Han Dang is stronger

Chapter 5
When hiding behind the door and peeping, Xiang Kang’s first impression on Yu Jian, the current head of the Yu family, was actually not good. Apart from feeling that Xiang Kang’s appearance was more refined and handsome than other Xiang family’s children, Yu Jian’s In my mind, Xiang Kang's image is actually similar to other Xiang family's children, they are all lazy, idle, do not do business and like to be pretentious, they belong to the kind of lazy rascal who wastes air in life.

However, the words between Xiang Kang and Yu Zhi made Yu Jian quickly change this view. Behind the door, he heard Xiang Kang talking endlessly accusing his son of abusing his identity. Seeing the noble demeanor of a descendant of a famous general, and seeing Xiang Kang's calm and self-confident temperament, polite and elegant demeanor through the crack of the door, Yu Jian, who has received a good cultural education and envied the dignified and dignified status of the minister since childhood, was unavoidably surprised. Changing his mind, he went out and invited Xiang Kang and Xiang It into his house.

After entering the door, when the host and guest were seated, Xiang Kang successfully continued Yu Jian's goodwill towards him. He sat on the ground with his hands on his knees, his expression calm and friendly, showing the noble temperament of the children of the family. Poor, one can tell at a glance that he has received strict education in etiquette since he was a child.In contrast, Yu Zhi, the son of a commoner, did not sit still. He couldn't help but hit the ground shortly after sitting down, and his face was gloomy and ugly. He was very different from Xiang Kang and Xiang Ta in terms of temperament and demeanor. .

Sighing secretly, it turned out that the third generation dressed and the fifth generation ate. Yu Jian first ordered the servants to serve wine, and then asked Xiang Kang with a smile: "I just heard from my servant that the two young masters came to the humble house. I have something to say to you. Discuss, I don't know what to advise?"

Yu Zhi, who was sitting opposite Xiang Kang, pricked up his ears, and Xiang Tie, who was sitting next to Xiang Kang, also pricked up his ears, listening carefully to how his clan uncle made friends with the local rich man of the Yu family on behalf of the children of the Xiang family. But with a relaxed expression, he smiled and cupped his hands and said: "To tell you the truth, the younger generation and the nephew came here to disturb you this time, and they came here to save the Duke Yu's family."

The lobbyist tactic of shocking first and caressing later has been common in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods, but it has always been tried and tested, so hearing Xiang Kang's words, not only was Yu Zhi who was sitting across from him shocked, Xiang Tie couldn't help but his heart skipped a beat. Something happened to the Yu family and he and his uncle needed to rescue him.Yu Jian, who was sitting in the middle of the main seat, was also taken aback, and asked in surprise, "Is there anything I need you to rescue?"

"I heard that in April this year, a servant in your house unfortunately passed away." Xiang Kang mentioned an old story about the Yu family introduced by the Xiang family's children before, and said: "Although Duke Yu kindly buried the servant and let him go to the ground for peace. , but forgot to report to the government in accordance with the Qin law, which alarmed the Ling County government, and the county sent people to investigate and punish you, Duke Yu, for this matter." (Qin law stipulates that privately burying a corpse is a crime, must be punished.)
"That matter." Yu Jian breathed a sigh of relief, and said, "That's what happened, but it's not that my family forgot to report to the government. It was my servant who misreported the dead man's name when he went to report to Li Dian. His household registration was revoked without a detailed investigation, and later the county re-examination found that there was an error, and sent people down to investigate, punished him with two sets of armor, and the matter is over."

"The matter is really over?" Xiang Kang asked, and then said: "Also, if you take the liberty to ask Yu Gong, at that time, the noble house really only handed over the fine money for two sets of armors, so you understand the matter? There is no welcome to see you off. to spend?"

"My lord, why do you ask this?" Yu Jian's face changed slightly, and he also subconsciously remembered the other expenses he had spent to settle the lawsuit.

"Don't worry, Mr. Yu, please ask if there are any other expenses?" Xiang Kang asked with a smile.

Yu Jian was silent, he was not sure whether he should tell the truth for a while, but Xiang Kang observed his words and saw his thoughts, so he put away his smile and said: "If it is inconvenient for Mr. Yu to answer, this junior will not force others. But if this junior is not as expected, Poor, when someone from the county government came to check the matter, in order not to suffer from the fish in the pond, Duke Yu must have entertained him with good wine and good meat. The one in the fine house invited him to stay, and maybe even arranged one or two maidservants to serve him day and night. When the county magistrates are asked to cancel the household registration of the real deceased and restore the household registration of the living, Duke Yu may have to sacrifice some funds for writing, and the money and food spent are actually far more than Liangjia."

Speaking of this, Xiang Kang turned to Yu Zhi who was sitting opposite, and asked with a smile: "Dare to ask Brother Yu, I am right."

