After hearing Li Hao's words, Zhao Ceying said: "The emperor's kindness is so great that we, father and son, are grateful.
But the official's decree only said that my father was summoned to Beijing, but it did not explain the purpose of going to Beijing.
Let me tell Mr. Li the truth today. My father and son have always been feared by the imperial court. They dare not go to Beijing this time because they are really afraid of becoming the losers in this turmoil. "
Li Hao smiled and said, "What you mean by this is that you want to bargain with the officials."
At this time, Zhao Ceying hurriedly explained: "Of course we don't dare to do this. I just hope that Mr. Li can help convey this to the palace, so that our family can feel at ease.
As long as I have this reply, I can persuade my father to accompany him to Beijing. "
After hearing this, Li Hao was silent for a long time and asked, "Why don't you tell Mr. Han about this matter? Wouldn't it be safer if he agreed to this matter?"
Zhao Ceying replied: "No need to trouble Mr. Han with some trivial matters. I believe that as long as Mr. Li is willing to help, it can be done."
Hearing this, Li Hao looked at Zhao Ceying, and Zhao Ceying did not avoid his eyes. The two looked at each other for a while.
Li Haocai said: "Okay, I will inform the officials about your words, but I don't know how the officials will respond."
Zhao Ceying quickly thanked him and said, "No matter what the official reply is, my father and son will remember Mr. Li's help."
Afterwards, when Li Hao saw that the topic was finished, he planned to leave. However, before leaving, Li Hao asked one last question: "Does the regiment training officer know what we said today?"
Zhao Ceying replied: "This is what I want to say. I haven't mentioned it to my father before. I guess my father doesn't know."
Hearing that this was not consistent with the previous promise, Li Hao did not pursue the question further.
"Yes, I understand." After Li Hao said this, he said goodbye to Zhao Ceying and returned to his yard.
In the evening, Han Qi called Li Hao over for questioning. When Li Hao arrived, he found that Ouyang Xiu was also in the room, and he didn't know what the two were talking about.
Seeing Li Hao come in, Han Qi asked, "Have you made any arrangements for the transfer of people you mentioned yesterday?"
Li Hao replied: "Today I have sent people to rush back to Bianjing. If the speed is fast, I estimate that they will be able to reach Yuzhou in three days."
After hearing this, Han Qi said: "Okay, I will leave this matter to you. If you have any news, let me know in time."
Then he signaled Li Hao to go down, but Li Hao said at this time: "Master, Zhao Ceying, the son of the regimental training envoy, found me today and told me something."
These words immediately attracted the attention of the two people, and Han Qi asked: "What did he say."
So Li Hao told what Zhao Ceying said to him specifically today.
After the two listened, Ouyang Xiu asked first: "He said this was what he wanted to ask himself and it had nothing to do with his father. You were talking to him directly. Do you think his words were true or false?"
Li Hao replied: "In my opinion, Zhao Tuanlian should know this.
But I think it doesn't matter whether this is true or not. As long as Zhao Ceying has this idea, it will not be that difficult for his son to persuade his father. "
Hearing this, Han Qi said: "Since he wants to answer, you might as well help him ask, but not now, wait until your people have finished inquiring about the information."
"Yes," Li Hao replied, and then after confirming that there was no problem, Han Qi asked Li Hao to leave first.
After Li Hao left, Han Qi said to Ouyang Xiu: "It seems that our regimental trainer is not so calm as water."
Ouyang Xiu said: "It is the throne after all. Who can not be moved if it really falls on you?
But depending on this person’s temperament, if he is really allowed to take the throne, will it have any impact on what we will do next? "
Han Qi sighed at this time: "How do I know this? I can't see through people's hearts, but we are all in the court now, so we just try our best to advise."
Ouyang Xiu also said at this time: "Yes, that's the only way it can be. It's such a pity that now we have finally started from scratch, but we have encountered this situation. It's really unpredictable."
Then a silence fell between the two of them.
In the next few days, officials from Bianjing took turns visiting Zhao Zongquan, thinking of various excuses to persuade Zhao Zongquan to enter the capital.
But in contrast, Han Qi and Ouyang Xiu were silent. The two seemed to have forgotten about this mission. Except for meeting Zhao Zongquan on the first day, they never looked for him again.
