That morning, Zhang Jun received the news that his former military advisor and chief staff officer Wang Jingxiu had died of illness in Tongcheng County, Anqing Prefecture. Zhang Jun felt heartbroken and immediately ordered a grand burial.
The dead are gone, but the living talents are more important. Zhang Jun immediately appointed Yang Shi as his chief staff member, and the other three staff members were also promoted.
Zhang Jun pays special attention to hierarchy and rules. He has five staff members. When Wang Jingxiu was there, he basically would not ask the other four. Only when he disagreed with Wang Jingxiu's suggestion, he would ask the second-ranked Yang Shi.
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It's just that there are very few times when he doesn't accept Wang Jingxiu's suggestions, so other staff basically have no chance to serve as counselors and can only handle various documents for him.
It's different now. Ever since Wang Jingxiu opposed Zhang Jun's conflict with the court and his expansion of ambition, Zhang Jun gradually ignored Wang Jingxiu and paid more attention to the second-ranked Yang Shi.
In particular, Yang Shi gave him advice. Financial difficulties were his biggest shortcoming. The best way to solve this shortcoming was to seize Jiangnan West Road. Only by obtaining the Jiangnan West Road with abundant financial resources could his foundation last long.
Yang Shi's proposal coincided with Zhang Jun's idea, which greatly impressed Zhang Jun. However, Wang Jingxiu was driven away because he firmly opposed his seizure of Jiangnan West Road.
Yang Shi is about forty years old this year and has been following Zhang Jun for almost ten years. He is not tall, has a small nose and small eyes, and is not as thin, tall and elegant as Wang Jingxiu, so Zhang Jun has never been very fond of him, and there is no one who stands out like him in peacetime.
Chance.
Things are different now. The ambition for hegemony is growing in Zhang Jun's heart. Appearance is no longer important. Being able to help him rise to the top is the key.
One morning, Yang Shi received more than a dozen guests who came to congratulate him. He was now in Shouchun, while Zhang Jun was on the Yangtze River, returning to Poyang Lake from Yangzhou in a large ship with ten thousand stones.
Although he was very tired, the joy in Yang Shi's heart still made him not feel sleepy at all and he could not sit down.
At this time, his entourage sent a message, "Master, there is a businessman visiting, saying he is from Jingzhao."
Hearing the word "Jingzhao", Yang Shi's heart skipped a beat. The merchant had little to do with him. I'm afraid Jingzhao was the key.
He thought for a while and ordered: "Invite him to the living room!"
Not long after, a man in his thirties came to the living room. He was tall, with a straight waist and a pair of particularly bright eyes. Yang Shi knew clearly that he was not a businessman at this glance. He quickly greeted him with a smile, "
I'm Yang Shi, may I ask who the proprietor is."
The man gave him a post. Yang Shi took it and was shocked. The post read, "Li Yecheng, a foreign minister of the Intelligence Department of Prince Yong's Mansion."
"this way please!"
Yang Shi invited Li Yecheng to the guest room next door, which was quieter and more secluded.
Li Yecheng took out a square silver medal and put it on the table, pushed it to Yang Shi, and said with a smile: "This is my identity card, please take a look."
Yang Shi also knew something about the identity of King Yong's officials and generals using the card seal system. Cards were used for those below the third rank, and seals were used for those above the third rank. The bare cards were divided into five categories: jade, gold, silver, copper, and iron. Civil servants used square cards.
, the military attache wears a round card, and the lowest soldier wears an iron round card.
This Li Yecheng uses the silver square card, which means he is a sixth-grade civil official. This official position is already not low, and the magistrate is only at the sixth grade.
Yang Shi quickly smiled and said: "Thanks to your warship assistance this time, the prince has obtained the navy, which is even more powerful. My prince is grateful to His Highness King Yong every day."
Li Yecheng smiled slightly and said: "This is a mutually beneficial matter for both parties, but it is not within my scope of authority. I am only here for Mr. Yang's personal matters."
After saying that, he put a letter and the wooden box on the table and said with a smile: "One is an autographed letter from His Highness King Yong, and the other is a meeting gift for you. After reading the letter, Mr. Yang will think about it again. I live in the north of the city."
The name registered at Gaosheng Inn is Li Yecheng, you can come to me at any time within three days!"
Li Yecheng immediately stood up and left, and Yang Shi sent Li Yecheng away. Then he returned to the inner house with a heavy heart and drove away the maids. Then he couldn't wait to take out King Yong's autographed letter from his arms.
With the status of King Yong, he actually wrote a personal letter to himself. Yang Shi was excited and proud, but he was also under great pressure. He also knew very well that King Yong must have important requirements for writing to him.
