weaving

Since the incident in the 13th year of Chongzhen, Yuan Shizhong has grown from a few hundred people at the beginning to a small Yuan camp with tens of thousands of troops. He has always been the leader of the first camp and issues orders by himself. He has always said the same thing and is not subject to anyone. of dispatch.

Which city to attack, he only needs to discuss with the military advisers and trusted leaders. As long as he thinks it is appropriate, he will order the city to be attacked. Even if the money, food and goods obtained after the city is destroyed, it will all belong to his Xiao Yuanying family. Distribute as you wish.

Although he was different from other big thieves, he was very loyal and righteous. He strictly prohibited the officers and soldiers in the camp from raping women and killing civilians indiscriminately. Therefore, Xiaoyuan Camp had a very good reputation in southeastern Henan.

But now he had to act cautiously. Not only was he afraid of King Chuang's strict orders to hold him accountable, but even Luo Rucai, who held the position of general, kept him silent.

Yuan Shizhong felt depressed and desperate all the time despite the suffocation he was holding in his heart, and even though he had to obey orders on the surface!

Not far from entering the city from the north gate, groups of cavalry from the Cao camp could be seen galloping back and forth in the streets and alleys, seemingly maintaining order in the city. Yuan Shizhong found a small leader of the Cao camp and asked about the state and county. The yamen, the official treasury, and the homes of the wealthy gentry in the city, as well as the various shops run by them, have been stationed by Cao Ying's soldiers, and outsiders are not allowed to take advantage of the chaos to plunder money, food and goods.

Yuan Shizhong's cousin, Yuan Shitai, cursed angrily beside him: "You said no robbery is allowed, but it's just that our little Yuanying is not allowed to get a little bit of oil and water, they themselves are so happy to rob!

snort. From now on, just watch and always follow this rule. King Chuang and Cao Ying eat meat all the time, and they all have oily mouths, but they casually throw a rotten bone to our little Yuan Ying, and sooner or later we will be destroyed I'm starving to death! "

When Yuan Shizhong heard this, he couldn't help but give Yuan Shitai a stern look, and scolded him: "You are not allowed to be so careless! Are you tired of living? ... King Chuang will never treat our little Yuan Ying badly, so just don't worry."

Although he said this, Yuan Shizhong also felt a little uncomfortable in his heart. He rode his horse and glanced back at Military Advisor Liu Yuchi. Although neither of them said anything, there was a strange feeling in their eyes.

Soon, the group of people arrived not far from the gate of Tang Mansion, and Wang Shijie, the small leader who had been sent into the city previously, was already guarding the gate of Tang Mansion. He assigned ten more cavalry to guard the back door.

Yuan Shizhong rode his horse and asked, "Has Mr. Tang's house ever been disturbed?"

Wang Shijie hurriedly reported back: "General, I have just arrived. I don't know what the situation is like in Mr. Tang's house."

Yuan Shizhong couldn't help being stunned when he heard this, and asked in a cold tone: "I didn't send you into the city long ago, how could you have just arrived?"

Wang Shijie showed an angry look on his face and replied: "What I was holding was not Cao Ying's order arrow. I was stopped at the street. Fortunately, I met a big boss of Cao Ying. After some interrogation, he reluctantly let me go." Waiting to enter the city. So..."

Yuan Shizhong said nothing with a livid face. After a long while, he turned back to the military advisor and said, "Jade ruler, would you please go and see the general on my behalf and report to him that the north gate has been occupied by my little Yuan camp as ordered. Qiuhao No offense, and the people can live and work in peace. Remember, when you come back, you must ask the general for a Cao Ying command flag to bring back and place it in front of the gate to protect Mr. Tang and his family from military disasters."

After receiving the order, Liu Yuchi reined up his horse and headed east with ten soldiers.

Yuan Shizhong also got off his horse at this time and ordered Yuan Dahong, the leader of the personal troops, to knock on the door quickly and ask to see Mr. Tang, but there was no response for a while. After listening carefully, there seemed to be faint sounds of crying coming from the door.

