Chapter 542: Riding a Tiger in a Dire Situation [Seeking Monthly Tickets]
Businessmen are not easily offended, nor are they quick to open their hearts to anyone, so Xu Jie and Zhao Feng's relationship wasn't particularly good. It was only during the two years Zhao Feng was repaying Shen Tang's kindness that their interactions increased. Zhao Feng often entrusted Xu Jie with the care of his family.
Xu Jie has been doing a great job these past two years.
Upon seeing him, Zhao Feng's cold expression softened slightly, and he stepped forward to greet him. Noticing Xu Jie's unfriendly expression, he asked with concern, "What happened?" Xu Jie turned his head, glanced at the lord's residence out of the corner of his eye, and sighed deeply with a furrowed brow.
Zhao Feng noticed his subtle movements.
He immediately smiled and said, "It's been a long time since I've had a drink and a chat with Wenzhu. I still have a few jars of fine wine at your residence. Why don't you come to my humble abode for a cup?"
Xu Jie also needed to drown his sorrows in alcohol at this moment.
He nodded in agreement.
The main hall of the Zhao residence.
Although members outside the Tianhai faction, led by Qin Li and Zhao Feng, faced workplace exclusion, these issues ultimately stemmed from personal conflicts among their subordinates. Wu Xian, as their lord, never shortchanged those who served him financially or materially, and was extremely generous.
During the two years that Zhao Feng was away from Tianhai, his family lived well, receiving rewards for every season and festival, and the mansion was repaired several times.
but--
A good living environment cannot relieve depression.
Xu and Jie each had their own thoughts.
Zhao ordered his servants to fetch two jars of fine wine from the wine cellar.
Upon opening the red cloth seal, the aroma of the wine wafts out.
Xu Jie sniffed lightly and teased, "Shen Jun is quite generous; the wine he presented as a token of righteousness is absolutely genuine."
Zhao Feng was also amused and couldn't help but laugh.
He later learned that the wines Shen Tang sold throughout Tianhai were diluted with water, and then, through the hands of the unscrupulous merchant Xu Jie, they became water mixed with wine. Zhao Fengchu initially felt uneasy, but then thought, "It's a willing buyer and a willing seller, so there's not much I can say."
Upon returning, I encountered workplace bullying...
Zhao Feng felt that they were only fit to drink water and wine.
"It's a pity, every jar we drink is one less jar we'll ever have."
His mouth has become so picky.
I used to be able to drink even the worst, murky wines without being picky about food, but this time when I came back, I felt uncomfortable everywhere. I disliked the poor quality of the wine in the old cellar and the rough cooking at home. The only thing that felt familiar was the earthen bed in my house.
Xu Jie casually said, "I'll buy some from Shen Jun later."
He didn't say he wanted it directly. Actually, given Shen Jun's warm and generous nature, Zhao Feng could have gotten the wine just by asking, without having to pay.
Zhao Feng replied half-jokingly, "I don't have money, I can't afford to drink."
He drank the whole bowl in one gulp and then asked Xu Jie for an explanation.
"You seemed troubled just now, did you encounter something difficult?" Zhao Feng was unwilling to talk much about his own affairs, so he changed the subject to Xu Jie. "Although I am a lowly person and cannot help much, I have ears and can listen to your troubles."
“Dayi has become quite glib in the last two years.” Xu Jie chuckled and shook his head. The Zhao Feng of the past would never have said such a sarcastic remark. After laughing, a look of worry appeared on his brows, and he said heavily, “The matter itself is not difficult, but I feel uneasy.”
Zhao Feng frowned upon hearing this.
He has been actively familiarizing himself with Tianjin Tianhai since he returned.
He had also heard about the predicament Xu Jie was facing.
He suppressed his smile and listened intently to Xu Jie's ramblings as he drank, his expression growing increasingly grave. He analyzed, "Wen Zhu, it seems our lord is intentionally condoning this..."
Xu Jie's face darkened: "I know."
Heyin was originally a poor and desolate place, lacking everything.
But after two years of relentless investment in restoration by Shen Tang, the land has been revitalized and is thriving, with every household having enough grain to last for one or two years. Shen Tang also actively recruited refugees to cultivate the land, ensuring that the refugees had land to farm and food to eat.
To increase the effect, they even adopted a "pyramid scheme model"—a term Xu Jie saw in Shen Tang's work log—the specific operation was that a registered commoner would recruit an unregistered commoner to settle in Heyin, and the former would receive a peck of new rice.
