Han Zuo Gaomen

Chapter 1342
The Shanyu Terrace in the north of Xiangguo City was originally built by Prince Shi Sui to counter the Lord's ban, so the layout is quite grand, far better than the old one in Jiande Palace.Of course, because Shi Sui's power was taken away, the construction of the pavilion was not smooth, and judging from the current situation, the possibility of rebuilding it in the future is very small.

But even so, the part that has already been built is more than enough to accommodate the five thousand reinforcements who are stationed in Xindu.Shi Zun personally led Ran Min and the others to this place, and here, the tribes from various families in Xiangguo had already prepared meals and lodging in advance.These nobles and elders all have guilty consciences, and they dare not be stingy in order to avoid being made things difficult.

It was indeed hard work for Ran Min and the others to travel all the way, so naturally they would not be polite at the moment, and the follow-up soldiers arrived one after another, and when all the [-] soldiers arrived and settled here, the sky was already bright.

Because Shi Zunyan believed that the crisis in Xiangguo had been resolved, and the remaining troops of Xiangguo were also chasing and suppressing the Jin army, Ran Min was no longer in a hurry to use troops, and simply ordered the soldiers to take a break for a while.After all, traveling all the way from Xindu to this place day and night, it is indeed exhausting, and it is the right thing for Yu Xianguo to rest and recuperate.

During this process, Shi Zunze has been here to accompany him all the time, with a very considerate attitude.Although Ran Min also felt this, he didn't bother to think about it. After Xiao Zuo explained, he also took off his armor and clothes and went to bed.

Sleeping until noon, although it is only two or three hours, is enough for experienced generals who have been in the army for a long time to restore their physical strength and sweep away their fatigue.

When Shi Minhang entered the temporary residence, he saw that Shi Zun was still staying here, and without any arrogance due to his birth, he was personally directing the soldiers to prepare materials for the war horses.

Being courteous to others, one must ask for something, no matter how much Ran Min disapproved, he naturally couldn't completely ignore Shi Zun's overtures.He walked forward, cupped his hands and signaled: "Such miscellaneous tasks are taken care of by ordinary people in the army. Your Highness really doesn't have to do it yourself."

"I was born in the most powerful family in the world, but I have never known military affairs, and I am really ashamed to say it."

Hearing what Ran Min said, Shi Zun turned his head and sighed, "Usually, my father and brother are both strong and strong, so I can raise the Forbidden Garden in peace, regardless of the troubles of the world. But this time it happened inside the gate of the court. All kinds of arrogance, I realized how rare it is to enjoy the many ordinary things in the past, and I feel guilty because of the inaction in the past."

Shi Zun's words really came from the bottom of his heart.Although the turmoil in Xiangguo didn't last long, it had a huge impact on his whole being, especially after seeing his elder brother Shi Xi, who was invincible in front of him in the past, making all kinds of ugly appearances, but even so, Shi Xi still dared to He frequently drew his sword to intimidate him and even showed his killing intent towards him.

All kinds of piles and piles made Shi Zun deeply realize that a living person must never be without power, otherwise, no matter how vain and respectful he is, when the real disaster strikes, he can only be a mermaid.

It is precisely because of this understanding that he was so active during this period and began to really pay attention to the management of his own forces.Prior to this, Xiangcheng Gongshi Shegui and others also expressed their attachment to him through various hints.

To be honest, Shi Zun didn't think much of Shi Shegui and the others, whether it was because they were neglected by the Lord before, or because of their poor performance in the turmoil in Xiangguo.

But Shi Zun also understands that as a prince who is not very eye-catching, his status as the only legitimate son is already in shambles. It is difficult for him to win over real powerful ministers to help him, and he even touches the real power No chance for big shots.

As for this time, for Shi Zun, it was a rare opportunity for Ran Min to lead the crowd back to the country.Although strictly speaking, Ran Min, the fake relative who was adopted in the family since he was a child, is not really a powerful faction, but just a young warrior under the command of the Lord.In fact, there are many such characters under the command of the master.

But for Shi Zun, a prince who is not very powerful, it is an appropriate choice, because if Ran Min's status is more prominent, Shi Zun will not be able to produce enough things to impress the other party.

When Ran Min approached, Shi Zun walked over and took his hand and said with a smile: "Actually, Jinu and I are old acquaintances, even if we don't care about our friendship, we can be called friends of ordinary people. Now that you follow the lord, your fame has already shaken Heshuo, but I am still just a lazy person in the garden, even if I want to make friends, I am afraid that my deeds will be annoying..."

