Chapter 394

The performers on the stage saw that the prefectural magistrate had a guest and stopped. They stood there in a daze, not knowing if they should retreat or continue singing. Zhang Yi smiled: "Let's continue. Change to something more festive. Sing 'Journey to the West'."

The performers on the stage quickly retreated to paint their faces and change their makeup. Not long after, Sun Wukong hopped onto the stage and the sound of gongs and drums resounded again.

This play was a Zaju from the Yuan Dynasty. The layout and the depiction of the characters were somewhat rough, but the details of the story were similar to the one Ye Xiaotian had heard of, "Journey to the West Releasing Adversity". Wu Chengen's book was a compilation of the works of the predecessors, so it did not feel unfamiliar.

Zhang Yi watched the play for a while and smiled at Ye Xiaotian: "Two days ago, a person called Xu Boyi passed by Tongren Province and specially paid me a visit."

Ye Xiaotian said: "Ah! It's him. He is the new district magistrate of Hulu County. It is said that he has a close relationship with the Tian family. Master, you can be considered a member of the Tian Clan. Since he passed by Tongren Province, it is only right for him to pay you a visit. "

Zhang Yi said with a smile: "That's right. I can ignore him, but I have to give face to the Tian family. So I received him. When I asked him about today's imperial examinations, he specifically mentioned you. Hehe, I think he has some grudges with you. "

Ye Xiaotian said: "I do have some grudges with Xu Boyi."

Ye Xiaotian recounted how he became Xu Boyi's enemy in Gourd County. "He used to be a very respectable scholar," he continued, "But because of me, he was swept to the ground. How could he not hate me? That's why, after meeting me in Guiyang, he repeatedly tried to harm me."

Ye Xiaotian turned to Zhang Yi and said with a faint smile, "I presume Xu Boyi doesn't know of my relationship with Master, and that's why he dares to slander me so brazenly before Master, right?"

Zhang Yi's eyes narrowed into slits as he watched Sun Wukong somersaulting on the stage. He chuckled and said, "Some people say that the person who understands you the most is the one who wants to scheme against you. This is true. Xu Boyi knows about you very well."

Ye Xiaotian said: "Oh?"

Zhang Yi said, "He knows very well that you are an Elementary Scholar that I personally selected. That's why not only did he not slander you in front of me, he even praised you greatly. But … do you think I can't tell that he's being insincere and unwilling? "

Ye Xiaotian was a little surprised to hear this. He was surprised that Xu Boyi had done so much research on him, but he was also surprised at Zhang Yi's shrewdness.

Zhang Yi's body is fat. Of course, this is not fake. But who said that a fat person's brain must be stuffed with fat? He is an artsy person. His poems are rubbish. But he thinks he is brilliant. This is not fake. But he is not a fool.

Zhang Yi frowned and said: "This person is too scheming. His desire for power is also strong. I don't like him. Ai! The Tian family fell into Emperor Taizu's trap and suffered a great loss. All these years, they have been thinking of restoring the glory of their ancestors. I think Lian Xie Ji is too eager. She doesn't care about the good and the bad. "

Ye Xiaotian felt the same way and said, "I think so too. Xu Boyi is a person who acts like a mother as long as there's milk. He has no integrity to speak of. Today, he can rely on the Tian family. In the future, if someone promises him more benefits, he can also betray the Tian family. "

Zhang Yi used his fat fingers to lightly tap on the armrest. He smiled and said: "That's right! Lian Xie Ji sent him to Gourd County. It should be a test for him. She wants to see if he is useful. If he is useful, then she will do her best to groom him. So, this is your last chance to deal with him! "

Ye Xiaotian asked humbly: "Teacher, what do you mean?"

