Chapter 2308: Stay and the Traitor, Drink Wine and Tea

Behind the light is darkness.

Without the backdrop of darkness, there is also the majesty of light.

Human beings are inherently complex creatures. It is really difficult to say whether they are pure light or darkness.

Just like Yang Xiu, when he stood on the main city of Tongguan and faced the light of the rising sun, what he actually felt was more of a feeling of darkness, and the sky was so dark that it was about to engulf him.

Is this killing a chicken to scare the monkey?

Or does it mean something else?

Yang Xiu's eyes dropped slightly, watching the spies who were tied up below the city working in detail. There is no expression on his face, but he is crying in his heart. The wealth he has accumulated during this period of time is about to be vomited out before his eyes...

Damn meticulous work!

It wasn't that Yang Xiu thought that these detailed works were really worthy of death, but that he was implicated because of these detailed works. He originally wanted to watch the excitement, but ended up seeing his own excitement.

Why! I'm angry, but I have to hold it in and laugh along with it.

Fei Qian ignored Yang Xiu and didn't care whether Yang Xiu laughed or cried.

Yesterday's overall arrest operation was relatively successful. The nails inside and outside the city were removed. Tongguan will enter a relatively stable period, and when the next wave of spies try their best to sneak in, Tongguan will enter a relatively stable period. By that time, most of the construction of Tongguan had been completed, and if you wanted to destroy it, it would not be as easy as it is now.

After all, there are no piles of lumber yards or scaffolding for buildings. When there are no such things to ignite the fire, even if it is really set on fire, nothing may be burned.

Fei Qian gestured and invited Yang Xiu to take a few steps forward together and stand on the wall of the main city of Tongguan to watch the ceremony.

Killing is sometimes a "ritual".

"Li" is actually a kind of norm, which can also be said to be "law", but it is bigger than "law" and includes everyone's daily norms, such as "crown, marriage, court, betrothal, funeral, sacrifice, guest and host, etc." Drinking in the countryside and traveling in the army are called the Nine Rituals."

But "propriety" is smaller than "morality"...

During the arrest process yesterday, most of the main figures committed suicide or sought death during the arrest process, while the other survivors, after interrogation, did not find anything of value. something to come. These people are basically dead soldiers, or to a certain extent, dead soldiers. In order to repay kindness and return favors, just like Jing Ke during the Warring States Period, he imagined that he would be famous in history and came here. He did something and got caught.

If nothing more valuable can be dug out, these people will lose their value.

Therefore, today Fei Qian ordered most of the spies to be led to the foot of Tongguan City and killed. The reason why it is most is because, except for a limited number of people, others do not know how many people Fei Qian has arrested. Therefore, after today's execution, some people may feel that it is okay, and then Coming out of the mouse hole...

On the other hand, if you kill some and keep some, then the few who stay may naturally be considered traitors. Even if Fei Qian cannot come up with any subsequent names, he can still give them the appropriate names. The opportunity is used as bait to throw out...

Anyway, there are many ways to play, and the postures are also very rich. There is nothing you can't think of, but nothing you can't do. Just like now, Fei Qian put Yang Xiu into a posture, and Yang Xiu could only pose obediently, not daring to move. Although another layer of skin was peeled off, which hurt his heart, he still had some strength left. tone...

Under the city, near the execution ground, were the officials of Tongguan, big and small, including Fan Cong of course.

If Yang Xiu is a bigger monkey, then these officials in Tongguan are certainly little monkeys.

Fan Cong subconsciously shrank as much as possible behind the other monkeys, lowering his head and shrinking his neck. He didn't know if he would be recognized, and he didn't know if all those who were about to be executed thought death was a good idea. If these guys just wanted to survive for the time being, they would randomly accuse someone in an attempt to delay or reduce their guilt, and then just accuse someone. When it comes to myself...

As for saving these people yourself?

How can I save him alone?

Fan Cong lowered his head and stared at the ground, like a frightened quail.

While Fan Cong was trying to reduce his projection area as much as possible, there was always a doubt in his heart: why was he discovered...

