Chapter 175

There is an old saying in the Ming Song Kingdom:

Righteousness is often found among dog butchers, while betrayal is often found among scholars.

But in fact, although scholars have more hypocrisy than people in the marketplace, most still have their own bottom line.

It's one thing to usually flatter the high and trample the low, seek luck and avoid disaster, be slick, and believe in 'hard to be confused'.

But when facing the bottom line, some people can no longer pretend to be confused.

And Lü Zhenduan seems to be one of them.

Zhang Gui understood that he might have misunderstood the disappearance of personnel on the 'Heavenly Craft Nine Islands' as a sinister trick used by the managers on the island to save food and abandon burdens.

And Prince Zhen, seeking advantages and avoiding harm, acquiesced to this behavior.

Or even more conspiratorially, this behavior was secretly instigated by Prince Zhen.

Feeling that his bottom line as a human being was touched, that's why he said the four words 'beginning of Jie and Zhou' just now.

Everything was a misunderstanding.

But for such a misunderstanding, Zhang Gui had no way to explain, and could only chuckle along with the silent Lü Zhenduan.

After a while.

Zhang Guo brought a few young handymen to deliver the hotpot.

The charcoal burned red under the copper pot.

The soup in the pot gradually boiled.

Zhang Gui added the meat ribs cut into small pieces, as well as wild vegetables, wild onions, etc., which were filial offerings from his Hanli subordinates.

After waiting for a while, the overflowing aroma emerged from the pot with the steam.

He picked up a piece of meat rib and put it into Lü Zhenduan's dish,

"Eat quickly, eat quickly, eating is the most important thing, don't worry about other things."

"Longhu, do you think someone like me shouldn't have left the Imperial Academy and thrown myself into this filthy official career?"

"That's not necessarily true.

You are actually quite 'filthy' on weekdays, not at all high-minded, and very suitable for being an official.

It's just that you happened to encounter this bizarre 'Age of Great Contention'.

Just listen to my advice, things are sometimes not what you think, don't be stubborn."

Zhang Gui pondered for a moment and replied very sincerely.

Lü Zhenduan was speechless, gave a bitter smile, and began to eat and drink with his head down.

The two of them ate heartily, and just as they were about to finish, the door was suddenly pushed open.

Zhang Rui walked in against the wind and snow.

"Commandant Zhang is here, sit down, sit down.

Is it snowing outside? This year's crow wind is really surprisingly cold," Zhang Gui greeted.

Zhang Rui laughed and walked to the wooden chair on the lower right of Zhang Gui's seat and sat down,

"Longhu has finally returned. Has this trip home been smooth?"

"It's not a matter of smooth or not; without the Yuanshan people on Xianrong Island making trouble, the coastal provinces of Ming Song are just like that."

Zhang Gui said casually:

"Old Zhang, how have you been these days?"

"Four words can describe it: 'trembling with fear'."

Zhang Rui seemed to have been prepared for Zhang Gui to ask this question, his face showing a distressed yet sincere expression,

"Longhu, I, Zhang Rui, am not boasting; I am also a direct descendant of the 'Imperial Guard Yellow Register', a member of the Imperial Guard for generations.

I have been training on the big training ground of the Imperial City since I was seven, preparing to die for the country.

But it cannot be this kind of 'death' that is as light as a feather and silent!

The friendly troops around are not even considered elite among the ragtag army, and some have not even trained for a month.

They have never practiced changing formations in the rain.

Going into battle in this weather is simply child's play.

It's not as good as the rebel soldiers wrapping up the chaotic people, knowing nothing, thinking nothing, and just fighting to the death; that way, it wouldn't be chaotic..."

"Old Zhang, Commandant Zhang, I understand your frustration, but the problem is that you have known me and Chancellor Lü for dozens of days.

You should know that I am just a hollow big shot with the name of a Fourth-Rank Dragon Tiger Opening General, 'listening to orders but not to announcements', and a good name for the Nine Islands expedition.

