The courtiers left the Xuanshi Hall one after another. Liu Bei left all the ten people he left behind to watch, and then a dozen people dressed as scribes entered the hall.
"Your Majesty, what are you doing?" Zhuge Liang hesitated.
"Brother?" Zhang Fei's face was full of curiosity.
Liu Bei explained with a smile: "This is the most famous painter in the capital. Many of you will go on an expedition soon. I asked them to paint the portraits of the ministers, so that I can see them on weekdays."
"I see." Guan Yu stroked his beard and nodded, not knowing what he was thinking.
"Then let's begin." Liu Bei waved his hand, and the painters each decided on the candidates, sat down cross-legged in the Xuanshi Hall, and began to paint.
He was bored while painting, so Zhang Fei suggested to Liu Bei: "Your Majesty, it's too boring for everyone to sit here like this. Why don't we let Ziyu tell stories? I remember that he used to be very good at telling stories."
"Ziyu?" Liu Bei asked tentatively.
Lan Tian was startled when he heard this, and quickly shook his head and said, "Yide said it was in the past. When you are fighting outside, you must have exciting stories, Zilong, don't you think so?"
"Well, actually everything was fine. Yundu acted according to the strategies of the military advisors, so the process of conquering Cao Zhen went smoothly. But your disciple Shi Zai is remarkable. He actually successfully crossed the canyon. If it weren't for his surprise attack from Jincheng Guzang, I'm afraid we'll be late for class for two months." After Zhao Yun finished speaking, he looked at Huang Zhong, intending to let the other party testify.
Huang Zhong and Zhao Yun had a tacit understanding and nodded in reply: "General Zilong is right, General Deng is really blessed, General Lan is really a good teacher."
"This has nothing to do with me. Shizai entered Sichuan when he was a teenager. I think it was influenced by His Majesty's blessing. Everything in the world belongs to you." Lan Tian replied modestly.
Liu Beilong was overjoyed and pointed at Lantian and laughed: "Yide is right. Ziyu can indeed speak. If you can speak, please speak more."
"Ah this." Lan Tian was at a loss.
Zhang Fei suddenly remembered something and hurriedly asked Zhao Yun: "By the way, Zilong, Zhong Ling and Yin Ping got married a few days ago. Why did you take the Qingzhi Sword as a congratulatory gift? I have never seen you like this before His Highness the Crown Prince's wedding."
Zhao Yun replied awkwardly: "That was an agreement between Zhong Ling and I. He was only a few years old more than ten years ago. Besides, the prince doesn't like to practice martial arts, so he gave me a basket of footballs."
"Are you kidding me? More than ten years ago? How old is Zhong Ling now?" Zhang Fei looked unbelieving.
"It's true. Yide also knew that Zhong Ling was bold since he was young. When he saw the Qingzhi sword cutting iron like clay, he liked him very much," Zhao Yun explained in a low voice.
Lan Tian added awkwardly: "It was originally Tong Wuji's words, but who would have thought that Zilong would take them seriously."
"Zhao Yun's promise counts for everyone, no matter how old he is. Moreover, Zhong Ling's martial arts is outstanding among the younger generation, and the Qingzhi Sword is more useful in his hands." Zhao Yun replied solemnly.
"Zilong is a true hero." Liu Bei nodded in appreciation.
Zhang Fei looked at Lantian and muttered: "Ziyu, see for yourself. The people around you are the ones who talk and talk. If you don't tell me stories today to relieve my boredom, just make some new dishes to try in the evening."
"Third brother, Ziyu, his wife and daughter have just arrived in Beijing. How can they have time to prepare new dishes for you? What a nonsense." Liu Bei scolded softly.
"Well, aren't we talking about interesting things in the military? Why did you bring the topic to me again?" Lan Tian looked bitter.
Zhang Fei laughed and said: "Deng Shizai is your disciple, right? He has made meritorious service under Zilong, and Lan Zhongling is your son, right? He has made meritorious service under my second brother, and I can't do without you no matter what."
Lan Tian swallowed his saliva, pointed at Zhuge Liang and said: "The prime minister won a great victory when he led the army for the first time. Since he has suppressed the rebellion and stabilized ethnic relations, don't you want to know how he used his troops? This has nothing to do with me, right?" "
"Ziyu, there really is." Zhuge Liang slapped him in the face on the spot.
"Isn't it?" Lan Tian looked surprised and then asked for confirmation: "Didn't you use Ma Su's heart-warming strategy to capture and control Meng Huo seven times to make the Southern Barbarians return?"
