On December 20 of the first year of Xuanren, a cavalry team of 3,000 people passed through the land of Longyou and slowly marched southward, the military flag was spread like a cloud, the armor was shining in the sun, and the expressionless faces were full of murderous aura. Drunken Dew Academy

Under the shuttle mediation of Pei Jun, the left minister of the Tang Dynasty, Hexi and Longyou reached a final verbal compromise, and the two sides determined the Yellow River as the boundary as their sphere of influence, Zhang Huan returned the county to Longyou, and Wei Ge handed over nearly 40,000 family members of 8,000 troops to Hexi, and in principle allowed merchants to trade freely between the two places, trafficking in grain, horses, iron and other sensitive goods.

This time, Zhang Huan went south in order to formally sign the settlement agreement between the two parties, and Pei You, the servant of the Tang Dynasty's household department, and Jiang Lian, the waiter of the Ministry of Rites, guaranteed Zhang Huan's safety, and held a signing ceremony in Nanyou County, a subordinate county of Kaiyang County.

However, the verbal compromise reached by the two sides did not fall into writing, and all the terms had to be confirmed on the spot, one by one, which meant that there was still one final step in the negotiations.

The team walked very slowly, only advancing south at a speed of eighty miles a day, on this day, the team left Yang County for less than a hundred miles, Zhang Huan rode on a horse, his position was in the middle of the team, guarded by five hundred guards on the left and right, this time Pei Ying did not follow, stayed in Wuwei County, and on the carriage next to him sat Pei You, the head of the household.

Zhang Huan glanced at Pei You slightly, and saw that he seemed to have something to say to himself, so he couldn't help but smile and said: "The food problem has always been the weakness of Hexi, this time Pei Shilang made a special trip to Hexi for the food matter, Zhang Huan is very thankful." ”

Pei You is about forty years old, is Pei Jun's third brother, he is a Jinshi, for more than 20 years, he has been a household servant step by step from the state and county, and he is a powerful figure, controlling the finance and taxation of the Tang Dynasty. This time, he was entrusted by Pei Junzhi to come to Helong, and one of the key points was to confirm whether Zhang Huan really decided to attach himself to the Pei family, and as a condition, the Pei family would support Zhang Huan with 100,000 stone of grain from Hedong every year. Of course. The grain was allocated in the name of the imperial court to support Zhang Huan's westward advance and recover the entire Hexi.

Pei You has a modest personality and doesn't talk much. But he can always get to the point in every sentence, although Zhang Huan is about to become his niece and son-in-law, but he does not regard Zhang Huan as a junior, listening to Zhang Huan talk about food, he muttered and said: "Zhang Dudu, this time the allocation of food is a special approval from the left minister, he took a lot of effort to convince the cabinet, I hope you can understand this." It is best to return to Chang'an at the right time. ”

Of course, Zhang Huan understood what he meant, and it was not enough to just verbally express attachment. He must show enough sincerity, that is, he has to show something in action, in fact, to put it bluntly, there is a loose alliance of interests between him and Pei Jun. Although they are about to become sons-in-law.

"I plan to go to Chang'an after the New Year. Thank you for taking care of him all the time. Zhang Huan smiled slightly.

Pei You smiled and nodded, "And Ying'er will also take it back." "Of course."

The team made another journey. It is less than ten miles away from Nanyou County, and the dark city wall of Nanyou County is already faintly visible, at this time, a group of cavalry galloped from afar, this is the advance officer sent by Wei Ge, and the person headed by him said loudly on the horse: "Wei Shangshu is already waiting for Zhang Dudu three miles away, please station the army on the spot, at most five hundred followers." ”

Immediately, a soldier reported to Zhang Huan, and Zhang Huan waved his hand slightly, "Stationed on the spot!" ”

3,000 cavalry began to dismount and camp, Zhang Huan was escorted by 500 personal guards, and Pei You galloped south from the county seat, and the place where formal negotiations were held was not in the county seat, but on a high slope five miles north of Nanyou County, there were also 3,000 Longyou troops stationed in the south of the high slope, which was the same distance as the Xiliang army, which was a detail negotiated by the two sides in advance.

Six huge tents were set up on the high slope, several tents were separated by a hundred steps, looking down from the high altitude it was like a huge plum blossom, the white tent in the middle was the official place of the meeting, close to the high slope, only to see the march of the Xiliang army Sima Luo Guangzheng led a few people from the hillside to usher quickly.

