Dingyan County is a very strange place, no matter how honest and honest officials are, when they come here to become a county honor, they will become corrupt.

Sometimes it's not that you're strong-willed, it's just that you haven't encountered temptations that are enough to shake you, and some people have extravagance that you can't even imagine.

The Jiangnan atmosphere has always been that some children are long-term and heroes are short-lived. Especially in the settlement of the two Huai salt merchants in Yangzhou, the salt merchants can be said to be the richest party, and the luxury of life is comparable to that of the royal family, and their wealth has also fed a large number of industries that live next to them, and "raising thin horses" is one of them.

The dream of Yangzhou in ten years, the bustling turmoil of Yangzhou City, the singing and dancing are known all over the world. The wealthy businessmen gathered here, after being tired of the aesthetics of "rich breasts and fat buttocks", "thin horses" came into being.

Most of them are girls from poor families, who were picked up when they were young and raised from a young age. These selections are also very strict, and there are seven criteria such as thin, small, sharp, curved, fragrant, soft, and positive. After being selected layer by layer, they began to teach them to play the piano and blow the flute, chant poems and write, paint Go, play double-back, wipe dominoes, and use all kinds of lewd tricks and pillow amorous means. You must also know how to keep accounts and manage finances, so as to assist the owner and become a personal pet.

These weak beauties, thin and slender, have been trained for more than ten years, all to please men. It can be said that every smile and every move can make you feel charming, pretty in your cheeks, and crispy in your heart. Ordinary people can't stand it at a glance, let alone serve on the couch.

Huang Siqiong never thought that his 10,000 taels of gold and silver, and his four top thin horses, could not shake a petty official who seemed to be very easy to win.

Xu Yuanbao started from the bamboo forest, and was kicked by Gong Zifang to Hou Xuanyan's side, and witnessed the entire entrepreneurial process of his eldest brother.

I didn't learn anything else, and my appearance was the same ugly, which made Huang Siqiong lose her mind angrily and show her feet.

Huang Jianling is an old fox after all, and he immediately realized that a catastrophe was coming, after all, no matter how much money he had, there was nothing he could do in the face of an army of 200,000. Yangzhou is stationed with two battalions of water and fire, which is a force that can shake the world, and it is by no means a family can resist.

Lao Huang immediately made a decision, took Xiao Huang, pulled the salt lead and countless gold and silver, and went to Yangzhou City.

On the way, I happened to meet Hou Xuanyan who was leading the troops, and after the forward reported, Hou Xuanyan said: "Let's go, go out and have a look." "With a horse's belly, I took a few generals and personal soldiers to the front army.

Huang Siqiong saw Xu Yuanbao on the horse, and hated the root of his teeth, but knelt on the ground and bowed his head deeply. That fleeting resentful look, after seeing Hou Xuanyan again, hid under his head.

Hou Xuanyan sneered: "What does this mean? ”

Huang Jianling prostrate on the ground and said: "Huang Jianling, a grass man, has no way to teach his son, and he beat Shangguan while I was away. We, the Huang family, are willing to hand over the rebel son to be disposed of, hand over all the salt we hold, and pay money to help the imperial court transport grain to Sichuan. ”

Behind him, there were several carts of gold and silver, which seemed to be the property that the Huang family was preparing to donate for transporting grain.

This condition is not unattractive, and everyone is excited. Li Haoxianrao is the richest man in Dengzhou, and he has never seen this kind of battle, and he didn't know how poor he was when he arrived in Yangzhou. Everyone's eyes were focused on Hou Xuanyan.

Even Xu Yuanbao said happily: "Big brother, I guess it's also Xiao Huang's son, and Lao Huang is a good person." Anyway, I have rough skin and thick meat, since Lao Huang is so generous, I will be beaten alone, in exchange for many people in Sichuan and Shu to survive, it is worth it. ”

Hou Xuanyan was unmoved, his face sank like water, and he looked at the Huang family father and son on the ground. Lao Huang behaved like a loving father, in order to protect his son, his cautious appearance was impeccable. But Huang Sangongzi doesn't have such good acting skills. If it was an ordinary gentleman who caused such a catastrophe, he should be without a master and panicked by now.

But when Huang Siqiong first saw Hou Xuanyan and others, the resentment in his eyes was clearly seen by Hou Xuanyan, who had been paying attention to him.

Later, after catching a glimpse of Hou Xuanyan's gaze, he ducked his head dodgingly, and his eyes were more fearful than panic.

