In the twenty-third year of King Lihe, on the winter solstice, King Zhongshan died of illness at the age of seventy-two.

He Tianzi, the ministers of the Manchu Dynasty, and the princes of the Quartet all went to Zhongshan to mourn.

For a time, the whole country mourned, and the end-off stretched for ten miles. With such pomp, except for the death of the emperor of the Li family and the ugly death of the first holy son, there is no one else.

The prince of Zhongshan, Kuang, with the strength of a country, supported the Li family, the princes of the Quartet, seven points are enemies, and one point is friends. However, no one does not admire Zi Kuang, the pillar of the country, for the country and the people.

He Tianzi knelt on the ground to see him off, and when the Son of Heaven knelt, the weight was too heavy, and Zikuang could afford it.

Last year, Zichou died, the country lost a pillar, the Li family was crumbling, and the princes were eyeing it.

This year, Zi Kuang died, the country lost another pillar, the Li Mansion will fall, and the princes can hardly hide their ambitions.

How did He Tianzi not know? The last support of the Dali Dynasty was not the nobles of the Wangcheng clan and the princes of the Quartet, but himself, Taibao Zi Kuang, Tai Shi Zi Chou, and Tai Fu Langxuan.

The four pillars of the country, except for himself, the weak emperor, the other three pillars have all collapsed, this Dali Jiuding, a total of more than 10,000 jun, how can he protect it?

After the condolences were completed, the princes returned home non-stop. He Tianzi was in a trance, closed his eyes, and saw the scene of the princes coming to Lidu and asking Jiuding.

He Tianzi broke out in a cold sweat and invited Meng Lan into the palace late at night.

Just after the winter solstice, it is the coldest time of the year, the days are too short, and the cold nights are too long.

"Master, please teach me how to save the country." When He Tianzi saw Meng Lan, he was like a drowning man grabbing a piece of driftwood, like a treasure.

Meng Lan came from the wind and snow, dusted off the snowflakes on her shoulders, and her eyes were as clear as a lake.

"A gentleman cultivates himself first, and then the Qi family, and the Son of Heaven should do the same," Meng Lan asked, "Is the Son of Heaven self-cultivation?" ”

"No." He Tianzi was full of shame, and when the country lost a pillar, he cried.

"Is the Son of Heaven a family?" Meng Lan pointed to the tea leaves and sat on the ground to make tea.

"No." He Tianzi is bitter in his heart, how to join the family? The mother's surname is Song, the queen's surname is Song, and now even the son-in-law is surnamed Song.

"First cultivate yourself and Qi family, then govern the country and level the world." The rain and snow outside the palace are falling, and the tea in the palace is tinkling.

"Does the Son of Heaven understand tea?" Meng Lan asked, pointing to the teapot.

"Tea is the most self-cultivation," He Tianzi saw that Meng Lan was silent, and added, "Brew tea quietly." ”

Meng Lan shook her head, made a cup for He Tianzi, and then made a cup for herself, and said: "Tea is bitter, and those who drink tea are Li Min." A gentleman drinking tea is nothing more than drinking without money. ”

He Tianzi was surprised.

Meng Lan said: "Tea is bitter, and Li Min is also bitter." Since the Son of Heaven is the Son of Heaven, he should lead the will of Heaven and Earth and do the things of the Son of Heaven. ”

hit it off, coincided, Meng Lan said a word, and said that He Tianzi was in trouble. Since he is the Son of Heaven, he should do what the Son of Heaven does. Li Min is bitter, and the Son of Heaven should not do nothing. He Tianzi reigned for twenty-three years, and he did nothing or anything. The mediocre man has no fault and no fault, and the mediocre gentleman has no fault and no action.

He Tianzi drank it in one gulp, and he rarely drank tea because of the bitter taste. Drink it in one gulp, full of bitterness, purse your lips and taste it, bitter and sweet, and the aftertaste is endless.

"Son of Heaven look at this cup of tea." Meng Lan pushed the cup to the middle, and He Tianzi was thoughtful.

"The ups and downs of tea can be compared to life?" He Tianzi asked.

Meng Lan shook her head and replied: "Li Min is water in a cup, princes and ministers are tea leaves in water, and the Son of Heaven is a tea drinker."

He Tianzi was overjoyed and said eagerly: "The first saint is willing to make tea for Lone?"

Meng Lan pushed the teacup towards He Tianzi again, and said, "Son of Heaven, please."

For Meng Lan, it is to make tea for He Tianzi; For He Tianzi, it was Meng Lan who enjoyed a cup of tea.

