Tian Xiufeng did not bring many people to the stone pillar this time. After all, the stone pillar was under the jurisdiction of Sichuan. Yang Yinglong was temporarily dormant and observing the current politics. It would be too sensitive to send a large number of people to the stone pillar at this time. And this time, the Ma family of the stone pillar was in internal strife. Even if he sent a lot of people, it would not be of much use, unless he directly sent troops, but troops could not be sent.
Tian Xiufeng came this time mainly to understand the specific situation of the stone pillar and to make the most reasonable choice on behalf of Yang Yinglong. After all, she was the person who understood Yang Yinglong best. Her judgment, even if Yang Yinglong came in person, he would probably make the same choice.
However, Yang Yinglong still underestimated Tian Xiufeng's jealousy. Perhaps he was too confident in his control ability, or he believed that his promise to Tian Xiufeng would dispel Tian Xiufeng's wariness.
But he did not know that for Tian Xiufeng, the struggle for favor in the harem was tantamount to a battle on the battlefield. She would not let go of any potential threat, any opportunity to strike and eliminate. With his noble status, handsome appearance, and outstanding demeanor, Yang Yinglong could make many outstanding women fall in love with him, but he had never really understood women.
Tian Xiufeng called people to her side and began to make arrangements. Ye Xiaotian listened quietly, carefully savoring every movement of Tian Xiufeng. On the surface, her whole arrangement was absolutely flawless, or it was the best choice: to preserve the strength of the Tan family as much as possible, and if things could not be done, they would save the Tan family's mother and son and escape to Bozhou.
However, Tian Xiufeng, who already had a very good understanding of the situation of the stone pillar, should understand that the strength of the Tan family was limited to the stone pillar, surrounded by the "rebel army" of the Ma family in all directions. She should make a decision immediately whether to stay or leave. If she still held on to a sliver of hope at this time and continued to resist stubbornly, it would be too late to leave when the encirclement became an iron wall. But this point seemed to be ignored by Tian Xiufeng.
"Madam, I … what can I do to help?" When the subordinates dispersed according to Tian Xiufeng's orders, Ye Xiaotian summoned up his courage and said to Tian Xiufeng.
Tian Xiufeng looked at him in surprise. "You?"
Ye Xiaotian nodded. "I want to … do something!"
Although Tian Xiufeng had always been cunning, she was a little confused at this time. "What can you do in this matter?"
Ye Xiaotian said calmly, "Why not? I'm old friends with Ma Doubo and Ma Qiancheng, and I'm the fugitive chief of the Crouching Bull Bureau. No matter which of these identities I have, once I fail and end up in the hands of Ma Bangpin and the others, they won't dare to harm me. This is my greatest guarantee. "
Tian Xiufeng's interest was piqued. She nodded and said, "Go on!"
Ye Xiaotian said, "The Tan clan wants to replace Ma Dou Bo, while I want to replace my second brother who has already died. Speaking of which … I can sympathize with each other in the same boat. Helping her is helping myself. If I can successfully help her, I think … it will be of great help to building up my own confidence. "
"This … is a kind of cultivation?"
Tian Xiufeng smiled thoughtfully and turned to look at the still blue lake. A willow leaf floated down and landed on the surface of the water like a small boat. A small fish suddenly emerged from the bottom of the water and pecked at it, causing the willow leaf to sway forward.
Tian Xiufeng's heart was also moved. Under my guidance, this Ye Xiaoan is becoming more and more like it. It's not a bad thing to have him participate. If he doesn't have experience, how can he take charge? And with his participation, I have the most powerful evidence. If I can't save the Tan clan in the future, even the heavenly king can't blame me.
Tian Xiufeng thought of this and nodded. "Alright, then … I'll leave the important task of saving the Tan clan to you!"
… …
The chieftains, chieftains, and headmen of the Ma clan didn't try to stop everyone from entering the stone pillar manor. There were thousands of roads and small paths. No one could stop all of them. They could only stop large groups of merchants and soldiers from entering and form a real sanction and siege on the stone pillar manor.
