Chapter 202: Mountain City Sweet Wine Emperor's Edict

The beautiful owner was in a hurry and didn't allow Zhou Yi to reply. She pulled him away.

Pass through the exquisite bird garden and enter the back mountain.

At the end of the path, the west wind swayed the bamboos, rubbing the leaves, and the sound of drums and zithers could be heard faintly.

It is good to tune the zither in the morning and play the harp in the evening.

In front of his cozy nest, the elegant old man in wide robe and sleeves looked very comfortable.

He put down his musical instrument and started fiddling with the wine cup in front of the house, leisurely enjoying every moment of his later years.

Suddenly, Lu Miaozi heard footsteps.

It's strange, why are there two people?

He was very smart and after listening carefully he immediately realized that the only person who could come here with his daughter was that boy.

He stood up and looked into the distance, and saw a young man with a handsome face, dressed in white and holding a sword, walking towards him with a smile on his face, being led by his daughter.

"Mr. Lu, sorry to bother you."

Zhou Yi greeted him politely.

"What's the bother? He was talking about you a few days ago and he's been thinking about you. He must be very happy when you come."

Lu Miaozi was slightly stunned when she heard her daughter's words.

Did I say that?

He remained calm and just took it as a remark at this moment.

He waved to Zhou Yi repeatedly and said, "Zhou kid, you should come more often, otherwise you won't be able to enjoy the Six Fruit Wine I brewed after I finish it."

Zhou Yi responded with a smile and sat down with Shang Xiuxun.

"Just now I heard a lot of commotion down the mountain. I think the people at the ranch are welcoming you. You two didn't talk to each other when you met, but suddenly you rushed to look for me, but..."

Lu Miaozi used his imagination:

"But you need to decide on a major life event? Actually, there's no need to ask me, you guys, just make your own decisions."

Shang Xiuxun's face couldn't help but show two blushes like the first bloom of a crabapple. "What nonsense are you talking about? He has something to ask you."

Lu Miaozi's curiosity piqued: "Oh? What's going on?"

"The Evil Emperor's Relics."

Lu Miaozi's expression changed slightly. After hearing these four words, he suddenly fell silent and did not respond.

Shang Xiuxun urged from the side: "If you know, just tell me directly. It's fine if you hide it from others, but are you going to hide it from us too?"

Lu Miaozi gave a bitter smile and murmured, "Brother Xiang, you've made me suffer."

He avoided his gaze and lowered his voice to explain to his daughter:

"Xiu Xun, I have always kept my word and will never break it. Since I promised my friend to keep it a secret, I will never reveal it even if I die."

Zhou Yi had expected this, he is indeed the ultimate king of secrecy.

In order to keep it secret, you can just ignore the existence of a bootlicker and beat the martial arts judge ten blocks away in seconds.

"You...you're really infuriating," Shang Xiuxun was about to say something else, but Zhou Yi pulled her arm and stopped her.

"Emperor Xiang Xie must be very pleased to have a friend like you."

Lu Miaozi said: "I can't tell you the exact location of the evil emperor's relics."

"It's no problem."

Zhou Yi didn't mean to ask this. "Not long ago, when I went to Bashu, I actually obtained a relic and discovered the secrets behind the Mohist mechanical techniques and the Holy Extreme Sect."

"Huh?" Lu Miaozi was slightly surprised.

He actually knows these things very well.

During the time when Xiang Yutian was in the Xiedi Temple, he was also in Bashu.

Even the huge mechanisms in the Demon-Suppressing Cave were built by him, and he also told Shi Qingxuan how to get through those mechanisms.

Zhou Yi took in Lao Lu's expression.

So he told them all the inside stories about the Evil Emperor Temple, the relics of the ancient Shu Kingdom and the Temple of the God of War, whether they were confirmed or speculated.

Lu Miaozi kept nodding, indicating that what he said was correct.

Zhou Yi changed the subject and mentioned Yuema Bridge and Yang Gong's treasure house.

Lu Miaozi was shocked when he heard this and waited for him to continue.

"The relic of Emperor Xiang Xie is in Yang Gong's treasury. This is no longer a secret."

As soon as these words were spoken, the secret that Lu Miaozi had been guarding was exposed.

He looked at Zhou Yi and knew that he was not lying, after all, he had said the three words "Yuema Bridge".

"How do you know this?"

