The First Great Ancestor of the Five Dynasties

Chapter 385: The ruthless bandit turns into an envoy from the North

Jujingyuan, at the southern foot of Fangshan Mountain.

Zhu Xiu and his party trudged through the steep and difficult forest land.

Counting the time they fled up the mountain last night, the four of them had been fleeing on the mountain for a whole day.

If you want to escape from Jiangning City, you must go east. It is a virgin forest area that no one has set foot in so far. It is almost an impossible task to rely on the existing supplies, equipment, and physical reserves.

Zhu Xiu also never thought of escaping from Jiangning City.

He was just buying time for Zhou Zong and Xu Xuan to negotiate with Li Jing and win a way out for himself.

In case Li Jing's decree was not carried out, he would be hacked to death by the angry East Palace Guards and their troops.

So Zhu Xiu and Pan Mei took Zhou Xian and Li Hongji to circle around the mountain. Anyway, the entire foothills were so big. If Zheng Cunlu wanted to surround the mountain to search for people, the manpower of Zuo Lie of the East Palace would definitely not be enough.

It was just that the weather was hot, the forest was humid and muggy, and there were many poisonous insects, snakes and ants, so the four of them had a very difficult walk.

There were only a few half-frame steamed buns left from the beacon fire on the top of the mountain, and they still had a rancid smell. One steamed bun was broken into half, and everyone held their noses and shared the food.

Zhu Xiu and Pan Mei had already taken off their shirts and tied them around their waists, leaving their arms bare. They didn't care about the branches in the forest scratching their flesh. They wanted to cool down and take a breath first.

Besides, it is covered in sweat and cement, and the smell is so pleasant that even mosquitoes don't want to come near it. It can be regarded as a natural insect repellent and mosquito repellent.

Zhu Xiu looks thin in his clothes, but in fact he is well-proportioned and fleshy. The clear muscle outline is the result of his hard work over the years.

Zhou Xian stole a glance and quickly turned his head away in shyness, not daring to look again.

Pan Mei's body was not that good-looking. She was covered in lumps and lumps of flesh, with black hair covering her waist, abdomen and chest. She looked like an uncivilized savage.

Li Hongji also begged Pan Mei to allow him to take off his shirt, the heat was unbearable.

Pan Mei roughly tore off his shirt and glanced at the fine white ribs, feeling disgusted.

If Li Hongji's virtue is placed in future generations, he will definitely be regarded as a perennial addict.

The Erxian Pills he often took were originally made from Wushi San, which was popular in the Wei and Jin Dynasties, and are essentially a chronic poison.

As the saying goes, taking drugs is good for a while, and taking drugs is always good.

In the mountains and forests, there is a thick layer of fallen leaves and rot, which is soft and slippery when stepped on.

Zhu Xiu walked in front, followed by Zhou Xian, Pan Meiju, and Li Hongji, whose mouth was gagged and hands bound, fell behind.

Zhou Xian walked cautiously with a wooden stick, his feet slipped and his body staggered.

Pan Mei, who was behind her, subconsciously stretched out her hand to support her arm: "Mrs. Zhou, be careful."

However, Zhou Xian retracted his arm as if he was electrocuted, looked at Pan Mei with horror, fear, and disgust, then quickened his pace and walked to Zhu Xiu.

Seeing that her injured ankle was having difficulty walking, Zhu Xiu reached out to support her arm. Zhou Xian hesitated for a moment, but did not refuse and allowed Zhu Xiu to support him.

"Who are you with that big beard? I don't think he looks like a good person."

Zhou Xian glanced behind him, and leaned closer to Zhu Xiu to whisper.

Zhu Xiu suppressed a smile: "He, nicknamed Pan Datou, is one of my most capable generals. In Hebei, his bad reputation can stop children from crying at night!"

"He's so vicious when he hits people!" Zhou Xian thought about how badly Li Hongji had been taught a lesson along the way, and became even more afraid of Pan Mei.

"By the way, why did you call him Pan Datou? His head is not big," Zhou Xian whispered curiously.

"Oh~ Lao Pan has two heads. The big head is not washed often, but the small head is often washed. He also likes to wash it in a black pine forest somewhere!

