Emperor Sui Yang

"Get up, give them all a seat," Yang Ming raised his finger and said.

Qian Niu prepared Pei Shuang and Li Xiaogong, took the cushion from the maid, spread it in front of the four of them, and then stood behind Yang Ming as a guard.

The two of them carry knives and have the right to carry knives at any time. The knives in their hands are called Qianniu Knife. There are only 24 people in the entire Sui Dynasty who are qualified to wear this thing.

"Would you like to chat in another place?" Yang Yue said with a smile, "I've asked Maiko to prepare."

Yang Ming was taken aback and said, "I was joking with you, do you really take it seriously?"

Yang Yue laughed, and sat down beside him: "Your Highness, how dare I belittle you?"

The light-hearted conversation between the two immediately gave Zhang Xutuo a preliminary impression of the prince, who was completely unassuming, very easy-going, and quite funny.

Of course, it was about Yang Yue.

"Give me wine!" After Yang Ming finished speaking, a maid bought wine from the wine jar beside him, and sold a bowl for each of the four of them.

After the four people took it with both hands, they didn't dare to drink it, and just carried it like this.

Yang Ming raised his palm to the four of them, meaning to drink.

In the Sui Dynasty, because the alcohol content is not high, it is often used as a thirst quencher. After all, there is alcohol, so it also relieves fatigue. It is very refreshing to drink a bowl of wine when you are tired.

Treating each other with wine is a kind of etiquette. Water without wine seems to be taken seriously.

The four of them gulped and drank without daring to spill a single drop.

"Xuangan has already gone to the post station to meet you, it seems that I missed it," Yang Ming said with a smile.

Zhang Xutuo raised his hand and said: "Humble officials rarely stay at post stations along the way. This time, they are entering Beijing by order. They dare not delay. They often sleep in the wilderness at night in order to shorten the time. I never thought that Chu Gong would go out of the city to greet them in person. This is a shame about humble officials." gone."

"There's nothing wrong with it," Yang Ming said bluntly, "You've been helping him with the good things he did in Shandong, and you should run errands to greet you."

kindness?Does the prince speak so openly?Zhang Xutuo subconsciously glanced at Yang Yue, only to see the latter smiled and said:
"Here, the prince, say what you have. You are not afraid of doing something wrong, but you can't hide it."

So this is how high-end games are played?I also learned how to decorate a city mansion. The higher I stand, the simpler and more straightforward?
Zhang Xutuo hurriedly said: "Mr. Chu is in a critical moment, and he has solved Shandong's urgent needs. I can only be grateful for my humble position here, and some small things are not worth mentioning."

Yang Yue asked, "Is everything settled in Shandong?"

Zhang Xutuo nodded: "It is gradually stabilizing, and after two years of recuperation, it will return to the past."

Yang Ming approached Yang Yue and said, "You sent someone to call Duke Lu to the province. Mr. Zhang Shijun has to run to him later."

"Okay," Yang Yue clapped his hands and called a servant, telling him to invite Shi Wansui.

Zhang Xutuo hurriedly said: "The prince must not be called a minister and envoy, he really can't afford it."

Yang Ming smiled and waved his hands: "Your Majesty, by the order of the emperor, you have done a good job in Shandong, and you have lived up to your majesty's high expectations. I have already sent a memorial to your majesty, and I will give you credit. This time I let you enter Beijing. It should be I'm going to be a marquis."

Zhang Xutuo was overjoyed immediately, and couldn't help swallowing: "The humble job is all thanks to the cultivation of the prince."

Well, this sentence can be regarded as the beginning, Zhang Xutuo is going to pay homage to the door.

Shi Wansui has already retired. If he wants to change his family, he needs Shi Wansui's consent.

Otherwise, he would be a double-faced traitor, and no one would dare to use him in the future.

Murong Sanzang, who was in Jingzhou before, was relatively close to Yang Ming. His previous eldest brother was Wei Wei. After Wei Wei died, he recognized Wei Chong again. After Wei Chong died, he followed Wei Yue again. .

This is a sensible person. He obviously had the opportunity to seek refuge with Yang Ming, but if he didn't do so, the Wei family would treat him as their own.

For example, Li Mi, his family is strong enough, and his uncle is still Cui Zhongfang, but since he took refuge in Yang Yue, he has never changed his master.

The master here is not the kind of master-slave relationship in the Qing Dynasty, but more like a master and a disciple, a master and an aide, in fact, a small interest group.

Loyalty and filial piety have been valued by all dynasties. There are no more than these two words. Loyalty to the king is loyalty to the Lord.

The more loyal the important figures left in history, the more they will be exaggerated and set up as role models, such as Zhuge and Guan Yu.

Yang Ming first chatted with them about some nonsense, and waited until Xuan Gan and Shi Wansui arrived before talking about serious matters.

"I'm too weak to drink in a lowly position. I don't dare to drink any more. I'm afraid I'll make a mistake." Zhang Xutuo drank seven or eight bowls without changing his face or beating his heart, but he was still able to drink.

But he didn't dare to let Yang Ming drink anymore, Yang Ming was already blushing.

I'm allergic to alcohol! Yang Ming put down his wine bowl helplessly. He didn't feel drunk, and his thinking was still very clear.

The alcohol capacity is too bad, which is also a shortcoming, so I can't make it to the main stage.

After Zhang Xutuo said this, Cheng Yaojin, who had already drank half a bowl, reluctantly put down the wine bowl, this wine is really delicious, I can't drink enough.

Yang Ming saw it, and said with a smile: "I have been drinking too much since I was a child, and I have made a few of you laugh at me. You can drink whatever you want, and don't be restrained because of me. Those who come from the military are all straightforward men. I like to talk to you guys." deal with people like that."

