The Grandmaster Strategist

Lu Can stood on the deck, looking at the endless blue sea. It was clearly a sunny day, but he felt lonely in his heart. Although he had long known that the man was already an important minister of Dayong and was deeply loved by the Dayong royal family. He trusted her and married her former queen, Princess Changle of Ning Kingdom of Dayong, but Lu Can could not feel any hostility towards that person in his heart. He knew that person very well. In the past, when Jiang Zhe was his teacher, he was only a teenager, so naturally he was not as deep as he is now. Lu Can deeply remembers that Jiang Zhe's favorite thing on weekdays is to be lazy. He never bothers to supervise his study except during the specified time. At first, he often went out to go shopping or play. However, this person is very quiet after all. Later, he did most of the things Just take an ancient book, make a pot of fragrant tea, sit under the shade of a tree and read with relish. But this man is also very tempting. As long as he brings some novel and delicious cakes, he can probably get him to agree to do his homework for him or do other small things. Thinking of this, Lu Can couldn't help but smile, but the smile quickly disappeared.

He knew that his master had no great ambitions in his life. After becoming the number one scholar in Nanchu, except for being very diligent in preparing for the establishment of Chongwen Palace and assisting Prince De in his attack on Shu, he basically had no choice but to live without food. , so when the news came later that Jiang Zhe was reprimanded for writing a letter to remonstrate, Lu Can's first thought was, didn't the master want to take this opportunity to escape? But no, the master still stayed in Jianye. At that time, Lu Can felt ashamed and thought that maybe he had misunderstood. Now that the master is a distinguished Hanlin bachelor, how can he be measured by the previous standards. But not long after that, King Yong conquered Jianye, and his mentor was kidnapped to Dayong. When Lu Can got the accurate news, everything had changed. His mentor surrendered to King Yong and was seriously injured by the Nanchu assassin. Such a situation made it impossible for Lu Can to think about rescuing his mentor. Because Lu Can already understood that Nanchu had lost forever a man who could have become the pillar of strength.

Next, Lu Can silently paid attention to Jiang Zhe's affairs. Jiang Zhe, who had always been unknown, made a splash during the Hunting Palace Incident, turned the tide, and then abandoned his glory and wealth and eloped away with Princess Changle. Although it was a bit regretful that Dayong was finally controlled by a powerful monarch, Lu Can still silently prayed that his mentor could live in peace for the rest of his life, because he had also received information and knew that his mentor really devoted himself to King Yong. It is said that after leaving He was already terminally ill.

But not long ago, a letter from Jiang Zhe made him fully understand that Jiang Zhe would not go into seclusion before Dayong unified the world. Jiang Zhe's life and death, honor and disgrace were already closely linked to the Dayong royal family, so the front cabin The murderous intention that had been in his heart for a long time finally broke out. Lu Can had only one thought in his mind. If Jiang Zhe continued to serve Dayong, then Nan Chu would be the sacrifice in the end. Lu Can could not just watch the destruction of his family and country, regardless of the country. Whether it's stupidity or sage, Lu Can can't let Nanchu, who has been loyal to three generations of the Lu family, become a trophy under Dayong's iron hoof, so Lu Can made up his mind to get rid of Jiang Zhe while protecting himself. In fact, Lu Can was not completely sure about persuading the Northern Han Dynasty to ambush Jiang Zhe, but he also knew that this was his only chance, so he had to try his best. He believed that the best way to deal with Jiang Zhe was not to act after planning, but to attack with the fastest movement, the most violent offensive, and direct means. Although he is not 100% confident, Lu Can, who has already noticed that Jiang Zhe is not particularly wary of him, believes that it is very likely to succeed.

Killing an enemy could even be said to be a act of rebellion. It should have been a joyful thing, but why was it so painful? Lu Can looked up to the sky and sighed.

