Huan Rong

The boat was sailing on the water, the river wind was blowing, and the drizzle was falling.

Huan Rong stood at the bow of the boat for a while, then felt the cold wind biting his bones, couldn't help but sneezed twice, turned around and went back to the cabin.

Not long after entering the hatch, thunder suddenly sounded in the sky, and the drizzle suddenly intensified, pouring down, forming a rain curtain in an instant, and the water surface was smashed into vortex after vortex.

The boatman didn't have time to put on the coir raincoat, so he could only let the cold rain hit his body, and punted the boat in the rain, trying to get closer to the shore.

"My lord, the rain is too heavy, and it may be dangerous to continue walking on the river."

A slightly older boatman wiped the rainwater off his face, and raised his voice in front of the cabin door: "There is a pier ahead for the fleet to temporarily park for shelter from the rain."

"Just as the old man said." Huan Rong replied.

"But I can't afford this title, I'm going to go punting!"

The boatman walked back to the bow, and saw two strong boatmen standing on the left and right, supporting the pole with all their strength, but still couldn't help slipping, he said immediately: "I'm coming! You go to the bottom to support the oars!"

After speaking, without waiting for the boatman to reply, he snatched the pole from the two hands, supported the pole firmly with only one person's strength, cooperated with the healthy boatman who was paddling, and brought the boat out of the rapids to the front. The pier sails away.

The rain was getting heavier and heavier, and the sight became blurred after meeting more than three steps.

The boatman has an excellent sense of direction, and he doesn't need to use his eyes to identify it. He quickly found the pier and led the fleet to dock one after another to avoid the heavy rain.

Huan Rong opened the wooden window and looked at the shore, and found that the stones laid on the pier were broken, and most of the wooden piles built were rotten, and half of them were broken and missing, making them uneven.

There are no complete buildings near the pier, only broken walls and a thatched house that is ventilated on all sides.

The thatch on the roof was lifted by the wind, and the guise on the bamboo poles in front of the house was blown by the wind, and the word "tea" was faintly visible.

"The last time I went to Jingkou, I didn't see this pier."

Huan Rong saw it strangely, and couldn't help but feel relieved when he remembered that he had changed to land on the way.

After the boat stopped, the health servant and the boatman left the bow to shelter from the rain, and the boatman who led the team was invited into the cabin where Huan Rong was.

The boatman didn't even dare to speak, he didn't know where to put his hands and feet, his expression was very cramped.

Huan Rong bowed his hands to him with a smile, and said: "It's not an old man, this trip will inevitably encounter risks. The old man sit down quickly and warm up with a bowl of ginger soup."

A large amount of gold, silver and jewelry are carried on board, and there is also no shortage of ingredients and seasonings.

Princess Nankang and Mrs. Li worked together, so they didn't have to worry about what was missing, only too many.

"Thank you, Ambassador!"

The boatman bent down to salute, Huan Rong hurriedly moved away and helped him up himself.

Respecting the old and caring for the young is a tradition in China. This boatman is over fifty years old and has just helped the fleet avoid danger. Receiving a big gift from him will shorten his life.

"The old man just said that this pier is quite old?"

"To tell you the truth, the old boatmen who were born in Wu know that this pier was built in the previous dynasty."

"The previous dynasty? But Cao Wei?"

The boatman shook his head and said, "It's a Han."

Huan Rong couldn't help being surprised.

"According to my ancestors, the world was not chaotic at that time, and countless merchant ships passed here every year, and there were also barbarian tribute fleets. It was so lively!"

The boatman didn't see it with his own eyes, and it was an honor to only listen to his father's oral narration.

"At that time, many men from the nearby states and counties went to the wharf to make a living, and the wages they earned were enough to support the whole family. My ancestors used to work on the wharf, and because I knew a few barbaric words, the pavilion chief appreciated it, even if there were no officials. and have accumulated a considerable family business.”

Having said this, the boatman stopped suddenly, his expression changed from nostalgic to bitter.

"It's a pity that there were yellow scarf thieves later, the world was in chaos, and barbarians invaded again. There were fewer and fewer merchant ships coming and going, and the pier gradually became scattered, and finally it was abandoned. Nowadays, there are occasional merchant ships passing by. After all, it is no different from before."

