The cloud-crowned ancient pines block out the fiery sunlight and leave a large area of shade. A mat, a low table, a chess table, the two sit opposite each other. The young man was dressed in white and shook his folding fan, while the older man was wearing only a sleeveless shoulder, and the two of them were engrossed in the chess game in front of them.

Not far away, an incense burner burns fine sandalwood, and straight green smoke rises and then soaks in the air. Behind the two of them, on the left and on the right, sat two girls dressed in cool clothes and graceful figures, gently fanning the two.

But neither the old man nor the young man had even the slightest trace of their gaze on the two women beside him.

The young one is Zhu Youzhen, the third prince of the Great Liang who arrived in Qingzhou.

And playing against him was Sun Tonglin, the patriarch of the Sun clan, a local wealthy family in Qingzhou who was not inferior to Hou Xiyi.

Holding a sunspot in his hand, Zhu Youzhen thought for a while, but finally took it back after a few falls, and repeated it several times, and finally sighed, threw the sunspot into the chess box on the side, and said: "Sun Gong's chess is wonderful, and Youzhen is impressed." ”

Sun Tonglin glanced up at Zhu Youzhen, pointed to the chessboard with a smile and said: "There are still large open spaces here that can be operated, and if they are managed properly, they may not be able to turn defeat into victory." ”

"The general trend has gone, the general trend has gone." Zhu Youzhen shook his head again and again, "Even if you run a small piece of territory somewhere, but you are surrounded on all sides, you still can't escape defeat, and this is so exhausting, it is better to abandon it and find another way, even if it is a restart, it is much better than wasting your spirit and doing useless work." ”

Sun Tonglin laughed and stretched out his hand to mess up the chess game: "Sun only heard that His Royal Highness was a strong general in the past, but today is the first time to see His Royal Highness is also extraordinary in chess, and he does not hide it from His Royal Highness, in this place in Qingzhou, it is really rare to be able to play against me and support it for so long." ”

"Youzhen has heard that Sun Gong is known as a national player." Zhu Youzhen bowed and said: "But Youzhen has only been learning chess for two years, and it is really an honor to be so rewarded by Sun Gong." ”

"Two years?" The smile on Sun Tonglin's face suddenly disappeared, and his face was full of surprise.

Zhu Youzhen nodded: "As Sun Gong said, Zhu Youzhen in the past was just a strong general, thinking that he could get off the horse with his crotch and win everything with a knife in his hand, but unexpectedly, the battle in Luzhou was lost in a mess, and even I became a prisoner." Although he later returned to Chang'an, this body can no longer go to the battlefield. ”

"If you lose your horse, you don't know if it's a blessing!" Sun Tonglin looked at Zhu Youzhen, who was calmly telling his troubles, and was really surprised in his heart, Zhu Youzhen in front of him and Zhu Youzhen in the rumored situation are completely two people, so it can be seen that it is really a matter of hearing.

"At the beginning, Youzhen was depressed and short-tempered, but then fortunately Jingxiang nodded, and finally calmed down, but also so that I could calm down, Jingxiang let me follow to learn chess, two years, I didn't even learn Jingxiang's skin, but fortunately, it made me calm." Zhu Youzhen said.

Sun Tonglin shook his head and said: "The Third Highness is too humble, and I have also learned the way of chess, and I am also between the Bozhong, Go, the master introduces the door, and the practice is in the individual, this really depends on the talent and understanding." The Third Highness has a good climate in terms of layout, but there is still some lack of small means, but small means can be learned, and this kind of overall view is innate. It's no wonder that Jing is looking the other way around. ”

Zhu Youzhen smiled and owed a debt.

Sun Tonglin waved his hand, and the four beauties immediately got up, packed up the chess tables, and left, leaving under the big tree, only him and Zhu Youzhen were left.

"Your Royal Highness is here to Pinglu, is it to help Pinglu resist the Tang Army?" Sun Tonglin asked straightforwardly.

Zhu Youzhen smiled, "Sun Gong already has a certain number in his heart, isn't this asking knowingly?" ”

"In this way, the Third Highness also thinks that Pinglu can't stop the Tang Army's soldiers at all, in this case, why is the Third Highness still here? Why didn't Da Liang come to Pinglu's aid? ”

"It's not that I don't want to, but I can't!" Zhu Youzhen said: "There must be a trade-off." ”

"So Pinglu is a place that His Majesty the Emperor has given up, but His Majesty has done this, he can give up Pinglu today, and he can't give up other places in the future, isn't His Majesty afraid of chilling other places?" Sun Tonglin said with resentment.

"So that's why I came to Pinglu." Zhu Youzhen said calmly: "I always have to give someone like Sun Gong an explanation." ”

"I wonder what kind of explanation His Highness gave me?" Sun Tonglin waved his thin arm: "Now that the Tang army has attacked on a large scale, it is only a matter of a blink of an eye for the soldiers to come to the city, and it is not too late to explain at this time?" ”

"Thinking about it, Sun Gong has already made a lot of preparations, and there is more than one such preparation, Sun Gong is now thinking about which one to take, right?" Zhu Youzhen laughed: "My visit today is just to provide a third way for Sun Gong." ”

Sun Tonglin's body stiffened, and when he looked at Zhu Youzhen's eyes, he suddenly became a lot deeper.

