Nanping, Jiangling Prefecture, Jingnan Jiedushi Office, oh no! After Zhang Gao conferred the title of King Jing on Gao Congjie, this place was renamed Jingwang Palace.
However, being awarded the title of king did not bring much joy to Gao Congjie. He was worried about Nanping's future.
Strictly speaking, Nanping, owned by Gao Jixing and Gao Congjie and his son, cannot be counted as one of the Ten Kingdoms.
Because these two generations of Gao Laizi have never been lonely, they have been busy proclaiming themselves ministers all over the world and reaping benefits.
Among all the countries in the world, only Nanping and the Qingyuan army that separated Quan and Nan (Zhang) states have not been crowned kings.
At this time, Li Jing was still preparing to canonize Liu Cunxiao as the military envoy of the Qingyuan Army, so for now, Nanping became the only one.
Precisely because of this uniqueness, the foundation for Nanping's existence is not very solid.
In the past, Gao Congjie was not very worried about this, because whether it was Li Congke, Shi Jingtang, Shi Chonggui and his son, or even Liu Zhiyuan, Gao Congjie didn't think they could become famous.
In the Central Plains, after more than ten years of war, the population has been depleted. Several prefectures and counties often have no human habitation for more than ten miles. The population of the entire Henan region has dropped sharply to three to four million.
Coupled with the threat of the Khitans and the increasing dissatisfaction between the Central Plains emperors and the military governors of the country, there was no ability to threaten Nanping's existence.
But when Zhang Gao entered Tokyo, everything changed. Gao Congjie smelled an extremely unusual smell from Zhang Gao's body. This was also an important reason why he took the risk of sending his son Gao Baorong to Tokyo to meet him.
One is to express complete surrender, and the other is to let Gao Baorong observe Zhongyuan Qi Xiang and Zhang Yan's behavior.
When Gao Baorong came back and told what he had seen, Gao Congjie's heart dropped.
Needless to say, the soldiers and horses of Hexi were brave. As the emperor, the emperor of Shaoming, Zhang Gao, was magnanimous and far-sighted.
He overhauled the palace without using public funds, conscripted the people into service, and not only did not many people die, but he was praised by everyone.
As an emperor, he only wears four sets of regular clothes. He loves to eat beef. In the three years since he arrived in Kaifeng Prefecture, Tokyo, he has been able to avoid eating beef even once.
At the same time, he also knew that Xing Wenjiao, after taking control of the Central Plains, did not rush to plunder the people, but instead established a system in advance to reward loyalty and use extremely clever means to take away the power of Jiedushi.
These are Tibetan thieves from the wasteland west of the river. This is the way of the emperor of the great dynasty!
Since Gao Baorong came back and showed his admiration for Zhang Yan everywhere, Gao Congjie's condition has become more and more serious.
The Nanping Kingdom is small and weak, and it is located at a strategic transportation hub. If such a master appears in the Central Plains, the Nanping Kingdom's living space will inevitably disappear.
Gao Congjie took two breaths with all his strength, but the tightness in his chest didn't seem to subside at all. Instead, he started to have headaches and heart palpitations because he used too much force this time.
In the two or three years since he fell ill, Gao Congjie's chest has never felt relieved. His appetite, physical strength, and mental strength have also begun to decline rapidly as the disease progresses.
His typical bronchitis developed into emphysema, and it had reached an advanced stage.
If in later generations, with Gao Congjiao's status, there would be no problem in living for another ten or twenty years.
However, at this time, the doctors at Jing Palace could only diagnose Gao Congjie as suffering from qi disease, and his heart, lungs and other internal organs had been damaged. However, there were no drugs or means to treat it. It was a completely incurable terminal illness. Gao Congjie could die at any time. He died due to acidosis.
It wasn't long before he knew his fate, but he still had a lot of troubles. The third son, Gao Baorong, who was his successor, didn't seem to be able to hold on to the family business, and his favorite tenth son, Gao Baoxu, was even worse.