Yangzhou is not an ordinary place, and it is impossible to come to the pool, Hou Xuanyan pulled the reins of the horse, and said in a loud voice: "The will of the imperial court to rectify the salt mine has just been issued, and the Huang family is the first to resist this policy, and this matter is by no means perfunctory with a few carts of gold and silver." ”

After speaking, he turned around and asked, "How far is this place from Dingyan?" ”

Xu Yuanbao blurted out: "The horse will arrive in half an hour." ”

Hou Xuanyan nodded, and said in a deep voice: "Take down the Huang family's father and son, use fireworks to send a message, and notify the sailor to do it." ”

Huang Jianling's heartbeat almost reached his throat, it turned out that his old nest had been surrounded. Although Dingyan County is from top to bottom, they are all members of the Huang family, but their own father and son have thrown themselves into the net on the water, and the last road on the water is still blocked.

The generals of the Huozi Battalion were a little unbearable, in their opinion, the Huang family had shown enough sincerity, and they didn't know why the commander, who had always been generous, was unforgiving this time. actually wants to mobilize the water division, this is to drive out the Huang family.

Hou Xuanyan led the troops to continue walking, and asked as he walked, "Yuanbao, did you notice anything unusual in the Huang family?" ”

Xu Yuanbao shook his head and said, "What's wrong with that, if you say that there is, his family is too rich." ”

Hou Xuanyan shook his head and said, "The Wu family in Jinling and the Gu family in Suzhou are also wealthy businessmen in the world, but they will not make such a strange move. Their children must have been exposed to their father's style since they were young, and how could any businessman blatantly embarrass the government. ”

Xu Yuanbao didn't care, and said with a big grin: "What does the eldest brother want to do with this, in half an hour, we will arrive, and when the time comes, turn the Huang family upside down, what secrets can he hide?" ”

Hou Xuanyan chuckled lightly and scolded: "You kid can see through, we are now strong soldiers, take care of the fucking Longtan Tiger's Den, and then talk about it." ”

Looking at Dingyan County from the high place in the suburbs, the large manor covering an area of more than ten acres looks resplendent from a distance, carved beams and painted buildings. Hou Xuanyan Rao has been in a rich place in the south of the Yangtze River for a long time, and it is rare to see such a luxurious house.

Compared with the wealth, power, and family lineage, the Dingyan Huang family is not ranked in the south of the Yangtze River, and it is so high-profile, it seems that Lao Huang is nothing more than that.

Hou Xuanyan came to the city gate, Zhang Mingzhen's subordinates had already controlled the entire county. After the general of the water division saw Hou Xuanyan, he opened the city gate and welcomed him in.

Coming to the door of the Yellow Mansion, Zhang Mingzhen stood in front of the flower hall with his hands behind his back, with an angry face.

Hou Xuanyan stepped in, threw the horsewhip in his hand, and Hu Bawan reached out to catch it. When Hou Xuanyan saw Zhang Mingzhen's face, he knew that something must be wrong, and said in a condensed voice: "Hou Fu? ”

Zhang Mingzhen turned his head and saw that it was Hou Xuan who had arrived, so he stepped forward and said, "Guogong, this time I caught a big scourge." ”

Hou Xuanyan saw that his tone trembled, he must have been extremely angry, and his heart sank: "Say it slowly." ”

Zhang Mingzhen sighed and said, "Guogong, please come with me." After speaking, he turned around and left, and the generals and Hou Xuanyan followed closely and came to the outside of the courtyard.

After walking about a few hundred steps, I came to the salt drying field. Several large boxes were all open, and Hou Xuanyan stepped forward to see that they were all armor and iron weapons. The generals have already begun to curse, the Huang family has so many contraband, is it trying to rebel?

Zhang Mingzhen took a step forward and said, "Guogong, there is still one ahead!" ”

Hou Xuanyan continued to walk forward, and in the warehouse in front of him, the door was slowly opened, and the contents inside completely stunned everyone.

The black muzzles, half-human barrels, and boxes of gunpowder were lined up on the ground.

Hou Xuanyan gasped and asked, "Where did these things of the Huang family come from?" ”

Zhang Mingzhen had already interrogated the people of the Huang family, and when he heard this, he said angrily: "These people are selling salt in the name of a name, but in fact, they buy iron, armor, artillery, and grain from all over the world, and transport them from the sea to the north at night to trade with the Manchus. He lowered his voice and leaned closer and said, "There is also a firearm from Zheng Zhilong, the Duke of Pingguo. ”

The war in the north has been raging for decades, and the mountains and rivers have long been exhausted, natural disasters and man-made disasters have exhausted food, and the Zunhua Iron Works has also been closed by the imperial court for a long time, where do the weapons and armor come from? No wonder they are fighting on multiple fronts, and there has not yet been a situation of scarcity, Hou Xuanyan has long felt that something is wrong.

