The Grandmaster Strategist

On February 26, the eighth year of Longsheng's reign, it was a beautiful and sunny day. Standing on the Zhenhuai Tower, standing in front of the window and overlooking the scenery below the city, Pei Yun had a trace of boredom hidden under his seemingly calm face. Huaidong Defeat on the battlefield, even though he occupied Chuzhou and Sizhou, could not make him feel better. However, this time he obeyed the order and only contained the Chu army in Huaidong. He could not take the initiative to attack Lu Can while he was trapped in Wuyue, which made him even more frustrated. Thinking that Xiangyang is filled with war smoke, Changsun Ji's Nanyang camp has increased its troops to 300,000, but he has not been supplemented. The Xuzhou camp currently has less than 100,000 troops, and there is not much spare power to launch a major military operation. This How could he not be upset?

Another thing that made him depressed was the new Chuzhou County Governor Luo Jing. He originally planned to replace Gu Yuanyong after the situation stabilized, so as to avoid unstable foundation. Who would have thought that Gu Yuanyong was powerless when Luo Louzhen was in control of Chuzhou and made every oversight in handling government affairs. However, since he voted for Dayong, he seemed to have divine help and managed the government affairs of Chuzhou in an orderly manner. When Pei Yun came from Yangzhou After retreating, being able to hold on to the front lines of Chuzhou and Sizhou was really thanks to Gu Yuanyong's help. Pei Yun was originally a person who was fair in rewards and punishments. Seeing that Gu Yuanyong was very capable, he was determined to keep him in office. However, at this time, the imperial court had sent Luo Jing to serve as the governor of Chuzhou. Although he was not willing to do so, it made sense. , after all, Chuzhou’s location is very important. However, although Na Luo Jing had outstanding abilities, he had a very unruly temperament. His methods of governing Chuzhou were vigorous and vigorous, which aroused complaints from the people of Chuzhou. If he had been elsewhere, Pei Yun would not have opposed him, but Chuzhou was an important frontline town. It was a new arrival and he needed to be comforted, so he hinted to Luo Jing. However, the new county governor believed in his talent and refused to make any concessions. If it had been anyone else, Pei Yun would have probably given him a beating with a military stick and then driven him back. After all, Chuzhou was still a military town and was subject to Pei Yun's jurisdiction. However, this county guard had a very strong backing. He was the beloved son-in-law of the current queen's brother-in-law, Gao Rong. Gao Rong was an important minister of Emperor Yong. He once assisted Prince Li Jun in Youzhou and had a very high status in the eyes of the emperor. Although Pei Yun is not afraid of Gao Rong, he is now the defeated general. Naturally, he does not want to offend Gao Rong easily. But with such discord between civil and military forces, how can he attack Huaidong with all his strength? How could such troubles not make Pei Yun feel depressed.

Pei Yun stood there silently, but Gu Yuanyong standing behind him was calm. As a surrender, he has already made full preparations. As for the safety of his family, he is not worried. The Gu family in Hengyang has been passed down from generation to generation and will never be exterminated because of an unworthy son. Now he only needs to worry about his own wealth and life. That’s it. He is a person who is aware of current affairs. In the past, he was a child of a Nanchu family, so he studied hard, obtained meritorious services, brought glory to the family, served as an official in Chuzhou, and followed the strategy of tiger and wolf. He wisely protected himself, even for the sake of the soldiers and people of Chuzhou and Luo The fight between Lou and Zhen was controlled within the range that Luo Louzhen could bear, and he even wanted to make friends with the officers of the Chuzhou camp, leaving a way out for him to seek help and plead for mercy. When Yong's army captured Chuzhou, he surrendered sadly. Pei Yun entrusted him with an important task, so he did his best. Now that he is relieved of his official position, he has no worries. He is just planning whether to find an opportunity to return home or continue to wait for Yong Ting. appointment. In Gu Yuanyong's mind, he considered himself to be just a mediocre person, unable to compete with the powerful. As long as he did not infringe on his interests too much, it made no difference whether he was a Yongchen or a Chuchen. Of course, if Nan Chu counterattacks back now, he will not surrender immediately. After all, a good horse will not turn back to eat grass. But if someone in Dayong forces him to do something crazy, such as asking him to say that the Jiang clan people surrendered to Yong, they should cooperate with each other inside and outside. Nanchu, he would never do this. Gu Yuanyong was such a person, so Pei Yun intended to keep him in Chuzhou, so he stayed naturally. Shi Shiran walked beside Pei Yun, and the new county governor naturally didn't know that he had many The laws and regulations that were not in line with the people of Chuzhou were all ordered by this person, and he ordered Chuzhou officials to violate them openly and covertly, hiding the truth from superiors and bullying subordinates.

Pei Yun stood there for a long time, and finally shook his head helplessly and said: "That's all, I don't want to worry about all these troubles.

Mr. Gu, it would be good for us to change our clothes and go for a walk to relax. Gu Yuanyong heard the words and said with a smile: "The general is busy with military affairs on weekdays, and he just takes a quick look at Chuzhou City. Today, since he wants to relax, Yuan Yong will accompany him and enjoy the scenery of Huai'an." Pei Yun smiled and nodded, looked back at Du Lingfeng, and said, "I'm just going out for a leisurely trip today. You're not allowed to cause trouble." " Du Lingfeng responded quickly, but his face turned red. He was aggressive by nature and always liked to cause trouble. If it weren't for this reason, he wouldn't have refused to officially enter the military.