The caravan was caught because of the caravan's negligence, but it was indeed a surprise to Fan Cong that Fei Qian was traced out of Tongguan so quickly.

Normally, even if the caravan is captured, at most the wine shop will be implicated, and from the wine shop to the labor camp, it has to go through Fan Cong's hand, so even if the people in the caravan confess the wine shop, the people in the wine shop will not be involved. It was impossible for people to know that there was a labor camp. What’s more, the information provided by the wine shop at that time only said that there was a possibility of exposure, indicating that the wine shop was not sure whether there was a danger, otherwise it would not have written "possibly"...

This means that there is probably a traitor in the caravan!

Otherwise, the wine shop wouldn’t have been exposed so quickly!

So who is this traitor? The leader of the caravan? Or someone else?

And how were the labor camps exposed? The wine shop did not know about the labor camp, and Fan Cong himself was not arrested...

Now Fan Cong himself has not been caught, so it means that the people in the labor camp did not accuse him, which is a good thing...

But it's also a bad thing.

Because he was the only one who knew about the situation in the labor camp, the people in the wine shop could only contact him, and they didn’t know who he really was. The wine shop was only responsible for putting the information on the dead wood.

So this is one of the reasons why Fan Cong dares to discuss with the people in the labor camp whether to stay. As long as he discovers the abnormality of the wine shop, he will not go to the dead wood anymore, which is equivalent to saving himself and the labor camp. camp……

However, now he has not had any problems, but the people in the labor camp have been arrested.

Were the people in the labor camp themselves exposed? How was it exposed?

So which link is the problem?

Who is the traitor?

And will the people in the labor camp suspect that I betrayed them? Just like I suspect the people from the caravan betrayed the people from the liquor store?

Fan Cong couldn't help but feel beads of sweat falling from his head as he thought about it. He couldn't help but raise his sleeves to wipe the sweat. Then the other officials on the side got the idea, so he forced a smile and said: "This... the sun is a bit big... 』

The official next to him glanced at Fan Cong, and then looked at the sun in the sky. He didn't say anything, as if he believed Fan Cong's excuse.

Fan Cong breathed out secretly, and then quietly glanced at the wall of the main city of Tongguan, and found that Fei Qian and Yang Xiu seemed to be talking about something.

Fei Qian was smiling, facing the sun, and seemed to be glowing all over, while Yang Xiu was bowing down, with a smile on his face, but this smile made Fan Cong look very familiar...

Well, it's like the smiling faces of lower-level officials trying their best to please their superiors. Fan Cong himself often makes such a gesture, so he is naturally familiar with it.

On top of the city, Feiqian was talking.

When Fei Qian spoke, others would naturally shut up. No matter how loud a little person shouts, not many people will actually listen, but when a big person opens his mouth, other people will definitely prick up their ears.

"...Dezu...has its cause...therefore it has its effect..."

The distance was not too close, and Fan Cong couldn't hear clearly. It was just a few intermittent words, but it made Fan Cong's heart tumble.

Before the accident, Fei Qian came, and then Yang Xiu also came.

Fei Qian came to Tongguan, perhaps to catch these spies, or to inspect Tongguan. This is not a big problem, but why did Yang Xiu come to Tongguan?

Could it be...

Fan Cong was so excited by the thoughts in his heart that he almost raised his head to take a closer look. However, he controlled it at the next moment and even deliberately lowered his head.

Could it be Yang Xiu...

Damn, I should have thought of this!

It's Yang Xiu. It must be Yang Xiu who reported us!

But just as Fan Cong was tumbling in his heart, Yang Xiu walked down from the city wall, passed Fan Cong and other Tongguan officials, walked to the front, and then boarded the main beheading platform...

"Why? Why was he the one to kill? Fan Cong stared, "It is indeed him, it must be him..."

Also muttering in his heart was Yang Xiu.

But the problem was that Yang Xiu kept mumbling and he didn't dare to refuse.

Yang Xiu knew that it was useless even if he said he didn't know that Cao Cao secretly sent spies and agents to Feiqian.

Because Fei Qian doesn't care whether he knows or not.

