strongest enemy for Zhao San, giving him a chance to breathe and turning him into a mortal enemy
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