Chapter 69 Chapter 69

After the banquet, all the officials and guests dispersed.Zong Ji and Zong Kan follow Wang Jian to walk in the streets of Chengdu.Before he knew it, he left Shaocheng and came to the five gates in the south of the city.From a distance, one can see the newly built attic in the southwest corner of Wumen, decorated with Zhu Dan, which is very gorgeous.Wang Jian stroked his gray beard in satisfaction: "What do you think is a better name for this newly built attic?" Zong Ji said: "These days, the people in the city are vying to watch the attic built by the father, and it is called the red building."

Wang Jian shivered instinctively: "Looking at the 'Hua Hong Tower'? Why is this building named after 'Hua Hong'?" Zong Kan quickly explained: "Father Wang misunderstood, this is a rumor among the people, the cinnabar pavilions are carved with beams and painted buildings, which means 'painting red buildings'." Wang Jian suddenly ignored Zong Kan's explanation: "Have you heard from Wang Zongdi recently?" Zongji had already guessed that Zongdi's growing influence in northern Sichuan must have aroused the suspicion of the King of Shu.Thinking of the many adopted sons, the only one who can compete with him for military merit is this prestigious Wang Zongdi of Sanchuan.Now might be the best time to get rid of him.Therefore, Zongji's face darkened: "I shouldn't criticize Brother Zongdi, but as far as I know, Zongdi expanded his army and built a city in the south of Shannan. I don't know if this is what my father meant."

Seeing that Zongji was pointing at Zongdi, Zong Kan hurriedly settled the situation: "Oh, father, you often say that the general is away, and the king's order is not acceptable. Shannan was initially settled, and there must be riots in nearby counties. I think brothers Zongdi also Play by ear and have no other intentions.” "Zong Kan, show me the sword he gave me." Wang Jian's face was as heavy as water, and he remained calm. Zong Kan handed the sword behind his back to Wang Jian.Wang Jian has studied art in Wudang for many years. He has practiced Taiji swordsmanship and knows the famous swords in the world.During the banquet just now, I didn't watch carefully, so I gently pulled out the rusty sword from the scabbard.Just listening to the sound of metal rubbing together, a cold and dazzling sword suddenly appeared in front of the three of them.The afterglow of the sunset shone on the blade, clearly engraving four words.

Wang Jian asked, "What do these four characters read?" Zong Kan fixed his eyes to distinguish, and read aloud: "Qin bestows on Marquis Huan". "Sure enough!" Wang Jian got a satisfactory answer.He turned the hilt over, and the sharp double blades shone brightly in the sun, "This is one of the eight Shu swords that have been lost for thousands of years!" "Shu Eight Swords?" Zong Ji and Zong Kan asked in unison. "Exactly! Legend has it that Liu Bei picked iron from Jinniu Mountain, smelted eight swords, and cut the iron like mud. These eight swords are collectively called the 'Eight Swords of Shu'. Liu Bei, prince Liu Chan, Liang Wang Liu Li, and Lu Wang Liu Yong each held One, and the remaining four were given to Prime Minister Zhuge Liang, Guan Zhang’s second brother, and Chang Shan Zhao Zilong. If I’m not mistaken, this sword is the one given to Zhang Fei.” Wang Jian’s words surprised the two sons.I thought that Zongdi's tribute was just an ordinary sword, but it turned out to be such a priceless and rare treasure.Wang Jian remained calm, took out a copper coin from his pocket, and gently slashed along the blade, the copper coin split in two.

"Father, when Wang Zongdi got such a sword, he didn't tell you. I think he has two intentions!" "Zong Di is guilty! But it's not treason!" Wang Jian sighed, "But he has too many things to hide from this king, and he can't be allowed to stay in Shannan..." Zongji said: "Father, please order that my son go to the south of the mountain to tie up Zongdi and return to Chengdu to question the crime!" Zong Kan said: "Father, you can't do it. Zong Di holds 50,000 soldiers to guard the frontier fortress. He hastily summoned him to question him. I'm afraid there will be chaos in the frontier."

