When Qiu Baocai was asked this question by his younger brother, he also had a frightened face and looked at Xiao Zimu uncertainly.
After a moment, he cautiously asked, "Your Highness, did you just say that you would keep them on the mountain?"
Xiao Zimu looked at them with expressions of surprise before he realized that what he just said was indeed shocking at first glance.
He sorted out his words and then said: "Of course I can't be a bandit anymore. What I mean is to give you a sum of money regularly to help you maintain your life. As a price, you naturally have to... "
When Xiao Zimu said this, Qiu Baohua stretched his neck and listened with pricked ears.
The remaining Qiu Baocai and Xin Ya were also waiting attentively, wanting to know what Xiao Zimu wanted from Qiu Baohua.
Xiao Zimu couldn't help but laugh when he saw all three of them looking at him nervously and inquiringly.
The three of them were stuck at this moment, and they all held their breaths involuntarily, and the strings in their minds were tightened.
Seeing him laughing suddenly, they couldn't help but exhale. Qiu Baocai and Xin Ya didn't dare to show their dissatisfaction, but Qiu Baohua had a look of resentment on his face.
"Of course you have to guard this mountain for me." Xiao Zimu said slowly with the expectant expressions of the three of them looking forward to it.
"Ah? Guard the mountain?" Qiu Baohua was shocked when he heard this.
What is there to defend about that broken mountain? Who can move it away
The other two people were also puzzled. Qiu Baocai couldn't help but asked: "Is it that simple?"
Xiao Zimu nodded.
Qiu Baohua still didn't believe it when he heard this. He looked at Xiao Zimu suspiciously and said after a moment: "Do you want to trick me back, then follow me up the mountain and wipe them out in one fell swoop?"
Xin Ya, who was behind him, kicked him when he heard this and shouted: "How dare you, Your Highness, you are true to your word, how could you play such a childish game with you?"
Qiu Baohua was kicked, but he didn't curse. He still looked at Xiao Zimu with a confused look.
"I said, I won't suppress bandits. You can think of it as working. You guard the mountain for me and I will pay you money. But you are not allowed to do evil again, even under the guise of robbing the rich and giving to the poor. You should practice and practice at ordinary times. , since you have served in the army, training them must not be difficult." Xiao Zimu promised warmly.
Qiu Baocai realized this time. This was a great thing. He looked at his younger brother and saw that he was blinking with big, silly eyes. He quickly pushed him and said, "Kneel down quickly. Thank you, Your Highness." A great favor.”
Qiu Baohua was pushed by his brother. After a moment of silence, he knelt down.
At this time, his face no longer looked as arrogant as when he first entered the room, and all the gangsterism in his body was gone.
He bowed respectfully, kowtowed with a solemn expression and said, "If you really follow what His Highness said, I am willing to lead my brothers to guard the mountain for Your Highness."
Xiao Zimu nodded, and then ordered to Xin Ya: "Take him to the prison, release his two brothers, and then go and calculate how much silver they need for a year, and give them some silver notes. "
After hearing this, Qiu Baohua confirmed that the matter was absolutely true. He kowtowed heavily and said, "Thank you for your great kindness, Your Highness. I, Qiu Baohua, promise again that from now on there will be no bandits in ancient Anhui. I will practice every day to guard the mountain for Your Highness." .”
"Follow Xin Ya." Xiao Zimu nodded and smiled slightly.
Qiu Baohua stood up and took out another wolf fang from his neck. He presented it to Xiao Zimu with both hands respectfully: "This is the wolf fang I took off from the first Hu soldier I killed. Now I dedicate it to him." Your Highness, I would like to express my gratitude and hope that Your Highness will not give up and accept it."
Xiao Zimu reached out and took it. The root of the wolf fang was slightly longer.
There are horizontal micro-cracks on the enamel surface of the tooth crown, and there is a rust color on it, which should be caused by the blood from that year drying up.
The root of the tooth is relatively full, but full but not empty. There are depressions on both sides and the curvature is well-proportioned.
The root of the tooth is very thick, but the surface is not rough.
The crown of the tooth is long and pointed, and the inner edge of the tooth is obvious. The root of the tooth is perforated and passed through by a thin black leather rope, forming a wolf tooth necklace.
Xiao Zimu put him into his sleeves and said to Qiu Baohua, "I will keep it carefully."
Seeing that he didn't dislike him, Qiu Baohua took it away calmly. With a smile on his face, he bowed to him, turned around and followed Xin Ya out.
When Qiu Baocai saw his younger brother turn around and go out, he bowed to Xiao Zimu and said, "The little man went with his younger brother."
Xiao Zimu nodded and saw them leaving the door one by one, and walked to the front hall on his own.
Yin Guangbo was looking through the accounts of previous years. The master on the side saw Xiao Zimu approaching, and hurriedly greeted him, bowed, and called His Highness.
Xiao Zimu nodded and Yin Guangbo raised his head upon hearing the sound. Seeing Xiao Zimu coming out, he also came over and bowed.
"What's wrong?" Xiao Zimu asked Yin Guangbo.
"The price of rice has been settled according to the normal price, but the merchants are quite dissatisfied and complaining." After the official document was sent, a group of rice merchants came to make trouble, which really gave Yin Guangbo a headache.
"That's only temporary. When the nearby magistrate sends food, they won't be able to carry it up even if they want to." Xiao Zimu didn't care too much.
"I'm afraid that after they go back, they will collect all the food and not sell it. In this case, we can't force them to sell food." Yin Guangbo reminded, expressing his worries.
"How much food is left in the government office?" Xiao Zimu did not expect this level, his expression condensed, and he asked the master.
"Go back to Your Highness, I still have about five or six stones." The master replied respectfully.
"That's enough. Open the warehouse to put grain. I want to see if those grain merchants are keeping the rice to get moldy." When Xiao Zimu heard that there were still five or six stones, it was not enough for the people to feed the county magistrate. Come on.
"Your Highness, the rice they keep will definitely be sold. You forgot, we have famine every year here. Even if you are here this year and solve this problem, it can still be sold next year." The master saw Xiao Zi Mu didn't know much about the world, so he thought about it and gave a warning.
Xiao Zimu frowned when he heard this and glanced at Yin Guangbo. Yin Guangbo also nodded, indicating that what the master said was reasonable.
"The current situation is easy to solve, but the famine in ancient Anhui is the real source, which is quite difficult." Yin Guangbo also looked solemn and spoke out the key points.
Xin Ya happened to come over at this time. He had just released Qiu Baohua's two brothers in the prison. After giving Qiu Baohua the banknote, he ordered the government servants to take the four of them and leave through the side door.
He had just finished this matter. On the way back, Bian Zhao jumped down from the tree and handed him a letter.
So, he quickly walked to the front hall, and when he saw Xiao Zimu's frown, he stepped forward to insert his ear canal.
"Your Highness, there is a letter from the young Marquis."
(End of chapter)