Upon hearing this, the Anlu people happily embraced each other, expressing their willingness to return to their motherland.
However, when this group of people ran to the vicinity of Fengxi Town, they were intercepted by Xie Bing. Xie, the captain, took Jack to the local government office and met with Wu Qiu.
Wu Qiu had been secretly investigating the people for two months, and now he had returned to Fengxi Town after hearing that the Marshal had returned. He had to get back to the Marshal's side.
The marshal has now sent a message by carrier pigeon, ordering him to intercept Anluo's envoy Jack, arrange for them to stay in Fengxi Town for a while, and persuade them to stay.
Jack was initially very afraid that the Central Plains General might kill them, until Wu Qiu spoke their mother tongue and communicated with them.
Jack was immediately delighted and spoke with Wu Qiu, expressing his willingness to stay.
Wu Qiu suggested that Jack keep his whereabouts secret while contacting An Luo. Jack was afraid that his people would be drawn back into the power struggle in the Central Plains, so he was hesitant to agree.
Until he saw the red seal of Prince Fengning.
Jack knew that the Phoenix Seal represented the King's crown, and that a promise was as good as gold. Jack immediately agreed to stay and wrote a letter to his homeland, which was delivered to the King by returning Anro people, and also to Prince Johnson.
Marilyn was unaware that Jack had been left behind.
Xie Lanzhi kept Jack around to restrain Marilyn and break her monopoly on the future of trade in the Central Plains.
Marilyn was incredibly cunning. She even monopolized diplomacy.
Xie Lanzhi thought to herself, "Even Anluo now knows how to monopolize diplomatic power, no wonder later generations want to monopolize everything. It turns out that their ideology has been different from that of the Central Plains since ancient times."
Marilyn was unaware that Jack had been left behind. The next day, she invited Xie Lanzhi to talk about Anluo Kingdom and the Central Plains, expressing her urgent need to know more information about the Central Plains to convey to her motherland.
For this reason, she even specially donated her personal biography and diary.
He expressed his desire to write a book about the customs, traditions, and systems of the Central Plains.
Xie Lanzhi found it very interesting and sent the top scholar of the year, Ma Ke, to accompany Marilyn.
Si Xitong was unfamiliar with the word "monopoly," but she heard Lan Zhi talk a lot about her country and learned about the destructive power of monopoly on the lower classes and the foundation of the nation.
Furthermore, when she learned that a group of modern businessmen had become so powerful that they had surpassed the imperial court and controlled people's livelihoods, she harbored murderous intentions.
"Lan Zhi, a mere merchant, dares to manipulate national power, corrupt the people's livelihood and the foundation of the country. He deserves to die a thousand deaths."
Xie Lanzhi hugged her and said, "That's why Little Phoenix needs to study Anluo as soon as possible. The more we understand Anluo, the less likely we are to be passive."
“Marilyn is a good role model.”
Si Xitong's eyes flashed slightly: "Since she wants to use me, then I might as well use her instead."
A note from the author:
Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2022-02-18 20:16:01 and 2022-02-19 21:03:37!
Thank you to the little angels who threw landmines: Wu Yumao and Hongyan (1 each);
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
Chapter 220 The Great Jin Version of Wang Xuance
Following the proposal to Marilyn to establish diplomatic relations, a major event occurred in the Northern Region.
Regarding the surrendered Northern Hu and Xiongnu soldiers captured in Luochuan, Crown Prince Li Li and Wu Yuejun of the Northern Desert Army clashed over the issue. The two had been rivals in the power transition, and were now merely using the surrendered soldiers as a pretext to attack each other.
The Northern Army has now occupied Luochuan and Luerqu. Wu Yuejun immediately contacted Si Xitong, hoping that Si Xitong could work with the Northern Region to build a strong coastal defense force.
Ministers of the Northern Xiongnu flocked to Wu Yuejun, and fearing the powerful artillery of the new Tianjing, they supported Wu Yuejun, hoping to take the opportunity to develop their own military strength.
Si Xitong did not make her stance clear, but she asked Xie Ji and Wu Yuejun to hand over the port first.
