After the pottery merchant had discussed with Yu Ji, he asked Yu Shenxian to lead the people from the Taoist temple back to Hangzhou, Wu County, to rebuild the temple and preach.
However, Yu Ji and Wang Yun, before the other Taoist priests, had to go back to Pengcheng in Xuzhou with the pottery merchant himself. Because things could not be delayed, the pottery merchant had to seize the time and let Yu Ji check Tao Qian's physical condition.
But before raising troops and returning to the north, the pottery merchants had one more thing to do.
That was Ji Ling, who was captured alive by Pan Zhang, and Yan Xiang, who was captured alive by the coalition forces of Sun Ce and Lu Bu.
In order to attack Lujiang County and obtain sufficient support from the pottery merchants, Zhou Yu handed Yuan Shu's chief secretary Yan Xiang over to him to show his sincerity.
Yan Xiang and Ji Ling... these two people, one is a wise man and the other is a brave general. If conditions permit, Tao Shang still hopes to keep them under his command.
After all, talents are rare. In this time and space, Yuan Shu did not have time to proclaim himself emperor, so his men were not considered vassal traitors, and there was no need to execute them all.
After arriving in Nanchang City, the pottery merchant immediately ordered people to invite Ji Ling and Yan Xiang from prison.
The treatment of the two of them in Nanchang City was pretty good. The pottery merchants did not make them suffer much, and they were treated to delicious food and drinks every day. However, despite this, they still looked quite haggard.
After all, he is a prisoner under the rank. Even if he is given dragon liver and phoenix gallbladder and allowed to sleep on a brocade quilt and a dragon bed, he will not be able to eat or sleep.
Two people, under the supervision of Tiger Guard soldiers, came to see the pottery merchant.
The potter looked up at the expressions of the two men.
Yan Xiang lowered his head and said nothing, while Ji Ling looked as if someone owed him a hundred thousand dollars, and said arrogantly: "There is no need to say any more, Ji will never surrender! His surname is Tao.
Yeah, hurry up and push us both out and behead us!"
Yan Xiang turned his head to look at Ji Ling in surprise, the look in his eyes was complex and inexplicable.
Brother! If you want to die, can you die by yourself? Yan has no intention of being beheaded with you!
What's the matter, pig mate? That's it!
Tao Shang looked at Ji Ling with a smile: "Why is General Ji unwilling to surrender?"
Ji Ling raised his head proudly and said, "You are a general of the Han Dynasty. How can I surrender to you?"
"Really?" Tao Shang said slowly: "It's a pity that Tao is the Taifu of the Han Dynasty, leading Yangzhou Mu. In terms of identity and status, in terms of Han official position, I should be more authentic than Yuan Shu.
Yes, why can't the generals of the Han Dynasty surrender to me? Your argument is not valid...reject it."
Ji Ling's face turned red when he heard this, and he opened his mouth, but no words came out.
The person named Tao said there was indeed nothing wrong with him.
Tao Shang touched his chin and said thoughtfully: "If General Ji calls himself a Han general, then Tao really doesn't have to ask you to surrender. I only need to ask your majesty for a decree to transfer you from Huainan to Jinling."
, it seems that there is no need to go to all the trouble of recruiting you."
"Transferred to Jinling?" Ji Ling was so angry at Tao Shang's words that his head ached: "I am a dignified lieutenant general appointed by General Hou! What kind of place did you transfer someone to? How could General Hou agree to this!"
Tao Shang said calmly: "Really? It's a pity that although you were appointed by the general, but now that the general is dead, Tao, as a Yangzhou shepherd, is naturally qualified to transfer you from Huainan. This ideal must be yours."
You should understand."
After saying this, Yan Xiang, who had been silent all this time, could not help but tremble. He raised his head in surprise and asked:
"You, you said the general... went away?"
The pottery merchant nodded and said, "Not bad."
"Did you kill him?"
Tao Shang shook his head and said: "No, Yuan Jiujiu died of grief, anger and depression on his way back to Huainan. It has nothing to do with Tao... However, although Yuan Jiujiu was not killed by me, when he was in Fan County, the emperor
He once said to Tao that Yuan Gongli had repeatedly violated taboos since he took office in the capital, killed important vassal towns outside the imperial court, colluded with cronies, supported the self-respect of the army, and disrespected the imperial court. If the emperor wants to repeat the glory of the Han Dynasty and wipe out the self-respecting people in the world, he will be the first to do so.
In favor of Yuan Shu, in recent years, he has gone against the grain in Huainan, which has aroused the anger of heaven and earth. The people under his rule are all complaining. Even if he does not die today, how can Tao tolerate him in the future? This result is good, and it can be regarded as Tao.
Save him some face."
In fact, this is pure nonsense.
When the emperor was in Fan County, he had too much time to take care of himself. How could he have time to discuss these things with the pottery merchants?
However, today's pottery merchant has the respect of the Taifu and is trusted by the emperor. How can Ji Ling, a general from outside the vassal, tell the truth from the lies in the pottery merchant's words? Besides, he is still a prisoner! He will not care what the pottery merchant says.
You should really listen.
"Emperor? Are you following the emperor's order to deal with the general?" Ji Ling, who had never been afraid in the rain of swords, guns and arrows on the battlefield, was trembling slightly when he spoke at this moment.
No wonder he was afraid. Private fights among princes and orthodox crusade under the emperor's edict were completely different concepts.
Tao Shang nodded seriously: "Ji Ling, there is only one way before you right now. Submit to me... Follow my command, control the war to the minimum, and minimize Yuan Shu's crimes.
