Delong

In the next few days, the rumors of the three counties in the east and west were flying all over the sky, and they intensified, and even spread to the east, Huaixi and Hebei, and even spread to Dongdu, Jindi, and Jiangdu.

But in fact, at this time, the top executives of the Dragon Gang who were in the center of the whirlpool calmed down, and quickly carried out substantive communication-Zhang and Li quickly carried out the most core benefit distribution exchange, Xu Dalang subdued, and Wang Wulang To express his opinion, Shan Tonghai also received the letter in Hebei and responded quickly.

Don't dare not be calm, where is this?

If there is a conflagration, it will really turn from prosperity to decline and fend for itself, and it is true that a group of mobs have no future.

So, no matter what you think, let's put aside some private filth and ugliness, and only look at the speed of compromise and peace on the surface, which is still very fast... It seems that this crisis has never erupted at all.

But on the other hand, this does not prevent rumors from erupting and spreading.

The reason couldn't be simpler.

First of all, although the public rumors and the real crisis are somewhat misplaced, the former focuses on the so-called long-term confrontation between Zhang Xing and Li Shu, while the latter focuses more on practical issues such as the private soldiers of the powerful in the east, interception of finances, and interference in judicial personnel. It is not contradictory. The reason why Li Shu has been strong until now is that he has his own team who stay behind in a remote place, and the second is that these tyrannical and powerful factions act as shields in the middle; Fang Shi's support has something to do with indulgence, and also has something to do with Zhang Xingbei voluntarily giving up his long-term business in the east.

In other words, the rumors have a real basis.

Secondly, the rumor itself has its own characteristics. They will reproduce themselves, meet the needs of specific groups of people, and interfere with each other, making you unable to grasp the real problem. At this time, you need to deal with it and make the results public, so as to truly alleviate the rumors. .

Unclear responses or ineffective measures will only fuel rumors.

Therefore, as Xu Shiying continued to be under house arrest, his father was dismissed and expelled from the gang, Xiahou Ningyuan and Liu Zhouchen crossed the river to Dongjun. It's not that the atmosphere has eased and the rumors have stopped, but that the rumors have intensified and the atmosphere has become more tense.

The tandem of the middle and upper levels and the turmoil of the middle and lower levels are becoming more and more obvious.

"Who is after Xu Dalang? Could it be our family?"

In a certain manor in Weicheng County, only a few tens of miles away from Weinan, Zhai Kuan, the leader of the Dragon Gang and his cousin among the Zhai brothers, became visibly anxious. "I don't understand. Xu Dalang has always been so powerful, how could he be so quick at critical moments? Xiong Bonan is the same, isn't he known as the number one expert in the gang? Just watching his father-in-law and brother-in-law get arrested? Shan Tonghai, can he not control Xiahou Ningyuan?!"

"According to King Xiongtian's temper, if he really found out, he might take care of Xu Dalang himself." The big leader Zhai Qian sat aside, holding a small melon, sighed slightly, and seemed not in a high mood. "Xiahou Ningyuan... If the order to dispatch troops is stopped, it will be a catastrophe."

"Then what shall we do?" Zhai Kuanda became unhappy. "It must be us when Xu Dalang is finished... shall we just sit and wait?"

Zhai Qian didn't say a word, just eating melons.

"See if you can move the knife." Huang Junhan said aside. "Rumours are flying all over the sky now, and they can say anything. What I mean is, if Zhang Longtou just wants to deal with Xu Dalang and nobody else touches him, but leaves Li Longtou alone, then Zhang Longtou is of course high-handed and ruthless; if Zhang Longtou is To fight rabbits, to take these private soldiers... This matter is indeed reasonable, who in power can bear this? Unless there is a leader, we will suffer from boredom."

"How can you use a knife?" Zhai Qian said a little anxiously after eating the melon. "Didn't I ask? Xu Dalang always has a way, let alone us? Don't say such things."

"At that time, did it find out that there were three thousand soldiers?" Zhai Kuan retorted. "If I were Zhang Longtou, Xu Dalang recruited him at the beginning. He had private soldiers, cut off taxes, smuggled food, promised not to kill him, and kept all his soldiers. Later, when he heard the number of three thousand, he would become angry from embarrassment. , Killed him with a knife! Now it is impossible to say that Xu Dalang is dead!"

