Seeing Li Chengqian's face full of hope and putting down his bowl and chopsticks, Zhao Deyan fell into deep thought.
Princess Xiangcheng pushed Xiao Rui and said angrily: "Husband, are you kidding? Mr. Zhao has lived in the grasslands for a long time, how do you know the Cui family of Qinghe? Could it be that Cheng Qian came to beg you and asked your father and mother to come later?"
Xiao Rui spread his hands: "Do you think I'm a god? I don't have any good ideas. If I take action, it's easiest to just grab it back. Anyway, I don't care about reputation. I already have a grudge against the Qinghe Cui family, and if I add another Robbery of a common woman is nothing, right?"
Xiangcheng:……
After a long time, Zhao Deyan came back to his senses, rubbed his temples, and said tiredly: "It's difficult! The five surnames and seven hopes have been passed down for hundreds of years, and they have always had the habit of marrying each other. Even if most people want to marry a woman with the five surnames from the collateral line, Difficulties, let alone the direct daughter of the Cui family in Qinghe, have always been their tools for exchange marriages."
"Five surnames and Qi Wang regard the royal family as their rivals, and it is even more impossible for them to marry their daughter to you. Even if you are the prince, even if this daughter can become a queen in the future."
Li Chengqian's face was full of frustration, and he asked in despair: "Are there no exceptions?"
exception?
Zhao Deyan smiled and looked at Xiao Rui. Xiao Rui smiled and scolded: "You are really cunning, what can't you say? Cheng Qian keeps track of things. Your uncle, Zheng Guanyin, the crown prince of Jiancheng, is the daughter of the Zheng family in Xingyang. Daughter-in-law."
Li Chengqian recalled his eldest aunt, a gentle, kind and loving lady. It is said that outsiders commented that her eldest aunt was no less than his mother.
"Qi Wang, the fifth surname, took the initiative to send a legitimate daughter to bet on the Li family to rule Chang'an. In the end, the bet was successful. Sure enough, the Li family took over the country."
"But they didn't expect that Prince Jiancheng failed in the end. If Prince Jiancheng became emperor, Qiwang of the Five Surnames might want to go further and control the government. It would be easy for him to control the government. When Jiancheng died, King Qin ascended the throne, and those who supported Jiancheng became rebellious. The fifth surname and Qi Wang are not rebellious, but they can no longer stand by your father's side."
So, there is no hope?
Zhao Deyan pointed at Xiao Rui, "Yes, let Mr. Hou grab it."
puff……
"Are you throwing the problem back again?" Xiao Rui was speechless.
Zhao Deyan spread his hands: "If you let me plan, I need to alienate their seven alliances first, break them one by one, and let them fight among themselves. Then the royal family intervenes to break the balance and disintegrate the five surnames and seven hopes... Such a big thing does not happen overnight, if it is Cheng, let alone your small marriage, I am afraid that the entire poor family in the world will benefit."
"It's just too difficult. It may take decades to be effective. Can you wait?"
Pfft... Li Chengqian wants to vomit blood, how many decades? Ning'er and I have grown old in the past few decades, and we still talk about marriage.
Xiao Rui couldn't help laughing: "Brother Zhao, what you are talking about is what His Majesty thinks about day and night. But it cannot solve the Crown Prince's problem."
Zhao Deyan curled his lips, "None of them dare to marry the royal family privately, otherwise they will be unanimously hostile from other families. They don't want to marry their daughters, what can we do? Unless they rob her."
Xiao Rui rolled his eyes and said, "Okay, let's get the first Turkic military advisor, a dog-headed military advisor! No wonder Jieli will lose the world, it turns out he hired the wrong person."
"Wait patiently for a few months. When I go out, I will go to Qinghe Cui family in the spring of next year. A gentleman can bully others, and I, Xiao Rui, am not a good person. They don't have to give the emperor face, but if they don't Give me Xiao Rui face, and I will ask them to send their daughter to the East Palace."
Li Chengqian's eyes were half excited and half suspicious, thinking that his brother-in-law's words sounded domineering, but could he really do it?
Zhao Deyan was not annoyed at being ridiculed by Xiao Rui. Instead, he looked like his treacherous plot had succeeded and raised his tea cup, "The Marquis is mighty! Today I will have tea instead of wine and wait for the good news from the Marquis."
Xiao Rui:......
