Chapter 45 Surrender

A while ago, they were only talking in the camp, and before they knew it, it was the turn of the century.Besides, it was the last day of October, and on such nights, the moon usually did not show its face.However, when Ma and Ruan were served by servants, put on cloaks, and walked out of the camp, they found that neither the sky nor the mountains were completely dark.As the north wind blew away the floating thin shadows, the huge Milky Way and the stars all over the night sky shone with lingering light again.On the gentle slope extending far from the foot of Guanshan Mountain, due to the gathering of a large number of troops, countless bonfires were densely lit up.These troops from all over the world, probably because they only stayed for one or two nights, came lightly and did not carry tents. Even if there were, they were only a few for senior generals.As a result, the vast majority of people can only sleep in the open around the campfire at the moment.However, this military parade, it seems that there are quite a lot of people here.One battalion after another, they covered the hillside with a radius of ten miles, so that Ma and Ruan had to follow people again and again when they went to the tent where Liu Zhongzao was staying, with a servant boy carrying a lantern to illuminate the road. Pass through the bushes.

Now, Ma and Ruan are walking on the hillside full of soldiers.They saw that after a long march and it was not too early, the exhausted soldiers had already squeezed each other and fell asleep.Only the blazing bonfire guarded by the soldiers on duty at night was still burning, vaguely showing their messy sleeping appearance.Some are lying on their backs, some are curled up, some are holding other people's arms or thighs, and some are even hugging each other.All kinds of snoring sounds, like countless bellows of different sizes, up and down, one after another.Beside them, there were swords and guns, shields, and iron cannons.If you pass a cavalry camp, you will also see groups of war horses and smell the smell of horse sweat and horse dung...

When Ma and Ruan touched two wrong camps one after another, and finally found a small camp at the foot of Guanshan with the number plate of Fang Guoan's camp, Liu Zhongzao soon appeared.This "imperial envoy" from Fujian turned out to be a handsome young man with a handsome face and elegant manners of a southerner.Naturally, he had heard of the "big names" of Ma and Ruan, and he was especially surprised by their sudden visit.He respectfully, but not unsuspectingly, welcomed the two uninvited guests into his tent.After the initial exchange of greetings, when the servant brought tea, he picked up the teacup and asked cautiously with a smile on his face, "I don't know if the two seniors have come, what can I teach you?"

"Oh——" Ruan Dacheng, who had been looking around since entering the camp, turned his eyes away from the servants who were waiting in and out, and said solemnly, "Don't dare! The students and brother Ma are here today to watch the ceremony at the invitation of Zhendonghou Just now, I learned from Zhendong Hou that the old gentleman is here too. Since I have long admired the name, I am not presumptuous, so I came here to pay a visit!" "Ah, ah!" Liu Zhongzao hurriedly arched his hands, "Seniors, you are serious! The students are inferior to the juniors, and they have neither virtue nor ability. How can you afford the word 'big name'!"

Ruan Dacheng smiled and said: "Old man, this is too modest! The old man is handsome, and now he is imprisoned in Yue as an imperial envoy. The prefectures in eastern Zhejiang have long been rumored. Even if the old man is like a student, Every day is like thunder! Hey, the word 'Daiming' is well-deserved!" Then, he turned to Ma Shiying: "Brother Yaocao, what do you think?" Ma Shiying was in a daze when he heard it, and when he asked him, he didn't know what to say, so he could only say vaguely: "Well, yes, yes!" Such a somewhat exaggerated opening remark was nothing more than a routine courtesy to Ma and Ruan.On the other hand, Liu Zhongzao, who has been neglected since he arrived in eastern Zhejiang, can be said to be in a bleak situation, suddenly heard such warm flattery, unexpectedly, he felt a sense of gratitude, and his beautiful but unlucky face also became radiant.

Ruan Dacheng naturally noticed this, but he deliberately kept his face quiet.He showed off his eloquent tongue more and more, and chatted with the other party first, but the topics were always caring for the other party and self-boasting, such as Liu Zhongzao's daily life and diet, whether anyone took care of him, and he met some after he came to East Zhejiang. Who is it? Is the money I have brought enough, and I have a good friendship with Fang Guoan. If the other party has any needs, just ask, he can help, etc.It wasn't until the conversation became more and more harmonious and casual that he changed the subject and asked:

"The old man came here, and he heard that he was ordered by the Holy Master to tell me Zhedong. Well, I don't know if it's going well or not?" "Ah, the old man said 'Holy Majesty'..." "Naturally, it is the Holy One who is currently enthroned in Fuzhou and succeeds the Great Tradition!" "This--I am grateful for the attention of the seniors. The students are waiting to be summoned by the supervisor." "Well, the old man has been here for a few days, right?" "The student is Shaoxing, who arrived on the 20th of this month."

