At noon, an official ship slowly sailed into the Tianjin wharf in the heavy snow in the cold wind. A boatman covered in snow, lifted the heavy cotton curtain and entered the cabin to announce that the waterway near Tianjin to the capital of Qi was frozen and everyone had to abandon the boat and enter the city.

There were a total of six passengers on this boat, Fu Shixing, the prefect of Chaozhou, with two attendants, and the other three were pedestrians who happened to meet on the road. Two men and one woman. The two men were tall and mighty, with two splayed eyebrows very apart, with a look of indifference, and were looking at the snow scene on the dock outside from the cabin window with Erlang's legs on his legs, he was dressed quite thinly, only a patched blue coarse cloth jacket, and no hat, compared with Fu Honglie, who looked a little tired and aging on the other side, he looked much more energetic.

In contrast, the other man appeared thin and withered, a handsome young man, but he rarely looked directly at others, and spoke only submissively, looking timid and cautious. His face was pale, he had a fever and cough from time to time, and he was dressed in a thick, fat cotton suit, which the tall man had taken off for him. It looks like he's in terrible shape.

The woman looks mediocre, wearing a coarse cloth dress, which is very ordinary. She is not good at words, and only concentrates on taking care of sick and weak teenagers along the way.

The tall and mighty man called himself Zhou Chen, a craftsman who traveled from south to north, the woman was his daughter-in-law, and the sick and weak boy was his younger brother. This time I went to the capital of Qi to see a doctor for my younger brother. On the way, he was taken away by an unknown robber, and when he was in a hurry, he happened to be met by Fu Shixing, who got off the boat for a walk, and invited him to Tianjin by the way. In the past eight days, the two of them have talked about everything in heaven and earth, the subset of scripture and history, and Wen Taowu, and they have become New Year's friends.

"Brother Chen, listening to your speech and demeanor, it doesn't look like an ordinary craftsman, and it's not an exaggeration to say that you are a gentleman." Fu Shixing felt that there was some ink in this person's stomach, and he praised unconsciously.

"Hehe, don't hide it from adults, I also read books for a few years when I was a child, and I can break it if I see too much, and I can get an axe in front of adults." Zhou Chen scratched his head embarrassedly, just as Zhouzi came in to tell him, saying that the boat could not move forward, and the laughter dissipated all of a sudden.

Zhou Chen listened to Zhouzi's words, and his heart was also very worried, and when he saw that Fu Shixing was also frowning and silent, he smiled and said: "What's so difficult about this, the land route is the land route, the ancients rode a donkey through the sword gate in the drizzle, and we rode horses on the ancient road of Jinmen, isn't it also quite poetic?" ”

Fu Shixing turned his face to look at the two pen slips sitting on the side, and they all looked gloomy, so he smiled bitterly, took out a bag of broken silver from his arms, about ten taels, and gently pushed it in front of Zhou Chen, and said, "Brother Chen, it is inconvenient for us to go with us when we get off the boat." I really can't get this bit of silver, but you still bring it and talk about making up for it......"

"Why?" Zhou Chen asked in surprise, and the young man and the woman also looked at this side curiously when they heard this.

Fu Shixing sighed, and said with a reluctant smile: "I'm afraid that you will be frightened on the road, so I haven't told you, don't look at me sitting on the official ship of General Hangzhou, so generous, in fact, I am a criminal official locked by the Criminal Department, and I entered the city to receive the crime." I got off the boat and wore torture instruments, iron locks, and then took the three of you with me, like what? ”

"Really?" The three of them were taken aback, because although they had been on the same boat for eight days, they hadn't heard anything about Fu Shixing at all, and the two pen posts were also respectful in front of him. He also thought that this knowledgeable middle-aged prefect was promoted in the city! After a little hesitation, Zhou Chen came back to his senses and asked urgently, "Why?" ”

"It's true." A pen post said, "The two of us are both from the Yamen of the Criminal Department, and we have been sent to the Ministry of Literature to lock Master Fu into Beijing to ask for the crime. Master Fu folded and asked the court to beware of the three dynasties, offended, Xu Zhong, Huang Jingzhong, and Bai Chenyi, the three kings, were taken and were supposed to be executed on the spot. Fortunately, Master Fu is the commander, and he serves in the disputed areas of the Qi State and the Three Dynasties, and he is an official sent by the Qi State. According to the calendar, it will be returned to the Criminal Department of Qi and the Dali Temple will be deliberated. This official ship was specially escorted by General Wu Haoze, the commander of the Janissaries in the capital, and General Hangzhou took care of it......"