"He can't fight back! However, your worry is not superfluous... You don't have to go. Once you go, he will naturally know that I want to blame him. In my opinion, let Tang Dao attack. If he goes, Zong Di will not There will be wariness." Tang Daoxi led the way to the north.Wang Jian was uneasy.He thought back to Zongdi's 20 years of following him from birth to death, all kinds of scenes, and every time he turned danger to safety, it was not unrelated to his example.At the beginning, Song Xing was able to send 70,000 troops to help Guangdu. If Zong Di hadn't resisted with soldiers like a god, he would not have been able to defeat Shan Xingzhang so smoothly.If it hadn't been for Zongdi Baiqi Huanhuazhai to rescue him, the battle of Pengzhou would have been delayed for a long time.In addition, the siege of Chengdu and the capture of Huahong in Zizhou all contributed.More importantly, if he hadn't captured Xingyuan from another road in time in this Shannan battle, I don't know how many lives would have died in that mountain...

He is the leader of an army, but he eats and sleeps with the soldiers.Like himself, he also has an invincible and invincible personal army.He is not worried about Zong Di's rebellion, he is confident that with his years of majesty and employment skills, he can control any general with great military exploits.However, if his subordinates have a different heart... As a king, the most fearful thing is that his subordinates will overthrow the master.Zongdi's meritorious service has reached the point where it is almost impossible to continue to reward him.Wang Jian asked Tang Daoxi to pass on his orders, and said he would go back to Chengdu to discuss the replacement of officials in Sanchuan, so that Zong Di could bring a team of less than 2,000 people back to Chengdu.In this way, compared to letting him come to Chengdu alone, it will not arouse suspicion; at the same time, if Zong Di really has treasonous acts, the soldiers around him must also be eliminated together.

At this time, Wang Zongdi, who received the transfer order, was on his way to Chengdu in a hurry.The sky will be dark, and the team will go to Zhao County, and there will be about a day's journey before arriving in Chengdu in the west.Zong Di's heart has never been so contradictory as it is now.Thinking back to the past ten years, he has led numerous conquests and shuttled through this thousand-year-old city, but this time, he seems to have foreseen that he is destined to call his last on this chaotic historical stage. "Brother Hua, are you really going to Chengdu to die?" The person who asked the question was a young man in his twenties. Although he looked a little immature, there was an undeniable military general demeanor in his eyebrows.

"Death?" Hua Hong laughed at himself. He raised his head and looked westward at the sinking sunset, at the distant city of Chengdu under the blood-colored sky, and said meaningfully, "If you want to say death, I'm already dead." It's been hundreds of times... the Tang Dynasty is about to perish, and I, a martial artist from a grassroots background, still care about this?" "You went through life and death for the King of Shu to pacify Sanchuan, and you are willing to end up like this in the end?" "Some people in the court regard me as a thorn in the side and a thorn in the flesh. They have long wanted to put me to death."

"Then the king of Shu is willing to listen to slander and kill loyal ministers by mistake? If so, what are you going to do to protect him? Why don't you turn back as soon as possible!" "Don't talk nonsense." Zong Di calmly looked at the young man in front of him, "If there was no king, I would still be a pawn in the army, and I might have been trampled into flesh by the horses. My life, Hua Hong, was given by the king. If he wants it, I'll give it back to him at any time. Don't say 'anti' again. You also know that Zhu Wen sent people to bribe me several times. If I betrayed, I'll wait until today?"

