Cheng Mingzhen didn't know that the estrangement he had unintentionally revealed had greatly annoyed the prince. On the contrary, he was still secretly happy that he had skillfully completed Pei Lian's entrustment. As long as the crown prince is not stupid to a certain extent, he will definitely draw the conclusion that the chances of winning this northern expedition are extremely small from the results of the Mu Tu deduction. In this way, even if Liu Wuzhou's plan for the northern expedition is not abolished, it will be implemented in a more secure way.

The old servant shot Pei Lin and was kind to the Zhaozhou camp. Whether he was settling the people of Zhaozhou for the sake of the imperial court, he also had other purposes. The benefits that the people of Zhaozhou have received are real. The people once again had a stable home, and the soldiers also had a relatively safe home. Especially for those minions who are already old and frail, they have struggled for most of their lives but just want to "have food in the tank and grass on their heads", these requirements are met by Pei Lin with a wave of his hand. And what is given is more generous than everyone hopes.

Therefore, this favor Cheng Mingzhen can't help but return. Closer to life, this is the basic principle of being a human being. A guy who only knows how to take, but doesn't know how to return and give, will sooner or later provoke everyone and God to abandon him. When he is in trouble, often not a friend who is willing to reach out will have it. In the long run, Pei Lin is one of the best ministers in front of Emperor Li Yuan of the Tang Dynasty, and it is beneficial to have a good relationship with this old-timer, which is beneficial to the children of Zhaozhou and Cheng Mingzhen personally.

The news that came out of the Chinese army one after another proved Cheng Mingzhen's inference. The Tang Army's plan for the Northern Expedition remained unchanged, but the number of troops rose directly from the original 70,000 to 120,000. The garrisons of Changping, Shangdang, Linfen, and Longquan counties were all transferred to the first line. Wang Junkuo, Wang Deren, and Lu Cai, the leaders of the large and small armies attached to the Tang Dynasty, were also supplemented into the descendants of His Royal Highness the Prince. Immediately afterwards, Wu Tianxi, Xiong Kuohai, Han Gesheng, Duan Qing and other generals who were ranked number one in the Zhaozhou battalion were favored by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince one by one, and were transferred to the army and entrusted with important tasks. The remaining soldiers who failed to enter the eyes of the prince were also given five yuan and two jars of wine to reward them for their efforts in defending the land for the Tang Dynasty for more than half a year.

It's just that Cheng Mingzhen's own situation seems a little unsatisfactory. Since that Mutu deduction, Li Jiancheng has not summoned him alone. Occasionally, he was ordered to discuss matters in the Chinese army, but he also followed the general stream to say a few words of condolence, and he did not pay special attention to it. When the date and order of the army's departure were set, the signs of his cold reception became even more obvious. As a general of Sanpin, the founder of the county, he was only assigned a position that was hard and could not get credit for supervising the transportation of grain and grass for the army, which made many people shake their heads secretly.

Cheng Mingzhen himself is very satisfied with this task. After receiving the order, he immediately set off to the south to receive grain and grass on the edge of the Yellow River.

"You can see it!" On the southbound road, Wang Ermao joked with a smile.

"Isn't that nice?" Cheng Mingzhen stretched his waist on horseback again, looked at the curling smoke around him and said. The feeling of being away from the battlefield makes you feel relaxed from top to bottom. You don't have to sleep with a knife under your pillow, and you don't have to worry about the sound of a horn exploding from your side when you're eating.

"Don't want to forge ahead!" Wang Ermao smiled and pouted, but he didn't look like he really cared. He grabbed a bag of rice wine from under the saddle and drank it gracefully.

"Contentment is the most important thing. Don't drink it all! Leave me a bite! Cheng Mingzhen smiled and snatched the wine bag and swallowed the siphon. The two brothers rebelled just to survive, and now, according to Du Scar, they have lived a very beautiful life, and they really can't go to the front to fight hard. "Gain fame but take it right away", that is what is said to those who have great ambition and great perseverance. For little people like him Cheng Mingzhen and Wang Ermao who don't want to make progress, it's quite nourishing to mess around like now.

"My sister is getting married!" wiped his mouth, Wang Ermao mentioned it without a match.

"Big sister or second sister?" Throwing the wine bag to Wang Fei who followed, Cheng Mingzhen asked with a smile. "The days go by so fucking fast, it's just a flash of effort."

