Huan Rong

Overnight, Xuyi County "changed owners".

Zhu Yin, the prefect of Linhuai County, was arrested and sent to prison, and he was about to be executed for the crime of "assassinating the assassination envoy of Youzhou with the intention of plotting rebellion".

None of Zhu Yin's family could escape, and all members of the Zhu clan in Xuyi City and their in-laws were taken to the county government. Except for a few people, none of them were released on the same day.

After dawn, the people in the city walked out of their homes one after another, and found that the East City was exceptionally quiet.

It is reported that the house of the powerful noble family in the county was surrounded by private soldiers holding warrants for assassination, and no one, whether the master or the servant, could step out of the house.

The reason why this can be achieved is that most of the gentry tyrants in Xuyi City are the declining Wu surnames.

Except for Zhu Yin, all of them belong to the lowest family background, and a few of them are not even qualified to be elected officials.Even if there are nursing homes and health servants, they are basically fake. When encountering private soldiers, their legs will be weak, let alone protect the head of the family and argue.

If it's a top gentry, such as the Taiyuan Wang family, try to take a look around?

When the door of the mansion is opened, the servants will definitely pick up the guys and rush out, no matter who is surrounded outside, let's fight first and then talk.

When Sishi was approaching, the gates of the city remained closed.

There were many rumors in the city, and the people were uncertain, and even panicked.

"what is the problem?"

"Last night, there was a fire outside the city. I saw soldiers from the county leaving the city. Could it be the barbarians who came here?"

"No way?"

"If it's really a thief, how can it be the current situation?"

As soon as this statement came out, everyone was stunned on the spot.

That's right, why don't the thieves kill and rob?The city will never be so peaceful.

"It seems that something happened to the prefect's mansion." You said humanely.

"At this hour, no one came out of Dongcheng."

"Today is a big market, someone should have come to Nancheng to buy..."

"If you don't look at what's going on, the city gates won't be open, and people from outside won't be able to come in, how can there be fresh vegetables!"

There was a lot of discussion among the people, and they couldn't agree on what to do.

The only thing in common is that they all know that last night was not peaceful, and there will be great changes in Xuyi city.

Soon, there was a sudden noise in front of the street, a dozen private soldiers in leather armor came in line, and three officials in long robes were sandwiched in the line.

Compared with usual, the three officials all lowered their heads and hunched their backs, not showing the slightest bit of arrogance, on the contrary, they looked like eggplants beaten by frost, panicked and lacking energy.

Walking to the front, the private soldiers lined up the crowd on both sides.

The leader Shi Chang coughed, and the officials suddenly woke up like a dream. They hurriedly bent over and started, brushed the paste on the wall, posted notices, and preached to the crowd what happened last night, especially pointing out that the prefect Zhu was bold, dissatisfied with the court, and intended to occupy himself. Xuyi rebelled.

"The Youzhou Assassin arrived outside the city yesterday and found out about Zhu's plot. Fearing that his plan would be exposed, Zhu Yin mobilized the county soldiers without authorization, intending to assassinate the Assassin!"

"Now the principal criminal has been arrested and sent to prison, and all the followers are in custody. When the official document of the imperial court is issued, all should be severely punished according to the law!"

"Shouchun in Huainan was occupied by rebels, and the state capital was moved to Xuyi in Linhuai."

"The county government office was replaced by the state government office."

"All county officials who rebelled against Zhu Yin were dismissed and arrested, and the assassins intend to elect officials in the state."

At this point in the explanation, the official paused, thinking about his future fate, he couldn't help but feel a little miserable.

"Starting tomorrow, all talented scholars, regardless of yellow or white nationality, can go to the county government to participate in the assessment. Refugees can go to the county government to re-register their household registration within ten days. If they want to participate in the assessment, ten white people are required to prove it. Named Huangji as a guarantee, confirm that the native place and surname are correct."

"First evaluate the scattered officials, and then select the officials."

"Those who are excellent in the assessment can be selected as county officials."

