Qiu Liang followed Xue Biao to the inner hall and waited for another quarter of an hour. He didn't understand that Shi Zhongkui was deliberately dragging him out of sight.

While feeling annoyed, I felt regretful and wished I could give myself a few slaps.

Ever since it was rumored that Shi Zhongkui blocked the gate of Xiuyiwei and forced the commander of Xiuyiwei to kneel down to greet him, Qiu Liang actually knew that he should not accept the gift.

What's more, we should not tell Jia Lian and Xue Pan that the Five Cities Military and Horse Division will arrest people only after Shuntian Mansion and Xiu Yiwei do not object.

When the Xiuyi Guards went out in force, arrested the group of green skins who relied on the river wharf to eat, and imprisoned them all in Zhao Prison, Qiu Liang knew that he was in trouble.

Shi Zhongkui asked the Wucheng Army and Horses Division at first, perhaps because he didn't want to be in trouble.

He also politely gave him 40 kilograms of medicinal wine worth four thousand taels of silver, but as soon as he said that he needed the consent of Shuntian Mansion and Xiu Yiwei, Shi Zhongkui should have understood that he was perfunctory.

It's fine now, but they turned around and forced the embroidered clothes guard to make such a big fuss.

Moreover, if Duke Zhuang Yuan Ji had a grudge against himself and the Five Cities Soldiers and Horses Division, he would be in big trouble.

One sentence of allowing his subordinates to exploit the people is enough to get him dismissed from office.

Even if you complain to the emperor, your title may be stripped away.

So Qiu Liang came here this time to test Shi Zhongkui's attitude.

Secondly, he hoped that Shi Zhongkui would help him to say a few good words to Xiuyiwei for the sake of the Jia family.

If you can clear your relationship with that group of green men, not to mention paying back 4,000 taels of silver, you can even send another 6,000 taels to make up 10,000 taels.

And at this time, Qiu Liang felt that the only thing he could give was money.

"Haha, Commander Qiu, forgive me. I was so busy that I actually lost track of time."

As soon as Shi Zhongkui entered the inner hall, he bowed his hands and saluted. Qiu Liang was so frightened that he quickly stood up and returned the salute.

And his attitude was extremely respectful.

"Shi Shi is responsible for the affairs of the Imperial Envoy. The matter of being an official is not as important as the serious matters you are responsible for."

Shi Zhongkui smiled and waved his hand, "Commander Qiu is here this time. Is there something important?"

Qiu Liang suddenly rolled his eyes in his heart, not believing that Shi Zhongkui was so smart that he couldn't guess what he was worried about?

But I had something to ask for, so I could only swallow my anger and speak.

The two talked for a long time, and when Qiu Liang almost lost his patience, Shi Zhongkui smiled and started talking about the topic.

------

After seeing Qiu Liang off, Shi Zhongkui rubbed the 10,000 taels of silver notes in his hand with a smile.

He gave it to Xue Ban and said, "Give this banknote to Brother Pan and ask him to buy grain and give it anonymously to the refugees around the capital."

Xue Biao was stunned, but he didn't ask any further questions.

Then I heard Shi Zhongkui continue to say, "I have already agreed with Qiu Liang that starting from tomorrow, the Five Cities Soldiers and Horses Division will be responsible for cleaning up both sides of the river in the capital."

Xue Biao's face lit up when he heard this.

Although the river in the capital only occupies one-tenth of the entire length, there are a large number of famous residences and shops on both sides of the river.

It can be said that how to clean up the businesses and residential buildings occupying the road is definitely the most difficult part of dredging the river.

In addition to being cumbersome, if you mess with a merchant who has court officials behind his back, you might get a ginseng book.

Therefore, leaving these matters to the Wucheng Soldiers and Horses Division really saved Shi Zhongkui a lot of trouble.

Shi Zhongkui continued to say to Xue Pan, "You asked Xue Pan and Jia Lian to secretly spread the news to the outside world that whoever wants to fill the vacant handling business at the river terminal will recruit 50 river cargo ships with ten thousand stone ships for me.

Otherwise, although I cannot guarantee who will be allowed to occupy the river dock, I still have the ability to disrupt their affairs."

Xue Biao chuckled. After the incident of the Xiuyi Guard arresting people, no one should doubt his brother-in-law's ability to do bad things to others.

Sure enough, some people who were eyeing the dock quickly stopped.

It’s not that they are not interested, it’s not that 50 cargo ships carrying tens of thousands of stones cannot be mobilized.

But he didn't want to get involved with Shi Zhongkui, a harmful man, just for the transportation business at the river terminal.

In addition, if we encounter any trouble when dredging the river later, he might come to visit us again.

So many people think that dredging the river will only take two or three months anyway.

After Shi Zhongkui's errand was completed, he would have no reason to intervene before fighting for the river dock.

But some people don't want to get involved with Shi Zhongkui, and there are also people who are willing to get involved with him.

