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The candlelight in the hut flickered, but Wan Zhan's tone was as calm as ever: "So Mr. Xiao could only wave his hand and let me wait for all to retreat, Aunt Liu's body was dragged into his hut by Qi Daofu, and the small one also returned to the locust tree to continue monitoring." Later, after Mr. Xiao and Wang Shichong chatted for more than half an hour, Wang Shichong and Wei Zheng walked out of the courtyard and walked away. Queen Mother, the villain swears by his net worth, what the little one said just now is true. ”

Xiao Mo nodded and asked, "Then how did you know that it was Wang Shichong and Wei Zheng who came to the courtyard that day?" ”

Wan Zhan said with a smile on his face: "I didn't know that little one that night, but the next day, I followed General Chen to meet the newly appointed Wang Tingshi, only to find out that he was actually the big man who killed people last night, and as for his brother Wei Zheng, he has been following him." ”

Xiao Mo asked again: "Then didn't Aunt Liu resist during the whole process?" Just so easily pinched that Wang Shichong to death? ”

Wan Zhan's face changed slightly, and he said, "Mr. Xiao, General Chen didn't say this just now, how are you going to make up the little one?" ”

Xiao Mo smiled: "Don't ask me first, find a way to make up a paragraph yourself, and I'll see how you make it up." ”

Wan Zan nodded, lowered his head and thought about it, and said: "That Wang Shichong's movements were too fast, jumping out of the window was only a matter of moments, and then he kicked and shattered the vat, Aunt Liu didn't have time to react at the time, and when she was about to get up and pull out her blade to resist, she was choked by Wang Shichong's neck, that guy was too strong." Just a pinch of the hand. Aunt Liu lost her breath. I didn't even have time to say something to save Mr. Xiao. ”

Xiao Mo continued to ask: "You said that Aunt Liu was going to draw out the blade, so what kind of blade did she use?" ”

Wan Zan was stunned for a moment and said, "I don't know about this little one." ”

Xiao Mo nodded, and said: "Aunt Liu is used to using a nine-section soft whip, which is usually tied around her waist, when Wang Shichong kicked through the vat, she got up and went to smoke the soft whip on her waist, and the door was wide open. Only then was Wang Shichong choked his neck all of a sudden. Wan Guard, do you remember clearly? ”

Wan Zhan had a flattering smile on his face, and kept nodding his head: "Remember clearly, remember clearly!" ”

Xiao Mo turned his head to look at Chen Ling, and said with a smile: "Uncle Chen, I think this is okay." Even if my aunt asks herself, Wan Huwei will answer like this, and there will be no flaws. ”

Chen Ling pondered for a moment and said, "But Aunt Liu was strangled to death by Qi Daofu at that time, but what Wan Zan just said was that Wang Shichong's neck was broken all of a sudden. That doesn't make sense. ”

Xiao Mo smiled: "This little nephew has already thought about it, and said that Wang Shichong killed people in order to cover up." In the autopsy report that was made, the cause of death of the broken neck was changed to hanging death, so that it can be explained. ”

Wan Zhan suddenly raised his big fingers, his eyes narrowed into a line, and he put on a convincing look on his face, and said to Xiao Miao: "High, really high!" Mr. Xiao, what you said, the queen mother can't find any fault with it. ”

Xiao Mo smiled slightly, and said to Wan Zhan: "Wan Guard, you go home first, and prepare your outfit for tomorrow." If I am transferred to another place as an official, you will come with me, and I will send someone here to pick up your wife and children. When the time comes, your settling-in allowance will be indispensable. ”

Wan Zhan's face was overjoyed and said, "The little one will go back and prepare." After speaking, he saluted Xiao Mo and Chen Ling, turned around and ran out excitedly.