Although Pei Yun wanted to go out and relax, the three of them were too conspicuous after all. Although Pei Yun was already thirty-four years old this year, he had practiced Buddhist mental techniques since he was a child and had profound internal strength, which made him look less than thirty years old. His appearance and bearing are outstanding among people. Even in casual clothes, everyone attracts attention. What's more, all the patrol sergeants he encounters cannot help but salute when they see him. Gu Yuanyong is the governor of Chuzhou County, and everyone recognizes him. , Du Lingfeng wandered around the city without anything to do, and there were many people who recognized him. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, he couldn't have fun even if he wanted to have fun. Pei Yun smiled self-deprecatingly, his eyes flashed out, and he saw an elegant small restaurant on the side of the street, so he walked inside.

The waiter in the restaurant almost stumbled to greet the guests. The shopkeeper ran forward in three or two steps, bowed his head and welcomed the three of them upstairs. There were only six or seven seats upstairs, and there were three seats near the window. The heads are separated by screens, and light yellow bamboo curtains are hung outside, which is elegant and unique. Although Gu Yuanyong has been in Chuzhou for many years, he has never been to this small restaurant. Now that he sees it, he feels quite regretful. The three of them sat down, ordered some food and drinks, and started drinking and chatting. Pei Yun opened the window and looked down. People were coming and going on the street. It was naturally much more interesting than the indifference downstairs in Zhenhuai, where no strangers were allowed to approach him. He felt more and more that it was right to come out incognito.

At this time, the shopkeeper invited a few more guests upstairs. The shopkeeper originally wanted not to entertain guests upstairs today, but Du Lingfeng was very smart and knew that Pei Yun came out today just to relax, and he would be happy if he became more popular, so he already I warned the shopkeeper not to reveal that there was a distinguished guest upstairs and asked him to treat him as usual. Although the shopkeeper didn't dare to disobey, he was still careful. The guests he brought upstairs also first guessed whether there would be any obstruction. There were six guests this time. They were obviously well-known people who had traveled far away, so he felt relieved and invited them upstairs. Two of them walked directly to the seat on Pei Yun's left hand, while the other four were outside. I chose a seat next to the stairs, obviously a clear distinction between master and slave. Just as the shopkeeper was about to turn around and go downstairs, he saw two handsome scholars going up the stairs. The two looked similar, but one was taller and the other was shorter. They were one or two years apart in age. At first glance, the shopkeeper was shocked. These two people were brothers. His elder brother, Zhou Ming, and his younger brother, Zhou Hui, had always been drinking together upstairs. Zhou Ming was the most wild and unruly person, and he always had some rebellious words, even on weekdays. Well, no one has reported on the news, but there are distinguished guests upstairs today. Thinking of this, the shopkeeper was about to step forward to stop him, but Zhou Ming had already laughed and said: "Lao Du, you said last time that the green plum wine can be opened today, and our brothers came here to have a few drinks."

The shopkeeper sighed in his heart, knowing that it was too late to stop him, so he could only say vaguely: "That green plum wine is sour and astringent, and only you brothers like it."

Zhou Ming laughed again when he heard this, but Zhou Hui only smiled slightly. Zhou Ming said: "This green plum wine is made by Lao Du by mixing the half-ripe wild green plums you picked in the summer with the cold winter ice and snow. Although the taste is sour, But it has a different flavor that ordinary people can understand. Not only do our brothers like it, Wen Pu also loves this wine the most, but he can't come today." At the end, his voice was a little sad.

The shopkeeper was startled again and quickly changed the subject: "Aren't there two other gentlemen who are here to taste the wine? I will go get the wine now. You two gentlemen, please sit down first." After that, he came over. When the two people were about to whisper, there was a cold snort in his ears. He trembled and noticed the cold and stern eyes from behind the bamboo curtain, so he had to go downstairs. When he was about to leave, he quietly turned around, only to see that the Zhou brothers were completely unaware. It seemed that they had not heard the cold snort. They felt strange in their hearts, but they could only feel sad. At this time, Pei Yun in the curtain smiled faintly. It was he who sent a message to warn the shopkeeper, but he also felt worried in his heart. He couldn't help but sigh when he thought that the people of Chuzhou were more and more resistant to Dayong.

The Zhou brothers walked directly into the seat on the far right side of the window, as if they were familiar with each other. As they walked, Zhou Ming said to his brother: "When you and I sent Brother Qingpu away to fly away, we had an appointment, and we meet again here today. Let’s drink the green plum wine newly brewed by Lao Du, but it’s a pity that Chuzhou now belongs to Dayong, and the roads are cut off. Brother Qingpu will definitely miss the date today.”

Zhou Hui said: "It's no wonder, Chuzhou no longer belongs to Southern Chu. Although brother Qingpu is a man with a lot of money and a promise, he can only sigh at the green plum blossoms. It's hard to go back to home, and it's hard to run away to the country."

