Plan to cut off the nine states

The prince was ten years old, handsome and smart, but he showed a bit of timidity when he first arrived in a strange environment. Zhang Shiqing said he looked like colorful, while Xu Chu thought he looked more like the emperor himself, not the current emperor, but someone who had been thinking about it. Song Qizhu, who was studying in the valley, passed by.

The prince's single name has the character "蜜", just like the children of ordinary families, he has a nickname called "Shinu", which not only expresses his devotion to Buddha, but also means that he dare not forget his roots.

The prince doesn't like to be called by his nickname by people other than his parents, but within three days of entering the valley, this has become his only name, and he can't even think about it.

It seemed that Binfen really wanted her son to succeed in his studies and sent him many apprenticeship gifts, but he did not leave a single attendant.

The prince was sent to a completely strange place, and all he saw were strangers, and they all looked very strange, completely different from what he had seen in the palace. He cried and made a fuss that night and wanted to go home.

Everyone took turns to persuade him, but Zhang Shiqing finally became impatient and asked everyone to go back and rest, and no one should pay attention to the little prince.

In the middle of the night, the prince stopped crying and went out quietly, wanting to find his mother on foot. However, as soon as he left the gate of the manor, he heard the rustling mountain breeze and saw the swaying vegetation, as if a wild beast was stalking in the dark. He was so frightened that his hair stood on end and he turned around. He ran back to his residence, closed the door tightly, and refused to get off the floor after going to bed. He fell asleep soon after.

Zhang Shiqing stood outside the window and heard snoring inside, then returned to his bedroom and asked his husband, "Is Binfen taking revenge on me?"

"Binfen has always been loyal. Even after becoming the imperial concubine, he never forgot his old master. How could he take revenge on you?" Xu Chu asked in surprise. He also didn't sleep.

"She has served me for several years, so she sent her son here to let me know how hard it is to serve people."

Xu Chu laughed, "Are you complaining like this? When you were partying all night long, did you ever think about the fatigue of those maids and servants?"

Zhang Shiqing smiled and said: "Do you want me to feel guilty? I won't. The indulgence of my youth is the best time in my life, and no one wants to take it away. You don't need to speak, I know it is ridiculous, Tiancheng We are all responsible for death, but it is still beautiful, but - just like wine, although it is pleasant, drinking too much can cause harm to the body and even kill you, right? "Banfen sent his son here to make him suffer?"

"What do you think?" Xu Chu asked.

"I don't know... Although the little prince is a bit squeamish, he is not as overbearing or rude as we were back then. It seems that he doesn't have to suffer here." Zhang Shiqing looked at his husband, "That means the emperor really takes a fancy to your talent. I want the little prince to learn something.”

"I just taught him writing and reading. Things like scheming are difficult and dangerous to learn. They are not the skills of an emperor. The emperor must understand this truth."

Zhang Shiqing and her husband have been together for a long time, and they have a good understanding of each other. He frowned and said, "You have lived in seclusion for so many years and never participated in the affairs of the court. What else do they want? The same is true for Funfen. We haven't seen each other for so many years, but you still give me problems when we meet." "

"I don't know, maybe I'm thinking too much." Xu Chu said.

A few days later, the emperor visited Yuyang in the north, and King Tan Wuyi of Yecheng followed him, secretly deploying troops and generals to prepare for a complete solution to the serious trouble outside the Great Wall.

The young prince released his slaves and stayed in the valley, gradually getting used to the life here. Facts have shown that he is a very smart and friendly child. He has a memory of reading and can even argue with Xu Chu, Yu Zhan and others. In his spare time, , and soon became involved with the children of all sizes in the village.

The Xu family brothers and the Tian family daughter have an extra "brother" beside them. What they like to do most is to secretly leave the manor, go exploring in the back mountains, drink a handful of stream water, and go to the cave to display each other's secret "treasures" .

Zhang Shiqing was worried at first, but later let it go. She really couldn't be the kind of mother who always follows her children.

When the adventure became boring, the four of them went to watch Ma Shi practice martial arts.

In the household registration, Ma Shi's surname is Xu, but in the valley, everyone still calls him his original surname.

