Chapter 179 Zhao Cheng crushes Zhou Jinghuan, come if you want, don't beep!
Yuan Xiu's rage was expected by Zhou Jinghuan and the officials.
The common people have only heard that the emperor and the eldest princess have a very good relationship. In fact, they don't know whether these rumors are true or false.
But the Beijing officials who often walked around the palace were very aware of Yuan Xiu's feelings for this biological sister.
Their biological mothers passed away early. Although they are not much different in age, Yuan Xiu has grown up under the company and care of Yuan Yun since childhood. He has both sister-like love and mother-like respect for Yuan Yun.
It is no exaggeration to say that in Yuan Xiu's heart, Yuan Yun is his only relative.
This is also the reason why Yuan Yun has not recruited a consort even though he is twenty-three years old.
Usually high-ranking officials in the court are willing to let their children marry imperial princesses, so as to consolidate the family status by marrying the royal family.
But the more Yuan Xiu paid attention to Yuan Yun, the less anyone dared to fight for this consort.
After all, with Yuan Xiu's moody temper, who would dare to be his brother-in-law easily...
Now Zhou Jinghuan wants to send Yuan Yun to Southern Zhou as soon as he opens his mouth. It would be strange if Yuan Xiu is not furious!
Zhao Cheng also looked relieved. He had always been curious about what Zhou Jinghuan wanted, and now he understood.
It's really amazing.
What he wants is the eldest princess of the empire, the one Yuan Xiu loves the most!
"If you want other princesses, I can give you two, three, or a dozen! But if you want my imperial sister, there is no way!"
"If it is the crown prince, I will bear it. Then the emperor sister will be the future queen of Southern Zhou Dynasty, but who is your bullshit second prince? He deserves it too?!"
What Yuan Xiu said was extremely unpleasant. Zhou Jinghuan smiled and said nothing, giving Yuan Xiu room to vent and let him finish the scolding at once.
"The toad wants to eat the swan meat, rolling and rolling!!!"
Zhou Jinghuan said softly: "The second prince is also my brother's biological son."
"Don't play word games with me. I said that your second prince is a toad, but I didn't say that you, the Emperor of Southern Zhou Dynasty, are the same! You are so mean, why are you stirring up trouble?"
Even when Yuan Xiu pointed at him and scolded him, Zhou Jinghuan was not annoyed and kept his trademark smile. As an envoy, it is very important to manage emotions. Whether he is angry or aggrieved, patient or explosive, it should be political needs, not personal needs.
.
"Emperor Jing may not know much about the Southern Zhou Dynasty. The prince is very good, and the second prince also has both political integrity and talent."
Zhou Jinghuan patiently explained that in fact, the Crown Prince of Southern Zhou already had a princess, and it was impossible for him to marry Yuan Yun and squeeze out the current princess. This was one of the reasons. The more important point was that it was impossible for Southern Zhou to let Princess Jingguo do it.
Queen.
Yuan Xiu asked: "What will happen to the second prince, no matter how talented and virtuous he is? Should your emperor change him to be the crown prince, or will he be able to succeed in his rebellion in the future?"
Zhou Jinghuan's expression finally changed and he said: "Emperor Jing, be careful what you say!"
"Be careful what you say, mother!" Yuan Xiu picked up a fruit and threw it at Zhou Jinghuan.
Chen Chong, with quick eyesight and quick hands, opened the fruit with a black sword wrapped in a cloth strip.
"Come here!" Yuan Xiu said angrily: "Foreign envoys are prohibited from wearing iron weapons, so I confiscated this man's sword!!"
Chen Chong said: "My sword is not an iron weapon, it is a black copper sword!"
"I'll have someone take it out for inspection. If it's a bronze sword, I'll give it back to you. If it's an iron sword, I'll chop your head off!"
A group of guards gathered around him. Chen Chong wanted to resist, but was stopped by Zhou Jinghuan.
Chen Chong said: "This sword is a precious sword. If they take it away, they will definitely not return it to me."
Zhou Jinghuan said softly: "Did I tell you not to carry a sword in Changsui?"