In the same clear sky, Lin Bi felt a sense of sadness in her heart. She knew that according to the time calculation, this was the time when King Qi and Jiang Zhe were ambushed by Quartz. One was the general who commanded the army to stop the Northern Han army, and the other was Zhimu. Like the sea, strategists with extraordinary skills, if these two people die, the Northern Han Dynasty will be able to sleep peacefully for at least a few years. Originally, Lin Bi should be excited and looking forward to it.

But there is always something that I can't let go of. These two people left a good impression on Lin Bi. Although King Qi was a little too murderous and his temperament seemed a bit violent, Lin Bi could feel the sadness and pain in Li Xian's heart, and King Qi was essentially a temperamental person. This made Lin Bi feel more favorable and appreciative of him. She even compared Li Xian with Long Tingfei. Although Long Tingfei was obviously better than Li Xian, Lin Bi vaguely felt that Long Tingfei was too perfect. While she respects and admires her, she is also a little ashamed of herself. She always feels that if she is not Princess Jiaping, then she is not worthy of Long Tingfei. This is one of the reasons why she has delayed her marriage intentionally or unintentionally in recent years. But Li Xian was different. He had both outstanding qualities and obvious shortcomings, which made Lin Bi feel quite amiable and cute. The loneliness that Li Xian showed from time to time made Lin Bi feel a little more pity. Before, Lin Bi In her heart, Bi only regarded Li Xian as an enemy, so she didn't feel it yet. However, when Li Xian was likely to die, Lin Bi couldn't help but think of Li Xian's voice and smile.

As for Jiang Zhe, the strategist who was rumored to have sinister and terrifying thoughts brought Lin Bi a cloud of confusion. She still remembered that when they first met, he had an elegant and elegant demeanor, which made people admire him spontaneously. She also remembered that when they first met at Tingtao Pavilion, There is another side to his childishness and childlike innocence. Lin Bi vaguely feels that maybe many people have misunderstood him, or that he is a harmless and indifferent alien. He will only act when you offend him. Showing a ferocious face.

There is also the gentle and elegant Princess Changle. Lin Bi can feel her peace and joy. The bumpy life in the past seems to be invisible on her, but Lin Bi understands in her heart that this is what is worthy of admiration for this woman. There are so many in the world. How many women can face the scars of the past calmly, and how many women can give up the power and wealth at their fingertips and join hands with their sickly lover to pursue a bright future?

There was also Roulan, the little girl who was loved but not arrogant, and Jiang Shen, the poor boy who was "cruelly betrayed" by his father before he understood human affairs. Lin Bi felt a sharp pain in her heart. What kind of people are they destroying their happiness!

After the pain, Lin Bi finally put away her melancholy. She told herself that no matter how amiable and respectable those people were, they were all enemies of the Northern Han Dynasty. Their death might exchange for the survival of countless Northern Han soldiers. Gradually regaining her calm mood, Lin Bi whispered: "This is fate. If I am the one who fails, then I am willing to bear all the consequences."

On the road to Chang'an, Princess Changle was looking at the sky in the distance with an indifferent expression among the meandering Princess Luan. This time, the Yong court gave enough face, and Princess Changle entered under the escort of Qing Wang Li Kang. After the Great Yong's sphere of influence, the Supreme Emperor Li Yuan and the Yong Emperor Li Zhi each issued an edict to announce it to the world.

"In November of the twenty-fifth year of Wuwei, I was in power. I cared about Princess Changle of Ning State, who was living alone. I granted her a marriage to Sima Jiangzhe of Tiance Commandery. However, Sima was ill due to state affairs and could not bear the hard work. I couldn't bear it and gave permission for the two of them to get married privately. , the six rites are completed, and all the documents of the Ministry of Rites are available. Now that the prince-in-law has recovered from his illness, I miss him very much, and I have sent you a special edict to return to the court. I express my gratitude for this."

"The Prince Consort Jiang Zhe, who has always made great contributions to the country, is now granted the title of Marquis of Chu Township, with a settlement of 3,000 households. I have been given the title of the residence of Princess Changle of Ning State. Jiang Shen, the princess's eldest son, is granted the title of Duke An Guo, with a settlement of 5,000 households. The eldest daughter, Roulan, is granted the title of Princess Zhaohua, and is granted the title of Princess of Zhaohua, with a population of 1,000 households. This is my honor."

