In the next few days, rumors spread all over the three counties in the east and west, and intensified. They even spread to the east, Huaixi and Hebei, and even spread to Dongdu, Jindi and Jiangdu.
But in fact, at this time, the senior leaders of the Deposed Dragon Gang who were at the center of the whirlpool calmed down and quickly conducted substantive communication - Zhang and Li quickly conducted the most core exchange of interest distribution, Xu Dalang relented, and Wang Wulang Expressing his stance, Shan Tonghai also received the letter in Hebei and responded quickly.
I don’t dare not to be calm, where is this?
If there really is a big merger, it will really turn from prosperity to decline and fend for itself, which will confirm the fact that a group of rabble has no future.
Therefore, regardless of the intentions, putting aside some private nastiness and ugliness, just looking at the speed of compromise and peacemaking on the surface, it is still very fast... Three times five divided by two, it seems that this outbreak has never happened at all General crisis.
But on the other hand, this does not stop rumors from breaking out and spreading. The reason couldn't be simpler.
First of all, although the public rumors and the real crisis are somewhat misaligned, the former focuses on the so-called long-term confrontation between Zhang Xing and Li Shu, while the latter focuses on practical issues such as the powerful private soldiers in the East and the interception of finances and interference in judicial personnel. However, these two This is not contradictory. The reason why Li Shu has been strong until now is that, firstly, he has his own team that stays in remote areas, and secondly, these powerful and powerful factions act as shields in the middle. And the powerful and powerful factions can be unscrupulous until now, and Li Shu is in the weak position. Fang Shi's support was related to indulgence, and it was also related to the fact that Zhang Xing took the initiative to give up his long-term operation in the east when he went north.
In other words, the rumors have a solid basis.
Secondly, rumors themselves have their own characteristics. They will reproduce themselves, meet the needs of specific groups of people, and interfere with each other, leaving you unable to figure out the real problem. At this time, you need to take practical measures and results and make them public to truly alleviate the rumors. .
An unclear response or half-hearted measures will actually encourage rumors.
Therefore, as Xu Shiying continued to be under house arrest and his father was removed from his post and expelled from the gang, Xiahou Ningyuan and Liu Zhouchen's tribe crossed the river to Dongjun. Xu Shiying's 5,000 people and thousands of "county soldiers" were moved to Hebei. It's not that the atmosphere has eased and the rumors have stopped, but that the rumors have intensified and the atmosphere has become more obviously tense.
The connection between the middle and upper levels and the turmoil among the middle and lower levels have become increasingly obvious.
"Who is after Xu Dalang? Could it be our family?"
In a manor in Weicheng County, which is only a few dozen miles away from Weinan, Zhai Kuan, the leader of the Deposed Dragon Gang and the cousin of the Zhai brothers, became visibly agitated. "I don't understand. Xu Dalang is always so powerful, how come he softens up so quickly at the critical moment? The same goes for Xiong Bonan, isn't he known as the top expert in the gang? Just to see his father-in-law and brother-in-law being detained like this? Also Shan Tonghai, can’t he control Xiahou Ningyuan?!”
"According to King Xiongtian's temper, if he really knew about it, I'm afraid he would personally take care of Xu Dalang." The leader Zhai Qian sat aside, holding a small melon, and sighed slightly, his mood seemed to be low. "Xiahou Ningyuan...if the troop deployment order really fails, it will be a big disaster."
"Then what should we do?" Zhai Kuan became unhappy. "When Xu Dalang is finished, it must be us... we just sit here and wait?" Zhai Qian said nothing, just eating.
"Let's see if the knife can be used." Huang Junhan said from the side. “Rumors are flying all over the sky now, and there are all kinds of things. What I mean is that if Zhang Longtou just wants to deal with Xu Dalang, and no one else will touch him, but just leaves Li Longtou alone, then naturally Zhang Longtou is smart and ruthless; if Zhang Longtou is We want to kill rabbits and collect these private soldiers... This is indeed reasonable and reasonable. Who in power can tolerate this? Unless there is a leader, we will suffer the consequences."
"How can you use a knife?" Zhai Qian said a little anxiously after finishing the melon. "Didn't I ask? Xu Dalang always has a way out, let alone us? Don't say such things."
