Without the troubles of the Canal Gang, it was actually very easy to recruit workers at the construction site in the American Concession.

There is no protection fee here, which is an important reason.

If they were working at the Sanchakou wharf, the coolies had to pay the Canal Gang each time before they worked, but when they worked at the construction site in the American Concession, they not only did not have to pay before they worked, but they could also get their wages for the day immediately after finishing their work.

A large number of laborers began to flock to the American Concession, and Timothy Lee was pleasantly surprised to find that he no longer had to worry about raising money to go to other places to find laborers at high prices.

Now that Xuan Yuemeng has driven the Canal Gang away and arrested Zhilin, Klinsmann has no shortage of people.

Xuan Yuemeng, who returned to Zeng's mansion, was still just a happy and cute baby, and after playing with Zeng Siping for a while, it was time for Xu Xiangzhi and Hua Yuerong to feed Xuan Yuemeng.

Zeng Siping clamored to eat with Xuan Yuemeng, and Mrs. Zeng let Zeng Siping, Zeng Siping was already able to eat by herself, holding a small blue-edged flower bowl, eating next to Xuan Yuemeng. Xuan Yuemeng doesn't eat by herself at home, Xuan Xu holds Xuan Yuemeng, Hua Yuerong feeds Young Master Meng, when she is at home, Xuan Yuemeng is a normal young master.

Zeng Jize is back, but Zeng Jize is not the only one who comes back today.

In front of Zeng Jize was Xuan Hongtao, behind the two of them was a large group of officials from the Beiyang Yamen, and the last one to come in was Li Hongzhang.

The scene is so big that it is almost in time for the early dynasty in the palace.

Xuan Yuemeng sweated, he knew that Li Hongzhang would definitely come to him and let him let Zhilin go, but he didn't expect Li Hongzhang to come so quickly.

Several members of the Zeng family who were eating here were frightened, and Mrs. Zeng hurriedly got up.

Xu Xiangzhi also put Xuan Yuemeng down, and the cute young master pouted. "Wipe my mouth first."

Hua Yuerong knelt on the ground, and when she heard Young Master Meng say this, she quickly pulled out the handkerchief on her chest and wiped her mouth for Young Master Meng.

Young Master Meng looked at Li Hongzhang and the others with a smile.

Li Hongzhang said in his heart: You are a lively and rich little boy, how can such an older child poke out a big thing anytime and anywhere?

Xuan Hongtao walked quickly to Xuan Yuemeng. Angry and anxious: "You are in trouble!" How dare you kill someone? And also arrested Lord Zhilin? Don't you know that Lord Zhilin is the son of Lord Jinglian? Such a big person, you dare to offend casually? People are royal relatives! ”

Xuan Hongtao hugged Xuan Yuemeng as he spoke, Xu Xiangzhi and Hua Yuerong hurriedly stepped aside, both of them were startled, did the young master kill someone?

Zeng Siping was curious: "Yue Meng killed someone?" Who did you kill? ”

Zeng Jize frowned, and hurriedly asked Mrs. Zeng to take Zeng Siping away.

Zeng Jize's voice has changed, his father has been fighting horses all his life, Zeng Jize has never led troops to fight, but how did he think that he could start killing people after finding a son-in-law who is less than a year old: "Yue Meng." What the hell is going on? How dare you command a kill at such a young age? ”

Xuan Yuemeng smiled: "I didn't command the killing, it was the law of the concession that killed people." If Zhilin didn't beat people in the concession, he wouldn't have been arrested, and if Zhilin's subordinates hadn't been arrested, they wouldn't have been killed. If you want to find it, you should also go to the U.S. Consulate, what are you looking for me? ”

Li Hongzhang touched his beard. The deep little eyes on the chubby face stared at Xuan Yuemeng tightly. Li Hongzhang waved his hand and said to the officials except Zeng Jize and Xuan Hongtao: "You all go and wait outside the hall, the headquarters will rest here for a while." ”

Officials: "Yes." ”

Sheng Xuanhuai stared at Xuan Yuemeng, never thought that Xuan Yuemeng would have the means to kill at such a young age, and was secretly vigilant. However, Sheng Xuanhuai and Tianjin Customs Dao Chen Qin and other Li Hongzhang's henchmen are also angry, and they are much more advanced than Xuan Hongtao. Xuan Hongtao, who is secretly jealous of being able to discuss with Li Zhongtang, is just a small six-grade, an official who does not enter the stream, why?