"Nonsense, obviously waiting for a decision to show Xu Dalang's big boss... This is to follow the rules."

"Why do you trust him so much?"

"I don't believe him..."

"Stop arguing, both of you." Huang Junhan interrupted helplessly. "There is really no need to argue about this matter. We have been in Dongjun for several lifetimes, and there is no other way out... This matter is nothing more than that if he doesn't cut it down, we will admit it. If he cuts it down, we will fight hard... How can there be a second one? road?"

"Can't you vote for Dongdu?" Zhai Kuan asked angrily.

The pavilion suddenly fell silent.

"Brother Zhai, don't be joking." Huang Junhan reminded seriously. "Whether there is such a word, I am afraid that it is the key to whether or not the knife will be used."

"Brother wants to go to Dongdu, I will kill him first, and then I will kill myself and ask my aunt to apologize." Zhai Qian also spoke suddenly, but it made the pavilion even more shady.

"Just kidding..." Zhai Kuan regained his composure, even panicked. "It's just a matter of talking, why is this?"

"Let's put it this way... Let's keep to ourselves, unless the knife cuts it off, we will admit it." Huang Junhan also hurriedly emphasized. "Don't talk about other things."

With that said, he waved his hand and hurried away.

It was as if he was frightened by Zhai Qian's reaction and Zhai Kuan's stupidity.

After returning to his own manor, which was less than ten miles away, Huang Junhan breathed a sigh of relief, thought for a while, hesitated, and asked someone to invite a Mr. Cui who came to live in this manor last month come meet.

A quarter of an hour later, the man walked up to the courtyard with a high crown and wide sleeves. Huang Junhan immediately stood up to greet him in person.

There is no way, he is not a poor doorman or clerk who asks for five buckets of rice to eat in troubled times, but a decent scholar with a very good background and a place to observe the situation. A native of Wucheng County, a fellow of Dou Lide, the fourth child of Cui's Xiaofang in Qinghe.

I just didn’t know that Zhang Dalongtou was obviously expanding his clerical team in Jiangling. Even Cui 26 and 27 were immediately accepted as confidential documents, and Cui Erlang became the actual chief of the clerical team. The children of Cui's family actually came to the East Territory?
"That's why I came to the East Territory." Cui Xuanchen couldn't help sighing after hearing the narration. "That Zhang Longtou is in Hebei, and he always says that he wants to benefit the whole world, but how can he do it? Everyone has selfish intentions, even the Zhai brothers have different interests, not to mention the current chaos of the Dragon Gang, let alone the whole world. The world is over?"

"Who says it's not?" Huang Junhan sighed quietly. "Everyone's interests are competing, and everyone puts their own first. How can we get together?"

Cui Xuanchen did not speak.

And Huang Junhan seemed to have thought of something, and laughed to himself again: "But I really can't take this to Zhang Longtou, because no matter what, Zhang Longtou doesn't own much."

"Not necessarily." Cui Xuanchen also laughed. "What you people are asking for is not the same as what he is asking for, and the benefits are not the same..."

"That's true." Huang Junhan nodded, as if in a daze. "What great heroes and great heroes seek is merit, and we are ordinary people, asking for some money, food, farms and houses."

"Actually, there are quite a few people in the Dragon Clan who are thoughtful." Cui Xuanchen continued. "Zhang Longtou, Li Longtou, and Xiong Tianwang all have a bed and a bowl of food. They don't even have a servant, and they have nothing to say about their personal interests. Even that Bai Sanniang is in Dengzhou, and her life is clean. , and Chief Wei, who looks like a puppet, and once he made a fortune, he wears brocade and satin clothes, changing new clothes every day, and now he is gradually becoming dull... But according to what you said today, I think the key problem is this matter The key to whether there will be a disaster in the end may lie on the lower floor."

"What do you mean? Which floor?" Huang Junhan lifted his spirits, and was somewhat puzzled again.

