In the early morning of the second day, it was just dawn. Outside Li's residence, there were many carriages and horses loaded with supplies. Shu is not far from Guanzhong, and there are many cities on the way to replenish supplies, so Li You does not need to prepare many things.
With the title and authority of Ting Wei and his Zuo Shu Zhang, it was settled overnight. He only needs to bring the imperial edict and the talisman received from the Taiwei Mansion to go to Shu County and take over the post of county captain.
"When you enter Shu this time, you should work hard and make great achievements when you come back. When the time comes, I will ask the emperor to grant you Princess Shang, and your wish will be granted." Outside the mansion, Li Si saw off his eldest son and encouraged him at the same time.
Princess Shang? Li You was startled, a hint of bitterness flashed in his eyes. Does his father think that he rejected women from the Wang family, Feng family, Xin family and other wealthy families just because Zhao Tuo took away the princess, and he feels unhappy?
If the eldest princess can't do it, then he can ask other princesses, and then he can get rid of Li You's heartache? As Li Si said, the First Emperor still had many daughters, and they were almost reaching the age of adding hairpins.
As long as Li You can perform meritorious service in Shu and come back, Li Si may beg for help, and maybe he can get the other princesses of Emperor Li Youshang.
Can it be the same between a princess and a princess? Li You sighed and looked at Li Si in front of him. He saw the white hair on his father's head appearing in the morning light, and the skin on his face was full of wrinkles.
He was in his thirties, not only did he not have a family, but he also had to let his father worry about his own affairs.
The separation was imminent, and Li You felt a little sad and blamed himself.
"Father, I have made you worried in the past few years. This time I went to Shu and I don't know when I will come back. I also ask my father to take care of himself. When my son comes back victorious, he will serve his father by his side." Li You knelt down to Li Si. Kowtow and thank the father for his kindness.
Li Si nodded silently. Even though he was a tolerant person, seeing that his most cherished son was about to go on an expedition to the barbarians, he still felt a little reluctant and worried.
After Li You stood up, he turned to look at his younger brothers and sisters who were seeing him off. Among the many brothers and sisters, Li Yu is the eldest.
"During my absence, my brother should still serve my father on my behalf." Li Yuying said, "Brother, just leave in peace." Li You and several other siblings gave instructions before saying goodbye and getting in the car. .
Cars rattled and horses rustled. When the southbound convoy left Xianyang City, Li You still couldn't hold it back.
He stopped the motorcade, got out of the car, and looked at the majestic city not far away. The rising sun rises from the east and fills Xianyang with sunshine.
In the brilliant rays of light, Li You seemed to see a delicate face, smiling at him. That was the person he watched grow up when he was serving in the palace.
"Princess."
"I will work hard to make meritorious deeds in Shu!" Li You murmured, turned around and got into the car. The carriage traveled farther and farther, and the people on the carriage were going to Shu in the south to keep company with the barbarians further south.
...The sun rises, and the sky is just right. Zhao Tuo got in the car and went to visit Li Mansion. Compared to the embarrassment he felt when he was questioned by the princess last night, Zhao Tuo was full of confidence today.
Because he successfully resolved a crisis. Facing the princess' fierce questioning last night, Zhao Tuo was caught off guard and was stunned on the spot.
Fortunately, he had experienced wars for a long time and was not afraid of facing the generals of the six countries. How could he fall into such a trivial matter? Zhao Tuo's mind changed and he came up with a way to solve it.
"This is the art of Gongshu's imperial concubine. I saw it in the fragmentary scroll of Gongshuzi in the past and kept it in my mind."
"Gongshu's art of courting women? Isn't Gongshu a craftsman?" Ying Yinman was stunned at that time. Zhao Tuo said with a serious face: "What's wrong with the craftsmen? Craftsmen also need to marry a wife, and craftsmen also need to have the joy of being a man and a woman!"
