National teacher help

No one in the hall spoke, Lu Zhongming took a sip of hot wine, and the maidservant brought some snacks, Lu Zhongming just finished his breakfast, he waved his hand to signal that he would not eat, Li Shimin suddenly said: "Zhongming, don't worry about me."

"I'm not worried about you." Lu Zhongming said: "Whatever decision you make, as long as you know it in your heart."

Li Shimin smiled and said, "You still say you're not worried? You don't even eat snacks."

Lu Zhongming laughed suddenly, as if they had returned to the time when the two first met. Although Li Shimin was silent, he always knew him very well, even better than Yu Chigong.According to Lu Zhongming's own temper, even if he had eaten breakfast, he could still eat again, but today he would say no to eating, of course he was worried.

Li Shimin saw through Lu Zhongming's mind, so he had to put down his wine glass and replied, "Don't you want to go to Luoyang?"

"Yes." Li Shimin said: "I want to bring some people to Luoyang to open the literature museum that I have always wanted to build before, and recruit capable people from all over the world for my father."

"Yu Chigong, Qin Qiong, Luo Shixin, Fang Xuanling, Du Gong..." Li Shimin said: "Everyone is on good terms with me, and I want to invite them to accompany me to Luoyang. Li Jing wants to guard Bingzhou, and he can be transferred later Come to Luoyang."

Fang Xuanling replied: "King Qin, His Majesty will not agree to your request."

Li Shimin said: "I am guarding Luoyang for my father. Now that Youzhou is still undecided, with me in Luoyang, I can protect myself from the war. Why don't you agree?"

Qin Qiong pondered for a moment and asked, "How many soldiers do you plan to take out?"

In Qin Qiong's words, he hit the most critical part.

Li Shimin replied: "Take the Xuanjia army out, and you will bring me another 2000 people."

Qin Qiong said: "After going to Luoyang, will you recruit troops?"

Li Shimin hesitated a bit, and replied, "It depends."

Qin Qiong said again: "Do you think Jiancheng will allow you to recruit troops in Luoyang?"

Qin Qiong's three questions were so pressing that Li Shimin couldn't answer them directly, and almost exposed everything he thought.Lu Zhongming believed that if Li Shimin said that he wanted to pull his brother down, he probably didn't have this intention, at least not now, after all, his father was still sitting in that position.

However, Li Shimin also wanted to protect himself. It was impossible for him to completely disband all the troops and give all the generals to his brother. The generals themselves were not willing to send him around casually.Just looking at Yu Chigong, he knew that his temper was bigger than the sky, and even Li Shimin couldn't do anything about him.

Seeing that Li Shimin didn't answer, Qin Qiong said again: "Take the generals to Luoyang instead of soldiers. Does the King of Qin want them to study and test their reputations?"

Lu Zhongming laughed, Li Shimin smiled and shook his head, that smile was actually a bit sad.

Qin Qiong said again: "Luo Cheng has already left, he left this morning."

Li Shimin's face changed: "Where did you go? Just left? Why didn't you say anything?"

Qin Qiong thought for a while, and Lu Zhongming knew that he was thinking about whether to tell him about the Gongsun family, so he stopped Qin Qiong and said to Li Shimin: "It's a private matter, I will come back again."

Qin Qiong nodded and replied, "It's a private matter."

"Just come back." Li Shimin asked again: "Is there any personal matter? Can you help me?"

Qin Qiong didn't answer, got up and said: "The last general is retiring, waiting for King Qin's order."

After Qin Qiong said this, he obviously expressed his unwillingness to leave Tiance Mansion, and followed Li Shimin wherever he went, so Li Shimin laughed and said, "General Qin, go slowly."

After Qin Qiong left, the four people in the hall were silent. Lu Zhongming thought for a while, and when he didn't know how to comfort Li Shimin, Du Ruhui said: "General Qin doesn't want to leave you, Shimin."

Du Ruhui is over forty years old, older than Fang Xuanling and Li Shimin, the youngest here is Lu Zhongming, followed by Li Shimin, whether he is a general or a counselor, he regards Li Shimin as his younger brother on weekdays, Du Ruhui said casually: "General Qin is just like your elder brother. He brought General Wagang Yu here. He wanted to have a place where he could show his strength. Since King Qin treats him sincerely, he will definitely follow King Qin. Didn't the national teacher say that?"

