He rushed from Liucheng to Pingzhou, and then followed Zhou Zhiyu back to Youzhou without stopping. It was a hard journey, but Li Chengzhong had no time to sleep in. He got up in a hurry before dawn the next morning, tied his hair and tied his hair, and it was a lot of trouble. Now he arrived in Youzhou
The state will not be as unkempt as outside the customs, and it must be neat and tidy no matter what.
In fact, Li Chengzhong was bothered by the long hair on his head. Not only was it troublesome to have hair knotted every day, but it was also easy to breed germs. When he was formulating the internal regulations in Bailang Mountain, he once took it for granted that "neat and short hair" was included in it, but he was criticized.
The unanimous objections of all the first reviewers were, in Feng Dao’s words, “ridiculous”! Feng Dao didn’t even bother to explain why “ridiculous”.
Li Chengzhong felt strange for a while, but later Jiang Miao told him, "How can we lightly destroy our body, hair, and skin by our parents?" Only then did he realize that he had committed a taboo of this era. As a last resort, he had no choice but to remove this clause.
, he didn’t even dare to cut his own hair. At the same time, it was strictly stipulated that soldiers must wash their hair every three days when taking a bath.
After Zhang Xingzhong and Wang Dalang had packed up, several people left the Zhang family residence and rushed to the Zhou Mansion. The Zhou Mansion was the home of the commander Zhou Zhiyu. The original Zhou Mansion was very small. Last year, after Zhou Zhiyu was awarded the Pingzhou Military Envoy,
The family bought a house from a merchant and added a few maids and servants to make it look good.
It is a necessary etiquette to visit your boss at home. Although he and Zhou Zhiyu just separated yesterday, this was Li Chengzhong's first visit, so he seemed very solemn. Not only did he bring Zhang Xingzhong and Wang Dalang with him, but he also prepared a heavy gift.
After knocking on the door of Zhou's mansion, the waiting servants ushered them into the main hall. After sitting for a while, Zhou Zhiyu came out. At the same time, Zhou Yao and Zhou Zhiyu's ten-year-old son Zhou Yuanji, whose nickname was changed to Xiaobao, came out.
.The hall was full of family members, so there was no need for any courtesy, so Li Chengzhong asked Zhang Xingzhong and Wang Dalang to carry two small wooden boxes.
After the box was opened, everyone's eyes suddenly lit up. Thirty gold ingots were neatly stacked in one box, and dozens of exquisite pearls and jade were piled in the other box.
Zhou Zhiyu was just a top soldier in his early years, so the Zhou Yao family was not a lady. Zhou Zhiyu's real rise was only a year ago. Naturally, Zhou Yao family's vision was not very bright, and his etiquette was really vulgar. He was satisfied at first sight.
He was so happy that he didn't know what to do when he saw the gold ingots and pearls and jade in the box. He kept saying, "How does this make it, oh, it's so precious", but his eyes were fixed on the box of pearls and jade.
Li Chengzhong smiled, and simply brought the box of pearls and jade to Zhou Yao, letting her choose and look through it, while saying: "Madam, you may wear them, but these are just trinkets, not worth mentioning."
Zhou Zhiyu knew that Li Chengzhong captured Liucheng and must have looted a lot of things. Therefore, he was not polite and accepted it with a smile. He drove Zhou Yao and his son Zhou Yuanji back to the back house, and ordered his servants to serve breakfast, and several people gathered around the table.
Had breakfast.
After finishing eating, Zhou Zhiyu will rush to Jiedufu Yamen to meet with the commander-in-chief Liu Rengong. Therefore, Li Chengzhong’s door-to-door etiquette is completed. Before leaving, Zhou Zhiyu told Li Chengzhong that there were several large households in Youzhou City yesterday.
In the evening, he came over to talk. Li Chengzhong was mentioned in the conversation, and he would probably be invited to be a guest again alone. Zhou Zhiyu told him to be polite when he went, and not to be stingy with money at this time. These wealthy families are all over Youzhou.
He can speak well and will be of great help to the next development of the Pingzhou Army.
Because they were returning to Youzhou together, Zhou Zhiyu also noticed how many boxes Li Chengzhong's personal guards were carrying. Seeing that he had given two of them to him as soon as he arrived, he was a little worried that he didn't have enough money to use them, so he chased after him: "
If you don't bring enough, you can go to this place to spend it, and I will first tell my family not to use the two boxes."
Li Chengzhong smiled and told Zhou Zhiyu not to worry, and watched Zhou Zhiyu leave before they turned back to Zhang's house in Sitiao Lane, Dongshi.
As Zhou Zhiyu expected, as soon as he returned to the gate of Zhang's house, he saw an officer waiting there and asked: "Is this Pingzhou Li Xuanye opposite?"
Li Chengzhong said: "Exactly."
The officer said: "A certain general would like to make a brief introduction to the government."
The other party didn't even prepare a copy of the famous assassin, which made Li Chengzhong a little confused: "Who is your general?"
The officer was a little impatient: "In the entire Youzhou City, there is only one person who dares to call himself a general. What more can you say?"
Zhang Xingzhong pulled Li Chengzhong and whispered: "This person is talking about the Zhao family, the former Lutai Army envoy, Zhao Yuande, who was granted the title of General Youwuwei by the imperial court."
Only then did Li Chengzhong understand that it was Zhao Yuande, who founded the Badu Cavalry Elite, who invited him. Zhao Yuande's status in the Lulong Army was still clear to Li Chengzhong. Although the officer in front of him spoke very rudely, it was really hard for Li Chengzhong to refuse Mr. Zhao's invitation.
He said: "Your Majesty, are you General Zhao? Please wait a moment while I go home to freshen up." He wanted to go back and get a box as a gift.
