Dawn of the Empire

Chapter 76

"The general will know," Zhao Xingde looked at Wang Yandao, "thank you, Mr. Wang, for taking care of him." There was only pure gratitude in his tone.If there is no Wang Yan, even if he has not become a pawn in the trade between Tong Guan and the big bosses in the court, he will probably die in the "rebellious" army because of the fall of Hejian City, maybe earlier, if there is no Wang Yan's insistence, Most of the tens of thousands of soldiers who fled to the wharf in the Hebei camp back then were all bones. By the Wuding River, who knew it was once called Zhao Xingde.

However, Wang Yan was a little moved. He had been in Sijinyan Mansion of the Imperial City for many years, and he had seen so many struggles for power, intrigues, well-dressed beasts, high-sounding 'treacherous' sycophants, and pious hypocrites. Except for obstinate eccentricities, there is no pretense of old habits. "It's no wonder that Chao Buzhi, who only accepted one disciple in his life, also took him into his sect." Wang Yan sighed slightly in his heart.

"Yuanzhi is about to go to the capital, and I have a message for you." Wang Yan said slowly, "If you want to be above ten thousand people, you must be under one person."

Zhao Xingde was taken aback. This phrase comes from "Six Secret Teachings" "Bending one person down, stretching out ten thousand people, only a sage can do it", and the later "Wuyue Chunqiu" records that Wu Zixu saw Zhuanzhu fighting with others, and his wife immediately called him. return.Wu Zixu asked strangely, and Zhuan Zhu answered with this sentence.

A lot of content related to this sentence flashed through Zhao Xingde's mind. Thinking about Wang Yan's intentions, it was obvious that Wang Yan didn't give this famous sentence to wish him and Li Ruoxue a harmonious marriage.

Afterwards, Wu Zixu introduced Zhuan Zhu to Prince Guang. With the king's guards armed with sharp knives, Zhuan Zhu stabbed King Liao in the hall with a fish-gut sword, and he himself died on the spot. Later, Wu Zixu sent Yaoli to assassinate Prince Qing. Ji, the vigorous hegemony of Wu State and Yue State kicked off. With the sword, the powers of the Central Plains re-recognized the sturdy south, and changed the pattern of the world at that time.Zhuan Zhu was the earliest of the Four Great Assassins in the Pre-Qin Dynasty, as shown in "Historical Records".

From then on, all the people who are worthy of this sentence's criticism are not the unrivaled heroes like Cao Mengde, but the saints like King Wen and Duke Zhou.

Seeing Zhao Xingde's suspicious expression, Wang Yan waved him back without explaining much.

Zhao Xingde retreated, walked out of the governing yamen silently, the guards at the gate saluted him in unison, Zhao Xingde returned perfunctorily.When the Liao army was besieging the city, he often came to control the yamen. It seems that etiquette is not so complicated.There was a scorching sun above his head, Zhao Xingde squinted his eyes, and stared at the fireball radiating infinite light and heat like a puff, and soon lost the battle, bowed his head and hurried away, his dingy back was panic-stricken Lost dog.

Wang Yan sent Su Wenyu and Ouyang Shan to Bianjing on business, but in fact they were protecting Zhao Xingde back to Bianjing along the way.Both Su and Ou were supposed to be addressed as generals, but Zhao Xingde rejected them both. His commander of the firecracker army was an official position that Wang Yan had accepted privately, without a confession and official seal, and being a military officer, it was inappropriate anyway.After the Liao people retreated, Wang Yan didn't say anything about his resignation, and Zhao Xingde didn't ask, but once he left, the six Huobao Battalions would be divided into the Six Hejian Army organized by Wang Yan.

When they were about to leave, not only the officers above the head of the Fire Gun Army, but even ordinary soldiers blocked the gates of the barracks to see them off. Thousands of people bowed and said, "Respectfully send General Zhao back to Beijing." Hejian Commander Wang Yan was also secretly surprised, this Zhao Xingde usually did not intend to buy people's hearts, he let the commanders of each battalion contact other generals, and the clinker turned into rain, and the troops were so loyal.

