The rooster sings at dawn, and the sun rises. Birds flutter up, and the slanting light shines through the red doors and onto the bluestone tiles in the hall. An old man with white beard and hair is sitting on the ground. This is the Cui family's ancestral hall in Qinghe County, and the old man is the current head of the Cui family.
Mr. Cui just got the news yesterday. Mr. Lu has found important evidence and presented it to the King of Qi. The Cui family is doomed. The old man stood alone in the ancestral hall all night, and he could not sit down until dawn.
After a while, an old servant guarding the ancestral hall suddenly ran in and replied: "Old Master, there are guests visiting."
Mr. Cui was stunned: "Visiting?"
"Yes." The old servant said, "The old man said that they got up early to watch the sunrise and found out that he was here, so they came." Then he handed over a post.
I saw only seven words written on the post: Zhou Ji, a Malay country in Nanyang. Mr. Cui already knew the name "Zhou Ji" and frowned: which country did this person come from? After thinking for a moment, he ordered him to come in. It was obvious.
There was no time to change clothes, so the old man dusted his sleeves, walked into the main hall of the ancestral hall, and stood at the door in a daze for a moment, stunned.
Suddenly I heard someone calling "Old Master", and I saw that the old servant had led several young people to the front. The leader was about thirty years old, probably Zhou Ji. He saw this man smiling and bowing: "Hello, Old Master Cui.
.”
He had ruined his family's affairs, and Old Mrs. Cui should have been his enemy. But he had a nice smile and was very blessed. As the saying goes, you can't hit someone with a smiling face, but the old man couldn't get angry. After a while, he raised his hand and said: "You are Zhou
Mr. Ji?"
"Exactly," Jia Cong said, "I have something I want to discuss with the old lady."
A young man came out from behind Jia Cong. Mr. Cui recognized him as Kong Yunxian, the legitimate son of Duke Yansheng. Mr. Cui was shocked and took a deep look at Jia Cong. Jia Cong still smiled like a lucky cat. Kong Yunxian bowed first: "I've seen you before."
Old Master."
Mr. Cui returned the favor: "Mr. Xiao Kong."
Kong Yunxian said: "I am young and cannot afford to be called sir by an old man."
Mr. Cui said: "This is the prince's order."
Jia Cong said from the side: "The prince has reason to listen to him, but why should he also listen to him if he is unreasonable?"
Mr. Cui had heard about this man's temperament and waved it off. Then he led them to the next room to sit down. **After a few words of greetings, Jia Cong handed over to Mr. Cui and said, "I took the liberty to come to visit today for one thing only."
I can’t figure it out. Why would the Cui family of Qinghe choose the third child?”
Old Mrs. Cui was stunned for a moment and said with a wry smile: "When King Qi came from the capital, the prince was already married. Our daughter didn't even bother to steal other people's husbands. Besides, most of the sons of King Qi are useless, so it doesn't matter which one you choose."
Jia Cong thought: "It seems that your family is in bad luck. Cui's daughter must be good, and his uncle, General Ouyang Tu, is also good. Both parties can't guide him to stay on his own."
Mr. Cui said: "I can't blame him. My brother also has ambitions."
Jia Cong was stunned: "Isn't the third princess your granddaughter? Why did I hear that she is a direct descendant?"
"It is indeed a direct branch." Mr. Cui said: "There has been an ancestral motto in the clan that no royal relatives are allowed in the patriarch's family. In order to marry my granddaughter and become the princess, my eldest brother gave up the position of the clan leader."
Jia Cong grinned and said: "It is inappropriate to be the head of a thousand-year-old clan and to be the father-in-law of a small vassal state who does not succeed to the throne of a young prince. Your elder brother is really not very good at doing business."
Mr. Cui raised his eyes and looked at him: "Mr. Zhou really didn't hold back his words."
Jia Cong shrugged and said, "It seems that almost no one can resist the temptation of an official hat."
Old Mrs. Cui sighed: "He has been competing with the old man of the Lu family all his life. The old man has assisted the crown prince early; if he wants to win, he can only help another highness to fight for the throne."
"I see." Jia Cong touched his chin, "Obsession is terrible. But if your family is so capable, he must also be capable. Why not do something serious to fight against the prince? You can also do ordinary business to make money.
, the reputation of black business is bad and dangerous, King Qi is such a face-loving person."
Mr. Cui sneered and said: "How can there be serious things and serious business to do? The discounts that are beneficial to the country cannot be sent to the prince's desk at all, and most of the profitable business is in the hands of the prince himself. Besides, everyone wants cheap things, so no one
I will tell the prince to know. Even if he knows, it will be okay. The prince has soft ears, and we have bribed several pillow bags."
Jia Cong nodded: "If you can't take the right path, you can only go astray. I remembered a sentence. Anyone who sits on the throne is a pig, and those around him who are not pigs will quickly disappear."
Kong Yunxian burst into laughter; Mr. Cui held back his laughter at first, but then he couldn't hold it in any longer. The old man said: "Mr. Zhou, please tell me straight away, what happened."
