Chapter 557: King Meets King: Zhao Shixiong Goes to the Meeting Alone
It rained in Taicang City last night, and the drizzle had not stopped until dawn the next day.
"Every autumn rain brings a chill. How many rains has this happened this year? Counting on my fingers, it's almost Mid-Autumn Festival again."
Zhao Duan took a carriage out of the government office and while touring the city, he couldn't help but sigh at the cold wind blowing in from the window.
In the past ten days or so, people in the city often saw Governor Zhao going out on patrol.
Zhao Duan has also spent more time in Linfeng these days.
As for the capital, I only went there a few times.
After the last war, the Lu family in the city had completely surrendered, and stopped thinking about being indecisive.
Zhao Duan took advantage of the war to suppress with his left hand and support with his right hand, and replaced the powerful families on the western front of Linfeng with a wave of blood.
Instead, it united the soldiers and civilians in the city and created a sense of morale.
"Mid-Autumn Festival is almost here... Yawn..."
Inside the carriage, Jin Jian, dressed in a priest's robe, sat in a corner, rubbing his sleepy eyes with his fists and yawning.
The young priestess's delicate face was listless. She carefully put her glasses on her nose and said with a bit of disappointment:
"In previous years, I always spent the Mid-Autumn Festival at the Tianshi Mansion with everyone. The moon on that night was very round, and the power of the Moon God was the strongest of the year."
This was the first time she had spent Mid-Autumn Festival away from home since she could remember.
Zhao Duan asked curiously, "Is the Moon Goddess pretty?"
Jin Jian was very angry, wrinkled her nose, snorted, turned around and crossed her arms, ignoring him:
"I don't talk to blasphemers!"
Zhao Duan curled his lips and said, "Look what you can do."
Although the two have known each other for a long time, they rarely chat alone after being on the expedition for so long.
This is mainly due to the fact that Jin Jian is active at night and is dormant during the day, so his biological clock is opposite to that of ordinary people.
The reason why I didn't sleep today was because Zhao Duan had been out on patrol every day recently. In order to avoid accidents, he always brought at least one companion from the secular realm with him every time he went out.
Today it's Jin Jian's turn.
As for the reason for wandering outside, it was largely to show it to the countless pairs of eyes in the city, some openly and some secretly, in order to stabilize the morale of the troops.
"Speaking of which, did Magistrate Sun give you any compensation for your last action?"
Zhao Duan suddenly asked.
"Here it is. It's in my bag." When talking about money, Jin Jian smiled and patted the bulging purse hanging around his waist like a treasure.
The biggest attraction of traveling for her is that it provides more opportunities to make money.
But after showing off for less than three seconds, Jin Jian noticed Zhao Duan's malicious gaze and immediately shrank back cautiously, her white and tender hands tightly protecting her purse:
"What are you looking at? This is my money!"
Zhao Duan patiently persuaded:
"Look, the money is useless to you right now. And right now, the imperial court is at war and desperately needs it. I have a business opportunity. If you lend me the money, I'll offer you a 30% higher interest rate than other moneylenders on the market. How do you do?"
Jin Jian was not fooled at all, shaking his head like a rattle, very clever:
"Don't try to trick me! I'll lend it to you, but if you lose the battle, you won't have to return it to me!"
The young priestess, who lacked common sense in financial management, instinctively realized that venture capital was highly risky!
It's not easy for her to make money.
Zhao Duan said unhappily:
"When have I ever lost a battle? Have you seen Zhao Shixiong at Huaishui?
It won't take a few days for me to deal with him. Then it will be easy to conquer half of Huaishui. There are a lot of nobles in Huaishui, and they are very rich. I will rob them all, and they will still owe me your interest.
What's more, when I started the saltpeter ice-making business, I wanted to get you involved, but you were too short-sighted and refused to buy the formula at a flat price. As a result, you watched helplessly as I got such a huge share of the profit later.
Now there is such a good investment opportunity right in front of you, do you still want to miss it?"
Jin Jian was fooled and immediately became hesitant.
I am worried that my private money will be wasted, and I am also afraid of missing out on such a good financial product.
The young priestess was extremely conflicted.
Zhao Duan said with a smile:
"This is the only chance I have, so I'll take advantage of my good mood. If you don't lend it to me now, I won't want it later."