The event is for a limited time but not limited in quantity.
The number of registered households exceeded 80,000.
Nowadays, you can see wisps of smoke rising from chimneys wherever you go.
Xu Jie knew that Shen Tang had governed He Yin very well, but after looking at the large amount of documents and data left behind by Shen Tang's team, he realized just how good it was. Eighty thousand households—even if the proportion of able-bodied men wasn't high, it was still enough to assemble a considerable number of soldiers.
After a few years, the registered children will grow up...
Xu Jie also vaguely discovered a major piece of information left by Shen Tang. Perhaps he didn't have time to destroy the documents, or perhaps he never intended to destroy them at all—Shen Tang had used an excuse to have villagers from various villages conduct mutual attack and defense drills on a village-by-village basis!
Tianhai, as Heyin's neighbor, was completely unaware of the situation.
Xu Jie discovered this by chance after taking office.
After a thorough investigation—
He discovered that these villagers shared a remarkably consistent set of ideas.
The village head, with his bandit-like air, declared confidently: "We have nowhere else to go besides the river magistrate! If some scoundrels come, we'll wipe out their ancestors for eighteen generations! If one person isn't enough, two will; if two aren't enough, the whole village will!"
Whoever steals our food, we'll fight them to the death!
Go somewhere else? There won't even be any grass roots to eat.
It's not just one village that thinks this way!
Everyone in Heyin County thought so!
Occasionally, you could see adults teaching children how to form groups of three during the off-season, with one person attacking and the other two providing support. At first glance, it seemed like they were just playing around, but combined with the notes left by Shen Tang, Xu Jie's feelings were as complicated as a tangled ball of yarn.
If Shen Jun hadn't been transferred to a lateral position, given this trend, every county bordering He Yin would have been doomed in two years.
Because the troops that the River Governor can use are not only the able-bodied men, but also the 80,000 households of commoners who are ready to defend the fields and grain at any time!
Taking advantage of the element of surprise and catching the opponent off guard, Tianjin Tianhai, completely unprepared, is likely to be the first to be targeted and set as an example.
Therefore, Xu Jie was very clear about it.
He Yin was far wealthier than the wealthy gentry of Tianhai had imagined.
Zhao Feng asked him, "What are your plans?"
Should Lord Wu Xian be involved with the River Governor?
Doing this would be fair to Wu Xian, but it would be unfair to Shen Tang.
Wu Xian was kind to Xu Jie, but this kindness was mutually beneficial; Xu Jie provided him with provisions and money for development. Wu Xian, in turn, elevated the Xu family's status in Tianhai and enjoyed various unseen benefits. As for Shen Tang, his relationship with Xu Jie could be described as one of "gratitude for recognizing and nurturing talent."
Because of the rule that merchants were not allowed to hold official positions, Xu Jie, despite serving under Wu Xian, was still considered a commoner in the royal court.
When Shen Tang was transferred to a lateral position, her first reaction was to recommend Xu Jie, who came from a merchant family, to be the head of a prefecture. This was one of the conditions under which she was willing to be transferred! Only then did the royal court agree.
The key point is that Shen Tang didn't seek any personal gain.
The kindness of being recognized and promoted.
For Xu Jie, who has been subjected to implicit discrimination since he was young, the impact of that experience is indescribable!
If Xu Jie were to indulge Wu Xian and relinquish the real power of the River Governor, becoming merely a nominal River Governor himself, Shen Tang might choose to understand his predicament. But could Xu Jie himself accept this? It would be no different from betraying Shen Tang.
How can this be done?
Xu Jie gave a bitter smile: "...Now I'm in a bind...I can only hope to have the best of both worlds. Xu Wenzhu has always been a subordinate of our lord, that has never changed, as for the rest..."
Wu Xian can have money or grain, and the Xu family is wealthy and can afford it, but he cannot have the River Governor's position. That's the bottom line!
\(￣︶￣*\))
Tang Mei had actually put a lot of effort into improving Xu Jie's favorability, and she did it in a very targeted way. Her gentle recommendation was the final, decisive blow. She just didn't do it openly, and even Xu Jie himself was unaware of it.
Tang, the Heart Thief: To steal someone, you must first steal their heart.
P.S.: There are still 300 spots left in the monthly ticket post in the book review section. Everyone with a guaranteed monthly ticket can participate, and there's a fund subsidy!
(End of this chapter)
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