first minister

Chapter 324: Tit-for-tat confrontation in the bamboo forest

In the palace city, the new emperor of Great Xia, Dongfang Ming, woke up from his palace.

He glanced at the well-born Crown Princess next to him, well, she was now the Queen, but he couldn't help but think of two other figures in his mind.

Their looks and figures fascinated him;
That taboo identity made him even more restless;
And the distance that was once out of reach and the situation that is now within easy reach makes him even more full of vitality.

I just regret that the concubine De, who is more exciting and affectionate, ran away. The old thief Gao Yi deserves to die!

But fortunately, there is still Concubine Shu. The dead ghost father is old and frail, and now his soul has passed away and ascended to heaven. As his son, he naturally has to help him comfort and comfort this enchanting and charming princess.

It's just that the British public needs to think about it in the long term.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but hug the queen from behind, but what he expected was another face.

The queen twisted her body, and just when she was about to miss the gun, someone knocked on the door, and Dong Liang's voice sounded at the door, "Your Majesty, Mr. Xiao wants to see you."

"What are you doing here so early?"

Dongfang Ming stood up a little irritably, asked the queen to help him put on his clothes, and then washed himself before walking out slowly.

In the imperial study room, Xiao Fengshan looked at the furnishings that had not yet been replaced, and looked at the three characters "You Le Hall" in a daze.

I don’t know how long I waited, but Dongfang Ming finally arrived.

"Uncle, what's wrong so early?"

Xiao Fengshan turned around and saluted him, "Your Majesty, I thought for a long time yesterday and thought of the possible hiding place of the Jiaodong County Prince!"

Dongfang Ming obviously knew what would happen if Dongfang Bai was out of control. Hearing this, his expression perked up, and his laziness disappeared instantly. He sat up straight and asked, "Where are you?"

Xiao Fengshan said in a deep voice: "Bamboo forest."

Dongfang Ming's expression suddenly became solemn, "Uncle, are you sure?"

As the prince, Dongfang Mingke knows very well what the bamboo forest means to the world.

If there is no evidence, a rash search of the bamboo forest would be a big deal.

Xiao Fengshan had also been in the army back then, so he naturally knew how high the prestige of the old military god was. But now, after all, the old military god has passed away. No matter whether it is a family or a wealthy family, no one can always lie in the shadow of their predecessors. It lasts a lifetime.

"The British Duke led thousands of soldiers and horses, blocked the roads to Sishui Prefecture and Yunmeng Prefecture, and almost turned over several counties in the capital, but no trace was found. The capital has been under martial law for two days, and the capital has entered the capital. After rigorous interrogation, it was impossible for them to enter the city. After much calculation, only the bamboo forest was the most likely hiding place. The relationship between Jiang Yuhu and Xia Jingyun was almost universally known, and he had every reason to take in Jiaodong County. king."

Dongfang Ming listened silently and discovered a flaw in Xiao Fengshan's speculation, "Is it possible that Gongsun Jing and others rushed directly to Sishui Prefecture or Yunmeng Prefecture that day after receiving Lao Qi?"

Xiao Fengshan shook his head, "First of all, when he picked him up, nothing had happened yet. How dare they take the prince out of the capital without permission? If nothing happened to the late emperor, this would be tantamount to digging his own grave. And when the news came out, We quickly dispatched manpower to pursue him along the way, and found nothing unusual. What's more, Jiang'anhou's Mansion does not have that many manpower, and they simply do not dare to risk taking the Jiaodong County Prince on a long journey."

Dongfang Ming sighed, "But, uncle, that's a bamboo forest! Searching the bamboo forest is such a big deal!"

Xiao Fengshan smiled slightly, "Why must it be a search instead of a visit to the Jiang Mansion at the beginning of the new emperor's reign to pay homage to the old military god to show respect for the bamboo forest? And the late emperor was assassinated. Now Your Majesty will be more cautious and send people to Jiang Mansion in advance. It’s reasonable to maintain safety, right?”

Dongfang Ming's eyes lit up.

Xiao Fengshan said: "I asked Xuanhu to take his men out early in the morning and quietly blocked the passages around the bamboo forest. Once someone escapes from it, they will be blocked! Then we will act according to the plan, no matter whether the bamboo forest chooses to Whether the person hides or sends the person out, they cannot escape our grasp."

Dongfang Ming smiled while stroking his hands, and said with emotion: "I have an uncle, so I can sit back and relax!"

That morning, a group of elite cavalry came out of the city and lined up on the road leading from the city gate to the bamboo forest.

The spies from Heibingtai had already spread out as Xiao Fengshan said. They seemed loose but were actually compact, blocking the roads around the bamboo forest.

A moment later, a team of elite sergeants escorted Dong Liang to Jiang Mansion and delivered His Majesty's oral instructions.

Such an honorable matter did not arouse the vigilance of uninformed people, but for insiders such as Mr. Jiang, there was no reason to refuse, so they had to accept it with a grateful face.

At Jiang's house, Dong Liang did not dare to make any gestures, and said with a flattering smile: "Second Master, not long after the late emperor was assassinated, His Majesty went on a tour. Xianggong Xiao and the central ministers were very worried about His Majesty's safety, so they ordered Black Ice Platform to be guarded along the way. , I would like to take a few servants and walk around the house twice to show off, do you mind?"

Second Master Jiang narrowed his eyes at him and said, "Does Your Majesty suspect that the Jiang family has hidden some armor, or does he suspect that the Jiang family has some other crime?"

Dong Liang obviously underestimated the Jiang family's status and domineering power. He was choked by these words, "The second master was joking. Your Majesty is just trying to appease the courtiers. Let's just pretend."

