Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 141: Please show mercy to Su Lang if he comes again...

The city of Bianliang, the capital of the Song Dynasty.

The vast red walls are high, surrounding several high platforms with dark tiles on top.

There was no court meeting in the Chuigong Hall today, but the emperor was still anxious to come here. There were three other people in the hall.

One of them was Liang Shicheng, the eunuch closest to the emperor. All matters concerning the emperor, big or small, were in his hands.

There was a man named Wang Fu, who had just been appointed prime minister not long ago, and was promoted eight levels higher. Needless to say, there were many reasons for this. He was first promoted by Cai Jing, and then gradually came to the emperor's side and was favored by the emperor.

At first, the emperor gradually became displeased with Cai Jing's old age and felt that Cai Jing was abusing his power, so he asked Cai Jing to retire and return home to enjoy his retirement.

Although Cai Jing resigned from the position of prime minister, he did not lose power. Cai Jing had experienced ups and downs in his life. This was his third time in power. Historically, he had a fourth time in power.

In this way, Cai Jing resigned from the position of prime minister, and Wang Fu was promoted eight levels by the emperor and became the prime minister.

There is another person, it is Tong Guan. Today the matter is very urgent, because Gao Qiu, the Palace Guard, died in Jeju.

Just look at the Emperor Zhao Ji. He ascended the throne at the age of eighteen and is not yet forty this year. He is handsome and graceful, with a face as white as jade, his black hair tied into a Taoist bun on his head, his beard roots clearly visible, and he is wearing a Taoist robe.

Taking another look, the emperor looked like a graceful immortal who had been banished to heaven. He had an extraordinary temperament and did not seem like an ordinary person.

But the immortal was also anxious, and his attendants came to ask, "Why was there such a great defeat?"

Liang Shicheng stood behind the emperor and looked at Tong Guan. Tong Guan did not say anything, but only looked at Prime Minister Wang Fu.

Wang Fu said, "Your Majesty must have read the memorials of the two governors of Jingdong. There are countless officials and generals who signed their names on it. I think it is credible. General Gao... is indeed diligent in his duties as an official, but he may still lack the ability to lead troops..."

The emperor asked again, "How did he die? How did he return from the hands of the thieves and be killed on the way?"

Looking at the emperor's immortal face, he was heartbroken at this moment. Since his youth, Gao Qiu had been his best playmate, and he had been with him for more than 20 years. Wouldn't he be heartbroken to see the death of such a childhood playmate?

Wang Fu then replied, "Your Majesty, the official document from Zhang Shuye of Jeju has two conclusions. Either the rebels are out to kill for money, or they are out of anger and seeking revenge. Of these two, the case files investigated are reasonable."

"Where are the rebel soldiers? Is it possible to find them?" the emperor was furious.

This time, Wang Fu went to see Tong Guan.

Tong Guan sighed and replied: "Your Majesty, first of all, there are the ten military governors, they were originally recruited soldiers, many of them are fierce, secondly, there are the imperial guards under the command of the Palace Front Office, thirdly, there are the navy of Jiankang Prefecture, and fourthly, there are the auxiliary troops recruited from various places, a total of 130,000 people. After the defeat of General Gao, the chaotic army was dispersed one after another, and I don't know how many of them were dispersed..."

"We must investigate thoroughly!" If the emperor was really furious, how could he not avenge General Gao?
Wang Fu cupped his hands and said, "Then I will send someone to investigate. Your Majesty, rest assured that we will get to the bottom of this matter."

"Hmm..." The emperor was slightly satisfied and continued, "When the body of General Gao is returned to the capital, he will be buried with honor."

"Your Majesty, I have done it properly." Wang Fu bowed again.

But then a young eunuch came in, bowed and walked slowly forward, walked to the side of Liang Shicheng, and whispered something in his ear.

Liang Shicheng then reported: "Your Majesty, the Grand Commandant Su wants to see you."

The emperor was in a bad mood, so he just waved his hand and said, "Tell him to come here together."

Liang Shicheng nodded, and the young eunuch bowed and walked away.

Taiwei Su Yuanjing also entered the palace, of course he had something to do. He heard that Huanzhang had brought people to look for him, and that they brought people from Liangshan. They said that the people of Liangshan were wholeheartedly willing to serve their country, so they wanted to recruit them.

Su Yuanjing was a loyal and honest man. He did not fight or compete in the court and was a very generous person. When he heard about this, he naturally came to report it and asked for an audience in the palace to explain Liangshan's intention to recruit troops. Everyone heard it clearly.

