According to Mr. Zhoushan, there are more than 100 prefectures and counties in Jinghu South Road, Jinghu North Road, Guangnan East Road, Guangnan West Road, Jingdong East Road, Jingdong West Road, Jingdong West Road, Fujian Road, Liangzhejiang Road, Jiangnan East Road, and Jiangnan West Road, and the local gentry have elected the state and county shepherds under the banner of "respecting the Son of Heaven and not obeying the king's orders". After many preparations, the Science Society finally let these prefectures and counties learn to sacrifice wine or come in person, or sent envoys to Ezhou, ready to elect the sage and fake prime minister, so as to control the overall situation, expel the northern captives, and welcome back the saint. For a time, Ezhou gathered heroes. Kong Zimu, the envoy from Jingdong East Road, highlighted the conspiracy, stirred up more than 60 states and counties to learn the sacrificial wine, and after discussion, jointly signed a charter to bind the prime minister. Kong Zimu made it clear that if Chen Dong accepts this charter, then everyone will be able to nominate him as a fake prime minister, and if Chen Dong can't accept this charter, then everyone will scatter back, and there is no need to nominate this "fake prime minister" who is likely to usurp the king.

When Chen Dong thought that the victory was in his hands, he suddenly made such a scene. After he read the regulations drawn up under the leadership of Kong Zimu, he was rarely angry. In a fit of rage, he sent someone to invite Zhao Xingde over to discuss with him how to deal with the current situation.

"Without the approval of the state and county councils, the prime minister shall not increase taxes in the local area without authorization. The amount of increased taxes imposed by the Quartermaster Government shall be clearly explained to the counties for the sake of sacrificial wine, and shall not be concealed or diverted for other purposes. Zhao Xingde read the harsh statute softly, "The incumbent state and county shepherds and county school priests are not allowed to go to prison until the county school is impeached and removed from office." The prime minister shall not interfere with the public deliberations of the prefectures and counties in the election of local shepherds. The state and county ......, and the local soldiers maintained by the state and county self-raised food and salary, for the purpose of protecting the territory and the people, the prime minister cannot be transferred to another county without the permission of the state and county school council, making the place empty. The Zhenguo Army and the Baoyi Army shall not enter the border of the prefecture or county without the permission of the state and county shepherds......"

Zhao Xingde whispered softly, and Chen Dong was also angry when he heard it, and said, "What kind of regulations are these!" Defend us the same as defend the Liao army! He remembered that he was dedicated to serving the country and the people, but he was constrained by the small group, and some of the joint states and counties were actually controlled by the Science Society. Chen Dong couldn't help but be a little disheartened, he said to Zhao Xingde: "This is all instigated by Kong Zimu, Hou Huanyin did not become the prime minister, after all, he was unwilling, I thought that this person's side was quite large, and he had the tools of the prime minister, but now it seems that he has finally revealed the face of a villain." Fortunately, after listening to Yuan Zhi's persuasion, he didn't give up the position of prime minister to this villain. He turned his mind and said, "After all, we can't let this group of villains succeed." Jingdong is far away and cannot be dealt with. Yuan Zhi, can you send troops and horses to a few nearby joint states and counties to warn those clowns who are jumping up and down with Kong Zimu? ”

Zhao Xingde was taken aback, and hurriedly said: "This move must not be." ”

He saw that Chen Dong's face sank, afraid that he would have other ideas, so he analyzed the benefits and disadvantages for him and said: "Zi said that love is poor, from near to far. Taishi Gong said that the hustle and bustle of the world is all for profit. Nowadays, many states and counties sacrifice wine for their own benefit, out of human nature. In the Spring and Autumn Period, Yan Zi has a saying, if the monarch chooses the minister, the minister also chooses the monarch. Today, the situation is different, but it is similar. In the Great Song Dynasty alone, there were four forces, such as Liao thieves, Bianliang Zhao Zhifu, Qin Hui and other children's courts, Xiangyang Zhaoqi court and our Ezhou, among which Ezhou was the weakest. These states and counties that respect the Son of Heaven and do not obey the orders of chaos, no matter what kind of selfishness they have, they are always loyal in the world's faintness. I am afraid that instead of making the states and counties return to their hearts, we will drive the fish and the birds for the abyss, and drive these states and counties to the hostile side in vain. ”

Chen Dong listened to his advice, his expression eased slightly, and Zhao Xingde said again: "To solve this matter, it is not to blindly suppress it, but to guide it according to the situation, so as not to make it harm justice because of personal interests." The so-called politicians are also positive. When I was preparing to build the Baoyi Army, Jing Xiang Haojie was worried about the Guishun Imperial Court, and in order to seek trust from others, he agreed with the generals to set down many grace rules and regulations, which were made public to solve Haojie's suspicions. Now there are rumors outside, even if you are a fellow believer in the society, you may not have suspicion of you and me. If the agreement agreed upon by the state and county school sacrificial wine is reasonable, then Shaoyang might as well laugh at it, and publicize it to make his heart clear, if it is an unreasonable agreement, then he will fight for it according to reason. For example, the agreement that requires the consent of the local shepherds to allow the imperial army to enter the state and county borders can still be observed, but it is necessary to add that if the Liao army and other puppet Korean soldiers violate the border, the army can enter the state and county territory on its own without waiting for the consent of the state and county to resist the enemy army. In such a case, if the state or county still refuses to allow the army to enter the country, it is treacherous, and we regard it as a march within the territory of the enemy. "The meaning of the enemy's territory is that the soldiers can replenish their military supplies by plundering, and act cheaply to extinguish the resistance, and go unpunished afterwards.