Zhou Yi's expression was calm. "The Queen of Yin has probably already arrived at Yuema Bridge in Chang'an, and is working with the Evil King to figure out how to break your mechanism."

When Lu Miaozi heard this, he felt a little weird.

This... the old lover and the old lover's old lover have reconciled?

Zhou Yi couldn't help laughing: "I'm telling the truth, not a single lie."

Lu Miaozi stroked his long beard and said thoughtfully:

"The Yanggong Treasury is divided into two levels: the real and fake. Once you enter the fake, you'll see a room filled with weapons and a small amount of gold, silver, and other treasures. This room also has a deadly trap: a pool of mercury will pour down."

"But this won't do much for the experts. It will only make them believe that the treasure house is destroyed, and thus miss the real treasure house inside."

"Actually, it's not difficult to get inside. I'll teach you."

Lu Miaozi was about to get up and show him the paper painting when Zhou Yi suddenly asked:

"Mr. Lu, was the location of Yang Gong's treasury chosen by you, Yang Su, or was it arranged by the Evil Emperor?"

He had this question based on his understanding of the layout of the Evil Emperor Temple.

Shang Xiuxun frowned, "Old man, your friend only asked you to keep the relic a secret. Now that it's no longer a secret, what else can't you tell me?"

Lu Miaozi signaled her not to worry and glanced at Zhou Yi: "Why do you have such a guess?"

"It's simple. I know that the Evil Emperor is looking for a way to enter the Temple of the God of War. Also, the massive Yang Gong Treasury couldn't be built in a short time. For example, the Demon-Suppressing Cave in Bashu took advantage of the natural terrain. I suspect the Treasury might have relied on some old buildings."

"Antipolar."

Lu Miaozi answered loudly:

"That's actually the sacrificial site of Fengjing and Haojing."

"The so-called Kaobu Wei Wang's residence is Haojing. When King Wen of Zhou destroyed Chong and moved Xiqi to Fengjing, that place already existed. Brother Xiang asked me to place the relic there to return it to its original place."

"The first generation of evil emperor Xie Bo discovered this item in a large tomb in the ancient Qi State. It was obtained from the Zhou Emperor."

"After so many years, we return to the starting point. Isn't this reincarnation across time and space very touching?"

Having said this, he stroked his beard and smiled.

"Although protecting the secret of the relic is not easy, I am excited to be a part of it, and I can't help but feel that Brother Xiang is a wonderful person."

"He is indeed a wonderful person, but what is the meaning of the original place?"

Zhou Yi speculated: "Could it be that the Zhou Emperor has been keeping the relics here?"

"No."

Lu Miaozi said, "It's hard for you to imagine."

"During the reign of Emperor Xuanyuan Huangdi, Guangchengzi comprehended the secret of immortality from the Temple of the God of War and returned from underground to the surface to pass it on to the Yellow Emperor. There is a passage beneath the ground in Haojing that leads to the Temple of the God of War, and Guangchengzi emerged from there."

"This is the base of the treasure house, but the passage has long since disappeared over the years."

"but."

"Brother Xiang once brought his relics here and faintly sensed the presence of the War God Temple underground, but it was fleeting, leaving him with deep regret. He told me that the War God Temple can actually move underground, and it was this regret that kept him lingering in this void, unwilling to leave."

"In the end, I couldn't find the War God Temple, and I didn't want to waste the essence left by the previous evil emperors, so I broke the void."

Zhou Yi's eyes lit up as the clouds cleared and he said, "So that's how it is."

"Yang Su and I have a close relationship. After learning of his idea, I chose this location as the location for Yang Gong's treasure house, setting up inner and outer vaults to hide the relics."

"Wouldn't that leave a loophole, giving outsiders a better chance of finding the relic?"

"This is what I told my brother. He doesn't want the relic to remain hidden forever. It all depends on who has the destiny to receive it. Therefore, I can't tell anyone. If I reveal it, it would be selfish of me and would not be considered destiny."

Lu Miaozi gave her daughter a bitter smile: "Xiuxun, you can finally understand my difficulties."

Shang Xiuxun didn't give him a good look: "Who told you to make promises to others so easily?"

Lu Miaozi returned to the house and explained the structure of the real and fake warehouses with writing and drawing.

He also planned to explain in detail the hydrology of Chang'an and tell Zhou Yi how to transport the treasure out of the ground without anyone noticing.

