Dingzhou City.
This city is the core of Dingzhou, and outside the city is the deep Luoshui River, with both land and river facilities, a bustling flow of people, convenient transportation of goods, and incomparable prosperity.
Even though several vassal towns were fighting in chaos, it only made the flow of people a little less, at most the price of rice and cloth rose a bit, and the state city was still singing and dancing.
Only in places that ordinary people can't see, there are undercurrents and turbulent currents.
"Qi Lin surrendered, and Wuzhen's army was very strong... I didn't dare to hold on for long, so I just retreated..."
In the state pastoral mansion, Xu Chun, the current state pastor, was holding the urgent documents from Baili, and he collapsed limply as if his bones had been taken away.
After a long time, the two lines of tears immediately fell: "If you want to kill a thief, but you can't bring yourself back to heaven, what a pity and pain..."
It has to be said that Qi Lin is a well-known feudal town in Dingzhou. The sudden surrender this time has a great impact on the entire Dingzhou.
Xu Chun can completely guess what choices those big families who are still on the sidelines will make after this time!
The rooster starts the morning, but it offends a little bit of shame!
As long as the foundation of their rule is not touched, and the class interests of the literati and landlords are not shaken, even if the barbarians invade, they can find evidence of the Mandate of Heaven!
"This Dingzhou... is going to be in chaos..."
Xu Chun murmured, but there was nothing he could do.
The collapse of the building is the result of the explosion of decades and hundreds of years of evils. Even if he intends to repair it, he will be powerless.
Compared with the State Shepherd's Mansion, the governor's reaction was even smaller.
After all, Gao Shun was already terminally ill, Xu Chun would not be surprised even if he died in office.
He has a headache now, but how to keep Zhang Wenzhen alive.
Although it left the imperial court with vital strength and the capital to confront the powerful Nanfeng Army in the future, Zhang Wenzhen's start this time can be said to be unfavorable! Even if it is cut off, there is nothing to say.
But this is the only way to be a loyal minister! Not to mention that such a loyal courtier is quite rare, even if Wu Zhen kills him in the future, which leader will he rely on to resist
Xu Chun smiled wryly. Fortunately, the imperial court was in a daze at this time. If he manipulated the documents and worked together with Gao Shun, it would not be difficult to keep the general.
It's just... Unexpectedly, he, the state shepherd who was rumored to be upright and upright, would have to do some fraudulent activities at this time, and the purpose was to protect the heroes of the court-this is really ironic!
…
Soon, news about the feudal town battle spread.
In this regard, Xu Chun didn't intend to hide it at all, and in fact he couldn't hide it at all.
In an instant, the news that Wu Zhi defeated Shi Tai, occupied Dingyuan County, and won Qi Lin's allegiance, repelling the intervention of the state spread rapidly, making many people lose their voices.
Even though there are still diehards and rotten scholars who are heartbroken and lament that the world is getting worse and evildoers are coming out of the south, more people choose to remain silent.
After all, Wuzhi's advantage over Dingzhou is too obvious now!
Undoubtedly, in a few months time, Chen Bing will be under the city of Dingzhou. Even if they are not afraid, they still have to think about their family and what will happen to them.
Therefore, the entire state city was almost silent.
…
Outside the city of Dingzhou, beside the Luoshui River.
There are thousands of hectares of fertile land here, and the rice paddies are continuous, full of good paddy fields.
And the most fertile half of it is the property of the Xie family. There are as many as a thousand tenant farmers farming for his family. The Xie family is one of the three hundred heroes who founded the country. It has been honored and favored for a hundred years, and it is now famous all over the world. family.
It's just that the Xie family's ancestral house built on the bank of Luoshui has always been low-key. The stone lions at the door are mottled, with traces of time. The gilded plaque is a gift from a certain emperor. Take care of.
The Xie family came out in large numbers, and after several conferments and honors, under the archway in front of the door, civil officials dismounted from their sedan chairs, and military officials dismounted from their horses. Even if a state herdsman came, they would not be able to open the middle door to welcome them.
Compared with their family, those wealthy households with servants like a cloud, cheering and cheering before going out, became first-class bumpkins.
The weather is getting hotter.
It is cold in late spring, and the coolness in the air is still there. This alternation of cold and heat is the most likely to produce seasonal epidemics.
However, in Xie's family, a Feng Shui master was specially invited to design a huge Rongyang formation, absorbing the atmosphere of mountains and rivers, full of vitality, warm in winter and cool in summer, there is absolutely no risk of spreading epidemics.
Inside the main house, in an antique study room, Xie Xingshan, the leader of the Xie family, slowly put down the information in his hand, and shook his head again: "The imperial court..."
"Master!"
The door was gently pushed open, and a person walked in.
Although it looks quiet here, it is actually the core of family guards. To get here, you have to go through at least seven checkpoints, and there are family magicians guarding them, monitoring them at any time to prevent accidents.
This person can come in quietly, not only from his own family, but also from a high position.
"The matter has been clarified. The one who secretly tracked Ling'er and Baoyu before was Li Zongyi, Li Zongyi of Qianhu, who belonged to Sili Xiaowei!"
"It's him!"
