Monarch of Evernight: 211 Family Interests

bsp;At this time, Zhao Junhong suddenly realized that he had overreacted. The imperial family and the powerful families would not interfere in each other's internal affairs at all.

Although the heads of powerful families must be canonized by the emperor, that is just a procedure, and the list of heads is reported by each family. In the past, there was a farce where one family applied for two lists. The response of Serokho Mansion was to return them both, regardless of what kind of trouble there was in your family.

Sure enough, Emperor Hao’s original words were:

"Speaking of which, Rong Guogong is also my nephew. Since the emperor's sister's death in Gaoyi, he has had less contact with Tianqi. We only meet at clan banquets. Now I see that the emperor's children are all outstanding. I am very pleased that you are among the best. I wonder if Jundu intends to separate the clan? Although the fiefdom in Tianshui County is good, it is not suitable for you. The area of ​​Fuyi and Datong reserved by the imperial family is a bit small, but it is rich in minerals. , it should also be a good choice.”

When Zhao Jundu heard this, he didn't know why, so he hesitated vaguely.

Emperor Hao said again: "The Zhao clan has a brave family and is the pillar of the empire. I don't have to do anything. However, the children of the emperor's sister are members of the clan, so it makes sense to allocate them from the reserve. Jundu has thought about it, Just tell me."

The two of them said these two words together, and then Emperor Hao left immediately. Seeing that he left from the outer void, he must have left the Western Continent directly.

After hearing this, Zhao Junhong couldn't help but smile bitterly. He couldn't even remember that Emperor Hao was actually their brother's uncle. The blood relationship didn't even extend beyond three generations, but it was closer than the current Zhao clan's Duke Youguo. As a foreigner, as an elder, I should be concerned about the younger generation's first time to seal the soil on the ground. It stands to reason that there is nothing wrong.

But things are not that simple. Gaoyi and Emperor Hao said they were siblings, but they were never close. Gaoyi is the legitimate daughter, her mother's family is noble, and the emperor's blood is rich. When she was in the palace, she probably couldn't even remember what Emperor Hao looked like.

After Emperor Hao succeeded to the throne, there was a long period of silence. And Duke Chengen's family was just a branch of Duke Youguo's lineage. Gaoyi couldn't take care of his own family affairs, so how could he care about the emperor's younger brother who had no sense of existence.

At this time, Emperor Hao picked up this relationship, which simply meant that he was only giving advice as an elder and had nothing to do with his status as an emperor or even a king.

But Zhao Jundu was confused as to why Emperor Hao would talk about this matter.

There is a standard process for imperial titles and fiefs. The fastest way to create a virtual title is that regardless of the title, all procedures can be completed within one month. On-the-ground ennoblement is different. Unless it is redistributed from the family's original fiefdom, the process is very long.

Among them, if it is a newly developed territory, it needs to be measured, mapped, spatially positioned, and then designated as a war zone, which can usually be completed in more than half a year.

If it involves exchange with the empire, it will not be so easy. Most of the local territory is already a family fiefdom, and a small part is ownerless due to various reasons and is managed by the empire. This kind of land is often at two extremes, either excellent or very bad, so it often needs to be adjusted. It takes several years to balance all parties before it can be finalized.

Zhao Jundu fought two pioneering wars. After being granted the title of hereditary Duke, he not only had a fiefdom on the floating land, but also a county in the empire itself. The land of a county is equivalent to the fiefdom of an earl family, which is not so easy to adjust. Originally, Zhao Jundu didn't care at all.

Zhao Jundu frowned and said: "My actual title will not be determined so quickly. Why is it that the name of the specific county has come out now? And I remember that Tianshui is a famous province in the East China. Generally, it should not be given to newly promoted countries. Male?"

Zhao Junhong already had a vague idea. He sighed and said with a helpless smile: "Tianshui was originally intended to be granted to the Duke of Zhen, Lin Xitang."

No matter how calm Zhao Jundu was, he couldn't help but be surprised, "Although the descendants of the Lin family are definitely going to attack, why should the fiefdom be taken back? His title of Marquis of Zhenguo was still granted by the late emperor, and his title has not been promoted in these years. His military exploits are enough to create another duke. How big is the Lin family's current fiefdom?"

