Royal road

The tent that can't be seen at a glance is stationed on the bank of the Hanshui River.This is Sima Yue's big camp in Jingzhou, which hollowed out the [-] elite soldiers from the Sixth Army of the imperial court, and it is also his greatest reliance to wipe out the puppet emperor's rebellious army.Since the dispatch of troops, the remnants of the false emperor Sima Ying have been defeated repeatedly, and have retreated from Jiangxia to their own kingdom.

If it follows the rules, as long as the county king who is fighting for power returns to his own country, it means surrender, and no one will fight again.But now that Sima Ying has proclaimed himself emperor, how can there be any talk of refuge?Instead of stopping his troops, Sima Yue pressed even harder, intending to wipe out this gang of rebellious parties.It's a pity that Chengdu State is the base camp that Sima Ying has operated for more than ten years, and it is as solid as gold.The war stagnated for a while and became a confrontation.

The weather is getting colder and colder, but the military supplies of the [-] troops are not a small burden.We also have to worry about whether the Liangdao will be robbed by the rebels, and whether Luoyang will fall into the hands of the Huns.All sorts of things are piled up on the case, which is enough to make Sima Yue feel a headache.

However, the situation was so critical that Sima Yue didn't show a smile on his face when he heard the news of Luoyang's rescue.Liang Zixi borrowed troops from the Tuoba tribe to defeat the [-] soldiers attacking Shangdang and killed the commander Liu Cong.Even the Xiongnu soldiers who besieged Hanoi also retreated to their lair.This is a good thing, but it should not be presided over by the little emperor.

Liang Zixi won a big victory because the emperor allocated food to Shangdang?Hearing this rumor, Sima Yue felt a chill down his spine.He always knew that Sima Qin was clever and alert, and even the palace people praised him, saying that he was quite similar to Emperor Wu.In order to guard against the little emperor gaining power, he had all his confidantes in the palace. Who would have thought that such a mess would happen as soon as he left Luoyang City!

This Liang Zixi really has ulterior motives!If not, how could Pei Dun die on the battlefield as soon as he arrived in Bingzhou?And why did he contact the palace once he left?

I can't let it go any longer!

Sima Yue made a decision in his heart, but now that he is leading the army outside, Luoyang is extremely empty.A throat like Bingzhou cannot be moved.Once the false emperor is wiped out, he must return to Luoyang as soon as possible and regain power!Liang Zixi can't stay anymore, only by pulling out the little emperor's claws can he keep his own place and obey orders obediently.If it wasn't for the false emperor to get in the way, why would he set up someone as difficult to control as Sima Qin!

"Pass down the order and step up the attack on the city! This winter we must conquer Jingzhou and wipe out the false emperor's rebellious army!" Sima Yue ordered in a cold voice.

The already urgent offensive and defensive battle became more and more fierce with this order.

■

"Has the imperial court conferred Daijun to us?" Tuoba Yilu showed joy.

Dai County is much better than their current capital, at least within the territory of Youzhou, and very close to the central territory, it is a good place to develop and live.This governor of Liang is really straightforward, he only sent troops to fight a battle, and in exchange for a county, he was much more generous than Sima Teng back then!

However, Tuoba Yilu's face was full of joy, while Wei Cao's expression on the side was not very good-looking: "Shanyu Mo was too happy too early. There are quite some problems with this fief."

Seeing that Tuoba Yilu was puzzled, Wei Cao carefully explained: "Daijun is too far away from our department. Although we can control the central part, we have to lose our foundation. Moreover, Daijun is located in Youzhou. This Liang Zixi asked the imperial court to grant him In the final analysis, it is just a generosity of others. If the governor of Youzhou, Wang Jun, is annoyed, wouldn't we have to fight him again?"

Hearing the assistant minister's explanation, Tuoba Yilu's excitement finally faded, and he frowned: "You mean, Liang Zixi is guarding against me?"

Wei Cao sighed: "Among the governors of Bingzhou in all dynasties, only Liang Zixi is willing to trade with our ministry. Salt, tea, cloth, and even wine, which were extremely difficult to purchase before, can be traded. But ironware, there is no such thing. Obviously, Governor Liang I don't want the Tuoba tribe to be too strong. Now that there are many heroes and the Xiongnu is on the side, it is necessary to be on guard. But the other party is like this, so I have to think more about it."

"Then... Daijun is gone?" Tuoba Yilu's voice was a little bit reluctant, but Wei Cao was his confidant and adviser, and also the foundation of Tuoba's growth over the years.He still has to listen to his advice.

"That's not necessary. It's just..." Wei Cao pondered for a moment, and then suddenly said, "I just want to figure out how to go. If Liang Zixi wants to make enemies with Youzhou, this business can be done!"

"What?" Tuoba Yilu was a little dizzy, "He used us to fight against Wang Jun, and there is still business to do?"

"What if Liang Zixi plots against Youzhou?" Wei Cao seemed to have thought through the key point, and smiled slightly, "If not, why would he use Daijun as bait? If Liang Zixi really intends to plot Youzhou, he must fight fiercely with Wang Jun One game. Who else will come forward to resist the Duan Xianbei?"

