Looking down from the air, Erhai Lake is like a crescent moon, lying quietly on the bank of Cangshan Mountain. The lake is crystal clear, like flawless jade among the mountains. Boating on Erhai Lake on such a calm day, the clean and transparent sea surface
Just like the clear blue sky, it is quiet and distant, allowing people to deeply appreciate the poetic and painting-like artistic conception of "a boat drifting on the blue waves and a person swimming in the middle of the painting".
Chen Ke was wearing a black silk gown and a dark green jade belt soaked with rice grits around his waist. He was leaning on a bamboo chair covered with silk mats, holding a mutton-fat white jade cup in his hand, with a lazy expression on his handsome face.
With a smile, he said leisurely: "The luminous cup of grape wine, the jade bowl filled with amber light. Jun Moxiao, who is lying drunk on the battlefield, how many people have fought in ancient times? Mingyue, just with a vain name, you want to use my great Song Erlang's
Life, in exchange for the Duan family regaining power, is this calculation too clever?"
Princess Mingyue did not wear Han attire today. Instead, she wore a shiny black braid, which was wrapped around a colorful headband and a floral ribbon. There was a white tassel hanging on the left side. She was wearing a slim-fitting white top.
Wearing a red waistcoat, white wide trousers, and embroidered shoes. This outfit is simple and lively, cute and cute. With her fair skin and big and pretty eyes, she looks energetic and invincible. But her pretty face is both happy and angry.
At this moment, he was tense: "What's the difference between being annexed by the Song Dynasty and being wiped out by the Yang family and the Gao family?"
"The difference is huge." Chen Ke smiled lightly and said: "If the Yang family and the Gao family gain Dali, the Duan family will lose everything even if they are not exterminated. But after surrendering to the Song Dynasty, the Duan family will still be the king of Yunnan, and the Gao family will
The threat to the Yang family will no longer exist, and you will truly take control of Dali."
"Would the Song Dynasty be so kind?" Princess Mingyue didn't believe it.
"The story of Yelang's arrogance," Chen Ke smiled and said, "Princess, you have always heard of it, right?"
"You..." Princess Mingyue said angrily: "Our Dali country is not so bad! At least we have Dali horses, which you are in short supply in the Song Dynasty!"
"Speaking of Dali horses, we really came here with high hopes," Chen Ke said with a wry smile: "Who would have thought that the famous Dali horses are as big as donkeys in the Central Plains. Our soldiers cannot ride on donkeys.
Are you going to fight against the powerful enemy in the north?
"Your Majesty, you are so disparaging to me, Dali," Princess Mingyue said angrily, her pretty face turning red: "I'm afraid you are trying to cover up the truth!"
"Haha..." Chen Ke laughed and said, "Mingyue, if you are struggling with this kind of problem, it would be more interesting to talk about Fengyue."
The other party always looked like he had no desires and demands, which made Princess Mingyue feel powerless: "I thought the number one scholar in the Song Dynasty was a humble gentleman."
"Mingyue, what you said makes me so sad. We have been together for so many days, and you still don't understand." Chen Ke smiled lazily: "Actually, I'm not a good person."
"I understand..." Princess Mingyue said with a black line on her face: "You tell me what to do?"
"That's right." Chen Ke said with a smile: "Men should worry about these major national affairs, while women should be responsible for dressing up the world."
"Sooner or later, I will prove that what you said is wrong." Princess Mingyue said angrily.
"I'll wait and see." Chen Ke smiled perfunctorily and said, "Come here and I'll tell you what to do."
"That's enough." Princess Mingyue said with a wary look.
Chen Ke motioned her to look at a fishing boat not far away and said: "Have you seen that boat? It has been following us for a long time. What is it if it's not a spy? We are sitting like this from beginning to end. Who looks at it?
Everyone will be suspicious."
"You want to take advantage of me, right?" Princess Mingyue sneered.
"The maid I used to pinch feet in Bianjing City is a bit prettier than you." Chen Ke chuckled.
"Humph," Princess Mingyue snorted angrily: "Then stay away from me, so as not to cause trouble for the No. 1 Scholar!"
"I don't mind." Chen Ke said, lightly stretched his arms, and took the proud little princess into his arms. Princess Mingyue exclaimed and was about to struggle. However, she felt that her whole body was tightly held, and she wanted to yell angrily.
, but heard Chen Ke whisper in his ear: "Listen carefully..."
Princess Mingyue had no choice but to stop her movements and listen to him attentively. Soon, the shame and anger in her heart was replaced by nervousness, and she was dumbfounded and said: "You, you actually let us assassinate you?"
"Otherwise, is there any way to break the current deadlock?" Chen Ke said quietly.
Princess Mingyue stopped talking. The Yang family's rebellion is imminent. If the brother hesitates any longer, he will just sit back and wait for death. If he can use an assassination to make him determined, he can preemptively trap Grand Master Yang, delay the Yang family's rebellion, and send envoys legitimately.
The Song Dynasty promoted the provocation of vassalage and sent troops to rescue the Duan family. This was indeed a dangerous move to break the deadlock.
"You, can you guarantee that the Song Dynasty will accept the title of vassal and send troops in time?"
