Gao Zhan led the elite soldiers into the house.
When he walked in, he lowered his head and looked at the corpses on the ground, then raised his head and looked at Gao Jun, "Brother, it seems that you have really offended a lot of people."
"Anyone who wants to kill you dares to do it in front of me."
"Uncle Nine?!"
Gao Yanzong put away the knife in surprise and walked quickly to Gao Zhan. Gao Zhan subconsciously took a few steps back, and the soldiers gathered around him.
Gao Yanzong did not realize this. He said angrily: "Uncle Nine!! Someone actually wants to murder Uncle Five!!"
"If I hadn't been here, I'm afraid Fifth Uncle would have been killed."
Gao Zhan looked at the murderous little fat man in front of him with childlike eyes, and chuckled. He pushed aside the soldiers on the left and right and walked to the other side, "Yes, I used to only think that you were naughty and ineffective.
I think I've actually made some progress."
He took off his sword and threw it directly to him.
"Take it, it's your reward."
Gao Yanzong was overjoyed and hurriedly bowed again, "Thank you uncle!"
Compared to the cold Gao Jun, Gao Zhan was closer to him in the clan, and everyone was more willing to interact with him.
Gao Jun slowly walked forward and looked face to face with Gao Zhan.
Seeing Gao Jun approaching, the soldiers on Gao Zhan's left and right showed some hesitation in their eyes, and lowered their crossbows slightly.
Gao Zhan frowned and looked at his brother, speechless for a long time.
Just as he was gently clenching his fists, there was a sudden noise outside again, "What happened?!"
I heard someone shouting, and soon, a general led his troops, pushing aside the soldiers in front of him, and came here.
The person coming is Lou Rui.
Lou Rui looked at the corpses on the ground and looked at Gao Jun and Gao Zhan in shock, "Your Majesty, what happened?"
Gao Zhan let go of his hand and pointed at the corpse on the ground, "Someone wanted to murder King Pengcheng. Fortunately, King Ande was with him and protected him."
Only then did Lou Rui notice the little fat man standing beside him. He reached out and rubbed his head, "It's you, why have you grown so much!"
"Uncle cousin!"
Gao Yanzong saluted him.
Lou Rui looked at the corpses on the ground, then looked at Gao Zhan again, "What should we do?"
Gao Zhan laughed and said, "You can take King Pengcheng to rest while I investigate this matter thoroughly."
Lou Rui was about to take Gao Jun away, but Gao Jun said: "No, I still have something to discuss with King Changguang. King Dong'an can take Yanzong to rest."
Lou Rui did not speak, but looked at Gao Zhan. Gao Zhan nodded. Lou Rui led Gao Yanzong away from here. The soldiers carried the corpses and retreated one by one. Gao Zhan asked the soldiers to guard outside.
The two brothers were the only ones left in the house.
Gao Jun watched everyone leave and then asked: "What do you think is wrong with the order to equalize land?"
Gao Zhan was stunned, "What?"
"The cultivated land, the people, the mines, and the pastures are almost all in the hands of the wealthy families and nobles."
"If the temple cannot collect taxes, it will have to be shared equally with the farmers."
"There are fewer and fewer farmers, taxes are getting worse year by year, wasteland is being reclaimed, and when the wasteland can be cultivated, I don't know who belongs to it."
"Only by forcibly taking back the cultivated land and distributing it to the people on a per capita basis can the normal operation of the temples be ensured. Otherwise, Daqi, which occupies the richest land, will become the poorest among the Three Kingdoms."
Gao Yan carefully analyzed the current situation.
Gao Zhan nodded, "I know all this, I did it before."
"No, you don't know."
Gao Jun interrupted his brother rudely and asked: "Do you know how much the taxes were in the first year of Emperor Jian's reign? Do you know the comparison of taxes in previous years?"
"Do you know how the Pseudo Week's taxes will be this year?"
"Do you know how many people there are in Daqi in name only? How many of them actually exist? What standards are used to collect taxes? How many can actually pay taxes?"
"Do you know how much food the border areas consume in a year? Do you know that Daqi can no longer afford the military rations in the border areas?"
Gao Jun's speech became faster and faster, and he said sternly: "The current tax revenue is insufficient. In order to maintain the army, we have to share the benefits with the farmers. The farmers go bankrupt and become tenants. The tax collection becomes even lower. The army has no food, so we will acquiesce."
