After safely returning to the Han army's base camp in Guangwu City, Lu Fei had been worried all the way and finally let go.
The allied forces of Liu Ji and the vassal states have been stationed in Guangwu for almost a year. The wartime headquarters was located in Liu Ji's temporary residence, the largest and most luxurious residence in the city.
In the inner room of the house, there was already a girl who had not even haircut and was pacing back and forth anxiously.
The snacks on the table were not touched at all, which showed that she was focused on waiting and had no interest in eating.
Hearing the footsteps outside the house, she turned around suddenly and walked down the hall, almost bumping into Lu Pheasant who was rushing in.
When she saw who it was, the girl choked and called "Mother", and then burst into tears. She wrapped her arms tightly around Lu Fei's waist and refused to let go for a long time.
Lu Pheasant knew that this was her and Liu Ji's daughter, Princess Lu Yuan.
Seeing the princess burst into tears, the maids around her couldn't help but burst into tears, and for a while the whole room burst into tears.
Stroking the thick black hair of the girl in her arms, Lu Zhi had mixed feelings. She thought of the two daughters she once had:
The little baby girl who unfortunately died in infancy, and the Princess Taiping who spent her whole life proving that she was different from her mother.
I don’t know about her peace. When she was finally forced to commit suicide by her nephew, did she ever call out to her mother in a low voice? Did she ever understand her mother’s original intention for her to seize power?
In her last life, she passed on to Princess Taiping everything she thought was the most omnipotent and powerful, including power, status, and wealth, but she didn't teach her how to identify the malice and tricks of people around her, or how to protect these treasures. ;
She was like a fragile child holding a rare treasure in her hand, walking alone in the dark night under the gaze of greedy eyes, unaware of the danger.
As a result, she was betrayed and betrayed by her first husband, Xue Shao's family, and was forced to death by her nephew and former political ally.
Thinking of this, Lu Fei felt great grief in his chest and hugged his daughter hard. The girl timidly asked with a cry,
"Mother, you won't leave me again this time, right?"
"Not anymore, never again."
Lu Pheasant thought to herself, in this life, I will definitely give her more. Not only will she be born with it, but I will also teach her how to take it, how to protect it, and how to use it.
Let her no longer have childish kindness, no longer be afraid of loss and failure, and let her be strong enough to get up again anytime and anywhere.
***
That night, Liu Ji held a banquet with the generals in the city to reward the three armies. One was to celebrate the successful return of the hostages, and the other was to celebrate the peace talks between Chu and Han. They used the chasm as the boundary to withdraw their troops.
It seemed that hard-won peace was within reach.
Liu Ji was born in the market, and he was in the army, so there were not so many red tapes and complicated rules. He ordered the banquet to be held in a spacious courtyard, with gilded palace lanterns placed, and everyone guarded their food under the light of the lamps. Take the table and eat separately.
Lu Pheasant freshened up hastily, and as the Queen of Han and the leader of the hostage group, attended to accompany her.
On an early autumn night, the moon was bright, the stars were sparse, and the cool breeze was blowing. Liu Ji was in a very good mood. He held a gold and silver carved ear cup in his right hand, and followed the middle and senior generals sitting on the floor, clinking cups one by one, and drinking from them table by table.
Behind him were two clever maids holding wine bottles. Seeing that the wine in the king's cup was low, they immediately refilled it with a lacquer bucket.
There are endless glasses of wine, endless hardships in starting a business.
After drinking the yellow soup, Liu Ji smelled of alcohol and his eyes and ears were hot. He put his arms around the shoulders of several mid-level officers and drank one cup after another, shouting that after the troops withdrew and returned to the west, they would be rewarded with land and beauties.
Seeing Liu Ji's face full of enthusiasm to withdraw his troops and go home to live a more practical life, King Zhao Zhang'er, who was sitting silently at the table, showed an obvious look of displeasure on his face.
***
Like Liu Ji, Zhang Er was also a knight-errant, but his level and reputation were much higher than him.
The origin of Zhang Er can be traced back to Lord Xinling during the Warring States Period.
During the Warring States Period, knight-errants became popular. From the upper class to the common people, there were many "errants", free characters who wandered outside of legal etiquette and ethics.
