Late Tang

Like the guards in front of the palace, Liu Zhijun twisted his feet and turned around, striding across the small hall, his leather boots making a loud noise on the marble floor.He rattled up the steps, pushed open the door, and met a man wearing a blue breastplate and a golden cloak.The man was tall and tall, with a slender chin, and an iron hand was attached to his left wrist.

"I've seen General Zhao!" Liu Zhijun looked at this man with sunken eye sockets, slightly protruding forehead, slightly yellowish hair, and piercing eyes.Behind him stood eight guards in black armor and gold robes in the same attire.The eight people stood in front of the door with expressionless faces, but it made people feel a terrible coercion.Liu Zhijun knew very well that these people were the most elite guards in the Qin army, and each of them was a guard with a sword of at least rank [-] or above specially given to wear a 'guard knife'.

"General Liu!" Zhao Jiang said with a smile, "King Qin is waiting in the flower hall."

"Before meeting the King of Qin, please hand over all the weapons to us, and we will keep them temporarily." The golden-robed guard with a knife said to Liu Zhijun, "For the safety of the King of Qin, please forgive me!"

Liu Zhijun nodded, without any objection, followed the guards to the side room and handed over all the weapons on his body, and even changed the armor and robes on his body, and put on a set of white robes prepared by the guards.

Liu Zhijun was originally the defender of Xuzhou in the Probation Army. He first surrendered to Qi at any time, and then captured Xuzhou and surrendered to Qin.Although the credit is not small, but he has not been officially awarded the position yet. Therefore, it is the first time to come to Yanjing to meet Li Jing, and he must have a white robe to see him.

Zhao Jiang looked at the list in his hand, pointed to the names of other generals and said, "Please take these few to the Staff Council first. Later, King Qin will host a banquet for friends from Xuzhou."

"Obey!" A guard with a knife replied.

"This one." Zhao Jiang said softly: "Liu Zhongfeng, he seems to be General Liu's brother. The King of Qin ordered Liu Zhongfeng to come with General Liu."

Liu Zhijun was a little surprised when he heard the words. This time Liu Zhijun not only came by himself, but also many generals and wealthy local tyrants from Xuzhou and the prefectures and counties of the former probation army came to Beijing together.In addition, Zhang Yun, a general from Haraju Prefecture, also entered Beijing this time.So many people came, but Li Jing only saw him first, and didn't even see Zhang Yun, but he called his brother Liu Zhongfeng again, which was a little surprised.

Liu Zhijun is from Peixian County, Xuzhou, and is of the same family as the owner Liu Zhuang of Xiaoxian County who took in Zhu Wen's family.Although the Liu family is not a top school in Xuzhou, they can be regarded as a big family in Xuzhou. They are all in the same clan and are very famous.

When Liu Zhijun was young, he was handsome, suave and ambitious, and because of Liu's background, he was able to be a small school in the probation army, and because of this he was highly appreciated by Shi Pu.Later, together with Zhang Yun and others, he contributed to Shi Pu and helped him win the post of Probation Army Jiedushi.However, because Liu Zhijun himself is capable and strategic, and the Liu family is very powerful in Xuzhou, Shi Pu became suspicious afterwards.

Liu Zhijun is capable, and the Liu family is very powerful in Xuzhou. This time he took Xuzhou and surrendered. It is natural for Li Jing to see him.But he was a little surprised to see his younger brother Liu Zhongfeng.Liu Zhongfeng is his uncle, a cousin.But speaking of it, Liu Zhongfeng belongs to the grandson of the eldest house, while his father belongs to the side house.Liu Zhongfeng's branch is even more representative of the Xuzhou Liu family.But Liu Zhongfeng is only this year. Although he is a proficient in literature and martial arts, he has the same abilities as him, but he doesn't like to join the army, and he doesn't want to be an official. The future patriarch of the dignified Liu family prefers to do business. In prosperity, Liu Zhongfeng bought a large number of ships and established a fleet of hundreds of ships dedicated to the Bianhe, Huaihe, Sishui, Yingshui and other rivers.This time when Liu Zhijun came to Youzhou, he also brought him with him. He just wanted to help this cousin find a false official title, so that he could protect the Liu family under King Qin's rule in the future.Unexpectedly, King Qin didn't see Zhang Yun and other generals, but wanted to see his brother instead.

