The First Great Ancestor of the Five Dynasties

Chapter 509: A madman but also a strange person

The next day, Zhu Xiu and Li Chongjin held a banquet to calm Li Gu's shock and also to apologize.

"Mr. Li, you have been wronged these days, please drink this cup full!"

Zhu Xiu raised his wine glass and saluted.

Li Gu nodded slightly and said nothing. He raised his glass in a toast and drank from it.

Zhu Xiu stretched out her legs and kicked Li Chongjin under the big round table, winking and winking.

Li Chongjin then put down his chopsticks, picked up the wine glass and said, "Mr. Wei Zhen, all the mistakes are my fault, Li Chongjin's. I was wrong to confine you to the east courtyard. I did it unethically. This cup I apologize to you! You don't remember the faults of villains, don't be like me! Zhenhuai Army, you are still the commander-in-chief. I don't know how long I can be the commander-in-chief. Anyway, I beg you to forgive me! I did it, you can do whatever you want! ~”

Li Chongjin tilted his neck and drank a glass of wine. Perhaps he felt that it was not sincere enough, so he drank three more glasses in a row.

Li Gu smiled slightly, and also drank Li Zhongjin's first glass of wine.

"Mr. Wei Zhen, to be honest, I, Li Chongjin, did not treat you harshly during the time when you were locked up in the east courtyard! I serve you with good wine and delicious food every day, and I have also found a bed-warming girl for you, and sent it to your old house. You didn't want it, so it was blasted out of the yard, right?
I will also call you the fans and the popular ones in Suzhou City, so that they can serve you well. You are always a very particular person, so don’t do it!

If you want to read and write, I will provide you with pens, ink, paper and inkstones. If you want to listen to music, I will provide you with Liyuan children from the south of the Yangtze River. If you want to wield swords and guns, I will arrange for my subordinates to accompany you to fight.

Hehe~ I, Li Chongjin, have never served anyone in my life. Even my father has never enjoyed this kind of treatment!

Mrs. Wei Zhen, I am really good to you, don't hate me in the future! "

Li Chongjin said carelessly, while Li Gu's face trembled slightly, and he twisted his beard with a dark face and said nothing.

Zhu Xiu didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so she kicked the guy and glared at him fiercely.

Li Chongjin muttered: "That's right, Duke Wei Zhen, please be fair, I'm not talking nonsense, right?

You never know that the Northern Han spy Zhai Shou asked me to kill you, but I gave up only after I strongly opposed it!

In this respect, I am your old savior!Hehe~"

Li Gu snorted loudly, faced north and cupped his hands and said: "Don't worry, Duke Li, I will report everything you did in Suzhou to the officials truthfully, and let the officials make the decision on everything!"

Li Chongjin came up to Li Gu with a glass of wine, put his arm around his shoulders and said, "Mr. Wei Zhen, you and I are old acquaintances, so don't be so serious! Let's make a joke at the wine table to liven up the atmosphere!"

"Hmph!~" Li Gu picked up the wine glass and touched him, judging from his expression, he wasn't really angry.

Zhu Xiu quickly continued to persuade him to drink. After changing glasses, the atmosphere suddenly became lively.

It seems that Li Chongjin's nonsense just now has really paid off. Li Gu is by no means the kind of sour scholar who only knows how to study. Compared with his background as a Jinshi, he is actually more like a general, with the style of a Confucian general.

Li Chongjin's jokes may seem vulgar, but in fact they coincide with the military atmosphere and can quickly ease the atmosphere and bring the relationship closer.

It is quite effective when used on Li Gu.

Halfway through the banquet, Li Gu was also drinking and his face was red. He said with a smile: "Mr. Li, you imprisoned me in the east courtyard. Do you really think you can sit back and relax? What are the generals of the two outer towns stationed in Fuli and Qixian? Have you ever thought about the reason why you don’t come to see you?”

