Guo Zixing rushed to the scene and saw that the corpse of the grain merchant surnamed Jiang had been separated and lying on the stage. He was so frightened that he quickly climbed up with his hands and feet and rushed forward. Regardless of the blood, he held the gray head in his arms and shouted loudly.
cry.
His cry shocked many people, including Zhang Ximeng below. What happened? Is what this old grain merchant said true? Is his relationship with Guo Zixing really close?
Zhang Ximeng listened attentively, and sure enough there was someone in the crowd who knew the details.
Guo Zixing came from a powerful family. He had known the grain merchant named Jiang for more than ten years and had received favors from him. Every New Year, Guo Zixing would visit his door to express his gratitude. He was very respectful.
Later, Guo Zixing contacted Sun Deya and others to raise troops and captured Haozhou. The grain merchant named Jiang gave Guo Zixing a hundred carts of grain, which helped Guo Zixing gain a firm foothold.
It stands to reason that this man is Guo Zixing's great benefactor. Why didn't he find an official position in the Red Scarf Army?
It turned out that the grain merchant named Jiang had a nephew who was an official in the Yuan Dynasty. He also deliberately alienated Guo Zixing, but he did not abandon the family business. In short, it was just so ambiguous.
As a result, Zhu Chongba arrested people and beheaded them in public.
Things are getting big now.
Guo Tianxu saw his father crying and he was so angry that he jumped three feet high.
"Zhu Chongba, how dare you kill people casually?"
Zhu Chongba had a sullen face and said coldly: "Act according to military orders, not kill people casually!"
"What military order? Why doesn't my father know?"
"The commander-in-chief asked us to requisition the grain and grass in the city, so of course we are following orders." Zhu Chongba responded to Guo Tianxu neither humble nor overbearing.
Guo Tianxu was furious, "I asked you to requisition food and grass, but I didn't ask you to kill people? You are so bold!"
Zhu Chongba looked solemn and was about to speak. Suddenly Guo Zixing got up from the stage, with tears in his eyes, and glared at Zhu Chongba.
"How courageous! Brother Jiang is my good friend. He is kind to me. Who gave you the courage to kill him?"
Guo Zixing reprimanded loudly.
Zhu Chongba was stunned at first. Naturally, he did not dare to be rude to the commander-in-chief, but it made no sense for the commander-in-chief to ask for help.
He could only bow and said: "Returning to the commander, this person is unwilling to cooperate with the military order. Food is related to the life and death of the people in the city. How can we allow such nonsense! I have no choice but to kill this person. If the commander wants to blame, I am willing to take the blame!"
"
As he spoke, Zhu Chongba knelt down on his knees, holding on to the words in his heart, waiting for his words to come out!
Several grain merchants who were escorted along with the grain merchant surnamed Jiang narrowly escaped death. Now they found a supporter. They all knelt down and cried bitterly.
"Commander, Mr. Jiang was innocently killed. Please make the decision, Commander-in-Chief!" They cried with runny noses and tears. They walked around the gate of hell, feeling aggrieved in their stomachs.
Guo Zixing saw this and was furious. He also knew these people. This Zhu Chongba had caused such a big disaster. What should he do?
"The commander asked you to collect military rations. You, you always have to be harmonious so that we can talk and discuss. How can you kill someone directly? It really pisses me off!"
Zhu Chongba knelt and became more and more silent.
At this time, if it’s easy to talk and discuss, who will agree?
Seeing that Zhu Chongba didn't speak, Guo Tianxu was overjoyed, thinking that he had nothing to say, so he hurriedly said: "Commander Father, Zhu Chongba killed innocent people indiscriminately and ruined the hearts of the people in the city. He should be killed!"
He could never forget about Ma. How could such a beautiful woman take advantage of Zhu Chongba, a rude man? What a waste!
Guo Zixing glared at Zhu Chongba, unable to make a decision for a moment, and the whole scene fell into a stalemate...
Zhang Ximeng saw it clearly in the crowd and felt anxious.
