A few days later, in northern Xinjiang, Huaihua General's Mansion.

Zhao Shi frowned and looked at the letter in front of him.

He is forty-nine years old, only one year away from half a hundred, and because he has been stationed in the bitter cold of the northern frontier all the year round, his temples have a little frost color.

Probably because of the profound influence of family style in his childhood and youth, when Zhao Shi was in the General's Mansion, he didn't like armor, and he was dressed as a writer. His temperament is also more elegant and graceful to civil officials, and only occasionally when he rolls up his sleeves and reveals his muscular arms can he get a glimpse of some of the characteristics of a military general.

"Sixteen years unconsciously!" After a long time, he put down the letter, looked out the window with some embarrassment, a clump of green bamboo swayed between the black lattice panes, in the season of the end of September, you can still see the green eyes in Chang'an, but in this northern Xinjiang, the grass and trees in the huge courtyard have been destroyed, and this clump of bamboo can still make the general who is half a hundred years old remember the scenery of his hometown.

I remember that when the child was born, I drew his appearance by hand in the middle of the night and sent it to Northern Xinjiang with a letter from home. Zhao Shi looked at the bamboo leaves fixedly, turned his head and said to another person in the room, "That painting is still stored in my bedroom, and I look at it from time to time with the mother's kind face painted by my younger brother...... When he had an accident, I still regretted it for a long time, but now he has returned safely, and he has been cultivated as a champion, but he is a little estranged from us, what is this?"

The man was tall and tall, with an ordinary face, but his small eyes shone brightly, revealing a bit of wisdom. Although he is dressed as a writer like Zhao Shi, he looks like a tiger general.

At this moment, Wen Yan raised his eyebrows and said, "Listening to the general's tone, do you disagree with the old lady's decision?"

"Of course not. Zhao Shi said, "My nephew, who has been living abroad for many years, has been estranged from us relatives, and if he calculates the wife he picks for himself, he will turn against us!

"With his future prospects, as long as he doubts it, he doesn't even need evidence!"

"Second, the twisted melon is not sweet, the child is happy with the Sheng family, and he only has brother and sister friendship with Tao Cheng. Don't say that after my Zhao family poisoned the Sheng family, I let Tao Cheng marry, even if the Sheng family himself is gone, the child may not fall in love with Tao Cheng. ”

Speaking of this, a flash of remembrance flashed in Zhao Shi's eyes, "After Tao Cheng's biological mother died, whether it was my mother or the people around me, seeing that I was heartbroken, why didn't they persuade me to marry a famous lady again to comfort my loneliness?

"The general has a deep affection for Mrs. Qiu, which is enviable. The man chuckled and said, "But the old lady's worries are not unreasonable, after all, in this world, good intentions are not rewarded, and it is not uncommon for infatuation to be let down." Especially the generals who are in power, it is rare to have a good death. The old lady loves her son and persuades the general to think more about his own family, which is also a reasonable thing. ”

Zhao Shi said lightly: "It is reasonable, but it is also chaotic if you care." My mother probably never considered why Tao Cheng was above the Sheng family in terms of talent, background, and conversation, and she also had a relationship with Sleeping Crane, but Sleeping Crane chose Sheng instead of Tao Cheng?"

The man said: "The last general thinks it is a preconceived idea? Before the king of Mizhen County met the third lady, he was already in love with the princess of the county at this time?"

"The Sheng family is not just a girl from the Sheng family. Zhao Shi said, "As far as we can find out the news, that is, there are young and beautiful girls in Xuanyu's family who have been in contact with Sleeping Crane, and there is even the daughter of Sleeping Crane's righteous brother, and now Ningwei Hou's son-in-law, who is said to be the niece of Sleeping Crane, is actually almost the same age as Sleeping Crane." Judging from the fact that Sleeping Crane married the Sheng family, who had been commensurate with his brother and sister, this child actually didn't take the name ethics seriously, why did Sleeping Crane take a fancy to the pampered Sheng family who had no obvious strengths among the girls he came into contact with in his early years?"

