C2

Master Seven's coughing came from inside the room, interrupting Zhang Zhou's train of thoughts. He put away his knife, briefly wiped his sweat, put on his clothes, went back to his room and put on the quilt he had hung there during the day, then walked into Seventh Elder's room.

Although it was not serious, Zhang Zhou still grabbed some medicine for him to boil the medicine. After working for several days, even though he was still coughing a little, his condition had improved a lot. Seeing Zhang Zhou enter the house, making gestures for him to sit down, Zhang Zhou covered him with a blanket and sat down on a small wooden stool beside the bed. "Little Zhanzi, I've been wanting to have a good talk with you for the past few days. It's just that this illness has been delayed."

Zhang Zhou knew what he meant and had already thought of a plan.

These days, I have been in the clouds and I don't know what exactly has happened, but I am certain of one thing. That night, after being struck by lightning, I had changed a lot, as if many things had suddenly opened my mind and my body had become firmer. You know, I've been like you ever since I was young, not believing in ghosts and gods, but I've been scared out of my wits these few days. Even thinking about it makes me scared, but one thing I'm sure of is that it's not possessed by ghosts and gods. I still want to ask you, did you think this is a joke from the heavens to help me get enlightened or something! "

Zhang Zhou had always been an honest and talkative young man. He had gotten along well with the people in the inn. After this accident, Zhang Zhou became a little strange, causing people to not dare to get close to him. The inn was led by the Seventh Elder, so he had to come up with a conclusion. It was a good thing that Zhang Zhou returned to normal bit by bit. Otherwise, he would really need to find a master on the mountain and ask for a few divine talismans to suppress him. Seventh Elder was also considered to be experienced, so he naturally had more experience than these youngsters. Although he wasn't sure about Zhang Zhou's change in behavior, he could feel from his heart that Zhang Zhou was not faking it at all. He also didn't see any strange or evil behavior, so he was very much convinced of Zhang Zhou's words.

"Little boat, you don't have to worry too much. The world is vast, and there are many strange things going on. It's a good thing for you. If it really is fortune, then you must take good care of it and do not let down the good intentions of the heavens. "

"Hehehe, that's for sure, Seventh Elder. Who knows, maybe I'll really be able to soar to the heavens and bring glory to my ancestors?" "When the time comes, we won't be able to run away from everyone. We'll flourish together, hahahaha!"

Seeing how ignorant he looked made Seventh Elder feel even more at ease.

"Then you better hurry up, don't dilly-dally. This old man will only get an ear kick out of it!"

"Don't worry, living another hundred years is just a lie. Living another ninety years isn't a problem at all!"

"Haha, good, then I'll live well. When the time comes, I'll see how much wealth you can give this old man!"

"Hmm, let me think about it. When the time comes, I'll have to arrange a few girls to serve you, right!?" "Old gramps, you really must take good care of your health and not let it run out when the time comes!"

These people were all sloppy and spoke as they pleased, especially when they were joking. They did not act disrespectfully, so no one really cared about these vulgar courtesies.

"Alright. Why don't you get me a few maids to try them out now?"

"Sure! I'll go tell Aunt Liu right now and ask her to help me find a few! "

The Seventh Elder's face reddened, and he quickly waved his hands. For the past few years, he and a widow from the neighboring village exchanged glances. They could be considered to be in the right. They had already decided on the final step. This joke had let the woman know that her life had come to an end.

One old and the other young, talking and laughing, talking about many things. Zhang Zhou, after all, knew very little about this world. So far, the original owner of this body had never been inferior to him even once. Even though he had been following his father ever since he was six, his knowledge of the world was shallow, and he was an existence that had never seen the world! He needed to deepen his understanding of this world before he could make a correct prediction for his future development. He didn't think that he would be able to call the wind and summon the rain with just his future knowledge. He didn't think that he would be able to be treated as a monster and be killed if he wasn't careful.

The good news about being a government official was that one did not have to be a scholar. Other than studying, that was a recommendation from the government. However, it was not something that could be accomplished with just a few silver coins, which was much less likely. The management system of this world's imperial government was similar to that of his previous world. However, the highest administration office was not six departments, but eight departments. The army, the workers, the household, the officials, the law, the language, the etiquette and the police. Military Department: Management of the Great Tang Dynasty's million strong army; Ministry of Industry: Construction of the world; Department of Revenue; Department of Public Administration: Appointment of officials of the world; Department of Justice: Ministry of Justice; Department of Arts and Education: Under Heaven; Department of Rites: Foreign Affairs and Sacrifice; Department of Investigation: Surveillance Bureau! It made Zhang Zhou think of a name: Embroidered Uniform Guard! Each year, these departments were able to recommend to the imperial government a varying number of talents and recommend pillars for the country. There was no need to talk about the Imperial Examinations, there was no possibility at all. To Zhang Zhou, the recommendation of the yamen was very far away. Food had to be eaten piece by piece, and one had to walk the road step by step. Only when one reached a large area would there be more opportunities.

