When Bao Xin heard that the head of a prominent Hanoi family was speaking so rudely, he frowned and was about to get angry. However, the pottery merchant on the side gently patted his leg under the table to signal Bao Xin to calm down.
I saw the pottery merchant smiling and giving a friendly smile to the heads of several aristocratic families, and said: "I have admired the names of the Ping family in Pingyi and the Li family in Yewang County for a long time. It is a great honor to meet these two elders Tao today... I just don't understand.
, Although we came here to suppress the thieves in a hurry and appeared reckless, if we can succeed, it will be regarded as eliminating the trouble for Sili and Bingzhou... But why did Tao look at the attitudes of the two elders?
Conflict? I wonder if there is any misunderstanding."
Pingzheng and Li Shao looked at each other, each stroking their beards, neither of them saying a word.
Over there, there was Sima Lang from Wen County. He was nineteen years old, not much older than the pottery merchant, but he was quite kind.
Sima Lang smiled at the pottery merchant and said kindly: "Master Tao, you and General Bao are here to suppress bandits in the local area. Regardless of success or failure... you have good intentions."
The pottery merchant raised his eyebrows, thinking to himself that they were both from a distinguished family, and Sima Lang could still speak. Look at the noses that were not noses, and the eyes that were not eyes.
However, his words clearly left something unfinished.
Sima Lang continued: "But the Baibo Army has been lingering in the Three Rivers area for several years, and the number of people is overwhelming. Last year, when the thieves went south to fight against Niu Fu, they also looted the area in Hanoi and massacred the people. There was no peace for the troubled party."
Huangfu Song said from the side: "In this case, shouldn't it be more important to kill them?"
Sima Lang shook his head and said: "How easy is it? Not to mention whether Baibo's army of more than 100,000 people can be wiped out. The city defense fortifications in Baibo Valley and Bo City were repaired by Guo Da and were like an iron stronghold. The local government troops could not attack them.
Go ahead, we can’t fight! You are here to fight the Baibo Army. If you win, that’s all. If you lose, you can lead your troops back to Yanzhou or Xuzhou. But in the future, if the Baibo Army comes to Hanoi to seek revenge,
, but teach us Hanoi people what to do?”
The head of the Ping family on the side said calmly: "Winning the battle is not enough. If we want to fight, we must completely wipe out the Bai Bo army, leaving no one alive! Otherwise, we will be bloodbathed by the Bai Bo army when we return to Hanoi!"
Zheng Yan, the head of the Zheng family in Ji County, who had been silent for a long time, stood up and added: "You two, this is not for us to be pretentious, it's just a matter of people's livelihood. If you want to fight, you must ensure that you can kill all the Baibo soldiers."
Don’t stay... If you can’t do it, please ask the two superior officers to stop the troops and don’t cause trouble in Hanoi.”
When Bao Xin heard this, he couldn't help but became furious: "Marching and fighting is not about eating. How can we say we can win? You can eradicate them all if you say they will? Why, if we can't guarantee victory, then I can't touch these thieves?"
Pingzheng stroked his beard, nodded and said: "Please forgive me, General Bao... If so, try not to do anything."
"That's unreasonable!" Bao Xin's eyes widened and he stood up suddenly, about to have a seizure.
Wang Kuang was startled when he saw this. He stood up hurriedly, stopped in front of Bao Xin and said: "Yuncheng, don't be violent, calm down, calm down, and think about it in the long run!"
The head of the Ping family was not afraid when he saw Bao Xin being angry. He stood up slowly and said indifferently: "I am devoted to the people of my country. If General Bao relies on the soldiers and generals in his hands and cannot listen to good words, then he can be a general."
I will kill you with a stick... However, I will forgive you for saying one more thing. Although General Bao is a pillar of the Han Dynasty, several generations of our Ping family in Hanoi have served as officials in the imperial court. There are also officials from various prefectures and counties in the world who have followed me.
General Bao, who is an official in the family, does not need to show off his official power with me here. I have seen this a lot, and I am old, and I am not willing to fall into this trap... This is all for today. I forgive my absence.
I’ll accompany you here.”
After saying that, he bowed his hands, shook his head and left, followed closely by the two family heads, Li Shao and Zheng Yan.
Although Sima Lang was young, he was quite well-mannered. He bowed to all the adults present, including the pottery merchant, and said goodbye one by one before leaving.
It was a wonderful banquet, but it ended in a bad mood before even having a glass of wine.
Bao Xin pointed at Wang Kuang angrily and said angrily: "Gongjie, how did you become the prefect? Do you just let them be so rude and playful in your place? Could it be that his surname is Ping, who thinks that Bao really can't kill him?"
