Chapter 112 Local Powers

Chapter 112 Local Powers

Chapter 112 Local Powers
When Shao Xun arrived at Zhou's house, the moon was already high above the willows.

He brought fifty soldiers with him and entered through a small door. He didn't want people to notice him, but he was also afraid of being tricked, so he put himself in this embarrassing state.

The servant of Zhou's residence wanted to usher him in, but Shao Xun stopped him and asked, "Who else is coming to the banquet tonight?"

"Guerrilla General Wang Hu, Inspector of the Imperial Capital Liu Tun, Shangshu You Pushe Xun Fan, Zhongshu Shilang Zhou Xi, Shiyushi Zhou Mu..." The servant said the names of more than a dozen people in succession.

When Shao Xun heard this, he was like, "Wow! If we arrest people according to the list, the royalists will definitely suffer a heavy blow."

He hesitated and planned to run away.

Unexpectedly, the host Zhou Fu came in person and said with a smile: "Young Master has just arrived and left again. If the news spreads, outsiders will think that I did not entertain him well. Come, follow me to meet some talented people in the court."

After saying this, he personally took Shao Xun's right arm and pulled him to the seat with a smile.

Shao Xun couldn't refuse, so he followed him to the table.

When you show courtesy to others, you must be asking for something. Before Shangguan Si entered the city, Zhou Fu did not have this attitude towards him.

The banquet had been going on for most of the day. The table was in a mess, and many of the guests were drunk and talking loudly.

"I heard that the Crown Prince was deposed, and some people in Hebei are ready to make a move, and seem to have rebellious intentions." Someone said loudly: "In my opinion, it is better to execute the King of Chengdu to put an end to their thoughts."

"It's not their fault, they just followed the wrong person. When Qi Wang Jiong was in power, He Xu and Dong Ai were his right-hand men, and there were also five officials including Lu Xiu and Wei Yi. Where are they now?"

"What are you talking about? These people were lucky enough to rise to high positions. They are just monkeys in human form. The King of Qi is so powerful that he is bullying the weak and forcing the weak. Their defeat is inevitable."

"Drink, drink."

When Shao Xun walked into the hall, he heard these words.

At this time, he suddenly realized that the so-called royalists were not really loyal to the emperor, or not all of them were loyal to the emperor. Most of them were from good families and held high positions, but they did not have many resources at hand. In the rounds of reshuffles in the court, they could not get enough benefits, so they were forced to unite around the emperor.

Take the reign of King Sima Jiong of Qi as an example. His right-hand men He Xu, Dong Ai and five great meritorious officials Lu Xiu, Wei Yi, Liu Zhen, Han Tai and Ge Yu were all granted the titles of dukes and marquises, and they formed a group to exclude others.

For example, Gu Rong was driven out of the shogunate by Ge Yi and became an official in the court. Wang Bao dared to speak out and was killed.

If a political group cannot effectively absorb fresh blood and do a good job of united front work, what vitality does it have?

He, Dong, Lu and others provided great help when Sima Jue was starting out, but their family background was limited to local prefectures and counties, and their influence did not go beyond the circle. They could only be called small aristocratic families. Once they came to the capital, they lost their minds and started buying and selling official positions, indulging themselves without restraint, arbitrarily killing people, etc., and they refused to share the benefits with the aristocratic families and high-ranking officials, forcing these people to become royalists.

The fact that King Sima Yi of Changsha was able to miraculously turn the tide with the help of more than a hundred people may not have been without the contribution of these so-called royalists.

"Gentlemen, this young man is the Palace General Shao Xun. He is resolute and brave in battle, extremely brave and heroic. The fact that Luoyang is safe and sound is all thanks to him." Zhou Fu pulled Shao Xun and introduced him loudly.

Everyone at the table was already about 70% drunk, and their reactions to what he said varied.

Xun Fan glanced at Shao Xun and asked drunkenly, "The title of General in the Palace was obtained through meritorious service in the Palace. Do you feel at ease with this achievement?"

Zhou Fu's face changed, and he said, "Tai Jian, please stop talking nonsense. Capturing Sima Yi is a move to restore order, and it is a great achievement. Don't talk nonsense."

"Hmph! The King of Donghai recommended you as the Chief Justice, and then recommended you as the Governor of Henan. You seem so proud of yourself that it seems you have forgotten about your old friends." Xun Fan drank a glass of wine with his gulp and sneered.

The others were either sitting or lying, watching Zhou and Xun bickering, and from time to time they cast their eyes towards Shao Xun, who was dressed in a military uniform, with a look of gloating.

Shao Xun looked at these people with a calm expression.

I have heard for a long time that those who supported Qi Wang Jiong to come to the capital to govern the country were mostly local nobles, while those who supported Sima Yi were mostly aristocratic families who held high positions but did not control the military power or money. It seems that this is the group of people.

They supported Sima Yi in the war, but because they held high positions and did not have real power over money, food, and weapons, their support was not strong enough. After another group of aristocratic families colluded with the generals of the imperial guards and jointly promoted Sima Yue as the leader, they were defeated.

