Cao Tong said stiffly: "This joke is not funny at all."
"You can assume that I didn't say..."
Kou Ji said casually.
Cao Yu said bitterly: "What you have said, I have remembered every word in my heart, how could it be possible when you didn't say..."
Kou Ji got up and patted Cao Yan on the shoulder, "Okay, don't worry about this, go back to your fourth uncle, and relay my words to him, so that he can pass the person in his hand to Zhao Yuanyan as soon as possible.
If someone finds out Zhao Yuanyan's plot and takes the first step and stuffs them to Zhao Yuanyan, it will not be easy for your Cao family to want to stuff them to Zhao Yuanyan. "
Cao Tong arched his hands and said, "I will tell my uncle four of your words exactly."
Cao Yu left the Kou Mansion Courtyard.
Back to Cao's Mansion.
Cao Wei and Cao Qi were sitting in the main hall of the Cao Mansion making tea, their eyes dangling at the door intentionally or unconsciously.
Obviously.
The two brothers are here specially waiting for Cao Tong.
After Cao Tong appeared in the main hall, the two brothers put down the tea cups together.
Cao Qi hurriedly asked, "Kou Ji, what on earth are you going to do?"
Cao Tong stood alone in the middle of the hall, staring at Cao Wei and Cao Qi without saying a word.
Cao Wei and Cao Qi glanced at each other.
Cao Wei instructed the steward next to him: "You go down first..."
The servant who served in the main hall, led by the steward, left the main hall.
Cao Qi stared at Cao Tong, and said, "Can I talk now?"
Cao Yu brewed for a while, and said with a heavy tone: "Eight King Zhao Yuanyan, we will usurp the throne!"
Cao Tong thought that Cao Wei and Cao Qi would be shocked and speechless when he told such a big secret.
I didn't expect it.
Cao Wei and Cao Qi were just stunned for a moment, and then they were not surprised at all as if they had heard something unusual.
Cao Tong stared in amazement, "Four Uncle... Dad... You guys knew about this a long time ago?"
Cao Qi looked at Cao Wei, and Cao Wei nodded slightly.
Cao Qi glanced at Cao Tong and said indifferently: "Ya'er, although we have been holding the door in the court by the civil officials, it does not mean that the civil officials are better than us in everything.
Take the case of the eighth king Zhao Yuanyan usurping the throne.
The eighth king Zhao Yuanyan, at the moment when he was about to usurp the throne, we knew that he was going to usurp the throne.
And those civil servants are still kept in the dark. "
Cao Qi said in amazement: "Why is this?"
Cao Qi looked at Cao Tong like an idiot, and said: "What are we? We are the generals. Have you ever seen usurpers who don't need the support of the generals?"
Cao Tong froze in place.
There are so many shocking news that he has heard today, too much for him to digest.
He originally thought that Zhao Yuanyan wanted to usurp the throne, only a few people knew.
Now that he heard what Cao Qi said, he realized that there were a lot of people who knew that Zhao Yuanyan wanted to usurp the throne.
Cao Qi saw that Cao Tong was stunned, and knew that he was not at peace. Cao Qi glanced at his son pityingly, and continued to say, "So, no matter who wants to usurp the throne, he must first win. It's me who will be the door.
In the same way, it was me who got the news first. "
Speaking of which.
Cao Qi looked at Cao Wei.
Cao Wei sullenly said in a deep voice: "It has been more than sixty years since the founding of the Great Song Dynasty. Although my generals have been cut off, the power of my generals is still huge.
More than sixty years of precipitation has already extended my tentacles in the army to an extent that ordinary people can hardly imagine.
When Zhao Yuanyan started to usurp the throne and secretly recruited soldiers to buy and sell, someone had already passed the news to us.
We now know how many soldiers and horses Zhao Yuanyan has, who controls them, and where they live. "
Cao Yan opened his mouth in amazement, but couldn't say a word.
Cao Wei continued: "The queen mother secretly sent someone to contact the supervising army of the Pengri and Tianwu armies. You should be clear about what happened. I don't need to say more.
Zhu Neng replaced the soldiers and horses in the imperial city. I don't need to say more about what happened.
As for the kid Kou Ji secretly mobilizing the Tiger Army into Beijing, there is no need for me to say more.
As long as it is related to soldiers and horses, there is no such thing as my general ignorance. "
in fact.
Cao Wei's words are a bit exaggerated.
For the time being, the other soldiers and horses, as far as the Tiger Army is concerned, Cao Wei can't control all of their movements.
When the Tiger Army was stationed in Baozhou, there was no news at the General Gate.
Only when they are out of Baozhou and marching outside, can the generals pass the traces of their march and infer their movements.
after all.
