Liu Ling specially asked his servants to put the iron pot on the fire. It was already September, and the weather was not very hot at night. The windows were open, and the evening breeze blew into the study, also carrying the aroma of the stew.
Go out. A pot of meat is simmering on the fire, bubbling with heat and fragrant.
Put a mouthful of meat into your mouth. The meat is very big, but it is not difficult to chew. The color is red, the fat is not greasy, the lean meat is mellow, the entrance is full of aroma, and the hot aroma goes down the throat and penetrates into the heart, filling the mouth.
The lingering fragrance. Taking another sip of the old wine that has been pumped with water using a secret method, the feeling can be said to be ecstasy. Several people ate slowly at first, and the atmosphere was relatively heavy, but as Liu Ling's relaxation affected them, several people started to eat.
Individually, I was eating meat faster and faster, and eventually it started to feel like a competition, with each person grabbing meat from the iron pot with only one chopstick.
The side dishes are specially prepared to go with this big pot of stewed meat. They all have a light taste and are even more delicious when paired with the strong meaty aroma.
By the time the pot of old wine had reached the bottom, several of them were almost full. Liu Ling took a sip of wine and glanced at the few people present. Although Zhao Er and Hua Ling were generals with huge appetites, it was obvious after eating a lot.
He was already full. However, Zhou Yangong, a man who seemed to be so polite that he could be blown away by the wind, was still stuffing meat into his mouth with his mouth wide open. The meat juice was flowing down the corners of his mouth, and he didn't even know it.
Even the chest and skirt were stained with a large oil stain, and he looked like a second-rank official in the imperial court.
Zhao Er and Hua Ling were also a little stunned. It was not the first time for them to see Zhou Yangong eating meat, but every time they were so shocked. Zhou Yangong was not good at drinking and had no bad habits.
I have a soft spot for meat.
"Master Zhou, what is your belly made of? How can it hold so many things!"
Zhao Er grinned.
Zhou Yangong wiped the oil on his mouth and said: "Don't call me Lord Zhou, it will make you angry. I am just like you, but a loyal dog in the prince's family. I don't have the killing knife in the hands of the two generals, but
Mr. Zhou has many poisonous schemes in his mind, and even when he kills people, he is no match for the two. So Mr. Zhou can be regarded as a semi-warrior. How can a warrior not eat meat?"
Hua Ling smiled and said: "You are half a warrior, but I am a whole person. Why can't I eat as much as you?"
Zhou Yangong stuffed the last big mouthful of plump meat into his mouth, tasted it carefully and said with a smile: "It's different. You two are warriors who are good at fighting, and I am a warrior who is good at eating. Half of it is enough to hold up."
I'm going to fuck you two."
"I'm not afraid of the martial artist's fists and legs, I'm just afraid of the scholar's mouth."
Zhao Er sighed: "It's really amazing!"
Liu Ling smiled and watched the three people talking, with a relaxed smile on his brows. Especially when he heard Zhou Yangong said that he was just a loyal dog in the prince's family, he was really happy. After this era, he got
I have received precious family ties, sincere and touching love, and the help of so many people who are loyal to me. God has been really generous to me.
But now, the family relationship that he valued the most, cared about the most, and defended to the death seemed to be fading away and drifting away. But Liu Ling would not give up, and he would use his own methods to bring this relationship back. If
Is there really no way to get him back? Liu Ling smiled, already having a plan in mind.
After eating and drinking enough, Zhou Yangong burped comfortably, and the way he leaned on the chair seemed a little disrespectful, but Liu Ling's closest people were all in the study, so no one cared about these trivial matters.
"Your Majesty, my subordinate has another request. Please accept it, Your Majesty."
Zhou Yangong wiped his mouth and sat down to feel more comfortable.
"Tell me about it? As long as I can do it, I won't be stingy anymore."
Liu Ling said with a smile.
Zhou Yangong came forward and said in a low voice: "Well, the ancients did not deceive me. After being warm and full, my lustful heart is really aroused. Can your lord reward me with a cardamom girl?"
Liu Ling's answer was to kick Zhou Yangong off his chair, and said with a smile: "Okay, a while ago Yingzhou Tongshou Liu Mao also said that Pan Jinlian who was out of my palace would have to go back to Taiyuan all day long.
Asked her why, she said she really missed Zhou Yangong, and she didn't know if that weak and weak idiot could take care of herself. She wanted to come back and serve you, Mr. Zhou, in your daily life, do you think so?"
Zhou Yangong got up from the ground and bowed to Liu Ling upright: "I beg you, Your Majesty, to grant your permission!"
Liu Ling said in surprise: "Are you really willing?"
Zhou Yangong said seriously: "Although Miss Pan's appearance is a little ugly and her words and deeds are a little vulgar, she leads people with sincerity and has a sincere heart. And I also tasted Miss Jinlian's cooking skills, and they are also worthy of recognition. Besides,
Miss Jin Lian is outstanding in martial arts, and she even gets a bodyguard to protect her for free. She is good at cooking, sincere in heart, strong in martial arts, and physically strong. If she really follows her subordinates, she will even have her share of the cook's salary left, and she will achieve four things with one stone.
Why wouldn't my subordinates be happy?"
Liu Ling keenly caught the narrowness in Zhou Yangong's eyes, and was immediately angry with him: "Okay, since you are so sincere, I will help you two. I think if you two really get together,
A civil and a military force complement each other, and it will definitely become a good story, so I, the King, will hold this red thread!"
Zhao Er and Hua Ling stood up and clasped their fists together and said, "Congratulations to Mr. Zhou on your happy marriage! We are extremely envious and jealous."
