Early the next morning, Shao Xi and Lao Wu rushed to the General's Mansion, which they had inquired about with Zhang Shou in advance.
Old Wu held the long wooden box under his arm, which contained the Red Tiger Biting Silver Knife. The two of them did not ride horses, but just strolled along like they were visiting each other.
From the outside, the General's Mansion looks taller and more luxurious than the Prime Minister's Mansion. Although it is still far inferior to the residences of high-ranking officials in the Jingyuan Empire, it is already quite impressive in Southern Zhao.
Shao Ximing knew that Han Zeng would send people to spy on him, but he came to the General's Mansion to visit him so openly. As he himself said yesterday, Han Zeng would think that whatever he was doing at the General's Mansion now, he was looking for evidence for himself.
Because he was afraid that Fu Zuoliang would find an excuse to refuse his visit, Shao Xi directly handed the wooden box to the servant when he asked the servant to report it. He told the servant that the general would definitely see him after seeing this thing and asked the servant to hand it over on his behalf. .
As expected by Shao Xi, a servant came to the door shortly after and invited Shao Xi and Lao Wu into the house. When they walked in, Old Wu was still muttering that the general was indeed very arrogant. He didn't even go out to greet them, but just asked his servants to lead them into the house.
Shao Xi seemed to have expected it, and did not feel any surprise or dissatisfaction. He just followed the servant happily towards the house.
Arriving in front of the main hall, I saw Fu Zuoliang standing here to greet Shao Xi. After the two sides bowed their hands in greeting, they exchanged polite greetings. But it was obvious that Fu Zuoliang didn't like Shao Xi and Lao Wu very much. He just gave them a little favor because of the red tiger biting the silver knife.
Shao Xi didn't care, but walked into the main hall with Fu Zuoliang talking and laughing. The guests and hosts sat down, and there was no need to say more about the scene.
Fu Zuoliang was an upright man with an unruly temperament, and his words and deeds showed a domineering air. When he saw Shao Xicai entering the city, he came to visit him at his house the next day. He didn't hold back any secrets, he just asked him bluntly.
"Your Majesty, the envoy, please know that I am not very welcoming to you and others for this mission. If it were not for the sake of that precious sword, I would not receive you today. If you have anything to say when your envoy is here, you may as well say it directly. I, People don't like to talk in circles, so don't use your roundabout ways in front of me. I like to be straightforward. Your envoy, please just tell me why you came here! So as not to waste your breath."
Shao Xi thought that although this person was a little arrogant, he was extremely straightforward. When communicating with such a person, those tricks are really useless, because he doesn't do that. The best way to communicate is to speak directly, fart directly, and let him smell it directly. On the contrary, the effect will be immediate.
"This junior visit was actually entrusted by Prime Minister Han Zeng to come to the general's residence to obtain evidence of the general's collusion with the enemy and treason. I wonder if the general has such evidence?"
Not to mention Fu Zuoliang, even Lao Wu was confused. Did he take the wrong medicine? How can one directly ask someone for proof of treason? What tricks is this kid playing again?
"Hahahahahaha! I didn't expect that the Jingyuan Empire, a great power in the Central Plains, would be in such a bad situation. It would send a stupid and ignorant kid to our Southern Zhao as an envoy. Could it be that the Jingyuan Dynasty is about to run out of energy? Is our Southern Zhao showing good intentions just to survive and continue the national destiny?"
Shao Xi just chuckled and continued: "I, Lord Jingyuan, are benevolent and generous, and I don't like to fight with my neighbors. Therefore, I sent my junior as an envoy to Southern Zhao to establish friendly relations between the two countries. The general has the responsibility to open up borders and expand territory. , the ambition of looking at the world, the younger generation naturally admires it, but if the power of a small country in the south of Zhao wants to look north to the Central Plains, it can only be said that it is like a worm shaking a tree and overestimating its own capabilities. There are some words that the general can say to deceive others, but Don't deceive yourself, otherwise you will become the laughing stock of the world. Although what the junior said is a bit blunt, the facts are in front of you. I believe the general has his own balance in his heart."
Although Fu Zuoliang felt uncomfortable hearing this, he had to admit that everything Shao Xi said was true. He suddenly felt that the young envoy in front of him was not just an ignorant boy as he had initially thought. Instead, he was courageous, knowledgeable, outspoken, and quite right with his temper.
"I didn't expect you to be so arrogant at such a young age and dare to talk to me like this. Aren't you afraid that you won't be able to get out of the general's mansion today?"
Shao Xi also laughed and said nonchalantly: "You have to be even more arrogant when talking to arrogant people, otherwise you will lose your momentum? As for whether I can leave the general's mansion, it is not a problem at all for me, let alone No one in your southern Zhao territory can do anything to me. Even if I tie my hands, I am afraid that the general will not be able to explain to the Holy Lord and the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty, right? Not to mention that in the future, our Jingyuan Empire will come to the city, and then the general will have I’m afraid even those who have great power won’t be able to sleep well, so why should I be afraid?”
Fu Zuoliang was stunned. He could not imagine that there was someone more arrogant and confident than him in this world. Now sitting in the general's palace facing him, he actually said that no one in Southern Zhao could touch him, and bluntly said that he only provoked the Jingyuan envoy in this way so that he could hold great power.
Fu Zuoliang felt a little embarrassed for a moment by saying some things that were not on the table in such an unsubtle way.
