Han Dao world

Chapter 625 Bargaining
Liu Biao invited Zhou Zhong to a seat and ordered him to serve wine and food.

The scale of this banquet was very small, and there were no other guests except Liu Qi.

Even so, Liu Biao didn't talk too much about business with Zhou Zhong, he only talked about the old things in Luoyang back then, expressing emotion from time to time.

Things are different, things have changed a lot in the past few years.When it comes to the emotional part, both of them sighed a little and burst into tears.

After the banquet, Liu Biao invited Zhou Zhong into the study and ordered Liu Qi to wait outside.

Liu Biao personally served tea to Zhou Zhong.

The tea comes from the south of the Yangtze River, without adding ginger and onion, it is very light, even a bit bitter.

"I don't know who created this kind of bitter tea first. It is said that it can clear the mind and eyesight, and not be confused by the world." Liu Biao chuckled. "Although I don't think so, I think it's more refreshing than the milk tea passed down by Hedong. I don't know what Brother Jiamou thinks?"

Zhou Zhong picked up the teacup, sniffed it first, then took a sip, and said lightly: "Ten miles have different winds, and hundreds of miles have different customs. There is no need to insist on the same diet. Is it because of the world? Confused, in the heart, not in the tea."

"Brother Jiamou is well-informed and open-minded, but I have little knowledge and committed the fault of self-will." Liu Biao raised his teacup and said with a smile, "Please also ask Brother Jiamou to clear my heart."

Zhou Zhong chuckled and put down his teacup. "You are learning from Lao Zhuang, not practicing the Way of the Buddha. It is very mysterious."

"I heard that the Son of Heaven attaches great importance to the studies of the barbarians in the Western Regions. Although I am not as good at learning, I have a humble heart. Brother Jiamou laughed at me."

"Although the Son of Heaven does not reject the learning of the barbarians in the Western Regions, his deepest efforts are still in Confucianism and kingly ways." Zhou Zhong picked up the cattail fan beside him and fanned it gently. "It's just that he is not very satisfied with the current ancient and modern Confucian classics, so he broadened his horizons and asked all kinds of schools.

Liu Biao nodded slightly. "The way of kingship is the right way." He breathed a sigh of relief, and said again: "Monarchs, ministers and ministers, relatives and virtuous people, is the way of kings, why bother to ask others? Meng Ke's madman, Xun Kuang's vulgar Confucianism, how can they compare?" The master speaks a little bit of righteousness? Even if you go back to the roots, you should look for it in the classics of the sages, so why bother with the masters."

"How can there be such a great Confucian as Master around the Son of Heaven, not even Meng Ke and Xun Kuang generation." Zhou Zhong looked at Liu Biao. "Jing Sheng is well-educated and is a member of the clan. If he can assist the emperor, it may change his outlook."

Liu Biao's eyes flickered, and the smile flickered on the corner of his mouth.

After talking for a long time, Zhou Zhong finally revealed the truth.

"Is there still room for me in the imperial court? I heard that the three princes are not allowed to accompany me, and Jiuqing is accompanied only by Weiwei Ma Teng."

Zhou Zhong's expression didn't change. "The Son of Heaven is patrolling the border, and the northwest is bitterly cold. The ministers are either old and weak, or scholars. How can they stand such hardships. The Son of Heaven feels sorry for the ministers, so he didn't let them accompany them. Jing Sheng has been in Jingzhou for a long time. He didn't know the suffering in the Northwest, and he had a misunderstanding. It's also normal."

Liu Biao smiled even brighter. "So, I think I'm wrong?"

"On the day when Chengyu goes east, you will naturally see Gongqing." Zhou Zhong said quietly: "If you are lucky enough to be among them."

"What if it's not in it?"

"Then you can only see the Bingliang iron cavalry that guards the emperor."

The smile on Liu Biao's face froze, and he said again: "The Han River is mighty, even if you have elite cavalry, you can't swim across it."

Zhou Zhong chuckled. "In terms of the strength of the navy, how is Jingzhou like Jiangdong? Besides, no matter how mighty the Han River is, there is Jiangxin Continent where you can rest temporarily. Xiangyang cannot be crossed, and Yuliang Continent cannot be crossed? Cai Continent cannot be crossed either? It's just an isolated city, how long will it last?"