Li Chongjin was stunned, wiped the wine stains from his mouth, and asked suspiciously: "Then the second general is trying to shirk the recent banditry and wants to stay in the area to suppress the bandits?"

Li Gu twisted his beard and said with a smile: "Where do bandits come from?"

Li Chongjin was stunned for a long time, then slammed the table and said angrily: "You old fox! That band of horse bandits entrenched in Dangshan Mountain turns out to be yours!"

"Hahaha~ Duke Li knows now, but it's not too late!"

Li Gu smiled and said: "If Duke Li insists on going his own way and tries to lead the Huai army to cause chaos, two troops from outside the town plus an elite horse army will be enough to contain you in Suzhou and buy the court time to mobilize troops!"

Li Chongjin was trembling all over, angry and scared.

He originally thought that he had complete control of the Huai Suppression Army, but he never expected that Li Gu's back-up force was hidden right under his nose!
Li Guren was imprisoned in the East Courtyard of Fuya, but his trusted generals had already deployed heavy troops outside Suzhou City, waiting for Li Chongjin to raise his troops to cause chaos and cooperate with the imperial troops to strangle him in Suzhou!
Zhu Xiu was surprised and asked, "When did Mr. Li make these arrangements?"

Li Gu smiled and said: "Gong Li is also in charge of Sizhou's defense envoy. Logically speaking, he is only a remote leader. There is no need to arrive in person. Moreover, he brings his family with him. There are many loopholes in that decree, so I have to be careful."

Li Gu paused, "But after all, Duke Li is the nephew of an official and a relative of the emperor and the country. I can't afford to offend him. How dare I turn him away? I can only welcome him into the city with courtesy first."

It would be best if there is no change from Duke Li. If there is, even if I die, I will still be able to live up to the high expectations of the government in entrusting the defense of Huaibei! "

"Old fox! He really is an old fox~" Li Chongjin muttered, his face as dark as the bottom of a pot.

Zhu Xiu raised his hands in admiration and said: "Li Gong knew that the enemy was ahead of him and was very thoughtful. I admire you very much!"

Li Gu twisted his beard and smiled: "Fortunately, Duke Li has not taken a step that will lead to catastrophe. Don't worry, I will report the truth to the officials and will never embarrass you!"

Li Chongjin smiled bitterly and sighed, clasping his fists in thanks.

If he had listened to Zhai Shouxun and thought that the absence of the officials and the King of Jin in Kaifeng would be a good opportunity to raise troops, what awaited him now would be death.

Thinking of Dong Wan'er and the infant Li Yanfu, Li Chongjin raised his head to the sky and sighed deeply.

At the end of the banquet, Li Gu said goodbye and left.

The training of the Suppressing Huai Army and the Navy could not stop, and he had to rush back to Hongze Lake to continue the military exercises.

Li Chongjin was tired and not in the mood to drink, so he went back to the back house to rest.

Zhu Xiu rested for a while, and took Shi Xiangwen to see Zhai Shouxun.

He was very interested in knowing what made this man work so hard to encourage Li Chongjin to rebel.

Zhai Shouxun was imprisoned in the backyard firewood shed, and Liu Qingyi led someone to guard him.

Zhu Xiu asked him to bring the person out, and when Liu Qingyi and the others resigned, Zhu Xiu moved a mat and sat in front of Zhai Shouxun.

Shi Xiangwen was playing with a heavy millstone on the side.

Zhai Shouxun had a bruised nose and swollen face, and his clothes were in tatters. He was sitting cross-legged on the ground, his head was gray and his face was very embarrassed.

There are many people around Li Chongjin who hate him. In the past, he relied on favors and had a transcendent status. Now Li Chongjin has believed that he is a spy of the Northern Han Dynasty and hates him extremely. Liu Qingyi and others no longer stay behind. They dragged him to the woodshed last night. A beating.

If Zhu Xiu hadn't asked them to keep him alive, he probably wouldn't have survived this morning.

Zhai Shouxun had disheveled hair and a pair of hateful eyes fixed on Zhu Xiu: "Is my mother still alive?"

