Sui and Tang Dynasty Generals

Chapter 7 The Zhao Family's Discovery

The lights in the main hall of the Zhao family were bright.

At this moment, the two brothers Zhao Zi, the second brother of the Zhao family, and Zhao Yong, the fourth brother, were kneeling in the main seats in the main hall.

Compared to Zhao Zi, Zhao Yong, who was thirty-five or thirty-six years old, was obviously tall and strong, but now he looked sleepy, and the slightly dark circles under his eyes showed that he had been drained by alcohol and women.

But this is not surprising. The world is in turmoil right now, and there is a shortage of food everywhere. A powerful family like the Zhao family has never lacked women. I'm afraid Zhao Yong has harmed many women.

At the bottom of the main hall, two young men of the Zhao family, Zhao Han and Zhao Gu, as well as three young girls of the Zhao family, all looked at the kneeling young man of the Fu family with curiosity.

"The young master of the Fu family came here in the middle of the night in the rain just to give this sword to the teacher?"

After Zhao Zi took the sword handed to him by the attendant, he pulled it open with both hands. When he saw the blade inside, he was stunned.

Zhao Yong, who was yawning and looking sleepy, suddenly perked up when he saw the patterns on the sword. After his brother had a look at it, he quickly took the sword and looked at it.

"Good! It's a rare and good sword!"

Zhao Yong's face was filled with joy, and his love was evident beyond words.

"To Uncle Zhao, it is true! My master has just arrived in the village, he is unfamiliar with the place and does not know the rules! As a disciple, Zihou remembered and took the liberty to visit him. It happened that my father had picked up a precious sword before, and he sighed and said to me that it was not worthy of Uncle Zhao! Taking advantage of this opportunity, my nephew brought this sword to become a good thing for my father, my master, and the Zhao family!"

Fu Zihou said with a smile on his face and bowed. While speaking, he looked at Zhao Yong with a look of liking and gave him a subtle compliment.

"Okay! Go back! Take this sword! Your teacher will stay in the village from now on!"

Zhao Yong's burly face was full of smiles. After listening to what Fu Zihou said, he laughed straightforwardly.

Zhao Yong had heard a lot of compliments in the past, but it was rare to hear such words from someone of Fu Zihou's age. For a moment, he couldn't help feeling happy.

However, Zhao Zi, the head of the Zhao family, looked at his sword calmly, and then looked at Fu Zihou.

"When did the young master of the Fu family become a disciple?"

After seeing Zhao Yong's statement, Zhao Zi did not rush to give a reply, but asked about Fu Zihou and his teacher.

"Yesterday!"

Fu Zihou, who originally wanted to thank Zhao Yong, answered seriously when he heard Zhao Zi's question.

Next, facing the questions raised by Zhao Zitie, Fu Zihou answered them carefully and clearly. He even did not hide the fact that Mr. Liu was worried that the teacher was not teaching seriously and instigated people to laugh at him.

"Are you worried that someone might harm your teacher tonight?"

After Zhao Zi asked a few questions, he looked at Fu Zihou, who was soaking wet, and immediately guessed why Fu Zihou came.

After hearing what Zhao Zi said, Zhao Yong and other children of the Zhao family in the main hall all looked at Fu Zihou in surprise.

"Yes! Zihou dare not hide it from his uncles!"

Fu Zihou sighed, knowing that treating others as fools would only make him a fool himself. Knowing that Zhao Zi was a smart man, he did not hide his intentions at all.

"It is difficult to deceive one's conscience if one does not take the risk! I beg you to send someone to accompany Zihou!"

Fu Zihou looked at Zhao Zi, bowed and asked.

There was silence in the main hall. Everyone looked at Fu Zihou and then at Zhao Zi.

In the quiet atmosphere, Fu Zihou was also very nervous. After all, he had almost no dealings with the Zhao family, not to mention that he came here to ask for help. If it wasn't urgent and he was worried that his father didn't know what was going on and might say something wrong, he wouldn't have come here rashly.

After a long period of quiet waiting, Fu Zihou finally heard Zhao Zi's voice.

"Take the sword!"

This one sentence made Fu Zihou's heart tighten. On the way here, Fu Zihou thought of the worst outcome.

However, just as Fu Zihou raised his head, he saw that Zhao Zi was already looking at the younger of the two Zhao family members.

