After Kou Zhong returned to Xiapi, before he could even sit down, he began to meet with prominent figures from nearby cities and counties. Among the defectors were Li Zitong's cynical generals.
One of them, Li Xingyuan, who was about 30 years old, was tall and mighty. Not only was he a fellow villager of Li Zitong, he was also the defender of Muyang, another big city between Xiapi and Donghai. He was willing to offer Muyang as a gift if half of Donghai County It fell into Kou Zhong's bag.
Kou Zhong was surprised and asked why. Li Xingyuan snorted and said: Li Zitong is mean and unkind. He chooses people based on their closeness and distance without regard to their talents. He is short-sighted and is not a man with great ambitions. However, frankly speaking, Xingyuan is still hesitant to make a decision. However, the generals and merchant and peasant leaders under his command are all old At least they all unanimously agreed to defect to Xingyuan, who is under the command of the Young Marshal. Only then did he understand what it meant to have the hearts of all.
Kou Zhong laughed and said: "Xingyuan is quite honest. I just like a straightforward man like you. I wonder what the current situation is in the East China Sea?"
Li Xingyuan said: Donghai County is now in charge of Li Zitong's brother Li Ziyun, who will never surrender to the young marshal, and there will be no problems if there is enough food and grass for a year and a half.
Kou Zhong frowned and said: What kind of person is Li Ziyun?
Li Xingyuan said disdainfully: What else does he know besides bullying the weak and taking advantage of the people? Li Zitong knew that he was brave and foolhardy, so he sent the evil scholar Tong Shuwen to be his military advisor. This man was extremely scheming, unlike Li Ziyun who was just a straw bag.
Kou Zhong asked with great interest: Why did Xingyuan call him a bad ghost scholar?
Li Xingyuan gritted his teeth and said: Tong Shuwen loves to boast that he is arrogant and lofty. He claims to others that he has read the books of sages and learned the art of emperors. He has always been benevolent and righteous. But in his bones, he is greedy for sex and lust, and he does not know how much he has corrupted his reputation. Even the wives, concubines and daughters of his subordinates have been corrupted. If he hadn't been good at martial arts and protected by the Li Zitong brothers, he would have been cut into pieces.
Kou Zhong thought that this was an important reason for Li Xingyuan's separation. He couldn't help but secretly felt lucky that he was not a lustful person. He said: This person should be the key to getting Donghai; if he can be removed, Li Ziyun will be nothing more than a toothless tiger star. Yuan, do you have any good suggestions?
Li Xingyuan looked troubled and said: No one in the East China Sea is more afraid of assassins than Tong Shuwen, so not only does he go in and out of his heart to hide secrets, but the room he sleeps in is different every night, making it easier to assassinate Li Ziyun.
Kou Zhong pondered: "Does Li Ziyun know about Xingyuan coming to see me?"
Li Xingyuan said: "Although Tong Shuwen set up a spy on me, how could he hide it from me? He is particularly worried about this trip. They should not know it yet."
Kou Zhong said happily: "That's it! Xingyuan immediately sneaked back to Muyang and stayed still until I made the overall plan before we cooperate with you to take action."
Li Xingyuan agreed and said with eager expectation in his eyes: Xingyuan has an unmerciful request for Marshal Wan Wang to agree to it.
Kou Zhong said happily: Now brothers, if you have any concerns, please feel free to speak!
Li Xingyuan said in a low voice: I hope the young marshal will show mercy and not harm the common people of Donghai County.
Kou Zhong smiled hoarsely and said: Isn't this an unkind request? It is both humane and natural. Xingyuan can rest assured that only if he kills Yingcheng can he seize the East China Sea. I, Kou Zhong, will never do it. If you violate this oath, teach me, Kou Zhong. Not a good death.
Li Xingyuan was so shocked that he knelt down and was speechless.
Kou Zhong hurriedly helped him up and arranged a way to contact him, and Li Xingyuan left in a hurry.
He stepped in front of Chen Changlin and was greeted by Kou Zhong who was overjoyed.
What he desires most now is talent.
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Under the setting sun, the fishing boats slowly moored to the dock outside Baling City.
Bu Tianzhi, who was dressed as a fisherman, approached Xu Ziling who was staring at the city gate and whispered in his ear: Zi Ling is important. His favorite minister was once targeted for assassination by Yang Xuyan, so he must be protected by experts.
Xu Ziling's melancholy but fierce eyes remained unchanged under the mask of the scar-faced hero and he said calmly: "According to Uncle Zhi's knowledge, are there any powerful people who need special attention?"
