Zhou Ziru stood outside the camp gate, pacing back and forth, constantly looking towards the capital.
"Prime Minister Zhou...isn't it inappropriate for us to do this?" Tang Xingchang asked standing aside. Zhou Ziru came with his troops, and the two troops and horses merged into one. Zhou Ziru did not drive Tang Xingchang away like Ge Cifeng did, but kept him as deputy commander in the army, and discussed all matters big and small.
Zhou Ziru replied calmly: "What's inappropriate?"
Tang Xingchang was a straight-tempered man and said directly: "Chu Xiang did not successfully rob the grain, but we reported to His Majesty that the grain and grass were robbed, and asked for money and grain from Your Majesty. If someone with an intention finds out, I am afraid it will be detrimental to you, Prime Minister Zhou..."
"Which one is more important than my reputation or the safety of the imperial court?" Zhou Ziru still looked indifferent.
Tang Xingchang saw that Zhou Ziru didn't seem to be talking to himself, so he had to reply honestly: "Of course the safety of the imperial court is more important."
"Chu Xiang is now taking the initiative to counterattack the imperial court. Although we have an army of 300,000, the outcome is unpredictable, and we don't know whether it will delay the sun and the moon. If it really drags on for three to five years, it will be difficult to protect Sichuan and Shu. , Xigui, and even the three kings in the north will not make any moves. Moreover, Nanhuai and Donglu have just surrendered, so it is difficult to say that there will be no dissent..." Zhou Ziru slowly explained.
"But what does this have to do with that report?" Tang Xingchang didn't understand yet.
"Now that the national treasury is empty and I believe that food and grass have been robbed, Your Majesty will go around raising money to raise food. Now only Nanhuai and Donglu can raise food. Raising food and grass from two places will weaken their strength. The imperial court will not be able to raise money for them. I have the right to speak. And I am not afraid of dragging on Chu Xiang for three to five years." Zhou Ziru expressed his inner thoughts.
Tang Xingchang looked at Zhou Ziru's profile from the side. He really didn't expect that this young man could be so far-sighted. Not only did he plot against his enemies, but even his own family was included in his scheme.
"If your Majesty does not raise money and food from Nanhuai Donglu..." Tang Xingchang looked at Zhou Ziru and felt a little guilty.
"Then we can't afford to delay Chu Xiang. We need to fight quickly. After taking Chu Xiang, our troops will return to the court to prevent changes in Nanhuai and Donglu." Zhou Ziru had already thought of another outcome.
While the two were talking, a fast horse came from the official road in the distance. The horsemen carried yellow soap flags on their backs to show that they were carrying the emperor's orders. Anyone who saw them would retreat.
"Here we come." Zhou Ziru seemed impatient and stepped forward quickly. Tang Xingchang waved back, and a group of soldiers next to him quickly followed to protect him in case of any accident.
"Prince Zhou, Your Majesty has a letter here!" The cavalryman rolled off his saddle and dismounted, took off the soap flag, knelt on one knee and took out a slightly wet letter from his arms.
Zhou Ziru took the letter and said, "Take a rest and receive the reward." After saying that, he checked the seal and opened the letter to read.
"I heard that Aiqing lost the battle and the food and grass were robbed. I have sent people to Nanhuai and Donglu to collect food. Nanhuai raised 8 million taels of silver. Donglu was too poor to raise food, so he had to send 50,000 troops to reinforce. We can arrive in the same day. Victory or defeat is a common matter for military strategists. If you love me, please don’t worry about it. I will be the master of everything."
Zhou Ziru closed the letter and said with a smile: "It's really a blessing from God. I don't have to worry about anything in the future!"
"That's great, hum. If the imperial court adds Nanhuai and Donglu, it won't kill Chu Xiang!" Tang Xingchang was also very happy.
Zhou Ziru nodded heavily, and then hesitated: "Does the commander of the Chu Xiang Army have any information to reply?"
"The soldiers in the Chu Xiang army are just ordinary soldiers, and it is difficult to contact the generals. I only know that many people have joined the Chu Xiang camp in the past two days, with various uniforms. There are rumors that they are disciples of the Beggar Clan." Tang Xingchang said.