These two decrees not only easily covered up the fact that Princess Changle had eloped that day, but also made Jiang Zhe the Marquis of the Countryside. They also made Jiang Shen, the eldest son of Jiang Zhe, who was only one year old, the Duke of the Kingdom. This was already the highest title for a foreign relative or courtier. Yes, even Jiang Zhe's adopted daughter was granted the title of princess. With such a reward, even people with no eyesight would know that Jiang Zhe and his wife were deeply favored by the royal family, and absolutely no one would dare to mention what happened back then.

But Princess Changle was very indifferent in her heart. When she ran away, she had already given up everything. If the situation in Dayong had not been unstable, no matter how heavy the gift was, Princess Changle would not be able to return to Chang'an, let alone let her husband return to Chang'an. Enter officialdom. But Princess Changle is also aware of the difficulties involved. Now that her husband has gone to the front line in Northern Xinjiang, if she stays in the East China Sea, not to mention Jiang Zhe will be worried about his own safety, and even the royal family will be worried about who will have the military power on the front line. If he did not go to the capital as a hostage, even if the imperial brother believed in his wife, those ministers would inevitably come to remonstrate secretly. Rather than letting doubts arise in the minds of those people, it is better to be more proactive. Therefore, Princess Changle's entry into Beijing has already been decided.

Sighing softly, if she still had a choice, Princess Changle would rather stay in the East China Sea and not care about worldly affairs, but unfortunately this is impossible.

At this time, Roulan jumped onto the Luanjia excitedly and asked, "Mother, where is Shen'er? Look, I made a wreath for Shen'er."

Changle glanced at the delicate garland and smiled: "It's very beautiful. Did Lin'er teach you? I saw you were mumbling with him just now."

Rou Lan blinked her eyes and said: "No, Lin Di can only wield a sword, how can he weave garlands? I learned it from Shang Yi. I just saw that Lin Di was lonely, so I went Who was talking to him? Who asked the third uncle to go so far and not let Lindi and I ride in a car? He said that I was the princess. Although Lindi was also a descendant of the royal family, he did not have a title. He also said that he wanted to avoid suspicion and not let us. Sit together."

A hint of coldness flashed in Princess Changle's eyes, and she said calmly: "Lan'er, go and tell your third uncle that Shen'er has been occupied by Master Cizhen. It's very lonely for me to ride on the Luan Chai alone. Let Lin'er and you Ride with me.”

Roulan was overjoyed and said, "I'll tell him right away." After saying that, she jumped off the Luan Chai and ran happily to Prince Qing's carriage, with guards closely following behind him for protection.

Princess Changle thought: Suiyun asked me to take good care of Lin'er before leaving, how could I watch him being bullied. I couldn't help but feel a little annoyed at the third brother who hadn't been masked for a long time.

At this time, the sky was clear, and a line of autumn geese flew by. Princess Changle felt her heart tightening for some reason after hearing this. She couldn't help but look north, wondering if her husband had arrived at the camp?

