73 Chapter 73
◎Two chapters in one◎
Xie Jiuyi was indeed unable to hold on any longer. Concubine Xu was very popular back then. Her brother claimed to have a personal letter from the King of Wei to support the King of Wei's second son, Li Zhi. At that time, some people who were unhappy with Xie Jiuyi and did not get any benefits naturally turned to the Xu brothers and sisters. They even received many promises from Wei Duo that as long as they cooperated internally and externally, the King of Wei's second son, Li Zhi, would be the heir in the future.
Ordinary people think that such people are unlikely, but once they have achieved power, there are many people who would take risks.
This is also the reason why Xie Jiuyi lost this battle.
There are too many traitors!
Yin Liyi was helping Xie Jiuyi apply medicine, and she was very anxious: "What a bunch of people who can't tell good from bad. They thought they could benefit from joining Wei Duo, but they didn't know that he was deliberately using them."
"Why are you angry, Liyi? I have an idea. Why don't you go to Yangzhou with Prince Yuzhang and the others? That way, if Jianye falls, we can still go to Yangzhou." Xie Jiuyi had already started planning.
Yin Liyi shook her head when she heard this: "I won't go. I'll be wherever you are."
She really didn't want to leave her husband, but Xie Jiuyi said, "Have you forgotten that you were arrested last time? What if someone arrested you and threatened me?"
"No, it was an accident last time. I will be very careful this time." Yin Liyi pleaded.
Xie Jiuyi finally couldn't bear it: "Okay, but Prince Yuzhang and your sister have to leave."
Yin Liyi nodded: "I'll go over and persuade him right away."
She told Yin Lifang what Xie Jiuyi said. Although Yin Lifang hesitated for a moment, she still agreed and said to Yin Liyi, "You should come with me, too. Let's go together."
"Sister, what are you talking about? I want to stay with my husband and leave my children to you." Yin Liyi always knew that she was not very smart, but if Wei Duo really called, she would stay and accompany him.
Yin Lifang looked at her in disbelief: "You were arrested last time, are you crazy now? You don't know how to fight, aren't you just adding to the chaos? Come with us."
Yin Liyi still shook her head: "Sister, I have never been as smart as you. It would be a waste of time for me to go to Yangzhou with you. It is better for me to stay in Jianye. My husband has also promised me to find someone who is about the same age as Jing'er and let me live in the Prince of Wei's mansion with that child. In this way, no one will know that you have left."
"You..." Only then did she understand her sister's painstaking efforts and she was instantly deeply moved.
"How about we all stay here?" Yin Lifang felt bad.
Yin Liyi shook her head firmly: "Sister, you used to take care of me, an ignorant sister, and now it's my turn to take care of you."
That night, Yin Lifang took her son down to Yangzhou.
Xie Jiuyi continued to fight, and the people around him just watched.
After Li Cheng came back, he was not relaxed either, because his territory was bigger, so he could not do everything by himself as before, but had to consider the overall situation. He should reward meritorious service and punish crime, but he could not let the meritorious officials down because of some minor flaws, so he was busy.
He also recruited a group of staff to handle affairs, and the young master Liu who was introduced to Miss Cao before was also recruited to work under Li Cheng.
These aides were paid solely by Li Cheng, and he was discussing with Huiyin how much to give to the external accounts.
"Please make a list of these, including the amount of food and supplies, and I will deliver them at all times of the year," Huiyin said.
Li Cheng nodded: "I actually want to follow the example of the imperial court and use three provinces and six ministries to manage this place. Otherwise, if I go on an expedition, I have to be able to deal with it here."
Huiyin agreed: "That's right. The three provinces and six ministries check and balance each other. In this way, even if you are not here, there are people to do the work."
However, talented people are hard to find, so Li Cheng prepared the literary and martial arts himself and did not accept any requests.
These people knew that Li Cheng was difficult to talk to, so they all came to Huiyin. Madam Miao had always had a good relationship with Huiyin, and the person she came to recommend was her youngest son Miao Nian.
