@@Xiong and Xu crossed the river, rested for a while, and set off the next day. They first explained to Bing Yuanzheng, Liu Hou of Jibei County, and then set out on the road. In the afternoon, they met Liu Hou, Dongping County, who was also the seventh of the seven counties and one state in the east. Chai Xiaohe, the only big leader of this group after Jun Liu, gave detailed instructions to him about the urgency of spring plowing of grain in Hebei and Zhang Xing's firm attitude in dealing with deserters, and then set off again.
Next we went to Lishan. In the evening, the two of them paid homage together in front of the Lishan Tomb. Then they parted ways, with Xu Shiying returning to Dongjun and Shantonghai to Jiyin.
The river bifurcates into two branches, leaving only one path.
It is only said that Dan Tonghai drove all night and arrived at Jiyin County, Jiyin County early the next morning. Thanks to his high cultivation level, he was still in high spirits, but he was not in a hurry to see Li Shu, the leader of the right wing who was left behind. Instead, he went to see Jiyin first. Yanlang, who stayed in the back room of Yin Dynasty, finished explaining the matter in a business-like manner, then asked about Li Shu's location, and then went to see him.
Fang Yanlang hurriedly wanted to lead him there, but was blocked by Xiong Bonan. He only let Fang Yanlang go about his business in peace and said that he wanted to visit him. However, it turned out that Cangcheng, which opened a military uniform and quilt factory, had found the deposed man. Li Shu, the leader of the right wing of the Dragon Gang.
"Li Shu was surprised and happy when he saw Xiong Bo coming from the south. He hurriedly moved to the backyard. In addition, several leaders who were already in Jiyin, Zhai Kuan, Ding Shengying, Huang Junhan, and Chang Fu summoned him together, and they were all in a group. We sat down at a table and then hurriedly set out the drinks.
The eastern border has a developed business and trade that is unparalleled in the world. Therefore, seven counties and one state are completely prohibited from drinking alcohol, which does not hinder the smooth flow of the alcohol business. Basically, Wang Shuyong and Xu Shiying lead a group of people from Dongjun and Jiyin to eat most of the food...Xiong Bo Nan knew this very well and didn't care about it. He just sat down to drink and say hello.
After everyone had finished drinking for three rounds, they put down their chopsticks and mixed their cups. Only then did Li Shu ask about business: "What important matter does the King of Heaven have when he comes back this time?"
Xiong Bonan nodded and said: "There is something going on, but I have already told you all about it, so I don't dare to delay it."
Li Shu's face did not change: "That's good... why don't we urge spring plowing and army mobilization supplies, and deal with deserters?"
"It's good that Li Longtou knows what's going on." Xiong Bonan said seriously. "It's true that everyone in the Eastern Region has worked hard... but there is nothing we can do about it in Hebei, and the Deposed Dragon Gang is one body, and they must be twisted into a rope no matter what.
"This is natural." Li Shu responded frankly. "And to be boastful, I had already anticipated this situation, because from the time the troops were sent out to now, Hebei was caught off guard... it was too hasty.
"That's the truth." Xiong Bonan nodded in response. "But haven't things piled up quickly? No matter how small it is, military affairs are fundamental. Ever since we crossed the river in advance to fight Xue Laoer that day, things have been out of control. And in the end, we won the big battle. It's a big deal. Good thing..."
"Indeed." Li Shu said sincerely. "Whether it's the King of Heaven, the leaders who went north, or Zhang Longtou, they all worked hard."
"Zhang Longtou actually only has these few official matters for the Eastern Territory. As he said, they are nothing more than time constraints for voting. I want to give you special instructions for staying behind." After saying that, Xiong Bonan asked in turn. stand up. "Where is Li Longtou here? Do you have anything to tell Hebei? Since I'm here, I'll also pass it back."
"Zhang Sanlang is in Hebei, Alliance Leader Du is in Huaixi, and eight more people are staying behind for logistics and daily government affairs. I am an idle person, how can I say anything?" Li Shu laughed on the spot with a hint of drunkenness. "It's nothing more than the delay of the spring grass and the carefreeness.
Xiong Bonan said nothing.
"I myself am so carefree, of course, I have nothing to say, but there are many brothers here in the East, including the chief, the leader, the queen, the helmsman, the deputy helmsman, as well as those in Huaixi, and even the surrounding counties who are flirting with us. Officials and heroes all have something to say." Li Shu knew that the other party would not follow his example, so his expression remained unchanged and he changed his tone without hesitation. "Since they have some opinions, I, the leader, should gather them and convey them to Hebei."
Xiong Bonan also became serious: "Please speak."
