The night was dull and the spring breeze was blowing. Zhang Xing settled down to the north of Zhouqiao Market and just chatted with Sima Zheng.
It was really just gossip. The two started talking about old things in Dongdu, all the way to the incident in Gushui that day, and then what happened after they separated.
It's okay here in Zhang Xing. Most of them are the process of rebellion that everyone knows. The court keeps track of everything, and sooner or later they have to draw up a list. And Sima Zheng's place inevitably made it clear one by one the loss of people's hearts, political divisions, and personnel conflicts caused by the sudden and sudden relocation of the capital of a political entity.
"When he arrived in Jiangdu, the saint was obviously much more at ease. After all, it was his hometown for many years. However, the palace was empty and everything needed to be purchased and enriched. The accompanying soldiers and horses could also rely on the logistics and supplies left over from the previous Southern Route Army in Xuzhou and Jiangdu. Station, but the cost of accompanying civil and military personnel is quite a lot..."
"There's a lot of competition for important jobs, right?" Zhang Xing asked jokingly.
"Taoist priests have many temples and few temples to visit, what else can they do?"
"The local power in Jiangdong has surged?"
"A big rise is inevitable, but it is still far inferior to Guanlong. Except for a few descendants and old people recruited by the former saints when they were in Jiangdu, there are not many people who have entered the palace..."
"Did the people of Jiangdong increase the levy?"
"yes."
"If things go on like this, no bones will be given to you from above, and the oppression from below will become increasingly severe. Even if Jiangdong is right under Jiangdu's nose, he will definitely rebel again."
"..."
"What's wrong?"
"It's already been reversed... But there were some problems in the Yongjia and Jian'an areas, and in Luling, Jiangxi."
"Then we can't just ignore it, right? So when the two masters were in the east, they were on a business trip to quell the rebellion, but when they arrived in Jiangdu, they still went to other places to quell the rebellion? Since it was a rebellion in the south, there must be something from the True Fire Sect... Is the saint feeling uneasy?"
"Yeah, right..."
"Then let me ask something unnecessary." Zhang Xing suddenly became serious. "With so many masters in the court, it's impossible not to send someone to Xuzhou, right? Do you look down on us, the Deposed Dragon Gang, so much?"
Sima Zheng was silent for a while and pointed at himself.
Zhang Xing understood, and then laughed: "If this is the case, I will really prepare to run away."
Sima Zheng also laughed: "It's just a Cheng Dan, not to mention you also have Xiong Bonan... But you should also know that Zhang Changgong went to Qi County, right?"
"Prefect of Lu County, even if I didn't know it before, I know it now." He still said casually, but his heart was already sinking with his head wide open.
To put it bluntly, it is assumed that Bai Yousi came, together with Xiong Bonan, and barely managed to win the title of a master of cultivation. However, Sima Zhengtong army came over, restrained military discipline, and majestically crushed him with the elite army. He and the deposed dragon I'm afraid it's unreasonable to help.
Even Wang Zhen, Lu Changheng and Wang Gonggong...
Even if the other party came here to reminisce about the past, I'm afraid he didn't just come to express his feelings and talk about his old stories in Jiangdu.
Sima is a decent person. A decent person can be bullied, but you can't expect him to be lenient and selfish. When such a person is suppressed with a majestic formation and absolute strength, it will make you powerless.
The other party simply persuaded me to leave because of their past friendship, nothing more.
And Zhang Xing had to admit that if the other party brought troops, he would be a mantis, because this was what he was most worried about. There was actually a hero from the army, a selfless kind, who wanted to lead the troops. .
At that time, let alone attacking him directly, as long as he cooperates with Zhang Xuguo and even directly joins the army to sweep across the eastern border, the so-called five and six counties of the Dragon Gang will be wiped out immediately, and he will Isn't it a foregone conclusion to leave in a hurry?
"Zhang Sanlang hasn't condensed the elixir yet, has he?" Sima Zheng continued to ask, as if he meant something.
