Daming: From the end of Hongwu

Chapter 260 258 - Old Master Zhen's Last Highlight
There is a branch of Taihang Mountain extending outward to the vicinity of Zhending Mansion.

There is an unknown mountain on this branch, called Jiuquan Mountain.

There are nine springs scattered on Jiuquan Mountain, and clear streams flow year-round, which not only nourishes the vegetation on the mountain, but also attracts some wild animals to haunt the mountain.

This is easy to understand, and what is even more amazing is that according to the old people in the village near the foot of the mountain, there was no such mountain thousands of years ago. It was only then that it became what the mountain looks like today.

This kind of mythical legend is naturally not credible.

But at the peak of this mountain, there is indeed a cliff nearly [-] feet high, which looks like a vertical cut, which looks like the mountain grows taller, adding a credible argument to the legend.

This cliff is extremely steep, and it is difficult for ordinary people to climb. In addition, there are wild beasts in the mountain, so there have been few people for many years.

But it is such a place that attracted a group of bandits to settle in it a few years ago. This group of bandits rose rapidly in the bandit circle of Taihang Mountains. For the top three big bandit gangs, within a radius of hundreds of miles, any small bandit gangs, or those who planned to live nearby, would come to worship the mountain gate and make offerings every year.

With such prestige, it has naturally attracted the interest of many heroes of the rivers and lakes. Many people want to join them. However, this group of bandits behaves quite strangely and has a strong character. Few adult heroes of the rivers and lakes can join them. Rice's half-sized children accommodated a lot.

They never seemed to be short of money. Not only did they seldom go down the mountain to rob houses, but they also set rules for the nearby bandits, which made the law and order of Zhending Mansion much better.

What's even more amazing about their group is that the bandit leader is actually a woman.

Some people in the know know that the woman's name is Liu Erniang.

At dusk that day, Erniang Liu was thinking about whether it was time to select some of the most loyal ones and send them to Peiping. Now that the King of Yan was raising troops, and it was a time of turmoil, there should be more guards in the Zhen residence, and Beiping The business in the city, whether it is taking the Liaodong line or the Jiangnan line, also needs some guards, and the staff of the own bodyguard bureau can hardly protect their own business.

But she thought about it again, the imperial court set up Chief Secretary Ping Yan in Zhending Mansion, and she was also afraid that Zhen Wu would be of great use to them.

Just when she was struggling, the Erdangjia hurried in.

"Elder Master, something big happened." Second Master opened the door and came in, the words had already blurted out.

Liu Erniang raised her head gracefully, and asked softly: "What important matter do you need to come to me? Don't delay the job of helping the master train manpower. The master may use it when."

"Don't worry, Master, there will be absolutely no mistakes in this point, but there is indeed a major matter that needs to be decided by you and me."

The Erdangjia spoke out of breath, and walked to Liu Erniang's side in a panic, he took a deep breath and said: "The young ones just sent the news that Wuji Zhen's family was surrounded by people from the imperial court. The family is the clan of the master, so you say we don't care about it?"

"what?"

Liu Erniang's face changed drastically, she stood up and asked, "People from the imperial court surrounded the Zhen family? When did it happen?"

"Just now, soldiers and horses from the imperial court broke into Zhen's house, and our people didn't dare to inquire about it, and hurried back to the mountains to report the news, but fortunately, the imperial court invited the county magistrate and some elders of the Zhen family to go there together. Haven't been rough yet, but..."

Speaking of this, the Second Master lowered his voice and said: "But the Dong family is now raising troops with the King of Yan. The court's move must be aimed at the Dong family, so we can't sit idly by."

Liu Erniang took two steps back and forth, analyzed it seriously, nodded her teeth and said, "Yes, you are right, no matter what the old lady Zhen and the others are thinking, they cannot be allowed to fall into the hands of the court, otherwise they will definitely be let go." The master is in a dilemma, not to mention that the master ordered us to take care of one or two, so we can't ignore it, so you go and gather people, and we will go down the mountain to capture them and send them to Peiping."

