The First Great Ancestor of the Five Dynasties

Chapter 316: Trapped in Zhao Cun
"Wait a minute! The military situation is urgent, no nonsense!"

Seeing that the pen covered in saliva in Li Chongjin's hand was about to poke him in the face, Zhu Xiuyi shouted sternly.

Li Chongjin's raised arms hung in the air and he gritted his teeth. Why didn't you listen to what he said about the military emergency when they were playing cards just now?
Zhu Xiu shook her robe, walked past Li Chongjin calmly, and asked the sergeant, "What news can you report?"

The messenger suppressed his laughter and said hurriedly: "At the beginning of the Yin Dynasty, General Shi Yanchao led his army to break through the Nanpo Camp. Wang Yanchao, He Fujin, Guo Chong, Cao Ying and other generals led various troops to set up ambushes everywhere to encircle and suppress the imperial army. The Forbidden Army was defeated, and countless people abandoned their weapons and surrendered! The commander-in-chief has ordered those who surrendered not to be killed, but to collect the defeated troops, and the Wei military advisor will be responsible for reorganizing them!"

"What's the current situation of Nanpo Camp?" Zhu Xiu asked urgently.

The sergeant reported again: "The Nanpo Camp was in chaos long before General Shi Yanchao's attack. General Hou Yi led his troops to fight with the imperial guards in the inner hall, and opened the camp gate to let General Shi Yanchao into the camp. Then Hunjun and Guo Yunming were counting They escaped down the mountain under the protection of ten imperial guards, and most of the other officials and generals were captured."

"Has the traitor Li Ye been caught?"

"When I came down the mountain to summon him, I heard that Li Ye's whereabouts were unknown. I don't know if I caught him or not!"

Zhu Xiu frowned, thought for a moment and said, "Go back to the Tiger Wing Army's garrison first to pass the order, and the army will immediately march to Qilijiao to join the troops of General Yao Yuanfu who attacked Qilijiao's camp."

"I obey the order, little man!" the messenger got on his horse and drove away.

Li Chongjin shouted: "Why did you let the Tiger Wing Army march to the suburbs of Qili?"

Zhu Xiu said with a smile: "Liu Chengyou and Guo Yunming fled all the way, and they must want to rush back to Kaifeng as soon as possible, and Qili suburb is the only way to return to Kaifeng. If they know that there is a Ye army marching along the way, they will definitely not dare to go on the road again. Find a place nearby to hide for a while, wait until the wind blows over, and then sneak back to Kaifeng."

Li Chongjin thought for a while and suddenly said: "Zhao Village is the closest and inhabited place to Liu Zipo. If Liu Chengyou escapes down the mountain, he will definitely escape to Zhao Village, get some water and food, eat and drink enough, and then find a way to escape!"

"Yes, that's exactly what I meant!" Zhu Xiu confirmed.

