If all the wealthy families really gathered in Pingzhou, this would be a rare opportunity to capture them all in one fell swoop.
Zhong Huan also knew that this matter was very risky. After all, it took too long, and there were still more than twenty days. Once the news was exposed, they would be broken into pieces, and it would be difficult to catch them again.
Zhang Bao was eager to make a contribution and came up with a plan for Zhong Huan. He put a note in the invitation and asked everyone to come in advance on the fifth day of the first lunar month. It happened to be a holiday for the government and the army, so it was safer.
Zhong Huan readily agreed and asked a master of the inner guard to imitate Zhang Wo's handwriting and write a note in the invitation.
In order to avoid alerting the enemy, Zhong Huan imprisoned Zhang Wo and his son first, and at the same time controlled all the insiders. Zhang Bao cooperated with the internal guards and was still preparing for his birthday. He sent people to various places to send invitations.
Although it was the freezing end of the twelfth lunar month, it could not stop the passion of wealthy family heads from all over the country to work together for the cause. After receiving the invitation, they rushed to Pingzhou with their servants from all over Yanshan Road, regardless of the ice and snow blocking the road.
At the same time, more than 300 internal guards secretly rushed to Pingzhou from various places on Yanshan Road.
Perhaps it was the first time that I had tasted the benefits of tax exemption. The New Year on Yanshan Road was particularly lively this year, with lanterns and colorful lights everywhere, and people beaming with joy and beating gongs and drums to welcome the New Year.
Pinglu County was also decorated with lights and colors everywhere to celebrate the New Year. On the third day of the first lunar month, Hu Yun arrived in Pinglu County. As the pacifier of Yanshan Road, he was particularly busy during the New Year and needed to visit various places to inspect people's sentiments. Pingzhou is located in the east, so
The first stop of his inspection was Pingzhou. Of course, Hu Yun also took this opportunity to convey an order from King Yong to Zhong Huan.
At this time, Zhong Huan was also making intensive arrangements. He had already killed all fifty-six of Zhang Wo's warriors, and transformed the inner guard soldiers into warriors of the Zhang family, preparing to welcome the arrival of the seven wealthy family heads.
Hu Yun's sudden arrival really startled Zhong Huan. There was a gathering in Pingzhou. Wouldn't it be dangerous for Hu Yun to come at this time?
He personally went out of the city to greet Hu Yun, and first welcomed Hu Yun to the official office of the Governor's Mansion. This was the official office of Wang Duo, the governor of Pingzhou. However, Wang Duo spent most of his time in Yuguan, and the official office had always been empty. Now it has become a temporary residence for the internal guards.
Zhong Huan's attitude made Hu Yun a little strange. When he entered the official office, he asked: "What happened?"
Zhong Huan said with a smile: "I am catching turtles. I will lure all the big turtles from Yanshan Road to Pingzhou and catch them all in one catch!"
"Catch turtles?"
Hu Yun frowned and said, "Speak clearly, what kind of turtle are you catching?"
Zhong Huan then captured Zhang Wo and learned that he was going to celebrate his birthday. Taking this as an opportunity, he gathered the heads of the eight wealthy families together to discuss the matter of military affairs.
Hu Yun was suddenly surprised and delighted and said: "Brother Zhong has done great things in Pingzhou without saying a word. If we can take this opportunity to destroy the eight wealthy families on Yanshan Road in one fell swoop, I will definitely write to King Yong to thank you for your great achievements!"
"It's part of your humble duty to appease someone without giving them a reward!"
Hu Yun said with a smile: "A capable person works hard. Brother Zhong is capable, so His Highness gives you another task!"
Zhong Huan looked solemn, bowed and said: "Please give me the envoy's instructions!"
Hu Yun took out a copy of King Yong's warrant and handed it to Zhong Huan, "This time King Yong issued the warrant to me directly, without going through the inner guard. I am responsible for planning and coordinating this matter. General Zhong's inner guard, Liaodong Intelligence Station and navy
I am responsible for transporting people out by sea. Let me tell you about this first. In two days we will sit together to discuss and plan an effective plan!"
"Is it before the pacification envoy returns to Daxing City?"
Hu Yun nodded, "I will stay in Pingzhou for a few days, and the Liaodong Intelligence Station will also send people over. We will start discussions as soon as they arrive."
"But I am currently encircling and suppressing eight wealthy families. I am afraid that the two things will conflict in time!"
