Liang Jun walked all the way, and suddenly a spy hurriedly came back and reported urgently: "Your Highness, for some reason, the gate of Qizhou was opened, and the white flag was raised in the city. ”

"Surrender?" Before Xiao Yunyan could speak, the people around him were already muttering.

"We haven't attacked the city yet, why did we surrender?"

"It can't be a trick to lure troops, right? Your Highness, should we retreat? ”

Xiao Yunyan looked at the surrender book and said, "Go forward." ”

A young general immediately stopped: "No, Your Highness, this must be a tricky plan, Your Highness can't be gullible." ”

"This king will believe if he says he will believe."

The young general had no choice but to let him go. After a few more journeys, the team suddenly came across a flying horse galloping, and the man on the horse shouted, "Your Highness." ”

When Xiao Yunyan heard it, it was Luo Hu's voice, and he hurriedly greeted him. When he got closer, Luo Hu said: "Your Highness, you can be trusted, Your Highness just needs to move forward." ”

"Understood." As he spoke, Xiao Yunyan ordered the soldiers behind him, "Move forward quickly." ”

When he was about to approach the city gate, he saw the white flag hanging high, and there was a man in plain clothes and white clothes outside the city gate, shouting: "General Du Shaowei greets His Royal Highness King Ji." ”

The people around Xiao Yunyan whispered again: "It's really Du Shaoji." "It's not a scam."

Du Shaowei shouted to Xiao Yunyan: "The general Du Shaowei has seen His Royal Highness King Ji and came to welcome His Highness into the city. ”

Xiao Yunyan said to the people around him: "Quickly help General Du up." ”

Everyone went up to help Du Shaowei up, and a group of people surrounded him from front to back, left and right, Xiao Yunyan said: "There is General Lao Du leading the way." So the group went into the city.

......

Everything was almost surprisingly smooth, there was no fighting, and the big silk on the city wall had been replaced by the words "Xiao" and "Liang" that caught the people off guard.

With the sound of joy in the city, Helian Yi and Shen Liuxiang stood on the head of the city, their backs Xiao Xiao. The master and servant had never communicated with each other over this matter, and Shen Liuxiang finally couldn't help but ask the words that had been pent up in her heart for many days: "Princess, is it right or wrong for us to do this?" ”

Helian Yi knew what she was thinking, and she said resolutely: "Only by doing this can Xiao Yunyan trust me completely." ”

Shen Liuxiang couldn't hold back the tears in her eyes, "However, this was originally our city, is it really like this to be dedicated to others?" ”

Helian Yi's voice was still cold: "You have forgotten, there is not an inch of land in the whole world that can accommodate us. ”

"But the people here, the people here ......"

Helian Yi interrupted Shen Liuxiang's words, and there was a hint of softness and gentleness in his voice, "Only by doing this can we protect all the people and all the people." I'll give up more cities in the future. But one day, I will get back all that I have lost. ”

As Helian Yi spoke, Shen Liuxiang caught a glimpse of Xiao Yunyan who had also gone up to the city at some point, standing far away, looking at Helian Yi who had been looking east. Shen Liuxiang hurriedly reminded in a low voice: "Princess, His Royal Highness King Ji has come down." ”

Helian Yi looked at Xiao Yunyan and instructed Shen Liuxiang: "You go down first." ”

"Yes." When Shen Liuxiang left in a hurry, Xiao Yunyan walked up to her.

Helian Yi asked, "Isn't Your Highness afraid of my tricks?" ”

Xiao Yunyan said with a smile: "I only have 2,000 soldiers and horses, if you really want to deal with me, you can't use such a battle, so of course I believe you." ”

"This time I'm just trying my luck, just to show my sincerity in cooperating with His Highness."

"So what do you want to do next?"

"I want to get more troops for Your Highness."

Xiao Yunyan looked at her in disbelief.

Helian Yi asked, "Your Highness, don't you think I'm talking about it?"

Xiao Yunyan shook his head, "No, I fully believe in your ability, but how can you fight for me?" ”

"Your Highness must have heard the name Lu Zhongjian, right?"