The Tiger Army has more than 10,000 men and horses, with a series of horses, ordnances, etc. The goal is very large. Whether it is marching or changing ground, it will always leave traces. .
As long as the trace is revealed, it is possible to be caught.
Of course, when the Tiger Army marches, it is impossible to be stupid enough to leave traces for people to catch.
During the marching process of the Tiger Army, a special person is responsible for cleaning up the traces of their march.
The reason why Cao Wei was able to discover that the Tiger Army had appeared outside the city of Bianjing was when he found out when he checked the documents of the Ministry of War.
When Cao Wei checked the empty camps outside the city, he found several abandoned barracks that were borrowed by Zhu Neng.
Cao Wei sent someone to check it out, and as soon as he entered three miles outside the camp, he was blocked by someone.
The people sent by Cao Wei didn't force it.
After returning to the Ministry of War, he told Cao Wei the news.
Cao Wei combined Zhao Yuanyan's usurpation of the throne and the occupancy of the empty camp outside the city, and it was easy to infer the truth.
Cao Wei did not tell anyone about this.
He even helped to conceal something.
Cao Yu said with a very complicated expression: "Since Uncle Si knew about this a long time ago, why didn't he tell the official?"
Cao Wei said calmly: "The Queen Mother also knows, Kou Ji also knows, they also didn't tell the official."
Cao Yu said solemnly: "The Queen Mother and Kou Ji have plans. Did Uncle Si also have plans?"
Cao Wei was silent.
Cao Tong was taken aback.
Cao Qi said faintly from the side: "We rarely intervene in royal family affairs..."
Cao Tong hurriedly said, "Don't you intervene now?"
Cao Wei shook his head and said, "Now naturally I have to intervene."
Cao Yu hurriedly asked: "Why?"
Cao Qi rolled his eyes, and said in a bad mood: "Because your sister is a queen!"
Cao Wei sighed: "Our Cao family's title has been mixed up. One family and two men have already stood at the top of many generals. Wang Jue, one family and three men, etc., don't have to think about things at all.
Because no matter who sits on that queen, he will not be able to tolerate our Cao family with a prince, nor can I tolerate the Cao family's three men.
In the old days, when Mrs Fu was alive, it was so honorable to be named a king.
But what's the end
The Fu family was cut all over. "
Cao Yu curled his lips and said, "That's the Fu family seeking death on their own, committing a mess..."
At the mention of this, Cao Wei's expression became colder.
Cao Wei's eyes were cold and Cao Tong glanced horizontally.
Cao Tong hurriedly closed his mouth.
Cao Wei said coldly: "Do you think that the Fu family really wants to cause chaos? That is being forced to do nothing. If you don't cause chaos, the whole family must die; if you cause chaos, the whole family must die, so why not cause chaos
Just like the current eight king Zhao Yuanyan.
Do you think he wants to make trouble now, can he still be alone? "
Cao Yan said in amazement: "Tai Zong..."
Cao Wei hummed coldly, interrupted Cao Tong's words, and said, "Tai Zong is the emperor that my Cao family has been loyal to, after all, there are monarchs and ministers, so you can't be arrogant."
Cao Tong closed his mouth decisively.
Cao Wei stared at Cao Tong and said, "The Eighth King Zhao Yuanyan is going to do something messy, did Kou Ji tell you?"
Cao Tong hesitated and nodded.
Cao Wei continued to ask: "Kou Ji's loyalty thing is also related to this matter, right?"
Cao Tong nodded again.
Cao Wei pondered: "What is Kou Ji going to do?"
Cao Tong hurriedly told Cao Wei what Kou Ji had said.
After listening to what Cao Tong said, Cao Wei stared at Cao Tong and sighed, "Kou brat treats you sincerely, otherwise he won't take care of you in this way."
Cao Tong stared at Cao Wei blankly.
Cao Wei did not rush to explain, but sighed: "I thought that my Cao Mansion accepted the nomination certificate and cooperated with the imperial court to abolish the Xiang army in the hinterland of the Central Plains. The imperial court would not act on the forbidden army in our hands.
I didn't expect it.
After all, the imperial court was still worried about the imperial army. "
Cao Qi, Cao Tu and his son were shocked.
Cao Qi questioned: "Didn't Kou kid say he was joking?"
Cao Wei snorted coldly: "Are you kidding? Have you ever seen that important minister in the court, would you make a joke about this kind of thing?"
Cao Qi, Cao Tu and his son looked at each other.
Cao Wei sighed, "Kou kid is beating us, let's not worry about the word Jiaozipu, because he won't give it to anyone except officials."
"Then what does he mean by letting Yi Er be in charge of Jiaozipu?"
"..."
Cao Wei was silent for a moment, and suddenly raised the corners of his mouth, and laughed self-deprecatingly, "He is asking the Cao family for us!"
