Chu Tianya woke up from a nap, and it was already evening.

Zhang Xiaochun, the prefect of Taiyuan, and the "supervising army" sent by the imperial court to inspect and supervise the military exercise had been waiting for him for more than an hour.

The overseer was a eunuch, surnamed Cao, very fat, and the fat on his chin could shake like a wave when he walked. is probably the close servant celebrity in front of the new official, who is usually used to the flattery of others, and even when the court leader sees him, he has to be three points shorter. But today, he waited here for a mountain king for more than an hour, and he had already smoked.

If it weren't for Zhang Xiaochun's persuasion from the side, and seeing that Anu and Tang An, the two guards in front of the tent, were too fierce and mighty, Gonggong Cao would have been furious.

When Chu Tianya got up to change clothes, Xiao Linglong told him the news, laughing while talking. Chu Tianya has the bottom in his heart, it seems that this eunuch Cao is very arrogant, and he has to be treated.

"Let them wait." Chu Tianya said with a smile, "In the herald army, open the meal!" ”

Xiao Linglong chuckled, "Don't give them food and entertainment?" ”

Chu Tianya also smiled, "Let's just say that I'm preparing a feast and want to accompany me personally-well, I have to go to the shower and change clothes first." The reception angels are on errands, as it should be. ”

Xiao Linglong smiled, nodded and went to the big tent of the Chinese army to see Zhang Xiaochun, and told them that the general learned that the two errands had arrived, so he specially bathed and changed clothes, and wanted to prepare a feast to entertain the two errands.

Zhang Xiaochun and Eunuch Cao both breathed a sigh of relief, okay, this person finally appeared!

But after waiting for another half an hour, Chu Tianya still did not appear. The army has opened a meal, although it is not a delicacies from the mountains and seas, but Zhang Xiaochun and Eunuch Cao are already hungry, watching those sergeants gulp the rice into their mouths and eat so deliciously, their stomachs growl.

Eunuch Cao couldn't sit still, "Governor Zhang, you are an official of the imperial court and a feudal official of one side!" You can't be so low-minded to a mountain king, can you? ”

Zhang Xiaochun had already seen Chu Tianya's intentions, and he had long been dissatisfied with this eunuch who didn't understand anything but was full of officialdom, and said lightly: "The general has gone to bathe and change clothes and prepare for the banquet, please don't be impatient!" -- This is the army, so naturally it is not as good as in the palace. ”

"What does Governor Zhang mean, could it be that the envoy is still making it difficult for him?" Eunuch Cao's face changed, "He, Chu Tianya, a general with a false title, is it bigger than the shelf of the privy envoy?" The envoy waited here for two hours, and he didn't show up—look, look, the tea in this cup was cold, and no one came to change it, and when it came to dinner, no one came to bring a piece of wine and fruit. He abused the angel of the official family like this, which is clearly contempt for the official family! ”

"Is this called abuse?" Zhang Xiaochun couldn't help but smile, "You always know about Tong Guan and Master Tong, right?" ”

Eunuch Cao's expression suddenly froze, and even his eyes straightened. He covered the cup of cold tea and poured it into his stomach without saying a word.

Tong Guan's death, according to the official account, was of course at the hands of the Jurchen assassins; But after all, paper can't hold the fire, and the truth has been secretly circulated in some high-level circles, that is, he was actually killed by Chu Tianya, and then blamed Yelu Yujian.

Who is Tong Guan, in addition to being the most powerful eunuch, he is also the prince and the marshal of the army, how can he be compared with the eunuch Cao?

After thinking about it, Eunuch Cao felt that it was better to keep his mouth shut.

When it got dark, the barracks were lit with lights and torches.

Chu Tianya and Xiao Linglong had already eaten together, and after chatting for a while, they finally came to see Zhang Xiaochun and Eunuch Cao.

Walking into the military tent, Chu Tianya saw a big puddle of fat stuffed in the chair, sleeping soundly. Zhang Xiaochun sat on the side and closed his eyes to recuperate.