"But this sword is really made of copper..."
"Forget it, I will spend money to buy it for you when I get back..."
Zhou Jinghuan sighed and said: "The head is more important than the sword."
After a pause, Zhou Jinghuan suddenly raised his hand and bowed to Yuan Xiu, then changed the subject and said: "Emperor Jing, your brother asked me to come here because he is on good terms with your country. But your country's behavior really disappoints me, no matter what I did before.
I endured being beaten viciously on the streets of Changsui and being humiliated like this by you now. But is this the magnanimity of Jingguo?"
"Or does Jingguo really think that if he destroys Ye Dan, he will be invincible?"
"My imperial brother said that there are only friends and enemies between countries. Since Jingguo does not want to be friends with Nan Zhou, he will become an enemy! In this case, I, Nan Zhou, have to make full preparations and fight against the enemy!
"
Hearing this, everyone was shocked. They didn't expect Zhou Jinghuan's face to change so quickly.
Yuan Xiu was silent and didn't say anything. Originally, Zhou Jinghuan came as an envoy, and he had contributed a lot in order to reconcile with the Southern Zhou Dynasty. However, he didn't expect Zhou Jinghuan to make excessive demands on Yuan Yun, so he couldn't bear it and his temper suddenly rose.
.
But if he really wanted to start a war, it would completely violate his original intention.
"What a shame! Am I, Dajing, afraid that you will succeed in the Southern Zhou Dynasty?"
"Just hit!"
"Nan Zhou Dog!"
The grumpy officials began to curse, but some calm officials tried to persuade them.
"Prince He, please calm down. Dajing and Nanzhou have always valued peace, so don't hurt their harmony."
"Don't be anxious. The marriage between the two countries is a major matter for the country. It needs time to discuss!"
Zhou Jinghuan sneered and said: "I have made my request to the Southern Zhou Dynasty. If I say it out loud, it will be like water thrown out. No matter how hard it is to take it back, my imperial brother only has one idea, either a marriage or a war!"
Zhou Jinghuan looked at the ministers and talked as he walked, as if he was quarreling with them.
"Although your country's Northern Expedition was successful, it must have wasted people, money, and vitality, right? Although your army's morale is strong, there are still too many things in the north that need to be dealt with. Can you continue to fight another big war?"
"Looking at the Southern Zhou Dynasty, the pirates are nothing to mention, and all the troops from the whole country can go north! Of course, we will not underestimate the strength of Jingguo. If we really fight, our national strength will be damaged, but we can afford it, and we have to maintain our dignity and dignity.
Your courage to fight to the end!”
Yuan Xiu returned to the dragon chair and sat down. After thinking for a while, he said: "You are so determined to want my imperial sister?"
Zhou Jinghuan nodded and said: "The second prince is obsessed with the eldest princess. He has to hold the portrait of the eldest princess before he can fall asleep at night."
Yuan Xiu shuddered, thinking that you are a pervert!
If you are going to get married, my sister won’t let your second prince eat her?
The officials started discussing again, but most of them were still opposed to compromise. Only a small number of people suggested agreeing to Southern Zhou's request and using marriage in exchange for a chance for Dajing to rest.
Zhao Cheng quietly stood in front of the melon-eating crowd and was also very interested in the outcome of this matter.
Although his proposition cannot be compromised, if he agrees to it, the power of the victory of the Dajing Northern Expedition will be halved, and the image of the great country that was finally established will be greatly reduced in the eyes of the countries in the Western Regions.
But he knew that this was indeed a difficult multiple-choice question for Yuan Xiu.
Just when Zhao Cheng acted like the matter had nothing to do with him, Yuan Xiu's eyes moved away from the officials and suddenly fell on his face.
"Zhao Cheng!"
ah?
Zhao Cheng thought he heard wrongly. It was not until everyone looked at him that he stood up and said, "I'm here!"
He is General Zhaoyong, so he has to call himself a subject.
Yuan Xiudao: "What do you think about this matter?"
Hearing this, Zhao Cheng was completely stunned.
What do I mean by how I see it?
