Northern Prefecture Rivers and Mountains

Chapter 16 Asking for help
"Agui, how about we report to the police?" Liu Xinzhi opened his eyes wide, his face full of clear stupidity.

"Do you think the government will help the Diao family or us?" Liu Daogui looked at him.

The Diao family had been operating in Jingkou for three generations, with tens of thousands of servants and nine thousand hectares of fertile land, and their entire territory had been connected.

Reporting to the authorities is tantamount to walking into a trap. If things go wrong, even Liu Daogui may be implicated.

After Sima Daozi and Wang Guobao came to power, Jiangzuo was in unprecedented chaos. Most prefects and county magistrates only cared about money and power. The Diao family and the Liu family were not on the same level...

And it is only natural to pay back debts.

Liu Yu owed the Diao family 30,000 coins. The Diao family was in the right, so they arrested Liu Yu and reported him to the authorities. The authorities had nothing to say. The most likely possibility is that Liu Yu paid off his debts by selling himself into slavery.

"What should I do?" Liu Xinzhi was at a loss.

"We can only ask for help from the Northern Army!" Liu Daogui immediately came up with an idea and hurried to Liu Huaisu's house with Liu Xinzhi.

Right now, he is the only one who can talk to Liu Jingxuan.

Uncle Xiao Yuanzhi is in Jiankang, and distant water cannot quench nearby fire. Even if he rushes back now, the Diao family may not give face to the Lanling Xiao family.

"What? My brother was captured by the Diao family? How could he be so careless?" Liu Huaisu was also shocked.

"The Diao family used Chupu to lure people into debt... and they owed them 30,000 coins."

"Alas, the Diao family is truly sinister, resorting to such tactics..."

If we go to look for Liu Jingxuan at this time, I'm afraid we won't even be able to enter the gate of Liu's mansion.

The brothers waited until dawn before hurriedly rushing to Liu's house.

In the Battle of Feishui, Xie Xuan was of course the most famous person, but Liu Laozhi was also famous. He defeated the Di Qin many times with a small force.

As the first general of the Northern Army, Liu Fu was quite imposing.

There are two large vermilion lacquered pillars in front of the gate. The one on the left is called "valve" and the one on the right is called "yue". The so-called gate and valve refer to the family's status.

Make up for what you lack. Liu Laozhi's family has been in a military family for generations. His grandfather Liu Xi was the prefect of Yanmen, and his father Liu Jian was the general who conquered the enemy. After crossing the Yangtze River, the family's status declined.

However, the eaves are raised and look quite flying, which is in line with Liu Laozhi's military character.

Under the doorpost, two soldiers wearing double-leg armor stood solemnly on the left and right, holding long spears, looking majestic.

Liu Huaisu was a frequent visitor. After he announced his name, a servant led him into the mansion.

Liu Xinzhi and Liu Zun were waiting outside.

Liu Daogui was worried about his brother and had no mood to appreciate the elegant layout of the Liu Mansion.

Liu Jingxuan, wearing a black-collared mink coat and half asleep, said, "If he were still outside, we could still rescue him. But now that he's been captured by the Diao family, I'm afraid he's in great danger."

"Please, General, save my brother!" Liu Daogui bowed deeply.

Liu Jingxuan did not refuse, "Well, I can only let Aye plead for mercy in this matter."

"I will never forget your life-saving grace." Liu Daogui was extremely grateful. At this time, he was the only one willing to help.

"Brothers, there is no need to do this. You wait here first, I will go to see Aye." Liu Jingxuan turned and left.

The servants served steaming hot tea with candied fruit and peach kernels, which was full of fragrance.

I just don't have much appetite now.

Liu Daogui thought it was just a matter of a word, but he didn't expect Liu Jingxuan to come back after nearly half an hour, and his face didn't look very good.

"Aye has been unwell recently and has been bedridden. He really has no time to take care of this matter."

Liu Daogui glanced at Liu Huaisu. He thought that if he got sick at this time, he would definitely be making excuses.

Liu Jingxuan's willingness to help does not mean that Liu Laozhi is willing to offend the Diao family for Liu Yu.