"Of course I did. He was your father's favorite minister when he was alive, known as the talent of Guan Zhong and Le Yi, the ambition of the dragon and the phoenix, and he was also upright, and he was a person who was restrained. Helian Dingbang usurped your father's throne when he was out on patrol, but fortunately escaped, and after the coup d'état in Great Xia, he disappeared. Why, he's ...... now"

"He is also in Qizhou City now, and the noble person I told His Highness that day was him."

"I see. Then you're trying to ......"

"I want His Highness to introduce him to Ling Zun."

"Referrals?" Xiao Yunyan's face was full of surprise, "It's not difficult to introduce, but why do you want to introduce?" ”

"Lord Lu said: Ling Zun's biggest headache now is the matter of establishing a prince, so he wants to solve problems for Ling Zun."

"Oh? I would like to hear about it. ”

Ling Zun's refusal to establish a new crown prince shows that the reason why he favored the Liang family was just to suppress the prince. Now that the crown prince has passed away, Xiao Yunhao and the Liang family behind him are no longer useful, so they have become outcasts. However, a few years ago, the Liang brothers had too many redundant troops, and now Liang Yong and Liang Wen are holding heavy troops and forcing Ling Zun to stand again as soon as possible. I wonder if Your Highness has heard about this? ”

"I've heard of it occasionally."

"I asked Lu Zhongjian to lobby Lingzun to reform the system."

"Restructuring? What kind of system should be changed? ”

"His Royal Highness thinks it's good, but Ling Zun may not think so, what he thinks most now is to try his best to disperse the forces and rights of all parties. I heard that Miss Sun of the Zhongshu Ling family in Daliang was originally selected by the Queen Mother as the concubine for Her Royal Highness, but in the end, she made the wrong mandarin duck and gave it to King Yi, has Your Highness ever thought about it? ”

"I don't know, I never thought about it."

Helian Yi was a little unconvinced, "Your Highness really didn't think about it?" ”

"After the death of the crown prince, I don't have time to think about that, but I would love to hear your opinion."

"That's because Ling Zun has long planned to give up the Liang clan, and he also hopes that the forces of all parties will be balanced. If His Royal Highness really marries Miss Xu one day, then Xu Zhengrong, the head of the Wenchen, and His Royal Highness's grandfather, Lord Yang, will all strongly recommend His Royal Highness as the successor prince, which is undoubtedly another former prince for Ling Zun, and those people in the Liang family will naturally not be your opponents. Therefore, Ling Zun can't let you stand out no matter what, but has to find someone to fight with you. With the death of the crown prince of your country, His Royal Highness and King Yi have become candidates for the prince. ”

"But I don't want to be a pawn of anyone, even if he is my father." Xiao Yunyan's eyes were full of disdain and resentment.

"But this doesn't conflict with His Highness getting more troops, does Your Highness want to refuse?"

"Even if it works, why do I have those soldiers instead of the sixth brother?"

"It's still what I said: Ling Zun is in full bloom, and he has no intention of establishing a prince again for the time being, so he must not be able to bear the situation of any prince standing alone. He will definitely give you this soldier. ”

After thinking for a long time, Xiao Yunyan asked, "Then why do you have to help me?" ”

"Your Highness has always refused to let me go, so I have only the choice of Your Highness. As I said, this is the easiest way for me. ”

Xiao Yunyan shook his head and looked at her, his eyes burning, "No." ”

"What's wrong?"

"This king has seen your intellect, and if you really want to escape from me, you will still be able to escape."

"So what, if you escape. This heaven and earth are big, but there is no place for me Helianyi. I was born in the Changning Palace in Yong'an City, and now it has become a place of my dreams that is out of reach. ”

Xiao Yunyan looked at the lingering affection for her homeland in her eyes, and couldn't help but feel compassion, and for a while, she said, "If you believe me, this is out of reach and can make you within reach." ”

"If Your Highness is willing to believe me, I am also confident that Your Highness can capture Yong'an City and break through Changning Palace faster, but at that time, I also implore Your Highness to hand over Helian Dingbang to me to dispose of."