Zhou Yi interrupted directly.

There is no need to listen here. Once Chang'an is captured, there is no need to smuggle the treasures inside.

Just take out the relics.

After asking about this matter clearly, Zhou Yi had a clear idea in his mind and chatted with Lu Miaozi about some things about the Yin Queen and the Evil King.

It wasn't that he did it on purpose, he just felt that Lao Lu wanted to hear it.

Satisfy his curiosity, gossip a little, and see what Lao Lu's attitude is towards Queen Yin.

He is worthy of being the best craftsman in the world, and he has never shown any attitude of a bootlicker.

Of course, it could also be because my daughter was next to me.

Zhou Yi drank a lot of fruit wine with him. When they were about to leave, the beautiful owner picked up two large jars and prepared to return to Feiniao Garden with him.

Halfway through, he stopped us again.

"Why? Do you have anything else to say to the old man?"

"no."

Shang Xiuxun stared at him, waiting for his next words.

"Let's go see your mother."

She paused slightly and nodded, "Okay."

Shang Xiuxun led him to a more secluded place on the back mountain, farther away from the waterfall on the opposite cliff.

Playing the black is an old skill. Zhou Yi said a long string of non-repetitive prayers in front of the tombstone.

He poured Lao Lu’s fruit wine on it and bowed a few times.

Then, he continued to talk about the good things about the current owner to the previous owner whom he had never met.

They said she was graceful and elegant, and that she was as beautiful as an orchid and a beautiful tree.

Every time the beautiful owner came here, she was always filled with sadness. This time, she smiled for the first time.

She pushed Zhou Yi and pulled him away:

"Stop talking now! My mother is going to misunderstand you as being 'slippery'."

The beautiful farm owner handed him a jar of wine in her arms. She freed one hand and took his arm, speaking in a more cordial tone as she asked him what he wanted to eat.

Zhou Yi thought about it and came up with a good suggestion.

Shang Xiuxun showed a look of surprise, but was quite hesitant:

"This is not good. How can I let you do this?"

"Hurry up, don't delay."

Zhou Yi urged with a smile, not caring at all.

Then they went together to the kitchen in the inner castle.

After Shang Xiuxun found a reason to send everyone away, Zhou Yi prepared the dishes himself.

He planned to replicate the Chai family bird's nest he had eaten in Yanshi. Although he did not have the legendary kitchen utensils made by Mu Dao Ren, his Tianshuang coldness was unmatched in the world.

Therefore.

After a busy period, he finally made the bird's nest dish before dark.

The beauty host had obviously had extra practice, as she made several exquisite side dishes as side dishes so as not to steal Zhou Yi's limelight.

After finding a lunch box and packing it up, they returned to Cuihuang Pavilion where they had eaten before and went up to the fourth floor.

It gets dark early in winter, and Cuihuang Pavilion is already the highest point.

A little bit of west wind doesn't matter. The lights are getting brighter and the warmth is getting stronger, which is perfect for enjoying the winter night scenery of Pegasus Mountain City.

The only regret is that their skills are still far behind those of the chefs.

"Xiu Xun, are you disappointed?"

"How could that be?"

She pointed at the dish Zhou Yi prepared and said, "It's not that bad actually, it's just that you have high standards."

As she spoke, Shang Xiuxun couldn't help laughing.

Obviously words of comfort.

However, her happiness was genuine: "Eating depends on your mood. If you're not in the mood, any dish will lose its flavor. This will be a taste I'll never forget. It's made by you, no one else can compare."

After she finished speaking, her eyes narrowed into a line and a smile appeared on her face.

"I remembered something."

"What's up?"

The beautiful owner just responded and moved from her seat, allowing him to hold her and sit on his lap.

Although we had close contact before, it was a long time after all.

Shang Xiuxun's heartbeat quickened a little.

"Xiuxun, where's the wine? Where's the sweet wine you promised me?"

"Isn't this it?" She gathered her thoughts and pointed at the six-fruit wine on the table: "Isn't this fruit wine sweet?"

"It's not that it's not sweet, it's just different from what you said last time."

"Same, you remembered it wrong."

When the beautiful owner spoke, a hint of shyness spread across her eyebrows and eyes, as if stained with rosy clouds. Her bright eyes no longer had the usual coldness that they had when treating others.

