Qu Yi looked at Ziyou who was sitting down and took a deep breath and said
"Master Wang, it's not that Xianguan doesn't want to clean up the bandits, but this is a stubborn problem in Shu County. Xianguan has also thought about going out of the city to suppress the bandits, but he has been deterred every time."
"Sit down and talk slowly. Let me hear what this stubborn disease is like?" Ziyou asked curiously. Qu Yi's words were full of helplessness and unwillingness. It seems that this Shushan bandit is not as simple as he seems on the surface. of.
"This group of bandits are bandits from Shu Mountain. They have been entrenched in Shu Mountain since the establishment of Shu County. County guards of all dynasties have mobilized troops to suppress the bandits. However, the terrain of Shu Mountain is dangerous and complicated. Even the most powerful Experienced mountain people cannot say that they can safely enter and exit the Shu Mountains, so every attempt to suppress the bandits can only return in vain. The bandits rely on their nimble skills to use vines in the dense forest to walk on the ground.
In the end, we had no choice but to give up going into the mountains to suppress the bandits and instead set up an ambush on the business road. It was quite effective at first, but I don’t know when the bandits became aware of our movements. All the successive county governors discovered this problem and suspected that it was There was a rumor of someone walking inside, but after some investigation, nothing was found.
From then on, there was no other way except to send troops to symbolically maintain the order of the trade routes from time to time. But from ten years ago, these bandits suddenly rarely appeared. Even if they did, they only had a few people, and they were all protected by caravans. After being killed, the banditry in Shushan was gradually forgotten. I don’t know why it reappeared recently and disturbed the adults. Qu Yi said,
"Ten years ago?" Ziyou murmured to himself. Behind these bandits are the shadows of Yuyuan's guards, or they are pretending to be people from Yuyuan's guards. Ten years ago, it was Donghuang Taiyi who entered Shushan Yuyuan. Time, at that time, the Yu Yuan Guards and the Yin Yang Family went to war. The Yin Yang Family was almost destroyed, and the Yu Yuan Guards also suffered serious losses, so the banditry gradually disappeared.
"Yes, Xiaguan took over as the prefect of Shu County five years ago. The past few years were not bad, but the banditry has gradually recovered in the past two years. Xiaguan also sent people to suppress the bandits, and the same thing happened. Xiaguan of Shangdao We also sent people to inspect the business from time to time to ensure the circulation of the trade routes. In addition, the caravans were all escorted and the small caravans followed the big caravans, so there were no major problems." Qu Yi said.
It's not that he doesn't want to suppress bandits. The bandits in Shu County are a great achievement. If he eliminates them, it won't be a problem to go straight to the court. It's just that the army's food and grass expenses are heavy. If the army is stationed on the trade road, the cost will be too high. , can only maintain the way it was before.
"I will stay in Shu County for a while. Do you want to deal with the banditry here?" Ziyou looked at Qu Yi and said.
"If we can get rid of this banditry, Master Wang can ask me to do whatever I want!" Qu Yi immediately stood up and said. He had heard before that Ziyou was resourceful and resourceful. If he could come up with an idea, the banditry said Not sure it can really be solved.
Ziyou watched as the corners of Qu Yi's mouth turned up slightly, showing his signature smile.
Chengdu, Sima Mansion.
Sima Chang and Zi You asked for leave to go home to visit their parents. After Sima Chang had been away from home for five years, Zi You agreed. Sima Su had already met his mother and was currently talking to his father in the study about what happened on the road. .
"These are the things we experienced on the road." Sima Chang said looking at his thoughtful father.
"I have heard a lot about Master Wang. Do you think Master Wang may have other purposes for entering Shu?" Sima Su asked, looking at Sima Chang.
"Yes, Master Wang asked me about the great clans of Shu when we first set out. Father, you may not know that in the battle to attack Korea, Master Wang was the commander-in-chief. He killed all the dignitaries in Korea and looted them and sent them to Xianyang. The treasure is worth three years of Qin's taxes. Recently, the Academy of Sciences was established. The establishment only took half a month to consume materials and money, but more than three months have gone by.
Now construction is going on all over the country. The army is stationed in three places, spending countless money and food. Especially the army in Yingchuan County is staring at the Wei State with eager eyes and may start a war at any time. Therefore, the court is now very short of money, and Shu County is rich. , there are countless wealthy merchant families, and their families have countless money.
