The fairy father

"Fourth! Fourth!"

Ji Fa hurriedly opened the door of the small courtyard and went straight to the north room.

Li Ping'an still heard the noise and was distracted from the performance of the Tianting Song and Dance Troupe. At the risk of being misunderstood by a group of Chang'e's that he didn't like this dance, he allowed this active mind to return to Ji Dan's body.

As expected, Ji Fa came here for the [Food Raising Order] issued by Di Xin.

Ji Fa sat behind the low table in the room, frowning at Ji Dan who was slowly making tea, and whispered: "How should we do this?"

"How did the other princes react?"

"It's a long journey. I don't know how the princes will react. Your Majesty only gives us a three-month deadline!"

Ji Fa said quickly:

"This season's millet has just been harvested, and the king's order to us, Xiqi, is to take away almost 60% of the total amount we can harvest!

"As a result, our sergeants will be hungry every day, not to mention going out for battle, even if they are training in the military camp!"

Li Pingan raised his eyebrows slightly.

Di Xin's move was quite clever. The only drawback was that he was too impatient.

If this method is changed to boiling frogs in warm water and asking the princes to offer grain and grass every two years, many princes will be brought down by this method in ten years.

As for the name of each collection of grain and grass, you can find it at will.

"Fourth, what should we do?"

"Hand it over," Li Ping'an said, "If you don't hand it over, do you still have to wait for the king to call?"

"Ah?" Ji Fa frowned and thought.

He stood up holding his knees and walked back and forth in the hut.

Li Ping'an sipped tea slowly and asked, "What did brother say?"

Ji Fa scolded: "Brother... Alas! Brother, he said that he must obey the king's order! Obey the king's order, obey the king's order. Once these grains and grass are handed over, will our soldiers be hungry next? How can we fight when we are hungry! Over there with the Qiang people What if I call you?"

"Do you have a letter from father?"

"No letter yet."

"What's the hurry? I'll wait for the letter."

Li Pingan smiled and said:

"Second brother, let me teach you a move. This one is relatively simple.

"Now Chaoge City has sent an envoy. Please report that the grain depots in the city are empty. The grain that has just been harvested has not yet been stored. It will take two months to collect it from various places. Later, the sufficient amount will be sent to the court. Song.

"Then……"

"And then?"

"Then, wait and see if it rains. He can't have no rain in the past two months, right? If it rains, it can be said that our millet was soaked in the rain while drying and was infected by mold. It will take two more Yue continued to collect grain and grass, and the spoiled grain and grass needed to be exchanged with the people. "

Ji Fa blinked and vaguely realized something.

"Fourth brother, what do you mean..."

"Delay," Li Ping'an said with a smile, "it depends on the situation. If the eight hundred princes pay four hundred, then we will also pay. But if the eight hundred princes pay two hundred, then why should we join in the fun? This matter is really causing trouble. We are also justified.”

"What's the point?"

"Second brother, practice martial arts less and think more!"

Li Pingan said helplessly:

"The share of grain and grass sent by the king to the princes in the four directions is different. Many princes not only have to contribute grain and grass, but also send soldiers, horses or slaves.

"Dong Bohou wants the most, followed by us, then Nan Bohou, and Bei Bohou is almost just interested.

“This is to worry not about scarcity but about inequality.

"The king just wants to support his direct lineage, suppress the various princes, and see if he can force one or two rebels. If he can force a moderately important prince to rebel, then he can set out with a large army, break down the city and plunder, and also serve as a source of support for the great merchants. Increase your energy."

He spoke for a moment, and then thought of his subsequent plan for the war in heaven.

It seems that, in nature, it is also a robbery...

As if he had taken a reassurance, Ji Fa walked forward with a smile and sat opposite Li Ping'an.

"Okay, let's just put it off, and I'll go find my brother to have a fight later!"

"Huh?" Li Ping'an wondered, "Are you still going to quarrel?"

"Forget it," Ji Fa sighed, "I have quarreled with my eldest brother many times. My eldest brother seems to be possessed by an evil spirit. He only thinks about how powerful Dashang is and how great Shang is our benefactor. But we Zhou people are here to rely on us." It depends on the military formation, the taming of animals, and the bravery of these men inside and outside Xiqi City! What did Dashang give us?"

Ji Fa's eyes were a little more determined.

He said slowly:

"On the contrary, when we followed the advice of the Great Shang envoy and moved from the northwest to the foot of Qishan Mountain, the Shang State did not give us a cart of food, but only gave us a title to use us to contain the tribes in the west.

"Then what?

“We catch and deliver sheep to the great merchants, and we have to pay taxes every three years. If we have treasures, we must give priority to the merchant country.

"My grandfather still died tragically at the hands of the previous Shang King! After such great achievements, my grandfather returned eastward with one hundred thousand people from Xiqi City and fought in all directions. In the end, only how many people came back? Less than six thousand! Just like that, my grandfather is still He died, having his heart and liver ripped out by the king he was loyal to.

"Just because we are getting stronger?

