In Suzhou in June, the sun is blazing and the climate is hot and humid.

It is located in the middle of the Huaibei Plain, with many rivers intersecting from north to south, and the Bianhe River passing through the city. It has unique development advantages in terms of agriculture, animal husbandry, commerce, and handicrafts.

Later Su Shi called Suzhou the first state in Huainan. Today, Suzhou is at the forefront of the Huaibei states, and the taxes sent to the court every year account for more than 30% of the entire Huaibei region.

When the imperial court was newly established, Zhu Xiu and Li Chongjin came to Suzhou and were ordered to form an army to suppress the Huaihe River. They selected Jianghuai children to join the army, rectified the civil affairs, cracked down on bandits, and improved the public security in Suzhou.

Zhu Xiu also asked for a tax exemption for Suzhou for one year, and used the money to expand the Caohe wharf, build water conservancy, dredge river channels, stabilize prices, and restore people's livelihood in Suzhou in a short time.

Nowadays, Suzhou relies on its geographical advantages and has experienced good harvests year after year. With the advantage of Bianhe River water transportation, Suzhou has become an important distribution center for bulk goods in the Huaihe River area.

Later, Li Gu took over the duties of Zhu Xiu and Li Chongjin. On the one hand, he continued to strengthen the training of the Huai army, on the other hand, he rewarded farming and fertility, and vigorously developed business exchanges. Suzhou became more and more prosperous.

Li Chongjin came to Suzhou and contacted his old troops. No one knew that he was fleeing south under the imperial edict, and they thought he was really returning to Suzhou on the emperor's order. All the generals and generals of the Huai Army expressed their welcome.

Li Gu originally had doubts, so while appeasing Li Chongjin, he sent people back to Kaifeng to inquire about the news.

Unexpectedly, Li Chongjin was so bold that he instigated his confidants Liu Qingyi, Liu Shouzhong, and Liu Tingrang to take advantage of Li Gu's banquet at Jiedu Mansion to imprison Li Gu with his own soldiers. It was said that Li Gu had been ordered to return to Kaifeng and that the court had another appointment.

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Li Chong came in and occupied the magpie's nest, changed the staff inside and outside the government office, and settled down with peace of mind.

This man also knew how to keep a low profile and live in seclusion. All civil affairs were handled by Zhai Shouxun, while military affairs were left to San Liu. He stayed with his wife and children all day long and hardly left the house.

On this day, Li Chongjin practiced martial arts in the back garden of his mansion as usual.

Huhuhu~

He danced with a black iron gun that roared in the wind, and his bare upper body was as bronze as metal. There were more than a dozen straw men pierced around it. Every time the gun was pierced, one of the straw men was stabbed in the vital part.

Dong Waner, a first-time mother, sat aside with Li Yanfu in her arms, with a soft smile on her face, humming nursery rhymes to coax her child to sleep, and looked at Li Chongjin from time to time, with deep affection hidden in her eyes.

She is originally from Jiangnan. Compared with Kaifeng, she is more adaptable to and prefers the climate of Suzhou.

When she came to Suzhou, there were fewer welcomes and greetings, and she felt more at ease.

I just don't know how long such peaceful days can last.

Dong Waner sighed lightly. Her husband took the family documents and fled south. The crime was not light, and he didn't know how the officials would deal with it.

She hugged the baby tightly, lowered her head and gently touched the child's forehead with her own.

Regardless of life or death, she just hopes that their family will never be separated.

Zhai Shouxun, who was dressed in light green official uniform, walked into the garden gate and bowed to Dong Waner.

Dong Waner immediately turned cold and turned aside to accept his courtesy.

In her opinion, her husband's current situation was all caused by this ambitious monster.

Zhai Shouxun didn't take it seriously and walked straight towards Li Chongjin.

"Whoops!~" Li Chongjin thrust the black iron gun into the floor tiles with all his strength. The sharp tip of the spear pierced the bricks and shattered them into pieces, and most of them were buried in the soil.

"Bring me a towel!" Li Chongjin breathed heavily, his whole body was steaming, and sweat was dripping down his strong muscle lines.

Zhai Shouxun took the tray from the maid's hand and walked to Li Chongjin.

"You scholar, I haven't seen you for three days. I thought you took the money from the treasury and fled south to join the Tang Dynasty!"

Li Chongjin laughed loudly.

Zhai Shou inquired and said: "The government of the Tang Dynasty was in chaos. Even Hunan could not be conquered for a long time. It has become so decayed. What is the future? It is expected that the Tang Dynasty will be destroyed by the Northern Army sooner or later!"

Li Chongjin wiped the sweat all over his body: "Tell me, why do you come to see me? Forget about sending troops to the north and raising troops to start an uprising. I have already thought clearly about whether the emperor is not an emperor. I don't care, as long as I can live a peaceful life!"

"

Zhai Shouxun sneered: "The general has committed an unforgivable crime, but he still clings to a meaningless loyalty when he is about to die? Do we have to wait until the butcher's knife of the official and the King of Jin is held between his necks to wake up?

?”

Li Chongjin had heard similar words countless times, and he said carelessly: "Before, you said that before I could escape to Suzhou, the officials would send troops to pursue me.

When I arrived in Suzhou, I was told that the officials would mobilize Murong Yanzhao from Xuzhou and Li Wanchao from Bozhou to launch an encirclement and suppression campaign.

Now that the officials have decreed that I will be appointed as Sizhou Defense Envoy, and concurrently as Deputy Envoy of the Huai Army, things will be calm and my life will be peaceful, what else do you have to say?"

