Thief Emperor

Chapter 563: Father and Son in Qingzhou

There were also big men in this world, but that was a long, long time ago.

Although it is also Liu Han, it is completely different from the other world.

But no matter what, this Liu Han also shaped a unified ethnic identity and established the true name of this vast ethnic group.

At this time, it had been some time since Li Yun took over the entire Huainan Road. Apart from anything else, troops had already been stationed in all the "borders" in the southeast.

Although it is far from being digested and there is even some food accumulation, it can still fight against the outside world.

At least, he can declare war to the outside world. As long as he seizes the righteousness of declaring war first, he can fight whenever he wants in the future.

Take the initiative.

Li Yun's letter was quickly sent all the way to the north, and after crossing the Huai River, it was sent all the way to Qingzhou.

At this time, Qingzhou was still cold, at least much colder than Jinling.

However, this place cannot be said to be prosperous, but it is not desolate either. Pedestrians can be seen everywhere in the streets and alleys.

It is even more densely populated than many places in Central Plains.

After all, this is the base camp of the Pinglu Army, and Zhou Xu is quite capable, so this place is not as desolate and dilapidated as other military towns.

In the afternoon, two scholars who looked like literati walked out of the general's mansion, one in front and one behind, discussing current affairs as they walked.

The first person, who was a little older, said with emotion: "Yesterday I heard about the age of the Li Mansion Master in the south. After this year, he is only twenty-six or twenty-seven years old."

"You are so young, but you have taken over such a large area."

The scholar in his thirties looked around and then lowered his voice, his tone full of envy.

"I heard that Jiangnan is full of beauties. At his age, he must be very happy in Jiangnan."

The latter was also about 26 or 27 years old. He hummed, "It was just luck. I heard that when he first started out, all his subordinates were bandits. He made his fortune by robbing and looting, and that's how he accumulated such a fortune."

"With such virtue, the general will enforce justice sooner or later."

He clenched his fist and said, "Maybe there will be a punishment from heaven!"

They are the same age but in completely different situations, so he naturally felt sad. When people feel sad, they sometimes say some brainless words.

Just as he finished speaking, a stone the size of a goose egg flew over from somewhere and hit him right on the forehead. The man screamed in pain, his head was bleeding, and he fell to the ground, covering his forehead with his hands.

The other man was also startled. He looked around and then shouted angrily, "Do you know who we are? We are all county magistrates! If you dare to attack an official, you will die!"

He looked left and right, but could not find the attacker. He only saw a few teenage kids riding on the wall in the distance, singing with a smile, "Zhou's dog, Zhou's dog."

"The Zhou family dogs eat people without leaving any bones!"

After singing the nursery rhyme, the little kids jumped over the wall and ran away.

The future county magistrate was so angry that his face turned red. He looked around and asked for help: "Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up!"

"Someone, help me take Brother He to the clinic!"

All the educated people nearby were unmoved. After a long time, a coachman came over and helped to send the man to the clinic.

There was no way. Ever since the killing of Gu Wenchuan, General Zhou's reputation among scholars had become extremely bad.

The nursery rhymes sung by those little kids were definitely written by scholars and spread around.

This matter soon became a big deal and reached the ears of Major General Zhou Chang. After hearing it, Zhou Chang did not say much, but just ordered to track down the murderer. Then he put on thick clothes and went to his father's residence.

As soon as he walked into the nearby yard, he was stopped by several guards. Zhou Chang looked at his father's room.

Faintly, some babbling sounds could be heard.

Zhou Chang had no choice but to wait in the side room for a while. While waiting, Li Yun's letter happened to arrive and was also delivered to Zhou Chang.

Zhou Chang now had the authority to read the letters. After he opened them and read them, he immediately stood up and strode towards his father's room.

This time, the guards were unable to stop him and he broke the door open.

Inside the room, several naked beauties screamed and hurriedly looked for clothes to cover themselves.

Because the stove was lit in the room, General Zhou was only wearing a single piece of clothing and lying on the bed. He looked at his son, then pushed the woman away and frowned, "Why are you so rude again?"