Guo Zixing still couldn't do it to make Zhu Chongba pay for his life, but he was bound to suffer a loss.
Zhang Ximeng saw this and was anxious in his heart. However, he could not stand up and speak for Zhu Chongba. His eyes rolled around anxiously. Suddenly, Zhang Ximeng found that the people were filled with indignation, their eyes wide open, and they were very dissatisfied.
Zhang Ximeng suddenly had an idea and needed a leader now.
He didn't care about the dirt on the ground, he just fell down on the ground and shouted loudly: "Master Zhu is unjust!"
One voice woke up countless people.
That's right, at first everyone came over to watch the excitement. They didn't care who lived or died.
But when Zhu Chongba proposed to give everyone a fair price for grain, the people were moved and thought he was a good man. When Zhu Chongba killed the grain merchant surnamed Jiang, the people admired him even more and thought he was a man who could do big things and had courage.
.
A profiteer deserves to die!
Now I find out that the commander wants to punish this person, what does this mean? Is it confusing right and wrong?
The common people gave up and knelt down to cry out for Zhu Chongba.
Zhang Ximeng, who was hiding in the crowd, became even more energetic, shouting hard and driving the rhythm crazily.
"Master Zhu is wronged!"
"What's wrong with killing a profiteer?"
"Master Zhu has made great contributions and has no faults!"
"The commander-in-chief cannot wrongly accuse good people!"
…
Among the crowd, there were shouts and shouts, and more and more people knelt down to plead for Zhu Chongba.
"A good killing will make people happy!"
"Well done, Mr. Zhu!"
Thousands of people, a large, dark mass, voiced their grievances for Zhu Chongba in unison, and the momentum was terrifying.
The Guo family father and son, as well as the grain merchants, who were standing on the stage, actually had a creepy feeling... When did this person named Zhu have such great prestige?
"Father, Zhu Chongba is coercing the unruly people. He, he has evil intentions!" Guo Tianxu leaned in Guo Zixing's ear and continued to attack Zhu Chongba.
Guo Zixing's face was gloomy. He was much angrier than before, and the flesh at the corners of his mouth trembled slightly! If he was just acting, now he is really into it. He is such a Zhu Chongba, and he can't easily deal with him.
After a long time, Guo Zixing slowly said to his son: "Go to Jiang's house and bury the person first."
Guo Tianxu hesitated a little, but he could only angrily call for others to hold his head and carry the body down.
Guo Zixing finally turned to Zhu Chongba and said in a cold voice: "You are so bold and reckless, go back and think about your mistakes behind closed doors!"
Zhu Chongba was not severely punished, and the crowd immediately burst into earth-shattering cheers. Guo Zixing's old face became increasingly ugly, and he could only leave in a hurry.
Zhu Chongba returned to the small courtyard amidst cheers, but he was not happy. The commander-in-chief's arrival was so sudden that it was puzzling.
At this moment, Mrs. Ma also got the news and saw that her husband was in a low mood. After knowing the reason, Mrs. Ma also became angry.
"Chongba, I'm going to see my godmother and ask her to ask the commander-in-chief why she only wants to do good for the commander-in-chief and Haozhou, and yet she ends up like this!"
The godmother in Ma's mouth is Guo Zixing's wife Zhang. Although a woman has a maiden name, outsiders rarely know it. After marriage, her husband's surname, plus her own surname, followed by a surname, is considered official.
For example, the name of Queen Ma is not recorded in the official history of the Zhu Ma family and the Guo Zhang family. Ma Xiuying is a folk legend, originally derived from the stage. The same is true for Sun Quan's sister Sun Shangxiang.
Here, there is something more interesting. Diao Chan introduced herself on the stage, saying that her surname was Diao and her given name was Chan, and her name was maid... Listen, is this still a personal name?
Seeing his wife fighting for him, Zhu Chongba was moved, but he didn't want to cause trouble.
"Sister, don't worry, the commander just asked us to shut up and think about our mistakes. Just in time, let's go read a book and calm down." Zhu Chongba said, suddenly remembering.
"By the way, why didn't you see Mr. Little?"
