Qi Ning said through the other party's thoughts, but Chai Bozhong was still calm, without a trace of fluctuation on his face, and said with a smile: "What Hou Ye said is not wrong. The third prince wants to inherit the throne, and the biggest obstacle is Zhong Liao. Beitang Zhao and Beitang Hao are just clowns who jump off the beam, and their strength is now almost consuming each other, once the Northwest Army enters the customs, these two people are not vulnerable at all. ”

"Master Chai is now starting to tell the truth."

Chai Bozhong sighed: "In fact, what the contemptible man said from the beginning was not a lie. Master Hou, the third prince is afraid of Zhong Liao, aren't you Chu State afraid of Zhong Liao? To say something offensive, if there is enough food and grass and a steady stream of logistical support, even if the Eastern Qi people join forces with you Chu people, and your Chu army wants to cross the Huai River, it will be even more difficult. ”

"It seems that Chai Junshi has a high opinion of Zhong Liao."

Chai Bozhong smiled indifferently: "If Ling Zun is still alive, with the ability of General Qi, Zhong Liao is naturally not an opponent, but it is a pity that no one in your country can have the demeanor of Ling Zun back then." Zhong Liao couldn't deal with Ling Zun, but it was more than enough to deal with Yue Huanshan and the like. After a pause, he said: "In fact, your country sent troops to attack Xuzhou, which is beneficial to both you and me, although it can give the three princes time to take Luoyang, and it also allows your country to take Xuzhou smoothly." ”

Qi Ning said: "What you said doesn't seem to be false. ”

"What does Master Hou mean by this, is he willing to reach an agreement with the third prince?" Chai Bozhong's eyebrows were slightly raised.

Qi Ning said with a smile: "Chai Junshi should know that I am just a courtier of Dachu, and I can't call the shots in such military affairs." In fact, as you said, Zhongli is proud to be good at fighting, although I Da Chu did think about taking advantage of the turmoil in your north to go on a northern expedition, but the army is the great weapon of the country, and many ministers do not agree to send troops at this time, if the war is together, just like the original Qinhuai War, the two sides are in a stalemate, and then it becomes a protracted war of attrition, which is not what I Da Chu is happy to see. ”

Chai Bozhong frowned and said, "Master Hou means that your country still doesn't want to send troops?" ”

"It's still being discussed." Qi Ning said with a smile: "If you really want to send troops, you Northern Han civil strife together, it is a good time, we can go on a northern expedition immediately, why has there been no movement for a long time, it is just hesitating." Looking left and right, leaning forward slightly, he lowered his voice and said: "Chai Junshi has come all the way this time, with a full stomach of sincerity, I might as well say a few words to you, I am not afraid of Zhong Liao, but .....!" Speaking of this, he stopped talking, and smiled deeply.

Chai Bozhong seemed to understand, and lowered his voice and said, "Master Hou is saying..... Marquis of Changling? ”

Qi Ning smiled slightly, and said: "The first thing that Chai Junshi thought of was the Marquis of Changling, it seems that in the heart of Chai Junshi, that Marquis of Changling is indeed extraordinary." He touched his chin and sighed: "Master Chai Junshi, if I relay your meaning to the emperor, can you guess what the emperor will think?" ”

"The sacred heart is unpredictable, and contemptible people really don't dare to guess." Chai Bozhong said: "Please also ask Master Hou for advice!" ”

"The emperor may think that this is a trap set by your Northern Han Dynasty." Qi Ning sighed: "Let me go north to the Great Chu and enter the territory of the Northern Han Dynasty, but your Marquis Changling is making suggestions behind the scenes, the person who knows the Chu army best in the Northern Han Dynasty is the Marquis of Changling, and when the time comes, the Chu army will naturally suffer a lot of losses." ”

Chai Bozhong said with a smile: "It turns out that your country has not sent troops for a long time because of the Marquis of Changling. ”

"If it were someone else, these words should not have been said." Qi Ning Zhengse said: "But Chai Junshi came here this time to discuss a big matter, so I will open the door and say something." The emperor and several important ministers in the court are indeed jealous of the Marquis of Changling, and Chai Junshi also knows that my lord has not been on the throne for a long time, according to common sense, it is the time to rest with the people and conform to the will of the people, at this time, once the troops are sent, they must ensure victory, otherwise once they lose, the emperor's prestige will be shaken, and it will even lead to internal turmoil in my Great Chu, and the situation will not be easy to clean up at that time. ”

Chai Bozhong bowed his head and said: "Your country is thoughtful. He lowered his voice and said, "Master Hou, but I don't know how to persuade your monarch to send troops?" ”

Qi Ning smiled and said: "Chai Junshi is the chief of the military division, and he is naturally resourceful, so he should understand the key to it." ”

"Presumably, the king will only send troops if he is sure of the life and death of the Marquis of Changling." Chai Bozhong sighed: "Master Hou, do you want to know if the Marquis of Changling is still alive." ”

Qi Ning smiled: "I do have this thought. But I don't know if Chai Junshi knows the whereabouts of Marquis Changling? ”

Chai Bozhong shook his head and said, "The contemptible people really don't know. Hou Ye should know that when the Qinhuai War occurred, the commander of the Chu army was Ling Zun, and the Han was the commander of the Changling Marquis, Changling Marquis and Ling Zun had been dealing with each other on the battlefield for many years, and they had damage to each other. After a deep sigh, he continued: "Although the first emperor of the Han Dynasty has always taken the Marquis of Changling as his commander, the Marquis of Changling has the power of the army, and the credit is too great, which will naturally be feared by the first emperor. ”

"The merit is high and the lord is ancient." Qi Ning said: "Marquis Changling holds the Southern Legion, which is also the strongest legion in your Northern Han Dynasty, so it will naturally be jealous. ”

Chai Bozhong said: "The Marquis of Changling has a very high prestige in the army, don't say that the Southern Army is the Northern Army that garrisons the North Pass, and many people also have deep respect for the Marquis of Changling." He sighed and said: "The Marquis of Changling is a person of temperament, he can see the eyes, that is to put his heart into his heart, he can't look down on the eyes, that is not even to look down on the eyes, I am the Han Dynasty and the opposition, but there are only a handful of people who can enter the eyes of the Marquis of Changling, so the Marquis of Changling has few friends in the court, but there are many enemies." ”

Qi Ning thought to himself that Changling Marquis Beitang Huan was a famous general in the world, not only the Beitang royal family, but also the greatest meritorious service, such a character, some temper and even arrogant, that is not an uncommon thing.

