"Bell! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! ”

In the bustling market, the sound of the gong suddenly sounded rhythmically, and the merchants who were doing business and the people who were buying and selling daily necessities followed the sound, but saw that it was the pavilion chief of the city pavilion who walked out of the pavilion built on the rammed earth platform, and personally rang the gong to make a sound, and his pavilion guards shouted loudly while posting the list on the notice board, "Come here, come here, there is a new decree in the official temple, and a new decree is announced in the official temple!" ”

Out of curiosity, many traders and people gathered under the earthen platform of the city pavilion, stretched their necks to see the new list that the pavilion had just posted, Zhang Shui, who was recognized as the largest business in Jia City, was also among them, and the pavilion chief tore his throat on the earthen platform and shouted, "Listen well, the Yuyang County Guansi issued a new decree of the imperial court, from now on, from now on, all the people who smuggle prohibited goods to the Xiongnu barbarians, etc., whether it is a registered merchant or a Qianshou who has not registered and made a register, who will dare to sell grain, cloth to the Xiongnu in the future, Salt and iron, as long as they are caught, they will be dealt with strictly! The lightest punishment is also a prison sentence, and hard labor for a lifetime! If it's heavy, you will kill your head directly, and the whole family will be reduced to slavery! ”

"Especially iron! Whoever sells a pound of iron to the Huns will be punished as a prisoner! Those who sell more than three catties of iron to the Huns will be beheaded directly! Those who weigh more than ten pounds will be beheaded, plus the whole family will be reduced to slavery! It doesn't matter if it's pig iron, or it's been made into a farm weapon! Those who are not afraid of death and want to wear prison clothes for the rest of their lives, although they can give it a try! ”

"Also, there is a big reward for reporting! Whoever finds that other people are smuggling prohibited goods to the Xiongnu, can immediately report to the official temple (report), once verified, the confiscated goods are divided into three, one handed over to the Yan court, one to the confiscated officials and the army, one to the first to accuse! If the first complaint is true, but there are not many goods seized, and the first complainant does not get a reward of 100 yuan, the local official temple will make up 100 yuan and reward the person who made the first complaint! ”

"If you want to get rich, you will open your eyes wide for Naiweng, and once you find someone smuggling and selling smuggling, you will immediately find Naiong's first complaint, and Naiweng will share the benefits, of course, I can't forget your good! Find our border garrison, or go directly to the official temple to report to the first place! ”

The pavilion chief shouted hoarsely on the earthen platform, publicizing the new anti-smuggling policy of Yanguo Guansi, and of course the people and businessmen in the audience were also discussing, and a small businessman asked Zhang Shui very curiously: "Brother Zhang, you are well-informed, you said that Guansi is really here this time?" Or do you want to show it to the above as before, and forget about this bullshit list in a few days? ”

"It doesn't matter if he's acting or real, I've never done this kind of business anyway." Zhang Shui replied lightly, glanced at the businessman who asked him again, and said with a smile: "Brother Li, you have to be careful, you are specialized in the farm tool business, if anyone looks at you and finds a way to sue you in the official temple, you are afraid that there will be no less trouble." ”

"I have a clear conscience and am not afraid of this." The merchant replied confidently, and said with a pun: "As for the farm tool business, who in our Gonggong Pavilion dares to compare with you, Brother Zhang?" As long as Brother Zhang, you dare to continue to do the farm tool business, of course we dare to continue to do it. ”

Zhang Shui smiled and said nothing, his smile was very disdainful, and he subconsciously remembered the letter that his uncle, who was on an errand in the official temple of Yuyang County, brought to him the day before, and the letter asked him to restrain himself a little, and at the same time hinted that he should pay tribute to him, so Zhang Shui couldn't help but snort quietly, and whispered to himself: "It seems that it is still the same as before, just for show." ”

It also happened that on the same day, Zhang Shui's ministers on the grassland sent someone to bring a message, ordered a large amount of pig iron and salt from Zhang Shui, and said that the goods should be sent as soon as possible, and Zhang Shui's warehouse happened to have too many hoarding of these things, and it was easy to be targeted, so Zhang Shui just thought about it a little, and soon sent his cronies and servants to carry out activities up and down, and got an edict (trade license) for selling pottery, and then quickly organized a caravan to personally deliver the goods north to the grassland a few days later, to earn more than five times the huge profit.

