Taizhou County, Yangzhou Prefecture.

Wei Jin has been here for several days, but there has been no trace of Li Shi, the first time he personally came to the Li Mansion, only to be told that Li Shi was not at home, the second time when he sent someone to ask, people said that Li Shi left with the caravan, in short, Wei Jin did not even see Li Shi's face, he knew that Li Shi deliberately avoided him.

As for Li Shi, he was indeed hiding at home and didn't dare to see Wei Jin, because he heard that Wei Jin came from Fengzhou with a large army, so he was always uneasy. After all, it's a thief.

……

"Childe, there are people outside asking to see you!" The official said softly outside the bedroom door.

"If you don't see it, you won't see it, just say I'm not there!" When Li Shi heard this, his head was buzzing and hurting, this is still endless, he comes to ask every day, if this drags on, he can't explain it......

"Hui Gongzi, this time it's not from the government, it's from Fengzhou, and it's Zhao Gongzi who brought you something." When the official family saw their son-in-law like this, they couldn't help laughing.

"Oh? Take it to the main hall. Li Shi got up from the bed, what is this guy Zhao Cheng going to do......

After a while, Li Shi walked into the main hall neatly dressed, only to see someone with a hat, dark black cloak, and coarse cloth short brown, sitting in the hall, drinking tea.

"What did Zhao Gongzi send you for?" Li Shi asked a little sensitively and a little uneasily.

"Oh, I've seen Li Gongzi! He was Zhao Gongzi's staff, and this time, Zhao Gongzi brought something to Li Gongzi to reassure Li Gongzi. The staff member got up and said to Li Shi, who was a little timid.

"What's that?" Li Shi asked.

The staff member gently took out a rectangular wooden box from his bosom and placed it on the table.

Li Shi looked left and right, then looked at the staff, and carefully opened the wooden box. At that moment, Li Shi and the staff were stunned by the contents of the box at the same time!

I saw that in the box, a roll of yellow fine silk, which had not yet been unfolded, was faintly visible with delicate dragon embroidery...... Li Shi was so frightened that he didn't dare to move, his heart was about to jump out, what did Zhao Cheng do? He actually ...... I actually got an edict...... Is he planning to involve the Imperial City as well? In this way, Luoyang Mansion will also be affected, and this pool of water will be completely muddy......

Similarly, this staff member was also shocked, this box was actually the emperor's edict, impossible, this is absolutely impossible, I haven't heard that Zhao Cheng contacted the imperial city...... Even if there were, such an errand would definitely send itself...... The edict in front of you...... Nine times out of ten, it is a false edict...... It seems that he is preparing to make a big deal out of it...... In this way, it is not as simple as civil strife in Yangzhou...... Moreover, since the Son of Heaven ascended the throne, the royal family has been in great decline, so there has been no edict, this Zhao Cheng suddenly made a false edict, if the content is more convincing, people in the world who do not know the truth will believe it nine times out of ten...... Hiss, good poisonous means.

The two of them were stunned for a long time, and no one dared to touch the edict.

"Your son-in-law is so bold......" Li Shi said slowly.

"With this thing, can Childe feel at ease?" The staff reacted quickly and immediately asked rhetorically.

"Peace of mind, how can you not be at ease. Now, I have to feel at ease. Li Shi complained again and again in his heart, now, Zhao Cheng can be regarded as completely cutting off his back road, there is not even room for backwater, there is no trace of it, as long as he mentions himself by name in the edict, it is beyond words.

As he spoke, Li Shi gently closed the wooden box.

"Why don't you open it and take a look?" The staff asked.

"What else is there to see." Li Shi smiled bitterly.

The staff also laughed, thinking to themselves, even if only a few people's names are written on the edict, then none of these people can get out of it, if it succeeds, this edict is a mountain of gold and silver, if it fails, this edict is a guillotine. In any case, I am afraid that by then, in the hearts of the people of the world, the authenticity of this edict will no longer be so important.

Li Shi's face was extremely embarrassed, and he stood in the hall, a little distracted.

"The things have been brought, so I'll take my leave." The staff member also hurriedly said goodbye.

Li Shi nodded, he wanted to cry without tears, he wanted to leave a way out for himself, because Shen Wu'an's attitude was ambiguous, which was really unreassuring, but now, Zhao Cheng is a ......

The staff member hurried away.

"Come on, prepare the car, and go to the pavilion." Li Shi thought about it, no, now he has to go to see Wei Jin.

The housekeeper quickly prepared the carriage and drove Li Shi to the pavilion where Wei Jin was temporarily staying.

……

Taizhou County Pavilion Station.

"Report! Li Shi asks to meet! ”

Wei Jin, who was reviewing the official documents, heard that it was Li Shi, put down his pen and got up.

"See you!"

