After patrolling the surface of Mount Weishan Lake, other than witnessing the azure sky and the vastness of the water, there was nothing else to be gained.
The sky became brighter and the fog gradually dispersed. A blazing red sun revealed half of its head on the surface of the water, dyeing the water with a layer of dazzling gold. It made people feel abnormally warm.
Luo Ning nestled beside Lin Wanrong. The golden morning sun shone on her face, giving her a golden blush. It complemented her snow-white skin, making her look extremely beautiful. Ning 'er's eyes were filled with happiness. She hugged Lin Wanrong's arm and said softly, "Big Brother, if I could watch the red sun rise with you every day, Ning' er would have nothing else to ask for in this lifetime."
Women were all emotional creatures. Just a moment ago, they were still worried about not being able to find the silver, but in the blink of an eye, they were looking forward to a beautiful future. Lin Wanrong laughed bitterly and said to Luoyuan, "Kleinloh, instruct the brothers on the boat to stop the boat first. After breakfast, we will continue to investigate."
Luo Yuan nodded and passed the message to his subordinates. The people on the water relied on a small boat for their basic necessities. After a while, smoke could be seen curling up from the chimneys of the surrounding boats, and the fragrance of fish and rice wafted over.
The old boatman busied himself for a while and passed a bowl of fish soup to Lin Wanrong with both hands, "Sir, please try the fresh fish soup from our Mount Weishan Lake. This was caught by me last night. It is not easy to catch some fish in the lake in early spring. I originally wanted to give it to Sir Luo to try, but who knew that something like this would happen. "
Lin Wanrong hurriedly received it with both hands and smiled gratefully. He first passed it to Luo Ning and said, "This is the fish from spring. They were all missed during the winter. After going through a cold winter and eating enough aquatic plants, everyone is plump and strong. This is the most nourishing period. Ning Er, your body is weak. Drink some soup to warm yourself up. You also lost a lot of blood last night, so you should nourish yourself. "
When Luo Ning heard the first part of his sentence, she was very touched. However, the second part of his sentence had a different meaning and was not serious at all. She looked at her brother with a reproachful look and secretly pinched his waist. She took the bowl of soup, opened her mouth slightly and took a small sip.
As soon as the soup entered her mouth, a rich fragrance seeped into her mouth. Luo Ning's appetite was stimulated and she couldn't help but take another sip. She praised, "It's delicious. I haven't had such good fish soup in the past few months I've been in Jining. "
Lin Wanrong laughed and said, "That's because you rarely come to Weishan Lake, so it's hard for you to enjoy the beautiful scenery and taste the delicious food. The lake and mountains here are beautiful and the scenery is pleasant. It's a real land of fish and rice. "
As he said this, he remembered the day when they attacked Jining. In the midst of the bombardment, he was injured in order to save Sister An and Xian Er. Later on, they risked their lives to save him. The three of them accompanied each other as they rowed on Weishan Lake under the moonlight. A warm and nostalgic feeling slowly welled up in his heart. How many times could he have such a carefree life? If it wasn't for Sister An's trick, how could he have had such an experience? He sighed faintly. Xian Er was in the capital, but where was that cunning and charming vixen now? Would she recall these days as well? Damn, I miss that vixen so much.
"Big brother, big brother, look, it's Sister Zhiqing." Luo Ning suddenly pulled his sleeve and cried out excitedly.
Xu Zhiqing? Lin Wanrong, who was deep in thought, was shocked and hurriedly looked up. The mist on the surface of the lake had completely dissipated, and the situation on the lake was very clear. From afar, a small boat was rowing towards them from the depths of the lake. A woman dressed in green stood at the bow of the boat, her expression indifferent, neither smiling nor speaking. A few drops of dew had condensed on the edge of her hair, and under the light of the morning sun, it shimmered with a myriad of colors, making her face look even more beautiful.
"Sister Zhiqing, Sister Zhiqing." From afar, Luo Ning waved her arms excitedly at the bow of the boat. Xu Zhiqing saw Luo Ning and was slightly taken aback. She then nodded in acknowledgment, and the boat slowly approached.
"Oh, that, I suddenly remembered that we haven't checked the reed marshes that we passed just now. Kleinloh, prepare the fastest boat for me. I have something to do and have to go first. "
Seeing that the situation was not right, Lin Wanrong wanted to leave immediately. He had a guilty conscience. What happened last night was supposed to be known only to the heavens, the earth, and Lin Wanrong. But Xu Zhiqing, this girl, was not easy to fool. She had a repeating crossbow on her, and last night she even shot me four arrows. Who knew if she would flip out when they met later? If she were to shed all pretense of cordiality and fight to the death with me, that would be terrible. Life and death is a small matter, but losing my chastity is a big deal. If she were to make a fuss, Lin Wanrong's clean reputation would be ruined.
Luo Ning pulled on his sleeve and said with a smile, "Big Brother loves to spout nonsense. Just now when we came here, where was there any reed marshes? For our family's matter, Sister Zhiqing went to Mount Weishan Lake in the middle of the night in the middle of the cold. We must thank her properly. "
"Is that so? That's really hard work! " Lin Wanrong laughed and wanted to leave first, but Luo Ning held him back tightly. Seeing Xu Zhiqing's boat getting closer and closer, he complained in his heart.