They went to rob themselves, and as a result, more people went bankrupt, and the cycle continued, with each year becoming worse than the previous year, and each day becoming worse than the next! The disaster could not be relieved, so they just pretended that nothing happened and the people really could not pay taxes, so they sent armies to massacre villages and towns.
They ransacked their homes and destroyed their families.”
The more Gao Jun spoke, the more excited he became. Suddenly, a look of fatigue appeared on his face, and he closed his mouth helplessly.
Gao Zhan was still a little surprised at this moment. He had a rough idea of ​​what Gao Jun said, but he had never really looked at it seriously.
The situation isn't that bad, right?
Gao Jun said quietly: "Lao Jiu, even Liu Taozi can clearly see the truth behind this, why can't you?"
Gao Zhan suddenly felt a little angry.
Recently, he became angry when he heard this name, but before he could get angry, Gao Jun said again: "When leaving Jinyang, His Majesty once asked me, who can inherit the throne, you or the prince."
Gao Zhan's anger disappeared and he looked at him eagerly, "What did brother say?"
"I said it would be more beneficial to the world if you inherited the throne."
Gao Zhan was stunned.
He was dazed for a moment, then woke up and asked angrily: "Brother! How can you take such a big risk for me?"
"If your Majesty harms you because of me, how can I survive?"
"Brother, do you not care about your own safety so much?"
At this time, Gao Jun was stunned. He seemed to have arrived at a strange track.
Gao Zhan took the initiative to step forward, took his hand, and angrily scolded: "Brother, please don't do such worrying things again in the future!"
Gao Jun didn't know how to answer for a while.
Gao Zhan hurriedly brought wine and food to calm his beloved brother. Regardless of Gao Jun's objections, he forced Gao Jun to sit on the upper seat, while he sat close to his side and poured wine for him.
serve.
"Brother, I still remember that when you were young, you always studied with those great scholars. Once, a doctor scolded you, so I washed him all over with chicken!!"
Gao Zhan smiled and talked about what happened when he was young last year.
Gao Jun sat in the upper position, with some memories in his eyes, "Yes, I remember that eldest brother beat you so hard that you couldn't get out of bed for several days."
"Hahaha, yes, that doctor was specially invited by the eldest brother, but he was tricked by me and insisted on leaving. I hid under the second brother's bed, but the eldest brother found him out and beat me terribly."
Gao Jun nodded and said with a chuckle: "I remember that at that time, you were just as naughty as Yanzong."
"Hey, the fifth brother is different. Yanzong is not as good-looking as me, but the second brother is more like him."
"Haha, you guy."
The two brothers chatted intimately. Half an hour ago, it was the two brothers who tried to murder. Now, it is the same brothers who are intimate. The desire for power turns brothers into enemies, and enemies into brothers.
Gao Zhan was drinking and suddenly asked: "Brother, are you still acquainted with Liu Taozi?"
Gao Jun put down the wine cup in his hand and said seriously: "I've never met him before."
He added: "Some time ago, Gao Yanzong came here and said he was protecting me when I went to Yecheng. He always mentioned Liu Taozi."
"And many of the people who protected me just now have Cheng'an accents."
Gao Zhan frowned.
Gao Jun continued: "I previously thought that he was an ambitious man and should not be trusted easily. Now it seems that I was wrong."
"oh?"
"Brother, why did you say this?"
"At the beginning, His Majesty wanted him to go to the Western General, hold envoys, and serve as the governor of Shuozhou, and the commander-in-chief of the military affairs of Shuo, Heng, Yan and other six states."
Gao Zhan was immediately startled, "What??"
Gao Jun added: "It was my advice that made His Majesty change his mind and re-establish Beishuo Beiheng without giving him the governor and envoys. It was also my request that Hu Luxian and Bao Xian be assigned to him, so that the three of them could be assigned to him.
Defending together and opposing each other.”
Gao Zhan wiped the sweat from his forehead, luckily it didn't work.
He has caused so many troubles in those two broken states. If he really becomes the governor of six states, how can he still do it?
Gao Jun said: "He must know these things, but this time, he still sent someone to rescue me."
Gao Zhan felt a little uncomfortable when talking about this matter, but fortunately Gao Yin didn't mean to delve into it further.
Gao Jun said: "If he really has thoughts of rebellion, then there is no need to save me."
"If the land is not equalized, the temples will be in chaos and no one can control it. This is a good thing for ambitious people."
Gao Zhan glanced at Gao Yun and said nothing.
"He is indeed a man who is devoted to his country."
