The Romance of the Famous Marshals of the Early Tang Dynasty Li Jichuan

Chapter Fifty-Nine: The Robbery of an Official Ship in the Middle of the Night

Xu Rat let go of the hand that grabbed Liu Er's crooked chest, and reprimanded loudly: "I still have to go to the main hall to discuss matters, otherwise I will let you see Brother Xu Mouse's eighteen tricks of Huaxia stick today."

Liu Er took two steps back, bowed deeply, and said with a smile on his face: "Xu Mouse Hero, you won't beat me, you will stain your noble hand by hitting me."

Xu Mouse untied a blue cloth bag from his body, handed it to the five brothers with both hands, and said with a smile: "My young master, let me send something to the five brothers Chen." The big boss asked my young master and me to go to the main hall to discuss important matters and say goodbye. ”

Chen Lao Wu took the blue cloth bag with both hands and said with a smile: "Brother Xu Rat, thank you young master."

Xu Rat smiled, pulled his legs and ran towards the main hall.

Liu Er bowed crookedly and shouted, "The villain sends off the big hero of Xu Mouse."

Xu Maogong (Li Ji) was invited to the main hall.

Zhai Rang, the big boss, sat in the center, and Jia Xiong stood next to him. Shan Xiongxin sat on the chair to Zhai Rang's right.

Zhai Rang pointed to the chair on the left and beckoned, "Young Master Xu, please take a seat." Xu Maogong (Li Ji) sat on the chair to Zhai Rang's left.

A plate of sweet and sour river fish, a plate of sauced beef, a plate of salted peanuts, a plate of dried tofu are placed on the table, and a pair of chopsticks and a teacup are placed in front of each person.

Zhai Rang said: "Young Master Xu, the second master went to the canal in Zheng County and Song County, and just came back to learn about the situation of the official ship transporting goods, everyone had lunch together, which can be regarded as washing the dust for the second master, while discussing a plan of action."

After Zhai Rang finished speaking, he took a slice of sauced beef with chopsticks, put it in the rice bowl in front of him, took a bite of the sauced beef, ate a mouthful of rice, put down the rice bowl, and said with a smile: "Everyone, please eat, talk while eating."

Xu Maogong (Li Ji) took a sweet and sour small river fish with chopsticks, put it in the rice bowl in front of him, picked out the fish bones, took a bite of the rice, put down the rice bowl, and asked with a smile: "Brother Shan, how is the situation of the official ships transporting goods on the canal in Zheng County and Song County?"

Shan Xiongxin took a piece of dried tofu with chopsticks, put it in his mouth and took a bite, put the remaining dried tofu in his rice bowl, put a lump of rice in his mouth with chopsticks, and chewed it together with the dried tofu.

Shan Xiongxin replied with a smile: "Brother Xu, after the junior brother arrived in Zheng County, he rode along the canal to Song County. On that section of the canal, there were many official ships carrying goods, and there were a large number of officers and soldiers stationed on the wharf. ”

After arriving in Song County, I took a ferry boat and arrived at the other side, and when I arrived on the other side, it was dark, so I ate something with my soldiers and found an inn to stay.

Early the next morning, after breakfast, when riding a horse along the canal on the opposite bank to Zheng County, I often encountered a squad of officers and soldiers patrolling back and forth, and a large number of officers and soldiers were also stationed on the dock on the opposite bank.

After arriving in Zhengjun, I took the ferry, and returned to the shore in the evening, I and my soldiers found a Yuelai Restaurant, sat down for dinner, the meal was just served, I picked up the chopsticks and was just about to eat, at this time, six people dressed in official uniforms walked into the Yuelai Restaurant, and instructed the shopkeeper to go to the private room on the second floor to entertain guests.

Six people dressed in official uniforms followed the shopkeeper up to the second floor, and after a while, the shopkeeper went downstairs, and I hurriedly walked forward and said to the shopkeeper: I want to change to the private room next door to the private room where the guests are feasted by six people dressed in official uniforms.

