To put it bluntly, the dinner hosted by Ganzhou Governor Lei Sitong was a reception and tea party held by the leaders of the previous life. A group of upper-class people in Pingxi County gathered in Guanyuan, expressed their loyalty to the Ganzhou Governor, criticized Ye Tiancheng and the Ye family, and finally ate and drank together, and the dinner ended.
During the dinner, Yan Liqiang and Lei Sitong sat together at the main table. The two chatted and laughed happily at the table, becoming the focus of the whole audience.
If last year Yan Liqiang was still full of awe for Lei Sitong and felt that the governor of a state was superior, then after a trip to the Imperial Capital and then returning to Ganzhou, Yan Liqiang no longer looked up to Lei Sitong psychologically.
After all, when Yan Liqiang was in the imperial capital, he had seen the emperor, fought against the prime minister and the minister and escaped unscathed. After experiencing all this, when he looked at Lei Sitong, the governor of a state, he was no longer trembling with fear, but became calm. He was not surprised by honor or disgrace, and he was neither humble nor arrogant. Yan Liqiang's style and bearing made all the officials and local celebrities present in Pingxi County secretly praise him in their hearts.
What a person calls training, knowledge, and experience is just like this. Having seen, understood, and experienced, one's inner heart is enriched, and one will not be afraid of big scenes or important people. One will be calm and natural, and one's bearing and pattern will naturally emerge.
After the dinner, Lei Sitong invited Yan Liqiang to the study in Guanyuan, served him tea, and then sent the servants away. Suddenly, Yan Liqiang and Lei Sitong were the only ones in the study.
"I heard that Lord Sun also recognized a talent in Guanyuan and promoted Li Qiang to be the close attendant. Lord Sun also used this study room back then. Li Qiang should be more familiar with this place than I am..." Lei Sitong looked at Yan Liqiang with appreciation, then personally poured a cup of tea for Yan Liqiang and pushed the cup in front of Yan Liqiang.
Yan Liqiang bowed slightly, then glanced around the study, "Yes, the layout of this study has not changed at all, it's still the same as when Lord Sun came here!"
"A year has passed since I said goodbye to Lord Sun. I heard that on Lord Sun's way back to the capital, you, Li Qiang, worked hard and made great contributions. You were brave and resourceful. The Black Wind Bandits were frightened by your killing. You were like a fish in water in the Imperial Capital and were highly valued by His Majesty. As soon as the Great Han Empire Times came out, it became popular all over the world and led the trend of the Great Han Empire. Lord Sun's vision of judging people really makes me admire him. Recently, there are people in Ganzhou City who want to tinker with a copy of the Ganzhou Times. This is all due to your influence..."
"Your Excellency, you are too kind!" Yan Liqiang smiled slightly, spread his hands in self-mockery, and sighed, "Your Excellency has a generous personality, so I won't pretend in front of you. To be honest, there was a lot of fighting in the Imperial Capital, and I was just a small figure. I happened to be there by accident. In order to survive, I had to try my best, but I offended many people. This time, I was lucky to be able to return to my hometown in Ganzhou with my tail between my legs. Please don't make fun of me anymore..."
It's comfortable to talk to interesting people. Seeing Yan Liqiang being so frank, Lei Sitong laughed and slapped the table twice. "It takes skill to make a name for yourself and get out of that dangerous place. To be honest, I didn't expect you, Liqiang, to be so decisive and leave that world behind in an instant!"
"I have to be decisive. If I stay in Imperial Capital any longer, I may not be able to come back alive in less than a year. When it comes to the world of pleasure, I feel that Ganzhou is not bad. It is hard to leave my hometown. After I come back, I will be truly free!"
"Li Qiang, you are at ease, but I don't know how many people will feel uncomfortable when you come back with the name of Governor Qi Yun!" Lei Sitong picked up the water cup and blew it gently.