Chen Ling watched Wan Zhan's figure disappear outside the courtyard gate, sighed, and said to Xiao Miao: "Virtuous nephew, you are really good at digging people, my gang of Zi Lujiang cronies, that is, this Wan Zhan is the most clever, just poached it for you, who will I rely on to fight with Wang Shichong in the future?" ”

Xiao Mo smiled and said, "Uncle Chen, let's not talk about this problem first, you seem to have done one less thing." Relying on this Wan Zhan, who was on the road with me, said that my aunt was afraid that it would not be so easy to believe me, should Uncle Chen write a letter to my aunt and send it over first? ”

Chen Ling reluctantly squeezed out a smile and said: "Virtuous nephew, I won't tell you, in order to avoid contacting Empress Xiao too often and making people suspicious, I usually write a secret letter to her every month, and I send it to Shangshu Province along with the official documents every month, and then transfer them to the palace by Empress Xiao's people there, and it is not yet the time to hand in the official documents every month, you see......"

Xiao Mo said coldly: "There is such a big thing as the sudden death of Aunt Liu, this rule can also be changed, and it should be regarded as an emergency report!" Uncle Chen, I know that you have such a channel for emergency contact with your aunt, so don't hide it from me. ”

Chen Ling gritted his teeth, walked to the door, and shouted to the backyard wall: "Guo Hua, come here!" ”

Later, a sergeant of medium stature, dark complexion, bright eyes, and a beard ran in, and without looking at Xiao Miao, he arched his hand directly at Chen Ling and said, "General, what are your orders!" ”

Chen Ling was working Xiao Miao's bookcase at this time, he didn't raise his head, and said in his mouth: "You set off immediately, send this note to Lord Xiao Yuxiao, the waiter of the Inner History, and ask him to find a way to convey the contents of this note to the queen mother, if he asks why you don't use secret words, you say that the matter is urgent, I asked you to go over overnight to report the news." ”

Chen Ling had already written the note as he spoke, and he deliberately glanced at Xiao Miao, only to see that it was written: "Liu's matter, please ask the guard Wan Zan in detail, he was present at the time." ”

After Guo Hua took the note, he took out a wooden hairpin that was only as thick as a finger from his arms, and when his finger pressed the hairpin, the upper end of the hairpin bounced open, and it turned out that it was hollow inside. Guo Hua rolled up the note, carefully put it in, closed the hairpin, took off the helmet, and inserted his own bun, which looked like an ordinary hairpin, inconspicuous.

Chen Ling nodded with satisfaction and said, "Go and go back quickly." ”

Guo Hua didn't say a word from beginning to end, he nodded and turned around and left directly.

Xiao Mo smiled slightly and said, "This person is really shrewd and capable, Uncle Chen." You're really hiding your secrets. Did you already know that I was going to intercept the people you sent to go to Beijing with me? deliberately let that Wan Zan come first, and put this obviously better Guo Hua behind? ”

Chen Ling smiled and waved his hand, "Where is it, this Guo Hua is a close confidant sent by Empress Xiao to me, who is responsible for the transmission of emergency information like this. It's also the first time in two years that I've asked him to do this. ”

Xiao Mo nodded: "In this way, if I leave in the future, this Guo Hua will become the person who will be my aunt monitoring your Uncle Chen." Uncle Chen, you have to think about how to deal with this person first, it seems that this person is very shrewd, not so easy to deal with. ”

The muscles on Chen Ling's face jumped, and his expression changed: "Virtuous nephew, you don't have to worry about your uncle's affairs, you just need to talk about how your uncle will deal with that Wang Shichong in the future." ”

Xiao Mo nodded, sat down, lowered his head and pondered for a while before raising his head. Facing Chen Ling, he said slowly: "In my opinion, Wang Shichong and Wei Zheng are the two masters and servants. The comer is not good, and with the support of a group of shrewd and capable intelligence officers, it can be said that it is a strong dragon from outside. ”

"After I left Yingzhou, Uncle Chen, you are not a descendant of Xiao Liang, and you can't get the support of the people who are loyal to Xiao Liang like your little nephew here, and to put it mildly, you are not even a snake on the ground."

