Chapter 41 The fifth quarter, the dumb warrior acted as a personal guard

Back in Liyang, it was already dark.Wei Yang tidied things up and went to see Qin Xiaogong immediately. The Guofu is very quiet, spacious and refreshing, without the heat and boredom of summer at all.When the moon is on the tower, the courtyard is full of moonlight.On the stone table in the courtyard, there was a large picture. Qin Xiaozheng fiddled with several wooden figures of different colors on the picture, sometimes frowning, sometimes nodding, fiddled with repeatedly, like obsessively.The government and the public were shocked by the execution ground in Mei County, but he did not go to Mei County, nor did he leave Liyang.For a month, he didn't meet with any courtiers, and kept shutting himself in the courtyard of his study pondering possible changes.His stillness does not move, and his intentions are very deep.For one thing, he wanted to keep a superficial distance from this unprecedented massacre, in case something unexpected happened, so that he could come forward to clean up the situation.Second, he wants to see, without his presence, what is Wei Yang's ability to deal with the crisis?Three, he has to weigh carefully, how much can the people of Qin State bear to change the old system and implement the new law?Can the reform move forward according to the original strength?Four, he wanted to give the government and the public an impression that without Wei Yang in Liyang, the monarch would not issue any orders on state affairs.In addition to these intentions, he also hoped that the clan, nobles, veterans and ministers in Liyang would speculate about his intentions, be confused, and delay and downplay all possible upper-level disturbances.Politics is like using troops, sometimes it is a kind of "deceitful way", advocating political maneuvering, and victory is the only goal.Creating confusing situations at critical moments to confuse potential enemies is a brilliant strategy to survive a crisis.However, the power holders who create complicated and confusing things need to be extremely sober, and must not fall into the fog of their own creation.In the final analysis, political victory or defeat requires a contest of strength.One of the things Qin Xiaogong pondered carefully for a month was to prevent the kind of general turmoil that Wei Yang could not resist.He cut out a bunch of small wooden figurines with a dagger, painted them in various colors, and placed them repeatedly on the map of the Qin State, anticipating various possible ways of turmoil and various pacification strategies that could be adopted.

The moon is very bright.Facing the wooden man on the map, he fell into deep thought. "Your Majesty, Master Zuo is asking to see you." Uncle Hei reported in a low voice. "Oh? Zuo Shuchang? He's back? Please hurry up." Qin Xiaogong smiled.Finally came to my senses. Wei Yang hurried in, "Chen Wei Yang, see Your Majesty." Qin Xiaogong smiled and said: "Master Zuo has worked hard. Uncle Hei, serve tea. The moonlight is just right, let's talk here." He pointed to a stone pier, "Sit down, it's much cooler than straw mats." He also sat down on another stone pier.

Wei Yang sat down, looked at the formation of wooden figures on the map on the stone table, and said in a deep thought, "Your Majesty, is there any sign?" "It's okay. I'm just in case. Let's talk about what happened in Mei County." After drinking a cup of tea, Wei Yang started talking about the water dispute between the Mengxi and Bai tribes and the Rongdi immigrants, and described in detail the reasons and process of the armed struggle, as well as the number of casualties, and also talked about the gifts "accepted" in the interrogation of criminals. The repentance and suicide of the men from the Mengxi and Bai tribes in the execution ground, and finally said: "Your Majesty, it is indeed unprecedented in ancient times to kill 700 criminals at one time. I am also uneasy. However, the repentance of the Mengxi Bai tribe makes the people of the country feel deeply Shocked, the minister was also surprised. This article is enough to show that the oblique cannot overcome the righteous, the crime cannot resist the law, and the people of the country will not be disturbed by this."

Qin Xiaogong exclaimed: "It's easy for the common people of the country. What I'm worried about is Liyang, the clan temple." "Your Majesty, my minister's opinion is exactly the opposite." Wei Yang smiled, "As long as the people are stable and support the new law, no matter how powerful the clan and temple are, they will not capsize the ship." "How did you see that?" "The foundation of a country lies in the people, and the strength of the country also lies in the people. As long as the people abide by the law and self-discipline, the temple thieves will have no power to stir up trouble. Even if they make chaos, they can deal with it calmly. Does your lord think so?"