This is not to say that Gao Baoxu is incompetent, it is precisely because Gao Baoxun has some ability that he has always had a little self-confidence and a deep desire to preserve the Gao family business.
This is not good. Nanping's arm cannot twist Zhou Guo's thigh. If he does not understand current affairs, it is not a question of whether the family property can be saved, but a question of whether the family can be saved.
Gao Congjie was about to call his attendants to bring him a medicinal soup made from sweet potato (mint). This medicinal soup could make his heart and lungs feel a chill. There was no hope of curing the disease, but it could give him a sense of relaxation. Some illusions.
But before he could say anything, the palace door was suddenly pushed open.
Who dares to open the door of his palace on this stormy night? Of course it was his favorite tenth son, Gao Baoxu, who was known as Gao Baoxu in Nanping.
Gao Baoxu stood at the door, rainwater flowing down his bun, and his blue round-neck robe was completely soaked, looking like it had been fished out of the water.
Gao Congjie's heart suddenly rose. He looked at Gao Baoxu with strength and calmness, "Why is my son so panicked? What happened?"
Gao Baoxu looked at Gao Congjie, anxious tears burst into his eyes, mixed with rain and sprayed all over his face, he said sadly.
"An alarm came from Gong'an County. In the early hours of yesterday morning, Wu'an Army General Xu Qiong and others opened the north gate of Tanzhou and let Ma Xi'e into the city. Ma Xi'e has become the lord of Southern Chu!"
Gao Congjie was shocked and asked quickly: "How did my son know? Is it a rumor?"
Gao Baoxu suddenly shook his head, "It's not a rumor. Zhang Shaodi, the military envoy in front of the Wu'an army, and other Nanchu Ya generals are unwilling to surrender to Ma Xi'e. They have already led hundreds of troops to the public security. Please come to our Nanping territory. Waiting for Ma Xiguangnan to return."
"I am the Gao family who will die on this day!" Gao Conjie couldn't stand it any longer. He looked up to the sky and sighed. His throat felt itchy. During the violent cough, a few wisps of blood suddenly spurted out, and then he fell down heavily. On the ground.
The reason why Gao Congjie was so excited was because he could see why Zhang Hao had kept Ma Xiguang in Tokyo, just waiting for this moment.
If Ma Xi'e cannot take Tanzhou and control the power of Ma Chu, then Zhang Gao can send at most several thousand or more than 10,000 troops to send Ma Xiguang back to the south.
Although he had to pass through Jiangling, Nanping had always been respectful, and last year he even presented a treatise on febrile diseases and miscellaneous diseases. He did not give Zhang Yan any excuse. The emperor of Shao Dynasty had always held high the values of loyalty, filial piety and justice, so he would certainly not be able to come and swallow up Nanping.
Even if Zhang Gao is embarrassed, he will not be afraid if he only comes with a few thousand or ten thousand troops. This person cannot take down Jiangling, which the Gao family and his son have been entrenched for decades.
Zhang Yan cannot send more factions. If he wants to send more factions, it will be too obvious, and all the countries in the world will be on guard.
But now, Ma Xihe has entered Tanzhou, and the former Chu King Ma Xifan sent Ma Xiguang to Tokyo to meet with him last year, and also accepted Zhang Zhou's title of Chu King.
Then it means that Ma Chu, like Nanping, is now a vassal of Zhang Zhou, and Emperor Shaoming Zhang can justifiably mobilize an army to go south to put down the rebellion.
Since the rebellion is to be suppressed and Nanping is also a vassal, the imperial army enters Jiangling and uses Jiangling as a frontline base to suppress Ma Chu. Is this no problem?
As for how long it will take for the army to quell the rebellion? Are you leaving now? Is this something you, the vassal king, can decide?
. . . .
On the second day, the news became more accurate. In front of the Wu'an Army, dozens of Ma Chu Army generals including Zhang Shaodi, Li Yanwen, Liu Yantao, etc. formally wrote to Gao Congjiao, requesting Gao Congjiao to allow them to stay in Gong'an County or to He settled in Jiangling and waited for Ma Xiguang to go south.