Xiao Mo looked at Chen Ling, whose face was a little ugly, and smiled: "Uncle Chen, the little nephew is just analyzing the facts, don't be angry." ”

Chen Ling smiled reluctantly: "It's okay, what you said is true, Uncle knows it in his heart." ”

Xiao Mo continued: "So the little nephew's construction is that the hurricane is over, and the grass is the only one that survives, and Uncle Chen had better stay here in the past few years, and not have a head-on conflict with this Wang Shichong." ”

"Wang Shichong's ambition is not in this Jingxiang land, the little nephew thinks that even if this Wang Shichong wants to rebel, he will want to seize the Central Plains in the future, sweep the two capitals, and quickly pacify the world, so he will stay in Yingzhou for a short time, and he will be transferred away in two or three years at most. At that time, Uncle Chen will naturally be able to let go and develop his own power. ”

Chen Ling sneered and said, "According to what you mean, I just have to eat and wait for death here, and I won't do anything?" After Wang Shichong leaves, you will let someone come over and take over this Yingzhou, right? ”

Xiao Mo shook his head: "Uncle Chen, where do you want to go, I'm really doing this for your good." You said that everyone of me has left this Yingzhou, and even my own subordinates in this Yingzhou must be withdrawn, what use does this place have for me? I'm sure I'm going to run my new place too, so how can I take care of it anymore. ”

Chen Ling snorted coldly: "Yes, when Wang Shichong was here, you really didn't dare to fight with him, but as soon as he left, you would definitely send people back, you have been operating here for all these years, how can you be willing?" Wang Shichong is going to leave sooner or later, but I, Chen Ling, have always wanted to stay here, so you wish I hadn't done anything in the past few years, right? ”

Xiao Mo sighed: "Uncle Chen, I kindly gave you ideas, and I can't help it if you don't listen to me." If you think you can deal with Wang Shichong, then I wish you a good luck. ”

Chen Ling said angrily: "Xiao Miao, don't think that only you and Wang Shichong, these young boys, will do intelligence, I just didn't want to get it before, I really want to get it, it won't be worse than you, I won't give this Yingzhou City to others, whether it's you or the kid surnamed Wang." ”

Xiao Mo sighed faintly: "Uncle Chen, why do you always think like this, as if this Yingzhou is your family business, and everyone else wants to snatch things from you." Can't you take a long-term view and take a bigger picture? There are 400 states in the world, even if you can control this one, what is it? ”

Chen Ling waved his hand arrogantly and said: "You are a descendant of the royal family, you have a high vision and a big heart, so you naturally don't look down on this state, but I, Chen Ling, am just a wealthy family in Lujiang, I didn't think that I would restore the entire Liang country like you, and I would be satisfied with a state." To tell you the truth, Empress Xiao has promised me a long time ago that if the Great Liang is founded in the future, she will make me the governor of Yingzhou, and I will be hereditary. ”

Xiao Mo shook his head: "This Yingzhou has a population of only 50,000 households, and the county in Tianxia is only a middle state, I really don't understand why you value here, if I can restore the hometown of Liang State, it is not impossible to consider sealing you Jiangzhou (Dazhou, today's entire Jiangxi and Fujian) assassination history." ”

Chen Ling sneered: "Chen is very practical, don't pay attention to hypocrisy, you just seal me as a bicycle assassin, I can take office with an edict, and I have to leave with another edict, I am not appropriate for such a stabbing history." If I want to be, I can't be commanded by others. What a history of thorns! This Yingzhou is small. But I just need to run it well. can become your own territory, just like your Great Liang Kingdom, it can still be resurrected after a few decades of destruction. ”

Xiao Mo laughed: "Uncle Chen, you finally said what was in your heart, wouldn't it have been over if you said this earlier, you have to say something to help my aunt do things, as if you are really so loyal, why bother?" Let's spread out the conditions. Isn't it better to talk about the terms of cooperation? ”

Chen Ling's face was swollen and red, and a pair of eyes on his round face opened angrily: "Xiao Miao, are you playing tricks on me today?" Don't get complacent too early, I can still chase Guo Hua back now, and I can also let Wan Zan not follow you on the road tomorrow. ”

Xiao Mo smiled and waved his hand, and said, "Uncle Chen, don't get excited, sit down first and dissipate your anger." ”

Chen Ling sat back in his chair angrily, and his whole person was still trembling slightly. Just like a volcano that could erupt at any time, Xiao Miao, who was a foot away from him, could clearly feel his anger.