Li Chongjin pressed his fists against each other and said fiercely: "Then we will wait here for the Holy Master!"

~~~
Half an hour later, several horses appeared on the dirt road leading to and from the entrance of Zhaocun.

Six imperial guards wearing fine scale armor of the inner palace imperial army, surrounded by two men with panic-stricken expressions, were Liu Chengyou and Guo Yunming.

At this moment, Liu Chengyou has no emperor-like bearing. He has a gray face and a gray face. His brocade robe is stained with black dust. He was scratched to pieces by branches when he fled down the mountain. One foot is only wearing a white sock without a boot. His eyes are bloodshot, his lips are chapped, and there is a thin cut on his forehead. A bloody scab forms.

Guo Yunming was even more unbearable. He only wore a white shirt with a lining, and the belt around his waist was also missing. He used a straw rope as a trouser belt. forehead.

"Guan, there is a small village here. You might as well rest here for a while."

Guo Yunming's mouth was dry, and his buttocks and inner thighs were rubbed with sparks by the saddle.

Liu Chengyou looked at the surrounding mud huts and thatched houses. The village was not big, but he could hear the crowing of chickens and the barking of dogs. There must be people living there.

"I can't run anymore. Let's take a rest and get some water." Liu Chengyou's voice was hoarse and he climbed off the horse with great effort.

Guo Yunming hurriedly dismounted, his legs were a little stiff, and he fell when he landed. Not caring that he was covered in dust, he helped Liu Chengyou dismount: "Officials, be careful."

Liu Chengyou's legs and feet were also stiff, and he stamped hard to relieve some of the pain.

"From now on, don't call me official anymore! I, you and I can treat each other as master and servant!" Liu Chengyou shouted cautiously.

"Don't worry, sir, I understand!" Guo Yunming supported him and whispered.

Seeing a few mud houses next to the village entrance, Liu Chengyou motioned to Guo Yunming to go there.

One of the guards was responsible for guarding the horses at the entrance of the village. The others kicked open the fence gate and searched inside and out, finding that no one was home.

Guo Yunming helped Liu Chengyou into the main hall. He saw that the furnishings in the room were shabby, including a few broken straw mats, several wooden boards spliced ​​together to form a bed, a square table, a few grass piers, and a paint-off and moth-eaten wooden table placed against the wall. broken wooden cabinet.

There is a brazier next to the square table, and the embers inside are still giving out warmth.

Liu Chengyou's expression changed, and he said coldly: "There are still people living in this place, they should be not far away. When they come back later, you send someone to silence them, so as not to leak the whereabouts of you and me."

"I understand!" Guo Yunming immediately called two guards and whispered.

After busy work, Guo Yunming lit the brazier again, and the two sat around to warm themselves by the fire.

There was wind leaking from all sides of the earthen hut, Liu Chengyou was wearing tattered brocade robe, but it could barely keep warm, Guo Yunming was miserable, he only wore single clothes, he didn’t feel cold when he was running for his life in a panic, now he sat down to rest, a little wind blew, The cold made him shiver.

"You two take off your clothes, and then take off one of your boots." Guo Yunming called the two guards who were guarding outside the house.

The two guards looked at each other hesitantly.

Guo Yunming said sternly: "The weather is very cold. If Mr. Lang gets frostbite, you won't be able to afford the compensation even if you lose your head!"

The two guards had no choice but to do as they were told.

"I will put on my husband's boots and clothes, so that I can warm myself up and have a good sleep."

Guo Yunming diligently knelt down to put on Liu Chengyou's boots, and then put the sweaty and body-warming clothes on Liu Chengyou as a robe.

Guo Yunming himself hurriedly put on one, wrapped it tightly and rubbed his hands vigorously and breathed. It took a while for his body to feel warm.

The two guards guarding the house outside were in a miserable state. They were not very well-dressed, and they were forced to strip off a piece of clothing. They only wore a thin lining inside and cold armor on the outside, which completely failed to prevent cold and warmth. , shivering with cold.

Several other guards looked at them with sympathy. They would rather stay outside in the cold wind than dare to go near the house, lest they be stripped of their clothes again.

