March of the first year of He Qing Dynasty.

Shuozhou.

The group of people drove slowly on the official road. The horses lowered their heads in exhaustion and seemed unable to move their hooves.

The knights were wrapped up very tightly.

The leader even wrapped his entire face in silk cloth, leaving only his eyes exposed.

They were so exhausted that they no longer had the energy to speak.

Several farmers were walking in the distance, carrying farm tools, talking and laughing. Suddenly they saw these masked knights, they stopped, turned around and ran away.

The leader ran away before he could even speak.

He sighed deeply and had no choice but to take off the cloth covering his face.

"Shuozhou people are really alert."

After taking off the cloth, his true appearance was revealed.

This person is none other than Zu Jue.

He was not in a hurry now, and slowly set out towards the city. Sure enough, not long after they walked out, a group of cavalry blocked their way.

There were more than ten people in total, unarmored and armed with weapons. They seemed to be Shuozhou's local army.

There was an official leading them. The man looked at Zu Jue warily, "Who are you?"

"I came from Cheng'an to see Mr. Tian. I heard that he is in this city?"

The official didn't talk nonsense, just stretched out his hand and said, "I'll pass."

"Nothing wrong, I just ran here."

The official looked at him again, looked at him for a long time, and then whispered something to him. The next moment, he turned around and asked in skilled Cheng'an dialect: "Where is your home in Cheng'an?"

Zu Jue replied in proficient Cheng'an dialect: "In Ning Lane in the west of the city."

The officials then asked the knights to escort them to the city.

Zu Jue followed the casual official with a smile and looked at the cultivated land in the distance, "There is a lot of cultivated land in Shuozhou. I heard that you have resettled a lot of people?"

The official just smiled and didn't answer.

Zu Jue asked again: "Where are you from Cheng'an?"

"From the county."

"When are you coming?"

"It's been a while."

Zu Jue shook his head and stopped asking. When they arrived at the city gate, the officials at the city gate recorded the names, appearance, characteristics, etc. of Zu Jue and others in detail, and then asked the knights to take them to the official office.

The city is exceptionally clean, with flat roads leading all the way to the government offices. Most of the buildings on the left and right are tall, with few wooden ones visible. Most of them are mammoth structures made of piled bricks and stones. The courtyard walls are much higher than those in other areas.

, this is especially true for houses. Of course, there are also some newly built houses, which are much more normal.

Occasionally, you can see a woman going out and cleaning the door of her house.

Through the wide open courtyard door, you can see the big chained dog inside.

Zu Jue was observing the surroundings all the way. He was sent to the gate of the government office. This was the busiest place in the entire city. There were too many officials coming in and out. Some even came on horseback and then left.

Zu Jue looked around. The official said something to the doorman, and then led him around the main door and walked into a small courtyard from the south door.

Zu Jue was a little shocked. After a while, a soldier came out and took him into the back room.

This room is also very small, and it doesn't look like a place where a high-ranking official would work.

There was a man sitting in the upper seat. The man was wearing ordinary clothes and had an unassuming appearance. He had a short beard and a long beard. He was stroking his beard gently and looking up and down at Zu Jue in front of him.

Zu Jue walked forward with a smile and saluted.

"Meet Mr. Tian."

Tian Zili was stunned, "How do you know me?"

"I know a little bit about the art of looking for energy."

"I don't believe this."

Tian Zili spoke softly, "Zu Jue. I have heard that you, His Majesty's favorite minister, were appointed as the eunuch by the temple. You refused the official position because your mother was ill."

"If you don't support your mother at home, why would you come here?"

Zu Jue said seriously: "I was recommended by Duke Zheng and came here specifically to join General Anxi."

"What Mr. Zheng? I don't know him."

"Why is Mr. Tian doing this? Zheng Daoqian didn't give me a letter to prove himself. He still doesn't believe me. However, I know his identity, but the emperor didn't attack him. This can prove that I sincerely came to defect."

"I'd like to ask Mr. Tian to send someone to escort me to see General Liu."