Ran Min was not used to Shi Zun's intimate gesture, although he could not say he was overwhelmed, he still clasped his fists and bowed his head and said, "The last general is just a mediocre martial artist. Fortunately, the Lord loves and promotes him. It's really hard to be treated so courteously by His Highness."

"Excessive courtesy is hypocrisy. What's more, others are just saying it. You are a hero raised by my family, so why should we be strict with each other?"

Shi Zun said with a smile again, in previous years, just because his elder brother Shi Sui was so eye-catching, it was difficult for him to do little tricks, but it didn't mean that he was completely indifferent to world affairs and didn't understand the principles of dealing with people.Because he was able to keep himself quiet, he appeared to be more respectful and amiable than the other brothers.

Sure enough, after receiving Shi Zun's repeated goodwill, Ran Min's attitude gradually eased, but he did not dare to forget about the affairs of this trip, and said solemnly: "Your order is serious, I dare not neglect, and please guide the late general to enter the garden to pay respects." Pay homage to Your Majesty the Queen, and listen to all kinds of thieves, and hurry up to punish the thieves."

Shi Zun came forward to receive the reinforcements, and the second was to win over Ran Min. The main intention was to prevent him from entering the palace too early to meet the queen.So after hearing what Ran Min said, his face changed slightly, and then he sighed: "The mother is weak and pregnant, after being disturbed by this, she is already sick and cannot be summoned immediately, but it's not that she is slower than you. .”

"Since this is the case, please forgive me, Your Majesty, the general will not be able to hold the ceremony of worship."

After a pause, Ran Min said again: "It's just that the military situation is on fire, so there is no room for delay. May I ask if His Royal Highness and Wang Lingjun have time to meet with you at this time?"

"The city is in chaos. His Highness the Crown Prince is staying in the prison country. He is also busy pursuing the conquest. I have already sent an envoy to inform him. As for when His Highness the Crown Prince will be free, it is not up to me to decide."

Shi Zun said bitterly again: "As for the leader Wang Lang, hey, if he hadn't been so stupid and exhausted the country, the capital of the country would not have been in such a catastrophe this time..."

When Ran Min heard this, no matter how slow he was, he realized that the situation in Xiangguo was weird.The queen didn't want to see him, and the prince didn't want to see him either. As for Wang Lang, the confidant arranged by the lord in Xiangguo, since Shi Zun said so, he must be in a bad situation.

"The last general led his troops back to the country, but he was ordered by the Lord to hunt down the thieves indiscriminately. Since the danger of Xiangguo has been relieved, it is useless to stay for a long time, so it is better to hunt down the thieves first."

Ran Min took a step forward, with his palm resting on the saber in his crotch, and said in a deep voice: "Your Highness, please send a messenger to convey this king's order, and then ask the city to prepare some supplies and weapons for the army, and report the situation of the thieves in detail. , the end will immediately lead the troops to attack."

Shi Zun looked calm, as if he didn't notice Ran Min's threatening attitude, instead he took a step forward and patted Ran Min's shoulder with a smile: "Sure enough, in times of wind and rain, only your own pillars are more reliable. If all the ministers are as loyal and brave as the general, then there is no need for the country to worry! As for the general's request, it is all right. I have already sent people back to the city to play in the early morning. But it takes time to make arrangements. During this time, I The evil guest still wants to stay here, and I hope the thorn slave will not get bored."

Shi Zun's words and attitude made it impossible for Ran Min to continue to make trouble. He could only temporarily suppress all kinds of suspicions and irritability, and left under the pretext of inspecting the camp. Xiang Xindu reported the different kinds of monsters in Xiangguo.

When Ran Min returned again, he saw that Shi Zun'an was sitting in the seat with a calm and calm demeanor, without the embarrassment and panic of being a hostage. This made Ran Min a little puzzled, whether it was because he was too sensitive, or whether this Lord Boling had something unknown. Yajing endowment.

Taking a quick look outside the city earlier, Ran Min had already seen with his own eyes the dilapidation of Xiangguo, especially in the direction of the palace. It was by no means as simple as what Shi Zun said.Impatiently now, he continued to circle around, and simply said directly: "Fortunately, His Royal Highness saw it personally with his family, and the general dares to ask, is Wang Lingjun still alive at this time?"

This question is a bit harsh, but it also points to the point.It must be known that in the entire city of Xiangguo, Wang Lang, the leader of the army, is the one who truly trusts the Lord Shi Hu. As the leader of the reinforcements sent by Shi Hu, Ran Min should be the first to contact Wang Lang.If Wang Lang made any mistakes, no matter what the reason was, at least it meant that the current Xiang Kingdom was no longer under the control of the Lord to some extent.