The officer curled his lips and said: "What are you waiting for? My general is busy with business and doesn't have much time to wait. Let's go now." He turned around and got on the horse, muttering a few words: "You have never seen the world, even if you are a country bumpkin.
I have never heard of the name of General..."
Wang Dalang, who was behind Li Chengzhong, was already a little angry. Hearing this, he couldn't hold it in any longer and became furious: "You stupid bitch..." He stepped forward to grab the officer's horse and was about to hit him with his hand.
But he was pulled back by Li Chengzhong and Zhang Xingzhong.
The officer glared at Wang Dalang and shouted: "What are you going to do? Tell you, don't think that just because you have fought a few battles outside the pass, you can do whatever you want in Youzhou! This is not a place for you to run wild!"
The fire in Li Chengzhong couldn't help but surge up. He asked himself that he had never offended the other party and there was nothing rude in his words just now. How could this officer dare to be so arrogant and hurtful with his words? But Li Chengzhong thought for a moment.
, but he suppressed his anger forcibly. Zhou Zhiyu had discussed with him along the way that returning to Youzhou this time was of great importance. In addition to trying to win Liu Rengong's further support for the Pingzhou Army, he also had to communicate with many high-ranking military generals and families in Youzhou.
If dredging can be recognized by these military leaders, the future Pingzhou Army can truly gain a firm foothold in the Lulong Army.
Well, everything is based on the overall situation, and Li Chengzhong decided to endure it. But he is not someone who will be bullied casually. This current loss cannot be repaid now, but it will have to be repaid in the future.
"Everything is up to you. By the way, don't you know your surname? It's better to get close to you in the future."
"A certain Cui He, deputy lieutenant Zhiguo, is currently in the general's palace." The officer sneered.
This self-introduction sounds very awkward. Cui He's original intention is to show off his rank and background. Deputy Lieutenant Zhiguo is the seventh rank of Zhongzheng, which is much higher than Lieutenant Xuanjie who is the eighth rank of Zhongzheng.
It means that he is a close confidant of the general. In general, it means that I am a higher official than you, and I have a stronger backer than you. On the ground of Youzhou, if it is a dragon, you have to coil up, and if it is a tiger, you have to lie down.
.
But it sounded different to Li Chengzhong: This guy is just an empty post with an official position but no actual duties. It doesn't matter if he is being used in the general's palace. The key is that you have no soldiers!
Li Chengzhong smiled, didn't say much, and followed Cui He with Zhang Xingzhong. At the same time, he ordered Wang Dalang to go back to the house to get a box. After getting it, he immediately rushed to General Zhao's house.
After following Cui He for a long time, they came to a large mansion and entered the gate. Cui He asked the two of them to wait in the concierge and passed them in. This was another naked slap in the face.
If you specially invite someone to come to your door, how can there be any reason to ask the guest to wait in the concierge? Even a calm person like Zhang Xingzhong was a little angry.
Li Chengzhong calmed down instead. The process of General Zhao's invitation was very unreasonable. Not to mention that he had no famous assassins, and the officers who came were very arrogant. When they arrived at the house, they were left waiting in the concierge. All of this seemed to be intentional.
Although Li Chengzhong still didn't know where he had offended General Zhao, his intention to intimidate him was already obvious.
The two of them waited in the concierge for more than half an hour. Cui He then slowly walked out and asked Li Chengzhong to follow him, while Zhang Xingzhong was left in the concierge and refused to let him in. In the meantime, Wang Dalang had already come over with a box of gold ingots.
But he was sent back by Li Chengzhong. Are you kidding, you treat me like this, and I rush to give you a gift? Do you really think I'm stupid? If he hadn't wanted to find out what was going on, he would have left long ago.
Following Cui He, we came to a flower hall in a side courtyard and saw a white-faced middle-aged scribe sitting in the hall. According to Cui He's introduction, he was Cui Ji'an, the brother-in-law of Youwuwei General Zhao Yuande, who was currently serving as an aide in Jiedu Mansion.
Second, the official position is held by the Yamen of Jiedu Prefecture, starting from the seventh rank. The so-called brother-in-law is the biological brother of Zhao Yuande's wife Cui.
As soon as he heard that his surname was Cui, Li Chengzhong naturally guessed that Cui He on the side should be the same as Cui Ji'an in front of him. It's just that Cui Ji'an's nepotism is closer, so Cui He, who is of higher rank, should be following the nepotism route.
Instead, I sat next to him.
Cui Ji'an was more Canadian than Cui He. Sitting in the hall, he raised his eyelids and looked at Li Chengzhong who came in. He said lightly: "Sit down." He picked up the tea bowl and took a sip of tea.
Li Chengzhong sat down and did not speak. He drank tea by himself. After the tea was finished, no one refilled the water. He held the tea cup and repeatedly looked at the colorful paint on it.
Cui Ji'an frowned and said: "It's hard work for Li Xuejie to come from afar. The general wanted to meet him, but unfortunately an important guest came to visit, so he had no choice but to give it up. Don't be surprised at Xuanjie."
Li Chengzhong was holding back his evil anger, but with a smile on his face: "It doesn't matter, the general is busy with everything, so of course business matters are important, so I'll take my leave and visit you another day." After saying that, he put down his tea bowl and stood up.
.
Cui Jian waved his hand to stop him and said with a smile: "Wait a minute, the general has something to ask about..."
Li Chengzhong said: "Please speak."
Cui Ji'an said: "It's not a big deal. There is a man named Cui Cheng. I wonder if he still remembers Xuanjie? He wanted to visit Xuanjie when he was in Liucheng, but Xuanjie seemed to be very busy and never met. Cui Cheng is a certain
A distant relative of our family is engaged in trafficking, and a batch of his goods was detained in Liucheng..."