It's the first day of June, in the morning, it's 6 o'clock.
On the west side of the city, there is a bustling market close to the city wall. Pu Xingui and Qian Dingzhong sat down in the teahouse, and then met Cao Jinlong who came in disguise.
Pu Xingui poured tea.
"Have you heard about what happened yesterday?"
"If it was an assassination, I was near the academy at the time...running in a panic..."
"Two masters, one goes to the academy and the other goes to the princess's mansion, they attack at the same time, and then they can still run away with confidence. Brother Cao, do you know how much skill it takes to be sure?"
"... The brothers I brought... are not very sure." Cao Jinlong shook his head, "If the plan is right and the attack is sudden, he can escape unscathed, but Master Tunyun had assassinated him in the Military Academy a few days ago.
Li Pin, since then both sides have added more people... Difficult. Is Brother Qian sure?"
Among the three people in the teahouse, Pu Xingui is at best a child of a wealthy family. He only learns some martial arts to strengthen his body and is not worth mentioning in the green forest. The hero Cao Jinlong is now respected by everyone, but his martial arts is not particularly outstanding;
"Wenhou Sword" Qian Dingzhong and Xu Nanjiang who had never arrived in Fuzhou were considered the strongest thugs in this gang. When Cao Jinlong asked, Qian Dingzhong slowly drank tea and then slowly shook his head.
"...I am only 50% sure. To be honest, if there is an internal response, the sureness may be improved, but it is only suitable for attacking suddenly, using thunderous tricks, killing people and running away. Unlike Chen Shuangran, relying on Master Tunyun, the two
Each time I took action, it was just for testing... I'm afraid it will be the same when Brother Xu comes..."
Cao Jinlong and Pu Xingui were silent for a moment and took a sip of tea. Pu Xingui said: "Brother Cao is over there at the academy. Do you think the one who went to the academy to assassinate him is Monk Tunyun?"
Cao Jinlong shook his head: "No."
"'Sea Tiger' Niu Yunqiu?"
"No." Speaking of this person, Cao Jinlong shook his head again and smiled, "'Sea Tiger' Niu Yunqiu has been quite popular in the past year, but I have an old relationship with him. In fact, he is just a water bandit who bullies the weak and fears the strong.
He doesn’t have the courage or the ability.”
"That is to say, there is at least one master who can rival Master Tunyun under Little Heipi." Pu Xingui frowned and poured tea for the two of them. "In addition, when the incident happened, he also sent that'
Iron Fist Ni Po beats people at Feiyun Escort Bureau... How did she recruit so many masters? Brother Cao, we have been looking for people from outside this year..."
"Brother Pu means..."
"In Fujian, the richest families are just the few at the top...the Pu family and the Chen family have won the promise of these few, so they won't leave me alone to help Chen Shuangran... Xiao Heipi has someone outside.
, he should still have a big background..."
"Where did she come from..."
"I made plans with Brother Qian last night, and later I asked someone to inquire. There were several rumors in private, saying that during the time when the Pu family and Chen family were in trouble, Xiao Heipi actually... went to Jiangnan to escape disaster.
.”
When Pu Xingui said this, he took a sip of tea, and Cao Jinlong also thought about it.
"...Brother Pu means...that the Fair Party has intervened."
"I know the possibility of this matter is unlikely. He Wen went crazy last year and disturbed all parties. All the kings of the Fairness Party were worried. Even the notorious King Yama died just after the accident. To this day
Jiangnan's plate is still broken... But other than that, I can't think of anyone else who can ask Master Tunyun to help Xiao Heipi... She is young and looks good but not the best.
, and she has never gone to a kung fu to learn kung fu, so she can’t be said to have charmed this master by feeding herself to a tiger... Master Tunyun has a great reputation, and with his current skills, what kind of woman has he not seen...
…”
"It's not impossible for the Fair Party..." Cao Jinlong thought for a while, "Last year's chaos in Jiangnan was a surprise to King Yama, King Ping Ping and others, but He Wen was determined to get things done from the beginning.
Yes, if you really want to talk about the layout... maybe it was him?"