Who in the world is qualified to appreciate the tea of the Son of Heaven?

"What does the Son of Heaven think of the situation?" Meng Lan asked with a smile.

The current situation in the world, since the first king, the princes' conquests have become more and more intense. By the accession of He Tianzi, the Li room was declining day by day, and the princes of the world were the largest in the six countries of Song, Lu, Chu, Wu, Yue, and Hous, and the three southwestern countries were in a corner of peace, and small countries were trying to survive.

Although He Tianzi has lived in the royal city for a long time, it is impossible for him not to know the current situation in the world, and even as the Son of Heaven, he is the biggest player in the world.

"What the Son of Heaven said is extremely true," Meng Lan nodded and continued, "Among the six kingdoms, Song Ben is the weakest, and he has worked hard to conquer the world, growing from a small country in three cities to the overlord of the Central Plains. Taifu has the heart of the king, but he is shackled by benevolence and righteousness, so it is delayed again and again. Song Qiang? Strong. Thousands of miles of fertile soil, hundreds of cities, millions of soldiers, and the military saint Shi Hui, the martial saint Miao Ku, and my junior brother Zou Gu. Song Qiang? Not. Fertile soil for thousands of miles, are the land of a hundred battles, west of the Houthis, east to the Lu country, south of the Qinling Mountains, Huai River and Chu adjacent, the north is the northern plains of the country, a hundred battles, how to stabilize? There are 100 cities, half of them have not yet recovered from the war, most of the Song people are the seeds of the country, and they have not yet been educated into the Song people, and the people are not returning, how to govern the country? Millions of soldiers, heavy battles, and repeated battles, how to appease the country and the lack of people? As for the soldier saint Shi Hui, it was only the king of Song; Wu Shengmiao is bitter and dying; Wensheng Zou Gu asked Meng Lan to play a game with him. ”

After listening to Meng Lan's analysis, He Tianzi felt half of the pressure in his heart. Song is his biggest trouble, the number one enemy, as strong as Si, but strong on the outside.

"And what about the other five countries?" He Tianzi asked.

"Husai is far away, and with Song clamping, it is difficult for Husai to play for a while," When He Tianzi's face showed joy, Meng Lan admonished again, "Although it is a long-term concern, you must not worry." ”

"King Lu Chai Kao died, and the son Xiaobai took the heir. Chai Kaobai Yin Yin is a master, and he does nothing to govern, and he can't afford to fight. And the floods of the Ludi River are endless, the floods are uneven, and Lu is powerless to rule the world. Meng Lan said that the head is the way, He Tianzi nodded, and the heart that had been suppressed for twenty-three years was slowly released.

"Wu and Yue are two countries, the same clan and the same room, the same room, just keep the balance." Wu and Yue, the ancestors are all after Dongying, a mother and compatriots, but they are not only fighting infighting, and they are the least threatening among the six countries, and He Tianzi has the bottom in his heart.

"As for the state of Chu, it began in Jing, south of Qinhuai and north of the Great River. Seven generations of Chu kings, generations of Ming Jun, Xiong Ran has the ambition of the king of the world. Meng Lan said Chu State, frowning, obviously, Chu State is the most tricky.

"Xiong Ran has always been respectful to Lonely." He Tianzi expressed his inner doubts.

"If the time is not right, wait for the opportunity," Meng Lan asked rhetorically, "Does the Son of Heaven think that Chu is really a land of thorns, a place where wild beasts are rampant, and a country where poisonous miasma is raging?" ”

"Chu is remote and sparsely populated." He Tianzi said.

"The Ming Jun of the Seven Dynasties of Chu opened up the territory and expanded the territory, reaching Baiyue in the south, Qinhuai in the north, Wuyue in the east, and Citrus Qi in the west, accounting for four points of the world; Light repair water conservancy, reclamation of fertile land, where the river goes, the five grains are abundant; With the establishment of the family separation law, the man and the crown will become a family on their own, and the population will not exceed 10 million. ”

After hearing this, He Tianzi was in a cold sweat, Chu Guoli was so strong, it was he who relaxed his vigilance.

"Don't forget the Son of Heaven, Chu Nai is a descendant of the previous dynasty." Meng Lan's words woke up He Tianzi. King Wen divided the crown prince of the former dynasty as the king of Nanjing, and he was always vigilant. I know that two hundred years ago, the princes conquered, Nanjing perished, the Chu State rose, and experienced seven generations of Ming monarchs, dormant for a hundred years, loyal to the Li family, to the princes, distant and close attacks, step by step encroachment on small countries.

