March of the first year of He Qing Dynasty.
Shuozhou.
The group of people drove slowly on the official road. The horses lowered their heads in exhaustion and seemed unable to move their hooves.
The knights were wrapped up very tightly.
The leader even wrapped his entire face in silk cloth, leaving only his eyes exposed.
They were so exhausted that they no longer had the energy to speak.
Several farmers were walking in the distance, carrying farm tools, talking and laughing. Suddenly they saw these masked knights, they stopped, turned around and ran away.
The leader ran away before he could even speak.
He sighed deeply and had no choice but to take off the cloth covering his face.
"Shuozhou people are really alert."
After taking off the cloth, his true appearance was revealed.
This person is none other than Zu Jue.
He was not in a hurry now, and slowly set out towards the city. Sure enough, not long after they walked out, a group of cavalry blocked their way.
There were more than ten people in total, unarmored and armed with weapons. They seemed to be Shuozhou's local army.
There was an official leading them. The man looked at Zu Jue warily, "Who are you?"
"I came from Cheng'an to see Mr. Tian. I heard that he is in this city?"
The official didn't talk nonsense, just stretched out his hand and said, "I'll pass."
"Nothing wrong, I just ran here."
The official looked at him again, looked at him for a long time, and then whispered something to him. The next moment, he turned around and asked in skilled Cheng'an dialect: "Where is your home in Cheng'an?"
Zu Jue replied in proficient Cheng'an dialect: "In Ning Lane in the west of the city."
The officials then asked the knights to escort them to the city.
Zu Jue followed the casual official with a smile and looked at the cultivated land in the distance, "There is a lot of cultivated land in Shuozhou. I heard that you have resettled a lot of people?"
The official just smiled and didn't answer.
Zu Jue asked again: "Where are you from Cheng'an?"
"From the county."
"When are you coming?"
"It's been a while."
Zu Jue shook his head and stopped asking. When they arrived at the city gate, the officials at the city gate recorded the names, appearance, characteristics, etc. of Zu Jue and others in detail, and then asked the knights to take them to the official office.
The city is exceptionally clean, with flat roads leading all the way to the government offices. Most of the buildings on the left and right are tall, with few wooden ones visible. Most of them are mammoth structures made of piled bricks and stones. The courtyard walls are much higher than those in other areas.
, this is especially true for houses. Of course, there are also some newly built houses, which are much more normal.
Occasionally, you can see a woman going out and cleaning the door of her house.
Through the wide open courtyard door, you can see the big chained dog inside.
Zu Jue was observing the surroundings all the way. He was sent to the gate of the government office. This was the busiest place in the entire city. There were too many officials coming in and out. Some even came on horseback and then left.
Zu Jue looked around. The official said something to the doorman, and then led him around the main door and walked into a small courtyard from the south door.
Zu Jue was a little shocked. After a while, a soldier came out and took him into the back room.
This room is also very small, and it doesn't look like a place where a high-ranking official would work.
There was a man sitting in the upper seat. The man was wearing ordinary clothes and had an unassuming appearance. He had a short beard and a long beard. He was stroking his beard gently and looking up and down at Zu Jue in front of him.
Zu Jue walked forward with a smile and saluted.
"Meet Mr. Tian."
Tian Zili was stunned, "How do you know me?"
"I know a little bit about the art of looking for energy."
"I don't believe this."
Tian Zili spoke softly, "Zu Jue. I have heard that you, His Majesty's favorite minister, were appointed as the eunuch by the temple. You refused the official position because your mother was ill."
"If you don't support your mother at home, why would you come here?"
Zu Jue said seriously: "I was recommended by Duke Zheng and came here specifically to join General Anxi."
"What Mr. Zheng? I don't know him."
"Why is Mr. Tian doing this? Zheng Daoqian didn't give me a letter to prove himself. He still doesn't believe me. However, I know his identity, but the emperor didn't attack him. This can prove that I sincerely came to defect."
"I'd like to ask Mr. Tian to send someone to escort me to see General Liu."
Tian Zili squinted his eyes and looked at him mostly with disdain, "What are you for? My general doesn't like painting, music, fun, and thieves. He wants to surrender to my lord, but I don't know how.
What to do?"
