Chapter 195 Sudden Enlightenment
Ming Xiaoshuang has been very depressed recently.
Although he is now free from official duties and studies with his classmates in the intermediate class every day, he was and is still a member of the Xu family's political team, and will definitely be valued by the city lord in the future. Therefore, his teachers and classmates have no idea how to get along with him.
In addition to politeness, there is also humility.
After all, you never know whether you will have to live under his rule in the future.
Ming Xiaoshuang knew this himself, so he spent most of his time alone in class and never made close friends.
Fortunately, after class today, I saw a familiar figure.
Ming Xiaoshuang rarely smiled and hugged Liu Dazhuang: "Brother Dazhuang, why are you back?!"
Ming Xiaoshuang and Liu Dazhuang have the same feeling.
As one of the earliest members of Xu Zhenying's team, Zhao Bantou has left, and the closest people to him are only Ming Xiaoshuang and Liu Dazhuang.
Seeing old friends again brings joy.
"The city lord urgently summoned me back, and I'm afraid I won't be able to leave for a while. I have something I want to discuss with you. Can you please choose a place?"
"Sure!" Ming Xiaoshuang laughed and linked arms with Liu Dazhuang. "Let's go to Zuixianlou in Lan County! Brother, I've made some money, so I'll treat you to the most expensive food!"
Liu Dazhuang pushed him away and said, "Come on, Lan County is packed with people today. Zuixianlou will probably be busy from morning till night. Why don't we go to Lao Liao's place? He has a wonton stall, and it's said to be quite famous. Lao Liao is an old acquaintance of ours, so we have to take care of his business!"
"That's right!" Ming Xiaoshuang agreed happily.
But when the two walked to Lao Liao's stall, they found that they had underestimated the population of Lan County!
It would have been fine if Zuixianlou couldn't accommodate everyone, but even Lao Liao's stall couldn't accommodate everyone. Even though Lao Liao had added a few tables and asked his brothers to help, he was still so busy that he didn't even have time to look at them.
Ming Xiaoshuang spread his hands and said, "Well, even if I have money, I can't buy food. I can only take it back home to eat."
"Go get two more pounds of wine!"
Ming Xiaoshuang quickly stopped him, "Brother, there's plenty of food, but I won't drink the wine."
Liu Dazhuang was puzzled: "Brother, we haven't seen each other for a long time. This time we must get drunk together!"
Ming Xiaoshuang laughed: "I'm still drunk! We haven't touched alcohol since we entered Lan County!"
"What's wrong? The city lord doesn't allow you to drink?"
"Hey, brother, you don't know something." Ming Xiaoshuang packed two bowls of wontons and said as he walked. "Brother, you've been away from Lan County for too long. You don't know that the city lord has so many rules now. Although the city lord hasn't ordered us to drink, whether it's a banquet or a business opening, the city lord himself never drinks alcohol. Over time, everyone has gradually gotten used to drinking tea!"
"Ah... this... the city lord is so strict?" After Liu Dazhuang returned to Lan County, he naturally discovered this earth-shaking change. Xu Zhenying is now even more domineering. Although she is still friendly and enthusiastic, her every move shows that she is like a person in power.
Not to mention Xu Zhenying, even Qian Zhenniang has changed.
If Qian Zhenniang in the past was a timid person who could not say a word even if beaten with three sticks and only knew how to complain about everything, then Qian Zhenniang now handles interpersonal relationships with ease and is very versatile.
As expected, Xu Zhenying’s ability to train people is first-class!
There are many things that Liu Dazhuang is not comfortable asking others, and only Ming Xiaoshuang can talk to him heart to heart.
Since Liu Dazhuang decided to take over the position of chief instructor of Lan County, he was naturally nervous and couldn't wait to find out more in order to deal with it.
"That's not the case. The City Lord has never made any demands on us in life. It's just that..." Ming Xiaoshuang had actually learned to speak in an official tone, half revealing and half concealing. "As the saying goes, what goes up must follow. The City Lord doesn't drink, so how can we, his subordinates, get drunk? Besides, the City Lord has a rule that if anything happens in the city, we must be on duty immediately. If you show up at the scene reeking of alcohol and the City Lord sees you, it won't look good."
After saying that, Ming Xiaoshuang said self-deprecatingly, "Brother, it's not a good feeling to be on the bench!"
Of course Liu Dazhuang knew that he was talking about the punishment for the refugees' riot.
