Linzhi

Everyone's heart skipped a beat when they heard Fan Xuan's shout.

Lu Qing murmured: "No way..."

"Whether you will or not, let someone bring a pair of account books to know!" Zhou Shu reacted the fastest, and asked each family to hand over their account books for the logarithm.

It is inevitable that each family will have their own small calculations in private, but in this matter, they have formed an alliance of common interests. Hearing this, they hurriedly asked the servants to go back to get the account books.

The lack of military pay has always been the most direct and effective way to make money in the army. In Lingzhou, the Zhou, Fan, and Lu families are backed by the Yixing Zhou family, Chen Liufan family, and the British public Lu family. The important minister Xungui supported him, and he was even more unscrupulous when he scooped up money.

There are [-] registered soldiers in Lingzhou, but actually less than [-]% of them, that is to say, [-]% of the allocated military salary is missing.

Since Zhou Yue, the former governor of Lingzhou, and Feng Ci, the former governor of Lingzhou, have been in close contact with these merchants for a long time, it is self-evident that the military pay will go to the merchants: the governor will hand over the armor and military rations to the merchants, even if the merchants use the market circulation If the price is sold to the common people, it is also a profit. What's more, in the past few years, rumors of Turkic attacks have spread from time to time, and grain prices have also fluctuated accordingly. To sell grain at a high price, they will deliberately release false rumors.

After this move, it is a typical white wolf with empty gloves.They can get a lot of income out of thin air without paying a little bit.

The loss is the imperial court and the people who pay taxes every year.

After Yu Feng took office, although he was as timid as a mouse, he didn't dare to do this kind of thing again, but he didn't stop them. These merchants relied on the relationship they had made in the Fubing for many years, and through the relationship between the Judge Deng and the treasurer. The general's salary was transferred out, which also involved generals at all levels in the military camp. Some people joined forces, some turned a blind eye, and continuously provided military rations to merchants.

Later, they were so courageous that they began to move the grain from the official warehouse in Lingzhou.

Zhou Shu and the others naturally knew what the consequences would be if this kind of behavior was investigated, but they have a strong background and are confident. They have not had any accidents for so many years, and they have never broken their filial piety in the capital. The emperor wants to investigate strictly. It was tantamount to going against the aristocratic family, Zhou Shu and the others did not think that Emperor Jiayou would have such courage and courage.

During the half a year when King An came to Lingzhou, he kept quiet and closed the door to live, which made them feel that King An was only here to avoid disaster, and would not do things that would harm others or benefit himself.

It wasn't until the 12 yuan was broken by He Rongdao that everyone panicked.

Each family brought a pair of account books, and as expected, this amount was exactly the profit they made from selling military salaries during the tenure of the former governor Feng Ci, and they have not included the amount of the previous predecessor Zhou Yue when he was in office, otherwise the opening will only be bigger .

Zhou Zhi couldn't believe it: "Where did King An know this number?"

Zhou Shu was angry: "Do you still need to ask? Don't forget that the government also has an account book, which must have been given to him by Yu Feng!"

"This duplicitous villain!" Zhou Zhi gritted his teeth. "I've long since disliked him. I'm timid and timid. How dare he stab us in the back now!"

Lu Qing was worried: "King An is planning to attack us?"

Fan Xuan was not quite sure: "Isn't it? I also know a little bit about the current situation in the court. The crown prince and King Ji are torn apart, and they are at loggerheads. How can we have time to take care of us... Oh, no! Could it be that King An got the crown prince's instruction and wanted to use this to take advantage of us and deal with King Ji by overthrowing us?"

Once this idea was formed, it would be like the Yellow River surging and could not be taken back. He hurriedly asked Lu Qing: "You and Prince Ji are related by marriage, what can you say in the capital?"

Lu Qing's family, the British Duke Lu's family, was the former father-in-law of Prince Ji Hexiu. Although the young Lu family had both died, the relationship between the British Duke and He Xiu's husband and son-in-law had always been very harmonious. All the high-ranking families got closer, thanks to the British Duke, and his current father-in-law, Li Kuan, the right minister, who set up a bridge.

In this way, Ji Wang's marriage is not good, but Yue Zhang's fate is always auspicious.

When Lu Qing heard Fan Xuan's question, he shook his head with a puzzled look on his face: "I haven't heard of it..."

At this moment, another Zhou family servant ran in.

"Lang Jun, King An killed many people in the barracks!"

Zhou Shu got up abruptly, subconsciously reprimanded: "Explain more clearly!"

The servant said nervously: "It was the Judge Deng who sent someone to report to you immediately! It is said that King An wants to rectify military discipline and punish those who owe money to the air force. The crimes, how to embezzle soldiers' rations, treat subordinates harshly, how to collude with merchants and merchants to sell military rations, violated the first few articles of the court's laws... some serious ones, their heads fell to the ground, and some were beaten in public. No, now It's not over yet, seeing that the situation is not going well, Judge Deng said to let you know first!"

He finished speaking in one breath without hesitation, but Zhou Shu and the others turned paler and paler as they listened.

Lu Qing felt a chill all over his body, and murmured: "If you want money, you need money. Why do you kill people..."

He was thinking of his fate.

