Geng Jingzhong actually saw through the current complicated situation, and planned to use Lu Fatzi as a shield for Geng Jingzhong's army like Wu Laohan in the past, and used it as a bait to induce the Qing army in Zhejiang to adjust its strategic focus, which was also unexpected by many Lu Fatzi. [Full text reading] also made Lu Fatzi realize that the friendly army in the south of him had learned well, and it was no longer the friendly army that could make Wu Jun sell and count the money to Wu Jun back then, and he would not only have to use this friendly army in the future, but also be vigilant. - But it's not surprising that Geng Jingzhong has been annihilated by Wu Laohan too many times, and if he doesn't learn to be obedient, then Geng Jingzhong, the prince of Jingnan, will be a bastard.

Fortunately, although Geng Jingzhong's reaction was fast, he woke up a little late, Kang Mazi, who had already suffered enough losses under similar tricks, did not believe that these anti-thieves and traitors would sincerely seek peace, especially in the current situation of the anti-Qing Dynasty, Kang Mazi even refused to believe that Geng Jingzhong would sincerely ask for peace and a truce. Because of this, although Geng Jingzhong's actions greatly surprised Lu Fatzi, Lu Fatzi still acted according to the original plan in a hurry, and ordered a banquet to be set up to entertain his friend Wang Xu and his party.

At the banquet, which is indeed very simple and simple, Lu Fatzi and Wang Xu, who are accustomed to this, are talking and laughing happily, and tell each other about their farewells, Suo Mintai and Wu Dan, who ate this kind of coarse tea and light rice for the first time, are frowning and chewing rough food, and at the same time thank Lu Fatzi for his hospitality, Han Daren and Gao Hongchen and others are unpleasant, constantly talking to each other, hating Geng Jingzhong's shameless behavior, and worried. Wang Xu and others looked at the words and looked at them in their eyes, and they were happy in their hearts.

After the banquet, Wang Xu and others first went to the post house in the city to settle down, and at night, Lu Fatzi suddenly sent Xiao Erlang to invite Wang Xu to come over, saying that he wanted to have a drink with old friends at night and talk about some personal matters. Wang Xu was mentally prepared for this, and hurriedly agreed, and brought Kang Mazi's secret decree to Suo Mintai, Wu Dan and others to explain, and then followed Xiao Erlang to the Yamen of the Governor of Liangjiang occupied by Lu Fatzi again, and saw Lu Fatzi with a sickly face in the signing room.

The signing room of Lu Fatzi's office is very appetizing for Wang Xu, except for a table of chairs and a mountain of official documents, there is no superfluous furnishings. In addition to a pot of rice wine, two wine glasses and a vegetable oil lamp on the table, there is only a plate of spiced dried tofu and a plate of fennel beans as a snack, and even a candle is reluctant to light it, which is so simple that it is inferior to the ordinary people in Jiangnan, so that Wang Xu couldn't help laughing and said: "The three good brothers are really honest and thrifty, holding half of the Jiangnan, and every time they pass through the hands of tens of thousands of dollars, the diet and living are so simple, based on this alone, if the officials in the world are like the three good brothers, then the common people will be better." ”

"Brother Zi has won the award, but the younger brother really doesn't dare to be it." Lu Fatzi gave up his seat to Wang Xu, and said with a wry smile: "Don't hide it, the younger brother is also a person who likes to enjoy and like to spend time and drink, but now is not the time, the younger brother's 50,000 army has a firm foothold in Jiangnan, and everything has to spend silver, and you can't take too much exploitation from the people, don't take the lead in frugality, what to do to make the soldiers thrifty?" ”

