It was a quiet night, with the occasional chirping of insects, the twittering of birds, and the gentle breeze blowing off scattered flower petals. The third girl from the governor's house in Fujian was unsettled for no reason. She wrote a poem under the moonlight and frowned slightly. A maid came up to persuade her.
After resting, she looked around a few times for no apparent reason - there was nothing wrong with her. Finally, she helped the maid back to the house.
There is a firewood shed in the northwest corner of the Huang Mansion, with a family of four locked inside. It was Zeng Alu, his wife, and their two children who were keeping watch at the back door. A few days ago, Master Zhang suddenly called him over.
It was said that someone saw their eldest girl in Taiwan. The eldest girl could not be found that day. Everyone said that she was dead. The old couple even wiped their tears and burned some incense and paper money for the eldest girl. They were very surprised to hear that she was still alive.
, chanting Buddha’s name continuously.
Master Zhang sneered and slapped the table and shouted: "I don't know whether to live or die!" He added, "Fu Rui betrayed the master and ran away. The master has sent people to bring her back."
Zeng Alu hurriedly kowtowed and said: "Master, my child didn't run away, but Mrs. Zhang forced her to die!" Then she cried and told how cruel Mrs. Zhang was, how she beat and scolded his daughter, and how pitiful his daughter was.
Master Zhang sat and listened for a long time. Zeng A'lu thought he wanted to make the decision for his daughter, but unexpectedly he ordered his family to be locked up here, saying that he was waiting to catch Fu Rui and deal with them. Zeng A'lu kept shouting for several days.
He was wronged but no one paid attention to him, so he sighed day and night: he was also afraid that the manager would involve him and deal with their whole family, and he was also afraid that his eldest daughter would be killed if the master caught him. His wife and children were even more frightened, and they shed tears.
Tonight, the family was still very nervous and couldn't fall asleep. After the fourth watch, they suddenly heard a "click" and there was a noise at the door. Zeng Alu immediately woke up. He heard the door "squeak" open, and there was an old man.
He walked in swaggeringly, followed by a big man holding fire certificates in his hands. The old man asked: "Are you a member of Zeng Alu's family?"
Zeng A'lu climbed up, bent down and said tremblingly: "My slave is Zeng A'lu."
The old man immediately rushed forward, grabbed him, and shouted affectionately: "My father-in-law!" Zeng Alu was stunned. The old man turned around and said, "You big dog, why don't you kowtow to my father-in-law!"
The big man then handed the fire seal to the old man, turned over and knelt down: "Greetings to my father-in-law."
Zeng Alu looked at him blankly, then pointed at him for a long time and asked the old man: "What did he call me?"
The old man smiled so much that his eyebrows bloomed: "He calls you father-in-law. He is your son-in-law. He married your eldest daughter two months ago."
Zeng Alu didn't know whether to believe it or not: "My eldest girl...son-in-law?"
Just when the old man was about to speak, another person came in from outside and said: "Second uncle, eldest brother, hurry up, after all, this is someone else's house."
The old man snorted: "You don't even have a decent nursing home, and you're talking about being a high official!"
The man who just came in said: "I heard that many young and strong laborers are being sent to farm in the countryside... Mr. Zeng, my eldest brother is still kneeling."
Zeng Alu was as if in a dream: "Get up quickly, get up..."
His son-in-law stood up and clasped his fists and said: "Father-in-law, I don't have time to talk much right now.
.Is there anything important? Take it quickly and let’s go.”
Zeng Alu said: "It's nothing important. Just how to get out of the house?" His son-in-law smiled slightly.
At this moment, Zeng Alu's children were all awake and looking at them. The old man stepped forward and asked with a smile on his face: "Are you brave?"
The girl said: "I am brave!" Then she pointed at her brother, "He is timid!"
The boy hurriedly said: "I'm not timid!"
The old man chuckled twice: "Don't shout if you're brave." Then he dropped the fire stick on the ground, and walked outside with a big step, carrying one in each hand, like a chicken.
The room turned dark, and the boy couldn't help shouting. The girl said, "I told him he was timid!"
The boy argued: "I'm not scared, I'm shocked!"