Jia Cong first handed over his hand: "Thank you, old man, for informing me of the current situation in Qi. It's really of no use." He said sternly, "Brother, your trip will definitely be over. It's hard to say whether it will affect you. I think it will probably happen. The Cui family will lose.
Tragic. However, I know that there are many talents in your clan, so I want to discuss it with you." He called Liu Zhuang over, "The biological sister of Mr. Liu is the Queen of the Western Kingdom of England, Queen Liu. I am from Nanyang.
Lord of the Malay Kingdom.”
Mr. Cui was so surprised that he stood up and bowed: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He hurriedly asked Liuzhuang to sit down.
"This Miss Shen is also a relative of the emperor." Jia Cong said with a smile, "There are so many relatives of the emperor flying around these days, it is no longer valuable."
After getting to know each other, Liu Zhuang said: "Old man, overseas countries are in dire need of talents. My sister has a lot of foreign civil and military forces to deal with, and the church is also very powerful, so it's very hard. But she has conquered most of the generals.
There is only a shortage of civil servants. Since ancient times, losing the battle for the right to inherit the throne means death. If my brother and others are willing to go to the West to help my sister, whether it is to serve as an official in the court or as a staff member, and join hands with civil and military forces, we can take over that country in one fell swoop."
"Hiss..." Mrs. Cui took a breath of air.
Liu Zhuang went on to say: "There are old and young people who are inconvenient to take a long boat ride, but they can also live in Jiangxi, Lingnan, Taiwan and other places."
"There is also the Japanese Yan." Jia Cong said, "The new steamship can travel between England and Taiwan in only two or three months. With more immigrants in recent years, the medical care on board has become better and better. During the journey,
There will be almost no acclimatization problems.”
Shen Zhimo asked: "Do you want to go to Dajiala for English training first?"
Jia Cong smiled and said: "The cheapest way to learn the language is to go to the local area. But it is also a way to get used to some routines in Dajiala."
Liuzhuang said with a smile: "Master Zhou, please don't cut off the beards of my sister's people."
"That's not guaranteed." Jia Cong said, "Isn't there a serious shortage of people there?" He looked at Old Mrs. Cui again, "What do you think?"
Mr. Cui had not yet recovered from his composure. His expression was complicated, and he didn't know whether he was happy or worried. After a while, he said, "I'm afraid that the prince will not let me go."
Liu Zhuang said: "I'll go see the King of Qi and buy from him. The King of Qi is a conservative man and doesn't know what the overseas is like. He just treats him as a border guard." He smiled and said, "My sister is not a border guard.
.”
Jia Cong said: "English has been the country with the best economic strength among the Western countries in recent years. Many ancient monuments are well preserved, which can easily allow literati to express their feelings for several years."
Old Master Cui thought: "This matter is important. I must discuss it with the clan."
Jia Cong nodded: "Zhuang'er, you are staying in Qi State temporarily. Qinghe is right next door to Yan State. If anything happens, just go to Zhending Mansion and find someone to deal with it." Liu Zhuang nodded.
Mr. Cui cupped his hands and said, "May I ask the Lord of Zhou, what does he have to do with Yan?"
Jia Cong smiled slightly: "We are all in the same group."
Mr. Cui's eyes moved slightly: "Jia Cong is not simple. Today, the country with the largest territory is Yan State."
Jia Cong cupped his hands and said: "Thank you for your constant praise. The revolution has not yet succeeded, comrades still need to work hard. Now it's time for us to leave, Yan Shenggong is still waiting for you."
Mr. Cui was stunned: "Mr. Yansheng?! Is he here too?" He glanced at Kong Yunxian. Kong Yunxian nodded.
Jia Cong said: "We are going back to Yan State and passing by Qinghe County. Duke Yan Sheng was a little tired this morning and did not get up with us to watch the sunrise. He is at the inn. He must have woken up by now."
Mr. Cui asked hurriedly: "Why did Yan Shenggong go to Yan State?"
"It's just a stroll around the streets, a visit to the school library, a few lectures at the Hanlin Academy, and chatting with the great Confucians." Jia Cong said, "Of course, I also have to accept an exclusive interview with a reporter from the Yanjing Weekly."
Mr. Cui was stunned for a moment: "Is it possible for me to go and see you?"
"Okay." Jia Cong said, "Then let's leave now."
Mr. Cui raised his hand and said, "Please, Lord Zhou."
Everyone then left Cui's ancestral hall and went all the way to the door of the inn. A waiter came out to welcome them in. They saw that Yan Shenggong had already gotten up and was sitting with Liu Xiaoqi talking about some new things in the capital. Mr. Cui recognized him and walked away tremblingly.
They came forward. Just when the two of them were about to bow to each other, Jia Cong made a gesture, and all the people from the Yan Kingdom avoided silently. Liu Xiaoqi stayed by the window and eavesdropped.
After waiting for half an hour, the door opened and Kong Yunxian came out and whispered to Jia Cong: "Old Master Cui asked my father if he could take his two children and hide them in the country of Yan."
Jia Cong said: "This is easy. Just say two or two hundred, no problem."