Zhou Ming smiled and said: "Actually, this is not necessarily the case. Brother Qingpu is both civil and military and has always been determined to serve the country. He just couldn't stand the mediocrity of the court, so he wandered around and had no intention of having an official career. However, now that Huaidong is in charge of General Lu, maybe Brother Qingpu In Yangzhou and Guangling, although the two armies are facing each other, if he is determined, he may not be unable to come back with his ability. And Brother Qingpu has never broken a promise, so I have to wait here today, otherwise if he takes the risk to come back , but our brothers are hiding at home and dare not come forward. Isn’t it unworthy of a good friend? "

Zhou Hui said: "Brother, be careful what you say. From my point of view, it would be better for Brother Qingpu not to come. He regards Mr. Hua as his father. If he learns the bad news, he will definitely not give up. But the Luo thief is Chuzhou The county guard holds great power, if Brother Qingpu intends to seek revenge, I'm afraid it will end up costing his life." Zhou Ming also sighed after hearing this.

Pei Yun didn't pay attention to the other drinkers upstairs, but the Zhou brothers didn't lower their voices deliberately, so he heard clearly. He looked back at Gu Yuanyong with doubts in his eyes. Gu Yuanyong also heard the words of the two brothers and was worried about them. He glanced at Pei Yun and hesitated to speak. However, Du Lingfeng whispered: "These two generals must have forgotten that our army was defeated by Guazhou years ago." At that time, Zhou Ming wrote a poem to ridicule the general, and said in public that Lu Can would definitely be able to recapture Chuzhou. Originally, such a madman should be killed, but his uncle did not care and just asked Master Gu to control them. After Master Luo took office, he and the people in the city There are many disputes among the scholars in Hansheng, and they even send people to monitor these people. If they say something inappropriate, they will be imprisoned and questioned. Now most of the scholars in the city stay behind closed doors to avoid disasters. I'm afraid there is Mr. Luo downstairs now. As for the Mr. Hua they are talking about, they think he is Hua Xuan, a famous figure in the city. As for the Qingpu brother, they think he is Zhuang Qingpu, a talented Chuzhou scholar who ran away two years ago because he injured Luo Louzhen’s sergeant. Zhuang Qingpu is Chu The leader of the state's scholars has a close relationship with the Zhou brothers."

Pei Yun then remembered that incident and just smiled lightly. He never paid attention to the criticisms of these crazy scribes. As long as Dayong wins every day, these people will naturally stop talking nonsense as time goes by. However, the matter of Hua Xuan was very troublesome. He was very knowledgeable, and sixty-seven out of ten Confucian scholars in the city were called his disciples. Hua Xuan had been shut up since Yong's army entered the city, and Luo Jing wanted to force him to become an official. He wanted to be a scholar, but he severely rejected him. Luo Zhangren was furious and put him in prison. Gu Yuanyong personally begged Pei Yun for mercy, and Pei Yun issued a warrant ordering Luo Jing to be released. Only then did that person The old man escaped from prison, but Hua Xuan was old and frail, and suffered humiliation in prison. He died of illness less than half a month after he was released from prison. If it weren't for Gu Yuanyong's mediation, Pei Yun promptly sent additional sergeants to guard the place. The Chuzhou scholars who worshiped the Hua family almost caused trouble. Luo Jing later wrote a letter to impeach Pei Yun for conniving and being arrogant, which made Pei Yun almost faint. However, Pei Yun was calm by nature. Although he was extremely angry, he did not show it. It's just a matter of self-defense. Thinking of Luo Jing's strong suppression, wouldn't it be easier to cause trouble? Once the people's hearts are disturbed, how can he secure Chuzhou? Thinking of this, Pei Yun felt more and more melancholy in his heart. He thought to himself, if Zhuang Qingpu really comes, take him back to the camp to prevent him from seeking revenge on Luo Jing, which is a pity for a talented person. He shook his head slightly, and Pei Yun said Look out the window.

Gu Yuanyong secretly frowned. Zhuang Qingpu was a famous scholar from the Jianghuai River. He had a fierce temperament, excellent literary talent, and was good at swordsmanship. He was a rare and good son in Chuzhou. His parents were both dead and there were few people in the clan. If not, Hua Xuan loved his talent and was taken care of by his family, so he might not be able to mature. If he knew about Hua Xuan's death, he might really seek revenge on Luo Jing. Zhuang Qingpu had a very high reputation among Chuzhou scholars. If he responded to his call and caused chaos, wouldn't it be a big trouble? He didn't know Pei Yun's intentions, and was even more worried that Zhuang Qingpu would take the risk today. He was thinking hard about how to lure Pei Yun away, or find a way to meet Zhuang Qingpu privately to persuade him not to cause trouble. But when he saw Pei Yun drinking and enjoying the scenery, with no intention of getting up, and he didn't dare to show his presence, let alone hint to the Zhou brothers, he became more and more anxious.

At this time, the shopkeeper had already brought up a small wine jar. As soon as he opened the mud seal on the wine jar, the aroma of wine overflowed, and the aroma already contained a sense of loneliness. Zhou Ming poured a cup of light green wine, took a sip, and said loudly: "The mist locks the Qin Tower in the morning, adding to the sorrow of separation. In the wind, the cup is tilted into the golden pot. It is difficult to stay after singing in Yangguan, this hatred is long." Repeatedly chanted several times, The voice was full of melancholy.

