Qin Shizhi's Confucian junior master

Chapter 209, Shu county with undercurrents

Looking at Ziyou who was sitting down, Qu Yi took a deep breath and said
"Master Wang, it's not that the lower officials don't want to clean up the bandits, but it's a persistent disease of Shu County. The lower officials have also thought about going out of the city to suppress the bandits, but every time they hesitate."

"Sit down and talk slowly, let me hear what this persistent disease is like?" Ziyou asked curiously, Qu Yi's words were full of helplessness and unwillingness, it seems that this Shushan bandit is not as simple as it seems on the surface of.

"This group of mountain bandits are bandits on Mount Shu. They have been entrenched in Mount Shu since the establishment of Shu County. The county guards of all dynasties have mobilized troops to suppress bandits, but the terrain of Mount Shu is dangerous and intricate. Even the most powerful Experienced mountain people can't say that they can enter and leave the Shu Mountain safely, so every time they suppress the bandits, they can only return in vain, and the mountain bandits rely on their agility to walk on the ground in the dense forest with vines.

In the end, we had no choice but to give up going into the mountains to suppress the bandits and instead lay an ambush on the commercial roads. It was quite effective at the beginning, but I don’t know when the bandits knew about our movements. All the county guards have discovered this problem. There were rumors of someone walking inside, but after some investigation, nothing was found.

Since then, there is no other way but to send troops to maintain the order of the business from time to time. However, since ten years ago, these bandits have rarely haunted them. Killed, and gradually the banditry in Shushan was forgotten. I don't know why it reappeared recently, and it disturbed the adults. said Qu Yi,
"Ten years ago?" Ziyou murmured to himself, behind these mountain bandits were the shadows of Yu Yuan's guards, or in other words, they were people pretending to be Yu Yuan's guards. At that time, when Yu Yuan's guards fought with the Yin Yang family, the Yin Yang family was almost destroyed, and Yu Yuan's guards also suffered heavy losses, so the banditry gradually disappeared.

"Yes, Xiaguan took over as the prefect of Shu County five years ago. It was okay a few years ago, but the banditry has gradually recovered in the past two years. Xiaguan also sent people to suppress the bandits and encountered the same thing. Shangdao Xiaguan I also send people to patrol regularly to ensure the circulation of the business roads, and the caravans have guards, and the small caravans walk with the big caravans, so there is no major problem." Qu Yi said.

It's not that he doesn't want to suppress the bandits. The banditry in Shu County is a great achievement. If he eliminates it, it will not be a problem to go straight to the court. It's just that the army's food and grass expenses are heavy, and it would be too expensive to send troops to station in the commercial road. , can only maintain the previous appearance.

"I will stay in Shu County for a while, do you want to deal with the banditry here?" Ziyou said looking at Qu Yi.

"If we can get rid of this banditry, Mr. Wang can tell the subordinates to do anything!" Qu Yi immediately stood up and said, he had heard before that Ziyou was unparalleled in resourcefulness and had no plans left, if he could come up with an idea, the banditry said Can't really solve it.

Ziyou watched Qu Yi's mouth slightly curled up, revealing his signature smile.

Chengdu, Sima Mansion.

Sima Chang and Ziyou asked for leave to go home to visit their parents. When Sima Chang left home for five years, Ziyou agreed. Sima Su had already met his mother, and he was talking to his father about the road in his study. .

"These are the things we experienced on the road." Sima Chang looked at his thoughtful father and said.

"I have also heard a lot about this Master Wang. You said that this Master Wang may have other purposes in entering Shu?" Sima Su looked at Sima Chang and asked.

"Yes, Master Wang asked me about the great clans in Shu when we first set off. Father, you may not know that in the battle to attack Korea, Master Wang was the commander. He killed all the nobles in South Korea and sent them to Xianyang. The treasure is worth three years of taxes in the Qin State. Recently, the Academy of Sciences was newly established, and it took only half a month to establish.

Now the whole country is under construction, the army is stationed in three places, costing a lot of money, food and grass, especially the army in Yingchuan County is staring at Wei Guo, and it may start a war at any time, so the court is very short of money now, and Shu County is rich. , There are countless businessmen and families, and there are countless money in the family.

