Chapter 484: Ten Thousand Banners Slay Yama (Part 1) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
Xun Zhen breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.
He could also tell that Chu Yao was the leader among Shen Tang's subordinates. As long as Chu Yao was willing to take the blame, the matter would basically be settled. As for whether acting first and reporting later would displease Lord Shen, that was a small test for Xun Zhen.
In Shen Jun's mind, which was more important: the lives of ordinary people within the pass or five thousand taels of gold?
A ruler who is obsessed with material possessions and loses his benevolence is neither a benevolent ruler nor a wise ruler, much less the ruler he seeks.
Perhaps seeing a glimmer of hope, the atmosphere inside the tent shifted from its previous somber and tense tone to one of ease and joy. Chu Jie even took out several jars of his treasured wine. These so-called treasured wines were actually military supplies sent by the Longwu County government.
With the exception of a few oddballs, scholars and warriors alike generally have excellent drinking capacity, able to down several jars of liquor without getting drunk.
Chu Jie again used the pretext of thanking Xun Zhen and celebrating his successful return to the interior, so the latter naturally couldn't refuse.
"The conditions in the military are poor, so I'm afraid I'll have to make do with this, sir."
Xun Zhen returned the greeting, saying, "I dare not accept such a compliment."
He started having some problems after drinking it.
It's not that the drinks were of poor quality—
On the contrary, this was absolutely the finest wine Xun Zhen had ever tasted. The reason he said he "had some problems" was simply because the effects of this wine were very similar to those of the top-quality wines popular in places like Tianhai and Shangnan. However, the two wines were completely different in taste.
Compared to this fine wine, the wines from Tianhai and Shangnan seem rather bland and tasteless...
Xun Zhen frowned, then blinked and returned to normal.
After a simple drink, everyone dispersed.
Xun Zhen and Kang Shi got along well, so Xun Zhen arranged to stay in Kang Shi's temporary tent. The two hit it off immediately and were even willing to talk late into the night by candlelight. Xun Zhen smiled and agreed to the arrangement. When they returned to their tent, he casually inquired about the fine wine served at the banquet.
Longwu County is barren, and Yonggu Pass is bitterly cold.
Where would one get the money to buy a jar of wine that costs tens or hundreds of taels? This kind of wine is only seen in the homes of high-ranking officials, noble families, and famous clans.
“Oh, that wine was brewed using a secret family recipe passed down from my lord.” Kang Shi generously answered Xun Zhen’s question, “If it weren’t for this special skill, where would my lord get the money to manage the entire Heyin County? Just when he was about to reap the rewards, he was transferred.”
It's still a place that's poorer and more dangerous than Heyin.
Xun Zhen continued, "I was fortunate enough to obtain a jar of it before, but the flavor was bland, far inferior to the rich and delicious taste of today's meal. Could it be that the secret recipe in Shen Jun's possession has been leaked or imitated?"
Kang Shi: "..."
His expression froze.
There's no such thing as a secret family recipe.
I don't know about other places, but this is the only one in the Northwest.
Xun Zhenzhen had drunk something similar before, which was most likely—
Kang Shi's expression was somewhat unnatural: "My lord also knows the principle of not flaunting wealth. If this kind of wine were to be leaked, it would inevitably attract countless scholars and warriors to plunder it. Therefore, he entrusted the management of the fine wine brewed each year to Xu Jie of the Xu family in Tianhai. My lord has always refrained from interfering in how it is managed afterward. The jar that Hanzhang obtained was probably the work of a treacherous merchant..."
He distanced himself from the fact that Shen Tang had diluted the wine before selling it.
Kang Shi wasn't exactly lying; at most, he was only telling half the story, employing subtle language, and wasn't entirely wronging Xu Jie. Xu Jie did indeed adulterate the wine he smuggled to areas outside of Tianhai. It's unclear which stage of the process Xun Zhen drank.
Xun Zhen stared in disbelief: "...So that's how it is..."
So he drank a jar of water mixed with alcohol?
Kang Shi laughed it off and quickly changed the subject, asking, "Does Hanzhang also enjoy fine wine?"
Xun Zhen said, "Of course I like it."
Kang Shi: "Then Hanzhang will be in for a treat."