The emperor sighed and asked his attendants, "Was Gao Qiu really not killed by the Liangshan bandits?"

Wang Fu replied: "According to what Zhang Shuye of Jizhou said, there was no mention of the Liangshan bandits killing General Gao."

"Then let's discuss this matter of amnesty." The emperor was still in a bad mood. Gao Qiu's death really made him heartbroken.

Wang Fu looked at Tong Guan again, and Tong Guan came and said, "Your Majesty, the rebels have won a great victory this time, but they are asking for amnesty. Why?"

The emperor heard this and asked, "Why?"

Tong Guan said: "It is a way to seize power. As long as the court cannot catch him, it is to extort power from him."

The emperor frowned when he heard this, and Su Yuanjing, who had just reported, immediately lowered his head.

Tong Guan continued, "These big bandits have been plundering the prefectures and causing chaos to the people. The imperial court has suppressed them twice, and sent hundreds of thousands of troops, but still returned in defeat. If the imperial court is defeated and still allows them to be recruited, the bandits will be unstoppable if they get official positions. They think the imperial court can't do anything to them, and they ask for whatever they want. If the imperial court doesn't allow them one day, won't they rebel again? By then, their power will be even greater, and it will be even more difficult to suppress them again? If they come to be recruited again, what should we do if they keep going back and forth like this?"

The emperor took a deep breath when he heard this.

It was Su Yuanjing who spoke up, but he seemed to be hesitant to speak: "Your Majesty, um..."

“You said…” The emperor raised his hand.

"Your Majesty, please allow me to report. This time, recruiting them... is not necessarily impossible. If we recruit them and transfer them away from the water, it will be easier to control them. If there is a war elsewhere, we can just transfer them to fight for the country. It is also a good strategy."

Su Yuanjing was particular about the words and sentences he used when speaking.

The emperor frowned and thought, the one on the left makes sense, the one on the right also makes sense...

Tong Guan immediately followed up with a few more words: "Your Majesty, what General Su said is a good plan. But... it must not be done at this time. The bandits have won a great victory and are arrogant. If the court tolerates this, won't the whole world follow suit? When we fight again, at least we must destroy the bandits' prestige, and then do what General Su said, which is fine!"

Tong Guan proposed a compromise, and then went to see Wang Fu and Liang Shicheng.

Wang Fu also nodded: "Your Majesty, what Secretary Tong said is very true. If the thief surrenders with his arrogant mind, it will be difficult to discipline him."

"Fight again..." Emperor Zhao Ji sighed and asked, "How can we fight again? How much money and food do we need to fight again?"

Tong Guan immediately responded: "I am in charge of the Privy Council and am willing to serve Your Majesty!"

"Alas... you, how much money and food did you spend on this 130,000-man army? In the end, you ended up in such a situation. How much money and food can the prefectures along the way collect? How many troops and horses will your Privy Council mobilize? Ask..."

As he spoke, the emperor went to see Wang Fu and asked again, "How much more money and grain can be promised from the treasury of the three ministries?"

Tong Guan did not wait for Wang Fu to answer, and just said: "Your Majesty, this time I will not mobilize troops, but use the troops from the two routes of Jingdong, and use the troops under the command of Cheng Wanli, the pacification and recruitment envoy of the two routes of Jingdong. Order Cheng Wanli to take on the task of suppressing the bandits, and let him accept the money and food scattered in the army of General Gao, and then we will suppress the bandits."

The emperor was surprised: "How can we win in this situation?"

Tong Guan bowed and said: "I will personally supervise the battle! I will lead the troops into battle. If I cannot share the worries of Your Majesty and the court..."

Tong Guan raised his head and looked around, gritted his teeth, and said, "How can I have the face to return to the capital to see His Majesty again?"

When Emperor Zhao Ji heard this, his face was filled with emotion, and he sighed, "Alas... you have been forced into such a situation, you... I really can't bear to see you say these words. If it really doesn't work, it's not a bad idea to recruit them first, and then we can slowly work it out tomorrow..."

Tong Guan knelt on the ground, kowtowed, and said, "Your Majesty, I am disabled, but I have received Your Majesty's great grace and have been honored to hold a high position. I have no offspring to take care of, and no family to worry about. I only wish to die for Your Majesty, and this is the only way to repay Your Majesty's grace. This time, I will serve Your Majesty as I did in the past as an inspector of the northwest army, and I will repay Your Majesty with my life!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ji also stood up, walked down from his seat, and reached out to pull up Tong Guan, who was kneeling and kowtowing. Tong Guan straightened up but did not stand up. He just looked at the emperor with tears on his face.

