Chapter 2 Chapter 1 The Lost Scholar

The First Southern Chu Champion Chapter 1 A Down and Out Scholar In the sixteenth year of Xiande, Suiyun wanted to take the imperial examination, so he left Jiangxia and went to Jianye. - "The History of Chu in the Southern Dynasties."The Legend of Jiang Suiyun" In the sixteenth year of Xiande in Southern Chu, the world is still in chaos, but the situation has become much clearer. Most of the south of the Yangtze River is occupied by Southern Chu, and the north of the Yangtze River is dominated by Dayong. Jiangxia is a strategic place to defend Dayong. The Zhenyuanhou Mansion in Jiangxia is an important place for military aircraft, so it is heavily guarded at all times. Although my status as a teacher is not low, I have to obediently obey orders, hide in the study and try not to go out, so as not to cause trouble to my upper body.While I was flipping through the book, I was thinking about when I would be able to eat. There was no way. Zhenyuan Hou Lu Xin was an important military minister. According to the practice of Southern Chu, his family members had to stay in Jianye. Only the fifteen-year-old eldest son Lu Can was Lu Xin ordered him to stay by his side as a bodyguard, and the imperial court allowed it. Although Lu Can studied literature with me, the children of the military family must naturally study military affairs. Today is the day when Lu Xin, the governor of Jiangxia, held a military meeting. The attendant was taken to listen, so I had no choice but to wait for him in the study. I originally agreed to have dinner together, but today's military meeting was not over until noon, and all the people who participated in the military meeting did not eat. If the teacher is full by himself, he will definitely yell with envy when Lu Can comes back, and then find a chance to plot against me, so I'd better wait for him to come with him.Thinking of this, I touched my flat stomach and sighed helplessly.Why are there so many differences between father and son? Lu Xin is generous, but Lu Can is careless. Last time he was punished by Lu Houye, I couldn't help but snickered when he saw him, and he tricked me out to relax the next day , What did you say that I have been mourning for three years and should go out for a walk, but in the end I was tricked into the Yanyue Tower. If I hadn't sneaked away quickly, my first time would have been snatched away.I was flipping through the books while thinking wildly, alas, although the study in the Zhenyuan Hou Mansion is good, I have almost finished reading it in the past three years, and after all, it is from a family of military generals, so they are all relatively easy-to-read books. The bookstore gave away a copy of all the books, otherwise they even have the almanac, but there are no real treasures.

I was watching the shadow of the sun and counting the time when Lu Zhong, Lu Can's attendant, came and told me that the military discussion had ended, Lu Xin invited his subordinates to a banquet, and asked Lu Can to accompany him, telling me not to wait for him.I happily agreed, and regardless of the fact that the food was cold, I went to gobble it up.While I was eating happily, suddenly there was a noise in the front hall. At first, I didn't pay attention to it, but then the sound became louder and louder, and I only heard the deafening voice of "catch the assassin, catch the assassin".I was shocked, oh no, there are assassins here, nine out of ten it is Zhenyuanhou who was assassinated, he is my backer now, he cannot be killed by assassins.I knew that I had no ability to protect Zhenyuanhou, so it was better to hide, but I felt uneasy, so I picked up an exquisite crossbow from the bookshelf. This is a refined crossbow made by the Southern Chu Ministry of Industry. A crossbow, this was originally a gift from Lu Xin to Lu Can, but Lu Can didn't like to use the crossbow because he thought it was not open and upright. It’s my favorite. Put the crossbow bolts on, open the window and look out. The study I’m staying in is not too far from the front hall, and I can see a forest of swords and guns outside, surrounded by a lot of red-clothed soldiers. Two men dressed as servants fought, and after a while, I saw Zhenyuan Marquis Lu Xin coming, accompanied by his generals. His right arm was wrapped in a white cloth, and there were bloodstains, but Lu Ping, a trusted guard who was often by his side, was nowhere to be seen. I saw Lu Xin's face was pale, Lu Can was supporting him on the left side, his expression was very angry. Seeing this, I guessed that the two assassins must have sneaked into the Hou's mansion. It may be that Lu Xin was entertaining his subordinates Sometimes pretending to be a servant serving food, and then suddenly assassinating, I guess Lu Ping has probably done his duty faithfully.

I was watching intently when I saw that the two assassins suddenly played tricks on each other, and suddenly took out two black round beads from their pockets and threw them on the ground, white smoke billowed, covering the space with a radius of more than ten feet in an instant. Stopped, at this moment, I saw a fierce light flashed in the eyes of a general wearing a general's uniform not far from Lu Hou, a dagger slipped from his cuff into his hand, I didn't know well, He hurriedly shouted: "Master Hou, be careful." While shouting, he shot a crossbow arrow, and a scream sounded.When the smoke cleared, the shocked crowd saw that the two assassins were still surrounded, and behind Lu Hou, one fell to the ground with an arrow in his heart, and he was still holding a dagger tightly in his hand. , the edge of the dagger glowed with blue light, and it was less than half a step away from Lu Hou.Even the blind know what's going on in this situation.

