Wanhua Building, lobby.

Qin Huaidao sat quietly in an inconspicuous corner listening to music, drinking, with a beard on his face, and even his temperament changed greatly, looking like a wealthy businessman, even if a familiar person came over, it was difficult to tell the difference.

A plate of peanuts, a pot of wine, a soft and sweet singing voice in my ears, singing about your love and my love, sweet life, the girl who sings the song Xiaojia Jasper, her skills are not bad, Qin Huaidao looked like he was intoxicated by the singing, but his eyes quietly locked on the door of a private room on the second floor.

Originally, I went to Fan Yang Lu's mansion in Chang'an, and I happened to see Lu Jiansheng in a carriage and come to Wanhualou under the protection of the guards.

Not long after, the crown prince Li Chengqian came over under the protection of the guards, hurriedly went upstairs, and entered the private room, Qin Huaidao knew that the relationship between the two was not shallow, so he didn't care, and waited patiently, but found that the man in brocade clothes also entered the private room, looking a little familiar, but he couldn't remember who it was for a while.

Not long after, several more men in brocade clothes entered the private room.

Qin Huaidao was a little surprised, this is for a meeting? Fengyulou's ambush of himself can't really have anything to do with Li Chengqian, shouldn't this guy start planning a rebellion?

It's a pity that there are guests in the rooms on both sides of the private room, and there is no way to wrap it up and eavesdrop.

The abnormal situation made Qin Huaidao vigilant, history has changed, if Li Chengqian rebelled, would the means become different from history?

After waiting patiently for an hour or so, Li Chengqian came out of the private room and left in a hurry with the guards, and the people inside did not continue to drink, but they did not go together, they came out one after another, Qin Huaidao came out after checking out, and went around to the open space next to Wanhualou, where many carriages were parked.

Soon, Qin Huaidao found Lu Jiansheng's carriage, the coachman was napping, the two guards were chatting about something, Qin Huaidao went up quietly, quietly got into the carriage, and just sat down, a guard came over and shouted: "The master is out, hurry up and pick up people." ”

Soon, the carriage moved, and the coachman flicked his whip and stopped at the gate of Wanhualou.

Lu Jiansheng, who was full of alcohol and had foggy eyes, bowed his body and got into the carriage, Qin Huaidao shot out like lightning, covered the other party's mouth with one hand, and did not give a chance to warn, and the other hand looked at the neck, cut the person unconscious, and dragged him into the carriage, the curtain of the door fell, blocking the outside world, and the action was like flowing water, without any sound.

The coachman didn't know that there was anyone else inside, and without much thought, he shook his whip and drove the carriage on.

Qin Huaidao waited for the carriage to leave Wanhualou for a distance, and when he came to an alley, he opened the curtains and carefully looked around, it was already curfew time at night, and there was no one on the street, Qin Huaidao no longer waited, opened the curtain and bowed his body out, sneaked attack from behind, easily twisted the coachman's neck, and threw the person into the carriage to hide.

The guards followed behind the carriage and didn't see anything abnormal, Qin Huaidao pretended to be confused and shouted: "It's not good, the master has an accident, come quickly." ”

The two guards didn't notice the abnormality, and hurriedly came up, Qin Huaidao shot like lightning, the dogleg knife cut through the throat of one person, stabbed into the neck of the other person, and instantly double-killed, jumped out of the carriage and pounced on the back.

There is also a person who is Lu Jiansheng's personal guard, and when he found that the abnormality was abnormal, he didn't run, and he didn't dare to leave his master to run, so he was about to pull out the knife, Qin Huaidao was faster, and the dog-legged knife took off his hand and stabbed into the other party's heart.

The other party's body stiffened, and he looked at Qin Huaidao incredulously, wanting to say something, but his consciousness was scattered and he couldn't say it.

Qin Huaidao stepped forward and grabbed the handle of the knife and stirred it vigorously, then pulled it out, threw the body in the carriage, drove the carriage out of the alley, trotted all the way, and crossed the two alleys to a big tree by the river.

After parking the carriage, Qin Huaidao pulled out Lu Jiansheng, who was still in a coma, threw him on the ground, pinched the middle of the person, and not long after, Lu Jiansheng woke up slowly, and then saw a beard in the faint moonlight, not a guard, and the surrounding area was not a mansion, but by the river, and the wine suddenly woke up most of the time, struggling to get up.