Zu Jue was not angry at all. When he heard the question, he laughed, "I am an incompetent and mediocre person. I dare not say that I can be of any use, but I know some secrets about Yecheng. I want to tell the general so that he can
Take precautions early."
Tian Zili ignored him and called two soldiers to escort Zu Jue to Wuchuan.
Zu Jue stood up and was about to leave when he suddenly said, "Mr. Tian, ​​there is something I should not say."
"explain."
"In another month, the temple will send someone to replace Gao Anagong. Say goodbye!"
Zu Jue turned around and left. Tian Zili quickly stood up and said, "Wait a minute!"
"What do you mean?"
Zu Jue hurriedly said: "This is what I heard from the wise ministers around your majesty when I was in Yecheng."
"They said that Shuozhou is extremely important, and it is not appropriate to hand it over to someone like Gao Anagong. A capable minister with both cultural relics and cultural relics should be sent to take over the governor's position."
"What a pity."
Zu Jue sighed with emotion, saluted again, turned around and left.
Tian Zili couldn't help it this time, and hurriedly walked down, grabbed Zu Jue, and a smile appeared on his face, "I just looked down on you a little, and I really shouldn't. Please don't leave in a hurry. Let me say one more thing."
Talk about it."
Zu Jue repeatedly said that he did not dare, and the two sat down. Tian Zili asked someone to prepare tea and meat, and asked again: "Why did you say it was a pity just now?"
Zu Jue immediately said: "If a general wants to achieve great things, Shuozhou is the foundation!"
"The city of Hengzhou is strong, but there are many pastures, iron and charcoal, but little arable land and few manpower, which is not enough to be the foundation."
"There are many people in Shuozhou, and so are the cultivated lands. The superposition of Hengzhou and Shuozhou is the foundation of the king's way."
"At present, General Liu allows Mr. Tian to work in Shuozhou, just because of the temple's stupid move, but it is not that there are no wise men in the temple."
"Like Gao Rui, he once wrote in a memorial that if Gao Anagong was removed and replaced by a wise man, the temple would definitely do this and would never hand over Shuozhou to the general."
"If the person here is wise, cherishes the people's strength, and trains the army, then does General Liu have any reason to keep the person here?"
“Are you still qualified to sit here and govern the whole earth?”
"If we continue to hold people hostage, those who support General Anxi in the temple will feel that the general has rebellious intentions. If we do not continue to hold people hostage, then they will give up Shuozhou to the temple."
Tian Zili frowned, his face gloomy.
"My lord has no thoughts of rebellion, nor has he thought about the foundation for great things. If the governor is wise, we should return to the frontier!"
Zu Jue let out a long sigh, "This is what I feel is a pity!"
He took Tian Zili's hand and said, "Our lord is too kind. He has never thought of treason at all!!"
"But in this current situation, can Gao Zhan let us go?"
"How can Shuozhou be handed over to the temple in vain? To achieve great things, Hengshuo is indispensable!"
"The previous dynasty established its capital in Hengzhou and started its business in Shuozhou, thus controlling half of the country!"
"We might as well!"
Tian Zili was shocked, and he quickly took his hand out.
For a moment, Tian Zili's thoughts were a little confused and he didn't know what to say. Zu Jue continued: "Tian Gong! You should know what kind of person Gao Zhan is. Don't put hope in him. This is not treason.
This is a rebellion! Gao Zhan is vicious and moody. If you love him today, he will be killed tomorrow. You must prepare in advance!"
"General Renyi did not consider these things. As ministers, how can we not consider them?!"
You are just a servant of Bird, my brother has never fucking seen you.
Tian Zili thought to himself, but did not deny that what the other party said was reasonable.
"Then what do you think we should do?"
"Find a way to preserve Shuozhou. Today, the general has people, horses, iron, and food around him. The only thing he lacks is a countermeasure."
"A strategy to conquer the world!!"
"so."
"I am coming."
Tian Zili was stunned.
He didn't speak for a long time.
He only felt a little numb all over his body and felt a little uncomfortable. He squeezed his hand to calm himself down a little.
"I also persuaded my brother to do big things before, and I also proposed strategies for him to attack Jinyang."
Zu Jue nodded, "What a countermeasure! As expected of Mr. Tian! Then why is the general useless?"
