Hongzhu committed suicide by throwing himself into the lake, but after weighing the pros and cons, Zhu Wei could only pretend not to know, Hongzhu was originally his life-saving straw, but now it has become a hot stone, it is a pity to lose it, and it is really troublesome not to lose it.

Recently, there has been a lot of favorable news from Chang'an's eyes, and many ministers in the DPRK and China are persuading Li Chun to pardon Zhu Xun, investigate Zhang Hongjing, and remove the crusading armies from all walks of life. The 150,000 army worked in vain, advancing and retreating like child's play, but the imperial court was required to provide huge military expenses, and this account was not cost-effective.

Although he had never met the emperor of Chang'an Daming Palace, Zhu Xun could imagine his embarrassment, so he sneered and said, "Let's see who has consumed whom." ”

Zhang Hongjing's Jiedu embassy has been cleaned up, the main halls have been repainted, and the monks and Taoist priests have been invited to take turns to do the rituals, everyone said that the inside has been clean, but Zhu Xun still refuses to stay here longer. This is an ominous place, and since its construction, there has been no end to intrigue and intrigues, killing in the night, and I don't know how many unjust souls have wandered here for decades.

After completing official business at the embassy every day, Zhu Wei insisted on returning to his mansion, and he was very careful during the extraordinary period.

It was dusk again, Zhu Xun rode home with the fatigue of the day, his guards were as many as 200 people, and the streets were sealed early in the morning, and the sharpshooter stood on the side of the street with a bow in his hand, except for his own people, but all living creatures were sniped.

Walking through a street corner, there was a shout of selling rice wine in his ears, Zhu Xun was stunned for a moment, rice wine is mostly produced in the south, and there is little swallow land, where is this chaos to sell rice wine?

asked the accompanying He Alcohol: "How can there be vendors at such a late hour?" ”

Because of his meritorious service, He Yu was promoted to the deputy envoy of the soldiers and horses of the Inner Courtyard Army, and became Zhu Xun's personal guard, and he also wrinkled his brows when he heard the words, and listened carefully, there was indeed a voice coming, and it was still a southern accent.

Since the rebellion, the curfew time in Youzhou City has been advanced by one hour, delayed by one hour, and no one is allowed to walk around the streets as soon as it gets dark, and those who violate the order will be beheaded.

How can there still be small traders and hawkers walking on the streets at this hour, and they dare to shout so closely?

"Please return to the house as soon as possible, and this matter will be investigated strictly at the end."

Zhu Xun nodded approvingly, in addition to his loyalty, more importantly, his mind is meticulous and cautious, and he is born to be a guard.

The brigade accelerated its marching speed and ran two streets, the people and horses were slightly breathing, Yan Di was so heavily armoured, running in heavy armor, not only people, but also horses could not stand it, and then one street corner was the Zhu family's mansion, which was garrisoned by the Zhu family's own army, and it was impregnable. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Zhu Wei also breathed a sigh of relief, and smiled dumbly: What's wrong with him, the dignified Youzhou stayed, holding tens of thousands of male soldiers, but he was frightened like this by a vendor's shouting.

The sweat had just been wiped off, and the handkerchief had not yet been put into the sleeve, and a feather arrow broke through the air, silently burrowing into Zhu Xun's neck, bleeding like an infusion, and Zhu Xun did not say a word and got off the horse.

The guards were in chaos, and hurriedly rescued Zhu Huan, formed an iron shield array, and escorted him to slowly retreat into the Zhu family's mansion.

After the investigation, the assassin disguised himself as a sharpshooter with a bow on the street, and when he fired the arrow, he was about 20 zhang away from Zhu Xun. He had a burnt scar on his chest, and it was speculated that he had a bruise on it.

Zhu Xun's injury was not serious, but the arrow cluster was fed with poison, Zhu Xun knew that his fate would be soon, and he asked Zhu Kerong to come to see him.

Zhu Kerong was supervising the camp outside the city, and was shocked when he heard the news, so he hurriedly returned to his house, and walked halfway to stand on his feet, probably because it was a ploy, so that Zhu Keda, a partial general, went to inspect it first. Zhu Keda is Zhu Kerong's brother, a confidant, and when he entered the mansion to reconnoitre, he saw that there was no plan, so he reported to Zhu Kerong, and Zhu Kerong dared to enter the mansion.

