Xia Bohan entered the officialdom at the age of seventeen, stayed in the position of Jiangnan county guard for ten years, and when his younger brother Xia Bodun grew up, he gave up the throne and went to the capital to run a business with his father in the court.

Since the beginning of the previous dynasty, the Xia family was the first family in the Jiangnan region, controlling the lifeblood of the entire Jiangnan.

In Jiangnan, the people may know who the current emperor is, but they are more convinced of the Xia family. This is the honor that the Xia family has won for generations to protect Jiangnan.

But at the same time, Xia Bohan's ancestors were like him for three generations, and he never thought of replacing the Zhao family.

Therefore, at this time, the countermeasure of the entire Xia family is to choose the most suitable prince to support, or simply watch the fire from the other side.

Both paths have certain risks.

If you choose to support the side, you must have to devote all financial and material resources to the Jiangnan region to assist the upper position, otherwise it will be a disaster for both the Xia family and Jiangnan after failure.

And choosing to watch the fire from the other side, the Xia family must defend Jiangnan, after all, with such a piece of fat, which force doesn't want to take it? The pressure on them will also be enormous.

At the beginning, the founding emperor of the Yu Dynasty was still virtuous, and the war with the previous dynasty hurt his vitality, and he didn't want to conflict with the Xia family and Jiangnan, so he generously allowed the Xia family to continue to stick to Jiangnan's request.

It is also because the Xia family has not shown a trace of ambition for so many years, and this will continue for a long time.

However, today's situation does not allow Xia Bohan to continue to maintain an optimistic attitude.

Even the loyal ministers Zhenbeihou clan who accompanied the country were secretly beheaded, and his own side did not give the slightest kindness to the Zhao family, isn't it also in the old emperor's calculations? !

This is an important reason why Xia Bohan left the capital and returned to Jiangnan due to illness!

As soon as the Hou of Zhenbei died, all of them, the powerful families, were in danger.

"Maybe the prince also heard the rumors, King Ruixian personally congratulated Mrs. Fu on her birthday some time ago, and had a secret conversation with the lower officials for a long time."

At the mention of this, the look on Xia Bohan's face was much more restrained.

Coming back from his anger, Zhao Gaowei bowed slightly, this news had already spread all over the place, after all, his brother did not hide his whereabouts.

"Donglin County is only separated from Jiangnan by a river, and it is normal for the second brother to want to deal with you well."

As a county in the east of the Yangtze River, the degree of prosperity is not low, and it is the second county in the country in terms of grain production.

But it is precisely because it is in the hinterland that the fiefdom of Donglin County has a fatal flaw for King Ruixian.

That is, there are no soldiers and horses.

In addition to the two thousand soldiers and horses that should be equipped in this county, there can not be a single penny more, which is also the biggest weakness of King Ruixian.

And Jiangnan County, which is next to him, has 10,000 soldiers and horses, which is one of the treaties signed by the Xia family and the founding emperor when the country was founded.

Not only that, the Jiangnan region is the most prosperous area in the entire Yu Dynasty, not only rich, but also has the best forging technology in the country.

It can be said that the 10,000 soldiers and horses in Jiangnan are more powerful than the border army when they are armed.

This is also one of the reasons why King Ruixian is determined to take Jiangnan, after all, soldiers and horses are easy to recruit, but the armament that should be equipped cannot be bad.

"Then you shouldn't know that His Royal Highness King Ruixian has privately raised 5,000 soldiers and horses in Donglin County, and has not revealed the slightest rumor so far."

Xia Bohan learned the news from his younger brother.

Charbodon is the county guard of Jiangnan, and the most important thing is to maintain the stability of Jiangnan, and he has been monitoring the Donglin County next door.

If there is any disturbance in Donglin County, he will receive the news as soon as possible.

The 5,000 private soldiers of King Ruixian were the news that his spies had found out by chance.

Xia Bodun didn't take it to heart before, after all, the five princes seized the throne too fiercely, and everyone knew that these princes were very unconvinced except for Zhao Gaoyu.

Raise some private soldiers, that's normal.

Even King Cheng'an, a prince who doesn't want to fight for the throne from the bottom of his heart, still raises his own private soldiers in Lingnan County, although there are not many, only three thousand.

"Second brother is indeed not small."

Regarding this matter, Zhao Gaowei was slightly surprised.

He was surprised that it was not the other party who raised private soldiers, but dared to raise so much under the nose of the old emperor.

Donglin County is the closest to the capital among the fiefs of several princes, and it is easy for the emperor to notice that something is wrong and suppress it.

However, after raising 5,000 soldiers and horses, none of them were discovered, and King Ruixian also had some ability.

"Among the princes, only you and the king of Xining are still in peace and have not caused any trouble."

Putting down the teacup in his hand, Xia Bohan regained his calm look.

Among the four princes, except for Zhao Gaowei, who really didn't want to fight, the others were all ambitious.

said that the king of Xining had not yet moved, and he thought that it was only because the king of Xining was too dull and had not yet realized that his time had come.

These four princes who failed to seize the throne at the beginning, the eldest of them was on the pilgrimage, and they were brave and resourceful, but they were more murderous.

If it weren't for Prime Minister Xie Cheng's efforts to stop it, these princes who were preparing to make a comeback would have died in Huangquan a long time ago.

The second in line is King Ruixian, who has the deepest city and the strongest power of his uncle's family in the past. Although many forces have been weakened after the failure of the struggle for the throne, they are still not to be underestimated.

However, King Ruixian has a problem of arrogance, he takes his own interests too seriously, and treats everyone else as a pawn, and it is not good for Xia Bohan to cooperate with him.