"There is another objection."
"What a pity."
Zu Jue sighed with emotion, and Tian Zili glanced at him, "Grandpa, you don't have to be like this. Speaking of which, my countermeasures are really simple. I just attacked Jinyang by force. You don't have to be like this. I am not a person who listens to flattery."
"I will send someone to escort you to Wuchuan."
"However, I have one thing to tell you. My brother is a generous and benevolent man. He hates traitors and villains the most and looks down on sycophants. If you speak like this in front of my brother, I'm afraid he won't tolerate it.
of."
Zu Jue bowed again and said, "Thank you Mr. Tian, ​​I will remember it."
Tian Zili immediately called the soldiers and asked them to dispatch a cavalry to protect Zu Jue on his way to Wuchuan.
Tian Zili sent Zu Jue out of the door, and the two of them saluted again before leaving.
Tian Zili returned to the house and couldn't help but sigh.
This guy has some talent. No wonder Zheng Daoqian wrote several times asking us to get rid of him.
Tian Zili shook his head and was about to write a letter to his brother.
Um?
Where is my fucking pen??
Zu Jue was sitting in the car, playing with the pen, but thinking about the countermeasures later.
Tian Zili sent more than forty Qingqi to escort Zu Jue, and together with the people Zu Jue originally brought, no one dared to question him along the way.
The road from Shuozhou to Beishuo has obviously been repaired once, and it is surprisingly easy to walk. You can pass it on a horse-drawn carriage without having to get off the car.
After walking like this for several days, Zu Jue finally managed to reach Wuchuan.
This was not the first time that Zu Jue came to the frontier fortress. He had even gone out of the frontier fortress and visited places that Liu Taozi had never been to before.
The carriage stopped at the gate of the city. There were knights waiting for him here. They led Zu Jue to the official office in Wuchuan to visit Liu Taozi.
This military walled city was extremely quiet at the moment. There was no sound around, and the school grounds were extremely quiet.
Zu Jue observed the surroundings carefully, and the smile on his face became more and more obvious.
The process of meeting General Anxi was not troublesome. He didn't seem to be afraid that others would assassinate him. He only needed to register at the door, and someone led Zu Jue into the inner room without even confiscating his sword.
This is much easier than meeting the county magistrate!
"Chen Zujue pays homage to General Anxi!!"
Zu Jue took a step back, and then saluted Liu Taozi in a particularly solemn manner.
Liu Taozi glanced at the letters sent by Zheng Daoqian and Tian Zili, then stared at the person in front of him for a moment, "Get up."
"Thank you General!!"
"Long time no see, the general is still as brave as ever!"
"Have you seen me?"
"In the second year of Emperor Jian's reign, I met the general in Yecheng!"
"The general rode a big green horse and entered the city accompanied by His Majesty, with unparalleled momentum!"
"In the second year of Emperor Jian's reign, you served as a bookkeeper. You should have been with Emperor Daxing. How could you have seen me in Yecheng?"
"The general didn't know something. His Majesty had not yet ascended the throne at that time. He summoned wizards in Yecheng to plot a rebellion. I am good at this, so I went to Yecheng."
Liu Taozi didn't speak, just stared at him fiercely.
Zu Jue's expression did not change and he said solemnly: "General, when I come here this time, I have two gifts to give you."
"oh?"
Zu Jue said: "This first gift is from Yecheng."
"When I was in Yecheng, there were nursery rhymes in the city saying that the general was planning to rebel."
"I have modified it a little to make the nursery rhyme come true to Gao Guiyan. The emperor is already moody, and Gao Guiyan has too much power in the court, which arouses the fear of many people."
"At the moment, the emperor's energy should be focused on Gao Guiyan, and there may even be a war. Then the temple will not be able to take care of Shuozhou, and the general can continue to recharge his energy at the frontier without having to worry about the temple.
"
Liu Taozi frowned and hummed.
Zu Jue continued: "This second gift is the four strategies I want to present to the general."
"Four strategies?"
"I know that the general has the great ambition to stabilize the country and save the people of the world. Although the minister is not talented, he also has the idea of ​​assisting the wise king and helping the country!"
