On the second floor of a gorgeous and exquisite restaurant located on the east bank of the canal in the middle of Yangzhou, a table of wine banquets that are 100 times more luxurious than the banquet in the north of the city is also being held. Pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info three uncles and nephews of the Cui family sitting next to the banquet, Cui Yuanping, Cui Yuanrong, and Cui Yaozu, the son of Cui Yuanbo.

In the box, a singer with a pipa in her arms was plucking her hands lightly, singing a tune in a delicate voice, and the three uncles and nephews were shaking their heads and listening to the song intently.

"Butterflies, when it's spring. Gillian wore a light yellow dress at the beginning, leaning against the window to learn to paint. It's like seeing each other among the flowers, flying in pairs. gratuitous and tears wipe the rouge, provoke the wings to hang. The pipa dingdong, the singing voice is graceful, with the resentful expression of the pipa girl. Between the movements of the red lips, people give birth to infinite love and reverie.

"Good!" After the song, Cui Yaozu stroked his palms and applauded loudly, his eyes were burning and shining, and he couldn't wait to penetrate the thin clothes of the pipa girl and see her towering and strong collar.

This little song, the listener's heart is like a chicken feather tickling, comfortable to the pores. Second uncle and third uncle, is this little girl the singer in the red hall? How come my nephew has never seen one? Cui Yaozu asked loudly.

Cui Yuanrong smiled and said: "Yaozu, you haven't seen much of the world, Yangzhou City is so big, you haven't been to many good places yet." Don't think that only the singers in a big place like Hongbin Lou Qiushui Pavilion in Yangzhou City have a good singing voice, look at this one, although she is not famous, but she sings better than Zhang Qiaoqiao in Hongbin Lou's Su Meier Qiushui Pavilion. How is it? It's been an eye-opener. ”

Cui Yaozu nodded again and again, his eyes stared at the body of the pipa girl, and he swallowed and spitted: "That is, the second uncle has walked more roads than his nephew has crossed the bridge." The second uncle has read countless people, how can the nephew compare? My nephew can't compare to you, my grandfather stares at me every day, asking me to study, practice martial arts, write and learn to draw or something, how can I have time to wander outside every day. Yangzhou City is a good place, grandpa didn't let me live permanently, saying that 'Yangzhou City fireworks and willow lanes are the most dissipating people's will' and said that if you see me messing around in Yangzhou City, you will use bamboo strips. Pump me. ”

Cui Yuanping and Cui Yuanrong glanced at each other and laughed.

Cui Yaozu said aggrievedly: "You are still laughing, your nephew is so miserable, you are still laughing?" Everyone outside is talking about how my Cui family is, thinking that we are living a fairy-like life, who can know that I, the grandson of the Cui family, are not as good as a dog. ”

"Phew, how do you speak? You call yourself a dog, so what are me and your third uncle? Looking for a fight? Cui Yuanping chirped.

Cui Yaozu smiled and said, "My nephew said the wrong thing, and I punished myself with three cups, right?" Speaking of the second uncle and third uncle, who is this singer? Introduce me to my nephew. ”

Cui Yuanrong scolded: "Look at your virtue." Won't you ask her yourself? ”

Cui Yaozu smiled and said, "I'm afraid that she is the person of the two uncles, isn't it abrupt for the nephew to ask?" ”

Cui Yuanping scolded with a smile: "I invited her here for you today, and you can take her to be happy in a while." ”

"Really?" Cui Yaozu said overjoyed.

Cui Yuanping scolded: "Second Uncle still can't lie to you? ”

Cui Yaozu was overjoyed, left the table and came to the singer, stretched out his hand to pick her chin and smiled, "What's your name?" ”

The singer threw a wink and said delicately, "Didn't the slave sing?" Gillian wore a light yellow dress at the beginning, leaning against the window to learn to paint. The slave's name is Gillian. ”

Cui Yaozu's heart itched, and he smiled: "Oh, that's mine." Gillian Gillian, such a delicate name. In a while, Young Master Ben will take you to 'Double Pair Fly', okay? ”

The pipa girl said in a coquettish voice: "The little boy speaks well and teaches people to be shy." ”

Cui Yaozu rubbed his hands with joy, and leaned over to kiss his mouth. Cui Yuanrong coughed and said, "Yaozu, if you don't grow up like this, why are the monkeys in a hurry?" She's yours tonight, but don't be so rude. ”

Cui Yaozu hurriedly let go, returned to the table, picked up the wine glass and drank three glasses in a row and said, "My nephew is wrong again, and I will be fined three more glasses." ”

Cui Yuanrong waved his hand, the pipa girl got up and left, Cui Yaozu stared at her round ass and disappeared behind the curtain outside the door, and then came back to her senses.

