At this time, Chen Tang remembered that before he came to see Wang Mang, Zhou Lie had told him that Wang Mang would never let him enter the court, and at the same time, Zhou Lie also told him not to argue in front of Wang Mang, which might bring great trouble to Chen Tang.

Chen Tang could see that Zhou Lie had a grudge against the newly appointed Great Sima, at that time, he didn't know why Zhou Lie was doing this, but now he looked at Wang Mang's unpredictable eyes, and recalled what Wang Mang had just said, he quickly understood everything.

Eunuchs and relatives, it is impossible for these two forces to let Zhou Lie enter the imperial court, and Wang Mang's attitude represents the attitude of the relatives in a sense.

If Zhou Lie can't enter the court, the Han will die!

Chen Tang hesitated for a moment, but finally gave up.

Now, he is no longer the Chen Tang who dares to disobey the Son of Heaven, he is old, and many things are beyond his strength.

After that, Wang Mang chatted with Chen Tang about some topics that didn't hurt or itch, and seeing that it was getting late, Chen Tang could only get up and say goodbye.

Wang Mang sent Chen Tang downstairs, and summoned a servant to ask him to reheat the wine that had been cooled.

The sound of snow being trampled came from the alley next to the wine shop, and Wang Mang opened a gap in the wooden window, silently watching Chen Tang's back farther and farther away.

Seeing Chen Tang's stumbling steps and rickety back, Wang Mang felt very uncomfortable.

When he was younger, Chen Tang was a hero in his heart, but decades of officialdom made this General Chen, who had made Humvee feats for the Han Dynasty, grow old prematurely.

Lian is quite old, and he can still eat.

It's a pity that Chen Tang is not Lianpo.

Seeing Chen Tang's current appearance, Wang Mang seemed to see himself ten years later, he was unwilling, he didn't want to be like Chen Tang, even if he established a great career, but after his death, he could only exchange for a handful of loess, what he wanted was an imperial mausoleum, which would be admired by future generations.

Jiao An returned to Wang Mang with hot wine, he was the steward of the palace, and he had been by Wang Mang's side for so many years, not because he took a fancy to Wang Mang's ability, but because he took a fancy to the powerful power of his relatives, he knew that with his relationship with Wang Mang, sooner or later, he would also be able to find an official position in the court.

Although Wang Mang always has a smiling face now, Jiao An knows very well that this is Wang Mang's disguise, and deep in his heart, there is a seed buried in him who wants to reach the top of the Ninth Five-Year Plan.

Wang Mang closed the window, exhaled a long breath of turbidity, and said to Jiao An: "There are no outsiders here, you can also sit down and drink this pot of wine with me." ”

Jiao An sat opposite Wang Mang, he felt that Wang Mang's face was a little depressed, and couldn't help asking, "What is the lord thinking?" ”

Wang Mang took a sip of wine and said lightly, "Have you heard of Zhou Lie?" ”

"The lord is talking about that ranger," Jiao An replied respectfully: "I heard that he used to be General Chen's subordinate, and General Chen has been moving around all these years, as if he has always wanted to send him to the imperial court." ”

Wang Mang: "I've only heard of these?" Don't think I don't know, those green skins in the west of Chang'an City are all your people, right? ”

Jiao An smiled timidly: "I can't hide anything from the lord." ”

Wang Mang glanced at him: "Let's talk about it, what do your little guys say about Zhou Lie." He's a ranger and must have dealt with your people. ”

Jiao An responded truthfully: "I heard that this person is very capable, not only the green skin in the west of the city, but even the forbidden army in the imperial city is respectful when they see him. Nowadays, there are still a lot of nursery rhymes about Zhou Lie in the market, what is sung, Zhou Jiaerlang, unparalleled in the world, six-foot sword, set the four seas. ”

Speaking of this, Jiao An found that Wang Mang frowned tightly, so he said again: "It's all market nursery rhymes, they can't be true." I think that Zhou Lie is just a vain. ”

"In vain?" Wang Mang's brows furrowed even tighter: "I can't see it." ”

After speaking, Wang Mang stared at the wine in his hand.

Jiao An: "I heard from the generals who guarded the city, they said that Zhou Lie is ten thousand enemies, and one person can be worth thousands of troops and horses." But no matter how powerful he is, he is just a vulgar martial artist, in fact, the villain has always been puzzled, why does the eunuch party obstruct Zhou Lie's entry into the court in every way, what kind of storm can be set off by a martial artist? ”

"The waves are monstrous," Wang Mang said to himself, "If he is just a martial artist, he may be able to use it for me." But once he entered the court, there were Zhao Yizhu and Yang Xiong inside, Zhuang Junping outside, and most of the generals in the northwest had a good relationship with him. He is a military general, once he enters the court, he holds the military power, who can still suppress him? ”

Jiao An couldn't help but wonder: "Zhuang Junping, isn't it a clear stream in Shudi?" He also had dealings with Zhou Lie? ”

Wang Mang didn't seem to hear Jiao An's words, he stared at the ripples in the water, and said sullenly: "You must not let Zhou Lie enter the court!" ”

In Wang Mang's eyes, Jiao An saw a strong killing intent.