"Brother," Fu Shixing listened to Zhou Chen's unsparing efforts to attack the Three Dynasties all the way, and had already recognized him as a confidant, seeing that Zhou Chen was in a daze, he smiled and said, "Listen to your high-minded talk all the way, you not only have good articles, but also know the art of war very well, and are good at flexibility, when our Qi country is employing people, don't give up on yourself." I wanted to write you a letter of recommendation, but my current situation is not only useless, but also afraid of causing trouble, brother, you are so self-conscious. In addition, Brother Ling's illness must also be treated as soon as possible. ”

"Okay." Hearing Wu Haoze's name, the three of them were a lot more relieved. Zhou Chen gently pushed the silver back with both hands, stared at Fu Shixing affectionately with lacquer-like eyes, and said, "We're going to break up." Eight days of heart-to-heart conversations, Zhou will never forget. If you treat me as a soldier, I will repay you as a soldier. But I can't ask for this silver, you are in a lawsuit, and you need more money than me......"

Fu Shixing listened, his heart was sad for a while, his eyes couldn't help but be a little red, and he only whispered: "I'm afraid I may not be able to use it......" Tianwei is unpredictable, and there are many auspicious and auspicious ones, not to mention that it involves the three dynasties and the two countries, Fu Shixing's meaning couldn't be clearer. For a moment, the cabin fell silent, and the rustle of snow falling on the deck outside could be heard clearly.

"Then Wu Haoze and the adult are old confidants?" The sick and weak young man was surprised, but he had calmed down, and asked after pondering for a long time with a faint gaze.

"We didn't know each other before," Fu Shixing said, "and we got along for several years when I was in the capital. Although this man is silent, he is very brave. I guess I can talk to him, I really didn't expect him to help me this time. After that, he sighed and said, "It's a pity, such a matter involving the two countries, even if he is a saint, it can't help much." ”

When the sick young man heard this, his eyes rolled, he suddenly smiled, his pale face was a little more bloody, and he moved his body and said to Fu Shixing: "Don't you hear Li Qinglian's poetry? 'If I don't shine on my sincerity during the day, the country has nothing to worry about'! I expect that the king will not be willing to kill the virtuous and virtuous, and my lord's trip seems to be dangerous! After that, as if thinking about it carefully, he said in a hurry, "Big ..... Probably so, probably. ”

In the past few days, Fu Shixing has figured out the temperament of this sick and weak young man: although he is silent, he never wants to speak falsely. At a young age, Zhou Chen and the woman respected him very much, like a scholar, and they all had very unique insights into the understanding of Xu Zhong, Huang Jingzhong, and Bai Chenyi's respective situations and military and economic situations. It seems that he didn't say this just to appease himself, so he smiled and said: "Little brother's words are amazing again!" ”

"Since the little brother said so, there must be a reason for him." The woman smiled and tucked the corners of the quilt for him.

"My lord, this is just a matter of course." Zhou Chen tapped his fingers rhythmically on the table, and said in a deep voice, the words of the sick and weak young man seemed to enlighten him, and he suddenly thought of something and said loudly, "A few days ago, we chatted, and the lord said that the king recently issued an edict to order the children of the three dynasties in the capital city to enter the palace to meet them. ”

Seeing Fu Shixing and the two pen posts looking at each other, Zhou Chen smiled slightly, and said, "It's time to go to war!" I see that the king of Qi cleaned up as a powerful minister at a young age, so it can be seen that he is not good at his generation, and the three dynasties are also ambitious! We have already discussed and understood the truth, the world must be divided for a long time, and the heart of heaven, the people, and the country will be like this. ”

Zhou Chen said eloquently, stretching his body up, as if he was not a lowly craftsman, but a scheming strategist speculating on the world's major events, "Those children of the three kings living in Qi are hostages, and now the imperial court has summoned the three princes and brothers to enter the palace at the same time for no reason, it seems that there is going to be some big move." ”

Fu Shixing listened, felt that it was very reasonable, nodded frequently, and suddenly was stunned thoughtfully, and said: "However, the king's edict made my edict very clear: let the Dali Temple of the Criminal Department be reconsidered. It's not necessarily that simple! The mistake of the former Han Dynasty in advocating the withdrawal of the feudal domain was not also ......"

