Chapter 252 Two Foxes

Cui Mansion is in Xuanyangfang opposite Dongcheng City. Crossing a street and walking two miles across the street. Zhang Huan walked this road many times back then, but he has never been as relaxed and happy as he is today. The accidental encounter made his life full of sunshine again. The pleasure that stretched from the depths of his heart made him full of confidence in everything.

"Huanlang, what are you thinking?" Cui Ning quietly pulled the curtain of the car, with a charming look in his eyebrows and eyes. Zhang Huan felt a swaying heart and said with a smile: "I'm thinking, you are already my wife, why don't you go home with me, but want me to send you back to your parents' home."

Cui Ning remembered Lin Pingping, and she whispered: "Huanlang, you marry Pingping! She has never married for so many years. It's because of you. I have never seen such a lovely woman. She has liked you since she was a girl. Until today, she is twenty-six years old. How can you bear it?"

"Why am I not guilty of her?" Zhang Huan sighed slightly, "She grew up with me. My mother became a monk early, and even the master's family took care of me. This kind of family affection made it difficult for me to repay for my whole life. I have treated Pingping as my sister since I was a child, and I always hoped that she could marry a good family. Originally, Wang Siyu liked her very much, and I also wanted to match them together, but Pingping went to the Western Regions. Later, I gradually understood the stubbornness in her heart. In fact, I had thought about marrying her, but I always felt sorry for her, and even felt that I was not worthy of her. I hesitated so much, delayed it year by year. Now I was frightened and blamed myself, and I no longer had the courage to go to the other side of the responsibility."

"You are a person who does big things, and some things should be cut off if they should be cut off." Cui Ning shook his head gently, as if he was talking to Zhang Huan, and as if he was talking to himself: "It must be solved. If you don't solve it earlier, your guilt will be deeper in the future. Let me come forward for this matter!"

Zhang Huan didn't say anything. In fact, he knew very well that even if he stood in front of her, "Okay! I'm willing to marry you." She might not be willing to accept her marriage like her charity. Over the years, the one she loved might be the 18-man many years ago! Time passed, and she and she seemed to have missed the fate.

The carriage slowly slowed down and stopped in front of Cui's mansion. Zhang Huan jumped off the horse and helped Cui Ning out of the carriage. He suddenly remembered something and said with a smile: "Where are your two maids? Mingyue and Mingzhu, why aren't you with you?"

As soon as the words were finished, the two sisters ran out. After three years of not seeing each other, they seemed to have completely changed. They were handsome and beautiful. Mingyue pulled Cui Ning and complained: "Miss Mother, why don't you take us with you when you go out? We're worried for a whole night."

"How do you know I'm back?" Cui Ning asked with some surprise.

"Ms. Lin came back just now, and she said you were behind her." My sister Mingzhu spoke quickly and said it out in an instant.

Cui Ning smiled helplessly, "This eccentric guy is always in front of me."

At this time, Mingyue suddenly saw Zhang Huan and was so scared that she pulled her sister. The two sisters hurriedly stepped forward and knelt down, "The maid bowed to the master."

"Okay, you guys serve the lady!" Zhang Huan ordered them to get up, and then turned to Cui Ning and said, "My new mansion is in Yonglefang. I will send someone to pick you up tomorrow."

Cui Ning nodded silently, she stepped forward to tidy up Zhang Huan's clothes and told him: "Huanlang, you should go back early to rest! I will wait for your people tomorrow."

"I understand, you go into the mansion! I'll leave when I watch you in."

Cui Ning smiled charmingly and waved to Zhang Huan. Then, with the support of two maids, he entered the mansion. Zhang Huan kept watching her charming body disappear, and his heart suddenly became hot, and he could no longer wait for tomorrow.

"Let's go!" He turned over the horse and was about to activate the war horse. At this moment, a twelve or thirteen-year-old boy ran out and shouted loudly: "Please stay with you, Envoy Zhang!"

Zhang Huan grabbed the reins and looked back at the boy. Seeing that his eyebrows were vaguely similar to Cui Yuan, he suddenly remembered that Cui Ning had told him that she had a very smart nephew, so he smiled and said, "Are you Cui Yao?"