"This is a bit scary. Then the King of Justice is good at starting a battle. He beats four with one." Qian Dingzhong said, "Just like this, you still want to attack Fujian?"
"First, it can be said to be a precaution. It is not surprising for such a big shot to do his own thing and make a casual move... Second, He Wen himself is a madman and cannot be treated with common sense... The Fair Party is in a good situation, who can
Everyone thought that he held the meeting in Jiangning to win over all parties, and no one really said they wanted to oppose him, but he flipped the table when he said it. I have heard in the past that this person had a deep hatred for the Wu Dynasty, and the situation in Jiangnan two years ago
Not good, the Fairness Party is also having a hard time. After the little emperor hid in Fuzhou, he sent people there several times to help and fix things, but he just called them back. If Chen Shuangran really found him...
...There are some things that he can't do..."
In the morning, people were coming and going in the market, and there was a lot of noise. The three of them drank tea while discussing the possibilities in a low voice. After a while, Cao Jinlong asked: "Brother Pu, what do you want..."
"I was thinking that in the past, our horizons were really narrow." Pu Xingui held the teacup and sighed, "In the past, because Fujian was so mountainous and isolated from the world, we thought that what we saw in front of us was the world.
It's a big deal, but in the final analysis, it seems that besides Fujian there is Jiangnan, and beyond Jiangnan there is the Central Plains. There is such a big world, and a few of us brave and fierce people in Fujian met this Master Tunyun from outside.
, only then did you realize that you were a frog in the well..."
"...Little Heipi was one step ahead of me and taught me a good lesson. Brother Cao, in the past, I just thought she was out of her mind and occasionally had some whimsical ideas. This time, each family originally had a fight.
My idea is to cooperate with her well. But now that I know that there is someone else behind her, I will cooperate, but I also have to make a name for myself so that this person can see me..."
Cao Jinlong nodded: "Brother Pu, do you also want to contact the person behind her?"
Pu Xingui smiled: "It doesn't matter that he supports Xiao Heipi now. To be able to bring out a figure like Master Tunyun, this person must have strength and a plan. I don't care whether this Xiao Heipi used a honey trap or did it.
What, big shots do things in order to make things happen. For big things in Fujian, the little black man takes over a young person and is easy to control. But in the final analysis, the adults have to do the things for adults. My Pu family has been in business for many years, and in Fujian, the relationship is
Wan Qian, now has the help of Alliance Leader Cao. Don’t worry, as long as I can talk to the person behind him, I will be confident that he will choose me instead..."
"But before that... we can no longer shrink our heads... we have to build up our momentum..."
In the past year or two, due to the suppression of the imperial court, many large clans collapsed. Many clan members either moved away to avoid disaster or started rebellions. During this period, Pu Xingui and Chen Shuangran could become symbols of resistance, not only
As luck would have it, just one person was designated as a prisoner by the court and wanted everywhere. How could ordinary people bear the heavy pressure?
At this time, Pu Xingui made an analysis that was clear and coherent, and there was also an aura of giving up on others. Cao Jinlong and Qian Dingzhong listened carefully, occasionally nodding. After a while, a follower came up from below and asked Pu Xingui
A piece of news was quietly conveyed.
Cao Jinlong wanted to avoid it, but Pu Xingui smiled.
"It's not a big deal, but Yu Hezhang came to him in a hurry and said he had something to discuss." He smiled and told Cao Jinlong about the fight that happened at Feiyun Escort Agency yesterday, "... Xiao Heipi, in order to be safe, killed Yu.
He Zhang and the others were caught off guard and lost a lot of face. It seems that they couldn't hold back this breath and wanted to get their face back. Leader Cao, you see, this is both a bad thing and a good thing. If he hadn't held back this breath, how could he have done it?
If you use things like this... the people below also want to do things, so why worry about big things not happening..."
Cao Jinlong also laughed: "It's Pu Gongzi who has a good command of his subordinates, and Cao admires him."
…
At the same moment, at the other end of the city, in front of the eldest princess's mansion.
Huang Shengyuan got off the carriage and saw many familiar faces in the crowd.