Qin Xiaogong pondered: "The royal family and nobles and veterans and ministers all have fiefdoms. The people in the fiefdoms are all attached to the peasants. They have always followed the orders of the suzerain. How do you know that they have no power?" "Your Majesty is extremely concerned. The next step is to deprive the suzerain and nobles of this part of their power, so that all the people will directly obey the orders of the government, so that any rebellion will have nothing to do." "Oh? Please tell me the details." Qin Xiaogong was a little excited. "Abolishing the well fields, opening up rice paddies, removing the affiliation status, and changing the fiefdom, this is the so-called dredging from the bottom of the pot."

Qin Xiaogong was silent for a while, clapped his hands and laughed: "Okay! The connection is good. If the two major events of expulsion of nationality and land seizure can be laid out before winter, Qin will have passed the danger of overthrow. Mr. Zuo Shu, please be more careful." Wei Yang explained the content, goals and implementation methods of the second batch of decrees, and Qin Xiaogong also raised many people's conditions and national conditions that should be paid attention to. The two discussed until the third watch before they left.Before leaving, Qin Xiaogong repeatedly urged Wei Yang to concentrate on planning the reform plan and not to be distracted by the turmoil in the clan temple. This kind of thing has his full support.

Back in the mansion, Wei Yang ordered Jing Jian to immediately clean up the rare treasures "accepted" in Mei County and send them to Qin Xiaogong's study.Jing Jian had just left the house when a servant came to report that there was an old friend outside the door asking to see him.Wei Yang was surprised, and claimed to be an old friend, could it be Hou Ying?Looking outside the gate, the person standing under the moonlight is clearly Hou Ying.Wei Yang cupped his hands and said with a smile: "Yueye's old friend, it's really Brother Hou. Go, go in and talk." He took Hou Ying's hand and left.Hou Ying said with a smile: "Brother Yang, don't worry, I was the one who invited you to be a guest." Wei Yang asked with a smile, "What's the matter?" Laughing, "Where are you talking? Let's go." Turning around, he told the leader of the guards at the gate of the mansion: "When Chang Shi comes back, just say that I'm going out to do something." Then he laughed and chatted with Hou Ying all the way away.

When he arrived at the Weifeng Inn, Hou Ying ordered wine to be served.As soon as the steaming Qindi fat lamb was served, Wei Yang rubbed his hands excitedly and applauded repeatedly.Hou Ying ordered: "There is also bitter vegetables in cold salad, don't forget." The black-clothed servant nodded and exited lightly.Wei Yang glanced at him and said with a smile: "Brother Hou, is he the warrior I saw at the gate of the inn when I came to Liyang for the first time?" Hou Ying smiled: "Brother Yang has good eyesight, it's him." Wei Yang said: " Is it a mute?" Hou Ying nodded, "That's right. A dumb man with unique skills." Wei Yang sighed, "It's really difficult for him." While talking, the wine and food were served, and Hou Ying said: "Come on, for Martingale. Brother, make a big hit, do it!" Wei Yang raised his wine bar, but couldn't help laughing: "Big blockbuster? Brother Hou, you mean that one kill is scary." Hou Ying laughed, "Yes, it's really scary." Wei Yang Teased and said: "Don't even say it, it gave me a big jump." The two laughed at the same time, touched the "dang" and drank it all in one gulp.Wei Yang took a mouthful of bitter herbs and chewed, and praised: "It's still bitter herbs and strong wine, which shows its true colors." Hou Ying sighed, "The true colors are naturally good, but it's not easy?"

