Jia Xu had a dream.
In his dream, he was in the court, and Liu Xie sat upright on the throne of the emperor, with a haggard face and a look of despair and helplessness in his eyes.
The ministers surrendered to Cao Pi, and they shouted loudly, demanding that Liu Xie abdicate, and their voices echoed in the court.
Liu Xie cried, tears slid down his cheeks, his body trembled slightly, and he seemed so helpless.
Jia Xu walked to Liu Xie and said softly: "Your Majesty, the situation is over. For your safety, please write a decree for abdication. After all, you are related to Cao Pi, and I believe Cao Pi will treat you well."
Liu Xie raised his head and looked at Jia Xu, with a trace of despair and unwillingness flashing in his eyes.
"Jia Xu, is there no other way? I don't want to lose the throne!"
Jia Xu sighed helplessly.
"Your Majesty, the situation is now settled, Cao Pi is powerful, and we cannot compete with him. Writing the abdication edict can still save your life."
Liu Xie bit his lip and tears became even more intense.
"I worked diligently for the Han Dynasty, but ended up like this..."
The court was silent, and only Liu Xie's sob echoed in the air.
Jia Xu looked at Liu Xie silently, and a hint of sadness appeared in his heart.
Jia Xu's eyes suddenly became vicious. He approached Liu Xie, with a hint of threat in his voice.
"Your Majesty, there is not much time left. You should sign quickly! Otherwise, the consequences will be unimaginable."
Liu Xie's body was trembling. He looked at Jia Xu, his eyes full of fear and helplessness.
Finally, he picked up his pen and slowly signed his name on the abdication edict.
Jia Xu took the abdication edict signed by Liu Xie and breathed a sigh of relief.
He rushed to Cao Pi without stopping and handed over the edict.
Cao Pi took the edict and showed a satisfied smile on his face. However, Jia Xu said with a serious face: "Duke Cao, you must not print this edict directly. In this way, you will bear the infamy of the whole world."
Cao Pi looked at Jia Xu in confusion.
"Why is this?"
Jia Xu said with a far-sighted approach: "Mr. Cao, in order to show your kindness, you should resign three times. In this way, people in the world will think that you had to do it after Liu Xie's repeated requests."
Cao Pi nodded.
"What Jia Xu said is very much. Then let me leave this matter to you."
Jia Xu woke up from that strange dream, rubbed his temples, his heart full of doubts and anxiety.
He murmured to himself, "How could I be such a vicious person in my dream? Is this really me?"
His heart began to get entangled, recalling the scene in his dream, feeling a burst of guilt.
Jia Xu realized that perhaps in his subconscious, there were some dark side that he usually didn't want to face.
Suddenly, he remembered another important thing.
"Cao Pi is dead? Then your Majesty should rest assured now..."
This thought made him feel a little relieved.
Jia Xu rubbed his sleepy eyes, and the headache after the hangover made him frown slightly.
He looked around and found himself in a strange inn room, and an inexplicable warmth surged in his heart.
"How could I get drunk? And I'm still in the inn..."
He shook his head and tried to sort out his thoughts.
Jia Xu thought to himself: "The people in the store are so nice. I got drunk last night. They can still get me here to have a safe place to rest. We must thank them tomorrow."
He felt grateful in his heart, and he felt a little ashamed of his drunken behavior last night.
The next day, Jia Xu came to the counter of the inn with a refreshing spirit.
He smiled and said to the waiter gratefully: "Brother, thank you for helping me here yesterday. I was drunk last night. If it weren't for your help, I wouldn't know what would happen."
He asked, "How much is the wine?"
The waiter replied with a smile.
"Customer, the total amount of wine you drank last night plus the room fee was two taels of silver."
His tone was calm and there was a hint of kindness in his eyes.
After hearing this, Jia Xu couldn't help but feel sank in his heart.
He widened his eyes and raised his voice.
"What? Two taels of silver! I just drank some wine, how could it be so expensive?" His face showed a look of dissatisfaction.
