At night, the lights are on, the lights of the alum tower are bright, the silk and bamboo are melodious, the warblers and Yanyan laugh constantly, in the most hidden and luxurious suite on the fourth floor, the prince Zhao Huan set down the banquet and specially invited Li Yanqing.

Of course, the prince can't leave the palace at will, and the excuse Zhao Huan made was that the old man of the Zheng family had a small birthday and held a family banquet in the alum building, and he wanted to go to accept it.

Therefore, almost all the people who sat with him were from the Zheng family, needless to say Zheng Rongtai, as well as his grandfather Zheng Ming, uncle Zheng Yin and aunt Yang, father Zheng Sheng and mother Han, and the old man's wife Xiang, all of them came.

And in order to hide people's eyes, a huge word 'longevity' was specially hung on the wall, indicating that today is the old man's birthday.

The seat is also deliberately arranged, the crown prince Zhao Huan sits in the middle, the old lady Zheng Ming on the right, and Li Yanqing on the left, but except for the Zheng brothers, no one else knows the real reason for tonight's treat, and even the old man Zheng doesn't know, he happily thinks that he is really the protagonist tonight.

Mrs. Xiang sat next to her husband, and from time to time threw suspicious and dissatisfied eyes at Li Yanqing, the seat where Li Yanqing was sitting should be her seat, and the stinky boy who came out of nowhere actually sat in the master's seat, which made her very annoyed.

Zhao Huan raised his glass and smiled: "Tonight is the old man's birthday family banquet, all of you are family, everyone is casual, this glass of wine wishes the old man a long life and good health, come!" We drank this cup together. ”

Everyone drank a glass of wine together, Zhao Huan gave Zheng Yin a look, Zheng Yin understood, and hurriedly beckoned, the melodious sound of silk and bamboo sounded, and two graceful dancers danced into the room, Zheng Yin smiled: "It's all your own family, everyone drinks and eats at will!" ”

With Zheng Yin's cover, Zhao Huan whispered to Li Yanqing and said: "It's inconvenient for me to leave the palace, I need to find an excuse, please don't mind Li joining the army." ”

"I understand in my heart, Your Highness doesn't have to explain!"

"I heard that you only came back today, how did you get from this trip to Yunzhou?"

Li Yanqing hurriedly bowed and said: "Under the pretext of opening a shop in Baoyanzhai, I bribed a civilian bandit official with a lot of money in Yunzhou, and got a lot of important information, so it's worth the trip!" ”

"It's dangerous, isn't it?"

"It's really dangerous, Song Jiang heard that the imperial court was going to encircle and suppress them, so he searched for outsiders in Yunzhou, strictly investigated the spies, and escaped by luck by getting the protection of the innkeeper."

"How likely does Li Senjun think it is that we will succeed in destroying the bandits this time?"

"Personally, I think it's about eighty percent!"

"Oh—aren't you completely sure?"

Li Yanqing shook his head, "The battlefield is unpredictable, and it is never possible to be ten percent sure, in fact, the eight achievements are already very high." ”

Zhao Huan sighed slightly: "Yes! Losing four battles in a row, the court talks about banditry, and even I don't have much confidence, if it is really as you say, I am eighty percent sure, then I can sleep well tonight. ”

"Please don't worry, Your Highness, although the Liangshan army has a large number, the good and the bad are uneven, and the infighting is very strong, now that there is a kind of handsome, their arrogant days should be over."

Zhao Huan was in a good mood, toasted Li Yanqing with another glass of wine, and asked, "I don't know what difficulties Li joins the army currently needs my help to solve?" ”

Li Yanqing waited for his words, he nodded and said, "There is indeed a difficulty that is difficult to solve at present, if His Highness is willing to help........

Zhao Huan wanted to win over Li Yanqing, but he was really willing to help him, so he hurriedly said: "Tell me, what is the difficulty?" ”

"That's the case, because the Liangshan bandits have cavalry, so the marshal is also ready to set up a cavalry, and decided to let me command, but the imperial court is unwilling to allocate war horses, resulting in no cavalry available now."