Moreover, the imperial court is about to activate the Northern Army, and Liu Laozhi is at the center of the storm. The Diao family is a noble family anyway, and their status is higher than that of Liu Laozhi.

Liu Laozhi had a grudge with the Diao family, which offended the gentry.

Liu Daogui thought it through and sighed. The world is fickle. The more powerful one is, the more they value profit. Ultimately, helping Liu Yu would bring no real benefit to Liu Laozhi, while offending the Diao family might cause dissatisfaction among other nobles.

"Since you are not feeling well, come back another day." Liu Huaisu lowered his voice a few degrees, unable to hide his disappointment.

"Thank you, Major General." Liu Daogui still thanked him sincerely.

After bidding farewell to Liu Jingxuan, Liu Daogui felt that no one could help him and no one could gain any benefit.

People without power and influence cannot withstand any storm.

The eldest brother is the father.

His father Liu Qiao passed away the year Liu Daogui was born. Liu Daogui had almost no memory of him and was raised by Liu Yu since childhood.

Now that he is in trouble, Liu Daogui cannot turn a blind eye.

But normal methods can no longer save him now.

Everyone in Jingkou knew what kind of person the Diao family was. If Liu Yu fell into their hands, he would be skinned alive if not killed.

"Let's just go all out and storm into Diao's house and have a big fight!" Liu Zun was murderous.

Liu Huaisu scolded him, "Stop talking nonsense! The Diao family has over ten thousand servants, five or six hundred armored soldiers, and the Wu Fort. How many of us are there?"

The quarrel between the two men made Liu Daogui feel something.

Since normal means are not enough to rescue my brother, I have no choice but to take a crooked approach.

It is not advisable to attack the Diao family head-on. Even if Liu Daogui is willing, not many people will be willing to follow him. Others have parents, wives and children. There is no reason for them to jump into the fire pit with Liu Daogui. Only someone like Liu Zun, who has no money and no connections, is willing to sacrifice his life for a gentleman.

However, it is impolite not to reciprocate. If the Diao family captured someone from the Liu family, the Liu family can also capture someone from the Diao family.

"Taking the Diao family by force is like hitting a rock with an egg, but we can also give them a taste of their own medicine. The Diao family is used to being arrogant and domineering, so let's go and capture their people!"

Liu Daogui slapped his thigh and said, "It's better to rely on yourself than on others. After reading so much Gongyang Zhuan and Wu Zi's Art of War, I should have thought of this earlier."

In essence, Gongyang Zhuan is an elaboration of the Spring and Autumn Annals written by Confucius, and it records the struggles between countries and between people.

Wu Zi's military strategy teaches people how to fight and kill.

In Liu Daogui's view, reading has two main purposes: one is to become an official, but this path is not feasible; the other is to broaden one's horizons and put what one learns into practice...

"Good idea!" Liu Huaisu is not a pedantic person.

Liu Daogui sorted out his thoughts and said, "Find some quick and reliable people, spread out, and find out if there are any lonely people in the Diao family. We must do it quickly."

"Let's go find some help right away!" Liu Huaisu and Liu Xinzhi trotted off.

Liu Zun followed Liu Daogui home.

At home, Xiao Wenshou and Zang Aiqin were restless, and even their lively little niece looked as pale as a frost-bitten melon, with a look of worry on her face.

Seeing Liu Daogui coming back, Xiao Wenshou asked nervously: "Agui..."

"Don't worry, mother and sister-in-law, it's just some trivial matters." Liu Daogui didn't want to make them worry.

There's no use worrying.

However, these words obviously could not fool them. After a short silence, Xiao Wenshou said, "With Ji Nu gone, you are the pillar of the family. A real man should act decisively. Once you have thought it through, you should act without hesitation. Don't be timid and don't worry about your family."

Liu Daogui was stunned. He always thought his mother was a weak woman, but he didn't know she was so strong.

In such a world, she was able to pull the Liu family back together, so she must have experienced many ups and downs.

Liu Daogui felt a surge of warmth in his chest, and the fear in his heart disappeared. "Son knows."

Zang Aiqin said nothing and silently made a pot of meat soup for Liu Daogui.

Smelling the aroma of meat mixed with the fragrance of water shield, Liu Daogui realized that he was already starving...

(End of this chapter)