Huan Rong listened quietly, from what the boatman said, he could imagine the grand occasion of this place.

Nowadays, there is no prosperous scene, only a dilapidated wharf and a lonely tea shop are left, for people to recall the prosperity and noise of the past.

After drinking the tea soup, the boatman refused to stay in the cabin for a long time.

Huan Rong didn't force it, so he ordered his servant to prepare the coir raincoat and bamboo hat and hand it to the boatman himself.

"Thank you, Ambassador!"

The boatman put on the coir raincoat and found that there was a layer of cloth inside, and two layers of grass stems were missing. It was much lighter than usual, but the rainproof effect was exceptionally good.

"Don't look at it. Oilcloth is added inside. Only Yandu artisans know how to make it."

Seeing the surprise on the boatman's face, Jianfu understood very well.

Think back when he put on this coir raincoat, his performance was not much better than the other party.Knowing the materials used to make oilcloth, my jaw almost fell to the ground and I couldn't lift it up.

"How much silk is such a coir raincoat worth?"

"I'm not sure about that." The healthy servant pondered for a moment, and said, "It costs a lot just to make the oilcloth. If you really want to count it, this one is at least worth a whole month's ration of a family."

The boatman was really taken aback.

Jianfu didn't say anything more, but instead asked when he could continue his journey.

"If the rain is a little less, we can leave the shore." The boatman said, "This boat is big enough and has a deep draft, so it should be fine."

Jianfu nodded, put on the bamboo hat, turned and walked to the stern.

The boatman lifted up his coir raincoat again, and carefully touched the inner tarpaulin. There was only one thought in his mind: a whole month's ration for the family!

According to the words of later generations, the gentleman of the gentry really knows how to play, but the common people really can't bear it.

It rained heavily for less than half an hour, and it only subsided after noon.

The thatched huts on the bank were missing half of their roofs and were crumbling.The dilapidated cover is still tenaciously tied to the bamboo pole, flying with the wind of the river.

The fleet set sail in the rain.

Before heading to Youzhou, Huan Rong planned to meet with Xi Yin.

First, hand over the hidden gold in Yu Xi's mansion, and check it out face to face; second, discuss with the other party whether to open trade routes in Sheyang and other places, allowing Yandu's caravans to travel between waterways.

Both Xun You and Zhong Lin agreed with this proposal, and Xun You took the opportunity to propose that the two Xuzhou counties under Huan Rong's jurisdiction could be exchanged for Sheyang.

"Minggong is the governor of Youzhou, so he must be stationed in the state capital. Yandu is near the sea, separated by several counties, and the transportation is very inconvenient. The servant thought that he could negotiate with Xicishi, and exchange two counties in the hands of Minggong for one county in Sheyang. "

"Duke Ming seems to have suffered damage, but in fact he has benefited a lot. The envoy Xi Trick can bring the two counties under his jurisdiction and collect taxes again, so he may not agree."

Huan Rong thought about it carefully, and thought that Xun You's words were justified,

However, is it appropriate to exchange land like this without going through the court?

"There is nothing wrong with it." Zhong Lin continued.

"I once checked the imperial court's merger and resettlement of Qiaozhou counties and counties. Not to mention anything else, Youzhou alone has been redrawn several times. The most recent one was in the first year of Longhe, which is only ten years ago."

Huan Rong suddenly felt surprised.

He has read a lot of documents in the mansion, and asked Princess Nankang to help collect information, but the result is still not as detailed as Zhong Lin and Xun You.

"There is no need to report this matter to the imperial court in advance. The Duke of Ming and the envoy Xi Ji reach a tacit agreement and then report to the court."

Huan Rong looked at the map, and then at the two servants on the opposite side. Is this the so-called killing first and playing later?

Xun You and Zhong Lin nodded in unison, with gratification in their expressions, obviously saying: Ming Gong can be taught!

Huan Rong: "..."

With such a think tank, it would be difficult for him not to reach the pinnacle of power.

The three of them discussed it and finally decided that it would be best to exchange for Sheyang County, if not, they should try to set up a post station here and establish a good relationship with the county government.If necessary, you can talk to the other party, don't block the official way, and cut off the connection between Youzhou and Yandu.

