"Grandpa, you say so, in case the old witch of the Xiao family goes crazy~~ Grandpa said that the old witch has mastered most of our reserve army in Xihai Prefecture!"

On the corridor of the chasing hall, Ma Shen led the young slave and walked slowly.

In the flower beds on both sides of the corridor, there are daffodils transplanted from the old state of Dahan in full bloom, and the fragrance of flowers is refreshing. Although it is the middle of winter, this flower garden has the heat of the earth dragon, and the gardener is carefully served, and it is also chic to bloom.

The immature voice of his great-grandson passed through Ma Shen's ears, but it did not give him the desire to answer.

In the West Sea of Dayue, the five families of Zhang, Wen, Li, Wu and Xiao have been operating in the two states for three hundred years, and they have long been deeply rooted and intertwined in the western part of the Han Dynasty. Needless to say, the Zhang family has officially pulled the flag and rebelled, and the Li Wu and Xiao families in Xihai Prefecture are actually the Xiao family that is really terrifying.

Ma Shen knew very well that the Li and Wu families had sent people to ask for his opinion today, but the Xiao family did not, not because the Xiao family did not attach importance to the Ma family, but because the Xiao family had long expected the answer from the Ma family.

The current head of the Xiao family is called Xiao Yuanying, and when the previous head of the family died, Xiao Yuanying was only twenty-one years old and studied at Imperial University. Like many children of nobles in Xinzhou, Xiao Yuanying was not admitted to the imperial university by his own strength, so his studies were not outstanding.

In fact, any family that has been inherited for hundreds of years will have its own set of rules of existence, as long as it does not encounter a particularly defeated family owner, or is destroyed by a strong external force - such as the Industrial Revolution, the last years of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, such as the great changes that have not been seen in 3,000 years, generally speaking, even if Rome and the Han Dynasty set off a world war again, it is unlikely to hurt the foundation of these families. Even if the Emperor of the Han Dynasty wants to uproot these families, unless he uses a large army to encircle and suppress them, and adopts a red crusade order like he did against the Zhang clan of the Yue clan, it will be difficult to completely eliminate these big families that have been inherited for hundreds of years.

This Xiao Yuanying is just a middle-aged person. Entrepreneurship is insufficient, but there is more than enough success. The only commendable thing is that after graduating from college at the age of twenty-four, according to his father's previous arrangement, he successfully married the daughter of the Xiao family in Suiyang!

Suiyang Xiao is not Yongliang Xiao, and he does not have the identity of a relative of the emperor. Nor did there be any noble titles. But Suiyang Xiao is the largest silk cloth merchant in Kyushu in the Central Plains! Its "Hengyufeng" is one of the suppliers of silk for the royal family of the Han Dynasty. The annual trade volume of silk cloth in a single year is six billion gold coins in the records of the Imperial Bank!

Although it is not necessarily possible that Suiyang Xiao can monopolize the silk cloth business in the whole Han Dynasty, no one dares to deny that it ranks among the top five. Especially in the Central Plains Old State, if you can do such a big business, no one really believes it without a little backstage.

It is said that the Xiao family of Suiyang is a descendant of the Liang Palace, and it also has a relationship with Xiao Qin, the wife of the Marquis of Bohai~~

Of course, no one can say for sure, anyway, the Suiyang Xiao family did not stand up to admit it, and the Bohai Hou family did not deny it. It's always been faintly enough for people to guess. This deterrent is actually the greatest.

Suiyang Xiao, who married Xiao Yuanying, is the youngest daughter of Xiao Su, the head of the Suiyang Xiao family, and it is not clear how she looks, but the effect of the marriage of the two Xiao families is indeed obvious.