"Does so many people in Xiqi City die because of the emperor's suspicion?

"Why should he!"

Li Pingan nodded slowly: "Second brother, don't get excited. I'm talking about the quarrel between you and the eldest brother. The second brother is becoming more and more mature now."

"Hey, I'm just not afraid of them anymore. I'm getting older."

Ji Fa pondered slightly:

"I'm a little confused now. Brother, whether he wants to go here or towards Chaoge City.

"Fourth brother, you have many ideas. If it doesn't work, go and persuade the elder brother.

"Businessmen will not have any true feelings for us. They just want us to be like dogs. They will step on us if we stand up for a moment. We are useless."

"I won't try to persuade you," Li Ping'an said. "There may be many spies of the King of Shang around my eldest brother. My second brother, don't talk to them. Secretly contact the ministers and talk to them. Whenever something big happens, Let’s go to your place to discuss it, and just ignore Big Brother.”

Ji Fa asked: "Is this, is this appropriate?"

"What's inappropriate," Li Ping'an said, "Sometimes, don't think about brotherhood. Now you two have the fate of Zhou people on your shoulders. Father's stay in Chaoge City is basically semi-house arrest."

Ji Fa thought for a while and nodded vigorously: "Okay, that's it. I'll use procrastination to go to some ministers to discuss it... Fourth brother, why don't you go and persuade the eldest brother? He is our eldest brother after all. "

"I won't go, I'm very comfortable now."

——Refer to the Heavenly Palace to watch singing and dancing.

Li Ping'an smiled and waved his hand: "Go and do your work. I still want to read, so go, go, go."

Ji Fa suddenly felt helpless to complain.

He sighed and left dejectedly, thinking about what to do next.

Because before Ji Chang left Xiqi City, he entrusted all the military and political affairs of Xiqi City to Ji Fa. With this relationship, the officials respected Ji Fa even more.

Moreover, the resonance between the ministers of Zhou State and Ji Fa is stronger.

Most of these courtiers were nobles of the Zhou Kingdom. They had followed the Ji family to fight all the way. Their hostility towards the merchants and their hatred towards the King of Shang was not weak.

"Went to watch the singing and dancing."

…

When Ji Kao came to see Li Pingan, it was already three months after Di Xin issued the order.

In the past three months, the overall situation in Shang State has been highlighted by a messy character.

When the tribes of Dongyi heard that Emperor Xin was about to attack again, half of them were gearing up to avenge their shame, and the other half were dodging back, ready to bow before the merchant's banner.

The Jiang family of Dongbohou paid the full amount of grain and grass and sent out soldiers and guards, but put forward a condition that they would send the grain, grass and guards when the king's troops arrived in Dongyi.

Their reason is that traveling back and forth is tiring, and food and grass are prone to natural disasters.

Xibo Houji's family announced that they would pay for grain and grass. However, due to heavy rain during the process of raising grain and grass, all the millet and grain were ruined, and more time was needed to collect grain and grass again.

Bei Bohou was the happiest, handing over all of them, but it didn't have much impact on them anyway, and he handed over the least.

But E Chongyu, the Marquis of Nanbo in the south... refused to hand it over.

This matter naturally aroused Emperor Xin's dissatisfaction, and he issued an order to reprimand Nan Bohou himself in Chaoge City and was directly placed under house arrest by Emperor Xin.

The whole Chaoge City was filled with storms and storms.

As long as the princes from all directions turned over their grain and grass and sent slaves, the small princes from all over the world would follow suit.

Di Xin's move was also quite clever. The amount of food and grass that the small princes had to pay was not much. ——In fact, Emperor Xin also intentionally asked the Sifang Bohou to go to their younger brothers to collect grain and slaves, thus intensifying the conflicts between the various princes and the Fang Bohou.

But Di Xin obviously misjudged the 'strength' of the Jiang family and the Ji family.

However, with Nan Bohou as a good target for shooting, Di Xin would not mind and steadily promoted his plan.

He wanted to kill Nan Bohou and frighten all the princes;

We should also give Nanbohou a quick and thorough ‘deconstruction’ according to the ancient practice of Shang, so as to strengthen the deterrent effect.

When Ji Kao came to find Li Pingan, Chaoge City was in such a precarious moment.

Because it is a long way from Xiqi to Chaoge, even if there is a strange beast eagle, the news is unlikely to spread so fast, so everyone in Xiqi City does not know the news of Nan Bohou's death.

Ji Kao sat behind the low table with a haggard expression, lowered his head and drank two cups of tea, still not knowing how to speak.

Li Ping'an was lying on the chair, couldn't help but put down the slips, yawned, and asked: "Brother, if nothing happens, I still have to rest here, I'm a little tired."

"Fourth," Ji Kao whispered, "I really don't know what to do."

"Oh? What's the matter and don't know what to do?"

"The king ordered us to pay for grain and grass, but we haven't handed over a single load of grain until now!"

"If you haven't handed it over, you haven't handed it over," Li Ping'an said with a smile, "Isn't this great? Does the king have any intention of sending troops? Our food is still useful and can feed more people."

