In the next few days while waiting for Cui Heng's reply, Xie Yuan and Huo Qubing stayed put and continued to act as servants of the Su Mansion, following the old Wang to deliver the cow bones.
Relying on several jars of strong liquor, Xie Yuan successfully extracted some useful information from Lao Wang.
First, the private soldiers in the mountains are indeed Wuling Su's private soldiers, but they have been recruited one after another over the years, and they are scattered throughout Wuling County.
As far as this private army in the mountains is concerned, there are 100,000 people.
As for the private soldiers in other places, Lao Wang didn't know about them.
Secondly, the Su family had a cattle farm. On the surface, the cattle were killed because they doted on the young head of the Su family, Su Yuefan, and fed him cow tongue. In fact, they used horns, hides, and bones to make armor, bows, and arrows to provide weapons for the soldiers.
Thirdly, the Su family has been wooing other gentry in Wuling County and controlling local officials on behalf of the court in the name of local snakes.
These three pieces of information are the most useful.
Others are just bits and pieces of trivial matters.
"According to what the old man said, the Su family secretly raised private soldiers and colluded with local officials. Isn't it common practice among the nobles?" Hearing Xie Yuan's words, Cui Xunzhi frowned.
The gentry have always looked down on poor families and common people, even after the imperial examination came to power.
Although Xie Yuan issued the same six edicts as those in Yangzhou, prohibiting officials from colluding with aristocratic families and not oppressing the people, such things still happened one after another in remote places.
Especially in some places, those who did not take the imperial examination to become officials were all officials who had been in the ninth rank of the gentry. This was an incomparable protection for the local aristocratic families.
The imperial examination had only become large-scale, and officials in many places had no time to replace them, so this situation occurred.
"It is essential to be on guard against others. Generally speaking, it is not easy for a family to raise tens of thousands of private soldiers. It is rare for a family like the Su family to raise a hundred thousand soldiers in one place and then have to raise separate soldiers separately." Xie Yuan moved the tea.
build,
"Tomorrow I'll go check it out again. If I'm unjust, you can stay here and protect me."
"Master, I always feel that something is wrong with that old man. I'm not worried about you going alone." Huo Qubing frowned.
"You will be my external agent. Wait here for them to come. If the Su family raises troops, remember to wait for me to give you the signal, and never act without authorization."
Huo Qubing hesitated again and again, but finally agreed.
The next day, Xie Yuan went to Su Mansion again.
Today Lao Wang is still slaughtering cattle and asked Xie Yuan to help deliver the bones.
Seeing that Huo Qubing was not here, Lao Wang raised his eyebrows: "Where is that kid?"
Huo Qubing often had wine fights with Lao Wang, and Lao Wang was deeply impressed by him.
"I'm sick, take a rest."
"Oh, take a rest. I have to trouble you and me today."
Xie Yuan nodded, pushed the car and walked away with Lao Wang.
It was still the familiar dense forest, but this time Xie Yuan did not leave as before.
He stared at the soldier in front of him. The sword in the soldier's hand was across his neck.
"General, what are you doing?" Xie Yuan raised his eyebrows.
"You are not a servant of Su Mansion, who are you?" Lao Wang stared at Xie Yuan and said coldly, "Who else did you tell this secret passage to?"
"I am indeed a servant of the Su Mansion."
"The servants of the Su Mansion will not dare to ask questions like you and that boy. Not long ago, you were talking nonsense, so I told you deliberately. I wanted to catch a big fish, but I didn't expect you to be so calm and courageous.
He's not a little kid, he still dares to come."
Lao Wang squinted his eyes,
"who are you?"
Oops, it was discovered.
Then you can only report yourself.
Xie Yuan bowed to Lao Wang unhurriedly: "I'm Xie Yuan."
Everyone: "??"
Xie Yuan?
That Xie Dazai Xie Yuan?! This chapter has been completed!