"Ahem—"
Gong Xichou rubbed his itchy nose.
I sneezed several times in a row before I calmed down.
"Who is thinking of me at this hour?" Gong Xichou took a big gulp of the wine, frowning. During the days when he was a "captive" in Xiaocheng, he drank the best wine. He didn't expect that his taste had become so picky that he always felt uncomfortable drinking wine from outside. He put down the wine bowl, ate a bite of the food, and muttered, "It must be Alai or Mama..."
He was about to finish his meal and go back to his guest room to rest.
The conversation among the diners sitting by the window caught his attention.
Diner A sighed repeatedly, and diner B asked with concern.
"… Well, there's nothing going on at home, except that I heard that the war is about to start again. I was planning to go out and order some food this year when the market is better, but who knows… Well."
Diner A was upset because his family was a grain merchant. It was not enough to just sell the grain from their own fields. They needed to go out and buy grain at a low price, then bring it back and sell it at a high price, making a profit from the difference.
The grain cannot be collected until the autumn harvest, and must be negotiated several months in advance and a deposit must be paid to prevent the grain from being snatched away by other traders. Without grain to sell, business will naturally fail.
The family expenses are high and we are living beyond our means.
Diner B asked, "Is there going to be another war? Where?"
Patron A rolled his eyes and said, "Where else could it be? Aren't they still the same group of people and tyrants? They have been fighting for so long but have not achieved any results. They only want to exploit us common people. They collect grain and corvée labor, and they even rob us when they provoke us."
The Dragon Slaying Bureau coalition still has some face. When they are short of food, they will send people to collect grain everywhere, and buy it in large quantities at a price lower than the market price. As for how much lower? The grain merchants who encounter it will consider themselves unlucky, but they will not lose their fortunes or their lives.
The inhumane people under Zheng Qiao's command were different. Not only did they force people to buy and sell goods at almost free prices, they also forced common people to work as food transporters and cooks, and forced them to perform corvée labor. Those who were unwilling would be beaten at best, and their families would be destroyed at worst.
Some of the food was snatched away while it was still in the fields.
but-
These two groups of forces are essentially similar.
There is no need to compare the difference between bad and worse.
Diner B said hurriedly: "In this world, you should be more careful, lest the food you collect be intercepted by others."
Diner A could only comfort himself that this was a blessing in disguise. When the two talked about this topic, they naturally complained and vented their anger. At this time, a tall figure approached, with a terrifying pressure.
This person is naturally Gong Xichou.
"Where is the war you're talking about? Who's fighting with whom?"
Diner A and Diner B looked at Gong Xichou's figure and subconsciously felt fear. Seeing that Gong Xichou was just curious, they let down their guard. Diner A replied, "It's just the coalition forces fighting against Zheng Qiao."
He recalled the news he had heard.
"Oh, it's said to be in Xingyang Road." Although merchants traveled north and south, transportation was inconvenient and the scope of activities was limited. He didn't know where Xingyang Road was exactly, so he asked Gong Xichou again, "This strong man's demeanor is not like that of an ordinary person. Are you asking about this because you want to gain fame?"
The battlefield is the best stage for brave warriors to make a name for themselves.
Some people who want to achieve great things will go wherever there is a war.
Diner A thought Gong Xichou was one of them.
"No, I'm just curious. I have a friend who will probably go too..." Gong Xichou brought over the wine and dishes, and invited the two of them to drink in a familiar manner, hoping to get more information from them, such as how many forces will participate and how many troops they have.
Unfortunately, both of them were ordinary people, and they only heard the news about Diner A by chance and were not very clear about it.
but-
Diner B was drinking Gong Xichou's wine when he suddenly remembered something and said, "That dragon slayer is probably going to be slain."
Gong Xichou asked: "Where did you get this from?"
Diner B motioned Gong Xichou and the other man to come closer and listen closely.
Whispered: "You don't know..."
Patron B has a distant relative whose brother-in-law works in the mansion of a big shot. The nobleman he serves is said to be the best fighter under the tyrant Zheng Qiao. With him around, killing people is as easy as chopping melons and vegetables. It is said that he is about to make a breakthrough and his strength is terrifying.
Gong Xichou asked: "Really?"
Diner B said: "Of course it is true."
He was afraid that Gong Xichou would think he was bragging, so he said, "I heard that the tyrant gave us so many beauties as a reward that the courtyard couldn't hold them all. If they weren't powerful, would the tyrant value them so much?"
Diner B finally said: "You will know when you wait and see the result. Strong man, listen to my advice. If you want to go, don't go to that dragon slayer, otherwise you will be slaughtered by the tyrant like a bug..."
Diner A: "Isn't that just being a running dog for the tyrant?"
Diner B: "Which is more important, being a dog or life?"
After saying that, they both sighed at the same time.
