The flames of the rebellion of the three feudatories burned vigorously for two years, and by the sixteenth year of Kangxi, the mountains were empty of firewood and soot. Along the Yangtze River, from Jiangsu and Zhejiang in the east, to Sichuan and Guizhou in the west, it is a beacon of fire, blood flows into a river, coupled with the mutiny, Gan Shanning also suffered from it.

Wu Sangui since the first month of the thirteenth year of Kangxi, divided his troops into two routes, one to the east and Hunan, and the other to the north to attack Sichuan and Shaanxi; Geng Jingzhong led his troops from Fuzhou and marched to Jiangxi and Zhejiang respectively with Zheng Jing's troops who landed from Taiwan. Only Shang Zhixin and Sun Yanling have different ambitions, plus there are reckless and heavy troops in the north, and Fu Honglie in the south, so he sticks to the old nest and does not dare to act rashly. At the beginning of the war, Hunan Governor Lu Zhen abandoned Changsha and fled, Changde, Yuezhou, Hengzhou, and Caozhou collapsed in an instant, and Sichuan Governor Luo Sen conspired with Admiral Zheng Jiaolan, and the general soldiers Tan Hong and Wu Zhimao conspired to welcome Wu. For a time, the north, south, east and west, there were stormy clouds and black water, and Kangxi's decree did not go out of the northern provinces. Because of the early planning before the war, the stability of the rear, and the lack of food and rations, the situation did not take a turn for the better in a short time. Prince Kang Jieshu led the Eastern Route Army to attack Zhejiang and Jiangxi, and joined forces with the governor Li Zhifang to attack Quzhou; Bei Zi Laita led the elite cavalry to break through the camp of Daxitan, cut off Geng Jingzhong's grain road, the soldiers had no food and the army was scattered, and the situation was reversed in an instant. Geng Jingzhong had no choice but to lead his army back to Fujian. Soon, Jieshu captured Wenzhou and occupied Xianxia Pass. Zheng Jing's military horses took advantage of the fire to rob and seize Zhangzhou, Quanzhou, and Tingzhou. In desperation, Geng Jingzhong had no choice but to surrender anyway. Prince An Yue Le led the Qing troops from Jiangxi into Hunan and besieged Yongxing. Yongxing is the gateway to Yuezhou, Yongxing, Yuezhou day and night, in order to ensure Yuezhou, Wu Sangui's Chinese army battalion moved to Hengzhou, to fight with the Qing soldiers here. Kangxi knew that the stakes were very high, and transported the newly cast twenty red-coated cannons to Yongxing. More than 700,000 horses and horses set up a decisive battle posture in the Heng and Yue areas, and the battle was dark, and no one could help anyone for a while, and it became a stalemate.

Wu Sangui sent Wu Shicong to Guangdong to send a letter from Shang to help, but Wu Shicong went away. Wu Sangui had no choice but to send Wang Shirong to Guangzhou with more than a dozen escorts. In recent years, Wang Shirong has become sick due to running around, and he has become more and more pitiful. He originally regarded himself as a superhuman in intelligence, but Wu Sangui only used him as a messenger. Xia Guoxiang also knew that he was resourceful, but he refused to recommend him in front of Wu Sangui. He originally thought that if the war was fought together, he would be able to dominate the world and become illustrious. But now that he is over forty years old, he still has achieved nothing. Therefore, Wang Shirong looked around on the horse, not knowing when he could relieve this sorrow.

When I entered Wuyang City, it was the end of Shen. The officials of the Baiyun Mountain Post House were sitting in the patio drinking tea and playing chess, setting up a dragon gate array, and when they saw Wang Shirong coming in, they all stood up and greeted each other. The leader also came up to say hello to Qian'er: "Uncle Wang, it's been so hard all the way!" Since the last time I left with the king of Shicong County, I'm afraid it's been two or three years, why did you come here? ”

"Does King Shicong also live here?" Wang Shirong threw the whip to the servant and said, "Please report it quickly, saying that I have something important to see!" The post officer smiled and said: "Look at the uncle's urgency, although he said that he lives here, in fact, it is rare to stay here for one night in ten days." It's not in Juxian Building, it's the flower market, or it's going to Sister Hu's in Chunliu Lane......" Wang Shirong listened, his hands were so angry that his hands were cold, and the soldiers in front of him were desperate, and they couldn't even eat red rice and sweet potatoes, but the people who were urging them were sleeping in the willows here! He thought for a moment, waved his hand in discouragement, and said, "Then let's get rid of this layer." Please inform your prince and the governor Jin Guangzu, and say that I will see you tomorrow. ”

