While speaking, Li Li took a short rest, then pushed open the door and went into the inner room to bathe and change clothes.

Half an hour later, when he came out of the inner room and walked into the bedroom, he saw Zhen sitting alone in the room waiting for him.

"I heard that you are back, the concubine came over to take a look, and it went smoothly along the way, right?"

This time, Zhen was unusual, he didn't be polite to Li Li, nor did he owe a courtesy, but got up and handed over a cup of hot tea, and said softly and considerately.

"Well, it went well." Li Li was slightly surprised, took the teacup, sat next to Zhen, and drank a cup of half-warm tea in one go.

He had just come out of the shower, and he was indeed very thirsty, and the warm tea handed by Zhen was undoubtedly just what he wanted, and he suddenly felt full of Thai after a cup of tea. Then he smiled and said: "Among the counties in Youzhou, the counties near Jizhou are not bad, the population is dense, and the cities are relatively prosperous, but the border counties are a little unsatisfactory, and even the border borders of Yongzhou are not as good." Overall, compared with Jizhou, Youzhou is far from each other and cannot be compared.

Zhen nodded with a smile and said with a smile: "Youzhou is located on the border, Sancheng County is occupied by Wuhuan barbarians, and the northeast is bordered by small countries such as Goryeo and Fuyu. In addition, Liu Yu of Youzhou was lenient and benevolent, and his methods were soft, so that Wuhuan and Xianbei people often plundered counties and acted recklessly. Some time ago, the concubine heard that the white horse general Gongsun Zan and Liu Yu were at odds, and the contradiction became increasingly intensified, presumably Youzhou was going to have another dispute.

Compared with Youzhou, Liangzhou was originally worse than Youzhou, surrounded by barbarian tribes, including Qiang, Yueshi and Southern Xiongnu tribes, and even in recent years, the Xianbei tribe in the west has also expanded the scope of raids to Xiliang. Unexpectedly, Wenchang suddenly rose up and pacified Xiliang in one fell swoop. Hundreds of thousands of troops stationed at the border, and before the barbarian tribe sent troops to plunder the Han realm, the Xiliang army under your command took the initiative to send troops to recruit and suppress the barbarian tribe. In the past two years, the Xiliang army has continued to attack, so that the barbarian tribes not only do not get food and Han slaves, but the number of tribes has decreased sharply, the territory has gradually shrunk, and the strength has been greatly reduced.

As a result, many steppe tribes had to move to the two states, which made the two states increasingly depressed. The barbarian cavalry was raging, and the grass was rampant. If this situation continues to develop, presumably in the near future, most of the counties and counties of the two states will be reduced to the territory of the barbarian tribes, and the Han people can only continue to move inward. Transfer to another state or county. ”

Zhen's words made Li Li's heart extremely heavy, but he couldn't help it. After all, the tentacles of the Western Liang Army can't reach into the two states of Youhe at the moment. There are already the princes of the Central Plains who are hindered by them. It's too far away for the whip to reach!

It is hateful that the princes of the Han Dynasty divided their territories and wantonly internal friction, but no one really put their minds on pacifying the border and expanding the territory. And Xiliang is in a corner after all, even if he has the intention to exterminate the barbarians. Defend the territory of the Han Dynasty, but can't use it, so what can I do? Therefore, it is indeed a top priority to have civil strife in the Han Dynasty as soon as possible; Otherwise. Once the Xiliang army exterminated the barbarians with all its might, I am afraid that someone behind them will take the opportunity to stab them, and even the foundation of Xiliang will be wiped out.

This is Li Li's deepest helplessness, even if he has a passion and has the heart to defend the territory of the Han Dynasty and the people of Li, he has always been bound by the situation in the world, and he is surrounded and constrained by the princes, and he does not dare to act rashly, otherwise there is a danger that the foundation will be overturned. Therefore, what he can do now is to sweep the snow in front of the door and take care of the frost on the tiles of others, and when he is in Xiliang, he has to protect the people of Xiliang from being bullied by barbarians, but as for other states and counties, he is powerless; It can only be hoped that the princes occupying these states and counties will be able to resist the barbarian invasion and guard the territory of the Han Dynasty and the people on the border.

As soon as he thought of this, Li Li couldn't help but feel a little depressed in his heart, so he changed the topic and asked softly, "Madame should have come here for something, right?" If my wife doesn't think I'm an outsider living here, I might as well tell me bluntly. ”

"Wenchang, this is something in the words, it's so unconscionable! You ask yourself, when did I see you as an outsider? Zhen asked with an angry face.

