retaliate

Chapter 1231 Killing the Messenger

Flocks of sheep walked slowly from both sides of the official road, looking like clouds.The shepherd rode his horse behind, lowering his head lazily, avoiding the direct sunlight.

The sheep are very fat, which means that there will be a good harvest this year.

The shepherds don't like farming. They think it's too stupid, and it binds people to the fields.

Looking up into the distance, the shepherd suddenly changed his face and drove the flock to avoid it.

Hundreds of horses galloped forward. The shepherd lowered his head and trembled when he heard the sound of a bowstring.

One cavalry drew his bow, and the other rode his horse to the side of the fat sheep hit by the arrow, bent down, and lifted the heavy fat sheep easily.

"Good riding!"

The cavalry cheered loudly.

He Zun glanced at the cavalryman and shook his head slightly.

These aliens are full of ambitions, tough and impolite, and have bad military discipline.

He was ordered to patrol the place this time and found many problems, but now he has only one thought in his mind.

Northern Xinjiang, what's up.

In the afternoon of the same day, he rushed to the Jiedu envoy's mansion.

"Mr. He."

"Mr. He is back?"

The officials bowed their hands and said hello with smiles.

The Southern Zhou and Southern Xinjiang aliens don't dare to talk at all now, but even so, Shi Zhongtang still sent troops to harass and attack, tempering his subordinates.

Southern Zhou sent envoys many times, from the outrage at the beginning, asking for the murderer, to the begging later, He Zun understood a truth.

Between countries, the reason is unreasonable. Only by using your fist can you make the other party understand what you mean.

If the reasoning makes sense, it must not be the victory of reasoning, but the reason why the other party has to compromise.

Truth can only restrain those who care.Why do aliens care about you?
He Zun entered the lobby with a smile.

Shi Zhongtang was wearing an official uniform and sitting at the head, he raised his head when he heard the laughter, his chubby face was filled with joy, "Old He."

"Duke." He Zun saluted.

"How about going down this time?" Shi Zhongtang asked.

"Now there is no alien harassment, and Southern Zhou is also afraid of us. The people are quite happy, but there are some complaints..."

"Taxes?" Shi Zhongtang asked.

"Yes." He Zun said: "The common people say that the harvest has been a bit harsh in the past two years."

"Is there anyone who resists the tax?" Shi Zhongtang's eyes flashed sternly.

"Yes, not many." He Zun said: "They have all been suppressed."

"Many times, we have to use a knife to speak." Shi Zhongtang pointed to the side, He Zun saluted and thanked him, and then sat down.

Seeing each other after a few months, Shi Zhongtang looked more majestic, turned his eyes and saw that his majesty was self-evident, "Now that we charge more money and grain, it will be treated as a loan from them. After the matter is completed, money and grain will be exempted for a few years." That's it."

"That's right." He Zun asked, "I don't know how the northern border is."

Shi Zhongtang glanced at him, "Yang Xuan sent troops."

"This battle is of great importance." He Zun said: "If Beiliao is successfully destroyed, Yang Xuan will become a colossus in just a few years."

"I won't give him a chance for several years." Shi Zhongtang said.

A small official came in, "Duke, an envoy is here from Chang'an."

Shi Zhongtang was silent for a moment, "Old He went to pick it up for me, and said that I was unwell."

He Zun said: "I'm afraid that those who come to urge to send troops will inevitably be suspected if the Duke excuses his illness."

"It's still a little bit late..." Shi Zhongtang suddenly punched himself in the chest.

"Cough, cough, cough!" He coughed a few times, his face pale.

He Zun cupped his hands, "..."

The envoy has already entered the Jiedu envoy's mansion.

Seeing that the surrounding layout was not refined enough, he shook his head and said, "Rough!"

The entourage beside him said with a smile: "The remote place in southern Xinjiang was a barren land hundreds of years ago. It is already very good to have this appearance."

"Be careful of Shi Zhongtang's prevarication." The envoy lowered his voice.