"I can't guarantee it, but I will try my best to facilitate this matter." Chen Ke shook his head and said: "After the assassination, you sent me out of the city. I will return to Bianjing in the shortest time to help you achieve what you want."
"Without a promise, let's risk everything?" Princess Mingyue bit her lower lip and said, "How can I convince the emperor?"
"Actually, you can rest assured. I can't give you a guarantee because I've always been a rigorous person." Chen Ke sniffed the fragrance of Princess Mingyue's hair and said confidently: "But as long as I give the letter of credence to the Song Dynasty,
I, the Song Dynasty, cannot refuse to ask the officials to save the Duan family, because this is related to the face of the Celestial Dynasty."
"You are saying that if the country does not dare to save the country that is so devoutly loyal, it will make other countries no longer fear the Song Dynasty, right?"
"Smart." Chen Ke nodded, kissed her face gently, and said teasingly: "I am helping you threaten my country. It seems that I have really fallen into your beauty trap."
"Who used a beauty trap on you!" Princess Mingyue twisted her body in shame: "You let me go!" But from a distance, her actions looked like she was flirting with her lover.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
According to the plan, after the assassination, Chen Ke would be secretly sent out of Dali City by the Duan family and set off the next night.
Before leaving, Wang Gui, who was ill, called Chen Ke into the study.
"Zhong Fang," Wang Gui said with a long sigh, looking at Chen Keying's energetic face, "You guys are playing with fire!"
"Your Majesty, I believe in one sentence: God cannot take anything from you, and you must suffer the consequences." Chen Ke said seriously: "Now the three families of Dali are in dispute. The leader is weak and the ministers are strong. This is a perfect opportunity for us, the Song Dynasty, to get involved."
"Actually, it doesn't matter who becomes the emperor," Wang Gui shook his head and said: "There will be no shortage of horses in Dali, and there will be no shortage of copper mines. We have made it clear to them that bartering is fair and just, why take risks?
, why go to such trouble?"
Wang Gui This is a typical thinking of scholar-bureaucrats in the Song Dynasty... As long as a problem can be solved with money, it is not a big problem.
"What the prince said is wrong." Chen Ke sighed and said: "Dali is no different from other places. It is rich in products and can be self-sufficient in everything it needs. The tea, silk, porcelain and other commodities that are unfavorable in the Song Dynasty are just aristocrats to the people of Dali.
It is the enjoyment rather than the necessity of life, so it is not so attractive. This makes us have to pay a higher cost to obtain the copper mines in Dali. Once the cost exceeds or approaches the total face value of the copper coins, the court will lose money
, the more we manufacture, the greater our losses will be, and it will not be able to alleviate the financial crisis at all.”
"Besides, it is related to the lifeblood of the imperial court, how can it be controlled by others?" Chen Ke said with firm eyes: "So we must hold Dali in our hands and transport the copper mine back at the lowest possible cost!"
"Young people are so passionate and energetic, it's really enviable." Wang Gui smiled bitterly and said, "But you have to act within your ability." His act within his ability has two meanings. First, although you are the number one scholar,
Lang, but after all, he was just a new official in the officialdom, and it would be too arrogant to try to influence the court's decision-making; secondly, the world had just experienced a great disaster, and the Song Dynasty was really powerless to use troops against Dali again.
"The prince is overthinking," Chen Ke shook his head and said with a smile: "In fact, the current situation in Dali seems to be tense and unstoppable, but in fact there are other variables."
"What variable?"
"The variable lies with the Gao family." Chen Ke said solemnly: "Now it seems that Gao Zhisheng is wearing the same pants as Yang Yunxian, but this is just an illusion, because the interests of the Gao family are with the Duan family, not Yang.
Home."
Wang Gui nodded and motioned for him to continue.
"The Gao family is different from the Yang family. The Yang family wants to rebel, but the Gao family wants to build a memorial arch. The reason why they support the Yang family is because they are the strongest and have no fear. As long as they don't express their stance clearly, they can turn around at any time." Chen Ke said: "
But as soon as they find out that the Duan family has strong support and does not need to turn to the Gao family for help, they will worry that their painstaking planning has become a wedding dress for others. At this time, they will inevitably change their attitude and prevent the Yang family from rebelling.
"
"So our purpose," Wang Gui somewhat understood, "is just to support the Duan family and restore balance to the situation in Dali, right?"
"That's right," Chen Ke nodded and said, "So sending troops to Dali does not mean falling into war, and it does not even require additional expenditures from the court. Such a good thing can't be found anywhere even with a lantern."
"Why is there no need for additional expenses from the court?"
"Haha, this is another story." Chen Ke smiled and said, "If you want to listen, I can tell you in detail."
"Forget it, I won't listen..." Wang Gui waved his hand and said, "The deal is done, and it's all in vain." He looked at Chen Ke seriously and said, "Zhong Fang, as long as you can convince the officials of Bianjing City and all the ministers,
Naturally, I will fully cooperate with you.”
"Thank you for your magnanimity, Your Majesty." Chen Ke smiled apologetically: "Don't worry, Your Majesty, if something happens in the future, I will bear all the responsibilities."
"What a joke, I'm the envoy." Wang Gui raised his brows and said with a smile, "You, the deputy envoy, can't even try to steal my limelight."
