Chapter 168 A Reprimand
Lin Changning strolled around again, picking out the people she had sparred with a few days ago, and also selecting a few from prominent families who seemed to have good potential, planning to give them extra training that evening.
It would be best if her personal guards were taught swordsmanship by themselves. Besides having him learn double swords and the Qi family swordsmanship, her parents had actually taught her a variety of other swordsmanship techniques.
The junior students have brought a whole basketful of talent; bringing out these people who already have a foundation shouldn't be a big problem.
After lunch, Lin Changning was caught by Lao Ma and his group. Lao Ma and his group had been recruiting soldiers recently and had left a lot of work unfinished, mostly clerical work. So they thought of Lin Changning. They had seen Lin Changning leading the training in the morning and hadn't wanted to bother her, so they caught her right after she finished lunch.
Old Ma sat down at Lin Changning's desk with a shameless grin: "Little Six, you know, I've never asked anyone for help in my life. This matter is really too complicated. Please help your brothers out."
Lin Changning couldn't help but roll her eyes: "You have no idea how many times you've bothered me with this kind of thing, don't you?"
Old Ma clasped his hands together and kept bowing, pleading, "Please, Xiao Liu, just this once, just this once."
Old Zhang, who had just entered the door, looked at Old Ma with a hesitant expression, thinking to himself, "This old rascal beat me to it."
Before we could even sit down, Old Zhou came in again.
Lin Changning crossed his arms and leaned back with a cold expression: "Refuse, don't do it, do it yourself and you'll have plenty to eat and wear. I'm not trying to criticize you, but you always dump these kinds of paperwork on me. You should get some practice. What? Do you think I can do this for you forever?"
Old Zhang, being straightforward, scratched his head: "Wouldn't that be too embarrassing?"
Lin Changning couldn't help but laugh in anger; Old Zhang, being so straightforward, didn't even realize he was being sarcastic.
After laughing, he looked at Lao Zhou and spread his hands: "I said I refused. It's not difficult to approve these things, but it takes too much time. I have to lead them on a training exercise this afternoon, so I really don't have time."
Old Ma's face fell instantly: "Brother, you have no idea how much of a headache I get every time I have to approve these flowery documents. And we have to continue recruiting this afternoon, so we really don't have much time. Otherwise, I wouldn't have come to you. I know I'm sorry, but please help me out. If it were me, I don't know when I'd finish approving these. After I'm off duty today, how about I treat you to drinks and dinner at a restaurant? We'll just have the meat!"
Lin Changning couldn't help but ask, "What do you mean you don't have time?" It's true that the documents take a while to approve, but it's not as serious as he makes it out to be. He just wanted to share some of their work with him so that everyone could get things done faster. Old Ma and his group just don't have the patience.
Just as Lin Changning was about to refuse firmly, Qi Rong strode in from outside the door. Lin Changning looked up at Qi Rong, whose expression was not good, and knew that his second brother must have heard everything he had just said: "Commander, you're here?"
Qi Erge sat down in the chair, a smirk playing on his lips as he coldly looked at the three seasoned veterans before him: "No time? I certainly have time. Why don't you just dump all your official documents and reports on me for approval?!"
After speaking, she took a sip of tea, slammed the teacup down on the tea table, and glared angrily at the three people in front of her: "When Changning wasn't around, why didn't you complain about not being able to finish reviewing all the official documents? You reviewed them until late at night every day and still finished them, didn't you?"
The three men, including Lao Ma, were startled by the sound of Qi Rong putting down his cup. They immediately knelt down facing Qi Rong, their faces ashen.
Oh no!!! This is terrible!!! We were caught red-handed by the commander!!!
The three of them lowered their heads, and the dog looked at each other timidly. They didn't intend to bully Lin Changning. It's just that Changning was smart and quick and good at giving advice. Before, when they were all busy in Daxing, Changning had helped them many times.
Changning's work efficiency was almost five times that of the three of them, so they slowly began to beg Changning to help them approve official documents, and in return they helped Changning to inspect the city walls and assist with land reclamation.
Qi Erge looked coldly at the three people below: "Do you really think I don't know that most of your official documents were approved by Xiao Liu in the past?"
In the past, it would have been one thing, but this isn't Daxing. The Right Guard is directly under the King of Chu! How dare they pull this stunt!
Besides, doesn't Xiao Liu have his own affairs to attend to? Yesterday, powerful and influential families from Taiyuan came knocking on his door. Xiao Liu had to both discipline people and appease those powerful families. Yesterday, his relatives came to Taiyuan, and he didn't even dare to ask for leave.
You guys are so shameless, ordering Xiao Liu around without a second thought. Put your hands on your consciences, how much has Xiao Liu ever helped you?!
After a few words, the three men silently lowered their heads. Indeed, they had been living too comfortably lately and had become too lax. Now, when they encountered even the slightest troublesome matter, they thought of asking Xiao Liu for help. Xiao Liu's family had just arrived yesterday, and they were actually asking someone to help them with official documents. This was really inappropriate.
Old Ma, his face flushed, was the first to stammer, "Commander, I know I was wrong. I'll go down and take 10 lashes!!!"
After saying that, he stood up and looked at Lin Changning with a face full of embarrassment and shame: "I'm sorry, Brother Changning, it was my fault, I was a bastard!"
Old Zhang and Old Zhou also stood up, admitted their mistakes, and prepared to receive ten strokes of the military rod.
Turning to Lin Changning, they clasped their hands in apology: "It was our fault, Changning."
Lin Changning was slightly at a loss. After helping the men up, he looked at Qi Erge and hesitated, saying, "Commander, we just arrived at the Right Guard and Lao Ma and the others have already taken the beatings themselves. This is detrimental to our prestige. Perhaps... we should remember this?"
Qi Rong had only intended to give the three of them a warning, and seeing that they knew they were wrong, he didn't press the matter further: "Since Changning pleaded for you, then remember these ten lashes. If you repeat the offense, the punishment will be doubled."
You've been in the military for quite some time now; you should know what boundaries mean. I'm warning you one last time: this isn't Daxing; this is Taiyuan.
We are now loyal not to the emperor, but to the King of Chu. We must consider for ourselves what we can and should do!
The four men clasped their hands in agreement. Seeing that the purpose of their warning had been achieved, Qi Rong waved his hand and said, "You three go down. I have something to say to Xiao Liu."
Old Ma glanced at Chang Ning, whose expression remained normal, and figured he wouldn't be scolded, so he felt relieved and followed Old Zhou and the others out first.
They were wrong to do what they did today. They relied too much on Changning when they were in Daxing. Now that things have changed, they shouldn't have acted that way. From now on, they should take care of their own affairs.
"Second brother, is there something you need from me?"
Qi Rong nodded, waved his hand, and two ordinary-looking men entered from outside the door: "From now on, he will be your master. Are you sure?"
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