That night, although Xiaofeng was drunk, he was sober-minded, and when he heard Zhu Shen's words during the banquet, his heart moved, and he thought to himself whether this Gongbu Sword was really alive? If you can see this sword, it will not be in vain for this trip to the Central Plains, and I will be excited, tossing and turning, and I will not fall asleep until the third watch.

The next morning, because Hou Huan was going to the east gate to be on duty, he got up early to say goodbye to Zhu Shen and rode back to Daliang City. Hou Huan saw that Xiaofeng and Ding Hu were asleep and couldn't bear to disturb them, so she asked her brother-in-law Zhu Shen to tell her that when Yan Xiaofeng and Ding Hu left Daliang, she should personally see them off.

Zhu Shen put aside the day's work and cooked with his wife to prepare wine and food for breakfast.

The sky was already bright, Xiaofeng woke up, and then woke up Ding Hu to get up, but he didn't see Hou Huan, and he was surprised in his heart. Zhu Shen came to greet him, and when Xiaofeng heard about Hou Huan's entrustment, he smiled and said: "Although my brother has a straightforward temperament, he is also a careful and polite person. So he said goodbye to Zhu Shenyan today.

Zhu Shen said: "When the virtuous brother first came to the Central Plains, the foolish brother couldn't treat each other, and he stayed for a few more days. ”

Xiao Feng saw that Zhu Shen was warmly entertained, and he was not polite at all, and he didn't want to be sincere for a while. I couldn't refuse, so I agreed to eat breakfast before leaving. The two ate and drank at Zhu Shen's house, Zhu Shen accompanied each other, drank until noon, and the three of them were drunk again.

During the banquet, Zhu Shen said to Xiaofeng: "What the foolish brother said yesterday, I don't know what the virtuous brother is doing?" ”

Xiaofeng sighed: "The foolish brother has walked the rivers and lakes since he was a child, and the sword is the love of his life. However, those who have a sword can meet but cannot ask for it. Some time ago, the foolish brother helped the king of Chu to do things, and the king of Chu once gave him the Zhanlu sword he wore, and the foolish brother was fortunate to wear it for a month. However, if it weren't for the king of Chu, there would be no such blessings. The foolish brother thought that the Gongbu sword and the Zhanlu sword were cast in the Spring and Autumn Period, and they were both the top ten famous swords in the world, which was extraordinary, and I am afraid that the foolish brother could not ask for it. ”

Zhu Shen said with a smile: "The virtuous brother knows one thing, but he doesn't know the other, Zhan Lu and Gongbu are all cast by Ou Yezi, the master of the Spring and Autumn Sword Casting, and they are all one of the top ten famous swords in the world. This Zhanlu sword is the sword of kings, and it is suitable for people to wear. The Gongbu sword is the sword of cloth, which is suitable for ordinary people to wear. My brother Xiaofeng is a young hero, he has no title, and he is destined to be able to get the Gongbu Sword! I don't know how many people in the world want to get this thing, but they don't have fate. Today, since we know the whereabouts of this sword, and whether it is true or not, we will go to find out first. Why does Xiaofeng have the meaning of humility? ”

Ding Hu also said: "Today, Xiaofeng traveled to the Central Plains and visited the heroes of the Central Plains, there are such things, why don't you go and investigate?" In Ding's intention, even if you can't find it and can't see this sword, you should still go there. ”

Xiaofeng said: "It's not that I don't want to get this sword, it's just that this sword is extraordinary, who is Yue?" Dare to covet it? ”

Zhu Shen said: "The things of the sword can be met but not sought. All of them are determined by God, and God does not take it, but suffers from it. My brother should not take these into account for now, and immediately go to the Song Kingdom to find this sword. If there is a providence, this sword will definitely be obtained by my brother. The foolish brother has already expected that the traces of the Gongbu sword are in Suiyang, Song Kingdom, and once this news leaks and spreads, then the heroes of Kyushu in the world will inevitably rush to it. The foolish brother will not leave the virtuous brother today, after the wine and dinner, please hurry up! ”

Seeing Zhu Shen like this, Xiao Feng no longer shirked, and made up his mind to go to Suiyang in the Song Kingdom to find the Gongbu Sword. Immediately left the table and thanked Zhu Shen for his guidance, and said: "Xiaofeng's current encounter is all given by my brother. ”

After finishing the wine, they rested for a while, and before the time, the two said goodbye to Zhu Shen and crossed their horses to the Song Kingdom.

