Wang Bo had already lost his temper at this time, and he could not listen to Lu Zhaolin's persuasion. Lu Zhaolin had no choice but to follow closely, praying in his heart that he could pass this test safely.
The group of people walked two or three miles and saw fireworks rising in front of them. Acton turned back and said with a smile: "My master is in front, please!"
Wang Bo snorted coldly, whipped his whip, and followed. He saw more than a dozen tents not far ahead, surrounded by vehicles. There were probably no more than four or five hundred knights surrounding him. If it weren't for the armor and fang flags, they would have looked like It was an army. When Lu Zhaolin saw it, he became more and more surprised and asked Acton cautiously: "May I ask your master?"
"Brother Sheng, we will be arriving soon. We will naturally communicate when we meet, so why bother asking?" Wang Bo sneered.
Acton heard the words and said with a smile: "You are a straightforward young man, but if you talk like this, you will suffer sooner or later!"
"Young man?" Wang Bo raised his eyebrows: "You don't sound too young. Judging from your appearance, you are younger than me. How dare you call me a young man?"
"You don't know!" Actun laughed and said: "The age of us Mohe people is not measured by whether we were born earlier or later, but by how many wars we have experienced and how many enemies we have killed. If we have never killed anyone in our lives, that is Even if I am a hundred years old, I am not as good as a young boy who kills enemies! Although I am not that old, I have killed so many thieves and bandits!" Acton stretched out his right hand and spread his fingers, then turned it over and said, "May I ask how many people you killed? A thief?"
Before Wang Bo could speak, Lu Zhaolin had already jumped in and said, "So, the warrior is on duty in the army?"
"Not bad!" Acton said proudly: "We've arrived. Please wait here. I'll go in and let you know!"
"No need to communicate!" Wang Bo sneered and said loudly: "Prince Jiangzhou, Fan Yang and Lu Shengzhi are here. Where is the master of the camp? Can you see me?"
This camp was only one acre square, but Wang Bo's voice was so loud that the whole camp heard it. Acton's face changed drastically and he said angrily: "You are such a rude young man, why are you making so much noise here without waiting for me to inform you?" , what should I do if I disturb my master?"
"Don't worry!" Wang Bo smiled proudly: "If your master knew that it was me and Brother Lu who were coming, and it was too late to greet him, how could he blame you?"
Acton paused, wondering what to do, when a man came out of the camp, wearing a brocade robe and a purple gauze scarf on his head, with a majestic expression. Acton was about to bow down and apologize, but when the man saw Lu Zhaolin's expression changed drastically, he quickly dismounted and rushed forward, cupping his hands and saluting: "Isn't this Lu Sheng's brother? Why are you here?"
Lu Zhaolin saw the person coming, but couldn't remember who it was, but seeing that he must have a high status, he quickly dismounted his horse and returned the courtesy: "I don't dare, please forgive me for my blindness, your Excellency, who is——?"
"I am Cui Hongdu, a branch of the Qingzhou branch of the Cui family in Qinghe!" Cui Hongdu said with a smile: "Brother Lu once passed through Qingzhou when I was young. I once caught a glimpse of Brother Lu's style, but I didn't want time to fly by. It has been more than ten years!"
"It turned out to be such a long time ago. No wonder I don't have much impression. How is Brother Cui lately?" Lu Zhaolin looked a little embarrassed when he heard this. He did remember that he had been to Qingzhou more than ten years ago and also visited the local Cui clan. But he had no impression of Cui Hongdu at all. He was probably a passerby at that time. Although Lu Zhaolin was not as famous as Wang Bo at a young age, he was also erudite and good at writing at the age of ten. At the age of twenty, he signed autographs for Prince Deng's palace. He was also a star in a family like Cui Lu. Cui Hongdu would remember that meeting in his heart. Although he could still recognize him at a glance after more than ten years, Lu Zhaolin had no impression of him at all.
"Brother Lu, you have also seen that I can't study well, so I gave up literature and joined the military a long time ago!" Cui Hongdu did not notice Lu Zhaolin's embarrassment, and was full of joy at meeting his idol in his youth: "Now I am a general in Wang Wenzuo's office. , which can barely be considered as falling from the fifth level!"
"Wang Wenzuo? Could it be Wang Wenzuo who was appointed as the envoy to handle the troops and horses in the Jiannan branch camp?" Lu Zhaolin was surprised. He had been traveling in Shu for several years and he still knew a little about the local officialdom.
"Yes, it's him!" Cui Hongdu's face was full of pride: "But the imperial court has transferred him back to Chang'an, and he has another appointment. It happened to meet you on the way back. What a coincidence! By the way, my seventh sister is also in the camp , she is Wang Wenzuo’s wife, and she likes your poems the most. Can you please meet her?"