The third prince is the king of Xining, a man with empty ambitions but no brains, if he hadn't had a good uncle to support, he would have been kicked out a long time ago.

The last one is the king of Zhenbei, a brave but resourceful person, in terms of power, he has to rank behind the king of Xining, but it is better than the king of Cheng'an, at least the mother concubine comes from a small family, so that she will not have no foundation.

Like King Cheng'an, he has neither his uncle nor the support of the forces behind him, he only has the share of being slaughtered by others, and of course he doesn't dare to think too much.

"If there is chaos today, and the saint is already confused, causing chaos in the court of the female cadres, doesn't the prince have the heart to set things right?"

asked tentatively, Xia Bohan's purpose for this trip is very clear, that is, to determine whether the road of King Cheng An will work.

As for whether to support each other or not, that is also to be considered later.

If the other party doesn't plan to fight at all, then what's the point of him taking the entire family to defect to the Jiangnan region?

Hearing Xia Bohan's off-string sound, Zhao Gaowei frowned and fell silent.

To fight or not to fight?

This question is like a knife hanging over his head, which cannot fall for a long time, which makes people suffer a lot.

If the person in front of him is on either side, he will not hesitate to give a negative answer and continue to maintain an attitude of staying out of the matter.

Only Xia Bohan, who can really give him the confidence to turn the tables, makes him unable to make a decision for a while.

Seeing that Zhao Gaowei was silent, Xia Bohan withdrew his eyes and smiled slightly.

"The prince doesn't have to answer the lower officials in a hurry, everyone is desolate and poor in Lingnan, and after coming over in person, he felt that the rumors were not true. The lower officials will stay in Chengpingzhou County for a few days, and I hope that the prince will not dislike and disturb him."

He stood up and saluted.

Seeing this, Fu Ru'an frowned slightly, wanting to leave with his uncle.

"Aren't you an old acquaintance with Mrs. Xie, Gongzi Xie? Let's talk, I'll go back first."

Xia Bohan asked Fu Ru'an to stay, and he left first.

Zhao Gaowei sent people out of the palace, turned around and saw the three of them, his eyes moved.

"I wonder if you two are free to accompany this king to the garden to sit?"

He said to Xie Yunshu and Fu Ru'an, Ye Hao went back sensibly first.

Walking all the way to the garden, on the way, Zhao Gaowei mentioned the matter of rock candy and chatted a few words.

To his surprise, both Fu Ru'an and Xie Yunshu had the same caliber on this matter, saying that the rock candy came from Ye Hao's hand.

When he heard Ye Hao say this at the banquet in the evening, Zhao Gaowei still had it in his heart

A little confused, I guessed that the other party said this in order to get back on the field.

Maybe the rock candy business is a cooperation between Fu Ru'an and the Xie family, but it should be said that Xie Yunshu brought out the secret recipe from the Xie family, right?

There's no way, it's really Ye Hao's previous reputation is too stinky, even if Zhao Gaowei has a different opinion of her, he doesn't think that such a delicate thing can really be made by a weak woman.

But with the evidence of two people, he can only believe it if he doesn't believe it, and he unconsciously improves Ye Hao's image in his heart.

When you sit down in the garden, a small servant will bring you a wine and fruit plate.

After a few brief greetings, the palace housekeeper hurriedly walked over and whispered in Zhao Gaowei's ear.

There was a slight look of surprise on his face, and then he straightened up again.

"I'm sorry two, but there are some things that this king needs to deal with."

After giving the two of them an apologetic smile, Zhao Gaowei got up and left with the housekeeper.

Xie Yunshu and the others naturally did not open their mouths to refuse, and without the presence of King Cheng'an, the two of them were much more relaxed.

As soon as he walked out from the entrance of the garden, the anxious look on Zhao Gaowei's face changed, and his pace slowed down.

"She's coming?"

"Yes, my lord, everything is according to your orders."

The butler replied respectfully, and immediately hid with the other into the dense forest at the entrance of the garden.

Under the shadow of the trees, the two big men couldn't see it at all.

At this moment, a beautiful shadow walked slowly towards this side, and without noticing that there was someone in the forest next to it, she walked straight into the garden.

The garden was very quiet at night, and Zhao Yunqing couldn't hear any sound except for his own footsteps.

However, at this time, she was so full of thoughts that she didn't notice her surroundings at all.

Just now in her own courtyard, the words of the palace maid touched her, making her feel that if she really left tomorrow, she would not have a chance to retaliate again.

But she couldn't find any good excuse to stay.

King Cheng'an is easy to dismiss, it is his eldest maid Liu'er, Zhao Yunqing knows that the other party is coming with his father's order, so he can't beat and scold at will like other maids.

How do you convince the other party to stay?

As she thought as she walked forward, she suddenly heard the sound of someone talking.

How could anyone be here on this big night?

She followed the sound, and saw in the distance two men sitting in the garden, drinking and talking.

Zhao Yunqing's footsteps stopped involuntarily, and a pair of eyes were glued to one of the men, unable to move away.

The two people she saw were naturally Xie Yunshu and Fu Ru'an.

It was inconvenient to drink while wearing a mask, and Fu Ru'an knew his identity, and the guests also left, so Xie Yunshu took off the mask and put it aside.

Under the reflection of the moonlight, from a distance, Xie Yunshu was as handsome as an immortal, and directly sucked Zhao Yunqing's mind away.

She had already guessed that the other party's appearance must be extremely outstanding, but she didn't expect it to be so perfect!

Feeling that someone was staring at him not far away, Xie Yunshu paused as he picked up the wine glass, and soon returned to normal.

His small movements did not arouse Fu Ru'an's suspicions, and the two still talked and laughed, as if nothing had happened.