The First Great Ancestor of the Five Dynasties

Chapter 363
It was the second night that Zhou Ling returned to Ganquanfang House drunkenly.

Qi Si brought him back and took him to the back room, where he watched two maids undress and untie him.

"Song Xianggong is indeed very interesting. He said a lot of good things for me in front of the prince and General Chen Jue. The prince thinks highly of me. He came out of Ziyun Tower last night and took us to Jujingyuan to have fun until today."

Zhou Ling was drunk, her face was red and her neck was thick, she was stammering when she spoke, and she kept burping.

Qi Si dismissed the maidservant with a wave of her hand, and helped him to sit on the soft bed.

"Jujingyuan is a royal garden. Only important ministers of the country are allowed to go there. The prince takes the general to Jujingyuan to have a drink. This is treating the general as one of his own!" Qi Si flattered him in surprise.

If Zhou Ling is promoted by the prince, the rising tide will lift all boats, and he himself will also benefit a lot.

"Hehe~" Zhou Ling smiled proudly and said with a breath of wine: "If the old lady doesn't help me, I will still be able to rise to the top! The Zhou family and the Zhou family will still rely on me to support them in the future!"

Qi Si squatted aside and beat his master's legs, and sneered: "The old master is ignorant. When the general becomes famous, he will regret it!"

Zhou Ling fell on the bed and smiled with her eyes closed: "You don't know, in the Jujing Garden, there are several beauties hidden in the golden house of the prince. I was lucky enough to meet them once. They are really beautiful and fragrant~~ ~It’s a pity that they are all the prince’s people and cannot be touched.”

Qi Si swallowed her saliva, her eyes full of longing: "The beauty that the prince is hiding in Jujingyuan? What will it look like~"

Zhou Ling said hehely: "In terms of beauty, she may not be as good as my Ehuang, but that little girl's body has not yet grown up, and is far less charming than those women who know how to please men."

Qi Si smiled and said: "So, the prince also likes women?"

Zhou Ling sneered and said: "Nonsense, as long as you are a man, who wouldn't be lewd?"

After a pause, Zhou Ling said proudly: "If you see my Ehuang, the prince will definitely not be able to move his eyes away!"

Qi Si said casually: "It's a pity that the ages don't match. If Mrs. Zhou is older, she might have a chance to become the crown princess."

Zhou Ling was just about to lie down on the bed, but when he heard this, he sat up in excitement and stared at a pair of red eyes: "What did you say?"

Qi Si thought she had said something wrong and said cautiously: "Basically speaking, the prince is more than ten years older than Madam Zhou. If Madam Zhou had been born a few years earlier, with her beauty, she might have become the crown princess. Unfortunately, the prince is already married now, and the old lady is If you are not on good terms with the prince, it is absolutely impossible for you to marry your daughter to the prince."

Zhou Ling was stunned for a long time before murmuring: "The prince is so lustful, if I dedicate Emperor E to him, do you think he would be grateful to me?"

Qi Si was also stunned, startled, and said hurriedly: "General, what do you mean, secretly give Mrs. Zhou to the prince?"

The drunkenness in Zhou Ling's eyes disappeared without a trace, and everything returned to clarity and terrifying calmness.

He stood up in a hurry and walked around the room with his hands behind his back.

"The prince is lustful, and Emperor E has an appearance that will overwhelm the country. If I dedicate it to the prince, and win the prince's favor, I will be prosperous in the future, just around the corner!"

Zhou Ling looked fierce and punched his palm.

Qi Si swallowed his saliva: "How should I explain to the old lady?"

Zhou Ling sneered and said: "Let's see what the prince's attitude is first. If he likes Emperor E and wants to be his concubine, he will naturally find someone to propose marriage to the old man.

If he just wants to have fun, he can only tell the old man that Ehuang was killed by those northerners."

Qi Si's eyes flickered, showing a little fear, thinking that General Zhou was really vicious this time, even his cousin was willing to kill him.