"Although she was pampered, she was also slack in her schoolwork, and wasted her name as the daughter of Hanlin. The man laughed, "But now the name of the rich girl is known to everyone." ”

Zhao Shi said: "Sleeping Crane was born noble, but he was exiled when he was young and suffered a lot of grievances. However, since he returned, he has never delved into the past, and he almost admitted what the palace said, which shows that he is not only very concerned about this matter, but also arrogant, and too lazy to argue with his tongue. Such a person is unlikely to succumb to marriage, and the reason why he married Na Sheng must be really loved. ”

"Otherwise, you just look at him going to the Western Xinjiang before, all the way, assassination, harassment constantly, even if he has a gap with the Midnight couple and is unwilling to ask for help from them, I am his uncle, he sent someone to deliver me a message, will I not care? Besides, he just doesn't believe that I will defend the nephew I have never met, only the pros and cons, Meng Boqin's son has gained power in the Western Xinjiang, is it good for me?!"

He sighed, "As a result, I waited left and right, and the child was like I didn't have an uncle at all...... Although he has other support, it can also be seen that the arrogance in his chest is flourishing! He would rather let the Meng clan guess that it was not easy for him to be exiled for those years, and he is not willing to bow his head and beg for someone! In this case, do you think he will pretend for the sake of the Sheng clan's marriage?"

The man said: "The last general thinks that the reason why the king of the county refused to come to ask the general at the beginning was not only because he was arrogant, but also because of what happened to the third lady, and he felt embarrassed?

"He didn't kiss Midnight because he had a grudge. Zhao Shi shook his head and said, "But even if he is not close to the Zhao family, he has no resentment, this child is very clear: when he entered the Gaomi Mansion for several days, he always refused to be called 'father' and 'mother concubine', even to the Qingjiu couple, and he was also a 'son' and 'son of the world'." But when the sisters Tao Makeup and Tao Cheng went to live in the palace, he immediately complimented their cousins. ”

"It's not that he has any special affection for his young and beautiful cousin, but because the Zhao family is not his father's family, and he owes him nothing......"

As if thinking of something, Zhao Shi sighed slightly, "It's also that he was young and knew little about things, so he thought he didn't owe anything, right?"

Shaking his head, he didn't mean to continue the topic, and said, "The reason why the sleeping crane is happy with the Sheng clan is actually because the Sheng clan is pampered and has no scheming. With the experience of Sleeping Crane, it is not easy for him to get out of the tortoiseshell island, and he is also used to seeing intrigue and intrigue, so it is difficult for him not to be suspicious in his temperament. This is something that can't be helped, the environment of the bandits' den, don't pay more attention to it, don't have more calculations than others, maybe there won't even be bones left. ”

"In the long run, for girls with many eyes, no matter how beautiful they are and how much they will be flattered, sleeping cranes are used to it, and the first thought when I meet them is not appreciation, but defense!"

"His defense, you just see that he was seventeen when he left the tortoiseshell island, at this age some people on the shore can be a father, he also had an identity on the island at that time, but he even knows how profound a bed warmer is. ”

"And the Sheng family is naïve, and the most important thing is that when Sleeping Crane entered the Sheng family, she was only thirteen years old, and it was half a year old, and she would not hide it, for Sleeping Crane, it was naturally at a glance. ”

After that, she just learned to be a little careful, after all, it was within the scope of Sleeping Crane's understanding, but he watched it grow up. In this way, the sleeping crane has no doubt about her, but there is trust, so that sincerity can be born. ”

"Although my Tao Cheng is not the kind of deep-minded femme fatale, but I have never been with this cousin for a long time, so even if I see her nature, I will not trust the Sheng family as much...... In the final analysis, these two children have no fate, and they forcibly match them, but they are fate!"

Zhao Shi shook his head, "Therefore, why take the risk of separating the sleeping crane and the Sheng clan, it is better to tell them the original plan of Old Lady Sheng and be a good person again." In this way, their little couple will be different from each other in the future, if they are nostalgic people, they will naturally be rewarded, and if they are ungrateful, what is the point of letting Tao Cheng squeeze on?"

The man said: "Since the general said that the king of Mizhen County will like a simple girl who knows the roots, if the Sheng family dies, wouldn't it be similar to ask the third lady to spend more time with him?"

"Marriage is the best of two families, isn't it a matter of husband and wife?" Zhao Shi sighed and said, "The Sheng family originally recognized Sleeping Crane as their son, and the purpose was to let him inherit Sheng Xinzhang's lineage and take care of the Sheng family! This requirement is simple and clear, reasonable, and there is nothing to be suspicious of, after all, the Sheng family has always been in Nanfeng County, isn't it?"

"And in the ambition of the sleeping crane, a mere Nanfeng County is nothing at all, since the purpose of the Sheng family is so limited, what is he worried about?"

