Cao Tong said in a stiff tone: "This joke is not funny at all. ”

"You can be when I didn't say ......"

Kou Ji said casually.

Cao Tong said bitterly: "I have memorized every word of what you said, how can you not say it ......?"

Kou Ji got up and patted Cao Yan on the shoulder, "Okay, don't worry about this matter, go back to your fourth uncle, convey my words to him truthfully, and let him stuff the people in his hands to Zhao Yuanyan as soon as possible."

If someone else discovers Zhao Yuanyan's plot and takes the first step and stuffs people to Zhao Yuanyan, then it will not be easy for your Cao family to stuff people to Zhao Yuanyan again. ”

Cao Tong arched his hand and said, "I will tell my fourth uncle your words word for word." ”

Cao Tong left the Koufu Annex.

Returned to Cao Mansion.

Cao Wei and Cao Xi were sitting in the main hall of Cao's Mansion cooking tea, their eyes always wandering at the door, intentionally or unintentionally.

Apparently.

The two brothers were specially waiting for Cao Tong here.

After Cao Tong appeared in the main hall, the two brothers put down the teacup together.

Cao Xi hurriedly asked, "What is that kid Kou Ji going to do?" ”

Cao Tong stood alone in the middle of the main hall, staring at Cao Wei and Cao Xi, without saying a word.

Cao Wei and Cao Xi glanced at each other.

Cao Wei instructed the steward beside him: "You go down first......"

The servants who were waiting in the main hall left the main hall under the guidance of the steward.

Cao Yu stared at Cao Yu and said, "Can you say it now?" ”

Cao Tong pondered for a while, and said in a heavy tone: "Eighth King Zhao Yuanyan, you want to usurp the throne!" ”

Cao Yu thought that if he told such a big secret, Cao Wei and Cao Xi would be shocked and speechless.

But I didn't expect it.

Cao Wei and Cao Xi were just stunned for a moment, and then they were not surprised at all as if they had heard something very ordinary.

Cao Tong glared in astonishment, "Fourth uncle...... Father...... You already know this? ”

Cao Xi looked at Cao Wei, and Cao Wei nodded slightly.

Cao Xi glanced at Cao Yu and said indifferently: "Yu'er, although we have been pressed by civil officials in the court, it does not mean that civil officials are better than us in everything.

Let's take the usurpation of the throne by the eighth king, Zhao Yuanyan.

The eighth king, Zhao Yuanyan, from the moment he moved the idea of usurping the throne, we knew that he was going to usurp the throne.

And those civil officials are still kept in the dark. ”

Cao Tong was stunned and said, "Why is this happening? ”

Cao Xi looked at Cao Yu like an idiot, and said, "What are we?" We are the gatekeepers. Have you ever seen a usurper who doesn't need to be supported by a gate? ”

Cao Tong was stunned in place.

There was so much shocking news he had heard today that it was hard for him to digest.

He originally thought that Zhao Yuanyan wanted to usurp the throne, but only a few people knew about it.

Now that he heard Cao Xi's words, he realized that there were only a lot of people who knew that Zhao Yuanyan wanted to usurp the throne.

Cao Xi saw that Cao Yu was stunned in place, and he also knew that his heart was not calm, Cao Xi glanced at his son with pity, his tone was a little softer, and continued: "Therefore, no matter who wants to usurp the throne, the first thing to win over is my gate."

In the same way, the first to get the news was also my gate. ”

Speaking of which.

Cao Xi looked at Cao Wei.

Cao Wei had a straight face and said in a deep voice: "It has been more than 60 years since the founding of the Great Song Dynasty, and although my Jiangmen has been cut from military power, the power of my Jiangmen is still huge.

More than 60 years of precipitation have allowed me to extend my tentacles in the army to a point that is unimaginable to ordinary people.

When Zhao Yuanyan was thinking of usurping the throne and secretly recruiting troops to buy and sell, someone had already passed the news to us.

Now we know how many soldiers and horses Zhao Yuanyan has in his hands, who controls them, and where they live. ”

Cao Yan opened his mouth in astonishment, but he couldn't say a word.

Cao Wei continued: "The Queen Mother secretly sent someone to contact the supervisors of the two armies of Zhuri and Tianwu, so you should know what is going on, and you don't need me to say more.

Zhu Neng replaced the soldiers and horses in the imperial city, so I don't need to say more.

As for Kou Ji's kid secretly mobilizing the Tiger Army into Beijing, there is no need for me to say more.

As long as it's related to the soldiers and horses, there's nothing I don't know. ”

In fact.

Cao Wei's words were a bit exaggerated.

Regardless of the other soldiers and horses for the time being, as far as the Tiger Army is concerned, Cao Wei has no way to control all their movements.

When the Tiger Army was stationed in Baozhou, there was no news from Jiangmen.

Only when they are out of Baozhou and on the march can Jiangmen deduce their movements through the traces of their march.

After all.

