Although Su Dingfang was young, he had always been taciturn. After listening carefully to Li Shan's narration and the explanations of the doctors in the city, he only said this sentence.
After the operation that night, she sat in a carriage heading south. Su's mother recovered fairly well, but in the last two days, she abandoned the carriage and rode the horse, and the wound cracked again. Li Shan checked it and directed Zhou to re-apply the medicine and bandage.
Li Shan did not have the temperament of some doctors, so he asked Zhu Ba to invite a doctor in the city. After a diagnosis, he prescribed some medicine to Su's mother.
"We support each other going south, thanks to Brother Su's strength." Li Shan waved his hand, looked at Su Dingfang's expression, and said softly: "There is no need to mention the past."
This is the truth. Li Shan never thought about the deed of sale written by his subordinate Su Dingfang.
Over there, Mrs. Zhou had cooked the medicine and served it to Su's mother. The latter was an old woman with silver hair, about fifty or sixty years old, with kind eyebrows and kind eyes, and a face like a silver basin.
At this time, Ma Zhou suddenly appeared outside the door, "Manager Tian has sent a message, Liu Heitai's army is coming from the east."
Li Shan squinted and thought for a while, "So fast... where are the Turks?"
"The Turkic army is still stationed fifty miles away and is standing still."
Li Shan glanced at Su Dingfang, "Can you hold on?"
"We can hold it." Su Dingfang said decisively: "There is no shortage of food, grass, ordnance, and troops. We can hold it until at least the end of December."
The end of December...meaning it can last until next year. Even if Li Jiancheng insists on spending the Spring Festival in Chang'an, Li Yuan cannot bear the fall of Hebei and Shandong for such a long time.
Ma Zhou outside the door asked: "Will the Turkic army really return to the north?"
"I really don't know." Li Shan rolled his eyes, "How about... you go out of the city and ask that Ashina Sheer?"
Ma Zhou left angrily, and Su Dingfang suddenly knelt on one knee in front of his mother, "Shandong and Hebei have been fighting for years, and the people are in dire straits. King Dong of the Han Dynasty has revolted several times, and the child wants to move to Guanzhong."
Mother Su stared at her son hesitantly, then looked up at Li Shan, "Where is Guanzhong?"
"Outside Chang'an City, at the foot of Dongshan Mountain, the scenery is elegant and suitable for long-term residence. There is also a famous temple on the mountain."
Li Shan didn't know what to say for a moment.
Agreeing to move... It seems that Li Shan is a bit of a repayment of kindness.
Rejection...it seems that Li Shan is too hypocritical.
Along the way south, Li Shan made it clear to Su Dingfang about almost everything, and no matter how powerful the troops were, Su Dingfang was always at the head.
With the kindness of saving his mother and the utmost trust, Su Dingfang didn't think that he was a member of Dou Jiande and Liu Heitai's old team, and there was a better choice.
Su's mother had fully woken up around Li Ting, and had already listened to Mr. Zhou's detailed account of the incident. Faced with her son's request, she could only sigh softly, "Then I will bother Li Langjun."
Li Shandeng immediately breathed a sigh of relief, straightened his clothes, and bowed formally, "Please forgive me, aunt. My nephew will regard Dingfang as his brother. I am willing to never leave him and work together in this life."
Along the way south, the old woman was awake for less than half of the time, but she kept silent about her son's promise to become a slave... Li Shan was really afraid that the other party would not go to Chang'an.
Li Shan turned around and saluted Su Dingfang again, "I hope Brother Su will give you more advice in the future."
Su Dingfang showed a frank smile, and while shaking his head, Li Shan smiled and said: "We need Brother Su's help to defend the city this time, and we will also need Brother Su's protection when we return to Guanzhong in the future."
"Brother Su must have long wanted to inquire about my younger brother's life experience... Uncle Ling made several insinuations, but Brother Su just refused to ask."
"My little brother's life experience is indeed bumpy and strange, and few people know about it. We will talk to Brother Su after the war."