Tian Zili squinted his eyes and looked at him mostly with disdain, "What are you for? My general doesn't like painting, music, fun, and thieves. He wants to surrender to my lord, but I don't know how.

What to do?"

Zu Jue was not angry at all. When he heard the question, he laughed, "I am an incompetent and mediocre person. I dare not say that I can be of any use, but I know some secrets about Yecheng. I want to tell the general so that he can

Take precautions early."

Tian Zili ignored him and called two soldiers to escort Zu Jue to Wuchuan.

Zu Jue stood up and was about to leave when he suddenly said, "Mr. Tian, ​​there is something I should not say."

"explain."

"In another month, the temple will send someone to replace Gao Anagong. Say goodbye!"

Zu Jue turned around and left. Tian Zili quickly stood up and said, "Wait a minute!"

"What do you mean?"

Zu Jue hurriedly said: "This is what I heard from the wise ministers around your majesty when I was in Yecheng."

"They said that Shuozhou is extremely important, and it is not appropriate to hand it over to someone like Gao Anagong. A capable minister with both cultural relics and cultural relics should be sent to take over the governor's position."

"What a pity."

Zu Jue sighed with emotion, saluted again, turned around and left.

Tian Zili couldn't help it this time, and hurriedly walked down, grabbed Zu Jue, and a smile appeared on his face, "I just looked down on you a little, and I really shouldn't. Please don't leave in a hurry. Let me say one more thing."

Talk about it."

Zu Jue repeatedly said that he did not dare, and the two sat down. Tian Zili asked someone to prepare tea and meat, and asked again: "Why did you say it was a pity just now?"

Zu Jue immediately said: "If a general wants to achieve great things, Shuozhou is the foundation!"

"The city of Hengzhou is strong, but there are many pastures, iron and charcoal, but little arable land and few manpower, which is not enough to be the foundation."

"There are many people in Shuozhou, and so are the cultivated lands. The superposition of Hengzhou and Shuozhou is the foundation of the king's way."

"At present, General Liu allows Mr. Tian to work in Shuozhou, just because of the temple's stupid move, but it is not that there are no wise men in the temple."

"Like Gao Rui, he once wrote in a memorial that if Gao Anagong was removed and replaced by a wise man, the temple would definitely do this and would never hand over Shuozhou to the general."

"If the person here is wise, cherishes the people's strength, and trains the army, then does General Liu have any reason to keep the person here?"

“Are you still qualified to sit here and govern the whole earth?”

"If we continue to hold people hostage, those who support General Anxi in the temple will feel that the general has rebellious intentions. If we do not continue to hold people hostage, then they will give up Shuozhou to the temple."

Tian Zili frowned, his face gloomy.

"My lord has no thoughts of rebellion, nor has he thought about the foundation for great things. If the governor is wise, we should return to the frontier!"

Zu Jue let out a long sigh, "This is what I feel is a pity!"

He took Tian Zili's hand and said, "Our lord is too kind. He has never thought of treason at all!!"

"But in this current situation, can Gao Zhan let us go?"

"How can Shuozhou be handed over to the temple in vain? To achieve great things, Hengshuo is indispensable!"

"The previous dynasty established its capital in Hengzhou and started its business in Shuozhou, thus controlling half of the country!"

"We might as well!"

Tian Zili was shocked, and he quickly took his hand out.

For a moment, Tian Zili's thoughts were a little confused and he didn't know what to say. Zu Jue continued: "Tian Gong! You should know what kind of person Gao Zhan is. Don't put hope in him. This is not treason.

This is a rebellion! Gao Zhan is vicious and moody. If you love him today, he will be killed tomorrow. You must prepare in advance!"

"General Renyi did not consider these things. As ministers, how can we not consider them?!"

You are just a servant of Bird, my brother has never fucking seen you.

Tian Zili thought to himself, but did not deny that what the other party said was reasonable.

"Then what do you think we should do?"

"Find a way to preserve Shuozhou. Today, the general has people, horses, iron, and food around him. The only thing he lacks is a countermeasure."
To be continued...