"En." Lu Zhongming had to admit that although Qin Qiong was usually quiet, he was more stubborn than anyone else, even more stubborn than Yu Chigong.Except for his two sworn brothers, Luo Shixin, Qin Qiong only recognizes reason, not affection, and is gentle and generous, but extremely principled.

"Last time." Lu Zhongming said, "I persuaded Brother Qin."

As soon as these words came out, Fang Xuanling also remembered, and said a little guilty: "That time I really troubled the national teacher, I didn't expect to drag the national teacher into this trouble."

"No." Lu Zhongming said with a smile: "I just told Brother Qin some things and let him choose. Unlike Brother Luo, he has his own ideas. Since he follows you to fight, it means he recognizes you. Are you right? For him, it fits better than built, that's all."

Li Shimin's expression was gloomy, Du Ruhui said again: "I only hope that King Qin will not disappoint everyone."

Li Shimin sighed and said, "But what can I do?"

Yu Chigong came in with an empty pot, threw it away, and said coldly: "I won't go to Luoyang with you, why do you think I stayed by your side? Since you have made up your mind, you don't need to ask me again. Tomorrow will naturally have a place to go."

Du Ruhui hurriedly stood up and said, "General Yuchi, don't say that..."

"I'm leaving." Yu Chigong said: "Brother has been with you for so many years, always standing in front of you, now, it's time for you to make your own decision next time."

Li Shimin's eyes were red immediately, and Yu Chigong said again in a deep voice: "Zhongming often said to me, as long as you know what you are doing. The elder brother also said the same, once you make a decision, don't hesitate any longer. I'm sorry, it doesn't matter to anyone, as a man, you just need to be responsible for every decision you make."

Li Shimin cried almost uncontrollably, tears fell, Lu Zhongming knew that this moment was the saddest for him, maybe everyone would leave him, but no matter what, at this time, Li Shimin had to face some things by himself.

Facing his brother, or facing the departure of friends around him.

Lu Zhongming stepped forward and patted Li Shimin on the shoulder to express his comfort.

Li Shimin choked up silently, and Yu Chigong said again: "No matter what you decide to do in the end, big brother will not regret the past few years with you, and will remember it for the rest of his life."

After finishing speaking, Yu Chigong turned around and left Tiance Mansion without looking back.

When the snow was clear and the sky was clear, Lu Zhongming and Yu Chigong walked through the streets of Chang'an holding hands.

"That sentence was said to me by my father." Lu Zhongming said.

"He also told me." Yuchi Gong said thoughtfully.

None of them spoke, the children on the side of the road were chasing and playing, and they were making snowmen on the side of the street. On this day, Yu Chigong didn't mention the matter of Tiance Mansion any more. cotton clothes playing with snow in the yard.

Lu Zhongming built a crooked and clumsy snowman, and when he was about to build another one, he saw Yu Chigong build a four-legged beast with a raised head, holding a knife in his hand, and was finely trimming the scales of the golden unicorn. , two big eyes piercing.

Lu Zhongming: "..."

Yuchi Gong: "..."

"Actually, your snowman is cuter." Yu Chigong comforted.

Lu Zhongming's only thought was to perform a big whirling Pegasus Meteor Fist, swinging Yu Chigong and his beautifully carved snow unicorn to the sky to turn them into shooting stars.

"I won't pile up anymore!" Lu Zhongming screamed: "Did God send you down to beat me!"

Yuchi Gong hurriedly said: "Don't be angry, don't be angry, it won't work if I push it away."

Said that Bi Yuchigong just kicked over and kicked the unicorn snow sculpture that he had carved for a long time, and Lu Zhongming went crazy again in an instant: "You really move your feet!"

Yu Chigong said solemnly: "Actually, I'm stupid, really."

Lu Zhongming didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "You are getting more and more ironic."

Yu Chigong: "Daughter-in-law, I never lie to you."

Lu Zhongming said: "This sentence is lying to me!"

Yu Chigong looked at him with a half smile but not a smile, as if he thought it was fun to tease him, Lu Zhongming said: "You always bully me."

"Every time I go home, I see you screaming like that." Yu Chigong said happily again: "I'm all troubled away, and I'll carve another one for you? Something similar? Shall we go together?"

Lu Zhongming got excited in an instant and said, "Okay! Let's go together!"

