As for Xu Ming Yang following them, many people in the group heading to the pier saw him, but they didn't do anything.
They did not say that Xu Mingyang was not allowed to go over, nor did they welcome him. They were all wondering if they could get close to the madam of the Zhang family and say a few words when they saw her.
There was still quite a distance between the state capital and the pier. It was not yet midnight, only a quarter to the afternoon. There were still forty minutes to go. Based on their current speed, they would reach the pier by the time it was morning, and they would need to walk for three hours.
It would be much faster if they took a carriage. However, there were also many people heading to the pier. People from various counties in the state were gathering at the pier. Even if they did not have to work tomorrow, they still wanted to welcome them.
Some old people who could not walk asked their children to push their carriages to the pier. They were a minority. Most of the old people were staying in the nursing home in the state capital. They were given special treatment and rode on carriages at the back of the group.
The more Xu Mingyang walked, the more jealous he became.
With the help of the torches by the side of the road, he could clearly see the heartfelt smiles on many people's faces. The children were also jumping forward. From time to time, a few children would play around with the adults. It was truly a festive atmosphere.
However, this atmosphere had nothing to do with Xu Mingyang. When other places celebrated the Hungry Ghost Festival, there would also be activities organized by various places. Some were organized by the people themselves, and some were organized by the government.
Regardless of which, when the local officials went out, they would definitely be supported by the local 'upper class'. Even the rich would have to greet the officials first if they wanted to bring their old and young to play.
Lu Zhou's Hungry Ghost Festival was lively, and it was even more lively than the one in the capital. However, it seemed to have nothing to do with him. He was a dignified official, and yet, he was deliberately forgotten.
The more lively the streets were, the more lonely he felt.
'I don't believe that you, Zhang Qiaoer, dare not admit that I'm Lu Zhou's Provincial Governor when I'm questioned. The people are ignoring me, and you, Zhang Qiaoer, are not sensible? I'd like to ask who's in charge of Lu Zhou. Unruly people, a bunch of unruly people, I'll make you admit my position in front of Zhang Qiaoer. '
Xu Mingyang secretly made a decision, intending to use the Zhang Wangshi to stabilize his position.
With all kinds of hatred in his heart, he seemed to have forgotten about his fatigue as he walked. Xu Mingyang, who usually did not train, actually followed Lu Zhou's group for three hours and arrived at Lu Zhou's pier. He looked at the brightly lit water surface as he waited for the arrival of the Jang Wong Clan.
At the port, all the large ships were gone. They were either arranged outside or hiding in the upper reaches of the river to make way for the fleet that was about to arrive.
The river was almost full of small boats, and each boat had a string of lanterns hanging on it. There were also all kinds of petals that Xu Ming Yang couldn't name floating on the water. There were pink, red, white, and even blue flowers. It made people feel that it was no longer the original dock, but a sea of flower boats.
As the sea breeze blew, there seemed to be a faint fragrance of flowers, accompanied by the shadows of the coconut forest and kapok trees.
The people who had rushed over had already gathered in groups of three to five, whispering to each other.
There were also people in charge of delivering all kinds of food to the people who were resting on the ground. There were local dried fruits, all kinds of dried fish, shrimps, kelp slices, and seaweed.
Every once in a while, there would be a place with fewer people around. There were people in charge of boiling water for the people who came over to drink.
There were also people who specialized in making rice noodles, fruit pancakes, and sugar blowers.
Xu Mingyang felt hungry when he smelled the fruit pancakes. He was too busy being angry earlier that he forgot to eat dinner. He was mainly waiting for others to celebrate the Hungry Ghost Festival with him before eating.
He felt around in his sleeve pocket. Fortunately, he brought some money. The fruit pancakes cost two copper coins each. There were eggs and fruits in them. Since it was by the sea, they even added sea hares and other things. It was very unique.
Xu Mingyang took out two copper coins and walked up to a cart selling fruit pancakes. He lowered his head and handed the pancakes over. He said, "Give me one. Put more chopped green onions, put more sweet sauce, and make it more salty."
The person guarding the stall swiftly gave one to Xu Mingyang. When he turned around and handed it over, he did not take the money and said, "I don't want money. I'm working for free today. Everyone else's food is free as well. How can I take money from you? It doesn't make much difference. Eat. You'll have the strength to wait for Madam Zhang when you're full."
Xu Mingyang was jealous again. 'F * ck! Madam Zhang isn't here yet, but someone is already working for free. What fruit pancakes? They don't taste good at all.'
After taking a bite, Xu Mingyang cursed resentfully in his heart.
He put the two coins away and saved money.
