Xu Zongwen thought of the seven military disciplines he established at Xiapi Campus. He picked up the wine flask and filled a large bowl from Zheng Lue, and then drank it in three gulps under the watchful eyes of the people at the table. All gone!
Nie Zhen'er was speechless and praised repeatedly: "Captain is a good drinker!"
"Good wine." Xu Zongwen recollected the faint aroma of wine that had not faded from his tongue. The wine had poured down his throat into his intestines and stomach. After the first surge of energy passed, he suddenly felt his head was hot, and then he felt cool again. Feeling, Xu Zongwen felt relaxed and happy at the end!
Xu Xiao promised: "Shopkeeper, please rest assured, I will definitely give you an explanation for this matter!"
Regarding Xu Zongwen's promise, the shopkeeper did not take it seriously and thought it was just a drink.
During the dinner, Nie Zhen'er secretly poured herself a glass of wine and was about to drink it. Xu Zongwen had quick eyesight and quick hands. He stretched out his hand to grab it and drank it himself. He also said: "How can a woman drink in broad daylight?" , what kind of behavior is this? I'll drink it for you!"
But Nie Zhen'er succeeded in the end and poured half a cup into a celadon cup, imitating Xu Zongwen and doing it right from the start!
"Hahaha..." Seeing Nie Zhen'er huffing and haha, people at the table all looked up to the sky and laughed.
After three rounds of wine and five flavors of food, people at the table gradually became familiar with each other.
Xu Zongwen chewed the food in his mouth and felt that it was getting more and more tasteless. He said: "I have already warned you not to disturb the people. These people know the law and break the law, and their crimes are unforgivable!"
"But after all, they are Zhuge Kan's subordinates, and they are the people of Xie Yan, the auxiliary general. If they are investigated after the war..." Shen Yu did not continue what he said, but Xu Zongwen already understood the meaning.
Zheng Lue was still drunk when he heard this. Seeing that Xu Zongwen and Shen Yu could not come to a conclusion after careful discussion, he interrupted and said: "Eldest brother issued seven military orders in Xiapi that day. Now the army is in awe, and no one dares to violate the prohibitions." . Although what happened today is not trivial, it will damage the reputation of the Jin army. If I don’t make a decision early, how will I face the accusations and resentment of the people of Tancheng in the future?"
"Ten coins for a stick, count, don't miss a penny, don't miss a penny!" Xu Zongwen said calmly, he was sure that there were not a few who committed crimes.
After Xu Zongwen made up his mind, Shen Yu exposed Xu Zongwen's identity, and the store was shocked!
"This is our captain."
"It turns out to be the famous Captain Xu. Thank you very much Captain! Xiaomin's Tao Keju is saved!"
It turns out that this is the famous Captain Xu!
Stores were handed over one after another, and his Tao Keju received more than a dozen groups of sergeants in just one day and night. He had already suffered a lot of losses. He didn't know why the sergeants liked to come to Tao Keju, a remote place in the north of the city. But if the Jin army continued to take advantage of it, Tao Keju would have nothing to lose. Hakka is about to close its doors!
After the sergeants settled the matter of eating and drinking on credit, the four of them continued eating and drinking.
Xu Zongwen drank a lot, but he was not as drunk as Shen Yu. Perhaps Shen Yu was not as stature as Zheng Lue, and his drinking capacity was far less than the latter.
Even that wild girl Nie Zhen'er's cheeks were already rosy, her little face was like a ripe peach in early summer, and she seemed to have been rouged. She kept shaking her head to force herself to wake up.
"Captain, someone from Jiankang has come to deliver the edict, and they are waiting at the prefect's residence!" Just as Xu Zongwen was staring at Nie Zhen'er carefully, Tao Ke was outside and someone came to report the news.
Half an hour later...
Outside the south gate of Tancheng, a group of Forbidden Army soldiers in red armor escorted a soft sedan slowly through the main street to the prefect's mansion.
Xu Zongwen and a group of military generals were neatly dressed and lined up on both sides of the hall in the mansion. Then they heard someone shouting: "The imperial envoy has arrived."
A eunuch with slightly white temples and wearing the uniform of a chamberlain walked out of the sedan chair. Under the tall horses of the imperial guards, the imperial guards supported the eunuch and walked slowly outside the Tancheng prefecture.
"Kowtow to the emperor's envoy!" Xu Zongwen, Shen Yu, and Zheng Lue knelt down to salute, and several sergeants who had just arrived in a hurry also knelt down to greet them.
The eunuch who announced the decree put aside the support of his attendants, raised his head, revealed his fair and beardless face, looked at everyone with kind eyes, and shouted "get up".
