Strange Tales from the Northern Qi Dynasty

Chapter 255 Tao, You Come From a Great Family

"Lord."

Zu Ting looked at the gold and jewelry in front of him, and a hint of uneasiness flashed in his eyes. He looked at these things, but he did not have the greed that Lou Rui had when he looked at the treasure.

He was not greedy for money, nor was he a poor man from a frontier town; he was a famous scholar from a prominent family.

He just enjoyed the feeling.

Zu Ting withdrew his hand without even looking at the treasures.

"Lord, I understand."

"I'll return everything right away."

Liu Taozi said seriously: "Although you have made many contributions, I will never indulge you because of your contributions. If someone reports you for theft, corruption, or bribery, I will punish you according to the law."

"I see."

Zu Ting paid his respects to Liu Taozi again, but did not stay there any longer. He found an excuse and hurriedly fled.

When Zu Ting walked out of the mansion in a daze, a carriage was waiting for him.

Zu Ting walked into the car and Wei Shou was sitting inside waiting for him.

"Grandfather. Alas, I see how much the general despises us. I'm afraid it will be difficult for us to follow."

Wei Shou spoke up.

Zu Ting frowned and looked at him, "Duke Wei, you were recently punished with 200 lashes and demoted to a commoner. Your reputation is in tatters. Isn't it normal for people to look down on you?"

Wei Shou was speechless. He sighed helplessly, "It's all my fault for not being careful."

"Grandpa, please help me."

"King Pengcheng was very dissatisfied with me because Cui Ang and I changed the ages of the suspects. He said many times that he would investigate my crimes thoroughly. I have nowhere to go!"

Wei Shou placed a wooden box in front of Zu Ting. The wooden box was not big, but Zu Ting knew clearly what was inside.

Wei Shou wiped the sweat from his forehead and said again: "General Wei is now more and more powerful, occupying Hebei Province, with counselors as numerous as rain, and fierce generals as his minions. Although his official position is not high, his real power is unmatched by anyone. Who would not want to follow him?"

"Besides, although Grandpa is favored by General Wei now, he is a newcomer."

"General Wei has the Cheng'an faction under his command, including Lu Qubing, Tian Zili, Yao Xiong, Kou Liu and other Cheng'an elders, who are unstoppable. There is also the Dingzhou faction, including Cui Gang, Po Duo Luo and many other elders. There is the Border Town faction, which is mostly composed of warriors. But now many people want to follow General Wei, and it is hard to say whether they will send out a civil official to you. Which faction can you belong to?"

"The people of Cheng'an will not accept you. The people of Dingzhou may accept you, but young Cui Gang, do you want him to ride on you? Besides, there is Cui Jishu in the future!"

"If we can follow the general, we can surround our grandfather in the future, and he will no longer be alone and weak."

Zu Ting had a calm expression on his face. He tilted his head and looked at Wei Shou.

"I'm anxious to have you come to me because I have this in mind. I want someone to support my decision and help me do things. But Duke Wei, please don't use the old ideas to figure out General Wei's subordinates."

"General Wei has all kinds of people under his command. Even if there are suspicions of forming a clique, they will not exclude outsiders. Otherwise, the general would not be able to achieve what he has today."

He slowly pushed the wooden box back into the other person's hand.

"You keep this thing. I will talk to the lord about this. However, it is not because of faction, but because of your talent."

Zu Ting pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Can Duke Wei still write fu now?"

"sure!"

"Go back now and write an 'Ode to General Wei's Defeat of Bandits'. Don't use words that are too profound, just keep them simple and easy to remember. Once you've finished writing, let me take a look. If there's no problem, you can ask your friends to promote it everywhere. You have to show us what you are best at, so that the lord knows your strengths."

Wei Shou took a deep breath and said, "I'll write it right away."

Zu Ting and Wei Shou disappeared on the road.

Inside the mansion, Liu Taozi slowly stood up and walked towards the inner room.

After entering the inner room, Liu Taozi looked around and her eyes finally fell on a wall.

"Mother."

"I am coming."

The large cabinet blocking the wall slowly moved horizontally, and the next moment, Xiao Wu came out from inside. He quickly stood firm and bowed to Liu Taozi, "Brother!"

