Three Kingdoms

Sometimes things suddenly become very strange, like a car accident. It may be that you hit someone else, or someone else hit you. No matter how careful you are, when others lose control, they will take you with them.

When things happen, there is always no choice.

No matter how much preparation I did, I still had no choice.

Chengdu.

Jinguan City.

When the sun rose, Mr. Zhang slowly came out of his home and walked towards the bustling market area of ​​the city.

Today he was wearing a very inconspicuous gray Gebu robe, and like the surrounding Sichuan and Sichuan men, he loosened the collar and belt, and also lifted the hem of the robe and tied it at his waist. This makes it easier to walk and also ventilated.

Are you gentlemen?

After all, the weather is hot right now, and the mornings are somewhat better now. But if it is close to noon, even in the shade, it will still be stuffy and hot, leaving people with nowhere to hide.

Today, Mr. Zhang takes a rest.

As soon as he went out, he saw a few more soldiers at the inner square gate.

Yes, there are more.

At the beginning of these two days, there were some strange rumors. It was said that Xu Shu, Xu Huang and others opened a road in the mountains, offended the gods and ghosts in the mountains, and then many laborers died.

Then there were more soldiers in the streets.

This surprised Mr. Zhang, and at the same time he admired the speed of action under Qiusi's rule.

Needless to say Jiangdong, even the original Han Dynasty Luoyang, the officials are too lazy to be like pigs. They will never stand if they can sit, they will never sit if they can lie down, and they will never move more if they can, even if things get serious. On the head, they are also trying their best to push and drag whenever they can. For example, here in Chengdu, if there is a slight disturbance, the government's response is to arrive immediately, which almost breaks through Zhang Gong's cognition.

Sometimes Mr. Zhang couldn't help but think, if one day he could return to Jiangdong, wouldn't he be able to use these experiences and methods under the rule of Hussar?

but……

Mr. Zhang sighed slightly.

He likes money very much because he had no money when he was young.

The poverty in his family once left a deep mark on him.

He remembered that when he was a child, he wanted something very much. He thought about it very much during the day and at night, but he did not dare to say anything or ask his parents for it, because he knew that his family was very poor and could not even eat. This is very problematic, so how can we spend any spare money?

But when he grew up and got money, he forgot what he wanted so much when he was a child...

From Jinguan City to the main city, you have to pass through Zuo Bridge.

In the earliest days of the Zuo Bridge, it is said that it was a bridge built with bamboo, suspended above the water. Sometimes the water was so strong that the bamboo bridge was immersed in the water and was often damaged.

Of course, the current Zuo Bridge has been replaced by masonry deconstruction, and a long arch bridge spans the water inspection.

Jianshui is also called Waijiang.

Because the water inspection is outside Chengdu, it is separated from Chengdu itself, as well as Cheguancheng and Jinguancheng.

Of course, there are outer rivers and inner rivers. The other Pi River passes through the main city of Chengdu, flows into the north of the outer outline of the main city of Chengdu, bypasses Chengdu Shaocheng, and flows out in the southeast direction. Because this inner river crosses the city, water transportation is convenient, so a large market was formed based on this section of the inner city of the Pi River, called Nanshi.

There were also soldiers on duty beside the Zuo Bridge.

When passing the Zuo Bridge, Zhang Gong seemed to feel that the soldiers were staring at him, but when he turned to look at the soldiers on duty, it seemed that the soldiers were just patrolling the crowd normally, and there was nothing special about it.

Today is the time promised before, so Mr. Zhang must go to the market.

In the past two days, he kept feeling like someone was looking at him, but when he looked back, it seemed like there wasn't anyone.

Maybe I'm just being paranoid?

Zhang Gong collected some information. If this information cannot be sent out in time, then after waiting for a period of time, the information may lose its effectiveness and become meaningless.

For example, the rumors about ghosts and ghosts in the past two days...

In fact, there are some things that people, even if they don’t say with their mouths, will inevitably grumble in their hearts. It's like the thing that Mr. Zhang wanted when he was a child. He never said it, but he never forgot it. Things that cannot be forgotten can also be forgotten, just like an unforgettable first love. You may still remember such a person, but when you think of his or her appearance, it is forgotten...

