To be honest, Gu Dengyun still admires this Cheng Dayou. After all, he is able to stand out among the Taiping Army, and at this time, he is trying to compete with the unique Taiping Sect. He has to say that this guy has some abilities, and his methods are different from those of Master Li at first. The methods are somewhat similar, but the other party underestimates the conservative landlords and nobles in these empires. A person who relies on the Taiping Religion will never be recognized by them from the heart. They can obey you and support you on the surface, but Deep down in his heart, he will still consider how to overthrow you when the time comes. He is already on the wrong team by nature.
Gu Dengyun did not completely believe the intelligence sent from below. He did not dare to make an assertion on such a complex and major issue. Mr. Li's letter to him also clearly stated that he was worried about the other party and certain people within the empire. If the forces are mixed together, then this guy can take advantage of the opportunity to bleach himself, which will bring many variables to the war situation in the Central Plains, and his road to the Central Plains may also add many episodes. In order to thoroughly understand the specific and true situation in Jiujiang, Gu Dengyun personally sneaked into Jiujiang to get a glimpse of the real situation in Jiujiang's urban and rural areas.
Just when Gu Dengyun was lost in thought, the conversation of several men opposite him gradually attracted Gu Dengyun's attention.
"Old Feng, what's wrong? You don't seem happy?" The man in linen asked in a rough voice. Gu Dengyun could easily smell the pungent smell of sweat even two tables away.
"Can you be happy? The old dog is back. I originally thought I could afford to pay off the rent for a season or two. Unexpectedly, the old dog has come back and it has become worse. Not only did I have to make up for the last season, but I also increased it by half a percent. These days It’s really fucking impossible.” The decadent man named Lao Feng opened his thin chest and smiled bitterly, “I thought I could take advantage of it, but I didn’t expect that the weather has changed again just now. It seems that it’s better to burn incense and worship Buddha. If you give us less, our happiness will be in vain."
"What can I do? Those people in the city don't go to the countryside very much. They stay in the city all day long and don't see much movement. It seems that they are just a bunch of people." The big man in sackcloth went on to say something. His red eyes blinked, and his tongue became a little stiffer, "Everyone from Li's family came back yesterday, and they also called every household, asking for the last season's goods to be handed in together after autumn, for fear of being a ****. If you make me angry, I will do the same as in the north."
"Zhu Er, you drank too much." Hearing that the other party's words were getting more and more outrageous, the man named Lao Feng was a little nervous. Although most of the country stores were timid and fearful businessmen passing by, as well as some locals. A village man in the mountains, but misfortune comes from his mouth is a practical old saying, "Keep your voice down, Zhou Dahu of Zhuangzi Li in front of me just hanged two people yesterday. It is said that when he ran to Huanggang to avoid the limelight, then Two tenants ran to his house and robbed him of his things. Oh, what a misfortune it is to leave an orphan and a widowed mother behind!"
"It's not the same there. Now that the big families have the support of the people in the city, they are even more arrogant. We, the big family Wus, are still saying that no matter how the world changes, those who deserve to be happy will still enjoy happiness, and those who deserve to be poor will still be poor. Then It's a warning to us not to have bad intentions." That old Feng also felt a little emotional. It has changed a lot, but it's still the same, or even worse.
"Come on, don't talk about these troublesome things, let's drink." The big man in sackcloth waved to the waiter to bring another jar of wine, filled it up, and drank it all.
Quietly pondering the words of the two of them, it seemed that Cheng Dayou had really hooked up with the gentry in the countryside. The gentry actually dared to openly hang those farmers who had committed misbehavior. This shows that these guys must get something. Only with the guarantee and support from all parties can we be so arrogant. Otherwise, even if we have a tacit understanding, we would not dare to be so arrogant. This is true in the countryside, but what about in the city
Gu Dengyun's forehead wrinkled quietly. It seemed that the situation was still a bit confusing. Could it be that, as the adults had guessed, some force would take this opportunity to get in touch with Cheng Dayou and invade Jiujiang
Situ Biao lay depressed on Mei Ji behind him, silently closing his eyes and recuperating. A maid knelt in front of him, carefully handling the muscles of his leg joints. The green smoke rising from the incense burner in the corner slowly lingered in the square. , lingered for a long time, the coolness penetrated the brain, refreshing the whole body, but it could not make Situ Biao's mood any better.
The news coming back from the palace is already vague. Even his mother is prohibited from contacting his father. Lao Jiu is so powerful. He actually wants to control his father in his own hands. Hehe, Duan has a good idea. , no matter what his father is like, at least the government of the imperial capital is in his hands. He can also use the emperor to control the princes and let a group of brothers work desperately for him. In the end, he came to pick up the fruits of victory. Situ Biao suspected that this was a conspiracy, but But there is no evidence. He can't even get close to his own mother, let alone other people. Could it be that his father really died? Shaking his head, Situ Biao rejected this idea. After going to court for several days, his father's health seemed to be showing signs of failing again. He stopped going to court for a while, and only occasionally invited Lao Jiu into the palace to discuss matters. Now The court once again became Lao Jiu's arbiter, and even the eunuchs in the palace were the only ones who followed him closely. This palace has become monolithic, and it seems that it will take some time to penetrate and understand the inside story.
