I whispered to Xiang Yu, "Besides pointing the finger at Ba Shang and telling you to kill Liu Bang, what else did Fan Zeng do during this meal?"
Xiang Yu slapped his forehead in realization, then said to Fan Zeng, "Oh, and one more thing—don't keep waving that broken jade pendant in front of me while we're eating." I know this story too. Back then, Xiang Yu refused to kill Liu Bang, and Fan Zeng repeatedly winked at him, but Xiang Yu pretended not to see it. In the end, the old man had no choice but to take off the jade pendant and swing it around like a pendulum in front of Xiang Yu, probably trying to hypnotize the big guy.
Fan Zeng: "..."
After Xiang Yu finished speaking, he said to me, "Xiang Zhuang was the one who invited him in."
If I wanted Ersha to dart around with a sword to scare Liu Bang, I needed someone like that, and he was the only one suitable for the job. I put my arm around Fan Zeng's shoulder and pulled him to the doorway, pointed at Ersha and whispered to him, "Senior Fan, once the banquet starts, you just need to find an excuse to bring this person in, and you don't need to worry about anything else."
Fan Zeng looked at Er Sha's burly physique and suddenly his face lit up with joy: "Has Your Majesty made all the arrangements?"
I remained noncommittal and mysterious. Fan Zeng slapped his forehead and laughed, "I understand, I understand, it can only be understood intuitively." Then he left happily, giving Xiang Yu an appreciative look before leaving. He must have thought that Xiang Yu had already made up his mind to get rid of Liu Bang.
After Fan Zeng left, I said to Xiang Yu, "Be nicer to the old man in the future. You can tell he genuinely wants to help you."
Xiang Yu sighed and said, "How could I not know? I feel guilty towards my father, but I just don't like him. I always feel that sometimes his methods are too despicable and treacherous."
I chuckled and said, "That's why Bangzi is afraid of him."
Liu Bang had two unreliable advisors, Zhang Liang and Han Xin, but the only drawback was the lack of a stable triangular pivot. In fact, he had always greatly admired Fan Zeng, which is why he later went to great lengths to use a divisive tactic. After Xiang Yu's death, Liu Bang lamented that if Xiang Yu had been more capable of utilizing Fan Zeng, he himself might not have won so easily, a deep sense of regret stemming from the fact that he and Fan Zeng were similar types of people.
At this point, the preparations were mostly complete. I said to Xiang Yu, "Brother Yu, you should really think about that medicine. We're brothers, what can't we sit down and talk about..."
Before Xiang Yu could speak, someone suddenly announced loudly: "Liu Bang, the Duke of Pei, has come from Ba Shang to request an audience with Your Majesty and is waiting outside the palace."
Chapter 134 A Woman Three Years Older Than a Girl is Like Holding a Gold Brick
Xiang Yu waved his hand and said, "Let him in." He then ordered his men, "Prepare a banquet."
I shoved the sword into Ersha's hand and pushed him outside, saying, "When that old man calls you in later, go in then. Then use this to scare Bangzi, understand?"
Ersha grumbled discontentedly, "It's always you guys eating while I'm standing. Next time, find someone else for this kind of thing..."
Xiang Yu and I entered the courtyard, where Liu Bang strolled in. The man beside him, around thirty years old, with a square face and unwavering gaze, must be Zhang Liang. This guy's appearance is quite unexpected; I thought he'd look like Liu Laoliu twenty years younger—by the way, wasn't that old man who picked up someone's shoe back then Liu Laoliu?
Liu Bang approached Xiang Yu and respectfully bowed, saying, "General."
He called him that because he used the same title they had when they and the other feudal lords attacked Qin. This made them seem closer and also implied that they were old friends.
Xiang Yu smiled and said, "You've worked hard, Duke of Pei, no need to be so polite."
In reality, they were of the same status; Xiang Yu was the Hegemon-King, and Liu Bang was now the King of Han. However, this exchange of greetings still revealed their hierarchy. Xiang Yu spoke, but his body didn't move an inch, his disdain was blatant.
This was the first time I'd seen Liu Bang since we parted ways. The guy had reverted to his old-fashioned, sanctimonious self, not only unsmiling but also impeccably dressed, his demeanor impeccably composed—he looked like a newly rich peasant entrepreneur. Then look at Xiang Yu, dressed simply in cloth, yet exuding a Versace vibe. He could have stood at a Paris fashion show in that outfit and not attracted a single police officer's attention.
Xiang Yu pretended to be friendly and took Liu Bang's hand, leading him into the hall while saying, "Please take your seat, Duke of Pei." That's what aristocracy is like. Everyone on Earth knows he looks down on you, but no one can find fault with him on the surface.