How could the emperor not feel anything? He pulled her again: "You, I have always known about your thoughts. There is already a Gao Qiu... If you go again, I am afraid of you..."

"If Your Majesty does not agree to this, I will kneel down and not get up. I am already old, and after today, I am afraid that I will no longer be able to share Your Majesty's worries. I thank Your Majesty for your grace and allow me to eliminate one more thief for Your Majesty!"

Tong Guan kowtowed again.

The emperor couldn't stop you, so he didn't stop. He just sighed, "Just go, and be sure to take good care of yourself. Things are different now, and you are no longer the same age as before. You can't lead the troops. Whether it succeeds or not, I don't blame you for going..."

How could this not be a touching scene of a wise ruler and loyal subjects?

What else could Su Yuanjing say? How could Wang Fu not be moved? Wouldn't Liang Shicheng also shed some tears of emotion?

Tong Guan said this, then he stood up and said, "Your Majesty, I will go right away."

"Slow down..." Zhao Ji said, and then asked: "Do you have anything you want to ask me? Just tell me, and I will grant you what you want."

What was Tong Guan thinking? He just bowed and said, "I will leave the palace this time and leave immediately. I have nothing to ask for, but I hope that your Majesty will be healthy, that you will win the battle against the bandits, and that your Majesty will be at ease! I am leaving now!"

Having said that, Tong Guan bowed and walked away.

Tong Guan knew very well in his heart that this Majesty was a person who cared deeply about feelings, so he should treat the emperor with affection.

Tong Guan left as soon as he said he would, while Emperor Zhao Ji, standing far away, actually wiped away tears...

He also said to his attendants: "Tong Shumi, when others attacked him, he had nothing to say. At this time, he was the only one who died with his broken body."

Wang Fu, who was standing by, said, "Don't worry, Your Majesty. Everyone knows that Tong Shumi is a brave and knowledgeable soldier. He will go there in person this time and will definitely return with news of a great victory."

"I hope so, I hope so!" Zhao Ji nodded repeatedly and wiped away his tears. There were not many old people around him. After Gao Qiu's death, he looked at Tong Guan again and was really moved.

The emperor turned around and waved his hand: "My dear companion, go to the study and select a few of my fine paintings, and send them to the Privy Council immediately."

"Yes, sir. I'll go right away!" Liang Shicheng ran back quickly.

Tong Guan really didn't want anyone to see him off, nor did he want any ceremony. He just went back and explained things to the Privy Council. He didn't even go home, nor did he pack any luggage. He took a team of guards, no more than 20 or 30 people, and just rode away on his horse. He left without hesitation.

Obviously this is the feeling and atmosphere we want...

Even when Liang Shicheng sent people to deliver things, they were unable to make it in time. When he returned to report, the emperor was in Yanfu Palace, and just watching the deer cry, he felt extremely guilty and could not help sighing several times.

Along the way, Tong Guan rode his horse for a while, and only stopped when the horse's horse ran out of steam. He also said, "It's really not the same as it used to be. After riding for a while, my bones feel like they're falling apart."

It can also be seen that it is quite difficult for Tong Guan to maintain this power.

It is indeed difficult. Firstly, he is not a successful Jinshi outside Donghua Gate, and secondly, he is not a follower of the emperor more than 20 years ago. To have made it to this point in the Song Dynasty, this is the only way for Tong Guan to consolidate his power.

In Dongping Prefecture, recruiting soldiers is ongoing and training is busy every day. More than 700 soldiers from Jeju have arrived and have been incorporated into the army.

This time, they obtained more than 3,000 sets of armor and countless weapons.

The military camp outside the city has not actually been completed yet, but many soldiers have already gone out of the city to practice every day and have begun practicing archery on a large scale, whether it is bows or crossbows. Time is of the essence.

Liangshan made quite a profit this time. Although they did not get much money or grain, they salvaged a lot of things from the water. This was because Liangshan Lake was not very deep. The general depth was no more than one or two meters, and the deeper places were no more than two or three meters. There were not many places that were deeper than two or three meters.

Many of the imperial court's large ships were half submerged in mud and water, making them difficult to tow and even more difficult to repair.

People like Song Jiang and Wu Yong, while waiting for the court's response to the amnesty, also learned the news of Gao Qiu's death.