Over there, Mrs. Zhou helped Su's mother into the inner room. Uncle Ling walked in and glanced at Li Shan, "It's decided?"
Su Dingfang went out quietly, leaving the two of them inside.
"Auntie and Brother Su are naturally going to Chang'an..."
"Aunt?" Ling Bo sneered, "You can change your words very quickly."
Li Shan's face turned red, he glared and asked, "Mr. Ling, haven't you made up your mind yet?"
"You're not called Uncle Ling anymore?"
Li Shan lowered his voice, "You call Brother Su's mother your aunt, and then you call Mr. Ling your uncle?"
"You..." Uncle Ling was so angry that he fell back and cursed: "Ding Fang should really see your face!"
Li Shan sat down cross-legged indifferently, "After the Battle of Luoshui, Brother Su was willing to take extraordinary risks to pick up the family members of his colleagues from under the eyes of the Tang army. He was truly heroic..."
This means that you, Ling Jing, owe Su Dingfang a huge favor!
Now that Su Dingfang wants to go to Chang'an with me, are you going to abandon Su Dingfang?
"Shut up!" Ling Bo pointed at Li Shan's nose and said harshly: "If you say this again, I will definitely die of old age in Shandong!"
Li Shan was overjoyed. He stood up and helped Uncle Ling sit down. He poured a glass of water diligently and said, "Shut up from now on. Whatever you want to hear, sir, I will say whatever you want."
Uncle Ling laughed angrily and threw away Li Shan's hand, "I want to hear about your life experience."
"I have already mentioned it to Brother Su just now. After the war, on the way back to Guanzhong, I will definitely tell you frankly." Li Shan said seriously: "Sir, don't worry, I have a clean life experience..."
"Innocent by birth?!" Ling Bo sneered: "Innocent by birth but born in Lingnan?"
Lingnan has always been a fixed place for former dynasties to exile criminals, and Ling Bo obviously had something in mind.
"Your ancestral home is Longxi Chengji, Li Shan, but you are not the Li family of Longxi, the Li family of Zhaojun, or the Li family of Tang Dynasty. You traveled north from Lingnan and settled outside Chang'an City."
"Excellent in medical skills, arithmetic, and familiar with the meaning of classics, he can better understand the chaotic situation of the court, and has a clear understanding of the struggle for the legitimate heir in the court."
"Although his riding skills are poor, he is proficient in military strategy and has more courage."
"Such a person, even from a small family, is by no means inferior to the children of the Li family in Longxi."
Ling Bo thoughtfully raised his fingers and tapped the rim of the cup, "When I arrive in Chang'an someday, I just need to find out when you settled in Chang'an, and then find out whether there are people named Li who are not Longxi Li or Zhaojun Li in the city who were exiled in the past.
Lingnan, I returned from Lingnan last year..."
Li Shan's expression changed. Ling Jing's few inferences... seemed impossible, but the logic was strict, and the truth seemed to be within reach.
Seeing Li Shan's nervous look, Ling Bo proudly stroked his long beard and said, "Tell me, who are your ancestors and what is their relationship with the King of Qin?"
Li Shan fell into deep thought for a long time. The old man in front of him was really quick and cunning like an old fox. He was afraid that he would not be able to hide it.
But the question is, is Ling Jing trustworthy?
As if aware of Li Shan's worries, Ling Bo sighed and said: "Last year, King Xia refused to listen to his advice and was eventually defeated and died. I wanted to go back to the countryside, but unexpectedly the chaos continued."
"Dingfang's mother needs your help to survive, and I and more than a hundred villagers also need your help. If it weren't for your righteous anger, no matter what else, it would be difficult for my granddaughter to survive."
Li Shan squinted his eyes and stared into Ling Bo's eyes. After a while of silence, he whispered: "I have indeed not entered Prince Qin's palace."
Life experience... Li Shan really dare not say anything, but Li Shimin can reveal some.
"But you are willing to serve under the King of Qin, and Tian Liu'an also said before that the King of Qin praised you a lot in the letter." Ling Bo said softly: "If not, why would you urge the King of Huaiyang and take the risk of stealing from the Turks?
