The Emperor ordered Zhao Tang

Chapter 256 Briefing Meeting

"Your Highness, the court is dismissed." In Ganlu Palace, Princess Wang came in to report.

Princess Liang was meditating on the futon, and opened her eyes when she heard the words: "Go and play."

"How can you let Your Highness work so hard?" Wang Cainu looked at the tea set on the table and advised, "Let me do it."

"No." Concubine Liang insisted, "This is my first time, the first time I make tea for a saint. Besides, Berlin tea is of great significance."

"Okay." Wang Cainv sat down beside her, ready to help with chores.

Princess Liang opened a small bottle and took out a small yellow sachet from it.

Tea is produced in my hometown, specifically in Zhaozhou Berlin Temple. Chengde does not produce tea, but Zhaozhou tea, Zhaozhou Zen tea, and Zen tea are famous all over the country, and the reason is Berlin Temple. Why Berlin Temple? Because there is an old monk in the temple - Congshen.

Born in the 13th year of the Dali reign, he studied under Puyuan of Chizhou. During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong, he sensed that the world would be in chaos, so at the age of 80, he "traveled to Zhaozhou and stayed in Berlin." He has been preaching in Hebei for more than 40 years and is still alive today, with a lifespan of 120 years. He is revered as Zhaozhou Vision and Zhaozhou Ancient Buddha.

The cypress tree in front of the courtyard. How is Zhaozhou? Dogs have no Buddha nature.

Haha, Zhenzhou produces big radish heads.

Have some tea!
The old monk just watches~
The Zhaozhou Bridge is not visible.

Pick poplar flowers~Pick poplar flowers~
Where does the Wutai Road lead to? Let me check it out.

After seeing the old monk, it was definitely not someone else.

These cases were all said casually by him. Accordingly, the 19 clumps of tea he planted in Huoshequan at Berlin Temple at the beginning of the 11th year of Dazhong became priceless tea in this Buddhist and Taoist society.

Why plant it at Huoli Spring? "The Chronicle of Zhaozhou during the Guangxu Period" - "Huoli Spring is behind the Berlin Temple. It is the coldest and most suitable for brewing tea. Guests passing by the temple can enjoy the beautiful water and drink the fragrant tea, which makes them feel relaxed and detached from the world."

When officials in later generations arrived in Shijiazhuang, they would probably go to Berlin Temple to show off their elegance. The tea leaves that Concubine Liang brought out were the ones she and Liang Gongru had picked when they visited Empress Congshen this spring.

"Suddenly I recalled the old days in the Zen room, and the taste of tea has always been so refreshing." Princess Liang held the small brocade bag in both hands, raised it above the stove, and roasted it over and over again.

This step is called baking and re-drying.

"Your Highness, it's okay, it's okay!" Wang Cainv reminded anxiously.

Concubine Liang pressed the tea cake in the bag with her fingertips, roasted it for a few more breaths, and then took it back.

On the table was a row of small lacquerware and silverware - bottles, bowls, spoons, whisks, forks, plates, chopsticks, and a pair of palm-sized jade grinders and jade awls.

When you are in the court, you have to keep things simple to avoid being attacked for being extravagant.

Princess Liang opened the brocade bag and shook the round tea cake into the jade grinder along with the dregs. Then she pressed the grinder edge with her left hand and held the awl with her right hand, grinding it slowly and vigorously. After a while, the tea cake was turned into powder: "Is the water boiling?"

"It has passed the fish eyes, and is now gushing out like a spring." Wang Cainu replied.

"Berlin green tea, just boil it twice."

"Understood." Wang Cainu took the water bottle off the fire and urged, "Hurry up, Your Highness. The soup won't wait."

Concubine Liang, sweating profusely, picked up the jade mill and looked at the powder as fine as white flour with satisfaction. She then poured the tea powder into the light green porcelain bowl and said, "Pour water."

