The Grandmaster Strategist

In the 24th year of Emperor Yong's reign during the Jiaxu period, the emperor issued an edict, ordering Prince An to offer sacrifices to the Imperial Ancestral Temple on behalf of His Majesty, and to be worshiped by hundreds of officials in the Wenhua Hall. King Yong was frightened. In February of the same year, King Yong wrote a letter asking for the vassal Youzhou. The emperor refused and ordered his son to replace him. Then, King Yong reported illness and was exempted from the court, and the emperor agreed.

--"Yong Shi·The Chronicles of Taizong"

In the first year of Tongtai in the Southern Chu Dynasty, during the Jiaxu period, Marquis Lu of Zhenyuan led hundreds of officials to support Wang Sanzi Long as the lord of the country. The Yuan Dynasty was changed to Tongtai. Wang Yaoyang was honored as the Supreme Prince, and Concubine Shang was appointed as the Queen Mother. He listened to the government behind the curtain. The state affairs committee was entrusted to Marquis Lu, and the new lord ascended the throne. , issued an edict to the Jin Dynasty and sent a letter to Zhenyuan Gong, sending envoy Dayong to pay tribute and become a minister.

--"History of Chu in the Southern Dynasties·Biography of King Min of Chu"

Amidst the singing of praises and the dancing of orioles and swallows, New Year's Day is here. This day is really busy. First is the Great Dynasty. Hundreds of officials first went to the Taiji Hall to pay homage to Yong Emperor Li Yuan, and then went to the Wenhua Hall of the East Palace to pay homage to the Crown Prince. Although the Crown Prince was in the imperial city He has his own mansion, but he has never been able to move into the East Palace, which symbolizes the authority of the prince. It was not until this year that thanks to the support from all aspects, Li An officially entered the East Palace and secured his throne. When King Yong, as the head of a hundred officials, went to the East Palace to pay homage to the prince, and performed the grand ceremony of kneeling twice and kowtowing six times, Li An was already a veritable prince in the minds of the people in the world. Seeing Yong Wang Li Zhi, who had always made him ashamed, prostrate himself in front of him, Li An felt overwhelming joy.

After that, Li An completed the ceremony of offering sacrifices to the Ancestral Temple on behalf of the emperor. At this moment, Li An was completely immersed in the joy of the world's surrender.

In comparison, King Yong Li Zhi's expression was a little cold. The status of king and minister was established, so it was no wonder that he was like this. No one thought that Li Zhi could only praise Jiang Zhe's strategy at this time. He could see that Li An was already in high spirits. The joy that completely overwhelmed him made him almost make mistakes several times. So as long as he planned well, he could make the prince invincible. It is easy to say that he wants to take before he wants to give, but to be able to design such a bold strategy is really courageous. Ah, until now, Li Zhi doesn't know Jiang Zhe's specific plans, and he can't even figure out Jiang Zhe's intentions. I just feel that Jiang Zhe's plan seems to be an interlocking web, and Li An is the butterfly gradually falling into the web.

After paying homage to the Ancestral Temple, Li Yuan ordered a banquet to be held in the Manlu Hall for all the ministers. I followed King Yong to the table, and King Yong was naturally busy exchanging cups with the ministers. Shi Yu and I sat in the corner. In a low voice, he guided me to the important people in the court.

Shi Yu whispered: "The chief civil servant is the Prime Minister Zhongshu Ling Wei Guan. He is the emperor's assistant. At that time, the emperor and King Yong were away fighting, and the prince was in charge of the country. But in fact, all government affairs depended on him." Yili presided over, he was a deep-minded person, and he knew how to serve as a king. Therefore, he had been in the center for many years and enjoyed great honor and favor. However, he had grown older in recent years, and the struggle for the throne in the DPRK was very confusing, so he protected himself wisely. He doesn’t express opinions very much, but as far as we know, he is more inclined to the prince, because after all, he has worked with the prince for many years, but this person will not really intervene in disputes. If we succeed, he will not have any objections, Your Highness I mean, you can just stabilize him, but you can't use him as a backup. The official at the fifth seat below him is the servant Zheng Xia. This man is loyal and upright and dares to remonstrate. When King Qing assassinated Concubine Ji, many people petitioned to kill King Qing to punish him for the crime of assassinating his mother. This man faced him in person. I would like to advise you that although His Royal Highness Prince Qing’s assassination of the imperial concubine is inappropriate, it is also to avenge his biological mother. Regardless of whether the revenge should be avenged or not, there is no reason to punish him for it. If he is guilty, it is not against the will, because the imperial concubine Ji is not the legitimate mother. The emperor also apologized to King Qing, so he sent King Qing to join the feudal clan outside. This person may be against us in the future, but His Highness said that if he can be persuaded by his righteousness, then this person will be a rare and famous minister. '

