bsp; Chapter 44: The Mengshan Gang

After Duanmu Xinmiao left, Wei Changying was about to go back to his yard before he went out, and Shi Yu, the little maid who was guarding outside, greeted him and said, "Lord Bo Shen is asking to see you outside, let the maids wait until only the young lady is there." ”

Shi Yu was made up with Zhu Yi and Zhu Luo, and the other three little maids with her were called Drizzle, Smoke and Rain, and Flying Rain - when the candidate was decided, he was given another name according to the rules, Wei Changying gave the ambassador daughter Zhu Yi and Zhu Luo, and the little maid let He get up, He looked at the rain outside the eaves, and after a little thought, he proposed these four names.

Siyu is only twelve or thirteen years old, and it is also the time when he is innocent and temperamental. However, after all, they are not like Zhu Yan and them, who grew up waiting for Wei Changying, the love between master and servant is deep, they don't make big mistakes, and they can be forgiven for some small mistakes. It is because they have always been very cautious and cautious in front of Wei Changying.

At this moment, Shi Yu showed a little apprehension while pleading, for fear that Wei Changying would blame himself for promising Shen Lun without asking for instructions.

"I was thinking about whether to send someone to invite him over, but I didn't think he still had a little look!" When Wei Changying heard this, he didn't pursue Shi Yu, he just snorted, turned around with his sleeves, and ordered, "Come in!" ”

Half an hour later, Shen Lun stepped into the door, and heard the head guard Changying say lukewarmly: "What's the matter with you?" ”

Although this Shen Lun is older than Wei Changying, he is the same generation as Shen Youyi. That is to say, he has to be like Shen Youyi's brothers, calling Wei Changying his aunt, and at this moment, he respectfully invited his aunt An, and said cautiously: "Regarding the matter of the lord of Caojiabao Fort, my nephew has something to say to my aunt that I want to delay. ”

In front of Mu Chunmian, Shen Lun called Wei Changying "Young Lady", that is, according to the relationship between the official, at this moment, he called his aunt and called himself a nephew, which was according to his private bloodline.

Wei Changying was very unhappy that he didn't give him any reminders or introductions before, so he led Mu Chunmian to him, and said lightly at this moment: "The matter of Caojiabao, why haven't you finished talking about it before?" ”

Shen Lun didn't tell Wei Changying the details of Cao Jiabao, but now he naturally understood that this was the opposite, he was embarrassed for a while, and said with a smile: "Auntie, forgive me, it's not that my nephew deliberately neglects my aunt." It's really ...... It was my nephew who had asked someone to convey something to my aunt. How...... I just heard my aunt ask the Namu clan how the castle owner of Caojiabao was a woman, and my nephew only knew that the twenty-fifth brother was ...... I think I forgot. ”

Wei Changying frowned slightly: Twenty-five, in Shen Lun's generation, it is Shen Youyi who ranks twenty-five!

She couldn't help but glance at Shen Lun under the hall, and saw that this nephew was very well-behaved and stood with his sleeves folded, with a helpless face.

It turns out that he turned back not only to remedy, but also to sue?

Wei Changying groaned, but didn't mention the words of calling Shen Youyi to confront him, only said: "You have something to tell me before?" What are the words? ”

"My nephew thinks that the identity of the lord of Caojiabao is a little special, so he always has to talk to his aunt first." Shen Lun hurriedly said, "There is also the fact that Caojiabao seems to have something to do with a nest of bandits in Taohua County over the years. ”

Wei Changying frowned and asked, "Peach Blossom County?" Which province is this? Why hasn't it been eradicated yet? ”

"Back to my aunt's words, Taohua County is not our Xiliang County." Shen Lun said, "Aunt thinks she knows that the Mengshan where Caojiabao is located is not all in our Xiliang territory, and the three highest peaks of Mengshan are all in neighboring states. This Taohua County is a county bordering our Xiliang, Mengshan runs through the county, and the entire county is built by the mountain! The bandits are hiding in the Mengshan Mountains, and the Guanzhou Mansion, which is subordinate to Taohua County, has not been wiped out several times, but they have never asked us for help, and it is not easy for us to send troops. ”

