Chapter 218: The Evil Deeds Done by Old Master Li

Supporting the front line must be a task that Xiazhou cannot refuse. The front line is critical, and even if He Chunhua digs three feet into the ground, he must gather people, horses, and grain.

"Old Master Zhu wrote in his letter that General Manager is newly arrived in Xiazhou, and is going to raise troops next?"

"Yes, and fast." He Chunhua only brought three hundred people from Black Water City, and on the way, he incorporated Wu Shaoyi's troops, which made six hundred subordinates.

This little manpower is not enough to fight a war; he must recruit troops and buy horses as soon as he arrives in Xiazhou.

At the beginning of the founding of the Great Yuan, local officials did not have the power to recruit troops, and they were all uniformly dispatched by the central government; today, the Royal Court is often unable to take care of itself, and uprisings in various places are frequent, so it tacitly allows local officials to recruit troops privately and raise grain and pay themselves.

In Qiansong County, He Chunhua went from being alone to pulling up a team with a complete establishment. This set of methods was already mature, and arriving in Xiazhou was exactly the time to show his skills.

"Then General Manager He needs to know that there are four big families in Dunyu and the seven surrounding counties, whose relationships are intertwined and roots are knotted. They basically hold the lifeblood of the capital, and other families only follow their lead. Among them, the Li and Shu families have taken root here since the eighth year of the founding of the Great Yuan, and even have their own private armies. The previous two Xiazhou general managers all had good relationships with them." Manager Qian's attitude was very sincere. "Without their support, it will be very difficult for you to do things in Xiazhou."

He Chunhua raised his eyebrows: "The iron-clad four big families, the flowing Xiazhou general manager?"

Manager Qian was not easy to answer, and went to open the door to take a few thick ledgers and come in: "This is the information about Dunyu and the four big families you want, population, family background, interpersonal network, I try my best to collect but not necessarily comprehensive. Some dark dealings, I can't know."

"Good, you tell me first, who is in charge of Xiazhou military affairs for me in Dunyu now?"

"Bingcao Congshi, Peng Ju'an." Manager Qian had a good memory. "He manages one thousand six or seven hundred troops."

"Where does he live?"

"Qingping Township, only about ten miles away from Dunyu."

He Chunhua nodded and asked: "Has the news of my entry into Xiazhou been passed on?"

"Everyone knows that the new general manager is coming, but it's not clear when he will arrive in Dunyu." Manager Qian said truthfully. "But you have lingered here for two days, I think the news has already spread. Ruxian also has the industries and manpower of the four big families."

"That's true, I've been to the Ruxian government office these two days." He Chunhua exhaled. "Thank you. You handle things very reliably, I will ask Zhu Lao to specially commend you."

Manager Qian was happy on his face, and then said: "In addition, Xiazhou has not only had people fleeing famine recently, but also wealthy gentry slipping south. The difference is that some people are willing to flee north into Xunzhou, while the rich can only retreat south. The Xie and Zhan families of the four big families are also selling their family property and dismissing servants recently. According to the servants in their families, the masters are ready to retreat."

Mo Zhejingxuan shook his head: "They are taking the lead in leaving, I'm afraid the hearts of the people will be even more restless."

"Who says it's not? The General Manager is entrusted with a heavy task in a time of crisis, it's too difficult, I wish you good luck." Manager Qian bowed to He Chunhua and retreated.

He Lingchuan stretched his waist, pointing to the ledger: "Father, reading is not my strength."

"You don't need to read." He Chunhua said to everyone, "The situation in Dunyu is basically as Manager Qian said, and the information I collected is not much different. The journey of a thousand miles will eventually end, and now let's discuss the countermeasures after entering Dunyu."

As a result, this lounge was closed for nearly an hour.

Old Mo came in to add charcoal once, delivered a meal once, and added a lamp oil once.

The meeting concluded, and He Chunhua, looking spirited, said to his subordinates, "If there are no surprises, proceed according to this."

Everyone solemnly responded "Yes," and then left.

After all the idle people including the He brothers were gone, the steward Old Mo actually brought Manager Qian in again.

There were only these three people in the field.

Manager Qian had taken a nap in the back to relieve the fatigue of the journey, and saw Old Mo hand over a large silver ingot of ten taels, and General Manager He said warmly: "The errand is not easy to handle, you've worked hard."

"How dare I!" Although he said so, Manager Qian still accepted the large silver.

"I'll confirm again, the talker of the Li family in Dunyu is still Li Zhao?" He Chunhua frowned. "Is he the second uncle of Minister Li?"

"Yes, own second uncle." Manager Qian said. "If you can get through this joint of his, the Li family will not be a problem."

"I'm afraid he is the biggest problem." He Chunhua thought for a while. "If I remember correctly, he is almost seventy, right?"

"Just finished his seventieth birthday a few days ago." Manager Qian smiled. "Locals say that Old Master Li, Old Master Li, is the real number one in Dunyu. Although the Li family's business is also open for juniors to do, they still have to find Old Master Li for major events."

He held up a thumb: "In Dunyu, even if there is a big trouble, Old Master Li, who is venerable and respected, will come forward, and there is nothing that cannot be done."

"Amazing." He Chunhua said lightly. "Big trouble, including the grain granary catching fire?"

