Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3306 Put aside disputes and jointly develop

There is still no rain in Jizhou.

Some people who can no longer bear the hardships have begun to flock to big cities, begging, wandering, holding their children, and carrying their parents. They originally thought that they could find hope for survival in big cities, but unfortunately, big cities only need their labor and the products of their labor, not them.

What the Jizhou gentry were concerned about was not the drought or the suffering people.

There is not a single piece of news about the drought in Jizhou on the hot search list.

The oxcart that Ju Hu was sitting on slowly drove through the long street, and on both sides of the vehicle were the servants holding whistle sticks. These servants and guards blocked the beggars who tried to beg on the roadside.

These refugees are actually a bit strange.

This point...

Ju Hu narrowed his eyes, as if thinking about something.

He did not feel pity for these refugees. On the contrary, he actually hated these refugees running around everywhere.

In feudal dynasties, ordinary people did not have the right to migrate or settle freely.

And now there is even more terrible news, which dilutes his worries about the drought and distracts his attention.

  So in the end, Ju Hu decided to "take the risk" of coming to Yecheng. Isn't the risk he took greater than that of becoming a refugee?

The streets of Yecheng are already somewhat congested.

Refugees set up stalls freely, occupying a large area on both sides of the street.

From time to time, some people in brocade robes would come to pick and choose, pinch their heads and faces, open their mouths to look at their teeth, and then they would pull one or two things onto the truck and take them away.

It’s messy and chaotic, but there’s an underlying order.

  What else can’t be sold?

Ju Hu gradually became impatient.

  These refugees and beggars blocked his way and wasted his time. Even their wailing and begging were piercing, making him feel annoyed and sad. He couldn't stand hearing these wailing, so why should he let these refugees into the city? Wouldn't it be better to just let them dig a hole outside the city?

Especially when Ju Hu saw a refugee woman holding a child being pushed to the ground by servants and guards, and the "child" that rolled out of her arms turned out to be a crude little puppet, he could not help but curse in a low voice.

"A bunch of unruly people!"

Ju Hu turned his head away, not wanting to look at what he considered to be disgusting things.

The woman who was pushed to the ground did not throw a tantrum or wail. Instead, she hurriedly crawled a few steps, and hurriedly held the crude little puppet in her arms, checked it up and down, and then a silly smile appeared on her face...

Ju Hu and his entourage left.

Everyone's joys and sorrows are different.

Ju Hu had to come to Yecheng because this was the contact point where most of the Jizhou gentry gathered.

He didn't want to come, but he had to come.

The news brought by Cui Hou made Ju Hu feel fearful, uneasy, depressed, and even vaguely regretful.

According to the traditional skills of Shandong gentry, choosing to stand with the victor is a very good thing, even if it means following behind the victor and licking his boots.

But the problem is that since the end of Emperor Ling of Han, the Jizhou gentry have repeatedly stood on the wrong side.

This is crazy...

Painful baby!

Ever since General Fei Qian cut off the Secretariat and built a new political institution in Chang'an, there have been more or less some discussions and hesitations among the Jizhou gentry. However, after all, the distance was far, and due to the spatial distance and the passage of time, gradually only a small number, or even sporadic people, went to Chang'an to look for new opportunities, while the vast majority of Jizhou gentry children were still accustomed to staying in the countryside that they were familiar with and controlled.

  So who can be blamed?

Anyway, we can only blame Cao Cao now.

The General of the Cavalry...

Ju Hu sighed deeply, his face full of worry.

Everything is for the Dahan.

Ju Hu firmly believed this and always kept this sentence in mind.

After all, the Han people are still willing to support the Han emperor. After all, it's a habit.

In fact, the virtues of the Han emperor were well known to these Shandong gentry.

As for the founding emperor of the Han Dynasty, it is natural that people would like to raise their thumbs up to express their admiration. The second generation was probably still okay, but after the third and fourth generations squandered all the family fortune, the Han Dynasty was bound to go downhill.