Li Hongzhang made a calm face: "Yue Meng, you are now famous." Hong Tao. No one knows you when you go out, and next time you say that you are Xuan Yuemeng's father, make sure you know everyone. ”

Xuan Yuemeng sighed and said secretly, Old Man Li is telling the truth. "Lord Zhongtang, it's the lower officials who didn't discipline the children well, and they caused trouble to Lord Zhongtang."

Zeng Jize also smiled awkwardly, "Lord Zhongtang, I'm so worried, do you still have the heart to laugh?" This kid really doesn't teach people to worry, and he is not even a year old. ”

Li Hongzhang said with a smile: "Yes, he is less than a year old, but he is already a director of the board of directors of the American Concession, don't you see the guards with guns at the door, which are several times more than the old man's guards." This pomp and circumstance is about to catch up with the prince. ”

Xuan Yuemeng knew that Li Hongzhang was talking back, and he didn't bother to care what Li Hongzhang thought, in Xuan Yuemeng's opinion, Zeng Jize's Zeng family power would never lose to him Li Hongzhang, if you Li Hongzhang wear a pair of pants with someone like Zhilin, you Li Hongzhang is not a good thing! Xuan Yuemeng knew that Zhilin was unwilling to cure himself to death, so he wanted to do it this time to get rid of future troubles!

Zeng Jize frowned: "Yue Meng, in front of Lord Zhongtang, how dare you be presumptuous?" Hurry up and let people pass the word, and immediately release Zhilin, this is what I mean. ”

Xuan Yuemeng sweated profusely, did you Xiao Zeng also put Lao Tzu's score in front of you? Didn't the first few **** still be alive and want to get out of the marriage? Do you mean swollen?

Xuan Yuemeng narrowed her eyes and smiled slightly, looking cute and dumbfounded: "Didn't I say it all?" It's not my business, the concession has the law of the concession, and people are legal places, so I can't control it. ”

Zeng Jize was angry: "Your child is still playing official with me here?" I listen to the official tone every day outside, and I have to listen to your child's official tone when I go home? ”

Xuan Yuemeng was silent, the thief's two black eyes fluttered, blinking, like a Beidou in the sky.

Xuan Hongtao was furious: "Yue Meng, why are you ignorant kids?" Li Zhongtang is here! Are you kidding? Why don't you let people go quickly? ”

Xuan Yuemeng saw that these two fathers were really anxious, and said unhurriedly: "Zhilin may be dead." ”

Li Hongzhang and Zeng Jize stood up in shock, and Xuan Hongtao almost sat on the ground without shock! Xuan Hongtao was really scared and his legs trembled, and he couldn't stand steadily.

Xuan Yuemeng saw that the three of them were confused by anger, and said with a smile: "I'm kidding." Frightened the middle hall, the villain first gave the middle hall a companion. ”

Zeng Jize glanced at Li Hongzhang, saw Li Hongzhang's face was blue, and said to Xuan Yuemeng: "You kid, why are you ignorant?" I didn't tell you to have less dealings with foreigners. Have you been used as a gun by a foreigner? How difficult is Li Zhongtang? Is it easy to be caught between a foreigner and a court? Doing something carefully, how can you not understand it? Last time, you contributed to the affairs of the official governor and the foreigner, and Li Zhongtang praised you in public, how many days have it been? ”

Xuan Yuemeng smiled: "Can he Zhilin represent the imperial court?" The last time Zhilin kidnapped me, weren't you not at the scene? If I had been killed that time, I wouldn't be able to sit here and listen to you reprimand me today. ”

Zeng Jize was stunned, and was speechless by Xuan Yuemeng. Indeed, what Xuan Yuemeng said was the truth, Zeng Jize was still doing the same thing as Qi Zhilin last time.

Xuan Yuemeng said a few words. The reason why he is going to kill Zhilin is very well! Talking about political and economic things as personal enmity, this gave Li Hongzhang a problem, Li Hongzhang's profound eyes were always on Xuan Yuemeng's body, and he wanted to see more and more clearly, what kind of person was reincarnated in this child? It's too weird, isn't it?

Xuan Hongtao didn't know what to say. Thinking of Zhilin's kidnapping of Xuan Yuemeng, although it was Xuan Yuemeng who said it. But Xuan Hongtao also believed it!

Xuan Hongtao also hated Zhilin so much in his heart, but he still felt that Xuan Yuemeng shouldn't be so blatantly against Zhilin! Jing Lian above Zhilin, that faction is the power of Prince Gong's Mansion! Prince Gong's Mansion is under the Queen Mother of the Two Palaces, above 10,000 people, and the power is overwhelming! Who can compare today? Even Li Hongzhang can be regarded as a member of that faction.