"Don't worry about Sun Gong, Zhu is not malicious, otherwise he wouldn't have arrived at Sun Gong's Mansion like this." Zhu Youzhen shook the fan lightly and said: "On the first road, Sun Gong is ready to sail with Hou Shuai as a last resort and go to the Lingnan Xiang Training Office. But in my opinion, it's not really a good idea. ”

"How so?" Sun Tonglin said quietly: "If Pinglu is lost, Sun will become a lost dog, at least where he goes, the wind is calm, and it is also a good choice to be a public security officer to enjoy his old age." ”

"The clouds are from the dragon, the wind is from the tiger, people like Sun Gong, no matter where they go, it is impossible to live a paradise-like life calmly and peacefully, you don't offend people, but people will offend you." Zhu Youzhen said lightly: "Sun Gong left his homeland and went to a place where he was unfamiliar with his life. ”

Sun Tonglin's face twitched, and a layer of red floated.

"Don't expect anything from Hou Xiyi." Zhu Youzhen said: "When the time comes, he may be able to rely on his friendship with Xiang Xun in the past to protect himself, but if he wants to protect you, he is afraid that he will not have such a big face." As for what you said about Lingnan being calm, I'm afraid it's also wishful thinking. Sun Gong, you are a person who has gone through the vicissitudes of the sea, don't you know that where the world is, the weak eat the strong? When you go to Lingnan, you are like a young child carrying a heavy treasure in the world, but I am afraid that everyone wants to try to see if you can take it? Moreover, I am sure you also know that Lingnan Xiangxun is already ready to move. Jin Mantang must have told you about this, right? Two months ago, you went to Jimo, you should have gone to see Jin Mantang, right? ”

Sun Tonglin suddenly changed color: "Third Highness, are you spying on me?" ”

Zhu Youzhen said with a smile: "Since I have long been interested in you, I will naturally care a lot, if it wasn't for the arrangement, how could I never have imagined that you would still have a relationship with Jin Mantang?" Your second path is provided to you by Jinmantang, right? Lose sincerity to the Tang Army? ”

Sun Tonglin was silent for a long time and said, "Third Highness, in your eyes, am I not a fat sheep?" ”

Zhu Youzhen spread his hands: "I don't deny it, it is precisely because of your Sun's strong financial resources and sufficient manpower that attract me, but my attitude towards you is completely different from that of them, and I will tell you more later." Now let me first talk about the reasons why it is not a good choice for you to join the Tang Army. ”

"I want to hear about it." Sun Tonglin said coldly.

"The Sun family is the largest landlord in Qingzhou and even Pinglu." Zhu Youzhen smiled: "Based on this alone, do you think Li Ze will be very friendly to you?" His land policy, don't you know? Look at the Xue clan in Hedong, who is now doing business in Tubo that may lose his head at any time. Sima clan, went to the Western Regions to work hard, Hefang clan, now ashes, has been killed cleanly, Sun Gong, with all due respect, none of these families are worse than your Sun family, right? If you vote for the Tang Army, do you want to be the Sima clan of the Xue clan or the Hefang clan in the future? ”

Sun Tonglin looked depressed, how could he not consider these things? It's just that for the current Sun family, there is no better choice at all.

To stay or to leave, there are only two also.

If you stay, you have to take the risk that Zhu Youzhen said, and if you leave, you may become a sheep.

"Since Your Highness doesn't think these two paths are feasible, I'd like to hear about the third path that Your Highness has offered me." Sun Tonglin asked.

"Let's go to Guanzhong!" Zhu Youzhen said: "I have a fief of a whole county in Guanzhong, but there are many wars and sparsely populated there, so Sun Gong can take your people to move there." My land may be sold to you for a price. As long as there is land, the Sun family will still be the Sun family of the past. ”

"I'm afraid that His Highness's price is too high, and I can't afford it." Sun Tonglin sighed.

"You can be the magistrate of that county, and the Sun clan can have an army. You don't have to deny that one of the current troops stationed in Qingzhou is completely under your orders. Zhu Youzhenwei smiled and said: "The price I will sell to you for those lands is absolutely fair, of course, when you get these lands to settle your family, you must also give me one thing." ”

"The loyalty of your Third Highness?" Sun Tonglin said.

"Exactly!" Zhu Youzhen folded the fan and said with a smile: "Sun Gong, it depends not only on what you will pay now, but also on what you will get in the future." Trust me, I won't let you lose money. Perhaps, for Sun, this is an opportunity to make a profit. ”

"What about Hou Xiyi and Hou Shuai?"

"Hou Shuai wants to go to Lingnan, then let's go!" Zhu Youzhen said: "Everyone has their own ambitions, and they can't be forced. Besides, Hou Shuai has already done so much foreshadowing work, how can he give up halfway? ”

"I need to think about it!"

"Of course, it's a big deal, let me know if you're decided." Zhu Youzhen said with a smile.

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