News also came from Tanzhou. After Ma Xihe entered Tanzhou, he immediately killed Ma Xiguang's wife Wang and their three sons.
Li Hongzhen, one of the eighteen bachelors of Ma Chutiance Mansion who advocated the dismemberment of Ma Xiguang, and secretary of Wu'an Army Jiedu, his younger brother Li Hongjie and more than 70 members of his family also died together.
Later, Ma Xi'e was still angry and killed Wu'an army judge Tang Zhaoyin, tooth general Yang Di and dozens of other generals.
At the same time, Ma Xi'e was able to enter Tanzhou thanks to the help of barbarians from various streams in Langzhou (Changde, Hunan). Therefore, after entering Tanzhou, he could not completely control these barbarians.
The barbarians then plundered Tanzhou, and seeing the barbarians starting to plunder, the Wuping soldiers of Ma Xi'e's headquarters were of course unwilling to lag behind.
Therefore, Langzhou soldiers and barbarian soldiers looted for three days, killing officials and people, and burning houses. The treasures and goods accumulated by King Wu Mu of Chu Ma Yin and his son Ma Xifan for decades were all thrown into the barbarians. The palaces and houses were reduced to ashes.
The news one after another shocked Gao Congjie and he was speechless, especially the fact that all the palaces of the Ma family in Tanzhou were reduced to ashes, and the brothers killed each other, which made Gao Congjie, who was about to die, fall into the inner war between heaven and man. .
He summoned his third son Gao Baorong, as well as Gao Baoshen, Gao Baoyin and his favorite tenth son Gao Baoxu.
"Did the Fourteenth Master reply to the letter? What did he say?" Gao Congjie was supported by two maids and sat on the bed, softly asking Gao Baorong who hurried over.
The fourteenth son of Gao Congjie was Gao Baoying, the fourteenth son of Gao Congjie, who was chosen to marry Luo Siniang, the sister of Shanzhuer Luo Shande, one of Zhang Zhi's confidants.
Gao Baorong hurriedly stepped forward and replied: "The reply from the 14th Lang just arrived, saying that he has graduated from Tiangongyuan. The emperor appreciates his outstanding talent and learning, and specially promoted him to the Zhangtai Secretary Office of Zhongshu Province, where he will serve as his attendant.
His brother-in-law, Marquis of Yumen, and General Zuo Shenwei, Luo Zhonglang, are still favored by the emperor. They have recently been ordered to quell the rebellion of the Huaibei thieves in the two states of Haosi and Si. They heard that they have won a great victory and are about to be promoted to a higher rank. "
Gao Congjie nodded with satisfaction, his pale face looking much better.
However, Gao Baorong found it a little difficult to speak out. He pondered for a moment and then continued: "The Fourteenth Lang also said that the sage said that the general trend of the world will inevitably unite and unite if it is divided for a long time. He thinks it is very reasonable.
Since the decline of the Tang Dynasty, the world has been in chaos for one hundred and eighty years, and now it's time to reunite.
Our Gao family has stabilized Jingnan for decades. The scholars, people, gentry and businessmen are all grateful for the virtues of the Gao family. The sage said that King Wu Xin (Gao Jixing) also called him benevolent and virtuous.
This is a blessing for my Gao family, if I can... "At this point, Gao Baorong took a deep breath before continuing.
"If we can dedicate the land of the three southern states of Jingnan to the imperial court, the wealth of the Gao family will continue, and the name of loyalty will be left in history."
"How bold! How dare Shiro Four dare to say such rebellious words? Is he still a descendant of the Gao family?"
Before Gao Congjie could speak, Gao Baoxu had jumped out. He knelt down on the ground and shouted miserably.