Yan Liqiang smiled slightly. "If those lowly creatures like the Seven Shatu Tribes want to be at ease, then the entire Han Empire will be at ease. It's good to make them uncomfortable!"
"Well said!" Lei Sitong put down his teacup, his eyes gleaming, "Since we've come to this point, I'll get straight to the point. Li Qiang, you're a smart man, so you must know why I want to see you this time."
Yan Liqiang looked at Lei Sitong seriously, "Your Excellency is the governor of Ganzhou. The appointment of Qi Yun as the governor is a serious matter. I naturally understand what the governor is concerned about, but to be honest, your majesty has no intention of using troops against the seven tribes of Shatu. The reason why your majesty appointed me as the governor of Qi Yun is just a gesture, just to make some people uncomfortable. As for the purpose of your majesty's gesture, I think the governor should understand it better than me!"
"No need for troops?" Lei Sitong asked again with a stronger tone, his eyes fixed on Yan Liqiang.
"No need for troops!" Yan Liqiang nodded affirmatively.
Lei Sitong let out a long breath, a smile appeared on his face, and he felt relieved all of a sudden. "It seems that His Majesty thinks highly of you, Li Qiang. His Majesty is ready to see what you are capable of!"
"Hahaha, my ability is just to lead people to do some small business. How can I catch the eyes of the adults!" Yan Liqiang smiled modestly.
"You are so modest. Li Qiang, you have just returned to Pingxi County for a few days, and you have already made a four-wheeled carriage. I think it won't be long before this four-wheeled carriage will be popular all over the world. This is a great skill!" Lei Sitong smiled. "The four-wheeled carriage can only carry people. In my opinion, if such a carriage can be used to transport logistical supplies in the army, the same horses can transport twice as much logistical supplies, and the same weight of goods will require less road carrying capacity. This is a military weapon, amazing!"
Yan Liqiang also secretly admired him. Lei Sitong's vision was indeed sharp. Just by looking at his four-wheeled carriage, he immediately thought of the significance of promoting this thing in the army. This was probably the reason why Lei Sitong took down his four-wheeled carriage at all costs when he met him. For the sake of comfort, a four-wheeled carriage for people needs a spring suspension, but if it is a four-wheeled carriage used to transport goods, the spring suspension can naturally be saved. As long as the carriage is handed over to the craftsmen, the structure of the bogie will be clear at a glance, and it can naturally be imitated by the craftsmen.
"Speaking of doing business, I have a business here. I wonder if you are interested in it?" Yan Liqiang smiled and threw out his bait.
"Oh, you're making a four-wheeled carriage?" Lei Sitong burst out laughing. "Although I'm interested in making money, I won't compete with you, Li Qiang, for this business..."
Yan Liqiang also laughed, "Of course, the business that I can do with you is not a small business like the carriage business. In the future, the carriage business under my command will only make a few hundred thousand taels of silver a year at most. It's okay to use it to support a bunch of craftsmen, but how can you take such a small amount of money seriously..."
"Puff..." Lei Sitong just took a sip of tea, and after hearing what Yan Liqiang said, he couldn't help but choked. All the tea sprayed out at once, and a lot of tea was stained on his beard, dripping down. Lei Sitong turned his head and glared at Yan Liqiang, his eyes shining with gold, not caring about the water drops on his beard at all, and asked in an unbelievable tone, "What did you say, your four-wheeled carriage can earn a million taels of silver a year?"
"Well, of course. Is that a lot?" Yan Liqiang looked at Lei Sitong with an innocent look and blinked. "I plan to sell each of those four-wheeled carriages for 5,000 taels of silver. 5,000 taels for one carriage, 10 taels for 50,000 taels, and 100 taels for 500,000 taels. With the ability of my manufacturing bureau, it will be no problem to manufacture a few hundred carriages a year. It will be easy to make a million taels of silver this year!"