What did I just say?
As autumn turned to winter, a heavy snow covered the entire city of Chang'an, and the long-prepared ceremony for Liang Guo's surrender was finally completed. After handing over all military and government affairs, Xue Li finally set off on the road back to Chang'an.
When he was governing the Liang Kingdom, Xue Li was kind to the people, so he did not suffer from infamy. Now that the Liang Kingdom has been absorbed by the Tang Dynasty, and the policies of the Tang Dynasty are much better than before, the people of the Liang Kingdom are even more happy, and they are all willing to submit to the Tang Dynasty. On the contrary, all the infamy in the past has been shouldered by the puppet Master Liang.
Xue Li didn't kill this guy after all. After all, his wife and children were by his side. If he really killed Liang Shidu, he would be a little embarrassed when facing his wife in the future. So he took Liang Shidu to Chang'an. Li Er was very generous and gave Liang Shidu an earl. He imprisoned him in Chang'an City in disguise and made him a neighbor of Jie Li. From then on, he lived a wealthy man for the rest of his life.
In the Tai Chi Hall, Li Er took Xue Li's hand and looked him up and down, "Okay, what a Xue Li. We haven't seen each other for three years, right? When we meet again, you gave me a great gift. I like this gift very much. Tell me. , what reward do you want?"
Xue Li said modestly: "I am a citizen of the Tang Dynasty. It is my duty to serve the country. How can I covet your majesty's reward?"
Li Eryi held his hand and said: "Although you are indifferent to fame and fortune, our Tang Dynasty is a country of morality where merit must be rewarded and demerit must be punished. If you don't believe me, ask those present, who has not been rewarded? Tell me. Bar."
The subordinate exerted a little force and looked at him to remind him. Xue Li understood and quickly changed his words: "Since Your Majesty loves me so much, I will have the audacity to ask for a reward from Your Majesty."
"I heard that my brother offended His Majesty because he was drunk and rude in front of the palace, and was sent to prison to reflect. Please be merciful to Your Majesty and spare him this time. The Chinese New Year is coming soon, and I have not returned to Chang'an for several years. I want to go with you this year Let’s celebrate the New Year together, brothers.”
Hearing him pleading for Xiao Rui, Li Er let go of Xue Li's hand, his face fell, and he waved his sleeves and scolded: "Xiao Rui? Don't mention that bastard! I get angry when he mentions him. Xue Li, don't be like your brother. That's ignorant, let's get a reward instead."
Xue Li bowed humbly and said, "I apologize to Your Majesty on behalf of my brother. He already knows that he was wrong."
Du Ruhui stood up and said, "Your Majesty, I heard that the champion Hou Xiaorui reflected on himself in prison and performed well. Why don't we just spare him this time? Although he is a bit impulsive, he still has some military exploits after all..."
Fang Xuanling and Wei Zheng also stood up and interceded for Xiao Rui. Hou Junji and several generals also stood up.
Li Er got off the slope, stared at Xue Li and asked again: "Have you thought about it? Do you really want this?"
Xue Li nodded heavily, "Your Majesty, please have mercy."
Li Er waved his hand, turned around and returned to the dragon chair, "That's all, in that case, let Xiao Rui go home for the New Year. He is ordered not to go out for three months, and he stays behind closed doors to think about his mistakes. I don't want to see him."
Xue Li said happily: "Thank you for your grace."
"Xue Li, you are a rare young talent in our Tang Dynasty. I love talents sincerely. You have gone deep into the Liang Kingdom for several years and have endured and performed meritorious services. You must be rewarded." Li Er signaled: "Come here and deliver the order."
A chamberlain stood up and said, "This is Xue Li of Longmen County, Jiangzhou. He is young and promising and has made great contributions to the country... I am conferring the title of Marquis of Longmen County. He is named the Governor of Liangzhou and has general knowledge of all military and political affairs in Liangzhou."
What? Your Majesty, you must not...
Liangzhou is the State of Liang, and the existing Shuofang County and Yanchuan County are under the jurisdiction of the State of Liang. After the Tang Dynasty absorbed the Liang State, it was merged into Liangzhou for unified governance.
Originally, after Xue Li returned to the court, the Tang Dynasty sent others to govern, so it was not appropriate for Xue Li to continue to govern.
But now the emperor actually appointed him again, which shows how much trust he has.
