Xiaosheng is not a nerd

Chapter 772
Tantai Crane Love has deep personal connections in many places in the south of the Yangtze River, and cloth merchants from all over the world work hard for Tantai Crane Love.

With more and more cloth merchants participating, Tantai Heqing is not fighting alone.

Of course, cloth merchants are separated by mountains, and they suffer in many ways, but there is one advantage that grain merchants cannot match—that is, most cloth merchants are very rich.

Cloth merchants have money, and they spend it with money. Whether it is the purchase price of grain or the cost of hiring personnel, they spend it with money.

This made the grain merchants unable to express their hardships, but they could only bite the bullet.

The scramble to buy grain became more and more intense, turning into an interlaced battle between cloth merchants and grain merchants.

On the Suzhou City side, Lu Tao never closed the city gates from the beginning to the end, rejecting the people who came from other counties, as if to accommodate as many people as possible.

Under normal circumstances, with Lu Tao's attitude, people's hearts have long since settled down.

It's just that the Zhu Clan was behind the scenes to fuel the flames, and there were endless turmoil.

In Zhu's study room, Zhu Donglai asked, "Zhu Quan, why is Lu Tao still holding on?"

Zhu Donglai originally thought that Lu Tao would be forced to close the city gate today, and then he would use all means to bring down Lu Tao's reputation.

Zhu Quan responded: "Originally, Lu Tao couldn't survive today, but Lu Tao used the quota of military rations."

Zhu Donglai was happy instead of angry when he heard the words, he laughed loudly: "Lu Tao is getting deeper and deeper, don't you know that doing this will make more and more messes."

Zhu Quan didn't know how to answer. Great people are very courageous, dare to do what ordinary people dare not do, and have the courage to bear serious consequences.

Lu Tao is such a character!

"Master, what should we do now?"

Zhu Donglai said lightly: "Don't worry, let the fish bite the bait a bit deeper, and you can't get rid of it."

He has already thought of the next way to deal with Lu Tao, which is to shake the morale of the army.

The first batch of grain and grain was transported back to Suzhou. The mighty convoy of thousands of people and hundreds of ox carts and horse-drawn carts was a huge scene, no less than the grain army transporting grain and grass.

According to the fact that a carriage can transport ten to fifteen shi, this batch of grain is more than [-] shi.

Huo Duan's ability is really amazing, this is the first batch, in the next critical few days, this situation will continue, it is hard to believe that Huo Duan is just a businessman.

This is probably the reason why even the kings of Silla and Goryeo valued him so much.

When this convoy was still three miles away from the city gate of Suzhou, it was stopped by the army from the cavalry camp of Zhechong Mansion, led by Zhu Shaozhi, the captain of Zhechong himself.

Zhu Shaozhi seized the convoy's food and grain in the name of a search.

The leader of the convoy had a lot of dealings with the local army, the army would not stop them for no reason, and it would not work to reason with the army, so they immediately sent someone to inform Huo Duan.

As long as the above is done, the army will naturally let it go.

Huo Duan sat firmly in Suzhou and was not panicked when he received the news.

He has seen all the series of things that happened in Suzhou recently.

Ordinary people can't see the details, but for the well-informed Huo Duan, he can't fail to see that the Lu faction and the Zhu faction are fighting.

Even the Zhechong Mansion, which is only used during wartime, was used. Such a big scene was not a trivial matter.

Obviously, Lu Clan and Zhu Clan are tearing their skins apart, which is beyond Huo Duan's expectation.

There are so many involved in bidding for a Jiangnan Dongdao grain merchant, and Lu's ability to stand in line with such a firm attitude is related to an important person.

This person is the incoming Huainan Road Jiedu Envoy Xie Fu, who obviously has the support of the Lu Clan.

In addition, two days ago, Gu Clan dispatched tiger guards to escort Tantai Mansion's money-transporting chariots and horses, and two families from the Four Clans in Wuzhong already stood by Xie Fu's side.

Now there is only one Clan Zhang who has not made a statement. If Clan Zhang is also on Xie Fu's side, then Clan Zhu will have no choice but to resist and finally withdraw from the stage of history.

But if the Zhang Clan is on the Zhu Clan's side, plus a Dizong, I'm afraid Suzhou, a stable and prosperous place, will be turned upside down.

The law of historical evolution and rotation is either to achieve greater glory, or to fall to the bottom.

Huo Duan had only one possibility after thinking about Zhu Donglai's confidence, that is, Zhu Clan and Zhang Clan had secretly reached an alliance.

Seeing that Huo Duan hadn't given orders for a long time, his subordinates asked aloud, "Master, what should we do now?"

Huo Duan smiled: "What else can I do if the geese have plucked their hairs?"

"Would you like to ask Mr. Lu for help?"

Huo Duan said with a smile: "Master Lu is in a state of desperation now, and the army and government officials don't dare to be idle. How can we help?"

