"Cooperation on the surface does not mean approval and obedience. If I had been replaced, the means would have been much more ruthless than they are now. ”

"As long as there is a branch, there will be independence, and no amount of reward can fill this gap in the heart. The village leader wanted to become the lord of the city because he could get a surname and become a nobleman. When they enter the aristocratic circle, they will want to turn the cities under their jurisdiction into personal property, and they want more people and more food. ”

Speaking of this, Niu Lingxiao sighed: "Lord Yuanmeng, you are older than me, and you have seen these aspects more thoroughly. Actually, as soon as I say it, you will understand...... We've all had similar problems, including me, and we've had the same problems. ”

Yuan Meng could only smile bitterly.

He admitted that what Niu Lingxiao said was not wrong.

Even if it is himself, he also feels a headache for those powerful city lords under him. They appear to be obedient to orders and to the control of their own patriarch. But in reality, the lords of the castle have a great deal of autonomy. Food, population, army...... In addition to their own territories, the sub-cities and the main city of the Raging Bull Department are more like an interdependent cooperative relationship. They pay their grain taxes according to rules and proportions, but the rich cities have long since exceeded their normal output, and the poor cities have a problem even getting enough to eat. As the patriarch, Yuan Meng must be fair in the face of disasters, but those wealthy city lords always refuse to obey by all means.

Niu Lingxiao cupped his chin with both hands and said thoughtfully: "Lord Yuan Meng, we have all killed those disobedient guys. confiscated their property, turned their families into slaves, and even distributed them to civilians outside...... We've got blood on our hands! They cursed as they died, saying that it was "the power given to them by the gods." But if we think about it, if we distribute the autonomy of the cities, what will we have left in the end? ”

Yuan Meng turned around and looked at Niu Lingxiao with slightly surprised eyes: "This is your allegiance to Ah Hao...... Well, the reason for the regent? ”

"Allegiance?" Niu Lingxiao shook his head self-deprecatingly: "I'm not afraid of your jokes when I say it, in fact, I have never thought of any allegiance." I was just...... I'm afraid of death. ”

Yuan Meng didn't expect him to say it so directly, and when he heard this, he couldn't help but gasp.

Niu Lingxiao's young face once again showed debauchery, and there was also sadness that could not be expressed in words: "I'm really afraid!" I've always seen him as my biggest opponent. All told, my starting point (harmony) is much higher than his. But there is no way, you have also seen it, the Lord of the Sect is not even a fart in front of His Highness. Bison Department ...... That's a great family of more than 500,000 or nearly 600,000! His Royal Highness didn't take the Sect Lord in his eyes at all, if he didn't think that the Sect Lord still had a little bit of use, His Highness would definitely directly order his head to be cut off today and made into a bone bowl. ”

Yuan Meng felt creepy: "You mean ......"

"Electing a new patriarch is the best way to do it." Niu Lingxiao leaned back, leaned back on the chair, and looked at the ceiling, as if sarcastic, as if resigned to fate: "Your Highness has been cultivating Zongguang since a long time ago. I haven't been able to see through his move, and I think it's just a disguised way to woo Zonggu and get help from Mishui City. Now it seems that I am short-sighted, and the best business in this world is to borrow chickens to lay eggs. Zongguang is an only son, and all Zonggu's thoughts are on this only son. If His Highness clearly supports Zongguang to ascend to the throne, and replaces Zongyu as the king of the clan...... Hey, hey, Lord Yuanmeng, which side do you think Zonggu will be on? ”

Yuan Meng lowered his head and was silent in thought.

"That's why I'm afraid!" Niu Lingxiao kept shaking his head with a sigh: "If the same method is used on me, then there is really no place to die." I don't want to be given to the civilians as a prize, I have to think about my family. The position of patriarch sounds tempting, but it is too risky. Rather than forcibly staying in your hands and becoming a life-threatening poison, it is better to let it out as soon as possible and be a favor. ”

Yuan Meng asked angrily, "So you promised to give him 100,000 civilians?" ”

"What if you don't give it?" Niu Lingxiao replied very honorably: "He is the regent, and the entire dragon clan respects him." From Rock City to Pointe-Noire to the recently conquered Ironjaw City, his rule is so large that he has a population of several million. He has brimstone in his hands and can make gunpowder. You have also seen the equipment of those forbidden troops, and they are several streets away from us. Even if our three divisions unite to resist, they will not be opponents from the military level alone. ”

Yuan Meng's body trembled, and unprecedented sadness arose: "Then we ...... Later...... What to do? ”

The King of the Bulls was silent for a long time, pushed away his chair, and slowly stood up.

