Zhang Tianai lowered her head and remained silent. It was obvious that Li Mu had revealed her father Zhang Xun's thoughts. Bai Qiaoqiao did not interrupt. When Li Mu talked about business, no matter whether she could understand it or not, she would not talk nonsense. Only Li Zhien was like this.
The ghost girl, holding her bowl, stuffing meat into her mouth, her eyes rolling around, not knowing what she was thinking.
"I have also heard about Zhangjiazhai. During the chaos at the end of the Sui Dynasty, your father Zhang Xun led some people from Lingzhou to establish Zhangjiazhai. This was originally an understandable thing.
In troubled times, no one wants to save their lives. There are many people like your father who set up strongholds to protect themselves. But after the founding of the Tang Dynasty and when the four directions were pacified, most of those who set up strongholds to protect themselves sized up the situation and surrendered to the Tang Dynasty. The Emperor did not treat them badly.
, county magistrates, captains, and even generals and governors have never been stingy with rewards."
Li Mu paused and said, "Why didn't Zhangjiazhai surrender at that time?"
Zhang Tianai couldn't answer, so Li Mu answered for her: "I will speak frankly, because the Turks were so powerful at that time that they even forced the Tang Dynasty to sign the Benqiao Alliance. Zhangjiazhai is located between the Tang Dynasty and the Turks. Naturally, where is it?
The situation is leaning towards one side, but because you are not barbarians and cannot integrate with the Turks, even if you want to take refuge, it is impossible. So your father decided to play both sides, wandered in the cracks, and started a fur business. If I
You guessed it right, that was probably when Zhangjiazhai was most prosperous."
Zhang Tianai nodded, Li Mu's guess was correct.
"After Jinshang ascended the throne, the situation between the Turks and the Tang Dynasty reversed. The Turks gradually became weaker, while the Tang Dynasty became more prosperous. Until the beginning of this year, heavy snow closed the mountains in the Western Regions, and there was no pasture. The Turks froze to death and starved to death.
Starved to death, the Tang Dynasty seized the opportunity and decisively sent troops to attack." Li Mu sighed and said: "Zhangjiazhai has lived between the Tang Dynasty and the Turks for a long time, and knows the Turks well. If he can provide some information, he will even send people directly.
Being a scout, will you get less of a reward on the day of great victory? This was the last and best opportunity for Zhangjiazhai, but it is a pity that your father did not seize it."
"When the two armies faced each other, what did your Zhangjiazhai do?"
Zhang Tianai bit her lower lip tightly. She could not refute a word, because as Li Mu said, Zhangjiazhai stayed out of the incident from beginning to end and did not contribute any effort.
"But when the army defeated the main Turkic force and cleared away the remnants, your father asked you to find my adoptive father, General Li Ji, trying to impress him with old friendship and let him find a future for Zhangjiazhai in front of His Majesty...
Don't say that my adoptive father is cautious by nature. Even a simple-minded young man like me who has no city and a sincere young man would probably not do such a stupid thing! Even if Master Wang has not arrived, you are still refusing. Master Wang has arrived, but you are still watching from the other side.
, just wait for the dust to settle and take advantage, can such a good thing happen?"
"..." Zhang Tianai agreed with everything Li Mu said, but suddenly hearing him describe himself as 'simple-minded, without a city' or 'a sincere young man', the atmosphere was instantly destroyed. You said so much
, if you still have a simple mind and no city government, then are everyone else fools?
Li Mu was completely unaware and continued his analysis: "Now that the Turks have been eliminated, there are no more serious problems on the border. The three major horse bandits, who were originally considered to be a problem of scabies, have been revealed at this time. But the horse bandits are not worthy of the labor force. According to this
It seems to me that after the spring plowing of the New Year, one or two Zhechong Prefectures may be dispatched nearby, or the imperial troops may not be moved, and nearby nobles may be instructed to take action sooner or later."
Seeing Zhang Tianai's face turning pale, Li Mu quickly added: "Of course I am just guessing, there is no basis. But I have to prepare in advance. Start preparing now. There is still some time. When the new year comes, if the court takes action, that is
The power of wind and thunder. In the past, there were Turks to rely on and contain. Who can rely on now? Once the army arrives, it will be destroyed in a matter of seconds. Therefore, I suggest you, or advise your father to give up your illusions and let the old and young people of Zhangjiazhai enter samadhi.
Isn't it a good thing that you were born in Xiang and became a good citizen of the Tang Dynasty in the future? And your Zhang family can also get rid of the name of thieves and bandits. Just be a rich man in Dingxiang and do fur business, and your life will not be bright.
Worse."
After Li Mu finished speaking, Bai Qiaoqiao said: "My husband is right, sister, is there any better life than peace and stability?"
Zhang Tianai frowned and said: "As a daughter, I can't change my father's mind, but I will try my best to persuade him..." He pursed his lips and said again: "Tomorrow I will go to the West Market to do some shopping.
Grain, and then go back, the old and young in the village are still waiting."
Li Mu said: "You can take the letter I wrote back with you. If your father changes his mind, you can go to Li Siwen with the letter and don't make any announcement about the naturalization. Just complete it quietly. If your father doesn't agree, you can
Come to Chang'an again and I'll help you find another way."
Zhang Tianai said happily: "Do you have any other ideas?"
"Not now, I'll think about it later." Seeing that Li Zhien had almost finished eating, Li Mu raised his hand and patted the back of her head and said, "Go ask someone to clean up. I'm very tired today and want to rest early."
