157. Cage
Under the sunset.
Zhang Zhuo would ride his horse and bump into Wang Daosheng from time to time, but Wang Daosheng dodged calmly.
The former is like a volcano that can erupt at any time, and the latter is like a hidden iceberg. They have nothing to do with each other, but they happen to be put together.
Chen Ji was puzzled: "Master Zhang is usually like this..."
The word "childish" was never uttered.
Zhang Xia reached out and stroked Zaozao's back hair, saying with a smile, "Father is usually very powerful and rarely acts like this. I guess the other party must be Mr. Wang, so he acted like this."
Chen Ji was even more confused: "Why is this?"
Zhang Xia thought for a moment. "My father once said Mr. Wang was a gentleman. So, I guess he doesn't have to be as cautious as usual when dealing with Mr. Wang. Even though Mr. Wang doesn't agree with him, he won't harm him."
Chen Ji sighed softly: "That's great."
Zhang Zhuo and Wang Daosheng did not quarrel for long.
Zhang Zhuo gradually calmed down.
He sat on his horse, looking at the setting sun where the light was flowing, and sighed: "The country is like a painting, it would be great if there could be peace under heaven."
Wang Daosheng walked beside him and said calmly, "The word 'state' is not a good word."
Zhang Zhuo wondered, "Why is it not good?"
Wang Daosheng gazed into the distance and said, "She means land, Ji means grains. Are there any people among them?"
Zhang Zhuo suddenly said, "Wang Daosheng!"
Wang Daosheng glanced at him and said, "Master Zhang, please speak!"
Zhang Zhuo stretched out his red official robe and said slowly, "I don't think you'll be promoted to Minister of War this time. So, don't hold your hopes too high. Right now, you seem to be the most suitable candidate. Qi Xiuping is incompetent, and Yang Zhao is reckless. Neither of them is as good as you when it comes to the position of Minister of War. That's why Hu Ge Lao recommended you."
Wang Daosheng smiled and said, "I guess there's a 'but' after that."
Zhang Zhuo took a deep breath. "However, Your Majesty has been on the throne for thirty-one years, and the person he dislikes most is someone without weaknesses. There are no flaws in this world, and the saint can only be the one in Renshou Palace, no one else."
Wang Daosheng asked calmly: "So, what should I do?"
Zhang Zhuo lowered his voice and said, "Well, I'll give you a few women. You can take in a dozen concubines before you go to the capital."
Wang Daosheng laughed: "I am in mourning. I cannot remarry or take a concubine."
Zhang Zhuo looked up at the sky in thought, then lowered his head and said, "Then take some money. I'll have someone send you some silver, then write a few memorials to accuse you and send the evidence to His Majesty."
Wang Daosheng was delighted: "If this happens, I'm afraid I'll be thrown into prison."
Zhang Zhuo shook his head. He adjusted his black veil and brushed the dust off the white crane patch on his chest. "I'm not as good as you in literary scholarship, and you're not as good as me in officialdom. Your Majesty won't care about accepting a few thousand taels of silver. Doesn't Your Majesty know that his subordinates are greedy? Of course he knows, and he's not worried."
"What is your Majesty worried about?"
Zhang Zhuo turned to look at Wang Daosheng: "Your Majesty is only worried that when he no longer wants to use you, he won't be able to get rid of you."
Wang Daosheng smiled and said, "I don't want to touch any of the things you mentioned. In my life, I just want to have a clear conscience."
Zhang Zhuo cursed, "You're so self-righteous! I've seen many scholars like you. You've lived your whole life with nothing more than integrity and honesty. You've accomplished nothing. If you and I joined forces in the court, how much could we accomplish?"
kingly way
The Saint said softly, "Seeking results in the wrong process will not lead to good results. Master Zhang, it's too late for me, the Fairy, to defile myself. I'm not as courageous as you, and our political views are not the same. It's better not to join forces when serving in the same court."
Zhang Zhuo remained silent, and the atmosphere fell into dead silence.
Several younger generations followed behind, holding their breath.
Zhang Zhuo suddenly sighed and said, "Your official position will definitely not be as high as mine in the future, but you may live longer than me. After I die, don't let the historian write nonsense about me."
Wang Daosheng was silent for a long time: "This matter is beyond my control."
Zhang Zhuo smiled carefreely: "Forget it, let them be."
Wang Daosheng asked calmly, "Are you willing?"
Zhang Zhuo stroked his beard and said, "What else can I do?"
He thought for a moment and then said, "By the way, do you still remember the song 'Beheading the Good Minister' sung by the Xu family at the party in the 25th year of Jianing?"
"Remember!"
Zhang Zhuo asked again: "Which part do you like best?"
The Kingly Way and the Holy Way: "Profits and fame bind many heroes. Morning bells and evening drums awaken countless fools. What about you?"
Zhang Zhuo laughed heartily. "A piece of paper of fame, a thousand mountains of wind and snow. You and I like different parts of the play. We are not on the same path. Whatever."
At this moment, the sound of a flute came from afar, like a sword cutting through the wind and snow.
Chen Ji's heart trembled and he looked up.
I saw a man sitting in front of the carriage under the city gate of Luo City, like the coachman, but much more detached than the coachman.
His muscles tensed, and his hand silently reached for the Whale Knife: "Mr. Feng!"
When everyone looked closely, they saw the carriage parked alone next to the pipeline, with a peacock pattern carved on it.