"The princess doesn't know something, but Gongshuzi is a master at this. The fragment of Gongshuzi that I saw not only contains written records, but also has matching silk paintings. The movements and postures of the characters painted on it are lifelike. I was curious at the time, so I Keep it in mind.”
"Oh, it's a pity that due to a misfortune in the family, those fragments of Gongshuzi's papers were lost, otherwise they could have been shared with the princess. It's such a pity." Faced with Zhao Tuo's serious words, Ying Yinman was dubious.
In the end, Zhao Tuo was allowed to pass the test, and he practiced again overnight.
"The secret of public transmission". It’s like a public loss! Zhao Tuo felt grateful to the Patriarch whom he had casually recognized, and decided that no matter what strange things he did in the future, he would blame them all on Gongshu Pan.
Great public transport! The omnipotent Gongshu-like! When he arrived at Li Mansion and got off the car, Zhao Tuo still had a smile on his face.
But when he was welcomed into the house by Li Si, and after some greetings, when he asked about Li You, he was surprised to find that the other party had left overnight.
"The edict was issued just yesterday, and it doesn't matter if it lingers for a few more days. Why is Brother Li so anxious? Is it because I came to visit?" Zhao Tuo muttered in his heart, but on the surface he was chatting happily with Li Si.
Even this time as a guest, Li Si called his neutron Li Yu out to meet Zhao Tuo.
"I have admired the reputation of the great concubine for a long time. I only regret that Li Yu had not joined the army before. Otherwise, he would have followed the great concubine to sweep the world and made meritorious service and worshiped him!" Li Yu looked enthusiastic, and he was full of compliments to Zhao Tuo as soon as he came out.
"You're welcome, Mr. Li." Zhao Tuo nodded slightly in agreement. He felt that Li Si, the second son, spoke a little falsely, but was not as down-to-earth as Li You, expressing all his thoughts.
However, Zhao Tuo didn't think too much about it. Now that he was in a high position and famous, it was normal for the other party to want to curry favor with him and be extra enthusiastic.
After some polite greetings, the guests and hosts took their seats. Li Si clapped his hands and asked the maid to bring food and drinks. Between the fruit and the wine, there is an exquisite lacquer plate containing two baked golden wheat cakes.
"This noodle made by the eldest concubine is really good, especially the wheat cakes. I like it the most. The eldest concubine can try the taste of my wheat cakes." Li Si sat at the main seat with a smile on his face. , stretched out his hand and made a gesture of invitation.
Li Yu, who was sitting next to him, smiled and said, "Yes, my father loves this wheat cake the most, and he has come up with many ways to eat wheat cakes. If you try it, you may be surprised. "
"In that case, I should try it myself." Zhao Tuo smiled back and reached out to pick up a wheat cake from the plate.
I saw that this wheat cake was about the size of a palm. It was baked golden brown by the cook.
Zhao Tuo didn't hesitate and took a bite. Feeling the taste in his mouth, his face suddenly showed surprise.
He took a look at the wheat cake with a chip in it and saw that there was pork mixed with sauce in the middle of the cake.
"This is a meat-stuffed pot helmet!"
"This Li Si is quite good at eating." Zhao Tuo secretly praised in his heart, put down the wheat cake in his hand, and said to Li Si: "This wheat cake is filled with meat, and the flavor is indeed different. It is really a good thing, Mr. Li is so delicious. ." Seeing that the inventor of wheat cakes praised his eating method, Li Si smiled proudly.
He stroked the long beard under his chin and said, "I'm too proud to be a concubine. It's a pity that the season has passed. Otherwise, in the past two months, fresh Huainan citrus would have been shipped. Use the citrus to dip into the sauce and taste this wheat cake. This is the delicacy of the world. You should ask the concubine to try it in the future." Eat Guokui with citrus sauce?
What a strange way to eat. Zhao Tuo's mouth twitched slightly, but he still praised Li Si for his elegant taste.