Wang Cainu picked up the water bottle, and Concubine Liang suddenly seemed to remember something and stopped her, saying, "Wait! I actually forgot to tell you... where did you get the water for boiling?"

"A small rock pond in the bamboo forest of the forbidden courtyard."

"...Will it work?" Princess Liang was stunned.

"The Envoy said it's OK, and the Saint also uses this water for his daily diet." Wang Cainu said uncertainly, "It should be OK, right?"

"You ruined my plan!" Concubine Liang sighed, "There are so many palace servants working in the Forbidden Courtyard, and we also raise cattle, sheep, chickens and ducks. The small rock pond... is it open-air? Maybe there are snakes swimming there. It's hard to say whether a palace maid who was dissatisfied with Yu Wenrou urinated in it. You, ah, I hate you so much! We are new here, how can we believe everything the eunuchs say?"

"I'm sorry." Wang Cainv said with red eyes and aggrieved.

"Change the water." Concubine Liang was too lazy to talk nonsense: "Holy water without source or root."

Wang Cainv gave her a strange look.

Where is Chang'an? At least you have to go to Zhongnan Mountain or Huashan Mountain.

"Forget it." It's okay. Concubine Liang rolled her eyes and gathered her hair around her ears: "Pour some water."

Wang Cainu poured in an appropriate amount of boiling water. Concubine Liang took the tea whisk and put it into the bowl to swirl it quickly. The tea powder turned into a bowl of bright green, semi-fluid, viscous slurry with white foam.

"add water."

Wang Cainv fell again.

"The green clouds are blown by the wind, and the white flowers are floating on the bowl~" Concubine Liang's blushing face gradually became happy and enjoyable: "What is the taste of the saint? Salty or sweet?"

"How would I know?" Wang Cainu shook her head and guessed, "It should be salty or sweet, right?"

"Forget it, just make it according to my taste." Liang Fei said, "Add sugar, Magadha." It is a fine solid sugar improved according to Indian technology. "Newly Revised Materia Medica" says: "It is made by decocting granulated sugar, and can be made into cakes, yellow-white in color."

Wang Cainv picked up two small pieces with chopsticks.

"With milk."

Sun Simiao said: "Milk is mild in nature, it replenishes the blood, benefits the heart, grows muscles, makes people look pleasing and keeps their ambitions strong." It is also a popular drink.

Concubine Liang used to add it to her tea. Of course, in the tea-making era, people added anything, depending on their personal taste. Some places in Shu added rice soup, and the harem added onions, ginger, and honeysuckle. The saint couldn't stand it. When he smelled the taste in his mouth, he instantly lost interest. I'm talking about you, Yang! Ke! Zheng!

"What about mint?"

"coming."

Wait until the mint is evenly blended, and the Liang Fei version of matcha is ready. The bright green tea is steaming hot, as brilliant as the thriving grassland in late spring, and the foam looks like the snow on Kilimanjaro.

"Only now that it is finished, the foam sinks and the flowers float. It is as bright as snow and as bright as spring." Princess Liang put down the tea whisk, admired her masterpiece, took the spoon and tasted it. Hmm, it feels good: "The pure dye is real, the color is blue frost. It regulates the mind and harmonizes the heart, and eliminates fatigue and laziness."

"Your Highness is good at tea art." Wang Cainv smiled.

Concubine Liang smiled and said, "You are admiring yourself. Has the Saint not returned yet?"

Lady Tao came in hurriedly: "I'm here, I'm back."

When the morning court ended, it was already Rizhao Fairy Palace. The sage drove his carriage to Ganlu Palace and summoned the foreign envoys, accompanied by Zheng Yanchang and Han Wei.

After getting off the sedan chair, the sage strode up the stairs with a grim expression, and yelled at Zheng Yanchang: "You are cursing and waving fists in the palace, can you still chop with a knife? You are so arrogant! There are foreign ministers present, and you are not ashamed!"

"I will definitely discipline him strictly." Zheng Yanchang followed closely and nodded.