Li Hongzhang coughed: "Yuemeng, you are still a child." The old man knows that you are an extremely smart child, but many things are not a matter of blood for blood, you have been tied, and you will be extra careful in the future. There is no need to burn all the ropes because you have been tied once, because you can't burn them all. Think about it for yourself, is it the truth that grandpa said? (Xuan Yuemeng, grandpa, your sister, you just came out of the two fathers, you are more bullish, come directly to a grandfather, you are Zeng Guofan's apprentice, then you should be the same as Zeng Jize, where did this grandfather come from?) The relationship is a mess. ）

Xuan Yuemeng smiled: "I know that you and Uncle Zeng are all for my good, I won't kill Zhilin, I just play with them for two days, and after three days, I will definitely let him go." Otherwise, I won't be able to get rid of it. When I was growing taller, I was angry, what should I do when I don't grow up? The law of the concession, in the case of a fight like Zhilin, he should have been detained for half a month, but I listened to Li Zhongtang's words and reduced him to three days, which is already my bottom line. Moreover, the last time Klinsmann couldn't find workers, the construction period came to a complete standstill, I'm sure Mr. Li Zhongtang should have heard about it, right? Why didn't you see Lord Nakado at that time? ”

Li Hongzhang and Zeng Jize glanced at each other, how could they never have thought that Xuan Yuemeng would have such a high opinion, they were a little dumbfounded, Li Hongzhang didn't expect that Xuan Yuemeng would take out the matter that he didn't stand out for Klinsmann Bank, the Canal Gang went around, saying that whoever dared to go to the American concession to work, would kill someone's whole family, of course Li Hongzhang knew, Li Hongzhang didn't think that Xuan Yuemeng would contribute so much to Klinsmann Bank? Li Hongzhang couldn't guess how many shares Xuan Yuemeng held in this Klinsmann firm?

However, Zeng Jize knew that what Xuan Yuemeng said was half-true, and this time he was just looking for a step down, so he didn't say anything anymore.

Li Hongzhang looked at Xuan Yuemeng for a long time, and asked in a deep voice: "Yuemeng, tell me honestly, how many shares do you have in Klinsmann Foreign Company?" Does this foreign company have a deep relationship with you? Didn't you tell me that you were just a translator? ”

Xuan Yuemeng smiled: "It's not a very deep relationship, but Mr. Timothy Li is my friend, if something happens to me, he can stick a knife in my ribs, and if something happens to him, of course I am duty-bound." Today, the canal helped the American Concession to make trouble, and there was nothing to do with Zhilin, but since he went to charge the big one, I am sure that he has a part in provoking it! I can't guarantee that he won't have any accidents at the American Capture House. ”

Zeng Jize heard Xuan Yuemeng say this, it seemed that his tone was wrong again, he was scared half to death by Xuan Yuemeng, and suddenly stood up again: "Yuemeng, didn't you just say that you would release people after three days?" Don't mess around! ”

Xuan Hongtao was also nervous and offended Zhilin. What is the difference between completely offending the Qing court? "Yue Meng, don't embarrass your father-in-law and Li Zhongtang! Don't go to the concession in the future, it's not something you can play with as a child. ”

Li Hongzhang coughed, already angry in his heart, "Yuemeng, the canal gang over there." The old man will ask people to bring a word, and there is no need to worry about recruiting workers in the American Concession in the future, as for Zhilin, how long will you be locked up, that's your business, the old man advises you, don't hurt a single hair of Zhilin. ”

It was the first time for Li Hongzhang to talk to Xuan Yuemeng like this, and his tone was stiff. Obviously, Xuan Yuemeng has been regarded as an adult, Xuan Yuemeng is quite happy, he is not afraid of Li Hongzhang, Xuan Yuemeng's newborn calf is not afraid of tigers, and now no one is afraid!

Xuan Yuemeng has actually moved the idea of abolishing Zhilin's martial arts and picking off Zhilin's tendons and feet! I didn't expect to be broken by Li Hongzhang with a word! Xuan Yuemeng's newborn calf is not afraid of tigers, and when he came to this world, he has not suffered any losses. And he is ruthless and decisive, and he doesn't want to miss such an excellent opportunity to rectify the forest. is now broken by Li Hongzhang, but he is also quite hesitant.

Zeng Jize glanced at Xuan Yuemeng deeply, and felt more and more that his future son-in-law was a demon, and after Li Hongzhang's reminder, he also thought that since Xuan Yuemeng knew how to catch Zhilin, of course it was possible to release Zhilin half-dead. "Yue Meng, Zhilin is something you can't afford to provoke, unless you don't plan to be a member of the Great Qing Kingdom?"

