"Your Excellency, General, urgent report from Handan." At this time, a guard came in and said with cupped fists.
"Show me." Kong Bin took the letter and opened it. A smile suddenly appeared on his face. He pointed at the letter and said, "Hahaha, the king actually asked Zhao Tang to dig coal. It was unexpected. I am sure that Zhao Tang I will never forget this experience in my life.”
Kong Bin had met Zhao Tang, and had learned some of his past in the past few days. He never left the door without taking a second step. For a pampered young man, it was a question whether he could hold a shovel, let alone dig coal.
"Won't Mr. Pingyang have any objections?" Li Mu said.
When he first learned that Zhao Tang was actually Zhao Bao's son, he was a little worried. After all, the family connections were there, and all countries gave preferential treatment to the clan. But Kong Bin told him not to worry, even if something happened, he would be the one to take care of it.
"Opinions? He should think about how he can avoid being taken advantage of by others." Kong Bin raised the corners of his mouth slightly and sneered.
Li Mu can lead troops to fight, but his political sensitivity is still too poor.
The moment Liu Ping arrived, Kong Bin realized that this matter was not simple, and there might be someone behind it.
As for why he chose Zhao Bao, it is actually very simple.
The main ministers of Zhao State can be divided into three types. The first type is from the clan, the second type is from non-clan members of Zhao State, and the third type is from non-Zhao people like Kong Bin.
The people behind the scenes wanted to use high-ranking ministers to disrupt the State of Zhao, so they first eliminated the third type.
Kong Bin and the others have no roots in Zhao State. Even if they have objections to Zhao Kuo, at worst they can just pat their butts and leave, which will not be able to disrupt Zhao State at all.
Let’s look at the second type again. Anyone who is not from the clan and can achieve a high position in the Zhao Kingdom must have gone through untold hardships and climbed up step by step. They are one-of-a-kind talents. How can such a person be controlled by others? It's better to expose yourself.
So there were only two people left in the final choice: Zhao Sheng and Zhao Bao.
Compared with Zhao Sheng, Zhao Bao, a guy with no talent, is obviously more suitable to be exploited.
In fact, if Li Mu hadn't happened upon him and stopped everything from happening in time, Zhao Bao would probably have waited until he was taken advantage of and still counting money to the other party.
"It's a pity. If it breaks out after a while, we can unite with others to suppress the power of the clan." Kong Bin felt a little regretful in his heart.
There is a natural hostile relationship between ministers and clans in various countries, because the official positions and ministers that can be supported in each country are limited. Most of the clans are average in level, but they hold high positions and control important affairs, which seriously affects the status and rights of their ministers. .
"Let's send Zhao Tang and Wang Ti away," Li Mu said.
"Okay." Kong Bin nodded, got up and walked outside. When he passed Li Mu, he patted him on the shoulder. "When you get to Handan, remember to ask Pingyang Lord to buy you a drink. He will definitely agree."
Li Mu scratched his head, a little confused.
…
"The king's order has come down, you two come out." Li Mu opened the cell door and said to Zhao Tang and Wang Ti inside.
"The king has decided... what to do with us?" Wang Ti asked cautiously.
Unlike Zhao Tang who still doesn't understand what happened and feels that he has been wronged, Wang Ti is fully aware of how big of a mistake he has made. If it had been a little later, it might have been a serious crime for the whole family to be executed.
"You can be exempted from death penalty, but you cannot escape from living crime. The king has ordered you to dig coal in the coal mine, and you will come out when you have dug it for five years." Li Mu said indifferently.
Wang Ti breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, it was only five years. Spend some money to take care of it. As long as he was not placed in a deep well, the possibility of problems was unlikely.
"Please ask your Majesty to bring a message to the king for the guilty minister, saying that the guilty minister has failed the king and failed to live up to the king's high expectations."
Wang Ti knelt on the ground with a "pop" sound, facing the direction of Handan, and kowtowed three times.
