C50

Zhang Zhou cursed in his heart: In the slave era, without telephone contact, a small matter was enough to make a person suffer for half a day. However, he did not dare to delay his actions. He swiftly changed his clothes and followed the young girl to the palace.

Entering the Palace, upon seeing the Empress, before she even had the chance to salute, she fell to the ground with a cry!

The empress was shocked, thinking, perhaps this brat fell down accidentally, or was he injured!

"Zhang Zhou, what happened to you?"

If you call him by his name, you can't get him unless you're a trusted aide.

"Esteemed Empress, this humble subject's gotten to my waist in a flash!"

The empress sighed and rebuked, "Look at you. You're still young, yet you hurt yourself by bowing. There aren't many old officials around. "You can only do that if you are confident?"

"Esteemed empress, this isn't my fault!"

"Oh, tell me, how is it that you can't blame me?"

"Esteemed Empress, you are elegant and elegant, like a celestial goddess. You behave like a mother to the world and act benevolently. Who in the world wouldn't bow before you?!"

"Haha, you talkative Zhang Zhou!"

The empress only knew how to flatter a horse like Zhang Zhou! Even though she knew that he was flattering her, she enjoyed it greatly!

"Get up! In the future, if there are no outsiders, don't kneel. I can't bear to see you, a future loyal general of the Great Tang Empire, break your waist at such a young age. "

Zhang Zhou chuckled as he crawled up. "That won't do, I have to be polite. The empress doesn't need to worry about this humble official at all. As long as I can make the empress happy, this humble subject will be able to strengthen his body and cure a hundred diseases!"

The Queen, amused by his serious and exaggerated expression, covered her mouth and laughed.

Zhang Zhou was even younger than Ping Wang. In her eyes, he was just a child. This kind of interaction allowed the empress to find joy that she hadn't seen for a long time. Of course she knew the value of Zhang Zhou. Although he did not have the authority or family background of those important officials, but this was also his advantage, so he could be more at ease in using it. Furthermore, he was not even twenty years old and was already the mastermind behind the three great industries. He was the master of the Empire's number one singing and dancing group, and also one of the Emperor's imperial guards. If they did not try their best to rope in such a talented person with potential, who would be worthy of doing so? He had lost the first battle against the Jing King and the Crown Prince, but in the end, neither of them managed to gain the upper hand. Fortunately, those two people didn't pay enough attention to Zhang Zhou, and Zhang Zhou obviously wanted to get close to him.

The main purpose of this meeting with Zhang Zhou was to let him do some errands. One must not underestimate this mission. It symbolized that the emissary was regarded as a trusted subordinate of the empress by the empress. Its meaning was self-evident. Countless people tried their hardest to obtain such an opportunity, but unfortunately, they could not.

Within a short period of time, there was no reason to give him a new appointment, nor could he give one! Because his position was given to him by the Emperor, he could be transferred whenever he wanted to. Where would you put the Emperor? The Emperor's eyes aren't as sharp as yours? Don't have you making the arrangements? But the empress was going to arrange this errand, and the emperor would never find it inappropriate. Why do I not need you to serve the royal family when I bestow upon you the title of an official? The Empress of Tang already had the authority to assign troops to no more than a single brigade (no more than a thousand people), and to assign a single Zhang Zhou was even more so. However, the matter that the Queen mentioned to Zhang Zhou was not an order, but a rather tactful discussion.

"Zhang Zhou, I want you to do a task for me. Are you willing?"

"It is this humble official's fortune to serve the empress!"

Naturally, Zhang Zhou would not reject the empress's kind intentions.

The Lu Family's ancestor was from Liangzhou, and their family's territory was also from Liangzhou. According to the clan rules, there would be a large ancestral worship ceremony every ten years, and this was a great ten-year sacrifice. The empress begged the emperor to let the Ping Wang go with the Lu family to Lianzhou instead of her. Although there was no lack of guards for the Ping Wang, and the emperor had also ordered a few experts to accompany him, but the empress was selfish enough to assign a team of guards to accompany the torture camp with the aim of getting the Ping Wang and Zhang Zhou to be more intimate.

The world is like this. As long as you have the ability and potential, those influential nobles will think of ways to curry favor with you.

Zhang Zhou listened to the empress's arrangements and calculated the date. His plan to go to Lianzhou would start after the fifteenth day of the first month, and the round trip would only last for a little more than a month. Firstly, he could not refuse the empress's' request ', and secondly, he also wanted to go out for a walk. The opportunity to travel was always good, and thirdly, he could also bring the senior brother who might become a troublemaker along the way.

When he returned to his residence, it was already dark. Zhang Xingzhi was still waiting for him. When Zhang Xingzhi heard that Zhang Zhou was going to drag him to Lianzhou, he didn't want to do it. However, Zhang Zhou threatened him. If he didn't want to go with him, he had to report it to his teacher, find a reason to stop him, or imprison him. Only then did Zhang Xingzhi reluctantly agree.