In truth, Xu Mingyang did not spend any money when he ate outside. He had set a rule that he was responsible for giving a sum of money to Provincial Governor Lu Zhou and his family members.
Whenever they came out, no matter what they bought or ate, they would not be charged. The seller would reimburse them when the time came.
He was afraid that they would recognize him so he took out the money. In the end, he still enjoyed the same treatment without revealing his identity.
However, this was not the treatment he wanted. Although there was a small bridge over a flowing stream, an artesian well, a pond, and birds chirping in the trees, and he did not have to worry about food and clothing, he always felt like someone was giving him alms.
The most infuriating thing was that when he lived in the mansion, he felt that there was something wrong with it. He wanted to change it, but no one was allowed to do so. He had to keep it the way it was.
It was indeed good. He did not know who designed it, but it was almost as if there was a scenery with every step. The problem was that the original scenery was built when Zhang Zhong lived in the mansion. If the local policy did not allow him to change it, could he not change his own house as well?
Last month, he secretly changed the aisle. He changed the original straight path into a curved path. The section that just entered the mansion was about 30 meters long. There was a back door.
In the end, it was seen by the people who came to deliver the daily necessities. When they returned, they told others. Then, on the afternoon of the second day, a group of people gathered outside the mansion with tools in their hands. They said that they were helping him fix the path. They said that the original path was good and that it was easy to step in the mud when walking.
There was mud in other parts of the path. That was because he had just finished fixing the path and did not have time to plant flowers or lay stones around it.
As a result, he watched helplessly as the path that his family had worked so hard to fix was changed back by the people.
Zhang Zhong had been gone for so many years. Why was the courtyard not allowed to be touched?
The more Xu Mingyang thought about it, the angrier he became. He bit down on the pancake as if he had bitten all the hateful people to death. When he finished eating, he felt that he had put too much sauce and was thirsty. He turned around and asked for water to drink. At the same time, he looked for the toilets at the dock, afraid that he would not be able to squeeze in.
Just like that, he waited for about half an hour. From afar, a small boat with a lantern was rowing like an arrow. The people on the boat shouted at the top of their lungs, "They're here. Madam Zhang and Madam Wang are here. They're in formation outside and will enter the harbor soon. Quick, those who are sitting, get up."
After the shout, Xu Mingyang found that the people sitting beside him had all stood up and stood in an orderly manner. No one squeezed forward like an army.
Others did not squeeze, but he squeezed. He wanted to wait for Jang Wong Clan to get off the boat and ask her properly.
Under the unhappy stares of others, Xu Mingyang squeezed to the front. To be precise, he was in the second row. He did not dare to squeeze in the first row as it was too obvious. This was because there was a group of children of about the same height standing in the first row. Each child was holding a bouquet of flowers in their hands. It looked like they were going to present flowers.
'They only know how to go through the motions. What is there to present? The flowers can't be eaten or drunk. Oh, are you setting up a formation? Are you tired? '
While Xu Mingyang was criticizing the arrangement of children presenting flowers, he saw the small boats rowing on the water surface. He also did the same.
He saw that the small boats on the water surface seemed to have been trained. They were rowing in a very orderly manner. As they rowed, the small boats that were originally floating on the water formed four large circles and moved to the side to make way for the main waterway.
As the waterway opened up, the silhouette of a large ship appeared in front of them. The large ship was also lit up by flames. It was brighter than the light from the lanterns. It was obvious that the ship was powered by electricity.
It was also colorless and reflected the fluttering flags.
Here it comes, here it comes. Xu Mingyang took a deep breath. He planned to wait for Jang Wong Clan to get off the boat and immediately rush forward with the children. He wanted to catch Jang Wong Clan and ask her about it.
He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. The crackling sound of firecrackers scared him. He cursed in his heart and endured it.
He waited and waited. Finally, the flagship approached. A wide gangplank was placed on top of it. A group of people slowly walked down from the ship. Some were dressed as maids, some were dressed as guards. In the middle of them were Jang Wong Clan and Madam Wang.
Xu Mingyang was ready to rush forward at any time.
At this moment, the leader of the children in the first row shouted, "Greetings to the Provincial Governor's wife. Greetings to the First-rank Honorary Lady."
Then the other children shouted in unison, "Greetings to the Provincial Governor's wife. Greetings to the First-rank Honorary Lady."
Then the people in the first few rows who heard the voices shouted, "Greetings to the Provincial Governor's wife. Greetings to the First-rank Honorary Lady."
After three shouts, with a crashing sound, everyone knelt down on the ground. The children ran forward with flowers in their arms.
Xu Mingyang was dumbfounded. Apart from the people who were coming down from the ship, his height made him stand out. He stood there like a stick.