Wei Yang: "Brother Hou, do you have something to tell me?" Hou Ying: "Yes, it was entrusted by someone. This is a letter from Miss Snow White, which was delivered the day before yesterday." Wei Yang took the copper tube in surprise, unsealed it, and pulled out a roll of white silk. The familiar handwriting immediately jumped up.Bai Xue's handwriting is not as delicate and petite as the ordinary daughter's family, but it is tall and straight, steep and strange, and it is difficult for ordinary celebrities to hold a candle to it.Whenever Wei Yang sees Bai Xue's handwriting, Wei Yang seems to see Bai Xue standing in front of him alive and speaking:

Wei Yang was silent for a long time, then raised his head and said, "Brother Hou, I brought a letter last time, asking my little sister to come over..." Hou Ying sighed and said, "Miss Bai has a heart. She said that you should not disturb your mind at the beginning of the reform." Wei Yang gave a big drink and sighed, but he had nothing to say. "I think, next summer and autumn, Miss Bai will almost be here." Wei Yang nodded: "At that time, the reform should be invincible. Come on, brother Hou, do it again." Hou Ying put down the wine jue, "Hey, brother Yang, I also rushed to Mei County to see the Dafa... I thought of one thing, you need a personal guard by your side."

"What's the use of being close?" Wei Yang said with a smile: "Che Ying's two thousand knights are enough. Isn't the personal guard the snake's feet?" "Of course not." Hou Ying shook his head, "The ministers who enforce the law have the attention of all the people. This ancient saying must not be forgotten. Brother Yang is committed to reform and punishes the evil with severe punishments. There are really layers upon layers of open and secret hatred. For example, in Mei County In the great punishment, more than 30 tired rangers were executed. These people have friendship with ranger swordsmen from all over the world. These people have no proper career, and they can spend their whole lives. They are famous for their deliberate revenge, and they are hard to guard against. Iron knights can be enemies. But they can’t guard against assassins. But the trouble for powerful ministers is not the enemy in the front, but the cold arrow in the back. Brother Yang must listen to people’s advice.” Wei Yang was silent for a while, and asked in a deep voice, "Could it be that Brother Hou wants... to give me a bodyguard?" "Yes. I just want to recommend a samurai to you." "It's that one—the dumb man in black?" Wei Yang's eyes sparkled. Hou Ying laughed, "Brother Yang, brother Yang, it really saves effort to talk to you! Want to hear his story?" Wei Yang nodded, "Okay, let's talk about it first." The two drank a cup of hot wine each, Hou Ying sighed, and then talked about an adventure Fifteen years ago, Hou Ying was ordered by Bai Gui to purchase bamboo wares in Chu State and transport them to Wei State. One day, he came to the official city of Yingdu to look for a very skilled bamboo craftsman.After going through many twists and turns, he accidentally entered the "people's market" in Yingdu.At that time, although there were official slaves, private slaves, and slave farmers in the countries of the Central Plains, the official slave market had long since disappeared.Especially in the state of Wei, the slave market was banned three years before Li Kui's reform.Hou Ying had never seen a "people's market" where people were bought and sold in the Central Plains.The "people's market" in Yingdu is very large, in a wilderness at the corner of the city, similar to Nanshi Daji in Liyang, Qin State.All kinds of slaves were tied in thick hemp rope circles, and were judged and selected by others.Hou Ying learned from the chats and jokes of the people in the city that most of the slaves bought and sold in the "people's market" of Chu State were prisoners of war obtained by the nobles' private army to break through the "Shanyi" tribe.The victorious noble branded a unique mark of his own family on the cheek of the prisoner of war.If the purchased slave has a large gap with the marked ability and physical strength, or is a sick person, the buyer can use the slave brand to find the seller's noble to return or refund the money. Hou Ying strolled across the market, but was attracted by the cries of sales at the door of a tent.A fat man with the appearance of a housekeeper yelled loudly, "Come and buy slaves—not mountain barbarians, but rebellious criminals—!" Passing nobles rushed into the tent, and Hou Ying followed, wanting to see if it was What kind of criminal went to the market?Entering the tent, I saw a man, a woman and a boy tied to a stake.The butler twisted the