Faced with Lu Dongzan's question, Xiao Rui absorbed the lesson just now and did not answer in a hurry. Instead, he started to speak after careful consideration.
"The stars on the chessboard are made by heaven. In this complicated world, Prime Minister, you and I are all chess pieces involuntarily. And those ordinary people are not even chess pieces, they can only passively accept their fate."
Lu Dongzan rolled his eyes and asked in confusion: "What does the Marquis mean?"
Xiao Rui shook his head, "It's nothing, it's just a little selfish. Although you and I are both chess pieces in the hands of the chess master, working hard for the Qianqiu hegemony above, we might as well make this world more beautiful within our own limited abilities. .”
If someone from the 21st century were to listen to these words, they would probably immediately realize that this is about to start brainwashing.
But it happened that during the Tang Dynasty, these words were so novel and even shocking.
Lu Dongzan stared at the other party. He seemed to have a guess, but he still wanted to wait for the other party to say it himself.
"The struggle for hegemony will kill people. One general's success will lead to thousands of bones drying up, haha... But aren't the lives of those common people life? The emperor can't see it. You are the prime minister and are in charge of the livelihood of the people in the country. You don't think so, right? ?”
Lu Dongzan was silent.
"You asked me why I risked my life to make a bet, even risking the big for the small?"
"Haha, it's very simple. If I break your so-called God's blessing, then Tubo will defeat itself. At that time, you can consciously merge into the territory of the Tang Dynasty, so that there will be less lives in our two countries, okay?"
After saying this, Li Junxian at the door burst into tears and was so moved: Mr. Hou is righteous! A benevolent heart can be compared to heaven and earth, and he even does not hesitate to offend Tianyan and gamble with the country...
Hearing Li Junxian's sobbing voice, Lu Dongzan finally broke his guard, stood up and bowed solemnly to Xiao Rui, "Although we are rivals, the Marquis's heart is comparable to that of a saint. I admire you!"
Xiao Rui laughed and scolded: "Stop praising me, be more cheerful and just say whether you want to gamble or not, right?"
Yes, do you want to bet or not?
Lu Dongzan did not dare to be careless and sat down alone, lost in thought.
If you gamble, you can spend two years trying to make money from the Tang Dynasty's Kingdom of Abundance, so that Tubo no longer has to stay in that bitter and cold barren land.
If you don't gamble, Tubo can ensure peace for generations, but its trade routes are blocked by the Tang Dynasty, and it can develop and rise step by step on its own? Haha, EMI may not be able to do it.
This is a difficult multiple choice question.
After fighting in his heart for half an hour, just when Lu Dongzan was about to grit his teeth and agree, he suddenly woke up. The person in front of him was the champion Hou Xiaorui. It seemed that he had been deceived by him today. If he couldn't protect himself, it was him again. pit?
Why did he insist on betting? Even risking the Jiannan Road of the Tang Dynasty? Doesn't he know that this deal is not a good deal?
If he loses the bet, can Datang fulfill its oath and release Jiannan Road? They wouldn't let it out, so Tubo didn't seem to have the strength to get it himself, right?
So... this is an empty talk?
As for what makes the people of the two countries less miserable? Pooh! It's all nonsense, I almost fell for it again.
puff……
I am in a corner of Tubo, protected by God-given dangers, and cannot be invaded by foreign enemies. I am already in an invincible position. Even if it takes a longer time to become stronger, it doesn't matter. I just need to accumulate strength and wait for the right time. But once they agree to the bet, if someone breaks the curse, Tubo will be gone in an instant...
After thinking about this, Lu Dongzan wanted to vomit blood and stood up suddenly. Looking at Xiao Rui's expectant eyes, he said decisively: "I won't bet! Thank you very much, Lord Marquis, for your kind invitation. I have to hurry back and say goodbye!"
He didn't dare to bet because the opponent was Xiao Rui, the champion of the Tang Dynasty who had repeatedly created miracles.
ah? ? ?
Is this, so anxious?