It did not matter if he was tall or a stick. What made him uncomfortable was that if others only addressed him as the Provincial Governor's wife, he did not have to do anything. He was also a Provincial Governor. However, others addressed him as a First-rank Honorary Lady.
He was only a third-rank official. If it were not for Lu Zhou's growing importance and prosperity, he would only be a fourth-rank official.
Although Zhang Zhong was the Minister of Works and a third-rank official, he had a first-rank official title in name only. When he was rewarded, his wife would naturally be a first-rank Honorary Lady. The entire Zhang Zhong and Wang Family were officials, including the youngest children.
Should he greet a first-rank official or not?
If he went over to greet her, he did not have to kowtow. However, his status would be lowered. When he wanted to question her, he would not have the confidence to do so. He would have unknowingly raised Zhang Qiaoer's status.
If he did not greet her and it was another first-rank Honorary Lady, they would think that he was impolite. Even if the case was brought to Hanyuan Palace, he could just say that he was too happy and neglected it.
The problem was that she might not need to go to Hanyuan Palace. Her children were rushing over by land, and he did not know when they would arrive.
At that time, there would be no need for her eldest son, Zhang Xiaobao, to do anything. The nine little fellows together would be the Inspector of Great Tang. If he offended their mother, she would directly accuse him. If he was really convicted, it would not be as simple as being impolite. He would be added five ranks.
At that time, losing his official position would be considered a light punishment. At worst, he would be sent away, but he would definitely not be sent to Lu Zhou in Lingnan Circuit.
While Xu Mingyang was thinking about what to do, the children had already rushed over. They were divided into two groups. One group stood in front of the Jang Wong Clan while the other group stood in front of Madam Wang. They presented the flowers in their hands one after another. When they received the order from the adults, they gave their blessings to the adults and the children in their bellies.
Jang Wong Clan and Madam Wang replied with all kinds of blessings with smiles on their faces. Before they could say anything, they had already patted the children's heads.
When it was about time, he remembered that there was still a group of people kneeling. He quickly asked someone to bring a loudspeaker. When he saw the people standing there, he was puzzled. He said, "Everyone, please rise. There's no need to be so polite. Lu Zhou is my home. Little Bei and the others were born in Lu Zhou, and they have never forgotten about it. I'm still giving birth to the new children in Lu Zhou. When they are born, when will I leave? There's still a long way to go, so please rise."
Whoosh, there was a burst of happy noise. No one had arranged for the training in advance, so it was very chaotic. During this period, there were also the happy shouts of children.
When the sound stopped, everyone stood up one after another. In fact, the people at the back did not hear what Jang Wong Clan said at all. They were too far away and the loudspeaker was not very effective. However, they could feel the happiness of the people in front of them. When they saw the people in front of them stand up, they also stood up.
When they all stood up, the area within ten meters of Xu Mingyang was empty. The people who had been around him just now hid far away and looked at him with vigilance.
That meant, what's wrong with you? Others are kneeling, but you're the only one standing there? Are you more capable than others?
Someone recognized her and said to the person next to him, "Hey, isn't that the one with the surname Xu? He's here too? Are you looking for trouble? "
When Xu Mingyang heard this, he was furious. He walked up to the people from the Jang Wong Clan, cupped his fists, and bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Lu Zhou's Provincial Governor Xu Mingyang."
"Rise. You've worked hard, Provincial Governor Lu." Jang Wong Clan said to Xu Mingyang on behalf of the two people. She thought Xu Mingyang had also participated in the welcoming ceremony. Although it was a waste of money and manpower, since he was here, she could not reprimand him. Besides, it did not matter if he was delayed for a day.
After Xu Mingyang bowed, he regretted it. This was because he realized the two people were not wearing the clothes of a titled lady. Instead, they were wearing loose maternity clothes. Why did he have to bow formally when they were not wearing formal clothes? It was a loss.
However, since he had already bowed, he could not expect the other party to spit it back to him. It was impossible. He paused for a moment and said, "Madam Zhang, there's something I don't understand. Please enlighten me."
"What's the matter? I usually don't care about other things. I'm just idling at home. I can't do anything if it's too difficult. When Xiao Bao comes, he might be able to answer it. "
Jang Wong Clan said politely. She thought Xu Mingyang was asking about the construction of Lu Zhou.
"There's no need for your young master to answer this. Madam Zhang, you can answer it yourself. I'd like to ask if I'm the Provincial Governor of Lu Zhou. Can I exercise the authority of the Provincial Governor? Please enlighten me. "
Xu Mingyang asked loudly. He seemed confident. He deliberately said it for the people who were closer to him to hear.
