Zu Zerun put away the letter, his eyes as sharp as a knife. He looked directly at the servant who was dodging his eyes and said in a deep voice: "My father has always been healthy. How could he suddenly become seriously ill and unable to take charge of the director? What this letter says is the truth?"

Seeing his aggressive eyes, the servant did not dare to look at him, but said embarrassedly: "The ancestor is really uncomfortable, so he sent me to come urgently. But what is the ancestor going to tell the young master? I don't know what to do, so I want to forgive me."

Zu Zerun stared at the servant's panicked face, looked carefully for a while, frowned, and his face was very sharp, but in the end he said nothing.

When the servant saw Zu Zerun's serious look, he was very restrained. He stood awkwardly, wondering what he was selling in Zu Zerun's gourd.

In the end, Zu Zerun sighed softly, waved his hand helplessly, and said to the servant: "Okay, I know, you go back first and tell my father that I will go to the city to see him tomorrow morning."

The servant responded and hurriedly retreated.

Zu Zerun stared at his silence, but his face was very tense, and his eyes were filled with infinite worries and confusion. Then, he sighed and fell on the chair.

He waved his hand irritably and shut out everyone. In the huge interior room, Zu Zerun was alone, sitting like a puppet.

From the servant's insincere expression, Zu Zerun could already guess that the servant was telling a lie. Zu Dashou was probably just trying to summon himself to his side, but he was afraid that he would not come, so he deliberately made up such a lie.

So, why did Zu Dashou do this?

Zu Zerun guessed intuition that it was his father Zu Dashou, and he also heard the news that the emperor was seriously injured and could not be in charge of the director. He was afraid that he would not make good choices in the future, so he called himself so eagerly to discuss with him.

That's probably it.

Since his father Zu Dashou surrendered to the Qing court, in order to show Huang Taiji that he was loyal to the Qing Dynasty, Zu Zerun has always taken an indifferent and deliberate attitude towards Zu Dashou, who lived in Shengjing City. Zu Dashou has surrendered to the Qing court for several months, and Zu Zerun, who was stationed outside Shengjing City, has only been to Zu Dashou twice.

Thinking of the fact that Zu Dashou saw that the situation was wrong, he was not afraid of the Qing court's investigation. He also tried to make up the reason for his serious illness and summoned himself to see him to discuss countermeasures. It was obvious that Zu Zerun's heart was quite guilty for his cold attitude towards his father over the past few months.

"Father……"

Zu Zerun murmured in his mouth, and his eyes flashed a little crystal. After thinking for a while, he stood up and called his subordinates to buy some pastries and gifts, preparing to bring them to his father tomorrow.

The letter from Zu Dashou was delivered to Zu Zepu, Zu Zehong, Zu Zeqing and Zu Zeyuan for a while.

After receiving Zu Dashou's letter, Zu Zepu and Zu Zehong were both very shocked and worried. They wanted to come immediately, but considering that Zu Dashou had asked them to arrive early tomorrow morning, they finally decided to set out into the city early tomorrow morning to see how serious his father's illness was.

Such letters were sent to the 3,000 troops who led Jinzhou to surrender and stationed in Wujingying on the bank of the Hun River west of Shenyang. When the main general Zu Zeyuan and deputy general Zu Zeqing were in the hands of the two of them, they were very surprised at first, but then, the two who had followed Zu Dashou for a long time quickly understood Zu Dashou's true intention.

After sending the servant who delivered the letter away, he told him that tomorrow morning, the two of them would put them in the city and go to see Zu Dabing. After Zu Zeqing and Zu Zeyuan were secretly discussed in secret in the military tent.

Zu Zeyuan narrowed his eyes and looked strange and inexplicable. He first said, "Zeqing, look, your uncle called me and the other two, but is he really sick because of his body?"

Upon hearing this, Zu Zeqing sighed softly and replied in a deep voice: "In my opinion, my father's illness is probably not a physical illness, but a heart disease."

Zu Zeyuan grinned and said, "Oh, you said that when the Qing emperor is now like a waste and the Qing Dynasty is about to be in civil strife, my uncle was worried about the current situation, so he specially summoned us to see him on the grounds of being sick and responding to business?"

