The harsh winter has not yet ended, and the spring has never come. The morning in Qufu is cold and windy. Except for a few poor farmers, there is not even a dog in the vast fields.
When a farmer inadvertently looked towards the official road while digging the ground, he was surprised to find that a group of solemn-looking people came out of the thick white mist.
Their cloth clothes and green shirts were soaked by the mist, but they still walked steadily and silently. Even if someone coughed sickly in the middle, it did not affect the overall marching rhythm of the team at all.
The farmer was very puzzled. This team gave him a very strange feeling. It goes without saying that it is solemn and dignified. There is also an inexplicable power of piety and faith in him. But they are obviously different from Taoist and Shimen disciples, and they don't have the kind of looks and behaviors that pretend to be gods and ghosts.
If there is anything special about Qufu, the first thing that comes to mind must be the Temple of Confucius.
This is the hometown of Confucius.
When the group of people walked in, even the most short-sighted farmer could recognize that the other party was a scholar.
Qufu has the most scholars. They are completely different from warriors in the army, Taoist monks, and merchants and farmers. They can be easily judged from their clothing and temperament.
Since they are scholars, there is nothing to look at, and it is not worthy of curiosity at all. The farmers who raised their heads turned their eyes away one after another, and continued to busy with their work.
The farmers in Qufu still couldn't tell the difference between the scholars in front of them and the Confucian scholars in Qingzhou.
If the latter are virtuous, solid, down-to-earth scholars, and very down-to-earth, then these scholars in front of them are obviously elegant, romantic, and refreshing, making people feel that they should not be writing poems in brothels , you should talk about it in the temple.
This team of hundreds of scholars failed to enter Qufu City, so they were stopped in the suburbs.
The people who stopped them were a team of elite cavalry from the Eredivisie.
The military formations are spread out on the official road, with spears like forests, and horses in armor. They are majestic and murderous. Obviously, they are not a team of recruits who have never been on the battlefield.
The leader of the scholar team was a tall and thin old man with gray hair. Facing the cavalry blocking the way, he took the initiative to step forward and asked gently, "Why did the general block the way, but we waited for you?" What law did you break?"
The head lieutenant said nonchalantly: "I don't care whether you violated the law or not, but the military order I received is to prevent you from entering Qufu!"
As soon as this remark came out, the expressions of the scholars all changed slightly, some were puzzled, some were puzzled, some were angry and some were sad.
Only the white-haired old man, with a turbulent expression on his face, bowed respectfully and said, "I heard that under the rule of King An, the dynasty was prosperous and martial, the Tang people lived and worked in peace and contentment, the world was full of waste, there were no robbers in the mountains, there were no strongmen in the prefectures and counties, and the common people Don't close the door at night, don't pick up things, everything is in order.
"Why can't we even enter a city when it comes to us? Dare I ask the general, who issued the military order? Isn't the person who issued such a military order afraid of ruining the reputation of the court and being punished by King An?"
This old man was exactly Zhang Qi who had led Yangzhou Confucian scholars away from Yangzhou City in the past.
The lieutenant was rendered speechless and simply did not answer. It's just that the attitude of blocking the way is still stubborn, and there is no intention of letting them pass.
This is typical military style.
Zhang Qi was not angry at all, sighed, and said calmly: "Forget it, since the general's military order is in hand, I can't wait to embarrass the general. However, we will enter this Qufu city no matter what."
After he finished speaking, he walked straight towards the army formation.
As he took steps, the scholars behind him followed closely behind.
They were only forty or fifty steps away from the army formation, but now they quickly pulled into the distance.
In the captain's cold eyes, a strong murderous intent suddenly shot out, and his hand was already on the handle of the knife, "Are you really looking for death?"
The military order has made it very clear that these people are not allowed to enter Qufu City.
Of course the captain knew what would happen if he violated the military order, and he didn't think he had any reason why he couldn't carry out the military order.
So, he was ready to kill.
Zhang Qi has no intention of retreating, his steps forward are still steady, revealing an indomitable will to move forward. Although his face is calm, his heart is actually a world of ice and snow.
He did not expect that this time he would be stopped outside Qufu City when he brought his disciples to worship at the Confucius Temple.
This is the first time they have appeared in front of the world since they left Yangzhou City.