In the past two months, private undercurrents have been surging in Fuzhou, which is by no means peaceful, but on the official side, the most eye-catching event is the emperor's acceptance of a concubine.
According to the news spread outside, there are about three to four concubines for the emperor this time. One of them has been assigned to a high-ranking official in the officialdom, and the remaining two to three will come from gentry and merchants from various places.
Craftsmen and even civilian families select those with outstanding qualities - of course that's what they say, but in fact the saying "the one with the highest price gets it" has long been known.
Of course, the so-called high price does not only refer to money. In fact, it also includes the amount of help each family can bring to the royal family.
In the two or three years since the royal family settled in Fujian, they have actually gone through several rounds of wooing the middle- and high-level gentry in Fujian. This time the emperor selected a concubine, which was a very special bargaining chip, but as one of the top families in Fujian, participating
There are not many, and those who are really flocking to it are some middle-level gentry and wealthy businessmen from various parts of Fujian. They may have some influence and accumulation in various parts of Fujian, but they are not yet well-known families with deep roots. There is no doubt about the selection of concubines this time.
It's a bet that may reach the sky in one step.
Of course, if a concubine is really chosen to enter the palace, such a family will in fact be tied to the royal family whose future is uncertain at this time.
And in the name of this concubine selection, all the big families from all over the world entered Fuzhou with great fanfare. For example, a family traveled over mountains and rivers, and they had to have servants and bodyguards. All kinds of green forest people also took this opportunity,
Gather together. As one of the managers of the Huang family in Putian, Huang Shengyuan can see at a glance in the crowd several local leading figures who came simply for "big things". They held up the banner of running for the election and brought a group of people with them.
The reason why the master came here was actually to respond to the chaos that Chen Shuangran and other bandit leaders might start.
Of course, since they were talking about choosing a concubine, they would eventually arrive at the banquet set up by the Princess Mansion for everyone.
As for more people, they have no loyalty to the Wu Dynasty. If a woman in the family chooses a concubine, she will rise to heaven in one step. If not, the people they bring may also become participants in this chaos.
At noon, a total of forty-three representatives from each family, led by the steward of the Princess Mansion, walked inside one after another. Huang Shengyuan pretended to be warm and greeted some unfamiliar people in the crowd. As for
They were familiar with each other, but they ignored each other. Even though he had no loyalty to the Wu Dynasty royal family, Huang Shengyuan still felt some excitement after stepping into the gate of the princess mansion.
There were even some people in the crowd who were flattered and kept saying things like "Guangzong Yaoyao" and "Blessings from the group".
In any case, the majesty of the royal family was once very far away for the mountain people all over Fuzhou. If Jiangnan had not fallen, they would never have had anything to do with the royal family in their lives, let alone live for a while, and they would still be able to see today.
She is the official sister.
When Zhou Pei appeared in a graceful long dress, everyone knelt on the ground with an uproar. Among the crowd, even though he had rehearsed several times before, Huang Shengyuan still carefully adjusted his kneeling position, somewhat doubting that he was not kneeling very well.
standard.
His mentality is extremely complex.
On the one hand, he already had the idea of rebellion - at least hoping that the Wu Dynasty royal family would fall - in his heart, but on the other hand, he would indeed be intimidated by this majesty.
The eldest princess looked quite young at first glance, but she treated everyone with gentle and appropriate words. She only gave a simple greeting before letting everyone get up and enter the banquet that had been prepared in the main hall. At this time, there were also
Several high-ranking officials in the court, including Zhou Pei, made speeches and said many words of concern and win-win.
For a long time, the imperial court has been wooing all parties, no longer in one or two rounds. Some foolishly gave up their possessions in the first few rounds, and some lost all their possessions in the subsequent confrontations.
Family wealth has reached this point. Although it is an honor to accompany the eldest princess to have dinner, in fact, there is not much progress. People who come here now want power and officialdom.
Shen Shen is by no means an incitement or boring painting. In the past many interactions, everyone has already understood the attitude of the court: today's emperor is not willing to allocate power to a group of gentry at will.
.
It was just a passing scene. Huang Shengyuan just hoped that it would pass quickly.
