Qin Mubai returned to Guanyi and was not in a hurry to rest. The accompanying Baiqi pawns brought him hot water to wash his feet, while he held a copy of "Liangcheng Geography" and read it casually while eating yellow beans, gaining a general understanding of the local customs and history. .
"Young Marshal is really attentive, no wonder he has become the best among men." The pawn who washed his feet said coldly, "People like me, after taking care of their errands, only think about going to the Fireworks Alley to have fun, drink, and make money. Where can I go?" Will you read at night like the young marshal?"
Qin Mubai couldn't help but feel happy, and said with a smile: "You can flatter me even if I read the local journals. You are better at this than me. Everyone has his or her own strengths."
The soldier nodded thoughtfully and seriously, and said: "Then what did the young marshal like about Hou Junji? I think that guy is old and arrogant. Even if he has some ability, he still has a bad temper that causes trouble. Wait. People are not easy to serve anywhere!”
"Ha, you are quite knowledgeable." Qin Mubai laughed.
"That's right." The pawn chuckled and said, "Even if you are a stubborn person, you will have to learn something after following the young marshal for a long time. Young marshal, I'm afraid you don't know what people outside say about you, right? What about you? You are a rare talent that can only be seen in a century. You are talented in both civil and military affairs. You are blessed by God in every situation. Even the woman who throws yourself into your arms is the best in the world. I don’t know how many people envy you.”
"Really?" Qin Mubai laughed nonchalantly.
"Of course!" the pawn said seriously, "and there are quite a few of them! - However, they only saw the young marshal's beauty, but did not see the young marshal's hard work and efforts. If you ask me, this man has his own destiny. But how to grasp this fate depends on yourself. Although the young commander is a prominent general, his background is much better than yours. There is no second young commander Qin in the Tang Dynasty, right? "
"Haha!" Qin Mubai laughed and said, "Okay, I have to learn this art of flattery from you."
"hey-hey!"
After washing the feet, the soldier left carrying the basin. Qin Mubai sat on the couch and moved the oil lamp to the bedside, ready to read for a while and rest.
At this time, a series of tiny footsteps came from outside the door. Qin Mubai, a martial artist with sharp eyes and ears, heard it clearly, but he was suspicious in his heart: These footsteps sounded so familiar, and they were definitely not the soldiers beside me - how could a grown man's feet make such a slight sound
With a sudden thrill in his heart, Qin Mubai suddenly stood up in surprise, but carefully lightened his steps and movements, and tiptoed to the door.
"Tuk-tuk-tuk", there was a knock on the door.
Qin Mubai muffled and did not agree.
At this time, a female voice sounded outside the door: "Hey, didn't you say that your general was still washing up and fell asleep so soon?"
"I don't know, girl, just leave it to yourself." The reply was from a relatively far away voice. It was obvious that the soldier was very "smart" and did not follow him any closer.
Qin Mubai is already elated!
The person outside the door is not Wu Meiniang - who else could it be
"That's all, don't disturb him, I'll come back tomorrow."
Qin Mubai was anxious.
I originally wanted to hide behind the door and scare her, but I didn't expect her to leave.
So she turned around and opened the door - "Mei Niang, I'm not sleeping!"
Wu Meiniang stood in front of the door with her elbows folded. She was obviously not surprised or intimidated at all. Her face was full of "as expected" expression, and she said with a half-smile, "Why, do you want to scare me in the middle of the night?"
"come on in!"
Qin Mubai was not polite to her at all. He grabbed her wrist and dragged her into the room, closing the door behind him.
"Ah, you hurt me... Oh, don't do this!..."
Wu Meiniang could no longer make a sound, her mouth seemed to be blocked by something.
After a long time.
Wu Meiniang finally got out of Qin Mubai's arms. Her hair was messy and she was panting. She wiped her sweat in a panic and said angrily: "Bad guy!... I came to you for important business, but you only want to do evil things, no?" Serious!"
"Ahem!... Which of the things we just did is not an 'important business'?" Qin Mubai smiled mischievously, swallowed hard to suppress his raging anger, and poured her a cup of tea. He helped her sit down and said softly: "You drove all the way to Lanzhou in the middle of the night to come to see me. There must be something important. Tell me, what is it? When did you arrive in Lanzhou? Prince Jiangxia and his daughter are still here Did Su Lie come to Lanzhou with you?"
