The council hall of the Zhenguo Mansion is brightly lit tonight.

The real power elders in the family are all present, including Wang Rouhua, who has returned from Yanmen Pass for a long time and is responsible for the development of the Zhao family's industry and the hidden ones.

In addition, Huang Yuandai and Zhou Ying also sat behind Zhao Ning. After traveling the world in the first two years, Zhou Ying has been willing to follow Zhao Ning's side.

"The rumor of His Majesty's establishment of a cabinet has already spread, so it seems that His Majesty has not given up or suspended the authority of the family because of the matter of Xu Minglang and the Magistrate's Yuan, and even intensified it. ”

Zhao Xuanji, who was on the main seat, was as pale as iron, "Now that we have to deal with it." If we sit back and watch the situation develop, it won't be too long, and the Zhao clan will be reduced to an ordinary clan, and they will never regain the position of the world!"

Zhao Xuanji's words were extremely solemn.

The Zhao family can have today's status, which is the result of thousands of years of family accumulation, and there are countless talents in the middle, not to mention anything else, just when the Great Qi Dynasty was founded, there were many Zhao cultivators who died on the battlefield.

Now, asking the Zhao clan to be willing to give up their current status is undoubtedly unacceptable to the Zhao clan.

Not only the Zhao family, all families are the same.

"Now that Your Majesty is firmly in control of the government, the power of the poor officials has become a success, and it is difficult for us to win or lose with Your Majesty in the court. Moreover, His Majesty's imperial mind is indeed powerful, and we are not opponents in the struggle for power and profit. ”

It was the Great Elder Zhao Zhenzhong who spoke, and his face was sad, "In a few years, the source of the Yanmen army will decrease, and we will even lose the foundation of our existence, and it is really not easy to say that we have to deal with it at this time." ”

When all the elders heard this, they all expressed their opinions, some people said that they wanted to unite with the generals and nobles, put pressure on the emperor, and merge the new army into the previous military system, some people said that they wanted to unite all the families and divide the victory and defeat with the Hanmen forces, and some people said that it was necessary to be hard to strike iron, and it was fundamental to develop more industries to make money and improve the strength of cultivators......

There was everything to say, and there was no lack of insight, and when everyone was almost speaking, the hall gradually quieted down, and then everyone's eyes were on Zhao Ning, who had not spoken.

Everyone wanted to know what Zhao Ning thought. Looking at their trusting and expectant eyes, it can be seen that they think that Zhao Ning must have truly practical insights.

Of course Zhao Ning has insights, and he doesn't have to hide them, his advantage is that he can combine the memories of his past life, and then he will tell the story:

"Two years ago, the annual income of the family did not exceed five million gold, the cultivators were only hundreds, the Yuan Shen Realm was only fifty, and the Wang Ji Realm was only one grandfather. Now, the annual income of the family's normal industry has exceeded 12 million gold, the number of cultivators has reached 1,030, there are more than 80 people in the Yuan Shen Realm, the Imperial Qi Realm has increased by 40%, and the Wang Ji Realm has reached 3 people.

"Two years later, if we can achieve the goal we set before, so that the family can earn 20 million gold a year, the Yuan Shen Realm will reach 150 people, the Imperial Qi Realm will exceed 500, and the cultivators will be more than 2,000, then our strength will be comparable to that of the three families.

"If there are one or two more in the Wang Ji Realm, then the power of the Zhao clan is not even comparable to the imperial family. At that time, once the Northern Hu invaded the south and started the national war with the Great Qi, there is no need to say what kind of influence the Zhao clan can have in the chaotic situation and battlefield. ”

Speaking of this, seeing that everyone was deeply convinced, many elders looked slightly uplifted, and Zhao Ning continued:

"Our problem is nothing more than the army. It is true that after the destruction of the government military system, as the original officers and men of the Yanmen Army left the border in turn, we had fewer and fewer available soldiers in our hands. But as a family of generals, is it difficult for the Zhao family to recruit private troops with today's financial resources?"

Hearing Zhao Ning say that he wanted to recruit a private army, some elders suddenly changed color.

Zhao Xuanji stroked his beard and groaned: "How many private soldiers can the family can have, the imperial court has laws and regulations, and it cannot exceed eight hundred at most. What can 800 people do?"

"Eight hundred is too little, and of course it has to be massively increased. ”

"This can't be hidden from the court!"

"Of course I can't hide it in Yanping. ”

"The Zhao clan wants to secretly recruit private troops in Jinyang?"

"Jinyang is the location of the Zhao family's foundation, and it is not difficult to hide one or two thousand soldiers. ”

"That won't be long hidden!"

"It doesn't take long. ”

"How long was that?"

"It can be as short as two years, as long as four years. ”

"Within four years, the national war will inevitably begin?"

"With the smooth operation of the Tianyuan Army in the Western Regions, there is no surprise in this matter. ”

"One or two thousand sergeants, the cost is not small. ”

"It's just an ordinary sergeant, you don't need a cultivator, and the cost won't be too great. ”

At this point, the crowd fell silent.