The second leader nodded heavily, and went out to assemble his staff with a stern expression.

soon.

After the manpower was assembled, a group of people descended like a tiger and galloped towards Wuji County.

……

Wuji County, Zhen's old house.

Old Mrs. Zhen led a group of servants to protect the family of women behind her, and looked at those people who appeared in front of her with a cold expression.

Jia Wen, the county magistrate, introduced the leader to Mr. Zhen with a smile.

"Mr. Zhen, don't be nervous. This Hanlin editor, Ping Yan's military adviser, Cheng Ji Cheng Hanlin, this time is mainly because there is something that needs your cooperation."

Cheng Ji went straight to the main seat and sat down, showing his sharpness on his face, showing that he was now full of righteousness. He looked at the old lady Zhen coldly and said, "Yes, as long as you cooperate, I can guarantee that you won't be too serious." embarrassing you."

After finishing speaking, he glanced at Mrs. Zhen's side, turned his head and asked the magistrate, "Are all the members of the Zhen family here? Why are there no grown men?" He then turned his head to a soldier Said: "Take someone to search again, make sure you don't miss anything, as long as there is panting, bring me all."

The soldiers led the order to go down.

Jia Wen wiped the sweat from his forehead, and said hastily: "It's all here, it's all here, the Zhen family's main clan has always been underpopulated."

Cheng Ji sighed and nodded, but he still said: "It's okay, it's better to search and clean up, in case some servants hide."

Everyone in the Zhen family who was forced into a corner was shocked.

This is obviously a rhythm that does not intend to let go of one person.

Mrs. Zhen was also a little scared facing these soldiers, but he still tried his best to calm himself down and asked, "I don't know if Cheng Hanlin has anything for the old man to cooperate with."

"Simple."

Cheng Ji beckoned someone to send a pen and ink: "You know your grandson Zhen Wu, married the daughter of King Yan, and conspired against King Yan. It was a serious crime to punish the nine clans, but the emperor is tolerant. As long as you cooperate to persuade Zhen Wu to abandon King Yan, If you take the initiative to ask the court to punish you, the emperor will let you people go."

Old Master Zhen was silent for a while, and asked, "Then what will happen to my grandson?"

"Naturally, it's a capital crime. Can such treason be spared?!" Cheng Ji snorted coldly.

Tang and the other women were startled.

And some elders of the Zhen clan nearby were also a little shocked, but it was not because of Zhen Wu's death penalty, but because they were surprised that Zhen Wu married the daughter of King Yan. They couldn't help but cursed the old lady Zhen in their hearts. Thinking that there is a grandson who married the princess in the middle of the silence, he is really a fucking old thief, no wonder he has been motionless all these years.

The Zhen family has been passed down for thousands of years, these clans have been separated from the main line for countless generations, and the Zhu Jiu clan can't involve them, and there have been many conflicts over the years, so they can't help but rejoice, fortunately Zhen Wu actually conspired against them, Otherwise, there is no way for them to survive. At the same time, they all looked at the hall name hanging high in the hall, Zhongshan Hall.

This is the authentic mark of the main vein.

Tang was behind Old Mrs. Zhen, and when she heard Cheng Ji's words, she was a little panicked. Without thinking about it, she shouted to Mrs. Zhen, "Father, you can't do this. Da Wu is your eldest grandson."

Cheng Ji frowned and snorted coldly, "Slap your mouth."

A few soldiers walked forward immediately, and the family guard in front of Tang and the others reflexively wanted to protect Tang, but the next moment Cheng Ji glanced over coldly.

"If you don't want to die, get the hell out of here!" Cheng Ji shouted coldly.

The faces of those servants in the nursing home suddenly showed a bit of entanglement. Mrs. Zhen's wife, Liang Shi, looked helplessly at the head of the servants and said, "Zhen Li, when your family was ruined, it was the master who took you in, not only for you Vigorously cultivating, helping you marry a wife and taking concubines, and let you be a housekeeper, I really trust you as my son, if you retire, will you be worthy of the master's kind treatment for so many years?!"