Exchange it back."
"So, your enemy is the prince... No, it should be under the command of the East Palace, otherwise you would not have encouraged King Huaiyang to kill Shi Wanbao for false orders."
"The King of Qi led tens of thousands of Tang troops to the Shaanxi East Road and has refused to go north. He is obviously an ally of the East Palace...at least not an ally of the King of Qin."
"But why did you go south with King Qi?"
Li Shan had a splitting headache. This old man was really a genius. He could rattle off such a long list just by relying on his own words... and he even guessed it very accurately.
"It's a little boring in the house..." Li Shan stood up and said, "Let's go out for a walk."
Ling Bo walked out with a half-smile but not a smile. This is the west side of Guantao County. Tian Liuan specially vacated a few houses for Li Shan, Su Dingfang and his party to live in. The area is not small.
A gust of cold wind blew, and Li Shan gathered his clothes after refreshing himself, "It's getting colder."
"The day when the Turkic soldiers return to the north should not be far away." Ling Bo said casually: "As you said, if Dong Gong personally conquers Hebei, it should be successful, and the future life of King Qin will become more and more difficult."
"So, what Mr. Ling means is..." Li Shan smiled, "Afraid of being implicated by King Qin?"
Ling Bo sneered and said: "Without any means, it would be extremely difficult for King Qin to stand up in one fell swoop."
"If you are under the command of the East Palace, I have some methods that I can use. You only need to spread the news in the capital that King Qin is like King Jin..."
Indeed, Li Shimin and Yang Guang are similar in many ways. They are both legitimate second sons and have led armies on expeditions... although Yang Guang is much worse than Li Shimin in this aspect.
They are all very ambitious, but they all have the eldest son above them... If Ling Jing's words were transmitted back to Chang'an, it would be easy for people to think wrongly.
If the sage Li Yuan finally deposes the crown prince Li Jiancheng and replaces him with the second son Li Shimin, will the latter be like Yang Guang... carrying out large-scale construction projects, expedition to Goryeo, being slanderous and self-willed, so that the huge empire collapsed in a short period of time?
If the whole city of Chang'an heard about this rumor, then Prince Li Jiancheng would naturally be overjoyed, and sage Li Yuan would feel at ease to use the slope to get off the donkey...
Ling Jing’s plan is really cruel!
Li Shan couldn't help but shudder. Fortunately, Ling Jing didn't surrender to the East Palace. He was a poisonous person like Jia Wen and others!
Li Shan and Ling Jing's eyes collided, and the former thought to himself, you are still so poisonous.
Back then, one word almost affected the war situation in the Central Plains, causing Li Shimin to lose sight of each other. If the word spread today... Li Shimin would really be in trouble.
However, this statement is naturally problematic in the eyes of time travellers. Li Shimin is indeed very much like Yang Guang. After he came to power, he punched and kicked in the east and west. His noisy spirit was no worse than that of Yang Guang. He also carried out large-scale construction projects and even traveled south to Luoyang, the eastern capital.
.
But the difference is that Li Shimin hit the opponent's vitals with his punches and kicks in the east and west, and the kicks made the opponent scream... "Heavenly Khan".
Ling Jing glanced at Li Shan's face and said with a smile: "You are not old, but you have deep thoughts. You seem to put justice first, but in fact you are cautious and wary of others..."
"Sir, what you said...isn't right? I don't trust Brother Su enough?"
"That's really an anomaly. I still don't know why you believe in redefining the formula so much." Ling Jing shook his head and said: "In exchange for the King of Huaiyang, it has been kept secret. Tian Liu'an is still worried about you being retaliated by Shi Wanbao in the future."
It wasn't until Li Daoxuan entered the city that Tian Liuan and others understood why Li Shan was not afraid of Shi Wanbao's future revenge at all.
Li Shan smiled coquettishly, and his eyes fell not far away. Su Dingfang and Guo Pu were rectifying Li Shan's personal guards.
All the way south, Zhujiagou Qingzhuang was always led by Guo Pu. Although Li Shan named Su Dingfang as the leader every time he went into battle, the latter never intervened.