Recruiting a private army is not a trivial matter, and if the matter is revealed, the Zhao clan will be destroyed immediately.

Judging from the current situation, the emperor is extremely wary of the Zhao family, and the Zhao family cannot act carelessly.

Therefore, including Zhao Xuanji, everyone hesitated, bowed their heads and pondered, weighing the pros and cons.

Zhao Ning looked at the elders squarely: "Do uncles think that only the Zhao clan will secretly develop their own strength and even recruit private troops?"

As soon as these words came out, everyone looked up in surprise.

Yes, with the current situation of the family, who would be willing to sit still?

When the emperor cured Xu Minglang's crime, abolished the Magistrate's Yuan, and appointed Chen Xun as the prime minister, the family may have happily thought that the emperor was about to rein in. But as rumors of the cabinet broke, the families realized in despair that the imperial power had no intention of persecuting them.

At this time, how could the families not seek a way out?

......

The prison of the Criminal Department is not a place where anyone can enter, and it is not easy to visit the prison in normal times.

However, for those who are about to be beheaded, both cell bosses and jailers will be allowed to meet their families and friends and say goodbye to their deceased. If no one came to see them, the jailer would also prepare a relatively hearty meal of severed heads.

Tang Xing didn't have any relatives in Yanping, and after he was sentenced to death, he didn't expect that anyone would come to see him, just quietly waiting for death to come. So when Zhao Ning appeared in front of him, he was very surprised.

"Brother Zhao. ”

Although Tang Xing was in prison and dying, his spirit did not seem to be sluggish, and his face was very normal, it was rare that he did not even lose his manners, and when he greeted Zhao Ning, he was still graceful. It seems that he is still the big devil of the Magistrate's House who is powerful and avoids everyone.

"I didn't expect that when Tang arrived at this step of the field, there would be Brother Zhao to see him off, after drinking Brother Zhao's wine today, when Tang walked on Huangquan Road tomorrow, he would also be able to live a fearless and fearless pride!" Tang Xing took the wine jar handed by Zhao Ning and laughed three times.

After speaking, seeing the people following Zhao Ning, Tang Xing was slightly stunned, and immediately showed a relieved smile, "Brother Zhou is alive, it's very good." ”

Behind Zhao Ning was Zhou Junchen, one of the two evils of the Magistrate's Court.

is different from Tang Xing, because Zhou Junchen is dealing with the case, he has never arrested or tortured people with his own hands, and he has a different temperament from Tang Xing, after all, he is moral, and he also saved some officials who really don't deserve to die in the magistrate's court, so although he was dismissed and investigated this time and lost his black hat, he saved his life.

Tang Xing didn't know the specific situation of Zhou Junchen, but when he saw that the other party was able to move freely and visit him in prison, he understood that the other party was at least not sentenced to death.

"Brother Tang......" Zhou Junchen bent down, he had a thousand words before he came, but after a sentence of Brother Tang at this time, he didn't know what to say.

The two were originally fellow villagers, and they were in high school in the same year, one was on the list and the other was a tanhua, and then they got to know Zhao Ning together, and they became officials all the way to the knighthood, and became the powerful officials in charge of the Magistrate's Yuan, which was majestic for a while.

Now it is in trouble at the same time, all the previous things have turned into smoke, and after the ups and downs, my heart can be described as mixed and touched. It's just that one of the two is about to be beheaded for a capital crime, and the other has saved his life, and his mood is different, Zhou Junchen opened his mouth and was speechless.

After a while, the three of them sat down in the room, Tang Xing hugged the wine jar and drank half of the jar in one go, and finally let out a big sigh of relief and said refreshmently.

"When I just returned to Yanping before, I told Brother Tang that if I withdrew in time and put all the fault on Xu Minglang's head, I might be able to save my life. Brother Tang insisted on not listening, so why bother?" Zhao Ning sighed.

Zhou Junchen turned his head in surprise, he didn't expect Zhao Ning to persuade Tang Xing before.

Tang Xing smiled disappreliantly, "Tang knows that he is deeply guilty, and he has countless grievances and grievances in his hands, and he can't get out. Even if according to Brother Zhao's words, he barely survives a life, in the future, I am afraid that he will only follow Brother Zhao's head and change from His Majesty's minions to Brother Zhao's dogs. This is not Tang's wish!"

When Tang Xing was in charge of the Magistrate's Court, he had let some members of the Zhao clan be dismissed, and he had also let some members of the Wei clan be exiled, in this case, Zhao Ning was still willing to save his life, of course, he just took a fancy to Tang Xing's talent and wanted to let the other party give him his life.

Even though Zhou Junchen's guilt is much smaller, after all, he is one of the two chief officials of the Magistrate's Court, and he was able to save his life this time, because the Zhao family operated from it, so that those officials who were united with them this time did something in the process of trying the case.

Seeing that Tang Xing's affairs were still up to now, there was still a sense of pride in being a minion for the emperor, Zhou Junchen's heart was panicked, and he said astringently:

"From Jingzhao Mansion to the Magistrate's Court, I have been persuading Brother Tang to keep his heart in everything, and not even ignore the principles of scholars for the sake of His Majesty, and even distinguish between right and wrong, but Brother Tang has never listened.

