Plan to cut off the nine states

The polo was over, and the two daughters of the King of Jibei were very happy.

Zhang Shiqing and her old rival Chang Yan formed a team and worked together to win a goal. This made her so excited that she galloped through the valley on horseback, declaring her victory to all people, animals, grass and trees.

The loser, Zhang Shiyu, was not angry. When his sister was not in front of him, he handed over to Chang Yan and said, "There are indeed hidden dragons and crouching tigers in the valley. I will have to ask General Chang for advice in the future. Let's have a real competition."

Chang Yan said with a smile: "I have tried my best. If the young princess hadn't been here and the prince showed mercy, we don't know how miserable we would have been. How could we have dared to compete in a 'real' contest?"

Zhang Shiyu laughed and nodded, "You can see it too. With my sister here, the people on my side can't let go. I won't let her play next time..."

Zhang Shiqing just happened to drive his horse back, his face covered with sweat and not tired at all, "Are you saying you won't let me play?"

"Yes, you are the princess, and you belong to a girl's family. My people have to give way to you, so you will lose. If it is fair, you can only watch and not play."

Zhang Shiqing waved his stick, "Is it so difficult to admit that your skills are inferior to others? Your people have given way to me, and my people have also given way to you? You are the prince of Jibei, and you want to be the emperor... Who dares to really stop me? you?"

"Someone will come tomorrow to expand the venue. I will come back the day after tomorrow. We will have ten people versus ten people. You and I will not play. We will just be the captains who watch. Let everyone perform to their heart's content and decide the winner. What do you think?"

"Okay. Let's have a showdown and win."

"I have a thousand-mile horse named Juan Xue. I will bring it to you the day after tomorrow. If you lose, the horse will be yours."

Zhang Shiqing was very excited, "Isn't this just a gift to me? If I lose - I'll give you the night-light pearl that the late emperor gave me!"

"I dare not ask for what the late emperor gave me."

The so-called "first emperor" of the brother and sister was their grandfather Zhang Xi. Zhang Shiyu thought for a moment, then drove his horse forward and said to his sister: "I don't want anything else. If you lose, follow me back to the city."

Zhang Shiqing was stunned for a while, then turned to look at Chang Yan and the others. His competitive spirit took over and he gritted his teeth and said, "Okay, you go out and I go out. Ten people versus ten people. The first one to score ten goals wins."

"It's a deal." Zhang Shiyu led his entourage and left the valley.

Zhang Shiqing took this competition very seriously, took out the fine wine he had secretly stored, and hosted a banquet for the people in the valley to discuss countermeasures together.

Not counting Xu Chu and the old servant, there are still thirteen people in the valley, but they can make up ten golfers. However, the skills vary. There are masters like Chang Yan, and there are newcomers who have just learned how to play. They can play normally. , once he joined the bet, and it was the princess herself, she couldn't help but feel very nervous. Although she drank, she didn't even dare to say that she hoped to be replaced.

When it comes to fighting, Chang Yan is a mediocre general, but on the polo field, he has the style of a general. He agreed immediately, first selected five people including himself, and then said: "It is easy for the prince to find ten people. We need to look for them from the outside." Find help again.”

This sentence awakened Zhang Shiqing, "Yes. Let me think about it. There are many masters of polo in Yecheng, but more than half of them went to the Western Expedition. The rest are either my brother's men or his friends... ...Well, I think I can find three, but I’m still missing two..."

"I'll find the remaining two," Chang Yan said.

"You're not from Yecheng, where can you find help? It's too late to go to Jiangdong."

"It doesn't have to be that far. Some of the people who followed the young master went to Yecheng. I can find two good masters among them."

Zhang Shiqing was overjoyed and ordered his maids to take out jewelry and other valuables, "regardless of victory or defeat, these will be used as rewards."

Everyone refused to accept it, Chang Yan refused and said: "If we loved money, we wouldn't follow the young master. Just play a game and have fun. It's just a matter of whether the princess stays or not. We don't dare to neglect it. "

"Don't worry about me. You just need to concentrate on playing. Even if you lose, I won't blame anyone. I will go back to the city with my brother and come back later."

Everyone was drinking and discussing until midnight, and it ended under the urging of colorful people.

Zhang Shiqing returned to his bedroom drunkenly. When passing by the study, he saw that the lights were still on inside. He was curious and wanted to go in and take a look, but was stopped by Binfen.

"Princess, you are not a child. Drinking with a group of grown men at night is already too much. How can you meet in the men's room so late?" Fenfen whispered.

Zhang Shiqing was surprised. He looked at his maid for a long time and then said: "It's only been a few days and you have grown up? No, these words are not something you can think of. Someone must teach you."

Binfen's face turned a little red, "I am thinking about the princess. The princess doesn't know what people outside say and how unpleasant they are."

Zhang Shiqing snorted, "I didn't care about the rumors outside in Dongdu, but I would be afraid when I arrived in Yecheng? What's more... not to mention that the person in the house is my husband. If you see others wrong, see that he is justified, right?"

Binfen was speechless for a moment. Before she could think about it, Zhang Shiqing had already walked around her and said with a smile: "When mother asks, you just say you can't stop her."

"Princess will not forgive me..." Binfen hurriedly shut up.

Zhang Shiqing entered the room with a smile. She had no idea at first, but after being blocked, she had to see Xu Chu.

