On the morning of September 8, 775, there was a very strong wind blowing on the southern hill plain of Chengzhou. The endless dry grass swayed in the wind, like a golden ocean. As far as the eye can see, there is only a dead tree standing far away at the end of the sight. The highest peak in Chengzhou, Heqi Peak, only reveals a gray line. Under the morning sun shrouded in thick fog, it looks like a sleeping elephant.
Li Ce was wearing a bright yellow cloak and followed by the royal guard, revealing a rare royal majesty. He sat on the horse, his temples a little messy from the wind, and his hair kept brushing his face, which made him feel itchy. The man brushed his face impatiently with his hand and pointed at the royal guards following closely behind him and said, "You guys, go, go, ride your horses over there and stand there to block the wind for me."
Lu Yunxi frowned and said with a bitter face: "Your Highness, Yanbei's army is watching from the front."
"So what?" Li Ce raised his eyebrows, still in that lazy tone, "Whether the Yanbei army watches or not, what does it have to do with me asking you to stand over there?"
Tieyou's injuries had not yet fully healed, and his shoulder was still bandaged, but this did not affect his seemingly stupid but actually sharp nerves. He rolled his eyes impatiently and said in a rough voice: "Your Highness, Prince Yan is just ahead, please take it easy."
Lu Yunxi added: "We came here secretly. There are only so few of us. There won't be enough for everyone to eat."
"It's really weird. What are you talking about? I just asked you to stand aside so that the wind wouldn't hurt my skin. What does it have to do with Prince Yan?"
Sun Di snorted in a disheartening tone: "You really want us to not disturb you from talking about love, right?"
"Ah? What? You actually think this way? Do I look like someone who doesn't care about the overall situation?"
Several people looked over at the same time, and their eyes clearly showed that they looked very similar.
"Your Highness, Miss Chu is coming." A guard suddenly stretched out his hand and called out.
When Li Ce heard this, he turned around and said, "Go, go! If you don't leave, you will be fined half a year's salary when you return."
As soon as he finished speaking, the area around him suddenly became so clean that not even a ghost was left. Chu Qiao rode over quickly, and pulled the reins with a sigh, asking in confusion, "Where are they going? They're in such a hurry."
"They have stomach problems and are looking for a toilet."
Chu Qiao smiled and said, "Li Ce, thank you very much this time."
Li Ce raised his eyebrows, his fox-like narrow eyes glowed faintly, "What are you thanking me for?"
"Thank you for helping me during this period, thank you for not taking advantage of others' misfortune, and thank you for remaining neutral at this time and not adding insult to injury to Yanbei."
Li Ce stretched out a finger and shook it. "Zhao Chun'er's affairs have nothing to do with you. I didn't want to marry her in the first place. Although she looks good and has a good figure, she is irritable, brainless and jealous. If I marry her, how can my huge harem live in peace? As for the war with Yanbei, you don't have to worry about it. At present, it seems that going to war will not benefit Bian Tang. Even if you are not there, I will not be stupid enough to be a thug for Da Xia. Haha, besides, I have always been a person who advocates peace. The blood and flesh flying on the battlefield may dirty my robe."
Chu Qiao laughed and said without making any excuses, "Well, even if you and I don't owe each other anything, we don't have to show mercy when we meet on the battlefield in the future."
"That won't do," someone's face suddenly changed, counting on his fingers, "You've lived in my place for so long, eating my food, living in my house, wearing my clothes, playing with my toys, not only drove away my two future wives, but also caused discord between me and my wives. The property losses here are countless, and we have to settle the economic loss compensation, mental loss compensation, marital discord compensation, family breakdown compensation, etc. We are all adults, and I think you are fair and honest, and I believe you will not default on your debts. I will send someone to Yanbei in the future to give you the list. You Yanbei is not rich, so let's do this, I will punish you to turn around and leave immediately if you see my flag on the battlefield within five years. Yan Xun is so fierce, I dare not meet him, what if he bites me?"
With a bang, Chu Qiao punched Li Ce on the shoulder. The man screamed, "Ah! Qiao Qiao, can't you find another way to express your feelings?"
Chu Qiao raised the corners of her mouth and smiled warmly. She knew that Li Ce's words meant that within five years, Bian Tang would never be forced to use military force against Yanbei due to pressure from Daxia. And five years later, Yanbei will definitely have established its own solid power. By then, even Daxia will find it difficult to have the courage to launch an attack on Yanbei.
Her nose felt a little sour and her voice was a little muffled, but she still smiled and said, "You are so beautiful, why don't you make a list and convert it into cash and silver to see how much I owe you."
"Ah..." Li Ce sighed, lowered his head slightly, but raised his eyes, with a faint light at the end of his eyes, looking at her quietly, "I was talking about Xiaotou before, mainly because you make me unable to forget you, and you can't stay by my side so that I can see you often. In the long years and leisurely time in the future, my endless longing pain, can it be measured with money?"