Zhu Xiu smiled and said: "Don't worry, your mother is still staying in her hometown in Linxian County. I will leave her a sum of money and hire someone to take care of her. She will enjoy her old age in peace."

"Seriously!?" A hint of surprise flashed in Zhai Shouxun's eyes.Zhu Xiu said calmly: "Although you have committed a heinous crime, your mother is innocent. There is no need for me to embarrass an old man."

Zhai Shouxun stared at him for a long time, sighed dejectedly, and whispered: "Thank you."

Zhu Xiu asked curiously: "Why don't you ask me why I framed you as a spy of the Northern Han Dynasty?"

Zhai Shouxun moved his hair and said coldly: "Li Chongjin may seem brave and reckless, but he is an extremely pedantic person at heart! He cares about his loyalty back then and cannot bear to kill me. If he wants me to die, there must be a proper reason, and finally So that Li Chongjin can have a murderous intention, so that he won’t blame you!”

Zhu Xiu stroked his palm and said, "Mr. Zhai is really smart! His ability to understand people's hearts is also top-notch!"

Zhai Shouxun slightly adjusted his robe and hair and said calmly: "Let's do it. You don't need to keep me waiting for too long."

"Haha, before that, I would like to ask Mr. Zhai, what is your grudge against Da Zhou? Why do you have to instigate Li Chongjin to rebel?" Zhu Xiudao.

Zhai Shouxun's eyes were deep and dark, making people shudder.

"The Great Zhou Dynasty may seem powerful, but it cannot survive forever! If Li Chongjin is willing to listen to me, he may have a chance to ascend to the throne!
I consider myself to be extremely knowledgeable and talented, and there is nothing that can better prove my talents than assisting someone to become emperor! "

Zhai Shouxun roared, his eyes flashing with madness.

Zhu Xiu shook his head. It seemed that this person was indeed a madman, and he was also a capable and ambitious madman.

After thinking about it, Zhu Xiu asked strangely: "Why do you say that the national fortune of the Great Zhou Dynasty will not last long?"

Zhai Shouxun breathed heavily and laughed like a ghost: "I looked at Chai Rong's face and knew that he was definitely not a person with long life! His luck is shallow. Even if he has great talents and great strategies, he will not be able to bear the weight of the country! One day, he will Completely crushed by my own ambition!”

Zhu Xiu's eyes widened in shock, and he felt a chill rising from the soles of his feet. He stood up abruptly and stared at the person in front of him!

Are there really people in this world who are proficient in arithmetic?
Can you tell the fate of a country just by looking at its face?
The most outrageous thing is that what he said is completely in line with the original historical trajectory!

Zhu Xiu felt chills all over her body, she just felt that Zhai Shouxun was too weird!

Zhai Shouwen sat cross-legged on the ground and looked up at Zhu Xiu: "If Li Chongjin can make up his mind to fight for the position, with my help, he might be able to change the fate of the Great Zhou Dynasty!
It's a pity that because of his so-called loyalty and friendship, he will never become a great person!

Once Chai Rong dies, Li Chongjin will hardly end well!Hahaha~~"

Zhai Shouxun laughed maniacally, tears and saliva flowing uncontrollably.

Zhu Xiu looked around to make sure no one was approaching. He knelt down and asked in a low voice, "Why don't you take a look at me? What do I look like?"

"You?" Zhai Shouxun was a little disdainful at first, but after staring at Zhu Xiu's face seriously for a while, his expression suddenly changed and he said in horror:

"How is that possible!? With your face, you are clearly a young man who died young!"

Zhu Xiu's eyelids twitched. As expected, Zhai Shouxun had some abilities. He could even see through his past and present lives.

Zhai Shouxun had met Zhu Xiu more than once, but he had never taken a serious look at Zhu Xiu's face.