Lord Liu’s carriage!
Chen Ji subconsciously looked at Prince Jing.
But the other person had a dull expression and stared coldly at the carriage.
Seeing them approach, Mr. Feng slowly put down his flute and said with a smile, "Your Highness, my master invites you to come aboard for a chat."
Prince Jing remained motionless, still staring at him coldly: "Did you lead the people to surround and kill Yunxi and Baili?"
Mr. Feng looked surprised. "Your Highness, you must be joking. I've been listening to music in Baiyi Alley in Luocheng these past few days. I haven't been out."
Prince Jing sneered, "Do you need me to produce evidence?"
Mr. Feng laughed and said, "No, no, even if Your Majesty produces evidence, I will not admit it."
Prince Jing sneered: "Arrogant!"
Mr. Feng glanced at the Thousand-Year-Old Army behind Prince Jing and said with a smile, "The Thousand-Year-Old Army left the camp without official permission from the Ministry of War. Your Majesty may not do anything to the Prince, but someone in the Thousand-Year-Old Army will definitely bear the consequences! If your Majesty is used to it, General Wang will probably be exiled to Lingnan for forced labor... and we may never see each other again."
Chen Ji was stunned. It turned out that the cost of the Qiansui Army besieging Luhun Villa was so high.
Prince Jing said loudly, "General Wang."
The man holding the royal flag responded, "I am here."
Prince Jing said, "Return to camp!"
"Take care, Your Majesty!"
After saying this, General Wang waved the royal flag in his hand, and the Qiansui Army solemnly turned their horses around and headed south.
The black armor worn by thousands of soldiers made a deafening clattering sound, without any delay.
The curtain of the carriage was lifted, and Liu Gun, dressed in gray cloth, slowly got off the carriage with the help of Mr. Feng.
Zhang Zhuo quickly signaled to everyone
Dismount and salute.
However, Elder Liu did not look at Prince Jing. Instead, he looked at Chen Ji first, his eyes examining him: "Are you Chen Ji?"
Everyone suddenly looked at Chen Ji. No one had expected that Chen Ji was actually being remembered by the dignified elder.
Zhang Zhuo chuckled, pulled Wang Daosheng between Liu Ge Lao and Chen Ji, and bowed with a smile: "Gentleman, how are you?"
Liu Gun glanced at him and said, "You are no longer a minister. I am just an old man who is in mourning at home. Don't be afraid, Master Zhang. I just want to chat with the young man for a few minutes. I won't harm him."
Zhang Zhuo hesitated for a moment, but finally stepped back.
Liu Gun looked at Chen Ji and asked again, "Are you Chen Ji?"
Chen Ji stood beside his warhorse and bowed, "Sir, it is me!"
Liu Gun chuckled lightly, like a kind old man: "Young man, you are a brilliant talent, a newborn calf is not afraid of a tiger, you have a bright future ahead of you."
Chen Ji did not answer.
Liu Gun asked again: "Have you gotten married?"
Chen Ji shook his head: "No!"
Liu Gun smiled and said, "My Liu family just happened to have several women who were of marriageable age..."
Before he could finish his words, the prince stepped forward, bowed, and interrupted him, "Grandpa!"
Liu Gun was not offended by the interruption. He turned around and looked at the prince with a smile: "My good boy, you haven't come to the Liu family mansion for many years. When your mother was still alive, she often brought you back to visit the Liu family."
The prince replied, "Grandpa, I've been very busy with my studies these past few years. I'll definitely visit you more often when I have time."
Liu Gun said with relief: "Good, good, good!"
Chen Ji frowned.
It turns out that Prince Jing’s wife is also a member of the Liu family.
Could she be Concubine Jing’s sister?
Until now, the cause of the queen's death seems to have been buried in time and no one has mentioned it. However, Chen Ji thought about the character and methods of the Liu family and couldn't help wondering if there was any secret behind it?
Liu Gun glanced at Chen Ji and finally said nothing more.
He looked at Prince Jing with a weary expression: "Your Highness, we are father-in-law and son-in-law, so why should we be so hostile? It's been a long time since we last met. Let's get in the car and talk."
Prince Jing thought for a moment, then turned to the Crown Prince and said, "You go back first!"
The prince said anxiously: "Father..."
Prince Jing soothed him, "Go. Everything will be fine."
The prince was unwilling to leave, and Chen Ji did not move either.
Zhang Zhuo laughed and said, "We've been traveling all day in the snow and wind. Let's go home and have some hot tea. Let's go, let's go..."
As he spoke, he pulled Chen Ji and the prince's arms and walked towards the city gate. He lowered his voice and said, "What can he do to the prince in front of everyone? Do you really want to force the Liu family to break up? Are you stupid? Don't worry, the prince will be fine."
The prince then left, looking back every few steps.
As he walked into the city gate, Chen Ji couldn't help but look back. He saw Prince Jing lifting the curtain and getting on the carriage, while Mr. Feng was standing beside the carriage, smiling at him.
With a thud, a man in the city gate bumped into Chen Ji and passed him by.
Chen Ji looked closely and saw that the man lowered his hat and joined the crowd going to the market. It was clearly the back of the secret agent Xifeng.
He calmly lowered his head and unfolded a piece of paper in his hand, on which was written: Be careful, all the people who sent secret reports to the capital will be killed!
Chen Ji suddenly looked up and realized that Yuzhou had become a cage?
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