Cloudy and sunny, Xiyang City is still bustling, the bell tower rings the bell, reporting the time to the people in the city, but the bell tower in Xiyang is slightly different from other places, it is every half an hour to report the hour. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

Because of the "Xiyang Bell", the twelve hours a day are subdivided into 24 'hours', and half an hour is one hour, so the clock tower in Xiyang City has a higher frequency of telling the time than other bell towers.

The bell tower of Xiyang City, which is also different from the bell towers elsewhere, is a towering tetrahedral tower, on which there is a "bell" in addition to the bell, that is, the Xiyang clock that can read the time, also known as the clock.

On all four sides of the bell tower there are huge clock dials, which can be accurate to the 'minute', and the long and short hands on the dial are running day and night, rain or shine, showing the people of the city what time it is.

The unique style of the bell tower is a famous scenery in Xiyang City, but this thing is of little use to the farmers, because they don't need too precise time, after all, the rural life of sunrise and sunset just needs to know what time it is.

But for the residents of Xiyang City, the clock is becoming more and more important in their daily life, because there are more and more workshops in and out of Xiyang City, and many people are 'working' in the workshops, and the payment of wages is related to time.

If you are late for work, you will be deducted by the owner, so the people who 'work' are racing against time to see the time on the clock tower early in the morning to determine "what time it is".

There are also many people who need to see the time, such as officials at all levels who want to go to the official offices and yamen to 'point the mao', businessmen who have made appointments to meet people, and the tall bell tower ensures that the residents of the city can easily know the current time.

Although the workshop also has a clock, the people who work more believe in the official clock, because the workshop can come up with any trick in order to deduct the wages.

Because of the issue of 'attendance', every workshop has a clock, and some workshops even have more than one clock, in order to avoid labor disputes, all clocks are based on the time of the clock tower.

After all, there will be someone in charge of the clock tower every day, and the pocket watches they use for school time are all proofread at the star tower outside the city, so everyone takes the time of the clock tower as the standard.

Not only do clock-based workshops everywhere send people to watch the clock tower to keep the clock, but those who have pocket watches also habitually pull out their pocket watches to keep time when they pass near the clock tower.

On the street corner, Tian Liuhu stopped, took out his pocket watch and pointed it on the bell tower, a pocket watch is expensive, only rich people can afford it, but this is not a problem for him, the problem is whether the pocket watch is durable.

Tian Liuhu, who had just returned from Lingbiao, had a significantly darker complexion, but his spirit was still very good, and the pocket watch in his hand looked no different from a common pocket watch, but the cost had doubled.

The slave catchers often have to go over the mountains and mountains, shuttling through the deep mountains and old forests, rain, sweat, dew and bumpy journeys, will have a huge impact on the pocket watch, if you can't go right, it will be bad.

There are many slave catchers who do raw trading, and sometimes they will cooperate and attack together like wolves, which requires a more accurate clock to determine the time to start at the same time.

Therefore, Tian Liuhu has a time-tested pocket watch in his hand, with excellent quality and reliable time.

This kind of pocket watch is full of materials, and the general slight bump can't affect the time to go, I don't know what is used, so that the pocket watch is not affected by rain and sweat, Tian Liuhu doesn't care how this pocket watch is made, anyway, the clock workshop can open a price, and he can afford to give money.

Seeing that the time was almost up, Tian Liuhu quickened his pace and led his entourage into a large courtyard, which was the guild of the dart shop, and it was also the place where he often came except for the Shengkou Market.

Huangzhou's dart shop was established for a short time, but the profit is quite rich, the guild is the place where the dart shop owners gather, but also a variety of news distribution center, just returned to Huangzhou not long after Tian Liuhu, these days in the guild and the owners chat, talking about what they saw and heard in Lingbiao, Jiaozhou.

The King of Xiyang led his troops on the expedition and marched all the way south, and everywhere he went, there were business opportunities, and soon brought business to the dart shops, which made many dart shop owners smile from ear to ear.

However, there are many profitable transactions on the Lingbiao side in addition to the darts, but many people are not familiar with the Lingbiao at all, so Tian Liuhu, who has been to Lingnan and Jiaozhou, has become the best candidate for everyone to inquire about the news.

Today's guild is still full, and everyone here is an acquaintance, but this time everyone gathered together not to talk about business.

The proprietors hadn't talked for long, and the clock was on time, and several people hurried in from outside the door, and the people present got up one after another and saluted the leader: "The grass people have seen Sima." ”

"Sit."

Yuwen 15 sat at the top, looked at the people present, and did not make an official article, but directly cut to the topic: "I summoned everyone here today, there is an important matter to announce, and the stakes are very high, and I ask you to treat it solemnly." ”

Hearing this, everyone sat upright, and Yuwen 15 continued: "Last night, this official was assassinated, but fortunately, there was no danger, and the murderer was killed on the spot. ”

Before everyone came back to their senses, he continued: "The murderer's origin is not small, he is from the Xia Guanfu, that is to say, the murderers who want to kill this official are court officials!" ”

"Huh? Does that mean..."

