Wang Shilang did not cover up, but just avoided it like the middle-aged woman in the post house before: "I am just a thread, how can I dare to say that I am kind to Mrs. Wu?"
He said: "Among the distressed women who were brought back by General Li, there were also some old friends of mine. Therefore, although General Li and Lady Wu did not publicize it widely, I knew about it and was very grateful. Otherwise, how could I be here? Come to ask Madam Wu for help on a night of chaos in the city? I thought about it again and again before coming here."
"The kindness of others to point out the problem is still due to the good deeds planted by Lady Wu. The person who saved Lady Wu was none other than Lady Wu herself at that time!"
Wu Cuicui was stunned when she heard this, and then tears filled her eyelashes.
…
Wu Erlang flew over from the city and saw that there was no preparation for the master's departure in the manor. He already felt a bit ominous in his heart: "Cui Cui, how come..."
Wu Cuicui retreated from her attendants and said seriously: "Brother, I have been confused all my life. I have dragged down so many people. This time, I don't want to drag you down anymore."
She said: "I had a bad relationship with Li Tianrong, and now I follow you to Shunzhou to seek refuge. This is one of the fears and embarrassment. I am worried that I will be stupid and drag my family down again. This is the other. I don't want to Being willing to leave the capital right now is the third reason!"
Wu Cuicui's expression became firm, and she clutched her sleeves tightly, with hatred in her eyes: "My father and brother are dead, my mother is dead, and my second sister-in-law...the father and son have done harm to each other." So many of our family members have died, but now we have to run away in despair and go to live an ignoble existence elsewhere. How can there be such truth in the world? I am not willing to do it!"
Wu Erlang frowned and said: "What if I don't want to give in? Don't I hate it in my heart? But I am not as powerful as others..."
“Opportunities are not something you wait for, they are earned!”
Wu Cuicui said decisively: "I won't leave. Brother, you take a few children and ask the three thousand cavalry to escort you to Shuncheng. I have already asked the servants in the manor if they are willing." Those who are traveling with you will also go together. As for me—just treat me as dead and don’t worry about it anymore!”
She pulled out the dagger, cut off a section of her sleeve and threw it to the ground. She said again: "Just consider me dead and don't care about me anymore! If one day I get my revenge, I will definitely I’m going to find you, otherwise, there will be no need for us to meet again!”
"The Ninth Princess is with the Supreme Emperor, and the two children must be fine. Go to the King of Wei, and don't get involved in military affairs. I hope that the shadow of your ancestors can protect you and survive. The Wu family's bloodline is endless, and this is your greatest strength. I am filial, but as for me - I have my own way to go!"
"It's just a cheap life, what can't you throw away?!"
It was the first time that Wu Erlang saw such a determined and cold look on his sister's face.
He did sense her determination.
"Cui Cui, please take care of yourself."
Wu Cuicui corrected him: "You should say, I hope I will succeed."
…
Wu Erlang took several children and a group of servants from the Wu family, escorted by the three thousand cavalry, and set foot on the road to Shunzhou.
As early as the beginning of his separation from Li Shimin and Li Qiao, he sent people to Shuncheng to deliver a message.
Li Tianrong was filled with sorrow, but he also knew what the defection of the Wu family, a wealthy family, meant to him, so there was no reason why he shouldn't respond.
He agreed to send someone to meet the Wu family.
Wu Cuicui stood on the balcony, looking far into the distance, watching the mighty team disappear from sight, and was speechless for a long time.
Wang Shilang was standing by and asked softly: "Are you really not going to leave? It's still too late for Mrs. Wu to regret it now."
Wu Cuicui asked, "Why don't you go with me, sir?"
Wang Shilang said: "Because my brother and I are not the same people."
Wu Cuicui looked at him sideways.
Wang Shilang said: "Unlike your brother's choice, I really want to meet the famous Li Changshi."
Wu Cuicui was slightly surprised: "I thought that Sir would want to stay here to help the country..."
Wang Shilang said: "Such a crumbling and half-empty pavilion, let it rot happily."