The emperor was not doing his job properly, he was careless about politics and economics, and was proficient in eating, drinking, whoring and gambling. While the world was peaceful and prosperous, there were more and more hidden public grievances and conflicts. Corrupt and lazy officials were everywhere in the court, and tyrannical and cruel officials were rampant in the countryside.

When Emperors Huan and Ling were young, although they wanted to change some of the conditions in the Han court, they were incompetent and gave up completely, eventually becoming incompetent and perverse.

Now it seems that the Dong Zhuo Rebellion, the shame of the deposed emperor, and all the humiliations suffered by the current emperor are all his own fault.

After all, the Han Dynasty's luck is gone.

Although it is said that General Fei Qian has always performed well and paid tribute and paid respects from time to time, many people think that this is just a appearance and no one can predict how the situation will develop in the future.

Now, this great fight between Fei and Cao may be coming to an end...

Of course, there may still be some confusion, but with the confirmation of this war, some things that were originally buried at the bottom of the deep pool may emerge. In the future, as the situation becomes clearer, if Fei Qian can stabilize the situation in Guanzhong, then these uncertainties and confusions will gradually disappear.

  After all, didn’t Liu Xiu, oh, Emperor Guangwu go through the same thing back then?

It’s just that during the reign of Emperor Guangwu, the nobles in Jizhou and Yuzhou rose to power, and now it should be the turn of those fishy people in the northern part of Guanzhong!

  Ugh!

Thirty years in Hedong...

Ah, here we are.

The vehicle stopped.

Ju Hu looked up at the Zuixian Tower which was still bustling.

Laughing and panting.

The meat is fragrant and the wine is mellow.

Singing and dancing should never stop in life, no matter what time it is.

Yes, the ancestors of these Shandong gentry accompanied Emperor Guangwu and shed their blood to fight for him. So shouldn’t their descendants be allowed to enjoy a peaceful life and drink fine wine?

Ju Hu rolled his eyes and walked in with his head held high amid the warm greeting of the waiter at Zuixianlou.

He is here for talks today.

Should we accept the current reality and choose to stand on the right side again, or should we do nothing and wait for the day of final judgment? We must make a decision.

  Anyway, the children of the Jizhou gentry have stood on the wrong side many times, so this time they should stand on the right side, right?

But who can say for sure? What if the dice in the casino roll twelve big numbers in a row?

The next one, big or small?

Ju Hu feels that they are lucky now because they may still have some choices, but in many cases, many people do not have much choice.

Ju Hu smiled, nodded, and greeted the children of the nobles who passed by. At the same time, he wondered when the Han Dynasty seemed to have become so unpredictable. It was as if the river that was originally flowing slowly suddenly accelerated, and the surging waves were so big and violent that Ju Hu felt like he had fallen into the rapids. He couldn't swim, and he didn't know whether the Cui Hou in his hand was a hollow reed or a life-saving plank...

Perhaps, it is a burden?

The current ruling institutions of the Cao family in Yecheng are not perfect yet, and there is no mutual check and balance. After Cao Cao came to power, the Cao and Xiahou families rose to prominence, but the children of the Cao and Xiahou families were not necessarily talented and powerful. Many of them were still ordinary people. After Cao Cao became the prime minister, everyone's intelligence and military power did not increase. Therefore, in Yecheng, the control of the Cao family was still very limited.

Although the children of Jizhou gentry did not get many high-ranking positions in the current Cao family's ruling institutions, the bottom layer was still controlled by these children of Jizhou. Even Chen Qun did not dare to not give face to these children of Jizhou gentry. Therefore, Jizhou is still Jizhou for the people of Jizhou. This will not change and will never change...

If Cui Hou hadn't brought the shocking news, Ju Hu wouldn't have made such a trip.

After all, that news could never be taken literally to become "evidence" and could only be spread by word of mouth.

  Xiahou Yuanrang was captured!

Whenever Ju Hu thought of this, he felt a little trembling. He had to finalize the corresponding strategy as soon as possible, otherwise if the news really spread, Cao would definitely react, and then it would be meaningless to discuss anything.

