On the night of settling in Mianshui County, Zhao Xingjie, the county commander, did his best to be a landlord, whether it was the people of the "Zhu Chamber of Commerce" or Zhao Maozi's subordinates, who had just been promoted to the rank of Wupin Zhonglang General, they were all treated to varying degrees. And Zhuge Shiwei is the identity of Mr. Zhu, the shopkeeper of the Zhu Chamber of Commerce in Hanzhong Mansion who is about to open a branch in Mianshui County, and became the first guest of honor at the banquet that night, Chen Wansan is the housekeeper of the entire team, Yuan Biao appears as the chief dart master, Zhao Chenyi and Lu Shaode are Yuan Biao's deputies, and everyone naturally regards the three of them as the generals of the Zhu Chamber of Commerce.

Of course, Zhao Maozi, the general of Wupin Zhonglang, was also a guest of honor that night, although everyone was suspicious of this Wupin Zhonglang general who suddenly appeared, but the identity of the captain of the other party with more than 1,000 soldiers and horses was well known, and it was difficult to ensure that in order to win people's hearts, Luzhou Thorn Shi would apply for a position for him as a Wupin Zhonglang general.

In addition, the important thing is the officials of Luzhou County, the county order, the county officer, the lord Bo and the county lieutenant, as for the six Cao officials, because their positions were too low, they did not attend the banquet that night. In addition to officials, there are also the treasurers of two chambers of commerce, as well as several more famous gentry in Mianshui County.

Zhao Xingjie has been the county magistrate in Mianshui County for six or seven years, and he can really be called the parent official of the people, so he has a high prestige in the entire county. According to legend, it is mainly because almost two years ago, a local bandit leader named Qi Sans took advantage of the emptiness of Mianshui County to enter the city and plunder. But Zhao Xingjie did not back down, while sending people for help, he personally raised his sword and went into battle to fight side by side with his subordinates, and finally led the heroic county commander to kill him in three seconds. Since then, Zhao Xingjie's reputation in the local area has been unshakable, no matter what happens, as long as he speaks, there will always be a large number of people to support him.

Of course, the protagonists of the night were not the county magistrate Zhao Xingjie, but Mr. Zhu and Steward Chen from the Zhu Chamber of Commerce. As soon as the banquet began, everyone first toasted to each other and greeted each other for a while, and after all the compliments and kind words were finished, it was a song and dance performance arranged in advance. In front of the Miaoman posture, everyone present ate and drank more happily, you must know that tonight's performance of singing and dancing is the most famous woman from a green building in the city, usually just watching such a performance, it will take ten days of the officials present, and now not only can you watch it up close for free, but also free good wine and good food, one by one naturally refuses to let go of such a good opportunity.

As soon as everyone was happy, they naturally toasted and laughed with each other, and gradually, the banquet was pushed to a **. However, the happy time is always fast, and before everyone is happy, a few songs and dances have already been performed, and under Zhao Xingjie's smile and wave, all the women have also retreated.

Although everyone was a little unhappy in their hearts, they also knew that tonight's main topic was about to begin.

As the saying goes, eating people with short mouths and short hands makes people short, although tonight is eating from the county order Zhao Xingjie, but before the banquet, everyone has already received a meeting gift from the Zhu Chamber of Commerce, and even the six Cao officials who were not present, the Zhu Chamber of Commerce is also ready to go down, just waiting for it to be handed over to them.

Therefore, after Zhao Xingjie, the Zhu Chamber of Commerce's shopkeeper Zhu and Steward Chen's various cooperation requirements, everyone patted their chests without hesitation and agreed on the spot, and they all said that as long as they could do it, they would definitely do their best.

However, when Chen Wansan finally asked Zhao Xingjie about the security of the city and the security of the army, everyone immediately closed their mouths, and they didn't even dare to come out. They all looked at Chen Wansan and Zhao Xingjie who spoke, and their hearts were full of endless doubts, what kind of business does this Zhu Chamber of Commerce do? How big is this business? There are even requirements for the defense of troops in the city?

"Huh..." Zhao Xingjie slowly put the wine glass in his hand on the table in front of him, smiled slightly, and responded with a hint of pride: "Although the defense in this city is a confidential matter, but the people present tonight are all their own people, and with the strength of the Zhu Chamber of Commerce, Zhao should naturally tell the truth!" ”

"Lord Zhao forgive me! Chen drank some wine and asked a little abruptly! Chen Wansan bowed his hand slightly, pretending to be sorry and smiled and answered.

"It's okay!" Zhao Xingjie went against the cautious norm on weekdays, and under the stunned eyes of everyone, he actually told the truth about the situation in the city: "Now Mianshui County under the rule of Zhao has more than 460 people in the standing army, and more than 800 reserve militiamen who are farming and defending their homes in their spare time. However, in the standing army, there are only more than 300 people equipped with war horses! I also hope that Shopkeeper Zhu and Steward Chen will understand, this small Mianshui County is not rich in financial resources, so there is no surplus food and money to feed the army. ”

"Understand, understand!" Chen Wansan hurriedly smiled and nodded, then looked at Yuan Biao on the side, and handed over the right to speak.

"Lord Zhao, all the adults present! Forgive Yuan for being blunt! After Yuan Biao got the hint, he immediately bowed his hand to everyone and gestured, took over the topic and said: "Today's territory in Luzhou, and even the entire territory of Jiannan Province is not very peaceful, and although our Zhu Chamber of Commerce wants to open a branch in Guixian, it is indeed a little stretched in terms of manpower!" ”

"Oh? The Zhu Chamber of Commerce has a lot of money, and it will even encounter problems? Zhao Xingjie's eyes rolled, and after a little understanding of the other party's words, he smiled and asked tentatively.

"Huh. . . Lord Zhao has won the prize! Yuan Biao smiled modestly, and then explained to everyone again: "To put it mildly, if it is in terms of financial resources, our Zhu Chamber of Commerce naturally does not have to worry!" However, the road from Hanzhong Mansion to Mianshui County is far away, and the road is not very smooth now, so it is not very rich in terms of manpower. ”

After saying that, Yuan Biao stopped, smiled at everyone, and sat in place waiting for everyone's reaction.

"What does Master Yuan mean?" Zhao Xingjie's right-hand man Liu Neng, the county lieutenant, cautiously asked after receiving the hint: "Forgive Liu for being stupid, and I didn't understand the meaning of Yuan Dart's words too much. Can it be explicit? ”

"Of course! County Lieutenant Liu is polite! It was Yuan's negligence, and he didn't make it clear! Yuan Biao was polite, sorted out his thoughts a little, and then opened his mouth to tell the plan of the Zhu Chamber of Commerce: "Our Zhu Chamber of Commerce has always had a plan of its own, that is, to open a branch in a certain place, and then recruit some people in the local area, of course, the militia with simple training is the best!" We will train them personally and serve as escorts in the local area, that is, dart masters! Of course, we will definitely pay the full amount of the remuneration used. In this regard, our Zhu Chamber of Commerce has a detailed plan, which includes a series of corresponding measures for each person's monthly salary, injury allowance, weekday benefits, including accidental death, etc.! ”

As he spoke, Yuan Biao glanced at Zhao Chenyi on the side, Zhao Chenyi suddenly understood, and took out a small stack of "contracts" that had been printed and stamped with the seal of the Zhu Chamber of Commerce from the small wooden box that he had prepared next to him, and with Zhao Xingjie's unintentional cooperation, let the subordinates serving on the side distribute it to the hands of everyone present.