"Hmph, you spend all day forming cliques, ganging up on those who are not, and boasting of your family background, but what achievements have you made in governing the country? The country has become so corrupt, and it is all the fault of the previous emperors and the court! Take Wei Baoheng as a lesson, and be careful about what you do." The sage was still angry and could not help cursing twice before he shut his mouth.

Zheng Yanchang's face turned pale. Being scolded like this, he felt like a head teacher being criticized by the principal: "Your class is the worst in the whole grade!" He was also a little annoyed, but he had no reason to vent his anger, so he could only go back and vent it on the ministers.

"Saint." Liang Xiaoyao led a group of ladies to greet him outside the hall with a smile on their faces.

"Defei?" Emperor Li seamlessly switched back to his daily life character, his emotions completely gone, a proper smile on his face, and he stepped forward to hold her hand: "Why are you here? I'm really surprised!"

"Didn't you say that we would meet outside Ganlu Palace that day?" Feeling the rough hand stroking the back of her hand, Concubine Liang lowered her head shyly: "I came to serve my husband... I made matcha and snacks for you to rest."

"Xian." The sage was deeply moved, looking at her long black hair with a parting line, hanging down to her waist, tied with a red belt. She was wearing a red and black long gown. It was actually a retro dress from the Han Dynasty: "But these matters are handled by the palace, so don't condescend."

"It's different." Concubine Liang naturally took his hand and led him into the palace: "Have you heard of Berlin Tea?"

The sage hesitated and asked, "What about the tea grown in the lively spring?"

Concubine Liang's eyes lit up, and she was both happy and surprised: "That's right."

"Hiss..." The saint pretended to be surprised: "The cold forest and the ancient wall water, the Zen saying Zhaozhou tea, this Buddha tea is famous all over the world. It is said that there are only more than ten plants, so it is just like the legend. The emperor sent envoys to ask for tea countless times, but never got what he wanted. Unexpectedly, I got to taste it on my beloved concubine."

I didn't notice what was wrong with this statement.

Princess Liang blushed and said shyly, "As long as the Saint is happy."

"You are so kind." The saint interlocked his fingers with hers and came to the table.

Looking at the finished product with great artistic sense.

Obviously, she is drinking Matcha or tea with tea. It was popular in the Tang and Song dynasties. It disappeared after Yashan, but was preserved in Japan, and is also the source of Japanese tea ceremony and Matcha culture. He took a sip and the taste was a bit strange, but fortunately it was sweet. He couldn't eat it with salt: "Drinking tea is a wonderful way, a light is lit under the water, my beloved concubine has good skills. I like it very much. I like sweet, but not salt."

Princess Liang just smiled and said nothing.

"I have something to do first, wait for me." The saint patted her shoulder, thinking of Wang Shenzhi and others outside, and asked: "Can you give a bowl to a few envoys?"

Princess Liang felt lost. The saint wanted to use the specially prepared things to win people's hearts. Besides, in her heart, only her husband could enjoy it.

Thinking of this, she refused outright: "They are not worthy."

"Hahaha." The saint held her face and kissed her hard, then let go: "Then I'll come back to drink later."

"Wait!" Concubine Liang struggled: "It's already warm, how long can we wait? Just give them one."

"I changed my mind. I'm the only one who can drink it."

"What if it gets cold?"

"How can I be so delicate?"

“But it doesn’t taste good.”

"I'll be back in half an hour at most. Find a lid to cover it..." The voice gradually faded away.

"Your servant Luo Yin pays homage to the Great Sage, Master Zheng, and Prime Minister Han."

The floor was smooth and reflective, with clear echoes. In the dim hall with the sky half lit, Li Siye, Wang Shiyue, Huang Jie and more than ten others saluted together.

The sage said woodenly: "Sit down."

After thanking him, everyone knelt down opposite him. Zheng Yanchang and Han Wei sat opposite him on his left and right. They began to discuss matters.

