After arranging everything, Xiao Rui finally breathed a sigh of relief.

There is a way that it is difficult for a clever woman to cook without rice, and no matter how great her personal ability is, she is the courage of her husband after all. If you want to get involved in this kind of war on the scale of tens of thousands of people, hehe, it will never work without soldiers and horses. Even if he has money, and even has an intelligence network like the Xiao Family Chamber of Commerce, which is comparable to the secret guards of the imperial court, he has no real power in his hands, so he can only be a spectator.

After sending Li Junxian and others away, Xiao Rui had nothing to do, took Fang Er with him, and revisited the old place and boarded Yueyang Tower.

Raising a glass and looking at Dongting Lake from afar, although you can't see the black and oppressive warship, you can inexplicably feel a tense atmosphere, like the sympathy between heaven and man, which makes people uneasy.

Fang Er asked curiously, "Brother Xiao, didn't you say that the advantage is mine?" After arranging everything and just waiting for the result, why are you frowning today, is there something worrying about it? ”

Xiao Rui nodded, "Yes, for some reason, I always feel that something is not right, it seems that something bad is about to happen?" Bereavement, can you help me recall, is there any aspect that I missed? ”

Fang Er smiled innocently, "Brother Xiao, aren't you embarrassing me." I've always been too lazy to use my brain if I can do it, let me help you check and fill in the gaps? It's better to let me kill him alone in the lake. ”

"Besides, who are you, Brother Xiao? It has always been a last resort, how can it be missed? It's definitely an illusion. ”

Go and go, let you help, didn't let you tout me......

Xiao Rui laughed and scolded, then turned around and sat back in his seat, no longer looking at the oppressive lake.

beckoned the shopkeeper to come up, and with the help of ordering, Xiao Rui casually chatted with the other party.

"Alas, I have been to this Yueyang Tower a few times, but it has never been so boring as today, how do you feel that the entire Dongting Lake is quiet, not only that, but even the entire Yueyang City is different from the past."

Xiao Er is generally a talkative person, guests from the south to the north, all kinds of people have seen, no matter what the guest says, even if it is a topic that he doesn't understand, Xiao Er can't let the guest's face fall to the ground, they all have to accompany and chat a few words.

"Guest, you're from the south, aren't you? Presumably, he has not been in Yueyang for a long time, so he doesn't know the current situation. A big event happened on this Dongting Lake, and the Jingxiang water master fought with the Dongting water bandits. Don't say that it is on the lake, even the entire Yangtze River in the Jingxiang area has been strictly banned by the Jingxiang Water Division for more than a month. ”

Xiao Rui pretended to be surprised and said, "Oh? Is there such a thing? It's no wonder that the people in the entire Yueyang City look like they're in a hurry. Ah...... It's not good, it's not good, I still have to rush to cross the river to the north to do business, this river is blocked, how can I cross the river? ”

Xiao Er spread his hands and said sympathetically: "Then there is no way, you are unfortunate to catch up." I heard that this war was led by the Qincha sent by the imperial court, and the ban on the river was a strict order, so it was useless for you to be a powerful person, and the Qincha who came was Wei Zheng, the black-faced prime minister of the imperial court, and no one dared to get along with this lord. ”

"So you can't cross the river for the time being, it's best to find a place to live in the city, and when the war is over, the ban will be opened."

Hiss......

Such a big move?

Xiao Rui exclaimed: "It seems that the imperial court is really moving. I have always heard that the Dongting water bandits are incomparable, and it is even rumored that the Jingxiang water master can't beat them, but now it seems that the rumors are not credible, and the regular water master of the imperial court is powerful. Alas, I don't know how soon this battle will end? If it really lasts another month, then my deal will be ruined. ”

Xiao Er lowered his voice and said: "Guest officer, you may not know that you are a foreigner, and the Dongting Water Bandit is not small, Jing Xiang Shui Shi wants to eat the other party casually, I'm afraid it won't be so easy." It is rumored that the Dongting Water Bandits' coming tiger released their words, and with the strength of the Dongting Water Village, even if they can't hold it, they can eat for three years without incident. This group of people is rich. ”

What???

Three years?