This guy has grown a lot taller. He has been eating well these days and is already showing signs of becoming Gao Yanzong.

Fortunately, he is well-educated and not as rude as King Ande.

Liu Zhang followed behind him. She still looked the same as before, without any change. Compared with her, Liu Taozi had changed more. She was taller, stronger, more mature and fierce.

"peach."

Liu Zhang looked at her son and couldn't help laughing.

The three of them sat in the inner room. Xiao Wu ran around pouring tea for his brother, his eyes particularly bright.

At home he always heard about the many great things his brother did outside.

He also really wanted to work with his brother.

At this moment, Mrs. Liu Zhang finally checked around to make sure that her beloved son had not suffered any serious harm.

"Alas, it's hard for you to deal with so many evil people."

Liu Zhang looked outside the door and asked, "Did many people come just now?"

"Yes, Zu Ting called a lot of people over."

Liu Taozi then told him what had happened.

Liu Zhang's eyes were so smiling that they turned into crescents. "My Taozi has gained power. Even Wei Shou came to pay his respects to her."

"This Duke Wei, regardless of his moral character, is truly a first-rate scholar. He has made great contributions to history books, etiquette, and law. He speaks eloquently, has a photographic memory, and never needs a draft when writing imperial edicts and essays. He is a great talent who can be used."

Liu Taozi said calmly: "It's just that my personal morality is not very good."

"That depends on you. Apart from my son, is there anyone perfect in the world?"

"If we don't use a person just because he has shortcomings, then there will be no one left in the world to employ."

Liu Zhang then talked about the other people who came to pay a visit. They were similar to Zu Ting, all of whom were "traitors" who were not tolerated by Gao Yu and Gao Rui.

They all came from prominent families, and had chosen to remain neutral in previous struggles, or simply flattered He Shikai, and had some involvement in corruption and bribery. Both Gao Yun and Gao Rui hated such traitors.

They are afraid that their future days will be difficult, and only Yuan Yuxiu is the most moral person among this group of people.

But he had been used by Gao Zhan to deal with the opposition before. He inspected various places and dismissed many people. Gao Yun and Gao Rui did not dislike him, but it was difficult for them to accept him.

But if we put aside their evil deeds, they are all extremely talented, at least proficient in one aspect and can be considered masters in a certain field.

For example, Wei Shou was a master of literature, history, rites, laws, and regulations. Zu Ting was no match for him within a certain scope. Another example was Lu Sidao, who bullied the weak and feared the strong. He was beaten and dismissed from his post for leaking court secrets, but his poetry and prose were excellent, and he had a good ability to write imperial edicts.

Liu Taozi neither agreed nor objected, she just listened to her mother.

"I want to take you back to Wuchuan."

"Oh?"

Liu Zhang was stunned.

Liu Taozi continued, "Mom, I have gained power in the frontier, and I will not let others bully me anymore."

"Although we have just experienced a fierce battle and all places are in ruins, at least I have a large amount of arable land. I am not afraid that the government will use food and fodder to curb me in the future."

"Although the enemy is strong, I will not be defeated by them easily."

"Yecheng is in chaos right now, and no one cares about our family affairs. You can follow me to the border."

Liu Zhang didn't say anything. She looked outside with a worried look on her face. "Then your grandfather."

"I told him, and he asked me to ask you."

Liu Zhang fell into deep thought, tapping the table in front of her with her fingers.

"If you want to accomplish great things, you not only need to keep an eye on the border, but you also need someone in Yecheng to watch over you and keep you informed of the situation in a timely manner."

"Besides, the Warrior Camp has just been expanded and is extremely powerful and well-equipped. Almost all of your grandfather's friends are in the Warrior Camp. If you leave like this, the Warrior Camp will fall into the hands of others."

Liu Zhang obviously considered more.

In the past, Liu Taozi's behavior was just a minor matter in their eyes, and they only needed to consider the final retreat. But now, Mr. Liu's official position has surpassed Xiao Liu, so the direction that Liu Zhangshi has to consider has changed.

"Mother, given his personality, if one day I came to the outskirts of Yecheng and the emperor ordered him to lead the troops to fight, he might not refuse."