Hu Yun smiled and said: "There will be no conflict. It will take at least ten days for the people from the Liaodong Intelligence Station to come and go back. Now we are just preparing in advance. It will not be implemented until the end of the month. You should be in time."
Zhong Huan nodded silently, and it would be too late at the end of the month.
On the fourth day of the first lunar month, a group of people came up the official road outside Pinglu County. Ten warriors surrounded a large carriage. On the carriage was an apricot-yellow pennant with the word "Guo" written on it. In the carriage was a five-year-old.
A man of more than ten years old is quite fat, with a big nose hanging on his face like an eggplant, and eyebrows as rough as steel brushes. This man is Guo Wei, the head of the Guo family in Jizhou. His mother is a Khitan. He
He inherited his father's cunning and his mother's bloodline.
It was he who arranged for Wu Wenli, the magistrate of Jixian County, to be killed on the road and his head chopped off. The internal guards had long suspected him, but there was no evidence.
Also sitting in the carriage was his second son Guo Huaide. Guo Wei had two sons. The eldest son Guo Huairen was the governor of Tanzhou in the Kingdom of Jin and currently resigned at home. The second son Guo Huaide ran the farm and shop for his father, just as Zhang Wo was the largest landowner in Pingzhou.
The Guo family is also the largest landowner in Jizhou, owning eight farms and 20,000 acres of fertile land.
"My child doesn't quite understand that the tax exemption for the Western Army is a good thing! Why does my father say it seriously harms our interests?"
"what do you know?"
Guo Wei said to his son unhappily: "Did we pay taxes during the Jin Kingdom? Now the tax exemption is of no benefit to us, but it is good for those mud-legged people. We will know in the spring. I am afraid that half of our land will be empty."
Planted."
Guo Huaide was stunned, "Is it so serious?"
Guo Wei nodded, "Our land rent is 30%, while the land rent of official land is 10%. Now that it is tax-free, many farmers can have enough to eat by growing their own land. If we rent some official land for farming, there is no need at all.
If we continue to rent our land, unless we also reduce the rent to 10%, you will know how much our losses will be. How come our interests are not damaged?"
Guo Huaide was surprised and said: "When my father said this, I remembered that most of the tenant farmers have not come to sign the lease until now. In previous years, they signed the lease after the autumn harvest. Could it be that they don't want to rent anymore?"
Guo Wei's face was as dark as water, and he looked out the car window coldly. The Central Plains Dynasty and the others were going to seriously harm their own interests, and they had no choice but to fight.
At this time, a group of knights rode towards them, and one of their men shouted: "Master, the second head of the Zhang family is here!"
The head of Zhang Er's family is Zhang Bao, Zhang Wo's brother, and he is responsible for organizing Zhang Wo's apparent birthday this time.
Guo Wei thought it would be Zhang Wo's son Zhang Ming who came to greet him. After all, it was Zhang Ming who went to Jixian on behalf of Zhang Wo to celebrate his birthday last month.
But Zhang Bao can do it too. After all, Zhang Bao is responsible for handling all kinds of chores in the Zhang family.
Guo Wei opened the car window and laughed: "Second Master Bao, I haven't seen you for many years!"
Zhang Bao stepped forward, saluted and said with a smile: "Master Guo is well!"
"Where's your elder brother?"
"It's not convenient for my eldest brother to go out. The government is keeping a close eye on him!"
Guo Wei nodded, he completely understood. The government was also keeping a close eye on him, and he hid himself, letting his two sons come forward in everything.
"I thought someone would pick us up tomorrow."
Zhang Bao quickly explained: "Master Sun has just arrived, and I will go pick him up tomorrow."
Guo Wei frowned, "Sun Laoer from Zhuozhou?"
"It must be him."
Guo Wei's daughter was married to the Sun family in Zhuozhou, but she died of illness a few years after her marriage. Guo Wei believed that the Sun family did not take good care of his daughter, and he has always been resentful of the Sun family.
If this gathering had not been of great importance, he would not have met the Sun family.
"Okay! I'll ask Mr. Lao Bao to arrange it."
"Please invite Mr. Guo's team to follow me."
Guo Wei saw that the eight warriors behind Zhang Bao were all tall, powerful and majestic. He couldn't help but praise: "The warriors of the Zhang family are really good!"
"Make Mr. Guo laugh!"
Zhang Bao and his men immediately opened the way in front, and the Guo family's team surrounded the carriage and drove towards the Yinhu Grange a few miles away.
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[I feel a little unwell today, so I only coded two chapters, sorry!]