Following the official's narration, the crowd was in an uproar, then a moment of silence, and then erupted into a roar of celebration like a tsunami.Several people wept on the spot, and two women even sat on the ground, shouting "Heaven has eyes" and "You deserve it".

"Zhu Yin, you have today too!"

"This bastard deserves a thousand cuts!"

"Where's the county magistrate? Where's Zhou Xiu? Why hasn't he been dealt with?"

"Didn't I just hear that all followers will be questioned, and he can't escape!"

"Okay, okay!"

Amidst the cheers, several men were staring at the notice, their expressions could not hide their excitement.

"Brother, the assassin really wants to select officials like this?"

"Eighty percent good."

"But without Zhongzheng's evaluation, it's nothing more than a loose official. Can the official be recognized by the court?"

"Why not?" The man called elder brother sneered.

"In troubled times, the power of the governors of various states is as great as that of the Emperor Xiandi. The new governor is the son of the great Sima of the dynasty, and he is a real county magistrate. In the year of the dance, he elected officials and became officials, and his political achievements are extraordinary. Last year, he accompanied the army to the Northern Expedition, and even captured Xianbei Zhongshan King alive!"

"really?"

"Naturally!" the man continued, "The imperial court awarded Youzhou to him. No matter what the previous plan was, after what happened last night, the land of Youzhou will sooner or later change its surname to Huan."

"Brother, be careful!"

"No problem." The man shook his head and said, "You and I have fallen here from the north, bearing the name of the Xu family in Yingchuan, but we have never made any achievements. We have no face to meet our fellow countrymen, not even Yingchuan County, which was set up by the imperial court. Dare to go."

When the man spoke, the people around him lowered their heads with shame on their faces.

"Now is the right time. If I can't turn around now, I will never have a bright future, let alone rectify the name of the family!"

These words aroused everyone's fighting spirit.

Yes, they are no longer the big clan of Yingchuan in the past, they have no family to rely on, they are just a group of people who left their hometown.

If there is no way to prove your identity, you will not be able to re-enter the gentry, and you will be a commoner all your life, let alone be judged by Da Zhongzheng to enter the court as an official.

"In our capacity, if you want to be selected as an official, the most likely way is to be arrested by thieves." After a pause, the man lowered his voice, "In my opinion, it is better to try to get the envoy of Huan Ci instead of fighting for the ranks of the county. Appreciate it and become a county official!"

State official?

Several people looked at each other in blank dismay, but they didn't expect that their elder brother had this ambition.

"The assessment starts tomorrow. If you can't make up your mind today, you can go home and think about it first." The man said.

No matter how the younger brother and the younger brother choose, he must give it a try.With his current status, the county government house is the best way out.

In the prefect's mansion, Cai Yun led Gan Da and others to search around, and quickly found two secret rooms and three secret passages, and even captured Zhu Yin's family members in the secret passages, and sent them to Zhou Xiu and his servants one by one for identification.

"You read that right, this is Zhu Yin's nephew?"

"Don't dare to hide it from the envoy. This son is indeed not the son of Zhu Yin, but the concubine son of Zhu Fu, the prefect of Chen County. I really don't know why he is in the mansion."

Huan Rong frowned.

The prefect of Chen County, who is Yuan Zhen on good terms with?

"Search him."

"promise!"

Cai Yun was eager to make meritorious service, he didn't care whether he was a gentleman or not, a son or a son, he didn't hesitate to make a move.

Zhu Yin's family who were tied up in the courtyard were silent, but Zhu Fu's son had a bit of backbone, even though he couldn't move his hands, he still struggled endlessly and yelled at Huan Rong.

"Little thief, there will always be a day when you regret it!"

Huan Rong ignored him, took the letter that Cai Yun had found, read it from beginning to end, raised his eyebrows higher and higher, and finally burst out laughing.

"Why did Shi Jun laugh?" Zhong Lin felt strange.

"Kong Yu read it by himself." Handing the letter to Zhong Lin, Huan Rong smiled and shook his head.