Zhang Yi said: "The grudge between you two can't be resolved. Once he gets the full support of the Tian family, how can you fight him? Since it is a test for him by the Tian family, they will not interfere. You can do your best. Once he falls, he will not be of any use. The Tian family will naturally abandon him. "

Although Ye Xiaotian called him 'teacher', he did not believe that just because Zhang Yi appointed him as an Elementary Scholar, the two of them had built a deep master-disciple relationship. Zhang Yi was also from the Tian Clan. Yet, he wholeheartedly planned for him and hoped that he could defeat a person that the Tian family wanted to use?

Ye Xiaotian tried to sound him out: "I am going to Gourd County to be a Warden. Xu Boyi is my immediate superior. It will be difficult for me to fight with him! Also, I will not hide it from teacher. When I was in Guiyang, I met a girl. When they fell in love, I found out that she was the eldest daughter of the Xia family.

I am fighting with Xu Boyi. Although it is a personal grudge, will the Tian family think that I am standing up for the Xia family? The Tian family is much more powerful than the Xia family. If the Tian family were to interfere, then I will have no chance of winning. "

Fatty Zhang laughed: "I have said it before. This is a test for Xu Boyi by the Tian family. It is a test of his ability. Since it is for this purpose, the Tian family will not interfere. You do not have to worry that the Tian family will help Xu Boyi. "

Ye Xiaotian said half-jokingly: "If that is the case, then I am relieved. However, in the eyes of outsiders, I am a member of the Xia family. Teacher, you are a member of the Tian family. Teacher, you are supporting me. Won't the Tian family think that you are relying on the Xia family and bring you inconvenience? "

Fatty Zhang suddenly laughed out loud, he shook his fat hand and said, "It can't be, it can't be. Guizhou has hundreds of big and small tribe leaders, each with their own territory, each with their own power, it has been like this for thousands of years, it is already unbreakable.

My Tongren Province is surrounded by people who are loyal to the Tian family. If I want to rely on the Xia family, not to mention the surrounding Tian family, many of my subordinates will not agree. After thousands of years, the chiefs in our Tian family have intermarried. Our relationship has long been intertwined. Even a knife cannot cut it. Unless I am crazy, the Tian family will not believe that I will betray them. "

Fatty Zhang picked up the teacup and took a sip with a smile. He continued, "Even if the tribe leaders were to fight, they would only fight to see who was stronger and ranked higher. There would not be any big movements that would hurt their muscles and bones. Oh! This point, I am talking about the big chiefs. After all, a tall tree attracts the wind. They cannot act blindly without thinking. As for the small chiefs, it is different. For example, the two chiefs in Hulu Ling … "

Fatty Zhang took a sip of tea and put down the teacup. He shook his head and sighed: "Ever since the road was opened, Hulu County has become the northern gate of Guizhou. But there are two small hereditary chiefs there. So, no big chief has ever set his eyes on that place. Why do you think that is?

Because, no matter how small he is, he is still a chief. The structure of Guizhou has not changed for thousands of years. It is because the big and small chiefs have formed a very stable relationship with each other. Just like the stage in front of us … "

Fatty Zhang pointed to the stage and said, "Those four beams and eight pillars are the four heavenly kings and eight vajras. The rest of the big and small chieftains are the cornerstones below. If anyone tries to steal two bricks from them, the whole stage will collapse.

Therefore … no chieftain dared to break the rules and take the risk of breaking the rules. Whoever broke the rules would become the common enemy of the tribe leaders. But the imperial court is different. Ever since the time of Emperor Taizu, the imperial court has always wanted to tear down our stage and build a small pavilion for the emperor's family to enjoy the scenery.

The two chiefs fought over the land. In the end, the imperial court took advantage of the situation and removed the two chiefs. They set up a county and sent officials. If the imperial court succeeds, what will happen? That was tantamount to taking away two bricks under the stage and driving a wedge into it!

This wedge, if it had been left in good condition, would have served the purpose of the two bricks, before it had rotted away. But the mighty man of the court, who was standing on the side of the stage, was hammering the wedge in with his sledgehammer, and was trying to pry the stage down with it. Therefore, the tribe leaders all cast their gazes here. However … it is not important who pulled out that wedge and put two bricks on it. Do you understand? "

Ye Xiaotian understood. The imperial court has always wanted to change the political structure of Guizhou and bring it under their direct control. The hundreds of chiefs in Guizhou have all kinds of problems, but they compete internally. They only compete to see who is stronger, who is ranked higher, who is more influential, and who is more powerful. They want to fight for more resources for their families.