He was suddenly surprised. Worried that Cao Ying's troops would enter the Tang Mansion from elsewhere and plunder him, he hurriedly ordered the door to be opened. Yuan Dahong found some strong soldiers, and after a few hard knocks, he heard someone shouting from the door of the mansion. Said: "Master, don't hit, don't hit, here it comes... open the door..."

I saw an old man about fifty years old, who looked very calm and capable, came out of the door and expressed his apologies repeatedly, as if he was afraid that the bandits would cut him into pieces if they were unhappy.

"Who are you? This is Mr. Tang Xuan's house? How is Mr. Tang?"

Faced with Yuan Shizhong's repeated questioning, the old man did not dare to be negligent. He bowed and clasped his fists in salute and replied: "Little old man Han Zhong is a slave of the house. This is Mr. Tang's house. The master of the house left three days ago." I went to live in the countryside, but I’m not at my house now.”

"Who else is in the house?"

Han Zhong saw that the "thief leader" had an extraordinary demeanor and kept shouting "Master", as if he was not planning to kill people and steal wealth. He was also suspicious of himself, so he hurriedly and respectfully replied: "Only male and female servants look after the house. The two young masters are also going to the countryside with the master."

Yuan Shizhong paused when he heard this and said: "What a pity... What a pity!"

He suddenly remembered the crying that he had just heard vaguely, and asked casually: "There are no stragglers coming in from elsewhere to harass the house, right?"

"No, General."

Han Zhong felt that the bandit leader's face was kind and there was no malice in his tone, and he felt even more surprised. At this time, he took the opportunity to ask: "May I ask the general's name? Have you ever met my master?"

Since Yuan Shizhong came to visit, he had no intention of hiding anything and immediately said to him: "I am from Kaizhou, the coach of Xiao Yuanying. I know your Mr. Tang, but I'm afraid he won't remember me. He really ran away to the countryside. Well?"

When Han Zhong heard this, he knelt down quickly, kowtowed and said, "I'm disrespectful, General Wanken. Please forgive me. General, have you met my master in Kaizhou?"

"Hey...it's a long story. I think Mr. Tang has not left the city. You don't have to hide it from me. Find Mr. Tang quickly. I want to meet him. Did you know that I have sent troops outside the Tang Mansion? I have protected you from the front and back to protect the master and others from harm. Now I just want to see your master before I leave the city.

I'm busy today, so I can't stay here long. Where is Mr. Tang hiding? Come quickly and meet me! "

Han Zhong didn't know what Yuan Shizhong meant, and he didn't dare to ask Tang Xuan to come out. He apologized and asked, "General, why are you so kind to the Tang Dynasty? And why are you so anxious to see my master? Can you please speak for me?" pass?"

Yuan Shizhong looked a little impatient and said: "You don't need to ask any more questions. Go and invite Mr. Tang here. You will understand everything by then."

Han Zhong saw that he looked a little impatient, so he didn't dare to ask any more questions. He stood up and said with an apologetic smile: "General, please wait for a moment. I will go find my master now."

Yuan Dahong asked with his eyes whether to send someone to follow him, but when he saw Yuan Shizhong shaking his head at him, he let Han Zhong leave alone.

After a while, Tang Xuan, supported by his old servant Han Zhong, came to the living room with a face full of surprise and uncertainty. Although he looked down on the intruders in his heart, how could a person not bow his head under the eaves?

As soon as he arrived in the living room, Tang Xuan wanted to bow and meet Yuan Shizhong with courtesy, but he didn't want to be stopped by Yuan Shizhong, so he pushed him to the first seat and sat down on the Taishi chair.

And Yuan Shizhong came to his feet, knelt down on his knees, and kowtowed three times to him respectfully.

Tang Xuan was greatly surprised by this. He quickly stood up and bowed in return. He even hurriedly helped Yuan Shizhong up and asked repeatedly: "General, general, may I ask why this is happening? Why is this happening?"