"The matter is very complicated. I will write a formal document in two days, but the general meaning is very simple. There are only a few points. I will talk to the King of Heaven first, and you can talk to Zhang Sanlang and let him know first. That's the bottom line." Li Shu said seriously.
"If Li Longtou writes a letter, I don't need to ask any more questions, because after I come to the East, I have to go to Ji County to look for the traces of the Niu leader, and I may not be as quick as you to believe him." Xiong Bonan explained with a frown. .
"It doesn't matter." Li Shu became more sincere. "In Hebei, there are three pillars of Zhang Sanlang, Chief Wei, and King Xiongtian. Since it is everyone's intention, all the leaders in Hebei must know it. It is impossible to talk to Zhang Sanlang alone. I will tell you face to face. Listen. Your reaction and meaning are also on point."
"Then let's talk." Xiong Bonan didn't bother to ask his mother-in-law. 「
"First of all, Chief Wei and Zhang Sanlang are in Hebei. The power of promotion and removal of leaders is all there, as well as the power of staying behind and appointing helmsmen. However, everyone here in the east feels that their due diligence may not be known to those in Hebei. , often uneasy. In Huaixi, there are also surrounding heroes and officials, and the appointments and promises they should have cannot keep up." Li Shu opened his mouth to speak, and indeed he had something to say. "Because of this, things have been delayed a lot."
"This is true." Xiong Bonan did not deny it. "It just so happens that Zhang Sanlang is still trying to explain the rules within the gang. He must be made accountable to his brothers in Henan... I also agree, what else?"
"There are also the clichéd material logistics, civilians and soldiers." Li Shu continued. "Since I am staying in Henan, although I want to unite as one, I cannot turn a deaf ear to the public opinions. I am not saying that I will not pay, but when will it be completed? Is there a quantity and a time limit?"
"anything else?"
"Another thing is that Huaixi people have come to ask for support many times. They say that the heroes on the south bank of the Huaihe River have joined together and the fight is hard. In the direction of Nanyang, the officers and soldiers are very nervous. If there is a slight movement, there will be elite Dongdu troops and Xiangyang camp. People come here... Du Pozhen wrote a letter a few days ago saying that he suffered a big loss on the border between Huai'an County and Runan County. Thousands of people were gone at once, and 500 of them were his old supporters in Huaixi. I feel sorry for him. It’s incredible... Zhao Tuo from Huaiyang County also wrote to us complaining, saying that the court was already suspicious of him, but he didn’t dare to move... meaning he wanted reinforcements, at least to move."
"Personnel, money, food, soldiers and horses..." Xiong Bonan had been hearing about it for two years. He understood it all at once, but he sighed with emotion. Then he glanced at several Nan'an leaders with different expressions present, and finally landed on On Li Shu's body. "The key is what does Li Longtou think?"
"me?"
"It's natural, you are the leader, let's talk about the truth and the rules...Leader, leader, no matter what, from the beginning, you and Zhang Longtou were the leaders of the Deposed Dragon Gang. In the first year, you were the one who made progress, and Zhang Longtou was the one who stayed behind. In the second year, Zhang Longtou will make progress, and it is indispensable for you to be Optimus Prime and sit here." Xiong Bonan's voice was strong. "As for the three pillars, everyone knows it in their hearts, so there is no need to say more. Just talk about the practical things. I, Xiong Bonan, will never talk nonsense."
"Okay." Li Shu knew Xiong Bonan's temperament and couldn't help but perked up. He glanced at the people around him and then, regardless of the number of people and ears, he seized the opportunity and blurted out. "What I mean is very simple. It's better to divide the government on the left and right! The north and the south stand side by side! Even if we divide a few more counties along the river to support Hebei, it would be better than the entire eastern border being dragged to a standstill."
"I object." King Xiongtian said simply.
"Why?" Li Shu's heart felt cold.
"I agree with the establishment of a government in Henan, and I also agree with you, Li Longtou, being the home of several counties, because it is indeed the right thing to do." Xiong Bonan said seriously. "But I am against the coexistence of the north and the south, because the Deposed Dragon Gang must be twisted into a rope. Everyone gathers together and uses a name. In one term, it is your flag. Although the colors are different, they all have the same word... so From now on, when setting up a government, you must still obey the rules of the Deposed Dragon Gang and cannot be divided into two!"
For a moment, Li Shufu felt happy inside again, but his face didn't show it: "That's good, I'm just worried that someone will think too much."
"What are you thinking about? I'm afraid that Li Longtou will think too much." Xiong Bonan said disapprovingly.
"How could I think too much?" Li Shu said speechlessly.
