The next day, the two groups went on the road together and arrived at Yongzhou early in the morning of the third day.
If he insisted on living outside the city, it would arouse suspicion. It would be better to use He Xuehui and the others to hide his identity, so he stayed at the inn that night.
As soon as they settled down, someone came from the Yamen to deliver a message.
Xie Tingzhou unfolded the letter and scanned it quickly, then handed it to Shen Yu, "Zhang Jinglian, the magistrate of Yongzhou, invited us to visit his house."
Shen Yu looked at the letter and said, "How did he recognize us before we even met each other? Have you ever had a relationship with him before?"
"No, the troops never passed through Yongzhou last year." Xie Tingzhou's eyes turned cold, "I'm afraid I won't know this until I meet Zhang Jinglian."
"Are you going to the banquet?" Shen Yu had already read the letter.
Xie Tingzhou took it, scanned it roughly and said, "It's us."
After saying that, he lit the letter on the lamp. The flames almost reached his fingertips before he let go, leaving only gray-white ashes on the ground.
Xie Tingzhou said: "There are two thousand troops stationed in Yongzhou. Even if the shortage is serious, there are still more than a thousand at least. It is enough to capture us people. Zhang Jinglian did not mobilize troops, but only sent a Yamen officer to pass the news. The letter shows that he has no intention of persecution.”
"Are you going?" Shen Yu asked.
"Why don't you go?" Xie Tingzhou looked at her and said, "Let's see what he wants to do."
Zhang Jinglian hosted the banquet in his own house.
Unexpectedly, the Zhang Mansion was not big, just a courtyard with two entrances. It was not considered a wealthy family among ordinary people.
There is a screen wall at the entrance, and you bypass the screen wall and enter the courtyard. There are the main room and the side rooms on both sides. Behind it is the kitchen room, which can be seen clearly at a glance.
The layout is also simple. There are a few flowers and plants planted in the yard, but they are no longer blooming at this time of the year. For a local official with a good Western style, it is really shabby.
They came to the banquet today and showed their true colors.
"Your Majesty, please take a seat." Zhang Jinglian was a little excited.
He was only in his fifties, but he looked much older than his age, and most of his hair was gray.
Xie Tingzhou sat down and Zhang Jinglian poured him wine himself.
Today, Shen Yu still wore women's clothes and didn't put on much makeup. Zhang Jinglian's mind changed and he said, "This must be Yu Hou."
Zhang Jinglian thought to himself that the famous man before the late emperor could be regarded as a powerful figure in Shengjing, but he did not expect that he was not as powerful as he imagined.
"That was the title in the past. Now that I am no longer Yu Hou, Mr. Zhang, there is no need to be so polite. I can do it myself." Shen Yu took the wine bottle and checked it quietly before giving Xie Tingzhou a look.
Xie Tingzhou said: "Master Zhang, please take a seat as well."
Zhang Jinglian sat down and said, "Your Majesty, I have condescended to come to my humble abode. I only have a small amount of wine and light food. Please don't mind."
Xie Tingzhou smiled lightly and said: "I didn't come here just for the meal today, the interview is the important thing."
Seeing him receiving the invitation like this, Zhang Jinglian nodded and said: "The prince must want to know how I learned about the two of them entering the country. To be honest, the prefect of Guangzhou has gathered people to stop the prince's men in the territory."
From Luozhou back to Beilin, the shortest route is via Guangzhou.
When he said this, both Shen Yu and Xie Tingzhou understood.
The journey to Guangzhou is much closer than that of Yongzhou. If they had taken that route, they would have met each other in battle long ago, and the news would definitely reach Yongzhou.
Zhang Jinglian probably guessed that they would take a detour through Yongzhou.
Zhang Jinglian continued: "Now other places are in chaos, and refugees are all rushing to Yongzhou. There are not many large groups of people coming in and out. I have already sent people to keep an eye on the city gate, and today I finally waited for the crown prince."
Just as Xie Tingzhou was about to speak, Yu Guangxian saw Shen Yu holding the cup to drink. He put his hand on her wrist and whispered, "Don't drink on an empty stomach. Eat something first to make up for it."
His attitude forced Zhang Jinglian to re-examine Shen Yu's identity.
As if he knew what he was thinking, Xie Tingzhou said calmly: "My wife is prone to abdominal pain when drinking on an empty stomach. Lord Zhang laughed at me."
Zhang Jinglian was shocked by the news, and he quickly changed his title calmly, "I was neglectful. The Crown Princess and the Crown Prince have been running around for days, and the weather is getting colder, so I should prepare some hot soup to warm up the Crown Princess. "
After that, he ordered the maid to prepare.
