Chapter 067 – Hidden Phase

A trade horse team into the territory of Liuzhou, to Liangzhou and Qingcang City in the middle of the location of the Horsehair Mountain, a glance, all the brownish-yellow Gobi residual hills, difficult to cultivate, the mountain presents a row of north-south geese rows, between the mountain passes, the wind is anxious to sand flying like a knife, from east to west of the team of horses will have to pass through from here on, in the imperial court will be the original three states of the North Liang into the map, the original leave this place even if it is out of plugs away from the border, the last two decades! There is no lack of poets traveling to this place, there are many popular poetry of the border recited in the countryside. This time the Northern Liang Road set Liuzhou, Liyang court about half a year before the edict, dozens of people can be promoted and knighted, the main letter is to pull Yang Guangdou as Liuzhou assassin, the officials in the Central Plains have never heard of this person, but also know that this is the Zhao court had to pinch their noses and admit that the Xu family in the Northern Liang’s only hand to cover the sky, Tai’an City of the imperial decree and the Northern Recreation Mang almost with the news of the invasion of the country’s troops and horses south of the news together, the capital immediately someone! Schadenfreude, spreading the “and see you North Liang rampage to how long” said, with the rumors of North Mang Chen troops on the western border was confirmed, but also washed away a lot of Guangling Road campaign loss of haze, in the view of many people, as long as you do not hit the east line guarded by General Gu Jiantang, one of the Liyang do not have to fight on two fronts, and secondly, the Liang and Mang deadlocked is a dog eat dog, after all, if you say that the North Mang is a dying dog, the North Mang is a dog, and it is a dog that bites the dog. After all, if the North Mang is a wild dog salivating for the fat meat of the Central Plains, the North Liang is not much better, for the Liyang court, is always a not very obedient watchdog, the wildness is difficult to tame.

With the Beiliang Road to Liuzhou gradually relax many bans, some of the stragglers can not only return home to pay homage to their ancestors, and can even join the border, and the old three states of the old Beiliang can also smoothly enter the flow of the state, keen to seek gold business opportunities, this shuttle in the horsehair mountains of the horse fleet is so, the owner of the horse fleet is a large family of the Lingshou, generations of tea and horse salt and iron business these bulk business, the ancestor is to follow the people Tu South and North for many years of martial arts origin, the Xu family! After settling down and taking root in Beiliang, the old man who only climbed to the fourth rank of generals died of an old disease in the sand, it is said that even the king of Beiliang had visited the funeral hall to pay tribute to this honor, this honor, in the will be kind of family as many as in the territory of Beiliang, a handful of people, along with the old king of Beiliang, Xu Snap’s death, the treatment, more and more into the family’s talisman, the border business of the other families began to wither, but their business is getting more and more unhindered, and even extended the family branches smoothly, and even the family’s business has become the most important business in the world. They even extended their family branches into Liuzhou. Nearly a hundred Fu family horse team mixed with two outsiders, is a pair of teachers and disciples, the horse team a few perennial walking border dangerous place in charge of this is not very welcome, but heard that is the Lingshou a even the Fu family can not afford to mess with the red official boss sent word, said that the son of the family is fed up to travel beyond the borders, had to be admitted into the horse team. Fu family, in addition to the old master of the family hard work to save up incense love, after two generations of descendants because they follow the ancestral training away from the officialdom, it is inevitable to show fatigue, after all, still have to look at the face of the people to act. The nominal leader of the Fu family is the Fu family’s third eldest grandson Fu Zhensheng, and then handed over to the two familiar with the border of the old geezer to help bring, this Fu Zhensheng is a scholarly, but rumor has it that the clan’s head of the martial arts teachings on its talent for martial arts praised, as for the depth of hand and foot styles, no one ever saw him out, Zhao Jiabao and Feng Qianxiang two old men in the jianghu in the practice of the fiery eyes are also unable to eat the rules of the jianghu is easy to look at low to look at the high and difficult to look at the rules of the jianghu is easy to look at the high and hard to look at the high. I think Fu Zhensheng’s hand is not bad.