The son-in-law's brother laughed and led everyone out of the house, carrying Mrs. Zeng on his back and running forward. The old man followed behind with his two children. Seeing that they were all gone, Zeng A'lu's son-in-law walked alone.
Entering the house, he took off a leather bag from his waist and sprinkled the contents on the four walls and haystacks. When he came out, he jumped on the roof and sprinkled some more. Then he jumped down, picked up Zeng A's donkey, and took out the contents from his sleeves.
He caught a fire and threw it behind him - the firewood shed immediately burst into flames, like a fire dragon. The son-in-law laughed and said, "This is called adding oil to the fire." He immediately ran away with his father-in-law on his back.
The people of the Huang family woke up immediately, exclaiming "The water is gone", and the vigilante beat the gong. This firewood shed was not the only one, there were two others with firewood piled next to it, and soon they were all lit up.
, and attracted a few trees. Everyone rushed over to put out the fire. The fire was so big that it took more than half an hour to put it out. The three firewood sheds were burned down to only empty shelves.
At this time, it was still dark, and a waiter from an inn near the south gate of Fuzhou City went to a merchant's courtyard with a reserved courtyard and knocked on the door and shouted. A boy with the merchant opened the door in confusion and asked: "It's so early in the morning."
What to shout?"
The waiter said: "Yesterday, your master asked me to wake you up at six o'clock today, saying that you have to leave the city early today for a long journey."
"Oh, yes." The boy rubbed his eyes, "Thank you, little brother."
"You're welcome! The dry food you want has been prepared."
"Our second master is going to settle the bill here."
After a while, the second man of the merchant went to the front to pay the bill. He also thanked the waiter for waking them up in time, "I will stay at your house next time I come to Fuzhou."
They had packed up their carts and horses last night, only washed up briefly, and didn't even eat breakfast in the shop. They left the inn in a noisy manner, and left in time for the city gate to open at about midnight.
Master Zhang didn't know that the house of Guan Zeng's family had been burned down until nearly noon. He immediately said to Huang Wengang: "There is something wrong with this! How can it be caught on fire for no reason? The Zeng family must have been rescued by someone."
Huang Wengang originally didn't fully believe that Mrs. Zeng was Furui, but now he believed it and took a hard look at the case! After a while, he gritted his teeth and said, "Now that this is the case, I will go to Taiwan again in a few days, and I will definitely
Then the slave will take it back."
"Master, I see you!" Master Zhang bowed and said, "It doesn't matter if you are just a slave, what matters is the master's face, and he slapped Jia Lian's face."
Just at this moment, someone hurriedly rushed in and shouted: "Master, something bad is going on..."
Huang Wengang said angrily: "What a shameless behavior!"
The man said anxiously: "A group of cavalry came from outside the south gate of the city. They all carried Western guns and guns on their backs. The defenders couldn't close the door in time. In the blink of an eye, they shot down all of them. Now they have entered the city!"
Huang Wengang was stunned. Instead, Master Zhang asked: "Where did the soldiers and horses come from?"
"The big flag I picked had the word 'Cheng' written on it.
!” said the messenger, “It’s so fast, it’s like flying all the way!”
Huang Wengang shouted: "Go and report to Mr. Zheng quickly!"
Before he finished speaking, he heard the sound of footsteps, and immediately someone ran in and shouted: "Sir! The enemy soldiers have turned across the street and are coming to kill!"
Master Zhang screamed: "Personal guard! Personal guard!" Yibi said to Huang Wengang, "Master, don't hesitate. I will change clothes with this villain quickly. I just say that you are the master and I am Governor Huang."
Huang Wengang actually calmed down at this moment, waved his hand and said: "No need. I, Mr. Huang, am a dignified official of the imperial court, and I still have some backbone."
Master Zhang tried to persuade him, but he just refused to listen. Master Zhang became anxious and ordered the people below him: "Change your clothes for me!" Several personal guards knew that what Master Zhang said was true, so they ignored Huang Wengang's struggle and refused, and just cut him off.
He took off his clothes and put Master Zhang's clothes on. Just as the two of them finished changing, there was a commotion outside, and some people screamed as if they were dying. The guards hurriedly protected Huang Wengang and Master Zhang and rushed to the back door before opening it.