To this end, Cangzhou children even made up a nursery rhyme, listen to it: "Ahem~ There is a ditch in the black pine forest, where the water flows all year round, and you don't see cattle and sheep grazing, but you see Pan Mei coming to wash your hair!" '"

Zhou Xian blinked, and laughed out loud: "It's interesting."

Pan Mei's face turned dark.

The two young men and women in front were whispering to each other, pointing at him and talking.

Zhu Xiu also recounted his embarrassing stories to Zhou Xian, which made the young lady smile sweetly.

The shameless Zhu boy is not ashamed to say dirty things in front of an ignorant little lady.

The same goes for my wife this week. Our old Pan gave her a kind hand, but she shook her off like she was guarding against a thief.

Boy Zhu helped her, but she did not refuse.

Doesn’t that damn little Zhu look more elegant and fairer?

Our old Pan is not that old either, he is just stronger and his hair is thicker, but he is so unwelcome?

Hum~ Zhu Xiaozi looks like a five-person person, but in fact he is full of evil.

Our old Pan may look a bit sinister in appearance, but at heart he is still a simple and kind-hearted good man.

Mrs. Zhou is not a good person, sooner or later she will be wiped out by Zhu Xiaozi!

It is really unreasonable for a kind man like us, Lao Pan, not to be liked by a young lady!

Pan Mei was filled with grief and anger and glared at Zhu Xiu fiercely, but in return, Zhu Xiu curled her lips and winked and laughed silently.

"咻~咻~咻~"

Suddenly, three loud arrows exploded in the southwest sky, making a sharp explosion.

Zhu Xiu and Pan Mei were startled and looked at each other in surprise.

This was the signal agreed between them and Hu Guangyue.

Zhou Xian gasped for breath, raised the back of his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead, and looked up blankly.

Li Hongji was thirsty and hungry, so tired that his eyes were flashing with stars and his head was dizzy. He stumbled and fell heavily, and his body was pricked with dead branches and thorns.

The more he thought about it, the more aggrieved and angry he became. Li Hongji sobbed and cried.

Pan Mei climbed up a boulder and looked down the mountain to the southwest. In the distance, she saw a big red flag flying.

"No mistake, it seems that Hu Guangyue lived up to expectations!" Pan Mei laughed.

Zhu Xiu also breathed a sigh of relief.

Zhou Xian seemed puzzled, and Zhu Xiu explained: "Before coming to Jujingyuan, I sent my subordinates to report to Xu Xuan's mansion, Minister of the Ministry of Officials, and asked him to come forward to Taifu's mansion and make an appointment with Ni's father to enter the palace. Emperor, give us a way to survive.

After the agreement is fulfilled, three arrows and a red flag will be fired at the foot of the mountain as a signal.Now, we can go down the mountain. "

Zhou Xian became more and more confused: "Do you know Xu Shangshu? Are you going to see my father?"

Zhu Xiu smiled and said: "Who said that green forest gangsters can't get acquainted with court officials? Not only do I want to see Xu Xuan and your father, but I also want to see Tang Emperor Li Jing."

Zhou Xian was surprised: "You, how dare you call the official by his name?"

Zhu Xiu curled her lips with a slightly disdainful expression.

Zhou Xian glanced at Li Hongji who was sitting under a tree, a little worried and frightened, and murmured silently.

Zhu Xiu smiled and said: "Now you know how to be afraid? Why didn't you know you were afraid when you stepped on that kick last night? That kick of yours was so cruel that it almost broke the roots of his descendants."

Zhou Xian’s face turned red: “I, I was so angry at the time, I didn’t think too much about it!”

Zhu Xiudao: "Don't be afraid. Fortunately, no one was killed. Your father and Li Jing must have reached some kind of compromise, otherwise they would not have sent people to pick us up at the bottom of the mountain. A lot of things must have happened last night. We will know when we get down the mountain." Zhou Xian nodded, then thought of something and said hurriedly: "Where is Dongmei? She must have found a place to hide after she fell into the water. Help me find her!"

Zhu Xiu was silent for a moment, and looked at her calmly: "Dongmei was shot in the back of the heart by Zhou Ling's arrow, and she hid under Baizi Bridge for half the night. When we arrived, she was already dying. I asked someone to bring her body to the hospital. Go out of the city and bury it, wait two days after you settle down, send someone to Xu Shangshu's mansion, and someone will tell you where Dongmei's tomb is."