"Wang Lang is dead."

Shi Zun didn't hide this either. That old fellow Shi Shegui directly killed Wang Lang in full view, which directly caused the collapse of the imperial guards, and also made his strength insufficient afterwards. There is no way to hide such a big disturbance.

If it wasn't for the fact that Ran Min returned too quickly, he would have learned about it through hearsay even in a day at night, so there was no need to hide it.

Hearing this, Ran Min's eyes flickered, and there was already a hint of fierceness flowing. He said calmly: "In this case, please stay in the army temporarily, and please tell His Highness the Crown Prince again, please prepare for it before nightfall." Deliver the supplies. The military order is urgent and there is no time to stay for a long time. If there is no income at that time, or if you are rude and go to the city to collect yourself, I hope you will forgive me."

"Why wait any longer, the thorn slaves have already sensed that the situation is not right, why not send troops right now? If you wait for nightfall, the city will have its own defenses, so it's better to just take advantage."

Hearing what Shi Zun said, Ran Min's face became even more gloomy, and he simply took out the knife and put it on the case: "Your Highness wants to test whether I am brave or not? Once the army moves, life is not counted. According to the order of the Lord, anyone on the battlefield is just waiting to mow the weeds!"

Even though Shi Zun was full of confidence, when the murderous aura of a battle warrior like Ran Min was undisguised, he also became a little unnatural. He retracted his eyes as soon as he touched the blade of the sword, and then forced a smile: " I am willing to go into this and say all kinds of things. Why do you want to make me your enemy? Besides, I am just a weak idler, and my courage is not as good as a meager one. All I can rely on is to pass on the flesh and blood of the Lord. You If you kill me, I can't stop it, but if you can calmly listen to my words, we can make great progress hand in hand."

Hearing this, Ran Min frowned deeply. He retracted the saber, and said in a deep voice, "Your Highness is the descendant of the Lord, how can you kill someone? The general will be foolish. He only knows loyalty and bravery. I'm afraid it won't be enough."

Even though he said that, he didn't leave immediately, but sat in the room, assuming he was personally monitoring Shi Zun.

Seeing this, Shi Zun calmed down a bit, and understood that this person didn't have any interest in his plan as he said, but he just used this unwillingness to cooperate to put pressure on him.

"Words will make great progress hand in hand. In fact, for me, it is more self-help, but for you, it is a rare opportunity to make progress. You are proud of the Lord's grace, and I am the Lord's flesh and blood, rebellious How could it be between you and me?"

Shi Zun continued to speak slowly: "The disaster in Xiang country this time, as the thorn slave saw, there are indeed many monsters. There are many hidden things in it. To be honest, even I, who is in it, can't see clearly. Even if At present, the enemy has left the country, but there are still many dangers and hidden dangers. You don't want to get involved in this, you are right. You only take the king's life first. This is correct. In the city, there is a puddle of muddy water. If you enter it rashly, even if you don't drown Among them, the stench all over the body is unavoidable."

When Ran Min heard this, he took another deep look at Shi Zun, and his eyes were a little more serious than before.These words really spoke to his mind. He entered here with a large army and looked at a dilapidated Xiangguo, so he had to give a deadline or something. It was not because he was worried that the people in the city would obstruct him, but because he still didn't know the key point. Once the army invades by force, it may be inevitable to bear the notoriety of killing the prince.

Ran Min followed the Lord all the year round, so he naturally knew that the Lord's dissatisfaction with the Crown Prince was about to erupt, but this was not the reason for him to clean up the house on behalf of the Lord.At least when he led the army back to aid, the lord did not give a clear order telling him that he could be directly imprisoned or even besieged and killed the prince.But once the crown prince made any drastic moves, it was not up to Ran Min to decide whether to kill him or not.

"Gong Pingyuan was supposed to supervise the battle in the south of Hebei, but he led his troops back to the country. His deeds were quite hasty. After that, he didn't even dare to stay in the capital and went straight to Xiangguo. As for the troops who attacked Xiangguo, it was to follow the footsteps of Duke Pingyuan. Come here. The situation in the battle in southern Hebei may have turned around, right?"

Shi Zun looked at Ran Min and continued.Seeing that although Ran Min didn't answer, his eyes suddenly froze, which naturally made him more confident in his guess.