"Second uncle and third uncle, why did you invite your nephew out for a drink today? also gave such a stunner to his nephew to enjoy, how could his nephew deserve such an honor? Cui Yaozu finally remembered the doubts in his heart and asked with a smile.

Cui Yuanping laughed and said: "You have no conscience, don't the second and third uncles treat you badly on weekdays?" I secretly took you out every now and then, and I was scolded by the old man for this. Didn't you just complain that you were unhappy? Your third uncle and I are both in our eyes, so while there has been a commotion in the city these days, your grandfather has no time to take care of you, so he will take you out to enjoy it. ”

"Second uncle and third uncle, you are still good to me. My nephew took it to heart. Come on, Yaozu salutes you two elders with a cup. Cui Yaozu diligently toasted Cui Yuanping and Cui Yuanrong, and the three of them toasted.

Cui Yuanping wiped the wine from his mouth and continued: "In addition, there is a major matter that I have thought about with your third uncle and want to discuss with you. You are the future head of my Cui family, and we feel that there are some things that we should let you know. ”

Cui Yaozu hurriedly said: "The second uncle and the third uncle just said." ”

Cui Yuanping said: "Okay, then we'll get straight to the point." Do you know who that Captain Wang is? ”

Cui Yaozu frowned and said, "Who is he?" Isn't it just a captain of the Shence Army? ”

Cui Yuanping shook his head and said, "Silly nephew, you don't know anything." This person is not a school captain, he is Wang Yuan, the generalissimo of the current Xiangguo and the Shence Army. ”

"What?" Cui Yaozu was shocked and dropped a duck tongue on the chopsticks, and said with a shocked face: "He is Wang Yuan?" That little lieutenant is Wang Yuan? Are you kidding? ”

"Who's kidding you? It's true. Your grandfather has already recognized his identity, and last night Chuzhou Taishou Chen Bangyan also came to report the incident, he blew up his identity in Chuzhou, and Chen Bangyan came to inform us of his identity. Cui Yuanrong said in a deep voice.

Cui Yaozu slapped the chopsticks on the table with a snap, and said in a low voice: "Second uncle and third uncle, is this guy Wang Yuan?" Then my Cui family can pick up a treasure. Isn't this Wang Yuan the person His Majesty wants to get rid of today? If we kill Wang Yuan for Your Majesty, or capture him and hand him over to Your Majesty, my Cui family will have to make a great contribution. ”

Cui Yuanping nodded and said, "Sure enough, it's someone from my Cui family, and I broke through the sky with one word." This is a perfect opportunity for my Cui family to be loyal to the new emperor. If you can kill Wang Yuan, it will make a great achievement. Your Majesty will rely on my Cui family with all his might, and the day of the revival of my Cui family is just around the corner. ”

"So what are you waiting for? Hurry up and arrange manpower, and kill him without knowing it. Cui Yaozu shouted.

Cui Yuanping sighed and said, "It's simple, but someone won't let us do it." ”

"Who? Ruo Xuan? I knew it wasn't easy between her and that kid. Can she still do this? Cui Yaozu shouted.

Cui Yuanping frowned and said, "Do you also know that there is something wrong between Ruo Yu's niece and that Wang Yuan?" ”

Cui Yaozu shouted: "How could I not know? This girl's eyes are higher than the top, who does she look at on weekdays? But this time when I went back to Yangzhou, I actually rode back with a strange man, which is obviously not normal. Maybe there is already something wrong between the two, this Wang Yuan is said to be very lustful, maybe he has already seduced Ruo Yu to get started. If the ghost is obsessed, how can he be Wang Yuan's opponent? Maybe she knew Wang Yuan's identity earlier, but she hid it from us. Otherwise, as a small school captain, how could Ruo Ying be so blue-eyed to her? I can't stand it these days, staring at Wang Yuan every day, and the meaning in my eyes can be seen by blind people, it is simply ruined. ”

Cui Yuanrong frowned and said, "I'm afraid it hasn't come to that point." It means that there are some, and we can see that. ”