What to say?

In the face of power and interests, the boat of friendship really capsizes.

"This..." After reading the contents of the letter, Zhong Lin couldn't help laughing.

"How?" Huan Rong turned his head, "Kong Yu told me before that if Zhu Yin was dealt with, Zhu Fu might lead to a counterattack, and the matter of joining Yuan Zhen needs to be carefully considered. Now, I don't need to do anything, as long as the If this letter is sent to Shouchun, Yuan Zhen and Zhu Fu will surely turn their backs."

"I really didn't expect that Zhu Fu's appetite was so great that he wanted to annex Yuan's servants."

"The reason is not difficult to guess." Huan Rong put away his smile and sighed, "Yuan Zhen is dying of illness. Without his talent, Yuan Jin may not be able to control the power in his hands. Zhu Fu must have become greedy and wanted to annex the Yuan family. forces, and then stand on their own in Shouchun."

Having said that, Huan Rong turned his gaze to the courtyard again.

Zhu Fu sent his son to send this letter because he wanted to join forces with Zhu Yin and borrow soldiers from Linhuai County to strengthen his strength.When Yuan Zhen died, he immediately attacked Yuan Jin.

Zhu Yin seemed to be wary of the other party, and he still hasn't made up his mind.As a result, it was dragged to Huanrong and then arrived in Xuyi, and there was no chance to transfer troops.

Thinking back carefully, based on the previous impression of Zhu Yin, it is not like there will be such a gaffe as last night.Most likely it was to attract Huan Rong's attention and buy time for his nephew to escape.

No matter how prepared he is on weekdays, once the family is threatened, Zhu Yin's choice is the same as that of Yu Qian and Yu Rou.

"Family."

A few months ago, Huan Rong might not have understood the meaning of these two words in the Eastern Jin Dynasty.Now that I have realized something, it is at the cost of blood and human life, which is inevitably a bit embarrassing.

"Take it away."

Zhu Fu's son was still yelling, but Huan Rong was not in the mood, waved his hand, and immediately a healthy servant stepped forward to stop him, and dragged him and Zhu Yin's family down together.

"Jasher."

"The servant is here."

"I'll leave the rest to you."

"promise!"

"In addition, the examination and selection of county officials will start tomorrow, so please trouble you and Kong Yu."

"Minggong, don't worry." Jia Bing cupped his hands, and then said with a smile, "Minggong, servant word Bingzhi."

Huan Rong froze for a moment, then quickly understood and nodded.

"Trouble Bingzhi."

"promise!"

Time was running short, and government affairs in counties and counties could not be suspended. Jia Bing and Zhong Lin were busy selecting county officials and taking over political affairs at the same time, so they were too busy to touch the ground.

Jia Bing's younger brother and younger brother helped together, and selected a few people from the original county government officials, and finally managed to handle it without causing trouble.

Huan Rong was a little embarrassed to see a few people working hard in the workplace.

He still took it for granted.

A hero needs three helpers.

No matter how talented and daring Jia Bing and Zhong Lin are, if one person can stand up to two or three people, they are not gods after all, unable to shoulder the government affairs of a state.

"Talent." Huan Rong sucked his teeth.

It was very refreshing to start last night, but today we are going to face such a big gap.If it weren't for being too busy, Jia Bing and Zhong Lin might not agree to the "public assessment and selection".

At its root, this approach runs counter to the official selection system in the Wei and Jin Dynasties, and Huan Rong will become the target of "the whole world" if he is not careful.

Historically, the imperial examination system appeared in the Sui Dynasty, but it gradually developed and prospered after the Tang Dynasty.

One is that the duration of the Sui Dynasty was too short, and there was no condition for development; another important reason was that the gentry families who continued from the Wei and Jin Dynasties did not buy it at all.

In the past, officials were judged and selected, and the whole court was "our own people".Now you have to enter the examination room with the poor family and compete for an official position, isn't this a joke?

For those who cannot turn the corner, this is simply insulting!

