When leaving the county government, Chen Gong chatted with Zhang Liao at the gate for a few more words. After watching the other party leave, he looked up at the sky. At this time, the sky was dark, the sun was setting in the west, and it was already dusk.
After stopping in place for a while, Chen Gong got on the carriage. When he opened the curtain, he gave instructions to his coachman. Then, with a clattering sound, the carriage headed straight to the west.
It was obvious that Chen Gong had no intention of returning home directly.
Soon after, when the carriage stopped again, it was already nightfall.
Then Chen Gong stepped out of the carriage, was greeted by a personal guard, and walked towards a house in front of him.
The appearance of this house is ordinary like a folk house, but the interior decoration is very elegant, and traces of new decoration can be seen everywhere. It is the post house specially recruited by Lu Bu to entertain foreign guests after he took over Wu County.
When Chen Gong walked to the backyard, he saw a man sitting alone in a stone pavilion with shadows of flowers and trees in front of him.
As if he heard the footsteps, the man stood up and turned his head. Under the light of a lamp, Chen Gong looked from a distance and saw that this man had a handsome face. Although he was not tall, he looked like he had accumulated stones like jade. Lie Song
The demeanor of a celebrity like green.
It was Zhang Zhao who came to ask for Wang Zheng's hand in marriage.
Seeing that Chen Gong had arrived, Zhang Zhao hurriedly stepped forward and handed over his hands with a smile on his face: "Gongtai, is there any progress?"
If the marriage with Lu Bu comes to fruition, Zhang Zhao, who was originally the one who proposed the plan, will once again make a great contribution. Not only will he be able to establish a friendship with the future "First Lady of Xuzhou", he will make up for his current biggest weakness in the royal power, "lack of
Zhang Zhao naturally attaches great importance to the "love between monarch and minister" and will never allow any mistakes.
Therefore, from the first day he arrived in Wuxian County, the first thing he did was not to see Lu Bu. Instead, he went to Chen Gong's house to hand over a greeting card.
One of them is a famous person from Dongjun, and the other is a famous person from Pengcheng. Although they are not close friends, they can be regarded as old acquaintances. This line of reconnection is smooth.
Later, when Lu Bu returned to the city, he knew Zhang Zhao's intention, but did not meet him. This made Zhang Zhao surprised and alert, and he quickly asked Chen Gong to deal with it.
Because his own interests were involved, although Chen Gong had already made an agreement and had the same goal as Zhang Zhao, on the surface he still pretended to give it careful consideration and finally "reluctantly" agreed.
Chen Gong didn't answer at first, but just looked around, thought for a moment, and said: "Brother Zibu, it's a cold autumn night, why don't we go inside to talk?"
Zhang Zhao was startled, but he immediately understood what Chen Gong meant. The backyard was open and unobstructed, and it was suitable for singing in the wind and moonlight, but it was not convenient for talking about important matters, so he nodded: "That's how it should be."
Conveniently, he handed over another top hat: "Gongtai is thoughtful and considerate, but I can't do it as well."
Chen Gong smiled and said nothing, but felt a little emotional in his heart.
The previous Zhang Zhao had not yet entered the official position, but because he was good at official calligraphy and studied under Bai Hou Zian, his reputation and qualifications were higher than those of Chen Gong. Although it was not rude to interact with him, his posture was very high, and his speech was very high.
There was even a hint of arrogance.
Now...they are completely different people.
In the final analysis, it is nothing more than fame and fortune, and seeking something.
The two of them entered an elegant room and sat down separately. After chatting for a few words, Chen Gong seemed to be well aware of the situation. Without waiting for Zhang Zhao to ask questions, he explained the situation discussed by everyone in the hall today.
And Zhang Zhao's expression also changed again and again with Chen Gong's narration.
First he was anxious, then calm, and finally became sluggish.
"If we go by what Gongtai said..."