"Ah sneeze" I sneezed loudly, and then I heard King Qi's snickering, and glared at him fiercely. If I really had to stab that Northern Han army to death, he would probably cry even if he wanted to. Can't cry. It was a fluke, because I thought that I might be in danger at any time after going to the battlefield, so I specially crafted a gold-threaded garment to protect me. This golden-threaded garment is a rare thing recorded in ancient books, and it was made from Yunnan Miao territory. The specialty purple gold sand is mixed with the soft copper refined from the exotic Wuzi. After smelting, it is drawn into purple gold wire. This purple gold wire is as thin as hair and extremely flexible, but it can lift a thousand kilograms. Use this purple gold wire to mix with the gold from the Western Regions. Thin threads spun from orangutan hair are woven into a piece of underwear as thin as cicada wings. It is almost invisible when worn on the body, but it is invulnerable. Not to mention that the craftsmanship of making clothes is very complicated, and even to obtain those raw materials, it takes a lot of effort. , in order to save my life, I spent tens of millions of gold and silver and countless thoughts. That's it. I was still worried, so I specially made a blue cloak with three layers of cowhide sewn in the middle. This is the material for making leather armor. Although It's not as invulnerable as my gold-threaded clothes, but it can protect the whole body, which is worse than nothing. Although I spent a lot of effort and money, it was finally worth it. Although the spear stabbed me in the back of the heart and knocked me off the suspension bridge, it did not hurt me. Even the strength was mostly lost. Of course, this is Because the Northern Han soldier didn't have much strength at all. But at the end of autumn, the spring water was very cold, and there were corpses and blood mixed in the moat. My water quality was just barely enough to float on the water, so I suffered a lot after falling into the water. If it hadn't been for Xiao Shunzi who saw me from a distance. , knowing that I should not be injured, he rushed over and rescued me. He was afraid that I would be drowned if I was not stabbed to death. King Qi and others thought that I was hit in the back of the heart, and they were afraid that I would die. I can't even react. But after suffering such a big loss, after being fished out of the water, I vomited all over the place, and I lost all my face in front of King Qi. How could I not be depressed? Not to mention that after being immersed in cold water, my body was not as good as ordinary people after all, and I was infected with wind and cold. It was really a bad start.

A trace of worry flashed in Xiao Shunzi's eyes, and he asked: "Master, would you like to rest for a few more days before setting off? You have always been in poor health. If you don't receive good treatment, I will really feel uneasy."

I said lazily: "No, this is not a safe place. Although the Northern Han army has retreated, we still have to be careful that they will have a large army coming. It is better to get to the camp quickly. And His Highness King Qi left the camp. It was originally hidden from the officers below, but now it is probably known to everyone. If His Highness does not return to the camp to take charge of the overall situation, I am afraid it will be detrimental to the army. Don't worry, I just suffered a little. I can rest in the camp. , it’s better than being stuck on the road. By the way, is the hand stove hot?”

Xiao Shunzi quickly fetched the prepared hand stove. I held it in my arms, tightened my cloak, and said, "I'll have a good sweat on the way. You don't have to worry about me. Wake me up when I get to the camp." Let's go." After saying that, I lay down comfortably on the carriage and closed my eyes. King Qi looked at me funny, took off his cloak and put it on me, then jumped out of the carriage and got on the horse. When he saw Hu Yanshou with a distressed look on his face, he asked, "Hu Yanshou, what's wrong?" , I’ve seen you have a sad face since yesterday?”

Hu Yanshou said bitterly: "When we were about to leave, His Majesty once said that he ordered us to protect Mr. Jiang. He also said that if Mr. Jiang suffered any harm, he would be severely punished. Now, not only has Mr. Jiang suffered a lot because of the urgent march, It's painful, and I fell into the water and suffered from the cold. I'm afraid that if the emperor knew about it, he would be angry at us for not being able to protect him well."

King Qi comforted him: "I can't do anything about this, but why should you worry? Is it possible that the emperor will send people again? Besides, you also lost a lot of people to protect Suiyun. Although Suiyun is a little frightened now, , but there is no big damage, it is always meritorious no matter what. Besides, the emperor has always made clear rewards and punishments. In the future, if you work harder and ask Suiyun to say a few nice words to you, can the emperor still blame you?"

Hu Yanshou felt a little relieved after hearing this, and couldn't help but look at King Qi gratefully. He was the one in the game just now, and he couldn't help but be confused. Now that King Qi had pointed out his joints, he naturally understood and thought, encountering the enemy was expected. Regarding external matters, it is already a great achievement to be able to keep His Royal Highness King Qi and Lord Jiang safe. Your Majesty is aware of everything and knows rewards and punishments clearly. How can you blame them for nothing?

