Seeing that he didn't speak for a long time, Liu Ming said again:

"That'...... What about you, big brother? Can the eldest brother do not hesitate to help the tens of thousands of people and officers and soldiers in Luzhou? ”

"Help?" Repeating these four words, Liu Jin raised his eyebrows and looked at him, "How do you want me to help you?" ”

"In the early years, it was rumored that you found a treasure ship of the previous dynasty under the South Sea Sea, and you have investment ...... in other industries."

"At that time, when I advocated the construction of coastal defense, almost all the generals did not agree, and my father told me at that time, I want to form a fleet, but I don't want to expect the treasury to draw more money to support it. For so many years, I have not asked the treasury for a tael of silver, ships and artillery, military port maintenance, recruitment of soldiers, and even the salaries and food of my brothers. Do you think that after so many years, even if I really have a golden treasure ship, how much can I have left? Liu Jin paused, and then said, "I do have some spare money to operate in Canghan, but the operation of the entire Admiralty depends on the turnover of the fruits generated by this money, Shaoxun, you think clearly, I can't risk the rupture of the Admiralty's capital chain to fill the bottomless pit of the treasury." ”

"But the Luzhou fleet is your ...... after all."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Who doesn't know, the Luzhou fleet is only handsome and the horse is the first to look forward, and the Luzhou Navy is simply the family soldier of Yukuntai!"

"Yes, even if it's a soldier of the Imperial Kuntai? What if you only obey me? Aren't the officers and men of our navy rushing to the front line, not fighting for Luzhou, and following one after another?! ”

Seeing that Liu Jin was really annoyed, Liu Ming couldn't help but regret that he had just said something inappropriate, and hurriedly explained:

"Big brother, you misunderstood, I didn't mean that. The contribution of the eldest brother to Luzhou is obvious to all, I just ......"

But he didn't know how to express the words in his heart clearly, he was speechless for a while, and he was at a loss, but when he raised his eyes, he saw Lin Wanjing coming down the stairs, her watery eyes met his gaze, and he shook his head silently, so he was silent, Liu Jin saw the change in his expression, turned around, and saw Lin Wanjing coming to him.

"What's going on?" He asked, stepping forward and taking her to his side.

"When the guests came to the house, I said that if I hadn't woken up, it would have been rude."

said that Lin Wanjing woke up from a nap and suddenly found that she was the only one left in the study, opened the door and was about to go to the bedroom, passing by the corridor, and overheard the conversation between the brothers downstairs. She didn't plan to go downstairs, but Shaoxun didn't please Liu Jin in every word, and when she heard Liu Jin's anger, she couldn't help but worry that Liu Jin would hurt the harmony by doing something, so she came down to mediate.

"Now that Shaoxun is in a handsome position, I think he is really anxious, so he came to discuss with you, he trusts you like this, not only do you not solve it for him, how can you be angry with him......"

Liu Jin just listened to her count, and didn't answer, took her over and sat down, and handed her a cup of tea to her hand, the doting in her eyes was even Liu Ming who felt envious when she looked at it. In a trance, he suddenly remembered that year, Lin Wanjing was close to him, looking at him with a smile in her eyes, waiting for him to ask:

"Miss Wanjing, can I invite you to dance?"

After all, someone else said it for him.

And that time, it seemed that there was only the only focus between them, so close, if they missed it, they only drifted away.

"I think, Shaoxun, you don't have to be too nervous, just like you said, there is still a surplus in the treasury, I just hope that God will have mercy, and get through this year without difficulties and disasters, and when the new wheat is harvested in the next year, it will naturally turn around."

Lin Wanjing's words woke Liu Ming up from his old memories. But I saw him smile sadly:

"I'm afraid that this time, the heavens won't bless Luzhou."

"Why?"

"The court that set fire in Funan Port was about to reconvene in a few days, and I received a tip-off that the Japanese side had waived the terms of the warship's entry into the port, but demanded a huge amount of compensation, and after paying the compensation, the treasury was empty."

"Is the news credible?"

For Liu Jin, compensation is the easiest way to solve it, but he has to mind the word "huge" specifically mentioned by Liu Ming.

Liu Ming said seriously: "It was Luo Luo who inquired from her friends in the Japanese consulate, there should be nothing to doubt, the amount can only be more, not less." ”

Ye Qiuluo had a very close relationship with the Japanese, and if it was the information she stove, then this information was absolutely credible. It's just that Liu Jin is well versed in Ye Qiuluo's personality, if she specially reveals any information to someone, then her original intention will not be to help others, but to test the truth.

"And what about the exact amount? Did she say that? ”

Lin Wanjing asked the question that Liu Jin wanted to ask, but saw that Liu Ming's expression darkened, and after his eyes swept over the faces of the two, he finally fell on Lin Wanjing's eyes - he should not dare to look at Liu Jin directly.

"Nine million." Liu Ming said, "It is said that the compensation for the damage to the cargo, the compensation for the families of the deceased workers, and the losses caused by the suspension of the port since the closure of the port are a total of 9 million." ”

"Nine million?" Liu Jin repeated this number and sneered: "Foolish people talk about dreams!" ”

"Most of the compensation is included in compensation for cargo damage and port maintenance failures, so I think it's understandable......"

