Zheng Yan took two entourages out of Dongcheng and walked towards the Sui army camp hundreds of steps away, and when they were still a hundred steps away from the camp, they were stopped by a group of Sui army patrol cavalry, Zheng Yan hurriedly bowed his hand and said: "Under the county order of Xinxiang County, I have come to ask to meet General Zhang." ”

The patrol inspected their weapons and then led them to the camp, two attendants led their horses outside the camp and waited, while Zheng Yan followed a captain on duty and hurried to the Chinese army's tent.

At this time, the sky was not yet bright, the lights in the big tent of the Chinese army were bright, Zhang Xuan had already gotten up, and was washing in the tent, at this time, a personal soldier reported at the door of the tent: "Qiyu Marshal, Xinxiang County ordered Zheng Yan to see!" ”

"I didn't expect him to come so quickly!"

Zhang Xuan smiled and muttered to himself, wiped his hands with a cloth towel, and ordered: "Please ask him to go to the guest tent for a while, I will come immediately." ”

Zheng Yan's arrival was really a bit unexpected by Zhang Xuan, he thought that there would be changes at least three or five days, but he didn't expect someone to come the next day, needless to say that Zhang Xuan also guessed that Zheng Yan came to negotiate on behalf of Xu Shiji.

Jag Hyun put on a military uniform and walked briskly towards the guest tent.

In the big tent, Zheng Yan was sitting at the table drinking tea, and he was still thinking about how to negotiate with Zhang Xuan, which was also Xu Shiji's condition, and he had to meet Zhang Xuan directly.

At this time, a soldier outside the tent shouted, "The handsome man has arrived!" ”

As soon as the curtain was lifted, the tall Zhang Xuan walked into the big tent quickly, Zheng Yan hurriedly got up and saluted, "See the general of the envoy for the lowly position!" ”

claimed to be a humble position, which made Zhang Xuan suddenly remember that Zheng Yan was also an official appointed by the Great Sui Ministry of Officials, and he naturally thought of him as Li Jiancheng's person.

Zhang Xuan smiled and waved his hand, "No need to be polite, Zheng Xianjun, please take a seat!" ”

Zheng Yan sat down uneasily, bowed slightly, and said, "I received a letter from my uncle, saying that the Qingzhou Army has begun large-scale relief for the hungry. The Zheng family also has the intention to assist the Qingzhou Army in relieving the victims, but I wonder if the Qingzhou side is willing to accept it? ”

Zhang Xuan smiled and said: "This is a good thing, of course I welcome it, the county gentleman can write a letter to tell the clansmen to let them go to Lu County to find Wei Changshi, and say that I arranged it." The Zheng family can fully participate in disaster relief! ”

Zheng Yan was overjoyed, and hurriedly got up to thank him, which is also the purpose of his initiative to come to Zhang Xuan, although the Zheng family and Li Yuan, the nobleman of Guanlong, were married, but after all, the Zheng family was located in Xingyang County, Central Plains, seeing that the Qingzhou Army was getting stronger and stronger, how could they not leave a way back for themselves, so disaster relief was just an excuse, the key was to reach some kind of cooperation with the Qingzhou Army.

Of course, Zhang Xuan understood what Zheng Yan meant. He also wanted to give the Zheng family a chance, after all, the Zheng family is a thousand-year-old family, the first family in the Central Plains, and they are very well-connected in the Central Plains officialdom, and many county officials in the Central Plains call themselves protégés of the Zheng family.

Even Emperor Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty had to downplay Zheng Yan's defection to Yang Xuangan, which shows that the Zheng family has a great influence, so if such a big family with huge influence can fight for it, even if it can't be won, it can't easily turn around.

The two looked at each other and smiled. There is no need to say any more about the following words, Zheng Yan turned the topic to Xu Shiji's conditions. Perhaps because he felt Zhang Xuan's attitude towards the Zheng family, Zheng Yan's heart was much more relaxed at this time, and in the face of Zhang Xuan, he was no longer as nervous as he was just now, and became calm and calm.

Zheng Yan bowed and said with a smile: "General Xu is reluctant to use troops again, and is willing to accept the marshal's suggestion to lead the army to surrender." But he had a small condition. ”

"County gentleman, please continue, Zhang Xuan listens!"

Presumably, the marshal also knew that Li Gongzi and his subordinates' families were in Xinxiang County, and General Xu was ashamed that he couldn't defend the city for Li Gongzi, so he only begged the marshal not to embarrass the soldiers' families. That's all there is to it. ”

Zhang Xuan nodded, "The county gentleman went back, please tell General Xu, if he is not at ease, I will order the army not to enter the county seat of Xinxiang for a single step, and the food and materials in the city will also be handled by him independently, I will not interfere, after dawn, I will accept his surrender outside the city." ”

Zheng Yan heard that Zhang Xuan promised the army not to enter the city, and he was immediately grateful, and he also knew that this was because Zhang Xuan valued Xu Shiji, so he hurriedly got up and saluted, "The handsome and generous heart, Zheng Yan is grateful, and our county fathers and elders will remember it in their hearts!" ”

The sky gradually brightened, and outside the southern city, 10,000 Sui troops lined up to wait for the surrender of the army in the city, and Zhang Xuan rode on his horse, calmly waiting for the city gate to open.

At this time, a pro-soldier whispered: "Commander, the time has come!" ”

The appointed time finally came, and the Wagang banner on the head of the city began to slowly lower, and at the same time the white flag was raised, and a low horn sounded on the head of the city, which was the signal of the surrender of Kaesong.

The city gate slowly opened, and the drawbridge fell with a bang, and I saw groups of soldiers coming out of the city gate one after another, putting their weapons and armor aside, and then going to the other side to line up.