Xie Xingshan frowned, then parted it again, his eyes flashed with light: "That court man with a head in his head? Brother Yi worked hard, do you know why?"
A hint of embarrassment appeared on Xie Yi's face: "This is still unknown... But the imperial court has recently increased its control over the states. Could it be that my family is a big hit?"
"Division of Oddities..."
Xie Xingshan said: "When I mentioned this, I was thinking of some things in the accompanying capital... I don't know what happened in the court recently, and I changed several important positions in a row. The position seems to be unstable...I'm afraid, a new big change will come again!"
Last time Wu Ming dug a big pit in Shengjing and buried all the elite soldiers and generals of Dazhou in one fell swoop, and even a Prince Yong!
This naturally caused a wave of earthquakes, as well as a reshuffle of forces in the court.
As a powerful family in the local area, the Xie family is also concerned with this. Xie Xingshan guessed: "Could it be related to this? Hey! This Li Zongyi is also bold. He dared to take action against my family. The fault was really serious illness. It must make him know how powerful it is!"
For a behemoth like the Xie family, a mere thousand households of the Department of Strange News is really nothing.
"It's just a trivial matter, the Patriarch doesn't need to care about it!"
Xie Yi spoke directly.
For them, the fate of this thousand households, and even the future of the two children in the clan are nothing but trivial matters. What really matters is the future direction of Dingzhou.
"Yes! The real big event is still here!"
Xie Xingshan handed over the information, Xie Yi glanced at it a few times, his pupils dilated slowly, and then smiled wryly: "I still can't believe it if I don't really see this! Qi Lin in Pingshan Town is so heroic, how could he be so downcast?"
"She has a chronic illness, and she has given up hope of competing for world hegemony, but she turned to Chengwu Town. She must be really optimistic about this woman, thinking that the other party can at least rule Dingzhou!"
Xie Xingshan also smiled wryly: "Women don't let men! Wu Zhen made us men and old guys ashamed!"
Qi Lin's reputation in Dingzhou is far and wide, his surrender and help to Wu Zhi is no less than winning another county!
Even the Patriarch of the Xie family, when he unconsciously mentioned Wu Zhi, could not help but be respectful in his tone.
"What is the owner going to do?"
Xie Yi asked.
With just these few words, he knew that the Patriarch had no intention of forcibly confronting Wu Zhi, at least militarily.
"Listen to what he says, watch what he does!"
Xie Xingshan pondered for a long time, and then sighed: "Also... the last time Wuzhen got married, didn't we send people to establish a relationship? Now let some members of the clan go out to serve as officials!"
In troubled times, it is normal for this kind of big family to adhere to the principle of never putting all eggs in one basket, and to serve several powers at the same time.
The most famous one was the Zhuge family in the Three Kingdoms period, who actually divided into three masters. Unfortunately, there was a problem with the selection of candidates. Later generations Yun Shu got his dragon, Wu got his tiger, and Wei got his dog.
The current Xie family, even though there are still a large number of outstanding children working in the state government, are prepared to do so.
Anyway, there are only some children from remote branches, if they don't succeed, it's okay to give up all of them.
"Obey!"
Xie Yi bowed to accept the order, knowing that the Patriarch still had scruples in his heart.
In fact, Ruo Wuzhi was a man, and now the aristocratic families in Dingzhou might have heard the news and surrendered, rushing up to beg for a thigh hug.
And even if she is a daughter, the power of these victories is enough to cover up her disadvantages.
It's just that the Xie family is too big after all, so it needs to be figured out gradually. The aristocratic families in the four counties under Wu Zhi's rule may have begun to lose their morals and kneel and lick.
"Also... Send another envoy to strengthen the connection!"
Xie Xingshan said, this is to establish a relationship on the surface, and it can be seen that it is also a little bit of chips.
"I know!"
This is what should be done, Xie Yi agreed, as if thinking of something again, his face was startled.
"how?"
Xie Xingshan couldn't hide this change, so he asked directly.
"It's nothing... I just thought of the last time Ling'er and Baoyu came back from a mission, and after she told her, I realized that Wu Zhi's husband also seemed to be a person, and his influence on Wu Town may have exceeded our expectations." outside!"
"The husband of Wu Pheasant?"
Xie Xingshan pondered for a long time before he finally remembered a name: "That son of the Wu family? That's right! If you don't have three points of ability, how can you manage that kind of woman... And, it's not a marriage, it's really incredible!"
He claimed to be well-read and memorized, but this Wu family's son actually made him have such a weak impression, it was a skill.
Although it was a bit funny, when I thought about it carefully, there was a slight cold sweat on my forehead.
The dragon can be big or small, it is hidden in the mustard seed, and it is issued in the nine heavens, and who can really recognize it until the thunder appears
After a pause, he immediately said: "Indeed... I have been neglecting this aspect before, Ling'er has made a great contribution... Isn't she the emissary last time, and this time it happens to be sent there again, so she is not familiar with it."
"Well, I'll go down and allocate the soldiers and supplies..."
Xie Yi agreed, thinking of Xie Linger's flushed cheeks several times, his heart suddenly felt cold again: "Could it be..."