I was a scapegoat pushed out by Prince Zhen's 'traveling capital' in the past.

What I can actually decide is just this rankless, 'Coroner Office' under our feet.

As for Old Lü, although he is an old man of Prince Zhen's 'traveling capital', I'm afraid he also doesn't..."

"Longhu, there is no need to trouble Master Lü for my peace of mind; I just need your help."

"What does that mean?"

"I want to be demoted to your 'Coroner Office' to help you manage some chores."

Zhang Gui was stunned and dug his ears,

"I didn't hear wrong just now, did I? You, a dignified Sixth-Rank Commandant, want to be demoted—bah, this can't even be called demotion, it's completely a degradation..."

Speaking of this, his eyes widened slightly,

"Old Zhang, you want to retreat to protect your safety.

But if you do this, you might be sunk for the rest of your life."

"But if I continue to work for Prince Zhen, I might be ruined, and my whole family might be implicated and sent in."

"Commandant, why do you say that?"

"Longhu, what percentage of hope do you think Prince Zhen has of becoming the sage and wise emperor who turns the tide for Song Ming in the future?

Is it ten percent, twenty percent, or not even one percent?"

Zhang Rui asked back, burning his bridges.

It seems that during Zhang Gui's return to the Eastern Continent, he, like Lü Zhenduan, had accumulated enough disappointment in Prince Zhen.

And the two must have communicated privately.

Thus, they almost openly joined Zhang Gui, who had always been at odds with Prince Zhen, as three 'rebels'.

Since it had reached this point, it would be excessive to delay further.

Zhang Gui pondered for a moment,

"Old Zhang, if you can find a reason to retreat into my 'Coroner Office', then come."

And Zhang Rui was waiting for this sentence from Zhang Gui.

Although he hadn't spent much time with Zhang Gui, he had seen through his temperament, similar to some great generals in the army, of 'protecting his own'.

If he retreated into Zhang Gui's 'office' on his own initiative, he might not be considered 'one of his own'.

And he would not be protected by him in times of danger.

But by first asking for Zhang Gui's consent to let him retreat into the 'Coroner Office', he would inevitably become 'one of his own'.

In this way, the possibility of leaving Xianrong Island alive in the future would increase several times over.

Therefore, Zhang Rui immediately stood up and bowed to Zhang Gui, bowing to the end,

"Thank you, Master, for your fulfillment.

I will go and operate it now."

He stood up and strode away.

By noon on the third day, someone from Prince Zhen's 'traveling capital' suddenly came to issue a transfer order.

It said that Sixth-Rank Commandant Zhang, on a certain day, was drunk and spoke wildly, discussing the drowning of the 'Heavenly Craft Nine Islands' chaotic soldiers.

Disturbing military morale before battle, he should have been beheaded.

But because he came from an old meritorious family and had made many military achievements, he was granted extra-legal grace, his life was spared, and his position was stripped.

He was demoted to the 'Coroner Office' as a lowly status to warn others.

Afterwards, Zhang Rui, who had taken off the armor he wore every time they met and changed into the 'white clothes' symbolizing commoners, appeared before Zhang Gui with disheveled hair and a dirty face.

Zhang Gui habitually stuffed two small silver ingots to the small official from the 'traveling capital' who came to deliver the order and sent him packing.

He applauded Zhang Rui:

"Old Zhang, you really know how to adapt to circumstances; what a move of grafting flowers onto another tree.

You must have spent a lot of silver to move around."

"Longhu, please forgive me; I am a descendant of a fallen military household, how could I have much money to move around?

But we in the Imperial Guard on the 'Imperial Guard Yellow Register' are mostly related by blood.

And you also know that many new army generals in Prince Zhen's 'traveling capital' are from the three hundred Huben of the Imperial Guard.

Although many died, some also made it out.

One of them is a cousin of mine within the five degrees of mourning.

Although we don't usually get along.

But his family happened to owe my family a favor.

I let him pay it back."

(End of this chapter)