Wang Shiyue looked at the emperor whom he saw up close for the first time.

It turns out that he looks gentle but is fierce inside.

There were wounds and dense fine lines on his face. His mouth was covered with a thick beard. His hair was removed from the crown and fell on his shoulders. His temples were bulging, and his hands were like iron claws clasped on his knees, with his knuckles protruding.

She sat there calmly, without a trace of anxiety or confusion. Her small eyes were dim from time to time. With the newly changed black clothes and beautiful facial features...

"Oh my...tsk tsk tsk...you are truly a celestial being! With dragons and phoenixes rising up, the light of the dragon shines on the ruins of Niu Dou, your aura of kingship is so bright that I can't even open my eyes, hahaha...no wonder my brother always talks about coming to see you in person."

It was a bit cheesy to hear, but luckily Wang Shiyue stopped there: "I heard that after the defeat at Hengshui, the people of Bian killed each other, and there was a rumor in the Central Plains that Wang Jingyao had fled to Xuzhou, and Zhu Dalang had entered Bianliang and was planning to attack Zhang Tingfan and Wu Ziling."

The saint said nonchalantly: "Is this true? Is Zhu Da ill? Instead of recuperating and waiting for an opportunity to strike, he wants to fight with the old thief's former subordinates."

Wang Shiyue smiled and said, "Zhu Dalang has a large army under his command and is in Bianliang. He is in the middle of the situation. He probably doesn't think so. Of course, this is just speculation. After all, there is no sign of action. It is already the third autumn. Even if there is a fight, it will probably be after the beginning of spring next year. It's better to fight until there is no cockcrow for a thousand miles, and then the court can recover. This bunch of rebels!"

At this point, Wang Shiyue's expression became solemn: "This is all the work of the Great Sage. Otherwise, how could the people of Bian fight? How could we, the ministers, be safe?"

"The great sage's achievement." Everyone echoed.

The saint is smiling but not really smiling, and is also observing the person opposite him.

Luo Yin was in high spirits, his face was terribly red, and he was probably thinking about saying something that would attract his attention so that he could be retained as an official in the court.

For this victim of the Tang Dynasty imperial examination, the sage reviewed his papers over the years. He had a strong desire for fame, but his goal was not just to be rich. He was doing things, such as reforming the imperial examination to save the country and the people. But now is not the time to chat. His eyes shifted to Huang Ji: "Dong Chang once said that the court had failed me. I have made countless contributions over the years, but I am sorry for the King of Yue. Zhu the thief took advantage of the situation and gave him the fake King of Yue, and he accepted it."

Zheng Yanchang raised his eyebrows, feeling at a loss as to what to do.

Huang Jie's heart tightened, and he quickly replied: "General Dong sent me here to apologize, and he will never follow the example of Li Qi and Liu Pi."

The saint's dark little eyes stared at the yellow tablet for a long time.

Huang Jie was horrified and lowered his head, trying to remain calm.

"Don't want to, or don't dare?"

Zheng Yanchang looked at Huang Jie worriedly. This answer almost determined Dong Chang's life or death.

Huang Jie swallowed his saliva, his heart pounding: "I dare not, and I don't want to."

"Is that right?"

"Yes." Huang Jie nodded vigorously.

"Don't follow the example of Li Qi and Liu Pi... Is this an example you gave, or is it his words that he asked you to speak for him?"

"General Dong said it himself. I am reporting on his behalf." The sage spoke faster and faster: "Does he know how Li Qi and Liu Pi died?"

"I know." Huang Jie was sweating profusely. "Not long after Li Qi started his rebellion, he was arrested by his subordinates and taken to the capital to be beheaded. Liu Pi was betrayed by his relatives and friends, and his entire family was executed in Chang'an."

The saint suddenly laughed: "Dong Qing is indeed loyal beyond words. Following the thief... When the thief Zhu was rampant, who wouldn't flatter him and wait for a turnaround? Not to mention Dong Qing, even the late Grand Tutor was also a supporter of the thief Zhu. Could it be that my Grand Commandant is also in cahoots with the thief?"