After a while, a guard who went to inquire about the news came back and reported: "Reporting to Sir, most of the Ye army's troops are heading towards the suburbs of Qili. The road is blocked and difficult to pass. The camp on the south slope has been occupied by the Ye army. Guo Weishuai's flag has been moved to the south slope."

Liu Chengyou's face was gloomy and he didn't speak, Guo Yunming exclaimed in surprise: "Ye army blocked the road back to Qilijiao, what should we do?"

Liu Chengyou waved his hand to order the guards to retreat, and said in a low voice: "It seems that we can't leave for a while, and this place is not safe. Let's rest for the night, get some water and food, eat and drink enough, and go somewhere else to take shelter early tomorrow morning."

Guo Yunming hurriedly agreed: "What Lang Jun said is reasonable. If Guo thieves can't find Lang Jun during the search, they will definitely send a large army to search everywhere. This place is only a dozen miles away from Liu Zipo, and the rebels can search it within a day or two. It’s just not safe.”

Liu Chengyou's gray face suddenly turned dark green, and he slammed his palm on the square table: "Hou Yi, Jiao Jixun! They are thieves! I wasted so much trust in them. I didn't expect these two old dogs to cheat and surrender to Guo thieves early! I really regret it. You shouldn’t listen to Murong Yanchao’s words!~”

Guo Yunming was startled, lowered his head and said humbly: "I never thought that two old guys would betray the imperial court! But there is no need for Lang Jun to be angry. When he returns to Kaifeng, he can reorganize his troops and defend the city, even if Ye's army is ten times larger. A hundred times, it is still difficult to shake Kaifeng City."

Liu Chengyou looked at him with cold eyes, and said coldly: "If you, Li Ye, and Nie Wenjin hadn't strongly recommended it, how could I have abandoned Murong Yanchao and replaced them with two thieves, Hou Yi and Jiao Jixun? I have reached this point, completely I am implicated by you!"

Guo Yunming broke out in cold sweat on his forehead, knelt on the ground, and said miserably: "I know that I have sinned, and I ask the officials to forgive me! My original intention is for the officials! ~ That Murong Yanchao is arrogant and arrogant. Who knows if he will become the next one? Guo Wei! Hou Yi and Jiao Jixun were too cunning and deceived the uncle and the official Mingjian. The uncle was the one who promoted this matter, and the minister only said a few words to help."

Liu Chengyou stared at him with cold eyes, a bit of hatred flashing in his eyes.

Guo Yunming lowered his head and dared not say anything.

After a while, Liu Chengyou looked at him deeply, withdrew his gaze, and said coldly: "It's not your fault. Get up!" "I thank you for your magnanimity!" Guo Yunming seemed to have been granted amnesty.

"Is there any whereabouts of Li Ye?" Liu Chengyou asked.

Guo Yunming said sadly and angrily: "Uncle Guo had disappeared when Hou Yi led his troops to the palace, and there was no news of his death in battle. He must have escaped! The officials usually treated him the most kindly, but at the critical moment he ran away faster than anyone is fast"

Liu Chengyou was in a irritable mood and shouted: "Stop talking! When I return to Kaifeng, I will never spare him!

You go get some food to fill your stomach, I'll get some sleep first! "

"The officials will wait a moment, I'll go right away!" Guo Yunming bowed and resigned.

Guo Yunming trotted out of the earthen house, looked back, and let out a long sigh of relief.

Although the winter wind blowing at this moment was cold, it made him extremely awake.

He knows the temperament of the officials very well. During the conversation just now, the officials have already shown their disappointment and distrust towards him and the others.

The guilt of defeating Liu Zipo this time, presumably the officials have already attributed it to the three of them, Hou Yi, and Jiao Jixun.

Nie Wenjin had been beheaded by Hou Yi, and Li Ye's whereabouts were unknown. He was the only one who still accompanied the official.

The officials would not admit that their decision-making errors led to Liu Zipo's defeat, and would only implicate their guilt and anger on others.

In the past, the three of them were the closest to the official family, and now they are naturally the best candidates to take the blame.

Guo Yunming's face changed. He didn't know how the officials would treat him when he returned to Kaifeng.

Will he put all the blame for the defeat on himself, and then order his own head to be chopped off and sent to Guo Wei as a condition for negotiations between the two armies?

Guo Yunming felt chills all over and his eyes were frightened. The more he thought about it, the more likely it was.

