The film and television world begins with the battle for the throne in Kowloon

Chapter 659: Chai Shao, Duke of Huo

Today in the East Palace, they started out with small cups, then switched to large cups, and later directly switched to large bowls. The two of them drank several jars of wine. At first, Cheng Yaojin was a little restrained, but after he got drunk, Cheng Yaojin maintained the bold and generous spirit he had in the army.

He drank it in big gulps, a small part went into his mouth, and most of it spilled on his clothes.

The young prince was a carefree person, and he drank elegantly, which was quite a relic of the Wei and Jin dynasties, which made people like him. But such a gentle boy drank very heroically, his movements were neither hurried nor slow, and the aftertaste was long. He drank a bowl for himself and the prince for another.

And after drinking it, not a drop of it spilled on his collar.

Until Cheng Yaojin felt that his stomach was so bloated that he could not drink any more, the prince was still smiling, his eyes shining, and his chopsticks did not tremble at all when he picked up the food. This was the first time that he, a man who never admitted defeat at the wine table, was willing to admit defeat.

Although Li Yan was the crown prince, Cheng Yaojin knew that he was not refusing to drink out of respect and etiquette. If he continued to drink, he would really make a fool of himself.

Military men like Cheng Yaojin would mostly observe a person from the wine table.

But this close contact today really shocked Cheng Yaojin. His heart is still churning and he can't calm down. He keeps sighing that the sons of dragons and grandsons of phoenixes are indeed different.

This young prince is a true man who never reveals his true appearance. He appears rough on the outside but is actually a genius on the inside, and his depth is unfathomable!

Although he had never dealt with King Li Ke of Shu, Cheng Yaojin discovered through his son's narration and personal comparison that Li Ke wanted to show seven out of ten if he had only three out of ten abilities. He had an impetuous personality and was eager to stand out. He would show off at every opportunity, fearing that others did not know his own abilities.

The prince was gentle and elegant, with a reserved edge, neither hurried nor slow, and his accumulated strength was so strong that it was hard to tell his depth, which made Cheng Yaojin, who had been carefully observing him, feel confused. Now that he had left the East Palace and recalled today's meeting, he was completely led by the other party. He had only intended to decline the offer, but in the end, he had made a clear move to join the team.

When the cold wind outside blew, a trace of respect appeared in the depths of Cheng Yaojin's eyes. The young people are really to be feared!
The King of Shu and the King of Wei, even if added together, would not be as powerful as him. Even among the younger generation that Cheng Yaojin had come into contact with, there was no character that Cheng Yaojin could take so seriously. And Cheng Yaojin knew that it was definitely not just because of the other party's identity!
A large part of it was due to the other party's immense wisdom. Perhaps because he was young, his personality was still a little unstable, but his brain was not inferior to that of the King of Qin back then.

Even Cheng Yaojin was a little unsure whether that frivolousness was his true nature or a need to show off to the outside world. But Cheng Yaojin knew that the royal family, the Li family, had produced another extraordinary figure, which made Cheng Yaojin feel fortunate when he decided to join the prince today.

Fortunately, the prince has put enough effort into me, and fortunately, I have been able to get to know the prince up close and personal, otherwise, I would have been misled by the rumors.

A gleam of light flashed in Cheng Yaojin's misty eyes. It would be no problem for such a talented and restrained prince to defeat his brothers and ascend the throne smoothly. Cheng Yaojin seemed to see the King of Qin at that time. It was also very wise to bet the future of his family on the prince.

When the group was about to reach Duke Lu's mansion, Cheng Yaojin sobered up a little and suddenly remembered something. He quickly told his guard leader, "Cheng Bao, don't go back yet. Go to Duke Huo's mansion. I have something else to do."

"Master, you've drunk a lot today. Why don't you go back home and rest for a while and go again tomorrow?"

Cheng Yaojin shook his head and said, "This old Chai usually stays in Jingzhou and doesn't usually return to the court. He only comes here to catch the big court meeting on the first day of the lunar month. At most, he will stay here tonight and will definitely return to Jingzhou early tomorrow morning. If you miss him, you will have to travel hundreds of miles to Jingzhou to find him."

"We are all old brothers, so let's not be so particular. Let's go now. It's not far anyway, just a few streets away. By the time we get there, I will be sober."

"Okay, master, please sit down!" Cheng Bao led Cheng Yaojin's horse towards Chai Shao's mansion not far away!

Chai Shao was a native of Yaoshan, Xingzhou. He was known for his chivalry when he was young. He was appointed as the Prince's assistant in the Sui Dynasty and married Princess Pingyang Zhao, the daughter of Li Yuan. After Li Yuan started his rebellion, he led the cavalry and was the first to attack the enemy.

In the early years of the Wude period, he followed Qin Wang Li Shimin in the war and was granted the title of Duke of Huo for his merits.

In the early years of Zhenguan period, he was transferred to the position of General of the Left Guard to govern Jingzhou. It can be seen that Li Shimin trusted his brother-in-law very much. Duke Huo's Mansion was also in Yongxingfang, a few streets away from Cheng Yaojin's mansion.

When Cheng Yaojin arrived, Chai Shao had just returned to the mansion. After the court was dismissed in Taiji Hall, Chai Shao was summoned by Li Shimin to Chengqing Hall, where he was asked about the defense situation of Jingzhou. He stayed for lunch and had just returned, talking to his son.