He naturally would not pursue Dong Chang, but this man really didn't have many tricks.

Military leaders in the late Tang and Five Dynasties tended to overestimate their own authority, or were unclear about their own position.

Wang Xingyu and Han Jian could bully Emperor Zhaozong at will. Is this their power? This is the power of the warriors and the army. They support you when it is profitable, do not interfere with you when it is not, and abandon you or kill you when it is not beneficial.

Why did Wang Xingyu and Han both "climb the city walls and cry" when they were attacked by Li Keyong? Why didn't they fight? "We" told you to cry, so you should go. If you don't obey, we will kill you. Wang Xingyu didn't obey, so his entire family was exterminated.

Many military leaders do not understand this principle, and mistakenly judge the ability of their subordinates, the power of others, the strength of the army, and the leadership granted by the army as all the power they have to do whatever they want, so they use it to discipline others. Generally, this is because they are not sure, afraid that this power and current status are not theirs, and whether they still exist, so they often use it to test it out.

Dong Chang is a typical example.

Therefore, he had to ask Huang Jie to give him a warning. It was hard to say to others, but it was easy to kill Dong Chang. The small courts in later generations were all in such a state. Once the imperial edict arrived, they immediately scattered.

Well, if it's so easy, why not just kill him?
I do want to do that, but from a practical point of view, I have to help them maintain their rule.

Dong Chang was a fool who thought he was the best in the world when he was proud, but peed his pants when things went wrong. In the later rebellion, Qian Liufu knelt down immediately after he was advised by the army. Considering his behavior of sending his deputy envoy Huang Jie to the court to "apologize" and pay tribute of 500,000 pieces of silk, he was frightened by Zhu Wen's death. His threat was close to zero.

Of course, this is not the fundamental reason for protecting him. The root cause is that after being frightened, this person will return to the appearance of a "loyal minister", and a lot of wealth can be obtained through it.

Would another Jiedushi be like him and do "all the tribute in the country, only Chang always doubles the amount, and sends one tribute every ten days, and those who fail to do so will be executed"?

difficult.

Because "regularly double the amount and once every ten days" requires treating the Zhejiang people like grass and ants to be suppressed and exploited.

However, no matter whether new Jiedushi were promoted from within the Yue Prefecture or court officials were sent outside, it was basically impossible to achieve the level of Dong Chang.

In short, it was precisely because Dong Chang was good for nothing, easily frightened, and could provide huge amounts of wealth that the sage wanted to protect him.

As for the people of Zhejiang, whose villages were deserted and whose bones were exposed in the wild under his rule...

Although the saints are also sympathetic...

But - it is true that people will always be eaten.

If the people of Zhejiang suffer any more, Dong Chang will have to bear the blame.

When the world is stable, they will spring up like bamboo shoots after rain and leeks in May...

Lush and green.

Like weeds, it never stops growing.

Hearing this, Huang Jie breathed a sigh of relief: "Your Majesty is kind-hearted. I congratulate you on behalf of all the people in the world."

"Alan?" The saint said to the female historian standing beside him, "Bring some tea and snacks. You have all been hungry for the whole morning. Eat something to fill your stomach."

"Yes." Alan took the order and left.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Everyone expressed their gratitude.

Huang Jie wiped his forehead. He was also the second-in-command of the Yue Prefecture who had been in power for many years and was used to seeing many scenes. But today, he felt overwhelmed and broke out in a cold sweat when he was asked.

"And..." The saint continued, "I heard that Dong Chang often tore people to pieces for saying something wrong. He also liked to exterminate people for minor mistakes. The soil at the execution ground in Yuezhou was dyed dark red. He never judged the people for seeking justice, but played a game with them, killing the loser."

"Is this a person?" The saint once again made a shocking statement, attracting the attention of the surrounding generals, guards, and concubines.