Zhang Zhou secretly revealed his thoughts. He wanted to go to Hezhou to have a look. The Seventh Elder was born into a military background, so he was not a naughty person. He agreed with Zhang Zhou's idea very much. It was true that he wouldn't have much of a future in this inn.

Zhang Zhou was very enthusiastic about the people who came to the inn. Although there were not many people, it gave Zhang Zhou a lot of information about the outside world. It also allowed him to have a better understanding of the outside world.

Recently, the more popular news was that in the north, Dragon Prefecture and He Prefecture had investigated and found some cases of corruption by officials. It was said that they had quite a lot to do with the border army. Currently, the biggest movement was the commander of the Dragon State border army, General Zhenbei, who had been replaced. All kinds of indications indicated that this change of general might just be the beginning of the storm in the north.

However, the commotion caused by the officials did not stir the people here. It was an attitude they were used to. The commoners were not too keen on these matters. They were more concerned about the price of the firewood oil salt, or whose mother had cheated, or who had kicked the widow door, etc.

Zhang Zhou had been here for more than two months, but he had never seen a group of beggars, let alone a section where they sold their bodies and buried their fathers. The peeping leopard in the pipe could be seen. The strength and prosperity of the Tang Empire shouldn't be any less than that of any of the historical dynasties in his previous life.

It was definitely a good thing to have a stable situation in order to satisfy Zhang Zhou's development plan.

He had a daughter who lived in a town not far from his home, and had studied martial arts for a few years. Now, she could be considered the best in the stronghold, she was a real person, and was also very loyal, she had always treated Zhang Zhou as a little brother. Ever since that incident, aside from Seventh Elder, Zhang Zhou had spent the most time with him, and now, as long as he had some free time, he would accompany Zhang Zhou in saber training.

That afternoon, two men, bare-chested and sweating, sat in the shade of a tree and chatted.

"Brat, why do you have so many thoughts?"

"The heavens have finally opened their eyes!"

"Hahaha, don't be too complacent, kid. Seventh Elder has warned this big guy not to go out and spread the news. After all, it's quite hard to believe. I've treated you like a freak, and now you're done for!"

Zhang Zhou was surprised. He had not thought of this! He had only considered whether or not his actions in the future would arouse hostility from the secular world. He felt that this was not a big matter, but he had overlooked a problem: among the commoners of this era, there weren't many who were cultured, and of the ten people, only two or three would be able to read. It also resulted in most of them being narrow-minded and being paranoid, and this was not something that could be changed with logic, but rather, it was a deeply ingrained way of thinking and understanding. Even if a person were to enter the game more seriously, it would probably arouse the group's concurrence and cause an attack. It was not because the commoners were evil, but rather, it was instinctual to fear and reject strange things that they could not understand. In the future, he would have to pay attention to this.

"However, you've really changed quite a bit. I've already believed in enlightenment, so you don't have to be afraid. The people at the relay will not speak carelessly about it!"

… ….

"Nine, do you have any idea on going out to do it?"

"Hm!" "Lord Seventh also agreed. Let's wait for an opportunity!"

"There should be a chance in a few days!"

"What chance?"

Without waiting for Lin Jiu to explain in detail, he heard a wave of noise coming from outside the inn. Zhang Zhou's spirit was lifted. This was the most lively activity he had heard since arriving here. Without anyone reminding him, Zhang Zhou would never miss such an opportunity to broaden his horizons. Lin Jiu also stood up, and the two of them quickly wiped off their sweat, put on their clothes, and ran out.

The front door was already filled with horses and soldiers, Zhang Zhou could see the difference with a single glance. These horses were all side horses, and were even bigger and taller than the horses at the relay station. These people were definitely well-trained elite soldiers, and were not someone that the Regional Army could compare to. Although he was a veteran of the Chinese military parade and would not make a fuss over it, the killing intent in the soldiers' eyes still made Zhang Zhou somewhat absent-minded.

Seventh Elder turned around and saw Zhang Zhou. Right now, Zhang Zhou has always been very diligent and dependable in every aspect. He waved Zhang Zhou over and told the leader of the team to go over, and then said to the captain of the team: "Sir field officer, let Little Boat take you there! My legs are too inconvenient, and I'm really in the way, so please don't blame me! "

The armored and burly field officer first nodded to Zhang Zhou, then said to Seventh Elder, "No matter what, this old man is still a senior of the border army, there's no need to be courteous. If the general finds out, then he'll break my legs." This single sentence made Zhang Zhou have a very good impression of him.