"How's that okay?" He Tianzi had nothing to do, so he had to ask Meng Lan.

Meng Lan was confident and said: "The two countries of Song and Chu, with Qin and Huai as the boundary, are bound to fight; Wu and Yue, although the internal fighting continues, but their strength should not be underestimated, and there are many frictions with the Chu State; The Baiyue states, which have not yet been indoctrinated, are fighting for themselves, and it is difficult to resist the Chu State; The three southwestern kingdoms, although they are located in a corner, have far-reaching national ancestry and can resist the Chu state. ”

There is a citrus country in the southwest, and the fang country has a Taifu named Ri Qin Boxian, and Ri Qin Boxian has a female name Ri Qin Xiaocui. When it comes to the Three Kingdoms of the Southwest, He Tianzi can't help but think of Xiao Cui.

"Son of Heaven." Meng Lan was furious.

He Tianzi came back to his senses and realized that he was rude.

"Son of heaven, it's late at night, Meng Lan retires." Meng Lan shook his head and slowly withdrew.

The wind and snow outside were even greater, Meng Lan was not in the wind and snow, and in the wind and snow, Shi Yanzhou stood under the eaves, holding his hands to keep warm.

"Sir," Shi Yanzhou shouted respectfully.

Shi Yanzhou drove, and Meng Lan sat in the car, without a canopy and cover, stained with wind and snow.

He Tianzi watched Meng Lan drive away, feeling that he was frivolous, and when he talked about state affairs, he actually remembered the lingering and sad things, and regretted it in his heart.

A gentleman first cultivates himself and his family, and then governs the country and the world.

He Tianzi was annoyed in his heart, he went into the house to make tea, he wanted to cultivate himself, but he couldn't sink his heart, and Xiao Cui's smile always appeared in front of him.

After a long time, there seemed to be very close.

He Tianzi has a secret, Prince Han is not the eldest son, but the son of Xiaocui is, he is half a day older, and he is famous.

He was afraid of harming Xian and Xiaocui, so he had to make Yao Han his successor, Empress Dowager Cole was satisfied, and Song Yao was also satisfied.

Those who knew about it, except for the Third Prince, Empress Dowager Coo, Song Yao and Mrs. Chai, all kept silent forever.

He also has a secret, he didn't die early, only Zichou and Zikuang know. This secret is now unknown to anyone, and even he is about to forget it.

It's all for Xiaocui, otherwise Empress Dowager Cole is not at ease, and Song Yao is not at ease. Only when Yao Xian dies can Li Du be at peace for the time being.

It's a pity that he was born in the family of the Son of Heaven, Xiaocui gave birth to three children for him, the eldest son Yao Xian was forced to "die young", the eldest daughter Zhilan was called a chess piece in the game, and the second son Yao Zhi was a hostage for eleven years.

The will of the Son of Heaven and the Way of Heaven? Is the Son of Heaven a warrior in the world? He Tianzi thought it was funny, he couldn't even save his own children, and he was ashamed to be a father.

A gentleman first cultivates himself and his family, and then governs the country and the world.

He Tianzi couldn't calm down, the tea was boiling, ding dong ding dong, pouring himself to drink, too bitter, too bitter, the tip of the tongue always couldn't detect the bitterness, was the Li people too bitter, or the princes were making trouble? Sure enough, without Meng Lan making tea, he couldn't drink a sip of good tea.

Twelve years, from the fall of Song Xiao as the Taifu, so far for twelve years, He Tianzi has not lost a word. It's not that I don't want to, it's that I can't fall behind. The world is a piece of chess, and the Son of Heaven can't move.

The world is prosperous, the Son of Heaven does not have to fall, the second half of the sentence is that the world is a chess piece; The world is dead, the Son of Heaven does not have to fall, and the second half of the sentence is that the world is a gamer.

This is what Zichou said, in the past twenty-three years, He Tianzi is completely convinced.

Now the princes, Song Xiao has been wearing the cloak of benevolence and righteousness for more than ten years, destroying a country every year; To the west of Yangguan, the Houthi iron rider is flat left and right; Wu Yue competed, and Wu Yue was really willing to live in a corner and become a spectator? Xiaobai ascended the throne, will Lu continue to rule by inaction? The seven generations of Ming Jun of the Chu State, Xiong Ran is eloquent and strategic, how can he be willing to live under others?

The world is full of warriors, and there are only a fraction of them left in five hundred and eight years.