"There are so many questions, which one should I answer first?" Wu Meiniang took a sip of tea and was still out of breath. She rolled her eyes at Qin Mubai and still seemed a little annoyed, but the smoke in her eyes was filled with love and desire, which made Qin Mubai's heart even more excited. .
"Tell me what you want quickly!" Qin Mubai was distracted and couldn't help but hold her little catty hand in his palm and rub it carefully.
"The grain transport team encountered a storm one hundred and seventy miles west of Lanzhou, combined with mudslides and strong sandstorms, and it was unable to move." Wu Meiniang's expression became more serious as she said, "A team of more than 10,000 people is detained there. , eating horse chews every day consumes a lot of money, and people are in panic. The tired and homesick peasants are clamoring to leave their food and grass and go back to Guanzhong, and even coerce and rob people. I am afraid that it will not take long. This batch of grain and grass that has been transported so hard to Lanzhou will go missing."
"Is there such a thing?" Qin Mubai frowned and said, "Aren't there King Jiangxia, Su Lie, and Three Thousand Iron Armors traveling with you? Why don't they help you?"
Wu Meiniang smiled bitterly and said: "Mubai, are you really confused or are you pretending to be confused? You arranged for me to go with them... But, I am a businessman, and they are royal family and dignitaries. Just because you don't mind doesn't mean that others don't mind. Okay. Well, even if they really don't mind, I can't really go out with them with such a face. Besides, King Jiangxia brought Princess Wencheng to Chang'an to discuss the marriage. She was the state envoy. How can we walk together with a large swath of smoky people?"
Qin Mubai was startled and said guiltily: "I'm sorry, I didn't think well... Then weren't you the only one escorting the food and grass this way?"
"There are also a few close servants and maids accompanying me..."
"It's really hard for you." Qin Mubai clenched her hand distressedly, gritted his teeth, strode to the door, and shouted: "Come here!"
"What are your orders, young marshal?" Someone immediately came to answer the promise.
"I signed the letter and rushed to Lanzhou at full speed on a starry night. I ordered the governor Xiao Liang to mobilize the soldiers and horses of the Yi Mansion as quickly as possible to go to Lanzhou City, 170 miles east of the city, to receive supplies of food and grass. There must be no mistake!"
"No!" The pawn turned around and left.
"Wait!" Wu Meiniang suddenly came out and stopped the soldier, turned around and said to Qin Mubai, "No, I have to go back with you immediately. Otherwise, those people will only recognize me and not Xiao Liang and Lanzhou's army. It would be even worse if there were riots or panic.”
"You don't have to work so hard. My people can handle this little thing." Qin Mubai refused to let her go.
"Mu Bai." Wu Meiniang covered his hand, looked up at him and said softly, "We still have time, don't we?"
Qin Mubai's heart felt hot, he held her hand pitifully and guiltily, and said, "Then rest for the night before leaving, no later than this moment."
"The three armies have not yet used food and grass. This is the lifeblood of your Lanzhou, and it is the heart and soul of my Wu Zhao. The overall situation is important, why bother to work hard? - You don't need to say that you will go with me, you have your own business, such a small matter, Just leave it to me." Wu Meiniang smiled sweetly, pursed her lips, nodded, and said, "The trip only takes a few days. See you in Lanzhou then."
After that, Wu Meiniang left without hesitation and without looking back.
Qin Mubai felt relieved.
Quickly come, quicker gone. Wu Meiniang, with her fiery and decisive style, is even better than a man.
Thinking about it in comparison, Qin Mubai even felt a little ashamed. Because he had just done so, he extremely hoped that Wu Meiniang could stay and finish the things that the two of them had "unfinished" in the room just now. But Wu Meiniang only had food and grass in her heart.
Perhaps in her opinion, it was more than just a batch of grain and supplies.
Now Wu Meiniang is already very rich. It's only three hundred thousand stones of food and grass. Even if she beat all the chickens and eggs, she can still afford it, and it won't touch his heart. Although she is a businesswoman, she is not the kind of stingy person who cherishes money as much as life.
