I haven't seen him for more than half a month, and Zhang Jincheng's complexion looks much better than Cheng Mingzhen's memory. There is a little less violence on his face, and between a pair of knife-like eyebrows, a bit of heroism is also added. It's just that the official robe that was just copied from Lin Xianling's house doesn't fit well on him, his shoulders are slightly wider, and the hem is too short. Although he sat high behind the table, he still looked like a broken sack hanging from a dead tree, and it was very soft and cold.

He himself was very pleased with the dress, and he was careful not to hang it off the corner of the table. Seeing Cheng Mingzhen and Wang Ermao bowing to him, he flicked the sleeves of his robe, coughed lightly, and said in a low voice: "Excuse me, excuse me." They are all old acquaintances, what a courtesy. , the position of the county lord is so high, you have to keep your head down to see everything......"

"The grass people have seen Master Zhang!" Wang Ermao took a few steps forward to the kneeling stone and made a posture of bowing down on both knees. Zhang Jin said that he couldn't hold it back, and immediately burst out laughing, "You stinky boy, you know how to bury me." Hurry up and find a place to sit, everyone has been waiting for the two of you for more than a while! (Note 1)

"Thank you, Lord Zhang, for your seat!" Cheng Mingzhen was also amused by the funny appearance of everyone present, and dragged a long speech to greet Zhang Jincheng. Then he quickly swept around, followed Wang Ermao, and found the outermost chair in the county hall and sat down.

"Seat, seat, you are the master of Jiuzhai, don't grab the position of the hall master!" Zhang Jincheng was in a very happy mood and reminded Cheng Mingzhen with a smile. The surprise on the latter's face was so satisfying that his eyes narrowed into a line, and the corners of his mouth curved into a figure-eight shape.

"The big boss saved my life, and I haven't had time to thank him. I haven't made an inch, how can I have my place in front of several village owners?" Cheng Mingzhen arched his hand upwards with a smiling face, half of what he said to Zhang Jincheng, and the other half of what he said to a few instantly shrunken glances at the door.

The effect of modesty was almost immediate, and the hostility in the eyes of the hall masters weakened instantly, and several old village masters sitting next to Zhang Jincheng stroked their beards, and their faces faintly showed a little appreciation.

Although the stools and beds under the buttocks are all moved from all sides, the height, width, and narrowness are not uniform. But the leaders secretly maintained the established order of dignity and inferiority. Zhang Jin, who sat in the position of the county order, was called the highest, and the second leader Xue Song, the third leader Du Scar, and the fourth leader Wang Mazi were the lowest. The pen, ink, paper, and inkstone in front of Xue Song originally belonged to Master Dong's book, but after changing the owner, they were still very neatly packed. The expressions on the faces of the third master Du Scar and the fourth master Wang Mazi were as unruly as Guo and Jia's two head catchers, and the winter sun came in through the window, clearly shining on the old mud around their necks. The stools next to the two of them were empty, and Cheng Mingzhen guessed that one of them belonged to the fifth master Hao Laodao, and the other two belonged to the new sixth master Sun Huozi and the seventh master Du Juan respectively. Further down, the seat that should have been the seat of the Eight Masters is now sitting a middle-aged man about forty years old, who has always had a straight face and rarely smiled. Opposite the man, there was a bed covered with sheepskin cushions, which looked very soft, but I don't know if there was a blade buried under the leather cushion.

Seeing that Cheng Mingzhen's gaze had been erratic, the third master, Du Scar, took the lead in getting up and saying, "You can sit wherever the big boss asks you to sit." If you hadn't cleaned up Liu Zhaoan that day, I'm afraid that half of the people here wouldn't be able to sit still! ”

"I'm sorry for you old scar, and my son-in-law started to protect your son before he passed the door!" The fourth master, Wang Mazi, was "angry" and counted down with a smile.

Du Scar immediately turned his head and rolled his eyes at him, "If he hadn't dealt with it decisively that day, Lao Mazi, you would definitely have been planted with lotus flowers, how could you have a good life today?" If you have the ability, you can protest with the cuckoo and see if she can whip you old pimple! ”

"Yes, yes, I don't have the ability. If you don't raise a good girl, can't you make it? Wang Mazi rolled his eyes and raised his hand in surrender. Brothers in the war, in the future, your son-in-law and husband will sit together, I can't afford to provoke you, so I'll hide! ”

was tossed by the two of them like this, and many hall masters and leaders who had sour water in their stomachs also laughed, and asked Cheng Mingzhen to take a seat. was persuaded by everyone's enthusiasm and couldn't shirk it, Cheng Mingzhen had no choice but to go around and thank him in a low voice: "Cheng Mou is a prisoner waiting for death, and I am grateful to all the heroes for saving him." In the future, everyone will have a place where Cheng Mou, no matter in the wind or fire, as long as Zhang Da puts a word, Cheng will never dare to refuse! ”

"Sit, sit. What you've read here is verbose. When the Ermao brothers entered the village, I asked him to sit in the position of the hall master, but he didn't even ask, he raised his feet and sat up! Zhang Jin said that he was so uncomfortable being slapped by Cheng Mingzhen's ass without a trace, nodded and ordered with a smile. Watching the other party sit firmly on the chair of the Nine Masters, he pointed to the opposite side again, and took the initiative to introduce: "The one opposite you is the new Eighth Master Lu Fangyuan." The master of the Gao League already knew about Liu Zhaoan's crime, and cut off the heads of the remnants who fled to him, and sent them over with the lord of Lu Zhai. Our Juluze is just short of people, so I said hello to the master of the Gao League, and left the master of Lu Zhai in Liu Zhaoan's position! ”

"I've seen Lord Lu Zhai!" Cheng Mingzhen guessed from his limited impression of the green forest that the owner of Lu Zhai in front of him was the hidden pile of Gao Shida, the chief scoop of Hebei Green Forest Road, and greeted the other party with a smile.