He wasn't really after the 1,800 taels from Jin Jian. He was just bored and wanted to tease her to relieve his boredom.
…
After a tour around the city and returning to the government office, Jin Jian still couldn't make up his mind.
Sun Xiaozhun had already come forward:
"Commander, please take a look at this."
Zhao Duan walked into the main hall, placed the oil-paper umbrella at the door, took the account book handed to him by Sun Xiaozhun, flipped through it, and raised his eyebrows:
"The account book for the autumn harvest?"
Sun Xiaozhun, whose hair had turned mostly white, nodded and said bitterly:
"People have started the autumn harvest these days, but this year's harvest is less than two-thirds of last year's."
So little!
Zhao Duan frowned.
The Rebellion of the Eight Princes took place in the summer, when six vassal kings rose up in rebellion and the whole country was in chaos. Although Linfeng was less affected, Taicang Prefecture was inevitably affected because it was involved in the war.
Fortunately, Zhao Duan organized Su Dan's "burning the city" tactics, otherwise the autumn harvest would be even worse.
The harvest was smaller, but military spending was growing wildly.
The court's biggest concerns before began to gradually become a reality.
"Even with the stored food, it will be difficult to sustain a protracted war. If we continue to fight like this, I'm afraid people will starve to death this winter." Sun Xiaozheng took off his official hat, revealing his gray hair.
Conquering the Huai River is imminent.
Yuan Feng, the commander of the Fifth Army Camp, was also in the room and said:
"Envoy Xue has already won a battle on the eastern front, which means everything is moving in the right direction."
Sun Xiaozhun sighed:
"Is it too late? Mid-Autumn Festival is almost here, and winter will arrive in the blink of an eye. How much territory can Privy Councilor Xue conquer before winter arrives?
Seizing a few more counties? Not much point!
This is even if the Yunfu troops don't come to our aid. Once winter arrives, it will be difficult to continue the battle, and then... the entire situation will be reversed."
Yuan Feng was speechless!
The other officials and generals in the room were also silent!
Everyone knows that now all the princes in the world are waiting for winter to come.
Although the imperial court has been in high spirits recently and has won three battles in a row, its current advantages will be gone by the time winter comes.
"If it really doesn't work, our Fifth Army Battalion will fight Zhao Shixiong to the death. If we can win, we can advance on the east and west fronts in parallel, and maybe there will be a glimmer of hope." Yuan Feng, with a square face, gritted his teeth.
But everyone could see that he had no confidence in what he said.
The person in front is not someone else, but the Southwest Commander who is as famous as Xue Shence!
Given Zhao Shixiong's strength and the Yongjia River as a natural barrier, it would be a fantasy to conquer the city with just five military camps.
Once the attack is launched, not only will victory fail, but the western front will also collapse, destroying the hard-earned good situation of the court.
Zhao Shixiong.
This name, like a huge mountain, weighs on everyone's heart.
The entire western front was blocked.
All everyone can do is hope for progress on the Eastern Front.
However, just when everyone was frowning, suddenly, an official came running in from outside the hall and shouted:
"Governor, there's someone outside... claiming to be Zhao Shixiong, asking to see you!"
Long——
Suddenly, muffled thunder rolled across the sky covered with drizzling rain.
A group of people in the hall stood up in astonishment.
A look of surprise appeared on everyone's face.
Zhao Shixiong? Which Zhao Shixiong? How did he appear outside the government office?
Everyone's first thought was absurd.
Because they did not receive any signal from the enemy attacking the city, and the enemy did not break into the city, could it be that Zhao Shixiong sneaked into the city alone?
"How many people are here?" someone asked.
"Only one person," the official replied. "From my observation, his appearance is exactly the same as the Zhao Shixiong mentioned in the legend."
"Nonsense! I'm afraid a madman has tricked you into coming to the government office!" Yuan Feng shouted angrily.
Sun Xiaozhun also said:
"It must be fake. The government office is a strategic location, guarded by several worldly experts. Even if Zhao Shixiong is formidable, if he tries to break into the government office alone, he will die!"
As he said this, he ordered people to drive them away.
"Wait a minute," Zhao Duan, who had been sitting in the main seat in the hall and had been silent the entire time, suddenly spoke up. He casually threw the account book in his hand onto the coffee table, his lips curled up slightly, his eyes indifferent.