There are more than 10,000 horses in the Tiger Army, with a series of horses, ordnance and a series of baggage, the target is very huge, whether it is a march or a change of place to station, there will always be traces.

As long as the traces are revealed, it is possible to get caught.

Of course, when the Tiger Army marches, it is impossible to be stupid enough to leave traces for people to catch.

During the march of the Tiger Army, there was a special person responsible for cleaning up the traces of their march.

The reason why Cao Wei was able to find out that the Tiger Character Army had appeared outside Bianjing City was that he found it when he was consulting the documents of the Ministry of War.

When Cao Wei was counting the empty camps outside the city, he found several abandoned barracks, which were borrowed by Zhu Neng.

Cao Wei sent someone to inspect it, and as soon as he entered three miles outside the camp, he was blocked.

The people sent by Cao Wei did not break through.

After returning to the military department, he told Cao Wei the news.

Cao Wei combined the usurpation of Zhao Yuanyan and the occupation of the empty camp outside the city, and deduced it, and it was easy to deduce the truth.

Cao Wei didn't tell anyone about this.

even stepped in to help hide one or two.

Cao Yan's expression was very complicated and said, "Since the fourth uncle already knew about this, why didn't he tell the official family?" ”

Cao Wei said indifferently: "The Queen Mother also knows, and Kou Ji also knows, they also didn't tell the official family." ”

Cao Tong said in a deep voice: "The Queen Mother, Kou Ji, all have plans, does the fourth uncle also have plans?" ”

Cao Wei was silent.

Cao Tong was stunned.

Cao Xi said faintly on the side: "We rarely interfere in royal family affairs......

Cao Tong hurriedly said, "Don't you interfere now?" ”

Cao Wei shook his head and said, "Now I naturally have to intervene." ”

Cao Tong hurriedly asked, "Why?" ”

Cao Xi rolled his eyes and said angrily: "Because your sister is the queen!" ”

Cao Wei sighed and said, "Our Cao family's title has been mixed up. One door and two males have stood at the head of many gates. Wangjue, a family and three princes and other things, you don't have to think about it at all.

Because no matter who sits on that queen, he will not be able to tolerate our Cao family having a prince, nor will he be able to tolerate my Cao family's three dukes.

In the past, when Old Lady Fu was alive, he was named a prince, what a glory.

But what about the end?

The Fu family was beheaded. ”

Cao Tong pouted and said, "That's the Fu family's own death, and the ...... of making trouble."

At the mention of this, Cao Wei's face was a lot colder.

Cao Wei's eyes were cold, and he glanced at Cao Tong.

Cao Tong hurriedly shut his mouth.

Cao Wei said coldly: "Do you think the Fu family really wants to make trouble?" That's forced to be helpless. If there is no chaos, the whole family will die; If you make trouble, the whole family will die, so why not make trouble?

Just like the current Eight Kings Zhao Yuanyan.

Do you think he wants to make trouble now, and he can still let him? ”

Cao Tong was stunned and said, "Taizong ......"

Cao Wei snorted coldly, interrupted Cao Yan's words, and said, "Taizong is the emperor that my Cao family has been loyal to after all, and he has the status of a monarch and a minister, so he can't be arrogant. ”

Cao Tong resolutely shut his mouth.

Cao Wei stared at Cao Tong and said, "The Eighth King Zhao Yuanyan is going to make trouble, Kou Ji told you, right?" ”

Cao Tong hesitated for a moment and nodded.

Cao Wei continued to ask: "What Kou Ji said about showing loyalty is also related to this matter, right?" ”

Cao Tong nodded again.

Cao Wei groaned, "What is Kou Ji going to do? ”

Cao Tong hurriedly told Cao Wei what Kou Ji had said.

After Cao Wei listened to Cao Yan's words, he stared at Cao Yan and sighed: "Kou boy treats you sincerely, otherwise he wouldn't take care of you like this." ”

Cao Yan stared at Cao Wei blankly.

Cao Wei didn't rush to explain, but sighed: "I thought that if my Cao Mansion accepted the petition and cooperated with the imperial court to dismantle the Xiang army in the hinterland of the Central Plains, the imperial court would not do anything to the forbidden army in our hands."

But I didn't expect it.

After all, the imperial court still remembered the forbidden army. ”

Cao Xi, Cao Tong, father and son, looked stunned.

Cao Xi was puzzled: "Didn't Kou Boy say that he was joking?" ”

Cao Wei snorted coldly: "Are you kidding? Have you ever seen that important minister of the DPRK and the central government make jokes about this kind of thing? ”

Cao Xi, Cao Tong, father and son, looked at each other.

Cao Wei sighed, "Boy Kou is beating us, let's not worry about the Yizi Shop, because he will not hand over the Yizi Jiaozi Shop to anyone except the official family." ”

"Then what does he mean by letting Yu'er take charge of the one-word Jiaozi shop?"

“……”

Cao Wei was silent for a moment, suddenly pulled the corners of his mouth, and laughed self-deprecatingly, "He's making an offer for our Cao family!" ”

Cao Xi, Cao Yu, father and son, both furrowed their brows together, not knowing why.