It's good not to say this, but when he said this, Zhen Li made up his mind.

He immediately stepped aside, and said a little madly: "It doesn't matter how much you trust me. You are not just a servant, can this family business be passed on to me? Why should I work my life?"

The old man looked at Zhen Li in disbelief. Seeing Zhen Li's crazy appearance, he was no longer as obedient as before, and his heart suddenly ached as if he had been stabbed with a knife.

"You...you..." He was so angry that he couldn't speak. He had lost his son all these years, and he could say that he treated Zhen Li as if he was his own. However, he didn't expect that something happened at home, and Zhen Li was the first to run away. And go.

Zhen Li snorted disdainfully at the old man, but instead, in order to make himself feel better, he began to persuade the other servants and guards: "Do you want to accompany him to die together? Our young master, whom we have never met, is a conspiracy."

Seeing this, the other servants, led by Zhen Li, didn't hesitate any more, and all stepped aside, revealing a group of women who were guarded inside.

Seeing this scene, Cheng Ji found it very interesting.

On a whim, he stopped the soldiers, pointed at Zhen Li and said, "Go up and slap your mouth."

Zhen Li was stunned for a moment.

Cheng Ji said coldly: "Not willing?"

Zhen Li quickly came back to his senses, with a ruthless look on his face, he said: "Why would you be unwilling, you little one? I've wanted to do this for a long time, and it's because I'm so happy."

After speaking, he strode towards Tang Corporation.

The old man shouted angrily: "How dare you!"

"I have nothing to dare."

Following the sound of the words, Zhen Li came to Tang's body abruptly, pushed away the other women, and slapped Tang's mouth several times heavily, blood flowed from the corner of Tang's mouth as he slapped him, and fell to the ground in embarrassment.

The old man's wives and concubines screamed in shock, but also burst into tears of distress and rushed to help Tang.

Tang shi stared at Zhen Li with hatred in his eyes, and Zhen Li felt a little hairy when he stared at her.

Zhen Li was already a little ashamed of his actions, but his life was not up to him to choose too much. Now seeing Tang staring at him full of hatred, thinking of how tolerant the Zhen family had been to him in the past, he became even more ruthless, looking forward to these things. Everyone died cleanly, which proved that his decision-making was just forced.

He turned around and bowed towards Cheng Ji with an apologetic smile, "These people don't seem to know how to flatter them, so why don't you beat them up first?"

Cheng Ji glanced at him, and a playful smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.

He shook his head, and said to the elders of the Zhen clan and Jia Wen: "You guys know Mr. Zhen, please persuade him carefully. I will only give you a stick of incense time, don't force me to be violent."

Jia Wen and others responded quickly.

But these people are kind of persuading them sincerely, I am afraid that only God knows, probably everyone just hopes that this fire will not burn themselves.

The old man seemed to have aged many years at this moment. He looked at the people who came forward to persuade him in turn, looked at these people with evil intentions, and took another look at Zhen Li.

He has lived for most of his life, and his eyes are fairly poisonous, knowing that even if he escapes Cheng Ji's censure this time, these people will make trouble in the future, and Zhen Li will devour the Lord even more.

He didn't say a word, and let Jia Wen and the others talk.

slowly.

A stick of incense time has passed.

The old man turned to Cheng Ji and tried his best to say for the last time: "I have long wanted to resign my second son Zhen Xing and expel him from the genealogy, and I have not had any contact with him in these years. People in Wuji County can testify to this matter. Mingchao."

The voice just fell.

An elder from the Zhen clan jumped out and sold it to Cheng Ji, saying: "There was such a thing back then, it was said that the family tree was going to be expelled, and it was quite a big deal, but there has been no real expulsion for so many years. Testify, Zhen Xingci is still on the family tree."

Cheng Ji waved his hand in distaste, and said, "I don't care if you are expelled from the genealogy or not, you are Zhen Wu's grandfather, that's enough, if you are asked to write to Zhen Wu, you'd better cooperate."