Yuan Shizhong said to him respectfully: "Master Tang, you are Shi Zhong's lifesaver. A few years ago, if Master Tang hadn't saved Shi Zhong's life, Shi Zhong's bones would have been thrown away, and how could he be here today!" "

Tang Xuan was thinking a lot. He really couldn't remember when he had saved the young leader of the bandit army in front of him, so he had to greet Yuan Shizhong again and ask Yuan Shizhong to sit down at the guest seat. He ordered his servants to make tea for the guests, and ordered Han Zhong to prepare wine and food to entertain Yuan Shizhong and all the soldiers. Then he asked Yuan Shizhong: "General Shicai said that the student once saved the general's life, but the student really can't remember it." But what happened when the students were working in Kaizhou?"

Yuan Shizhong said with a smile: "That happened in the spring of the ninth year of Chongzhen. Mr. Tang first came to Kaizhou to take office. Because it was a famine spring and there was a great calamity, a young man from his hometown became a thief. He was captured by soldiers and escorted into the city.

At that time, the master was in the process of suppressing bandits in Qingxiang, and he acted vigorously and vigorously. Most of the people he caught every day were beheaded..."

Tang Xuan suddenly interjected at this time: "At that time, Shangxian was very anxious to supervise and supervise, and the students had no choice but to 'govern the troubled times with heavy laws'."

Yuan Shizhong did not mention his indiscriminate killings, but continued: "At that time, there was a large area of ​​black crows kneeling under the lobby of the state government office. Many people were sentenced to beheading and hanging in the hall, and some were sentenced to prison. They were the last. Light punishment.

When the master asked me about it, he suddenly became compassionate and asked, "Yuan Tiedan, I see that you are young, your appearance is not fierce, and you don't seem to be a habitual thief. You are quick to recruit, so why did you collude with others to commit robberies?" '

I confessed, "Because my mother was a widow, it was not easy to support me, and the famine was a severe disaster, and my mother was ill and couldn't afford it. The common people were helpless, so they blocked the road with the gang and robbed only one cow. The owner of the cow was not harmed." I beg you to take pity on the suffering, and don’t kill me with grace! '

Master Mengtang showed extraordinary mercy and told me, "Since I am a first-time offender and I have never harmed the owner when I get wealth, I think that your mother is sick and has no one to care for you. I will be given a lighter sentence." I'll give you two strings of money and use it to do some small business to support my mother. You must cleanse your mind and do good, and no longer be a petty thief or violate the king's law. If he steals and robs people again and is caught and brought to justice, he will be punished for all previous crimes and there will be no way to survive! Yuan Tiedan, are you willing to never be a thief again? '

I immediately replied, "I swear to the sky that I will never be a thief again." Life after life, I will always be grateful! '

As expected, Mr. Tang ordered someone to take two bunches of money and give them to me, and he was released in court. How dare you forget the grace of your life? "

After listening to Yuan Shizhong's story, Tang Xuan seemed to have remembered the matter. He stared at Yuan Shizhong's face as if reminiscing. After a moment, he suddenly realized and asked affectionately with a smile: "Why, the general is the 'Iron Egg' back then." Huh?"

Yuan Shizhong also smiled and replied: "'Tiedan' is the nickname of the time. Because my father died soon after I was born, and I was frail and sick, my mother was afraid that I would not be able to raise me, so I gave me the nickname Tiedan for good luck.

My first name was Shi Zhong, but I was a child from a poor family. The adults and playmates in the village all called me Tiedan, but very few people called me Shi Zhong. "

"Your Majesty, are you in the army now?"

"Xianci had died of illness a long time ago. When Xianci was born, Shi Zhong had no other worries, so he gathered the young people from the village and started a rebellion in the mountains. However, when Shi Zhong started the rebellion, Mr. Tang had already resigned."

"General, you don't use your old name anymore?"