"That's right! The imperial court is going to do it! Take advantage of the fact that the king of Xiyang and the prince of Qi are not in Shannan, and do it now! ”

Such exciting news made everyone present stunned, and then the crowd became excited: "What's going on?" What happened to King Xiyang? The imperial court wants to carry out such dirty methods? ”

"It doesn't matter what means they use, this official will never allow outsiders to get involved in Huangzhou, so this time I summoned everyone to explain the situation, so as not to be confused..."

Yuwen Wen, the king of Xiyang, led the troops to the battle, and Yuwen fifteen was ordered to stay behind, so the proprietors of the dart line all knew that Yuwen fifteen is now the spokesperson of the king of Xiyang, and whoever is unfavorable to Yuwen fifteen is to be unfavorable to the king of Xiyang.

That's to the detriment of everyone!

Xiyang Wang Yuwenwen has governed Huangzhou for more than eight years, and many people have made a fortune by relying on Yuwenwen's governing measures, in other words, they are part of the interest group headed by Yuwenwen, if Yuwenwen is unlucky, their good days will come to an end.

Yuwen was in the governor's mansion on the fifteenth day, and Hao Wubo convened a group of officials to discuss the matter, put the assassin's head on the table, and what should have been said has already been said, from now on, he and Hao Wubo will act as the governor, and whoever dares not to listen to the dispatch will die.

The deployment of troops and horses in the Governor's Mansion is decided by Yuwen 15, and the daily operation of the Governor's Mansion is still the responsibility of the Governor General Shi, but the decision-making must be approved by Yuwen 15 and Hao Wubo.

Such an arrangement, Yu Wenwen had already made arrangements last year, if anyone dared to question it, it would be either stupid or bad.

What should be said has been said, and the arrangement that should be arranged, Yuwen came here non-stop after the 15th meeting, just to convene the owners of the dart store to discuss countermeasures.

"The Son of Heaven and the Prime Minister are the lord of Xiaolang and the housekeeper, originally the housekeeper did work hard for the master of Xiaolang to run the family business, but if this is used as a reason, if you want to drive the master of Xiaolang away and be the master of the Lang, it will be different."

Yuwen 15 tried his best to use simple reasoning to let the proprietors present understand the current situation, these people can't even speak official language well, they haven't read any books, if he cites more scriptures, it is easy to make the other party more confused the more he listens.

"Now, if the housekeeper wants to seize the family property, the first thing he will deal with is the relatives of Lord Xiaolang, that is, King Qi, the prince of Qi and the king of Xiyang!"

"What did they send to assassinate their own officials? In order to make Huangzhou a mess! ”

"This alone is not enough, the next step will inevitably be sent to come over to grab the land, in this way, Xiyang City is finished! Everyone's family business is over! ”

What Yuwen 15 wants to emphasize is a 'truth', that is, if the King of Xiyang is finished, everyone will be finished, the good days are gone, the family business is gone, and even the outer room of Xinna is gone.

"Sima! What do you need to do with the grass people, just give orders, ask people to send people, ask for money and food, we are not ambiguous! ”

"It's very good, but this official is here, not to ask everyone for money, food and people, but to hope that everyone will quickly discuss a countermeasure, so that those who can travel can come back quickly, and those who can't come back should quickly settle down on the spot, because there will definitely be a war next."

Yuwen Fifteen's words are to the point, but it is not a big problem for all the owners here, they have already formulated a response plan for such a situation, so they will not panic.

Huangzhou's dart shop conducts business, and has a good relationship with the Haoqiang and big clans along the way, one is to make money with harmony, and the other is to spend money to eliminate disasters, so that the dart team can get shelter in the local area at a critical time.

This is a development strategy that has been set from the beginning, and now it comes in handy, Yuwen 15 will tell everyone the news in time, in order to let the owners quickly respond and minimize the loss of personnel and property.

In the case of ensuring the safety of personnel, try to keep the goods and keep the credit of the dart line.

"This official called everyone to a meeting, one is to report the news, and the other is to ask everyone to pay more attention, once it is found that there are troop movements in various places, regardless of the size of the team, they must report to this official."

"Sima is afraid that someone will mobilize private soldiers to sneak attack?"

"That's right! The king went on the expedition, and the official stayed in Xiyang, although many arrangements were made, there will always be people who disobey the yang and the yin, so you need to do a favor and keep an eye on it more! ”

"Sima said with a smile, serving the government is what good citizens like us should do."