Zu Zeqing nodded and sighed, "That's right. My father has good intentions. Although he is in a idle position and does nothing every day, he is probably more concerned about the current situation than us. What's more, we still have the Three Thousand Jinzhou surrendered troops. Although he has made an indifferent attitude on the surface to this old army that has been soaked in his father's years of hard work, he is afraid that he is still worried in his heart."

Zu Zeyuan looked straight at Zu Zeqing, but didn't say anything for a while, and finally said quietly: "Zeqing, do you think my uncle will take us back to the Ming country while taking advantage of the chaos in the Qing Dynasty?"

Zu Zeyuan said this, making Zu Zeqing tremble all over, but after thinking for a moment, he nodded repeatedly and said, "Well, cousin, you are right. My father surrendered to the Qing court that day, because he was unwilling to accept his wish to surrender. If the food and salary in Jinzhou City had not been eliminated, then the 130,000 Ming troops that Hong Chengchou had been defeated and destroyed by the Qing army, his father would have said that he would not surrender. Therefore, if he had the intention of leading his troops to re-submitted to the Ming Dynasty, I would not be surprised at all. I was thinking that the Qing Dynasty now has a power vacuum, and the management of all kinds of military and political affairs is in a state of slackness and chaos. I think my father should have seen this and thought it would be very likely to take this opportunity to return to the Ming Dynasty with our group of Jinzhou surrendered troops."

Zu Zeyuan also nodded, "Yes, Zeqing, your opinion is the same as me. I am also thinking that my uncle may have really moved the thought of re-leading his subordinates to Ming during the Qing Dynasty's domestic chaos. Speaking of which, I was forced to surrender to Qing during the day. How frustrating it is! Now when I think about it, the regrets in my heart are not available for words. If I can really return to the Ming Dynasty, my Zu Zeyuan would have nothing to say, and it is all based on my uncle's presidency."

Zu Zeqing laughed and said anxiously: "If you think so, I will also view it like this. Instead of staying here and being forced to become cannon fodder for power and profit within the Qing court, it is better to return to the Ming Dynasty and give yourself a new way of life. If my father really puts forward this point tomorrow, I will definitely be the first to agree."

Zu Zeyuan nodded again and said in a summary: "Okay, tomorrow morning, we will enter the city and meet our uncle. In such a turbulent moment, where will we go, it is really time to make a break soon."

The day passed quickly.

After dawn the next day, Zu Dashou's sons and nephews all entered the city, carrying various gifts and condolences in their hands, and arrived at Zu Dashou's residence as promised.

What they did not expect was that Zu Dashou lived alone in the inner room, but only ordered them to wait in the outer room, saying that after everyone arrived, they would talk to them together. At the same time, Zu Dashou sent a servant to hurry to invite Hong Chengchou over.

Zu Dashou's statement was also among his sons and nephews. Xiang Zu Zerun, Zu Zeyuan and Zu Zeqing all smiled slightly, handed the gift to the servant, and waited quietly outside.

After Zu Zepu and Zu Zehong arrived, they were determined to see how their father was sick. After being held back by Zu Zerun and others, they also understood Zu Dashou’s true intentions, so they waited in the outer room.

Soon, Hong Chengchou rushed to Zu Dashou's residence. When he heard the news of Hong Chengchou's arrival, Zu Dashou, who was dressed in neatly, opened the door and walked out of the door vigorously.

Seeing Zu Dashou coming out, Zu Zerun reacted first. He pretended to be surprised and said, "Oh, it turns out that my father is so healthy, but for some reason he sent someone to deliver a letter to the child, saying it's..."

When Zu Zerun deliberately didn't say anything, Zu Dashou also waved his hand and interrupted him. He said loudly, "Yes, Father is lying, but there is nothing to do, because I am afraid that you will not refuse if you have something to do, so I pretend to say this. Fortunately, you have arrived, so Father can tell you what you will say next."

Zu Zerun said anxiously: "What does my father say? But please make clear that as long as the children can do it, they will do their best and will not hesitate."

After Zu Zerun said that Zu Zepu, Zu Zehong, Zu Zeqing, Zu Zeyuan and others also expressed their opinions, saying that no matter what Zu Dashou said, he would follow it completely and would not violate it slightly.

Hong Chengchou, who was observing coldly, saw everyone expressing his opinion like this, a faint smile appeared on his face, but a cold light flashed in his eyes.