Pei Yun frowned slightly when he heard this. Although he was not very familiar with poetry, he also knew that this should be the first half of the song "Lang Tao Sha". Since Zhou Ming was a talented man, how could he not continue the second half.

At this time, a clear and arrogant voice came from the stairs and continued: "The sleeves are full of green plums, and there are sparse snow flakes. I have brewed Dujia wine for many years. After drinking, I will stand in a boat in the cold, and I will rest after getting drunk."

Zhou Ming and Zhou Hui were both surprised. Zhou Ming even rushed out of the bamboo curtain, looked at the stairs, and asked in a voice: "Brother Qingpu, is it you who is back?"

Pei Yun was shocked. He didn't expect that Zhuang Qingpu had actually arrived. Regardless of how he crossed the city gate, this man's promise and trustworthiness were already astonishing. Pei Yun looked out from inside the curtain and saw Zhou Ming and a scholar looking at each other with their arms crossed. Zhou Ming's face was filled with tears and he was obviously very excited. The scholar in white was also quite excited, but there was a calm and decisive look on his face. Pei Yun looked carefully and saw that the scholar's sword-shaped eyebrows and starry eyes were elegant and graceful, like a jade tree in the wind. He really looked like a child in the capital, with an unparalleled weathervane. However, his whole body was shrouded in an aloof and pure aura, which lacked a bit of kindness. . The scholar was dressed in white as snow, with a wide robe and ribbon, big sleeves fluttering, and a three-foot green sword hanging from his waist. It was not a fluttering sword with a gorgeous appearance, but a simple and calm long sword with a black sheath and a black handle. . It can be seen that this scholar is really a talented man with both civil and military skills.

Pei Yun was amazed in his heart, and his eyes fell on the scholar's face. Although the scholar's aura had not diminished, his face was pale. There was a dark shadow in the hall, and there were faint dark red marks on his temples. Pei Yun felt a sudden change in his heart. Trembling, he couldn't help but sigh sadly: "What a pity, what a pity!"

Unexpectedly, a clear and elegant voice also came from the seat on the left side: "It's a pity that he has such a talent."

Pei Yun's heart moved, and he looked to the left. Through the screen, he couldn't see the appearance of the guest over there, but the voice sounded familiar, but he couldn't remember who it was for a moment. Du Lingfeng knew what was going on when he saw his expression, and whispered in his ear: "Those four people came with them." After saying that, he stretched out his hand and pointed lightly. Pei Yun looked around, but there were four young people sitting there with their heads down eating. Pei Yun Just at a glance, one can see that these four people have serious demeanor, a faint light in their eyes, upright posture, their clothes and shoes appear to be ordinary, and their weapons are all wrapped in cloth, like ordinary wealthy businessmen guarding them, but now in Chuzhou There would be ordinary merchants everywhere, not to mention the fact that these four people had extraordinary skills as soon as they saw them. The more he looked at it, the weirder he felt. Pei Yun couldn't help but frown slightly. Nowadays, Chuzhou has extremely tight security. If such a person appeared in Chuzhou, why didn't he get a report?

At this time, the scholar in white also glanced at the drinkers upstairs, smiled faintly, followed the Zhou brothers to the seat, and said: "You still remember so clearly the words I wrote when we parted. It seems that If I don't come today, you will definitely scold me to death. Pour some wine quickly. I have been waiting for today for a long time. All these years of wandering around the world, what I have been looking forward to most is Lao Du's green plum wine. Now that I have fulfilled my long-cherished wish, I will die immediately. This life is not in vain."

Zhou Ming was filled with ecstasy and thought he was wild. He quickly took out a large wine cup, poured a full glass of green plum wine and handed it to the scholar in white. He drank it all in one gulp, and his originally pale complexion gained a little more color. Zhou Ming said happily: "Brother Qingpu is still so cheerful. Lao Du only brews ten jars of 100 jins of green plum wine a year. This time I have bought them all. You and I will get drunk and talk about our feelings of separation until we sober up." From then on, no matter what Brother Qingpu ordered, I would gladly obey." He was inconvenient to ask his friends if they had heard about the death of his mentor, so he spoke in a cryptic way. But Gu Yuanyong, who was listening across the screen, was very anxious and wanted to shout a warning.

But the scholar in white smiled and said: "As a brother, I have nothing to ask for. I came today just for the old promise and this green plum wine." After saying that, he took the wine pot on the table and poured himself a glass. The wine was stained with color. His face became more and more elegant and elegant. Zhou Ming hesitated for a moment, hesitated to speak, and finally refused to ask his friends if they had learned about Hua Xuan's death.

At this time, someone lifted up the light yellow bamboo curtain, and two men in green clothes walked in. The man in front had gray hair and frosty temples, with an elegant and handsome appearance, and a calm and free demeanor. The man behind seemed to be a servant, bowing his head and following. Zhou Ming was startled, seeing that the man had a strange description and a charming charm. If he had met such a person in the past, he would naturally have wanted to make friends with him. However, he thought that Chuzhou already belonged to Dayong. Although this man looked quite handsome, But there is no doubt that he is from Yong, so he said angrily: "Why do you barge into the table without authorization? It is too rude."