muscles on the man's shirtless shoulders and said loudly: "Look, everyone, this male slave's flesh is like a stone. He eats a lot and is strong. He is as strong as half a buffalo! Buy it back to plow the fields and protect the courtyard. You must be right." After speaking, he tore off the white cloth on the slave girl's chest, rubbed the woman's chest and yelled loudly, "Everyone, look at this bitch again! It's fat and white, with big tits, I can read, I can work, and I can even sleep with you!" As he spoke, he lifted off the woman's short denim skirt, revealing her plump and slender thighs and round, white buttocks, tsk-tsk admiringly, "Come, see, touch, How bright! Let the master up and down, make sure you behave like a bitch!" Panting while speaking, the saliva dripped on the woman's thigh, stretched out his hand, "slap!" and patted the woman's thigh. Palm, smiled and asked around, "How is it? Is it tasty enough?" Someone shouted: "Where's that little thing? What's good about it?" The butler hurriedly walked up to the boy, opened his mouth and said, "This little thing is really a treasure! The live tool that cut off the tongue, can hear or not, just let it be driven. Please see, everyone, it has teeth but no tongue, it’s true!” Someone asked loudly, “What’s the price?” The housekeeper panted, “ It’s cheap, buy it three times in a row, five hundred gold! Buy one by one, two hundred gold each!” Then some nobles who were shopping came up to them, touching them, commenting on the price.Hou Ying watched, feeling very uncomfortable, and quietly squeezed out of the tent. One day two months later, Hou Ying was exploring the bamboo source in the forest outside Yingdu, but suddenly heard a shrill woman's cry from outside the forest.Hou Ying walked out of the bamboo forest quickly, and saw in the tea field on the hillside, a richly dressed nobleman was raping a female slave from behind.The two slaves chained to the tree next to them screamed angrily and struggled!Looking carefully, it turned out to be the three slaves I met in the human market that day. Hou Ying was furious, rushed to the tea field, stabbed the evil nobleman to death with a sword, and untied the man and the boy tied to the tree.The three of them knelt on the ground and cried for thanks.Hou Ying helped them up, handed the money bag in his hand to the man and said, "This is two hundred dollars, you take it, and escape to the deep mountains to settle down." The man waved his hands again and again, gritted his teeth and remained silent.The woman cried: "I don't know the guest officer. My husband was originally a general of the Chu State. He was sentenced by Yin Yin for releasing hundreds of prisoners of war when he attacked the mountains. Now he has an official seal and fled to There is a dead end there. I just ask the guest officer to take my youngest son away and leave a root for the general." After finishing speaking, he hugged the young man and burst into tears.The boy roared angrily, and threw the iron chain on the stone with a loud clang.Hou Ying bowed deeply to the man, "The general's heart is kind, would you like to go to Wei State with Hou Ying?" The man shook his head heavily, "Once I leave, the rest of the clan will be wiped out. Thank you, guest officer. My surname is Jing, and my son’s name is Jing Nan. I can’t repay you in this life. In the next life, I’ll be a guest officer.” Hou Ying cupped his hands with tears in his eyes and said, “Don’t worry, General Jing, Hou Ying will protect Jingnan without any worries. .” The couple knelt down to Hou Ying three times again, stood up, embraced each other, and slammed into the rock together!Hou Ying couldn't stop him in time, seeing blood spattering from the two of them, they died on the spot.Strangely, the boy with the iron chain on his feet didn't cry out, and stood there like a stone.Hou Ying wanted to dig a pit to bury the general and his wife, but the young man held his hand and shook his head silently.Hou Ying suddenly realized that the criminals and slaves fled, and the whole family would be slaughtered!Keeping the corpse can keep the people safe.Hou Ying couldn't help marveling at the young man's vigilance and intelligence, and without a word, he pulled the young man away. In a trustworthy iron workshop, Hou Ying took off the iron chains on Xiao Jingnan's feet, made him into a girl, and then returned to Anyi with the bamboo convoy. Wei Yang sighed with emotion: "One person died, one slave, how many heroes in the world have been killed?" "This little Jing Nan is very talented. I have always brought him by my side, taught him swordsmanship, taught him how to read and write, everything can be learned in just one pass. In the