Yu Qing and Lu Zhonglian bid farewell to Qi Wangtian Fazhang and walked out of the hall side by side. Lu Zhonglian walked out of the main hall, his expression was extremely relaxed, he looked up at the sky, and said bitterly: "What a bad thing, I have met it." ”

Yu Qing watched him dig a pit and bury himself, and complained about it, and couldn't help laughing. Lu Zhonglian saw that he was laughing too much, and shouted, "What are you laughing at." ”

"Well deserved." Yu Qing scolded: "Who told you to come up with this bad idea." ”

Lu Zhong was even suffocated by the other party's words, and he didn't compete with him. The next day, Lu Zhong was ordered by the King of Qi to go to Zhao and met Zhao Wang Dan and Empress Dowager Zhao in the palace. Lu Zhonglian met with the Empress Dowager Zhao and saluted: "Foreign Minister Lu Zhonglian, meet the Empress Dowager." ”

Yu Qing also said: "Minister, meet the Queen Mother." ”

"No need to be polite." Empress Dowager Zhao raised her hand and said, "Please take a seat." ”

"Yu Qing, it's hard to send an envoy to the country of Qi. You sit too. ”

Lu Zhonglian and Yu Qing returned the salute and sat down one after another. Empress Dowager Zhao asked, "King Qi, how is your health?" ”

"Back to the Queen Mother, my king is in good health. This is the letter of state that my king asked me to give to the queen mother, and this is my king's family letter. Lu Zhonglian didn't expect that the first sentence of Empress Dowager Zhao was not to ask Qi and Zhao to form an alliance against the Qin State. Instead, he cared about King Qi's body.

"I'm relieved." Empress Dowager Zhao took the family letter and the national letter, and did not open the seal, and said: "How is the harvest of Qi State?" How are the people doing? Is King Qi doing well? ”

Empress Dowager Zhao asked three times, but first asked about the harvest, then asked the people, and finally asked King Qi. Lu Zhonglian was a little unhappy when he heard this, but he still replied calmly: "The foreign minister came to Handan to greet the Queen Mother on the order of my king. The queen mother did not ask my king first, but first asked about the harvest and the people. The foreign ministers are stupid, how can the queen mother put the lowly in front and the honorable in the back? ”

"That's not what I said." Empress Dowager Zhao said calmly: "If there is no harvest, what do you rely on to feed the people." If the people can't go on, how can the country be stable. Without the people, how can there be a king? How can anyone abandon the root and ask the last verse? ”

"What the Queen Mother said is very much, it is the contempt of the foreign ministers." Lu Zhonglian saw what the Empress Dowager Zhao said, including the Confucian Confucian saying that 'the people are noble and the monarch is light', and the Confucian Meng Ke 'water can carry a boat, but it can also overturn a boat'. Empress Dowager Zhao's words made him unable to refute.

Empress Dowager Zhao smiled, it was a good feeling to be able to talk to the people of her mother country, and asked: "I heard that there is a hermit named Zhong Ion in the Qi country, and he feeds the people for the king, why hasn't he achieved his deeds yet." ”

Lu Zhong couldn't even answer, and said ashamedly: "What the Queen Mother said, the foreign minister is not very clear. ”

Empress Dowager Zhao didn't embarrass him, and asked again: "I also heard that there is a person named Ye Yangzi in the Qi country. He advocated mercy for the widows and loneliness, relief for the poor and poor, and compassion for the people for the king of Qi, why has he not been appointed to this day? ”

"My king's way of employing people, the foreign ministers dare not ask. What the Queen Mother said, the foreign ministers are not very clear. Lu Zhong's face was embarrassed, but he didn't attack. After all, what Empress Dowager Zhao said was reasonable.

Empress Dowager Zhao didn't think there was anything wrong there, thinking that she was chattering about family life, and asked: "I also heard that there is a daughter in the Beigong family of Qi Kingdom, what is her name?" ”

Lu Zhong said, "Baby." ”

"Yes, that's her." Empress Dowager Zhao asked: "Don't marry until you are old, to support your parents." Set an example for the people with filial piety, why has it not been praised by King Qi so far? ”

Lu Zhong couldn't even answer, so he kept his mouth shut.