"What if I don't let you?" Mr. Jiang smiled coldly, "How many places in the world are safer than Jiang's house? Besides, if you come in and check first, if something happens to His Majesty, you can tell Jiang Doesn’t it matter at home?”

"Of course!"

Just when Dong Liang was speechless, a loud and firm voice rang out. Xiao Fengshan walked in with big strides. After waving away the others, he looked at Mr. Jiang with a complicated expression, "Second brother ,haven't seen you for a long time."

Mr. Jiang also looked at the person in front of him, his thoughts drifting back to 20 years ago.

At that time, he had both legs and high spirits, as dazzling as Jiang Yuhu today, and Xiao Fengshan was just like Xia Jingyun now, but different from Xia Jingyun, his writing was not as eye-catching as Xia Jingyun, but his martial arts had the qualities of a scholar Unmatched elegance.After entering the army, Xiao Fengshan happened to be in the camp of Jiang Erye, who was more than ten years older than him.

Asking for advice, fighting with each other, drinking, and killing enemies, it was a time of fierce fighting and iron horses, and it was also an impassioned memory.

After the victory, Xiao Fengshan returned with military success, while Jiang Erye accidentally lost a leg in a battle the following year and returned from the battlefield depressed.

The reunion at this moment was actually the first time these former friends had seen each other since they were separated that year.

But this first scene was filled with a kind of tit-for-tat oppression. It was as if the arrows they shot at the enemy together 20 years ago had experienced the baptism of time, been blown by the wind of the world, and flew towards each other again. passed.

Mr. Jiang said calmly: "Xiao Xianggong is too polite. A disabled person cannot bear these two words."

He looked at Xiao Fengshan, "The Jiang family has always been loyal to the emperor and patriotic. You have the emperor's mandate, and the Jiang family has nothing to do with it. But I want to ask you, if not, can you afford the consequences?"

His last words, his tone suddenly dropped, as if he was bearing down on Xiao Fengshan with the blood and fire of more than ten years of fighting on the battlefield and the prestige accumulated by the Jiang family for decades.

Even though Xiao Fengshan prided himself on being the best among people and having a strong mind, he couldn't help but hesitate in silence, wondering if he was too impatient.

But this idea was thrown away in the blink of an eye. Dongfang Bai's existence was too crucial to the situation of the court. Once he let go, the consequences would be endless, which would be much greater than offending the Jiang family once.

On the surface, he had given enough face to the Jiang family. The Jiang family were ministers after all, and the old military god was dead, so there was no reason why they could not bear any grievance in front of the imperial power.

If the Jiang family really rebels because of this, their reputation will naturally be gone.

Having made up his mind, he said calmly: "If not, we will naturally give the Jiang family reasonable compensation."

Mr. Jiang nodded, "Then please."

Xiao Fengshan clasped his fists and said, "Thank you, second brother."

Mr. Jiang ignored him and turned his wheelchair back to his room.

Xiao Fengshan turned around and went out, looked at the confidants who came with him, and nodded, "Be sure to be polite and don't destroy the Jiang family's furnishings, but you must be meticulous!"

The personal guards had already received the order on the way here. They nodded solemnly and led dozens of people into the Bamboo Forest and Jiang Mansion, the sacred place for soldiers that they had always cherished.

Xiao Fengshan found a servant of the Jiang Mansion and asked him to take him alone to the backyard where Jiang Yuhu married and kept filial piety.

"I thought that with your reputation, you could do something that would impress me, but I didn't expect you to be so boring and incompetent."

An unruly and cold voice sounded in Xiao Fengshan's ears. He raised his head and saw the young man standing in front of the thatched cottage, who was now the most dazzling young man among the young generation in the world.

People at that time called it the twin walls of an empire. The Xia Jingyun is like the moon, bright and clear, and one feels close to it when looking at it; the Jiang Yuhu is like the sun, wanton and arrogant, and one should only retreat when seeing it.

His stature is tall enough and his face is resolute enough, so he can afford the reputation of the Jiang family that can overwhelm countless people.

And the arrogance between the brows that almost appeared involuntarily was exactly the same as the ancestors of the Jiang family.

Two generations of famous nobles in Beijing bumped into each other unexpectedly. Xiao Fengshan smiled slightly and said, "In the opinion of the little military god, how should I act?"

Jiang Yuhu said calmly: "Your feeling of being so confident is very bad. If you talk like this in front of me, most people will be embarrassed."

Xiao Fengshan still smiled, "Is that Xia Jingyun an exception?"

Jiang Yuhu sneered and said directly: "Do you think if I really took in someone I shouldn't take in, I would put him in the house?"

Xiao Fengshan said: "There is no safer place in the world than a bamboo forest."

Jiang Yuhu straightened his lips, turned around and sat down in the thatched hut with a dead look on his face.

Xiao Fengshan took a few steps forward as if he was familiar with it, glanced around the thatched cottage, and hid himself in the thatched cottage for fear that Jiang Yuhu would give him a dark spot.

It's just that the inside of the thatched cottage is really simple and empty. There are three walls made of straw, a bed, a table, a chair, and a long gun. There is no place to hide people at all.

Xiao Fengshan narrowed his eyes slightly, and there was a sound of footsteps behind him.

He turned his head and saw the bodyguard approaching quickly, and then shook his head regretfully at him.

Xiao Fengshan's expression changed slightly immediately.

At this moment, Jiang Yuhu's cold voice sounded a little mocking, a little joking, "Your Majesty, hurry up. I have something else to do after this scene is over."

"Besides, before he comes, shouldn't you have negotiated the compensation for the Jiang family with me?"

(End of this chapter)