Chapter 191: A Corner of the Iceberg (Xiu)

The Tatars were located north of the Central Plains. Decades ago, they were repelled by the iron hooves of the Great Qian and withdrew from the southern desert. For many years, they surrendered to the Central Plains and no longer invaded the border. The land is vast and barren, and the people live in nomadic areas with few fixed residences. Only the Oren River flows through the territory, and due to abundant water and grass, it has accumulated into communities over the years.

The capital of the Tatars was built in the middle reaches of the Oren River in the bay area.

After nightfall, lights were lit inside the dental tent adorned with colorful ribbons, which looked like a huge lantern from a distance.

There are several small hills in the distance.

On one of the slopes facing south, a tall and sturdy horse can still be faintly seen, with a woman wearing a beard standing next to the horse.

The maid walked from a distance and saw this delicate figure, almost shedding tears.

She finally calmed down and walked forward with a smile on her face, cheerfully shouting towards the front, "Your Highness, it's already late and the wind is so strong at night. Be careful not to damage your body. Let's go back to the tent!"

Shen Zhiyi stood still in silence.

She looked at the southeast homeland submerged in desert smoke and deep purple darkness from afar and only asked, "Is there still no news?"

The northern region is cold, with a dry climate and heavy sandstorms.

Without the feng shui of nurturing people in the Central Plains, her once delicate cheeks inevitably left some traces of wind and frost. Although they were as beautiful as before, her once slightly plump cheeks had already become much thinner, giving off a feeling of losing their shape and standing tall.

However, compared to the changes in appearance, the most astonishing or terrifying thing is that one eye.

The heavy dusk fell into her eyes like ink wash.

The once vivid divine light, tempered by suffering, disappears almost completely, but it is like a dagger hidden in its sheath, with an unprecedented and enduring sharpness!

The maid naturally knows what the princess has experienced over the years.

When they first entered the Xiongnu royal court, they had over twenty palace attendants.

However, in less than a year, only four remained. The people who left, some couldn't bear the hardships of running in the northern desert, some missed their homes thousands of miles away and begged to leave, and some suffered from the torture and punishment of the Tatar nobility and couldn't withstand it

On the surface, she appears to be an extremely noble imperial princess who came to marry;

But beneath the magnificent crown, there is a cruel shackle!

Rather than being a princess of a dynasty or a princess of the Tatars, it is more accurate to say that she is an involuntary prisoner.

The maid couldn't bear to reveal any news from outside, so she walked up and gently tugged at the princess's sleeve, saying, "The secret letter has only been sent out recently. I believe even if they reach the border, those people will not dare to take action without authorization. They must send it to the capital to report to the emperor before making a decision. You are the princess of Da Qian, the bloodline of the imperial family, the emperor and the empress dowager. We will definitely order troops to attack the Xiongnu and rescue you!"

Will you definitely save her?

Shen Zhiyi's gaze fell from afar. In late autumn, the trees withered and the grass withered. She only looked at the grass that had been bitten by horses under her feet, bent down, picked up a piece of rotten grass root from the yellow and black soil, and gave a steep smile.

The peonies in the Forbidden City are carefully taken care of by people, and cannot be blown or rained upon.

The barren grass in the northern desert is deeply rooted in the barren soil, abandoning its beautiful colors and lowering itself to seek survival in the dry and cold invasion.

Under the fresh breeze, my fingers were already cold.

She looked at this piece of grass and let out a long sigh, "I used to think that if it turned into a blade of grass, one day it would wait until spring. But whether it's autumn or winter, it's too long, too long..."

From afar, a late night horn sounded beside the tent.

In the bleak wind, it was like a long sob.

The last glimmer of sky on the hillside faded away, and Shen Zhiyi's figure finally merged with the boundless darkness, indistinguishable from each other.

*

On the night before departure, Jiang Xuening had a nightmare.

I dreamed that I was standing on the high walls of the capital, with people around me whose faces were blurry and their voices echoing one after another, making it difficult to distinguish. She seemed to be trying hard to distinguish something from them.

That's the cry coming from the end of the long street.

The snow-white ceremonial guard is like a slender river, gradually approaching. A grand and solemn coffin silently floats on this river.

She was on the city wall, clearly separated by such a distance, but she saw it clearly at a glance.

So, in this clear moment, the city wall under my feet suddenly collapsed.

