Until Situ Feixing finally left, the bottle of wine on Yan Liqiang's table had not been finished yet. The owner of the restaurant came to Yan Liqiang again, and stood beside the table with a trembling smile, "The wine and food on the table are a little cold, Master Yan, do you need another table?"
"Shopkeeper Chu, right?"
"Yes, yes, yes..." The fat shopkeeper nodded, smiling humbly, and said with humility and enthusiasm, "Our shopkeeper has already told me when he left just now that I will obey your orders in Pingxi City from now on. Your words are the shopkeeper's words. Just give me your orders if you have any!"
"Since your boss has told me, I won't say anything!" Yan Liqiang touched his empty stomach, looked at the cold dishes on the table, and smiled bitterly. He didn't know what luck he had today. He didn't feel comfortable eating the two meals. He said he was eating, but in fact he was talking and discussing things. Now he was really hungry. Yan Liqiang could even feel his intestines moving quickly, which was a sign before he was about to cry. Then Yan Liqiang asked the shopkeeper Chu a most direct question, "Are there any steamed buns left?"
"Ah, the young master also eats steamed buns..." Shopkeeper Chu was stunned for a moment, and after seeing the look in Yan Liqiang's eyes, he suddenly reacted, "Yes, yes, yes..."
"Then give me six steamed buns to fill my stomach, and don't bother with the rest!"
"Yes, yes, yes, please wait a moment, sir. I'll bring the steamed buns to you right away!" Shopkeeper Chu nodded and went downstairs to make arrangements himself. After a while, he brought up a plate of steaming steamed buns and a bowl of hot snow ginseng chicken soup. Yan Liqiang didn't say anything else and finished the six steamed buns and the bowl of snow ginseng chicken soup in no time. Then he touched his stomach and stood up.
"How much?"
"This... How can I accept your money?" Shopkeeper Chu said a little awkwardly.
Yan Liqiang smiled and said, "We are not related, I am just a diner, why can't I pay for my meal in this restaurant? The food here is pretty good, maybe I will come here often in the future. Will Shopkeeper Chu be willing to do a losing business just because he meets me? What do you think, Shopkeeper Chu?"
Shopkeeper Chu understood all of a sudden and slapped his forehead, "I was confused. Master Yan's meal costs a total of 7.6 cents of silver. I'll take off the 6 cents and charge you 7 cents of silver!"
"Hahaha, you, the shopkeeper, really know how to do business. No need to give me the change!" Yan Liqiang took out a piece of silver and put it on the table, then turned around and walked downstairs. Shopkeeper Chu personally sent Yan Liqiang downstairs.
At this time, there were fewer people on the streets of Kowloon Bridge, but there were more soldiers patrolling the streets. Yan Liqiang took another look at the gloomy scenery in the area where the Shatu people gathered, and then walked directly to the other side of Kowloon Bridge, thinking about things as he walked.
Meeting Situ Feixing in Pingxi City today was definitely beyond Yan Liqiang's expectation, but it was also a happy thing to have a great helper and a general under his command. Situ Feixing and Yipianyun were available, but now was not the time to use them. This number of people could not be mixed into the chaos of Gulan Grassland, so his previous plan had to proceed step by step. The current task that Yan Liqiang gave to Situ Feixing and Yipianyun was to continue to grow and expand, strive to double the number of people in hand, and pay close attention to the movements of Gulang Grassland and the situation of the Black Jie people. For this reason, Yan Liqiang would use his own power to give Situ Feixing great support. The restaurant here at Jiulong Bridge was a base for Yan Liqiang, Situ Feixing and Yipianyun to contact each other in the future. The shopkeeper Chu of the restaurant would also listen to Yan Liqiang's dispatch in the future.
For the time being, this is the only way. Some things cannot be rushed. However, I should be able to carry out the next plan now. The Zhuanyun Yamen and Feitianmen have both bowed their heads. The title of the strongest archer in the northwest still has some effect. In Ganzhou, I should not find anyone who dares to cause trouble for me for the time being. Yan Liqiang walked and thought, and a somewhat cold smile slowly appeared on his face. Seven tribes of Shatu, get ready to welcome the great gift I am about to give you...
More than half an hour later, before the city gates closed, Yan Liqiang left the city. Then he saw Hu Haihe and two guards still waiting at the city gate, so Yan Liqiang walked over.
"Young Master..." Hu Haihe jumped directly from the carriage and opened the door for Yan Liqiang.
"Okay, let's go back to the manufacturing bureau!" Yan Liqiang gave instructions and got on the carriage.
…
Two days later at noon, the weather cleared up completely and Yan Liqiang also returned to Liuhe Town.
But this time, when entering Liuhe Town, Yan Liqiang's carriage was blocked at the entrance of Liuhe Town.
As soon as Yan Liqiang opened the door of the four-wheeled carriage and stepped down, he saw Lu Wenbin almost trotting towards him and saluted, "Greetings, sir!" At this time, Yan Liqiang was already the future son-in-law of the Lu family. As the steward of the Lu family, Lu Wenbin's respect for Yan Liqiang was from the bottom of his heart and he did not dare to be the slightest bit negligent. At the same time, in this respect, Lu Wenbin's voice also had a bit more cordiality than before, because now his relationship with Yan Liqiang was almost like that of "relatives".
"What's going on? Are you installing the gate?" Yan Liqiang's eyes swept over the fortress wall of Liuhe Town not far away. The entrance to the fortress wall of Liuhe Town, which had been wide open before, was now busy with a large group of workers hoisting up the two main gates of the southern entrance of Liuhe Town. It was also because of this reason that the road at the entrance to the town in front was temporarily closed and impassable.
Yan Liqiang hadn't paid much attention to it before, until this moment, when he looked up at the solid and tall fortress wall that stretched not far from him, and realized that after more than a year of non-stop construction day and night, the fortress wall project in Liuhe Town had come to an end. The arrow battlements and arrow towers on the fortress wall had been built. The entire Liuhe Town, like Lujiazhuang, had been surrounded by tall and solid fortress walls, which made people feel solid and assured at first glance. The fortress wall of Liuhe Town was taller than that of Lujiazhuang, and was built entirely of blue bricks and bluestones. It was almost impossible for practitioners below the level of martial artists to cross it. From a distance, the entire fortress of Liuhe Town looked even more majestic and imposing.
Throughout the northwest and Ganzhou, such a fortress with powerful defensive capabilities is the standard configuration of local wealthy families, and is also a symbol of a family's strength and influence in the local area. The entire Han Empire emphasizes that imperial power does not extend below the county level. Why not below the county level? Because at the local level, the family that built such a fortress has the final say. As long as it does not involve major crimes such as rebellion or major changes in the situation, a family can build such a fortress in the local area, which almost guarantees that the family will be prosperous for two hundred years and have great influence in the local area.
Looking at the fort in front of him, Yan Liqiang felt a lot more relaxed for some reason and breathed a sigh of relief. The pressure of the future seemed to be alleviated a lot by the tall and solid fortress walls at this moment.
"Please wait a moment, sir. I didn't know you would be back this morning. One side of the gate has been installed. It will take at most half an hour for the other side to be installed, and the road into the castle will be passable!"
"It's okay!" Yan Liqiang was in a good mood and waved his hand with a smile, "Let's go and take a look..." Yan Liqiang said, ignoring the dust and mud under his feet, and walked directly towards the gate of Liuhe Town Fort...
(End of this chapter)