"Sister is right. Sister Xu traveled thousands of miles for our family's matter. She worked so hard, we should thank her properly. Big Brother, since we're not in a hurry, you can meet up with Sister Xu and see if she has discovered anything. Who knows, if the two of you work together, there might be a way. "Luoyuan nodded in agreement and analyzed seriously.
You little brat, are you trying to harm your big brother? Your Sister Xu and I are like fire and water, so what's the point of working together? Lin Wanrong glared at Kleinloh, wanting nothing more than to kick this troublemaker into the water.
As they spoke, the boat carrying Xu Zhiqing slowly approached. Luoyuan and the boatman pulled the boat, while Xu Zhiqing held onto Luo Ning's little hand and jumped onto their boat.
Xu Zhiqing's hair was covered with clear dew drops, her face was red from the cold, and her beautiful eyes were slightly red and swollen. She looked very tired. Luo Ning said in surprise, "Sister, what's wrong? Are you crying?"
"No," Xu Zhiqing said indifferently. "The wind on the lake was very strong in the morning, and it blew into my eyes. That's why it's a little red."
Luo Ning pulled on Xu Zhiqing, her eyes red as she said, "Sister, why did you go to the lake in the middle of the night? The weather is so cold, if you catch a cold, I won't be able to live in peace for the rest of my life. "
Xu Zhiqing smiled slightly and raised her hand to wipe the dew on her hair. She said, "Ning 'er, what are you saying? Between us sisters, is there a need to be so polite? I couldn't sleep in the middle of the night, so I wanted to go to the lake to take a look. I didn't expect Weishan Lake to be so wide. I walked for several hours and only walked a few miles. Seeing that it was getting late, I was worried that you would miss me, so I came back. "
Hearing Xu Zhiqing say that she couldn't sleep in the middle of the night, Luo Ning thought that she had been exposed. She couldn't help blushing and her ears felt hot. She shyly lowered her head and said, "I was rude, last night —"
"Nothing happened last night." Xu Zhiqing rushed to say, "I waited in your room and fell asleep. I didn't see anyone."
Sister Xu's words seemed to be trying to cover something up. Could it be that she saw or heard something last night? Thinking of this, Luo Ning's body became hot and her heart was filled with anxiety. She was so shy that she didn't even dare to raise her head. Both of them had something on their minds, but they couldn't reveal it to each other. They could only make wild guesses, as if they were talking in riddles.
"Oh. Sister Zhiqing, what did you find on the lake? Can you discuss it with brother? Hey, brother, where is brother — "Luo Ning was about to pull her brother out to talk to Miss Xu, but she couldn't find him anywhere. Just as she was wondering, the boatman came out from the back of the cabin and said," Miss, are you asking about the official just now? Oh, he stole the old man's work and is cooking at the stern of the boat. Alas, I have never seen such an amiable and helpful official. Miss, you are lucky to be with him! "
When did brother become so diligent? Luo Ning had nowhere to ask the questions in her heart, but she saw Luoyuan pushing Lin Wanrong out. Official Lin had an apron on his waist, and he shouted, "What are you doing, what are you doing, I still have to cook!"
"It's you?!!" Xu Zhiqing's eyes were spitting fire, and she gritted her teeth in anger.
"I stood too close, I couldn't see clearly!" Lin Wanrong hurriedly took a few steps back, keeping a distance from Miss Xu. He carefully looked at her, and said in surprise, "Ah, isn't this Miss Xu? Aiya, why are you here? Long time no see, how are you?" His words were full of sincerity, as if the two were old friends who hadn't seen each other for a long time. Hearing this, Luoyuan couldn't help but sigh. His brother was always so warm and full of energy.
"I'm very good. I wonder if Official Lin had a good night last night?" Xu Zhiqing smiled coldly, and the cold light in her eyes seemed to be able to kill.
The speaker was unintentional, but the listener was interested. Luo Ning, who was at the side, blushed. She secretly glanced at her brother, and a faint flirtatious expression appeared on her face.
Nonsense, I have the company of a fragrant lamp and a beauty, the warmth of spring in a hibiscus tent, the sun and moon in a mandarin duck pillow, I don't know how happy I was. Seeing Miss Xu's cold expression, he laughed dryly, "Thanks to Miss Xu's concern, I have had a good time, just a little better than you."
"Shameless, shameless!" Xu Zhiqing gritted her teeth in hatred, and a faint layer of mist appeared in her eyes.
Although her voice was soft, Luo Ning heard every word. Seeing that there seemed to be a deep gap between her brother and Sister Xu, she was anxious, and hurriedly pulled Xu Zhiqing's hand, "Sister Xu, do you have some misunderstanding about Big Brother? Big Brother is a good person, hardworking, kind, simple, humble, quiet, and loves the weak. You should be able to feel it when you travel with him! "
Luoyuan's mouth could not close for a long time. So Big Brother has such a high position in Sister Xu's heart. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but why is it that my understanding of Big Brother is the complete opposite of Sister Xu? Hearing this, Lord Lin felt very comfortable. My good Ning 'er, you are very insightful. Others only look at me on the surface, but only you can see the deepest part of my heart!