Zhou Yi just looked at her without saying anything.

Shang Xiuxun brought the jade cup from the table, put both hands in front of him, and said with a smile: "Master Yi, please."

Zhou Yi dodged, and Shang Xiuxun invited him to drink again. Zhou Yi joked with her and dodged several times.

So that the wine was spilled on the ground.

If Lao Lu saw this, he would definitely blame them for wasting resources.

The beauty owner poured the remaining half cup of wine outside Cuihuang Pavilion, asked the west wind to pick up the aroma of six fruits, and poured another cup.

She glanced at Zhou Yi, her face flushed with drunkenness, and then

He drank it in one gulp, and most of the wine in the jade cup was gone. He leaned over and gave Zhou Yi the fruit wine in his mouth, including the few drops on his lips.

Because he was in a hurry and lacked the skills, although his mouth was full of fruity aroma, his silk clothes were wet, and he looked seductively drunk in a somewhat embarrassed manner.

When Zhou Yi was still enjoying his drink, the wine was gone.

"Xiu Xun, it's sweet, but I didn't drink enough."

Shang Xiuxun leaned in his arms, and after hearing that, she bit him hard without saying a word.

"You haven't come to see me for so long, how can you drink?"

Zhou Yi gently stroked her back. "Once I've finished my chores, I'll definitely come to the ranch more often. If you're willing, you can go out with me anytime. Then we won't have to be apart for so long."

Shang Xiuxun didn't answer, but took out a handkerchief and wiped the wine spilled on his neck and clothes.

Then, she kissed him on the face again.

"I'm not mad at you, I'm just worried that you've forgotten me. It makes me sad just thinking about it."

Zhou Yi immediately said, "In this matter, I am more trustworthy than Mr. Lu."

The beautiful owner smiled and asked, "Then can you fulfill one of my wishes?"

"What wish?"

She didn't say anything immediately and let Zhou Yi continue eating.

Afterwards, she took him to the elegant room on the third floor. After Zhou Yi learned of her wish, he drew the recipes for her in front of her.

He clearly presented to her the process of what he did in Nanyang.

At the same time, a picture of Pegasus Mountain City is also included.

It perfectly completes the line "Who knows that the guest tonight will paint the mountain city peaks again."

Zhou Yi wanted to leave immediately, but he could feel her reluctance. He also remembered that she had violated the ancestral teachings and had been helping silently. Considering his own actions, he felt a lot of guilt.

So I stayed in the mountain city for three days.

During this period, Zhou Yi helped her deal with the letters she needed to read, cooked together, admired the moon and painted together, and even went to the ranch to ride horses.

During the short time, she always had a smile on her face.

On the fourth day, Shang Xiuxun took the initiative to send him out of the ranch.

At the entrance to East Gorge, everyone dispersed.

Zhou Yi looked at her and asked with a smile, "How many days can I stay here?"

Shang Xiuxun held his hand. People outside said that she was self-admiring, but in fact she was very sharp-minded. Even in a short time, she could understand a person's feelings.

At this time, he said confidently: "No, you go and do your work. I still have to arrange for someone to send horses to Xu Junshi and the others."

Seeing that she didn't look forced at all, Zhou Yi couldn't help but smile at her.

"Well, I'm leaving."

Without further ado, he waved his hand and turned eastward.

…

Winter comes and summer goes, and in the blink of an eye it is the day of light snow.

More than half a month ago, the Southern Anti-Zhou Alliance fought a fierce battle with the Jianghuai Navy in Xuancheng County and was defeated by Li Jing.

Today, Xiao Xin was defeated by Xu Shiji again in Jiangxia County.

The body of his general Zhang Xiu, who was named King of Qi, was found on the surface of the river, and more than 8,000 of his men were either dead or surrendered.

After suffering this defeat, Xiao Xin did not dare to act rashly.

Xu Shiji on the opposite side was like he had taken strong medicine and launched surprise attacks continuously in the middle of the night.

Xiao Xin sent someone to contact Lin Shihong again.

However, this Emperor of Chu has been in seclusion more and more recently, which has made Xiao Xin extremely dissatisfied.

How can one be an emperor like this?

However, Zhou Yi was powerful, and Xiao Xin had to rely on Lin Shihong's superior martial arts, so he could not afford to offend him.