"Originally I said I would not come, but they insisted that I come and talk to the princess. My little son is a stubborn person and is extremely loyal."
Huiyin had to maintain a high degree of agreement with Li Cheng on this matter. She said, "I have long heard that Miao Xiaolang is quite talented. This time the prince has adopted the anonymous system, so he will definitely be able to select people based on their talents."
Mrs. Miao didn't dare to blame Huiyin for not helping to speak up. The prince's territory was getting bigger and bigger, and many people were blocked at the door, so at least she could meet him.
So, she quickly said, "Yes, you are right."
Huiyin said, "Don't come over these days. It's just a waste of time. Even if your son is really talented, others will think you are here to speak up."
Ever since Huiyin closed the door and refused to see visitors, she even told the people from the Zheng family that things were going badly these days and they would see each other later.
There were also people from Gaoyang who came here from Ji's family, Xin's family, and Cui's family. Especially the Cui family was Li Cheng's maternal uncle's family. They all thought that they could get high positions and generous salaries if they came here, but they didn't expect that Li Cheng would need to take an exam.
Some people think highly of themselves and feel that Li Cheng insults them.
Xin's uncle thought: "I am already a famous scholar in Jizhou, but I still have to take the exam with the younger generation. That is really too much of a challenge."
Pei Shuo had to persuade him, "I have already told the prince about my uncle's name. Just wait. The prince is talented and will surely be able to recruit him."
"I feel relieved when you say this." Xin Daru also hoped that he would meet a famous master.
However, Pei Shuo added: "But I can't guarantee it completely. The prince seems to value law-abiding officials more than those high-brow things. Uncle must be careful in front of the prince."
It was not easy for the younger generation to criticize the elders, so Pei Shuo first affirmed Xin Daru, and then immediately told him about Li Cheng, which indirectly told him that Li Cheng was different from Zheng Fang. Zheng Fang was a child from a poor family, and although he was talented, he was not so smart, his principles were not so strong, and he liked to do things according to his own wishes.
Pei Shuo was able to appease his uncle Xin. Cui Yuehuan's eldest brother went to Wei Duo, and the second brother came directly. He was a member of the Cui family and was well educated. He prepared directly at home. Because Zheng Wuheng was in the army and he was young, he was sent directly to the navy by Li Cheng to learn naval warfare.
Cui Yuehuan was worried, but she couldn't say anything to her second brother. However, Ji Shi seemed to understand what she was thinking and couldn't help but say, "Your second brother is also a famous talent. The prince is not meeting him in private. If he can stand out, it will prove that he is really talented."
Although the Cui family and Li Cheng have a close relationship, Li Cheng is indifferent to the Cui family, and Cui Yuehuan is unsure.
"Mother, I want to go to the princess—"
Ji smacked her lips and said, "You don't understand the princess's personality. She is a very ruthless person. She originally had two wet nurses. One of them loved to touch me secretly. Later, she went too far and was directly kicked out by her. No matter what anyone said, it was useless. Sometimes, she even forced me, her mother, to apologize, but she would not listen to me."
The daughter has had a bad temper since she was young, completely different from Deyin. When Deyin was young, she enjoyed going out to visit relatives and friends with Madam Xu, but Huiyin was unwilling to go to anyone's house, and would not even leave if a horse-drawn carriage was pulled. She was determined and would stick to her own way even if others said she was weird.
Later, after her daughter started to study, her views on things were far superior to theirs, and she had to listen to her daughter.
Cui Yuehuan had no choice but to shut up and went back to talk to Nanny Rong about it. She was also very worried.
On the contrary, Rong Mama advised her, "Second Madam, why worry? Even if our Second Uncle fails the exam this time, with our relationship, he will definitely be able to please the Prince in the future. As the saying goes, brothers fight together to fight tigers, and fathers and sons fight together in battle. No matter how talented the outsiders are, they are not as useful as relatives."
"That's the truth." Cui Yuehuan breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this.