Seeing that his father was seriously injured, Zhu Kerong's heart was like a knife: once his father couldn't hold on and fell down at this juncture, Youzhou saw that the building would collapse, and the Zhu family would be defeated.

Zhu Xun ordered everyone to retreat, leaving only Zhou Bo, the old butler who had followed him for forty years, to serve on the side. He opened his eyes with great effort and said to Zhu Kerong: "I'm useless, I have a few words to explain to you." Zhu Kerong wept: "Father, don't say such things, there will definitely be a turnaround." ”

Zhu Xun said: "Shut up, listen to me!" Go out of the city at once tonight, and stay in the camp, and do not return to the city. No matter what happens in the city, don't care, tomorrow night, the night after tomorrow, someone will instigate a mutiny to elect Mi Chonggui as the queen, when you release the news of my death, you say that I was killed by Mi Chonggui, you lead the army into the city to kill Mi Chonggui, chop off my head, go to Zhang Hongjing to ask for guilt, and put all the blame on me and Mi Chonggui. If the court asks you to go to Chang'an, you will be ordered to go, don't argue with them, and don't care about your reputation. Keep my Zhu family's bloodline, you are a filial son and grandson, in the future, when the limelight passes, someone will stand up for you to identify grievances, and you will not enter the ancestral grave with grievances. ”

Zhu Kerong cried: "My father wants me to return to the court, and the child obeys his fate, but why do you want the child to take his father's head to win the trust of the court, so rebellious to human ethics, the child can't do it, the child really can't do it." ”

Zhu Wei closed his eyes and said nothing, for a long time, he sighed: "If you don't obey, my Zhu family will be wiped out from now on." ”

He closed his eyes and refused to say a word.

Zhou Bo persuaded Zhu Kerong to go out, and advised: "The lord has no last resort, and Da Lang will follow it." ”

I won't say anything more.

Zhu Kerong returned to the camp outside the city, his face was dark, his heart was heavy, his henchmen Zhu Keda and Zhu Kai asked several times, but finally refused to say anything, the two of them found the strategist Shao Licheng to see Zhu Kerong together, Zhu Kerong cried and told the truth, Zhu Keda and Zhu Kai were shocked: "What is the plan of the lord, we dare not speculate, but if he bears the notoriety of killing his father, how can the general stand on his own feet in the future?" ”

Shao Licheng twisted off three rat whiskers, but said: "The lord's plan has great meaning, please follow it." ”

Zhu Kerong felt that he had something to say, so he sent the three of them away first, turned around and invited Shao Licheng back, and bowed: "Mr. seems to have something to teach me, only you and me in heaven and earth here, please give me advice." ”

Shao Licheng said: "With all due respect, the lord is leaving, and the general trend of Youzhou has gone, just like a landslide, irretrievable." Instead of being the eggs of the nest, it is better to leave a line of blood in your heart. The general refused to bear this notoriety, and he was afraid that the imperial court would still refuse to let it go, which was also a last resort. ”

Zhu Kerong said: "I don't know what Mr. said, but if I bear the name of killing my father, how can I stand on my own in the future?" Is that all there is to it for killing my father? How can I bear to be content in Chang'an, being an idle official and waiting for death? ”

Shao Licheng frowned and said, "There is a plan, but if I say it, the general will take my head in the future." ”

Zhu Kerong said: "Mr. really doesn't worry about me, I, Zhu Kerong, can make a poisonous oath to the sky." ”

Shao Licheng laughed and said: "It's relieved to have a general's words." ”

Shao Licheng's plan is also simple: since Zhu Wei will definitely die, since after his death, the Zhu family will inevitably collapse, and since one person must be sacrificed to save the family's prestige, then why do you have to sacrifice the eldest son Zhu Kerong, who is the most capable and the most promising?

Zhu Wei is a son who loves him, and he is afraid that Zhu Kerong will toss to avenge himself in the future and give his life in vain, so he suppresses him with a father-killing hat, so that he can retreat in the face of difficulties and spend the second half of his life in peace.

Since Zhu Kerong insisted on refusing to let go, he could only retreat to the second.