Cui Yaozu said: "Why didn't it get to that point? This afternoon, my father also asked me to vacate Yang Hualou, and wanted to take the captain Wang, no...... It was Wang Yuan who arranged to live in Yang Hualou. I asked Daddy why he did this, and Daddy said that he wanted to keep Ruo Yu at arm's length from him. You see, my father is suspicious, is this still fake? ”

Cui Yuanping frowned and said, "Is this true? ”

Cui Yaozu said: "Second uncle, can my nephew still lie to you?" My dad told me to stay away from that kid and not talk to him much. What should I mean, but it turns out that he is Wang Yuan. Daddy must have been worried that I would be tricked by him. As everyone knows, I was inexplicably disgusted with this kid at the first sight, how could I talk to him more. ”

Cui Yuanping nodded slightly, and said in a deep voice: "I'll talk about this matter later, but it's not your sister who opposes us this time, and your sister may not know Wang Yuan's true identity." It's your grandfather who opposes us this time. Your dad is against it, too. ”

"Grandpa against? Grandpa is not old and confused. Cui Yaozu rushed to make his debut.

"How do you speak? That's your grandfather. Cui Yuanrong reprimanded.

Cui Yaozu grabbed the wine glass and drank it, and wanted to punish himself for three glasses, Cui Yuanping frowned and said, "Don't drink it, let's get down to business." ”

Cui Yaozu hurriedly put down his wine glass and said, "Second uncle and third uncle, what do grandfathers and my father mean, how can you not seize such a great opportunity?" Isn't our Cui family going to return to the court, isn't it going to revive the ancestral industry? Why don't you dare to do it when it comes to the end? Everyone knows that this Wang Yuan is a thorn in the eye of His Majesty today, and my Cui family helped His Majesty get rid of this scourge at this time, and His Majesty is not happy to die. Your Majesty is happy, how can our Cui family not soar? I've never dreamed of being an official. ”

Cui Yuanping sighed: "Yaozu, why don't we think so? It's okay to be an official or not, but this is a great opportunity for my Cui family to return to the court and become the No. 1 wealthy family in the Tang Dynasty. Although Your Majesty has made a decree to our Cui family, we want to marry my Cui family. Give our Cui family a great favor. But if my Cui family doesn't make a great contribution to the court, it will not be able to stand in the court in the future. Killing Wang Yuan is a great achievement, Your Majesty wants my Cui family to recruit troops to the north, isn't it just to deal with Wang Yuan for him? Now Wang Yuan sent it to the door, but he didn't let him do it. What's going on? Not only are you not allowed to do it, but your grandfather also said, let's be courteous to Wang Yuan and don't offend him. Tell me to say, just give Ruo Ying to Wang Yuan as a gift, our Cui family should not marry the royal family, and everyone will wait to be beheaded by His Majesty in the future. ”

Cui Yaozu stomped his feet and said, "Second uncle and third uncle, why don't you explain this truth to grandpa?" ”

"Who said it didn't happen? It's useless. Your grandfather is determined not to let him do it, and your father is silent and resigned, what can we do? Cui Yuanrong said.

"Is that all there is to it?" Cui Yaozu shouted.

Cui Yuanping said softly: "Yaozu, don't worry. Your third uncle and I came to you to discuss this matter, after all, you are the future head of the Cui family, and the future of the Cui family is in your hands. In this matter, you have to take on the responsibility of the future head of the family. Your father hesitated, but you were different. This matter still needs to be decided with you. ”

Cui Yaozu frowned and was silent. Cui Yuanping continued: "Your third uncle and I have been thinking about it for a long time, and we have both decided to do it, whether the old man agrees or not, whether your father disagrees or not. This is also something to do. This is for the sake of the future of my Cui family, even if it is to be dealt with by the old man's family law, we will admit it. Your third uncle and I would rather be beaten to death by the old man's family law than allow such a good opportunity to slip away from our eyes. Your Majesty must not be allowed to destroy our whole people because of this in the future. At this time, someone from my Cui family must come forward. ”

Cui Yaozu was stunned and said, "Second uncle and third uncle, do you really want to do it?" If Grandpa uses the family method, it will kill people. Grandpa's temper you don't know. ”

Cui Yuanping nodded and said, "Yes, for the future of the Cui family, we admit it." ”

Cui Yuanrong also said: "We are not afraid, we don't care about the future of the Cui family even if we are killed." Yaozu, you are the future head of the Cui family, and when you are both an uncle and a senior official in the court, don't forget to bring your cousins. And don't forget the sacrifices your two uncles made today. You can know about it, but don't get involved in it, just pretend you don't know. ”

