The First Great Ancestor of the Five Dynasties

Chapter 328 Ma Qing’s Revenge
Shanzhou City.

It was getting late and the city gates were closed and locked.

On the official road outside the city, several fast horses galloped towards the city gate.

The few people were travel-stained, looked embarrassed, and looked panic-stricken, as if they had fled from afar.

This group of people was Li Ye, who fled westward from Kaifeng.

When he escaped from Liu Zipo that day, Li Ye only had five or six people around him to protect him.

When he passed the Western Pass in Luoyang, two of his followers abandoned him in the middle of the night, and now only these few are left with him.

If he could no longer find a place to stay, Li Ye was worried that even these last few personal followers would abandon him.

"Driving~"

Seeing that Shaanzhou City was close at hand, Li Ye whipped his horse whip and urged his horse to rush.

His face and lips were chapped by the winter wind for days. He drank all the water in his water bag, but he did not dare to stop and rest.

After passing Luoyang, he noticed that there was always a group of people following him not far or near behind him.

When he walked, those who walked away also stopped when he stopped, always about a mile away, neither approaching nor far away, like a ghost.

Li Ye was terrified. He knew it must be an enemy seeking revenge, but he didn't know who sent it.

Those people seemed to be playing a cat-and-mouse game with him, trying to drive him to a dead end.

Li Ye galloped on horseback, looked back, and vaguely saw figures moving around in the woods around the corner, presumably it was that group of people chasing after him again.

Li Ye gritted his teeth, waved his riding whip as hard as he could and ran towards Shaanzhou City.

As long as he entered the city, he would be able to breathe a sigh of relief and his safety would be guaranteed.

"Open the city quickly!" Li Ye raised his head and shouted when he arrived at the gate of Shaanzhou City.

After a long time, the head stuck out from the top of the city, and the defenders yelled: "Who called the door? The hour has passed. Come back tomorrow morning at [-] o'clock!"

Seeing that the soldiers guarding the city retracted their heads and ignored him, Li Ye became angry and anxious and shouted angrily: "I am an old friend of Li Hongxin, the military commander of your family. If you don't report it quickly, open the city and let me in!"

When the pawn heard him calling his commander by his first name, he trembled with fright and hurriedly shouted to the city: "Is your surname high?"

Li Ye gritted his teeth and scolded impatiently: "Just tell Li Ye from Kaifeng to see you if you need anything!"

"Please wait a moment, officer, I'll report it right now!" the pawn shouted, retracted his head and hurried down the city.

Li Ye was restless and restless on his horse. Even the horse was spinning in circles, snorting heavily and foaming at the mouth and nose. The horse was very tired from driving for days.

Li Ye looked back anxiously from time to time. The sky was getting darker and darker, and he couldn't see the distance clearly, but he always felt that the people chasing him were watching him coldly not far away.

After waiting for less than half an hour, the sky turned dark, and finally figures and flames appeared on the top of the city.

A Shanzhou Baoyi Jiedu military flag appeared on the top of the city, and the Jiedu envoy Li Hongxin hurried over with his people.

Lying on the wall and looking down at the city, Li Hongxin said loudly: "But Uncle Li Ye is coming to Shaanzhou?"

Hearing Li Hongxin's voice, Li Ye was overjoyed and responded hurriedly: "It's me! Please open the city gate quickly and let me enter the city!"

The torches on the top of the city were shining brightly. Li Ye couldn't see Li Hongxin's face clearly, but he could hear his voice.

Li Hongxin shouted in embarrassment: "Oh! It's too dark. I can't see my uncle's face clearly. I really don't dare to open the city!"

Li Ye became anxious and shouted, "Brother, can't you hear my voice?"

"Oh~ the voice does sound like Uncle Guo, but I can't identify it just by the voice. I'm worried that someone will pretend to be Uncle Guo and open the city gate. I shoulder the heavy responsibility of the safety of Shaanxi Province, so I really don't dare to be careless~"

Li Ye shouted angrily: "Is it possible that we and a few people can still capture the city? Li Hongxin, don't be nagging, hurry up and attack the city! Kaifeng has a hundred thousand urgent military situation. You can't afford to delay important military matters." responsibility!"

