"Just now Tianchang Zhizhi sent someone to surrender to me. There are 200,000 stones of military rations stored there. I would like to ask you two to go to Tianchang. Mr. Zhao will count the military rations and then hand them over to Zhixian and escort them to Shouzhou for supply.

Used by the army."

Xu Xian smiled and said, "This is because you are being unkind. Tianchang Zhishi has given you such a great gift. Why don't you give him a favor and let him send it to Shouzhou himself? The credit will not go to you."

"Who cares about that little credit? I still can't trust him. If he sends it directly to Shouzhou City, Shouzhou won't be able to win it in another two years." Zhao Kuangyin sat down and said: "That's it, tomorrow

You two will take a trip to Tianchang."

The two men agreed in unison, and Zhao Pu added: "My subordinates have another matter to report to the commander. After the army entered the city, they captured many thieves who took advantage of the chaos to rob people's property. I just saw Xu Yuhou executing an execution and heard that there were suspects."

In calling for injustice, many people may have been wrongly arrested, and I thought it would be better to re-trial them before questioning them."

After the Zhou army entered the Southern Tang Dynasty, Chai Rong strictly restrained the soldiers and did not let them disturb the people. Chai Rong also warned Xu Xian and Zhao Kuangyin before they were ordered to attack Chuzhou, so the Zhou army did not go around plundering the city after taking it.

Instead of looting, he helped maintain public order and caught many thieves who took advantage of the chaos to rob.

The same goes for Han Lingkun, who was ordered to attack Yangzhou. Not only did he not launch troops and plunder, but he also guarded Li Tang's imperial mausoleum with the Li clan. It's not that the moral integrity of the military officers has improved, it is actually that the Southern Tang Dynasty was rich enough, and only the treasury could

Their appetite. If the official treasury is empty, it depends on whether the military officers will listen.

Zhao Kuangyin was not a bloodthirsty person. Death and casualties were inevitable in the battle between the two armies before the battle. However, if the good man Zhao Kuangyin was unjustly accused, he would feel sorry for him and said: "Why don't we take him into custody temporarily and trouble Mr. Zhao to interrogate him before questioning him."

Zhao Pu hurriedly said: "Thank you for your trust, Commander!"

"Haha... I have to thank you two! Since I captured Chuzhou, I have been busy with trivial matters and have never celebrated with you. Why don't you just get drunk with me tonight, just to practice for you."

Zhao Kuangyin immediately ordered people to serve the food, and brought alcohol and mixed it with boiling water to drink. After three rounds of wine and five flavors of food, the three of them were all feeling hot, and the wine got to their heads and started to indulge.

Zhao Pu usually looked like a very down-to-earth man, but now he was raising his glass to the moon and singing non-stop. Xu Xian thought he was composing a poem, but when he heard it carefully, he was actually reading the Analects of Confucius. He was worthy of being a prime minister who ruled the world with half a copy of the Analects.

"Hehe... Poetry is about talent. Zhao is really not good at it. I have heard a few of Xu Yuhou's masterpieces before that shocked Zhao. How about Yuhou write another one to make Zhao happy."

"No!" Xu Xian only had a few good poems left in his stomach, but he wanted to leave them to Fu Liying and read them to the two big gentlemen to figure out what was going on.

"Stingy!" Zhao Kuangyin bowed his hand and said: "Mr. Zhao, don't ask him! I can also write poems!"

Zhao Kuangyin drank a bowl of wine, looked up to the sky and chanted: "The light is shining before it comes out, and thousands of mountains are like fire hair. In a moment, it goes to the sky, chasing away the remaining stars and chasing away the moon." After reciting, he turned to Xu Xian and said:

"Zhixian, what do you think of my poem?"

Xu Xian nodded and said, "It's good if it can rhyme!"

"If I can get a compliment from you, it means that my poem is not bad."

"But your poem doesn't fit the situation. It's obviously saying that the sunrise is now evening!"

"How can I be so anxious that I just open my mouth to do this? This is an old work from my past!"

Zhao Pu said with a smile: "The language of this poem directed by Zhao is simple but full of enthusiasm. Only those with high ambitions can write it."

"Haha... Mr. Zhao, I have always regarded you as an honest and honest gentleman. I dare to say such flattering words. Isn't it a shame?"

"Hahaha..." Zhao Kuangyin laughed, "Mr. Zhao understands me, it's obvious!"