Li Hao was even more relaxed here. After all, his mission was mainly to protect people. Now everyone is staying at the Tuan Lian Envoy's residence, so there is no problem in terms of safety.
Li Hao was more relaxed on weekdays, so he just went to Yuzhou City for a walk.
The main thing was that Li Hao was wandering around with two guards. As for Zhao Ceying, who said he wanted to take Li Hao out for fun, after talking to Li Hao, he didn't see anyone for several days.
Until that day, Li Hao had just left the Tuan Lian Envoy Mansion when he saw the stone.
So Li Hao found an excuse to get rid of the guard and went to find a stone. Then the two of them found a restaurant and talked in a private room.
Li Hao asked: "Why did you bring people here? Your injuries are healed!"
Shitou replied: "The injury has been healed a long time ago. It just so happens that my son is staying at home to observe his filial piety and doesn't need me to do anything. So after receiving your letter, he asked me to bring someone over to help."
Li Hao said: "That's good, after all, I can feel more at ease when you do things.
How many people did you bring this time and where are they arranged now? "
Shitou replied: "Didn't you say that this time you just want people to inquire about information, so I picked more than twenty smart people and brought them over.
They are not good at fighting, but they are definitely good at walking around the streets and asking for information.
To avoid attracting others' attention, I left them all waiting outside the city, and I entered the city alone.
I was thinking about how to notify you, but you came out on your own. "
Li Hao was still satisfied with Shitou's arrangement, so he said: "Then you will go out of the city and tell them later, and let them disperse directly to various parts of Yuzhou to find out the news, but do not arouse others' suspicion.
After five days, let them meet in the city and summarize the situation together. "
After talking about the business, Li Hao asked again if anything happened in Bianjing City after he left.
Then Shitou said: "There hasn't been much going on in Bianjing City recently, everything has been calm.
The only thing that had some movement was the competition you organized. There were really a lot of people participating this time.
Carriages come in and out of the city from Wansheng Gate every day, batch after batch, from morning to night. "
Li Hao just felt relieved when he heard this, and then heard Shitou say: "Nothing big happened in Bianjing City, but there is a big thing happening in your family.
Since you were sent to Yuzhou by the officials, more people have come to your home to discuss marriage, and Mrs. Yuan has also been to your home.
They forced your parents to live in a village outside the city before they stopped. "
Li Hao could still understand the large number of people visiting his home.
But when Shi Shi specifically named Mrs. Yuan, Li Hao was a little confused and asked curiously: "Which Mrs. Yuan can still force my mother to leave?"
Shitou explained: "Who else could it be? It's for Yuan Wenshao and his family of Uncle Zhongqin's Mansion. It's for their legitimate daughter Yuan Wenying to tell.
When he went to your house, he took the girl from the Sheng family with him. Your mother couldn't bear to directly refute the Sheng family's reputation, so she thought of avoiding him first. "
After hearing this, Li Hao was a little annoyed. He didn't expect that Yuan Wenshao's family could cause him trouble. It seemed that he had to find something for Yuan Wenshao to do when he went back to save him from being idle.
But as I thought about it, I suddenly felt something was wrong and asked, "How do you know the news about my family so clearly?"
Suddenly hearing Li Hao's question, Shitou hurriedly retorted: "I heard it by accident. I told you as soon as I thought about it."
Li Haozhui said, "Isn't that right? Mrs. Yuan brought Sheng Hualan to my house. You know that it's okay.
But how could you possibly know what they talked about specifically?
There are so many mouths between people and the Yuan family's servants.
Or maybe Gu Tingye asked Yuan Wenshao directly and then found out from Sheng Hualan, but why did Gu Tingye ask this? "
Shitou quickly defended: "I really didn't ask specifically, I just heard it by accident."
But Li Hao didn't believe this, and after thinking of Gu Tingye's somewhat different attitude towards Minglan, he said directly: "You still haven't told the truth, Gu Tingye is not looking at my house, but the Sheng family.
How about I tell the Sheng family before I return to Beijing that Gu Tingye has been sending people to keep an eye on them? What do you think? "
Upon hearing this, Shitou was stunned and asked, "How did you know?"
Hearing this, Li Hao immediately smiled and said, "I didn't know it at first, but now I know that Gu Tingye is interested in Minglan again."