"Besides, the stronger I become in the border areas, the more miserable he will be in Yecheng. At least, the Warrior Camp will definitely not belong to him anymore."

"Bai Bao and Yong Shi are the two most powerful forces in Ye City right now. Even if Gao Yu and Gao Rui trust me, they dare not let him continue to take over."

"Besides, if you want to leave again after Yecheng is pacified, it will be difficult. The families of border generals have always been kept in the capital as hostages."

Liu Zhang listened to his words and chuckled, "I've only heard of the hostage, but today I've met the hostage father."

She gently squeezed Liu Taozi's hand, her eyes sparkling, "But what you said makes sense. Do you have a carriage outside?"

"We have horses but no carriage, but we can find one."

"Then let the car in." "Wei."

Liu Taozi didn't know what his mother wanted to do, but he still followed Liu Zhang's instructions, ordered the soldiers to find a carriage, and entered the mansion.

Liu Zhang got into the car immediately and let Liu Taozi sit next to her and Xiao Wu sit opposite her.

Liu Taozi didn't like riding in a car, so Liu Zhang said slowly, "Let's go to the south of the city."

The carriage slowly left the mansion. Sitting inside the carriage, Liu Zhang said slowly, "We still can't give up easily in the Warrior Camp. When things are settled, they will definitely not let your grandfather continue to lead. Even if it is difficult to dismiss him, they will find someone to hold him hostage."

"It would be better to take the elite troops of the Warrior Battalion over there while no one is in charge of Ye City."

"These are all real elite soldiers, the strongest and most capable soldiers."

Liu Taozi looked stern, a little confused, "They are all stationed in the palace, how can they be taken out?"

"There are many things in it, you don't know, and you don't have to care. Your grandfather and I will come to find you, don't worry."

As Liu Zhang spoke, she quietly looked outside.

"On the surface, you should not have too much contact with your grandfather. I will take you to see someone first."

"Meeting whom?"

"Your uncle."

Liu Taozi frowned and didn't ask any more questions.

The carriage arrived at the south of the city. Under Liu Zhang's order, the carriage kept changing direction and seemed to have circled several times before finally stopping in front of a huge mansion.

The house covers a large area and has high walls, but it shows some signs of decay. There are no signs of a carriage at the door, and an old man is sweeping the ground outside the door.

The carriage rushed to the door. The old servant was stunned and hurriedly stood in front of the carriage.

But the soldiers leading the way were unreasonable. They forced the servants away, someone opened the door, and the carriage broke into the mansion unscrupulously.

The servant shouted in panic.

"Master of the house!! Master of the house!!"

The front yard was built in a rather luxurious style, making it look like a wealthy family, but there were only a few furnishings, and it looked dilapidated and lifeless.

There were elaborately carved things everywhere, making it unique. Liu Taozi got off the carriage and looked into the distance. In the inner courtyard, he saw rows of peach trees, but they seemed to be withered.

A moment later, a group of servants surrounded a scholar and walked quickly towards the carriage.

Those servants were holding sticks and looked aggressive.

Liu Taozi asked the soldiers to close the door and looked at the scholar.

The scholar was not very old, and his clothes were not luxurious but not simple either. He had a carefully groomed beard and his eyes were filled with arrogance, a typical scholar-official.

When he saw the soldiers stationed at the door, his expression became even more serious.

But when Liu Taozi saw the other person, she was dazed for a moment. The other person looked somewhat similar to her mother.

Before the other party could question her, Liu Zhang quietly got out of the car.

She looked at the man walking towards her.

"Brother."

The man looked at Liu Zhang and stood there in a daze. For a moment, he couldn't say a word.

His lips trembled for a long time and his face turned red.

Liu Zhang said again: "Brother, I'm back."

The man didn't speak for a long time. He looked around and ordered, "Go and guard the various places."

The servants fled in all directions, and the old slave who had just been frightened half to death by the soldiers came forward tremblingly, looking at Liu Zhang in disbelief, "Is Cai Fu back?"

“It’s true.”

He stared at Zhang Caifu in front of him with a look of disbelief, tears streaming down his face.

"Since my wife is still alive, why didn't she come back to see me? When the master of the family passed away, he was still thinking about you."

