Chapter 385 Heroic, Brave

When he left Qiongyu Villa after bathing and changing clothes, Qin Mubai felt that it was quiet and boundless.

"Mei Niang, I know more about romance and enjoy it more than I do." With a slight smile, Qin Mubai left this gentle hometown and went to the governor's mansion.

Since I came to Lanzhou, I have been busy for days. Recently, all the work has gradually been on the right track, and Qin Mubai is finally a little more leisurely. After Su Dingfang came to Lanzhou to serve as the governor of the governor, most of the military affairs could be handled by him. In addition, he did not drive Xiao Liang to take care of civil affairs. With the help of his left and right arms, Qin Mubai was finally relieved.

Today, he came to the governor's office much later than usual, but it didn't matter at all. In the morning, Su Dingfang and Xiao Liang have properly dealt with the matter of the day, leaving only some important things for Qin Mubai to make a final on the spot.

Just now, he entered the government office of the governor's office and bumped into Su Dingfang head-on.

Su Dingfang is not much introsive and taciturn, but his mind is extremely meticulous and sophisticated. At first glance at Qin Mubai, he saw that there was no one around. He smiled and said, "Mubai is proud of the spring breeze today. He must have been lingering last night."

"Brother will only make fun of me." Qin Mubai smiled relaxedly, so he sat down and took a cup of tea to drink. He casually asked, "Is there any important military business to be approved?"

"No." Su Dingfang replied, "However, there are a few things that need to be reported to the young commander."

"Let's talk about it." Speaking of business, the two of them regained their identities as superiors and subordinates, and Qin Mubai's expression was also a little solemn.

"One, Liu Shan, the secretary of Hongyu Temple, has set out this morning to go to Tubo to discuss the peace talks about marriage." Speaking of this, Su Dingfang paused and laughed, "The young commander didn't have much contact with Liu Shanyin. This person is a wonderful person.

"How to do it?"

"The clever tongue is like a spring, and the strain is extremely strong. The heart is careful and the great wisdom is like a fool. Su Ding dialect said concisely, "It is also appropriate for the court to send him as an envoy. Regardless of these, some of his subtle actions on his way out made the humble position very interesting.

"What did he do?"

Su Dingyi smiled and said, "He has prepared four portraits of Princess Wencheng, and the beauty and ugliness are different. Before leaving, he asked King Jiangxia which painting he should show to Tubo Zanpu. Naturally, the King of Jiangxia is such a delicate figure that he will not explain clearly. So he glanced at him with a cold face and only said, 'It's up to you'. Then Liu Shan burned the other three portraits.

"The ugliest pair left behind?" Qin Mubai laughed.

"The young commander is smart." Su Dingfang also smiled and said, "What can I say, Liu Shanyin is a wonderful person?" When he came to Lanzhou, he should have known that Lanzhou was at least as handsome as the main battle. It can't be said that although this person is pedantic and weak on the surface, he also has a little male blood in his bones, and he is probably inclined to the main war faction. Just because the humble words are not eye-catching in the court. His behavior when he was about to go was nothing more than expressing his position to the King of Jiangxia and the young commander. There is such a messenger who sent an envoy to Tubo, and he thought..."

Qin Mubai's eyebrows sank, and a star flashed in his eyes. The two of them nodded understandingly and stopped talking.

"Young commander, I'm in Lanzhou now, so I have to prepare my hands." Su Dingfang said, "One, if the peace is successful, then Tubo will become the country of the nephew of the Tang Dynasty. The defense center and main force of our Lanzhou can be withdrawn to the northwest, and the main focus will be on the establishment of the Anxi Metropolitan Protectorate. Second, if the marriage does not work, the war is imminent. At present, my troops in Kansai are too scattered and the front is too long. Whether the young commander will discuss with the marshal, he can temporarily withdraw from the Gaochang stronghold and retreat to be conservative. He can stand undefeated first, and then Xu Tu will forge ahead. After all, the situation of the vast territory of the Western Regions is complicated, and the two courts of Tibet and the Western Turks are strong in the north and south. With the power of a county in Lanzhou, we are still unable to compete for the time being!"

"I have been thinking about this matter for a long time, and I have always wanted to ask my father to withdraw it first." Qin Mubai frowned, shook his head in embarrassment and said, "However, even if his father understands such a truth, he will not withdraw. Otherwise, he will not be the Shangzhu Kingdom of the Tang Dynasty in the name of the God of War.

