Linzhi

He Zhan was slapped, but he wasn't angry, and he was still smiling. He didn't look like the majestic "Lingnan King" at all, but he looked like the little tail that followed He Rong when he was still in Zhushan County.

Many years passed in a blink of an eye, and the two of them were no longer the youthful and immature appearance they were back then. In order to be more majestic in front of his subordinates, He Zhan also grew a beard on his lips to convince the proud Nanyi village masters. He looked a few years older, but after returning to Beijing, Emperor Jiayou made fun of his beard for a while, and then he was ridiculed by his second brother He Xiu, fearing that his third brother would dislike him. He shaved off his beard before seeing He Rong, at worst, he would grow it again when he went back.

"When did you return to Beijing?"

"Two days earlier than you, I have already met the saint, so His Majesty did not summon me again today."

He Zhan looked at his words and found that He Rong's expression was really not happy, so he couldn't help asking: "What happened? Your Majesty blamed you for saving Princess Zhending?"

He Rong hummed: "Just let His Majesty vent his anger, don't plead for me, or you will only add fuel to the flames."

He Zhan didn't believe it: "Before you killed Zhou Shu and offended the family behind him, it's no wonder they didn't take the opportunity to add insult to injury. With these people fanning the flames, how could His Majesty not be angry?"

"Actually, I deliberately let His Majesty vent his anger."

He Rong suddenly showed a smile.

There was a bit of slyness in the smile, and a bit of meaning.

He Zhan rarely saw him laughing like this, but every time he saw him, it was when the third brother wanted to dig a hole for someone.

"Well, if you don't tell me, I won't ask any more questions. If you need me, third brother just say something."

He Rong patted him on the shoulder. Between brothers, there is no need to speak too clearly, as long as they know each other well.

"What were you doing in the kitchen just now?"

He Zhan rubbed his nose and his face became hot: "Don't mention it, I wanted to surprise you by making a Nanyi dish for you to try, but I didn't know how to learn it, so I burned the dish, so I had to ask the cook to cook it again." .”

He Rong said, "I've got my heart. In fact, I don't like Nanyi cuisine to the point where I think about it day and night."

He Zhan was startled, and then understood: "Did you do this specially for Sang Village Master and the others to show your closeness?"

"There's a reason."

Wen Jiang delivered the tea in person. She didn't need to do these tasks now, but He Rong came back rarely, and she didn't want to pretend to be someone else.

He Rong picked up the teacup and took a sip, showing satisfaction. The tea leaves were the same, but he was used to drinking tea made by Wen Jiang himself, but he was not used to it in Lingzhou.

However, Prince An's Mansion still needs someone to take care of it, and Wen Jiang can't follow him for the time being.

"Lingnan is far away from Chang'an, which also means staying away from all intrigues. Not to mention Sang Zhaizhu, even the rebels at that time were no problem to the imperial army. Dealing with them does not require any power and tactics. Compared with Lingzhou It's much more comfortable when you eat it, and you can taste anything you eat." He Rong slowly explained another reason to his closest brother.

He Zhan felt a little distressed.

Although he is far away, he has heard about what happened in Lingzhou from time to time. After returning to the capital, he even heard that He Rong even chopped off the heads of the Zhou family. Knowing that the family was a noble family with deep roots, the first emperor wanted to punish and suppress it several times, but in the end it was nothing.Although Zhou Shu is just a merchant, everyone knows his background, and the third brother actually cut it off as soon as he said it.

To be honest, He Zhan still admires the courage of the third brother, but he also knows that this matter must not be so easy. If the Zhou family does not get this place back, then anyone can be in the Zhou family. Ground is broken.Shared weal and woe, the Fan family and the Lu family also had a bout of blood, and He Rong was also not pleasing to the eye.

"Third brother, why don't I go to Lingzhou with you!" He Zhan said, "no matter what happens, it's better to have two people bear it than one person."

He Rong shook his head: "No, I let you stay in Lingnan just to keep you out of it."

He Zhan: "But I don't want to stay out of it."

He Rong frowned: "I have never bothered to plan for others so much, are you going to let me down?"

He Zhan chuckled: "Third brother, look at what you said, it's like a little lady asking a heartbroken man!"

He Rong rolled his eyes, concentrated on drinking tea, and ignored him.

He Zhan hurriedly said: "OK, you are not a little lady, you are my third brother, I know that you are doing it for my own good, and help me take care of what my father should worry about, but in fact, you are only two years older than me." I'm only three years old, I don't want to hide in Lingnan for the rest of my life doing nothing, like you sent Lin Miao to the Western Turks to save people last time, I'm familiar with the terrain, so I can go..."

He Rong interrupted him: "If you have a chance, I'm afraid I won't be as simple as being scolded in the hall today."

"Third brother..."

"Turkic unification, the next step must be the Central Plains. If you want to make meritorious service, there will be opportunities in the future." He Rong stared at him, "If you leave Lingnan, the crown prince doesn't want you to stay in Chang'an, and the second brother definitely hopes that you can stand by him." , as his arm, what are you going to do?"