Ma was also stunned, yes, where did Zhang Ximeng go?
"I guess he's probably gone out for a walk. With his intelligence, he won't suffer any loss."
Zhu Chongba thought about it, so he simply went to the east wing, where Zhang Ximeng was organizing his study. After Lao Zhu came over, he flipped through the book first, but he was still agitated, so he picked up the pen again and wrote for a while.
Not to mention it, gradually, my heart calmed down.
After writing eight pieces of paper, Zhu Chongba put down the brush in his hand, stretched out, and turned around to see Zhang Ximeng standing at the door.
"My benefactor is so well-educated and admirable!"
Zhang Ximeng laughed and praised, could this be the legendary expression of being unfazed by favor or disgrace?
Lao Zhu's face turned red. He paused and then said: "Little sir, there are some things I can only tell you. Last night, the commander actually told us to punish a few of them severely and not to be lenient. See you.
The blood gang won’t be afraid!”
Zhang Ximeng raised his eyebrows, but it was not that unexpected, and he even felt that it was indeed the case!
Lao Zhu is ruthless enough, but now Lao Zhu is just the ninth captain under Guo Zixing. Without authorization from above, would he dare to kill a wealthy and influential businessman on the street?
That's not called decisiveness, it's called ignorance of life and death!
Only when Guo Zixing gave him instructions and he acted according to the orders was it reasonable and reasonable.
But since Guo Zixing asked Zhu Chongba to do it, why did he cry and punish him again?
"Little sir, is it possible that we made a mistake? The commander asked us to hit people, but not to kill people."
Zhang Ximeng shook his head slightly, he probably guessed what Guo Zixing was thinking.
"The commander-in-chief is a local powerful man in Haozhou, and he has inextricable connections with these people. He wanted to take action, but he could not be criticized, so he had no choice but to come up with such a move. It was too late. Of course he would not kill my benefactor, but I
I guess he will be severely punished and won’t be able to escape if he hits the board.”
Zhu Chongba was stunned!
This was indeed in line with Guo Zixing's usual behavior, but when the people complained about their injustice, he could only let himself come back to think about his mistakes.
In fact, he also felt it, so in front of so many people, he just said a few words and remained silent, which did not scare Guo Zixing out. It was just that there were so many people speaking for Zhu Chongba in the back, which made the matter go beyond expectations. This is also
I blame Guo Zixing for underestimating the people's hatred for profiteers.
Although the people above are playing tricks of power and the people below should cooperate, are we just a monkey in your hands, Marshal Guo?
"My dear friend, are you feeling unfair?" Zhang Ximeng said with a smile.
Zhu Chongba was startled and said: "The commander-in-chief has his own ideas, let's listen to the commander-in-chief!"
Zhang Ximeng smiled and said, "It's not wrong for those in power to use power to control others...it's just that Marshal Guo is too low-level!"
Zhu Chongba was startled, "Mr., what do you mean by this?"
"My benefactor, the few remaining grain merchants just sent a thousand shi of grain to the young marshal." Zhang Ximeng told the news he had found on the street.
Zhu Chongba was stunned for a while, and finally understood that Guo Zixing was showing off to those grain merchants. As long as they handed over some grain, Guo Zixing didn't take it seriously as for the people.
Are you a commoner? It doesn’t matter!
"This food was not counted as military rations, nor was it distributed to the people in the city?"
Zhang Ximeng shook his head.
Zhu Chongba's face turned red. It didn't matter if he acted like a monkey, but just to satisfy Guo Tianxu's private purse seemed too bullying! Lao Zhu was wronged and became angry. Guo Zixing was doing unfair things!
Zhang Ximeng saw this and said with a smile: "My benefactor, there is no need to be angry. I just spent the golden beans that my benefactor rewarded me. By now, everyone in the city should be praising Mr. Zhu for his reputation for eradicating profiteers with his iron fist!"
You want food, I want people's hearts, each gets what he needs!
Zhu Chongba was stunned for a moment. This was to use public opinion to suppress Guo Zixing. Is this possible?