Empress Dowager Zhao thought for a while, and then said, "Yu Ling Zizhong, are you still alive?" ”

Lu Zhong came to Zhao and saw him, and replied: "Live well." ”

Empress Dowager Zhao's face changed abruptly and asked, "How can this person still let him live." ”

Lu Zhonglian didn't know why the Empress Dowager Zhao changed color, so he pretended to be confused and said: "What the Empress Dowager Zhao means by this, the foreign ministers don't understand. ”

Empress Dowager Zhao said angrily: "This person is not subordinate to the king, does not govern his family, and does not hand over the princes. How could the King of Qi let him live. ”

Lu Zhonglian knew what such a person relied on to gain a foothold in the Qi Palace, but he didn't know what to say, and said helplessly: "The foreign minister didn't dare to ask, and he didn't dare to say." ”

"King Qi, it's really an old fool. Zhong Ion and Ye Yangzi, sages who serve the country and the people, must not be reused. The daughter of the North Palace, filial piety is not commended. but reuses people like Zizhong who mislead the country. Empress Dowager Zhao complained: "How can the King of Qi govern the country of Qi, compassionate the people, and restore the ancestors' inheritance?" ”

Lu Zhonglian listened to the words of the Empress Dowager Zhao and found out sharply. Empress Dowager Zhao is deep in Zhao State, but she has insight into the politics and public conditions of Qi State and understands King Qi better. can also distinguish between right and wrong, and know how to love the people. The queen mother in front of her is not simple! It is no wonder that after the death of Zhao Huiwen and Wang Yong, the ministers of Zhao State will let the Empress Dowager Zhao take charge.

In this way, the Empress Dowager Zhao is still a person who can listen to the opinions of her subordinates, has foresight, and can get along in harmony. Lu Zhonglian couldn't understand why the courtiers of Zhao Guo were afraid of this queen mother?

Seeing that she had said too much, Empress Dowager Zhao apologized: "I haven't seen anyone from my homeland for a long time, so I said a few more words." Don't dislike me, an old woman, this messenger. ”

Lu Zhonglian said sincerely: "I can hear the words of the Empress Dowager Zhao, minister, this trip is not in vain." The minister will also convey these words of the Empress Dowager Zhao to my king. ”

"I'm a woman, talking nonsense. Don't take it seriously. Empress Dowager Zhao said, opening the family letter. When Empress Dowager Zhao saw King Qi's handwriting, she remembered those things in Qi State, and the corners of her eyes were a little moist. Empress Dowager Zhao stabilized her mind, picked up the national letter of Qi and looked at it, her expression changed suddenly.

Lu Zhonglian also noticed that Empress Dowager Zhao's expression was wrong, and asked Yu Qing with his eyes. Yu Qing pretended not to see it, because he knew that Empress Dowager Zhao would have this expression when she learned that Chang'anjun would go to Qi as a hostage. If it weren't for Lu Zhonglian, a foreign minister, Empress Dowager Zhao would have been furious.

Empress Dowager Zhao put down the letter of state and suppressed the unhappiness in her heart. How could she let the Qi envoy spy on the Zhao State's government and her own attitude, and said in a gentle tone: "Qi envoy, you have worked hard." Go down and rest first. ”

Lu Zhonglian felt that the atmosphere was wrong, and after saluting, he fled.

After Lu Zhonglian left, Empress Dowager Zhao suppressed the unhappiness in her heart and asked, "Yu Qing, who is Lu Zhonglian?" ”

"He is from the country of Qi and Diyi." Yu Qing thought that Empress Dowager Zhao would be furious when she read the letter of state, but she didn't expect Empress Dowager Zhao to ask Lu Zhonglian who he was.

Empress Dowager Zhao asked, "How much does his official residence be?" ”

Yu Qing said: "He is the guest of King Qi, but he loves Yunyou, and he doesn't like to be an official in the court." When I went to Qi this time, I didn't expect to meet him. ”

"Oh. And such people. Empress Dowager Zhao was full of interest to Qi Envoy, and said, "What is this person's ability?" ”

"The minister only knows that he helped An Pingjun revive the Qi country, and he went down to Liaocheng in one book." Yu Qing said what he knew in the shortest sentences.