"That's right!" Cui Yao bowed and bowed to Zhang Huan, "My grandfather asked Zhang Envoy to come to the mansion to talk."

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On the way, Zhang Huan saw that although Cui Yao was a little immature, he was calm in his every move and felt a sense of greatness. Zhang Huan smiled and asked, "I heard that Cui Shaojun has traveled all over the country in recent years. Have you ever been to Longyou?"

"I went to Hehuang last year to see my old land in the Han family, and inspected more than a dozen schools built by Zhang Envoy in the Huangshui River."

"Then do you think there are shortcomings?"

Cui Yao nodded, "You are so rude. If you have any rudeness, please don't blame Zhang Jun."

Zhang Huan's eyes showed a strong interest and said with a smile: "You might as well, you said that."

"I thought Zhang Envoy-jun built the school to bring the Han children of Huangshui back to the Tang culture. The idea was very good, but the specific approach was questionable."

Speaking of this, Cui Yao glanced at Zhang Huan, and saw that his smile was still unhappy, and said: "Hehuang was stolen by Tubo for many years. The Han people there were forced to de-Sinicization. Most of their impressions of their homeland have been forgotten, let alone their children. Now Zhang Envoy asked someone to teach them the Four Books and Five Classics. He studied them for five hours a day, and there were four hours to endorse them. I think this kind of education is a bit over the situation. It is better to let them go to the mainland of the Tang Dynasty to see the magnificent mountains and rivers of the homeland in batches and enhance the glory of their Han people. Isn't this much better than reading the scriptures alone?"

Zhang Huan couldn't help but nodded secretly. He had long heard that Cui Yao was praised as a child prodigy by ministers in the court. Now it seems that he is a bit famous. He has such knowledge at a young age. Is the revitalization of the Cui family the future?

Thinking of it, he looked at Cui Yao more, and the young scholar's eyes were indifferent and calm, which made him realize something. Perhaps Cui Yuan's breakthrough was here.

While talking, the two came to Cui Yuan's inner study room. Since Cui Yuan was half-paralyzed, he spent most of his time in the study room. Reading, teaching his grandson, and savoring major events in the court have become three things he must do every day. This was the case when he was in Shandong, and it was the same after returning to Chang'an. Without the trouble of official duties, more importantly, he was detached from the matter. He began to have time to examine the path he had walked over the past decade, examine his thoughts, and examine the reality and future of the Tang Dynasty.

Indeed, Cui Yuan's ideal was to establish a system of weak rulers and strong rulers. Throughout the history of this dynasty, the power of the empire was all due to the famous prime ministers of the world, the ruling of Zhenguan, the ruling of the Zhenguan rule, and the decline of the empire was all due to the dictatorship of imperial power. In the 25th year of Kaiyuan, Li Longji dismissed Zhang Jiuling and appointed Li Linfu and Yang Guozhong as prime ministers. The generals and the country surrendered to the power of the kings. He also built the Hanlin Academy and Jixian Hall to cover the power of the prime ministers. The purpose of the Huangma and the imperial edict of Baima were in parallel. All kinds of things finally triggered the Anshi Rebellion that caused the Tang Dynasty to decline.

To this end, Cui Yuan strongly advocated the government affairs of aristocratic families and used the balance of power of aristocratic families to restrict the imperial power. For more than ten years, although the undercurrents were calm and undercurrents were surging, they never set off a surging white waves. The empire's economy began to recover, people were at peace, and court officials advanced, which further inspired his determination to maintain the government affairs of aristocratic families. Unfortunately, Xiao He succeeded and Xiao He was defeated. The military problem that the aristocratic families could not solve finally became the trap for the empire to step into the abyss. The torrents in the abyss were crazy, and the most violent undercurrent was his own Cui family. Cui Qinggong's rebellion caused Cui Yuan to fall into deep self-blame.

He began to reflect on the pros and cons of the aristocratic family affairs, summarized the Zhenguan rule and the roots of the Kaiyuan prosperous era. In the subtle influence, the aristocratic family affairs view that he had always adhered to was no longer so stubborn, no! It should be said that it was not so extreme.