However, the villain is Zhou Ling, and the woman who is dedicated to the prince is also a woman from their Zhou family. In the future, if Zhou Ling is favored by the prince and his official career is prosperous, he will also benefit from it.

Qi Si said with a smile: "Congratulations, General! The prince is lustful, let's give him a favour, and give him a stunning beauty, why can't he think of the general?"

Zhou Ling said with a smile: "There is no shortage of loyal people around the prince. If you want to stand out, you must think of some ways. Ehuang, just think of it as my certificate of submission to the prince!"

"When the prince ascends the throne in the future, Lady Zhou may even become a concubine, and the general will be a relative, with glory and wealth at her fingertips!" Qi Si complimented.

"Hahaha~~"

Zhou Ling laughed, feeling more and more proud of his idea.

"Oh~ Ehuang is beautiful. In two years, she will definitely be the most beautiful woman in Jiangning. It's a pity to give it to the prince~~"

Zhou Ling's gloomy eyes narrowed slightly, and then she shook her head and said, "That's all, as long as you have power in your hands, you can't get any kind of beauty!

Are those three untouchables still alive? "

Qi Si hurriedly said: "Still alive, untouchables have a hard life and will not die so easily."

Zhou Ling asked again: "Is there any news from Zhou Tong?"

"not yet."

"Send someone to ask and find out the whereabouts of that group of northerners as soon as possible. Tomorrow, you will go back to Gongsheng Camp to mobilize troops and make arrangements."

Zhou Ling ordered, and Qi Si nodded in response, keeping it in mind.

After explaining the matter, sleepiness came to his head. Zhou Ling stretched himself and yawned, ready to turn off the lights and go to bed for a good sleep.

Qi Si quietly closed the door and left.

The house was quiet.

Outside the northwest courtyard wall, a dark figure lay motionless, completely hidden in the shadows.

It's really hard to spot if you don't look carefully.

Another hour passed before the dark shadow slowly climbed down the wall, without disturbing the soldiers in the house.

Early the next morning, Zhu Xiu went to the room where the two dolls lived next door, and planned to have breakfast with them.

The brother and sister got up early. Zhu Liang was holding a hairpin bought on the street yesterday and studying how to tie the little sister's hair.

Da Ya was sleepy-eyed, and her messy yellow hair was left to Zhu Liang to fiddle with.

"My mother used to comb Da Ya's hair, just bundle it with a straw rope. I really don't know how to use this hairpin." Zhu Liang looked distressed.

Zhu Xiu reached out to take it, held Daya on his lap and sat down.

The little girl was a little embarrassed at first, but soon she was so sleepy that she closed her eyes and fell into Zhu Xiu's arms to doze off.

Combing hair is a crafty job these days. Zhu Xiu learned it from Shi Lingyan when he was in Jingzhou, and sometimes he would comb his own hair and tie a turban.

Tighten the hair with a hairpin, twist it up several times and insert it diagonally into the bun, and a little girl with a snail bun appears in front of her.

It's just that Zhu Xiu didn't comb the snail bun up to standard, it was a little crooked, Zhu Liang covered his mouth and giggled.

The little girl woke up with a yawn, touched the new headdress on her head, and grinned happily.

"Uncle, I wish you were really my uncle!" Zhu Liang suddenly said.

Zhu Xiu touched his bare forehead and said with a smile, "Why?"

Zhu Liang said angrily: "You have the ability. If you are really my uncle, no one will dare to bully my family in the future!"

Zhu Xiu smiled and said: "Remember, no matter whether I am your uncle or not, no matter what changes happen to your family in the future, whether you are rich or poor, the only person you can rely on in your life is yourself! Don't think about who you rely on or who you rely on. It’s better to rely on yourself! As long as you have the ability, you will not starve to death wherever you go, and you can live a good life!”

Zhu Liang was confused. He stood up straight unconsciously and pushed out his thin chest: "I remember! People have to learn their skills by themselves!"

