At the beginning, Xu Qingyan, according to Zhao Junchen's instructions, escorted Li Xun's wife and children all the way south by boat, passing through the Yellow River and the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal, and soon arrived in Suzhou.
The relationship between Li Xun and the Annan Bo Zheng family was closer than Zhao Junchen expected. After they arrived in Suzhou, they did not rush to Fujian via land, but quickly contacted a seemingly inconspicuous trading company.
It was called Zheng Family Trading Company.
The owner behind this business is naturally the Zheng family of Annanbo, who has always been responsible for the smuggling business between the Zheng family and the mainland.
After the Li family members revealed their identities, the trading company quickly arranged a ship for them, but they took the ship directly to the sea instead of going to Li Xun's hometown of Fujian. Instead, they headed for Taiwan unimpeded.
Therefore, Xu Qingyan's arrival in Taiwan was much earlier than Zhao Junchen's calculation.
However, Xu Qingyan's journey from Suzhou to Taiwan was not very glorious, and could even be said to be very embarrassing.
*
The head of the Zheng family business is named Zheng Ming. He is the grandson of Zheng Zhilong, the uncle of Annan, and the third son of Zheng Chenggong, the current leader of the Zheng family. He is about thirty years old and looks very stable and capable. This person can act alone and be responsible.
He is obviously a core member of the Zheng family who is involved in smuggling matters with the mainland.
After Zheng Ming saw the Li Xun tribe escaping to him, he thought about the relationship between the Li family and the Zheng family, and attached great importance to it, so he personally escorted them.
On the other side, Xu Qingyan was responsible for contacting the Annan Bo Zheng family. This was the first time that Zhao Junchen asked him to take charge of his own role and assume an important responsibility. Xu Qingyan naturally took it very seriously and believed that he must complete Zhao Junchen's instructions beautifully no matter what.
According to Xu Qingyan's "simple" values - if you want to successfully complete the first contact between Zhao Junchen and Annanbo's Zheng family, you must make the people of Annanbo's Zheng family value you; if you want to make the people of Annanbo's Zheng family value you,
, you must make the people of the Annan Bo Zheng family think that you are a very powerful and capable person - in short, you must brag!
Moreover, Xu Qingyan has been deeply influenced by Zhao Junchen in recent years, and he also has some common sense in his mind. For example, he is very clear about the importance of "first impression", and whether the first impression he left to the Annan Bo Zheng family is a good one.
Whether he is bad or not depends largely on Zheng Ming's impression of him.
Therefore, ever since Xu Qingyan met Zheng Ming, he never missed any opportunity to brag.
In Xu Qingyan's description, Zhao Junchen is indeed a man of extraordinary means and possesses power over both the government and the public. He punches the powerful ministers in the center of the temple and kicks the Tatars in the grasslands of northern Xinjiang. Officials and businessmen in both the government and the public are obedient. Even Zhou Shangjing is staying away. The imperial court and others
All the political achievements in the past years are all due to Zhao Junchen's presiding and promotion.
As for Xu Qingyan, as Zhao Junchen's confidant, he is naturally also a great figure - many of Zhao Junchen's plans are completed and implemented by him, Xu Qingyan; all Zhao Junchen's secrets are also made by him.
Xu Qingyan is responsible for execution and maintenance; Zhao Junchen's huge business empire gradually expanded to its current size in the hands of Xu Qingyan; when Zhao Junchen fought against the Mongolian coalition forces on the three sides of Shaanxi and Gansu, Xu Qingyan also took the lead and charged forward, with the border troops
The soldiers all admired his bravery and strategy so much that they fell into admiration...
In short, he, Xu Qingyan, is Zhao Junchen's chief staff officer, best assistant, and strongest general... Without him, Xu Qingyan, Zhao Junchen's various achievements would probably be compromised.
If Zhao Junchen's power and ability were fully expanded by three to five times due to Xu Qingyan's boasting, then when Xu Qingyan boasted about himself, he was even more unrestrained and boundless.