The two of them drank a bowl and just put them down when a soldier hurried in and reported: "Commander Zhao, there are people from outside the city!"

The three of them stood up immediately after hearing the words. They were half awake from the wine. Zhao Kuangyin's hand was already pressed on the handle of the knife. "How many troops are there? Who is leading the troops!"

Unexpectedly, the soldier said: "Commander Zhao, don't worry, you are not the enemy. The person who came here said that he is your father and came here to see you."

"Bah! Where did this bastard come from? He dares to take advantage of me. Let me go and have a look!"

Zhao Hongyin was ordered to attack Yangzhou together with Han Lingkun. He would never appear outside Chuzhou City, let alone come here to see his son. When Zhao Kuangyin arrived at the city, he cursed him with a drunken spirit, "Where did you come from, bastard, dare to take advantage of me?"

It’s cheap, let’s see if I don’t shoot you to death!”

As he spoke, he had already taken the bow and arrow and aimed at a few hazy figures outside the city. Before he could draw the bow string, he heard someone shouting: "Yuen Long, it's my father!"

It turned out to be Zhao Hongyin's voice. When Zhao Kuangyin heard this, he quickly put down his bow and arrow, supported the female wall and shouted outward: "Sir, aren't you in Yangzhou? Why are you here!"

I only heard Zhao Hongyin reply: "Your Majesty ordered me to return to Beijing, so I made a detour to see you!"

"That's it. It's dark now and the city gate is closed. Please spend the night outside the city first, and then open the door to welcome father into the city tomorrow!"

I heard Zhao Hongyin reply: "Then let's go to the city tomorrow."

Xu Xian suddenly said to Zhao Kuangyin: "Don't you think there's something wrong? My father-in-law is not the kind of person who loves his children. With his character, he will immediately return to Beijing after receiving the imperial edict. Why would he take a detour to see you? It seems like there is something fishy?

"

As soon as Xu Xian finished speaking, he heard someone outside the city shouting: "Master Zhao is seriously ill, and the wind and cold outside the city are heavy. Commander Zhao should open the city gate early... Wuwuwu..."

The man's mouth was covered before he finished speaking. Zhao Kuangyin on the top of the city leaned forward and shouted toward the dark outside the city: "Sir, are you really seriously ill?"

"Haha... I'm fine as a father. I'm just a little sick. I'll be fine after a few days of rest."

It is said that a son knows better than his father, and the converse is also true. Based on Zhao Kuangyin's understanding of his father, Zhao Hongyin would never come back from Yangzhou to see him for no reason. If he was sick, it was probably a serious illness. Zhao Hongyin might even come here to ask for him.

Farewell.

There is another possibility, that is, Yangzhou was defeated, Zhao Hongyin was captured and surrendered, and came to Chuzhou to cheat the city. Of course, this second possibility is very slim...

The torch whistled in the night wind, illuminating Zhao Kuangyin's dark and red face. His thick eyebrows were knitted together, his face was full of tangles, and his mouth kept mumbling but delayed.

Don't speak.

Suddenly Zhao Kuangyin knelt down, held the crenel with both hands and shouted down: "Although you and I have a deep love for each other, Kuangyin is guarding the city for the Zhou Dynasty. It is dark at night and the military situation is unknown. I dare not let anyone in. I will tell you personally at dawn tomorrow."

Please forgive me!"

Looking at Zhao Kuangyin who was stunned on the ground, Xu Xian was shocked. He really didn't expect that Zhao Kuangyin would guard against the slim possibility and shut out his seriously ill father. But after a second thought, Xu Xian felt relieved again.

This man is the emperor's spare tire. He doesn't have a tough, strong or even ruthless mind. How can he be the founding king of the country?

While Xu Xian was thinking about it, Zhao Kuangyin turned around and strode away without even saying hello. He got off the horse road to the city and seemed to have to run away.

Xu Xian sighed and was about to turn around when he heard someone say in his ear: "Is it possible that Marquis Xu Yu also turned a blind eye to the seriously ill Master Zhao and wanted to leave? You are like a father-in-law!"

Xu Xian turned around and asked with a smile: "I don't understand what Mr. Zhao means."

Zhao Pu chuckled and said, "Zhao knows that Marquis Yu must be thinking at this moment that Commander Zhao and the Chamber Master Zhao are biological father and son, and they can throw him outside the city, let alone your son-in-law."