The entourage said: "How dare he?!"

The envoy shook his head, "Before leaving, Prime Minister Liang told me in private that Shi Zhongtang is bullying and afraid of being tough. I've been thinking about this for a long time, and I feel that His Majesty shouldn't get rid of Zhang Chumao..."

Although Shi Zhongtang said that Zhang Chumao was killed by an assassin, in the eyes of many people, it was Shi Zhongtang who did it.

And Shi Zhongtang dared to make a move, most of which was the emperor's acquiescence.

"Containment?" the follower asked.

"Yes, without Zhang Chumao's restraint, Shi Zhongtang's family is the only one in southern Xinjiang. The civil and military officials in southern Xinjiang have changed a lot these days, which shows that this person is arrogant in his bones."

The envoy pondered Liang Jing's words all the way, and the more he pondered, the more he felt right.

"Don't forget, Yang Xuan has no one to check and balance in the northern border, so he turned against Chang'an."

The follower whispered: "Someone is coming."

He Zun came out with a smile. After exchanging pleasantries, he led the envoy to the lobby.

Shi Zhongtang greeted him outside the hall. It was a hot day, but his face was pale, he looked like a tuberculosis.

"Duke, this is..." the envoy was surprised.

"I have been fighting for many years, and my whole body is full of injuries. I had an attack a while ago, and I am recuperating, so I can't come out to welcome you. Forgive me."

Shi Zhongtang has always been very polite to Chang'an envoys, and this time is no exception.

The envoy asked a few words about his physical condition, and then explained the purpose of his visit, "Your Majesty ordered all the troops from southern Xinjiang to go north."

"This..." Shi Zhongtang showed embarrassment.

Sure enough... the envoy sneered in his heart, "The Chang'an army has already been dispatched, does the Duke want to sit and watch?"

Shi Zhongtang smiled wryly, "Don't dare."

He Zun said: "The soldiers refused to leave the southern border."

The messenger said coldly: "It's just an excuse."

He Zun sighed, "Those arrogant soldiers and powerful generals are hard to tame, that's why the Duke relapsed from the old wound of anger."

Shi Zhongtang shook his head, "It's okay, I'll go to the army to take care of some leaders when I turn back."

He Zun said: "I'm afraid of angering the soldiers!"

Shi Zhongtang said: "It was my idea to recruit people from other races, but now it's my own fault."

The messenger suddenly shouted: "It's a bunch of lies!"

What did the emperor discover... Shi Zhongtang's heart tightened, and he said, "I am loyal to Your Majesty..."

If you go to southern Xinjiang, Shi Zhongtang will definitely prevaricate, or his own injuries, or the morale of the army is not good, and the soldiers will make a fuss... In a word, there is no way to send troops.If so, it must be Shi Zhongtang's ambition...

Liang Xiang had an insight into Shi Zhongtang's mind from a long distance away. It can be seen that it is not the ignorance that the outside world said... The emissary sternly shouted: "Liang Xiang has already seen the disadvantages of southern Xinjiang. Today I am here to say something If so, send troops!"

Liang Jing!

Shi Zhongtang felt cold in his heart.

After Liang Jing took over as right minister, the first fire was not burned in the court, but in southern Xinjiang.

For some reason, Shi Zhongtang felt that Liang Jing looked at him horizontally and vertically, because he didn't like himself.

But when he was in Chang'an back then, he was the one who recommended Shi Zhongtang to become a noble concubine.

This moment and that moment!

send troops!

Shi Zhongtang glanced at He Zun.

He Zun shook his head slightly.

When troops were dispatched at this moment, a thought involuntarily came to the minds of the soldiers of the Southern Border Army: We are His Majesty's soldiers.

Shi Zhongtang managed to turn the Southern Frontier Army into his own private army. Once he made such an opening, it would become a laughing stock on the side of the Qing emperor.

Shi Zhongtang gritted his teeth, "Yes!"

