Chapter 813

"The imperial court bestowed the title of Grand General Suppressing the Huai upon the White Ape, and to maintain contact with the White Ape, they had the Elder concurrently serve as Colonel of the Suppressing the Huai Army..." Long Eying stroked Liang Qu's cheek, feeling it was inconceivable, "So, the Elder is his own subordinate? He is his own superior?"

"Right! Your man is amazing, isn't he!"

Liang Qu was proud.

Marquis Changyuan only gives legal status, no benefits, no salary.

Grand General Suppressing the Huai, second-rank official, first-rank treatment, annual salary of 36,850 taels; even with first-rank treatment, the amount of over 30,000 is definitely a lot. The Suppressing the Huai Colonel is mainly for contact and is a concurrent position, with a relatively small annual salary of 825 taels.

Counting his own titles, honors, and official positions.

One person eating five portions of rations!

Just the salary alone is 60,000 a year!

The family's various expenses are not small, but the current profits from the rice-frog and rice-leech fields are enough to cover them; in other words, the 60,000 salary is all "net profit" that can be saved!

"Hmm, amazing." Long Eying smiled, then asked, "What about the future? After the Flood Dragon affair is over, will it still be like this?"

"There's no other way. If you think about many things with your brain, you can indeed find a way that satisfies both sides, but for some things, no matter how you think about them, there is no solution." Liang Qu sighed at the sky; the moon on the Bing-Fire day was extremely bright, and the ground looked like mercury.

"To seek legal status, one must seek bestowal, and as you said, when that time really comes, being frank will likely be fine. We use time to trade for opportunities. Besides, it's not like I'm just taking benefits without doing work; more work, more pay. I'm doing two jobs, not eating empty rations. I'll get the title first and then get married; His Majesty is very open-minded."

"You've worked hard, Grand General."

"Hey, not hard, not hard."

Long Eying touched his head: "I heard from the Third Prince before that the Elder used to tell Frog Duke about surrounding the Great Marsh from the shore, using land forces to deal with underwater forces. I actually think the Elder is really doing it."

Liang Qu was startled.

Think about it seriously.

Don't mention it.

It really is.

"I should have asked Frog Duke for two more treasure fish."

"Haha." Long Eying laughed, "Elder Frog's treasure fish, apart from the Frog King, aren't you the one who has taken the most, Elder?"

"Beautiful." Liang Qu didn't answer, pillowing his head on her knees, reaching out to pinch Long Eying's pale pink cheek, gently rubbing it like a piece of soft, warm white jade, "Smile more often."

Long Eying stroked the back of Liang Qu's hand.

For the thirty-odd years since she became sensible, the misty future of the Dragon-Man tribe had always weighed heavily on her heart. It wasn't that there were no happy days, but they were far less than the three years she had spent with Liang Qu.

"Okay!"

*Dong dong dong. *

The gate was knocked.

"Coming!" Liang Qu flipped over and sat up, "It should be the imperial envoy returning, bringing me the address for the next meeting."

Sure enough.

The imperial envoy who had returned from proclaiming the edict to the White Ape stood outside the gate.

After some pleasantries, they agreed to host a banquet for the mission tomorrow.

Liang Qu closed the gate.

"A banquet tomorrow?"

"Uncle?" Liang Qu was surprised, "When did you return?"

"I returned the moment you saw me." Su Guishan was travel-worn, a few strands of silver-white hair scattered outside his bun, his hand rubbing his stomach, "Since you said you'd host a banquet, is there anything to eat at home?"

"Aunt Zhang has gone home. Shall I wake up Long Yao and Long Li to go to the kitchen and cook a few jin of noodles?"

"That works. Fry two more eggs, and don't skimp on the green onions and sesame oil."

"If it's less, it won't go down the throat." Liang Qu let Long Eying go to give instructions, while he himself carried a small pot and moved a small stool to sit in front of it to boil water and tea, "Uncle, what have you been doing these past few days? Commandant Wei and Commandant Xu are also nowhere to be seen. What major national affairs are you busy with?"

"You have the nerve to ask. Going to the Imperial Capital to fetch the elixir just happened to let you escape a disaster." Su Guishan drank a cup of tea in two gulps, "Two Grandmasters from the Ghost Mother Sect ran to Xige Prefecture, performed blood sacrifices on several towns, and robbed a wave of sea merchants along the way."