The two men just looked at each other and said the same word, Su Wu.

But he was also shocked. Why did Su Wu dare to assassinate the Grand Marshal of the Palace Guard?
Even two big thieves, Song Jiang and Wu Yong, could not believe such a thing.

Or think about it again, he was Cheng Wanli behind Su Wu, and he was also Tong Guan behind Cheng Wanli.

This way, they were a little less frightened, but they were more worried about being recruited. How could General Su Yuanjing be comparable to General Gao in the court?
I couldn't help but think that we should fight again. It seemed that Su Wu was a mountain blocking the way and I couldn't climb over it. The matter of obtaining amnesty was extremely difficult.

Everyone in the Liangshan stronghold had to prepare for war. They heard that Su Wu's army had slowly grown to several thousand men, almost tens of thousands.

Recently, everyone in Liangshan has been very busy.

Song Jiang and Wu Yong sat opposite each other in the midst of a busy life. It was not for anything else but the issue of money and food. The money and food of the mountain stronghold could not sustain it for too long. This time, they defeated the 130,000-strong imperial army, which made Liangshan's reputation even more famous.

Among all the heroes in the world, who doesn’t know this?

Just look at the number of people who have come to the waterside to join the expedition in recent days, and they are like a swarm of fish crossing the river.

But we cannot abandon those who come to seek refuge, and we cannot drive them away. The worry about money and food becomes even more urgent.

Song Jiang said, "How about we go fight Zengtou City again? Last time, Brother Chao was defeated and shot by an arrow. This time, we can go again and avenge our grievances. The old brothers are eager to take revenge, and the new brothers are eager to contribute and make contributions. The people and the army can all be used!"

What they said was all right, but Wu Yong sighed and said, "What about Su Wu..."

Song Jiang also frowned, as he couldn't avoid Su Wu no matter what.

Song Jiang asked, "Scholar, why don't we attack in different directions like last time, each heading to the prefecture? This time, we can send several troops south and east to lead Su Wu south and east, and then send the best troops north to Zengtou City. What do you think?"

Wu Yong nodded: "It's a good plan, but I'm afraid Su Wu won't fall into it..."

"How can we help him not to fall into our trap? Just attack the Xuzhou, Yizhou and Huaiyang armies seriously, and he will inevitably fall into our trap." There was a hint of ruthlessness in Song Jiang's eyes.

If we send several groups of troops to attack the southeastern prefectures, wouldn't there be countless casualties when Su Wu goes there?

But when the two looked at each other again, they understood each other tacitly.

Countless deaths and injuries are not necessarily all bad things.

Liangshan now has gradually formed a kind of distinction. There is a group of people who have slowly formed an elite group. Although there are often casualties, even among the casualties, there are some people who stand out. These people are gradually selected and gathered into an army, which is the elite.

Song Jiang also gradually developed his own rules for managing the army.

Judging from the people who performed outstandingly in the fight against the government troops in the water this time, there are more than one or two people. These people are now somewhat confident.

As long as these elite troops are not lost, the casualties among others are fine. There are so many people coming up the mountain to surrender every day, and the replenishment is fast. It may even be a good thing to only suffer losses without replenishment.

It was just right. They were used as bait to lure Su Wu's troops to attack.

Wu Yong thought about it and said, "Then I will go and assign the people myself..."

It still requires some manipulation. Even among the newcomers, it is necessary to identify which ones are the big thieves, those with a great reputation, or those who are really involved in major murders.

Needless to say, such people are more brave and willing to die. These people must be carefully selected and added to the elite. It is really not easy to replenish the elite.

other people……

Neither of them needed to say anything about this matter, they just had to do it.

In Dongping Prefecture, Su Wu was originally busy in the army, but suddenly he heard something troubling.

Someone said that...the young lady of the official's family suddenly went to Meng Niang's store and sat in a private room.

When Su Wu heard this, he felt a headache and wanted to know what the headache was specifically.
Su Wu couldn't think of anything, so he felt that this was not a good thing. He thought about getting up and taking a look. But it seemed unnecessary. Should he not go and take a look? Su Wu felt a little uneasy.

Still not going, but Su Wu was distracted by the training and just sent someone back to check...

Mrs. Meng was in the store, and Mrs. Cheng was sitting in the side room. She asked Mrs. Meng a few questions specifically. How could Mrs. Meng not come?

It was Madam Meng who came personally to entertain them and introduced the types of wine and food.