Xiao Yunyan looked at her suspiciously, "You-do you have any other requirements?" ”

"Yes, I have two more requests."

"You say." Xiao Yunyan's face turned cold again, with an attitude that was as expected.

"I want Your Highness to promise to be kind to my people."

Xiao Yunyan glanced at her: "This is natural, from now on they are my people." ”

"In this case, I hope that His Royal Highness can persuade Ling Zun to exempt them from taxes for one year and open a market for mutual trade between Qizhou and Xuanzhou. Also, Qizhou is rich in tea, but Helian Dingbang does not allow the people to sell tea privately, and the tea trade is under the control of the imperial court. Therefore, I ask Your Highness to make an excerpt and ask for the right to sell tea on your own. ”

"It is a matter of course to open the market for mutual trade, and allowing people to sell tea independently can also be considered, but it is exempt from taxes, which may not be so smooth."

In order to prepare for the war, Helian Dingbang increased a large amount of grain taxes, and the people were already resentful and complaining. I just hope that His Royal Highness can persuade Ling Zun to exempt the taxes in the past two or three years, not to mention, and give the people sufficient benefits, then His Royal Highness will naturally be popular in the future, maybe the Liangcheng in front of Victoria...... In the future, they will follow suit and take the initiative to surrender to His Highness. If you can expand your territory without spending a single soldier, why wouldn't Your Highness do it? ”

Xiao Yunyan pondered Helianyi's words, and also felt that the advantages outweighed the disadvantages, so he readily agreed, "Okay, in front of my father, I can give it a try." What else? ”

"There is another matter, the Taishou and the guards of Liangcheng are loyal to my father, and I will go to Liangcheng tomorrow to persuade them to surrender. But I hope that on the day they surrender, His Royal Highness will also invite King Yi to come to the banquet. ”

Xiao Yunyan looked at her for a while and asked, "What did he let him do?" ”

"Your Highness should try to be on an equal footing with King Yi."

"On an equal footing? Is this the reason? ”

"Of course, let everyone in Daliang know that His Royal Highness is not inferior to King Yi in any aspect."

Xiao Yunyan looked at her, and her eyes gradually turned cold.

Seeing his expression, Helian Yi asked, "Your Highness doesn't believe what I said?" ”

Xiao Yunyan seemed to have finally come back to his senses, although there were still doubts and vigilance on his face, he responded cheerfully: "Okay." ”

"What about repairing books?"

"This king will go back and repair the book." With that, he turned and left.

......

On the school ground, the soldiers were practicing, and Luo Hu handed a letter to Xiao Yunyan and said, "Your Highness, it's a letter from Gongzi He." ”

Xiao Yunyan glanced at it hurriedly, and then went back to his barracks. Luo Hu followed all the way, and saw that he never said a word, although he looked displeased, he still decided to break the casserole and ask to the end, and asked cautiously: "Your Highness, is there anything bad?" ”

Xiao Yunyan's expression was a little indifferent, but he said, "It's a good thing, Liangcheng has decided to surrender." ”

"Surrender?" Luo Hu couldn't help clapping his hands and exclaiming: "If you don't fight again, you will surrender?" This He Gongzi is really amazing! ”

Xiao Yunyan snorted coldly, but did not speak again. Luo Hu said strangely: "Your Highness, is there any problem?" ”

"She has to invite King Yi, what kind of heart do you say she has at ease?"

"King Yi?" Luo Hu thought for a moment and said, "The reason why Helian Dingbang rebelled in the first place was because she listened to the provocation of those who were sent by King Yi, could she have wanted to seek an opportunity to assassinate King Yi?" ”

"How easy is it to assassinate? But now that she has soldiers and horses in her hands, it may not be difficult to assassinate her. Xiao Yunyan thought for a while, and then said to Luo Hu: "Luo Hu, you send some people to secretly investigate, from Kangyuan to Qizhou, have there been any ambushes along the way?" ”

"Yes."