"Fart!" Liu Jin was annoyed and didn't care about etiquette, and took the case, "What kind of garbage is put in the port, don't they know it?!" What's there there! It's all empty boxes and straw, and it's just a pile of rotten wood! Besides, when they leased the port at that time, the contract stated that our port department was not responsible for maintaining stability in the leased area, and they themselves asked for the removal of the inspection point, which was written in black and white, and now they want me to clean up this mess! ”

"But big brother, after all, the port was leased out by us, and now it's our people who have poked the basket, so it's reasonable, let's change our ......"

"I think you're stupid to read, aren't you?! I haven't held them accountable for their bad security and affecting the daily operation of my port, but they have come to settle accounts with me first! ”

Lin Wanjing saw that Liu Jin was indeed angry, for fear that he would say something radical on impulse, and fall into Ye Qiuluo's trap, so she quickly got up and grabbed him:

"Shaoxun, although it is true that it is our compatriots who provoked the incident, there are still many doubts to be clarified. On the port lease contract signed at the beginning, the responsibilities and obligations of both parties are clearly written in black and white, shouldn't these be taken out and re-weighed? Lin Wanjing paused, and said, "Besides, this amount is really too much, do you know that in the early years of the "Guangzhou Contract", it was only 6 million to ask the British to redeem the city, and now they dare to shout 9 million in a port, which is obviously a blackmail to take advantage of the danger of people!" ”

"I understand what my sister-in-law said, but they let out the words, if they can't pay the compensation, they will have to come to the city in a few days, so I thought about it, with the current situation, if I can get this money together, let's not fight first......"

"Don't let the peace you buy like this! They dare to ask for 9 million today, and they will dare to ask for 12 million in the future, what do you use to feed this group of wild wolves?! Liu Jin was furious and asked loudly.

Facing Liu Jin's questioning, Liu Ming didn't know how to answer, lowered his eyes, muttered for a long time, and said in a low voice:

"Now that this wild wolf has arrived at the door, when this turmoil passes, let's make plans for the future."

Seeing his younger brother so stubborn, Liu Jin's fist clenched and creaked, if he could, he couldn't wait to give the battle order at this moment, God knows how long his fleet had been dormant, like a group of bloodthirsty beasts, suppressing their nature, guarding this crumbling peace.

But he is still sensible, he knows that in the current situation, any arbitrary decision will become a pretext, let him be caught in injustice, and even lose the opportunity to lose a surprise victory.

Seeing that Liu Jin didn't speak for a long time, Lin Wanjing knew that he hadn't lost his mind, but at the moment, he would never say anything to ease, so he poured a cup of tea and brought it to him, looked at Liu Ming and said:

"It's not a small amount of money, and we can't afford it at the moment. If you want me to say, it's not too early tonight, Shaoxun, you go back first, and let me and your brother discuss this matter in the long run. ”

Liu Ming could hear that Lin Wanjing was giving him the stairs, and he said so much, he really regretted that his visit tonight was too reckless: this matter was not decided by him and Liu Jin and the brothers, whether it was war or peace, whether to pay or not, and how much to pay, had to be decided in the collegial court.

So he stopped insisting, stood up, and said goodbye to Liu Jin.

Although he was red-faced because of the compensation, there should still be etiquette.

The couple sent Liu Ming to the corridor, and watched his car disappear into the night, Lin Wanjing turned around and raised her head to look at Liu Jin, the moonlight was falling on him, outlining his Lang Yi's facial features more and more angular. The heroic eyebrows frowned slightly, and the deep eyes staring at the moonlight were faintly melancholy, she rarely saw him show such a look, it seemed that since he met him, he was always so confident, as if the world was in his chest, strategizing, and winning thousands of miles.

He was thinking about it here, but he suddenly lowered his head to look at her, and looked at each other, he read the uneasiness in her eyes, so he pretended to smile lightly and asked her:

"What's the matter, looking at me like that?"

Lin Wanjing realized that all the worries in her heart should be written on her face, and he should have felt them, so she didn't avoid it, and asked:

"Is there going to be a war?"

When he heard this, his expression froze, and his throat trembled slightly, but the word "no" couldn't be said anyway.

He hugged her into his arms, stroked her long hair, let out a long sigh of relief, and said softly:

"Don't be afraid, Wanjing, I'm here, I will definitely protect you......"

There had never been a time when he hated his personality so much as he did at this moment, and he couldn't say a promise that would comfort her, even if it was just a white lie.

She leaned into his arms, bit her lip and did not say a word, for a long time, and whispered:

"You'll be back, right?"

He didn't know how to deal with her, he was the commander of coastal defense, and if he wanted to go to war, he would take the lead and live and die with the fleet.

"Wanjing, I ......" Before the words came out, he only felt that the placket was clenched, but what she was holding was more than his thin shirt, and every beat of her heart hurt so much, preventing him from saying those cruel words.

"You must come back." She said, "I don't have so many ambitions for the country and the world, and I don't want any fine clothes and food, royal power and wealth." I just want you to come back, you must come back. ”

The front of the placket was slightly cold, and he didn't dare to look down at her, so he had to raise his face and look at the vast sky.

There were stars falling in the night sky, and for a moment of extreme brightness, it should have disappeared like this, but suddenly burst into orange-red brilliance.

The flames of war, which have burned half of China's rivers and mountains, are finally about to come across the ocean, and it is difficult to escape.