Liu Liang was a little confused.
Why didn't I get wind of it in advance?
Then Lady Hu put a robe on him: "Feng Langjun, it's a bit cold in the mountains early in the morning, so you'd better wear an extra layer of clothing."
So Liu Liang thought about it: How long have I been staying in the mountains?
After doing the math, it seems to have been more than ten days.
Convincing the barbarians is one aspect.
On the other hand, the mountains and water here are good, so the quality of Hu Nu's is a little higher than those outside.
So it makes sense to stay a few more days.
After Liu Liang figured it out, he immediately turned around and ordered the people he brought over:
"Pack your things now, I'm going out!"
"Mr. Lang, where are you going?"
"Go to Dunhuang and find the Zhang family!"
The tone was loud, but Hu Renqushuai, who had been following him, was shaken when he heard it, and then turned away from Yourong again. He said with a smile on his face:
"Feng Langjun, I will escort you there!"
"Low-key, keep a low profile, don't attract attention, pick the best warriors in the clan, not too many."
Although the Han army has not yet entered Dunhuang, it has not even reached Jiuquan County in the east.
But according to Liu Liang's observations in the past few months, Liangzhou is now in a state of collapse at any time.
After the news of the battle at Xiaoguan spread throughout Liangzhou a few days ago, it defeated the will of resistance of most people in Liangzhou.
So now that the news of the Han army entering Liangzhou spreads, chaos will definitely begin outside.
So having more guards is not a bad thing.
"I understand, I understand, I will make arrangements right away."
Hu Renqushuai quickly agreed and turned around to make arrangements.
From Sanwei Mountain to Dunhuang City, it is nearly ninety miles, not far, not too close.
Liu Liang and his party hurriedly and slowly arrived at the gate of Dunhuang City. They only saw sergeants at the city gate starting to check suspicious people coming in and out, but the city gate was still wide open, so they breathed a sigh of relief.
Obviously, Dunhuang City did not implement martial law because the Han army entered Liangzhou.
Thinking about it, there is no sign of the Han army in Jiuquan County to the east, and Dunhuang has not yet closed its city gates.
The only troublesome thing is that Liu Liang's team is not only mixed with barbarians, but even Liu Liang himself is half-barbarian and half-Han.
Therefore, it was natural that he was subject to intensive interrogation by the city gate defenders.
However, as soon as the other party heard that Liu Liang was going to Zhang Mansion, he immediately waved and let him go without even bothering to say any extra words.
Liu Liang, on the other hand, felt that under such circumstances, the defenders of Dunhuang City were still so lax, and they really didn't know how to live or die.
Unexpectedly, when he arrived at the door of Zhang's house, he was stunned and stunned.
Without him, it turned out that the front door of Zhang's Mansion was already full of carriages and horses, and it was so bustling that people outside couldn't squeeze in even if they wanted to.
Liangzhou is in turmoil. As the biggest local snake in Dunhuang, Zhang Jiajia Zhang Gong is also the captain of Wuji School in the Western Regions.
Although he was in charge of the Western Region in name, he couldn't stand up to his high moral standing.
Therefore, anyone with some status would have long thought of ways to deliver name cards to the Zhang family.
Whether Liangzhou can be defended is a very important question.
More importantly, what to do about Dunhuang?
After the death of Ma Ai, the prefect of Dunhuang, there was no county magistrate. What's more terrible is that rebels from Jiuquan and Zhangye in the east were advancing on Dunhuang.
The people of the county recommended Zhang Gong to take charge of the affairs, so that Dunhuang would not suffer from the war.
Although the Han army has not even arrived at Jiuquan County yet, everyone knows that the situation at this time is far more severe than it was then.
In this situation, if you don't look for Zhang Gong, who else can you look for?
Xu Miao?
Don't be kidding me. I heard that Wuwei is being attacked from both sides by the Han people. Whether he can escape with his life in the end is still a question.
Therefore, outsiders cannot be relied upon. In the end, we have to rely on our own people in Liangzhou.
It has been three days since the news came from Wuwei. Those who are qualified to enter the Zhang Mansion have already entered.
Those who were not qualified to enter were waiting outside the house.
