Outside Jiankang City, a huge one-ox box truck drove out of Zhuque Avenue.
The oxcarriage is about one foot long, with plaited walls, high eaves, small vermillion-lacquered hook rails at the front and back, and indigo hanging curtains.
Even the cow pulling the cart was decorated brightly, with a red velvet flower as big as a sea bowl trembling on its forehead.
Several servants stood in front of the car, holding silver jugs as a guide, sprinkling water as they went to suppress the dust.
Behind the car, several guards in soap clothes rode on tall horses, followed by more than a dozen servants.
The car was very spacious, and Xun Chong was eating and drinking inside, being served by two maids.
After Xun Chong finished wiping his hands, he stretched out his hand to open the curtain and looked out.
The scene in the market is still a little different from usual. There are obviously more pedestrians on the street, and some shops on both sides of the road have also closed their door panels. This is the "Business Encouragement Order" issued by Wang Xun, the Minister of Finance, last month. It does not restrict transactions in the east and west cities of Jiankang, and merchants can choose their own locations. To engage in trading, you only need to register with the Jiankang Order!
This "Order to Encourage Business" is ostensibly an edict issued by the Jiankang court headed by Shangshu Ling Wang Xun. In fact, anyone with a discerning eye knows that this edict, which goes against the ancestral system and is contrary to the order of scholars, farmers, industry and merchants, was issued by the man who originally commanded the Northern Expedition in Luoyang. The instructions of General Zhengbei of the Western Expedition.
I heard that in Sizhou, not only were the decrees on farmland and light corvee and thin taxes of thirty to one tax implemented, but also the "Order to Encourage Business" came from Sizhou, and Luoyang regained its prosperity because of this order.
Now that the "Order to Encourage Business" has appeared in Jiankang, the capital of the country, who else could it be if it wasn't the handiwork of Xu Xiao, the general who conquered the north?
"Hmph! This Xu Xiao bullies others with his power. He relies on the military power in his hands to not only support his own troops, but also holds the emperor and queen hostage, and intimidates the ministers and officials! As the saying goes, if a tree is as beautiful as the forest wind, it will be destroyed. If he is an enemy of everyone, there will always be a day for Japan. You are going to let him fall into eternal doom!" Xunqiang threw open the curtain angrily, with a look of unwillingness and jealousy in his eyes!
Ever since he was tricked by Xu Zongwen into losing his title as Marquis of Xichang, Xun Chong had been in a state of decadence until he received a secret letter a few days ago, which was extremely concise.
"If you want to avenge Xu Xiao's humiliation, you must go to Xuzhou Governor's Mansion."
Seven days later, Pengcheng, Xuzhou.
As soon as Xun Chongfu entered the city, he went straight to the governor's office in Xuzhou. His uncle Wang Gong watched the military reports coming from the north every day. The victory of the Cavalry Army one after another made him want to return to Jiankang, and his desire to control the center gradually began to fade. .
It is also his own fault for his upright temperament, otherwise he would not have been inspired by Xu Zongwen and Wang Guobao to garrison Xuzhou and leave Pengcheng. Now that he is far away from Jiankang and the center of power, he begins to regret it!
However, according to established rules, the governor who had left town could not easily return to Kyoto without an imperial edict.
Wang Gong thought about it day and night, not wanting to return Jiankang every day. At that time, Xu Zongwen and Wang Guobao teamed up to release his grievances firmly in his heart.
Wang Gong must retaliate, so in the original history, for his own selfish interests, he conspired with Yin Zhongkan and others to attack Jiankang's powerful Prime Minister Sima Daozi and his son from the east and west from Jingkou and Jingzhou...
"Report! Report to the envoy, Marquis Xun will pay his respects."
"What Marquis of Xun?" Wang Gong immediately put away the piece of silk on the case. He raised his head and suddenly remembered something, "Is it the Marquis of Xichang?"
The servant nodded solemnly, and Wang Gong raised his hand and ordered: "Please invite the Marquis of Xichang to go to the backyard." Soon, Wang Gong asked again: "Let all irrelevant people leave the backyard. You personally lead people to guard the gate. .”
"No!" The servant lowered his head and respectfully accepted the master's order, turned around and left as quickly as possible...
Xun Chong rushed all the way to Pengcheng to see Wang Gong, but Xu Zongwen had already arrived at the Jin camp under Yecheng.
"See General Zhengbei!"
"See General Zhengbei..."
Outside the Nanshan Military Camp outside Yecheng, all the military generals and generals gathered outside the camp gate to welcome Xu Zongwen, the general who came from afar to conquer the north.
Xu Zongwen was dressed in plain clothes, riding a green thunder horse, his body moving forward unsteadily on the horse, followed by dozens of elite wolf guards.
At this time, the whole army of the Jin camp was in silence, and everyone was paying tribute to Zhu Xu, the general of the Zhenjun who died in Yecheng and the governor of Qingyan. Xu Zongwen slowly entered the white sea alone.
"You don't have to do this, please get up quickly." Xu Zongwen raised his hand, then dismounted and walked into the camp.
The generals led by General Liu Laozhi and General Zhu Chen of Ningyuan, followed by General Xi Hui and Caiguan Xiaowei Xu Wen, and other senior generals such as Xiangyang soldiers and Beifu soldiers were divided into two columns. Xu Zongwen walked from the center of everyone. As he passed by, no one dared to walk in front of him. Liu Laozhi and Zhu Chen followed closely into the camp.