I heard what they were saying clearly in the car. Although the distance was a bit far away, it was no problem for me. I couldn't help but sigh in my heart. The King of Qi, Li Xian, really cared deeply for his soldiers, even if Hu Yanshou was originally a close confidant of King Yong. As long as he became his subordinate, King Qi would treat him equally. No wonder he was able to win the hearts of the military and make the important officials in the court worried.

In terms of talent and temperament, Li Xian is actually not weaker than the current emperor Li Zhi, but he has one big shortcoming, that is, his stubbornness and extremeness. Although this is a shortcoming, it can also be regarded as an advantage, because the reason why Li Xian was able to become Today Dayong's top military commander is because of his irreversible momentum. It is not that Li Xian has never been defeated since he led the army, but Li Xian is not discouraged by defeats. In addition, he is proficient in battle formations and has a brave nature. Every time he loses, he will bring his own troops to cut off the rear, so even if he loses, he will not be discouraged. It will hurt your muscles and bones. And Li Xian is good at learning lessons from experience. When he comes back, he will definitely be more ferocious, which will be a headache. After years of fighting, Dayong has many powerful generals, but if you want to find someone who can suppress the arrogant and powerful generals in the army, besides Li Zhi, the only one is Qi King Li Xian.

Comparing the two brothers, Li Zhi is thoughtful, invincible, and invincible. He can be said to be Dayong's military god and leader, but Li Xian is Dayong's sharp blade and the idol of the army officers, because although Li Xian fought, There were wins and losses, but he was unyielding when fighting, led the troops in the battle, and personally stopped the retreat when he was defeated. All the soldiers admired him, and Li Xian's efforts and progress were visible to everyone. Most of the officers and soldiers were in awe of King Yong, but they were a little more close to King Qi. When it comes to military morale, King Yong's subordinates are naturally loyal, but King Qi's troops are no less inferior. When they were hunting palaces to seize their heirs, if King Qi had made up his mind to fight King Yong to the death, then King Yong would probably still be killed in the end. Victory, but Dayong's national power will inevitably decline as a result. This was also the biggest headache for King Yong and me at the time. If it hadn't been for a series of changes, we might have attacked King Qi before the changes in the hunting palace.

King Qi's stubbornness and extremeness made him the most troublesome enemy for the enemy on the battlefield. If he faced King Yong, the enemy would basically be defeated, so it was often decided in one battle, and there was nothing to say. , if facing the King of Qi, although the enemy may win, as long as the King of Qi cannot be left on the battlefield, they will face a storm of counterattacks and endless revenge. That kind of pressure will probably make the enemy generals want to start. Just lost. The King of Qi was able to resist the talented Long Tingfei, in addition to his military talent, mainly because of his perseverance, which forced Long Tingfei to be unable to succeed in one fell swoop. From the initial consecutive defeats to the later Evenly divided, King Qi's progress is obvious to all.

However, this obvious advantage turned into an obvious shortcoming in political and family affairs. If not for this, King Qi would not be in the predicament he is in today. According to my investigation and judgment, in order to occupy the position of chief military officer, His Royal Highness the King of Qi turned to Prince Li An, and his marriage to Qin Zheng of Fengyi Sect naturally had the meaning of a political marriage, but Li Xian really loved Qin Zheng. He was once deeply in love with Qin Zheng, but Qin Zheng kept getting involved with his master, which offended King Qi. King Qi was extremely possessive, so in order to gain power in the army, he knew that Li Zhi should succeed to the throne. But he still surrendered to the prince, and kept Qin Zheng out of his heart because of his weakness and wavering. If the King of Qi was not so stubborn, maybe he would be loyal to King Yong that day and would not end up in the situation where the monarch and his ministers are suspicious today. If the King of Qi was not so extreme, he would not be alienated from Qin Zheng. It is possible that Qin Zheng could abandon Fengyimen in the end, and the tragedy of Xiaoshuang's bloodshed and the couple's eternal separation would not have happened.