"That's right..." Su Dingfang sighed with deep emotion and said, "The hero of the Duke of Yi is open and aboveboard, and only the emperor's majesty is the head. If the emperor hadn't asked him to retreat, he would never have stepped back.

"Wrong. Even if the emperor asked him to retreat this time, he may not retreat. Qin Mubai shook his head with a wry smile, "Otherwise, at the beginning, he would not have resisted the order to rise to the west and attack Gao Chang. My father is probably interpreting the last glory of his life, for which he did not hesitate to live or die. At this moment, who can persuade him to pull him down?

"Since it is impossible for the general to retreat, we should keep up as soon as possible." Su Dingfang said, "Liangzhou Xue Wanche has changed to Yuyang Erguan and Puchanghai, but it is still hundreds of miles away from Gaochang. If something happens to Gaochang, he may not be able to go to the rescue day and night. In addition, Yuyang Erguan and Puchanghai are the key points and hubs of the Western Regions. They are not only the throat of our Lanzhou, but also a pair of double fists. It is surrounded by the enemy on all sides, but once the troops are scattered and empty, it is easy to be taken advantage of. At that time, not only will the previous achievements be abandoned, but the dirty land of Lanzhou may also face the threat of the enemy directly.

"My brother is very worried. This is my serious illness now. Qin Mubai said with a worried face, "Speaking of 1,000 and 10,000, the biggest problem in Lanzhou now is that the front is too long and the number of troops is too small. In the past, our 100,000 troops in Lanzhou were firmly in a regiment, guarding Dafeichuan and Liangzhou. Even if there are millions of troops coming, they can not be in a hurry. Now it's different. We not only have to attack the city and plunder the land, but also have to defend the territory, and we are still alone to go thousands of miles to attack the enemy. Therefore, although it is calm for a while, I always feel that there is a huge crisis. Once it breaks out, it may not be able to clean it up.

Su Dingfang nodded solemnly and asked, "So, what's the young commander's plan?"

Qin Mubai raised his head, looked at Su Dingfang with burning eyes, and said word by word, "To be honest, I want to recruit!"

"Ah?" Su Dingfang was stunned, "Recruiting soldiers?"

"Hmm." Qin Mubai snorted, and his eyebrows were restrained and said angrily, "When I left Chang'an, the court only gave me 10,000 soldiers and horses. At that time, I had such an idea. Previously, there were 100,000 border troops in Lanzhou, and my father took away 20,000 yuan. I brought back 10,000 yuan. In addition, it was said that we now have 100,000 troops, which is just an imaginary number. It's good that just such a few people can resist the hundreds of thousands of plateau iron riders in Tubo. What do you take to strategy and dominate the Western Regions? I want to say that some bird people in the court are really hungry. Before leaving, he gave me tens of thousands of soldiers and horses and tens of thousands of grain and fodder, which was also a great favor. I was afraid that I, Qin, would hold troops and divide myself. Now I really can't think of any other way to treat the symptoms and root causes except recruitment.

"You finally said something useful!" As soon as Qin Mubai's voice fell, a loud voice suddenly sounded outside the door.

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

At this time, Hou Junji had already pushed the door without invitation. He looked left and right at Qin Mubai and Su Dingfang, and sneered, "Oh! It's all here. It's good. It's good!"

Qin Mubai and Su Dingfang looked at each other and smiled. They arched their hands and said, "Brother."

"No, I can't afford it." Hou Junji replied with a rude salute, then picked up a pot of tea and drank half a pot of tea. He threw a whip in his hand and sat down and hummed, "Qin Mubai, what kind of you are you picking! I won't practice!"

"What's the matter?" Qin Mubai asked.

"One by one is like a spoiled big girl. She is coquettish with thin skin and tender meat. She can't be beaten or scolded. Her men have no work and their mouths are very hard. They are the same except for eating and drinking." Hou Junji cursed repeatedly, "This kind of soldier is in my bones. I, Hou Junji, can't take it. Even if Hou can nod into gold, it must be a stone first! You can't give me a piece of feces and let me have some!"

"Haha!" Qin Mubai laughed, "Last night, who boasted that it would be effective in 20 days? It's only half a day now. Why did you give up?"

"Mu Bai, you probably misunderstood what your brother meant." Su Dingfang smiled faintly and said to Hou Junji, "Actually, my brother probably came to persuade you to recruit soldiers."