Horses in a wild goose-shaped mountain after a small rest to avoid the wind and sand, Fu Zhen Sheng sat with his back against the mountain wall, carefully picked up the new sheepskin water bag, drank a mouthful of water that is difficult to hide the warm odor. Fu family has always had this tradition, Fu family children first walk border, there will be the family elders women sewing water bag, and then handed over by the male elders. Even after drying the new bag to get rid of the fishy smell, after storing water is still unbearable, which is like a torture for the children and grandchildren of the rich and noble, but the Fu family’s culture is simple, most of the children and grandchildren of the nature of the tough, Fu Zhensheng after the initial discomfort, every time you drink water has been able to change their faces. He glanced at the pair of master and disciple standing in the distance, do the master with him about the same age, looks like a jade tree, should have been in the Lingshu moon occasions to do the head of the class, I do not know why to come to the border to ask for trouble, the disciple is an inconspicuous child, but into the flow of the state, than many of the Fu family members used to go outside the plug but also like a fish in water. Fu Zhensheng carefully observed all the way, at this time with the two seniors said: “Uncle Zhao, Uncle Feng, that Xu Qi does not seem to walk the border for the first time the character, do not need to be reminded of us, each time to drink the right amount of water, never because of thirst and binge drinking. He treats people with care and attention, not like those uninitiated sons of the scholarly clans. Besides, there aren’t too many big clans in Lingshou that the Fu family is afraid of, but we haven’t heard of such a person.”

To the Fu family as a gatekeeper for more than twenty years Zhao Jiabao in the family head side do not need to grovel, with the third house head is the relationship is irreconcilable, so all the way to Fu Zhen Sheng’s own juniors in general, hear Fu Zhen Sheng this old saying, the old man is very comforting, the old mottled face piled up a heartfelt smile, nodded and said: “The young man called Xu Qi although walking in the middle of the horse team, less than the young proprietor to be a man. Although the young man called Xu Qi walks in the middle of the team of horses, than the young proprietor to eat a lot less sand and wind suffering, but that calm and relaxed, not want to pretend to be able to pretend out of the horse riding and dismounted diet, with me and Qianxiang these old bones used to drinking the northwest wind as no care, as a matter of fact, is really penetrate the strand of weird, have to beware of. It’s good that the young master can be more careful. Since the young master has opened his mouth, Qianxiang, you can also reveal the bottom.”

Feng Qianxiang, who had a long sword behind his back, smiled and said in a deep voice: “Don’t worry, Young Master, before the family head traveled, he had privately explained to Old Zhao and I that although this Xu Qi’s origins were unknown, he could guarantee that his identity was clean, and that he was by no means an outlaw. However, Old Zhao and I both have selfishness, want to see if Young Master can see the pair of master and disciple’s abnormality on their own, that’s why we didn’t explicitly say so, Young Master can’t be offended ah.”

“That’s how it should be.” Fu Zhensheng since childhood immersed in and unusual will be planted portal greatly different family style, temperament introverted, slowly put away the sheepskin bag, pursed cracked lips, self-deprecating: “I have traveled this trip, only to know the taste of the northwest wind, when it’s really not very good ah.”

Fu Zhensheng suddenly sighed, said: “that new flow state is a place surrounded by jackals and wolves, the previous Beiliang Wangfu beloved staff Chen Xiliang does have the suspicion of women’s benevolence, too much focus on the gains and losses of a place, refused to give up the city, and the result was 10,000 horse thieves besieged Qingcang city, buried dozens of white horses in vain, the Beiliang guarding the border for so many years, this kind of loss can be uncommon. I don’t know how the new assassin Yang Guangdou is a great man of character, if it is with Chen Xiliang this Qingliang mountain big red man, our Fu family this trip, I am afraid the future is not good. Back a million steps, Fu Zhensheng death is dead, delayed the Northern Liang cause, grandfather if alive, most likely to not allow me to enter the family this untalented grandson.”

Zhao Jiabao obviously on the future is not optimistic, worried: “Our Fu family for the North Liang run around for nearly twenty years, the name is to break into the border business, in fact, secretly looking around the mines, the North Liang gold and iron mines can be said to be most of the hand from the Fu family, which go back to the flow of the state of Fengxiang area to confirm that the texture of the iron ore production, I see some hanging.”

Feng Qianxiang laughed: “After all, we are looking forward to the Northern Liang can win this battle, otherwise I saved most of my life’s family foundation can be blew away. At that time, even if the King of Northern Liang is standing in front of me, I will still point at his nose and curse him.”

Zhao Jiabao laughed loudly, saw the young proprietor’s blank face, explained: “Once I heard that there is going to be a war, many heartless and gutless big families over in Lingzhou started to run out, but the mansions and fields can’t be taken away, so they can only be sold cheaply, originally more than 2,000 taels of silver may not be able to buy a good mansion, 800 taels can be reached, Qianxiang did not take advantage of the fire and robbed four, and for this reason, he also borrowed a thousand taels from me. I even borrowed a thousand taels from me. Strange to say, such a big movement, the government side completely ignore, what all ask the rules of relatives and neighbors also do not care, who go to the Yamen can get a fixed post and the deed, but not a white deed, is a real red deed, but the good thing is that the government finally in the last hurdle card a, each time out of the country are not allowed to carry more than a hundred gold 1000 silver gold and silver.”