"No." Zhang Xingyi said. "I have access to all eight meridians, and my Qi control has reached a new level. I can even use my abundant Qi to connect others to form formations, but it has never been as good as those people said. The so-called elixir produced in the Dantian can form a self-made elixir." Breathing is like the ebb and flow of the true energy in the formation."
"It also takes an opportunity to condense the pill." Sima Erlong gave serious instructions. "Looking back now, the so-called path of cultivation is basically a process of self-cultivation and Taoism. Reaching Ningdan is an obvious threshold... Ningdan and Chengdan are divided into two paths because of the difference in strength. But in fact, it is just about feeling the outside world. The difference between physical objects and self-contemplation is all about polishing the energy of heaven and earth condensed by oneself in the Dantian."
Zhang Xing suddenly realized.
The so-called Dan Condensation stage is about passive visualization, while the Formation stage is about active visualization. It is just because of the difference in strength and the fact that visualization is too limiting for people, so they are stratified.
"Then..." As soon as he thought about this, Zhang Xing wanted to ask.
"That's right, when you are here, you can condense the elixir at any time. As long as you make a slight progress in your mood, or even calm down, you can't help but move forward." At this point, Sima Zheng slowed down a little. "And to tell you the truth, once you condense the elixir, you will have your own capital in this world. When the time comes, you can form a formation to offset the benefits of the elixir. In fact, from a theoretical point of view, you are not afraid of the masters of the elixir. ”
"Logically speaking." Zhang Xing lowered his head and smiled again.
"Yes...after all, there is always someone who is caught off guard by a sudden attack and is helpless when the energy is insufficient." Sima Zhengming knew that the other party had already understood what he meant due to his intelligence, but he still took the initiative to remind him. "But on the other hand, if you don't have the Condensation Pill, even if you enter the formation empty-handedly, you won't be an opponent of a Chengdan master, let alone one who is in the Chengdan realm."
Under the light, Zhang Xing raised his head, revealing a pair of black eyes, stared at the other party seriously for a while, and then smiled again:
"Sima Erlang, you are really a hero!"
"How can you be called a hero?" Sima Zheng avoided the other party's gaze in embarrassment. "As a minister, you cannot prevent your superiors from destroying the world; as a grandson, you cannot save your grandfather from his evil ways; as a nephew, you cannot persuade your father and uncle to go astray; as a general, you cannot make your subordinates feel at ease... Twenty-six or seven, nothing can be accomplished."
"Rely on the strong but never bully the weak, hold yourself high but never be arrogant, never give up on the right in every situation... Even a traitor like me can be extremely kind to a traitor like me." Zhang Xing put away his smile and stared at the other party to speak seriously. "To be honest, I don't admire many people. Many people are better than me in certain aspects, but they are just more fearful, vigilant, and shy. You, Sima Erlang, is someone I rarely admire sincerely."
Sima Zheng was silent for a moment, and finally smiled bitterly: "Let's not flatter each other. That's it. I'd better go back overnight... I hope you can take care of yourself."
Zhang Xing nodded, stood up and made a gesture of invitation: "I understand what Sima Erlang means, and I will consider it sincerely. Erlang can do whatever he wants."
Sima Zheng didn't show any pretense, he stood up and handed over his hands, then opened the door and left. After a moment, the spring breeze moved slightly around him, and the night was peaceful, as if no one had ever been here.
There was no words spoken that night. The next day, the prince and his father-in-law took their leave first. After Zhang Xing waited for the other party to leave, he also left Beiqiao City, where the city was still busy, and invited Du Pozhen and his party to continue north to Jiyin.
Besides, not long after leaving Zhouqiao, Du Pozhen, who felt a little depressed, became a little more emotional. And that evening, everyone galloped across Zhouqiao County and arrived outside Jiyin City. Under the setting sun, they stood on a small slope for a while and saw the long acres in front of them, like a chessboard, with endless green colors as far as the eye could see. The water is like a jade belt running across it, but it also brings out a city, towering between heaven and earth.
Looking at the past, it is really refreshing.
"Before, it could be said that the timing of the market was coincidental, but now I have to be convinced...Brother Zhang San is very capable." Du Pozhen said sincerely.