Wang Xu smiled and sat opposite Lu Fatzi, Xiao Erlang, the only one who was waiting in the room, was busy pouring wine for the two, and turned on the oil lamp, so that Lu Fatzi and Wang Xu, two friends, could see each other clearly, while Wang Xu and Lu Fatzi looked at each other and were silent for a long time. I don't know how long it took before Fat Lu broke the silence with a sigh and said slowly: "Brother Zizhuo, you are old again, people who are less than fifty years old, their braids are almost white, and there are many more wrinkles on their faces than when we last met." It seems that for more than a year, Brother Zi's son has been even more sad. ”

"There's no way, who called me the secretary of the military department, just in time for the three good virtuous brothers to show their might? Killing all sides? Wang Xu smiled bitterly, and also sighed: "Brother Sanhao, you are also thin again, I remember when we first met, Brother Sanhao was so white that you had three layers of chin, but now, you are so thin that you are about to catch up with Brother Fool." ”

"It's also a blessing for Brother Tuozi." Lu Fatzi also smiled bitterly, "When my brother kills an enemy on the front line, Brother Zishu will send two enemies to my brother and burn an enemy ship, and Brother Zishu will send three ships to my brother and take one pound of grain and grass, and Brother Zishu will send another five catties, endlessly, and the consumption can consume my brother to death, and my brother will not lose weight if he wants to." ”

After speaking, Lu Fatzi and Wang Xu, the two friends, looked at each other and smiled bitterly again, and they all sighed that creation makes people, the best friend, and also the friend's best confidant, had to fight to the death, had to rack their brains and exhaust their efforts to put each other to death. After staring at each other with such a wry smile for a long time, Fat Lu picked up the wine glass, turned it and said, "Brother Zizhu, let's say, what is the purpose of Kangxi sending you here?" ”

"The intention of the foolish brother, with the shrewdness and strength of the virtuous brother, can you still guess it?" Wang Xu smiled helplessly, and finally took out a roll of yellow silk from his arms, got up and said loudly: "The holy decree of Emperor Kangxi of the Great Qing Dynasty, Lu Yifeng, the prefect of Qujing in Yunnan of the Great Qing Dynasty, kneels to take it!" ”

Fat Lu was silent, let alone get up and kneel to receive Kang Mazi's holy decree, Wang Xu waited for a moment, and then reminded: "Lord Lu, the emperor's holy decree, you should kneel down to receive the decree." ”

"Brother Zi, let's talk about the content directly." Fat Lu said lightly: "Whether I recognize Kangxi as the emperor or not, I haven't made up my mind yet." ”

"Brother Sanhao, how long will you be wrong?" Wang Xu's tone became serious, and he said solemnly: "Yes, there is indeed a place that cannot stand you before long live, and the emperor himself has admitted this, and he also understands that you are a peerless genius who is difficult to come out of the ages." But you can't blame the emperor entirely, long live the emperor also listened to the instigation of Kong Sizhen, Tu Hai and Li Shuzu's gang of villains, and now Kong Sizhen is afraid of crime and absconds, Tu Hai is imprisoned for the second time, Li Shuzu raided his house and destroyed the door, what else do you want? Do you really want the emperor to kneel down and admit your mistakes to you before you are willing to forgive him? ”

"Go on." Fat Lu remained silent, and continued to play with the coarse porcelain wine glass and said, "Brother Zizhu, please continue to talk and see if you can impress me." ”

"Well, the foolish brother will be outspoken, and if you offend, don't blame the virtuous brother." Wang Xu sighed again, and said with a straight face: "Virtuous brother, foolish brother admits that Wu Sangui is good to you, not only has the grace of knowing you, but also obeys you, relies on you as a confidant, and even gives your granddaughter to you, which can be described as a grace and righteousness!" However, Brother Xian, do you think that Wu Sangui really trusts you absolutely and really regards you as a pillar of the sky? If he really trusts you, then why would he detain your only son in Yunnan? If he really reuses you, then with your talent, you can already sweep [***] and crisscross in all directions, why didn't you give your brother a chance to be alone until five months ago? ”

Fat Lu continued to turn the wine glass, but the speed was getting slower and slower, obviously he had already felt it, Wang Xu observed the words, and quickly said: "Brother Xian, let's not talk about it, let's just say that you captured Jiangning, if you let Banzai and Wu Sangui change places, how much credit do you have?" What is the reward? But how does Wu Sangui treat you, if you don't reward you, his son also wrote to scold you, and the Heng family blamed him, so that the master who rewarded and punished the unknown is the object of your assistance? ”

"How did Brother Zishu know that the second prince came to reprimand me?" Fat Lu finally stopped turning the wine glass, and there was some surprise on his fat face.