Chen Dong's eyes lit up slightly, and then he hated again: "Go straight, you are a sincere gentleman." But a gentleman can be bullied. If someone with other intentions like Kong Zimu is bent on embarrassing us, then no matter how much he explains, how he tolerates, and how he fights, he can't fight. ”

When Kong Zimu came to lobby him to support Hou Huanyin as prime minister, he was full of compliments, but he did not mention the matter of restricting the power of the prime minister. And if there is no such charter, and Hou Huanyin is pretended to be the prime minister, I am afraid that the forces of Jingdong and the two roads will be able to do something with the status of prime minister. Thinking of this, Chen Dong couldn't help but feel a chill, and he was even more vigilant about Hou Huanyin and Kong Zimu on Jingdong Road. It is not your enemies who will give you the fatal blow in the court, but your allies.

"To deal with Hou Huanyin and others, fight or not," Zhao Xingde smiled slightly: "It's all Xiang Zhuang dancing swords, and he is just aiming for Pei Gong." He picked up the teacup, took a sip of tea to moisten his throat, and continued, "Ezhou proposes that the Son of Heaven will not be ordered to do anything, and the same people from all over the country will rise up. We have taken the lead in this game of chess, and as long as you are calm and do not mess up with your pieces, you can firmly gain the upper hand and let others follow your chess pieces. Kong Zimu's desire to establish a charter to limit the power of the prime minister was originally a means of showing weakness and self-preservation. We are not afraid that he will muddy the water, the water is stirring up fiercely, and the layers that precipitate down are more distinct. No matter how ever-changing he is, we only firmly stand on the righteousness, and there will only be fewer and fewer people who follow Hou Huanyin. Through these struggles, we will pull those states and counties that are hesitating in the middle to our side to the greatest extent, attract those states and counties that have not yet responded to the banner of righteousness to our side, and isolate people with ulterior intentions like Hou Huanyin to the greatest extent. In this way, the Untouched Sword Soldier reduces your opponents and gains allies. The ancients said that they defeated the court, isn't that it? ”

"Exactly." Hearing this, Chen Dong nodded and sighed: "Shibei should be impressed in three days." If it weren't for Yuan Zhi, he would have almost missed a big thing. ”

Chen Dong's eyes were a little complicated. If it weren't for the Zhenguo Army's eastward crusade, only the Baoyi Army would be left in Ezhou, and Zhao Xingde would have to send troops, I am afraid that the army has just been stationed in various states and counties, and under the deliberate rendering of Hou Huanyin and his ilk, I am afraid that I will be discredited.

"But it's only for the fool." Zhao Xingde smiled. He thought of Chen Qianli in Chang'an, and Zhao Xingde always felt that Chen Qianli's reputation was very incommensurate with his knowledge. When he left Chang'an to go to the Dunhuang Protectorate Mansion, Chen Qianli explained to him the way of the Protectorate Mansion, which was quite inspiring to him.

"Brother Qianli is a great hidden in the court," he shook his head in his heart, "but I am just a waste of fame." ”

Remembering that in the early years in Bianliang, a group of classmates and friends, only out of righteous indignation, exposed the world to denounce Tong Guan, a powerful minister, desperate at the beginning, how sinister the situation was, so that Zhang Minghuan died, and many friends died for several years, but now that I think about it, it is still full of blood. After a long period of ups and downs, he is tired of prestige, but he can't be as high-spirited as before. After considering many benefits and disadvantages, the gains and losses are still unpredictable. For example, donating a life, although Zhao Xingde was disgusted in his heart, he had to make this decision in order to raise food and salary for the Quartermaster House. For example, Hou Huanyin is quite ambitious, and he seems to be a fierce ambition who will compete for the world if he advances, and if he retreats, he will divide one side. But he controlled more than 30 states and counties in Jingdong, and Zhao Xingde did not have a good impression of this person, but he had to persuade Chen Dong to be vain with him. It is not clear who will win or lose in the future, but now they still have to try their best to maintain face.

Chen Dong's mansion is adjacent to the downtown area. When I walked out of the house, my eyes were full of traffic. Most of the people had smiles on their faces, and it seemed like it was a good day. In this troubled era, for the people of Ezhou, as long as the market is calm and the Liao army does not kill under their noses, every day is not bad. Especially recently, a large number of nobles from various states and counties have gathered in Ezhou, which has really made the inns and shops in the city make a lot of money, and even the beggars have asked for a few more money.

The air was filled with the smell of fresh vegetables, fishy fish and chicken and duck droppings, and it was raining for days, but it happened to be a sunny day, and all kinds of stalls were set up on the street, and the faces of the people in front of the stalls were full of smiles. The seller's thick Ezhou accent is selling, and the vegetable farmer who sets up the stall bargains with the aunt and daughter-in-law who buys things, and can earn a few copper coins. But after the transaction was made, the buyer left happily, and the seller was satisfied and counted the copper coins.

Such a lively and vibrant scene makes people squeeze aside with all their sorrows. Zhao Xingde took a deep breath of humid air and said secretly: "I'm just an ordinary man. What you do today, the rise and fall of the world, is just the responsibility of the husband. "Strode forward.