What does Huan Yuanfang think?
Your Majesty, have you asked the wrong person?
Does this matter have anything to do with me??!
All the officials also looked confused. The emperor asked Wen Tai or Mu Shanyue, even if he asked Cao Shangshu, they could understand. Why did he ask Zhao Cheng?
Could it be that because he was Zhao Huan's eldest son, the emperor wanted to test the attitude of the Prime Minister's Office?
In order to answer the surprise of the officials, Yuan Xiu said: "Our general Zhaoyong destroyed the Southern Zhou intelligence network in the thirteen cities of Yanchuan and Jingdong. Apart from the team of the champion, he is the person who knows the Southern Zhou best.
Well, why not listen to what he has to say!"
Zhao Cheng felt like vomiting.
What is your excuse?!
Destroyed the Southern Zhou spy network?
Why don't you ask Xiao Luofeng?
He also defeated the Yang family army of Southern Zhou Dynasty!!
Zhao Cheng felt something was wrong. The emperor specifically named him!
What is it that connects me with the marriage between Southern Zhou Dynasty and Dajing?
Otherwise, why would the emperor name him at such a critical moment?!
"Zhao Cheng, I'm asking you!"
Yuan Xiu did not give Zhao Cheng time to analyze. In desperation, Zhao Cheng had no choice but to get out of the queue. He no longer thought about why Yuan Xiu named him, but looked at Zhou Jinghuan.
He knew that at this time, his words and deeds were related to the dignity of the country.
Alas, I can’t keep a low profile...
"Prince He is a complete nonsense!" Since he couldn't escape, he went all out. Zhao Cheng set the tone when he opened his mouth and scolded Zhou Jinghuan angrily.
"It's you again..." Zhou Jinghuan has experienced the harshness of Zhao Cheng's words, so he took retreat as a way forward: "You are justified without speaking loudly. Since you are so determined to refute me, then come up with a convincing reason!"
Zhao Cheng snorted coldly, deliberately acted like a dandy, and said with joy: "You said that because the Northern Expedition wasted money and people, Dajing's vitality was severely damaged, and it was impossible to fight another big war. You are simply talking nonsense!"
"You, an idle prince in the Southern Zhou Dynasty, really understand the national power of Dajing? Of course, you have an intelligence network in the Southern Zhou Dynasty, and you can get some information about Dajing through them, but the problem is that your intelligence organization is not very good!
I am only a sixth-grade general and can destroy your intelligence network in Yanchuan and Jingdong Thirteen Cities. It is not that I am too strong, but that you are too weak."
"For an intelligence organization that has trouble even protecting itself, what useful information do you expect them to find?"
"What a big joke!"
Hearing this, Zhou Jinghuan's brows furrowed, while Yuan Xiu's expression gradually relaxed, and he looked at Zhao Cheng with a hint of excitement.
Yuan Xiu called Zhao Cheng out just as a sudden idea. If Zhou Jinghuan hadn't proposed a marriage with Yuan Yun, he wouldn't have thought of Zhao Cheng.
Since my sister wanted to take revenge on Zhao Cheng, she would help to step on him.
That's all.
But unexpectedly, Zhao Cheng actually stunned Zhou Jinghuan as soon as he opened his mouth.
What a surprise!
"There is also the battle of Lingshan. Let's not talk about the victory of General Longxiang of Dajing with less than the majority. Let's just say that the ones you sent to Lingshan were the most elite Yang family army in the Southern Zhou Dynasty, as well as the famous Yangmen Qi.
General. What's the result? Thousands of elite soldiers were killed and injured, and all seven generals of the Yangmen were destroyed!"
"Tsk tsk... We had casualties in the Northern Expedition, but we gained more. And what about your Southern Zhou?"
"The spy network has been destroyed, and the seven generals of the Yangmen Gate have been wiped out. You still say that our Dajing vitality has been seriously damaged? I think it is you who have been severely damaged, right?!"
"You..." Zhou Jinghuan suddenly felt a tightness in his chest.
"Okay!! Well said!!"
