When Wu Zhenchang set out from Jinling, Zhu Yaoshi's order was only for him to recruit troops to Liyang, and the commander originally ordered Zhong Zhiming, who was in prison, to do it.

But since Wu Zhenchang led 230,000 horses for hundreds of miles, he also felt that he could be called a Confucian general, and he thought about getting past the addiction of leading troops to conquer. In addition, the left and right were afraid of him and all kinds of pampering, Wu Zhenchang secretly withheld the edict appointing Zhong Zhiming as the marshal of the expedition to the north, and led the army in the name of the Five Soldiers Shangshu.

When scholars lead the troops, they naturally fight according to the military book, which is indeed rigid. But the problem is that there are not many people who have fought seriously in recent years, and even famous generals like Chen Hongyi will not resist regardless of casualties.

Although Wu Zhenchang had no experience in warfare, he knew that rewards and punishments were clearly ordered and forbidden, and anyone who did not obey his orders was cut down. So much so that when he arrived in Liyang, more than half of his generals and schools were changed, so Wu Zhenchang said that they would never dare to go south to the north.

The soldiers originally thought that the cavalry in Mobei was terrible, but after all, they had not encountered it a few times, and this Wu Zhenchang beside him was really terrible. Instead of being cut down by Wu Zhenchang, it is better to rush and kill on the battlefield and have a pension, in case you survive, you will earn meritorious service.

So there was a scene where Wu Zhenchang's infantry broke Ju Wuzhi, and he also beheaded Ju Wuzhi. This is the first time that such a great achievement has been made, so Su Zhenchang is even more convinced that he is a figure like Zhuge Kongming.

There is no impermeable wall in this world, not to mention that Zhu Yaoshi wanted to appoint Zhong Zhiming as the marshal of the expedition to the north, and he also discussed it with the ministers in the court.

The officials in Liyang City had already gotten the news, but they didn't see Wu Zhenchang release Zhong Zhiming for a long time. was afraid that Wu Zhenchang had a large army in hand, so when Wu Zhenchang was in the city, he didn't mention it.

As soon as Wu Zhenchang left the city, these officials immediately began to move.

Of course, their activities are limited to meeting Zhong Zhiming in private and pulling the relationship in advance.

Zhong Zhiming's place of detention was not an ordinary prison, but a medical clinic near the dock in the south of Liyang City.

The reason why he chose to detain the generals of the former dynasty in the hospital was not that Pharmacist Zhu was unconventional, but that Zhong Zhiming fell ill after fighting for Liang Guo and the Xiao family for half his life, and if he didn't treat him, he would die.

Zhong Zhiming began to think that he was going to be poisoned by them, so he wrote his last words and waited for death.

After taking the medicine for half a month, not only did he not die, but his body improved. Could it be that these people want to cure him and then take him to Jinling for interrogation and conviction? Zhong Zhiming interrogated the guards who monitored him all day long, trying to find out the news.

The guards persuaded him to treat his illness with peace of mind, and asked him rhetorically: "General Zhong is also a famous general in the world, and if you go south, you can lead the troops to stop and rush to Jinling." With your loyalty and ability, this former dynasty should also find you a famous doctor to heal, and you can't be allowed to go to the battlefield with illness? ”

Zhong Zhiming shook his head: "Soldiers should be proud of the horse leather shroud that died on the battlefield, why should they be treated?" ”

"You are so sick that you can't hold a knife, how can you die on the battlefield, no wonder you lost the battle, the general was sick and did not give treatment, and the soldiers couldn't even eat. It's a pity, General Zhong, still obsessed"

Zhong Zhiming stopped answering every time he was told about this stubble, and responded with his eyes closed.

In order to treat Zhong Zhiming's illness, the officials in Liyang City tried their best to find famous doctors and medicinal materials, and invited cooks to cook for Zhong Zhiming. In addition to not being able to go out, Zhong Zhiming's life is a hundred times more comfortable than when he led the troops to fight.

By the time Wu Zhenchang led the troops to Liyang, Zhong Zhiming's body had recovered, and he looked at some medical books and Taoist classics all day long, looking out of the world. In fact, I also want to be released as soon as possible, after all, I am still imprisoned here, and I may be killed one day.

At first, the officials came to visit him because they were afraid that he would die here and would not be able to explain to Pharmacist Zhu. Later, Zhong Zhiming's health improved and he came less, so he just sent people to bring clothes and food.