When Zhao Jiang came to the flower hall with brothers Liu Zhijun and Liu Zhongfeng in white robes, Li Jing was sitting alone at the table, sipping sugar cane wine.Young servants were coming and going, clearing the dishes.He ordered the wine to be kept and continued to savor it.The wars continued, and food became more and more precious. Qin Fan also banned food from brewing alcohol.Today's wine is almost all fruit wine made from various fruits, and a few are trafficked from other places.

Li Jing has built a lot of sugarcane gardens in Lingnan area. These sugarcane gardens can not only squeeze sugar, but also make wine. It is a good project.

After everything was tidied up, Gongsun Lan moved lightly into the flower hall, wearing a lavender robe, exuding the smell of ambergris from lavender.

"Sanlang, are you still thinking about it? There is no need to think about this matter at all. No matter how you look at it, you should agree."

"But why is my mouth full of bitterness, and my heart is blocked?" Li Jing stretched out his hand and rubbed his temples, "It's okay for the teacher to persuade me about this matter, and Ziming and the others should also come to persuade me, but you shouldn't come to persuade me too."

"I think you should agree." Gongsun Lan replied: "The storm has come, the troubled times have begun, the feudal lords are fighting, and they are fighting together. The big fish eat the small fish, but sometimes the small fish can form a huge school of fish." Fight against big fish. Big fish also need to unite with other fish to fight against the impact of small fish. Fighting for the world is more terrifying than sailing against the current. It is completely walking on the edge of the abyss. Any opportunity to help us should not be missed."

"Will my world be won by women?" Li Jing smiled wryly.

Gongsun Lan reached out to hold Li Jing's hand, snatched his wine glass, and stared at Li Jing with a pair of autumn water eyes: "Sanlang, when did you become so sentimental? Where is your reason all along? What's wrong with marriage?" Didn’t you do it before? You married Wang Wanjun, the Pei sisters, and even Dayue’er, Zhang Huier, and Xiao Yulou. Isn’t that actually a marriage? And Megan and Julie, how dare you Saying that marrying them is all about feelings? Even the relationship between you and the princess and that Silla woman is not all about feelings, right? Besides, Miss Yu has been sincere to you all these years, and followed you without name or identity After so many years, now you can give her a name, and it can also be of great help to your career, why not agree?"

"Things are not exactly the same!" Li Jing took the wine glass from Gongsun Lan's hand, poured another glass for himself, and drank it down.

"What's the difference? Didn't the Yu family just propose to let you be your wife? What's the matter? Now that you are the king of Qin, you can have one concubine, two wives and ten wives according to the system. A high-ranking wife is not an ordinary concubine."

"The Yu family won't agree to your young mother to be a douchebag. What they want is for your young mother to be Princess Qin."

"Then promise them."

Li Jing sighed, "Ms. Gui has been with me for many years and has no faults, how can I do this?"

"But Guiniang has always been childless, and Mrs. Wang's family has no power, so she can't help you. Besides, since the Southern and Northern Dynasties, there have been people who married two wives. Although it is rare, it is not uncommon."

"Then Yu Wenyun of the Northern Zhou Dynasty still has five queens. Do you want to persuade me like this?" Li Jing couldn't help laughing, "Although there have been many double wives since the Southern and Northern Dynasties, these are only a few. Conferring five empresses, but that is a subjugated king. If I, Li Jing, set up two concubines, it will only make the world laugh, and besides, it is not a good thing for Guiniang or Youniang."

Gongsun Lan shook her head and said: "I think this is a very good solution. In fact, I have heard about it a long time ago. I heard that Princess Qin has always felt guilty for her brother framed you, and she has been childless since she got married, so You have been depressed all the time. You should know your current status, the role of a powerful wife and family, and the help brought by a legitimate son. But the princess has no family power to help, and she can't even give birth to a legitimate son , I blame myself endlessly, and I am not happy. I heard that the princess has long set up a Buddhist room in the mansion, and she eats fast and worships the Buddha, and doesn't care about common things."