The Cui and Xin families were quiet, and the Xu family came to Madam Xu for help. Xu's brother originally worked for the King of Wei, but when the King of Wei passed away, he returned to his hometown. The Donghai Xu family was also a big family, so naturally they wanted to be promoted.
Mrs. Xu didn't understand the situation outside, and she still agreed: "I'll tell the Marquis."
She had actually told Zheng Fang about it, but Zheng Fang just ignored it and forgot about it after he left. The prince's son-in-law had sent him to Yuzhou and Yanzhou as an official. His daughter had quietly told him that if there was anything wrong with the governors there, he should come back and tell the prince. If he did a good job, the prince would give him the 2,000-stone fief of Jizhou. How could he remember other people's affairs?
Zheng Fang dressed up, said goodbye to Li Cheng, and went to Yuzhou and Yanzhou.
As soon as he left, Huiyin punched Li Cheng: "You are so mean. You sent my father there. It's like a rat entering a rice jar. When he is treated with good wine and beautiful women, how can he remember what he is doing there?"
"That's exactly the effect I want. If I really send someone who is upright, then no one can escape the connection. Your father's family gave me such a large piece of land, and I originally wanted to give them fiefdom. If one day I really rule the world, naturally I will get more." Li Cheng actually felt that it was still a little too little.
If the fiefdom has more than 1,000 households, the amount of grain to be paid is also determined by God. If there is a disaster year and there is no harvest, there may be no grain at all. Now the Zheng family came and directly gave them food. The same is true for the governor of the same state. Zheng Fang is now doing a leisurely job, which is not a big deal. It is really thoughtful.
Huiyin held his hand and said, "Let's take it step by step. By the way, will you let me go with you tomorrow? That would be bad."