When Zhang Wangshi heard this, she immediately understood that the other party felt that it was very leisurely to stay in Lu Zhou. She could not stand it anymore and came to question her. She wanted to use her mouth to get the right to speak. She was also not convinced by her family.
The little bit of goodwill she had toward Xu Mingyang disappeared immediately. Lu Zhou was an important place to Xiao Bao and Cuckoo. How important could he be to an official for a year?
She said calmly, "Lord Xu, don't you know if you're the Provincial Governor of Lu Zhou? Are you here for a vacation? His Majesty will be here soon. I'll tell His Majesty what you said. His Majesty will tell you what your position is and whether you can exercise the authority. Men, send Lord Xu out. "
After she finished speaking, Jang Wong Clan ignored Xu Mingyang and walked down the pier.
Naturally, someone came over to 'ask' Xu Mingyang to stay away from her. He did not want to do anything that might endanger Madam Zhang.
Xu Mingyang was stunned again. He did not expect the Jang Wong Clan to be so difficult to deal with. Moreover, her counterattack was so sharp. It was over. If she really told His Majesty, his position as Provincial Governor would be gone. There was an example of the Provincial Governor of Lu Zhou being dealt with in the past.
What should he do?
With anxiety in his heart, Xu Mingyang suddenly thought of an idea. He didn't care how effective it would be. He shouted, "Madam Zhang, this official was drunk. Just now, I may have spoken nonsense. Please forgive me."
This time, he did not dare to call himself 'this official'. He changed it to 'this official', which meant that he was apologizing and looking for an excuse.
The Jang Wong Clan did not bother to respond to him. She knew that it was useless to say anything. What Xu Mingyang said earlier had been heard by the people of Lu Zhou. It would not take long for the news to spread.
When her children arrived, the Emperor would definitely come out to visit them incognito. If he asked any of the people, how could the people not complain?
It's too late. He spoke so loudly just now. What was he thinking? It's useless to say that he was drunk now. Sigh, why bother?
With that thought in mind, the Jang Wong Clan looked around. She was looking for a carriage. Her belly was big. It was impossible for her to walk to her own restaurant. The restaurant here was the signature restaurant of Sea Cloud Inn. She and Madam Wang needed a stable carriage. The kind with shock absorbers under the carriage.
After looking around, she did not see any carriage. She was puzzled. Could it be that the local family members were less capable because they were far away from the main family?
While she was thinking, the crowd in front of her suddenly moved aside. Sixteen people stood out from the crowd. There were wooden rafts under their feet.
An old man stepped forward and said respectfully to the Jang Wong Clan, "Madams, are you tired from the journey? Do you need to rest? We've prepared transportation. This way, please. "
As he spoke, the sixteen people divided into four directions and lifted the wooden rafts. There were sixteen people on the wooden rafts to carry. Another person laid a thick cotton mattress on top of the wooden rafts.
When she looked at the sixteen people again, she noticed that they had a common feature. Their legs were almost the same length, and their shoulders were almost the same height.
"Are you … asking us to go up?" The Jang Wong Clan asked.
The old man nodded and replied respectfully, "Yes, madams. Back then, when Lu Zhou was flooded, it was your family who arranged for the wooden rafts to be connected together to resist the tide. Now that the embankment is secure and the tide is no longer coming, we will send you off with the tide. We won't forget your kindness."
"There's no need for that. A carriage is enough." The Jang Wong Clan knew that it was not her family who did not arrange it. It was the people who did not allow it. They wanted people to carry them.
"Madams, please." The old man repeated stubbornly.
"Thank you." The Jang Wong Clan did not stand on ceremony. She followed Madam Wang to the wooden rafts that were lowered. Someone else brought them a cushion. The cushion was cushioned with thick fish skin. It was comfortable and elastic when one leaned on it.
"Rise. One, two, one, two, let's go." The old man shouted. The sixteen people walked towards the Ocean Cloud Inn at the same pace.
The people in front made way for them. The people on both sides of the road lit up big red lanterns at the same time. Some people in front of the wooden rafts began to move forward with the rafts. They swept the soil and sprinkled water. Then, some people laid out the same big red carpet that extended into the distance.
Countless people also moved in that direction. However, no one spoke. The sound of their footsteps was very soft. It was like the tide of the sea. There was a hidden turbulence, and it made one's heart beat faster.
The only person who was lonely was Provincial Governor Xu Mingyang. He watched the crowd quietly escorting the Jang Wong Clan away. Then, he looked at the red carpet behind the crowd. He could not even feel jealous.
