Qin Shizhi's Confucian junior master

Chapter 444, a dead end prepared for Fusu

Xiao He was stunned when he heard this. Although Zengxi Erdi and Xiling were not far away, there were several cities in between. These cities were heavily guarded by Chu State troops. If Yang Duanhe came directly, he would definitely be alerted.

"Yang Duanhe has Li Yuan's order in his hands. The Chu army on the road dare not intercept him." Fusu said. In fact, Fusu still had one sentence he didn't say, that is, as soon as the Chu army saw Yang Duanhe's banner will be frightened immediately, let alone resist Yang Duanhe.

The fact that Yang Duanhe was undefeated with 20,000 men against Xiang Yan's 60,000 troops was legendary in the Chu State. In addition, Yang Duanhe's defeat of Zeng Xi with 3,000 cavalry gave Yang Duanhe a terrible reputation in the Chu State. Even ordinary Chu soldiers would tremble when they saw Yang Duanhe.

"Good over there." Xiao He said.

"Don't worry, Luo Wang is watching them all the time." Fusu said.

Looking at Xiling City in front of him, Fusu's face was calm, but he was thinking about another thing. I hope Luo Wang's news is false, Fusu thought in his heart.

"My lord, Xiling City ordered Song Chang to lead the Xiling officials and people to pay homage to Lord Mo Ao." Song Chang stood in front of Fusu's carriage and shouted loudly.

The driver in charge stopped the carriage, and Fusu came to his senses and stepped out of the carriage.

"Magistrate Song is exempt from courtesy," Fusu said.

Seeing Fusu get out of the car, the officials, dignitaries and common people behind Song Chang saluted Fusu.

"Greetings to Lord Mo Ao."

"Without courtesy, everyone, I ordered Yiliyuan to give Xiling to Gu as a fiefdom. Gu is extremely anxious. Xiling is located in the hinterland of the Chu Kingdom and is the first line of resistance against the rebels. Gu has been worried about the lives of the people in Xiling along the way. How difficult it is. Now it seems that Magistrate Song has managed Xiling very well." Fusu nodded to Chief Song.

Song Chang said with flattered hands.

"This is what I should do."

Seeing Song Chang's appearance, the two brothers Zhu Kai and Zhu Lai felt very disdainful. Song Chang discovered the two brothers Zhu Kai and Zhu Lai, and deep surprise flashed in his eyes. As the county magistrate of Xiling, he naturally knew the existence of the two mountain kings Zhu Kai and Zhu Lai. What's more, the two brothers Zhu Kai and Zhu Lai are the most wanted criminals in Xiling City.

Fusu smiled and continued

"Now that Xiling is Gu's fiefdom, Gu will definitely treat you as Gu's subjects and lead the people of Xiling to live a better life. Starting from this year, Xiling will be tax-free for one year!"

"Thank you, Lord Mo Ao!!" As the main tax collectors, the people naturally highly praised Fusu's decision.

A middle-aged man with a mustache in the ranks of the powerful watched this scene silently. Although his face was also full of smiles, there was no smile in his eyes. After a meeting, Song Chang welcomed Fusu into Xiling City.

"Your Highness, these two people behind you?" Song Chang asked in a low voice.

Fusu stopped, and everyone behind him also stopped. Everyone looked at Fusu, and Fusu said after sweeping everyone

"The two heroes Zhu Kai and Zhu Lai are the fierce generals I conquered on the road. They are my guards. Of course I know that Zhu Kai and Zhu Lai occupied the mountain and became kings, but now they have changed their minds and are willing to fight for the orphans. Please don’t mention the previous matter, Magistrate Song, anymore.”

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is right. We two brothers have heard of His Highness the Crown Prince's virtuous reputation for a long time, so we disbanded the village and joined His Highness the Crown Prince to serve." Brothers Zhu Kai and Zhu Lai said.

After hearing what Zhu Kai and Zhu Lai said, the people suddenly started talking, and everyone looked at Fusu with admiration. Zhu Kai and Zhu Lai are bandits in Xiling City. Everyone in Xiling City knows it. Even though the government tried their best to suppress the bandits, in the end not only did they not succeed in suppressing the bandits, but the two brothers Zhu Kai and Zhu Lai also lost their lives. There are more and more people.

And now? The two brothers Zhu Kai and Zhu Lai just heard about Fusu's virtuous name and abandoned evil to do good. This made Fusu's status in the hearts of these people even higher. As for the faces of some of the powerful people, they became less pretty. Some wanted to say something, but they stopped talking after being glanced at by the man with the mustache.

"Lord Mo Ao is mighty!"