Seeing that the two assassins struggled to break through and died in a fierce battle, Lu Hou ordered his generals to deal with the aftermath, so he summoned me to the White Tiger Hall where he handles military affairs.He looked at me with a complicated expression, and asked: "Thank you, Suiyun, for saving my life." I said humbly, "It's because of the meritorious deeds of the Marquis that he can avoid being framed by traitors, and his late birth is just a fluke." Lu Hou asked suspiciously: "How did Suiyun know that the man was going to assassinate me?" This was a question he couldn't figure out.How do I know, of course I saw it, but I can’t say that, this is my self-defense weapon, my six senses are born different from ordinary people, let’s put it this way, my ears can hear fallen leaves within a hundred steps Feihua, my eyesight, I can see everything within miles, my sense of taste, as long as I touch my lips, I can distinguish clearly, my sense of smell, as long as there is a trace of smell, I can follow him ten miles away, Sometimes I doubt whether I am human, but I also know that if others know about those things, they will inevitably be hated by others, and you don’t want someone who can eavesdrop on your whispers, in order to keep them as self-defense weapons. I never told anyone about it, except my dead father.So I made up a lie and said: "It's a coincidence that Wan Sheng used to hold a crossbow for self-defense. Seeing those two assassins emitting smoke, he couldn't help but feel strange. No matter how capable the two assassins are, it is difficult to get out of this situation." , releasing the smoke must be to create opportunities for others, so Wansheng thought that there must be assassins hiding around Lord Hou, and shouted out in a moment of impatience, remembering that there was no one behind the Lord at that time, presumably the assassins would come from there if they wanted to assassinate, So he shot an arrow indiscriminately, but luckily Hou Ye was able to kill the assassin because of his virtue."

Lu Xin nodded suspiciously and let me go out.Later I heard that the assassins of Lu Xin were Dayong's assassins. They bought that partial general, wanted to assassinate Zhenyuan Hou, and then attacked when Jiangxia's dragons were leaderless. backed away.Afterwards, Lu Xin saw that I was smart and wise, and wanted me to enter his shogunate, but I thought, he is here across the river from Dayong, and he often has to fight. If he is unfortunately defeated for a while, what should I do? , Moreover, what if Dayong knew that I saved Lu Xin and sent an assassin to kill me, so I refused. Of course, I can't use this reason, saying that my father was quite shocked by his lack of fame, so I Deciding to take the imperial examination is a high-sounding reason, and no one can stop me from making progress.So Lu Xin not only sent someone to Jiaxing, where I was originally from, to obtain the qualification for the exam for me, but also sent me money to take the exam in Jianye two months before the Enke exam. They asked me to go with their personnel in charge of military supplies. In desperation, I had no choice but to go on the road with those people. Fortunately, I thought of a way on the way, saying that I had a cold and there was still time, so I rested for two days before leaving.So I finally regained my freedom, and I am not an idiot. In the ninth year of Xiande, Nan Chu proclaimed himself a vassal to Dayong. For Dayong, there must be wars and disasters in the future. Although I don’t want to go to war, I know a lot about the art of war. Dayong’s soldiers are strong and strong, but Southern Chu’s monarchs and ministers are drunk and dreamy. The generals are greedy for life and fear death. Under his command, I heard that there are quite a few cowards, and Lu Hou was so angry that he wanted to kill them several times, but due to the power of their family, he could only raise them.Taking the imperial examination at this time, I don't want to be a minister of subjugation.

Sitting with my knees hugged on the deck of a passenger and cargo ship, I comfortably enjoy the fresh river breeze at night. The bottom of this medium-sized ship is full of cargo, and the upper cabin is divided into some small rooms For guests, it is definitely more comfortable than that kind of special passenger boat, but the price is also much more expensive, but now I have a few hundred taels of silver in my waist, which is enough for me, so I will be extravagant for a while.Looking at the cold moon and the starry sky, I couldn't help but feel poetic, and I recited: "The fine grass and the windy shore, the lonely night boat on the mast. The stars are flat and wild, and the moon is flowing in the big river. The name is not an article, but the official should be old. Sick rest. What does fluttering look like, the sky and the earth are like a gull." Just as I was chanting repeatedly, I only heard someone behind me clapping and applauding. I looked back and saw a young man standing there. Although the moonlight was dim, he could rely on With my eyesight, I can clearly see that standing there is a handsome and mighty young man. Although he is wearing casual clothes, he is very imposing. No matter how I look at it, I feel that he is more majestic than Master Lu, and he seems to have an amazing charm. It makes you feel like a spring breeze, and you look at yourself with a little shame. Your body is ordinary, but you will fall if there is no wind. A handsome son with both civil and military skills is a martial artist. Even if he doesn't know a few big characters, as long as he is a little gentle, he can attract girls' attention better than me. Ask me how I know, of course it is because those maids in Luhou's mansion have never been serious. For my sake.