Zhang Xing looked at the scenery and was a little touched, but he asked out of curiosity: "Is there any on the Jianghuai side? The Huaiyou League is watching over it, and there are no rebels, so there won't be any trouble in the fields, right?"
"Of course there is, but it's not as good as before..." Du Po Zhen responded seriously. "There is too much plowing. How can the land that is taken care of be the same as the land that is not taken care of? At first glance, it is mottled, as if it is rusty."
Zhang Xing thought about it for a while, but was still puzzled: "If we abandon the plowing, will the government not care about it? This is just to grant land..."
"The officials are all thinking about how to curry favor with the emperor of Jiangdu!" It was Wang Xiongdan who couldn't help but interject. "How can you care about what's going on below?"
"That's right!" Ma Ping'er seemed to be freed from yesterday's dull atmosphere and became a little more lively. "Zhang Longtou didn't know that when the emperor arrived in Jiangdu, some people said that the inventory was insufficient and it was difficult to collect taxes, so he promised to be more diligent and frugal. As a result, when people in the counties below sent tributes, whoever sent more would be promoted... There is a qiao The county magistrate at the lower level of the county was directly promoted to the county governor in the south because he sent good cooks and provided many kinds of food."
"A dog can't change its habit of eating shit." Zhang Xing commented sincerely.
The people around looked at each other, and then the people from the Deposed Dragon Gang nodded first, and then the people from the Huaiyou League couldn't hold it back and nodded in agreement.
They also realized that once they got here, they no longer had to worry about the things on the surface.
"But why don't the people nearby plant it?" Xiao Zhou raised another question at the right time.
"Leader Zhou, please don't forget why some people abandon their farming and wasteland...Aren't they worried that they won't be able to survive even if they farm?" The atmosphere relaxed, and people like Kan Leng joined the conversation at the right time. "In fact, other people, even if they have not abandoned farming, will still have various concerns, and even worry that the government will assign the taxes of their escaped neighbors to their own families."
"I actually asked the gang to plant some wasteland, but I found out too late and didn't plant much... Huaiyou League is also in trouble now." Du Pozhen seemed to be complaining in his tone.
But Zhang Xing seemed to turn a deaf ear and just stood there, staring at the scenery ahead in a daze.
"Brother Du, do you know what I'm thinking?" After a while, Zhang Xing finally came back to his senses and turned to look at Du Po Zhen when he saw several riders coming towards him, as if they were coming from the city to greet them.
"What?" Du Pozhen was inexplicably nervous.
"I was thinking that if the rebellion in Jiangdong is true, and the strike in Guanzhong is also true, could it be that the land of Xisan County, where the Dragon Gang was deposed, really created the best place of peace and tranquility in the world today? "Zhang Xing asked with a sneer. "At least for farmers."
"I don't know where they are, but the virtues of the Deposed Dragon Gang are well-known in Jianghuai." Du Pozhen was silent for a moment, and then told the truth. "People in Huaibei and Huaixi want to rebel, and they are getting more and more irritable. Brother Zhang San, you are indispensable... If I say that I was just mocking you An Tianxia, now you seem to have gained some prestige. Don't say it." I have seen heroes coming to join you."
Zhang Xing responded slowly: "The Wei Dynasty will surely perish, but I may not be the one who brings peace to the world."
"This is an honest statement." Du Pozhen's heart moved slightly. "But now, you and the Deposed Dragon Gang are the ones at the forefront after all. This is how we can eradicate the violent Wei, and this is how we can stabilize the world... These are my honest words."
By this time, the surrounding leaders and subordinates, as well as those who had different views on Zhang Xing, had already realized that the topic was beyond their control, and they all just looked at the two people with complicated thoughts.
Because these two people don't know when they started, they are really giving advice.
And no one doubts that the words spoken by these two people are pertinent and honest.
Thinking about it two years ago, Du Pozhen was still a sheep thief in the Eastern Territory, and Zhang Xing was just a white-sanded person. It really felt like a world away.