How proud are the children of the gentry in this era?

The most well-known example: Don't bend your waist for five buckets of rice.

Tao Qian didn't want to be ruled by the domineering Shangfeng, so he hung his seal and left.Five buckets of rice is his official salary, and he is not rare at all.

Before that, Huan Rong occasionally acted out of line, but he did not break away from the whole secular framework.The evaluation of officials in Yandu is also within the old system.

Now it is necessary to break the rules and directly evaluate and select officials, bypassing the state and county officials, and the risk is not insignificant.

However, if he wants to gain a foothold in Youzhou, firmly hold government affairs and military affairs in his hands, obey orders and prohibit them, and not be ruled by other forces, he must take such risks.

"Zhou Zhongzheng was born with the surname Wu, and is Zhu Yin's uncle."

In other words, it is the relationship between the father-in-law and the son-in-law. How could the father-in-law give him a good face when he has just arrested his son-in-law.It's not bad if you don't try to get in the way, and recommend officials?Don't even think about it.

Zhongzheng has a special status, and Huan Rong cannot easily capture him.

The only way is to bypass him and evaluate the selection of officials by yourself.

Zhong Lin and Jia Bing couldn't think of a better way, so they could only acquiesce to the proposal.But the two have their words first, and this is an expedient measure. Once the government affairs of counties and counties are on the right track, there must be no similar actions.

"Ming Gong is not stable, so he needs to be cautious."

"I know."

Huan Rong is not someone who doesn't listen to advice.

Perhaps in the future, this measure can be regulated as a government order and implemented in the whole territory of Youzhou, but the current conditions are not ripe, so it is better to accept it as soon as it is good, just to test the water, and not to really go against the whole world.

"After the selection of officials, there is conscription."

Xu Chao and others have entered the city with Huan Rong, and they are placed in the barracks outside the original county seat, where they practice with Huben every day.

Considering the Huainan incident, Huan Rong's desire to recruit soldiers became more and more urgent.The plan was two thousand, but now five thousand is too little.It's just that the number of people in Linhuai is limited. To achieve the goal, it is estimated that the power of the whole territory of Youzhou must be mobilized, which is another problem for him.

Of course, it is not difficult to just gather enough numbers, the difficulty is to choose a strong army.

With Diankui Xu Chao and others in the lead, Huan's assassin kept raising his gaze.He is not a man with broad shoulders and a wide back and a bucket of food, so he is quite contemptuous.

Will the appetite increase military supplies?

No problem, he can afford it anyway.

Returning to the main room where he lived temporarily, Huan Rong ordered his servants to stay outside, closed the door, took out Zhu Fu's letter, and gently wiped the red mole between his eyebrows with his fingers.

After a twilight, two identical letters were placed in front of him.

This is his habit.

All important evidence handled will be kept at the bottom to prevent accidents.In particular, such letters that can "expose darkness and sow discord" must be preserved in their original form.

In case the sender is stopped on the way, he can continue to deliver, and there will always be a copy that will be delivered to the right owner.

"Come on!"

After collecting the original letter, Huan Rong summoned Qin Jing's part and ordered him to hurry to Shouchun.

"Bring the son of Chen Jun's prefect and send it to Yuan Zhen together with this letter. Remember to be fast."

In case Yuan Zhen's condition got worse, the letter could not be delivered, or the news of Linhuai leaked, Zhu Fu planned to take action in advance, which was not what he liked.

"promise!"

Qin Lei took the order to retreat, put away the letter close to him, and brought Zhu Fu's son, tied it tightly and put it on the horse's back. On the same day, he set off from Xuyi and headed straight for Shouchun.

At the same time, the messenger sent by Yuan Jin is already on his way, and whether the two will meet face to face is still unknown.

The private soldiers did not withdraw from the siege for a long time, and the powerful gentry in Xuyi City began to give in.Someone asked to see Huan Rong, but Qian really didn't dare to make a decision on his own, so he immediately sent someone to report.

