And in the winter and December of the twelfth year, Zhang Ping, the puppet Zhao and the state assassin history, sent an envoy to the Chang'an Wang Mengdai Ming Wang Shangbiao court, and worshiped Zhang Ping as the general of Pingbei and the state assassin history.

----------------- Introduction

Zeng Hua and his entourage did not wait for the boat to go down the river until Chaisang disembarked at Xisaikou (now Huangshi, Hubei), and joined the left guard military camp on the right side of the river to the east, and changed to pass through Xiyang County and Lujiang County in Nanyu Prefecture by land, preparing to cross the river in Wuhu and then go straight to Danyang County in Yangzhou and Ben Jiankang.

After all, as a travel-loving traveler, it is the most important principle not to get dizzy when taking a car, not getting dizzy when taking a boat, and not getting dizzy when taking a plane. But Zeng Hua is not seasick, and others will not necessarily be seasick.

Duan Huan was a little better, and he was still barely adapting. But Feng Yangli, Li Cun, and Peng Xiuke couldn't stand it. Especially Feng Yangli, this Qiang man who rode like a flat horse was like stepping on cotton when he got on the boat, and in the clouds, even if he was an iron man, he was still tossed and vomited wildly with Li Cun and Peng Xiu.

Zeng Hua looked at this scene, and estimated that the three of them had to vomit to death on the ship before Jiankang, so they had to abandon the ship at Xisaikou and travel by land.

After two days, it was not until after passing the county (now Qianxian County, Anhui) that Feng Yangli, Li Cun and Peng Xiu could be considered to have recovered.

"My lord, why did you instigate Huan Gong Chen Bing Wuchang so much and coerce Jiangdong?" It was Li Cun, who was rejuvenated, who spoke, and Peng Xiu was also listening attentively beside him. Li Cun and Peng Xiu are both from Guanlong, and they have been separated from the Jin family's imperial grace for many years. Although he still has a Jin room in his heart, his loyalty to Jiangzuo's Jin room is definitely not as good as Mao Muzhi, Che Yin and others who came out of Jingxiang and Jiangzuo. Therefore, this kind of "disobedience" of Zeng Hua and Huan Wen is at most just puzzled rather than angry.

"Do you think that Duke Huan didn't want Chen Bing Wuchang to coerce Jiankang to agree to his Northern Expedition? It's just that he didn't know what kind of attitude I was behind him in the past, so he didn't dare to act this year. Now I took the initiative to encourage him to move to Wuchang, and I was already supporting him to coerce the imperial court to issue an edict to let him go on a northern expedition. Since I am on his side, he already has more than half of the power of the Jiangzuo Imperial Court, and what else does Duke Huan have to take care of at this time. And by doing so, I have already promised to support him in recovering Heluo. Zeng Hua patiently explained.

"My lord, do you mean to support Duke Huan to recover Heluo?" Peng Xiu asked in surprise. "If you really let Huan Gong recover Heluo. I'm afraid he's going to surpass you! ”

"What if the momentum outweighs me? What will he be able to endure me then? I just want him to surpass me. That's when he's going to have to join forces with me even more. Zeng Hua replied with a smile, and then left the direct answer to Li Cun and Peng Xiu to think, sometimes the truth learned was not as profound as the truth of the earth.

After a pause, Zeng Hua said to Li Cun: "You send a letter to Mr. Jingluo (Wang Meng), telling him that I have promised to sell 5,000 war horses to Duke Huan at a flat price, and ask him to send an order to the Customs Department and the Municipal Department in the name of the Governor's Office, so that the trading company can sell 5,000 war horses to Jingzhou duty-free." Remember. As usual, it is a gelding, although I have a good relationship with Huan Gong, but my brother also has to settle accounts. There are also weapons, and then ask Mr. Jing Luo to pass on the order to the ordnance superintendent, and you can sell 5,000 sets of B-class infantry equipment to Jingzhou. Jiangzuo lacks ironware, so it should be able to sell for a good price. These are all military supplies, and Mr. Jingluo must be troubled. ”

"Yes, sir!" Li Cun immediately wrote it down and wrote it officially when he was ready to rest.