"Hehehe!" Li Li didn't expect Zhen's reaction to be so strong, so he grinned and said, "Madame, I'm just saying it casually, just open and close, Madame, don't take it seriously." When I entered the city before, I saw Yuan Shao's personal guards guarding the city gate, prohibiting the people from entering and leaving, and then I learned from Chen Zhikou that it was Yuan Ergongzi who came. Look at this jiashi, Yuan Xi's trip is not good! I wonder how Madame plans to respond? ”

"Hmph, men are negative men with no conscience!" Zhen pretended to be angry and glanced at Li Li, but the expression on her face was extremely charming, as if Li Li had abandoned her from the beginning.

Zhen's little woman's shameful and angry state made Li Li's heart flutter, and his eyes couldn't help but turn to Zhen's white, tender and plump body, but his peeping movements were very hidden, and Zhen didn't seem to notice it at all.

Hearing Li Li talk about business, the Zhen family no longer cared about Li Li's speech, put on a bullied look, and said weakly: "Yuan Xi is here to ask my Zhen family for money and food, and his mouth is 50,000 stone grain and grass, 30 million money, and the concubine did not rely on it before, so he did not agree. Unexpectedly, he came with troops this time, and it was clear that he was forcibly asking for money and food, and if he didn't agree, he would face each other with swords. Although the concubine is the head of the Zhen family, she is a woman after all, who has never seen this kind of formation, so she was so frightened that she didn't dare to show up, so she could only let the clan elder come forward to entertain Yuan Xi and his party. After the feast was dispersed, he could only admit that he was unlucky, and asked for money and food to him. I really don't know how to attract this disaster star, my Zhen family is really unfavorable! ”

"Haha!" Seeing Zhen Shi making a bullied breath-holding appearance, his voice was full of emotion and vividness, Li Li couldn't help but lose his voice.

It wasn't until Zhen Shi rolled his eyes angrily and waited for him that Li Lifang stopped laughing and said with a smile: "Madame, don't be angry, it's not worth it to be angry because of Yuan Xi's popularity." Isn't it just 50,000 stone grain and grass and 30 million money, which is really not worth mentioning to the Zhen family consortium. The lady should be ruined and dissipated, just send Yuan Xi and the others away, why bother with him. Fangzheng Zhen's family is wealthy, what is this money and food. What's more, if the mountains don't turn around, the Zhen family's lost face today will be able to recover sooner or later, and in the future, Yuan Xi will be given some eye medicine in front of Yuan Shao, so that his kid can't finish eating and walking. What does Madame think? ”

Hearing Li Li's words, Zhen didn't laugh angrily, and asked softly with a smile: "I just said that you are a negative man with no conscience?" ”

"Hmm. Madame did say it, but I didn't take it to heart, Madame doesn't have to mind. Li Li replied casually.

Zhen's expression changed abruptly, his eyes stared at Li Li with burning eyes, and he said word by word: "I only know now, Li Wenchang, you are really a no, conscience, heart, negative, heart, and man!" ”

"Huh?" Li Li woke up in shock, looked at Zhen with suspicious eyes, and immediately the two looked at each other, staring at each other's eyes motionlessly.

A moment later. The eyes of the two moved slightly, looked at each other and smiled: "Hehehe! ”

Zhen Shiqiao's face blushed slightly to stop laughing, and her red lips opened softly and said softly: "You are such a shrewd guy, nothing can escape your eyes." Now that you know everything, I'll ask you directly. What do you think I should do? Do you want to lend Yuan Shao money and grain? ”

"Only by planning and then acting can you be invincible. What about borrowing. What if you don't borrow. I wonder if Madame has thought about the stakes? Li Li asked in a harmonious voice.

Zhen's phoenix eyes moved slightly, a flash of appreciation flashed in his eyes, and he thought about it and said: "Indeed, as Wenchang said, this bit of money and food borrowed by Yuan Shao is indeed not difficult for my Zhen family. He could be sent to his barracks within three days. It's just this kind of thing, but it can be repeated, but it can't be repeated, if Yuan Shao tastes the sweetness. Borrowing money and food from my Zhen family at every turn, sooner or later, I will be a big bully, and my Zhen family will be dragged down and hollowed out by him sooner or later. Therefore, this case cannot be opened, and it must be resolutely resisted, even if it is a stalemate with Yuan Shao, it will not hesitate. After all, Yuan Shao is also a hegemon with a head and a face, how can he attack my Zhen family because he can't borrow food? What's more, although my Zhen family does not have many soldiers under Yuan Shao's account, it is also a big family that has been inherited for nearly two hundred years, how can I not have the ability to protect myself after accumulating so much money and food!