"Hahahahahaha! Although you are a bit arrogant, you are also confident enough, which suits me very well. Then you can tell me how you came to my house this time to find evidence of my treason and collaboration with the enemy? I am quite curious. Your means."
Shao Xi looked at Fu Zuoliang with a smile, spoke slowly, and said to Fu Zuoliang word by word: "I never said that I wanted to find evidence of the general's crime, but got it. I also didn't plan to rummage through the general's house. I want to find it secretly, but let the general personally hand over the evidence of his crime of collaborating with the enemy and treason into the hands of the younger generation. Is the general willing?"
When Fu Zuoliang heard this, a look of displeasure suddenly appeared on his face, thinking to himself, who do you really look down on? Don't you mean to treat me like a fool? How dare you think of letting me personally hand over the evidence of my treason and collaboration with the enemy into your hands? I'm afraid I didn't eat something bad last night and hurt my brain, right?
"Oh? Then I want to see what you are capable of. Let me hand over the evidence of your crime of collaborating with the enemy and treason into your hands? Everyone in the world says that I am arrogant. I didn't expect that today I would meet a young man who is even more arrogant than me. But I I hope you can show some real skills to prove that your arrogance is qualified, otherwise don’t blame me for being merciless."
Shao Xi smiled lightly, unfolded the folding fan in his hand, and revealed the four words "a promise of a thousand gold" in front of Fu Zuoliang.
"Although this junior is arrogant, every arrogant thing he has said will be fulfilled. Today, this junior wants to ask the general. Has the general ever thought about one day replacing him with the Holy Lord? I don't want to listen to any big principles. The general only wants to Need to answer yes or no?"
Fu Zuoliang was really surprised that Shao Xi asked such a sensitive question without even thinking about it. A foreign envoy asked him such a question without reservation. Isn't this just arrogance? It's just crazy.
Now that the question has been posed, if you don't answer it, you will appear to be a stern person, but if you answer it poorly, it will be like what Shao Xi said, and you will hand the evidence of crime into someone else's hands.
Only then did Fu Zuoliang begin to realize that Shao Xi was not simple, and he was defeated by just a simple question. However, having been an official for many years, I would not be stumped by such a sentence. I just didn't expect that the other party was so young and had such a powerful city.
"I was entrusted by the late emperor to assist me in my pilgrimage to the Lord. I have been loyal and dedicated all these years. How could I have any intention of treason? It's just that some villains with ulterior motives framed me and slandered me. I am too open-minded to talk to them. Don't care. Although everything I do cannot always follow the Holy Will, my loyal words are offensive to my ears. Even if I am misunderstood, I will still persist in admonishing and will never let down the great responsibility of the late emperor. Even if I die unjustly one day, my bones will be buried in the mountains and my loyal soul will be buried. to not fix."
Shao Xi smiled. After wandering around for a long time, he was actually waiting for Fu Zuoliang's statement, but for the sake of safety, he still had to test it again.
"Since the general is so loyal, why doesn't he return the power to the little emperor of your dynasty? When you and Han Xiangguo were entrusted to assist the government because the holy master of your dynasty was still young, but now that the little emperor of your dynasty has grown up, why did the general fight back? Holding great power and refusing to let it go? Don’t you have some other ideas?”
When mentioning this matter, Fu Zuoliang showed an angry look on his face and said in an indignant tone: "As a warrior, I don't have as many tricks as a literati. I am too lazy to fight with those snobs, let alone fight for something every day. Explain their frame-up words. You are right, I am indeed unwilling to delegate power, but the reason why I am unwilling to delegate power is not because I am greedy for power, but because I do not want Han Zeng and his like to control the young Holy Lord with their heavy power. In order to control the government. There must be a force in this court to compete with it, otherwise the foundation of Southern Zhao for more than a hundred years will fall into Han Zeng's hands, how can I turn a blind eye?"
"Well! I am willing to believe what the general said. The troops and horses of Southern Zhao are now in the hands of the general. If the general really wanted to aspire to the throne, I am afraid he would have led troops to Yongchuan City to take over the Zhao family. But now that Han Xiangguo also used the reason that the general controlled the government, holding great power and controlling the young Holy Lord. The general is now just competing with him, but has he ever thought about how to fundamentally solve this problem?"
Fu Zuoliang was completely confused by Shao Xi at this time, and said to himself: "Who are you from? Didn't you just say that you wanted to come for Han Zeng to get evidence of my treason and treason? Why does the tone of your words sound a little wrong now? Huh? Although you, as a minister of the Jingyuan Dynasty, hope that our court will continue to fight within the court, is it too obvious that you are provocative here? "
"Master Shao is so keen on the struggle for power in our court, but he plans to create chaos in our Southern Zhao court and create a favorable opportunity for your Jingyuan Empire to annex our Southern Zhao? If so, I advise Master Shao not to waste your efforts, as long as you have As long as I, Fu Zuoliang, am here, no one can even think of touching Nan Zhao."
When Shao Xi heard this, he thought to himself: "Oh! Aren't you stupid? You still know that I am going to wade in troubled waters here! But do you have any choice? Without my help now, your court will really It’s a mess.”
"The general is overthinking it. If we take your land in Southern Zhao, it will be a burden."
"..., then what do you want?"
"Stability! Long-term stability! Stability that will not be disturbed by any external force!"