"Then I would like to ask, the army in southern Hebei was defeated, the city of Xiangguo was in turmoil, and there were many dangers and difficulties in the state affairs, and many of the Lord's beloved sons were involved in it. General, even if you are a hero and make great achievements, will you be able to get enough rewards? "

Before Ran Min could answer, Shi Zun had already smiled and shook his head and said, "I'm afraid I can't! From now on, in the middle school, whether you have made progress or not, you will not be in the battle, but your Highness will use your waste to advance and retreat. I am not discouraging the thorn slave. You should be loyal." Do the king's work, but even if you have great courage, why waste it? You fight and fight in the frontiers, while the dead in the country are speculating. Even if the general can claim to be worthy of the king's favor, but Is it possible for a group of soldiers to have the same heart as the king and not complain?"

When Ran Min heard this, he became even more silent, and even lowered his head.He didn't think of this episode, but he was reminded by Shi Zun, and he also understood that this statement was true. Recently, there have been various state affairs, among which the most powerful princes like Prince Shi Sui and Pingyuan Gong Shixuan have been deeply involved. And what Shi Zun didn't know yet, but what Ran Min knew, was that Bohai Duke Shi Tao had died in Henan.

Therefore, it is conceivable that there will be a major adjustment in the country in the future. As Shi Zun said, those who fight hard will have no merit, and those who are dead will be promoted. It is definitely not impossible.

However, when Shi Zun said these words, it always made Ran Min feel a little weird. After all, this community belonged to his family, and the children of the family actually advised the subjects not to be too loyal to the king's affairs.

But I have to say that after what Shi Zun said, Ran Min really wasn't as eager to pursue the enemy as before.It's not that he has any thoughts of cowardice and fear of fighting, or that he thinks that he will have great opportunities if he stays in the country, but he understands the most obvious truth, that is, when the wind and rain are turbulent, merit may not be rewarded. Then there must be punishment.

Don't seek meritorious service, but seek no faults, this is the safest way to be wise and protect yourself in this situation.Anyone who behaves too out of the blue and attracts too much attention will definitely be in crisis.

But after that, Ran Min couldn't help but feel melancholy. Right now, it's hard for him to protect himself even if he wants to be wise. He took the lead to lead his troops back to the rescue. If he didn't do anything, how would he look good when the Lord returned to the south later?
Regarding his own personal interests, Ran Min could no longer maintain the previous indifference. After a little hesitation, he still opened his mouth and said: "My lord ordered me to go south to settle the chaos and chase down the enemy, to wipe out counties and counties. The orders are urgent, how dare I neglect..."

After Shi Zun heard the words, he smiled slightly: "At present, the difficulties in the country are far from the internal troubles. It's just that the southern thieves are brave and able to fight, and the heavenly soldiers descended into the world? It's nothing more than serious internal disturbances, each of them is a hindrance, and this gives the enemy a good opportunity to take advantage of."

"If there are hundreds of thousands of people, even if they are all chased and wiped out, it is not enough to boast of merit. Besides, the people in the south are so powerful that they may not allow me to come and go calmly. If the internal troubles are not calm, thousands of people will come again and again. It's internal and external disturbances, and you can't calmly deal with the enemy. The Lord has been in charge of state affairs for a long time, can't you see clearly the trade-offs of this point?"

Ran Min frowned and said, "Why did Your Highness teach me, you might as well speak up."

"At present, Xiangguo, although the foreign aggression has receded, but the internal traitor is still standing. If the crisis is present, the reinforcements will not dare to ignore the weak enemy, and it is time to repair the palace and calm down the soldiers and the people, waiting for the return of the Lord and the king. town."

This is the second time for Shi Zun to grant the entire city of Xiangguo to others. The first time before, because of unfamiliarity, he had to borrow the queen's edict, but now he is much more proficient.

After hearing the words, Ran Min frowned and said: "My lord has no such order... What's more, His Royal Highness? There is also the king leading the army, what is the reason for the disaster?"

Seeing that although Ran Min was still hesitant, but he did not veto it, Shi Zun continued: "The crown prince is incapable of supervising the country, and the leader is incapable of defending the city. The definite facts are right in front of us. What is there to argue about? As for the cause of the leader's death, In any case, this person is in charge of the Lord's favor, and if he assists the country to harm his hands, even if he can't protect himself, he will commit a serious crime and harm the country, and he will not be punished for his death!"