"Angel is really tired. Why don't you go to the palace and rest for a while? The official has already prepared wine and snacks. Why don't you postpone the official business again?" Xu Zongwen, who was dressed in armor, asked tentatively with a smile.
The eunuch who announced the decree shook his head, "Forget it! Captain Xu, this is the emperor's mission. Huaqi is just a small Zhonghuang Gate in Jiankang City Palace. How dare you delay the official business of the court?"
The eunuch named Hua Qi put aside Xu Zongwen's support and walked up the stairs alone. He came to the hall and stood there. Then he took out a roll of yellow Ming silk from the sleeve of his wide official robe and carefully unfolded it. On bright yellow silk, everyone at the bottom of the steps saw the words "Edict"!
Before Hua Qi could say anything, they surprisingly knelt down together again.
"Edict from the Emperor of the Jin Dynasty:..." Seeing everyone lying on the ground listening, Hua Qi cleared his throat and began to read out the contents of the edict.
Xu Zongwen and others knelt down under the main hall, while an incense table was set up in the hall to burn incense and candles. The smoke filled the hall, making it look like a fairyland on earth!
"In response to Tianshun's timing, and under the command of the emperor, now there is Captain Xu Xiao who is diligent in the king's affairs and loyal to the king. He has been able to fight against Qin State Yangping Gong Fu Rong since he was young. I am very comforted to my heart. I hope you can pass on the good news again, so as not to To live up to my expectations... I will now be given the title of Cavalry Commander, rank six, and I will be given a royal horse..."
Xu Zongwen stood up and walked up the steps, knelt down respectfully next to the eunuch Hua Qi, took the edict from the eunuch, and then said: "Thank you, Your Majesty, Xu Xiao. I will obey the edict!"
Hua Qi nodded slightly, handed the edict to Xu Xiao, and revealed to Xu Xiao what Jin Emperor Sima Changming said in the Taiji Hall that day.
"Your Majesty has given me the title of Cavalry Commander, and mentioned my name many times in front of the courtiers. He even compared me to Wei Qing and Huo Qubing. Your Majesty's favor is so great. Xu Xiao will never be able to repay your Majesty's kindness!"
Xu Zongwen held the edict in both hands and looked like he was crying with gratitude. The person who passed the edict didn't know what to do?
"The East China Sea is thousands of miles away from Jiankang, and the noble people have been working hard all the way. This is a little thought from the lower official, please accept it." Xu Zongwen secretly took a heavy sachet from Shen Yu and handed it to Hua Qi.
Hua Qi took it with a smile on his face, carefully opened a hole and took a peek inside, weighed the weight again, and praised Xu Zongwen with great satisfaction: "Captain Qi is really a wonderful man, His Majesty Shengming Zhuzhao, really You didn’t see the wrong person.”
Inside the sachet are the jewels and jade that Shen Yu found from Li Yan's prefect's mansion. These things are worth more than gold. How has a eunuch in Huaqi ever received such a heavy gift?
This was also the beginning of Xu Zongwen's friendship with Jiankang's powerful people. Once the Northern Expedition was over, except for the governors who guarded the key points, the rest of the generals would definitely be recalled to Jiankang and take up their posts again.
Even though Hua Qi was just a member of the Huang family, he was a close official of the emperor. The current emperor was the only emperor with real power since the Jin Dynasty moved to Jiangzuo. It would be beneficial to Xu Zongwen to be able to control his movements to some extent!
"If Xu Xiao has the opportunity to return to Jiankang in the future, he will definitely visit the noble man." Xu Zongwen said very sincerely.
Hua Qi blinked his eyelids: "Hua Qi is just a prisoner. It is really Hua Qi's blessing that Captain Qi takes him so seriously!"
Xu Zongwen then said: "Young nobles must not be humble. When Xu Xiao fights for the country abroad, he is serving your majesty. The nobles also serve your majesty in the palace with loyalty and responsibilities, and their contribution is indispensable!"
"Captain Qi is well said, well said!"
Hua Qi has been in the palace for more than ten years, serving three emperors: Emperor Ai, Duke Haixi, and the current emperor. He has experienced countless princes and dignitaries, ranging from kings and wealthy nobles to low-income families. No one has ever truly regarded eunuchs as As human beings, they never looked at eunuchs seriously, and some even called them eunuchs with contempt, eunuchs, eunuchs!
But the Xu Xiao in front of him was different. He was from a lower-class noble family, and he was young and promising. He had made many military exploits and was in the heart of the emperor. He was not yet in his prime years. Such a young leader and rising star did not have the slightest contempt for eunuchs. !
On the contrary, they treat each other politely and seem to want to make friends. This kind of treatment is very rare!
Hua Qi's trip to Tancheng was fruitful. He took a group of Taiwanese troops without staying too long and returned soon.
