Chapter 49 Zhang Xutuo's Submission

Li Ji had just sat down when he saw the side door pushed open and a burly man standing there in a daze.

He was dressed in cloth, was in his forties, and his hair was completely white.

His face was already swollen and his eyes looked listless.

Li Ji was shocked. Times shape people. Is this Zhang Xutuo, the great general of the Sui Dynasty who was so powerful on the battlefield?

Life depends on fate, and fortune changes with time.

I wonder if I can help him change his fortune?

In troubled times, rallying people's hearts is a wise move.

It is much more glorious to conquer the enemy without fighting than to leave corpses floating for thousands of miles.

If I, Li Ji, can get a great general like Zhang Xutuo, why should I worry about not being able to expand my territory and become prominent in front of others?

Li Ji suddenly came up with a plan. He wanted to find a way to make Zhang Xutuo surrender.

When he saw that Zhang Xutuo was still wearing handcuffs and shackles, he became furious.

"Warden!"

"arrive!"

A man in his thirties with cross-eyes ran in with a smile.

Snapped!

Li Ji slapped him with his hand.

"You blind man, you are still acting like a government official. Why don't you remove General Zhang's shackles?"

Warden Li Yuan nodded and said, "Yes, yes, Lord Li."

Li Yuan opened Zhang Xutuo's shackles and smiled as he extended his hand, "General Zhang, this is Lord Li, please come this way."

Li Ji hurriedly stood up and grasped Zhang Xutuo's hand.

"General Zhang, you have suffered. Come, take a seat."

Zhang Xutuo said with shame:

"Alas, Lord Li, how can a defeated general enjoy such treatment?"

Li Ji bowed and said with a smile on his face:

"Master Zhang, the battle of Dahai Temple is a thing of the past. Don't keep talking about defeated generals and undefeated generals."

He exerted force with his hands and pulled Zhang Xutuo inside.

"How about I sit down with you at the same time?"

Li Ai also hurriedly pushed Zhang Xutuo inside.

Zhang Xutuo was helpless, he said in a rough voice:

"Since Lord Li is so kind to me, I, Zhang, will obey your command. Come, Lord Li, let's sit together."

Li Ji is on the right, Zhang Xutuo is on the left, and the left is superior.

Li Ai sat across the table and took action.

Two maids, about fourteen or fifteen years old, picked up the wine jugs and filled their glasses.

"General Zhang, we really don't know each other ."

Li Ji picked up the wine glass and said, "Come, let's calm down General Zhang."

Zhang Xutuo carefully looked at Li Ji in front of him. He was about 1.80 meters tall. Although he was thin, he had a strong skeleton and sharp facial features.

Under the high brow bones, there is a pair of deep eyes with yellow-orange pupils, and it is almost impossible to see his inner thoughts.

Zhang Xutuo thought, perhaps, this is the special feature of physiognomists.

Li Ji picked up the wine glass and asked with a smile:

"My housekeeper Li Ai has already taken care of what General Zhang has been worried about."

Zhang Xutuo said hurriedly: "My family has been properly arranged. I am very grateful."

He drank it all in one gulp. After the maid poured the wine, he said loudly:

"But there is one thing that I would like to ask Lord Li to decide."

Li Ji opened his eyes, half asleep, and asked with a smile:

"What does General Zhang mean?"

"Although I am a defeated general, I will never surrender and will never betray the Sui Dynasty."

When Li Ai heard this, she dropped the wine glass to the ground with a "pop".

"Zhang Xutuo, you are about to die, but you are still stubborn."

Li Ji hurriedly stopped Li Ai.

"Butler, don't act rashly. And don't be rude to General Zhang."

Zhang Xutuo shouted, "You can kill me or chop me up as you please. I just won't be a traitor."

After hearing this, Li Ji raised his hand and drank the glass of wine in one gulp.

"Good, you have guts! I, Li Ji, admire you."

The maid filled Li Ji's cup and Li Ji picked up the second glass of wine.

"General, please don't be ignorant of current affairs. Even if you die for the Sui Dynasty, have you considered your parents and your wife's feelings?"

Li Ji raised his voice and spoke with eloquence.

"The Sui Dynasty is already in a precarious situation, with rebel forces everywhere. Can you wipe them out completely by yourself?"

"Today, there are only three of us here. We will not discuss matters outside the house. There is one thing I will do for you. I will publicize your so-called reputation."

Zhang Xutuo asked doubtfully, "I surrender to you, how can you guarantee my reputation?"

Li Ji smiled and thought to himself, you hit the nail on the head with this question.

For most people, it would seem difficult to have the best of both worlds.

But I am a fortune teller. I know the art of Qi Men Dun Jia and observing the clouds and the qi. I can calculate ten thousand at the beginning and eight thousand at the end.

How could such a thing be possible for me?

He patted Zhang Xutuo on the shoulder, looked him in the eyes and asked:

"General Zhang, do you want to live a good life? I'll give you a chance to change your destiny."

Zhang Xutuo was shocked.

He thought, Lord Li, Lord Li, the plants and trees know to wait for spring. As a general, shouldn't I cherish my life?

He downed a glass of wine and sighed.

"Master Li, I am not someone who is afraid of death, but if there is a chance to survive, I will never give up."

Li Ji saw that there was hope.

"General Zhang, the great hermits live in the city, the small hermits live in the wild. I will show you a way."

Zhang Xutuo's eyes lit up and he picked up the wine glass. "Come on, Lord Li, I'll toast you first."

Li Ji remained calm, as if he was in a calm sea.

He gently pushed Zhang Xutuo's hand away and said, "Wait, wait until I finish what I'm going to say, then we can drink."

Zhang Xutuo looked a little embarrassed. You, Lord Li, are so young, but you are very cunning.

"Okay, Master Li, finish your speech."

Li Ji asked: "Are you willing to do something that can protect both your reputation and your life?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xutuo slammed the table and stood up.

"My Lord, I just want to have this trick."

Housekeeper Li Ai was also confused. How could there be such a good solution in the world?

"General Zhang, let's put it this way. Now everyone outside thinks that you have died in the line of duty."

Zhang Xutuo was shocked when he heard this.

It turns out that you, Lord Li, have this skill.

Li Ji continued, "To protect your reputation, first, you have died fighting for your country. Second, I have a plan to ensure that you spend your old age in peace."

Zhang Xutuo was shocked and thought to himself, I, Zhang Xutuo, have met a god.

He fell to his knees in front of Li Ji.

Li Ji hurriedly pulled Zhang Xutuo back and said, "General, please stand up. There is no need for you and me to kneel down."

Li Ai's heart skipped a beat, "Oh, my lord is really the reincarnation of Jiang Ziya, Zhuge Kongming."

Li Ji whispered something in Li Ai's ear.

Li Ai was suddenly happy.

He gulped down a large pot of liquor and shouted with a smile, "I understand now."

Just when Zhang Xutuo had no idea what Li Ji was up to, a Taoist priest arrived.

Zhang Xutuo took one look and saw that this man had an immortal look and a graceful demeanor.

Are you asking me to retire to the mountains?

Li Ji seemed to see through Zhang Xutuo's thoughts, and he whispered:

"General, you only considered half of it."