Moreover, the three parties were fighting against Zhou and were closely related to each other, so they could not allow any rifts to arise between them.

While Xiao Xin contacted Lin Shihong and Shen Faxing, he also sent someone to Lingnan to write a letter to Song Que.

If the three of them really can't win, they have to find a way to survive.

If you can't win, just surrender to Song Que.

As long as the Lingnan overlord nodded, he would feel at ease.

In today's world, no one, not even the Buddhists or the demons, dares to cause trouble in Lingnan.

The power of the Heavenly Sword is no joke.

Emperor Xiao Xin of Liang was planning a way out for himself, and Shen Faxing, who occupied Piliang, was also busy.

I heard that there has been a stir in the Jiangdu court recently, and it seems that someone wants to take action against the Jianghuai Army.

Shen Faxing's dog nose immediately smelled the scent.

So he sent a letter to Zhang Xutuo.

The letter said: "The Jianghuai army is powerful. If we are scattered, we will be swallowed up sooner or later. Why not attack them together?"

How could Zhang Xutuo pay attention to him? The letter fell into oblivion.

Shen Faxing did not give up. Since the old-fashioned generals were sticking to the old ways, he would contact the representative of the new-faction generals in Jiangdu, who was naturally the famous general You Hongda who suppressed the bandits!

Shen Faxing offered a vicious plan, saying in the letter:

"Bandits have gathered in Jiankang. I am willing to cooperate with the general to eliminate them. After the battle, Danyang will be returned to the Sui court. I fear the general's power and will never dare to attack."

Shen Faxing controlled Piling and appointed hundreds of officials. Before he became king, he had already captured Yuhang and occupied more than a dozen counties in the south of the Yangtze River, and proclaimed himself the governor of the Jiangnan Road.

He then proclaimed himself King of Liang.

Because Xiao Xin was the Emperor of Liang, he, the King of Liang, was weaker. As a member of the anti-Zhou alliance, Shen Faxing's military strength was no weaker than theirs, so he changed his title from King of Liang to King of Wu, and now he has established the Kingdom of Wu and proclaimed himself emperor.

Jiankang, which is right at the doorstep, is a thorn in the eye.

If Jiangdu really cooperated with him and captured Jiankang, he would allow the Jiangdu army to occupy the city.

In this way, the elite troops of Jiangdu can be dragged into the water and engage in a fierce battle with the Jianghuai Army.

At that time, the tripartite alliance became a quadrilateral alliance, and the sense of security doubled.

What excited Shen Faxing was that he received a reply from You Hongda!

Letter in the book:

"General Chen Ling, the defender of Jiankang, remains loyal to the Sui Dynasty and has offered a plan to capture the city. If you obey the Sui Palace's orders and join the attack on Jiankang, once victory is achieved, His Majesty, in recognition of your meritorious service while serving your sentence, will grant you permission to return to the Linjiang Palace, grant you a status, and exonerate you of your crimes."

The letter also mentioned that he wanted to discuss with him the specific strategy for capturing Danyang.

Shen Faxing was overjoyed after seeing it.

His son Shen Lun was a well-known master with extraordinary insight. He raised objections and speculated that this was a conspiracy by You Hongda.

Shen Faxing, however, gave his son a lesson.

"The Sui court in Jiangdu lacks prestige. Zhou Yi is the key to their destabilization and a major threat to the Sui Dynasty. Jiangdu is actually relying on us to fight against the Jianghuai army, but they are too embarrassed to ally with us. If the four factions are separated, they will be defeated one by one. Only by working together can they protect themselves."

"How could Zhang Xutuo not understand?"

"You Hongda came from Zhang Jun's camp. He must have tacitly approved this matter."

When Chen Lun heard this, he suddenly understood.

When asked how to deal with Jiankang City, Shen Faxing told him the plan of "using Jiankang as bait to make Jiangdu join the war".

Shen Lun was overjoyed and asked to see You Hongda.

Shen Faxing readily agreed, and wrote a secret letter, sending someone to inform Lin Shihong and Xiao Xin about this matter to prevent them from making mistakes.

Just one day later, the two sides met in Yanling.

What Shen Faxing never dreamed of was that during the day, everyone was arm in arm, talking about attacking Jiankang together and making various plans.

You Hongda also revealed that Chen Ling would definitely rebel!