Gong Xichou drank quietly, acting as a listener, mentally preparing to go and inquire about the situation at Xingyang Road the next day.
Yanzhou is on the border of Xingyang Road.
The Dragon Slaying Bureau coalition and Zheng Qiao's troops had fought several battles here. Both sides won and lost, but they were always helpless against each other. Last year, both sides were in a stalemate. The biggest problem was not the manpower, but the supply of food and supplies.
Wu Xian was also delayed because of food and grass issues.
"Because of the food?"
Shen Tang was surprised as he passed the time listening to gossip.
He shook his head and said, "That's impossible."
Wu Xian has Xu Jie, a walking ATM machine, who can make money on his own, and to some extent, is inexhaustible. In the past few years, he has helped Chen Tang sell high-quality refined salt and made a lot of money behind the scenes.
No matter who is short of money, Xu Jie is not the one who is short of money.
How could he not raise the food and fodder for tens of thousands of troops
Gu Chi sneered: "How is it impossible?"
Today's fishing companions are Xun Ding and Gu Chi.
Gu Chi went around Wu Xian’s camp and ate all the melons he could.
Chen Tang thought back to the last time Xu Jie settled the accounts, and counted on his fingers: "How can I calculate? Xu Wenzhu is still far from bankruptcy. Can a few tens of thousands of dan of grain make him fail?"
When talking about a few tens of thousands of stones of grain, Shen Tang's expression was one of undisguised jealousy. She also wanted to own an ATM machine.
Gu Chi said: "Under normal circumstances, it is not difficult."
But the situation is not normal.
Wu Xian sent his confidants to help Xu Jie raise food.
The grain-collecting area is concentrated in Heyin.
This area had four consecutive years of bumper harvests. Although the last two years were not as productive as the first two years, Xu Jie managed it carefully, and with the support of the infrastructure left by Chen Tang's team before they left, the harvest was also good. Every household had more surplus grain every year.
Xu Jie wanted to buy grain at market price.
As a result, he was sued for embezzling money and deliberately making things difficult for others, demanding to buy up all of Ha Yin's surplus grain at 30% of the market price.
Chen Tang almost spit out a mouthful of water: "It was Xu Wenzhu who paid the money. What did he pocket? Did he transfer money from his left hand to his right hand?"
Gu Chi: "Wu Zhaode is not without money."
Just slowly untie the big head.
All accounts are kept in public accounts.
Chen Tang asked again: "And then?"
"They either complained that the grain they collected was two years old, or that it was moldy and would cause diarrhea in the soldiers. When the grain was finally stored, they said that the actual harvest did not match the accounts... And then there were the cooks. Wu Zhaode had spent most of his family fortune this time, so with more grain, there would naturally be more cooks to transport the grain, so they thought of recruiting corvée labor in the Heyin area..."
In this era, corvée labor meant working for others out of one's own pocket, and if one was unlucky, one might even lose one's life and die from overwork. Xu Jie would naturally not agree to this, and there were more conflicts.
The corners of Gu Chi's lips curled up.
"… Wu Zhaode's confidant was repeatedly rejected by Xu Wenzhu, and the two of them had a deep conflict. In a rage, he said that Xu Wenzhu was a toad on the table, thinking he was a dish, and that merchants were really despicable and profit-seeking. Xu Wenzhu was completely enraged, so he deliberately delayed the food and grass. Wu Zhaode had no choice but to lose face and negotiate several times…"
Xu Jie managed to get things done for Wu Xian in a timely manner.
Chen Tang clapped his hands and said "wonderful"!
"So, Wu Zhaode and Wen Zhu have completely broken up?" Chen Tang seemed to see an ATM machine running towards him, and he was ready to move. "No, there's still a fire missing."
Gu Chi smiled and said, "This fire will soon start."
Chen Tang looked at the fishing rod that never caught any fish, and suddenly thought of someone: "How could Qin Gongsu not say anything to stop it?"
She didn't know the other people under Wu Xian's command, but she was familiar with Qin Li. As someone who had been tricked by Yuan Liang and still saved his life, this Qin Li must be no ordinary person.
I will definitely not watch my own side die.
Gu Chi said: "The Tianhai faction is very exclusive."
Qin Li's voice alone cannot outweigh the voice of everyone else.
Moreover, the ice is not formed in one day, and some conflicts can't be so deep in one or two days. Gu Chi said this with some sighs: "This also involves the dispute between Wu Zhaode's two legitimate sons. In short, it's very complicated..."
Qin Li should not get involved too much.
If no one secretly instigated it, even if that confidant didn't get along with Xu Jie, he wouldn't make things difficult for him, let alone humiliate him, for the sake of his money bag. Xu Jie really spent the past two years protecting He Yin County and fulfilling his promise to Chen Tang.
