Northern Dynasties Imperial Industry

The atmosphere in Tongzhou Zhongwai Mansion is very depressing. The staff who come in and out try to keep their steps gentle, try to avoid making too much noise to be noticed by others, and the words they communicate with each other can be short and short. Many Information must be conveyed with eyes.

But there are still more eye-catching people and things in the mansion. Just in the small square in front of the main hall of the Chinese and foreign mansion, there is a man kneeling on the ground with his bare arms and thorns. This man is Grand Master Yuwen's favorite general, General Li Far.

Zhongwai Fuzhitang is the center where Bafu personnel gather, so there are naturally a lot of people coming and going. When they saw Li Yuan, who was kneeling down here and asking for forgiveness, the expressions on their faces became extremely complicated, but they did not dare to comment much, and quickly walked away after a few glances.

It is now the cold winter season, and many people in Zhongwai Mansion are already wearing fur and brocade, but they still feel the chill. Li Yuan was just naked from the waist up, his chest and back were so cold that his skin was blue and white, and the skin on his back that had been pierced by thorns was glowing with a dark red color.

A young man hurriedly entered from outside. He was Li Zhi, the son of Li Yuan. When he saw his father in this state, his face became very ugly. He hurriedly took off his robe and wanted to put it on his father's body, but was pushed away by Li Yuan.

"Aye, why are you like this? Although my uncle went south from the army, he is only a forward general after all. He should not be blamed alone for such a big thing. The Lord has not even asked me to blame for this..."

Li Zhi grabbed the robe that his father had thrown on the ground, and began to advise him earnestly. However, before he finished speaking, Li Yuan raised his eyes and scolded: "Shut up!"

Seeing his father's stubbornness, and seeing this scene being seen by all the people coming in and out of the mansion, Li Zhi felt very ashamed and annoyed. He placed his robe next to his father, and he hurriedly went to the hall and asked to see the grand master. .

In the hall, Yu Wentai was not dealing with official matters, but was sitting and talking with Tai Tu Li Bi. When he heard that Li Zhi came to the hall to report that his father was standing on a thorn to plead guilty outside the hall, Yu Wentai just nodded slightly and said in a calm tone: "I know. Okay, just step back.”

Seeing Yu Wentai's cold reaction, Li Zhi was greatly surprised, so he quickly said: "My lord, my father..."

"Get out!"

Yu Wentai, who was originally indifferent, suddenly changed his face, slapped the table and roared, then grabbed the paper knife on the desk and threw it towards the hall, his eyes were even more angry as if he wanted to kill someone.

After Li Zhi saw this, he fell silent and stood frozen on the spot, his hands and feet a bit unruly. The people in the hall, including Taifu Li Bi, also stood up and bowed their heads in silence. Only Li Bi paid homage to the audience. The leader made a look and signaled Li Zhi to be led out of the hall.

"Such young disciples are accustomed to relying on favors to become arrogant. They think that things in this world are necessary to them even if they are given the slightest hint of favor. They don't know that there are other people who are responsible for the difficult tasks!"

Although Li Zhi was dragged out of the hall, Yu Wentai was still angry. He stood up and pointed outside the hall and said angrily: "He Liuhun was outside the city before, but what happens now? Such a giant bandit. It is inevitable that he will return in vain, so why should he be afraid of Xiao Xiao's little madman making trouble!"

After hearing this, everyone in the hall lowered their heads, fearing that they would be caught by Yu Wentai's sharp eyes, and the whole hall was silent for a while.

After a while, the anger on Yu Wentai's face gradually subsided, and he smiled at Li Bi again and said, "In recent years, I have often been proud of my achievements in cultivating Qi, but unexpectedly, I lost my composure over trivial matters, which made the Imperial Master laugh."

After Li Bi heard this, he leaned forward and said: "Emotions, anger, sorrow and joy are all human nature. To be indifferent to everything is unkind. There are also stubborn things in the court, and they need to be diligently used with sticks and whips to force them to do so. Observe what is right and what is wrong.”

After Yu Wentai heard this, he sighed again. After a while, he sighed again: "It takes diligence to control your subordinates. What Taifu said is true. I have realized it now. It's not too late. Although I have scabies." Disease should not be underestimated!”

After saying this, he invited Li Bi to sit down again, and the topic turned to the Battle of Shayuan that year. The more we talked, the more excited he became. He simply raised his hand and ordered the government officials to go to Shayuan to arrange accommodation. The officers and soldiers who participated in the Battle of Shayuan should be given to the Wanshou Hall of Shayuan.

In addition to summoning the soldiers who participated in the Battle of Shayuan and are still in Guanzhong to Shayuan, even His Majesty the Emperor Yu Wentai, who is far away in Chang'an, has also been invited to Wanshou Palace to participate in this grand event.

However, it would be difficult to prepare for such a grand event in less than ten days and a half. Yuwentai was very interested at the moment, but he needed to vent his anger immediately. So he sent apostles to invite Zhao Gui, Hou Mo, Chen Chong, Da Xiwu and other old generals to attend the banquet at Zhongwai Mansion.

"Da Sima is also in the city."

Seeing Yu Wentai issuing various invitations, Li Bi reminded him softly from the side.

After hearing this, Yu Wentai also smiled and nodded: "It would be really rude if we forget about Da Sima!"

As he spoke, he raised his hand and took off his robe, threw it to the audience and said: "Follow Li Wansui and invite Da Sima to the mansion for a banquet tonight. Go quickly!"

After hearing the words, the visitor hurried out of the hall, placed Yu Wentai's robe in front of Li Yuan with both hands, and conveyed his instructions to Li Yuan.