It was only then that Tuoba Yilu came to his senses.Indeed, Daijun is just an introduction.It is necessary to draw out the differences between the two states and plan for the future.They were now on the side of Bingzhou, and if the two states really fought, Liang Zixi had to use soldiers from the Tuoba tribe.And if Youzhou is really conquered, can Liang Zixi take care of him?Inevitably, a huge territory will be allocated to the Tuoba tribe, maybe the three Tuoba tribes can be combined together by then!

That is the key to the rise of the Tuoba clan!

"The Assistant Prime Minister is really unparalleled!" Tuoba Yilu laughed, "If you have confidence in your heart, things will be easy to handle! Then send troops to Daijun first, and occupy our territory before we talk about it!"

As for the others, it depends on the reaction of Bingzhou.

■

Liang Feng was sitting in someone else's house at the moment.Jinyang Guo's invitation, even he, the governor, is inconvenient to refuse.After the Battle of the Shangdang, the only remaining elites in Jinyang seem to have finally put him in their eyes.

This is not surprising.Although most of the descendants escaped from Bingzhou, there are still quite a few Gaomen Shuzong who stayed here.After all, it is not easy to let go of the fields and houses for so many years.But before Liang Feng was feared by the court, he fought with Pei Dun, and held some disciplines, which really made these high-ranking families feel at ease.Now that there is a battle of the Shangdang, it makes them interested in the new governor.

Not everyone can defeat the Xiongnu and even kill Liu Yuan's beloved son.What Sima Teng didn't do back then, Liang Zixi did it in just a few months after he came to Jinyang, how can these gentry not feel like making friends.You must know that Hedong was taken over by the Xiongnu, and the huge Pei family and Wei family either surrendered to the enemy or fled.In such a situation, it is inevitable that Gao Sect will feel sad for the death of the rabbit and the fox.

Others can find a way to move south, but those who stay to guard the gate don't have so many choices.Mrs. Wang has always been on good terms with Liu Yuan, and others can't guess what's on her mind.However, the Guo family was unwilling to give up his family's lintel easily.Those poor families who took refuge in the Xiongnu could still change to a high position.If these rich families who have been ministers for many generations voted for Liu Yuan, they would definitely bow their knees to the Huns.Which high family didn't raise a large number of Hu slaves, who would be willing to bow down to their own slaves?

Therefore, if a person who can support Bingzhou emerges, no matter how unsightly he is, he must make friends with him.

No, Guo Tong, the lord of the Shu clan who was left behind by the Guo family, invited Liang Feng to the mansion for a banquet, apparently to celebrate his mother's birthday.There are many female family members of the Guo family who believe in Buddhism, so it is really justified to invite Liang Feng, a disciple of Buddha, to come here.It's just talking about it in private, and it's not the meaning of Buddhist scriptures.

"I heard that Wang Maoshen is seriously ill... Sigh~ it's really not easy to go here and there." The master of the hall sighed softly.

Liang Feng had known about Wang Wen's illness for a long time, but Guo Tong didn't just ask for it when he said this now.Instead, he was inquiring about the current relationship between him and the Wang family of Jinyang.

"Wang Changshi has been ill for two months, and I have sent people to visit him many times. It's just that Yanzhou is far away, and the news is not smooth, which makes people worry." Liang Feng also put on a regretful look.

After the marriage between him and Wang Qiniang fell through, the relationship between the two had indeed been cold for a while.But even if he does not get married, Liang Feng will not push the problem on Wang Wen.Later, taking advantage of Wang Wen's illness, he started exchanging letters again.It's just that the situation of the other party is really not very good. It is probably caused by excessive worry and anger.It is not a cure for medicine.

Seeing that Liang Feng still had contact with Wang Wen, Guo Tong nodded: "I was born in this troubled world, so I can only go with the flow. I heard that King Langya was ordered to leave the town of Jianye, and the Wang family of Langya was also with him. If there is a shelter in the south of the Yangtze River, it is impossible to say There are a large number of gentry traveling south."

Hearing this, Liang Feng's heart trembled.Langya king Sima Rui towned Jianye, isn't this the beginning of the Eastern Jin Dynasty? He still knew "the king and Ma Gong are in the world", and they were talking about the Eastern Jin Dynasty.Wang Yan, who was born in the Wang family of Langya, has now hooked up with Sima Yue. In the period of Wang Dao, he even contributed to the formation of the gentry and the imperial power side by side, which has been sung for thousands of years.

However, he was surprised from the bottom of his heart, Liang Feng deliberately said instead: "Guo Shilang also wants to go south?"

Guo Tong laughed out of surprise: "If I am also going south, what about the Jinyang family business?"

The meaning of the words is clear.He is a sparse sect, he can't get away when he leaves, and he still has to stay at home after all.But the whereabouts of the direct lineage is hard to say.

It seems that the gentry fleeing south is already the general trend.These people never thought about what their abandoned homeland would look like.

