Ge Zhong really raised thousands of stones of food and grass according to his words, most of which were forcibly confiscated from the people.
Yan Sikong observed in the city for two days. When Ge Zhong prepared the food and grass, Yan Sikong privately told Feng Ye: "Send your own people to weigh it."
Feng Ye said: "Don't worry, I've ordered someone to order it, but time is running out, Mr. Liang urged me to ship it immediately, so I can only weigh it randomly."
When the food and grass arrive in the camp, they need to be counted. If there is not enough, it is the problem of the food transport officer. This time, Feng Ye is responsible for escorting the transport. Even if it is not enough, Zhao Fuyi can't do anything about Feng Ye.
There were 400 bags of grain in Qianshi Grain, and Feng Yeming randomly weighed 40 bags, but each bag was not enough, some were missing a little, and some were missing ten or twenty catties. After all, this is a big hole.
Feng Ye's face was extremely ugly, but it was not unexpected. Whenever it was time to transport grain, there were always people from all walks of life exploiting the grain and grass in various names. No dynasty or country could be "exempt from customs". It is rare to encounter such a thing in the grain and grass in Datong. If someone is really not afraid of death, he will chop one up as a warning to others, but now he is in other people's cities, and he cannot exercise the power of life and death casually.
After discussing with Yan Sikong, Feng Ye and Yan Sikong said: "At this time, the military situation is critical, and Ge Zhong has to rely on Ge Zhong to raise food and grass. In my opinion, please bear with it. When you arrive at the camp, report the situation to General Zhao. will blame you."
Feng Ye snorted coldly: "The battle situation is at stake, this Ge Zhong does not forget to take advantage of the opportunity, and I am afraid that he has made a lot of money on weekdays."
"The royal salary is meager, without these 'revenues', even the family would not be able to support themselves." Yan Sikong said with a wry smile, "I can only turn a blind eye."
It is not an exaggeration to spend one hundred thousand snowflakes in three years to clear the magistrate. These officials are divided into herdsmen's officials and herdsmen's officials. The herdsmen's officials directly face the people, such as magistrates, county magistrates, county magistrates and other seventh-, eighth-, and ninth-rank officials. Although the officials are small, they are in charge of taxation and labor. Corruption starts from the bottom. The shepherd officials are high-ranking officials. Although they cannot directly exploit the people, they have the power to promote, reward and punish them, so they do not lack the filial piety of the herdsmen officials. This is the case from top to bottom, whoever pretends to be upright will break the rules and be more likely to get killed. Under such a gloomy environment, those who get less and do more will become upright officials.
The corruption of officials has poisoned every bloodline of the imperial court, and they are already dying of illness, and medicine and stone are ignored.
Of course, under the current circumstances, Ge Zhong’s behavior seems a bit hateful. Yan Sikong watched the subordinates pay for food in the city for the past two days, and their hands and feet were very irregular. Not less greedy, as expected, this beast did not disappoint him.
Feng Ye discussed this matter with Liang Guang. Liang Guang was also full of anger, but he also thought that he should bear it. After all, Jingzhou is Ge Zhong's territory, so it is inconvenient to offend him at this time.
Feng Ye set off with the severe shortage of grain and grass, and Liang Guang wanted to go to Ge Zhong's mansion to speak well, and begged him to raise more grain and grass.
Yan Sikong watched coldly from the sidelines, watching Ge Zhong step by step into the death trap he had set.
—
Ge Zhong's letter really delayed Liang Wang for a few days. Yan Sikong was not worried that Liang Wang would find out the tricks in the letter, even if he found out, with Liang Wang's suspicious and conceited character, he would not believe it, but would be more cautious.
But the battle at Dongting Lake was ultimately unavoidable. They deployed them in many places in the city to prevent the remnants of King Liang from making trouble, and at the same time eagerly looked forward to the battle report from the front line.
The king of Liang launched an attack on a foggy morning. Sixty-two warships of the Zhao army were destroyed, and nearly 10,000 were killed or injured.
After receiving this battle report, everyone felt very heavy.
Strictly speaking, this is the first head-to-head confrontation between the counter-insurgency army and the Liang Wang army. Kuizhou surrendered without a fight, and Yueyang and Jingzhou were both attacking and defending the city. The direct collision, the result is so tragic.
The worry in Yan Sikong's heart was deeper than that of the besieged city that ran out of drinking water that day.
Because once the counter-rebel army was defeated, all the deaths and injuries of the soldiers and the suffering of the people would be due to him, but he was not familiar with water warfare, so he didn't dare to make suggestions for the counter-rebel army easily.
