After returning from Beiping County, Yang Yuanqing inspected Anle County and Yuyang County, comforted the officials there, and solved their immediate difficulties. When he returned to Zhuo County, it was already early spring in February. Although the spring was still cold, there was already a clear warmth in the air. Tender green color appeared on the willow branches, strings of golden forsythia bloomed in the wind in the fields, and the plum blossoms in the woods also bloomed, with snow-white and bright red, which was so beautiful.

The morning after returning, Yang Yuanqing came to Lu's mansion under the escort of hundreds of personal soldiers. He turned over and dismounted. More than a dozen Lu family elders who were waiting in front of the gate walked forward together. The leader was Lu Yu.

Lu Yu felt a little proud. Yang Yuanqing visited the Lu family the day after returning, which shows his importance to the Lu family. He stepped forward and gave a deep bow, "His Royal Highness the King of Chu is here to make the Lu family shine brightly. This is the glory of the Lu family. Please forgive Lu Yu's etiquette for his incomplete etiquette."

Lu Yuyu took a pun and apologized for not visiting Yang Yuanqing. It was Yang Yuanqing who saw Lu Yu for the first time. Although he and Lu Zhao were brothers, they looked completely different. Lu Zhao was clear, tall and thin, with a gentle temperament, while Lu Yu was short, black and fat, and his appearance was not good. Lu Yu's appearance made him slightly disappointed, but he did not show it on his face, and he bowed and smiled: "Yuan Qing should have visited the Lu family long ago, but his affairs were busy and he has been delayed until today. Please forgive me!"

"Where! Where! The Lu family is so shameless that he dares to be the one. Your Highness asks the mansion to speak!"

"Please, please!"

The two exchanged a few greetings, and under the guidance of Lu Yu, Yang Yuanqing walked into the main hall of the Lu Mansion - Fanyang Hall. This is the place where the Lu family holds major family events, and it is rare to open once a year. It is like receiving guests, and it is the first time in ten years. Even Luo Yi came, so he could only meet in your guest room. The last time Fanyang Hall was opened. It was the third year of Daye that he received Emperor Yang Guang of Sui to visit the Lu family.

There is no gorgeous decoration in Fanyang Hall, only a few couches are placed. It is clean and simple. The walls are surrounded by portraits of the heads of the Lu family, and there is an altar on the front. The spiritual plaque of Lu Zhi, a great scholar in the late Han Dynasty, is recognized as the origin of the Lu family reputation.

Yang Yuanqing walked to the altar and lit a stick of incense and bowed to bow. This was a basic etiquette. When he went to a wealthy family to visit, he would burn incense and bow to show his respect for the owner. Although it was just a basic etiquette, Yang Yuanqing's thoughtful etiquette still won the favor of the Lu family.

"Please sit down with your highness!"

Yang Yuanqing sat down with Lu Yu's humility. He also accompanied Lu Zhaohe, two elders of the Lu family, and several maids sent hot tea in. Everyone greeted him a few words. Lu Yu said with gratitude: "My brother Lu Ce is not virtuous and incompetent, but he is loved by His Highness. He has entrusted important tasks. The Lu family is grateful to His Highness for his grace."

Yang Yuanqing smiled slightly and said, "Can a person without virtue and incompetence enter the court to become an official? The head of the Lu family is too modest."

Lu Yu also realized that he had not thoughtfully about his words just now, and he was mocking the court. He felt guilty. Just as he was about to explain, Yang Yuanqing waved his hand to stop him. "I understand the meaning of the head of the family. I am just a joke. Ling Di is indeed very capable. He is the first to be a scheming young master of Taifu Temple, which is known as the most arduous and arduous court in the court. He actually handled it in an orderly manner. Ziwei Pavilion praised him very much. He is a talent and deserves to be a child of the Lu family."

Yang Yuanqing's words were frank and sincere, which made every Lu family member sitting very excited. This kind of excitement came from Yang Yuanqing's sincerity, not his intentional flattery, which made them feel the court's trust in the Lu family.

After all, Lu Yu is the head of the family. Although he is grateful, his face still has a calm expression on his face. Moreover, he finds that Yang Yuanqing is paying attention to him, as if he wants to find something from his words and expressions. He instinctively concealed his inner emotions and smiled faintly: "Thank you, Your Highness, the Lu family has always been loyal to the court, and the Lu family is also willing to contribute a meager strength to stabilize the situation in Youzhou. As long as Your Highness has something to do, we will do our best."

Today, Yang Yuanqing's visit to the Lu family was just a kind of polite visit, which destined that the topics of both parties could not be too in-depth. They were just a general discussion and also an opportunity to express their opinions. For example, the Lu family invited Yang Yuanqing to sit in Fanyang Hall, which was actually a kind of polite visit, but this kind of polite visit was not optional. His visit was also to create a good and harmonious atmosphere and lay the foundation for the next pragmatic and in-depth discussion.

Without this atmosphere, it would be abrupt for Yang Yuanqing to invite Lu Yu to become an official in Taiyuan, and Lu Yu may not agree. Both sides knew it well. From Yang Yuanqing's inspection of the warehouse and hinting at Lu Zhao, everything was going on in an orderly manner today.

"I am sorry for the death of Prime Minister Lu. When the Tang army invaded Hongnong County, it seriously threatened Hedong. In order to repel the Tang army, Wang Shichong and I established a military alliance. One of the conditions was to ensure the safety of Prime Minister Lu and send him safely to Taiyuan. Unexpectedly, Wang Shichong betrayed his faith and killed Prime Minister Lu and also put the blame on the generals below. I will not let this matter go. One day, I will make Wang Shichong pay the price of breach of trust and will use his head to sacrifice to Prime Minister Lu. This is also my promise to the Lu family."