After hearing this, Shitou asked, "What, has my young master ever taken a fancy to you?"
Li Hao did not answer, but just analyzed: "Gu Tingye thought that my mother might let me marry Minglan, so he specifically inquired about my family's news, right?
Even among the Yuan family, it was Gu Tingye who instigated it. Then Yuan Wenshao thought it was a good idea, so he told his mother, right? "
But Shitou was reluctant to speak. Seeing this, Li Hao threatened: "Okay, you don't have to say anything. Then when I return to Beijing, I will tell my mother that he should go to the Sheng family to marry Ming Ming." orchid.
I think the old lady of the Sheng family and my Uncle Sheng won't refuse, so you ask Gu Tingye to prepare the gifts. "
Hearing this, Shitou couldn't hold himself any longer and said, "Don't try to embarrass me. If anything happens, you can go back to my young master."
After hearing this, Li Hao roughly figured out that Gu Tingye was probably responsible for this. Then Yuan Wenshao and Sheng Hualan thought this was good, and then Mrs. Yuan came forward.
But this matter doesn't matter for the time being. After all, the Wei family will not agree, so there is no need to worry, just wait until you return to Bianjing to deal with it.
Then Li Hao told Shi Shi: "Okay, I won't make it difficult for you. I will settle the score with Gu Tingye when I get back.
You should arrange things as soon as possible, and then come to the city to find me after gathering the information. "
Hearing this, Shi Shi was granted amnesty and hurriedly said goodbye to Li Hao and left.
Then Li Hao went down to the restaurant, walked around the city for a while, and then returned to the Tuan Lian Envoy Mansion. This time he happened to see the Geng brothers and Xiao Duan practicing in the martial arts field again.
Only this time, Shen Congxing and Zhao Ceying were neither here, nor did they know what they were doing.
After taking a look, Li Hao was about to leave, but then he heard a little teasing voice: "Master Li, why are you just standing there watching and don't want to try it out?"
Li Hao said: "No, I still have things to do, you guys are busy."
After saying that, he was about to leave. Seeing Li Hao's behavior, Xiao Duan just thought that Li Hao was not good at martial arts, so he made excuses.
So he said, "Well, I thought Mr. Li was afraid of making a fool of himself in front of others, so he didn't dare. It turns out that something happened.
Then Mr. Li, just go and get busy. We can all understand. "
After hearing this, Li Hao immediately stopped leaving. After all, he was provoked to come to the door, and Li Hao's flexible self-esteem bottom line.
When facing Xiao Duan, there is no need to swallow his anger.
So he said: "Listening to what brother Xiao Duan said, it seems that I can't do anything today without showing my hand.
But it’s not interesting for me to demonstrate alone. Why don’t I compare it with Brother Xiaoduan? What do you think? "
Xiao Duan immediately agreed after hearing this: "Okay, that's really what I want."
Then I heard Li Hao say: "But this competition alone is not interesting. There must be a lottery to stimulate the abilities of both parties, don't you think?"
Xiao Duan also felt something was wrong when he heard Li Hao take the initiative to increase the weight, but he thought about what Li Hao, a scholar, could do.
So he agreed and said, "Okay, then tell me what the lucky draw is."
Seeing Xiao Duan take the bait, Li Hao said: "Let's do this. Since it's a martial arts competition, let's
Just use weapons as bonuses.
This time I came, and I brought with me a precious sword given by the government. It can make quick decisions and is extremely sharp. I will use this sword as a lucky draw.
If I lose, this knife will belong to Brother Xiao Duan. As for Brother Xiao Duan, if he loses, just give me a similar weapon. What do you think? "
Hearing this, the Geng brothers quickly grabbed Xiao Duan and whispered, "Such an object is worth thousands of gold. How can you have such a thing? Refuse it quickly, otherwise what will happen if you lose."
After all, he is an important member of the court, and I am afraid that even the regiment training envoy will not be able to speak for you. "
After listening to the Geng brothers' persuasion, Xiao Duan suddenly hesitated.
Although Li Hao on the side didn't hear clearly what they were talking about.
But he could roughly guess it, so he said, "Since Brother Xiao Duan doesn't want to, let's forget about it. You guys are busy while I go do some work."
After saying that, he turned around to leave and saw Li Hao was about to leave.
