Love Affairs in Chang'an - Chapter 384

Chapter 384 Heroic Ambition
When Qin Mubai left Qiongyu Villa after taking a bath and changing his clothes, he felt that this place was quiet and serene.

“Mother Mei, you know more about romance and enjoyment than I do.” With a faint smile, Qin Mubai left this gentle hometown and headed to the Governor’s Mansion.

Ever since he came to Lanzhou, he had been busy. Recently, everything had gradually returned to normal, and Qin Mubai finally had some leisure. After Su Dingfang came to Lanzhou as Governor-General, he could handle most of the military affairs. There was also Xiao Liang to take care of civil affairs. Qin Mubai, who was assisted by his left and right arms, was finally relieved.

Today, he came to the Governor’s Mansion much later than usual, but it didn’t bother him at all. In the morning, Su Dingfang and Xiao Liang had already handled matters of a day’s size properly, leaving only a few important matters for Qin Mubai to decide in the district.

He had just entered the Governor’s Office and was bumping into Su Dingfang.

Normally, Su Dingfang did not speak much, but his mind was extremely meticulous and sophisticated. At first glance, he looked at Qin Mubai and saw that there was no one around. He smiled and said, “Mubai is proud of himself today. Last night, he must have been very sentimental.”

“Senior Brother will only tease me.” Qin Mubai smiled and sat down to get a cup of tea. He casually asked, “Do you have any important military matters to approve?”

“Of course not.” Su Dingfang replied, “However, there are a few things that I have to report to Major Marshal.”

“Tell me.” Speaking of serious matters, the two of them recovered their status as superiors and subordinates, and Qin Mubai’s expression became a little solemn.

“Firstly, Honglu Temple’s Qing Liu Shanyin left this morning and went to Tibet via Dafeichuan to discuss the marriage proposal.” At this point, Su Dingfang paused and smiled. “Major Marshal didn’t have much contact with Liu Shanyin. This person is a wonderful person.”

“How is it?”

“Smart tongue, quick-witted, meticulous, wise as a fool.” Su Dingfang said succinctly, “It would be appropriate for the Imperial Court to send him as an envoy. Regardless of this, the subtle actions he took before leaving made this lowly position quite interesting.”

“What did he do?”

Su Dingfang smiled and said, “He has prepared four portraits of Princess Wencheng. Before leaving, he asked the King of Jiangxia which painting to show to Tibet’s Zan Pu. Jiang Xia King was such a delicate person, so he naturally wouldn’t explain it openly. Thus, he glanced at him with a cold expression and said, “You do as you please.” Then Liu Shanyin burned the other three portraits. ”

“The ugliest one?” Qin Mubai laughed.

“Major Marshal is smart.” Su Dingfang also smiled and said, “How about this Liu Shanyin is a wonderful person?” When he came to Lanzhou, he should have known that Lanzhou was at least below the commander-in-chief, and that it was all a battle. It could not be said that although this person appeared to be pedantic and weak on the surface, there was also a trace of manly courage in his bones, and he was probably inclined towards the main faction. Just because his position was humble, he did not attract much attention in the court. His actions before leaving were nothing more than expressing his position to the King of Jiangxia and Major Marshal. With such an envoy from Tibet, I thought … ”

Qin Mubai’s eyebrows sank, and a starlight flashed in his eyes. The two of them nodded in understanding and did not continue to speak.

“Major Marshal, I, Lanzhou, need to make two preparations now.” Su Dingfang said, “Firstly, if we become close friends, Tibet will become our Great Tang Alliance’s nephew’s kingdom. Our Lanzhou’s defense center and main forces can retreat northwest and focus on establishing the Anxi Protectorate to manage the Western Regions.” Secondly, if he failed to get close, then the war was imminent. Right now, our troops in Kansai are too scattered and the battle line is too long. Whether Major Marshal should discuss with the Commander-in-Chief or not, we can temporarily withdraw to Gaochang stronghold and stay conservative. We can stand undefeated first, and then make progress slowly. After all, the Western Regions had a complicated situation, with the Tibetan and Western Turkic Tribunals standing in the north and south. “With the strength of a county in Lanzhou, I’m still unable to contend against it for the time being!”