"Governor, my subordinates have made arrangements, please follow me into the tent to rest."

Zhang Huan nodded, he arched his hand to Pei You and smiled: "Pei Shilang, we'll see you later." ”

Pei You also bowed his hand, followed the leader to another big tent, this negotiation was carried out under the leadership of the imperial court, a total of three parties participated, the specific host is the respected Guo Ziyi, he is very well connected in the Helong area, even Wei Ge is also his junior, so that the two sides can negotiate in an equal atmosphere.

Zhang Huan entered his own big tent, the big tent was arranged very gorgeously, the top of the tent hung a light curtain on all sides, as if it was a huge palace, the ground was covered with precious Persian carpets, a white jade screen with a height of two zhang and three zhang long separated the big tent into two halves, next to a copper furnace lingering with sandalwood, the whole tent was fragrant, and in the four corners of the big tent there was a high-grade Yuezhou celadon, and next to the celadon stood a young and beautiful maid, smiling and shy, plump, waiting for a call at any time,

Zhang Huan glanced at the tent and couldn't help but smile: "It seems that the Wei family has indeed invested a lot of money in order to show sincerity!" ”

Luo Guangzheng nodded, "I heard that the Wei family spent 20,000 yuan just to arrange six tents, as well as thousands of army food and personnel deployment, not to mention tens of thousands of yuan, not only money, Wei Shangshu also personally came to inspect twice, and met with his subordinates, asked the governor in detail about his living habits, knew that the governor liked celadon, and specially found these four Yuezhou celadon in Kaiyang County, which shows that they attach great importance to this negotiation." Drunken Dew Academy"

Zhang Huan glanced at the maids and smiled: "In that case, why don't you tell him that I don't need a stranger to serve me?" ”

Luo Guangzheng hesitated for a moment and said: "These four women are Mrs. Wei's intentions, and the subordinates can't postpone it, so they can only wait for the governor to come before making a decision." ”

"That's good! I'm going to decide now that you can send them back to Wei Mansion and replace them with my own soldiers, so that I can sleep a little more peacefully, and this,"

Zhang Huan pointed to the burning incense burner and celadon, "Move them all out, and then ventilate the big tent." ”

Luo Guangzheng had no choice but to do what Zhang Huan ordered. Immediately, ten pro-soldiers entered the big tent, raised their heads and horizontal swords, and stood majestically to the four corners, and the front and rear tent doors were wide open. A fresh and cold wind quickly washed away the strange fragrance in the tent. The originally obscene atmosphere in the tent immediately added a bit of solemnity.

At this moment, a hearty laugh suddenly came from outside the tent. "It seems that the old man has added to the snake."

Zhang Huan hurriedly turned around, only to see Wei Ge walking far away accompanied by a few entourages, while his own soldiers were lined up in two rows, staring at him one by one.

Zhang Huan hurriedly greeted him, only to find that behind Wei Ge there was a handsome young man, it was Wei Qing, but he had a reluctant look on his face.

Zhang Huan stepped forward and bowed his hand and said, "If Uncle Wei Shi has something, send someone to say it." Zhang Huan has been visiting since now, how dare he come in person. ”

Wee shook his head. He sighed with some emotion: "I can't imagine that my virtuous nephew is willing to call me uncle, alas! If we knew this was the case, why did our uncle and nephew make such an unpleasant fuss? ”

He pointed to the incense burner and celadon placed next to him, and turned back to Wei Qing and said, "Do you see it, you are always unconvinced." Why can't you compare? Here's why. I asked you to join the army, but you won't. I can't give up that bit of wealth and elegance, so how can I rest assured that I will hand over the Wei family to you. ”

Wei Qing had a gloomy face, bowed his head and said nothing, Zhang Huan saw that he really regarded himself as an elder, he couldn't help but sneer secretly, the two sides were going to officially start talking in two hours, but now he was running to deceive him, and he was trying to lower his identity by teaching his son, just to gain a psychological advantage in order to take the lead in the final negotiation.

