Chapter 11 Leaving hometown and losing power
Apan is Li Tai's nickname, but no one has called him that since he came to this world. It took him a while to react, but the other party had already galloped in front of him.
This is a middle-aged man in his forties, wearing a straight-sleeved gown and a cage crown with black gauze and long ears. His face is slightly rounded, his half-foot-long beard is somewhat messy, and his face is somewhat haggard and pale.
Li Tai quickly turned over and dismounted. He bowed to the middle-aged man in front of his horse and said, "I have been delayed due to injury and have not returned until now. This makes you worried."
"It's good to be born again, it's good to be born again!"
The middle-aged man was Gao Zhongmi, the former governor of Yuzhou in the north who rebelled against the East and defected to the West. He also dismounted, patted Li Tai on the shoulder, and sighed with a complicated expression. Then he noticed He Basheng on the side and walked up quickly. Make a deep bow.
"I would like to thank Grand Master Ba for bringing my nephew back. I would like to thank you deeply during my trip. Please come and pay my respects another day!"
"Li Lang is my old young relative. It's nothing to bring him back along the way. Since I have reunited with Gao Situ, I won't disturb you anymore. Don't talk to each other anymore. Let's take our leave."
He Basheng didn't want to have any more contact with Gao Zhongmi, so he nodded slightly and replied, then turned to look at Li Tai and said, "Please keep everything in mind. If you have time after settling in, you can come visit me. My home is here." I live in Quli, south of the city, and you will know it as soon as you enter the alley.”
"Definitely, definitely, uncle will cherish it!"
Li Tai hurriedly clasped his fists and said goodbye. He could hear that He Basheng had intended to help him before, but after all, the friendship was still shallow. He should follow his old master Gao Zhongmi because of circumstances and reason, so he could only keep this intention in his heart.
After He Basheng left, Li Taicai and Gao Zhongmi mounted their horses and walked into the city. They briefly talked about their experiences in Hulao City since their separation.
"I'm good at committing treachery, which not only harmed my own family, but also your father and son. If you hadn't come forward to save me, Apan, I'd probably have a hard time..."
Gao Zhongmi's tone was sour and his eyes were filled with tears. After Hulao City was broken, his wife, children, and children were all captured by Hou Jing, and Gao Huan would not let them go.
In such a short period of time, all the power, power, wife, children, and children were lost. This blow was indeed too big to bear.
"The matter has come to this, and it will not help to complain any more. You can only cheer up your spirit, and after the Western Dynasty is firmly established, you can try to fight back!"
Li Tai did remember that Gao Zhongmi's wife Li was not executed by the Eastern Wei Dynasty, but was accepted as a concubine by Gao Huan's son Gao Cheng, and many years later she participated in a palace coup that affected the history of Northern Qi.
But even if these funeral events were told, it would obviously not comfort Gao Zhongmi and would only make him more sad, angry and sad.
Gao Zhongmi was not as optimistic as Li Tai. After hearing this, he just sighed: "The Western Dynasty is small and weak, and it is not easy for people from outside the state to gain a foothold here. I thought that the internal control of Heluo could be divided into one force, but I didn't expect that The Western Army was defeated so miserably...
Even Yuwen Daxingtai can barely maintain the current situation. It is really difficult to make progress and counterattack the Eastern Dynasty. "
To be honest, if it were not for the memory guidance of later generations, Li Tai would not be optimistic about the Western Wei Dynasty based on the current situation alone.
The historical trend of the latter three kingdoms, if analyzed in depth, is actually a relatively bad era. Regardless of the Eastern Wei, Western Wei or Southern Dynasties, there are a lot of internal problems.
However, the great empires of the Sui and Tang Dynasties established here were so glorious, and it really makes people feel the wonder of history.
Huazhou City was not only the seat of the Western Wei Dynasty's hegemony, but also an important frontline town in the confrontation with the Eastern Wei Dynasty. It was across the river from Jinyang, the Eastern Wei Dynasty's hegemony, so the city was also built tall and strong.