"Very good!" Zhu Xiu touched his head.Zhu Fang snuggled into Zhu Xiu's arms, pouted and muttered: "I want to learn my skills too!"

Zhu Xiu laughed and said, "You little girl, learn to play piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, and you will be a lady!"

Zhu Fang said in a sweet voice, "I want to learn pipa from my beautiful sister!"

"Haha~ No problem, as long as you want to learn, my uncle will let her teach you." Zhu Xiu gently rubbed the little girl's bun, with a doting look on her face.

Zhu Liang hesitated for a while, then said with a worried face: "Uncle, when it comes to my grandma and parents, will you let Sister Zhou go?"

Zhu Xiu looked at him with interest: "Do you want me to let her go, or not?"

Zhu Liang blinked and scratched his head: "Sister Zhou is a good person, different from the bad guy with the black mole on her forehead. I hope she is as safe as my grandma and parents."

"So you want me to let her go?" Zhu Xiu laughed.

Zhu Liang nodded vigorously and whispered: "But, uncle, you are not willing to let her go."

Zhu Xiu was stunned and said amusedly: "How do you know I'm not willing to let you go?"

Zhu Liang was a brat, and he grinned and said, "Sister Zhou is beautiful, and my brother-in-law wants to marry her and become his mother-in-law!"

Zhu Fang clapped her little hands and started cheering: "I'm going to be a mother-in-law!"

"You two little guys, stop talking nonsense!" Zhu Xiu couldn't laugh or cry.

While they were joking, there was a knock on the door, and Pan Mei and Hu Guangyue walked in.

"For your information, Lord Marquis, my subordinates have found out where Qi Si and Zhou Ling live."

Zhu Xiu nodded, "Call Dongmei to come over and take the child away."

After Dongmei took away Zhu Liang and Zhu Fang, Zhu Xiucai asked Pan Mei to close the door. Hu Guangyue continued to report: "According to the investigation by his subordinates, it was learned that the house in Ganquanfang was not Zhou Ling's main residence, but Where he kept his outer room, few people knew about it.

The house was heavily guarded, with more than twenty Gongsheng soldiers stationed there. The subordinates guessed that the Zhu family was most likely inside! "

Zhu Xiu thought for a moment and said, "I'm afraid Zhou Ling will not exchange hostages easily, and we must be fully prepared."

Pan Mei frowned and said, "The house is located in a busy city. If we break in, there will be too much noise and it will not be conducive for us to escape."

Zhu Xiu thought for a while and ordered: "In this case, you go and inform Zhou Tong that the hostages will be exchanged at Puji Temple in Ninghaifang in two days. Puji Temple is located east of the Qinhuai River, half an hour's journey from Ganquanfang. Let's come "Tune the tiger away from the mountain and leave the city immediately after rescuing the people."

Zhu Xiu explained the plan in detail. Pan Mei and Hu Guangyue listened carefully and did not dare to miss anything.

"What should I do, Mrs. Zhou?" Pan Mei winked.

Zhu Xiu pouted: "Of course we will take her on the road first and serve as a hostage. When we are sure it is safe, we will let her go."

Pan Mei said in a weird voice: "Yes, take Mrs. Zhou out of Jiangning, cross the Yangtze River, and then cross the Huai River, and then return to Suzhou!
When it comes to our territory, you can do whatever you want."

Old Zhu Xiu blushed and glared at him: "If you keep talking nonsense, I will give you an order when you get back and transfer you to the Huaihe River to guard the wharf!"

"Hmph~ I am so angry that I want to avenge myself!" Pan Mei grunted, and she and Hu Guangyue clasped their fists and retreated.

Zhu Xiu sat in the room, picked up the tea cup and took a sip.