When Chu Tianya walked over, Zhang Xiaochun opened his eyes and immediately smiled bitterly.

"Governor Zhang, I've kept you waiting." Chu Tianya smiled and stepped forward and hugged his fists, looking at the pile of fat meat, "This is the envoy sent by the imperial court?" ”

"Hey, Brother Chu, have you had enough?" Zhang Xiaochun smiled bitterly and whispered, "Hurry up and start eating!" I'm going to starve to death! ”

"Heh, last year, Taiyuan was hungry, and Governor Zhang couldn't stay up for a while?" Chu Tianya said with a smile, "Please, the banquet has already been prepared." ”

Zhang Xiaochun shook his head with a smile and stretched out his hand to stab Eunuch Cao.

Eunuch Cao was sleeping to death, and his saliva was pouring out. was touched by Zhang Xiaochun, but it was like an electric shock and a ghost, he suddenly jumped up and knelt down on all fours, his head on the ground like pounding garlic and shouted: "The official family forgives the sin, the official family forgives the sin!" - Long live my emperor, long live, long live! ”

"Haha!" Chu Tianya and the surrounding guards laughed, and Chu Tianya said in a loud voice, "Well, forgive you for your innocence, be even!" ”

"Thank you......" didn't finish shouting, and Eunuch Cao, who came back to his senses, felt that something was wrong, and looked up - damn it, who is this? Dare to pretend to be an official!

He climbed up with his legs propped up, pointed at Chu Tianya with a face swollen like a pig's liver, and shouted in a sharp voice: "Where are the chaotic ministers and thieves, dare to pretend to be officials, you are impatient?!" ”

"Presumptuous-" Tang Ang and Anu roared in unison, the roof of the marching tent was shaken over, and Eunuch Cao felt that his ears were buzzing, and the whole person was a little stunned.

Chu Tianya smiled, "No one pretended to be an official, it was you who mistook others for an official." Say, "What sin are thou to blame?" ”

Being able to mix in the palace to get to this position, Eunuch Cao is not stupid, he can now confirm that the calm and arrogant young man in front of him must be the legendary King of Hedong Mountain, Chu Tianya.

This face changed as soon as he said it, and Eunuch Cao immediately smiled and bowed to Chu Tianya and whispered: "It was the recklessness of the lower officials that made the general laugh." If there is any offense, please forgive the general! ”

Before the words fell, there was a gurgling sound in Eunuch Cao's big belly.

Xiao Linglong stood beside Chu Tianya and laughed happily when she heard this voice. Eunuch Cao's expression was even more embarrassed, and a glance appeared in the corner of his eye, and he glanced at Xiao Linglong hatefully.

"Bold." Chu Tianya's other skills are absolutely first-class, so he shouted neither high nor low, "When you see the county lord, you dare to stare if you don't salute, are you tired of being tired?" ”

Eunuch Cao was suddenly shocked: No, what kind of eyes is he, he has seen this? …… Princess? By the way, the imperial court has sealed a Flying Fox County Lord here!

Without saying a word, Eunuch Cao knelt down again, and while kowtowing, the county lord Chitose shouted, which made the people around him laugh again.

Xiao Linglong was already amused, and then said: "That's it, let's be polite - well, seeing that you are so central, I will give you a good meal." General, take him to eat! ”

"Your Majesty obeys." Chu Tianya agreed to a promise decently, and stretched out his hand to invite him.

Eunuch Cao got up and couldn't help but look at Zhang Xiaochun in confusion: Who is the biggest here?

Zhang Xiaochun pursed his lips and told him with an expression: Where do I know?

When Chu Tianya and the others saw it, they held back their laughter, and their stomachs hurt with laughter.

The two of them entered the table, and the dishes were indeed quite rich. Chu Tianya and Xiao Linglong had already eaten enough and were not in a hurry, so the official tone said a lot first, and Eunuch Cao was not easy to mess around, so he had to listen honestly and respond with a smile. His stomach was so hungry that he couldn't eat the food on the table, and Eunuch Cao wanted to die.

