Li Guan was embarrassed for a moment. He knew that what Wang Chong had just said was not just his opinion. In fact, he understood that this was the opinion of most brothers on the island who accepted the Xiao family into the island.

He had already expected this when he agreed to the Xiao family to enter the island. However, he did not take the initiative to explain it before. Now Wang Chong finally mentioned this matter. After pondering for a while, he said, "It is normal for Deputy General Wang to have questions about this matter. But at this time, I have been thinking about it for a long time. I have not explained it to you before, hoping that you can figure it out and understand the reason behind it. But now that you have mentioned it, I will explain it to you."

He paused and said, "You should understand the situation in our Tang Dynasty. The court is basically controlled by eunuchs. Now the court is unable to restrain local vassal states. The only ones that can control are about 150,000 Shen Ce Army. However, the four important positions in the court that hold military power, the left and right Privy Council envoys and the left and right Shen Ce Army lieutenant, were all controlled by eunuchs. The emperor was deposed and established by eunuchs, and even directly murdered the emperor."

"When Zi was young today, I heard that the emperor appointed the eunuch Xiaomafang Tian Lingzi as the envoy of the Privy Council, the lieutenant of the left Shence Army, and the general of the left Jianmen, and called him Afu. Once all the affairs of the court were decided by him, he ruled over his power, sold official positions and titles, and relied on his favors and abused the emperor. The young emperor was also completely unwilling to do political work. He handed over all the major affairs of the court to Tian Lingzi, but he was unscrupulous and enjoyed fighting cocks, betting on geese, riding and shooting, sword spear, calculation, music, and go."

Li Guan sighed, "Looking at the present day, it has become the world of aristocratic families. The three towns in Hebei have been divided into independent power. The court has no power to control it. There are many vassal states in the Central Plains, called the three towns in Heshuo, but in fact it has almost become separatist. On the surface, although the military governors are still appointed and removed by the court. But in fact, the soldiers of the Central Plains are very handsome and have secretly colluded with the noble families and families from various places to control one side. The vassal commanders have only become a person without real power. Although there are many military governors and observation envoys in the southeast, they are actually famous and have no soldiers. Military deterioration has long become the last tax supply area for the court. Although border towns such as the northwest and southwest still obey the court, they are actually unable to provide their own troops because of the bitter and cold border areas, and they have to rely on the court for their own power."

Wang Chong seemed to understand: "What did the general say about these things? Is it related to us?"

"It's relevant, of course, and it's also very relevant." Li Guan said solemnly. "If you understand the situation like today, you will find that the situation is actually very subtle and dangerous. To put it bluntly, the world is now divided into two major parts: the central court and the local vassal state. The central court held the last direct armed forces of the Shence Army, and barely controlled the Guannei Road and the Gyeonggi Road. In addition, it was completely controlled by the local vassal states."

"The forty-eight towns in the world can be divided into four categories, which can be called separatist, defensive, border, and financial resources. Among them, the three towns in Hebei. Wei Bo, Chengde and Lu Long are old separatist towns, and they surrendered and sentenced. Although the court had pacified during the Xianzong Dynasty, the separatist situation has been restored again. Even Yi Ding, Ziqing, Huaixi, and Cangjing towns had also been separatist and independent in the early years. Huaixi had been pacified and removed. Ziqing Town was also divided after pacified and other towns were pacified."

"In addition, the guardian-type vassal states were established by the court after the Anshi Rebellion to prevent the three towns in Hebei from going south. There were Xuanwu, Wuning, Zhongwu, Zelu, Heyang, Yicheng, Hedong, Shaanxi and Guo vassal states. Most of them were in the Central Plains area. In the early years, the imperial court was unable to pacify the strong soldiers of the three towns in Hebei. It was entirely due to the Central Plains towns to prevent the three towns in Hebei, and maintained the stability of the Central Plains. However, now, the towns in the Central Plains have long changed. On the surface, they obeyed the court, but in fact they were all a group of talented soldiers and generals, colluding with local wealthy families, and not much different from the three towns in Hebei."

"The border-type vassal states are concentrated in the southwest and northwest borders. They rely entirely on the supply of the imperial court and have to bear the pressure of invasion from foreign tribes in the border areas. They have long become a bottomless pit."

"Only the wealth-based towns are concentrated in the southeastern region, including eight other provinces including Zhejiang, western Zhejiang, Huainan, Fujian, Jiangxi, etc. They have abundant wealth and obey the central court. Now the taxes of the court are almost all reliant on the southeastern towns. Unfortunately, they have few troops and poor military equipment."

"The power of the vassal states is getting stronger and stronger, and they have human rights. The officials of the shogunate government of the vassal states can establish their own offices. They have financial power, and can retain military expenditures for free. They also have supervision power, which has considerable power for the appointment, removal, promotion and demotion of officials in prefectures and counties. It can be said that the vassal states are a small court, especially the three towns in Hebei and the Central Plains towns. But if you observe this town carefully, you will find that there are almost two current situations in the vassal states today. One is that the generals of each town are undermining the Jiesal states and actually controlling the power of Fangzhen. The other is that the Jiesal states control the troops of Fangzhen, but they are frequently mobilized. Therefore, no matter which situation is, there is actually a shadow behind them, that is, the nobles of the aristocrats."