In the five years since Xiao Ning married Xiao Yuanying, Suiyang Xiao's assets have more than tripled, and they have begun to expand to other industries, if it weren't for Yan's existence. It's hard to say whether Suiyang Xiao will become the richest man in the Han Dynasty! The business scale of the Xihai Shaw clan has also expanded by one-third in the past five years, and the silk merchants of the entire Xihai Prefecture have been annexed and integrated to the Roman Empire. The formation of the "Xihai Silk Chamber of Commerce", the annual trade volume of 20 billion gold coins upward! At that time, almost all the silk and satin cloth businesses in the entire Dayue and Xihai states had shares of the Xihai Shaw family!

The business is so big, it will inevitably be reflected in the impact on the political pattern of Xihai Prefecture - five years after Xiao Ning got married, the Sima of the six counties and counties of Xihai Prefecture were all served by people from the Xiao family!

Seeing that the Xiao family in Xihai was getting bigger and bigger, and was about to become the first family in Xihai Prefecture, Xiao Yuanying was one day when he was thirty years old. I don't know what evil I fell into, but I actually married sixteen Hu girls at home, and almost died of the sun. Fortunately, a healer from Rest used a mysterious medicine to help Xiao Yuanying stabilize Jingyang, and he was able to save his life.

But it was only to save his life.

Since then, the power of the Xiao family has actually been in the hands of Xiao Ning. Xiao Yuan became an inhumane. Nor can they be tired, and they often have to lie in bed for ten days and a half months before they can walk around the ground for a short time. Fortunately, Xiao Yuanying and Xiao Ning had an heir in the second year after marriage, otherwise it is difficult to say whether this family can continue to exist happily.

It is precisely because of this son named Xiao Jiye that Xiao Ning is more comfortable in taking charge of the Xiao family. Fifteen years later, that is, now, the Xiao family has become the largest family in Xihai Prefecture, and there is no one.

First of all, commercially, the Xiao family accounted for half of the economic share of Xihai Prefecture, and the largest trade project to Rome and the caliphate, silk, was in the Xiao family's control. In addition, there are ceramics, traditional Chinese medicine, real estate and so on, and even the most difficult transportation industry, the Xiao family can compete with the Yan family in Dingxing Mansion. It can be said that if the Xiao family stops business, millions of people in Xihai Prefecture will have no livelihood!

Secondly, in terms of political structure, there are 21 counties in the three prefectures, nine counties and 21 counties in Xihai Prefecture, of which two prefectures, six counties and 14 counties are served by the Xiao family, and other positions such as county captains, county lieutenants, and county lieutenants are also mostly held by the Xiao family. Although no one in the Xiao family has served as the number one leader of the county guard, the government honor, and the county order, these second-in-command and third-in-command positions are more, and they are a force that cannot be ignored.

Especially now that there is a rebellion in Dayuezhou, the county lieutenants, government commanders, and county lieutenants who held the power of the army, which were not much valued during the Chengping period, suddenly became important.

In troubled times, it is still the barrel of a gun that is the last word!

Although according to the military system of the Han Empire, each state will have a second-class legion, and this second-class legion should be the strongest military force in the state and county.

But don't forget, there is also a C-class army in the military system of the Han Empire. According to the military system formulated by Han Shengzu, the C-class army is actually a hidden army among the people, and its backbone is the garrison armed personnel in the hands of the state lieutenants, county lieutenants, government horses, and county lieutenants. These soldiers who retired from the First and Second Class Regiments, as long as they are not disabled, are generally arranged to these places, either for military service, or for patrolling and arresting thieves, or for patrolling and patrolling (i.e., the modern local armed forces. For example, police, armed police, special police, etc.), those soldiers who had previously fought for the country would continue to serve the Han Empire in these places.

Chengping has nothing to do, once something happens, these servants, patrols, and inspections will be pulled out, and they can become school soldiers and lieutenants at will. Among these people, there are not a few who have worn wave water, prismatic armor, and red flame sword medals. There are even mid-level veterans with cranes, halberds, and foxes. With the existence of these people, the command framework of a corps can be set up, plus ordinary state and county soldiers under the reserve system, two or three corps can be formed casually and easily!