The news about his uncle has not yet come. The drastic changes in the situation in the Wuhu area have seriously affected his plan. The Machihans and the Taiping Sect unanimously chose Wuhu County for surgery, which made Situ Biao heartbroken. He originally wanted to use Wuhu County As his base, he unexpectedly was infiltrated by Lao San, and his plan now became a castle in the air. This series of blows made Situ Biao even lose confidence.
"Your Highness, Your Highness the Eighteenth Princess wishes to see you." The guard announced from outside the door.
Situ Biao sat up with a grimace. Alas, it was another pufferfish. It tasted delicious, but it was hard to swallow. The saying "eat pufferfish to the death" is absolutely true, but if you don't do it well, you will really die. To see or not to see? What can I do if I see you? Promise to the other party? I'm afraid that my foundation will be shaken. If I don't agree, I'm afraid that such a force will be lost in vain, and it may even be pushed to others. No, it's impossible to push it to others. The people on her side must have tested all sides, and no one will She didn't dare to accept the conditions put forward by the force she represented, so she came to him. Situ Biao smiled a little lonely, who made him the weakest and least favored now.
"Invite her to come to my study. I'll be there right away." She stood up, and Mei Ji behind her quickly arranged her clothes and tied the knot. Situ Biao returned to his chic and suave appearance, and then walked towards the study with his hands behind his hands.
"Brother Six, how have you considered the suggestion made by my little sister last time?" There were only two people left in the study. Situ Yuzhen, who was dressed in a snow-white dress, looked extremely charming, especially the willow eyebrows that looked like a deep pool. Her eyes were astonishing, and the dimples on her jade as she smiled and drank were even more fascinating. Although she was his half-sister, Situ Biao, who boasted that he had a lot of experience among flowers, was still in his heart. A swing.
"Sister Eighteen, are you too impatient? This matter is not a trivial matter. You also know how difficult it is. You have to let me think about it for a while. I have endured it for hundreds of years and I still care about this mere thing. Half a year?" Situ Biao calmed down and secretly cursed the little fox Meizi in his heart, who has the same virtue as your mother.
With a cold look on his face, Situ Yuzhen's face suddenly darkened, "Brother Six, what you said is wrong. You just have to decide whether it's successful or not. It's been three months, and you've always been like this, resisting and refusing." Give me an accurate message. You can afford it, but I can't. Besides, I think Sixth Brother is not having a good time right now. Is it true that Sixth Brother is better than just strolling around regardless of the wind and waves? If that's the case, then I would like to congratulate Sixth Brother. You really have the potential to succeed my father. It would be a mistake for my father not to choose you as the successor to the throne."
Unexpectedly, even after he said excuses, she would teach her a lesson with a gun and a stick. Situ Biao once again experienced the fierceness of his younger sister, and he repeatedly handed over his hands to beg for mercy. Situ Biao smiled bitterly and said: "Okay, okay, ten Bamei, please stop making fun of your sixth brother. Since you know your sixth brother’s current situation, you should be considerate of your sixth brother. It’s not that I don’t want to agree to it, but the impact of this matter is indeed too great. If anyone knows about it, , Sixth Brother’s disaster is minor, I’m afraid those people below you, Eighteenth Sister, won’t be able to escape.”
"Humph, if you don't pay, how can you get anything in return? I'm afraid it's only a small disaster for us, but it would be a big mistake if it hurt Brother Six. Who will leak it, you or me? We won't raise the issue before your big thing is accomplished. Excessive demands are just asking for some minimum improvements. I think Sixth Brother should be able to achieve it with your influence." Situ Yuzhen curled his lips and said with a contemptuous smile, "Sixth Brother, I don't want to have any more fun with you. Go down, I hope you can give me accurate information, if not, I will turn around and leave, little sister, and will never bother you, Brother Six, so you can just go about your important business with peace of mind, and we will just pretend that this matter has never happened."
Scratching his head, Situ Biao felt a little embarrassed. To be honest, he really hadn't made up his mind yet, but his uncle had made it clear that he could never agree to this matter. Once the other party got hold of him, he was afraid that his demands would be exceeded. More and more, and once things are leaked, I am afraid that not only will Situ Biao have no hope of competing for the throne, but it will also be difficult to even maintain his current status. But if he fails to compete for the throne, can he keep his current position? To be a happy man for the rest of his life, and to be a dull and mediocre man for the rest of his life? This doesn't seem to be what I want, but what my uncle said makes sense. Once an alliance is formed, the benefits will be great, but the negative effects will be greater. This is really difficult to decide.