Zhou Xian looked at him in disbelief, was stunned for a long time, covered his mouth and cried "Woo", tears came out violently.

~~~
Halfway up the mountain in Jujingyuan, at the foot of the climbing plank road, Zhou Zong and Xu Xuan held Li Jing's handwriting and ordered Zheng Cunlu to gather the East Palace Guards and lead their troops and not to move without permission.

When the four guys, who were covered in filth and rags and looked like refugees, walked down the plank road, the soldiers led by the East Palace Guards made a roar and swarmed forward, pulling out their knives to surround them.

"General Zheng?"

Zhou Zong frowned and turned to look at him.

Zheng Cunlu gritted his teeth, waved his hand and ordered: "Everyone, stand down!"

The guards of the Eastern Palace hesitated for a while, but they still followed the order to disperse and make way for a passage.

Pan Mei glanced at the guards coldly, winked provocatively at Zheng Cunlu, put down the knife on Li Hongji's shoulder, and cut the rope on his hand.

Li Hongji, who was disheveled and smelly like a beggar, saw Zheng Cunlu, like a rescued drowning dog, he pulled out the cloth ball stuffed in his mouth and ran over stumblingly.

"Your Highness is frightened and will be punished with death!" Zheng Cunlu knelt down on one knee with his fists clasped, and two eunuchs quickly came forward with their robes in hand.

Li Hongji rushed to Zheng Cunlu and slapped Zheng Cunlu twice hard, making the corners of Zheng Cunlu's mouth bleed. He still knelt down with his head bowed and fists folded, motionless.

"Trash!" Li Hongji's eyes were red, like a man-eating demon, he raised his foot and kicked him hard in the chest.

Zheng Cunlu's strong body remained motionless, but Li Hongji felt like he was kicked on an iron plate and fell to the ground, embarrassed and funny.

Li Hongji screamed like crazy: "Come here! Come here! Drag this trash down and behead him! Take down this group of thieves who dare to kidnap Gu! Gu will execute them in Lingchi with his own hands!"

Zheng Cunlu knelt down and clasped his fists without saying a word.

The guards of the East Palace hesitated for a moment. No one dared to attack Zheng Cunlu, but they fiercely rushed towards Zhu Xiu and the others.

"stop!"

Zhou Zong gave a desolate roar, held up the imperial edict with both hands, and stopped in front of all the guards: "There is an edict here, who dares to resist and disobey it? The edict: Please return to the palace to rest, and the Taifu Zhou Zong will send the Northern Envoy and his party to Hong Kong." Stay in the temple temporarily!"

Li Hongji shook off the eunuch who was supporting him and roared ferociously: "Where did the Northern envoy come from? This group of people dared to kidnap Gu. They are guilty of conspiracy and should be beheaded by the Yi tribe!"

Xu Xuan stepped forward to salute, and said in a calm and unhurried manner: "Your Highness does not know, the envoy Zhu Jun is the founding marquis of the Lord Zhou, and he is currently serving as the deputy envoy of the Huai Army Jiedu in Suzhou Township. This trip to the south to find relatives has created a lot of problems with the Zhou family. Misunderstand.

The officials have said that since they are visitors from the Northern Dynasty, we should treat them politely. If there is any misunderstanding, just make it clear.As for what happened last night, the officials have their own opinions. His Highness had better go to the palace and ask the officials. "

Li Hongji couldn't believe his ears. The gangster who kidnapped the prince turned into an envoy from the Northern Dynasty?
For a moment, his expression was ferociously distorted, as disgusting as if he had eaten ten thousand flies.

Zhou Xian was so shocked that his small mouth opened slightly. When did the villain become an envoy of the Northern Dynasty?
Isn't he the green forest thief from Jiangbei with the nicknames "Jade Faced Little Divine Dragon" and "Ten Palaces of Yama"?The bandit leader?

Zhu Xiu smoothed back a few stray strands of hair close to her face, dusted off her tattered sleeves, held her head high and held her chest high, like a proud beggar leader.

Even though he was covered in black mud and dripping with sweat, he couldn't stop the extraordinary temperament that had nowhere to rest.

Li Hongji said angrily: "I don't care who he is, I just want him to die!"