Sure enough, you can't force it!
The messenger sneered in his heart.

He Zun lowered his head to hide the disappointment in his eyes.

There is no more chance.

Shi Zhongtang changed his smiling face, "The envoy can go to rest first, and I will prepare a banquet later to clean up the envoy's dust."

Seeing him lower his head, the envoy softened his tone, "Your Majesty said, time is not waiting, and the southern border should be faster."

"There are numbers."

After the messenger left, He Zun felt uncomfortable and sat there in a daze.

The sun was long, and he couldn't help crying when he thought of the difficulty of this matter.

"Worried?"

Shi Zhongtang laughed.

He Zun raised his head, "No! Duke!"

"I know." Shi Zhongtang said: "Once the mouth is opened, the army in southern Xinjiang will become the army in Chang'an."

He Zun gritted his teeth and said, "Let's raise troops!"

"It's early." Shi Zhongtang said: "The crops haven't been harvested yet, the cattle, sheep, and horses haven't grown fat yet, so how can we go out? Besides, the last batch of money and grain given by the Ministry of Household this year is still on the way. Could it be that it was thrown there? gone?"

He Zun was taken aback, "But if the envoy goes back and says this, the public opinion will be in trouble."

"I will try it out later at the banquet..."

Shi Zhongtang said lightly.

……

Shi Zhongtang hosted a banquet to welcome the envoy, accompanied by his confidantes.

During the banquet, Shi Zhongtang humblely asked the envoy to greet the emperor and the noble concubine on his behalf, saying that the Yunshan slave had been in southern Xinjiang for a long time and missed Ye Niang, so he asked Aye to allow him to go to Chang'an by the end of this year.

When it came to the emotion, Shi Zhongtang burst into tears.

The envoy felt contemptuous in his heart, got drunk later, pointed at Shi Zhongtang and said, "You are just a slave, how dare you take the big? If you dare to disobey the order this time, the next time you will come is the army, hahahaha!"

Shi Zhongtang was smiling, but his confidants were going to explode.

"Yunshan slave!"

The envoy pointed at Shi Zhongtang and hiccupped, "After destroying Northern Xinjiang, you can go to Chang'an to accompany His Majesty! It's so enviable!"

This is the meaning of killing the donkey!
"Dog thief!"

Wei Ming was furious and got up abruptly.

"sit down!"

Shi Zhongtang squeezed his hands and said with a smile: "I have always wanted to go to Chang'an and stay by Ye Niang's side. If I can do this, it would be great."

The envoy looked at Wei Ming, "Why, are you not convinced?"

Wei Ming gritted his teeth loudly.

"Sit down!" Shi Zhongtang sternly shouted, and after Wei Ming sat down, he smiled at the envoy: "The arrogant warrior, I'm making you laugh."

The envoy bid farewell on the second day, Shi Zhongtang sent many gifts, most of them were for the emperor and concubines, and some were also for the envoy.

The envoys never refused, and left with a smile.

"Duke, this dog should be punished!"

General Wei Ming was furious.

"Tell people to follow the envoy and watch his words and deeds all the way!" Shi Zhongtang said coldly: "Remember, don't leak the news."

As soon as the envoy left the city, he said to his followers, "Hurry up!"

When he arrived at a remote place, the envoy ordered to abandon all the accompanying carts.

"Those are all gifts!" Someone was reluctant.

"Want money or life?" The messenger sneered, "Lost them all, hurry up and leave."

The entourage followed, "But it's not right?"

"Last night I pretended to drink too much to test it out. Those words were quite humiliating. Even if Shi Zhongtang yelled and scolded on the spot, no one would criticize him. But he smiled flatteringly. Who can say nothing? How dare you? Very small, or very courageous."

Naturally, Shi Zhongtang couldn't be cowardly, otherwise how would he control those arrogant soldiers?
"Then Wei Ming is the general of Nanjiang, and I am an angel. It stands to reason that even if I humiliated Shi Zhongtang, he would not dare to get angry. But look at Wei Ming last night, holding his hand on the handle of the knife, with murderous intent in his eyes. This is trying to kill someone." !"