"Oh. In this way, this person is not simple! When Empress Dowager Zhao heard this, she became even more interested, "I want to hear how he helped An Pingjun revive the Qi Kingdom." How did he talk about the city in a book? ”

Pingyuan Jun also had a lot of dealings with the Qi State, and seeing that the Empress Dowager Zhao wanted to know about Lu Zhonglian, she answered: "The Empress Dowager, I also know a little about this person. Anping Jun Tiandan, with Jimo as a base, relieved the danger of the siege of Yan Kingdom for several years with the fire ox array. and with the momentum of destruction and decay, he regained the lost territory. Everywhere An Pingjun went, he rebelled against Yan and returned to Qi. However, An Pingjun also encountered problems. ”

Empress Dowager Zhao asked, "What kind of problem?" ”

Pingyuan Jun said: "An Pingjun regained the lost territory, Bingfeng arrived in Diyi, and he couldn't defeat it for three months. ”

"Diyi is a small city, and An Pingjun can't take it for a long time." Zhao Wangdan asked, "What's going on?" ”

Pingyuan Jun said: "I don't know the specific reason. ”

Empress Dowager Zhao asked, "Yu Qing, do you know?" ”

Yu Qing replied: "The minister only knows that Anping Jun attacked Diyi, and he will not be defeated in March. Lu Zhonglian begged to see An Pingjun and taught him how to break the enemy. Lu Zhonglian said a few words to An Pingjun, and Di Yi was conquered. ”

"What he said, he was able to help An Pingjun conquer Diyi." Empress Dowager Zhao also felt that this person's ability was too great, and An Pingjun couldn't defeat it for three months by force, but after listening to a few words from the other party, he attacked Di Yi.

Yu Qing didn't know what Lu Zhonglian said, so he didn't ask, and shook his head to say he didn't know. Pingyuan-kun answered: "What he said, we don't know. But what he said was of great help to An Pingjun, and it was also the key to An Pingjun's capture of Diyi. ”

Empress Dowager Zhao nodded, and also thought that this person was very important to An Pingjun, and asked: "What's going on with Liaocheng in a book." ”

Pingyuan Jun replied: "An Pingjun conquered Diyi, and swept away the leaves with the autumn wind to recover the territory. arrived in Liaocheng, but could not conquer it, and lost troops. ”

Empress Dowager Zhao even understood Liaocheng in her mother country, and asked: "Liaocheng is a small city, how can you stop An Pingjun." ”

Pingyuan Jun knew that Empress Dowager Zhao didn't understand the military formation, so he explained her confusion and said: "The Empress Dowager doesn't know, the master guarding Liaocheng is Le Ying." ”

Empress Dowager Zhao asked, "Who is Le Ying who can stop An Pingjun." ”

Seeing that Empress Dowager Zhao asked about this person, Le Cheng hurriedly said: "He is the nephew of Wangjun Le Yi." ”

Le Yi was an official under King Wuling of Zhao, and after the Dune Palace changed, he left Zhao, Ben Wei, and Dead Yan. King Yan Zhao took him as a general and led the alliance of the five countries to attack Qi and prestige the princes. Later, King Yan Zhao died, King Yan Hui changed generals, and An Guojun Tiandan was able to reverse the situation and break the Yan army. King Yan Hui's change of generals also led to the failure of the great cause of warping Qi. Le Yi was unwilling to be loyal to King Yan Hui and fled to Zhao. King Zhao Huiwen saw that Le Yi was talented and named him the king of Wang.