"Because of the current situation, Zhang Sanlang is obviously the one who can succeed, and it's not like you, Li Longtou, have never made the decision, but you lost Yuncheng and Zhang Xuguo." Xiong Bonan said proudly. "So, if there is a big rule that must be obeyed, and one person stands at the top to represent our gang and be the core of the gang, then
It can only be Zhang Sanlang... Whether the big bosses come to discuss matters or the leaders discuss together, it is inseparable from this result... Only after this result can we open any halls or establish government offices in the north and south, otherwise, Everyone was uneasy and refused to agree. "
Hearing this, the other leaders present here all jumped in their hearts. For example, Zhai Kuan's eyelids twitched and he almost lost his composure. Fortunately, Huang Junhan caught him.
As for Li Shu, he just remained silent.
In this way, Xiong Bonan had a drink, took a short rest, then said goodbye, and then went north on his own.
On Li Shu's side, he couldn't tell whether he was happy or sad. He and several leaders sent Xiong Bonan away that day. Then several leaders, who were from the local area, took advantage of the situation to leave, but he himself came straight to Cangcheng. In an ordinary public house in a small courtyard, I came to find Zhang Daxuan, the ordinary protector of the gang...or simply Zhang Shizhao. 「
"So, you feel that you have lost face?" The spring heat came on, and Zhang Shizhao just sat under the budding tree in the courtyard to entertain the other party. After listening, his expression did not change at all.
"Of course not." Li Shu said sitting next to him. "First of all, everyone knows the temper and temperament of King Xiongtian.
So to speak frankly and without selfishness, I really have nothing to say; secondly, I am not that pragmatic person... It's just that I have some unclear thoughts in my heart now. 「
vote
"Worried about losing reputation and therefore losing credibility?" Zhang Shizhao put it bluntly.
"That's what it means." Li Shu sighed with emotion. "After Zhang Xing crossed the river and left, I always felt that I was too stubborn and wanted to cheer up. But as soon as he won, I couldn't help but feel selfish again. To put it bluntly, I was afraid that Zhang Sanlang would get out of hand. , I have lost that ambition since then.”
Zhang Shizhao laughed: "You are said to be a quick thinker and a master of profound strategies. How come the key issues have not been clearly seen by a wealthy person in the world? Do you have any ambition? If you don't have any selfish intentions, it is nothing! In name only. Do you have the final say on this matter? Xiong Bonan has made it so clear. You lost your reputation because you defeated the battle. Zhang Xing won the battle; you can still hold on to certain practices because you He had merit in establishing the gang and had not made any fundamental mistakes...
Li Shu sighed repeatedly.
"So, let me tell you, when you come to me, a teacher and a foundation builder, you actually just want to borrow my name from back then and let me do some divination for you to put your mind at ease, right?" Zhang Shizhao continued to twist his beard. Come and ask.
"Yes." Li Shu admitted simply. "Mr. Zhang, tell me the truth, do I still have a chance? Xue Changxiong lost too quickly! Zhang Xing won too quickly! Win Lishan, turn things around, and win Ma Lianhe again. I have to think I am superior... If I win another game, I might as well throw in the towel and admit defeat as soon as possible..."
"Just ask me. I'm telling the truth, but I think he will most likely lose the next battle." Zhang Shizhao suddenly interrupted the other party.
Li Shu was stunned on the spot.
"Of course, this is a big war, not a small battle between one county and half a state." Zhang Shizhao added.
"Does Mr. Zhang think that I am a person who can't be saved, so he teases me casually?" Li Shu reacted and for a moment
A little angry, a little funny, and a little sad.
"I'm serious." Zhang Shizhao said sincerely. "Let me ask you, why did Lishan win?"
"Because...because Zhang Sanlang turned the tide and waited for work in leisure."
"Yes." Zhang Shizhao had no expression on his face, nodded immediately, and folded his hands and sleeves. "But it's also because all the members of the Deposed Dragon Gang are from Hebei and the East. In these two places, no matter the officials, heroes, or common people, they all hate the Wei Dynasty. So Zhang Sanlang raised his arms and they were willing to fight desperately again. ;
"There is also Zhang Xuguo. Let's talk about what Emperor Bai said afterwards. It's also that the hearts of the people in the east are not in Wei. His Qi Commandery
In the army, the children of Guanlong from the Eastern Capital and Zhang Xuguo, a local hero from the Eastern Territory, simply cannot make up for each other;
"In the end, among the three armies of the imperial court, Han Yingong, who was theoretically the most powerful, made political deals along the way, plundered places, bribed tribesmen, and eliminated dissidents. As a result, they fell into a quagmire and watched Zhang Xuguo fight on his own. , a complete failure.”
