The people of the Shi clan were all stunned when they heard Hu Ke's words, and Shi Xie was speechless for a long time. They remained uncontested in Lingnan and paid humble tribute to the powerful regime in the Central Plains, in order to imitate Zhao Tuo as the local emperor.
"Are Mr. Hu's words exaggerated?" Jiuzhen Taishou asked in confusion.
Hu Ke smiled and said: "This is the literal meaning. As for whether it has other meanings, Hu is ignorant and doesn't know..."
Shi Xie was calm and steady after all. He took the lead to calm down and told Shi Zhi: "Mr. Hu has come from afar. Please greet him with all your heart and don't neglect him."
"Wei." Shi Zhi nodded in response and personally took Hu Ke out of the prefect's mansion.
After Hu Ke left the Prefect's Mansion, the three brothers Shi Xie continued to argue. It was difficult to decide whether to turn against Sun Quan and go to war. They could not make a hasty decision just because of a prophecy.
Hepu, where Lao Ershiyi was located, was adjacent to the South China Sea and had to directly face the gradual encroachment of Sun Quan's power, so he advocated taking advantage of the emptiness of the South China Sea to send troops to seize the old land.
Lao Sanshi's Jiuzhen County was in Vietnam for later generations, and he never had to worry about attacks from the Central Plains princes, so he suggested that he continue to remain neutral and not easily provoke Sun Quan or Liu Bei.
After listening to the argument, Shi Hui excused himself to leave. He just discovered that Hu Ke had clear thinking and outstanding eloquence. He was a well-educated talent. It was not suitable for such a person to stay in Shi Zhi's house. So he brought Hu Ke through the Yue Shang Usdin, whom he had met before. Hu Ke invited him to his mansion.
The dignitaries in Shihui did not dare to refuse, so Hu Ke and Ustin went hand in hand.
"Mr. Hu, I have offended many people before. My father has been in trouble recently, so I specially asked Hui to take care of you." Shi Hui went to the front door of the house to greet him.
Hu Ke cupped his fists and smiled: "Hu is a vulgar person, how can he deserve such courtesy from Wei Yangong and Hui Gongzi..."
"Mr. Hu is worthy of his witty words and prophecies. Shopkeeper Wu, please come to the banquet as well." Shi Hui extended an invitation.
Wustin wanted to refuse, but he looked at Hu Ke and bowed and said, "Then I'm sorry..."
Shi Hui prepared sumptuous dragon-made delicacies, and there were two girls beside each table to hold dishes and add dishes. This flattered Hu Ke and Wusting. They had never experienced such enjoyment, but they could not resist Shi Hui. Enthusiasm has no choice but to accept it calmly.
Shi Hui exchanged warm greetings with the two of them at first. After a few glasses of wine, he asked under the influence of wine: "Mr. Hu has seen a lot of people and can decipher nursery rhymes and prophecies. Can you give me an idea for our family? Which one should Sun Quan and Liu Bei choose?" Who? Or remain neutral?"
Hu Kezhi shook his head: "We cannot be friends with Sun Quan both in public and private affairs, otherwise the scholar family may be in danger of eternal disaster..."
Shi Hui frowned: "I would like to hear the details."
Hu Ke raised his right hand and held out three fingers: "There are three reasons. One is that the warnings of the nursery rhymes and prophecies must be ignored, the other is that Han retainers must not be disloyal, the third is that family feud must be avenged, and disloyalty and unfilial piety are not tolerated by the world..."
"Mr. Sir, the nursery rhymes and prophecies have been solved, so what are the explanations for the other two and three?" Shi Hui sat upright and looked at Hu Ke curiously.
Hu Ke stood up and said: "The Han Dynasty has been in ruins for many years. The feudal princes have been attacking for many years. At present, the Central Plains has formed a tripartite force of Cao Cao, Liu Bei, and Sun Quan. Cao Cao has now arrogantly proclaimed himself the Duke and founded the country. He has long had the intention of usurping the emperor. These traitors to the country have He should be punished; Sun Jian secretly hid the jade seal with disloyal intentions, and later died from random arrows. Sun Quan now lives in the southeast and has no ambition to invade the Central Plains. I travel in all directions on trade and ships, and see many people and things, but only Liu Xuande had the heart to help the Han Dynasty..."