Zhang Xing was silent for a long time, and then slowly spoke again: "But didn't Brother Du also say that? Who knows what else will happen this time next year?"
"One code equals another code, and every year counts." Du Pozhen disagreed at this time. "Even if there are no more people occupying the city next year and they have all been wiped out by the soldiers, it will still be the first time that the territory of your Deposed Dragon Gang has been destroyed."
Zhang Xing smiled, and then suddenly said seriously: "Boss Du is right!"
Du broke the formation and wanted to laugh with him.
"Do you know why I asked them to grow millet?" Zhang Xing suddenly asked again, and then answered on his own without waiting for the other party to speak. "Because millet is durable, it is inevitable that the world will become more and more chaotic. In this case, a pound of millet is a pound. As long as a pound of millet is stored for one more year, one more person can live."
Du Pozhen scanned the green field in front of him again, but after only one sweep, he who had been maintaining the attitude of the leader of the Huaiyou League suddenly changed his expression and lost his composure on the spot.
Another person who was obviously moved was Ma Sheng, who had been silent since arriving yesterday, but even he didn't react as big as Du Po Zhen.
The reason couldn't be simpler, because both of them were keenly aware that what Zhang Xing said was true, and realized that the big dragon leader had really thought of this level, but Du Pozhen had really been hungry for many days.
"Ask one more question to Boss Du." Zhang Xing waited for a while and asked with a smile. "Believe it or not, the current situation is actually the result of me just scraping by to rebel. Although I was serious, it was also the result of doing something perfunctory... I didn't really put any effort into rebelling. Use your heart to calm the world... In other words, do you believe it or not, I can do better than that?"
As soon as he said this, the silence behind him became even more obvious, and the sound of hoofbeats and whistles from the dozen or so horses that were about to arrive in front became more obvious.
Du Pozhen looked at Zhang Xing and slowly shook his head: "I don't believe it."
Zhang Xing nodded: "If this is the case, even if I want Brother Du to believe this, I can't give up easily... I can hold on for a day, and I can do a little."
"It should be like this." Du Pozhen was confused. "Even if such a huge inheritance cannot be resisted, one should hold on until the end before leaving, and one should always try his best. If he can save one more brother, he is a brother."
Zhang Xing nodded repeatedly, ignoring Yan Qing and others who were waiting in front of the small slope, and then turned their horses and walked out on one side of the field ridge.
After walking more than ten steps, just as the people behind him were hesitating whether to get on their horses or not to follow, Zhang Dalong suddenly turned around and said, "Xiao Zhou and Brother Du are coming together. Others are not allowed to come over and eavesdrop."
Yan Qing and Zhang Jinshu each reacted and ordered their subordinates to line up in two rows to block and isolate. However, the Taibao of the Huaiyou League were nervous, and Kan Leng did not hesitate and rode to follow. On the contrary, Du Pozhen didn't take it seriously. He waved his hand and asked the adopted sons to calm down for a while, and directly rode forward with Zhou Xingfan.
After walking another hundred or so steps, the three of them stopped at a path where fields intersected, and then handed over to Ma Laiyan.
"The general sent from the Xuzhou Camp has been decided, and he is Sima Zheng." Zhang Xing told an understatement that was actually extremely terrifying. "That's why I've been a little depressed today."
Of course, Du Pozhen and Zhou Xingfan woke up almost instantly and raised their heads. Xiao Zhou's horse even started and neighed on the spot.
"If he is allowed to lead the army over, whether he goes directly north to join forces with Zhang Xuguo in Qi County, or fights step by step and goes to Qiao County, enters Liang County, or comes to Jiyin, we will definitely be defeated." Zhang Xing said with certainty. . "So, I thought about it, and I must take action now to get Jiangdu to change his ways before the war begins...change the generals on the spot! At the very least, Sima Zheng cannot leave Xuzhou!"
"What do third brothers mean?" Zhou Xingfan's face turned pale. "Are you going to use countermeasures?"