Wei Changying said: "It turns out that it is not in Xiliang...... I mean...... It's just that how did Caojiabao get in touch with this nest of bandits? ”

Shen Lun lowered his voice: "This nest of bandits, in fact, is not all robbers, their main thing is smuggling!" ”

"Smuggling?" Wei Chang Yingyi raised his eyebrows, "Isn't it smuggling smuggled salt?" ”

"That's what my aunt said." Shen Lun introduced in detail the process of setting up the line on the next two sides - in fact, it is just a few words: Shen has pinched Caojiabao since decades ago, although it can be self-sufficient on the side, but it still has to rely on going out to buy salt, which restricts the development of Caojiabao from salt.

With this hand, Cao Jiabao was forced to pay heavy taxes in name, but in order to be able to buy salt in time, he had to submit to Shen's hands...... Although Shen Lun's wording was euphemistic, Wei Changying still heard that every time Cao Jiabao sent someone out to buy salt, he needed to bring money, silk, firewood, rice and other things to bribe the Shen family, so as not to buy fruitlessly.

This bribe is actually no worse than paying taxes...... It's just that the people of Caojiabao have already become black households on the side of the government, and they can't return to their hometowns if they want to!

In this case, Caojiabao had to find another way. It just so happens that there is a nest of smuggled salt dealers in Taohua County who are also bandits...... Isn't it all together?

"That Mu clan is not a few years older than me, a mere woman's family, but he is really courageous...... I even thought of the smuggler of salt. Wei Changying flicked the bracelet on his wrist and said a little casually, "Since you know about this, the clan must also know about it?" How did they always collude? ”

Shen Lun hurriedly explained: "Auntie doesn't know, the clan originally decided to deal with Caojiabao immediately, but the nest of illegal salt dealers in Taohua County has some origins. After Brother Twenty-Four found out, he specially ordered not to touch Caojiabao for the time being, and allowed to use Caojiabao to subdue those people! ”

Twenty-four is Shen Youjia's ranking - although this Duwei nephew is more or less uninteresting because he has been mixed in the ranks all the year round, he is sloppy and bold, but Wei Changying heard Shen Zangfeng mention that Shen Youjia is not a mediocre talent, and the person he likes is not ordinary, and he said unexpectedly: "There is still such a thing?" Immediately he asked, "Where did they come from?" ”

"As far as my nephew knows, one of them is named Lai Dayong, who was originally a private soldier recruited by a large family in Guanzhou to prevent bandits." Shen Lun pondered for a moment and said, "This person is as his name suggests, extremely brave, and has repelled bandits for that big family many times, and his credit is not small!" As a result, the son of the big family later had an affair with his father and concubine, and was bumped into by Lai Dayong, in order to kill the mouth, the son of the big family instigated the concubine to frame Lai Dayong and slander Lai Dayong. The adulterous master loves the concubine......

"This Lai Dayong is also a good means, and he forcibly killed the people sent by the big family and the encirclement of the officials of the Guanzhou Mansion, and escaped into Mengshan to hide. The Guanzhou government also issued a sea fishing document for a period of time for this reason, but later because the truth was exposed, the big household felt disgraced, so he asked the government to withdraw the document. After that, no one paid attention to Lai Dayong, and when he attracted attention again, he found that he somehow entangled a group of people, not only monopolizing the illegal salt trade in the entire Guanzhou City! Moreover, he annexed several smaller nests of bandits in Mengshan, occupied a piece of the boss's territory, and established the name Mengshan Gang. ”

Shen Lun's voice was low, "This person is quite scheming, when he annexes other bandits, he will always leave a group of people not to kill and keep them in the gang!" Every time the government cracked down on bandits, they broke their legs and threw them on the road where the officers and soldiers passed. In this way, since the officers and soldiers have received merit, their desire to fight with him has faded. ”

Wei Chang said clearly: "Guanzhou Assassin Shi didn't take his filial piety, right? ”

Shen Lun smiled and said nothing, but his expression was acquiescing.