The young man was silent.He recalled the Eight Shu Swords sent to Wang Zongdi by Zhu Wen's envoy not long ago.Zong Di didn't want to offend Lai Shi, so he took the sword away.Later, he inquired about it and found out that it was a famous sword from the later Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period, which had been left in Sanchuan for thousands of years.Later, for some reason, it was obtained by Li Maozhen, the governor of Fengxiang.When Zhu Wen attacked Fengxiang in the west, he not only robbed the emperor, but also took the sword.Zhu Wen clearly hired an envoy to communicate with the king of Shu, but secretly gave him such a precious sword, with obvious intentions.After Zong Di learned of the origin of the sword, he immediately decided to send the treasure to Chengdu to celebrate the birthday of the King of Shu.But how did Zongdi know that Wang Zongji's instigation made this Huanhou sword an ironclad evidence that the king of Shu suspected him. "Brother Hua, since you are determined to go, I will never leave you forever!" The young man suddenly said firmly. "Changming, listen to what the elder brother said, you and I will leave here tomorrow, you can't go to Chengdu with me." The young man called Changming was anxious: "Brother Hua! You treat me like a teacher and a brother, how can I just watch you go to die?" "Changming, have you forgotten how your mother died?" Changming's face changed suddenly: "A big fire...the entire Jiedushi Mansion was reduced to ashes..." Wang Zongdi said seriously: "Today I will tell you the truth, it was Tang Daoxi who set fire to the government office!" "What did you say? That dance boy?" "On the day the government office caught fire, I immediately sent my subordinates to investigate. I got a report last night. It's absolutely true!" Changming pulled out the Panlong sword from his waist with a "clang", and said angrily: "Tang Daoxi, I will not kill you, I swear I will not be a human being!" Zong Di patted him on the shoulder comfortingly: "The hatred of killing one's mother is irreconcilable. That's why I don't let you enter the city with me. You have to survive, and one day you will kill the treacherous traitors in the middle of the court to ensure the peace of Sanchuan !" "Brother, but one day, I will avenge my mother, and I will go find you!" "I've already made arrangements. Someone will dress you up tomorrow and help you go to Daojiang County. Rest early tonight and leave early tomorrow morning. Be careful on the road!" "Brother..." Changming finally couldn't help crying loudly. When the morning light shone like a tulle on the Chengdu Plain, Li Changming had already been escorted to take a detour to guide the river.Wang Zongdi embarked on the last tens of miles to Chengdu with the belief that he must die. This may be the last journey of his life. At this moment in Shu Palace, Wang Jian is undergoing a long wait, which is more disturbing than waiting for Wei Zhuang to return to Shu. He met Wang Zongdi again, this general whom he relied on, loved, but also feared.At this moment, Zongdi is famous in Huaxia, and he is the leader of a festival. He is no longer the shirtless pawn Hua Hong back then. "Are you guilty?" Wang Jian asked coldly, his face sinking like water. "Chen Zongdi was ordered to return to the capital, what is the crime?" "Then let me ask you, why didn't you report this matter to me when you were stationed in Xingyuan to expand your army and build a city wall? Let me ask you again, when and where did you get Zhang Fei's lost eight swords of Shu? Did it happen to be me? birthday?" Zong Di shook his head.He seemed to feel that all explanations were superfluous at this moment.After a while, Zong Di sobbed and said: "Now that the bandits in Sanshu have subsided, it's time for the king to listen to the slander and kill the heroes!" "Presumptuous! Back then in Dongchuan and Jianbei, you made unruly remarks. I think you made great achievements in suppressing the rebellion, and you were not punished. I never thought that you are getting worse now, so crazy!" "Your Majesty has three rivers in the world, and I will stain my robes with blood in every battle! My Majesty speaks like this, and my ministers are heartbroken!" "According to what you say, you are the one who conquered my country? You should be the King of Shu?" "Your Majesty..." Hua Hong bit his lips tightly, trembling all over. "Go away, I don't want to see you in the future!" Zong Di knew that it would be futile to talk about the matter so far, so he shook his head severely, turned around and left angrily. Wang Jian saw that Zongdi no longer took himself seriously, so he sent an