Outside the south gate of Chang'an City, the Tibetan Prime Minister Lu Dongzan, who was dressed in desolate clothes, stared at the tall Chang'an City for a long time. Finally, he sighed helplessly and climbed onto the carriage.
But before the team had gone three miles, they were overtaken by a team of fast horses.
"Prime Minister, someone is blocking the road, it's the Tang Army."
Lu Dongzan opened the curtain of the carriage and shouted loudly: "Who is blocking the way?"
Li Junxian approached slowly with ten cavalry, "Prime Minister, why are you in such a hurry? Please stay for two more days, my Marquis has invited you."
who? The champion is looking for me? Could it be that you want to fulfill your original vow and not let me leave Chang'an?
Thinking of this, Lu Dongzan said in a deep voice: "Could it be that the champion wants to keep his true colors?"
The entire Tubo team became nervous instantly.
Li Junxian laughed loudly and said: "The Prime Minister has misunderstood. The Marquis just wants to invite the Prime Minister to be a guest. How can he force him to stay?"
"What if I don't go away?" Lu Dongzan said dissatisfied.
Not going?
Li Junxian's smile froze on his face, and he said in a bad tone: "Then I'm sorry, this is the Tang Dynasty, you can't make the decision."
The Xuanjia Army cavalry beside them all drew their horizontal swords.
you……
After hesitating for a moment, Lu Dongzan also knew how strong Xiao Rui was, so he could only say coldly: "Okay, lead the way!"
"Send the order, the deputy envoy will lead the team back to Honglu Temple and tell them that the champion of the Tang Dynasty will let us stay for two more days."
Li Junxian smiled and said nothing. Lu Dongzan was smart enough. If he lived in Honglu Temple, Datang would be responsible for the safety of this group of people. This is because he is afraid that Mr. Hou will kill someone with a knife.
In Xiao's Manor, as the weather slowly gets colder, Xiao Rui no longer goes out to fish. He spends his days drinking tea and reading, which is so leisurely that people can envy him.
The emperor sent someone to recall Prince Cheng Qian and Grand Tutor Zhao Deyan. He called the prince to start contacting government affairs. In fact, he just wanted to see how his son was doing and whether he could help, so that he could feel more relaxed.
The prince and Zhao Deyan left, Feng Zhidai and his wife eloped, and Xiao Changle also went to Lingnan. Xiaojiazhuang suddenly became deserted. If people didn't come to visit often, it would be no different from an ordinary country farm.
"Master Marquis, the Prime Minister of Tibet has arrived."
"Hey, you're here? Please take a seat. Are you having tea or wine, Prime Minister?" Xiao Rui greeted enthusiastically.
Lu Dongzan didn't have a good look on his face, and asked with a stern face: "Master Hou, you didn't leave me your true identity to treat me to tea and drinks, right? For what purpose, please make it clear."
What Xiao Rui didn't understand was that this guy was scared.
"Hahaha, the Prime Minister misunderstood. I had some unpleasantness with you earlier, and it was also because of the marriage. Now it's fine, everyone no longer mentions the marriage, so we are still friends. You came to Datang as an envoy to establish diplomatic relations, I It’s reasonable for Hou to entertain you as your host. Don’t think too much about it.”
Lu Dongzan said warily: "Entertainment? Haha, the Marquis is no longer the young minister of Honglu Temple. You are a famous general of the Tang Dynasty. It is not appropriate to meet a foreign minister like this."
"If there's nothing else, I'd like to say goodbye. I have to hurry back."
Xiao Rui stood up and grabbed the other person directly: "Is it because I beat you so hard that you still hold grudges now? The Prime Minister does not seem to be a narrow-minded person. Inviting Your Excellency to come today is not official business, it is purely a private matter."
Private matter? What personal matter do I have with you? Lu Dongzan's face was full of doubts.
"How about we sit down and talk slowly?"
Seeing that the other party was holding on, Lu Dongzan could only sit down. Xiao Rui smiled and poured tea with his own hands, "Xiangguo, this is my sincere invitation. In this world, there is no one who can let me pour tea with my own hands." There are very few, and Xiangguo seems to be the first outsider."
Lu Dongzan said lightly: "It's a great honor. If there is anything you need, Lord Marquis, please tell me."
Xiao Rui smiled and said: "Simple, a small matter. I, the Xiao Family Chamber of Commerce, want to do business in Tubo, so I invite the Prime Minister to come here just to discuss a business with you."
