Chapter 226: Submission
The next day, the two groups set out together and arrived in Yongzhou on the morning of the third day.
If he insisted on staying outside the city, it would arouse suspicion. It would be better to hide from others with the help of He Xuehui, so he stayed in the inn that night.
No sooner had they settled down than someone from the government office arrived with a letter.
Xie Tingzhou unfolded the letter and quickly scanned it, then handed it to Chen Yu, "Yongzhou prefect Zhang Jinglian invited us to visit his house."
Chen Yu looked at the letter and said, "We haven't even met yet, how did he recognize us? Did you have any friendship with him in the past?"
"No, I didn't pass through Yongzhou last year." Xie Tingzhou's eyes were slightly cold. "I'm afraid I can only answer this question after meeting Zhang Jinglian."
"Are you going to the banquet?" Chen Yu had finished reading the letter.
Xie Tingzhou took it, scanned it again and said, "It's us."
After saying that, he lit the letter on the lamp. He let go only when the flame was about to burn his fingertips. Only gray ashes were left on the ground.
Xie Tingzhou said, "There are 2,000 troops stationed in Yongzhou. Even if the shortage is serious, there are at least 1,000 of them. It is enough to capture all of us. Zhang Jinglian did not mobilize troops, but only sent a yamen runner to deliver the message, which means he has no intention of forcing us."
"Are you going?" Chen Yu asked.
"Why not go?" Xie Tingzhou looked at her and said, "See what he wants to do."
Zhang Jinglian held the banquet at his own house.
Unexpectedly, the Zhang Mansion was not big, it was just a two-courtyard house, and it was not considered a wealthy family among ordinary people.
There is a screen wall at the entrance. You walk around it into the courtyard, and there is the main house and the side rooms on both sides. At the back is the kitchen. It looks clean at a glance.
The layout was simple, with a few flowers and plants planted in the yard, but they were no longer in bloom at this time of year. For a local official of the fourth rank, it was really shabby.
They came to the banquet today and showed their true faces.
"Prince, please take a seat." Zhang Jinglian was a little excited.
He was only in his fifties, but looked much older than his age, with most of his hair gray.
Xie Tingzhou sat down and Zhang Jinglian personally poured him a glass of wine.
Today, Shen Yu still wore women's clothes and did not put on too much makeup. Zhang Jinglian thought for a moment, "This must be Yu Hou."
Zhang Jinglian thought that this former emperor's favorite was a man who could call the wind and rain in Shengjing, but he did not expect that he was not as big and strong as he had imagined.
"That was my old title. Now I'm no longer a guard. Sir Zhang, there's no need to be so polite. I'll do it myself." Chen Yu took the wine jug and quietly checked it before giving Xie Tingzhou a look.
Xie Tingzhou said, "Master Zhang, please take a seat as well."
Zhang Jinglian sat down and said, "Your Highness has condescended to come to my humble home. I only have a little wine and mussels.
, please don’t mind. ”
Xie Tingzhou smiled faintly and said, "I didn't come here for dinner today. The important thing is to have a face-to-face meeting."
Seeing him being so direct, Zhang Jinglian nodded and said, "I think the prince must want to know how I knew that you two had entered the country. To be honest, the governor of Guangzhou has gathered people to stop the prince's troops in the country."
The shortest route from Hezhou back to Beilin is through Guangzhou.
After he said this, Chen Yu and Xie Tingzhou understood.
The journey to Guangzhou is much closer than to Yongzhou. If they had taken that route, they would have already engaged in battle and the news would have certainly reached Yongzhou.
Zhang Jinglian probably guessed that they would take a detour through Yongzhou based on this.
Zhang Jinglian continued, "Right now, there is chaos and turmoil in other places, and refugees are all rushing to Yongzhou. There are not many people coming in and out. I have already sent people to keep an eye on the city gates, and today, the prince finally arrived."
Just as Xie Tingzhou was about to speak, he saw Chen Yu holding the cup to drink from it. He put his hand on her wrist and whispered, "Don't drink it empty-handed. Eat something first."
His attitude forced Zhang Jinglian to re-examine Shen Yu's identity.
Xie Tingzhou seemed to know what he was thinking, and said calmly: "My wife is prone to stomachache when she drinks on an empty stomach, Master Zhang, please forgive me for making fun of you."
Zhang Jinglian was shocked by the news, and quickly changed his address without showing any emotion, "It is I who neglected it. The Crown Princess and the Crown Prince have been traveling for days, and the weather is getting colder. I should prepare some hot soup for the Crown Princess to warm her up."
After saying this, he told the maid to prepare.