They didn't do anything out of the ordinary, they just wanted to worship Confucius, and Li Ye didn't even allow that. It is conceivable that their lineage of Confucianism will not have the opportunity to see the light in the future.
As the current leader of Yangzhou Confucianism, Zhang Qi must find a way out for the scholars behind him.
The only way out for scholars is to become an official.
In fact, Zhang Qi thought very clearly. After paying homage to Confucius this time, he went to Chang'an to petition, hoping that Li Ye would treat Yangzhou Confucian disciples equally and give them the opportunity to participate in the imperial examination.
Zhang Qi knew it was difficult.
After all, under the leadership of Wang Zaifeng, the Yangzhou Confucian School once fought against Li Ye, planned and led the Kunlun Change, and sent Li Ye to the Immortal Realm—although they still don’t understand that Li Ye, under the watchful eyes of everyone, clearly I have already gone to the fairyland, why did I appear in the mortal world again.
The road is long and long, and I will search up and down. This is the life motto of scholars.
Zhang Qi was ready to be questioned.
But Zhang Qi did not expect that the difficulty of this matter was so beyond imagination.
To prevent them from worshiping Confucius is to deny their status as Confucian scholars, so what follow-up is there
Zhang Qi must fight.
In other words, you must express your attitude.
I want to take my disciples to worship Confucius, and I want to declare to the world that I am a scholar of Confucianism.
If not, there is only one dead end.
Since it is a dead end, it doesn't matter when you die.
So Zhang Qi didn't answer the captain's words, but just walked forward stubbornly.
The lieutenant's eyes began to become bloodshot, his murderous aura could no longer be concealed, and he ordered coldly: "Crossbowmen prepare!"
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Recalling the general's order, the captain stared at Zhang Qi who was approaching, and gave an extra warning: "Go one step further, kill without mercy!"
Tensioner did not stop.
The scholars behind him also followed him across the red line in the captain's eyes.
When they were still in Yangzhou, these scholars thought that the world belonged to them, and they sneered at Qingzhou Confucianism. When they left Yangzhou, these princes realized that the world has nothing to do with them.
If Confucian scholars cannot devote themselves to official careers, if the world has nothing to do with them, they are nothing. So at this moment, these scholars who have experienced hardships know that they have no way out.
Under the leadership of Zhang Qi, they kept moving forward.
A true Confucian scholar is never afraid of death.
If you hear the Tao in the morning, you can die in the evening.
Although they failed in the battle with Qingzhou Confucianism, they also shed their blood on the Central Plains battlefield, and even sacrificed their lives.
The captain didn't make another sound, but just drew out the horizontal knife at his waist and pointed forward.
The sound of sharp arrows piercing the air sounded almost simultaneously, and hundreds of crossbow arrows tore through the air amidst the lightning, and flew head-on into the crowd of Confucian scholars.
Pu Chi Pu Chi's sharp arrows pierced the body one after another, one after another Confucian scholars fell face to face.
Even Zhang Qi was hit by three arrows, two on his shoulder and one on his ribs.
The captain's pupils suddenly shrank.
Of course, he could tell that most of the Confucian scholars in front of him had the realm of literati or above, and there were even many literati in the central group headed by them.
In Confucianism, a literati means entering the hall, and a literati is a rare talent.
But now, none of them used the power of cultivation to protect themselves.
Under a round of crossbow arrows, among the ten or twenty people who fell, most of them were scribes, and there were two scribes among them!
Zhang Qi's face remained unchanged, his body only paused, and then he moved forward again.
He kept his eyes on the front, but he didn't look at these fine horsemen, but he seemed to see the Qufu city behind, the Confucian temple in Qufu city, Confucius, and the origin and future of Confucianism through their bodies.
The scholars behind him also kept walking. Some people helped up their injured companions, some avoided their companions' corpses, stepped on the blood-stained mud, and continued to move forward, with firm eyes and a determined look.
The scholars did not hesitate, neither did the captain.
The knife in his hand moved forward again.
Then, another hundred sharp arrows flew out from the left, right and behind.
The scholar who was supported tried his best to support himself and took two steps, but was shot in the body by a crossbow arrow, flew upside down and fell into a pool of blood, lifeless; the scholar who supported his companion followed in the footsteps of their companion, They were either shot or killed.