Fu Zhensheng curiously asked: “Only so little gold and silver, it is difficult to send people back and forth in and out of Northern Liang? Those rich people don’t mind the trouble? Even if there is only 100,000 taels of silver in the family, a hundred gold and a thousand silver, they would have to run fifty times.”

Feng Qianxiang shook his head and laughed: “also simple, in fact, do not have to carry gold and silver out of the country, all bought antiques calligraphy and painting treasures, but also easy and convenient, anyway, this take away more no one cares, outside of Beiliang, the same can be exchanged for silver, those who are good at appreciating the scholarly ragtag family, shifted to become the guest of honor of the family, now can be all raking in the oil water. The inexplicable rise of the fish and dragon gang in Lingshou, the young proprietor has heard of it, I ate more than them, it is not worth mentioning, people that posture, it is simply a million gold scattered, all bought a field house, I do not know where so much silver is, roughly calculated, I know the real estate, the fish and dragon gang has smashed out of more than eighty million taels of silver, the real number shall not be doubled, this is going to be a big landlord who owns half of Lingshou. This is going to become a half of Lingzhou’s big landlords, fish and dragon gang that woman gang leader’s vigor, I’m a big man also admired to the ground. Young master, why don’t you go and marry that woman?”

Fu Zhensheng wasn’t someone who couldn’t take a joke, but he still felt a bit helpless and laughed at himself, “A woman who is as famous as Huishan Ziyi, where would she look at me.”

Zhao Jiabao eeped, with a surprised face, that pair of master and disciple even disappeared under their noses, and the few Fu family members who were originally close to the outsiders didn’t notice it either. Fu Zhensheng’s trip was burdened with both Northern Liang and the family, so he was somewhat disgusted with that Xu Qi’s self-interest, raised his head to look at the sky, and said, “Wait for them for half an hour, if we still can’t find them, we must get moving and depart, between Qingcang and Fengxiang, it’s the really difficult journey, we can’t indulge them.”

Xu Fengyen who brought Yu Di Long into Liuzhou circled around to another wild goose shaped mountain wall, he saw a pair of unexpected acquaintances, Song Dongming of the Luming Song Clan and his scribe, the two looked at each other, Song Dongming froze for a moment, then laughed brightly, “From the beautiful and scenic Wudang to the poor mountains, I can still meet this gentleman, it’s really not a bad time to meet each other, if you don’t worry, I have a small half sac of wine here, it’s for the poor mountains, I’m sure I’ll be able to find them. If you don’t worry, I still have a small half of the bag of wine, it is the green ants of Northern Liang, the wine is very strong, into the mouth initially burns the throat, but after a moment, you can drink out of a cool, Song someone is only drinking out of the doorway, I would have known that I would have bought a few more jugs of it, I regret worrying about the shyness of the bag, ah, should be on credit to also bring two more jugs of green ants in the side of the body.”

Xu Fengyen did not be too polite, took the wine bag, lifted it in the air, poured a small mouthful, and handed it back to Song Dongming, who asked with a smile, “Your Honor does not drink more than a few mouthfuls, it may not be a problem.”

Xu Fenian shook his head and laughed, “Xu Qi will not take away the beauty of others.”

Seeing Xu Fengyen declaring himself, Song Dongming probably felt that the Northern Liang accent gentry must not know what the Luming Song Clan is, and said, “My name is Song Dongming, my ancestor lives in Luming County in Jiangnan, and I have met with Mr. Xu twice, and the fate is really not small ……”

Words only halfway, Song Dongming by the wind and sand wrapped dry needle thatched grass fluttering in the cheek, reach out and touch, grab that after maturity root away from the earth for the flotsam of the withered yellow thatched grass, lamented: “a year and two withered, drifting along with the long wind.”

The boy suddenly stretched out his finger and shouted, “Look, sir, is that wolf smoke?”