"No, it's only been a while, they're all about to become old girls!" Wang Ermao shook his head with a smile, "Marry all and leave the cabinet at the same time." I, the elder brother, have also fulfilled my responsibilities. Don't be nagged by my mother every day! ”

"Got you! If your sister-in-law doesn't come to the door for a day, you will have to be nagged for a day! Wang Fei was not optimistic about Wang Ermao's "future", and joked with a smile.

"you, leave me alone, worry about yourself first. I heard that Master Qi, who opened a silk village, is thinking about you. Friendship with Uncle Du every day! Wang Ermao glanced at him and sneered.

"Yes, Ermao, what about you? How about the last time my father-in-law led you to see the fourth lady of the samurai family who sold timber? Cheng Mingzhen and Wang Fei stood together and "attacked" Wang Ermao.

"It's okay!" Wang Ermao sighed, a little unwilling, but also with a bit of resignation. "I told their family that after the New Year, I was ready to choose a date!"

"That's good, I thought you were going to pick when you were going to go!" Cheng Mingzhen smiled, very happy that his good friend finally had a family.

The past, whether sad or miserable, has passed. When people live, they must look forward after all. Isn't it? Those souls who have died in troubled times, who wants the living to be immersed in sorrow?

That's life.

When there is finally hope for the future, the world, which has been gradually ignored by everyone, is put on the agenda one by one. The singles are busy marrying their wives, and the women are busy marrying their husbands. Those who have already been married, they carry a few eggs in the arms of the man who went to the field every morning, and then clean up the house and himself, and wait for the man to return from plowing the field outside, and then work hard to cultivate the other fertile soil.

The sun rises, the sun sets, the smoke burns, and the children are born, from ancient times to the present, the days of the little people are so simple. As simple as the hemp rope on the bow arm gradually rotting, so simple that the hand holding the knife is soft again. It's so simple that you dive headlong into it, and you don't want to smell any more blood.

Especially for men who have been rolling on the knife head for many years, this simplicity is almost irresistible temptation. Walking in the smoke of Linfen and Jiangxian, Cheng Mingzhen even doubted that the reason why Wang Fubao was war-weary was in the same state of mind as he is now. It's just that Wang Fubao is the core of the Dou family's army, and spreading war-weariness will definitely cause trouble. And now, as the most insignificant one among the more than forty marching commanders under Li Yuan's command, he will not attract the attention of others if he tears out his throat and shouts all over the street.

There are benefits to not being valued. At least at this stage, Cheng Ming Zhenzhen enjoys his insignificance. The first time he supervised the transportation of grain, it took more than half a month to bring it back, and when he arrived at the front line in Taigu, the Tang army had already killed Baimapo. After a fierce battle with Yu Chi Jingde, who came up, he actually forced Yu Chi Jingde to retreat.

The second time it took more than 20 days to supervise the transportation of grain and grass. During this time, the Tang army gave full play to the advantages of sufficient troops and preparation. The strange tricks that the generals came up with in the Mutu deduction were displayed one by one, and Yu Chi Jingde and Song Jingang were beaten to the left, only the ability to parry, and there was no power to fight back.

Wang Junkuo performed extremely eye-catching on the battlefield, leading thousands of lightly armored cavalry to copy behind Wei Chi Jingde repeatedly, and the deployment of Liu Wu Zhou's army was in chaos. In order to commend his loyalty and bravery, the Tang Emperor issued an order to give Wang Jun the title of Duke of the founding county and increase the food by 800 acres.

Wu Tianxi was highly recommended by Sang Xianhe and was very valued by Li Jiancheng. and Xiong Kuohai led 5,000 heavy armor lancers to act as the guards of the Chinese army. Wei Chi Jingde led the iron cavalry to charge into battle several times, trying to capture Li Jiancheng under the horse with his personal bravery. were all pushed back by Wu Tianxi and Xiong Kuohai hand in hand. Li Jiancheng reported his kindness and recommended Wu Tianxi as the general of Zuo Wuhou, and added the rank of general of Sanpin Yongyi. Elected Xiong Kuohai as the general of the Zuowu Hou Che Cavalry, and added the rank of the fourth rank of loyal general.

With these two colleagues taking care of them in front of the crown prince, Han Gesheng, Duan Qing and others were also quickly promoted. Each of them was promoted by one or two levels. Now, when the brothers get together again, only a few people such as Cheng Mingzhen, Wang Ermao, and Wang Fei have made no progress in their careers. Everyone felt sorry for Cheng Mingzhen, thinking that if he hadn't used Mutumi to make suggestions in front of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince that day, Tang Jun would not have been able to fight so beautifully. But now those who charge into battle have been rewarded, and those who strategize have been left aside, which is really unfair.