Qin Huaidao put a dog-legged knife on the other party's neck, and warned in a thick voice: "Don't move, or I'll kill you." ”

"Hero, don't do it, I have money, give it to you, spare my life." Lu Jiansheng panicked.

"Any idea why you're not dead?" Qin Huaidao began to use verbal blackmail.

Where did Lu Jiansheng know, and asked in surprise: "Why?" ”

"Because you still have value, if you don't show your value, there are a few more corpses in this river every day, understand?"

"Understood, understood, the good man spared his life, and I will give you silver." Lu Jiansheng has been pampered since he was a child, where has he seen real life and death? At the beginning of the flower world, I didn't want to die, and I was so scared that I was confused.

"Lao Tzu asked you, what were so many people plotting in Wanhualou just now?"

Lu Jiansheng didn't think about it, and hurriedly said: "It's just that friends drink and contact feelings, nothing specific, really." ”

The sentence "really" seems to be emphasizing, but in fact it exposes the weakness of the heart, not saying it is credible, this Qin Huaidao knew that the other party was lying, and the dog-legged knife in his hand had a little more strength, cutting the epidermis, and a touch of blood overflowed, it seemed that Lu Jiansheng's face changed greatly, and he begged for mercy in a row: "Hero, don't, don't do it." ”

"Lao Tzu doesn't like to repeat the same words twice, and finally ask you, what were you talking about just now? After thinking about it, I replied, but Lao Tzu heard it. Qin Huaidao warned coldly.

As soon as the other party heard that Qin Huaidao heard it, he didn't know whether it was true or not, and he muttered in his heart, if he really heard it, he would be looking for death if he talked nonsense, but what if the other party didn't hear it, it was just blackmail?

After thinking about it, there was no way to blackmail, he couldn't afford to gamble, and he was going to get through this hurdle, so he hurriedly replied: "Good man, since you heard it, you should know that we are just talking about how to make a fortune and make money, and the liquor in the Protectorate Mansion is worth a lot of money, and we are going to organize people to develop it, that's it." ”

Qin Huaidao didn't know if it was true or not, if it was true, wouldn't he reveal that he hadn't heard anything just now? After thinking about it, he asked, "It's really just that, how did I hear that there was anything else?" ”

Not admitting it, not denying it, but asking other questions is a kind of mental game.

Lu Jiansheng didn't understand psychology, thinking that Qin Huaidao really heard it, so he hurriedly begged for mercy: "I also talked about tea, how to join forces to suppress the business of protecting the country." ”

"How to suppress, be honest." Qin Huaidao asked.

"That's it...... It is that all parties contribute money, prepare one million yuan, jointly develop similar goods, and then sell them at a low price, squeeze the public store to death, and then raise the price to grasp the market. ”

Qin Huaidao almost burst out loud when he heard it, these guys have something, isn't this a means of capital operation? Asked, "That's all?" ”

"That's really all there is to it."

"You did the attack on the imperial court officials in the Wind and Rain Tower, right?"

The other party panicked when he heard this, and Lian Sheng said: "No, no, no, I didn't do it." ”

"The captives have confessed, and you Lu Shi did it, and you still want to deny it."

"No, wronged, you...... Who are you? Lu Jiansheng realized that something was wrong, killers and gangsters would not care about this matter, unless the imperial court and the protector of the country, thinking of this, Lu Jiansheng became vigilant, looked at Qin Huaidao secretly, and asked: "Who sent you, the imperial court or Lu Guogong?" ”

Qin Huaidao asked: "The Holy Lord has already mastered strong evidence, the Fan Yang Lu clan will be destroyed, the Holy Lord will come down to ask you, if you cooperate with the imperial court, the Holy Lord can save you from death, and one-tenth of the Lu clan's property will be counted as a reward, if you refuse to cooperate, then you don't need to exist in this world, how to choose?" ”

"Ahh

Lu Jiansheng's face changed greatly, but the children of the family have been instilled with the concept that family interests are above everything else since they were young, Lu Jiansheng did not choose to betray, but his brain was lively, and said: "Since the saint has already mastered the evidence, with the saint's suppression of us, there is a chance to do it early, I don't believe that I will choose to cooperate, you are slandering me." ”

"So you chose to refuse?" Qin Huaidao asked coldly.

"Even if I die, I will not betray my family." Lu Jiansheng said stiffly, thinking that because of his own cause of the destruction of the family, he would not be ancestral after death, his heart trembled, and he had a little more courage.