Zhai Shouxun's face turned slightly red, feeling ashamed and angry, and he said sophistry: "The officials are just delaying the war. Sooner or later, when they are free to take action, they will accuse you!"

Li Chongjin said nonchalantly: "Let's talk about it when the day comes!"

Li Chongjin was too lazy to pay attention to him and took his son from Dong Waner's hand. Just as he picked him up, the little boy burst into tears and twisted restlessly.

"Hey~ This brat doesn't look like me, but his voice is quite similar! Haha~"

Li Chongjin hugged his son and teased him for a while.

Dong Waner grabbed the child angrily and glared at him fiercely.

Zhai Shouxun said sadly: "The general has lost his ambition. If so, it is better to return to Kaifeng as soon as possible to be tried!"

Li Chongjin watched his wife leave with her son in her arms, and said with a smile: "I'm not busy, just wait a moment!"

"Time is waiting for me, how can we wait?" Zhai Shouxun gritted his teeth and said, "When the King of Jin succeeds to the throne and the world returns to its center, even if the general has the ability to reach the sky and the earth, he will be unable to recover! In the end, there is only death!"

Li Chongjin glanced at him and said calmly: "You don't understand the temperament of our family, nor can you understand the friendship between us. The official family is my uncle, and the King of Jin is my cousin. I can't bear to be their enemy, and they can't

He won't kill me.

I'm waiting to see what they will do with me."

Zhai Shouxun sneered: "Friendship? How can there be any friendship in a power struggle? People who care about friendship have long since passed away!"

Li Chongjin was silent for a while and sighed: "Zhu Xiu also told me about this issue. He said that a person must have a bottom line and principles in his actions. If he is too unscrupulous, he can win for a while, but not for a lifetime. If he goes against the way of heaven, he will eventually be defeated.

Forsaken by all eternity!"

Zhai Shouxun said angrily: "The way of heaven is to succeed as a king and lose as a bandit! If the general does not seize this last opportunity, he will regret it for the rest of his life!"

Li Chongjin looked at Zhai Shouxun, sighed helplessly, cupped his hands and begged for mercy: "Mr. Zhai, please don't force me anymore! I, Li Chongjin, have no ambitions, and I am not the kind of majestic hero who can help the world!"

I know you are full of ambitions, but it's a pity that you can't realize them here.

How about I intercede with the King of Jin on your behalf? Let him give you a court official position?

Or should I recommend you to work for Zhu Xiu? That guy is smarter and more capable than me, and he will definitely have a better future than me!

Or Zhang Yongde? That is the prince-in-law of the country!

How about Zhao Kuangyin? He is also a good person..."

Zhai Shouxun was so angry that he was shaking all over. He was talking seriously to Li Chongjin about important matters, but this guy was joking with him?

Zhai Shouxun's chest rose and fell violently, then gradually calmed down. He looked deeply at Li Chongjin with an unyielding hatred, cupped his hands and turned to leave.

"Wait a minute!" Li Chongjin stopped him.

"At Li Gu's place, I have changed the manpower and asked Liu Qingyi to personally take care of it, so don't think about taking action again!"

Zhai Shouxun stared slightly, his expression ugly.

Li Chongjin said calmly, "You want to kill Li Gu and force me to rebel? Li Gu is a good official and a talented person. If you kill him, you will step on my bottom line!"

Li Chongjin stared at Zhai Shouxun like a tiger and a leopard: "Do you know why I don't kill you? Why do I still trust you and put you in high regard?"

Zhai Shouxun felt a chill as if he was being watched by tigers and wolves, so he gritted his teeth and said nothing.

Li Chongjin said with a smile: "Because in Suzhou, after Zhu Xiu left, no scholar was willing to serve me, and you were the only one who took the initiative to serve me!"

Li Chongjin was a little helpless and a little angry: "The Jianghuai nobles secretly look down on me, and even look down on the officials and the King of Jin, thinking that we are just a bunch of vulgar people!

Damn it, I want to show them that my Guo family can not only fight, but also manage civil affairs!

King Jin becomes emperor, I accept it!

I just want to know, if he becomes emperor, will he still care about the brotherhood between us? Will he still take my cousin seriously?"

Li Chongjin's tone was cold: "So Mr. Zhai, your plan can be stopped here! I don't care what your intentions are. For the sake of your loyalty back then, I won't pursue the past any longer.

If you stay, you will still be my staff. As long as Li Chongjin survives, I will ensure your wealth for the rest of your life!

If you leave, I will offer you a large sum of money, and you will be worthy of being a master and a servant!"

Zhai Shouxun shivered, and let out a sigh of relief as if he had been defeated. His whole body revealed a sense of decadence and powerlessness after madness.

He cupped his hands, said nothing, and walked away with a heavy step.

Li Chongjin shook his head, Zhai Shouxun was a talented man, but it was a pity that he went astray.

After arriving in Suzhou, Li Chongjin's feverish mind finally sobered up, and his desire for the emperor's throne suddenly disappeared.

His ambitions were all aroused by Zhai Shouxun, and he finally figured it out after repeated setbacks.

But Zhai Shouxun's mind seemed to never wake up.

Liu Shouzhong, a confidant, hurried over, saluted and whispered: "General, there is a man and a camel coming from Kaifeng. His humble position has been found out. The person who came is none other than Zhu Xiu, the Marquis of Dingyuan, and the giant iron tower man from the historian!"

Li Chongjin's eyebrows were filled with joy, and he clenched his fists fiercely. It seemed that he had not waited in vain, Zhu Xiu was indeed here!

Zhu Xiuneng must have been entrusted by the officials and the King of Jin to come.

"Where have they been?"
To be continued...