Gong Xuan returned to Emperor Gao Liu Bang with the news of Guan Gao's death, and Liu Bang was stunned when he heard it, not believing that there was such a person as Guan Gao in this world. Regarding Guan Gao's death, Liu Bang could only sigh, but he didn't force Guan Gao to death. I wanted to reuse him, but he gave up his life and died. Liu Bang sighed and waved his hand, and asked Guan Gao's family how it was, Zhang Tingwei said that he had just been released, and now he was placed in the official residence of King Zhao in Chang'an for the first time, and he originally wanted to wait for Guan Gao to come out and then go back to Zhao together, but he didn't want Guan Gao to die in his life.

Liu Banglongyan was a little sad, paced for a moment and then made up for guilt and ordered, "Guan Gao's family, all the men are named as great masters, the title is endless, and all the women are given silk and satin." ”

While he was talking, the eunuch reported to King Zhao and Meng Shu that they were waiting outside the palace. Liu Bang called to pass them on. Oh, several people entered the main hall together, and when they came together, they performed a complete set of kneeling salutes, "Your Majesty will be happy for thousands of years." Liu Bang walked over and helped them up, looked at King Zhao, who was half emaciated, patted him on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Don't blame me." ”

King Zhao was frightened and hurriedly surrendered his hand, saying that he did not dare to blame the emperor. Liu Bang looked at the servants behind King Zhao, stared at the oldest man and asked his name, and the man was not afraid to say that his name was Meng Shu. Liu Bang raised his eyebrows slightly, telling himself that this person is really a little upright and wise, and looking at his fearless appearance, he knows that he is as resolute and bold as Guan Gao.

"There are so many military divisions of King Zhao." Liu Bang seemed to have something to say, and said this with a smile, still a little wary in his heart, and then returned to sit on the couch.

King Zhao was terrified, wasn't the emperor saying that he was very full-fledged? I was so scared that I was sweating and shivering, and I didn't dare to answer. It was a person named Uncle Tian who solved the problem for King Zhao, took a step forward and said, "King Zhao is generous, my father is waiting for me, and the first king Zhang Er asked me to assist King Zhang, we want to be for Zhao Guo's liver and brain, King Zhao has something to do, and we dare not ignore King Zhang." Otherwise, what face will be under Jiuquan to see King Zhao first. The title of military advisor is actually false, but it is just an old minister of the former king of Zhao who is now begging for food from King Zhang. ”

Liu Bang held his cheek in one hand, and flipped through the bamboo slips on several cases with the other, and listened to Uncle Tian's words in his heart, and accepted his statement, and suddenly admired the retinues around King Zhao, so he curiously asked Uncle Tian's name, family background, position, etc., Uncle Tian replied one by one, Liu Bang felt that this person was a talent from Uncle Tian's extraordinary conversation, and nodded to Uncle Tian with satisfaction. Liu Bang asked several people behind King Zhao, asked their names and official positions in Zhao State, and they answered them one by one. After asking a circle of people, Liu Bang set his eyes on King Zhao again, although Zhang Ao was released, but Liu Bang still did not have a good impression of him, thinking that he was not as good as his father Zhang Erhaoxia Shuangyi had just experienced the assassination of Guangao, this matter was somewhat shadowed in Liu Bang's heart, and he would gradually move away from King Zhao unintentionally, and then saw that Zhang Ao was frightened by the emperor's words just now, Liu Bang didn't like it even more, and turned his head in disgust and didn't want to look at Zhang Ao.

After a long time, Liu Bangcai said, "Although you are not guilty, you are not qualified to be the king of Zhao today, and the rivers and mountains of Zhao governed by the original Zhang Er are red." Now that Zhao Guo's political performance is mediocre, do you agree with these, Zhang Ao? Liu Bang pinched his chin and squinted his eyes, and asked Zhang Ao with a hint of disdain and reproach in his tone.

Zhang Ao was disheartened, his mind was blank, his father's Zhao Guo was lost in his hands again, Zhang Ao only felt dizzy in front of him, and he took a step forward in frustration before he forced his composure...... Agree, the minister is no more virtuous than his father. ”

Liu Bang said, "Then there is no need for a vegetarian meal, from now on, the original Zhao Wang Ao will be demoted to a marquis today, and the food will be in Xuanping County, Chang'an, with the title of Xuanping Marquis, and Princess Shangluyuan will be the same." ”

As soon as this statement came out, everyone looked up at the majestic and lofty emperor in disbelief, and looked at the people around him for a long time but did not dare to say a word. King Zhao was even more surprised and opened his mouth for a long time, before he nodded with empty eyes, and responded in a low voice in despair, "Obey."

Liu Bang let out a 'hmm' and waved his hand, "Go back." After that, he picked up the "Shangshu Hongfan" on a few cases and looked at it.