Xiao Duan said: "Who says I don't want to? Let's compete. If I lose then, I will find you a good weapon like this."
Hearing Xiao Duan's agreement, Li Hao quickly replied: "Okay, brother Xiao Duan is proud, then it's up to you to tell us how we should compare."
Xiao Duan thought for a while and said, "Let's compete in three competitions. First we compete in archery, then we compete in bare-handed skills, and finally we compete in weapons. What do you think?"
Li Hao agreed: "Okay, then just follow what brother Xiao Duan said."
Seeing that Li Hao agreed, Xiao Duan asked someone to bring the bows, arrows and targets and set them up in the martial arts field.
While waiting, Li Hao also ordered his guards to go to his room and bring him the knife that was the prize.
At this time, Lao Geng said to Xiao Duan: "Why did you agree? If you lose, where will you find such a weapon?"
After hearing this, Xiao Duan replied: "How could I lose? Seeing the way he turned around and left after hearing this, it was obvious that he was trying to save his face and wanted to scare me away with a priceless jackpot.
Just watch, and when I win that knife back, I'll open your eyes too. "
At this time, Lao Geng said again: "Looking at the way he decisively agreed after you agreed, it doesn't look like a bluff."
Xiao Geng next to him said at this time: "That may be just a way of forcing us to think like you, brother, so that we can give in.
He is a prodigy, and he must be holding a book to read. How capable can he be? "
Then Xiao Duan also spoke in agreement. Seeing the optimistic looks of these two people, Lao Geng felt something was wrong in his intuition, but the deal was settled, so he didn't say anything more.
After a while, Li Hao's sword arrived.
Li Hao deliberately demonstrated the sharpness of the knife to everyone. He directly pulled out a piece of hair and placed it on the blade, and then gently blew the hair.
Then they saw that the hair was divided into two parts, and they could only see the small section and couldn't take it out. After all, which warrior doesn't like magical weapons.
At this moment, the bows, arrows and targets were all set up, and Xiao Duan just wanted to get the knife as soon as possible.
So he hurriedly pulled Li Hao to start. Li Hao naturally didn't care about this, and asked Xiao Duan to come first, and he would take action later.
Xiao Duan was not modest, so he went over confidently, picked up a stone bow, walked a hundred steps away from the target, and hit the bullseye with three arrows.
Then he looked at Li Hao and signaled Li Hao to come and shoot arrows.
However, Li Hao took a look at the distance, then shook his head to indicate that he would not go to the location chosen by Xiao Duan.
Seeing this, Xiao Duan thought Li Hao couldn't do it, so he said, "If Mr. Li can't do it, then you will lose this game and we can start the second game."
Hearing this, Li Hao smiled and said, "It's not that it's impossible, I just think it's a bit simple."
After saying that, he stepped forward and picked up a bow that killed three people with one stone, and walked thirty steps back from where he shot the arrow.
Then Xiao Duan and the Geng brothers took aim at the target. At first, Xiao Duan and the Geng brothers just thought that Li Hao was doing it for the sake of face, and that it would look better if he was farther away and missed.
but
As Li Hao's first arrow hit the bull's-eye, several people's expressions became a little ugly.
Later, when Li Hao failed to hit the bullseye once, the expressions of the three of them dropped. Until all ten arrows hit the bullseye, the three of them were stunned.
It was Li Hao who spoke again: "Brother Xiao Duan, please come to my position."
It took the three of them to come back to their senses, but after seeing Li Hao's gesture, Xiao Duan became a little nervous. His strength was already stable just now, but he was no longer sure about it.
At this time, Xiao Duan felt a little regretful, but had no choice but to walk to where Li Hao was standing and prepare to start shooting.
Of course, the miracle did not happen in the end. A total of nine of the ten arrows shot by Xiao Duan hit the target, but only one hit the bullseye, and one even missed the target and flew out.
Seeing this result, the three people's faces were already a little ugly, but they could only comfort themselves, thinking that there were still two games to come, and as long as they won, they would be fine.
Moreover, Li Hao was a scholar after all. Even if he had some free time after studying, it was understandable that he would practice archery, but real close combat was different.
However, not all of the three were so optimistic. Lao Geng was a little worried at this time, so when no one was paying attention, he quickly sent his subordinates to notify Zhao Ceying to come over quickly.