In addition to Zhu Kerong, Youzhou also has Zhu Xun's other two sons, the third son Zhu Ke must be brave and strategic, and he can't hide things in his heart, so this plan can't be discussed with him. The second son, Zhu Kejian, is a man who understands both civil and military affairs, and is willing to make sacrifices for the Zhu family, so he will bear the notoriety of killing his father, protect his brother from this catastrophe, and save the fire for the Zhu family's comeback?

Shao Licheng's plan was not surprising, but it only showed Zhu Kerong's careful thinking about whether he wanted to say it or not.

When Zhu Kerong heard this, he shook his head again and again, and sighed: "Fellow brothers, how can you bear the poison, this matter should not be mentioned again." ”

Shao Licheng retreated and discussed with Zhu Keda and Zhu Kai, and the two also advocated persuading Zhu Kejian to stand up for his brother and keep a spark for the resurgence of the Zhu family.

Shao Licheng was ordered to be in danger, saw Zhu Kejian at night, the two talked behind closed doors for an hour, Zhu Kejian saw Shao Licheng away with tears, and called his wife Mi Chunniang to come: "My father was assassinated, and my life will not be long, in order to protect my Zhu family, I have to come out and be an unfilial son." You don't have to inquire about this matter, take Gu'er back to Pengcheng County, Xuzhou quickly, I have a grange there, coarse tea and light rice are enough for you to raise him to grow up, if you meet a good family, you might as well remarry, as long as Gu'er doesn't change his surname, I don't care. When he grows up in the future, don't ask him to read too many books, don't ask him to be an official, don't ask him to practice martial arts, and be a small citizen in peace. ”

Mi Chunniang just shed tears, said goodbye to her husband with a ruthless heart, and held the three-year-old child Zhu Gu out of Youzhou City overnight under Shao Licheng's arrangement.

Zhu Xun died of poison before dawn, and the news of his assassination was carefully covered up. On the night of the second day, several battalions of garrisons in Youzhou City mutinied at the same time, rushed to the house of Mi Chonggui, the deputy envoy of the Cheng Branch, and surrounded him to the Jiedu Embassy's Mansion to support him as the queen. Zhou Bo, the housekeeper of the Zhu Mansion, held Zhu Wei's head in his hand and dedicated it to Mi Chonggui's case, claiming that the rebels had been removed, and asked Mi Chonggui to return to the court.

Mi Chonggui's hands and feet were cold, and he fainted immediately, and when he woke up, Zhou Bo had been hacked to death with a chaotic blade, and he was tied to the flagpole in front of the Shuai Mansion by Wuhuada.

It was Zhu Kejian, the second son of Zhu Xun, who killed Zhou Bo and arrested him, and has now been supported by Lu Longjun's soldiers as the queen of Youzhou, but Zhu Kejian himself did not recognize the identity of the queen.

Mi Chonggui has been Liu Ji, Liu Hong, Zhang Hongjing, Zhu Wei four people's financial deputy, known for being good at financial management, has the reputation of "Youzhou Xiangguo", although "Xiangguo" has a wide network of people, good at financial management, but does not master the army, in the army has no foundation, said that after the mutinous sergeant supported him to stay in the festival, he himself did not believe much, people prefer to believe that he was being used, the purpose of using him is to murder Zhu Xun, this person is no one else, it is Zhu Kejian who used him and threw him out as a scapegoat.

Among Zhu Xun's three sons, only Zhu Kejian opposed his father's army against the imperial court, so the relationship between father and son was extremely stiff, and Zhu Wei once put his wife under house arrest and prevented him from interfering in military and political affairs.

Zhu Huan's self-respect against the imperial court, whether it is right or wrong, the benevolent and the wise see the wise, there is no unified standard, even the soldiers of Lu Longjun who swore to follow Zhu Huan's uprising did not think deeply about this issue, but felt that Zhu Huan could be trusted, and what he asked them to do, they did it.

Zhu Kejian killed his father and stood on his own, using rice as a disguise, which can be seen by anyone with a discerning eye.

And Zhu Kejian's actions also confirmed this, the first thing he did after killing his father and taking charge of the military was to trap his eldest brother Zhu Kerong and relieve him of military power. The second thing is to send someone to Zhang Hongjing and deliver a letter of surrender to the imperial court: the rebel minister Zhu Xun has been ambushed, and the Zhu family bows down to listen to the ruling of the imperial court.