Bu Tianzhi replied: There are five people who can be considered as first-rate masters. The first is "Hercules" Bao Rang. This person's "Heng Lian Gang" is very famous in the river basin. He practiced it from a low-level outsider like Tiebushan. Up to now, the unique way to create superior internal energy is a practice legend that is talked about in the southern martial arts community. This person has a violent nature and has enemies all over the place. He is willing to take refuge with Xiao Mian to avoid disaster.
Xu Ziling secretly thought of Bao Rang's name and remained silent.
Bu Tianzhi continued: The second one is the "evil dog" Qu Wuwei. This man was originally a horse thief who ravaged Odong. Because he angered the masters of the Song Dynasty, he was chased for thousands of miles and he was the only one to escape alone. I don't know how he suddenly became Xiao Mian's. Man. His reputation is as bad as that of "Hercules". Bao Rang's weapons are a pair of big hammers called Xuan Lei Bang, which are very powerful. Alas! It's better not to do it if you can.
Xu Ziling said coldly: Anyone who stops me from taking Sister Su and her child back will die! His tone naturally revealed his determination to never look back.
Bu Tianzhi knew that persuasion would not have any effect, so he had to say: Although the other three people are not as famous as these two, they are all well-known figures in the south: "Desperado" Su Chuo uses a serrated knife; "Confucian scholar in plain clothes" Brother Jie Feng's 38-move-covering sword technique is known as the best swordsman among the rising generation in the South; as for the last "Cowherd" Zhu Zhong uses the Cowherd One Hundred and Eight Sticks invented by Qimei Gun. The ever-changing landscape should never be taken lightly.
Fishing boats moored.
Xu Ziling disembarked and entered the city without saying a word.
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Chen Changlin strode forward, stretched out his hands to grab Kou Zhong's shoulders, and said with a warm look in his eyes: That day I heard the news that Brother Kou and Brother Xu were almost harmed by the ungrateful old thief Wang Shichong. I immediately rushed back to Dongdu to ask the old thief why. But I had a big quarrel with him to avenge the two benevolent generals. Of course, there was no result, so I had to leave angrily. Fortunately, I soon heard that you had defeated Yu Wenhuaji's elite army in Liangdu with a small number of people and a mob. I just left the city and had to wait until today to see Brother Kou's mausoleum?
Kou Zhong was speechless and said: "It turns out you found it yourself. I went around looking for you like a gong. Brother Changlin is so bold. He dared to hit Shichong. Old ghost:: Until now, he knew that Chen Changlin is a good man who is cold on the outside and hot on the inside. He is usually dull." He is taciturn but will never look back when he encounters something he cannot bear to see. It is even more unbelievable that he considers himself and Xu Ziling as good friends.
Chen Changlin let go of his hands and snorted coldly: "Wang Shichong doesn't dare to kill me because the person who recommended me is Yi Laotian. He hasn't really become the emperor yet. He still hasn't offended the courage of the entire Baidao Wulin. Where is brother Qu Ling?"
Kou Zhong put his arm around his shoulders and walked into the lobby. He said as he walked: "Let's go to Baling to handle the matter. Brother Lin is here. It's great. Let us do our best for the people of the world. Brother Lin will kill that beast Shen Lun by the way to avenge the destruction of the family." hatred.
Chen Changlin's eyes immediately lit up.
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Xu Ziling walked slowly and slowly along the street towards Xiangyushan's mansion. Baling's style was the same as before, but there were more people.
His mood was surprisingly calm ever since he stepped into the city gate. His worries about Susu and his longing to see her again were put aside as he arrived at the destination. All that was left was how to accomplish the goal. It was clear and he would no longer have to spend energy. Go elsewhere.
It is not difficult to get Su Su and her son out of Baling. The only problem is how to subdue Su Su and reveal the cruel truth to her.
Ancient pavilions and pavilions are everywhere on the long street of Baling City. Xu Ziling walked past the archways and pavilions across the streets and recalled the past events of Yang Xuyan's unsuccessful assassination of Xiangyu Mountain. Finally, he arrived at the gate of Xiang Mansion.
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In the study, after listening to Kou Zhong's words, Chen Changlin put the tea in his hand beside his chair and said: Maritime trade is not difficult as long as profitable businessmen will come like ants. The difficulty is just that we must ensure the safety of sea areas and rivers. Then we A capable navy is necessary to keep the territory's waterways under control.
