The bullock cart was traveling slowly on the dirt road in the countryside. Ding Quan raised the curtain and looked at the scenery outside the cart.
The flat rice fields have been harvested, leaving only the short stubble of rice roots. The air is filled with a fresh smell. Birds startle from time to time as the oxcart passes by, flying up and then falling into the distance.
After walking for a quarter of an hour, the oxcart saw a village in front of it. Trees surrounded the village. The oxcart drove over a two-foot-long wooden bridge and stopped in a square paved with bluestones.
Yu Zhi and several entourage were waiting for him in the square. Ding Quan got out of the car to greet him and walked towards the house not far away under the guidance of Yu Zhi.
The houses in this village are old, with mottled walls, and withered grass swaying on the high eaves. There are narrow alleys between the houses. Ding Quan saw that some courtyard walls had strips about a foot wide, which were Perforation. What looks like an ordinary house is actually a fort that is heavily fortified.
Arriving in front of a tall mansion, Yu Zhi led him through the black gate and walked inside. The verandah was winding and twisting and turning, which would make an ordinary person dizzy.
Ding Quan smiled and talked to Yu Zhi beside him, but secretly remembered that he passed two courtyard gates, turned three corner gates, passed through three courtyards, the courtyard was a little deeper, and finally arrived at a place surrounded by bamboo trees. Small courtyard.
"This is the nurturing home where my father lives on weekdays." Yu Zhi smiled and pushed open the half-open courtyard door. His entourage stood outside the courtyard door, and Ding Quan followed Yu Zhi into the courtyard.
Inside the gate is a flat field of about half an acre, with large and small porcelain basins and pottery jars decorating the yard lushly. Ding Quan smiled and praised: "Yu Gong is very elegant and happy. This is really a good place to cultivate one's mind and nature."
There was an old man standing in the corridor with a smile. Ding Quan guessed it was Yu Ping. He quickly walked a few steps forward and saluted, saying, "I have met Mr. Yu."
Yu Ping was nearly sixty years old, with a gray beard, wrinkles on his forehead like knife carvings, and a green cloth and geese shirt. He looked like an ordinary old man in the countryside. He returned the greeting gently: "I am not good at business, so I can't welcome you from afar. I hope you will forgive me."
Ding Quan noticed that Yu Ping's hair and beard were neatly combed, but his face looked slightly haggard and his eyes were bloodshot. It was obvious that he was going through a difficult time.
It has been more than ten days since he came to Yuyao. Ding Quan already understands the Yu family's plight and is full of confidence in this trip.
After sitting down in the house, Ding Quan took a look at the furnishings and said with a smile, "The rosewood furniture in Mr. Yu's house seems to be old."
Yu Zhi served the tea with his own hands and said with a smile: "Brother Ding has good eyesight. This set of furniture was passed down from our ancestors and is at least a hundred years old."
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Ding Quan smiled and said, "Mr. Yu, I am following the orders of the family master to acquire your shipyard. I wonder if Mr. Yu is willing to part with it."
Yu Ping stroked his beard and asked slowly, "I wonder who your Majesty is?"
This trip also had the purpose of winning over the Yu family. Ding Quan did not hide it. He took out a letter from his arms and said, "The master of the house has a letter for Mr. Yu. Mr. Yu will know after reading it."
Yu Zhi took the letter and handed it to Yu Ping. Yu Ping glanced at it for a few times, and immediately his eyes widened. He quickly read the letter, pondered for a moment and handed the letter to his son Yu Zhi beside him. He picked up the tea and took a few sips. Calm mood. Although I guessed in advance that the boat buyers were from Jiangbei, I didn't expect that it was actually Yonggong himself who sent someone here.
Ding Quan drank his tea with a smile, waiting for Yu Ping to speak first. Yu Zhi looked at the letter and couldn't help but let out an exclamation.
After drinking a cup of tea, Yu Ping finally said: "Ding Langjun came here on the order of Yonggong. I wonder why Yonggong wanted to acquire the Yu family's shipyard?"
Ding Quan laughed and said: "Yu Gong is pretending to be confused because he understands. Now Song Gong is training troops in Jingkou and building a large number of warships. I'm afraid the Yu family will also share the burden. Why is Song Gong like this? Yu Gong knows it well, and Yong Gong has to adapt to it as a last resort. .”
Yu Ping responded bitterly: "Song Gong and Yong Gong are both earth-shaking big shots. With just one move, the Yu family can be doomed. The Yu family is in the land of Sanwu. It is really difficult to sell the shipyard to Yong Gong to avoid causing Song Gong's wrath. Misunderstand."