As a result, a quarter of an hour later, a golden unicorn was squatting in the corridor, holding a hand stove under its belly, squatting bored like an egg, and Yu Chigong stood in the yard, making snow sculptures of the golden unicorn.

Jin Qilin: "..."

Yu Chigong: "Don't come out, carefully catch a cold."

Jin Qilin said: "Is this the 'together' you said?"

Yuchi Gong said: "This is also a kind of cooperation."

Jin Qilin thought to himself that "carving one together" is just tricking me into copying it here as a sample for you.

However, at full dusk, Yu Chigong said that the work was finished, and Lu Zhongming returned to his human body. He went over curiously and looked at it endlessly, and asked, "Is this what I look like?"

There is a mirror in the back mountain of Jinao Island, but Lu Zhongming never turned into a real body to look in the mirror. After all, the mirror was hung according to Lu Bu’s height. After he became a golden unicorn, he was too short to reach it. When he was a child, he remembered that he was in the back mountain He saw himself in the pool once, and the unicorn face reflected in the water made him feel funny.

Yuchi Gong said: "Well, that's it, it's the most beautiful thing in the world."

"Coax me again." Lu Zhongming said expressionlessly, the unicorn looks so funny, it is not considered mighty and powerful at all.But after watching it a lot, I still think it's quite pleasing to the eye, and Yuchi Gong's sculpture is lifelike, very beautiful, with big eyes, much better looking than the first one.

At nightfall, Old Man Wei made a large table for Yu Chigong. The first meal he ate when he returned home officially was a pot of drunken duck with sauce, which was cooked on a red stove. , stewed chicken, and seasonal vegetarian dishes such as vinegar fish and winter bamboo shoots.

Yuchi Gong poured himself a drink, Lu Zhongming turned into a golden unicorn again, looked in the mirror in the room, Yuchi Gong smiled and said: "It's time to eat, little national teacher!"

At dinner, Yu Chigong seemed to be much happier, the gloom of the day was swept away, Lu Zhongming clinked glasses with him, and drank with him.He knew the relationship between Yu Chigong and Li Shimin, just like the relationship between Qin Qiong and himself.In a sense, Yu Chigong's status is more important than that of Li Jiancheng.

He made Li Shimin feel his brother's care, and also made people around him gradually develop a sense of dependence on him.Whoever he likes, he is used to solving many problems in silence, but he never asks for credit, and he doesn't show any kindness to those he doesn't like.

Losing Yu Chigong, just like Lu Zhongming lost Luo Shixin or Qin Qiong, Li Shimin will definitely be very sad.

But even if one day, Li Shimin no longer needs him, they still have each other, Yu Chigong drank wine, his face was a little drunk, and after a long time he said: "Daughter-in-law, thank you."

"Huh?" Lu Zhongming was puzzled.

"Thank you for always following me." Yu Chigong said after thinking about it.

Lu Zhongming smiled and said, "Isn't Hongfu treating Li Jing the same way? He made a lot of noise and made him kneel on the washboard, but he was still very kind to him."

Yu Chigong nodded, that night, they went to bed very early, did nothing, just hugged and slept on the couch.

Lu Zhongming also did not urge Yu Chigong to inquire about Li Shimin's decision. What should come will always come. If Li Shimin proposes to Li Yuan to move the mansion, it will cause shocks in the government and the public. At that time, someone will always come to inform, and it is impossible to hide it. watching them.

For several days in a row, all the generals handed over their military power and waited for the New Year. They stopped training soldiers. The soldiers came back from victorious battles, but they have not been rewarded for a long time. Rumors have gradually spread in the streets and alleys - about Li Shimin and Li Jiancheng.

In the early morning of the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, Lu Zhongming was awakened by a burst of angry reprimands and the sound of heavy objects falling to the ground.He woke up sleepily, and heard Yu Chigong arguing with someone.

Lu Zhongming came out barefoot, and saw a hole in the hall, the wood on the floor was broken, Yu Chigong was sitting in front of the desk drinking tea, the back of the hall flashed away.

"Who?" Lu Zhongming came back to his senses, and roared angrily: "Who! You have eaten the guts! Dare to smash the floor of my house——! Stop for me! See if the national teacher will kill you..."

Lu Zhongming rolled up his sleeves and wanted to go out to chase, but Yu Chigong said: "I smashed it."

Lu Zhongming said: "Oh, forget it."