I thought the cooperation would be successful and the Jianghuai Army would be dealt a heavy blow.

In the evening, You Hongda gave the young people a lesson.

A fire suddenly broke out in Shen Lun's military tent, burning hundreds of camps, recreating the scene outside Taikang City and on the banks of Cai River.

In the middle of the night, Yanling was filled with shouts and sounds of killing.

You Hongda suddenly launched an attack, not only killing the 5,000 people brought by Shen Lun, but also using many masters to besiege and capture the son of the Emperor of Wu.

Then, the military masters crippled Shen Lun's martial arts and ordered him to knock on doors all the way.

With the help of the Prince of Wu.

Over ten cities were captured overnight.

On the second day, they reached Qu'a and threatened Shen Faxing's lair.

Shen Faxing was furious and ordered his army to go out of the city to fight. Unexpectedly, Cheng Yaojin, Qin Shubao and Luo Shixin led three armies and attacked from the direction of Hailing. After Shen Faxing's army left, they captured Jinling.

Following the siege from front and back, Shen Faxing was defeated and fled in a panic towards Taihu Lake!

In just a few days, not only was Piling lost, but even Wujun fell into the hands of the Jiangdu army.

Shen Faxing retreated all the way to Yuhang before he was able to maintain the situation.

What Shen Faxing couldn't accept was that while the Jiangdu army was deep in the battle, the Jianghuai army in the Danyang direction did not take the opportunity to launch a sneak attack on the rear of the Jiangdu army.

He deeply suspected that there was collusion between the two parties.

When the news of Shen Lun being beheaded came, Shen Faxing was heartbroken, but for him, he had more than one son, and he could have another one if he lost one.

If the Jiangdu Army really colluded with the Jianghuai Army, they would be dead.

In a hurry, he ordered someone to rush to Poyang Lake to inform Lin Shihong.

However.

Lin Shihong, who practiced the Purple Blood Method diligently, still did not give Shen Faxing and Xiao Xin a definite answer.

A few days later, the news that You Hongda led his army to defeat Shen Faxing, killed more than 50,000 enemies, attacked dozens of cities, occupied Taihu Lake, and beheaded the prince of Wu spread throughout Jiangdu!

Inside the Linjiang Palace, the Sui court was shaken!

Even Zhang Xutuo was surprised. Although this was an excellent opportunity, it was You Hongda who made the final decision.

Because he has been in a dilemma recently. He is not clear about the attitude of the Jianghuai Army, nor does he know how to deal with the changes in the palace.

This time, You Hongda seized the opportunity so accurately that even he was impressed.

Those who didn't know the inside story felt excited, but people like Zhang Xutuo thought more about it.

The twelfth day after the light snow.

Zhang Xutuo once again went to Dugu Mansion and drank and talked with Dugu Sheng.

It was completely dark and the two of them still couldn't reach a consensus.

Mainly.

They both had their own concerns.

Dugu Sheng sent Zhang Xutuo away and looked at his back in a daze.

Mrs. Zhang on the side asked, "What are you thinking about?"

"Of course it's something that happened in the palace."

"What's there to think about? Haven't you read my mother's letter?"

Madam Zhang continued, "General Zhang has met with you several times, wanting to hear your attitude, but you haven't even spoken clearly."

"Old Man"

"Don't talk nonsense. If you are truly loyal to His Majesty, why don't you obey His Majesty's orders?"

Dugu Sheng knocked his palm against the back of his hand, revealing a trace of helplessness:

"This isn't something I can decide on my own. Zhang Xutuo controls the army, and You Hongda is his direct subordinate. Their combined power is unmatched even by me. I don't know his attitude, so how can I blurt out my own thoughts?"

Mrs. Zhang smiled in surprise: "You actually know how to use your brain."

"Madam, what are you talking about!"

Dugu Sheng's eyes bulged out, and he was quite dissatisfied.

Then he looked towards the East Capital, took a breath, and shook his head:

"I still can't believe that he was like this the last time Zhou was with my niece Feng. Oh, I should have been suspicious earlier. How could a young man with such powerful martial arts suddenly appear?"

Mrs. Zhang sneered, "You still have doubts? Even if you put ten heads together, they wouldn't be enough to cover your niece's husband. He sold you out, and you can only count the money for him."

"How can this be possible!"

Dugu Sheng was a little dissatisfied, but when it came to his lips, these four words were the only ones he could say, and they sounded very powerless.

