On the first day of the first month of the fifty-third year of the new dynasty, Xu Ruyu led more than 1,000 people into Xuanchengyi, Qingjiang Prefecture. A fleet of nearly 60 large and small boats, under the escort of 500 Xiangfan Hui elite cavalry led by Xu Jingcheng, successfully forced back the Qingjiang bandits who had been following for many days, and stationed at the mouth of the Lishui River.

Xu Jingcheng led more than 500 elite combat forces of the Xiangfan Society to Qingjiang Mansion first, and has been operating in the area between Xuancheng and Fuzhou. Before Liang Bao went into Wuling Mountain to look for his clansmen, he followed the trail to find Xu Jingcheng and told him the itinerary of the fleet, hoping that he would accept it.

Both sides of the Qingjiang River are low and low hills, reddish-brown soil, and wild tea trees are growing in clusters. Several remnant walls stood in the evening breeze, the sky was getting dark, and the blue and faint phosphorus fire floated from time to time.

Decades ago, the Xuancheng section of the Qingjiang River was full of tea plantations and mulberry gardens, and the cotton planted on the red soil hills was white and tough, and it was famous all over the world. At its peak, the population of Xuancheng reached 600,000, and the dwellings on both sides of the Qingjiang River were scattered, and every few miles there would be a stone staircase hanging down from the high embankment, and the tributaries would join the estuary of the Qingjiang River, and most of them would build a small transshipment wharf.

In the past, the prosperity was gone, and only the remnants of the walls and white bones remained.

The river port at the mouth of the Lishui River was originally the largest port in the middle reaches of the Qingjiang River.

Lishui and Qianjiang all originate from the middle mountains of Wuling Mountain, Qianjiang River enters the sea to the east, absorbs many tributary water systems along the way, converges into the sixth water flow in the world, the amount of Lishui is much smaller, when the west flows into the Qingjiang River, the mouth of the river is not more than 300 steps wide, and the depth is not more than six or seven zhang. Lishui and Qingjiang River valley low place circle dozens of miles, is the largest of more than 100 hilly basins in the south of Yue County, there are towering and upright Huaiyu Mountains in the west, Wuling Mountains filled with miasma in the south, Taishan Mountain Range, a branch of Wuling Mountains in the east, and endless low hilly belt in the north. If you have enough strength to occupy the surrounding mountains and dangerous land, you can get millions of acres of fertile land, plus tea plantations and mulberry gardens on the hills, this river valley alone can feed hundreds of thousands of people. However, after the Yue family forces were expelled from Xuancheng, no force could completely occupy the Lishui River Valley. There are dozens of bandits in the Qingjiang River, and it is difficult for each force to hold one side of the river valley, so how can they talk about occupying the entire river valley? Bandits often settle in danger, and those civilians who are forced to become bandits can only occupy a much smaller basin than the Lishui River Valley to engage in production.

Xuancheng is located in the northeast of the intersection of Lishui and Qingjiang. The city has been damaged and weathered for decades, and the city walls have collapsed; I don't know where the gates are thrown; Grass grows and hangs upside down from the wall. The surrounding city is like the mouth of an old man with crippled teeth.

The fleet folded into Lishui, and Xu Ruyu's boat anchored at the mouth of the river and sealed the mouth with ten strong crossbow machines.

The Lishui River is narrow and winds in the desolate river valley, and it is very rare for Jiang bandits to move on the Lishui River, Xu Ruyu still ordered Mi Yusheng and Wei Yu to lead two hundred warships carrying 150 sailors and 125 Qingjiang water battalion guards along the Lishui River to explore the river bandits who might be hiding in Lishui.

More than 100 sailors were temporarily recruited from the relocation of the Hanshui Taoyuan, plus 150 sailors hired in Jiangjin, and the number of sailors in the Qingjiang Water Camp was about 300. Half of the Mi Yusheng and Wei Yu led them, and the fourteen warships parked at the mouth of the river included Xu Ruyu's boat and another warship with sufficient sailors, and the rest of the grain ships were moored on the south bank of Lishui, each with three Qingjiang water battalion soldiers on duty.