"Oh~ Uncle Guo, forgive me. It's not that I don't open the city. It's really difficult to recognize Uncle Guo's appearance. In order to prevent Xiaoxiao from causing trouble in the name of Uncle Guo, I can only grieve Uncle Guo and rest outside the city for one night. I'll come in person in the morning. Go out of the city to meet your uncle!"

Li Ye couldn't see clearly who was talking above the city, but he could only hear Li Hongxin's voice drifting down.

"In this wilderness, it's freezing cold, where do you want me to stay?" Li Ye was so angry that he almost cursed.

"Two and a half miles to the west, there is a Earth Temple. It was just renovated last year. It can protect you from the wind and rain. I would like to trouble my uncle to go there to rest temporarily. I will ask someone to drop some food and water down, and my uncle will take it with him for the road."

After a while, a few parcels were thrown down the wall, Li Yeqiang held back his curse, and sent someone to pick them up.

"Li Hongxin, if I don't see you tomorrow morning, the officials will blame me, but don't blame me for not saying good things for you." Li Ye roared a few words threateningly, then rode his horse and led the people westward.

On the top of the city, Li Hongxin watched several dark figures galloping away towards the west under the night sky. He breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Li Hongxin turned around and walked quickly into the gate tower, only to see a tall young man in brocade clothes sitting upright, holding a book in his hand and looking at it intently.

The cover of the book reads: Journey to the West of the Tang Dynasty
This person is Fu Zhaoxin, the eldest son of Fu Yanqing.

"I have followed the eldest son's instructions and sent Li Ye away." Li Hongxin bowed respectfully.

Fu Zhaoxin closed the book and put it in his hand, picked up the tea cup and took a sip, and said with a smile: "Very good, thank you for your help, Li Jie is handsome."

"How dare! How dare!" Li Hongxin smiled obsequiously, and bent down a little more.

After hesitating for a while, Li Hongxin said: "If the eldest son has a grudge against Li Ye, why not put him in the city and take care of him personally?"

Fu Zhaoxin smiled and said: "Li Jieshuai has misunderstood. Although Li Ye is arrogant and domineering, he does not dare to offend my Fu family for the time being. I have no enmity with him."

"Yes, yes! How could Li Ye dare to provoke Duke Guo of Wei, who is such a hero!" Li Hongxin flattered him and said doubtfully: "In that case, why did the eldest son come all the way from Luoyang just to prevent Li Ye from entering Shaanzhou? city?"

Fu Zhaoxin smiled lightly and said, "It's just an entrustment."

"So that's it!" Li Hongxin's eyes rolled, "If I can help the eldest son to make a trip in person, the entrusted person must be a friend of the eldest son, or some powerful person in the imperial court?"

Fu Zhaoxin laughed and said: "Li Jieshuai doesn't need to ask any more. That friend is indeed a good friend of mine, and he will soon become an indispensable figure in the court! If Li Jieshuai wants to get acquainted, come next time Kaifeng, I will personally recommend it to you!
You have done that friend a big favor by keeping Li Ye out of the city today, and he will be grateful to you. "

Li Hongxin was overjoyed, and hastily saluted, "Thank you for the introduction, Eldest Young Master!"

Li Hongxin is not stupid. Although Fu Zhaoxin did not name who he was, he could tell from his tone that he must be someone close to Guo Wei.

When the imperial flag of Kaifeng changes, a group of new dignitaries will appear on the scene. At that time, they, the commanders of the old vassals, will try their best to get acquainted with the dignitaries of the new dynasty.

This is the principle of one emperor and one courtier.

Li Hongxin felt disappointed and emotional at the same time. He couldn't help but whisper: "I dare to ask the eldest son, are the officials serious? Is it true that Bintian is already here?"