"Hey, I won't be able to receive the full amount of the military salary in the future."

"Hey, Mr. Zhao is still happy to be on an errand, regardless of everything, the school will see the outcome."

"Hey, Mr. Zhao has a clever plan, and he is determined to fight with him."

"Oh, unfortunately, Mr. Zhao is leaving."

"Hey, if Mr. Zhao wins the number one prize, will he remember today? We also followed him and sacrificed our lives and bleed."

Wang Yan was secretly relieved to send Zhao Xingde back to Bianjing, but also a little regretful, so he aggravated Cheng Yi again. Now Zhao Xingde already has tens of thousands of friends in his pocket. It can be seen that the Liao army retreated, and the Hejian army was in the middle of the battle. When chasing death and chasing north, he also got a lot of money, not counting the unsalable assets such as the huge cannon made of ten thousand catties of copper.

Xiangzhou is located on the main road in the north and south of Henan Province. Because of the stubbornness of Wei Chijiong, the governor of Xiangzhou at the end of Sui Dynasty, Yang Jian burned Yecheng in anger and moved all the well-dressed nobles to Guanzhong, leaving behind some craftsmen, happy households, and merchants. The newly built Xiangzhou lived and multiplied from the Tang Dynasty to the Song Dynasty. The folk customs here are frivolous and frivolous, and rumors are aroused when they are moved. Litigation officials rarely have troubles, so rumors are everywhere.

Some time ago, the Liao army invaded Hebei, and the capital was shaken, which tossed the people on the ground in Xiangzhou. Every day, it was rumored that there seemed to be a gold-plated posthorse running by, conveying military information.For a while it was said that the Liao people had slaughtered the Zhending Hejian, for a while it was said that the Hejian was a great victory, and for a while it was said that the Seventh Army was flooded. Knowing that he was screaming indiscriminately.After tossing until June and July, the wind gradually calmed down.The big guys have nothing to do, drinking two cents of wine, making a pot of tea, humming a little song, and listening to the newly compiled script, everything seems to be peaceful.

The north gate of Xiangzhou is called Tongyuan Gate. Next to the official road three miles away, a big elm tree grows extraordinarily lush, with branches and leaves covering the sky and the sun. In the hot summer, it is rare that this place is cool and pleasant. Vendors passing by from the north and the south often come here After a rest, over time, a tea shop opened under the elm tree.

The owner of the inn, Shi Bin, is a little proficient in writing, but has not formally entered school. He opened a tea inn and started a small business. on friends.

The weather was hot, so Shi Bin put the tea stand under the elm tree. At this time, the elm money had not been exhausted, so he collected the elm money and made a special herbal tea for passers-by to relieve the heat. In addition, I often donate my pockets to buy some steamed buns, stewed meat and candied fruit to take on the road.

"His grandma's ghost weather, he has no appetite, and a bird has faded out of his mouth." As soon as this sentence came out, Shi Bin couldn't help laughing. This foul language was not taught by his friends in the world, but rather I recently read it from a book called "Hejian Heroes".This is a strange book, it is clearly about loyalty, filial piety and righteousness, but the language used is unbearably vulgar in the frontier army, but it is very exciting to read.

When the Liao people invaded, the government closed the city gates tightly during the day, and even the usual dignified country gentry couldn't find out that Hebei was indeed the news.This copy of "Hejian Heroes" appeared on the market at the most timely time. From it, even the most rude and uneducated people can know the cruelty of the Khitan people, the heroism of the soldiers and civilians of the Song Dynasty, and the situation in Hebei. It should be gradually stabilizing.According to legend, this book was written by Mr. Zhao Hejian, a well-known drunken book criticizing thieves.Sure enough, he is a great talent, Shi Bin secretly thought, if Liao dares to set foot on the ground of Xiangzhou, and give up the herbal tea stall, I will go to join Yue Pengju, who is the number one gunman in this county, Xiangzhou also has heroes, and he will do his part to expel the Tartars , Swear to keep home.