He Zhan was silent for a moment: "My second brother and I are brothers after all."

From compatriots, the blood relationship is closer than other brothers. This is destined by nature and cannot be changed.

He Rong seemed to have expected him to say this, with a calm face: "So you want to take the initiative to join the game between the prince and King Ji?"

He Zhan heard something was wrong, he always felt that there was something in the other party's words, but he couldn't think of the answer for a while.

"Third brother, as I said, I want to fight side by side with you..."

He Rong waved his hand: "Don't think about it for the time being. The imperial court will not allow another prince to guard the frontier. If you leave Lingnan, the prince will definitely report to His Majesty and seal you in Central South or Southwest."

……

Just when He Rong and He Zhan were reminiscing about their old relationship, Zhang Ze had just returned to the Zhang family and reunited with his family.

Since the death of Marquis Wuwei, the eldest son was deprived of his title because of King Ji's killing of people and taking the blame for taking the blame for the great victory in Ganzhou. The Zhang family has plummeted and is not as good as before. They will definitely help them recover, but the Zhang family understands that opportunities are not so easy to find, and the prince is watching from the side again, so it is impossible to restore their original splendor in the short term.

Things in the world are impermanent. When Marquis Wuwei and Zhang Tao were around, the Zhang family was very prosperous. Although they were offshoots of the Zhang family in Duling, they were more prosperous than the direct line. But now everything has changed. The door of the Zhang family is closed all day long, that is, Zhang Ze When I came back, I just opened it for a while.

The brothers are sitting on the case separately. Zhang Ze's observation ability is much better than before. After such a rough scan, he found that the number of servants in the mansion seems to be less than before, and some corners and corners are also neglected and dilapidated. The cousins ​​looked gloomy and unhappy, obviously these days were not going well.

While Zhang Ze was observing his elder brother, the Zhang family were also looking at this long-lost cousin.

Zhang Ze has been a jerk since he was a child. His mother died young and he was brought up by his aunt. Although the aunt treats her son and nephew equally, she inevitably dotes on the lively and outgoing Zhang Ze. Hiring cats and dogs every day, chasing chickens and ducks, just not doing business, the "fame" resounds throughout the capital, and parents who have daughters who are waiting to be married will turn pale when they mention it.

After finally marrying a wife, Zhang Ze still doesn't change his style of being romantic and fun. Even Zhang Tao felt that this nephew would be like this for the rest of his life, and he was destined to have no great promise.

Unexpectedly, the situation of the Zhang family has changed. Several sons were involved in the case of murdering people and taking prisoners. Only Zhang Ze went to Lingzhou and came back. Some soldiers have a lean breath.

Zhang Tao's eldest son, who is also Zhang Ze's eldest cousin, looked at the younger cousin in front of him, and said with relief, "If my father is still alive, I don't know how happy I am to see you so promising!"

Mentioning the late Marquis Wuwei, everyone present felt sentimental, Zhang Ze was no exception, he used to be a bastard, and he always respected this uncle as if he were his own father.

Zhang Ze said: "Brother, why don't I ask King An and ask him to ask for someone from His Majesty, so that you can go to Lingzhou with me! The water in Chang'an is muddy, why bother to stay here?"

Zhang Wen refused without even thinking about it: "No need, I don't bother the two masters. Since we have already followed His Royal Highness Ji Wang, we can't go around and go to seek refuge with An Wang. Wouldn't it be a snob?"

Zhang Ze couldn't help rolling his eyes: "What kind of snobbery is this! It's not your idea to kill people and take captives. At best, you are helping King Ji take the blame. Now he dumps the blame on you and doesn't care about you, does it? You still want to protect him to the end?"

Zhang Wenyu said earnestly: "Why do you follow His Royal Highness King An and still be so frizzy? His Royal Highness Ji Wang is actually not easy. It's not that he doesn't want to use us now. It's not long after this incident, and the prince is staring at him again. He doesn't want to make a big fuss To speak for us, we need to find a suitable opportunity. And we were the ones who offered to take this matter down at the time, and it wasn’t King Ji who forced us to carry it, because only when King Ji is still there, we have a chance to make a comeback, otherwise Everyone has collapsed, and we are now more than just staying at home."

"Brother, I'm actually fine now. Lingzhou is far away from Chang'an, so there aren't that many bad things. If you want to make contributions, you have plenty of opportunities!" Zhang Ze was a little anxious.

The three elder brothers of the Zhang family looked at each other and smiled, and Zhang Wen patted Zhang Ze with a smile: "Don't be excited, I know that you are good for us and for the Zhang family. Just because you are doing well by His Royal Highness Wang An, we can rest assured. Zhang Family, you can’t just bet on one boat, understand?”

Zhang Ze's heart skipped a beat, he was stunned for a while, and nodded with a vague understanding.