Liu Bang, in perfect agreement, smiled broadly and said, "General, your majesty is as dignified as ever. Just now, wherever Ji (Liu Bang's courtesy name) went, he saw that the army under your command was disciplined and orderly. The tyrannical Qin Dynasty is wicked, and it is truly a blessing for all the people to have someone like you, General, in charge of the overall situation."
Xiang Yu chuckled and said, "We're in the same boat, Duke Pei, there's no need for such modesty."
I followed behind with my hands behind my back, muttering, "What utter bullshit."
I don't know if Zhang Liang heard what I said, but since the bosses were exchanging pleasantries in front, we juniors couldn't be left out. So I came up to me and said, "This general looks unfamiliar."
I casually replied, "My surname is Xiao."
Zhang Liang cupped his hands and asked, "May I ask what your courtesy name is, General?"
She's really good at dealing with people. In ancient times, only close friends would address each other by their courtesy names (not prostitutes). It's like how people address each other as "Brother So-and-so" now. Even if the relationship isn't very good, calling each other that at least creates a sense of closeness.
But… I don’t think I have a courtesy name. I’m not really planning to use “Xiao Qiangqiang” (萧强), it’s too bland! Of course, Li Bai’s courtesy name is “Taibai” (太白), that’s another matter. “Da Bu Si” (打不死) is my pen name, but that doesn’t sound very elegant either. I could only mumble in a low voice, “Just call me Xiao Qiang.”
Zhang Liang immediately found my appeal and chuckled, "So it's Brother Xiao Qiang."
I saw Liu Bang shrug his shoulders, as if he wanted to turn around and look, but he resisted the urge to move.
I weakly clasped my hands in a fist salute to Zhang Liang and said, "It's alright, Brother Zifang."
Zhang Liang, taking advantage of the situation, grabbed my hand and asked, "Brother Xiaoqiang, do you have any children?"
"Yes... I'm almost there, due date is December."
Zhang Liang was taken aback, then smiled and said, "Zifang has a little daughter who is only two years old. If your wife is fortunate enough to give birth to a son, how about we arrange a marriage between our children?"
Let me do the math. His daughter is two years old this year. That means when my son is born, he'll be three years older than ours, so we can't have an older man dating a younger woman. Besides, having Zhang Liang as a father-in-law seems pretty good. Just like Wei Xiaobao said, he can do this and that, and in the end, Bangzi didn't harm him, so he'll have a peaceful end. This deal seems worthwhile—
So I said, "Great idea. A woman three years older than her husband is like holding a gold brick."
Zhang Liang was taken aback, then laughed and said, "Brother Xiao Qiang, your words are truly witty."
In the hall, Fan Zeng and Xiang Bo were already waiting. Xiang Bo was just an ordinary old man with a white beard, nothing special to say about him. He had a kind face and a gray beard, and looked like the kind of soft-hearted, indecisive older generation. A typical example of someone who meant well but did bad things.
After another round of insincere pleasantries, everyone took their seats. At that time, the seating arrangement between host and guest was significant, and since Xiang Yu had also experienced the Feast at Hongmen, the arrangement remained the same: he and Xiang Bo faced east, opposite Zhang Liang, while Fan Zeng and Liu Bang faced each other, one facing south and the other north. But then the question arose: where should I sit?
Historically, the Feast at Hongmen was a banquet for five people, with two performers outside. What am I, Xiaoqiang, doing here?
Logically, I should have sat next to Xiang Yu, since it was my home turf. But there were two other people with the surname Xiang sitting there, which was practically a kinship seat. By status, I should have sat with Fan Zeng, Xiang Yu's strategist, but the old man seemed rather awkward; he didn't seem inclined to sit with me. So, I simply sat side-by-side with Zhang Liang opposite Xiang Yu. This aligns with the modern custom of entertaining guests—you have to mingle with them, right?
Once everyone was seated, someone began bringing out cups, plates, and wine. Even before SARS, people in ancient times practiced separate dining, with each person having their own small table and eating independently. I held my wine glass, waiting for their opening remarks.
Seeing that the time was right, Liu Bang raised his wine cup to Xiang Yu and said, "General, it has been quite a while since we parted after the great victory at Julu. Since then, we have fought our way across the north and south. In eliminating the tyrannical Qin and dividing the feudal lords, we have relied on your divine might. I have always thought of you, General. I offer this cup of wine on behalf of the world to you!"
Xiang Yu smiled faintly, picked up his wine cup, and touched it to his lips. Liu Bang hurriedly drank it all in one gulp. As Zhang Liang refilled his cup, he scratched his head and said, "There's something strange about this that I don't know whether I should mention..."
Xiang Yu was a little confused; it seemed that this line hadn't been there before.