Chapter 192 Acting Expediently
Qi Rong shrugged: "So the commander this time is probably an old prince, who is old, senior, and knows some military strategy."
Lin Changning nodded. He didn't think it was a good method; if people weren't united, they would suffer defeat.
Of course, she didn't really want to suffer a defeat.
"We'll see when the time comes; we can act as we see fit."
Qi Rong poured a cup of tea from the table and handed it to Lin Changning and Lao Zhou.
The two of them had just arrived at the capital after a long and arduous journey when he summoned them. They must be parched by now.
His estimated time was pretty accurate; he figured he'd be back today.
The morning was only halfway through when the two returned with their men.
Thinking of the banditry around Taiyuan, Qi Rong asked, "How is the banditry situation?"
Lin Changning was drinking tea and had just swallowed it when he was about to speak.
Old Zhou wiped his mouth with his sleeve: "The people have been sent to the county government. As for whether to imprison or execute them, let them decide. Our men have returned to the command post to take command. This bandit suppression operation also yielded some unexpected gains."
Some of them looked at Lao Zhou in surprise: "What did you find?"
Old Zhou chuckled: "Didn't there come a few years ago when there was a corrupt official who embezzled 100,000 taels of silver? Changning and I learned the whereabouts of that silver from those bandits. It was in a cave behind their stronghold. This time we brought all that silver back, and it's being counted at the military headquarters now."
Qi Rong couldn't help but laugh out loud. He hadn't expected these two to be so lucky, managing to find 100,000 taels of silver while suppressing bandits.
The laughter seemed to be too loud, as everyone in the room turned to look at Qi Rong, who was seated.
The King of Chu was taken aback. His second son was always one to keep his emotions hidden. When had he ever shown his emotions so openly?
I couldn't help but wonder what could have made him smile so broadly.
"Ah Rong, what's so funny? Tell us so we can all have a laugh."
Qi Rong suppressed his smile, clenched his fist, and coughed lightly.
"Ahem, it is indeed a good thing. Didn't Changning and Lao Zhou just return from suppressing bandits? Uncle, do you still remember that corruption case in the capital a few years ago?"
The King of Chu immediately realized something and looked at his second son with some suspicion.
"Could it be that they found the government funds from that embezzlement case?"
With a hint of pride and satisfaction on his face, Qi Rong met the incredulous gazes of the crowd and said, "Uncle, that's right."
The King of Chu couldn't help but laugh.
The imperial court investigated for nearly a year and a half but still couldn't find the whereabouts of that batch of silver.
It turned out to be a huge stroke of luck for their bandit-suppression team.
The King of Chu's hearty laughter echoed in the courtyard. After enjoying himself, he looked at Lin Changning and Old Zhou behind him with a gentle and gratified gaze.
"This matter is credited to both of you. Arong, give each of you one hundred taels of silver as a reward. As for the remaining silver, you are the right-hand commander, so you can handle it as you see fit."
Qi Rong nodded and clasped his hands in a fist salute: "Yes, Uncle."
The other guards couldn't help but cast envious and jealous glances at them.
Some wanted to ask for it, but the prince had already told Qi to handle it himself. These people were all 10 or 20 years older than him, so it would be beneath them to ask for it. But just watching them like this was indeed a bit sour.
With so much silver, even just a little bit distributed among them would make the people below happy for a long time, at least it would improve their meals.
Qin Zhong hesitated for a moment, then rubbed his hands together and said, "Young Master Qi, the weather here is getting warmer lately, and our guards aren't eating very well. Do you think we could spare a few thousand taels? How about we improve the soldiers' meals? We won't ask for too much, how about five thousand taels?"
Several of his generals also looked at Qi Rong, their expectant gazes fixed on Lin Changning, a smile playing on their lips.
Qi Rong spread his hands: "Uncle Qin, it's no problem to give you five thousand taels, but if you do, what about the others? If one gives you five thousand and the other gives you five thousand, how will our Right Guard survive? If the food at Uncle Qin's place isn't very good, and the soldiers really can't eat it, I can take five thousand from my private treasury and give it to Uncle Qin to use first to improve the soldiers' food."
Qin Zhong chuckled awkwardly, "Haha, Uncle, just kidding. Although the food was indeed a bit hard to eat, it wasn't so bad that I couldn't eat it. How could I let Prince Qi pay for it?"
Just kidding, if he dared to accept money from the young master privately, the prince and princess would skin him alive.
He was simply eyeing the Right Guard's 100,000 taels of silver, so he subconsciously wanted to get his hands on it for free.
He won't lose out if he gets out, and it's normal if he doesn't.
After all, it was their people who risked their lives to pull them out of the bandits' den. They didn't help or send any troops, so it's unacceptable for them to try and get a share of the spoils.
Seeing that Qin had met with a rebuff, the other generals also gave up their plans.
They may be envious, but they're not unreasonable.
It's just that they saw someone else had started and wanted to get a piece of the pie.
Qi Rong sneered inwardly. If the silver were so easy to obtain, the imperial court wouldn't have been able to find any trace of it after so many years of investigation.
Although Lao Zhou and Chang Ning did not mention the difficulties they encountered when taking the money, he certainly did not think it was an easy task.
Although they were both under the command of the King of Chu, it was better to earn the money themselves if they wanted it. They weren't in dire straits, but they were just envious of the large sum of money that the others had obtained for free.
He wanted this, he wanted that, and before he knew it, it was gone. These old foxes thought he was easy to fool.
The King of Chu interrupted, "Alright, alright, you lot, are you short of food or pay? You just want a piece of the pie because the second-in-command got a little silver. You're all so pathetic!"
"If you want the silver you've captured, then go earn it yourself. How come the second brother's men are so capable? You should reflect on your own actions more."
Old Qin wondered to himself, "Why don't they have any underlings? They're naturally strong, incredibly smart, and can even seize 100,000 taels of silver when they're suppressing bandits."
After their initial frustration, the group's gazes involuntarily drifted towards Lin Changning behind Qi Rong, making them feel a chill run down their spines and giving them goosebumps.
Lin Changning rubbed the goosebumps off her body and hid behind her as she headed towards her house.
She always felt that the way the group of commanders opposite him looked at him was like a weasel looking at a hen, all green and terrifying.
Qin Zhong glanced at Qi Rong, who was standing in front of Lin Changning like a mother hen protecting her chicks, and curled his lip.
He's just lucky. He acts like he has all the capable subordinates, like he can find someone even more capable in the army someday. They'll be green with envy then!
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