At the same time, Jiao An also faintly felt that this might be an opportunity for him to make meritorious contributions. Although Jiao An also knew that he was not Zhou Lie's opponent, he thought that in the territory of the Han Dynasty, which was thousands of miles long, someone must be able to kill Zhou Lie.

And that person will come to Chang'an in a few years.

Not many people knew about the secret meeting between Chen Tang and Wang Mang, Wang Mang didn't want people to know that there had been an intersection between him and Chen Tang, and Chen Tang didn't want people to know that he had any estrangement with his relatives.

On the night of the secret meeting, a fire broke out in the liquor store, the shopkeeper and his buddies disappeared, and no one knew where they went.

Zhou Lie's days were as quiet as ever, during the day he would spend most of his time wandering around the city, and at night, he often wandered around the palace, no one knew how he got in, and the patrolling guards would occasionally see a figure passing quickly through the corridors, and they thought they had seen a ghost, so rumors of haunting in the palace spread far and wide.

However, some people say that the guards did not see ghosts, but the rangers who often wandered in Chang'an City.

In the second year of Jianping, Zhuang Junping went to Chang'an to live, and left Chang'an City at the beginning of the following year and returned to Shu to preach and teach.

As early as a year ago, Emperor Cheng of the Han Dynasty died, and Zhao Hede committed suicide. The crown prince Liu Xin inherited the unification, and Zhao Feiyan, as Liu Xin's adoptive mother, was made the queen mother.

The Son of Heaven has changed, Zhou Lie is still the Zhou Lie of the year, and Zhao Feiyan is still the Zhao Feiyan of the year, but the court is no longer the court of the year.

When Zhuang Junping came to Chang'an, he told Zhou Lie that the current Zhao Feiyan could not leave the palace yet, and she needed to wait for the arrival of the catastrophe, which was the destiny of heaven and could not be disobeyed.

In the fourth year of Jianping, spring, there was a great drought.

Zhou Lie leaned against the women's wall, looking at the official Dao, he was waiting for someone.

At the end of the day, a middle-aged man in green clothes avoided the guards guarding the city and climbed the city wall alone.

When he saw Zhou Lie, he immediately showed his long sword, but Zhou Lie still looked at the official and didn't seem to notice his appearance, he came to Zhou Lie and put the long sword on Zhou Lie's shoulder.

Zhou Lie glanced at him and asked lightly, "Sima Ying?" ”

Sima Ying nodded silently.

Zhou Lie raised a hand and pushed the sword on his shoulder aside: "A few days ago, Jiao An sent me a message, saying that you want to compete with me here. ”

Sima Ying: "I also want to see who is the number one sword in the world, you and me." ”

Zhou Lie smiled helplessly: "The first sword in the world? If you want that name, it's yours. ”

Sima Ying noticed that Zhou Lie didn't bring weapons today, and he wouldn't make a move against an unarmed person, so he put away his long sword and said to Zhou Lie: "Another day." ”

Zhou Lie took out a wine bag from his arms and threw it to Sima Ying, who reached out to catch it.

"Have you seen Wang Mang?" Zhou Lie turned around and raised his chin towards Sima Ying, and said.

Sima Ying: "I've seen it." ”

Zhou Lie: "He asked you to kill me?" ”

Sima Ying didn't respond, just silently watched Zhou Lie's every move.

Zhou Lie also looked at Sima Ying: "What did Wang Mang promise you, is it thousands of hectares of fertile land, or is it a high-ranking official?" ”

Sima Ying still didn't speak, but his eyes had already begun to wander.

Zhou Lie smiled helplessly in his heart, he had heard of Sima Ying a long time ago.

Sima Ying, the legendary first sword in the world, visited a famous teacher at the age of sixteen, and fought the sword sect in the world at the age of thirty, without any defeat.

Hehe, the first in the world, such a big name, but in Zhou Lie's opinion, Sima Ying is just a villain, since you have a sword in your hand, why don't you go to Yangguan, when Waiyi entered the border pass, where were you, and where were you when Chen Tang opened up the territory for the Han Dynasty?

Now for the sake of money and power, he does not hesitate to stain his sword with blood.

Zhou Lie looked down on Sima Ying, and he would not dirty his sword for him.

From Zhou Lie's eyes, Sima Ying saw a deep mockery and disdain, which was tantamount to a provocation to him.

A nameless anger suddenly surged in Sima Ying's heart, and he pointed his sword at Zhou Lie: "Three days later, I will come again." ”

Zhou Lie got up and took back the wine bag.

You are not worthy to drink my wine.

Sima Ying couldn't see when Zhou Lie did it, only to see that the wine bag had returned to Zhou Lie's hands.

Zhou Lie stuffed the wine bag into his arms and said to Sima Ying: "I won't come again." ”

After speaking, he jumped off the city wall, and Sima Ying looked at Zhou Lie's back as he walked away, and clenched his fists tightly.

He had already realized that Zhou Lie didn't take him seriously at all, but he didn't want to admit it.