The next day, the Ministry of Law received the empress's decree to transfer a battalion of torturers and guards to the south, and naturally agreed. After all, Zhang Xing had only been in office for a few days, and Zhang Xing had not been in charge for long. He was afraid that he would lose his balance in his work, so he decided to let Han Zhen of the Black Tiger Camp lead the team. In any case, the imperial edict mentioned Zhang Zhou and Zhang Xingzhi's presence, but it didn't say who would lead the troops. The officials of the Ministry of Justice all felt that Xu Huanyan's thoughts were very reasonable, so they decided on what they should do.

That night, in Xu Huaiyan's study, Xu Huaiyan was instructing Han Zhen face to face.

"Zhang Zhou and Zhang Xingzhi are both Cao Yi's students, especially that Zhang Zhou. He was extraordinary in the He Zhou case. I had a deep impression of him. I thought he was a talent and even thought of promoting him …"

Xu Huai Ya sighed, and continued to speak: "Cao Yi is no longer as restrained as he was in the past, especially after the last birthday, when Zhang Zhou did something like that for him. In the end, Cao Yi's reputation rose greatly, and he has been in close contact with Lu Dai Wen and a few other ministers during this period. On top of that, the Ping Wang went south with the Lu Family, and the empress asked Zhang Zhou to follow them by name. It was clear that the empress thought very highly of Zhang Zhou, and did not underestimate him. If Zhang Zhou were to win, then Cao Yi will gain power, and Cao Yi will gain power, and my life will be in trouble. This time, I'll let you accompany me, you should know what to do, right? "

Han Zhen's eyes flickered. Naturally, he knew what Xu Huanyi meant. Having been in the capital for so long, he was still able to see through this. Since there was a threat, then it meant that he was a competitor. How could he make his opponent run faster than him? The best method was to cut off Cao Yi's leg. Who was Cao Yi's' leg '? Other than the vigorous Zhang Zhou, who else could it be? But when Xu Huaiyan used himself as a knife, it was a little …

"Brother-in-law, will doing so arouse the empress's displeasure? Once the blame is laid …"

"Idiot, as long as I can sit still and advance, you might not have the chance to rise again. What a short-sighted thing!"

Xu Huanyi's stern voice still made Han Zhen a little afraid as he lowered his head and no longer spoke. How could Xu Huaiyan not understand Han Zhen's personality? He took a deep breath and said, "Since you've completed your errands, I'll arrange for you to go down to the prefecture capital and be a punishment officer!"

The assistant criminal is a fifth rank official. This is a huge leap for the assistant criminal. He is the reserve officer for the officer in charge of the criminal investigation!" This price made Han Zhen very satisfied. He said with a face full of smiles, "Thank you brother-in-law for the guidance. Brother-in-law, rest assured, I know what to do. It shouldn't be too much of a problem to play some tricks. Brother-in-law, just watch out!

Han Zhen, who had just exited the mansion, had a dark expression. He coldly glanced at the manor behind him and underestimated, "I called you brother-in-law. You really think you are my father!" Do you think I don't know that you've given the crown prince a seductive look and helped him deal with the Empress and the Peace King? You want to use me as a cannon fodder? My sister has already been gone for two years. If something were to happen, you would definitely treat me as your brother-in-law! "

After venting out his grievances, he sighed deeply and muttered softly, "A person has no choice but to lower their head under the eaves!"

In Cao Yi's home, Zhang Xingzhi and Zhang Zhou were also sitting.

"Xu Huanyi arranged this to include Han Zhen. I'm not sure what was his purpose for doing this, but you all need to be extra careful. Also, although the Ping Wang isn't as powerful or influential as the other two, but after all, there is the empress and the Lu family behind the scenes, so you must be cautious! As the saying goes, accompanying a tiger is not a joke. "

Cao Yi didn't know, and Zhang Zhou didn't intend to tell Cao Yi about the perverted relationship between Ping Wang and Zhang Zhou.

"Teacher, rest assured. Disciple will remember this!"

After the two of them agreed, Zhang Zhou asked again, "Teacher, what is Xu Huaiyan's background like?"

"This Xu Huanyi does not have any large family background. "He could also be considered to have walked step by step from the time of his imprisonment until today. However, his bearing was lacking, and from that birthday onwards, his attitude towards me has clearly become much colder."

"Then which prince does he have a closer relationship with …"

"If there is one, it should be the crown prince. After all, I have not been in the capital for long and I have limited understanding of some things. Right now, His Majesty is very strong and healthy, and there are very few officials who would openly stand in teams. "

Zhang Zhou knew from Qing Lin that the Emperor's physical condition wasn't as good as it appeared to be. However, he would definitely not reveal this matter. If others knew that he had secretly grasped the Emperor's secrets, it would definitely not be a good thing. Cao Yi then turned to Zhang Zhou and said, "There's something you should take note of. Your predecessor was kicked out by Han Zhen. That person is called Liu Manzhou. He came from Ying Prefecture. There were several times when Xu Huaiyan and Han Zhen's face were openly disgraced, and they were directly charged with some crimes and removed from their posts! "

He was talking to Zhang Zhou, but afterwards, he looked at Zhang Xingzhi. Zhang Xingzhi naturally knew what his teacher was thinking, and hurriedly lowered his head without saying a word. Zhang Zhou saw this, and thought to himself, 'If you knew what this disciple of yours is planning now, I wonder what kind of expression you would have!'