Yu Chigong was going to find nails and planks to repair the floor, Lu Zhongming was going back to wash up, and replied: "I'll come, use magic, it will be all right in a while."

Yuchi respectfully said: "Don't use spells, let me do it."

Lu Zhongming knew that Yu Chigong didn't like to use the power of the immortal himself, so he let it be and didn't insist. After breakfast, he shook a pot of mixed beans for Laba porridge, and the pot glowed golden.

"What is it for?" Yu Chigong was gesturing the length of the wooden stick without raising his head.

"The national teacher sent porridge." Lu Zhongming replied: "I have agreed with Mrs. Li Jing, and I will distribute it to the poor and sick, and treat them."

Since the pre-Qin period, emperors have sacrificed to their ancestors and gods by eating food in eight colors, in order to pray for good weather and auspicious harvests.It was the first time for Lu Zhongming to cook Laba porridge, and the porridge cooked by the national teacher would naturally be snatched up. Of course, the ceremony was second, and the most important thing was that Lu Zhongming wanted to eat it.

Yuchi Gong: "Yes."

"How did you smash the floor?" Lu Zhongming glanced curiously, and said, "Why did you smash such a big hole?"

"It's gold." Yuchi Gong replied.

Lu Zhongming: "..."

While talking, Li Shimin came with Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui.

"Please." Lu Zhongming smiled and said, "Stay here and have Laba porridge."

Li Shimin said: "I have to go back to Tiance Mansion for a banquet later, will you two come?"

Yu Chigong replied: "I will accompany Zhongming. Have you made up your mind?"

Li Shimin nodded and said: "Thought it all over, today at court, I proposed to my father the matter of relocating the residence, if I am willing to follow my elder brother and Yuan Ji, with them, if I don't want to, I will still go to Luoyang with me."

"Did he agree?" Lu Zhongming asked.

"I agree." Li Shimin said, "Come on, Jingde."

Li Shimin took the burden from Fang Xuanling, knelt down in front of Yu Chigong's case, and said, "You have worked so hard for me for so many years. Every time you fight, you are at the forefront. I know you don't want to go to Luoyang."

"...This is Shimin's kindness, Brother Yuchi." Li Shimin smiled and said, "Being able to get acquainted with you is better than being born in the emperor's family."

Yu Chigong didn't answer directly, but suddenly said: "This morning, your brother brought a load of gold over and wanted to bribe me."

"Ah?" Lu Zhongming was suddenly surprised: "Why don't I know?"

Yuchi Gong said: "You are still sleeping."

As soon as these words came out, everyone was shocked. Firstly, they did not expect Li Jiancheng to be so straightforward, and secondly, they did not expect that Yu Chigong would speak out at this time and at this place.

Yu Chigong was silent, Lu Zhongming only felt that the atmosphere was a little stiff, and when he was about to say something, Yu Chigong said: "Thank you, King Qin, for the gift. Big brother is no longer by your side, be careful in everything, listen to Xuanling, Du Gongzhi In other words, Changsun Wuji is still young, if you have any suggestions, don't rush into it, ask a few more people before making a decision, I wish you success."

After finishing speaking, Yu Chigong also bowed to Li Shimin, and the two of them bent down, their foreheads touching the ground, as if they had fulfilled their missions in life.

Lu Zhongming felt a bit blocked, but when Li Shimin got up, he turned his face away, got up and left in a hurry, Yu Chigong had tears on his face, and watched Li Shimin out of the gate.

Lu Zhongming went forward, hugged Yu Chigong, and let him bury his head in his arms.

"The floor doesn't need to be repaired." Lu Zhongming said with a smile: "We can also move, I will tell Li Yuan."

Yu Chigong regained his composure, nodded, and said, "I'll pack up my things in a few days and go to Dai County to celebrate the New Year."

I stay in Chang’an or Jinyang every year during the Chinese New Year. When it’s New Year’s Eve, I have to go in and out, socialize, pray for Li Yuan, appeal to the heavens, bless the people, and have to drink with a group of ministers. It’s annoying to eat too much , Lu Zhongming was thinking about living a quieter life.

After all, he was born and grew up in Jin'ao Island. Although the world is prosperous and all-encompassing, he has seen too much prosperity. After all, when he gets tired of it, it is like gorgeous brocade embroidery full of flowers. After a long time, his eyes and heart are tired.It's not as simple as getting back to basics.

