Qin Gong

Chapter 703: The Qi nobles who are behind the scenes

"Return to Xianyang?"

"Xianyang!"

Outside the mansion, Bao, Zhao Qiu and others who learned the news were all surprised. Looking at Bai Yan who was talking with Tian Dan and others in the distance, they were a little worried whether something had happened in Xianyang and why Bai Yan was urgently recalled to Xianyang at this time.

Finally, after waiting for a while, I saw Bai Yan coming over.

"What happened in Xianyang?"

Zhao Qiu asked proactively.

In his spare time, Zhao Qiu rarely paid attention to Bai Yan. However, when something really happened, Zhao Qiu was always the first to ask Bai Yan. This was also the reason why Mr. Wei asked Zhao Qiu to keep an eye on Bai Yan.

"The king is going to Yongqi to worship his ancestors, and he has ordered me to return to Xianyang to accompany him!"

Bai Yan explained to Zhao Qiu, and then handed the emergency summons directly to Zhao Qiu.

"Ying Zheng is offering sacrifices to his ancestors? Why did you come all the way from Qi to Xianyang?"

When Zhao Qiu saw the urgent summons, she frowned slightly and looked at Bai Yan with some worry in her beautiful eyes.

There seemed to be no problem with this urgent summons. It seemed that Bai Yan had made many contributions to the Qin State, and Ying Zheng wanted Bai Yan to accompany him to Yongqi to worship his ancestors. All this was normal.

However! Previously, Ying Zheng gave the military power of the Northern Frontier to Bai Yan, obviously wanting Bai Yan to stay in the Northern Frontier. And some time ago, after the establishment of Qi County and Langya County in Qi, the county governor Meng Shang and the county lieutenant Qin Gu came to Linzi. When they met Bai Yan, they never mentioned that Ying Zheng wanted Bai Yan to return to Xianyang and accompany him to Yongqi for sacrifice.

Obviously, this news was a sudden idea of ​​Ying Zheng. No one knew why, but he wanted Bai Yan to return to Xianyang immediately.

"Don't worry too much, maybe he just really wants me to accompany him to worship Xian!"

Bai Yan looked at Zhao Qiu's worried expression and comforted him with a smile.

However, as soon as the words came out, they attracted Zhao Qiu's "contemptuous" look, as if he sneered at Bai Yan's words.

"I'll have someone inform your master later and ask him to return to Yanmen in advance!"

Zhao Qiu sighed and looked at Bai Yan unhappily.

If Ying Zheng knew about Yunxue Academy, the first thing he would do would be to investigate. Yanmen would also send news, so Yunxue Academy would be ruled out. As for Elder Wei...

Nor is it!
If Ying Zheng knew that Mr. Wei was with Bai Yan, he would not let Bai Yan return to Xianyang alone!

Excluding Yunzhong Academy and Mr. Wei, the place that needs to be most vigilant now is Yanmen. No matter what happens when Bai Yan returns to Xianyang, Yanmen is Bai Yan's foundation and the biggest reliance of Bai Yan and his people. Nothing can go wrong.

Even Mr. Wei has said this again and again.

Therefore, Zhao Qiu knew very well that if Bai Yan wanted to return to Xianyang, then in Yanmen, not only would Old Wei have to go back early, but even Xun Shuo who was going to Jucheng would probably have to return to Yanmen as soon as possible.

"Well! You can tell the teacher!"

Bai Yan said in agreement, turned to look at Bao, grandmother, mother and others who were worried, smiled and indicated that there was no need to worry.

"Grandma, mother, Yan'er will rush to Xianyang first!"

Seeing that the carriage was ready, Bai Yan was about to say goodbye. He had to return to Xianyang suddenly. The Qin army had already set off, and Yang Yan still had some things to tell him. Bai Yan did not dare to delay too much at the moment.

As for the Bao family, although Bai Yan doesn't need to worry because Zhao Qiu and Wei Lao are there, he still thinks about returning to Xianyang.

"Would you like to follow Yan to Xianyang?"

Bai Yan looked at Bao and asked.