The city does not have the clear-cut pattern of cities and towns that was found in the later Sui and Tang Dynasties, but different functional areas are also clearly divided.
"The north of the city is where the Daxingtai and the Prime Minister's Mansion are located. It is also a military city. If you don't have the letter, it's best not to approach it easily. If you are detained by the patrol guards, you will need to go through the Daxingtai before you can escape..."
Daxingtai is both an official title and a government office. It is the overbearing palace through which Yu Wentai controls the military and political affairs of the entire Western Wei Dynasty, and completely evades the Western Wei Dynasty in Chang'an.
After entering the city, Gao Zhongmi signaled everyone to dismount, and while walking on the street, he introduced the layout and scenery of the city: "Most of the people living in the east of the city are generals and their soldiers. Once there is enemy disturbance, the winding alleys can be reorganized and prepared for war. It is also a place where wealthy slaves run rampant, and it is not a good place. There are many official warehouses and mansions in the south of the city, which is considered a good place to live. "
Li Tai looked at the city while listening to Gao Zhongmi's explanation. It is more like a huge military camp than a city. Most of the people walking on the street are holding swords and sticks across the street, showing a strong martial arts style.
There are also buildings with distinctive military features such as sentry towers and watchtowers on both sides of the street. It is obvious that the city managers are managing the city as a military camp.
This also shows that the stability of the Western Wei Dynasty's regime was indeed not high. Even political centers like Huazhou City had to be maintained under military control all year round.
"This is the Governor's Mansion in the south of the city. I see that there are many Hu soldiers under your command, Apan. It's best to come here tomorrow morning to register. Although the politics of the Western Dynasty are not as high as those of Dongzhou, our newly arrived soldiers People, you should be more cautious in your daily work.”
Gao Zhongmi pointed to the several-storey government offices in a courtyard next to the south street of the city and said that the governor was responsible for the civil affairs of the Hu people, and the labor and taxes that the Hu people had to bear were different from those of the Han people.
When Li Tai was in several Hui camps, he had canceled the military status of these people, so that they belonged to his own tribe of soldiers and were not subject to government control. But Gao Zhongmi was obviously beaten to the point of being a little cautious and just wanted to be careful.
"After I escaped from Zhao Gui's army, Daxingtai summoned me to meet him in the palace and gave him a farm and a house for his slaves to settle down in Huazhou. Mangshan was defeated and Hulao was lost. I traveled from east to west without making any achievements. I really accepted it. Ashamed.
Just because I thought that you are still young and have a bright future, Apan, I accepted it shamelessly and reserved a family property for you to settle down and live in. "
While talking, the group of people came to the door of a large house. There were more than a dozen slaves standing in front of the house.
The first one was a Hu man in his thirties. He came up to him from a distance, leaned forward and said, "Mr. Situ! This young gentleman must be Li Lang. His servant's name is Heland. He serves as the governor of the palace. He is here." Although the matter is short, I have heard about Li Lang’s deeds and demeanor many times from Situ Gong!”
Today's Western Wei Dynasty still inherits the official system of the Northern Wei Dynasty and has not made any reforms. There are eight ministers in the court, and Gao Zhongmi was one of them. Although it is only a fictitious title, it is also assigned to government officials.
This Heland should be a Xianbei person who moved south to become Chinese. His behavior and conversation are not obviously different from those of Han officials.
"This is my nephew Li Boshan who was separated from me before. I am happy to reunite today. Chief Labor Officer Shi has prepared wine and food to congratulate me. The servants who are working in the house also have a meal!"
Gao Zhongmi smiled and nodded to Chang Shi, then waved his hand and said to the servants standing respectfully in front of the door: "You and other people should also come forward, take a look at the character of my nephew, and remember who to serve in the future!"
A group of people had a brief conversation in front of the mansion. After getting to know each other, they returned to the mansion.
There were also many servants standing respectfully in the house, about thirty or so, most of them women and children, and they all came in one after another to pay their respects.