"Let's talk business." Xie Tingzhou said, "I will not stay in Yongzhou and will leave tomorrow. If you have anything to say, please tell me directly."
Zhang Jinglian pondered in silence for a moment, and after a while, as if he had finally mustered up the courage, he stood up and bowed deeply to Xie Tingzhou.
"Master Zhang, what are you doing?"
Zhang Jinglian said solemnly: "Zhang Jinglian is begging Your Highness to save the people of Yongzhou."
Xie Tingzhou remained calm, "Yongzhou is under the jurisdiction of the Great Zhou. If Lord Zhang wants to save the people, why not go to Shengjing for help?"
Zhang Jinglian's mood became unstable as he spoke, "May I ask what did the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess see most along the way after entering Yongzhou?"
Chen Yu said: "Refugees and wasteland."
"That's right." Zhang Jinglian said in a deep voice: "Excessive taxes have been collected since the 21st year of Tongxu. The previous emperor died in the 19th year of Tongxu. Now the new emperor has ascended the throne, but taxes are still being collected. The court and the people are living beyond their means. Who can afford to farm? I have petitioned the court many times, but the court doesn't care. Every year, the inspectors sent down by the court will make a fortune before leaving. This is not giving people a way to survive. I have reached the age of enjoying my grandchildren. I thought it would be better to quit this job, but I..."
Zhang Jinglian was filled with indignation. "But I thought about the common people. If another corrupt official comes, how will we live?"
“
"Your Highness, Crown Prince's Consort." Without waiting for the two to respond, Zhang Jinglian suddenly lifted his robe and knelt down.
"What is Lord Zhang doing?" Xie Tingzhou said.
Zhang Jinglian was stubborn and said, "I kneel for the people. Yongzhou is willing to submit to Beilin and be governed by Beilin."
Xie Tingzhou and Shen Yu looked at each other and said, "I have no intention of doing this. Sir Zhang, please stand up and speak first."
Zhang Jinglian stood up and said, "Your Highness has no intention, but will others believe it? Regardless of whether it is the Crown Prince's intention or not, Beilin has become a force to be reckoned with. There is only one outcome, and that is one of us dying. It is impossible for the Crown Prince to hide his strength."
Regardless of whether Xie Tingzhou had any ideas or not, he couldn't agree to Zhang Jinglian's request before he knew the truth.
Xie Tingzhou said slowly: "Then according to Master Zhang's opinion, what should I do? Why don't you give me some advice?"
Zhang Jinglian had thought about this issue a long time ago, and blurted out what he was thinking, "I don't deserve your advice. The world is in turmoil now, banditry has suddenly emerged in various places, and there are many people who have declared themselves kings. Taking this opportunity, the prince can issue a proclamation to take over various states under the pretext of eliminating all banditry."
"Lord Zhang, it's easy for you to say that. Fighting a war is not as simple as just saying it. Shengjing is busy with its own affairs and will not provide any military funds to Beilin at this time. The battle line is too long, and Beilin alone cannot support such a large military expenditure."
Zhang Jinglian cast his gaze towards Chen Yu, and spoke with some difficulty, "Now, the Lu family's silver treasury is probably fuller than the national treasury."
Chen Yu smiled faintly, "Master Zhang wants the Lu family to bear the cost of food and wages for the troops."
Zhang Jinglian blushed. He knew that this was no different from exploiting merchants, but he still said, "I heard that Lu's family has been helping refugees every year. It is better to remove the fuel than to add more fuel to the fire. Although it is painful to break a boil, it is worse than to let the poison grow. If you spend money like this every year, it will only relieve the surface but not cure the disease. It is better to remove the fuel from the bottom of the pot and solve it once and for all."
Xie Tingzhou smiled and said, "Lord Zhang wants to submit to Beilin, but you are thinking too simply. There is Pingzhou between Yongzhou and Beilin."
"Why don't you think about it the other way around?" Zhang Jinglian said, "It should be said that Pingzhou is trapped between Beilin and Yongzhou, and it is already in the bag."
Xie Tingzhou remained calm and composed, but Shen Yu's expression changed.
"Crown Prince, Crown Princess." Zhang Jinglian's face was full of glory as he spoke, and he seemed to look a little younger.
"I was born in a poor family and have wasted more than fifty years of my life. Ever since I can remember, all I have seen is corrupt officials running rampant and the people living in misery. I have only seen prosperous times of peace and prosperity in history books. But I see a turning point in the prince. Beilin is self-sufficient and the people in the country live and work in peace and contentment. If such a grand occasion can cover the land of Great Zhou, what a fascinating sight it would be."
The conversation continued into the evening.
Zhang Jinglian kept the two of them for dinner before leaving.
①. The third chapter of Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
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