Ji Han Liu Zhang

Chapter 322 Morality
Tianshui County.

The location of Li's Wubao is now used as a temporary residence for General Andi, Ma Tengdang.

In a guest room in Wubao, Zhang Su, the envoy from Yizhou who came to visit Ma Teng but could not be seen, was doing nothing. He held the bamboo slip in his hand and read the text on it carefully, chanting every time After a few words, he put down the bamboo slips, closed his eyes and thought about it for a moment or two, and then continued chanting after he had straightened out his thoughts.

Zhang Su's learning method is based on the admonition of the Master. The Master said: Learning without thinking is a waste, and thinking without learning is peril.

Therefore, he considers himself to be obsessed with rote reading and memorization, which is the most undesirable thing. To read a book, you must read it alive, understand its meaning, understand its principles, and put it vividly before your eyes. That is the true meaning of reading. .

Time passed by little by little. The sun rose from the east, slowly climbed to the middle of the sky, and continued to set to the west. After spending a whole day, Zhang Su was completely addicted to reading and had nothing to do with anything else. Tempting.

When the moonlight rose and spread its radiance all over the courtyard outside the house, Zhang Su put down the bamboo slips in his hands. He walked to the courtyard and stomped around. As he walked, he recited something in his heart about appreciating the moon. Colorful words and phrases express elegance and elegance.

Zhang Su seemed to be admiring the moon, but in his heart, he was trying to figure out the thoughts of Ma Teng, General Andi. He had been here for three days, but he had not been summoned by Ma Teng. The people who received him just shied away. Ma Teng was preoccupied with things and had no time to spare.

This is a bit unusual.

In the first year of Xingping, Liu Yan, the former Yizhou pastor, joined forces with Ma Teng and Han Sui to march into Chang'an with the intention of defeating the Liangzhou thieves Li Jue and Guo Si. Unfortunately, they were defeated and separated. Let's discuss this matter. Yizhou and Ma Teng were allies and old friends, and now that he was the envoy of Yizhou, Ma Teng should put down the things in his hands and receive him personally.

Speaking of which, people from the border counties who have been among the Qiang, Hu and Xiongnu all their lives usually have bad character. Ma Teng, who was born in Youfufeng and grew up among Liangzhou, in Zhang Su's eyes, also had trouble with Liangzhou's people. The custom is not to keep morality and justice in mind, but only to seek fame and fortune.

He probably guessed that Zhang Su came here to win over Li Jue and Guo Si. Since he wanted something from him, he must be eager to see him. But now it seems that Zhang Su should eat and drink. , read and write essays every day, study with concentration, and there is no anxiety at all.

They make alliances and break alliances for the sake of profit, all for the sake of a small profit in front of them. With this kind of mentality of the generals in Guanxi, how can Sanfu and Liangzhou settle down, and how can the common people of Li live in peace.

Although Zhang Su doesn't have much prejudice against Liangzhou people, most of them are dishonest and unjust people. For example, the two thieves Li Jue and Guo Si would lead troops to attack each other from time to time, and from time to time they would kiss each other. Like a brother, he is capricious and difficult to figure out, so he somewhat looks down upon the people of Liangzhou.

"That's it?" Ma Teng's face looked a little dissatisfied. He put Zhang Su aside and refused to summon him, just to make Zhang Su, who asked to see him, anxious and inconsistent in his behavior, so that he could meet later. Medium pressure on Zhang Su.

The night was getting dark, and the only sound left was the chirping of insects and birds. There was also a hint of chill in the night. Zhang Su tightened his tight singlet, glanced at the moonlight with nostalgia, and then walked towards the house.

This was Ma Chao's initial plan. His original intention was to let Ma Teng meet Zhang Su as soon as possible, listen to Zhang Su's words, and respond based on Zhang Su's words. It's just that Ma Teng had his own ideas. He wanted to temper Zhang Su's temper, so he kept avoiding it.

Therefore, in terms of Ma Teng's character, Zhang Su believed that Ma Teng's failure to come forward to meet him was just a matter of fact. He was an ally in the first year of Xingping. In the current first year of Jian'an, Ma Teng 80% disowned him, and Ma Teng agreed. , it is estimated that there are only immediate benefits.

Zhang Su slept peacefully here, while the scouts who were spying on his behavior over there hurriedly came to the most luxurious room in Wubao and reported Zhang Su's words and deeds today to General Andi, Ma Teng.

The eagle boiled him but he was boiled by the eagle.

Ma Chao looked indifferent and answered: "Father, why don't you meet Zhang Su tomorrow and see what he has to say before making a decision."

Zhang Su's indifferent attitude made Ma Teng feel a little unexpected, and naturally he looked dissatisfied.

Based on Ma Teng's human nature, Zhang Su can infer that in his eyes, the chaos in Sanfu and Liangzhou may not be due to the fact that most of the Kansai generals are profit-seeking and treacherous people. Yesterday's allies have become today's enemies, but when the day comes, they will be as close as brothers again.