"Oh." Li Zhien took out the last two pieces of meat and stuffed it into his mouth, and went out to ask the four maids to help clean it up. Bai Qiaoqiao glanced at Li Mu and asked, "Husband, sister Tianai will leave in a few days.
I want to chat more with her, so today you can..."
"Ah?" Li Mu's eyes widened and he said, "Madam, you don't want me to sleep in another room, do you?"
"Husband..."
Qiaoqiao begged with a blushing face, and Li Mu sighed helplessly and said: "Okay, it's just for this night, we can't do it tomorrow." Then he said to Zhang Tian'ai: "As a friend, I am being honest. I'm not helping you, my wife."
I gave it all to you."
Qiaoqiao raised her hand to hit him and said angrily: "What nonsense are you talking about? It's annoying."
Li Mu grabbed Qiaoqiao's hand, kissed it, and went out with a smile. He couldn't sleep with his wife in his arms, and the long night couldn't be wasted. It happened that the leather had been shipped, so he studied leathermaking. When he got tired, there was a room next to the studio.
Fell asleep.
The fourth maid came in and cleared the table, and then brought hot water. Bai Qiaoqiao opened the curtain and asked Li Zhien to guard the door. She undressed and pulled Zhang Tianai to dip into the water.
Qiaoqiao has nothing to do these days at home, and takes a bath every day. When I lived in Mayi, the frontier fortress was windy and sandy, the climate was dry, and the conditions did not allow for frequent bathing. After arriving in Chang'an, there are convenient conditions
, she fell in love with bathing. Taking a bath before going to bed made her physically and mentally comfortable, and Li Mu also said that she liked the smell of her body after taking a bath.
But Qiao Qiao couldn't say such shameful words. Just thinking about it made her cheeks blush a little, but it was not noticeable. Even if Zhang Tianai saw her, he would just think that she was affected by the heat and would not think of going anywhere else.
Compared with Qiaoqiao, Zhang Tianai, as the eldest lady of Zhangjiazhai, has had many opportunities to take a bath since she was a child. It's hard to say that she likes it. It's just that women love cleanliness, so having the opportunity to take a bath is naturally a good thing. They are all women.
, the buckets are very big, they are not close together, and there is nothing to avoid.
Zhang Tianai looked at Qiaoqiao and felt that Qiaoqiao seemed much more beautiful than the last time they met. This kind of beauty did not mean that there was a change in the eyebrows, but that the brilliance of the whole person was different. It was like being nourished.
The green shoots are full of vigorous vitality.
"Qiaoqiao, I'm a little envious of you."
"Envy?" Qiaoqiao didn't understand and asked doubtfully: "Sister, what do you have to envy me? You are tall and beautiful, and you have martial arts skills. I have no strengths and no skills. What is there to envy?"
Zhang Tianai sighed and said: "When it comes to beauty, how can I compare to you? You are the daughter of a beautiful girl. As for me, although I am pretty good-looking, I look like a man. What's the use of being tall.
Being tall and good at martial arts is an advantage for a man, but it is a disadvantage for a daughter. What kind of husband would like a woman like me?"
"Well..." Bai Qiaoqiao thought for a while, but couldn't answer, and said: "I don't know, I have never liked anyone else. Growing up, I only had my husband in my heart... Originally I thought that my husband didn't like me, so now
If I had married him in my life, I might have been angry for the rest of my life." Bai Qiaoqiao couldn't help but laugh and said, "Who knew that my husband seemed to have suddenly changed his temper and cared for me in every possible way. Sometimes I feel
Are you dreaming? I’m afraid that when you wake up from the dream, there will be nothing left. I told my husband, but he still said I was stupid, ugh..."
Zhang Tianai heard Bai Qiaoqiao say that Li Mu had changed his temper, and asked curiously: "Isn't he always like this? What does it mean to change his temper?"
Bai Qiaoqiao didn't hide anything from her, so she told Zhang Tianai about Li Mu's changes before and after he participated in the rural food transportation. After listening to this, Zhang Tianai felt it was unbelievable how a person could suddenly change so much, and couldn't help but ask: "He suddenly
After so many changes, haven’t you ever had any doubts?”
"Doubtful?" Bai Qiaoqiao was puzzled and said: "A husband is a husband, what are you doubting?"
"He, he suddenly treats you well and suddenly has such great abilities. Isn't it strange?"
"Well..." Bai Qiaoqiao didn't seem to think much about this matter. She frowned and pondered for a while, then suddenly smiled and said: "Why do I think about this? Isn't it a good thing that my husband has gotten better? It's just a good thing.
Anyway, he is my husband. When things are bad, he is my husband. When times are good, he is also my husband. My feelings towards him have never changed." After a pause, Bai Qiaoqiao said again:
"My mother-in-law seems to have...remembered this matter! My mother-in-law mentioned it to me a few days ago. She asked Mr. Tang Jiantang to ask Taoist Priest Yuan Tiangang from Qintian Prison to come to the house to perform a divination for my husband. Taoist Priest Yuan said that he has a destiny."
A wise person carries the wisdom of his previous life."
"Can divination be taken seriously?"
"Sister, you don't know that Taoist Yuan's fortune telling is accurate. The people of Chang'an City know that he is a semi-immortal. How can his words be false?"
"Oh..." Zhang Tianai was still dubious, but he did not dwell on this topic and changed to another topic. It was not until the water temperature gradually cooled that the two of them got out of the barrel, dried themselves and went to bed.