Chapter 242

Zhao Gan gritted his teeth and immediately continued: "My Lord, you misunderstood. Since it is a generous gift, it is naturally not just this."

"I am also willing to offer 90% of my Guiyang Zhao clan's land and wealth. Among them, there are 10, 00 mu of high-grade fields, 30, 00 mu of medium-grade fields, and 90, 00 mu of low-grade fields, and I guarantee to fully support your new policies in Jingzhou."

"What does the Governor think?"

This time, he had clearly gone all out.

"Oh?"

Su Xuan was a bit surprised.

This Zhao Gan really had a ruthless streak!

Su Xuan waved his hand: "Good! Since you are so sincere, I agree!"

"From now on, you are the Guiyang Administrator!"

"I hope you can truly do what you said, fully cooperate with the Governor's office to investigate the land in Guiyang Commandery, and cooperate with the tax and land reform in Guiyang."

"As long as you do well, I will certainly not be stingy with rewards later."

"But if you fail to do so, I naturally have means to find out at any time."

"When that time comes, don't blame me for not remembering old feelings. Do you understand?"

Although it was somewhat inappropriate to let Zhao Gan, a major local gentry clan of Guiyang, continue to serve as Guiyang Administrator,

Zhao Gan's sincerity was there.

Furthermore, he felt that since Zhao Gan had offered 90% of his fields and wealth to him, he only had two choices left.

Either he would pretend to comply while secretly hoarding wealth in Guiyang, earning back what he had paid this time many times over;

or he would begin to fully cooperate with the reform work and fully target those gentry and powerful clans in Guiyang.

Focus on striking them and do everything possible to complete the reform.

After all, since our Zhao clan has already paid so much and cooperated with the reform, why don't you follow suit?

Everyone being the same is fair, right!

"Yes!"

Zhao Gan felt the faint pressure emanating from Su Xuan, shivered, hurriedly bowed, and stated solemnly: "Zhao Gan will certainly not fail the Lord's trust!"

"Hmm!"

Su Xuan nodded and waved his hand: "That's it! You may withdraw! Someone will arrange everything later!"

"Yes!"

Zhao Gan withdrew tactfully.

Jia Wu also withdrew, waving away the surrounding guards.

Leaving only Su Xuan and Fan Xiu here.

Su Xuan looked at Fan Xiu, who was looking down, and said: "Raise your head! Come forward!"

"Hmm?"

Fan Xiu was stunned, then realized Su Xuan was calling her. She hurriedly raised her head with trepidation, looked at Su Xuan, took small steps to his front, and then bowed slightly: "Concubine Fan Xiu pays respects to the Governor!"

"Oh?"

Su Xuan smiled faintly: "Is your name Fan Xiu? Tell me about your family situation!"

"Yes..."

Fan Xiu began to recount her family situation.

Su Xuan listened carefully, occasionally interjecting to say a few words to Fan Xiu.

Gradually, Fan Xiu relaxed and was no longer so nervous.

Because she felt that the Governor seemed to have a good temper and was not difficult to get along with.

Of course, even so, she dared not be presumptuous in the slightest.

Because the education she had received since childhood told her that one must never get carried away or lose one's sense of propriety.

An hour later,

"You are very good!"

Su Xuan stopped the conversation, looked at Fan Xiu with satisfaction, then reached out and pulled her into his arms, looking at her: "From today on, you are mine!"

"I will arrange for someone to go to your home to notify your parents to come to Jiangling for a simple ceremony to take you in."

"Hmm!"

Fan Xiu felt Su Xuan's breath, blushed, and nodded obediently: "Concubine will listen to everything you say, Governor!"

"Still calling me Governor? It's time to change how you address me!"

Su Xuan smiled, lifted her chin, kissed her on the mouth, and teased.

"Husband!"

Fan Xiu's ears turned red, and she called out nervously.

"Hmm! From now on, I will call you Xiu'er!"

Su Xuan replied with a smile.

Mentioning this word, Su Xuan couldn't help but think of another "Xiu'er" (the great magician), and he couldn't help but be amused.

This form of address was really...

Quite interesting?

That day, Xun Cai learned that Su Xuan had taken a beautiful woman offered by the Guiyang Zhao clan as a concubine.

However, Su Xuan did not go overboard; he took Fan Xiu to meet Xun Cai and the others that same day, telling Fan Xiu to get along well with Xun Cai and the others in the future.

She was not to disrupt the harmony of the inner residence, otherwise, he would be very unhappy.

Xun Cai and the others soon understood Fan Xiu's character through contact and knew she was not a difficult person to get along with, so they quickly accepted her.

As for other melodramatic things, they didn't happen at all.

Nothing to be done; Su Xuan was too strong, and they were actually hoping for a few more people to share the load!

Of course, the premise was that the person's character had to pass the test.

Early the next morning, just after Su Xuan finished his cultivation, Xi Zhicai came to his door.

"My Lord! I heard that you took a peerless beauty offered by the Guiyang Zhao clan yesterday, and then appointed Zhao Gan of the Zhao clan as the Guiyang Administrator?"

Xi Zhicai looked at Su Xuan and asked with a long face.

He really couldn't understand; had his Lord suddenly become muddled?

"Hmm?"

Su Xuan looked at Xi Zhicai amusedly, invited him to sit in the nearby pavilion, and said: "Zhicai, you must have only heard a little bit of news and came running here in a hurry without making a detailed inquiry, right?"

"Eh?"

Xi Zhicai was stunned, and his long face couldn't be maintained.

Su Xuan's answer surprised him.

He had indeed only heard this bit of news and came running in a hurry.

Mainly because he was worried!

The foundation had just begun to be established; if the Lord started to degenerate, it would be over.

Although he felt the Lord shouldn't be this kind of person, what if?

So, he came in a hurry.

If it were true, he would risk his life to remonstrate and make the Lord wake up.

But now it seemed, was there some hidden story he didn't know about?

"That is indeed the case! Isn't it like that? My Lord, what exactly is going on?"

Xi Zhicai calmed down and couldn't help but ask.

"Hehe!"

Su Xuan smiled faintly and replied: "I can't say it's completely not like that!"

"Zhao Gan did indeed offer a peerless beauty, and I did indeed accept her and have already brought her into the residence!"

"But what he offered was not just a beautiful woman, but also 90% of his Guiyang Zhao clan's land and wealth."

"Furthermore, he guaranteed that he would fully cooperate with our land and tax reform work in Guiyang and do his utmost to complete it."

"So, Zhicai, do you think it is appropriate to appoint this person as the Guiyang Administrator?"

— Author's Notes —

PS: Stuck on writing today, three chapters short. Will resume five chapters tomorrow, sorry!