The man's eyes flashed and he said: "I heard the three of you praised the green plum wine, and I also want to try this pure and cold wine. If you are willing, I am willing to exchange this for a jar of new wine. I wonder what you think? "

After saying that, he opened his right hand and found a wax pill as big as a longan in his palm. Just as Zhou Ming was about to ask, the man had already crushed the wax pill, revealing a pill as red as flames. The aroma immediately filled the room. Zhou Ming just smelled it. The aroma makes me feel refreshed. Scholars say that if you are not a good person, then you are a good doctor. Although his medical skills are mediocre, he also knows that this is an excellent life-extending elixir, but it seems that the three of him cannot use it. When he was hesitating, Zhuang Qingpu was already cold. He said: "Thank you, Your Excellency. A jar of green plum wine in exchange for this pill is not worth it. If you like this wine, I will ask the shopkeeper to send you a jar." Zhou Ming was at a loss, but subconsciously called the shopkeeper to get the wine. After a while, shopkeeper Du brought another jar of green plum wine.

The man in green sighed softly and said, "I have too many things to do. It doesn't make much difference whether it's a moment earlier or a moment later." After saying that, he squeezed the pill hard, and the pill turned into pieces, and the fragrance filled the room, and the red color The medicinal powder fell to the ground. The man in green took out the silk silk, wiped the medicinal powder from his hand, turned around and walked out. Zhou Ming was shocked and felt that it was a pity that the pill must have been a life-saving medicine, but it turned into ashes and fell into the dust. Looking at it, I accidentally saw a jade ring on the right hand of the man in green. The ring was originally a woman's accessory, but it seemed a little frivolous for a man to wear it. The man in green was very popular, but how could he have such a rosy look? Zhou Ming felt scornful in his heart, and there was a look of disdain in his eyes. Unexpectedly, the servant in green clothes was about to go out at this time. When he saw Zhou Ming's expression, a cold light flashed in his eyes. He gave Zhou Ming a cold look and walked out. Zhou Ming did not notice this move, but was seen by Zhou Hui who was sitting next to him. The servant in green clothes looked to be in his twenties, with a delicate and fair appearance, but his eyes were as deep and cold as cold springs. Zhou Hui was shocked and felt uneasy.

At this time, Pei Yun was sitting on the chair in a daze, his heart overflowing with surprise, but he couldn't believe that what he saw in front of him was the true love. Just seeing the faces of the two people through the bamboo curtain had already shocked his heart. , after listening to a few more words, I became more and more sure of my judgment. I wanted to go out to meet each other immediately. I just thought that if I went out, I would be afraid of disturbing everyone upstairs, so I didn't dare to move lightly, but I was restless, afraid of slighting that person. . At this time, a cold voice came from his ears: "Master, please don't come over to meet us for the time being." Pei Yun felt relieved, and then he calmed down, thinking about how to use this opportunity to get rid of his embarrassing predicament. .

At this time, Zhuang Qingpu seemed to have noticed something different in the atmosphere in the restaurant. He stood up and said with a smile: "I've drank the wine and learned about it. I'm leaving now." Zhou Ming said in surprise: "Brother Qingpu is rare. Come back, why are you leaving now?" Zhuang Qingpu's eyes showed reluctance, and he looked a little troubled.

However, Zhou Hui had already seen some ominous signs. He stood up and bowed his head and said: "Brother Qingpu, if you have any difficulties, please let me know. Even if I am broken into pieces, I will live up to my trust."

Zhuang Qingpu knew that Zhou Hui had always been attentive, so he smiled and said: "There's nothing else going on, I just hope it doesn't involve the two of you." After saying that, he stood up, bowed his head, and walked out. Zhou Ming stood up and wanted to stop him, but Zhuang Qingpu I have reached the stairs and am about to go downstairs. Zhou Ming wanted to call him, but Zhou Hui held him back and shook his head gently. Zhou Ming is also a smart man. Suddenly he understood and blurted out: "Could it be that Brother Qingpu has already been to Hua's house?" Before Zhou Hui could answer, there was a sound of shouting and running in his ears. Zhou Hui didn't bother to explain to his brother and had already rushed to him. in front of the window.

Smoke and dust billowed on both sides of the street. The iron armor of the Chuzhou Yong Army was clearly visible in the smoke. All directions had been blocked. The people on the street fled in all directions. A big man in brocade clothes rushed in with more than a hundred guards in gray armor. , pointing to the houses on both sides of the street and said: "Someone has seen the assassin appear here, and he must have fled to the houses and shops on both sides. You can go in and search every house for me. If there is resistance, I will kill him without mercy."

Zhou Ming also looked downstairs from the window at this moment. He recognized that the big man in brocade clothes was Gao Bing, the captain of the Chuzhou Guards. According to Dayong's military system, every state and county has a guard establishment, but its combat strength is weak. The source of troops mainly comes from laid-off sergeants. They usually assist county guards in maintaining local peace. The Chuzhou Guard establishment has 3,000 people, but now Chuzhou was guarded by Huainan Jiedushi Pei Yun, so the number of people was not enough, with only 1,200 people. That Gao Bing was a member of the clan of his uncle Gao Rong, and he was appointed as the captain of the guard army here. His intention was obvious. This man had always been a close associate of Luo Jing, the governor of Chuzhou County, and Zhou Ming hated him deeply. He wondered what kind of assassin he was here to capture. Could someone have assassinated Luo Jing? He was always quick in thinking, and he immediately thought of Zhuang Qingpu's words just now. Listening to his tone, it seemed that he had already settled his concerns and had no worries anymore. He must have been beheaded by Luo Jing, and the person who did it was Zhuang Qingpu. After thinking about this, Zhou Ming felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave. There was no joy in his heart that the evildoer was punished. He had no intention of thinking about how Zhuang Qingpu managed to assassinate a dignified county guard. He just thought that Zhuang Qingpu was downstairs before he left the house. , how can Zhuang Qingpu escape from this tight siege?