Only then did Liu Liang understand why the sergeant at the city gate let him go so easily when he heard that he was going to Zhang Mansion.
He looked at the crowd in front of him, gritted his teeth and ordered his followers to squeeze a way for him.
It's midsummer now, so it's easy to get angry.
In addition, everyone is worried about the situation in Liangzhou and feels anxious.
Not to mention that most people in Liangzhou are generous people. As soon as someone pushes them, someone immediately cheers loudly:
"Damn it! Why are you squeezing? Are you in a hurry to attend a funeral?"
Liu Liang was also anxious. When someone scolded him, he scolded him back not to be outdone:
"I have something to see Mr. Zhang, and it involves Dunhuang. If I don't give way, I'm afraid it's not me who will go to the funeral later, but you guys!"
Only then did everyone notice that Liu Liang and his party were all tired from their travels. They only knew that they came from the east to deliver news, and they immediately stepped aside a little.
At the same time, someone shouted loudly:
"This gentleman, what news is there from Wuwei?"
Liu Liang said, "I just came out of the mountains. Can I have any news about the bird?"
He squeezed forward without looking back, and said impatiently:
"Xu Miao is almost dead, what news can there be?"
On normal days, if someone dared to spread rumors like this at the gate of Zhang Mansion, he would probably be the one who would die.
But Liu Liang was very confident at this time. Even if the Zhang family knew afterwards that he was talking nonsense, so what?
There is a big backer behind him.
Liu Langjun, who had been severely beaten by society in the past few years, had long understood the truth:
These days, if you want to go sideways, you either have to be awesome, preferably to the point where you are awesome, like a certain country bumpkin.
If you are not so awesome, at least the thigh you hold must be awesome.
He once thought that his master was very awesome, but later he realized that he had overthought it.
Fake awesome adults can't compete with really awesome bumpkins. The truth is that cruel.
Although this story is a bit sad, if you really want to turn over, just being sad is useless.
So Liu Langjun closed his eyes, stamped his feet, turned around and hugged Zhen Feng's thigh.
It's a bit disgusting, but Feng Tibi's name is really useful.
At least in Liangzhou, it is really useful.
For example, Liu Liang knew that just because Zhang went to Longyou for a tour and returned safely in the end, the Zhang family would not do anything to him who had Zhen Feng's thigh on his back.
Although Liu Liang just said that casually, the people around him were in an uproar, and many people's expressions had changed drastically.
Even the concierge of Zhang Mansion asked cautiously: "May I ask where Mr. Lang comes from? Does he have a famous post?"
"No!" Liu Hanzi said crisply, "Just tell Mr. Zhang that a certain surname is Liu and he came to the house a few days ago."
When the concierge heard this, he took a closer look at Mr. Liu and felt that this man seemed a bit familiar.
It's just that there are too many people visiting these days, how can the concierge remember them all?
In addition, the Liu Liang in front of him was disheveled, and his body still faintly exuded the fishy smell unique to the barbarians, mixed with the sour smell of sweat, which was really unflattering.
Seeing the imposing man in front of him who claimed to be Liu, the concierge weighed it in his mind and finally said:
"Please wait a moment, Mr. Liu."
Mr. Zhang was most impressed by only one of the men named Liu who had visited the house recently, and that was the one who "had the same surname as the Emperor."
Zhang received the report from the concierge and immediately asked Liu Liang to be brought into the mansion.
When Liu Liang, led by the servants of the Zhang Mansion, walked through the corridor of the vestibule, he saw a crowd of people in the vestibule not far away, and there was a faint noise at the same time.
Thinking of the crowd outside the mansion again, he couldn't help but feel curious and asked tentatively:
"Your residence seems to be quite lively today! I wonder if there is any happy event?"
"Liangzhou is in turmoil and the officials are uneasy. How can there be happy events?"
Before the servant leading the way could answer, another person's voice suddenly came from the front.
Liu Liang looked up and saw that it was Zhang himself who went to the inner arch to greet him.
"I've met Mr. Zhang."
"Liu Langjun please."
