"Sneeze!" Li Yuanji, who was half lying in the carriage outside Chang'an City, couldn't help but sneeze. It was still a bit chilly in the wilds of Guanzhong on a spring night. "This is the first time I went outside Chang'an City at night.
, it’s cold enough today!”
But Li Yuanji's appearance at this time was neither cold nor lack of sleep. He was yawning repeatedly, his eyes were dark, and his face was slightly pale. He clearly looked like he was overindulging in sexual activities.
Li Yuanji actually didn't want to be like this. He had given up on himself in the past two years.
Although he is not as good as Li Xuanba in martial arts, he is not much weaker than Li Shimin. He is just a little bit mentally inferior. He was spoiled by Li Yuan's wife since he was a child. He has never experienced any setbacks, so he is too proud and self-centered, and has never done anything practical.
, so that Li Yuan never arranged anything for him to do, and he also expressed a lot of disappointment.
Li Yuanji has also seized various opportunities to show off his talents, but it seems that the more he shows off, the worse he gets, and the more he disappoints his father Li Yuan. In addition, the recent war against the Far Eastern Army has been unsuccessful, and the situation is very unfavorable, so now Li Yuan simply cannot
Unable to care about educating his son, Li Yuanji felt that his father had almost given up on him.
However, Li Yuanji accidentally rescued a scholar a few days ago. Seeing that he spoke well, he took him as a staff member. Unexpectedly, this staff member seemed to be a capable person.
A few days ago, I gave him some advice and gave him a plan that would allow him to be reused by his father, take charge of the army like his second brother Li Shimin, and have the opportunity to make achievements.
The first thing this strategy needs to do is to close the relationship between himself and his eldest brother Li Jiancheng, and even make Li Jiancheng feel that his younger brother fully supports him and can achieve things.
According to what the staff member said, now that his eldest brother was defeated and captured, and then came back through a prisoner exchange, it was the time when he was most depressed, had the lowest prestige, and needed the most comfort and help. That's why he, the younger brother, was here.
It's time to come and greet you.
"Third Young Master, you are also interested. I think the prince will be very moved," a follower next to him advised, "It's just that the prince hasn't come yet, why don't you lie down and sleep for a while."
"Can't sleep." Li Yuanji shook his head firmly, "Today's matter is very critical."
The carriage is very spacious and luxurious, with a coffee table in the middle, with a variety of exquisite pastries, dried fruits, and fine wine.
Sitting on the other side of the coffee table was a staff member who looked ordinary but occasionally had a twinkle in his eye. After hearing what Li Yuanji said, he smiled slightly, took out a pamphlet, and handed it to Li Yuanji with both hands.
Li Yuanji was very satisfied with the look in his staff's eyes, nodded slightly to show his appreciation, took the pamphlet, and memorized it silently.
This booklet contains what he should say when he meets his elder brother Li Jiancheng later, as well as his expression when saying these words. The staff next to him had written it for him before, and he had memorized it for three days. In fact,
I have memorized it very well, and I am just reviewing it now.
After reading the brochure for a while, Li Yuanji couldn't help but look at another group of people not far to the right of his group.
This group of people had guards, servants, and many maids. Inside the carriage was a graceful woman.
This woman is none other than Li Yuanji's sister-in-law and Li Jiancheng's wife Zheng Guanyin.
When I think of Zheng Guanyin’s appearance and family background,
Li Yuanji couldn't help but start to feel jealous again.
Li Jiancheng's wife Zheng Guanyin was born into the Zheng family in Xingyang, one of the seven sects and five surnames. The Zheng family is truly a member of a thousand-year-old family.
As for Zheng Guanyin, she was as beautiful as a flower, with graceful charm and graceful grace. When she married Li Jiancheng at the age of sixteen, Li Yuanji had a desire to covet her after meeting her once, but he had no chance and no chance.
Just qualifications.
Only these two groups of people greeted Li Jiancheng, and they were outside Chang'an City.
The most important thing is that Li Jiancheng can only choose to come back secretly at this late night.
It's best not to alert anyone, because being exchanged as a prisoner would be too embarrassing.
Because they were so ashamed, Li Jiancheng and his party couldn't move any faster.
Along the way, Li Jiancheng kept giving orders to the five thousand elite cavalry escorting him to slow down.
However, whether it was an illusion or not, Li Jiancheng saw a kind of contempt and ridicule for him in the eyes of the five thousand cavalry escorting him, which made him feel crazy, especially when he overheard some cavalry secretly discussing, comparing him with
Compared with his second brother Li Shimin, after hearing what the cavalry said, Li Jiancheng was filled with murderous intent. This murderous intent was not only for the cavalry who secretly discussed him, but also for Li Shimin.
What Li Jiancheng didn't realize at all is that compared to him before, his emotions and thoughts are now more likely to be extreme.
Although I felt ashamed to come back, I finally returned to Chang'an City tonight.