The smile on Liu Biao's face couldn't hold back, and he remained silent.

The meaning of Zhou Zhong's threat is already very clear. No matter what he decides, Cai Mao and his like will most likely follow the court.

"Jing Sheng, I am here not only to see you, but also to Yuzhou to meet Liu Zhengli."

"Meet Liu Zhengli?"

"As you said just now, dear relatives are virtuous, the emperor lost his father when he was young, and he attaches great importance to family ties. He wants to make the clan work together and rejuvenate the great man. But those clans who are willing to serve the court can let the past go. So Liu Gongheng supervised the scattered cavalry, and Liu Ziyang Town Jincheng, Liu Xuande guards Pengcheng. If Jingsheng and Zhengli can do the same, the world will be settled in the future, and Zhongxing can wait for it."

"Who is Liu Ziyang?" Liu Biao was puzzled.

"The Empress of Fuling Zhiwang, named Ye, named Ziyang, once assisted Liu Zitai to settle the Lujiang River, and went to Xingzai not long ago. He is young, strong, but wise, and quite talented."

Liu Biao was very surprised, and then he felt relieved.

Although he is not very familiar with Liu Ye, he is no stranger to the king of Fuling Zhi mentioned by Zhou Zhong.

That is not a commendable character, strictly speaking, it is a negative example of being deprived of the throne due to suspicion of treason.Can his descendants also be reused by the emperor?

Compared with Liu Yanyi, my own little thought is nothing.

It seems that the emperor's desire to reuse the clan is not a fake.

Liu Biao relaxed, and his smile bloomed again.

He inquired about Liu Ye.

Knowing Liu Biao's thoughts, Zhou Zhong told Liu Ye's affairs one by one.Before setting off, he had a detailed discussion with Liu Ye and made full preparations.At this moment, every sentence is true, and none of it is made up by him.

He knew very well that although Liu Biao was a scholar and advocating elegance, he was not a bookworm.On the contrary, Liu Biao is very shrewd, even a little too shrewd.If it weren't for this, he wouldn't be bent on separatist Jingzhou.

For what he said now, Liu Biao will definitely try his best to verify it.

If he lied, it would only make Liu Biao suspicious and doubt the sincerity of the emperor.

Only sincerity can gain Liu Biao's trust and persuade Liu Biao.

Whether Liu Biao can be made a minister to the imperial court is not only related to whether the emperor can quickly pacify Shandong with the help of Jingzhou's manpower and material resources, but also whether the ministers of Shandong can regain their status in the court and stand against the warriors of Shanxi.

Although Liu Biao did not fully accept Zhou Zhong's rhetoric, he felt Zhou Zhong's sincerity and realized the importance of Jingzhou.

"If the Son of Heaven can really let go of the past, I would like to write a letter to persuade Benchu ​​to change his past. If Benchu ​​refuses, I will not care about the old relationship. I would like to lead the soldiers of Jingzhou to be the pioneer of the Son of Heaven, and compete with Benchu. .”

Zhou Zhong looked at Liu Biao with a slight frown.

"Jing Sheng, when I was a shepherd in Yuzhou, I led my troops to besiege the Lujiang River. I know a little about the battle. It's not as easy as you think."

"I heard about it." Liu Biao smiled. "But Jingzhou is not Yuzhou. If Jia plans to go to Yuzhang here, and he can persuade Liu Zhengli to join forces with me, he must know the general situation at the beginning and have to think twice."

Zhou Zhong took a deep breath and let it out slowly, repeatedly.

"In this case, I will write a letter to the emperor, and the emperor will decide. Before that, Jing Sheng can organize his troops and horses to prepare for war. Although the emperor is young, he is very decisive. Maybe I have not arrived in Yuzhang before the imperial edict will arrive in Xiangyang. The soldiers are fierce The war is in danger, and Yan Liang is a famous general in Hebei, so Jing Sheng can't be careless."

Liu Biao smiled confidently. "There are famous generals in Jizhou, and there are famous generals in Jingzhou."

(End of this chapter)