Wu Cuicui asked strangely: "Mr. didn't seem to think this way before?"
Wang Shilang said: "Because at that time, I didn't know what kind of person this Li Changshi was!"
Wu Cuicui asked him: "Are you leaving too?"
"No," Wang Shilang said in a low voice with deep eyes, "We have to wait a little longer."
…
Wang Shilang did not choose to follow Wu Erlang to join the King of Wei, but this obviously did not make the father and son of the Tian family feel happy.
Because Wang Shilang came from a poor family, his ancestors could only serve as governor of one state, and that was several generations ago. His father was actually just an insignificant county magistrate in Xiazhou...
But the Wu family is different!
The ancestors of the Wu family were heroes in the founding of the country. They had followed Emperor Taizu for many years and were granted the title of Duke of the County. Later, they were demoted to the title of Duke of the State. They had the bells ringing, the food was cooked, and the hairpins were worn for generations. It can almost be said that they were the first in the dynasty under the clan. A famous family!
Otherwise, how could the son of the Wu family marry the daughter of a noble concubine, and how could the daughter marry the direct nephew of the Supreme Emperor in a glorious manner? !
Now, such a famous family in the country and the top noble family in the world has gone to the King of Wei with his whole family!
Doesn't this openly declare to the world that the emperor has no virtue and bad character, and is not worthy of inheriting the ancestral temple? !
The most terrible thing is that the King of Wei he defected to is the direct brother of the Supreme Emperor. Apart from the Tian family and his son, it is the most powerful clan in the world today!
The Supreme Emperor and the Emperor would rather let the Wu family surrender to the rebels than surrender to the King of Wei, because the political significance between the two is completely different!
The rebels only shaken the rule of the Tian family, but now the situation is improving, but once King Wei gains power - the Tian family father and son will become a joke in an instant!
The departure of the Wu family has dealt a huge blow to the reputation of the Tian family. What's even more fatal is that this is not just the attitude of an aristocratic family.
That day, the capital was in chaos at night, and people were in panic. In order to fight for power with the Supreme Emperor, the emperor ignored political ethics and raised a butcher's knife against the officials and people of the capital without warning. This move greatly shaken many high-ranking officials in the capital. The popularity of the people has also caused their political tendencies to sway.
Compared to the Tian family father and son who fell out at every turn and had no sense of rules, the King of Wei, who was always known for his courtesy to virtuous officials, seemed much more amiable...
One is a financial product that has gone through a storm and caused them to lose all their money, while the other seems to be in a good situation and rising steadily. Anyone can't help but want to kick the first one away and try the second one. Two...
Not to mention that the big brother on the list ran away overnight, what are they still doing here?
Therefore, after learning that Wu Erlang was leaving with others, several family members couldn't sit still and hurriedly followed him.
The family members were a little uneasy at first: "You just left like that? How can such a big stall be cleaned up so easily..."
But the head of the family made a prompt decision: "Pick up the light ones and take them away, and throw away all the heavy ones! Now hurry up and catch up, and you can still catch up with the Wu family's team. The journey is safe and sound. If it's too late, I'm afraid it will be too late!"
"As for family property - outside of the Wu family, we are the first to go there and buy horse bones for thousands of gold. How can the King of Wei treat us badly?!"
By the time the Emperor and the Supreme Emperor got the news, several families had already left the city. The departure of the officials even frightened the people in the city. Many people felt that they had accompanied the capital in the chaos that night, so they brought their children with them to follow them. Afterwards, he left this place.
The Supreme Emperor and the Son of Heaven no longer care about the internal strife between father and son - because this has indeed shaken the foundation of their rule!
Officials and people abandoned the emperor one after another. This is simply a textbook version of the template of a subjugated king!
But what to do?
Send someone to chase him?
The Wu family still has three thousand cavalry followers, and reinforcements may be sent from the city direction at any time. At this time, the situation is still temporarily controllable. If it really intensifies into a sword fight, it may really be out of control. Got it!
Close the city gates and prohibit officials and citizens from going out?
Wouldn't it immediately cause panic in the city? !
