A lowly soldier becomes king, I slaughter my way through the late Tang Dynasty!

Zhao Yanshou could only manage a wry smile.

Su Meiwan successfully infiltrated Li Rui's inner circle and occasionally sent him intelligence.

Zhao Yanshou thought he could take the opportunity to extract more valuable information, which is why he didn't let Su Meiwan make a move.

The result was unexpected.

This great battle actually wiped out the Jin Dynasty!

In hindsight, we should have just let Su Meiwan take action and kill Li Rui to end the matter once and for all.

But it's too late to say anything now.

While Li Rui was still full of energy, he ambushed and killed Zhang Yanzhe.

"Your Majesty, this may not be such a bad thing."

"Good news!? Li Rui is my number one enemy! He has already killed Zhang Yanzhe, ruining my plans to capture Bianliang. You call this good news?"

Zhao Yanshou quickly explained.

"This at least proves that, in the entire Hebei and Central Plains, only Li Rui is capable of opposing His Majesty."

However, most of Li Rui's troops are trapped in Dingzhou, which is under our control, so there is no need to worry.

Therefore, Your Majesty only needs to have someone find Li Rui's whereabouts, either to drive him away or to annihilate him. At that time, Your Majesty will be able to unify the Central Plains without any further obstacles.

Upon hearing this...

Yelü Deguang's shock and anger gradually subsided a little.

Right.

Adding another resistance force to the Central Plains is worse than having only Li Rui.

"Then do as you say, send people to find Li Rui."

Zhao Yanshou accepted the order.

Yelü Deguang quickly added.

"Report him immediately upon discovery. Do not expel him; I must dispatch a large army to kill him!"

Zhao Yanshou was startled and was about to offer some advice.

After all, the most important thing right now is to subdue the prefectures in Hebei and settle in Bianliang.

Why waste time mobilizing troops and delaying things just for Li Rui?

But Yelü Deguang actually stated it directly.

"I can't sleep until Li Rui is dead!"

……

Where is Li Rui, whom Yelü Deguang dreams of?

"General, Tianjing Pass is just ahead."

Tianjing Pass is located between Huaizhou and Zezhou.

Huai Prefecture is located in the south, near Luoyang.

Zezhou is located in the north, at the southernmost part of the Shanxi Basin.

Once Li Rui passed through Tianjing Pass, he would enter the Hedong region, which was Liu Zhiyuan's territory.

Going to Liu Zhiyuan was, aside from certain political needs, the only option.

Since the entire Hebei province was inhabited by Khitan troops, it was impossible for Li Rui to lead the Shenjian Army, which consisted of only one thousand men, across Hebei and back to Dingzhou.

Therefore, taking the route through Hedong was the only option.

Upon hearing that Li Rui had arrived, the garrison at Tianjing Pass immediately dispatched a messenger on horseback to report to Taiyuan.

At the same time, Li Rui also wrote a letter and asked them to deliver it to Liu Zhiyuan.

During this round trip, the Divine Sword Army rested on the spot.

With nothing else to do, Zhao Kuangyin led his men to Hanoi, the capital of Huaizhou, to ask for some grain and fodder.

The governor of Huai Prefecture had just learned of the great victory at Baimajin. When he heard that it was Li Rui's subordinates coming to ask for grain, how could he dare not give it to them?

They treated Zhao Kuangyin like a grandfather, respectfully welcoming him into the city and hosting a banquet in his honor.

All the necessary provisions and supplies were readily available!

Zhao Kuangyin, caught up in the drinking, picked up the long stick used to carry the treasures and began to demonstrate his stick skills.

The prefect of Huai Prefecture clapped and cheered loudly.

Later, I saw that the ends of the long stick were wrapped with copper strips, and the images of coiled dragons were carved on them.

The governor of Huai Prefecture then laughed and flattered him.

"General Zhao's Dragon-Coiling Cudgel technique is so powerful that he would likely be unmatched even in three prefectures and six counties!"

Zhao Kuangyin hiccuped, intending to say that his preferred weapons were spears and swords.

But since the words were already on the tip of his tongue, he just laughed loudly.

"What's so special about wielding the Dragon Staff? I also have a set of fist techniques, please take a look!"