He is a businessman and a scholar. He has the profit-seeking characteristics of a businessman and wants to take shortcuts, but also has the emotion of a scholar dying for his close friends. Although he cannot truly die, he still feels deep guilt in his heart. He felt that he had failed Zhao Kuo.
"I will bring it to you." Kong Bin nodded, "Also, I have a message for you: if you know your mistakes and can correct them, there is no greater good."
"Thank you, sir. I will remember this." Wang Ti leaned over and bowed.
Zhao Tang's face was ashen. He was a fat man weighing 200 pounds. He usually had nothing to eat but clothes to eat at home. Now he was asked to dig coal for five years. It was even worse than death. It was better to kill him. Life.
"I'm not going. I want to see the king. I am the king's cousin. I want to see the king. I want to see my father." Zhao Tang collapsed and collapsed on the ground, crying heartbreakingly.
He didn't do anything, he just took some money, and he didn't even know who gave it to him. Wang Ti just told him to work together, and he only needed to collect the money, and he didn't need to worry about other things. Who knew it would be such a big trap.
The more Zhao Tang thought about it, the sadder he became. Tears welled up from his eyes and his stomach. Even the thick cotton clothes couldn't cover it. The two guards tried hard to pull him up, but Zhao Tang didn't move at all.
"Be more careful next time, don't believe everyone." Li Mu glanced at Zhao Tang, waved his hand, and several more guards came forward and forcibly pulled Zhao Tang up.
Originally, Zhao Tang could just eat and wait for death at home. Even if he was absent from work every day, with his father's care and his subordinates managing Wo Yang well in his name, no one would specifically target him.
It’s fine now, food and shelter are included!
"Fortunately, it's just this one county that has a problem." Li Mu sighed as he watched Zhao Tang and Wang Ti leave.
"General Li, it's time for us to set off." Kong Bin stretched out his hand and said.
After the disaster relief was completed, he was going back to Handan to resume his life. And Li Mu also needs to go to the Great Wall to continue guarding the border.
"Yes, it's time for us to set off." Li Mu nodded.
"General, why don't you go with me and wait until the fork in the road before we separate?" Kong Bin made an invitation gesture.
"That's fine." Li Mu nodded and boarded the chariot with Kong Bin.
Following the driver's command, the carriage started galloping down the road.
"Next year should be another bumper harvest." Kong Bin said, pointing to the wheat seedlings covered by heavy snow on both sides of the road with only a little green exposed.
Zhao's wheat planting area ranks the largest among the seven countries. Although this year's heavy snow has caused some losses to Zhao, it will also bring a bumper harvest.
"This heavy snowfall is not without its benefits. Maybe this is a blessing and a misfortune." Li Mu said.
"Master, look ahead." At this time, the driver pointed to the front and said.
I saw a sea of people on both sides of the road ahead. Countless people were waiting here with bamboo baskets. The bamboo baskets contained various things, including eggs that were saved and reluctant to eat, dried meat made from frozen mutton, and more just Ordinary pancakes, some even steaming.
After the disaster relief was completed, everyone guessed that Kong Bin and Li Mu might be leaving, and sent people to check at the intersection. As soon as Kong Bin and Li Mu's bikes appeared, everyone rushed forward.
Most of them were not good at words and just kept saying their thanks and throwing their freshly made pancakes onto Kong Bin and Li Mu's bike racks for them to eat on the road.
Kong Bin and Li Mu quickly got off the chariot and thanked everyone.
"Your Majesty and the General, hurry up and get in the car. There is no need to waste time for us. We are just here to see off your Majesty and the General." An old man waved his hand and said. "Okay, everyone, please stop blocking the Lord and the General."
Everyone then gradually moved back, leaving room for the vehicle frame to pass.
"General Li/Kong Qing, let's say goodbye." Kong Bin and Li Mu saluted each other, one to the south and one to the north, and left in opposite directions.