Ding Quan paid attention to Yu Ping's expression and saw that his expression was heavy but his eyes were shining, obviously he didn't mean what he said.
"The Yu family has been a wealthy family in Jiangzuo since the Han Dynasty. The ancestor Yu Duqiwei was a great scholar. He was famous for his greatness and greatness. The Yu family is the first of the four surnames in Kuaiji." Ding Quan smiled and praised: "However, the time has come. Today, the Yu family is in a precarious situation and may fall into the sky at any time.
abyss. "
Yu Zhi said angrily: "Brother Ding, don't be alarmist. Although the Yu family is temporarily in trouble, it is by no means as dangerous as you said."
"Hahaha", Ding Quan laughed loudly and said: "Brother Yu, why should you deceive yourself? Not to mention the distance, the demotion of Yu Shilang to Yingyang County in March this year is enough to explain everything. I stayed in Yuyao for a few days and heard that the Yuyao County Magistrate sent someone When I go to your mansion to demand land tax, even a sixth-grade county magistrate dares to bully your mansion, so what are you talking about?"
Yu Zhi's face turned pale and he was speechless. Yu Ping coughed lightly and sighed: "The Duke of Song has misunderstood the Yu family. Yu has written to Kong Jigong, asking him to explain to Duke Song on his behalf. As long as the misunderstanding is resolved, the Yu family will be in danger."
Ding Quan said nonchalantly: "Yu comes with the Lord's sincerity. If Lord Yu doesn't believe it, then give up."
With that said, Ding Quan stood up and wanted to leave. Yu Ping winked at Yu Zhi, and Yu Zhi hurriedly stepped forward and said with a smile: "Brother Ding, why should you be impatient? This matter is serious and needs long-term planning."
Pointing to the crisp pears placed on the table, Yu Zhi smiled and said, "These are the crisp pears produced in Xiayi. Brother Ding, try them."
Ding Quan returned to the table and sat down, picked up the crispy pear, took a bite, and said with a smile: "When I followed my lord to intercept the Wei army in Xiayi, I also tasted the 'Dafu pear' awarded by Qin Shihuang. It was even more delicious than this pear." a bit."
Yu Ping said: "I have also heard of the 'Dafu Pear', but unfortunately the owner of Zhu Zhuang is reluctant to sell it and has no chance to taste it."
Ding Quan smiled and asked, "Do you think Duke Yong is higher than Duke Song?"
Yu Zhi said: "Song Gong and Yong Gong are both heroes of the moment, it is difficult to distinguish between them."
Ding Quan shook his head and said: "My lord is very brave and brave. He repeatedly defeated the armies of Qin and Wei when he was young. After taking control of Xiangyang, he helped Song Gongping destroy the Yan Kingdom. Then he single-handedly wiped out Yao Qin and destroyed Qiu Chi. He was invincible. He is invincible in every battle and has made great achievements.”
Yu Ping smiled and said nothing. The southern gentry did not know much about Yang Anxuan, but the Yu family had experienced Sun En's Rebellion and saw hundreds of thousands of rebel soldiers wiped out by Liu Yu. They were full of awe of Liu Yu's bravery.
"If my lord was not compassionate and used the main force to deal with Yao Qin, Tuoba Wei and other barbarians, and if he led his troops southward, how could the Duke of Song resist? Liu Huaishen did not dare to take a step into northern Jizhou, which is enough to explain that the Song Dynasty My father-in-law is afraid of my lord."
Yu Ping's expression changed. Ding Quan's words were not unreasonable. He remembered that Duke Song was defeated by Yong Gong in Jingling some time ago. Even his son-in-law Xu Kuizhi died. He was also injured by an arrow. He pretended to be ill and rested for more than three months.
Ding Quan was right. Most of Yonggong's troops were fighting against the Hu people in Northern Yongzhou and Qinzhou. If Songgong summoned these troops and horses to go south, Songgong would really be unable to resist them. No wonder the Duke of Song recruited troops on a large scale in the land of Sanwu, and six to seven hundred people were recruited from Yuyao.
Seeing Yu Ping's intention, Ding Quan struck the tunnel while the iron was hot and said: "If you move trees, they will die, and people will live. I heard that the Yu family of Yuyao originally lived in Dongjun, Yizhou, and moved to Yuyao City to avoid Wang Mang's rebellion. Now the Yu family cannot be tolerated in the Song Dynasty. Sir, why don’t you stop looking for a good land and revive your family business.”