"I said that An Pingjun couldn't conquer Liaocheng, it turned out that he met the people of the Le clan." The name of Le Yi, how could Empress Dowager Zhao not know, and asked: "Later, how did An Pingjun conquer Liaocheng." ”

Pingyuanjun answered: "It is also the credit of Lu Zhonglian. ”

Empress Dowager Zhao saw that this person had made a great contribution, and asked: "What has he done, even the Le clan, who can fight well, is not his opponent." ”

Yu Qing replied: "He wrote a letter and shot it with an arrow into Liaocheng City. ”

Pingyuan Jun continued: "This is to attack the heart. ”

"What a powerful method." Empress Dowager Zhao said again: "What is written in his letter." ”

Seeing that the Queen Mother was looking at him, Pingyuan Jun replied: "He first earnestly warned Le Ying and other Yan generals that it is not loyal, brave, and wise to defend the lonely city, and he also talked about the pros and cons of returning to Yan and surrendering to Qi, and he was kind and tempting. He also said that stupid people will 'act in small ways and die in shame.' 'And the king of Yan Hui was stupid, and changed generals indiscriminately, causing Le Yi to flee, and the Yan country was defeated after several years of work, and the morale of the army was disturbed. and persuaded Le Ying to become a lifelong name. With a small shame, and make a lifetime of merit, give up Liaocheng. ”

Empress Dowager Zhao exclaimed: "Good sharp words, not only see the situation clearly, but also control the hearts of both the enemy and us, and can also follow the good temptation to confuse their hearts." ”

"Isn't it?" Pingyuan Jun's tone also had a sense of praise, "Le Ying sees that Guiyan is hopeless, and he is afraid of being humiliated." Thinking of the ending of Wangzhujun again, the great cause of Vaqi failed, and he was desperate and killed himself. ”

Empress Dowager Zhao said: "This person can retreat 10,000 soldiers with one arrow, which is really powerful." ”

Pingyang Jun said: "This person's talent is enough to compare with Gongsun Yan and Zhang Yi's Zongheng family. ”

Empress Dowager Zhao was a little puzzled and asked, "This person was born in Di, living and chatting." Born in the troubled times when the country was defeated and the mountains and rivers were broken, he did not forget his original intention and revived his family and country. This person helped Anping Jun Kedi to talk again, which is enough to see that he is a talented person. What's wrong with King Qi, he abandoned it and lived in it as a guest. Could it be that this person's talent was squeezed out by An Guojun. ”

"Queen Mother, An Guojun did not exclude him." Pingyuan Jun said again: "An Pingjun lost the lives of too many soldiers because of the attack on Liaocheng. Yan Jiang Le Ying killed himself, and Liaocheng was in chaos. In order to vent his hatred, An Pingjun washed Liaocheng in blood. An Pingjun returned to Qi and asked the king of Qi for merit for him. The king of Qi was knighted, but how did he know that this person fled to the East China Sea to live in seclusion. ”

Seeing that this person was not moved by the high-ranking officials, Zhao Wangdan asked, "What's going on." ”

Pingyang Jun replied: "Maybe it's because he thinks that the death of the soldiers of Liaocheng Yanguo has a lot to do with him." This person couldn't bear to use the bones of Yan Jun to seek fame, and he didn't dare to refuse the seal of King Qi, so he fled to the East China Sea to live in seclusion. ”

"He made great contributions to the restoration of the Qi country, was knighted, and became a rich and noble person, which is also deserved." Empress Dowager Zhao was a little puzzled, and sighed: "How could he not seek wealth and seclusion." Nowadays, there are still people who hate fame. ”

Pingyuan Jun praised: "Queen Mother, I didn't believe it before. Later, I heard this man say a sentence, I believe that there are people who contribute to the country, but refuse to seek fame. ”

Empress Dowager Zhao looked at Ping Yuanjun and asked, "What did he say that could make Pingyuanjun sigh like this?" ”

Pingyuan Jun said: "He said that instead of being rich and stooping down to serve others, it is better to be poor and despise the world and let go of one's own mind." ”

"This person has a noble mind, and when the country is in trouble, he is the first to stand up. There is no difficulty in the country, and they do not seek fame and fame, and choose to live in seclusion. Empress Dowager Zhao thought about it, always felt that something was wrong, and asked: "This person, living in seclusion in the East China Sea, how can he be in Linzi, and how can he go to our country as an envoy." ”

Yu Qing saw that Empress Dowager Zhao looked at the national letter on the side, and obviously guessed it. Sure enough, Empress Dowager Zhao snorted heavily and said angrily: "It's difficult, this idea was also from him." ”

"Queen Mother, the minister doesn't know." Yu Qing saw that the Queen Mother cast an unkind gaze, and she did not betray Lu Zhonglian.