"Grandfather, Mr. Zhang from the disciples is here." The grandson's report interrupted Cui Yuan's thoughts.

"Haha, please come in!" Cui Yuan put down the book in his hand, and then the two concubines helped him sit down.

"You guys go first! Come and have two cups of good tea." Cui Yuan gave the order, and the two concubines responded and went down from the side door next to him.

"See Mr. Cui Ge!" Zhang Huanshen gave a gift. He secretly glanced at the old Quan Xiang who had been so beautiful in Zeng Quan. He saw that he had a thin face, wearing a blue wide-body Zen suit, and a thick blanket covered with his legs. He sat there and looked at himself with a smile. There was no memorial on the table, only a few yellowed old books and a stack of policy comments written by his grandson. The scenery of the past and his health passed by the wind. Many times, time often determines everything. Life is not just a struggle for strategy, but to a certain extent, the competition between time and life. If Cui Yuan had not fallen ill three years ago, perhaps today's Tang Dynasty would be another scene.

"Please sit down with a good nephew!" Cui Yuan's eyes were gentle and calm, and he looked at the old opponent in front of him who could be said to be his son-in-law with a smile, but they were just unwilling to pierce this thin layer of paper. In his eyes, Zhang Huan had become much more mature. Not only did he have a beard about a foot long, but his eyes were no longer as arrogant and indifferent as before, and he had a little more tolerance and rationality.

Zhang Huan sat down, bowed slightly to Cui Yuan and said, "Congratulations to Master Ge for having a wise grandson, reading thousands of books and traveling thousands of miles. He even said that the flaws of my education in Hehuang are not simple!"

Unexpectedly, Cui Yuan's face sank. He pulled a rope beside him. Soon Cui Yao walked in and stepped forward to salute Cui Yuan and said, "Is grandfather looking for grandson?"

"I'll ask you, what are you writing across from your desk?"

'A gentleman wants to be slow and quick at speaking.' Cui Yao's face turned red, and he lowered his head and murmured, "The grandson knows his mistake!"

"Knowing the mistake?" Cui Yuan sneered, "This is the third time that you have said you knew you were wrong this year. There are only three things. You are punished that you are not allowed to go out within a year and copy the Analects of Confucius three hundred times. If you commit it again, I will disqualify you from your family sacrifice."

Cold sweat flowed down Cui Yao's forehead, and he said in a trembling voice: "I remember grandson!"

"Go down!"

Cui Yao gave another gust and slowly retreated. After a while, Zhang Huan sighed: "Zhang Huan understands the love of Master Cui's grandson."

Cui Yuan picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea slowly. A trace of desolate and helplessness flashed in his eyes. "I am old and can clearly feel that life is leaving me little by little. The ambitions of the past no longer exist. I only hope that my descendants can become good ministers of the Tang Dynasty, serve the country with a loyal attitude and do some practical things for the people. As long as he can do this, I can rest in peace in the nine springs."

Zhang Huan didn't say anything. He clearly heard Cui Yuan say "Loyalty to the emperor and serve the country". When the four words "Is he hinting at" he specially emphasized his tone. Is he hinting at what he is?

Zhang Huan suddenly realized sensitively that Cui Yuan seemed to be saying something to him. He lowered his head to drink tea, but just smiled without saying anything.

Cui Yuan looked at him deeply. Liao Hui came to him many times in the past two days. Zhang Huan should have known it for a long time, but he was employed without doubt. From this point, Cui Yuan knew that he had a tacit understanding between him and Zhang Huan. The development of the Sigure incident ultimately confirmed that his guess was completely correct. Zhang Huan made a gesture to enter the market with a high profile. Cui Yuan was also very clear. With Zhang Huan's current strength, Cui Yuan knew that it could not stop it. Since it could no longer be stopped, why didn't he dance with Zhang Huan? He just slightly changed Zhang Huan's trajectory at the critical moment, so that he could step into his own political thinking, thereby avoiding the Tang Dynasty repeating the old path of imperial dictatorship and autocracy, and thus finding a support point in the balance between prime minister's power and monarchy. This is the conclusion that Cui Yuan reflected on over the past three years.