Xu Zhiqing didn't know whether to laugh or cry. According to Ning 'er, this Lin San could be considered the most honest person in the world. If Lin San was honest, even a pig would laugh.
"That's right, I have deeply experienced these good points of his." The corner of Miss Xu's mouth rose into a cold smile. She glanced at Lin San, but saw that his eyes were smiling. His gaze was secretly looking at her chest, and she didn't know what he was playing with. Miss Xu's blood immediately rushed to her head, and she felt like she was going to faint from anger. This kind of shameful thing couldn't be said to Ning 'er. She felt wronged and embarrassed, and her eyes became misty. She quickly hid behind Luo Ning, "Ning' er, let's go!"
"Go? Go where? " Luo Ning looked at her in confusion, then hugged her arm and said coquettishly, "Good Sister, Big Brother really isn't a bad person. Don't be angry at him. Sister, did you find anything on this lake? You can discuss it with Big Brother. "
"That's right, that's right, let's discuss it." Lord Lin did not look sideways, and said with a face full of righteousness. Seeing that Miss Xu had some misgivings, he didn't care anymore. Since it was already like this, how could he return what he touched?
"I have nothing to say to you," Miss Xu said angrily. Thinking of the grievances she suffered last night, and then thinking of this person's lecherous eyes, her heart was filled with sorrow and bitterness. Tears swirled in her eyes, as if they were about to fall.
She had never seen the good-tempered Big Sister Zhiqing get provoked like this. Luo Ning hurriedly hugged Xu Zhiqing, and then gave Lin Wanrong a look. Lord Lin bitterly smiled and shook his head, "Alright, Miss Xu, I was wrong. I will apologize to you. I will definitely pay attention next time! "
"You dare to do it again?" Xu Zhiqing gritted her teeth. She raised her head and said angrily.
Really, is it a crime to have big breasts? Isn't a woman's body good for men to see? Men like Big Brother Lin San who dares to openly be lecherous are already extinct in this world. You've encountered a top quality product, and you're still not satisfied? Lord Lin lazily smiled. Unless we don't see each other anymore, this daddy still wants to see.
The two quarreled for a while, and the Luo siblings stared with wide eyes. Big brother and Big Sister Xu were like mortal enemies, how were they going to live in the future?
"General Lin, General Lin — —" Just as the situation had reached a stalemate, there was suddenly a burst of excited shouts coming from the lake, and a small boat shot over like an arrow.
"General Hu!" Xu Zhiqing's eyesight was very good, and at one glance she saw the person on the boat. It was Hu Bugui who had been ordered to search yesterday.
"Big Brother Hu — —" When the boat stopped, Hu Bugui strode onto the boat. Seeing his excited expression, Lin Wanrong hurriedly pulled his arm, "Did you find something?"
Hu Bugui's face was covered in dust and his eyes were bloodshot, but his expression was highly excited. He said loudly, "General has great foresight. Last night, I followed your instructions and searched along the two sides of Lake Weishan, and indeed found something."
Upon hearing these words, everyone on the boat suddenly became excited. Even Miss Xu, who was quarreling with Lord Lin, turned her head to listen to him, but saw that Lin San was smiling at her. She hurriedly snorted and turned her head back.
"Yesterday I brought two thousand brothers to search along the two sides of the lake, and traveled more than one hundred kilometers in one night. I interviewed the fishermen and people on both sides, and finally found a very useful piece of news. The day before yesterday evening, there were a few brothers who went out to fish. Because it was early spring, there were very few fish, so their small boats rowed a little further, and when they returned, they were chased away by several small boats, "Hu Bugui said loudly, his joy evident in his words.
"Chased away?" Lin Wanrong frowned, "Then did they see the appearance of those people?"
Hu Bugui shook his head, "It was already late when they returned, so they couldn't see the appearance of those people. But according to them, those small boats had a very large draft, and the fishermen on the boats were very strong, unlike ordinary fishing boats. They chased them far away before turning back. One of the fishermen couldn't resist his curiosity, and secretly followed behind them. He didn't know if he didn't look, but when he saw, he was shocked. Behind those small boats, there was a fleet of ships. "
"Fleet of ships?" Lin Wanrong said with surprise, "How big were the ships? How many ships? "
"Because they were too far away, and he was afraid of being discovered, he didn't dare to stay too long. He couldn't describe how big the ships were, but there were about forty to fifty of them. The cabins are all covered with canvas, so it looks gray. "
"Forty to fifty ships?" Lin Wanrong clapped his hands excitedly, turning to the boatman. "Uncle, what's the biggest ship you've seen on Lake Weishan?"
The old boatman said, "I've been fishing on Lake Weishan all my life, and the biggest ship I've seen was the navy sent by the imperial court to wipe out the White Lotus Sect last winter. Those big ironclad ships can carry hundreds of people, and they have cannons on board, which are very powerful. But these are all sea-going ships, and they can't sail in the shallow waters of Lake Weishan. Most of them are just decorations. "
Lin Wanrong nodded. When wiping out the White Lotus Sect, Xu Wei mobilized the navy's big ships to seal off Lake Weishan, just to prevent the White Lotus Sect from escaping on the water, and not to wipe out the enemy. So it didn't matter if they could go to the shallow waters or not.