"This is the lifeblood of your Lanzhou, and it is the heart and soul of my Wu Zhao." It is a promise and a wish.
The heart and veins are connected, and if a woman is like this, what more can a husband ask for
That night, Qin Mubai couldn't sleep well. Somehow they managed to stay up until dawn, when Xue Wanche came to invite them, and the two of them went to the military camp together to supervise the relocation and defense changes.
"It stopped raining today, but the road is very muddy and the progress is not fast." Xue Wanche frowned and said with a look of embarrassment, "I already know the priority of the matter and I don't dare to neglect it in the slightest. Why don't you leave the matters here to me, Young Marshal? How about returning to Lanzhou as soon as possible to take charge of the overall situation? "
"Why are you driving me away in a hurry?" Qin Mubai said with a smile, "This is not the way to treat guests!"
"Cough, cough!..." Xue Wanche coughed twice in embarrassment and smiled warmly, "Young Marshal, don't you have other 'important matters'?"
Qin Mubai knew that he was referring to Wu Meiniang's visit, so he smiled and said: "The most important thing in Lanzhou right now is the defense change in Liangzhou. As for my personal affairs, I can take care of anything."
Xue Wanche blinked and whispered: "Why... people came and left overnight? Is there any place where I need to serve in a humble position?"
"You ask too many questions." Qin Mubai said with a smile, "If I want to have a bridal chamber, will you also help me?"
"Ah? Ha, ha!"
Qin Mubai nodded, "Let him go. Don't worry about him, as long as he doesn't do anything extraordinary."
Xue Wanche accepted the promise and asked: "Why should the young marshal be obsessed with him? Yes, he is capable and talented, but he is too surly and wild, and it is difficult to tame him. Now we are full of talents in Lanzhou, and the young marshal is ready to cheer up." With so many responders, why is there a gathering of marquises? Moreover, judging from the experience of serving as an official and leading troops, adding a wild and untamed horse to a group of good tame horses may have extremely bad effects. "
"I understand what you mean. You are afraid that even if Hou Junji agrees to be with us, it will be difficult to control and will bring bad consequences, right?" Qin Mubai smiled nonchalantly and said, "The sea is open to all rivers. Tolerance is great. I, Qin Mubai, want to manage thousands of territories and command the people's army. If I can't even accommodate one Hou Junji, how can I accommodate others... Hou Junji's shortcomings are as prominent as his advantages? . If you can use your strengths and avoid weaknesses, his impact will be immeasurable.”
"But I think his self-abasement is ridiculous and he is completely broken and disheartened." Xue Wanche said, "Such a person, no matter how capable he is, may not be of any use."
"Haha, you are wrong." Qin Mubai smiled and said, "The more he behaves like this, the more it shows that he is unwilling to give up and still has ambitions in his heart."
“Hmm?”
Qin Mubai did not speak immediately. He was silent for a moment and said: "A few years ago, my father was exactly like this. He was in poor health and had a bad temper every day. He was completely different from the heroic hero in the past. But now, You already know it without me saying it.”
"Is that so?" Xue Wanche blinked in confusion, "The young marshal is saying that as long as Hou Junji still has a temper and continues to act like this, it means that he still has ambitions and ambitions?"
"Correct answer." Qin Mubai smiled slightly and said, "Actually, in this world, all people who are outstanding in some aspects will have a bit of a weird temper. Hou Junji, marching and fighting is definitely far better than me. If he were in Liangzhou, I would No, then I am just jealous. I don't care why he was demoted to Liangzhou. In fact, he didn't disappoint me at all. Happy. You said it right. As long as he still has temper, it proves that he still has ambitions and aspirations, and he still has the desire to display his talents. On the other hand, if I am always available and interested in me. Being submissive only proves that he really has no hope of settling for the status quo. I don’t want Hou Junji like that.”
"It seems that the young marshal is proficient in knowing and employing people..." Xue Wanche suddenly realized, "No wonder the more rude Hou Junji is to you, the more at ease you become. But... is the young marshal really sure of subduing him? I think back then, He is one of the most powerful figures in the military, both in the government and the public. How can he be willing to be subordinate to others? Apart from His Majesty, there is probably no one in the world who can subdue his fierce horse!"