"Want to see me?" Huan Rong snorted coldly, "I'm a majestic assassin from the state, how can I just say I'll see you?"

Jia Bing and Zhong Lin just came to deliver the documents, and they stopped at the same time when they heard this sentence.

"Master Ming's intention?"

"No see!" Huan Rong waved his hand, "If you want to see me now, it's hard to guarantee that you won't hide your thoughts. Keep them trapped for a few more days, and we'll talk about it after the examination and selection of officials is over."

"promise!"

Jianfu led the order to return to Dongcheng, Jia Bing couldn't help but his eyes lit up, and Zhong Lin even had a smile in his eyes, full of approval.

"Duke Ming already knows how to control people."

Huan Rong didn't speak, but nodded indiscriminately.

He just held his breath and wanted to vent his anger completely. The brains of these two had nothing to do with him.

Explain?

Sorry, he's not stupid.

Jiankang

Two days after Huan Rong's request for state soldiers arrived, rumors of Shouchun's rebellion arose.

The officials of the three provinces agreed with the conscription in Youzhou, and sent the form and the drafted official document to Taicheng, but they did not want to be suppressed by the Queen Mother Chu.

Some officials sensed that something was wrong, and when they thought of the intention behind this matter, they couldn't help feeling horrified.In the morning court the next day, no one mentioned the conscription in Youzhou.

If the court doesn't mention it, it doesn't mean that the rumors will be suppressed.

The streets and alleys of the city were full of discussions, and there was even a saying that "the court is incompetent and cannot suppress rebels".

In this case, Princess Nankang entered Taicheng three times to see the Queen Mother Chu.

The previous two times, she was stopped because of the Queen Mother's slight health, but Princess Nankang didn't force her way.This time, no matter what the eunuchs said, Princess Nankang ignored them, directly waved her sleeves to fend off the people, and walked into the hall.

As May approached, the city was still cloudy and rainy.

The Changle Palace is a little dark, and the three-legged lamps are still lit during the day.The shadow of the lamp was reflected on the standing screen, and the unicorn, which was supposed to symbolize auspiciousness, appeared somewhat ferocious.

Empress Dowager Chu was leaning on the low couch, with a few strands of silver newly added to her temples, her complexion was far worse than usual.The dark long skirt spread out on the knees, like a peony that is about to decay after blooming.

"Queen Mother." Princess Nankang blessed her body with a smile on her face and a cold voice.

Empress Dowager Chu sat upright, waved away the frightened eunuch, and said to the palace maid serving the soup, "You all go down."

"promise!"

After a while of rustling footsteps, the hall returned to silence.

"Sit down." Queen Mother Chu knew that no one could stop Princess Nankang.What's more, this matter is related to Huan Rong, she always has to give an explanation.

Princess Nankang sneered, and sat down in front of the couch, her long sleeves fluttering slightly, bringing a gust of cold wind.

"Has the Queen Mother nothing to say to me?"

"Yes." The Empress Dowager Chu was also happy, "You know about the Youzhou matter, right?"

"Naturally." Princess Nankang said, "The Queen Mother counts everything, and Nankang admires it."

Empress Dowager Chu's expression changed slightly.

Princess Nankang smiled, and a shadow quickly flashed across her eyes.

"I entered Taicheng today for two reasons. Firstly, my son will live in a city of five thousand, and it would be shabby to only have a fief in Yandu. I think Xuyi is good, and it can be entrusted to my son."

"Secondly, I want to ask the Empress Dowager. My son's mission is to suppress the rebellion for the imperial court. Why does the Empress Dowager suppress the letter and official documents? There are rumors in Jiankang City. If things go on like this, I am afraid that the Empress Dowager and the officials will be punished." unfavorable."

After the words fell, Princess Nankang looked at Queen Mother Chu leisurely, waiting for the other party to answer.

Empress Dowager Chu lowered her eyes, looked at the yellowed nails, and suddenly a strange smile line appeared at the corner of her mouth.

"My sister doesn't know why I suppressed the official document?"