Because of this, I still don't plan to lend Yuan Shao the amount of money and grain he wants, at most I will lend him 20,000 stone grains and grass and 1 million coins, and in addition, I will never give him an extra grain of grain or a copper coin! ”

After Li Li heard this, he sorted out his thoughts a little and said: "Madame is strong when she is strong, tenacious and resolute, which makes Wenchang admire." But does Madame want to get along with Yuan Shao after the past? After all, the foundation of the Zhen family is still in Jizhou, today you swept the face of the Yuan family and his son, and in the future, you know that Yuan Shao will not wait for the opportunity to retaliate and take the opportunity to make trouble, so as to uproot the Zhen family and completely take the Zhen family as your own? ”

"Hehehe!" Zhen smiled heartily, and his eyes when he looked at Li Li suddenly softened, no, it should be said that he was as gentle as water. After laughing, she said softly: "Wen Chang can say this, which proves that you really think about my Zhen family, and the concubine is very grateful for this." Jizhou is indeed Yuan Shao's one hand covering the sky at the moment, and he can do whatever he wants, and no family can fight against it. But outside Jizhou, there are many princes who are not afraid of Yuan Shao, and even think about annexing Yuan Shao's Jizhou; For example, Gongsun Zan of Youzhou, Yuan Shu of Nanyang and Cao Cao of Yanzhou, as well as 、、、、、、 you, Li Wenchang of Xiliang! ”

Speaking of this, Zhen's tone paused slightly, and seeing Li Li's expression, she continued: "If Yuan Shao had sent someone to borrow food and salary from me a month ago, maybe I wouldn't have hesitated at all, and I would have lent him the amount immediately. Because I was more optimistic about Yuan Shao before, I thought that he was born in a family of eunuchs, the fourth generation and the third duke, and the protégés and officials in the family were all over the world, and his character was credible, and he would definitely be able to achieve a hegemony in the future. Until today, I suddenly realized that I had lost my eyes before, but I didn't expect that I deliberately tested Yuan Shao's mind and city government three days ago, and today he sent Yuan Xi with so many armor soldiers to intimidate my Zhen family.

Fortunately, Wenchang reminded me a month ago and asked me to transfer the family property, and I didn't reply to you positively at that time, but I immediately started to arrange this matter when I returned home. Half a month ago, I even sent all the clansmen to dispatch a large-scale transfer of the Zhen family's treasury money and grain distributed in Jizhou and Youzhou, as of today, more than sixty percent of my Zhen family's money and grain has been transferred to a safe place, and the remaining thirty percent of the industry is shops, which cannot be transferred for the time being, so we can only gradually reduce the supply, collect money, keep the shop, and stand by. As for my Zhen family's mansion and real estate, these are things that can't be moved, and those that can be sold will be sold, and the houses that can't be sold can only be temporarily left with some clansmen to take care of the house, and if they can't keep it, they have no choice but to give up.

Therefore, now if Yuan Shao wants to take control of my Zhen family, I am afraid that he will be too self-righteous, and he will not get anything except this ancestral mansion! ”

"Transfer of family property? I don't know which prince Madame is optimistic about, this time she won't look away, right? Li Li squinted his eyes and paid attention to Zhen's expression, and asked with a smile.

The Zhen family smiled, looked at Li Li meaningfully with their eyes, and said with a smile: "This transfer of family wealth is undoubtedly a big gamble for my Zhen family. If the bet is right, the glory of the ancestors of the Zhen family in the past may be continued; If the bet is lost, it will be a loss, and the clansmen can only run for their lives! Of course, in order to thank Wenchang for saving his life, I have sent my clansmen to escort a large number of grain and goods to the territory of Xiliang three times this month, presumably they have now entered the Sili and their safety has been guaranteed. ”

"Oh? Could it be that Madame has already been guided to clear the customs, so she will be so confident? Li Li asked in surprise.

Zhen smiled sweetly: "That's nature. I have four sons-in-law in important positions in the Xiliang Army, are you still worried that there is no way to clear the customs along the way! ”

Li Li nodded happily and said with a smile: "That's true, I'm a little forgetful." Others don't say it for the time being, just the customs clearance guide written by Li Xuan can make the Zhen family's caravan unimpeded in Xiliang; If there is another letter from Huan Fei, I am afraid that the Sili garrison will send troops to escort it along the way until it reaches its destination. Hehehe! ”

Zhen asked curiously: "Wenchang is not angry at all, aren't you worried that they will show favoritism and take the opportunity to curry favor with me, the future mother-in-law?" ”

"I'm not worried, and I'm relieved and happy to see it happen. Because the caravan sent by Madame was to send money and food to Xiliang, the more the better, and the more the merrier; Anyway, no matter what, I Xiliang can add a considerable amount of money and food, there is a hundred benefits and no harm, I raise my hands in favor! Hehehe! Li Li smiled calmly.

Zhen Shi continued: "Wenchang has really seen people, his mind is clear, and the concubine has not mistaken you." Later, how about you and I meet the second son of the Yuan family? In case Yuan Xi doesn't know the current affairs and makes a move, I still need you to protect me! ”

Li Li replied: "It is my honor to let my wife rely on me, and I am willing to serve!" After speaking, he and Zhen looked at each other and smiled, and there seemed to be an indescribable tacit understanding between them.

―――――――――――― (To be continued)(To be continued......