"Now Cao Cao has two-thirds of the world, Liu Xuande has to meet him too late after all. Even if he has the intention to help the Han Dynasty, he may not be able to defeat Cao Cao and Sun Quan, right?" Shi Hui asked curiously.
Hu Ke waved his hand and said: "Actually, that's not the case. You will understand if you take a walk outside. The people, the army, and the officials under Liu Xuande's rule are very different from the other two places. Sooner or later, he will be able to help the Han Dynasty. If the scholars first surrendered to Sun Quan , one day Sun Quan is destroyed and then switches sides, wouldn't he become a repetitive villain?"
Shi Hui has lived in Jiaozhi for a long time. After being analyzed by Hu Ke, he suddenly felt "suddenly enlightened". This is like a rich man in the mountains meeting a salesman from a developed area. The suppression of information for a long time makes a judgment at this moment. .
"What about the third point? What's the personal grudge between us and Sun Quan?" Shi Hui nodded frequently, as if he had forgotten that the wine in his glass was spilled on his clothes.
Hu Ke smiled mysteriously, pointed at Usdin and said, "Haha, the shopkeeper of Us has an old relationship with the young master, why didn't he dare to tell the truth for so long?"
Shi Hui frowned for a moment, and Usdin hurriedly walked out of the seat, cupped his hands and replied apologetically: "Prefect Shi Shi has a close relationship with Jiangdong, and I really don't dare to gossip behind his back..."
"What's going on?" Shi Hui's voice rose a bit.
Ustin said awkwardly: "Young master, I know that my merchant ship travels all over Jiaozhou, and I heard many weird rumors on the way. Once when I was doing business in Panyu, a drunk buyer from the prefecture's mansion accidentally revealed that the former prefect did not die of natural illness, but instead died of a natural illness. I drank the poisonous wine of Xian Taiwei Jing..."
Shi Hui slapped the table and stood up. He pointed at Usdin and asked angrily: "Is that procurement still in the South China Sea?"
Wusting nodded, "I often go to Panyu to sell goods, and every time I have to contribute some money to the purchaser, the purchaser has been promoted to the head of the house..."
Shi Wu, the former prefect of Nanhai, died of a mysterious illness. At that time, some family members suspected poisoning, but Bu Zhi died after taking green pills donated by Shi Xie. In order to protect his family from military disaster, Shi Xie forcibly ignored the matter, and He also generously gave up Nanhai County.
"Uncle Wu's death is indeed related to Jiangdong, but he has been dead for several years now. The so-called catching a thief with dirty things, catching an adulterer with doubles, this matter..." Shi Hui has never experienced major events after all, and he was so angry just a second ago, The next second he became indecisive again.
Hu Ke said with a smile: "This matter is easy. As long as we capture the purchase, and then use a trick to capture Wei Jing, it will be clear after the first confrontation. Why should the young master be timid?"
Shi Hui pondered for a moment and couldn't think of any experts in Long Bian, but then he thought that Hu Ke might be up to something, so he asked meaningfully: "I think Mr. Hu is a great talent, so why would he choose to become an official? Although he can do business everywhere, Get some money, but it’s not easy to keep your wife and your son..."
Hu Ke shook his head and smiled bitterly: "I am from a humble background, and I am satisfied with living a prosperous life. In addition, I am powerless. In this world where there are many aristocratic families, I dare not ask for power..."
Shi Hui heard the reluctance in Hu Ke's tone, so he laughed and said, "Although there are many famous people in Jiaozhi, there are few who are as talented as Mr. Hu. If you don't mind the remoteness of this place, how about becoming an official here?"
"Could it be that you are joking?" Hu Ke looked very excited.
"Hui sincerely asks for your help, sir. My eldest brother has entered Jiangdong as a hostage, and my father is now very old. I will take over the leadership of the Shi family sooner or later." Shi Hui spoke openly with pride.
Hu Ke was overjoyed: "If I can get an official position, wouldn't I, Hu Ke, be able to shine on my family? I am fortunate enough to be recommended by shopkeeper Wus..."
Usdin cupped his hands and said congratulations: "Congratulations to Mr. Hu for leaping into the dragon gate, and congratulations to Mr. Hui for meeting a talented person."
Shi Hui was very satisfied after hearing this. He raised his glass and said, "No one will get home until they are drunk today. I will go find my father tomorrow morning."