"Yes, but how do you know...?"

"Cough! Cough!"

Yu Jian coughed and interrupted his son in time. He gave the son who had no city government a hard look, then turned to Xiang Kang and asked, "Mr. Xiang, what are you asking for?"

"It's nothing." Xiang Kang said: "The younger generation just thinks that you are making a big mistake, Mr. Yu, and you have set such a precedent. In the future, the noble house may never have peace, and it will be difficult to cope with the arrival and the expenditure of money and food." overwhelmed."

"How do you know?" Yu Jian asked calmly.

"Because Mr. Yu, you have money but no power." Xiang Kang looked into Yu Jian's eyes and said plausibly: "Having money but no power is like a three-year-old child carrying money across the market, always attracting people's covetousness. Whenever there is a chance Those with bad intentions will definitely try to take it by force, or seduce, or extort, or extort, or blackmail, if the money held by the children is not taken away, the thieves and bandits will never give up! Yu Gong, do you think this is the truth? "

Yu Jian was silent again, and Xiang Kang said again: "Mr. Yu may think that the matter of servants is just an accident. As long as you pass this hurdle and be more careful in the future, you should not repeat the same mistakes. But forgive me for speaking bluntly, Mr. Yu. If you really think so, you are making a big mistake, and you will regret it later."

Yu Jian glanced at Xiang Kang, made some calculations, and said, "My lord, please continue talking, and I will listen carefully."

"The reason is very simple. If there is a first time, there must be a second time." Xiang Kang said more convincingly: "The matter of the servants in your house, the people in the county have tasted the sweetness once, and they will definitely think of the second time." Well, they might talk and laugh with you, Mr. Yu, in person, but secretly they would only wish that there would be an accident in your family, Mr. Yu, so that they would have a chance to repeat their tricks and come to Mr. Yu's place to eat and take! Even if it is A trivial matter will inevitably be made a big deal by them! Because the bigger the matter, the more benefits they will reap! Yu Gong, do you think this is the truth?!"

Yu Jian resisted the urge to nod, and patiently continued to listen to Xiang Kang's speech. Xiang Kang did not disappoint Yu Jian, and said, "There is one more important point. When the previous emperor was here, although the criminal law was strict, However, the administration of officials is fairly peaceful, officials big and small don't dare to do anything wrong, and Yanjiting is located in a remote place, far away from the county seat, and Yu Gong's family is cautious, and there are always things that alarm the government, so they have been peaceful and happy. .”

"But it's completely different now. Now that the former emperor has died and the new emperor ascended the throne, the court will be shaken, and the administration of officials will inevitably be affected. If the new emperor can strictly control the officials like the first emperor, it's okay. Yu Gong, you don't have to go too far." Worried. But if the new emperor is a little negligent in the administration of officials and gives those corrupt officials the opportunity to exploit the people at will, you, Mr. Yu, have set some precedents for being suspected of burying the corpses of servants privately——Dare to ask Mr. Yu, what do you say? What dangers will you face in the future?"

The muscles on Yu Jian's face finally twitched uncontrollably a few times, and he regretted even more that he chose to use money to solve a big or small matter because he was afraid of getting into trouble, so that the county officials would know that he had something to take advantage of. He was even more worried that the matter would be caught by Xiang Kang's words, setting this precedent and causing endless troubles in the future.

Xiang Kang, who is good at observing words and expressions, saw through Yu Jian's vacillation immediately, and Xiang Kang also said: "Grand Yu, maybe this junior guessed randomly, yesterday outside Xiaxiang County, this junior saw the ox cart in your house carrying goods back to Yanji Pavilion. The younger generation found it strange that although the distance from Yan Jiting to Ling County was almost the same as that of Xia Xiang, Yan Jiting had to go out of the county and out of the county after all to get to Xia Xiang. Looking at it now, maybe you are also worried, Mr. Yu, and you know the truth of not revealing your wealth, and you deliberately don't want Ling County officials to know how much you spend on buying new year's goods."

Yu Jian smiled wryly, but Yu Zhi yelled over there, saying, "Father, no wonder you want to send someone to Xiaxiang County to buy new year's goods, so that's the reason!"

Yu Jian smiled even more wryly. He first suppressed his son's yelling, and then cupped his hands to Xiang Kang and said, "Master, I misunderstood this matter. I'm not as careful as you. I really didn't think of this. Don't lie to me, sir. The reason why I sent people to Xiaxiang to buy New Year's goods is actually ridiculous, because Xiaxiang's wine is better than Ling County's, so I arranged for my servants to buy wine from Xiaxiang, and bought some other New Year's goods along the way."

"So that's the case, the younger generation is suspicious and cranky." Xiang Kang laughed, stopped talking, and waited for Yu Jian to speak.