"Two paths. Rebel or obey. ”

He lowered his head and glanced at Yuan Meng, whose face was as dead as ashes: "I'll choose the second one." ”

With that, Niu Lingxiao stepped forward and walked towards the door of the conference hall.

Behind him, Yuan Meng was extremely unwilling, with a hint of expectation: "Is there a third possibility?" We must talk to His Highness, and as long as we are willing to make concessions, we should still have to negotiate. ”

Niu Lingxiao paused.

He turned his back to Yuan Meng, the corners of his mouth downward, revealing a contemptuous and mocking smile.

When it was time to step again, the king of the ferocious bulls had already made his final decision.

There are a lot of self-righteous fools in this world, try to stay away from them.

……

Two hours later, an elite group of forbidden troops left the city with the dying Sect and headed in the direction of Bison City.

Pingjun's subordinates have been infiltrating the bison department, and Zonggu and Zongguang father and son have become the driving forces in it. Zongguang underwent a spore transplant very early, and the letter eagle released from Blackhorn City quickly delivered the news, and the entire army of Mishui City was dispatched, and Zongguang publicly showed the flintlock pistols and artillery that had arrived secretly before, equipped the army, and drove to Bison City.

The replacement of the army and the population has been carried out with the tacit consent of the Jonggu. The 20,000 regular troops in Mishui City actually came from Rock City. In order to avoid the surveillance of the clan and prevent him from becoming suspicious, the weapons and equipment were hidden inside the city. Now, it's time for everything to be publicly revealed.

Because it was a friendly army and did not receive orders from above, Zongguang led the army into Bison City smoothly and controlled the situation with lightning speed. By the time the forbidden army arrived with the clan, it was all over.

Looking at Zong Guang who was wearing armor and smiling and walking towards him, the last trace of hope in Zong Yu's heart was also shattered.

"Traitor ......" Zongyu, who was no different from a disabled person, pressed his injured wrist tightly, looked at Zongguang who came closer, and let out a hoarse and vicious curse: "You won't end well, and Zonggu ...... Your father...... You guys...... You will be punished! ”

He is an important person who is strictly guarded. Each of the four powerful forbidden soldiers had an iron chain tied around their waists, locking the wrists and ankles of the sect domain respectively. The key to the lock is in the hands of the Commander of the Praetorian Army. In other words, even if the clan bought one of them, it wouldn't be able to escape from under the noses of the other three. What's more, these people keep an eye on themselves 24 hours a day, and the distance between eating and sleeping will not exceed one meter, and the chance of escaping safely is almost zero.

Instead of laughing, Soguang twisted his facial muscles into what appeared to be a smile. He was dressed in a brand-new dragon forbidden army uniform, black armor with a dragon head branded on his left arm. This indicates that he belonged to the Prince Regent's Guard and was the elite of the Forbidden Army. Both the actual authority and combat effectiveness are more than those of the same rank.

"His Royal Highness the Regent asked me to say hello to you." Zong Guang doesn't like to take advantage of his tongue, his eyes are sharp, and even the most basic etiquette for facing the patriarch is completely omitted: "I don't want to waste time, you can rest for a while, and start electing a new patriarch in half an hour." ”

"What did you say?" The Sect couldn't believe his ears. He struggled desperately, dragging the chain and "banging" and ranging: "Elect...... Patriarch? ”

He knew about it when he was in Black Horn. The Bison tribe is a large clan and needs a reasonable excuse to annex it.

Tianhao has been coveting the Bison Ministry, but even if he is the regent, he can't publicly execute himself on a deliberately fabricated charge and swallow the entire tribe.

Because...... Because......

Zongyu grabbed the chain that extended from his wrist with both hands, and clenched it tightly, as if it were a weapon. The long journey along the way consumed too much of his mental and physical strength, and his messy hair hung down from his forehead, and he looked like a madman. Four heavily armed Praetorian soldiers trapped him in the middle, unable to break through this artificial confinement no matter how much he struggled, no matter what direction he could.

