The First Great Ancestor of the Five Dynasties

Chapter 421 Finally got away
Early on the morning of July [-], flags were fluttering at the Sanyi River Pier more than fifty miles northwest of Jiangning City, and five thousand vanguard troops were assembled here.

Crown Prince Li Hongji came in person to preside over a brief expedition ceremony.

In front of the San Sheng Sacrifice, Zha Wenhui, who was wearing a helmet and carrying armor, warned the world. He took the vanguard seal and the yellow flag representing military power from Li Hongji, and issued a declaration of expedition with high spirits. Then with a wave of the commander's flag, the vanguard army Start boarding the ship and prepare to depart.

Sanyi River Wharf is a military port wharf. Several Huanglong warships nearly ten feet high are lined up in a row, flying brand-new flags. There are also a dozen smaller stern boats acting as water scouts, clearing the way for the army to avoid. River reefs.

There are also several flat-bottomed warehouse ships loaded with grain and ordnance that set off yesterday and arrived in Hezhou first, waiting for the arrival of the vanguard army.

During this trip, the Vanguard Army will go upstream along the Yangtze River and reach Jiangzhou directly.

Hezhou is the first stopping point along the way.

"Woo~woo~"

The low horn sounded, and each Huanglong warship began to organize sergeants to board the ship.

The sun was dazzling and the river breeze was blowing. Zhu Xiu was dressed in robes and took a deep breath of the fresh air outside Jiangning City.

After three months, he finally walked out of Jiangning City again.

Looking north of the river, the ridgeline is vaguely undulating, and the sky is high and the clouds are vast, which is fascinating.

The distant horizon is the boundary of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

A sergeant with bright armor rushed to Zhu Xiu on horseback and tightened the reins. The horse kicked and neighed.

Behind Zhu Xiu, Pan Mei glared at each other, the handle of the knife clenching.

"Commander Cha asked Zhu Canjun to board the Huanglong A-shaped ship. The time has come and the army will set off immediately!"

The sergeant spoke arrogantly. Without waiting for Zhu Xiu's reply, he turned his horse's head and whipped his horse. The horse ran away and rushed onto the boarding deck.

"What a rude bitch!" Pan Mei cursed.

Zhu Xiu shook her feather fan and smiled lightly.

During this expedition with the army, he had two identities. The higher position was deputy envoy of Xuanfu, and then counselor of the Chinese army.

Counselor is not a formal official position, it is equivalent to the commander's staff. If the commander respects him, he is also a noble person.

It is a pity that the coach is Jin Wang Li Jingsui, who is still mobilizing troops and horses in the city at the moment. It is still unclear whether he can start normally in half a month.

At present, all matters concerning the [-] vanguard army are all decided by Zha Wenhui, the deputy envoy who is also the Xuanfu envoy.

The identity of Zhu Xiu, deputy envoy of Xuanfu, was rather embarrassing. Zha Wenhui clearly did not want to see him. In theory, deputy envoy of Xuanfu could not play any role until the entire territory of Hunan was pacified.

The behavior of the small school just now was that Zha Wenhui wanted to give him a blow on purpose.

Zhu Xiu said softly: "Have you contacted Wang Lingwen?"

Pan Mei turned her head and glanced at the boarding sergeant, and muttered: "The old man said that we will meet each other on the ship, so I don't know what the hell is going on."

Zhu Xiu smiled bitterly, "Forget it, ignore him, get on the ship first, no matter what, we must find a way to escape as soon as we arrive in Hezhou! Hezhou is the only place where we can hope to get rid of Zha Wenhui's spy!"

"I know~" Pan Mei muttered.

Zhu Xiu looked back at the team of officials who came to see him off. Li Congjia, Xu Xuan, Han Xizai, Li Deming, Zhou Min, and Zhou Yan were all there.

Zhu Xiu waved to them, Li Congjia waved vigorously in response, and the others waved goodbye.

"Oh~ let's go!"

For a moment, Zhu Xiu felt a little sad about separation, but he quickly suppressed it and took Pan Mei aboard one of the Huanglong boats.