Gao Bing downstairs was also cold all over. Thinking of what happened an hour ago, he still felt like he was in a dream. At that time, a scholar suddenly came to see him, saying that he could persuade Chuzhou scholars to serve in Yongting. Luo Jing was very happy. Because of the Hua Xuan incident, he fell into a very passive situation, although he temporarily avoided it by impeaching Pei Yun. However, once the court learns the truth of the matter, his future may be ruined, so Luo Jing hurriedly summons him. When the scholar came in, he had a long sword hanging at his waist, but there was no hidden weapon. Luo Jing and Gao Bing both thought it was a scholar's habit and didn't mind. However, for the sake of safety, they still asked him to remove the sword. enter.

The scholar who came to see him called himself Zhuang Qingpu, a disciple of Hua Xuan. Luo Jing had heard of this name and knew that this man had a good reputation among the scholars of Chuzhou. Although he despised this man for being ungrateful and coming to seek refuge in spite of the death of his mentor, he still Luo Jing also knew that with the help of this person, the great task of winning over the scholars of Chuzhou would most likely be achieved. So I was very polite to Nazhuang Qingpu. Zhuang Qingpu talked eloquently. He knew the famous people in Chuzhou very well, and he was very knowledgeable when talking about how to win over these people. Luo Jing became excited after hearing this and was no longer suspicious. Although Luo Jing was arrogant, he was very talented and learned, otherwise he would not be able to serve as a county guard. Seeing that Zhuang Qingpu was very talented, knowledgeable and talented, he also wanted to recruit him, so he started talking with him in detail. After a while, he became even more speculative. In the midst of the ecstasy, Zhuang Qingpu stood up and performed a sword dance, breaking willows into swords, and sang a long song to cry, among which there was "What is the meaning of being abandoned on the middle road, scattered and drifting by the ancient prison. Although it is buried and useless, it can still be used every night." Soaring to the sky. (Note 1)" sentence. Luo Jing saw that he was wild and romantic, and was even more doubtful. He laughed and said that sword dancing cannot be done without a sword, so he ordered Zhuang Qingpu's sword to be fetched.

After Zhuang Qingpu took the sword, he performed the sword dance again. As expected, the sword was like a flowing rainbow, and its light was as cold as frost and snow. After the sword dance, Luo Jing stepped forward to pay tribute, but was violently attacked by Zhuang Qingpu. Gao Bing was unable to save him, so he could only surround Wei to save Zhao. He hit Zhuang Qingpu's heart with a palm, hoping that Zhuang Qingpu would get out of the way, so that he could not be killed in one fell swoop. To kill Luo Jing, although Zhuang Qingpu's swordsmanship is brilliant, it is not first-rate. As long as there is a slight gap, Gao Bing is confident to save Luo Jing. Unexpectedly, Zhuang Qingpu also knew that his chance was gone, so he was willing to accept a palm, pierced the heart with a sword, took Luo Jing's life, and then fled outside. Gao Bing was originally confident that this palm could break the assassin's heart, but Zhuang Qingpu actually still had the energy to escape. Coupled with the impact of Luo Jing's death, Gao Bing was stunned for a moment. When he woke up, Zhuang Qingpu, who was familiar with the terrain of the Sheriff's Mansion, Has disappeared without a trace.

Gao Bing was so angry that he ordered the guards to pursue him. He also asked Pei Yun for help, mobilized the army, closed all streets, and arrested the assassin. Gao Bing is not a mediocre person. Although the Yong army in the city is not under Gao Bing's command, they also know that catching the assassin who assassinated the county guard is of great importance, so they work together. Although the people of Chuzhou are not very cooperative, they still discover Zhuang Qingpu's whereabouts and determine He was within the confines of this street. Before those Yong soldiers received the general's order, they blocked the roads on all sides and asked Gao Bing to lead the guards in to search. When Gao Bing thought that he could not explain to his uncle Gao Rong, his anger rose in his heart. As soon as he came in, he ordered the guards to search forcibly. For a while, the houses on both sides of the street were full of people, crying and screaming, and from time to time, the guards could be heard beating the people. The sound of violent shouting and cursing.

Zhou Ming was so anxious that he didn't want Zhuang Qingpu to be caught, but he couldn't bear to see the people being implicated. Besides, Yong Jun would definitely search the building. If he found out that Zhuang Qingpu had been here, he would definitely be implicated. Although he was brave, But when I think about the seriousness of the assassination of the Chuzhou County Guard, and when I think about the bloodshed when Pei Yun attacked Chuzhou in the past, I feel cold in my heart, but I have no choice but to deal with it.