After receiving the news that Zhu Yaoshi had appointed Zhong Zhiming as the marshal of the expedition to the north, everyone came to Qin again.

The gift to Zhong Zhiming also changed from simple clothes and food to swords, pearls, jade, soldiers, books, and strategies, Zhong Zhiming was at a loss for a while, thinking that he was going to be given death, so he simply asked the guard to bring him wine.

The guards did not give Zhong Zhiming wine: "General Zhong has only recovered for a short time, and the doctor said that you must not drink alcohol!" ”

"I'm a dying person, don't I even drink wine? I'll give you all these jewels and jade before I die, and you can get me some wine!" Zhong Zhiming was addicted to alcohol for a while, so he offered to exchange jewelry and jade for wine, thinking that the guard should agree.

"General Zhong can't you see that these gift-givers are here to slap you in advance, and you will definitely be activated by the new dynasty!" The guard shook his head and mentioned Zhong Zhiming

"Impossible, impossible, they have their own generals, how can they use me as a defeated general. Besides, I am not willing to do so. Zhong Zhiming didn't believe the guard's words

"Haha, it's ridiculous that you generals and officials have been up and down in the sea for decades, why can't you see through this human sophistication? If I'm about to kill you, who will give a gift to a dying man? What's more, you are not related to those officials and gentlemen, you are stupid, they are not stupid. I've been a jailer for decades, and I've seen a lot, why don't you want to think about how a month ago, even the person who gave you clothes was an adult? The guard looked at Zhong Zhiming with contempt, took out a handful of fried soybeans from his arms and ate them.

"Hey, I've been an official for decades, and I think I've been dealing with the family for decades, and I'm proficient in the way of being an official, so it's better for you to understand it as a jailer! So, I'll be able to get out soon? Zhong Zhiming was suddenly full of hope and asked about the jailer

"Don't be in such a hurry, you can't die anyway, but there are many good things, you have to wait. When you ask when you will go out, that's not something I can know as a guard! As for me, I will never ask if I shouldn't ask, and I will hide away if I shouldn't know. I, ah, I have to keep this life, eat fried soybeans and drink a little wine," the guard took out the wine gourd from his waist and took a sip

"This big brother has extraordinary knowledge, if I Zhong someone goes out, I will take you to give me advice!" Zhong Zhiming felt that this person could come in handy in the future, so he wanted to take it for his own use.

The guard laughed: "Haha, thank you, I can't do it." I'm a good life, you're going to be on the battlefield, and I want to live a few more years. This little thing in my mind can be used to protect myself, but I don't need it at all to fight, and as for going to officialdom, let alone going to officialdom. General Zhong is ignorant, and I am also an idiot, if I think I can go to the officialdom to fight, then I will die without a corpse! With that, the guard hummed a tune and walked away

Zhong Zhiming watched him walk away blankly, remembering his experience over the years.

When he was young, he saved Xiao Shan's life, so he joined the Xiao family, and the Xiao family also valued him, and as soon as he came up, he made the eighteen-year-old Zhong Zhiming the governor of Chuzhou with 3,000 people.

Later, it was smooth sailing for the promotion, helping the Xiao family exterminate many homeless people to resist taxes, and also defeated some opponents of the Xiao family.

Zhong Zhiming led the army to treat people generously and had a relatively high prestige among the soldiers, which was why he was able to become the only general who rushed to Jinling City to serve the king.

However, Ci is not wrong to say that he is not in charge of the army, and many of his original generals and soldiers have surrendered to Zhu Yaoshi, and there are many in this Liyang City.

The one who insisted on sending clothes and food to Zhong Zhiming was a captain under him named Han Ruling, who was stationed in Xinli at the beginning, but was attacked by Zhu Yaoshi, so he had to lead his troops to surrender.

At that time, Zhu Yaoshi was employing people, so he appointed this Han Ruling as the deputy governor of the Liyang infantry army, transferred to Liyang, and his soldiers were scattered and organized into various armies.

Han Ruling had a bright mind, and after a short time, he gradually became familiar with the guards and officials who were stationed in Liyang left by Zhu Yaoshi.

One day I attended a banquet and found out the grapevine that Pharmacist Zhu intended to let Zhong Zhiming serve as Marshal of the North to recover Hebei, so he secretly planned with a few henchmen.

Han Ruling is loyal and intelligent, but he loves to drink, and when he drinks, he gets drunk.

One day after getting drunk, he told the slaves around him about his plan to rescue Zhong Zhiming.