……

Wei Jin finally met Li Shi in the private room of the pavilion.

"Oops, oops! Boss, I'm really sorry to let you deign to be here...... It's my Li Shi's fault, it's my fault! As soon as Li Shi met, he almost didn't kneel in front of Wei Jin with a handful of snot and tears.

Wei Jin was originally angry, but he was helpless to be rectified by Li Shi like this. In fact, both of them knew in their hearts that they were just acting on the spot, just to get by on face.

"Li Gongzi, get up quickly, I just live here to be closer to the barracks." Wei Jin said with a smile.

"Alas, this west is inextricably fought, and there are more businesses, what kind of grain, iron ore, forage, and the demand for this mess has suddenly skyrocketed, so I have to go to many big businesses in person, and I have been running around, neglecting the manager, and please forgive the manager." Li Shi looked like a hard-working person, if it weren't for Wei Jin's lifelong life and everyone who had seen him, he would have really believed him.

"Oh, where has that boy been talking about some big business these days?" Wei Jin said with a smile.

Li Shi was stunned for a moment, and then looked sad again.

"No, there was a big deal in the south some time ago, and I need thousands of stone of grain this autumn, so I just came back from Shuiyue Lake and negotiated with the farmers there for three hundred stones." Li Shi said seriously.

Wei Jin frowned, grain? Big business? Suigetsu Lake? South?

"I don't know who needs 3,000 stone of food?" Wei Jin asked keenly.

"Oh, it's the Six Edicts, each of them has stopped recently, and it is estimated that they are all short of food." Li Shi replied.

"Six edicts?!" Wei Jin took the case, which frightened Li Shi and thought that he had said something wrong, and he was terrified.

"Ah...... Be...... It's the Six Edicts. Li Shi looked at Wei Jin tentatively and said.

"It's okay, it's okay, you go on. Fan Chuan, make another pot of tea. Wei Jin saw that his overreaction frightened Li Shi, so he quickly smiled and sat down slowly.

"I didn't ...... It's gone...... It's all over. Li Shi guessed Wei Jin's thoughts.

"Oh...... Getting back to business, this time back to Taizhou, it is a routine patrol, and I came to see the son, since the son is now a big family and the business is booming, then the old man is relieved, I don't know if the old lady is still healthy? Wei Jin said with a smile.

This sentence was like a drop of water that dripped into Li Shi's heart and made a splash...... He had already learned that Wei Jin sent Zhao Cheng's mother to Yangzhou City to recuperate, but in fact he was just taking it as a hostage, and now it seems that he is going to do it again......

"Ah, thanks to the care of the manager, my mother is very healthy, three meals a day, and a lot of meals." Li Shi hurriedly replied.

"Ah, is it? That's great, I'm still worried that the old lady is not in good health......" Wei Jin let out a slow breath and said with a smile.

Now Li Shi is confused, why is it not the previous routine? That's not right...... What the hell is he trying to do......

"Sir, this is?" Li Shi was puzzled and asked.

"That's the case, recently there have been some things in several commercial houses in Yangzhou City, according to investigation, it seems that they have some dealings with the Yue people, suspected of helping thieves to collaborate with the enemy, but the old man knows, businessmen, making money first, there may be some misunderstandings, so he sent people to preach, but in vain, they still do their own thing...... The captain of the Governor's Mansion has repeatedly written to these people for plotting against the enemy, and the old man really can't bear it...... No, I just wanted to ask Li Gongzi if there was any good way? Wei Jin squinted, drinking tea while observing Li Shi.

Fan Chuan carried a pot of tea, swaggered in, met Li Shi, who looked solemn and looked down in contemplation, smiled contemptuously, and said secretly, fool, what about you......

"This ...... What do you think, sir? Li Shi frowned, and asked Wei Jin solemnly, don't look at him with a serious face, in fact, he was already panicked in his heart, as soon as he heard the words of collaborating with the enemy and rebelling, it was worth it, and it was put in the previous dynasty, it was the crime of destroying the nine clans, even now, I am afraid that it will be all over the house, and after he is a criminal minister, if this crime is confirmed, it will really be a bad death. However, he had already strictly ordered the Li family firms in various places to strictly prohibit trading with the Yue people without permission, and Wei Jin should be scaring himself when he said this.

"To tell the truth, you businessmen account for most of the annual taxes of the Yangzhou government, so deal with them, the old man can't bear it, let's make it clear, those few commercial houses, is your Li family, the old man wants to invite the old lady to sit in Yangzhou, for the old man to preach and teach those ignorant people, but also for your Li family to rectify the family business, after all, abiding by the law is the first priority of business, otherwise, no matter how much money you make, it will not be yours." Wei Jin's words can be said to be hidden in the cotton, and even the intimidation and threats are presentable.