"Did we find out that there were three thousand soldiers at that time?" Zhai Kuan retorted. "If I were Zhang Longtou, Xu Dalang would have recruited him at the beginning. He had private soldiers, intercepted taxes, smuggled grain, and promised not to kill him. He also kept all his soldiers. When he heard the number three thousand later, he would become angry and kill him with one sword! Now it is impossible to say that Xu Dalang is dead!"
"Nonsense, obviously you are waiting for a decision to show off Xu Dalang's boss... This is to follow the rules." "Why do you trust him so much?"
"I don't believe him..."
"Don't argue, both of you." Huang Junhan interrupted helplessly. "There is really no need to fight about this matter. We have been in Dongjun for our whole lives and there is no other way out... This matter is nothing more than that if he doesn't cut it down, we will accept it. If he cuts it down, we will fight... .Is there a second way?”
"Can't you surrender to Dongdu?" Zhai Kuan asked angrily.
The pavilion suddenly became quiet.
"Brother Zhai, don't be joking." Huang Junhan reminded him seriously. "Whether you have these words or not is the key to whether you will use the knife or not." "My eldest brother is going to surrender to Dongdu. I will kill him first, and then I will commit suicide and go to my aunt to apologize." Zhai Qian suddenly spoke, which made the pavilion even cooler. stand up.
"Just kidding..." Zhai Kuan regained his composure and even felt a little panicked. "It's just a quick talk, why is this?"
"Then let's put it this way... let's keep to ourselves. Unless the knife cuts us off, we'll just admit it." Huang Junhan also quickly emphasized. "Don't talk about what others have or don't have."
With that said, he waved his hand and left in a hurry.
He seemed to be frightened by Zhai Qian's reaction and Zhai Kuan's stupidity.
Returning to his own manor, which was only about ten miles away, Huang Junhan breathed a sigh of relief. After thinking for a long time, he hesitated and asked someone to invite Mr. Cui, who had come to stay in the manor last month. Come and meet.
A quarter of an hour later, the man with a high crown and wide sleeves walked to the front of the courtyard. Huang Junhan immediately got up and went to greet him personally.
There is no way around it. He is not just a poor servant or clerk who asks for five buckets of rice to eat in troubled times. He is a serious scholar with a good background and uses the place to observe the situation. He is not even lacking in connections himself... Come here My name is Cui Xuanchen, a native of Wucheng County, a fellow from Dou Lide, and the fourth son of Cui's small house in Qinghe.
I just didn’t know that Zhang Dalongtou was obviously greatly expanding his clerical team at Jiang Ling. Even Cui Twenty-six and Twenty-seven were immediately accepted as confidential clerical personnel, and Cui Erlang became the actual chief of the clerical team. This The Cui family's disciples, who are obviously of a higher rank, actually came to the Eastern Territory?
"This is why I came to the East." Cui Xuanchen couldn't help but sigh after hearing the narrative. "Zhang Longtou is in Hebei. He always says that he wants to unite the world, but how can he do it? Everyone has selfish motives, even the Zhai brothers have different interests. If he talks about the current chaos of the Deposed Dragon Gang, what's more? The whole world?"
"Who says it's not the case?" Huang Junhan sighed quietly. "Everyone has competing interests. Each one puts his own interests first. How can they all be united?" "Cui Xuanchen said nothing.
Huang Junhan seemed to have thought of something, and smiled to himself again: "But I really can't say this to Zhang Longtou, because no matter what, Zhang Longtou doesn't have more than his own."
"Not necessarily." Cui Xuanchen also laughed. "What you people are asking for is not the same thing as what he is asking for, and the benefits are not the same..."
"That's true." Huang Junhan nodded, as if he was enlightened. "Great heroes and heroes seek merit, but we are just ordinary people who seek some money, food, land, and a house." "
"Actually, there are quite a few people in the Deposed Dragon Gang who are thoughtful." Cui Xuanchen continued. "Zhang Longtou, Li Longtou, and King Xiongtian all share a bed and a bowl of rice. They don't even have a servant. They have nothing to say about their own interests. Even that Bai Sanniang lives a clean life in Dengzhou. , and Chief Wei, who looks like a puppet. Once he became successful, he wore brocade and silk clothes, and changed into new clothes every day. Now he has gradually become dull... But according to what you said today, I think the key to the problem is, That is to say, the key to whether this matter will cause trouble in the end may lie on the lower level."
