The Rebellious Officials and Traitors of the Late Han Dynasty

Chapter 308: Zhongshan Zhen Clan
After hearing this, Pang Tong's face immediately showed a thoughtful look.

“Uncle, the noble families of Jingzhou are supporting Liu Bei at this time and giving up on the prime minister. In the future, the noble families of Jingzhou will have even less hope in the court.” Pang Tong said dimly.

What is land? What is money? Only by being in a high position in the government can one get more things. What are money and land in the face of power?

The reason why the Jingzhou families supported Liu Jingsheng was because these families held power in Jingzhou.

The reason why Zhuge Liang had the confidence to lobby the aristocratic families in Jingzhou was also because Liu Bei could allow these aristocratic families and the big clans to continue to be in power.

But Qin Shou's Cavalry Army was different. There were many talented people in the court of the Cavalry Army. The noble families of Jingzhou did not get much when they joined the Army. There was no place for the noble families of Jingzhou to stand.

That's why some people oppose the Cavalry Army entering Jingzhou.

But is all this possible?

Pang Tong thought it was impossible. Jingzhou was no match for Qin Shou, even if they joined forces with Cao Cao. Once Jingzhou was defeated, the fate of these aristocratic families would be even more miserable.

In this case, it is better to join the Cavalry Army now than later.

"Cai Mao and others are short-sighted. They only see what is in front of them, but cannot see the overall situation." Pang Degong sighed leisurely.

One is to gain benefits in the early stage, and the other is to gain benefits in the long run, but the aristocratic families in Jingzhou chose the former and gave up the latter. Isn’t this short-sighted?
"Uncle, I am going to see the Prime Minister."

Pang Tong suddenly said.

"Are you doing this for Jingzhou or for yourself? If it is for Jingzhou, it is not an easy thing to catch the prime minister's eye." Pang Degong's eyes seemed to be able to see through people's hearts, staring at Pang Tong.

Pang Tong just smiled awkwardly.

"Jingzhou is not worth your doing this, and Kongming is not worth your doing this. You are a smart man and should know the general situation of the world. Sima Wei said something that makes a lot of sense, Kongming has found his master, but not the right time!" Pang Degong immediately knew what Pang Tong was thinking.

His nephew also had a crush on Liu Bei.

"Uncle, the king chooses his subjects, and the subjects also choose their king. Be it Liu Bei, Qin Shou, or Cao Cao! They are all under my consideration. As for who I will choose in the end, I haven't made up my mind yet."

"Kong Ming is my good friend, and I want to listen to his advice."

Pang Tong said seriously.

After hearing this, Pang Degong nodded with relief.

"The general trend of the world should be followed. Those who follow the general trend will prosper, and those who go against the general trend will perish. The mighty and mighty river flows like an ocean, and this is the master of destiny." Pang Degong suddenly said: "Although I don't like the Cavalry, look at the world, how old are Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, and Liu Bei, they are all nearly fifty years old, and then look at how old the prime minister is."

Pang Tong nodded after hearing this.

The age of the ruler is very important, as age represents infinite possibilities.

"My nephew understands."

Pang Tong quickly agreed.

"The Prime Minister said something that I agree with. You should do what you are supposed to do in your position. You should do what the other party pays you. Loyalty has nothing to do with this."

"As ministers of Dong Zhuo, Lü Bu was despised, Li Jue, Guo Si and others were reviled, but no one said anything about the prime minister. Do you know why? Because the prime minister was doing his job at first, and it had nothing to do with loyalty. People saw it clearly, so no one would say the prime minister was disloyal."

Pang Degong taught.

"Nephew, I understand." Pang Tong's eyes lit up and he agreed in his heart. With the rise of Qin Shou, his words and deeds were gradually known to others.

No matter where you are, just fulfill your responsibilities.

Pang Tong was also deeply touched by this sentence. He believed that such words would definitely influence many people.

At this moment in Zhongshan, in the Zhen family, Zhen Yan was standing obediently in the hall, while his mother Zhang was kneeling beside him, unable to hide her dissatisfaction on her face.

"You've also seen Mi'er's letter. It's been three days. Why haven't you shipped the food and fodder?"

Zhang was very angry and glared at her son. If the eldest son had not died early, it would not be his turn to manage the Zhen family's wealth.

Zhen Yan smiled bitterly and said, "Mother, the Prime Minister has issued an order to Hebei that any family that dares to support the Yuan family will be punished as aiding the enemy. It's not that I don't want to, but I'm worried that the Prime Minister will settle the score later."

Zhang was hesitant when she heard this. She also knew this news and asked, "Do other families do the same?"

"I am still hesitating, and my child is also hesitating. Therefore, although the food and fodder have been prepared, they have not yet been shipped." Zhen Yan explained quickly.

Zhen Yan was the most cautious. Now that Hebei had undergone drastic changes and Yuan Shao had been defeated, no one knew what the future situation would be like.

If Yuan Shao had sent people to ask for food and fodder before the Battle of Guandu, Zhen Yan would have offered them without hesitation, and he believed that other aristocratic families would do the same.

However, Yuan Shao's main force was defeated in the Battle of Guandu. If Ma Chao had not approached Chang'an and approached the Wei River, Zhen Yan would have suspected that the cavalry troops had already reached the city of Ye. In this situation, Qin Shou's order came, and Hebei was shaken, and no one dared to act rashly.

"Do you think the Prime Minister will start a massacre in Hebei?" Zhang asked.

Zhen Yan's face suddenly showed a trace of bitterness, and he shook his head and said, "Mother, no one knows about this matter, and the key is that no one dares to gamble! What if something happens?"

Zhang's face froze, and she sighed, "If we don't send food and grass, the general will make trouble for us. Not only will your sister suffer, but so will I. The prime minister's blame is a matter for the future. Now let's get past the general first!"

"Besides, your sister has already married Yuan. If Yuan is in trouble, how can Zhen escape? Others may be able to clear themselves of the charges, but how can I, Zhen?"

Zhen Yan felt even more depressed after hearing this, and this was also what he regretted. If he had known that Yuan Shao was incompetent, he would not have let his sister marry into the Yuan family. Now, the Yuan family was about to be defeated, and Zhen, as a relative, would definitely be implicated.

"This is my fate. At the beginning, a fortune teller said that your sister is extremely valuable. As an ordinary person, that is the way to disaster. Sure enough, not long after, Yuan came to propose marriage. Wasn't it for your sister and Zhen's property?"

Zhang sneered.

She hated the fortune teller to death now. If he hadn't been so talkative, the situation wouldn't have been like this today.

After hearing this, Zhen Yan gave a bitter smile. No matter how hard he struggled, he could not escape the current situation. Zhen was already tied up with Yuan.

"I will send the food and fodder off right away."

Zhen Yan has already given up. Since he can't escape no matter what, he might as well accept his fate and deal with the current situation first.

"Although the general was defeated, he may not be without a chance."

"Besides, I heard that the Prime Minister likes beautiful women. I believe that as long as he sees your sister, he will definitely be attracted to her. It is not impossible that my Zhen family may take this opportunity to make further progress."

A shrewd look appeared on Zhang's face.

(End of this chapter)