'Should I be an official in another place? It's better to be in a place that is about to suffer a disaster. I can learn from the Zhang Clan and Wang Clan and live with the local people during that period of time. I can think of a way to make them rich. When I go there again in the future, there will be people who can carry me like they did today.'
Xu Mingyang thought about it and came up with this idea. He felt that he could no longer manage the affairs in Lu Zhou. In the past, he had no power. Today, he had offended people. Even if the Emperor did not pursue the matter, and the Zhang Clan and Wang Clan did not pursue the matter, the people of Lu Zhou would not treat him the same as before.
Even if the Emperor came, he would not be able to enjoy such treatment. 'Huh? He wondered if he could tell His Majesty about what had happened tonight when he met His Majesty. If His Majesty got angry, perhaps His Majesty would give him more power in Lu Zhou.
With this thought in mind, Xu Mingyang's mood improved again. He was not afraid that the Jang Wong Clan would badmouth the Emperor and put him in a sad position. The more the Jang Wong Clan badmouthed him, the more the Emperor would think.
Xu Mingyang, who was happy, planned to go back to the mansion first and think about what to say. However, after taking two steps, he suddenly found that it would take at least three hours to go back. It was so far away, and he was exhausted.
*****
The procession moved forward. No one noticed that there were a few people who were not from Lu Zhou. There were adults and children in the procession.
After the two madams were sent to their destination, the crowd dispersed. When they were ready to go back to their own homes to celebrate, a few extra people appeared in the crowd and looked at each other. For a moment, they did not know what to do.
"Logically speaking, we should also enter Ocean Cloud Restaurant and rest in the courtyard behind it, right, Your Majesty?" Zhang Xiaobao asked Li Longji, who had insisted on stopping the group so that he could personally conduct a private investigation in disguise.
They were not too late. When they arrived, the Jang Wong Clan had not arrived yet. When the others were kneeling, Li Longji and the other adults sat down. Zhang Xiaobao, Wang Juan, Xiao Bei, and the other nine children were kneeling. As for Pan 'er and Pan' er, they were with their mother and did not come. They were too young and could not afford to go through so much trouble.
Now that the Jang Wong Clan duo had gone to rest, Li Longji and the others were homeless.
Li Longji could not go in quietly to rest. He had to be welcomed by the people as well. It was not that he wanted to go through so much trouble, but this was a matter of etiquette. If he did not let the people welcome him, it would affect the Jang Wong Clan duo. The two madams were welcomed by the people, but the Emperor was left alone. How could he let the two of them stay?
"Xiao Bao, it's all your fault. Why did you have to come at this time? Look, you can't find a place to sleep tonight, right?" Li Longji pushed the blame to Zhang Xiaobao.
Xiao Bei could not accept it and said, "Uncle Emperor, you have to be reasonable. You told us to come here because my mother comes at night. That's why we came here at night."
"Why didn't your brother let your mother come during the day?" Li Longji found another reason.
"What's the difference between day and night? There are many people here, and there are lanterns to watch at night. It's more fun than during the day, "Xiao Bei said as she pointed at the lanterns around them.
"We have a place to stay during the day. Where are we going to find a place at night? An inn? Apart from your Sea Cloud Room, I reckon the other places have been booked by people who are tired of walking. That's the difference, "Li Longji argued with Xiao Bei.
Xiao Bei considered it for a moment before she nodded. Then, she shook her head and said, "We'll be exposed during the day. The people who came with my mother will recognize us. Eh? Uncle Emperor, look, some of them aren't going back. They're planning to hold a bonfire party there. Unfortunately, they only set off firecrackers for a while. If they keep playing, it'll be like the new year. "
"If they keep playing, they'll scare our mother. Stupid," Little Yuan chimed in.
"You're the stupid one. Can't they play further away? Let's join in the fun. We'll meet back tomorrow morning. It's too late. I'm tired from walking. I can't go back now. "
Xiao Bei was eager to join in the fun as well.
Li Longji turned to look at Zhang Xiaobao and said, "Xiao Bao, Lu Zhou, don't tell me you only care about your family's well-being and didn't prepare an estate for me? Do you really think Lu Zhou belongs to your family and want to be independent?
Back then, you promised me that you'd build an estate for me in various places in Great Tang. I'll use it when I'm traveling and when I'm not traveling.
I'm sure you've already built an estate in other places. If Lu Zhou doesn't have one, doesn't that mean Lu Zhou isn't under Great Tang's jurisdiction? Is that why it doesn't conflict with your promise to me? "
"Don't accuse me. How can there not be an estate when there's one? One is 25 miles away from here, and the other is in the Hundred Thousand Mountains. Which one do you think is more suitable now? "
Zhang Xiaobao asked Li Longji.
