Chapter 135: To Bear or Not to Bear

The next morning.

Under the summons of the new Shogunate Right Zaicheng, Ding Chengqi.

All the soldiers and generals of the Zhihai Town Longhu Shogunate gathered on the training ground after a long time.

They drilled for a full three-quarters of an hour.

During the whole time, the Longhu General Zhang Gui was accompanied by the Shogunate Zaicheng Lü Zhenduan, inspecting the field.

As a result, the merchants doing business in Zhihai Town, regardless of whether they knew about the conflict between Zhang Gui and Prince Zhen, all understood that this Longhu General had returned to manage affairs.

Zhihai was still Zhang Gui's Zhihai.

And judging from the attitude of Prince Zhen's party member Lü Zhenduan toward him, Zhang Gui, regardless of whether he had defected to Prince Zhen, who was in the limelight in the Eastern Yue Province, had at least not fallen out with him.

So everyone could continue their business and earn their money.

Just like this, time passed, and half a month went by in the blink of an eye.

As Prince Zhen truly gained a firm foothold in the Eastern Inner Sea.

But he did not show the domineering spirit of defeating the Qianji rebels in one go on Xianrong Island and sweeping the Yuanshan and Baiyang Bo'erqin National Protection Army into the sea.

The situation in the entire Northern Song Ming Kingdom slowly began to cool down, and it was no longer as lively as cooking oil with fire.

This day.

In the main residence of the Pingyang Zhang Family, a small Taoist courtyard hidden deep in the large mansion,

Under the parasol tree, beside the water well.

The former assistant instructor of Siyang Commandery and head of the Pingyang Zhang Family, Zhang Liuduo, sat on a rocking chair, holding a Taoist scripture, reading it leisurely.

On the low stone table beside him were seasonal cucumbers, muskmelons, large tomatoes, and a porcelain cup of clear tea.

It was truly a style of retirement and contentment.

But suddenly, a gloomy wind blew from nowhere.

Blowing away the little summer heat in the courtyard completely.

A ghostly figure walked out from the shadow of the parasol tree.

Coming to the front of the old family head of the Pingyang Zhang Family, he said with an envious tone:

"Brother Zhang, you are truly living a good life of 'picking chrysanthemums under the eastern fence, leisurely seeing the southern mountains'.

It makes people envious."

Ever since the gloomy wind blew in the courtyard, Zhang Liuduo's expression had changed subtly.

At this time, the uninvited guest had appeared, but he had returned to calm.

"Mr. Yin, ever since Prince Zhen left the capital, I calculated that you would come to see me, but I didn't expect you to come so late."

The person who came was Mr. Yin, whom Prince Zhen privately called 'Uncle'.

Hearing Zhang Liuduo's words, he said very seriously:

"Last time I worked with Brother Zhang to do things, but it failed because Zhang Yan unexpectedly interfered.

Implicating you in losing your son and your position, I have always felt extremely guilty in my heart.

This time, without absolute certainty, how could I have the face to come to you rashly again."

Hearing the name 'Zhang Yan' from Mr. Yin's mouth, Zhang Liuduo finally could not control the anger in his heart.

Gritting his teeth, he said:

"I didn't expect Mr. Yin to still remember this matter.

When we traveled together in our youth, we were of the same temperament and became brothers.

At first, I didn't know you were a relative of a noble in the palace, and I didn't think about taking any advantage.

As a result, after interacting for decades, you said you wanted to lay out a plan overseas..."

"Brother Zhang, the layout object I gave you was made by Song Yingxing, a mythical mechanism master from hundreds of years ago.

It is a 'Heavenly Craft Opening All Things' marvel that ranks among the Heavenly Stems.

And it is the 'Heavenly Leisure', which ranks in the top three among the thirty-six Heavenly Spirits.

The assistance sent was also the most elite heavy cavalry of the Capital Military Prefecture.

The significance far outweighs the reality.

Could it be that you couldn't guess that the matter was related to the nobles in the palace?"

This remark from Mr. Yin left Zhang Liuduo speechless.