But these are not what Liang Feng needs to care about.In fact, the more Gaomen escaped, the better he managed the state.However, it is possible to think so, but not to say so. Liang Feng sighed: "After the puppet emperor is wiped out, Luoyang will be able to deal with the Xiongnu. "

"That's right." Guo Tong nodded in agreement, "This time I asked the envoy to come here, and what I want to talk about is the peace after the chaos. Bingzhou has not been evaluated for three years, and I remember that the envoy was the last batch at that time. Now that most of the six counties have recovered, it is time to restart the Ninth Grade assessment."

Liang Feng's eyebrows twitched when he heard this.Is this about decentralization?

The Zhongzheng official has always been a noble family, and the incumbent official concurrently holds the post. Those who have become official cannot be the Zhongzheng official.Wang Wen was the former Bingzhou Da Zhongzheng, but after he fled, he resigned from the official position, and the Zhongzheng position naturally resigned.It is equivalent to saying that there is no official in Bingzhou.

If it is placed on a normal day, the court will inevitably re-appoint a Zhongzheng.But now that all the states are in chaos, who still cares about the selection of talents?The matter was delayed.And what Guo Tong wants is the position of Dazhongzheng!

The Guo family is the second highest family in Jinyang after the Wang family, and even a few points stronger than the Sun family.With all the descendants of the families fleeing, Guo Tong is indeed qualified to compete for the Zhongzheng position.With the right to select talents, the arrangement of people in Bingzhou, especially the selection and evaluation of the gentry, is in the hands of the people.This is a great right, enough to make people like Guo Tong covet it.

But if he wanted it, could Liang Feng give it easily?

"It would be the best if the evaluation can be restarted. But now there are not one out of ten high-ranking families in Bingzhou. Even if they are judged, most of them are from the common people. What's more..." Liang Feng suppressed his smile, "The soldiers in Bingzhou are in danger. In terms of virtue, I am afraid it is not enough to protect the land and the people."

Guo Tong raised his eyebrows: "What the governor of Liang said, but you want to give up the ninth grade, is it only right?"

This is a bit heavy to say.Talent-based selection was Wei Wu's method of selecting talents back then, but it offended the family too much, causing Wei Wendi to reform the system after he ascended the throne and implement the nine-rank official person law.If Liang Feng dared to speak out about meritocracy, the entire Bingzhou high school would be his enemy!

Liang Feng said calmly: "Guo Shilang speaks seriously. All the magistrates and chiefs of Bingzhou, which one is not from the noble family? It's just that the selection of officials must have both ability and integrity, otherwise it will not only miss their own lives, but also cause the city to fall into the enemy's hands. Zhongzheng officials, You have to be very careful."

These words are all balanced and stable, and there is no fault to be found, but Guo Tong still heard the implication.Officials in the prefectures and counties of Bingzhou need to have both ability and political integrity, but what about the virtuous people recommended to the court?I'm afraid not necessarily.If you want to become a Zhongzheng official, you must make some compromises in the selection and appointment of personnel, at least hand over the personnel rights of Bingzhou.

Are the conditions harsh?In fact, if Guo Tong was the governor of Bingzhou himself, he would not be happy to see mediocre people appearing under his command.It's not surprising that Liang Zixi's foundation is weak, and he has the will to take power.And the stability of Bingzhou is the major premise of everything. If something goes wrong because of the appointment of mediocre talents, wouldn't it be me who suffers?

Just thinking about it, Guo Tong nodded: "Your words are not bad. My Guo family is based in Jinyang, how can I not know the importance?"

Seeing Guo Tong take a step back, Liang Feng smiled slightly: "When Liang first came to Jinyang, he still needs help from various families to gain a foothold. It's really my luck that Guo Shilang is understanding and reasonable."

Guo Tong laughed loudly: "The Shijun and Wang Maoshen have a good relationship, and Sun Wenzhong is the other driver. If you are not good at it, you should do your best."

Wang Wen was born in the Wang family of Jinyang, and Sun Li was born in the Sun family. In addition, Guo Tong, the Guo family's Shuzong, and Jinyang's three great families, were all related to the Governor's Mansion.And with Guo's statement, Liang Feng could justifiably gain a foothold in Bingzhou.This meaning is not trivial.

Liang Feng was also laughing, but the smile never fell into his eyes.These high gates are always troublesome in front of them.If the means are too much, there will be a backlash.But step by step retreat, and it is inevitable that the power will be sidelined.This is just one state, what if the whole country is like this?It's better to wait for the situation to deteriorate further, the city of Luoyang will be broken, and tens of thousands of clothes will travel south.Waiting for all these masters to escape, leaving a blank canvas, we can start writing...

However, as soon as this idea came to the fore, cold sweat broke out on Liang Feng's back.What exactly is he looking forward to?In order to achieve this goal, how many innocent people will die in the wilderness?

His nails sank into his palms, Liang Feng gritted his teeth, and suppressed the chilling thought firmly in his heart.