Neon Clothes and Iron Clothes

Cao's study room.

"General He Ba! I've kept you waiting for a long time!" Cao Wenzong walked into the study quickly and bowed to He Ba Yong.

"Mr. Cao, why are you doing this! No courtesy, no courtesy!" He Bayong stood up with a pleasant smile, took Cao Wenzong's arm, and made a gesture to invite him to sit down: "Although everyone has different official positions, we are all We are old brothers who fought together from Baekje, so there is no need to be so formal in private!"

The two sat down separately, and Cao Wenzong took a sip of tea: "Brother He Ba, you have many jobs, so you must go to the Three Treasures Hall for nothing. If you have any business coming to me today, just tell me!"

"Hahaha!" He Bayong laughed twice: "Brother Cao is still the same straight-tempered person. Okay, then I won't beat around the bush. I'm here today to ask you for something!"

"Ask me something?" Cao Wenzong smiled and said, "What else can you ask me for?"

"That's what happened!" He Bayong stroked his beard: "I won't hide it from you. I had a verbal conflict with His Majesty a few days ago, which caused some unpleasantness!"

"Conflicted with Your Majesty?" Cao Wenzong frowned: "How could this happen? Brother He Ba wants me to make peace in front of His Majesty?"

"It's not a big deal, it's just about sending troops to Silla. His Majesty recruited martial artists from various countries without informing Yuan Aoli and I in advance. I had a few arguments and felt a little unhappy on the spot. There's no need to make peace. In a few days, Yuan Aolie and I will go and apologize to His Majesty!" He Ba Yong said.

"If this is the case, there is no need to apologize. Just give in to His Majesty in person and give him a chance. Your Majesty is not unreasonable. You have all seen your hard work over the years! Let's talk about it. It’ll be fine!” Cao Wenzong laughed.

"Brother Cao is right, but Yuan Aolie and I are so shy that we can't lower our heads for a while. Let's go after some time!" He Baoyong said with a bitter smile.

When Cao Wenzong saw this, he could only smile and said: "If that's the case, then that's the only way it can be! Then why did you come to me this time?"

"That's what happened!" He Bayong smiled bitterly: "As you know, I have many old friends and relatives. Yesterday I heard that Your Majesty was going to conquer Silla personally. A few unscrupulous bastards heard about it and came to visit. I want to find a job in His Majesty's Guards, which can be regarded as a future. Normally, if I go there, it is just a matter of asking Her Royal Highness the Eldest Princess. But now Her Royal Highness the Eldest Princess is gone, and Lao Yuan and I have just offended His Majesty, and we are too embarrassed to continue. If you go and beg, you can only find Brother Cao and you are here. After all, this guard is within your scope, and the women at home are so stressed every day that their heads are about to explode!"

"Oh, it turns out this is the matter!" Cao Wenzong breathed a sigh of relief: "If it is just this matter, there is no need to disturb Your Majesty. What do you and your people want?"

"It's great if you can go in and work as an errand. How dare you pick on others?" He Bayong said with a smile, "You can start from the halberd-bearing man!"

"How could that be possible?" Cao Wenzong said with a smile: "It's Brother He Ba who has spoken, so how can he be allowed to start from the position of Halberd Holder? Bring me the list and leave the rest to me!"

"Then it's time to work!" He Bayong took out a piece of paper from his sleeve and handed it over. Cao Wenzong accepted it. The two chatted for a few more words. He Bayong just stood up to say goodbye. Cao Wenzong sent him out and waited. After he walked far away, he took out the note, looked at it, and sighed: "He Ba is getting old too, and he still comes to ask for this matter for his descendants. How could this have been possible two years ago?"

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Chengshan Port.

Wang Wenzuo stood by the stone railing of the pier, staring at the morning fog on the seaside. The faint starlight passed through the mist and shone on the undulating sea, showing a deep blue color.The whistles of the porters came from a distance, mixed with the sound of the waves. Wang Wenzuo closed his eyes, and his memories were like the sea, drowning his whole person.

"General, general!"

Lu Zhaolin's voice interrupted Wang Wenzuo's thoughts: "Mr. Lu, what's the matter?"

"It's news from Fan Yang!" Lu Zhaolin presented a letter, Wang Wenzuo opened it and read it, smiled, tore it into pieces and threw it into the sea: "Don't pay attention, the army is about to move, it will be like an arrow leaving the string, it is not someone else's Nothing can be done to stop him! Where is General Jin? Is he there yet?"

"It should be done today and tomorrow. We can't delay our trip!" Lu Zhaolin said.