After tossing for a long time, the table finally opened. Eunuch Cao was like a hungry tiger that pounced on the little sheep, and he couldn't care about any dignity anymore, so he started eating like crazy.

Chu Tianya was happy, Xiao Linglong was also happy, and Zhang Xiaochun smiled bitterly.

Full of wine and food, Eunuch Cao couldn't sit up straight with a burp, and leaned over with his stomach and said, "General, this envoy came to watch the Hedong military exercise on the order of the official's family. I wonder how the war is going now? ”

"It's over." Chu Tianya replied.

"Huh?" Zhang Xiaochun and Eunuch Cao were both stunned at the same time, "It's over before the fight starts?" ”

"This ......," Eunuch Cao said stunned, "the military exercise of more than 100,000 people, the imperial court and the government have invested countless manpower and material resources, and it flickered like this...... It's over? ”

"What do you think is going to happen?" Chu Tianya Zhengse said, "This is a military exercise, not a military training or parade, not for others to see and appreciate." Now that the purpose of the exercise has been achieved, it is over. "Then, how should the envoy repay the officials?" Eunuch Cao said with a bitter face, "The envoy didn't see anything!" ”

"It's not that hard!" Chu Tianya smiled, "Liuhe-"

"In!" Liuhe stood up and hugged his fists in promise.

Eunuch Cao's eyes lit up: What a heroic man! The guards around the official family don't necessarily have such grace!

"Shangcha, this is my clerk. How about asking him to ghostwrite a report for the official family? Chu Tianya said.

"Isn't that?" Eunuch Cao looked Liuhe up and down, and hesitated, "Can he figure out the intentions of the official family and know what the official family wants to see?" ”

Chu Tianya laughed, "If you can't do this thing well, what use do I want him?" ――Liuhe, write it right away and take it to the business to read! ”

"Yes!" Liuhe didn't say a word, and immediately took the pen, ink, paper, and inkstone to write on this hall. One or two sticks of incense time, just a pen!

Eunuch Cao took the book and took a closer look, dumbfounded!

"Could it be that Your Excellency already has a draft?" Eunuch Cao was surprised, "This is sprinkled with nearly a thousand words, and every word is brilliant and brilliant, and it all speaks to the hearts of the officials!" If the official family saw such a report, and learned that the Taiyuan army was so powerful, and the general and the Zhang prefect were so loyal, they would definitely be happy! ”

Chu Tianya laughed in his heart: That means that your errand is done beautifully, and there will definitely be a heavy reward when you go back! - Hello everyone, it's really good!

So Chu Tianya walked to Eunuch Cao's side with a smile, bent down and whispered: "Cao Enfu is a celebrity beside the Son of Heaven, please say a few more kind words in front of the official family when you go back." How much funding and trust from the imperial court can be obtained on Chu's side, how solid the defense line between Taiyuan and Hedong is. The draught does not forget to dig wells, Chu is good, Taiyuan is stable, and Cao Enfu's position around the official family is more stable. We're grasshoppers tethered in a line, aren't we, Cao Enfu? ”

Eunuch Cao looked at Chu Tianya in a daze, and his face twitched.

He was far from expecting that a bandit who should only know how to cut paths and rob, five big and three coarse, could see this matter in the government and the court so thoroughly. Now he understands that the one that made him wait for before was a dismount given to him by Chu Tianya. It was a warning to him. This thief is really daring, he will dare to do anything!

The rulers in the court may not dare to despise and snub him Cao Eunuch, Chu Tianya dare!