Bai Yan was serious when he said this. Tian Feiyan had always wanted to meet Bao Shi. As early as in Yanmen, when Tian Feiyan first came to Shanwu with his brother Tian Cong, he had seen the embroidery on Bai Yan's clothes.

Although Tian Feiyan did not ask at that time, he seemed to have remembered it in his heart, so he asked his brother Tian Cong privately and learned that there was no special embroidery on the Qin official uniforms. Tian Feiyan kept it in mind. Later, Tian Feiyan followed his father Tian Ding to Qin again and met Bai Yan. He also clearly saw that Bai Yan's clothes were embroidered with exquisite totems.

These are the things that Tian Feiyan told him after he married her.

"You don't know what you will encounter when you return to Xianyang this time. Why are you asking my sister to go to Xianyang at this time?"

When Bao faced Bai Yan's gaze and was hesitating, Zhao Qiu suddenly spoke up and reminded Bai Yan.

Bai Yan heard this and thought about it, and it seemed to be true.

After hearing what Zhao Qiu said, Bao nodded and looked at Bai Yan with her beautiful eyes, worried that if anything happened, she would hold Bai Yan back.

"I am waiting for you at Yanmen! If there is a chance in the future, I will follow you to Xianyang!"

Bao said softly, one of her little hands tightly grasping the corner of her clothes, the other hand being held by Bei.

At this moment, not to mention Xi, whose heart was almost melted by Bao's appearance, even the elderly grandmother, looking at Bao, couldn't help thinking that it was fortunate that she met Feiyan, otherwise, Bao would be regarded as a daughter-in-law by her daughter Xi.

During this period of contact, it was found that Bao was not only considerate, well-behaved and sensible, with a beauty that was as pretty as Zhao Qiu and Fei Yan, but she also had the habit of sewing.

Even the old lady, my grandmother, couldn't imagine how a woman who had no worries about food and clothing and lived a life of luxury could be like Bao, who gave up going out to play, gave up enjoying the days of being served, and embroidered for others with needle and thread day after day in the hope of peace.

Every pattern on a piece of clothing, every stitch and thread, the energy and time required, only those who have experienced it can understand the hardships and difficulties involved. What is even more precious is the persistence day after day and year after year.

Having a woman like this as his wife, who is willing to spend her youth, time, energy and hands on sewing, I am afraid that any man in the world would wake up happily even in his sleep.

Not to mention Bao, who is still so beautiful.

"Youhao, Qiu'er, Shi'er, since Yan'er is going to Xianyang, why don't you stay in Linzi and spend more time with me and my grandmother, okay?"

Xi held Bao's hand tightly and asked softly.

It seemed that compared to worrying about this child, Shi Xi was more reluctant to let Shi Bao and Zhao Qiu leave!

Bai Yan looked at his mother's appearance, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. However, after hearing what Zhao Qiu and Bao said, he no longer had the idea of ​​letting Bao go to Xianyang. Seeing Bao politely rejecting his mother, Master Xu and Zhao Qiu also declined. Bai Yan turned around and saw his father, uncle and others coming over, so he stepped forward and told his father, uncle and others about going to Xianyang.

"Xianyang?"

Shui Shou, his father, uncle and others had been waiting for Bai Yan beside the carriage. When they saw several Qin officials and Qin soldiers hurriedly looking for Bai Yan, they were curious about what had happened.

Bai Yan actually said that Xianyang urgently summoned him and he had to rush back to Xianyang immediately!

"Follow the King of Qin to...offer sacrifices?"

Ji Gu and Ji You looked at Bai Yan, and thought that Ying Zheng actually asked Bai Yan to accompany him to Yongqi for sacrifice. When they thought of Ying Zheng's appearance, the uncle and nephew shuddered and looked at Bai Yan strangely.

In Linzi City.

Bai Yan's departure from Linzi had already attracted the attention of countless nobles, so many of them had already arranged spies to keep an eye on him inside and outside the city, where traffic was surging. When they learned that Bai Yan left the city and seemed to be heading towards Qufu, all the nobles were dumbfounded.

