Compared with Li Qianzhong's banquet Lu Xiaoxian, the banquet of the beggar Zhongxiang was much shabby. Not only is there not so much food, but there are no people to accompany the wine.

There were only three people at the table: Lu Xiaoxian, beggar Zhongxiang and Zuo Rong.

It's not that the beggar Zhongxiang is too stingy, but because Lu Xiaoxian has repeatedly asked for it.

On the table were a large pot of stewed wolf meat, two jars of self-brewed old wine, and a few plates of wild vegetables that could not be named.

Lu Xiaoxian picked a wolf leg bone that was a foot long, and he was not polite at all, and gnawed it beautifully.

While chewing on the wolf meat, he was full of praise and said, "Yes, really good, this wolf meat is really chewy!" ”

Is it really that delicious?

Looking at Lu Xiaoxian's exaggerated expression, the beggar Zhongxiang and Zuo Rong couldn't help but glance at each other.

To be honest, they have eaten wolf meat countless times, how can they not know what wolf meat tastes like?

It's true that wolf meat is chewy, but it's also very woody, and it tastes fishy, so it's not delicious at all. If they had been replaced, they would have preferred mutton to wolf meat.

Seeing that the beggar Zhongxiang father and son were stunned and didn't do anything at all, Lu Xiaoxian greeted them enthusiastically: "Hmm! Eat it too! You're welcome! ”

The father and son looked at each other again, and couldn't help but smile bitterly: Who is the master here?

Out of politeness, the beggar Zhongxiang and Zuo Rong had to each pick up a rib and accompany Lu Xiaoxian to nibble on it.

For a moment, the whole room was filled with the sound of teeth and bones colliding.

gnawed four wolf bones in a row, and Lu Xiaoxian patted his belly and stretched comfortably.

Finally, when Lu Xiaoxian finished eating, the beggar Zhongxiang hurriedly raised the bowl and said to Lu Xiaoxian: "Master Lu, since you are full, let's try our self-brewed wolf bone bar!" ”

"Wolf bone wine?" Lu Xiaoxian nodded, "Of course I have to taste it!" ”

The wolf bone wine is very light in the mouth, and there seems to be a bitterness, and the taste is really not good.

After drinking, Lu Xiaoxian knew that it was time to get to the point.

He didn't wait for the beggar Zhongxiang to speak first, and asked bluntly: "Chief, as far as I know, Su Mo Yan was originally attached to Goguryeo and lived in the area of Changbai Mountain. After the Tang Dynasty destroyed Goguryeo, it has been more than 20 years since you moved to Yingzhou, I don't know what your plans are in the future? ”

The beggar Zhongxiang glanced at Lu Xiaoxian and said lightly: "What else can I plan, everything must be arranged by the imperial court." ”

"What the leader said is not from his heart!" Lu Xiaoxian's eyes flashed with wisdom, "Hua Qi goes north, and the more birds return to the south." If the animals are like this, how can a man not miss his homeland? If I'm not mistaken, the leader has been plotting a return to the East, right? ”

"What a thing!" The beggar couldn't help but be shocked when he heard this, the muscles on his cheeks suddenly became stiff, and he smiled dryly like a convulsion, "Young Master Lu is really good at joking!" ”

Zuo Rong also looked at Lu Xiaoxian with a nervous expression, his expression uncertain.

"I'm not kidding!" Lu Xiaoxian looked at the two meaningfully.

"I don't know where Lu Gongzi started with this?" The beggar asked.

"For so many years, Su Mo Yan has not had deep friendships with the Han people, has not learned the customs of the Han people, has not married the Han people, and has not buried the dead clansmen in Yingzhou, so it is clear that he has no intention of staying in Yingzhou for a long time."

The beggar Zhongxiang looked at Lu Xiaoxian, but did not speak.

Zuo Rong retorted on the side: "What Lu Gongzi said is just the habit of our Su Mo Ya, and it doesn't mean anything!" ”

Lu Xiaoxian showed a gentle smile on his face: "Young Master Zuorong, when you talked about Yan Ke at noon today, you said at the time, 'It's a big deal to leave', which shows that this matter has already been decided in your heart!" Isn't it? ”

Zuo Rong took a moment to say: "This was just my angry words at the time, I didn't expect Lu Gongzi to take it seriously!" ”

Lu Xiaoxian was noncommittal, and glanced at Zuo Rong: "Actually, what makes me most suspicious is not these, but those elite cavalry under your command!" If you want to return to the east, you must have a force that can defeat the Yingzhou Governor's Mansion and the Songmo Governor's Mansion. After returning to the east, you will have to compete with various forces in Liaodong and the Changbai Mountains, and you must also have a tenacious army. That's why you go to great lengths to train your cavalry. Can you deny that such an elite cavalry is not preparing for the return to the east? ”

Zuo Rong was stunned, and explained with a smile: "How can there be any elite cavalry, Lu Gongzi is talking about our wolf hunting team, right?" They are all members of the millet tribe, and they live by herding and hunting on weekdays! ”

"There are 100,000 people in the Su Mo Ya, including 30,000 or 40,000 young and middle-aged men, and these people have all been formed into an army by the prince of Zuorong. In my opinion, your army of 30,000 is already very powerful. Not to mention anything else, in terms of the speed of build-up alone, it is not comparable to ordinary armies! I calculated for you, 30,000 people are located in a hundred miles of land, and they will all gather in only half a day, even if it is the iron cavalry at the beginning of the founding of the Tang Dynasty, it is nothing more than that! ”

Zuo Rong still defended: "I'm afraid that Lu Gongzi has lost his eyes, we are just catching wolves, how can we be as powerful as you say." ”

"Just a wolf hunt?" Lu Xiaoxian looked at Zuo Rong with a playful expression.