The mansion is not small in area, with three entrances inside and outside, a front hall and more than a dozen rooms on both sides. It is mainly used to receive visitors and organize the living activities of subordinates. The central hall is the most spacious and magnificent building in the residence. It is more than enough for a hundred or ten people to sit in separate seats. The ear rooms on both sides serve as storage and dining functions.
The backyard is divided into two parts, one is the owner's living room, the other is the vegetable garden, and next to the vegetable garden is the stable.
Gao Zhongmi enthusiastically led Li Tai around the mansion, then stood in front of the big house in the back hall and said, "This mansion is naturally not as spacious and pleasant as your old home in Apan, but now that you are living in another state, you can only do as the locals do. You The father and son clans lived harmoniously in the countryside, but they were persecuted by me...
Ah Pan, you repaid evil with kindness and offered to save me. I should help you buy a house and live in peace, both emotionally and rationally. Since you have paid back, I will pay you all the things I received from Daxingtai. If you are not tired of me causing your father and son to be separated and unable to return to your hometown, I will live in a cottage here and we will depend on each other. "
Not long after the reunion, this was the second time Gao Zhongmi had made this statement, which showed that his attitude was sincere and not just a polite comment.
Due to the influence of later generations' memories, Li Tai is relatively sensitive to the housing industry. This mansion covers an area of nearly twenty acres and is located in the military and political center of Huazhou City. In his opinion, it can definitely be called a mansion.
When he heard that Gao Zhongmi was going to give this mansion to him, Li Tai was really moved, but he quickly shook his head and said: "Your Majesty said this, which really makes me feel ashamed. Your name is more important than anything in the world, regardless of things. Even if I don't say anything, Yuwen Daxingtai will definitely help me and give him courtesy.
I'm so grateful, please don't reply. Aye, he is missing. Your Majesty is the only close elder I can look up to in Kansai. I am grateful for your willingness to take him in and shelter him..."
It was not that he was playing tricks in front of Gao Zhongmi, but after thinking and feeling during this period of time, he really felt that even if he had not made any suggestions, Yuwentai would most likely not do anything to Gao Zhongmi.
Although Gao Zhongmi now looks like a bereaved dog, the Bohai Gao family from which he came is a representative of the powerful families in Hebei. Even when Gao Huan first entered Hebei, he had to marry the Bohai Gao family and considered himself a generation younger than Gao Zhongmi's brothers.
Gao Zhongmi's betrayal of the Eastern Wei Dynasty and his defection to the Western Wei Dynasty had a huge political impact. And strictly speaking, the defeat of Mangshan did not have any direct relationship with Gao Zhongmi.
As the most outstanding politician in the late Northern and Southern Dynasties, Yu Wentai would not casually anger Gao Zhongmi, a surrendered person with a special status.
Whether Gao Zhongmi was grateful or guilty to himself, Li Tai couldn't accept it calmly.
After all, I am still a bachelor in the Western Wei Dynasty, but Gao Zhongmi is a high-ranking official. If I can't get along with him with a correct attitude, if things go on like this, any old feelings will be quickly worn away.
Hearing what Li Tai said, Gao Zhongmi sighed again, patted him on the shoulder and said, "Apan, you don't blame me and hate me. I feel relieved. We are all poor people who have left their hometown and lost power. There is no need to distinguish between superior and inferior. From now on." From now on, your uncle and nephew will help each other!"
I would like to remind everyone that the book review area is rich in useful information, and the information and maps are very detailed. If you are interested in the background of the times, you can take a look at the enthusiastic compilation by book friends. Due to the limitations of the text length and plot development, many details will not be discussed in depth. I just finished reading this book, and I was very nervous to write it. Thank you all for your support and enthusiastic response. The latter three kingdoms are magnificent and the great times are approaching. Personnel struggles and emotions are very fierce. There are also many perspectives for discussion, rational discussion, and seeking common ground while reserving differences. . . I only decided to write this book last month. Although I had a month to prepare, there is still a lot of work to be done from the background research to the determination of the main line. I sincerely ask for your tolerance and correction of any mistakes. . . In short, I take it very seriously and hope everyone can have a pleasant reading experience and a happy life. . .