"Youniang has been in Li's family for many years, her identity is unknown, and she is very wronged. You should marry her. What's more, Yu Guan is now the commander of the Tianping Army and the newly appointed Marshal of the Henan Army, and Yu Cong He is not only Shangshu Zuopushe, the prime minister of Tongping Zhangshi, but also Princess Guangde's consort. In addition, Yu Qiu and Yu Gui are the Jiedu envoys of Lingnan West Road and Lingnan East Road respectively, and Yu's disciples are all over the world. He has a very high reputation among people. If we marry Yu Youniang as Qin Wangfei, it will bring us great help. Sanlang, you have carefully thought about it. The Yu family is very sincere this time. I heard that the Yu family It has even been proposed that Yu Juan will marry his concubine daughter to you, and Yu Cong and Yu Gui, the three brothers Yu Qiu, will each marry a concubine daughter to you as the concubine of the young mother according to the previous etiquette system. And I also Hearing the news, from the Son of Heaven to Zheng Tian of Fengxiang, as well as Zheng Congxuan of Hedong, as well as Xin Xuan, Kang Chenghui, and many feudal town commanders, as well as officials from all over the country, high-ranking families, all expressed that they would follow the pre-Qin rituals and serve This time the concubine brought out the concubine."

"Sanlang, this is not just a matter between you and your young mother. You should know what this means. This is an opportunity for Qin Fan to shake hands with all the towns and nobles in the world. You If you refuse, it will not only hurt you and your young mother, but also your relationship with the Yu family, and will make everyone in the world misunderstand your attitude towards them, which will push them to the opposite side of us."

"The Shatuo one-eyed wolf Li Keyong has just made an alliance with Wang Jingchong in Chengde Town in Yanmen. Li Keyong's daughter and Wang Jingchong's son have entered into a marriage contract. , and Li Keyong's son married Wang Chongrong's daughter and became related by marriage. In addition, Li Guochang and Yang Fugong became brothers. Now Li Keyong calls Yang Fugong and Yang Fuguang, the powerful eunuchs, uncles. Khitan's Yili Jin Yelu Pugu is only a brother, and the Shatuo people are fighting frequently, and are desperately weaving a relationship. But now, you want to turn down the great opportunity that appears in front of you?"

Li Jing was silent.

It's not that he doesn't know these powerful relationships, but sometimes he also wants to stick to the bottom line in his heart.Marrying Wang Wanjun and others back then was indeed a political marriage, but because he was only married as a concubine, he didn't have much resistance in his heart.But now, the condition of the Yu family is not to take concubines but to marry a wife.The difference between a wife and a concubine is too great. If he agrees, it will hurt Gui Niang too much, but if he disagrees, it will also hurt Young Niang, and what Gongsun Lan said is right, it will hurt the interests of the entire Qin Fan.

In fact, in the bottom of his heart, Li Jing had already made a decision, but making this decision made him feel uncomfortable, so Li Jing, who has never been too fond of alcohol, drank alone today.

Love Jiangshan or beauty?

Facts have proved that in Li Jing's heart, after all, Jiangshan is more important.

He poured another glass of wine, raised his head and drank it all down. Li Jing breathed out the alcohol and said in a depressing tone: "You tell Shang Shuxing and the cabinet on my behalf, saying that I promised to marry the Yu family, and I have full authority over this matter. Leave it to the teacher Cui Gong to prepare. However, I will marry Youniang as the princess, but Guiniang's status will not change. I, Li Jing, are two wives, both ends are the same age, this is my bottom line."

Gongsun Lan let out a long breath and relaxed.When Li Jing finally agreed, she couldn't help being complicated in her heart, and she was slightly disappointed.

"Don't worry, the Yu family will agree to this result. Saburo, don't be upset, this is a correct decision."

Li Jing forced a smile at Gongsun Lan, "Yes, this is a correct decision, but it doesn't mean it's my happy decision." (To be continued.)