What's more important is that Master Wang also mentioned the rebellion before Shu and his grandfather Sima Jin on the way. This is tantamount to knocking us! "Sima Chang looked at his father and gritted his teeth and said
"Father, tell me the truth. Does the Sima family have anything to do with the rebellion and banditry in Shu County?"
Sima Su, who was deep in thought, was frightened by Sima Chang's suddenly raised voice. He sat up from his seat and looked at Sima Chang's eyes, which were full of hatred for iron.
"Chang'er, you are confused! Mr. Wang is not trying to beat us, but is providing us with opportunities to make meritorious deeds!"
"Ah!?" Sima Chang was confused by Sima Su's sudden voice.
"I finally know why you are only serving as an iron official in Xianyang. You can't seize such an opportunity. How come I have such a great reputation all my life and gave birth to a fool like you!" Sima Su said with hatred.
"Father, why can't I understand what you say?" Sima Chang asked confusedly.
"Our Sima family helps King Qin guard Shu County. Our ancestors led the troops to conquer Shu. Although the Sima family has declined now, it is still the leading family in Shu County. It has not fallen into the same category as the bandits. Lord Master Wang obviously knows, so he asked you about these big clans and rebellions, why is it to give us a chance to make meritorious deeds!" Sima Su looked at Sima Chang with a look of regret.
"What opportunity!?" Sima Chang asked.
"You are really stupid. You know that Lord Master Wang is going to take action against the big families in Shu County, so why don't you immediately pledge your allegiance? The purpose of the King's reward to Widow Qing this time is to tell the big families and businessmen in Shu County that as long as they serve the Qin State, your The reward will not be small, this is wooing, Master Wang is here for this." Sima Su said.
After listening to his son's words, Sima Su had a look of regret on his face. If Sima Chang had immediately pledged his allegiance to Ziyou and was willing to be the first one to do so, motivating the wealthy families and businessmen of Shu County to donate money and materials, it would have been a great achievement. Although the second and the first are just in order, their status is different. The Sima family has been in decline for too long. At the beginning, the Sima family was also one of the top families in Qin. Now its influence is only in Shu County. This is the Sima family's eternal destiny. It hurts. The successive heads of the Sima family have taken revitalizing the family as their own responsibility. Sima Su feels that this important task can be realized in his generation.
"Why do I feel that Mr. Wang is not trying to win over you, but actually wants to take action?" Sima Chang still insisted on his point of view,
"It's certain to take action. There are endless bandits in Shu. I won't believe it if there is no one behind it. However, the Sima family has been rooted in Shu County for many years and has connections with various families and tribes. Mr. Wang went to Shu alone. We definitely need the help of the local wealthy families, and I am telling you this just to test the attitude of the Sima family." Sima Su said, walking back and forth with his hands behind his back.
"Is this really the case?" Sima Chang looked at his father and asked hesitantly. Why did he feel that his father was overthinking?
"Of course, when Mr. Wang traveled to various countries, every move he made was closely linked, and nothing he did was ever redundant. They were all for the great cause of Qin's unification of the world. Do you really think that you, a little iron man? Is the official worth discussing with Master Wang personally?
Now the county governor's office is preparing a reception banquet for Mr. Ziyou. The Shu County nobles and officials will all be present. My father must make good preparations. The Sima family has been waiting for two generations. Since my father and your grandfather Sima Jin , the Sima family once again ushered in the opportunity of ZTE, and this time it must be grasped. "Sima Su said.
Qu Yi told the Shu County nobles and officials in advance that the special envoy this time was Zi You, in order to remind them that the identity of the visitor was unusual. You all should be careful. In order to deal with Zi You, everyone in Shu was collecting information about Zi You. There are many merchants in the county, and news flows naturally, and news about Ziyou is endless. In Sima Su's opinion, every move Ziyou makes has a profound meaning. What he did while traveling around various countries was to lay the groundwork for Qin to dominate the world. Bai Yifei's Return is the best explanation!
Therefore, Sima Su was absolutely confident that what he thought was right.
"Chang'er, please tell me what Master Wang likes. The meeting ceremony must be prepared." Sima Su said.
"I don't know about this. In Xianyang, except for a few people such as Tingwei Li Sili who went to visit Master Wang, I have never heard of anyone visiting Master Wang, and I have never heard of what Master Wang likes. But Master Wang Your Excellency studied under Confucianism and may like elegant things such as classics," Sima Chang said.