"Han'er, take your men and follow the young master of the Fu family!"

Zhao Zi gave instructions to his eldest son, then handed the sword from his younger brother Zhao Yong to his eldest son, asking him to return it to Fu Zihou.

Seeing this scene, not only Zhao Yong, but also another Zhao family member, three other Zhao family girls, the attendants in the main hall, and the sturdy man who opened the door for Fu Zihou just now, all looked at Zhao Zi in surprise, and then looked at Fu Zihou in astonishment.

"Yes, father!"

Zhao Han, who was several years older than Fu Zihou, did not dare to disobey his father's words. He quickly stood up and saluted, then stepped forward to take the sword, turned around and returned the sword to Fu Zihou.

"Thank you, uncle!"

Fu Zihou never thought that Zhao Zi would actually agree to help. After he came to his senses, he quickly expressed his gratitude.

Soon, after Zhao Zi's nod, Fu Zihou and Zhao Han took their men away.

In the quiet main hall, Zhao Yong finally couldn't help but looked at his second brother and spoke in confusion.

"Brother, why do you want to return the sword? I really like that sword!"

Zhao Yong had a look of regret on his face. Thinking back to the sword he had just seen, he really liked it from the bottom of his heart. Such a good sword was truly too rare.

At this time, the other Zhao family followers also looked at Zhao Zi curiously.

"Do you remember that I told you a long time ago that judging from Fu Rui's expression, his son is definitely not a fool!"

Zhao Zi picked up the tea beside him, took a sip, and then looked at Zhao Yong. A few years ago, when he first heard the rumor in the village that Fu Rui's son was mentally retarded, he paid special attention to Fu Rui when he came to the Zhao family with gifts. At that time, looking at Fu Rui's eyes, he had already concluded in his heart that the rumors in the village were all rumors.

Fu Rui had only one son, Fu Zihou. If he was really stupid, how could Fu Rui's eyes be calm? Even when he mentioned his son, his face and expression seemed to reveal a sense of contentment as a father.

"But I never thought that this young master of the Fu family is not a simple person! In the future, he will definitely not be an ordinary person!"

Zhao Zi sighed, and seeing his fourth brother's silence, he put down his tea and slowly analyzed the situation under everyone's gaze.

"He just became his disciple yesterday, and he hurried here alone tonight. This shows that his father, Fu Rui, was not aware of this matter, but was able to sense the danger and give up the sword that belonged to him without hesitation. This kind of mind and character is not something that ordinary people can have! If it were you, who would be like him, coming here in the rain at night? Would you be willing to give away your beloved sword?"

As Zhao Zi spoke, his eyes shifted from Zhao Yong to his second son, Zhao Gu.

Being noticed by the clan member, the prefect Zhao Tuo, and being entrusted with important tasks, Zhao Zi must have valued the people far more than other members of the Zhao family.

Looking at the Zhao family members who were looking at each other in bewilderment, especially the burly Hu Zi, the attendant who was in charge of guarding the gate tonight, who had a dazed look on his face at this moment, Zhao Zi turned his head to look at the ground not far away, where there were still traces of rain.

"You are so smart, but you have so little contact with our Zhao family. You are a teenager, but you can tolerate the insults of the villagers! Are you afraid of being the most outstanding tree in the forest? Or are you superior to others?"

When Zhao Zi said this, the first thing that came to his mind was the records of famous scholars in ancient books who had accumulated a lot of experience and then made great achievements. Without exception, those famous scholars all had great talents but were able to keep them to themselves, waiting for an opportunity to become famous through the ages.

Zhao Zi didn't dare to say that the talent of the young master of the Fu family could be compared with the famous scholars in ancient books, but Zhao Zi was very sure that the young master of the Fu family also possessed the tolerance and virtue of those famous scholars.

"With such mental endurance, fourth brother, this Fu family...will have successors!"

Zhao Zi was sighing with envy in his eyes, and he asserted in front of everyone that someone like Fu Zihou, who was able to make such a decision at such a young age, would stand out no matter in prosperous times or troubled times.

As it is now, Zhao Zi knew very well that if he was asked to help Fu Zihou, he would make his father Fu Rui stop doing business, and then spend the family fortune, trying every possible means to spread the matter without leaving any stone unturned. In this way, he would gain fame and would not have to worry about his future.