Zhou Ziru sighed after hearing this: "Alas, the imperial court still has little contact with the martial arts world. Even Zhenyang Mountain is within the territory of Chuxiang..."
Tang Xingchang remained silent. The people in the capital lived and worked in peace and contentment and had ample food and clothing. Naturally, no one wanted to endure hardships and practice martial arts. Plus, what’s the point of practicing martial arts when the emperor is at his feet? It really lives up to the old saying, "Be born in sorrow and die in happiness."
After everyone entered the tent, Zhou Ziru remembered some of the detailed arrangements and gave instructions one by one. Just as Tang Xingchang led the generals to leave, a soldier walked in from outside the tent. After entering the tent, he took off his helmet and faced Zhou Ziru. He knelt down, his heavy armor clattering.
The person who came was actually Jian Liuyun!
"How is He Yue'er doing recently?" Zhou Ziru asked about He Yue'er's situation.
"He Yue'er is still at home in the mountains and has not gone out. Yi Xiaodao returned to the capital a month ago, and then went to Nanhuai alone." Jian Liuyun said aloud.
Zhou Ziru was surprised at the game and looked at Jian Liuyun: "Yi Xiaodao didn't come to see He Yue'er?"
Jian Liuyun bit his lip lightly and replied: "I came here and left again. I also took away His Majesty's unassisted female guard."
Zhou Ziru narrowed his eyes: "Then why not retaliate? I only told you when I asked, do you want to hide it?"
"My subordinates don't dare. It's just that it's not a big deal and I don't want to... disturb the master." Jian Liuyun felt guilty.
Zhou Ziru sneered twice: "Hmph, you know what a big deal is? Yi Xiaodao left without helping the guards because he was disappointed in He Yue'er. If he really ignored He Yue'er, He Yue'er would lose the chess piece. After using it...it's not completely useless, at least it can contain Ge Cifeng."
Jian Liuyun lowered his eyes and bit his lip, not knowing what he was thinking.
"What are you thinking about?" Zhou Ziru noticed something unusual about Jian Liuyun.
"Master, He Yue'er is just an ordinary woman, please master... show mercy to her." Jian Liuyun said bravely.
Zhou Ziru looked at Jian Liuyun for a while and then said: "If you don't want to do things for me, you are free to leave. I will never stop you. But if it is something that hinders me, you have to think about it clearly."
Jian Liuyun immediately knelt on his knees: "I don't dare."
"After Yi Xiaodao left, will any letters arrive?" Zhou Ziru ignored it and continued to ask.
"No, it's just that... my subordinates always feel that someone is spying on He Yue'er secretly. Whenever I notice it, there is no one there when I go out to check." Jian Liuyun said truthfully.
"Can't you even hold it?"
"None of them were discovered."
Zhou Ziru nodded slightly: "Okay, you can go back. If you continue to stare at He Yue'er, she will be useful one day. And you, pay attention to your identity."
"I obey!" Jian Liuyun put on his helmet and retreated from the tent.
Zhou Ziru looked at the swaying tent, frowning and thinking. After a while, he took out a chess box from the shelf, grabbed a handful of black chess pieces, played with them in his palm, and then threw all the chess pieces into the box, leaving only three black chess pieces in his hand. He also found an envelope from the commander's case, threw three black chess pieces into the envelope, sealed it, and called in a soldier.
"Lord Wen Xiang, what are your orders?"
"Send this envelope to Zhou Mansion in the capital and give it to the concierge." Zhou Ziru ordered. The soldiers took the envelope, said goodbye to Zhou Ziru, led their horses away from the military camp, and headed towards the capital.
Zhenyang Mountain, Back Mountain.
Zhang Zongbai sat cross-legged on a huge rock. A gust of mountain wind blew by, and the trees behind him rustled, but Zhang Zongbai remained motionless.
An old man with a white beard came over. This man, Daogu Xianfeng, was one of the four supervisors of Zhenyang Mountain, Xuan Qingzi. He bowed to Zhang Zongbai and then asked: "Headmaster, why didn't Guan Chenzi and Tongweizi come back with you?"
"Haha, what are you bringing them back for? Zhenyangshan has already taught them everything they need to teach them." Zhang Zongbai said with a smile.