I looked at Wei Guan. He had an ordinary appearance, with bright sideburns. What was rare was that he had a graceful demeanor, and he really had the bearing to command hundreds of officials. Zheng Xia, however, has a big face and big ears, and eyes as cold as stars. He is only in his thirties, but his every move carries a vague aura of majesty. Just looking at these two people, they compare themselves to those officials in Southern Chu. It is natural for Dayong to become the overlord of the Central Plains.

Shi Yu said again: 'The one beside the prince,

It’s the prince’s young master Lu Jingzhong. Although this man is plain in appearance, he is very proficient in writing and writing, so he became the young master. However, this man is loyal in appearance but treacherous in heart. He is the crown prince’s number one counselor. We have eaten a lot of him. loss. '

I looked at Lu Jingzhong. This man is currently my biggest enemy. His appearance is indeed ordinary, but his complexion is a bit too fair. His eyes are always half open and half closed, as if he is sleepy. I am looking at him. , Lu Jingzhong seemed to be aware of it, his eyes opened, and he looked at me with a cold light like lightning. I quickly lowered my head and felt the cold and stern eyes flashing from me.

Shi Yu smiled back. Seeing that it was Shi Yu, Lu Jingzhong seemed relieved and raised his glass to each other from afar. Shi Yu smiled slightly and also raised his glass. Both drank it in one gulp.

When Lu Jingzhong looked away, I said softly: "This person is indeed extraordinary. Thank you Brother Shi for rescuing me." '

Shi Yu said calmly: 'He and I are old rivals, so he won't pay attention to you. Look, the one toasting to His Majesty is Wei Guogong Cheng Shu. This man once saved the emperor's life. His military strategy was average, but he was a blessed general. If he won every battle, he would definitely win a big victory. If he was defeated, he would always be able to retreat with his entire army. Moreover, he had a personality that valued righteousness over wealth and love. When it comes to making friends, the arrogant generals of Dayong may respect King Yong the most, but the closest person is Cheng Shu. If he wants to do something, he doesn’t need a document from the Ministry of War, just a letter, and I’m afraid no one will buy it. , he values ​​His Highness very much. He used to protect him in many ways and did not buy into the Crown Prince. However, he is popular and the Emperor favors him, so the Crown Prince has nothing to do with him. This man is also loyal to the emperor, so asking him to help His Highness may not work, but if His Highness ascends the throne, he must be optimistic about the success. '

I looked at the general who had a lazy look and a little rude manner, but was filled with friendly people. Although he had reached the age where he knew his destiny, his beard and hair were black, and there was no trace of fatigue in his expression. When he saw him toasting, Li Yuan smiled and raised his hand. Cup, the monarch and his ministers are enjoying themselves happily, and they are indeed no ordinary people.

Shi Yu said again: "Our Dayong military actually has four major factions now. The 450,000 troops under His Highness King Yong are the most powerful. Many famous generals in the current military are under His Highness, but now basically They were all guarding outside, so you didn't see it. In addition, the King of Qi has 200,000 troops and the King of Qing has 100,000 troops. Although these armies are not as sophisticated as King Yong's soldiers, they are still elite. Another major faction is the Qin Cheng faction. Fuyuan General Qin Yi and Wei Guogong Cheng Shu jointly They control 150,000 forbidden troops and 200,000 border troops. In other words, they are the emperor's most trusted generals and the talisman for the emperor to suppress the princes. Now that there are three princes, King Qing is unable to compete for the throne, and King Qi and His Highness are incompatible with each other. With the 350,000 troops of Qin and Cheng, the Emperor can be as stable as Mount Tai. '

I looked at General Qin, who was the leader of the generals. He had a handsome appearance, gray beard and hair, and looked like a scholar. But I saw that he was energetic, chatting and laughing, and I knew that he was old and powerful. No wonder he was the most trusted general of Emperor Yong.