"Please ask him to come in."
It's as if...
He seemed to have anticipated all this.
"Governor...this..." Prefect Sun and others were confused and didn't understand what was going on, but the clerk had already turned around to invite them, and the first three people to arrive were Yuxiu, Lang Shiba, and Jiyue.
The three people in the secular realm seemed to have sensed something and rushed over from the back court as if they were facing a great enemy. Together with Jin Jian, who suddenly no longer felt sleepy, they looked towards the courtyard seriously.
Infected by the atmosphere, the officials subconsciously turned their gaze towards the spacious courtyard outside the eaves.
A moment later.
In the drizzling autumn rain, a slightly short middle-aged man wearing a straw raincoat and a bamboo hat was approaching from afar with a calm demeanor.
This man doesn't look unusual when viewed from a distance.
But as they got closer, an indescribable sense of crisis quietly filled every brick crack and every corner of the government office.
It was drizzling.
The autumn trees in the courtyard are swaying, and the bluestone road is wet and smooth like a mirror.
In silence, the middle-aged man's boots stepped on the puddles on the ground. The rain splashed around in a fan shape, but as if violating the laws of physics, it turned into water mist!
Under the bamboo hat, a bearded, weathered face like a lion was reflected in everyone's eyes through the rain.
"Zhao... Zhao Shixiong!?"
I don’t know who exclaimed first, but then many officials broke out in cold sweat!
Yuan Feng subconsciously wanted to draw his sword, but found nothing. He didn't have a sword at his waist!
Sun Xiaozhun's pupils narrowed, and his fists clenched tightly under his robe sleeves, with more disbelief than anything else.
Is it really Zhao Shixiong?! The power that moved the entire room with every gesture was definitely not something anyone else could fake.
But why did Zhao Shixiong sneak into Taicang Mansion alone and come before them?
“Snap! Snap! Snap!”
Suddenly, crisp applause rang in everyone's ears, breaking the tense atmosphere.
In the entire hall, only Zhao Duan sat in a high-back chair from beginning to end. Now he had a smile on his face, clapped his hands lightly, and said with a smile:
"General, you have come to the government office. I'm sorry for not welcoming you in person. I, Zhao, have been waiting for you for a long time."
What? !
At this moment, Sun Xiaozhun, Yuan Feng, Yuxiu, Lang Shiba and others all looked at Zhao Duan in surprise.
Zhao Shixiong, wearing a straw raincoat, also stopped and stood in the middle of the courtyard, a relatively safe distance.
This general, who had commanded the border troops for many years and whose combat power was close to that of a half-step celestial being, also stared at Zhao Duan with sharp eyes.
No.
It should be said that from the moment he stepped into the government office, there was only Zhao Duan in his eyes.
"How dare I not come when Governor Zhao invites me?" Zhao Shixiong said meaningfully and with a hint of sarcasm.
invite……
Was Zhao Shixiong invited by his own master? When?
etc!
Why would he accept the invitation alone? What happened?
Everyone was confused and couldn't comprehend what was happening before their eyes.
Fortunately, Zhao Duan did not let them stay in disarray for too long, but said to Sun Xiaozhun:
"Prefect Sun, this commander-in-chief has important matters to discuss with General Zhao. You will all withdraw first."
"...Ah...yes." Sun Xiaozhun nodded subconsciously, dragged Yuan Feng and others out of the yard.
Only Yuxiu, Jinjian, Lang Shiba and Jiyue did not evacuate.
Zhao Shixiong glanced at the few people with disdain and sneered, "Is this how you, Governor Zhao, treat your guests?"
Zhao Duan sighed softly, smiled and spread his hands:
"I am a world-famous treacherous villain. I am not as heroic as the general, so I naturally have to cherish my life more. The last time I sparred with the general, I almost lost my life, so I naturally have to be more cautious."
His frank admission actually made the contempt in Zhao Shixiong's eyes disappear, and a hint of admiration appeared in his eyes.
Immediately, Zhao Shixiong raised his right arm and grabbed with his five fingers!
The air rippled, and a large, heavy, black Guandao was slowly pulled out of the air by him.
At the same time, flying swords were circling around Yu Xiu, and Lang Shiba's scimitar was unsheathed, ready to attack at any time.