In the morning, Lu Zhongming went to cook Laba porridge with Hong Fu, distributed it to the people in Chang'an, and drank three bowls by himself, until he belched so full that he felt his throat was full, so he went straight to the palace.

"The national teacher came just in time." Li Yuan said: "I heard that you are serving porridge, have you ever drank porridge yourself?"

"I just drank some." Lu Zhongming sat down.

Li Yuan knew that Lu Zhongming was delicious, so he ordered someone to bring porridge to Lu Zhongming, and said with a smile, "Try the ones made in the palace."

Lu Zhongming blew on the heat from the Laba porridge, and when he was about to speak, Li Yuan said: "He should have something to ask, today Shimin..."

"I know everything." Lu Zhongming smiled.

Li Yuandao: "Today, I agreed without thinking about it, but now I think about it, but I feel rash, what does the national teacher think?"

"Bingzhou has been settled." Lu Zhongming took a sip of porridge and replied: "Liu Heita went far away outside the Great Wall. Do you still remember what His Majesty Zhong Ming said a few years ago?"

Li Yuan remembered the situation in the Central Plains that Lu Zhongming explained to him when he first arrived at the Tang Palace, and before he knew it, everything happened in an orderly manner.

"Li Jing can pacify the Turks." Lu Zhongming put down his bowl and said, "The people of the world can defeat Dou Jiande, all they need to do is recover the area around Hulao Pass, and Dou Jiande will no longer be threatened, so the world can be settled."

Li Yuan smiled, and Lu Zhongming said: "I should go too, Your Majesty, I am here to say goodbye to you today."

Li Yuan was stunned for a moment, and hurriedly said: "No! National Teacher, with you in the court, the widow can feel at ease for a while..."

"The wind doesn't last all day, and the rain doesn't last forever." Lu Zhongming said with a smile: "The world can't last long, what's the matter with people?"

"There is always a banquet in the world, Your Majesty." Lu Zhongming said seriously: "If you have any business in the future, you can also come to Bingzhou to find me."

Li Yuandao: "The national teacher also promised me..."

Lu Zhongming waved his hand and said, "Don't worry about this, Zhongming should keep it in mind."

Li Yuan's appearance was both reluctance and panic. When he looked at Lu Zhongming, his expression seemed to be different from before. At this moment, Lu Zhongming was vaguely moved - he could feel that Li Yuan did not completely rely on and use him in treating him. , There is indeed a bit of sincerity.

After a long time, maybe even Li Yuan knew that Lu Zhongming couldn't be left behind, so he sighed and said, "Forget it, I can't see it. Daoist Lu, in Chang'an City, the widow has ordered to build a Taoist temple for you. In time, the whole country will also honor the Supreme Master." The old gentleman is in charge, but... the Taoist priest left at this time, no one is in charge of the overall situation, and even the national teacher is gone, this... hey."

Lu Zhongming said with a smile: "Your Majesty, to cultivate the Tao is to cultivate one's heart."

"That's right." Li Yuan nodded.

Lu Zhongming also said: "Where the Taoist temple is, it can be established there. When worshiping the gods, you are also cultivating yourself. It doesn't matter whether there are miracles."

Li Yuan was silent, nodded after a long time, and asked again: "Since the national teacher wants to leave, let me ask you one last thing, how is the fate of the Tang Dynasty?"

Lu Zhongming said happily: "The Tang Dynasty is the most prosperous dynasty in the Central Plains. Youdao is a prosperous age for thousands of years, and all nations will come to court. If there is no accident, Taiqing will protect you, and the Li family will be safe..."

Li Yuan raised his eyes to look at Lu Zhongming, Lu Zhongming's lips moved slightly, and he said something silently, then he got up and left, bowed to Li Yuan again, mastered Tai Chi, turned his fingers, and stood tall in front of the hall.

The afternoon sun set and fell on Lu Zhongming.

"Zhongming bid farewell, I wish King Tang good health." Lu Zhongming smiled slightly.

For several years, Lu Zhongming still hadn't changed, he still had the carefree appearance when he first arrived in Jinyang, while Li Yuan was already old, became emperor, he was exhausted, his temples were graying.Li Yuan got up to see them off, and sent them to the gate of the palace, watching Lu Zhongming's clothes fluttering, and he left the palace in an extraordinary way.