*
On this day, when the Zheng family's ship arrived in the waters east of Taiwan, Xu Qingyan and Zheng Ming were standing at the bow of the ship chatting.
Xu Qingyan was mainly responsible for bragging, and he was eloquent and eloquent. Zheng Ming just listened quietly and nodded and praised Xu Qingyan from time to time, which further fueled Xu Qingyan's interest in bragging.
Needless to say, Xu Qingyan has followed Zhao Junchen all over the world and has gone through many turmoils. He does have a lot of confidential information that is unknown to outsiders. Moreover, he is very eloquent and knows the key to telling stories. He is quite a storyteller.
He is a gifted person, and these stories told from his mouth are also very vivid and attractive.
Zhao Junchen has always wanted to hand over the "Pingshu Writers' Guild" to him, and in a way, it can be regarded as the best use of the people.
This time, Xu Qingyan told Zheng Ming the "truth" about the battle of Xiaochuan River on the three sides of Shaanxi and Gansu.
"...Third Young Master, you don't know how critical the battlefield situation was at that time! Under the arrangement of my family, Mr. Zhao Ge, the imperial army was ambushing on the north and south banks of the Xiaochuan River, waiting for the Mongolian coalition forces to cross the river.
With a flanking attack, we can usher in a great victory! Who would have thought that such a seemingly unbeatable arrangement would turn out to be unexpected! When Zhao Ge Lao commanded the army on the south bank to attack the Mongolian coalition, he ambushed the
The troops on the north bank were unable to support them, and later I learned that a Mongolian coalition force had also appeared on the north bank, holding back the troops on the north bank...
In this way, the ambush troops on the south bank could only fight against the main force of the Mongolian coalition alone. The troops did not have the advantage, and there were changes in the plan. They were soon at a disadvantage. The soldiers also suffered heavy casualties, and the entire army might be destroyed.
Danger! At that point, everything will be lost!
Under the crisis, our Mr. Zhao Ge was not afraid of danger, acted decisively, ordered his men to hold the flag of the coach, and actually led his personal guards into the battlefield! After our soldiers saw Mr. Zhao Ge going into battle in person,
Immediately, their morale was greatly boosted. On the other side, the Mongolian coalition forces were diverted by their commander's flag, and they quickly dispatched their forces to hunt down our Lord Zhao. This reduced the pressure on the frontline soldiers, and the battlefield situation gradually reversed!
Third Young Master, I am not bragging. Tens of thousands of soldiers from Shaanxi and Gansu provinces witnessed this with their own eyes! My Zhao Ge Lao was riding a bloody horse and holding a rotten silver spear, and stabbed several people to death on the battlefield.
Ten Mongolian Tatars! And of course I was not to be outdone. I guarded the left side of my family, Mr. Zhao Ge. Together with Mr. Zhao Ge, we entered and exited the battlefield seven times. We killed them all! They died in my hands.
There are thirty or fifty Mongolian Tatars...
Later, when my elders saw that they had attracted the Mongolian troops, they retreated to the pass of Yunluan Mountain. It was true that one man was a barrier and ten thousand men could not open it. I still fought side by side with Mr. Zhao Ge and killed many Tatars.
Son, the use of mountainous terrain delayed the division of the Mongolian troops for more than an hour. After the imperial army defeated the main Tatar force on the main battlefield and rushed to support, the Battle of Xiaochuan River finally ended with the imperial court's complete victory!"
Speaking of this, Xu Qingyan was dancing with joy and joy, and was so engrossed in his own story that he almost even believed it himself.
After finishing speaking, in order to strengthen his credibility, Xu Qingyan turned to Mo Xiaolin and asked: "Xiao Lin, you also personally participated in this war. Do you still remember the scene at that time?"
Upon hearing Xu Qingyan's inquiry, Mo Xiaolin had a strange expression, and the eye-catching scars on his fair face gradually became distorted.
Of course, Mo Xiaolin was deeply impressed by the Battle of Xiaochuan River, because he himself looked similar to Zhao Junchen, so he became Zhao Junchen's stand-in in the Battle of Xiaochuan River!