From Huo Duan's point of view, Lu Tao dare not easily transfer his people from their posts now. Once they are transferred, riots will break out in Suzhou city at any time under the instigation of some unruly people.

In other words, Lu Tao has no manpower available at the moment.

"Don't worry, if they want to seize and search, let them search as much as possible."

The subordinate was surprised: "Master, if you don't do anything, the next operation of Zhechong Mansion will be expropriation."

This is a consistent method used by the local army to expropriate for their own, and these hard-working and high-priced grains are only exchanged for an owed receipt that I don't know who to ask for cash.

Huo Duan is a person who has experienced strong winds and waves, and smiled lightly: "There is no need to worry. From the day Zhechong Mansion is opened, I am ready to guard against them."

The subordinate was surprised: "What preparation?"

At this moment, a subordinate came into the inner hall, this person was also Huo Duan's confidant.

"Master, the fleet is approaching the Suzhou Creek, and it is docking at the Xianqiao area of ​​the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal."

Huo Duan laughed and said, "Okay, tell me to go down. After sunset, pack them on the boats and enter Suzhou city with the boat at midnight."

Suzhou's waterways are more developed than landways, but big ships cannot enter the city's water alleys. Huo Duan's move was broken into pieces, and Zhechongfu's army had no choice but to know, let alone not know.

The subordinates were surprised, Huo Duan smiled and said: "That mighty convoy is just a cover."

"My lord, isn't the convoy transporting grain?"

Huo Duan replied: "Of course it's grain, otherwise how could we attract them over there, and we'd better hide the old warehouse, it's just a small head."

Said with emotion: "I have never done such a big business in my life, it is really big business!"

……

It was already night, but Lu Tao's study room was still brightly lit.

Feng Shoudao stood aside, waiting for Lu Tao's order. Even if he used the ration quota, he only managed it for one day, and now he has no rations on hand.

If the common people cannot buy food tomorrow, the previous efforts will be in vain.

Moreover, I am afraid that even the morale of the army will not be stable in the future, Feng Shoudao can hardly imagine the terrible situation that will follow.

Lu Tao's brows were tightly furrowed. Zhu Clan, who once slayed the dragon and protected his family together, has now turned into an evil dragon.

If he lost the confrontation with Zhu Clan this time, it was because he put the common people first and had many concerns.

But Zhu Donglai has no scruples, he does whatever he wants, and doesn't care about the life and death of others at all.

At this moment, the subordinate came to report: "My lord, Mr. Xie is here."

Before Lu Tao opened his mouth, Feng Shou Daoxi said, "Young Master Xie is here."

For Xie Fu, Feng Shoudao always had an inexplicable trust in his heart. When the Wang family recruited relatives, Xie Fu went all the way, leaving a shocking impression in his heart.

"welcome."

As soon as Lu Tao finished speaking, Xie Fu strode into the study, but he followed the guide all the time, unwilling to wait even for a while.

He bowed his hands and called out, "Lord Lu!"

Lu Tao got up and asked Xie Fu to sit down and talk, and said with a smile, "Young man, why are you here so late."

Xie Fu smiled and said, "I'm here to solve your worries and problems."

Lu Tao let out a cry.

Xie Fu smiled: "Your Excellency, are you worried about the purchase of grain for the people tomorrow?"

Xie Fu is in the middle of the game, and Lu Tao's use of military rations can't be hidden from Xie Fu's eyes and ears.

Seeing Xie Fu's confident appearance, Lu Tao smiled and said, "Young man, are you mocking me?"

Xie Fu laughed: "If I want to satirize you, I have to wait until you have nothing to do."

Lu Tao smiled lightly: "Shaodian, to tell you the truth, I have nothing to do now."

Xie Fu said: "Your Excellency has countless strategies to deal with the current situation, but you don't bother to use these strategies. This is what Xie Fu deeply admires."

"Tomorrow, I will offer the head on the item, so what is there to admire?"

"Your Excellency, you are joking. The grain purchased by Heqing has arrived in Suzhou, which can solve your urgent need."

When Lu Tao and Feng Shoudao heard the words, they both cheered happily.

Lu Tao excitedly said: "It's really timely!"

Xie Fu nodded and said: "A convoy of thousands of people is initially estimated to be no less than ten thousand shi, let alone ten or eight days, even if it takes an adult to handle it for a month."

Lu Tao laughed loudly, the laughter was full of carefree after long suppression.

"Man's calculation is not as good as the sky's calculation, Zhu Donglai is destined to be defeated in the way of heaven and humanity."

Lu Tao smiled, and suddenly asked with a serious face: "Shaodian will give me the grain and bid with the Zhu family in Hangzhou, what should I do?"

Xie Fu smiled lightly: "Which is more important, Xie Fu is still very clear. Even if he loses the bidding in the end, Xie Fu will be very happy if he can help the adults win the hearts of the people."

Feng Shoudao, who was standing aside and listening, was so excited that he couldn't help but slapped his thigh hard.

The crackling sound made the two of them look at Feng Shoudao at the same time, and Lu Tao asked, "Shoudao, what's wrong?"