"It's Xu Shiying, Shan Tonghai, Zhai Qian, Wang Shuyong, Cheng Zhili, the big leaders who were directly pointed at." Cui Xuanchen spoke calmly, very much like his brother Cui Suchen. "Have you noticed? Although these people are directly targeted, their attitudes are really interesting..."

"Not bad." Huang Junhan immediately came to his senses. "Xu Shiying was the person involved, but he gave in to Zhang Longtou's crossing the river that night and persuaded him all the way to the end; Zhai's second son is the one who is under the most pressure right now, and he always listens to his cousin, and he always listens to me, but today he treats his cousin Said that kind of thing, and kicked me out; Wang Wulang doesn't know, but he probably only sticks to that leader more than these two... But why?"

"Because the interests sought are different." Cui Xuanchen didn't betray anything. "In the beginning, everyone was the same, that is, private soldiers, population, land and houses, money and food. This is the typical profit pursued by the powerful children. It has always been like this, and it was born like this. Come over and tell these people that working with him can make great achievements, great heroes and great heroes. Of course no one believed it at the beginning, but because of the situation, they had to turn around and get together to live together. But in two or three years, that People led them to win many battles, conquer cities, and at the same time keep talking about big principles and rules. If you don't believe it at all, you will gradually become convinced by three or five points, or even Some people believe more. At this time, what these people are chasing for profit is not all the money."

"I see." Huang Junhan came to his senses. "That's the matter, so this group of people can't be hardened anymore, but Zhai Kuan has been standing here all the time... The two brothers are asking for different benefits. It's just that Zhai Qian, a mere county official, is actually thinking about what he can do now Achievement? That what, that him, is he so effective?"

"If you were to be the big boss, get hold of that authority, and then lead the army to fight with them, and win every battle, you will be effective!" Cui Xuanchen shook his head and laughed.

"Then...does Cui Silang want me to introduce Li Longtou?" Huang Junhan sighed and asked curiously again. "Wouldn't it be better to just vote for Zhang Longtou?"

"Two reasons." Cui Xuanchen answered frankly. "First of all, I know that he can confuse people, so I want to stay away, so as not to fall into it and lose my mind; secondly, I also have my own interests... I don't want to work under Zhengzhou Fang Erlang."

"Forget it." Huang Junhan nodded and sat still. "It just so happens that I'm going to visit Jiyin City in the afternoon, so I'll make a statement for you."

Cui Xuanchen also nodded, but stood up and cupped his hands, and then, without waiting for the other party to return the salute, he walked out with his hands behind his back. When he walked out of the courtyard, he could faintly hear the man's words:
"The way of heaven is to make up for what is lacking while damaging enough; the way of man is to make up for what is not enough. I should follow the way of heaven and follow the way of humanity."

"Pretending to be a ghost, playing tricks." Huang Junhan waited for the other party's voice to completely fade away, and couldn't help but say coldly, but he didn't have the enthusiasm before. "Smart is smart, what are you pretending to be? What kind of treasure can you be sent to burn a cold stove?"

After the sarcastic remarks, he sat for another half a day, finally got up, ignored the heat, led the horse straight away, took three or five companions, and hurried towards Jiyin City in the south.

However, as soon as Huang Junhan reached the junction of Jiyin County and Dong County, he bumped into a soldier and horse heading north. He was also flustered, but he had the courage to ask.

The other party heard the words, but was honest, it was Wang Wulang who took the initiative to clean up the private soldiers in Waihuang, Jiyang, and Kuangcheng, gathered 800 people, and was about to go to Baima, Dongjun County to obey orders.

Huang Junhan came to his senses, knowing that this was Wang Wulang's plan for his own "profit", and at the same time he acted straightforwardly, so it was hard to say anything.

Only when he thought about it, he thought of a plan, but he hesitated again - he was thinking, whether he should take advantage of the opportunity of the leader and this army to enter Weicheng County to mislead, so that the always stupid and Zhai Kuan, who trusts himself, thinks this is "a weapon used"?

If Zhai Kuan thought it was Wang Wulang who was ordered to deal with him, wouldn't he have a chance?
However, this idea was just a flash, and he himself felt crazy. He followed Li Shu because he couldn't benefit from Zhang Longtou, and Li Longtou promised some benefits, but if he took this risk for something he didn't get, it would be a real mistake. Not worth it.