Those figures who insist on moving forward are destined to endure the disaster ahead. They experienced violent storms, lightning and thunder. Many of them were destined not to see the rainbow after the rain and could only die in the wind and rain.
But they were determined, as if they had fallen into a demon, and went on and on.
When the captain raised the horizontal knife in his hand for the third time, a voice sounded behind him, "The whole army returns to camp."
The lieutenant's eyes changed, and without any hesitation in his movements, he put the knife back into the sheath, shouted "return to camp", and turned the horse's head first.
When the military order is in his body, he will not be moved by killing all the scholars who do not resist in front of him, even if he will feel sick afterwards; when the military order is revoked, he will not hesitate to withdraw the army and return to the camp.
Zhang Qi was hit by five arrows, and the last two were on his thighs. I don't know if the cavalry had some sympathy or admiration for him, but the crossbow arrows missed his vitals.
After hundreds of fine riders stepped on the billowing smoke and dust, a young official in official robes appeared on the official road in front of the scholars.
Seeing this official, his face was pale and he smiled, bowing his hands with difficulty.
Not only him, but the princes behind him, no matter whether they have crossbow bolts or not, whether they are bleeding or not, whether their actions are standardized or unable to regulate, they all salute this official .
The official didn't show off, and immediately returned the salute.
It is really impossible to show off.
Because he is Zhang Zhongsheng.
Once a scholar of Confucianism in Yangzhou.
After the Battle of the Central Plains, he, Yang Xingmi, Sun Ru and others joined Li Ye's command, which can be regarded as submission to the imperial court.
"Uncle Master, why bother?" Zhang Zhongsheng glanced at the scholars lying in a pool of blood, as well as those wounded who looked miserable after being shot, and shook his head impatiently.
What he was talking about, of course, was that Zhang Qi didn't need to take the doomed useless scholars of the Confucian school in Yangzhou in the past, and exchanged their lives for a chance to worship the Confucian Temple.
Several scholars came to Zhang Qi's side, wanting to help him pull out the crossbow arrows and heal his injuries, but he waved his hand and pushed them away. They looked at Zhang Zhongsheng seriously and said, "There are 800 Confucian disciples behind me. The disciples who didn't come There are still three thousand people. This is not a small number, does King An really want to watch them die?"
It has to be said that compared with the vast territory that Gao Pian once ruled, the countless officials, and the many Confucian schools, more than 3,000 scholars are really too few. However, this is the first time a group of scholars have gathered together after two years, not to mention their talents, at least their temperament is not too bad.
Zhang Zhongsheng said with a wry smile: "King An ordered that if you are sincere enough, I can give you a chance."
For Zhang Qi and others, this is the good news they could only wish for.
However, the reason why Zhang Zhongsheng said it with a wry smile proves that this "sincerity" is definitely not taken lightly.
The more than 20 corpses and more than 30 wounded people lying on the ground in front of them are the necessary components of "sincerity". For Zhang Qi and others, this is cruel.
However, Zhang Qi didn't think there was any problem with this.
Now that King An is in control of the world, if he says they are relying on others, that is all to think highly of them. Their life and death, honor and disgrace, depend entirely on Li Ye's thought. Even if Li Ye killed them all, no one could say no, after all, they were once enemies.
"King An is really kind, I can't thank you enough!" Zhang Qi said with emotion.
Paying more than 20 lives, he can exchange for scholars from the Yangzhou Confucianism lineage, who have the same status as Qingzhou Confucianism, this is what he can only wish for. Even if I die, I have no regrets.
In the past, the Taoist sect was against Li Ye, but Li Ye did not kill the Taoist sect, but supported the Quanzhen Temple; in the past, the Shimen was against Li Ye, and Li Ye did not exterminate the Shimen, but supported Wukong Release the door.
Li Ye's attitude towards Taoism and Shimen made Zhang Qi and others realize that as long as they are willing to sincerely rely on Li Ye, accept Li Ye's transformation, and become Li Ye's minions, they may have a chance and a future.
This is why they appear in front of the world now and come to Qufu to worship Confucius.
Entering the Confucian Temple to worship is just an excuse. The essential purpose is to attract Li Ye's attention. If Li Ye is willing to give them a chance, then even if they give everything, they will try their best to grab it.
Unexpectedly, Zhang Zhongsheng shook his head.