Cui Yaozu's blood surged up: "Second uncle and third uncle, you all have this responsibility, how can Yaozu stay out of the matter?" It's more appropriate for me to do this, grandpa will never use family methods to kill me, I am my father's only seedling, the future successor of the Cui family. ”

The joy in Cui Yuanping's eyes flashed, and he frowned: "If it doesn't work, how can you come forward in this matter?" I'll do it with your third uncle. ”

Cui Yuanrong also said: "Yes, Yaozu, don't be impulsive, besides, you may not be able to kill Wang Yuan, I heard that this guy is on guard." ”

Cui Yaozu jumped up and said, "What? He's alone in my Cui family's territory, but I can't kill him? He has three heads and six arms, and I can kill him without knowing it. Isn't he going to move to Yang Hualou? I took someone to burn him to charcoal while he was asleep, and I saw if he survived? ”

Cui Yuanping nodded slowly and said, "This is a good way, but afterwards I said that it was gone." Even if the old man suspects, there is no evidence. It's still Yaozu's brain, it's much better than our idea, and we plan to stop it directly on the street. ”

Cui Yaozu waved his hand and said, "What's the solution?" Wouldn't that make a fuss, that guy has a horse, and if he escapes, you may not even be able to catch up with him. ”

"Yes, yes, it's still Yaozu's method. Third brother, I think what Yaozu said is quite reasonable, even if Yaozu is exposed, the old man will not do anything to him. What's more, Yaozu's method is much more reliable. Is it inconvenient for Yaozu to do it? Are we here to help? Cui Yuanping said.

"It's good, it's good, but what we were supposed to do, how to let Yaozu do it, it's a bit not good. Yaozu, let's do it with the second uncle and the third uncle. We still don't want you to take the risk. I don't think it's appropriate. Cui Yuanrong frowned.

Cui Yaozu waved his hand and said, "This matter is so decided, I have already decided." I told him that he wouldn't survive tonight. Didn't he drink with the soldiers at the head of the city? I told him to drink more, and when he slept soundly at night, I burned him to charcoals. ”

……

At the beginning of the shift, the banquet in Beicheng ended. The feast did not last long, as there was likely to be a brutal war tomorrow, so of course this final revelry needed to be tempered. You can't get drunk like mud and the next day your hands and feet are weak and dizzy, and you can't fight.

Wang Yuan also drank a lot of wine, but only to the point of being slightly drunk, far from getting drunk. With a slightly drunken meaning, Wang Yuan went down the city wall. Although the night breeze is still cold, it has a cool feeling on the hot face.

Wang Yuan got on his horse and walked slowly along the street leading to the City Gate Square. When he came to the intersection, Wang Yuan subconsciously glanced at the shadow on the side of the road. Wang Yuan hoped to see the carriage parked on the side of the road, and see Cui Ruoyu sitting in the carriage smiling at him. However, the roadside was empty, and a few dim wind lamps swayed gently in the wind in front of the shops beside the street, pulling the shadows of the trees to the long, projecting onto the street.

Wang Yuan was slightly disappointed in his heart, but soon shook his head with a wry smile. doesn't deny that he has a good impression of Cui Ruojing, Cui Ruoying seems to have a little bit of meaning to herself, but so what? Cui's and his enemies are unknown, maybe he will help Li Mao deal with his enemies in the future, so I am afraid that the relationship between himself and Cui Ruoyu is limited to these few days. And even if the Cui family is not his enemy, he already has many beautiful wives and concubines in his family, and it is impossible to take the noble daughter of the Cui family as a concubine. How could the Cui family allow the women in the family to be concubines, so this is destined to be a wordless ending.

What I have to concentrate on now is to hold Yangzhou with all my might, and drag it out until the arrival of the Shence army, completely annihilate the rebels, and quell this protracted rebellion. As for these small waves between him and Cui Ruoyu, the best solution is to break free from this subtle attraction as soon as possible before they reach a deeper state with each other.

A few hundred steps from North Street, a dark side street leads to the west. Wang Yuan turned his horse's head and went up the street. This side street is dark and silent, the street is narrow, the trees are tall and leafless, and the leafless branches are like sharp arrows into the sky, and the dense branches of the trees also block the light of the hazy moonlight and the wind lamps on the side of the road, making the street quite gloomy.

