Only half an hour later, Zhang Xing was no longer angry.
In fact, he understood very well the reactions of Li Ding and Bai Yousi, two of the most favored men:
They are the core descendants of the Guanlong clan. Long before the Wei Dynasty annexed Dong Qi and Nan Chen, and surrendered Beihuang and Nanling, their fathers and ancestors were already the core participants and founders of this regime, and they themselves were also The future and hopes of this regime. For them, what happened today was not just an event that had been expected for a long time finally happened, nor was it just witnessing a landslide on the roadside, but it was equivalent to seeing something that they had placed their trust in and relied on. An existence finally and irreversibly reaches its end.
That was when their own house finally collapsed.
That kind of emotion, rather than not understanding or understanding, is more like a kind of nostalgia and reluctance, and an unwillingness to believe.
Even further, Sima Changying and Bai Hengqiu, the two semi-ambitious people in Nanya, will probably be disappointed, shocked, and uneasy, and they will also feel sad and emotional secretly or openly.
This further made Zhang Xing realize that he and these people had very different views on the Wei regime and deeper matters.
In particular, the Wei Dynasty finally chose the path of death with a high probability of disintegration. Apart from the three conquests of Dongyi, there are probably thirty-six more smoke and dust rising from the complete death, the resurgence of the emperor's uncle, the civil strife in Guanlong, the struggle for hegemony among the heroes, and a series of other events. script.
Then you need to be mentally prepared.
If you are angry with these people at this time, wouldn't you be angry to death in the future?
Respect others and stand up for yourself.
In this way, repeating this sentence over and over in his heart, Zhang Xing generously invited these people to a New Year's Eve dinner.
The New Year's Eve dinner was very unhappy. Everyone seemed to have something on their minds, but no one was willing to express themselves any more. From Bai Yousi to Li Ding to Qin Bao, and then to Zhou Xingfan, who was still confused, everyone seemed to have something to worry about. We all realize that a crossroad is right in front of us, and everyone has to make their own choice.
However, these complex emotions cannot stop the wheel of history from rolling forward.
On the first day of the new year, the news of the three expeditions against Dongyi spread completely. On the one hand, the state machinery was activated directly in the court regardless of the New Year, and on the other hand, large-scale commotion among the people began.
Zhang Xing received the summons and went to Yangliu Forest. His task was quite simple. Since the saint wanted to conquer it himself, the entire Fulong Guard was still the same as it was during the previous patrol, which was to protect the imperial driver... Of course, it was still the same as before. What's a bit troublesome is that according to the custom, some people must be left to guard the White Tower. In addition, Zhang Han is not sure whether he will accompany the driver or not, so the team of people on duty around him are also somewhat unreasonable.
Different from before the start of the previous "Western Tour", after experiencing a "Western Tour", everyone wanted to stay - guarding the White Tower was the safest way, and following Mr. Zhang Han on duty was a gamble on luck.
In response to this, Zhang Xing simply ordered the few people who went with Qin Bao to pick him up at the Bitter Sea last time to stay at the White Tower. Zhang Han's place would be scheduled as normal. If this little Mr. Zhang didn't come with him, then Whose turn it is to stay.
As for the left behind Hei Shou, Zhang Xing has no psychological burden - Qian Tang's last break was when Qin Bao was just promoted, and he also needed to pick up his mother on the way, so it could only be the cold-faced Hei Shou with the most seniority. Shou stayed behind.
Zhang Xing completed the troublesome official duties easily and directly, without anyone making trouble, which made Zhang Xing feel a little more frustrated.
The main problem is the black-shou man named Lu Changheng. As the most senior and highest-cultivated master in Fulong Guard, this person is usually cautious and conscientious. He also has some connections. He has always been looked upon by Zhang Xinggao, but The other party came from a high background and relied on his cultivation. He was arrogant and arrogant, so he always reacted coldly.
Deputy Changjian Zhang originally had the intention of slowly getting rid of the opponent, but unexpectedly, after being transferred to Fulongwei for more than half a year, he spent half of the year patrolling the west. During the inspection, he had to be careful in front of the imperial court and could not unfold anything. The Eastern Expedition is coming next, and I really don't know if there will be a chance to have some friendship again, so naturally I feel a little emotional.