Zhuang Qingpu's expression downstairs was gloomy. He naturally knew the seriousness of the situation. He already knew the sad news of his mentor's death before he returned to Chuzhou. Although his connections in Chuzhou allowed him to sneak into the city, he never met Luo Jing. They had already known his temperament and planned an assassination plan, and succeeded in one fell swoop. Even after escaping from the Sheriff's Mansion, they had a way to change into their blood-stained clothes and leave the dangerous place. But he also knew that he had no chance of getting out of the city again. The interrogation for leaving the city was very strict, and after the assassination, Yong's army would definitely seal the city. What's more, if he leaves, Yong's army will be angry and seize the whole city, hurting innocent people, so he has no intention of escaping, not to mention that he has something to hide. Now he is not going out because he doesn't want to fall into Gao Bing's hands and be humiliated before his death. At this time, several guardsmen had already rushed into the restaurant. One of them saw Zhuang Qingpu standing at the door and shouted loudly: "The assassin is here."

Zhuang Qingpu sighed slightly and walked out. The guards were about to step forward to arrest him, but seeing his calm demeanor, they were stunned and let him walk to the street. They were stunned for a moment and persisted. The knife followed, blocking Zhuang Qingpu's retreat.

Zhuang Qingpu didn't care. He stood in the middle of the road and said loudly: "Zhuang Qingpu is here, why do you need to disturb the people."

Gao Bing was overjoyed when he saw Zhuang Qingpu. He recognized Zhuang Qingpu at a glance and said sternly: "Capture him, and our captain will cut him into pieces." Thinking that his future might be ruined in the hands of this man, he really hated it with gnashing of teeth. Zhuang Qingpu smiled coldly, unsheathed his sword, and with a flash of cold light, he forced back several guards who came to capture me, and said: "If you want to capture me, come here yourself. These soldiers are acting under orders, and I have no interest in killing them yet." .”

Gao Bing was furious and took a step forward. He was about to take action himself, determined to humiliate Zhuang Qingpu, when he heard someone shout loudly: "Wait a minute." Gao Bing looked back and saw Pei Yunbaiyi, who was subordinate to him. Wei Ping from the camp stood at the street corner and shouted to stop. Wei Ping was often ordered to deal with Gao Bing, so Gao Bing naturally recognized him. Seeing him stop him, Gao Bing felt a little angry in his heart, and was about to question him when he saw Wei Ping wave his hand, and the capable Yong Army sergeants came from all directions and quickly controlled the surroundings, with strong bows and sharp arrows, and swords and spears like a forest.

Hearing this, Gao Bing said angrily: "This person attempted to assassinate Lord Luo and should be handed over to our guards for disposal."

Wei Ping said loudly: "Now the two armies are facing each other. This person came out of the blue and assassinated the county guard. I suspect that this person is a secret spy of the Chu army and needs to be handed over to the general. Listen to the assassin. If you can capture him without any help and hide nothing, I will I must intercede with the general and give you a good pleasure, and surrender immediately without laying down the weapon." After Wei Ping learned about this, he was worried that Luo Jing's death would implicate Pei Yun, so he decided to control the assassin and hurried over. Little did he know that Pei Yun was in a small restaurant nearby.

Zhuang Qingpu burst out laughing when he heard this. Although he was laughing wantonly, he was still handsome and elegant. After a moment, he stopped laughing and said: "Zhuang is an ordinary scholar. Although he has the ambition to serve the country, he has no ambition." On the way, I was forced to run away because I offended Na Luo Louzhen. When I came back yesterday, I learned that my mentor died in the hands of Na Luo Jing. Regardless of the national feud, my mentor taught me to be a *man. I have not yet fulfilled my filial piety in front of my knees, but I saw my mentor. Coffin, today's assassination is my own business and has nothing to do with anyone else. Zhuang just wants to die today and will never fall into the hands of you and others."

Wei Ping frowned and said, "With me here, it won't be easy for you to die." After saying that, he waved his hands, and two warriors from the white camp walked out of the crowd. One was holding a red tassel gun, and the other was carrying a sword on his back. The two were approaching from left to right. , Zhuang Qingpu raised his sword and smiled, the two of them were about to step forward to take action, but they heard someone in the restaurant next to them say loudly: "Go down, the majestic warriors of the white-clothed camp, facing a dying man, why do you need to do so many things, Zhuang Qingpu, Pei Mou wants you to avenge your master, and you have both filial piety and righteousness. I won’t embarrass you today, just go ahead and I promise not to get involved casually.”

Zhuang Qingpu was startled when he heard this. He looked up and saw a young man in black standing in front of the window in the middle of the restaurant he had just come down from. He had a calm and calm demeanor, handsome and heroic. When he saw him, he was convinced. When he left the Sheriff's Mansion, his heart had been cut off. However, although his swordsmanship was not good, his inner strength and mental skills were unique. He could still rely on his will and secret mental skills to support him. As long as his mind was released, he would immediately die. He never forgot the appointment that day, so he wanted to drink a glass of green plum wine before he died. He was also worried that his relatives would be implicated by him, so he refused to give up his life.

The man in green just gave him medicine because he saw that he was seriously injured and was about to die. Although he smelled the aroma of the good medicine, he felt energetic. However, Zhuang Qingpu knew that there was no cure and did not want to owe a favor in vain, so he did not Accept it. But he didn't expect that Pei Yun was also in the restaurant, and he didn't expect that General Pei could tell at a glance that he was seriously injured and was about to die. He was worthy of being a direct disciple of Shaolin.