In fact, since the empire established the four continents, it has become increasingly difficult to ennoble people on the ground. Especially today, when the local peace is long lasting, the local fief area of ​​most titles is insufficient. In addition to fiefdoms, military merit and enclave income are also included in the calculation of the rank of a wealthy family.

The Lin family is a low-ranking family. Most of the family members are middle- and lower-level officers. There is only one county in the country, and it is still a small county. When Lin Xitang was granted the title of Marquis of Zhenguo, he also served as the chief minister of the cabinet. This was the time when he was under the greatest criticism from the government and the public. Although his title was a real title, he did not increase his fiefdom.

During his tenure as marshal, Lin Xitang expanded his territory, which was regarded as a war zone when he was in office. When he left office, he could retain part of it as a fiefdom according to the law. In addition to his military achievements over the years, it was not an exaggeration to exchange for a large local county.

Thinking of this, Zhao Junhong couldn't help but press his forehead, and did not answer Zhao Jundu's last question. He only said: "I heard that it was the Lin family who submitted a letter claiming that they were unable to defend and wanted to return the fiefdom to the empire."

Zhao Jundu is proficient in military affairs. Although he is slightly inferior to Zhao Junhong in government affairs, he is also familiar with various regulations of the empire. Hearing this, he immediately connected several things today. His expression became serious and he said: "Second brother, why did the Beifu Army do this? Have you been stuck in Xilu? ”

Zhao Junhong thought of this one step earlier than Zhao Jundu, but he didn’t know how to say it. Seeing that Zhao Jundu also discovered the clue, he couldn’t help but sigh heavily and said with a bitter smile: "When Beifu changed defenses, the alien beast army happened to invade. It was my father who came forward to ask Beifu to stay. Assist in defense.”

Zhao Jundu had already gone to Qinlu to take charge of the advance base at that time. Later he learned that the losses in Xilu were much better than those in Yuelu, so he did not pay attention to the details. When Zhao Junhong heard what he said, he felt more and more uncomfortable and asked, "Who gave father the idea?"

You must know that Zhao Weihuang and Lin Xitang have not been on good terms since they have lived next to each other for many years. During the defensive vacuum period, Beifu was nominally controlled by Zhao Weihuang, the highest-ranking Northwest General of the Western Army, but Zhao Jundu was certain that he had never entered the Beifu camp.

Besides, with Zhao Weihuang's temperament, if a foreign enemy invades, his first reaction is to order troops to kill him. How could he personally go out to find the Beifu Army?

Zhao Junhong sighed: "No matter who proposes it, no one will object."

Zhao Jundu understood what Zhao Junhong meant. Now that he thought about it, even if he were present, he would not realize that there was anything wrong with this proposal. It is the rightful thing for the Imperial Legion to fight to defend their territory. However, if the vision is further expanded, Zhao Clan's various actions have actually stranded the Beifu Army in the Western Continent. But until now, Beifu has not been able to complete the procedures, which is particularly conspicuous.

"What happened to the water that day?"

"It is a family decision to go to the military department to go through the knighthood procedures and plan the local fiefdom for you." Zhao Junhong smiled bitterly and said: "In fact, our family is not planning for that fiefdom. Tianshui County has complete borders and a prosperous market. , located in the hinterland of the mainland, is a rare good piece of land in recent years. When Zhen Guogong was alive, based on his military achievements, qualifications and status, he took the place before everyone else, even if some people were dissatisfied. , I won’t say it verbally. At this time, everyone who is waiting for a land, or even someone who needs to change land, is probably trying to make a move, and the Zhao family is not immune."

Local fiefdom is a major matter for the entire family. It is impossible for a knight to personally handle such trivial matters. The rule of any clan is to first discuss various plans within the clan, and then send out capable people to strive to get the most for the family. Benefit. This is not a decision made by one or two people, but the entire Zhao Clan, one level, two masters and eighteen subordinates, together with all the vassal family interests.

Zhao Jundu did not bother to ask about the details of the family meeting, as there was no need to find out the person who first gave Zhao Weihuang the idea. Because if we only start from family interests, that is what many people think. To identify those with ulterior motives, we have to start from other places.