"Hehe......" Eunuch Cao, who had already been in the palace and was the most sensible and good-natured, immediately laughed flatteringly, and bowed his hand to Chu Tianya, "Xiaguan, but it all depends on the general's snort to survive!" ”

"Alas, don't say it so badly!" Chu Tianya smiled, "You are a popular person in front of the Son of Heaven, I'm just a thief!" In the future, we have more than 100,000 soldiers in Hedong, and we will have to rely on the care of Enfu! - Cao Enfu, don't worry, as long as there is me Chu Tianya in Hedong one day, I dare to guarantee that Taiyuan is an iron wall, and no matter how many soldiers and horses he kills, he can be impregnable! ”

"Good, good! What the official family wants is the general's sentence! Eunuch Cao's eyes narrowed with laughter, and the fat on his chin trembled, "Then the official, can you just take this report and send it to the official family?" ”

"Okay, no problem." Chu Tianya said, "Next time, if the imperial court wants to send an envoy to Taiyuan, it will have to be Cao Enfu." changed to someone else, and Chu was nowhere to be seen. No matter how big an official he is, he won't see him when he comes! ”

"Hehe, the general really looks down on the lower officials!" Eunuch Cao was grateful, and his face was about to laugh.

Zhang Xiaochun also laughed secretly on the side, laughed and shook his head, and said in his heart: This Chu brother's methods are really getting more and more ruthless. first gave Eunuch Cao a killing stick, and then bluffed and coaxed him. It will definitely be bought with a lot of money later...... Toss a few back and forth, and the Son of Heaven will have his eyes and ears around him!

Before Zhang Xiaochun could finish pondering, Chu Tianya slapped his face twice, and several strong men carried in two boxes.

"It's rare for Enfu to come to Taiyuan once, we are poor here, and we don't have anything to pay homage to." Chu Tianya leaned around Eunuch Cao and whispered like an old friend chatting, "There are some local specialties here, just ask Enfu to laugh!" ”

"Oh, the general is so polite, so polite!!" Eunuch Cao's eyes lit up.

"Carry it away and send it to the pavilion in Cao En's Mansion!" As soon as Chu Tianya waved his hand, the strong man carried the box away.

Zhang Xiaochun laughed secretly on the side, Xiao Linglong was also amused when she saw it, and thought in unison: Chu Tianya's methods to deal with people on the official road are really becoming more and more familiar! -- Eunuch Cao is such a person, it is difficult not to 'cooperate closely' with him.

"After Enfu, remember to come often." Chu Tianya put his arm on his shoulder and said with a smile, "If you have time, you will talk about good things in front of the officials and the rulers." The more money and grain is allocated to us over there, the more local products Chu can prepare for Enfu will naturally be richer! ”

"That's, that's! With money to earn together, everyone's life is better, haha! "Eunuch Cao couldn't be happier. I was hungry and waiting there just now, and now I have so many benefits all at once. It's like going from hell to heaven, he just can't be happy if he wants to!

After the meal, they chatted for a while, and Eunuch Cao was now full of red light and refreshed. It is not easy to mix in the palace, in addition to figuring out the holy will to please the emperor, you also have to deal with the jealousy and hatred of many people. An important reason why Tong Guan was so popular back then was that he could lead troops and not completely rely on the emperor's trust to live. The little eunuchs below will also follow the same example, if they can have a good relationship with the Jiedu envoy who leads the troops or the ruler who holds real power, the waist will be a little stronger.

Now Chu Tianya has been listed as the number one thorn in the dynasty, not only does he have the right to fight, but he also doesn't take the emperor and the court very seriously. If he, Eunuch Cao, can handle the relationship with Chu Tianya, his role in the eyes of the official family will become more and more great. Let's take Zhang Xiaochun, who is closer, if it weren't for his personal relationship with Chu Tianya, would he still be able to sit in the position of the Taiyuan prefect?

Now that Chu Tianya took the initiative to show favor to Eunuch Cao, he was naturally too happy, and he was thanking the ancestral tomb for smoking. If he goes back and hands over the recital written in Liuhe, Long Yan will be happy, and he will definitely be greatly rewarded by Eunuch Cao. If there is any problem here in Hedong in the future, the official family will definitely be the first to think of him - just like Zhang Xiaochun, he belongs to the "special commissioner", and there is no substitute!