So if you want to take advantage of this rumor, you have to act quickly, and Mr. Zhang doesn't know if anyone else in Chengdu will report this matter. If someone else reports it, wouldn't the bonus he gets be less? It might even be worthless.

In addition to the recent labor incident, Zhang Gong also obtained some information through correspondence, which can also be exchanged for money.

When he saves enough money, he will resign and go home.

Buy a house, marry a wife, and have children.

Mr. Zhang smiled slightly.

Being a spy is of course risky, but risks can bring you more money.

He likes money, and he also wants his children to buy whatever they want and no longer suffer from poverty.

Although Mr. Zhang doesn't even know where his wife is or what she looks like, it doesn't stop him from imagining it.

Zhang Gong did not have many contacts with people from Li's Trading Company, for safety reasons. Mr. Zhang didn't even let people from Li's Trading Company know where he lived. After all, the most important thing for a spy was safety.

Except for going to the restaurant once a week to pick up a task, he didn't recognize anyone else. Single line vertical operation, no horizontal contact will occur. This will reduce the efficiency of espionage, but it can ensure that when a spy is captured, it will not cause damage to other intelligence lines.

He is cautious.

Zhang Gong passed through Zuoqiao Gate, entered the outer city of Chengdu, and then headed for Nanshi.

Nanshi is distributed along the Neijiang River and has a long and narrow shape. One side is a canal and the other side is a shop. There were people coming and going, convoys of mules and horses, and it was very lively.

During the Han Dynasty, the city of Chengdu was greatly expanded. During the Yuanding reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the city was built with eighteen city gates. It can be said that "one river has a city, and nine bridges lead its flow." Chengdu's population even occupies the entire western Sichuan area. With 30% of the population, it is "the gathering place of shops and the abyss of all businesses". In addition, it has been away from the war and has the policy protection of Qiusi over the years. Now it is becoming more and more prosperous, and it has the potential to firmly rank as the second largest city in the world. .

When Mr. Zhang passed through Nanshi yesterday, he moved a stone in the corner in front of the second door of the south alley. Now the gray one among the stones in the corner has been turned over again, indicating that people from Li's Trading Company have arrived.

After walking two streets, Mr. Zhang saw two more patrol inspectors standing on the side of the street, seemingly chatting about something. Although the two of them were not wearing inspection robes, Mr. Zhang could recognize them. Zhang Gong has seen them two, they are Ma Zhong's men.

Zhang Gong looked towards the center of the street again. There were also patrol soldiers guarding the watchtower. The sentry tower has always been guarded, but today there seemed to be more guards than usual.

One of the soldiers saw Duke Zhang and said hello to him, "Zhang Shuzuo, are you having a rest today?" 』

Mr. Zhang smiled and nodded.

It seems to be the same as before.

For some reason, he began to feel a little uneasy. After hesitating for a moment, he continued walking towards the scheduled meeting point...

After all, Li's Trading Company is not far ahead, just a few steps away.

The cries in Nanshi are still full of energy, and the vendors' voices are long and full of charm.

Zhang Gong slowly walked into Li's Trading Company in a long tone.

Li's Trading Company is a medium-sized trading company in Nanshi, Chengdu. Because both Fei Qian and Xu Shu attached great importance to the development of commerce, there were many trading houses in Chengdu, either selling groceries or buying and selling high-end items. Anyway, everyone from common people to nobles could always find some business to do.

It's just that commercial shops are different from ordinary restaurants and restaurants. Generally, there are no shop assistants or waiters shouting and soliciting outside the door, so when Zhang Gong comes in, he just goes inside...

The light inside the business store was slightly dim, and there were only two or three people standing or sitting. One person was facing the wall with his back to the door. He seemed to be holding something in his hand and looking at it.

The other one, who looked like a clerk, was flicking the dust on the shelves with a feather duster.

The shopkeeper was sitting behind the counter, his head lowered, as if he was taking a nap...