Xiao Rui pushed the cup angrily, and said weakly: "If you really want to seal it like this for three years, then what kind of north-south business will I do?" Go straight back to your hometown and plow the fields. ”

"A group of water bandits have such a lot of wealth, and they rob the merchants and people on the river on weekdays, right?"

Xiao Er turned his head and looked around, due to the situation, Yueyang Lou's business has been bleak recently, and the table on the top floor is the only one today, and he is also generous, so Xiao Er wants to accompany him as much as possible, so he will say a few more words. In fact, it's not just this, but also partly because Xiao Er is also complaining about the closure of the river for a month.

"Guest officer, don't dare to talk nonsense."

"What? Are the Dongting Water Bandits your relatives? A group of bandits, not to mention talking behind their backs, is it just a scolding, isn't it right? Xiao Rui said dissatisfied.

Xiao Er lowered his voice and said, "Outsiders think that the Dongting Water Bandits are a group of bad people. But you think, the power that can dominate Dongting Lake for more than ten years is completely dependent on robbing the surrounding people, so they can't survive until now. In fact, in our local area, everyone has long been accustomed to them, and even in the cities around Dongting Lake, there are many transactions that are theirs. ”

"There are also people who cultivate the fields and fish in the surrounding areas, and there are many of them."

"It's rare to hear that they rob merchants, and they basically live on self-sufficiency, and more often they can't tell whether they are civilians or water bandits. We usually jokingly refer to these people as people who live in the city of the lake. The difference with the people of the Tang Dynasty is that the people of the Tang Dynasty are governed by the government in other cities, but on the island in the middle of the lake, they are under the jurisdiction of the water bandits and cottages there. ”

"Honestly, the people on the island in the middle of the lake are much more benevolent and righteous than the government, and they never oppress the people. Therefore, many people around Dongting Lake are willing to go there to do business, and the island in the middle of the lake is the largest black market trading place in Dongting for 800 miles. ”

Oh? In this way, these bandits are really not ordinary.

Xiao Rui was puzzled: "Since they survive like this, why does the government want to encircle and suppress it?" Isn't it nice to be safe? When the two sides fight, there will be deaths and money. ”

Xiao Er shook his head and said, "This kind of thing, where do we little people understand?" The villain is also speculative when listening to others talking, saying that the Dongting water bandits are suspected of being self-reliant, guest officer, you know, the court can tolerate bandits and bandits, but it definitely can't tolerate the rebellion of painting the land as the king. So ......"

Xiao Rui made a long sound: "Oh...... I see. In this way, is this group of people not satisfied with the status quo and want to make an anti-king? It's not looking for death. How many years has it been since the end of the Sui Dynasty? What happened to the thirty-six anti-kings and seventy-two smoke and dust? How dare they stand on their own feet with just a bunch of bandits? ”

"......Shhh I don't dare to say that. Xiao Er hurriedly stopped Xiao Rui from shouting, "Guest officer, this may not be the case, many of the Dongting Water Bandits are the people of this Yueyang, and they say that this is a false accusation by the imperial court." What is the desire to add to the sin or something, the villain has never read any books, so he doesn't understand it very well......"

Xiao Rui frowned and said: "It seems that the internal reasons are very complicated, and it is impossible for us ordinary people to know." ”

"If you don't talk about bandits, what does it have to do with us? People have existed for more than ten years, how should we still be, you also said, although these people are called water bandits, they do not rob the people, so they should be counted as good people. ”

"But it's good now, the court is idle and has nothing to do to make a bandit, it doesn't matter if you suppress bandits, blocking the river bank has cut off our financial route, what's going on? Honestly, they're more hateful than those bandits! ”

Xiao Er hurriedly dissuaded: "Don't dare, don't dare to be loud...... Guest officer, let's just scold in private, don't dare to shout so loudly. Over the years, there have been repeated rumors that the Dongting water bandits do not rob, and they intercept the checkpoints on the river to extort the people and caravans on weekdays, and they are all known as the Jingxiang water division of the regular army of the imperial court. ”

"But the government has set up cards to collect money, and all kinds of harsh taxes and miscellaneous taxes have a name, and we ordinary people dare not speak out, alas, ......"

"If there is no Dongting water bandit, the black market will be gone, and our life will be more and more difficult."

Xiao Rui's heart moved, so to speak, Jing Xiangshui Master was cut off because of his wealth? That's why you dare to decide to encircle and suppress?