She fell from a height and, in a moment of panic, shouted hastily, "Don't -"

The person suddenly sat up from the bed, with cold sweat covering his forehead. The vague and eerie feeling in his dream still lingered in his body. Jiang Xuening stayed inside the bed tent for a long time, slowly stroking his chest, and the lingering palpitations did not dissipate.

She stood up and pushed open the window, looking out.

This time, the sky in Jiangnan has just begun to brighten.

A solitary light hangs in the corridor.

Xiebaiju was originally located in Wuyi Lane, with no merchants nearby. At that time, there were no hardworking people or greedy vendors, and it was a quiet and isolated place like an island.

Today we will depart for the border.

===Kunning Section 238===

Jiang Xuening didn't know what her dreams foreshadowed, nor did she want to speculate whether everyone had their own destiny. She only knew that if she wanted to change, she had no choice but to keep moving forward.

Even if you plan to play tricks on the tiger, do evil deeds for the tiger!

At the end of the Mao Dynasty, two maids carried their bags and Jiang Xuening left the Xiebaiju.

A carriage was parked outside the door on time.

The sky will be bright but not yet clear.

Standing next to the carriage, neither the sword and qin nor the sword and book, was actually Lv Xian, dressed in a literati robe.

This unscrupulous businessman from the capital has unparalleled knowledge and insight among his peers. Even though he is full of vulgar calculations, he appears elegant and dignified on the surface, which makes those who are not aware of it feel uneasy.

Jiang Xuening paused as she saw him.

Yesterday, Lv Xian met with Xie Weimen outside the other restaurant. At this moment, he bowed and smiled, saying, "Miss Ning Er seems not very happy to see Lv."

Jiang Xuening doesn't have much objection to him, but he had a very unpleasant conversation with Xie Wei yesterday.

She has never wanted to be held down in her work.

Although the accounts of Xiaoyi have been sorted out, and they have indeed made plans to sacrifice all their wealth to save the princess, these plans do not include being coerced.

Xie Weibiao used Princess Chang as a threat.

So for now, looking at the first dog headed military commander under Xie Wei's command, it's not that satisfying.

She didn't have a friendly attitude, only politely replied, "Yesterday I told Fang Yin to stay in Jiangnan. Whenever Boss Lv has any problems, she will be at her disposal. Everything is complicated, and although the industry is not large, she can get tens of thousands of cash. Boss Lv should be very busy at the moment. If you come today, may there be some accounts that don't match and you need some guidance?"

L ü Xian shook his head and said, "Not really."

It should be noted that his appearance here at this moment was even hidden from Xie Wei.

Jiang Xuening raised her eyebrows and said, "Oh?"

Lv Xian looked at her and said, "I'm here because I have something to entrust."

What's up?

Jiang Xuening was confused upon hearing this.

Just going north today, she and Xie Wei agreed to meet outside Jinling City at the second quarter of the morning, but there wasn't much time wasted.

She asked, "Long or short?"

Lv Xian was taken aback and said, "It's a long story."

Jiang Xuening waved her hand and said, "I need to hurry, so please ask Mr. Lv to get in the car and talk while walking."

Lv Xian: "..."

His gaze shifted towards the carriage, and his face almost turned green, as if he was not looking at a sturdy and spacious carriage, but at a prison.

Jiang Xuening wondered, "Boss Lv, won't you come up?"

Lv Xian held down his jumping eyelids, gritted his teeth, and thought that he might not be so unlucky. He turned around and was caught by someone. With a fierce heart, he closed his eyes and followed him onto the carriage.

Two people sit opposite each other.

Jiang Xuening instructed the coachman to go outside the city first, then turned around and said to Lv Xian, "What's the matter with Mr. Lv?"

Lv Xian placed his finger on his knee, but he scrutinized Jiang Xuening up and down.

After a while, she said, "Miss Ning has been selling silk, transporting salt, and traveling all over the years. Have you ever heard of a place called 'Yin County'?"

As Lv Xian said, Jiang Xuening has also visited many places in recent years.

The map of the Central Plains is also engraved in my mind.

It is a small place in Ningbo, Zhejiang.

She thought for a moment and said, "I've heard of it, but I haven't been there."