Li Longji was puzzled. "Why is it so far away? This is the center of Lu Zhou, so it should be here. Oh, I get it. The land at the docks is expensive. Can you find a cheaper place to answer me? "
"When did the docks become the center? Your estate isn't too far away from the provincial capital. The provincial capital is the center, alright? "
Zhang Xiaobao gestured a few times to prove that he was not wrong.
Realization dawned on Li Longji. "That's right. The provincial capital is the center. In that case, I'll just wait by the bonfire for a night."
Li Longji did not want to leave anymore. Even if he had the money, he could not afford a ride. At this moment, those who stayed behind to wait by the bonfire had long disappeared.
The group of 14 people walked over to a bonfire that looked relatively large.
The 14 people were Little Bei, Little Bei, Zhang Xiaobao, Wang Juan, Gao Lishi, Wang Ju, and Li Longji. They did not bring any other bodyguards.
Initially, Gao Lishi planned to bring a group of bodyguards, but Li Longji disagreed. If they brought too many people, they would easily be exposed. Moreover, this was Zhang Xiaobao's turf. There was no need for them to worry.
If this were any other place, they might be worried that the locals would be bribed. However, this was impossible in Lu Zhou, especially since they were mountain tribesmen.
For the other officials, mountain tribesmen were the most difficult to deal with. However, for the Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Family, the mountain tribesmen were loyal supporters of Lu Zhou. Mountain tribesmen were not like ordinary people.
When the 14 of them arrived at the bonfire, there were already more than 20 people around it. Most of them did not plan to return at night. Some of them were probably here because their homes were far away, and some were here to join in the fun.
Apart from the adults, there were three children as well.
Perhaps, they had already prepared food when they arrived. There were fish and prawns from the sea and animals from the mountains. Everyone gathered around the bonfire. They chatted and laughed as they roasted the food.
When they saw other people coming, they did not stand up. Instead, a few of them smiled and gestured for the newcomers to join them.
"The madams of the two families are here. Before long, Xiao Bao and Cuckoo will be here as well. Little Bei and the others will be here as well. Lu Zhou is even livelier now." A person turned the food he was roasting and said to the others. His face was red from the light of the fire, and he looked very excited.
Another person added, "The Emperor is here as well. That's the Emperor we're talking about. Ordinary people can't see him. Only those who went to Ji Li Province last time had a chance to see him. Unfortunately, when they came back, they only said that they saw the Emperor and asked him to describe the Emperor's appearance. However, he said that he was nervous and forgot.
What's there to be nervous about? It's just meeting the Emperor. If it were me, I would remember the Emperor's appearance and tell others when I come back. "
"You said that you're not nervous, but when the time comes and you really see the Emperor, I don't think you can stand still. I heard that many people are coming. There are 100,000 soldiers guarding the Emperor. How majestic!" Another person chimed in.
"It's 200,000 soldiers. How can 100,000 soldiers be enough when the Emperor is traveling?" The person who spoke first corrected him.
When Little Bei heard that, he giggled.
"Kid, what are you laughing at? Do you think it's only 200,000 soldiers? If it's not enough, I think it's possible for them to send another 200,000 soldiers. "Another person explained his judgment when he saw Little Bei laughing.
Little Bei asked, "How are we going to feed 200,000 soldiers? It's not like we're traveling by water. We're traveling by land. How many people are going to deliver food for 200,000 soldiers? If we only eat the game in the forest, it won't be enough for 200,000 people. How are we going to feed the villages along the way? Even if we eat all the people in the villages, many of the guards will starve to death.
In my opinion, apart from the guards and the other people, thirty thousand is more than enough. Who would dare to play tricks and intercept us midway? How many people can they send? If they want to beat 30,000 armed soldiers, even 100,000 soldiers won't be enough. "
"Kid, don't talk nonsense if you don't know anything. 30,000 soldiers aren't impressive enough. Here, eat something to shut your mouth." One person gave Little Bei and the others a deer to fill their stomachs.
When Little Bei saw that others were treating her like a child, she pouted unhappily. When she saw that the other party also had three children, she ignored the adults. She touched her backpack and went to talk to the three children. She brought candies and other things.
Li Longji ate while smiling and listening to others talk.
Some people brought wine as well. They gave two leather pouches to the people who came later to liven things up.
Li Longji took a sip. To his surprise, it was strong wine. He swallowed a mouthful of meat and exhaled deeply. He said to the person who spoke first, "His Majesty must be bored out of his mind. Xiao Bao and Cuckoo are here to visit their relatives. Why is he here as well? Everyone knows that Lu Zhou belongs to the Zhang Family and the Wang Family, not His Majesty. His Majesty can't control Lu Zhou, right? "
When Xiaobao heard this, he immediately knew what Li Longji was planning to do. He actually dared to test Li Longji in front of him. What a petty person. Even if he got a positive answer, what could he do?