Seeing this, the waiter quickly explained: "Customer, this price is already very affordable. You drank a little last night. We were worried about your safety, so we specially arranged a room for you to rest. The room fee is also included."
Jia Xu frowned and retorted: "I didn't ask to stay in a hotel. You guys are outrageous!"
His voice echoed in the inn, attracting the attention of other guests.
At this time, the atmosphere in the inn became a little nervous. Other guests stopped to talk and watched the scene curiously.
The waiter's face also became a little ugly.
He said in a stiff tone: "Customer, it's wrong for you to say this. We kindly helped you into the room when you're drunk. If you throw you on the street, we won't be able to take responsibility!"
Jia Xu didn't appreciate it, he sneered.
"Hmph! You are taking advantage of others' danger and extortion!"
Jia Xu's voice gradually increased.
"I don't need to stay in a hotel. I only pay for the alcohol. I will never pay the room fee!"
"Then do you think we should leave you on the street? If you encounter any danger outside, we can't afford it!" said the waiter anxiously.
"I don't need your mercy! I can take care of myself." Jia Xu responded without any weakness.
The two of them quarrels became louder and louder, and the entire inn was shrouded in their quarrels.
The inn shopkeeper came to hear the sound.
He looked at Jia Xu and the waiter, and said with a serious expression: "Stop quarrel! This is a place for business. Is everyone so kind?"
He turned to Jia Xu and said, "This guest official, the people in our store really helped you into the room out of kindness. The cost of the room is not very high. If we don't leave you here, who will we ask for the money for the wine?"
However, Jia Xu still stubbornly insisted on his position.
"I only pay for the alcohol, and I won't give you any other fees!"
Seeing this, the shopkeeper did not show any weakness.
He straightened his body, put his hands on his hips, and sternly said: "Don't be ungrateful! If you don't pay this money, don't think about going out of this inn!"
Jia Xu's face became extremely gloomy, and his fists clenched unconsciously.
Suddenly, he took a step forward, swung a sudden punch, and hit the shopkeeper in the face.
The shopkeeper was caught off guard and was beaten back repeatedly by this punch.
A bruise suddenly appeared on his face and a trace of blood was overflowing from the corners of his mouth.
The shopkeeper touched the injured face, and a trace of ruthlessness flashed in his eyes.
He roared and rushed towards Jia Xu. The two of them wrestled in an instant, and their fists and feet were added together.
Jia Xu avoided the shopkeeper's attack and then grabbed the shopkeeper's neck.
The shopkeeper struggled to break free, but Jia Xu was very powerful, making him unable to escape.
The waiter was frightened by this sudden scene and was at a loss.
He quickly shouted for help: "Come here! Come and help!"
However, the guests around were so scared that they dared not approach him by the fierce fight, and no one was willing to come forward to help.
Jia Xu's eyes were full of madness, and he seemed to have lost his mind.
His fingers tighter and tighter, and the shopkeeper's face became paler.
He is a weak scholar himself, but he doesn't know where he got his strength at this moment.
Finally, the shopkeeper stopped struggling and his body fell down softly.
Jia Xu let go of his hand and the shopkeeper's body fell heavily to the ground.
The waiter hurried forward, tested the shopkeeper's breathing, then looked at Jia Xu in horror, and shouted loudly: "You killed him! You killed the shopkeeper!"
Jia Xu's mind was blank, and he didn't know how to face this situation.
His heart was filled with panic.
Jia Xu took advantage of the waiter's distracted and quickly turned around and rushed out of the inn and plunged into the bustling crowd. His heartbeats like a drum and his steps were stumbled, as if there was an invisible force behind him chasing him.
The waiter came to his senses and hurriedly chased him out.
While running, he shouted: "Catch him! He killed the shopkeeper!"
People on the road looked at each other, but no one dared to come forward to stop him easily.
Jia Xu ran desperately, his mind was in chaos.
His breathing became rapid.