Huang Jie was restless.

"I will not ask about the thief, and the past is wiped out. As long as the world is still surnamed Li, I will not open up anyone's past. Zhang Hui...you can go and ask them about my credibility."

"But from now on, make him behave himself. I will only give him this one chance. As the deputy commander, you should go back and explain my intentions to him clearly." The saint picked up the tea bowl and covered his face with his sleeves: "He'd better know what he should do and don't let me down."

Huang Jie took a deep breath and calmed down: "I obey your order."

After talking about Zhejiang East, the sage put down the tea bowl he had drunk and looked at Zhang Lin: "Yang Siyuan is in Heng, Tang Shimin is in Yong, Cai Jie is in Dao, Chen Yanqian is in Chen, and Lu Jingren is in Lian. The five arrogant ghosts think that the court is dead. Since Yin is holding back, when will it be settled?"

Zhang Lin explained: "Jingchu is a wild place with miasma everywhere, snakes and leopards everywhere, and countless wild beasts crawling in the dark. It will be difficult within three to five years."

"I really don't know how long I can tolerate the Five Ghosts." The saint sighed: "Do you need me to take action?"

Zhang Lin's heart skipped a beat and he immediately declined: "You are a noble man, you should not venture into dangerous places lightly. The land of Chu and the barbarians is not worth worrying about."

"How many years?"

Zhang Lin insisted, "It's hard to say."

The saint insisted on asking for a deadline: "Is three years enough?"

Zhang Lin was annoyed: "Five states span a thousand miles, and our army is weak. We have not been in Chu for long, so it is hard to say."

"Then I'll do it."

Zhang Lin was confused: "The world is so big, why does Your Majesty focus on a small corner of Hunan? Eyue has no respect for the law, Lei Man never pays tribute, Li Keyong annexed Datong, Zhenwu, Zhaoyi, the Central Plains are full of bandits, and the various towns in Hebei, why doesn't Your Majesty ask about it? You only look at the strong and the weak, regardless of right and wrong?"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the room turned pale. Xu Feng, the servant, was frightened by Zhang Lin's directness, and before he could remedy the situation, Han Wei was already furious.

"Whose dog slave dares to bark in Ganlu Palace!" Han Wei shouted, "Are you looking for death?"

"Han Wei!" Zheng Yanchang shouted in a flash.

"Bang!" Han Wei picked up the teacup on the table and smashed it towards Zhang Lin's face.

Zhang Lin was unable to dodge and was splashed in the face.

Han Wei stood up suddenly, pointed at Zhang Lin and cursed: "The whole world belongs to the king. If the sage wants to govern Hunan, does he need your permission? You can't handle it yourself, but you don't allow the court to intervene. What's the logic? Who the hell are you to be so arrogant!"

"Your Majesty, why don't you ask? You are not Gao Cheng, and the saint is certainly not Yuan Shanjian!"

"Zhang Lin! Why don't you plead guilty!" Wang Shenzhi had just opened his mouth when he heard the sound of skirts and armor clacking and swords being unsheathed. A large group of armored soldiers, female guards, and eunuchs poured in from outside the palace and surrounded them.

Everyone's face changed into fear.

"Prime Minister Han, wait a minute!" Xu Feng's face turned pale, and he quickly stood up and bowed: "Zhang Lin is from Cai. He has never seen the emperor before, so he doesn't know the etiquette of making a speech. I hope you will be more lenient with him."

"Etiquette?" Han Wei gritted his teeth and said, "This——"

The Ganlu Palace was filled with solemn silence except for the breathing of palace servants and guards.

At this time, the sage stopped Han Wei and said, "Han Wei, sit down."

Han Wei stood there, but fortunately he still had some sense, so he swallowed his anger and slowly knelt down.

The killing that Luo Yin had expected did not happen. The saint waved his hand and said in Turkish: "Guishadan, take this man out and take the soldiers with you."