Gonggongting must go north to the grassland must go through three checkpoints, from south to north are Wohu Mountain, Black Mountain Tsui and Songshuliang, among which Wohu Mountain Pass is the best to deal with, the Yan army guarding the pass here is not only Zhang Shui's old acquaintance, but also even the two beautiful maids he secretly hid next to the checkpoint are sent by Zhang Shui, Zhang Shui's goods have always been unimpeded here. This time was no exception, even if the truck transporting the so-called pottery was clumsy and heavy, and anyone could see that it was definitely not pottery, the tun chief of Wohu Mountain Pass still waved his hand and let it go without any inspection.

But the wind is indeed a little tight, when the goods pass through the customs, taking the opportunity of chatting, the tun chief of Crouching Tiger Mountain Pass suddenly whispered to Zhang Shui: "Brother be careful, there has been a change of people in Heishanzui, and the garrison has been expanded to one hundred, and that pass is probably not as good as before." ”

"Who's new?" Zhang Shui hurriedly asked in a low voice, "What are your hobbies?" ”

"I don't know what hobbies I have." Tun Chang replied in a low voice: "I only know that the person who is guarding Heishan Tsui now is a Hedong person, a foreigner who stayed in Yan after the imperial court put down the rebellion of King Yan. ”

"Hedong produces salt, and most of the people who come from salt-producing places love money." Zhang Shui smiled and said: "Thank you for the reminder, and please rest assured, whether he loves money or not, I will take care of him clearly, it's a big deal to make less money this time, and earn it back later." ”

Knowing how capable Zhang Shui was, the tun chief nodded and smiled reassuringly, and at the same time took the package delivered by Zhang Shui without blushing or beating heartbeat, and then sent Zhang Shui's caravan away, turned around and went back to his nearby house to enjoy the beautiful maid and wine.

After more than a day, Zhang Shui's convoy successfully arrived at the Heishanzui checkpoint, and the defenders of Heishanzui, whose garrison had doubled, also immediately dispatched dozens of people, and stopped Zhang Shui's caravan on the road, Zhang Shui hurriedly stepped forward in person, stuffed a heavy small package into the hands of the tun chief who came up to check, and said with a smile; "General, a little bit of meaning, drink a glass of thin wine."

To Zhang Shui's surprise, although the tun chief he had never dealt with before took the package, please open it directly in front of everyone, and after seeing that all the packages contained were Huang Cancan's copper and gold, the tun chief also said in a foreign accent: "Drink a glass of thin wine?" With so much gold to buy wine, you want to get drunk on me? ”

"General, this ......." Zhang Shui smiled bitterly and said, "Why did you open it directly in front of so many people?" ”

"This is Bao Baichang's order." The chief replied very directly, and said: "Bao Baichang has instructed, someone will send something, you can receive it, but you must open it in front of your brothers, and the goods must also be carefully checked, take out your quotation edict, and I will check it." ”

Zhang Shui hesitated and didn't dare to take out the edict of the pottery business directly, but the tun chief asked again, and threatened that Zhang Shui would not take out the edict again, he would immediately open the truck to check, Zhang Shui had no choice but to take out the edict head-on, but the tun chief just glanced at the edict, and immediately shouted, "Pottery? you! Your cargo is so heavy that the axles are about to break, and you dare to say that you are only pulling pottery? Brothers, give me a careful search to see what the hell is in the car?! ”

Some guards with foreign accents agreed, and immediately rushed up to search the vehicle, Zhang Shui saw that he was in a hurry, and hurriedly picked up a package and stuffed it to the chief of Natun, and said in a loud voice: "General, general, don't search, please don't be in a hurry!" Let me meet your Bao Baichang, the villain begs you, let the villain see your Bao Baichang. ”

Pleading, Zhang Shui hurriedly turned to a few local guards next to him, and said quickly: "Brothers, you still don't know me? Zhang Shui of the Gonggong Pavilion, who used to deal with you a lot, please, help me persuade this general, let me and Bao Baichang meet, just meet each other. ”

Several of the original guards of the Black Mountain Tsui refused to say anything, but a strange general with bright clothes and armor came over from the checkpoint, and first asked what happened in a foreign accent, and then said to Zhang Shui: "I am the hundred elders buried here, you said you want to see me, what's the matter?" ”

