Tang Dynasty Mingyue Song Dynasty Pass

Chapter 814: Start to unite

At dusk, Su Chen walked out of the palace gate, his figure lengthening in the afterglow of the setting sun. He knew very well that in this palace where power was intertwined, staying overnight would be enough to stir up countless rumors.

After all, the etiquette between the monarch and his subjects has clear boundaries, and he does not want to leave any loopholes for attack just for the sake of momentary convenience.

Officialdom has always been like a battlefield, and Su Chen is well aware of the situation. In the chess game of Wu, although there are many people who sincerely support him, there are also undercurrents, and there are also many people who are eager to get rid of him.

People like Lü Chaoqun who bribed many officials privately, and those officials of Yue State with ulterior motives, all regarded him as a thorn in their side, fearing that once he consolidated the power of Wu State, they would no longer have the opportunity to profit from the chaos. If the court was not turbulent enough, how could they fish in troubled waters and realize their ambitions?

Just as Su Chen stepped out of the palace gate, the messenger arranged by Han Xizai had been waiting for a long time. This person was the young master of the Han family - Han Yunpeng.

Han Yunpeng saw Su Chen appear, and hurriedly stepped forward, with a warm smile on his face, and called respectfully and cordially: "Prince Pingnan, please stay."

Su Chen saw that the fat boy Han Yunpeng had become fatter and his eyes had become smaller. He looked more and more like the crosstalk actor.

"Little Fatty!"

Su Chen still called him Xiaopang. This was the name Su Chen called him when they were in Runzhou. It sounded particularly intimate at this moment.

Han Yunpeng felt warm in his heart. This unintentional kindness made him deeply feel that even though Su Chen had held a high position and held great power, the cherishment and persistence for friendship in his heart had not changed.

However, times have changed and we need to be careful about how we address others.

Although he still wanted to call Su Chen "Brother Su" in his heart, he knew very well that Su Chen was now the Prince of Zhennan, the Minister of the Chancellery, and the General Guarding the Nation, and his status was noble and could not be compared with that of the past.

"Prince Pingnan, my father has been waiting for you for a long time." Han Yunpeng's tone was full of respect, but it could not hide a trace of old friendship.

Su Chen nodded slightly, smiling gently: "Okay, we'll go there right away."

After saying that, the two of them mounted their horses, and with the rhythm of the sound of horse hooves, a group of people and horses galloped out in the afterglow of the setting sun, heading straight for the Han Mansion.

As night fell, the Han Mansion was brightly lit, reflecting a bustling scene.

In the huge courtyard, laughter and joy could be heard everywhere. A grand banquet was proceeding in an orderly manner. It was specially prepared for Su Chen's return, to welcome him and celebrate the joy of reunion.

Su Chen stepped into Han's house and saw many familiar faces. He felt a warm current in his heart. Xu Xuan, Xu Kai, Zhong Mo, Gao Yue, Gao Yuan, Zhang Yi, Chen Tao and others were all colleagues who had fought side by side in the past.

In addition, Su Chen unexpectedly discovered that some of his old colleagues from the Southern Tang Dynasty, although they may not have been close in the past, or even belonged to different factions, were all gathered together today. The figures of several ministers, including Yin Chongyi, Li Ping, Xu You, Xiao Yan, Chen Qiao, Zhang Li, and Zhu Kuangye, were particularly eye-catching in the crowd.

In the living room of the Han Mansion, tables and desks were arranged in a staggered manner, forming small circles. Each guest had his own table and desk and space. All of this layout was centered on Su Chen's seat, highlighting his core position among the crowd.

Under the light, each table was laid out with exquisite tableware and delicacies, waiting for the guests to taste them. The whole scene was filled with harmony, as if all the past grudges and hatreds had been temporarily forgotten.

"King Pingnan, please take a seat!" Han Xizai enthusiastically took Su Chen's hand and led him to the core position of the banquet, which was undoubtedly the most honorable and eye-catching place.

Su Chen's eyes were sharp, and he saw through the identities and positions of everyone present at a glance. He secretly speculated in his heart that Yin Chongyi, Li Ping, Xu You and others were all new factions of the Southern Tang Dynasty in the past, originating from Jianghuai and Jiangnan, and were considered local forces in the court. They once pushed for reform and did not care much about Han Xizai, Song Qiuqiu, Feng Yansi and others from the north, and even looked down on them.