Xu Chu was still reading the military reports. When he heard the voice, he raised his head and looked up, as if he didn't recognize the person. He lowered his head and looked again, his eyebrows furrowed, and the calm expression he had acquired after many days of "practice" disappeared without a trace. No trace.

Zhang Shiqing was taken aback and sat diagonally across from him, "Are you still reading these things?"

Xu Chu finally came to his senses and looked up again with a smile on his face, "There are many things hidden here, but they are scattered in just a few words. I have to find them one by one."

Zhang Shiqing smiled and said: "I forgot to tell you, don't bother. I have made a bet with my brother: I will play polo the day after tomorrow. If I win, I will have one of his BMWs. If I lose, I will follow him back to the city."

Xu Chu looked a little confused, and Zhang Shiqing explained: "If I win, I don't have to go back to the city, and I don't have to marry the barbarian king. It's that simple."

Xu Chu was even more confused and murmured: "It will never be that simple."

Zhang Shiqing asked in confusion: "What's the matter with you? If you're distracted, just forget it if you can't think of a way. Don't waste too much energy."

Xu Chu smiled and said nothing, but kept his gaze fixed on Zhang Shiqing.

"You...see what I do?"

"You seem...somewhat changed."

"Oh, I've been playing polo these days and I've gotten a bit tan. I just drank a lot of wine..." Zhang Shiqing raised his hand and touched his face, "Have I become ugly? Why don't you even have a mirror here..."

Zhang Shiqing stood up to leave, but Xu Chu said, "Wait, you haven't become ugly. I like you better the way you are now."

Zhang Shiqing tilted his head and looked at Xu Chu, "You are a little weird tonight."

"It's been a long time since I've read so many words. You must be overworking yourself. I just have something to ask you."

Zhang Shiqing sat down slowly, "What's the matter?"

"Princess Huanyan..." Xu Chu said the name, but didn't know what to say next.

"What happened to her?"

"Does she look like the Emperor of All Things?" Xu Chu finally asked.

Zhang Shiqing was surprised at first, and then his expression darkened, "Why do you think of asking about such a thing?"

Xu Chu pointed at the scattered military reports on the table, "The few words hidden in them are often inconsistent. I believe that the key to interpretation is Princess Huanyan. I haven't seen her for a long time, and I only have the impression of the past in my heart. I'm afraid I have made a serious mistake." mistake."

"I'm just thinking of a way. Do I have to find out what kind of person Huanyan is? Is this how you formulated your strategy when you were winning consecutive battles in Dongdu?"

"Of course, when the two armies are fighting, what matters is the number of soldiers and the quality of the weapons. What is guessed is the support of the people and the level of morale. The latter is directly related to the commander. Your Majesty, the King of Eastern Hunan, Wang Tiemei, and Princess Huanyan who is guarding Yecheng , as well as the later generals, the Sheng Xi family, and even the kings in the city, I have to guess and figure them out at all times. Knowing who they are, it will be much easier to make decisions. It is not just me, but other people are more or less like this. Because of this, those lobbyists who are familiar with the crowd will be reused wherever they go.”

Zhang Shiqing thought for a while, and his face gradually became more serious, "Someone told you that Huanyan looks like the Emperor of All Things?"

"Um."

"Is it my brother?"

"no."

"But also my brother's people?"

"So be it."

"How can I be honest with you if you don't tell me the truth?"

Xu Chu smiled and said: "It's Qiao Zhisu, this person is..."

"I know who he is."

"I had a conversation with him when you were playing polo, and he said that Princess Huanyan is becoming more and more like the Emperor of All Things."

Zhang Shiqing thought for a while and asked: "What kind of person do you think the Emperor of All Things is?"

"He..." Xu Chu also thought for a while, "When it comes to eloquence, he can make officials speechless with a few words. When it comes to martial arts, few people are his opponents when fighting alone. When it comes to ambition, he not only wants to pacify the world, but also wants to conquer the world. We still need to continue to expand our territory..."

"You want to assassinate such an emperor." Zhang Shiqing tried her best not to think about this matter. As long as she mentioned it, it would be difficult for her to maintain her good impression of Xu Chu.

"My assassination is just because the Emperor of All Things is too strong. Even with all the power in the world, I can't satisfy him."

"What will happen after the death of the Emperor of All Things? The world is still in chaos. What benefits have the people of the world gained? What benefits have you gained?"

Xu Chu smiled again, "The answer to this matter really needs to wait."

Zhang Shiqing sneered, unwilling to dwell on the word "wait a little longer." "Aside from not being able to lift the horse and mount the horse, Huanyan is indeed becoming more and more like the Emperor of All Things. This is not surprising at all. She was loved by the Emperor of All Things in the past. Among us, , only she can be on an equal footing with Prince Duan. Emperor Wu said more than once that it would be better if Huanyan was a man. To be honest, Huanyan would never forgive you if it weren't for Prince Duan's death, and neither would I."

"I never asked anyone for forgiveness."

Zhang Shiqing's good mood disappeared, and he stood up and said: "I won't talk to you anymore, and I don't want you to come up with ideas. You are more cute when you are fetching water and chopping firewood every day. When it comes to using tricks, you will become a different person." . It’s my fault, I shouldn’t have led you out.”

“Would you rather lose on the polo field without fighting?”

"Of course I don't want to. Whether we win or lose, we have to have a serious fight."

"Me too."

"Do you think Huanyan is your opponent?"

Xu Chu let out a breath, "This is what bothers me - I still don't know who should be elected as my real opponent."