At this time, Chen Tang remembered that before he came to see Wang Mang, Zhou Lie told him that Wang Mang would never allow him to enter the court. At the same time, Zhou Lie also instructed him not to argue in front of Wang Mang, as that might cause great trouble to Chen Tang.

Chen Tang could see that Zhou Lie had a grudge against the newly appointed Grand Sima. At that time, he didn't know why Zhou Lie was like this, but now he looked at Wang Mang's unpredictable eyes and recalled what Wang Mang said just now, and he quickly understood everything.

The eunuch party and the foreign relatives, these two forces could not allow Zhou Lie to enter the court. Wang Mang's attitude also represents the attitude of the foreign relatives in a sense.

If Zhou Lie cannot enter the court, the Han Dynasty will perish!

Chen Tang hesitated for a moment, but finally gave up.

Now, he is no longer the Chen Tang who dares to disobey the emperor. He is old and has no choice but to do many things.

After that, Wang Mang talked with Chen Tang about some topics that were not painful or itchy. Seeing that it was getting late, Chen Tang could only get up and say goodbye.

Wang Mang watched Chen Tang go downstairs and summoned another servant to reheat the already cooled wine.

The sound of snow being trampled in the alley next to the winery came. Wang Mang opened a gap in the wooden window and silently stared at Chen Tang's back as he moved farther and farther away.

Seeing Chen Tang's staggering steps and his hunched back, Wang Mang felt very uncomfortable.

When he was younger, Chen Tang was once a hero in his heart, but decades of officialdom struggle made General Chen, who once made Hummer contributions to the Han Dynasty, grow old too early.

Lian Po is old, can he still be able to make a living?

Unfortunately, Chen Tang is not Lian Po.

Seeing Chen Tang's current appearance, Wang Mang seemed to see himself ten years later. He was unwilling to accept it. He didn't want to be like Chen Tang, even if he had made such a huge achievement, he could only get a handful of loess after his death. What he wanted was an imperial tomb, which was admired by future generations for generations.

Jiao An returned to Wang Mang with a hot wine. He was the manager of the royal family. He has been with Wang Mang for so many years, not because he has taken a fancy to Wang Mang's ability, but because he has taken a fancy to the powerful forces of his relatives. He knew that with his relationship with Wang Mang, sooner or later, he would be able to get a job in the court.

Although Wang Mang always looks smiling now, Jiao An knows very well that this is Wang Mang's disguise. Deep in his heart, a seed that wants to reach the top of the 95th is buried.

Wang Mang closed the window, breathed a long breath, and said to Jiao An: "There are no outsiders here, so you can sit down and drink this pot of wine with me."

Jiao An sat opposite Wang Mang. He felt Wang Mang's face depressed and couldn't help asking: "What are you thinking about?"

Wang Mang took a small sip of wine and said lightly: "Have you heard of Zhou Lie?"

"The lord is talking about that ranger," Jiao An responded respectfully: "I heard that he was General Chen's subordinate in the past. General Chen has been moving around over the years, and it seems that he has always wanted to send him to the court."

Wang Mang: "I have only heard of these? Don't think I don't know that the green-skinned men in the west of Chang'an City are all your people, right?"

Jiao An smiled timidly: "You can't hide anything from your lord."

Wang Mang glanced at him: "Tell me, how did your guys evaluate Zhou Lie? He is a ranger and must have dealt with your people."

Jiao An responded truthfully: "I heard that this person is very capable. Not only the Qingpi in the west of the city, but even the imperial guards in the imperial city were very respectful when they saw him. Now there are many nursery rhymes about Zhou Lie, what are they singing about? Zhou's family is unparalleled in the world, six-foot sword, and the four seas are determined."

Speaking of this, Jiao An found that Wang Mang frowned tightly, so he said again: "It's all about the nursery rhymes in the city, so I can't take it seriously. I think Zhou Lie is just a false reputation."

"Is there a false reputation?" Wang Mang's brows frowned even more: "I can't see it."

After saying that, Wang Mang stared at the wine in his hand and became sensible.

Jiao An: "I heard from the generals guarding the city that they said that Zhou Lie is an enemy of ten thousand people, and one person can match a thousand troops. But no matter how powerful he is, he is just a vulgar martial artist. In fact, the villain has always been puzzled. Why did the eunuch party obstruct Zhou Lie's entry into the court? What other storm can a martial artist cause?"

"The waves are surging," Wang Mang said to himself: "If he was just a martial artist, he might be able to use it for me. But once he entered the court, he would have Zhao Yizhu and Yang Xiong inside and Zhuang Junping outside. Most of the generals and officials in the northwest area had a close relationship with him. He was a military general. Once he entered the court, he held military power. Who could still suppress him?"

Jiao An couldn't help but wonder: "Zhuang Junping, isn't a Qingliu from Shu? He also had contacts with Zhou Lie?"

Wang Mang seemed not to hear Jiao An's words. He stared at the ripples in the water and said in a muffled manner: "You must not let Zhou Lie enter the court!"

