Chapter 294: Soldiers never get tired of cheating

Zhao Xin thought about it and suddenly realized that Yang Wang was the son of Yang Ji? The son of the Yang family, the most powerful man in Chang'an, would he have something to come to him?

He did not dare to be negligent, so he hurriedly went out to salute and said, "So Jun Yang, don't know what to do with me?"

Yang Wang looked at Zhao Xin in front of him. He was thin, with a small nose and small eyes, a face full of hard work and wrinkles. Yang Wang couldn't help but look down on him.

"It's nothing. I want to ask Zhao Shuling to have a glass of water and wine. If you have a small matter, I want to ask for help, so give me some face!"

Both of them have signed orders, but Zhao Xin is the eighth-rank upper rank, while Yang Wang is the seventh-rank lower rank. Judging from his official position, Yang Wang is half a rank higher than Zhao Xin, but this is not the difference between them. The real difference is: Yang Wang is the son and nephew of the Yang family, the most powerful man of the dynasty, and he is only twenty-six years old this year and has a bright future. However, Zhao Xin is poor and is already fifty-four years old this year, and has no hope of promotion.

Zhao Xin really doesn't understand why Yang Wang came to find him? But since he has said something to give face, if he doesn't go, he will really not give face.

"Okay! I'm willing to accompany Yang Envoy."

At this time, when the court was already gone, the small wine shops around the imperial city were filled with officials who came to drink. This was the tradition of officials from Chang'an. After going down, they did not rush home. They first came to the wine shop with their colleagues to have a few glasses of wine. Some local officials also invited Beijing officials to drink and ask for services. High-quality and powerful officials went to the higher-level Hu Ji wine shop, while low-key officials came to the low-level small wine shop.

Yang Wang and the others came to a small winery called Baqiao Qiuyue, located in Wubenfang. Yang Wang is an old guest here. When the guy saw him coming, he quickly invited him inside.

As soon as he entered the wine shop, the noise came to his face. The small wine shop was filled with drinkers. A deteriorated Hu Ji carried a wine pot and sold wine in the living room, which cost ten cents a glass of wine. Of course, the buyers could also take advantage of her at will.

"Master Yang! You have left your seat for you, and no one except you will be allowed to sit."

"No! I want to sit in a single room today, is there any?"

"Sorry, Mr. Yang, there is really nothing."

"Okay then! It's still an old seat."

Yang Wang had no choice but to take Zhao Xin to a seat by the window to sit down. At this time, someone followed behind them. He was very young, full of energy and very strong in body. This person sat down very close to them.

Yang Wang ordered seven or eight dishes and ordered two pots of wine. Yang Wang poured a glass of wine for Zhao Xin and smiled: "I heard that Zhao Shuling hasn't come out to drink for a long time, right?"

Zhao Xin couldn't answer, so he picked up the wine glass and drank it in a sip, squinted his eyes and smacked his lips. It was a good wine! He hadn't drunk for a whole year. His old wife was in poor health and was a medicine jar. His youngest son was unfilial and was addicted to gambling good wine. When his wife wanted to drink medicine, he had to stop drinking. This mellow smell of wine had made him look forward to for a long time.

Zhao Xin drank three glasses of wine in one breath, then smiled bitterly: "I'm not hiding it from Yang Jun, my family is in a difficult situation. I haven't drunk for a year."

Yang Wang picked up the wine glass and raised his eyebrows and said, "Zhao Shuling is an eighth-rank official in Beijing after all, why is he so incompetent?"

"Hey!" Zhao Xin sighed and shook his head without saying a word. Seeing this, Yang Wang smiled and said, "Come on! Come on! Don't say these disappointing words, eat vegetables and drink!"

The two drank a few more glasses of wine and some dishes. Then Zhao Xin remembered that he had never known each other with the Yang family. Why did he invite himself to drink? He said that he would ask for something, what would happen?

"Eunuch Yang, you just said that you have something to come to me, what's the matter?"

Yang Wang smiled and said, "I actually want to ask Zhao Shiling to get a few weapons for me."

"Get weapons!" Zhao Xin shouted in dismay.

"Shh!" Yang Wang snorted and looked at both sides. Everyone was drinking and chatting around. No one paid attention to them. There was a young man behind them, but he was also drinking desperately, not paying attention to what they were saying.

Yang Wang hurriedly whispered: "Speak softly."

Zhao Xin nodded and quickly whispered: "The weapons are all made one by one, but they are not good yet. When any damaged weapons are sent, I will change a few good weapons for the envoy, at least not until the end of the month."

Yang Wang smiled and said, "Actually, I don't want weapons. I want to make weapons. I know that Zhao Shuling has a complete copy here. I just need to lend it to me for two days. I will copy it and return it to Zhao Shuling, so that no one can see it."

Zhao Xin was drinking and silent. There was a complete set of weapons-making albums in his warehouse, but one of his responsibilities was to ensure that this album was not lost, not borrowed or copied. This was related to the military secrets of the Tang Dynasty and were not allowed to be easily leaked to others. Now Yang Wang made this request abruptly, which made him feel embarrassed.