Xu Zhiqing thought for a while, then said, "The thieves stole the silver, and were in a hurry to move, so they definitely wouldn't dare to use the navy's ships. First, the ironclad ships are too big of a target, and can easily be exposed. Once they run aground in shallow waters, they won't be able to do anything. Second, all the navy in China is under effective supervision. They won't be able to get their hands on such ironclad ships. "
Xu Zhiqing was Xu Wei's daughter, and could be considered Li Tai's daughter-in-law. She was also Li Tai's highly valued female military counselor, so it wasn't strange that she knew about China's navy. Lin Wanrong gave a thumbs up, and said with a smile, "You're insightful, and you hit the nail on the head. I'm impressed!"
Xu Zhiqing snorted lightly, and turned her head away, "Why would I need a shameless person like you to compliment me? Uncle, continue."
The boatman nodded, and said, "As for the other ships, they're more or less the same, with only minor differences. This old man knows very well how deep and shallow our Mount Weishan Lake is. An ordinary wooden boat can only hold about eight hundred catties, and that's already good enough. "
"That's right!" Lin Wanrong laughed out loud, and said, "350,000 taels of silver, if each ship weighs 800 catties, then we need more than 30 to 40 wooden ships. Isn't that the fleet that night? "
Based on this calculation, the fleet that appeared that night was definitely the one that smuggled the silver. Everyone became excited. However, even if they confirmed that it was the fleet that transported the silver, it only confirmed Lin Wanrong's guess. The silver was indeed in Lake Weishan. However, they still had no idea where it was hidden.
Luo Ning and her brother were happy for a while, but then they thought of the crux of the matter, and their excitement gradually faded. Ning 'er looked at Lin Wanrong, and said softly, "Even if that's the case, Lake Weishan is a few hundred miles wide, where are we going to find the silver?"
Lin Wanrong shook his head, and said, "Don't panic, big brother is here. Ning 'er, think carefully, when did father-in-law discover the silver was missing, and when did he seal off the lake? "
"Father discovered the silver was missing around the second watch period, and immediately gave the order to seal off the lake. When the horses reached the shore, it was around the third watch period. "Luo Ning thought about it, and nodded.
"That is to say, the silver definitely did not come ashore. Even if they transported the silver to the ship at dawn, it would only take six hours for it to arrive at the third watch. A wooden ship, with a weight of 800 catties, how far can it travel in six hours? " Lin Wanrong said proudly, and if he had a few strands of mustache on his face, he looked even more like an immortal. "Oh, there's another important question. Big brother Hu Bugui, did you ask around, on the night of the incident, what was the direction of the wind on Lake Weishan?"
"I was in a hurry to report, and forgot to ask around," Hu Bugui said embarrassedly. Ever since he received the order last night, he had traveled hundreds of miles to investigate, and had not even drunk a drop of water. This mistake was understandable.
"The night before, the wind was from the southeast," Xu Zhiqing said calmly, her tone was firm.
"How do you know?" Lord Lin looked at her in surprise.
"When we left the lake, I had already investigated." Xu Zhiqing did not even look at him, evidently hating him to the core. She snorted, "You clearly knew the silver was in the lake, but you did not even ask about the direction of the wind. I really don't know what kind of filthy things are in your head all day."
This little girl was pointing at the mulberry tree and scolding the locust tree. But she really was smart, and had considered everything thoroughly. For the sake of your mommy, I will not argue with you. Lord Lin reluctantly withdrew his gaze from her chest, comforting himself in his heart.
"This young miss is right. The night before, the wind was from the southeast," the old boatman said.
"Wow, Miss Xu has guessed correctly again." Lord Lin laughed, his face full of feigned admiration. "Hey, if it's like this, then those thieves were sailing against the wind? It seems like even the heavens are helping us. Uncle, in six hours, how far do you think these wooden boats can travel? "
"With a full load of eight hundred catties of silver, there isn't much space left on the wooden boats. At most, four people and four oars can row together. Also, they are sailing against the wind. Even if they don't change people, they won't be able to travel more than a few li in two hours. Not to mention, the fleet is moving in groups, so the speed is even slower. I estimate that sixteen or seventeen li in two hours should be about the same, "the old boatman said decisively.
Sixteen or seventeen li in two hours? Wouldn't that be fifty li in six hours? Lin Wanrong took out a pen and paper and gestured for a bit. He was about to give orders when Xu Zhiqing said, "Don't just think about calculating the distance the boats can travel. You also have to consider whether the silver will be pushed by the current when it is submerged in the water. Last night, the wind was from the northwest. "
"Miss Xu, you are really too knowledgeable. You even know fluid mechanics." Lin Wanrong sighed. Xu Zhiqing did not even look at him and directly ignored him.
"No matter if it is the wind from the southeast or the northwest, I will take into account the power of the current. Even if the lake water pushes my silver another ten li. Sixty li, within sixty li, this will be the direction of our search. " He drew an origin on the paper and radiated a few lines in all directions. The silver would be within this radius.
Seeing his proud look, Xu Zhiqing snorted in disdain. She pulled Luo Ning's small hand and said, "Ning Er, do me a favor."