Madam Cheng raised her hand and said, "Madam Meng has a good reputation in Dongping Prefecture. Everyone you ask says that she is very virtuous and can handle all matters properly. She is also kind and generous to others. How about inviting Madam Meng to sit down with us so that we can have some private conversations?"

Miss Cheng is a lady from a noble family. She has her own way of speaking and doing things. Her status and position are also different from those of ordinary people.

Madam Meng also smiled when she heard this, and she really sat down: "Sanniang, you are the same. Madam Cheng has come all the way from Tokyo. Isn't it boring to stay in the boudoir every day? Sanniang often comes to my place, but I wonder if you can take Madam Cheng out for a walk..."

Since Hu Sanniang was also there, she did not look embarrassed when she heard this. She just said, "Sister Meng, aren't you here today? It's not too late..."

But Hu Sanniang was actually feeling embarrassed. She was the only one who knew why Cheng Xiaoniang came today. She was also the only one who knew that Cheng Xiaoniang had that thought in mind. She also knew that some things might really be set in stone and there wouldn't be many surprises.

After all, the prefect is not an ordinary person. The prefect's wife, not to mention her status and position, can't escape this matter just by looking at her intelligence and appearance.

What's the matter with this visit? I don't know where Cheng Xiaoniang heard about the story of General Su and Lady Meng. I don't believe it, so I asked Hu Sanniang at home. Hu Sanniang just stammered and said she didn't know.

So, Cheng Xiaoniang went out and said that she wanted to ask in person to confirm the truth of the matter.

But Hu Sanniang was also in a dilemma, and wanted to ask, what if it was true? What if it was false?
All the dishes were served, and also the wine.

Madam Meng smiled and raised her hand: "Try them all and see how these dishes compare with the original restaurant in Tokyo."

Cheng Xiaoniang really tried it, and after tasting it several times, she just said, "Good, really good, not worse than Tokyo, Madam Meng really knows how to train."

Obviously, this is true. Whether it is a chef in a hotel or a chef in a wealthy family, cooking skills are acquired through training.

"It's a small matter, it's nothing, I'm not well educated, I can only do this kind of thing." Lady Meng answered. But Miss Cheng suddenly asked: "I also heard that Lady Meng has a big family and a big business, and she is the most capable in helping General Su."

Madam Meng's expression changed slightly, but it was not noticeable. She still smiled and said, "When the general was still in Yanggu, he was kind to me and my brother-in-law. But the general was busy and there was no one to help him with many small matters. When he received the order, I naturally took into account the favor and did some things for him."

Cheng Xiaoniang was actually smiling. She didn't come here to show off her power. She just wanted to confirm this matter. Even if her father said it, she didn't believe it...

Or...it's not that I don't believe it, but I just want to come and see it, ask some questions, and find out more.

I didn't want to come in the first place, and I didn't want to come. It was difficult for me to come. After a long time, I felt uneasy and uncomfortable. If I didn't come to see you, I would feel really uncomfortable.

Her father just told her the story and let her think about it herself. Whether she was willing or regretful was up to her.

There is no way to talk about this kind of thing. When I first heard about it, it really felt like a pain in my heart. Let's take a look and then we can say it.

Yes, you can see that Miss Meng is really a beauty, with a good appearance and figure. She is also generous in her dealings with people and sophisticated in her speech.

Cheng Xiaoniang smiled and asked, "What are the things that General Su usually does?"

How could Lady Meng not understand what was going on when she heard this? In fact, the relationship between women is very sensitive, not to mention that Lady Cheng didn't have much experience in these areas.

Madam Meng kept smiling. "They are all small things. I can't do big things. I just buy some goods and help with the accounting. Um... the marriages of soldiers under my command, and even some small businesses. The general is too busy to handle them, so he asks me to help. And this small store is run by my brothers in the army... Others also know that this store is actually the general's business."

Madam Meng spoke the truth, but she tried to keep a low profile, saying only that she had only helped with some small things and not to brag about her achievements.

Cheng Xiaoniang's expression changed slightly, but she still managed to put on a smile: "Mrs. Meng, you are a capable person and you should do more work..."

"No, no, these things can be done by anyone. Even if it's Sanniang, she may do it better than me." Meng Yulou tried to be as humble as possible.

Meng Yulou was just making an analogy when he mentioned Hu Sanniang. Hu Sanniang was stunned, but saw that neither of them seemed embarrassed. Only Hu Sanniang herself was so embarrassed that her toes were about to scratch the soles of her shoes.

