Chen Gong asked people to invite all the scholars and merchants in Pengcheng except Zhang Shiping to the official mansion, and he and Sun Ce walked into the front hall to talk.

Not long after the people chatted, scholars and merchants came.

Although it is the front hall of the government, the scholars and merchants of the entire Pengcheng have come here, and it is still crowded.

The front hall was already full of people, and there was still a steady stream of people coming.

Chen Gong instructed the guards: "Set up tables and chairs in the front yard of the official mansion, and I will talk to everyone in the open air." ”

The guards received the order, and it didn't take long for the front yard of the government to be arranged.

Chen Gong said to the scholars and businessmen who were already in the front hall: "There are too many guests invited today, I'm afraid we can't sit here, so we might as well go to the front yard and sit." When I'm done with business, how about I invite everyone to the banquet? ”

As soon as Lü Bu occupied Pengcheng, the government rarely invited scholars and merchants to banquets.

Following Lu Bu for the longest time, Chen Gong's status in Pengcheng can be imagined.

He wanted to invite the people to the feast, and there was not half of them who did not agree.

Although they felt that the banquet was not a good feast, everyone still readily agreed.

Especially many businessmen, they go to a lot of places, and they also know that the government banquets them, most of them are for money.

As long as it can be solved with money, it can't be regarded as a business for a businessman.

In their opinion, the most important thing is to be able to get involved with the government.

Don't you see that Zhang Shiping, who was just a horse dealer at the beginning, although he did a lot of business, he never got to the top of the elegant hall.

Especially in the early years, Zhang Shiping lost a lot of money when he helped Liu Bei, and his family once faced a decline.

Now with Lu Bu, he not only turned over completely, but also became the richest man in Xuzhou and Yangzhou.

The businessmen don't expect to be like Zhang Shiping, they just look forward and have a relationship with the government, from now on, Zhang Shiping eats meat, and they can at least mix a few mouthfuls of soup to drink.

Chen Gong dropped a word to everyone, and accompanied by Sun Ce, he went to the front yard of the official mansion.

The guests he had invited followed him, and some whispered to each other about how they had suddenly been invited here.

They didn't know the inside story, how could they guess what Chen Gong invited them to do here, although they exchanged views with each other, they never got the point.

Coming to the front yard where the tables and chairs were placed, Chen Gong said to everyone: "Everyone, please take a seat, the guests have not yet arrived, let's talk about business first, and the banquet will be held later." ”

Chen Gong invited everyone to the banquet, which had already given a lot of face, how could anyone dislike the banquet too late.

Everyone thanked themselves and sat down at a round table in the courtyard.

There were quite a few round tables in the courtyard, and at each table, there were twelve people seated.

After everyone took their seats, more than ten tables were full.

The news was relatively late, and the late arrivals were also led by the guards to sit down in the vacant seats.

The round table is still the original Lu Bu taught the production process to the craftsman, since the prosperity of this kind of table, the low table used by people has been eliminated, except for a few people still left a few to highlight the mood, the average family has no such table.

When the guests were almost here, Chen Gong, Sun Ce, and the officials at the same table stood up.

He said in a loud voice to the crowd, "I think you all heard about the armor a few days ago. ”

There is no need for Chen Gong to point it out, and everyone knows that he is talking about inferior armor.

That incident once caused a lot of trouble in the city, and no one here had ever heard of it.

Chen Gong mentioned the matter of armor, and someone among the crowd immediately said: "Those profiteers should be killed, Chu Hou did this beautifully, it is really happy!" ”

"Although it is very happy, it has brought a lot of trouble to Chu Hou." Chen Gong said: "The armor is insufficient, so the officers and men in the army can only press the battle for the time being, waiting for the new armor to be sent to the army. Chu Hou built an arsenal, but because there were too few craftsmen, he was never able to catch up with the progress of manufacturing. ”

"General Chen, if there is anything useful to us, just ask." Immediately, someone patted his chest and said: "If you want money or people, as long as Chu Hou says it, we will all agree." ”

Someone expressed his position on the spot, and Chen Gong said with a smile: "If I can get this sentence, my banquet today will not be in vain." ”

He then instructed the guards beside him: "Let the room bring a banquet, and I will talk to you while drinking." ”

Chen Gong ordered a banquet, and after a while, a servant brought the wine and food.