"There is a war at the foot of the mountain. What should they do if something happens to them?" You can get through a few moves. As long as you give time and practice diligently, you will be able to carry the banner of Zhenyang Mountain Martial Arts.
Zhang Zongbai didn't take it seriously: "They have been traveling around the world for three years, what kind of people have they not seen? Do we still need old-fashioned guys like us to protect her?"
"Elder Senior Brother has his own plans. I say that Second Senior Brother is too worried." A middle-aged Taoist priest came from behind and said with a smile. He is also one of the four supervisors of Zhenyang, Xuan is his son. He was also the youngest junior fellow apprentice among the former "Five True Yang Sons", and the fifth junior uncle who was the most talkative in the eyes of all the disciples of True Yang Mountain.
Xuan Qingzi sighed: "Today is different from the past. Chu Xiang and the imperial court are fighting, which has not happened in six hundred years! Although Guan Chenzi has been traveling down the mountain for three years, has he ever seen such a battle? I am only worried about what might happen. If something goes wrong, there will be no successor to Zhenyang Mountain..."
Zhang Zongbai stood up and said with a smile: "Xuan Jingzi, Xuan Wuzi, you should come out too, you are still so timid at your age!"
Two people walked out of the forest one after another. One of them had slightly white hair and beard, and she looked like she was not too young. The other person was a woman. Although her face was wrinkled and she was getting older, she had bright eyes and beautiful eyebrows. , it can be seen that she was also a stunning woman when she was young.
At this point, the "Five Sons of the True Yang" gathered together again. In the past, they were either busy with sect affairs or practicing in seclusion. Although the five of them were on the same mountain, they had not gathered together for more than ten years. Seeing everyone here today, everyone's face was full of joy of reunion, especially Zhang Zongbai's joy and smile.
"Senior brother is getting old, and he is no longer as hot-tempered as the senior brother back then. Hahaha, are you all here to ask about Guan Chenzi and Tong Weizi?" Zhang Zongbai asked with a smile.
The four of them nodded in unison, and Xuan Jingzi said: "Brother, they are still young, and it is not easy to achieve such a level of cultivation. At this time, they should stay in the mountains and practice quietly. If they are contaminated by the mortal world too early, they may damage their Taoist mind. .”
Zhang Zongbai turned his head and looked down the mountain: "Why don't I know? There have been no outstanding disciples in Zhenyang Mountain since the five of us. Master settled our accounts before he died. He taught us five satisfactory disciples. As long as each of us Teach five more, and in this cycle, within a hundred years, Zhenyang Mountain will definitely flourish! But what is the reality? In the past fifty years, we five old guys have had many disciples, and we have only met these two good seedlings..."
"I'm not willing to give up either... But I want them to carry not only the martial arts banner of Zhenyang Mountain, I want them to be able to carry the entire Zhenyang Mountain! There's no rush." Zhang Zongbai shook his head with a wry smile.
"But senior brother..." Xuan Wuzi, who had been silent for a while, spoke up. After thinking about it, he still didn't continue.
Zhang Zongbai nodded and said: "I know everything. Okay, I've seen you. Let's go back."
The four of them did not stop, suppressed what they wanted to say, saluted Zhang Zongbai's back, and left together. The headmaster of Zhenyang Mountain is infallible. This is a common understanding among the disciples of Zhenyang Mountain.
Zhang Zongbai stood alone on the boulder until the red sun set and the stars gradually rose.
"Zhang Zongbai!" A shout came from the air, and then several more shouts came: "I will come to greet you, and when we break open the gate of heaven, we will welcome you into the heaven!"
These shouts resounded through the sky, causing the huge rocks under Zhang Zongbai's feet to tremble slightly, but the disciples up and down Zhenyang Mountain seemed not to hear them. They were practicing Zen, practicing martial arts, meditating, etc., and they were still sitting around doing their own things.
Zhang Zongbai glanced at the sky and waved the dust fly in his hand: "The time has not come yet! Someone will break open the heavenly gate in the future, no need to trouble everyone."
"This is the right time!" The voice in the sky was a little persistent.
"I said the time has not yet come!" Zhang Zongbai put his fingers together and waved lightly towards the sky. A breeze blew by, and the moon was bright and the stars were scarce...