The rangers travel between countries, staying with their lord if they agree with them, and leaving if they don't. It's like a good bird choosing a tree to roost in.
The four world-famous princes at that time - Chun Shenjun of Chu State, Mengchang Lord of Qi State, Pingyuan Lord of Zhao State and Xinling Lord of Wei State, were all famous for supporting retainers and knights;
And Zhang Er is one of the most outstanding rangers under Lord Xinling.
After the death of Lord Xinling, three thousand disciples were scattered everywhere like stars in the sky. Zhang Er relied on the money and wealth of the Yue family to transform himself from a knight to a disciple;
Liu Ji, a young man from the countryside who regarded Lord Xinling as his spiritual idol, came to Zhang Er's family from Peixian County several times and became his knight-errant.
The ironclad brotherhood between the two began then and continues to this day.
Later, things changed and Liu Ji became the King of Han. When Zhang Er was defeated and fled two years ago, he gave up the olive branch offered by Xiang Yu and resolutely joined Liu Ji, his former younger brother.
Liu Ji treated her like a king and married Zhang Er, agreeing to give Princess Lu Yuan to Zhang Er's son Zhang Ao.
Zhang Er has always been upright by nature, and relying on his elder brother's qualifications, he was about to speak out, but he saw Chen Ping and Zhang Liang, who were sitting next to him, winking at him frequently, so he kept silent and just drank. Soon his cheeks became wet. Get drunk.
These undercurrents were all seen by Lu Zhi. She felt a familiar feeling that she had not seen for a long time, like the God of War walking into a rich arsenal, and her ambition grew inexplicably.
But what aroused her curiosity even more was her husband Liu Ji.
Looking at Liu Ji who was drunk and slurred in speech, Lu Pheasant thought:
When he was in Peixian in his early years, his drinking capacity was first-rate. It is said that he could drink a thousand drinks without getting drunk. Why was it that now he could hardly control himself after just a few drinks?
While he was thinking, the dissolute King of Han said to his maid:
"Invite Qi Ji quickly. I will be very happy today. Please ask her to play drums, harp, and drums for me. I will sing loudly."
Mrs. Qi was the most beloved concubine of King Liu Ji of Han Dynasty. She was as beautiful as a flower, good at singing and dancing, and she had given birth to a cute little prince for Liu Ji——
Liu Ruyi.
Lu Pheasant smiled, the drum beat sounded, the curtain opened, and the protagonists couldn't wait to appear on stage.
***
In less than half a cup of tea, the well-dressed Qi Ji Pinpin Tingting came over. Behind her, in the arms of an older maid, was holding the prince Ruyi, who was less than two years old.
The noisy table fell silent for a moment, and everyone's eyes were focused on her.
She is truly an outstanding beauty, with black hair like clouds and skin as white as snow. Standing there, she is like a weak willow supporting the wind.
She bowed to Liu Jishi and said with a sweet smile as if no one else was watching,
"Your Majesty, please forgive me for being late.
It was all because Ruyi kept crying. I thought that the child probably missed his father, so she brought him too.
My mother and son congratulate the king together and wish him all the best. "
Strange to say, she clearly had her eyebrows downcast, her eyes looking at her nose, and her nose looking at her heart, but Lu Pheasant felt that there were waves of wind coming from her eyes, which was breathtaking.
Liu Ji grinned, staggered forward a few steps drunkenly, and stretched out his hand to tease the little Ruyi who was like a jade-like pink carving in the maid's arms.
The child was also well-behaved. When he saw Liu Ji approaching, he clapped his hands and smiled at him, causing Liu Ji to say,
"Everything goes as expected, huh? Since the birth of this child, I have indeed been invincible, very happy!"
Everyone was informed and raised their glasses.
Lu Pheasant also picked up the wine glass. When his eyes glanced at Liu Fei at the table, he suddenly remembered his evaluation of Qi Ji.
"There is a Mrs. Qi from Dingtao who is very extraordinary."
She raised her head and drank the wine in the glass. She felt that Liu Fei was still too reserved. Not only was Qi Ji not simple, I felt sorry for her, let alone the old slave!