"This is the so-called enclave." Looking at the map, Huan Rong couldn't help but sigh.

"Enclave?" Xun You raised his eyebrows in surprise, thought for a moment, then smiled, "Minggong always has wise words."

Huan Rong grinned, realizing that he had said what was in his head, and it was unavoidably a little embarrassing.

"After passing Jingkou, we will go to Yandu." Huan Rong said.

"Duke Ming is worried about the military chariots? Jingde sent a letter a few days ago, saying that he has complied with Duke Ming's orders and rushed to make eight military chariots and send them to the Northland."

Huan Rong shook his head, he was not worried about this matter.

"Now that the population of Yandu is increasing, Hu people come and go more and more frequently, and there are sea ships docking, the county government is too busy to handle it, and more scattered officials need to be added."

In just over a year, Yandu has turned from dilapidated to prosperous. Shi Shao sits in the city and makes the north-south trade flourish.It's not that Huan Rong's background is strong enough, Xi Jishi has an alliance with him, it is estimated that this piece of fat has been taken away long ago.

"I am the governor of Youzhou now, and Yandu needs a new county magistrate. If someone else appoints me, I really don't feel at ease."

Huan Rong paused, and tapped his fingers on the table, making a few soft sounds.

"That's why I want to submit the form again, please confer on Brother Yandu County Magistrate."

Originally, with the talents of the three of Xun You, it was more than enough to control a county.

The problem is that the three of them were born as refugees. Although they have been called as county public servants and their household registrations have been changed from white to yellow, they are still classified as common people and cannot be elected officials in the court.

If Huan Rong had completely controlled Youzhou and said what he said in the state capital, he could still think of a way.

The current situation is that the position of Yandu county magistrate is vacant, but he has not yet gained a firm foothold in Youzhou.If you don't want to be driven into a nail by others and take away the fruit, you must occupy it in advance.

After thinking about it, Huan Yi is the most suitable.

"The fourth son knows what Duke Ming is thinking?"

"I haven't told my brother yet." Huan Rong frowned.

Short of manpower!

If there is a suitable candidate, there is no need to put Huan Yi in this position.There are indeed advantages, but there are also many disadvantages. If you are not careful, you will become a target.

Xun You and Zhong Lin looked at each other and understood Huan Rong's difficulty.

Huan Rong touched the center of his eyebrows, and said in a deep voice: "Brother can't stay in Yandu for a long time, I'm afraid Zhong Ren and Kong Yu will be troubled by the affairs of the county."

In short, Huan Yi can only be used as a cover, and the administration of Yandu County still needs Xun You to manage it.

Xun You and Zhong Lin immediately cupped their hands and said, "Ming Gong trusts me, and the servants will do their best."

As the protagonist of the topic, Huan Yi was standing at the stern of the boat wearing a coir raincoat at the moment. He saw a few finless porpoises chasing the waves, poking their blunt heads out of the water from time to time and spraying out jets of water.

It is even more strange to see a juvenile dolphin sandwiched between two adult finless porpoises, as if they are a family of three.Quickly turned around and returned to the cabin, and said to Huan Rong: "Follow me quickly, brother!"

"What's the matter?" Huan Rong was collecting the map, seeing Huan Yi's excited face, he couldn't help raising his eyebrows in surprise.

"Interesting things in the water, come and see."

Seeing that Huan Rong didn't move, Huan Yi decided to do it himself, and ordered the healthy servant to bring him a coir raincoat and bamboo hat, wrap him tightly, and drag him to the stern of the boat.

The number of finless porpoises in the waves has increased to five, and the small finless porpoises are surrounded in the middle. With their round heads and bodies, they are really cute when they come out of the water.

The ship shook suddenly, Huan Rong held on to the mast to stand still.

Looking up, I happened to meet two finless porpoises jumping out of the water, swimming upright with their tail fins, as if walking on water, and couldn't help staring at them for a second.

In the time he traveled, due to various reasons, the Yangtze River dolphin has become extinct, and the finless porpoise is also becoming rare day by day.Not to mention seeing interesting pictures of the whole family traveling, it is usually difficult to see a few of them.

Huan Rong's eyes widened, facing the small finless porpoise whose head was sticking out of the water.

