After arranging the officials who hated the Ting Kingdom, Zhou Yi went to the palace to persuade the members of the royal family. However, less than 10% of the people were willing to leave the luxurious and comfortable palace and go to the unfamiliar Chu Kingdom.
Most members of the royal family do not believe that the more than ten years of friendship between Qi and Ting dynasty can be fake.
At noon, notices summoning "anti-tattoo people" to go to Chu in the name of Prime Minister Zhou Yi were posted all over the streets and alleys of Linzi City. In addition, there were more than 300 Chu army knights shouting this while galloping on horseback.
information.
By evening, more than 8,000 people had gathered inside and outside the Chu State General's Office. Most of them were old, weak, women and children, because most of the young and strong men who opposed the tattoos joined the army and went to Julang Pass. For this retreat, the Chu State
People urgently purchased a batch of horses and vehicles at a high price, and most of the money was specially approved by Prime Minister Zhou Yi and allocated from the treasury of Qi State.
In the next hour or so, almost no one rushed to the Chu State General Envoy's Mansion, so Qu Ping ordered: Let's set off!
Although it was dark night, many streets in Linzi were lit with torches every twenty steps, and the stone roads were wide and smooth, so it was not difficult to travel on the road.
More than 500 sturdy Chu army knights guarded thousands of horses and vehicles. Under the watchful eyes of some Qi patrols who only watched, they made their way to the city gate without any hindrance. A Chu army officer showed Zhou Yi, Prime Minister's special document.
After issuing the passage order, the Qi soldiers guarding the gate quickly opened the city gate. Many chariots and horses filed out of the city and disappeared into the dark night outside the city.
In a shadow a few hundred steps away from the city gate, a vulgar-looking hawker watched the convoy of carriages and horses leaving the city, counting secretly in his heart.
After the team all left the city, the "hawker" put away his stall and left quickly.
Not long after, the "hawker" appeared in front of a luxurious mansion and knocked hurriedly on the door. The door soon opened, and a man who looked like a servant poked his head out.
The hawker said hurriedly: "Let me in quickly, I have something urgent to report to Master Feng!" Seeing that he was an acquaintance, the servant let him in.
The servant led the "hawker" through the courtyard, through the living room and corridors, to an elegant study, and saw a fat middle-aged man. This man was the owner of this mansion: he was dismissed by the King of Qi
Feng Yuan, the former prime minister who later became idle at home.
The "hawker" reported to Feng Yuan what he had just seen at the city gate, and then said: "Master Feng, it seems that all the Chu people have left."
"The spies I sent outside the Chu State Ambassador's Mansion also reported this!" After Feng Yuan finished saying this, he raised his head and laughed. After the fat man had laughed enough, he added: "I had expected that I would
There was a day when I would make a comeback, but I didn’t expect it to come so soon!”
"Congratulations to Mr. Feng! Mr. Feng is really good at predicting things!" the "hawker" said flatteringly, and then asked: "Then what should we do next?"
"The Chu people and those refugees can escape very far in one night. We can start early tomorrow morning to meet the invincible army of the Tsing Kingdom!" Feng Yuan said excitedly, and then his face changed, and there was a fierce look on his fat face.
of murderous intent.
At six o'clock the next day (9 o'clock in the morning), three officers of the Qi Army hurriedly asked to see Prime Minister Zhou Yi, but no one was seen. They waited at the Prime Minister's Mansion until nearly noon before seeing Zhou Yi return.
After the three officers performed military salutes, the leading officer said to Zhou Yi: "Master Xiangguo, early this morning, Feng Yuan, Wang Jun, and some senior officials who were dismissed by the monarch came to the military camp and summoned many former officials.
His close subordinates seem to be plotting something evil!"
"Is there such a thing?!" Zhou Yi said in surprise: "Are they too impatient? The Tattoo Army hasn't come here yet! I should be in charge here now!"
As soon as Zhou Yi finished speaking, two guards hurried in and said in a panic: "Master Xiangguo, suddenly many soldiers came outside and surrounded this place!"
Zhou Yi and the three officers all changed their expressions.
Zhou Yi calmed down and strode out. As soon as he walked out of the living room, he heard the sound of heavy objects hitting the door, and someone shouted rude curses outside the door.
Zhou Yi walked to the courtyard and ordered the guards to open the door. As soon as the door opened, a large group of Qi soldiers poured in. Some of them surrounded Zhou Yi and his dozen or so guards, while others rushed to the backyard...
After two to three hundred people rushed in, a fat middle-aged man walked in. He was wearing the official uniform of the Prime Minister. He was the former Prime Minister Feng Yuan!
The old and new prime ministers stood face to face, staring at each other. Zhou Yi's expression was one of surprise and anger, while Feng Yuan's face was cold.
"Zhou Yi, are you okay? The position of Prime Minister is not easy, right?" Although Feng Yuan was saying hello and greetings, there was no smile on his fat face.
Zhou Yi said angrily: "Feng Yuan! What do you mean? Do you want to rebel?!"
"Rebellion? This crime is really not a small one!" Feng Yuan sneered and said: "If you had said that to me a few days ago, I would have been so scared that I couldn't sleep, but now~~ you are about to die.
People, please stop bluffing, right?"
"You! You want to kill me?!" Zhou Yi said in surprise: "Don't you always boast of being "benevolent, harmonious, and non-controversial"? Could it be that everything you have said in official circles in the past ten years is all bullshit?!"
After being insulted with vulgar words, the anger on Feng Yuan's face flashed away, and he still said coldly: "Benevolence, harmony, and no contention." That's what the damn old lady likes. Of course I want it when she is alive.
Put it this way, otherwise how can we get ahead? But now, the Tsing people are coming soon, so we naturally have to do things according to the Tsing way.
The Tsing Kingdom has always killed opponents without mercy. Since you will die sooner or later, why not die a few days earlier so that I can make a contribution..."
At this time, the soldiers who rushed to the backyard tied up more than 20 men, women, and children and took them out. These people were all Zhou Yi's family members. Many of them were tied up in extreme pain, and several women, old and young, were so frightened that they kept crying.
Seeing this scene, Zhou Yi asked in shock: "Feng Yuan? Do you still want to...?"
Feng Yuan glanced at Zhou Yi, took a deep breath, and then said calmly: "You should also know the rules of the Tsing people: destroy the family and sit down together!"
Zhou Yi was so frightened by these words that he took a step back, his face turned pale, and he managed to hold up his body so as not to sit down on the ground. Some of his female family members also heard Feng Yuan's words. They were stunned at first, and then burst into tears.
When they got up, two people were so frightened that they fainted.
Feng Yuan heard several women crying loudly, frowned in disgust, and asked an officer next to him: "Is everyone here?"
The officer being questioned was named Yu Bian. He was extremely thin and had a big mouth. He had served as a guard at Zhou Yi's house before, so he was familiar with Zhou Yi's family. Yu Bian had just been looking at the kidnapped Zhou Yi family members.
, after hearing Feng Yuan's question, he respectfully replied: "Reporting to the Prime Minister, all Zhou Yi's family members in Linzi City are here. We are very lucky today!"
Feng Yuan nodded and said, "Let's do it then! Don't make your face ugly, otherwise the people of Tsingtao country may not recognize who they are." After he finished speaking, he turned around and walked out the door. After all, he was a civil servant.
, and I have been chanting "Benevolence, Harmony, and No Conflict" for many years, so I am not psychologically able to withstand overly bloody scenes.