"I heard that after this happened, Old Master Li was very angry. Finally, the grain official and the two unlucky ones who took the blame for the government were sent to the capital, and I heard they were on trial and waiting to be beheaded in autumn."

"Daring to send people over is to be sure that they dare not speak." He Chunhua nodded. "Yes, there is Minister Li in the capital. I really hope they have this ability when facing Nian Zanli's army."

Manager Qian sighed: "Fighting, they are not good at it."

"That is to say, Li Zhao is the backbone and the needle of the entire Li family."

"Exactly."

He Chunhua smiled: "How is the old master's health?"

"Strong, eyes are not blurred, back is not hunched, he has always been careful to maintain it." Manager Qian smiled bitterly. "I think he will live longer than me."

"Good, then I want you to do two more things for me." He Chunhua held up a finger. "First, you inquire about whether Old Master Li has done any evil deeds, that is, the past that makes him restless and unforgettable."

"Restless and unforgettable?" Manager Qian tried hard to recall. "Hiss—it seems there really is one!"

He Chunhua reminded him: "People are old and refined, the evil things he has done should be many, but he may not take them to heart."

Lice are many and don't bite, and doing many bad things may not necessarily be in the heart.

"The first thing, I heard from the old people in Dunyu. When Old Master Li was in his forties, his third son insisted on marrying a commoner as his wife. I don't know why, but Li Zhao actually messed with his daughter-in-law-to-be and got her pregnant. No way, the daughter-in-law-to-be became his seventh concubine."

Talking about this kind of thing, Manager Qian couldn't help but squeeze his eyes: "Not long after, the concubine suddenly died of illness. At that time, she was seven months pregnant, one corpse and two lives."

"Slowly, rumors spread in the city, saying that the concubine didn't die of illness, because the child in her belly wasn't Old Master Li's seed. Old Master Li couldn't bear this green hat, so he called someone to bury her alive directly, and only said she died of illness and was buried thickly to the outside world. The woman screamed loudly before she died, cursing the old master not to die well."

He Chunhua's eyebrows wrinkled and didn't loosen: "Actually vivid, how high is the credibility?"

"A few days later, wild dogs dragged out a female corpse in the mass grave, with traces of binding on her body, and soil and sand in her throat, which should have been buried alive." Manager Qian said. "From the time point of view, it matches."

He Chunhua hmm-ed: "Anything else?"

"Old Master Li originally had a twin brother, and the two had a very good relationship and were inseparable. When they were ten or twelve years old, one summer they went down to the river to play, and suddenly a mountain flood broke out. Both were in danger, and only a small tree in the water could inhabit. Old Master Li grasped the opportunity, or snatched the opportunity, stepped on his brother's shoulder and jumped up, was saved by adults, and as a result, the tree broke and his brother was washed away."

He Chunhua was very cautious: "Where did you hear it? Old Master Li himself is seventy, how many people can know these things?"

The average life expectancy of the Great Yuan people is only thirty-three, and it is a blessing for commoners to live to fifty.

"This was revealed by Old Master Li's third son. Yes, it was the daughter-in-law who was snatched by him, who was depressed and found someone to drink and talk about it, and said that the whole clan knew it, not a secret."

"Good!" He Chunhua pushed a gold bar on the table. "I want to trouble you to do one more thing for me. After the matter is done, there will be a reward."

Manager Qian hurriedly said: "You are the benefactor and distinguished guest of the Zhu family, how can I do my best!"

Zhu Xiyan determined that He Chunhua could open up the situation in Xiazhou, so he exhorted Manager Qian in the letter to cooperate fully.

And then He Chunhua whispered his request.

Manager Qian was stunned.

"Can it be done?"

"I will try my best, please wait a few days for the General Manager."

The next day, the Ceying Army did not continue north as planned, because General Manager He was ill.

The passing nobleman had an ailment, and the Ruxian magistrate rushed to visit when he heard the news. He Chunhua lay on the bed with a sallow face to meet guests, saying that the journey was tiring and he had caught a cold, and he had to rest for a few days.

The Ruxian magistrate naturally agreed, and sent people to send the most thoughtful and thoughtful service.

He Lingchuan and others heard that He Chunhua had sent scouts to Dunyu again, and it would take some time to go back and forth.

They don't fight unprepared battles. A few days, what can't be waited for? During the day, He Lingchuan either adjusted the Ziwu Art, or took the medicine ape and rock wolf to stroll around the county town, very swaggering; at night, he entered the dream as usual, continued to practice martial arts in the Panlong dream, served as a patrol guard, brushed military merit, and accepted people's praise.

The big battle like the Ghost Needle Stone Forest is not common, and his days in the dream are also step by step.

Sun Fuling next door has never been home, I don't know where she went.

￥￥￥￥￥

On the evening of the fourth day, there were guests at the Li family in Dunyu City.

The visitor was Shu Qian, the second brother of the Shu family head. He exchanged pleasantries with the helmsman of the Li family, presented the gifts for the visit, and patted the snow remaining on his neck: "Disturbing the old master, my brother asked me to pass a message, the new Xiazhou General Manager He Chunhua, fell ill at the post station in Ruxian."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 219 =====