And at this time. Huan Wen was still discussing Zeng Hua with his three younger brothers.

"This Zeng Zhenbei is too hateful. Dare to calculate my brother. Huan said hatefully. Hearing this, Huan Yun frowned, but Huan Chong had a look of approval.

Huan Wen glanced at his younger brother. Then he smiled and said, "If not, it's not Zeng Xuping." This is the male character, usually honest with people, treat your heart with your heart, but at critical moments you will not affect your own decisions because of your feelings, and you will definitely calculate when you should calculate, but you will never plot against you, just use you. You know, if Zeng Xuping wanted to harm me, it wouldn't be so calculated. ”

Huan Wen took a sip of hot tea and continued: "You have to learn from Zeng Xuping, otherwise he will be able to support Guan Long in a few years and be famous all over the world with his innocent boy?" ”

"Brother, what good is it for Xu Ping to be so calculating?" Huan Chong asked.

Huan Wen nodded and said: "Xu Ping's visit to Jiankang this time is the first time he has met the saint, and it is also the first time he has met with the government and the opposition. If he wants to get the most benefit from the imperial court this time, he must make Jiankang fully realize his value. Xu Ping went to Jiankang this time, saying that he was going to negotiate the Northern Expedition, and he would also show the imperial court the role of Guan Long in the Northern Expedition, so as to ask the imperial court to reward him to consolidate his heart. But this alone was not Zeng Xuping's approach, he encouraged me to move to Wuchang, so that Jiankang was fully aware of the threat of Jiangshang Jingxiang to Jiangdong. In this way, Guan Long, which is located behind Jing Xiang, has an important strategic position and is the best force to contain our land. ”

Speaking of this, Huan Wen sighed and continued to say quietly: "Xu Ping once said that the imperial court's defense against internal differences is far greater than that of external enemies, and he is very clear about the thoughts of those people in Jiankang, so he uses me as a weight to fight for his greatest interests." ”

Huan Yun, Huan Huo, and Huan Chong couldn't help but be stunned when they heard this, and they couldn't speak for a long time.

Huan Wen didn't care about the three of them, he only cared about himself and pondered, and suddenly smiled after a while: "That's fine, Zeng Xuping has self-respecting for me, and the more land benefits he gets from the imperial court, the more he will support me to recover Heluo." ”

Huan Yun, Huan Huo, and Huan Chong were puzzled, and couldn't help but ask in unison: "Brother, why is this?" ”

"Zeng Xuping will inevitably get huge benefits from the imperial court this time, but the greater the benefits, the greater the possibility of being hated, and it is easy to surpass me in the limelight to become the number one turbid official of the imperial court, which Zeng Xuping does not want to see. He will definitely do his best to support me to recover Heluo, once I recover Heluo, I will make this immortal achievement, and my prestige will surpass him, plus I am close to Jiangdong and he is far away from Jiangdong, do you think the court will deal with me or him first? Huan Wen replied indifferently.

Huan Yun, Huan Huo, and Huan Chong were stunned again, and they couldn't help but ponder.

Huan Wen glanced at his younger brother. I couldn't help but sigh in my heart, the momentum of the Huan family is moving towards the peak step by step, but the huge shadow of Zeng Hua is getting closer and closer to him, I really don't know what this former good subordinate and proud man has in his heart.