Zhang Xutuo was flattered to call me instead of solitary: "I have heard about it too, and I thought it was a random rumor. I never thought that His Highness really can't drink alcohol."

Yang Yue said with a smile: "Just drink what you have. The prince has already made an exception today. He usually doesn't drink until his face turns red. He insists on drinking with you until now, just to let you enjoy yourself. Let go and don't be restrained."

Cheng Yaojin chuckled: "You can see that the prince actually likes to drink. Since you can't drink too much, it's okay to have a drink on weekdays."

Yang Ming smiled and said, "I drink a lot on weekdays, but not as much as today. I think you can drink quite a bit. Bring him another jar and put it next to him. I'll see how much he can drink today."

"Haha, it's rare to taste such fine wine once, and I won't be drunk today," Cheng Yaojin said with a laugh.

His level is not as good as a guard in the imperial city, but Cheng Yaojin's cheerfulness and openness are deeply loved by Yang Ming and Yang Yue.

Isn't there a saying that there are only two kinds of people who can be trusted, stupid people and straight people, Cheng Yaojin is considered a straight person, or he will be an evergreen tree in the political arena of the Tang Dynasty.

If you want to be evergreen in the court, there is only one word: loyalty.

Xuan Gan arrived first, as soon as he entered the study, his gaze was attracted by the wine jar beside Cheng Yaojin, good guy, have you drunk my three jars of spring mash?
Spring mash, a kind of wine, was brewed by Liu Baituo, a person from Hedong in the Northern Wei Dynasty. So far, it has been the favorite wine of the upper class nobles in the Sui Dynasty, and it is basically exclusive.

The brewing industry in the Sui Dynasty was divided into government-run, private, and home-brewed. Spring mash was run by the government. There was only one winery, and the output was limited, and ordinary people could not drink it.

Cheng Yaojin is a drinker, he knew that after today, he might not have the chance to drink this kind of wine in the future, the prince spoke softly and had a friendly attitude, so he was not polite.

The four stood up to greet Xuangan, who walked over with a smile, pressed Zhang Xutuo's shoulder, and asked him to sit down:
"I didn't expect to make a trip in vain. It seems that we will meet again today. If we miss it elsewhere, there will be a place to meet."

After all, Yang Xuangan smiled and sat down beside Yang Ming:
"Why is the prince here today?"

Yang Ming deliberately teased him and said, "What? I have to say hello to you when I come here?"

"No, no," Xuangan laughed and said, "Didn't you come to me casually?"

Yang Ming smiled and said, "Can I take things casually?"

"Then I have to ask my uncle, I can't make the decision, he pawned my whole house," Xuangan said with a smile.

Yang Yue saw it, and was very happy in his heart. In front of outsiders, it was a good thing that the prince showed such closeness to their family, especially when he was bickering and joking, which made him even more intimate.

"Yin Jiang is the one who makes the decision in our family, and the crown prince is the one who can make the decision for Yin Jiang. Naturally, he can use it at will," Yang Yue said with a smile.

Yang Ming clapped his hands fiercely: "Okay, then I will borrow flowers to offer Buddha. Zhang Xutuo suffered in Shandong, so you two mean it."

"What do you mean?" It was rare for the prince to be in such a good mood today, and he talked to himself much more gently, and his sense of mystery was also relaxed.

Yang Ming smiled and said, "What? You are also a minister, how can you turn that meaning into embarrassment?"

Xuangan laughed: "Understood, don't worry, Your Highness, if Ziguo comes to my place, I can't let him return empty-handed, and they will be satisfied."

Yang Ming turned sideways, moved closer to Yang Yue and said, "Xuangan seems to have made a lot of progress after returning from this expedition."

Yang Yue stroked his beard and smiled, "It's too late."

At this time, the servants reported that Shi Wansui had arrived, but Shi Wansui was followed by a follower.

Han Sengshou.

There's no way, he just happened to be at Shi Wansui's house, and after receiving the invitation, Shi Wansui asked politely: "Will you go with me?"

Han Sengshou said that respect is worse than obedience, and he gave Shi Wansui to the general. You are so old that you can't tell the difference between polite words?
Now, in a study, besides the crown prince, there are two princes, one county prince and one county prince.

Zhang Xutuo and the others were even more at a loss.

"General, you are getting old," Zhang Xutuo's eyes turned red when he saw his guide again after many years.

The ancients were like this. The master-student relationship was very important, as if it were a family member.

The master is half father.

Shi Wansui patted Zhang Xutuo's shoulder: "You are old too, sit down."

Zhang Xutuo nodded with a sob.

"Yuan Bei is already this old? Sit next to me," Shi Wansui waved to Zhang Yuanbei after he sat down, and the latter hurriedly bowed and came behind Shi Wansui.

Shi Wansui took Zhang Yuanbei's hand, looked at it carefully, and nodded:
"I heard that you did a good job in Shandong, and you didn't embarrass the old man."

Zhang Yuanbei nodded vigorously, his expression was agitated, and he didn't speak.

At this time, Shi Wansui looked at Yang Ming and said, "I heard that the crown prince has always lacked one of his twelve thousand bulls. Yuan Bei was trained by me when he was young, and he is a good material. Although his background is a bit poor, the crown prince sees it for my sake." Come on, take him."

Yang Ming said with a smile: "Both of us, do we still have to save face?"

Shi Wansui laughed, and slapped Zhang Yuanbei on the back vigorously: "Then it's settled."

With his words, Zhang Xutuo successfully changed his family and became a princeling. (end of this chapter)