The watchtower flag above the mast was waving, and each Huanglong ship received the order from the main ship, began to raise the sails and rock the oars, and headed southwest against the rolling river water.

It took about two hours from the time the first warship sailed away to the last Huanglong ship disappearing from the dock's sight.

There are three floors above the deck of the Huanglong warship. The second floor is where Zha Wenhui and a group of important generals and officials rest and discuss.

Zhu Xiugang was about to return to his cabin when he was stopped by Zha Wenhui, who was coming towards him.

"If nothing happens, Counselor Zhu, you might as well follow me to the bow of the ship and see how our soldiers of the Tang Dynasty cut through the waves." Zha Wenhui smiled, his tone revealing a hint of arrogance.

Zhu Xiu said with a smile: "I haven't been on a warship for a long time. The wind and waves are still a bit strong today. The ship is shaking violently. I am a little dizzy. I want to go back to the inner cabin to rest for a while. I will go to see Vice Envoy Cha later."

The word "deputy envoy" was emphasized very strongly.

Zha Wenhui deliberately did not mention his status as deputy envoy of Xuanfu, but instead addressed him as counselor, which was obviously intended to belittle and suppress him.

Not to be outdone, Zhu Xiu naturally had to fight back.

Zha Wenhui twisted his beard and sneered.

A helpful general behind him laughed and said: "I feel dizzy as soon as I get on the ship. How can I go out with the army in the future?"

"The northern barbarians don't know the nature of water. When they reach the Yangtze River, they all turn into soft-legged shrimps!"

"With the natural dangers of Jianghuai, the northern barbarians can't even think of stepping into the southern country!"

"Huangkou boy, go back to Kaifeng and ride your donkey!"

"Hahaha~"

A group of generals under the vanguard army ridiculed him wantonly.

Zhu Xiu's face suddenly changed, and he said sternly: "Don't be so presumptuous! I am your Majesty's deputy envoy of Xuanfu, and my rank is even higher than yours! How dare you speak rudely and despise me, just like you despise your Majesty!"

The Tang army generals did not expect that Zhu Xiu would dare to scold them in person, and they all opened their eyes wide in shock and anger.

There was a man with a beard who was ready to beat him, and he was swearing something dirty.

Pan Mei took a step to stop Zhu Xiu, and slapped the man on the arm like lightning. The seemingly burly general turned half a circle, staggered and almost fell down, clutching his arm so that he burst into pain. Cold sweat.

Zhu Xiu said calmly: "Deputy Envoy Cha, your generals are too unruly. I will discipline them for you.

This envoy kindly reminds you that there is no room for loss in this battle in Hunan. On that day at the Yanjia Palace, His Majesty had something to say. He hoped that you and I would cooperate sincerely, put aside our past grievances, and pacify Hunan as soon as possible.

If there is disharmony in the army, chaos arises, and the war goes badly, no one will be able to explain to His Majesty if you and I return to Jiangning.

I hope you do well for yourself! "

Zhu Xiu looked at him deeply, walked past a group of people, and entered the cabin without looking back.

"What an arrogant person~"

Some generals were angry and wanted to stop him, but Zha Wenhui stopped him.

Zha Wenhui looked ugly, but he also knew that Zhu Xiu was right.

Although Li Jing secretly told him to be optimistic about Zhu Xiu, it did not mean that he could bully him at will.

In everything we do, the first priority should be to pacify Hunan.

Zha Wenhui and Song Qiqiu had always suspected that Zhu Xiu had ulterior motives for seeking refuge with the court, but until the boy showed his flaws, there was no reason to kill him.

"Send someone to keep an eye on me. If you do anything unusual, report it to me immediately!"

Zha Wenhui whispered instructions to the soldiers around him, and led a group of generals to the bow of the ship to inspect.

Zha Wenhui was by no means an ordinary vulgar martial artist. He came from a family of officials, studied hard since he was a child, and had unique insights into military strategy and civil affairs.

Since joining Song Qiqiu, Zha Wenhui's thoughts have been focused on party struggles and internal strife for power in the imperial court, and he has a natural hostility towards people on the opposite side of the camp.