"This -" Lu Zhaolin turned his eyes to Wang Bo who was standing aside. Cui Hongdu was a smart man and immediately understood what the other party meant and said with a smile: "Is this also a good friend of Brother Lu? Come on, come on, come together!"
"Don't dare!" Wang Bo had a strange feeling in his heart when he saw Cui Hongdu respecting Lu Zhaolin so much: "I'll be with you, Prince of Jiangzhou!"
"Long time admiration!" Cui Hongdu smiled and cupped his hands. He spent the past ten years basically on the Korean Peninsula, Liaodong, and the Japanese archipelago. He didn't spend much time in the country. He rarely discussed poetry with high-ranking nobles, and happened to miss Wang Bo. During this period of time when he was becoming famous, he didn't react much when he heard the name of Jiangzhou Prince An. He thought he was a nephew of Lu Zhaolin and didn't pay much attention to it. Wang Bo saw this and became increasingly angry: "I came to your camp today to beg for birds?"
"Begging for a bird?" Cui Hongdu was stunned. Acton on the side hurriedly told the whole story. Cui Hongdu laughed and said: "So it's just a hunting falcon. If it's something else, just give it back. This thing It’s easy to say, it’s all on me! Brother Lu, wait a moment, I’ll have some good ones brought over for you to choose from!”
Wang Bo was even more angry after hearing this. He originally thought that the other party was an outsider and a bumpkin. He thought that his falcon was an ordinary thing. He was about to taunt him, but Lu Zhaolin interrupted him and said, "It's just a falcon. Brother Cui doesn't need to let it go." In my heart!”
Cui Hongdu smiled and led Lu and Wang into his tent to boil water and make tea. After a while, seven or eight falcons arrived from outside, all of them were extremely majestic. The largest one was nearly 1 meter tall. The two wings are more than 2 meters long. The feathers on the head are white with brown spots, and the upper body is dark gray; the chest is brownish red, and the tail is pure white; its beak and claws are like iron hooks, and its gaze is like lightning, making it scary to look at. Compared with Wang Bo's original hunting falcon, it was simply a pheasant.
"How about it?" Cui Hongdu smiled proudly: "Are these falcons okay? Brother Wang can choose one at will, and I will compensate you for it!"
"Is this one okay?" Wang Bo asked, pointing to the largest falcon.
"You have good eyesight!" Cui Hongdu said with a smile: "This is Haidongqing. The Mohe people call it 'Xiong Kulu', which means the god of eagles. Ordinary falcons can also catch rabbits and wild ducks. This Haidongqing can catch big prey such as swans, roe deer, and even goats. It is so majestic that no falcon in the world can compare with it. For the sake of Brother Lu, why don't you take it today? But Your eagle slave needs to learn how to tame it first, but this beast will die in your hands!"
Wang Bo was overjoyed when he heard this. His original anger had long gone. He thanked Cui Hongdu and happily went out to order Yingnu. Cui Hongdu saw it and said with a smile: "Brother Lu, this is the nephew of one of your family friends. He is still a bit childish. He has forgotten his original temper after getting a new thing!"
"What did Brother Cui say?" Lu Zhaolin said with a bitter smile, "You must have heard that I, the general of the world, will be named alongside Wang Bo, Yang Jiong, and King Luo Bin, right?"
"This is not a false reputation!" Cui Hongdu said with a smile: "Brother Lu's articles have been widely admired throughout the world. Even thousands of years later, the world will read them endlessly!"
"Really?" Lu Zhaolin said with a smile: "Brother Cui is really blind today. The one just now was Wang Bo. When it comes to articles and poems, the other three of us are far behind him, but these four heroes are using the three of us. Just make up the numbers!”
Cui Hongdu opened his mouth wide and couldn't close it for a while: "How, how is this possible? It seems that he is only in his early twenties?"
Lu Zhaolin smiled and said: "If you can write good articles if you live long, everyone who writes the best articles in the world must be an old turtle!"
Cui Hongdu laughed loudly when he heard this: "Yes, yes! We mediocre people really can't understand it. Fortunately, I gave him a sea turtle today, otherwise I am afraid that in a thousand years, he will be ridiculed for not knowing the immortal's descent." World!"
At this time, Wang Bo had returned from outside. He bowed to Cui Hongdu with joy on his face: "Thank you, General Cui, for your generous gift of the eagle!"
"It doesn't matter!" Cui Hongdu said with a smile: "This sea blue is indeed rare elsewhere, but it is not a rare thing here. If Wang Xiandi likes it, just take it and enjoy it!"
"When I was in Chang'an, there were many eagles in the homes of high-ranking officials, but none could compare with this Haidongqing one!" Wang Bo said with a smile: "Even the other falcons are rare in Chang'an, but I don't know. Where did General Cui come from!"