Ma Shi was older than them all and was already a strong young man. He could lift four people up at the same time with his arms spread out. He had practiced martial arts with Tianjiang for many years and was quite capable. He also liked to brag about himself and was very popular among the children. Like.

I don't know who started the conversation, saying that there was a fierce general in the valley who was rampant in the world. Ma Shi was very unconvinced and went to see Tang Weitian for a martial arts competition.

Tang Weitian spends time in his study, rarely going out. He has gone through the most difficult time of studying. Now he feels that he has learned something every time he reads a passage. He often laments to his master Xu Chu: "It turns out that reading is so interesting. I didn't know it before!" "

Ma Shi was most afraid of two people in the valley, one was Xu Chu and the other was Tianjiang, so he asked the Xu brothers to lead Tang Weitian to the back mountain to talk.

Although Tang Weitian was enlightened by reading, his thoughts were still as simple as before. When he heard that the Xu brothers needed help, he immediately put down his books and hurried to the back mountain with them.

Ma Shi prepared several long wooden sticks and issued a challenge as soon as they met.

Tang Weitian smiled and did not respond. Even though he knew he had been fooled, he was not angry and turned around to walk back. Ma Shi became angry and said loudly: "I knew Tang Weitian had a false reputation. Since you were once the most brave general in the world, why didn't you become a marquis? , ended up studying in the Valley of Thoughts? Uncle Xu made up those words because he felt sorry for you with your broken arm. "

"Studying is much more interesting than becoming a prince. Besides, it's okay to say that I'm just showing off. Don't say that it was made up by my master."

Ma Shi did not dare to speak ill of Xu Chu, "Uncle Xu was also deceived by you. He never leaves the valley. He will believe whatever people outside say."

Tang Weitian still had the habit of being a teenager in his heart, and he couldn't be agitated, so he said: "It's you who compete, not me who forces you to compete. Give me a wooden stick."

Xu Xun immediately picked one up.

Tang Weitian took it in his hand, raised his foot and stepped on the wooden stick in half, leaving only the length of his chest, "Come on."

Ma Shi became even more angry and stabbed him with his "gun".

Tang Weitian stood still. When the long stick came closer, he stepped aside and thrust out the short stick with his left hand, knocking Ma Shi down with just one blow.

Ma Shi refused to accept and stood up to fight again. After five rounds, his chest hurt so much that he could not lift the stick, so he had to admit defeat, "Senior Brother Tang is very skilled in martial arts, and Master Tian may not be his opponent."

Ma Shi did not worship Xu Chu as his disciple. At this time, he was convinced and called Tang Tian "senior brother".

Tang Weitian's arrogance had long gone. He shook his head and said, "Don't say that. Our martial arts are different. He is a hero in the alley, and I am a soldier on the battlefield. When it comes to close combat and hand-to-hand combat, I am no match for him." , When it comes to fighting enemies with spears and dealing with each other on the fly, I am confident that I still have some advantages, that’s all.”

Ma Shi and the four children watching the battle did not think so. They looked at each other and knelt down to worship as their disciples. Even the prince Shi Nu was no exception.

Tang Weitian refused to accept a disciple and turned around and left.

The children refused to give up. Ma Shi and Tian Shu went to ask for help from the field craftsman. They released their slaves to persuade Xu Chu. Xu Xun and Xu Chi acted coquettishly at their mother's side. At the same time, they came over every day to please Tang Weitian. This four-pronged approach actually made Tang Weitian's heart beat.

Xu Chu taught people very little coercion, and set a task for the slave to study. After completing it, he could do whatever he wanted, and he had no restrictions on Tang Weitian.

Tang Weitian still refused to accept disciples, but he was willing to allocate a period of time every day to teach the children to ride horses and dance. At first, there were only five people including Ma Shi, but later it increased to more than ten people. So every evening, the horses galloping in the Siguo Valley , causing a lot of excitement.

Feng Juniang said to Tian Jiang, "You don't care if someone steals your apprentice?"

Tian Jiang sat at the door of his house and said with a smile: "A group of children, don't be serious, it is always a good thing to make more friends."