At this time, Shi Yu said: "Suiyun, look, although that man is not famous, you have to remember that he is Qin Wuqi, the minister of Zhongshu. This man usually just fulfills his duties, but he actually stayed in Zhongshu." In the past nine years, sixty-seven out of ten of His Majesty's edicts were written by him, and remember, Princess Qin Zheng is his eldest daughter. '

I felt a chill in my heart, looked at the gentle Confucian scholar, and said calmly: 'Maybe this person is related to Fengyi Sect. '

Shi Yu said with a smile: "Suiyun is indeed shrewd. It is said that this man once received great kindness from the master of Fengyi Sect when he was young, so he has always been grateful to Tutu." '

I remembered this person in my heart, and then said lightly: "Everyone I want to see has seen it, and the trip is finally worthwhile. Brother Shi, after the banquet is over, I want to take a step first. In the next few days, I will go Get some rest, how about you? '

Shi Yu said with a mysterious expression: "I'm afraid you can't rest. Has there been a good show since the second grade of junior high school?" '

I was slightly stunned and looked at Shi Yu. He smiled and said: "The emperor is in a good mood this year. After the luncheon, he ordered a martial arts competition outside the Zhuque Gate. All officials of Dayong's fourth rank or above or children of aristocratic families, and young people under the age of thirty, can sign up to participate in the martial arts performance. If If you win, your majesty will give you a heavy reward. I heard that there are three types of competitions. The first is horse racing, the second is archery, and the third is fist, foot and sword. If you win the first place in any one, you can honor your ancestors. In this way How could you not go and see the grand occasion? '

I smiled and said: 'So there is such a good thing, I really want to go and see it. Unfortunately, I am not good at riding and shooting martial arts, so there is no possibility of participating? '

Shi Yu smiled and said: "This matter has been spread for a long time. It seems that you are deaf to what is going on outside the window. This time, officials of all sizes in the court and the people of Chang'an have already started a gambling game, and the list of people who signed up has already been open to the world." As we all know, General Cheng, the Duke of Wei, is still in charge of the throne himself. He is the most fair man. Of course, several major casinos in Chang'an have also opened gambling games. '

I smiled bitterly and said: 'Although I can place a bet, I am not proficient in martial arts, riding and archery, and I am also unfamiliar with those who compete in martial arts. '

Shi Yu said with a smile: "What are you afraid of? Regarding the understanding of these contestants, I am afraid that if Prince Yong's Mansion admits second place, it will not dare to admit first place. I guarantee you will not pay any compensation." Are there three people who are popular candidates this time? One is Wei Ying, the fourth son of Prime Minister Wei, who is now a doctor in the Ministry of Civil Affairs. It is said that he can be promoted to a minister in the Ministry of Civil Affairs this year. Although he is a civil servant, he is good at equestrianism. There is also a horse in the house of Prime Minister Wei, so he wins the first prize in horse racing. Probably the biggest; one is Qin Qing, the second son of General Fuyuan, who is the mighty general of Dayong. He learned riding and archery from his family and is second to none among the young generals of Dayong. The last one is Xiahou Yuanfeng, the son of Xiahou Lan, the Minister of Rites. He is known as the most beautiful man in Chang'an. He has the beauty of Pan An and Song Yu. He has strong martial arts. He is now the second-rank imperial guard with swords and the deputy general manager of the palace. He is the emperor's favorite guard. It is said that this man's martial arts skills are unpredictable. He is The number one master among Ouchi's young guards, his apprenticeship is unknown. '

I said calmly: 'There are indeed many heroes in Dayong. '

Seeing that I was a little unhappy, Shi Yu stopped talking inexplicably. Then he thought about it and realized that I must be thinking of Nanchu Wentian Wuxi, but he knew not to tell me, so he just changed the topic and introduced me to some other officials. .

