"That strategist of yours is in the North Courtyard at the moment?" Li Fengming asked.

Xiao Mingche picked up the silver chopsticks in his hand, "Well, wait in the study." ”

"What's his name? How old is it? ”

"Zhan Kaiyang. Nineteen of the year. ”

"I'm the same age." She nodded, took a sip of soy milk with a small spoon, and was not in a hurry to see the person, let alone ask the other party what she wanted to ask her.

"I want to ask, why did you accept him in the first place?"

Xiao Mingche said lightly: "His ancestral home is in the south, drinking the horse river. ”

Li Fengming was stunned.

When she was in the palace, she had heard Xiao Mingche casually mention it, and vaguely remembered that the Yinma River was one of the most important sources of Qi troops in the south.

She tilted her head and looked at Xiao Mingche, "So, he is a loyal soldier?" ”

"Hmm." Xiao Ming shook his head.

Qi and Song have territorial disputes in the south, and the two sides have been fighting for decades, and the people's livelihood in the southern border has withered very badly.

The three generations of the Zhan family are barely considered to have a thin background, and when it comes to Zhan Kaiyang's generation, it will be untimely. Most people in the entire southern region are having a hard time, and the Zhan family is no exception.

Although Xiao Mingche's tone was flat, Li Fengming could hear the sympathy in his heart.

"His father and two brothers served under Lian Zhen, but they died in battle within four years."

After this kind of loyalty, Li Fengming's attitude was much more solemn. "Is there anyone else in his family?"

"And my mother and sister."

Li Fengming was a little surprised: "His sister is not married?" ”

He is now nineteen years old, and his sister is in her early twenties.

Most of the Qi women married early, and if they were not allowed to be at the age of seventeen or eighteen, they would be instructed in terms of folk customs.

Xiao Mingche pursed his lips, "It is said that there was a husband who was hired, and when he was about to get married, he also died in battle. ”

Li Fengming closed his eyes sympathetically.

In that place in the south of the Qi State, there have been decades of fighting, and soldiers are often recruited on the spot to replenish them. There were too many local men killed and injured in the war, which made it difficult for women to marry.

And the situation of Sister Zhan Kaiyang, known as "widow" among the people of Qi, is regarded as unlucky, and it is even more difficult to find a good match.

"Has he ever read?" Li Fengming explained, "I mean Zhan Kaiyang. ”

Xiao Mingche nodded, "When his father and brother were still there, they read it in the private school of the squire's house. ”

When Zhan Kaiyang's father and two brothers were still there, the family had three military salaries, enough to support his mother, sister and the youngest him, and also set aside some for him to study.

Later, his father and brother died, and his mother and sister could not afford to cook without rice, so they could no longer afford to read this book.

Xiao Mingche "Two years ago, Lian Zhen was recruiting soldiers in Yinma River, and Zhan Kaiyang wanted to inherit his father's and brother's legacy, but Lian Zhen didn't give him a military post. ”

Li Fengming can understand why Lian Zhen didn't accept Kaiyang, "If I am in Lian Zhen's position, I won't accept him." ”

The women of Qi don't have much way to make a living, and Zhan Kaiyang is the only man left in the family. If he dies on the battlefield again, the rest of his mother and sister's life will be even more difficult.

Then he would be even more sorry for his father and brother who died in battle.

"So, Lian Zhen recommended him to you?" Li Fengming guessed.

"Yes."

Xiao Mingche didn't have much hope against Kaiyang.

The main thing is to read his family's loyalty, and then look at the face of Lian Zhen, and give him an errand that does not have to lift his head, so as to support his mother and sister at home.

After sorting out the ins and outs of this person, Li Fengming supported his forehead, "Besides him, there have been no other strategists to serve you all these years?" ”

"Yes. or the source is unknown, or mediocre, or the mind is not right," Xiao Mingche said, "I didn't want it." ”

At this moment, Li Fengming seemed to really know Xiao Mingche.

He is helpless and struggling, but he is still willing to provide appropriate shelter to those who are more vulnerable than himself within his means.

But they are not blindly merciful, but will try their best to discern who is worthy of shelter and who is not.

From this point of view, Li Fengming can vaguely see his former self from him.

Of course, Xiao Mingche is much more difficult than she used to be.

Li Fengming blinked his eyes and sighed wet, the corners of his lips were lightly raised, and his voice was soft, "Do you believe me?" ”

He was concise and to the point. "Faith."

Li Fengming also asked this sentence when he was in the palace.

At that time, Xiao Mingche also said that he believed it, but she and he knew it, but they didn't believe it that much.

Today's "faith" is true.

Xiao Mingche was solemn and solemn, "Because of your letter, you not only have insight into opportunities, but also make accurate predictions for all parties, and put forward a seemingly simple but actually optimal response plan." ”

It was this insight and means that made him think about it all night, and finally made up his mind and agreed to let Zhan Kaiyang come to consult her in person.

Yes, that's why.

It's not a ridiculous reason to "want to find an excuse to see her after not seeing her all night".

can get Xiao Mingche's heartfelt "letter", which is enough for Li Fengming.

Halfway through breakfast, Li Fengming saw that it was not early, so he opened his mouth and urged, "Hurry up and let that Zhan Kaiyang come in." If you talk about something while eating, I'll have to leave. ”

Today she said that she was going to the workshop, and she set her itinerary and would not change it arbitrarily.

"Okay." Seeing that she was in a hurry, Xiao Mingche ordered someone to go to the study and quickly summoned Zhan Kaiyang, who had been waiting for a long time.

When Zhan Kaiyang came in to greet him, Li Fengming's eyes lit up.