Qin Mubai looked into the distance, smiled faintly, and said: "Of course I don't have the ability to tame a fierce horse like your Majesty. But I am sure that this fierce horse will not be willing to die in obscurity. Now, I am the only one in the world. Qin Mubai, if you can give him a chance, I won't look for him again, but he will definitely come to me."
"Absolutely?" Xue Wanche was obviously very doubtful about his judgment.
"Yes. Definitely." Qin Mubai wrote lightly, "I will stay in Lanzhou for a few more days. As expected, within three days, Hou Junji will come to see me."
"I don't believe it." Xue Wanche shook his head rudely this time and said, "Hou Junji's arrogance and stubbornness are unparalleled. I still believe that he would kneel down and beg the Emperor to pardon him and return to the court. . To say that he came to ask for help from a young commander... is so rude, I wouldn't believe it even if you beat him to death!"
Qin Mubai smiled indifferently and said relaxedly: "You must not be beaten to death, otherwise, who will help me guard Ganliang?"
Xue Wanche laughed heartily. This feeling of being needed is very useful.
In Qin Mubai's mind, his thoughts were quite clear.
Li Jing once taught him that there are specialties in the arts, and no one is omnipotent. People like Qin Mubai, who dabble in a little bit of everything, can be considered excellent, but they are definitely not outstanding.
In business and financial management, Qin Mubai is not as good as Wu Meiniang and Zheng Anshun; in civil and political administration, he may be on the same level as his deputy Lanzhou Governor Xiao Liang. Compared with people like Fang Xuanling and Sun Wuji, he cannot catch up even if they are in love with each other. When marching and fighting, there were many people who were stronger than him. Not to mention those far away, there were his father, the Xue brothers and Hou Junji who were close by.
However, if you can gather these people with outstanding skills around you and use them for your own use, it will be another level of higher realm - controlling people.
Li Jing said that he would no longer teach Qin Mubai the art of war. What he had learned was enough. From now on, Qin Mubai should learn how to be an official and a human being, and learn how to control people. Using the strengths of others to make up for one's own weaknesses, and making the best use of others' talents, is the most profound art of war and the most profound art of war.
Historically, only those in high positions could learn and master such "art of war".
Now, Qin Mubai has taken over this big stall in Lanzhou. It is absolutely impossible to bear it on your own. Therefore, he needs helpers, many capable, skilled and excellent helpers.
At present, the civil servants are led by Xiao Liang and others, and they can still serve the government for the time being. Lanzhou is a place with many battles, and military generals are especially important. My father led Xue Rengui, Yuwen Hongtai, Qibi Heli and others to Gaochang. If a protective palace was to be built there, it would probably require a lot of manpower, material resources and human resources. At the moment, he only has the Xue brothers and Su Dingfang. If he takes one or two of them to his father, the manpower at hand will be stretched thin.
In particular, there is a lack of high-level talents like Hou Junji who can lead the battle and stand alone.
Regarding Hou Junji's ability to march and fight, Qin Mubai had to admit that among the three disciples of Duke Wei, he was better than himself and Su Dingfang. At least, he was more experienced. Compared with him, Qin Mubai and Su Dingfang were just fledgling boys. Even if he can surpass him one day in the future, it will still be a "future" thing.
Instead of trying to cross the river by scratching your own pebbles, why not bring a ready-made bridge
Hou Junji, in Qin Mubai's strategic layout, is just such a ready-made bridge.
He's ambitious, and that's a good thing. That was both his source of motivation and his destiny. Qin Mubai took advantage of this, killing his heart first, and then letting him use his heart.
If a person loses his desires and ambitions, he becomes a stubborn stone on the roadside, worthy only of being abandoned and ignored.
Therefore, Qin Mubai firmly believes that there is no ambition and no ambition. With Hou Junji in hand, Lanzhou will be even more powerful; in the future, there will be more trump cards in hand and a layer of confidence in the chest.
Compared with the big returns that can be expected in the future, because Hou Junji has racked his brains, talked a little, and received a little cold treatment, this investment is already very cost-effective.
Regardless of the immediate or long-term considerations, conquering Hou Junji is a must-do.