Wang Shirong ate a few bites of food, and felt that his body was very tired, so he went to the west wing and his clothes to fall down, and did not light the lamp, but only held the jade flute in his hand and stroked it. At this time, the moon shadow shines through the window, bright as washing, how many past events come to mind, and it is difficult to fall asleep. This flute was given to him by his cousin, and he traveled abroad to study and be an official for many years, and he never left. When he returned home in the first year of Kangxi, his cousin was already married to his eldest brother. The eldest brother, who was dedicated to wealth, went out to sell salt, set up another door in Hangzhou, married a large group of concubines, and only went home for two nights in five years, and left some silver and went again.

"Brother still takes my jade flute ......" On the night of going home, my sister-in-law finished washing, and then passed through the west wing, staring at the jade flute in Wang Shirong's hand and sighed.

"You and I will one day have gray hair and die of old age, only it will always be the same......" Wang Shirong looked at his sister-in-law's wrinkled eyes and turned a little red, and sighed again: "At that time, I will enter the loess, you will enter the incense tomb, although we die in different holes, I will cut this flute into two, you half a root, I half a root......

At this point, the two of them were in tears, and they couldn't help but hug each other and sob.

"Okay, I've got all of them!" When the two were hugging and inseparable, the door suddenly "squeaked", and the stepmother walked in in a flash, covered the door casually, and sneered: "I said that grandma is so happy today, she walks with the wind in her footsteps, and she doesn't even watch the play, she dares to be in love, and she has picked up a big ingots in her arms!" Second young master, although I have not been in your Wang family for a short time, I also know your old lady's temperament, let him know about this, will he be angry? ”

Wang Shirong and his sister-in-law were shocked: Didn't they all watch the play tonight, why did this woman slip back halfway? Just thinking about it, my sister-in-law knelt down on her knees and wept and mourned: "...... Madam, it's all mine, so I look at him and spare us......" Wang Shirong had no choice but to kneel: "...... Mother, no matter how you punish me, don't tell my father that he is an old man......"

The queen mother looked at Wang Shirong stupidly, and suddenly smiled for a while: "You have been out for all these years, and you haven't even learned this idea?" Chen Ping reported to his sister-in-law, my family is out of Chen Ping, it's too late for me to rejoice! As he spoke, he picked up the two of them and twisted them in Wang Shirong's palm, "But good things can't just be taken up by the eldest grandmother, there is a way to meet and divide half." I, the living widow, have seen it, and I must take my head, and you will be in peace......"

The matter of the three of them was soon discovered by the old father. It's just that the ugliness of the family should not be publicized. Swallowing the bitter fruit, I passed. Nearly 70 years old, less than a month later, my father fell ill and died......

Wang Shirong thought about these past events, and only felt that there were all five flavors, sweet, sour, bitter, spicy and salty, blocked in his chest, and there was nowhere to pour. He subconsciously raised the flute to his mouth, whimpering and blowing his home-created "Weihe Night".

"Good tune!" Someone outside the window suddenly said, "Brother Shirong, what's unpleasant, blowing people full of desolation, I can't bear to listen to it, I can't stop it?" ”

"Who is it?" Wang Shirong turned over and sat up and asked.

The man outside didn't answer, the door knocked softly, and he entered alone with a candle - dressed in an ochre yellow dragon robe, wearing a seven-beam crown on his head, and a foundation soap boot on his feet—it was Shang Zhixin who came at night!

"Lord Wang!"

