After the New Year's Eve, Yu Erbi and his son, Zhao Yun, Gan Ning and others led the Jinling White Horse Army and part of the crossbow battalion to prepare for departure. Accompanying them to the Xiongnu royal court was Sima Yi, the apprentice of the pottery merchant.
As for what to do when they arrived at the Southern Xiongnu royal court, the pottery merchants left it all to Sima Yi.
He also told Sima Yi that he would find an ally to support them, and asked him to go ahead and do it.
Before leaving, the pottery merchant personally saw off several people at the gate of the camp.
The attendant brought over the wine pot and wine cup.
The pottery merchant poured a full cup of wine and said to everyone: "The wind is rustling and the water is cold. A strong man will never come back when he is gone... Have a good trip, ears and noses!"
The wine cup that was held from his ears and nose to his mouth immediately stopped moving.
He thought carefully about it for a while, smashing it and smashing it, but he always felt that something was a bit off.
"Prime Minister, why do I feel that the word you used is a bit inappropriate for the situation..." Yu Erbi smiled awkwardly and asked.
The pottery merchant smiled and said: "It doesn't matter whether you respond to the situation or not. The key is your heart, ears and nose. You must be more careful this time. After the matter is completed, write me a reply immediately."
Yu Ernun nodded quickly in agreement.
But in his heart, he dismissed the words of the potter.
When I return to the royal court of the Southern Huns this time, the eagle returns to the sky and the tiger returns to the mountains and forests? Will I give you another answer to drive you? You are simply dreaming!
After the group of people said goodbye to the pottery merchant, they slowly headed north.
The nomadic site of the Southern Xiongnu Royal Court was in the northern border of Youzhou. The last time Yuan Xi came to attack the pottery merchants to demand Zhen Mi, the pottery merchants maimed the soldiers and horses of Youzhou headquarters. So far, there is no border with Youzhou.
If not for the upcoming confrontation with Yuan Shao, Tao Shang would have immediately led his troops north to Youzhou. Therefore, Yuan's army in Youzhou could not stop the Jinling army from going to northern Xinjiang.
After sending Yu Erbi and others away, the pottery merchant went to the residence of Zhen Mi and Yuan Wan.
The relationship between Yuan Wan and Zhen Mi has improved by leaps and bounds. For some reason, it has almost become so good that they need to wear a pair of pants..., no, a skirt.
When I came to the small courtyard, I met the two girls, and saw that they were playing with a pair of exquisite mahjong newly made out of small wooden boards, and they were whispering to each other and studying.
This was given to them by the pottery merchant to play with during the Chinese New Year.
After all, the two women couldn't go home and stayed with him at the front line every day. They had nothing to do on weekdays, so he had to find some fun for them, right?
"The Prime Minister is here." As soon as she saw the pottery merchant, Zhen Mi showed a full smile: "You came just in time. We have figured out some tricks on the leaf play you taught us last time."
The pottery merchant asked in surprise: "Really or not?"
Yuan Wan said confidently: "How about the three of us play a few games?"
The pottery merchant smiled and nodded: "It's not impossible, but since it's a game, you need to bet on some lottery prizes. What do you two girls bet with me?"
Yuan Wan looked suspicious.
"money?"
The potter shook his head.
Gambling is a bad habit, especially gambling with two beauties. It is too vulgar and should not be promoted.
Or, how about taking off one piece of clothing at a time?
The potter thinks this is feasible, but he is afraid that the two girls will not be happy with it.
It seems that I can only bet on the simplest one.
"Get ready to sharpen your ink. The winner will paint a stroke on the face of the loser." The pottery merchant made suggestions to the two of them.
When Zhen Mi heard this, she immediately showed a happy expression.
"It's unheard of to draw strokes on your face... Let's try it quickly."
Yuan Wan was not as happy as Zhen Mi. On the contrary, she looked at the pottery merchant worriedly.
After all, she had known the pottery merchant earlier than Zhen Mi, and her understanding of this man was deeper than Zhen Mi's.
