Early the next morning, Guo Rong came to see Han Qian to discuss what to do next with Shu Honglu Temple and Zongzheng Temple to confirm many details of the wedding. Han Qian smiled and said: "I am an ignorant person with a vulgar temperament. In Jinling
He has long been famous, and he is ignorant of many etiquettes. These matters are all discussed by Mr. Guo and Wei Qun."
Han Qian would not waste his limited time in Shu on red tape and formalities. The fact that Guo Rong could serve as deputy envoy meant that he was better at this, so Han Qian simply pushed all these matters onto him.
Seeing what Han Qian said, Guo Rong also agreed to the next step without any complaints. When he was about to return to his residence to think about these things carefully, he turned around and heard Han Qian ask from behind:
"Many people say that after the third prince marries Princess Qingyang, His Majesty will abolish the direct line and replace him with a new one. How does Mr. Guo view this matter?"
Guo Rong knew that Han Qian was unlikely to ask such a question, but when he heard it, he couldn't help but be startled. He turned around stiffly and looked at Han Qian with burning eyes that seemed to be piercing his heart. He opened his mouth and didn't know how to answer this question.
question.
In any case, he has been labeled as the Palace of Peace. It can also be said that he should be the kind of person who is least likely to see the third prince ascending the throne. Once the third prince ascends the throne, even if he can save his life, he will be swept away.
To linger in a trash heap in an unknown corner.
If His Majesty did not want to depose the eldest prince and establish a third prince, it is not difficult for Guo Rong to imagine what kind of changes and turmoil would occur in Dachu.
How should he answer Han Qian's question?
"Everything is the arbitrary decision of His Majesty's Sacred Heart. Guo Rong is just His Majesty's slave. How can he have the right to comment on such matters?" Guo Rong lowered his head slightly. After a long time, he said this, bowed again and turned to leave.
"Keep an eye on this thief eunuch carefully so that he doesn't get in the way." Feng Yi said puzzledly.
In Feng Yi's view, Guo Rong is like a tiger whose teeth have been pulled out, but he still falls into their hands. They only need to send people to keep an eye on Guo Rong and not call him bad. Why do they need to test his attitude so seriously?
?
"Then it's up to you to keep an eye on Guo Rong." Han Qian and Feng Yi said with a smile.
The human heart is the most difficult to understand. Throughout the ages, identifying rivals, bloodline clans, and close relatives is probably the most direct and simple way to divide factions. But if it were so simple, how could there be fratricide between father and son in the world?
Guo Rong's situation was miserable since he was a child. Although he was born in Guangling, a land of plenty, his parents, brother and sister all died of starvation. He became an orphan and lived in the countryside. He was taken into the Guangling Jiedushi Mansion as a slave and became an eunuch, and later followed the Guangling Festival.
Dushifu was merged into Huainan and served under Emperor Tianyou.
By this measure, Guo Rongbiao is a direct descendant of Anning Palace.
As long as they are human beings, they have their own particularities, and Guo Rong is no exception.
Guo Rong served in the palace in his early years and had a good reputation. He also had contacts with his father Han Daoxun.
Although Guo Rong was able to come to the third prince's side largely because of the An Ning Palace's monitoring of the third prince, in the end the position fell to Guo Rong, and Han Qian believed that Emperor Tianyou must have weighed in.
In fact, Guo Rong has been monitoring Anning Palace for the past few years, but he has used gentle methods and has no intention of forcing the third prince. This is also a factor why they have been able to accomplish many things in the past few years.
Guo Rong has been thrown into this embarrassing position because of his incompetence in handling affairs, and it is hard to find the trust of Anning Palace.
Han Qian's question just now was not only to test his true inner thoughts, but also to further confirm that he indeed knew very little about the plans of Anning Palace.
Yang Qin and Zhou Chu stayed outside the city yesterday and came in to Jinhua Tower before noon to see Han Qian and report yesterday's situation of the troops stationed in the designated military camp of Honglu Temple.
Whether it was the guards who followed Han Qian into the city or the large group of troops who stationed at the designated camp, they were all severely punished by the Shu army.
Close surveillance, which is what the question should mean.
In addition to the betrothal gifts from Chu and the goods that Han Qian carried privately, the four warships also transported thousands of pieces of Qianyang cloth this time, as well as a batch of Xuzhou specialty tea medicine, ironware, Yandangchun spirits and other goods.
You have to find corresponding merchants in Shudu to sell them.
With such a foundation, as long as Chu and Shu formally conclude an alliance, the bulk materials produced in Xuzhou can be continuously transported to Sichuan and Shu through the Yangtze River waterway at the fastest speed for sale.