This is also proven. The last time Ma Teng and Yizhou conspired to kill the two thieves Li Jue and Guo Si. On the surface, it seemed to be to save the emperor and Li Shu, but in fact it was just Ma Teng who asked Li for personal matters. Jue and Li Jue did not agree, so Ma Teng, who had a good relationship with Li Jue, became angry and conspired with him to kill Li Jue and Guo Si, using Liu Yan, the pastor of Yizhou at that time, as a clan minister.

At the last moment when his figure disappeared from the moonlight, Zhang Su made a wish to the full moon: "May Ming Gong smoothly defeat the three auxiliaries, the owl leaders Li Jue, Guo Si and other Liangzhou thieves, and bring peace to Guanxi." '

But it seems to make sense.

"General, the envoy from Yizhou still read for most of the day today. He only admired the moonlight in the courtyard for a while at night, and now he has gone to bed."

But things took a turn for the worse. Zhang Su didn't become anxious because of Ma Teng's delay in seeing him. On the contrary, Ma Teng was hesitant and anxious, and seemed to regret not summoning Zhang Su earlier.

But Ma Teng did not come forward to receive him. Instead, he put him aside and sent only a captain named Pang De to receive him. He somewhat underestimated him as the envoy from Yizhou, which seemed a bit unusual.

"Chao'er, what do you think?" Ma Teng thought for a moment, but couldn't make up his mind, so he asked Ma Chao.

'All the generals in Guanxi are all ordinary people. '

"That's fine." There was a step, and Ma Teng went down it: "There won't be too many people tomorrow, just three or five people meeting Zhang Su."

Although he agreed to summon Zhang Su, Ma Teng had one thought in mind. He did not want his conversation with Zhang Su to be known to too many people, so he deliberately kept the conversation to a minimum.

The next day.

Just after eating the morning meal, Ma Teng impatiently wanted to summon Zhang Su, but was blocked by Ma Chao. He thought that summoning him too early would be insufficient, so he delayed for an hour and three quarters before he sent someone to summon Zhang Su.

Not long after, when the attendant came to the house to announce, Zhang Su put down the bamboo slips in his hand without hesitation, rolled the bamboo slips into a ball, and wrapped it in a bag made of cloth to prevent the bamboo slips from getting damp or being eaten by insects and ants. After eating, he stood up slowly, followed the attendant out, and arrived at Ma Teng under the guidance of the attendant. "Zhang Su of Yizhou, by order of my lord, came to greet the general." Zhang Su used the standard etiquette while looking at Ma Teng in front of him out of the corner of his eye. It must be said that Ma Tengduan was very handsome. He has good skin, is more than eight feet long, has a large body, and has a majestic face and nose. In terms of appearance, he has the appearance of a noble man.

Ma Teng returned the courtesy politely, then stretched out his hand and said, "Sir, it's hard work coming from afar, please take a seat."

"Share the worries for the Lord and don't dare to give up the hard work." Zhang Su said from the bottom of his heart before Shi Shiran took his seat.

When the host and guest were seated, Ma Teng did not immediately ask Zhang Su why he was here. He just raised his wine glass to indicate to Zhang Su that he planned to pour Zhang Su a few drinks first. Besides, as the host, he wanted to ask Zhang Su why he came here. He seemed a little guilty.

After three rounds of drinking.

Ma Chao slowly said: "Sir, you are here from afar, and you don't know why?" Hearing Ma Chao ask the question in his heart, Ma Teng, who was standing in front of him, pretended to drink wine while scanning Zhang Su's face with the corner of his eye. I want to tell something from Zhang Su's face.

Zhang Su heard the question. He put down the wine glass in his hand and straightened his figure. However, he did not speak to Ma Chao. Instead, he said to Ma Teng, who was above him: "Now Su is here under the orders of my lord. One is to greet the general, and the other is to consolidate the old alliance with the general... Looking back on the past, Yizhou Mu joined forces with the general to march to Chang'an, hoping to honor the royal family, save Li Shu, and eliminate Li Jue and Guo Si from the world. Unfortunately, he was defeated by Li Guo by accident. Now my lord has inherited the legacy of the late Yizhou Mu, captured Chencang, and sent his troops into Guanzhong. Now I want to invite the general to go with him. I wonder what the general wants? "

Ma Teng closed his eyes to rest and seemed not to have heard Zhang Su's question. Ma Chao, who was acting as a substitute, said, "Liu Yizhou invited my father to send troops. I wonder what the reward will be?"

"Reward?" Zhang Su showed a puzzled expression, as if he heard an incredible question. He shook his head and said: "When my master sent me here, he did not mention the word reward."