It was late autumn, the sun was warm, and the Central Plains was vast. The two of them got on their horses to find the avenue, and were about to gallop on horseback, when suddenly a horse flew behind them, and immediately one of them shouted loudly: "Brother Ding and my brother laugh and stay!" ”

The two turned around, it turned out that Hou Huan was riding a horse, sweating profusely, galloping forward, turning over and dismounting and said to Xiaofeng: "It is inconvenient to say goodbye this morning, the foolish brother guessed that the virtuous brother must leave today, so he came to see him off at noon, and went to my sister-in-law's house and heard that the virtuous brother had already gone on the road, so he hurriedly chased after him." ”

Xiaofeng said: "Brother Xian has something to do, why bother so much? ”

Hou Huan said: "Foolish brother came, not for anything else, just for a word, the heroes are all rumored that the Gongbu sword is the sword of the king, and if you get it, you can command the heroes of the world." Since my sister and uncle informed me with this news, the foolish brother wishes that the virtuous brother will go immediately, so as not to let others take the advantage. If you can get this sword, you can lead the rivers and lakes and achieve great things. ”

Xiaofeng thanked: "The foolish brother followed the words of the second brother and immediately went to the Song Kingdom to find out." ”

Hou Huan said: "I hope that the virtuous brother can achieve this opportunity, the sky is just in a hurry, and the foolish brother will be sent to the virtuous brother here." He took out a picture from his sleeve and handed it to Xiaofeng and said: "At this time, the topographical map of more than ten countries in the Central Plains has roads and cities on it. ”

Xiaofeng took the map, handed it to Ding Hu, thanked Hou Huan, Hou Huan said goodbye and left, Xiaofeng and Ding Hu also crossed their horses and galloped east.

Let's say that this Song Kingdom is after Yin Shang. King Wu of Zhou established the Zhou Dynasty, divided the princes of the world, and sealed Wu Geng, the son of the king of Zhou, in the old land of Yin Shang to govern the remnants of Yin Shang. After Wu Geng was killed by the Duke of Zhou, he succeeded to the Yin Shang clan Wei Zi Qi, and sealed the country as the Song Dynasty, Wei Zi Qi is the brother of the King of Zhou, known as virtuous, is the ancestor of the Song Kingdom. It has been nearly 800 years since it was handed down.

Yin Shang of the Zhou Dynasty, divided the princes of the world, and had fifth-class titles, from high to low, they were duke, marquis, uncle, son, and male. It is rumored that there were 3,000 princes in the Zhou Dynasty, of course, this is an exaggeration, but there are more than 1,000 states large and small, but most of them are not recorded in history.

There were only more than ten important vassal states in the Zhou Dynasty, with Jin, Qi, Lu, Song, Zheng, Yan, Wei, Chen, Cai, Qin, Chu, Wu, etc.

Among these important vassal states, among them, the title of Song State is the most respected, as a duke, and there are only a handful of dukes and vassal states in the Zhou Dynasty. Because the Song State was a Yin Shang, in order to win people's hearts, the King of Zhou gave it to the Duke of Song.

Jin, Qi, Lu and other important feudal states were only marquises. As for the later powerful Qin, Chu, Wu, Yue and other countries, they were all regarded as barbarians by Central Plains China at this time, Qin was only an earl, and Chu, Wu, and Yue were all viscounts.

The Song Kingdom is the place where the house and the heart are divided, located in the Central Plains, and the national capital is Suiyang. It covers an area of about 100,000 square kilometers, all of which are anointed. Therefore, the Song Kingdom has always had the title of Grand Duke in the Central Plains.

In the Spring and Autumn Five Tyrants, Song Xianggong had no virtue compared with the other four tyrants, but why could he still be ranked among the five tyrants?

Among them, the Song State's "National Grand Lord" is one of the reasons, but the more important reason is that Song Xianggong maintained Zhou etiquette and promoted benevolence and righteousness.