Xiao Mo said, "Uncle Chen." The little nephew assures you that he will never try to get involved in this Yingzhou in the future, if the little nephew is fortunate enough to be able to restore my Great Liang Kingdom in the future, this Yingzhou assassin history must belong to you, hereditary replacement, what do you think? ”

Chen Ling snorted heavily and did not answer his words.

Xiao Mo put on a heavy expression, sighed, and said: "Uncle Chen, in fact, I just said very clearly, that Wang Shichong and his little nephew have made an agreement, and there will be nothing to do in this Yingzhou area. ”

Chen Ling said angrily: "This Wang Shichong is no more than an outsider, even if he has some intelligence skills, plus a few stinky money, he can completely wipe out the business we have been operating here all these years?" Could it be that as soon as he comes here, those Yingzhou heroes who have always been interested in the Xiao family will fall to him Wang Shichong? ”

Xiao Mo shook his head and said slowly: "This is not going to happen, the heroes of Yingzhou have their hearts on me Xiao Liang, Wang Shichong can't win their hearts in just a few years, but if Uncle Chen has to compete with this Wang Shichong in Yingzhou City in these two years, and provoke this person, then the matter will be big, I am afraid that the court will track it down, and what we have done here over the years will be made public." ”

Chen Ling said unconvinced: "Wang Shichong is difficult to protect himself now, he doesn't dare to turn his face with us here, if he provokes us, we will first let Empress Xiao blow the pillow wind in Yang Guang's place, and then abolish his family." Anyway, Yang Guang also wants to get rid of their Wang family now, all he needs is an excuse, and when the time comes, we can say that Wang Shichong made friends with bandits in Yingzhou and plotted against him. ”

Xiao Mo sighed: "Uncle Chen, you take it for granted again, today this Wang Shichong has subdued the hearts of the officials in Yingzhou City in one day, if you want to sue Wang Shichong for plotting wrong, these officials in Yingzhou will help Wang Shichong speak in turn, and when the time comes, it will expose the matter of you calling Lujiang villagers to settle here over the years, and even the matter of my father and son hiding in you back then will be found out, then it will be over." ”

Chen Ling was dumbfounded and speechless, so he could only sit silently.

Xiao Mo continued: "Uncle Chen, listen to me, now our Xiao family can only secretly develop their own power here, and we can't let the imperial court notice it, otherwise it will be wasted, if this Wang Shichong is a martial artist like Han Shige, it would be fine, but he is such a powerful character, and with the assistance of a dog-headed military advisor like Wei Zheng, the Wang family is even more financially powerful, and it is not something we can confront head-on." ”

"In this case, we can only be patient first, Wang Shichong can't stay here for too long, this Yingzhou will still be ours sooner or later, and the little nephew will definitely send someone to help Uncle Chen control this place, and he will also abide by the little nephew's agreement with Uncle Chen just now."

Chen Ling's expression became lonely: "Virtuous nephew, can't you leave a few people to help your uncle?" Even if the surnamed Wang finds out your subordinates who have entered the government, it is impossible for you to leave no one in the people, and it is good for such people to leave a few helpers. ”

Xiao Mo smiled slightly: "Uncle Chen, that's good, I originally promised that Wang Shichong to withdraw all the intelligence personnel who belonged to me in this city, but there is a Yingchuan businessman, strictly speaking, he is not my Xiao Mill's subordinates, but the year before last, he was willing to form an alliance with our Xiao clan and conspire with us, and he has also done a lot of things for us in the past two years. ”