Relying on the relationship of "appearance", the little finless porpoise seems to be smiling when it opens and closes its mouth. The smile makes people's hearts feel crisp, as if it was photographed by a soft cat's paw pad, an indescribable joy.

"Is it fun?" Huan Yi grabbed the bamboo hat and smiled at Huan Rong, "Jiankang can't see so many finless porpoises."

Huan Rong nodded, and while staring at the group of finless porpoises, he suddenly remembered the goshawks that were accompanying the boat, and an alarm sounded in his heart.

Sure enough, there was an eagle's cry in the sky, and a vigorous figure swooped down, its sharp claws facing the small finless porpoise caught in the middle of the team.

In the event of an attack, half of the finless porpoises dived immediately and disappeared soon after.

The two next to the little finless porpoise did the opposite, and one of them jumped out of the water, hitting huge waves with a bang, disturbing the goshawk's sight.The other end took the opportunity to dive with the baby dolphin, and the goshawk wanted to get claws, unless he learned how to dive like an osprey.

"Hey——"

Missing a blow, the goshawk croaked unwillingly.

The finless porpoise made persistent efforts and made another splash.When the goshawk flew close, a jet of water spewed out instantly, almost grazing the goshawk's right wing.

The goshawk was completely annoyed, but before it could pounce again, the finless porpoise had already dived into the water quickly, and could no longer be found.

Straightforward and neat, without any love for fighting, he brushed off his clothes when it really happened, hiding his identity and reputation deeply.

The hunt was in vain, dinner wasted, and the goshawk flew back to the cabin to comb its feathers, and the first feathers showed resentment.

Huan Rong stayed at the stern of the boat, looking at the swelled river, and said to Huan Yi, "Brother, I have something to tell you."

"What's the matter?"

"The matter of salt blasphemy..."

Behind the fleet, a dozen strong men suddenly appeared on the dilapidated pier. One of them walked into the thatched hut and said to the old man hiding in the hut, "Does it look real?"

The old man nodded, unable to speak, he could only use his hands to show the depth of the boat, and told the men that there must be "good things" on these boats.

"The direction of the boat is to go to Jingkou." A man hesitated, "Xi Fang's return is not easy to mess with."

"What's the matter." Another man rubbed his big hands and laughed, "If you can't do it in Jingkou, then wait for these ships to leave. We will follow behind, and we will always find a time to do it."

"How can such a large fleet have no guards? I think it's not a small risk." Someone retorted.

"So what, with our diving skills, we will surely succeed when the people on board are not prepared!"

Guys, you can't stop arguing with each other.

Some people think that it is a pity not to snatch such a fat sheep because it is rare to come across it; some people think that the risk is too high, and the loss outweighs the gain, so it is best not to act rashly.

Finally, everyone's eyes focused on a tall and strong man.

"Village Master, what do you think about this matter?"

The man who was called to be the head of the village was named Cai Mingyun. He was dark-skinned and unremarkable in appearance. Apart from his tall stature, he would disappear in a blink of an eye if he mingled with the crowd.

He himself is not well-known, but his ancestors are the famous Hanyang Tinghou Cai Mao and Cai Degui.

It was supposed to be a wealthy family, but it has fallen to the current state. One is because of the war, and the other is that he belongs to the offshoot of the Cai family, and his grandfather is a maidservant who gave birth to children. Even if he has learned the skills of the navy, he is still not valued by the family.

After the Hu people occupied the Central Plains, his ancestor died in the rebellion, and his father was separated from the family and became a refugee.

After that, the father and son became riverside pirates for their livelihood.

After the death of Cai's father, relying on half of the naval tactics he dictated, Cai Yun gathered forty or fifty men to travel across the river, renovate the water village in style, and became a "well-known" water bandit in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. .

Cai Yun looks reckless, but he is actually very shrewd.Before leading people to plunder passing merchant ships, they always distinguish carefully, and when encountering official ships, they should be extra careful to avoid messing with those who cannot be messed with.

This time, Huan Rong's fleet approached the pier to avoid the rain, and happened to be discovered by the spies from the water village.

Wealth moves people's hearts.

Even if they know that this fleet is not easy to mess with, some people can't help but want to do it, especially the refugees who have joined the water village not long ago.