Today, the King of Shu recommended Chai Zhewei to succeed as the General of the Left Tunwei Yifu, and the Crown Prince coincidentally recommended Cheng Yaojin's eldest son. They usually have a good relationship, and the father and son do not want to create estrangement because of this. Chai Shao is discussing with his son what to do next.

As soon as Cheng Yaojin entered the room, Chai Zhewei immediately stood up and saluted, saying, "Nephew greets uncle."

"Oh, Zhewei is at home too. What are you chatting with your dad about?"

"We are just chatting about family matters." Seeing Cheng Yaojin was drunk, Chai Shao took over the conversation and teased him in surprise: "Old Cheng, where did you drink? Recently, the old brothers invited you to get together, but you always declined, saying that the situation was special and refused to drink. You pretended to be quite convincing. What's wrong? Who did you make an exception for?"

"I had lunch in the emperor's study at noon, but I didn't drink any alcohol. Who are you giving such a big honor to?"

When the maids served hot tea at Chai Zhewei's request, Cheng Yaojin took a few sips, calmed down, raised his head and glanced at Chai Zhewei in the room and the servants waiting outside the room, with a smile on his face, but said nothing.

Chai Shao frowned slightly and waved to Chai Zhewei, "Okay, it's not too early or too late, and it's not time for dinner, so you don't have to wait on me. You all go down, I want to talk to your uncle Cheng!"

"Yes, father, Uncle Cheng, you two can chat."

Chai Zhewei thought for a moment and said, "Oh, by the way, father, Uncle Cheng, you two are usually in Jingzhou and Yunzhong, and it's hard for you to get together all year round. Since it's a coincidence today, I'll make arrangements right away. We'll be in the mansion tonight, so you two can have a good drink together."

"If uncle sings too loud, I'll bring someone to take him home at night?"

Before Cheng Yaojin could say anything, Chai Shao smiled and said, "You know it but you're still asking. Go and arrange it. By the way, your uncle Cheng likes to drink aged Shaochun wine. Take out the few jars of treasures in my room. Don't let him look down on them."

"Hahaha, Lao Chai, you still have some at home. That's not what you said when I came to your house last time."

"There were so many people there at that time. If I hadn't said that, I would have been beaten to a pulp by you guys."

The two of them joked for a while, and when the servants had all left and there were only two people left in the room, Chai Shao said contemptuously: "Okay, there's no one else here, it's just a drink, why are you making it so mysterious? What's there to keep secret? Tell me, where did you drink?"

"Eastern Palace!"

Cheng Yaojin said two words, and Chai Shao stood up in shock. He asked in surprise, "No way, Old Cheng, are you serious?"

"You wouldn't sell your 300-pound weight for a position as the General of the Left Guard? Is it that serious? Aren't you too shortsighted?"

"We are all old brothers who have been in the same pot for more than ten years. I don't believe you can't see what the prince is planning. If you really want this position, at worst you can let Zhewei wait a little longer. Huai Mo is also my nephew, so it's not a bargain for an outsider, right?"

"Or are you still holding a grudge against the King of Shu because of Huai Liang's incident? Huai Liang was the King of Shu's confidant, and the King of Shu didn't want such a thing to happen. He lost his right-hand man, do you think he was willing? In the final analysis, it's all Wu Qing's fault. Who would have thought that after so many years, they would still want to avenge their old master."

"Brothers have been at peace with you before, why can't you figure it out?"

Cheng Yaojin shook his head solemnly and said, "Of course I can see what the prince is thinking. He is just trying to sow discord between us and make us fight each other, targeting the King of Shu. But the prince is the heir to the throne after all. On the surface, his recommendation of Huai Mo is a favor and a goodwill. How can I not give him face?"

"If I reject his recommendation right then and there, not only will the ministers think I am ungrateful and disrespectful to the crown prince, but I'm afraid the emperor will also dislike me, right?"

"You are speaking in a way that makes sense. If the prince recommends Zhewei, would you dare to refuse in court?"

Well.
Chai Shao was stunned when he heard this. He stared blankly for a long time, and his expression changed rapidly. After a long time, he sat back in his chair and said angrily, "Haha."

"Old Cheng, you are right. If you say that the prince's move is too brilliant, it must be the old man Zhangsun Wuji's idea. Old Cheng, you can neither accept it nor reject it. It is really a bit difficult. If I were in that position, I would only be able to go to the prince to mediate afterwards."

At this point, Chai Shao was stunned, and suddenly said: "So that's how it is. Old Cheng, you went to the East Palace after the court session. So you went to..."

"Hey, it's me, an old man, who has wronged you. Don't mind it. I'm just afraid that you'll fall into my trap, right?"

"Alas! The prince hinted at this when he was offering sacrifices to Huai Liang on behalf of His Majesty last time. He also spoke and showed favor when Huai Liang was promoted to the General of the Left Garrison Guard."

Cheng Yaojin sighed with a serious face and said, "Later, when he saw my Huaibi, he said that there were many children of the same age in the East Palace, and they were happy to study together. I understand that the prince wants our Huaibi to be his tutor."

(End of this chapter)