The two palace attendants gently put the tray down and retreated.
Queen Cao sat next to Dou Jiande, and both husband and wife looked at the things on the tray with some reluctance.
Pei Ju said softly: "Your Majesty, what does this mean?"
Dou Jiande didn't answer, he just picked up the largest one and played with it for a while, then murmured: "It says "I was ordered by heaven to live a long and prosperous life, right?"
Pei Ju was highly nervous. Although he had been in officialdom for many years and had gone through twists and turns, it was the first time that he was so close to the Six Seals of the Chuan Kingdom and that the six seals were gathered together in such a complete way.
He knew the weight of these little things. In the eyes of some people, they were almost symbols of imperial power, the most precious things in the world. Killing eight people for this was just a joke. If it didn't go well, the blood would turn into a river.
Although Pei Ju is old, his desire to survive is much stronger than that of many young people.
He thought carefully before he said cautiously: "Exactly...this was made by the First Emperor using He's jade. Li Si wrote it and was ordered to do so by Heaven. On it were the characters "Shou Yongchang" in order to fulfill the mandate of Heaven.
Later, it was used by the emperor to pass down the country. After receiving it, he became the emperor. Later generations successively made six seals, and the jade seal passed down the country sat in the center...During the chaos in Jiangdu, a piece was lost in a hurry, which was the emperor's official seal..."
Dou Jiande didn't seem to hear it. He just held the jade seal in his hand and whispered: "Who doesn't cherish it so much that he even broke a corner of it."
Pei Ju gritted his teeth and said: "When Wang Mang usurped the throne during the Han Dynasty, the Queen Mother angrily smashed the imperial seal on the ground and broke a corner. Later, Wang Mang ordered gold to replace it."
Dou Jiande finally sobered up a little, put down the jade seal with great care, and sighed: "You all say that if Yang Guang loses it, he will lose the world. If I get it, it is because God is looking down on me and I should be the emperor."
, but now...what should I say?"
Pei Ju was silent, naturally he would not believe what those gods and ghosts said. This thing is only as valuable as a mountain if it goes into the hands of those who can really bear it. If others take it, it will only lead to death.
Those fools reversed cause and effect and came up with other explanations.
Think about how Emperor Dou led his troops to surround Yu Wenhua and his brothers. Not only did he win the imperial seal, but he also won the most beautiful woman in the world.
But it didn't take long for the Turks to take Empress Xiao away. Now, does the emperor want to send them to the Turks too?
Thinking of this, Pei Ju couldn't help but feel a little funny. After all his work, he got married to a Turk. Who do you think he should talk to for explanation?
If you think about it more deeply, are these former Sui survivors also destined to end up in the Turks? Pei Ju felt a chill on his back. The journey was so long and others didn't know. He was probably going to die on the road.
Thinking erratically, Pei Ju also became a little distracted.
Fortunately, Dou Jiande didn't expect any answer, and he also understood at this time that although these things looked good, they could not bring God's favor, and most of those people were lying to him.
So he pushed the tray sadly and said, "You are from the Pei family in Hedong, and you have friends all over the world. I can trust you. Find someone to send these things to Li Ding'an. I give up."
As soon as these words were spoken, Dou Jiande's body softened a little, and Queen Cao next to him burst into tears.
Pei Ju was shocked. It was not Tujue but Li Ding'an. This was a bit beyond his expectation. Moreover, although what he and Dou Jiande just said revolved around the word surrender, Emperor Dou was so happy... that aroused
It's full of doubts.
"The Supreme...want to make peace with Li Ding'an?"
Dou Jiande snorted, "Fix it... You'd better help me fix a letter and send it to Li Ding'an, saying that I can serve him as his master, but first, he has to release Cao Dan, Fan Yuan and others, and those who surrendered from Henan
I don’t want it anymore, but people from Hebei and Shandong will come back.
Second, I want to be the king of Hebei. How do you say that...ah, yes, I will rule by crossing the river.
Third...I haven't thought about it yet, why cry, I'm not dead yet...Please help me think about it, what other benefits should I ask him to give me?"
…………
Pei Ju couldn't think clearly. He only thought of Xiang Yu and Liu Bang...
Emperor Dou wanted to exchange a few pieces of imperial seals and the proposal of becoming a minister to get a king of Hebei. He felt that it was tantamount to seeking the skin of a tiger. Even if Xiao Xian was still there, it was unlikely that he would get a satisfactory answer from Li Ding'an.
Otherwise, how could Li Ding'an desperately lead his troops across the Yellow River and rush into Chang'an? On the contrary, when the emperor in Luoyang was still named Yang, there might be some chance.
He thought about it again and again before saying: "I can write the letter for you, but I don't think Li Ding'an has the capacity to accommodate someone like this."
Dou Jiande forced a smile and said, "You just have to write. I have made up my mind and there is no need to say more."
……………………
After Pei Ju left, only the couple were left in the palace.