"Who are the three women traveling with Mr. Wang?" Sima Su asked.
"One is Dong Jun of the Yin Yang family, Concubine Yan, and the other is a Baiyue woman called Yan Lingji. The last woman with the veil is said to be from the Yin Yang family," Sima Chang said.
"Okay! Classics, Yin Yang family, right? Chang'er went and asked the general to take out some fine jade and jewelry from the treasury." Sima Su turned around and looked at the bookshelf. The classics on this bookshelf except the original ones of their Sima family In addition to the existing books, most of them were seized from the Shu royal family when their ancestor Sima Cuo captured the Shu kingdom. They are all ancient books collected by the Shu royal family. There are also some books that were collected from the families and families involved in the rebellion when they suppressed the rebellion in Shu. Obtained from the hands of guard Yu Yuan.
Sima Su picked out a few volumes of books, dried the dust on them and began to wipe them carefully. The contents of these books had been written on the paper. Sending the originals not only expressed the sincerity of their Sima family, but also the Sima family did not suffer any loss. .
The emergence of paper replaced bamboo slips, but the bamboo slips used to record classics have become extremely precious because each one is a unique copy.
Sima Chang also came over with some jewelry, each of which was priceless. Sima Su was very satisfied when he looked at the books and jewelry. When giving gifts, you must not only suit the person you like, but also choose the right person. Since Ziyou brought three A woman entering Shu shows that the three of them are very important in Ziyou's heart. Giving them gifts only requires a little breeze on the pillow. Are the Sima family worried about not being able to hold them in their arms? Pillow style is more useful than sending 10,000 books. Although the three women are not ordinary people, as long as they are women, they cannot resist the temptation of jewelry.
In the evening, the county governor's mansion was brightly lit, and the steward at the door smiled and greeted the people who came to the banquet. The people who came to the banquet were all rich or noble people, and the gifts they sent were more precious than the last.
Everyone who came to the banquet wanted to establish a relationship with Ziyou. After everyone took their seats, they started talking to the people around them. This was a banquet to welcome Ziyou, and it was also a banquet for them to connect with each other.
The seats at the banquet were arranged strictly according to status and status. The officials were on the left. Opposite them were people from the four major families. Those who went to the banquet were all famous families or scholars in Chengdu.
Everyone was communicating in low voices while looking at the empty main seat from time to time.
As the time came closer to the start of the banquet, everyone's voices became softer and their expressions became more and more subtle, and soon the whole hall fell silent.
Looking at the empty main seat, everyone realized that there might be a problem.
Just when everyone was thinking wildly, Qu Yi, the county guard, walked into the hall. However, Qu Yi's expression was not very good. Everyone's expressions suddenly darkened, and they all looked at Qu Yi nervously. Yi walked into the hall alone and guessed something in his mind.
"Everyone, Master Wang has rested early after a long journey and was disturbed by bandits. As for this banquet, I will host this banquet and take all your gifts back. Master Wang is not interested in these mundane things. " Qu Yi said with his hands in hand.
Everyone present was stunned. They thought that Ziyou would be angry because of the bandits and even punish Quyi, but they didn't expect that Ziyou didn't even come to Fengyan. Unless it was to receive Fengyan, It was also to let Ziyou contact Shu County to facilitate the development of things later, but they did not expect that Ziyou would not come at all. If someone else did this, they might look good to the other party, but it was Ziyou who came, so they did not dare , if Ziyou is angered, and the army directly enters Shu, none of them can escape.
As for the gifts, they didn't dare to take them away. Who knew if Zi You was testing them? They all looked at each other and no one dared to say anything, but the banquet ended in this weird atmosphere. , the depression and silence in the atmosphere made some people unable to bear it, and they were the first to stand up and salute Qu Yi to say goodbye.
"I'm really sorry, Lord Sheriff. There is something urgent at home. I heard that you like fine wine. The caravan brought old fine wine from Beidi County before. If you like it, you can come to my house another day and I will entertain you personally." The head of the Chen family Chen Shu saluted Qu Yi and said.
Qu Yi nodded with a faint smile and said, "Master Chen, it's important to deal with family affairs."
Chen Shu saluted Qu Yi and left the hall. Sima Su glanced at Chen Shu's leaving figure. Qu Yi was from the North and had not been back to his hometown for more than five years. Chen Shu invited Qu Yi to drink wine from his hometown. The profound meaning of fine wine is self-evident.
(End of chapter)