Under Zhang Qi's puzzled and apprehensive eyes, Zhang Zhongsheng said in a deep voice: "King An is indeed kind, but King An's kindness is only for his own people. In the past, the Confucian sect in Yangzhou once caused disasters to the Tang Dynasty. Having the status of a scholar in the Tang Dynasty is just the price of paying dozens of lives, which is far from enough.
"King An doesn't even care how many lives you sacrifice. Even if you all die, King An won't frown. What King An cares about is what merits you can make for the Tang Dynasty and how many contributions you can make for Jiangshan Sheji Only those who have made meritorious service in the dynasty can have status in the dynasty and become a minion of King An!
"Uncle, have I made it clear enough?"
These words fell into Zhang Qi's ears and made him fall into deep thought.
In just a moment, he understood what Li Ye meant.
Zhang Qi nodded seriously: "I understand. Please tell King An that Zhang Qi will lead this group of Confucian scholars to make meritorious service for the Tang Dynasty."
After saying this, he opened his arms and motioned for the scholars behind him to draw arrows and wrap his wounds.
Zhang Zhongsheng smiled, "Next, where is Uncle Master planning to go?"
Zhang Qi said: "Northern territory."
...
Many times, Li Ye hopes that time will pass slowly so that he has more time to collect people's luck; You guys, immediately beheaded by the sword.
Anyway, winter is over and spring has arrived.
And Li Ye was about to leave Chang'an for Chu.
In this trip, he wants to solve Ma Yin and Nanzhao. If there was an ambush by Khitan great monks there, he would have to deal with those Khitan envoys as well.
If it was years ago, Li Ye would not think there was any problem with this action. But now, after so much time and repeated deduction, he began to feel that this trip was not as simple as he imagined.
Li Ye had no need to hesitate when things came to an end and he needed to be bold. It's just that before going south, he needs Chang'an to be absolutely stable. There is no destabilizing factor in Chang'an. If there is one, it is Emperor Li Yan.
The reason why Li Yan was unstable was not that he had any unreasonable thoughts about Li Ye, but that his physical condition was getting worse and worse, and he even had a serious illness a few days ago.
To a qi cultivator, getting sick is a very shameful thing.
For Li Ye, making his brother seriously ill was intolerable.
Therefore, he gave Li Ye a thorough treatment, and with his cultivation at the peak of the Yangshen Daoist Realm, he helped Li Ye completely recover his health.
The price is not without. During the treatment, many people thought that Li Ye was going to kill the king. After all, using one's aura and aura to influence the other party, even if it is not a regicide, is also suspected of controlling the other party.
Li Ye didn't let go of his hand to help Li Yan before, because of these scruples.
However, right now, Li Ye has no hesitation in what he has done.
Because he knew very well that Li Yan's lifespan was almost at the end of his life.
According to the memory of the previous life, Li Yan was about to die at this time, and then the throne would be passed on to him.
But this is not the previous life after all, and Li Ye is no longer that trash who can't cultivate and lives in poverty in the market. Zhu Wen, who usurped his throne in his previous life, is not sitting in the Central Plains now.
So Li Ye saved Li Yan's life and gave him a body that couldn't be any healthier, so that he could continue wandering freely in his own rhythm world.
When Li Ye did this, it was not only Li Yan's confidant eunuchs who opposed it, but also Li Ye's direct line officials, including Li Zhen and others.
From the point of view of strategy, Li Yan's death is really beneficial to Li Ye but not harmful. As a son of the clan, and a powerful official who has pacified the world and subdued Hexi, he can inherit the throne logically, and there will not be many people who will not accept it.
From the perspective of Li Ye's cultivation realm, when the king comes to the world, his personal destiny and luck are completely integrated with the imperial dynasty, and he can command the world more like his arms. layer film.
But all of these, in Li Ye's case, cannot be compared with brotherhood.
Li Yan is not a good emperor, but he is a good brother, and now he has given himself all the power of the dynasty without any suspicion. Throughout the ages, Li Yan is probably the only such emperor. I can't let him down, and I can't let my conscience down.
For this matter, only one person clearly expressed his support and appreciation for Li Ye.
Qi Wang Li Maozhen.
Li Ye, who was in a relaxed mood, took King Qi and led his army southward.