"Let's talk about business." Xie Tingzhou said, "I won't stay in Yongzhou. I will leave tomorrow. If you have anything to say, you might as well be the first to tell me."
Zhang Jinglian was silent for a moment, and after a while he seemed to finally muster up the courage. He stood up and bowed deeply to Xie Tingzhou.
"Master Zhang, what are you doing?"
Zhang Jinglian said solemnly: "Zhang Jinglian is here to beg Your Highness to save the people of Yongzhou."
Xie Tingzhou's expression did not change, "Yongzhou belongs to the Great Zhou Dynasty. If Mr. Zhang wants to save the people, it is better to go to Shengjing."
Zhang Jinglian's mood became unstable when he talked about it, "May I ask what the prince and his concubine saw most along the way after they entered Yongzhou?"
Shen Yu said: "Refugees and wasteland."
"That's right." Zhang Jinglian said in a deep voice: "The heavy taxes have been collected in the 21st year of Tongxu. The late emperor passed away in the 19th year of Tongxu. Now that the new emperor has ascended the throne, taxes still have to be collected. Both the court and the people Who can afford to cultivate land if they have to eat and eat grain? I have written to the court many times, but the court does not care. Every year, the censor sent to patrol has to earn a sum of money before leaving. This is not a way for people to survive at all. I have arrived. At the age when I am having fun with my grandson, I thought I might as well not become an official, but I..."
Zhang Jinglian's face was full of anger, "But I think about the people again. If another corrupt official comes here, how will we live like this?"
"Your Highness, Crown Princess." Zhang Jinglian suddenly lifted his robe and knelt down without waiting for their reaction.
"Master Zhang, what are you doing?" Xie Tingzhou said.
Zhang Jinglian was stubborn and could not stand it, "I kneel down this time for the people. Yongzhou is willing to surrender to Beilin and be controlled by Beilin."
Xie Tingzhou and Shen Yu looked at each other and said, "I have no intention of doing this. Mr. Zhang got up first to speak."
Zhang Jinglian stood up and said, "Your Highness has no intention, but will others believe it? Regardless of whether it is the prince's wish or not, Beilin has become a force. There is only one outcome, and that is death. It is impossible for the prince to hide the front." "
Regardless of whether Xie Tingzhou had any thoughts or not, facing Zhang Jinglian at this moment, it was impossible for him to respond until he found out the truth.
Xie Tingzhou said slowly: "What should I do according to what Sir Zhang sees? Why don't you give me some advice?"
Zhang Jinglian had already considered this issue and blurted out what was in his mind, "Don't take any advice seriously. Nowadays, the world is in turmoil. Bandits are rising all over the place. There are many people who have established themselves as kings. Taking advantage of this opportunity, the prince can issue a message to wipe out all the gangs." The states were included on the grounds of banditry.”
"Master Zhang puts it lightly. Fighting a war is not as simple as opening your mouth. Shengjing is too busy to take care of itself and will not provide any military expenditures to Beilin at this time. The battle line is too long and Beilin alone cannot support such a large military expenditure. "
Zhang Jinglian turned his attention to Shen Yu and spoke with some difficulty, "Now, the Lu family's treasury is probably fuller than the national treasury."
Shen Yu smiled lightly, "Master Zhang wants the Lu family to bear the food and salary for the soldiers."
Zhang Jinglian blushed, knowing that this was no different from exploiting merchants, so he still bit the bullet and said: "I heard that the Lu family has been relieving refugees every year. Nourishing poison ①. Expenditures like this every year will only keep up with the surface and it will be difficult to cure the serious illness. It is better to draw out the fuel under the cauldron and get rid of it once and for all.”
Xie Tingzhou smiled, "Master Zhang wants to join Beilin, but his thinking is too simple. There is Pingzhou between Yongzhou and Beilin."
"Why doesn't the prince think about it the other way around?" Zhang Jinglian said: "It should be said that Pingzhou is trapped between Beilin and Yongzhou, and he is the one in the pocket."
Xie Tingzhou remained calm and composed, but Shen Yu's expression changed.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty's Concubine." Zhang Jinglian's face was full of glory as he spoke, and he seemed to be a little younger.
"I came from a poor family and wasted my time for more than fifty years. As far back as I can remember, what I have seen is that corrupt officials are rampant and the people are miserable. I have only seen in history books the prosperous times when the country was peaceful and the people were peaceful. But I saw a turning point in the crown prince. Beili is self-sufficient, and the people in the territory live and work in peace and contentment. , if such a grand occasion could cover the land of Dazhou, what a fascinating scene it would be."
The conversation continued into the evening.
Zhang Jinglian stayed with the two of them for dinner before leaving.
①.The third chapter of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms".