Zhou Yangong waved his hands quickly and said, "No, no, no, no. Since I'm jealous, how about I give this good relationship to you two?"
Zhao Er said: "Master Zhou, how can you say such a thing? Riches and honors are not easy to marry. Master Zhou must respect himself."
The jokes made by a few people relaxed the atmosphere a lot again, and a relaxed atmosphere began to linger in the small study room. But no one expected that this joke would become a reality a few years later. The thin and weak
Zhou Yangong actually married the thick and big Pan Jinlian, and he was willing to do so. The two fell in love with each other. Of course, this is a story for another day.
After laughing enough, several people fell silent and looked at each other, and they all saw Chang Ran in each other's eyes. Yes, only when you work under the prince can you be so "unscrupulous", right?
After putting away his smile, Zhou Yangong became serious again.
"Your Majesty, can we really just retreat?"
Zhou Yangong asked seriously.
Liu Ling nodded seriously: "You all should know my past. Born in an imperial family, it seems glorious and noble, but it is boring. Without the deep family affection that ordinary people see, there is only cold intrigue between each other. I am young.
I was weak and sick, and later I was trapped in prison. Only Your Majesty treated me with brotherly love. I can't help but repay this kindness. Zigu, I know your thoughts, but I'd better not mention this matter. But there is one more thing.
I can give it back if I can give it back, but I won’t give it up.”
"What if there is no room for return?"
Duke Yan of Zhou asked.
Liu Ling smiled bitterly and said, "Why is Zigu pushing me so fast?"
Zhou Yangong said: "I am not forcing the prince to be anxious, but I really need to know his thoughts. You must know that now it is not just the prince's personal matter. His subordinates, General Zhao, General Hua, and many others have been tied to the prince.
Together, we will be both prosperous and deprived. I may be rude to you, but even if it is not for the prince, but just for our personal honor and disgrace, I still have to ask clearly before I can make suggestions for the prince."
Liu Ling said solemnly: "I understand. You Zigu has taught me that I will never make a mistake! It's just that I can't do this treasonous thing. If there is really no way to retreat, at worst, I will commit suicide."
I am bound in front of Your Majesty, thinking of my past achievements, can't Your Majesty really not tolerate me?"
After hearing Liu Ling's words, Zhou Yangong stood up and bowed to the ground: "Zhou Yangong has no talent and virtue and cannot be used in a big way. He can't make suggestions for the prince. From now on, we say goodbye. From now on, the prince will walk on the Yangguan Road, and Zhou Yangong will be careful to cross the single-plank bridge.
No connection."
After saying that, he turned around and left. Zhao Er and Hua Ling quickly stopped him to persuade him. Liu Ling looked at Zhou Yangong with a smile, as if he had deep meaning.
"Zi Gu, stay."
Liu Ling said in a sincere tone.
Zhou Yangong rolled his sleeves and said, "Since the prince doesn't believe me, what's the use of me staying here?"
Liu Ling said deliberately: "Why did Zi Gu say this?"
Zhou Yangong asked: "Did what the prince said just now come from the bottom of his heart?"
Liu Ling smiled cunningly and said, "If I didn't say this, Zi Gu would have tried to persuade me to rebel again!"
Zhou Yangong was stunned for a moment, then smiled bitterly and said: "If the prince is really reluctant to part with the "family affection" of the emperor's family, the subordinates can only do the next best thing and give the prince a bad idea."
Liu Ling said solemnly: "I would like to hear the details."
Zhou Yangong said to Zhao Er: "Excuse me, General, to get the map."
Zhao Er got up, found a map and spread it on the ground. Zhou Yangong squatted beside the map and pointed to an area in the northeast of Youzhou and said: "This is the territory of the Bohai Kingdom. The Khitan Yelvxiong has been coveting it for a long time. Sooner or later, it will be better to send troops to attack this.
Although the Bohai Kingdom is a bitter cold land, it is vast and sparsely populated. If the prince can lead an army, it does not need to be large. He only needs 30,000 troops to bypass Youzhou and go all the way here. Taking advantage of the civil strife in the Bohai Sea, he will surely be able to fight his way out.
Heaven and earth come.”
Hua Ling said: "There is Youzhou in the middle. One hundred thousand Daliao Palace troops are stationed here. It would be as difficult as climbing to the sky to bypass Youzhou."
Zhou Yangong said: "There is still a way." He stretched out his hand and pointed on the map: "The prince led the troops to the west, entering the grassland from the border of Xixia. Now the Dangxiang people and the Khitan people have become a life-or-death enemy, and there are thousands of miles of grassland between the two countries.
It has become an unclaimed land. The prince can lead the cavalry into the grassland and continue to the west. There are many small countries in the Western Region, and a population of tens of thousands can be called a country. Destroying such a small country to stand on its own is also a way out."
Zhao Erdao: "This is feasible, but we are not familiar with the geography of the Western Regions, I'm afraid..."
Seeing that Liu Ling didn't interrupt but just smiled, Zhou Yanggong said: "Does the prince have a plan?"
Liu Ling didn't say anything, just stretched out his hand and clicked on the map.
Following Liu Ling's instructions, the three people focused their attention there. They saw that at the location pointed by Liu Ling on the map, there was a stretch of majestic mountains.
Great!
Several people's eyes were focused on where they were, thoughtfully.
However, what none of them had thought of was that Liu Ling stubbornly wanted to maintain the family relationship and could not bear to turn against his second brother, so he wanted to retreat to the Taihang Mountains to protect himself. But the world was changing too fast, and this plan was not yet available.
There was no time to implement it, but one day later an earth-shaking event happened for the Northern Han Dynasty, which completely disrupted everyone's plan. (To be continued)