To this day, Su Dingfang handed over the details. After leaving the house, he immediately summoned Zhujiagou's young men and mixed them with his own young men to mix and organize them.
In other words, Su Dingfang already regarded himself as the leader of Li Shan's bodyguard. After all, Guo Pu was a general of the Li family in Longxi and cooperated with Su Dingfang very well.
Su Dingfang went south to fight several battles, always taking the lead in every battle, and had already convinced everyone. Even Fan Laosan bowed his head and obeyed orders after the night attack.
"There were about two hundred people in the village that day, and there were many scattered around." Ling Bo suddenly said: "You have so many places?"
This was regarded as a formal acceptance. Li Shan smiled and said, "Mr. Ling, aren't you afraid of being involved?"
"I'm afraid I've already been involved." Ling Bo sighed, "Dingfang followed you to Beijing and brought many of his children with him. Is it possible that I am alone and alone in Hebei?"
"Don't worry, sir."
Ling Bo pursed his lips in that direction, "The third person on the left is Wang Fubao's nephew Wang Junhao. He is sharp in the battle and not weak in the formation."
Li Shan looked at his face carefully and said, "Wang Fubao... I think I've heard of it."
"At that time, the first general under the command of the King of Xia conquered the east and the west. He bravely won the three armies and his achievements were higher than those of other generals. Later, he was killed by the King of Xia." Ling Bo sighed: "Since Wang Fubao left, the King of Xia has rarely won any battles."
Li Shan nodded and listened as Ling Bo explained the identities and origins of more than a hundred people and the villagers who did not follow him south... Obviously, Ling Jing could guess what Li Shan wanted to do.
After a while, Li Shan suddenly turned around and asked with a smile: "I heard that the former Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty died at the hands of the prince?"
Ling Jing stared at Li Shan dumbfounded, who looked innocent... This is what is written in the history books. Yang Jian was seriously ill, and the prince Yang Guang rudely bullied his concubine, Mrs. Xuanhua. Yang Jian was furious and prepared to retrieve his deposed eldest son.
Yang Yong, then Yang Guang mobilized troops to besiege the palace and killed his father to seize the throne.
There are countless unofficial legends about this period... Yang Guang has been characterized as one of the top faint kings in history. This experience has given him a lot of points.
Ling Jing's eyes gradually changed, from surprise to confusion, then to deep thought, and finally his gaze was like a needle engraved on Li Shan's face.
"Never heard of that!"
Li Shan was stunned. If similar rumors hadn't appeared at this moment, then...
The King of Qin was like the King of Jin, and Yang Guang killed his father to seize the throne, so Li Shimin was also possible... Li Shan was so excited that he swallowed his saliva and said repeatedly: "I made a mistake, I heard about it on my way from Lingnan to the north last year..."
In fact, similar rumors only began to appear after the Zhenguan Dynasty. The statement about Yang Guang bullying Mrs. Xuanhua comes from the "Book of Sui" compiled by Wei Zheng.
Ling Jing obviously didn't believe it, "Where did you hear that?"
"It is absolutely impossible for anyone to hear secrets like this... I have never heard of it!"
"What a pity, what a pity!"
"If you throw yourself into the East Palace... there will be no way for King Qin to turn around!"
Li Shan was about to cry but had no tears, so he held up his hands repeatedly, "Mr. Ling... uh, Uncle Ling, I don't dare to talk about this anymore."
Ling Jing shook his head and sighed: "When we first met that day, you rejected me coldly, but then suddenly turned around to save Ding Fang's mother. I thought you were a doctor."
"Later I heard you talking about ancient and modern times, being good at arithmetic, analyzing the situation of the court, and talking about the battle of Bo, I thought you were a talented person from a well-known family."
"We will know today..."
If rumors that Yang Guang killed his father to seize the throne spread in Chang'an City... Li Shimin wouldn't be worried, he would have to cut the mastermind into pieces.
The two people's eyes collided again. Li Shan knew what Ling Jing didn't say...