Among the dozen nobles who bought Babao Liquor, this time it was no longer the nephews of the family who came to Jia Lian and Xue Pan, but the master of the house.

Unless the old nobles of the Zhou Dynasty occupy important positions like Wang Ziteng, they will more or less be in deficit.

After all, having only rank but no position means there is no way to open source.

It is no problem to support the family expenses by relying solely on the land and shop, and they can still save a lot of money every year.

But if you want to show off, or spend money to gain connections and get a real job, that's really not enough.

Even the more distinguished ancestors have had great honors, after a few generations, most of their descendants and nephews will be as unsatisfactory as the children of the Jia family.

This situation is getting more serious.

Therefore, even if Hedao Wharf only earns 30,000 to 50,000 taels of silver a year, these people are not willing to give up.

In addition, many court officials were unwilling to have entanglements with Shi Zhongkui at this time, but instead gave opportunities to the nobles who had been suppressed.

It took a few days for Shi Zhongkui to go to the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of War in person and get the document stating that three thousand field soldiers could approach the capital without armor or bows and crossbows.

Then he quickly ran back to Wanping, took three thousand field soldiers and three thousand stones of grain and grass, and stationed in the temporary camp provided by the Ministry of War outside the capital.

Xue Biao entered the big tent with Xue Pan, Jia Lian, Shi Guangzhu, Jia Quan, whom he had not seen for two years, and a young man in his 20s.

Needless to say, this person must be Jia Yun.

As for the 13-year-old Jia Quan, after seeing Shi Zhongkui, his expression was one of excitement and hesitation.

Shi Zhongkui smiled and said to Xue Biao, "First take Brother Quan, Brother Yun, and the soldiers to inspect the tools. We will talk about the rest in a few days."

Upon hearing this, Xue Biao understood that Shi Zhongkui was taking the opportunity to test Jia Quan and Jia Yun's abilities again.

He hurriedly bowed his hands and left with an excited and confused Jia Quan.

After the three of them left, Shi Guangzhu immediately muttered, "Boqian, you and I are both named Shi. Do you dare not give a kid named Shi a chance to enter your big tent?"

Shi Zhongkui knew that the so-called entering the big account was just to seek an opportunity to serve as a minor official around him like Xue Biao, for the side house of the Duke of Xiu's Mansion or for the children of the same clan.

But Xue Biao only has a position, not an official body.

And I am just waiting to celebrate the New Year and return to my hometown in Jinling to take the county examination.

There is no need to explain these words to Shi Guangzhu, Shi Zhongkui said with a smile, "Uncle, don't worry, of the twenty soldiers around me, four of them have already obtained the rank of ninth-grade inspection officer.

Moreover, after the dredging of the river is completed, it will always be a little difficult for the seventh-grade ones, but there will still be no problem for the eighth-grade ones."

"really?"

Shi Zhongkui smiled and nodded, "How could you deceive your uncle with such a thing?"

After Xue Pan and Jia Lian heard this, they inevitably felt a little jealous.

Shi Guangzhu said with a joyful smile, "No wonder I was a little confused when I saw the four boys Xingguo, Xingtai, Xingmin and Xing'an all wearing official uniforms before entering the big tent.

I didn't expect that these guys are so lucky. They have only been with you for two months and they actually got official status.

When father and the old soldiers in the Duke's Mansion know about it, they will definitely thank you deeply."

Shi Zhongkui smiled and waved his hand, "A humble official with good taste but no job is nothing.

And since my uncle said that we all have the same surname, there is no need to thank you again and again."

"That's right, that's right." Shi Guangzhu laughed heartily, "From now on, you and I are one family, and we really don't need to pay attention to those customary etiquette."

When Shi Zhongkui heard this, his heart moved, and he soon understood what Shi Guangzhu was probably planning.

He glanced at Jia Lian and Xue Pan.

Xue Pan didn't understand what he meant, but Jia Lian secretly shook his head.

So Shi Zhongkui didn't give Shi Guangzhu a chance to continue talking, and said with a smile, "Okay, this is a large military tent after all, so no more gossip."

Shi Guangzhu was stunned for a moment, and then saw Shi Zhongkui put away his smile and said with a serious expression, "Master Shi, I intend to order you to be the supervisor of the various tools consumed by the moat project. What do you think?"

"No, no." When Shi Guangzhu heard that he wanted to be a supervisor, he was not willing to endure the hardship.

Moreover, making shovels, hoes, dustpans, carts and other items requires no effort at all.

Even if you really want to take advantage of it, the person sitting in the position of chief general is Yu Honggao's only disciple, but this guy once forced the eighth-grade official of the Ministry of Works to death, and later forced the embroidered guard to take over.

The incident of hundreds of green men being arrested and sent to Zhao Prison.

It would be an understatement to say that he has a kind face but a dark heart.

If he finds out that he is embezzling, he will be beaten to death.

Shi Zhongkui laughed and suddenly shouted outside the account, "Here comes someone."

"Here", I saw two military attachés holding sword handles, lifting the curtain and walking in.
To be continued...