"What Mr. Xiang said makes sense!!"
The officials of the Jingguo State applauded one after another. Zhao Cheng had a reputation as a playboy and a prodigal. If he had not contributed to the destruction of the Southern Zhou spy network, in the eyes of these officials, he would have been a waste that held Zhao Huan back.
Unexpectedly, the dandy has the advantage of being a dandy!
Zhao Cheng's dandy face and harsh words were just the right medicine to deal with Zhou Jinghuan!
Many ministers looked at Yuan Xiu with admiration, thinking that His Majesty knew people well and had a unique insight.
Taking advantage of his momentum, Zhao Cheng took a step forward and approached Zhou Jinghuan, and continued: "I told the prince that all of your Southern Zhou troops can go north. You can afford it, and you have the courage to fight to the end. I admit it. You have the financial strength.
, but whether you can fight is one thing, and whether you can win is another!"
"We are in Dajing! There are champion kings in front of us, great generals in the back, and outstanding young generals such as General Longxiang and General Fenyong. The military generals of Dajing push forward the waves from behind and will never be replaced."
"As for you, apart from the Grand Governor and his Yang Family Army, do you have anyone who can fight? No matter how many people there are, what's the use? If you don't know how to fight, you will die!"
"Nonsense!" Zhou Jinghuan finally retorted and said sternly: "There are also many outstanding young generals in the Southern Zhou Dynasty!"
"Really? Like the young governor Yang Qingzhi?" Zhao Cheng smiled, looked at Xiao Luofeng, and said: "When General Long Xiang beat Yang Qingzhi to a pulp, he was just a city guard. If
If Prince He thinks that such a combat level is excellent, then we have countless outstanding generals in Dajing!"
"Hahahahaha!!!" Some ministers couldn't help laughing.
Zhou Jinghuan argued: "The little governor's incident was an accident. How can we generalize?!"
"Don't fool yourself, Prince."
Zhao Cheng waved his hand and said with a smile: "Isn't your Southern Zhou Dynasty known as a country of elegance? Indeed, your literati are quite talented. If you rely on articles to fight a war, then you can do it. But you really can't do it with real swords and guns!"
"So you can choose to fight to the end, but I, Dajing, my son, these vulgar and reckless men in the eyes of you Southern Zhou people, will stick with me until the end!"
As soon as Zhao Cheng said this, many generals gathered around him, their eyes red, fists in their hands, extremely excited.
Veteran generals like Pu Jian and Bi Fansheng also looked at Zhou Jinghuan angrily.
The next moment, the shouts of the generals were deafening.
"I will stay with you till the end, until death!"
Listening to this bloody voice, Yuan Xiu also became excited. He clearly knew that now was not a good time to start a war with Southern Zhou, but he was so infected by Zhao Cheng's words that he almost believed it!
"Zhao Cheng!! You are bluffing, just talking on paper!!!" Zhou Jinghuan trembled all over and shouted with a red face.
"Am I bluffing, or are you exaggerating?"
Zhao Cheng looked directly into Zhou Jinghuan's eyes and said: "The Southern Zhou army is really so powerful. Why can't you go further north after the champion king guarded Yunjing? If you really dare to launch a nationwide war, why do you send Yang Qingzhi?
Disguise yourself as a pirate and sneak into Lingshan Mountain?"
“Why should we be secretive when we can be aboveboard?”
"You said that your emperor has only one idea, either a marriage or a war."
"Then I have only one idea. Either you call me, or you stop beeping blindly!"
"Okay!!" All civil and military officials shouted loudly, and some even couldn't help but applaud.
If you want to fight, fight, don’t beep!
I will stay with you till the end, till death!
Zhou Jinghuan was outnumbered and couldn't bear the pressure after all. His body sank a little. If Chen Chong hadn't quickly held him up, he might have sat down on the ground.
It's not that Zhou Jinghuan was a coward. If he had been, he wouldn't have said such arrogant and domineering words. The main thing was that Zhao Cheng controlled the rhythm and aroused the emotions of the Jing people.
He couldn't stand the strong aura of all the Jing people.