In Wang Mang's eyes, Jiao An saw a strong murderous intent.

At the same time, Jiao An also vaguely felt that this might be an opportunity for him to make contributions. Although Jiao An also knew that he was not Zhou Lie's opponent, he thought that someone would definitely be able to kill Zhou Lie in the territory of the Han Dynasty with a territory of thousands of miles.

And that person will come to Chang'an in a few years.

Not many people knew about the secret meeting between Chen Tang and Wang Mang. Wang Mang didn't want people to know that he had an intersection with Chen Tang, and Chen Tang didn't want people to know that he had any separation from the forces of foreign relatives.

On the night of the secret meeting, the restaurant caught fire inexplicably, and the shop owner and the guy disappeared, and no one knew where they went.

Zhou Lie's life was still as leisurely as ever. During the day, he would wander around the city most of the time. At night, he often wandered in the palace. No one knew how he got in. The patrol guards would occasionally see a figure passing by quickly in the corridor. They thought they saw ghosts, so rumors of haunted in the palace spread wildly.

However, some people also say that the guards saw not ghosts, but the ranger who often wandered in Chang'an City.

In the second year of Jianping, Zhuang Junping went to Chang'an to live in a short time. At the beginning of the following year, he left Chang'an City and returned to Shu to preach and teach.

As early as a year ago, Emperor Cheng of Han passed away and Zhao Hede committed suicide. Crown Prince Liu Xin inherited the throne, and Zhao Feiyan was appointed as the empress dowager as Liu Xin's adoptive mother.

When the emperor changed, Zhou Lie was still Zhou Lie of the past, and Zhao Feiyan was still Zhao Feiyan of the past, but the court was no longer the court of the past.

When Zhuang Junping came to Chang'an, he told Zhou Lie that Zhao Feiyan could not leave the palace now, and she needed to wait for the arrival of that great disaster. This is the destiny of heaven and cannot be disobeyed.

In the fourth year of Jianping, there was a severe drought in spring.

Zhou Lie leaned against the female wall, looking at the official's instinct, and he was waiting for someone.

At the end of the sun, a middle-aged man in blue clothes avoided the guards guarding the city and went up the city wall alone.

When he saw Zhou Lie, he immediately showed his sword, but Zhou Lie still looked at Guan Dao and seemed to have no idea of ​​his appearance. He came to Zhou Lie and put the sword on Zhou Lie's shoulder.

Zhou Lie glanced at him and asked lightly: "Sima Ying?"

Sima Ying nodded silently.

Zhou Lie raised one hand and pushed the sword on his shoulder aside: "A few days ago, Jiao An sent me a message saying that you want to compete with me in the sword here."

Sima Ying: "I also want to see who is the number one sword in the world, you and me."

Zhou Lie smiled helplessly: "The world's number one sword? If you want this name, then it's yours."

Sima Ying realized that Zhou Lie did not bring weapons today and would not attack an unarmed person, so he put away his long sword and said to Zhou Lie: "I will compete again next day."

Zhou Lie took out a wine bag from his arms and threw it to Sima Ying. Sima Ying reached out to catch it.

"Have you seen Wang Mang?" Zhou Lie turned around, raised his chin at Sima Ying, and said.

Sima Ying: "I've seen it."

Zhou Lie: "He asked you to kill me?"

Sima Ying did not respond, but just silently watched Zhou Lie's every move.

Zhou Lie also looked at Sima Ying: "What did Wang Mang promise you? Is it a thousand acres of fertile land or a high-ranking official and a generous salary?"

Sima Ying still didn't say anything, but his eyes had already begun to wander.

Zhou Lie smiled helplessly in his heart. He had heard about Sima Ying a long time ago.

Sima Ying, the legendary world's number one sword, visited a famous master at the age of sixteen, and fought at the age of thirty, and had no defeat.

Haha, the world's number one, and it's such a big name, but in Zhou Lie's opinion, Sima Ying is just a villain. Since you have a sword in your hand, why not go to Yangguan? Where are you when the foreign barbarians entered the border? Where are you when Chen Tang opened up the territory for the Han Dynasty?

Now, for the sake of money and power, he does not hesitate to let his sword be stained with blood.

Zhou Lie looked down on Sima Ying and would not dirty his sword for him.

From Zhou Lie's eyes, Sima Ying saw deep mockery and disdain, which was tantamount to provocation to him.

Sima Ying suddenly felt an unknown anger in his heart. He pointed his sword at Zhou Lie: "I will come again in three days."

Zhou Lie stood up and took back the wine bag.

You don't deserve to drink my wine.

Sima Ying couldn't see clearly when Zhou Lie took action, and only saw that the wine bag had returned to Zhou Lie's hands.

Zhou Lie stuffed his wine bag into his arms and said to Sima Ying: "I won't come again."

After saying that, he jumped off the city wall. Sima Ying looked at Zhou Lie's gradually moving back and clenched his fists tightly.
Chapter completed!