Zhu Xiu was regarded as a thorn in the side of the prince, and he got close to Zhou Zong, Xu Xuan and other Jin royal party members, so Zha Wenhui naturally treated him as a political enemy.

The cabin was small, with a strong musty and damp smell, and the thin bedding gave off an indescribable stench.

Zhu Xiu rolled up the quilt and threw it aside, lying directly on the bare wooden board, with her hands on the back of her head, and she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Pan Mei cursed, still annoyed by the series of unfair treatment she suffered today.

"The combat power of the Tang Army's navy cannot be underestimated. Just the Yellow Dragon Boats, there can be hundreds of them in Jiangning and Jiangdu.

Most of the soldiers in the south of the Yangtze River were familiar with water and did not feel any discomfort when boarding a warship.On the other hand, in Jiangbei, except for the Huainan children, most of the soldiers recruited in Kaifeng, Hebei, and Shandong were not proficient in water, and even fewer Guanzhong soldiers were good at water warfare!
If you want to defeat the Tang Dynasty, you must first practice naval warfare!If you want to cross the river, cross the Huaihe River first! "

Suddenly, Zhu Xiu closed her eyes as if talking to herself.

Pan Mei was stunned and muttered: "What time has it been? You still have time to think about this."

Zhu Xiu turned around and yawned, "Go to bed and get enough energy first."

Soon, Zhu Xiu fell into sleep, with subtle snores intermittently.

Pan Mei sometimes paced in the cabin, sometimes stared at the spider webs in the corner in a daze. After a while, she leaned on the table with her head propped up and fell asleep.
After waking up at noon, eating something and walking around on the deck, Zhu Xiu went back to the cabin to sleep.

Footsteps sounded from time to time at the door of the cabin, and Zhu Xiu didn't bother to pay more attention. Anyway, those people were just watching and didn't dare to harm him.

At night, the wind direction changed, and the men rowing the oars rested for most of the time. With the help of two huge sails, the huge warship could sail slowly on the river. "Dong dong dong~" The cabin door knocked, and a slightly older voice came, "Change the bucket~"

Pan Mei took off the door latch, opened a narrow gap, and a figure squeezed in.

Pan Mei was startled, and just as she was about to stop him, her wrist was grabbed by a thin but hard and powerful claw.

"it's me!"

Under the light of the candlelight, an old soldier wearing a Tang army soldier's cloth armor and a red headband revealed his true appearance. He was Wang Lingwen.

"Wang Ambassador, where are you?"

Zhu Xiu climbed up from the wooden bed and looked at Wang Lingwen with wide eyes.

Wang Lingwen originally had a delicately trimmed white beard under his chin, but now it was cut messy and stained with black ash. He looked like a shabby old soldier with a gray face.

Wang Lingwen's face trembled and he said angrily: "In order to get on the ship, I can only disguise myself."

Zhu Xiu swallowed her saliva and shed tears of gratitude: "Wang Shisi has sacrificed too much to rescue me~"

"Hmph!~ It's good for you kid to know!"

Wang Lingwen waved his hand: "To make a long story short, we will arrive in Hezhou before dawn tomorrow, get off the boat and enter the city. You have to find a way to escape the inspection at Hezhou City Gate."

Zhu Xiu said hurriedly: "Zhou Duan, the eldest son of Zhou Zong, serves as the judge of Hezhou Jiedu. Zhou Zong has sent a message to him, asking him to help me escape with all his strength."

Wang Lingwen snorted: "Old Zhou Zong really regards you as his son-in-law, and he will spare no effort to help you."

Zhu Xiu said with a smile: "The key to the family's survival is never to put all eggs in one basket. Zhou Zong is betting on both sides, in order to keep the Zhou family rich and honored."

Wang Lingwen said calmly: "The manpower arranged by me can only ensure that you get off the ship smoothly, pass through Hezhou City, and walk all the way to Shouzhou. If there is no danger of life or death along the way, the people from the Wude Division will no longer show up to avoid being accused by the Tang Dynasty." Si’s flies smell the trail.”