Fu Zhaoxin looked at him with a half-smile but not a smile: "How can such a big event be fake? Don't worry, Li Jieshuai, the turmoil in Kaifeng will not spread to the whole country, and everything in the vassal towns will remain as usual. This is what my father said to me after receiving the personal letter from Duke Guo. Exact words."

Li Hongxin was overjoyed, and the big stone in his heart fell to the ground. He bowed to Fu Zhaoxin and then bowed to Kaifeng in the east: "Guo Gongren is believed in all over the world, he must be a wise king!"

Fu Zhaoxin smiled slightly, picked up the book and clasped his fists, saying, "Li Jieshuai will stay here. I'll take my leave."

Li Hongxin personally sent Fu Zhaoxin down to the top of the city, and then returned to the top of the city. He stood on the edge of the female wall, looking at the desolate fields outside the city in the dark night in a daze.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of rapid horse hooves running past not far outside the city, heading straight to the west.

That was the direction Li Ye and others left.

Li Hongxin was shuddered and understood something instantly. "Li Ye, Li Ye, you have done something wrong and you will not survive. Don't blame me when you get down there."

~~~
Late at night, in the Earth Temple.

Li Ye wrapped himself tightly in the dirty and smelly sheepskin mattress, lay on the altar table, and fell asleep in a drowsy manner.

While sleeping, Li Ye heard what seemed to be rustling noises outside the temple, like snowflakes falling at night, or like rats moving around.

Li Ye cursed a few words, turned over and planned to continue sleeping.

The candlestick at his feet was kicked to the ground, making a "bang" sound.

Li Ye woke up with a start. He sat up with a "Ah" sound, took out the short knife under his body and held it tightly.

The flickering moonlight shines into the narrow temple through the leaky doors and windows, illuminating the surrounding area in pale white.

Li Ye breathed a sigh of relief, muttered a few words and was about to lie down when he thought of something and shouted out of the temple: "Here comes someone!"

After a while, a dark figure walked in slowly.

"I told you to stay outside the temple and not go far!" Li Ye scolded.

The figure stood in front of Li Ye without answering. He was covered in a black robe and couldn't see his face clearly.

Li Ye said angrily: "Are you mute? Can't speak? Go get some water. Master, I want some water!"

The black shadow still didn't move. Li Ye reached out angrily and pulled off the black robe he was wearing. Under the moonlight, a big face with a smile was revealed. Half of the face turned white in the moonlight, and half of the face was hidden in the darkness.

His head was bald, his scalp was covered with reddish-brown, toad-skin-like scars, and his mouth was completely black.

"Ghost!" Li Ye yelled in fear, fell off the altar table, drew his knife and pointed it at the black shadow.

"Come here! Come here~!"

Li Ye yelled in panic, but no one around him showed up.

Ma Qing smiled and said: "Uncle Guo, there is no need to call, your people are there."

Ma Qing pointed in a direction, and Li Ye looked subconsciously and saw a few human heads hanging from the beam, dripping with blood and spinning around.

Li Ye screamed and ran towards the back of the temple, tripping and falling hard.

"Uncle Guo, there's no need to run away. It's up to me to entertain Uncle Guo well tonight in this temple."

Ma Qing rolled up his sleeves and took out a shiny, sharp knife.

"Who are you?" Li Ye crawled towards the side door in fear.

Ma Qing smiled coldly and said: "Uncle Guo really doesn't remember the villain. That day in the water prison, the villain said that the day when my junior officials came to Kaifeng would be the day of Uncle Guo's death. Today's words should be fulfilled. "

Li Ye's eyes widened in disbelief: "Yes, it's you!"

Li Ye got up in a panic and fled towards the side door.

As soon as he opened the door, a figure in black robe stopped him, picked up a scabbard and hit him hard in the face.

Li Ye screamed and fell to the ground on his back, covering his face with a broken nose and bleeding and wailing in pain.

Ma Qing walked up to him step by step, knelt down and murmured: "I told you, if I use your human skin to light a lantern, you won't be able to run away."