"How many war horses do you want?"

"Two thousand cavalry battalions, one thousand in the main camp, and three thousand war horses are enough."

Zhao Huan frowned, "Isn't there 20,000 war horses in the Heavenly Prison, why don't you want to allocate them?" ”

"Your Highness, not everyone wants to win this time against the bandits.......

Li Yanqing nodded, Zhao Huan nodded, of course he understood in his heart what Li Yanqing was referring to, although Cai Jing retired, his influence in the imperial court was still very strong, and Gao Yu controlled the forbidden army in front of the palace in Bianjing, which was extremely powerful, and without his consent, the Privy Council could not mobilize the forbidden army in the capital.

What's more important is that Gao Yu was defeated in the hands of the Liangshan army, and he never wanted the cultivation of the Dao to win, but this battle was related to whether Zhao Huan's position in the East Palace was stable, and he couldn't stay out of it.

"Don't worry! I'll leave that to me. ”

The crown prince and Li Yanqing kept whispering, and invisibly snubbed the birthday star next to them, Zheng Ming didn't care, just ate and drank happily, but his wife Xiang was a little unbearable.

At this time, she saw Zheng Rongtai get up and go out, so she said to her husband: "I'll go make up some makeup!" ”

She also stood up, and the two maids hurriedly helped her to walk outside, and when she walked out of the door, she immediately scolded her grandson Zheng Rongtai, "San Lang stop!" ”

Although Mrs. Xiang is the wife of the old man, she is the youngest sister of the Empress Dowager Xiang, and the Zheng family is prosperous and wealthy because of her, which makes Mrs. Xiang's status in the Zheng family supreme.

Zheng Rongtai was especially afraid of this step-grandmother, and his grandmother's face was so angry that he trembled all over his body, and hurriedly stepped forward and bowed his head to accept the reprimand.

"Who's that stinky boy?"

Zheng Rongtai understood what his grandmother was referring to, and hurriedly whispered: "He is a good friend of his grandson, named Li Yanqing." ”

"I can understand that you want to invite a friend to celebrate your grandfather's birthday, but how did you arrange the seats? actually let him sit next to the prince, he became the guest of honor, but our Zheng family became a companion, it was unreasonable, hurry up and change the seat for me! ”

Zheng Rongtai saw that his grandmother was getting angrier and angrier the more he talked, and seeing that his anger was about to engulf her, he had to whisper the truth, "Actually..... Today we are indeed accompanied. ”

"What did you say?" Xiang Shi was stunned for a moment.

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is here to see him today, he is the guest of honor, and we are the accompanying guests."

As if she was being hit by a basin of cold water, Mrs. Xiang's anger suddenly disappeared without a trace, and she stood for a moment before asking, "How many high-ranking officials is he, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince values him so much?" ”

"He was the imperial examination last year, and now he seems to be from the seventh grade, and he is an official under the cultivation master."

Mrs. Xiang had nothing to say, Zheng Rongtai's urine was almost unable to hold back, so she hurriedly saluted, turned around and ran, although it was a little rude, but Mrs. Xiang did not blame, her mind was still in chaos at this time.

When Mrs. Xiang returned to the room, her husband Zheng Ming whispered, "Where have you been?" His Highness is leaving. ”

Mrs. Xiang reacted from her trance and hurriedly asked, "Is Your Highness going back to the palace?" ”

Zhao Huan smiled and nodded, "I can't stay outside for a long time, even if it's a family banquet, I can only walk the form, everyone continue to drink, I'll go first." ”

Li Yanqing wanted to get up to see him off, but Zhao Huan held him down, and said with a smile: "No need, enjoy the wine, there will be no such good wine in the military camp in the future." ”

"Thank you, Your Highness, for your hospitality!"