Hearing her name, Hu Sanniang waved her hands repeatedly: "I can't do it, I can't do it. I can dance with a spear and a stick, but I really can't do business..."

Meng Yulou smiled and said, "Why not? A woman like you is very straightforward. You are the perfect person for doing business. Look at Sister Gu. Isn't she also a master of wielding a spear and a stick? She is an expert at doing business. I can't compare to her. In the future, if the general has any other instructions, let Sister Gu do it. She will definitely do it better than me."

There was something that Cheng Xiaoniang wanted to ask thoroughly, but she couldn't bring herself to ask it. Asking it would only cause trouble, so she decided not to ask it...

But looking at Meng Yulou in front of him, even without asking, he was already certain, and he also knew that this lady Meng was really not a bad person, and her character was not bad at all...

If he was a bad person, if he was someone with a bad temper, or someone who didn't know when to advance or retreat... that would be fine.

Unfortunately, no!
"Eat, drink..." Mrs. Cheng didn't know what to say next, and she didn't want to make things awkward. Many things hadn't started yet, and she knew she shouldn't act like a mistress or a big wife. If she did, she would be laughed at.

Even if you have to start, you should start in a decent way. If you don’t start, you should do it even more decently.

Just take a walk and meet a new friend.

"Please!" Madam Meng raised the cup in one hand and held her sleeve with the other to toast.

"Please!" Cheng Xiaoniang also raised her glass in response and gestured to Hu Sanniang.

Hu Sanniang also raised her glass quickly: "Please..."

After a few rounds of drinking, Madam Meng stood up and bowed: "Excuse me, it's a busy time, I have to look after the store."

"Well, Madam Meng, please leave. It would be a sin to disturb you today." said Miss Cheng.

Then there was another blessing, and Meng Yulou walked out of the door. As soon as he walked out, the smile on his face turned into a sad look.

When I walked to the counter, Mrs. Gu came to ask, "What's wrong? What's wrong?"

Meng Yulou shook his head: "Nothing serious, maybe I drank a few glasses of wine and my stomach feels uncomfortable."

Mrs. Gu immediately became anxious: "Why don't you go home early and rest? I'm here..."

"I..." Meng Yulou looked at the room again and replied, "I feel much better now. If you still feel uncomfortable later, I will go back..."

"Then I'll go prepare some hot soup for you." Mrs. Gu had already stood up.

Meng Yulou sighed...she felt sad...

In the other room, where was Cheng Xiaoniang's smile? How could she not also look sad?
He muttered, "I'm afraid he took it seriously..."

Hu Sanniang didn't say anything, it was difficult for her to say anything, she just ate and drank. She had her own bitterness in her heart, but at this moment she inexplicably didn't feel bitter anymore, or she couldn't remember the bitterness. She was just stuck in the middle, feeling awkward.

"Sanniang, what do you think our daughter is?" Cheng Xiaoniang asked again.

"Ah? How can I be a thing? I am a human being..." Hu Sanniang answered blankly.

"So you say, they are fine, shouldn't I be the one to break them up?" Cheng Xiaoniang had already been frank in front of her best friend Hu Sanniang.

"No...it doesn't count. One is a concubine, and if the other one succeeds, it would be the parents' order and the matchmaker's words, a formal marriage..." Hu Sanniang, a man of the world, has a sense of loyalty in her heart. Now they are good friends, and Cheng Xiaoniang treats her well, so she is naturally loyal in her heart.

"Sanniang, am I jealous or not?" Cheng Xiaoniang was drunk and felt sad.

"No, no, if you are jealous, then you are a shrew, and you are here to make a scene. But you are not here to make a scene..." Hu Sanniang also wants to be a psychologist.

"Then what is this about me?" Cheng Xiaoniang couldn't figure it out.

"It's just... it's just... I just came to take a look. What's wrong with that? I won't make a scene, and I won't cause any trouble. Besides, didn't you say that you are still hesitating whether to do it or not?"

Hu Sanniang actually didn't understand it either. Although she could empathize with the man a little, she couldn't really put herself in his shoes.

"I am hesitant... I am hesitant... It is really good to be a man. In the past, my father said it was a pity that I was not born a man, and I was indignant. Now I know that it is really good to be born a man..."

"Um……"

"Sanniang, do you have someone you love in your heart?" Cheng Xiaoniang turned her head to look.

Hu Sanniang answered subconsciously: "No..."

But after answering, he regretted it. Hu Sanniang was a straightforward person, so she said, "It can be considered as one of them..."