Ju Hu had thought that Cui Hou might lie, but then he realized that there was no need for Cui Hou to lie, because this matter was too easy to expose, and it would only take a little time...

I believe that there are many fast horses heading to Cao’s military camp now with various reasons and excuses.

This also includes Ju Hu's...

So unless Cui Hou was a dead spy, there was no need for him to lie.

Is Cui Hou a dead spy?

Ju Hu sneered. This guy was willing to sell out even his conscience, how could he possibly be a spy?

Cui Hou was under the cavalry, and they had a good relationship in the past, which was originally great, but for the sake of money, haha...

The corresponding countermeasures must be determined before everyone confirms its authenticity.

The distance was several thousand miles, and it would take several days to reach the destination even if the express delivery was 800 miles. We couldn't do anything about it openly, so we could only inquire privately. We couldn't send a letter to ask Prime Minister Cao, "How is General Xiahou now?"

If the trip is not fast, the feedback will certainly be slower, and there will inevitably be problems of one kind or another in the middle, and the confirmation will take longer. Among all kinds of speculations, in general, this news has not caused too much waves around Yecheng, and the Cao family seems to be keeping an eye on Wei Yan.

Most of the Jizhou nobles who knew the news were like Ju Hu, suppressing their thoughts and making secret connections. They would never say or do anything in public...

When you really want to do it, you have to do it to the end.

So, be careful, be careful.

Ju Hu met the person he wanted to see.

Strictly speaking, he only met half of the person, because Ju Hu wanted to meet the person he really wanted to meet through this middleman...

Select image.

Wuji Zhen family.

This is not a noble family that can be created by a blood-soaked bun.

The two greeted each other and sat down.

"Ahahaha, today is a good day, with bright sunshine and clear moon." Ju Hu laughed and clapped the gilded fan in his palm. "I looked up at the sky one morning. The clouds dispersed and the sun rose. The golden light was shining on the ground, and the breeze was blowing on my face. It was really refreshing. I came here all the way and saw the boundless fields, the clear blue sky, and the white clouds. I suddenly felt that all my worries disappeared. There were also birds singing on the branches, and their voices were melodious, as if announcing good news. Such a good time and beautiful scenery are really rare. It is a good time to travel and enjoy the scenery, so as not to waste your youth."

Zhen Xiang nodded in agreement, "Brother Ju, you are in a very elegant mood!"

  Zhen Xiang smiled, but felt uneasy. He said he had something important to discuss, but he ended up saying good weather? The weather was good? Wasn't he just lying... huh? What did he mean?

Zhen Xiang glanced at the gilded fan that was rustling in Ju Hu's hand, and made up his mind that as long as Ju Hu didn't talk about serious matters, he would never say a word.

Zhen felt somewhat embarrassed because of Zhen Mi.

After failing in their investment with Yuan Shao, Zhen Shi thought about it and decided to hedge their bets and invest in multiple areas. But what was the result?

Zhen, who stayed in Jizhou, was unable to ride in the same carriage with Cao, and Zhen Mi, who stayed in Guanzhong, was unable to sleep in the same bed with the cavalry.

However, fortune and misfortune go hand in hand, so the Zhen family did not interfere with the Cao family in terms of power, but instead enjoyed a peaceful life. In addition, the trade with Guanzhong, especially the gold-painted fans and spice derivatives sold from Guanzhong, almost monopolized the entire northern Shandong market.

Ju Hu was waving his gilded fan noisily, but he was actually still hesitant.

When it comes to weather nonsense like this, it doesn't matter how much you say. However, if it really involves key issues, especially core figures, it is impossible to withdraw it if you want to, or just disband the chat group and pretend nothing happened.

After a while, Ju Hu could no longer bear it, so he said in a deep voice: "There is something I want to tell you, brother. Have you heard about it?"

"Excuse me." Zhen Xiang bowed.

Ju Hu looked around, then lowered his voice, "Jiangdong has sent Lu Zijing, who has arrived in Yingchuan, to revise the old agreement."