"Village Master, how do you decide this matter?"

"Last year, when the imperial court sent troops to the north, you restrained the people in the village, and even the grain ships couldn't do it right in front of your eyes. The brothers have had a hard time for a few months, not to mention eating bran and swallowing vegetables."

"Now that I finally have this fat sheep, why don't I have a bite?"

A man with a scar on his face stepped out of the crowd and said loudly: "We are thieves and bandits! How can we support the whole village without robbing the boat? Besides, this boat looks unusual, maybe it is Those greedy people who plunder the common people, if we snatch it once, we can count it as eliminating harm for the people!"

The man with the scar speaks plausibly, and more people start to feel excited.

Cai Yun remained calm on the surface, looking at the triumphant man, a cold light flashed in his eyes.

"Don't be in a hurry, just follow up and find out the truth."

"Can……"

"Gan Da, you are going to die because of gold and silver obsession, don't drag the brothers in the water village!" Cai Yun sternly said.

"Is such a boat easy to rob? If you are not careful, everyone in the village will take it in! You pretend that I don't know what you did before, why did you go to the water village?"

Gan Da's face turned red, his fists were clenched, and his teeth were gritted.

"You want to intercept the military rations transported to the north, and you got into trouble with Yuzhou private soldiers! It's not that Yuan Zhen lost his position and didn't have the heart to pursue these trivial matters, so you can still keep your head?"

Whoa!

Everyone was in an uproar, let alone those who knew the inside story, those who didn't know all glared at Gan Da, this man is obviously a disaster!

Convincing everyone with a few words, Cai Yun carefully arranged the arrangements, and personally led people behind the fleet, quietly following them all the way.

In Cai Yun's view, being a thief is not a long-term solution. If there is a chance, he would like to seek refuge with one of the princes and win a family background.

With the current strength of Shuizhai, Xi Fang's way back will definitely not work, but there is some hope for the new assassin of Youzhou.I heard that this person is the son of Huan Wen, who has the blood of the Jin Dynasty. During his tenure as Yandu county magistrate, he recruited refugees widely and promoted him eclecticly.

Cai Yun was very moved.

He believes that his ability is not weaker than others, and if he has the opportunity, he will definitely be able to leap the dragon's gate with a carp, and create a bright future for himself and his children and grandchildren.

"Ling Tai, draw faster, get rid of those behind, I have something to tell you." Cai Yun said to his confidant.

He carefully observed the fleet in front and recognized the flag of the Huan family on the ship.If it's what he thinks, this is definitely a godsend opportunity.

If he misses this time, I'm afraid he will really be a thief all his life and shame his ancestors!

The fleet approached Jingkou, Huan Rong listened to Qian Shi's report, and seemed to be following behind.

"Ninety percent of them are water bandits."

water bandit?

Contrary to Qian Shi's and others' expectations, Huan Rong thought for a moment, did not order to arrest or drive him away, but pretended that he hadn't found it, and continued to drive to Jingkou.

"Don't startle them."

It wasn't that Huan Rong was compassionate, but he suddenly remembered that he would definitely build sea ships in the future, and sailors and navy were indispensable.These water bandits can't do anything else, they must have some ability on the water.

Reduced to a bandit, low ideological consciousness?

It's ok.

Unleashing humanoid weapons and beating can also raise awareness.

Anyone who has read Romance of the Three Kingdoms knows that not one or two warriors of the Three Kingdoms who are good at water warfare were born as water thieves.

"Luck is unstoppable."

Huan Rong stood at the bow of the boat, looking at the approaching Jingkou, his smile became brighter and brighter.

At the same time, Qin Jing returned to Pengcheng, stationed in the city, and personally supervised the construction of the city.Qin Yu temporarily stayed in Donghai County to prevent the counterattack of Xianbei soldiers.

Due to the rapid progress of the war, Qin's Wubao had insufficient soldiers, and the infantry and cavalry sent by Qin Ce were really a drop in the bucket. If they wanted to defend Xuzhou and other places, they would definitely face many difficulties.

If Xianbei can send troops at this time, even if it can't regain all the lost ground, it can still cause a lot of damage to Qin's Wubao.