"What prince!" Shang Zhixin pressed the stunned Wang Shirong with both hands, and said with a smile, "You are Mr. Wang tonight, I am Shang Zhixin, and I am willing to get along as friends!" As he spoke, he sat down across from him with a smile on his face. Wang Shirong sat down in disbelief and asked, "Lord Wang, you are ......" Shang Zhixin smiled, sighed and said, "Sir, I have admired your talent for a long time, but there is no plane tree at home, and it is difficult to recruit a phoenix." I think you understand the current dilemma of the battle situation better than me, and I am here to seek advice from Mr. Yu! ”

Wang Shirong's heart jumped "poof", and then he smiled: "Lord Wang, how dare you be the word 'seek advice' in your later life?" Shang Zhixin shook his head and smiled bitterly: "It's no wonder that you-just because the soldiers here are difficult to bring, I have to treat people with deception, in fact, this is not my intention." But since I have this bad reputation, I can't blame people for being suspicious of me, and I'm also very bitter in my heart! He pulled a roll of paper from his sleeve and said, "Look at this." Wang Shirong took it suspiciously, read it by the lamp and candle, and as soon as he touched his eyes, he exclaimed: "Ah, this is chao-"

"Silence!" Shang Zhixin looked out vigilantly and said in a low voice: "It is the will of the imperial court!" I had revised the imperial court three months ago and asked for surrender, and this Zhu edict was transferred from Fu Honglie more than half a month ago. ”

The two men in the house stopped talking, and they looked at each other for a long time, speculating about each other's thoughts. Wang Shirong returned the edict to Shang Zhixin in a daze, and said: "In this way, Wu Shicong has been placed under house arrest for the prince. I, Wang, also let the prince fall. ”

"Where!" Shang Zhixin laughed, "How do you compare to Wu Shicong's wine bag and rice bag disciple?" If I imprison you, this is a matter of words, so why should I visit in person? Come and see - in today's situation, Geng Jingzhong has surrendered to the imperial court, *** desperately going west, unwilling to go east; Sun Yanling was subject to Fu Honglie and me, and did nothing. But if I aid Hunan Province, Sun Yanling will definitely come to grab the territory of Guangdong, and Wu Sangui is fighting with the imperial court in Hunan on the one hand, and on the other hand, he is fighting my abacus. The general trend of the world is like this, Mr. Pan teaches me! Wang Shirong was thrilled when he heard this, blood gushed up, his face was flushed, but he muttered in his mouth: "Now that the prince has returned to the Qing Dynasty, what else can I say?" ”

"Mr. still can't believe me!" Shang Zhixin said with a smile, "Right now, Kangxi and Wu Sangui have become red-eyed in Yuezhou, and they have become a lose-lose situation. Although Geng Jingzhong of Fujian did not sincerely surrender to the Qing Dynasty, he did not have soldiers, which was in vain! Of the three people, I was the only one who did not lose the slightest. Uh--since ancient times, good birds choose trees to perch, and good ministers choose their masters, sir, what do you mean? ”

Wang Shirong's eyes jumped in the shadow of the candle: Shang Zhixin has a fierce reputation, and he conspired with Wu Sangui since Shangwuhua Mountain, and was regarded as a treacherous person. Now it seems that it is a great talent! Could it be that his own fame and career should be accomplished in this person? Wang Shirong thought about it, frowned and slowly raised the flute to his lips, and the song "Breaking the Array" rose from the ground, and suddenly jumped into the deep valley, which was very desolate and tragic. Shang Zhixin was stunned for a moment, and then leaned back in his chair and listened thoughtfully. At the end of the long song, Wang Shirong said unhurriedly: "Although the prince is not injured today, the west is subject to Fu Honglie and Sun Yanling, and the east is subject to Jieshu. As soon as the Yueyang War ended, Wu Sangui won, and you will be punished for the crime of not helping, and Kangxi will be victorious, and you will be punished for the crime of not being subordinate. Although the prince has a strong army, it is difficult to achieve great things if he lives here! ”

"Oh!"

"If you can take advantage of this invincible and undefeated situation, unite with ***, wait for the endgame of the battle of Yuezhou, and attack from the north and south, it will be a great success......" Wang Shirong clasped his hands together.

"Good!" Shang Zhixin high-fived and praised, "But who can take on this heavy responsibility?" ”

"I'm the only one who went there myself."

"Mr. Xie!" Shang Zhixin couldn't help but be ecstatic, and actually got up and bowed to the ground.

"Slow!" Wang Shirong said slowly, "Don't be idle here, take out the two nails of Sun Yanling and Fu Honglie quietly, and when the war in Yuezhou is clear, there will be no one in the way when the troops are dispatched." Shang Zhixin was itchy by him. After thinking about it for a while, I felt a little difficult, Sun Yanling was cunning and cunning, and shrank his head early when he saw that the situation was not good; Fu Honglie is another hard-headed nail, how can he "remain quiet"? Wang Shirong had already guessed Shang Zhixin's thoughts, stood up and said with a smile: "Food! Lord Wang, Sun Yanling stayed in the nest, not only afraid of the court, afraid that the prince would swallow him, but also for a critical reason, he was short of food! If you lure him with bread, you can put him to death! Fu Honglie is also short of food, he is my sworn brother, there is no one who does not believe, I will write a letter to him. You can let Wu Shicong do it together. ”

At that time, the two discussed in secret until late at night, and Wang Shirong set off for Shaanxi on the third day.