But no one has the power to destroy the other chiefs. Even if they have the power, they don't dare to act blindly without thinking. In Guizhou, the "warring states period" will start. The big will swallow the small, and they will compete with each other until the only king is decided.

Because there is an even stronger power above them that is eyeing them like a tiger watching its prey. That is the imperial court. For thousands of years, even though the dynasties in the Central Plains have changed, there has always been a strong centralized power. For thousands of years, there is no lack of outstanding people among the chiefs in Guizhou. They have the ambition to destroy all the chiefs. But because there is a lion like the imperial court watching from the side, the power structure here has never changed.

Now that the imperial court has sped up its infiltration of Guizhou, all the chiefs feel the danger. They were both competitors and partners. They wanted to take control of this enclave and work together to push away the Imperial Court's hands.

So before anyone can control Gourd County, they will fight to be the first to act. But once someone succeeds, they will turn from competitors to supporters of that person. They will do their best to protect that person and prevent the imperial court from taking advantage of them.

Thinking of this, Ye Xiaotian slowly nodded. "I understand. Thank you for your guidance, Teacher."

Zhang Yi waved his hand and said with a smile, "It's good that you understand. So, when you go to Gourd County, do it well and do it boldly. Gourd County is Guizhou's northern gate, and also my Tongren's front gate. I don't like Xu Boyi very much. I prefer you to guard there."

Ye Xiaotian stood up and bowed to the ground.

Zhang Yi said, "Go and have a chat with Li Zhongyin. Heh heh, I stole his favorite student. That old fellow won't say it, but he must be very resentful in his heart. I'll go over in a bit."

Ye Xiaotian respectfully said, "Yes! Student will take his leave. "

A young maid came over and led Ye Xiaotian to the living room. Zhang Yi turned to the stage and watched the play with great interest. After a while, a graceful woman wearing a white dress and a light headpiece slowly walked out from behind the stage.

Big Fatty Zhang tried his best to straighten his body, but he sat down dejectedly. Just as he was about to call someone to pull him out of the chair, the woman wearing the light headpiece lightly smiled. "Uncle Zhang, just sit down. There's no need to be so polite in front of your niece."

As the woman spoke, she gracefully walked over. A maid rushed forward and used a handkerchief to wipe the chair that Ye Xiaotian had just sat on. She then turned around and stood behind the chair. The woman then gracefully sat down.

Zhang Yi, with his big belly that was like a mountain of meat, said to the woman, "Miaowen, Xu Boyi is someone you want to use. Why do you want me to encourage Ye Xiaotian to fight against Xu Boyi? Could it be that … he is the one you really want to use? "

The woman slightly raised her head, revealing a sharp, white, tender, and very attractive chin. She smiled and said, "How is that possible? Ye Xiaotian is about to become the son-in-law of the Xia family. He can't be used by me. I just want to use him to test whether Xu Boyi is a piece of moldable talent. If he can't be molded, then so be it. "

Zhang Yi said, "Touchstone? If he finds out that Xu Boyi is a piece of scrap metal and he controls Gourd County, then he will go for wool and come home shorn. "

Tian Miaowen was wearing a light headpiece, so her face could not be seen clearly. But as the curtain of the headpiece fluttered, one could clearly see that there was an extremely enchanting smile on her face.

She smiled at Zhang Yi and turned her head back to the stage. She lightly said, "What does it matter? As long as it's not in the hands of the imperial court. "

Fatty Zhang rubbed his chubby three-layered chin and thought to himself, "Is that really the case? Then why did you come here? Hey! This little girl is no longer the little girl who clung to someone's neck like a fried dough twist and pestered Uncle Fatty for candy. She's grown up … "