"Yes, it really has something to do with you." Zhuge Liang shook his head.
"Hahaha, I knew it, military advisor, tell me something quickly." Zhang Fei smiled heartily.
Seeing Lan Tian's confused face, Zhuge Liang explained with a smile: "Did Ziyu forget? During the entire southern expedition to quell the rebellion, General Sha's barbarian soldiers had been restraining the enemy behind the enemy lines, so the pacification was so fast. The last of the seven captures and seven verticals The capture is also due to him."
"Shamoko?" Lan Tian frowned.
Zhuge Liang nodded, "To be precise, it was Lu Tie under his command. I remember when I finally captured Meng Huo, I asked General Sha to use my banner as a suspect. Both Liang and General Lu Tie rode in four-wheeled wooden carts, and Meng Huo fell into the trap. When he saw the four-wheeled vehicle, he rushed towards it, preparing to chop him and the vehicle into pieces. Finally, General Lu hit him with an iron crutch."
"Hahaha, Lao Lu is such a wonderful man." Zhang Fei couldn't stop laughing, and everyone in Xuanshi Hall couldn't help laughing when they thought of that scene.
Lan Tian was speechless. He really didn't avoid himself, so he changed the subject and asked: "I asked Gao Boping to send a veteran to help Samoko, but I didn't expect that he would take Lu Tie with him, who had limited legs and feet. They didn't have any during the southern expedition. Are you injured?"
"The barbarian soldiers are more adaptable to the mountainous areas than the Han army I brought. Liang didn't know that Ziyu had gone to Chang'an to serve. Otherwise, he would have let them go north to Chang'an together and drink Zhongling's wedding wine." Zhuge Liang shook his head slightly.
"Your Majesty, we have so many portraits, where are you going to hang them?" Zhang Fei and Lan Tian were sitting directly across from each other. He raised his head and glanced at the other's portrait. Sure enough, the painting was lifelike and expressive. He looked younger than himself in the painting, and his heart was It is said that the painters His Majesty has found have some real skills, and I think his own portraits should be pretty good too.
"Qilin Pavilion." Liu Bei didn't intend to hide his weakness.
"Ah? Is it that empty room?" When Zhang Fei didn't take it seriously, Zhuge Liang, Fazheng, Pang Tong, Xu Shu and others were all shocked, thinking that this was a big deal by your Majesty.
"Your Majesty, this..." Zhuge Liang stopped talking.
Liu Bei smiled slightly: "You are all my friends. In addition to this painting, I will also have other rewards tomorrow."
Even Lan Tian couldn't guess the reward Liu Bei promised. Everyone looked solemn on the way out of the palace, but Zhang Fei and Huang Zhong had the most natural expressions.
Zhang Fei was really shameless and followed Lan Tian back to his house to have dinner. Zhang Fei's straightforward character has not changed for decades. It is true that a man will remain a boy until he dies.
At night, Huang Zhong, who had had little sleep, slept deeply. When he saw Zhang He's appearance during the day, he suddenly felt that the thing pressing in his heart disappeared, and his body became much lighter. When painting, he closed his eyes and rested, as if he was sitting on a cloud. .
Huang Zhong slept so deeply that he couldn't get up on time for the court meeting the next day. It wasn't until the chamberlain from Weiyang Palace came to inquire that he struggled to get up from the couch.
Seeing that Huang Zhong was ill, the chamberlain wanted to let him stay at the house to rest and return to the palace to report to Liu Bei. However, Huang Zhong learned that Liu Bei had summoned officials to announce something important, so he had him carried into the palace. Go to Xuanshi Hall.
"Old General, what are you doing? I will send you the imperial physician immediately." Upon seeing this, Liu Bei stood up directly.
"I was so happy yesterday that I drank a few too many drinks. Please forgive me, Your Majesty." Huang Zhong clasped his fists in salute and deliberately lied to Liu Bei.
Because Liu Bei still had important matters, he did not inquire into Huang Zhong's physical condition, and then asked his chamberlain to read out the edict.
In recognition of the great heroes who established the country, Liu Bei named Lantian, Zhuge Liang, Pang Tong, Fazheng, and Xu Shu as the Five Dragons, and Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Ma Chao, Huang Zhong, and Zhao Yun as the Five Tigers.
The ten ministers of Dragon and Tiger, collectively known as the Ten Wings of Yanhan, have their portraits hung in the Qilin Pavilion for generations to come to admire.
(End of chapter)