Seeing that Zhou Jinghuan was short of breath, Zhao Cheng stopped and said politely to Yuan Xiu: "Your Majesty, it seems that the prince and I are tired. Why don't we let him go down to rest first?"
Yuan Xiu nodded, accepted it, and laughed loudly: "Prince He is an outspoken person. What he said just now should be used to cheer you up. Please relax and continue drinking!"
"The seats in the Yongshou Palace have been prepared. Let's go in and drink in the evening!"
Yuan Xiu raised his hand towards the singers and dancers and said with a smile: "Keep playing music, keep dancing!"
…
night.
Yongshou Palace.
Following the verbal battle between Zhao Cheng and Zhou Jinghuan in the afternoon, there was no more disturbance. By evening, many people were drunk. Some people went home, while others simply fell asleep on the spot.
Most people behave differently when they are sober and tipsy, so the banquet in the evening was even more lively. Many people who had never spoken to each other took up their glasses and became 'brothers'.
Zhao Cheng felt that this scene was no different from his previous life. He had been restraining himself from drinking too much, and found that the few people he paid special attention to drank too little, just like him.
For example, Wen Tai, Wen Hu, and Yuan Xiu, and now there is another Wang Ren.
After Yuan Xiu drank from the envoys of various countries, he did not return directly to the throne. Instead, he walked to the front of the Yanchuan phalanx and pointed at Zhao Cheng.
"Come out and go for a walk with me."
Zhao Cheng was not surprised this time. From when Yuan Xiu called him out by name before, he knew that Yuan Xiu must remember him for something.
People who saw Yuan Xiu's move were not surprised. After all, Zhao Cheng helped Dajing earn face in the afternoon, so the emperor probably had another reward.
Yuan Xiu walked in front, only Wei You followed closely, and Zhao Cheng lagged far behind.
Yuan Xiu stopped, turned around and frowned: "What are you talking about? Hurry up!"
Zhao Cheng then quickened his pace.
Yuan Xiu saw Zhao Wu following Zhao Cheng and said, "Zhao Cheng can come with me alone. You stay here to play!"
Zhao Wu looked at Zhao Cheng, Zhao Cheng nodded and gave Zhao Wu a look.
This is the imperial palace, and the emperor personally summoned me, so everything will be fine.
Only then did Zhao Wu stop and watched Zhao Cheng leave Yongshou Palace.
After coming out of Yongshou Palace, Yuan Xiu didn't say a word, and Zhao Cheng didn't dare to make a sound, but just followed silently.
After walking for about a quarter of an hour, Yuan Xiu and Wei You slowed down. Zhao Cheng looked up and saw the three characters "Yu Yunzhai" written on the door.
He didn't know where it was, and guessed it was the emperor's private residence or something.
After entering Yuyunzhai, Wei You walked in front instead and walked to a room facing the south.
In front of the house there are mountains, water, pavilions, and several guards.
"See Your Majesty!" the guards knelt down and said.
Zhao Cheng noticed that the leading guard looked familiar. He seemed to be Heng Wenhao who had appeared when Wang Yuluan beat Zhou Jinghuan.
Wei You pushed the door open and turned sideways to let Yuan Xiu and Zhao Cheng in.
Zhao Cheng took a step inside and took a quick look around secretly. He saw that this was a huge bedroom with all kinds of high-end furniture.
There is also a faint fragrance.
Yuan Xiu finally said: "Are you curious why you are not included in today's reward?"
Zhao Cheng almost blurted out that he had forgotten, but this did not fit the image of a playboy he had deliberately created. After thinking for a while, he said: "I don't understand. I have made a big contribution, so I won't be forgotten, right? But I
I think His Majesty must have other plans."
"clever."
Yuan Xiu stopped, smiled slightly and said, "This is my arrangement."
Zhao Cheng then boldly looked around and saw no one except this house.
But the fragrance that reaches your nose is clearly a smell that women like. Does your Majesty want to reward beautiful women?
There's no one here now. Is it because the beauty hasn't come yet?