"Please ask the Queen Mother to clarify."

"Although Hu Qian's words are strict, why did he take in an incompetent apprentice."

Princess Nankang's expression remained unchanged, and she still looked at Queen Mother Chu steadfastly.

"During Yuanzheng, Hu Qian divination for Huan Rong, what is the real hexagram, my sister really doesn't know?" Empress Dowager Chu stared at Princess Nankang, and said word by word, "Huan Rong has an extremely noble appearance!"

"The Empress Dowager doesn't believe in Hu Qian, but instead believes in his apprentice?"

Empress Dowager Chu shook her head with a sarcastic smile.

"Nankang, I am not a three-year-old child. Since I entered Taicheng, I have experienced decades of ups and downs. The people I have seen and the things I have heard may not be experienced by ordinary people in a few lifetimes. I dare not say that I can see through Hu Qian. But he can tell the truth from what his apprentice said."

The smile on Princess Nankang's face gradually faded.

"Huan Rong has an extremely noble appearance, how can I keep him!" The Empress Dowager Chu's tone changed suddenly, her aura was enough to make people frightened, "I know that this matter has wronged you, but it is about the survival of the Jin family, so I dare not show mercy No mercy!"

"Could it be that the queen mother has forgotten Hu Qian's previous hexagram?"

"I haven't forgotten." The Empress Dowager Chu took a deep breath, suppressing the itch in her throat, "But he can lie to me once, and he can lie to me twice or three times. Nankang, I can't gamble, let alone take risks."

"So my son deserves to die?" Princess Nankang clenched her fingers tightly, "Death doesn't count, but you still want to be a stepping stone for the Queen Mother?"

"This is for the Jin family!" Empress Dowager Chu insisted, "Nankang, you are the eldest princess of the Jin family, so you should know which is more important!"

Which is more important?

Princess Nankang looked at Queen Mother Chu with eyes like ice fronts.After a long while, he suppressed his anger, and said in a deep voice: "The queen mother is so frank, I might as well speak out."

Empress Dowager Chu's heart skipped a beat, she always felt that Princess Nankang's behavior was unusual.

"Huanxi is now in Jiankang."

"so?"

"Huan Yuanzi didn't show up, but he is still the son of Duke Nanjun." Princess Nankang said word by word, "Tell me, if he died in the mansion with Huan Xin, how would the old slave react?"

"What?!" Empress Dowager Chu was shocked.

"If the clue points to the palace, such as the food and wine rewarded by the queen mother, or a certain beauty given by the queen mother," Princess Nankang narrowed her eyes and stretched her voice, "if I, my aunt, will identify me, what will happen to the old slave?" ?”

"Nankang, are you threatening me?"

Princess Nankang smiled like a blooming peony, which was extraordinarily bright.

"Even so, so what? The queen mother should know that the old slave has long wanted to be the emperor, and now he is not short of fame and popularity, only one excuse is missing, and I can give it to him."

"Nankang!" Empress Dowager Chu finally showed a trace of weakness and panic, "You can't do this! If Huan Yuanzi raises troops to rebel, you and Huan Rong will definitely not survive!"

"Queen, who is going to kill my son now?" Princess Nankang hid her smile and said sharply, "The queen doesn't want to give my mother and child a life, I'm just following the example of the queen!"

"I……"

"Before tomorrow, the official documents of fiefdom and conscription will be sent to Jiankang."

After the words fell, Princess Nankang stood up, turned around and walked out of the inner hall without giving Queen Mother Chu a chance to find excuses.

The hem of the skirt embroidered with gold thread brushed the ground like flowing water waves.The hairpins in the hair are radiant, and the tassels hanging down are gently swaying.Princess Nankang had a smile on her lips. When she walked out of the palace gate, her sleeves fluttered in the wind, like colorful feathers who wanted to ride the wind.

Watching Princess Nankang leave, Empress Dowager Chu sat in the inner hall, her heart sank continuously, until she reached the bottom of the valley.