"What about people?" Sun Shangshu of the Ministry of War asked the scribe on duty at night with a calm face: "After you received the news, why didn't you hurry to the house of the hall officials to summon the news?" Of the four waiters, only one arrived! You do things like this, don't you want errands? ”

"Lord Shangshu," replied a gray-haired old senior official tremblingly, "wronged! After the master of the Anguo Mansion came, we went to invite someone overnight, my lord, you know, when you went out, the scribe of our military department was already waiting for you outside the door. Xu Shilang has already arrived, and Wei Shilang's house is farther away, so he must be on the way. As for Zhao Shilang and Jiang Shilang's house, their subordinates have been there, but the two adults are not at home. ”

"Not at home?" Sun Shangshu was stunned: "What's the matter?!" I didn't sleep at home in the middle of the night, where did I go, did you ask? ”

"I've asked, I've asked." The old official nodded and replied: "Zhao Shilang went to the house of Lord He of the household department yesterday for a banquet, and Mrs. Zhao said that at night, Lord Zhao sent someone to pass the word back, saying that it was late in the day, Lord He stayed overnight, and did not come back, we have already sent someone to Lord He's house to invite him." It was Jiang Shilang who got the news first and had already gone to the Anguo Mansion. The subordinates are just about to ask you to tell me whether to go to the Anguo Mansion to call Master Jiang back. ”

Sun Shangshu hesitated for a moment, and finally waved his hand and replied: "No need, let him stay in the Anguo Mansion, if such a big event happens, there should be someone from our military department to go to the Anguo Mansion to take a look." You will send two officials to the Anguo Mansion now, and listen to Jiang Shilang's dispatch instructions, so that our military department can keep in touch with each other at any time before the Anguo Mansion. Also, send someone to Master He's house to urge again, what's going on with this Zhao Zhiliang! When such a big thing happened, he was not in a hurry and did not come until now. ”

Isn't Zhao Zhiliang in a hurry or panic? On the contrary, he was scared out!

He did rest in the house of He Wenmao, the head of the household department, on this day. Zhao Zhiliang and He Wenmao, that's really the right temper. A few days ago, He Wenmao's former subordinate officials in Chunzhou came to Beijing and brought a lot of Chunzhou specialties to honor He Wenmao, including Chunzhou's famous tribute wine.

He Wenmao, an official with poor work ability, has lost a strong backer since he returned to his hometown after beating Lin Xiang. He himself is not from a big family, his foundation is not deep, his qualifications are relatively shallow, and his position is a powerful and contradictory household secretary, so he, the household secretary, was superficial at the beginning, but in fact, he was affected by the splint and was very uncomfortable.

Don't look at He Wenmao's ability is not strong, but his ability to steer the rudder and be opportunistic is quite high, he soon found that he was a "forest" official in the eyes of others, and he needed to go a different way, and now he was huddled with the Lin faction officials to keep warm, and he could no longer improve his current situation, so He Wenmao naturally began to gradually alienate the forest officials, and through Zhao Zhiliang, another official who had a good temper with him, he caught up with Li Xiang.

Therefore, at the moment, He Wenmao didn't want to contact a group of forest officials who were originally good friends with him, and he didn't dare to deal with Li Xiang's people on a large scale, so he seemed a little lonely and pitiful. When his previous subordinates entered Beijing and sent good wine to He Wenmao, the only friend he dared to invite to drink and share with him generously was Zhao Zhiliang.

So on the first day, Zhao Zhiliang was really invited to He Wenmao's house to drink, and the two of them really drank too much and got drunk, so Zhao Zhiliang didn't go home.

After the scribe of the military department came to the door, Mrs. Zhao had already sent her own subordinates to look for someone in He Shangshu's mansion. The servants sent by Mrs. Zhao were very clever, and the soldiers said something when they came to the house in the middle of the night to find someone, and the servants learned it clearly, and after Zhao Zhiliang heard it, he woke up with a hangover.

After he got the letter, he didn't rush back to the military headquarters as soon as possible, but was in a hurry to let the subordinates of He Mansion go to He Wenmao.

He Wenmao soon appeared in front of Zhao Zhiliang with a hangover and swollen face, his face full of unhappiness. In the middle of the night, he was dazed and drunk, and he slept soundly, when he was suddenly called up, and of course his mood was not much better.

But he still got up, one of the reasons was that he felt that if it wasn't for an emergency, Zhao Zhiliang wouldn't suddenly call him in the middle of the night.

When He Wenmao arrived at the guest room in the front yard, Zhao Zhiliang was already in a hurry, and when he saw He Wenmao appear with a gloomy face, Zhao Zhiliang didn't even have time to wait for He Wenmao to speak, so he rushed to open his mouth and explained the news he had just gotten clear.

Zhao Zhiliang's few words made He Wenmao's breath that had been saved for a long time like a popped balloon, and it was all at once, his face was blue and green, and he held back for a long time before he lowered his voice and said: "Is the news true?" Don't be a rumor! ”

"How can it be a rumor!" Zhao Zhiliang's face was not much better, his hands and feet were cold, and he trembled slightly: "The Anguo Mansion sent someone to the military department in the middle of the night, and the third watch sued the military department in the middle of the night, do you think it can be fake?" ”

"But where did they get the news?! Three more in the middle of the night. He Wenmao frowned and asked, "The news we got before only said that the grain and grass have been destroyed!" ”

"What can I do now!" Zhao Zhiliang seemed to be a little angry, and he, a fifth-grade official, couldn't help but jump in front of He Wenmao, a second-rank official, but even if he was angry, he still didn't dare to raise his voice: "Where did you care about his news!" Now think about what to do! ”

"Don't worry, don't worry, let me think about it." He Wenmao frowned: "Xing ......"

"What else do you want!" Zhao Zhiliang almost couldn't suppress his voice: "Sun Shangshu has already sent someone to call me back to the military department!" Who the hell are you looking for, and how are things going on?! I said I'll find someone for you, you don't trust me, you have to do it yourself! What is absolutely appropriate Jianghu friends, where is it appropriate? Now what! ”

"Be quiet!" He Wenmao lowered his voice and scolded angrily: "It's not messy enough!" If you're afraid of dragging you down, you can go now! ”

"I came up with the idea, can I pick it clean!" Zhao Zhiliang was so angry that he was incoherent: "Are you drinking too much and your brain is not sober!" Do you know who is in trouble? The fifth and sixth sons of the Anguo Mansion! Do you think the Mu family can give up?! What the hell is going on here?! Isn't it just pretending to be a Rongdi person to loot grain and grass? Jin Lingwei who went to escort was only 500 people, so he couldn't understand this? Why hurt! ”

"You ask me, I ask who to go!" He Wenmao replied angrily: "I still want to know, I paid so much silver, why did things become like this!" ”

"Then you say!" Zhao Zhiliang finally couldn't help but let go of his voice: "What should I do now?!" ”