There was a hint of nostalgia on Lv Xian's face, and he smiled slightly as he said, "To be honest, a young man named Lv visited this place during his study tour. The people are simple, and the countryside is peaceful. However, many years ago, a county magistrate was appointed in this place, and there was an unwritten rule for collecting taxes in those years. Ordinary people pay taxes, write their names on white paper, and put them in boxes. When gentry and wealthy households pay taxes, they seal the money with red paper to write their names, and also put them in boxes."

Jiang Xuening frowned slightly when she heard this.

Although she didn't know why Lv Xian said these things, the common people and the wealthy gentry paid taxes by distinguishing them with different colored paper. She thought she knew it was because the government had some tricks on their side.

Sure enough, Lv Xian continued, "Whenever red paper is used to pay taxes, the government should follow the law. However, when white paper is used to pay taxes, the government officials will ask the people to collect more money on top of the taxes set by the court. This is called the hard work money for tea and water for the officials. At first, it was only 10% more, but later it was 20% more."

Jiang Xuening said, "Dog officials have enough courage."

L ü Xian laughed and said, "Yes, it's a cowardly act. So over time, the taxes become heavier and the people are not willing to pay them. So they started to make a fuss and gathered together to petition. There happened to be a person who could read and understand characters passing through this place. Knowing that the government's actions were against the law, they wrote a complaint for them. A group of people led by this person entered the city from the countryside, went to the yamen, and demanded that the government cancel the distinction between red and white paper, and even the grain tax."

Jiang Xuening said, "The government has soldiers, and it's easy for the people to cause trouble, but it may not be easy to get things done. This scholar is not only knowledgeable about laws and regulations, but also meddles in his own affairs. He's afraid he might get into trouble."

Lv Xian glanced at her and his smile faded a bit.

Only said, "Not bad. It's just that a group of rural villagers have asked someone to write a complaint and proclamation. How could the county magistrate keep them in mind? As the saying goes, killing the chicken to warn the monkey. Without hesitation, the county magistrate arrested this person, imprisoned him, and convicted him of 'gathering a crowd'. According to our court's law, gathering a crowd is a serious crime, and at the mildest, it must be sentenced to execution."

Jiang Xuening frowned.

She had already realized that Lv Xian's storytelling was secondary, and that this person's fear was the key.

Her eyes rolled as she said, "Isn't that the person you're talking about yourself?"

L ü Xian shook his head and said, "L ü is a commoner who seeks benefits and avoids harm. It's not even time to avoid such things. How could he wade into this muddy water?"

Jiang Xuening remained noncommittal and said, "What happened later?"

Lv Xian said: "This man asked for an order for the people, and was suddenly sentenced to be executed. Who in the countryside is not angry? Also in the disaster year, when he was in trouble at home and abroad, he was so angry that he gathered a lot of people into the city, surrounded the county government, saved the people, didn't say anything about it, and dragged the county magistrate down from the hall, beat him up, took him outside the Chenghuang Temple, and forced him to write a notice on grain tax from now on. Finally, a fire set the county government on fire."

As the saying goes, poor mountains and rivers lead to unruly people.

The folk customs are simple and genuine, and plagiarism is also true.

Jiang Xuening said, "This has caused a big disaster."

L ü Xian sighed lightly and said, "Who says it's not? Every pile and every piece is the crime of the chieftain, and burning the county government office is even more like conspiring to rebel. The county magistrate did this, so naturally it was of no use. The governor's office quickly dispatched a new county official named Zhou Guangqing. Miss Ning Er has been to Ningbo, and she should know that this person is now a magistrate with some skills."

Jiang Xuening was curious, "How can he solve it?"

Lv Xian said, "When Zhou Guangqing takes office, he will first call these troublemakers over to inquire one by one. Are they planning to rebel?"

Jiang Xuening felt a slight chill in her heart.

L ü Xian sneered, "The villagers were filled with anger when they did things. Only when they calmed down did they realize that burning the county government office was a crime of rebellion. How dare they admit it? They were just trying to settle the grain tax. In front of Zhou Guangqing, they repeatedly denied it. Zhou Guangqing asked for the reason, but his voice was fierce and he asked. Even if the government office was burned, would they still call it rebellion? The villagers didn't see much, didn't know much, and panicked. They all came to ask Zhou Guangqing what to do."