And Yang Xiu also knew that Fei Qian should actually know that he had provided some "conveniences" to these spies. Even the conveniences given by Yang Xiu seemed "inadvertent". Sometimes they seemed like negligence, such as during the search. When dealing with utensils and commodities, turn a blind eye...

In front of Fei Qian, Yang Xiu only admitted that he had indeed resold some weapons and armor from Hedong, because he couldn't rely on this matter, but he didn't say anything about other things, let alone admit it.

But it doesn’t matter whether you admit it or not…

When Fei Qian asked Yang Xiu to be the chief beheading officer, Yang Xiu's little mind immediately started to spin.

Disobeying orders, no matter what the reason, is not a good choice.

Yang Xiu knew very well that sometimes the superior would tolerate some shortcomings of his subordinates, such as greed for money, lust, cruelty, isolation, etc., just like during the Eastern Han Dynasty, the leader of the Qiang people who deceived and killed thirty people, Officials who have participated in a large-scale event of "No Qiang for a Hundred Days" will still be promoted. When inspecting officials, they will not pay too much attention to some "details", but they will definitely focus on whether they are "obedient" and whether they are "obedient". obey".

Therefore, Yang Xiu is guilty of reselling soldiers and armors because of his greed for money, but the problem is not big. Since the Hedong Pei family was not exterminated by Fei Qian, then Yang Xiu will basically not be threatened with death. He will admit it and pay a large sum of money. The "fine" has basically passed, but if these spies are implicated, then it is not an issue of fines.

Therefore, Yang Xiu felt that this was a very serious warning given to him by Fei Qian...

A warning to face life and death.

If Yang Xiu hesitates a little at this time, or even shows disobedience...

Then this warning may become a real crime, and he will be guillotined with these spies and spies. Therefore, Yang Xiu obeyed and went down to the city, waited for him to get on the main beheading platform, and then looked back at the top of the city.

Fei Qian nodded slightly. When Yang Xiu turned his head, Fei Qian tilted his head slightly and whispered to Xu Huang and Ma Yue beside him: "After this matter is settled, we will send him back to the city and wait for him by the river." When Luo's fine is paid, let him go back..."

Xu Huang nodded slightly and responded quietly, "I obey my orders..."

Fei Qian smiled, and then said: "In addition, you might as well declare in the city... that the detailed work obtained this time is Yang Dezu's contribution..."

Xu Huang glanced past the officials below the city, "My lord, what do you mean... are there any details that haven't been eliminated here?" 』

Fei Qian raised his head, looked at the killing platform below the city, and also looked at Yang Xiu, who was the chief killing officer on the platform, and smiled slightly, "Of course." 』

"Lord, why not..." Xu Huang asked with a frown.

Fei Qian shook his head, then pointed at Yang Xiu with his chin and said, "It's just such a person..."

Xu Huang thought for a moment, nodded and said, "I understand." 』

Ma Yue looked to the left, then to the right, and scratched his head. He seemed to understand what it meant, but he was not very sure what it meant...

……щ(?Д?щ)……

After the incident in Xintongguan came to an end for the time being, Fei Qian took the people back to Guanzhong.

After crossing Jinggou from Tongguan, you will arrive at Guanzhong Plain.

Fei Qian also took the opportunity to visit Wuguan and Lantian, listened to Du Ji's work report, and then checked the settlement situation of the people in Jingzhou before returning to Chang'an.

After returning to the inner hall and walking around for a while, Huang Yueying and Fei Qian chatted for a few words and then became too lazy to move.

Huang Yueying is pregnant again. Maybe the air on the grassland is pleasant and good for conception?

Anyway, Huang Yueying's morning sickness is okay at this stage, not very strong, but she gets tired easily and is rather lethargic. If Fei Qian was not at home, Huang Yueying could naturally sleep as much as she wanted, but with Fei Qian, Huang Yueying felt that she had to accompany her no matter what, but after sitting with her for a while, she couldn't help but start to take a nap...

Therefore, Fei Qian could only persuade Huang Yueying to go to bed, and then he didn't want to go to the political hall for the time being. Finally, he had no choice but to walk around in Cai Yan's yard with his hands behind his back.

