The First Great Ancestor of the Five Dynasties

Chapter 84: Bring Zhu Xiu back

Kaifeng Palace City.

The atmosphere in the huge palace today was solemn. It was clear that courtiers and officials were coming and going in a hurry inside and outside the palace, and the imperial army was mobilized frequently, but it did not appear noisy at all. Instead, it revealed a strange quietness.

Even the servants in various government offices, eunuchs and palace servants in various palaces deliberately walked softly for fear of making noise and disturbing the depressing atmosphere.

Located next to the inner palace in the northwest corner of the palace, there is an inconspicuous small warehouse, which is usually used to stack linen mourning clothes and white flags and cloth to decorate the mourning hall, which are all funeral items.

The warehouse is usually unattended and no one visits it.

But today, a group of eunuchs had already received orders from the inner palace and were waiting here early. They did not open the warehouse, and they did not dare to play or play. They just lined up in rows and stood in front of the storehouse, waiting for further instructions from the inner palace.

The Privy Council Office located on the right side of Xuande Gate in the palace city has many officials coming in and out, making it a busy scene.

The officials walked in a hurry, and their voices were deliberately lowered. They did not dare to make loud noises for fear of disturbing the heavy atmosphere of the entire palace.

In an official room in the backyard of the government office, Chai Rong, the commander of the Tianxiong Army, was sitting at attention, and Zhao Kuangyin, the subordinate's close confidant, was making tea.

The boiling water in the tea stove is gurgling and steaming. It is still cold in spring outside the house. Let's put a cup of hot drink aside for a while and sip some tea to warm your heart.

Zhang Yongde hurried into the room, and Chai Rong cast a questioning look at him.

"The handsome man is still discussing matters with several deputy envoys in the main hall. There is no news from Funing Hall." Zhang Yongde cupped his hands and said softly.

Chai Rong motioned for him to sit down and sighed: "Father hasn't slept for three days, and he hasn't eaten much. I'm worried that the fatigue may cause old injuries to relapse."

Zhang Yongde smiled bitterly and said: "The handsome man often forgets to eat and drink when he is busy. When my wife was still alive, I persuaded her many times. Every time, the handsome man agreed in person, turned his back and forgot, and even my wife couldn't do anything."

Chai Rong sighed and shook his head, thinking of his miserable aunt.

When Guo Wei was poor, his aunt Chai married him without hesitation. Later, Guo Wei made many military exploits, his position and military power gradually increased, and his family became better and better. However, his aunt fell ill early and passed away after only a few days of happiness.

Zhao Kuangyin served hot tea, glanced outside the room, and whispered: "The national mourning is approaching, the court situation has changed, people inside and outside Kaifeng are panicking, 10,000+ forbidden troops have gathered in the imperial capital, the Privy Council is busy deploying troops and generals to stabilize the situation, and the handsome man has been promoted. Privy ministers and envoys must work hard for the country. At this time, only Guo Shuai can be the pillar of the imperial court!"

The three of them each held a bowl in hand and sipped tea. The room was quiet, and they could only hear the sound of boiling tea.

"By the way, is there any news from Jingzhou?" Chai Rong asked suddenly.

Zhang Yongde shook his head and said: "There is no news. I think Shi Kuangwei didn't receive the letter from Commander Ya at all. Jiao Jixun of Qizhou had just put down Fengxiang's rebellion, and the court received another urgent report that Hou Yi, the governor of Yongxing Army, secretly communicated with Shu. Meng Chang, Lord of Shu, sent his troops out of Ziwu Valley in an attempt to covet Guanzhong.

Before the official became seriously ill, he issued an edict to appoint Fengxiang's inspection envoy Wang Jingchong as commander, and sent troops to quell Hou Yi's rebellion.Now Guanzhong is also in chaos. Going west to block the pass and trying to contact the Changyi Army, they can only wait for the war in Huazhou to subside. "

Chai Rong remembered something: "Not long ago, when Wang Jun, the salt and iron transfer envoy from Jingzhao, returned to Beijing, he went to his house to meet his father. I stayed with him and heard Wang Jun talk about it. It seemed that Jingzhou had secretly produced the property without telling the court. Salt, and the output is not small, and the quality is also high. Wang Jun is very angry about this, and wants to ask his father to go to the official family to transfer Shi Kuangwei away from Zhangyi."

Zhao Kuangyin sneered and said: "Wang Jun is notorious. He was just a singer back then, and he got where he is today by flattering people all the way. He took a lot of salt profit kickbacks in Chang'an. Any vassal town that relies on Jingzhao to transport salt and iron will not be allowed to do so. Give him money, or he will cut off the supply of official salt under various pretexts. This guy is greedy and will be finished sooner or later."

Chai Rong said: "Wang Jun has a low character, but he is also very knowledgeable about current affairs and works hard. The official Jinyang raised troops. He also has the merit of following the dragon and is deeply favored by the officials. Even his father treats him with courtesy."