For Han Qian, this can be regarded as a matter of balancing public and private matters.
Guo Que, Xi Fa'er, and even Yang Qin were all able to handle these things with ease. However, Han Qian handed over the large group of troops outside the city to Yang Qin's command. Xi Fa'er and Kong Xirong were beside him as guards, while Guo Que was responsible for leading the Jinyun Tower to sneak into Shu and conduct a search.
information, and left the handling of bulk goods and contact with Shu merchants to Zhou Chu and his people.
Zhou Chu was born as a rural soldier. He gained merit in catching bandits and guarding the countryside, and was appointed as a minor official. Later, he was promoted to county captain step by step. In addition to relying on his extraordinary bravery, he also had a set of methods to train rural soldiers and even defend the city. But at this time
It was indeed difficult for him, who was nearly forty years old, to communicate with merchants.
However, as a subordinate, Zhou Chu's family was not sent to Jinling for trial, so he was spared death. No matter how embarrassing the situation was with Han Qian, he was still in charge. Is it possible that he could still hold on to his previous authority as a county lieutenant and not let go of his dignity?
?
Yesterday, I rented a warehouse outside Nancheng and moved the goods into the warehouse overnight. At this time, Zhou Chu and Yang Qin rushed over to see Han Qian. His eyes were red and swollen. He must have been counting the goods all night and he didn't get much sleep.
Of course, Han Qian appointed Zhou Chu to be responsible for these things, not to deliberately embarrass him, but to further refine Zhou Chu in aspects that Zhou Chu was not good at.
Otherwise, Zhou Chu would not be able to integrate into Xuzhou just by relying on the experience he accumulated as a lieutenant in Wuling County.
While they were talking about things, Wang Yong, the Marquis of Changxiang, came to invite Han Qian to have a lunch at his house.
There were very few Shu generals who supported the alliance with Chu to fight the Liang Dynasty, and the marriage of Princess Qingyang to the Chu State also involved the delicate relationship between the crown prince and the Marquis of Changxiang. Therefore, in addition to Honglu Temple, Zongzheng Temple was ordered to discuss the wedding reception.
Except for the officials involved in the matter, no one would take the initiative to go to the South Garden of Jinhua Tower to pick up Han Qian and get close to them.
Han Qian immediately invited Guo Rong and several officials sent by Honglu Temple and Zongzheng Temple to discuss the matter, and took Xi Rong, Yang Qin, Zhou Chu, Xi Faer, Guo Que, Feng Yi, Kong Xirong and others to Changchang.
Attend a banquet at the Marquis' Mansion.
The Changxiang Marquis' Mansion is separated from Jinhua Tower by an alley, and it occupies a very large area. There are many pavilions and pavilions in the mansion, and many cold-resistant flowers collected by the Changxiang Marquis from all over the country are planted. In the cold winter, the Marquis' Mansion is full of flowers, which is strange.
Fang Douyan.
If Han Qian hadn't already confirmed that the Marquis of Changxiang was not simple, just looking at the situation in the Marquis's mansion, he would have mistakenly thought that he was a noble son immersed in the wealth of his hometown.
The Marquis of Changxiang, Wang Yong, never interacted with the generals of the court. The people he invited to the banquet were all well-known scholars in Shu. Princess Qingyang was not seen. Han Qian wanted to return to Shu.
After the capital, Princess Qingyang didn't want others to make irresponsible remarks, so it would probably be inconvenient for her to disguise herself as a man and have contact with Shu envoys like them.
They all seemed to have been reminded by Wang Yong, the Marquis of Changxiang. Except for the envoys from many academies who invited harpists and singers to perform for the entertainment, no one stood up to argue about poems or lyrics during the banquet.
To be honest, if you don’t look at the flowers in the garden, but just look at the people attending the banquet, the cold situation in the Changxiang Marquis Mansion is even bleaker than when the third prince Yang Yuanpu just left the palace and entered the mansion - the third prince at least still had Xinchang Hou at that time
The government, Shen Yang, and Han Qian, the ministers appointed by Emperor Tianyou, accompanied him in the study.
After the banquet, the scholars and Confucian scholars who accompanied the banquet resigned. Guo Rong went back to Jinhua Tower Nanyuan with officials from Honglu Temple and Zongzheng Temple to discuss matters, while Han Qian and others continued to stay in Changxiang.
The Hou Mansion enjoys the beautiful gardens in the south of the Yangtze River.
There is music coming from the garden.
"Does this piano sound sound familiar?" Feng Yi approached hesitantly.
Han Qian said in his ear.