Even if he is a half-step celestial being, if five (six) mortals attack him at the same time, they can at least defeat him, if not kill him.
However……
After Zhao Shixiong pulled out the [Soul-Breaking Sword], he just threw it away casually!
“clang!”
The Soul-Breaking Sword spun and flew out fiercely, suddenly piercing into the bluestone floor tiles, standing diagonally in the rain, as easy as cutting tofu!
He raised his chin and walked into the hall.
Zhao Duan's eyes moved, and he waved his fingers secretly. Yuxiu and the other four also left the hall, but did not go far. Instead, they waited in the courtyard.
Lang Shiba simply stepped forward and grasped the Soul-Breaking Sword in his hand.
Although Zhao Shixiong is personally strong in martial arts, Zhao Duan is confident that he can hold out for a while if he puts up a fight, but the Soul-Breaking Sword is too disgusting.
Losing this weapon means that the biggest threat to Zhao Duan has disappeared.
…
The drizzle is rustling.
Zhao Duan smiled brightly, stood up himself, picked up the utensils and made tea, showing his hospitality as a good host.
Zhao Shixiong was at the door. He took off his straw raincoat and hat and hung them at the door, revealing his warrior attire underneath.
If others saw him in such ordinary attire, they would never imagine that he was the powerful commander of the frontier army.
"The general's demeanor left a lasting impression on me since our last separation. I didn't want to see him again, but here and now." Zhao Duan said with emotion.
It was as if the person sitting opposite was not a military god of war, but a gathering of scholars.
Zhao Shixiong looked at the hot tea handed to him, but he didn't drink it or take it. His face was stern and he said:
"My daughter arrived in Yongjia yesterday."
There was no greeting, no nonsense, the first thing Zhao Shixiong, who was a military man, said was this.
Zhao Duan placed the cup on the tea table without any embarrassment, took his hand back, and said with a smile:
"Is that so? Is your daughter completely fine?"
Zhao Shixiong said, "Although it was a long journey, we are all safe and sound."
"That's good." Mr. Zhao nodded.
Zhao Shixiong stared at him: "You arranged for someone to bring my daughter here."
"yes."
"My daughter told me that Xu Jingtang thought I betrayed Yunfu and colluded with you..." Zhao Shixiong recounted the experience narrated by Zhao Ke'er in a serious tone.
Although Zhao Duan also listened to Yunxi's report in the letter, it was not as good as the person involved's narration, so he listened very carefully this time.
After the other party finished speaking, he couldn't help but sigh and said angrily:
"Xu Jingtang is a hypocritical man, appearing to be eager to recruit talented people, but in reality, he is full of thieves and prostitutes. He even doubted the general's character and attacked Miss Ke'er. He is truly a beast."
Zhao Shixiong stared at him steadily, his tone dim:
"Isn't it because of you that the prince doubts me?"
"How can the general slander someone's innocence out of thin air?" Zhao Duan said confidently, with a white lotus attitude.
"Is it wrong for me to sneak into Yongjia and do my best to kill the enemy and rescue loyal officials? How can it be my fault that Xu Jingtang is so suspicious?"
"..." Zhao Shixiong gritted his teeth and said, "You said you didn't write that blank letter?!"
Zhao Duan seemed to have just remembered something and said suddenly:
"Oh! General, you're talking about this. Sigh, I'm furious too. I originally thought that although we were enemies, we were also family. I had a lucky escape that night in Yongjia, so I couldn't lose my manners, so I sent a letter of condolence. But I didn't expect that my subordinates were careless and put a blank paper in the wrong place. So, I was also disrespectful."
Zhao Shixiong stared at him in a daze as he spoke nonsense in a serious manner, and almost laughed out of anger.
Simply say directly:
"Well, as the saying goes, all is fair in war. Setting aside the matter of the letter, I only want to ask you: how much of what I've said is true and how much is false? Does Prince Mu really intend to attack me, or are you making it up? Are you trying to trick me?!"
The last few words were spoken in a very deep and heavy voice!
On the stove inside the house, the flames licked the bottom of the pot, and green plums rose and fell in it.
Zhao Duan was silent and slow. He first changed the position of the pot, then raised his eyes and looked at the general in front of him with a smile.
"General, do you think that given Xu Jingtang's character, even if he wants to seize the country, he will spare your life?"
(End of this chapter)
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