Zhao Huan walked out quickly, Zheng Yin hurriedly got up to send him off, everyone waited for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to leave, and then they sat down one after another, Zheng Rongtai also came back sweating profusely, Zheng Sheng, who had not been silent, raised his glass to Li Yanqing and smiled: "The little official took the imperial examination to explore the flowers, and earned face for us Xiangzhou people, but I have not congratulated him, it should not be, this glass of wine is my apology!" ”

Li Yanqing hurriedly raised his glass, "Shibo is serious, and the younger generation doesn't dare." ”

The old man Zheng Ming was about to speak, and Mrs. Xiang next to him coughed lightly, and the wine table suddenly became quiet, Mrs. Xiang raised her eyebrows and asked Li Yanqing: "Has Li Shaolang ever been married?" ”

Zheng Rongtai just took a sip of wine, 'Poof! It squirted out, and his parents hurriedly turned their heads away, forcibly held back the smile on their faces, glared at Zheng Rongtai fiercely at his wife, and looked at Li Yanqing with anticipation.

Li Yanqing also 'banged' in his heart! 'The ground jumps, could it be that her granddaughter hasn't married yet?

At this time, the old man Zheng Ming was a little disappreciative and said: "This shouldn't be asked, people are the imperial examination to explore flowers, will they wait until now to let us ask about marriage?" must have been robbed of marriage by the daughter of Xiangguo a long time ago. ”

Mrs. Xiang kicked her husband hard underneath and cursed, 'Old thing! ’

She ignored her husband and continued to wait for Li Yanqing's answer, Li Yanqing scratched his head and said: "The younger generation has been married since he was a child, and he is ready to return to his hometown to marry in the next two years." ”

"Oh-I don't know whose daughter is lucky enough to marry Tanhualang?" Mrs. Xiang asked unwillingly.

"This ..... It is my teacher's granddaughter, we have been childhood sweethearts since childhood, it is my honor to marry her, the eldest granddaughter of my teacher has been married, and the little granddaughter Yao Xiaoniang is only eight years old this year, so I have to use her as a shield. ”

Li Yanqing's affirmative answer finally made Mrs. Xiang's face show a disappointed expression, at this time, Li Yanqing got up and saluted everyone: "The military regulations are strict, I must rush back to the camp before the hour, I have to go, thank you again for your hospitality." ”

Zheng Ming nodded, "It's a good thing to abide by military regulations, San Lang, send one to Li Shaolang." ”

Li Yanqing hurried out as soon as he saluted, and only gave his wife a cold look back.

Walking out of the alum building, Li Yanqing breathed a long sigh of relief, and asked Zheng Rongtai again, "Why did you laugh just now?" ”

Zheng Rongtai smiled, "I hope you marry her granddaughter Zhang Xuan'er, so that we will be a family." ”

"As for making you laugh?"

Zheng Rongtai saw that there was no one left and right, and laughed in a low voice: "In the past few years, she has been picking left and right, thinking that this official position is too low, and that she has a bad appearance, now Zhang Wan'er is nineteen years old, she is starting to be anxious, today is obviously taking a fancy to you, how about it, do you want to pull the strings and meet Zhang Wan'er." ”

"Didn't I say there was a marriage contract?"

"You don't come!"

Zheng Rongtai pursed his lips with disdain, "Your father personally told me that you don't have any marriage contract at all, and asked me to help you see if there are any suitable ladies." ”

Li Yanqing was stunned for a moment, why did his father leak secrets to himself?

"My marriage is my own decision, don't worry about it, that Zhang Wan'er is as thin as a bamboo pole, I don't like it."

"Actually, it's not that I care about you, it's His Royal Highness the Crown Prince who cares about your marriage, he asked me to inquire, I guess His Royal Highness the Crown Prince wants to be a matchmaker for you."

"You've already told him?"

"Of course, if your father hadn't told me personally, would I dare to talk nonsense?

Li Yanqing suddenly became a little bigger, if the prince really made a matchmaker for himself, how could he refuse?