After coming back to his senses, Zhang Zhao's face suddenly darkened: "This matter is still undecided. Is it because Marquis Wen's daughter has blocked it?"
"It's simply ridiculous!" He shook his head repeatedly and said: "A little girl doesn't understand the general situation and can do whatever she wants. But Marquis Wen is a hero in the world, but he allows her to act like this? Isn't it ridiculous?"
"You have spent half your life in the army, and it is only natural for you to love this one girl." Chen Gong looked at ease. He took a sip of wine and said with a smile: "Brother Zibu, don't be anxious. The stakes are high and we are here today."
I have already explained everything in the hall, and I expect that the Lord has already made a decision, but it will only take some time to coax the only daughter, and the matter is settled."
"Oh?" Zhang Zhao heard this and looked at Chen Gong for a long time. Seeing that he looked determined and confident, he couldn't help but believe it. He immediately stood up again, saluted, and said solemnly: "If this can be done,
Gongtai has made great contributions, and I will remember it in my heart."
"In view of our friendship, Brother Zibu is serious," Chen Gong smiled slightly, helped him up first, and at the same time said bluntly: "The so-called gentleman has the beauty of adulthood, and besides, both the prince and Wang Zhoumu are heroes, if this marriage can happen
, it’s a matter of mutual benefit, why not do it?”
"Yes, yes, yes..."
Zhang Zhao is so smart. In the past few days, he has only been concerned and has become agitated. When Chen Gong reminded him, he nodded quickly: "I will report all the hard work on Gongtai to the state pastor and let him know the details."
Chen Gong then nodded with satisfaction.
What's the use of Zhang Zhao remembering it? Wang Zheng must be owed this favor!
"But..." After sitting down, Zhang Zhao began to worry about gains and losses again: "Gongtai, I still have some concerns. As the saying goes, if things are delayed, things will change if they are delayed! Now there are enemies in all directions in Xuzhou, and no one wants to see Wen Houzhou Mu.
If we work together, we should not delay for too long."
"According to your opinion, this matter will take some time, but you don't know how much it will take?"
This confused Chen Gong.
Thinking of Lu Qiling, that unruly girl, the calm look on her face from the time she entered the house until now finally made waves.
"This..." Chen Gong looked at Zhang Zhao who was looking forward to it, and laughed dryly: "But it's hard to say."
Regarding Lu Bu, Chen Gong was confident that he had already seen through it. This person was actually extremely cold and selfish in nature. To put it bluntly, he always valued personal gains and losses the most. Lu Qiling's wishes were not important at all.
Today I have made it very clear about the pros and cons of marrying Wang Zheng, and Lu Bu has obviously listened to it, so there can be no more changes.
If there is... it can't be because of Lu Qiling's opposition, but because a more suitable marriage partner than Wang Zheng suddenly appeared!
But Lu Qiling...
Since Chen Gong didn't know the other party's true thoughts now, he was naturally unsure of how determined his inner resistance and opposition would be...
And this determines how much effort and time Lu Bu and his wife Yan will spend to convince her.
...
While Zhang Zhao was worrying about the marriage day by day, Wang Zheng of Xiapi had already forgotten about Lu Bu's daughter.
It's not that they don't pay attention to it, but that a political power that truly rules a state has too many affairs.
Especially since Wang Zheng is leading a new regime.
In a new regime, or in the early stages of starting a business, many times the supreme leader actually needs to "do everything personally."
During the Anshi Rebellion, Li Mi, the prime minister in white clothes, once said to Suzong of the Tang Dynasty: The world is in chaos and the people's hearts are high. Only by being on the battlefield in person can one have higher military leadership skills. With the continuous blessing of subsequent victories, he can finally command the overall situation.
If you always stay in the rear and fail to reflect your own abilities and the prestige blessed by your military exploits, over time, you will become too supportive and give others a handle.
Few people have noticed that Liu Bang, Emperor Gao of the Han Dynasty, who is known as "the art of employing people, has no equal in ten thousand years", was exactly a monarch who was well versed in this art.