After dealing with this matter, Zhang Xing was ready to turn a deaf ear to what was going on outside the window and just wait to hitch a ride on history.
However, the structure of Fulongwei is simple, and most of the people are prepared and confident to continue to accompany them. They can be easily dealt with, but it does not mean that other places in the court and the people can be so simple... Amidst the panic, Dong Dong The officials in the capital fought fiercely among themselves, arguing about who should stay behind and who should go forward; the people also began to be in chaos.
On the second and third day of the first lunar month, disturbances began to arise, and it became a big disturbance... There were groundless rumors that the British government was plotting evil and wanted to use Taiyuan as the basis for rebellion, imitating Yang Shen's story.
"The location in Taiyuan can only be owned by British public officials. This small twist will not shake the overall situation." In the small courtyard, the dark circles under his eyes became obvious again. As soon as he entered the room, Li Ding rubbed his hands and came to the conclusion. Several people who had celebrated the New Year here before People seem to regard Zhang Xing as some kind of information distribution center, or a place to avoid right and wrong. "Because there are only three people in Nanya who are qualified for this position: Uncle Cao, Sima Xianggong and Ying Gong... But Cao Zhongcheng must sit in Dongdu, and Sima Xianggong has no way to fight with Ying Gong precisely because of this rumor. "
"It sounds like nonsense." Zhang Xing commented coldly.
"Why can't Sima Xianggong fight with the British?" Qin Bao looked at Zhou Xingfan who was lowering his head to warm himself by the fire and asked seriously.
"Because I want the British Duke to lose this appointment, I can only slander the saint to make the saint doubt the British Duke. That is what it is now. But if there is doubt, it is Sima Xianggong in Taiyuan who will make the saint more suspicious." Li Ding blurted out. , sat down directly.
Qin Bao and Zhou Xingfan nodded... They didn't know about the saint's dream and Sima Changying's extreme self-rescue and blackening. They thought that Sima Xianggong and his son had been leading the army. Unlike the British company, although they had enough military experience, they had already He has not touched important military affairs for years, and now he has no obvious foundation in the army, so the saint is even more relieved.
But this cannot be said to be a problem.
"But if that's the case, why is there still this rumor?" Zhou Xingfan nodded, thought for a moment, and continued to ask.
"Because once a first-class person was forced to do something, a dead horse was treated as a living horse doctor." Li Ding taught tirelessly. "As everyone knows, in the situation in Taiyuan, only the first-level officials can go there. Those generals of the Zhu Kingdom have no chance at all and can only go to the Eastern Expedition..."
"There is another important reason." Zhang Xing finally sighed. "According to my observation from Taiyuan, it may take several months to completely clean up the place there, and as long as Zhongcheng is in charge of Dongdu, no one will rebel if they want. There is no Yang Shen at all. The method... In other words, this rumor itself is just desperate, so it won't have much effect."
Qin and Zhou people immediately woke up.
After a while, Li Ding continued to provide a piece of important information: "Duan Shangshu intends to resign..."
"It doesn't matter." Zhang Xing made an immediate judgment. "The saint probably won't take him away... Nine times out of ten, it's not allowed, and then he won't take him away either, and he will stay in the Eastern Capital."
Li Ding nodded: "But our acquaintance, Wang Shilang, may be self-defeating this time and be remembered by the saint, and then take him with him."
"Wang Daiji can't run away." Zhang Xing still opened his mouth. "If he is smart, he shouldn't struggle anymore. Instead, he should honestly win over and manage old acquaintances like you and me, and cover up his face of pretending not to know other people once he gains power, so as to avoid anyone from going to the east. stabbed him in the back."
Li Ding nodded and shook his head again.
Zhang Xing suddenly realized: "Yes, it is possible to go against the current, seek some power and responsibility, and then take the opportunity to retaliate and use the tiger's skin as a banner... But this matter has nothing to do with us, right?"
"I can't relate to you." Li Ding sighed. "Originally, I was more dangerous, but with you here, he didn't dare to make any mistakes."
Zhang Xing also nodded, then took the leftover meat buns from yesterday, held them with tongs, and put them on the stove to bake... It was obvious that the two people spoke clearly and were familiar with each other, and they quickly completed the exchange of information and discussion in just a moment.