In the past, the people of Lu Zhou were always causing trouble. Could he do anything about it? As expected, he had nothing better to do.
In truth, Li Longji did not plan to do anything. He only wanted to see if the answer was the same as what he expected. He had a feeling that wherever the Zhang Family and the Wang Family went, the people only knew about the Zhang Family and the Wang Family. They did not care about him, the Emperor.
However, as soon as he finished speaking, the twenty or so people who were eating glared at him.
One of them glared at him and said, "What do you want? Let me tell you, Lu Zhou belongs to Great Tang. Are you a troublemaker from elsewhere? Are you trying to get us to help Xiao Bao and Cuckoo rebel? Tell me, where did you come from? That's right. Why haven't I seen you before?
Although Lu Zhou isn't young, there's a group of children and a few adults here. I should know one or two of them, right? I often drive my sports car around Lu Zhou. If you don't tell me, don't think you can leave in peace today. "
As the person spoke, he was about to make a move.
Zhang Xiaobao hastily said, "We live nearby. We've been here for more than ten days. We should've returned to the inn, but we followed you here because we were happy. We don't have any other intentions. We just feel that the Emperor is far from being praised by others just by moving his mouth. Compared to the Zhang Family and the Wang Family, we're indebted to, we have to prioritize first.
If we're talking about who's better, the Zhang Family and the Wang Family should be at the front while the Emperor should be at the back, right? "
"What's right? You're wrong. The Emperor is a good Emperor. He should be at the front. Back then, if the Emperor didn't ask Lord Zhang and the others to come here, Lu Zhou would've been finished. I don't think it would've been able to recover until now. How many people would've died? Although there weren't many of them back then, that's all. "
The person who spoke earlier retorted Zhang Xiaobao.
"What if it's a bad Emperor? Who's at the front? "Zhang Xiaobao asked.
"A bad Emperor?" The person lowered his head and thought about it. Then, he shook his head and said, "It can't be a bad Emperor. How can he suddenly be bad? It's impossible."
"I said, what if?" Zhang Xiaobao continued to ask.
"What if I beat you to death if you try to sow discord again? You're clearly a good Emperor. The Emperor and his subjects are of one mind, and we're trying to make Tang better. Why do you have to think of the worst? D * mn it, your mind is impure. Don't talk about it anymore.
It makes me angry. "The person pressed his fists together, making a crackling sound like the sound of a bonfire. It seemed like he was about to hit someone.
Zhang Xiaobao waved his hand and admitted his mistake. "Yes, it's my fault. I'm too evil. All I think about are wretched things. I'm filthy and too dark. I won't think about it anymore. However, if I don't think about it anymore, what do you think the Emperor will do? If he really trusts the Zhang Family and the Wang Family, why did he come to Lu Zhou personally?
It's quite a distance to Lu Zhou from the capital. How many national affairs would he have delayed? My guess is that the Emperor doesn't trust the Zhang Family and the Wang Family, especially Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan. They're too powerful. "
"You're speaking nonsense again. The Emperor is here for a vacation, alright? Oh, no, he's here to see the construction of the railway. If he's really worried, he wouldn't be here with Xiao Bao and Cuckoo. I say, what's wrong with you? Didn't you say you wouldn't talk about it? I even said I'll teach you a lesson. "
The person seemed to have regained his senses after a few words. He glared at Zhang Xiaobao as though this was his final warning.
Zhang Xiaobao hastily waved his hand again. "I apologize. I shouldn't have said that. It was a slip of the tongue. Is it true that those who say such things are bad people? Do they deserve a beating? He was the one who said it first. He said that the Emperor can't control Lu Zhou and that his intentions are impure. "
As Zhang Xiaobao spoke, he pointed at Li Longji.
As expected, the person who had spoken earlier shifted his gaze to Li Longji again.
Li Longji glared at Zhang Xiaobao. He thought to himself, 'As expected, you're full of evil tricks.' However, he quickly explained himself, "I was just joking. If you're talking about Zhang Xiaobao and Wang …"
"You're talking about Xiao Bao and Cuckoo, not Zhang and Wang? Are you trying to stir up trouble? The way they address each other is sometimes right and sometimes wrong, yet they still want to sow discord. Do you want Xiaobao and Juanjuan to fight with the Emperor? Are you happy that you've messed up Tang? Tell me, where are you from before you came here?