Zhang led Liu Liang into a side room, served tea, and then continued:
"The two counties of Wuwei and Zhangye are in war, and news is cut off. Now rumors are spreading in Dunhuang and people's hearts are floating. Therefore, the Dunhuang elders gathered in the front hall to discuss how to preserve Dunhuang."
Liu Liang was not a fool. When he heard Zhang Jiu's words, he naturally knew that he was explaining on the surface, but in fact he was showing himself the power of the Zhang family.
Just seeing Zhang say this, Liu Liang smiled instead.
Only when you are on the weaker side do you need to go out of your way to show your strength.
Like me, even if I have lice crawling on my body, why don't I just sit in the Zhang Mansion and face the Zhang family's young master face to face without saying anything?
"Mr. Zhang, you and I are both sensible people. You know what I want to do when I come here today, and I also know that the Zhang family doesn't have much choice."
"Let me put it bluntly. Although I am not from Liangzhou, I also know that most of the Wei troops in Liangzhou are gathered in Wuwei County. Now Wuwei has no way forward and no retreat."
"If Jiuquan and Dunhuang counties were really capable of saving Wuwei, the elders of Dunhuang would not gather in the front hall of your mansion."
"If Mr. Zhang really wants to preserve Dunhuang and prevent his elders from suffering from the war, why not take this opportunity to return to the Han Dynasty?"
"If he hesitates for a moment and waits for the loss of military power, Mr. Zhang will think that how can the two counties of Dunhuang and Jiuquan stop the tens of thousands of elite soldiers of the Han Dynasty?"
Liu Liang originally thought that what he said was reasonable and well-founded, and considering that the Zhang family was suppressed by Xu Miao in the early years, he was afraid that he might have been swayed for a long time.
So even if you can't make the other party respond on the spot, you can at least make the other party's heart flutter.
Unexpectedly, Zhangjiu's face turned calm and he said slowly:
"Liu Langjun, my father has the final say on such important matters. If you tell me, it will be useless."
Liu Liang was startled: "May I ask where Mr. Zhang is now?"
"My father is ill and cannot see guests."
After Liu Liang heard this, he was originally 70 or 80% sure, but suddenly he was 30% or 40% sure.
The Zhang family seems to have other plans?
When Zhang saw it, he picked up the tea cup, blew the tea leaves gently, then put it down again and continued:
"I'm afraid Liu Langjun has neglected something. My father is the captain of the Wuji School in the Western Regions. He is in charge of the affairs of the Western Regions. How can he take charge of the affairs of Liangzhou?"
Having said this, Zhang sighed again: "Otherwise, how could the Dunhuang elders have been debating in my mansion for almost three days and still not come up with a charter?"
After finishing speaking, Zhang stood up and cupped his hands: "I have to go to the front hall to greet you. I can't stay with you for a long time. Please forgive me."
Then he called his servants and said, "Mr. Liu Lang is a distinguished guest in my house. You must serve him with all your heart and soul, and you must not slack off in the slightest."
Liu Liang didn't expect that this person would leave immediately, and he felt anxious.
Without the help of the Zhang family, the effectiveness of the Hu people's response to the army would have been greatly reduced, let alone the officials in Dunhuang.
He stood up immediately and shouted to Zhang who was about to step out of the threshold:
"Mr. Zhang, Feng Junhou has something to say to Mr. Zhang."
Zhang Jiu, who had his back to Liu Liang, had a flash of joy on his face and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
He took a breath to calm down, and then turned around:
"I wonder if Feng Junhou has anything to say to Liu Langjun?"
Liu Liang was silent.
Zhang understood, retreated, and then closed the door. Then he sat down again and looked at Liu Liang: "You and I are the only ones here. Mr. Liu, please speak."
Liu Liang, who thought he could convince the Zhang family with his sharp tongue, couldn't help but feel a little frustrated:
You still have to lift up the support behind you to be able to suppress others!
But this thought only passed by for a moment, because the most important thing at the moment was the matter in front of him.
"Feng Junhou once said: The powerful people in Liangzhou may regard the Qiang and Hu as beasts and drive them like livestock, causing the Hu people to accumulate resentment and continue to rebel, affecting the people."
"Maybe for selfish reasons, they are willing to associate with the barbarians, forget their ancestors, and abandon Chinese clothes, which is despised by others."