"This fool can't tell you." Wang Xu rarely played a trick on Fat Lu, and let Wang Shaobo escape. At the end, Wang Xu lowered his voice again and said: "In addition, Brother Fool also knows a secret, including the secret of your army that you don't know about Brother Xian - the 100,000 army of the King of Doluo County was surrounded by your army in Baoning for two months, and the reason why it was not completely annihilated by your army was not because Wu Sangui's subordinates showed mercy, or wanted to completely drag down the 100,000 army of my Qing Dynasty with hunger, but for another reason!" ”

"What is the reason?" Fat Lu was stunned for a moment, and then immediately came to his senses and blurted out, "Could it be that the prince is sick?" ”

Wang Xu's eyes widened, and he nodded for a while before he said: "Brother Xian is really talented, and you can see the whole leopard at a glance!" Yes, Wu Sangui is sick, and he is not lightly ill, he can't be a director at all, and he doesn't worry about handing over the main army to others to command, so he adopts the strategy of encircling but not fighting, giving the prince of Doluo a chance to breathe, otherwise, my 100,000 army of the Qing Dynasty is only afraid that it will be difficult for a horse to get out of the encirclement! ”

"True or fake?" Lu Fatzi asked suspiciously: "Brother Zizhu, you shouldn't be lying to the younger brother, right?" Is there such a coincidence, our prince just surrounded Ozha, and he happened to fall ill? ”

"Brother Sanhao, you are underestimating the foolish brother at this point, although the foolish brother is not talented, when have you ever spoken?" Wang Xu showed some dissatisfaction, gritted his teeth again, and said: "Okay, the foolish brother won't hide it from you, among your prince's palace secretary, there is a person named Sun Xu?" ”

"Yes." Fat Lu nodded, and asked again: "Is he the inside line that the brothers planted next to the prince?" ”

"It wasn't intentional." Wang Xu explained: "Sun Xu was originally a jinshi of Wu Yike in the second year of Shunzhi in the Qing Dynasty, but because the text praised Zheng Chenggong as a rebel, he was condemned as a rebel and arrested and imprisoned. After escaping from prison, he went to Yunnan to defect to Wu Sangui, and was recorded as the secretary of the palace, but later found that Wu Sangui treated the scholars slowly, the rewards and punishments were unknown, and he regarded the students as slaves, and he was often scolded and killed. Later, Wu Sangui suddenly fell seriously ill, and Sun Xu knew that it was an opportunity, so he sent his henchmen to secretly send the news to the army of the prince of Oza, so that the prince of Oza made up his mind to break through and flee for his life. ”

Fat Lu no longer spoke, but secretly scolded Han Jian everywhere, there were a lot of Qianqing, but his face was still silent and did not show any indignation. Wang Xu observed the words, and then said: "Brother Sanhao, the news that Wu Sangui is seriously ill, but even you have concealed it, isn't this ironclad evidence that you are not treated as a confidant at all?" If he really reuses you and trusts you, why does he still block the news from you, why doesn't he urgently summon you to his side and do the things that are entrusted to you? He's sixty-three, so what's in case he's afraid? ”

"Brother Sanhao, you are a smart person, what is the hidden danger of your army, presumably you are also clear, if Wu Sangui really can't afford to get sick, what will happen to your army, can the three good brothers still be unclear? Take 10,000 steps back and say, even if Wu Sangui survives this serious illness, Brother Sanhao, you acted privately behind his back, took the risk to take down Jiang Ning, got out of his control, and didn't listen to his command, once he is investigated, how will you take care of it? ”