Yuan Shizhong smiled and replied: "When Mr. Tang released me last time, Shizhong swore to Tianming that he would never be a thief again. This time he rebelled openly and openly. At the beginning, he gathered five or six hundred people. The big guys refused. I was the leader, so I took the name Yuan Shizhong.

But in March and May, there were four to five thousand people. In another year, two to three thousand people were crossed, and they even crossed the Yellow River. It was like a snowball, hitting Guoyang and breaking through Meng City. My little Yuan camp is now It is famous far and wide. "

Tang Xuan lightly twirled the messy beard on his chin and looked Yuan Shizhong up and down, but he could not remember what Yuan Tiedan looked like back then, but he still said to him: "To be honest, the general looked sallow and thin at that time. , covered with dirt, no different from ordinary hungry people and thieves.

However, the general's facial features are regular, full of heaven, his eyes are full of energy, and his brows hide a heroic spirit. The student predicts that the general will not be a man of grass and trees in the future, so he is determined to save the general's life.

Students usually boast that they have a good eye for understanding people, but today they really put it to the test. It has been tested! "

After he finished speaking, he couldn't help but laugh very proudly...

Yuan Shizhong bowed and returned the courtesy and said, "If Mr. Tang hadn't saved me that day, I wouldn't be here today."

"You can't say that. This is God's will. God's will made the student become the governor of Kaizhou on that day and let the general go during the Red Sheep Tribulation. If there was no divine arrangement, the student would not meet the general again today."

The two of them talked very congenially, as if they were old friends meeting again.

While Yuan Shizhong was talking with Tang Xuan, the people of the Tang Dynasty had already roughly prepared food and drinks. Tang Xuan invited Yuan Shizhong to dine in the study, and the soldiers from the small Yuan camp who followed him were invited to drink in the opposite hall inside the gate. The doorkeeper brothers each sat at a table inside the door.

After a while, military advisor Liu Yuchi also came back from Cao's camp. He was immediately invited into the study. Yuan Shizhong first introduced him to meet Tang Xuan. After he sat down, he asked, "Have you seen Commander Cao?" "

Liu Yuchi leaned forward and said, "I met Cao Shuai in the state government office. Cao Shuai learned that after our Xiaoyuan camp occupied the north gate, Qiu did not commit any crimes and was very satisfied. Cao Shuai also asked the general to go see him and discuss anything with him. The general will discuss it face to face."

Yuan Shizhong asked: "Have you brought Commander Cao's flag?"

"I've already taken it. Give it to Wang Shijie and ask him to place it at the gate of Tang Mansion."

Yuan Shizhong then said to Tang Xuan: "There are many troops from Cao Ying in the city, and our camp only occupies the area around the north gate. The street above the mansion is also under the control of Cao Ying. I specially asked Cao Shuai for an order flag to protect the city." Everything is safe at home.”

After Tang Xuan heard this, he quickly stood up and bowed deeply to Yuan Shizhong, then bowed to Liu Yuchi and said, "Thanks to such blessings, I feel truly boundless."

After expressing his gratitude, he immediately asked: "Excuse me, you two, the students' neighbors on the street are mostly innocent people and just gentry. How can we protect their lives and property? Since my house is protected by General Cao's flag, can I order it? Are all the neighbors coming to my house to take refuge?"

Yuan Shizhong nodded and replied, "That's fine."

After Tang Xuan got Yuan Shizhong's approval, he immediately ordered his servants to notify the eunuchs and wealthy families in the surrounding villages to come to Tang Mansion to take refuge.

He ordered his butler Han Zhong to fetch four hundred taels of silver, put it on the table in front of Yuan Shizhong with both hands, and said to him in a cordial and respectful tone: "There are only four hundred taels of silver here. Please take it and give it to the general." Dear military brothers in my house. The student has prepared two more small gifts to present to the general and military advisor. Since I am unable to prepare them at the moment, please allow me to send someone to send them to the general's camp later."