The little messenger Gui Shadan of the Mori Heaven Crossing his hands accepted the order.

The guards carried Zhang Lin and evacuated one by one.

"You guys also get out."

The court lady and the eunuchs then left.

The saint picked up the tea bowl and drank another bowl, then talked about Hunan to Xu Feng in front of others.

Who is Ma Yin?

This reflects his cautious approach when he first entered Chu.

To say that he feared the strong and bullied the weak was because he had submitted to Zhu Wen in the Tianfu Year, and on the eve of Zhu Wen's enthronement, he sent letters to persuade him to ascend the throne and build momentum. After Zhu Wen became emperor, he was the fastest to pay tribute and submit memorials, so he was the first to be named the King of Chu.

During Zhu Wen's time, he was quite obedient, but his ambitions did not disappear - "I was planning to conquer the Lingbiao Mountains in the south and got this man." He was always determined to expand. So when Xiaozhuzai came to power, the King of Chu in Daliang suddenly became the King of Wu in Wei.

When Shatuo destroyed Liang and pacified Shu, he was greatly frightened and asked to retire.

The diplomacy with the Lei family of Wuzhen Army, the Du family of Eyue, the Liu family of Huainan, Guangfu, and the Liu family of Guifu also follows this principle. If you are strong, I will not provoke you. If the strength is equal, then it is important to wrestle, compromise, cooperate, and exchange. Try one and take what you need, and stop when it is enough. If not, don't blame him for not being a Jianghu person.

Therefore, for this kind of people, we need to talk to them about Corleone's principles.

"After the Chaos..." All I heard was the sage saying solemnly: "Sun Ru massacred Luoyang, massacred Heyang... Yangzhou, a large county, captured and emptied all the food. He drove the people across the river and made them like two-legged sheep. He killed and raped no less than a million people... What he did was too horrible to bear."

"As the old thief's confidant, Ma Yin has a share of the evil debts and the wronged souls of Yangzhou."

"But as the saying goes, if you put down your butcher knife, you will become a Buddha right away. There is nothing better than being able to correct one's mistakes. Moreover, in this world today, there are countless generals with corrupt morals and ethics. Therefore, after he fled to Hunan, I gave him the title of governor because he reformed himself and did not use him because of the clear water or discard him because of the turbid water." The saint looked around at everyone, all of whom were listening attentively, and his eyes fell on Xu Feng: "But you have to understand. I accepted you when you were desperate. After Deng Chu'ne was killed by Ma Yin, there were so many provincial governors and generals, which one of them could not be made a commander? The Five Imperial Guards, thousands of generals, which one of my generals could not be made the governor of Hunan?"

“Why give it to Mayin?”

"Compared to Yang Siyuan, I think he can bring peace to the people of Chu. I handed Hunan over to him to govern. If he can't handle it, why can't I go? I just asked a little bit and Zhang Lin spoke rudely, as if he was treating it as his own kingdom."

Xu Feng was completely speechless.

The saint stuck his head out and stared at him: "I want to enter Chu. Do you think I need to ask for your opinion? It's so easy for me to conquer Chu. Now I am in charge of the Han and the barbarians, and I have 150,000 victorious soldiers. I just need to march out of Wuguan, drink water from Dongting Lake, kill a chicken to scare the monkeys, and then give official titles to those who are willing to surrender. Who dares not to obey! What can you do to oppose me!"

"Fight with me, how strong are you?"

Such heart-piercing words!

Wang Shenzhi, Luo Yin and others looked at the saint in shock, their faces turned pale, and they all lowered their heads quietly, not daring to make a sound.

Wang Shiyue swallowed. What a tiger... a tiger of the empire...

Xu Fengru was struck by lightning, his mind was fuzzy, and he fell to the ground: "Your servants, your servants, treat the Great Sage with the utmost fear and trepidation... We have absolutely no other intentions... "

"I know, otherwise Zhang Lin would still be able to walk out upright, and would you still be able to sit in Ganlu Palace and listen to me say this?"