Wu Yuejun agreed without hesitation, and 7,000 of the 30,000 people Xie Ji brought were immediately assigned to the area.
Aba in the Delta also frequently contacted Xie Lanzhi, hoping that Marshal Xie could help him return to China.
Aba's actions immediately drew the attention of the new Tianjing authorities. Officials in the capital urged Si Xitong not to let the tiger return to the mountain. The Xie family's stance on this issue was also very clear.
We must never let the tiger return to the mountain!
The Xie family suffered heavy casualties fighting in the various countries of the Central Alliance. The Xie family hoped to receive some subsidies from the imperial court.
Xie Lanzhi believed that providing compensation to the fallen soldiers was the state's responsibility, not something to be actively demanded. Furthermore, the compensation should be given to the families of the deceased.
She struck a blow at the Xie family, warning them against sucking the blood of fallen soldiers.
The Xie family felt very wronged, unlike usual when a mere reprimand would make them behave.
Wu Qiu also returned from Fengxi Town and immediately expressed the Xie family's hope to have a detailed discussion with Xie Lanzhi.
The change in Xie's and Wu Qiu's attitudes puzzled Xie Lanzhi.
Xie Changwang, representing the Xie family, and Wu Qiu waited for Xie Lanzhi at the Military Council Pavilion.
Xie Lanzhi decided to take a look. As soon as she arrived at the Military Council, she found that among the busy officials and assistants, there were very few Xie family members. She remembered that there were quite a few people from the Xie family in the Military Council.
Did they change the players today?
Xie Lanzhi had some idea of what was going on. Upon seeing Xie Changwang and Wu Qiu, Xie Changwang immediately knelt down in front of everyone with a "thump" and cried out in a mournful voice, "Marshal! You've arrived!"
It was as if he had suffered a great injustice.
Xie Lanzhi glanced at him silently, then looked around. The people from the Military Council bowed to her and then began to attend to their political affairs.
Wu Qiu, standing to the side, pointed to the tea room at the right corner: "Marshal, why don't we go in and talk?"
Xie Lanzhi walked into the tea room, and Xie Changwang immediately got up and followed her in. The people outside continued with their work as if nothing had happened.
She had just sat down on the tatami mat when two people stood in front of her, nudging each other to let the other speak first.
"Speak," Xie Lanzhi said, picking up the teapot and pouring three cups of tea.
Wu Qiu didn't speak, but instead let Xie Changwang speak first.
After a moment's hesitation, Xie Changwang made up his mind and said, "Marshal, please continue to support the Xie family! Only the Xie family is your strength, and only the Xie family will serve you wholeheartedly!"
As he spoke, he was about to kneel down again.
Xie Lanzhi raised her voice and shouted, "Nonsense!"
A single, seemingly nonsensical remark caused Wu Qiu and Xie Changwang to look up simultaneously. Their emotions were momentarily mixed.
Xie Lanzhi put down her teacup, then composed herself and sighed, "The insightful Xie family has long since infiltrated the circles of Tianjing."
"Only a bunch of stubborn people like you keep refusing to integrate. Let me ask you this: even if the Imperial Guard and the officials of the capital are squeezing out your positions, and you see a thousand faults in them, do you really have no problems of your own?"
When they first arrived in Tianjing, the Xie family was actually the biggest threat to public security. Because of her influence, many people could only tolerate it and turn a blind eye.
But could the Xie family live a carefree and happy life forever? That was merely a facade of prosperity. Even today, many people are still immersed in that period, unable to extricate themselves.
"Wu Qiu, you speak." Xie Lanzhi's tone softened a bit. She knew that Little Phoenix intended to recruit Wu Qiu, so she had remained silent towards him.
Wu Qiu did not hesitate and said, "Marshal, the Xie family is not without merit. On the contrary, the existence of the Xie family is necessary to maintain the balance of power in the new Tianjing."
"But now it has gotten a little out of control, which has allowed some officials in the capital to occupy important positions and act recklessly."
Reckless and arbitrary? Xie Lanzhi certainly trusted her wife's methods; she wouldn't employ someone useless or incompetent. Was there some misunderstanding behind Wu Qiu's words?
She said, "Tell me in detail."