Zhang Gong walked to the counter and was about to greet the shopkeeper, but found that the shopkeeper was not taking a nap. Instead, his face was pale, and sweat was rolling down his forehead and cheeks!

Zhang Gong was suddenly startled, and his whole body was terrified!

He turned back subconsciously and looked in the direction of the shopkeeper's gaze. The blood all over his body suddenly froze completely at this moment...

The person sitting in the corner turned around and it was Ma Heng.

Ma Heng smiled and said, "Zhang Shuzuo, are you okay?" 』

Sweat suddenly broke out on Zhang Gong's forehead.

He didn't answer.

At this moment, he lost the ability to speak.

Two or three people came out of the trading house, and at the door of the trading house, there were also figures moving in, blocking all directions.

The room was dark, and the only light came from the window...

Ma Heng looked at Mr. Zhang and did not immediately order the arrest.

On the one hand, Ma Heng brought several experts, and he was not worried about Guild Zhang getting angry. On the other hand, Ma Heng was a member of the Youwen Department who became a monk halfway, and he had never seen a spy who would immediately commit suicide once exposed. .

Ma Heng had no experience as a spy, and Zhang Gong had no experience as a spy.

Apart from the information he brought and some scattered items, there were no weapons on Mr. Zhang, let alone poison.

After all, in the current era of Han Dynasty, poison is not something anyone can buy if he wants to.

So Zhang Gong didn’t commit suicide, he didn’t do anything, his mind was blank…

There was silence in the house.

A burst of children's laughter suddenly came in from the window.

Zhang Gong turned around and saw a child holding a small bamboo dragonfly high, then smiling, running, and passed under the window. Then another child chased after the previous child, seeming to be saying something in his mouth. Let the previous child give him the bamboo dragonfly to play with for a while.

At this moment, Mr. Zhang suddenly remembered what he wanted most when he was a child...

It's that little bamboo dragonfly.

It was once a simple bamboo dragonfly flying in the wind in the hands of a salesman, and it was also hovering up and down in the hands of other children.

Seeing that Mr. Zhang was motionless and silent, Ma Heng waved.

Two people who heard about the situation came forward and tied up Mr. Zhang.

Suddenly, Mr. Zhang shed tears. What he loved the most was this. It was just this. It was not the land, the house, the beautiful lady, or the delicious food and famous horse, as he had always thought. It was just a little girl. Yes, just a penny bamboo dragonfly...

But why did he forget it?

Why……

……(*￣(工)￣)……

In the big city of Chengdu, inside the government office.

Xu Shu expressed his approval for Ma Heng's work.

When Ma Heng received the Jiangzhou Express, he did not arrest him with great fanfare. Instead, he used Li's Trading Company to set up traps to catch prey. He successfully caught Zhang Gong and obtained direct evidence of his crime from Zhang Gong. This series of events His behavior was somewhat like Wen Si's.

Xu Shu smiled and stroked his beard, watching Ma Heng describe the whole process with some excitement, nodding from time to time in affirmation.

There is a hearing department, not an inspection office, nor a city guard.

If you only know how to fight and kill blindly, then you only need soldiers...

This is why Xu Shu really felt that Ma Heng had grown up and praised him.

"Jiangdong," Xu Shu patted Ma Heng's report, "It's really well thought out..."

Ma Heng also nodded.

Xu Shu looked at the various items placed in front of the hall, especially the pile of flying money that was seized, and couldn't help but raise his eyebrows, "All this money was hidden by Zhang alone?" 』

Ma Heng nodded, "Exactly." Zhang's son hid the money in the house, but it was also hidden. But... there are still some traces..."

In the Youwen Division, there are some good players who have retired from scouting.

Perhaps the things Zhang Gong hid could evade ordinary thieves, but they could not escape the inspection of scouts.

"Zhang Shuzuo..." Xu Shu shook his head and said, "I still have some impression... Sichuan and Shu used trials to promote talents, and he even wrote a treatise on honest officials..."

Ma Heng said: "If you look at his daily expenses, he is actually poor, but he never thought that this is the case..."