However, the situation changed, the Wu Kingdom was newly established, and Hangzhou became the capital. They now had to work side by side with officials from the Yue Kingdom, and with the addition of officials from the Southern Han Dynasty, the situation was far more complicated than before. Against this background, Yin Chongyi, Li Ping and others increasingly felt closer to their old colleagues such as Han Xizai and Xu Xuan. After all, there was no deep hatred between them, but it was easier to unite because of their common historical background. What's more, Su Chen had a deep friendship with Han Xizai, Xu Xuan and others, and his power was growing day by day, and it seemed that he was about to soar to the sky. Yin Chongyi and others took the initiative to show goodwill to Han Xizai and others, no doubt because they saw Su Chen's potential, hoping to take this opportunity to assist Su Chen and work together for a great cause.

Han Xizai was broad-minded and naturally happy to accept these former colleagues. Thus, there was this grand banquet tonight.

"My Lords, please take a seat!" Su Chen was humble and polite, inviting all the ministers to take a seat together.

"Let's sit together!" Everyone responded and took their seats one after another, and their eyes were all focused on Su Chen, the king who had now become the backbone in their hearts and was expected to be supported by them in the future.

Han Xizai raised his glass high and spoke earnestly: "The King of Pingnan has pacified the Han Kingdom and unified the south, which has brought our Wu Kingdom into a new period of prosperity. This is all due to the great achievements of the prince. Let us all pay tribute to the prince!"

"Respect Your Highness!" Everyone echoed in unison, showing their respect for Su Chen. The title had quietly changed to "Your Highness". At the court meeting today, they witnessed the new titles bestowed on Su Chen, and their hearts were more resolute in their respect and support for him.

Su Chen also raised his glass and returned the greeting: "Thank you all, gentlemen, for hosting a banquet to welcome me. I will remember this scene in my heart."

Han Xizai smiled and praised: "This is as it should be. Witnessing your great military exploits and unifying Jiangnan, this has been our long-cherished wish. Back then, Wuyue, Southern Han, Jingchu and other places frequently fought with the previous Li Tang Dynasty, but we never had the upper hand, let alone destroying the enemy and expanding our territory. Now, in just two years, you have achieved this feat, and we naturally admire you very much."

"That's right. The Tang Dynasty was unable to achieve any of these great achievements back then. However, under your leadership, they have been successfully completed within the past two years. King Pingnan, you have made an indelible contribution!" A minister was deeply moved.

"Among the people who can become a general or a prime minister, the best one is none other than the King of Pingnan!" another minister also praised sincerely.

The ministers present nodded one after another, and they felt a sense of admiration for Su Chen. After all, his actual combat achievements were there, and they could not help but be convinced.

Su Chen smiled faintly and said, "This is all due to the right time, right place, and right people, as well as the luck of Wu, the fighting of the soldiers, and the decline of the enemy. All of these are the result of fate and harmony. I am just taking advantage of the situation. This shows that fate is on our side. Wu should rise and make a difference!"

"Well said!" Everyone felt that Su Chen's words contained a certain truth. Times make heroes. Any success is the result of the combination of many factors, including human talent and hard work, as well as the promotion of luck.

Yin Chongyi interjected, "This echoes and contrasts with the poem that General Zhu lamented at the beginning."

Su Chen looked at Zhu Kuangye and said, "Oh, which two sentences?"

Zhu Kuangye bowed and replied: "It is a poem by Luo Yin of the Tang Dynasty. He abandoned Nanyang to worry about the Lord, and made all the best plans for the expedition to the north and the east. When the time comes, heaven and earth will work together, when the luck is gone, the hero cannot be free!"

Yin Chongyi said, "The luck of the world was not on the side of the Tang at that time. They fought against the Later Zhou and were defeated. Now that the Wu Kingdom has risen, it has gathered the luck of the south again. In the future, it will surely make the southern regime strong again!"

Zhu Kuangye also nodded and said, "Yes, Li Tang lost its luck and was suppressed by the Later Zhou. Now that Wu is rising, the situation is different."

At the end of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, the Southern Tang general Zhu Kuangye, after a war against the Later Zhou, lamented the current situation and quoted two lines of poetry: "When the time comes, heaven and earth are on your side; when the luck is gone, heroes are helpless."

When the time comes, the fortune arrives, and the destiny is given, the power of heaven and earth is all helping, and all are helping to promote his achievements. With the right time, right place, and right people, there is nothing that cannot be accomplished.

But luck is gone, the times have passed, and the hero is no longer free. No matter how outstanding a hero is in martial arts, wise and brave, it is difficult for him to turn the tide on his own. A god-of-war like Xiang Yu, who had never lost a battle, no longer has the mandate of heaven and the help of heaven. Although he is still brave enough to fight alone, he can no longer accomplish any brilliant achievements.

Su Chen nodded and said, "Well said. Our Wu Kingdom is newly established and has a lot of work to do. We are thriving and have absorbed the fortune of the southern half of the country. We are blessed by the people and we are united. In the future, there will be even greater fortune to help us complete the great cause of unification!"