"I would like to express my thanks in advance! I will repay you greatly when I return to Kaifeng!" Zhu Xiu bowed gratefully, "I dare to ask Wang Envoy, how should we get off the ship?"

Wang Lingwen had no expression on his face. He looked at Zhu Xiu and then Pan Mei. He pointed at Pan Mei and said, "You first find an excuse to get off the boat, and then I will make my own arrangements."

After saying that, without waiting for the two of them to react, Wang Lingwen picked up a pail and left the cabin in an alert manner.

Pan Mei said, "What should we do now?"

Zhu Xiu stretched his waist and fell down on the hard wooden bed: "Sleep~"

After a while, a snoring sound sounded in the cabin.

Pan Mei was lying on the other side, staring with a pair of bull's eyes, but she couldn't fall asleep.
At the fifth watch, the fleet docked at the Hezhou Wharf, and the sound of clappers sounded one after another. A large number of wharf laborers boarded the ship carrying sacks, and transported a stone of military supplies onto the ship.

Zhu Xiu and Pan Mei woke up at the same time, opened the narrow window and looked outside. It was still dark, and the fire was dazzling on the dock, and there were shouts everywhere.

"I'll get off the boat first. You should be careful." Pan Mei put the long knife on her shoulder and hesitated to speak.

Zhu Xiu tied a short dagger to the side of his calf and said with a smile: "If there is an accident, I will jump into the river to escape. You hide in Hezhou City for three days. If you still can't get any news about me in three days, you will go to the river yourself." Return to Kaifeng.

Remember, go to Chanzhou to join Chai Rong and get close to Zhao Kuangyin. In a few years, you will find an opportunity to stay and serve under Zhao Kuangyin, which will ensure your prosperity and wealth for the rest of your life.
Pan Mei interrupted: "Why should I work for that Zhao Da'er? Zhao Da'er is a son of an official. After all, we, Lao Pan, can't pee in the same pot!"

Pan Mei curled her lips, with an expression of indescribable disgust and displeasure.

Zhu Xiu said angrily: "I couldn't pee before, but I will find a way to pee in the future! Stop interrupting and just listen to what I have to say."

Pan Mei muttered unconvincedly.

"When Haozhou is recovered, I will ask my mother, brother and sister-in-law to return to their hometown, give them a sum of money, buy more fields, build a manor, and let them make a living by farming from now on.

In future generations, all the children of my Zhu family will be treated equally, regardless of their direct descendants. From the age of five, they will all be sent to school, and among those who have passed the exams, the one with the best moral character will be selected to be the head of the family."

Pan Mei plucked her ears and said impatiently: "I'll take care of your Zhu family's affairs myself. We, Old Pan, won't be happy to do it! Okay, okay, it's long over and over. It will cause harm to us for thousands of years. Your kid's life is not that short."

Pan Mei cursed, pushed open the cabin door, ducked out, and slammed the door shut again.

The light in the cabin was dim. Zhu Xiu smiled bitterly and shook his head. He sat silently for a while, lying next to the window and looking towards the dock.
As soon as Pan Mei came out of the cabin, two sergeants immediately followed him, staring at him warily.

"I want to get off the ship! My husband told me that the food on this ship is really unappetizing, and asked me to go to the pier to buy some fresh food!"

Pan Mei muttered, glared back fiercely, and swaggered down the stairs toward the deck.

Zha Wenhui and the quartermaster were counting the fodder. After the sergeant reported it, Zha Wenhui had someone stop Pan Mei.

Pan Mei raised her voice again and repeated what she just said.

Zha Wenhui asked the two sergeants standing outside the cabin: "Where is Zhu Xiu?"

"Report to the general, still resting in the inner cabin."

Zha Wenhui pondered for a while, then waved his hand to indicate that Pan Mei could leave.

As long as Zhu Xiu is still there, there is no need to worry about the minions around him.

Pan Mei stepped off the boarding sampan and looked back at the huge Huanglong boat. The first light of dawn happened to shine from the horizon, covering the giant beast on the river with a layer of gauze.

After confirming that no one was following her, Pan Mei quickened her pace, squeezed past the boatman, and disappeared into the crowd.