Following the finger of the schoolboy, Song Dongming saw a thick wolf smoke rising above the desert, it should be the direction of Qingcang City, reporting peace to Liangzhou side, previously they walked into Liuzhou have not seen this scene, no wonder their own schoolboy was so surprised, Song Dongming murmured: “Ancient books say that this border wolf smoke is different from the Central Plains, to burn the wolf’s feces and get the name, the smoke fire is straight and extremely black, the wind does not blow diagonally. The wind does not blow diagonally. But looking at it this way, this wolf smoke is not different from the Central Plains except that it is thicker, thicker and lighter.”

Xu Fengyen laughed softly: “I’m afraid that is some of the border poet’s misrepresentation, Northwest frontier, wolf dung burning smoke may be occasional, but that is not enough cow and sheep dung in the case of helplessness, most of them are still on the ground, poplar and red willow wood for firewood, supplemented with dry reeds and other flammable grass available everywhere, and the Northern Liang border army’s beacons and flints, the supply of so-called wolf smoke combustion materials, there is a fairly strict deployment. Strict deployment, if it is found that a beacon flint reserve is insufficient, to sit all the way to the fourth-grade officials, all beheaded on the spot, who pleaded for mercy is useless, Beiliang nearly twenty years, because of this ‘small matter’, almost died more than three hundred people. The first four or five years were relatively less, this year was the most, killing more than sixty negligent border guards in one breath.”

Song Dongming was shocked, drank a mouthful of green ant wine, then said: “Two generations of feudal kings alternating succession, the Northern Liang border army is different from other feudal armies, many unruly and untamable meritorious veteran generals hold the military power, this should be to seek stability and prevent chaos, why is it still so violent means to see the big picture in a small way, coupled with the previous rumors, once a word of advice will secretly kill the Huaihua general Zhong Hongwu, not afraid of triggering a mutiny! Are you not afraid of a mutiny? Mr. Xu, listening to your earlier account of the cause of the wolf smoke, obviously you are familiar with military affairs, can you solve the confusion for Song Dongming?”

Xu Fengyen smiled and asked in return, “A word?”

Song Dongming how smart, although the beginning of all the heart to test, but also know that nonsense say some layman’s words, can not pull out the connoisseur’s words, convergence of the face said: “Beiliang army in the mountains, the new king on the throne, the only thing is to make an example of the chickens, or else the war has not yet begun, it is difficult to use the military service to convince the public.”

Xu Fengyen listened to this kind of ear calloused generalizations, no desire to talk, he intended to return to the Fu family horse team, always have to escort them to reach Qingcang City safely, then naturally there will be elite cavalry secretly escorted to Fengxiang side of the newly discovered mines. If the Fu family, who has worked so hard for Beiliang, learns that the King of Beiliang is personally escorting them, I don’t know what they will think, and whether they will feel that their hard work over the years is worthwhile. Of course, Xu Fengyen will not let them know the truth, this may be precisely the details of Xu Weixiong’s dislike, as a human master, but refused to buy people’s hearts in the details. Song Dongming saw Xu Fengyen’s signs of leaving, hurriedly mended his words and said: ”Mr. Xu, I heard that your Beiliang Royal House has two young staff members, the grandson of North Mang’s Beiyuan Da Wang, Xu Beihao, became the assassin of Lingshou State, this is Beiliang King’s use of people without doubt, while the rise of the cold scholar Chen Xiliang can be considered to be the use of people regardless of their rank and is very capable of recruiting for the Beiliang the remaining pearls in the cold and commoner portals. Boldly say a word, you North Liang Road, if it is a country of its own, then these two people on the board nail is the future of the talent of the prime minister, but since ancient times the temple hall important ministers, are all from the public into the private, that is to say, the first to the talent and knowledge of the work among the center of the hall, into the emperor’s eyes, and then to be able to walk to the side of the emperor. In that case, it seems that your Qingliang Mountain place is not too strict on rules.”

Xu Fengnian nodded his head, “It is not too much about rules, but then again, this kind of breakthrough promotion, in Mr. Song’s opinion, what are the pros and cons?”

Song Dongming smiled faintly, about to talk about the thing that is good at, the whole person suddenly seems to be in a superb manner, narrated, “In the short term, a thousand gold to buy bones, naturally a good thing, especially conducive to the appeasement of the scholars to go to the Liang, since even that two big things in a row have been thwarted Chen Xiliang were not chastised by the King of the Northern Liang, that we these readers are full of poetry and books and full of experience, the origin than that Chen Xiliang had only Not bad, how can we not be a high official?”

Xu Fengyen very nonchalantly interrupted Song Dongming and asked, “What does Mr. Song think of Chen Xiliang’s dead guard of Qingcang? Do you think that the Northern Liang King should be punished or not?”