Luo Ning nodded and heard Miss Xu continue, "Go and ask that shameless person. How did he know that the three hundred and fifty thousand taels of silver was not scattered by the thieves?"
Luo Ning looked at her brother in a difficult position. If she asked, it would be admitting that her brother was shameless. If she did not ask, it would be an important matter. Lin Wanrong laughed and said confidently, "The three hundred thousand taels of silver will definitely not be scattered. Even if it is divided into two piles, the possibility is not high. First, they don't have that much time. It is very troublesome to coordinate forty boats. Second, if the silver is scattered and sunk into the water, it is very likely that it will be scattered by the current. They are not stupid to that extent. Three hundred thousand taels of silver will be like a small mountain when it sinks into the water. It will not be that easy to move. They must have tied all the silver together before they dared to sink into the water. "
Miss Xu snorted and did not say anything else. It seemed that she had no objections.
Originally, there was no clue to the problem, but with just a few words, Official Lin and Young Miss Xu were able to solve it. Furthermore, according to the principles of algebra, they were able to calculate the circumference. Everyone was filled with admiration, especially when Young Miss Xu and Official Lin answered each other's questions. They complemented each other and cooperated well. Luoyuan shook his head and sighed, "This matter sounds very simple. I understood once big brother and big sister Xu told me, but why can't I think of it myself?"
"This is called knowing the difficult and doing the easy. If you had half the brains of big brother and big sister Xu, your father wouldn't have to worry about you. " Luo Ning smiled as she teased her little brother. She affectionately snuggled up to Lin Wanrong, her face full of happiness. She said gently, "Big brother, Ning 'er is proud of you."
"Don't say it like that. This is actually everyone's effort. I only did a small part," Official Lin said humbly.
Xu Zhiqing laughed coldly, "Don't brag so much. Right now, we have only calculated that the silver will be within this area. We still have no idea how to find it. "
These words were not false. Even if the search area was reduced from a few hundred miles to sixty miles, it was still not a small area. Searching for silver in sixty miles of water was not an easy task.
"Can we find some experts underwater to search the area one by one?" Luo Ning tried to come up with a plan.
"This method is not advisable." Seeing that Official Lin was thinking, she could only answer herself. Xu Zhiqing shook her head, "Sixty miles of water is not big, but it is not small either. Even if we send experts in the water, it would be difficult to search ten miles a day. The emperor only gave us seven days in total. Taking away yesterday, there are only six days left. We definitely won't make it in time. Also, there is a serious problem. These three hundred and fifty thousand taels of silver must have sunk to the bottom of the water. Lake Weishan is extremely deep. In the water, the deeper you go, the greater the pressure. People can't stand it at all. Even if you dive to the bottom, you won't be able to stay for long, so there is no way to talk about searching. "
Luo Ning nodded, not fully understanding. When it came to poetry, she might be able to compete, but when it came to the principles of all things, how could she compete with the knowledgeable big sister Xu?
Lin Wanrong nodded. Other than having big breasts, this young miss Xu was also quite capable. She even knew these principles. He pondered for a while, then asked the boatman, "Uncle, where we are at, how deep is the water?"
The old boatman slowly put down the bamboo pole in his hand. The long bamboo pole was completely submerged, but it had not reached the end. The old man pulled up the bamboo pole with a smile, "We have only traveled four or five miles. According to this old man's experience, this is still considered shallow water. It is only five or six bamboo poles deep."
Luoyuan sucked in a breath of cold air. This bamboo pole was as tall as three people, five or six bamboo poles deep, and this was called shallow water? There was no justice in this world!
"Why don't I go report to Great General Li Tai and have him transfer another fifty thousand brothers from the camp over. We will surround the lake and build an embankment sixty miles away. We will work day and night to level this lake! Don't worry general, I can guarantee that within five days, we will definitely complete it! "Hu Bugui confidently patted his chest. His suggestion gave the old boatman a fright.
Lin Wanrong smiled bitterly, "Brother Hu, don't scare me. Moving tens of thousands of soldiers, eating and drinking, filling up the lake to create farmland, these are not small projects. I'm afraid that three hundred and fifty thousand taels of silver is not enough for you to do this. Furthermore. This Weishan Lake is a famous land of fish and rice. If we really fill it up, how are we going to explain it to our descendants? We can do stupid things, but we must never do immoral things! "
Hu Bugui laughed awkwardly, "I was just saying, I was just saying. Sir, please don't take it to heart."
The old boatman sighed, "Sir, you can't say such things in the future. This old man's heart trembled when he heard it. People like us have lived on Weishan Lake for generations and rely on fishing for a living. We release fish in spring and catch fish in autumn. Weishan Lake is our lifeblood. If we fill up the lake, what will we eat? "
"Uncle, what did you just say?" A ray of light flashed in Lin Wanrong's mind. He hurriedly grabbed the old boatman's hand and asked.
"Sir, this old man said, 'Weishan Lake is our lifeblood. If we fill up the lake, what will we eat? '"The old boatman repeated.
"No, it's the sentence before that," Lord Lin said excitedly.
The old eunuch looked at the official in confusion. He had only said one sentence, was there a need to make him so excited? "This little old man said, 'Release the fish in spring, catch the fish in autumn'. Great official, is this the sentence?"