“I’ve also considered this matter for a long time. I’ve always wanted to ask Lord Father Shuai to withdraw first.” Qin Mubai knitted his eyebrows and shook his head awkwardly. “But even if Father understands this logic, he will not withdraw. Otherwise, he would not be the Great Tang Empire with the name of War God.”

‘”That’s right” Su Dingfang sighed deeply and said, “Duke Yi is a hero of the Kingdom of Wings. He is honest and obedient to His Majesty the Emperor. If His Majesty did not ask him to withdraw his troops, he would definitely not take half a step back.”

“Wrong. Even if the Emperor told him to retreat this time, he might not retreat.” Qin Mubai smiled bitterly and shook his head. “Otherwise, he wouldn’t have resisted the decree to attack the eighteen Western Arrays and killed Gao Chang in one go. My father is probably performing the last glory of his life. He’s willing to sacrifice his life for this. Who can persuade him to pull him down at this moment?”

“Since it’s impossible for the Marshal to retreat, we need to follow as soon as possible.” Su Dingfang said, “Liangzhou Xue Wanche has changed to the Yuyang Pass and Pu Changhai, but there are still hundreds of miles away from Gao Chang. If something happened to Gao Chang, he might not be able to rush to the rescue. Furthermore, the Yuyang Pass and Pu Changhai are the key points and hubs of the Western Regions. They are not only the throats of our Lanzhou army, but also the gates of a pair of fists. It was surrounded by enemies on all sides, but once the troops were scattered and the interior was empty, it was very easy for people to take advantage of it and enter. “At that time, not only will all our efforts be in vain, but the Lanzhou Abdominal Region will also face the threat of the enemy.”

“Senior apprentice-brother is very worried. This is precisely the serious illness in my heart right now.” Qin Mubai said with a worried expression, “The biggest problem in Lanzhou right now is that the battle line is too long and the troops are too small.” In the past, our Lanzhou hundred thousand troops firmly hugged each other, guarding Dafeichuan and Liangzhou, and even if there were a million troops attacking, they wouldn’t be in a hurry. It’s different now. We have to attack the city and plunder the land, but we have to defend our territory, and we have to attack the enemy in a thousand li by ourselves. Therefore, although I am calm for a moment, I always feel that there is a huge potential crisis hidden. Once they explode, they might not be able to deal with it. ”

Su Dingfang nodded solemnly and asked, “Then, what is Major Marshal’s plan?”

Qin Mubai raised her head and looked at Su Dingfang with burning eyes. “Tell the truth, I want to-recruit!” She said word by word.

“Ah?” Su Dingfang was stunned, “Recruitment?”

“Yes.” Qin Mubai snorted and said sullenly, “When I left Chang’an, the Imperial Court only gave me ten thousand troops. At that time, I had such an idea.” Previously, there were a total of 100,000 border troops in Lanzhou. Father took 20,000 with him, and I brought back 10,000. In addition to the losses caused by the consecutive battles, saying that we now have 100,000 troops is just an illusion. With just such a small number of troops, it would be good if they could withstand the hundreds of thousands of Tibetan plateau cavalry. What are you going to use to manage and dominate the Western Regions? If I may say so, some of the birdmen in the Imperial Court are truly hungry. Before leaving, giving me tens of thousands of soldiers and horses is considered a great favor. I’m afraid that I, someone from Qin Dynasty, will support my troops and reclaim my regime. I really can’t think of any other way to cure the symptoms other than recruiting troops. ”

“You finally said something useful!” Just as Qin Mubai finished speaking, a loud voice suddenly sounded from outside the door.

Qin Mubai and Su Dingfang were both stunned, “Hou Junji?”