Hearing this, Ran Min couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart, and looked at Shi Zun with even more solemn eyes.With such a strange situation in Xiangguo, it can be said that there must be grievances in Wang Lang's death, but if Shi Zun said this, he would completely obliterate his merits, grievances, and even his reputation behind him, which is indeed cold.The son of a tiger and wolf, even if he is young, should not underestimate his ferocious nature of choosing and devouring people!

"Where the prince is, I will lobby for appeasement, but I will not let him stop Jinu and you to rectify the city affairs. In fact, how the city defense of Xiangguo is, it is just a trivial matter. You have come here, Jinu, so you know that the Lord is not far away. , there is no hidden worry about the city affairs. It’s just that inside and outside the city, many people who have escaped due to chaos have to be appeased and collected as soon as possible, otherwise they will also be corrupted and become a disaster.”

Hearing this, Ran Min finally understood that Shi Zun had made such a big circle, and it didn't mean that he was going to be promoted to the position of city guard of Xiangguo.This is not something they can decide, and Ran Min has no interest in it. He is in his prime, and he is pursuing merit in all directions, so he doesn't want to stay in one place.

Shi Zun's real intention was to teach him to recruit the Jinhu people inside and outside the city of Xiangguo in the shortest possible time, and this really touched Ran Min's heart.

As a young warrior of the Jie Kingdom, he naturally has the desire to recruit all parts and organize a private army of his own. It's not that there is already rebellion in his heart, but because only with his own direct line team can he be a warrior. The right way to settle down and live.

Ran Min was orphaned when he was young, and was later adopted by Shi Hu in the mansion. Even though his father still had some beggars left, most of them withered after so many years.Today, although he is also heavily used by the Lord, this kind of reuse is all a matter of thought. He does not have his own power. This time he led his troops back to the country, and the [-] people seemed to be majestic, but in fact all they needed was a paper. , he will be hard to stay.

Especially as the Jin State in the south became more and more powerful, the Lord became more and more wary of his Han courtiers. Although Ran Min had the advantage of having a fake grandson, he actually found it more and more difficult to stand up.In the final analysis, he is just a slave of the Shi family. The Lord is willing to use him because he is harmless. Once disaster strikes, he can only be slaughtered without rebellion.

Ran Min also saw with his own eyes the ups and downs in Jie's official career, not to mention him as a rising star, so what about Ma Qiu, who is known as the No. 1 general in the Lord's Qiandi?Slightly frustrated, he reprimands and scolds him frequently, just because he does not have the strength of his own team, and is just a pawn in the master's hands that can be discarded at any time.

Thinking of his own situation, Ran Min couldn't help thinking of Li Nong, who was similar to him in age and qualifications.Li Nong was also born in a begging army, but unlike Ran Min, who had already lost contact with him, he was always the backbone of the begging army. His background, Shangbai begging, was the most powerful in the entire remnant system of the begging army.

Such a person, the Lord is indeed very wary of him, and will not be cited as a confidant, but he does not dare to insult or scold him at will.Not long before that, in order to appease the begging army transferred from the north to stabilize Youzhou and attack Bingzhou, the lord appointed Li Nong as Sikong, ranking among the three princes, far behind Ran Min.

As he became more and more heroic, it was not that Ran Min had no intention of regaining his friendship with the beggar army, and also regarded it as a force that he could rely on at critical moments.But the begging army was the most closed and exclusive. Shi Kan, who was destroyed in the Central Plains War in the early years, was also from begging, but it was different from Guangzong's begging remnant.

As for Ran Min's long-lost begging blood, it is even more difficult to gain recognition.

Right now, Shi Zun's proposal showed Ran Min a new possibility, but he was still a little hesitant, and just sighed: "The strategy of appeasement, I'm afraid the Lord has already made a plan..."

"But there is still no opportunity for face-to-face teaching, right? If Jinu thinks that he should not take advantage of the king's life, I will open a mansion soon. You might as well choose his courage and send it to my mansion for a while. After that, we will share misfortune and fortune together and make progress hand in hand. Gale Showers, only the roots are deep and the leaves can survive, the opportunity is short-lived, miss it."

Hearing this, Ran Min's shoulders trembled slightly, and after a while, he stood up and bowed in front of Shi Zun's seat, and said in a concentrated voice: "Fortunately, Your Highness did not give up..."

"You are my family's strong son, I can entrust your life and mine, these small things, what are they. In the future, you and I should look forward to the future!"

Shi Zun also left the table and stood up, still in an intimate manner, wrapping his arms around Ran Min to help him up.

　Writing this chapter, the mood is really complicated. Ran Min and Li Nong are really a couple worth talking about. . .

　　
　
(End of this chapter)