When the two men walked into the inner courtyard, Liu Dazhuang discovered that the homes of the Xu family members were very small. For example, Ming Xiaoshuang, who was of such status and Xu Zhenying's confidant, only lived in one room.
There were no luxurious decorations in the room. There was nothing else except a bed, a desk, a bench and a chair.
It was obvious that there was no woman in Ming Xiaoshuang's house.
His dirty clothes were just thrown casually into the basin, and there were leftovers on the table. No one cleaned it up, and it felt deserted.
But what surprised Liu Dazhuang the most was that Ming Xiaoshuang, who could barely read, had read books on his desk!
It's really rare!
However, although Ming Xiaoshuang's room is small, it does not look messy. Apart from the pile of dirty clothes, his room can be considered clean.
"Sorry, sorry, my house is a mess. A lot of people have come to Lan County these days. Besides attending classes, I spend the rest of my time volunteering, so the house hasn't been cleaned up in a while."
Ming Xiaoshuang placed two bowls of wontons on the table, wiped the table with a handkerchief, and sat down with a smile: "But this is not a military camp, no one will care about me, I can still have a few days of leisure."
Liu Dazhuang immediately caught the point and asked, "Why, do we have to take care of these things in the military camp?"
"Of course not. This is housekeeping. The squad leader comes to check every day. There are rules about how shoes, socks, and clothes are placed. The quilt must be folded neatly. The room must be cleaned every day. If you are caught with anything dirty, you will be deducted points!"
"Deduction points? What points?"
"It's the housekeeping points! There are ten people in a room in our barracks. If you do a good job of housekeeping, you can get a mobile red flag."
“What are the benefits of the mobile red flag?”
Ming Xiaoshuang scratched his head. "As for what the specific benefits are, there really aren't any. Let's just say, you're proud to have won the Mobile Red Flag, so it's just for fun."
Liu Dazhuang found it difficult to adapt to the style of this military camp.
When I was serving in the army during the Zhou Dynasty, each soldier was dirtier than the other. They had to go through wind and rain and train in the mud every day. Why should we pay so much attention to them?
Ming Xiaoshuang attentively opened the wontons and pushed them in front of Liu Dazhuang. "Brother Dazhuang, you've come back at a really bad time. I wanted to treat you to a nice meal, but there were too many people... I can only force you to eat wontons. But don't look down on these wontons. Lao Liao's wonton stall is doing very well. You know, Lao Liao used to be an official. The city lord even invited him to work outside, but he refused. He just likes to do small business, saying it's free!"
Ming Xiaoshuang was talking to himself. He was currently pursuing further studies and was not involved in any government affairs. It was inevitable that he would be marginalized by the Xu family's government affairs team. Therefore, it was rare for him to see Liu Dazhuang. Once he got excited, he talked endlessly.
"Brother Dazhuang, when did you come back? Did you meet the city lord? How long will you stay this time? By the way, how is the trade route in the south? When are you leaving? I'll see you off. I'm the most idle person in the Xu family team right now, so I have plenty of time."
"I'm not leaving this time." Liu Dazhuang wasn't in the mood to eat. He gulped down the wontons like a storm, breathing heavily from the heat. "The city lord asked me to come back to train the troops. He handed over all 5,000 soldiers from Lan County to me."
"What?" Ming Xiaoshuang looked up in surprise. "The city lord asked you to be the chief instructor?"
Liu Dazhuang also looked embarrassed. "I can't refuse this mission!"
Ming Xiaoshuang patted his shoulder and laughed, "Brother Dazhuang, this is great news! Do you know how many eyes are watching you in this position? Let's not talk about others, just look at Mo Jinchun. He's both civil and military, proficient in all kinds of weapons, and has been eager to show off. Why are you so worried when this pie in the sky falls?"
Liu Dazhuang frowned, and he was a bit less cautious when facing Ming Xiaoshuang. "To be honest, if it were the same before, I would have been happy. But I've only been here for half a day, and seeing how much Lan County has changed, I'm worried. The city lord has developed too fast. When I left, the city garrison was still just a bunch of old, weak, and sick people, but in just half a year, there are already five or six thousand soldiers. And each of these soldiers can read and write, and is familiar with the art of war. They are all better than me. Although the military has a strong sense of hierarchy, it is also a place where you can control your strength. I'm worried that I can't suppress them with my own ability, and I'm also worried that..."