Ye Xiaotian wore the traditional clothing of the Bizika clan and entered the stone pillar city accompanied by three or four similarly dressed guards. When they passed by the outskirts of the city, they saw many burnt fences and dilapidated walls. Those were the battle wounds caused by Ma Bangpin and the others when they led their troops to the stone pillar city.
The city gate was heavily guarded. Although people were not allowed to enter and leave, the checks were much stricter. The people that Tian Xiufeng brought to the stone pillar this time were all specially selected. One of them came forward and answered in standard local dialect. He stuffed some money and said that his clansmen were escaping from the chaos of war and wanted to enter the city. The soldier searched them and didn't see any weapons, so he waved his hand and let them pass.
Because of the war, the stone pillar manor became desolate.
The small merchants and peddlers on the streets were sparse and no longer as prosperous as before. Many people crowded in front of the rice shop, and most of the doors were only half open. Two burly and round-waisted workers with sticks stood at the door. Only one person was allowed in at a time, and the price of rice on the bamboo sign at the door was more than a few times higher.
Ye Xiaotian and his group entered the city and slowly wandered to the left of the chieftain's manor. The security here was even tighter. They wandered around and because they were young and strong, they immediately attracted the attention of a group of patrolling soldiers, who took the initiative to surround them.
"What are you doing?"
The leader of the soldiers questioned them coldly, his face full of suspicion.
Ye Xiaotian stretched out his hand to stop the guard who was about to come forward to answer and stepped forward. "We want to see Madam Qin!"
The leader of the soldiers was shocked. Ye Xiaotian said again, "You can tell Madam Qin that we came from Bozhou!"
The leader of the soldiers looked them up and down and waved his hand. "Watch them!" He then hurriedly sent them into the chieftain's manor. Ye Xiaotian stood there calmly. After the time it took to drink two cups of tea, the leader of the soldiers came back and his attitude changed drastically. When he saw Ye Xiaotian, he said respectfully, "Madam Qin invites you in!"
Inside the vermillion pavilion, the luxurious and luxurious houses, the chieftain's manor was richly ornamented and luxurious. There was no sign of the tense atmosphere of war at all. Ye Xiaotian and his group were brought to a courtyard. The others were left outside, and only Ye Xiaotian was brought in. After passing through a long corridor filled with vines and grapes, they came to a courtyard.
The leader of the soldiers stopped Ye Xiaotian and went inside to report. Soon after, Ye Xiaotian was led into the main hall. Ye Xiaotian had been here before. This was where the chieftain governed his subordinates and commanded the various chieftains. It was also known as the Yin An Palace Hall among the common people.
Madam Qin was dressed in indigo clothes and sat on the main seat that Ma Douhu had once sat on. Madam Zhangyin's vice seat had been removed. Therefore, there should have been two chairs, but now there was only one.
Madam Qin sat on the main seat, and a few of her trusted subordinates and her son, Ma Qiansi, sat on her left and right. Madam Qin had pretended to be calm, probably because she wanted to show off in front of her lover's subordinates. But when she saw that the person who came was Ye Xiaotian, she was so shocked that her face turned pale and she immediately stood up.
"It's you!"
Ye Xiaotian smiled slightly. "Greetings, Madam!"
Madam Qin said sternly, "Ye Xiaotian, what are you doing here?"
Ye Xiaotian said, "Could it be that Madam thinks that I am here for Chieftain Ma and Brother Qiancheng?"
Ye Xiaotian smiled and looked at Ma Qiansi, who also had a hostile expression. He shook his head lightly. "Madam, the last time I came here, I was indeed closer to Brother Qiancheng. But Madam seems to have forgotten that the reason I appeared in Sichuan was because of Chieftain Yang's request. "
Madam Qin's expression softened slightly. She looked up and down at Ye Xiaotian a few times and said, "You … why are you here?"