Sun Yanling's situation is much more serious than Wang Shirong estimated. Since Geng Jingzhong's defeat, Wu Sangui didn't care about him at all, not only did he have no money or food, but he also urged him to lead his troops north. Sun Yanling only ended up with an empty title of King Linjiang, and he had to send Liu Cheng to Guilin to be the governor of Jin Guangzu. The most fatal thing is the lack of food, and because the soldiers are not able to keep up with their salaries, those who slip away, those who escape, and those who mutiniate occur from time to time. After four years of holding each other, not only could they not advance northward, Fu Honglie's 7,000 troops and horses actually approached Guilin in a big way, and the station was only 60 miles away from Guilin. On the north side, Mang Yitu also pressed to the area of the third street. Guilin City, in fact, is already embattled.

He thought about it again and again, but finally he was poor. Sun Yanling decided to be cheeky and beg Kong Sizhen to ask the emperor to allow him to surrender anyway.

After the mutiny in Guilin, Kong Sizhen moved to the Baiyi Nunnery in the north of the city, personally led Dai Liangchen and other clothed domestic slaves, and planted two acres of vegetable gardens behind the nunnery.

Sun Yanling rode alone to Baiyi Nunnery, when it was noon, the gatekeeper saw that he was coming, it was not easy to report, and it was not good not to report, so he had to hide far away. Sun Yanling looked left and right while walking along the Shinto monument corridor, but saw that the courtyard was so neat that there was not even a single weed, the moss on the ancient cypress was mottled, and the plum trees planted along the wall were fat and green. Sun Yanling stepped past the main hall and came to the front of Kong Sizhen's bamboo surrounded by greenery, and was hesitating, when he heard Kong Sizhen shouting in the backyard: "Mei Xiang, put down the bamboo curtain on the back window, there are many flies in the ground, and people can't even sleep when they fly in!" When looking through the bamboo shade, Kong Sizhen stood under the porch in cloth and hairpin, drying vegetables on the rope. Sun Yanling hurriedly rushed in a few steps, bowed to the ground, and said with a smile: "Princess, I'm ...... Look, you're coming...... I've been busy these days, and I haven't had time, and at first glance, I really can't admit it, you're getting worse than before......"

"Dai Liangchen!" Kong Sizhen only took out the wet and drenched beans from the basket one by one, put them on the rope, and shouted back, "Go and clean up the hook on the well rope, the bucket always falls into the well, so you don't know how to the snacks?" "Princess......" Sun Yanling screamed again with a smile on her face, and seeing that there was no response, she hurriedly came over to help her move the vegetable basket and carry the vegetables. Kong Sizhen suddenly exclaimed in fright: "Yo! Isn't this the King of Linjiang of Wu Sangui's Great Zhou family? Why are you idle today? Why do you want to go to a woman's house? ”

Sun Yanling knew that there must be such ridicule, so he smiled awkwardly and said, "Where is the King of Linjiang, Yanling has come to greet you!" So he gave her a look, and there was a "snort" laugh from the depths of the green shade, and when she looked back, she didn't even see anyone.

"You're not the King of Linjiang?" Kong Sizhen's willow eyebrows were upside down, her bright eyes widened, and she took a step closer and asked, "How do you wear this dress, where did the braids go earlier?" This is strange, first said it was the forehead, and then said that it was the prince, and now it is not the prince, so why don't you want to be the emperor? You've risen so fast! ”

"I ...... I...... Alas! Sun Yanling stuttered for a long time, and finally reluctantly smiled, "Princess, don't be sarcastic about me, I ate, I made the wrong idea, I didn't listen to your kind words, and now my intestines are repentant, and I beg the princess to think of a way for me......"