Liu Dazhuang hesitated to speak, then spit out a sentence fiercely: "Secondly, the city lord is expanding too fast, and he obviously has ambitions to rise to the top. I am worried!"
Ming Xiaoshuang was slightly stunned. Liu Dazhuang's words were like a ray of hope, making his eyes light up and a flash of inspiration come to his mind. It seemed that everything made sense in an instant.
"Are you worried that the City Lord... is going to... is going to..." Ming Xiaoshuang was so excited that he couldn't stop talking. "Is he going to rebel?"
Liu Dazhuang lowered his voice and said, "The city lord has a strong army and is vigorously developing agriculture, stationing troops to consume grain, and opening up trade routes to the south. Have you never doubted it?"
Ming Xiaoshuang stood there in a daze!
"Damn it!" Ming Xiaoshuang suddenly flew into a rage and pretended to hit himself hard on the head. "Idiot, why have I never considered this?"
Seeing Ming Xiaoshuang's agitated expression, Liu Dazhuang guessed that Ming Xiaoshuang had never considered this. He sighed repeatedly, "Brother Xiaoshuang, the signs are so obvious, and you, as the city lord's confidant, didn't even notice it! No wonder Xu Yinxi became the magistrate of Ye County, while you're still here studying with the intermediate class!"
Ming Xiaoshuang had never felt so humiliated and hated himself so much as he did now!
Yes, Xu Yinxi, who went to Ye County to take up her post, and Feng'er, who went south to open up trade routes, must have guessed the city lord's intentions long ago!
Only he, who claimed to be the first person to join Xu Zhenying and must have a place in Xu Zhenying's heart, lost his vigilance and was complacent about the position of the village chief of a model village. He was simply stupid!
Xu Zhenying wants to rebel?
If he had been more careful, he would have found that this matter was very obvious.
Is Xu Zhenying the kind of person who would be inferior to others? Obviously not -
Liu Dazhuang even asked the most crucial question: "If the City Lord really has this intention, what are your plans?"
Ming Xiaoshuang slammed the table without hesitation: "Fuck it! Wherever the City Lord goes, I, Ming Xiaoshuang, will go!"
After saying this, Ming Xiaoshuang felt relieved, and then he felt an indescribable excitement!
With the merit of following the dragon, can Ming Xiaoshuang become a prince in the future?
His Ming family is going to become rich!
Ming Xiaoshuang pressed Liu Dazhuang again: "Brother Dazhuang, what about you?"
Liu Dazhuang looked embarrassed and said, "I haven't thought about it yet."
"Why haven't you thought it through? Are you still nostalgic for that rotten court of the Great Zhou? Brother Dazhuang, open your eyes and look at what Lan County is like now. The people can't say they live and work in peace and contentment, but at least they have enough food and clothing! Others may not know the abilities of our city lord, but don't you and I know them? If you follow the city lord, you will be granted a title of nobility in this lifetime!"
"Let me think about this," Liu Dazhuang declined. "Besides, the City Lord may not even have this idea. This is all just speculation. No matter how powerful the City Lord is, she is still a woman. Have you, Ming Xiaoshuang, ever heard of a woman becoming emperor?"
"What's wrong with no woman ever being an emperor? Isn't the city lord the first person to ever create the world?!" Ming Xiaoshuang's body trembled slightly. "Besides, have you ever seen a woman be the city lord before? The city lord is a goddess, with great strategies and wisdom, not inferior to any man in the world! No, she is better than all the men in the world! How can she not do what these men can do!"
Liu Dazhuang knew that Ming Xiaoshuang had long served Xu Zhenying as his master, and always followed Xu Zhenying's lead in his daily work. Now that he knew that Xu Zhenying was rebelling, he would probably be the first to wave the flag and shout slogans.
Ming Xiaoshuang seemed to finally understand, "Brother Dazhuang, if the city lord really wants to rebel, then your position as chief instructor would be equivalent to that of a general protecting the country, wouldn't it?"
Liu Dazhuang pulled Ming Xiaoshuang to sit down. "Alright, let's not make this public. Although there's chaos and turmoil outside, and there are many bandits claiming to be kings and emperors, they're just small-time riots that won't amount to anything. Lan County is different. Be careful of being the first to stick your head out! We still have to follow the orders of the city lord!"
"Then tell me..." Ming Xiaoshuang lowered his voice, "Did Xu Yinxi and the others already know that the city lord was going to rebel?"
