Chapter 733 Rumors are spreading
Living in Chang'an, my control over Jiangnan's family is getting weaker and weaker...
Xiao Yu was a little irritated. He felt that these old guys in the clan not only couldn't see the situation clearly, but also had too many small thoughts. He said in a solemn tone: "Fang Jun has the power of victory and unparalleled momentum. Even if he does something a little excessive, the court will Zhong will only think that he is young and energetic and has been wronged. If you want to express your anger, you will not be harshly punished, so you must not provoke Fang Jun at this time. This guy is a stick. Anyone who dares to provoke him now must be prepared to pay an unbearable price. No matter what the family is involved in, it must be stopped immediately! ! ”
These old guys in the family, who have lived in Jiangnan for a long time, always act from their own perspective. What they pay attention to is the so-called code of conduct that has been agreed upon among the Jiangnan gentry. No matter how dirty the mainland is, how much they want to kill you, they must maintain it on the surface. The set of benevolence, righteousness and morality has gained a firm foothold in public opinion.
But Fang Jun will play this trick with you?
No one understands Fang Jun's behavior better than Xiao Yu, who is in the capital. If you offend me, fight back! No matter what principles, laws or public opinions, they are not taken into consideration! If the Jiangnan nobles can give Fang Jun full respect on the surface, but only use small means to plan their interests secretly, maybe Fang Jun can play tricks with you and show off your skills.
But if he dares to pull his beard under his chin, he will be unscrupulous and can do anything!
Do you really think this guy wouldn't dare kill someone when his brain gets hot?
Perhaps Xiao Yu's warning was too harsh, or perhaps Fang Jun's combat prowess in the Niuzhuji battle was too fierce. Several clan elders nodded and acquiesced to Xiao Yu's opinion.
Xiao Yu felt relieved and was silent for a while, then said: "From now on, my family will not only not go against Fang Jun, but also support us as much as possible. Uncles, Li Tang's country is impregnable, and it is getting worse day by day. The current situation has become Today is not what it used to be. The situation in the former Sui Dynasty that was unable to manage Jiangnan is long gone. If you continue to oppose the imperial court, you will lose more than you gain. ”
He had no choice but to remind the family elders in this tone.
As a prominent family that has existed for hundreds of years, Xiao Yu, even though he has the blood of the Nanliang royal family and is the head of the Xiao clan, he cannot make decisions on major issues in the clan. Even the clan elders are all middle-aged and virtuous people in the clan. Some even have to respectfully call Xiao Yu, who has a gray beard, "uncle". Among the wealthy families where generation and bloodline are particularly important, he It is impossible not to respect these clan elders.
Unfortunately, his words were not heard by several clan elders...
It’s enough not to provoke Fang Jun, but you still want to support him?
What a joke!
There was even a trembling clan elder who relied on his old age and said: "Shi Wen, the capital is rich and beautiful, but it is also rich and powerful. It is inevitable to look forward and backward, and have many worries. Now that I have finally returned to my ancestral home, I can enjoy the countryside." Zi Wenqing, let’s put those trivial things aside for now.”
When Xiao Yu heard this, he was so angry that he almost spit out a mouthful of old blood! Is this a mockery of the fact that I have lost all my courage after living in Chang'an for a long time?
But he stared, but there was nothing he could do!
He can slap the table and stare at the other heads of the Jiangnan gentry clan, but he cannot show any disrespect to these clan elders... There is no way, the old man is too senior and too old. I think Xiao Yu was still in Nanliang back then. When he was playing with Pei Ni in his palace, this guy played with his penis...
Another clan elder next to him said calmly: "Shi Wen, everyone knows that you are always cautious in your actions, but there is no need to be too timid. Although Fang Jun won this battle, he also offended everyone. . If we, the Xiao family, don’t participate, we’ll just watch each family deal with Fang Jun. Is that okay?”
What else can Xiao Yu say?
Fang Jun went south, making it clear that he would steal food from the bowls of the Jiangnan nobles. These old guys value their profit more than their lives, how could they give up so easily?
Xiao Yu had no choice but to pray that her family would not get too involved in dealing with Fang Jun and incur Fang Jun's revenge...
*****
Fushan Village is located to the north of Haiyu Town, close to the river. It is where the waterways of Haiyu Town and other counties in Suzhou converge. All kinds of goods and materials can enter and exit the port here, making it very prosperous.
On the east side of the Fushan Village port, there are hundreds of ships parked, stretching for several miles, which is very eye-catching. Su Dingfang was standing on the dock at the moment, looking at the endless warships and merchant ships on the shore, large and small, and let out a long sigh.