When he looked at the back door, there was a line of cavalry lined up outside, with dozens of Western guns and guns pointed at them. Huang Wengang's feet weakened and he almost fell.
Not long after, the enemy troops rushed into the backyard from the front, and the leader was a young man in his twenties. When Master Zhang saw it, he couldn't help but secretly praise: This man has a full heaven and a round earth, which is an extremely rare blessing. The young man's back
He walked straight up to Huang Wengang, cupped his fists and said, "Master Huang!"
Master Zhang coughed: "I am Huang Wengang."
The young man said: "The magnanimity of a second-rank official in the imperial court cannot be faked by a staff member."
Huang Wengang smiled bitterly and said: "Young man has good eyesight. Yes, I am Huang Wengang. But I don't know what enmity I have with you. You want to destroy my city and kill my soldiers?"
The young man said: "The last general, Cheng Chi, is the governor of the special battalion of Taiwan Prefecture." This official position was made up casually by Jia Cong. "I have been ordered to invite Mr. Huang to visit Taiwan Prefecture."
Huang Wengang sneered and said: "It turns out you are Jia Lian's man. You, a small person from the fifth rank of the governor, besieged my Fujian governor's office with soldiers. Do you know your guilt?"
Cheng Chi said with a calm expression: "The general will only act according to orders. Mr. Huang, it is useless to talk more, just follow the general and leave." He turned to Master Zhang and clasped his fists and said, "Mr. Staff, please tell Chief Zheng." Then.
After making a gesture, the people below him came up to Huang Wengang and left.
Suddenly he heard two sounds of "bang" and "ouch", and saw one of Huang Wengang's guards covering his arm, and blood immediately oozed out from his arm. Cheng Chi said: "When you play with Western fire and guns, you are competing to see whose hands are faster. You are not as good as you."
"Me." I looked at him again and said, "Your courage is commendable. Mr. Huang will return home in the future, so I will give him a reward."
Master Zhang suddenly asked from behind: "May I ask if there is a teacher named Yang in Chengtian Mansion who is here today?"
Cheng Chi said inexplicably: "The teachers are from the police department, what does it have to do with us?" He turned and walked away.
The General Military Office of Fujian was not far from the governor's office. Cheng Chi and Huang Wengang had just walked to the intersection when they bumped into Zheng Chaoer leading his soldiers and horses. Huang Wengang shouted from a distance, "Master Zheng, save me!" Before Zheng Chaoer could speak, Cheng Chi
He raised the gun and fired it. The gun clicked and hit Zheng Chaoer's horse in the head. The horse had a bloody wound in the middle of both eyes. It neighed and fell to the ground dead, knocking Zheng Chaoer off.
The soldiers hurriedly helped him up and gave him another horse. Cheng Chi's gun was pointed at the head of the horse again. Zheng Chaoer shouted: "I have the guts to fight San Lily with a gun with a certain family! With fire and gun.
What kind of skill is that?"
"Bang!" Zheng Chaoer's horse was hit in the head again, still in the middle of both eyes. Cheng Chi said calmly: "Having both fire and spears, and fighting with long spears, is General Zheng stupid for being the last general?"
A soldier of the Zheng family shouted: "It is not a man to borrow weapons to gain advantage!"
Cheng Chi said: "I am a soldier, not a rich man. For a soldier, what matters is not loyalty and reputation, but killing the enemy." He made a gesture, and the soldiers behind him all fired up. Their guns were aimed at Zheng Chaoer's camp.
Zheng's army did not have guns. Zheng Chao'er also sent someone to look for the weapon, but it turned out to be a fire gun. The gun was too expensive and he was reluctant to buy it.
.Although no one said anything, both armies knew clearly that once a fight broke out, depending on Cheng Chi's accuracy, Zheng Chaoer might not survive.
Cheng Chi said: "The last general was ordered to tell General Zheng something."
Zheng Chaoer had already climbed up now, but did not get on his horse. He stood on the ground and asked, "What's the matter?"
"There is still a group of our army that has gone to Ningde." Cheng Chi said, "We will go to Nanping, Sanming, Longyan, Zhangzhou, and Quanzhou later. If General Zheng is interested, you can go and meet them."