At this time, Hou Junji had already pushed the door open without invitation. He looked at Qin Mubai and Su Dingfang left and right and sneered, “Heh! We’re all here. Not bad, not bad!”

Qin Mubai and Su Dingfang looked at each other and smiled. They cupped their hands and said, “Senior Brother.”

“No, I can’t afford it.” Hou Junji replied casually. He picked up a pot of tea and drank half a pot of it. He waved a horse whip in his hand and sat down on all fours with a muffled snort. “Qin Mubai, what kind of bad soldier are you picking! I’m not going to practice anymore!”

“What’s the matter?” Qin Mubai asked.

“One by one, they are like spoiled big girls. They have delicate skin and tender flesh. They can’t be beaten or scolded. Their subordinates have no work to do and their mouths are very hard. They are not good at anything but eating, drinking, and spreading.” Hou Junji scolded repeatedly, “Such a wicked soldier is in my bones. I, Hou Junji, can’t bring him along. Even if I can nod my head and turn it into gold, it will first be a stone! You can’t give me a pile of shit and let me have some, right?”

“Haha!” Qin Mubai laughed out loud, “Last night, who boasted that it would be effective in twenty days? Now it’s only half a day, why did you give up?”

“Mubai, you must have misunderstood Senior Brother’s intentions.” Su Dingfang smiled faintly and said to Hou Junji, “Actually, Senior Brother is probably here to persuade you to recruit.”

“Yeah, you’re smarter than Qin Mubai.” Hou Junji patted the dust on his legs and stood up. His sharp eyes stared at Qin Mubai and said, “Qin Mubai, Guan Long was originally a place where Han and Hu lived together. The folk customs were strong and the knights were heroic. Since ancient times, they have been so heroic.” If you don’t recruit here, you’re the number one idiot in the world. Apart from that, you have the biggest horse farm in the Tang Dynasty-Longyou Shepherd, and you can easily get ten thousand good horses. “Believe me, in less than three months, I can train you fifty thousand elite cavalry recruits-just fifty thousand more to sweep the plateau and flatten the Western Regions!”

“Sweeping across the plateau and flattening the Western Regions?” Qin Mubai couldn’t help but laugh and ask, “Senior Brother, let me ask you this. Did you feel dizzy and unable to breathe during those few days in Da Feichuan?”

“Yes, a little, but I’m not used to it. What’s wrong?” Hou Junji said nonchalantly.

“Apart from their ferocious cavalry and frozen snow, the other important reason why the Tibetan Plateau is difficult to conquer is because the air there is so thin that ordinary people are unable to adapt to it.” Qin Mubai said, “The reason why I let Xue Wanjun station troops in Dafeichuan to operate there is because I want to use it as a large stronghold to counter-attack the plateau. Anyone who wanted to set foot on the plateau in the future had to adapt there for at least three months. Then, he pushed forward step by step. This was the general strategy I had formulated for Tibet. Of course, for now, it was just a piece of empty talk. I’m just telling you one thing-we can do whatever we want at the right time and in the right environment, and we don’t have to be too ambitious. ”

“Hmph! Look at Ji Qingqing, he’s so old and knows how to teach others a lesson.” Hou Junji coldly snorted dejectedly, “Alright, pretend I didn’t say anything. I’m too lazy to tell you anything. You’re the Governor, and everything is up to you. I’m just making a suggestion, okay?”

“Of course.” Qin Mubai said, “You heard it just now. Recruitment, I also thought of it. But it’s not easy to implement it.”

“That’s your business! I don’t care! Goodbye!” After saying that, Hou Junji strode away.

After Hou Junji left, Su Dingfang smiled and said, “Major Marshal, Hou Junji is such a character. Don’t worry. He actually has good intentions. His words are not rough, but quite reasonable.”