.”
Speaking of this, Tao Shang paused and said: "Now that Yuan Shu is dead, all forces are eyeing Huainan. Yuan Shu's power is about to be destroyed. You don't want Yuan Shu to be defeated in the end."
Destroy the three tribes, right?"
Ji Ling gritted his teeth and hesitated in his mind.
Obviously, he wanted to be a loyal and good general who would be famous throughout the ages, but the reality was before his eyes. Tao Shang used the lives of Yuan Shu's tribe to control Ji Ling's thoughts, making him unable to make a decision after weighing the two sides.
If he doesn't surrender, Yuan Shu's family will have no one to protect him in the future.
After surrendering, he became a second-hand commodity and became the surrendered general that he originally despised the most!
Finally, it was Yan Xiang who broke the deadlock.
"General Ji, how about you and I... return to Lord Tao together?"
Ji Ling looked at Yan Xiang in surprise: "Master Yan, what are you talking nonsense about? Have you forgotten the kindness and trust my lord has shown to you and me?"
Yan Xiang's face looked very calm and he said: "It is precisely because I have not forgotten that I know what the lord wants most at the moment! You and I have done what we should do, and we have also done what we should advise.
I once advised you that Duke Ming is dead but his family and relatives are still there. If we also die with him, let me ask you, if my lord's orphans fall into the hands of evil people and are destroyed, how will you and I be under Jiuquan in the future?
How should we meet the lord? If we don’t surrender now, we will be doing ourselves a disservice and not being worthy of the lord, but if we surrender, we will be doing ourselves a disservice and not being worthy of the lord!”
After saying this, Yan Xiang straightened his neck and said proudly: "I would rather be sorry for myself than to be worthy of my lord."
The potter's eyes widened when he heard this.
Is this Yan Xiang the mastermind of Yuan Shu? He is indeed a talent!
Just because of this shameless energy, he and I will definitely get along very well in the future.
Ji Ling bit her lip tightly and felt sad for a long time. Suddenly she shook her head vigorously and said, "But how can Duke Yan be sure that the pottery merchant will not harm Duke Yuan's orphan?"
Yan Xiang stared at the pottery merchant quietly and said confidently: "No matter what, Tao Taifu still has the reputation of being a Taiping son, which is known all over the world. With this reputation as a gentleman, Taifu will not harm other people's innocent wives."
Son?"
When the pottery merchant heard this, he couldn't help but sigh secretly in his heart.
This Yan Xiang is still a smart man.
Which one is bigger and which one is smaller, I can still tell the difference.
Now that things have happened, I really have no need to harm the lives of Yuan Shu's family members.
Ji Ling thought for a long time, then suddenly took two steps forward, knelt down on one knee and said:
"If Tao Taifu is willing to let the general's family live...then Ji is willing to surrender."
…
After surrendering Ji Ling and Yan Xiang, Tao Shang handed over all border defense affairs in the southeast to Tao Ying. He himself led the Jinling troops and horses back to Danyang County.
After returning to Jinling City, the pottery merchant settled the matters at hand and then went to visit his wife Diao Chan.
As soon as Fang entered the governor's house, his servants informed the pottery merchant that Diao Chan and Mi Zhen were chatting in the backyard.
The pottery merchant was very surprised when he heard this.
Why is Mi Zhen here in Jinling City?
Through the efforts in recent years, the Mi family and Jinling City have cooperated well. The business of transporting salt and iron to other states has been put on the right track. Now the business between the two families can be said to be booming.
Jinling's salt and iron foreign affairs channels have matured, and there is no need for the girl Mi Zhen to continue to show her face. What else is she going to do back in Jinling City?
Coming all the way to see Diao Chan?
When did her relationship with Diao Chan become so good?
When I entered the backyard, I saw the two girls chatting about everything.
As soon as they saw the pottery merchant coming, the two girls stood up to pay their respects.
"Husband, you are back!" Diao Chan greeted him with a smile.
The potter smiled and held her hand, looked her up and down for a while, and suddenly asked curiously: "Madam, I feel like you...have gained some weight?"
After saying this, Diao Chan suddenly saw a hint of blush on her cheeks, turned her head away, and hummed without saying anything.
Mi Zhen laughed at the side and said: "Zhen'er came from Pengcheng this time specifically to congratulate Taifu on conquering the whole territory of Jiangnan and adding a new member to the clan."
"Congratulations? Newbie?" The pottery merchant frowned, looked at Mi Zhen who had a smile on his face, and then looked at Diao Chan who was blushing with shame. It took him a while to come back to his senses.
"Madam, you shouldn't be... pregnant, right?" The pottery merchant reached out and gently touched Diao Chan's seemingly fat belly, his voice a little excited.
Diao Chan lowered her head and said softly, "Yeah."
The potter was so excited that he was a little incoherent. He had been born in two lifetimes, but he never expected that he would become a father today?
"This, this! Great! Whose child is it?"
When Diao Chan heard this, she was confused at first.
Then she took action in shame and anger, pinched his arm gently, and said angrily: "Who knows which pig and sheep it belongs to!"
The pottery merchant laughed and said, "I am incoherent. When did it happen?"
Diao Chan showed a happy smile: "It was that time before you went on the expedition..."
"Boy or girl?"
"I do not know."
"Why didn't you take a test?"
This sentence made both Diao Chan and Mi Zhen confused.
Before the child is born...can we know the gender?
Tao Shang knelt down, gently stroked Diao Chan's belly, and said lovingly: "I didn't expect that I could be a father. My son... what should I name you... Tao Qi, or Tao?"