"When the general comes to Cheng'an, there will be peace in Cheng'an; when the general goes to Liyang, there will be great rule in Liyang; when the general goes to Dingzhou, there will be a Qingming Festival in Dingzhou; when the general goes to the border fortress, there will be such a big change in the border fortress!"
"Therefore, if you want to govern the world well and let the people live a good life, you can only do it by letting generals lead the world."
"And I have four countermeasures here that can allow the general to do this."
"If the general is willing to listen, I will tell you."
Zu Jue slowly raised his head and secretly looked at the man sitting on top.
Liu Taozi nodded, "You say."
Zu Jue was overjoyed. He suddenly raised his head and straightened his body, "General, this first strategy is to protect yourself from thieves!"
"The reason why the current generals can gain such power in the border fortress is because the Puppet Zhou in the west and the Turks in the north are powerful, and the temples are very afraid of them."
"If a general wants to expand his power, he must constantly attack and take the initiative to attack these thieves. Most of the troops of the Puppet Zhou Dynasty are distributed in the south. Only the garrison soldiers are left outside the fortress. They don't pay too much attention to it. For example, in important towns such as Woye, there are no soldiers stationed there.
There are more than four to five thousand, and many of the generals are close followers of Yu Wenhu and do not know how to fight. It will not be difficult for the general to defeat them."
"Once he came to collect these lands for his own use, he surrounded the surrounding towns with fertile land that could be cultivated. When Hu Luguang led his troops to capture Jinhe, Baima, Yicheng and other places, the Zhou people did not pay attention to it and did not think about it.
Send troops to get back."
"Secondly, there are frequent battles, so the temple will not be in a hurry to deal with the general. If the general gains military exploits at the frontier, expands his territory, and focuses on fighting foreign invaders, then the emperor will be able to free up his hands to deal with the people on his left and right, and he will not be like
Now I am thinking about how to get rid of you all day long."
"This is called a strategy to defeat thieves and protect yourself, strengthen yourself, and escape from the chaos in the temple."
"This second strategy is to kidnap the young master and control the temple."
"Gao Zhan likes to eat and drink, but his health is very poor. He needs to take medicine to maintain his health. He may not live past thirty, and his children are very young."
"He is cruel and suspicious. Once he discovers that the general is not a threat, he will deal with those who follow him one by one. Even Gao Baibai, the prince of Emperor Daxing, may not be able to escape."
"At present, all the officials in the temple think that Gao Zhan can do great things and are willing to follow him. However, I think Gao Zhan is a bad person who cannot achieve anything. It will only take two or three years for the officials to understand this and know that he is
No matter what kind of virtue you have, you will naturally not follow it with all your heart."
"At that time, the general had been fighting against foreign bandits for many years. He had many cities under his command, a lot of food, and the soldiers were all elites from hundreds of battles. However, the generals in the temple did not know how many were left. They were falling and rising, and the situation changed drastically!
"
"At that time, we can contact the wise men in the court, appoint the former prince as emperor, and get rid of Gao Zhan and his cronies!"
"All government affairs in the temple are in the hands of the general. As long as the general does not imitate Gao Zhan, practices benevolent government, appeases the ministers and generals, and governs the world as a general, and temporarily leaves the government affairs to Gao Jun, then the world will be at home!!
"
"The third strategy is to defeat Zhou and become emperor."
"Yu Wenhu of Zhou Dynasty is not crazy, but this man is too selfish and has no corresponding ability. He is suspicious and kills kings. There are many people who oppose him in Zhou Dynasty. When the general takes power, he can take advantage of them
internal chaos
When the time comes, we send troops to attack. We send troops from the border fortress and bypass the opponent's strongest defense. We don't need to destroy the puppet Zhou Dynasty. We just need to drive them away and occupy the place within Tongguan so that they can no longer send troops to attack."
"At this time, the general can legitimately proclaim himself emperor, dominate the world, use wise men as prime ministers, and fierce men as generals, and work hard to govern."
"The fourth strategy is to destroy Zhou and Chen."
"We gather our troops and attack the Puppet Zhou first. It is best to subdue their generals and advisers for our use. Then, we will follow the Jing River to destroy the Puppet Chen, unify the world, and create a prosperous age!!"
"General!!"
"I am willing to pioneer for the king!!"
Chapter completed!