"There is also a bit of backbone, as long as you admit that the matter of Fengyulou is related to you, Lao Tzu can spare your life." Qin Huaidao said unwillingly.

"No, I didn't do it, you killed me."

Qin Huaidao became angry and threatened: "Lao Tzu will kill you, and then kill your whole family." ”

Lu Jiansheng panicked even more when he heard this, thinking that if he was recruited, the whole clan would have to die, but as long as he didn't say it, the family would protect his family, and the court would not be able to do anything, and he would avenge himself, so he became a little more courageous, stiffened his neck, stared at his eyes and refused to admit it, and shouted out: "Kill someone, come quickly." ”

The voice is sharp, high-pitched, and particularly abrupt in the quiet night sky.

Qin Huaidao knew that he couldn't wait any longer, so he decisively wiped the other party's neck, turned around and ran.

Originally, he came to kill people to collect interest, if he hadn't found out about the party and had suspicions, he wouldn't have brought it here for interrogation at all, it didn't matter if the other party recruited it or not, anyway, sooner or later he would have to clean up Fan Yang Lu's family.

Thinking of the news he got unexpectedly just now, Li Chengqian actually led so many families to join forces to suppress his business, and his heart was a little colder.

The shouting will inevitably attract the patrol team Qianniuwei to come, Qin Huaidao didn't want to make a difference, he got into an alley and hurried away, and soon came to his restaurant, the door was locked, but the courtyard wall was not high, so he easily climbed in and entered the room reserved for rest.

Early the next morning, Qin Huaidao washed up, saw that it was still early, and thought that he had killed Lu Jiansheng last night, and there would definitely be a reaction to today's court meeting, so he had to go and see, go out and eat something and come to the imperial city to order, and then enter the Taiji Hall to stand at the court meeting, and see that the left and right people were bowing their heads, squinting, and looking like they hadn't woken up, it was too early.

It's better to live close, you can get up a little late, and you have to get up at four or five o'clock in the morning to live, who can stay up when you're older? If you don't come, you can't.

Qin Huaidao disagrees with this very much, the daily court meeting is not a superficial thing, and it consumes people's energy, how can you work without energy? I'm afraid that going back is to make up for sleep, and it will be gone in the morning, and there is a problem with this management model.

Not long after, Li Er came over and sat on the dragon couch with a majestic face.

"Something's coming!"

With Wang De's shout, the prelude to the court meeting was opened.

According to the usual practice, the first six Shangshu in turn reported what they were doing, what problems they encountered, and what help they needed, and the relevant personnel immediately came out to express their positions, or raised questions, or solved them on the spot.

Qin Huaidao listened for a while, it felt like a meeting of a large company, and each department spoke in turn to solve problems, looking at the efficiency was not bad, but after listening carefully for a while, he found that many trivial things that were not enough to be solved by the court were put forward, and there were many remaining problems that have dragged on to this day.

The court is a place for decision-making on major matters, a place for making decisions on national development plans, top-level design and strategic level, and is used to solve small things.

After listening to it for a while, Qin Huaidao was not interested, and remembered his own affairs.

It didn't take long for him to feel that someone was touching him next to him, and he turned his head to see that it was Li Daozong, the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, but he didn't react for a while, and when he looked back, Li Er was looking at himself, which made him even more confused, what happened?

Li Er glared at the other party angrily, and was also a little curious, this guy actually came to participate in the court meeting, since he came, he was actually distracted, it was too much, for the sake of the rare once, Li Er decided to endure it, and asked in a deep voice: "Qin Aiqing, does the Ministry of Communications have something to do?" ”

Qin Huaidao reacted that it was his turn, a touch of embarrassment flashed on his face, but he quickly returned to normal, the saint asked, saying that it was definitely not okay, it seemed that he had nothing to do, and he would be attacked, his heart moved, and he said loudly: "Back to the saint, the minister is a rude person, he is not good at studying, he is not knowledgeable enough, now I regret it, I want to make up for it, and I beg the saint to give me some books." ”

What kind of request did Li Eryi hear? I was a little confused for a while.

The courtiers in the palace are also confused, you scolded all the people in the world with a song "From the Army", and scolded the dignified Confucian Kong Yingda almost vomited blood, saying that he was rude and not knowledgeable enough, who is the connotation here?

Someone couldn't help but say: "Lord Protector, your sentence 'I'd rather be a centurion than a scholar' is enough to show your ambitions, since you are willing to be a centurion, why do you want to study again?" ”

This is a curse.

