"The situation is urgent. Please forgive me for any offence. Please read this letter first." Yu Xiu said solemnly, cupping his fists, and handed over Zhang Cheng's family letter.
Zhang Zhao accepted the letter with some doubts. When he unfolded the letter, he seemed to see his son Zhang Cheng's face, because he taught him the handwriting.
"How is this possible?" Zhang Zhao was sweating profusely, and his right hand holding the letter kept shaking.
Hu Ke stroked his beard and replied: "Sir, can you understand now? If such a big thing hadn't happened, the general would not have come to Zhang's house late at night to bother him."
Zhang Zhao was so anxious that he was spinning on the spot, muttering to himself: "Chaisang was captured by Gan Ning's heavy troops. How could the grain ship raised by Jianye get in? I'm afraid Ziheng's grain reserves won't last for a few days."
Hu Ke stood there without saying anything. Zhang Zhao suddenly asked excitedly: "Does the king know?"
"I probably don't know." Hu Ke nodded lightly.
Zhang Zhao frowned and said, "Chaisang is my lifeline in Soochow, I can only rely on the navy of the Grand Governor."
Hu Ke shook his head slightly: "Zhong Si (Zhang Cheng) made it very clear in his letter that Gan Ning's navy numbered tens of thousands, and the governor now only had more than 20,000. It may not be possible to recapture it in a hurry. When Ruxu's troops go to Chaisang, the general will think that Jiang Ji will not remain indifferent."
"Ze Cheng's words are true. If Gan Ning is allowed to occupy Chaisang and Ziheng has no food, he will be defeated. When Lantian swallows up our main force in Jiangdong, sooner or later we will counterattack Jianye. It's really a dilemma." Zhang Zhao was as anxious as a hot pot. Suddenly he had an idea and thought of something, and then asked tentatively: "It may not be that bad. Dai Liang and Lu Dai have already invaded Jiaozhou and occupied Guangzhou. Lantian may have to go south to recover it. We still have a chance to breathe. I can invite my lord back to force soldiers."
"Ahem, sir, it is admirable to serve the public justly, but the fate of your son Zhongsi is not good." Hu Ke looked at Zhang Zhao meaningfully.
Zhang Zhao is an old ghost among people after all. He now recalled that Yu Xiu's behavior was strange, so he asked the other party: "What did Zicheng want to say?"
"Sir, think about it carefully. Gan Ning captured Chaisang and captured Zhong Si. How did he send his letter?" Hu Ke was stared at by Zhang Zhao's interrogating eyes without any fear.
Zhang Zhao rolled his eyes and asked: "Gan Ning sent the letter deliberately to recruit us to surrender?"
"It's still a way out." Hu Ke smiled mysteriously.
Zhang Zhao sneered and said: "Ze Cheng is really an eye-opener for me. Your Majesty always treats you well. He entrusted Jianye to you before leaving. Is this how you repay him?"
"People are not for themselves. What's more, I am not alone now. There is a complicated Zhang family behind me. Now the main force of Soochow will annihilate the entire army. It is only a matter of time before the Wu Kingdom is destroyed. Being too responsible and stubborn will only harm the family members."
Hu Ke spoke so righteously that even Zhang Zhao felt ashamed.
"The general didn't mention it, and I almost forgot that you could marry the daughter of the Zhang family because the king and I were the matchmakers. Yu Zecheng's 'loyalty' seems worthless." Zhang Zhao sarcastically said.
Seeing that the preparations were almost complete, Hu Ke changed his humble attitude and replied coldly: "I have made up my mind. Sir, please give me a happy word. If I hadn't thought of you as a matchmaker, I wouldn't have come to see you late at night."
"What does Zicheng want me to do?" Zhang Zhao frowned.
Hu Ke said solemnly: "Mr. Zibu, do you still remember the Battle of Chibi? The situation now is more dangerous than that time. Your choice at that time was actually very correct. I hope you will convene the ministers tomorrow to discuss surrendering to the King of Hanzhong. Rumor has it that the King of Hanzhong We are about to proclaim ourselves emperor. Wouldn’t it be better for us all to be ministers of the Han Dynasty rather than ministers of the Wei Dynasty?”