Cao Qi, Cao Tong, father and son raised their eyebrows, not knowing why.
Cao Wei explained in detail: "Kou kid wants to give our Cao family a place to work as a child, a member of a wrought iron workshop, and let the Cao family hand over the forbidden army under his control."
Cao Qi stared, "How is this possible? The Forbidden Army is the root of our Cao family, as well as the roots of several other companies. If the court really takes action to eradicate all our power in the Forbidden Army, then we will not sit still."
When it comes to the last sentence.
Cao Qi gritted his teeth.
Cao Wei smiled bitterly and said: "Fifth brother, don't have to be angry. The Kou kid throwing this out is just a test."
Cao Qi said coldly: "No temptation... The Forbidden Army is the root of my Cao family. If there is no Forbidden Army, my Cao family will only be slaughtered."
Cao Wei was silent for a while, and whispered: "That won't... Kou Xiaozi gave me the management right of Yizijiaozipu to my Cao family, and he gave me an amulet.
If Yier can successfully become the manager of Yizijiaozipu, I will put some staff from my Cao family in Yizijiaozipu.
So if the court wants to move my Cao family, it has to think about it.
As for the wrought iron workshop, it was a share of income that Kou Xiaozi used to make up for the loss of the source of military pay for my Cao family. "
Cao Qi just wanted to speak.
Cao Wei continued: "As early as when the court started to attack the Xiang army, I had already guessed that after the court had abolished the Xiang army, it would inevitably act on the Forbidden Army.
That's why I went to Kou Ji early, hoping to support the court to abolish the Xiang army in the hinterland of the Central Plains in exchange for the qualifications of my Cao family to retain control of the Forbidden Army.
But they don’t seem to agree..."
Cao Qi gritted his teeth and said: "What are the benefits of opposing all our generals?"
Cao Wei said quietly: "After decades of comfortable life.
Some of the imperial troops have been eroded to the point where they cannot stand.
When Emperor Taizong was in the dynasty, we could still look northward.
After Emperor Xian ascended the throne.
I, Da Song, can only exchange tribute to others for peace.
No more aggressiveness.
Some people have become incompetent people who are greedy for pleasure under the erosion of the glory and wealth in the Bianjing city.
But there are still some unwilling people who are preparing for the great Song Dynasty.
Kou Zhun, Li Di, Wang Zeng, Kou Ji and others are all included here. "
Cao Qi opened his mouth, but could not speak.
He wanted to criticize the actions of Kou Zhun and others, but he found that he was not qualified.
But he didn't agree with Kou Zhun and others' approach.
Because the actions of Kou Zhun and others touched the fundamental interests of the Cao family.
After Cao Wei's voice fell to the ground, there was a moment of silence in the main hall.
After a long time.
Cao Qi stared at Cao Wei and said, "Fourth brother, are we going to be slaughtered by others?"
Cao Wei said with a strange look: "How can my Cao family be slaughtered? Kou Xiaozi has given me enough benefits for the Cao family. Even if my Cao family does not have the control of the Forbidden Army, we can still use one word. Jiaozipu keeps alive, and can also keep on rich and honorable by means of a wrought iron workshop.
Compared with my Cao family, the other ones are truly at the mercy of others. "
Cao Qi widened his eyes slightly, "Fourth brother, you don't want to promise that kid, do you?"
Cao Wei glanced at Cao Qi and said amusedly: "Fifth brother, you think a little bit. Right now the court abolished the Xiang army in the hinterland of the Central Plains, which has already caused dissatisfaction among families. I heard that some people can't help but start hiding behind their back Make small moves in it.
It also coincides with Zhao Yuanyan's usurpation soon.
If two things collide, there is enough for the court to drink a pot.
The abolition of the Xiang army by the imperial court caused such a big backlash.
If the imperial court abolished the banned troops, it would only cause greater backlash.
Those civil servants in the court hall still have the courage to continue. "
Cao Qi let out a sigh of relief and nodded: "That's good... The Forbidden Army is the foundation of my Cao family, and I must not give in."
Cao Qi said loudly.
But he didn't know.
Cao Wei and Cao Tong sighed in their hearts at the same time.
There are some things that Cao Wei didn't tell Cao Qi,
The gate is not a piece of iron.
When dealing with civil officials, the generals are one and the same.
But privately, infighting is also very frequent.
If the court seizes this point and breaks it one by one.
It is easy to gather the power of the imperial army from the general door.
This shortcoming is not only known to Cao Wei.
Li Zhaoliang, Gao Chugong, and other generals' patrons all know this.
But they couldn't solve the matter.
Because they don't accept anyone.
No one wants to be someone's vassal.
Only official Zhao Zhen is qualified to let all of them bow their heads.
But the official Zhao Zhen can never lead them to do something with himself, right