After saying that, he performed another set of punches.

……

The next morning.

When Zhao Kuangyin saw the woman on the bed, he knew things were going to go wrong!

He drank to his heart's content last night and actually slept with a maid in the governor's mansion!

"Oh no! What am I going to do? If the general finds out, he'll skin me alive!"

Zhao Kuangyin shuddered, feeling a chill run down his spine!

Li Rui governed his troops with extremely strict ironclad rules.

Regardless of whether there is a war or not, as long as one is in the military, one cannot be free and undisciplined.

Alcohol and sex must be prohibited!

Zhao Kuangyin liked to drink, and he had planned to have a little last night, but he would sober up and go back home today, so Li Rui probably wouldn't find out.

But now.

Not only did they violate the prohibition against alcohol, they also violated the prohibition against sexual activity!

In another army, if a fierce general like Zhao Kuangyin occasionally violated the order, the commander would most likely turn a blind eye.

However, Zhao Kuangyin had no illusions whatsoever about Li Rui's army!

Just then.

The woman beside him said sweetly.

"Even a fierce general like General Zhao is so afraid?"

Zhao Kuangyin cursed directly.

"You know nothing!"

The woman was instantly stunned.

Zhao Kuangyin jumped out of bed, quickly dressed, and ran off!

He hurriedly woke up all the sleeping soldiers of the Divine Sword Army.

"Quick! Pack your things and get back to camp immediately!"

Soon after, the governor of Huai Prefecture arrived upon hearing the news.

"General Zhao, why are you in such a hurry? The kitchen is preparing lunch. Why don't you eat before you leave?"

Zhao Kuangyin was quite depressed.

He thought to himself, "It's you, you wicked old man, who insisted on forcing a woman on me last night!"

"Hehe, there's an urgent matter in the army, farewell."

Zhao Hei, ruthless and heartless, left Hanoi in a flurry of activity.

There was nothing else to it but to go and confess and plead guilty as quickly as possible!

Having served under Li Rui for so long, Zhao Kuangyin knew him best.

If you make a mistake, apologize directly.

As long as the attitude is good and it's not a serious mistake of principle, the general will most likely not punish severely.

If we try to cover it up, the general will eventually find out.

Even the smallest mistake, like stealing, can be punished so severely that you'll lose half your life!

The governor of Huai Prefecture stood atop the city wall, gazing at Zhao Kuangyin's retreating figure, and his face darkened.

He returned to his residence and pointed at the maid who had been his bedmate, cursing her.

"You wretched servant! Have you not served me properly? How could you or I possibly offend someone like her?"

Suddenly, the governor of Huai Prefecture took a closer look.

But they found a fish bladder untouched in the basin of water beside the bed.

A thought struck him, and he quickly asked.

"Has this item ever been used?"

The maid blushed and shook her head.

This fish maw, boiled in water and soaked in oil, is a common contraceptive.

Never used!

The governor of Huai Prefecture stared at the maid's belly and suddenly laughed.

"I remember you were orphaned at a young age, and you have no relatives in the world, right?"

"Yes."

"Then, how about I adopt you as my goddaughter?"

"ah!?"

The maid was flattered and immediately knelt down to kowtow.

"How...how can this be?"

The governor of Huai Prefecture helped her up and said with a smile.

"How can it not be? From this day forward, you will be my goddaughter."

Although it is still uncertain whether Zhao Kuangyin succeeded in killing him on the first try.

But the old man, the governor of Huai Prefecture, could tell at a glance that Zhao Kuangyin was no ordinary man.

If his adopted daughter can really conceive Zhao Kuangyin's children, and he rises to prominence in the future, wouldn't he, as the father-in-law, also become rich and powerful?

Even if she didn't get pregnant, or even if Zhao Kuangyin didn't achieve great things later.

I'm not losing out either!

The governor of Huai Prefecture nodded in satisfaction.

It can only be said that high-level political opportunism often only requires the simplest methods of networking.

Several days later.

Close the patio.

A man rushed over from Taiyuan, carrying Liu Zhiyuan's orders.

"May I ask where Grand Commandant Li is? Your humble servant, Guo Rong, requests an audience with the Commander-in-Chief."