"General Bao, General Bao." Zhang Shui was overjoyed when he heard this, and hurriedly asked the two entourages to bring a box, and nodded at Bao Yu and said: "General Bao, villain Zhang Shui, this is a little meaning for the villain to honor you, please raise your noble hand, let the villain's goods over, and the villain will take care of ......." ”

"Say no more." Bao buried coldly interrupted Zhang Shui and ordered: "Take down this puppet, and take down all the people he brought, watch carefully, if you dare to disobey, you will be killed!" Remove all his goods and give me a carload of carloads to be carefully inspected! ”

"General, you name it! You name a number! Zhang Shui's soul was scattered, and his voice directly cried, shouting: "As long as you say a number, the villain will not lose any money!" You can have as much as you want, as much as you want! ”

"Shut up!" Bao Yu roared and said: "If Nai Weng is a person who can be bought by money, General Cao will not name and send Nai Weng to guard this Black Mountain Tsui!" General Cao carried Nai Weng out of the pile of dead people, can Nai Weng do something to be sorry for him and make him lose face?! Take! Search for Naion! ”

In the end, the more than 20 carts brought by Zhang Shui were all opened by the guards of Heishan Tsui, and after removing the pottery altar and pottery urn placed on the top, pieces of unforged pig iron and bags of salt without any mark also appeared in front of everyone present. Zhang Shui and his entourage saw each other, but the soldiers of the Black Mountain Tsui garrison led by Bao Bury were cheering, "I have caught a big fish." ”

"Hahahaha, there is hope for Nai Weng to ascend to five hundred this time." Bao buried smiled the most, and couldn't wait to turn to Zhang Shui and yelled: "Say, where did you get so many contraband, who is the person who sold you these things?" Also, how did you get through the Crouching Tiger Pass? Who have received your benefits? ”

Zhang Shui didn't dare to answer with a sad face, and he was not in a hurry, but said with a cruel smile: "Don't want to say? It doesn't matter, Ben Baichang has a way to make you speak, and the above has explained, if you smuggle more than ten catties of pig iron, you can use military law to interrogate the confession, and you are blessed to understand how comfortable our military stick is! Come, drag this man down, and serve him with a baton, until he speaks! You don't need to be polite, you killed Ben Baichang to bear, Ben Baichang not only embedded, but also killed and carried! ”

After being beaten with a thick and hard military stick, Zhang Shui, the largest smuggling merchant in Yuyang Gonggong Pavilion, finally opened his mouth, not only confessed his upper and lower families, confessed his accomplices in Wohu Mountain Pass, but also confessed his maternal uncle who was on an errand in Yuyang County, and the Han army defenders in Heishan Tsui Pass quickly sent someone to report to the Yuyang County Guard Mansion as soon as possible, and a bloody border anti-corruption and anti-smuggling operation was also launched, and many border officials were imprisoned for trial, and many Yan army border generals and soldiers were also implicated. The newly appointed Yan Xianggong Sun Tong also visited Yuyang County to personally preside over the anti-corruption and anti-corruption operation.

After a period of time, Zhang Shui, who was covered in bruises, was escorted back to the Gonggongting to be tortured in public, and then under the instigation and persuasion of the Han army officials, in order to die happily, Zhang Shui, who was sentenced to car splitting, also confessed to several Gonggongting smugglers he knew, and exchanged the lives of several families for his death sentence to be postponed, and also changed to the most painful direct beheading. And similar situations not only appear in various border markets in Yuyang County, but also can be seen everywhere in the entire Yandi.

This also caused a chain reaction, seeing that the Han court did come to crack down on smuggling this time, and coveted the heavy reward promised by the Han court, there were really many border people who ran to the government to report and expose the smuggling merchants they knew, and when they saw that these people got the real money and silver of the Han court, this situation quickly formed a trend, not only the people rushed to report and expose, but some of the slaves in the smuggling merchants' families also ran to the Han court officials and the army to expose their masters in order to get rid of their slave status. As a result, the smugglers who were originally rampant in Yandi have also been hit hard, and the behavior of selling smuggling for huge profits has also been greatly reduced.

