When Prince Tu saw his father exclaiming in surprise, he was quite puzzled by this:
"The State of Wu is fighting with the State of Chu, and there is the State of Yue behind it. What is the purpose of the State of Wu to cause such an extramarital affair? Could it be that... this move is really under the instructions of the State of Jin? for?!"
Just listen to Qi Hou Chujiu sigh:
"The State of Wu is now plotting against the State of Lu, and wants to use the State of Lu as a stepping stone to enter the Central Plains. Moreover, if the State of Wu and the State of Lu reach an alliance under the city, it will be equivalent to bordering our State of Qi! This is obviously also an attempt to suppress our State of Qi. China further dominates the Central Plains!"
At this time, I heard Prince Tu say again:
"It's just that Lu is not a small country, so how can it easily compromise with Wu?"
When Qi Hou Chujiu heard what Taizi Tu said, he shook his head and said helplessly:
"This matter... must not be careless. Although the Lu State is now a Zongbo, it is still a country of no more than a thousand chariots. If it is said to be plundered by the Wu State, it is not impossible! By then, Even if we gain Chengyi from the Lu State, for us, the Qilu State, this move is just adding insult to injury and we will easily be criticized!"
"The people of Wu are people with broken hair and tattoos. They say they have the surname Ji, but after all they are just a country of barbarians. Therefore, instead of resisting the barbarians, our country of Qi will help the barbarians to do their harm. This is a great injustice! Such! It’s also extremely detrimental to us!”
Prince Tu hesitated for a moment and said:
"Then what do you think...what should you do about this matter?"
Qi Hou Chujiu also thought hard for a long time, and couldn't help but continue to ask:
"Tu'er, what do you think?"
Prince Tu also thought for a while and then said:
"My son, I think that if it is true as your father said, why not just sell Lu a favor? As Li Ran said before, if the two countries of Qi and Lu can eliminate their troops, and let the Marquis of Lu serve Qi like the Marquis of Wei, Countries are generally the same, so that’s not bad!”
"It's just... this matter must not be made public. Why don't you... let me tell Li Ran about this in private!"
Qihou Chujiu was silent for a long time, and finally said:
"Well, Tu'er's move is very popular with me! I didn't agree to it before, but if I say it again today, it will seem like I am afraid of the Wu State. Therefore, it is best for Tu'er to do this favor. but!"
"Tu'er must remember that after going to Guanyi, when talking to Li Ran, be sure to speak more grandly."
Prince Tu knew that his father was deliberately paving the way for him, and he seemed very happy:
"No, where are you, sir... going to the post house now?"
Qihou Chujiu also nodded with satisfaction:
"Well, go ahead and don't delay any more, so as not to cause any further complications."
Qi Hou Chujiu's words were obviously directed at Tian Qi.
He knew very well that after Tian Qi heard the news, he would definitely come to Qi Hou Chujiu soon to talk about it.
At that time, if Tian Qi tells Li Ran about this matter, its meaning will be completely different.
Prince Tu received the order from his father and immediately left the palace and drove to the official post. When he saw Li Ran, Li Ran immediately learned the news from Wu State. Although he was calm in his heart, he still put on a sad look on his face.
Prince Tu deliberately looked around. When Li Ran saw this, he couldn't help but understand.
He led Prince Tu directly into the inner room, and left Fan Li and Chu Dang outside to guard him.
The two entered meditation, and Prince Tu also said straight to the point:
"Master Taishi, what you said in the court a few days ago can still be counted?"
Li Ran said hurriedly:
"That's natural."
Prince Tu nodded, thought for a moment, and then said again:
"I have thought over the words of Mr. Taishi again and again, and feel that they are very reasonable. Therefore, I have now made a decision and will immediately give orders to Gao Zhang and Guo Xia to dispatch troops from the territory of Lu."
"I also ask Mr. Taishi to have a good talk with the people of Lu after he returns to the State of Lu. What will happen next..."
Li Ran was very happy, cupped his hands and said:
"Don't worry, Your Highness the Prince. After Li Ran returns to the State of Lu, he will explain the whole story to the Marquis of Lu, in order to show the benevolence and righteousness of the Marquis of Qi and the Prince."
When Prince Tu heard this, he couldn't help but feel happy in his heart.
It was inconvenient for him to say these words, but it would be best if Li Ran could say them directly now.
"Lord Taishi, you are very polite. I also hope that the two kingdoms of Qi and Lu can restore harmony in the future!"
Li Ran smiled and said:
"The prince is so benevolent and righteous, and I, Li Ran, sincerely hope that the ambitions of the Marquis of Qi and His Royal Highness can be realized as soon as possible!"
Li Ran's words were half polite and half truthful.
After all, it has indeed been too long since anyone has been able to take charge in this world. There is no doubt that this is the source of the strife in the world today.
Therefore, it would be the best if the Marquis of Qi and the Crown Prince could bring order to the world.