The villagers do not know the law, burning down the yamen is a momentary and uncontrollable rampage, but if a knife needs to be worn around their neck, who can avoid being greedy for life and afraid of death?

Jiang Xuening had already anticipated this result.

She said, "Even coaxing and scaring, it's effortless to smooth things out."

Lv Xian sneered, "Not only that! Zhou Guangqing has been an official for many years and knows that he wants to govern the people, but taxes can come from the people. If we want to hold so many people accountable, we are afraid that the officials will force the people to rebel. So he gave these people an idea, saying that if the situation is so big, the court will definitely send imperial envoys to investigate. If you are afraid, why don't you first set yourself aside and write a petition to the county government, declaring that you have not entered the city to cause trouble. He also said that the grain tax will be immediately settled for them, and that they should pay this year's grain tax as soon as possible to prove that they have no ulterior motives. Therefore, sending officials and soldiers to investigate will also capture thieves and the king." Go and catch the leader, we can't catch them

At this point, he paused for a moment.

Jiang Xuening was extremely impressed and said, "Divide and transform them, with continuous cutting and beating. Unfortunately, this meddler is afraid of bad luck."

Lv Xian listened to the sound of the wheels rolling over the ground, as well as the gradually bustling sound of the street market passing by, and smiled faintly: "In less than seven days, hundreds of unrelated documents were handed over to Zhou Guangqing's table. He confessed that he had not caused any trouble, followed orders, obeyed laws, paid taxes as usual, and drew a line with the 'leader'. This person has been rescued and is nowhere to be found. The government then posted a notice to arrest this person, offering a reward of three hundred taels, prohibiting hiding, and called on the villagers to report his whereabouts to the government."

Jiang Xuening remained silent.

Suddenly, he felt a hint of sadness: "The people support their families, and who can not back down in the face of life and death? It's just human nature. But this person has helped them before, shouldn't he report it to the government?"

Lv Xian laughed heartily and said, "Miss Ning Er has said it all. This is human nature. In this way, wealth and silk are moving people's hearts, and if they cannot catch anyone in a day, the matter cannot be resolved. How could they not blame the villagers again? In less than three days, someone will report to the government."

Jiang Xuening couldn't speak at the moment.

Lv Xianyou said leisurely, "However, this person was not ultimately captured by the government's soldiers. He came to surrender the case himself."

Jiang Xuening suddenly froze.

This greatly surprised her: "How could it be?"

Lv Xian said, "I thought the same way back then, how could that be?"

That was a sunny afternoon.

Everything in the county town remained as usual, bustling and bustling.

Lv Xian was in the inn, pondering poetry when he suddenly heard a servant running through the street, shouting and calling out that he was the mastermind behind the rebellion. He had come to surrender and had already gone to the county government.

For a moment, the streets were deserted.

The villagers heard of it and all went there.

At the entrance of the rebuilt county government office, there were crowds of people and crowds of spectators.

Zhou Guangqing sat high in the hall.

Lv Xian squeezed into the crowd, but looked down at the hall.

He has always been indifferent to himself and hung up high, just wanting this person to get involved in the situation and get stuck in mud. He is already foolish enough, and now he is still surrendering himself. I wonder what kind of bookworm or rascal he is?

However, when I could see clearly, I was stunned.

He stood at the foot of the hall, dressed in a snow-white Taoist robe, standing tall and upright, towering and handsome.

Where is there a half mob and gangster like state?

Only five percent calm and composed, although standing in a dangerous mansion and witnessed by others, there is no trace of anxiety or unease.

On the other hand, the villagers around them all dodged their gaze and looked guilty.

That day was a court hearing personally conducted by Zhou Guangqing.

Lv Xian thought that Zhou Guangqing should be just like himself, and his memory of that day is still vivid: "This person confessed to his actions without hesitation. Although Zhou Guangqing devised this plan to divide people's hearts, he did not expect this person to surrender on his own. At that time, he probably thought that the eldest husband should do so, and couldn't help but praise him with words, saying that he was acting alone. However, he looked at the villagers for a long time, and everyone dared not look at them directly. He lowered his head. However, this person was still calm, and couldn't see any joy or anger. Then, he said a sentence."

Jiang Xuening was already lost in thought and asked subconsciously, "What did you say?"

The wind blew up the car curtains, and pedestrians bustled past outside.