Zhao Junhong sighed: "Every local fiefdom is finally settled. There are countless games, balances and exchanges behind it. How can our family be able to do it? Your Majesty came to you about this matter, and I don’t know what it means. ?"

Zhao Jundu said calmly: "This matter may not be led by the Zhao clan, but we are not innocent either."

Zhao Junhong was stunned and wanted to object, but felt he had nothing to say. Even he himself was not sure whether the Lin family would be able to give up their interests to other aristocratic families if they had the chance to push the situation. It is easy to say that a gentleman should be cautious about being alone, but only a few people can do it.

Zhao Jundu pondered for a while and said: "I somewhat understand what Admiral Lin means. Rumors, if they arise at this moment, it is inevitable that people will not think about it. Moreover, spreading rumors seems easy, but it is difficult to investigate. With Zhao Clan Many people would not take gossiping seriously because of the unhappiness with Zhen Guogong over the years. ”

Zhao Junhong shook his head and said: "I have a bad premonition. Even if we can get to the bottom of it, what kind of punishment is there? Killing people just to gossip? Someone from the government must be involved, but those uncles and uncles don't think so at all. It's wrong to scold the Duke of Zhen. They dare to scold His Majesty the Emperor, and if it involves his direct descendants, neither You nor Yan will support us."

At this time, Zhao Jundu remembered Emperor Hao's words that seemed to be a compliment, "The family style of the Zhao clan is brave and brave."

The Zhao family has a strong family tradition, and its children go to the battlefield as soon as they reach adulthood. Therefore, among the twenty elders who are now in high positions, that is, the heads of one level, two masters and eighteen servants, none of them is a vegetarian, as young as Zhao Jundu He was able to take charge of a palace easily, not because he was a genius, but because of his strength and military exploits.

Therefore, among these elders, even those who are less powerful in terms of force are all outstanding and have great prestige. This is why although the Zhao family was criticized for not marrying with the nobles, and because there were many emperors and queens, they were often unhappy between the family and the imperial family, but they were still able to remain firmly among the families and look down upon all the other families. root cause.

However, this also leads to the fact that there is no unique voice in the valve. Originally, the position of the Valve Leader was held by You and Yan in turns, and the main branch and branches maintained a relatively stable balance. However, the rise of Duke Cheng'en broke this balance and actually dispersed the power of the main two Ping mansions.

Especially the Duke Cheng'en branch, it has been less than forty years since it was separated from the lineage of Duke Youguo. The current Dukes of Youyan and Zhao Weihuang are one generation older than Zhao Weihuang. Among the heads of the Congfu, except for Zhao Jundu, he is not His peers are his elders. As long as it does not violate the ancestral precepts of the Yanyun Zhao family, each government is responsible for its own affairs. It is not easy for anyone to point fingers at anyone, otherwise it will definitely lead to backlash.

The whole incident with Zhao Guanwei is the best example.

While Zhao Junhong was talking, he suddenly remembered something, his expression became a little unnatural, and he said: "His Majesty the Emperor suddenly asked you about the division of sects. Could it be that he knew about it some time ago..."

Looking at Zhao Junhong's face, Zhao Jundu knew what he wanted to say. He patted his second brother on the shoulder openly and said: "I really don't have anything. Besides, those are outsiders' words. Second brother, don't take it to heart."

Zhao Junhong just smiled bitterly.

This matter starts after the Battle of Floating Land. Although Zhao Jundu was rescued by Hai Mi, he ran out of medicine and stones and was still unable to recover for a long time. The worst thing was that his force level dropped significantly.

This is a big deal for Zhao Clan. Previously, Youyan and his two brothers worked hard to overcome the public opinion, skipping the previous selection process of the Zhao Clan's lords, and identified Zhao Jundu as the next lord. Although it was not announced publicly, it was approved by the Council of Elders.

As for Zhao Jundu's injury, it was considered hopeless at that time. Since the founding of the Zhao clan, there has never been a clan leader who was not a divine general. At this time, it is normal for someone to propose overturning the original proposal.

