Value peace

Chapter 144
Qi Maosheng held Gu Xiyan's hand as if comforting, and said: "The people in Shenji Camp are all orphans adopted by Li Chaoyang. When it comes to wealth, where are the opponents of those century-old valves, coupled with the contradictions between several deputy commanders, they will soon be unable to grasp the situation and cannot sustain it. After a suicide and massacre, those who survived are forced to take refuge in different valve."

"Yandi is a place of bitter cold. It has been a frontier fortress in all dynasties. In addition, the ancestors were born poor and were despised by those gentry. The largest warlord, but due to the harsh climate and remote location in Yandi, the rise of the Qi family is not a threat at all to those who want to compete for the world and aspire to the great treasure, and they don't take it seriously. On the contrary, Everything that happened in Shengjing is just a legend to us."

"In October of 1814 in the summer calendar, the Yang family in the south of the Yangtze River suddenly sent a messenger, saying that the Qi family would send troops to help them resist the yellow-haired and blue-eyed Gabenar people, and asked the ancestors to hand over the army to the Yang family. Unified deployment." At this point, Qi Maosheng snorted coldly, "This is like asking us to hand over military power, and our ancestors were naturally unwilling. But at that time, the Yang family was already strong and strong, and it was not possible for Yan to do so." Resist. The ancestors did not dare to refuse them directly, so they warmly entertained their envoy, expressed their wishes tactfully, and sent a large amount of gold and silk to that envoy."

"In mid-November, the Yang family sent someone to ask for an interview again, and brought up the matter of dispatching troops again. The ancestor still politely refused. The envoy was very disappointed when he saw this. The ancestor did not dare to anger the Yang family, so he personally set up Treat them with a feast. When they were enjoying their meal, the envoy said that he had brought a new type of most advanced weapon and wanted to take this opportunity to show it off. The ancestors were not willing to make too many disputes, so they criticized them several times, but the attitude of the envoy Persevere, and in the end I just agreed."

"Everyone came to the training ground together, and the envoy asked the ancestors to send someone to stand a hundred meters away with an apple on his head, saying that this would best reflect the power of this new type of weapon. The ancestors did so, and the envoy was sent A person next to him came out, raised an iron rod, and aimed at the apple from a distance. After a loud noise, the apple shattered into pieces, and the iron rod was still smelling of smoke... Everyone was shocked when they saw it. Now, all the Yandi people present looked at each other in blank dismay, a little at a loss. The envoys told the ancestors that this weapon was called a 'fire gun', and it was the treasure of the Shenji camp of the original Taichu Dynasty. The ancestors knew that they were here Threatening Yan to send troops, he pretended to be deaf and dumb, slapped his hands with a dumb smile, and said a few words of praise. Unexpectedly, as soon as the ancestor's words fell, the person standing behind the visitor raised the fire blunderbuss in his hand and pointed at The ancestors are just one blow..."

"Ah!" Gu Xiyan exclaimed in surprise.

Qi Maosheng glanced at Gu Xiyan with serious eyes, and said: "In April 1815 in the summer calendar, 8 people from Yandi went south to participate in the battle against the Gabenar people in Lingnan County. By the summer calendar 1816, Gabenar People were defeated and retreated, and Yang's army had grown from 20 to 50. In Yandi, we had 8 horses, but only 500 remained... At that time, Qi Zhan, the head of the Qi family, divorced his wife and murdered his son, and married Yang. The daughter of the clan...Since then, Xizhao has had the habit of bestowing marriages on the whole family."

Gu Xiyan stared at Qi Maosheng dumbfounded, and Qi Maosheng also looked at Gu Xiyan.But Gu Xiyan's eyes were full of sadness, while Qi Maosheng's eyes were full of anger, humiliation, and awe.

Gu Xiyan's intuition told her that this incident that happened hundreds of years ago must have deeply hurt Qi Maosheng's heart.She couldn't help but jokingly said: "Well, speaking of it this way, your family is still a relative of the emperor!"

"They are related, but not related by blood." Qi Maosheng showed a pale smile in Gu Xiyan's eyes when he heard this, "None of the seven wives who came from Xizhao had any heirs who inherited the title alive! "

These words... are so interesting!
Gu Xiyan shuddered involuntarily.

Qi Maosheng showed a self-deprecating smile, and said softly: "It is recorded in the historical records that in the spring of 1816 in the Xia calendar, the Gabenars were defeated and retreated. The Yang family, the Qi family, the Zheng family, the Wu family, the Shen family, and the Li family held a meeting in Ming Island. After the six-party conference, the Yang family recognized the jurisdiction of the other five families, made the heads of the five families the Duke of the State, and respected the Yang family as the emperor. They handed over a certain amount of money and silk every year, and their personal guards could not exceed [-]... The actual situation is that After the war, Shen asked Yang to honor the agreement that "people in Shu can go to the south of the Yangtze River to do business at will and get Yang's protection". Yang not only disagreed, but also demanded that Qi, Zheng, Wu, Shen, and Li Surrender the military power and submit to the Yang family."

"Of course everyone disagreed. Yang took out the firecrackers on the spot. The Shen family took the lead in turning against Yang and also showed the firecrackers, and the number far exceeded what Yang held... Yang was caught off guard. Zheng, Wu The Li family took the opportunity to bring their own troops to support the Shen family, and killed more than 5 guards of the Yang family on the spot, but the Yang family also relied on their large numbers to trap the three families' troops on Ming Island."