When the wine and food were served, Chen Gong picked up the wine glass and said to everyone: "Chu Hou will be crusading against Cao Cao soon, the first glass of wine, I and everyone wish Chu Hou a victory, how about it?" ”

"Congratulations to Chuhou on a successful start!" Everyone raised their glasses and drank the wine with Chen Gong.

"I'm going to toast you for the second cup." The guard filled the cup with wine, and Chen Gong picked it up and said, "Recently, Chu Hou encountered some difficult things, if it weren't for your help, I am afraid that this level would be difficult to pass." Someone has already said just now, and when this glass of wine is over, I still have something to say to you. ”

Chen Gong picked up this glass of wine, and everyone was a little apprehensive in their hearts.

After all, I don't know what he wants to ask for, in case Chen Gong wants them to go bankrupt to fund Lu Bu, it will really make them not know what to do.

Many people were puzzled in their hearts, but Chen Gong had already put up the wine glass, and they didn't dare to disgrace.

His eyes swept around everyone's faces, and he saw that many people were worried, but Chen Gong didn't make it clear, and craned his neck to drink the wine.

He drank the wine, and the people followed suit.

"Chu Hou set up an arsenal, which requires a lot of labor." Chen Gong said to everyone: "Chu Hou also said that if you recruit strong laborers from the people, in the world where there are not many men now, I am afraid that it will be difficult to recruit all the men, so it is better to recruit some women." ”

When Chen Gong said this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

The recruitment of labor is only a matter of having a few servants in each of their homes.

Seeing that everyone was a lot more relaxed, Chen Gong said: "I also know that each of you has a lot of servants and servants at home, of course I want servants, and I also need a lot of servants." I am going to ask you to provide two servants and ten servants from each household, but I wonder what you think? ”

When Chen Gong proposed the dignitaries, most of the scholars and merchants present thought that they only needed to provide one or two servants or servants, but they did not expect that he would open his mouth and ask for two servants and ten servants from each household.

Many people looked at each other in astonishment, and one of them asked Chen Gong: "Dare to ask General Chen, does the arsenal need so many people?" We can understand it when we ask for servants, but let's provide for servants......"

"As I said earlier, after many years of turmoil, there are too few men now." Chen Gong said: "If you are willing to replace all twelve people with servants, of course I am willing. If there are not enough servants, provide me with healthy servants, and I can also give them. ”

Chen Gong asked for a lot, but fortunately, he didn't want these people to go bankrupt, and someone immediately expressed his willingness to send people later.

There were also many people who had embarrassed their faces when they mentioned that they had to send so many servants and servants over.

"The banquet has been set, and you have drunk with me." Seeing the embarrassment on those people's faces, Chen Gong asked, "Could it be that you want to let my face fall to the ground?" ”

Of course, none of the people present dared to offend Chen Gong, and those with embarrassment on their faces immediately expressed their willingness to send people over.

"Chu Hou is in a hurry to employ people, he can't wait." Chen Gong said: "The banquet has begun, and I can't allow you to leave halfway." Then send each of your men and your servants, and bring your servants and your servants. Whoever is delivered can leave the government. If I deal with it like this, will anyone feel that it is inappropriate? ”

In fact, many people were in pain and didn't want to provide manpower to Chen Gong, but when he asked if he would feel that something was wrong, no one dared to say anything.

When Chen Gong was talking to everyone, Sun Ce had been watching from the side.

He admired Chen Gong very much, and he was able to trick these people who had been in the market all the year round.

If this matter was handed over to him, he thought that he would definitely not handle it better than Chen Gong.

In particular, Chen Gong left everyone in the official mansion and asked them to send people back to send them to the servants and servants who were sacrificed, and those who did not send them were not allowed to leave, which made Sun Ce admire him very much.

With such a tough hand, Sun Ce thinks that he can do it.

However, while begging for manpower from others, and leaving people behind in this way, Sun Ce thought that he couldn't wipe his face.

Chen Gong's words were euphemistic, and everyone knew that if they didn't send people over, they might not be able to leave the official mansion today, and they immediately responded quickly and ordered the entourage to go back and bring people over.

Some people told their followers to leave, and many more followed suit.