Zuo Rong Zhenzhen said: "In addition to herdsmen, most of the people of the Sumo Jin tribe are hunters. If a hunter doesn't hunt, it's like the Han people don't farm, which is unreasonable. ”

"You hunt wolves just to hide people's eyes, and if tens of thousands of horses train in a big way, it will definitely cause trouble, so you came up with such a solution. Your army is usually herdsmen, and when you train your troops, you gather according to the formation, but in fact, you use hunting instead of training, and in this way you have trained an elite army. ”

Zuo Rong also had to explain, Lu Xiaoxian waved his hand and said: "Zuo Rong Gongzi, I have been on the battlefield, whether your subordinates are wolf hunters or elite cavalry, I can know at a glance." It's okay if you don't admit it, I have nothing to do with it! ”

After that, Lu Xiaoxian no longer paid attention to Zuo Rong, picked up a bowl of wine and said to the beggar Zhongxiang: "Okay, don't talk about this!" Chief, I will return to Yingzhou early tomorrow morning, I salute you with a bowl, thank you for your hospitality! ”

After that, Lu Xiaoxian did it first as a respect, and drank the wine face up.

The beggar was silent, and drank the wine from the bowl.

Putting down the wine bowl, the beggar Zhongxiang said with a ashamed face: "Lu Gongzi, I saw that you were a trustworthy person when I was in Khitan. The fellowship of people is important in trust. To tell you the truth, I have been dreaming of returning to the East day and night, and I have been preparing for this, but I am afraid of causing unnecessary trouble, so I will not show it to outsiders, please forgive me! ”

"The leader is serious!" Lu Xiaoxian said calmly, "If it were me, I would do the same!" ”

The beggar Zhongxiang sincerely asked Lu Xiaoxian

taught: "From the perspective of Lu Gongzi, is it possible for us to return to the east?" ”

Lu Xiaoxian pondered for a moment and said, "With all due respect, at least not at the moment. Unless ......"

"Unless what?" The beggar's eyes flickered.

Lu Xiaoxian sighed deeply and said: "Unless the Khitans rebel, because the Khitans rebel, the forces of the Great Zhou Imperial Court will be attracted to the past, and you can calmly return to the east without pursuing troops, and the troops will not be lost." ”

When he said this, Lu Xiaoxian was quite conflicted in his heart.

Historically, it was only after the Khitan rebellion that the Sumo Yan Ya returned to the east to establish the Bohai State.

The idea of the beggar Zhongxiang urgently returning to his hometown, Lu Xiaoxian can understand.

But the problem is that he is trying to stop the rebellion of the Khitans. If this is the case, the hope of the beggar elephant returning to his homeland will be completely dashed.

Listening to Lu Xiaoxian's words, the weather-beaten wrinkles on the beggar elephant's forehead seemed to stretch out at this moment, a pair of eyes narrowed into a crooked crescent, and a smile appeared at the corner of the old man's mouth: "Lu Gongzi's analysis is really profound and thorough, which is admirable." ”

Lu Xiaoxian was worried that the beggar Zhongxiang would not be able to hold his breath and would ruin his own big affairs, so he solemnly reminded: "Chief, you can't be in a hurry about this matter. If you act rashly, with the speed of your 100,000 people, the imperial army will soon be able to catch up with you. By that time......"

Although Lu Xiaogossip was not finished, the beggar Zhongxiang had already understood what he meant.

In that year, Su Mo Yan moved from his hometown to Yingzhou, and the whole tribe walked for almost a year. It will take almost a year to return to his hometown, and if there is really a Great Zhou court army to chase and intercept it, the consequences will indeed be unimaginable.

The beggar Zhongxiang cautiously asked, "Then Yilu Gongzi, will the Khitans rebel?" ”

"This ......" Lu Xiaoxian was a little hesitant, not knowing how to answer the beggar Zhongxiang.

If there is no Lu Xiaoxian's crossing, the Khitan people will undoubtedly rebel, which has been proven by history. But now after Lu Xiaoxian's operation, according to the current situation, the Khitans should not rebel again.

However, he couldn't explain it to the beggar Zhongxiang.

Zuo Rong interjected on the side: "At least three months, at most one year, the Khitan will be the opposite!" ”

Listening to Zuo Rong's words, Lu Xiaoxian was stunned for a moment.

Although Lu Xiaoxian has been doing his best, he has no idea whether he can change the trend of history.

When Zuorong said this, Lu Xiaoxian's heart couldn't help but feel worried.

He swallowed two or three mouthfuls of saliva, as if his throat was dry, and looked at Zuo Rong in a daze and asked, "Why?" ”

"Yingzhou seems to be calm, but in fact, the undercurrent is surging, and the situation is very complicated. Yingzhou is the governor of Jingluo, Zhuyi pays tribute, the emperor's edict, supreme, in fact, this is only a superficial phenomenon. According to the regulations of the imperial court, the Yingzhou Governor's Mansion should have a standing army of 50,000. But there has been no war in the frontier over the years, and Zhao Wenhui did not take military affairs to heart after he took office, and now the number of troops in Yingzhou is less than 3,000, and they are all old and weak soldiers, who can only eat food and stand guard, and do not know how to fight. The eight major Khitan tribes have a total of 60,000 cavalry, and they have long been out of the eyes of the Yingzhou Governor's Mansion. ”

Zuo Rong's words didn't sound special, but the more Lu Xiaoxian pondered about it, the more aftertaste he had. It is indeed not easy for Zuo Rong to see the situation in Yingzhou so thoroughly.