Kou Zhong agreed: I have also thought about this problem. Bu Tianzhi of the Jukun Gang has made an appointment to lead his fleet to attach himself to his younger brother. According to him, there are as many as five of his five-tooth giant ships, all of which are trophies snatched back from the old Sui Dynasty. Others are larger. There were more than twenty warships, hundreds of cargo ships.
Chen Changlin cheered up and said: This is completely different! The most rare thing is that there are suddenly a large number of experienced sailors who are not afraid of wind and waves. As long as they are given water warfare training to improve the old warships and build new ones according to the water channel conditions, one day we can dominate the rivers. Unify the world.
Kou Zhong was stunned and said: You seem to be more confident than my brother.
Chen Changlin smiled and said: That's because I have confidence in Brother Kou! The top priority now is to recruit a group of excellent shipwrights to refit the old ships. When ready, we can block the maritime traffic in Donghai County and cut off the East China Sea. The maritime connection between the county and Jiangdu was at that time when Donghai could only take a beating and had no power to fight back.
Kou Zhong frowned and said: Where can we find such a group of shipwrights?
Chen Changlin slapped his chest and said: Of course it is Nanhai County, my hometown. We, whose surname is Chen, are from the giant clan who were either navymen of the old dynasty or were accustomed to doing maritime business. They are often at odds with Shen Faxing and his son. As long as I sneak back secretly, I can do it. Bring back a large number of talents in this field to build an invincible navy for Brother Kou. At that time, the days of Shen Faxing and his son will be numbered.
Kou Zhong slapped the table and sighed: "Brother Chang Lin, with these few words, half of the world has fallen into my pocket!"
＊＊＊
Xu Ziling walked around to the back of the house without entering, feeling something bad in his heart.
With his almost psychic hearing, he grasped the tense situation in Xiang Mansion.
Several houses near Xiang Mansion are equipped with secret sentries to monitor the movements of Xiang Mansion. However, Xiang Mansion itself is lifeless, as if the people in the house have long since moved to other places, with only a few lights left.
Xu Ziling couldn't help but be puzzled because the layout in front of him was clearly a trap or seemed to be set up for him. Logically speaking, the relationship between Xiang Yushan and him was not so bad even if he received Yun Yuzhen's flying pigeon letter. He looked like he was facing a formidable enemy.
Suddenly, a series of violent coughs came from the wall.
Xu Ziling's tiger body trembled violently. At this time, he had figured out how to avoid the spy's eyes, and ran out from the alley to the foot of the backyard of Daxiang Mansion before climbing over the wall and entering the house.
Sure enough, Su Su's weak voice came from the second floor of a building: Take Ling Zhong out! Quick!
Xu Ziling, who could still hold back, quickly pulled off his mask, jumped up and walked through the window.
Su Su sat down on the bed and coughed until she was in the dark. Every time she coughed, the towel on her hand was covered with a shocking amount of blood.
The haggard and sickly face was half-bloody, and her beautiful eyes, which were once dark and bright, had lost their former brilliance.
Xu Ziling rushed to the edge of the couch, put his palms on her vest, and said with tears in his eyes: Sister Su!
Su Su's delicate body trembled and she miraculously stopped coughing. In an instant, her beautiful eyes regained their composure and she looked at him and shouted in disbelief:
Ling! Isn’t this true?
Xu Ziling held back tears and shook his head: None of this is true. We really shouldn't let Sister Su leave us.
Su Su's eyes shone with strange light, she reached out and touched his handsome face lovingly, and said calmly and gently as if he had fully recovered: I finally look forward to your return! Where is Zhong? But even if he didn't come in time due to something, you are there. Sister Su is satisfied here.
Xu Ziling's heart fell straight into the bottomless abyss of despair and misery. Everything was over. From the infuriating energy injected into Su Su, he found out that Su Su's vitality was exhausted. The moment his hand left her vest, it was the moment when her death was gone. All the fervent desires and expectations were completely shattered by this cruel and unacceptable fate.
Su Subie turned her delicate body around and wiped his tears with infinite tenderness and said: Dear brother, don't cry. My sister has been waiting for you to come. Now it's better! Do you know what the name of that sweet baby is?
Xu Ziling saw the smile full of motherly glory floating out of the corner of her mouth, but his heart felt like he was being mercilessly penetrated by a sharp cone. He tried his best to collect his mind and said softly: Is it Ling Zhong?
Su Su happily said: Is this a good name change? Every time I call him, I remember that you two good brothers will definitely be as good as you in the future.
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Xu Ziling almost looked up to the sky and screamed in grief. He could no longer control the tears streaming down from the corners of his eyes and said sadly: Why is Xiangyu Mountain like this?