"Make more friends? Do you think they are the heroes of Dongdu? And that is your daughter, not your son. A girl, riding a horse and dancing with a gun, what will it look like?"

Tian Jiang said: "Mr. Xu has his own plan and he doesn't object. Why should we be bad guys?"

Feng Juniang knew that there was something behind her husband's words, but she couldn't quite understand it for a moment.

In the early autumn, the children were proficient in horseback riding, had some skills in dancing, and began to learn archery. Just as news came from the north, the emperor personally supervised the army. King Tan Wuwei of Yecheng led an army of 100,000 people and defeated He Rong's tribe outside the Great Wall.

There was celebration in the valley, the children practiced martial arts more diligently, simulated an army expedition, and marched several times around the village.

Not everyone in the valley was happy. Zhang Shiqing said to Xu Chu: "Once the He Rong tribe is defeated, the emperor will attack Liaodong next, right? I don't know if Huanyan can hold on."

Xu Chu didn't know either. He had no news about Liaodong for a long time and knew nothing about it.

As autumn turned to winter, the Chu army indeed moved to Liaodong, but Tan Wuwei did not participate. He occasionally caught wind and cold outside the Great Wall and had to return to Yuyang to recuperate.

Si Guogu was not disturbed again, and there was no news from Yan Wei and Lan Ruofu. Xu Chu felt relieved a little.

Near the end of the twelfth lunar month, when the weather was freezing, a messenger came from Kyoto and brought many gifts to Mrs. Xu, Zhang Shiqing, and the prince.

Binfen has been following the emperor, so naturally the messenger was not sent by her, but by the current Queen Ma.

The queen's envoys were kneeled down wherever they went, but this one was different. He dismounted outside the valley and walked into the village. After seeing Xu Chu, he knelt down first and kowtowed three times respectfully, but said little. Just call him "Mr. Xu".

"Ma Jin?" Xu Chu recognized this person immediately and was very surprised.

Ma Jin had followed Xu Chu for a long time, but he did not leave until Song Qizhu established his empire. There has been no news over the years.

Ma Jin is a taciturn person who has not changed so far, but he is extremely loyal and belongs to the Ma family, so he is deeply trusted by the queen and is cited as her right-hand man.

After the meeting ceremony, Ma Jin did not see the prince and directly invited Xu Chu to the study to talk alone.

"It is a pity that Mr. Xu has made great contributions to the great Chu to gain this country, but he has not been rewarded with an inch of land."

"Mr. Majesty, what I said is true. When His Majesty the Dragon was prosperous, I lived in seclusion in the valley. I didn't even get through the letter. How could I 'take credit for the greatest achievement'?"

"I can see clearly that although Mr. Xu did not participate in the planning, wherever he went, in addition to supporting the strong and weak, and recommending talents to Jingzhou, he actually had the effect of moving mountains and reclaiming seas."

"Thank you for your high opinion, but Master Ma is exaggerating."

"I told Mr. Xu one by one what he had done. The queen also thought that Mr. Xu's merits could at least lead to a title of marquis. However, your majesty thought that Mr. Xu's merits were profound and unremarkable, and the sudden increase in reward made it difficult to convince the public."

"My little credit is not enough. I'm afraid no one will believe it except Ma Zunshi." Xu Chu said with a smile.

Ma Jin said: "I believe it, and so does the queen, so the queen specially asked me to bring a message to Mr. Xu."

"Please tell me."

"The Queen said that it is difficult to conquer the world, but it is even harder to defend it. Mr. Xu is a great talent, and no one in the world can match it. The Queen knows that Mr. Xu has no ambition to be an official, so she has never bothered her. She also asked Mr. Xu to remember the difficulties of Prime Minister Ma's harem. Don’t interfere secretly. The queen and the prince will always remember Mr. Xu’s great kindness.”

Xu Chu sighed. What he was most worried about had happened. Colorful's move to trust the prince was indeed not simple.

There was a hint of threat in the Queen's words. Ma Jin probably tried to ease the tension by kneeling down and saying, "Mr. Xu is unwilling to participate in the revision of history. The Queen is very grateful. I hope Mr. Xu can still do the same."