At that time, it was Mo Xiaolin who disguised himself as Zhao Junchen and took the initiative to enter the battlefield, attracting the attention of the Mongolian coalition forces.
In a way, the protagonist of the story Xu Qingyan just described is actually Mo Xiaolin himself!
As for Xu Qingyan, he was staying in Shaanxi Province at that time to "rescue" Liang Fuchen who was kidnapped by the "horse bandits". He never showed up, let alone "fighting side by side", "seven in and seven out", and "hand in hand"
"Invincible".
However, of course Mo Xiaolin would not expose Xu Qingyan's bullshit at this time. He just reached out and touched the scar on his face, nodded and said: "Of course I will not forget that the scar on my face was left at that time, that battle
It is indeed tragic, dangerous and impressive.”
On the other side, Zheng Ming clapped his hands and exclaimed: "I have also heard about Zhao Ge's illustrious military exploits in annihilating the Mongolian coalition forces on the three sides of Shaanxi and Gansu. I yearned for it at that time and wished I could serve under Zhao Ge. However,
Only now do I know that there are such twists and turns and dangers. I couldn't help but sweat when I listened to Brother Xu's description. It turns out that Mr. Zhao Ge's wise and courageous, civil and military achievements are really better than the rumors. He is worthy of being the pillar of the country.
!Of course, Brother Xu and Brother Mo are also responsible and courageous heroes! It is an honor for me to be able to ride on the same boat with these two heroes today!"
While admiring, Zheng Ming's expression was full of sincere admiration, as if he completely believed Xu Qingyan's boast.
Seeing Zheng Ming's supportive performance, Xu Qingyan naturally became more enthusiastic and wanted to talk about his outstanding performance in the Battle of the Weishui River.
This time, we cannot "seven in and seven out" and "kill a hundred enemies with one hand". We must "defeat a hundred with one" and "kill the general and capture the flag".
Just when Xu Qingyan was recalling the details of "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms" in his mind, and planning to arrange all the martial arts performances of Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Zilong on himself, Zheng Ming raised his head and glanced at the clouds in the sky, and carefully felt some of the sea breeze
, but his expression changed slightly.
Then, Zheng Ming turned to look at Xu Qingyan and Mo Xiaolin, and said with a slightly solemn expression: "Please get into the cabin as soon as possible and take shelter. I'm looking at the sky, I'm afraid a storm is coming soon.
Our ship is not big, so it may be difficult to cope with it."
After saying that, Zheng Ming loudly ordered the sailors on the ship to prepare without waiting for Xu Qingyan and Mo Xiaolin to agree.
Seeing that Zheng Ming's reaction was a bit extreme, Xu Qingyan couldn't help but feel strange. He raised his head and glanced at the sky, only to see that the sky was clear, with only a few white clouds floating, and there was no sign of a storm. He felt that Zheng Ming was making a fuss.
.
Moreover, Xu Qingyan had long heard about the turbulence of ships when they go to sea. Many heroes stand fearless on land, but they will vomit after taking a ship to sea. However, Xu Qingyan did not feel any discomfort at sea during this time.
In my heart, I subconsciously despised sailing.
What's more, it is still unknown whether Xu Qingyan's bullshit has deceived Zheng Ming, but he has already deceived himself. He only feels that he has experienced so many storms and waves, and he can be called a rare hero in the world. Even if there is a storm,
, what is there to be afraid of?
Therefore, Xu Qingyan did not obediently follow Zheng Ming's instructions and hide in the cabin. Instead, he stood aside and watched Zheng Ming directing the sailors to go about their business. After finally waiting for Zheng Ming's arrangements to come to an end, he walked to Zheng Ming.
Ming asked next to him: "Mr. Zheng, seeing that you are so nervous, is the storm at sea really so terrible?"
Seeing that Xu Qingyan did not hide in the cabin, but was still wandering on the deck, looking like an ignorant person who is fearless, Zheng Ming couldn't help being a little anxious, and said quickly: "Of course it is scary! Storms on the sea in this season are not considered
Although there are many, it is not as powerful as in spring and summer, but it cannot be underestimated. If you are not careful, the result will be a shipwreck and death, and the danger is no less than fighting on the battlefield."