At this time, Huan Chong asked thoughtfully: "Brother, Zeng Zhenbei is not afraid that his brother's momentum will overshadow him and take advantage of the situation to seize his power and go to his post?" ”

Huan Wen smiled bitterly and replied: "I also had this idea, when I recover Heluo and take power, I will be able to calm Zeng Xu's duties." Seize power. to get rid of the trouble of the henchmen. But man is not as good as heaven. Who would have thought that he would take advantage of the turmoil in Northern Zhao and the emptiness of the Central Plains in one fell swoop

What to do with Ping? If I forcibly move him by the order of the imperial court, first, it will be difficult to block the mouth of the world, and second, he is fully capable of resisting. ”

Speaking of which. Huan Wen pointed to the east a little excitedly and said: "And at that time, Jiangdong will rely on Zeng Xuping, who is sitting in Guanlong, to fight against me and my Huan family." One is in front of the confrontation, the other is in the back, echoing inside and outside, what do you say I should do? ”

Hearing this, Huan Yun, Huan Huo, and Huan Chong couldn't help but nod, knowing in their hearts that this was another game of balanced chess.

Now Jiankang is desperately suppressing his brother. Prepare to take Yangzhou Yin Hao as the master of the Northern Expedition. But Zeng Hua has secretly reached an agreement with his brother. Fully support Jingxiang's Northern Expedition to recover Heluo, and go all out to "pit" Yin Hao. And even if Zeng Hua and his brother don't go to the pit Yin Hao, with Yin Hao's ambition and ability. What is good for Shangjiangbei Xiongjie Jianneng? You must know that this battlefield is changing rapidly, and Zeng Hua and his brother are now recognized as soldiers, and the two of them have joined forces to play tricks on the battlefield, and Yin Hao, who can only talk on paper, is not honest.

At that time, Yin Hao's army was defeated and retreated, and his brother "accidentally" took the old capital Luoyang with the strong assistance of Zeng Hua and recovered Heluo. However, at this time, Yangzhou Yin Hao had been discredited and could not compete with Jingxiang, so he had to contact Guan Long, the only one who could be equal in Jingxiang's strength, and befriended Zeng Zhenbei to suppress his brother again. And at this time, the elder brother is suffering from the enemy on his back, what is the use of recovering the fame of Heluo? So at this time, Zeng Hua of Guanlong became the target of Jing Xiang and Jiankang's efforts.

Thinking of this, Huan Chong couldn't help but shudder in his heart. This Zeng Zhenbei's mind is too meticulous, and his calculations are too far, no wonder his brother is both praise and jealousy when he mentions him, and today he finally understands his interests.

At this time, Huan Wen interrupted Huan Chong's deep thought: "Zeng Xuping sees that he has already experienced it, and he is getting more and more powerful. I think this Heluo is probably a pit, just waiting for me and Yin Hao to jump inside, but we have to jump inside, what is a master who uses strategy, this is a master who uses strategy. ”

Hearing this, Huan Chong seemed to have an understanding, lowered his head and pondered for a while, and suddenly asked in shock: "Brother, are you saying that Zeng Zhenbei wants to use us to deal with Jiangdong?" ”

Huan Wen approvingly: "We and the imperial court both want to use Zeng Xuping, so we don't allow others to use us?" And Zeng Xuping's use may be more than that. Seeing the three younger brothers with melancholy faces, Huan Wen smiled and cheered up: "Don't worry so much, it's up to people to plan things, and it's up to heaven to make things happen." And even if our Huan family is not allowed to be in Jiangzuo, it can be tolerated in Guanlong, we just need to continue to work hard, as for what the final situation is, who can say clearly? ”

Huan Wen said: "The most important thing now is to send capable people to Chang'an to buy war horses and weapons. I have already negotiated with Zeng Xuping, and he promised to sell us 5,000 war horses and 5,000 sets of infantry equipment at a flat price. These are good things, and we have to get our hands on them as soon as possible. ”

Huan Yun frowned and said: "Hequ Qinghai good horses are naturally rare, but they are a little more expensive, and they are all geldings. And those weapons, which are also extremely expensive, add up to almost sky-high prices, I'm afraid it will be difficult to raise so much money. ”