"That's good, let all parties keep an eye on it!" Wang Wenzuo said: "I have a hunch that the road to Silla this time will not be smooth!"

"No peace? What does the general mean?" Lu Zhaolin asked.

"I don't know what it is exactly, I just have a hunch!" Wang Wenzuo sighed, turned around, and looked at the dark blue water: "This is where I got on the boat for the first time when I went to Baekje. In the blink of an eye, it was already there. It was more than ten years ago, and I have some gray hair on my temples. Time makes us age!"

Wang Wenzuo's sudden emotion made Lu Zhaolin confused for a moment as to how to answer. After a while, he responded: "General, you are in your prime, how can you speak an old word!"

"You are already nearly fifty, how can you not grow old?" Wang Wenzuo smiled: "But it won't be a big problem if we can defeat all the enemy invaders for the emperor and his children and grandchildren for another ten years. Those who fought together in the Baekje Kingdom at the beginning will not be a big problem. I haven't seen him for many years, and I really miss him!" "Anyone who can fight alongside the general must be one of the best heroes!" Lu Zhaolin said carefully: "It is a lifetime blessing to get to know Lu this time!"

"Hahaha!" Wang Wenzuo said with a smile: "You are right. Without them, I would not be where I am today. I would have died in a corner!"

Lu Zhaolin swallowed his saliva. He had also heard about Wang Wenzuo's background in the military, and how he had come to where he is today through his military exploits. The dangers he experienced during the process could be imagined. He was about to say something when he heard Wang Wenzuo say: "Mr. Lu , you are a famous person in the world, and you will go out with me this time. Please record everything you have experienced. When the war is over and the world returns to peace, I ask you to compile my life experiences into a book and pass it on to future generations. How about it?"

Hearing Wang Wenzuo's proposal, Lu Zhaolin's face turned red: "The general will definitely leave his name in history in the future. There are historians who can write like citrons, but it is really scary to ask Lu to write it!"

It is not surprising that Lu Zhaolin reacted this way. Although he was a world-famous poet, various works in ancient China also had a chain of contempt: the highest was the Classics: such as "Book of Changes", "The Analects of Confucius", "Book of Rites", etc. Next are historical books, such as "Zuo Zhuan" and "Historical Records", and then there are literary and artistic works such as poems, lyrics, and songs, such as novels, legends, and operas. The authors of many works in this area simply do not use their real names, so as not to He lost his status as a scholar and was laughed at.A person like Wang Wenzuo will definitely have a biography in the "Book of Tang" compiled by the New Dynasty after his death, and the author who was able to compile the "Book of Tang" must have been Wenzong at that time and an important official in the court, far beyond Lu Zhaolin's comparison.

"I'm not talking about the biographies in the history books, but the memoirs!" Wang Wenzuo said with a smile: "Even Han Xin and Xiang Yu only have a few hundred or thousands of words in the historical records. And a memoir about my own experience , from the time I went to Baekje until I retired to seclusion in my old age!" At this point, he walked to the stone railing on the seaside, looked into the sea, and his voice became distant: "Mr. Lu, please speak more politely. It means that those who do important things are not strict with trivial matters. To put it harshly, it means that they have no scruples. In the history books of later generations, they will either repudiate me or be demoted as a treacherous official and traitor, a person who has no action. It is said that Wang Mou has died long ago. What did these scholars say? I can’t hurt the person in the cave at all. I just want to record the experience of this life so that future generations can learn something from it and avoid detours! After the book is completed, I will have dozens of copies copied. Tang, I will also send a copy to other overseas countries, so that future generations of the province will be cut off and let those villains scribble on a dead man's head!"

After hearing Wang Wenzuo's words, Lu Zhaolin felt an inexplicable fear in his heart. The general's words sounded a bit strange, as if some powerful enemy wanted to deal with him and explain his funeral?But the problem is, with his talent and power, who can deal with him?He thought for a while and replied carefully: "General, you have descendants, how can you allow villains to do whatever they want?"

"Children and grandchildren for future generations?" Wang Wenzuo smiled: "How do you know they won't do this? If my guess is correct, a hundred years from now, the ones who like to smear the dead most will be those bastards. You have to remember, that book What is written in the memoir is true!”

"Truth!" Lu Zhaolin's heart moved, as if he had been struck by thunder. He raised his head and saw Wang Wenzuo looking at him, his eyes full of expectation: "If you feel embarrassed, then forget it!"

"No, since the general has an order, Lu must serve him!" Lu Zhaolin bowed.