I don't know why, but when I think about leaving, I feel a little irritable.

~~~
Taifu's house.

Zhou Tong hurried over with a note.

"Patriarch, please take a look!"

The old master Zhou Zong was writing a memorial in his study. When he saw Zhou Tong come in, he calmly covered it with a piece of paper.

Zhou Zong took the note and looked at it. He stood up and said, "Where is the person who sent the note? Did you send someone to follow him?"

Zhou Tong said hurriedly: "The person who handed the note was a little beggar. I followed him personally and saw him returning to the beggar's den under the Jianqiao Bridge. During this time, he had no contact with anyone suspicious."

Zhou Zong threw the note on the table angrily: "What a cunning bandit!"

Zhou Tongdao: "The bandits agreed to exchange hostages at Puji Temple in two days. Puji Temple is east of the Qinhuai River. It only takes a quarter of an hour to get there from Taifu's Mansion. It is better to let Zhou Hujun escort the Zhu family to Taifu's Mansion. Two days later, Change back to Miss."

Zhou Zong's anger was quickly suppressed. He sat down with a suspicious look on his face and said in a deep voice: "Why did the bandits choose to exchange hostages at Puji Temple? This group of people advance and retreat appropriately. Every step they take must have its own meaning. We must be careful. .”

Zhou Tong thought for a while and said: "Puji Temple is full of incense and there are many pilgrims coming and going. The bandits may want to take advantage of the crowded and chaotic situation to escape."

Zhou Zong pondered for a moment: "That's all, go and tell Zhou Ling and ask him to come quickly, and I will discuss it with him personally."

"I'll go right away, villain." Zhou Tong resigned.

When Zhou Tong exited the study, Zhou Zong sat quietly for a moment with a sullen face, rubbed his tired eyebrows, opened the paper, and continued to write the memorial at his desk.

It was an impeachment letter to impeach Song Qiqiu for his involvement in military power and collusion with the new navy general Chen Jue, both internally and externally.
Outside the gate of Taifu's Mansion, squatting in the corner not far away was a thin-faced man wearing a straw hat selling straw sandals. He spoke with a Jiangning accent and shouted feebly: "I'm selling straw sandals~ The newly made straw sandals are cheap~"

The thin-faced man raised his head from time to time and glanced towards the gate of the Taifu's Mansion, a pair of evil eyes darting around.

This person is Cha Hui.

Seeing Zhou Tong walking out of the ear gate of Taifu's Mansion, mounting the horse brought by the porter, and galloping towards South Street, Zha Hui stood up and watched from a distance, hesitated for a while, picked up his burden and left quietly in a side alley.

~~~
Zha Hui returned to Hongfu Tower and hurried upstairs to meet Zhu Xiu.

"Master Qi, I followed the master's instructions and sent the note to the Taifu's mansion."

Zha Hui stood aside respectfully.

Zhu Xiu was teaching Zhu Liang how to play chess and said with a smile: "You didn't reveal your identity, did you?"

"The little one found a little beggar, gave him ten coins, and asked him to go to the Taifu's mansion to deliver the note, which was collected by Zhou Tong himself."

"Well, you are quite clever." Zhu Xiu complimented casually.

Zha Hui smiled, his face full of joy.

"Will there be any movement in Taifu's Mansion from now on?"

Zha Hui hurriedly replied: "When I saw that Zhou Tong was leaving the house, he was riding a horse and went somewhere, and he couldn't keep up, so he hurriedly came back to report to the young master."

Zhu Xiu said calmly: "Zhou Tong has someone watching him, so you don't have to worry about it."

"Young man, I obey." Zha Hui was a little curious, wondering who Zhu Xiu had sent to follow Zhou Tong.

Pan Mei, Hu Guangyue and him are all in Hongfu Tower. Could it be that the young master has other subordinates hiding elsewhere?
Zha Hui was shocked and didn't dare to ask any more questions.

"Now I'll give you another task. Go find out where the residences of Li Congjia, Prince of Anding County, and Xu Xuan, Minister of Civil Affairs, are." Zhu Xiu glanced at him and said.

Zha Hui blinked and saw that Zhu Xiu didn't mean to explain too much. He lowered his head and bowed: "I'll go right away, little one."

(End of this chapter)