"Hahaha..." Lei Sitong laughed, pointed at Yan Liqiang and shook his head, "Liqiang, Liqiang, you are kidding, I almost believed it, your carriage is good, but others can make a carriage like that at a glance, you have a craftsman camp, and there are many craftsmen in other places, in Ganzhou, there is nothing that can't be made, let alone 5,000 taels for one carriage, even if it's 500 taels, there are plenty of people who can make it, how do you make that 5,000 taels?"
"Your Excellency only saw the surface of the carriage, but you didn't know that there is something special under the two wheels of the carriage. That thing is something that only I can make in the world. Without that thing, even if others can make a carriage that looks the same, the comfort will be far different. So with that thing, my carriage can be sold for 5,000 taels of silver, and there will be no worries about sales..."
"Oh, what are you talking about?" Lei Sitong asked curiously.
"That thing is called a spring. It is made of steel that can be soft or hard, flexible or stretchable..."
"Ah, steel can be hard and soft, and can bend and stretch?" Lei Sitong looked surprised, as if he couldn't believe it. In his impression, the so-called steel is naturally something hard and strong, and can be used to make swords, armor and tools. This thing that can be hard and soft, and can bend and stretch, can be made of iron. It's impossible...
"The carriage is in the garden. If you don't believe me, you can ask someone to go and see. Just crawl under the carriage and have two people stand on the steps and go up and down and you'll know..."
"I just don't believe that there is such a thing. Li Qiang, please wait here. I want to go and see it myself. Seeing is believing..." Lei Sitong said something to Yan Liqiang, and then walked out of the study room in a swift and decisive manner.
Yan Liqiang smiled, drank his tea carefully in the study, and waited quietly. Sure enough, before five minutes had passed, Lei Sitong returned to the study again.
Lei Sitong returned to the study, rubbing his hands and looking at Yan Liqiang with shining eyes. The smile on his face was so disgusting that Yan Liqiang suddenly remembered the pimp soliciting customers at the door of the brothel.
"Li Qiang..."
When the governor spoke with deep emotion, Yan Liqiang couldn't help but change his expression and shuddered instantly.
The governor still had a smile on his face, honey in his mouth, and looked at Yan Liqiang with affectionate eyes, "I see that you are not very old, and I am a few years older than you. It is rare that we get along so well. I think we should not be estranged from each other in the future. You should not call me sir, just call me Uncle Lei from now on. From now on, in this small piece of land in Ganzhou, you can walk around as you please, Liqiang. If anyone dares to touch you, I will lead my troops to destroy him..."
The governor spoke murderous words with a deep and affectionate tone, and the harmony was perfect...
"Uncle Lei...Uncle Lei..." The governor suddenly changed his tone, shocking Yan Liqiang so much that his tongue became tangled and he was unable to speak. Yan Liqiang vaguely felt that he seemed... seemed... to have made a mistake...
"That's right, we are a family from now on. Hey, you have finished your tea. Come on, Uncle Lei will pour you some tea... "Lei Sitong enthusiastically poured a cup of tea for Yan Liqiang. After putting down the teapot, Lei Sitong's smile disappeared, he sighed, and suddenly became sad. He looked at the ceiling of the room at a 45-degree angle, "Actually, Uncle Lei is not afraid of being laughed at by you, Liqiang. I have been in Ganzhou for six years, and I feel that the job of governor is not easy. Ganzhou is really too poor. Ganzhou is a border state and a place of many battles. There are many soldiers in Ganzhou, and the supply money and food given by the court are small. I have to think of ways to do everything. Unfortunately, Ganzhou does not have many products, and the place is not rich. The tax is not much. As a governor, I have to tighten my belt to make a living. I know that the people of Ganzhou call me Lei Lao Hu behind my back, but I, a tiger, am almost starving to eat vegetarian food. Why did I touch the Ye family? Some people say that I am cruel and ruthless, and some people say that I have a grudge against the Ye family. These are actually not true, because in the final analysis, it is still the word poverty that makes people troubled..."
(End of this chapter)