Gao Zhan somewhat disagreed. He asked: "Brother, he is far away from the frontier, how can he know so much about things here? Maybe this is his strategy? It is just to make my brother think so."
Gao Jun looked at him, "Why should he bother with this?"
Gao Zhan could only speak vaguely and nodded, "Well, maybe that's the case."
Gao Zhan really didn't want to mention too much about this assassination. Gao Jun added: "This person is not an ambitious person. What he wants is peace in the temple and peace in the world. In this case, there is no need to be too harsh on him."
Too much pressure."
"You also have to let go of your prejudices and past grievances. If you want to govern the world, don't you rely on people like this? You have to reuse him."
Gao Zhan didn't refute, just nodded, "What brother said makes sense."
He doesn't care much about whether what the other party says makes sense, but he does care about where the other party stands. If he is on his side, then what he says probably makes some sense.
The two brothers then discussed the matter in Yecheng.
Faced with his brother's concerns about the affairs of Juntian in Yecheng, Gao Zhan immediately slapped his chest.
"Brother, when you go to check the local situation tomorrow, I will send a cavalry to follow you. Many matters inside and outside Ye City are decided by my brother. If anyone refuses, I will step in."
After Gao Wei expressed his stance, things suddenly became clear.
Gao Zhan stayed directly at Gao Yong's house that night, saying that he wanted to protect his safety.
The next day, Gao Jun, accompanied by Gao Zhan's confidants, began to inspect the local area and implement the new policy. The officials who had previously thought of various ways to delay, neglect, and refuse to obey were now very cooperative.
With a smile on his face, he ran around in front of and behind Gao Jun.
Before Gao Jun arrived, the process of equalizing the fields in Yecheng was the slowest.
Officials have been using various excuses, and there are three main excuses.
There is a shortage of manpower, the people are resistant, and the ownership is chaotic.
But after the masked knights began to wander around Gao Jun, the officials suddenly became diligent and had sufficient manpower. The nobles lined the streets to welcome him and no longer resisted. The ownership was also clear and clear.
Several days passed like this.
When Gao Zhan came to inquire about the situation, Gao Jun was still setting up camp outside the city to check the field documents.
"Brother, how are you?"
"You haven't had any trouble, have you?"
Gao Zhan sat next to his brother with a proud face, blinked, and Gao Jun stroked his short beard, "You have already sent all the security guards, so what trouble can there be?"
Gao Zhan laughed, looked at the mountains of memorials in front of Gao Jun, and couldn't help but said: "Brother, there are too many things to do, and there are too few people who can help you do it. I can send a few good people to my brother's command."
"You have no one under your command who can do anything."
Gao Jun replied seriously.
Gao Zhan's smile froze, but he nodded, "I can't understand people as well as my brother."
Gao Jun didn't care whether his brother felt comfortable or not, he added: "There is someone I want to recommend to you."
"Brother, please tell me, who is he?"
"This man is from a wealthy family, a famous minister, and became famous at a young age. He is talented in literature, military, and military, and has extraordinary talents and learning. However, Duke Yang was originally close to him and promoted him to replace the ministers. Therefore, after Duke Yang was in trouble, this man was implicated.
He failed to take up the post, but now he serves as the author."
"Not long ago, he wrote to Your Majesty, frankly informing Your Majesty of the bad government in the world, and refuted His Majesty's one-year administration as useless. Your Majesty was furious, and although he did not ask any questions, he no longer got close to him, and asked him to stay in Yecheng and not to return.
Jinyang.”
"I think there are few capable people around you, and you might be able to promote them. However, this person's mind is not too righteous and he is selfish. If you can make good use of him, there will be no one wiser than him. If you can't use him well, there will be no one wiser than him."
Evil one."
Gao Zhan interrupted Gao Jun before he could finish listening, "Which talented person is this that my brother is talking about??"
Inside the palace.
The lights were brightly lit in the luxurious Changguang Prince's Palace, and the dancers danced to their heart's content. Gao Zhan was naked, with men and women on his left and right. He hugged them and drank wine one by one. He exuded a strong smell of alcohol.
Eyes blurred.
There were two beauties, holding a painting at the moment, each holding one side of the painting, standing in front of Gao Zhan. Gao Zhan looked at the picture of a flying dragon soaring into the sky, and he couldn't help laughing.
He stuck his head out and looked at the scribe who was kneeling not far away.
The scribe was much older than Gao Zhan, and his appearance was ordinary and unremarkable.