After finishing speaking, after both Ma Teng and Ma Chao frowned slightly, Zhang Su sighed and said: "To fight against thieves for the country, to make decisions for the common people, to obey the way of heaven, to obey the will of the people, this is to obey the people. ...Any man with lofty ideals and a loyal man to the country should forget about his own life and family to carry out such a righteous deed. When it comes to rewards, the young general may be underestimated. "

"Sir, what you said is nice. Is it possible that you just want to use your words to make us throw our heads and blood to compete with the elite soldiers of Liangzhou under Li Jue and Guo Si?" A leopard-headed man accompanying the wine had eyes wide open. Under Ma Chao's raised eyebrows, Wei said something disdainfully.

"I'm afraid you don't know, sir, that Li Jue and Guo Si sent a letter inviting my general to help. They said that when the work is completed, you will be rewarded by You Fufeng. Moreover, the food, grass, baggage, gold and silver have already been prepared, and they will wait for my general to come before him. Go and enjoy... But the master, Liu Yizhou, is so stingy and doesn't give up anything, so he even thought of asking my general to send troops to help. Isn't it ridiculous? "

Hearing the words of the leopard-headed and ring-eyed captain, Zhang Su had a look of disgust on his face, but his words were still unhurried and very calm: "Li Jue and Guo Si have a grudge against your general. This time I am just forced by my lord, and I have no choice but to invite your general to help... Let’s not talk about whether the two families can compete with my lord. Li Jue and Guo Si are people who can share the same difficulties, but they cannot. Wealth and honor are shared, and the two of them have no faith and have always repeated... If you believe what Li Jue and Guo Si said, you would be a stupid donkey. "

"You dare to call me a stupid ass?" Although the captain with a leopard head and ring eyes was a military general, his words could still be said to be good and evil. He stood up and said sternly.

"Captain took his seat, but it was not what Su ordered." Facing the furious Captain and his red eyes that were about to pop out of his sockets, Zhang Su slowly drank a glass of wine and said frivolously. He didn't take this captain seriously.

"You..." Seeing Zhang Su's contemptuous attitude, the captain with a leopard head and ringed eyes roared, half-drawn the knife from his waist, and tried to step forward.

Zhang Su didn't bother to pay attention to the leopard-headed and ring-eyed captain's actions that threatened his life. He just drank indifferently, as if he didn't care about life or death.

"Quiet." When the leopard-headed and ring-eyed captain was about to commit murder, Ma Teng said a calm word in time, extinguishing the captain's anger.

Ma Teng waved his hand and motioned for the leopard-headed and ring-eyed captain to get down. Then he raised his hands to Zhang Su and apologized: "The people under Teng's tent are all warriors and they don't follow the etiquette. If I frightened you, sir, please forgive me."

"It doesn't matter." Zhang Su smiled calmly.

Faced with Zhang Su's calmness, Ma Teng couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. He originally wanted to let the leopard-headed and ring-eyed captain intimidate Zhang Su, making Zhang Su lose his composure and fall into a disadvantage, but this leopard He could have excused the captain's rudeness by saying that a warrior was not careful, but Zhang Su didn't take the captain with a leopard head and eyes at all, so his foreshadowing was ineffective.

'What a good envoy from Yizhou. Ma Teng sighed in his heart. He admired Zhang Su for being calm and calm.

Admiration is admiration, but Zhang Su said what he said, and Liu Zhang did not receive any reward, which made Ma Teng a little uncomfortable. Li Jue and Guo Si were rewarded by You Fufeng, but the dignified Yizhou Shepherd only said a word. , trying to use any moral principles to persuade one's family to send troops.

But can morality be eaten as food? What he wants is tangible benefits.

"The alliance with the late Yizhou Mu is an old alliance. Now the old Yizhou Mu has passed away, but the new Liu Yizhou Teng doesn't know him. If an alliance is needed, the alliance needs to be re-established." Ma Teng spoke slowly. , first denied the alliance with Yizhou to avoid giving an excuse for betraying the alliance.

Zhang Su smiled calmly, as if he expected it: "The general said this, does he intend to break off relations with Liu Yizhou and lead troops to help Li Jue and Guo Si?"

"No." Ma Teng shook his head.

"Oh, does the general plan to form a new alliance with my lord and send troops to help my lord in the crusade against Li Jue and Guo Si?" Zhang Su asked in the opposite direction.

"No." Ma Teng still shook his head.

Since the two cannot help each other, the last option is left. Zhang Su asked slowly: "General, do you intend to just sit back and watch, and have no intention of getting involved in the affairs of the third assistant?"

"However, Teng's army lacks food and grass and is unable to go on an expedition, so it cannot send troops." Ma Teng did not explain why he sent the troops. He only explained the current difficulties.

But to Zhang Su's ears, there was a threatening tone in it, and Ma Teng stood still. Others could not help but speculate on what Ma Teng was going to do, and they had to focus on dealing with Ma Teng. This was a boot that did not hit the ground.

As for the real purpose of this boot that didn't hit the ground, I'm afraid he still wanted to get more benefits.

(End of this chapter)