"Why, do you think there is an old friend hiding among the Marquis of Changxiang? Can you tell who it is?" Han Qian was half a step behind and asked Feng Yi in a low voice.
"It's not necessarily the same person. Sometimes people who learn from the same school will have similar plucking techniques," Feng Yi said doubtfully, "I thought it was Su Hongyu at first, but upon closer inspection, it's not the same person."
Xi Rong followed Han Qian closely, and was secretly shocked when she heard Feng Yi's words. This actually confirmed all the speculations Han Qian had about Changxiang Marquis and Qingyang Princess during this period.
Su Hongyu, Yao Xishui, the piano player in the garden, the Marquis of Changxiang, Wang Yong, and the Princess of Qingyang all came from the same family.
"You have the ears of a thief!" Han Qian smiled and scolded Feng Yi.
"What's wrong?" Wang Yong, the Marquis of Changxiang, didn't know what kind of medicine Han Qian and the others were selling, so he stopped by the small pond in front and asked.
"This piano sounds wonderful. I felt it was much better than the piano player at the banquet just now." Han Qian praised calmly.
"Then please Master Han, please come with me to meet this piano master." Changxiang Marquis never thought that Feng Yi's ears were so bad, so he said with a mysterious smile.
Wang Yong, the Marquis of Changxiang, led the way. Han Qian and others then followed the sound of the piano and walked deep into the garden. They bypassed a rockery and the garden suddenly opened up. They saw a wooden pavilion built between the flower ponds, with a pair of flower-like flowers.
The jade-like man is sitting in a wooden pavilion playing the piano.
Seeing Wang Yong, the Marquis of Changxiang, Han Qian came over. The two of them stood tall and greeted him.
The Marquis of Changxiang, Wang Yong, took the tender little hand of a beautiful woman who played the piano, as white as jade, and introduced to Han Qian: "Wan'er is my beloved concubine..."
"Mr. Liang has met Mr. Han." The beautiful woman is about the same age as Xi Rong, extremely charming, her beautiful eyes are like paint, deep and moving, she bows to Han with humility.
"How polite, Concubine Marquis." Han Qian bowed his hands and returned the courtesy. Liang Wan was a rare beauty in the world, but compared to the girl behind her, she was still slightly inferior.
It was also the first time today that Han Qian saw Princess Qingyang changing into women's clothes. He had never thought that she would reveal her true appearance, with her jade-like skin, clear facial features, and unworldly temperament. She really set off the other women.
His appearance turned pale, no wonder his name spread throughout Shu at such a young age.
Han Qian's eyes only stopped on Qingyang's face for a moment, then he looked back, suppressed the slight turmoil in his heart, and followed the Marquis of Changxiang to the wooden pavilion.
The wooden pavilion was small, and everyone else was waiting in the garden. The Marquis of Changxiang, Wang Yong, only asked Liang Wan and Qingyang to serve tea aside.
Han Qian looked at the fish pond in front of the wooden pavilion, and with a hint of drunkenness, he pretended to be confused and asked Wang Yong, the Marquis of Changxiang:
"There is something I can't figure out, and I still need to ask Mr. Hou for advice."
"Master Han, if you have any confusion, please tell me." Wang Yong, the Marquis of Changxiang, said.
Han Qian said: "I heard that the Marquis of Qingjiang entertained guests one day, and his concubine danced to entertain the guests. One of his famous generals drank too much wine and praised the concubine's beauty a few times. Not only did the Marquis of Qingjiang not feel dissatisfied, but even after the banquet,
He also sent his concubine to the general's house as a reward, which shows that the Marquis of Qingjiang is really a broad-minded person who is willing to make friends with. However, the Marquis is not obsessed with power. He makes jokes every day, and guests and friends come and go in the house.
It is useless to talk about Confucian scholars. If the Marquis is just secretly planning to marry Princess Qingyang to my Lord, I hope that these leisurely days can continue in the future. There is really no need for Qingjiang Marquis to make a fuss and repeatedly arrange for me to make things difficult for Han.
Someone? Or in other words, did the Marquis do something else behind his back that fell into the eyes of Marquis Qingjiang? "
Hearing what Han Qian said, the Marquis of Changxiang Wang Yong was also slightly surprised. He couldn't figure out for a moment whether Han Qian confirmed that Qingyang's marriage to Chu was his plan after yesterday's two incidents, or whether he had already confirmed the matter and just postponed it until now.
Just revealed it?
Of course, the meaning of Han Qian's words was also clear, that is, he directly told Wang Yong, the Marquis of Changxiang, "Stop pretending in front of me, little boy. You must have exposed some tricks for the Marquis of Qingjiang to see."