However, after experiencing so much, Li Ran had already clearly realized that Qi's restoration of hegemony might not be easy to achieve.
Especially, the situation is still like Qi’s current situation.
But Prince Tu didn't know the deep meaning of what Li Ran said, so he only regarded it as a compliment from him. Therefore, Prince Tu also directly agreed with a smile:
"Thank you for your kind words, Mr. Taishi... But I don't know when you are going to leave Linzi?"
Li Ran said:
"When the big deal is done, I don't have to stay in Linzi anymore..."
Li Ran was halfway talking, but Prince Tu didn't respond and just said:
"Since you still have the business of collecting folk songs, I wonder if you still need to set foot in the four borders of our Qi country?"
Obviously, the reason why Prince Tu asked this was actually because he still hoped that Li Ran could leave Qi State slowly.
Unexpectedly, Li Ran slowly shook his head and said frankly:
"Actually... to be honest with the prince, Li came to Qi State for the purpose of collecting folk songs, and he is not in a hurry. Therefore, I want to return to Lu State first, and if there is an opportunity in the future, I will come to Qi State to collect folk songs."
Prince Tu still refused to give up and suddenly asked:
"Sir, don't you really think about staying and helping Tu?"
Li Ran sighed:
"Please forgive me for not agreeing to your highness. It would be extremely dangerous for me to stay in Linzi. If I were to visit the four borders of Qi State, my life would really be in danger!"
"In the past, when Kong Zhongni was in Qi, Yan Pingzhong was still able to protect him secretly. But now..."
When Prince Tu saw Li Ranming, he said that this arrow was pointing directly at Tian Qi. Prince Tu said eagerly:
"Sir, if you say so, why don't you stay and deal with this person together with me? Please rest assured, sir, although I don't have much power, I am still willing to send a close servant to protect Mr. Taishi!"
Li Ran shook his head and said:
"Your Highness actually doesn't have to be like this. Li Ran is just a person, and staying in the Qi State is of little use. On the contrary, in the Lu State, he may be able to help the prince achieve his goals! And what your Highness should do now is to hide his power and bide his time and wait for a turn of events! "
"I think back then, when Lu Zhaogong, as the king of a country, dealt with Ji Sun Yiru, he ended up in the miserable situation of hunting. His Highness has not yet inherited the throne. If he acts rashly, I am afraid the result will be even worse than Lu Zhaogong back then!"
"Although Tian Qi's methods appear to be far inferior to Ji Sun Yiru's on the surface, in reality they are ten times more dangerous than Ji Sun Yiru's! Please remember, Your Highness, to guard against arrogance and impetuosity in the future, and think twice before acting!"
——
Chapter 730_ Enter the game with your own body, and win half the battle
When Prince Tu heard this, he couldn't help but sigh:
"Hey...it's just...if Tian Qi is not eliminated, I am afraid that my position as king will not be secure!"
Li Ran stood up and bowed deeply.
"Your Highness, don't worry too much. I have a plan that may be able to help the prince!"
When Prince Tu heard the words, he couldn't help but feel refreshed and hurriedly said:
"Oh? What good idea do you have, sir?"
Li Ran then said:
"When I leave Linzi this time, His Highness the Crown Prince can give me a reason to see me off, ride in a carriage with me, and secretly send a close servant to protect me. If... Na Tian Qi doesn't know the situation and sends someone to assassinate me, then when the time comes Your Highness can directly defeat his plot and openly say that Tian Qi wants to assassinate the prince, and you may not know that Your Highness can use this to directly defeat him!"
"And Li can also take this opportunity to gain shelter from His Highness and return to Lu safely."
"It's just that... this move is inevitably a bit dangerous, and His Highness will have to put himself at risk! It's just... I wonder if Your Highness is willing?"
When Prince Tu heard this, he said without hesitation:
"Tu is willing to go! In this case, Tu will go to see Junfu to explain the matter, and go with him!"
After hearing what Prince Tu said, Li Ran sighed immediately:
"Well, please do so, Prince!"
As a result, Prince Tu stood up and left in a hurry.
After Fan Li sent him away directly, he couldn't help coming back and asked:
"Sir and Prince Tu said this, are they trying to get him to join the game?"
Li Ran shook his head:
"That's not entirely the case. I could have returned to Lu safely even without relying on him. But now that Prince Tu is interested, I might as well help him along the way!"
"And if Prince Tu can really overthrow Tian Qi directly, then it may not be a bad thing for the world."
When Fan Li heard this, he immediately asked:
"It's just that when I look at Prince Tu, everything he does in the world is superficial. And he is too transparent to tolerate dirt. As the saying goes, 'The ruler of the country is dirty, it is the way of heaven.' Even if this son succeeds to the throne, he will only I’m afraid it won’t last long.”
Li Ran couldn't help but nodded when he heard this...