"That's it, that's it." Lin Wanrong's face was full of excitement. He muttered, "Release fish in spring and catch fish in autumn. Release fish, catch fish. Uncle, what kind of nets do you use to catch fish?"
"We use all kinds of nets to catch fish. There are nets that can be held by a person. When shaken out, it looks like a flower. These are used to catch small fish. There are also long nets that are hundreds of feet long. When they are cast in the water at night, there will be many big fish stuck in the holes of the nets the next day. There are even longer nets called fishing nets. Every autumn, after fishing, the fishermen along the shore will gather and discuss how to catch the remaining fish in the lake. Pick an auspicious day and spread out the net. Divide it into different areas, and a few hundred people will pull it from both ends. We'll catch all the fish in the lake in one go. This is our last harvest every year, so it's also called a net. "
When it came to fishing, the old eunuchs immediately talked about it in an endless stream. Xu Zhiqing listened with great interest, not to mention Luo Ning and Luo Yuan. They were all born in rich families, so they naturally didn't know these things. Lin Wanrong, on the other hand, grew up on the shore of the Yangtze River. He couldn't be more familiar with these things. Listening to the old man's nagging, he felt an indescribable warmth in his heart.
"Great, great, fishing nets, fishing nets." Lin Wanrong rubbed his fists and excitedly called out, "Uncle, how big are the holes in this fishing net?"
"Holes, thick and thin. Fishermen don't have anything else, but this net is indispensable. You can have as small a hole as you want."
After listening for a while, Xu Zhiqing couldn't take it anymore. She snorted and said, "Could it be that you want to use this fishing net to fish for money?"
"Yi, you're willing to talk to shameless people this time?" Lin Wanrong didn't answer her question and said with a laugh.
Xu Zhiqing ignored him and said with a cold laugh, "If you want to use the fishing net to fish for money, then you're gravely mistaken. Even if you have a long fishing net, it won't be of any use. The bottom of the fishing net is made of tin. In shallow water, it can sink to the bottom. In deep water, it's already not bad if it can sink to thirty percent of the water. "
"Don't worry, my young miss Xu. Speaking of fishing, when I was soaking in the water, you still hadn't learned how to read." Lin Daren laughed and returned the words she had said on the road back to her.
"Then what do you want the fishing net for?" Xu Zhiqing didn't argue this time and curled her lips.
"Do you want to know? Then come here. "Lin Daren crooked his finger at young miss Xu. His face was filled with a profound smile.
"You, what do you want to do?" Once bitten, twice shy. Young miss Xu unconsciously reached into her bosom with vigilance.
Lin Daren casually shrugged his shoulders, "It doesn't matter. If you don't want to know, then I won't force you. Uncle, let's continue our previous topic."
Curiosity killed the cat. Young miss Xu clenched her teeth and suppressed the fear in her heart. She slowly walked to his side and carefully and vigilantly said, "You can speak, I'm listening."
"Be a bit more sincere. Get closer, get closer. That's right, this is how it should be." Seeing the beads of sweat on young miss Xu's nose, Lin Daren couldn't help feeling proud. His lethality towards little girls had reached this level, even he admired himself.
"Hurry up and speak!" Getting closer to him, thinking about his "lewd behavior" last night and feeling his fiery gaze on her body, Xu Zhiqing's heart beat wildly. Her face burned and she could only scold him in a tender voice to boost her courage.
"Do you want to know?" Lin Wanrong moved closer to her ear. Looking at her red and sparkling ears, he felt that it was quite interesting, "But I won't say it!"
"You — —" Xu Zhiqing was shocked and angry. Being teased by him again in front of Ning 'er and so many people, the anger in her heart could be imagined. Seeing his mischievous smile, Young miss Xu wanted to ruthlessly kick him to vent her anger.
"It seems like you don't have any other way, so you're deliberately mystifying things." Xu Zhiqing calmed down the anger in her heart and calmly said.
This little girl, she really knows how to provoke him. Lin Wanrong laughed, "Is that so? Am I really deliberately mystifying things? I don't think so! How about this, Young miss Xu, let's make a bet! "
"Big brother, what bet?" Luoyuan became interested as soon as he heard this. He was born to be a person who wished for the world to be in chaos. Seeing that the relationship between big brother and big sister Xu was showing signs of easing, Luo Ning also looked at her big brother with a smile.
Xu Zhiqing never thought that her provocation would cause trouble for herself. This shameless person actually turned the tables on her. If she retreated, wouldn't she be teased by him again?
"What bet?" Seeing the shameless person's bright eyes fall on her body, she was a little flustered. However, she had an unyielding spirit, so she gathered the courage to raise her head and arrogantly asked.
"If I find money with this fishing net, you have to agree to one of my conditions." Lin Daren's face had a lustful light as he grinned and sized up Young miss Xu. This girl, from head to toe, could only be described with one word, big, really fucking big!
"Shameless pervert!" Xu Zhiqing secretly cursed, but there was nothing she could do. Her eyes were on his body and he had already seen her thousands of times. Could it be that she still had to dig them out?
She clenched her teeth, "Then what if you can't find it?"