While we were whispering, a low warning came from the side. I looked up and saw His Royal Highness King Qi walking over with a young official. Shi Yu and I quickly stood up. Li Xian walked up to the two of us and said: ' The ministers are having a feast and are toasting each other. Why are you two talking in secret here? '

Shi Yu said calmly: "Your Highness, Jiang Sima came to Dayong for the first time and is not clear about the affairs in the court, so I will give him a brief introduction. Moreover, our official position is low, how dare we be so presumptuous? Mr. Wei, this is Jiang Zhe Jiang Suiyun, the new Sima of Tiance Commander's Mansion, Suiyun, Wei Ying. Mr. Wei was the number one scholar in Xinweike in the 21st year of the reign of Emperor Yong, and is currently a doctor in the Ministry of Civil Affairs. '

I saw the courtesy calmly and saw that Wei Ying was about twenty-five or sixty-six years old, similar to me. He was handsome, elegant in appearance, and had an air of being unworldly in his demeanor. Even though he was a child of a wealthy family. , and he is young and noble, but he is not arrogant at all, making people fall in love with him at first sight.

Wei Ying originally heard from King Qi that Jiang Zhe and Jiang Suiyun had surrendered to Dayong and were now in the Manlu Palace, so he was curious and asked King Qi to introduce him. He was naturally overjoyed when he passed the No. 1 Scholarship three years ago, but he often heard People say that when it comes to splendid articles, there are figures from the south of the Yangtze River, and the best among them is Jiang Zhe, the number one scholar in Dingmaoke in the 16th year of Xiande in Southern Chu (the 17th year of Wuwei in the Great Yong Dynasty). "Feelings under the Moon" is famous all over the world. His song "Broken Array" forced the king of Shu to death. He was long known as the most talented man in Southern Chu. However, after he conquered Shu, he seemed to be bedridden, and his poems were gradually rare outside. Wei Ying once wrote I copied down the poems and articles that I could collect, and couldn't put them down every time. When I saw Jiang Zhe today, Wei Ying suddenly felt that his reputation was well-deserved. Although this young man who was one or two years older than himself was a little thin, and his appearance was not as handsome as his own, he had such a calmness. The calm, gentle and indifferent temperament made Wei Ying feel sympathetic to each other.

Wei Ying stepped forward and saluted him and said, "I have heard for a long time that Brother Jiang is the most talented and affectionate person in the world. How lucky I am to see him today. I came to Wei Ying and met Mr. Jiang." '

I was slightly moved, but I didn't expect that the prime minister was really as humble as he looked, so I returned the courtesy again: "A person who lives on a small scale would not dare to receive Master Wei's gift. Since you are the number one scholar in Dayong, your talents and learning are naturally extraordinary. If you have the opportunity, Zhe Ask adults for advice. '

Wei Ying said happily: "If Brother Jiang is willing to teach me, Wei Ying will be very grateful. If I have time in the future, I will pay him a visit." '

Li Xianke listened impatiently as we here exchanged words of humility. He originally wanted scholars to look down on each other, but if Wei Ying came over, he would inevitably mock Jiang Zhe. Unexpectedly, the two of them fell in love with each other at first sight. This is not good, he was thinking. Sensitive, he immediately called out: "Qin Qing, come here." '

A young general came over in response. I looked carefully and saw that this young general looked somewhat similar to Qin Yi, but his shoulders were wider and his legs were longer. His figure was handsome, and he was not as Confucian general as his father. He seemed to be familiar with the King of Qi. He smiled and said, "What does Your Highness want from me?" '

King Qi pointed at me and said: 'This is Jiang Zhe and Jiang Suiyun who forced King Shu to death. Didn't you say you wanted to see him? '

Qin Qing glanced at me, with a trace of sarcasm flashing in his eyes, and suddenly said loudly: 'In the past, Mr. Jiang used a song to force the King of Shu to death, but he didn't expect that he would surrender today, right? ‘His voice was so loud that the Manna Palace suddenly fell silent, and all eyes were focused on it.