Hearing the seriousness of what Zheng Ming said, Xu Qingyan was already a little guilty and scared, but when he heard Zheng Ming's last sentence, he was unconvinced.
I just described my heroic performance on the battlefield, and now you suddenly say that the danger of a storm at sea is no less dangerous than that on the battlefield. What does this mean? Does it mean that you don't take my glorious experience of Xu Qingyan seriously?
So, Xu Qingyan immediately said: "If this is the case, then I can't just hide in the cabin and endure the bumps. I just take the opportunity to experience the horror of this sea storm!"
Hearing Xu Qingyan's statement, Mo Xiaolin on the side hesitated to speak.
On the other side, Zheng Ming took a deep look at Xu Qingyan, and finally did not force him. He just asked someone to fetch a piece of rope, pointed to the mast not far away, and said: "Brother Xu is a hero of the world, so naturally he will not be afraid of mere sea storms.
It's natural to want to see it with your own eyes... However, when the storm comes, the wind and rain are extremely strong, and the deck will become slippery, making it easy for people to fall into the sea, so I have to wrong Brother Xu and tie his body to
On this mast, you can have a stable footing and not fall into the sea."
If you tie yourself to the mast, what's the difference between you and a prisoner? It's too embarrassing. Xu Qingyan shook his head repeatedly to express his unwillingness.
This time, Zheng Ming was firm, saying that if Xu Qingyan did not tie his body to the mast, he would never let Xu Qingyan leave the cabin, even if he had to use force. Mo Xiaolin on the side also repeatedly advised him.
Until the end, when Zheng Ming said that all novices going to sea have to go through this experience. When he encountered a storm at sea for the first time, he was tied to the mast by his father himself, so this kind of thing is absolutely not shameful and will not
After everyone laughed at him, Xu Qingyan finally reluctantly agreed.
Then, Zheng Ming took matters into his own hands and fixed Xu Qingyan and Mo Xiaolin to the mast with thick and tough ropes. The ropes were tied very tightly and tied with a knot. Xu Qingyan felt that his skin was about to be worn out.
How has he ever suffered such a crime? Naturally, he complained repeatedly.
Hearing Xu Qingyan's complaint, Zheng Ming just smiled in relief and didn't take it seriously, because he knew that Xu Qingyan would soon have no intention of complaining.
*
The Zheng family are all proficient in maritime affairs, and Zheng Ming's judgment was not wrong. A storm soon came to the sea.
When Xu Qingyan was tied to the mast for just a stick of incense, the sky suddenly darkened. White clouds gathered together at a speed visible to the naked eye, covering the sky and gradually turning it black. The wind on the sea became stronger and stronger.
It was getting stronger and stronger, and the waves on the sea surface were getting bigger and bigger. The big raindrops hit my face and hurt, and the ship was obviously bumping.
Seeing this scene, Xu Qingyan's expression turned pale, and he felt cold and numb all over his body. He gradually became a little worried, but his physical discomfort diverted Xu Qingyan's attention.
Xu Qingyan was not seasick originally, but at this time his stomach was turbulent and his desire to vomit became more and more intense.
However, before Xu Qingyan could call someone to take care of him, a deafening roar of thunder suddenly erupted above his head, frightening Xu Qingyan out of his wits. All the vomit that came to his mouth was instantly suppressed.
.
The next moment, the sky became dark, the color of the sky and the earth changed, and a violent storm suddenly appeared. The wind, rain, and sea waves suddenly became more than ten times stronger, and the bumps of the ship were also more than ten times more violent.
The Zheng family's ship is not small, but at this time it is like an insignificant dead leaf, which will be torn into pieces by this violent wind and rain at any time.
As for the sailors on the ship, they had no time to take care of themselves. At this moment, they could only hug everything they could hold tightly. If they let go, they would disappear in the violent storm.