"Lord Mo Ao!!"

Fusu entered Xiling City surrounded by the people, and the people and dignitaries behind him gradually dispersed.

"Brother Xiang, why did you stop me?" the man who had been stopped by the mustached man asked dissatisfiedly.

"Brother Chen, this matter cannot be rushed. That Mr. Fusu is the prince of Qin and the current Mo Ao. Now that the King of Chu has declined, Yi Li Yuan has taken over the power, and Li Yuan does not dare to offend Qin. What do you think? If you raise objections to His Highness the Crown Prince on such an occasion, do you think the Chen family can survive?" said the man known as Brother Xiang.

The man called Brother Chen suddenly realized, and then said dissatisfiedly

"This Xiling City belongs to the three families of You, me, and Tong. Even if he is the prince of Qin, in Chu State, he will still lower his head in this Xiling City."

Xiling City is controlled by three powerful people, the Xiang family, the Chen family and the Tong family. The man with the mustache is the young master of the Xiang family, Xiang Xiong, and the other man is the head of the Chen family, Chen Jin.

As a local powerful family, Chen Jin does not feel that he should be afraid of Fusu, the prince of the Qin State. Even though the Qin State is now extremely powerful, the Chu State has not yet been destroyed. Even if they really get into trouble with Fusu, here is their In a place that has been run for generations, even if Li Yuan came, he would not dare to do anything to local dignitaries like them, let alone an outsider like Fusu.

"It's natural, but I don't want to hit the smiling man. This young master Fusu didn't treat us how. Let's see for the time being. If he really does something that harms our interests, then he, a foreign prince, can't be crushed. It’s not too late.” Xiang Xiong said.

"Brother Xiang is right," Chen Jin said.

Xiang Xiong bowed and left directly.

Xiang Mansion.

The servant at the door of Xiang's house saw that his young master was back. He stepped forward to stop the carriage and knelt on the ground, letting Xiang Xiong step on his back to get out of the carriage.

As soon as Xiang Xiong entered the house, he was stopped by the housekeeper who came forward.

"Young Master, the clan leader asked you to go directly to his study to look for him when you come back," the housekeeper said.

"it is good."

Xiang Xiong turned left and right in Xiang's house and came to the study. After knocking on the door, an old voice sounded in the room, and Xiang Xiong entered. "Father, the child is back." Xiang Xiong said with his hands raised to the sitting old man.

"Well, how about welcoming the Prince of Qin this time?" Father Xiang nodded and asked.

"This Prince of Qin is similar to the one in the rumors. As for the details, we still need to find out more." Xiang Xiong said.

"No need to pry. Your conversation at the city gate reached my ears before you got home. I surrendered Zhu Kai and Zhu Lai just by relying on reputation. This Fusu still has some real strength. ." Father Xiang said calmly.

"It is indeed unexpected that the Prince of Qin was able to surrender Zhu Kai and Zhu Lai. Although these two men are both mud-legged, they occupy deep mountains and specialize in robbing the money and food of the powerful people in Xiling City. The defenders of Xiling City have repeatedly He went to suppress the bandits, but in the end they all ended in failure. And Fusu was indeed capable of subduing them. However, his move offended many people. That brainless guy Chen Jin may have already held a grudge under my fire. Go to Fusu," Xiang Xiong said.

Of the three families in Xiling City, the Xiang family is related to the defenders of Xiling City, while the Chen family started their careers as merchants. The Chen family is also the one who wants to kill Zhu Kai and Zhu Lai the most. Eight out of ten caravans of the Zhu family were robbed by the Zhu brothers, forcing the Chen family's caravan to take a detour. However, this detour wasted much more time and money than before, so Chen Jin is watching After the Zhu brothers took refuge in Fusu, Fusu said that what happened before was over, and that's why he was so angry.

"Chen Jin is just a reckless man. It's enough to let him test Fusu. Is there any news from the west?" Xiang Fu asked.

Xiang Xiong was silent for a moment, and instead of answering Xiang's father's words, he asked

"Father, do we really want to take refuge in the west? Our project is not the same as their project."

The Xiang that Xiang Xiong is talking about is naturally referring to Xiang Yan's Xiang family. The Xiang family in Xiling was just an unpopular branch of the Xiang family. Later, a talented person came out and came to Xiling and took root here. It gradually evolved into a local powerful family and had nothing to do with the Xiang family.

"When people get old, they always want to realize what they have pursued throughout their lives. Our Xiang family is a branch of the Xiang family. From our ancestors to me, our greatest wish is to return our lineage to the main line of the Xiang family. , all want their tablets to eventually return to the Xiang family's ancestral temple.