Li Shi suddenly broke out in a cold sweat, and sure enough, he still couldn't hide.

"My mother is old, let her leave home alone, as a son, this is unfilial, doesn't the manager want to let her carry a reputation of unfilial piety?" Li Shi plucked up his courage and wanted to fight.

Fan Chuan stood beside Wei Jin, snickering in his heart, although he had not followed Wei Jin for a long time, he already admired Wei Jin a little, and his evaluation of him in his heart was that Jiang was still old and spicy! Then Zhao Chengdu obediently handed over his mother to the government, just rely on you Li Shi, and you want to resist?

"Huh? Childe is serious, how can he be unfilial? If you want to say that, you see that you often run away from home, isn't it not by the old lady's side, is this also unfilial? Besides, Mrs. Zhao is also in Yangzhou, just right, the two of them can be a companion, and the old man will let Humble Jing take care of it personally, so that you can be busy with business with peace of mind, and the old lady will not be lonely, and can also help you manage the business house in Yangzhou City, the best of both worlds, why not? Wei Jin's extremely sincere remarks made Li Shi speechless for a while, and he didn't know how to refute.

"I said Li Gongzi, once the Yue people are in chaos, do you say that Yangzhou City is safe or your small Taizhou County is safe?" Fan Chuan suddenly spoke, with a stern expression on his face, as if he was scolding Li Shi.

When Li Shi heard it, it made sense, if it was really messy, even if it was a hostage, it would be the safest in Yangzhou City.

Wei Jin looked at Fan Chuan with some surprise, with a relieved expression on his face, he didn't expect this kid to be able to say such a point-to-the-point word, and he can be taught!

Fan Chuan saw Wei Jin's face relieved, and made a grimace at Wei Jin.

Wei Jin was stunned, stroked his beard and laughed, almost forgetting that he was still a child, a piece of beautiful jade, which still needs to be carved, and will become a great tool in the future. If he can teach such an apprentice, it can be regarded as a complete merit.

"I still feel that there is something wrong with it, it is better to send someone to Yangzhou to deal with the affairs of the business house in order to solve the worries of the general manager, if they still refuse to relent, then the general manager only acts impartially and severely punishes these people!" Li Shi thought for a long time, and said that his tentative tone was already a little lacking.

"That's okay, then Li Gongzi will go there in person, what does Gongzi think?" Wei Jin was a little angry, he really didn't know what to do, if you don't know the current affairs, don't blame the old man for being ruthless.

When Li Shi heard this, he was frightened, if he didn't understand it anymore, he should really lose his head.

"There are still a lot of businesses down there, and I really can't get rid of them!" Li Shi said weakly.

"The old man is ruthless, collaborating with the enemy and plotting rebellion, but he has to be fully liquidated and beheaded all over the house. Come on, 600 miles of urgent dispatch to the captain of the patrol city, immediately take care of a person and wait! Wei Jin's eyes widened and he said sharply.

A guard flashed in from outside the door, received Wei Jin's order, and turned to leave.

As soon as the guard stepped out of the threshold, Li Shi completely gave up stubborn resistance.

"Wait! The manager, after thinking about it, now that the situation is tense, it is not appropriate to add more blood, for the sake of the overall situation, it is better to let my mother move to Yangzhou City, personally go to investigate, and then deal with it. Li Shi sighed and compromised.

Wei Jin beckoned, the guard was very sensible, understood it, and returned to his post.

"Li Gongzi understands righteousness, and the old man admires it!" Wei Jin stroked his beard and said with a smile, the big thing has been accomplished, in this way, Zhao Cheng and Li Shi will be controlled, and the rest is not to worry, that money is just a wine to make people brave, as long as Zhao Cheng is controlled, he will not dare to make waves. In this way, the troops can be sent to Yue County as soon as possible, and the Yue people can be taken down in one fell swoop and the rebellion can be quelled.

"Then go back immediately to convince my mother. Leave! On Li Shi's forehead, beads of sweat kept rolling down, and he said goodbye to Wei Jin weakly, he didn't want to see Wei Jin more for a moment.

"Slow down and don't send it!" Wei Jin raised his eyebrows slightly, very proud.

Li Shiqiang endured the panic and walked out of the pavilion, and with the support of his subordinates, he reluctantly climbed into the carriage and went back.

Inside the pavilion.

"Someone is coming, immediately send an order, and the soldiers and horses of Xuanzhou from all over the country will enter Wu County at full speed to prepare for war!" Wei Jin's heart was much more relaxed, and he immediately ordered.

……

In the evening of the same day, Wei Jin saw a messenger sent from Wu County by Cong Cheng Shi...... After learning about the plan to seal the knife, he thought about it for a long time and replied: Hold on to the soldiers, and wait for the old man to arrive, and then discuss it in case the situation changes.