…
Since Tian Qi knew that Wu State was planning to attack Lu State, he hurriedly met with the Marquis of Qi.
However, after he first entered the palace, he realized that the Marquis of Qi had actually asked Prince Tu to take the lead and sent Prince Tu to negotiate peace with Li Ran.
Prince Tu has also completed his mission and returned to the palace.
However, even so, he still said calmly:
"Your Majesty, since Li Ziming is leaving tomorrow, to show my sincerity, I would like to send a team of people to escort him!"
Prince Tu said:
"Your Majesty, I have just made it clear to Mr. Taishi that Tu'er will set off with him tomorrow and will personally send him to Nanbi!"
When Qi Hou Chujiu heard this, he couldn't help but be stunned. He didn't expect that Prince Tu would be able to make such a decision.
"Oh? Tu'er wants to deliver it in person?"
Prince Tu responded:
"Father, Li Ran is a great sage in the world, and he is also honored as the Taishi of the Zhou Dynasty. In addition to this action of annihilating troops, we, the Qi State, should also express our sincerity to the Lu State. Therefore, before I could ask for instructions, I It is a good decision to make."
Of course Qi Hou Chujiu knew that Prince Tu wanted to buy Li Ran. He thought for a while, then nodded and replied:
"Hmm... well, since Tu'er has agreed to Li Ran, it's hard to go back on it. Just do it according to Tu'er's own ideas!"
Tian Qi rolled his eyes, stepped forward and said:
"Your Majesty, I kindly ask you to escort the prince together!"
Qi Hou Chujiu frowned slightly. He didn't know Tian Qi's true thoughts. Just assume that he also wants to win over Li Ran.
It seemed that he didn't want the prince to monopolize this favor.
But actually? Tian Qi was worried that Li Ran and Prince Tu might be plotting something secretly.
What's more, his real motive was to wait for an opportunity to kill Li Ran. Of course he also knew that Li Ran had been on guard against him for a long time, and that was why Prince Tu wanted to follow Li Ran all the way. It's just Li Ran's "fox fakes tiger's power" strategy.
Therefore, on the other hand, he did want to follow, so that he could play it by ear along the way.
However, Prince Tu curled his lips and said:
"Master Tian is the chief minister of our Qi State, and he has to deal with many things every day. How can he abandon his duties just for this? I'd better let my son and minister accompany me on this matter!"
Tian Qi also argued with reason:
"Your Majesty, since Li Ran arrived in Linzi, all the reception arrangements have been made by the minister. There is no omission here, so I ask for your permission, and Xu Chen will accompany the prince to escort Li Ziming out. Qi! In this way, we can show our Qi country’s intention to be pro-Lu!”
After Qi Hou Chujiu heard this, he thought for a while and then said:
"Okay, then... let Lao Tianqing accompany the prince to escort Li Ziming out of Qi! Along the way, you two will also have care for each other, so I can rest assured!"
Obviously, at this time, Qi Hou Chujiu still hoped that Prince Tu and Tian Qi could maintain a good relationship between monarch and minister.
After all, in his opinion, if Prince Tu wanted to take over the throne smoothly in the future, it would be impossible for him not to deal with Tian Qi.
So, the matter was settled.
Tian Qi returned to the mansion and talked about the matter with Shu Niu.
Shu Niu also raised his eyebrows when he heard that Prince Tu was going to send Li Ran away.
However, Tian Qi then said that he would also go together, which made Shu Niu a little confused.
"If Mr. Tian goes there together, I'm afraid that if he wants to assassinate Li Ran again, he will inevitably have to resort to some tricks, right?"
Unexpectedly, Tian Qi narrowed his eyes, revealing a cold and fierce look.
"Haha, who said I wanted to assassinate Li Ran?"
Shu Niu was puzzled by this:
"Then...does Mr. Tian want it?"
Tian Qi chuckled:
"Li Ran ran away all the way. If I am not more kind, what if something happens, then I will be criticized?"
When Shu Niu heard this, he immediately understood:
"My lord, could it be...?"
Tian Qi nodded slowly:
"Haha, since it was an accident, no one can blame it. Since this guy wants to cause trouble, then... why not just kill him...!"
Zhu Niu made a calculation in his heart and suddenly realized it, and couldn't help but praise:
"Master Tian wants to defeat Tianzi with his own body! Master Tian's 'suffering plan' is really admirable..."
At this time, Tian Qi stretched out a hand and said:
"Shu Niu, this matter... you have to make some plans when the time comes! I will send a group of private soldiers, led by you, who will follow the convoy. Please be at your disposal at any time!"
The vertical cow said happily:
"Don't worry, sir. Shu Niu now wants to tear Li Ran into pieces! Shu Niu will definitely live up to your high expectations this time!"
Tian Qi stroked his beard with great satisfaction, and his triangular eagle eyes were fixedly staring at the sky.
(End of chapter)