Madam Zhang said, "Feng'er is really good at hiding things, but she gave me a big surprise."

Her eyes were full of satisfaction:

"If you ask me, our family is truly blessed. Last time, I felt that he and Feng'er were a perfect match, and this time, there's no other like him in the world."

Dugu Sheng listened to her constant praise and couldn't help but say, "Rumor has it that he is a romantic and passionate man."

Mrs. Zhang didn't care:

"If he becomes emperor, what would some concubines mean to him?"

Dugu Sheng asked, "Then can I take another concubine?"

Madam Zhang said with a smile, "Why not? How dare I teach Second Master to do things?"

Dugu Sheng saw her smile and felt a slight chill on the back of his neck. "I was just joking, you don't have to take it seriously."

Mrs. Zhang was focused on her business and didn't bother with him.

"Don't beat around the bush with Zhang Xutuo. I see he's not completely opposed. You should be honest and listen to his conditions. Perhaps this matter will go smoothly."

"All right."

Dugu Sheng also made up his mind: "I will go to his house tomorrow."

As they were talking, they suddenly stopped.

I don't know when, but there was one more person in the inner hall where we were having a meeting.

He looks strange, but gives people a very familiar feeling.

Old man Dugu was stunned, but Mrs. Zhang reacted faster and walked up with a smile.

She didn't dare to be arrogant. She didn't use the Dugu family's seniority as an excuse to greet someone, but bowed in the way people from the martial arts world usually do when they meet. "Why didn't you tell someone in advance that Mr. Zhou was coming?"

Zhou Yi returned the greeting and said with a smile, "When we meet as a family, we don't think too much about it."

Upon hearing this, Madam Zhang smiled widely: "Hurry up and sit down, hurry up and sit down."

Dugu Sheng took two steps forward, looked at Zhou Yi, and suddenly asked in a puzzled tone, "Mr. Zhou?"

"Yes, it's me."

Seeing his expression, Zhou Yi felt happy. "It's only been a short time, and you don't recognize me anymore, Master?"

Dugu Sheng couldn't help but sneer:

"Because of your identity, I was so nervous, happy and worried that I couldn't sleep well for many days."

Zhou Yi explained gently, "The last time I came to Jiangdu, the situation was very unstable, and there were many crises in the mansion. I had no choice but to conceal my identity to facilitate my actions."

Dugu Sheng thought about that crisis. If Zhou Yi hadn't helped him, he would probably have gone to report to King Yan.

She nodded and invited him to sit down.

Mrs. Zhang had already poured tea over. Dugu Sheng seemed to have regained his original feeling. He told Zhou Yi about the situation in Jiangdu and asked for countermeasures.

"Another edict was found?"

"Yes."

After confirming this, Zhou Yi said in a deep voice, "Tomorrow we'll find Zhang Xutuo and go to Linjiang Palace together."

Um?

Madam Zhang and Dugu Sheng were both surprised. They didn't expect him to be so direct.

"Is this appropriate?"

"Don't worry."

Seeing that he was confident, Dugu Sheng nodded.

He acted quickly and sent someone to the palace to report that night and contact Zhang Xutuo at the same time.

The next day at noon.

When the Dugu family's carriage stopped outside the Linjiang Palace, Zhang Xutuo had already gone to the Chengxiang Palace in advance.

Following Dugu Sheng and Zhou Yi to Chengxiang Hall.

The familiar scenes from the past reappeared.

In Chengxiang Hall, there were Empress Xiao, Zhang Xutuo, Dugu Sheng, Zhou Yi, and a eunuch Li.

At that time, only one imperial edict was found in Liuzhu Hall.

Because Zhao Wang Gao was killed, the will was invalidated and the situation reached a stalemate. It was Zhou Yi who proposed to make Yang Tong's brother Yan Wang Neng the new king of Jiangdu, which allowed the Jiangdu court to resume operation.

To this day

Zhang Xutuo looked at Zhou Yi, feeling that everything he saw was an illusion.

As the fire chief of the Sui Dynasty, he has been suppressing bandits and robbers.

At this moment, their biggest enemy actually appeared in Chengxiang Hall and wanted to discuss the edict of Emperor Sui with them. This was an incredible thing.