"But behind Tao Cheng is my Zhao family, you only look at me and my younger brother's official position, you said that the Zhao family tried every means to marry Tao Cheng to him, but I just think he is a good candidate for a son-in-law...... Can you believe it?"

"Not to mention what I've already said, Sleeping Crane is very suspicious, if the Sheng family dies in the Western Xinjiang and he escapes, no matter how reasonable it is, he will be the first to suspect the Zhao family. ”

"When the time comes, the Zhao family will contribute and work hard, and in the end, it will not be good!"

"The mother is still a little difficult to get rid of the flesh and blood, and she can't help but look at the child from the grandmother's point of view.

Zhao Shi said with a little interest, "However, my mother treats Sleeping Crane as a child, and Sleeping Crane has little affection for her, her grandmother, and she is no longer a child! ”

The man said: "It's just that we have been on the border for many years, and then we have to fight for the future of the county king, but in the end, it may not be as good as the Sheng family and the reckless Gongsun family...... The last general thought, the reason why the old lady wanted to give the third lady to the county king was a little unwilling in this regard?"

"That's why I advise the sleeping crane not to play tricks, but to be sincere. Zhao Shi said slowly, "Why does the Sheng family have a different status in the eyes of the sleeping crane? In the final analysis, isn't it because the Sheng family raised him for a few years and paved the way for him? Not to mention the Gongsun family, it was the family that saved his life." ”

"Sleeping Crane can be moved by their kindness, but why can't he be infected by the kindness of our Zhao family?"

"Even if the Sheng family and the Gongsun family take the lead, it is not too late to make up for the so-called lost sheep, it is better than doing nothing, or even pushing the sleeping crane farther!"

"The Sheng family and the Gongsun family sleep with the crane is not related to each other, how can our Zhao family sleep with the crane also has a blood and blood relationship, not to show sincerity to manage it well, but to play with him what means...... If he is a stupid person, he can be coaxed, or he has no ability, like Rong Qingdrunk, who can achieve nothing without the support of the Zhao family, he will be deceived and calculated, but he is not, but how can he do what his mother said?"

The man pondered for a while and said, "If this is the case, the last general advises the general that when he informs the county prince of the old lady of the Sheng family's intentions, he does not need to let the county princess know. Or, let the princess decide whether to tell the princess. After all, although the county princess was once loved by the old lady of the Sheng family, where could he compare with the princess of the county who was the granddaughter of the old lady of the Sheng family? Hiding from her shows our compassion and love for the county king. ”

Zhao Shi said: "Well, these things, after you go to Western Xinjiang, you can decide on your own." ”

The man was stunned and said, "The last will go to the Western Frontier?!"

"Who will go if you don't go to the Western Frontier?" Zhao Shi smiled when he heard this, and Wen Yan said, "I can't go by myself, right? I still have to stay in the Northern Xinjiang and keep an eye on Meng Boqin! Besides, if our plan goes well, such a big credit...... To other people, I am either not at ease, or I am not reconciled! So you work hard and take people on a trip yourself!"

Seeing that his subordinates were silent, the smile on the corner of his mouth became stronger, and he spread his hands and said, "Of course, all of the above are scenes, in fact, the two of us are here at this time, don't prevaricate: I, the general Huaihua from the scholarly family, is far worse than Meng Boqin in terms of fighting wars, which is far worse than Meng Boqin, that is, my fate is good, I haven't gone wrong in the northern Xinjiang all these years, and I have the help of your group, otherwise I can't pretend to be able to go on!"

"This is a rare opportunity to annihilate Ruru's main force, you shouldn't be a loser enough to watch me go to waste, right?"

The man was silent for a while, and sighed: "Although the general is not good at arranging troops, the ancients used soldiers to attack the heart and attack the city below. The general is a real good policy. ”

Zhao Shi's talent in military strategy is indeed very bad, and when this Huaihua general is not a little wet. And the reason why he was able to become the highest representative of King Gaomi's faction in the military is, in the final analysis, that he is excellent in winning people's hearts and knowing people and making good use of them, which is enough to sit firmly in this position.

"It's just that the rumors between the King of Mizhen County and the King of Gaomi and his wife are quite deep, before Meng Jiaqian led three thousand troops from the Northern Xinjiang to the west, he actually didn't send anyone to ask for the general, and I don't know if he really didn't get angry with the general?" After this person calmed down his excitement, he couldn't help but worry about Zhao Shi in return, "If that's the case, after I go to the Western Xinjiang, I have to talk about it for the general!"