Across the Water Margin: Officials of Ximen

But Ximenqing has no choice at the moment. His accumulated strength is in Shandong, so he can't just give up.

The plan in Ximen Qing's mind now is to wait for an opportunity during the war between Song and Jin.If the strength is strong and you can make progress, you can take the land of Hebei to the north and the land of Huaihe and Huaihe to the south, and use this as the foundation of the struggle for hegemony.

If the strength is insufficient, first defend the Qizhou where Yunzhou, Jeju and Xinzan are located, and ensure the land of Shandong.

No matter how bad it is, you can retreat to Qingzhou and Yizhou.As long as Qingzhou and Yizhou are well guarded, the six states of Qingzhou, Yizhou, Mizhou, Weizhou, Laizhou, and Dengzhou can be turned into independent small kingdoms.

In order to implement Ximen Qing's plan in the future, the easternmost Dengzhou must be included in Ximen Qing's territory.With Dengzhou's port and shipping, Ximenqing will not worry about being trapped in a corner in the future, unable to perform.

Of course, if he could rescue his illegitimate son Zhao Hang during the Jingkang Rebellion and help him to the throne of the emperor, it would be another pattern and game for Ximen Qing.

However, there are too many unpredictable factors in the future, and Ximen Qing still has to be prepared to raise the flag to separate the regime.

After sending Ximen Zhong away, Ximen Qing invited Tang Long and Ling Zhen out of the banquet, and told them his plan to develop Dengzhou and Qingzhou.

Ximen Qing told the two brothers that across the sea from Dengzhou, there is a country called Japan, which is rich in sulfur.When I went to Dengzhou this time, I planned to establish a commercial trade with Japan and purchase a large amount of high-quality sulfur from Japan to meet future firearms production.

It's just that after the sulfur purchased by Japan landed in Dengzhou, if it was transported from Dengzhou to Yanggu County, Yunzhou, it would take a long distance and cost a lot.Therefore, I plan to build a new weapon workshop in Qingzhou Taohuazhuang Bieye, and transport the raw materials purchased in Dengzhou to Qingzhou for production.

In order to build a weapons workshop in Qingzhou, two brothers Tang Long and Ling Zhen were required to preside over it. They also needed to select two craftsmen who were familiar with sulfur and send them to Dengzhou to participate in the procurement of sulfur.

After hearing Ximen Qing's words, Ling Zhen stood up and told Ximen Qing that he was willing to go to Qingzhou to host the weapon workshop there.

Obviously, if Yanggu County in Yunzhou is Ximenqing's foundation on Jingdong East Road, then Qingzhou, the seat of Jingdong East Road, has been selected by Ximen Qing as the foundation for controlling Jingdong East Road in the future.

The weapons workshop in Yanggu County has been well developed by Tang Long. Ling Zhen also wants to show his ability here in Ximenqing, and decides to build the weapons workshop in Qingzhou to be comparable to the one in Yanggu County. Compete.

Seeing that Ling Zhen rushed to go to Qingzhou, Ximen Qing was very happy.He told Ling Zhen that he had arranged for "Nine-Tailed Turtle" Tao Zongwang to transform Taohuazhuang into a castle in the early stage.

This time when Ling Zhen went, the defense of Taohuazhuang was entrusted to Ling Zhen, and Tao Zongwang was Ling Zhen's deputy.What kind of weapons workshop Ling Zhen wants to build can be done by Tao Zongwang. He is best at building cities and houses.

After the discussion between the three, Tang Long and Ling Zhen took their leave and went back to the weapons workshop.The two want to discuss which backbones to transfer to Qingzhou.

Ximen Qing thought about it for a while, and arranged the people who should be brought in, and let Ximen Zhong, Ling Zhen and the others take care of the rest, so he didn't need to bother himself.Therefore, he returned to the banquet, and continued to accompany Ma Kuo to drink with Luan Tingyu and other brothers.

The guests and hosts had a good time that day, and after a day's rest, Ximen Qing gathered a team and left Ximen Fort with Ma Kuo, embarking on the road to Dengzhou.