"Well, you are smarter than Qin Mubai." Hou Junji patted the dust on his legs and stood up. He stared at Qin Mubai with sharp eyes and said, "Qin Mubai, Guan Long was originally a mixed place of Han and Hu. The people's style is tough and the knights are majestic, and they have been heroic since ancient times. If you don't recruit soldiers here, you will be the most fool in the world. In addition, you have the largest horse farm in the Tang Dynasty - Longyou Shepherd, and you can get ten thousand good horses at hand. Believe me, in less than three months, I can give you 50,000 new recruits and elite iron horses - you just need to add another 50,000 horses to sweep the plateau and flatten the Western Regions, not to talk!"

"Sweeping the plateau and stepping on the western region?" Qin Mubai couldn't help smiling and asked, "Brother, let me ask you. In those days, you had the feeling that you couldn't breathe and felt dizzy?

"It's a little bit, but it's unconvinced. What's wrong?" Hou Junji said that he didn't care.

"The reason why the Tubo Plateau is difficult to conquer is that in addition to their fierce iron horses and frozen snow, another important reason is that the air there is thin and ordinary people can't adapt." Qin Mubai said, "The reason why I let Xue Wanjun station troops in Da Feichuan work hard there is to regard it as a large stronghold to counterattack the plateau. Anyone who wants to set foot on the plateau in the future must adapt there for at least three months. Then, push forward step by step. This is the general strategy formulated by Qin for Tubo. Of course, it's just a lie now. I'm telling you this. I just want to explain one thing - what kind of time, what kind of environment, and what we should do. Don't be too ambitious.

"Huh! Look at you, Ji Qingqing, but he is so old-fashioned that he can teach people a lesson. Hou Junji snorted coldly and said, "Ok, I didn't say it. I'm too lazy to point fingers at you. You are the governor, and everything is under your command. I'm just making a suggestion. Is that okay?

"Naturally." Qin Mubai said, "You just heard about the recruitment, and I also thought of it. But it's not easy to really implement it.

"That's your business! Hou doesn't care! Say goodbye!" After saying that, Hou Jun took a big stride.

After Hou Junji left, Su Dingfang smiled and said, "Young commander, Hou Junji has such a nature. Don't care. In fact, he is also kind. The words are not rough, and the words are quite reasonable.

"I know that." Qin Mubai smiled slightly and said, "How can the Sixteen Guards Army in Guan be compared with the magnificent knights of Kansai in Helong? Here, Hanhu lives and produces good horses. People take horses as their families, and they are all born good riders. In fact, I don't have this idea for a day or two. But now, our Tang Dynasty has implemented a government military system. There are only a very small number of imperial troops, which are recruited by the imperial court. If I want to make such a precedent in Lanzhou, it will be a big deal. At that time, I don't know how many rumors say that Qin really wants to support the troops and stand on his own.

"But if you don't recruit troops, it is really difficult for Lanzhou to support it now." Su Dingfang frowned and said, "This is really a big trouble!"

"Actually, even if the court allowed me to recruit soldiers, I may not really be able to recruit many soldiers." Qin Mubai said, "When fighting a war, it's money and food. If it hadn't been for Mei Niang's private collection of food and fodder this time, we Lanzhou soldiers and civilians would have cut off cooking. At this time, what does Qin take to recruit and raise soldiers? Oh, this is a vicious circle! The war is not only the lack of business, but also the poor bureaucrats in Lanzhou. Lanzhou is poor, but it is unable to develop and support soldiers. The imperial court was alwaysware of Lanzhou's every move. At present, it can be said that the situation is stalemate, unless a strange soldier can suddenly break this balance and inject vitality into my Lanzhou. Only in this way can there be a prospect."

"How did such a strange soldier fall from the sky?" Su Dingfang smiled bitterly and said, "Now, we are fighting against Tubo, Western Turks and the Western Regions with the strength of a county in Lanzhou. To say something that the young commander doesn't want to hear the most, Su sometimes he can't get angry, and he hopes that the marriage will succeed. He will give Lanzhou a chance to develop first, and then talk about other things.

"Why did you think about it? Princess Wencheng's biological father, King Jiangxia, also has such a contradiction in his heart. He has told me more than once. Qin Mubai sighed, "Of course, he is a million people who don't want his daughter to marry on the plateau. However, at present, there seems to be no other way to delay the army except to discuss and give marriage, which will win the time to breathe for my Lanzhou. Contradiction, what a contradiction! I suddenly felt that no matter who is in front of the big picture, he looks so small and powerless.

"Young commander, can you write to the court to test about the recruitment?" Su Dingfang didn't give up.