At first, the shopkeeper was reluctant to change it for me, so I stuffed two taels of broken silver into the shopkeeper's second-hand hand, and the shopkeeper happily agreed to change it for me.

After a while, my soldiers and I went to the second floor to have dinner in the private room next door to the private room next to the private room, where six people dressed in official uniforms were invited to dinner.

I pasted the wooden wall and eavesdropped on the conversation of six people dressed in official uniforms in the private room of the guests.

At this time, the Xu Rat walked into the main hall.

Zhai Rang smiled at Xu Mouse and said, "Brother Xu Rat, please sit next to your son-in-law." Xu Rat walked over and sat down next to Xu Maogong (Li Ji).

Xu Maogong (Li Ji) smiled and asked, "Xu Mouse, why did you go for so long?"

Xu Mouse replied with a smile: "Young master, I met Liu Erwei in the backyard barracks, and he actually claimed to me to be Erwei's grandfather, and I reprimanded him a few words, so I came late."

Zhai Rang asked with a smile, "Who is Liu Erwei?"

Shan Xiongxin said: "Isn't the big boss the grandson of Liu Jixiang, the richest man in Weinan County? Now the gate of the front village guards the gate of the wall. ”

Zhai Rang said with a smile: "The second master, I remembered, it turned out to be that bastard, who dared to be rude to Brother Xu Rat."

Zhai Rang turned his head and ordered: "Pro-soldiers, go and find the military doctor He Youwei."

The soldier responded: "Yes." "Turn around and go to the military doctor.

Zhai Rang asked with a smile: "Second master, what did you overhear?"

Shan Xiongxin replied with a smile: "The big boss, I overheard: the officials of Zheng County gave a banquet to the officials from Jiangdu, and they talked about: Yang Guang, Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty, mobilized an army of one million, assembled in Zhuojun (Beijing), and then launched a war to conquer Goguryeo in the east. The military supplies of the southern provinces were assembled in Jiangdu, and then transported from Jiangdu to Zhuojun (Beijing) through the Grand Canal.

Zhai Rang asked with a smile: "Second master, have you overheard what kind of military supplies they are?"

Shan Xiongxin replied with a smile: "Big boss, I overheard: The officials in Jiangdu said: The main thing is grain and grass, as well as the military uniforms, weapons, and war horses used by the soldiers."

Zhai Rang said with a smile: "Second master, it's great that you eavesdropped on this news, we are most short of grain in Wagangzhai, this year there was a big flood on both sides of the Yellow River, more than 30 counties have been floated, and the price of grain has risen for half a year, if we don't make a windfall, Wagangzhai will drink gruel every day, and we must rob a few official ships and grain by all means."

At this time, the military doctor He Youwei came to the main hall, clasped his fists and saluted, and said loudly: "Big boss, what are the instructions for calling the villain?"

Zhai Rang said: "He Youwei, just now the Xu Mouse brothers went to the backyard barracks and met Liu Erwei, Liu Erwei actually claimed to the Xu Mouse brothers that he was Er's grandfather, and the Xu Mouse brothers were invited by the second master, what did Liu Erwei want to do?"

The military doctor He Youwei replied: "The big boss, Liu Erwei, that bastard, when he meets outsiders, he always bullies people when he meets an honest brother in the barracks in the backyard."

Zhai Rang said: "He Youwei, you go and tell Liu Erwei and punish him with half a year's military salary, so that this bastard can have a long memory."

He Youwei, a military doctor, said: "The big man is in charge, and the villain obeys orders."

After speaking, he turned around and went back to the barracks in the backyard.

Shan Xiongxin continued: "Big boss, I overheard the conversation of the officials of Zheng County banqueting officials from Jiangdu, and I walked back and forth from Zheng County along the Grand Canal to Song County twice, but I did not find any good place to attack.

In the evening of the day before yesterday, I rode along the Grand Canal from Zhengjun to Songjun, and I found that after midnight, there were no patrolling officers and soldiers.

Zhai Rang said: "The second master, if you find this well, then we will rob the official ship in the middle of the night."