The servant felt that this was a good opportunity to seek wealth, so he went to the Liyang Taishou Mansion to meet Taishou Zhu Bojiu alone, saying that there was a big event to report.

Zhu Bojiu really saw this slave alone, and listened to this slave come to denounce Han Ruling.

The slave was talking about painting and coloring, and between his words, it seemed that Han Ruling had released Zhong Zhiming to seize Liyang City.

Zhu Bojiu was calm, and when the servant finished speaking, he asked, "Who else knows about this matter?" ”

"Lord Taishou, the villain listened to this matter, and the villain thought that he couldn't leak the news, so he rode a fast horse directly to report to the adult."

"Yes, you are very smart, well done, come and take it to the northern suburbs to receive the reward!" Zhu Bojiu said that when he took him to the northern suburbs to receive the reward, his throat lit up.

So two men in black came in and took the servant away.

The slave felt that it was wrong when he walked halfway, how could he go to the northern suburbs to receive the reward, so he asked the two of them: "Two, why do you have to go so far to receive the reward?" ”

The two didn't answer, and took him to the mass grave in the northern suburbs and chopped him up.

Zhu Bojiu wiped out this slave on the one hand, and personally took someone to Han Ruling's mansion to wake up Han Ruling.

Han Ruling woke up and knelt down to worship Zhu Bojiu, and Zhu Bojiu asked him: "Is there one less slave in your family?" After speaking, he stared at Han Ruling

Han Ruling saw that Taishou came in person and brought a lot of people, knowing that the matter had been leaked, so he sighed: "Since the adults know, please don't harm General Zhong, it's all planned by me, don't do General Zhong's business!" ”

"Haha, it's really a person who does great things, you might as well, I have killed the traitor seeking glory. It's just that you should tell me first that you're doing the right thing. The imperial court had already issued an order, but this Wu Shangshu was not issued. I have written a secret letter about this to my emperor's eldest nephew! Zhu Bojiu was also unwilling to be constrained by Wu Zhenchang, a scholar, and also wanted to find an opportunity to bring down Wu Zhenchang, but now someone wants to release Zhong Zhiming in advance to break the game, of course, he can't ask for it.

Han Ruling was taken aback, and hurriedly kowtowed to thank him: "Lord Xie Taishou doesn't care about his previous suspicions!" ”

Zhu Bojiu retreated left and right: "Lord Han, it's just that this matter can't be so reckless, I heard that after Wu Shangshu broke through Ju Wuzhi's camp, he actually distributed Ju Wuzhi's goods and treasures to his soldiers to buy people's hearts, and now it is a little difficult to regain General Zhong's position." It is said that my emperor's eldest nephew is quite fond of this Wu Shangshu, so we can only outwit this matter."

"It's all up to the orders of Taishou, even if you go up the knife mountain and down the sea of fire!" Han Ruling already firmly believed in Zhu Bojiu's words at this moment.

"There is a way not to enter the tiger's den to get the tiger, but even if we enter his camp this time, it will be difficult to take his position. So I can only find a way to let him go back to Liyang City, but he is wary of us in every way, and it is not easy to start. So you have to send someone to gain his trust first! Zhu Bojiu touched his nose and looked at Han Ruling, as if he still had something difficult to say.

Han Ruling was silent for a while: "Taishou means to let me go to Wu Shangshu's side?" The subordinates are willing to do internal response! ”

"This is not so easy to do, although he is a scholar, he will not easily trust people! I think you should first take the opportunity to send military rations and grass every day to approach him. After that, I will find you another way, exempt you from official punishment and blast you out of the city, and you will have nowhere to go and vote for him again, so that you will be much more sure. I have other details that will tell him about your friendship with Zhong Zhiming. The person who most hopes that Zhong Zhiming will disappear immediately in this world must be this Wu Zhenchang. When the time comes, he will inevitably test you, and at this point, you will ask him to come back to Liyang and get rid of Zhong Zhiming. As long as he's willing to come back, the rest will be done! Zhu Bojiu's calculation can be described as comprehensive

"Lord Taishou is very far-sighted, but if he doesn't believe me at all and doesn't accept me, it won't be easy!" Han Ruling is still not completely sure

"It's okay, the most important thing is to let him know that Zhong Zhiming is now in good health and waiting to come out to be the marshal of the expedition to the north, he will definitely be in a hurry, no matter how smart a person is, once he is in a hurry, he will make a mistake!"