“I know.” Qin Mubai smiled and said, “How can the sixteen guards in the pass be compared to the strong knights of Kansai in Helong?” Here, Han and Hu live together and produce good horses. People take horses as their family’s strong folk customs, and all of them are born good riders. Actually, I’ve had this thought for more than a day or two. But now, our Great Tang has a military system of prefectures, and only a small number of imperial guards are recruited by the imperial court. If I want to set this precedent in Lanzhou, then I will truly take the risk of great indignation. At that time, there will be countless rumors saying that I, someone from Qin Dynasty, will really support my army and establish a separate regime. ”

“But if we don’t recruit, Lanzhou won’t be able to hold on for the time being.” Su Dingfang frowned and said, “This is really a big problem!”

“Actually, even if the Imperial Court allows me to recruit, I might not be able to recruit many soldiers.” Qin Mubai said, “In war, what we fight is money.” If it weren’t for the fact that Mother Mei had secretly gathered a lot of grain this time, our Lanzhou army and people would have had a breakfast. In this current situation, what did someone from Qin use to recruit and nurture soldiers? Ai, this is a vicious circle! Not only was the trade route blocked, but the poor bureaucrats in Lanzhou fell. Lanzhou was poor, but he was unable to develop and nurture his troops. The Imperial Court was constantly on guard against every move of Lanzhou. At this moment, the situation is stalemate. Unless a rare soldier can suddenly break the balance and inject vitality into Lanzhou. Only in this way can we have a bright future. ”

“Where did such a heavenly descending weapon come from?” Su Dingfang smiled bitterly and said, “Right now, we are fighting against Tibet, the Western Turks, and the Western Regions with the strength of a county in Lanzhou. Let’s say something that the young marshal doesn’t want to hear. Sometimes, I can’t stand it anymore, so I hope that I can succeed in getting close to Lanzhou. Let’s try to develop first and then talk about other things.”

“You’re not the only one who has thought about this? Princess Wencheng’s biological father, the King of Jiangxia, also has this kind of contradiction in his heart. He has told me more than once.” Qin Mubai sighed. “Of course, he is one million people who don’t want their daughters to marry on the plateau. But right now, there seems to be no other way to delay the marriage and buy time for Lanzhou to catch its breath. Contradictory, really contradictory! I suddenly feel that no matter who is in front of the overall situation, they are so tiny and powerless.”

“Young Marshal, can you write to the Imperial Court to probe the matter of recruiting soldiers?” Su Dingfang said unyieldingly.

Qin Mubai frowned and thought for a moment before saying, “I will definitely probe. However, I can’t follow an ordinary path. If I write a memorial and hand it to the Imperial Court, I will definitely die in the blink of an eye. Some people will take advantage of my memorial and may even impeach me. After all, this is a deviant and traitorous move that goes against the military system of the Great Tang.”

“Then, what about requesting reinforcements?”

“Stop dreaming! If I could, I would have given it back when I was in Chang’an. Now that I’m not in Chang’an, it’s even more impossible.” Qin Mubai sneered, “The tea is cold before I leave, not to mention that I’m still far away now?”

“Then what should we do? Sigh!” Su Dingfang spread out his hands and sighed heavily. He was also worried.

Suddenly, Qin Mubai’s mind lit up and he slapped the table, “My God! How could I forget my trump card!”

“What? Young Marshal, why do you suddenly remember your Qin Family’s golden trump card? Do you want to practice martial arts?” Su Dingfang’s head was filled with mist.

“Haha! Heavenly Secrets must not be leaked!” Qin Mubai laughed out loud and said, “Senior Brother, I’m going out for a few days. In the next few days, you and Xiao Liang will be in charge of the military and administrative affairs of the Governor’s Mansion!”

“Where is Major Marshal going?” Su Dingfang asked in astonishment.

“I’m leaving!” Qin Mubai dropped this sentence and no one was left.

Su Dingfang was at a loss, so he naturally couldn’t figure out a clue.

After leaving the Great Governor’s Mansion, Qin Mubai went to the Princess Xingyuan and said goodbye to Li Daozong and Princess Wencheng for a few days. As a county magistrate, he naturally had a lot of things to do. Li Daozong did not ask any further. He only told Qin Mubai that he had already warned the messenger, Liu Shanyin, that he had gone to the plateau. Regardless of whether the negotiation and marriage were successful or not, he could delay it for as long as possible. If he was able to delay for a day, then he would be credited. When he returned, the prince and the young marshal would definitely not treat him badly.