I'm telling you, I can tell at a glance whether you're telling the truth or not. The consequences of lying to me are severe. I'll give you a good beating first. Then, I'll hand you over to the Zhang Family and Wang Family's branches here. "
The person who had spoken earlier clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles cracked. It was clear that he was prepared to draw his sword at any moment.
"To tell you the truth, we're from the capital. We're here to buy some things and sell them when we get back. We'll make more money by selling them. Tell me, what benefits do you think the Emperor can bring to Lu Zhou?"
Li Longji tried his best to sound like he was from the capital to prove his identity.
"Benefits? Why are you always thinking about such nonsense? What benefits does Lu Zhou need? Since the Emperor is here, we should be the ones giving him benefits. Only people from places with no abilities would expect benefits from others.
If the Emperor is here, it'll be a great benefit for me if he can ride in my carriage. In the future, when I meet other people, I can tell them that the Emperor has ridden in my carriage. Even if it's someone from the Zhang Family and Wang Family, it'll be fine.
If we're talking about benefits, the Emperor might be able to give us benefits. In the past, when the Emperor went to other places, he would usually reduce the rent. I just hope the Emperor can come and write a few words. There's no need to reduce or exempt the rent.
We, the people of Lu Zhou, have hands and feet, and we've earned a lot of money. We can pay more taxes to the court. Only when the court has money can they build guns and cannons to fight the bad guys. "
The person said with yearning. When he was happy, he would even chuckle twice.
Li Longji was happy as well. He did not expect the people of Lu Zhou to be so supportive of him. At the same time, they were prideful and did not need help from others.
If there was a similar place to compare, it could only be Sanshui County. The people of Sanshui County were the same. They did not need any help from the court. Moreover, they tried their best to pay more rent.
When they arrived at the capital, they were unlike the people from other places who were shocked and amazed by everything. The people of Sanshui County acted as though they owned the capital.
The people who lived in the capital did not dare to look down on the people of Sanshui County. After all, the people of Sanshui County were too famous.
"Let's drink." Li Longji raised the leather pouch in his hand and gestured to the person. They drank a mouthful of wine at the same time. Then, he wiped his mouth with his hand and said, "Guns and cannons to fight the bad guys? Does our Lu Zhou need to fight the bad guys as well? Lu Zhou shouldn't be a bad guy. I'm not a bad guy as well. I was just testing you earlier. "
"You're testing us? We don't need to be tested by others. We'll test ourselves with our own conscience. We know who's good and who's bad.
If you're talking about bad guys, there are. Last month, the gunships were deployed to fight them. First, the gunships stationed at the lighthouse opened fire. In the end, there were too many of them. They surrounded the lighthouse and didn't dare to get close. Later on, the gunships were deployed and sunk all of them. "
The person waved his fist as though he was the one who sunk the ships and not the gunships.
"Is that so? Why didn't I know about it? "When Li Longji heard this, he turned to look at Zhang Xiaobao who was munching on a deer leg.
Zhang Xiaobao nodded vigorously. After swallowing the meat in his mouth, he drank another mouthful of wine to smooth out his thoughts. Then, he said, "Yes, it's a group of tribes and small countries in the southwest. To be honest, we can't blame them. Our ships are good. They're specially built to work together to fish.
Since the lighthouse was built, our ships had to go there as well. There's no rule about who's in charge of who's in charge of the sea. Most of the time, it's fine as long as we don't get too close to the shore.
Moreover, our fishing tools are slightly more advanced. For example, we use Ganzi lanterns to light up the night. They can only use oil lamps. The difference between the two of us is huge.
Most importantly, we don't allow them to go up to the lighthouse. It's not easy for them to go out to the sea. When they reach the lighthouse, they'll have to go back when they're almost done with their food.
Our people pack up their things when they go and put them in the nearest lighthouse. When they run out of food on the ships, they go to the lighthouse to ask for food, including fresh water.
After comparing with each other, they feel that our things are better and wanted to buy them. They even discussed with the lighthouse, saying that they'll also store their things, especially fresh water. However, that's obviously impossible. If they really get used to it, we won't even know when they'll take over the lighthouse.
So, they banded together to bully our fishing ships. When the fishing ships saw that they had a lot of people, they went to the lighthouse. The lighthouse sent people with guns to protect the fishing ships. There was often bloodshed. Later on, they were forced into a corner, so they sent a larger group to the lighthouse to cause trouble.
The gunships were dispatched and fired. They didn't remember how many times they did it. In any case, there was constant friction, and they kept getting the short end of the stick. Otherwise, why would they go and cause trouble for us? There's no reason to talk about a weak country. "
After Zhang Xiaobao finished speaking, he looked like he couldn't care less. He lowered his head and continued to eat the deer leg.
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