L ü Xian's gaze fell on the window, and when he recalled this matter, he felt like a dream and said, "He said, 'The world has been settled, and I will definitely cook it!'"

The world has settled, I will cook it for sure!

In historical records, when Han Xin was in a desperate situation, he once said: A cunning rabbit dies, a running dog cooks; High birds are exhausted, good bows are hidden; The enemy's country is destroyed, and the strategist is killed.

It is the prosperity of the world that brings benefits, and the bustling of the world that brings benefits.

A person's heart turns back, it can change in an instant.

Jiang Xuening pondered deeply and remained silent.

===Kunning Section 239===

Lv Xian said, "What do Miss Ning think of this person?"

Jiang Xuening gazed at him for a moment and said, "Mr. Lv is from Chen Youshi, who is also a person with high aspirations and talents. There are not many people in the world who can be admired and respected by you. I don't know that Mr. Xie still has this past."

She guessed it as expected.

Lv Xian couldn't help but sigh.

Jiang Xuening, however, remained indifferent and said, "But what does this have to do with me?"

L ü Xian stared at her, only recalling Xie Wei's extraordinary appearance in the past two years. It took him a long time to say, "L ü came from the imperial examination in his old years, passed the imperial examination, but was willing to serve under Xie Ju'an's command. Do you know why, young lady?"

Jiang Xuening said, "Isn't it because he may not always win, but he won't lose anyway?"

Lv Xian was initially surprised, then burst out laughing and said, "That's not bad either."

Jiang Xuening sneered lightly.

Lv Xian continued, "It's not just that."

Jiang Xuening said, "Is it difficult or do we respect his character?"

After a moment of silence, Lv Xian slowly said, "Whether you believe it or not, the reason why I serve is not only because I admire his strength, but also because I am like encountering a drowning person on the road and wanting to help him."

Drowning people, take a hand?

What ruthless means does Xie have? Where does anyone need pity?

Jiang Xuening felt that Lv Xian's head was flawed.

Lv Xiandao said, "I came here just thinking that heaven and earth are like ovens, and the world is like purgatory. Xie Ju'an struggled in it, but he was just a pitiful person. Along the way to the border, unexpected changes occurred. If anything unexpected happens, although the sword and sword books are here, Lv knows they may not be useful. Therefore, I sincerely request Miss Ning Er, the kind-hearted Bodhisattva, to give him a hand."

This was an ordinary promise, but it sounded quite heavy.

Jiang Xuening didn't understand the meaning: "What kind of accident could happen?"

L ü Xian only wished that the clues and clues in the past two years were unfounded worries for himself, but it was not good to explain them to Jiang Xuening. He only said, "I hope it's L ü who thinks more."

After speaking, I heard the coachman outside shout, "The city gate is here."

He was startled and almost jumped up and hit the roof of the car. He fell and regretted, "It's broken, it's broken!"

Jiang Xuening was extremely confused and said, "What's wrong?"

Without hesitation, Lv Xian lifted the car curtain and was about to drill outside.

However, at this point, the carriage had already come to a stop.

The gate of Jinling City is right in front of me.

Xie Wei's carriage waited quietly under the city wall.

He stood beside the car in a dark green Taoist robe and watched Lv Xian coming out of Jiang Xuening's car. His pupils shrank slightly, and then looked at Jiang Xuening in the car. His originally expressionless face pulled out a smile, and only said to Lv Xian, "You seem to be too idle?"

Lv Xian's hair stands on end!

As the person got off the car, almost reflexively, they immediately said, "Miss Ning Er asked me to get on the carriage!"

Jiang Xuening: "..."

No, although I invited you to get in the car, is there anything important about it?

Before she could react, she was about to say "it's like this" when she turned her head and met Xie Wei's eyes.

For some reason, my whole body trembled with excitement.

At that moment, her intuition of danger made her subconsciously deny shaking the blame: "No, it was Mr. Lv who said he wanted to come to me for something!"

Lv Xian:?????

I can't believe what I heard!

He instantly turned his head and glared angrily at Jiang Xuening——

How can you just throw the blame around? This damn thing will lead to a lawsuit, okay!

However, Xie Wei's gaze had already lightly drifted back to him: "Lv Xian?"

Lv Xian: "..."

Who is not a human girl? Give me a his mother vinegar jar. Please stop shouting and call me grandpa again. I'll die on the spot and show you!