Beautiful step by step

Chapter 58

Wei Wei quickly compared the two giants in Liangzhou.

Needless to say, General Wu has held military power for many years, and many hundreds and thousands of households in Liangzhou are his younger brothers. With this Northwest victory, he himself was promoted to Minister of the Ministry of War, completing the perfect transformation from a soldier to a politician.

The rest is the Inspector of Chu. She heard Wei's mother say that the plaque of the Zhenbeihou Mansion was made with real military achievements.When Old Hou Ye was alive, the Chu family was in charge of most of the troops in the Northwest.A skinny camel is bigger than a horse, and the governor of Chu should not be underestimated either.

But no matter whether she was in the capital or Liangzhou, all she heard along the way was the great reputation of the Wu family.The Chu family, which was once powerful in the northwest, looked like footprints in the desert, and there was no trace when the wind blew away.

"Aheng..."

Wei Wei stuffed a bun into Yan Heng's mouth, she was too preoccupied with things and she didn't take back her hand in time.When he reacted, his fingers were numb and itchy.

"Is the meat delicious?"

How dare he nod!
When he talked about the tragedy of Shitou's family just now, his loneliness and desolation caused the temperature in the room to drop eight degrees.And now, look at him soaking in hot water, sucking her fingertips on his lustful face.What about the depressed boy?This pervert was possessed by some lonely ghost.

"I like to eat human flesh, so I'll gnaw on my own feet."

Withdrawing her hand, she splashed a ladle of water on him.

After soaking for so long, the water is not as hot as before.After being splashed all over his face by her, Yan Heng shook his hair and stood up from the water.

"Only Ah Mou's is delicious."

This skin, dirt!

Wei Wei felt that she was obviously a shy girl.Why since marrying her, no, after marrying her, Yan Heng's face has become thicker and thicker.If this continues, when there is a war in the northwest, he can go directly to the battlefield without wearing armor.

"I'm almost done washing. I still have a lot of things to do outside, so I can't delay any longer. Can Auntie wash it for me?"

The last sentence is the key!

Wei Wei gritted her teeth, seeing the unstoppable sadness on his face, she still didn't say the words of rejection in the end.

Picking up the cloth towel, she greeted him bitterly, thinking about how to use a cloth towel to perform the ten tortures of the Qing Dynasty, but at the spot that was about to touch the skin, her hands automatically became gentle.

"Is this a new injury from last night?"

The scars on Yan Heng's back were intertwined. It used to be at night, and it didn't look so scary under the yellow oil lamp.It was the first time she saw his back completely in daylight.Old and new scars intertwined, the longest of which was about the width of a little finger, split from the right shoulder blade to the left side of the waist, lying on the back like the Great Rift Valley of East Africa.Next to the Great Rift Valley, there were wounds of various shades, and the most severe one even lost a piece of flesh the size of a thumbnail.

Apart from the first time, the most conspicuous thing on his back was the bruise.Although there was no bleeding, such a large bruise made it painful just looking at it.

"It wasn't a human injury. I didn't have enough strength when I threw the stone into the account book. The quicksand was dangerous, so I tied a rope to get the account book. Later, I got stuck in it. It was the pillar and the post that were scratched when they came out on horseback."

Wei Wei put the cloth towel on his back, went into the room and picked up the box of suet ointment on the dressing table.This is the exclusive secret recipe of Wulan's mother. She brought it out when she left the grassland that day. There is not much in stock, but it is not greasy after applying it, but it is warm and very comfortable.

She squeezed out her little finger a little and rubbed it evenly in the palm of her hand. She moved down inch by inch along Yan Heng's shoulders, and carefully applied a layer to him.

A comfortable groan came, and Wei Wei's little finger poked his waist.

"Don't call me that in broad daylight."

"It's fine at night, right..."

"you……"

Wei Wei stamped her feet, put on the cap of the bottle and went to the back room, looking for clothes for her.

Yan Heng who stayed outside raised the corners of his lips, satiated and had his wife take care of him in the bath, he finally came back to life.

Last night, he only took the pillars and their No. 18 people there, but there were more than a hundred people in black.He didn't even have time to feel guilty and sad about the tragedy of Shitou's family, so he had to think about life and death.

When he was surrounded by men in black, the first thing he thought of was: Fortunately, he didn't listen to Brother Bo'an's persuasion and destroy the letter of Heli.After a while of rejoicing, he was a little unwilling, Ah Mao is so good, why should he let others get it.Although he knew that his chances were slim, he still unleashed his great potential, and his vicious moves forced the man in black to only dare to besiege him, never taking a half step forward.Finally at the end, he reached the rock and figured out a way.

Finally he's back!

Although this account book is not very comprehensive, it is enough to prove many things.If the emperor didn't come to the northwest, maybe he would still have a headache.But this time, the emperor will be able to see a lot of things with his own eyes this time, and this account book is enough.

With a smile on his lips, he walked towards the inner room.The quilt folded on the bed was soft, it wasn't his tofu block, nor Gu Yu's regular one, it must have been folded by Ah Mao herself.