Gao Zhan looked at him, "Zu Jue?"
"Why do I seem to have seen you before?"
"Your Majesty, in the first year of Tianbao's reign, I was summoned to go to Jinyang to pay homage. I once met your Majesty in Jinyang Palace!"
"Nonsense!"
Gao Zhan said displeasedly: "In the first year of Tianbao, I was only thirteen years old. Standing among the clans, there was nothing surprising about me. How dare you say you have seen me?"
"At that time, the king wore a royal crown and carried a ceremonial sword with a black scabbard. He stood second on the left hand side of the dragon steps!"
"Although he is standing among all the clans, the king is high-spirited, majestic, magnificent in appearance, and elegant in demeanor!"
"Although he is young, his clothes are dignified and solemn, and his expression is calm and profound, which is unmatched by other clan members! Therefore, I still remember him freshly!"
Zu Jue blurted out without hesitation at all. Gao Zhan's close followers were all stunned at this moment, their eyes widened, and they looked at him in astonishment.
Gao Zhan pursed his lips and looked at the painting again, "What does this painting of yours mean?"
"I am good at using walnut oil, and I am also familiar with the art of yin and yang divination. I once dreamed that the king flew into the sky on a dragon, so I made this painting to dedicate to the king!!"
The confidants still looked shocked and did not dare to speak.
Gao Zhan was very happy. He asked people to put away the painting and said, "Come on, sit down!"
Zu Jue sat aside, and Gao Zhan asked someone to pour him wine.
He asked again: "What are your daily hobbies?"
"Your Majesty! I don't like much, I just like to play with beauties."
Gao Zhan's eyes lit up, "Then can you play handshake?"
"Hui Dawang, I have never lost since I was a child."
"Hahaha, what else do you want to play?"
"I used to be too bored, so I created many ways to play many games. I used to call celebrities and scholars from all over the world to play in my home. Sometimes, I would call hundreds of beauties to play together without feeling bored.
greasy."
At this time, Gao Zhan was shocked.
He thought about the scene for a moment, "You still know how to play? Hundreds of people? How do you play?"
"It's just a gambling game of throwing cattails. If you lose, take off your clothes."
Gao Zhan hurriedly said: "Come, sit next to me, and we will have a drink together."
Zu Jue stood up and came closer. Gao Zhan asked again: "Can you sing and play?"
Zu Jue looked at Gao Zhan's face and said with a smile: "I liked it very much when I was young. Later, I felt that the songs were not good, so I wrote a lot of poems to sing. Later, I felt that the music was not good, so I wrote a lot of music.
I am best at the pipa, and there are many other instruments that I can’t master.”
"oops!!"
Gao Zhan grabbed his hand fiercely, "How did I meet you?"
"You will stay with me from now on. If I can achieve great things, I will definitely be promoted!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!!"
In order to verify again whether what the other party said was true, Gao Zhan asked someone to bring the pipa and asked Zu Jue to play it. Zu Jue didn't say much, and immediately let his hair down and started playing, singing while playing.
, this piece of music and poetry have never been heard by Gao Zhan. Zu Jue played with extremely high skills. The original musicians looked ashamed at his hard playing.
On this day, Gao Zhan was extremely happy, and the banquet was held for two consecutive days.
Zu Jue performed various unique skills for him. Gao Zhan was sitting in the upper seat and suddenly said that he wanted to listen to a song that expressed his ambition. Zu Jue finished poetry, music and improvisation for him in a matter of seconds. His talent was so high
, which made the cronies around Gao Zhan unable to sit still.
After his performance, Gao Zhan asked his old cronies to perform, but they could only stand there dumbfounded and at a loss.
He Gong!!!
Come back soon!!!
Something big happened!!!
ps: Jue was good at painting with walnut oil, and he was promoted to the King of Changguang. Because he said: His Highness has extraordinary bone skills, His Highness Xiao Zhengmeng rode a dragon to heaven. - "Book of Northern Qi·Zu Jue's Biography"
He also played the pipa by himself, and composed new songs. He recruited young people from the city to sing and dance for entertainment, and went on tours with various advocates. He went on sensual tours with Chen Yuankang, Mu Zirong, Ren Zhou, Yuan Shiliang, etc. Everyone tasted the music and stayed there.
From Shandong, more than a hundred pieces of silk and peacocks were brought out, and the women were asked to throw the cattails and bet on them for entertainment. - "Book of the Northern Qi Dynasty: The Biography of Zu Jue"
Chapter completed!