Ye Xiaotian glanced left and right. Madam Qin waved her hand, and all her trusted subordinates stood up one after another. They cupped their fists and bowed to Madam Qin before retreating one after another. Ye Xiaotian noticed that these people treated her with the strict etiquette of a chieftain.
Ye Xiaotian laughed in his heart. Her husband was only exiled, not beheaded. Her eldest son was only temporarily detained for beating up an official. He probably wouldn't even spend three months in jail, yet he couldn't wait to declare himself a chieftain. It was no wonder that the Ma family's headmen were dissatisfied.
All the headmen retreated, but Ma Qiansi didn't leave. After everyone left, he stood up and walked to Madam Qin's side. They looked at Ye Xiaotian together. Ye Xiaotian said, "I was asked by Bozhou's Heavenly King Yang to come to the stone pillars."
Madam Qin was slightly disappointed. "Chieftain Yang … didn't he come?"
Ye Xiaotian said, "Chongqing Prefectural Magistrate Wang Shiqi is stationed in Songkan as an imperial envoy. Heavenly King Yang has to receive him personally and can't leave. Heavenly King Yang is very worried after hearing about the chaos at the stone pillars. This time, not only did I come, but Third Madam of Bozhou also came. She is outside the city, waiting for an opportunity to rescue Madam! "
"Tian Xiufeng?"
Madam Qin's jealousy grew, but she suddenly realized that her son was beside her. She quickly restrained herself and said, "She and I are in-laws. Chieftain Yang is willing to let Third Madam take the risk. Madam Qin is very grateful, but how does Chieftain Yang plan to help me?"
Ye Xiaotian said, "Heavenly King shouldn't meddle too deeply in the affairs of Sichuan at the moment." When Ye Xiaotian said this, he took out Yang Yinglong's handwritten letter from his sleeve that Tian Xiufeng had passed to him. He presented it with both hands and said, "This is a letter from Heavenly King to Madam!"
Madam Qin hurriedly took it. She had just removed the wax seal and took out the letter. When she saw her son coming over, she couldn't help but glare at him. Ma Qiansi retracted his head and pouted unhappily.
In the letter, Yang Yinglong only mentioned a few intimate greetings. He then talked about his current situation and his difficulties in not being able to personally go to the stone pillars to help her. Finally, he suggested that if it was possible, he should try his best to defeat the Ma family's headmen and completely rule over the stone pillars. They would be a powerful external aid for his future rebellion. If it was not possible, then he should settle for the next best thing and try his best to pull out a team to seek refuge in Bozhou. If this was also not possible, then he should escape alone to ensure his own safety.
Reading the letter, Madam Qin felt warmth in her heart, "Yinglong still cares about me after all." Reading the letter carefully again, she was not willing to escape just like that. If she could make the entire stone pillar work for Yang Yinglong, then in the future, her position in front of Yang Yinglong would be very different from her son's. Even if she could not do it, she should try her best to pull out a team. Otherwise, how could she compete with Tian Xiufeng, whose two elder brothers had become the Chief Stewards of the military? Escaping alone was really the worst option and she was not willing to use it.
After reading the letter, Madam Qin carefully pondered for a while and said, "What does Madam Tian want me to do?"
According to Tian Xiufeng's instructions, Ye Xiaotian respectfully said, "Now that the Ma family's headmen have all rebelled against the stone pillars, it is difficult to rely on the stone pillars alone to maintain. For Madam's safety, Madam Tian naturally hopes that Madam and Second Young Master can go to Bozhou as soon as possible."
Madam Qin secretly sneered and thought, "Tian Xiufeng really has such a plan!"
Madam Qin's rebellious heart rose and her pretty face turned cold, "The stone pillars have not lost the ability to fight. It is a pity to let go now! Official Ye, please tell Madam Tian that I will not leave alone. Even if I cannot unify the stone pillars, I can still pull out a team! "
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