summer of the second year in Anyi, he was only thirteen years old. One night, he was practicing sword in the courtyard, but he suddenly disappeared. All that was left was a piece of bamboo with four large characters written on it—Borrowing Jingnan. Are you surprised or not?” Hou Ying drank a jue With hot wine, he said with emotion: "Twelve years later, that is, five years ago, Jingnan actually found the inn in Liyang City. I know from his gestures that it turned out that an old man took him to a mysterious mountain Practice swordsmanship. Twelve years later, the old man thought he had learned it well, so he asked him to come to Qin to find me. I asked him who this old man is? He only gestures as a good man. Are you surprised?" Wei Yang thought for a while, "It's impossible for ordinary rangers. As far as I know, there are only two schools in the world who take people in this way, the Guiguzi family and the Mohist family." "Brother Yang, what kind of family do you think?" "Mohist. Probably not bad." "How did you see that?" "Guiguzi is a sect that cultivates both civil and martial arts, and focuses on politics. It rarely recruits pure warriors. The Mohist school is different. Although the real Mohist disciples are also both civil and martial arts. But the Mohist school has a law-protecting force called Feigongyuan. It is specially trained for masters of swordsmanship. Jingnan is closer to the standard of Mohism." Hou Ying laughed loudly, "The Mohists are a school of thought, what's the use of this Dharma protection team?" Wei Yang shook his head and sighed, "Brother Hou's words are wrong. The Mohist School is extraordinary. Rather than saying the Mohist School is a school, it is better to say that the Mohist School is a group. Since the old Mozi founded the Mohist School, he has taken the world as his mission, and loves both non-attacks as his mission." Belief, advocates cessation of troops and wars, killing tyranny, and returning the world to peace and well-being. If it is just a school of thought, it is fine. The uniqueness of Mohism lies in that he does not turn to any princes or emperors, but relies on One's own strength can stop wars and eliminate tyranny. The disciples of the Mohist school are not only full of knowledge, but all of them are skilled craftsmen, and all of them have the talent of generals who can defend against the enemy. A master of swordsmanship. What is even more unmatched by the schools of the world is that the Mohist school has strict discipline, and everyone has lofty ambitions to save the world through asceticism. On the contrary, many warlike countries are regarded as a confidant, not by knowledge, but by strength. You said, how can such a group treat him only as a school?" "So, Jingnan, do you want it?" "How is he?" "Aware of righteousness, loyal and reliable. I have been the contact person of the inn and Miss Bai for several years." Wei Yang thought for a while: "Well, it will also help the Mohists understand the truth of Qin's reform. I speculate that the Mohists have already set their sights on Qin." "How did you see that?" Wei Yang said with a smile: "The Mohists are a well-known anti-tyranny group in the world, how can they be indifferent to the punishment and killing in Weishui River?" Hou Ying teased: "It seems that there are really things like dogs catching mice in the world." Wei Yang laughed loudly: "Okay, please invite Jing Nan." Hou Ying clapped his palms three times, and a big man in black pushed the door open, bowed deeply to Hou Ying, made a hand gesture, and stood solemnly.Hou Yingdao: "Jingnan, this gentleman is Wei Yang, the left concubine of Qin State. How about you go to be his personal bodyguard?" Jing Nan showed admiration when he heard the words, and gestured to Wei Yang deeply. He bowed deeply, touched his heels, and stood up straight.Hou Ying said: "He said that he is willing to serve the Lord and follow him to the death." Wei Yang cupped his hands and smiled and said, "A strong man is not afraid that I will be a tyrannical official?" .Hou Ying said: "He has personally seen the Weishui court, and killed all the villains who harmed one side. If he were you, he would also kill these criminals." Wei Yang sighed, cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, strong man, I will trouble you in the future." In an instant, tears glistened in Jing Nan's eyes, he knelt down on the ground, knocked three times, took out a white cloth from his bosom, and handed it to Wei Yang with both hands.Wei Yang shook it open, only to see a row of blood written on it—is it true that Qin will abolish slaves? Wei Yang nodded seriously.The corner of Jing Nan's mouth twitched, and he suddenly burst into tears.