In addition, the 22 grain ships that followed Xu Ruyu's fleet to Xuancheng to sell grain belonged to six small owners, and there were about 12,000 quintals of grain. They all waited to sell the grain in Xuancheng, and then Xu Ruyu sent warships to escort them back to Jiangjin.

Although the Qingyan Army has five formations, there are only fifty people in the Qingjiang Water Battalion, and these fifty people are only used as sailors for the boat. There are 125 people in the Qingjiang cavalry battalion, 125 people in the teaching cavalry battalion, 125 people in the Qingjiang water battalion guards, and one person in the guard camp.

Before Liang Bao entered the mountain, the two of them were left to wait for the fleet in the Lishui River Valley. When the fleet docked, the two returned to the team and told Liang Bao that he had been in the mountain for three days, and there was no news so far.

Xu Ruyu had predicted in Jiangjin that the Baiyi people would be hidden in Wuling Mountain, but when he heard that Liang Baosan had not returned here, he was slightly shocked and a little worried about Liang Bao.

Xu Ruyu left sufficient protective combat power on the ship and another warship, and ordered the rest of the people to go to the south shore to get in order. The river port at the mouth of the Lishui River is the largest port in the middle reaches of the Qingjiang River, but now it is rotten and overgrown with trees and grasses. In the middle of the night, the stars and the moon have no light, can not set up camp, the prepared pine resin torches are not sufficient, can not be far and near all illuminated, the first arrival in Xuancheng, the situation is not clear, Xu Ruyu did not dare to be careless, had to let Meng Yi, Ao Fang and other twelve teachers each lead ten Qingjiang cavalry battalion soldiers on guard.

Xu Zhaorong and Xu Jingcheng led 700 children of the Xiangfan Society to station on the north bank of Lishui, which was also a simple camp. It was not until dawn the next day that Xu Jingcheng, under the guidance of Xu Zhaorong and Xu Boying, came to the south bank to meet Xu Ruyu.

Xu Ruyu and others jointly assassinated Yi Zhouwu in Yizhou, and saw his amazing and treacherous martial arts cultivation, and also saw his arrogant surname. Since the death of Xu Naiji, the Xiangfan Association has not elected a new leader, and Shao Haitang will temporarily preside over the affairs of the meeting. Shao Haitang once suggested that Xu Ruyu should lead the Xiangfan Society, but there were very few seconders, because of Xu Jingcheng's existence. Xu Jingcheng is Xu Naiji's second son, and his cultivation has surpassed that of Xu Naiji, and in the hearts of everyone in Xiangfan Society, he is the natural candidate for the next head of Xiangfan Society.

Xu Naiji has been in charge of the Xiangfan Society for so many years, and has been developing the power of the family within the Xiangfan Society, excluding the leaders with different surnames headed by Shao Haitang. After the failure of the Xiangzhou uprising, both the Xiang Gang and the Fan Gang were dealt a heavy blow. The strength of the caravan is intact, and the status of the caravan has risen a lot.

The Ma Gang only has Xu Tingyi, Xu Boying's father and son, and everyone else has other plans. In this case, even if Shao Haitang asked Xu Ruyu to take charge of the Xiangfan Society, he would not accept it.

Xu Ruyu met Xu Jingcheng in his tent, and was slightly frightened by his unscrupulous gaze.

"Bo Ying, Zhao Rongji has made Brother Xu's righteousness clear to me, and Jing Cheng is here to thank you." Xu Jingcheng sat there, clasped his fists and arched his hands, and he saluted.

Xu Ruyu listened to his tone as if he treated Xu Boying as his subordinate, glanced sideways at Xu Boying, who looked embarrassed, and said quietly: "Where the righteousness lies, you don't dare to resign." Dare to ask Brother Jingcheng, where does Xiangfan want to settle down in the future? ”

"You fool intend to be in the Lishui River Valley, but here is more than eighty miles in radius, eight miles of Xuancheng is in the middle, there are no five thousand elite combat power, what does you rely on to gain a foothold here?"