"If I can't find it, then I'll be Young Miss Xu's horse and let you ride me for the rest of your life." Lin Daren laughed as he spoke as if he didn't care.
Luoyuan sucked in a breath of cold air when he heard this. Let Young Miss Xu ride him for the rest of her life? How vicious was this oath? Only his big brother could think of it.
If you can't find the money, then I'll whip you and make you a colt for the rest of your life. Young miss Xu fiercely thought. She couldn't understand the deep meaning behind this person's words no matter what.
"Alright, then it's settled. A gentleman's word is as good as a whip! "Young miss Xu's teeth made a sizzling sound as she spoke, purposely emphasizing the word horse.
"Big sister Xu, big brother still hasn't said his conditions for you." Luo Ning kindly reminded Xu Zhiqing.
Young miss Xu froze for a moment. That's right, I'm so angry that I'm confused. She looked at Lin Daren, "Speak, what are your conditions?"
"Come closer." Lin Daren proudly beckoned with his finger.
Young miss Xu moved closer and felt the perverted person blowing a breath of air into her ear as he softly said, "My conditions are very simple, hei hei, it's to touch — —"
"Perverted thief, shameless — —" Young miss Xu felt as if her brain was about to explode. Her face turned red as all the experiences from last night came back to her mind. Her eyes were filled with tears as if they were about to fall.
"Hey, Young Miss Xu, you misunderstood — —" Lin Daren quickly explained, "I didn't mean it that way!"
Xu Zhiqing's eyes were red as tears rolled down her cheeks. She suddenly turned her head and her shoulders slightly trembled, "You don't need to say it, I know your conditions. Since I've already promised you, I'll accept my fate. I only hope that you can do your best to help Uncle Luo find the money. "
"No way, I haven't even said it and you already understand?" Lin Daren's mouth was wide open as his face was filled with disbelief.
"Even if you don't say it, I already know your dirty thoughts." Young miss Xu turned around, her eyes bright as she calmly said, "I promised you, this bet is still valid."
What a self-righteous girl, Lin Daren sighed and was too lazy to explain to her. Luo Ning saw that the two were acting strangely and hurriedly pulled Lin Wanrong to ask, "Big brother, what did you ask of sister Zhiqing?"
"I asked her to take advantage of me, do you believe it or not?" Lin Wanrong grinned.
Luo Ning firmly shook her head, "I don't believe it. Big brother only knows how to talk nonsense."
Lin Wanrong glanced at Xu Zhiqing and sighed, "That's right, not to mention you, even I don't believe it myself. Uncle, what were we talking about just now? "
"Talking about fishing nets!" The boatman smiled and said, "The official asked me about the size of the hole!"
"Oh, that's right, Uncle, what's the longest distance of your fishing nets?" Lin Wanrong thought for a moment and asked.
"This, the longest one is more than a mile long. Think about it, we need hundreds of people to pull the net, you can imagine how long it is. "The boatman chuckled.
"Then can you get a longer one? For example, a few miles long." Lin Wanrong patiently guided Xu Zhiqing. Xu Zhiqing frowned as she listened. Such a long fishing net, did this guy really want to fish for money? Stupid! Stupid!
"If a few nets are connected, one net can be three to four miles long. Any longer and it won't be easy to pull it! "
Lin Daren slapped his thigh and smiled, "Alright, three to four miles long. Uncle, is it difficult to connect these nets? Can you get me a few more of these long nets? I want thirty of them! "
The old boatman shook his head and smiled, "What's so difficult about that? We fishermen are boatmen, mending nets and connecting lines is the most basic skill. It's not a problem to have as many nets as you want. We rely on this to make a living, we can't do without these things. "
"That's great, that's great." Lin Wanrong excitedly pulled his hand, "Uncle, can I trouble you to get me some fishing nets as soon as possible? It would be best if they could be used tomorrow. I will send Big Brother Hu Bugui and his two thousand elite soldiers to help you, what do you think?"
Seeing the anxious look on this official's face, Eunuch Yu nodded and said, "This shouldn't be difficult. Ask this official Hu to contact the people in the three villages and nine miles away. Everyone will work hard tonight and tomorrow, I guarantee that I will get you a fishing net that is thirty units long and four miles long!"
Everyone listened to him for a long time, but they had no idea what he wanted to do with these things. Young Miss Xu was even more puzzled, but she was secretly happy in her heart. If he didn't succeed, she wouldn't have to fulfill the bet and be humiliated by him. But if he didn't succeed, Ning 'er's entire family would be beheaded. For a moment, he was in a dilemma. Whichever side he chose, it would be difficult for him.
"Uncle, I heard you say just now that you are preparing to release some fish fry into the lake, is that true?" After gathering the nets, Lin Wanrong changed the topic to fish again.
The old boatman nodded his head, "That is true. Every spring, when releasing fish, the fishermen will raise half of the money and the government will subsidize the other half. The fish fry are ready-made, as long as there is silver, we have already discussed it a while ago and have already started to raise funds. But unfortunately, Official Luo met with this incident, so it was delayed. "
"Don't, don't delay it!" Official Lin said anxiously, "Releasing fish in spring is related to the livelihood of our fishermen brothers on Lake Weishan. It is an important matter, how can it be delayed? Release, it must be released as soon as possible! "
"We are more anxious than Official!" The boatman said with a distressed expression, "But we don't have silver right now, we have no other choice."