Wasn't Bai Yan going to head north and return to Yanmen? Why was he heading towards Qufu now?
What happened?
The puzzled nobles couldn't calm down until they knew the reason why Bai Yan went to Qufu. During this period of time, the nobles of Chu, Wei and Yan were badly treated badly by Bai Yan, and they were also scared!

These foreign nobles, when they came to Linzi in the past, all clung to each other because they all had the "powerful Qin" as their biggest enemy. Therefore, they not only had endless hatred to express, but also endless words to say to each other, and their relationship was very close.

Moreover, these nobles had connections with each other in Linzi, which made their influence more and more extensive. Many nobles in Qi became friendly with them and came to win them over. Their lives became better and better. In the end, because of the prosperity of Linzi, the life of these foreign nobles in Linzi was not worse than that in their hometown.

However, with the appearance of Bai Yan, everything started to change. First, Bai Yan led the Qin cavalry to the city and surrounded Linzi, causing unrest in the city. Later, the King of Qi surrendered, and Bai Yan led his troops into the city. Later, Bai Yan used some unknown means to capture the escaped old ministers of Chu, Wei and Yan in the city. This made the gentry of Wei, Chu and Yan start to live in fear all day long and began to be wary of the gentry of Qi.

Before they could recover from their fear, a notice for household registration appeared in the city. Frightened, many nobles rushed to register. However, Bai Yan's subsequent actions completely made them despair.

In just a few days, the close relationships among all the noble families in Chu, Wei and Yan began to break down. All the noble families were wary of each other and suspicious of each other, and the noble families that already had some conflicts even engaged in a life-and-death struggle.

And with the chaos among the nobles in these three places, all the registered residences of the nobles from Chu, Wei and Yan who came to Qi were unknowingly taken over by the Qin State!
How could they not despair!
Now, after finally waiting for Bai Yan to leave Linzi, they had already prepared fine wine and delicious food, and were just waiting for Bai Yan to leave Linzi so that they could celebrate together and repair their relationship as good friends. But then they received news that Bai Yan was not going north!
This made the nobles in the three places feel anxious again!
now.

In Linzi city, not only the nobles from Chu, Wei and Yan gathered together, but also the old families of Qi State in the city. The noble men all gathered in their respective mansions at this moment, discussing with confusion.

In Mr. Lu's mansion, Xu Ni and Zhan Maoshen were talking with Mr. Lu and others.

Inside the main hall, behind each wooden table were people kneeling and sitting, all of them were descendants of the Lu family, as well as a few men from other aristocratic families.

At this moment, all these people were whispering and talking to each other.

"Why doesn't Bai Yan go north?"

"Yes! Then Bai Yan must not stay in Linzi. We have worked so hard to plot Bai Yan's departure behind his back..."

"Did Bai Yan discover that it was us, the nobles of Qi, who were behind this..."

From the conversations of the men behind the wooden table, it was not difficult to hear from their words that Bai Yan's departure from Linzi was not only supported by the involvement of the gentry from Chu, Wei and Yan, but also by the gentry from Qi who were secretly fanning the flames.

“My Lord! My Lord!!!”

Suddenly, a servant hurriedly walked into the main hall from outside and saluted Mr. Lu.

"Sir, I have learned that Bai Yan did not go north because of an urgent summons from Xianyang! Instead, he must rush to Xianyang immediately!"

The servant reported.

After hearing the servant's words, all the men on both sides of the main hall looked surprised and astonished, and then they breathed a sigh of relief, and their tense expressions finally relaxed.

“Although we’re not heading north, it’s good to be away from Linzi!”

"That's right. Now that we are in the city, we don't have to worry anymore!"

"Haha, no matter what, we have to go to the restaurant tonight and not leave until we are drunk..."

Inside the main hall, the sound of discussion and laughter from the aristocratic men could be heard one after another. Without exception, young and old, all had happy expressions on their faces, as if they had been looking forward to Bai Yan's departure from Linzi for many days.

"An urgent summons from Xianyang?"

Old Lu frowned slightly, looking at the young men of the clan with smiles on their faces. He knew the personalities of those men. Old Lu did not care about the words of the men. What Old Lu cared more about was why Bai Yan was suddenly summoned back to Xianyang. This seemed a little abnormal.