This is also the fundamental reason why the Zhang clan of Dayue Prefecture was able to organize a million army to confront the Han in an instant!

Of course, these are only theoretical things, Han Shengzu has been in action for five hundred years, and it is the Dayue Zhang clan that has really put it into action and succeeded~~

Although the Xihai Xiao clan mastered most of the county lieutenants, government horses, county lieutenants and other positions, it was equivalent to mastering the invisible third-class legion in Xihai Prefecture. However, the second-class regiment in Xihai Prefecture was in the hands of the state pastor and the Ma family.

This is also an important reason why Xiao, Li, and Wu in Xihai Prefecture dare not make too many mistakes.

Xiao Ning has been in charge of the Xihai Xiao family for more than 20 years, and is in harmony with the Li and Wu families, who were born in the local home, but they are not very compatible with the Xihai County Mansion, which is also from the old state of Dahan with her. In the past 20 years, Xiao Ning has only visited the Duke of Xihai County nine times, or more in the first five years, and then he has not set foot in Baiju County at all.

As for the reason, it's simple. Benefit!

After all, the Li and Wu families rose in the West Sea, and their roots in Laozhou are not deep. If you want to make money, you have to cooperate with the Xihai Xiao family, in fact, they have also made a lot of money through these twenty years of cooperation. And expanded his family a lot.

But the Ma family is different, as the largest nobleman in Xihai Prefecture, the Duke of Xihai County is a descendant of Jin Gong Ma Chao, although he is not in Laozhou, but even the Emperor of the Han Dynasty will treat the Xihai County Gongma family as a person from Laozhou. Not to mention other officials. Therefore, the Xihai Ma family does not need to cooperate with the Xihai Xiao family at all. This is where the problem begins.

On the issue of the default appointment of Xihai Prefecture officials and the issue of Xihai Prefecture's caravan passports to Rome and the Caliphate, the Xihai County Mansion has always been in conflict with the Xihai Xiao family. At first, the conflict may not be big, and it can be resolved through negotiation, but after 20 years, even small things can become big things. The appetite of the Xiao family in Xihai gradually could not be satisfied with the development of the silk industry. turned to want to get involved in more fields, so it became a fire and water with the Xihai County Mansion, which was faintly above the five major families.

After the rebellion in Dayue Prefecture, if it weren't for the existence of the Xihai County Mansion, the Xihai Xiao family would have responded and followed up as soon as possible.

……

The reason why Ma Shen expressed his attitude to Li Shiyuan and Wu Jingzong so solemnly was actually to show his attitude to the Xiao family. And after this attitude is revealed, it means that the battle between the Ma family and the Xiao family is about to become white-hot.

In fact, this is also what Ma Shen is happy to see.

Although he has not been in charge of affairs in recent years, he has mostly let his son Ma Yuan deal with affairs. But Ma Shen still deeply understands the vigorous ambition of this Xiao girl from Suiyang.

"Childish slave, do you know why the daughter of the Xiao family is in trouble with my Ma family?!" Ma Shen asked him softly, but his eyes looked at the narcissus in the distance, as if he was waiting for the little slave's answer, but it didn't seem to be.

The little slave grabbed Ma Shen's hand, pursed his lips and recalled for a while, before he said: "Grandpa told the slave that there are two most important conflicts between the Xiao family in Xihai and our Ma family. One is the caravan passport, and the other is the military appointment. Grandpa, right?! ”

Ma Shen retracted his gaze and nodded with satisfaction: "Yes, the little slave remembers it very clearly." Very good! However, the little slave must remember that whether it is a caravan passport or a military appointment, it is actually the power of the Son of Heaven, and our Ma family is just shepherding one side on behalf of the Son of Heaven! Remember, remember! ”

"No, my grandson remembered!" The little slave broke free from Ma Shen's hand, and the little adult made a bow to Ma Shen, and the two small buns were still covered on the side of his head, but he wanted to salute like an adult, which was really annoying.