"Business? Are you joking, Lord Hou? The Tang Dynasty dominates the world and is rich all over the world. Tubo is bitter and cold, and the countryside is remote. I wonder if there is any business that you can like, Lord Hou?" Lu Dongzan did not believe it.
"The Tang Dynasty doesn't want any business from the Tang Dynasty? What about Tubo? The Tang Dynasty doesn't want the business from the Tang Dynasty?" Xiao Rui took a sip of tea.
Lu Dongzan still didn't understand, "Of course Tubo wanted to do business with the Tang Dynasty, so every year countless caravans went to Chang'an to do business."
"Haha, I'm afraid it's more than that, right? The Prime Minister came all the way and stayed here for several months. It seems that he was just doing business." Xiao Rui said sarcastically.
Um?
"The marriage is a diplomatic relationship between the two countries, how can it be a transaction? What does the Marquis mean by this?" Lu Dongzan was about to lose his patience.
Xiao Rui waved his hand and said: "Xiangguo, do you know why I invite you to my home to talk?"
Lu Dongzan:...
"It's very simple. I just want to chat with the truth without any scruples. In the city of Chang'an, the Prime Minister never tells the truth. Moreover, those rotten scholars in Chang'an are very annoying. They don't do business and talk a lot. I also bother them. .”
"Let's be honest, are you marrying a princess? What a joke! What a liar. How old is the princess and you have never seen what she looks like, yet you dare to say that you have admired her for a long time? You really don't mind blushing."
Before Lu Dongzan could refute, Xiao Rui said hurriedly: "Okay, we are all smart people, so there is no need to beat around the bush. You insist on seeking marriage because you are interested in the advanced technology of our Datang Dynasty, including salt, iron, and silk. , paper, tea, grain...etc., to be blunt, my Tang Dynasty is more advanced than your Tubo family by more than a hundred years. Even a piece of paper from my Tang Dynasty is precious to your Tubo family."
you……
Lu Dongzan's face was livid and his chest was heaving violently. However, what the other party told was the truth and he had no way to refute it.
"Hmph! Did the Marquis come here specifically to see my Tibetan jokes? Did he humiliate me in person?" Lu Dong said angrily.
Xiao Rui put down the tea cup and said sincerely: "Haha, you are so cruel and always think the worst of people. I am not as dirty as you think."
Pooh! Are you not dirty? You are a vicious conspirator and a cold-blooded executioner! In this world, if we talk about people's minds, I'm afraid there's no one more smart than you. Do I dare to believe that when I'm chatting with you? I'm afraid I didn't even know I was sold by you. Lu Dongzan cursed secretly.
Xiao Rui continued: "I don't like you, not for you personally, nor for Tubo. I simply don't like marrying the princess. If you don't mention marrying the princess, you can talk about other things. If it is not necessary, who can Are you willing to use weapons rashly? The reason for the Northern Expedition against Turk Jieli was not because of his strength, but because of the shame he left us when he came to Chang'an in the 9th year of Wude. If we don't destroy him, how can we wash away the shame?"
"If the country is strong, we have to fight with others? Haha, then the Western Turks will not be my friends. The one who was destroyed this time was not the small country of Gaochang, but the Marquis who personally led a team to the Royal Court of the Western Turks to have a look .”
Haha...who are you kidding? If you continue to make up stories, I want to see what you want to do? Lu Dongzan didn't believe a word of it.
Are you saying that Xiao Rui is not belligerent? Pooh! Whoever believes it is a fool.
Xiao Rui saw that the other party was silent, but he didn't find it boring. He continued to talk to himself: "It's understandable that you are envious of the advancement and wealth of the Tang Dynasty. You want to progress and develop with us, and we are not unwilling. For example, the Khitan tribe in the northeast , isn’t it the Khitan Kingdom now? That’s what we helped. There are also the overseas Japanese countries. From the Han Dynasty to the present, they have often sent people across the sea to study. We have taught them with all our resources and treated them with sincerity. Have we ever had any unpleasantness? "
"But you are fine. Not only do you want our technology and products, but you also want our princess? What's the point? We have helped you, but we want our daughter to suffer in your remote and cold place? Isn't this repaying kindness with enmity?"
"Prime Minister, would you agree to the change of location?"
I...I...
"Wait a minute! Lord Marquis, are you here? Why does this involve repaying kindness with enmity? The Tang Dynasty doesn't seem to have any kindness to Tubo, does it?" Lu Dongzan suddenly reacted and almost fell in.