In order to hide her momentary gaffe, she waved her hand and smiled, "No need to be polite." I'm busy going out, so if you have something to say, just say it. ”

As soon as she spoke, Zhan Kaiyang didn't go around the corner. "The subordinates think that His Royal Highness may take advantage of the aftermath of the victory in Luoshan to hold a celebration banquet at this time. But his subordinates were not completely sure of this proposal, so he cheekily asked the princess for advice. ”

Although it was the first time they met, this person was now the only adviser under Xiao Mingche, if Xiao Mingche had anything wrong, then Li Fengming would be in trouble.

So she didn't save face for Zhan Kaiyang at all, and hummed, "Mr. Kaiyang, you have Zhang Siwen's handsome and beautiful face for nothing." As a strategist, it is ridiculous to dare to make a suggestion to the lord that he is not sure of! "I can't bear to be good-looking.

Xiao Mingche was drinking soy milk, and when he heard the words, he paused, and glanced at her strangely.

The first time they met, they were trained to be full of bags, and Zhan Kaiyang was ashamed and bowed his head, "My subordinates know their mistakes, please teach the princess." ”

Li Fengming smoothed his breath: "Of course, the celebration banquet should be held." At the end of June, Xia Wangzhi took the shi, and now talents from all over the world are flocking to Yongjing. In the past few months, they will not be idle, they will definitely look at all directions, listen to all directions, and calculate their own scope in advance. At this time, His Royal Highness will have to make more appearances. ”

Xia Wang's choice is a two-way choice, during this period, Xiao Mingche has no movement, when he arrives at the Shi, the prince Hengwang eats meat, and he can't even get soup.

Zhan Kaiyang hesitated, "But His Highness has just been punished, and he has thought about it in the palace, and everyone in Beijing knows it." Is it useful to hold a celebration banquet at this time? ”

Yesterday evening, he and Xiao Mingche stared at each other for nearly an hour for this matter.

Both of them knew that they should take the opportunity to hold a celebration banquet, but they couldn't solve this problem, and it would be in vain.

Xiao Mingche was originally a prince with no future in the eyes of everyone, and he was recently punished by Emperor Qi, and those talented scholars were afraid that they had no intention of surrendering.

"The news that His Highness has been punished for thinking about it has spread outside," Li Fengming pointed at himself, "Isn't it good to push it on me?" ”

In the matter of Lian Zhen, Xiao Mingche is completely innocent of the black cauldron, and Emperor Qi knows it well, and he will not make it clear to the outside world.

Since Emperor Qi deliberately blurred this matter, the crown prince and King Heng did not dare to speak out.

"The outside world only knows that King Huai has been punished and thinks about it, but does not know the specific reason. You just need to let the wind go out as soon as possible, saying that I was lazy when I was sick in front of the Empress Dowager, which made Your Majesty unhappy, and that Your Highness was punished by me. ”

The national conditions of Qi are here, and they can't be changed for a while.

Therefore, only if Xiao Mingche can stand firm, it will be good for Li Fengming.

Besides, she doesn't plan to take root in the Qi country in this life, and her reputation is just floating clouds.

But Zhan Kaiyang didn't dare to answer these words, so he could only cast a look of inquiry to Xiao Mingche, who had been eating silently.

Xiao Mingche stared at Li Fengming deeply for a moment, did not say anything, and only said softly, "Thank you for your advice." ”

"You're welcome. Didn't I say that earlier? You and I are now in one interest, and I will protect you at all times. ”

Li Fengming felt that he had helped them solve this problem, so he smiled and picked up the silver chopsticks at hand, took a slice of potato cake and put it on the plate with sugar sand.

It's just so coincidental that Xiao Mingche also made the same action at this time.

This seemingly sudden little accident made Zhan Kaiyang's eyes almost fall to the ground-

The tips of Xiao Mingche and Li Fengming's chopsticks happened to be in one place in the sugar sand pile.

Wrapped in the gentle sweetness of the light yellow sugar sand, the two pairs of silver chopsticks are closely snuggled, revealing indescribable intimacy.

And this coincidental intimacy happened to follow Li Fengming's words that seemed to tease Xiao Mingche.

Not to mention that Zhan Kaiyang was surprised, even Li Fengming had to wonder if he had malicious intentions and deliberately teased.

Xiao Mingche quickly retracted the silver chopstick, his whole body tensed uncomfortably, and his face was also tense.

"Don't be annoyed, don't be annoyed, I didn't want to tease you, I just didn't pay attention for a while."

After Li Fengming apologized in a low voice, he looked at his reddish ears suspiciously, and then looked at the stunned Zhan Kaiyang, always feeling that something was strange.

"No worries. I won't bother with you today, but pay attention in the future. Xiao Mingche staggered his eyes, lowered his eyes and took a bite of potato cake.

Li Fengming was so embarrassed that he was in a trance: "Then I will thank His Royal Highness King Huai for his generosity." ”

"You're welcome."

On the way to the small workshop under the leadership of the steward Uncle Jiang and his wife Aunt Jiang, Li Fengming had an epiphany about what was strange.

She tentatively probed without a trace, "Uncle Jiang, His Royal Highness King Huai once told me that he can't taste anything when he eats......"

Uncle Jiang smiled bitterly and turned his head to look at Aunt Jiang.

Aunt Jiang turned her head pitifully and sighed long, "Back to the princess, that's exactly the case." ”

Although the couple didn't reveal more, Li Fengming was sure of at least one thing, Xiao Mingche really couldn't taste it.

So here comes the question -

For a person who can't taste the taste, is it necessary to eat potato cake with sugar sand?!

She also solemnly explained to Xiao Mingche, for fear that he would misunderstand that she was deliberately teasing him.

But no matter what she thought about at this time, she felt that the truth should be that Xiao Mingche was teasing her...... Right?

。