When he set up such a huge bureau, besides revenge, he also had another very important purpose, which was to cut down the feudal clan. As long as the most powerful King Liang is wiped out, other vassal kings will not dare to rebel. At that time, the problem of clan expenses that has plagued Dasheng for more than two hundred years will be fundamentally resolved. Once the reduction of feudal vassals is completed, the treasury can be greatly filled, and disaster relief, military expenses, and salaries will all be solved. It can be said that as long as there is money, internal and external troubles may be subsided. At present, it seems that cutting the feudal clan is the only feasible method.
But this move also has the biggest risk, that is, Liang Wang won. Although the current emperor is corrupt and incompetent, and the usurpation of the throne is not worthy of sympathy, it is not Yan Sikong's original intention to cause wars in the world.
In any case, the situation has reached a critical point. A great achievement requires a great sacrifice. He will do his best to win this battle.
Several people discussed the countermeasures, and they all came up with the idea of Liang Wang's relatives. Liang Wang left his own nephew and grandson to guard the city, and both of them were captured after the city was destroyed. They were worried that they were all royal family members, so they were still treated with courtesy.
Feng Ye beheaded King Liang's nephew, forced King Liang's grandson to write a blood letter, and sent them to the rebel army camp together, and gave him a three-day deadline, and if he didn't surrender within three days, he would kill his grandson.
Their purpose of this move is to delay time and wait for the Jiujiang navy to come to help.
Sure enough, King Liang did not attack in those three days, and sent envoys to negotiate, giving the defeated counter-rebel army a chance to rest and recover.
Liang Guang and the envoy continued to drag on.
Feng Ye transported food to and from the front line, and was in charge of the security inside and outside the city. He hadn't had a good rest for several days and nights. This night, he even fell asleep after eating.
Yan Sikong looked at Feng Ye's black eye circles, frowned bushy eyebrows, young and handsome face full of tiredness, and couldn't help but feel distressed, he pushed Feng Ye: "Feng Ye, if you're sleepy, go to bed." sleep."
Feng Ye woke up with a jolt, he shook his head vigorously, and smiled: "It's okay, just take a nap."
"You are too tired these days, and your injuries haven't healed yet."
"It's just a flesh wound, it's all right." Feng Ye took a bite of the food and laughed at himself: "I remember when I was a child, I marched with my father and brother and fell asleep on a horse. Some soldiers were so exhausted that they could fall asleep standing up. I It's not surprising that I fell asleep sitting up."
Yan Sikong stroked Fengye's cheek lightly, and couldn't help expressing his worries: "Fengye, can we win?"
Feng Ye rubbed his palm: "Don't worry, we will definitely win."
Yan Sikong sighed heavily in his heart. Feng Ye only knew that he was worried about the situation of the battle, but he didn't know that his worry was not just because he was a minister of Dasheng, but also because he was secretly fueling the flames because of King Liang's rebellion. If the battle was defeated, all sacrifices would be meaningless. Even if he has a hard heart, he must be hard to digest.
Feng Ye put down the bowl and chopsticks: "Are you full?"
"I am full."
"I'll take you to see the stars."
Yan Sikong laughed: "You are so tired, go to rest."
Feng Ye looked out the window: "Tonight is dark and cool, it's a good time for stargazing, let's go." Feng Ye smiled and pulled Yan Sikong up.
"You really..."
The two walked up to the attic, Feng Ye pushed away the dusty window sill, the two stepped out, and sat side by side on the eaves.
On the vast blue sky, dotted with stars and shining with the moon, it exudes a deep and quiet beauty, which is intoxicating.
Yan Sikong said with emotion: "The capital is full of lights, it's hard to see such a starry twilight."
"In temples and military camps, it's rare for me to look up at the stars."
Yan Sikong smiled wryly: "Yes."
Feng Ye put his arms around Yan Sikong's shoulders, and the two leaned against the Prime Minister's post, quietly looking at the Milky Way with bright stars and moons.
"Konger, I really hope that I can always look at the stars like this with you for the rest of my life."
Yan Sikong's breathing stagnated, and suddenly there was a sharp pain in his heart without warning, which made him have to bend down slightly.
Feng Ye noticed his strangeness: "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing." Yan Sikong forced a smile, "Yes, the current situation is chaotic, and the world is difficult to calm down. It's not easy just to sit side by side and look at the stars like this."
He can already see the not-too-distant future, if Ge Zhong's matter is exposed, with Feng Ye's wisdom, he will inevitably doubt him. It is impossible for him to pretend and hide in front of Fengye for the rest of his life. When necessary, he will show his sharp edge and stab the enemy full of holes. At that time, will Fengye treat him as unreservedly as he is now?
It's hard to imagine that Feng Ye, who was full of affection and joy when staring at him, would look at the real Yan Sikong with his eyes one day.
And the road he walked was destined to be impossible to turn back, and there was no one to walk with him. Sooner or later, he and Feng Ye would part ways. At that time, what would happen to Feng Ye, and what would happen to him
As long as he thought of these things, he felt extremely uncomfortable.
He likes Fengye, but only until he likes it.