Uncle Meng immediately said: "Master Hou, do you want the Tang army to station in Xiling? This... this is not good."
"Jia Zhen, why is it bad?" the old Marquis asked calmly.
Uncle Meng hesitated for a moment and hesitated to speak. The old Marquis said: "We are all our own people here. If you have something to say, it's okay to say it. There is no need to be taboo. This moment is about the rise and fall of my Yuwen family. Does anyone have any ideas?
, even if it is said, the speaker is not guilty."
Uncle Meng glanced at everyone and then sighed: "Master Hou, the court has indeed abided by the agreement we made with the court for more than ten years. However, we all know that if we talk about what happened back then, the court did not have the slightest resentment towards our Xiling family.
No one believes that."
"Dad, what my uncle said is absolutely true." Yuwen Chengling never spoke easily, but now he said: "The first person who had resentment towards our Xiling family was General Black Feather. We didn't act rashly back then.
Xia Duhu died in battle, General Black Feather and his group of people will definitely blame our Xiling family for Xia Duhu's death."
"Cheng Ling is right." Uncle Meng and the young master sang together: "Master Hou, if you ask the court for the Tang army to enter Xiling to garrison, the court will definitely send General Black Feather to guard Xiling. At that time, he had a heavy army and had the strength of that year.
The feud will most likely be settled with us."
Qin Xiao was calm and composed, but his heart was sneering.
He actually knew in his heart that although the Xiling Clan had been domineering for more than ten years, they never really felt at ease. The agreement reached between the imperial court and the Xiling Clan back then was actually forced by the situation, but it was precisely because of that agreement that
Although the Xiling clan was allowed to control Xiling for more than ten years, the relationship between Datang and Xiling was also torn apart.
Xiling is located between the Tang Empire and the Wutuo Khanate. The west is worried that the Wutuo Khanate will advance eastward, and the east is worried that the imperial court will find an opportunity to settle accounts after the fall. They are indeed worried day and night.
"When Wutuo marched eastward, we got news from Kyoto that the empire was having a hard time dealing with the two powerful enemies in the north and south, and was unable to send reinforcements to Xiling." The old marquis said in a low voice, slowly: "The Protectorate of Xiling only has five troops.
Thousands of soldiers and horses, facing one hundred thousand Wutuo cavalry, there is a huge disparity in strength. The victory or defeat was almost decided when the Wutuos entered the pass."
Shopkeeper Bai, who had been silent until now, finally said: "The Wutuo people are brave and fierce, and it is really difficult to withstand a hundred thousand cavalry."
"We all know that if we support the Protective Army to resist the Wutuo people, not only will they not be able to stop their cavalry, but even more people will die after the defeat." The old marquis sighed: "It was also for the people of Xiling and the Wutuo people.
They secretly sent people to contact us and assured us that as long as we did not act rashly, they would not only ensure the safety of the Xiling clan, but also would not kill anyone or set fire to Xiling. We also believed the Wutuo people at that time, and in order to protect the people of Xiling, we did not act rashly.
.”
Everyone present looked solemn, and Qin Xiao also looked solemn.
"But what the Wutuo people did later made us really unable to stand it, and the saint also sent an envoy, promising that we would have reinforcements arriving, and that after repelling the Wutuo people, the Tang army would withdraw from Xiling and divide Xiling.
For three, we handed it over to the management of the three major families." The old Marquis said slowly: "So we resolutely mobilized money, food and manpower to fully assist the protective army. After that, General Black Feather captured the Khan on a snowy night, the world was shocked, and the Wutuo people
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They also returned in vain, and the imperial court followed the agreement and withdrew the troops into Jiayu Pass, leaving Xiling in a mess for us to deal with."
Uncle Meng sneered and said: "Some people say that our Xiling family coerced the court to hand over Xiling to us, but they don't know that after the Wutuo people left, Xiling was in dilapidated condition. It is necessary to appease the country and the people, rebuild after the war, and restore livelihoods.
The imperial court couldn't come up with a single tael of silver, so the Xiling family all took out the silver. If it hadn't been for the kindheartedness of Mr. Lao Hou, who saved lives and spent so much money, I'm afraid many people would have died. The imperial court left it behind.
A crumbling and dilapidated house was handed over to the Xiling Family, and it was the Xiling Family that made the house stable and beautiful again. Now the imperial court is jealous and wants to take the house back."
The old Marquis solemnly said: "Jiazhen, you are wrong. The house has always belonged to Datang. We are just helping Datang rebuild the house. If the empire needs a house, we can hand it over." After a pause, he slowly
He said: "We can hand over the house, but we still have to live in it. Naturally, we can't hand over the house and still have to be kicked out."
"What the Marquis said is absolutely true." Uncle Meng said: "It's just that in order to resist the Wutuo people, if the court is now asked to mobilize troops to station in Xiling, it would be like if the house is returned to them voluntarily, but the person who comes to take over the house is General Heiyu.
, he has a deep hatred against us, and when he enters the house, he will definitely not be able to tolerate us."
"Chengchao, what do you think?" The old Marquis looked at Yuwen Chengchao.
Yuwen Chengchao thought for a while and then said: "Father, if the Tang army can be stationed in Xiling and be prepared to deal with the Wutuo people, what can we do even if we are driven out of the house? If General Black Feather really can't tolerate us, the saint is compassionate.
