Seeing the confused look on the pottery merchant's face, Guo Jia seemed to be very happy. He belonged to a vulnerable group and was being manipulated by the boy named Tao. Guo Jia had been feeling aggrieved for a while.
As a person who is full of talent, but is restricted by others due to lack of hard power, Guo Jia has been looking for opportunities to turn this game around.
Today, he finally had an opportunity that seemed like he could be a guest. Although it was just for psychological self-comfort, Guo Jia was still very happy.
This is the so-called Ah Q spirit.
"Are you not familiar with Chen Yuanlong's family background?" Guo Jia raised an eyebrow and asked the potter who was obviously confused.
"Are you familiar with Chen Deng's family background?" the pottery merchant asked.
"It's not bad." Guo Jia said with a smile: "Guo knows all the famous noble families in the thirteen states by heart."
The pottery merchant looked at him doubtfully and asked, "Why do you, a boy from a poor family, remember so many aristocratic families?"
Guo Jia smiled and replied leisurely: "Of course, as the saying goes, know yourself and the enemy and you will never be defeated in a hundred battles. Sooner or later, members of the gentry family will rise to the top of the world. If Guo becomes successful and fights against them at the critical moment, maybe he will fight with them.
You can rely on your familiarity with them and take advantage of them to kill them."
The pottery merchant was stunned when he heard this, and at the same time he felt contempt for the character of this genius gentleman.
He keeps so many powerful people in his mind... so that he can find opportunities to kill them in the future?
Really lacking in virtue.
"Then tell me, what is Chen Deng's family background like?"
Guo Jia said slowly: "Speaking of Chen Yuanlong, it is indeed very interesting. Compared with his family, the four major families of Xuzhou Mi, Wang, Cao and Zhao are actually not even on the stage. His father Chen Gui is
Prime Minister Pei, his uncle Chen Cong was the prefect of Ruyin, his uncle Chen Yu was the prefect of Wu County, his ancestor Chen Qiuguan was the prefect, and his great-grandfather Chen Qian was the prefect of Guanghan..."
The pottery merchant looked at Guo Jia in astonishment, and was speechless and a little at a loss.
"You have even dug out four generations of his ancestors. Why are you just thinking about killing him? You are probably thinking of destroying his whole family."
Hearing this, Guo Jia shrugged and said: "Is it unusual to know yourself and your enemy? Guo knows all the names and family backgrounds of officials above the county prime minister or above two thousand shi in the city within a hundred years."
Tao Shang looked at Guo Jia determinedly and said, "Then how much do you know about our Danyang Tao family?"
Guo Jia smiled and said: "Don't worry, Guo only knows the life of your commander, Tao, and does not know the rest. You don't need to be afraid that I will know your details."
The pottery merchant looked at him curiously and said, "Why don't you know?"
"This is not simple... If Guo doesn't know, it means that among the four generations of your Tao family, except for your father, no one can survive above the level of prefect... Alas, as a nobleman, he is a bit weak.
.”
Well, he was despised by the ancients again, and the pottery merchant felt very ashamed.
The two brought the topic back to the Chen Deng family.
"Among the four generations of the Chen family, the governors and princes have slipped out, and there are also three nobles like Taiwei. Logically speaking, their power should be far higher than the four major families. However, judging from the current situation, the Chen family is
What Xuzhou does seems to be low-key and tight." The pottery merchant sighed thoughtfully.
Guo Jia said slowly: "This is the shrewdness of the Chen family. Although Guo does not know anyone from the Chen family in Xiapi, judging from the prosperity of their clan, since Chen Gui was idle, his eldest son Chen
Deng has been hiding and shrinking since then, but a person with such a family background must not have high ambitions, especially today's action of coming from a hundred miles away to reward the army, which proves... This person must not be
He has a false reputation and great ambitions, but he has never met the master of the Ming Dynasty, or he is waiting for an opportunity. Otherwise, depending on his family background, it is not impossible to use the talents and learning of a state to enter the palaces of various princes."
The potter rolled his eyes, and after a while he said doubtfully: "What do you mean, Chen Deng came here today to inspect me? Did he regard me as an opportunity?"
Guo Jia took out the wine gourd from his back and took a sip: "It's very possible."
The pottery merchant frowned and felt confused: "But now I am just a white man. Since he has such a family background, why does he still want to investigate me? If it is because of my identity as the eldest son of the governor of Xuzhou...why not in the first place?
Taking the initiative to show kindness?"
Guo Jia smiled, pointed at the pottery merchant, and said: "I can't say for sure about the other Guo, but I think you must be no longer white!"
The pottery merchant couldn't help but laugh angrily when he heard this: "Don't I know whether I am white or not?"
"How long have you been away from Xuzhou?" Guo Jia said slowly.
The potter lowered his head and calculated carefully: "It will take a year at least."
"In one year, things change and people change... If there is an express decree from the imperial court, it should be sent to the governor's office in Xuzhou first, rather than directly to you, a wanderer who is away on an expedition. Isn't this the truth?"
Guo Jia's words surprised the pottery merchant. Would the imperial court have an express edict on him?
In other words, Dong Zhuo will have a clear edict on himself?
I was the one who took away dozens of ministers from him alive during the Battle of Bianshui. According to Dong Zhuo's ferocious personality, he would have done a lot for himself if he didn't pull out his muscles and bones, press him to the ground and rub him.
If he loses face, will he still give himself an official position?
"What's the basis for what you said?" The pottery merchant looked at Guo Jia doubtfully.
Guo Jia spread his hands and said helplessly: "It's all Guo's own speculation without any evidence. Guo has been away from his hometown for a long time. You may not be well-informed about some of the information. If you don't know, how can I know?"