"What do you mean? Which floor?" Huang Junhan was refreshed, but he was a little confused again.
"It's Xu Shiying, Shan Tonghai, Zhai Qian, Wang Shuyong, and Cheng Zhili who were directly pointed at the big leaders." Cui Xuanchen spoke calmly, much like his clan brother Cui Suchen. "Have you noticed that although these people are directly targeted, their attitudes are also really interesting..."
"Not bad." Huang Junhan immediately woke up. "Xu Shiying is a party involved, but he is in charge of Zhang Longtou
He gave in that night when he crossed the river and kept coaxing him all the way. Zhai Laoer was the one under the most pressure at the moment, and he always listened to his cousin and me, but today he said such things to his cousin and even drove me away. Come out; Wang Wulang doesn't know, but he probably sticks closer to the leader than these two... But why? "
"Because the benefits sought are different." Cui Xuanchen didn't give in to anything. "In the beginning, everyone was the same: private soldiers, population, land, houses, money and food. This is the typical profit pursued by powerful children. It has always been like this. There is nothing to say about being born like this... But suddenly, something happened A man came over and told these people that if you work with him, you can achieve great things and become a great hero. Of course no one believed it at the beginning, but due to the situation, they had to do the opposite and live together together. But within two or three years , that person led them to victory in battles and conquered cities and territories. At the same time, he kept talking about some big principles and rules. You just didn't believe it at all, and you were slowly reduced to three or five points of belief. , some people even believe more. At this time, the profits these people are chasing are not all those small rations of money and food."
"I understand." Huang Junhan was completely awakened. "This is the reason why this group of people can't stand up. On the contrary, Zhai Kuan has been staying here...the two brothers are seeking different benefits. It's just that Zhai Qian, a mere county official, now actually wants to What achievements can he achieve? Is he, he, so efficacious?"
"It's up to you to be the big boss, get that authority, and then follow others to lead troops in battles. You will win every battle, and you will be successful!" Cui Xuanchen shook his head and laughed.
"Then... Cui Silang still wants me to introduce Li Longtou?" Huang Junhan sighed and asked curiously again. "Wouldn't it be better to just invest in Zhang Longtou?"
"Two reasons." Cui Xuanchen answered frankly. "First of all. I know that he can confuse people, so I have to stay away to avoid getting caught up in it and losing control. Secondly, I also have my own interests... I don't want to do things under Zhengzhou Fang Erlang."
"That's fine." Huang Junhan nodded and sat still. "I happen to be going to Jiyin City in the afternoon, so I'd like to make a suggestion for you."
Cui Xuanchen also nodded, but he stood up and handed over his hands. Then, without waiting for the other party to return the greeting, he clasped his hands and walked out. When he walked out of the yard, he could still faintly hear this person's words:
"The way of Heaven is to make up for the excess of losses and make up for the deficiencies; the way of man is to make up for the excess of losses and benefits. I should follow the ways of Heaven and follow the ways of humanity."
"Pretend to be mysterious and mysterious." Huang Junhan waited for the other party's voice to fade away completely, and couldn't help but say something coldly, but without any of the previous enthusiasm. "You're smart, so what are you pretending to be? What kind of treasure can you be if you can be sent here to burn a cold stove?"
After making sarcastic remarks, he sat for another half a day, and finally stood up. Regardless of the heat, he directly led the horse, accompanied by three or five companions, and hurried toward Jiyin City in the south.
However, as soon as Huang Junhan arrived at the junction of Jiyin County and Dongjun County, he ran into a group of soldiers and horses heading north. He was also flustered, but he had the courage to ask.
The other party heard the words, but he was also honest. It was actually Wang Wulang who took the initiative to clear out the private soldiers in Waihuang, Jiyang, and Kuangcheng. He gathered 800 people and were about to go to Baima, East County, to obey the order.
Huang Junhan realized in his heart that this was Wang Wulang's plan to gain his own "profit", and at the same time he acted simply, so it was hard to say anything.
With a change of heart, he thought of a plan, but he hesitated again - he was wondering whether he should take advantage of the leader's identity and the opportunity of this army to enter Weicheng County to mislead the usually stupid and... Does Zhai Kuan, who trusts himself, think this is "using weapons"?
If Zhai Kuan thought that Wang Wulang was ordered to deal with him, wouldn't he have a chance?