"I'm the patriarch of the Bison Tribe." Zong Yu stared at Zong Guang and let out a low roar viciously: "Niu Tianhao wants to annex the Bison Tribe...... He was daydreaming. ”

"It's not up to you to decide on this matter." As the executor, Zong Guang has a clear understanding of the orders issued by Tianhao. He shook his head and said with a sarcastic smile: "The city lord and nobles have no right to decide and participate in this matter, including your adult sons and daughters, as well as your family, you only have one vote. ”

"What do you mean by that?" The flames of anger burned in Zongyu's chest, but it didn't make him lose his mind, but he didn't understand what Zongguang said.

"That means the Bison Division is no longer up to you or your family." Zong Guang's tone was calm: "All cities, all the villages, whether they are the leaders or the city lords, everyone has a vote in their hands. The specific person who will be the patriarch is openly elected, and those who have more than half of the total votes can be elected. ”

"Differential elections" are the practice of civilized times.

After receiving Tianhao's order, Zong Guang immediately sent a team to the various walled cities of the Bison Department. There are two candidates for the patriarch: the old patriarch Zongyu, and the young Zongguang.

The explanation was clear in a few words, and the sect also understood Zong Guang's words. He was still like an angry senile lion: "No, I don't believe it, they can't have chosen you to be the patriarch. ”

Zong Guang didn't argue, and asked lightly: "I'm curious, why do you have such a strong confidence in this matter?" ”

"Most of them haven't dealt with you. They don't know you, they haven't even met you. The loud roar consumed a lot of physical energy, and the old Zongyu gasped for breath, he stared at Zongguang who was standing a few meters away, and said with disdain, hatred, and mockery: "I took over the bison department from my ancestors, and the gods of the bison are watching me from the sky all the time. From becoming the patriarch to the present, I have issued countless letters of appointment. I've seen every one of them, whether it's a castle lord or a chieftain. They bow and kowtow before me, and they pay their grain tax on time every year......"

Saying too many words made Zong Yu feel difficult to breathe, and he had to pause and not adjust the rhythm of his breathing again: "Niu Tianhao...... This damn guy, he got the Bison Department for the vain attempt to remove me from power in a vote of more than half of the people. Hahahaha...... It was ridiculous, but it was no wonder that he didn't know that at least half of the lords and chieftains of the castle had sworn to me in public that they would always be loyal to me. ”

After saying the last few words, Zong Yu struggled forward, raised his hand and pointed at Zong Guang amid the vigilant gaze and surroundings of the four forbidden soldiers, with an indescribable sense of superiority and arrogance, and sneered loudly: "So these things you said before will never happen. Don't forget, I'm the patriarch of the Bison tribe. As for you and your father who licked his ass after Niu Tianhao at that moment, he is just a mere city lord, and he has no power to speak and decide at all. ”

Zong Guang ignored the contempt from the other party: "You're right. But now that you know this, you should understand that there is a solution to any problem. ”

The smile on Zong Yu's face suddenly froze, and his thinking stagnated. After a long time, he stammered and asked, "You...... You ...... them."

The latter words were really unquestionable, and Zongyu didn't even dare to get confirmation from Zongguang. That means that things are completely different from what you imagined, and you have completely lost control of the bison department.

Zong Guang smiled and gave Zong Yu a hard blow in his heart: "Those who are disobedient are dead." Everything I do is in accordance with the law. You're right, there are a lot of people who have sworn allegiance to you, and they refuse to vote for me. So I first conducted an election on the mayor or chief of the city. I can't convince people who are rigid and hard-hearted to follow you, but I can get broader support from others. Hehe, do you want me to be more specific and detailed? ”

There was not a trace of blood on Zong Yu's face.

He had known Tianhao for not a day or two, and he was well aware of the young regent's methods. Yes, both the lord of the city and the leader are just one person. Without the support and recognition of the low-level civilians, they would not even be as good as a fart.

As long as one meal, one extra ration of food, and a thin piece of clothing can make the people at the bottom change their minds and stand in the ranks of hostility with themselves.

Zongguang saw through the thoughts in Zongyu's mind, and he added with a smile and confirmed: "His Royal Highness the Prince Regent is determined to win the Bison Ministry. ”