Everyone retreated, Zhang Ao looked anxious, grabbed Uncle Meng Shutian and others, and everyone looked at King Zhao in confusion. Zhang Ao thought for a moment in his heart, and then gave the words that had been planned in his belly for a long time to Liu Bang and said, "Your Majesty, several of the minister's servants are all virtuous people, and the minister is fortunate to be a marquis, but they have no future. They helped my Zhao Kingdom to prosper day and day, and the minister wanted to recommend them to the emperor, hoping that His Majesty could reuse them. Meng Shu, Uncle Tian and the others were all amazed that King Zhao's heart was really benevolent.

Liu Bang put the bamboo slips on a few cases again, got up and walked to the king of Zhao and looked back and forth, he had long heard of these people in Zhao State, when Zhang Er was alive, there were often people who reported the talents of Zhao State, and they became interested in hearing more and more. Today, Zhao Wangyi said that Liu Bang's desire for talent appointment was mentioned, and the previous Guan Gao had been missed, and Liu Bang had accepted Zhang Ao's recommendation from the heart. Liu Bang stopped in front of King Zhao, and after careful consideration, he talked to Uncle Meng Shutian and others, and asked some opinions on the economy, military, and politics, Meng Shu and others answered one by one according to their own ideas, Liu Bang was pleasantly surprised after hearing it, and kept nodding and praising it, feeling that it was difficult for the ministers of the court to surpass them, Liu Bang was very happy, stroked his back and smiled, "I have long heard that Uncle Meng Shutian and others are virtuous, and you serve the imperial court, and I should be worry-free." Recently, Hanzhong County has passed away, and Uncle Tian will take over. The ability of the county guard in the clouds is low, so Meng Shu will take over. Hanzhong is the blessed land of me, Yunzhong is the border of the Han Dynasty, and the two dukes are cautious for me. ”

Uncle Meng Shutian hurriedly thanked him, "The minister is willing to sacrifice his life and die for His Majesty, thank Your Majesty for his trust in the minister." Liu Bang patted the two of them on the back with a smile, Liu Bang knew that the other ministers were also talents that could not be lost, so he arranged the other ministers to different official positions.

Coming out of the front hall, King Zhao and several people did not feel happy and happy, and Guan Gao committed suicide, leaving a reputation of loyalty. King Zhao stopped on the steps for a long time and stood in place looking into the distance, the end was misty and bleak, there was no hustle and bustle, no lies, no gunsmoke, only tranquility and peace, thinking of Guan Gao's assistance and care for himself in Zhao State, Zhang Ao had tears in his eyes, old love, vicissitudes of life, and prosperity, and finally took heavy steps and left Weiyang Palace in a dull manner. When he returned to Changxin Palace, he asked Lu Yuan about Zhao Ji's female Ai, and Lu Yuan said that they did not come to look for him, thinking that they had returned to King Zhao's official residence first. King Zhao then sent the eunuchs in the palace to his official residence to inquire whether his family had returned. It has been a long day since he came back from prison, and he forgot to ask Lu Yuan about Zhao Ji, and when he was free from this day, King Zhao asked Lu Yuan how to deal with Zhao Ji's affairs, and how the emperor did not show any strange expressions when he saw the emperor. Lu Yuan was strange in his heart, why did his father seize Zhao Ji, but King Zhao didn't see any gloom, Lu Yuan was dissatisfied with Zhao Ji, and always thought that she charmed her father back then, and now King Zhao still cares so much about Zhao Ji, but Lu Yuan couldn't bear to blame King Zhao for being stupid, so he found a reason to say that he was going to see the Emperor Taishang, and avoided King Zhao's questioning. King Zhao heard Lu Yuan's tone suffocated and dull, and he didn't know what to say for a while, so he sighed and went to find Zhang Yan and Zhang Yan.

When it was almost dinner, Liu Bang stayed in the Yuzao Palace, seemed to be in a good mood and was playing with Ruyi, a eunuch came in in a hurry and whispered in Liu Bang's ear, only to see Liu Bang's face change in shock, and immediately put down the Ruyi held in his legs, and hurriedly left the Yuzao Palace and returned to the front hall. As soon as I stepped in, I saw a jailer holding a newborn baby in his arms, and the baby was smooth and tender. Liu Bang approached the jailer and looked at the baby, and suddenly felt very cute, with a round face, round eyes, a high nose bridge, and a pink little mouth, and he was looking at Liu Bang with his eyes open at the moment and smiled unconsciously.