"Brother Xian, let's take another 10,000 steps back and say, even if Wu Sangui can't hold you accountable for the time being, how long can you, a lone army, hold out in Jiangning? You can also see Geng Jingzhong's attitude, he is asking for peace and truce on the surface, but in fact he is instigating the Qing Dynasty to encircle and suppress you with all its might, and relieve the pressure on him! And this Jiangning City is extraordinary, the Qing Dynasty will never sit idly by, let alone sit back and watch the virtuous brother you entrench here for a long time, in case that day the emperor really agreed to Geng Jingzhong's request, let the main force of the Qing Dynasty in Zhejiang return to the division, and attack you on all sides, virtuous brother, you have three heads and six arms, how long can you resist? Can you still expect Wu Sangui to fly over with wings and rescue you? ”

When Wang Xu finished speaking, Lu Fatzi's fat face was already full of depression and worry, and he couldn't help but raise his head and drink all the rice wine in the cup, put the wine glass on the table, and drank: "Pour wine!" ”

Xiao Erlang stepped forward honestly and filled Fat Lu with a glass of wine, but Wang Xu smiled and said, "Brother Sanhao, what's the use of using wine to relieve boredom?" You just drank all the wine in Jiangning City, and the imminent danger can be resolved? ”

Fat Lu didn't touch the wine glass anymore with a straight face, and after a long time, Fat Lu said in a hoarse voice: "Brother Zizhu, what did the emperor write in the holy decree?" ”

"Your Majesty? There's a play! Hearing that Lu Fatzi changed his tone, Wang Xu was immediately overjoyed, and hurriedly whispered: "Forgive all the sins of the virtuous brother before, and also pardon all the subordinates of the virtuous brother, in addition, the emperor will also crown the virtuous brother as the general of Zhennan, the first-class Lu Ding Gong, the title of the secretary of the military department, and the reward of thousands of gold and silver taels!" ”

"First-class Lu Ding Gong?" Lu Fatzi showed some surprise, and said in his heart, how can the mites still have the face to say that Kang Mazi is a master of Sinology, why is the vocabulary so poor, and the extremely cheesy Weiyuan General Cannon, Wucheng Yonggu General Cannon and Shengong General Cannon, forget about these things, how can they even be knighted to this point?

"Does Miyoshi think that the emperor's gift is too low, or do you think that the seal is too high?" Wang Xu didn't understand why Lu Fatzi was so surprised, and hurriedly added: "Before leaving, the emperor personally said to the foolish brother, with the talent of the virtuous brother, the emperor really doesn't dare to seal the title of the virtuous brother too high, otherwise, after the virtuous brother sweeps away the Geng Wu Domain, what will the emperor give to the virtuous brother?" The emperor can't be above the prince and seal the ninth iron hat king, right? ”

Lu Fatzi stopped talking again, picked up the wine glass again and turned it slowly, Wang Xu saw that Lu Fatzi was moved, so he whispered again: "Brother Xian, there is another big thing, my young daughter of the first emperor of Shunzhi in the Qing Dynasty Princess Heshuo Duanmin, originally promised to Horqin the banner of the king of Zha Sak Doluo Darhan County, never thought that the county king was blessed, Kangxi died in eight years, and Princess Heshuo Duanmin has been waiting for the boudoir. The emperor admired the talent of the virtuous brother, so he ordered the foolish brother to be a matchmaker, and wanted to recruit the virtuous brother as a forehead and be the emperor's brother-in-law. ”

"Princess Duanmin? Is it pretty? Fat Lu finally showed some surprise.

