Due to the large amount of tax collected this time, the merchants in Chengdu Prefecture were dissatisfied and complained, resulting in the slow progress of the tax collection. For this reason, the prefect Wu Yuanzai, the inspection envoy Lu Bin, and the transshipment envoy Fan Zhigu were not allowed to Instead of gathering some of the more prestigious businessmen or wealthy families in the city, they held a banquet in Guanfang Tower and explained the taxation to everyone to appease them.
In the Guanfang Building, the relatively spacious hall on the first floor is filled with more than a dozen square tables filled with delicious food and delicacies. The people sitting around the square tables are wealthy businessmen or local aristocrats in Chengdu. Although they were faced with delicious wine, everyone looked sad and could not arouse much interest.
Wang Su, the master of the Fanyin Pavilion who was invited to come, looked at the delicacies in front of him and frowned. He sighed that the government imposed heavy taxes, but spent the money on these places.
At another square table, Tang Yu was invited, but he was not as sentimental as Wang Su. The Tang family doesn't have many properties in Chengdu, but being invited is because of the Tang family's face.
He was lucky enough to attend such a banquet where wealthy businessmen gathered. He frequently raised his glass and lingered at various tables, chatting with everyone.
Seeing that everyone was in a low mood, the prefect Wu Yuanzai raised his glass first, stood up, and said, "You are all wealthy families or businessmen in Shu. The decades of peace in Shu have brought great benefits to you."
"Now there is a riot in Xichuan, and the rebels have occupied Qingcheng County and Pengshan County. It is said that all the wealthy families and businessmen in those two counties have been looted, and some have had their entire families wiped out. The rebels are so rampant, as a Wu cannot turn a blind eye to the local officials, he must send troops to suppress them, restore peace to the country and the people, and also ensure peace for your merchant family." Wu Yuanzai took a sip of tea, and then spoke again.
"There are few soldiers in Shu and they are scattered in various places. If we wait for the imperial court to send the imperial army to suppress the rebellion, it will be a long journey and the army will not be able to arrive in a month or two. By then, I estimate that you and I will end up like Qingcheng County and Peng County." The big officials and families in Shan County and Shan County met the same fate."
"Soldiers are valuable and quick. The only plan now is to mobilize soldiers from all over the central Sichuan to concentrate on suppressing the rebellion. However, if the army moves, it will cost a lot. After discussing with Lord Lu and Lord Fan, the prefect decided to ask you to donate generously. Share the country’s worries.”
"It's not just you. In this year's autumn tax, people in various places will also have to increase some taxes to make up for the lack of military expenditure. I also ask you to explain the government's painstaking efforts to the wealthy families, businessmen and local people in various places after you go back. This is also for For the sake of everyone in Shu, if there is no skin left, how will the hair be attached?" Wu Yuanzai said.
When Wu Yuanzai, the prefect of Chengdu, hosted a banquet for wealthy merchants, Wang Xiaobo and others, known as the rebels, had integrated the rebel army and began to send troops everywhere, capturing Qiongzhou and Shuzhou successively. Wherever they went, officers and soldiers fled. People and disaster victims from all over the country came to seek refuge, and the number of rebels numbered nearly 100,000.
Next, the next target of the rebels is Gangwon County. Jiangyuan County has a large number of soldiers, and Zhang Qi, the inspection envoy of Xichuan City, is in charge, making it quite difficult to fight.
After the rebels captured Qiongzhou and Shuzhou, they began to reorganize the army. They selected the best among the armies and formed a powerful army. Zhang Yu was appointed as the commander-in-chief, Wang Cormorant was the deputy commander-in-chief, and Xianggui was appointed as the commander-in-chief. Pioneer officer.
As for the civil servants, the successive victories of the rebels made some unappreciated scholars see a way out. The failed scholars Wu Yun, Ji Ci, Wu Wenshang and others from Qiongzhou came to seek refuge.
Although Wu Yun was not good at strategy, he was good at internal affairs. Under his management, the rebel army became more orderly. Ji Ci, Wu Wenshang and others were good at law and etiquette, and held corresponding positions respectively. The rebels began to become more and more formal.
News of the rebel army's capture of Qiongzhou and Shuzhou reached Chengdu Prefecture, causing a panic. The wealthy merchants no longer argued with the government, and reluctantly paid the bandit suppression tax in full. The army quickly gathered and was inspected by the twelve states. Led by Lu Bin, he went to the front line to support Jiangyuan County.
The news that Chengdu Mansion, Fanyin Pavilion, Qiongzhou, and Shuzhou had fallen one after another shocked everyone. What shocked everyone in Fanyin Pavilion even more was that several leaders of the former Kowloon Society also joined the rebel army and held important positions. I heard that Pengshan County was designed by Huo Ji, the former third leader of the Kowloon Society, without any effort. He deceived the city gate and fell.
Hearing the name Huo Ji again, Yang Yunfan frowned. Unexpectedly, Huo Ji actually defected to the bandits. But think about it, Huo Ji dared to surrender to the Khitan during Yongxi's Northern Expedition. Now that he has been hiding for many years, it is expected that he will take advantage of the opportunity to rise up when he sees chaos in Shu.
Everyone in the Fanyin Pavilion was also in despair. They had been hunting down the remnants of the Kowloon Society for so many years, but they didn't expect that they would take advantage of the opportunity.
Wang Su pondered for a while, glanced at everyone, and then said: "I was once a lieutenant colonel in the army. Although I have left the army for many years, when the country is in trouble, I should stand up. This is what the old Linggong taught me back then. .Now that the rebels are rioting in Xichuan, and the remnants of the Kowloon Society are causing trouble, and the hatred of the country and the family, our Fanyin Pavilion cannot sit idly by and do nothing. I plan to go to Jiangyuan County to meet with these rebels. It is time for us to understand our grievances with the Kowloon Society. "
When Ye Li heard the words, he frowned and said: "Master, you are suffering from old diseases and are old, so it is not suitable to go to the front line in person anymore. The disciple has grown up, and it is time for the disciple to fight for the master. Now there are many things in the gang. We still need you to take charge of the overall situation."
Wang Su pondered for a while after hearing the words and nodded. He understood that it was the time when the old and the new were changing in Fanyin Pavilion. He had a high prestige and could convince people by sitting behind the scenes. Moreover, his apprentice Ye Li was about to become the new pavilion master and needed some experience and military exploits to convince the public, so he agreed with Ye Li's statement.
Yang Yunfan and Chen Zishan looked at each other, and Yang Yunfan said: "Uncle, senior brother and I also want to follow senior brother Ye to Jiangyuan County to quell the rebellion. I hope uncle agrees."
Wang Su nodded with a smile and said: "Okay, okay! Now it's your young people's world, go ahead and do it. Don't be like us old guys who are doing nothing. The world and the earth work together when the time comes, and the heroes go away." Not free..."
In this way, under the leadership of Ye Li, everyone in the Fanyin Pavilion went to Jiangyuan County with Ye Li, except for Feng Jun and Yun Qi, two of the four hall masters, who stayed behind and co-chaired the overall situation with Wang Su.
Along the way, not only Fanyin Pavilion, but also people from other local forces and some knights who wanted fame and fame were heading towards Jiangyuan County. Everyone either wanted to gain fame or was young and frivolous and had righteous thoughts. Anyway, everyone has their own thoughts.