Cheng Mingzhen smiled and responded in a low voice: "How do you know that this is not His Royal Highness the Crown Prince deliberately testing me?" You must know that grain and grass are the courage of the three armies, I don't want to be taken seriously, who dares to hand over all the jobs of the 100,000 army to me?! Everyone is a person with meritorious reputation, no better than in Juluze. So it's better to speak carefully and don't cause unnecessary misunderstandings! ”

Hearing this, everyone nodded silently. I know that this time is not like it was back then, and some words are rotten in the stomach, which is far safer than saying it. But when no one was paying attention, Wu Tianxi still pulled Cheng Mingzhen to a secluded place and persuaded in a low voice: "I think Your Highness still wants you to show an attitude." Privately, he never told anyone about you! ”

"Really?" Cheng Mingzhen smiled, a little incredulous.

"Of course. He also told General Feng Li about you yesterday. Say that many situations on the battlefield have been deduced by you with Mutumi chips. Therefore, the army is extremely easy to adjust. This battle, although he is in command, is actually completely using your plan! Wu Tianxi nodded heavily and swore an oath.

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince still thinks highly of me! I just have some skills on paper, and if I really put them into practice, I may not be in a hurry! Cheng Mingzhen shook his head and smiled humbly.

"Why don't I relay it for you?" Wu Tianxi saw that the other party was always plain and bland, and he was very anxious, so he opened his mouth and proposed a countermeasure.

"Forget it, don't you know me? I didn't want to fight anymore for a long time! Cheng Mingzhen continued to shake his head and told Wu Tianxi the truth. I'm not like you. When you hear the sound of the horn drum, your eyes light up. I wish I hadn't heard it! ”

"Then forget it!" Since Cheng Mingzhen didn't enter, Wu Tianxi had to give up. Looking at Cheng Mingzhen's bland eyes, he said with a smile. "I'm also foolish. In fact, this battle won't last long. You're in front of you and you're in the rear, there's not much difference. ”

Hearing this, Cheng Mingzhen's eyes finally lit up, thought about it, frowned and asked, "Why don't you fight, isn't our army dominating?" ”

"Yes, I took advantage of it and forced Wei Chi Jingde to retreat! I'm about to retreat through the cave whirlpool! Wu Tianxi nodded and explained with a smile. However, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince felt that if he crossed the river to chase and kill, he might lose the opportunity. So simply stopped the army on the riverside, hung but did not send it, and Liu Wuzhou couldn't sleep every day! ”

"Whose idea is so bad!" Cheng Mingzhen laughed, for Tang Jun's cleverness, but also for Liu Wuzhou's bad luck. Not far from the cave whirlpool, it is Taiyuan City. There are tens of thousands of troops on the south bank of the river, and no matter what the soldiers and civilians in Taiyuan City do, they will not feel steady. This trick can be said to be full of the subtlety of Pei Lian's previous tricks, and it can't fall into the excuse of passive avoidance of war. Both the enemy and the enemy can be explained.

"It's not you yet!" Wu Tianxi's eyes were full of appreciation. "On that day, you deduced on the wooden map, and the cave whirlpool water was a hurdle for both the enemy and us. Once this hurdle is not passed, the situation will be reversed. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince felt that since he was not sure of the past, he simply accepted it when he saw it. Just came a few times piecemeal, and Liu Wuzhou was consumed to death! ”

"Hmm!" Cheng Mingzhen nodded again, feeling a little proud in his heart, but also faintly feeling a little regretful. He didn't expect Li Jiancheng to attach so much importance to his advice. For Pei Lian, he was finally able to explain. But did he believe Pei Lian's words too much, so he had a preconceived impression of Li Jiancheng? He didn't know, he just felt that he might have missed something he shouldn't have missed, and he couldn't grasp it anymore.

was confused, and listened to Wu Tianxi continue to reveal: "It's not just the prince, it seems that the court doesn't want to continue fighting." In just a few days, Wang Junkuo will be transferred elsewhere. I estimate that Lao Xiong may also be among the drawers. ”

"Who are you going to war again?" Cheng Mingzhen was stunned for a moment and asked in a low voice. Such a large-scale military movement could not have been carried out in order for the soldiers to rest. For the imperial court to let Liu Wuzhou go for the time being, it can only be that there is another enemy who is more threatening than Liu Wuzhou.