"Generally, when the edict arrives, it is customary to start reading immediately. The old gentleman has arrived for ten days and is still waiting. It is too late!" "This--I heard that Jian Guoyu's body is not in good condition, and now he is making a big review, so..." Perhaps because of the mission of this trip, Liu Zhongzao became cautious in these few sentences.However, when he came into contact with Ruan Dacheng's half-smile eyes, he blushed suddenly and stopped talking. "Heh, heh," Ruan Dacheng hurriedly cupped his hands, "My old Ruan is born with a bamboo tube stomach, and he speaks straightforwardly, so offend me, don't blame me, don't blame me!" After a pause, he looked at Ma Shiying again, and sighed on purpose In one breath, he said: "In the face of the national crisis, Fujian and Zhejiang should be united as one and join hands to fight against the enemy. The Ming Dynasty has the hope of rejuvenation! At this time, we should not hurt our own family by focusing on fame and status. The harmony of people!"

"The student's intention is the same." Apparently moved by these few words, Liu Zhongzao forgot the displeasure just now, nodded and said, "Qina——ah!" "However, the students have something to worry about here, and it may make everyone here change their minds and bow their heads to worship the Holy One as the Lord of Fujian and Zhejiang." Liu Zhongzao's eyes became round, and he said half-believingly, "Oh, I would like to hear about Mingjiao!" "From a student's point of view—" Ruan Dacheng raised two fingers, then said "hey" and shook his hand, "This matter is unusual, so it's better not to say it, or not to say it!"

"how?" Ruan Dacheng did not answer immediately.He put on a look of embarrassment, waited for a long time, and then sighed, saying: "The old man doesn't know something, the student and Brother Yaocao are both punished for crimes, just like the old man, and they haven't been allowed to meet each other until now." Supervising the country. Youdao is not in his position, and if he does not seek his own government, it is better to be less concerned about everything!" Only then did Liu Zhongzao suddenly understand.He stroked his sparse beard, pondered and said: "So that's the case. I just don't know what the two seniors plan to do? If you intend to go to Fujian, with the little effort of a student, you may be able to report to the Holy One on your behalf."

Ruan Dacheng played tricks for a long time, just to ask the other party to make this promise.He immediately stood up, arched his hands, and said happily: "If the old man helps you, the two of us will be grateful!" After a pause, he seemed to have thought of something: "As for the matter in eastern Zhejiang—" But instead of continuing immediately, he approached Liu Zhongzao, whispered into his ear, and whispered.Ma Shiying, who was sitting on the side, was baffled and stared at them in a daze. "Ah, this, this can make it?" Liu Zhongzao was clearly taken aback after hearing a few words, and almost didn't stand up on the spot.However, when Ruan Dacheng continued to speak, he stopped making a sound, and just listened attentively, nodding from time to time.In the end, he left his seat, bowed his hands to Ruan Dacheng with a solemn expression, and said, "Chengjia! Chengjia!" ... "Well, what exactly did you say to him?" After finally saying goodbye to Liu Zhongzao and walking outside from the camp, Ma Shiying frowned and asked suspiciously. Ruan Dacheng smiled and said triumphantly: "Did you forget, brother? I said I have a big gift in my hand. This gift is nothing else, but Fang Guoan and his 50,000 soldiers! Lord Longwu didn't like Zhedong's side, as long as I tell him something, I'll give him a hard time and persuade Lao Fang to go to Fujian! He won this great gift, so there's no reason why he shouldn't be overjoyed!" "But, is Lao Fang really willing to do this?" Ma Shiying asked suspiciously. "Brother," Ruan Dacheng sighed, "When did you become so nerdy? Didn't we all want to get on the line of Fujian? Have you got it now? We've got it. That's it. ! As for whether the old Fang is willing to do it or not in the end, why should you and I take it too seriously!"