Chapter 456: Old and cunning
Chapter 456: Old and cunning
Xiao Xia robbed the salt profits of the Guanlong nobles in Jiangnan Road. The whole court knew about it. How could Wei Chong not know? Wasn't his Wei family's salt profits in Wujun also robbed by Xiao Xia?
Wei Chong understood what Yuwen Shu meant. Since the Wei family and the Guanlong nobles were both victims of salt profits, why didn't they join forces to deal with Xiao Xia?
But in fact, Wei Chong did not want to discuss cooperation with the Dugu family or the Yuan family. He was worried that the Guanlong nobles would seize his control over Yang Ling. If he failed to suppress Xiao Xia and lost control of the King of Qi, he, Wei Chong, would lose everything.
Wei Chong laughed dryly and said, "Xiao Xia's dredging of Shanyang Du is almost complete, but not a single civilian has died, and the court has not provided any money or grain. Isn't General Yuwen afraid that he will use this as a political achievement?"
What Wei Chong meant was to remind Yuwen Shu that Xiao Xia's ability highlights your incompetence. If you cooperate with me to deal with Xiao Xia, I promise not to give him the opportunity to step on you.
But Wei Chong's words annoyed Yuwen Shu. Yuwen Shu's face darkened and he said, "I have discussed this matter with the emperor before. Tongji Canal and Shanyang Canal are not comparable at all. In the era of the previous emperor, Shanyang Canal was dredged on a large scale over several years. This time it is only widened by three meters, and there is no need to dig deeper. The amount of work is very small, and there is no disturbance by the people due to demolition. Of course, there will not be any big problems. However, thousands of soldiers died in the resistance to demolition in Tongji Canal, and hundreds of people died in the forced demolition of Shanyang Canal. Why didn't Prime Minister Wei say anything?"
Wei Chong was turned down and had to exchange a few words of greeting before getting up to leave. Yuwen Shu was too lazy to see him off and asked his second son Yuwen Shiji to do it for him.
Soon, Yuwen Shiji came to his father's study and bowed, saying, "I have sent Prime Minister Wei away."
"Did he say anything?"
"He said his father couldn't see through the interests of the Yuwen family!"
"Hmph, he knows shit!" Yuwen Shu cursed angrily.
Yuwen Shiji was silent for a moment and said, "Father, I also think that Yang Ling is more in line with the interests of our family."
"How could I not know?"
Yuwen Shu said coldly: "I just don't want to be used by Wei Chong. Does he think that others can't understand his little tricks and that others are fools? I have seen through him a long time ago. He can only play tricks all day long and has no ability at all!"
At this time, the eldest son Yu Wenhuaji walked in and said, "Father, the Wei family is the representative of the Guanlong family after all. They have been intermarried with the Wenxi Pei family for generations. We must not underestimate them!"
Perhaps it was because he had reached a certain age, but after serving as the General of Wuhou Guard for two years, Yu Wenzhi suddenly became much more mature during these two years, transforming from a playboy who spent his days pursuing women to a treacherous and sinister politician.
Yuwen Shu waved his hand and asked his two sons to sit down. "There are some things you don't know. Let me tell you why I don't want to cooperate with the Wei family. Wei Yue was appointed as the governor of Wu County five years ago. As soon as he arrived, he took over the salt industry in Wu County. He also used the Wu County tyrant Liu Kun to handle it for him and used various means to make money. As a result, Xiao Xia drove Wei Yue away as soon as he took office. Not only did he drive him away, he also killed the tyrant Liu Kun and robbed the wealth accumulated by the Wei family over the years. Some people say it is 200,000 strings of cash, and some say it is 300,000 strings of cash.
But no matter how much, with so much wealth lost, if it were me, I would definitely fight back. I could hire assassins to kill Xiao Xia, or burn down Xiao Xia's Xihai Trading Company. But the Wei family didn't dare to say a word. I knew that this kind of person is unreliable. If you cooperate with him, he will push you up and hide behind himself. If things get bad, he will even sell you out."
Yuwen Shiji nodded, "Father, now that you say that, I also feel that the Wei family is indeed incompetent!"