But what is ridiculous is that, perhaps precisely because their support was not strong enough, coupled with their prominent family background, they have not been purged and are still in high positions today.

They are just losers from Sima Yi's faction. They just stick together for warmth and complain. They are not worth taking too seriously.

"When Xun Pushe returned to Luo from Yecheng, he looked hungry and disheveled. Did he still remember the two Hu bings from Hanoi?" Shao Xun walked slowly into the arena, looked at Xun Fan with wide eyes, and asked with a smile.

He knew why Xun Fan targeted him. Wasn't it because he killed his eldest son Xun Sui? He still holds a grudge against him.

He felt a little regretful. If he had known Xun Fan was here today, he would not have come here.

"General Wang, I haven't seen you for a long time. How are you?" Shao Xun walked up to another person and saluted.

"General Shao..." Wang Hu stood up and returned the greeting.

He looked at the excessively young boy in front of him and was slightly dazed.

More than a year ago, this young man named Shao Xun had just become famous for killing Meng Chao. He was then selected by the Minister of Works to capture Sima Yi in the palace. He was selected as a filial and honest official and promoted to Lieutenant Sima. He then reorganized the Wang Guojun, preserved Luoyang, welcomed the emperor back, and finally became a general in the palace.

Shao Xun has been so dazzling in the past year or so.

Looking back at himself, he reached the peak of his reputation in the Battle of Jianchun Gate, and then enjoyed a period of prosperity. In the end, he wavered between Sima Ying and Sima Yue, and lost everything after the failure of the Northern Expedition.

The imperial guards were being rebuilt in the capital, and even if he could take up a high position, it would only be a return to a year ago. In the end, he even missed the opportunity to become the general of the left and right guards, and could only command a small number of troops, the same as the man in front of him.

The mysterious changes in circumstances really make people feel at a loss.

"I admire General Wang's talent." Shao Xun bent down, filled Wang Hu's glass with wine, and said, "In terms of the skill of using cavalry, no one in Luoyang can match you. General, don't be discouraged. As long as you have the opportunity, you will definitely achieve great things and bring honor to your family."

Wang Hu felt warm in his heart and his nose was a little blocked when he heard this.

The nobles and wealthy families in the capital only regarded him as a fickle villain, and their words were full of sarcasm. Even if he attended the banquet today, he could only sit at the last seat and smile apologetically during the meal.

But Shao Xun is not like that.

He doesn't look at his past or ask about his family background; he only cares about his own abilities.

Shao Xun stretched out his hand, took the wine bottle from a maid, filled it up for himself, and then whispered to Wang Hu: "General Wang, don't get involved in political struggles. You are not suitable for this. Be pure."

After saying that, he drank it all and left.

Everyone present may be of noble family background, well-educated, or famous, but in Shao Xun's opinion, none of them are worth making friends with. Only Wang Hu is worthy of his words of advice.

There are few talented cavalrymen in the Central Plains, and even fewer who can command large-scale cavalry groups in combat.

When the Luoyang Central Army was at its peak, it had a fairly large cavalry organization, which was a rare group of professional cavalry talents in the Central Plains.

Different from the grassland herdsmen who practiced riding skills in their daily lives and tactics when hunting, the cavalry in the Central Plains were all recruited soldiers and professional warriors. They did not have to worry about their lives and only needed daily training.

In terms of the time spent on riding, they may not necessarily spend less time than the grassland herdsmen, and may even spend more time, because they do not have to do miscellaneous work or rush for a living. There is only one thing in their lives: training their riding and combat skills.

This was a cavalry unit whose combat effectiveness far exceeded that of its opponents, but unfortunately it was consumed bit by bit in the war.

Wang Hu was surrounded by hundreds of cavalry officers and veterans who had escaped. They had a close relationship and often interacted with each other.

He also knew some other cavalry generals, each of whom had dozens of people gathered around them.

These are all valuable resources. With them as the backbone, if there is enough money, food and horses, the establishment of the imperial cavalry can be restored little by little. In troubled times, talents are the most important.

No matter how bad Wang Hu's character is, he has professional skills and a bright future.

The premise is to stop playing politics!
The water here is too deep. If you really can't control it, you will only ruin yourself.

Zhou Fu pulled Shao Xun over, apologized to everyone, and came to the back hall, saying with a wry smile: "What a pity! I wanted to let you meet some people, but I didn't expect it to turn out like this."

"Duke Zhou, they and I are not the same kind of people. There is nothing to regret." Shao Xun said.

"But you still came today." Zhou Fu looked into Shao Xun's eyes and said.

A person's eyes reveal a lot.

Shao Xun's eyes are very bright, containing confidence, ambition and infinite yearning for the future.

He had seen such people before, mostly in the circle of scholars.

During entertainment, they were the center of attention of the men and women.

When they were engaged in idle conversation, they could defeat others in arguments.

When they were in politics, they were resourceful and decisive, and rose rapidly in status.