Hong Chengchou, who had been in political affairs for a long time, knew that their current statements were just a function word to deal with before they heard Zu Dashou’s true opinion and could not be true at all. Then, after Zu Dashou himself said that he could truly see everyone’s true attitude after he told him about leading his troops to join Li Xiao.

At this time, Zu Dashou, after looking around everyone, his cold eyes stared straight at the flickering eyes of his eldest son.

He had guessed in his heart that although Zu Zerun said this, his heart would be full of vigilance and doubt about what he thought of next, and would never really say whatever he said.

Zu Dashou sighed lightly, but did not immediately express his point of view as Zu Zerun imagined, and kicked the ball to him first. He asked lightly: "Zerun, let me ask you for your father, what do you think about the current situation in the Qing Dynasty?"

Zu Zerun was stunned and thought to himself, what is my father's intention? Is he testing my attitude?

However, although he thought so, he answered anxiously: "My father, since you ask this question, the child will dare to analyze it. If there is any shallowness and ridiculousness, please correct me."

"You just say that you have nothing to do, and you are indeed a father. I want to hear your true thoughts." Zu Dashou said with a calm face.

Seeing his father say this, Zu Zerun coughed lightly and said to everyone: "Father, Mr. Hong, brothers, in my opinion, the current situation in the Qing Dynasty is turbulent and dangerous. Since the emperor was seriously injured by the Tang army in the east to the fortress of Vladivostok, the top power in the Qing Dynasty naturally appeared an irreplaceable vacuum. So, in the view of the child, the next group of Aisin Gioro clan members must begin to fight for the supreme power of the Qing Dynasty. Among these Aisin Gioro clan members, the most powerful and status are undoubtedly Dorgon and Haoge. Then, the next battle for the highest power will inevitably begin between these two people."

Zu Zerun said this and paused. He quickly glanced at the crowd and found that everyone was still listening to his own words. He continued, "And if the two of them wanted to fight, the Han generals, such as us, could only stand in line and serve their respective masters. So I think, next, we must judge clearly who is likely to win, and then take the lead in the camera. In this way, we can win in the final battle. At the same time, with the merit of supporting the dragon, our own power and wealth can be preserved."

When Zu Zerun said this, Hong Chengchou, who was standing beside him, said quietly: "Who should Zu Gushan think he should go to the right place to vote?"

Zu Zerun was stunned for a moment and replied, "Sir Hong, you are an important minister of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Xiang is a resourceful person. Don't you understand? The most powerful person in the Qing dynasty is Dorgon. This person is far more powerful than the emperor's eldest son, Haoge, in terms of prestige, wisdom, support from his subordinates, and in the number of soldiers and horses in his hands. So I think that if we can lead the crowd to Liaoyang to defect to Dorgon in time, then we will definitely be able to stand in the right position in the next civil war. If Dorgon wins eventually, we will naturally have a higher status as a hero, but this is certainly unquestionable."

After Zu Zerun finished speaking, he threw himself at Zu Dashou with an expectant look. However, he did not expect that after hearing his words, Zu Dashou did not immediately express his opinion. Instead, he stroked his beard and frowned even more.

Before Zu Zerun could speak, Hong Chengchou, who was standing beside him, sighed softly, and shook his head and said, "Zugushan, you think Dorgon will definitely win and Haoge will definitely fail, but it's too natural."

"Take it for granted? What are you saying? "After Hong Chengchou's robbery, Zu Zerun felt that his face was a little uneasy. He said hurriedly: "Sir Hong, what do you mean? Now Dorgon's power is far stronger than Haoge, which is a common thing. We Han soldiers naturally follow the crowd and hold the thickest thigh, thinking that we will have a good future in the future. What's wrong with this? So how can we take it for granted?"

Hong Chengchou sneered and said lightly: "Okay, since you insist so much that it is the wisest move to surrender to Dorgon, then I will ask you, if in the future, Dorgon and Haoge and the two tigers compete for endless battles, someone took advantage of the opportunity of the Qing civil turmoil and launched a large-scale attack on the Qing Dynasty to gain the benefits of the fisherman, then do you still think that Dorgon will still win?"

Hong Chengchou's faint words made Zu Zerun's face change suddenly.

"Sir Hong, who are you talking about external forces?"

"Ping Liao King, Li Xiao."
Chapter completed!