Shen·Single Dog·Tang was stunned when he heard it.
“So complicated?”
Gu Chi said: "It's very complicated."
Chen Tang thought for a long time and came to a conclusion: "Sure enough, we should respond to the call for only one child and have only one child... Having more heirs means more choices, but also more struggles..." After saying this, he nodded seriously, indicating that he would take note of it.
Gu Chi's mouth twitched slightly: "It's difficult for the lord to have more children."
Men can make multiple wives and concubines pregnant at the same time, but women can only give birth to one child a year at most. Chen Tang is still the leader of a faction, and most of his energy should be focused on official business rather than childbearing. It is enough to have an heir under the knee, why do you need a second child
Shen Tang smiled and said, “Maybe I am gifted.”
Gu Chi: “???”
"I can make a man bear my child."
Gu Chi: “…Hehe.”
Boys are not allowed to have children.
He doesn't like to read such weird subjects.
Sibao County, an official office.
Lin Feng sent piles of treasured collections, some of which were rare copies. The themes were so bold and the content was so unrestrained that people blushed and could only peek at them in their rooms.
"Master, you can try these topics."
The teacher went out with the army, and his senior brother Tu Rong also went along to gain experience and increase his knowledge. This was the first time that Lin Feng felt so free.
Liao Jia flipped through it casually.
He had also read one of the books, but only the first volume. Lin Feng had both volumes. The general content was about a young prostitute who had a stunning appearance since childhood, was proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting, and had countless lovers. When he was old and ugly, he fell in love with a family leader at first sight. The latter asked the prostitute to dress up as a woman and took him into his family as the ninth concubine.
This is the first volume that Liao Jia read.
The content of the second volume is explosive.
The head of the Shi family had no children. He and his wife had no children for many years. The arrival of this young man brought good fortune. His wife gave birth to a son, and the family lived in harmony. Unexpectedly, the head of the Shi family was implicated in a case of succession, and his family was exiled. The young man changed into men's clothes and escaped with the only child in the mansion, thinking of rehabilitating the case for the head of the family.
The young man was lucky enough to meet a master. And this master had admired the man's beauty when he was young, and there was another entanglement. After the man finished his studies and became a master, he joined the largest vassal king with a second-rank upper-level literary heart and served as a staff member to assist the left and right, making great contributions to the dragon.
Finally, the young waiter became successful and famous. He sent people to inquire around and brought back the clan leader's family, and they continued to live happily together.
“… Wuhui was right not to let you read too many storybooks.”
What is this little girl looking at
Is she sure she can act this out
Yes, act.
Chen Tang led his troops to the battle, and Lin Feng and Chen Zhi made new progress in cotton seed selection. She planned to take two days off and read the storybooks when she was bored. As expected, she was discovered by the chief clerk Qi Shan, who looked at her with a gloomy look, and Lin Feng showed her shield!
The lord asked her to collect more storybooks.
Qi Shan and Liao Jia found the ideas relayed by Lin Feng somewhat fresh, and they also keenly discovered many benefits - by performing the storybooks, the common people would have a place to have fun, which would invisibly reduce crime, and they could also influence the common people through the content.
He immediately asked Lin Feng to contribute his collection of stories.
result-
Is it really possible to do such a large scale
Liao Jia smiled and said, "Everyone in the storybook is a stunning beauty. Where can we find so many stunning beauties?"
Lin Feng: "Isn't this the Chief Secretary Qi?"
There is no natural one, but there are as many artificial ones as you want.
Qishan: “…???”
Liao Jia pinched his chin and thought seriously: "It's fine, but the script with weird content cannot be adopted. It's better to play something normal and inspirational, even if it's praising merits."
He raised the second volume which had shattered his worldview.
Lin Feng hesitated to speak.
She wanted to say...
She knew the author of the storybook.
If I don’t know him, how can I get the second volume of the rare copy
The next day, Xingyang Road.
The cold wind was howling and the flags were fluttering.
The camps of various forces were set up here, and from a distance, they looked connected. They seemed to be connected, but in fact, they were defending each other, and the patterns were different. In the last battle, Wu Xian left some troops here to garrison, and the camps were ready-made, so there was no need to set up camp now.
Chen Tang has to start from the beginning.
There are several familiar faces in the Dragon Slaying Bureau, but there are more new faces. The oldest of the allies who participated in the Xiaocheng Alliance is three years old, and the youngest is almost a month old. This shows how frequently the forces change and how cheap human life is.
As soon as Chen Tang set up camp, a familiar face came to visit, and it was an "uninvited guest" who was besieged.
"Stop everything, and ask someone to come in."
Chen Tang recognized the person as Gu Ren's "aunt".
Chao Lian is the twelfth child, and Shao Chong is the thirteenth child. The former is fine, but the latter has grown up in the past few years and is almost unrecognizable.