It's a pity that Murong Chui refused to lead the army due to his illness, and even took his son and nephew north to Leling, and then went to Changli, borrowing the Duan family's financial resources to recruit troops and target Marucheng.

Murong Ping is really helpless, so he can only promote Fan Yangwang Murong De.

Murong De was very face-saving, and soon after receiving the official letter, he led his troops to Jingzhou.If you can take this place, you can cut off the jurisdiction of Qin's Wubao down the middle, and then attack each one.

It's a pity that the imperial court delayed for too long. Before Murongde rushed to Jingzhou, he encountered reinforcements from Luozhou on the way, and Qin Jue personally led the team.

The two sides did not expect to meet head-on, and had no time to be dazed, so they fought directly without saying a word, and the main general even took the lead in charging.

Murong De had the upper hand in numbers and gradually gained the upper hand.

Just when Qin Yu was in danger, several strange carts and a group of chaotic beards suddenly broke into the battlefield.

The carts lined up in a row and rushed over with an unstoppable attitude.Zahu brandished a knife and gun, and followed closely behind the cart, shouting very vigorously.

The two warring parties were instantly disrupted, and the entire battlefield was cut off from it.

Qin Yu was stunned, and Murong De was dumbfounded.

The first large vehicle stopped suddenly, the body fender was lifted, and rows of sharp arrows were revealed, aiming at Murong De's direction, the arrows flickered with a terrifying cold light.

A person protruded from the car, it was actually Xiangli Liu who was supposed to be in Yandu.

"Second Young Master, it's not time to be in a daze. Hurry up and blow the horn to make everyone retreat!"

"Oh, oh!"

Qin Yu uttered two monotones for the first time, ordering Buqu to blow the horn.Qin's servants retreated immediately, no longer entangled with Xianbei soldiers, Zahu also turned around and ran away.

Almost at the same time, a rain of arrows struck.

The Xianbei cavalry were caught off guard, and they turned on their backs in an instant.Murongde's arm was bruised, and the wound was stabbing. The blood that flowed out turned black, and the arrow was obviously poisonous.

"His Royal Highness is injured!"

Murong De was dizzy and couldn't continue to command the battle. He retreated under the escort of Bu Qu, and his plan to attack Jingzhou could only fail.

Qin Jun looked at the retreating Xianbei cavalry, did not order the cavalry to pursue, but cleaned the battlefield as soon as possible and treated the wounded.Then he looked at Xiangliliu who was distributing weapons and jerky to Zahu, and a huge question mark appeared above his head.

Xiangli Liu jumped down from the shaft of the chariot, and said, "Is Second Young Master going to Jingzhou or Yuzhou? If it's Jingzhou, it's just right on the way."

"Why are you here?" Qin Yu didn't answer directly, but asked a question instead.

"It's a long story." Xiangli Liu knocked on the carriage, and one person poked his head out of the car, it was Xiangli Cong who went north with him.The latter bowed his hands to Qin Yu, said nothing more, and retreated into the car in a blink of an eye.

"Mr. Huanfu was promoted to the governor of Youzhou, and the state capital is just opposite Pengcheng."

"A few days ago, I learned that Qin's Wubao captured Xuzhou, and the envoy specially ordered me to send some military vehicles and city-building blueprints, hoping to help Qin's Wubao defend the city and repel the Xianbei Hu."

As Xiangliliu said, he scratched the back of his neck and said, "I went to Pengcheng first and met the Fourth Young Master. I left behind two military chariots and the blueprints for building the city. According to the Fourth Young Master's instructions, these vehicles are going to Send it to Jingzhou."

"Youzhou Inspector... Huan Rong?"

"Exactly." Xiangli Liu nodded.

If it wasn't for Yandu's shortage of manpower, Shi Shao really couldn't leave, and he shouldn't have come on this errand.Speaking of which, since Huan Rong "digged" the city, the lives of the six "technical nerds" of the brothers came to an end, and it would not be surprising to lead troops to the battlefield someday.

Thinking about Xiangli Liu's words, and looking at the rows of military chariots, Qin Jun couldn't help pinching the root of his nose.

This favor is too great.

Knowing how to do "business" like this, it's no wonder that he has a close friendship with his fourth brother.

The so-called flocking of birds of a feather is really unacceptable.