This man is not a loser.
…
"Ninety thousand!"
"fork."
"Nijo!"
"It got muddy when I touched it."
The potter gently turned the entire card over so that Zhen Mi and Yuan Wan opposite him could see it clearly. Then he picked up the pen and ink and stretched it towards Zhen Mi first.
On Zhen Mi's face, a little tortoise had been painted stroke by stroke by the potter, while on Yuan Wan's face, a little tiger had been drawn.
After the potter made another sketch for each of them, he nodded with satisfaction and said with a smile: "How cute."
The two girls have just started playing mahjong and don't know how to count cards. Naturally, they lose more than they win. The little animals on their faces have already taken shape, while the potter's face currently only has two shallow lines.
Zhen Mi pushed the wooden sign in front of her and pouted: "No more playing. Just draw us, and you will have nothing on your face."
The pottery merchant gently put down his pen and said, "Then take a rest. I just have something to ask you."
Zhen Mi looked at the pottery merchant suspiciously, and saw the pottery merchant saying, "Over in Youzhou, there was Xian Yufu, who used to be under Gongsun Zan's command. Do you know him?"
Zhen Mi's little cherry mouth was so surprised that it was long enough to hold an apple.
She looked at the pottery merchant doubtfully and said: "Xian Yufu is also a county guard, and the little girl is just a merchant. How could Mr. Tao think that he would be related to our Zhen family?"
The potter smiled slightly and said: "It is not difficult to guess that when Gongsun Zan and Liu Bei killed Liu Yu, the Youzhou generals rebelled against him in order to protect Liu Yu's son Liu He. Among them, Xian Yufu was the leader, and Wuhuan and Yuan Shao
They surrounded Gongsun Zan together, but afterwards, Yuan Shao recruited these Youzhou generals to surrender, but they refused to submit. Instead, they moved to the border of Youzhou and formed their own party. Yuan Shao was busy launching the Battle of Guandu and had no time to deal with them.
, so it has been put on hold until now..."
Zhen Mi did not expect that the pottery merchant knew so much about the affairs of Youzhou.
She blinked her almond-shaped eyes and looked at him, then suddenly smiled, her smile was enough to charm all living beings... The only flaw was that there was a bastard with wet ink on her right cheek.
"Even so, how can they establish a relationship with my Zhen family?"
The pottery merchant said calmly: "Although Xian Yufu and other old Youzhou tribes have soldiers and generals, they have no food supply. In the past two years, what has he relied on to support himself until now? Is he eating shit?... Looking at the entire four states of Hebei, except for Yuan Shao,
Apart from me, there are only two other tribes that can do this."
Speaking of this, Tao Shang paused and said: "The first is the Gongsun family in Liaodong, and the second is your Zhen family in Zhongshan. I sent the school affairs office to inquire about the grain purchases of Xian Yufu and others in recent years.
Although I can’t find anything related to your Zhen family, judging from the channels, I can conclude that they have absolutely nothing to do with the Gongsun family...right?"
Zhen Mi was both surprised and impressed: "So you conclude that it was my Zhongshan family who did it?"
The pottery merchant nodded: "To do something so clean, I'm afraid only the Zhen family has the business knowledge and ability."
Zhen Mi pondered for a while and finally said: "The Zhen family did this not because of Xian Yufu, nor because they had any agenda. It was just that Xian Yufu, Tian Yu and other Youzhou veteran generals were currently assisting the late Youzhou generals.
When Liu Youzhou, the son of Liu Yu, the prefectural pastor, was alive, he was very kind to our Zhen family, and we must repay this kindness."
Speaking of this, Zhen Mi looked at the pottery merchant and said, "You asked Xian Yufu and other Youzhou generals about it, are you not trying to murder them?"
The pottery merchant nodded and said with a smile: "Of course not. Xian Yufu, Tian Yu and others are all heroes. I want to conquer them on behalf of the imperial court and ask them to help me conquer Youzhou, pacify Liaodong, and annex Xianbei."