Nearly 5,000 soldiers came out, and then they followed out of a large group of generals, led by Xu Shiji, the main general who stayed behind, followed by a large group of generals such as Cheng Yanjin, who all took off their armor, did not hold weapons, and wore soft military uniforms.

Everyone followed Xu Shiji to Zhang Xuan's war horse, knelt down together, Xu Shiji hugged his fists high and said: "Xu Shiji, the criminal general, is willing to serve the general!" ”

"Willing to serve the general!"

Zhang Xuan hurriedly turned over and dismounted, helped Xu Shiji with both hands, and said with a smile: "When I saw General Xu for the first time in Fengqiu County, I hoped for this day, and now I am finally looking forward to it." ”

Xu Shiji didn't expect Zhang Xuan to remember the sealing of the hill back then, he was moved in his heart, and said: "Duke Mao is unfortunately committed to being a thief, and now he has finally broken away from Wagang, and is willing to be a pawn under the command of the general and follow the general to conquer the world." ”

"I will definitely let Mao Gong realize his ambition!"

Zhang Xuan said to the generals again: "From today on, everyone is my Zhang Xuan's subordinates, my words are here first, Zhang Xuan will never treat everyone badly, and I am willing to share wealth with everyone!" ”

Cheng Yanjin was excited, and suddenly raised his arms and shouted to everyone: "Everyone shout with me, long live General Zhang!" Banzai! ”

Everyone raised their arms and shouted: "Long live General Zhang!" ”

Even the soldiers shouted, Zhang Xuan was so angry and angry, when will this living treasure stop a little?

"Everyone, come with me into the camp first!"

Jag Hyun led everyone to the barracks......

The generals had a banquet in the camp, but Cheng Yanjin was taken to Zhang Xuan's big tent by his own soldiers.

"Lao Cheng see Dashuai!" Cheng Yanjin knelt down on one knee and saluted tremblingly.

"Cheng Yanjin, you should be my buddy, right?" Jang Hyun looked at him with a smirk.

Cheng got up and smiled cheekily: "Who said it wasn't?" At the beginning, Childe and I fought the black horse thief bravely, and went to Beihai together, as if it happened yesterday. ”

"No need to be close, I will give you a task, I want you to go back to Wagang!"

"Back to Wagang?" Cheng Yanjin's eyes widened.

Zhang Xuan nodded, "You go back to Wagang to do three things for me, and you will come back when the things are done, I will make you a heroic general, with a reward of 1,000 taels, do you want to do it?" ”

After thinking about it for a long time, it seemed to be a good deal, and Cheng Yanjin asked again: "What kind of official is the old lieutenant now?" ”

"He is a tiger tooth general, if you do it, you will only be one level below him."

"Since the proprietor has commanded him, how can the man be disobedient?"

Cheng Yanjin suddenly smiled, "I'll just do it." ”

Jiangdu Palace, Pei Ju walked quickly through a long corridor under the guidance of a eunuch, and came to the Son of Heaven's imperial study, Pei Ju couldn't remember clearly, how long had he not seen the Son of Heaven in the imperial study, he had been in Jiangdu for more than half a year, it seemed that the Son of Heaven only appeared in the imperial study twice, and most of the time he was indulging in wine in the deep palace, the last time it seemed that Zhang Xuan attacked Liaodong, and the saint was forced to compromise.

In fact, the government is not busy, the counties to the court on the volume of the book is getting less and less, the instructions of the various temples have also begun to flow into the situation, every day in the morning of the dynasty is still there, the dragon couch of the Son of Heaven is empty, the grandson Yang Qi sat aside, silently listening to the minister's boring and boring tirade.

Pei Ju is very clear, in fact, all the officials are very clear, this is the concrete manifestation of the beginning of the decline of the dynasty.

However, to Pei Ju's slight relief, the imperial court also controlled nearly 300,000 elite troops through Jiangdu, Luoyang and Chang'an, and even a warlord like Zhang Xuan, who had in fact supported his own troops and stood on his own, would send military reports on time every month, and as long as his interests were not violated, he would also carry out the will of the Son of Heaven to some extent.

"Father-in-law Yu, did the Holy Lord summon me for the relief of Qingzhou?"

During this time, the court was discussing the disaster situation in the Central Plains, the seven counties of the Central Plains suffered a drought that had not been encountered for decades, the grain output of the autumn harvest last year was reduced by three percent, and then almost all the winter wheat planted died.

But another thing has also aroused the attention of the government and the opposition, the government of the six counties of Qingzhou began to provide large-scale relief to the victims under the unified coordination of Zhang Xuan, and millions of victims have heard the news and poured in the direction of Qingzhou, this matter is too sensitive, everyone can only discuss quietly, the report of the Ministry of Civil Affairs to Taisun is the joint disaster relief of the six counties of Qingzhou, coordinated by Zhang Xuan, and sent the army to assist.

This is just an understatement of the official statement, but the actual situation is very clear to everyone, this is actually Zhang Xuan ordered the Qingzhou Army to provide disaster relief, although hundreds of officials from the six counties of Qingzhou were seconded, but in fact, the disaster relief itself has little to do with the government of the six counties.

The old eunuch shook his head, "The old slave really doesn't know what the reason is, but Yu Xiangguo is also there, it seems to be for the sake of the thief." ”

Pei Ju immediately understood that it must be for Zhang Xuan to exterminate Lu Mingyue, and it was right to think about it, the Son of Heaven didn't take the Central Plains disaster to heart at all, he only cared about every move of the armies in various places now.

At this time, Pei Ju had already come to the imperial study, and the old eunuch went in to report for him, and came out in a moment and said, "The Son of Heaven invites Pei Gong to go in." ”

(To be continued.) )