The messenger said: "Dare to kill the angels, what do you think they are thinking? What are they discussing on weekdays? And they are still in front of Shi Zhongtang, what does this mean?"

"It's quite disrespectful for them to talk about His Majesty and Chang'an on weekdays!" said the attendant.

"Disrespectful, but pretending to be respectful." The messenger said, "What do Shi Zhongtang and the Southern Border Army want to do? Liang Xiang said that Shi Zhongtang was ambitious and had rebellious intentions. Chang'an thought he was jealous of Shi Zhongtang. Come on. When I went to the southern border, I realized that Prime Minister Liang's vision, no one in the civil and military circles of the dynasty can match!"

The entourage said: "He dare not do it?"

"Idiot!" The envoy pointed to the entourage, "Last night I intentionally annoyed Shi Zhongtang. Can you see what those civil and military officials look like?"

The attendant shook his head, "I didn't pay attention."

"The civil officials are sullen, and the generals are pressing the hilts of their knives, ready to move." The messenger said: "Yang Xuan is still restrained by the powerful and dissatisfied officials in the northern border, but in the southern border, what I see is the same pattern... It is respected by Shi Zhongtang."

The entourage shuddered, "So, Nanjiang...is it still the Nanjiang of Tang Dynasty?"

The envoy said: "I can say for sure that Shi Zhongtang will definitely not send troops. If he is sensitive enough to realize that I was pretending to be drunk last night, then...or we will die in southern Xinjiang."

The hearts of the people turned cold, and the envoy ordered: "Let people go and spread the word, just say, His Majesty ordered the Southern Border Army to gather and go north. At any rate, let Shi Zhongtang throw a mouse."

"Come on!"

"drive!"

……

Jiedushifu, in the lobby of last night's banquet.

He Zun squatted next to the envoy's table last night, picked up the mat and sniffed, "It smells like wine."

Shi Zhongtang stood with his hands behind his back, "Last night he pretended to be drunk, sure enough, Chang'an has already developed suspicion towards me."

He Zun said: "It's not too late!"

Shi Zhongtang nodded, "Tell the officials everywhere that this year's autumn harvest is the most important thing, whoever dares to slack off, please come and see me."

"Yes!"

Shi Zhongtang walked out of the Tang Dynasty, "Let Wei Ming come."

Wei Ming is here.

"Go, find a place where there is no one..."

……

The messenger galloped all the way with his entourage.

When they arrived at the post station, they didn't rest, but asked for dry food and water, changed their horses, and set off immediately.

That night, they still camped in the wild.

At night, the envoy was writing memorials.

——When I saw civil and military officials in southern Xinjiang, all of them regarded Shi Zhong as the head of the Tang Dynasty. I only knew Shang Guogong, but I didn't know Chang'an, and I didn't know Your Majesty.

——The minister thinks that Shi Zhongtang's loyalty is false and his ambition is true.I ask your majesty to transfer back the guards of Chang'an, station troops in the south, deter the southern border army, and then seize Shi Zhongtang's military power.

The envoy raised his head, thought for a while, showed determination, lowered his head and wrote: If there is any mistake, it is all the fault of the minister.Minister, I will apologize to Shang Guogong after I die!
He received the memorial, "Come here!"

There was no movement outside.

"Come on!"

The messenger got up, lifted the curtain and went out.

A bloody smell came out of his nostrils.

More than ten people stood outside, looking at him coldly.

The leader turned out to be Southern Border General Wei Ming.

The envoy was stunned, and then said in despair: "Are you planning to rebel?"

Wei Ming walked over, the horizontal knife in his hand was still dripping blood.

puff!
The horizontal knife pierced the envoy's lower abdomen, Wei Ming leaned against him and said with a grinning grin, "No, it's the Qing emperor's side!"

(End of this chapter)