During this period, Xu Zongwen quietly looked at the expressions and demeanor of the generals, focusing on Liu Laozhi.
In order to ask for a fight, Liu Laozhi personally cut off the little finger of his left hand to avenge his shame. After the second Battle of Luoyang broke out, he fought hard and was exhausted, but also lost his entire right arm!
At this time, he was like a dead tree that had been pruned. The trunk was missing and the remaining limbs were leafless. At the age of thirty, his temples were slightly frosted, and his face was full of wrinkles. His big withered hands were shaking constantly.
Liu Laozhi's bloodless face, bloodshot eyes, and pale and weak hands looked like a dying person.
It seems that he has aged a lot in the past two years!
Xu Zongwen sighed in his heart, this was also a tiger general!
After entering the military camp, Xu Zongwen immediately went to the mourning hall to pay homage to Zhu Xu.
The mourning hall in the military camp is a temporary mourning shed. There are three mourning flags on the outside of the mourning shed. The big one is three feet six feet long. It is wrapped in white cloth. The sail is one foot four feet long and seven feet wide.
There is a white strip on the left and right, seven feet long and nine inches wide. In the middle of the mourning shed, there is a dismounting flag. The mourners will dismount when they see it. On the right is the ritual flag, which is two feet high and a sail five feet long and three feet wide. The white strip is four feet wide, two feet and one inch wide.
Because he was in the army, Zhu Chen's armor was covered with a heavy slaying uniform, so his whole body looked like it was swollen.
"Good riddance, Mr. Zhu. The regret that Mr. Zhu has not completed before his death is that I, Xu Xiao, a junior, will do my last part. This can be regarded as repaying the kindness of Mr. Zhu for knowing me, so that Mr. Zhu can rest in peace under the Nine Springs... …”
In the procession, Xu Zongwen changed into the mourning clothes of his descendant nephew, which was second only to the mourning clothes of the beheading clothes. Xu Zongwen even knelt down in person and offered incense to Zhu Xu.
Perhaps because of Zhu Xu's last words, it was not until Xu Zongwen saw Zhu Xu for the last time that Zhu Chen ordered the coffin to be sealed.
In Xu Zongwen's heart, Zhu Xu was no longer just his superior, but a teacher and friend.
On the first day he came to this world, Zhu Xu was the first person he met. Zhu Xu was his boss, and he regarded him as his father-in-law!
Now that his senior has passed away, he, as his nephew and nephew, will naturally do his best to fulfill his duties.
"Everyone, please leave first and organize the military affairs. I will call you all to discuss matters in the big tent tonight."
"promise!"
"promise……"
After driving away a large number of generals, Xu Zongwen gave Liu Laozhi a few words of encouragement, and then entered Zhu Xu's tent with Zhu Chen.
"General, please allow me to avenge my father!" As soon as he entered the tent, Zhu Chen knelt down and said these words almost crying, and his choking voice spread throughout the tent.
Xu Zongwen closed his eyes slightly and did not look at Zhu Chen.
No one would have thought that a long-time hero would die so hastily. Xu Zongwen would sooner or later kill Murong Feng, a traitor, on his horse to pay homage to Zhu Xu!
"Get up." It took Xu Zongwen a long time to say these three words.
Three words, one sentence, without the slightest emotion, and no emotions of Xu Zongwen can be seen.
Zhu Chen did not dare to move rashly. He knelt on the ground with endless fear in his eyes.
He was afraid that Xu Zongwen would deprive the Zhu family of Yiyang of everything, and he was afraid that Xu Zongwen would want the military power of the Xiangyang soldiers!
"As a son of a man, I did not protect my father. This is unfilial. As a minister, I did not capture Yecheng. Please punish me, General!" He shouted loudly, and a muddy tear slipped from the corner of his eye. Pass. It followed the grooved face, to the chin, and finally to the ground, turning into a puddle of water stains.
Xu Zongwen moved his mouth, swallowed, and murmured, "Brother Chen, why are you doing this? I know you are afraid of my power now, but I want to be honest with you today, but it seems you don't want to."
"My subordinates are willing to listen to the general!"
"Then get up first!"
"promise!"
When Xu Zongwen saw Zhu Chen sitting down, he thought to himself: "As the saying goes, a sad soldier will win. Don't worry, Yecheng will be captured sooner or later, and your father's revenge will be avenged. As for the Xiangyang soldiers, I won't want them. The court estimates that I won’t do it either. Before I came to Yecheng, I wrote to Jiankang, recommending you to be the governor of Yanzhou and inherit your father’s title of Earl of Xiangping..."
Zhu Chen was shocked and overjoyed. What was surprising was that Xu Zongwen did not want to seize everything that belonged to him. What was happy was that Xu Zongwen actually recommended him to the court long ago, allowing him to inherit everything from the Xiangyang soldiers and take charge of Yanzhou!
"Thank you, General!"
Before his death, Zhu Xu repeatedly warned Zhu Chen that he should treat Xu Zongwen with the same respect as he treated his elder brother and not be arrogant or rude.
Zhu Xu also taught earnestly, hinting that Zhu Chen would join Xu Zongwen. Only by following Xu Zongwen could the Xiangyang army continue to grow, and the Zhu family be able to be proud.
After many days of panic, Zhu Chen finally believed his father's last words.
Xu Zongwen is indeed a person who values love and justice!