Actually, it would be very simple for him to want to argue strongly.

But whether one has an improper ambition in their heart, one knows best.

It is ridiculous to deceive oneself in front of a smart person.

And seeing Zhang Liuduo not continuing to pretend to be 'pure', Mr. Yin instead began to blame himself again,

"But Brother Zhang, you are a descendant of ancient gods, and your family has produced a Grand Chancellor who regulated the yin and yang of the world.

Wanting to use leverage to revitalize the family is also a matter of course.

What is there to criticize? It is just that you and I, brothers, were unlucky with the times..."

"Is that unlucky with the times? That is the thief Zhang Yan turning the Heavenly Stems upside down and ruining our good deeds!

It's better to make things clear!

When you wanted to conspire with me to build 'Great Suspension' on Giant Snake Head Island, wasn't it one, to prepare a big money bag for Prince Zhen for future succession;

and two, to have a retreat overseas in case the succession failed?

As a result, the culprit who ruined the big event has now become Prince Zhen's capable general, so what are you coming to me for!

If I had really treated Zhang Yan unfairly back then and wanted to kill the donkey after the mill was finished, it would be fine if I suffered retribution.

But what I promised him was the position of 'External Affairs Elder' in the clan.

It was already the limit of what I could give by biting the bullet!

But the reward he gave was killing my young son..."

Mr. Yin listened quietly to Zhang Liuduo's cursing and venting, and finally bowed and saluted deeply:

"Brother Zhang, I know your grievances, but I am helpless too.

The ancients said, it is the time and the situation.

When Zhang Yan helped out when Prince Zhen was forcibly 'temporarily residing' in Yuanshan together with the Qianji navy..."

"That's enough, you have your reasons, I don't want to argue anymore, and it's meaningless.

Please."

Seeing Zhang Liuduo make a gesture to see him off, Mr. Yin did not force it, and did not even state the purpose of his visit to see Zhang Liuduo.

He just looked at the stone table aside and said softly:

"I remember Brother Zhang, you love red dates most, especially liking to eat this sweet fruit while reading, claiming it is endless joy.

But now you don't eat it.

Although this thing is not produced in midsummer, it can be grown in a greenhouse.

I will bring you some next time we meet."

Afterward, he moved to the shade of the tree and disappeared without a trace.

And not far away, Zhang Liuduo's face became even gloomier.

Although red dates are not seasonal.

But the remaining few manors of the Pingyang Zhang Family also have greenhouses for planting.

But because it is not seasonal, the kitchen didn't send any to Zhang Liuduo this year.

Knowing he liked it extremely, they still didn't send it.

And the reason is not hard to guess.

The estrangement between the new family head Zhang Qitai and his own father Zhang Liuduo is known to everyone in the Pingyang Zhang Family.

Now that the old family head has stepped down, of course, the surface must be passable, but some unseemly dirty means don't need to be mentioned.

There are examples of former emperors starving to death, not to mention a mere old master of a family that 'calls itself a commandery'.

And just as Zhang Liuduo was recalling the past, his face was gloomy and uncertain, flashing constantly.

At the top of the huge lighthouse more than thirty zhang high at the Zhihai Town pier.

Zhang Gui and Lü Zhenduan stood in front of the crystal-clear crystal window, looking at the ships as small as ants on the sea, speechless for a long time.

In this space like a steamer.

Zhang Gui, a 'Class Bing' cultivator who has fully cultivated the Three Treasures and has the Divine Cluster mixed throughout his body, felt no discomfort.

But although he was also an entered-grade cultivator, he only cultivated the Primordial Spirit.

And although the technique he practiced could generate Haoran righteous energy and be immune to all evil and poison, there is a saying that 'a foot has its length, and an inch has its shortness'.

Lü Zhenduan, who felt the changes in the natural climate like an ordinary person, was already soaked in sweat after being stuffy for a while.

Finally, he couldn't help but say sarcastically:

"Caiyang Longhu, are you trying to heat me to death to get rid of your responsibility for killing people, or what?"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 136 =====