Zhou Chang was a little angry and gritted his teeth and said, "Dad, you can't indulge in sensual pleasures all day long, can you?"

He waved his hand with a dark face and shouted, "All of you retreat!" The beauties were in no hurry to leave, and all looked at General Zhou eagerly. Zhou Xu, who had just tied his belt, said lightly, "All of you go down first and wash up."

The women then kowtowed and bowed properly, then retreated.

General Zhou glanced at his son and said calmly, "What's the matter? Why are you so anxious?"

"It's not because of the urgent matter, but because you, father, are in a hurry."

Zhou Chang found a stool and sat down. He looked at Zhou Xu and said in a deep voice, "Now, the court is reorganizing its forces, and the Central Plains is also in chaos. The Shuofang Army and the Hedong Army are both eyeing us covetously. Li Yun in the south has even started the imperial examination and is selecting officials!"

"Dad, you're still entangled with these women every day!"

Zhou Xu raised his head and drank a glass of wine, then looked at Zhou Chang, shook his head slightly, and sighed: "Didn't I leave most of the things to you?"

"Besides, father."

General Zhou said silently: "It's not like I haven't been worried. From the second half of last year to now, I have met so many scholars, but even if they were offered official positions, only a few were willing to take them up."

He looked at Zhou Chang and laughed at himself: "Back then, I was tricked by that guy named Gu. Now there is nothing I can do as a father."

He looked at Zhou Chang.

"It's all up to you."

After suffering a great loss in Huainan Road, the Pinglu Army is now in a state of overall contraction. Zhou Xu has calmed down and basically no longer considers competing for the world. He only wants to manage his own piece of land and leave a family business for his children and grandchildren.

However, he met so many scholars, but only a few were willing to serve as his officials.

Among the scholars who stayed behind, some had no backbone and only had some ability.

But there are more people who have neither character nor ability.

At this time, Zhou Xu had basically given up all his ambitions and just wanted to guard his territory and live the rest of his life in peace.

The major general sat in front of his father and said in a hoarse voice: "Two things."

"One of the two county magistrates appointed by my father at noon was hit by a few kids with stones not long after he left the mansion. He is still unconscious now."

General Zhou narrowed his eyes, clenched his fist and said, "Find out who it is, and the whole family will be convicted and sentenced to death!"

Zhou Chang said helplessly: "If we use more force to deal with what my child did, our family's reputation will be even worse."

At this point, the major general paused, his tone not without envy: "Comparatively, Li Yun is... very good at winning people's hearts."

General Zhou's face darkened as he asked, "What about the second thing?"

"It's still about Li Yun. The letter from Jiang Dong that I received while waiting outside was written by Li Yun himself."

He stood up, handed the letter to Zhou Xu, and said, "I took a look at it first. The general meaning is that Li Yun is going to lead 10,000 troops to pass through Qingzhou and go north to support Youzhou."

"Fight against the Khitan together."

General Zhou was stunned. He quickly unfolded the letter and after taking a careful look at it, his expression became even more strange.

"As for the affairs in the north, our neighbors Li Tong and I are unwilling to intervene. We want to watch the Fanyang Army and the Khitans fight to the bitter end."

"Li Yun is so far away, why is he involved?"

Zhou Chang said silently: "I think he still wants to win people's hearts. He is willing to do such pretentious things."

"In Jiangdong, we distribute land to tenant farmers and give money and food to recruits, even new soldiers."

"They even came up with something called voluntary enlistment."

Zhou Chang said in a deep voice: "This is his usual trick. Now he wants to show his face in Youzhou again. It would be wrong for us to let him pass, but it would be even more wrong not to let him pass."

"Li Yun."

Zhou Chang gritted his teeth and said, "Very cunning!"

General Zhou narrowed his eyes, thought seriously for a while, stroked his beard, and said softly: "It seems that he is not willing to just stay in the southeast and be his local emperor in the southeast."

"This person..."

“You’re very ambitious.”

(End of this chapter)