"Is this true?" Zhen Xiang was a little surprised. Zhen Xiang really didn't know this news, because for some reasons, there were some problems in the exchanges between Jizhou and Yuzhou.

Zhen Xiang glanced at Ju Hu and immediately raised his rating of him. At least being able to collect information in all directions at this stage was something that not ordinary people could do.

Since Ju Hu gave Zhen Xiang information that he did not know, he must have something to ask for, so Zhen Xiang asked with a smile, "I wonder why Brother Ju came to Yecheng?"

Ju Hu smiled and finally got to the point. "I heard that the Zhen family has a farm in Qinghe County. It has beautiful scenery and is a great place to cool off. I wonder if you can borrow it for a few days?"

Zhen Xiang's face changed slightly, "What manor? My family's business is all around Zhongshan. How can we have a manor in Qinghe? Did you mishear, brother Zhen?"

Ju Hu laughed but did not answer.

Zhen Xiang was relatively young after all, and when Ju Hu said that, he felt a little uneasy. He simply stood up and said, "It is a great honor to meet you today. If Brother Ju doesn't mind, I will be the host and welcome you..."

"No hurry, no hurry." Ju Hu also stood up, took Zhen Xiang's hand, and moved closer, "I appreciate your kindness, but now is not the time for drinking and having fun... I really want to meet this distinguished guest, so I hope you won't refuse."

"What, what distinguished guest?" Zhen Xiang pretended to be stupid.

Ju Hu smiled. Some things sound complicated, but if you grasp the core point, they become simple.

There was a severe drought in Jizhou, and food was in short supply everywhere. The price of grain in the official shops was very stable, and was even declining. Whenever the officials came with the children of Cao to inspect, the shops were always full of grain. But as soon as the children of Cao turned around and left, the official shops would be emptied of all the grain within two hours, not a single grain left. Even a mouse would not be able to find a single grain of rice.

At the same time, food and fodder have always been sold on the black market, and the price is rising every day.

It is said that this inexplicably appearing grain merchant was just a small bandit somewhere before. Then he gave up his butcher knife because of his good intentions. He found a rice spring in a mountain cave, and there was a lot of rice every day...

When Ju Hu heard this, he just laughed.

White gloves, black gloves, gray gloves, green gloves, each glove naturally has its own use.

However, in Jizhou, there are actually not many people who can turn the tide, open up trade routes, and transport grain to various places quietly.

Zhen is one of them.

After all, the Zhen family's trade routes in the area north of Shandong were very developed, and no one would check if they smuggled something in.

After a few visits, Ju Hu finally discovered some clues.

At first, Ju Hu thought this was too risky and didn't plan to get involved. He took the hush money and pretended to be a naive person after receiving the hush money. But he didn't expect Cui Hou to come to his door and throw out a trump card in front of everyone...

Of course, Ju Hu could also understand why Cui Hou did this.

If he were in Cui Hou's situation, he would probably do the same.

If I don't say it in public, what if...

For businessmen, objects are commodities, news is also a commodity, sentiments and national justice can all be sold, and the more they see that people buy into their stuff, the more expensive they sell it for.

Didn’t the Jizhou nobles use this method enough in the past?

In this world, as long as you put on the name of serving the Han Dynasty, everything else seems to be logical. Didn't the officials of the Han Dynasty often say that as long as the intention is good, it is understandable if there are some flaws in the process...

So whether it was Ju Hu, Zhen Xiang, or other scion of Jizhou's aristocratic families, they all came together for a common goal.

Since we are all working towards a common goal, there is naturally a basis for communication and understanding.

Long live understanding!

Let us put aside disputes, jointly develop Jizhou and look towards a better future.

After learning about Xiahou Dun's affairs, Ju Hu keenly realized that under the new conditions, the risks were reduced and the benefits were increased...

Maybe it's time to get a piece of the pie.

"My dear brother, Chen Changshi is already near Qinghe..." Ju Hu finally dropped a bombshell and stared at Zhen Xiang intently, as if he wanted to see the truth from every pore on Zhen Xiang's face. "If you don't make a decision early, it will be too late to regret it then..."