Zhang Xutuo was determined to live and die with Jiangdu and fight until the last moment.

but

An imperial edict from Yang Guang instantly found his biggest weakness and almost defeated him in one blow.

When Queen Xiao saw Zhou Yi, her eyes were quite complicated.

Dugu Sheng looked at the two groups of people. The silence in Chengxiang Hall was finally broken by Zhou Yi: "Your Highness, can I see the imperial edict?"

Empress Xiao hesitated slightly and asked:

"It was you who drank with His Majesty that day."

"yes."

She took in his stature and nodded.

Eunuch Li on the side held the imperial edict in both hands. Compared with the previous one, the content of this edict was more casual.

It says:

"I accept defeat. Jiangdu belongs to Zhou Yi. The emperor's words must not be disobeyed. Anyone who dares to oppose him will be considered a treasonous rebel."

ah?

The handwriting of this edict is the same as the previous one, and it has the seal of the imperial court, so it must have been written by Yang Guang.

Just by seeing the above content, Zhou Yi suddenly understood why these people found it so difficult to accept.

Guangshen's wording sounds a bit like drunken talk.

Zhou Yi smiled slightly and turned his gaze to Zhang Xutuo: "General Zhang, are you going to disobey the emperor's words?"

Zhang Xutuo did not answer immediately, but asked:

"If you take Jiangdu, how will you treat the Jiangdu court?"

Empress Xiao was also concerned about this.

Zhou Yi didn't waste any words and directly took out a letter: "Please read it."

Zhang Xutuo took a look and saw that it was Emperor Huangtai from the Eastern Capital.

Yang Tong was also Empress Xiao's grandson. After she saw his trust, her expression gradually relaxed.

Zhang Xutuo glanced at Empress Xiao, then looked at the imperial edict.

I have a question in my mind: if Queen Xiao had hidden this edict in the first place, why did she take it out?

He had many guesses, but didn't ask.

At this time, he responded to Zhou Yi's question:

"I dare not disobey your Majesty, but the generals under my command have been suppressing the rebellion. They are very loyal to the Great Sui Dynasty and are all loyal and patriotic. I alone cannot make decisions for them."

"Furthermore, your Majesty's two edicts contradict each other."

Dugu Sheng was about to speak. The previous edict was about Zhao Wang Gao, so there was no contradiction.

Zhang Xutuo was watching Zhou Yi's reaction, while Zhou Yi stopped Dugu Sheng.

Actively:

"General Zhang, why don't you gather your men and ask them?"

Zhang Xutuo looked at Queen Xiao. Queen Xiao read the letter and nodded slightly.

Eunuch Li sent word outside, calling over Zhang Xutuo's most capable generals.

In front of Chengxiang Hall, Eunuch Li's eyebrows and eyes twitched.

Cheng Yaojin, Qin Shubao, and Luo Shixin were striding over. They had just defeated Shen Faxing and were now filled with murderous intent!

Zhang Xutuo was well prepared.

With a large army of these people outside, we cannot rule out the possibility that they will fight to the death.

Eunuch Li's heart skipped a beat when he saw that behind these three fierce generals, there was a scarred general.

It was the general who personally killed the Crown Prince of Wu!

You Hongda, Luo Shixin, Cheng Yaojin, and Qin Shubao walked into Chengxiang Hall together, met Empress Xiao, greeted Zhang Xutuo and Dugu Sheng, and then looked at Zhou Yi.

At this time, Zhang Xutuo said:

"There's something I need to hear your opinions on."

These people had already been reminded by Zhang Xutuo, so there is no need to elaborate.

"Yes!" they answered in unison.

"Let's take a look."

As Zhou Yi spoke, he handed the imperial edict to You Hongda who took a step forward.

When You Hongda unfolded it, his expression changed drastically!

Everyone saw the expression on his face. When Yang Guang died, everyone knew how sad You Hongda was. Therefore, his loyalty was not mixed with any disguise.

At this moment, when he saw this edict, one can imagine how shocked he was.

Zhang Xutuo sighed softly, "General You, what do you think?"

Amidst his sad recollection, You Hongda's expression suddenly became serious.

Cheng Yaojin and others didn't have time to see it.

You Hongda closed the edict and instantly knelt down in the direction of the dragon throne in Chengxiang Hall, shouting, "The emperor's words cannot be disobeyed. I will obey your majesty's orders!"

…

(End of this chapter)