Cai Yan has given birth to a daughter.

Cai Yan was depressed for a long time at first because she always thought it was a boy.

Later, after Fei Qian's persuasion, things got better.

When Fei Qian came, the little girl was in Cai Yan's arms, looking around curiously with her dark eyes. Then Fei Qian hugged her without crying, and even wanted to scratch Fei Qian's beard with her hands. and tiara.

Fei Qian scratched his daughter's palm with his beard, and the little girl burst into laughter, which was not ladylike at all.

It's just that the child's energy is very limited. After being noisy for a while, he gradually became sleepy and stared blankly. Although he was tired, he still held on. The playful and tired little people were fighting with each other, which also made the little girl's My temper gradually became irritable, and I cried loudly. If I got close, it would even feel like my eardrums were shaking...

Cai Yan had no choice but to carry the girl to the back hall to breastfeed.

Um?

Follow up and take a look?

Hey, what's so good about this...

In fact, Fei Qian didn't think about it, because Fei Qian was actually thinking about this other thing in his mind. It was only after Cai Yan came back that he realized, ah, have you finished feeding? Next time……

"Asleep?" Fei Qian asked.

Cai Yan nodded, "Drink tea?" 』

Fei Qian also nodded, "Yeah. 』

Fei Qian likes to drink tea, so both Huang Yueying and Cai Yan in the family are very good at making tea.

Not only that, there was tea at the Hussar General's Mansion, Fufeng on the right, Feng Yi on the left, and even in any county town Fei Qian went to, including the newly built Tongguan City and the temporary Lantian camp.

What does this mean?

If you just think of the flattery and flattery from various towns and counties, then you are wrong.

It was Fei Qian who changed this big man and this world.

Before Feiqian, officials of all sizes had to drink when discussing matters, and it was even better to drink, drink more, and drink down. However, starting from Feiqian, drinking tea has become the standard for serious discussions, and drinking has become second-rate. needs. Think about it, in Jingxiang, when Liu Biao was still a middle-aged handsome man, he usually had a small banquet every three days and a big banquet every five days. He used wine to win over the Jingxiang nobles, but was it ultimately useful?

Can you believe what was said at the wine table? Do you have to drink to get things done? Many times, the reason why Chinese people drink is because they can use the drunkenness to say some things that they cannot usually say, such as conflicts of interest. If both parties are willing to compromise and accept, then the drunken talk becomes the truth. If the two parties cannot talk, Come on, then the truth becomes drinking talk.

Is this really the case?

Only wine can promote the interaction of interests?

If the answer is no, then why bother drinking?

The exchange of benefits that can be negotiated while drinking can actually be obtained without drinking. If the interests themselves are completely irreconcilable, even if you drink a hundred, a thousand, or ten thousand times until your liver bursts, it will still be of no use...

"What is your husband thinking about?" ” Cai Yan handed over the teacup and asked, “But what’s bothering you?” 』

Fei Qian took a sip of tea and said, "Well...it's not that big of a deal...a few days ago, I went to Tongguan...and caught a batch of crafts hidden in Tongguan..."

"Careful work?" ” Cai Yan was startled, “Where did it come from? What to do? 』

Fei Qian put down his tea cup, pointed to the east, and said, "They should be from over there... Hasn't Tongguan been expanded? They are probably here to destroy... It's not good to build something, but it's good to destroy something." Feeling excited..."

Cai Yan sighed slightly, then poured new tea for Fei Qian, and sighed, "These people...have always been like this..."

"That's true," Fei Qian waved his hand, "I've actually been thinking about this matter for the past two days, and now I'm thinking about it more clearly... There are some things that are really interesting... By the way, what do you think? Does this person think tea or wine is better? 』

"Hmm..." Cai Yan thought for a moment, "I think tea is good...but everyone in the world has his own preferences..."

Fei Qian laughed and said: "Everyone has his own preferences, that's true, but some people like to force others to do what they like, which is boring..."

"Shandong?" ” Cai Yan asked.

Fei Qian nodded, "Shandong. 』

The two of them shook their heads in unison and sighed...