"Sir, Sir Fourteenth has married a daughter of the Luo family, and has become a confidant of the emperor. He has a great future. He has no regard for the Gao family at all. Please don't believe the rebellious words of Sir Fourteenth."
Not only did Gao Baoxu say this, but Gao Baoshen and Gao Baoyin both had angry looks on their faces, obviously very dissatisfied with these words of Shishiro Gao Baoying.
A flush suddenly appeared on Gao Congjie's face, and then he coughed violently.
The maid hurriedly brought the soup, but Gao Congjie waved her hand and refused to take it. Instead, she looked at Gao Baorong and asked, "What do San Lang think what Fourteenth Lang said?"
A look of struggle appeared on Gao Baorong's face, and finally he knelt down and saluted Gao Congjie.
"The land of the three states in Jingnan was obtained by my ancestors, King Wu Xin and his Excellency, overcoming obstacles and enduring humiliation. The family property of our ancestors was hard-won, how can we dedicate it lightly?
It's just that the three states in Jingnan are small and have weak troops. If the emperor is determined, he may be able to resist it while he is still here. However, after a hundred years, he will not be able to resist it. "
Gao Baorong's words are indeed his inner thoughts. Who doesn't want to defend his foundation and say that he is alone and few, but the problem he faces is that Nanping is simply unable to resist the imperial conquest. If he persists in resisting, the whole family may be ruined.
"Sir! The imperial court did not expect it to be so powerful. When it conquered the Southern Tang Dynasty in the past, it was unable to capture Jiangning in one go due to the disadvantage of the navy.
Today our navy is superior to that of the Southern Tang Dynasty. If the imperial court dares to attack, it is better to form an alliance with Ma Xi'e and communicate with Shu and Tang at the same time. By combining the strength of the four families and relying on the courage of the navy, Jiangling will definitely be able to defend. "
After listening to the words of the 14th Lang Gao Baoying, Gao Baoxu felt like his heart was on fire. After hearing the words of his brother Gao Baorong, he was also very dissatisfied. He knelt on the ground and roared loudly.
But this time, Gao Congjie didn't even look at Gao Baoxu, whom he loved most on the ground. Instead, he looked at Gao Baorong and sighed.
"My son is prudent and self-aware. He can protect his people. I am relieved."
. . . .
"Saint! A saint must make the decision for me! I don't have to be the leader of the Chu vassal, but my wife and children are really innocent. Why did Ma Xihe kill all the ministers in my family!"
Just after Zhang Yan announced the reform, the news about Ma Chu arrived. To be honest, Zhang Yan didn't expect that this guy Ma Xi'e would be so ruthless.
Ma Xiguang actually did not fight with him, but he raised an army and entered Tanzhou, and actually killed Ma Xiguang's wife and two children.
Speaking of this, Zhang Hao actually felt a little guilty. These things seemed to have nothing to do with him. After all, no one knew that the former King of Chu, Ma Xifan, would die of illness so quickly, let alone that Ma Xihe would be so vicious.
From the eyes of others, it seems that Zhang Yan favored Ma Xiguang, so he left him to enjoy wealth in Tokyo.
After the Ma Chu Incident, Zhang Zhi, despite his busy schedule, was constantly deploying troops to prepare to escort Ma Xiguang back to Tanzhou to succeed him. It can be said that he did something quite affectionate and righteous.
But Zhang Yan actually knew that, so he kept Ma Xiguang until now. He is responsible.
Thinking of this, Zhang Hao couldn't help but have a guilty look on his face.
However, Zhang Yan was immediately stunned again, because if he put it this way, if he did not keep Ma Xiguang for a period of time, according to the trend of history, it would not be that Ma Xiguang's son from one wife was killed, and even he himself could not escape death.
In this way, Zhang Yan saved Ma Xiguang's life again.
Ahem! Zhang Shengren's face immediately returned to normal, and then his face became full of anger.
"Ma Xi'e is a thief who has no loyalty as a subordinate. He wanted to see King Wu Mu (Ma Yin) save his life and spare his life.
