Drunk Yangzhou

The land of Sichuan is shrouded in mist all the year round, and the sun seems to be lazy and thin. The peaks in Qingcheng Mountain are surrounded by mountains, like a circle of girls with flowers on their temples, surrounded by Taoist temples and the palace of the King of Sichuan. It is extremely quiet and clean. It is really a peach blossom garden that makes people ignore the world.

Mu Gang hurried past the Dan steps and went straight to the meeting hall of Sichuan King Chen Guangzu.

"Purchase the well salt hoarded in Zigong at twice the price..." Chen Guangzu took Xiaoge's letter to Mu Gang and studied it carefully, and looked suspiciously at Mu Gang in the audience, "Where is this salt merchant? How could it be?" Contact you?"

"He was also there when we traded Shu brocade with the King of Qin. It sounds like he should be from the Jianghuai area." Mu Gang pursed his lips, "That man's gestures are very particular, he is definitely either rich or noble!"

Chen Guangzu was a little moved when he heard this, "This price is really generous... If we deliberately raise the price of salt in Shu, the well salt cannot be sold domestically, but the export channel has not been found, and we are worried about attracting the attention of the court, so it has been like this Hoarding it, if you can sell him the salt secretly, it will be a good deal."

"It's a good deal..." Mu Gang tugged at his beard hesitantly. Naturally, he would not mention the matter of the dragon robe to King Chuan, but because of this matter, he became somewhat wary of Fu Yiting, "This subordinate just doesn't know why The King of Qin will bring him to trade Shu brocade, the King of Qin said that person is his cousin, but his subordinates have heard that the mother clan of the Queen of Qin is all in the northeast, how can anyone be in the south!"

"This..." Chen Guangzu thought for a while, then waved his hand nonchalantly, "Whatever, as long as you can do business, you can contact him."

The two were discussing the plan and details of the handover with Xiao Ge, when suddenly a soldier ran from outside the hall with an urgent report, "My lord, something happened to Qin Bei!"

Cold sweat broke out on Chen Guangzu's back. He hastily opened the emergency report, his hands trembling unconsciously.

Mu Gang was also terrified, "My lord, what happened."

Chen Guangzu sat on the chair in a trance, "The imperial court sent King Yu to send troops to Qinbei, the reason is that King Qin and King Xiao conspired in Lishan Mountain..."

"Ah!" Mu Gang couldn't help yelling out when the cause and effect were connected together, "I said that the man's appearance is unique in the world, why did I forget, isn't King Xiao called Yangzhou's stunning beauty!"

"Ah? This... what should I do?" Chen Guangzu's back was already wet with sweat. There were only three princes with different surnames in Daxia, and two of them were executed by the court. He felt that he would be the next one to be punished.

"Don't worry, my lord. We haven't handed over to King Xiao yet, and the imperial court won't do anything to us for the time being."

Chen Guangzu came to his senses, and patted his forehead angrily, "Sin, sin! Such a land of Shu where the sky is high and the emperor is far away, how can it be difficult to find peace!"

"I just realized now that King Qin's intentions are too vicious." Mu Gang gritted his teeth and said, "He brought King Xiao here to contact you, didn't he just want to involve Shu in disputes? Fortunately, the imperial court sent troops suddenly, and we haven't yet Time to act."

"This person is too insidious, I hope the imperial court will kill him right away." Chen Guangzu nodded again and again, and then relaxed a little, "Shu is remote and easy to defend and difficult to attack. Before everything is clear, I don't believe that the imperial court will start from here." Let's do it. You go back first."

Mu Gang has his own little Jiujiu in his heart. He has already seen the incompetence of Chen Guang's family, so he bet on King Yu privately. He was secretly thinking about making more sets of dragon clothes for King Yu. Concerned, he hurriedly cupped his hands and said: "This subordinate will leave."

Xiao Ge left Lishan and traveled for another seven days before arriving in Yangzhou.This trip can be described as dangerous because of the accident, but he had just escaped from the dead and returned to Yetai, but he heard a bad news: from the day the imperial court sent troops to Qinbei, Hong Liang, the leader of the salt lord, brought more than 100 people under his command, He took Wanshi salt and took refuge in Chief Yunhui.

Previously, in order to win over Hong Liang, Xiao Ge used propriety and benefit together, and Hong Liang also expressed that he was greatly moved, and was willing to do things for King Xiao to help him in his great cause.Not wanting the situation to change a bit, he immediately oiled the soles of his feet and ran away without a trace.

Xiao Ge gradually realized how arduous and arduous it is to take on the great responsibility of the world. Although the Great Xia is so decayed, it is still like kneading sand and making mercury when shaken. In addition, the forces in various places are surging. After the fierce competition, even if you win by luck, this How should the wreckage be collected?Thinking of the foggy situation on Qin Bei's side again, he couldn't help feeling a little disheartened.

Floating with the shadow of the moon, Xiao Ge lightly waved his long arm and danced his sword under the pine tree. For some reason, he suddenly thought of the way Fu Yiting swung his whip that day, and his heart was like a flame burning. He unconsciously stepped up his movements until he sweated. With his clothes wet and exhausted, he put his sword back into its sheath, looked at the sky and said in a low voice: "The urgent scene is difficult to extend, the stars are lonely, the clouds are full of majestic passes, and the mountains are far away."

Wen Zheng sat on the stone table with a pot of tea, and had been watching him silently for a long time, now he continued casually: "Looking back at the green hills at the evening stage, the golden dragon breaks through the clouds to make waves."

