According to the practice of the Han Dynasty, every year during the Spring Festival, the governors of prefectures and counties would hold a banquet with their subordinates to summarize the work of the year and enhance their feelings with each other. Last year, Liu Bei had just ascended to the throne of Qi Guogong, and many things were not too perfect, such as the palace was only half repaired, and Sun Quan's rebellion had just been quelled at that time, so that year was really a bit hasty. This year everything is fine, although there are local wars such as Hanzhong, but on the whole it is relatively peaceful. So Liu Bei also took this friendship as the highlight and planned it well. Not only the big and small officials in Shouchun were invited, but even Ma Chao, who was ordered to come to Shouchun for help, also received an invitation.

"What a big palace!" Walking into the banquet hall of the Qi State Mansion, Ma Chao felt really dizzy along the way. If he hadn't happened to meet Lu Su leading the way, he really didn't know how to go. The Ma family is a big family in Xiliang, and the decoration of the home is also magnificent. But compared with Liu Bei's Qi State Mansion, it is a small thing.

By the time we entered the hall, the guests were already halfway there. Everyone was divided into two tables, civil and military, and sat down on the left and right in order. The first side on the left is the work of the general, to Ma Chao's surprise, Zhang Fei is actually sitting in the second position, but the first position is empty.

"Could it be that Xuande Gong left this position for me?" Ma Chao couldn't help but be a little secretly proud, but he didn't feel good about himself to this point after all. At that moment, he heard someone beckoning him to sit down on the other side. Although Ma Chao was a little unhappy that he couldn't sit on the main seat, he thought about it after all, he was a guest after all, and it was very inappropriate to sit with Liu Bei's subordinates, so he sat down with his surname.

After a while, the guests came one after another, and then the host Liu Bei also appeared on the stage, and the eldest son Liu Feng, who was already six years old, and the youngest daughter Liu Chan came out with him. After everyone had a fight, the feast began. It's just that Ma Chao noticed that the chief in front of Zhang Fei was still empty.

"Who is so grand that you want Zhang Fei to make room for him?" Ma Chao thought about the characters under Liu Bei's account over and over again, and couldn't think of any characters who could make Zhang Fei make room for him. Could it be that Guan Yu is coming soon? Ma Chao thought about it, and estimated that there was only one possibility.

But now Ma Chao can't take care of other people's affairs, after three rounds of drinking, Ma Chao took the initiative to stand up and said: "Xuande, thank you for your hospitality." But Ma Chao's hometown is occupied by Han Sui's old thief at the moment, and he really can't swallow it. Please also ask Xuande to lend me tens of thousands of soldiers and horses, and when I recapture Xiliang, there will be a big reward! ”

"This, hehe!" Liu Bei's smile was also a little reluctant. Not only Liu Bei, but the rest of the people, especially the generals, did not look very good. This Ma Chao didn't seem to know his identity, a person who came to ask for help, but he opened his mouth and closed his mouth and called Liu Bei Xuande, Qi Guogong didn't shout, Xuande Gong didn't shout, as if he was commensurate with his peers. Even if Ma Teng arrived here, he was not so arrogant. It is estimated that if Cao Ying knows, he will definitely pull Liu Bei's hand with a full face: "Xuande, it's not easy for us, Xu You, that little cub, also calls me Meng De all day long, and sometimes calls me a secret!" ”

At this moment, an attendant suddenly came to report: "Lord, the eldest prince and General Wen are here!" ”

"Please!" Liu Bei hurriedly signaled to hurry. Ma Chao was stunned at this time, although he had only been in Shouchun for half a month, he also knew that Liu Bei currently has a son and a daughter under his knees, and his son is Liu Feng, born to Mrs. Mi, who is six years old this year; The daughter was born to Mrs. Bu, and she is only three years old this year, why did she suddenly have a big son?

"Meet the Lord!" Not long after, a heroic young man, and a military general walked in and saluted Liu Bei, Ma Chao was even more strange when he heard this title, since he was the eldest prince, why did he call Liu Bei the lord?

"This is the son of Liu Qi, the nephew of the lord, and the eldest son of Liu Jingsheng, who was formerly known as the Jingzhou herd. Now Ren Jiangxia Taishou, the right general, that is General Wen Zhongye. Lu Su, who was closest to Ma Chao, looked at Ma Chao with a confused face, knowing that he didn't know Liu Qi and Wen Ping, so he hurriedly introduced.

"Oh, I see!" Ma Chao suddenly realized, but saw Liu Bei personally come down to support Liu Qi and said: "Why should the virtuous nephew be polite, today it is just a banquet, you and my uncle and nephew can be commensurate." The trip of the virtuous nephew was quite smooth, and he finally caught up with this Chinese New Year's Eve feast! ”

"Thanks to my uncle's concern, that Zhang Wu and Chen Sun are entrenched in Jiangxia, although tens of thousands of rebels have gathered, but with the help of General Huang Lao and General Wen, how can this guy be an opponent? The two thieves have been ambushed, and the rebels under their command have all been incorporated and sent to Chaisang, from uncle to reorganization. Liu Qi said carefully.

