After rebirth, I joined forces with my mortal enemy to seek revenge.

The layout of Guazhou City is modeled after Chang'an City and is also divided into east and west cities. Most of the people who live in the east of the city are the official residences of wealthy families, while those in the west of the city are the poor people such as salesmen and hard laborers.

The snow-covered house was crumbling in the wind, and the sound of collapse could be heard from time to time. In front of several households were squatting people carrying large and small baggage.

Pei Jiaoran quickened his pace as his eyes passed over their faces.

It had been two days since she ordered Li Qian to negotiate with the wealthy households in the city. Just now, Chu You also said that the wealthy households had already made plans and wanted to lend their houses to the people in the city. The county government must come up with money.

Judging from the current situation, if those wealthy households do not relent, things will become difficult.

On the road, she met many county soldiers saying hello to Pei Jiaoran, but she seemed not to hear them and kept walking forward. His eyebrows were bunched up.

"If you keep going, you'll hit the wall." A hand stretched out from the side and grabbed her sleeve.

Hearing this, Pei Jiaoran stopped and turned his head to look at the visitor, "Is the governor feeling well?"

It had only been about half a month since Li Xiujing received the thirty-spine cane. But he was very lively right now, and he didn't look like he had been tortured at all.

"It's not like I didn't receive a cane in the first year or two when I entered the military camp. These thirty canes are considered light." Li Xiujing smiled, "I'm curious about something. Why did you ask for mercy on my behalf that day? Dugu Chen dare not beat me to death."

Hearing this, Pei Jiaoran lowered his eyelashes and raised his lips slightly, "Because it would be of no benefit to me if the governor died or became disabled. I think even if the governor ran away from home in anger in his early years, he would not be abandoned by his family."

Hearing Pei Jiaoran shake the words "running away from home" very seriously. Li Xiujing moved closer to her, "Who said I ran away from home?"

"That's what everyone said." His eyes turned to Li Xiujing, and Pei Jiaoran smiled at the corners of his eyes and brows. "Is it possible that the governor eloped for love? But he was separated from his sweetheart?"

Li Xiujing raised his eyebrows and looked at Li Xiujing, who had a calm face. Pei Jiaoran's eyes flashed with joy.

"Mingfu should read less of his books."

"Here." Pei Jiaoran responded with a smile.

Seeing her well-behaved face, Li Xiujing said, "Will you go to the tower with me for a walk?"

While Pei Jiaoran was still thinking about whether he had anything to say to Li Xiujing, the other party had already dragged him up to the tower. The state soldiers patrolling the top of the city saluted Li Xiujing and then looked away.

Climbing to the top of the city and looking into the distance, you can only see the vast expanse.

Pei Jiaoran put his hand on the stone wall and sat on it. The wind blew the lace on her head.

"How is your military affairs going, Governor?" Pei Jiaoran asked.

When asked about it, Li Xiujing nodded and said, "I don't know anything about him yet. That person is hidden deep and hard to find."

When he encountered a secret target on the school grounds that day, he sent his confidants to conduct a secret investigation under the guise of rectifying military affairs. So far, he has found nothing. That day, Huo Chang said he couldn't see the little thief's face clearly.

Things are at an impasse.

After hearing this, Pei Jiaoran thought: "I think maybe we can find this person through Zhao Heng. After yesterday's incident, Zhao Heng has been hated by everyone. If he wants to win back the game, he must lower his profile and have someone by his side." Help. Otherwise, he will not be able to go forward in the future. There is only one thing. No matter what, he was sent by Jinshang personally. It will not be good for you or me to embarrass him too much. So it is better for the governor to give him a little more power. If he blocks his mouth, there will be nothing he can do. In short, if the governor wants to sit back and relax, he must deal with this person."

Even if Zhao Heng is just a chess piece from Chang'an.

Li Xiujing nodded. It can be said that Zhao Heng's arrival was almost unexpected. He originally thought that he was just having a relationship with Dugu Chen, but he didn't expect that there was Jia Gonglu behind him.

Seeing Li Xiujing's eyes showing contemplation, Pei Jiaoran curled his lips. Until now, she still didn't understand why Jia Gonglu would help Dugu Chen.

You must know that kings of all dynasties have always been most taboo about collusion between prime ministers and generals. What's more, it's a person with a special status like Bian Jiang. The collusion between the two is most likely to cause military trouble.

In her previous life, Pei Jiaoran was Zuo Pushe, and she knew the consequences of a person in charge of the center being associated with Fang Zhen. Fang Zhen can support its own troops outside, but this dynasty has learned the lessons of the previous dynasty and used the center to suppress Fang Zhen to avoid the disasters of Su Jun and Wang Dun. But if Fang Zhen is connected with the central government, he can control the government and dethrone the emperor like Hou Jing or Er Zhurong.

Therefore, only by allowing the two to complement each other can the king centralize power instead of making the ministers stronger and the king weaker.

So Pei Jiaoran continued: "Zhao Heng is a chess piece sent by Jia Gonglu to monitor you and me. Fortunately, Dugu Chen is busy repairing the supplies and has no time to take care of you and me for the time being. This gives you and me a chance to breathe." She paused and looked Asked Li Xiujing, "Can the governor's spy find out the secret letters between Jia Gonglu and Dugu Chen?"

"No. Dugu Chen has been very guarded recently and is screening people inside and outside. There is no need for me to risk exposing my informants."

"Okay. Let's continue talking about Zhao Heng. I have asked Chu You to go to the city to spread the news that he wants to catch the moneymaker." Pei Jiaoran blinked his peach blossom eyes. In fact, she didn't care about Zhao Heng's surveillance at all. Zhao Heng in the previous life was not even qualified to join the center, and she didn't have much impression of him. She was sure that Zhao Heng was just a pawn that Jia Gonglu could use to sacrifice at any time.

Moving his eyes to look at her, Li Xiujing narrowed his eyes. He suddenly realized that she had weaved a web from the beginning, and now he had fallen into the end of the web. He nodded and said in a deep voice: "Your web is not just for Zhao Heng, right?" His voice was particularly special. Calm down, "Am I in your calculations from the beginning?"

Listening to Li Xiujing's question, a strange color flashed across Pei Jiaoran's face. Also fell into silence.

"I am sincerely forming an alliance with you, without any calculation. Wang Shizhao is rampant, and the county government is controlled by him. After much thought, I can only eradicate Wang Shizhao by forming an alliance with you."

"Is it true? Although Wang Shizhao is powerful, he is still controlled by me. If I don't get rid of him, it won't have much influence." Li Xiujing categorically denied her remarks. He knew that Pei Jiaoran's plans were far superior to others, and it was impossible for her to form an alliance with others for no reason.

Pei Jiaoran shook his head and looked at Li Xiujing candidly, "The first time we were in the restaurant, I told the governor that no one should be allowed to snore next to the couch. Although the governor could control Wang Shizhao's county soldiers, he You can also find Dugu Chen to control you. Dugu Chen has envoys and restraints, and you have declined in comparison. And Guazhou is a border fortress. If there is chaos in the city, collusion between inside and outside can make the governor suffer from enemies from both sides. The governor will be attacked due to mistakes. Anyone who crosses the city will be punished, and Wang Shizhao is determined to take over Guazhou. As for you, you will be transferred back to Chang'an and will never be used again."

In his previous life, Li Xiujing was indeed demoted because he lost Guazhou because of his carelessness. After many twists and turns, the Li family in Longxi finally gave him a chance, allowing him to make meritorious deeds and finally join the Ministry of War.