Xun Zhen waved his hand and said, "Shen Jun's wine is expensive. One jar of wine can save the lives of countless common people. We cannot ignore the suffering of the common people for the sake of our own momentary cravings. It's good to make more money; it would be a pity to waste it."
If Shen Jun and he hit it off...
The former earns most of the money, and he spends it all.
Hmm, thinking about it this way—
What does a few jars of wine matter?
It must be said that Xun Zhen's words were very endearing. Further conversation revealed that they shared remarkably similar views on many matters, and Kang Shi grew increasingly fond of him, becoming determined to retain him for his lord. Furthermore—
A scholar with a literary mind who can ignore the limits as long as he has money can even turn the tide in a critical moment!
This is something that no amount of gold or silver can buy.
Xun Zhen was inclined to get close to him, and Kang Shi was inclined to win him over.
He is affectionate, and he is willing.
The progress bar will quickly reach the heart-to-heart stage.
The two talked about everything. Kang Shi even deliberately introduced Xun Zhen to their lord and his subordinates, speaking at length. The first person he mentioned was Chu Yao. Only then did Xun Zhen realize that the gray-haired youth Chu Yao was actually one of the three heroes of the Chu Kingdom back then!
When looking for a job, you should not only consider the boss's character, but also the people working under him—are they just slackers or elite, capable individuals? The quality of colleagues and the work atmosphere are very important.
Clearly, Chu Yao carries significant weight!
Kang Shi then brought up Gu Chi, Jiang Sheng, and himself.
The first two were both well-known, and Jiang Sheng was also an acquaintance of Xun Zhen.
Gu Chi's reputation was greater than Jiang Sheng's, and Xun Zhen, having traveled extensively, had naturally heard of him. Initially, he worried that Gu Chi would be difficult to get along with, but after hearing Kang Shi describe Gu Chi's loyalty and competence, he decided to see for himself. Of the three, Kang Shi had the shortest tenure in office.
But he has Yan Xingning to vouch for him.
The fact that Kang Shi and Xun Zhen had a mutual friend is enough to show that they were of very similar status.
After all, birds of a feather flock together.
The last one—
Kang Shi hesitated for a moment, but still spoke.
Then--
He watched as Xun Zhen, who had been sitting elegantly just moments before, suddenly jumped up and down, asking him with a fierce expression.
Who are you talking about?
Kang Shi's heart skipped a beat when he saw this: "...My, my cousin, Qi Shan, courtesy name Yuanliang..."
Xun Zhen was taken aback, and his anger subsided somewhat.
He sat back down, somewhat puzzled: "Your cousin?"
"Yes, it's Yuan Liang. Han Zhang recognizes him?"
Kang Shi was very familiar with Xun Zhen's reaction.
Just like Jiang Sheng back then!
Xun Zhen frowned deeply, as if recalling some disgusting person or thing, and said in a less than pleasant tone, "If this person is Ji Shou's cousin... then I must have mistaken him for someone else. To be honest, Ji Shou, I had a grudge against a scholar with the same name, surname, and style name, but I haven't been able to catch him all these years... Upon hearing my enemy's name, I lost my composure for a moment, please forgive me, Ji Shou."
Kang Shi: "..."
His heart sank.
Why couldn't help but subtly inquire about the grudge?
It would have been better if he hadn't mentioned it, because once it was brought up, Xun Zhen couldn't suppress his anger: "This enmity is huge! I only have one son... You have no idea how much that person has... Sigh, I can't help but get angry just thinking about him. It's not worth it!"
Kang Shi's scalp was tingling.
"Could it be the hatred for killing his son?" There's no solution!
Xun Zhen: "Not really. My rebellious son is still alive and well. It's just that this person instigated him to become estranged from me..."
As for how it was instigated...
To what extent was centrifugation carried out, and what happened...?
Xun Zhen did not mention it.
But judging from his murderous gaze, it was very serious.
Kang Shi: "..."
Right now, he really wanted to grab Qi Shan and give him a good beating, so that the guy would make enemies everywhere. Did he think he could hide from the consequences? Good heavens, his enemies had come knocking on his door! What's worse, they needed this "enemy" to guard the gate!
Qi Yuanliang, oh no...
Tan Lezheng, look at the mess you've made!
(End of this chapter)
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