When everyone present sent an entourage back to bring people back, Chen Gong picked up the wine glass with a smile on his face and said to everyone: "I have witnessed your affection for Chu Hou. This glass of wine, I will honor you on behalf of the Marquis of Chu. ”

Chen Gong picked up the wine glass again, and everyone who had already entered the set had no choice but to put the cup up.

People, a lot of the time that's it.

Good words and persuasion, asking them to come up with some benefits, they will be unhappy in their hearts.

Once you don't say anything nice to them, just force them to send the benefits, most people will accept it honestly.

Chen Gong saw through the minds of everyone present, so he didn't plan to negotiate with them, and directly asked them to send people over.

The retinues sent back by the crowd came to the government one after another with a sufficient number of servants and servants.

There were one or two hundred people attending the banquet, each representing a family, and nearly two thousand servants and servants were sent to the government.

All the merchants and scholars who sent people in, Chen Gong did not stop them anymore, and let them stay freely.

Although the banquet is good, how can the people involved have the heart to wait until the banquet is over in the face of such great pressure?

As more and more people arrived, there were many people leaving.

When the last merchant sent the person asked by Chen Gong to arrive, and the man got up to leave, Sun Ce said to Chen Gong: "Chen Gong has such a method, if he had used it earlier, even if the arsenal did not issue that notice, he would have been able to find enough women to send to be craftsmen." ”

"It is true that enough people can be found, but if Chu Hou uses people in the future, what should he do?" Chen Gong asked Sun Ce.

"What will Guan Chuhou do in the future?" Sun Ce replied incomprehensibly: "As long as all the people are sent, Chu Hou will be satisfied if he gets enough people." ”

"General Bo Fu didn't understand Chu Hou's thoughts." Chen Gong said: "Chu Hou wants to employ people, not just an arsenal. With the ability of the Marquis of Chu, how could he not see that as long as he invited all the merchants and scholars in Pengcheng, and asked each household to send some servants and servants, the manpower would be enough. That's why he didn't do this, it was just that he wanted the people to accept letting women go out to do things, and this kind of thing had to be changed slowly so that the people could gradually accept it. If the people don't accept it, where will Chu Hou find enough people to use more women in the future? You must know that there are also a number of servants and servants in the families of merchants and scholars. ”

"I probably understand what Chen Gong means." Sun Ce said: "Now that the people have been gathered, I will take them to the arsenal." Presumably, Chu Hou was there at this time. ”

"General Bo Fu is leaving, I will not be far away." Chen Gong arched his hand to Sun Ce.

Sun Ce returned the salute, beckoned the guards he had brought, and led the group of servants and servants who had been sent to the government by the master's family to the arsenal.

When he came to the arsenal, Lu Bu was still here.

Seeing that Sun Ce had brought so many people, Lu Bu asked, "It's still early before it gets dark, how did Chen Gongtai manage to gather so many people?" ”

Looking at the people brought by Sun Ce, Lu Bu was a little puzzled, in addition to the woman he wanted, there was actually a group of young and middle-aged men who came with him.

Sun Ce replied: "Back to the Marquis of Chu, Chen Gongtai did not recruit the people, he just summoned the scholars and merchants of Pengcheng to the official mansion, and each family forcibly sent two servants and ten servants. The merchants and scholars who went to the government were one or two hundred, and it was not surprising that there were one or two thousand servants and servants they sent. ”

Lu Bu nodded and said to Sun Ce: "Take everyone to the open space of the arsenal, Zhang Shiping has something to say to them." ”

Agreed, Sun Ce instructed the guards to send everyone to the open space in the factory.

When Sun Ce and Lu Bu were talking, Zhang Shiping was on the side.

Hearing that the women he brought were all servants of scholars and merchants, Zhang Shiping asked: "Dare to ask the Marquis of Chu, are these women in the arsenal also ...... as the announcement said?"

"When they came to the arsenal, they had nothing to do with the previous master's family." Knowing what he wanted to ask, Lu Bu said: "They are all from the arsenal, of course they can't be harassed at will. ”

"I understand what Chu Hou means." Zhang Shiping asked: "Speak later, do you want to greet those craftsmen who were originally here?" ”

"What do you think?" Lu Bu smiled at him and asked him.

Zhang Shiping was stunned for a moment, and then replied with some embarrassment: "There are a lot of things to say, of course, you should call all the craftsmen who were originally here, otherwise you may not cause any trouble in the future." ”