"This ......." Wang Xu smiled bitterly and said, "Brother Xian just asked Yu Blind, what is the identity of Brother Fool, how can he have the opportunity to see the princess?" ”

"Cut! asked Bai asked, what kind of good goods can be born in the genetics of Kang Mazi's family? Lu Fatzi, who didn't know that Duan Min was just Shunzhi's adopted daughter, muttered in his heart.

"Three good brothers, foolish brothers are bitter, and everything that can be said has already been said." Wang Xu put on a new face and said solemnly: "How to choose, please decide the virtuous brother." ”

Fat Lu twisted the glass and was silent, his fat fingers kept turning the wine glass, and after a long silence, Fat Lu suddenly stopped the wine glass, drank the rice wine in the cup again, and then smashed the wine glass on the ground, and said in a hoarse voice: "Brother Zi, the younger brother has a personal question, please tell the truth?" ”

"Brother Xian, please speak." Wang Xu replied quickly.

"Brother Zi Shu, long live the appeasement of me, is it out of sincerity or hypocrisy?" Fat Lu gritted his teeth and asked, "Or do you just want the junior brother to sacrifice Jiang Ning and the 50,000 army, and then hide the bow and hide the little brother, cut the junior brother with a thousand knives, and execute Ling Chi?" ”

"My emperor is benevolent and holy, how can he do the thing of hiding all the birds?" Wang Xu said sincerely: "If the virtuous brother doesn't believe it, the foolish brother is willing to use the whole family's surname as a guarantee!" ”

"Brother Zizhu, it's not that I don't believe it, it's that I've done too many wrong things." Fat Lu shook his head and said in a deep voice: "Don't say anything else, just based on the four killings order implemented by the younger brother in Nanjing City, the younger brother doesn't believe that the emperor will really forgive the younger brother!" ”

"Four Killings? What Four Kills Order? Wang Xu asked in surprise.

"Okay, it seems that no one has stabbed this matter in front of Kang Mazi." Lu Fatzi was secretly happy in his heart, and quickly sighed bitterly, and then he truthfully introduced the four killing orders he issued when he occupied Nanjing City, as well as the effect of this order, to Wang Xu.

"Brother Sanhao, why are you so confused?! Foolish brother doesn't know what to say about you! Sure enough, after listening, Wang Xu's face changed color, and he stomped his feet and sighed. After thinking nervously for a while, Wang Xu said solemnly: "Brother Xian, fortunately, there is still room for salvation, no officials and generals have reported this matter to the emperor, and you took the initiative to confess your crime to Brother Fool and surrender to atone for your crimes!" So as long as you surrender sincerely, anyway, the foolish brother will not give up this surname, and he will definitely protect you in front of Long Live and declare this matter for you! ”

"Brother Zi's words, of course the younger brother believes it." Fat Lu smiled bitterly and said, "But Brother Zizhuo, do you have the final say on such a big matter?" The younger brother was confused, he killed thousands of four Manchurians in Nanjing City that day, once their relatives and family members in the court found revenge, how could the younger brother afford it? ”

"This ......." Wang Xu is a loyal person, put himself in the shoes of Lu Fatzi, and found that Lu Fatzi is indeed reasonable, with the viciousness and narrow-mindedness of the barbarians in Manchuria, the possibility of seeking revenge against Lu Fatzi is indeed very great.

"Brother Zishu, let's do it." Lu Fatzi hesitated and said: "When the annoying brother returns to the saint, he will say that Weichen is brave, please ask the emperor to agree to three conditions, and Weichen will open the city and surrender!" Not only that, Weichen must also control the army, charge into battle for the master, pacify the three rebels of Geng, Wu and Zheng, and atone for his sins in order to repay the emperor's kindness. ”

"Brother Sanhao, please say quickly, the foolish brother must truthfully play the saint and try his best to get the emperor to agree." Wang Xu couldn't wait to answer.