"If I regard Ma Yin as a thief, you won't even be qualified to look at me."

Hearing this, Xu Feng understood that the Saint had no intentions towards him, but was just anxious to get rid of Yang Siyuan and the others. But in this way, he would have to immediately join the battle against the Five States, becoming a driven tiger and unable to accumulate strength.

With the current strength, if they fail to take it or are perfunctory, it will trigger armed intervention from the imperial court, and they are likely to be eliminated. Even if they take it, their already limited vitality will inevitably be severely damaged, and they will lose their capital, and the final outcome will probably be to join the imperial court and move the town.

If we start a rebellion immediately, we will not have enough strength and will feel very scared.

I've really been forced into a corner.

Should I continue to wander towards Qianzhong and Jiaoguang?
True loyalists, these evil ghosts, except for their own big swords and territory, really dare not really trust anyone, nor are they used to relying on anything other than the two. Twenty years of ups and downs have taught these beast soldiers a lot, the most important of which is that you can't take anyone's promises seriously, only what you can decide for yourself counts.

Xu Feng didn't know what to do for a moment.

I have to study this carefully with Ma Yin and others when I get back.

But while he was in Chang'an, he still wanted to fight for it: "Great Sage, can time be slowed down? Hunan is a barren country..."

"General Xu..." Emperor Li stood up from his seat, walked to Xu Feng with his hands behind his back, and gently patted Xu Feng's shoulder: "When I ask you to do some work, it's either windy or rainy... I know it's difficult for you... It's difficult for me too, we all do it reluctantly."

"Great Sage..."

"You, you~" The saint laughed dryly and pinched Xu Feng's ear: "Calm down. Ma Yin is not young anymore. I remember he was born in the sixth year of Dazhong. He is also an old man in his forties. Live the rest of his life peacefully and happily, and pass on wealth and fame to your children and grandchildren. By the way, is his eldest daughter called Ma Yuanyuan?"

Xu Feng smiled bitterly: "Great Sage..."

"Look at you, here you go again! Hold back." The saint's face was stern, but he couldn't hold it back anymore and smiled: "Go back and do your best. I have no reason not to support you. If you need food, men, or weapons, I will find a way for you."

Xu Feng felt warm in his heart: "Great Sage."

The saint was also drunk. Virtue, I don't understand what's going on in his head. No, perhaps most of the warriors these days are physically mentally ill. Not to mention Ma Yin, even I, in just a few years, have become like a person: "... Don't make it difficult for me... I am patiently coaxing you like this because you are loyal to the king and have made great contributions in the Jingnan Rebellion. The next time you are received and talked to, it will probably be the court, no matter Wu Xiong, Li Chao... who is arguing with you? Be obedient."

Xu Feng was speechless, and most of his emotions had dissipated. This time he clasped his hands together and bowed sincerely, saying, "I congratulate the country on its wise ruler."

"You, you~ are talking nonsense again." The saint pointed and said after thinking: "Please tell Lei Man a message for me. If he doesn't pay tribute before the winter solstice, and doesn't come to the court on the winter solstice and New Year's Day, I will kill him. Not only him, but also the barbarians of Wuling will be plundered. Oh, right -" He specifically instructed: "For your sake, don't let Zhang Lin get into trouble, just talk to him."

"The Great Sage is extremely generous, and truly extraordinary." Xu Feng bowed deeply and said, "Since the Great Sage has spoken for him, we should just hang this fellow up and beat him half to death when we get back."

"Hahaha." The saint sat back in his seat and continued to host the "symposium and briefing."

Behind the curtain, Concubine Liang, who had been eavesdropping, sat back in her chair with a dazed look on her face.

"Chongyan and Arou are right. A saint can benefit all things with water..." Liang Fei picked up the teacup and drank matcha, her eyes were hazy, and she talked to herself: "It's great to marry him."

How can this world not be revived three times?

(End of this chapter)