However, this thought was just a flash, and he himself felt crazy. He followed Li Shu because he could not benefit from Zhang Longtou, and Li Longtou promised some profits, but it would be unreasonable to take this risk for something he has not yet obtained. Not worth it.
As a result, he watched the soldiers and horses continue to go north, and finally continued to go south. He rushed to Jiyin City that night and told Li Shu what he saw, heard and experienced one by one.
Including Cui Silang's matter, he didn't cover it up, and he was a good intermediary.
Compared with the previous few days, I don’t know why, Li Shu
Li Longtou obviously calmed down a lot. After listening to the introduction, he just sighed: "A move is powerful, and power is powerful. If no one is willing to come forward, forget it... It's a pity that Shan Dalang is not here."
Huang Junhan didn't mean this, and naturally nodded repeatedly: "Now that I think about it, Shan Dalang's absence is probably a design. He said it was a rotating holiday, but only Wang Wulang, who had always been close to him, was allowed to come back, but he was captured as soon as he came up. Xu Dalang."
"It makes sense." Li Shu nodded casually, feeling a little absent-minded. "That Choi Shiro, what do you think of this person?"
"I have talent, and I'm smarter than me, but he's obviously a son of a wealthy family." Huang Junhan blurted out. "Qinghe is occupied, so let the more famous Cui Erlang follow Zhang Longtou, and let this inferior Cui Silang come to Li Longtou... who doesn't know?"
"That's the truth." Li Shu was also a little helpless. "But you are still willing to come to me at this time. It's Cui Shizi, and what he said is quite reasonable. He must give me some face... Could you please Huang Toucheng to bring him here tomorrow?"
Huang Junhan wanted to agree.
Unexpectedly, Li Shu suddenly waved his hand: "Forget it, I haven't been active for a long time, let me take a night walk with you!"
Huang Junhan was stunned.
Li Shu knew that his behavior was out of line, so he laughed dryly and explained: "It's not that this person is so outstanding or earth-shattering, but I am encountering a problem right now. Everyone who can ask has asked, but I listened to your words. This person He is more or less a smart man, and he is from outside, so he has no redundant position, so why not listen to what he has to say... You might as well listen to it!"
With that said, he was about to set off.
Huang Junhan suddenly realized that he wanted to take advantage of the excitement and return again, but he stood still and asked first: "What kind of difficult thing did Longtou encounter?"
Li Shu was startled for a moment and knew that he could not escape today, so he simply responded frankly: "Zhang Xing wants to promise me that the military and political commander-in-chief of the three western counties in the east will open his office and lead the Kinki strategy... I am excited, but I am also worried that it is a delaying strategy. Somewhat unwilling."
"What's so unwilling about this?" Huang Junhan was puzzled. "The three counties where the government is located are located in Kinki..." Li Shu knew that he couldn't explain it to the other party, but he just smiled.
Huang Junhan thought of Cui Silang's words during the day, and sneered in his heart, but also felt a little inexplicably flustered and embarrassed, so he nodded, turned around and prepared his horse.
At the second watch, he returned to the manor in Weicheng County.
At this time, Zhang Xing also saw a young man in Wang Shuyong's manor between Waihuang and Jiyang: "Your name is Ma Wei?"
"yes."
The young man said he was a young man, but he was actually about the same age as Zhang Xing and Wang Shuyong. However, he was obviously careful in his speech, and his clothes were simple, and he looked a little shabby under the light... and he also smelled of alcohol.
In fact, on the stone table under the grape trellis where Zhang Xing was sitting, there was a jar of half-drunk wine and a few bunches of unripe grapes.
"Wang Wulang went to see me before, and today he took the initiative to send private soldiers. Is this all your attention?" Zhang Xing touched the wine jar, released the cold energy from his body, and continued to ask. "Is there any explanation for this?"
Xie Minghe beside him was also sizing him up.
"What can you say about this?" The young man looked a little anxious. "Zhang Longtou has a remarkable kindness and power, and Chief Wang is loyal and reliable, so there will never be any problems... However, at first, I was worried that Zhang Longtou would be angry and kill Chief Xu by mistake, so I let him go early Go to persuade; later rumors spread, and people didn’t know where the bottom line of Longtou was, so that people were panicked. At this time, I asked the leader Wang to hand over the private soldiers and clear the way, just to ask for a sense of balance. "
"The word "property" sounds easy to say, but it is actually extremely difficult." Zhang Xing nodded, as if he recognized the other party's measured judgment in handing over private soldiers. "Very good."