Yang Wang not only wanted to make crossbows and armor-making pictures, but also wanted to make fire and thunder pictures, but the Great Cannibal couldn't explain what it was? Yang Wang was also confused, so he had to lend all the pictures and copy them, and then let the Great Cannibal find them himself.

Seeing that Zhao Xin didn't say anything, he took out a ingot of gold weighing twenty-five taels from his pocket, put it on the table and pushed it in front of Zhao Xin, and said with a smile: "These twenty-five taels of gold are only half the reward. If Zhao Shi Ling is given to me all, I will pay my other half."

Zhao Xin looked at the ingot of gold in front of him blankly, and his eyes showed pain. Don't he want it? No! He wants it, he wants it too much. Twenty-five taels of gold are worth 280 guan on the black market. In fact, as long as he has 30 guan, he can marry his younger son. 280 guan can not only let the younger son marry in a grand manner, but also pay back all his debts and buy a house for his other two sons. And this is only half, and the other half of the money can comfortably allow him to spend the rest of his life.

However, it is a serious dereliction of duty to borrow a picture album privately. Zhao Xin has been in the Weapons Department for nearly thirty years, and has been step by step from a traitor to a dictatorship. He has never had a major dereliction of duty. Although he was a little trick and sold some damaged weapons privately, he has never lent out the picture album to build a weapon.

The pressure of life and self-discipline of professional exercises made him feel deeply painful. Yang Wang thought he was thinking that he had little money, so he smiled and said, "Don't worry, Chu Ling! The buyers of this batch of picture albums are rich people. If you get it for me, I promise to double the reward for you."

Double the amount of gold, which is one thousand guan. Yang Wang knew the dilemma in Zhao Xin's family and his urgent need for money now. He should not be able to refuse himself. He moved the gold to Zhao Xin again and said with a smile: "Zhao Shuling, agree! As long as you agree, this gold is yours, and all your troubles will be solved."

Zhao Xin took a deep breath and said, "Then tell me first, who wants these picture albums?"

"this...."

Yang Wang hesitated for a moment. He didn't want to say it, but he was afraid that Zhao Xin would go around inquire, and when he left, he could only whisper: "It's a big cannibal!"

"What!" Zhao Xin's eyes suddenly widened, "You, do you think you are a big cannibal?"

"Don't make a fuss, big food is far away from us! It's okay."

"No! Absolutely not!" Zhao Xin stood up and shook his head and said, "Dashi is our enemy. Giving these picture albums to them is just to exchange the lives of the soldiers of the Tang Dynasty for wealth? Yang Jun, I can't do it."

Yang Wang was a little angry and embarrassed. He whispered viciously: "Don't be ignorant of politeness!"

"No! I won't do it!"

Zhao Xin's voice suddenly became louder, causing everyone in the restaurant to look at him. Zhao Xin said firmly: "I'm sorry! Yang Envoy, although I need money very much, I am an official of the Tang Dynasty. I cannot betray the Tang Dynasty and cannot lose this minimum official ethics. Let's say goodbye!"

Zhao Xin turned around and left the wine shop. The wine shop was filled with whispers. Yang Wang stared at his back fiercely, and his eyes were about to spit out fire. With a "bang!", he punched the wine table.

Zhao Xin found a tavern alone and drank a few glasses of wine. Thinking of Yang Wang's ingot of yellow gold, thinking that he would have to take out more than twenty cents of money the day after tomorrow, but he didn't even have a place to borrow money. Zhao Xin couldn't help but regret it. He was extremely upset. After drinking a few glasses of wine, he was a little drunk. He took out more than ten cents and threw them on the table, and then staggered towards the house.

Zhao Xin's home is in Changlefang, which is an old house left by his father. There is no money to repair seven or eight dilapidated houses, and half of them leaked. His two sons had no money to buy a house and they all squeezed with him. The eldest daughter-in-law also gave birth to a grandson. The second daughter-in-law's belly is also big. As the rainy season is coming, the house will not be able to be lived in.

Zhao Xin had no money to hire a ox cart. He walked for nearly an hour before he got home. It was already dark. His house was in a dark alley. He heard his drunken singing from a distance: "Monday, the weather was late, and the grass and trees in Hu were growing. Horses were flying past the birds, and the sky was poor and the sunset..."

As soon as he walked to the entrance of the alley, he suddenly rushed out of the darkness and hugged him in the waist, "Old Zhao, it's time to pay back the money you borrowed me!"

"Brother Luo, I really have no money. If you touch me, I only have two cents left."

"I don't care. Do you have money to marry your younger son but don't have money to pay me back? I have borrowed it for two years, so let's do it! I will charge you half the interest, and you will pay me back tonight, and a total of twelve stakes will be raised with the capital and profit."

"Hey! Brother Luo, I don't want to give you money. I'm still an official at least. That's it! Go to my house and take whatever you value."