Xiao Rui was stunned for a moment. When he regained consciousness, Lu Dongzan had already walked to the door of the living room. Li Junxian was trying to dissuade him. Xiao Rui quickly shouted: "Prime Minister, Prime Minister... Why is this? What's going on?"
Lu Dongzan didn't want to say another word and just walked out. He had only one thought in his mind. He couldn't stay here for a long time. If he stayed here for a while, he might fall into some kind of trap. This Xiao Rui was so cunning and cunning.
Seeing Lu Dongzan's back quickly leaving, Xiao Rui's face was full of frustration, "Alas... I tried my best, but in the end I couldn't keep him. This Lu Dongzan is really a character. He failed for the first time since he entered the world. It actually fell on him."
Li Junxian was puzzled, what kind of failure is this?
"Master Marquis, please lead someone to capture him so that they cannot return to Tubo. Since he is a hero of Tubo and the right-hand man of the leader of Tubo, destroying him will mean cutting off Tubo's arm. In the future... "
Xiao Rui waved his hand and said: "No need, Fifth Brother, let him go. It's not easy to meet an opponent, it's interesting to beat him openly."
The two turned back to the house, and Li Junxian asked the doubts in his heart, "Master, why do you insist on facilitating this deal? Even at the risk of placing such a big bet? Fortunately, this matter did not work out, otherwise how would you go to discuss it with His Majesty?" Do you want that kind of certificate of credence? Send it out to the generals and let people know that you are betting on Jiannan Road. I'm afraid..."
I'm afraid that all the civil and military officials in the dynasty will criticize you verbally and writingly.
Xiao Rui sneered: "Fifth brother, why are you so sincere? How can I really go to His Majesty to get the credentials? At most, I will give him a fake one to confuse the fake one with the real one. I will just deceive him personally. Even if I are real If we lose and they come to ask for it, how can Datang give it to them?"
What? ?
"Then your reputation..."
reputation?
Xiao Rui laughed and said: "In life, there are always some things that are worth risking our lives to protect, such as faith and reputation..."
Li Junxian nodded heavily.
But Xiao Rui changed the subject, "But I, Xiao Rui, are different. I never care about these external things. How much is my face worth? What does it have to do with me if others criticize me or praise me? I can help the Tang Dynasty earn back the Tubo territory, let alone destroy it." My reputation is worth living in infamy for eternity."
puff……
"Master Hou, you, you..."
Li Junxian covered his chest and gasped for breath. He really didn't expect it, and it actually caused internal injuries.
Xiao Rui did not smile jokingly, but said solemnly: "Fifth brother, do you see it?"
What do you see?
"Aren't they just too timid to bet?" Li Junxian mocked, "But it's not their fault. Who doesn't know that you have never lost, Lord Marquis, so it's normal that they don't dare to bet against you."
Xiao Rui shook his head and said: "No! They don't dare to gamble, not just because they are afraid of me, but the reason behind it is that they don't want to give up."
What to give up?
"Ambition! Ambition to compete in the world!" Xiao Rui said with sharp eyes: "Songzan Gampo and Ludongzan, this is a pair of outstanding monarchs and ministers who are rare to see in a thousand years. They came from Tubo and were destined to rise in Tubo. But The rise of Tubo and its expanding ambitions will pose a huge hidden danger to the Tang Dynasty in the future."
Li Junxian said disdainfully: "Master Hou, are you worrying too much? Just the population of Tubo? At most they are just a group of border bandits fighting against the autumn wind. Our Tang Dynasty's 350,000 to 50,000 defenders are enough to make them tremble."
Xiao Rui smiled and looked into the distance, "When the Tang Dynasty was strong, it was invincible, but what if the Tang Dynasty weakened? If the chaos of the late Sui Dynasty comes again, a hundred years later, the population of Tubo will double several times. Taking advantage of the chaos in the Central Plains, , what about the invasion of 100,000 or 200,000 troops?"
"Even if they can't take the Central Plains by then, I'm afraid they can't keep Jiannan Road. If this place is lost, Chang'an will be in danger! If Chang'an is lost, will the Central Plains be far away? This is how Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty conquered the world."
Hiss... Li Junxian couldn't help but take a breath.
