When Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei arrived outside the winery, they saw that the construction site was surrounded by layers of people, all of whom were locals who had come to watch the spectacle.
They kept quiet, letting Fan clear the way, and watched from the crowd like ordinary people.
At the construction site, Wang Mazi and his men stood in neat rows in front of Zhao Cheng, Xiao Luomu, and the others.
Liu Da felt something was off. The two sides looked like they were facing each other in a standoff, but Wang Mazi's brothers looked very excited, and their eyes were filled with...respect when they looked at Zhao Cheng?
Zhao Cheng put his hands behind his back, shifted his gaze from Wang Mazi and the others, and looked at the surrounding people.
“I heard some of you talking about it. It seems that someone recognized them as bandits from Lingshan Mountain.”
"Yes, they are! But that was before. From now on, they are all registered guards of the Xiao family and will protect Han Nancheng's winery!"
The murmurs among the crowd grew louder.
Zhao Cheng raised his hands and pressed them down, then said loudly, "Perhaps you think it's outrageous for the Xiao family to choose bandits as guards, and you worry that they might embezzle from their posts or even cause trouble for the people in the city. Your concerns are valid, but they are not the kind of heinous bandits you imagine!"
"They have been in Lingshan for many years, and have never harassed the people in the city, nor have they killed anyone indiscriminately. They became outlaws because they were forced by life. The fact that the Xiao family dared to choose them means that they had investigated them, knew their background, and knew that they could use them and control them!"
"And they promised me that they were willing to accept your supervision and would live an upright life from now on!"
"So you can pass this message on. If you find any guards who are dishonest or do bad things in the future, you can report them directly to the winery. We will have someone to handle it and will deal with it seriously after verification!"
Zhao Cheng abruptly changed the subject, looking at Wang Mazi and the others, and said sternly, "Can you put my mind at ease? Can you put the people of Hannan City at ease?"
Zhu Lao Er was thrilled and shouted, "We will never let down our eldest brother's eldest brother!!"
"I will never let my brother's brother down!!!"
Upon hearing this, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei in the crowd were completely dumbfounded.
"Big brother's big brother's big brother..." Liu Da asked suspiciously, "What are they talking about?"
Zhang De was completely bewildered and said, "I've never heard of Wang Mazi having so many older brothers..."
Liu Da said, "Didn't you say Wang Mazi was absolutely reliable?"
“He is quite reliable, and he didn’t bother the people when he came to the city, but…” Zhang De really couldn’t explain himself anymore.
"We called him here to cause trouble, not to maintain order! He's reliable! Reliable to the extreme!"
Liu Da couldn't hold back and unleashed a torrent of angry words, drawing the attention of everyone around him.
Zhao Cheng also looked over, and upon seeing Liu Da, he immediately beamed and walked over, saying, "Lord of Moling, you've arrived! Why aren't you coming in? Hurry up, hurry up!"
Zhao Cheng grabbed Liu Da's hand and walked towards Wang Mazi and the others, introducing them as, "Let me show you the guards I found. From now on, they'll be the ones maintaining order at the distillery!"
Liu Da forced a smile and said, "Young Prime Minister, you truly have a discerning eye..."
"That's true!" Zhao Cheng patted He Laosan on the shoulder and laughed, "All three leaders are second-rate experts, especially the third leader, who is almost a first-rate expert. Han Nancheng is truly a place of outstanding people and resources; choosing to build the winery here was definitely the right choice!"
Zhao Cheng looked at Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei with gratitude, cupping his hands and saying, "In the end, it is the three of you who have governed so well that Han Nan City has produced so many talented people."
Liu Da, like a mute eating bitter herbs, couldn't express his suffering and choked so badly that he turned his head away.
Zhao Cheng asked doubtfully, "Is the Earl of Moling feeling unwell?"
Liu Da waved his hand and said, "I don't know why, but my eyes suddenly hurt."
Zhao Cheng suggested, "Then close your eyes for a while, out of sight, out of mind."
Xiao Luomu, Xu An, and the others behind Zhao Cheng couldn't hold back any longer and turned around to suppress their laughter.
Out of sight, out of mind...
Zhao Cheng is such a scoundrel!
Zhang De kept winking at Wang Mazi, trying to figure out what was going on. Wang Mazi didn't avoid his gaze, but he didn't give him any information either, simply meeting his eyes.
Guan Yi, however, said bluntly, "Young Prime Minister, I admire your magnanimity in accepting them as guards, but aren't you really afraid they'll cause you trouble in the future?"
"You heard it too, they call me the eldest brother's eldest brother's eldest brother. If they don't behave, their eldest brother will naturally teach them a lesson. If they still can't be disciplined, their eldest brother's eldest brother will teach them how to be good people. I have a lot of confidence in them."
Zhao Cheng smiled slightly and continued, "Chairman Xiao chose to build a winery in Hannan City in order to boost the city's economy, so that more people in Hannan City could earn money, have jobs, and allow their families to live a better life. Although Wang Mazi and his group have been in Lingshan for several years, many of their brothers actually have families in Hannan City. The employment opportunities provided by the winery should not only consider the peaceful people in the city, but also those who have returned home."
Zhao Cheng suppressed his smile and said calmly, "Lord Guan, our goals... are actually the same."
Hearing this, Guan Yi was deeply moved.
Zhao Cheng is right. Developing the county's economy and ensuring that more people have food to eat and jobs is also his goal as an official.
But now, it's Zhao Cheng doing it, and he's stopping him.
Thinking of this, Guan Yi felt a tightness in his chest and was speechless.
Zhao Cheng withdrew his gaze from Guan Yi. The seed of words had already been planted in Guan Yi's heart; it was best to stop there.
Zhao Cheng walked back to the presidium and said, "Chairman Xiao, you can announce their appointments."
Xiao Luomu nodded, took a big step forward, glanced at Wang Mazi and the others, and then quickly looked at Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei. He immediately felt all the pent-up anger in his chest dissipate.
Full of vigor and high spirits!
"Wang Mazi is the captain of the first guard team at Xianjiu Winery!"
"Zhu Lao Er is the captain of the second guard team of Xianjiu Distillery!"
"He Laosan is the captain of the third guard team at Xianjiu Winery!"
"Starting today, you are officially on duty. Divide your subordinates into three teams, working in three shifts!"
"Yes!!!" Wang Mazi and the others shouted in unison.
"The monthly salary of an ordinary guard is twenty taels."
"The three captains receive a monthly salary of twenty-five taels of silver."
"Those with perfect attendance also receive a bonus of three ounces per month."
Xiao Luomu continued, "The Eastern Chamber of Commerce is fair in its rewards and punishments, selects the best people, and never mistreats those who work diligently. Those of you who are capable and perform exceptionally well will have opportunities for promotion and salary increases in the future!"
Wow!!
After Xiao Luomu finished speaking, in addition to Wang Mazi and the others who were full of excitement, the surrounding onlookers were even more excited!
They never expected that the monthly salary of the distillery guards would be so high...
This was unheard of in Hannancheng, a county town!
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