Back in the big city near the river bank, Xu Mu had just gotten off the carriage and had not yet entered the county governor's house.
"Lord, the envoy is here again." Ma Yi walked in hurriedly.
"Envoy? Where's the envoy? Yuan Song's?"
"Exactly."
Xu Mu was speechless. He knew without guessing that the person coming must be Yan Tang again. Over and over again, I just stared at my own Xishu for dinner.
"My Lord, I guess he will come up with a certain condition like last time. My Lord, you might as well take a look, there is no problem."
The last time, it was a letter from the young Marquis.
Under such a general situation, Yuan Song knew he couldn't do anything, but he still dared to continue sending envoys. As Dongfang Jing said, he must have something to rely on.
"Bolie, let's go meet him."
"I would like to follow my lord."
Just as he left the governor's house and went to the river bank, he saw more than twenty people in the distance. The leader was clearly Yan Tang.
At this time, the winter cold had not gone away, and even though the old boy was wearing a big cloak, he was still shivering with cold. The last time in Kezhou, when the envoys met for an alliance, Xu Mu did not see them. This round, Quan should do good deeds.
"Woo." Seeing Xu Mu approaching, Yan Tang's eyes turned red instantly. He didn't have the arrogance of Yuan Song's adopted son, and he almost kowtowed to Xu Mu.
"Brother Yan, I've suffered... I have been busy with official duties these past two days, which kept Brother Yan waiting for a long time. Ma Yi, Ma Yi, what's the matter with you! My brother Xu Mu is here, and he didn't inform him earlier. One sound!"
"Lord, I was wrong. I will go to the official office to receive the punishment." Ma Yi shouted hurriedly and ran back.
"It won't happen next time." Xu Mu nodded and looked at Yan Tang.
"Brother Yan, follow me into the city now. I will prepare a banquet. If anything happens, you and I will talk to you."
"Thank you so much, King Shu."
Yan Tang, who was shivering a little in the cold wind, burst into tears of gratitude. Several times, finally, this time I got my wish and met the King of Shu.
"King Shu, can my followers like me also settle down?"
"Of course. Brother Yan, please take the seat."
Although I don’t know what Yan Tang will bring this time. But no matter what, according to Yuan Song's temper, this round, I'm afraid the conditions given will be more generous than the last time.
Xu Mu suddenly looked forward to it.
To be honest, even if this kind of thing was spread to Zuo Shiren, it would not be difficult to get rid of it based on the current relationship between Xishu and Dongling.
Under the general trend, Yuan Song also knew that it was time to protect himself.
"King Shu..." As soon as he took his seat, Yan Tang coughed twice and spoke hesitantly.
"Brother Yan, it's okay to ask." Xu Mu smiled.
Yan Tang nodded and called from behind. Not long after, he saw a follower walking in immediately holding a box.
Xu Mu had reason to suspect that there was another old letter in the box.
But no. When the box was opened, Xu Mu discovered that there was a small bag of rice inside.
"King Shu, please open the rice bag."
Xu Mu frowned, stretched out his hand, and slowly opened the rice bag. In the rice bag, there was some rough rice, even mixed with some fine grains of sand.
"Brother Yan, what does this mean?"
"My adoptive father said this is the rice of the Grain King."
"Rice from the Grain King?"
"Exactly. This grain king, taking advantage of the troubled times in the world, is selling this kind of rice, and the price is very high. Whether it is the common people or the kings of various states who buy rice, they all hate it."
"Why don't these people... buy with the King of Yuzhou?"
Yan Tang smiled and said, "Unlike the King of Yuzhou, the mysterious King of Grain. But the King of Boundless, he has no territory, and does not need to recruit soldiers to fight. He just sells grain and accumulates wealth...and then, Wait for the price and sell it, find a master to send some grain and grass, and the descendants will be rich and noble."
"I can't tell you, this is a pretense to deceive others." Xu Mu also smiled. Living in this troubled world, he has seen through many things. Many things that appear on the surface cannot be fully believed. Many people who are drowned in darkness cannot be completely doubted.
Listening, Yan Tang was stunned.
"Brother Yan, could it be that your adoptive father knows the information about the Grain King?"
What can be exchanged will not be any ordinary information. God knows where this eighty-year-old man got his ability to get so much information.
Of course, it may have something to do with his former career as a pseudo-emperor in Changyang.
Yan Tang smiled calmly, as if he had regained the confidence of the handsome young man in the past.
"Exactly. So, my adoptive father said that he wanted to make a deal with the King of Shu when he entered Western Shu."
"Brother Yan, please speak." Xu Mu sat upright without any panic.
"That's right." Yan Tang organized some speeches, "The King of Shu is the leader of the Great Alliance of the World. My adoptive father has said that he hopes to join the alliance and jointly defeat the Cangzhou Demon Queen."
Sure enough... Xu Mu paused and did not speak immediately. If Yuan Song really joins, the meaning of this alliance will collapse.
You must know that forming this alliance is not only to defeat the Cangzhou Demon Queen, but also after defeating the Demon Queen, the pseudo-emperor Yuan Song will be the next target.
"Could it be that the King of Shu refuses to agree..." Yan Tang looked exhausted and said decisively, "If you don't agree, I will cry to you."
"Brother Yan, drink first." Xu Mu smiled. He knew very well that with Yan Tang's temperament, he would become more and more anxious if you hang on to him.
"King of Shu, my adoptive father also said... If the king of Shu agrees, then he will lose the status of emperor and be demoted to the king of the state. He will have good business relations with Western Shu. In addition, he will also pay annual tribute every year."
Xu Mu's expression did not change. Deep down, I already felt a little uncomfortable. He only felt that for a person like Yuan Song, even though he was over eighty years old, the city in his chest was extremely terrifying.
A man who can stretch and bend is a real man. In other words, if Yuan Song gains power one day, he will be even more certain to win the throne of the Central Plains.
Publicly and privately, such a person must not be given a chance. Therefore, regarding the World Alliance, he will not let Yuan Song join.
But on the other hand, he also wanted to get information about the Grain King.
Raising his head, Xu Mu glanced at Yan Tang in front of him intentionally or unintentionally. He understood that for this mission, Yuan Song, who was as cunning as Yuan Song, must have explained to Yan Tang, something like "If you don't see a rabbit, don't let go of the eagle."
If you lie again... it will be difficult.
"Brother Yan, let me ask you a question."
"King Shu, please speak."
"That's it. Are you sure that the information about the Grain King is true? To be honest, Brother Yan, there have been many people trying to get involved in the affairs of the World Alliance in the name of various intelligences recently. But in the end, they were all beaten by me. When the king found out, he immediately beheaded him in public."
"Moreover, you rely on this rice bag... Let me put it bluntly, this matter is easy to fake. I just call a child, give him a handful of brown rice and a handful of sand, and then put it in the wooden box..." Xu Mu wanted to say something. Stop again.
"There is absolutely no lie in this. King Shu, let me tell you, this King of Grain——"
Yan Tanggang said, as if he heard something, his voice suddenly stopped. He raised his head and looked at Xu Mu with a wry smile.
"Almost... I fell into the trap of the King of Shu again. My adoptive father said that this is a secret intelligence. If the King of Shu does not agree to my adoptive father's joining the alliance, then I will kill him and refuse to tell you."
For a moment, Yan Tang's voice sounded like he was looking back at death.