"Hmm..." Xu Shu smiled and said, "I worked hard to save money, but unexpectedly, I ended up making a wedding dress in one day... Have you ever confessed?" 』

Ma Heng nodded and said, "I confess." Zhang's son met Lu Zijing in Jingzhou in his early years. Later, Lu Zijing defected to Jiangdong and sent people to come for a secret meeting... In this way, he connected with Jiangdong..."

Xu Shu nodded, and then asked: "Does this son have a grudge?" Or did he suffer some injustice in the officialdom? 』

Ma Heng said: "That's not to say... In my opinion, it's just for greed for money. 』

"Coveting money, haha, I got the money, but I can't use it..." Xu Shu stroked his beard, "Why?" 』

Ma Heng replied: "There is a saying... It is said that one day I can return to my hometown, buy a property and a house, and become a wealthy and idle person..."

"Fields and houses, rich and idle people?" ” Xu Shu pointed to the pile of flying money and said, “How many acres of land and houses are we going to buy?” 』

Ma Heng looked at it and shook his head, "Maybe at first, it was really for the land and house, and then... just forgot?" 』

Xu Shu sighed softly, and after a while he said, "You said just now that you got some tips from others to find the Jiangdong spy stronghold here?" What is going on? 』

Ma Heng recounted what happened in Jiangzhou, and then said: "I feel ashamed to say that, although I am the head of the Wenwen Department, I don't know how to investigate and deal with it at the moment..."

Chang'an is big, and Chengdu is not small either.

There are many satellite cities around Chengdu, and there are also many officials. The data is complicated, and Ma Heng has no experience to speak of. Time is tight and the tasks are heavy. If his brother Ma Liang hadn't given him an idea, Zhuge Liang would have found him in Jiangzhou. Ma Heng didn’t know how long he would have to search for clues...

Regarding Zhuge Liang's actions, Xu Shu just smiled and was not surprised. However, some of Ma Heng's suggestions about his fourth brother actually made Xu Shu have some thoughts of loving talents, but Xu Shu did not Say something on the spot, just write it down secretly, and then prepare to observe it again.

Then Xu Shu and Ma Heng made some arrangements.

Because there was not much movement when Ma Heng arrested Zhang Gong, Xu Shu and Ma Heng both thought that they could keep Li's Trading Company open to see what other prey would jump in.

On the other hand, Ma Heng felt that the disease problem in Nanzhong laborers should have nothing to do with Jiangdong spies, because whether he was investigating from this point on, he was still investigating the Jiangdong spies who had been arrested, including people from Li's Trading Company. , and the confessions from Zhang Gong's interrogation all show that these people were at most aware of the labor disease and rumors of ghosts and gods, but they were not involved.

Jiangdong is obviously more concerned about military information.

After Xu Shu thought for a moment, he said to Ma Heng, "Zhong Chang, since the people from Jiangdong were not involved in this matter... then if someone is causing trouble, it can only be..."

“Maybe Nanzhong. Ma Heng said in a deep voice, "The people are worried about food and clothing. This rumor of ghosts and gods... If there were no people behind the scenes, the rumors would not have spread so fast." 』

Xu Shu nodded and said, "In that case, I would still like to ask Lao Zhong to go to Nanzhong to check and see who is causing trouble there!" 』

Wherever the road is built, it will naturally be more convenient.

So it's convenient for some people, and it's naturally inconvenient for some people.

People who are convenient are happy, and people who are inconvenient are unhappy.

Zhuge Liang left Nanzhong. On the one hand, he needed to go to Jiangzhou to coordinate. On the other hand, he may not have wanted these people in Nanzhong to jump out...

At first, Xu Shu was worried that many parties would get mixed up and cause trouble for each other, which would cause Sichuan and Shu to be in trouble. However, now that a connection between spies from Jiangdong has been revealed, it can be said that the threat from the east has been temporarily weakened. , all that's left is one direction.

Nanzhong.

Or even Jiaozhi further south.

But neither Xu Shu nor Ma Heng expected that a new situation would happen, and it was something unexpected. It was like it looked like a mess, but ended up unraveling it with just a hand... …