Feng Shoudao excitedly said: "Young Master Xie understands righteousness deeply, I am very impressed."

Lu Tao put gold on Xie Fu's face, and said with a deep meaning: "Young man, you are adhering to the Tao, but you rarely admire others so much."

Feng Shoudao continued, "There are only two people who can make me bow down to Yuanmen, and now I thank you, Young Master."

The two smiled, and Xie Fu returned to the topic: "My lord, it's just that this batch of grain is now outside the city and is being held by the army of the Zhechong Mansion. I need to ask your lord to help."

Lu Tao pointed to thank Fu, jokingly said: "So that's the case, I still think you are in a hurry."

Xie Fu smiled and didn't answer. With Lu Tao's status, it shouldn't be difficult to get the food back from the Zhechong Mansion, but Lu Tao said, "Young man, but I can't help you with this matter."

Xie Fu looked surprised, and Feng Shoudao took the initiative to explain: "Zhechong Mansion's army is not under the direct control of Mr. Lu, so it is completely possible to pretend to be deaf and dumb to Mr. Lu's orders and ignore them."

"To get this batch of grain from the Zhechong Mansion, we need to use the Suzhou Mansion Army, but the Suzhou Mansion Army is sticking to their posts at the moment. Once they withdraw, I believe there will be riots in the city of Suzhou in an instant."

Lu Tao nodded.

Xie Fu asked: "So, there is no one in your lord's hand."

Lu Tao said with emotion: "Young man, do you know how many people have flooded into Suzhou these days, how many of them are waiting for an opportunity to make trouble, and many soldiers haven't slept well for several days."

Xie Fu frowned, it was just to find another countermeasure, suddenly saw Lu Tao smiling calmly, and asked: "Your Excellency seems to know it well."

Lu Tao said with a smile: "Our manpower does not mean that others do not have manpower."

A flash of light flashed in Xie Fu's mind: "Third Master."

Lu Tao smiled and said, "That's right, Shudu's Tiger Guards, not to mention a temporary Zhechong Mansion army, even a large army will be snatched back for you."

Xie Fu said: "Aren't you afraid, my lord?"

Lu Tao chuckled: "A lot of things are discussed with fists, and we reason after the fact. You are not in the officialdom, so I can't explain it clearly to you for a while."

Feng Shoudao explained: "It is absolutely possible to kill the army of Zhechong Mansion, and then give a memorial to say that there was an ambush by bandits."

Xie Fu was stunned for a moment: "Can such a big matter be covered?"

Lu Tao smiled: "For example, all the people in the city know that this person is a corrupt official, and he does all kinds of evil. Why can't they do anything to him? Even if the court knows that he is guilty, they still need to collect evidence secretly if they want to punish him."

Xie Fu knows everything, and pays attention to evidence in everything. It is useless to say that there is no evidence, so he asked softly: "But if you do this, will Xu Fulai, the observer, give up?"

Lu Tao said indifferently: "What's the difficulty? Just kill him together. The emperor is far away, and I am Wang Fa in Suzhou."

As he spoke, he patted Xie Fu on the shoulder: "The imperial court is not an adult who can tell right from wrong. You need to keep your eyes open and close your eyes. Everything is about profit."

Xie Fu laughed and said, "It's like you are a strong soldier and ready to rebel. Instead of daring to accuse you of rebellion, the imperial court wants to appease you."

Seeing that Xie Fu casually said the word "rebellion" in front of Mr. Lu, Feng Shoudao was surprised. After thinking about it, Mr. Lu can say his intention to murder a minister, so why not joke about it.

Sure enough, Lu Tao smiled lightly: "That's exactly the reason."

He said and got up: "Let's go, let's go to Gu Mansion."

When they came to Gu Mansion and met Gu Xuan, Gu Xuan led the two of them into the inner hall to talk.

This was the first time Gu Xuan saw Xie Fu after the farewell in Jinling, and he had a very affectionate reminiscence.

After talking about the past, it's time to talk about business.

Lu Tao explained his intentions in the future, and after hearing this, Gu Xuan said calmly: "What's the difficulty? I immediately ordered the Tiger Guards to go over, saying that this is the grain of my Gu family. If they dare to obstruct it in the slightest, they will treat this army as robbers." killed."

Lu Tao said: "Uncle, don't be too hostile, just kill the leaders, and the other soldiers will naturally obey."

Gu Xuan smiled: "Master Lu will listen to you, but you need to show your strength in this battle, otherwise you will think that I, Gu Xuan, are playing with them."

After finishing speaking, I will give orders.

However, Lu Tao sat Gu Xuan down: "Uncle, don't worry, if possible, it would be better for someone else to do this."

Xie Fu blurted out: "Who?"

Lu Tao said with a smile: "The Zhang family advocates Zhenghe."

　I'm in a hurry today, so I'll just update it, it's a thousand words short, I'll make it up tomorrow, brothers.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)