More importantly, Master Wang also mentioned the previous rebellion in Shu and his grandfather Sima Jin on the way, which is tantamount to beating us! "Sima Chang looked at his father and gritted his teeth.

"Father, tell me the truth, does the Sima family have anything to do with the rebellion and banditry in Shu County?"

Sima Su, who was in deep thought, was startled by Sima Chang's suddenly raised voice. He sat up from his seat and looked at Sima Chang's eyes full of hatred, and said,
"Chang'er, you are so confused! Master Wang is not beating us, but giving us a chance to make meritorious deeds!"

"Ah!?" Sima Chang was confused by Sima Su's sudden voice.

"I finally know why you are only an iron official in Xianyang. You can't grasp such an opportunity. How can I be such an idiot because of my fame in my life!" Sima Su said with hatred.

"Father, why can't I understand what you said?" Sima Chang asked in confusion.

"Our Sima family helped the King of Qin guard Shu County. The ancestors led troops to conquer Shu. Although the Sima family has declined now, it is still the leading clan in Shu County. Master Wang obviously knew about it, so why did he ask you about these big clans and the rebellion, just to give us a chance to make meritorious deeds!" Sima Su looked at Sima Chang with regret.

"What chance!?" Sima Chang asked.

"You are really stupid. You know that Master Wang is going to do something to the big clan of Shu County, so why don't you give your allegiance immediately? The reason why the king rewarded the widow Qing this time is to tell the big clan and businessmen in Shu County that as long as you serve Qin, your There will be no shortage of rewards, this is to win over, and that's why Master Wang came." Sima Su said.

After hearing his son's words, Sima Su looked regretful. If Sima Chang had pledged his loyalty to Ziyou at that time, and was willing to be the first person to pledge his allegiance to drive the rich and merchants of Shu County to donate money and goods, it would be a great achievement. Although the second and the first are only sequential, their status is different. Their Sima family has been in decline for a long time. At the beginning, the Sima family was also one of the largest families in Qin, but now their influence is only in Shu County. This is the Sima family forever. Pain, the past heads of the Sima family have taken revitalizing the family as their own responsibility, and Sima Su feels that this important task can be realized in his generation.

"Why do I feel that Master Wang is not trying to win over, but really wants to do it?" Sima Chang still insisted on his point of view,
"It's certain to do it. The banditry in Shu is endless. If there is no support behind it, I won't believe it. But the Sima family has taken root in Shu County for many years and has connections with various families. Master Wang entered Shu alone. We will definitely need the help of the local clan, and I am telling you this to test the attitude of the Sima family." Sima Su said as he walked back and forth with his hands behind his back.

"Is that really the case?" Sima Chang looked at his father and asked hesitantly, why did he feel that his father was thinking too much?

"Of course, when Mr. Wang traveled around the world, his every move was interlocking. Everything he did was never superfluous. It was all for the great event of Qin's unification of the world. Do you really think that you are a little iron man? Is it worth discussing with Master Wang himself?
Now the governor's mansion is preparing a reception banquet for Mr. Ziyou. At that time, the nobles and officials of Shu County will attend. You must prepare well for your father. The Sima family has waited for two generations. Since my father and your grandfather Sima Jin , The Sima family once again ushered in the opportunity of ZTE, this time they must grasp it. " Sima Su said.

Qu Yi told the big clans and officials of Shu County in advance that the special envoy this time is Ziyou, in order to remind them that the identity of the visitor is not ordinary, so you should be careful. There are many merchants in the county, and the news naturally circulates, and the news of Ziyou is endless. From Sima Su's point of view, Ziyou's every move has a deep meaning. What he did when he traveled around the world was to lay the groundwork for Qin's unification of the world. Bai Yifei's Surrender is the best explanation!

So Sima Su was absolutely sure enough that what he thought was right.

"Chang'er tell Weifu what Master Wang likes? You must prepare the meeting ceremony." Sima Su said.

"I don't know about this. In Xianyang, except for a few people such as Tingwei Li Sili who visited Master Wang, I have never heard of anyone visiting Master Wang, nor have I heard what Master Wang likes, but Master Wang My lord studied Confucianism, so he might like classics and other elegant things." Sima Chang said.

"Who are the three women accompanying Master Wang?" Sima Su asked.