The jailer said, "Zhao Ji died by hanging herself from the beam of the house, she said that this child was the blood of the Liu family, and the minister did not dare to take it seriously, so she brought him here." As he spoke, he gave the baby boy in his arms to the emperor. Soon after Liu Bang ordered the imprison of Zhao Wang's family, a jailer came to say that Zhao Ji was pregnant with his own child in his belly, and he ignored it when he was angry. Thinking that she would be released in a few days, she couldn't wait even a little and left in a hurry. Liu Bang sighed and apologized again. For a moment, Liu Bang held the baby boy and looked more and more like himself, so he was so happy that he made a face to the baby in his arms and teased the baby, and the baby laughed unconsciously, Cuicui's voice was warm and sunny, and he immediately liked the baby boy very much. Liu Bang asked Zhao Ji what to give to himself before she died, the jailer said no, but her younger brother Zhao Jian often came to see her in the past month, Zhao Ji was always sad when she didn't see her smiling face every day, and her eyes were dark, everyone didn't notice that she had suicidal tendencies, but thought that having a child would take more care of her body, and she didn't think that in the middle of the night, when it was quiet, she passed away silently with despair in the cold night. Liu Bang and Zhao Ji only met once back then, and they didn't have a deep impression of her, although their faces were a little guilty, but after all, they didn't feel much heartache, waved their hands and called the jailer down, and ordered the steward in the palace to bury Zhao Ji.

The next day, Liu Bang came to the Changxin Palace of Empress Lu with the baby boy in his arms, wanting to ask Empress Lu to raise him. Empress Lu is the master of the harem, and this baby boy must be raised by Empress Lu, unless she doesn't want to raise it, she can transfer it to other concubines to raise it on her behalf. When Empress Lu saw that the emperor was holding a baby boy in his arms, he knew that he must be the son of Zhao Ji, so he hurriedly came out to pick up the car, so he asked Liu Bang whose child he was holding in his arms. Although Empress Lu hated Zhu Ji, but seeing that Zhao Ji was dead, the hatred for Zhao Ji in her heart naturally disappeared, and when she saw such a cute little baby boy, she also liked it very much, and hugged him from the emperor's arms, and teased the baby boy with a smile.

"What's his name?" Lu Hou asked while holding the baby boy.

Liu Bang was stunned for a moment, he thought that Empress Lu would be angry and noisy, but he didn't expect that she not only didn't make trouble, but had a good impression of the baby, which made Liu Bang a little surprised. As soon as Empress Lu asked, he came back to his senses, Liu Bang attached one hand to Queen's shoulder, pondered for a while, touched the baby's forehead and said, "Just call Liu Chang, grow up quickly and grow up safely." ”

"Liu Chang, did you hear what your father said? Grow up quickly and grow up safely. Empress Lu laughed and teased Liu Chang.

"Don't you blame me?" Liu Bang attached his hand to Lu Houzhi's back, looked at her with an apologetic expression, and even didn't even call 'I'.

Empress Lu smiled slightly, "The blood of the Han family is like a pepper to talk about so much, why do you blame Your Majesty?" Liu Bang apologized and was silent. Lv Hou Zheng and Liu Bang are teasing Liu Chang, Zhang Ao came in from outside the hall, gave the emperor a salute, saw the baby in Lu Hou's arms, Zhang Ao's face became more solemn, he had learned that Zhao Ji was dead, hanging herself in the middle of the night with a white silk hanged to death, she did not leave any words before her death, even if it was a complaint, but she did not stay. Zhang Ao walked to Lu Hou's side and looked at the baby in his arms, his eyes were dull and empty, he touched the baby's face with his hand, looked at Liu Bang and smiled bitterly, and then said that something was wrong and went out. Empress Liu Banglu also knew what was going on in Zhang Ao's mind, and seeing him so depressed, the two looked at each other and watched Zhang Ao's departure.

Two days later, after Zhang Ao said goodbye to Liu Banglu, he moved out of the palace, followed by Princess Lu Yuan, and his own children. King Zhao and Lu Yuan said that they had been demoted to marquis, but Lu Yuan just smiled and said that the title was just a prosperous scene of material, and it didn't matter, and he only cared about whether King Zhao was okay. King Zhao was pleased to take Lu Yuan into his arms and rode away in a carriage.

Another day, Lu Yuan and Zhang Ao were in front of the graves of Guan Gao and Zhao Ji, silently offering incense to them, and the wind through the mountains swayed the white flags and shook the sky, as if pouring out their grievances, and then the wind stopped.

Zhang Ao said, "Don't hate Zhao Ji. ”

Lu Yuan said, "Seducing my father, not hesitating to be a virgin, how can you not hate?" ”

Zhang Ao held hands with Lu Yuan and said meaningfully, "Don't hate Zhao Ji, the old man is gone, let go of the resentment, and the princess of this life will accompany me in this life." ”

Lu Yuan buried his head in Zhang Ao's arms, and looked at the two high tombs with Zhang Ao, they were floating and sinking in the bustling world, and the white sky in the distance seemed to be filled with the cold wind howling......