Thinking of the image of her lying on the bed after getting up, with her little butt pouted and clumsy hands making up the quilt, Yan Heng, who survived the catastrophe, was even more joyful.

"What is Auntie up to?"

Under the spring light, Wei Wei stared intently at the account book.While watching, fill in the form by category.

Seeing the form under her hand, Yan Heng's expression gradually became serious: "I saw Ah Mao take this thing in the exchange market that day. Is this for accounting?"

The sun was shining warmly from outside the window. Wei Wei, who was originally copying the account books and meditating, heard Yan Heng's voice, and saw the unconcealed joy of being alive after the catastrophe on his face, and his heart suddenly became more at ease.

"Is Ah Heng full?"

"Well, it's almost there. Today's steamed bun is very solid, one bite is worth two."

Wei Wei thought about the steamed bun that could be used to grind one's teeth after one bite.After being soaked in the mutton soup for a long time, it still seemed a bit hard, so it was hard for Yan Heng to eat a whole plate with her hands when he just took a shower.

"It's Gu Yu's first time making it. It's not bad to be familiar with it. But not everyone is as smart as Ah Heng, who learned Big Brother Chen's exclusive steamed buns in just a few days."

After giving Yan Heng a small hug, Wei Wei picked up the form and handed it to him.

"This is the method I came up with. The income and expenditure are separated in such a way that it is clear at a glance what is more and what is less, and it is easier to reconcile accounts."

Yan Heng handed over the two pieces of paper in her hand. The paper was selected at the Four Treasures Shop of the Study on the street when she came back last night.The paper quality is not as delicate as those brought by the capital, but it feels extra thick to the touch.There is a set square on Ah Mao's desk, and the edge of the set square has been stained with ink, obviously she drew the line on that set.

On the white paper, ink lines are drawn horizontally and vertically like a chess board, separating intervals of different sizes.In the gap, there were written some tadpole-shaped characters that he didn't recognize.

"What do these mean? Is it the original number in the account book?"

"Well, this was passed down by a foreigner. It is written with simple strokes and saves space. The most important thing is that no one in the northwest knows it. Even if someone got it by accident, they don't know what is written on it."

Yan Heng originally guessed that perhaps this was a special mark.But after hearing Ah Mao explain the source, he still admired it.This kind of tadpole-shaped characters is not easy to write, Ah Mao not only learned it, but also writes it very beautifully.

"I understand, it's the same as the code words used in the military to convey military information."

code word?

This kind of simple Arabic numerals can be related to tall code words at any time.

"It's not difficult, take out a blank piece of paper, and Wei Wei writes stroke by stroke on the paper. Every number corresponds to the Chinese characters used by Da Yue to keep accounts."

"Is this the coded book?"

Yan Heng stared at the paper for a moment, closed his eyes and said silently from one to ten, making sure he had memorized it completely, he went to the outer room and threw the paper into the incense burner.A cluster of flames rose, and he didn't come back until the paper was completely reduced to ashes.

Then he said to Wei Wei solemnly: "Ah Mao, such an encrypted account book is very important."

Just a few Arabic numerals, what's the point?Seeing Yan Heng's rare solemn expression, she couldn't help but take it seriously.After thinking about it deeply, she realized how reasonable Yan Heng said.The reason given by the businessman in the capital just now was just made up by her.If it wasn't a coincidence, only she and Yan Heng understood the meaning of these symbols in the whole of Da Viet.

And how important the account books they are keeping now, in case someone leaks the secret again.

Thinking of this, her heart tightened: "Ah Heng just said that there are spies among our people, can you find out who the spies are?"

Yan Heng shook his head, with a rather weak expression on his face: "These people have been eating and living with me, if there is any problem, they would have found it out long ago. They haven't found Zhuzi until now, and I'm afraid it will be even more difficult to find out in the future. "

Wei Wei knows that the biggest problem is not here, not to mention the pain after being betrayed by someone he knows, the more serious problem is that if he can't find a spy, he doesn't know which one to believe.

"People's hearts are complicated, even if you find another person, you may not be trustworthy."

Yan Heng also understood this point: "Having a spy is not without its benefits, at least it can pass something interesting to the Governor's Mansion."

Wei Wei is sorting out the forms. The paper she bought last night is all uncut, so she cuts it and uses it now.The uncut piece, the remaining leftovers and various stationery were placed on the table, which was too messy.

Hearing what he said, she stopped: "The Governor's Mansion?"

She took the triangle board and drew on the paper: "How could the governor's office help the Wu family?"

As soon as she glanced at the account book, she was startled by the huge amount of expenses inside.This account book fully confirms what it means to be powerful in numbers.It may be a little bit of money and food for one person, but the Northwest Army has several 10 people, and the imperial court has always allocated 10 taels of money, and the military expenditure alone costs millions of taels every year.Coupled with food, four-season military uniforms and various expendable weapons, the entire army is simply a bottomless pit.