When I was thinking about this, footsteps came from the room, but it was not a beautiful woman who came, but three people dressed as eunuchs.
The man walking in front, Zhao Cheng, actually knew him. He was Eunuch Jin who went to Qingdong City to announce the edict last time.
They walked to Zhao Cheng and stopped. Yuan Xiu waved his hand and said, "Let's go!"
Zhao Cheng was stunned, and before he could react, the three father-in-laws pounced on him and took off his clothes!
Zhao Cheng resisted instinctively, but he couldn't defeat the three men. Moreover, these three father-in-laws were extremely skilled in taking off their clothes!
Seeing his coat being taken off and a father-in-law's hand clutching his trouser pocket, Zhao Cheng quickly shouted: "Your Majesty, what are you doing?"
"it's not good?"
"please do not?"
"Eunuch Jin! We are acquaintances, have you forgotten me? Stop itching!"
Eunuch Jin didn't respond to Zhao Cheng's words at all. Instead, he was more ruthless and pushed Zhao Cheng to the ground so that the other two father-in-laws could take off his pants.
Seeing Yuan Xiu and Wei You standing aside and laughing strangely, especially when Wei You held Yuan Xiu's arm and pressed his face against Yuan Xiu's chest, Zhao Cheng suddenly understood something and felt confused.
The emperor’s orientation...
not good!
The arrangements made by the emperor,
Do you want to give me a favor?
Damn it...
I don’t want to enter the harem!!
Since Yuan Xiu wanted to bring Zhao Cheng alone, he had made arrangements along the way, and there were also arrangements near Yuyunzhai. As long as he did not allow it, neither Zhao Wu nor the Zhou Chuan brothers and sisters could come in.
At this time, Zhao Cheng was unable to respond to calls every day, and for the first time he deeply felt a major crisis.
He never expected that the emperor would take action against him.
And he’s still so ruthless!
The father-in-laws, who were quick and skillful in their work, quickly stripped Zhao Cheng naked, and Zhao Cheng curled up like a cooked shrimp.
"Zhao Cheng, we are all men, please be more generous!"
"Your Majesty, a scholar can be killed but not humiliated!"
"Tch, you're such a pervert, are you doing this with me?"
Yuan Xiu made a gesture, and the father-in-law immediately grabbed Zhao Cheng's hands and feet and spread him out.
Yuan Xiu felt that the white flowers were a bit dazzling and said: "The young man is quite white."
Wei You was also amazed and said with a smile: "Your Majesty, he has a good figure."
Yuan Xiu shook his head and said, "It's still far behind you."
"You can't do that, Your Majesty!" Zhao Cheng shouted: "I ate something bad last night and had a stomachache, and today I drank a lot of wine. I kept spanking!"
Zhao Cheng was about to cry but had no tears. If Yuan Xiu knew what AIDS was, he would have wanted to say that he had AIDS.
"Wrap him up!" Yuan Xiu said.
Eunuch Jin brought a blanket to wrap Zhao Cheng. The width of the blanket was suitable, just enough for Zhao Cheng to show his head.
Like a wrapped rice dumpling.
Yuan Xiu smiled at Zhao Cheng again, said nothing, turned around and left.
As soon as he left, Wei You, Eunuch Jin and others also left.
When Wei You walked to the door, he paused, turned around and said, "Take the blanket over yourself, otherwise it will fall apart easily, cluck, cluck, cluck..."
Wei You smiled like an old hen and closed the door after exiting.
Zhao Cheng looked confused, what the hell is going on?
You made me like this, and then everyone left?
Your Majesty, what exactly are you going to do??!
"Da, da, da..." There were footsteps in the room again.
Zhao Cheng immediately turned around and saw a dressed-up woman walking towards him.
This woman looks majestic, aloof, and beautiful.
Although there was makeup on his face, Zhao Cheng felt vaguely familiar.
Only after getting closer did Zhao Cheng remember who she was.
I suddenly broke into a cold sweat!
The woman's mouth was slightly raised, her bright red lips parted slightly, and she said coldly and arrogantly: "You bastard, have you remembered who I am?"