After a pause, there was silence in the room for a moment. As the wind began to pick up outside, the steamed buns on the stove began to smell burnt. Zhou Xingfan, the youngest, finally couldn't help it anymore and asked something that he might have hidden in his heart for a long time. question:
"Brother Zhang, Fourth Brother...why do everyone think this battle will be lost?"
This is a very sensitive issue, and Zhou Xingfan hadn't arrived when several people lost their temper yesterday. It would be inappropriate to make angry remarks at this time. Gu Yu
Moreover, this is by no means a meaningless question, especially when asked from Zhou Xingfan's mouth.
Therefore, the scene became cold for a while.
After a long while, Zhang Xing put down the tongs and buns in his hands, and looked at Xiao Zhou seriously: "The thing is like this, the victory or defeat of the three conquests of Dongyi has three levels, the diplomatic victory and the military victory. Political victory and defeat, as well as political victory and defeat... These three levels are probably related to each other, but they may not be properly related... Our losses are political losses. I am afraid that what your father and Laigong want is the first two. Even if it is just a military humiliation, if you win a big victory, it will be a victory if you attack the Dongyi capital. Of course, you can also attack this time, and a big victory is also very possible."
Xiao Zhou was slightly stunned, but he couldn't help but ask: "If this is the case... which level of victory does the saint seek?"
"The saint hopes to use military victory to win diplomatic victory, and finally turn into political victory." Li Ding stared at the roasted brown meat buns and smiled half-heartedly.
"Does that mean... that he is a saint... that he cannot turn his military victory into a political victory?" Xiao Zhou lowered his voice.
"No." Zhang Xing placed the buns on Li Ding's knees and took a new one to bake. "Ever since he announced the Three Crusades, he has lost the first place in politics... because the biggest politics is the people's hearts. You have also seen this Three Crusades. He has messed up the people's hearts in the Eastern Capital. After a while, The day has officially begun, and I’m afraid it will upset the hearts of everyone else... Under such circumstances, how can we really win?"
Xiao Zhou was in a daze for a moment after hearing this, and then his posture became obviously more cautious and hesitant at the same time.
"Do you want to ask why the saint, such a smart person, didn't realize that people's hearts were scattered because of the expedition?" Zhang Xing asked calmly.
"Yes." Xiao Zhou gritted his teeth and responded. "Third brother, why is it that such a smart person like the saint didn't realize this?"
When Qin Bao heard this, he also stared at Zhang Xing and Li Ding. Although he knew better than anyone else, he still postponed taking the buns that were no longer hot.
"This question couldn't be simpler." The fire swayed slightly, shining on everyone's faces. Zhang Xing was baking buns expressionlessly, his tone was magnanimous, and his words were clear and unmistakable. "That's because the saint himself is an important reason for the corruption of people's hearts. People in the world have been dissatisfied with this saint for many years... I dare to ask, how can the saint realize this or admit this, no matter how smart he is?"
The room fell into a deathly silence. Even the Yueniang next door, who was pretending to turn over books, stopped.
After a moment, Li Ding seemed to want something, but unexpectedly, as soon as he raised his hand, the baked bun in his hand rolled down first.
Li Silang was so embarrassed that he quickly lowered his head to pick it up, and then laughed dryly: "It's too hot...the bun is too hot."
"I thought it was a muffled thunder in the sky, and then a powerful earthquake, but that's it." Zhang Xing laughed for a moment, gave the new bun to the other party, then took the cold bun in the other person's hand and baked it again. Without delay, he looked towards the roof. "Look at your little sister, she is as still as a mountain. The top is so slippery and the wind is blowing. She didn't even drop the wine bottles."
Everyone looked up together, and with the distinct sound of tiles being knocked on the roof, they all lowered their heads again.
And Li Silang was holding the newly baked buns. They were not too hot at this time. He just lowered his head and asked curiously: "What is your current level of cultivation? Why didn't I notice?"
"What is your cultivation level?" Zhang Xing asked back.
"The eight extraordinary meridians connect the six meridians, but only the Rendu meridians have been silent for almost two years." Li Ding became visibly sad on the spot.