After hearing these words, Li Yuan's eyes suddenly became moist. He lay on the ground and kowtowed heavily, and at the same time shouted: "I will definitely live up to my master's use. Once I have received my order, I will not give up even if I die!"

After saying this, he untied the thorns on his back with trembling hands, and respectfully put the robe given by Yu Wentai on his body. Then he turned around and walked out of the Zhongwai Mansion, and came to the outside of the house to summon his followers. The tribesmen who had returned to Tongzhou mounted their horses and marched toward Duguxin's residence.

There were armored soldiers on duty in front of Duguxin's residence. When they heard the rapid sound of horse hooves approaching, all the armored soldiers lined up nervously in front of the residence.

Li Yuan rode his horse to the door of Duguxin's house. He did not dismount, but shouted loudly to the soldiers in front of the house: "By the order of King Yuwen, I am here to specially invite the Grand Sima to attend a banquet at the Chinese and Foreign Mansion."

The soldiers in front of the mansion looked at each other, and one of the soldiers came forward to question them for a while, and then he signaled Li Yuan and his party to wait in front of the mansion while he hurried into the mansion to report.

Li Yuan and his entourage waited in front of Dugu Xin's house for more than a quarter of an hour before the soldier commander who had previously entered to report slowly walked out again, bowed to Li Yuan with an apologetic expression and said, "Thank you, Mr. Yang Ping, for waiting for a long time. Unfortunately, Mr. Yang Ping has been waiting for a long time." Da Sima has been feeling cold recently and is resting in bed in his residence. I sincerely ask Duke Yang Ping to report..."

"On the order of King Yuwen, I invite the Grand Sima to the mansion for a banquet!"

However, Li Yuan did not listen to the explanation of the soldier commander, but loudly repeated his purpose of coming again, and then turned to the people behind him and said: "Here comes the drum! After one drum, come to the hall to ask for an audience, stop me." Anyone who invites Da Sima with courtesy will be killed!"

After the tribesmen heard this, they each took off their drums from their waists and started beating them vigorously. The drums in front of Duguxin's mansion were filled with loud and murderous sounds for a while.

The sound of the alarm drum was coming to an end, and Li Yuan had already grasped his saber on the horse. As for the Dugu Xinjia soldiers opposite him, they had also begun to shrink their formation and firmly guard the gate of the mansion.

"Come to the door!"

The moment the drum beat stopped, Li Yuan let out a loud roar, drew his knife in his hand, clamped the horse's belly with his legs, and headed towards the guards in front of the house with both men and horses. When the subordinates behind him saw this, they each showed their weapons, and moved forward to guard Li Yuan and advance.

"presumptuous!"

There was a shout from inside the door, and Dugu Xin, dressed in a hakama-pleated military uniform, finally appeared inside. His eyes fell on the aggressive Li Yuan across the guards, and he cursed: "How dare you rely on me, these unscrupulous slaves?" The Lord is committing evil! If Duke Yang Ping comes to visit you, you should open the door and treat him with courtesy. If blood is spilled here, how can you repay him?"

"The general will do what he is ordered to do. The master's order is God's grace, and he will not hesitate to die, let alone spill blood!"

Li Yuan was not intimidated by Dugu Xin's momentum, but he still got off his horse and continued to move forward with his head held high. He did not flinch even if the guards' swords were pointed directly in front of his eyes. He looked at Dugu Xin and folded his hands and said solemnly: "King Yuwen is here today. The government held a banquet to entertain old friends and close friends, because the emissary will invite the Grand Sima in the future, and all the Grand Sima present know each other. If the Grand Sima cannot do this, will he be ruthless and abandon everyone?"

After Dugu Xin heard this, his eyes flashed again, he frowned and pondered for a moment before he said in a deep voice: "Mr. Yang Ping, please come into the hall and stay for a while. Let me go home and change clothes before we go to the house together."

As he spoke, he waved his hand to signal the guards in front of the door to move away, and raised his hand to make an invitation gesture to Li Yuan. The tribesmen behind Li Yuan were still waiting to dissuade them, but Li Yuan had already walked into the house with his head held high.

After all this tossing, when Dugu Xin and Li Yuan arrived at the Zhongwai Mansion, the sky had completely darkened and the banquet at the Zhongwai Mansion had been going on for a long time. While the two were still outside the hall, they heard all kinds of laughter and joking coming from inside.

As the two people walked into the hall, the atmosphere in the hall suddenly cooled down. Everyone who had been laughing and laughing before stopped talking and laughing, and looked at the two people who arrived later with embarrassment, especially Dugu Xin, who attracted more eyes. .

Duguxin was briefly greeting Grand Master Yuwen and several other Zhuguo, then he looked around at the crowd and said with a smile: "Just now outside the hall, I heard that everyone was chatting and laughing happily. I don't know what you are talking about that makes you so happy?"

"It tells the story of Qing Shui Gong who entered the Pass to pacify the Wanqi ugly slaves. The Grand Sima was not involved in this matter, so I don't think he is interested in what he said!"

Hou Mo and Chen Chong, who was sitting next to Yu Wentai, said with a smile, his tone revealing some undisguised alienation. Most of the people present were military leaders who had entered the border to quell the chaos in the early years. After hearing this, they looked at Dugu Xin with a somewhat strange look.

After hearing this, Dugu Xin's expression froze slightly, and soon he noticed that all the seats at the top were empty. After pondering for a while, he turned around and went to the last seat in the hall to sit down. He raised his empty wine glass and said with a smile: "What Duke Pengcheng said is true. He did not follow Duke Qingshui into Guan to quell the chaos. Instead, he served under Duke Langya. Go out and guard Jingxiang! Guanxi will be peaceful, and all the kings will be prosperous."