After another chat, Li Si toasted to Zhao Tuo and said: "Last time, thanks to the chief concubine's advice not to go into the mountains and forests, my son was able to achieve meritorious service in Nanjun. I would like to thank the chief concubine here." Jiu returned the favor and said: "Li Gong is joking. Brother Li's meritorious service in Nanjun is all due to his own ability. I don't have any credit. On the contrary, I want to thank Li Gong for speaking uprightly in the palace before." Zhao Tuo and Li Si They thanked each other and toasted each other with drinks, which actually surprised Li Yu next to them.
What is the father saying? The last time my brother defeated the Yi people in Nanjun, was it actually Zhao Tuo's credit? Just when Li Yu was thinking wildly.
Li Si's face became serious, and he cupped his hands to Zhao Tuo and said: "This time my son is going to Shu, so as to pass through the southwestern barbarians and attack the Dian Kingdom. The chief general is a famous general on the battlefield and has rich experience. I am brave, Please ask the eldest concubine to come up with some ideas for my son so that he can achieve meritorious service." Zhao Tuo raised his eyebrows, this Li Si would definitely look for opportunities.
However, Li Si had previously solved the difficulties of the group of Confucian doctors in the main hall. Although it was for the benefit of their Legalists, it did help Zhao Tuo a lot.
Zhao Tuo naturally wanted to accept this favor. Zhao Tuo thought for a while and then said: "I have never been to Shu, so I can't say much about the specific tactics. But as far as I know, Southwest Yi is the collective name for the Yi people near Shu by the Qin people. They are not a country or a country. A clan is a group of countless tribes. They also have vendettas and personal hatreds among themselves and are not one body."
"So Brother Li wants to pacify the southwestern barbarians as soon as possible and reach the Dian Kingdom. The best way is to use the strategy of differentiation."
"You can bribe some of the tribes, and then use the hatred between them to control the barbarians with the barbarians, win over most of the barbarians, and eliminate the few who resist."
"In this way, you only need to spend some money to pacify the country and open the way to the Dian Kingdom. You can even win over the barbarians to attack the Dian Kingdom together and complete the emperor's order." Zhao Tuo talked. And talk.
The First Emperor wanted to destroy the Dian Kingdom, but there were southwestern barbarians blocking the way. If he wanted to destroy the Dian Kingdom, he had to clear the way.
Compared with the Yi people in Nanjun who colluded with the Chu people and openly rebelled against Qin, the tribes in southwestern Yi did not have any deep hatred against Qin.
Instead of spending a large amount of troops to fight and conquer them and kill them one by one, it is naturally best to spend money to bribe them.
Some of the utensils and cloth of the Qin people are good things in the eyes of the Yi people. It doesn't cost much to recruit a large number of thugs, and then eliminate those die-hards, and then the road safety can be smoothly guaranteed, allowing the Qin army to arrive in Yunnan. , to eliminate the King of Dian, who was regarded as a thorn in the side of the First Emperor.
This is what Zhao Tuo can think of to deal with the southwestern Yi.
"Dividing and drawing together is the reason why our Qin State was able to defeat the six kingdoms. Using the barbarians to control the barbarians is a wonderful saying. He is indeed a famous general of our Qin State. I admire him." After Li Si thought about it carefully, he felt that Zhao Tuo What he said was true, a smile appeared on his face, and he thanked Zhao Tuo with his hands.
"Although Zhao Tuo has some quarrels with You'er, his method is indeed good. I should write a letter to inform You'er."
"But you have to wait for a while before sending it out. You'er knows that Zhao Tuo will come to visit today. If you send it out now, he will probably guess something. After a while, I asked a veteran general again. , There is no doubt that you will."
"As long as he follows Zhao Tuo's method, he will definitely be able to pass through the southwestern barbarians and destroy the Dian Kingdom." Li Si smiled.
As an old father, he was worried about his son.
