Yong'an City.
The city gates have been closed, and only troops with Zhang Ren's warrant can enter or exit, but activities in the city are not prohibited.
People can still do business when they should do business, and can still visit when they should visit, and the market is even a little more lively. Because people knew that the Chu army had entered the county, and there might be a curfew in the city, they had to hurry up and purchase some food.
Even the General's Mansion, which used to be deserted, was a bit lively today.
"Hey, Mr. Deng, you are here too!"
Xu Zhenghe, who had just stepped off the sedan, looked at the people in front of him and greeted him warmly.
"Oh, Mr. Xu, I haven't seen you for a while. I just got some spring tea from Qiongchi. Come and sit at my house tomorrow?"
The man named Deng had a beard and half-white hair, but he was very energetic. He pulled Xu Zhenghe and started talking cordially.
Ha ha!
"That's a good feeling!"
Xu Zhenghe laughed twice, lowered his head and said.
"Mr. Deng, what does it mean that Ren Xian is not busy arranging his defenses, but instead is hosting a banquet for several of our aristocratic families?"
Mr. Deng snorted slightly and moved his lips slightly.
"Zhang Ren came out with 15,000 guards. He must have wanted to make some noise on the front line. Now that he has returned without success, this is not a good feast."
Just as he was talking, a housekeeper walked out of the door of the General's Mansion and said loudly.
"Mr. Deng, Mr. Li, we have a distinguished guest at our door. It's hard to welcome him from afar! Come on, please come inside. My master has been waiting for you for a long time."
"Hey, how dare you! How dare you! This is a little gift from me to the General. Please accept it on your behalf, steward."
Several people walked into the mansion quickly while laughing and chatting.
After passing through a flower garden, several people walked into the banquet hall. Zhang Ren was sitting in the middle. On the left were Yan Yan and the heads of the Du and Feng families. On the right were the heads of the Jiang family and two empty seats.
It seems that all the famous families in Yong'an City have arrived today.
"Greetings, General!"
As soon as they saw Zhang Ren, Deng Gong and Xu Zhenghe quickly greeted him.
Zhang Ren said while waving his hand for the two of them to sit down.
"Now, Zhang is no longer called a general. He is just at the same level as General Yan Yan. Now, the Chu army is invading, so Zhang will just make up his mind."
Mr. Deng sat down in the first seat on the right. Xu Zhenghe spoke as soon as he sat down in the middle.
"What did the general say? Who among us Yong'an people doesn't know that the general is devoted to the country, and it was the villains in the court who interfered that made the general suffer. The Zhang family and the Yan family are big families in Sichuan. Now that the enemy is invading the country, we, a small family, We are counting on these two adults to make up our minds! As long as we can repel the enemy, the general will be able to regain the important position of our king!"
Others immediately echoed a few words, Zhang Ren raised his wine glass and toasted everyone, and then the banquet started.
Everyone ate for a while and after drinking for three rounds, Zhang Ren glanced at everyone several times and finally proposed his purpose.
"Family heads, this general is not a person who likes to hide. At present, the Chu army is coming fiercely. Although the letter asking for help has been sent out, it will take some time. I don't know if several family heads are willing to come up with the plan to resist the enemy. Contribute?"
As soon as Zhang Ren finished speaking, Yan Yan immediately spoke.
"There are more than a thousand tenant farmers and slaves in my Yan family, and they are all at the disposal of the general."
Everyone's hearts skipped a beat, and their drinking hands stopped in mid-air.
Although everyone had some guesses in their minds before coming, they also felt a headache when they saw the play performed by Zhang Ren and Yan Yan.
Those sharecroppers farmed their own fields. In other words, if all the hens used to lay eggs are given to Zhang Ren, who will plant the land?
Refugees? Are honest refugees so easy to find? How do you know the Yellow Turban thief is not here to kill you?
This account is full of money!
As for whether the tenant farmers are willing or not, the heads of the family have not thought about it. Oh, without the protection of the aristocratic family, can they escape the government's recruitment?
And those slaves are from their world
Which of the assets that the family has already spent money to buy is not the flesh of the family?
The head of the Jiang family coughed, lowered his head and spoke cautiously.
"General, during last year's campaign against Jingzhou, our Jiang family already had 500 people. This, a small family like ours is really powerless."
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"Yes!" "Yes!"
Everyone agreed.
boom!
Zhang Ren slammed one hand on the table, grabbed the wine glass with the other hand, and sneered.
"Family heads, the land in your hands will naturally produce money. Although the losses are a bit bigger now, the land is in your hands after all. You know the decrees of the Chu State. They will give you money, a lot of money. But the land is not yours anymore. You have to start doing business like those cheap merchants, and you will lose money in the business."
"If you defend Yong'an City, you will still be the most prestigious man in Yong'an City if you put in some blood. If you cannot defend Yong'an City, all Chu will give you is a rich man. When your money is spent, you may not know whose face it will be. "
After everyone listened, they looked at me and I looked at you as if they had eaten dead flies.
Zhang Ren drank the wine in his glass, and without waiting for them to think any more, he stared at Mr. Deng with his sharp eyes and forced him.
"How's it going? Have you family heads thought it through?"
Under Zhang Ren's gaze, Duke Deng lowered his head and sighed helplessly.
"Can the general really hold on?"
Faced with doubts, Zhang Ren remained calm and continued.
"As far as your Majesty is concerned, Yong'an County has been conquered and can be fought back. But my lords, the Chu people have come and dismissed all your tenant farmers and servants and divided all your land. Do you still want to come back?" "
"I know that you have some connections with other aristocratic families in the country and have a way out. If the Wei Kingdom comes, you are not afraid of this. But since the Chu people are coming, you can't count on others. The only option is to help me with all your strength."
Duke Deng was silent for a moment and then spoke.
"My Deng family can still produce 800 people."
Seeing that Mr. Deng had let go, Xu Zhenghe quickly followed.
"My Xu family can still produce five hundred people."
Everyone reported their prices one after another.
Since each aristocratic family is willing to send people, it is natural that the banquet will be held again, and the guests and hosts will enjoy themselves.
In fact, it didn't take long before the heads of the aristocratic families who had suffered a huge loss had already lost interest. After dealing with it for a while, they found excuses and left.