Cao Wei explained carefully: "Kou boy wants to give our Cao family a position as the manager of the Jiaozi shop, a part of the wrought iron workshop, and let my Cao family hand over the forbidden army under his control." ”

Cao Xi's eyes narrowed, "How is this possible?" The forbidden army is the foundation of our Cao family, and it is also the foundation of several other families. If the imperial court really takes action and eradicates all our forces in the forbidden army, then we will not sit idly by. ”

When it comes to the last sentence.

Cao Xi gritted his teeth.

Cao Wei smiled bitterly and said, "Fifth brother doesn't have to be angry. Kou boy's throwing out of these is just a temptation. ”

Cao Xi said coldly: "Temptation is not possible...... The forbidden army is the foundation of my Cao family, if there is no forbidden army, my Cao family will only be slaughtered. ”

Cao Wei was silent for a moment and said in a low voice: "That's not going to ...... Kou Xiaozi gave me the management of the Yizi Jiaozi shop to my Cao family, which is to give my Cao family a talisman.

If Yu'er can successfully become the manager of the Yizi shop, then put some of my Cao family's manpower in the Yizi shop.

Then if the imperial court wants to move my Cao family, you have to think about it.

As for the wrought iron workshop, it was an income that Kou Xiaozi used to make up for the loss of my Cao family's source of military salaries. ”

Cao Xi just wanted to speak.

Cao Wei continued: "As early as when the imperial court made a move against the Xiang army, I had already guessed that after the imperial court finished dismantling the Xiang army, it would inevitably take action against the forbidden army.

That's why I found Kou Ji early, wanting to support the imperial court's contribution to the removal of the Central Plains hinterland army in exchange for my Cao family's qualification to retain control of the forbidden army.

But they don't seem to agree......"

Cao Xi gritted his teeth and said, "What good are they doing against all of our generals?" ”

Cao Wei said quietly: "After decades of comfortable life.

Some of the forbidden troops have become so corrupted that they are unable to reach their destination.

When Taizong was in the court, we could still look north at the rivers and mountains.

After the first emperor ascended the throne.

I, the Great Song Dynasty, can only pay tribute to people in exchange for peace.

There is no more ambition.

Some people have been eroded by the glory and wealth in Bianjing City, and have become incompetent people who are greedy for pleasure.

But there are still some unwilling people who are preparing for my great Song Dynasty to look north of the country.

Kou Zhun, Li Di, Wang Zeng, Kou Ji and others are all listed. ”

Cao Xi opened his mouth, but he couldn't speak.

He wanted to criticize what Kou Zhun and others did, but he found that he was not qualified.

But he also didn't agree with the approach of Kou Zhun and others.

Because the practices of Kou Zhun and others touched the fundamental interests of the Cao family.

After Cao Wei's words landed, there was a silence in the main hall.

After a long time.

Cao Xi stared at Cao Wei and said, "Fourth brother, are we going to let others slaughter us?" ”

Cao Wei said with a strange face: "How can my Cao family be slaughtered?" Kou boy has given my Cao family enough benefits. Even if my Cao family does not have the control of the forbidden army, we can still protect ourselves by means of a word shop, or we can use the wrought iron workshop to continue to be rich.

Compared with my Cao family, the other families are really slaughtered. ”

Cao Xi's eyes widened slightly, "Fourth brother, you won't promise that kid, right?" ”

Cao Wei glanced at Cao Xi and said with a smile: "Fifth brother, you think a little too much." At present, the imperial court's dismissal of the Xiang army in the hinterland of the Central Plains has already caused dissatisfaction among various families, and I heard that some people can't help but start making small moves behind their backs.

It also coincided with the imminent usurpation of Zhao Yuanyan.

If two things collide together, it is enough for the court to drink a pot.

The imperial court's dismissal of the box army caused such a big backlash.

If the imperial court were to abolish the forbidden army, it would only cause a greater backlash.

Those civil officials in the court, do they still have the courage to continue? ”

Cao Xi let out a sigh of relief and nodded, "That's good...... The forbidden army is the foundation of my Cao family, and we must not back down. ”

Cao Xi's words were loud.

But he didn't know it.

Cao Wei and Cao Tong sighed at the same time in their hearts.

There are some things that Cao Wei didn't tell Cao Xi,

The door is not monolithic.

When dealing with civil officials, the generals are one and have the same hatred.

But privately, infighting is also very frequent.

If the imperial court grasps this point and breaks it one by one.

It is easy to wrest the power of the forbidden army from the hands of the generals.

This shortcoming, not only Cao Wei knows.

Li Zhaoliang, Gao Chugong and other heads of the Jiangmen family all know.

But they couldn't solve the problem.

for none of them are subject to anyone.

No one wants to be anyone's vassal.

The only one who is qualified to make them all bow down is the official Zhao Zhen.

But the official Zhao Zhen can't lead them to do right with him, right?

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