Yuwen fifteen nodded, it was a matter of interests, he didn't think that anyone here would ignore the family business and stand by, so it was Yuwen Wen's sentence that said it well: It is more difficult to touch interests than to touch the soul.

What he needs the owners to do is not only to inquire about the news, but also to convene everyone to discuss the matter, and of course there are major initiatives that require these people to participate, that is, 'joint defense'.

"The government presides over the overall situation, there are many affairs, and there are gaps in the south, so we need everyone's assistance to come to a 'joint defense' to ensure law and order in various places."

"The servants of each family, the nursing home or the dart head, the dart master, in addition to the care of the house, but also with the neighborhood, the township joint defense, once found that someone is suspicious, can be turned to the government, if it is found that someone is taking advantage of the fire to rob, as long as it is normal self-defense, then even if the action is to make trouble, there is also the official to bear."

When Yuwen 15 said this, he stood up and saluted the people present: "The safety of Huangzhou depends on everyone to assist the government and work together to tide over the difficulties!" ”

Everyone returned the salute: "Sima rest assured, the grass people are willing to serve the work of dogs and horses!" ”

"Without further ado, if it's late, things will change, everyone hurry up." Tian Liuhu was striking while the iron was hot on the side, and Yuwen Fifteen had already passed the qi with him in advance, so he knew what to do.

"The prime minister has been planning for a long time, and now once he does it, he will inevitably make a lot of moves, we have to race against time, hurry up and get ready to fight!"

。。。。。。

The afterglow of the setting sun sprinkled on the water, rendering the river golden yellow, and several clippers took advantage of the unpredictable southeast wind and dozens of long trees on both sides of the ships to swim upriver against the waves.

Accompanied by the rhythmic drum beat, the fast boat is like a centipede on the river, and the dense drum beat is mixed with snoring.

On a boat, Xiyang Wang Yuwen slept in gentle clothes, snoring like thunder, and on each boat, there were many people snoring, and the snoring sound one after another constituted a peculiar music.

When a person's body is too tired, it is easy to snore after falling asleep, and Yuwenwen and others keep snoring, it is precisely because of extreme fatigue that they have not slept seriously since they passed Zhenyang Gorge.

Last night, Yuwen Wen smashed the conspiracy of Cui Da and Cui Hongsheng in Jiangzhou Prefecture, he couldn't get tired, and the generals held a military meeting to make a decision, and then made various deployments with a strong spirit.

After finally tossing, Xu Shao persuaded him to sleep well, but the situation was as dangerous as a tired egg, where did Yuwenwen have the heart to sleep, he saw that Jiangzhou had already made arrangements, so he had to rush to Xiyang overnight.

Xu Shao and the others saw Yuwenwen's crumbling appearance, where did they dare to let him ride a horse overnight, so they arranged a few clippers to carry Yuwenwen to Xiyang by water overnight.

Sailing against the current, the speed is very slow, but Xu Shao means that Yu Wenwen can sleep on the boat, so that he will neither delay the overnight rush nor delay.

Huangkou is located in the downstream of Xiyang, the waterway distance between the two places is about 300 miles, and the average ship can go upriver with the help of manpower and wind, and can go more than ten miles every half an hour, that is, the speed of more than ten miles per hour.

This speed is not fast, but it consumes a lot of physical strength, and it is simply impossible to support such a long distance with the hand at the start and the intermittent southeast wind, and the Clipper has to keep changing people to be faster.

Therefore, carrying the fleet of Yuwen Wenhui Xiyang, every time they pass by a water village, they will change their hands.

In order to increase the speed of the ship, Xu Shao temporarily mobilized these clippers, and all the cumbersome things were thrown away, in order to travel lightly and race against time to let Yuwenwen rush back to Xiyang as soon as possible.

With all these efforts, the fast boat that Yu Wenwen was riding on, even if it was sailing against the current, had reached an astonishing speed, and from last night's departure at Huangkou to now, the three-hundred-mile waterway was about to end in less than a day, and the men were tired enough.

Not far ahead is Bakou Port, the landmark of Bakou Port, the windmill has come into view, and several warships have sailed out of the port area to usher in the fleet.

When the fleet was about to arrive at Wuzhoushu downstream of Bakou, the news of the imminent arrival of the King of Xiyang had already been transmitted, and the defenders immediately sent people to Bakou to prepare for it.

"King, it's here, it's here."

"Huh? Arrived? Where has it been? ”

Yu Wenwen came over and slept in a dark place, and was suddenly woken up by someone How could he come back to his senses so quickly, he looked at the general blankly, rubbed his eyes, and was about to ask the ultimate three questions in life, but saw the familiar windmill on the bank of the river in front of him.

"Got to Bakou?" He finally remembered why he was on the boat.

"Yes, the king, the last general has already sent someone to spread the word, and he will be able to dock in a while."

"Very well, go to the city as soon as you go ashore!"