Tomorrow is the first time that the so-called talent selection ceremony will be held on Li Cheng's territory. No women have ever participated in such events in the past, and she is afraid of breaking the rules.
李澄卻道：“妻者，齊也。徽音，上次若是沒有你送糧食去，我們打仗也不會那麽順利，這樣的盛事你怎麽可能不參加呢？你若不參加，那就少了許多光彩。”
徽音心下一喜，看着他道：“謹遵王爺之命。”
第一次考試，是李澄現場拟題，他沒有透露給任何人，而是等考生進場之後，随意點到某一考生，再以此為題。
坐在李澄旁邊的徽音，這是頭一次見到家外的丈夫，他不僅武略強，文韬也是過人。她雖然也讀過書，可聽丈夫引經據典，覺得自己見識實在是太少了，還需好好學習才行。
底下站着的全部都是本次應試的才俊，他們都低頭聆聽教誨，這些人來李澄這裏，也存了一等能輔佐未來帝王的心思。現今天下，豫章王年幼，太子弱勢，只是那上京的太子，根本無法控管全局，反而是淮陰王勢大。
這些人聽完李澄說完之後，在官差的帶領下各自去各自的考房，徽音頭一次在這麽多男子面前亮相，出于一貫的女子的反應，她是有些羞澀的，但是又覺得這樣的自己丢臉，故而打起精神來。
“別怕。”
她聽見李澄對她說，徽音認真的點頭。
一個男人愛你，不是嘴上跟你說幾句甜言蜜語，或者送些玩意兒你就是真的愛你，愛你是真的願意和你分享權力。
不知道李澄為何做出這樣的決定，但是她有些惶恐之後，又多了興奮。
這和前世不同，前世即便她做了太後，外面的事情還是父親說了算，甚至還有衛铎這些人為敵，連父親都未必有辦法。
李澄在旁品茶，有美人相伴，他根本不累，甚至恨不得把自己滿身的才藝都展現出來，還得表現得舉重若輕。
可惜，徽音不知道他心中所想。
與之相反的是德音，自從父兄全部叛投李澄之後，她的境遇實在是難熬，甚至有一日侍寝的時候脫光衣服被太子用馬鞭抽了幾鞭子。
衛良娣嘲諷于她，反倒是雲枝來了一趟，親自端了熱湯給她。
“良娣，還好你現在封號還沒被奪，來喝點熱湯，多歇息幾日就好了。”在雲枝看來，只要沒有被奪封號，日後低調一些，保住命比什麽都強。
德音看她遞來的參湯，不禁想着以前雲枝任自己驅使，當年呂笑都要避其鋒芒，現在卻是讓曾經的丫頭救濟可憐自己。但她面上不顯，還道：“以前是我錯待了你。”
雲枝搖頭：“良娣說哪裏話，以前我也有不對，不該背主。可是，咱們踏進了這宮門，為的也是活着，能活的好。我是偷偷來的，這就回去了，良娣保重。”
“哦，好，多謝。”德音看了她一眼。
雲枝迅速走了出去，她身邊服侍的丫頭道：“您何必過來，您肚子裏還有孩子呢，現在滿宮上下都不待見她，您也該跑的遠遠的才是。”
“不許胡說。”
聽到這些德音不是不埋怨爹的，為什麽她們都幫李澄，甚至還投靠李澄，把整塊地都送出去了，為什麽他們就是偏心？
從小到大，她樣樣都比妹妹徽音強，可家裏人就是偏心，她還不知道以後等着她的是什麽樣的折磨，頭一次，她這麽恨自己的家人。
考試九天之後結束，有些身子弱點的直接被擡出去的，有的則是在緊張的考試之中往秦樓楚館放松，還有人瘋狂拜佛，徐州附近的廟宇道觀香火袅袅。
崔二郎饒是世家出身，也是有些擔心，因為李澄采取糊名制，糊名之後還讓一人親自謄寫，根本沒人知曉誰是誰，這對于他們這些以前都是恩蔭出仕，或者靠推舉出仕的人而言，若是考不上就真的丢臉了。
如此，連帶來的愛妾也不怎麽寵了。
恰逢鄭無恒回來，見舅兄如此，反而安慰道：“內兄何必杞人憂天。”
“我并非杞人憂天，這次考試非同一般的嚴，王爺和王妃親自督查，連出恭也跟着兩人。我的位置還好一點，有人坐到臭號旁邊，那可簡直了。”崔二郎心裏很清楚，這次是由淮陰王地盤幾乎所有精英荟萃了。
豫州刺史郭钊最為鐵血，先在本州請大儒考了一場，選出五十人送來考試，徐州本地更不必說，更是嚴格，兖州、青州也是如此。他們剛并入的冀州還沒這麽大的陣仗，崔二郎還喜了一場，沒想到啊，就看到冀州張家他那姐夫也來了。
當時兩人在酒桌上都表示不屑來參考，可在考院門前相遇，實在是尴尬不已。
最尴尬的若是張姐夫中了，自己沒中，那就更慘了。
還好慶幸的是他和張姐夫都沒中，又擡頭見李澄親自念完中了的五十人，旁邊有個舉子喊道：“我總覺得王爺還沒念完呢，王爺求求你再念一念吧……”
這些人還跑在李澄這裏跪下，李澄卻默默的搖頭，有時候就是這麽的殘忍，差不毫厘失之千裏。
崔二郎自然不會有失身份，但見不少士子啼哭，他的心裏可不好受。
月餘都無法從考試失敗中恢複過來，他還借住在鄭家，見從外回來的鄭放紅光滿面，聽說他被豫州刺史和兖州刺史好一頓招待，還得了王爺賞的兩千石食邑，真是感慨人和人到底不同。
