There is only one Wuzhong County in Yuyang County. The reason why it has not been annexed is that firstly, it is located at the western entrance of the Liaoxi Corridor; secondly, it can lead to Zhuojun, Beiping County, and Anle County. No matter which county it is merged into, it will not be beneficial. Youzhou’s safety. Out of these considerations, the imperial court allowed it to stand on its own. And its independent existence is purely to geographically contain Beiping County, which also has only one Lulong County; if Beiping County officials open Linyu Pass (Shanhai Pass) and attract foreigners to enter, Yuyang County officials can rely on the north-south Longxianshui , Juliang River, and Geng River resisted for a period of time to buy time for Zhuojun.
Precisely because their strategic positions are too important, both of them were specially approved as Zhongjun, while Wuzhong County and Lulong County were also specially approved as Zhongxian.
The Yuan family is located in the west of Wuzhong County. It is a mansion covering an area of more than 200 acres. The mansion is magnificent and magnificent. It is full of exotic flowers and plants, pavilions, lakes and waterside pavilions. It is as luxurious and exquisite as the imperial palace.
In Yuyang, the status of the Yuan family is no different than that of the emperor. The mansion is like the palaces of Daxing and Luoyang. It is surrounded by inaccessible people, and neither soldiers nor civilians dare to wander around easily. But at this time, two fast horses were coming from the dust. When the knights arrived at the corner gate of the mansion, they rushed in without stopping.
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A moment later, a letter was delivered to an old man. The old man was tall and tall, with a large frame, and a face full of Xianbei characteristics. Judging from his age, the old man was already in his seventies, but his eyebrows, hair and Part of his beard is black, making him look more solemn.
This old man's name was Yuan Wei, and he was the great-uncle of Yuan Hongsi. Since Yuan Hongsi came to Beijing as an official, Yuan Wei took on the position of head of the Yuyang family of the Yuan family.
After reading the letter, Yuan Wei's eyes were as fierce as a wolf's, and he said with a sneer: "What a brave king of Wei, Yang Ji, is so courageous. I really underestimated him. I thought he thought of the overall situation. I didn’t dare to disturb Youzhou’s officialdom before the war, but unexpectedly, after a few days of stopping, I suddenly started acting arbitrarily. There must be a reason for this!”
Yuan Wei was very concerned about Yang Ji's actions and whereabouts. After Yang Ji killed the corrupt officials in Jixian County in front of Yicang Square in Jixian County the day before yesterday, he issued an order to thoroughly investigate the Yicang County in Youzhou, but in the next two days, he did not move. In the official circles, his behavior can be understood as killing a chicken to scare the monkeys and showing his attitude. At the same time, it also leaves some room for other local officials and some room for himself.
Since Yang Ji had used the heads and family members of Jixian officials to show a tough stance, all counties were undergoing intense self-examination, and officials who were greedy for food were also trying every means to make up for the shortfall. If Yang gathers and checks again after the event, he will find that the free warehouse is full of grain and the deficit has been replenished. He can not only explain to his superiors but also to the people. In addition, he can also gain a lot of favors and a bunch of "gifts." This result can be said to be a happy one.
Although Yuan Wei also knew that Yang Ji was very tough, he was about to lead his army to attack Goguryeo, which had many generals. Logically speaking, it was reasonable for Yang Ji to try to ensure the stability of the rear at that time; seeing Yang Ji After killing the Jixian officials, there was no follow-up. Yuan Wei thought that Yang Ji had compromised with Youzhou officialdom because of the war.
But the letter said that after Yang Ji waited for the army, he immediately sent troops and generals to conduct a thorough investigation of Yicang throughout Youzhou, and the focus of the thorough investigation was Zhuojun and Shanggu, Anle, Yuyang, Beiping, Liucheng, and Yanjun. Seven counties and requested that all persons related to this case be arrested and brought to justice. Yang Ji's thunderous follow-up move caught Yuan Wei off guard.
Sitting under Yuan Wei is a thirty-year-old young man. This man's name is Yuan Hongshan, and he is the eldest grandson of Yuan Wei. He has a handsome appearance, a fair face, and an elegant temperament. His whole body is filled with the magnanimity that can only be found among the children of aristocratic families. . But those eyes were like an eagle, extremely sharp, giving people a cold and ruthless feeling. After hearing this, he immediately asked: "Grandpa, I don't know what happened?"
"Read it yourself!" Yuan Wei threw the letter over.
Yuan Hongshan looked at it again, with a look of horror in his eyes. When he saw his grandfather's contemplative look, he didn't dare to disturb him.
"It doesn't make sense, it doesn't make sense!" After a while, Yuan Wei stroked his beard and muttered to himself: "In addition to recovering the grain from the charity warehouse, Yang Ji must have a deeper purpose, but what is his purpose? "
Yuan Hongshan said: "Grandpa, my grandson has thought of a possibility."
"Oh?" Yuan Wei glanced at his grandson and encouraged, "Tell me about it."
"Grandpa, my grandson thinks that Yang Jiji is most likely to do it for brother Hongli." Yuan Hongshan is both civil and military and resourceful. He can be called the first rising star in the Yuyang family. He glanced at his grandfather and then added: "Ji Ji Maybe it’s the Yuan clan from Youzhou.”
Yuan Wei was startled for a moment, then changed his expression slightly and said, "You mean, he already knows that we sell grain to Goguryeo?"