"First, please ask the emperor to pardon all the crimes of the younger brother in Nanjing." Lu Fatzi said: "There are also subordinates and soldiers who pardoned the younger brother, they are all acting on orders, and they are really innocent. By the way, there are also Master Xie Dong Xie and Guerjia. General Halhaqi also asked his master to pardon him and promised not to settle accounts after the fall. ”

"This is easy to do, the foolish brother will try his best to fight for the virtuous brother, and explain to the emperor the determination of the virtuous brother to change his mistakes." Wang Xu nodded, and at the same time pondered in his heart, with the important surnames of Lu Fatzi and Jiangnan, it was very likely that Kang Mazi would agree to this condition.

"Thank you, brother." Fat Lu thanked him casually, and said in a deep voice: "The second condition, please ask the master to give an order, please ask Prince Kang to withdraw his troops from the Taiping Mansion and stop attacking the Taiping Mansion." And after the younger brother is anyway, the army of King Kang cannot take over the city defense and take over the army - Brother Zizhu, you also know that the younger brother was once captured alive by King Kang on the battlefield, and once King Kang decided to retaliate, the younger brother really couldn't afford it. ”

"That's fine." Wang Xu nodded, "Master Shengming, he will naturally consider this difficulty for the virtuous brother, but please ask Prince Kang to withdraw the army, the foolish brother can't guarantee it for the time being, so he can only try his best to fight for the virtuous brother." ”

"Third, please send another big man to appease him, and he must be an important minister of the Qing court!" Lu Fatzi said solemnly: "Brother Zi, it's not that the younger brother doesn't believe you, it's just that everyone in the world knows the friendship between the younger brother and you, the emperor sent you to Nanjing to surrender, no matter how wolf-hearted the younger brother is, it is impossible to poison you, it is really difficult to show the sincerity of the master's surrender." Therefore, the younger brother is brave and wants to ask the master to send another important minister to the south to recruit surrender, preferably one of the three important ministers of Suo Etu, Mingzhu and Zhang Ying! ”

"That's fine." Wang Xu felt that Fat Lu's words were reasonable, so he naturally agreed. At the end, Wang Xu asked again: "Brother Xian, should you also show your sincerity anyway?" For example, what kind of credentials do you ask your brother to come up with? Or send a henchman to take a trip to the capital with the foolish brother? Show your sincerity to your master? ”

"I can't do that." Lu Fatzi refused and said: "Originally, the younger brother could have offered the seal of the general of the Great Zhou Dynasty to conquer the east, or let one of Wang Shaobo, Xiao Erlang and Zhu Fangdan go to Beijing with his son, but the younger brother really didn't have the courage, the emperor's surrender came too suddenly, and the younger brother couldn't believe it, before the master didn't prove his sincerity in pardoning all the crimes of the younger brother, the younger brother really didn't dare to risk these brothers who were like brothers and sisters." ”

"Brother Sanhao, you are too embarrassing for the foolish brother." Wang Xu grimaced.

"Young master, let me take a trip to Beijing." Xiao Erlang, who has always been like a wooden man, opened his mouth and volunteered: "Let me accompany Lord Wang into Beijing, and on behalf of the young master, I will tell the emperor your hardships in person." ”

"No way!" Lu Fatzi refused, and then said: "Erlang, it's not that I don't believe you, young master, and I don't think you're not qualified enough, but this time it's too risky, how many soldiers of the Qing army have we killed over the years?" Until the emperor shows sincerity in surrendering, I must not risk your life - don't forget, I'm just a brother like you! ”

"Young Master......." Xiao Erlang choked up.

"Needless to say, I will never say yes!" Fat Lu categorically refused.

"Alright then!" Wang Xu stomped his feet helplessly, and said even more helplessly: "Since you don't believe in the foolish brother so much, then the foolish brother will take his whole family name and protect you for the virtuous brother!" Long live the master will not believe it, just leave it to fate! However, Brother Sanhao, you should at least write a recital and let the foolish brother hand it back to the capital for you, right? ”

(To be continued)