Qin Mubai frowned for a moment and said, "I will definitely test it. However, how to test can't take the ordinary way. If you write a fold and hand it over to the court, you will definitely die at the sight of the light. Some people will also catch my memorial as a handle, and maybe they will impeach me. After all, this is a deviant approach that violates the present Tang Dynasty military system.

"So, what about asking for reinforcements?"

"Don't dream! If I could give it, I would have given it when I was in Chang'an. Now I'm not in Chang'an, and it's even more impossible. Qin Mubai sneered and said, "The tea is cold before I leave, not to mention that I have gone far now?"

"How about that, hey!" Su Dingfang sighed with both hands and frowned.

Qin Mubai suddenly woke up in his mind, "My God! How can I forget my killer!"

"What? Why did the young commander suddenly think of the golden mace of your Qin family? Don't you want to practice martial arts?" Su Dingfang was confused.

"Haha! The secrets can't be revealed!" Qin Mubai laughed and left. As he walked, he said, "Brother, I'm going out for a few days. In recent days, the military and political affairs in the governor's office have been handed over to you and Xiao Liang!"

"Where is the young commander going?" Su Dingfang chased out in surprise and asked.

"I'm leaving!" Qin Mubai threw down this sentence, and there was no shadow.

Su Dingfang was at a loss and naturally couldn't figure out a clue.

Leaving the governor's mansion, Qin Mubai went to the princess's trip and said goodbye to Li Daozong and Princess Wencheng that he would go out for a few days, and he didn't have time to ask every day. As the head of a county, he naturally had a lot to do. Li Daozong didn't ask much. He just told Qin Mubai that he had told the messenger Liu Shanyin that he had gone to the plateau and whether the proposal and the marriage could be successful or not, try to delay it for as long as possible. If he can delay for a day, it will be a part of his credit. When he returns, the prince and the young commander will not treat him badly.

Qin Mubai laughed and said, "It's still the prince who is safe and careful! Time is so important to us now! Because of this inconspicuous little role, Liu Shan may play a decisive role at that time! The prince's words are worth a lot!"

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

"Not yet, but it may be available soon." Qin Mubai smiled mysteriously and said, "The prince, wait for a few days. When Qin returns, we will talk to the prince in detail."

"Okay, you can go ahead if you have something to do!"

Then Qin Mubai invited the four treasures of the study, wrote a letter asking his confidant Baiqi to send it to Dafeichuan to Xue Wanjun, and then brought a confidant guard composed of only ten people, dressed in casual clothes, and left the governor's mansion to Qiongyu Villa.

Wu Mei Niang was really in bed and didn't get up. Although his sick face is not so exaggerated, he is indeed a little haggard. If her face hadn't been like peach blossoms and spring dew, Qin Mubai would have really thought she was sick.

When Qin Mubai came, Wu Mei Niang was lying on the couch with a book in her hand. As soon as he entered the door, Wu Mei Niang smiled and said, "It's broken, it's broken!"

"What's the matter?" Qin Mubai said in astonishment, "What's wrong?"

"You came back after only an hour or two after you left. Isn't it ruining your ambition to be so attached to your boudoir?" Wu Mei Niang joked, "Is there nothing wrong with the governor's office today? Why did you come back so early?"

Qin Mubai came over with a smile, picked up her hand and said softly in the palm of his hand, "Is it better?"

Wu Mei Niang blushed and didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She said anly, "Why do you say this very strangely, as if I was very sick or had a child?"

"Haha!" Qin Mubai patted his forehead and smiled and said, "Mei Niang, come with me and go to an important place."

"Where?"

"That's a place where no one else can go in and out freely except me, Qin Mubai. Even the prime minister or even the prince can't." Qin Mubai said mysteriously.

Wu Mei Niang blinked her big intelligent eyes and said with a smile, "Does this mean that Mei Niang is already very important to you?"

"You have always been." Qin Mubai smiled and said, "More than that, you are like my other half. Do you think I can let half of Qin Mubai go there?

"Well, it's coaxing people with sweet words in the sea and the sky!" Wu Meiniang squeezed her lips and smiled, but she was very intoxicated and relieved. She stretched out her arms and stood up, and said in a rare delicate voice, "Why don't you hold me up?"

Soon after, several inconspicuous carriages drove out of Lanzhou City and walked to the northwest.

On the carriage, Qin Mubai and Wu Mei Niang are enjoying lunch. Just because I was in a hurry, I took all the wine and food to the road to eat.

"Mei Niang, you said you had something important to discuss with me. Can you say it now?" Qin Mubai asked while eating.

