In early summer, two heavy rains fell in quick succession, and the drought in the north was completely alleviated. For more than a month, the imperial court has issued new policies one after another, allowing local governments to contract barren mountains and wilderness to resettle displaced people, relaxing import restrictions on coastal cities, importing large quantities of grain, and gradually falling domestic grain prices, and basically alleviating the disaster situation in the north. The imperial court also ordered local governments to distribute grain to the peasants, and lowered the taxes in the northern provinces, and the hungry people who fled the famine returned to their homes one after another, taking advantage of the time to start farming, and the domestic situation gradually stabilized.

On this day, the sky has just dawned, on the official road of Shuntianfu east of the capital, there is a team of nearly 100 people, in front of the team is three horses in parallel, one of them is the emperor's special minister Wang Qiang, on his left is the long five short figure of the household hall official Tian Ming, on the right is the tall and burly Shang Dayong. They were followed by personnel selected from various ministries to serve as assistants in the Special Administrative Region.

After Wang Qiang was appointed to prepare for the establishment of the Special Economic Zone, after more than a month of preparation, he rushed to Tongzhou with his subordinates today, and the construction of the Special Economic Zone will also be officially launched.

Wang Qiang and his entourage traveled all the way, and at the end of the day, the team arrived at the Tongzhou Canal Wharf. Due to the drought for many years, the canal is impassable without water, and this wharf has been abandoned for many years, dilapidated, and the coast stretches for dozens of miles of sandy land, deserted. About five miles north of the canal is the Brick River, which is connected to the water system of the capital, and the narrow 40 square kilometers of wasteland between the Brick River and the canal is the land allocated by the imperial court to the Special Administrative Region.

Wang Qiang and his entourage dismounted, some of them set up tents and camped, and some of them began to drive piles and demarcate the border. Busy until noon, Tongzhou County ordered Zhang Benqiang to rush to the dock with a group of officials to visit Wang Qiang, and brought a lunch prepared for everyone and a table of filial piety to Lord Qincha. Because Wang Qiang had seen Zhang Benqiang at the scene several times before, he had no good impression, so he sent him away after saying a few polite words to each other.

Wang Qiang saw a few wild peach trees growing not far away, and his heart moved, and ordered the banquet to be placed in the middle of the peach forest, and then called Shang Dayong and Tian Jingming to have lunch together. The banquet is placed in the open space between several peach trees, and it is not interesting to drink and chat among the peach blossoms.

The three of them sat down, Shang Dayong stretched out his hand to copy the wine jar, patted off the mud seal, came to the mouth of the altar and took a deep breath, and said happily: "Hey, authentic Northeast sorghum burning!" As he spoke, he poured a bowl each for Wang Qiang and Tian Jingming.

The three of them mingled all day long, and they didn't have so many politeness, so they picked up the bowl and touched each other. Wang Qiang put down the bowl, wiped the wine from his lips, and said: "Lao Tian, Lao Shang, the three of us can be regarded as a friendship in adversity, and this first bowl can be regarded as a celebration of the opening of our Special Economic Zone." ”

Shang Dayong poured the three of them full of wine, and was about to drink it, Wang Qiang stretched out his hand and pressed it weakly and said, "Before drinking the second bowl of wine, my brother has a few words to say here." ”

Tian Shang and the two looked at Wang Qiang together, and Wang Qiang said solemnly: "Lao Tian, Lao Shang, brother, I am young, I am far worse than you in terms of knowledge, ability, and knowledge, and the emperor chose me to be the head of this just by chance, and I know this." Since the three of us are in a team, there are some rules that need to be finalized. ”

Tian and Shang nodded.

"This first one, don't be greedy!" Wang Qiang got up and said: "Don't hide it from the two of you, I was not a clean official before, and I received a bribe of more than 100,000 taels of silver when I went to Suzhou." But now it's different, it's our own business to do the special zone, and we can't say anything about it anymore, not only are we not greedy, but the people below must also be restrained. ”

Shang Dayong took the lead and said: "I didn't say it, we knew this truth when we led the troops, we drank the blood of the soldiers on weekdays, and no one would give you your life on the battlefield." ”

"Yes, that's it. But don't worry, don't look at us now that we are poor and have nothing, I Wang Qiang promises that it won't be long before our SAR will be able to fatten, and when the time comes, take out some of the regular expenses, keep it and let everyone live a good life. ”

"Okay! My Lao Tian is not a greedy master, I agree with this. Tian said shrewdly.

"The second one, repay the country with gratitude!" Wang Qiang stared at the two of them with his eyes, and then said: "From the emperor's side, my Wang Qiang's resistance to the decree is a capital crime, the emperor not only pardoned me, but also entrusted me with a heavy responsibility. From the people's side, I have seen what the suffering of the people has become on the way to Jiangnan, and since we are officials, we should benefit the people. Running markets, dredging rivers, and promoting north-south trade are good things that benefit the country and the people, and only when we do a good job in running the SEZs well and benefiting all the people can we be worthy of our official posts. Wang Qiang came out this time because he was full of ambition and made up his mind to do something in the Special Economic Zone, serve the emperor, and be a famous minister, so these words came from the bottom of his heart, and they were by no means empty words in response to the situation.

Tian Jingming and Shang Dayong have both experienced in officialdom for many years, and they naturally don't look at things as simple as Wang Qiang, but seeing that Wang Qiang is young and ambitious, it is not easy to pour cold water. Tian Jingming blinked his small eyes and said with a smile: "Lord Wang is young and talented, and it is rare to have this ambition, he will become a famous minister in the future, and Lingxiao Pavilion is on the list." I am not talented, I am willing to help you, and I will never hesitate. ”

Shang Dayong said more directly: "I don't care about the great principle of loyalty to the monarch and serving the country, anyway, Lao Shang's life was saved by your king's strong intercession, and I will do what you say." ”

"Okay, I'm relieved to have your words, as the saying goes, brothers work together, and their profits are gold, the three of us are drinking in Taoyuan today, which is in response to the allusion of Taoyuan's three knots, I Wang Qiang wants to be brothers with the two of you, I don't know what you think?"

"Good! You Wang Qiang is a righteous and responsible man, I have long wanted to give you this brother! Shang Dayong stood up excitedly and said.

Tian Jingming also got up and said with a solemn expression: "I said when you and I were separated from Yanzhou that day, as long as you get out of this difficulty, you Wang Qiang will be my brother in life and death!" ”

"Good!" Wang Qiang picked up the wine bowl, and together with Shang Dayong, Chaotian shrewdly shouted: "Big brother! ”

Tian Jingming was also very excited, and shouted: "Second brother, third brother!" ”

"!" The three of them raised a bowl at the same time and drank it all!

The three of them became brothers, and they had no problems with each other, drank happily, recalled the adventures they had together, and added a brotherly warmth to their hearts.