"Is it true?" asked Mrs. Cheng.

"Yes..." Hu Sanniang nodded.

"Then why don't you go look for him? You are different from me. You are a man of the world. You just go look for him. Could it be that he has feelings for someone else?"

Cheng Xiaoniang also values ​​loyalty and is willing to offer advice to her friends. Even if she can't figure out her own problems and can't solve them, she will do her best to help her friends.

"Tsk tsk... ah... how can I put it?" Hu Sanniang also had a headache, so she just continued: "I am the same as you... exactly the same..."

"Ah? That man also has a mistress?" Cheng Xiaoniang was furious. What kind of person dared to treat Sanniang like this?
Sanniang is an expert in martial arts, and the two long swords on her waist are no joke. There are hundreds of farmhands at home, so who dares to treat her like this?

"Alas... I can't explain it clearly. I won't say it today. I don't know how to say it. Let's talk about it tomorrow... Let's drink." Hu Sanniang just raised the cup.

Cheng Xiaoniang was willing to drink, and after one cup, she said, "Men are such troublesome things... so troublesome. You, a man of the world, if you are unhappy, you will naturally draw your sword, whether it is good or bad, just to get your way. But I am different, after thinking about it, alas..."

Hu Sanniang didn't know how much wine she had drunk, and said, "I'm thinking the same thing. I'll just draw my sword and kill myself!"

"Then go ahead!" Cheng Xiaoniang couldn't be straightforward herself, so she wanted Hu Sanniang to be straightforward, so that she would also be straightforward.

Hu Sanniang stood up suddenly and said, "Then I'll go right away."

Hu Sanniang stood up, her hand already on the hilt of the knife, but she immediately sat down again: "No, no..."

"Why doesn't it work again? But is that concubine also fierce? And also highly skilled in martial arts?" Cheng Xiaoniang asked with blushing cheeks.

"That's not the case. It's more troublesome than yours anyway..." Hu Sanniang was deflated and answered helplessly.

"Can you be more troublesome than me? Absolutely not!" Cheng Xiaoniang raised her voice a little, angry at her for not fighting back.

"It must be more troublesome than yours. You don't know what's going on, you don't understand... I can't explain it clearly, I don't want to think about it anymore..." Hu Sanniang waved her hand and poured more wine.

The two of them continued drinking, and Cheng Xiaoniang came up and said, "How can you be more troublesome than me? Don't you know that Tong Shumi is on his way. When he comes, I will have to make a decision..."

"How high of an official rank is Tong Shumi?" asked Hu Sanniang.

"Why are you asking about this? A high-ranking official, a very important official, an important minister close to the emperor, why don't you ask why he came? I have to make the decision."

"I know. If you want to make a decision, then the matchmaker will come. If you are willing, he will help you to be a matchmaker. If you are not willing, then he will not help you to be a matchmaker... Is that right?"

"You really can guess it. Tell me... Sanniang, what should I do?"

"I have no idea……"

"So, what do you think is good?"

"I think..." Hu Sanniang had something in her mind, but she couldn't say it. If she really felt that way in her heart, she would naturally be unwilling to do so.

But she also knew that this was General Nasu's future.

"I don't know..." Hu Sanniang answered.

I saw that Cheng Xiaoniang holding an empty wine glass in her hand, turning it around in front of her eyes, and slowly speaking: "Actually, I know, I know... Just look at those high-ranking officials, which family doesn't have many children? I don't ask for much, just love, but... love or not, I don't know, so I'm panicked..."

Hu Sanniang was speechless.

Cheng Xiaoniang looked at the empty wine glass and said, "But it made me see the love of others first..."

Hu Sanniang consoled him: "I have seen them many times, but I don't see any affection between them."

These words of comfort were spoken bluntly.

"You... you can't see it, but I can see it. Although Madam Meng is very modest, when she talks about it, her smile is really genuine... How can it not be love?"

"Ah?" Hu Sanniang couldn't understand.

"Oh, you don't understand... Go home, go back... You're done worrying today, you can worry again tomorrow, there are still a few days left..." Cheng Xiaoniang stood up and walked out. It was obvious that she couldn't drink much.

Hu Sanniang could drink quite a bit, so she helped him along. The two of them left the room, and Meng Yulou, who was at the counter, came out quickly to see them off, and walked them straight to the carriage outside the store. There were servants and soldiers beside the carriage.

Su Wu paid more and more attention to the security work inside and outside the government office.