After a while, a sailor general ran over happily and said, "Commander, my lord, a large amount of grain has been found in front. ”

No matter who it is, from the outside, it will be attracted by the Huang family's magnificent mansion. But when you really come to the warehouse that is connected to it, you will be amazed. Compared to the situation here, the house is nothing.

White flowers, hidden behind a few bags of salt, piled up.

"Where is the order of Dingyan County?"

Hou Xuanyan's tone seemed to be flat, and those who were familiar with him could hear the anger contained in it.

Two pro-soldiers escorted Sun Peiliang, the commander of Dingyan County, walked to everyone, and fell to the ground with a plop.

"Guogong, Guogong, the crime of the lower official deserves death, and the crime of the lower official deserves ten thousand death." After saying that, he slammed his head on the floor. There was no excuse at all, because he knew that the sins he had committed could not have the slightest chance of survival.

Now I recall that when I first came here as an official, I gradually lost myself in front of the endless wealth of the Huang family. It was a wealth he couldn't imagine, and he had read thousands of books and had never heard of extravagance.

Hou Xuanyan took a closer look, he still had the impression of this petty official, and he had personally taken the school examination in Suzhou. At that time, he was full of spirits, full of poetry and books, talking about the planning and concept of governing a county.

Now he is a watchdog of the Huang family, covering up such a traitorous behavior to the enemy for them.

The Manchus occupied the Central Plains, killed people without calculation, and looted the money and wealth that countless families had worked so hard to accumulate. Then he used this blood-stained money in exchange for iron, firearms, and grain in the hands of some merchants in Jiangnan to support his own soldiers and horses. Relying on these soldiers and horses, they continued to invade the land of the Han people, plundered the wealth and children, and formed a kind of cycle.

Hou Xuanyan knew that there were notorious "Eight Imperial Merchants" in Shanxi, and they started from this. Unexpectedly, there were similar businessmen in Jiangnan. However, it is also understandable that the Manchu Qing Dynasty had already occupied the Central Plains, and most of the strategic sources of the eight imperial merchants were acquired from the south. In the past, Datong was the border between Manchu and Han, so there would be traitors like the Eight Great Emperor Shang. Now that the two Huai have become the forefront of the Manchu and Han wars, there will definitely be Huai merchants who will take advantage of the country's difficulties to make a fortune.

The Huang family was exposed because there was an unsuccessful Huang San, and I am afraid that there are not a few such businessmen.

"Zhao Yuanhua became the commander of the Jinyi Guard, and the Hidden Elephant Battalion has fallen to this point! transferred Hong Yixun back, let Zhao Yuanhua go to Sichuan, and demoted him to the deputy commander of the latent elephant Xiying, with Liu Ting as the commander. ”

When Xu Yuanbao heard that the little Taoist priest Hong Yixun was coming back, his face was overjoyed, and he pointed to the county order on the ground and said, "Big brother, what should I do with this dog official?" ”

The disgust in Hou Xuanyan's eyes could no longer be concealed, he lowered his body and supported his shoulders, and said word by word: "You fled from the north and told me that your fellow villagers and family members died in the hands of the Tartars. Now you are bewitched by money and lust, and you are sending swords and arrows to your enemies, so that they may continue to slaughter their own people. ”

The county commander Sun Peiliang's face was full of pain, and a big man was crying with a hideous face.

Hou Xuanyan glared angrily, and continued in a straight voice: "Have you ever thought that your parents worked hard to give birth to you and raise you; The familiar faces of your folks; Your wife accompanies you in your career from poverty to hardship; Your youngest son, your blood. They all died at the hands of the Manchus, but now you have become a dog of the enemy, do you have the face to die? Do you dare to die? How do you face them when you die? ”

Sun Peiliang's face turned purple and blue, his whole body twitched slightly, and his mind was full of the terrifying scene that Hou Xuanyan said. One by one, his face appeared in front of his eyes, and his heart was in sharp pain, and when he listened to the last question, he was excited, bleeding from all seven orifices, and died of exhaustion.

Hou Xuanyan kicked him away and returned to the Huang family's compound, surrounded by heavy soldiers who knelt on the ground.

The relatives of the Huang family in front of them, everyone is dressed in brocade and jade belts, and they are full of jewels. Kneeling on the ground, they didn't dare to breathe, and it could be seen that many of them knew what they were doing.

"The Huang family is Manchu and Qing, and all the relatives of the Huang family, the male will be sentenced to the palace and sent to the palace to pass the clean room as a slave, and the female family members will be assigned to the teaching workshop as prostitutes."