Regarding Lu Chu's death, Yang Yuanqing made a formal statement. The Lu brothers and their clan members quickly stood up to thank Yang Yuanqing, "Thank you for your kindness to the Lu family, and the Lu family is very grateful."

Yang Yuanqing laughed and waved his hand quickly, "I dare not be the one! Please sit down by the head of the family."

They talked about some customs of Zhuo County, and the time was almost over, so Yang Yuanqing got up and said goodbye.

"I will return to Taiyuan the day after tomorrow. There are a lot of matters in the imperial court. There are still many military affairs here to deal with. Today I can only visit us in a hasty way. I will come and chat with the head of the Lu family again the next day. I will say goodbye first."

Lu Yu Station also hurriedly stood up and said, "Your Highness took time out of your busy schedule to come to the Lu family. The Lu family is very grateful and dare not waste your noble's precious time. I hope you will come and sit there whenever you have time."

"Sure! Sure!"

Yang Yuanqing said goodbye and left. Lu Yu kept sending him out of the mansion. He watched him ride away from the horse and then breathed a sigh of relief. Lu Zhao next to him gently stroked his long beard and said to his brother: "The King of Chu actually made a promise to kill Wang Shichong to the Lu family, and he attached great importance to our Lu family!"

Lu Yu snorted softly in his nose, "Of course this is just a favor. If he wants to win the world, he will naturally destroy Wang Shichong, but what? You are right. Since he is willing to say this to the Lu family, it shows his importance to the Lu family, and this is the key."

...........

After leaving Lu Mansion, Yang Yuanqing returned to Youzhou General Administration. However, he was thinking about using Lu Yu as prime minister. When he first established Ziwei Pavilion, he was considering the seven majors, but he was worried that the quota would be full and it would be difficult to replace it in the future, so he only set up the five majors at the beginning.

If you can take over Youzhou now, if Lu Yu can be brought into prime minister, it will play an important role in winning the support of the Hebei gentry. There is also a Boling Cui family, which is also the aristocratic family that he is focusing on winning over. Judging from Hedong's experience, his route of using the aristocratic family is completely correct. It is precisely because of the strong support of famous families that the New Sui Dynasty quickly stabilized and established an orthodox position. In Hebei, he was preparing to do the same and use the prestige of the aristocratic family to quickly stabilize the regime.

But Yang Yuanqing also had a principle, that is, to only use people from aristocratic families, and not establish a system of aristocratic families in politics, that is, to avoid the dross of the theory of family status in the Wei and Jin Dynasties, and to allow children of famous families to fully control the center of the court.

When he returned to the General Administration Office, a personal soldier rushed over to report, "Report to the General Administration, Dou Jiande has sent an envoy to come and is waiting for the General Administration to receive him!"

This was a bit beyond Yang Yuanqing's expectations, but it was not surprising. He pondered for a moment and said, "Take him to see me in the prejudice!"

Yang Yuanqing turned over and got out of the horse and entered the general manager's office, and came to the side hall to sit down. Soon, several soldiers brought a middle-aged man, and he stepped forward and bowed, "Han Zhili, the minister of King Changle, met His Highness the King of Chu!"

Yang Yuanqing thought about it and said that Han Zhili seemed to be Dou Jiande's record room joining the army, so he asked, "Are you the record room Han Zheng?"

"That's right!"

"I wonder what's wrong with Han Zhengjun coming to see me?"

"I am hereby the order of my prince, and I will give His Highness a gift to His Highness the King of Chu. I wonder if Your Highness is willing to look at it?"

Yang Yuanqing smiled faintly, "Then take it and take a look."

Han Zhili was overjoyed and quickly turned around and shouted, "Please help bring it up!"

Dozens of Sui soldiers raised more than a dozen large boxes, followed by more than twenty young and beautiful girls. Han Zhili stepped forward and opened the boxes one by one. The box was filled with jewels and jade, and the large pieces of gold were shining, dazzling.

Han Zhili pointed to the jewelry and gold and said to the girl: "These are some small gifts that the prince gave to His Highness the King of Chu, but it is just the prince's wishes. Please accept them with a smile."

Yang Yuanqing glanced at the jewelry beauty disdainfully, but asked without saying a word: "I heard that General Dou has no money, and he will reward his subordinates whenever he gets a little gold and silver treasure. He himself is simple and dressed in a cloth clothes, and never gets close to women. But how could he have so many gold, silver and jewelry, and beautiful girls? Is the rumors about General Dou not true? Is it his nature to be rich and lustful?"

Han Zhili blushed and quickly explained: "My prince does live a simple life. He is neither greedy for money nor lust. These beauties are all gifts given to the prince. The prince is not happy, so he transfers them to the prince. Please accept them with a smile."

Yang Yuanqing laughed, "This is General Dou's wrong. Don't do to others what he doesn't want others to do to you. Give me what he doesn't like. Do I like it? You General Dou has a problem with your thoughts!"

Han Zhili's face turned red and white. He bit his lips and said, "I wonder what Your Highness wants?"

"Actually, General Dou knew very well, but he was reluctant to give it to me. If he was willing to give me what I wanted, then it would be okay for me to stop the army and reconcile with him."

"Please tell me that I will convey it to the prince."

Yang Yuanqing's eyes slowly narrowed, "I want the land of Hebei, he should be very clear!"

.........(To be continued)

{Piaotianwen Thank you for your support, your support is our greatest motivation}
Chapter completed!