Chapter 120 Drinking
In the temporary palace where Li Zhi lived in Luoyang Palace, Li Zhi was sitting in the pavilion in the courtyard, lost in thought.
"Your Highness, Prince Jin! His Highness, the Crown Prince, is coming here!"
The eunuch trotted over and saluted. "Then what are you still standing there for? Hurry up and welcome the Crown Prince!" Li Zhi looked up and said.
As soon as Li Zhi finished speaking, before the eunuch could respond, a shout came: "His Highness, the Crown Prince, has arrived!"
Li Zhi hurriedly stood up to greet him, and bowed his hands and said: "Brother, how come you have time to come to me today?"
"I have seen His Highness, the Crown Prince (Prince Jin)!" Wang Quan and Li Zhi's eunuch hurriedly saluted each other's masters.
"I just happened to pass by here today, so I came in to see you. Are you feeling better recently?" Li Chengqian asked with concern.
"Much better recently! Thank you for your concern, brother!" Li Zhi said.
"That's good! You look good today! I guess you have recovered well these days! This way, I feel relieved!" Li Chengqian said.
The two came to the pavilion and sat down, while Wang Quan and the eunuchs waited outside the pavilion.
"Child slave! The weather has been getting a little cold recently. You must pay more attention to your health and don't get sick again, so that father and I don't worry about you." Li Chengqian said.
Now that autumn has begun and the weather has gradually turned cold, Li Chengqian casually reminded them.
"Thank you for your concern, brother! I will put on more clothes when the weather gets cold." Li Zhi said.
"By the way! I asked the chef to cook some of your favorite dishes and boil a pot of wine. How about we have a drink together today?" Li Chengqian said.
Drinking is a way to connect feelings. Wine is the bond of communication and the best lubricant for interpersonal relationships. It brings people closer and deepens their feelings when they clink glasses and exchange cups.
As the saying goes, "It's easy to get things done at the wine table."
"Okay! Then I'll obey your orders!" Li Zhi said with a smile.
He hadn't drunk with his eldest brother for a long time!
Drinking a pot of wine can make the relationship between them closer. If one pot is not enough, another pot of wine will be served.
"Wang Quan, serve the wine and food!" Li Chengqian called Wang Quan who was standing outside the pavilion.
"Yes!" Wang Quan accepted the order, turned around and waved to a group of palace maids. The palace maids came over, opened the food boxes in their hands, and placed the wine and food in front of Li Chengqian and Li Zhi.
On the stone table were placed this vegetarian dish and three meat dishes, and in front of the two of them were a set of bowls and chopsticks and a wine glass.
Li Chengqian dismissed the palace maids, picked up the wine pot himself, and poured a glass of wine for Li Zhi and him.
"Here, this glass of wine is for you, and I wish you a healthy life!" Li Chengqian raised his glass and drank it all in one gulp, full of the love and care of the elder brother for the younger brother.
"Thank you, elder brother!" Li Zhi also drank it all in one gulp, feeling the love and care from Li Chengqian, Li Zhi's heart was warmed, and he almost burst into tears.
"Come on, don't just drink, eat the food! This is cooked by my newly hired chef. How does it taste? Is it to your taste?"
Li Chengqian reached out and picked up the chopsticks on the table, picked up a piece of meat and put it in his mouth, chewing and talking.
"Hmm! This tastes great! I really envy you for having such a good chef." Li Zhi ate a piece of meat and was immediately conquered by the deliciousness of the meat, praising it endlessly.
"If you like, I will give this chef to you." Li Chengqian said.
"How can I win someone's love! Forget it! Besides, I don't lack chefs here!" Li Zhi shook his head. The food made by this chef did taste good! But it was not so delicious that he had to have it!
Li Chengqian said nothing more, and raised his glass to clink with Li Zhi's again.
The two of them exchanged glasses and chatted about family matters for a while, and then the topic turned to Zhang Jian.
"Chinu, do you know this Zhang Jian!" Li
Chengqian said. "Zhang Jian was not the vanguard sent by the emperor to attack Goguryeo. The emperor sent someone to summon him to Luoyang a few days ago, and he just arrived in Luoyang yesterday. Why did you suddenly mention this person, brother?" Li Zhi said.
"Then do you know why the emperor summoned him to Luoyang?" Li Chengqian said.
"I heard that it seems that Zhang Jian was afraid of the enemy and did not move forward, and the emperor was furious, so he recalled him to punish him! I never thought that my Tang Dynasty would have such a cowardly general, which is really hateful!" Li Zhi said dissatisfiedly.
"Zhi Nu, you are wrong to say that! I was there when my father questioned Zhang Jian yesterday. Zhang Jian was not a coward, but the rising water level of the Liao River prevented the foreign soldiers from crossing the river."
"You also know that these foreign soldiers are all cavalry soldiers and are not familiar with water. When the Liao River rises, even those who are familiar with water may not dare to force a crossing, let alone these foreign soldiers." Li Chengqian said. "
So that's the case. It's me who blamed Zhang Jian. But what happened to Zhang Jian later?" Li Zhi asked. Although
Zhang Jian had his reasons, it was also a fact that he missed the opportunity to fight, and he would inevitably be punished. Li Zhi was not there at the time and didn't know what happened later.
"Later, Zhang Jian presented to my father a report on the mountains, rivers and land of Liaodong. After reading it, my father was very happy and did not punish Zhang Jian."
"He also appointed Zhang Jian as the commander-in-chief of the army and let Zhang Jian lead the cavalry of the six armies. My father ordered Zhang Jian to attack all the way from Xincheng." Li Chengqian said while pouring wine.
"Speaking of which, you and I are also relatives."
"Brother said that Zhang Jian is related to my royal family! Why don't I know?" Li Zhi asked in confusion.
Li Chengqian raised his glass and clinked it with Li Zhi's, drank it all in one gulp and said, "We have many relatives in our family. Zhang Jian's maternal grandfather was the brother of the late emperor, and he is our great-grandfather, but he has not been in contact with us for a long time."
"I met this great-grandfather once when I was young. At that time, you were not yet born and Qingque was still in her infancy. It's normal that you don't know him."
"Since they are relatives, why don't you visit each other more often? It will become estranged!" Li Zhi said.
"You are right! It's just that our great-grandfather had a lot of contact with our eldest uncle, but they had a close relationship. After the Xuanwu Gate Incident, he resigned from his post and retired, and no longer appeared in the world." Li Chengqian said.
Li Zhi could understand without being told that after the Xuanwu Gate Incident, their great-grandfather was worried that the Second Emperor Li would settle accounts with him because he had a close relationship with their eldest uncle.
He had to suggest a way to protect himself, and from then on he would not have any contact with Li Er's family.
"Come on! Let's not talk about these past events! Let's drink!" Li Chengqian raised his glass.
The two of them drank again, and Li Zhi couldn't help but talk to Li Chengqian about the hidden prince Li Jiancheng. Most of the time, Li Chengqian was talking, and Li Zhi was listening.
When the Xuanwu Gate Incident happened, Li Chengqian was still young, and Li Zhi had no trace of it, not to mention the others.
These were all complicated things, and Li Chengqian had almost forgotten them! How could he remember them in such detail?
He just told them as a story, and Li Zhi just listened to them as a story.
They only talked about it between the two brothers, and they didn't dare to tell it to outsiders.