Huan Wen waved his hand and said, "Don't worry about this, I, Jiangzuo, am already short of copper, so naturally I can't raise this money." Zeng Xuping and I have negotiated that we will exchange grain, wood, tung oil and other special products for it, and we don't have to pay copper money. Zeng Xuping also promised to provide us with a certain number of war horses and weapons every year, but we must ensure that the merchants of Guanlong and Yiliang under his command can pass through Jingxiang unimpeded, reduce taxes, and allow the Guanlong refugees who have flowed into Jingxiang over the years to return to their hometowns. ”

Huan Yun was a little anxious and said: "Brother, there are more than 300,000 of these homeless people, if they are allowed to return to their hometowns in the west, they will be able to run out in less than a year." ”

"So what? At present, Jiangzuo only has Zeng Xuping's Hequ and Qinghai horses, and only Yong and Liang can produce extremely sharp weapons, but Zeng Xuping controls them very strictly. Last year, the king of Huiji asked Zeng Huajin to sacrifice 3,000 good horses, Zeng Hua did not give him a single horse hair, and said that the good horses were produced by the Qiang people, if they were robbed for free, they were afraid that the Qiang people would riot, and if the court wished to exclude the West Qiang from outside the jurisdiction, he immediately went to the court to grab 3,000 horses, and immediately made Sima Ding unable to say half a word. We, the king of Huiji, did not want to bear the notoriety of forcing rebellion against Xiqiang for 3,000 good horses, so we had to honestly pay for 500 good horses. ”

"According to Wusheng (Mao Muzhi), the letter faintly revealed that the Guan Long army was superior to our imagination, not only sharp and strong, but also ingenious and domineering, but we didn't know anything. From Wuzi (Che Yin)'s letters, I know that Zeng Xuping led 20,000 cavalry to attack Liangzhou, and it was actually one horse and three horses, and then look at the guard battalion that escorted Zeng Xuping to Jiankang, it is not an elite cavalry, but there are also one horse and two horses. However, it is said that the war horses exported by Guan Long are the inferior horses eliminated by his cavalry, and they are all geldings. What do you say Zeng Xuping is for? Huan Wen asked in a low voice.

Zeng Zhenbei is trying his best to hide his strength

"Yes, now none of us know Zeng Xuping's true strength, this is the most terrifying." Huan Wen said worriedly, "We must be more careful in this Northern Expedition. ”

At this time, Zeng Hua, who was continuing to march rapidly in Lujiang County, sneezed a few times, it seemed that someone was talking about himself, and it was estimated that Huan Wen was the most likely. This Huan Wen is also a traitorous talent, and his "conspiracy" should be seen through by him, but it is easy to see through but not easy to crack.

Zeng Hua reviewed his layout, and then thought about what he was going to do in Jiankang, and felt that there was nothing wrong. Zeng Hua is full of confidence in his own business.

Zeng Hua felt that although he was "wise and martial", he was not able to play Huan Wen and the court alone now. The main reason is that there are three more strategists around him, Wang Meng, Xie Ai, and Pu, one is ambitious, one is unpredictable, and the other is even more meticulous and vicious, plus a wise and martial artist, the effect is definitely equivalent to a dark blue supercomputer. The strategies they planned and formulated together are one ring after another, and even if you see through it, you can only jump forward helplessly.

After crossing the river in Wuhu, Zeng Hua continued to march eastward, and after a day he arrived at Niutun in the southwest of Jiankang. Zeng Hua left the left guard battalion in Niutun, and then took Duan Huan, Li Cun, Peng Xiu and more than 100 personal guards and went straight to Jiankang.

Hearing that Zeng Hua came to Jiankang City so quickly, Sima Wang, the king of Huiji, who was fluttering in the court for a major event, the general of the Chinese army, the assassin Shi Yinhao of Yangzhou, the general of Beizhong Lang, and the assassin Shi Xunxian of Xuzhou were suddenly taken aback, and hurriedly put down the things in their hands and went out to greet this Zhongxing uncle.