Although Chirong is a Mongolian, he has been in the Central Plains for many years and already has Han cultural thinking in his mind.
In Su Wen, he only saw the arrogance of youth, but not the restraint of a loyal general.
"Uncut jade must be carved before it can be made into a tool, and the same goes for employing people." Zhu Gaojie said slowly, "Su Wen, like Lu Chaoyang, has a straightforward character. If such a person cannot surrender, his character will be broken. A violent general, if his methods are clever enough, can be the most loyal and good general."
Chirong said helplessly: "My lord, you know that I don't understand this."
Zhu Gaojie laughed: "You are real."
It is true that Chirong will never understand how to calculate people's hearts.
If he could figure it out, he wouldn't be tired of his position as the admiral of the Three Thousand Battalion and become exhausted from working on government affairs. Chirong couldn't understand why King Qi could see into people's hearts so thoroughly, calculate all the mechanisms, and even predict countless changes in the future with a pair of naked eyes.
After all, Chirong is also brave but lacks strategy, but his cleverness lies in knowing that he is lack of strategy, so he leaves the things that require brainpower to his boss, while he works hard.
People like Chirong may not be powerful ministers, but they will definitely end well.
…
The grain that Zhu Gaojie intercepted from the canal was impossible to support the Northern Expeditionary Army. But these grains gave a vital breath to the 30,000-strong army. After accelerating their march, the Northern Expeditionary Army arrived at Shuntianfu City before they ran out of grain and grass.
Shuntian Mansion is the second capital of the Ming Dynasty and the heart of the future empire. Since the palace has not yet been completed, although it is far from as grand as it will be in the future, it still has huge reserves of resources. It can completely transfuse blood for the Northern Expedition and mobilize enough military supplies. .
Zhu Gaojie asked the army to temporarily camp in Shuntian Fucheng, and then continue marching to Liaodong after resting.
As soon as Prince Zhao in Shuntian heard that his good brother was coming, he couldn't wait to visit him.
…
"Fourth brother, it has to be you. Third brother misses you so much!"
When Prince Zhao Zhu Gaosui came up, he hugged Zhu Gaosui's shoulders and said cheerfully, "We haven't seen each other for more than half a year. Let's go! Let's go have a drink at my palace!"
Zhu Gaojie, the prince, and the king of Han fought with blood, but in fact they had no impact on the king of Zhao.
"Third brother, I still have so many military affairs." Zhu Gaojie smiled bitterly, but did not refuse.
King Zhao laughed and said: "I'm so busy with military affairs that it won't matter if the sky falls or we two brothers drinking! Let your old father-in-law Zhang Fu do the military affairs. His British father-in-law is also the commander of an expeditionary force with hundreds of thousands of troops. He can still handle it." Can’t you afford these 30,000 people?”
Under the pull of King Zhao, Zhu Gaojie had no choice but to hand over the military affairs at hand to his old father-in-law first, while he followed his third son to King Zhao's Mansion.
Zhang Fu also had no objection to this. He knew that the relationship between King Qi and King Zhao had always been very good, and it was not a big deal. King Qi acted steadily and had nothing to worry about.
After Zhu Gaojie left, Zhang Fu suddenly called Su Wen over.
"You lead 20 warriors in the army and wait outside Prince Zhao's Mansion. If anything happens, rush into the manor immediately to respond. If anything happens, I will be responsible for it." Zhang Fu said calmly.
Su Wen looked at Zhang Fu in confusion, as if he didn't quite understand the arrangement.
Zhang Fu sighed and said: "There are some things that King Qi cannot say directly, but as ministers, we should understand the thoughts of the people above us. After all, Shuntian Mansion is the territory of King Zhao, and it is better to be prepared than not to be prepared for danger. In the heart of King Zhao There are also some, if you don't bring someone to guard you, I'm afraid even King Zhao won't be able to survive after drinking this wine."
Su Wen understood in his heart, cupped his hands and said: "I understand, I understand."
…
A banquet has been prepared in Prince Zhao's Mansion, with a table full of dazzling dishes, which can be described as extravagant.
Prince Zhao picked up the silver-patterned wine pot and filled the wine cup: "Excellent Huadiao. I knew you liked this sip, and I had already ordered someone to warm it."
"Third brother still understands me. Come on, let me toast third brother!" Zhu Gaojiu picked up the wine cup and drank it all in one gulp.
King Zhao was also very generous. The two brothers drank several glasses of wine. The warm wine dispelled the chill of winter, like a furnace burning in the belly.
Good wine intoxicates one's heart, but neither of the two princes in front of the wine table seemed to have any desire to get drunk.
Zhu Gaojie held the wine cup, drank for himself leisurely, and said: "Third brother, after three rounds of drinking, don't you have anything in your heart that you want to say to your brother?"