Ji Kao said anxiously: "Father is in Chaoge City!"

"Didn't brother read the letter from father?"

"I saw it, and my father said... the heavy rain is good..."

"Then with your intelligence, don't you understand the meaning of these four words?"

Li Pingan said with a smile:

"My father values ​​the people of the Zhou Kingdom more seriously than himself. The foundation of the Zhou Kingdom was earned through generations of hard work.

"If I hand over the food and grass according to Big Brother's wishes, what should I do next?

"Today I pay one hundred thousand, and tomorrow I pay one hundred thousand, and then I have to sleep overnight, and then the Shang King's envoy comes again... Brother, this is using the blood of our Zhou people to feed the merchant's horse."

"this……"

Ji Kao's Adam's apple trembled a few times:

"But that is the king after all! The merchant's ancestors and gods are protecting him."

"Gods? I know a few of them too."

Li Pingan smiled and said:

"Look, if the ancestors of the merchants are really protecting me, then I will curse a few words, Shangtang is just like this, what's wrong with me? What's wrong with God?"

"Don't do this! Don't do this!"

Ji Kao shivered a few times, his eyes full of horror.

Li Pingan sighed in his heart... This Bo Yikao is useless. He has reached middle age, but he has not awakened and has fallen into depravity.

"Have some tea."

Ji Kao responded, and was slightly lost in the tea. Suddenly he smiled and said, "Why haven't you ever gotten married, Fourth Brother?"

"I have a wife in the God Realm, and three wives," Li Pingan curled his lips slightly.

"Don't say such crazy things!"

Ji Kao sighed:

"I don't know why it is like this. The ministers have met me less and less recently. They keep going to the military camp and to the second brother.

"I am not jealous of your second brother. He is good at leading the army, and his military formation is like a famous general. He rarely fails in foreign expeditions. He is indeed a better successor than me.

"It's just... Is there anything you can't discuss with me? What's wrong with me? I am also a Zhou person, I am the eldest! We are all brothers from the same mother! I!"

Ji Kao's eyes were a little red, and his lips were constantly moving.

Li Pingan looked at Ji Kao calmly and said softly, "Brother, you are too tired. You should take a proper rest."

Ji Kao was stunned.

He whispered, "All the brothers are like the second brother. Are you the fourth brother too?"

"You and I are brothers for life, so I give you this advice."

Li Pingan said,

"You are scared by Emperor Xin. He controls you like a toy. Emperor Xin is now going to take action against the four lords. He will kill one to warn the hundred, and then select some rebels to conquer.

"We Zhou will not become rebels, not because Emperor Xin is kind, but because we are strong enough and the Qiang tribes are strong enough.

"What Emperor Xin fears is that we will unite with the Qiang people. If he and we are both defeated, we will be taken advantage of by the Jiang family in the east.

"How did Xia lose the world? Merchants know best.

"So brother, wake up from the dream of Chaoge City, calm yourself down, play the piano, play chess, and read books every day, it's good."

Ji Kao slowly sat back, his eyes a little dazed.

After a long while, he smiled bitterly and said, "I understand. So that's why. I'm too cowardly. I'm too cowardly..."

Ji Kao closed his eyes and sighed, stood up and bowed to Li Pingan, then turned and left.

His back was lost and full of endless frustration.

Li Pingan just shook his head.

Who can be blamed for Ji Kao's change? Blame him for being the eldest son, so he was dragged to Chaoge City? Blame Emperor Xin's intimidation turned into a shadow, making Ji Kao a defeatist? Or blame the Zhou people for not sympathizing with the first heir to the Xibohou?

Blame God.

Li Pingan sighed.

This kind of touch is already difficult to transform into perception.

This is how cultivation works. If a bottle of water represents great perfection and transcendence, then as long as it is filled with 90%, it can be considered to have reached the top of the mountain, and if it is filled with 95%, it can be considered to be a prehistoric boss, and if it reaches 98%, it is amazing, and it is only half a step away from transcendence.

But the later it is, the harder it is to fill it.

Li Pingan stretched his body, and his soul was immersed in the way of heaven.

He felt that his soul was like a monster, extending dense tentacles, touching the avenues, thinking, pondering, and looking for infinite secrets.

When he was distracted to enjoy himself in the heaven, Li Pingan did not forget to look at Chaoge City.

There was a storm there.

The butcher knife raised by Emperor Xin was about to fall.

Before it fell, Emperor Xin used a trick.

Nanbo Hou E Chongyu resisted the king's order and intended to unite with the Nanman to rebel. He would deal with it in three months.

By the way, Emperor Xin sent people to spread the news everywhere, saying that [Emperor Xin could not bear to kill Nanbo Hou and intended to let Nanbo Hou go], and then sent people to publicize which vassal had been praised by Emperor Xin for pleading for Nanbo Hou, saying that this little vassal was a wise and virtuous person.

Then Emperor Xin waited in the palace.

Whoever came to plead for Nanbohou, he would record the name and later...

slaughter them all.