If you want to say how many people Zhao Feng's butterfly effect has saved, he can't say it himself, but Liu Qi is definitely one of them. At this time in history, he should have been addicted to wine and eating and waiting for death, but now that the Kuai family and the Cai family have been exterminated, Liu Qi is not so decadent. After Liu Biao returned to seclusion, he served as Jiangxia Taishou and the right general, although he had no ambition to stand on his own, but he was also diligent in political affairs and reorganized armaments. At this time, the habitual surnames of history were reflected again, and Zhang Wu and Chen Sun, as in history, rebelled in Jiangxia. However, the current Liu Qi is not the parallel commodity of Huang Zu in history, so he directly asked Guan Yu and sent Huang Zhong and Wen Ping to assist him in solving Zhang Wu and Chen Sun by dividing five by two. After Huang Zhong completed the task, he went back to Xiangyang, but Liu Qi and Wen Ping received an urgent edict from Liu Bei, asking them to come to Shouchun to celebrate the New Year together after completing the task, and by the way, there were special tasks.

"The eldest prince, this is General Ma Chaoma, the son of Xiliang Ma Taishou; General Ma, this is General Liu Qi, the Taishou of Jiangxia! At this time, Jian Yong introduced the two of them, and after Ma Chao and Liu Qi greeted each other, Liu Qi walked to the first position on the general's side and sat down, and it turned out that the position was reserved for him. After Liu Qi sat down, he began to describe in detail the process of counterinsurgency. Liu Bei was also amazed when he heard it, and the rest of the people praised it again and again, and sent high hats one after another.

But he heard Zhuge Liang suddenly say: "When the Duke of Jingsheng handed over Jingzhou to the lord, and left the eldest prince under the lord's command to listen to it, many young people spent the belly of the gentleman with the heart of a villain, thinking that the lord would not be able to tolerate the son." But for more than three years, the lord and the eldest prince have gotten along very well, and those villains are arrogant, which is really ridiculous. ”

"Exactly!" As soon as these words came out, many people agreed. At this time, Liu Bei sighed: "Brother Jingsheng should be full of enthusiasm and entrust Jingxiang to me." Originally, the son inherited his father's business, and Jingzhou should be taken over by the son. Now the son is only guarding Jiangxia, but it is a little rude. ”

"Uncle, don't say that!" Liu Qi hurriedly got up, and then said: "Liu Qi still has a little bit of self-knowledge, and I know that with my skills, it is difficult to sit in Jingzhou, and it is already a person to be a Jiangxia Taishou." Besides, my uncle has a lot of talent. I, Liu Qi, just relied on my father's prestige, so I had the courage to make friends with my peers. If you talk about real talent and real learning, how dare Liu Qi compare with Mr. Lu and them! ”

"The eldest prince is really too modest!" Lu Su hurriedly thanked him. But I heard Wen Ping also sigh at this time: "I Wen Ping used to sit in Jingzhou and watch the sky, thinking that I was the first military general in Jingzhou. But I don't know that this No. 1 military general in Jingzhou is just a hero of a place. There are many talented people in the world, and since he defected to the lord, he knows that there is a sky outside the sky, and there are people outside the world! ”

"What Zhongye said is also what I think in my heart!" Ji Ling on the side also said with some emotion: "I, Ji Ling, used to be known as the first general in Huainan, but after defecting to the lord, I couldn't even send the top ten, so I know that there are many heroes in the world." If a man like us is not aware of the height of the sky and the height of the earth, and underestimates the heroes of the world, he will inevitably become a laughing stock. ”

"What General Ji said is very true, I used to be known as the Four Courtyard Pillars of Hebei, but my kung fu is compared with the three generals and Huang Lao Generals, and it has become a street trick." At this time, Gao Ran was also quite emotional.

Liu Qi, Wen Ping, Ji Ling, and Gao Ran, you follow me, I follow you, beating drums and passing flowers to each other, and the people around them echoed each other, no matter how stupid Ma Chao is, he should hear that something is wrong. After a little pondering, I realized that this was completely aimed at him. As the first fierce general of Xiliang, like these people before, they are all the heroes of the same place. Now that they are so modest, it is nothing more than reminding themselves that there are many talents under Liu Bei in Shouchun, and it is not your turn to be Ma Chao, the Shenweitian general of Xiliang, to come over and be arrogant. Thinking about this, Ma Chao ate a little bitter at this meal.

After eating the meal, Liu Bei met Ma Chao in his study. "I already know the meaning of my nephew's trip. Brother Shoucheng and I used to be edicted together, but Han Sui betrayed the alliance this time, how could I stand idly by? It's just that it's the middle of winter right now, and I can't enter. After the beginning of spring, I will transfer troops from Hanzhong to help Brother Shoucheng recapture Xiliang! ”

"Thank you Qi Guogong!" Ma Chao hugged his fists, which was also the only way for him to restrain his arrogance a little after he was hit, otherwise he would not have to jump up on the spot. At this moment, Ma Chao's big nerves finally remembered another thing, and hurriedly told him about his sister and Zhao Yun.