It is true that among the four brothers, Zhu Gaojiu has the best relationship with the third brother, Zhu Gaosui, but he is not naive enough to think that King Zhao is just here for drinking this time.
Precisely because of their good relationship, Prince Qi's Mansion and Prince Zhao's Mansion should be more distant on the surface, so as not to arouse the old man's suspicion, instead of the warm relationship they have now.
It is not difficult to guess that King Zhao came here with something on his mind and used the excuse of drinking to lighten the atmosphere.
"Fourth, I feel comfortable talking to you." King Zhao smiled.
Zhu Gaojiu took a sip of Huadiao wine and said with a smile, "How are you two?" He was thinking about what the naughty King Zhao was planning.
King Zhao coughed lightly and said: "Fourth, do you still remember what we said when you came to Shuntian Mansion last time?"
"Remember, how could I forget what I said to Third Brother?" Zhu Gaojie said, "I told you last time that the King of Han is unreliable and it's sheer nonsense for you to follow him. I'm not lying to you, look at the King of Han Where is he now, do you still expect him?"
"Fourth, if you had told me earlier." King Zhao said with emotion, "I have been thinking about it in Shuntian Mansion for more than half a year, and I have finally figured it out. I have no fate with the throne. The deeper I fall, the deeper I will fall. , the more miserable the death. As long as I don’t touch that position, I will leave the title of vassal king to my descendants, and my life will be considered complete."
"Third brother, it's time to realize your enlightenment!" Zhu Gaojiao raised his glass in salute.
Regardless of whether what King Zhao is telling the truth, the appearance must be sufficient.
After speaking politely, King Zhao's expression became serious. He looked into Zhu Gaojie's eyes and said, "Fourth Brother, Third Brother wants to ask you for something."
Zhu Gaojie took a piece of food and put it into his mouth, smiling without saying a word.
He didn't respond immediately, he wanted to hear what King Zhao said first.
If he was drinking with the prince and the king of Han, if these two people asked each other for something, Zhu Gaojie would definitely agree to it. Because the relationship is bad, he can agree to the conditions casually. Anyway, it will be over if you see if I cheat you.
But when drinking with King Zhao, Zhu Gaojie had to be more serious. The better the relationship, the clearer the accounts must be settled.
Zhu Gaojie understood this truth, and King Zhao would not fail to understand it.
"Fourth brother, when you become emperor, sit in that position and leave a way for third brother to survive." King Zhao's eyes were serious, "You can find a fiefdom for me, I don't expect to be able to stay in Shuntian by then. It would be great if my lineage could have a way to survive.”
"Third brother, I don't understand what you are saying." Zhu Gaojie touched his short beard and pretended to be stupid, "What does the throne have to do with me? Of the four brothers in our family, I am the last. The son of the eldest son is fast. I am twenty years old, I have just married a wife, no matter how the marriage is arranged, she will never be above me, you should say this to the boss."
"Fourth brother, let's not talk nonsense between the two of us." King Zhao said calmly, "Third brother, I have no ability, and I only have some wealth in Shuntian Mansion. As long as you give third brother such a verbal answer, third brother My family fortune in Shuntian Mansion will all belong to you from now on, I just want to be Prince Taiping."
Prince Zhao has figured out a lot of things during his more than half a year in Shuntian Mansion.
With the departure of the King of Han and the loss of the crown prince, who else is expected to inherit the throne but King Qi?
King Qi's methods also made King Zhao feel chilled to the bone. In just a few years, King Qi had hollowed out the foundations of all his opponents and dominated the court.
King Zhao calculated what he had done over the years, and he had offended many people by following the King of Han. No matter who ascended the throne, he might not have a good ending. The best choice at the moment is to cut off one's strength, give up competition, and seek refuge with the person who has the greatest chance of succeeding, just for a happy ending.
And his only choice was King Qi.
Zhu Gaojiu drank a glass of warm wine and said calmly: "Qiantang is rich and a good place to retire."
This is equivalent to agreeing to King Zhao.
Qiantang is rich and known as the "natural granary". After Zhu Gaojiu succeeded to the throne, he agreed to let King Zhao change his title to Qiantang for retirement, which was a good ending.
The premise is that King Zhao can come up with enough chips to exchange for this ending.
King Zhao showed a knowing smile: "Fourth Brother, Third Brother, these people in Shuntian Mansion will follow you from now on."
"What did Third Brother say? Isn't it the right thing to take care of your own people?" Zhu Gaojie said with a smile.
This business is very cost-effective, a win-win situation!
King Zhao was promised that his profit lay in the future. As long as Zhu Gaojie succeeded to the throne, he would be able to enjoy a prosperous second half of his life.
Zhu Gaojie made a profit now and took over the family business that King Zhao had accumulated in Shuntian Mansion over the years. Xiao Yurun silently took over this huge power.