Liu Manzhou looked at his wife, who was wiping away her tears and packing up her things, with a complicated feeling in his heart! He wanted to say something, but in the end, he couldn't. He could only sigh.

His wife had followed him for so many years, through hardships and hardships, but she had never enjoyed any happiness. He had finally entered the sixth grade Battalion as a vice captain, just past fifty years old. He had originally wanted to continue working hard for a few more years to accumulate some wealth for his wife and children, and when the time came for his son to marry and have children, he would have no regrets in his life. Now, he had lost his official position and his son's reputation. His son had also been implicated and lost his position! But who could they blame? Who let their temper offend people! Right now, life had already entered a difficult situation. Paper was expensive in the capital, and it was not easy to live life in the hundreds of people. All they could do was return to their hometown and think of a way to earn a living.

At this time, there was a knock on the door. His son, who had also been stripped of his officer uniform, ran out and answered the door. He couldn't hear anything so he assumed the landlord had come to urge them to move. Just as he was thinking, he heard his son calling for him.

"Dad, vice president Zhang from the White Tiger Camp has come to find you!"

Even though they hadn't known each other for long, Zhang Xingzhi had a good relationship with him. Zhang Xingzhi was a young criminal arrest that he rarely took a fancy to. After telling his wife to stop cleaning up, he tidied up the room and went out to greet her.

"Brother Xing, why did you come so late? What's the matter?"

He was also on tenterhooks, afraid that he was going to leave and cause trouble again.

Zhang Xingzhi smiled, "Brother Liu, can I just not come to see you when there's nothing to do?" "Come, let me introduce you to my junior brother, Zhang Zhou!"

Of course, Liu Manzhou knew who Zhang Zhou was. Zhang Zhou had replaced him, and he had heard several old brothers mention him, but all of this had nothing to do with Zhang Zhou. Liu Manzhou was not that petty, so he quickly cupped his fists and greeted Zhang Zhou. After leading the two into the room, they saw that the room was filled with large and small bags. Liu Manzhou was at a loss, but he also self-deprecatingly said, "Everything in the capital is expensive, and my hometown is more comfortable. It's a bit messy, so don't take offense!"

Zhang Xingzhi smiled, "It's already the new year, there's no need to be in such a hurry for the next two days!"

Liu Manzhou was too embarrassed to say that the landlord had urged him to do so. Just as he didn't know what to say … Zhang Xingzhi playfully continued, "Before my junior brother came, he prepared a gift for elder brother! Junior brother, take it out! "

Zhang Zhou smiled and took out a folded yellow paper from his pocket and handed it to Liu Manzhou. Liu Manzhou took it and opened it, and was immediately stunned.

"This, this, this is?"

Zhang Zhou smiled and explained, "Being a servant in the capital, how can you not have your own house? It's not like renting always matters! "

Liu Manzhou looked at the room deed with his name on it, still in a daze.

"My junior apprentice-brother is a rich man. If I were you, I wouldn't stand on ceremony with him!"

"That's right!" "Old Brother Liu, I was the one who gave you my senior brother's residence. Until now, I've only ever been stingy enough to buy wine once. Don't you think that it's a little unfair?"

Liu Manzhou said excitedly, "How can we do that? Brother Zhang Zhou, this brother here is just a commoner. I don't have anything I can help you with, right? "

At this moment, Zhang Xingzhi found a place to sit down. Leave the main character of the conversation to Zhang Zhou.

"I know a bit about Brother Liu. I actually think that even if you had hardened your heart to return to your homeland, you wouldn't need to be in such a hurry to do it in the future. You and your son might even wear the same clothes again one day! "

Liu Manzhou's eyes lit up as he looked at Zhang Zhou in disbelief. Zhang Zhou said bluntly, "I thought the time of the torture was too short, especially in the capital. My heart is so deep and anxious that I have no idea what to do!" If an experienced senior like you were to go back to your hometown, it would truly be a great pity! "

Liu Manzhou thought for a moment, and more or less understood Zhang Zhou's intention, and nodded: "Little brother, I would not dare to accept this gift of yours, but if you are willing to treat my brothers kindly, then I can step forward and help you win your heart!"

"Brother Liu, do not worry about not returning the favor by taking this house! I won't promise you too much, but as long as those brothers of yours don't stab me in the back, I guarantee that you won't be disappointed! As for restoring you father and son to your former posts and giving me some time, I am somewhat confident! "

Finally, the two of them forcefully gave Liu Manzhou five hundred taels of silver before leaving.

The next day, Zhang Zhou was invited to his house by Liu Manzhou, and the people he met were a dozen or so Ying Prefecture brothers of the Black Tiger Camp. Zhang Zhou simply paid for money, and got someone to buy food and wine, and borrowed Liu Manzhou's house to buy a meal. He had a great time chatting with these people, and was also able to gain a deeper understanding of the Black Tiger Camp's situation.