"That's right." Li Shu nodded and felt a little anxious. "This is all nonsense."
"Then why did Ma Lianhe win?" Zhang Shizhao asked calmly, not caring about the other party's attitude.
"Because Zhang Sanlang is decisive!" Li Shu gave the answer without hesitation. "So decisive! And I can really gather strength and use it on the edge... I really can't do it in one year to reorganize the 25th Battalion, because when Chen Bin came to surrender, I didn't have the courage to immediately decide on a general offensive. It can be done."
"It's still the same statement. Zhang Sanlang's ability is his own, but he can't ignore other things." Zhang Shizhao continued to speak calmly. "Hebei is an important place in the country, but deep down the people are still dissatisfied with Wei... Xue Changxiong has a large army, but he can't go up or down, and he can't unite the people because of this. The local officials are like a plate of scattered sand. The army looks majestic, but actually It’s been a mess for a long time. If a person of Chen Bin’s background can rebel, what else can you expect?”
"So... so what?" Li Shu became increasingly anxious.
"So what?" Zhang Shizhao sat on the chair and finally sighed slightly. "Have you not figured it out yet? The reason why Zhang Xing is invincible is because he is in the lower reaches of the river, where the power of the court is weakest. It is where the power of the court naturally dissipated after the saint abandoned the world... …One is ebbing and the other is ebbing, it is the rising tide against the Wei Dynasty and the ebbing tide against the Great Wei Dynasty.”
"According to your words, is there still a chance for the Wei Dynasty to rise?" Li Shu shook his head in response.
"Yes." Zhang Shizhao responded simply.
Li Shu was startled again.
"This has nothing to do with whether Da Wei can be saved in the end, don't get confused." Zhang Shizhao explained. "I don't think the Wei Dynasty can be saved, otherwise why would he come here to live here? But when the tide rises, there will be a tide, and when there is a tide, there will be a tide. This is the law of the world... Moreover, there is no salvation for the Wei Dynasty, and there is no way for Guanlong to survive. Save? The saint abandoned the world, wars broke out everywhere, and there were rebellions in all states and counties. But why can some places be quickly quelled? Some places are out of control? Some places are resurrected and eventually become a prairie fire? Yes The place is as stable as a red mountain?"
Li Shu's heart moved slightly... Some words were self-evident to him, such as Guan Long's strength.
How long did it take for the Wei Dynasty to conquer the world? Not to mention the original talents, military, and geographical advantages, but from the beginning of the late emperor's accession to the throne, he launched a special campaign to build the Guanlong line. The imperial court almost constantly transferred Hebei, the eastern border, and Jiangdong's masters gathered over and gathered all the world's wealth, silk, grain, iron and iron near Kansai and Dongdu. However, these advantages and materials will not disappear because of the demise of the Wei Dynasty. As long as one person quickly wins the hearts of Guanlong, they will Still holds an absolute advantage.
In fact, the distribution of Grand Masters and Grand Masters can also illustrate this point - the eleven Grand Masters are not visible yet, and there is a peak in the middle, and then take off on all sides, but the Grand Masters are obviously more The Wei court had control, and most of them were in the army.
"You have two biggest advantages..." Zhang Shizhao took out his hand and pointed at the other party. "First, you have contributed to the founding of the Deposed Dragon Gang, a rebel army that has become the leader of the world's rebel armies. You can't even be counted among the top two, and you have a share of the foundation in your hands. Second, you are from a high-level society. The Longming clan, the Guanlong military leaders, and the Jin clan all recognize you... This, on the other hand, is also Zhang Xing's biggest weakness."
Li Shu nodded seriously: "Yes, that's the truth. He could have gone to Wu'an to be the county governor, the Bai family's son-in-law, and gain power from Guanlong with Bai Sanniang, but he had to come to the east to work. I contacted him about this It can be seen in two years that he just feels that Guan Long can no longer be the leader. He feels that the world is collapsing again. Guan Long and his group are just like the saint. They have to take responsibility and confess their sins, so they have to take Hebei with them. Get up here again and decide the outcome with Guan Long... This is his weakness.
"I have already told you about him. Others say he is little Zhang Shizhao, but I think he is more like little Cao Lin... Of course, it could be both." Zhang Shizhao continued. "Anyway, he is very stubborn. There are some things that he can obviously get around, but he insists on persisting... Therefore, he will not change his mind, at least not until he is beaten... Then, no matter how he is beaten, Whether he attacks Dongdu directly or tries to capture all of Hebei, he will not be tolerated by the heroes of Guanlong..."