Xu Qingyan felt the terror of being involuntarily, as if he was on an out-of-control roller coaster. Just now he complained that Zheng Ming tied him too tightly, but at this time, he thought that the rope on his body was too loose, and he felt that he would fall out of control at any time.
Fly out.
Under the violent storm, Xu Qingyan had never been so embarrassed and panicked in his life. Xu Qingyan's face was covered with snot and tears, but they would be blown away by the storm in the next moment. His whole body was covered with bruises, some of which were
The ropes were tight, some were bumped, and some were hit by rain and hail.
Xu Qingyan's clothes were naturally soaked, but it wasn't necessarily all due to the violent storm.
After witnessing the power of nature, Xu Qingyan suddenly understood how to be afraid, and how ridiculous his insistence just now was. Naturally, he also forgot about his wisdom and prowess.
But at this time, everyone on the ship was busy dealing with the storm, and no one could care about Xu Qingyan. It was too late for him to regret.
"Save me! Save me! I want to go back to the cabin!"
"I don't dare anymore! I don't want to watch the storm anymore! I want to go back to the cabin! Take me back to the cabin quickly!"
"Please! I don't want to stay here! Dad!"
"I want to go back to the capital, save me...save me..."
Xu Qingyan cried loudly, but his voice was completely suppressed by the storm and thunder, and could not be transmitted to other people's ears.
At the end of the cry, Xu Qingyan's voice gradually became weaker.
Then, he passed out.
I don't know how long this storm lasted. During this period, Xu Qingyan fell into coma several times and woke up several times. The contents of his stomach were vomited out completely between waking up and falling into coma, and no bile was left.
*
When Xu Qingyan woke up from his coma again, he opened his eyes and saw Zheng Ming, whose face was tired but half-smiling.
Then, Xu Qingyan suddenly discovered that the sun in front of him was particularly dazzling and the storm had stopped.
Zheng Ming has always paid attention to Xu Qingyan, so Xu Qingyan's various ugly behaviors were also noticed by him.
However, after all, Xu Qingyan represented Zhao Junchen, the most powerful official in the court. Zheng Ming naturally did not dare to offend easily. He untied the rope for Xu Qingyan and praised softly: "Brother Xu is indeed a hero of the world, not a boatman."
, it was my first time to go to sea, and I actually had the courage to face the storm on the sea, and persisted until the end...I was not afraid of Brother Xu’s jokes. It was the first time I saw such sea conditions, but I almost peed my pants."
If Xu Qingyan was still sober, he might have blushed and been ashamed when he heard Zheng Ming's praise, and he might have seized the opportunity to brag again.
But Xu Qingyan was dazed at this time, his mind was not clear at all, and he could not hear clearly what Zheng Ming said. He just slumped on the deck, like a puddle of mud, and naturally there was no response.
Seeing Xu Qingyan's condition, Zheng Ming shook his head and went to help Mo Xiaolin untie him.
Mo Xiaolin's situation was much better than that of Xu Qingyan, but he was also in an extremely embarrassing situation. He still had the strength to deal with Zheng Ming, which made Zheng Ming look at him with admiration.
But while Zheng Ming and Mo Xiaolin were talking, Xu Qingyan regained some strength and then stood up holding on to the mast.
His mind was dizzy, and he could only remember his obsession before comatose, wanting to hide back in the cabin, so he staggered forward.
But at this time, Xu Qingyan could not tell the difference between north, south, east, and west, and his eyesight was blurry. He was just acting on instinct, and had no idea that the direction he was heading was not the cabin, but the edge of the ship.
When Zheng Ming and Mo Xiaolin finished their conversation and turned to look at Xu Qingyan, they happened to see Xu Qingyan fall from the side of the boat and plunge into the sea.
Seeing this scene, Zheng Ming and Mo Xiaolin were immediately shocked.
"Hurry! Someone, come quickly! Save Brother Xu! Go quickly!"
Following Zheng Ming's anxious shouts, the ship became a mess again!
And these were the first impressions Xu Qingyan left on the Annan Bo Zheng family.