Liang Qu was greatly shocked, almost suspecting he had misheard.

The Ghost Mother Sect is performing blood sacrifices again!?

He had been out for two months, and such a big thing happened in Huai-Jiang?

Xige Prefecture.

It's to the northwest of Pingyang, approaching the northern region of the Huai-Jiang Great Marsh, half-spanning the Huai-Jiang Great Marsh!

"Did you catch them?"

Su Guishan shook his head: "We didn't catch the big fish, just caught two great martial artists and a group of small fry. Fortunately, Wei Lin fought one of the Grandmasters, seriously injuring him, and snatched back most of the Fetal Pearl Pills, so their goal wasn't achieved. We searched for several more days, and now it has come to a temporary end."

Liang Qu's brain slowed down.

Performing blood sacrifices again.

Which Jiang Zongshi are they trying to resurrect?

"Was robbing the sea merchants a diversion or something else?"

"I estimate it was both. They just happened to run into them, so they robbed them while they were at it."

"How is the situation in the prefecture?"

"Not too serious. Xige Prefecture sensed traces early on and asked us for help in advance. Only two or three counties suffered, and the situation wasn't as serious as it was in Pingyang Prefecture back then. The Ghost Mother Sect originally wanted to breach the levee, but Xu Yuelong took the lead in sending people to guard it."

"What about the sea merchants?"

"There were injuries, a few casualties, and you might need to go negotiate with them."

Liang Qu naturally had no objection.

"What do I do now?"

"Now..."

"Old Master, the noodles are here!" Long Yao came with a lacquer tray, serving fine noodles.

Su Guishan lifted the noodles with chopsticks: "The noodles are too soft. Cook them harder next time. Silver-thread noodles, just roll them through the sieve and scoop them up."

"Okay!"

Su Guishan ate the noodles in big mouthfuls, saying vaguely.

"You won't make it in time for the Xige Prefecture affair; going now won't make a difference. But in the next two days, Pingyang Prefecture will be buying grain and preparing medicine, so you go on a trip and escort the ships."

A few days' time.

It's in time.

"Okay."

*Woo~*

The copper pot whistled and sprayed smoke, blurring the full moon in the sky.

Liang Qu picked up the pot handle to brew a cup of clear tea, and in the blink of an eye, he saw Su Guishan eating noodles with one hand and writing and drawing with a charcoal pen in the other, very busy.

"What Uncle is writing is..."

"Kid, are there any suitable candidates among the sea merchants and Jiangchuan County?"

"Candidates? For what?"

"Arranging official positions." Su Guishan finished a bowl of noodles, soup and all, and wiped his mouth, "The sea merchants are stationed here, and Jiangchuan County is setting up some Grand Theater. Now we are short of manpower and supervision, and many positions are vacant."

Liang Qu was puzzled: "Shouldn't this be done by the Pingyang Prefect?"

"Who do you think is in front of you?"

"Uncle?" Liang Qu was shocked, "Then the Inspector..."

Su Guishan pointed to himself: "Water River Inspector concurrently serving as Pingyang Prefect."

Good fellow.

Round and round, it came back!

Su Guishan was originally the Prefect of Huaiyin Prefecture, then Huaiyin changed to Pingyang, and he was promoted to Water River Inspector. I didn't expect him to be serving in it now.

"Li Shoufu, I guess." Liang Qu thought for a moment.

"Registrar?" Su Guishan had an impression and wrote down a name, "Let him go prepare grain and fodder tomorrow to see his ability."

"Anyone else?"

"Quan Guangqin, Quan Yuxuan." Liang Qu also had a deep impression of these two Jiaoren who were the first to surrender.

"Jiaoren?"

"Right."

"Give me two more."

He reported several names in succession.

"Why are they all related to you?"

Liang Qu was speechless.

This question was too fresh; he didn't know how to answer.

He wasn't familiar with anyone else.

"Go, make something good, and I'll give them a chance."

The map is revealed.

Liang Qu suddenly realized.

He tricked him into cooking.

Fine.

Being able to joke shows that the situation in Xige Prefecture is indeed under control and not that bad.

"What does Uncle want to eat?"

"I'm tired of eating what's made at home. Change to a new style, preferably sweet."

New style...

Liang Qu had a headache.

Su Guishan has been living here for several years, and he is truly at his wit's end.

(End of chapter)