At this time, the wine had been served, but Yu Jian was not in a hurry to invite Xiang Kang to have a drink with Xiang Ta. After thinking for a while, he said: "Mr. , what should I do in the future?"

"Yu Gong, this is also the reason why this junior came to visit you today." Xiang Kang slowed down his tone, and said, "This junior is here to take advantage of you and help you turn the corner and avoid being blackmailed by the younger generation."

"Take advantage?" Yu Jian said in surprise.

"That's right, take advantage of my Xiang family's power to protect your Yu family's wealth." Xiang Kang said without blushing: "Although my Xiang family is in decline now, my family is after all the royal family of the old Chu, a famous family in Chu, He has been a general in the Chu Kingdom for generations, and my eldest father, Xiang Yangong, was the last famous general in the Chu Kingdom. He is deeply loved by the people, so much so that there are still folk rumors that my eldest father is not actually dead, but is still in secret Protecting the survivors of the old Chu."

"The Xiang family is so famous. Please think about it, Mr. Yu. If my Xiang family came forward to protect your Yu family, would you still be afraid of those knight-errants extorting your family? Are you afraid of those corrupt officials who will steal from you? With our Xiang family The family members came forward to take care of it, but there are others peeping at your riches?"

Hearing Xiang Kang's passionate words, Xiang Tie couldn't help puffing out his chest, but Yu Jian's eyes widened, and Yu Zhi's mouth also opened wide. After recovering, Yu Zhi immediately said: "Your Xiang family protects us, Yu How do you protect them? Maybe your Xiang family is capable of dealing with those idlers, but how do you deal with the government? If you are capable of dealing with the government, why did your two uncles run away after killing someone?"

"What did you say?"

"Take it, calm down! Listen to me!"

Xiang Ta was about to stand up as soon as he helped the ground, Xiang Kang quickly stopped him, then turned to Yu Zhi, smiled and said: "Brother Yu is right, my two uncles were indeed forced to leave because they had feuds with others and killed others." But Brother Yu, let me use an analogy, and I’m just making an analogy——If your uncle, Brother Yu, also killed someone and escaped from Yanjiting, Brother Yu, do you have the ability not to be implicated? Can your Yu family's family property not be confiscated? Can you keep your Yu family from being bullied by those small children in the village?"

"This……."

Yu Zhi was once again at a loss for words, and Xiang Kang didn't continue to question him, but turned to Yu Jian again, cupped his hands and said, "Excuse me, Mr. Yu, and this junior also takes the liberty to ask you a question. If you have a close relative who killed someone and escaped, may I ask you?" Can you be sure that you and other family members will not be implicated? Can you keep your family property, servants, cattle and horses? Can you still be like the younger generation and the younger brothers, and still be carefree in the countryside? Are those small towns and kiosks harassing you?"

Yu Jian closed his eyes and thought about it. After a long time, Yu Jian suddenly opened his eyes and asked in a deep voice: "Dare to ask, my lord, how can I take advantage of your Xiang family's power? How can I repay you?"

"It's very simple to take advantage of the situation. It's just that your two families become close friends, and you can move around frequently." Xiang Kang replied quickly, and said: "As for the reward..."

Deliberately prolonging his voice, he took a sneak peek at his already nervous nephew Xiang It, and then Xiang Kang said: "I just want to meet with you, Mr. Yu, with our Xiang family disciples, and I hope that I can meet you, Duke Yu, and forget all about Xiang Tie." It is enough to get rid of the unpleasant things about the Yu family and make friends with each other sincerely."

Yu Jian laughed loudly, bowed his hands to Xiang Kang and Xiang Tie again and again, and said with a big smile, "It's such a good meeting and laughing away the grievances, the young master is really talented! Okay, it's settled like that, your two families put aside the past, sincerely Make friends! Come quickly, kill pigs and sheep, prepare a banquet, today I will get drunk with the two young masters!"

Hearing what Yu Jian said, Xiang It was so happy that he almost didn't laugh on the spot, but Xiang Kang hurriedly humbled, cupped his hands and said, "Grand Yu, there is no need for wine and meat, my brothers are still playing in the market, I’m afraid they’ll be worried after a long delay, so I’ll leave as soon as I talk.”

"What? All the young masters are here? Hurry up, send someone to Jishang to invite them here, and report in advance when they come. I will go out to welcome all the young masters in person!"

Hearing this, of course Xiang it just wanted to leave the table and bow down to his little uncle right now, expressing his admiration for Xiang Kang, a little uncle in his heart, and couldn't help but say in his heart: "Uncle Ji's mouth is in the end. How did he grow up? Even though he came here to eat and drink, he can still speak so grandly and confidently, and he needs to be thanked in turn! Even my uncle Xiang Ji, who can lift a tripod, can't keep up with this ability! "

(End of this chapter)