Wei Changying pondered for a while and said, "Since it is up to Jia's side to have a plan, I don't want to spoil his affairs." Mu Chunmian is there...... Originally, today's gold was to be given to her, but now it is like this, the Hengzhu Mengshan Gang is not in Xiliang, but Caojiabao can't fly away. Send people to watch Caojiabao closely, don't tell them to secretly run to the neighboring county to join the Mengshan Gang, that would be ridiculous! ”

Shen Lun hurriedly said: "Auntie, please rest assured, there is only one road up and down Caojiabao, but there are 3,000 people living in it, and it is impossible for them to sneak away!" Then he smiled and said, "What's more, Lai Dayong, the leader of the Mengshan Gang, is not a philanthropic person, he doesn't have the heart to accept the three thousand people of Caojiabao to Mengshan!" Caojiabao is going to defect to the Mengshan Gang, so it is better to surrender to our Shen family! ”

Wei Changying nodded slightly, and said, "Then how could Caojiabao call a woman Taoist to live as the lord of the castle, and it is also a childless woman's family?" Or did the concubine she raised under her knees not bring it this time? ”

"Back to my aunt's words." Shen Lun shook his head and said, "Cao Bao, the previous lord of Caojiabao, died early, and there is indeed only one daughter of Cao Ya!" ”

He also said, "Then Cao Ya is the young castle master of Caojiabao, which is recognized by the entire Caojiabao." ”

Wei Changying was amazed and said, "How can this be? Is Mu Chunmian so powerful? ”

Shen Lun coughed dryly and said, "The little news that the clan has heard about this matter is that the Namu clan seems to have an affair with Lai Dayong, and even Cao Bao's death has something to do with these two people. ”

Wei Chang Ying frowned slightly, and said, "When Cao Bao is here, he should be the one who contacts the Mengshan Gang." Could it be that Lai Dayong dared to enter Caojiabao? If it weren't for that, how would he meet the Mu family? ”

"That's what it says." Shen Lun said, "Although Cao Bao inherited Caojiabao from his ancestors, he is not virtuous, and the decision to buy salt from the Mengshan Gang was made by the Mu family. At that time, Lai Dayong asked Cao Bao to go to negotiate in person, but Cao Bao refused to kill him, and even accused Mu of harming him...... Later, Mu Shi was angry and went in person! ”

"...... you go?"

Shen Lun shook his head again: "Not that time, because the Mu family was already pregnant at that time, so when she walked to the mountainside, she was chased back by Cao Bao's elders." In the end, an elder from Caojiabao went on his behalf, and the result was really negotiated with the Mengshan Gang on the price. As a result, the prestige of the Mu clan soared, but Cao Bao disappointed the people in the fort. ”

"And then?"

Then Cao Jiabao bought salt from the Mengshan Gang several times, and the price changed in the middle, and once, the elder who went to negotiate for the first time could not make up his mind, so he went back and asked Cao Bao to negotiate in person. How do you know that Cao Bao is still afraid and refuses to move forward, but as a result, Mu's production was only full moon at that time, and after knowing it, he went in person despite everyone's dissuasion. Shen Lun said, "This time I seem to have a good conversation with Lai Dayong, and not long after she returned to Caojiabao, Cao Bao fell ill and died. Originally, after Cao Bao's death, there was only one daughter under his knees, and according to the rules, Cao Bao's brother Cao Yan should take over the position of the castle lord. But the Mu family didn't know what means they used, so they won over most of the elders in the fort, accusing Cao Yan of being defenseless in Caojiabao and unworthy of being the lord of the castle, and forced Cao Yan out of power, and became the lord of the castle himself, and also made his daughter Cao Ya the master of the castle with both soft and hard measures. ”