The emperor finally could no longer hide in his turtle shell and joined forces with the Supreme Emperor to stabilize the situation.
The emperor issued an imperial edict to confess his sins to the people of the world and confess his faults bitterly - of course, in a modified way. I am a white lotus, and I was deceived by a traitor like this.
The Supreme Emperor also changed his previous strategy of hiding behind the scenes, and took the initiative to appear in front of everyone as an old man, bedridden, and about to die soon. Then he repeated the old story and summoned the King of Wei. Come to the capital to see you...
At the same time, heavy troops were deployed to the east to set up camp. If things changed, they could rush to Shunzhou in one day's march.
War is about to break out.
…
On the other side, Li Shimin, who was on his way home, was walking and stopping all the way, trying to reconcile the old people of Dezhou and Li Qiao's subordinates. While sharpening his soldiers, he also paid off several places where people had been robbed. The cottage.
Almost stuck, they came to the control range of the troops directly affiliated to the King of Wei.
Looking at the almost faint outline of Qingzhou City, Li Shimin couldn't help but sigh: "Trouble is coming. I have to be humble and swallow my anger..."
Previously, he led five thousand elite men under his command to march westward and rushed to Shunzhou day and night. Did the King of Wei know nothing about it?
It's just that he walked too fast and the King of Wei didn't have time to stop him, and he was thinking that the Crown Prince of Wei was also sending troops to the north, so he didn't make any big move.
Now that I'm back, if I try to act like a normal person and hit King Wei right in front of him without saying a word, I'm afraid it won't be that easy.
At this time, Li Shimin's establishment was still in the name of the King of Wei - his general ordered five thousand elite soldiers without saying a word to rescue the Emperor's favorite general, and even brought him back after the incident. After the whole set of actions is completed, if King Wei can still pretend to be dead throughout the whole process, then he should go to bed as soon as possible, and what else can he dream of dominating the world!
In this way, after Li Shimin returned to the control of King Wei again, he was the first to see the people sent by King Wei to meet him before he even approached Qingzhou.
"Li Changshi has worked hard all the way, and my subordinates are here to greet him on the orders of the prince - this is General Li Qiao, who is famous all over the country, right? He is really handsome and heroic. It is strange to say that it is better to meet him than to be famous!"
The person who came was a middle-aged civil servant with a warm smile and a soothing tone: "Your Majesty has prepared a small amount of wine in Qingzhou, and invites you to come and drink together. I wonder if you two can give me this honor, and follow me?" "
Li Qiao turned to look at Li Shimin. Li Shimin frowned and said, "Your Majesty, I accept your kindness. It's just that it's been a long journey, traveling and sleeping in the open. It's really hard, so I'd rather go to Dezhou to rest for a few days." …”
The middle-aged civil servant's expression changed slightly, and the smile on his face disappeared.
His tone became harsh: "What Li Changshi means is that he doesn't want to give this official this face anymore?"
Li Shimin said in a low voice: "Yes, that's exactly what it means."
After hearing this, the middle-aged civil servant sneered, and a cold light flashed in his eyes: "Did Li Changshi feel that his wings were stiff and that even the prince could not control you?!"
Li Shimin put his hands on his waist and swallowed his anger: "Yes, that's what I mean!"
Chapter 139
Before coming here, this middle-aged civil servant knew what kind of errand he was taking on. When the King of Wei sat high on the throne and asked, "Who can take on this important task?", he did not hesitate. I recommended myself.
Because in his opinion, this is just a task that seems to contain risks, but in fact there is no risk.
Does Li Changsheng dare not to come?
He has some power, and indeed has some talent in leading troops to fight, but his arms cannot twist his thighs. Do you want to use this little family wealth to compete with the King of Wei?
He is still far away!
Not to mention anything else, the entire Dezhou, including all the soldiers under Li Qiao's command, only numbered more than a hundred thousand, while the King of Wei had an army of 400,000!
The disparity in military strength is several times greater.
Why would he, Li Changsheng, dare to disobey King Wei?
The middle-aged civil servant is confident that there will be no danger in this trip.
But at this moment...
