Chapter 642: When I wanted it, I lost it forever
Xiang Zhuang drank alone.
On the first day he came, Linghuye summoned him, which made Xiangzhuang full of hope. However, in the next ten days or so, there was no news at all.
I prepared gifts and walked around the city of Chang'an, visiting important people. However, the Chang'an of today is completely different from the Chang'an of the past.
The real thing is different.
Those who once had friendship and dealings with the Xiang family are either gone or have become frightened one by one. When Xiangzhuang comes to visit, there is no shortage of good food and drink, but when it comes to serious matters, he is a responsible person. Neither.
It’s not their fault either,
The new rich in Chang’an now basically come from the group of people outside the customs.
But I didn’t recognize any of these people, so naturally I couldn’t speak.
I prepared gifts and shamelessly went to see several families. They accepted the gifts, but they did not let me in.
These arrogant soldiers outside the customs really do not follow the rules.
Sometimes Xiang Zhuang really wants to scold the street.
When it comes to family status and personal strength, I am stronger than these people.
But now that I am under the eaves, I have to bow my head.
Who can ask for help from others?
Every day that passes, Tong'an County becomes more dangerous.
Xiang Zhuang is not worried about Xiang Ying's safety. As an innate master, it would be easy for Xiang Ying to leave on his own. But as a general of Da Chu, if he leaves alone, he will lose not only his personal face, but also his own face. political prestige.
Especially political influence is difficult to obtain, but very easy to lose. One thing can destroy all your hard work for a lifetime.
The 20,000 elites led by Xiang Ying are the backbone of the powerful Chu family. Most of the generals are direct descendants and confidants of those families. If they are all abandoned in Tong'an County, Xiang Ying will not be able to return even if he goes back. , how to face these families?
There is no doubt that Xiang will lose the support of these people.
The door rang a few times, then was pulled open, and a familiar face appeared outside.
"Brother Xiang, what's the point of drinking alone? Do you want me to come and have a few drinks with you?"
Xiang Zhuang stood up and said with a smile: "I have looked for you several times, but You haven't been at home. I heard that you are very important now!"
"What kind of important role? Just fooling around!"
The person came in with a jar of wine in his hand.
The visitor's name is Zhou Gang, and he is indeed an old acquaintance of Xiang Zhuang's past.
During Li Anmin's era, the Zhou family was very proud. Academician Zhou won Li Anmin's trust, and Zhou Gang was also a well-known dandy in Chang'an City.
At that time, Xiang Zhuang would come to Chang'an every year, so naturally he would also visit Zhou Gang.
It’s just that this time Xiang Zhuang came, he really didn’t look for Zhou Gang.
Because as far as he knew, although the current Bachelor Zhou was still a bachelor, he was actually just a vase placed by Ling Huye in the court, and he did not have much real power in his hands.
Zhou Gang is indeed very busy, but now he is just a middle-level official under Wolfsburg. He is thousands of miles away from Linghuye, and it is difficult to even meet him, let alone talk to him. "Is things not going well?" Zhou Gang raised the wine jar on the table, shook it, glanced at Xiang Zhuang's face, and asked.
Xiang Zhuang nodded.
The other party is working in Wolfsburg, and he naturally knows what he wants to do in Chang'an, and he probably knows a lot about what he has been doing these days.
"Go back!" Zhou Gang filled up the wine for the other party, filled a glass for himself, raised it to signal, and drank it all in one gulp.
"What?" Xiang Zhuang didn't react for a moment.
"Commander Yan asked me to come over and tell you, go back!" Zhou Gang said.
"Is this what the chief assistant means?" Xiang Zhuang stood up excitedly.
"Of course, Commander Yan is a person with a strong sense of boundaries. If it hadn't been for the order from the chief assistant, he would not have said such a thing!" Zhou Gang said.
“Why?” Xiang Zhuang punched the table hard, “Can’t the chief assistant see that this is something that is beneficial to both parties? Li Dachui and Jiang Qianbu Mie, for you and us If you say it, it will become a serious problem for you!”
"That's what I say, but things have priorities!" Zhou Gang said: "With so much power in hand, if you use more here, you will inevitably use less there. There is nothing anyone can do!"
" Where is the chief minister going to use his troops? He doesn't even care about the threats that are just around the corner?" Xiang Zhuang said angrily.
"Yangguan!" Zhou Gang reached out and grabbed a handful of peanuts from the plate, dropped one and chewed it in his mouth. "Tell me, is it more important than the eight towns in the south of the Yangtze River?"
"The Beiting Protectorate now has the ability to enter the border on a large scale?" Xiang Zhuang did not believe it.
"Xiao Changche has arrived at Yangguan!" Zhou Gang said: "Cui Ming, the head of the Boling Cui family, has arrived in Chang'an in person. The first assistant's choice, no, no, the first assistant has no choice. Now we must prepare to fight with Bei Compared with Dayu in Tingduhu Mansion, places like Jiangnan Eight Towns are really not that important.”
Looking at Xiang Zhuang's pale face, Zhou Gang continued: "Of course, Jiang Qian is indeed a great threat to you, but this is a problem you need to solve. If you can solve Jiang Qian, won't you also solve it? Is this our problem? So Brother Xiang, you If you have time to waste time here, why not go back early and find a way to break out. If General Xiang doesn't go back, I'm afraid there will be no place for him in Danyang!"
"There is no room for change in this matter. "?" Xiang Zhuang asked tremblingly.
"Brother Xiang, if there is still room, do you think I will come to see you?" Zhou Gang smiled self-deprecatingly: "I know how much I have, so you sent me to follow You said this, to put it nicely, because the two of us are old acquaintances and friends, and we don’t want to let everyone know To put it mildly, the Chief Assistant doesn’t pay attention to you at all. The Chief Assistant thinks that it will be difficult for you to recover from the failure this time!”
“That one! I'm afraid I will disappoint the chief minister!" Xiang Zhuang burst out word by word.
"As friends, I hope you will get better and better!" Zhou Gang stood up with a smile and filled their glasses with wine. "Brother Xiang, let me tell you some news. Li Guohua will soon be transferred back to the north to take up a post The one who went to Luoyang was Cui Cheng, the eldest son of the Boling Cui family. This man had just given his life to his younger brother Cui Shu during a family feud, and now he must be trying to do something big to prove that he is better than Cui Shu! "
Xiang Zhuang was startled for a moment, then picked up the wine glass and said: "Thank you, Brother Zhou. These few words are worth a thousand catties, no, no, no, this cannot be measured in money! I respect you!"
Zhou Gang He smiled, picked up the glass, drank it down, then turned around and went out. When he walked out the door, he turned back and looked at Xiang Zhuang said: "Brother Xiang, you came to Chang'an and asked to see many people, but you didn't come to my Zhou family's door. I'm very disappointed! In fact, I have prepared wine and food at home. I thought you would come. !”
Xiang Zhuang’s face heated up and he wanted to say something, but Zhou Gang had already walked away with a smile.
Hurrying to the door and looking at Zhou Gang's back, Xiang Zhuang sighed. He knew the connection between himself and Zhou Gang, but he was afraid it would only end today.
I never really regarded him as a friend before, only as a resource that I could use.
But when I wanted to recognize this friend, I lost him forever.
(End of this chapter)