【Zhou Ye】The King of Luoyang

Ye Xiu wanted to be free and run away, but he didn't want to leave Zhou Zekai with an escape route. It wasn't necessary for him to die before he had to.He recalled every detail of the "alluring kiss" with Zhou Zekai just now, he was holding the iron bar, Zhou Zekai was holding his hand, and when he let go, a "secret letter" made of a small piece of cloth slipped into Zhou Zekai sleeve.Zhou Zekai should have noticed it, and pinched his fingers to inform him.

The strips of cloth were torn off by Ye Xiu from his close-fitting clothes, and the words on them were written with coal lumps as pens—fortunately, there was such a thing, otherwise he would have bitten his fingers to write a bloody book.He told Zhou Zekai, don't be impulsive, brother has a way out.Ye Xiu didn't know what Zhou Zekai would do, he just knew that Zhou Zekai would definitely do something for him.He had just prepared the cloth slip, and was worrying about how to spread it, when Zhou Zekai delivered it to his door himself, and did the same thing as him.

Do you want it to be like this? Ye Xiu turned over and leaned on the pillow on Zhou Zekai's bed, thinking to himself.

Zhou Zekai received Ye Xiu's letter, read it, hung it high, and ignored it. He still quietly made arrangements according to his original plan.

No one expected that a few days later, Ye Xiu's persuasion would be realized indirectly through a man-made disaster.

The general of the Zhou family who was the governor of Jiangsu at that time was surnamed Xiao, and he was one of the most trusted confidantes of the marshal. Back then, he followed him and led his younger soldiers to fight from his hometown, and made a fortune.At the beginning of the year, Dujun Xiao got lung disease. After autumn, his condition worsened. He didn’t survive and passed away. Before he died, he designated his son Xiao Jie as his successor. Unexpectedly, Xiao Jie sent a telegram to the whole country when his father’s bones were still cold, announcing his separation from the Zhou family. , Jiangsu became independent and self-governing, and several civil officials were killed to show their determination.It's a pity that his cover is not bright enough, and there are many people who don't listen to him and are loyal to the Zhou family, and they turn on the electricity meter to show their loyalty.As a result, he came and went independently, and in the end, only Xuzhou and its connected cities followed Xiao Jie.

Xiao Jie's rebellion seemed like a farce, but it weakened the Zhou family immediately.Xuzhou is not only an important economic town, with mines, factories and railways, but also the most important part of the Zhou family's military deployment north of the Yangtze River.Now, there is a hole in this link, if it is not repaired in time, it will be like opening its arms, giving other warlords the opportunity to attack at any time, so why not make the Zhou family restless.

The commander-in-chief let go of power and ordered Zhou Zekai to lead troops to fight against rebellion.The momentum was urgent and the family was the most important thing. Zhou Zekai had to put aside the matter of sending Ye Xiu away. He mobilized the garrison in Luoyang and ordered people to deploy weapons and military supplies to move eastward. The troops in Huaibei should cooperate with him inside and outside.

The weapons Zhou Zekai purchased through Tian Sen Bridge came in handy, and it seemed like he was planning for a rainy day.

This battle lasted for two months until the Chinese New Year.Zhou Zekai won consecutive battles and advanced all the way, pointing his sword at Xuzhou.Xiao Jie really didn't cry when he saw the coffin, and brought the most well-equipped soldiers left by his father to defend Xuzhou.During the stalemate between the two armies, Xiao Jie entrusted someone to mediate through his aunt, and the person he entrusted happened to be Zhou Zekai's future father-in-law.

Such absurd mediation naturally won't get any response other than cannonballs. The future father-in-law sent a telegram. Zhou Zekai read it, but it was as if he didn't see it. It's a war.

The first day of the Lunar New Year was a windless and foggy day. At [-]:[-] in the afternoon, Xiao Jie was captured in the Governor's Mansion.At the same time, Zhou Zekai rode his horse and galloped to Luoyang.