The book boy has long been looking at this guy surnamed Xu is not good eyes, my master what vision and knowledge, Jiangnan Road, even if the age of the Chinese celebrities, listening to his master’s lecture on the scriptures, that have to be listening to the appearance of this Xu Qi is worthy of the barbarians in the Northern Liang territory, just look like a scholar, only, the temperament of the learning is a mess, my master’s is not that throwing winks to the blind man to look at? The boy was about to speak out to teach that uninterested guy, was Song Dongming did not show a glance, scared the most disciplined boy immediately silenced, Song Dongming continued: “For Chen Xiliang, when the reward and punishment and use. This person defending the city, seemingly confused, so that everyone in Beiliang thought that this son is ambitious and talented generation, but do not know that Beiliang is not lack of armor, not lack of good swords and horses, and even not lack of silver, the only thing that is missing is the two words, the people’s heart.”

Song Dongming looked into the distance, “the people’s heart of this thing, it is the time, place and people and the people and the people and the book, the country of the risk, never in the geographical advantage of the mountains and rivers of the risk, but in the hearts of the people gathered and dispersed ah. Ground is a dead thing, the defense of man, naturally fall on the head of the two, Confucianism, Taoism and ink have their own insights, countless sages did not fight out a so, Song Dongming since I dare not say, can be the king of the Lord, to be able to correct the heart, willing to accumulate merit and virtue, the opposite of the blessing of the disaster, which is the humane evidence of the heavenly, even if it can not be reversed in heavenly times, but it can not be wrong to go anywhere. If Beiliang in the old Liang King Xu Snap’s hands, the armor of the majestic, 300,000 iron horsemen is already majestic, then if in the hands of the new Liang King Xu Fengnian, can gather the people’s hearts, then Beiliang millions of households, everyone can fight willing to fight the soldiers, even if the North Mang claimed that millions of string-control soldiers, how to bully Beiliang?”

Song Dongming softly said, “So, Chen Xiliang has given a good start to Beiliang, those who entered the city, calculated by three thousand people, after they survived, the so-called word of mouth, that is, word of mouth, the flow of the state since there will be 30,000, or even more people will know that the benevolence and righteousness of the young king of the feudal lord is not that full of benevolence and morality, and even more so, not just in the city gates to set up some congee of the pseudo-kind and false, but the real can help them to defend the north of the country. He is truly able to help them defend the four states of Beiliang, Youliang, and Lingliu!”

The middle-aged reader who was talking to himself looked solemn, “If Chen Xiliang chose to retreat at that time, yes, it is true that he left the White Horse Boxers in the city for the King of Beiliang, but unfortunately, Li Yishan’s planning back then became a basket of water. Enwei and help, Li Yishan expulsion of stragglers may not return home, perennial deployment of Northern Liang armor to kill and practice, is Shi ‘Wei’ in the front, Chen Xiliang does not guard Qingcang, inside and outside the city of more than 100,000 stragglers at that time can be stared at, Xu Fengyen want to let these stragglers for the death of the Northern Liang war? The man is a dreamer! Beiliang thought that the thoughtful Xu Beihao is much better than the womanizer Chen Xiliang, hmm, this is the real short-sightedness! Internal saint and external king, only for the government to virtue, can be like the north star in the sky, living in its place but there are all the stars, to be considered a true winner of the road more help. Beiliang empty military but no people heart, then even if 300,000 soldiers die, the same can not guard the northwest gate of Liyang! Then Xu Fengyen, who was still the son of His Highness, said in the Royal Road in the capital that he wanted to guard the gate for the people of the Central Plains from the scourge of the Northern Mang’s hooves. It was simply a line of bullshit that was laughed off!”

The book boy on the side stared wide-eyed, the always gentle and elegant self-master would also be so tongue-tied?

Xu Fengnian nodded silently.

Yu Di Long squatted beside his master, listening was definitely unintelligible, but he would still feel that this slightly older Jiangnan scholar, spoke quite vigorously, and seemed to have more momentum than a jianghu master.

The momentum.

Staring at Song Dongming fierce look Yu Di Long a little puzzled, they read a few books, but also can read out the momentum to? Under the sky there is such a good thing? Why don’t you tell your master that we should also read and write?

Xu Fengyen was silent for a moment, then smiled and asked “knowingly”, “Yin Maochun, the Minister of Reserve, is presiding over the examination for officials outside the capital, Mr. Song must not be in the civil service at this time when he is traveling in Liang? With Mr. Song’s strategy in his chest, why don’t you become an official?”

