Chapter 699: Connecting with others
Chang'an, outside Sang Mansion
Wang Yun deliberately had his own carriage waiting outside the gate. As soon as Pei's carriage appeared, it was stopped by Wang Yun's entourage.
Then, Wang Yun boarded Pei Zheng's carriage.
In the carriage, after a verbal exchange between the two sides.
Wang Yun asked with a smile, "Brother Pei, are you optimistic about Pingzhou?"
Pei Zheng also laughed, "Brother Wang, you are also afraid of Pingzhou."
"What does your Pei family plan to do?" Wang Yun asked curiously.
Pei Zheng did not answer, but asked with a smile, "What about you Wang family? What are your plans?"
Both sides looked at each other. They knew each other very well. Who would reveal their cards?
When they said their final goodbyes, the two of them looked polite but distant.
…
After leaving the Sang Mansion, these family heads or young masters took advantage of the rare opportunity to gather in Chang'an to start private one-on-one contact. They would spy on each family's attitude towards Pingzhou and then decide whether to cooperate or not.
In the end, the major families were divided into two factions, one was the compromising faction headed by the Pei family, and the other was the hard-line faction headed by the Wang family of Langya.
The three prominent families of Hedong and Jin advanced and retreated together, and the Wang family of Taiyuan and the Wang family of Langya were of the same blood.
The Zhaojun Li family was still hesitant. After discussing with the elders of the clan, they decided to join the Wang family alliance.
Since ancient times, rare things have been valuable. The Li family of Zhaojun and the Xue family of Hedong are both powerful military families. If they join the faction headed by the Pei family, their value cannot be fully reflected.
After reaching a cooperation intention and forming a secret alliance, they each took action.
As the saying goes, snakes have their own paths and rats have their own ways.
For these aristocratic families, in addition to the talented people from each family who would serve as officials, there were also officials supported by the aristocratic families in the court of Dali.
Although they hadn't been able to establish their own members within Pingzhou's political power center due to Pingzhou's rapid rise, hadn't the Qinghe Cui clan and the Zhuozhou Lu clan already been incorporated into Pingzhou's territory? These two clans had many talented members, so surely someone had made a name for themselves in Pingzhou?
Of course, apart from these two, as long as they are willing to pay enough, they can always find a way to get in touch with the top leaders of Pingzhou.
"I have already sent the message back." Pei Zheng said to Liu Shaojun.
Liu Shaojun: "You decide on this matter. Shouldn't we go back quickly?"
Pei Zheng said, "There's no rush to go back."
When it comes to matters of family destiny, before joining forces or forming an alliance, the entire situation has been discussed repeatedly, and the family's general decision or direction has been determined. Unless a major emergency occurs that could alter the family's decision, the family's decision can be carried out step by step.
Even though he is in Chang'an and still inquiring about the attitudes of various families, in fact, the Pei family has already arranged people to go to Pingzhou to carry out the operation.
So, if the two of them didn't go back, it wouldn't cause any trouble.
Besides the head and young master, the Pei and Liu clans still had some capable individuals, so they weren't the only ones needed to support the clan's territory. Chang'an was also experiencing a turbulent situation, so they decided to stay and see if there were any opportunities.
"While we are taking action here, Wang's team won't be too slow either." Liu Shaojun said.
Pei Zheng shook his head and was not optimistic about the actions of Wang and others.
In short, the aristocratic family is taking action.
It should be said that in times of great contention, all forces are mobilized.
Pingzhou
Lu Songli was out of confinement, but Qin Xuan’s full moon banquet was held when she was 42 days old.
Because the ritual official of Pingzhou told Lu Songli and the people of the Qin and Lu families that the day twelve days later would be auspicious, much better than the full moon day.
However, Qin Xuan has already started receiving full-moon gifts.
After Lu Songli finished her confinement, she began to summon civil and military officials one after another.
The first people she met were her father, Xue Xu and others.
They were relieved to see that Lu Songli had recovered well.
Lu Desheng was the first to bring up something, "Recently, many of the aristocratic families in Dali have sent gifts to our home."
"Here are my subordinates. They have also delivered them." Xue Xu had a tense face. He had no good feelings towards the wealthy families of Dali.
Lu Songli hummed, indicating that she understood.
Lü Desheng asked Lü Songli, "They may have secretly intended to subjugate Xiang Pingzhou. What do you think?"
Lu Songli: "Is there a condition?"
People join in order to share in the group's profits, not simply to pledge loyalty.
Xue Xu said with disgust, "Yes, the conditions are not low." People from the Wang family of Langya, hey!
"What conditions?" Lu Songli asked curiously.
Xue Xu said with a straight face, "They hope to retain their land and wealth in the local area."
Impossible! Lu Songli replied subconsciously.
She knew that in feudal dynasties, the speed of land annexation determined the speed of dynasty change.
But she came from a later generation where land was collective property, and this collective was divided into state ownership and collective ownership.
However, the establishment of the Pingzhou regime is inseparable from the soldiers who fought for Pingzhou and risked their lives, as well as the talents who made great contributions to Pingzhou.
When Pingzhou develops to a certain stage, it is necessary to reward people according to their merits.
As for how to distribute and reward, she needs to think carefully about it.
Because the distribution rules and the ability to control determine whether the group can continue and operate relatively healthily.
Xue Xu asked, "I wonder what conditions we can put forward when we contact Lord Lu's family?"
Lu Desheng replied, "The one who contacted me is the Pei family, a prominent family from the Three Jins in Hedong. Their appetite isn't that large; they just want to keep half of the land and wealth. And judging by their attitude, if we're not satisfied, we can still negotiate."
Xue Xu snorted lightly. This Pei was quite sensible.
"If all the noble families of Dali surrendered, it would save us a lot of trouble." Lu Desheng felt sorry for his daughter's hard work.
How could Lu Songli not know the saying, whoever wins the noble family wins the world.
But what the aristocratic families wanted was for the emperor and the literati to rule the world together, and she couldn't agree to that! The world belonged to the literati, and even the emperor was just their spokesperson.
Some shortcuts cannot be taken, otherwise...
They worked so hard to build their empire not to support a special class.
But I can't say that.
In short, in order to gain the recognition and power of the family and make her recognize the legitimacy of its ownership of the land, she was unwilling to do so.
Rather than giving advantage to the aristocratic families, she would rather give advantage to her followers, allowing them to prosper together and allowing them to own certain means of production.
"We can continue to negotiate the conditions." Lu Desheng said.
"Those noble families hinted that, as a token of their sincerity, they could help us kill your mortal enemy, your ex-fiancé, my ex-son-in-law." Lu Desheng did not deny that this made him very tempted.
Lu Songli: ...
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