"You fart! You have sold out all your valuable things. My family doesn't want to give you the most valuable cupboard. You won't pay it to me again!"

"Brother Luo, if you are tolerant for a few more days, it really won't work. I will convince my son to sell Yongyetian and pay the debt to you, okay?"

"Okay, I'll come to you again in two days."

The creditor left, Zhao Xin dragged his sore leg to the door of the house and slapped the door weakly: "Madam, you're open the door, you're husband... I'm back!"

The door opened with a squeak, and his wife hurriedly came out to support him, "Why did you come back? You're still drinking!"

"I drank two drinks, why! Don't you give me a drink?"

"No! Someone at home is waiting for you."

"Who! Is there anyone asking for debt again?" Zhao Xin waved his hand and said angrily: "Tell them, I have no money!"

"No, it's an officer, and the official is not young. Go and have a look! They've been waiting for you for a while."

Zhao Xin was stunned for a while and walked into the house in confusion. He only lit a broken oil lamp at his house. The bean-sized lantern jumped and illuminated the room. Although his main hall was spacious, it was empty and there was no furniture. Dozens of soldiers stood in the main hall, standing in the room in darkness. It looked quite strange in the dim light. An officer sat in front of them, and his face could not be seen clearly in the dim light.

"You are Zhao Xin, the Weapons Department?"

The sitting officer spoke, his voice was very low and his tone had an invisible majesty.

"I am Zhao Xin, who is your lord?" Zhao Xin felt a little nervous.

"I am Li Qing'an, the governor of Anxi."

"Ah!" Zhao Xin was shocked, his mind was blank. He walked forward without thinking and bowed deeply: "I am not good at ease to see the general!"

"You don't have to be polite to Zhao Shiling. I came here uninvited to disturb Zhao Shiling."

Li Qing'an winked at the personal soldiers next to him. The personal soldiers immediately spread a mat and smiled and said, "Please sit down!"

Zhao Xin sat down nervously, feeling a little at a loss, and didn't even know where to put his hands.

Li Qingan smiled and said, "Don't be nervous when Zhao Shuling, I'm here to reward you."

"General, I don't understand what you mean!"

"You should understand what I mean. Didn't you drink with Yang Wang in a tavern called Baqiao Qiuyue in the afternoon?"

Zhao Xin stood up in fear. How did Li Qingan know? He seemed to understand something in his heart. Yang Wang said that he would sell the picture album to Dashi. Isn’t Dashi related to Anxi Army?

Li Qingan waved his hand and smiled: "Don't be afraid of Zhao Shuling, please sit down!"

Zhao Xin sat down tremblingly. He was very worried. He didn't know what that incident would bring to him.

Li Qing'an pondered for a moment, then slowly said: "What I am talking about is that the great cannibal wants to steal my military secrets in the Tang Dynasty. I have been paying attention to this matter. Yang Wang wanted to sell out military secrets for money, and his intentions are punishable. But I even praised Zhao Shuling for being honest and not being moved by money. Especially Zhao Shuling's family is in a difficult situation, which is even more valuable. However, I also want to tell you clearly that if you promise Yang Wang today, I will kill you tonight."

Speaking of this, Li Qingan saw that Zhao Xin was extremely nervous and smiled and said, "But you didn't do that, so I want to reward you!"

"No! I don't want any rewards."

Zhao Xin said without any confidence, and he murmured: "Actually, I don't have the kind of integrity that the general said. I refused when I was so angry at that time. I regretted it afterwards."

"This is human nature. After all, the twenty-five taels of gold that Yang Wang gave you is also a timely help to you. I can understand your mood."

When Zhao Xin heard that Li Qingan said the amount of gold was not bad, he was even more scared. How could he know? At this time, a personal soldier next to Li Qingan smiled at him. In the dim light, Zhao Xin suddenly recognized the soldier. The personal soldier was actually a young man drinking behind him and Yang Wang. He suddenly realized that Li Qingan had already stared at them. He couldn't help but feel scared. Fortunately, he refused, otherwise he would not only lose his life, but also be ruined.

Li Qingan smiled and nodded to his personal soldiers, who put Yi Guan's money in front of him.

"This is the reward I give you!"

Just gave Yi Guan money! Zhao Xin couldn't help but grin. Li Qingan knew what he was thinking and smiled and said, "Shi Ling Zhao will take a look again."

Zhao Xin also discovered that this money seemed a bit different from the usual money. He looked carefully and saw that the money was golden and turned out to be money. He was stunned all of a sudden, money! A money is worth a money, and money is a thousand money.

Zhao Xin was a little dizzy. When did he have so much money in his life?

"This...this" he couldn't say a word for a long time.

Li Qing'an smiled and said, "I know that you rejected Yang Wang and caused you to lose 100 taels of gold, so I want to compensate you, and you will do something for me."

The dizziness in Zhao Xin's mind slowly disappeared. He restrained his excitement and bowed and said, "Please give me the order!"
Chapter completed!