The scholar boy let out a heavy cold snort, obviously feeling that this kind of idiotic question was insulting his lord.

Song Dongming was suddenly a bit sentimental, closed his eyes, vaguely surfaced a repressed pained look, softly lamented, “Truth be told, the capital has also been asked this way, I can only say that what he has given, not what I am seeking ah.”

Song Dongming also seemed to realize that his true feelings were not quite right, smiled sparingly and said, “Mr. Xu, is this trip to Qingcang City?”

Xu Fengnian shook his head.

Yu Di Long did not move and looked at his master.

Song Dongming said, “Then this is goodbye.”

Xu Fengyen clasped his fists and bid farewell, taking Yu Di Long back to the Fu Family’s horse team.

Xu Fengyen fiercely remembered the matter recorded by the Northern Liang spy report, Song Dongming who had been spotted by Yuan Benxi very early on, that year, after the Great Enrollment, the Small Enrollment, the first was the Golden Ranking, and the High School Top Ranking before the Crown, even the young Prince of Heaven was shocked at the person’s erudition, and almost wanted to grant a marriage to the person, but did not think that the person would return to his hometown to be married to a woman with a low clan rank immediately, the Great Enrollment is only one rank worse than the top ranked scholar, while the Small Enrollment is small enough to be a cause for I’m sorry to hear that. I feel sorry for this kind of man, why do not you want to marry with the family of the Zhao family woman? After the Song Dongming soon widowed, no children at the knee, so many years did not marry and renew, even concubines do not have a, always outside the tour north and south of the Yangtze River, love of the landscape. The spy mentioned that the death of Song Dongming’s wife was not normal. The Luming Song Clan is a powerful clan, and Song Dongming is a talented man who is expected to join the court as a prime minister, so who would dare to act in such a heartless manner? The entire Liyang, one hand can count.

Xu Fengnian, who had walked out a long way, could not help but look back.

He had once mistakenly passed by Lu Dang of Xiangfan City, and this time he shouldn’t lose sight of him again.

Xu Fengyen whistled and slowly raised his hand, and before long, a Divine Handsome White Falcon crashed sharply to rest on his arm.

Over there, Song Dongming and the book boy continued to trudge through the wind and sand of the Horsehair Mountain, the book boy walked beside the gentleman, lifted the gauze mask around his mouth to cover the yellow sand, and said aloud, “Sir, this Xu Qi should be from a taller clan in a shorter family in Northern Liang, right?”

Song Dongming laughed, “You are even more argumentative in your speech than I am.”

The scholar boy hemmed and hawed and hurriedly turned his head to pooh-pooh the yellow sand in the entrance out of his mouth, “Sir, if we wander around like this, when are we going to meet that young feudal king? Didn’t you say that Northern Liang still lacks a good minister who can strategize? Mr. Song has that ten victories and ten defeats plan in his mind!”

Song Dongming said flatly, “It depends on fate. Besides, whether Xu Fengnian is the bright master in my mind, we still have to see again.”

The scribe had a bitter face and said, “Sir, even if he surnamed Xu can fulfill his ambition, how will we Luming Song Clan be able to live with ourselves when the time comes? That Yu Clan whose first eldest grandson, Yu Luan Knife, ran away to join the army in Northern Liang is a foretaste of what’s to come.”

Song Dongming shook his head and said, “Times are different nowadays, there is the restoration of Western Chu, if the imperial court suppresses my Song Clan, then they will have to pay the price of causing unrest in the Central Plains hinterland, the loss is not worth the gain. Not to mention that Song Dongming has long been a pawn of Tai’an City, it doesn’t matter where it lands, maybe Mr. Yuan will even be happy to see it happen.”

The book boy sighed in an old-fashioned manner.

Song Dongming looked ahead with steely eyes.

”Mr. Yuan, you said that there is a give and take. Therefore forcing me to make a trade-off. But Song Dongming how do not know this crude reasoning, only I am not willing to exchange the small give and take in your eyes for the position of prime minister ah.

I Song Dongming has always been an unworthy fool, just as I do not know whether good people really have good karma, but I am willing to believe. Just like the world does not believe that Northern Liang Xu Fengnian can hold the northwest, but I am willing to believe.

Song Dongming’s eyes were moist as he walked.

Lips trembled slightly.

Nearly wordlessly humming a little song that that woman who died early often sang.

“East and west, north and south, north and south, east and west, only wish to follow each other without parting.

In this life and the next, in the next life and the next, who can gather and meet again?”