The God of Fate seemed to be a joke. Back then, Cui Yuan tried her best to suppress Zhang Huan and stop his rise, but Pei Jun did the opposite and helped Zhang Huan gain a foothold in Wuwei.

But now, Pei Jun is not willing to see Zhang Huan as the highest throne, hoping to maintain the status quo and slowly resolve the local warlord crisis with moderate improvement; while Cui Yuan believes that the Tang Dynasty is on the verge of division, and maintaining the status quo will obviously only make the crisis more tragic when it breaks out. Only a strong leader can get the Tang Dynasty out of this crisis, and Zhang Huan is the best candidate in his eyes. At the same time, he also hopes that Zhang Huan can bring the Tang Dynasty into his ideal path.

Of course, without paying a little substantial price, Zhang Huan may not realize his importance. Cui Yuan smiled faintly and said, "The key to pinch Zhu Li is Feng Xiang. The reason why Cui Yu can still sit in the position of the left prime minister is Feng Xiang. Although the Fengxiang Jiedushi Li Mo is loyal to Cui Yu, most of the eight thousand Fengxiang defenders are from Changhua County, Hedong. Does your nephew understand what I mean?"

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After leaving Cui Mansion, the night was already deep. After leaving Xuanyangfang, I saw that the east city opposite was dark, and the lights were almost gone. Most of the people who went to wander went home. The street was deserted and the night style was cold and cold, and it penetrated into everyone's cuffs and collars. The cold air penetrated into their bones, so cold that it seemed as if blood had frozen.

Zhang Huan seemed to be unaware of it. Cui Yuan's words just now made him realize Cui Yuan's good intentions, and made him feel that Cui Yuan had bet on him and even gave Feng Xiang to him. Feng Xiang was the western gate of Guanzhong. After Feng Xiang got Feng Xiang, he opened the door to Chang'an. In order to force Cui Yuan to give up, Pei Jun ordered him to take down Fengxiang County. Things changed quickly. I didn't expect that Cui Yuan would actually see his intention to plan for the Ministry of War today. Jiang is indeed still old!

"Governor, I find something is wrong." The person who spoke was Zhang Huan's personal bodyguard Fang Wuqing. He is extremely skilled in martial arts, but he never says a word, just like Zhang Huan's shadow, which often makes people ignore his existence.

Today was his first warning, which immediately made all the personal soldiers nervous. Zhang Huan immediately shouted in a low voice: "Don't be confused, just pretend nothing happened."

The personal soldiers immediately returned to normal, and Zhang Huan asked again: "What have you discovered?"

"Someone is following us three hundred and fifty steps away, and now he has arrived three hundred steps." Fang Wuqing said without looking back, as if eyes were on the back of his head.

"Governor, I'll go check it out."

"Don't act rashly."

The horse team took a turn, and Fang Wuqing disappeared from the team.

Walking all the way to Zhuque Street, Fang Wuqing suddenly appeared again, "Governor, it's not following, but there's an ambush ahead."

"How do you know?"

"I have been following two stalkers. When the governor walked to Zhuque Street, they immediately released a pigeon, and one appeared one mile away from the south. They were reporting the governor's whereabouts. Should they catch these two stalkers?"

"No!" Zhang Huan said decisively: "Don't alert the snake."

At this moment, Zhang Huan was already sure that someone was going to attack him, and this person would not be Pei Jun, and it was most likely Zhu Li. At this moment, a plan suddenly arose in his mind, perhaps this was exactly what he wanted.

When he walked to the gate of Yonglefang, Fang Wuqing appeared again, "There are thirteen people in total, just a hundred steps in front of the governor's mansion, using a powerful crossbow."

At this time, several personal soldiers were anxious, "Can the governor want to use a bitter plan?"

‘Bitty plan.’ Zhang Huan smiled and shook his head. The arrows might be covered with poison! Why did he take this risk?

"No need." Zhang Huan took out the gold medal in the transfer of troops and said Wuqing: "You go to the military camp immediately and ask Li Dingfang to surround me with all the assassins, try to catch the alive, but no one is allowed to escape."

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Chapter completed!