Kong Yunxian said: "The city gate is guarded by soldiers, and you can't get out normally. Take out my father's name and hide it under the carriage, maybe you can get through."
Jia Cong smiled and said: "I told you, two hundred, or the whole family can take them away. Or let the women and children pack some belongings urgently, and let's go now. Just say...well...go to some village to play.
?”
Liu Xiaoqi glanced at him: "Can you have some logic?" He turned to Kong Yunxian and said loudly, "As the saying goes, a scholar can't explain clearly when he encounters soldiers. Hiding the child in the Yansheng stallion's carriage will definitely not work. But Yan Guo
The door is open to anyone. Talking about a few soldiers, even if the King of Qi seriously pulls a prison cart to arrest people, it would be easy for the Cui family to hide in Yan State."
Mr. Cui was so old that he ran out of the house as fast as he could: "Sir, do you really mean what you said?!"
Before Liu Xiaoqi could answer, someone shouted: "Old Master - it's not good - the prince has sent troops - they are surrounding our house -"
Mr. Cui's calves softened and he began to fall. Seeing that the old bones were about to fall to the ground, Liu Zhuang appeared out of nowhere and held the old man firmly: "Don't worry, old man, it's okay."
Jia Cong thought, "Since we are just arresting people, it will be fine."
The messenger said anxiously: "Why is it okay? The troops are coming! If you take him to the capital, you will die!"
Jia Cong patted him on the shoulder: "Don't worry, it's okay if I say it's okay. Try to delay as much time as you can, argue with him, and say we'll leave tomorrow. Don't worry about anything else. I'm just worried about scaring the women and children, so I have to comfort them."
Liu Xiaoqi rolled her eyes at him: "How long does it take to comfort him? It's serious to coax Qi Jun. Don't show any flaws."
Jia Cong said sternly: "Adult women can still be stronger, and children are least intimidated. The psychological shadow left at a young age will last a lifetime."
Liu Xiaoqi waved his hand: "That's all, Qi Jun doesn't have much ability anyway. Do whatever you like."
Jia Cong turned around and clasped his fists towards Mr. Cui; the old man could barely stand now, and Liuzhuang was still supporting him. Jia Cong said: "I guarantee that your family's women and children, Bai Ding, who were dragged along by those in the capital, are safe. But if there is any
I can't control those who hold official positions and have to go to the capital to await trial."
Mr. Cui suddenly became energetic: "No, no! Those with official positions are not at home! They are all at their posts!"
Jia Cong nodded: "Okay. Try not to scare the children." Liu Xiaoqi rolled his eyes again. Jia Cong rolled his eyes back, "Children are the future of the nation! Only a nation that can take good care of women and children can prosper. That's it.
You don’t understand either.” He took something out of his arms and handed it to Mr. Cui, “Have a look and give it back to me. I need to use this.”
The old man took a closer look and saw that it was a bronze medal with the Chinese character "Yan" engraved in regular script on the front and a lot of weird patterns on the back. He asked in confusion: "May I ask what this is..."
Jia Cong whispered: "Tiger Talisman." Old Mrs. Cui was shocked.
Liu Xiaoqi said with a smile: "Zhending Mansion is next door."
Tears suddenly filled Mr. Cui's eyes, and he bowed to the ground and cried: "God will not destroy my Cui family..." The Cui clan member who reported the news also knelt down in front of him, and the two hugged each other and cried.
Jia Cong waited for a moment and stretched out his hand and said: "What's in it... it kind of ruins the atmosphere. But you have to return the tiger talisman to me first." Shen Zhimo and Kong Yunxian couldn't help but laugh. Mr. Cui also became energetic, wiped his tears and got up.
, returned the bronze medal with both hands. The tribesman wanted to cry and laugh at the same time, with a funny look on his face.
The old man straightened his clothes, wiped his face with a handkerchief, and put his arms behind his back. His majesty immediately returned. At this time, Yan Shenggong also came out of the house, and the two of them saluted each other. Mr. Cui greeted Jia Cong.
He said: "Master Zhou, I will never thank you for your kindness." Jia Cong smiled and cupped his hands. The old man turned around and walked away, step by step as steady as Mount Tai. Liuzhuang followed quietly.
Liuzhuang came back at lunch time. The Cui family didn't do anything. They gave the general who led the army a whole box of silver notes and asked the women and children to bring a few clothes and set off tomorrow. Old Mrs. Cui said in a low voice: "The case is still there."
It’s not settled yet, and we don’t know if it will change in a few days.”
The general was not a native of the Qi State, but came from the Yan State a few years ago. He had seen several sons of the King of Yan fighting back and forth. The prince would die if he wanted to trade, but only silver was the most reliable. Therefore, he
He picked up the box with a smile and said, "It's easy to talk about. Don't be in a hurry to leave. The old man will just take care of things."
Early the next morning, except for Mr. Cui, who had been pardoned by the King of Qi, all the other direct descendants, men, women, old and young, were put into prison cars. There were more than 200 people. Suddenly, the sound of crying was loud. In the afternoon, merchants passing by Qinghe County talked about
An anecdote: A group of young and middle-aged men fell asleep while lying on the official road for some unknown reason.