This morning, the housekeeper of the Cui family came to the north of the city to tell himself that he lived in Cui's house, which was far away from the north city, and it was very simple and disrespectful to live in the guest rooms, so he vacated the Yang Hualou of the Cui family at the end of Heng Street in Beicheng for himself to live in. Of course, Wang Yuan didn't have any opinions, although it felt a little weird, but Wang Yuan didn't think much about it. Perhaps it was because he had too much contact with the eldest lady of the Cui family that the Cui family didn't want to make any mistakes, so they let themselves move out of the Cui family's mansion. Otherwise, why hasn't Cui Ruoying appeared in her field of vision since the morning?

Horses' hooves pounded crisply on the brick and stone streets, which were deserted. After a short walk, at the end of the street ahead, a house with a red lantern appeared in front of me. Wang Yuan came to the Cui family's housekeeper in the morning, and knew that it was Yang Hualou, so he urged the horses to come to the front of the house quickly. There was a gatekeeper in the door who heard the movement, and the small door opened with a creak, revealing a dark face, and when he saw Wang Yuan, a smile suddenly appeared on his face.

"Ah, it's Captain Wang who is back, you wait, the villain will open the door for you."

Wang Yuan smiled and nodded, turned over and dismounted to lead the horse to the door, the door clattered open, and a thin servant bowed out of the door, took the horse from Wang Yuan's hand, and said with a smile: "Captain Wang, please come in, the little one will tie the horse, and he will lead the way for you in a while." ”

"I'm tired." Wang Yuan nodded and walked into the courtyard. This Yanghualou is actually a garden. A large courtyard surrounded by walls on all sides, there is a pond in it, the pond is planted with willows, and several pavilions and rockeries are dotted in between. A small three-story building is the only building in this courtyard, and the small building is carved with beams and paintings, but it is also quite exquisite. When he came during the day, the housekeeper Cui Qi introduced the name of this poplar building, which was originally named after the more than 100 willows planted around the pond before and after the courtyard building. It is said that after spring and March every year, the poplar flowers spit out and dance with the wind, like the heavy snow in the sky, and the scenery is very wonderful. Therefore, this place is named Yang Hualou. This was originally the place where Cui Yaozu, the young master of the Cui family, studied and lived, and this time Cui Yaozu specially vacated it for himself to live.

At night, the light is dim, and the scenery in the courtyard is not clear, but under the dim light in front of the building, the shadows can be seen in the dark shadow of the rockery in the courtyard, the outline of the willow tree is blurred, and the branches are dancing in the wind, which is quite ghostly.

"Captain Wang, please come with the villain, your residence is on the third floor. The new sheets and quilts, I hope you can sleep well and take our Yangzhou soldiers and horses to a big victory tomorrow. The servant at the gate came waddling with a lantern and said with a smile.

Wang Yuan smiled: "What? Are you the only one in this Yang Hualou? ”

The servant hurriedly said: "Yes, there were originally seven or eight, but they were all Young Master Yaozu's personal slaves, and they all went to serve." The villain is a janitor, so he is ordered by the butler to stay and serve you. Captain Wang rest assured, the villain is very nimble, what do you have to say, the villain will serve properly. ”

Wang Yuan smiled: "I'm just asking." Let's go upstairs, I'm a little sleepy. ”

"Okay, please come with the villain." The servant answered in succession, leading the way with a lantern, and the two of them soon came to the front of Yang Hualou along the path between the rockery trees. The servant pushed open the door and led Wang Yuan up the stairs on the side of the hall step by step, and soon reached the third floor, where the servant led Wang Yuan into a room and lit the candlestick.

"This is it, are you satisfied?" The servant laughed.

Wang Yuan looked at the furnishings in the room, and it was really luxurious. There is one inside and one outside, which is connected by a beaded curtain door. The outhouse is clearly a place to read and rest. There is beautiful furniture in the corner. Tables, chairs, and books are all available, and it can be seen that they are all made of precious wood. In the middle of the room there is a long table, and there is a guqin on it.

Pulling open the beaded curtain and walking inside, the inner room is even more luxurious, with carpets on the floor and a few calligraphy and paintings hanging on the walls, which does not look like a fake. The wide gums are covered with soft bedding with plain flowers, which are clean and neatly folded. In the corner of the room, a pot of plum blossoms in full bloom is quietly blooming, and the room is filled with a faint fragrance.