On this trip, Ximenqing brought Jiao Ting, Ling Zhen, Ximen Zhong, Ximen Ping and others, as well as guards led by Jiao Ting, craftsmen led by Ling Zhen, and business assistants led by Ximen Zhong. There were 80 people in total, and the horse team was mighty. headed northeast.

When Ximen Qing left, Luan Tingyu naturally stayed and presided over Ximen Castle with Hu Sanniang.The bandits in the water park Liangshan have not yet been wiped out, and they need to continue to train troops and pay more attention to them.Therefore, Luan Tingyu couldn't go to Qingzhou with Ximenqing, and had a private meeting with Mrs. Liu Gao from Qingfengzhai.

Leaving Yanggu County and exiting Yunzhou, Ximenqing and his party passed through Yanzhou, passing through Duiying Mountain on the way.

Ever since Ximenqing easily killed Lu Fang, surrendered Guo Sheng, and subdued the pair of robbers from Shadow Mountain, no robbers dared to occupy the mountain again, and passing merchants were finally able to pass safely.

When Ximenqing and his party were resting and eating at the foot shop on the road, they could often hear passing merchants and pedestrians chatting with the shop owner, saying that the road from Yanzhou to Qingzhou was not peaceful in the past. Wait for some bandits.

The store owner told everyone that they heard that the robbers on the mountain murdered and set fire to all kinds of crimes, and there were even rumors that those mountain kings even wanted to eat human flesh!There were not so many people who dared to take this path before.

Fortunately, a hero who didn't know where came from took action, and together with the officers and soldiers, wiped out the robbers on the three mountains, so that the business road was unimpeded.There are more customers coming and going, and the business of my small shop is more prosperous than before.

After listening to the shopkeeper's words, everyone praised the hero who exterminated bandits and robbers for how many lives he saved and how many merits he accumulated.

Ximen Qing thought, sir, I have helped the store owner with your business, should you give me a discount today?

Chapter 4 and Ten

Ximen Qing himself had no words, but Jiao Ting beside him quietly told the unaware Ma Kuo that the robbers in the three mountains were all planned by Ximen Qing and worked together with the government and army to wipe out them.

After hearing this, Ma Kuo admired Ximen Qing even more.

After eating, they left Duiying Mountain and arrived at the foot of Peach Blossom Mountain within a day.

Today's Taohuazhuang is no longer what it used to be. According to Ximenqing's request, Tao Zongwang transformed the Taohuazhuang into a castle with high walls and deep trenches.Ximenqing will use this as a base to develop Qingzhou, and even the entire East Jingdong Road.

When Ximenqing and his party came to Taohuazhuang, Liu Taigong and Tao Zongwang who got the news came out to welcome them.When Ximenqing saw the old man, he hurriedly got off his horse and saluted the old man.

Because the child is still young, Ximen Qing did not bring his wife Liu Xiuxiang back to Qingzhou to visit relatives when he came to Qingzhou this time.

Liu Taigong lived in Yanggu County for a while, and soon after returning to Qingzhou, he was not worried about his daughter and grandson.

Everyone entered Taohuazhuang, Taigong Liu arranged for the farmer to kill cattle and sheep, and set up a sumptuous banquet to welcome everyone. During the banquet, they played games and drank wine, which was very lively.

After the welcome banquet and settled the crowd, Ximen Qing brought Ling Zhen, Ximen Zhong, Taigong Liu, and Tao Zongwang together in the inner room, and made arrangements for the expansion of Taohuazhuang one by one.

Ximenqing asked Liu Taigong to continue to expand the operation of Taohuazhuang, annex the surrounding land, and absorb more tenants.Liu Taigong is a shrewd man, he is familiar with running farms and merging fields.

Ling Zhen stayed behind to take charge of the selection and training of the rural soldiers in Taohuazhuang, just like the Ximen Fort in Yanggu County, to build a reliable armed force.Tao Zongwang, as Ling Zhen's deputy, assisted him in his military training.

At the same time, Ling Zhen wanted to build another weapons workshop, and Tao Zongwang was in charge of the construction, and Ximen Zhong was in charge of purchasing all kinds of materials needed.