"But I still wasn't careful and alert enough. If I were careful, I should have reminded Leader Wang not to let the private soldiers leave Weicheng County, but to make a detour from Xu Dalang's land to the west, so as not to cause misunderstandings or be tricked by malicious people. It's a misunderstanding." Ma Wei still looked a little uneasy. "And if you are smart, you should simply let the leader Wang personally take the private soldiers to Jiyin to pay, and let Fang Liu deal with it later."
Xie Minghe raised his eyebrows,
He instantly became energetic and looked at this person with a little more energy.
Zhang Xing, on the other hand, was stunned for a moment, nodded, but couldn't help but smile again: "It's a coincidence, some things are unnecessary, especially since you got the idea from Wang Wulang, so it's good to have a good sense of proportion. It's superfluous." The move may look wonderful, but in fact it is superfluous.”
"Indeed." Ma Wei thought for a moment and nodded. It was a little quiet here in the grape rack.
Immediately, Zhang Xing came to ask seriously: "Are you from Chiping?" "Yes."
"Where did you study?" "Study in the Fang clan."
"Are you related to the Fang family?"
"No, I paid a lot of money to get admission." "Your family is rich?"
"I come from a middle-class family. After my parents died, I sold everything in exchange for school opportunities and drinks... For this reason, the locals call me a poor boy."
"Drink less." "..."
"Why don't you go to Jiangling instead to find Wang Wulang?"
"Okay, let me ask you something again." Zhang Xing saw that the other party was timid on the surface but actually bold, so he stopped testing. "I am now ready to promise Li Shu the identity of the military and political commander of the three counties in exchange for peaceful resolution of disputes within the gang. At the same time, I want him to support me in becoming the sole chief of the gang. Do you think it can be done?"
Wang Shuyong was extremely surprised, but immediately felt happy.
"I think it's a bit shameful for Long Tou to do this." Ma Wei thought thoughtfully. "And it's not lawful." "What do you mean?"
"The leader should gather all the leaders in the gang. According to the gang rules at the beginning, with the consent of two-thirds of the leaders, he should openly become the leader without relying on the support of any single person. After becoming the leader, he should start from the top. What are the commander-in-chiefs of the three counties under the title? And there are a few more commander-in-chiefs to be appointed, but I think the leader has already prepared the draft, so I won’t say anything." Ma Wei blurted out. "As for the unfairness, there is no need to communicate this with Li Shu himself. Li Shu actually has some huge ambitions. He can't help but feel that he has suffered a loss, and he may not be grateful in his heart... It should be Directly tell the news to all the leaders who stayed behind in the Eastern Territory and those who stayed behind, especially those who are close to Li Shu, and ask them to put pressure on Li Shu on behalf of the leader. As for resolving the civil war dispute between the gangs, it is even more nonsense. , the gang is peaceful and united, and there are no disputes.”
Zhang Xing was silent for a moment, then suddenly turned to look at Wang Shuyong, and then complained on the spot: "When Wei Gong was in this village, you made him wear a pair of tattered shoes with open toes, but now when the horses are gathered in this village, you make him You don’t even bring ice when you drink in the summer...Why?”
Wang Shuyong was at a loss for a moment, but Xie Minghe twisted his beard and turned around to laugh.
"This is why I came to see Wang Wulang instead of going to Jiangling." Ma Wei hurriedly said. "Including Wei Gong's choice to come to Wang Wulang Zhuangzi, I'm afraid it's for this reason... Chief Wang has a simple mind and doesn't deliberately recruit people, but he doesn't hate people for any reason. He can come and leave whenever he wants. Just leave, and there is always a jar of wine. "
Zhang Xing looked Wang Shuyong up and down, nodded convinced, and looked at the young man in front of him again: "Come and sit down! No matter if you are working on a curve or just meeting each other... Come to me, you will always be able to I'll chill your wine at any time."
"So that the leader knows that wine should be drunk hot, no matter in winter or summer." Ma Wei corrected seriously. "You will die quickly if you drink cold wine, and you will really become a destitute boy."
PS: Everyone, eat and drink well during the Chinese New Year.