order to cut off Wang Zongdi's official position as the envoy of Shannan Jiedu, exile in Songzhou, and ordered Wang Zonghe to lead Shannan to stay behind. Just the night before Zong Di was exiled, Tang Dao came to the room where Zong Di was held, holding a pot of aged wine, Jin Jiangchun.Zong Di looked at this strange little boy, feeling desolate in his heart.A man doesn't flick his tears easily, but he doesn't reach the sad point.No matter!No matter!A real man was born in troubled times, and Sanchuan Baizhan has achieved fame! "My lord, if there is an afterlife, Hua Hong will protect you!" After finishing speaking, he held the cup in both hands and drank it down.Accompanied by the pain in his abdomen, the countless scenes of conquest and slaughter in the past twenty years, and the countless times of being single-minded with the servants of the King of Shu all came to his heart. Killing for a lifetime, who is loyal to? Sad and miserable!Go nowhere! That night, it rained cats and dogs in Chengdu. Wang Zongdi left, and Wang Jian fell ill. Things are often contradictory like this. I knew it would be heartbreaking to kill Ai Chen with my own hands, but I had to.Being a king is not as free and easy as being a general in the army.Suspicion seems to be an inevitable criticism of every king.After all, the higher the position, the more to worry about. Tang Daoxi can always appear in front of Wang Jian at the right time.When he felt a little relieved after a few days of deep sleep, the servant told him that the commanders of the horse troops who accompanied him sent Mr. Tang to see him. "Is Your Majesty better?" "It's not a problem. When people get older, it's inevitable that they won't be as good as before." Wang Jian stretched his muscles and bones, lamenting that people can't accept old age.Many of his adopted sons have offspring, and he is also a grandparent.Sometimes he always wants to find the shadow of himself in his children and nephews.But after all, times have changed, and the peace of the world has created more playboys.When it comes to marching and fighting, only Wang Zongdi is like him.Whether it is leading by example or loving soldiers like children.However, being too much like him may not be a good thing.For decades, he has worked hard, conquered and won people's hearts, and achieved Sanchuan's kingship.One mountain cannot accommodate two tigers, how can Wang Zongdi be like him again? "After killing Wang Zongdi, do the soldiers have any complaints?" "Yes." Tang Daoxi reported truthfully. "Oh? Any complaints?" "The 2,000 soldiers he brought wept for several nights, as if they were bereaved relatives. The city of Chengdu voluntarily closed for three days." "He has such great prestige?" Tang Daoxi's answer was somewhat unexpected to Wang Jian. He frowned and muttered to himself, "Could it be that I killed him by mistake?" "Your Majesty made a mistake, but he didn't." "What do you mean by that?" Wang Jian didn't like Tang Daoxi's eloquence. "Wang Zongdi's contribution to pacifying the three rivers is unrivaled. He has a deep love for you, your master and servant, and there is no half-heartedness. The eyes of the people can learn from the sun and the moon! The king suspected that he was rebellious, and ordered his subordinates to kill him. This is the king's mistaken killing of heroes. However, as a subject, Wang Zongshi has too much prestige, and his accompanying soldiers are willing to serve him with filial piety. If the king doesn't kill him today, sooner or later it will be a disaster for Sanchuan." Tang Daoxi's words were exactly what Wang Jian was worried about.If Shannan stands on its own, it will be difficult to regain it.He shuddered when he remembered how many soldiers had died in the attack on Yangping Pass and Wuding Pass. People are dead.A person cannot be resurrected after death. "Zong Di, don't blame me for being sorry for you!" Wang Jian said in his heart. Hua Hong is gone, but Huahonglou is still there.Is it just a coincidence that the painting of Red Mansions exists?Zongji couldn't help asking himself.He finally got rid of his competitors for many years, but at this moment, he couldn't feel any joy. "Congratulations, brother, for being promoted to the Duke of Jin!" A cold voice came from behind, making Zongji shiver uncontrollably.He turned around and saw that it was Wang Zongbi. "It's just a false name, why do you like it?" "It's better than giving Jiedushi to make people feel at ease! Now that Zong Di is dead, Duke Jin should feel more at ease." Zongji was startled, he didn't expect Wang Zongbi to insinuate in front of him so blatantly. "What do you mean by that?" "I just remind