When he and Xiang Yu were fighting for the world, Liu Bang basically stayed on the front line. Even though top-notch generals like Han Xin appeared under his command, Liu Bang still never left the battlefield for a moment.
This is why when Yingbo rebelled later and heard that Liu Ying led the troops to quell the rebellion, almost his first reaction was:
Not Bang Ge? Sure!
Later, Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang slaughtered most of the founding heroes, but no one dared to resist. This is the same reason.
Because he is the same as Liu Bang, their prestige is not innate, nor does it rely on the status of emperor, but is created by countless facts of iron and blood!
This is enough to make all the ministers respect him from the bottom of their hearts, and it is rooted in their blood. Even if the butcher's knife is placed on the neck, it is difficult to resist.
As soon as Wu Sheng was asked to quietly bring Guo Jia to Xiapi, Wang Zheng was busy inspecting the counties and villages of Xiapi County the next day, and walked straight for half a month before returning.
When they arrived at the gate of Xiapi City in the dusk, Wang Zheng did not return to the city, but went outside the city where refugees gathered. After a series of battles, not only people from other states fled in, but also people from Xuzhou, especially Xiapi
, Guangling County, there are also many displaced people gathered near several big cities.
At this time, a recruitment list has been posted on the city wall, which contains only a few words and is concise and concise:
"Today, the state is recruiting soldiers. Anyone who is young and strong and willing to join the army will be in charge of food, housing and clothing. Those who have made meritorious service in the army will be rewarded with fields and money."
There were not many people on the list at this time. Considering the low literacy rate among the Han people, during the day, there would be a dedicated person from the Tianji camp who would be responsible for explaining the meaning of the words, recruiting and other matters.
Of course, these days, there are very few people who respond. Wang Zheng doesn't care, and even specifically emphasizes not to recruit young men. After all, he knows very well that the situation in the world will only become worse day by day. As the war becomes more frequent, the refugees will
There will be more and more people, and there will be more and more people willing to join the army.
After all, being a soldier not only provides food and clothing, but is also the only chance for ordinary people to make a difference in troubled times.
After watching for a while, Wang Zheng walked to the east outside the city. There was a temporary residential area for refugees set up by the government on Wang Zheng's order. It was mainly simple shanties, and even a lot of dilapidated cold-proof materials were distributed. In the cold winter,
Although it hasn't arrived yet, the late autumn nights in the wild are already chilly.
As for other aspects of relief, such as food, etc., it is basically very little, which is better than nothing.
It's not that Wang Zheng doesn't want to help. In fact, he doesn't have much surplus now. Considering that the cost of military expansion will only be greater in the future, he can only harden his heart.
The refugees did not have enough to eat. There were mourners everywhere and cries burst out. Everywhere you looked, there were piles of garbage and the stench was overwhelming. Occasionally, dirty children ran around in front of the horses. Along the road, I saw many molestations.
The men and women with grass tags were kneeling on the roadside, but no one cared.
There are hundreds of soldiers in the outermost area, but they are on guard. In order to prevent refugee riots from affecting the stability of the city, Xu Fang specially arranged for the Heavenly Army to be stationed. Without military orders, outsiders are not allowed to enter or leave at will.
"Starting tomorrow, we will regularly arrange for manpower to sort out the garbage."
Looking at the filthy ground under his feet, Wang Zheng frowned and immediately ordered, secretly glad that it was not summer at this time.
Otherwise, it would be strange that no epidemic disease occurs in such an environment.
That is the most troublesome thing. The city walls and soldiers can stop the refugees from entering the city, but they cannot prevent the spread of the plague.
"Here." Several civil servants in the group immediately responded respectfully.
"Are there arrangements for a medical officer?" Wang Zheng thought for a while and then asked sideways.