Qin Bao and Xiao Zhou were obviously a little shocked. They probably knew that Li Silang was a semi-master, but they didn't expect that he had reached the point where he almost crushed them... But in turn, the eight meridians connected with the six meridians, and Ren Du There was no movement in the two meridians, which made him look pitiful again.
After all, everyone knows that if Ren Du's two meridians are opened, the other six meridians will be opened, and it is only a matter of time before the elixir is condensed; on the other hand, these two meridians are different, and even if you clear all the other six meridians, you will probably stop moving forward.
"That's much better than me." Zhang Xing said angrily. "When I came back, the Chong meridians were fully open, and the Dao meridians were almost a breath away. Now I just passed this breath at the end of the year, and it was just the two extraordinary meridians... You didn't notice the roof, it's nothing more than that. It's just that your mind is elsewhere all day and all night, and you are mentally weak."
Li Ding thought for a while, looked up at the roof, but could only shake his head.
At this time, there was a sudden knock on the door in the yard.
Li Ding was speechless and looked at the roof again. Zhang Xing, who had just finished his rebellious words, was magnanimous and did not move at all, while Qin Bao took the initiative to get up and go outside to open the door.
After a while, he came back and replied: "Third brother, it's the old man who delivered the firewood."
Then, Qin Bao took the initiative to help open the door and remove the threshold.
Everyone was relieved, but Zhang Xing was surprised. He put down the pliers and stood up and walked out. Then he faced the kind-faced old man and asked seriously:
"My husband, you came to deliver firewood on the third day of the first lunar month. Is there something wrong?"
After hearing this, the old man in cloth clothes with a dark complexion and breathing heavily came to the courtyard in a hurry and wanted to bow down, but was stopped by Qin Bao.
"It's okay if you have something to do. I can't afford to bow down to you." Zhang Xing also quickly waved his hand in response.
The old man was obviously older. Although he got up, he thought several times but could not express himself clearly... In the end, Yueniang, who still pretended to be studying, couldn't listen anymore and rushed out to translate:
"He just wants to ask, is the court going to recruit Ding again? Don't forget his son... Is he worried that his son will be captured again?"
"Yes." Zhang Xing suddenly blurted out. "That's true, but I really don't know if there is also a recruitment process here in Dongdu?"
"I want it." Li Ding, who was eating steamed buns, added in the main room at the back. "I saw Nanya's Jun Order at the Ministry of War. The logistics follow the rules of the two previous conquests, but I'm not sure of the scale yet... If we follow the first regulations, there should be 100,000 soldiers in the Eastern Capital. Those responsible for transporting grain, 50,000 inside the city and 50,000 outside the city... But there may not be that many, the first time there were one million soldiers and two million servants."
Zhang Xing shook his head and looked at the old man.
The old man's face had already turned pale with fear. He just bent down and saluted, and then hurried out, even abandoning the car.
Zhang Xing and Qin Bao both wanted to shout to stop, but they both closed their mouths one after another.
Two days later, that is, the day when Wang Jiwang’s minister came to invite Zhang Xing to drink, the imperial court officially announced the scale of the Eastern Expedition - sending the Fifth Army, Jinwu Guards, Guanxi and Hebei garrison troops, Jianghuai and Jiangdong Water The army, together with Xuzhou Camp, Hejian Camp, Youzhou Camp, and Jiangdu Camp, totaled 500,000 horse infantry and naval troops, and recruited 1 million civilians from all over the country to maintain logistics, and began to gather troops and horses, recruit troops, and recruit troops immediately. Ding, stand side by side and face east.
On the same day, a decree was sent to re-establish the Dengzhou frontline camp and the Bianzhou logistics camp, recruit military attachés from all over the country, and recruit masters of cultivation level above Ningdan from all over the country to accompany them.
He vowed to wipe out the Dongyi, unify the four seas, and achieve unparalleled achievements.
But that evening, Zhang Xing, who returned to the White Tower after drinking, learned a trivial piece of news from Qian Tang, who was on duty at the next shift - the permanent official servant of the Second Patrol Group whom they were familiar with when they were in Jing'an Terrace. Xiao Gu actually died in the collapse of the Babel Tower that day.
Counting the time, it has been almost five months.
ps: Good night everyone.
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