?”
Wang Kuang grinned in embarrassment, not angry, but patiently persuading.
"Yuncheng, I am different from you. We are from the same hometown, and we are both from Taishan County. You are lucky to have become the Prime Minister of Jibei, and you are considered your hometown... But I am unfamiliar with the place here, Hanoi.
Noble families have been operating here for hundreds of years, and their forces are intertwined. They control many important affairs in the county. The Tiansang production and trade routes are all related to them. When I first came here, I relied on their support to be able to go south to attack Dong Zhuo! Now I am asking for help.
Director, I have just prepared to take control of the county's government affairs bit by bit. At this time of year, I can't offend them."
After a pause, Wang Kuang continued: "It's not impossible for you to kill them, but in the future, your and my names will be completely stinky among the nobles in the world..."
Bao Xin raised his hand and tapped Wang Kuang's nose hard, and said angrily: "I don't have to kill him and the others... Then will you follow us to attack the Baibo Army?"
Wang Kuang chuckled when he heard the words and said: "Punitive? How to attack? Originally, I funded your food and grass for three months, but can you guarantee that you can completely capture Zibo City in three months? Even if you capture it...at this time of year
Seeing that winter is about to begin, there are nearly 30,000 soldiers under your command and 10,000 soldiers under Master Tao, whether they want to return home or not... these cotton-padded clothes, thick trousers, charcoal fire, winter food, vehicles, winter grass for horses... these supplies, who
To provide for you? If you don’t go to those uncles, who will you go to? I am just a poor prefect, and I cannot afford to feed you 40,000 horses."
"You..." Bao Xin made Wang Kuang speechless with anger, but he couldn't refute.
While Bao Xin and Wang Kuang were arguing, Tao Shang found Han Hao sitting aside with a frown on his face, a look of displeasure on his face, as if he was sulking.
Thinking about it, I was chatting with Han Hao... This manager Han seemed to have some criticisms of Hanoi's prominent families.
So Tao Shang took advantage of the chaos between Bao Xin and Wang Kuang to get close to Han Hao and whispered: "Han Zhizong, Tao has something unclear and would like to ask Han Zhenggong for advice. If it is convenient for Han Zhigang, I would like to ask him for advice."
Please feel free to tell me."
Han Hao smiled bitterly and said: "It doesn't matter what I tell you, as long as you don't make a fuss about me and go out...because it's really too embarrassing."
The pottery merchant smiled and said: "Isn't that a misunderstanding just now...Han Zhizhi, Tao listened to the wishes of the family heads and did not let us attack the Baibo Army because he was afraid that if we could not eradicate the roots, we would be retaliated by the Baibo Army in the future... But I
I don’t understand. The Bai Bo Army did not produce anything, did not farm and mulberry. In the past, they lived by robbing families and houses. We prefectures and counties under Hanoi County must not be immune, right?... The heads of these wealthy families would rather serve as food reserves for the Bai Bo Army.
, they are robbed every now and then, but they are not willing to let us try to wipe out the Baibo Army? If we succeed, wouldn't it be once and for all... This idea is too strange?"
Han Hao laughed and said: "Young master, you are overthinking. These heads of noble families are as shrewd as monkeys. How can they treat the Bai Bo Army as pigs and sheep to be slaughtered? To be honest, the Bai Bo Army came to Hanoi to rob.
But they will not rob the livestock of these noble families at all, they mainly rob ordinary people."
The pottery merchant asked curiously: "Why?"
Han Hao snorted: "I don't know the specific details, but I can guess a little. The so-called Baibo Army and these noble families just complement each other and make use of each other... The noble families have extremely deep foundations and energy.
The Baibo Army is not willing to mess with the customs... and the existence of the Baibo Army can also give these prominent families a reason to recruit private soldiers... Young Master, do you know that because of the Baibo Army, the families have mentioned it to the prince many times, saying,
They each have to reserve swords and recruit young men to help the officers and soldiers of the prefectures and counties to guard against thieves. Hey, how about the nobles recruiting private soldiers on their own? This matter has been suppressed by the prince... Although the thieves and bandits have no contact with the nobles,
But the two sides have always complemented each other. Over time, some tacit understanding will be formed... I will guess that sometimes when the Baibo army comes out to rob, these noble families will even secretly provide some convenience... It is really a collusion between black and white, and everyone is really good.
What a scheme! It’s just the common people who suffer.”
Upon hearing this, the pottery merchant suddenly realized...
After hearing this complicated situation, the pottery merchant frowned deeply at first and scratched his head...
But not long after, a playful smile appeared on his lips.
It’s interesting, since everyone is willing to play dirty, then we might as well have fun.