The Ming Dynasty began from Sarhu

Chapter 554 Three years and three years

Li Dingguo clenched the scabbard of his sword tightly, like a lonely wolf. His slightly childish face was slightly distorted by intense resentment. His blazing eyes stared at Yu Chengze's back in front of him, and he gritted his teeth and said:

"Old Yu, are you alone?"

Li Dingguo was overcome with grief when he thought about dying in Jiangxi instead of Fujian. It looked like Old Yu had defected to the Ming army. Zheng Chenggong hadn't killed him, but Zhu Changling wouldn't spare her. The Great Qi had many enemies in the south.

Li Dingguo felt a little regretful, regretting that he had come to Fujian to wade into this muddy water.

He kidnapped someone's father and demanded ransom from him again and again. Although Zheng Zhilong had betrayed the Great Qi, this was indeed not a fair act.

He didn't care about these things and began to consider whether he should pray to the God of Zhenwu before he died, or take this traitor with him.

He didn't know how many people were on the other side, and it seemed that he would not be able to walk out of the yard alive today.

At this time, Yu Chengze, who was walking in front, suddenly turned around. There was a vermilion plaque between the two of them.

"Brother Li, don't blame me."

Li Dingguo gritted his teeth and prepared for the final resistance.

Yu Chengze continued to explain:

"They are all family members. The customs in Raozhou are different from those in Liaodong. Women are not allowed to see outsiders. You came at the wrong time. Let them go inside and stay away."

The sound of footsteps could be heard all around, and a few graceful figures passed by in the front yard. Several women walked through the garden full of pear blossoms and quickly went into the back wing. The air was mixed with the fragrance of rouge and powder.

Li Dingguo lowered his head and wiped the sweat from his face, cursing in his heart: "You idiot, you didn't tell me earlier, you scared me..."

Yu Chengze did not notice this detail. Seeing that Li Dingguo's expression remained unchanged and his eyes did not look away, he felt that this man had the demeanor of a great general and would definitely have a bright future.

"What if the women are molested?"

Yu Chengze looked at Li Dingguo in surprise, thought for a moment, and said with a wicked smile:

"Throw yourself into a well, hang yourself, jump into a river, or even drown yourself in a pig cage. Brother Li, you've come all this way and still have the energy to get drunk on flowers. I admire you! I admire you!"

Li Dingguo said "oh" and stopped talking.

The two men sat down in the main hall, and a pretty little maid brought tea and handed it to Li Dingguo.

Li Dingguo took it with his hand, but his eyes were not on the maid. Instead, he looked around the house and seemed to be hesitant to speak.

"Brother Li, have you had breakfast yet? I'll have the servants prepare it."

Li Dingguo came here in a hurry, but he didn't come to eat.

"No need, I just ate at the city gate."

Yu Chengze said "oh" and dismissed the maids and servants. Before Li Dingguo could speak, the master spoke first:

"It's been many years since we last met. I wonder how Captain Shen and the others are doing? It was Captain Shen who brought me into the Suoyi Guard..."

Li Dingguo looked around and saw a pair of Song Dynasty blue and white porcelain placed on the table next to him.

"It seems that these years have been a comfortable life."

Yu Chengze picked up the bottle, played with it in his hands, and handed it over.

"Like it? If you like it, I'll give it to you. There are plenty of them here."

Li Dingguo waved his hand, his eyes unconsciously falling on the black package next to the chair.

From the moment he entered the yard, Yu Chengze had been staring at the package, curious about what was inside. "What is it?"

Li Dingguo's expression was stern: "The heads belong to my brother and another one to a civil servant from Northern Zhili."

Yu Chengze uttered an "oh" and quickly moved his body back as if he was afraid of touching human blood.

Li Dingguo felt that this person was very unfamiliar. It was not that he had known Yu Chengze before, but judging from Yu Chengze's words and actions, it was really hard to tell whether he had any connection with the Suoyi Guard.

"What kind of business have you been doing in Jiangxi these years? How can you make money like this?"

Old Yu took out two cigarette holders from the desk drawer and handed one to Li Dingguo.

Li Dingguo knew it was Nanyang Fushou Cream, a priceless substance. The cream, rubbed into small balls, was worth more than gold. He had seen wealthy families using it in Shenyang before.

"Thanks, I don't like this."

Old Yu chuckled and took out a pipe with holes at both ends from the drawer...

After watching him struggle for a long time, Li Dingguo lay sideways on the armchair and placed the butt of his gun close to a whale oil lamp, from which wisps of green smoke began to rise.

The pretty maid came forward and used a bamboo stick to help her master poke the pipe.

Li Dingguo saw that his body was limp as if he was drunk, with saliva flowing from the corners of his mouth.

He could only shake his head helplessly, stand up and say goodbye.

Old Yu lay on the chair and said intermittently:
"In the first year of Taichang, not the second year, in March or April, I was selling illegal salt in Poyang Lake and was arrested by the government. I was almost beaten to death. I was lucky enough to escape to the north and arrived in Kaiyuan. I joined the Suoyi Guard. I didn't know anything at that time. One day, Captain Shen found me and asked me if I was brave enough. Of course I said I was. He said that all the provinces in the north had sent people and they were still short of people in the south. Should I go? Of course I said yes. He said he was going to be a spy. I said I was a spy, so I came to Jiangxi. He said that the Kaiyuan soldiers would soon come south, so I waited and waited here, waiting and waiting, in order to support my family and continue my old business. "Okay, the next year, Captain Shen sent a letter saying that I should wait another three years. After three years, the army would march south, and I wouldn't have to be a spy anymore. I'd be happy if you gave me an official position, so I kept waiting. But three years after three years, three years after three years, I've been waiting for you in Raozhou for a full ten years. I've even married my fifth concubine, and waited until General Liu became emperor and then the emperor emeritus, but the army still hasn't marched south! I've lost my official position! But my business is getting bigger and bigger. If I wait any longer, I'll become the biggest salt smuggler in Jiangxi. Go back and ask Shen Lian to pay me all my wages for these years!"

Li Dingguo listened to him patiently until he finished speaking. He was already confused and said to him:
"Captain Shen, isn't he already dead? I can't bring him any messages."

Yu Chengze woke up as if from a dream, pushed the maid away, dropped the pipe, and said:
"died."

Suddenly, shouts of pursuers were heard outside.

"Don't let the Qi spy go!"

"Go in and search!"

Li Dingguo drew his sword.

"You were the one who reported it?"

"I'm just a salt smuggler, why would I want to deal with the government? It's Butler Zhao, I'll break his legs later. Don't be afraid, there's a secret passage in the backyard, follow me."

Li Dingguo was dumbfounded. The spy in front of him had been undercover for many years and had become a wealthy man in Raozhou. It seemed that he was not a bad person. Thinking of how Da Qi was exploiting these wealthy businessmen in the north, the young red general suddenly felt a little conflicted.

"What should we do now?"

"Leave the city first and go to the outer city dock to find Wang Dongjia. Then take a boat to Huguang. After crossing the Yangtze River, you will reach the territory of Da Qi."

"You're not leaving?"

When asked this question, Li Dingguo found it a bit funny.

"People are gone, but money won't leave them. I still have hundreds of people under my command who rely on me for their livelihood. We'll meet again later. Oh, and burn paper money for Captain Shen for me."

"A word is settled!"

Li Dingguo bid farewell to Lao Yu and entered the secret passage.

(End of this chapter)