Liu Taozi stood aside, still not saying anything.

The man finally exhaled, "Come with me."

He took Zhang Caifu and Liu Taozi for a walk and came to a villa. He locked the door again and let them follow him into the house.

There are many books piled up in the house.

The man sat down and looked up at his sister in front of him.

"For many years, there was no news. I just thought you were dead. Can the dead be resurrected?"

Zhang Caifu's eyes flashed with helplessness, "I also want to avoid causing trouble for the family. There are many things that my elder brother doesn't know."

The man ignored her and slowly looked at Liu Taozi, examining her from head to toe, his eyes becoming more and more annoyed.

"General Wei Liu Taozi?"

"Well, well, it turns out you gave birth to a good son."

Liu Taozi looked indifferent and said nothing. This familiar expression made the man even angrier. Zhang Caifu said again: "Taozi, meet your uncle."

"uncle."

Liu Taozi uttered two words.

The man calmed down again and looked at Zhang Caifu, "Why did you come back?"

"Both father and mother are gone."

"What are you coming back for?"

"Are you bringing General Wei here to show off?!"

"Brother, I have my own difficulties. You also know that I only dare to come to this mansion because he is here."

"Taozi, please wait at the door. I have something to talk to your uncle."

Liu Taozi nodded, went out and stood guard at the door.

There was a quarrel in the room, but Liu Taozi ignored it. After a long time, Zhang Caifu finally spoke and let him in.

The atmosphere in the room was still tense. Zhang Caifu took Taozi's hand and pointed at the man in front of them, "This is your uncle, Zhang Qianwei."

Zhang Qianwei still frowned and said nothing, but Zhang Caifu said, "Your mother's family is the Qinghe Zhang family, who have lived in Dongwu for generations. They are descendants of Liu Hou of the Former Han Dynasty. Your grandfather is called Zhang Yanzhi, who served in the previous dynasty and later followed King Gao. You have two uncles and an aunt."

"Your uncle is the military officer in the imperial court, and is in charge of the military deployment and dispatch of troops."

"Your second uncle is the county magistrate."

"Your aunt married a member of the royal family. She was the wife of Gao Xi, the late King Kangmu of Gaoyang. Her son is the current King of Gaoyang."

"Your maternal grandmother's surname is Lu, from the Fanyang Lu family."

"Your great-mother is Zheng from Xingyang."

Zhang Caifu slowly told Liu Taozi about her family's situation, and there was obvious surprise in Liu Taozi's eyes.

Zhang Qianwei waited for his sister to finish speaking, then looked at Liu Taozi again. Seeing that Liu Taozi's face was still calm and she didn't react much, he couldn't help but say, "As expected of General Liu, he is really like a father!"

Zhang Caifu glanced at Zhang Qianwei, "Brother."

"That's fine."

Zhang Qianwei looked at Liu Taozi and said, "You want to transfer the Warrior Battalion?"

"Why?"

"Want to rebel?"

"It is used to keep the people safe."

Zhang Qianwei was stunned, then his face relaxed a little, "In fact, even if you had said clearly that you wanted to rebel, I would not have been able to do anything. The Great Qi was already hopeless and there was no way to save it. I submitted petitions several times, but the more I submitted petitions, the more my promotion stagnated. I was the chief clerk of a state at the age of twelve, and the military officer of the Taiwei at the age of eighteen, and I have been in that position until now."

"I will find a way to deal with this matter. However, you still have several cousins ​​and relatives. I hope they can take up official positions with you."

"That depends on whether they have the ability and morals."

Zhang Qianwei couldn't help but laugh, "At least he's much more capable than you barbarians from the border!!"

"Don't be like your grandfather!"

"Your grandfather claims to be a member of the royal family of the Han Dynasty. I think he is just a descendant of Liu Yuan of the Xiongnu! He is also a Qihu! You should follow the example of your mother's family and be an upright and wise man!"

Liu Taozi had a grim look on his face.

"When I was in Dingzhou, I saw many upright and virtuous people from big families. They looked righteous, but when they saw blood, they were scared to death."

"Hahaha, good boy, you are my good son!!!"

(End of this chapter)