Empress Dowager Zhao looked at him and asked, "Do you really don't know, or don't you want to tell the truth." ”

Yu Qing said in a calm tone: "If this idea was from him, how dare he come to Zhao Kingdom." ”

Empress Dowager Zhao thought about it and let go of the doubts in her heart.

Pingyuanjun didn't know and asked, "Queen Mother, what are you talking about?" ”

Pingyangjun asked, "Queen Mother, how is the matter of the alliance between Qi and Zhao?" ”

"The state of Qi promised to form an alliance." Empress Dowager Zhao only said the first half, but when she saw that the ministers were jubilant, she picked up the national letter again, and changed her words, "But there is one condition." ”

Pingyang Jun said: "As long as the Qi State sends troops to resist Qin, we can accept any conditions." ”

The ministers also supported it.

Pingyuan Jun was about to speak, but when he saw Yu Qing cast a look, he was silent.

Pingyang Jun asked: "Queen Mother, what are the conditions of Qi State." ”

Empress Dowager Zhao angrily put the national letter still on the main hall and scolded: "Look at it! ”

Pingyangjun picked up the national letter, and when he saw the content of the national letter, his face sank. The other ministers asked, "What are the conditions of the Qi State?" ”

"Queen Mother." Pingyangjun asked in embarrassment: "Does the minister read it or not?" ”

Empress Dowager Zhao said: "Read." ”

Pingyang Jun read: "Chang'an Jun is the quality of Qi, and the soldiers are out." ”

"What." Pingyuan Jun immediately understood the meaning of Yu Qing's eyes, and pretended not to understand and asked, "What does King Qi mean by this." ”

Empress Dowager Zhao said coldly: "I treat the King of Qi as a relative, but he wants my son to join Qi as a hostage. Ministers, whether we accept the conditions of Qi or not. ”

The ministers said in unison: "Please take national affairs as the priority and send An Anjun to Qi." ”

Empress Dowager Zhao listened to the waves of ministers asking for their lives, her face turned pale, she was extremely angry, and shouted angrily: "I want my son to go to Qi in exchange for an alliance and usher in peace." I will never say yes. ”

Pingyang Jun said: "Queen Mother, please think of your family and country." ”

The ministers also said: "Please put the Queen Mother first." ”

"What are you doing? Do you want to bully me, a woman? Empress Dowager Zhao's face was extremely bad, and she said angrily: "Chang'an Jun is my son, and I want him to join Qi as a hostage, but I don't agree." ”

"The Qin State sent troops to attack me, and the Yan State is also ready to move on my country." Pingyang Jun said in a fierce voice: "If the Queen Mother doesn't let Chang'an Jun question Qi, Qi and Zhao will not be able to form an alliance." We can't unite the Qi State and resist the Qin State. If Yan and Qin attack our country at the same time, it will be detrimental to our country. Please, the Queen Mother puts the overall situation first, don't think about the small family. ”

Seeing that many ministers were forcing her to send Chang'anjun to the Qi Kingdom, Empress Dowager Zhao roared: "What are you doing here, persecuting me?" Without the state of Qi, we would still be able to defend against the state of Qin, defend the territory, and defend the wisdom of the previous kings. ”

Pingyang Jun said: "The strength of our country is not to win the Qin State, please think twice about the Queen Mother." ”

The ministers also said: "Please think twice about the Queen Mother." ”

"Ten years ago, we fought against the Qin State and won both battles. If you don't fight, how do you know, if you don't fight, you can win the Qin State. Empress Dowager Zhao reprimanded angrily in unison: "If I want my son Chang'an Jun to enter Qi as a hostage, I will never agree." Whoever dares to persuade again, don't blame me for being merciless. ”

(Lu Zhonglian was able to help An Pingjun break Diyi, and he went to Liaocheng in one book, but he did not achieve fame and fortune, and lived in seclusion in the East China Sea.) When the country is in trouble, stand up; If the country is in no difficulty, it will return to the rivers and lakes. Such a person is indeed rare and incomprehensible. What kind of person do you think Lu Zhonglian is? ）