Ming Xi listened to his tone without hiding his contempt for Xu Ruyu and the Qingyan Army, and couldn't help but look at each other angrily. Xu Ruyu guessed: Xu Boying must have a secret proposal from the Xiangfan Society. But seeing Xu Boying's disrespectful words to Xu Jingcheng, he was also very surprised, and his eyes moved to Xu Zhaorong's pretty face.

It is easy for Xu Ruyu's motives to hide from others, but it is not easy to hide from Shao Haitang. Shao Haitang must have sensed Xu Ruyu's intentions, and asked Xu Zhaorong to bring the letter to Xu Jingcheng to explain some matters. After Xu Jingcheng read the letter, he didn't think about it, and made a tentative speech here.

Shao Haitang is understandable for the interests of the Xiangfan Society, but Xu Jingcheng's attitude makes people feel uncomfortable. Xu Ruyu smiled lightly, and said in an indifferent tone: "Do the Qingyan Army dare to gain a foothold here, don't bother Brother Xu." It seems that Brother Xu has a plan in his heart about how the tens of thousands of members of the Xiangfan Society will move to Qingjiang and where they want to live and rest. ”

Xu Jingcheng couldn't help but be stunned when he saw Xu Ruyu's tone harden, and then he thought that there were many places to rely on Xu Ruyu after the Xiangfan Society, that is, twenty or thirty thousand ordinary congregations moved to Qingjiang Mansion, and without Xu Ruyu's help, the difficulties would increase a lot. At present, only Xu Ruyu can use ten warships to forcibly break through the blockade of the Qingjiang River bandits and contact the outside world.

Xu Boying didn't expect Xu Jingcheng to offend Xu Ruyu with two or three words, and secretly scolded him for being stupid in his heart. He didn't see the letter that Shao Haitang handed over to Xu Jingcheng, and he didn't know how to intervene to ease the two.

Xu Zhaorong said: "Mr. Shao said that my Xiangfan will be dependent on the Qingyan Army, and the foothold in Qingjiang Mansion will also be interdependent, the second brother's surname is straight, seeing that Brother Xu is preparing to settle down in the Lishui River Valley, I can't help but worry about whether our Xiangfan will have the ability to provide corresponding assistance, and have no other intentions." ”

Xu Boying was shocked when he heard this. Xiangfan will be the only one who knows the secret of Xu Ruyu's plan to rely on Baiyi to gain a foothold in the Lishui River Valley. Although Shao Haitang said that he was dependent on Xu Ruyu, his real intention was to share a piece of the pie with Xu Ruyu. After all, Xu Ruyu is different from Xu Xing back then, and his reaction determines the development of Xiangfan in Qingjiang Mansion.

Xu Ruyu saw that Shao Haitang was calculating himself in Shangnan, and smiled bitterly. Xu Ruyu couldn't help but look at Xu Zhaorong differently. Xu Zhaorong knew that he couldn't hide it for long, so Suo's surname made it clear early and forced himself to express his position. At this time, it is still inseparable from the help of the Xiangfan Society, and it is impossible to throw the Xiangfan Club away at once.

Xu Ruyu thought for a moment, and then asked, "Can Brother Jingcheng be the master?" ”

Zhao Rong said: "The Ma Gang was officially merged into the Xiangfan Association, and the second brother was elected as the head of the association, and Mr. Shao was still the military advisor. ”

Xu Ruyu caught a glimpse of Xu Boying's surprised and angry face, knowing that he had been ostracized from the core layer by the Xiangfan Society because he was too close to him.