Zheng Chaoer sneered and said: "Jia Lian wants to occupy Fujian? What a huge appetite! Don't forget that to the north of Fujian is the Kingdom of Wu."
Cheng Chi asked curiously: "Master Jia is the prefect of Taiwan, why do you occupy Fujian? It's just a walk and a ride back." Zheng Chaoer was stunned. Cheng Chi continued, "The leader really wants to meet Master Zheng.
Why don't you and I call it quits and Master Zheng go and fight with him?"
Zheng Chaoer asked: "Who is leading the way?"
"Jarvis."
Zheng Chaoer was shocked. He had heard of all the three Jia Jia in Rong Guo Mansion or the one thousand and five thousand. Jarvis was a military wizard, and the men and horses he commanded must have armor and fire. The weapons would not be weaker than the one in front of him, I'm afraid.
It was difficult to deal with. He asked: "What does Jia Lian want to do?"
Cheng Chi said seriously: "Fujian has blocked many seaports these days, which has seriously damaged the normal commercial exchanges between our island and the mainland, and it is getting worse. Therefore, Mr. Jia sent a special general to invite Mr. Huang to Chengtian Mansion.
We will discuss this matter once we return as guests."
Zheng Chaoer said: "That's true. Master Jia, doesn't he know how many people escape from Fujian every day? If this has been going on for a long time, won't there be no one to farm in Fujian?"
Cheng Chi said: "Soldiers are not involved in political affairs. These are not under the control of the general. When the time comes, Lord Huang will discuss it with Lord Jia." He cupped his fists and said, "The order given by the military advisor to the general was only to ask Lord Huang to leave, but not
The general will fight Master Zheng at the end of his life. It is better for Mr. Zheng to let the general go back first. Then either discuss with Master Jia about opening the dock, or gather troops to attack the island and recapture Master Huang. Master Zheng will then discuss with the masters in Fujian, how about."
He and Zheng Chaoer just talked, and none of the soldiers behind them put down their guns or guns. Seeing Zheng Chaoer's eyes rolling around and looking hesitant, Cheng Chi turned around and looked at Huang Wengang and said, "How about this? Ah Qi pointed the gun at Mr. Huang
The back of your head."
The soldier behind Huang Wengang responded loudly: "I have the order!" He turned his hand and pointed his gun at the back of Huang Wengang's head.
Cheng Chi said: "Master Zheng, now we only use Master Huang as a hostage. You don't dare to act rashly, for fear of accidentally injuring Shangguan, okay?"
Zheng Chaoer smiled bitterly and said, "That's all. Today I, Zheng, admit my defeat." He waved his hand and led the people to move aside.
Cheng Chi clasped his fists and said, "Thank you very much." He led his troops forward proudly.
As the two horses crossed each other, Zheng Chaoer asked: "Did Jia Lian only order you to kidnap Mr. Huang?"
"More than that, the military advisor has another order." Cheng Chi said with a smile, "Otherwise, with the strength of the last general's troops, they lurked in the suburbs last night, opened the city gate at the twilight hour, attacked the city, and went straight to Mr. Huang's house, we will surely be able to catch up
Take Master Huang out of the city before Master Zheng is fully clothed in armor."
Zheng Chaoer finally noticed the word "strategic advisor" and asked, "What is the order of the military advisor?"
"Show your power." Cheng Chi waved his horse's reins, "Mr. Zheng, please rest assured that General Jia has also received this order and will not seize your Fujian city." After walking a few steps, he suddenly turned back and said, "Commander Lin and General Jia are here.
Along the way. If General Zheng is interested, can he go and meet for a while?"
Seeing Huang Wengang walking past with his head pointing at his head, Zheng Chaoer's eyes turned red: "Sir Huang, I will rescue you in the end!" Huang Wengang immediately burst into tears.
When Cheng Chi's men walked away, the soldiers hurriedly asked: "Master Zheng, what should we do?"
Zheng Chaoer sneered and said: "Gather the troops and go to Nanping!" Then he got on the third horse and said, "That Military Advisor Lin has put the letter of war under his nose. If I don't go, won't I make the world laugh at me!"