Empress Cao cried: "Brother, you don't know life or death outside, are you going to kowtow to others? Dou Dalang, I can tell you, that person named Pei is much more thoughtful than us. If you believe him... we will die."
By then, he must have dug all the holes."
Emperor Dou and his wife looked different when they were together. Cao and he were a young couple, with only one daughter at their knees. It was not easy for the family to survive until now.
No matter how imposing Dou Jiande is on weekdays, he always has to be a little tolerant when facing his wife and daughter.
In particular, Cao's elder brothers Cao Dan and Dou Jiande were sworn brothers. Dou Jiande had always been a figure who could stand alone beside him. Cao Dan could suppress whether they were former Sui people, local aristocrats, or rebel generals.
Cao Dan was surrounded, which was actually like cutting off Dou Jiande's arm, otherwise the government and the public would not be so depressed.
Therefore, as long as Cao Dan is around, the Cao family will be very confident. She will not be afraid of being overtaken by the most beautiful woman in the world, and she will not be afraid that Dou Jiande will neglect her because she has no children.
Talking with Mr. Cao, Dou Jiande became more relaxed. He glared and said angrily: "Go out and see what the weather is like outside. Two hundred thousand people are surrounded. If I were Cao Dalang, I would have surrendered."
There were more than two hundred thousand people, and the whole army was gone...I am not a god, what can I do? Now, let alone ask me to offer a few useless stones..."
Having said this, he grabbed the jade seal on the table and wanted to throw it out. Ms. Cao screamed in surprise. He hesitated for a while and then put it down gently.
"Just let me kowtow hundreds of times to make those bastard officers and soldiers...Tang Jun slow down. What's the harm if I knock my head open?"
Ms. Cao was not afraid of him even with her red and swollen eyes, "Then do you think these things can really bring eldest brother and the others back?"
Dou Jiande stood up, shaking his increasingly fat body, and said in a low voice: "In other words, if Li Ding'an was so easy to fool, he wouldn't be able to enter Chang'an. Brother is still loyal. As long as he doesn't lose his head, he will always find a way.
Escape back.
Don’t you believe in Buddhism? Go and give Buddha a few more sticks of incense and ask him to protect Cao Dalang. It’s not like he was never caught by officers and soldiers back then..."
Cao stood up suddenly. She was not a weak woman. She had been fighting from Shandong with her husband in the past few years. She had many lives on her hands. She had never tasted the taste of a two-legged sheep. She could not only cry.
.
When Dou Jiande saw her expression turning ferocious, he suddenly panicked. When he was young, he was not afraid, but now with his size, he might be knocked to the ground and beaten by his wife.
He immediately waved his hands and said: "Don't worry, don't worry, that's what I said...I just thought, the weather is too cold, there won't be any movement. When the weather gets a little warmer next year, let's send the jade seal there."
, let’s hold off for a while and see if Big Brother and the others can escape...
Well, maybe Li Ding'an will be soft-hearted and let him go. By then we will have already sent people to negotiate with the Turks. When the Turks come, we will have a showdown with Li Ding'an."
This is the true nature of a hero. How can he beg for mercy easily? People who come from Shandong are never short of cunning and resilience, and he believes that Cao Dan is like him. It is nothing to compromise and he will definitely escape back to Hebei if he finds a loophole.
Mrs. Cao came up and grabbed his clothes, "You always have more tricks than others. I don't care what you do. My eldest brother can't die. You must save him... Humph, we two have nothing to do with each other."
I've had a good life with you for a few days, and I'm used to it.
As long as you don't lose your life, we will accept it even if you go to Chang'an to kowtow to others.
Although what old man Pei said is not pleasant to hear, I think he is right. You have to think carefully. If the Turks come and they are defeated, we will all die.
We are nothing, after all, this life is left, and I can accompany you wherever I go, but Xian Niang is still young, and I plan to find a good family for her to marry."
Dou Jiande couldn't get away for two days. He looked at his mother-in-law with a headache and said helplessly: "You have to let me think about it, right?"
Ms. Cao loosened the lapel of his clothes and smoothed out his wrinkles. Her voice became softer and she said, "When we were in Shandong, we just wanted to have a good meal. If the government didn't give us a way to survive, then we would pick up our swords and guns and fight with them."
.
Do you still remember the dog officer in the county? I stabbed him through with a knife. It was the first time I killed someone, but I only had pleasure in my heart. When he was pushing for food, he not only broke my legs, but also almost beat me to death.
Our children.
It would be cheap to kill him. I just want to drink his blood and eat his flesh... But his wife and children at home... died miserably. I didn't feel anything was wrong at the time, but recently I always have nightmares.
That scene.
Thinking about it again, Xian Niang, I'm so scared. I'm afraid that our children will pay for the sins we have done. It's okay if you can really bring peace to the world as they say, but if you fail, Xian Niang, you must hide it from me.
, so that no one can find her.
I have never asked you for anything in my life, so let me beg you for this, okay?"
Dou Jiande had nothing to say. After a long moment, Leng Zhong just nodded heavily...