A famous scholar will be respected wherever he goes.

"Second brother, what about us?"

Zhao Yong likes martial arts. In terms of brain, he has relied on his second brother since he was a child. Now, hearing his second brother speak so highly of the boy from the Fu family, he is filled with surprise and naturally will not look down on the boy from the Fu family anymore.

"In the future, let Han'er and Gu'er have more contact with Fu Zihou. You won't need to charge a huge profit from his father. Although I don't know who the woman who is going to marry the Fu family is, I will go to their house in person after the rain stops tomorrow to see if the Fu family can cancel the marriage. I will make the decision and let our Zhao family marry the Fu family!"

After Zhao Zi finished speaking to Zhao Yong, he turned his gaze towards the three girls. Zhao Yong nodded and agreed.

When the three Zhao family women heard what Zhao Zi said, their faces all shrank and they looked at each other in bewilderment.

"Jinxuan, Fangyun, Huier, the three of you are all unmarried. Are there any of you who are willing to marry the young master of the Fu family for the rest of your life?"

Zhao Zi asked softly.

Apart from his youngest daughter Hui'er who is his biological daughter, Jinxuan and Fangyun are the daughter of his deceased brother and the daughter of his third brother respectively. Since Zhao Zi has seen that Fu Zihou will not live a mediocre life, he naturally has to ask his brother and third brother's two daughters first.

The main hall was very quiet. After hearing what Zhao Zi said, Jinxuan and Fangyun both lowered their heads silently and instinctively looked at the younger Huier.

Even though the elder Zhao Zi spoke highly of the young man from the Fu family, the two girls thought about how the Fu family was in decline. Not only was the young man regarded as a fool by the villagers, but he was also the son of a merchant. Who would want to marry him?

Therefore, the two women were actually very reluctant in their hearts.

If you want to marry, let Huier marry him!
"Huier!"

How could Zhao Zi not see what his two nieces were thinking? So he frowned and couldn't help but look at his younger sister Hui'er.

In the eyes of everyone, the eleven-year-old girl named Hui'er lowered her head, pursed her lips, and said nothing, but her eyes were already filled with tears.

"Well, father, how about we ask the Fu family first?"

As the elder brother, Zhao Gu couldn't help but stand up with heartache and gave advice to his father.

Zhao Zi looked at his daughter with some disappointment in his eyes and sighed implicitly. For some reason, he had a vague premonition that his daughter would regret it in the future.

Although even he was not sure whether the young man just now could make the Fu family return to its former prosperity and become a famous family in the county, he was sure that the young man would be much better than most of the children of the same age.

Under the night sky, as Zhao Zi stood up without saying a word and left the main hall, the three daughters of the Zhao family who saw this scene looked at each other. They had already made up their minds that they would talk to their mother no matter what and would never let themselves get engaged to the Fu family and really marry that young man!

........................

In the rain late at night.

Fu Zihou and Zhao Han, along with several men, armed with sharp swords, hurriedly came to a wooden house.

In the dim night, many figures in the house retreated in fear when they saw Zhao Han arriving with his entourage, holding bundles of torches. When Fu Zihou entered the house, he saw Old Liu and his teacher Liu Zhiyuan, each holding a sword, confronting four or five villagers holding wooden sticks. Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.

As long as there is still time!
Looking at the bloodstains on the ground, and watching Zhao Han and his men arrest the villagers with wooden sticks, the other villagers also squatted down, and Fu Zihou hurried forward.

"Mr. Liu! Teacher! Are you hurt?"

Fu Zihou asked with concern.

"Young Patriarch, it's okay!"

Although Mr. Liu didn't know what was going on, he finally breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the people from the Zhao family following the young master.

Fu Zihou saw the teacher nodded, and noticed that the teacher then looked at Zhao Han and others with a hint of hidden fear in his eyes. He knew what the teacher was worried about, so after making sure that the teacher and Mr. Liu were fine, Fu Zihou turned and walked towards Zhao Han to express his gratitude to him.

In the crude wooden house, Old Liu put away his sword, looked at the villagers who had been captured, and then looked at Fu Zihou, who was talking with the Zhao family members, all wet and smiling, and felt extremely guilty.

However, at this moment, what Old Liu did not notice was that Liu Zhiyuan on the side was also watching. Fu Zihou's hair and body were all wet with rain.

(End of this chapter)