During the Spring and Autumn Period, the Zhou Dynasty collapsed, but it had not yet completely collapsed. Therefore, Song Xianggong's benevolent and righteous act is very rare. Although later generations ridiculed Song Xianggong for being pedantic, how could they know that the deep purpose of Song Xianggong's actions was to maintain Zhou etiquette?

The story of the Spring and Autumn Five Tyrants has been spread all over the world, Xiaofeng has walked the rivers and lakes to do business since he was a child, but he has also learned poetry and books, and he has read some scriptures and histories in his spare time, and he is also familiar with the story of the Spring and Autumn Five Tyrants. When I came to the Song Kingdom this time, I couldn't help but think of the story of Song Xianggong, the unworthy overlord of the Spring and Autumn Period.

From the Wei capital Liang to the capital of the Song Dynasty, Suiyang City, there are about more than 300 miles, the road is flat, and if you go fast, you will arrive in one day. Xiaofeng and Ding Hu are both stepping into the territory of the Song Kingdom for the first time, and they feel quite fresh. But because there is something important, so I have no intention of watching the scenery, according to the path on the map given by Hou Huan, galloping for half a day, has almost entered the border of the Song Kingdom. I found a guest house to rest overnight, hurried the next morning, and arrived at Suiyang City, the capital of Song, at noon.

Xiaofeng and Ding Hu entered Suiyang City, the capital of the Song Kingdom, and Suiyang was Shangqiu in later generations. There was a gatekeeper at the city gate to check, and when he saw that Xiaofeng and Ding Hu were not natives, he checked Xiaofeng and said, "Where are you from?" What are you doing here? ”

Xiao Feng took out his portable document and said: "I am the Shangyong clan of Chu State, and this person is also a native of Yun County of Chu State. Come to your land to start a sales business. ”

The official guarding the door looked at the document and looked at the two of them carefully before saying to the sergeant guarding the door: "Since there is a document and he is a businessman, not a person from the Qin State, he can be released." He also ordered a sergeant to lead the way for Xiaofeng and the others to find a pavilion to rest.

It turned out that although the Song State was a great lord in the Spring and Autumn Period, but in the Warring States Period, the Seven Heroes stood side by side, and the Song State had been reduced to a country that did not enter the stream. By the late Warring States period, the Song State was even weaker and had to make friends with large countries and survive in the cracks.

At this time, the Song State and the Chu State were on good terms, so the Chu people came to the Song Dynasty and were all well received. Only the people of the Qin State have done a lot of meticulous work, and when they come here, they must be strictly interrogated and detained.

Xiao Feng declined the sergeant's help to find the pavilion and said it was easy. So he rode into Suiyang City with Ding Hu, and he didn't know the geography of Suiyang in the Song Kingdom, so he entered Suiyang City and turned around, but he saw Suiyang stretching a plain, boundless as far as the eye could see, and there were no mountains. I wonder where this Mangdang Mountain is? Open the map, there is no Mangdang Mountain on the map. Then he said to Ding Hu: "The Central Plains is all flat rivers, and there are no mountains. Where did this mountain come from in Suiyang City? ”

Ding Hu said: "Let me ask the people in the city. ”

So I went to inquire, and a shopkeeper pointed to the east with his hand and said, "Two hundred miles to the east, it is Mangdang Mountain." This Central Plains Pingchuan, it is still difficult to find the mountains! ”

Xiao Feng was surprised when he learned this: "The geography of the Central Plains is really not as good as other places, like Liangzhou and other places, all of which are mountains and rivers, and there is very little flat land. The nearest mountain to Suiyang City is now two hundred miles. ”

So the two got on the horse again, went out of Suiyang City, and came to Mangdang Mountain. When it was almost dark, Fang saw that there was a mountain in front of him, very low, Xiaofeng asked people, and learned that it was Mangdang Mountain, and said to Ding Hu with a smile: "I thought Mangdang Mountain was majestic and precipitous, but I didn't want to be just a low hill." ”

Ding Hu said: "In the Central Plains, it is difficult to have high mountains, and it seems that such mountains are already famous mountains. ”

So the two of them found a thatched shop to stay, and by the way, they inquired about the news of the wind shadow, and prepared to visit the next day.