At that time, among the grandsons of Duke Yan, Zhao Fenglei was imprisoned for two years due to the Fulu War. The chief resources were transferred to the other two young disciples. The two young men also fought hard, whether they were cultivating themselves or participating in the war later. All show impressive progress. As for You Guogong's lineage, besides Zhao Yuying, there are finally several young people in their teens who have shown their natural talents.

So while everyone was happy that the disciples of the main sect had solved the problem of fault, they could not help but reconsider the issue of the successor. One of the compromise plans is to propose Zhao Junhong as the successor to the clan leader.

When Zhao Jundu's light eclipsed the young geniuses in the entire empire, the outside world's evaluation of Zhao Junhong was that he had mediocre qualifications, while the Zhao clan's internal view of him was that he was experienced in government affairs, superior in military strategy, diligent in cultivation to find opportunities, and also had the ability to make breakthroughs. will be possible. When Zhao Junhong was awarded the title of deputy commander, he had already passed the seventeenth level.

The matter finally came to an end when Zhao Jundu broke through the divine general's gate by refining the real gold in fire, and Gaoyi became furious. The eldest princess of the empire threatened that she would never tolerate anyone instigating a fight between her two sons. Then came the invasion of alien beasts and the war of the new world, and the matter of re-discussing the successor of the clan leader was temporarily put on hold.

At this time, several signal bombs exploded in the air in the distance, which was Zhao clan's general closing signal.

Zhao Junhong said: "We have to go back, otherwise someone may come looking for us." Emperor Hao and King Qingyang can pass through, but he and Zhao Jundu still need to appease the Youtong Pass defenders.

Zhao Jundu nodded and said: "Second brother, don't tell anyone about these things today."

Zhao Junhong sighed and said: "I was just about to advise you that it is not appropriate to inform your mother in advance. It's best if you think so too. Let's make a calculation among ourselves first!" Among the Zhao brothers, they are the most important. The most affectionate thing, Zhao Junhong naturally understood it, Zhao Jundu should not tell anyone, including his parents and brothers.

Zhao Jundu frowned and said, "Why is it related to my mother?"

Zhao Junhong felt tired even with a forced smile, "I remembered something, whether it has anything to do with the present or not, it would be better to let you know. When the Duke of Zhen Guo made the secret treasure and sent the children of various aristocratic families into the maelstrom, my little sister I didn't know who had stolen the secret treasure, so I followed him in. My mother once said on the way that she wanted to settle the score with the Duke of Zhen."

Zhao Jundu had no idea that such a thing would happen, and said in astonishment: "What kind of truth is this? Can the Duke of Zhen Guo instigate a young girl?"

Zhao Junhong said: "My mother is in a bad mood, so just say it casually. The problem is who took it seriously and spread it, and I even heard about it."

Even Zhao Jundu could only sigh. These were all trivial things, but when put together, they turned into a sinister result, and Zhao Clan was still the villain among them.

Zhao Junhong said: "I can't think of anyone who has the ability to make so many traps for Zhao Clan to fall into."

Zhao Jundu shook his head, "How can there be so many conspiracies? Many things are not kept secret, they are not repaired by themselves, and they are just pushed around by others. Compared with His Majesty the Emperor, Admiral Lin is what I am most worried about. . I’m afraid that if someone tries to make trouble for him, he will not only be killed, but the scandal will be made public.”

Zhao Junhong thought of Lin Wu's past deeds and felt that his head began to hurt. When Lin Wu was still Fang Qingkong, he encountered countless assassinations. Not only did he not succeed in any of them, but he was also scandalized every time at the right time, which could not be covered up. You know, most aristocratic families are shameless. They would rather deal with some matters privately than make them public.

But even Zhao Junhong himself admitted that the way Lin Wu spoke just now made him really want to challenge him to a duel.

Zhao Junhong also thought about it at this time, "If Lin Wu should have said such harsh words just for the sake of rumors, it would be impossible for any powerful family to clean up the family in order to spread rumors. I'm afraid someone in the family has really done something fatal. I don’t know if Lin Wu already has evidence, or if he is just trying to scare people away to find evidence.”

Zhao Jundu said: "Rumors must be resolved. Let's start with this matter and ask each government to restrain the tribesmen and find the source of the rumors. You and I will investigate secretly to see what is going on."

Zhao Junhong nodded in agreement, and the two returned to Youtong Pass together.