"In fact, it's not only incompetent, but also unwise!"
Yuwen Shu added: "I was chatting with Yuanshou before, and I learned that the Guanlong nobles have always wanted to cooperate with Qi Wang Yang Ling and push him to the position of crown prince." "This is a good thing!" Yuwen Ji said.
Yuwen Shu snorted, "It's indeed a good thing, but why not? Because Wei Chong was worried that their family's interests would be damaged, he joined forces with several major families to persuade the King of Qi not to cooperate with the Guanlong nobles. They convinced the King of Qi, and the King of Qi politely declined the Guanlong nobles' solicitation.
That is why I say Wei Chong is stupid and narrow-minded. If the Guanlong nobles supported the King of Qi, the King of Qi would have returned to the capital to handle state affairs for the emperor, and his interests would not have been harmed. "
The two brothers nodded together and said, "Father is indeed very insightful. Wei Chong is indeed not worthy of making close friends with!"
Yuwen Shu gnashed his teeth for a while and said, "But Xiao Xia is also a thorn in my side. Three years ago, he came to humiliate me and forced me to break off the engagement. Although I don't want the daughter of the Cui family, I have never forgotten the great humiliation he brought to me. And the assassination at Qinglong Temple, I know that woman was saved by him, and she is probably his concubine now. I also know that Zhang Jue has a close relationship with him. Sooner or later, he will kill me for the Zhang family. How can I, Yuwen Shu, accept the death?"
"Father, what should we do?"
Yuwen Shu said slowly: "I have considered it for two years. We should not fight him alone. He is very powerful now. We cannot defeat him. The best way is to join the Guanlong nobles. Shiji, whether you are willing or not, you must marry Yuanyao!"
Yuwen Shu saw clearly that marriage was the best way to join an organization. It happened that General Yuan Zhou suggested to him that his granddaughter Yuan Yao liked Yuwen Shiji very much and hoped that the two families could arrange a marriage. Yuwen Shu agreed on the spot.
But his son Yuwen Shiji was unwilling to do so. It was not because of Yuan Yao, but because Yuan Yao's sister Yuan Lin had a bad reputation. She had an affair with the eldest grandson Yang Yan and got pregnant. She finally had an abortion. Yuwen Shiji was very worried that his sister Yuan Yao was also such a woman.
At this time, Yu Wenzhi said: "Second brother, Yuan Yao is different from her sister. She never messes around outside, and she will never fool around with those powerful young men. The only shortcoming is that her skin is a little dark, but she is very quiet and virtuous, well-educated and reasonable, and she is a good match for you!"
Yuwen Shu nodded, "Shiji, did you hear what your elder brother said?"
Yuwen Shiji sighed and said, "Then let's meet first! I don't care about appearance, but I value character more."
"Okay! I'll make the arrangements. You can meet each other in the next two days. If it's a good match, we can speed up the marriage process."
Yuwen Shu was also very anxious. He wanted to join the core layer of Guanlong nobles as soon as possible. This marriage was crucial.
After crossing the Huai River and walking for another ten days, Xiao Xia and his party finally arrived in Luoyang. That morning, Xiao Xia led three hundred princes and Zhang Qiao to the magnificent south gate, Luoyang Dingding Gate.
This is the newly built city gate, consisting of a total of eighteen small gates, nine inside and nine outside. In the middle of the outer city gate is a giant main gate that is four meters high. A towering tower is built on the top of the city. Sui is the symbol of earth, and its dynasty flag is a black dragon flag, fluttering in the wind on the top of the city. The top of the city is full of soldiers holding spears. There are four side gates on each side, and people enter from the left and exit from the right, in an orderly manner.
Entering the outer city gate, you will see the football field-sized barbican. Passing through the barbican, you will see the nine equally magnificent inner city gates. Only after entering the inner city gates can you be considered to have entered Luoyang City.
Xiao Xia's team was stopped by the soldiers guarding the city at the outer gate. The reason was simple: there were too many of his personal soldiers, and they had to have an entry permit issued by the Ministry of War, and only three hundred of his personal soldiers could enter the city.
(End of this chapter)