The Seventh Master didn't waste too much time on pretentiousness, so he let Lin Jiu lead the servants and horses to clean up the house, while Zhang Zhou led the field officer out of the inn.

It wasn't a special mission. Zhang Zhou had heard from Seventh Elder that the military had very strict rules regarding the conduct of military affairs. Once they reached a certain location, they would definitely patrol the surroundings and place a sentry post. In the Prefecture Region, one could not mess around in private or else it would cause unnecessary misunderstandings and panic. Therefore, there would be a local official leading the way for the security of the sentry posts. They would be very familiar with the route, and would not cause any trouble.

Zhang Zhou had long been familiar with the surroundings. Leading dozens of soldiers, he had arranged everything perfectly.

The captain and the captain became friendly. The field officer's name was Yang Kui, and he was in his early thirties, serving as a field officer within the army. Right now, Zhang Zhou was absolutely thirsty for knowledge. It wasn't easy for him to meet someone from the military, so naturally, he wouldn't let them go.

"Big brother Yang, how are the ranks of the military divided!?" All of them sounded so domineering! "

Yang Kui might not know anything else, but he knew a bit about military matters, so he carefully introduced them to Zhang Zhou.

The ranks of the military officers were divided into seven ranks, thirteen ranks, while the commanding officer of the military flag was classified as six ranks and above. In a first rank Great Pillar Nation, there was a second rank high rank General Long Wei and General Hu Wei; a second rank low rank general of the fourth rank, the conquest of the east and the west. As for the third rank, it was the fourth rank general, which was the east and west of the town … Inferior Grade Eight Cavalry Generals: Wind, Rain, Thunder, Metal, Wood, Water, and Fire; Tier 4 was the General in charge of guarding the prefecture; Tier 4 was the Commander of the Brigade. Although he was a field officer, everyone called him General. According to the size of the authority, the fifth grade began to be classified as a partial field officer, field officer with a saber, field officer with a military flag, advance field officer, army commander, and field officer with a military armor). Tang was extremely strict on the management of military ranks, for example, one would rather sit on the throne as a useless person, but would rarely add an additional position to support an idle person. After finishing his introduction, Yang Kui continued, "Little brother, you seem to have quite a good physique. It's such a pity that you don't join the military. What's your future prospects as a postman?"

Zhang Zhou thought to himself: "You can pull him down. If we fight on the front lines, I won't risk my life. I won't risk my life to kill him!" He said that out of his mouth.

"Big brother Yang, to tell you the truth, I also had this thought. It's a pity that I still have some things that I haven't arranged properly, but I might really find big brother in the future and have some experience in the military."

Yang Kui wouldn't insist and readily comply.

However, Zhang Zhou's advice on military matters had truly made this stout man's heart itch. There wasn't a lack of men in the military, but those who sought knowledge and learned were truly, f * cking rare. He had been in the border army for almost ten years. When had he ever been asked like this by someone as if he was a character? The desire to win her over to his side stirred again.

When returning to the relay station, a few riders were rushing towards them. Zhang Zhou did not have much of a reaction, but Yang Kui had a good look at them. With a wave of his hand, the rest of the riders behind him stopped their horses, dismounted, and stood still.

Several knights arrived in an instant. The leader was dressed in ordinary clothes. His build was not tall and sturdy, but he was definitely tall and sturdy. He looked to be in his forties. He was very well-mannered and exuded a murderous vibe.

Yang Kui knelt down on one knee and said in a clear voice, "Yang Kui has reported to the general that the security post has been set up."

"En!" That person's expression was calm as he said in a deep voice, "In the past, it would take about an hour. How could you be so fast today? Did you steal your laziness? "

Yang Kui replied, "General, it's all thanks to this little brother Zhang Zhou for saving us more than half of our time today."

"Oh?" The man looked at Zhang Zhou and nodded. Zhang Zhou quickly bowed in return.

(Apart from the people at the upper and lower levels, master and disciple, and big figures at the king level, the Tang Dynasty doesn't need to bow down in respect.) If you have something to ask of others, like to slip your beard, some necessary inferiority, kneeling down to see your own thoughts, is not mandatory.)

After the general left with his men, Yang Kui naturally followed, while Zhang Zhou first returned to the relay station. He didn't think that he would be able to get close to that cold and arrogant general.

Everyone was busy back and forth. Zhang Zhou went straight to the kitchen to help with the cooking.