"Not bad." Zhang Xing's expression remained unchanged. "We must take a preemptive strike, avoid the real situation, and use counterintuitive tactics to deal with him... I want you, Xiao Zhou, to return to Huaishang tomorrow with Brother Du, bringing gold, silver and jewelry with you, and borrow Xiao Zhou's help from the top officials in Jiangdu and Xuzhou Familiar, use the manpower and diffusion power of the Huaiyou League to spread rumors and bribe officials. Use the stolen Ziwei Palace treasures to drive Sima Zheng back. You can decide for yourself who to bribe and provoke whom. I only have rumors here. One theory is just a cliché, it is that the emperor once had a dream about a three-horse trough. This is true. The death of Grandpa Sima Zheng is related to it. You can watch and deal with it. "
At this point, even though Zhang Xingping always boasted of his righteousness and a higher stance, he couldn't help but sigh: "Sima Zheng has been extremely kind and righteous to me. Although I am not a good person, I am a little embarrassed to be able to do this..."
After Zhang Xing's words, Zhou Xingfan was panting and nodding his head. Finally, he was just a little startled and immediately responded: "Third brother is doing something righteous, why do you need to act like a child? This matter is not to protect yourself." Third brother of the common people, you are more magnanimous. Could it be that you are helping Sima Zheng, who is a pawn of the shit-eater who can't change, to occupy the right position? I will do this, and I will try my best to make it happen! And third brother doesn't have to worry about my safety. , at worst, if he comes to Zhan'er's house and runs away, I'll see if he has the nerve to kill me Meishang! It's just the result of being under house arrest!"
The matter was serious, Xiao Zhou spoke fiercely, Zhang Xing just nodded, and then immediately looked at Du Po Zhen: "Brother Du, the current situation is that if you break Wei, you will die. This is what people like us who know the life of the poor can tell. One thing we know is also something we know better than those condescending people...right?"
Du Pozhen tightened the reins with his calloused hands, and then nodded slowly.
"Based on this, I have an explanation." Zhang Xing hurriedly came to speak. "Although you, the Huaiyou Alliance, do not dare to rebel due to the situation, in fact, the people in the north, south, east, and west are increasingly separated, and there is a faint tendency to split... If the situation between the government and the army deteriorates, you can go with the flow, and the situation will fall in line with the general trend of the world; but If a gentleman like Sima Zheng, who leads the troops rigorously, is allowed to sweep through Huaibei, I am afraid that this division will intensify. By then, you will not even be able to maintain the Huaiyou Alliance, let alone other... In a word, this wave, we If the Deposed Dragon Gang can survive, it will do more good than harm to you."
"I understand." Du Pozhen thought for a long time and seemed to be struggling slightly, but he still gritted his teeth and agreed. "I will risk going back tomorrow and do my best to arrange it for you."
Zhang Xing finally nodded.
In this way, Jiyin City was right in front of him, and the compass could be touched tonight. However, Zhang Xing only made a brief decision outside the city and determined to take action immediately and use all means to deal with the imperial court's suppression.
After arranging this matter, Zhang Xing finally decided to enter the city.
Of course, it was inevitable that Yan Qing would come over and without any time to worry about anything else, he directly reported an urgent military situation in a low voice:
"Third brother, in Jibei County, Wang Wuye was reluctant to withdraw his troops and abandon the ground easily. The troops lingered, but Zhang Xuguo found him. He won five battles and five victories in five days. From the first battle, he pursued but did not kill. , punched through Jibei, and Wang Wuye was also defeated... The messengers couldn't run as fast as the defeated troops."
"I got it." Zhang Xing nodded without any expression, and then rode off to Jiyin City.
Yan Qing could only admire his third brother's determination.
PS: I was grateful when I saw the reward from Mr. Liuliqin, but at the same time I was a little scared. After thinking about it, I decided to just say this, as a report... I spent the whole day in Chengdu, and I kept driving around to handle all kinds of paperwork. But I finally got the marriage certificate successfully. Just getting the certificate was uneventful. I hope to go back soon, return to a peaceful life, and write well.
Thank you all in advance for your blessings and your long-term support. I will do my best to code in the future.
Because apart from this, there is nothing else.