Since arriving in Haiyu Town, the news that Fang Jun was besieged Niuzhuji came, and everyone in the fleet was panicked. If the coach dies in this battle, will everyone disband on the spot, or return to Guanzhong?
Many people clamored to go up the river to kill Niuzhuji and support Fang Jun, but they were all calmed down by Su Dingfang. Haiyu Town is half a river away from Niuzhuji, and we have to go upstream. We can't reach it in less than ten days and a half. If we rush there in a hurry, not only will we not be able to save Fang Jun, but we might also be killed if we don't pay attention. He was intercepted and killed on a dangerous shoal somewhere on the river...
Su Dingfang and Pei Xingjian both smelled a strong conspiracy behind this matter. If the Jiangnan nobles were not involved, they would not believe it to death. If you go up the river in a panic, you may be plotted by the Jiangnan nobles and your boat will capsize in the gutter.
All they could do was to hope that Fang Jun would escape and come here to join them. Therefore, the heightened vigilance must not give the Jiangnan nobles with ulterior motives an opportunity to take advantage of. Haiyu Town is an important town of the Three Wus. The gentry with the surname Wu gather together. Everyone from top to bottom is the ears, eyes and minions of the Jiangnan gentry. One careless move may lead to a place of eternal destruction.
But no matter how cautious Su Dingfang and Pei Xingjian were, they still suffered a lot in the land of Sanwu...
The most serious thing was the loss of various materials, especially wood and iron.
In order to build ships, Fang Jun teamed up with Li Daozong, the king of Jiangxia County, to cut down giant trees from the upper reaches of the river and send them down the river to Suzhou. But when the wood arrived here, it was picked up from the river and stored on the shore, but it suffered a lot of theft...
Even if Pei Xingjian formulates a strict patrol system, don't use it.
The local porters, boatmen, officers working with the government, tax collectors, even watchmen, and officials... all worked together to steal in every possible way, making it impossible to guard against theft!
In more than ten days, Su Dingfang almost turned his hair gray!
However, as the news of Fang Jun's victory spread throughout Jiangnan, the situation finally changed. The arrogant and domineering officials and local gangsters in the past all disappeared, and they were replaced by silent treatment and cold looks.
The river is turbulent, the boats are connected, the blue waves are rippling, and the setting sun is like blood.
Pei Xingjian came behind Su Dingfang and whispered: "Master, we have found out."
Su Dingfang turned around with a serious look on his face and asked: "How?"
Pei Xingjian sighed and said: "It is indeed the work of each family. These people spread rumors in Haiyu City that the Marquis was bloodthirsty and murderous. In order to wipe out the Shanyue rebellious people, he hunted and killed a large number of Jiangdong people, saying that Niuzhuji The lives of the people are devastated, and even the rivers are dyed red with the blood of the people of Jiangdong... The common people do not know the authenticity, and now they regard the Marquis and his subordinates as ferocious beasts, and they are afraid to avoid them. "
Su Dingfang snorted coldly: "These aristocratic families must have been hurt by the Marquis's beating, so they fabricated such rumors to slander the Marquis' reputation, so as to alienate the relationship between the people of Jiangdong and us, making it difficult for us to move forward in the south of the Yangtze River. Hum hum. , indeed insidious!”
"But it does work!" Pei Xingjian said with a sad look on his face: "Now the people in Jiangdong are like a tiger to us. Even daily consumption such as food consumption is not willing to sell to us. We have to double the price to buy it. In the long run, it will be difficult to move forward. Ah!”
Eating food, etc. is a trivial matter. The worst thing is that it needs to be transported from other places by waterway. But after Fang Jun arrives in a few days, the construction of docks, shipyards, and preparations for the establishment of a municipal shipping company will be put on the agenda. Without the support of local people, all of this will be doubly difficult.
Do even the workers who built the dock have to be transported from elsewhere?
This method of ruining the reputation of the Jiangnan nobles was like pulling out the firewood from the bottom of the cauldron, and it indeed brought them great hardship.
Unexpectedly, Su Dingfang just glanced at Pei Xingjian and said calmly: "You are the director of the Shipping Department. How to prepare for the establishment of the Shipping Department and how to build the dock is your business. His position is the Navy Commander, and he is only responsible for training troops. Don't blame these trivial things on someone. Just worry about it. What does it have to do with me? ”
Pei Xingjian was stunned.
You are my master! Isn't this... too shameless?
(End of chapter)