After chatting in the barracks, Chu Tianya excused himself that the barracks were boring and boring, and he wanted to invite Zhang Xiaochun and Eunuch Cao back to Taiyuan City to be chic. Zhang Xiaochun didn't know that Chu Tianya must have a deep meaning, so he smiled and said that he would be the east, so he invited the two of them to the Star Picking Tower to taste tea.

The group left the barracks, and Chu Tianya took a few guards such as Liuhe and Xiaofei to look at Taiyuan City.

When I entered the city, it was dark and the city was lively. Eunuch Cao said that he was tired, so he didn't go to the restaurant. Chu Tianya promised and "escorted" him back to the pavilion.

The two of them tacitly agreed. Chu Tianya's intention was very clear, and Eunuch Cao also knew what he was here for.

After sending Zhang Xiaochun away and retiring everyone, Eunuch Cao and Chu Tianya began to dig out their hearts.

"General, you'll have to weigh up. The officials and the deacons are still quite jealous of you. Eunuch Cao said, "Since the founding of our Great Song Dynasty, there has not been a general who has been able to support his own troops. General, you are a great talent and great virtue, and you have raised 100,000 horses in the east of the river. The official family is restless day and night, and it is difficult to sleep and eat, you can definitely think of this! ”

"Needless to say, I know it very well." Chu Tianya said, "Say something useful - who are the people in the court who support me, and who are the people who want to get rid of me?" ”

"Oh, that's a hard way to put into words!" Eunuch Cao's face was bitter, "In short, the absolute minority of the generals, most of them are eager to exterminate the generals." Only an upright person like Cao knows that the general is for the country and the people, loyal to the monarch and patriotic! ”

Chu Tianya laughed, "That's, that's!" ”

But I was scolding in my heart - if this is the case, you are the only dead eunuch left in the court facing me, then I might as well die!

"Cao Enfu, let me ask you something!" Chu Tianya began to test him, "If I really want the Northern Expedition, will the imperial court agree and support it?" ”

"Huh?" Eunuch Cao was so shocked that his mouth was round. This time it's really not pretending.

"What, no?" Chu Tianya also made a surprised expression.

"This ...... It's hard to say! Eunuch Cao was obviously caught off guard by Chu Tianya's question, and his mouth squeaked.

"What's not to say?" Chu Tianya said, "Do you think I'm joking in this military exercise?" I'm really planning to go on the Northern Expedition! Didn't the officials think about this matter? ”

"Nope." Eunuch Cao shook his big fat head like a rattle.

"Wouldn't it? In the battle of Huanglong Valley last year, after beating Wanyan Zonghan like that, the officials and the officials in the court didn't have the slightest intention to take the initiative to attack? Chu Tianya was angry, "I've been preparing for this for the past year, and I'm counting on the imperial court to send troops with me!" Didn't I worry about it in vain? ”

"Huh? The Admiral still has this plan? Eunuch Cao was dumbfounded, "North, Northern Expedition to Jinguo? ”

"What are you trembling about?" Chu Tianya turned his face flat, "Others are afraid of his Jurchen Iron Horse, but I'm not afraid-Wanyan Zonghan is just like this, and I don't look at how many corpses he threw down under Taiyuan City?" In the battle of Huanglong Valley, he almost lost his own life! Enfu has returned to Tokyo, why don't you ask the official family for a discussion and help me ask if the imperial court will subsidize my money, food, soldiers and horses for the Northern Expedition? ”

"This ...... Good, good. It's still okay to probe the wind. "Eunuch Cao is wiping cold sweat.

"Well, I'll leave this matter in the Grace Mansion!" Chu Tianya laughed in his heart: Look at this eunuch Cao who is scared like this, when he returns to the imperial court, he will definitely blow a lot of oil and vinegar in the ears of the officials! That's good, I just want to make this fake show as real as possible, and let the officials help me fool the Jurchens together, thinking that I, someone in Chu, will really be able to do the Northern Expedition beyond my strength!

The more chaotic the eyes and ears of the Jin Kingdom, the better!