I stood up and said apologetically, "I'm really sorry for disturbing your rest." The young man shook his head and said, "That said, if I hadn't rested, wouldn't I have missed such a good poem as Young Master's, is it Young Master's work?" I was happy in my heart, but I said humbly on my face: "It's hard to make a foolish work, your Excellency is laughing at you." The young man looked me up and down for a long time, and then said: "My young master is so young, and his literary talent is so outstanding. I really admire him. Li Tianxiang, who is a businessman under the king of Shu, is here to work in Jianye this time. May I ask your surname and name? When you come to Jianye What is the business?"

I murmured in my heart, although this person has a Sichuan accent, but I always feel a little awkward listening to it, but I care so much about other people's affairs, so I said politely: "Jiang Zhe, who was born late, and his style is Suiyun, this time he came to Jianzhou. The job is to go to the exam." A strange look flashed in Li Tianxiang's eyes, and he said: "Young Master's talent is peerless, it must have been an easy feat for the Toad Palace." I smiled awkwardly. If it wasn't for lying, I didn't want to take the scientific examination. Anyway, I have a way to avoid the exam and let others say nothing.Seeing that I was embarrassed, Li Tianxiang didn't talk about the scientific research anymore, and said with emotion: "Hey, this time I came from the middle of Shu, and saw that the situation in the Central Plains was tense, and there was almost a war in Jiangxia. Now the business is getting more and more difficult. Yes. A while ago, the Lord of Southern Chu ordered to increase tariffs. Fortunately, the Lord of the Kingdom of Shu sent envoys to Nanchu to negotiate, otherwise our cargo ship would lose money!" I said casually: "Actually, the Lord of the Kingdom of Shu doesn’t need to worry about it at all. , The Kingdom of Shu is dependent on each other, as long as this relationship is fully explained, the ruler will definitely lower the tariffs, and even provide preferential treatment for trade?"

Li Tianxiang asked with a smile: "How to say this, I don't understand." It is rare to meet someone who wants to know my opinion, so I proudly said: "This starts with the situation in today's world. In today's world, Southern Chu and Dayong are facing each other north and south, but this is only a superficial matter. They are not as good as Dayong, they can only defend and are unable to attack. The so-called rigidity cannot last long, and softness cannot be defended. Everyone knows that if this continues, Southern Chu will perish sooner or later, so the current king will seek peace from Dayong, lose the title of emperor, and claim the title of emperor. Lord, I want to be safe, but the situation is different now, under the rule of your country, the middle of Shu is under the rule of your country, and there are enough soldiers and food. Although the country of Shu can only be in a peaceful situation due to geographical restrictions, it is condescending to me in Southern Chu If the Kingdom of Shu and Dayong unite, and Dayong fiercely attacks the Yangtze River, and the Kingdom of Shu falls down the river, our Southern Chu will surely perish. Shanruo Shu will strictly guard the middle of Shu, and our Southern Chu and the Northern Han in the north of Dayong will unite. Once the Yong army attacked Southern Chu, the Northern Han would respond to the Southern Chu from the north, and Dayong faced the natural danger of the Yangtze River, so as long as the defense lasted for more than three months, Dayong would definitely retreat."

Li Tianxiang's face was solemn, and he said after a long time: "If this is the case, it will never be possible to unify the world, and it's just suffering for us ordinary people." I comforted him and said: "What I'm talking about is just an ideal situation. Now the Southern Chu monarchs and ministers are a little arrogant, thinking that the Yangtze River is a natural danger, and the crisis is hidden. If there are wise people in Dayong, there is still a possibility of unification." Li Tianxiang seemed to be a little curious, and asked: "Didn't you just say that Dayong is unsustainable, why did you say that Dayong may still rule the world?"