When they got to the car, Miss Cheng suddenly turned around, grabbed Meng Yulou's hand, and said, "I'm sorry for disturbing you today..."

"This is our main store, how can we disturb you? The more people come, the better. We should come often..." Meng Yulou still smiled.

Cheng Xiaoniang got into the car and Meng Yulou stood beside the car.

Just think of it as a welcoming and seeing off. The car left, but the curtain opened again. The girl in the car looked out again and looked at him with a little more attention.

Meng Yulou smiled, waved slightly and said, "Come often..."

at night.

After Su Wu finished his military work, he returned to his residence, entered the backyard, and entered the main hall. He seemed to be a little uneasy.

I wanted to ask, but I didn't know how to ask. I couldn't really be sure that Miss Cheng had taken a fancy to me and loved me to death. Was she demonstrating against Meng Yulou in the main store today? Or was she bullying Meng Yulou?
Su Wu had a feeling, but he was not sure. Since he could not be sure, he did not know how to ask.

If he didn't ask, Su Wu would be afraid that it was true. If someone came to his house and bullied Meng Yulou, but he didn't even ask a single question, was he still a man?

Su Wu just sat in the hall, thinking about it.

It was Meng Yulou who came with a tea tray and sat beside Su Wu. While fiddling with the spring fragrance ointment, she casually asked, "Su Lang, do you know who is coming to the store for a drink today?"

"Ah? I wonder...what important person he is?" Su Wu answered casually, but he felt nervous in his heart.

Meng Yulou smiled and said, "The daughter of the prefect."

"Oh, her. She went out for a drink. It seems that my husband's family's education is not strict." Su Wu smiled.

"Well, he did chat with me for a while..."

"What did you say?" Su Wu felt even more nervous.

"Nothing much, just chatting, she asked me about my business or something, I naturally told her humbly... After talking for a while, it was over..."

"Oh, I guess it would be boring to stay in the boudoir. I'd better come out and meet people and see the world." Su Wu answered casually, feeling relieved. Fortunately, there was no demonstration or bullying.

But I was also secretly disappointed... It seems that the uncertain feeling I had before was really not accurate. We only met each other a few times. Why would she fall in love with a martial artist like me so much?

"You know what, Miss Cheng is really pretty. Even if I were ten years younger, I couldn't be as pretty as her." Meng Yulou said casually with a smile on her face, fiddling with the teacup.

"What are you talking about? In my opinion, you are also comparable now." Su Wu understood what he said.

"Su Lang, have some tea." Meng Yulou prepared the tea.

Su Lang took it, drank the refreshing drink in one gulp, and put the teacup down.

Meng Yulou said coquettishly, "How can you drink tea like this? It seems that Su Lang is really thirsty."

"Of course not!" Su Wu stood up and said, "I still want to eat people."

Meng Yulou immediately put down the small spoon and teacup, clasped his hands to his chest, and had already expected something.

As expected, she felt herself rising into the air. Meng Yulou only said coquettishly, "Su Lang is here to scare me again..."

Ba Bu Chuang was thinking: I don’t know when this suffering will end.

But during that moment of rest, the two of them hugged each other. Su Wu was a wise man, his mind was slightly empty, his eyes only looking at the ceiling of the bed.

But Meng Yulou suddenly said, "Su Lang, I will go back to Yanggu County in the next two days..."

"What's the matter?" asked the wise man Su Lang casually.

"Well...someone wants to buy the shop and is offering a good price. I'll go back and take a look, and then...take a look at the cloth shop's workshop and check the account books..."

"Well, you can go by yourself. I will send someone to take you there. The situation is not peaceful right now, so let Sister Gu go with you." Su Wu said, but he was still uneasy. He said, "It's just right. Let Erlang go with you. He is the most filial son. It's time for him to go home to see his brother and rest for a few days. Then I will feel at ease."

"Um……"

"how?"

"That's fine..."

"Well, come on, come on, more fragrant..."

"Su Lang, I want to stay in Yanggu for a while longer."

"Stay a few more days, we can just take care of everything. Let Mrs. Gu and Erlang stay a few more days as well. Erlang just happens to have an errand to do, recruiting soldiers in Yanggu. After all, we are all from Yanggu, and it should be easier to recruit local people. Just let Erlang talk more..."

"That's fine..."

"Come on, come on..."

"If Su Lang comes again, please be merciful..."

"Then... shall I teach you a new method?"

"Su Lang..."

(Brothers, it’s the last day, be sure to check your monthly tickets, don’t waste them, muah!)
(End of this chapter)