Chen Ling's heart moved when he heard this: "Oh? Then this person can be regarded as having some means and knowledge, and he can toss such a big movement in Dahong Mountain, so who is this person's surname? Is there any public identity in this city now? ”

Xiao Mo smiled slightly, and said: "Uncle Chen, you should know this person, his surname is Shen, his double name is Liu Sheng, Yingchuan people's clan, there is a Shen guild in this Yingzhou city, and the business has also done in several surrounding states and counties, even Jiangling in the south, there is also his guild, and the little nephew's old contact with our Xiao Liang in the Jiangling area is also secretly carried out through this person's chamber of commerce." ”

Chen Ling laughed when he heard this: "I said it earlier, isn't it Shen Liusheng who is in the horse business in this city?" No wonder I always think that this person is sneaky, people are always not in this Yingzhou City, it turns out that they are all helping the virtuous nephew go out to do things. ”

Chen Ling smiled and said: "This Shen Liusheng, there is no channel to collect horses at all, and the dozens of horses he got in the Yingzhou Market once every three months are all old and weak, and they are not enough to be pack horses." ”

"When I first came here, I was counting on him to buy some good horses. As a result, for a year or two, his horses were still like that, and there was no improvement at all, and I wondered why this so-called horse dealer, who didn't even have horses, could always gain a foothold here. ”

When Chen Ling said this, he glanced at Xiao Mo meaningfully: "I didn't expect that this Shen Liusheng is a virtuous nephew, it seems that the virtuous nephew has been supporting him behind his back." Thinking about it this way, it is reasonable for this Shen Liusheng to gain a foothold in this city. ”

Xiao Mo shook his head: "Uncle Chen, you misunderstood, Shen Liusheng's main horse market business is in Jiangling, and war horses are generally not sold in this Yingzhou City. However, I have been fighting with the Turks in the past few years, although the relationship has eased in recent years, but the Turks have only sold war horses to some fixed relationship households, and Shen Liusheng has tried many times in the Turks, but has not opened the channel, and finally has no choice but to turn to the Western Regions to buy horses. ”

"The Western Regions are thousands of miles away from this Yingzhou, that is, after entering Yangguan, there are many checkpoints along the way in the territory of the Great Sui, and the profits are also very limited. And now that the world is peaceful, ordinary people will not buy war horses, and the hussar generals' mansions in the southern states and counties are often issued by the imperial court after a few years, rather than being purchased from the market, so the demand is also very limited. ”

Chen Ling nodded: "Yes, now the hundred war horses raised in the Sima Mansion in Yingzhou are still the military horses that I retired after the two counterattacks against the Turks six or seven years ago, and they have all been old in the past few years, and they are all waiting to die in the horse circle. ”

"Or at the beginning of this year, taking advantage of the new emperor's accession to the throne to change the year name, I reported to the Ministry of War that the Yingzhou military horses were insufficient, and the Ministry of War approved that Yang Liang rebelled last year, and the war horses died a lot.

Xiao Mo smiled: "I once heard Shen Liusheng mention that when the market opened here last month, Uncle Chen once asked him if he could get a better war horse, so it turned out to be like this." ”

Chen Ling nodded: "Putting aside the fact that this Shen Liusheng is our person, even as a simple horse merchant, does he have the ability to get hundreds of military horses?" In the future, if we want to divide this Yingzhou in troubled times, it will be difficult to have no military horses and no cavalry. ”

Xiao Mo sighed and said: "Uncle Chen, I have just said that it is not easy to get war horses from the north now, and the imperial court has always been wary of the southern dynasty here, and does not want war horses to become popular in the south, so the checkpoints along the way are difficult for war horses to go south." ”

"In addition, there are not many people here in the south who really want to plan big things like us, and even fewer want to buy war horses, and most of the chambers of commerce can buy some pack horses to transport goods. Moreover, the waterways in the south are developed, and most of the transportation in the south can be transported by boat, and it is not like the north where most of the transportation depends on land, and it is necessary to pack horses. (To be continued......)