Zhang Zhao wanted to surrender because Chibi took the lead, and he had heard a lot of gossip over the years. At this time, Hu Ke pushed him out again, and Zhang Zhao was a little reluctant.
"Zecheng now has a heavy army. If you want to surrender, who dares to stop the ministers? Why do you need to take me with you? This is really unnecessary." Zhang Zhao declined politely.
Hu Ke stroked his beard and said with a smile: "Yu is just a businessman and a martial artist. This matter needs someone with high moral character and respect to take the lead. I think Mr. Zibu is the one to take the lead. Even for Zhong Si (Zhang Cheng), he should be more active."
"Well, although the general controls the Jiefanwei, there are many nobles and nobles in Jianye King City, and many of them keep domestic slaves. What if someone objects?" Zhang Zhao thought of his son Zhang Cheng, and his tone softened instantly, and he followed Ask your own questions.
"Sir, please relax. You will take care of the verbal matters, and I will handle the practical matters. The general is already making arrangements tonight. I believe there will be no problems." Hu Ke was full of confidence.
Zhang Zhao nodded slightly and said to himself that Yu Xiu was a businessman, and he was always impeccable in his conduct and work. It seemed that he came to discuss with him after he was ready. It was really a good trick.
"There is no problem for Zicheng to ask me to come forward, but according to the strategic layout of the King of Hanzhong, the Soochow side will eventually face Lantian. This man is running a large number of schools in Jiaozhou, and has abandoned the inspection system and adopted a new system for selecting officials. This move has long been criticized by the majority of the gentry. I'm worried that the local nobles will resist." Zhang Zhao stroked his beard with a worried look on his face.
Hu Ke still had a smile on his face and said calmly: "Mr. Zibu, there is no need to worry too much. The general has already figured out Lan Fujun's tone. Yangzhou can still use the current system. Tomorrow Huishu (Zhang Wen) will fully support it."
"Tan's tone? Could it be Zecheng?" Zhang Zhao looked surprised and asked, "When did you get incited to rebel?"
"Mr. Zibu, have you forgotten that there will be a small trading house in the end? Merchant ships have been coming and going in Jianye and Guangzhou for a long time, and they can always get acquainted with Lan Fujun's people. Isn't it reasonable to find out?" Hu Ke did not completely reveal his identity. , some things only need to be known by a few people secretly, and Zhang Zhao can take the blame.
Zhang Zhao suddenly realized that he couldn't help but sigh that the merchants were pursuing profits and that the imperial court was too right to restrict merchants. These guys only recognized their own interests and had no so-called loyalty at all. He believed that although Hu Ke's identity had changed, what was engraved in his bones could not be changed.
"Well, we can only get through it smoothly, even if Lan Tian doesn't recognize it in the future." Zhang Zhao sighed helplessly.
Hu Ke laughed and said, "Mr. Zibu is overthinking. Even if Lantian doesn't recognize him in the future, he is just a state pastor. If he really feels that the system is unreasonable, can't he just write a memorial and go to the court?"
Zhang Zhao was startled when he heard this, and nodded in praise: "Zhencheng is such an exquisite person, and his future achievements will be limitless."
"We have important things to do tomorrow, so I won't disturb my husband's rest. I'll leave a team of soldiers to protect your hospital and send you directly to the court tomorrow morning." After Hu Ke finished speaking, he was about to leave.
Zhang Zhao had been mentally prepared for this. He suddenly remembered that except for a small number of Sun Quan's family members in Wu County, most of the rest lived in the palace, so he stopped Hu Ke and asked: "What do you plan to do with the clan members in the palace? "
"How do we have the right to deal with it? We can only control it first and wait for Mr. Lan to deal with it." Hu Ke smiled slightly and turned around to leave.
Although Zhang Zhao disdains Hu Ke's defection in battle, he still appreciates his small act of protecting Sun Quan's family, thinking that this can be regarded as loyalty in disguise, right?
(End of chapter)