"Zilong and Sister Ling are in love?" Liu Bei was also quite surprised when he heard this, but it didn't look like a joke when he looked at Ma Chao. After thinking about it, Liu Bei also felt gloomy in his heart: Zhao Yun has followed him for many years, and he has always been not close to women, and now this woman is still shoehorned into him by himself and Zhao Fan. It's rare for him to meet a woman he likes, and he thinks of it himself. Besides, this matter can also strengthen the relationship between Liu Bei and Ma Teng's two groups, so why not?

"In that case, I will hire Zilong and propose to Ling Zun!" Liu Bei is colorful. Ma Chao was overjoyed, if Liu Bei hired him, his family would have a lot of light on his face. At that moment, Liu Bei also transferred 3,000 cavalry to Ma Chao's commander, so that he could be busy in Shouchun first, and then lead the army westward when he marched to Xiliang. In this way, under Liu Bei's untraceable grace and political marriage, Ma Teng Group and Liu Bei Group were firmly tied together.

This year, everyone has their own hearts and minds, and everyone has their own busy work. Liu Bei was busy appeasing Ma Chao, and Cao Ying was busy moving the capital and becoming king. Guan Yu of Jingzhou was busy collecting and surrendering soldiers, reorganizing armaments, and preparing for the next Northern Expedition. Han Sui of Xiliang failed to settle down after taking Xiliang. The fleeing Ma Teng father and son were certainly his confidants, and those Qiang tribes who had a deep friendship with Ma Teng also began to move, which made him restless.

The one who has really lived a more leisurely life recently is Zhao Feng in Hanzhong. After getting the help of Zhao Yun and others, the burden on his shoulders was also a little lighter, and he was not as busy as Guan Yu.

So on the night of Chinese New Year's Eve, Zhao Feng listened to Xiao Qiao play the piano for himself, drank a little wine, and spent the year very freely. Of course, he didn't patronize his own happiness, and Ma Teng's father and daughter, as well as Zhao Yun, who lived here, were also invited by him to drink together. Since he had already received Xiao Qiao, the East Cross Courtyard was sorted out by Zhao Feng for Zhao Yun to live in.

"Wow, Sister Qiao Ying, your piano skills are really amazing. I think it's hard to find a better one than you in the world! After the song, Ma Yunlu also praised it repeatedly. To say that women are very strange creatures, Xiao Qiao and Ma Yunlu, whose surnames are so big, have a very happy conversation after a few contacts, and they are almost like sisters in just a few days.

"My sister has won the prize!" Little Joe smiled. Although Zhao Feng was asked to eat it in such a daze, but he had been in contact with Ma Yunlu for a long time, and now he appeared in front of her as Zhao Feng's woman, Xiao Qiao was not too embarrassed. Zhao Yunsheng's surname is calm, so he naturally won't make fun of it; Ma Teng is old and sophisticated, and he will not make such boring jokes.

"I don't know how my eldest brother is doing in Shouchun!" Ma Yunlu suddenly said a little gloomily, and Zhao Yun hurriedly comforted him softly. Ma Teng also sighed, but he was also a little relieved to see that his daughter had found a wishful husband.

"There is a detailed report this afternoon, several Qiang tribes and Han Sui have started a war, and the two sides have won and lost each other, and the casualties are not light." Zhao Feng suddenly remembered this incident, and informed Ma Teng by the way.

"It's probably my mother's tribe!" Ma Yunlu thought for a while. Ma Teng's wife was a Qiang person, so the Qiang tribe had a lot of friends with him. Even if Han Sui got Xiliang, these people would not be willing to be ruled by him, and they would definitely pinch him.

"General Zhao, originally only needed to lend tens of thousands of soldiers and horses to the old man, but with the help of Xiao'er and the old man, plus the help of the Qiang Ministry, it was enough to pacify Xiliang. But now that Xiahou Yuan's troops are stationed in Longxi, it will not be easy! Ma Teng also sighed after a little hesitation. Xiahou Yuan's ability, Ma Teng is very clear. I have been fighting against him for so many years, and I have never taken any advantage.

"Yes, my land in Hanzhong is only more than 40,000 troops. Excluding those left behind, only more than 30,000 people can be mobilized at most. This bit of troops, and most of them are immature recruits, how can they compete with Xiahou Yuan's elite soldiers in Guanzhong! Zhao Feng sighed. Just kidding, relying on a Hanzhong to take Longxi from Xiahou Yuan, unless it is opened, it is difficult to do it anyway.

"Stay behind, what's the matter, who does General Zhao have to stay behind to guard against?" Ma Yunlu has always had a big nerve, and this kind of military matter was directly asked.

"Naturally, it's the Duke of Shu!" Zhao Feng sighed. The news came from Xizuo before, saying that it was a sudden increase in the garrison strength of Jiameng Pass and Baishui Pass, which also made Zhao Feng secretly vigilant in his heart, afraid that Liu Zhang would make a surprise attack.

What Zhao Feng didn't know was that in the Mansion of Shu at this time, Liu Zhang, who was celebrating the end of the year, was facing Huang Quan and others kneeling in front of him with big eyes and eyes, making it look like he was celebrating the New Year.

(To be continued)