"Although we are not heading north, as long as Bai Yan leaves Linzi, it will be a good thing!"

Zhan Maoshen saw Mr. Lu's appearance, exchanged glances with Xu Ni, and spoke softly.

"Yes! Although Bai Yan has always been friendly with us and has fulfilled his promises in the past, Bai Yan is not a good person after all, and his methods are even more difficult to guard against. With Bai Yan in Linzi, we, the nobles of Qi, can't feel at ease. It is better to let Meng Shang and Qin Gu take power. These two are timid by nature, honest and dutiful, and easier to control! Now that Bai Yan has left Qi, we can also breathe a sigh of relief!"

Xu Ni also looked at Mr. Lu and sighed.

When Bai Yan led his troops to besiege Linzi in the past, he invited Xu Ni, Zhan Maoshen and others to meet in Shui Village through Chen Ze and Fu Yao. Bai Yan also promised in front of everyone that after the demise of Qi, all the Chu, Wei and Yan gentry who remained in Qi would be moved to Guanzhong in Qin, and that these gentry families in Qi would not be affected at all.

Therefore, when Bai Yan led his troops to besiege Linzi, during the period of persuading King Jian of Qi to surrender, the noble families in the cities across Qi had no intention of helping the King of Qi, nor did they make trouble in secret, allowing Bai Yan to successfully conquer Qi in the end.

Afterwards, Bai Yan did fulfill his promise. He only sent some people to various cities to symbolically persuade them to surrender. He had no intention of taking action against them, nor did he send people to investigate them secretly. As for the gentry in Chu, Wei and Yan, it had been confirmed from Meng Shang, Qin Gu, Yunyang Jun Yingdan and Ying Hui that Bai Yan had already written to Xianyang, requesting Ying Zheng to move the gentry in Chu, Wei and Yan to Guanzhong.

From the beginning to the end, Bai Yan never broke his promise to the Qi nobles, but...

If you sleep with a tiger, you will be on guard!
As for Bai Yan, who served as the Great Minister of Qin, all the noble families in Qi, without exception, did not dare to take him lightly, and they did not dare to have the slightest thought of disobeying or rebelling against him.

Thinking of Bai Yan's power and the army under his command, everyone was very scared, afraid that one day, they would become the one that Bai Yan wanted to get rid of.

Therefore, under the oppression, when they confirmed that Bai Yan had submitted the letter, and saw that Bai Yan had alienated the forces of Chu, Wei, and Yan, causing the disintegration of the gentry in Chu, Wei, and Yan, the gentry in Qi secretly gathered together, and after discussion, they decided to join forces with the teachers of the Jixia Academy and find ways to make Bai Yan leave Linzi and leave Qi.

Only after Bai Yan left Qi could they fall asleep.

Just like all the men in the main hall now, only Bai Yan is not here. They are only in Linzi City and can regain their former ease and comfort.

"I don't know why there is an urgent summons from Xianyang! Let's go and see Master Pei!"

When Old Lu heard what Zhan Maoshen and Xu Ni said, he sighed. Thinking of Bai Yan going to Xianyang, he was still a little worried, so he slowly stood up and decided to go see Master Pei and let Master Pei find out some news about Xianyang through Ying Dan, Ying Hui and others.

"it is good!"

Zhan Maoshen and Xu Ni looked at each other, nodded, and stood up. Looking at the men in the main hall, they were excited and eager to go out to have fun in the city. They couldn't help but smile.

When they return to their respective families and tell their clansmen the news, I'm sure their clansmen will agree.

With Bai Yan around, they really felt uneasy!

........................

Xianyang, Qin State.

In the study of the palace, Han Yezhe came to the study late at night with someone.

"Your Majesty, the old gentleman has been brought here!"

Han Yezhe bowed his head and saluted to Ying Zheng, and the person following behind Han Yezhe was none other than the fake old man who Bai Yan had ordered Gui to escort to Xianyang when he was in Linzi.

(End of this chapter)