Xiang Yan promised me that as long as we kill Fusu in Xiling, make Qin hate Li Yuan, and stop Li Yuan from seeking refuge with Qin, he will let us return to the Xiang family. "Father Xiang said.

Xiang Xiong listened to his father's words, hesitated and asked

"Is father confident that he can kill Fusu? Fusu has many good hands around him."

"Of course. Qin is arrogant and thinks that Chu dare not touch Fusu. After all, Fusu is just a child. He is not so vigilant and only has these guards around him. No matter how strong these guards are, they cannot face him. Hundreds and thousands of people besieged us." Xiang Fu said with a smile.

Before, he was still hesitating whether to agree to Xiang Yan's request. Although this was the place where they had been operating for generations, and strong dragons could not overwhelm local snakes, he was also worried that there were too many people protecting Fusu, which would give Fusu a chance to escape. But after passing the city gate to greet him, his men had already found out how many guards there were around Fusu, and also checked whether there were any hidden personnel outside Xiling City.

The entire Xiling City controls the three families. When the time comes, Xiang only needs to control the army and let them close the city gate and besiege Fusu. As long as the city gate is closed, Fusu cannot enter the city even if he has backup.

"But I still feel a little uneasy. Do I want to take a long-term approach?" Xiang Xiong asked.

"No need, the King of Chu in Yingdu asked Xiang Yan to secretly mobilize an army of 30,000, and they are ambushing outside Xiling City right now. As long as we kill Fusu and occupy Xiling City, our plan will be completed when these 30,000 troops arrive. Yes." Father Xiang said.

If it were before, Xiang's father would not have used such a crude method. Before Xiling City became Fusu's fiefdom, Xiling City had heavily stationed troops to resist Xiang Yan. But Li Yuan gave Xiling City to Fusu, which caused all the troops originally stationed in Xiling City to withdraw except for the previous defenders. Only then did Xiang Fu see the opportunity.

"But."

When Xiang Xiong wanted to say something more, he was interrupted by Xiang's father.

"There's nothing to worry about. I've already contacted the west side. And I don't have many years left to live. I want to fulfill our lineage's wish before I die. My father and your grandfather shouted loudly before he died. Going back to the Xiang family, my grandfather and your great-grandfather were also like this. Countless generations of our ancestors died with hatred because of this matter. Now the opportunity is right in front of me. Even if I have a narrow escape, I will give it a try." Xiang Father suddenly said excitedly.

Seeing Xiang's father looking a little crazy, Xiang Xiong also understood that it was his father's biggest wish to let their lineage return to the Xiang family and have his tablet placed in the Xiang family's ancestral temple. Seeing his father so determined The last hesitation in Xiang Xiong's heart disappeared.

"Yes, father. I will go and provoke Chen Jin first and ask him to help us try Fusu." Xiang Xiong said.

"That's fine." Father Xiang said.

Xiling, inside Fusu's other courtyard.

After Song Chang left, Fusu gathered in a room with Xiao He, Meng Yi and Zhu Kai Zhu Lai.

"How is it?" Fusu asked.

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's information is correct. Several of my brothers have found out clearly in Xiling City. The current Xiling garrison seems to obey the county magistrate, but in fact it is Xiang's private army. And they also found out that , Xiang's caravan has been in close contact with Yingdu recently," Zhu Lai said.

"Throughout this journey, Yingdu didn't create any trouble for us. I thought they were protecting themselves now, but I didn't expect that they were preparing to take action in Xiling." Fusu said.

On their way from Shouchun south to Xiling, except for some short-sighted people, no one dared to provoke them, not even to assassinate them. This man, Fusu, was not very vigilant about Xiling before receiving the news about the trap. , if they entered Xiling City carelessly without any preparation, they might really die in Xiling City this time.

"This is also an opportunity. The situation in Zhao State has stabilized. The reputation of Chen Ping and Li Xin in Yuyang County has long been spread in Zhao State, and the remaining dignitaries of Zhao State do not dare to speak to them. We are so arrogant in front of you, now is a good opportunity to attack Chu State." Meng Yi said.

After hearing Meng Yi's words, Fusu immediately thought of Chen Ping's use of him to set up a trap in Yuyang County.

"I have experienced this kind of thing once, let them come over." Fusu said with a smile.

"If my guess is good, Xiang will let others test us first." Xiao He said.

"Mr. Xiao, I know how to do it. I deliberately gave them a flaw." Zhu Kai said.

"No, not only can we not buy flaws, we must also use strong means to push the opponent back." Xiao He said with a smile.

(End of this chapter)