"Uncle, how much silver do you lack?" Lin Wanrong asked.
The old man stretched out three fingers. When Official Lin saw this, he patted his chest, "Three hundred taels? Uncle, don't worry, I'll take care of it. "
The little old man bowed respectfully and said, "Sir, it is three thousand taels!"
"Three — — thousand — — taels — —" Official Lin grimaced, his eyes about to pop out, "Uncle, are you sure you aren't mistaken? Three thousand taels of silver, this is daylight robbery! "
"There is no other way, this is the way of the world. Three thousand taels of silver, three hundred thousand fish fry, this is the hope of all the fishermen of Lake Weishan. "The old man sighed, his face full of worry.
Three thousand taels of silver to buy three hundred thousand fish fry? Damn, the price of goods has risen so fiercely! Although I am a rich man, it is not easy for me to earn money. Qiaoqiao is busy taking care of the restaurant all day, the money she earns is hard-earned money. If I sell one bottle of perfume, I will only earn fifty or sixty taels of silver. Three thousand taels of silver is fifty bottles of perfume, do you think it is easy for me?
"Big Brother," Luo Ning gently pulled on his sleeve, tears in her eyes, "You really want to buy fish fry?"
I am not a fisherman, why would I buy fish fry? Isn't it all for your father! He bitterly smiled and nodded, "That's right, I want to buy fish fry and become a fisherman of Lake Weishan. Ning 'er, are you still willing to follow me?"
Luo Ning shyly smiled, "Big Brother is the most annoying. Ning 'er is your wife, whatever you want to do, Ning' er will support you. Big Brother, before grandmother left for the capital, she left behind some jewelry for me. She said it was for Ning 'er's dowry, it is worth at least a thousand taels of silver. Ning 'er will give it all to you, you can do whatever you want. "
This girl was really considerate. Official Lin patted her little face and laughed, "Good baby, big brother has spent a lot of money for you this time, you must make it up to me tonight."
"How?" A faint blush appeared on Luo Ning's face. She looked at him and gently bit her lips, her eyes seemed as if they were about to drip with tears.
Official Lin pinched her delicate little butt and said with a lewd smile, "Tonight we'll do a back door, I guarantee that my little Ning 'er will want to try again after trying it."
"Big Brother — —" Luo Ning softly called out, shyly lowering her head.
"Uncle, I'll fork out the three thousand taels of silver." Official Lin's face was completely red. He took out the silver notes from his chest and carefully counted them for a long time, his heart aching, "But I have a condition. Hurry back now and collect the fish fry and the fishing net tomorrow morning, then bring all the strong fishermen from the surrounding villages here. Tell them that this sir is using the three thousand taels of silver to feed the fish and that I'm using them for a few days. Will you do this business or not? "
"Of course, of course." The little old man excitedly knelt on the ground, "Sir is really a Bodhisattva from the heavens, this little old man and the surrounding villagers cannot thank you enough."
Lin Wanrong helped him up and sighed, "Uncle, I am not a Bodhisattva, I also have my own selfish motives. These three thousand taels of silver, if I can get back the three hundred and fifty thousand taels of silver, it will be a great profit for me. This business is worth it. If I can't get it back, then just consider it as me accumulating merit for my father-in-law and doing one last thing for the villagers! "
"Sir, don't worry, I'll go back and inform the villagers right now. Even if we have to risk our lives, we will prepare the fish fry and the fishing net in the time that you request. This little old man doesn't know many words and doesn't understand what selfishness is, but there is one thing that I do understand. As long as you can help the villagers, no matter what your motives are, it will all be called benevolence. "
The little old man handed over the boat to a waiter and jumped onto another boat. He respectfully kowtowed to Lin Wanrong. Official Lin wanted to help him up, but it was already too late, so he could only let him go.
Luoyuan gave him a thumbs up. Luo Ning's little face was completely red and she tightly nestled in his embrace. In a gentle voice, she said, "Husband, you are the best person in the world! Ning 'er will always be proud of you! "
Using three thousand taels of silver to buy back a pride, this father's business was worth it. Official Lin gave a gratified smile and buried his head in Ning 'er's shoulder, "Good Ning' er, your husband is injured and his heart is bleeding. Carry your husband back and let's do it in the day and comfort your husband!"
Luo Ning was so embarrassed that she covered her face. Her delicate little legs lightly touched her big brother's thighs, giving off an indescribable feeling of ecstasy.
"Shameless perverted thief." Xu Zhi Qing was standing beside the two of them. She heard every single word of the conversation in the boudoir. Last night's encounter came flooding back to her, and her heart was filled with anger and hatred. Thinking about how he wanted the net and the fish, he looked very confident. Although she didn't know how he was going to get the money, she had a faint premonition that she was going to lose this time. Could it be that she really had to let this perverted thief touch her again? She was afraid that this perverted thief would get used to touching her!
Her face burned and she secretly looked over. She saw that the perverted thief had his head buried in Ning 'er's shoulder and was smiling at her. That smile was sinister and strange, indescribably lewd …
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