Without waiting for Liu Dazhuang's reply, Ming Xiaoshuang began to analyze the situation. "That must be the case, otherwise Xu Yinxi wouldn't have been so proactive, even leaving her parents behind in Lan County to take up the post herself. Tsk tsk tsk tsk, these women are truly incredible!"
At this moment, Ming Xiaoshuang finally felt a strong sense of crisis.
If Ming Xiaoshuang wanted to work under Xu Zhenying, it would mean that he would not only have to compete with a group of men, but also with women!
It is true that power makes people intoxicated. No matter whether they are men or women, as long as they have power, they are reluctant to give it up!
Liu Dazhuang's mouth was dry as he spoke. "Let's not talk about the rebellion for now. It's still a mystery. Since the city lord won't say anything, then we'll pretend we don't know. The city lord must have his own plans."
Ming Xiaoshuang was calmer this time and nodded frequently.
But I couldn't help but feel excited inside.
If the city lord really wants to rebel, many things may change.
"But the city lord has ordered me to train these five thousand elite soldiers, but I have no idea how to do it. Could you, Brother Xiaoshuang, give me some guidance?"
Ming Xiaoshuang smiled generously, "That's not difficult at all. You don't have to worry about it. Since the City Lord wants to use you, she must have her reasons. Actually, being the Chief Instructor isn't difficult either. Xu Anping is in charge of the academic subjects. Oh, by the way, everyone in Lan County calls her Little Teacher Xu now. The drills are all done according to plan, not as complicated as you think. As for the problem of not being able to suppress the rebellion, you don't have to worry. The City Lord's army is highly qualified and obedient, and they value discipline and unity. Just take up the position and don't worry about anything else. It's just that..."
Ming Xiaoshuang laughed, somewhat gloating, "But you have to keep up with your academic studies, brother Dazhuang. Those soldiers have weekly and monthly exams, and each one of them can speak more eloquently than a scholar. If you don't study, you probably won't understand anything they say!"
Liu Dazhuang exclaimed, "Ouch!" "To be honest, this is what I fear the most!"
Ming Xiaoshuang and Liu Dazhuang were arm in arm, and the two seemed to have found an ally. "Don't worry, I hate studying just like my brother Dazhuang. But now I'm forced into it, so why don't you and I form a study group to help each other out."
Is there any other option for Liu Dazhuang besides agreeing with tears?
He never thought in his life that there would be a day when he would be forced to study.
You have to learn. The people under you are stronger physically and more educated than you. How can you be a general of an army?
Liu Dazhuang is a man of dignity, he doesn't want to be pointed at and called a useless general!
Okay, let’s learn it. The city lord said it well.
As long as you don’t die from studying, study hard!
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Such conferences are rarely held in Lan County.
The large conference room converted from the lobby of the county government office obviously could not accommodate so many people, so it was crowded with people, shoulder to shoulder, and logistics staff kept serving tea and water and arranging seats.
Xu Zhenying invited many people to this meeting.
Including the Xu family's political team, people from Ye County, military representatives, and even prominent merchants in Lan County.
It’s just that the first half of the meeting had nothing to do with the merchants, but since Xu Zhenying called them, the merchants had to be active. They arrived at the place early in the morning, but could only sit on the bench outside and wait for the previous meeting to end.
Wang Yin had sharp eyes and immediately spotted Wang Sanniang in the crowd.
Unexpectedly, the damn girl only nodded slightly at him from a distance as a greeting, and did not even come to greet him in person to save face in front of the other families.
After Wang Sanniang strode into the main conference room, Wang Yin sighed, "Ah, what's the point of raising a girl? Look, look, my girl saw me and walked in without even saying hello. She's just an instructor for the female soldiers, and she doesn't even take me, her father, seriously."
Although he said this, everyone could hear the boasting and complacency in Wang Yin's tone.
Someone nearby immediately jumped on the bandwagon and offered a flattering response: "Master Wang, you can't say that. Instructor Wang is a favorite of the City Lord, so naturally, she's very busy. I saw it all; she was looking at us just now."
Another person also pretended to persuade him, "Master Wang, what kind of occasion is this? This is the county government office! It's where the city lord holds meetings! Sanniang is no longer the same person she used to be. If people saw her hanging out with merchants like us, she would inevitably be criticized by her colleagues!"
"How dare she!" Wang Yin stroked his beard, "I'm her father!"
The others said earnestly, "Of course, of course!"
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