With the cold nature of the official, he could do such a thing.

The more Guo Yunming thought about it, the more scared he became. Before returning to Kaifeng, he had to find a way to protect himself.

Feeling uneasy, Guo Yunming found two guards and asked him to make a fire to cook.

He himself wandered outside the house for a while, thinking about countermeasures.

After a while, Liu Chengyou's body was already warm, but his stomach was unbearably hungry. He called Guo Yunming and asked if he could prepare a meal.

Guo Yunming was also very anxious. The two guards sent to cook never came back.

Liu Chengyou felt sleepy, so he spread out a straw mat, wrapped himself in his clothes and lay down, and soon fell asleep.

"Ah!~"

After a while, there was a shrill howl that shocked Liu Chengyou almost to the ground, and shouted angrily: "What happened?"

Guo Yunming, who was dozing on the square table, was also startled. He hurried out of the room and almost bumped into a guard.

"You bastard! If you disturb Lang Jun's rest by being startled, you should be punished with death!" Guo Yunming scolded him sternly.

The guard was sweating profusely, and he bowed his head and said: "I would like to inform you sir, the two brothers who were chopping wood to make a fire in the back of the courtyard just now are dead!"

Guo Yunming was shocked, and Liu Chengyou stood up and said angrily: "Take me to see it quickly!"

Four imperial guards surrounded Liu Chengyou and Guo Yunming through a muddy field and came to the backyard. They saw two corpses lying on the ground, with machetes and some firewood scattered beside them.

The body was still warm, and there were no injuries on its body, but its eyes were wide and its face was full of horror.

There was silence all around, but everyone felt an inexplicable chill to their bones.

Suddenly, one of the corpses tilted its head, blood dripping from the corner of its mouth, and stared blankly at Guo Yunming.

"There's a ghost!" Guo Yunming shouted in horror.

Under the blue sky and white sun, everyone was frightened.

Liu Chengyou shouted: "Hurry up! It's not safe here!"

Just as everyone was about to set off, they saw a wheat field not far away, and a man walking along the path along the ridge of the field. He was wearing a silk robe and a brocade robe, holding a feather fan in his hand and smiling at the corner of his mouth.

With such a attire and such an abrupt appearance, it is easy for people to mistake him for a wandering spirit from somewhere.

"Look there!" A guard pointed in another direction. Everyone looked around hurriedly and saw a person walking out of several abandoned houses. He had a red face, a long beard, a sword hanging from his waist, and a meteoric stride. It was Pan Mei.

"That's right!" There was another exclamation, and a muscular figure jumped down from a jujube tree. He was dressed in a black robe, with a white cloth belt tied between his forehead, and a black face filled with murderous intent.

"Quick! Protect the official family!" Guo Yunming yelled in panic.

The four guards subconsciously drew their swords and surrounded the two of them.

Liu Chengyou stared at Zhu Xiu for a long time. He suddenly recalled the scene in Cangzhou three years ago. He gritted his teeth and said angrily: "It turns out you are the one causing trouble!"

Zhu Xiu stopped, cupped his hands with a smile and said, "I haven't seen you for three years. Is the official family still well?"

Liu Chengyou's face turned pale and he said nothing.

Pan Mei shouted carelessly: "Don't talk nonsense to this foolish king! I'm not afraid to tell you that we have been waiting here for a long time just to see the official back to the west!"

Li Chongjin was extremely jealous when meeting his enemies. He pointed his Yanling knife at an angle and growled: "Today, I will use your head to pay tribute to my entire Guo family!"

Guo Yunming was so frightened that he could not speak coherently: "Quick! Come forward and catch the traitor!"

The two guards hesitated for a while, then charged towards Zhu Xiu with their swords raised.

They were also discerning and could see that Zhu Xiu was the weakest among the three. As long as they captured him as a hostage, they might still have a chance to survive.

The moment they took action, Li Chongjin could no longer hold back his hatred. He rushed forward with a few steps and leaps, like a mountain tiger. Before the two guards could parry and resist, he first slashed one person with his sword, and then another. The elbow hit the other person's chest hard, like a heavy hammer, breaking his sternum on the spot. He screamed and fell to the ground vomiting blood. His body twitched a few times and then lost his breath.

(End of this chapter)