Yu Ping stroked his beard and asked, "Does Duke Yong intend to accept the Yu family?"
Ding Quan was overjoyed. The Yu family was a big family for hundreds of years. It was once the head of the four surnames in Kuaiji. If the Yu family of Yuyao really wanted to move to the rule of Duke Yong, it would be a heavy blow to Duke Song. In the future, the lord would play a huge role in stabilizing the Yu family in Jiangnan. effect.
"Mr. Yu, if the Yu family is willing to move to Jiangbei, my lord will definitely accept it happily." Ding Quan said in a sincere voice: "Given the Yu family's prefecture, this is a famous family in Jiangbei."
Yu Ping lowered his head and said nothing. Yu Zhi was moved by Ding Quan's words and looked at his father eagerly. Nowadays, the Yu family dares to bully even the county magistrate in Yuyao, which is unbearable. If they accept Yonggong's recruitment and go to Jiangbei, they can indeed get rid of the current predicament.
"Don't worry, Mr. Yu. My lord will take care of the fields, houses, and properties. He will definitely put a great talent like Brother Yu into good use. The guardian of a county is the least." Ding Quan promised: "The children of the clan can be treated accordingly." All candidates will be treated equally if they are qualified."
When he heard about the position of governor, Yu Zhi's heart skipped a beat. Now the largest official position in the Yu family was his sixth uncle Yu Da's Yingyang prefect. If he could ascend to the position of prefect in one step, it would be a meteoric rise.
As the clan leader, Yu Ping thought more. After hundreds of years, the Yu family in Yuyao
With the development and growth, the family has grown from a few hundred people who moved south from Yizhou to a family of tens of thousands, and has deeply rooted in the Jiangnan area. If Ding Quan said that the whole family moved north, I am afraid not many people would be willing to do so. Go.
The Yu family, which is deeply rooted in the land of Sanwu, is like a towering tree. If the roots are moved, the vitality will be seriously damaged. The promise of a mere prefect is not worth the risk.
Yu Ping said with a calm expression: "Thank you very much, Mr. Yong, for your kindness. We need to consider the long term at this time. Ding Langjun came to buy the Yu family shipyard on behalf of Yong Gong, but he took a fancy to the Yu family's craftsmanship in making sea-going ships."
Liu Yu borrowed dozens of sea ships from the land of Sanwu, but this matter could not be hidden from anyone who was interested. Yu Ping vaguely learned that these ships went to Wei. There were also shipyards under Yonggong's rule, and he was anxious to send people to buy shipyards. No need to ask whether it was for sea-going ships.
Ding Quan smiled slightly and said, "What Mr. Yu said is both right and wrong."
Yu Ping said "Oh" and said, "I would like to hear the details."
"Yonggong asked Yu to come and buy the shipyard. In addition to the reputation of Yugong, he mainly liked the ship materials and shipbuilding craftsmen stored in the Yu family shipyard. As for the technology of building sea-going ships, my lord does not insist on it."
Therefore, four words flashed in the minds of father and son at the same time. It was just that Yu Ping was stroking his beard, looking at Ding Quan who was talking eloquently, distinguishing the true from the false, and Yu Zhi couldn't help but ridiculed: "There are many talents under the rule of Duke Yong. Since they don't know how to build ships, they can build their own ships. Why buy a shipyard from the Yu family?"
"South ships and north horses," Ding Quan said with a smile: "There are far fewer shipyards in Jiangbei than in Jiangnan, and there are fewer craftsmen who can build big ships, so Yonggong wanted to borrow a chicken to lay an egg and directly purchase the southern shipyards."
"As for the art of shipbuilding, Duke Yu must have heard rumors that my master was taught a strange book by an immortal. The book also contains the art of shipbuilding. If I can buy the shipyard, Duke Yong is willing to teach him this art."
Yu Ping sat upright and said: "This is a serious matter, I need to think about it carefully. Please ask Ding Langjun to stay in the city for a few more days. I will reply as soon as possible. Qi'er, send Ding Langjun off for my father."
After sending Ding Quan away, Yu Zhi returned to the house and saw his father leaning on the brocade couch, thinking. He quietly stepped forward and picked up the feather fan beside the couch, gently shaking it to cool Yu Ping.
After a long while, Yu Ping let out a long sigh and said: "Zhi'er, the Yu family has reached a critical juncture, and Song Gong cannot tolerate it. It seems that we have no choice but to seek refuge with Yong Gong and take a risk."