So, the man watched the army continue to go north, and finally went south, and arrived at Jiyin City that night, and told Li Shu what he had seen and heard.

Including Cui Silang's affairs, he did not cover up, Duan was a good intermediary.

Compared with the previous few days, for some reason, Li Shu and Li Longtou obviously calmed down a lot. After listening to the introduction, he just sighed: "Zhang Xing is powerful, and if no one wants to stand out, then forget it." ...Unfortunately, Shan Dalang is not here."

Huang Junhan didn't mean that, and naturally nodded repeatedly: "Now that I think about it, Shan Dalang's absence is probably planned by others, saying that it was a rotating holiday, but only Wang Wulang, who has always been close to him, came back, but he was arrested as soon as he came up. Xu Dalang."

"That makes sense." Li Shu nodded casually, feeling somewhat absent-minded. "That Cui Silang, what do you think of this person?"

"There are talents, and they are smarter than me, but it's obvious that the son of the aristocratic family is doing nothing." Huang Junhan blurted out. "Qinghe is occupied, let the more famous Cui Erlang follow Zhang Longtou, let this inferior Cui Silang come to find Li Longtou... who doesn't know?"

"That's the truth." Li Shu was also a little helpless. "But at this time, he is still willing to come to me. He is still Cui's son, and he has some truths in his words, so he has to show some face... Please trouble Huang Tou Ling to bring him here tomorrow."

Huang Junhan wanted to agree.

Unexpectedly, Li Shu waved his hand suddenly: "Forget it, I haven't done anything for a long time, I will take a night walk with you!"

Huang Junhan was dumbfounded.

Li Shu knew that his behavior was jumping, so he explained with a dry smile: "It's not that this person is so outstanding and earth-shattering, but that I have a problem right now, and everyone who can ask it has asked, but I just listen to your words. This person He is more or less a smart person, and he is a foreigner, so he has no extra position, so why not listen to him...you just listen to it!"

With that said, he was about to leave.

Huang Junhan suddenly realized that he wanted to come here on a whim and then return, but he stood still and asked first, "What kind of trouble did Longtou encounter?"

Li Shu was stunned for a moment, knowing that he would not be able to escape today, so he said frankly: "Zhang Xing wants to promise me that the commander-in-chief of the military and government of the three counties in the east and west will open the government and lead the attack on Kinki... Unwilling."

"What is there to be unwilling about?" Huang Junhan was very puzzled. "The land of the three counties was opened, and Kinki was returned..."

Li Shu knew that he couldn't explain to the other party, but he just smiled.

Huang Junhan thought of what Cui Silang said during the day, and sneered in his heart, but he was a little inexplicably flustered and embarrassed, so he nodded, turned around and prepared his horse.

At the second watch, they turned back to the manor in Weicheng County.

At this time, Zhang Xing also saw a young man in the manor of Wang Shuyong's house between Waihuang and Jiyang: "Your name is Mawei?"

"Yes."

The young man said he was a young man, but he was actually about the same age as Zhang Xing and Wang Shuyong, but he was obviously cautious in his speech, coupled with plain clothes, and looked a little shabby under the lights... and also smelled of alcohol.

In fact, on the stone table under the grape arbor where Zhang Xing was sitting, there was a jar of half-drunk wine and a few bunches of unripe grapes.

"Wang Wulang went to see me before, and today he took the initiative to send private soldiers. Is it all your attention?" Zhang Xing touched the wine jar, let out his icy true energy, and continued to ask. "Is there anything to say about this?"

Xie Minghe beside him also kept looking at him.

"What can you say about this?" The young man was a little anxious. "Zhang Longtou is very kind and powerful, and Chief Wang is loyal and reliable. There will never be any problems... However, at the beginning, I couldn't help worrying that Zhang Longtou was angry and killed Chief Xu by mistake, so I asked him to persuade him early; later There are many rumors, and people don't know where the bottom line of the leader is, so that people are panicked. At this time, let Chief Wang hand over his private soldiers and draw a road, just beg for a sense of proportion."