Originally, because of Luo Jing's incident, he hated Dayong deeply, but when he saw Pei Yun's magnanimity, he was convinced. He could naturally see the power of these white-clothed battalion warriors. The two men were dispatched just to prevent him from committing suicide. It's just an opportunity. If his life hadn't been hanging by a thread and he really took action, I'm afraid he would have been humiliated before he died. If it weren't for the fact that I still care about old friends and relatives, I wouldn't bear to fight to the death. Now that I heard that Pei Yun was unintentionally involved, I felt relieved, my heart was shaken, I felt that my limbs were weak, and it was difficult to walk anymore. He raised his head and said loudly: "Thank you, General Pei, for your magnanimity and not blaming the innocent." After saying this, his eyes were slightly closed, but he stood still. Wei Ping stepped forward to take a look, raised his head and said, "General, he is dead."

Yong Jun and the people of Chuzhou on the street were all moved, especially those people who had always known Zhuang Qingpu's reputation. Some even knelt down, kowtowed, and whispered blessings. Pei Yun sighed, walked from upstairs to the middle of the street, looked at Zhuang Qingpu's body with his hands behind his hands for a moment, bowed and said: "Pei never made false promises and would never embarrass the elders of Chuzhou because of one person's affairs." His voice fell, Zhuang Qingpu's body has fallen into dust.

Pei Yun sighed slightly, without even looking at Gao Bing, and said to Wei Ping: "Immediately pass on my general's order to close the city gates and put the whole city under martial law. Those who walk without authorization will be punished as spies. Sheriff Luo has been assassinated, so it is up to Gu." Yuan Yong temporarily takes over his duties. Gao Bing is not in a good position to protect the county guard, so he is temporarily relieved of his military duties, and the guards are handed over to your command."

Gao Bing was furious when he heard this and shouted: "Pei Yun, why are you acting so recklessly? Our captain was appointed by the emperor. How could you exempt him from it just because you said he would? Then you allowed the assassin to kill the county governor and let him kill himself calmly?" You also ordered the surrender of Nanchu to take over. Could it be that this assassin was commissioned by you?"

Pei Yun's face turned cold when he heard this, and he said solemnly: "Gao Bing, you are just a captain of the Guards Army, but I am the military governor of Huainan. Chuzhou is a military town and is under the control of my general. Don't say that you are a small captain. Lieutenant, even if the partial generals and deputy generals are replaced, if there is someone who acts like you and delays the military aircraft, I will kill him first and then report him. Someone, take him down." Gao Bing wanted to resist, but he saw that it was the guards under his command. He had no intention of obeying the order, so he had no choice but to surrender and was taken down by several sergeants. He had always used his power to run rampant, and when he was banned, the streets were filled with joy. Pei Yun smiled slightly and walked into the restaurant.

Wei Ping hurriedly stepped forward and said: "General, someone came to Zhenhuai Tower to ask for an audience. He is holding a gold medal bestowed by the emperor in his hand. He is here to ask the general to go back."

Pei Yundao: "I already know." He smiled and said nothing, thinking, if I had not known that that person was coming to Chuzhou, I would not have dared to act so wantonly. As he walked upstairs, he was full of doubts and was about to ask the man.

At this time, upstairs, Zhou Ming covered his face in silence with tears streaming down his face. Seeing his friend dead, he could not do anything to help him. His voice and smile were still in front of his eyes. He was gone, and he had endless regrets. Zhou Hui also felt sad and silent. , but he thought more, thinking that Pei Yun was just beside him, so he could naturally see everything, but he didn't know if it would embarrass his brother?

At this time, Gu Yuanyong lifted the curtain and walked in. When the two of them saw it, they both stood up and bowed. Zhou Ming sobbed and couldn't speak, while Zhou Hui said respectfully: "I would like to ask your lord to go around and allow us brothers to bury Brother Zhuang."

Gu Yuanyong sighed after hearing this and said: "Although you brothers have hot and cold temperaments, you are all righteous people. Don't worry, General Pei is a man of his word and will never change it. When he came downstairs, he was already Let me tell your brothers that you should bury Qingpu in a dignified manner. It is not convenient for him to come forward in this matter. In any case, Qingpu assassinated Dayong County Governor. This is a capital crime. If others are not implicated, it is already an extrajudicial act of mercy by General Pei. You must not feel resentful because of this. , and don’t think about avenging him, Qingpu seeks benevolence and gets benevolence, even if you think about it, you will die without resentment."

Zhou Ming and Zhou Hui bowed to express their thanks after hearing this. Zhou Ming said: "Don't worry, sir, our brothers are not ignorant of advancement and retreat. We will not blame General Pei for the death of Qingpu. What happened today is that General Pei killed our two brothers immediately." , it may not be unjustifiable, not to mention that General Pei allowed us to bury our deceased friend."

Gu Yuanyong helped the two of them up and said, "You go now. There is still a noble person in the building. You can't say anything about him. If you disobey, even General Pei can't save you." Both of them heard this. He was horrified, but he could only obey his orders sternly.

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Note 1: Tang Guozhen's "Sword Chapter"