"Most of the Ya generals who control Fangzhen are local powerful aristocratic families. For example, Wang Jinwu, our Ya generals in Ziqing Town, the Wang family is the fourth major family in Ziqing. In addition, the senior officials who are responsible for Jieshou are basically the best in various aristocratic families. For example, Song Wei has served as a high-ranking position in the Shence Army in his early years. He was the Song family in Chang'an. In short, whether it is the real Jieshou or the Ya generals who control Fangzhen's actual power, you will find that more than half of them are actually from those aristocratic families."

"Many of the emperor's decrees have long been unable to be released from Guanzhong, and the place is almost controlled by aristocratic families in various places. The Xiao family, known as the number one aristocratic family in the south of the Yangtze River, has a very impressive influence and ability. You say, if I were not a disciple of Gong Cui and Gong Yu, and had a good relationship with King Zhao, would Song Wen know about me, a little pawn? Will he give me the position of Shamen Town General?"

Wang Chong shook his head: "No!"

"Yes, if I don't have those backgrounds, no matter how capable I am, it is impossible to sit in this position in a short time." Li Guan sighed, "Then let me talk about it, if there is a mark from Song Jieshuai's subordinates on me, would you say that Wang Jin and Feng Zhang would let us go so easily last time instead of directly erasing us?"

Wang Chong shook his head again. "It shouldn't be. The more powerful a person is, the less he likes being blackmailed and blackmailed. Generally, those who dare to treat them like this will have only one way out. Unless this person has a higher power than theirs. Last time we blackmailed Feng Zhang and Wang Jin, they must have hated us, but they are afraid of our relationship with Song Jieshuai, Cui Sima, Zhao Wang, etc., and are just afraid of the rat."

"That's right! We are just a pawn. But with the backer behind us, even powerful people like Feng Zhang Wang Jin have to worry about us. So, this is called taking advantage of the situation. The same is true for the Xiao family. We cannot put all the eggs in one basket, otherwise what will we do if our backer abandons the pawn and protects the car one day?"

"What do you mean?" Wang Chong was still puzzled.

"I mean, before we don't have enough self-protection power, we might as well show our weakness and find more Zinc Mountain. The Xiao family borrowed money for us. They sent their children to Shamen Town. Everything, in my opinion, was nothing more than two points. One was to constantly borrow money, or provide materials and other help, constantly penetrated in, and finally until we were completely unable to do without their support. Then we became vassals of the Xiao family. Second, maybe the Xiao family did not think so far. They just set up chess pieces in advance for their relationship with my mother, and even some of our performances that surprised them. If we have greater development in the future, he would also bet early, and if we can't accomplish anything, there would be no loss. No matter which point, this is the usual technique of the great scholars."

"Accepting the help they provide now, we will also face potential risks later. But we will also be protected by them." Li Guan smiled: "They have a good idea, but if they just regard us as some of their previous bets on others, they will definitely be out of sight. Do you really think that if the Xiao family borrowed me 200,000 jin of money, we would owe them more debts that they could not pay off? Do you really think that if the Xiao family sent 100 people to the island, they would have infiltrated us?"

"Isn't it?"

Li Guan smiled and said, "I can tell you with certainty that those are impossible. Look at the moment, we borrowed 50,000 guan before, but we then got more money from Feng Zhangwang Jin. The Xiao family found that the loan was meaningless, so they lent us 200,000, and wanted to bind us with this, but you see, we have gained 50,000 guan now. Is it meaningful for them to lend us? He sent 100 people, but we now have 4,000 people. As long as we arrange them separately, do you think it can penetrate us?"

"To put it bluntly, I know what the Xiao family plans. But I still accept their proposals, borrowing their money and accepting their people, not because we really need their money. In fact, I just want to borrow the power of the Xiao family. Originally, we were only facing two forces, but now we have brought the Xiao family in, and we have become three forces. Only when the water is more muddy and the more backers there are, can we hide in their shadow and survive the initial round."

"I still feel a little too risky!"

"Life is a gamble. If we don't gamble, others will force us to gamble. It is better to choose actively than to choose passively. This time I brought the Xiao family here. First, let them participate in this battle and participate in the attack on Cat Island. Even if they have a letter of fame, they will take the initiative to let them see our secret ally Zhendonghai, and they will also show our strength to the Xiao family. In addition, bringing the Xiao family to Zhendonghai will also show our strength to Zhendonghai. We are still very weak now, so the Xiao family thinks that we have the initiative, and we will reveal these to them, which will make them believe more. Now we are still in the early stages of cooperation with the Xiao family. Even if they have mastered these secrets, they will not do anything to us. But if one day in the future, if we have a one-day counter-target, do you think that even if they master these secrets, they will still threaten us?"

"It only takes half a year, we are not afraid of anyone!" Wang Chong said confidently.
Chapter completed!