, we sincerely ask the saint to arrange a place for us to stay in the pass, and all we need to do is move our family into the pass. What General Black Feather hates are the three major families, and the court is also afraid of the three major families. As long as we move our three major families into the pass.
, they can prepare for the war with all their strength, and it is naturally appropriate for several large families to move into the pass in exchange for the vitality of the people of Xiling."
Qin Xiao glanced at Yuwen Chengchao and thought that it was a blessing for the Yuwen family to have someone like the eldest son.
"Chengchao, can you guarantee that when we move into the pass, the imperial court and General Heiyu will give up?" Uncle Meng sneered and said nonchalantly: "The Xiling family can still survive today only because we control Xiling and the imperial court dare not
What about us? If we are fish, Xiling is water. If we leave Xiling, we will become dead fish on the shore, and then we will only be slaughtered by others."
"According to what my uncle said, in order to save a few big families, you can ignore the lives of millions of people in Xiling?" Yuwen Chengchao looked sternly: "The time left for Xiling is not much, only two years at most. Nalu
As long as Brother Sheng is ready, the Wutuo people will attack the border with troops. If we negotiate with the court early and let the Tang army stationed in Xiling to prepare for war, two years will be enough to make full preparations. Otherwise, if we delay for one day, we will lose one day to prepare for war.
." He said to the old Marquis: "If father allows me, I can go to Kyoto to meet the saint."
The old Marquis remained calm and did not speak, but Uncle Meng said mercilessly: "Cheng Chao, if I am not afraid of embarrassing you, you have no official status. Even if you enter Kyoto, I am afraid you are not qualified to meet the saint."
Yuwen Chengchao frowned and said in a deep voice: "I am indeed not qualified to meet the saint, but my father
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I am a Marquis of the Empire. I only want to say that my father is very old and I will pay for him to go to Beijing to meet the saint. The saint may not summon him."
"Brother, when you go to Beijing to face the saint, do you really want the Xiling family to move into the pass?" Yuwen Chengling finally said: "Our Yuwen family has been taking root in Xiling for hundreds of years. Our ancestors went through hardships before we allowed our Yuwen family to settle in Xiling.
With the current situation, the Yuwen family has been able to get to where it is today, with blood and tears every step of the way. It was difficult for our ancestors to start their own business. As descendants of the Yuwen family, we can throw away the hard work of our ancestors so easily. How can we be worthy of them? I can listen to other things.
Big brother, but I will never agree to the whole family moving to the customs."
Yuwen Chengchao was not angry but smiled, and said with emotion: "Chengling, a manly man, has always established his own business and wasted his years adhering to the virtues of his ancestors. What kind of man can he be? Since our ancestors were able to establish a solid foundation in Xiling, they migrated
After entering the pass, we can also establish a firm foothold in the pass." He raised his head slightly and said calmly: "Guarding the stove of our ancestors but not being able to walk a path like our ancestors, then we are not worthy of being descendants of the Yuwen family."
"Chengchao, it's not a bad thing that you are ambitious." Uncle Meng said bluntly: "But not everyone can think like you. Can you persuade the entire Yuwen family to move into the pass with you?
Their fields and properties are all in Xiling, so they can leave at any time? Also, if you can influence the Yuwen family, can you influence other families? Only the Yuwen family has moved into the customs, and the court will not buy it."
Qin Xiao saw that the two sides were arguing with each other and it was full of gunpowder. He knew that the two sides had conflicts for a long time, so it was natural for them to refuse to give in to each other when they argued.
"Uncle, eldest son, there is no need to be anxious." Shopkeeper Bai said with a smile: "This is all for the future of the Yuwen family. Let's discuss it carefully. Today, the Marquis has called everyone together. Of course, he has an order. We all listen to the Marquis.
That’s the arrangement.”
Qin Xiao thought that the only person who was qualified to persuade the situation at hand was Shopkeeper Bai.
Both he and Yuan Shangyu remained silent, but they both felt that what Shopkeeper Bai said was true. The old Marquis must be well-informed and already have countermeasures. Otherwise, there would be no need to summon the two of them from Baihu Camp today. Since
Inviting two generals from the Baihu Camp over, they naturally had to use the soldiers and horses from the Baihu Camp, otherwise they would just have to discuss it behind closed doors with their own families.
As soon as Shopkeeper Bai spoke, several people stopped immediately and looked at the old Marquis.
The old Marquis calmed down and said slowly: "In the heart of the imperial court, we were no longer considered ministers of the Tang Dynasty more than ten years ago. Whether we stay in Xiling or not is not important. What is important is that we must protect the Yuwen family.
To preserve the Yuwen family, we must be accepted by the court. In other words, we have to change from Xiling people to Tang people, do you understand?"
Several people looked at each other. Except for shopkeeper Bai, no one else really understood what the old marquis meant.
"Only by becoming subjects of the Tang Dynasty and allowing the imperial court to accept us can the Yuwen clan truly continue." Old Marquis said in a low voice: "At that time, whether in Xiling or in the pass, we did not have to worry about the imperial court's revenge."
He raised his hand to stroke his beard and said calmly: "So what we have to do now is to find a way to get the court to accept us again and let the court know that our Yuwen family is still loyal to the Tang Dynasty and is still the loyal people of the saint."