The horrifying screams resounded throughout the night, both inside and outside the Tutu Temple.

Around the Tutu Temple, more than a dozen men in black robes were stationed in various places, motionless.

When the sky was slightly brighter, Ma Qing, covered in blood, walked out of the temple and stretched his waist tiredly.

He took off his blood-stained black robe and threw it to a sergeant. He pointed to the temple and said, "Go clean it up and burn what should be burned. The incense in this temple is good, but don't scare the people nearby."

The sergeant peeked into the temple secretly, and saw a bloody corpse lying on the ground, the blood flowing down formed a stream and flowed out along the stone steps.

The sergeant suppressed his nausea and hurriedly lowered his head and clasped his fists: "I obey the order!"

"Oh~ don't forget to bring the leather lantern I tied up!" Ma Qing took two steps and turned around to give instructions.

Several sergeants entered the temple to clean up, and the sound of disgusting "vomit, vomit" came out from time to time.

At dawn, a fire was lit next to the Earth Temple, and the black smoke filled the air with the smell of burnt flesh.

The fire was extinguished, leaving only a pile of charred bones. Ma Qing watched the soldiers digging holes and filling them.

After finishing everything, Ma Qing got on his horse, looked around at the sergeants, and shouted coldly: "After you go back, don't mention it to anyone! If even the slightest bit of news reaches the ears of the junior officials, I won't spare you!"

A group of black-robed sergeants clasped their fists and shouted in unison: "I will obey the commander-in-chief's orders!"

"go!"

Ma Qing swung his whip and led the team back to Kaifeng.

~~
Outside the Xuanhua Gate in Kaifeng, Wang Jun and Murong Yanchao drove slowly towards the city in a carriage together.

The carriage was spacious. Wang Jun was half lying on the couch, his butt facing the ventilation area of ​​the carriage window, and he was talking to Murong Yanchao.

Murong Yanchao sat aside, his thick dark eyebrows wrinkled from time to time, looking at Wang Jun's butt several times but he hesitated to speak.

"As early as when the Ye army stationed in Chigang, Zhu Xiu suggested to Duke Guo that General Murong had a traitor in his head and was born with a traitorous nature, so he must not be taken in, otherwise he would definitely rebel and cause chaos in the future.

The little thief Zhu Xiu is very hateful. I suggest that Duke Guo not accept you and kill you on the spot if you are caught!

Fortunately, General Murong was blessed with great fortune, and thanks to Mr. Wang’s good words in front of Mr. Guo, Mr. Guo finally agreed to General Murong’s return.”

Wang Jun cursed and scolded Zhu Xiu in front of Murong Yanchao.

Murong Yanchao punched the wooden board of the carriage in anger: "This guy is really hateful! I have never met him, why did he want to kill me?"

Wang Jun fanned the flames and said: "General Murong doesn't know something. Zhu Xiu and Jiao Jixun are friends. Jiao Jixun and Hou Yi are at odds with the general. Of course Zhu Xiu is helping them to exclude you in front of Duke Guo."

"Hmph! If I have the chance, I will definitely teach this boy a lesson with my own hands!" Murong Yanchao said bitterly.

Wang Jun sneered and said: "What I told General Murong today is to remind the general to be wary of Zhu Xiu. Although this boy is young, he is cunning and smart and must not be underestimated. You and I will find opportunities to deal with him in the future!"

Murong Yanchao's face was ugly, and his eyes were full of reluctance: "I never thought that one day, this general would actually bow to Ichijie Shuzi!"

"Haha, today is different from the past. Since General Murong has decided to submit to Duke Guo, he should still be more open-minded." Wang Jun advised.

Murong Yanchao nodded, raised the curtain and got out of the car.

"I still have something to discuss with the general." Wang Jun said hurriedly.

Murong Yanchao said disgustedly: "The smell of medicine on your body is too strong, and the carriage is suffocating. I will ride beside you and we can talk through the window."

Wang Jun was stunned for a moment, and touched his aching buttocks. Thinking that the injuries sustained by thirty military sticks were all due to Zhu Xiu, he gritted his teeth angrily:
"Little thief Zhu Xiu, I will never let go of you!"

(End of this chapter)