……

After Ximen Qing made the arrangements and rested in Taohuazhuang for one night, he left Ling Zhen and the craftsmen behind, said goodbye to Mr. Liu, and continued towards Qingzhou City with Ma Kuo.

Before entering Qingzhou City, Qin Ming and Huang Xin, who got the news, were already waiting by the roadside, and they connected Ximen Qing to Qin Ming's mansion.

Although "Thunderbolt" Qin Ming is a brave and foolish person with soft bones and many personality flaws, he is still a man of loyalty.Ximen Qing saved his family and his future, and helped him defeat the bandits in Qingfeng Mountain, Peach Blossom Mountain and Baihu Mountain again and again, which he remembered in his heart. close.

This time when Ximen Qing came to Qingzhou, Qin Ming held a banquet at the best restaurant in Qingzhou City to welcome Ximen Qing, and invited the prefect Murong Yanda, Zhao Mingcheng and Li Qingzhao to gather together.

Ximen Qing was also the savior of Zhao Mingcheng and Li Qingzhao and his wife, Li Qingzhao, Zhao Mingcheng and Murong Yanda were greatly impressed by his poems, so when everyone saw Ximen Qing, they were all very happy and affectionate.

The close relationship between Ximen Qing and the people in Qingzhou City made Ma Kuo secretly speechless. He knew that what Jiao Ting said was only rare, and the influence of Ximen brother in Qingzhou was far greater than he expected.

Li Qingzhao, a famous poet in the world, is willing to bow down to brother Ximenqing's poetry ability. This brother Ximenqing is really all-rounder in civil and military affairs!

During the dinner, Ximen Qing introduced Ma Kuo to everyone in Qingzhou City.Qin Ming and Huang Xin, two warriors, heard that Ma Kuo was the son of Ma Zheng, a military officer in Dengzhou. The matter of bowing horses.

After Qin Ming hosted a banquet, Murong Yanda, Zhao Mingcheng, Li Qingzhao and his wife hosted a banquet for Ximen Qing and his party.

During the two days of staying in Qingzhou City, Ximen Qing took the opportunity to reveal to Murong Yanda that he was going to develop a manor and various businesses in Qingzhou, and introduced the supervisor Ximen Zhong to the prefect Murong Yanda.

There are many mountains in the west of Qingzhou, and bandits and robbers often gather in the mountains and forests, which is a heart problem for Murong Yanda.Now that Ximenqing, a powerful man who likes to fight against bandits, wants to come to Qingzhou to take root, it is enough to suppress many bandits and solve problems for the government.Therefore, Murong Yanda couldn't wish for it.

Murong Yanda promised to Ximen Qing that as long as he takes office in Qingzhou, he will definitely support Ximenqing's development in Qingzhou.

Ximenqing helped Murong Yanda, Qin Ming and others to destroy Qingfeng Mountain in Qingzhou back then, and gained their trust.Now even if he trains thousands of horses in Qingzhou, no one will be suspicious.

And in the underworld, Lu Zhishen, Yang Zhi and others from Erlong Mountain had already been drawn in by Ximen Qing and became Ximen Qing's secret support.Therefore, Ximenqing's control over Qingzhou is second only to Yunzhou.This is also one of the reasons why Ximenqing decided to set up the second largest stronghold in Qingzhou.

After reminiscing about the past with Zhao Mingcheng and Li Qingzhao in Guilaitang, and being forced to write a poem by Xin Qiji in front of the couple, Ximenqing finally escaped and left Qingzhou to continue his journey.

The group passed through Weizhou and Laizhou, and entered the territory of Dengzhou.When passing by Laizhou, Ximenqing suddenly became very playful and invited everyone to eat Jimo seafood prawns.You know, the Qingdao prawns before crossing are famous all over the country, and Ximen Qing dare not eat them when he travels!

After eating the sea prawns, Ximen Qing couldn't help sighing, the working people in ancient times were more honest!

At this time, the officials of Ximen Qing didn't know that Zhao Mingcheng would come to Laizhou to serve as the magistrate next year.In the future, if he wants to win over Zhao Mingcheng's poems and poetry, he will have the opportunity to eat Jimo prawns.