Ancient family.
Inside the large meeting hall.
Zi Yan, Gu Feng Shang and Tao Gaochang were sitting in different positions.
The outside matters have been handed over to others to deal with, and then it is time for them to sit down and talk.
"Master Zi, we Tao people have always supported the imperial court. We will do whatever the imperial court wants us to do."
Tao Gaochang's small eyes narrowed into slits with a smile on his face.
Now that he knows Zi Yan's identity, he is full of nice things to say, but what he thinks in his heart is unknown.
"Clan Chief Tao is very enlightened. Very good. If you support the imperial court, the imperial court will not forget you."
Zi Yan nodded.
"What does the imperial court need from us? Master Zi, please give clear instructions so that we can follow the imperial court's requirements."
Tao Gaochang said respectfully.
Ziyan would not believe a word of what people like Tao Gaochang said.
"The imperial court needs you to cooperate with the imperial court and contribute your talents to prepare for the retaking of Bozhou in the spring."
Zi Yan picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip of tea.
This tea was of course prepared by the Gu family, which is traditional camellia from the mountains, but because it is fresh enough, it tastes very comfortable.
"As long as we have what the court needs, we will do our best."
Tao Gaochang patted his chest and vowed.
"Well, since Patriarch Tao is so enthusiastic and enlightened, I can't help but satisfy you."
"Let's do this, Chief Tao. You, the Tao clan, will send out an elite team of a thousand people and bring out the money."
Ziyan said calmly.
Tao Gaochang was immediately stunned.
He originally just expressed his position, but who would have thought that Zi Yan would actually climb up the pole and actually make a request to him.
As a result, he was a bit stuck.
This Zi Yan was very different from the people in the court he had seen before.
He remembered the county governor Wan Yiren he had met before... This man was extremely greedy and was very happy with his success.
If Ren makes a request, he will only make it for himself and gain benefits for himself. He will not do anything practical at all.
I didn't expect that Zi Yan was so ignorant of praise!
"This... Mr. Zi, we, the Tao tribe, are miserable. The price of pottery fell sharply last year, and we suffered huge losses. Now we are borrowing money to live. We really can't come up with money now. Otherwise, I wouldn't represent Tao. The tribe came to the meeting just to get some help to go back and spend the winter."
Tao Gaochang had a troubled expression on his face.
"The Tao people are so pitiful? Don't they have money to eat?"
Zi Yan said doubtfully.
"Yes, Mr. Zi, to be honest with you, our Tao tribe is in trouble. This winter is not going to be bearable. We are seriously short of food. Without the support of the imperial court, we will starve to death."
Tao Gaochang said.
"Since you are in such difficulty, I won't force others to make things difficult for you. Well, if you don't have money, you don't need to give money. If you don't have money, just provide help."
"Send out a thousand-man team, and the court will provide money and food. In this way, you will be short of rations for a thousand strong men, and the crisis of food shortage will be resolved. This is great, a win-win situation."
Zi Yan smiled slightly.
Tao Gaochang was speechless. He wanted to speak, but now with his quick wit. In such a short period of time, he couldn't figure out a way out.
He can't be allowed to fall out with the imperial court now. It can be said that the Tao people simply don't have the strength to fall out with the imperial court.
Because there are only a thousand elite guards of the Tao clan!
Not to mention compared with the imperial court, even compared with the Gu family, they are incomparable.
Otherwise, why would it be that the ancient family is the best among the indigenous people?
It is also the Gu family that can convene people for meetings.
This is all determined by strength.
"What? Patriarch Tao has different opinions?"
Zi Yan frowned.
Her tone was no longer as calm as it was at the beginning.
If Tao Gaochang dared to refuse this proposal, she would definitely use the Tao clan to establish her authority.
Otherwise, where will the majesty of the imperial court be.
Seeing Zi Yan's face, Tao Gaochang knew that it was time for him to stop expressing his stance.
"Okay, Lord Zi, when the meeting is over, I will let the boys set off."
Tao Gaochang gritted his teeth.
He had to agree, since the court forced him to have no way out, that was all he could do.
As for what to do in the future, take it one step at a time.
Among these forces, the Tao tribe is the weakest. Whether it is the imperial court or the Yang family in Bozhou, they are behemoths.
The Tao people have no other choice but to follow the crowd.
"Instead of waiting for the meeting to end, you can tell them to prepare now."
"If you set off earlier, you can save food earlier. Are you going to support them for a while longer?"
Ziyan said calmly.
Tao Gaochang had no choice but to say: "Then I will have someone notify them to prepare tomorrow."
In fact, his heart was bleeding.
As a result, the Tao people may not even have the chance to sit on the fence in the future.
But what can he do? Some things are determined by the balance of power.
He now discovered that the Tao people seemed to have a choice, but in fact they had no choice at all.
The Tao people could only choose the imperial court.
Because the Tao people were too close to the influence of the imperial court and relatively far from Bozhou.
"I heard that your Vine tribe is very close to your Tao tribe?"
Purple smoke.
Now that the matter has been settled, Zi Yan changed the subject.
At the mention of the Vine Clan, Tao Gaochang's spirit was lifted.
He suddenly remembered that being forced by the imperial court could not just be borne by the Tao clan.
It's best to have someone to shoulder the responsibility with you.
The best people who can share the burden together are the Vine tribe.
If the Tao tribe handed over the Thousand Man Team but the Vine tribe did not, he would be worried about whether he would be able to sleep.
"Yes, the ancestors of the Teng tribe and our ancestors of the Tao tribe were good brothers. They lived in seclusion in the mountains and forests together and hunted together. Later they were taught by immortals. Our ancestors of the Tao tribe got pottery, and the ancestors of the Teng tribe got it. It's weaving. Although our two races have different skills, we always advance and retreat together."
Tao Gaochang said.
"You Tao Clan are short of food, don't they Teng Clan be short of food?"
Zi Yan asked.
"They are in need of food too. They are even more in need than us."
"Although the pottery of our pottery tribe is not easy to sell, the price has not dropped too much. The price of the rattan wares of their rattan tribe has dropped too much, and their income has plummeted. It is really almost impossible to open the pot."
Tao Gaochang sighed a few times.
"It seems that we also need to help the Teng clan."
"Where do the Vine tribe live? Let's go find them now."
Purple smoke.
"The Vine tribe lives nearby, so it's a good time to go."
Tao Gaochang said hurriedly.
He is very active now.
As long as he can drag the Vine clan into the water, he can't control that much.
Subsequently, under Tao Gaochang's arrangement, everyone began to rush to the place where the Teng tribe lived.
The Tao people and Teng people from Tao Gaochang came here together, so they live very close to each other.