He refused to stand up when he gave a salute, and Lu Fangyuan naturally wouldn't give him a good face. He hugged his hands lightly on his chest, and responded coldly: "The nine masters are polite." Before I came to Juluze, I had heard that there was a young hero here. When I saw it today, I was really young! ”

"Eight masters compliment!" Cheng Mingzhen still had a smile on his face, not at all interested in the other party's ridicule. This calm demeanor won him a lot of good impressions, and the eyes of the hall masters swept towards Lu Fangyuan, and they actually carried a bit of schadenfreude.

Gao Shida sent a new hidden pile, but Zhang Jincheng quickly promoted Sun Huozi to fill the vacancy left by Han Laoliu, so that Lu Fangyuan could only take over the position of the eighth master. And the last eight masters died at the hands of Cheng Mingzhen, and this time Zhang Da invited Cheng Mingzhen to sit in the ninth position, and the hints are almost self-evident.

Seeing that as soon as the two met, there were sparks as he had expected in advance, Zhang Jin said that he felt more and more comfortable. He cleared his throat and continued: "The other village masters, hall masters, you have seen most of them, and I will not waste any effort to introduce them to you. Later, I will ask my soldiers to give you the list of your brothers, and tomorrow you will be able to count it yourself. Right now, I have something important to discuss with you, and I hope you can do your best to help me come up with an idea! ”

"Although the big boss says, his subordinates should know everything!" Cheng Mingzhen gave up his hand to take the order. If it comes, it can only be left to peace. In terms of adaptability, he worked hard to learn from his good friend Wang Ermao. Although the other party's martial arts are not as high as him, and he doesn't know a few words, his life is not like he was some time ago, there are always ups and downs.

"This idea can only be up to you, we don't have the ability to do it!" Zhang Jin said that his smile looked treacherous, but his words were extremely frank, "In this attack on Guantao, I have tried my best to restrain the brothers, and no one who lives in a thatched house will be robbed!" Judging from last night's harvest, it is actually better than collecting the baggage from door to door, and there is not much loss! ”

"The poor in this hellish place are really poor, but the rich are so fat!" Du Scar glanced at Cheng Mingzhen and added with a smile. "The big boss told me about you last night, and I think you think you think things are very thoughtful. Do what you say, not only let the brothers solve the winter supplies, but also leave a way for Guantao County to live! ”

"No wonder I saw a lot fewer corpses along the way than I expected!" Cheng Mingzhen said secretly in his heart. His face was immediately filled with gratitude, "The big boss can eradicate corrupt officials and bullies for the people, which is the blessing of the people." For the sake of the surviving people, Cheng Mou is here to thank the big boss! ”

This time, the sycophants didn't get much effect. Zhang Jincheng shook his head with a smile, his face full of helplessness, "What kind of virtues are our brothers, Brother Cheng, you also know." At most, my words will reach the ears of the masters. If the hall master goes down, it is estimated that he will be on the sidelines. Anyway, I did everything I could for the advice you gave me earlier. How to deal with the aftermath next will fall on your head. You're right, let's rob a city like this, and destroying a city is not a long-term solution. I need you to come up with an idea now, so that the people who are not dead in Guantao County will not only be afraid of me, but also have a harvest next year, and they will willingly send a copy to me! ”

"This ......" Cheng Mingzhen almost didn't bite his tongue. Zhang Jiajun's behavior has indeed been restrained compared to the locust-like team in the legend. However, after this catastrophe, Guantao County almost lost more than 20% of its population. Those who survived were either poor and poor, or their family property was looted by the rogues, how could they be like what they once said, in the coming year, while offering a tax to the court, they would also give Juluze a share?

"This ability to turn stones into gold is only nine years old?" Looking at Cheng Mingzhen's jokes, Lu Fangyuan, the eighth master, said before he excused himself.

"As long as you come up with your idea, my Lao Zhang will definitely do it!" Zhang Jin said that he pushed up the official hat that had slipped down with his fingers, and promised very seriously.

The official hat is sewn with fine soft satin, and although the size is not quite suitable, the feeling of wearing it is very nostalgic.

Note 1: Kneeling stone. In ancient times, there was a special place for the people in the yamen. The color of the stone is noticeably different from the ground. When they see the ruler, the people will kneel on it. That's why it's called a "kneeling stone".

Note 2: Plant lotus flowers. Throw people headfirst into a pond to drown, leaving their feet exposed. This activity.