With just a glance, she understood how attractive the matter of disarmament invited by Wu Shangshu was to Emperor Qinglong when he was in the capital.And looking at the data in this account book, even if there are fewer soldiers, the Wu family's corruption of those in the past few years is enough to last for dozens of lives.

But what she didn't understand was why the governor's mansion, which was supposed to compete with the Wu family, would help him in this matter?
"Using this opportunity to pull down the Wu family, the governor's office will be able to take charge of Liangzhou. Even if the imperial court appoints officials to come in the future, with the lessons learned from the past, the governor's office can still be superior to others."

Yan Heng fully agreed: "The governor of Wu also thinks so."

"Then why would he do that?"

"This is related to the things I learned in the capital. The old Zhen Beihou is really a smart man."

In an exclamational tone, Yan Heng narrated that part of the past that even Wei's mother didn't quite know.The father of the tiger has no dogs and sons, and the son of the old town Beihou, even if his talent is poor, it is impossible for him to be obsessed with calligraphy and painting.

"Ah, we know that the first Marquis of Zhenbei fought against the great ancestor of Yue. The Chu family used to be the great officials of the frontiers in the previous dynasty. They guarded Liangzhou for generations. The 30 cavalry in the northwest were all Chu's army. After the unification of Dayue, The Chu family even eliminated all dissidents. When the Chu family was at its most powerful, a word from the Chu family in the northwest was more effective than the emperor's gold medal. You only see the Wu family's tyranny today, but you don't know that the Wu family is so tyrannical that it is stronger than it was back then. The Chu family is far behind."

Wei Wei silently compared the Chu family with the Feng faction warlords in the three eastern provinces who dared to challenge the Japanese in history textbooks.

"And then? I am a hero, a bear?"

"You can't say that, the old Zhen Beihou is a person who understands current affairs. Seeing that Dayue has ruled the world for many years, maybe he also realized that the Chu family is too eye-catching, so he did two things."

"Which two?"

"First, it is the division of the family, and the military power is divided between each house of the Chu family; second, it is also an old story that I heard in the capital. At that time, the old Zhenbei Hou invited famous teachers for the current Zhenbei Hou, and let out rumors that his only son loved books. Crazy, this matter has been laughed out loud among generals."

"What Aheng means is that the old Zhen Beihou felt that his arms couldn't twist his thighs, and the Chu family was too prominent, so he deliberately split up the military power?"

Yan Heng praised: "Ah Mao is really transparent."

"Then tell me more about why the governor of Chu helped the Wu family."

Yan Heng took a sip of tea, stood in front of the window with her, and continued with what he said just now: "The Chu family has occupied the northwest for many years, how could it be possible that they have no enemies. The tree fell and the monkeys scattered. The offshoots of the family have suffered a lot. Those of them can’t be said to have suffered, but compared to the previous life of the Tu Emperor who was free and easy, everyone feels that they have to suffer if they have to obey the law at first glance.”

Wei Wei guessed: "Could it be that the governor of Chu has experienced something?"

Yan Heng gave her a more appreciative look: "The governor of Chu has experienced the strength of the Chu family, and witnessed the subsequent disintegration. Probably in his heart, he still has the original memories of the Chu family. So even though the Wu family fell in the Chu family It came out later, but he still has some admiration for the Wu family."

What strange things she encountered!
Although he sighed, Wei Wei somewhat understood the complicated mood of the declining nobleman in the governor of Chu.

"The former ones are what I heard, and the latter ones are indeed what I saw with my own eyes. When I first joined the army, I had the honor to see the governor of Chu and Wu Shangshu come to Jiuquan to inspect the city defense. He once said that since the niece of the Wu family has married After entering the Marquis Mansion, the two families will be in-laws from that day forward, and they should work together more fully."

Speaking of this, Wei Wei has already fully understood. Originally, the separation of the military and the government in the imperial court is to allow the two to supervise and control each other.But when it came to Liangzhou land, the two top officials who were carefully selected were actually at odds with each other!

"The emperor chose the governor of Chu to serve, probably because of his status as the Chu family?"

"That's true. Back then, the late emperor mercifully exempted the entire Chu family from being military households. Many Chu family members have moved out of the Northwest, and most of the remaining ones have had quarrels with the Wu family."

Mostly, not all.

Wei Wei silently added that the emperor's starting point was wise and powerful, but unfortunately he picked out the poisonous one from a pile of red apples.

"That is to say, let's continue to investigate. We are not only facing the Wu family, but also the governor of Chu?"

Military power and political power are intertwined, forming a dense net, and Wei Wei feels that there are almost no loopholes in it.

Yan Heng also knew the difficulty of this matter, and now he said with some guilt: "After all, I dragged Ah Mao down."

Wei Wei shook the account book: "What is this? I like challenging things. Ah Heng only sees how difficult it is to do, but now we have already done half of it. As long as we work harder and finish it well, by then all People will admire you."

(End of this chapter)