Yang Shi opened the letter and read it. The content of the letter was relatively simple, but also very direct and frank. He hoped that he could be loyal to Prince Yong's Mansion and gave the conditions.
First, he could be an official, and King Yong promised to make himself or his son the magistrate of Jianzhou, with a reward of 30,000 guan; secondly, he was a local wealthy family, and he was made the Duke of Ziyang County, with a title that would last for three generations, and a reward of 100,000 guan.
In fact, there are two choices, let Yang Shi choose one.
Yang Shi was a native of Ziyang County, Zizhou. Whether he was the general magistrate of Zizhou or granted the title of Duke of Ziyang County, he always returned to his hometown in fine clothes. Of course, wealth was also very important. No matter whether he was 30,000 guan or 100,000 guan, he was considered rich.
Yang Shi stayed for a long time, then took out the wooden box and opened it. Inside was half a piece of jade and a counter note from Sichuan-Shaanxi Cabinet. The amount was 10,000 guan, and the secret seal was four words, 'Nine-Nine Returns to One'
.
Yang Shi sighed and put away the letter and box.
He paced back and forth in the room with his hands behind his hands, feeling extremely anxious. King Yong actually found out his background and found out that he had a son in his hometown of Ziyang County.
It seems that he has no choice, but if he still has a choice, will he choose Zhang Jun or Yong Wang Chen Qing? The answer is obvious.
Although Zhang Jun was also confident that he could do what Chen Qing could do, Yang Shi knew in his heart that Zhang Jun was not well-known and could not get the support of the nobles, nor the support of the common people who were eager for tax exemptions, so he could only
Liu Guangshi was second.
If you are lucky, you can become Chen Qing's tool and last longer. If you are not lucky, you will be destroyed by the Western Army in seconds, and the land of Jianghuai will be given to the Western Army.
Thinking of this, Yang Shi finally made up his mind.
The next morning, Yang Shi arrived at Gaosheng Inn in the north of the city. As soon as he entered the lobby, he met Li Yecheng coming out.
"Dongzhu Li!" Yang Shi greeted with a smile.
"It turns out to be Mr. Yang. I happen to be going to have tea, let's go together!" Li Yecheng pointed to the teahouse diagonally opposite.
"Then excuse me!"
The two came to the teahouse and sat down. Li Yecheng ordered a pot of tea and some snacks. He looked at Yang Shi and smiled: "You didn't have any rest last night, okay?"
Yang Shi sighed and said: "I thought about it all night last night and tossed and turned all night long!"
Li Yecheng smiled slightly and said: "What's there to consider? Do you think Zhang Jun can still achieve great things?"
"Whether it can become a big thing or not is one thing, but after all, I have followed him for ten years."
Li Yecheng shook his head, "Mr. Yang may have misunderstood what King Yong meant. King Yong did not ask you to betray Zhang Jun. His Highness King Yong was worried that Zhang Jun would make wrong decisions and lead to his premature death. He wanted to help him, so His Highness King Yong
I hope Zhang Jun has someone of his own by his side."
Yang Shi smiled and said: "Of course I understand that Zhang Jun's rebellion is very beneficial to King Yong. It can not only allow the Western Army to seize Jianghuai, but also use Zhang Jun to consume the court. When the time is ripe, we can use the banner of King Qin to eliminate Zhang
Jun, King Yong can look down on the imperial court."
Li Yecheng smiled and nodded, "Mr. Yang sees things thoroughly!"
Yang Shi sighed and said: "Zhang Jun currently has four staff. I don't understand why His Highness only favors me?"
Li Yecheng filled a cup of tea for him and said calmly: "I think you should be able to imagine it!"
"Because I am from Zizhou and my family are all in Ziyang?"
"That's right. You, a native of Sichuan and Shaanxi, are the subjects of His Highness King Yong. Isn't it natural for you to be loyal to His Highness King Yong?"
"What about other than that?"
Li Yecheng smiled slightly and said: "Besides this, there is another reason. That is that you suggested Zhang Jun occupy Poyang Lakekou Village. His Highness King Yong thought this strategy was a stroke of genius and appreciated it very much. In fact, it was also His Highness King Yong's appreciation for you."
Yang Shi nodded, "His Royal Highness King Yong gave me two choices in the letter. I thought about it all night and decided to accept the first choice. I hope that when the matter is completed, I can be named the general magistrate of Zizhou. In addition, Qian
I don’t want it, please return it to His Highness King Yong.”
Yang Shi put the wooden box on the table and pushed it back to Li Yecheng, "Since I am already King Yong's subordinate, I will be rewarded for my merits, and I will not be rewarded for my merits!"
Li Yecheng did not force him, put it in the box, and said to Yang Shi: "From now on, I will be your subordinate, and I will be responsible for delivering the news for you."
