A man with a goatee was walking around anxiously, and unknowingly there was still sweat on his forehead. He was Ma Kui, the magistrate of Cangzhou. At this time, he had just sent out a surrender envoy, but after a long time,
But there was still no news, and he, who was already nervous, was even more nervous.
Now he suddenly felt that he had seen it wrong. Looking at it vaguely, the flag of the army did not seem to be the flag of the intruders, and looking at the uniforms of the army, it did not seem to be that of the intruders.
Now he is not sure. Anyway, he has been sent out. He has been frightened by the intruders. Besides, there is news that His Majesty is besieged in the capital and cannot get out at all. Even if he surrenders, the intruders will not be captured.
The court punished him. After all, he was probably an official in Dashun by that time.
Just when he was comforting himself, one of his subordinates suddenly ran in in a panic and almost slipped. Hearing the noise coming from behind, he saw that it was a junior official from the government office, and he immediately shouted dissatisfied: "
Why are you running? Don't run even if the sky falls."
"Lord Zhizhou, outside!"
I saw this little official pointing outside and was almost speechless with fear. He also stammered for a while.
Seeing such an anxious look, Ma Kui was speechless and immediately scolded: "Tell me slowly, what happened?"
"Court!"
The next second he heard the clerk say the word "court". Ma Kui was frightened and at a loss for a moment. To make sure he heard correctly, he quickly asked: "You mean the court is here?"
"Yes, sir!" The clerk was so anxious that he almost cried.
Suddenly, Ma Kui was struck by lightning. He never expected that he would regard the imperial army as an invading army! He had made such a big mistake, what should he do?
Liu Zhan, a colleague who heard this in the back hall, also hurriedly came out. He was speechless and choked when he learned that his master had regarded the imperial army as an intruder and sent people out to surrender.
This Ma Kui is indeed an idiot. Even if the intruders are really coming, why are you so anxious to ask for surrender? This is a good time, as you will directly run into the imperial army. You will definitely not be able to escape the crime of collaborating with the enemy and betraying the country.
But if this is the case, I am afraid that he will not escape death. As a fellow intellectual, he naturally has the responsibility to dissuade Zhizhou. If he has made a huge mistake now, when the court will punish him, he will also die with him.
He also hurriedly thought of a way to help. Suddenly an inappropriate idea popped into his mind. He immediately said to Ma Kui: "Master Zhizhou, now we have a way to avoid death."
"Speak quickly, speak quickly." Ma Kui urged urgently, as if he had grasped a life-saving straw.
"Put this responsibility on others."
His eyes suddenly turned vicious, and Liu Zhan said with a ferocious smile. Since everyone will die if the matter is exposed, it would be better if only one dies to save everyone.
"What to do?"
"Sir, you should immediately pretend to be sick and lie down in bed, preferably in a coma, and then write a document in advance, saying that the power of the governor of the state will be temporarily handed over to Huang Bodang, a fellow governor of this state, and he will take over it after he recovers.
Ren. Then I added fuel to the fire and ordered others to follow me. It’s not true and it’s true.”
When Liu Zhan finished speaking with satisfaction, Ma Kui immediately laughed out loud. This plan was indeed brilliant. As long as he removed the responsibility, even if he led the whole state to surrender, he would not care about him! He was bedridden and sleeping.
How can you know so many things when you are still alive?
"Liu Tongzhi is indeed quite talented. Huang Bodang only knows how to study all day long and stays in the study room when he has nothing to do. According to his character, even if he knew about it, he would still look confused. By the time he recovers, he may have been
Punished!"
After saying that, Ma Kui couldn't help laughing, and with a little trick, such a big crime had nothing to do with him in an instant.
"Okay, go make arrangements right away. I'm going to pretend to be sick now!"
The two immediately went to do their own things. Liu Zhan personally led a group of officials to the city gate to greet the imperial army, but only sent someone to inform Huang Bodang in the study that someone from the imperial court was coming. As for the power of the governor of Cangzhou, it was handed over to him.