Xu Ruyu said: "Xiangfan will have 3,000 elite disciples, my Qingyan Army only has 500 soldiers, we might as well row the river and rule, the north bank of Lishui will be operated by Xiangfan Club, and the south bank will be operated by my Qingyan Army, Brother Jingcheng, do you think this is good?" ”

The land on the north bank is twice as large as on the south bank. The east, west and south sides of the Lishui River Valley are blocked by the mountains, and only the northern hilly belt can be extended outward, as long as the people do not go out of Wuling Mountain, the pressure on the north is the greatest. Xu Jingcheng thought to himself: Xu Ruyu really doesn't have the ability to face the pressure of the bandits in the north. Nodding his head, he said, "It's best to arrange it this way." Today, I will form an alliance with you instead of Xiangfan and jointly make a career in this land. With that, he burst out laughing.

Xu Ruyu waited for him to finish laughing, and said, "Bo Ying is temporarily serving in my Qingyan Army, and I also hope that Brother Jingcheng will give me." ”

Xu Jingcheng said: "Since the beginning of last summer, the congregation can apply to automatically leave the Xiangfan Society, Bo Ying is optimistic about the future of the Qingyan Army, how can I stop it? ”

Xu Boying's color changed, and his face was twisted to the side, not letting others see the tears in his eyes. Forced by the situation last summer, the Xiangfan Society accepted Xu Ruyu's suggestion and allowed the old, weak, sick and disabled ordinary congregants to leave the Xiangfan Society and fend for themselves in Donghai County. Xu Jingcheng actually regarded Xu Boying and the old, weak, sick and disabled ordinary congregation as a journey, how could he not let him be sad and angry.

Xu Ruyu glanced at everyone and said in a deep voice: "Although the Qingyan Army Water Battalion has sixteen warships and twenty transport ships, it is overstaffed and cannot cross the Qingjiang River. At the end of the month, Xiangfan will have a group of people to Jiangjin, and I want to send six warships and ten transport ships to meet them, and I need Brother Jingcheng to provide 300 escorts to ensure the safety of the journey. ”

This was originally a matter of the Xiangfan Society, Xu Ruyu took the initiative to take it, Xu Jingcheng was too late to be grateful, how could he refuse.

Xu Jingcheng said: "The children of Xiangfan Club don't know about water warfare, and they want to ask you to train on their behalf." ”

"Of course, when Mi Yusheng returns, I will ask him to go and discuss this matter with Brother Jingcheng."

Xu Jingcheng and Xu Zhaorong returned to the north shore at dawn, and Xu Ruyu asked everyone to rest, leaving Xu Boying to talk in the tent.

Xu Boying said that he was wronged enough, and when everyone dispersed, he couldn't help but burst into tears in front of Xu Ruyu. At present, it seems that Xu Tingyi and Xu Boying, the people and horses have been excluded from the Xiangfan Association.

Xu Boying said in a trembling voice: "It doesn't matter if Boying is wronged, how can you agree to row the river with Xiangfan?" ”

Xu Ruyu heard that he no longer regarded himself as a member of the Xiangfan Society in his tone, and thought: The sacrifice of rowing the river is indeed worth it, and sighed: "What if you don't agree?" Mr. Shao expected that we would be inseparable from the Xiangfan Club at this time, so he took the opportunity to make trouble. ”

Xu Boying sighed: "Mr. Shao will not be unexpected, and he will do his best to plan for the Xiangfan Society, alas, ......" and then said: "After my father came to Qingjiang, we joined the Qingyan Army together, Ru Yu, what do you think?" ”

Xu Ruyu patted him on the shoulder and said, "I always regard you as a member of the Qingyan Army, but at this time, you still have to have a good relationship with Xiangfan, and there is no need to rush for a while." ”

Xu Boying nodded and said with relief: "I understand." At present, our top priority is to open up the Qingjiang waterway, and the 16 warships of the water battalion should be able to cross the Qingjiang River at full strength, but we need 160 ship divisions, 1,000 sailors, 600 sailors, and 600 water battalion guards. Even if we put all the personnel into the water camp, it is still far from enough. Do you have a plan? ”