What does it mean to be a centurion? Qin Huaidao was angry, glanced at the other party, didn't know him, and said with a cold face: "You look down on the centurion? Do you think that the reader is nobler than the centurion? ”

The civil and military disputes have always been continuous, but no one has publicly raised them.

Qin Huaidao's words made the Manchu generals angry, and they all looked at the person who spoke just now, with murderous aura in their eyes.

The other party panicked inexplicably, and wanted to explain that Qin Huaidao would not get used to the other party, and did not give the other party a chance to speak, and continued: "With the talent of this official, he still thinks that he is not knowledgeable enough, and he needs to study more, after all, he lives to be old and learns to be old, what is your intention to belittle the centurion?" Or do you think you're so good that you don't need to learn more? ”

"What am I saying!" Qin Huaidao asked.

"It's a good sentence to live to be old, learn to be old, and do the pursuit that people all over the world should have." Fang Xuanling sighed, looked at the official's eyes a little cold, and asked indifferently: "What kind of system is it to humiliate the prince of the dynasty, since you belittle the official literature of the protector, this official will give you a chance to prove it, otherwise, this official will refer to you." ”

Qin Huaidao glanced at Fang Xuanling, this is not right, where are you?

Without waiting for Qin Huaidao to speak, Li Daozong next to him said in a low voice: "Fang Xianggong, I want to take the opportunity to show you your literary talents and improve your prestige." ”

Qin Huaidao reacted, sure enough, the hearts of the readers are traitorous, do they need this prestige? Seeing Li Er smiling and silent, he immediately understood that it was Li Er's instructions, and the monarch and the minister were not things.

The official realized that he was impulsive, said the wrong thing, and if he didn't seize the opportunity, his career would come to an end, and he would even lose his head, and his heart was full of remorse, and he hurriedly said: "Go back to the Xianggong, the lower official has no intention of belittling the protector of the country, but is just impulsive, and I ask for forgiveness." ”

"The imperial court has its own laws, and if you don't obey the protector of the country, you have to show proof of your ability, otherwise the official will never be spared." Fang Xuanling said coldly.

At this moment, a chamberlain hurried in, his face anxious.

Wang De hurriedly went over to ask a few words, then hurriedly returned and handed a letter to Li Er.

During the court meeting, non-major matters can not be disturbed, Li Er realized the importance of the letter, quickly opened it and saw that it was a letter of Tubo, which first sprinkled himself with self-defense, saying that the matter of Fengyulou had nothing to do with Tubo, and then proposed three exchange competitions, if the Tang Dynasty could do it, he would bow his head and give countless jewels, cattle and sheep, and forever marry the good of Qin and Jin.

The so-called communication is just a euphemism for the competition, and the competition is a provocation.

Li Er's face turned pale after reading the national letter, and the content seemed to show weakness and seek peace, but in fact it contained three conspiracies, one of them, Lu Dongzan, who was arrested yesterday, was submitted today, and he was obviously prepared, this is the back hand of Tubo; Second, Tubo dared to put forward three conditions to provoke the Tang Dynasty, which shows that he is very confident in his heart and has already had the heart to fight.

Third, if you accept the challenge, other countries will follow suit in the future, and how can the majesty of the Tang Dynasty remain? If you don't accept the challenge, wouldn't you fall into the majesty of the Tang Dynasty? Both left and right are passive, which is forcing the palace.

Won, Tubo is a minister, compensation for jewelry, cattle and sheep are innumerable, the data listed on the national book looks tempting, but it has to be good for Qin and Jin, this is in disguise and affinity, the thief's heart is not dead, once he is reconciled, it is not good for Datang to attack Tubo, and it is not good to kill Lu Dongzan, Tubo can take the opportunity to vigorously develop national strength, which is very unfavorable to Datang.

If you lose, you will be even more humiliated.

In other words, no matter whether you win or lose, you will lose and lose Datang, which is easy to calculate.

Li Ermeng thought that he would bring up the national letter so quickly, it must be Lu Dongzan's backhand, this guy is really not simple as Qin Huaidao said, and he can't stay.

But there were some things that Li Er couldn't say, and looked at Wang De coldly: "Read!" ”

"The old slave obeys!" Wang De hurriedly stepped forward, took the national letter again and read it.