A strong wind blew, and with a whoosh, a large piece of dry and yellow grass debris on the ground was blown up. The man's clothes fluttered, his eyebrows and eyes were like water, and his face actually had a trace of loneliness and solitude. He raised the corners of his mouth and smiled faintly, his smile was helpless and bitter, and he shook his head slightly, as if he was mocking himself.
Chu Qiao was stunned. Her eyes froze like molten steel encountering cold air. She wanted to say something but didn't know where to start.
“Haha!” Li Ce suddenly pointed at Chu Qiao with one hand and covered his stomach with the other, almost falling off the horse with laughter. “Look at your expression, Qiao Qiao, do you really think I’m as crazy as that guy Zhuge Yue?”
Chu Qiao felt fooled by him and immediately became furious, raising her fist to hit him.
Li Ce dodged swiftly and said proudly, "If I let you succeed every time, wouldn't it be too embarrassing for me as the crown prince?"
"Asshole!"
Li Ce laughed and said, "You can't be too confident. Yan Xun is unlucky. He has been hanging out with you since he was a kid. He probably feels that there are no other women in the world except you. Zhuge Yue is even more stupid. I guess he is used to seeing beautiful mature women who obey him in everything. Suddenly, a dry bean sprout like you pops up and he is amazed and treats you like a treasure. Do you think I will be the same as them? Haha!"
Chu Qiao said angrily: "You still say that?"
"Stop talking, Qiao Qiao. I want to ask you something. It's very important. You must answer me honestly." Li Ce's expression changed faster than turning pages of a book. He immediately said with a serious face.
Seeing his seriousness, Chu Qiao also said in a deep voice: "Ask me anything you want. As long as it does not involve Yanbei's military secrets, I will tell you everything I know."
"You said so."
"I said it, you ask."
"Um, um, I want to ask..." Li Ce looked around mysteriously, then frowned and said, "I want to ask..."
“What do you want to ask?” Seeing him leaning over, Chu Qiao was secretly puzzled. Li Ce had never been like this before. What was it? Did he want to ask about Yanbei’s military plan? Or is it the next course of action?
"I want to ask..." Li Ce's mouth twitched slightly, and he suddenly said loudly, "I want to ask if Yan Xun is still a novice!"
"Li Ce! You're looking for death!"
"If you don't want to tell me, then don't tell me. Is there any need to turn against me?"
"I think you deliberately want to be beaten today!"
"Ah! Qiao Qiao, calm down, calm down, I mean no harm! Ah! Sun Di! Tie You, protect the king! Protect the king!"
A pig-slaughtering scream suddenly rang out, and Bian Tang's most honorable voice echoed far away in the wilderness. Unfortunately, none of his followers came over. Led by Sun Di, a group of the empire's most elite guards were squatting on the leeward side of a slope, enthusiastically engaging in some activities that were not permitted by law.
"Come on, place your bets. I bet Your Highness dare not fight back. I bet ten taels."
A young man in his twenties said disapprovingly: "Your Highness, don't do that. Being beaten by a woman is so embarrassing. I bet your Highness will turn hostile. I'll give you ten taels."
Everyone looked at him with sympathy. Lu Yunxi asked, "Are you new here? Weren't you from the imperial capital before?"
"Yes," the young soldier's face was full of righteousness, and he looked like a loyal soldier of the empire. "I am the squad leader of the 7th Column of the 5th Battalion of the 30th Army of the Northern Shu Army. I was promoted by Your Highness because I did not join the rebels and reported the situation to the higher authorities in a timely manner. My lords, please take good care of me in the future."
"No problem. Since we are wearing the same uniform, we will be brothers from now on." Tieyou said cheerfully, "In order to support you, I decided to bet that His Highness dare not fight back, so that if you win, you can win more."
"Yeah, the capital city is expensive, brother, we support you too."
The imperial guards put the silver on Sun Di's side, and said righteously, "We are giving you the money for free. Boy, work hard and contribute your strength to this united team!"
The north wind was howling, the wasteland was covered in gold, and the wind in the early morning was very cool, lifting the cloaks of the two people, bringing a deep chill.
"Okay, I won't see you off. Have a nice trip."
Chu Qiao nodded and said, "You should be careful too. I always feel that this incident is not that simple. You should be more cautious."
"Don't worry, if anyone dares to mess with me, I will raid their homes and steal their wives."
Chu Qiao smiled, "Not a single serious word."
Li Ce grinned with his lips that were beaten blue, his eyes narrowed into slits, "Life already has too many troubles. Wouldn't it be too boring to keep a serious face all day? Qiao Qiao, I have to advise you too. You don't have to be too obsessed with some things. Just muddle along and turn a blind eye. You have to learn to adapt and comfort yourself. You live too hard because you always like to carry all those messy things on your shoulders. You must always remember that you are a woman. In addition to your beliefs and your faith, there are many other important things in the world."