Zhang Lang's team traveled west along the Weishui Road to see the natural scenery and people's ecology. Whenever Zhang Lang arrived, he did not alarm the local government, and often after Zhang Lang arrived, the local government got the news and hurriedly greeted him. Zhang Lang did not allow the local government to make public the news of his arrival as a great general so as not to disturb the people, nor did he accept the banquet of the local government, but only asked to meet with the representatives of the main local merchants and gentry.

In contact with the local merchants and gentry, Zhang Lang found that the nobles in various places seemed to be faintly on guard, and the local officials seemed to have some worries.

At night, Zhang Lang met Ma Yi, the Taishou of Fufeng County, in the back hall of the Fufeng County Governor's Office. Ma Yi stood respectfully under the hall, this was a tall and thin middle-aged man, who seemed to be weak, and lowered his head to show a cautious appearance.

Zhang Lang asked: "Ma Taishou, you used to be the county magistrate of Chencang County?" ”

Ma Yi hugged his fists and said: "If you return to the general, your subordinates have indeed served as the county commander of Chencang County. ”

Zhang Lang smiled and asked, "I heard that you are a poor student?" "Yes." Zhang Lang continued to ask: "Did you feel a little uncomfortable when this Taishou was too shou?" Ma Yi showed a hesitant expression. Zhang Lang smiled: "If you have anything to say, it doesn't hurt to say it, you don't have to have any scruples." ”

Ma Yi hugged his fists and said: "The subordinates feel that in the entire bureaucratic system, there is also a force among the people, and it seems that they are guarding against their subordinates and others!" ”

Zhang Lang frowned slightly, "You mean the local scholars?" ”

Ma Yi nodded, glanced at Zhang Lang, and lowered his head, "Since the rebellion of the Xichuan Shi clan was suppressed, the local Shi clan has become more and more vigilant against their subordinates and others, and the resistance has also become stricter!" There are also many slackness among the subordinate officials! ”

Zhang Lang smiled coldly. glanced at Ma Yi, "Are most of the subordinate officials you mentioned are from the local scholars?" ”

Ma Yi said: "Most of them are inextricably linked with the local scholars. Since the Han Dynasty, the subordinate officials in various places have basically been selected from among the local scholars. ”

Zhang Lang frowned and asked, "Are there any students from the imperial examination assigned to you?" ”

"Back to the general, two days ago, thirty students were sent by the Assassin's Mansion, and his subordinates are thinking about how to use them, and there are not many vacant positions now, but I'm afraid it will be difficult to arrange!"

Zhang Lang said: "It's too easy. Aren't you slacking off in the various subordinate officials, I think you can use these students to take up positions in those key departments. ”

Ma Yi said with some embarrassment: "But, but there are people in those positions, this is ......"

Zhang Lang felt that this Ma Yi was a little too cautious, "Since those scholars are not willing to serve me, it is easy to do, so I will clear out all their people from the critical positions and replace them with these students!" In this way, I think your work will be much smoother! ”

Ma Yi clenched his fists and promised. He stood there with a worried look on his face. Zhang Lang noticed his expression and asked, "Ma Taishou seems to be worried about something?" Ma Yi clenched his fists and said: "I'm really worried that the local scholars will make trouble!" These nobles have great influence in the local area, and they also have sons and nephews in various local governments to fill important positions, and if they cause trouble, they are afraid of ......"

Zhang Lang smiled, "I wish they were making trouble!" There was a hint of murder in his faint tone.

Ma Yi was shocked, he suddenly realized one thing: maybe the general had done it on purpose to purge the Shi clan in Xichuan before! Thinking of this, Ma Yi couldn't help but feel a chill down his spine, and then became a little excited.

……

Mafu, the most luxurious courtyard in Fufeng City, although it is not as good as the mansions of those wealthy families in Luoyang, Chang'an, but it is also magnificent and rich! This is the mansion of Ma Bufang, the largest scholar in Fufeng County.

Ma Bufang paced back and forth in the back hall, frowning and looking sad. During the day today, he was invited to the Taishou Mansion to meet the general Zhang Lang, Ma Bufang was very surprised by Zhang Lang's sudden arrival, he was worried that Zhang Lang came here for their clan?

This Ma Bufang is tall, wearing a simple blue cloth shirt, with a rigid temperament, like a military general more than like a scholar, in fact, although this person is a big name in the scholar clan, but he once had a military experience, when the second emperor of Huan Ling, he used to be a captain of the forbidden army, and he also fought on the battlefield, and fought with the yellow turban thief, and still has the scars left on the battlefield that year. However, soon after Dong Zhuo entered Luoyang, the throne of the Han Dynasty collapsed, and Ma Bufang was disheartened, so he resigned from the army, returned to his hometown, and became a big name in the scholar clan to know today.

A servant rushed in, clenched his fists and said, "Master, there is a person outside, asking to see the master." ”

"Oh? Who? ”

"I don't know, the little one has never seen it, and when I asked him, he refused to say, just said that there was something urgent and important to ask to see the master."

Ma Bufang muttered in his heart, and said to the servant, "Bring him here." The servant said yes and withdrew. Ma Bufang walked to the top and sat down.

A moment later, the servant came in with a man who looked like a scribe. The scribe was of medium height, with a thin physique, dressed in a black robe, with a black scarf wrapped around his head, goat's whiskers under his chin, and a pair of dripping eyes, which looked like he was full of bad water.

Ma Bufang narrowed his eyes, "Who is Mr.?" Forgive me for being clumsy, it seems that I have never seen Mr. ”

The scribe looked left and right.

Ma Bufang understood, waved to the servants, and said, "All retreat." The servants answered and withdrew. Ma Bufang looked at the scribe, "Sir, can you explain your identity now?" ”

The scribe clasped his fists and bowed: "In Xia Li Ru, I must have heard of Master Ma." ”

Ma Bufang was taken aback, "Li Ru?!" Could it be Dong Zhuo's advisor, Li Ru? ”

Li Ru smiled slightly, "It's just below." ”

Ma Bufang quickly turned a lot of thoughts in his heart, and asked, "I don't know what Mr. Li is doing when he visits late at night?" Li Ru asked rhetorically: "Doesn't Master Ma know that the deadline is coming?" Ma Bufang frowned, "Why did Mr. say this?" Li Ru said: "What Lu Bu did to the Shi clan in Xichuan, I believe you all know, now that Lu Bu suddenly appeared here, isn't it aimed at the local Shi clan?" ”

Li Ru's words hit the worry in Ma Bufang's heart, Ma Bufang frowned and was silent.

Li Ru said: "With all due respect, we scholars must unite against Lu Bu, otherwise we will all die without a place to be buried!" ”

Ma Bufang glanced at Li Ru, squinted his eyes and asked, "I heard that Mr. Li and General Niu Fu are in the grass in Chencang Mountain, what is the intention of Mr. Li's sudden visit tonight?" ”

Li Ru showed a look of resentment, "We have a common enmity with Lu Bu, so we naturally want to deal with Lu Bu!" ”