Kong Sizhen looked at him coldly, didn't say a word, sat on the stone under the bean shelf, combed his hair, and said after a while: "Women's family, long hair and short knowledge, what can I do?" Besides, you are now a prince, full of pride, why do you say 'ate', 'wrong idea', 'regret your intestines'? Running to me and telling me this, I don't understand what you mean! ”

"Please, princess, save my life!" Sun Yanling's heart was crossed, he knelt down hard, arched his hand and said, "The current situation is very difficult, there is a deep valley in front of you, and there is a hungry wolf in the back, please read our husband and wife relationship, enter Beijing and turn around for me in front of the saint, Yanling has no teeth...... Don't forget your kindness! As he spoke, he remembered the predicament he was in, like a lonely boat on the waves, looking around, without relatives, and tears were already pouring out, "To tell you the truth, I have no place to cry now...... Shang Zhixin's 100,000 elite soldiers were eyeing him, Fu Honglie and Mang Yitu were close at hand, and the soldiers were reluctant to fight...... and lack of food and wages...... Ten stops have escaped four stops......" He covered his face with his hands, trying to restrain himself, but tears still flowed from his fingers......

Seeing him like this, Kong Sizhen remembered the past, but he was not discouraged, and said, "How did I persuade you to come in the past?" I don't listen! Let people go crazy and be a rebel prince! It's okay now, the prince did it, and he still came to pester me? When the monkey was killed, why didn't he think about the relationship between husband and wife? As he spoke, he wiped away tears. Sun Yanling felt that there was a gap when he heard this, blew his nose, bowed, and made another wave, trembling and took out a small bag from his arms and held it to Kong Sizhen, and said in a throated voice: "Back to the princess, I really didn't kill the green monkey." He killed four thousand of us in a row, and the people were so angry that they surrounded him and slashed him with knives...... Although I have taken the wrong path, the conscience of heaven and earth has not dared to forget the princess for a moment. That's what it is...... Witness! ”

Kong Sizhen silently took the paper bag, opened it and saw that it was a golden hairpin, which was given to Sun Yanling three months after getting married, but he didn't expect that this family is still well preserved. Thinking of Sun Yanling's love and obedience in the past, he unconsciously moved his heart, and sighed: "You don't have to be like this, it's always me who is too soft-hearted, and I still have to worry about this heart!" It's just that you are guilty of treason, even if I go to ask the Empress Dowager and the emperor, I may not be ......" Sun Yanling hurriedly said: "The Empress Dowager loves you the most, you go and ask in person, there is nothing that you will not agree." As long as you are willing to go, the court will not be gracious, and I will not complain if I die......" Kong Sizhen thought for a while and said, "That's it." But I'm afraid you're going to have a hard time. If you don't make some contributions, it will be difficult for me to speak in front of the emperor, he uses national law to block people, and the queen mother is helpless. ”

"What can I do?" Sun Yanling said confusedly.

"Come with me!" Kong Sizhen lifted the curtain and entered the house.

Sun Yanling followed in, and saw Kong Sizhen gently press the mechanism in front of the mantle, and the porcelain Guanyin statue more than a foot high slowly moved away, but there was a small stone trough under the seat. Kong Sizhen took out an iron Ruyi from it, handed it to Sun Yanling and said: "This is Fu Zhongcheng's token, after I leave, you personally hold it, quickly contact Master Fu, take advantage of it anyway, you can work together to beat Shang Zhixin, and it will be easy to talk in the future......" Sun Yanling hurriedly took it, and said with a smile: "I didn't expect you to have this object here?" ”

"I am a guard of the imperial court, and I have not been dismissed, so I naturally have to do things for the imperial court." Kong Sizhen said coldly, "Right now, you have no salary in the army, and Master Fu is also short of food, why don't you ask for something from Liu Cheng, who came to be the governor?" If you have a salary, you can fight, and as soon as you start a war, you will have merit! If you can hold Wu Shicong, I expect that not only will you be exempted from the death penalty, but maybe your official position will be retained. ”

"Princess Xie-" Sun Yanling smiled and said, "It's also a coincidence, yesterday I just received Shang Zhixin's letter, Wu Shicong was ordered by Wu Sangui to come to Guangxi to inspect ......."

"Don't play tricks anymore," Kong Sizhen instructed, "It's just one chance!" ”

That night, Sun Yanling stayed at Kong Sizhen's place, and in addition to doing his best to do what he could, he also discussed a lot of secrets. On the second day, Kong Sizhen went north and returned to Beijing.