Ma Shen was in a good mood, laughed, took the little slave and said, "Let's go, let's go to Shenyuan for dinner today!" ”

Shenyuan is the place where Ma Yuan lives, and when the little slave heard it, he was also happy and smiled: "Do you want to go back to Shenyuan?" Can the young slave go to visit his mother? ”

"Of course you can, the little slave can call your mother over and accompany your grandfather to dinner!"

"Wow, grandpa is so nice! Childish slave on behalf of the mother, thank you grandpa! ”

……

"The caravan passport is a trade protection system adopted by the Han Empire specifically for international trade. Only those who have a caravan passport can pass through the Imperial Border. The goods carried can enjoy the protection of the Imperial Army after the normal payment of taxes. The Executive Yuan also issued an edict that Xihai Prefecture would verify 1,009 caravan passports every year, and the Xiao family took 460 of them, which was particularly insufficient, and wanted to take the caravan passports of the Lu family, the dramatist, and the Cen family as their own. It just doesn't make sense! ”

In the Jingzhi Pavilion of Shenyuan, Ma Yuan, the son of the Ma family, was listening to the complaints of his subordinates.

"And that's not all. The day before yesterday, the Xiao family also sent people to propose with Wang Zhoumu's staff that Xiao Jiba, the county lieutenant of Youxian County, be promoted to the state lieutenant, or Xiao Sui, the county governor of Liulian County, to be the head of the Huke Department of Dingxing Prefecture, isn't this obviously an obvious desire to meddle in the supply of the Western Naval Regiment? ! This Xiao family's heart of disobedience is gradually revealed, and the lord still asks the family to make a decision as soon as possible! Another added.

Ma Yuan rubbed his sour and swollen brain, nodded and said, "I know, I will report to my father when I go to Chai Yuan Tang to say hello at night." The Xiao family's side is pressing step by step, so let's wait a lot of hard work, let's be perfunctory first. Wait three days. The Marquis of Bohai has arrived, and with the name of righteousness, we will gather our peers again and take down the Xiao family! ”

In the face of the Xiao family's pressing step by step, this is the countermeasure of the Xihai County Stallion family.

Bohai Hou is the biggest weight that the Duke of Xihai wants to deal with the Xiao family.

This is not Ma Yuan's idea alone, but the plan of all the Ma family's staff after careful consideration.

As early as the rise of the Xiao family, the Ma family was careless. Didn't realize it was a tigress that would eat people. And by the time they reacted, the Xiao family was already sitting big. Once the Xiao family is cleaned up, the livelihood of nearly one million people cannot be solved by a single Xihai County Mansion.

Originally, according to the advice of Ma Yuan and others, Ma Shen had secretly played the Son of Heaven and waited for the Son of Heaven to decide. But what Ma Shen and others didn't know was that the Son of Heaven was fighting for power with the Queen Mother, and Xihaizhou didn't have much thought about this fact. It is just a simple review of "I know", and then it is sent to the Executive Yuan for processing. However, the Executive Yuan's handling opinions are still the same as those in the past, and the decree is approved: "Xihai Prefecture Muwangdao will deal with it as appropriate, and there should be no mistakes." ”

It's equivalent to turning around, and the center didn't give any instructions. also let the Xiao family get the news. Half a year before the rebellion in Dayue Prefecture, the Xiao family even launched a "demonstration" movement of strikes and business strikes in the Han Empire in response to this incident.

But whether it is the Xiao family or the Ma family, they all know that the contradiction between the two has no room for change. Ma Shen has even played the Son of Heaven and asked the Privy Council to give him a tiger talisman for the transfer of troops, directly mobilize the Western Navy Regiment, and destroy the Xiao family. But at this moment, Da Yuezhou reversed, Ma Shen didn't get the tiger talisman for the transfer of troops, and the West Navy Regiment still needs to rely on the supply of Xihai Prefecture - to a large extent, relying on the supply of Xihai Prefecture is actually relying on the tax supply provided by the Xiao family - the West Navy Regiment can't move its own "food and clothing", right?