When a carriage escorted by five thousand cavalry appeared in sight, Li Jiancheng's wife Zheng Guanyin came forward with several maids, carrying wine glasses and flasks, and knelt on the ground to welcome her husband back.
This is a custom in some places in the north these days. It is what women do at home while waiting for their husband to return.
According to this custom, they have to welcome their husbands who have returned from the war ten miles outside the city, and the first thing they want their husbands to do when they get home is to take a sip of the wine they served.
Of course, if Li Jiancheng comes back victorious, as the crown prince of the Tang Dynasty, there will definitely be a grand welcome ceremony. All the civil and military officers under Li Yuan, and even Li Yuan himself will go outside the city to welcome him. In that case, Li Jiancheng's wife
Zheng Guanyin is no longer eligible to appear.
"Third Young Master, the Crown Prince and his entourage are here." A servant ran to the carriage and reported in a low voice to Li Yuanji, who was thinking wildly.
After hearing this, Li Yuanji perked up, straightened up, rubbed his sleepy eyes, and with the support of an entourage, jumped off the carriage, stared at the approaching five thousand cavalry and carriage, and strode
Go forward.
Li Jiancheng had also just learned that his unlearned and ruthless brother had come to greet him. He would not have been surprised at all before, but now that he came back as a prisoner and couldn't see anyone else, he suddenly felt worried.
He was moved. After all, one of his biological brothers and the other two brothers from the same mother were vying for his position. He hated him to death. Seeing this situation, the other one might have completely turned to Wang Junlin.
Thinking like this, Li Jiancheng had an inexplicable feeling that Li Yuanji was not that idle. At least he was very good at martial arts and respected his brother. In the past, he had been fooling around and being ignorant, mainly because he had experienced too few things.
So, when the carriage stopped, Li Jiancheng also got off the carriage, first
He nodded to his wife Zheng Guanyin, but did not walk over. Instead, he looked at Li Yuanji who was walking towards him.
Li Yuanji bowed directly to Li Jiancheng with excitement on his face: "My younger brother Yuanji respectfully welcomes my eldest brother back safely."
As soon as he finished speaking, a follower behind Li Yuanji had already brought out a small plate with an egg, a piece of bread and a bowl of wine on it.
This is the etiquette in Guanzhong when entertaining relatives who have returned safely from a distant trip.
Li Jiancheng looked at this scene and felt more and more moved in his heart. After all, he really almost died in Chang'an City and was imprisoned for nearly two months. The fear in this was never less.
He directly bypassed his wife, walked to his brother first, helped his brother up with some emotion, then picked up the bowl of wine, drank it all in one gulp, picked up the bread, took a big bite, and then
Taking a bite of the egg is considered a ceremony.
Then, he walked up to his wife Zheng Guanyin, took the small wine glass from her hand, and drank it all in one gulp.
To be honest, in Li Yuanji's eyes, his sister-in-law was beautiful, skillful, and of noble birth, and he secretly liked her very much. However, Li Jiancheng actually didn't like his wife very much because he always felt that the latter was too dull.
But Li Jiancheng knew very well that the Zheng family behind his wife was very important to him. Especially now, when his status as a "prince" was shaky due to his status as a prisoner, he needed the support of the Zheng family behind his wife, so he did not want to neglect his wife.
Zheng Guanyin watched her husband finish the wine and felt how much he valued her. Then she stood up with a sweet smile on her face. She seemed to have no scheming and was as pure as a clear spring in the desert.
But Li Jiancheng knew very well that his wife was very scheming! He had several concubines, but in the past few years, his wife had tossed and took care of them, especially the most favored one.
The concubine even died of illness in a daze.
"Husband, you have lost weight." Zheng Guanyin looked sad and distressed.
Li Jiancheng knew that his jealous wife's words came from the bottom of her heart.
This does not mean that Zheng Guanyin must have a deep affection for Li Jiancheng. Except for a few deviant men and women these days, almost all have arranged marriages. The men are okay and can take concubines. Women often have this one man for their whole life.
After getting married, it is equivalent to cutting off all other possibilities. Whether you like it or not, you can only put your thoughts and affection on your husband.
But Li Jiancheng was obviously not used to this kind of intimacy in front of his younger brother. He could only say softly: "Madam, I'm worried. I'll discuss some things in detail after I return home. I'll ride in the same car with my third brother later."
Zheng Guanyin did not have any dissatisfaction, as if she had already known that her husband would say this. She nodded with a smile and said: "I understand, please feel free to go ahead."
"Thank you for your hard work, madam." After Li Jiancheng said that, he walked towards Li Yuanji's carriage.
Zheng Guanyin's carriage followed behind, and the camp of five thousand elite cavalry was outside Chang'an City, and they returned to camp on their own.
However, if Li Jiancheng had been willing or not in the past, Li Jiancheng would have expressed his gratitude and condolences to the generals of the five thousand cavalry. However, at this time, because he was angry with the looks and secret comments of some of the soldiers along the way, he even continued to express his condolences.
He didn't even say hello, and just followed Li Yuanji away.