The dust rose, and the heavy fog seemed to be dispersed by the horseshoes. He saw the spire of Wenfeng Pavilion from a distance, and the spire was getting closer, and the orange-red sun poked on it.

Zhou Zekai left the army and sneaked back by himself. After the curfew yesterday, he set off from outside Xuzhou city. He rode down a horse and continued on his way without stopping.

In the cold starry night, his clothes were soaked with sweat, he didn't feel tired or sleepy, he just wanted to go fast, go fast, go fast, wishing he could exchange Yangshou or everything else he had , as long as he can return to Luoyang quickly.

The cold wind scraped across the bloodshot cheeks and ears like a knife, and rolled around Zhou Zekai's front and back, making a sharp whistling sound, which could not suppress the voice in his heart.

You must catch up...you wait for me, wait for me, Ye Xiu...

Time went back to the [-]th day of the new year, the rebellious troops advanced to the county town [-] miles away from the inner city of Xuzhou. Xiao Ling, Xiao Jie's younger brother, was stationed here.

Xiao Ling has the demeanor of a big brother, he was unwilling to surrender after surrendering, and scolded Zhou Zekai from the air in the prison.The guarding soldiers turned their ears away, they didn't want to deal with him at first, but after listening to him scolding more and more unreasonable, more and more vile, the scolding was all on the head of the commander, he didn't dare to make his own opinion, so he went to ask Jiang Botao for instructions.It happened that Jiang Botao was in Zhou Zekai's room. Zhou Zekai listened to the guard's report, put on his military overcoat, and asked the guard to go to the kitchen to serve dumplings, and went with him to see this man.

When Zhou Zekai arrived at the door, Xiao Jie had scolded his father and son beyond reproach, the content was exhausted, and he was taking a break at halftime, asking for water everywhere to moisten his throat.When Xiao Jie saw Zhou Zekai, he immediately regained his spirits, his hatred came back, and his rascal energy also came up, trying to scold him.Suddenly, his senses opened wide, and he remembered the laughing stock about Zhou Zekai that was circulating among them young masters, so he struck out, put on an obscene and malicious smile, and said to Zhou Zekai, Young Marshal Zhou, I heard that your crotch It's the one who likes to get into men's butts the most. Has your concubine surnamed Ye joined the army?I heard from my brother before that if he is caught, he will be locked in a cage and exhibited to the public. Once a copper coin is visited, it will be regarded as raising military pay.

Zhou Zekai looked at him unresponsively.It's not suppressing anger, it's really quiet, and you can't look angry.

Xiao Ling almost thought it was because he didn't speak clearly enough to impress Zhou Zekai, and was about to repeat it when he heard Zhou Zekai say that...he didn't join the army.

What kind of answer is this, Xiao Ling was furious, don't you understand, I'm humiliating you!He was going to go again, and he heard Zhou Zekai say, let's eat dumplings.

what?

After finishing speaking, Zhou Zekai took the plate and chopsticks from the guard, picked up a steaming dumpling, and stuffed it into Xiao Jie's mouth.Xiao Jie didn't want to eat it, so he had no choice but to passively hold the dumpling in his mouth and chew passively. Before he swallowed it, another dumpling was fed in, two, three... he couldn't chew slowly enough, he I had no choice but to chew it whole and then swallow it, almost choking to death.

Zhou Zekai was quick and kept feeding him more than a dozen dumplings in one go. Xiao Ling didn't understand that Zhou Zekai did it on purpose to gag him.

Sure enough, Zhou Zekai handed the plate back to the guard and ordered that as long as he speaks, he will be fed.

He saw Jiang Botao through the frosted windowpane, with his head lowered, he was walking towards this side quickly, it seemed that he was here to look for him, so he didn't want to delay here, he went out of the house to meet Jiang Botao.

As the two got closer, Jiang Botao raised his head and looked at Zhou Zekai. His gaze suddenly gained quality, and he pressed in heavily.

For no reason, Zhou Zekai's heart plummeted into the ice hole.

"The news came from Luoyang that the commander will shoot Ye Xiu tomorrow night."