Xu Ruyu chuckled and said, "How can everything be decided? Now only two warships can be organized into battle, and they have been taken to Lishui upstream by Wusheng and Wei Yu, and now they can only block the mouth of the river with strong crossbow machines. The ordnance in the ship can be equipped with an integrated water battalion, two integrated infantry battalions, and accessories for ten stone-throwing crossbows, and the consumption of arrow clusters can be secretly replenished from Yongyang for the time being, but in the future, there will be a big battle, and it is not enough to replenish it from Yongyang. Bo Ying still complains that I will give up most of the Lishui River Valley? However, nearly 300,000 acres of barren fertile land on the south bank alone, the gentle slope of the northern foot of Wuling Mountain, and the rivers of Lishui and Qingjiang can feed more than 100,000 people. He said that if Xiangfan would gain a foothold on the north shore, we would cross Taishan and develop in the direction of Fuzhou; If the Xiangfan Society can't gain a foothold on the north shore, it's not too late for us to take over. ”

Xiangfan will have the Qingyan Army as the backing, and Shao Haitang and others will plan, and it will not be difficult to gain a foothold on the north shore. There are too many advantages to develop from the Lishui River valley along the Qingjiang River to the north. When Xu Jingcheng first arrived, he only assisted the Qingyan Army fleet once, and asked to occupy a large area of land on the north bank of the Lishui River Valley and occupy a favorable position for northward development; The Qingyan Army had to cross the 200-foot-high Taishan Mountain and develop eastward. Xu Boying was afraid that Xu Ruyu would turn his face on the spot, and he didn't want Xu Ruyu to take the initiative to give up the north bank of the river valley, so he only asked Xu Jingcheng to allow Xu Boying to serve in the Qingyan Army.

Xu Boying knelt down on one knee and said excitedly: "You treat me as a national soldier, so I repay him as a national soldier." ”

Xu Ruyu helped him up and said, "The countryman is unparalleled, with Bo Ying to help me, why not give up the entire Lishui River Valley?" ”

Xu Ruyu and Xu Boying walked out of the camp side by side, and the construction of the camp had already started outside. Among the people who followed Xu Ruyu to Xuancheng, the number of craftsmen was small, but they were also complete. Xu Ru wanted to gain a foothold on the south bank, and he was naturally strict with this camp. Even if the city is newly built elsewhere, this camp can also be used to keep and control the mouth of the Lishui River.

At present, manpower is limited, and ramming earth walls is the only option. Uncle Fang Wu measured the 500-step square nearshore flat land according to Xu Ruyu's request, and the foundation has been excavated. Seeing Xu Ruyu and Xu Boying walking out of the tent, they hurriedly called a black and thin old man with a black and thin back next to him to greet him, and said: "Ruyu, you taught me how to ram the earthen wall, someone proposed to improve it, I brought him here, you ask him yourself, see if it is feasible?" ”

Seeing Xu Ruyu's bright eyes looking at him, the old man looked restrained, pulled the cuffs of his uncle and grandson Fangwu, and motioned for him to speak. Xu Ruyu straightened his clothes, bowed down, and said, "Please Mr. teach Ruyu shamelessly." ”

When the old man saw Xu Ruyu saluting as a teacher, he reached out to help him in fear, and his hand reached halfway, saving his hands from being covered with mud and falling in the air, not knowing how to do it.

The old man has followed the villagers to build walls since he was a child, and he has also participated in the construction of Huailai New Town, and has built countless walls in his life, but he is a plasterer who works under him, where is he so respected, and he can't help but stumble when he speaks, Xu Ruyu, Xu Boying, and Uncle Sun Fangwu listened patiently beside him. It took a while for him to slip through his words.

