Luoyang Tianding Restaurant, Jiang Min, the head of the Luoyang Intelligence Station of Jinwei Mansion, set up a banquet here to entertain an old man in his fifties.

The old man's name is Zhang Gui, a native of Jingzhao Prefecture, is the second housekeeper of the general Zhang Guangsheng, although he is also surnamed Zhang, but he has no blood relationship with Zhang Guangsheng, ten years ago he came to Zhang Guangsheng from his hometown, Zhang Guangsheng saw that he was pitiful, so he used him as the second housekeeper.

Jiang Min put a title deed and a stack of silver tickets on the table, and pushed them to Zhang Gui together, "This is the 20 hectares of Shangtian land deed in your hometown of Xugu County, as well as the 3,000 taels of silver tickets issued by the Baoji Cabinet Workshop, with these 30 silver tickets, you can withdraw them at any time in the world, and you can go to Luoyang Baoji Cabinet Workshop to confirm it." ”

Zhang Gui trembled and picked up the title deed and silver ticket, put it in his arms, swallowed his saliva and asked, "My master won't be killed because of this!" ”

"I promised you that he would not be beheaded, but that he would retire in peace as before."

After a pause, Jiang Min said again: "What should you do next, you know!" ”

Zhang Gui nodded, "I will write to inform my son immediately!" ”

Jiang Min said with a smile: "After this matter is over, your father and son can go back to their hometown to the local master, you don't have to be a slave to others anymore, you have this opportunity in your life, you have to seize it." ”

"I'll hurry."

Zhang Gui drank a few glasses of wine and got up and left, although Zhang Gui has been a housekeeper for Zhang Guangsheng for ten years, but he is not satisfied, he is just a second housekeeper, there is a big housekeeper on it, Zhang Guangsheng only gives him three times a month, or Zhu Jun's new money, in exchange for Chang'an's old money, there is not much, he wants to save some money to return to his hometown for the elderly, but he has been a housekeeper for ten years, and the money he saved can't even sell ten acres of farmland, which really makes him a little disheartened.

At this moment, Jiang Min found Zhang Gui and gave him conditions that were difficult to refuse, and the huge temptation finally made him betray his conscience and betray his master, of course, he kept comforting himself, this was for the sake of allegiance to the imperial court, and it was a righteous act.

Zhang Gui first went to the Baoji Cabinet Shop and confirmed that the three thousand taels of silver could be withdrawn at any time, so he returned to Zhang's mansion, wrote another letter, and asked someone to rush to Kunguan and handed the letter to his son.

.........

Kuoguan has a broad sense and a narrow sense, in a broad sense, Kuoguan refers to the Cuihan channel, east from Kuoshan, west to Tongjin, this passage of 100 miles is the natural danger road of Guanzhong to Luoyang, south by the towering Qinling, north of the Yellow River, the widest place is more than ten miles, the narrowest place is only one mile, it has always been a military strategic place.

In order to defend the Jin army from advancing eastward, Zhu Zhu regained the Da Kun Pass built by Cao Wei in the north of Han Gu Pass, forming the defense system of Hangu Pass and Kun Pass, which is the Kun Pass in the narrow sense, with a garrison of 20,000 people, led by the veteran and experienced veteran Zhang Guangsheng.

According to Zhu Zhu's practice of sending troops, although the Kunguan army was under the full command of Zhang Guangsheng, there were also 1,000 Meihuawei stationed, led by Zhonglang General Wang Linhai.

In December, there were two heavy snowfalls, and the Cuihan Pass was also covered with heavy snow, and on this morning, a caravan came from the west, consisting of nearly thirty mules, carrying goods, until it came to the front of Hangu Pass, Guo Song and Zhu Zhu had already reached an agreement that the two sides would reduce the inventory and allow normal merchants or travelers to clear the customs.

There are only five people in this caravan, a middle-aged merchant, who should be the owner of the goods, and four guys, the number is very small, it belongs to the normal caravan, they paid 500 wen for customs clearance, and the soldiers guarding the pass did not embarrass them, let them pass the Hangu Pass, the caravan walked ten miles again, and came to Dakun Pass, which is actually a military city, in addition to the garrison, is a variety of commercial facilities, including inns, restaurants, shops and brothels, there are dozens of them, mainly for soldiers and merchants, business is quite prosperous.

The middle-aged businessman is called Li Ping, a native of Xukuo County, Jingzhao Prefecture, and Zhang Guangsheng are fellow villagers, but Li Ping is not a businessman, he is a member of the Jin Wei Mansion, and he came to Kunguan to perform special tasks.

Li Ping stayed at the Ping'an Inn in Kunguan City, and then sent someone to find Zhang Guangsheng's subordinate Zhang Shan, Zhang Shan is the son of the second housekeeper Zhang Gui, who has been following Zhang Guangsheng.

Zhang Guangsheng was a long-term guard of the Kun Pass, not a chief general appointed during the war, and the authority and responsibilities of the two were different.

Because he is a long-term general, Zhang Guangsheng needs to live a normal life in Kunguan, he has an official residence in the Kunguan Military City, in addition to a few domestic servants, there is even a concubine.

Not long after, Zhang Shan rushed to the Ping'an Inn, he had received a letter from his father a few days ago, and he knew that he had something to do.