"Only Mr. Zhang, in troubled times, tried his best to maintain peace, stop rebellions, connect the Western Regions, and pacify the barbarians. This is what a man does."
"If you are lucky enough to meet Mr. Zhang, it will be a life-long comfort."
When Liu Liang said, "This is what a man did," Zhang had already stood up, bowed his head and listened solemnly.
After Liu Liang finished speaking, Zhang suddenly raised his head, "Feng Junhou...really said this?!"
Looking at Zhang Jiu who couldn't contain his excitement, and then remembering how calm he had been to him just now, Liu Liang's lips twitched:
This Feng Turtle's face... is so impressive!
And Zhangjiu, you have suffered a lot at the hands of others. Looking at your face now, do you really not remember it at all?
"What's the use of deceiving Mr. Zhang at this time? Besides, I don't dare to deceive Mr. Zhang!"
The joy on Zhang Jiu's face grew stronger: "With Feng Junhou, the Zhang family will have no worries! Liu Langjun, please!"
Liu Liang was stunned: "Ah? Where are you going?"
"I'm going to see my father."
This... is it?
Liu Liang was unable to turn around for a while.
"Liu Langjun, please?"
Zhang saw that Liu Liang was not moving and urged him again.
Liu Liang finally reacted, and then glanced at Zhang Jiu with complex eyes, and at the same time, he said something in his heart: Damn it! Pooh!
Zhang then led Liu Liang across the vestibule, through two arches, directly into the backyard of Zhang's house, and took him to the room where Zhang Gong was recuperating:
"Sir, Liu Langjun is here."
Liu Liang straightened his clothes, then stepped forward and saluted: "Junior Liu Liang, I have met Mr. Zhang."
Zhang Gong, who had received the news in advance, was half lying on the couch, looked at Liu Liang, smiled and said, "Liu Langjun, please sit down."
"Thank you, Mr. Zhang."
While sitting down, Liu Liang took the opportunity to secretly glance at Zhang Gong and found that his face was withered and sick.
Only those eyes were still shining, showing that the old man was still conscious.
Liu Liangliang couldn't help but feel a little worried. It was difficult for Mr. Zhang to stay in his hotel now. He wondered if he could really control the situation in Dunhuang?
Just as he was thinking this, Zhang Gong looked at Liu Liang with burning eyes:
"Although I have never met Junhou Feng, but I have just heard Liu Langjun's words to Junhou Feng, it is like having nectar flowing over my heart, and I feel like I have met a lifelong confidant."
"Now I feel that seven or eight points of the illness in my body has gone away in one go. I would like to ask Liu Langjun to tell Feng Junhou: Zhang Gong also longs to see Junhou for comfort in his life."
Liu Liang quickly agreed, then thought about it again, and said in surprise: "Did Duke Zhang say that he is willing to respond to the big man to welcome Master Wang?"
Zhang Gong said calmly: "Liangzhou has been separated from Guan for several years, and people's hearts have long been lost. Coupled with the battle at Xiaoguan, how can the mere land of Liangzhou stop the elite tigers and wolves?"
"Zhang Gong has such foresight, which is really a blessing to the people of Dunhuang!"
Zhang Gong leaned against the pillow and tried to make himself as comfortable as possible: "I dare to ask Liu Langjun, if the Zhang family devotes all its strength to respond to the big man, what will be the benefits?"
Liu Liang said "Ah". He really didn't expect that Zhang Gong, who was well-known and admired in Xizhou, would say such words so unabashedly.
Zhang Gong, however, remained calm: "What we were talking about just now is state affairs, and now we are talking about family affairs. There is no conflict between the two now, right?"
"No conflict, no conflict!"
Liu Liang said quickly.
"I don't have much time left, and I can't worry about my descendants. I want to build some family inheritance for them. It doesn't matter whether I want this face or not."
Zhang Gong said slowly, "Feng Junhou's words made me willing to serve the country, but I wonder if there are any other words that Liu Langjun should bring to me?"
At this time, Liu Liang finally felt that the huge reputation of the old man in front of him was indeed not obtained by luck.