"Okay, okay, that's good!" Wang Wenzuo showed a relieved smile: "Since Mr. Lu is writing the book, I have nothing to worry about!"

Facts proved that Lu Zhaolin was right. Jin Renwen arrived at Chengshan Port that evening.It has been five or six years since Wang and Kim met last time in Pyongyang.

"Brother Renshou!" Wang Wenzuo lifted up the front of his brocade robe and bowed to Jin Renwen.

"Sanlang!" Jin Renwen quickly stretched out his hand to support Wang Wenzuo: "Now that your official position is above mine, what are you doing!"

"Without the support and protection of Brother Renshou, I would have died in that Tai Chi Palace!" Wang Wenzuo sighed: "When we said goodbye to Chang'an, I once boasted to Haikou that I would help you regain the throne of Silla. Only this year I finally did. I have a little eyebrow, but I’m really ashamed of myself!”

"Sanlang, if you have this intention, I will be satisfied!" Jin Renwen recalled that when he sent Wang Wenzuo away from Chang'an, and Wang Wenzuo drew his sword, danced and composed poems, he couldn't help but feel a little emotional: "Things about the throne depend on manpower three-thirds, and manpower seven-thirds. It all depends on destiny, so there’s no need to worry!”

"Now is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!" Wang Wenzuo said with a smile: "After the death of Goguryeo, if Jin Famin just sticks to his father's inheritance, then I really can't do anything to him, but since he is greedy and stirs up Haidong, then don't blame me for being ruthless. .Brother Renshou, please rest assured, I will definitely capture Jincheng in half a year at most and three months at least to help you ascend the throne!"

"So fast?" Jin Renwen was surprised: "Although Silla is small, it has no less than 20 victorious soldiers, hundreds of miles of territory, and there are foreign aids such as Mohe. I'm afraid it won't be easy to win in a hurry, right?"

"Brother Renshou, please come with me in the same boat and wait and see what happens!"

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Zhou stayed in the city.

Zhouliucheng has a long history.The cracks in the ancient masonry are covered with thick moss, and the dense spider webs on the city wall are like the blood vessels on the shriveled old woman's legs.There are two huge towers standing on both sides of the main entrance of the castle. The one on the right has mostly collapsed. This is the relic left by the Thunderbolt Chariot of the Tang Army.Several newly built small towers guard every corner of the city wall.All towers are square. The round drum tower protruding from the outer wall and the half-moon tower protruding from the city wall are more conducive to defense against trebuchet attacks because the arc can reflect flying stones more effectively. All this shows the intelligence of Tang Army engineers. Superb craftsmanship.

The entire Zhouliu Fortress towers high in a wide and fertile valley. For hundreds of years, the Baekje and Silla people have been engaged in an uninterrupted war over this valley.In the end, the Baekje people took control of this place and built Zhouliu City as a fulcrum on their northeastern border.Everyone knows what happened next. The Tang Dynasty conquered Baekje, and then this place became the nest of the Baekje Restoration Army. Buyeo Fengzhang ascended the throne and became king here.After three years of war, the Tang people won the final victory, and Zhouliucheng fell into the hands of these conquerors from distant continents.

Being close to the seaside, with convenient maritime transportation and fertile fields around it, Zhouliu City quickly became prosperous. Houses and mills rose up on the land that was once covered with thorns and woods, turning it into villages and towns.The Baekje people wiped away their scars and opened up the land. Outsiders brought newer tools and advanced technologies, especially water conservancy and irrigation technology. The Tang people's advanced canals, gates, and waterwheels made it possible to use large areas of land far away from rivers. Irrigated by river water, the yield of farmland has been greatly increased.The abundant grains made the cheeks of women and children plump and flushed, and also attracted more mountain people from the interior.The prosperous population also supports Linhai's salt-drying industry and trade with other countries. The wealth and population here have even surpassed the original capital of Baekje, Sixie, and is considered the secondary capital of the Ungjin Governor's Office.

Shen Fanseng and his guards meandered forward through the rolling hills and into the valley. Compared with the land he had passed through, the area around Zhouliu City was simply a paradise on earth - further north, on the land near the Silla border, there were farms and orchards. It was completely gone - nothing but earth and ashes, and the scattered charred remains of houses and mills.Weeds, thorns, and nettles grew on the ruins. Apart from these, there were no crops at all.From time to time, corpses appear passing by on the roadside. Most of the bones are sheep bones, but there are also horse and cow bones. From time to time, human skulls appear, or headless skeletons with weeds growing out of their ribs.

(End of this chapter)