鄭放還毫無所覺道：“賢侄，我帶了不少特産回來，你可要和我共用啊。”
說罷還拍了一下崔二郎的肩膀，把個崔二郎拍的差點往後退幾步。
且不說鄭放和崔二郎到底吃酒還是黯然不提，徽音正接到一張紙條，上面寫着殷麗芳一行已經到了揚州了，她立馬就把紙條遞給李澄看。
李澄有些訝異道：“你是怎麽知曉的？這是誰傳給你的。”
原本這事兒徽音想作為自己的秘密的，人嘛，總得防一手，但是現在她是真的覺得李澄連權利都願意和自己分享，與其日後被李澄發現認為自己藏了一手，還不如趁此機會說了。
“以前我知曉你愛吃我做的拉面，我就在想開一家拉面店，這樣想吃拉面的人也有個去處，後來我打算用張老三拉面店去藏糧食，這樣給你運糧食也不會被人發現。後來，咱們不是在徐州自立了嗎？所以偶爾有什麽消息，他們也幫我打探。”徽音抿唇。
李澄重重咳嗽兩聲：“你真的比我想象中要厲害多了。”
他其實內心已經是如驚濤駭浪了，上次徽音讓人運糧，直接親自去和糧商們談，又讓人運過來，全程拿出五十萬兩眉頭都沒有皺一下，要知道夫妻倆其實也沒有說到富甲天下的地步，她從未想過失敗，大事上非常拎得清。
“可是，既然是一個普通的面店，怎麽能知曉這樣機密的事情呢？”
徽音笑道：“你不要以為底層就什麽都不知道，他們去揚州了，總得要買人，我們張老三的拉面店常常在最熱鬧的市井，什麽犄角都有店。那些什麽三教九流，三姑六婆在的地方，可是靈通了。”
“我受教了。”李澄自以為自己很了不起，如今看徽音，又覺得她很沉得住氣，同時也有自己的智慧。
她不是那種學究天人的人，可是總有自己的巧辦法。
徽音見他這般嚴肅，不免道：“平日我倆嘻嘻哈哈的，如今你這般說話，倒是顯得客氣。”
“诶，你說謝九儀是不是自己都沒信心啊？”李澄道。
“我看像，其實你也只多要了吳郡，別的魏王的地盤你又沒占，那麽片一塊地。本來和謝九儀奪取荊州的趙鴻暴斃，他應當躊躇滿志才對啊。”徽音無法理解。
李澄則道：“看局勢如何吧，我聽聞宮中皇帝的身子已經是不好了。”
其實前世皇帝都已經去世了，這輩子皇上還拖着命，也着實奇怪，但徽音想自己前世就是殺了李珩，天下還是沒有平息。
如今一步步來，更踏實。
“夫君，即便他當了皇上又如何，衆人會聽他的號令嗎？”徽音道。
李澄則道：“不打緊，我聽說衛良娣生了個兒子，衛铎想必還想挾天子以令諸侯，不會這麽就讓李珩存活的。”
“話雖如此，可是怎麽讓衛铎下決心呢？”徽音不懂。
李澄笑道：“昔日蘇秦張儀憑借三寸不爛之舌說動楚王，難道我就沒有安插說客嗎？你且放心，我自有分寸。”
“原來你早有安排，可是衛铎現在跟謝九儀在打仗呢？”徽音總覺得這事兒她看不透。
列國縱橫之術，徽音雖然也看過《左傳》那些，可總有些想不明白。
李澄手把手的教她：“我若直接和李珩對着幹，李珩占着法理，我就很容易被衆人針對，說我是篡位之人，即便千年之後，史書也會如此寫。即便我李澄做了太多功績，都會留下這樣的罵名，還會被群起而攻之，可如果讓衛铎先行一步，我對付衛铎，那就沒的說了。”
“可謝九儀萬一坐大了呢？”徽音道。
Li Cheng shook his head: "That will be very difficult. Wei is no longer the place where the King of Wei is. Concubine Xu and others rebelled and the country is already in disarray. Now I see them fighting among themselves. I need to rest and recuperate. After all, Jizhou has just been taken back. It will be easy for me to go to the capital from Jizhou."
Huiyin seemed to understand what he said, but not quite, so she thought about it privately.
Ten days later, Li Cheng came back and said that Wei Duo had sent people to capture Yin Liyi and asked Xie Jiuyi to withdraw his troops...
Huiyin was completely speechless. Yin Liyi didn't know how to fight, so why did she follow her to the front line? It turned out that she was using the same old tricks again this time.