A moment later, there was a knock on the cabin door. Zhu Xiu opened the door and saw Wang Lingwen standing outside the door with another Tang army soldier. The man had his head lowered and was thin and as tall as Zhu Xiu.

He raised his head to look at Zhu Xiu, then quickly lowered his head.

Zhu Xiu was surprised that this man's appearance was somewhat similar to his.

The sergeant who had been wandering outside the cabin came forward. Zhu Xiu took a glance and realized that there was another group of people monitoring him.

"What are you going to do?" the sword-carrying sergeant asked coldly.

Wang Lingwen hurriedly took the pawn to bow: "Little people, come and collect the Gong bucket."

The two sergeants walked away in disgust: "Hurry up, leave immediately after you're done!"

"Yes~"

Wang Lingwen and his pawn got into the cabin.

"Change your clothes quickly! Hurry!" Wang Lingwen blocked the door, wary of the two sergeants suddenly coming back from the aisle.

Zhu Xiu realized in an instant that he was going to use Li Daitao's stiff method for him to escape.

Zhu Xiu was still dazed, but the soldier had already taken off his Tang army uniform and looked at him with a pair of childish eyes.

Zhu Xiu gritted his teeth and changed his clothes three times.

"Let's go!" Wang Lingwen shouted, and Zhu Xiu hurriedly said: "Wait a minute!"

He turned his head and stared at the young man, and said softly, "What's your name? Where are you from?"

The young man grinned, showing a mouth full of missing teeth: "My name is Cao Wa, I don't have a real name! My family is from Min County."

The young man's native accent was so thick that if you didn't listen carefully, it would be difficult to make out what he said.

Zhu Xiu patted his thin shoulder gently: "If you stay, you will die. Are you afraid?"

Cao Wa shook his head vigorously, with hatred in his eyes: "Zha Cuter killed my parents. Mr. Wang said that as long as I am willing to stay, he will kill Zacuter for me and avenge my parents!"

Zhu Xiu glanced at Wang Lingwen. The old man looked calm.

Cao Wa is from Min County. It seems that his parents died in the war when Zha Wenhui marched to establish the state and crusade against the Emperor of Fujian Wang Yanzheng.

At that time, Zha Wenhui's generals cut off the ears of prisoners of war to calculate their military merits. Many of them killed good people and took credit for their merits. Zha Wenhui's reputation in Jianzhou was ruined, and the people scolded him for cutting off their ears.

"Let's go!" Wang Lingwen grabbed Zhu Xiu, pushed him out of the cabin door without any explanation, and stuffed a bucket full of feces and urine into him.

The cabin door slowly closed. Through the crack in the door, Wang Lingwen stared at Caowa and said solemnly: "You have spent your own life to avenge your parents and fellow villagers. It is worth dying! You will definitely be a general in your next life!"

The crack in the door squeezed out the light, and Cao Wa's face turned from bright to dark. He nodded vigorously and grinned happily.

The two sergeants came slowly from the end of the aisle again, Zhu Xiu turned his back, picked up the dung ladle and poured excrement and urine on himself, pretending not to hold it firmly to let the excrement and urine shake out of the bucket.

Soon, a foul smell spread far away.

"Stupid donkey! He can't even hold a dung bucket!" Wang Lingwen reacted very quickly and slapped Zhu Xiu hard on the back of the head.

Zhu Xiu lowered her head tightly, with a fearful expression.

The two sergeants pushed aside a storage room in fear and hid in it. It wasn't until Wang Lingwen and Zhu Xiu walked quickly past them that they came out cursing and stood in the narrow aisle. They smelled the stench and felt sick. I feel like vomiting.

A large puddle of feces and urine was spilled at the door of Zhu Xiu's cabin. They did not dare to approach, and they cursed and asked the boatman to clean it up.

The deck was busy, with many boatmen, laborers, and civilians busy carrying heavy military provisions.

Wang Lingwen and Zhu Xiu mingled in the crowd, stepped off the boarding sampan, and disappeared into the noisy dock.
(End of this chapter)