"Now, it is clear that His Majesty has abandoned the Magistrate's House and abandoned us...... His Majesty even abandoned Xu Xiang decisively, which can be described as extremely ruthless. Brother Tang is dedicated to the king, but he ended up like this, why is he still so stupid and loyal to His Majesty?"

Tang Xing glanced at Zhou Junchen and said lightly: "The one who is a confidant dies."

"For example, if there is no favor from His Majesty, under the pressure of the family, he will not be able to really hold the power in his life and become a real important minister of the court. Even if you are lucky, you are in the center at the age of sixty, and you are already dying of old age at that time, what can you talk about in high spirits?

Speaking of this, Tang Xing picked up the wine jar and drank bitterly, wiped his mouth at the end, and said with pride: "The eldest husband was born in the world, and he should stand up to the heavens and the earth, let all the people bow their heads, make all the officials fearful, and have the power of thunder when he shouts and drinks!

"I, Tang Xing, can be appreciated by His Majesty, the chief magistrate, in the past two years, in charge of life and death, holding the power of life and death, holding the life and death of the powerful, and treating the family as ants, so that the princes of Gon are frightened, everywhere they go, everyone is afraid to retreat, dare not have half a point of disrespect, who can be majestic?

"Whatever I like, all are loyal and good, and whatever I hate, all are treacherous! Judge right and wrong in the world, determine the black and white of the government and the opposition, like Yama descending into the world, like the gods of heaven descending to earth, acting recklessly, and omnipotently, which humble official can compare?

"The courtiers hold great power, and there is no long-term power, I Tang Xing can have these two years, this life is enough!"

After listening to Tang Xing's generous statement, Zhou Junchen opened his mouth wide, and he couldn't say a word again.

At the end, he said with a dark face: "Brother Tang is so perverse, do you know what reputation he will leave behind?"

Tang Xing drank the wine in the jar in one go, and smiled: "In today's world, the family is declining and the poor family is rising, this is the general trend. Fang Jinsheng has the ambition to change the day, and also has the talent to change the day, a hundred years later, this world will become the world of the cold door, and there will be no more scholars and gates!

"And I, Tang Xing, was born in the world, for His Majesty's minions, for the warriors of the cold family, for His Majesty's grand plan to expand the territory, for the rise of the Han family, a hundred years later, those outstanding officials in front of the poor should be grateful to Tang!

"If there is Tang's name in the history books, Tang will naturally be named a cool official and a villain. But the real people of insight will see Tang's exploits, remember Tang's merits, and surrender to Tang's courage today!"

Speaking of this, Tang Xing slammed the empty wine jar to the ground and laughed three times, "Good wine!"

Zhou Junchen was speechless.

Zhao Ning shook his head and said no more. The two are a son of a family and a fighter from a humble family, with different positions in the struggle for power, and different definitions of right and wrong, and they are destined to be unable to become real friends.

He left a sentence of "Brother Tang is good" and got up to leave.

After Zhao Ning left the prison, the room was quiet.

Tang Xing, who was high-spirited before, gradually dissipated the heroic aura on his body, and the whole person calmed down.

Zhou Junchen was silent for a moment, looked at Tang Xing with complicated eyes, and said sadly: "When you and I entered Beijing to catch the exam, the pear blossom was reluctant to send twenty miles, and I didn't want to go back when I went out of the mountain pass......

"I wrote back to them, and they told me that she often ran to that mountain pass, looked in the direction we were leaving, and wept silently, and often sat all day and returned at dusk. Brother Tang, you should know that she is waiting for you to go back and marry her...... She fell in love with you when she was a child, and she always followed you when she was a child......"

Speaking of which, Zhou Junchen couldn't say any more.

Thinking of the childhood sweetheart who was not too beautiful, but his face was always clean, gentle as water, and he cooked a good meal, Tang Xing's face was gloomy and silent.

After a long time, he sighed, raised his head to force back the tears in his eyes, and said in a hoarse voice: "I do owe a lot to Pear Blossom, if there is an afterlife.......

He paused, and shook his head suddenly:

"Even if I have an afterlife, I will still make the same choice as I do now. I, Tang Xing, am not a mother-in-law and a child, I am destined to struggle in the eunuchs before I pursue a powerful and prominent person. If I hadn't died so early, I would probably have married the daughter of a great man......"

Hearing this, Zhou Junchen was furious, Huo Ran got up and pointed at Tang Xing, and was about to scold a few words. But before he could say anything, he lowered his hand again. He already knew what kind of character the other party was.

Tang Xing looked up at his fellow villager and friend, and smiled like a lifetime away: "Brother Zhou, if you like pear blossoms, then marry her and give her a good home, if you don't like her, then help me tell her....... Don't wait, don't read. ”

......

The next day, Tang Xing and others were beheaded at the entrance of the vegetable market.

Dozens of officials on the execution platform either wept bitterly or shouted injustice, but Tang Xing looked calm and refused to bend down and bow his head when he was dying.