But looking at it today, it is so ferocious and vicious. Depi still asks for my condolences. I will definitely avenge you and capture and kill this beast! "
Ma Xiguang left in tears, and Zhang Gao immediately called Zhang Huaiqing in.
After being sued by Pei Yuan, the old man was unwilling to leave Liangzhou. After all, he was used to living there. He walked to Chang'an and stopped for a few months before finally joining a group of elders from various families in Liangzhou. Arrive at Kaifeng Prefecture in Tokyo.
And they just arrived. They walked from Liangzhou Prefecture, Chengtian, Xijing, to Kaifeng Prefecture, Tokyo, for more than a year and a half.
Although Zhang Huaiqing was not afraid of anything, he was still a little bit conceited about his grandnephew, because he always felt that Zhang Xi was unfamiliar and a little scary to him.
Looking at Zhang Yan, he didn't think he was his great-nephew, but he looked very much like Zhang Yichao, the second uncle of Emperor Huan Zuding who he had not seen a few times but had a deep impression on him.
"How many sons-in-law or grandson-in-laws does my uncle have?"
Faced with Zhang Gao's confused question, Zhang Huaiqing was stunned for a moment, and then Monk Zhanger answered in a low voice, confused.
"Back to the saint, there are eleven sons-in-law and twenty-four grandson-in-laws. Er, no, twenty-six."
Zhang Zhao was also speechless. He was truly a fertility machine for the Zhang family. He couldn't even remember how many grandsons he had, and Zhang Zhao probably couldn't recognize them all.
"How many of them are no longer alive?" Zhang Hao continued to ask.
Zhang Huaiqing got a taste of it at this time. He looked at Zhang Xi and asked hesitantly: "The person who went out just now was Ma Xiguang from Ma Chu, right? I heard that he was a useless honest man, and his whole family was killed just now. A saint wouldn't I want."
Zhang Gao nodded. Zhang Huaiqing was good at this and was very self-aware. He knew his role for Zhang Gao, which was to provide children and grandchildren, especially daughters and granddaughters, for Zhang Gao to get married.
So Zhang Shengren chuckled and said, "Uncle, can't you understand? Our Zhang family is now so wealthy, so when choosing a son-in-law, don't we have to choose someone who is stupid, uh, honest and has a lot of money?"
Zhang Huaiqing tasted it carefully and found that it was true, so he thought for a while and said: "Twenty-three mothers are twenty-eight years old, gentle and graceful, maybe it can be done."
no! Zhang Hao waved his hand and refused, "Twenty-Sanniang is still young and is still a girl waiting to be married. Ma Xiguang is almost 40 years old. If it doesn't match her, it's better to change her."
Zhang Huaiqing was very willing and prepared to give up a beautiful sixteen-year-old unmarried granddaughter.
But Zhang Hao disagreed. It was originally a good thing, and there was no need to ruin the future of a young girl.
In this case, Zhang Huaiqing thought for a while, "Then there is only Shiniang's sister Ba Niang. Her husband died in the battle outside Yanshi City the year before last, leaving behind three children. It is a suitable match for Ma Xiguang."
Shiniang was the daughter of Zhang Huaiqing, and she was married to Gao Yunquan, the former military governor of Yanzhou Zhangwu Army in the Later Jin Dynasty.
This Yanzhou Zhangwu Army was the first Central Plains vassal town that Zhang Gao conquered. Even the designation of the Zhangwu Army is still there, and it is now called the Forbidden Army Zhangwu Town.
Banniang's husband was originally one of the ten generals of Zhang Zhi's personal guard in Shandu. Unfortunately, he died in the battle when Zhang Zhi was surrounded by Yelu Pode at the Yangqu in Luoyang.
Ba Niang is only thirty-three years old now, and she cannot stay a widow forever. Ma Xiguang is a coward and has no bad habits. It is just right for him to help Zhang Shengren's hero raise his son. It is very suitable!
"Okay! Uncle asked the eighth aunt to come to the palace, and I will tell her personally.