"Hmm." Wu Mei Niang solemnly put down her chopsticks and held the cup and said seriously, "Mu Bai, I have done a few things without you. I hope you won't be angry."

Qin Mubai paused and asked, "What's the matter?"

"I ended all my business in the Central Plains, and exchanged all the things that could be sold as money and brought them to Lanzhou." Wu Meiniang said, "I left almost nothing except an old house in Chang'an. In a few days, I'm going to pick up my mother. As for my brother and others, they all stayed in Chang'an to guard the old house.

"Hmm?" Qin Mubai frowned in surprise and asked, "Why did you do this? After so many years, it's not easy for you to make a little look. The Qinxian Pavilion in Chang'an, the business name and the wine shop in Xiangyang are all the wind and the rise of the gold. What a pity!"

"It's not a pity." Wu Meiniang smiled and said, "During that time in Xiangyang, I understood a truth. No matter how great a woman is, she can't do it without a man's shoulders. It is a hundred times easier to do business in Xiangyang than in Chang'an, and you should make more money. In the final analysis, it's not that I, Wu Mei Niang, have become capable, but because I have laid the foundation laid for me by you and Li Ke before, and your huge students are opening the door of convenience for me. In just one year, I, a foreign Beijing businessman, have become the leading giant in Jingxiang's land. Outsiders say how shrewd and strong my Wu Mei Niang is. In fact, only I understand that in the final analysis, I'm just one of your shopkeepers, and you are the real big boss.

"Mei Niang, we don't have to be so detailed, do we? "What a lot!" Qin Mubai said with a smile.

"I actually don't mean anything else." Wu Mei Niang smiled and said sincerely, "I just want to say that no matter what I do and how much money I make, half of it used to be for myself. From today on, it must be all for you. Because Wu Mei Niang is already Qin Mubai's person; you said I was half of you, but you were all of me!"

Qin Mubai stagnated in his hand and said with a slight smile, "Mei Niang, what do you want me to say? ...Well, what kind of words look hypocritical and pale in the face of real actions. Over the years, I have actually paid you very little, and I have always been ashamed of it. Now you say, since you have decided to take root in Lanzhou from now on, what do you want to do and what do you want?

"I want to be Zheng Fengchi from Helong West Regions!" Wu Mei Niang said it categorically, almost word by word, "I also want to surpass the Zheng family and reach a height they have never reached!"

"Uh-huh!" Qin Mubai nodded, "Don't worry, I will do my best to assist you. To help you is to help myself."

"You're wrong, Mu Bai. It's not that you assist me, but that I assist you." Wu Mei Niang said, "Don't underestimate the businessman. Although merchants are lowly and humble, money and grain in places like Helong Western Regions will have unpredictable power. You have to carry a heavy responsibility to dominate the Western Regions through the river. It is difficult to walk without money and food. What I want to do is to do all this for you. Mu Bai, I say something I shouldn't say. You have a heroism, but when it comes to behavior, you still need the courage of a hero!"

"What do you mean, heroism and courage?" Qin Mubai asked with interest.

"Heroic ambition, with a grand ambition for thousands of miles; bold, indomitable and unyielding." Wu Mei Niang said, "Although I have not been to Lanzhou for a long time, I can see it. Although you are full of ambition, you are so constrained that you can't use your fists and feet. At this time, you need a hero's heart - why do you care about so many old rules? Those who often achieve great achievements are all winners who challenge shackles! The question is, do you have the courage, Mu Bai?

"Heroes, heroes..." Qin Mubai took a deep breath of wine, and his eyes became brighter and brighter. He said, "Mei Niang, you are really my female Zhuge. You're right. It's not enough to have ambition and ideas. The key is to see if you have the confidence and courage to move forward! ...I'm ashamed that I have always tied myself obediently in the rules and dared not cross the thunder pool. I'm even used to such mediocrity and forbearance, and I'm proud of it.

"Mu Bai, you don't have to blame yourself. Among the 10,000 people in the world, there are 9,999 people like this. Wu Meiniang looked at Qin Mubai with a gentle look, but there was a trace of sharpness and determination. She said, "But you are Qin Mubai, and you must be different. Otherwise, why does Wu Mei Niang want to marry you?

Qin Mubai was stunned at first, and then laughed, "I finally understand why so many men have been angry all over the ages!" Mei Niang, Mei Niang, in the future, if I, Qin Mubai have any achievements, it must be given by you; if there are ups and downs or even stink for ten thousand years..."

"Wu Mei Niang, I'm with you!"