He didn't say much, he stood aside with his hands behind his back and watched leisurely, as if what Wei Ge said had nothing to do with him, Wei Ge said about his son for a long time, but he didn't see Zhang Huan come forward to persuade him, he smiled again and said to Zhang Huan: "Wei Qing is about to enter Beijing to take up a post, he doesn't understand anything, and I hope that the virtuous nephew will teach him more, if the virtuous nephew doesn't dislike it, let Wei Qing call you a big brother!" ”

Speaking of this, he glanced at his son and asked him to come forward and bow down, but Wei Qing was still indifferent for a long time, and he didn't seem to hear his words, Wei Ge was furious, he turned around suddenly, snapped on the ground, and slapped Wei Qing hard, "Bastard!" You're a worthless thing, is a woman heaven? ”

Wei Qing covered his face, but he still stubbornly stiffened his head, staring at the ground with his eyes fixed, not moving, but Zhang Huan smiled slightly: "Uncle Wei Shi, it's a good thing for young people to be stubborn, they can be persistent in doing something in the future, you shouldn't scold Brother Wei Xian, in the future, he will be in Beijing, naturally with his uncles to support, I have been in Hexi for many years, even if I have the heart, I am powerless." ”

After speaking, he waved his hand and asked, "Uncle Wei Shi, please sit in the tent!" ”

Wei Ge originally planned to let his son befriend him before the final negotiation to disrupt Zhang Huan's negotiation deployment, but he didn't expect his son to be so uncompetitive and give up the overall situation for the sake of a woman, and he thought of the last time he killed his own general without authorization, so that he could not explain in the army, he was a little discouraged for a while,

He sighed, waved his hand to Zhang Huan, didn't say anything, and went straight away, but Wei Qing stood where he was and didn't move, covering his face, staring at somewhere, as if he had been immobilized.

Zhang Huan didn't bother to pay attention to him, and went directly into the tent, but as soon as he walked to the tent door, he heard Wei Qing whispering behind him: "Zhang Huan, since Pei Ying has decided to follow you, then please treat her wholeheartedly, don't marry another woman, and make her happy in this life." ”

Zhang Huan stopped, and after a while, he sneered, flicked the tent curtain, and locked Wei Qing out of the tent.

Two hours later, the signing ceremony of the two sides officially began, completely different from the tent where they lived, the huge white tent was empty, there were no items, the soldiers were all outside the tent, they stood on one side, distinct, each with a straight waist, staring at each other coldly.

In the big tent that can accommodate thousands of people, there are only eight people in total, they sit in the shape of a zigzag, and on the north side are the mediation envoys sent by the imperial court and a few guarantors, two patriarchs Guo Ziyi and Yan Zhenqing, Pei You, the head of the household department, Jiang Lian, the head of the Ministry of Rites, and Guo Quan, the young secretary of Taifu Temple, they are sitting in a precarious position, and there is no expression on their faces.

On the east side, there are the head of the Wei family and several important ministers of the Wei family, the crown prince Shaobao, the military department Shangshu, the Tongzhong Shumen Pingzhangshi Wei Ge, the right Shangshu Wei Xu, the Shaofu Temple Qing Wei Du, Kaiyang County Thorn Shi Wei Ping and Longxi County Thorn Shi Wei Rang, they sneered, and their eyes faintly showed a look of disdain.

And there was only one person sitting opposite them, and Zhang Huan, who made them hate and helpless, the governor of Liangzhou and the assassin of Wuwei County, he smiled and greeted the envoys from the court from time to time in a friendly manner, but ignored the person opposite, and didn't seem to take the Wei family in his eyes.

A crisp bell rang, the negotiation officially began, two waiters carried a low desk up, put it horizontally between Zhang Huan and the Wei family, and put pen, ink, paper and inkstone, today the landlord mediator is Guo Ziyi, the king of Fenyang County, and the recorder is Guo Quan, the Shaoqing of Taifu Temple.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the old man is entrusted by Pei Xiangguo to mediate some disputes between the two families." Guo Ziyi stood up first, he looked at both sides, and said with a slight smile: "First of all, the premise is that the shore of the land is not the king's land; Under the world, could it be the prince's ministers, both of you are the courtiers of His Majesty the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty, and the land you are fighting for is also the land of my Tang Dynasty, can you two recognize this premise? ”

Wei Ge and Zhang Huan glanced at each other and nodded at the same time. "Well, the first article, the five counties of Huijun are under the jurisdiction of the envoy of Longyou Jiedu, and they are not under the jurisdiction of the governor of Liangzhou, and the soldiers of Liangzhou must withdraw from Huijun