Duke Jin that he should consider his own safety. You should have seen that Wang Zongdi escaped death for the king and ended up like this. The king pacified Sanchuan. It seems that it is time to clean up the heroes." "Hehe, you said this a month ago, I am really worried. But now I am not the military governor of the Wuxin Army, and I have no military power in my hands. Your Majesty is neither worried about my rebellion, nor worried about me messing up the government. , how can there be any reason to kill me?" "Reason? Hehe, Duke Jin still remembers the heinous crime he committed when he confronted Huang Chao?" Zongji was shocked when he heard the words. Of course he knew what the "heinous crime" Wang Zongbi was referring to was.He recalled that when the Tang army besieged Chang'an City, although there were countless gold and silver brocades in the city, there was no food.Many generals of the Tang army, including the Zhongwu Army, once plundered the people and Huang Chao in exchange for gold and silver.Although this incident has been covered in dust for many years, once the case is brought up, Wang Jian, who was once the capital of the loyal military army, will definitely lose his reputation. It's been too long since this happened.Zong Ji couldn't guess whether Wang Jian really knew the whole story.Back then, under the connivance of Li Shitai and Zhang Jie, both he and Zong Bi personally participated in this shady business.Today, Li Shitai and Zhang Jie have already passed away. If the case is overturned now, the first person to be executed must be himself.He understood that although he and Zong Bi were grasshoppers on the same rope, Zong Bi was still an unremarkable little schoolboy Wei Hongfu at that time, while he himself was a general in the capital.If he is asked about the crime in the future, he will be the first to get rid of the responsibility.It's no wonder that Wang Zongbi dared to mention this matter so presumptuously. Zongji pretended to be calm and said: "If the king knows this, according to his personality, you and I will never survive today. Now you and I know about this in the court. Hehe, brother, you don't want to die with me Bar?" Wang Zongbi looked dismissive, and suddenly changed the topic: "There is a work handed down from ancient times, people call it a poem, or a history, and it is a splendid chapter of the Yuefu! Once this masterpiece was published, the poet became famous all over the world. Rushing to pass it on and copy it, Luoyang paper is expensive for a while. Although you and I were born in the army, after all, we have voted under the famous Confucian Mr. Zheng, so you must have read this poem, right?" "I only know a few words, and I'm afraid I'm going to tarnish my reputation. I don't know which masterpiece my brother is referring to?" "Wei Duanji's "Qin Women's Song"." In an instant, Zong Ji was so shocked that he couldn't close his mouth for a long time!Wang Zongbi's reminder reminded him that the human flesh trade was clearly recorded in the song "Qin Women's Song", especially the section "Shang asked the kitchen to eat wood veneer, and the Huangchao machine to cut human flesh", although it did not mention it clearly, it put the whole Things are written clearly.It can be seen that Wei Zhuang saw this incident with his own eyes.Zong Ji tried hard to calm himself down again: "You want me to get rid of Master Wei?" Zong Bi shook his head: "Getting rid of Wei Duanji is a hundred times more difficult than getting rid of Wang Zongdi! Your Majesty trusts him a lot, and he is a literati. Your Majesty will definitely not kill such a celebrity. I just remind Duke Jin that this The king still can’t understand the first poem. If one day Wei Duanji makes him understand, you and I will die under the sword.” Zongji fell silent, suddenly he felt that Wang Zongbi was unfathomable.He has been with the king for more than twenty years, and although he has not achieved outstanding results, he has made remarkable achievements.After the battle of sacrificing his life to seize the lance, the king once promised to forgive his ten deaths.Later he surrendered Dongchuan Gu Yanhui, the king seemed to have fulfilled his promise and did not pursue it. Zongji may not have thought before that Wei Zhuang had such a relationship with him.Seeing that the civil wars in Sanchuan are gradually decreasing, I spend a lot more time dealing with Wei Zhuang.Thinking of this, he couldn't help but look up at the sky, wondering what Wei Duanji was doing now... With a crisp sound of "snap", two vicissitudes but white fingers held a smooth and shiny sunspot and clicked on an intersection point on the chessboard.