Everyone listened curiously, they were in a good mood at first, after all, Tubo admitted and relented, but they were all angry after hearing the three conditions, and the internal fighting was infighting, but it was just a political disagreement, or driven by interests, but most of the officials in the early Tang Dynasty had blood in their hearts and were very strong externally.

When Wang De finished reading, the audience was in an uproar and discussed.

Qin Huaidao also thought of the conspiracy of Tubo, and wanted to fight Lu Dongzan's back hand, so he immediately looked at Li Er, and saw Li Er shaking his head quietly, comprehending in his heart, and did not speak.

Fang Xuanling glanced at Qin Huaidao, and said loudly: "Holy Lord, the country of Tubo projectiles is so arrogant, it must not be tolerated, how can you be afraid of challenges, the minister suggested listening to their conditions first, lest someone say that I am cowardly and dare not challenge." ”

"That's right, the little Tubo also dares to jump sideways, how can this really be true."

"Let the horse come over, there are thousands of heroes in the Tang Dynasty, and there are countless talents, what are you afraid of?"

The courtiers echoed one after another, quite a little bit of the same hatred of the enemy, and in the face of the provocation of foreign enemies, no one mentioned what had just happened.

Wang De got permission from Li Er and hurriedly went out to pass the order.

Not long after, a middle-aged man dressed in Tibetan service came over and said loudly: "Foreign Minister Tubo Deputy Envoy Gar to see His Majesty the Tang Dynasty. ”

Li Er threw Fang Xuanling a look, a deputy envoy, and couldn't end up in person, Fang Xuanling nodded knowingly, stared at the other party and asked coldly: "Is it your intention to challenge me to the Tang Dynasty, or is it the meaning of your Tubo King Songtsan Gampo?" ”

"Back to the room, I don't want to challenge the majesty of Datang, I just admire Datang culture and want to communicate, that's all, if Datang disdains it, then this matter will be stopped." The other party said neither humbly nor arrogantly, it is naturally not simple to be able to come over with Lu Dongzan and serve as a deputy envoy, and his words will not leak.

Fang Xuanling is not a vegetarian either, and said coldly: "Biting the text and chewing the words can't hide the fact that you challenge the majesty of the Tang Dynasty, I will be generous and give you a chance, say, how do you want to compare?" ”

"It's communication." The other party emphasized again, then took out a stone, and continued: "This is the Tubo Nine Tricks Exquisite Stone, which fell from the sky, it is an auspicious thing, there are nine holes on the surface, and the holes inside are meandering. ”

Fang Xuanling looked at the stone, the surface was smooth, there were two small holes before and after, the size of a grain of rice, looking at the light, there was light inside, it can be seen that it is connected, but it is impossible to see the other hole directly, it can be seen that the inside is twisted and turned, the small hole silk thread is difficult to wear, and the silk thread is soft, it is not easy to wear through.

This item stumped the resourceful Fang Xuanling.

But he couldn't show weakness in front of his opponent, Fang Xuanling suppressed his worries and asked coldly, "What about the other two?" ”

The other party's wisdom pearl was in his hand, and he said: "I have heard for a long time that the Tang Dynasty culture is unparalleled, and the foreign ministers are very admired. He handed over a piece of paper.

Fang Xuanling didn't look at it, and asked, "What else?" ”

"Third, the foreign minister has long heard that the Tang Dynasty is unparalleled in force, but I also advocate force in Tubo, all of them can fight, and they will send one person to set up a ring in Dongshi with the regiment, and no matter who the Tang Dynasty man is, he can fight."

"Try to take me down, you step down." Fang Xuanling scolded unceremoniously.

The other party smiled indifferently, saluted and turned away, his eyes full of confidence.

Qin Huaidao was a little surprised, the bitter cold place of Tubo actually played with culture? The three problems represent engineering, martial arts and literature respectively, the stone threads the needle, and it cannot be done without certain technical means, the Tang people are still martial, if they lose in the ring, the face of the Tang Dynasty will be lost, Tubo's trick is simply a punishment, the pair is a matter of scholars, and it is the strength of the Tang Dynasty, and Tubo also dares to take it to the test, which is evocative behind it.

Fang Xuanling also had a premonition that something was wrong, but he didn't break it, swept his eyes at the pair, and looked at Wang De.

Wang De hurried over knowingly, took the pair and presented it to Li Er.

Li Er is also a literary person, and his face changed slightly after reading the pair.

There was a terrifying coldness flashing in his eyes.