The old man smiled wryly and said, "Is the old man the only way to cooperate?"

Cheng Ji snorted coldly, "Exactly."

The old man suddenly laughed twice, he turned his head to look at his wife and concubines, and Tang shi, with guilt in his eyes, but when he withdrew his eyes, they were already full of determination.

"Well, the old man will come out by himself by the second way."

After finishing speaking, the old man turned his head to look at the elders of the Zhen clan, and he spoke with some indignation in his tone.

"I am the sect, and you people have taken advantage of the fact that my family is not prosperous all these years, and have tried your best to seek the position of this sect. You are also worthy of my clan. Do you think I don't know about some small actions you are doing in private? I didn't talk to you before. Care about, now that you clearly want to sever ties with this sect, you are also worthy of being members of the Zhen clan."

The old man pointed to the Zhongshan hall hanging high in the hall, and said proudly: "Isn't that what you want? But you don't even think that you are worthy, since the foreign race occupied Wuji, countless children of the Zhen family moved south to flee for their lives. My clan is alone? My clan guards the ancestral hall, and I will never regret a hundred deaths. Who of you can do it? That’s all. When the Han Dynasty declined, which one of you didn’t become an official for a foreign race? Relying on the power of a foreign race For blessings, to suppress my sect, and to speak out of glory? Just based on this, don’t you feel ashamed when you look at the Zhongshan hall name? You dare to pretend that the hall name is authentic, and you are not afraid that the old ancestors will climb out of the coffin and scold you. Children and grandchildren?!"

"Want to get my hall name, bah, tell you not to dream, the old man announced in front of you today that he will officially step down as the patriarch of the Zhen clan and pass it on to my Sun Zhenwu. As long as my grandson is not dead, you will give it to me no matter how unwilling you are." Kneel under the patriarch."

After the old man finished speaking with excitement, he turned his head and looked at Cheng Ji again.

He sneered.

"The old man doesn't care how the emperor's uncles and nephews make trouble, but if he wants the old man to write a letter to my grandson to embarrass my grandson, you are afraid that your idea will be lost. The old man has no great skills in his life, he is just stubborn and strong. How can he break my lineage. "

Cheng Ji was furious.

But Cheng Ji hadn't had time to speak yet.

The old man spoke again: "Do you want to tie the old man to embarrass my grandson? But my old man is a rotten body, how can you use it?"

After finishing speaking, the old man burst out with all his strength and bumped his head against a pillar beside him.

This collision was extremely decisive, as if he would never die.

Immediately, blood flowed from his head.

Several shrill women's calls sounded in the hall.

A group of women stumbled and ran over, and Mrs. Liang hugged the old man's head, shouting 'Master', tears had long been involuntary from her own.

The old man struggled to draw his last breath, looked at everyone, and finally landed on Liang's face.

"I'm sorry for you, but the old man still wants to ask you in the end, don't ruin the last inheritance of my Zhen family because of you, or I won't be able to rest in peace when I die."

Liang Shi nodded again and again, tears fell on the old man's face, it was cool and refreshing, which made him a little more sober.

He finally smiled and said: "You don't know, I always secretly inquire about my grandson's deeds, although I have never said anything, but my grandson is brave and brave, I am very happy, the old man is lucky to have this grandson."

After finishing speaking, he laughed out loud, but after laughing twice, his voice suddenly stopped, and his whole body softened.

All the women of the Liang family burst into tears.

Cheng Ji frowned, feeling really troublesome.

While Liang was crying and crying, she suddenly looked at the other girls with a firm expression, and she said coldly: "Can you hear clearly what the master said before leaving?"

Everyone nodded with tears in their eyes.

In the era when women depended on men to live, they were not important.

If they were caught, they might not know what kind of insults would be waiting for them, so they might as well take the opportunity to kill themselves and get clean.

Just at this time.

Suddenly there was a commotion outside.

The gangsters from Jiuquan Mountain rushed over together.

……

　Thank you for the 500 tip from 'I have no deposit', thank you boss.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)