Zhang Yongde said curiously: "When Zhangyi Town occupied Weizhou before, it was considered wealthy by relying on Weizhou salt wells. But Weizhou has long fallen into the hands of the Tubo people. For so many years, I have never heard of Jingzhou Yuanzhou having property." Salt land. Why did the news suddenly spread that Jingzhou was embezzling salt profits?"

"That's where it gets interesting."

Chai Rong smiled, "Wang Jun complained that Shi Kuangwei plagiarized the method of detoxifying brine salt from somewhere, and excavated salt rocks on a large scale outside Anding County, Jingzhou to detoxify and make salt. However, he claimed to the outside world that he had stolen the method of detoxifying brine salt. Brine is drawn from salt wells. If there were salt wells in Jingzhou, why would they wait until now to start producing salt?" Zhao Kuangyin laughed and said: "So Wang Jun did not falsely accuse Shi Jieshuai. Zhangyi Town really bypassed the imperial court to make and sell salt? "

Chai Rong nodded and said: "Looking at Wang Jun's angry look, I guess there is a high probability that he can't fake it. The question is, where did Shi Kuangwei get the brine salt detoxification method? Not even the salt pond supervisors everywhere. A few old salt workers can master this technique, but how can a small town like Changyi know it?"

Zhang Yongde's eyes lit up: "You mean Ya Shuai, does Shi Kuangwei have an expert around him to give guidance? That person might be him."

Chai Rong smiled and said: "Apart from Zhu Xiu, I really can't think of anyone else around Shi Kuangwei who has this ability."

"What Ya Shuai said is true. That boy Zhu Xiu has a different brain than ordinary people and knows many strange things. If he came up with this brine salt detoxification method, I would take it for granted." Zhang Yongde said with emotion.

Zhao Kuangyin said: "We have been investigating Bozhou Yellow River Wharf for more than two months, and we can't find out where the gangsters who attacked the passenger ship that day came from or where they went. There was no body on the burned ship. The whole case is weird, like Someone did it on purpose just to attract our attention."

Chai Rong put down the teacup and said, "If I'm right, the incident at the Bozhou Wharf is completely caused by S Kuangwei's suspicions. He wants us to think that Zhu Xiu has died by the Yellow River, but in fact, he has already killed Zhu Xiu. Take him to Jingzhou."

Zhang Yongde said: "Murong Yanzhao of Suzhou wrote back and said that no one came to see him with a letter written by Yashuai. Madam Fu also sent a message a month ago, saying that Wuning Jiedushi sent someone to Haozhou, and Zhu Xiu was not there either. News. If Zhu Xiu is still alive, he most likely went to Jingzhou with Shi Kuangwei."

"Brother Zhu Xian is a blessed person, and he will definitely turn bad luck into good luck." Zhao Kuangyin said in a sincere tone.

Zhang Yongde shook his head: "I don't know whether he is blessed or not, but he is a human spirit and a scourge, and he will never be short-lived!"

Chai Rong looked at the steam rising from the tea stove and said with some annoyance: "He is still a little liar who is full of lies! Five or six groups of people went to Tanzhou, but they never found out any information about Mr. Siyou. I Looking at this matter, it’s just that brat who made it out of nothing!”

Zhao Kuangyin smiled and said: "So, wouldn't the name of Mr. Siyou be his own? Four You, Four You, which Four You are, I really want to know!"

Zhang Yongde sighed: "Is there really a person with permanent wisdom in the world? If no one teaches him, where do the weird things in his mind come from?"

The three of them fell silent in the room.

Chai Rong looked at the gloomy sky outside the house and suddenly said: "Yuan Long, go to Jingzhou yourself. If Zhu Xiu is really there, bring him back safely."

Zhao Kuangyin was startled, stood up, clasped his fists and said, "I humbly obey my orders!"

After hesitating for a moment, Zhao Kuangyin said again: "What if Shi Jieshuai doesn't let him go?"

Chai Rong frowned and said in a deep voice: "Shi Kuangwei is loyal, brave and righteous. I respect him very much. You should persuade him nicely. As long as he is willing to let Zhu Xiu return to the capital, I will repay him!"

"Don't worry, Yashuai, I know how to act." Zhao Kuangyin bowed to accept the order, and couldn't help but sigh in his heart, Yashuai really valued Zhu Xiu very much!
"Dang~dang~dang~"

Suddenly, a gentle and thick bell sounded from the Chengtian Gate Tower, and the sound spread throughout the palace city.

The first cry was heard from the Funing Palace. The courtiers, soldiers of the Forbidden Army, and palace people outside the hall all knelt down and cried bitterly. The cry spread all the way to the Privy Council.

Soon, cries of grief and grief could be heard both inside and outside the Privy Council Office.

Chai Rong sighed, stood up and straightened his robes. With a sad face, he knelt down and knelt in the direction of Funing Hall. Zhang Yongde and Zhao Kuangyin knelt down and knelt down behind him.

In the first year of Qianyou of the Han Dynasty, at the end of the first month, Emperor Liu Zhiyuan died at the age of 54. He was known as the Emperor of the Later Han Dynasty in history.

(End of this chapter)