I rationalized my thoughts and said: "Although Dayong is in a place of hundreds of battles, it has obvious advantages. There are wise emperors and ministers on top, and millions of troops on the bottom. As long as the strategy is correct, it will be able to rule the world within twenty years. Now the world's The layout, the land of Shu is the key, but the middle of Shu is easy to defend and difficult to attack, if you want to win the world, you must first tie up the Northern Han and stabilize the rear, and then separate Shu and Chu." Li Tianxiang asked suspiciously: "There is still a way to tie the Northern Han Dynasty well. Shu and Chu are dependent on each other. How can we separate?" "What's so difficult about this? I heard recently that some people in the Southern Chu Dynasty want to restore the title of Emperor. If Dayong is acting restrained and unable to fight at this moment, the Southern Chu monarchs and ministers will be confused. If Dayong sends secret agents again and bribes with sweet words and generous gifts Favored ministers, prompting Southern Chu to restore the title of emperor, then the estrangement between Southern Chu and Shu will inevitably increase, and even the Northern Han will be suspicious. At that time, Dayong temporarily recognizes Southern Chu as emperor, and the two countries will rule across the river , and then join forces with Southern Chu to attack the Kingdom of Shu. The monarchs and ministers of Southern Chu are short-sighted and must be fooled. If we get most of the central Shu, and then Dayong attacks from both sides, we will definitely destroy Southern Chu. By then, we can recharge our batteries and defeat Han in one fell swoop, so there is no need to worry about the uncertainty of the world." Li Tianxiang was delighted when he heard that, and said: "It seems that as long as I have a good relationship with Southern Chu, no matter how powerful Dayong is, there is nothing I can do about it. Fortunately, brother Jiang, you are not a citizen of Dayong. If you go to Dayong, you will get If it is reused, our country of Shu will be in danger." I lazily said: "I'm not going to Dayong. I heard that military merit is the most important thing there. A frail scholar like me won't be able to eat there. After a few years, I'll earn more money and go to the countryside to buy some money." Acres of land, is it a pleasure to marry a gentle and virtuous wife?" Li Tianxiang said with a smile: "Then I congratulate you for fulfilling your wish, but according to your plan, Dayong shouldn't need twenty years." I was already feeling sleepy, and said: "I don't need it at first, but if it takes five or six years until the capture of Southern Chu, it will be about five or six years, but I heard that the emperor of Dayong is already old, and Prince Li An Although he is the crown prince, his prestige and military achievements are far inferior to that of his second son Yong Wang Li Zhi. When Yongdi established the country, Yong Emperor Li Yuan bestowed the title of Yong Wang on his second son Li Zhi because of his national title. However, after that, Dayong's rules and regulations were all ready, and Li Yuan appointed Li An as the heir apparent according to the system of establishing a heir and an elder, so the Xiaoqiang Rebellion would inevitably arise because of this, and it might not be possible that Dayong would fall apart because of this, I said two Ten years is still under the premise that the scope of civil unrest will not be too large." Li Tianxiang lowered his head slightly, and said for a long time: "Yes!" I didn't understand what he meant, and I didn't bother to think about it, so I took my leave and went back to the cabin.When I got up the next day, I heard that Li Tianxiang had disembarked early, which was really strange. Originally, my plan was good, but who knows that God's will is unpredictable. I became a poor man on the first day in Jianye. Looking back at that time, I saw Jianye for the first time, and I was really dumbfounded when I saw the capital city full of tigers and dragons, so I went out to play after I left the store. In the Confucius Temple by the Yonghuai River, I met a lucky star , Of course, for me at that time, he was my disaster star. I was walking along the street when I suddenly saw a crowd of people gathered in front of me. I couldn't help but get in curiously, but it turned out that it was a child selling himself to bury his father. I suddenly remembered that when my father passed away, I had nothing to lose. If it wasn't for the chance Entering Zhenyuan Hou's Mansion, I was afraid that I would have to sell myself to bury my father. On the spur of the moment, I took out a hundred taels of silver and gave it to the child. His delicate face showed a grateful expression, and said respectfully: "Young master, wait for the little one to be buried." When I leave my father, I will wait on you, may I ask where you live?" I smiled awkwardly, looked at the jealous eyes from the crowd around me, and thought that I have already committed the old saying that money is not revealed, so why don't I tell others about it? where do you live.I didn't answer, and ran away in a hurry. In order to get back to the inn quickly, I lowered my head and walked quickly. When I reached an alley, I felt someone approaching behind me. Before I had time to turn around, I felt something hard against my waist, so I was taken into the alley honestly, and then I felt that I was hit on the back of the head with a stick. When I woke up, I was lying on the ground empty, and I went back to the inn with a sad face. I am very glad that I saved ten taels of silver on the cabinet at the beginning, but I can live with this amount of money for a month at most, what should I do, what should I do?I tossed and turned all night before I came up with the only solution, which is to take the scientific examination seriously and get a ranking, then I will have an official salary to spend and a house given by the government to live in. If I want to come to Nanchu, I should The country will not be subjugated soon. When I earn enough silver, I can resign from office and go back to seclusion. At that time, no one should have trouble with me, a person who has no official position.