?”
Speaking of this, Guo Jia smiled and said: "No matter what, you should try to win over Chen Deng now. This is an opportunity for you, and whether you are white or not, I don't think you need to go out of your way to win over Chen Deng."
I didn't know until I returned to Pengcheng that Chen Deng must know the details. You can ask him for more information later... He didn't say it just now, purely because of the etiquette violation. If you treat each other with sincerity, he will definitely treat you.
I know everything, and as for today you and I have such a long conversation, this is the first time this transaction has happened. Even if Guo is cheaper, I will just charge you a piece of Linzhi gold, so that I can pay the debt... I will pay it back to me after you enter the house.
.”
The pottery merchant frowned and looked at Guo Jia, and said: "Treat me with sincerity? I treat you with sincerity, why don't you tell me everything?"
Guo Jia put away his smile and hummed: "Let's get it clear, you kidnapped Guo. Besides, have you seen anyone who treats each other with sincerity and sends his men to ambush me with a broken crossbow every day? Guo Jia
Now when I get up in the middle of the night to pee, I feel like I can’t stop!”
"Then why are you still telling me so much?"
"It's not just to make some money. If I find an opportunity to go back to my hometown in the future, it will be a burden."
…
…
After the troops were rewarded, the pottery merchant had a detailed banquet with Chen Deng in the commander's tent.
Although the pottery merchant was in charge here, Chen Deng brought all the fine wines served at the banquet in the tent from Dongyang County, so in theory, Chen Deng was the host of this meal.
The pottery merchant had a very strange feeling. During his expedition, it seemed that besides fighting, the most frequent thing he did was drinking.
After Chen Deng entered the banquet, he directly praised the pottery merchant, saying: "The eldest son has been on the expedition for more than a year. The three battles in Yangren, Hulao and Bianshui have made Xuzhou famous. He also went deep into the Three Rivers area to defeat the Baibo bandits.
After returning to Pengcheng with 100,000 men and such a record, Tao Shijun will feel greatly comforted. The young master has made great contributions."
Tao Shang waved his hands modestly and sighed: "Mr. Chen, the Lord, is so flattered that Tao is not worthy of it. The rest is fine. It's just that among the 110,000 remaining members of the White Wave Army, Tao Shang made the decision without consulting his father in advance."
What did my father think about the decision to move back to Xuzhou? To be honest, Tao was still a little uneasy."
Chen Deng said in a gentle tone: "It seems that the young master is really unaware of this matter. Do you know that according to your current status, even if Tao Shijun is the governor, you can still make the decision on how to arrange the Baibo army on your own.
, it depends on how the young master and Tao Shijun discuss it."
There was something in Chen Deng's words, and Tao Shang heard it immediately.
It seems that he is no longer white... Guo Jia's eyes are indeed vicious.
That piece of golden toe is really worth it.
"Mr. Chen, Mr. Tao is away on an expedition. I really don't know anything about what happened in Xuzhou. I hope Mr. Chen can tell me first... Don't worry, I will pretend to be stupid when I go back. What are you pretending to be?"
Do not know at all."
Chen Deng couldn't help laughing when he heard the words, and shook his head and said: "What did the young master say? It's just a trivial matter. Deng just didn't want to tell the young master on behalf of the envoy. Since the young master wants to know, it doesn't hurt to tell him."
After a pause, Chen Deng explained to the pottery merchant: "Do you know, Master, that you have been involved in the Yuedan Review?"
The potter's face suddenly darkened and he nodded.
Seeing this, Chen Deng continued: "Xu Zi of Runan made ten golden remarks about the young master, which made the world look at him. There was also Xu Jing, the former Shangshu Lang, who recommended the young master as Yingchuan Xiaolian on behalf of Kong Wei, the governor of Yuzhou. The young master's household registration is not in Yingchuan.
This move was illegal at first, but I never expected that the imperial court actually approved it and directly granted the prince an official position."
The pottery merchant was shocked when he heard this. He couldn't take the local examination for being a filial piety and was still admitted? This must be a trick played by Dong Zhuo's crazy old man.
"The imperial court, what official title should I be given?"
Chen Deng sighed: "Those who are promoted to be filial and honest are from well-known noble families. In the early days of the conquest, they were only county magistrates or envoys. Since Deng was promoted at the age of twenty-five, he has only been appointed as a county magistrate in Dongyang County."
He is so long, but it is rare among people of the same age! But the imperial court appointed him as the governor of Danyang County, with a city worth two thousand dan!"
"Danyang County Governor?" The pottery merchant was surprised: "The imperial court actually directly gave me a county land!?"
Seeing the shocked look on the pottery merchant's face, Chen Deng nodded and said: "For those who are filial and honest, some of them will serve the imperial court all their lives. It is rare to be able to lead a county. It is not like the young master's start, but the result of a lifetime of hard work is better than others."
If it is even bigger, how can it not attract the attention of the world?"
The pottery merchant now understood why Chen Deng, who had been hiding and keeping his head down, suddenly came to get close to him.
Obviously, Chen Deng was very interested in a young man who could become the head of a county at the age of seventeen.
"Oh, by the way." Chen Deng seemed to have remembered something, and suddenly there was a smile on his face, and said: "The imperial court not only appointed the young master as the governor of Danyang County, but also gave the young master the title of Prince Taiping.
From now on, I am afraid that with the title of Prince Taiping, I will follow you, the eldest son, for the rest of my life."
When the pottery merchant heard this, his face turned green.
Old thief Dong Zhuo...How dare you be so deliberately disgusting?!