Of course, Huang Shengyuan couldn't help but have some wild thoughts when he heard the soft words spoken by the eldest princess above that had the atmosphere of a Jiangnan water town, and saw the soft and dignified smile on that melon-shaped face.
Although she is over thirty years old, this eldest princess with status, status and means is still a widow. Sometimes she chats with some wealthy people in private, and some people joke that if she can use this eldest daughter to help her,
It would be a wonderful thing for a princess who lacks a man to rise to the top in one step. In the past, Huang Shengyuan and some people who had never seen the appearance of the eldest princess would sneer at them, saying that they are all men who want to do something big, and who has never seen this before?
Woman... But after meeting him today, he felt that if he had this opportunity... he could indeed...
Not long after, Zhou Pei finished his speech and sat down at the dining table. But a moment later, someone hurried in from outside and said something to Zhou Pei, and Zhou Pei stood up again.
Huang Shengyuan felt something was wrong.
After a while, the emperor came.
…
The hall was filled with darkness and people knelt again.
After Jun Wu arrived, he said a few words to Zhou Pei, and then asked everyone who was kneeling to level up.
Following the already discussed routine, he picked up the wine glass and made a few witty remarks.
"...Today's incident, I shouldn't have come because I shouldn't have come because it would not sound good if I told you about it. It makes me, the emperor...very anxious. Because the emperor's sister summoned you all and originally said she wanted to marry me. Everyone,
Among them, maybe there will be my in-laws in the future, or one of you will be my brother-in-law in the future. The matter has not yet been decided, and I am not very particular about my personal participation in this kind of thing..."
"...But I thought about it and finally came here. Because my personal affairs are small and the world's affairs are big. All of you who came here this time are the backbone of our Martial Dynasty. I want to see and hear you.
I'm not willing to wait until the marriage selection is over before meeting a few of you, so it would be ridiculous to ignore the basics and focus on the last."
"...On the other hand, in the past period of time, the imperial sister cared about me and presided over the matter of selecting the concubine. However, in the past few days, it has actually become a bit of a fuss. I believe you have heard it to some extent. Some people have talked about this time.
When choosing a concubine, they say that we are selling our official positions to win titles. Why do we have such an idea? I also read..."
When he said this, he paused for a moment, and the expressions of many people in the seats below suddenly changed. This time, it was the eldest princess's palace who released the news about the transaction, and people from the imperial court came forward to negotiate with them.
All parties have negotiated some conditions. But with the emperor's remarks, it was clear that something was wrong.
"The requests you all made are actually very similar."
Jun Wu glanced at everyone and slowly said this sentence. After a moment, there was still a smile on his face.
"You want to let your children become officials, and you want to be able to do something in the local area. In the eyes of outsiders, this is selling your official position, but in my eyes, this is a good thing. If you don't even have these ideas
Well, then I really don’t know what to talk to you about.”
Jun Wu's smile became clearer.
"I think about it, what are you thinking in your hearts? I came to Fujian for three years and asked many people, including many officials, gentry, businessmen, and great scholars from all over the country. Only then did I discover that you
What you think is actually the same... Fujian has many mountains, many typhoons on the seaside, and the environment is harsh. Therefore, all parties have to protect themselves, and there are many clans and village sages. What you think about is nothing more than how to make your clan prosperous from generation to generation.
If you go down, you can live a good life, including the pamphlet that the imperial sister handed me when she entered the palace a few days ago..."
Jun Wu stretched out his hand and took out a small book from his arms. Obviously, what was recorded above was the details of the discussions between each household and the princess's house. He said: "What I saw from above is actually what you are doing."
The earnest expectation and the heart of fist."
"Is this a bad thing? No, this is a good thing. And it is also because of the seriousness of this person that I feel that I must come and talk to you about this matter. Because one person's marriage is a small matter, and your expectations are actually...
…That’s the big deal.”
Taking action...
At the bottom of the banquet, Huang Shengyuan, who was originally intimidated by the royal power, narrowed his eyes slightly at this moment.
The direction of his words was wrong, and he realized that this dinner might not be just a formality.
The little emperor wants to break the situation...