Shao Xun has that meaning.

His confidence and ambition came from his conquest of women and power. Zhou Fu was a little curious. He already knew Shao Xun's ability in the army, but with such a family background, what kind of woman could he conquer? Could it be that his mistress, Mrs. Pei, introduced him to a girl from an aristocratic family?

"Coming here today..." Shao Xun pondered.

"No need to say more, everything is self-explanatory." Zhou Fu interrupted Shao Xun with a smile and said, "The emperor often mentions you, and the queen also praises you highly."

Zhou Fu's words were quite sincere up to this point.

Of course the emperor has a good impression of Shao Xun, but he will not take the initiative to win over Shao Xun. He is not capable of doing such a complicated thing.

Well, the matter is very simple. It was actually the Queen's idea to invite him to the banquet today.

How did Yang Xianrong know my whereabouts? Did she send someone to monitor me all day?
Shao Xun wanted to make her scream.

In addition, he thought of another point: Is Yang Xianrong now the agent of the Heavenly Family?
Based on his superficial understanding of Yang Xianrong, the Queen didn't seem to care much about the Jin court, and even had a hint of malice towards her.

All she cares about is herself.

If the Jin Dynasty court could bring her benefits and allow her to live a more stable life, she would help the Jin Dynasty court.

If one day something brings her nothing but harm, she will kick it over without hesitation.

This woman seems to be broken.

Judging from the current situation, Sikong has been "living in a small town" in the East China Sea and never comes to Luoyang, so don't blame him for gradually losing control of the court.

Even with Sima Ying's great power, he was unable to control the situation in Yecheng, let alone Sima Yue who won the battle with the help of his brothers.

Do you really think that local forces in Luoyang do not exist?

Most of the members of this power group were not from Luoyang. To be precise, they were the high-ranking aristocratic bureaucratic group and the imperial guard group (which has been destroyed) rooted in Luoyang.

You, Sima Yue, in Luoyang, may be able to influence this group, just like when you organized them to march north to Yecheng.

But if you are not here, your influence will decline. Over time, people will introduce a new candidate, just like when Sima Yue was introduced to deal with Sima Yi and Sima Ying.

In the six months since Sima Yue lost his position, Wang Yan had already formed his own faction with many followers.

Zhou Fu's group seemed to have close ties with the royal family and could be considered royalists.

The Imperial Guards that are about to be rebuilt will also be joined by some of the Northern Expedition soldiers who escaped back, and together with the East Sea Kingdom Army, they will form a new Imperial Guards group - to be honest, of the current East Sea Kingdom Army of more than 10,000 people, more than 90% are not from East Sea, but due to historical issues, the middle and senior officers are still from East Sea.

If Sima Yue delays any further and fails to return to the capital, the situation will become even more delicate - now some people are trying to win over Shao Xun, and in the future they will try to win over Mi Huang, and some are already doing so.

Even the military advisor Cao Fu would gradually develop a rift with Sima Yue, and their distrust would intensify.

Everything is happening again.

"If Duke Zhou has anything to say, please speak frankly," Shao Xun said.

Zhou Fu smiled mysteriously and said, "Why do you say that? The Du Bo Chen Yougen who drove the emperor's chariot has been selected by the court and appointed by the emperor himself as the 'Deputy General' (ninth rank). If you hadn't refused, you would have been a talented general by now, and there would be other advantages."

Shao Xun didn't want to ask what the "greatness" was. He was not familiar with these people and didn't want to join them.

Zhou Fu waited for a while, and seeing that Shao Xun didn't say anything, he could only ask, "Young Master, you haven't married yet, right?"

"No."

"If you want to move up, you need someone to support you." Zhou Fu said with a smile: "Why don't you let me be the matchmaker..."

"No thanks." Shao Xun waved his hand, stood up and said, "I am very satisfied with meeting Zhu Junyan today. It's time to say goodbye."

Zhou Fu sighed regretfully and stood up to see him off.

After a while, he returned to the back hall.

"How is it?" Liu Tun, the Inspector of the Imperial Capital, came over and asked.

"Be more cautious." Zhou Fu said.

"But there is still a chance, right?" Liu Tun said with a smile.

It was the Queen's idea to win over General Shao Xun, and they were just executing it. She was not very optimistic about him because he fought hard for Sima Yue and did a lot of dirty things. He should be a confidant, but the Queen was very sure that he had ambitions and could be won over.

Now it seems that, as the Queen said, Shao Xun can be won over, just like other officials who once defected to the Yue government.

"Is there any news from Shi Yan?" Zhou Fu asked again.

"He replied, 'Jin Gu Garden is an ominous place, you can make your own decision.'" Liu Tun said.

"He is quite free and easy." Zhou Fu said with a smile.

Since Shi Yan doesn't want Jingu Garden and has offered the land deed, things will be easy.

Go to the palace tomorrow, inform the Queen, and send a servant to deliver the land deed to the Shao Mansion.

When giving a gift, you should give the person something they like and something they cannot refuse.

(End of this chapter)