Of course, if Ma Shen can get the Tiger Talisman, the Western Navy Regiment will naturally have to obey orders, but now it is different, without the Tiger Talisman, even if Ma Shen sells this old face, he will not be able to mobilize the Western Navy Regiment, and if he takes 10,000 steps back, Ma Shen will mobilize the Western Navy Regiment without the Tiger Talisman, so what is the difference between him and the Yue Clan anti-thieves in Dayue Prefecture?

Under the premise that the connection between the East and the West was cut off, and the Han Empire never took care of any instructions to Xihai Prefecture, the arrival of the Marquis of Bohai of the Han Dynasty was particularly important.

The important thing is not the more than 2,000 tiger soldiers under the command of the Marquis of Bohai of the Great Han Dynasty, but his title and identity!

To be honest, no one really cares about the more than 2,000 people in the Red Fox Clan, after all, in Xihai Prefecture, if the Xiao family really responds to the Yue Clan, they can pull up tens of thousands of troops at any time, and if they can capture the arsenal of the Western Navy Regiment, it will be able to arm hundreds of thousands of troops, four or five legions! Even the Xiao family's own armed guards will not be less than the Red Fox Tribe, so no one cares about the Red Fox Guard's army at all, which is also the real reason why the Red Fox Tribe's ability to drive all the way from Longqing Mansion to Dingxing Mansion.

What they really care about is the Han Bohai Hou!

What the Ma family thought was that as long as the Marquis of Bohai of the Great Han came, and he announced in public that he had brought the holy decree, it would be enough. The Ma family can justifiably mobilize the Western Naval Regiment, and the situation that the Xiao family may be rebellious and rebellious can be nip in the bud.

As for whether the Marquis of Bohai really brought the holy decree, does it matter?

Ma Yuan had already followed Ma Shen's instructions and secretly sent a team of people to contact the Marquis of Bohai, and three days later, when the Marquis of Bohai arrived at the receiving pavilion, he would naturally announce in public that he had brought the holy decree~~ Of course, Ma Shen had also considered whether the Marquis of Bohai would be worried about the problem of the edict, so he specially asked people to bring the family seal of the Duke of Xihai County as a guarantee, in case the Son of Heaven asked for the crime one day later, the Duke of Xihai County was willing to bear it.

Ma Shen believed that the Son of Heaven would understand his painstaking efforts! He also believes that as a fellow Han nobleman, the Marquis of Bohai will also understand his hard work!

But regardless of Ma Shen or Ma Yuan, they didn't take into account the painstaking efforts of Bohai Hou!

Shen Yun traveled thousands of miles, from the Thousand Bird Valley all the way to the south, running for 3,000 miles, circumnavigating most of the western border of the Han Dynasty, and crossing the 800-li Hanhai Sea, is it just to overture the edict? ?

Maybe because of the relationship between Atletico and Yan Ruyu before, he really came here to help the two of them complete the contact with the Xihai County Stallion Family, so as to attack the Yue clan from east to west!

But now, that's not the case anymore!

Or rather, not exactly!

There are changes in the West, Shen Yun came to Xihai Prefecture not to help the Duke of Xihai County master Xihai Prefecture, but to personally master Xihai Prefecture! He needs the second-class army in Xihai Prefecture, and he needs millions of people in Xihai Prefecture!

He needed the strength of five legions, or even ten, and he had to mobilize the forces of the entire state of Xihai to resist one enemy with all his might, the Roman Empire!!

Just because, the Roman Empire has sent troops, and the red-clothed legions of the Asian provinces have already crossed the stone country, divided their troops to occupy Cai Xiang, and are about to march to Xihaizhou! (To be continued.) )