He didn't know where he was going, he just knew that he had to escape from this place.
Just as the waiter struggled to catch up, a carriage suddenly galloped.
The waiter wanted to avoid it, but it was too late. He was blocked by the carriage and could only watch Jia Xu disappear into the crowd.
When the carriage left and the waiter looked for Jia Xu's figure again, he found that he had disappeared.
The waiter stomped his feet in annoyance, his heart full of helplessness and depression.
The morning sun shines on the ground, and Xi Yu and Xiao Cui carry their bags and continue on their journey.
Xi Yu looked up at the sky, smiled and said to Xiao Cui, "We will reach our destination in the afternoon." There was a hint of excitement in his voice.
After hearing this, Xiao Cui also showed an expression of expectation on her face.
They walked along the path, lined by lush trees and blooming flowers, and the breeze blew, bringing the fragrance of flowers.
Xi Yu pointed ahead.
"Look, we have entered the territory of Jiangnan."
Xiao Cui looked in the direction he pointed and saw the undulating mountains in the distance, the shade of green trees, and a vibrant scene.
Xiao Cui couldn't help but sigh: "Jiangnan is so beautiful!" Her eyes were filled with love for this land.
Xi Yu smiled and said, "Yes, the scenery in Jiangnan is picturesque and intoxicating."
The two of them walked while enjoying the beautiful scenery around them, and they were in a particularly comfortable mood.
The afternoon sun shines on the streets of the city, and Xi Yu and Xiao Cui finally arrive at their destination.
The fatigue along the way seemed to have dissipated at this moment. They stood at the door, looking at the scene in front of them, and their hearts were filled with expectations.
When Sun Ce heard about Xi Yu's arrival, he couldn't help but feel a little strange in his heart.
He thought to himself: "What is Xi Yu coming here?"
Despite his doubts, Sun Ce decided to take Zhang Zhao and others to the door to greet him in person to show respect for the guests.
The group hurried to the door, and Sun Ce's eyes fell on Xi Yu.
He was wearing a simple robe, but he exuded an extraordinary temperament.
Sun Ce nodded and said with a smile: "Prime Minister, what advice do you have here?"
Xi Yu looked at Sun Ce, frowned slightly, and said, "General Sun, I came here this time by Sun Shangxiang and came to take Wu Guotai to Youzhou. She missed Wu Guotai very much and hoped to reunite as soon as possible."
After hearing this, Sun Ce and others showed a look of surprise on their faces.
They looked at each other, and then Sun Ce said, "Prime Minister, I'm really sorry. My mother has been escorted to Youzhou by Zhuge Jin. They set off a few days ago."
A trace of disappointment and surprise flashed in Xi Yu's eyes.
He never expected that he would be in vain. He came with confidence but received such news.
Sun Ce said: "Prime Minister, this means that the mother and daughter have gone together. Since they have arrived, please come in and invite them."
Xi Yu nodded.
Sun Ce signaled his servants to hurry up and greet Xi Yu enthusiastically.
"Prime Minister, please sit down and rest for a while."
After Xi Yu thanked him, he took the tea and took a sip, then turned his eyes to Sun Ce.
"I have always been concerned about the situation in Jiangnan. I wonder what the current situation in Jiangnan is?"
Sun Ce said with a smile: "At present, the Jiangnan region is prosperous, the people live and work in peace and live a prosperous life."
After hearing this, Xi Yu was very happy.
"This is the result of your good governance. It is a blessing for the people to live and work in peace and contentment." Xi Yu exclaimed.
Sun Ce waved his hand modestly.
"This is not my own contribution, nor is it from the efforts of everyone. I hope to further develop agriculture and commerce and improve the living standards of the people. At the same time, strengthen education and cultivate more talents to lay a solid foundation for the future development of Jiangnan."
Xi Yu looked at Sun Ce with admiration.
"Your ideas are lofty. The development of agriculture and commerce can bring about economic prosperity, while education is the key to cultivating talents. If your plan can be implemented smoothly, Jiangnan will surely be more prosperous."