"One is Dongjun and Concubine Yan of the Yinyang family, and the other is a woman from Baiyue named Yan Lingji. The woman wearing a veil is also said to be from the Yinyang family." Sima Chang said.

"Okay! Classics, is it from the Yinyang family? Chang'er, go and get some high-quality jade and jewelry from Jiang's treasury." Sima Su turned and looked at the bookshelf. In addition to the existing books, most of them were seized from the royal family of Shu when their ancestor Sima Cuo captured the Kingdom of Shu. They are all ancient books treasured by the royal family of Shu. Yu Yuan's guard got it.

Sima Su picked out a few volumes of books, dried the dust on them, and began to wipe them carefully. The contents of these books had already been written on paper. Sending the originals not only expressed the sincerity of their Sima family, but also the Sima family did not lose money. .

The emergence of paper replaced bamboo slips, but the previous bamboo slips that recorded classics have become extremely precious, because each one is a unique copy.

Sima Chang also came over with some jewels, each of which was priceless. Sima Su was very satisfied with the books and jewels. Gifts should not only match what one likes, but also choose the right person. Since Ziyou brought three A woman enters Sichuan, which shows that the three of them are very important to Ziyou's heart. To give them a gift, you only need to blow the wind on the pillow a little, and the Sima family still worry about whether they can hug their thighs?Pillow wind is more useful than sending [-] books. Although the three women are not ordinary people, as long as they are women, they cannot refuse the temptation of jewelry.

In the evening, the county guard's mansion was brightly lit, and the steward at the gate welcomed the people who came to the banquet with a smile. The people who came to the banquet were all rich or expensive, and the gifts they sent were more precious than each other.

All the people who came to the banquet wanted to get in touch with Ziyou. After they all sat down, they started talking with the people around them. This was not only a welcome banquet for Ziyou, but also a banquet for them to connect with each other.

The seats at the banquet were arranged strictly according to their status and status. Officials were on the left, facing them were people from the four major families, and those who went to him were all famous families or scholars in Chengdu.

While communicating in low voices, everyone looked at the empty main seat from time to time.

The closer it was to the start of the banquet, the lower the voices of the people were, and the expressions became more subtle, and soon the entire hall fell silent.

Looking at the empty main seat, everyone realized that there might be a problem.

Just when everyone was thinking wildly, Qu Yi, who was the sheriff, walked into the hall, but Qu Yi's expression was not very good, and everyone's face suddenly sank, looking at Qu Yi nervously, looking at Qu Yi. Yi walked into the hall alone and guessed a thing or two in his heart.

"Everyone, Master Wang has been exhausted all the way and was disturbed by the bandits. He has already rested early. As for this banquet, I will host the banquet, and take back all the gifts you gave. Master Wang is not interested in these vulgar things. " Qu Yi said with his hands clasped.

All the people present were stunned. They had thought that Ziyou would get angry because of the bandits and even punish Qu Yi, but they never expected that Ziyou would not come even for the Fengyan. It was also to let Ziyou contact Shu County so that things could proceed later, but they didn't expect that Ziyou would not come at all. If someone else did this, they might give him a good look, but the person who came was Ziyou, so they didn't dare In case Ziyou was offended, none of them would be able to run away if the army directly entered Shu.

As for the presents, they didn't dare to take them away. Who knows if this is Ziyou testing them, everyone looked at each other and no one dared to say anything, but the banquet ended in this weird atmosphere , Some people couldn't bear the oppression and silence of the atmosphere, and stood up first to salute and say goodbye to Qu Yi.

"My lord, I am really sorry. There is something urgent at home. I heard that your lord likes good wine. The caravan brought old wine from Beidi County. If you like it, you can come to my house another day. I will entertain you personally." The Patriarch of the Chen family Chen Shu saluted Qu Yi and said.

Qu Yi smiled slightly and nodded, "Patriarch Chen's important thing is to deal with the family affairs."

Chen Shu saluted Qu Yi and left the hall. Sima Su looked at Chen Shu's leaving back. Qu Yi was from the north and hadn't been back to his hometown for more than five years. Chen Shu invited Qu Yi to drink wine from his hometown. The profound meaning of fine wine is self-evident.

(End of this chapter)