The Han army spared no effort to crack down on the smuggling of Yandi, blocking the mouth of Yandi, which was no different from a sieve and a colander, and soon achieved results, reflecting on the grassland, it brought a huge disaster to the Xiongnu tribes on the grassland, the grain that could not be planted on the grassland could not be bought, and many tribes could only use cattle and sheep that had not grown up and grown fat all day long to satisfy their hunger, and cloth could not be bought. The number of tents has also been greatly affected, and a large family lives in a tent, and it is difficult to sleep at night or even turn over, and when they come back from a toilet in the tent, they cannot find a place to sleep.

The most terrible thing is salt and iron, once people eat less salt, they will have no strength in the whole body, cattle, sheep and horses also need to eat salt to grow up and fat, under the serious lack of salt, the population of the Huns, cattle and sheep have been greatly affected. As for the iron tools, it has become more expensive than gold, so that the Xiongnu tribe does not say that it is replaced by iron weapons, even the most basic production and life can only be replaced by bronze, stone or bone tools, the Xiongnu tribe because of this bitterness, but also full of resentment towards the Central Plains, asking Mao Dun to send troops to retaliate one after another.

Of course, these situations were quickly reflected in Shan Yuting in Guyan Mountain, and Mao Dun also had to hold a meeting to discuss countermeasures, and then during the meeting, the Xiongnu nobles really suggested that Mao Dun send the main Xiongnu force south to retaliate against the shameless behavior of the Han court in blocking the border trade, and also used force to force the Han court to open the border ban and supply various necessities to the grassland. However, the eloquent Mao Dun was cautious, and after thinking for a long time, he shook his head and said: "We can't be in a hurry, it is a matter of great importance to gather the main force to go south, and we must consider it carefully." ”

"After Zang Di, the king of Yan in the Central Plains, surrendered to Ben Khan, Ben Khan talked with him many times and learned a lot about the situation in the Central Plains." Mao Dun said slowly: "The current Emperor Xiang Kang of the Central Plains is a very powerful person, not only is he good at commanding troops to fight, but also has many generals who can fight well, and the population of the Central Plains is dozens or hundreds of times that of ours. ”

"Especially now the climate is not suitable." Mao Dun said: "It's only summer now, and if our people go south in a big way, it is easy to get sick because they are not adapted to the hot climate in the south, and then it will affect their combat effectiveness. On the contrary, the Han people of the Central Plains are the most adapted to the grassland climate of this season and can exert all their combat effectiveness. Therefore, it would only be a fool's errand to gather the main force to go south at this time. ”

"But Shan Yu, if we don't use troops against the Central Plains, what will happen to our salt, cloth and grain? You can't eat those cows and sheep that haven't grown up every day, right? A Xiongnu nobleman asked: "There is still pig iron, we can't buy pig iron, and we can't complete our plan to let 80,000 tribesmen switch to iron weapons?" ”

"Two ways." Mao Dun made a decision and said: "First, give an order to King Zuoxian, tell him to organize a small army, and use light cavalry to attack the Central Plains people in various markets and township pavilions on the border, kill people when they see them, rob things when they see them, and withdraw immediately after the battle, do not fight head-on with the army of the Central Plains, let the army of the Central Plains people run back and forth on the border, exhaust them, and let the Central Plains people know that we are powerful, and also completely hurt the Central Plains people!" ”

"Second, send someone to negotiate with the emperor of the Central Plains, and in exchange for a border truce, force the Central Plains Emperor Xiang Kang to release the border ban and sell us what we need." Mao Dun continued: "As long as this point is successful, we will really temporarily ceased war with the Central Plains, first pass our lack of salt, iron and cloth, and then free up our hands to deal with the Yue Clan in the west, eradicate the hidden dangers of our flanks, and finally go all out to deal with the Central Plains army." ”

"The Great Khan is wise." The Xiongnu nobles present hurriedly complimented them, but one of the Xiongnu nobles cautiously asked: "Great Khan, what should we do if the Emperor of the Central Plains refuses to accept the negotiation conditions we offer?" ”

"If you are the emperor of the Central Plains, and your border is not at peace day and night, will you accept the negotiation conditions we offer?" Mao Dun asked rhetorically, and said: "The key to this plan is King Zuoxian, tell him that no matter what method he thinks, and no matter what price he pays, he will give the Central Plains people a pain to Ben Khan!" Scared! ”