Seeing that Xu Xian didn't answer, Zhao Pu sighed and said: "How can Marquis Yu understand the difficulty of Commander Zhao? He has a heavy responsibility to guard Chuzhou with the emperor's orders. If Zhao Xiangzhu is released into the city at this moment, not only will he not be able to communicate with the emperor,

It will be more difficult to control after the explanation. Yuhou is different. You are just a partial general in this expedition to Chuzhou, and your relationship is much smaller. If you can bring Zhao Xiangzhu into the city from Kaicheng, Commander Zhao will definitely treat him.

You can’t thank you enough.”

"Haha!" Xu Xian laughed twice, "Mr. Zhao is looking down on others. Did you just think that I was going back to camp to rest?"

"Is not it?"

"Of course not. I was going down to the city just now and opened the door to welcome my father-in-law."

Just as Xu Xian was about to leave, Zhao Pu suddenly grabbed Xu Xian's wrist and asked, "Why?"

"Zhao Xiangzhu and I are not just our husband-in-law, we have been friends for many years, and we almost had a relationship earlier. He is the most respectable elder I have ever seen!"

Xu Xian shook off Zhao Pu's hand and turned around to get off the horse road leading to the city. He ordered the primary school guard in the gate: "Open the city gate quickly and lower the suspension bridge!"

The principal raised his hand and replied: "Don't be surprised, Marquis Yu. It is already dark now. Without Commander Zhao's order, I would never dare to open the door if I am a humble official."

Xu Xian drew his knife and put it on the principal's neck, "Do you think that only the knife commanded by Zhao can kill people?"

The small school was forced to have no choice but to open the city gate and lower the suspension bridge. Xu Xian held the torch and left the city. Not far after walking out, he saw a few people and an ordinary carriage parked not far from the city gate.

, dozens of soldiers guarded the carriage. When they saw someone coming out of the city, they said: "Finally some conscience!" Then he said to the carriage: "Zhao Xiangzhu's city gate has opened, and someone is coming!"

I saw a man leaning half out of the carriage and said anxiously: "Yuen Long, why are you doing this!"

"My father-in-law made a mistake and admitted the wrong person. It's me, your son-in-law!" Xu Xian put the torch over and was shocked when he saw the person in the car. He saw that the person's face was swollen and he could barely see Zhao Hongyin's face.

After a while, Xu Xian stepped forward and grabbed Zhao Hongyin's arm and said, "We haven't seen him for more than half a month, how come my father-in-law is like this?"

Xu Xian asked Yin Simiao to see Zhao Hongyin some time ago, because the temple only said that Zhao Hongyin had insufficient kidney energy. Now it seems that it is not that simple.

Zhao Hongyin smiled and said: "I'm not a doctor. How could I have known that I would become like this? God is probably going to accept me."

"Don't be discouraged, father-in-law. You have always been in good health. Go back and seek treatment from a good doctor. You will be back to normal soon." Xu Xian knew very well that with Zhao Hongyin's appearance, he was afraid that he would not be able to live for long, and he might not even be able to open the city.

I have to go back. I came to Chuzhou to give my last words to Zhao Kuangyin.

A soldier said to Xu Xian: "It's better to go to the city to talk. Master Zhao is still suffering from a fever."

The carriage started slowly. Xu Xian ducked and sat on the shaft to guide the way. He heard Zhao Hongyin sigh in the carriage: "This time Yuen Long asked you to pick me up into the city. I'm afraid it won't be easy to explain to both the superiors and the subordinates."

Xu Xian replied: "Don't worry, father-in-law, he didn't ask me to come."

"Didn't Yuen Long open the city gate and ask you to pick me up?"

"No, my father-in-law doesn't have to worry about His Majesty punishing him, nor does he have to worry about his soldiers being unrestrained because of this!"

Zhao Hongyin grabbed Xu Xian's wrist in shock, "So you opened the city privately and let me in!"

"Exactly!"

"Stop! Stop quickly!" Zhao Hongyin loudly ordered the carriage to stop.

Xu Xian advised: "Zhang Yue, the city gate is now open. You are seriously ill, so go in."

Zhao Hong said seriously: "Of course I want to go in, but you should go back to Shouzhou now to apologize to His Majesty, give him a horse, and tell him to leave now!"

Xu Xian asked in confusion: "Why?"
To be continued...