Zhang Shan was excited and a little worried in his heart, excited that he was finally going to develop, and worried because he was afraid that he would not do a good job, and in the end, the bamboo basket would be empty.

But one thing is undoubted, that is, if there is a father, there must be a son, and even the blue is better than the blue, for the sake of twenty hectares of land and three thousand taels of silver, let alone betray the master, even if it is his own father, he will still betray.

Zhang Shan met Li Ping at the inn, and Li Ping said to him: "I'll go to Zhang's Mansion to deliver some local products later, and when Zhang Guangsheng returns home, you can go to Meihuawei to find Zhonglang to tell Wang Linhai ........"

Li Ping instructed Zhang Shan and gave him another gift list, Zhang Shan nodded again and again, and hurriedly left with the gift list.

Not long after, Li Ping led his men to Zhang Guangsheng's official residence with his mules, and a housekeeper greeted him.

"What's the matter with you?"

Li Ping clenched his fists and smiled: "I came from Jingzhao Mansion Xuao County, and I was entrusted by Old Man Zhang to send some local specialties to the general, isn't this going for the New Year?" The old man hoped that the general would return to his hometown to pay tribute to his ancestors. ”

Old man Zhang is Zhang Guangsheng's eldest brother and the patriarch of the Zhang clan, the housekeeper glanced at the boxes and baskets behind him, and asked: "What is it, let me make it clear first, the general will not accept valuable things!" ”

"It's not a valuable thing, it's all walnuts, dried persimmons, dried pears and other dried fruits, all of which are specialties of my hometown, and they are a little bit of heart from my hometown fathers to the general."

Since it is a little bit of the heart of the hometown father, it is not good for the housekeeper not to accept it, otherwise it will ruin the reputation of the general.

He said to Li Ping: "The general is in the barracks, and he won't come back until the evening, so you put your things here, and I will report to him when the general returns, maybe the general will meet you." ”

"No need, we still have to rush to Luoyang to deliver goods, and we will visit the general when we come back."

Li Ping hugged his fists and saluted, and then left with his subordinates.

The housekeeper didn't take it to heart, and ordered someone to move more than a dozen cages into the lobby and wait for the master to come back and dispose of it.

As soon as it was dark, Zhang Guangsheng went home, in the early years, he regretted rebelling with Zhu Zhu, but with the passage of time, Zhu Zhu's throne was firmly seated, and he gradually followed Zhu Zhu with peace of mind, and no longer had dissent, so that Guo Song wrote him several letters, asking him to go to Chang'an as an official, but he declined, since he had chosen Zhu Zhu, if he betrayed again, it would really be laughed at by the world.

Besides, he is already sixty years old, what future can he have? Zhang Guangsheng is also a little broken, and he doesn't want to think about his future and reputation behind him.

This year, he was reused by Zhu Zhu, guarding the Kun Pass, Zhang Guangsheng also knew that he had a heavy responsibility on his shoulders, so he guarded the pass conscientiously, was in the barracks or passes during the day, and only went back to his house at night to rest, and if there was an emergency, he even lived in the barracks.

Walking into the courtyard, Zhang Guangsheng saw a lot of cages piled up in the lobby at a glance, and he asked strangely, "What is that?" ”

The housekeeper hurriedly said: "The master's hometown is here today, and the master has sent some souvenirs." ”

Zhang Guangsheng frowned, the eldest brother has ignored himself for many years, and even the clan sacrifice does not have his own name, why is he sending things now?

"What are they, have you opened them?"

"Back to the master, I have opened it and seen it, it is all walnuts, dates, dried apricots, dried persimmons, pears, and some smoked lamb legs, there is nothing valuable, otherwise I wouldn't dare to accept it."

Sure enough, it's just some souvenirs, but these saught-all boxes are a little too sturdy, and it looks like they think they're something valuable.

At this moment, a family member came to report, "General Meihuawei is here!" ”

Zhang Guangsheng's face changed, what did Wang Linhai do?

Wang Linhai has always had a cold relationship with him, and he didn't even go to his official room, how could he come to his house today?

He thought to himself, could it be these boxes? He immediately guessed the reason, someone gave him a gift, and he must have been informed.

"Master, let's put the box away!" The butler said nervously.

"Don't move, just put it here!"

Zhang Guangsheng walked out of the mansion quickly, only to see Wang Linhai and more than 20 subordinates standing outside the gate.

"General Wang, what's the matter?" Zhang Guangsheng asked coldly.

Wang Linhai is only a lieutenant general, and Zhang Guangsheng is a general, and even during the period of Emperor Daizong, he was the governor of Daizhou, and his qualifications are extremely profound, but in the eyes of Meihuawei, seniority and rank are useless.

Wang Linhai did not hesitate, and asked sharply: "Someone came to tell the whistleblower, Chang'an sent a generous gift to the general, please explain to the general!" ”

"What bullshit, my brother sent some souvenirs from his hometown, and the things are in the lobby, if General Wang doesn't believe it, go see it yourself!"

Wang Linhai waved his hand, and with more than 20 of his subordinates, he directly broke into Zhang Guangsheng's mansion and walked quickly towards the lobby.

Zhang Guangsheng was extremely annoyed in his heart, this dog thief dared to be so rude, but the other party was Meihuawei, and he forcibly held back the anger in his heart.