The two looked at each other and smiled, full of expectations for the future of Jiangnan.
That night, Xi Yu and Xiao Cui decided to spend the night at the residence arranged by Sun Ce for them, and prepared to continue their journey tomorrow.
Xiao Cui was arranged to live in the same room with a few maids.
Several maids were full of curiosity about Xiao Cui and asked her how she met Xi Yu.
Xiao Cui smiled and began to tell the story of her acquaintance with Xi Yu.
The maids listened with relish and exclaimed from time to time. They were envious of Xiao Cui's experience.
On the other side, there was a panic in the inn.
The shopkeeper's sudden death shocked everyone, and the waiter ran to report the case in panic.
The yamen servants quickly arrived at the scene and launched an investigation. They carefully asked the guests of the inn, but no one could provide effective clues about the murderer Jia Xu.
"What should we do? No one knows the murderer, where should we start?" said an officer anxiously.
Another experienced officer pondered for a moment and said, "Let's start with the inn's guests first. See if there are any suspicious people or clues."
So, they began to inquire and investigate the inn guests one by one.
However, everyone claimed that they had nothing to do with the death of the shopkeeper and did not know Jia Xu.
Wang Liang, the county magistrate of Youzhou, was recently appointed. Before that, the affairs of Youzhou were all over the world, and the knowledgeable Guan Yu had been responsible for all matters in Youzhou.
Now, Guan Yu can finally relax a little and hand over the burden on his shoulders to Wang Liang.
Wang Liang sat in the study of the county government, frowned, and the pen in his hand was graffitied back and forth on the paper, and his heart was filled with thoughts.
This case is really tricky.
Suddenly, a yamen run over hurriedly and reported excitedly: "Sir, someone has come to provide clues!"
When Wang Liang heard this, he was overjoyed and quickly asked the yamen runners to bring in.
After a while, a man with a scathing eyes walked into the county government. He looked around and a hint of cunning appeared in his eyes.
Wang Liang looked at the man, a little confused, but asked politely: "What clue do you have to provide to this county?"
The man smiled and showed a greedy expression.
"Sir, I have provided a clue. Do you have to give me some benefits? Otherwise, I will never say it."
Wang Liang's face darkened, and he understood that this person was here to seek benefits.
He thought for a moment and decided to hear what clues this person had.
"You tell me the clues first. If they are indeed valuable, the county will naturally consider giving you the corresponding reward." Wang Liang said seriously.
But the other party shook his head directly.
"Of course if you don't want to cooperate, then forget it."
As he said that, the man began to turn his head and leave.
Although Wang Liang was unwilling to accept it, he had no idea at the moment and had to give the person good first.
At the same time, he warned him: "If the clues you provide ultimately prove worthless, the county will hold you accountable."
After the man got the benefits, he immediately said confidently: "Don't worry, sir, what the villain said is absolutely true. The person who strangled the shopkeeper to death was Jia Xu, the important official next to Xi Yu!"
Wang Liang was shocked after hearing this.
Why did the important officials around the Prime Minister do such cruel things?
Wang Liang hurriedly asked: "Do you dare to swear to the sky, what you said is true?"
The man raised his hand without hesitation and swore, "If a villain has a lie, he will be punished by God!"
Wang Liang's face became very serious, and he realized that things might be more complicated than he thought.
He decided to investigate the matter himself and could not easily draw conclusions based on just one person's words.
Do you want to move the people around Xi Yu?
What should I do?
On the first day he recognized the county magistrate, he set ambitions.
You must be a good official and not be afraid of power.
No matter who you are, as long as you violate national laws, you will definitely be punished.
But now this problem made him feel very difficult.
If he really went to capture Jia Xu, would Xi Yu object to him?
Then aren’t you losing your head?
Wang Liang asked the man to retreat, and then quietly told the yamen runners to follow the man and see where his home was.
Chapter completed!