"The Shen family lived in Jiannan, where the terrain is dangerous, easy to defend and difficult to attack, but the population is sparse and the army is insufficient. Although they have guns, they are unable to contend with the Yang family alone; and the Qi family has surrendered to the Yang family, and the Li family has always been under the Yang family. Respected by the family, Zheng and Wu have been fighting for the source of water for a hundred years, and the knot is hard to get rid of, and it is impossible for the four families to be twisted together. Later, the ancestors came forward to deal with the Yang family, and the Yang family was forced to sign the "Mingdao Agreement" '."

"After so many years, the Qi family has never forgotten the humiliation they suffered back then. Before their death, all the patriarchs of the past would tell their successors to pay attention to the news of the 'fire gun' and find a way to get the manufacturing map of the 'fire gun'... "

Gu Xiyan had already vaguely guessed something: "That's why someone invited you to meet in Shengjing in the name of holding the blueprint of the firecracker..."

Embarrassment flashed across Qi Maosheng's face, and he said: "At that time, Gaochang had just been captured, and the soldiers were exhausted...Knowing the danger, but still wanting to take millet out of the fire and try your luck..."

"Have you been discovered, or have you fallen into a trap?" Gu Xiyan asked.

Qi Maosheng was taken aback, he didn't expect Gu Xiyan to hit the point and hit the point.

To be discovered by someone means that there is such a thing and the trap is exposed; falling into a trap means that there is no such thing to get rid of him and then quickly.

Qi Maosheng straightened his face and said solemnly: "At that time, Yandi's spy in Xizhao said that there was a person who claimed to have the blueprint for making a 'fire gun' in his hand and wanted to sell it at a high price, and gave a third of it as I asked. The drawings were used as evidence. When I arrived at the meeting place, I only found a room full of dead people. Before I could recover, I attacked them. Although those people covered their faces, they were quick to command and act cleanly. , with a tacit understanding, it can be seen that he was born in the army, and there were a few unremarkable peerless masters among them, I was injured due to negligence... By the time I broke out of the siege, martial law had already begun on the street." Qi Maosheng's face became pale. He became serious, "The one who arrived with me at that time, and another one who was invited to leave like me, although everyone made some disguises in appearance, but he has an extraordinary bearing, and the servants around him are extremely skilled, so it should not be ordinary. Because I was missing at the time, Yan Di’s intelligence in Shengjing shifted the focus of the matter, and when I went back and checked again, I couldn’t find anything useful.”

He smiled bitterly: "Actually, there is no need to investigate. No one except the court dares to do such a trick. No one can do it. If I don't die, they probably won't be willing."

Looking at his disappointed expression, Gu Xiyan instinctively wanted to comfort him.

I have never eaten pork, and I have seen pigs run away.Those TV and movies don't often have such plots.

She pondered and said: "Maosheng, you don't have to be so depressed. Or, this matter is not aimed at you at all, but for everyone who knows about the existence of firecrackers, or for all those who dare to come forward to buy firecrackers." people!"

Qi Maosheng nodded: "Yes. I thought so at the time. After so many years, there has not been a large-scale firecracker on the market. The average person does not know its value at all. Even if someone knows it, they have no strength. And I dare not take it for myself. And that person's price is extremely high, not something ordinary people can aspire to, if there is no support from forces like the Duke's Mansion behind him, they would have paid so much money at all."

Speaking of this, he said to Xiyan as if he had suddenly thought of something: "Well, Xiyan, why didn't I think of it... If that's the case, that person will be like me if he is dead... If it's true, I suspect Maybe, this firecracker... and this assassination was not entirely caused by me sending troops to Gaochang without permission..."

Qi Maosheng sat up suddenly and shouted: "Siping, come in!"

Hearing this, Gu Xiyan hurriedly took a piece of clothing from the side and draped it messily on Qi Maosheng's bare shoulders.

Siping didn't come in, but responded in a low voice through the curtain of the floor covering: "Master, the little one is here!"

Qi Maosheng said: "You go and find Mr. Ding, I have something to discuss."

Siping went away in response.

Qi Maosheng got up and dressed.

Gu Xiyan thought that she was Maosheng's wife now, so of course she had to be more virtuous, but as soon as she got up, Qi Maosheng stuffed her into the quilt: "It's cold, stay here for me. I and Mr. Ding said a few words and someone passed on the meal... Even though you are not hungry, you can't stop eating..."

While speaking, a middle-aged man's voice came from outside: "Master, you call me!"

Qi Maosheng put on his clothes quickly and walked out, Gu Xiyan had to lie down again and listen to the two talking.

Qi Maosheng said: "We may have deviated from the direction and have always thought of the firecracker too mysteriously. It has been more than 400 years, who knows what happened in the middle. Maybe the firecracker, like the sword, also has a use time or It's the age limit... You go and check to see what's going on between the Duke of Shu and Fengtai, I've always suspected that the person who was surrounded with me was from the Duke of Shu's mansion!"

Dingzhi Han was taken aback, but then he showed a clear look again.

If Qi Maosheng's suspicion is correct, that is to say, great changes have taken place in the land of Shu, which used to hold fire guns. This can explain why the land of Shu has been doing nothing for so many years. The control power of guns, the same thing can happen to Xizhao... Is it possible to think that the sword that has kept all political forces obedient and stagnant has long since ceased to exist?

(End of this chapter)