Elder Zhou Zong narrowed his eyes slightly and held the imperial edict in both hands and handed it forward: "Here is the edict. Please accept the edict! It is official edict. Please enter the palace immediately. If there is anything, we will wait until the matter is found out."

Li Hongji glared at him fiercely and said with a ferocious smile: "Okay! Okay! Mr. Zhou Zong, if you dare to protect the assassin who kidnapped me, I will record this debt for you!"

Li Hongji glanced at Zhou Zong, Xu Xuan, Zhu Xiu, and Pan Mei with hatred, and stared at Zhou Xian resentfully for a few times. He angrily boarded the altar and left with the guards and eunuchs.

Zheng Cunlu stood up, cupped his fists to respect Zhou Zongxu Xuan, glanced at Zhu Xiu and the others, got on his horse and followed closely.

"Daddy!~"

Zhou Xian couldn't hold back the sadness in his heart anymore, and ran to his old father with grief, and the father and daughter hugged each other tightly.

"Ehuang, you have suffered!~"

When Zhou Zong saw his beloved daughter in a miserable state and with a haggard face, he felt very sorry for her.

After a few words of comfort in a low voice, Zhou Zong said: "Ehuang, you get in the car first, daddy will come soon."

Zhou Xian nodded obediently and boarded the carriage with the help of two Zhou family servants.

She looked back at Zhu Xiu, hesitated, opened the curtain and got into the car.

"I'll learn from Zhu Xiu later, and I've met Mrs. Zhou!"

Zhu Xiu followed the etiquette of the younger generation meticulously.

Zhou Zong looked at him with complicated eyes and forced out a smile: "Zhu Junshi has won the favor of Lord Zhou at a young age. He has a bright future!"

"Haha, thanks to my emperor's love, this junior deserves it!"

Zhu Xiu smiled without being humble or arrogant.

Zhou Zong also laughed "haha" twice, stroking his beard and saying nothing, his eyes becoming more and more probing.

This young man is interesting.

"Zhu Shaolang!" Xu Xuan stepped forward excitedly.

Zhu Xiu smiled and said: "Mr. Xu, how are you after we say goodbye to Jingzhou? I heard that Mr. Xu has been promoted to the Sixth Minister, I am very happy and congratulations!"

"Make Young Master Zhu laugh." Xu Xuan smiled bitterly.

Zhu Xiu spread his hands and joked: "When I first met Mr. Xu in Anding County, Mr. Xu was dressed like this. I didn't expect that when we meet again in Jiangning today, the situation will change, and the down-and-out person will become the one below!"

Xu Xuan didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "You, you, when is it, you still have the mind to joke."

"Haha~ Life is short, enjoy yourself in time!" Zhu Xiu smiled freely, "When it comes time to behead, crying is death, laughing is death, why don't I laugh and die?"

Xu Xuan said helplessly: "The crisis has not been resolved yet, so don't be too happy! Kidnapping the prince and committing treason are extremely heinous crimes. You are so brave!"

Zhu Xiu disagreed: "Mr. Xu has been in Jingzhou for more than half a year, so he should know that I have always been very courageous."

Zhou Zong squinted his eyes and stared at Zhu Xiu with great interest. This man caused chaos in Jiangning City, but he still looked confident. Could he really be relying on him?

Or is he simply following the order of Lord Zhou to come to Jiangning to spy on the truth?
Zhou Zong said calmly: "Envoy Zhu, you should follow me to Honglu Temple to rest first!"

Zhu Xiugong cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, old lady! Please!"

Before getting into the carriage, Zhu Xiu turned around and said, "Mr. Xu, Mr. Lao will take care of your family."

Xu Xuan hurriedly said: "Don't worry, I will take good care of your daughter."

Zhu Xiu thanked him and said with a smile: "Where's Li Congjia, the little fat guy with rabbit teeth? Why don't you come to pick me up?"

Xu Xuan smiled and said: "He rushed to Honglu Temple first, saying that he was going to pack your luggage and tidy up the house for you, because he was afraid that you would not be satisfied with your stay."

"Haha~ This brother didn't recognize me in vain, he even knows that he cares about me!~"

Zhu Xiu smiled and got into the carriage.

Zhou Zong's hand twirling his beard trembled, with a wonderful expression on his face.

Why does it feel like Zhu Xiu goes back to his own home when he goes to Honglu Temple?
Didn't he know that under house arrest at Honglu Temple, life or death awaits him? It's still unknown!
(End of this chapter)