Xuan Yuemeng was secretly angry in her heart, if I kill Zhilin, I won't be able to be a member of the Great Qing Kingdom?

Zeng Jize's other words made Xuan Yuemeng startled, "You don't know that Zhilin is a forehead?" Remove the relationship between Jing Lian. Are you even going to mess with the royal family? Although his father-in-law is just a nominal prince, he is the prince after all, if you hurt Zhilin, you will hurt the face of the court, and it will never be recovered! You didn't die last time, just be more careful next time, otherwise why don't I stop you from continuing to associate with foreigners? Didn't I just fancy the foreigners' foreign guns that could protect you? ”

In fact, Zeng Jize is not afraid that Xuan Yuemeng will arrest Zhilin, officialdom is like a battlefield, Zeng Jize is bent on thinking about Xuan Yuemeng's future affairs as an official, otherwise he would not be in a hurry to let Xuan Yuemeng go to the imperial examination, Zeng Jize ******** wants Xuan Yuemeng to have a smooth and accessible future, which can not move people like Zhilin in any case, can be offended, but must not be hurt.

Zeng Jize's heartfelt words made Xuan Yuemeng very moved, "Uncle Zeng, when did I say that I was going to hurt Zhilin?" Don't worry, if you don't hurt him, not a single hair will hurt. ”

Li Hongzhang stood up quietly, "Then that's it, Ji Ze, you have to worry about this matter." ”

Zeng Jize was very embarrassed, thinking that Li Hongzhang had gone out in person, and Xuan Yuemeng didn't release him immediately, obviously sweeping the face of Lord Zhongtang, "Yuemeng, why don't you hurry up and admit your mistake to Lord Zhongtang?" You'd better let Zhilin go right away, right? ”

Xuan Yuemeng smiled: "Lord Zhongtang won't blame me, Lord Zhongtang is a reasonable person, unlike that Zhilin, he kidnapped me, it was to black, I arrested him, that is above board, who let him run to fight on the street?" Besides, didn't I say it all? There is a law in the concession, I am not the only one who has the final say, you have just seen it, I even have to be fed for food, I am a little brat, what role can I play? ”

Zeng Jize heard that Xuan Yuemeng was still talking about Zhilin's kidnapping, and there was no evidence for this, Xuan Yuemeng didn't go around to say it, knowing that Xuan Yuemeng was a grudge-minded personality, he smiled bitterly, and didn't bother to persuade again.

Li Hongzhang glanced at Xuan Yuemeng deeply, and finally regarded Xuan Yuemeng as an adult, through this incident, the relationship between Li Hongzhang and Xuan Yuemeng has undergone a qualitative change! People in high positions want to tame their subordinates, and they don't pay much attention to talent.

After everyone left, Xuan Hongtao persuaded for a long time, and said that he wanted Xuan Huang's to persuade him, Xuan Yuemeng said that it was useless for anyone to come, and also told Xuan Hongtao that if he told Xuan Huang's about this, he would be angry with him, and the depressed Xuan Hongtao could only go back and have to hide it for Xuan Yuemeng.

Xuan Yuemeng patted her little belly and smiled at Xuan Xu and Hua Yuerong, "I haven't eaten yet, let's have another bowl of rice!" ”

Xu Xiangzhi and Hua Yuerong hurriedly went over, and then fed Xuan Yuemeng, Xu Xiangzhi wanted to ask what was going on, but she didn't ask after all.

Mrs. Zeng was gossipy, pestering Xuan Yuemeng to ask what was going on, Xuan Yuemeng casually said a few words, and after eating, she went to play with Zeng Siping.

When several people watched Xuan Yuemeng and Zeng Siping playing, they looked innocent and childish, and they all felt that this child was too magical.

Xuan Yuemeng said that it was three days, and finally closed Zhilin for five days and five nights! Not a drop of water, a grain of rice was given to Zhilin, and people kept using cold water and hot water to alarm Zhilin, who was tied to the stake, and prevented Zhilin from sleeping. If it weren't for the profound skills of Zhilin, if you were an ordinary person, I am afraid that you would have been hungry and sick! However, even if Zhilin is burdened with internal strength, he is still hungry for internal qi, and it will take at least a year or two to adjust back. Martial arts masters can go without eating for a few days, but they can't do without drinking water, drinking water and sleeping, which are the two most urgent needs of the human body. (To be continued.) )