On the other hand, if King Qi was not so stubborn and extreme, cooperated wholeheartedly with the Crown Prince and Fengyi Sect, and did not alienate the Crown Prince and Fengyi Sect because of the contempt and grudge in his heart, it is still unclear who will win the hunting palace incident?

It is because of King Qi's weird personality that he is in the predicament he is in today. I heard that King Qi was grieving because of the death of his concubine Qin Zheng and refused to renew their relationship. This is why rumors of discord between the Emperor and King Qi can spread everywhere. Because, in my opinion, although the King of Qi has feelings for Qin Zheng as husband and wife, they may not really be so affectionate and unforgettable. It is probably because the King of Qi has in his heart that he should not give up the fight with Fengyimen in the past, so that Qin Zheng was trapped in the mud and finally committed suicide. This kind of mood may be the reason why King Qi fell into an inextricable knot.

In fact, I always feel that King Qi's repeated rejection of the emperor's kindness is not because he is unwilling to reconcile with the emperor. I am afraid that he still has a hard-core grudge and there is no step to go down. However, this is not a long-term solution. The emperor is the emperor after all. He has endured it for a year and two. Years, I can't bear it for ten or eight years. Besides, even if the emperor can bear it, those important ministers will give advice time and time again. Even if the emperor believes that His Highness King Qi will not have any objections, he should not be too arbitrary. At that time, I am afraid that King Qi will not be able to lead the army. This will make King Qi even more resentful. If such a handsome man is ruined for nothing, I will not be willing to do so. Besides, if King Qi reconciles with the emperor, he will definitely I am determined to be loyal to the emperor. When the time comes, the mountains of Dayongjiang will be impregnable, and I can go into seclusion with peace of mind. It’s rare that King Qi finally took a step back this time and came to find me to rescue him. How could I let go of this good opportunity? Your Majesty is also a shrewd person. Although we didn’t communicate with each other in advance, we thought of going together. This time our monarchs and ministers join forces again. , will definitely make His Highness King Qi surrender with sincerity. And it is also a coincidence that a proud and stubborn person like King Qi actually loves Shen'er very much and even agreed to marry the concubine again. As long as King Qi is interested, I will have a way to melt the ice in his heart and think of a bright future. , I couldn't help but smile lightly. When their brothers, monarchs and ministers are reconciled, I should have nothing to do with them. Now, it is just one missing step between them. I will feel aggrieved and serve as this step. As for military matters, I won't interfere.

I was thinking happily when suddenly Hu Yanshou knocked on the car door and said, "Sir, the Emperor's decree has arrived at the camp. Your Highness asked if you need to speed up your trip."

I frowned. Since the attack, the King of Qi has not cared about any secrets. He just handed down dozens of military orders overnight. Now there is a tremor in Zezhou and Zhenzhou. If nothing else, now around me There are thousands of guards, and there is an endless stream of troops who have received military orders to protect King Qi. This army costs a lot of money and food to move, and the march plan has been set. If we speed up the trip now, it will not affect the military. With the layout above, I’m afraid I have to ride lightly on the road, which I can’t bear.

At this time, Xiao Shunzi said softly: "Is King Qi afraid and unwilling to march in a hurry?"

My heart moved, and I thought about it carefully. Sure enough, after hearing King Qi's tone, he just didn't want to be accused of neglecting the imperial envoy, so he asked me to refuse. I smiled in my heart, and King Qi had also changed his mind. Although it was He wants to use me as a shield, but since he also wants to reconcile with the emperor, I will help him. Thinking of this, he said: "Please tell your highness that we should stick to the planned journey. The imperial envoy is here to deliver the order, and I am afraid that I am also involved. If I hurry up, I am afraid that my life will be on the road."

Sure enough, after I said that, King Qi didn't bother me again. If it were in the past, King Qi would either speed up the march without asking, or ignore him and remain the same. The changes now are quite gratifying to me, at least Qi. Wang will no longer act stubbornly, but he wants to use me as a shield, but he has to pay a price, and I will always get it back.