It was noon, the sun was high, there were few pedestrians on the official road, only three or five cavalry came faintly from a distance, two of them were wearing half-worn military robes, and one was in a gray and white Confucian robe.Shi Bin immediately said with a smile on his face: "Several senior officials, it's too hot to drive in the afternoon, why don't you stop and have a sip of tea at the small shop, avoiding the sun before leaving."

This herbal tea stall under the big elm tree makes people feel cool at first sight, and the owner of the shop is enthusiastic, Su Wenyu immediately said: "Sir, why don't you take a rest and stay in Xiangzhou at night."

Zhao Xingde nodded.He, Su Wenyu and Ouyang Shan took a boat from Hejian up the Hulu River, a tributary of the Yellow River, and turned south after arriving at Daluze.Along the way, in order to prepare for Qiu Wei, during the sailing time, I also reviewed the scriptures of sages and sages in the cabin, pondering the way to choose and reject the scriptures, and my mind was dizzy.

While dizzy, Zhao Xingde suddenly thought of Song Xingtong's explanation, and he immersed himself in this old-fashioned study of classics. At first, he had no choice but to repeat it many times later, and he became a "rapist". ', and suddenly pondered the words Wang Yan gave himself that "If you want to be above ten thousand people, you must be under one person", it is incomprehensible.

After leaving the boat and riding on the horse, I was sweating profusely after a day in the sun on the official road. After my clothes were soaked, I felt refreshing at first when the horse was blown by the wind, but after a long run, I was covered in dust.Seeing that there is a good resting place here, let's stop and drink a cup of tea.

Shi Bin, who runs the inn, enthusiastically serves Yuqian tea. At this time, the real tea is bought and sold by officials. Although there are transactions on the black market, the price is not cheap. Group tea.After seeing several soldiers sitting down, Shi Bin just asked with a smile: "Aren't the generals from Hebei?"

"Exactly." Su Wenyu raised his eyebrows slightly, this great victory in Hebei was exciting, along the way, anyone who heard that it was a general who came back from Hebei would raise his thumb and praise him as a "hero"!

"Is there anything to inquire about next?"

"What's the matter?"

"It is said that Mr. Zhao Yuanzhi, who was drunk and wrote swearing articles about thieves, will go to the capital. I wonder if the general knows when Mr. Yuanzhi will arrive in Xiangzhou? My little man, no matter what I say, I will go to see him."

"Huh?" Su Wenyu and Ouyang Shan looked at each other, then looked at Zhao Xingde.

Zhao Xingde coughed in embarrassment, and when he entered the prosperous land without the intrusion of Liao soldiers, he realized how outrageous the story of Hejian was spread by the people of the Central Plains. Tong Guan put on boots for him, a famous "prostitute" in Hejian rubbed ink, wrote books cursing thieves when he was drunk, and some people said that he kicked the battle alone. The military letter came from the place of death, and because the literacy books in the Hejian army were circulated, it was dubbed "Hejian Heroes" and spread around.

"I'm Zhao Xingde, Cao Zi Yuanzhi, what can I do for you, sir?"

"What?" Shi Bin's heart sank, and he was a little surprised. How could the famous Mr. Zhao be so unattractive?It's no different from the teachers in Sanjia Village.This era has not asked for signatures yet, so he thought of leaving a calligraphy or something. After a while, he had to accept the tea money from Zhao Xingde and others, and watched their backs on horseback disappear in the smoke and dust leading to Xiangzhou official road middle.

"It is said that meeting is not as good as being famous. Who would have thought that Mr. Zhao Yuanzhi is so young and so ordinary." Shi Bin felt that a phantom in his mind seemed to be shattered, but then he thought again, "The so-called masters outside the world, who is not a gamer?" Feng Chen, Yuan Tiangang, Li Chunfeng, are not wandering Taoist priests, this is exactly, real people don't 'show' their appearance, and 'showing' their appearance is not a real person." The more he thought about it, the more he was right, and he happily recalled Zhao Xingde's appearance , and made a clear note of the seats where the three of them sat to eat and drink. Afterwards, if anyone rested here for tea, they would point out one or two triumphantly, saying that it was the place where the famous Mr. Zhao sat.