This Ma Xiguang, I am not going to let him return to Tanzhou. When the time comes, he will be granted the title of Prince of Changsha and lead the military envoy of Wu'an Army from afar.
The wealth of Ma Chu State also allowed him to keep one or two hundred thousand yuan and settle down in Luoyang. "
Zhang Huaiqing was very happy when he heard this. Two hundred thousand guan was not a small amount. As long as Ma Xiguang was sensible, the betrothal gift could not be less than 5,000 guan or 10,000 guan.
He, Zhang Huaiqing, has many children and many places to spend money, which can meet his urgent needs.
"That's right! The thirteenth uncle doesn't have a food town yet, right! In this way, I will also give the thirteenth uncle a food town of Jingzhou to 100 households.
My uncle has contributed a lot, but he still doesn't have a title, so why not take the title of Changsong County in Liangzhou and call him Marquis of Changsong. "
Zhang Zhou's title must first be hereditary, otherwise, the third generation will begin to decline, and he will become a commoner within a few generations.
Secondly, one must have a household. Those who do not have a household actually do not have much annuity, which means they have a high political status.
But a high political status requires civil and military talents to match. For Zhang Huaiqing's group, their abilities are average, and the political significance of the title is really not very great, only making money.
The thirteenth uncle in Zhang's mouth was the son adopted by Zhang Huaiqing to the second Jiedu envoy of the Guiyi Army, Zhang Huaishen, the emperor of Zhang Zhouyingzuhuai.
The Duke of Nanyang of the Zhang family also gave the thirteenth uncle, but Zhang Zhi did not give him any additional food.
But at this time, Zhang Yan had married off five or six of Zhang Huaiqing's daughters and granddaughters to recruit talents, so he shouldn't be too stingy.
Moreover, Zhang Huaiqing, as the highest seniority in the Zhang family and the only one with the title "Huai", should be given a title.
After Zhang Huaiqing also went out, Zhang Zhi angrily called in the wild boar Luo Shande.
Luo Shande had just put an end to the rebellion in Haosi and Sizhou. Instigated by Liu Renzhan, the governor of Qinghuai Army in Shouzhou in the Southern Tang Dynasty, the local wealthy families caused some troubles, all of which were caused by the confiscation of their fields.
Zhang Zhi then sent Luo Shande to lead three thousand Zuo Shenwei Guards to help Gao Yunquan, the observation envoy of Haosi and Sizhou, quell the rebellion. He had just returned to Tokyo.
"Damn it! This bitch Ma Xi'e entered Tanzhou, and he actually dared to send troops to sack Tanzhou City!
Ma Chu's palace in Tanzhou was burned to ashes. All the gold, jewels and jade accumulated by the two Chu kings, Ma Yin and Ma Xifan, were looted by the barbarians, with a loss of at least 600,000 to 800,000 gold.
This is my money! Ma Xi'e is looting my money! "
Zhang Hao was so angry that his hair stood on end. He took two steps back and forth and said to Luo Shande.
"Immediately lead the Zuo Shenwei Guards to escort Ma Xiguang south, and notify Ma Zhaoyuan (Ma Yaozi) by the way. In ten days, if there is no news from Lu Yan, then go straight to Jiangling City.
But we must be careful not to let the Gao family's gold, silver, brocade and silk be looted. I am still waiting to use the money to reward the soldiers! "
In front of a confidant like Shanzhu'er, Zhang Gao couldn't hide it anymore. He was heartbroken to death when he thought that all the treasures of the Ma Chu Palace had been looted.
From the perspective of Zhang Shengren, who was now almost impoverished, the treasures in the Machu Palace were already his.
"I obey! Saint, please calm down. I will lead the left Shenwei guards to persuade the Langzhou Xidong barbarians to hand over the treasures they plundered."
Shanzhuer Luo Shande is very wise. He understands what Zhang Yan means. How much loss can be recovered.
(End of chapter)