In his previous life, Zhang Zhou had never been picky or picky about food, let alone cooking. However, he was not a stranger to cooking. Usually, noodles were the main dish, but today, he smelled a familiar scent, rice! A few of the postmen were still muttering to each other, "Military food is still the best!" This kind of white rice is not something that ordinary people can eat. "

This era was limited to transportation and technology. Many crops were regional in nature, and although rice was good, it only produced that much per year. Furthermore, there was an imperial edict: The military has specifically denied the majority of the citizens the opportunity to eat rice. Selling food in private is a heinous crime. Of course, they wouldn't necessarily be convicted of a crime if they ate rice. Under normal circumstances, the government would turn a blind eye to this, but the commoners would have very few opportunities to eat it.

Zhang Zhou did not have any ambitions or ideas for agricultural improvement. Worry about the country? Let's worry about ourselves first!

After dinner, just as Zhang Zhou was about to enjoy his long-awaited meal, a soldier came to him and told him that the general was looking for him.

General Zhenbei, the commander of the northern army, was an influential figure in the empire. Zhang Shuhe knew how difficult it was to get his hands on this. Even though half a month had already passed, he still found it hard to suppress the excitement in his heart.

He had spent a lot of resources in order to get this position. This was definitely not just for him to safely stay in the north. He was already forty years old and had joined the army for twenty-five years. The border troops stayed for seventeen years, and in a nonchalant position, they endured for eight years. When he thought about how his subordinates were finally able to feel proud and carefree, his excitement was like tea in a cup, and it became harder and harder to calm down.

Today's impromptu inspection had left him in a good mood. In addition to Yang Kui's personal flattery, he was also a bit interested. He also hoped that his subordinates would be more quick-witted and sensible. The military had their own faction for many years. He had a nominal general, but he was still far from being able to control the army.

He withdrew his thoughts and realized that Zhang Zhou was already waiting outside the door. He waved his hand, and Zhang Zhou quickly walked over and greeted him with a kneeling bow. After all, it was his first time coming into contact with such a powerful figure, someone who wielded the power to kill. It would be a lie if he didn't feel nervous. Zhang Zhou knew that this era would definitely not be as civilized as his previous one. If he made a mistake and got beaten up, it would definitely be unpleasant.

"General, this little one, Zhang Zhou, has come to answer you!"

When one's mood was good, anything would be pleasing to look at.

"There's no need to be so formal. I heard from Yang Kui that you're being prudent and smart. You're also a general that values geniuses. I wonder if you want to join the army?"

Zhang Zhou was so straightforward that he nearly fell to the ground. Although it was the general who had personally recruited him, this was not in accordance with his own plan. He absolutely did not have the thought of killing the enemy in exchange for military merits. He also knew that this general wasn't as easy to deal with as Yang Kui. Zhang Zhou hurriedly said in fear, "General, I am extremely grateful for your kindness. It is just that I have my own difficulties."

"Oh?" Hearing Zhang Zhou's refusal, Zhang Shu and Zhang Wei were instinctively displeased. They looked at the kneeling Zhang Zhou, waiting for him to explain himself.

Before I reached adulthood, Zhang Zhou was also a hot-blooded man and hopes to be able to serve the Empire. But if I leave, I will be left in a difficult situation with no one to take care of me, and I will be in a difficult situation. Zhang Zhou will shoulder the responsibilities of a brother, and I hope General will forgive me!

Zhang Zhou was betting that this powerful figure in front of him would not investigate his background at all. Since he decided to do this, he didn't need to do anything. Of course he didn't have a sister, but that was a reasonable excuse.

As expected, Zhang Shuhe slowed down his breathing.

"So that's how it is, taking care of your little sister is also your responsibility. This king will not make things difficult for you, get up!"

Only then did Zhang Zhou stand up, respectfully waiting for his instructions. Zhang Shuhe really had a good look at Zhang Zhou. Although he was just a postman, he was clean and efficient. Although he was a bit nervous, his actions and actions didn't show any signs of panic. In his heart, he felt even more fond of her. Thus, he lowered his status and began to argue with Zhang Zhou. Zhang Zhou also cooperated with him, and also said something that made Zhang Shu and Zhang Su laugh heartily.

"What a great saying, 'Regret being a soldier for three years, regret not being a soldier for the rest of your life'. This is indeed true."

Luckily, his words were accepted by the general and did not cause any trouble. Zhang Zhou also "humbly" consult some furs, "sincere" performance of a hot-blooded man, to the army life should look forward to.

Although he refused to join the army, Zhang Zhou knew that it was time for him to leave the Hero's Lair.