Qin Mubai laughed loudly and said, “Your Highness still handles things safely and thoroughly! Time is too important to us now! Liu Shan, this inconspicuous little character, might even be able to play a decisive role at that time! Your Highness’s words are priceless!”

Li Daozong blinked suspiciously at Qin Mubai and said, “Do you have any plans?”

“Not yet, but it might be soon.” Qin Mubai smiled mysteriously and said, “Your Highness, wait a few days. Wait for me to return, and then we’ll talk in detail with Your Highness.”

“Alright, if you need anything, you can go and do it first!”

After that, Qin Mubai invited the four treasures of the study, wrote a letter and told his trusted aides to send them to Dafei Chuan to Xue Wanjun. Then, he brought a trusted guard of only ten people, disguised as casual clothes, and left the Governor’s Mansion to arrive at Qiongyu Villa.

Wu Meiniang was still lying in bed and resting. Although his illness wasn’t as exaggerated as his face was, he was indeed somewhat haggard. If it weren’t for the fact that her face was like peach blossoms with spring dew in her eyes, Qin Mubai would have thought that she was sick.

When Qin Mubai arrived, Wu Meiniang was lying on the couch with a book in her hand. As soon as he entered, Wu Meiniang smiled and said, “It’s bad, it’s bad!”

“What’s the matter?” Qin Mubai was stunned. “What’s wrong?”

“You only left for an hour or two before you came back. Isn’t it ruining your ambition to be so attached to your boudoir?” Wu Meiniang teased, “Is there anything wrong with the Governor’s Mansion today? Why are you back so early?”

Qin Mubai smiled and walked over. She held her hand in her palm and said softly, “Is it better?”

Wu Meiniang blushed and was a little at a loss for whether to laugh or cry. She said angrily, “Why do you sound so strange, as if I was seriously ill or had a child?”

“Haha!” Qin Mubai patted his forehead and laughed, “Mother Mei, come with me to an important place.”

“Where?”

“That’s a place that no one else but me, Qin Mubai, can enter or leave freely, not even the Prime Minister or even the Prince.” Qin Mubai said mysteriously.

Wu Meiniang blinked her big intelligent eyes and smiled sweetly, “Doesn’t this mean that she is already a very important person to you?”

“You’ve always been.” Qin Mubai smiled. “Not only that, you’re like my other half. Do you think I can let half of Qin Mubai go there?”

“Alright, I’m just fooling around again with my sweet words in Hai Tian Hu Di!” Wu Meiniang pursed her lips and smiled, but her smile was extremely intoxicating and gratifying. She stretched out her arms and raised her body, saying in a rare delicate voice, “Why don’t you hug me up?”

Not long after, a few inconspicuous carriages drove out of Lanzhou City and looked northwest.

On the carriage, Qin Mubai and Wu Meiniang were enjoying lunch. Just because he was in a hurry, he brought all the wine and food to the road to eat.

“Mother Mei, you said that you have something important to discuss with me. Can you tell me now?” Qin Mubai asked as she ate.

“Yes.” Wu Meiniang put down her chopsticks and cups and said seriously, “Mubai, I’ve done a few things behind your back. I hope you won’t get angry.”

Qin Mubai paused and asked, “What is it?”

“I’ve finished all my business in the Central Plains. Anything that can be pawned has been exchanged for money and brought to Lanzhou.” Wu Meiniang said, “Apart from an old house in Chang’an, I have left almost nothing behind. In a few days, I will also be preparing to bring my mother over. As for my brother and the others, they will stay in Chang’an to guard the old house.”

“Huh?” Qin Mubai frowned in astonishment and asked, “Why did you do this? It has been so many years, and it took you so much effort to come up with a new look. The Qin Immortal Pavilion in Chang’an and the shops and restaurants in Xiangyang are all rising in the wind. What a pity!”