During his two-month investigation across various regions, Wu Qiu discovered that, without the Xie family's constraints, officials in the capital were unscrupulously expanding their own territories. These officials were secretly controlling their territories through kinship ties, specifically in remote and mountainous areas.
Some have even dared to establish their own power bases in the suburbs of the new Tianjing. Si Xitong's policy of granting land only benefited the Nine Jin regions. These Nine Jin regions had always been managed by Li Jin and his son, the Vice Minister of Rites. The father and son were known for their integrity, which is why they governed the Nine Jin regions so well.
The situation was different in New Tianjing. New Tianjing consisted of ten cities, surrounded by more than twenty towns. Outside of these towns, except for areas benefiting from road construction, the villages were almost entirely controlled by local gentry.
Now, even in some remote and impoverished areas, people dare to covet the Xie family's assets. For example, Xie family merchants who returned from the State of Lu last month were frequently robbed.
He reported it to the authorities, but when they heard it was a merchant from the Xie family, they instead fined him. They even claimed they were acting on His Highness's orders to punish some unscrupulous merchants.
Not only that, Xie Bing was also ostracized by the capital's garrison, and now even local garrison troops dared to ostracize him. This caused many Xie Bing to neglect their clan's official duties, and even their duties to the imperial court. As a result, they lost their official positions because they failed to complete their duties to the imperial court.
It wasn't that Xie herself wasn't working hard; rather, someone was secretly plotting against her. This caught Xie off guard and gradually stirred up a wave of anti-Xie sentiment behind the scenes.
Many innocent members of the Xie family lost their official positions and had no choice but to return to the southern region.
These people all want to integrate into Tianjing.
After hearing this, Xie Lanzhi glanced at Xie Changwang, who was almost crying from grievance.
"Is that all? Anything else?" She couldn't help but pinch her brow. Xie's situation in the new Tianjing was beginning to show signs of being out of place.
Being ostracized is one thing, but lacking the ability to establish a foothold in Tianjing is another. These members of the Xie clan, lacking leadership, shouldn't be anxious about keeping their positions, but rather about cultivating talent to secure their place in the city.
But it's not their fault, because no one pointed them to a smooth road ahead.
Xie Lanzhi said, "Wu Qiu, even now you still want to be loyal to the Xie family? Have you never thought about your own future?"
Upon hearing this, Xie Changwang stared at her in astonishment, and Wu Qiu was also somewhat surprised.
"Marshal, you..." Wu Qiu hesitated, as if she wanted to say that he had always been her close advisor.
Xie Lanzhi earnestly told him, "Wu Qiu, I am very grateful for your loyalty to me. That is enough."
"I no longer need you to sacrifice your future to serve me. You should go to the court to realize your own ambitions."
"Instead of being confined to Xie's small territory."
Wu Qiu remained silent. He was about to kneel on the ground when Xie Lanzhi helped him up from his bed.
Xie Lanzhi placed her right hand on his shoulder: "Don't worry about the Xie family. Their difficulties are only temporary."
"You should do your own thing and do your best to contribute to the Great Jin Dynasty."
Wu Qiu's tense body suddenly relaxed, and then he solemnly bowed deeply to her: "Your subject obeys."
Xie Lanzhi told Wu Qiu to go ahead and get busy.
Now only Xie Changwang remains, and he begins to feel uneasy because Wu Qiu has left, leaving him one less helper.
Xie Lanzhi picked up her teacup, took a slow sip, and then said, "Xie Changwang, go find Xie Guang tomorrow and beg him to go back."
“As long as he goes back, the Xie family can resolve the current crisis.”
As for why Xie Guang possessed this ability, it was because he had come from a family of great generals. Even if he wasn't particularly bright, he still served as a role model for the Xie clan. As long as the Xie clan had a great general, they had a backbone. With a backbone, they could remain calm and find ways to overcome their current predicament.
Otherwise, she can only help temporarily, not permanently.
Xie Changwang said, "Marshal, on behalf of the Xie family, I would like to ask you, have you really given up on the Xie family?"
Xie Lanzhi hadn't expected him to ask that. Without hesitation, she told him, "You are all my people."