, but did not mention it at all.
…
Meng Zhangming and Fan Xianchao led a thousand people into the city first, followed by Zhu Ling and Wang Jiayan with the rest of the army. Of course, Cangzhou at this moment did not know that His Majesty was among them.
Seeing the imperial army slowly entering the city, Liu Zhan, a colleague of his, greeted them with a smile on his face. He didn't mention the surrender just now, but said: "General, the general is tired from traveling and traveling, and the soldiers are probably a little tired. I'll be there soon."
Send people to prepare the place where the army will be settled. The two generals will go with me to settle down. I have already asked people to prepare the reception banquet in the evening."
But Meng Zhangming and Fan Xianchao didn't think Liu Zhan was the same at all, especially when they saw that he was just a small seventh-rank official, they even said coldly: "Where is your master? Why don't you come to see us?"
"He's just a fifth-grade magistrate of the state, and he has a lot of airs."
Hearing the scoldings of the two third-grade generals, Liu Zhan quickly explained with a smile: "The two generals misunderstood. It's not that my master didn't want to come, it's just that he got sick today and couldn't get out of bed, so he didn't come to greet you."
.”
"Then who is in charge of Cangzhou now? There must be no one in charge, right?" Meng Zhangming asked loudly.
These words instantly made Liu Zhan feel happy, and he hurriedly answered: "My family magistrate has temporarily entrusted the responsibility of Cangzhou to a fellow magistrate named Huang Bodang. Now he is in charge of all matters big and small in Cangzhou."
"Then where are they?"
"I don't know, I've sent people to look for him. They will probably arrive soon." As he spoke, Liu Zhan looked back and happened to see Huang Bodang, who was being hugged by a petty official and walking towards him quickly.
I saw him wearing a simple Tsing Yi cloth shirt and holding a book in his hand. He hurried over with a frown on his face, obviously not knowing what was going on.
When they saw Huang Bodang reluctantly walking over, Meng Zhangming and Fan Xianchao looked at each other and immediately yelled at Huang Bodang: "Cangzhou colleague Huang Bodang kneels down!"
Huang Bodang had no idea what was going on. He had been concentrating on reading when he was suddenly told that someone from the imperial court was coming and he needed to greet him quickly. Even if he didn't want to, he had to rush over from the study, but as soon as he came over, he would be greeted like this.
scolded.
Although he usually loves reading, it does not mean that he is a coward, especially when he is accused like this for no reason. Even if the other person is from the imperial court, so what?
"Why should I kneel down? I am a civil servant and you are a military general. There is no superior or inferior relationship between you and me! Besides, you asked me to kneel down for no reason. Do you think there is any royal law in your eyes?"
When Meng Zhangming and Fan Xianchao heard this, they couldn't help but be confused and even a little surprised.
When did a small seventh-grade colleague dare to yell at them like this? Besides, he had just sent people to discuss the surrender, but now Kung Fu seemed to be reasonable. This was the first time they had seen such a person, and they couldn't help but feel
Very funny.
"Come here! Capture it for me!" Fan Xianchao didn't want to talk nonsense with him. He was so rude that he angered him and directly ordered someone to capture him.
When he saw the other party, he was going to use violence. Huang Bodang also had a ferocious look on his face and said sternly: "Let's see who dares! I am a dignified official of the court. It is wrong to make me kneel down for no reason, and now you want to take me! Don't you have any royal laws?
?"
Liu Zhan next to him saw Huang Bodang being so unyielding, and secretly admired him in his heart. However, if he was still like this, he would be exposed sooner or later. He quickly blocked Huang Bodang behind him and said to Fan Xianchao: "General, he may not know you.
In view of your status, you are so rude, I will escort him down on behalf of the magistrate, so as not to disturb your mood."
But just when Liu Zhan was about to take Uncle Huang into custody, a voice suddenly came from behind him: "Wait!"