"At that time, I heard rumors that many generals of the Southern Army wanted to support the Marquis of Changling as the emperor, and directly returned to Luoyang and seized the throne." Chai Bozhong said with emotion: "It's just that I know that although the Marquis of Changling has a strange temperament, he really has no rebellion against the imperial court, if he really covets the throne, that son must be his back then." It's just that there are many such rumors, and many people take it seriously, if the Marquis of Changling really commanded the Southern Army to kill Luoyang at that time, the entire Han Dynasty would not be able to stop any soldiers and horses. ”

Qi Ning frowned and said, "Chai Junshi knows the situation in the Northern Han Dynasty very well, why doesn't he know the whereabouts of the Marquis of Changling?" ”

"As far as I know, on the eve of the end of the Qinhuai War, the first emperor issued a decree to urgently summon the Marquis of Changling to return to Luoyang, and Zhong Liao was only the deputy general of the Marquis of Changling at that time, and after the Marquis of Changling left, Zhong Liao was temporarily in charge of the Southern Army." Chai Bozhong said solemnly: "The emperor summoned, and many generals under the command of the Marquis of Changling felt that it was more auspicious than lucky, and dissuaded the Marquis of Changling from returning to Beijing, but the Marquis of Changling did not listen to the dissuasion of the generals and returned to the capital ......!" ”

"How will you return to Beijing?" Qi Ning immediately asked.

Chai Bozhong shook his head and said, "No one knows what happened later." When the Marquis of Changling returned to Beijing, it is said that many people saw it, but since the day he entered the capital, the Marquis of Changling suddenly disappeared, and after a few days, there was a will sent to the front line, promoting Zhong Liao to be the commander of the Southern Army, which is equivalent to taking away the right of the Marquis of Changling to lead the troops. ”

"There is no news about the Marquis of Changling, so ..... his family?"

Chai Bozhong said curiously: "Don't you know that the Marquis of Changling did not marry a wife and have children? ”

Qi Ning was a little surprised: "He doesn't have any family?" ”

"The age of the Marquis of Changling is similar to that of Ling Zun." Chai Bozhong said: "Since he was young, the Marquis of Changling has been obsessed with military tactics and strategies, and is obsessed with martial arts, but he has no interest in beauty. At that time, several princes were also fighting for the throne, and the Marquis of Changling was the most favored by the first emperor of Chongming at that time, and the possibility of succeeding to the throne was the greatest, but the Marquis of Changling had no intention of taking the throne, and after the death of the first emperor of Chongming, the first emperor inherited the throne. ”

When Qi Ning first sent an envoy to the Eastern Qi Dynasty, he had a general understanding of the Beitang family, the founding emperor of the Northern Han Dynasty was Beitang Tianwu, after the death of Beitang Tianwu, the successor was Emperor Chongming, and Mu Yunhou Beitang Phantom Night was the brother of Emperor Chongming, after the death of Emperor Chongming, Beitang Huan inherited the throne, and Changling Marquis Beitang Qing and Yu Wang Ye Beitang Yu were all brothers of Beitang Huan.

The Beitang clan believes that it is very prosperous, but because of this, the infighting of the royal family is also very serious.

"At the beginning, there were many people who wanted to cling to the Marquis of Changling, and the golden beauties were sent to the Marquis of Changling's mansion, but in the eyes of the world, the stunning beauty of China's color and fragrance was like dung in the eyes of the Marquis of Changling." Chai Bozhong sighed: "Whenever there is a golden beauty to send over, they are all turned away, but if there are some rare horses and weapons, the Marquis of Changling is happy to accept it." ”

Qi Ning thought to himself that this Changling Marquis was a big man, and he actually disdained beauties, and he didn't know what was wrong with this Changling Marquis? I couldn't help but think evil in my heart, could it be that the Marquis of Changling actually liked male style, after all, Qi Ning also knew that there were not a few good male styles in the ancients.

"In this way, the Marquis of Changling can be regarded as alone and unconcerned?"

Chai Bozhong said: "That's the reason. The Han royal family is prosperous, there are many princes under the knees of the first emperor, and there are also sons and daughters under the knees of Prince Yu, but the Marquis of Changling is not married, and when he disappeared, there was still no heir. ”

"Chai Junshi, after the Marquis of Changling entered Beijing that time, there was no news, didn't the imperial court explain to the outside world?" Qi Ning frowned and said: "Marquis Changling is your famous general of the Northern Han Dynasty, such a person, suddenly disappeared without a trace, someone should always ask, right?" ”

Chai Bozhong shook his head and said, "In fact, no one has asked about this. At that time, it was the time when the rumors of the usurpation of the throne of the Marquis of Changling spread everywhere, and the Marquis of Changling suddenly returned to Beijing at that time, and suddenly disappeared, it was a few points that everyone could guess in their hearts, and who dared to ask more about this kind of thing. Raising his hand to stroke his beard, he sighed: "After all, everyone has only one head, and if you say too much, you will lose, and who is so short-sighted." ”