Cui Hongdu smiled: "Just now, Acton said that I would give you a bird, which made you angry. In fact, you can't blame him. This falcon is indeed not a rare thing in his hometown. My master pacified the Japanese country, After Goguryeo and Liaodong, the local tribes were afraid and presented falcons as tribute. In fact, there should be falcons from Liaodong in Chang'an, but it just happened in the past few years. I may not be in Chang'an, so I don't know!"
"That's true. I have been away from Chang'an for several years and I don't know much about the situation in Beijing!" Wang Bo nodded.
At this time, the tea had been boiled. While Cui Hongdu poured tea for the two of them, he called his servants to tell Wang Wenzuolu and Wang the news. The three of them drank a few sips of tea, and the atmosphere in the tent gradually became lively. It turns out that although Lu Zhaolin and Wang Bo had great literary reputations, their official careers were quite bumpy. The former worked as a minor official in Jiannan Road for three years before being dismissed from his official position and became an idler in Chengdu; although the latter became an official at a young age, he offended the emperor because of his poetry and had to leave the political culture of the time. Chang'an, the center, went into self-exile in Shu. In fact, both of them have become politically marginalized people. Judging from their backgrounds and talents, they are both very unsuccessful.
"Hongdu, there is a distinguished guest coming, why don't you lead him to my tent?"
With the sound of voices, the door curtain was opened, and Wang Wenzuo stood at the door. Next to him was a pretty young woman, Cui Yunying. Lu Zhaolin and Wang Bo hurriedly stood up and saluted. Wang Wenzuo waved his hand: "You two are exempt from the courtesy. We met by chance today. We are really destined to meet each other, so we will dispense with the common courtesy and just laugh! Qiniang, I will leave the tea making to you!"
"Yes!" Cui Yunying said with a smile: "I am lucky enough to meet you two today. Please don't be restrained!"
Cui Hongdu gave up the main seat and sat on the right side. Cui Yunying knelt down next to the tea stove. Wang Wenzuo sat in the middle and glanced at the two of them. Lu Zhaolin only felt that the other person's gaze was intimidating, making people lower their heads subconsciously to avoid looking at him. , secretly thinking that Wang Wenzuo has conquered Baekje, Goguryeo, Japan, and Tubo in recent years, and has become extremely famous. Now it seems that being famous is not as good as meeting him!
"Your Majesty!" Wang Bo said with a smile: "I heard from your nobles below that they saw fireworks and came to investigate. I know this is a military law, but this is a country, and you are not marching to fight, but you still have to do this?"
Wang Wenzuo smiled and said: "Most of my subordinates are Rong people. They make a living by hunting and herding. They move among the mountains and fields. Scout inspections have long been a normal thing. Even though they are in the middle of the country, it is just as normal. It makes the distinguished guests laugh!"
Hearing Wang Wenzuo's answer, Wang Bo's expression changed slightly. His question just now actually contained disrespect, but Wang Wenzuo told the truth, seemingly not feeling the hidden meaning in his words at all. He has seen a lot in Chang'an over the years, and he knows that no matter how courteous and hospitable those in high positions may be on the surface, none of them are truly magnanimous. Even if they are slightly different, they will immediately change their temper. There is no one like Wang Wenzuo who talks about things and treats people with level eyes.
"My lord, I see that the arrows used by your entourage are very different from ordinary arrows. Why is this?" Lu Zhaolin stood by and quickly changed the topic to avoid Wang Bo saying the wrong thing again and causing trouble.
"Oh, are you older?" Wang Wenzuo said with a smile.
"Exactly, I have never seen such a big arrow! I'm afraid it's difficult to reach this level of arrows, right?"
"That's true!" Wang Wenzuo said with a smile: "However, although it can't reach far, it can break armor at close range, especially if it hits weak points such as the ribs, face, throat, etc. One arrow can immobilize the enemy. It's not a light arrow. All you can do!"
The people in the tent chatted for a while, and when they mentioned old events in Chang'an, Wang Bo suddenly sighed: "My lord, this time you have been ordered to return to the capital, you are so proud of the spring breeze. I don't know when I will be like you and receive the emperor's order." , return to Chang'an!"
Wang Wenzuo smiled when he heard this and thought to himself that the drama has finally come. No matter how talented these poets in the Tang Dynasty were, they would be regarded as demigods by later generations, but there was only one thing on their mind - the title of the poem would impress the emperor. Entered the court and became a doctor. In today's terms, it is the realization of traffic, but what poets in the Tang Dynasty wanted to change was not money, but power. Regardless of whether they are the Four Heroes or Li Du, what they have worked hard to pursue throughout their lives is to be able to enter the court and establish their merits in serving orders.
(End of chapter)