"The only death through the ages - Deng Hanyi can be said to have penetrated human feelings!" The sick and weak boy listened carefully on the side, and suddenly said, "Jun is also a fan of the authorities!" You have already been sentenced to death, how can you be dealt with 'severely'? The lock was taken into the city, obviously the king wanted to save you, maybe the lord would be promoted! I....... That's what I thought, I guess so. ”

"What if the two countries don't go to war?" Seeing that they were so sure, a pen post was a little unconvinced, and couldn't help but ask.

"Let's take the disputed areas jointly governed by the two countries, which have a total of 18 million taels of silver every year," Zhou Chen turned around and said in a straightforward manner, "The three dynasties took more than seventy percent, and there are wars every year, which is not a long-term solution at all." What's more, this Xiao Zhen is also ambitious, and you can get a glimpse of it from these recent new policies. With that, he picked up the cold tea on the table and drank it dry, and said thoughtfully, "This is also a good thing for us." ”

Seeing Fu Shixing's puzzled look, the sick and weak young man hurriedly said to Fu Shixing, "Fu Gong, I am really fortunate to be in the same boat for a few days." Your moral article, we are well aware. Farewell today, I have a word of advice, I don't know if I can see it? ”

Fu Shixing hurriedly arched his hand and said, "Please speak!" ”

"Observing the appearance of the monarch, measuring the talent of the monarch, and listening to the words of the monarch are all worthy of being a national soldier." The sick and weak young man praised first, "But Jun's intentions are too dead, and he is too stupid, so beware of eating the losses of his friends." Fu Shixing was stunned, and couldn't understand the meaning of this for a while, so he hurriedly asked, "Why?" ”

The sick and weak young man said: "Listen to what you mean, you please be vigilant against the movements of the Three Dynasties, so how did Xu Zhong, Huang Jingzhong, and Bai Chenyi know about it?" ”

Fu Shixing didn't squeak for a long time, shook his head and said: "Although it is a secret fold, there are also four or five people who know that although only Xu Shirong is an official of the Three Dynasties, he is my friend of the Eight Worships, is it ......?"

"In the past few days, adults have often praised Xu Shirong, I just hate not having a chance to meet, how dare I be suspicious? It's just that....... It's just that....... The human heart is unpredictable. The sick and weak young man smiled heartily and whispered, "The ancients said: The way of a gentleman in the world is to keep the middle and not the outside. If you don't believe in being straight, you must guard against benevolence. Take care, you ..... I'm just speculating. ”

"Say goodbye today, see each other indefinitely. The ancients had a meal, and they were rewarded with a thousand gold, and if Zhou had an inch, he would definitely repay the great kindness! That's it! Fu Gong take care, take care! With that, Zhou Chen bowed and got out of the cabin first, helping the woman to support the sick and weak young man to float ashore.

Fu Shixing hurriedly rushed out of the cabin, and called out in his mouth: "How many ...... Take this money with you......"

The three of them stood beside the cable stone pillar by the dock, and the heavy snow fell on their heads and into their necks, and the wind lifted the hem of the jacket high, but they did not show any shuckle. Seeing Fu Shixing and the pen post chasing out of the cabin, he only arched his hand and said: "My lord, please go back, please go back, let's meet again!" If you have the opportunity, you will definitely repay the kindness of the adults! ”

After saying that, he walked away on the snow.

"Strange people, really strange people." Fu Shixing watched the three of them disappear into the snow, and then he suddenly entered the cabin and said to the two pen posts that escorted him: "Please get on the torture equipment, let's go on the road too!" ”

The snow was heavy, and Zhou Chen carried the sick and weak boy on his back, and took the woman to walk in the snow step by step. The young man slowly carried his Dao qi, and a warm red light surrounded the three of them, dispelling a little chill.

"At this time, it's still your fire path that is useful, Chen Xuan." Zhou Chen said with a smile, without the slightest fatigue.

"Okay, that's all I can do, if you want to talk about the effect, it will drag you down and play a big role." The boy laughed to himself.

"It's useless to say more, fortunately, it's a snowy day, hiding our traces, and using an official ship all the way to escape, this road is also smooth." The woman comforted, "What next?" ”

"In short, let's go to the capital of Qi to find Song Qinglian first, he is now backed by a big tree." Zhou Chen proposed, "Besides, if we really want to go to war, we can also help." ”

"Well, let's do it." The sick boy muttered, "If only I could use this to pull my brother back from his mistake." That kind of experiment, really..... It's really not going to work, it's going to be in big trouble. ”