"Obviously we know it!" Yuan Hongshan nodded and said in a deep voice: "The people involved in the scandal almost occupy the entire Youzhou officialdom. Whenever the inspection censor comes to investigate and inspect, everyone does not need to give orders at all, they will do it on their own. Concealment is the fundamental reason why Youzhou has never been found out by the censors. But Yang Ji is different from the censors. He is an evil star who dares to kill people."
"Brother Hongli and Jin Wenyan, Jin Wenchang, Wen Rui, Ji Yan, Zhao Zhizheng, Zhao Zhizhi, Wang Chou, Wang Bin, Liu Wu, Liu Han, Zhang Zhong, Yuan He, Yuan Hu, Yuan Bao and others are nominally They were working in the county government, but Sun'er thought that they were under house arrest for Yang Ji. Under the threat of death, some people thought that their sins would not lead to death, so they naturally told everything. Yang Ji based on the opinions of these people With oral confessions and level-by-level interrogation from bottom to top, how can we not know the truth of the matter?"
Yuan Wei's complexion suddenly changed, as if a basin of cold water had been poured on his head. He stood up slowly, put his hands on his hands, frowned and walked slowly in the room.
Yuan Hongshan knew that the elders of major aristocratic families had spent their whole lives working for the family and for rights, and they put the interests of the family first in everything. No matter how kind they usually were, they were extremely cruel and ruthless people at heart; if necessary, , not to mention the relationship between flesh and blood, even if you can give up your own life, he continued calmly: "Grandpa, brother Hongli, Yuan He, Yuan Hu, and Yuan Bao are descendants of the Yuan family; so are Jin Wenyan and Jin Wenchang. Although our people are all participants and executors, they all echo each other, speak in the same breath, and share weal and woe with the Yuan family. Obviously they will not reveal anything to Yang Ji. As long as they don't say anything, everything is theirs. This behavior is their personal crime and has nothing to do with our Yuan family."
"It makes sense, keep talking!" Yuan Wei is an extremely arrogant person, and he is also a person who regards human life as nothing but grass, but he can't let go of the family's glory and the family's inheritance for generations. The current situation is grim. If one is not careful, the Yuan family, including the Yuyang family, may be handed over to Yang Ji.
For the sake of family inheritance, he and the Yuan family can sacrifice and abandon all those people Yuan Hongshan said.
"Grandpa, my grandson thinks that the people he is worried about now are Yuyang Prefect Gao Shikai, Chang Shi Wang Shishi, and Sima Wei Xianzong." Yuan Hongshan said to Yuan Wei word by word: "They know too much. When it’s time to break, it’s time to break.”
Gao Shikai was a descendant of the Xinduquan County lineage of the Bohai Gao family. He was originally an upright, upright and capable official. However, what the Yuan family gave him far exceeded his defense line and boundaries, so he quickly fell into depravity. Yes; if he appears to be a descendant of the Gao family, he is actually one of the official spokespersons of the Yuan family, and he serves the Yuan family in everything.
Wang Shishi is a descendant of the Wang family in Bacheng, Jingzhao. His biological grandfather, Zhi Dianyi, was from the Western Regions. Because of his early death, his father Zhi Dianwen lived with his mother who remarried to the Wang family in Bacheng, so he changed his surname to Wang; However, Wang Shishi and his younger brothers Wang Shiheng, Wang Shiwei, Wang Shiyun, Wang Shichong, and Wang Shibian all inherited the appearance of the Hu people, so the six brothers were very embarrassed in the Wang family.
His younger brother Wang Shichong engaged in fraud in the first martial arts examination together with Yu Wenshu and his son, and was sentenced to be dismissed from the public service and exiled thousands of miles away. Wang Shishi, who was working in the Ministry of Industry at the time, was implicated by his younger brother and was demoted from a central official to a deputy general. The magistrate of Huairong County in Zhuo County was also drawn into the Yuan family system by the Yuan family at that time.
As for the last Wei Xianzong, he was a poor man who was gradually cultivated by the Yuan family with money and power.
The above three people are all chess pieces that the Yuan family has worked hard to cultivate. Yuan Hongshan believes that since they have accepted the resources cultivated by the Yuan family and enjoyed all the benefits given by the Yuan family, they should have the preparation and courage to sacrifice for the Yuan family. ; Otherwise, what’s the use?
Of course, these chess pieces may not want to sacrifice, are unwilling to sacrifice, or are unwilling to sacrifice, but the Yuan family has the strength, ability, and means to make them obey.
"It's so true!" Yuan Wei understood what his grandson meant. Although it hurt to give up these three big chess pieces that were difficult to cultivate, compared with the main body of the Yuan family, compared with Yuan Hongli and others, it was nothing. , he told his grandson: "Go to them quickly and tell them that we don't want to either, but don't give up. The situation is out of control. After they leave, their parents, wife and children, the Wuyuan family will be able to support themselves, so there is no need to worry."
"My grandson will go and make arrangements now." Yuan Hongshan responded, said goodbye to his grandfather and left.
"Wait a minute!" Just when Yuan Hongshan was about to go out, Yuan Wei suddenly thought of something and caught up and said, "It's time to deal with the guests in the garden."
Yuan Hongshan was stunned for a moment, and then asked: "Grandpa, these distinguished guests are very important. They are all people of high status in Goguryeo. Do you really want to do this?"
Yuan Wei said calmly: "Tell yourself, what do they mean compared to the safety of the Yuan family?"
Yuan Hongshan nodded and said: "My grandson understands!"
"Go! Make sure your hands and feet are clean."
"Here!"