"Indeed, if we take all of Hebei, we will
If you want to enter Jin territory, touching Jin territory is no different from attacking the east. "Li Shu couldn't help but said. "So, Zhang Sanlang... he must have a fight with Guan Long next? So he must lose? But also
Not necessarily?"
Already in Shule, "It's not necessarily not necessarily, but it's inevitable." Zhang Shizhao became serious. "It's not necessarily true, but I can imagine it... After this time, I captured Wuyang, Qinghe, and Zhangshui, but only half a step away. I only developed a posture of flying together with the river between them, and then turned around and established the core number one person of the Deposed Dragon Gang. name, and then subdue the Du Po Formation and ensure the righteous attitude of deposing the leader of the Dragon Gang's world rebel army. After all the situations are arranged, he will cultivate and live in the lower reaches of the river for a few years. The so-called internal and external cultivation, civil and military use... he will not touch the great Wei Dynasty. The tide rises, but it also survives its own ebb... Wait until the situation in Dongdu and Jiangdu is ruined first, and then calmly sweep Hebei, and then spend two or three years to stabilize the place and win over Bei The land has appeased Dongyi, and the children he forced to build the foundation can be used. Then it will be the old confrontation between Dongqi and Western Wei. Then with his ability, he may not be able to achieve what Emperor Shenwu of Dongqi could not To achieve the overall situation."
"If this is the case, he is looking at the power of a soaring dragon. The situation is temporary, and the success or failure depends only on destiny..." Li Shu was thoughtful, and answered at a loss.
"But will he take care of everything without making mistakes?" Zhang Shizhao suddenly said softly. "His stubbornness is actually related to some big things inside. When he really deals with things, he often gets angry... The world is falling apart and the sea is wandering. If he can endure this, why would he have to cross the river again and again?"
Li Shu remained silent.
"What do you think?" Zhang Shizhao urged.
"I think..." Li Shu gasped inexplicably. "Although such behavior and behavior may not necessarily be inappropriate, it is the behavior of a true hero! Although he is in a position of right and left and is naturally in opposition, I still want to praise him for his heroic spirit!"
"That's good." Zhang Shizhao was startled for a moment and then responded coldly. "But if you have been practicing both civil and military skills since you were a child, you should know that since ancient times, there have been tens of thousands of years, and there are often times of great chaos. How many heroes with such arrogance can be proud of themselves? Far from it, It’s just that the ancestor emperor was a great hero, and he and Dong Chu’s dragon-traveling female phoenix were in a moment of turmoil. What happened to the last three people? And who was the Emperor of Tang who finally succeeded? But what about your situation? In a chaotic situation, how can one hero conquer everything?"
Li Shu took a few deep breaths, then just stood up and saluted, saying calmly: "I accept Mr. Zhang's auspicious words. I hope Zhang Longtou can get what he wants, express the spirit in his chest, and live up to his life."
Zhang Shizhao just nodded casually under the tree.
When it was dark, Xiong Bonan arrived in Dongjun, and then met his new wife Xu Chi and Xu Shiying, who had just been separated for a day. Then, before visiting his father-in-law, he learned a piece of news.
"Qin Bao?" Xiong Bonan was surprised for a moment. "Why did he come to you?"
"Ask about Niuda's whereabouts." Xu Shiying looked embarrassed. "So that he can save people in exchange for us."
"Did you tell him?" Xiong Bonan saw the clue.
"Yes." Xu Shiying said frankly.
"The terrain over Zishan is so steep that no crossbow formation can be moved away. The best way is for me to go in, find the person, and bring him out directly... Why bother?" Xiong Bonan was surprised for a moment.
"Qin Bao will never harm Chief Niu..." Xu Shiying said seriously. "One more person, one more door."
"But I'm already here." Xiong Bonan was speechless. "Have a rest for the night and you can go to the other side tomorrow."
"I made an appointment with him for five days." Xu Shiying said simply. "If he succeeds in five days, he can continue to replace others, otherwise, brother, you will take action..."
"Just five days?" Xiong Bonan thought for a while and felt that it was okay to get up. In five days, he might not be able to find Niuda's whereabouts, but he still vaguely felt that something was wrong... It seemed that Xu Shiying seemed to have too many people. I put some careful thought into this matter.
"Five days." Xu Shiying nodded without any unnecessary expression.
PS: Thank you to classmate Xie Renier, Mr. Jue Wumu, and Mr. Ten Years of Dreams... Thank you very much. I was so depressed the past few days, and I feel ashamed.
Watch "Dragon Deposed"