"Zhenzhou Mu, there are some." The accompanying official quickly replied: "We will conduct inspections in the morning and evening. If the refugees have diseases, common diseases, the government will pay for treatment and medication. If there is a serious disease epidemic, they will be quarantined first.
."
Wang Zheng nodded, turned around again, and gave a few instructions on some details that came to mind. Then he stopped looking and headed back to the city.
As soon as he entered the county mansion, the guard on duty came to greet him early and reported: "General, Mi Fang has been waiting at the side pavilion for a long time."
"Oh?" Wang Zheng raised his eyebrows. He didn't have time to eat, so he called Mi Fang to see him first.
Soon after, the guards led Mi Fang quickly to the front of the hall.
"Greetings to my lord."
"We have known each other for a long time, why should we be so rigid?" Wang Zheng stepped forward to help him up, looked at him sideways for a few times, and then said with a smile: "Mi Junqing has lost a lot of weight. It seems that this trip is quite hard."
While teasing, he ordered the maid to serve tea.
"Hard work is nothing to mention." Mi Fang's round face was full of solemnity: "I'm just traveling, and every time I think about my lord's trust now, Fang is always worried, fearing that I will fail the king's expectations, and I will inevitably have trouble sleeping and eating."
"Haha." Wang Zheng couldn't help laughing, and chatted with Mi Fang casually about what he had seen on the road, and then got to the point: "I thought you would have to come back later, but it's earlier than expected. How are things planned?"
"Before I left for the trip, the domestic servants from various merchant houses in Qingzhou had already started working. The general situation was clear and the candidates were selected, so the efficiency is not slow."
After explaining, Mi Fang first handed over a roster, and at the same time said seriously: "Now we only need to wait for the Lord's order before we can take action!"
"Oh?" Wang Zheng's face lit up when he heard this. He was extremely happy and it was rare for him to lose his composure.
Xuzhou is now generally peaceful. Although the family also needs to recuperate and it is not suitable to use large-scale troops, the opportunity is rare after all. At present, Cao Cao and Yuan Shu in the west and south have both gone through the war and have not recovered their strength. Yuan Shao in Jizhou in the north is fighting Gongsun Zan again. Wang Zheng
Don't want to miss the opportunity either.
A wise saying is to prepare for a rainy day. In troubled times, if you want to survive, you can only rely on self-reliance. Wang Zheng firmly remembers the principle of "sail against the current, if you don't advance, you will retreat", and he has already turned his attention to the outside.
Xuzhou is adjacent to the sea to the east, Yangzhou to the southeast, Yuzhou to the west, and Yanzhou to the northwest. It can be said that none of them are easy to chew.
Therefore, Wang Zheng's thoughts at this time naturally had only one place left.
That is Qingzhou and Beihai County in the north.
Of course, even if Kong Rong is a real soft persimmon, with Wang Zheng's current power, he can defeat him in one fell swoop, but Wang Zheng does not want to spend too much effort this time.
After having tasted the sweetness of defeating the enemy without fighting in Tan County, Wang Zheng naturally repeated his old tricks this time and had the idea of being a white wolf with nothing at the beginning.
The task he assigned to Mi Fang was not only to explore the reality of Beihai, but also included the situation in other counties in Qingzhou, as well as the current battle situation between Tian Kai and Yuan Tan, the governor of Qingzhou.
Wang Zheng must know himself and his enemy,
Even speaking of major events such as conquering Beihai and expanding territory, Wang Zheng was reluctant to spend a lot of money and effort on it. On the contrary, he had already considered the issue of Qingzhou at this time.
If Tian Kai falls into a disadvantage, he will provide assistance at the critical moment!
The governor of Qingzhou is said to be an ally of Liu Bei. According to logic, he and Wang Zheng are naturally enemies rather than friends.
But considering the overall situation, Wang Zheng cannot sit back and watch Qingzhou fall into the hands of Jizhou Mu Yuan Shao!
Without him, the threat is too great!
After all, this second generation ancestor has not fallen out with Cao Cao yet.