Zhou Shu was not as frightened as the others, he calmly told his son: "You immediately write a letter to the capital to inform the situation, and if necessary, ask Old Master Fan to speak for us!"

Fan Xuan smiled wryly: "Brother Zhou, Old Shangshu Fan hates evil, I'm afraid he won't help with such things!"

But Zhou Shu sneered: "If we fall, the Zhou family and Fan family will be affected. He is also a member of Chen Liu's Fan family. Even if he can kill his relatives righteously, can his brothers and sons be able to? If those people put pressure on Fan Yi together, I will not believe Fan Yi. Yi won't speak for us!"

Lu Qing cheered up, and echoed: "It's for this reason, I also wrote to the Lu family, Wang An didn't just slap us in the face this time, he knew who was behind us , but still insists on attacking us, isn't it obvious that the ulterior motives are not drinking!"

Zhou Shu nodded: "Yes, at this time, we must be more united, and we must not let people see the joke. When the capital puts pressure on King An, I don't believe that he can still go his own way!"

Seeing the two of them filled with righteous indignation at what you said and what I said, Fan Xuan couldn't help but said weakly: "The 12 yuan, can we still pay it?"

"I can't hand it in!" Zhou Zhi said angrily, "Father, uncles, if we give in at the beginning, then King An will definitely press forward step by step. His desires are hard to fill, and we can't play with him!"

Fan Xuan: "Then what if...he forces us to hand it over?"

Zhou Zhi looked down on Fan Xuan a little in his heart, thinking that you are one of the wealthy businessmen of Lingzhou, and you have the Chen Liufan family behind you, why are you so soft-boned?

"Then head-to-head, whoever is afraid of whom!"

Lu Qing waved his hand: "Nephew, you are still young, don't be impulsive. He is the prince after all. Even if we have someone to support us, we have to take a step back. Otherwise, should we ask An Wang to come and apologize to us? If something happens If a sum of money can calm things down, then I have no problem."

Zhou Zhi reluctantly said, "That's not a small amount. Even if the three of us share it equally, each family will still get more than 4 yuan!"

Lu Qing sneered in his heart, and said that your Zhou family made the most money that day, but now that something happened, it is said to be shared equally?

He said in an indifferent way: "Nephew, King An said 12, so you really give him 12? You have to be sincere when sending money to your door. Since he told you the amount, you have to give it to him in the end." , at least 15 yuan must be given away, and the matter of reselling empty rates that day was first proposed by the Zhou family, and it was you who took the majority. It stands to reason that even if you pay this time, you should be the most. How can there be an equal share? ?”

Zhou Zhi felt bad and said loudly, "Uncle Lu, don't bully me too much! We are on the same boat now, and if the boat is scuttled, it will do no good to anyone! Our Yixing Zhou family is in the family. It’s considered the first share, shouldn’t it be a bit more?”

Lu Qing: "You can't say that. You Yixing Zhou Clan is nothing more than a Zhou Ying, but now that Zhou Xiang has passed away, a new generation replaces the old one..."

"Stop talking!"

Zhou Shu interrupted their dispute with a shout: "When is it, you are still arguing about what you have! The most urgent thing is to write a letter to the capital as soon as possible, and use whatever strength you have. King An didn't attack us first. , it’s nothing more than fear of the forces behind us, who want to beat us, so let’s not mess ourselves up first... As for the money, we’ll wait until the capital writes back!”

Since he said so, the others have no objection. Such a big incident happened today, and everyone really needs time to go back and sort it out.

After leaving the gate of the Zhou family, Lu Qing couldn't help complaining to Fan Xuan: "The Zhou family really regards himself as the head of the family? What the hell! I think the person Wang An wants to punish most this time is him!"

Fan Xuan persuaded: "Forget it, it's better to focus on the overall situation at the moment. In my opinion, if we don't turn around, we'll go to meet King An in private and see what kind of charter he is. We can't follow the Zhou family with blind eyes. Bar?"

Lu Qing squinted at him: "Are you scared?"

Fan Xuandao: "Think about it, King An killed so many people this time, it must be for real. In the end, if both sides have to have a step down, then the aristocratic family will definitely throw out a shield to eliminate King An anger, then who will be the scapegoat?"

Being reminded by him, Lu Qing's whole body shuddered and his expression changed drastically.

In order to have a private conversation on the way back, Fan Xuan did not ride in his own carriage, but took one with Lu Qing. At this time, the carriage was passing through the downtown area, and suddenly stopped suddenly. Sound, the two looked at each other, feeling ominous.

Lu Qing lifted the curtain of the car and looked outside.

Lin Miao, the one who followed He Rong on the mission to the Western Turks, and later rose through the ranks of the Imperial Army, and this time followed He Rong to Lingzhou—is leading a group of soldiers outside the carriage, baring his teeth at Lu Qing smile.

"Lu Langjun, by the order of His Royal Highness King An, I invite you to visit the Beicheng military camp."

Lu Qing was stunned for a moment, and said sternly, "Then what if we don't go?"

Lin Miao slowly drew the sword out.

"Then you have to offend."

Lin Miao thought that his smile was very friendly. He respected King An, and he even learned to smile for a long time.

But in Lu Qing's view, it was completely sinister and hateful.