Xiao Ge looked back when he heard the words, and looked at Wen Zheng with a relieved smile.

Wen Zheng said again: "The water in Yangzhou can't be too turbid, it's better to sieve the sand in advance."

Xiao Ge sighed lightly: "Fengchi always has a way to comfort me." He stood still beside the stone table, reached out to take the handkerchief Wen Zheng handed over to wipe his sweat, "How is the battle in Qinbei?"

Wen Zheng showed a playful smile, "This is the most interesting part. As for King Qin's turbulent and unruly army, they have not lost the slightest advantage in fighting until now. Even if Lishan is easy to defend and difficult to attack, there is no With a little bit of strength, facing Yu Wang's iron cavalry, I'm afraid..."

"It seems that his mind is all about making money and having fun, but he is by no means a quiet and idle prince." Xiao Ge looked far away, "Look at that whip dancing kung fu, it is not something that a lazy person can acquire. .”

Wen Zheng pondered for a moment, "My lord, this is a completely different road from ours. Fu Yiting amassed money indiscriminately, privately encroached on land, and was extremely extravagant, and how many pocketbooks he presented to the emperor every day... But in the end, he was still in Yi Gong stayed so peacefully, to the imperial court, this naughty little King Qin is still in politics, not in court affairs."

These words hit the nail on the head, clearing the clouds and seeing the sun, Xiao Ge's handsome face showed no expression, and then he said: "And we have already gone out of this category. The imperial court was still concerned about people's hearts and did not dare to act rashly, but now it is going to be killed. It implies that King Yu will go east. It is the best proof."

"Three generations of the Xiao family are well-known. This is a blessing in the prosperity of the Qingming Dynasty, but a curse in a chaotic world." Wen Zheng realized that what he said was a little blunt, and hurriedly changed the direction of the words, "My lord, the leak of the news I'm afraid there is no way to find out."

"This is an invisible undercurrent." Xiao Ge watched the clear spring under the moonlight slowly leaking out from the stone crevice, then turned to Wen Zheng and said, "Yetai needs to be strictly guarded recently to prevent the king of Yu from attacking from east to west."

Wen Zheng smiled and said, "The arrangement has been made today."

Xiao Ge couldn't help sighing: "I, Xiao Ge, have such virtues and abilities, I can get a counselor like Feng Chi."

Hearing his words, Wen Zheng couldn't help but his heart fluttered, he smiled in self-consciousness, tapped the teapot with his fingers, "My lord, I buried the oolong cold tea boiled in snow water in the backyard for the whole spring, do you want to taste it? "

Yundu Palace

At the time of day, Su Yunpu came out from the Chaofeng Hall where the household department was located. It happened that Ning Shuquan, the minister of the official department, had just left his duty with a group of Beijing officials. He was walking towards the Xihua gate. Su Yunpu saw them from a distance. , his footsteps faltered, and he turned around to avoid the corridor.

Unexpectedly, someone had already seen him, and pointed out with a loud smile on purpose, "Yo, isn't that Mr. Su? What are you doing here? Today, Mr. Ning's mansion has a banquet, why don't you go and enjoy it?"

Su Yunpu had no choice but to turn around, and those people had already walked in front of him.

"Master Su, our Ministry of Rites has handed over the book for several months, why can't the money still come down?"

"That's right. Seeing that the imperial examination is about to begin, our officials are also in a hurry to spend money."

Su Yunpu explained: "What is the family background of the Ministry of Households, the adults must know that this year's income is too little, and there is really no money."

Someone sneered: "Why is the money from the Ministry of War allocated so quickly?"

Another person said: "Don't you know this yet? Lord Su and Lord Lu are on good terms, this money, of course, must be used by our own people first..."

Su Yunpu sneered and said: "Nowadays, forces from all over the world are gathering, and soldiers and horses are urgently needed to suppress it. The emperor has withdrawn his internal money for military expenses. If you have any objections, you can impeach me, Su, in front of the Holy One."

"Yo, it's said that Mr. Su is soft-faced and hard-hearted. It seems to be true. He always uses the emperor to oppress others. What kind of ability..."

"Okay!" At this moment, the leader Ning Shuquan shouted softly, stopping everyone's discussion, he walked forward slowly, and said threateningly: "Master Su, you really don't want to sit at Ning's mansion today? "

Su Yunpu met his complicated eyes, and his heart suddenly suspended. He collected himself and replied in his usual gentle voice: "Master Ning should know that Su is really busy presiding over the compilation of new theory on salt politics these days." Very good, after this period of time is over, how about going to your mansion to make amends in person?"

Ning Shuquan is the younger brother of Princess Yu. He took advantage of this royal relationship to sit on the position of official minister. He has always been at odds with a group of officials who have been admitted to the court. It's extremely chaotic, there are a large group of actors and rabbit masters in the mansion... But those teenagers are not as elegant as Su Yunpu, and Su Yunpu has always avoided him, so Ning Shuzhen has a love-hate relationship with Su Yunpu.

He had already guessed that he would decline, so he sneered arrogantly at this moment, "Master Su is still so ignorant of current affairs, it's in vain that Ning has a good eye for you!"

Su Yunpu was already extremely impatient, he just turned his head to look at Xiezhi on the cornice of the imperial palace not far away, without saying a word.

Ning Shuquan stepped forward and pinched Su Yunpu's jaw, forcing him to turn his head, and then slowly said word by word: "But when it comes to salt administration, I have a question to ask Mr. Su..."

"In the past two years, you followed the inspector of Yanyan and looked down. Did you see the stunning Xiaoge in Yangzhou?"