Shi Yu and Wei Ying's expressions changed, but they couldn't say anything to help them in front of everyone, but I looked calm and said loudly: "The king of Shu has lost his country and lost his country, so it is appropriate to die for each other. Even if Zhe sings to send each other off, it is also The King of Shu knew his shame, and this was the reason for such a good story. The Lord of Southern Chu loved his Majesty as his son-in-law, and he was as affectionate as a father and son. I have never heard of a son committing suicide after his father punished him. Moreover, as a minister, Qu Yuan was the only one from ancient times who would sacrifice his life for his king and his country even though he repeatedly gave good advice but was criticized. Not to mention that the leader of the Southern Chu Kingdom was still alive, even if the leader of the country was killed, if Qu Yuan sacrificed his life, then Qu Yuan would be the best. I have a long-standing reputation in the history of the Qing Dynasty, but for future generations to regard my lord as King Huai of Chu, it is an insult to the king. It is not my fault to show the integrity of my ministers. Besides, if my lord is King Huai, doesn’t the general regard your majesty as the king? King Hui of Qin and the Second Emperor of Qin died. I wonder how many generations does the general hope that Dayong will be passed down? '

After hearing my words, Qin Qing's face turned pale, Wei Ying's face was filled with wonder, Shi Yu lowered his head and smiled secretly, but Li Xian's eyes were full of jealousy and envy. Our side froze, but someone clapped loudly.

Everyone responded to the call and saw Li Yuan applauding. They were immediately relieved. King Yong was beside the emperor and said with a smile: "Qin Qing, you must have suffered a loss. Father, this is Jiang Zhe, the most talented man in Southern Chu." , Jiang Zhe, why don't you come over and pay homage to His Majesty? '

I stepped forward calmly and saluted, neither humble nor overbearing. Li Yuan smiled and said: "Okay, I have heard of your talent a long time ago. I like you very much for your ability to turn from darkness to light. I heard from King Yong that you are not in good health and are always bedridden." , if that were not the case, I would still like you to go to Zhongshu Province to be a sacrificial person and draft edicts on my behalf. '

I said calmly: "I was very weak when I was young. I contracted an illness when I was in the army. Although I recovered, the root cause of the disease is still there. His Highness, King Yong, thought that I was weak and stayed with him to care for him. This is His Highness's kindness and also my kindness." of honor. '

Li Yuan was even more happy and said: "Okay, this is also a good story. Don't be discouraged by General Qin's words. Do your work well. I, Dayong, will never treat the wise men from all over the world badly." '

Thank you again. Li Yuan waved his hand for me to leave, and King Yong followed suit. King Yong pulled me to Qin Qing's side and said, "General Qin, Jiang Sima, you are both young and talented people. You must not have dissatisfaction with each other. Let me make the decision and reconcile the two of you." '

Qin Qing was originally blushing, but when King Yong persuaded him, he took the opportunity to step down and apologize to me, and I returned the courtesy.

At this time, someone laughed behind me and said, 'Okay, finally I saw Brother Qin and he softened. '

We turned around and saw a handsome young man wearing brocade clothes. This young man was only twenty-two or three years old. His appearance was extremely delicate and elegant, just like Song Yu Pan An, and his figure was as slender as a jade tree in the wind. The person looks as delicate as a beautiful statue. The man smiled before saying anything and said, "What a talented man from Southern Chu. I, Xiahou Yuanfeng, really admire him." ‘After that, I stepped forward and bowed deeply. I returned the bow in a neither humble nor condescending manner, smiling and saying nothing.

At this time, almost all the eyes of the audience were focused. King Yong, King Qi, Wei Ying, Qin Qing, and Xiahou Yuanfeng were all figures who could attract everyone's attention. Now standing together like this, it suddenly seemed like all the people in the Ganlu Palace The light is concentrated here. What attracted the attention of those ministers was that Jiang Zhe, who was standing next to these great Yong heroes, had neither a distinguished status nor outstanding appearance, nor an imposing manner, but miraculously left a deep impression on their hearts. The deep traces are like an existence like green mountains and green waters. No matter how strong other people's light is, they can't hide the calmness and elegance like a clear spring in the forest.