"The word "property" sounds easy to say, but it's actually extremely difficult." Zhang Xing nodded, as if he recognized the other party's judgment of being a private soldier. "Very good."

"But I was still not careful enough. If I had been careful, I should have reminded Chief Wang not to let the private soldiers go from Weicheng County, but to take a detour from Xu Dalang's land in the west, so as not to cause misunderstandings or be caught by someone with a heart. Make it a misunderstanding." Ma Wei still seemed a little uneasy. "And if he is smart, he should simply let Chief Wang take his private soldiers to Jiyin to pay the payment, and let Fangliu deal with it later."

Xie Minghe raised his eyebrows, and instantly regained his energy, and looked at this person with a little more spirit.

Zhang Xing, on the other hand, was stunned for a moment, then nodded, but couldn't help laughing again: "It's a coincidence, some things are unnecessary, especially since you came up with the idea from Wang Wulang, it's good to be careful, unnecessary The move looks brilliant, but it's actually superfluous."

"Indeed." Ma Wei thought for a while, then nodded.

Here at the grape trellis, it was quiet for a while.

Immediately, Zhang Xing asked seriously, "Are you from Chiping?"

"Yes."

"Where did you read the book?"

"On Fang Clan Studies."

"Are you related to Fang?"

"No, it's an admission opportunity bought at a big price."

"Your family is rich?"

"A middle-class family. After my parents died, I sold them out and exchanged them for school opportunities and drinks... For this reason, people in my hometown call me a poor boy."

"Drink less wine."

"..."

"Why don't you go to Jiangling and look for Wang Wulang instead?"

"..."

"That's all right, I'll ask you something again." Zhang Xing saw that the other party was timid on the surface, but actually bold, so he stopped probing. "I am now going to promise Li Shu the status of the military and political commander-in-chief of the three counties in exchange for a peaceful settlement of the disputes within the gang. At the same time, I want him to support me in becoming the sole chief of the gang. Do you think this will work?"

Wang Shuyong was extremely surprised, but immediately felt a little joyful.

"I think it's a bit out of character for Longtou to do this." Ma Wei was thoughtful. "And it's illegal."

"How to say?"

"The leader should gather all the leaders of the gang. According to the gang rules at the beginning, with the consent of two-thirds of the leaders, he should be the chief without relying on the support of any single person. What about the commander-in-chief of the three counties, and a few more commander-in-chiefs, but I think the leader already has a draft, so I won't say anything." Ma Wei blurted out. "As for being unreasonable, it is just that there is no need to communicate with Li Shu himself about this matter. After all, Li Shu has some great ambitions. He still feels that he has suffered a disadvantage. He may not be grateful in his heart... He should directly put this The news tells everyone that the leaders who stayed in the east and the leaders who stayed behind, especially those who are close to Li Shu, asked them to put pressure on Li Shu on behalf of the leader. As for what to say to solve the internal war of the gang, it is even more nonsense. There is peace, unity, and no disputes."

Zhang Xing was silent for a while, then turned to look at Wang Shuyong suddenly, and then complained on the spot: "When Wei Gong was in this village, you let him wear a pair of broken shoes with open toes. Now when Mawei is in this village, you let him Drinking wine without ice in summer...why?"

Wang Shuyong was at a loss for a moment, Xie Minghe twisted his beard and turned his head to laugh.

"That's why I came to see Wang Wulang instead of going to Jiangling." Ma Wei hurriedly said. "Including Duke Wei's choice to come to Wang Wulang Zhuangzi, I'm afraid it's because of this... Leader Wang is simple-minded, and he doesn't deliberately recruit people, but he doesn't hate people because of anything. He comes and leaves whenever he wants, And there's always a jug of wine."

Zhang Xing looked at Wang Shuyong for a while, nodded in conviction, and then looked at the young man in front of him again: "Come and sit down! It doesn't matter whether you are in a curve, or you meet in the rivers and lakes... Come to me, I can always help you at any time." Chill the wine."

"So that the leader can know that no matter in winter or summer, the wine should be drunk hot." Ma Wei corrected seriously. "Drinking cold wine will kill you quickly, and you will really become an extinct boy."

PS: Everyone eats and drinks well during the Chinese New Year.