Su Suyu's face sank and she lowered her head lightly but said in a low voice: "Sister, I couldn't bear it long ago, but I waited until you came to wait for you to come. Let it go. Let it go. If my sister is gone, please take care of her." Zuo Lingzhong raised him to be a hero like you. His sister is named Fang, so he should be called Fang Lingzhong!
Xu Ziling's eyes flashed with frightening murderous intent and he said in a deep voice: What exactly did Xiangyushan do to you?
Susu stared at the bloody scarf on her hand and said calmly: Don't blame him. If not, blame my sister for not believing in your opinion of him. You don't know how to recognize people with your eyes.
Xu Ziling took a deep breath and said in the calmest manner he could: Where is he?
Susu looked at him and shook her head and sighed: He asked his sister to write you a letter. After she refused, he became cold towards her. Alas! It’s okay not to mention these things.
Su Su fell into his arms and said softly: What's the point of bringing it up? Sister, I feel that my life was not in vain when I met you.
Life is inevitable. Sooner or later, there is no difference. My sister is very happy now and has no regrets in dying. Ling! Can you ring a few bells for me?
Only then did Xu Ziling notice that there was a copper bell on the ground beside the couch and a beating copper rod beside it.
Xu Ziling made a finger pointing to the wind.
when!
The sound of the steel bell's voice as a reminder spread far and wide.
Su Su said weakly: Help me sit up!
Xu Ziling knew that she had reached the moment when the lamp was exhausted and the light returned. He endured the irresistible grief in his heart and helped her sit up with his hands, not daring to leave her pink back for a moment.
The sound of footsteps goes up the stairs.
Susu pushed towards the entrance and said: "Don't be alarmed that my good brother is coming to visit me!"
After an exclamation, the trembling maid hugged Fang Lingzhong and appeared at the door, looking at Xu Ziling in shock.
Xu Ziling stretched out his hand and said: "Give Ling Zhong to me and then go back downstairs, but you can't leave. Do you understand?"
The maid gave him a sharp look and immediately trembled all over. If she dared not hurry up, she handed the baby to Xu Ziling and walked away unsteadily.
Xu Ziling put the sleeping chubby Ling Zhong into Su Su's arms. Inexplicable deep emotions surged in his heart, as if the baby who didn't know his mother was about to leave him was connected to his flesh and blood.
Su Su's beautiful eyes were deeply focused on the child in her arms, her pretty face was filled with holy light, and she said with infinite love: You have two fathers, one is named Kou Zhong and the other is named Xu Ziling. Niang once thought of marrying them, only they are worthy in the world.
Be your father.
Xu Ziling suddenly remembered the jade "gift" that Liu Heita asked him to hand over to Su Su, and quickly took it out and put it on her wrist. She whispered with soreness in her heart: "Brother Liu asked me to give this to my sister."
!
Susu's beautiful eyes lit up and she hugged Lingzhong and said happily: Ha! Is it a gift from Brother Li?
Xu Ziling knew that she had mistaken "Liu" for "Li" and was speechless.
Su Su breathed heavily and said: Tell Brother Li that Su Su never blamed him.
Then her delicate body softened and she passed away with a smile.
Xu Ziling surprisingly did not show any emotion and gently laid Su Su's body on the couch and picked him up. Ling Zhong, who was in a dreamy mood and unaware of the human tragedy of separation of flesh and blood, tore off the cloth and tied him in his arms.
He concentrated on every movement and tried his best not to think about Su Su's death.
The silence and disappearance of elements outside the building are so peaceful and imperceptible.
The vast and deep sky outside the window was filled with stars, as if there was nothing else in this world except the black silk-like night sky.
When he rolled up Su Su's body with a quilt, he was about to let out an earth-shattering scream to express all the despair and pain in the night sky far and near. However, for fear of disturbing Ling Zhong's sweet dream in his arms, he could only lament softly.
A sound ran through the window.
When he handed over Susu and Lingzhong to Bu Tianzhi for placement, it was the moment he came back.
Xiangyushan must die to repay the price he owes.
The alarming firework signal arrow exploded into blooms of light at high altitude behind. However, the opportunity was missed. It was a perfect trap. Because of the inability to see through Xu Ziling's true face, and because of Xu Ziling's cleverness and wit, he sneaked into the house unnoticed, making Xiangyushan's despicable.
The ruse finally came true.
Otherwise, if Xu Ziling was burdened by Su's mother and son and was besieged by many masters, he would not be able to get away with it.