“No pity.” Wu Meiniang smiled and said, “During my time in Xiangyang, I learned a truth.” No matter how capable a woman was, she could not do anything without a man’s shoulder. Doing business in Xiangyang was a hundred times easier and more profitable than in Chang’an. In the end, it’s not that I, Wu Meiniang, have become capable. It’s because you and Li Ke laid the foundation for me, and your large number of disciples have opened the door for me. In just a short year, I, an outsider Beijing merchant, have become the number one merchant in the Land of Jing Xiang. Outsiders say that I, Wu Meiniang, am smart and capable. In fact, only I understand. In the final analysis, I am only one of your shopkeepers. You are the real boss. ”

“Mother Mei, there’s no need for the two of us to split up so carefully, right? We’ll split up more!” Qin Mubai smiled.

“Actually, I don’t have any other intentions.” Wu Meiniang smiled and said sincerely, “I just want to say that no matter what I do to earn money, half of it used to be for myself. From today onwards, it must be all for you. Because Wu Meiniang is already Qin Mubai’s person. You said that I am half of you, but you are all of me!”

Qin Mubai’s hand paused for a moment and smiled. “Mother Mei, what do you want me to say? … Well, what kind of words are hypocritical and pale in front of real actions. I’ve actually given you very little over the years, and I’ve always been ashamed of that. Now tell me, since you’ve already decided to take root in Lanzhou, what do you want and what do you want?”

“I want to be Zheng Fengchi of the Western Region of Helong!” Wu Meiniang said resolutely, almost word for word, “I still want to surpass the Zheng Clan and reach a height that they have never reached!”

“En!” Qin Mubai nodded, “Don’t worry, I will do my best to help you. To help you is to help myself.”

“You’re wrong, Mu Bai. It’s not that you’re helping me, but that I’m helping you.” Wu Meiniang said, “Don’t underestimate the merchant.” Although merchants were lowly and insignificant, Qian Cailiangmo would have an unfathomable power in places like the Western Region of Helong. You shoulder the heavy responsibility of ruling the Western Regions through the River Dragon System. Without money and grain, you won’t be able to move a single step forward. All I have to do is arrange everything for you. “Mubai, let me say something that I shouldn’t have said. You have the will to be a hero, but when it comes to doing things, you still need to have the courage to be fierce!”

“What do you mean, heroic spirit, courage?” Qin Mubai asked with interest.

“Heroic ambition, grand ambition, unyielding courage, unyielding oath.” Wu Meiniang said, “Although I haven’t been in Lanzhou for a long time, I can tell. Although you are full of ambitions, there are so many restrictions that you can’t use your fists and feet. At this time, you need a fierce heart-why bother about those old rules? Often, becoming a great person is the winner of a challenge! The question is, do you have the courage, Mubai?”

Qin Mubai took a deep breath and his eyes brightened. “Hero’s will, courage …” He said, “Mother Mei, you really are my Zhuge. You’re right, just having ambitions and ideas is far from enough. The key was to see if he had the confidence and courage to go all out! … I’m very ashamed. I’ve always obediently bound myself to the rules and didn’t dare to take a single step over the lightning pool. I am even used to such mediocrity and forbearance, and I am proud of it. ”

“Mubai, you don’t have to blame yourself. Of the ten thousand people in the world, nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine are like this.” Wu Meiniang looked at Qin Mubai with a gentle expression, but there was a trace of sharpness and determination that could not be erased. She said, “But you are Qin Mubai, you must be different. Otherwise, why would Wu Meiniang marry you?”

Qin Mubai was stunned for a moment, and then laughed loudly, “I finally understand why so many men have turned into beauties in the past and present! Mother Mei, if I, Qin Mubai, have any achievements in the future, I will definitely owe it to you. If it goes up and down, it will even be a stench for eternity …”

“Wu Meiniang, I’m with you!”