It wasn't until this moment that he was shocked to realize that Zhu Xiucai was the person he couldn't see through the most!
"Could this be God's will? Hahaha~ Heaven is fooling me, Heaven is fooling me!~~"

Zhai Shouxun fell to his knees, howling and beating his chest and stamping his feet. His expression was ferocious and crazy, it was terrifying!
Just when Zhu Xiugang was about to say something, he saw Zhai Shouxun's crying stopped, his eyes were bulging and bloodshot, his mouth was wide open, he knelt on the ground and froze, a stream of black blood flowed from his nostrils, and he fell to the ground, cut off. breath!
Zhu Xiu was startled, and hurriedly stretched out her hand to check her nose and pulse, but there was no movement.

"Hiss!" Zhu Xiu gasped, Zhai Shouxun's death was so weird and terrifying!
I originally wanted to ask him what else he could tell from his face.

Zhu Xiu shook his head, called Shi Xiangwen to hurry out of the backyard, and ordered Liu Qingyi to take people to take Zhai Shouxun's body outside the city for burial.

Li Chongjin did not ask about Zhai Shouwen's life and death, and Zhu Xiu did not mention it, as if this person had never appeared.

At the end of June, Zhu Xiu received a report from Wu Desi and learned that Chai Rong was about to arrive in Suzhou via the Bianhe River waterway. He called Li Chongjin and rushed to the dock outside the city to greet him.

Chai Rong's trip was to go south incognito, and no one knew about the towns, states, or counties along the way. He was traveling on a government watercraft that delivered taxes.

The Bianhe Wharf is a busy scene, with countless flags fluttering in the wind from government ships, shipping companies, and cargo companies. They enter and leave the wharf in an orderly manner under the dispatch of water transport officials.

The wind blowing along the Bianhe River brought a refreshing breeze. Zhu Xiu stood on the high platform of the pier, silently observing the operation of this important canal transportation point in Huaibei.

The Bianhe River Water Transport shoulders the heavy responsibility of transporting goods in Kaifeng and can be said to be the lifeline of the capital. It transfers an astonishing amount of money, grain, salt, iron, cloth, and silk every year.

The losses are often staggering.

According to statistics from the Third Division, in terms of grain alone, more than [-] shi were lost for every [-] shi of grain transported to Kaifeng via the Bianhe River.

The total loss of all water transportation grains in a year is a huge number.

This is in addition to normal consumption along the way.

It is conceivable that there are huge loopholes in the water transportation system, and all the national tax revenue is wasted every year.

From the imperial court to the local government, many silverfish have become fat because of this.

If you want Kaifeng to become the real center of the world, integrating authority, soldiers, and wealth, you have to spend a lot of effort to rectify water transportation.

Zhu Xiu's thoughts were wandering, but unfortunately, he did not have the ability or qualification to intervene yet.

This kind of top-level design layout can only be handled by the top decision-maker.

"Come on!"

Li Chongjin exclaimed, interrupting Zhu Xiu's thoughts. Looking into the distance, he saw a cannon boat flying the flag of Kaifeng Mansion slowly approaching from the wide river.

On the bow of the ship, a figure could be vaguely seen standing.

Li Chongjin gritted his teeth and turned to leave. Zhu Xiu quickly grabbed him: "Where are you going?"

Li Chongjin's expression changed and he muttered, "I'll wait for you back home."

Zhu Xiu looked at this guy and teased: "You, the Black King, are you afraid sometimes?"

Li Chongjin wanted to refute, but lacked the confidence, so he threw him away and said angrily, "My cousin is now the king of the Jin Dynasty, and will be the emperor in the future. Life and death are all in one thought! I have offended him again, how can I not be afraid?"

Zhu Xiu smiled and said: "The King of Jin went south alone to tell you that he is not here as King of Jin, prince or heir, but as a relative or brother to take you home!"

Li Chongjin pursed his lips and was speechless.

"Okay, don't act like a big girl, being coy and shameless!" Zhu Xiu punched the guy in the chest, dragged him off the platform, and rushed to the dock.

(End of this chapter)