"That's what I'm looking for you for!" Wu Tianxi looked around, lowered his voice and said, "I vaguely heard it from Lao Wang Gui, as if this time I was going to deal with Yu Wenhua. That kid was defeated by Li Mi and Du Fuwei together, and fled all the way to Hebei. Dou Jiande had already led the troops to meet him. Since Datang thinks that he has inherited the foundation of the Great Sui, he will naturally go up and beat the water dog in the name of avenging Yang Guang! You have to make some preparations, and you may be used by the court one day! ”

"Dayu Culture and-" Cheng Mingzhen took half a step back, his back pressed against the wall. This news was too timely for him, so he didn't know how to thank Wu Tianxi.

Yu Wenhua was defeated by the Wagang army and fled to Hebei. Heroes from all walks of life will naturally attack him under the banner of avenging the Great Sui Emperor Yang Guang. Although in essence, the heroes are the same as Yu Wenhua, and they are all traitors to the Great Sui court. But if you step on Yu Wenhua and step into the mud pit and let him bear all the sins alone, he will wash everyone clean.

This kind of business that only makes money and does not lose money, the Wagang army naturally can't fall. Wang Shichong of Luoyang must also be eager to try. As a landlord in the south of Hebei, Dou Jiande will certainly not allow Yu Wenhua to be free at his doorstep, and he will definitely take advantage of the proximity to the water. For the Tang Dynasty, which has already reached half of the Central Plains, sending troops to attack Yu Wenhua at this time can not only continue to consolidate the status of "Sui Ji Tang Cheng", but also take the opportunity to explore the reality of Hebei. did a good job, and even beat rabbits with grass, and took the opportunity to clean up Dou Jiande.

This kind of two-pronged deal, how can the Tang Dynasty let it go. Therefore, it is inevitable to temporarily slow down the attack on Liu Wuzhou's army and transfer some troops and horses to advance eastward. As a chess piece arranged in advance to deal with Dou Jiande, it is impossible for the Zhaozhou battalion to stay out of the matter this time.

Cheng Mingzhen, who figured out the trick, smiled helplessly and said goodbye to Wu Tianxi. He didn't know whether he should be glad that he finally had the opportunity to repay the blood debt from Dou Jiande, or whether he should be annoyed that the leisurely days that had just passed a few days ended in such a hurry. When he first left Juluze, he was still full of hatred for Dou Jiande in his heart. But now, with the passage of time, that hatred has gradually weakened. It was so weak that he couldn't lift his spirits, and exchanged the peace in front of him for a momentary pleasure.

Indeed, Dou Jiande killed his righteous brother Wang Fubao and took away Ping'en City, which he had worked so hard to manage for many years. But in troubled times, this kind of thing is very common. As long as you are not strong, you will inevitably be hunted down and plundered. Whether it is Dou Jiande or Zhang Jin, in order to strengthen themselves, they must fight the idea of the three counties of Pingen in the end.

In the recent rare peaceful days, what he remembers most clearly in his heart is not hatred, but the words that Zhang Jincheng and Dou Jiande said. These two are a generation of heroes, Zhang Jin said that he once vowed to kill all the corrupt officials and bullies in the world, and Dou Jiande once vowed to eradicate the injustice in the world. But in the end, they became the biggest bully in southern Hebei, creating the biggest injustice in southern Hebei. Why did the ending end up going the opposite way? Why is it that when you say it with an impassioned attitude, you do the opposite? Did Zhang Jincheng and Dou Jiande maliciously deceive everyone, or did they forget their original aspirations? The answer is clearly not that simple. In the dark, it was as if there were a pair of hands, pushing them in a certain direction. Once you take the first few steps, there's no going back.

What will be the future direction of the Tang Dynasty? Will it be like the kingdom established by Zhang Jincheng and Dou Jiande, gradually moving towards the opposite of the oath? In this regard, Cheng Mingzhen is also not sure. But after going through so many things, he clearly realized that maybe what Master Pei Lin said made sense. In which direction do you want the imperial court to change, only by participating in it can you influence it with your own ideas.

But Cheng Mingzhen stubbornly believes that the premise of all this is that you are alive and alive to exert influence in it. You can't easily sacrifice someone for a few bold words or a certain hatred. After going through so many things, he finally understood a truth, that is, no one's life is cheaper than others, rather than tying one's fate to the chariot of a certain person or a certain faction, it is better to be down-to-earth, grasp one's own destiny, and strive to pursue one's own ideals.

Perhaps in the eyes of some wise men, he is very stubborn and earthy. But whether to climb ten steps or a hundred steps is the freedom and happiness of the turtle itself, and it has nothing to do with others.

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