"I've been a plasterer all my life, and I forgot my name, and people who know me call me Mud Tuozi, and I can't bear Mr. General Xu still calls me Nituozi. When I was young, I learned board building with a master, wandered around to make a living, and repaired the houses, city walls, and dock forts, and later Mr. Meng Yi took him in and lived by the Han River, so that he didn't have to go around. Ami said that there was another war, alas, I really don't know when this kind of talk will end. ”

Xu Ruyu thought to himself, Yiguanyuan must have taken in many skilled craftsmen in the Hanshui Taoyuan. The craftsman who does not depend on the family and begs for a life everywhere is not much higher than the homeless, but the situation is worse than that of the homeless, and he may be plundered and enslaved by the family at any time. Xu Ruyu looked at Ni Tuozi's cloudy eyes, which were clear and full of tears only because of his "sir". did not drip on the spot, it was because of his stoic surname carved out by years of wind and frost.

Xu Ruyu said solemnly: "If you don't dislike it, I will call you Mr. Ni in the future." Mr. Mud, is there anything that needs to be improved on the rammed earth wall on the south bank? ”

"The south bank has a high shore foundation and is not afraid of flooding, so there is naturally nothing wrong with building an earthen wall here. I once went to Nanmin, and I saw the construction method of the tulou there, using stones to build a solid foundation; Raw soil is mixed with brown sugar water and lime to build a thick soil wall to increase the hardness of the earth wall; The wall is gradually thinned from the bottom to the top, and bamboo and wood chips are embedded in the earthen wall, so that the wall body is connected into a whole, which is more reliable than other rammed earth walls. ”

Xu Ruyu listened to his brief description, knowing that this method of construction is much better than the method he remembers, Taishan is rich in limestone, and it is very convenient to burn stone, and said to Ni Tuozi: "Mr. Mud, the matter of building a camp is biased towards you when you are old, and you can only discuss with your uncle and uncle about the deployment of personnel." ”

Ni Tuozi saw that Xu Ruyu handed over the major matters of building the camp to himself, and said flatteredly: "Ni Tuozi is old, not undedicated, but afraid of lack of energy, I accepted a plasterer apprentice on the bank of the Han River, he has learned all my skills, and Mr. Yi has also ordered him, hoping that General Xu will send him an errand so that he can share the burden for me." ”

Xu Ruyu's heart moved, and he asked Ni Tuozi to summon the man. It was a black and thin young man, with deep lines on his head, but a pair of eyes were bright and bright, and he saluted Xu Ruyu and the others as if he were rolling one by one.

Xu Ruyu said: "You are Gu Mingchen, this name is good." Where are you from, have you ever learned to write? ”

Gu Mingchen whispered: "The little one is from Jinyang, the family has a small property when he was young, and he went to read books for a few years, and then the family was scattered, and his parents died, and I was the only one left begging on the street for a living, and I didn't eat a hot meal until I met the master." As he spoke, his eyes turned red.

Ni Tuozi sighed beside him and said, "This kid is less than twenty-five this year, and he has been outside in the wind and sun with me all day, and he looks like he is in his thirties, so it's really hard for him." ”

Xu Ruyu said: "You master and apprentice are in charge of the construction of the camp, and I will let my uncle and grandson assist you." Mr. Mud, Mingchen, do you have a way to build a high platform in the water? ”

Xu Boying knew that Xu Ruyu wanted to build a high stone platform by the water, and placed a strong crossbow machine and a stone-throwing crossbow to block the river between Lishui and Qingjiang. However, this water is turbulent, and it is really difficult for those who do not know the hydrology to build a high platform in the water.

Gu Mingchen replied respectfully and said: "The method of building a platform in the rapid water is recorded in the "Examination Record", but Mingchen has never seen anyone build it, and he doesn't know if it is feasible? ”

Xu Boying exclaimed: "Have you read "Examination of Work"? ”

"It was Mr. Yi who perfected him, and when he saw that he was smart and studious, he taught him the holy book "Examination of Work" in the minds of our craftsmen."

Xu Boying once met Yiguanyuan in front of Yuanju Tower, and later Yiguanyuan disappeared, but Mi Yusheng and Tingxue stayed to follow Xu Ruyu.

Xu Ru smiled foolishly: "The "Examination of the Work Record" in Mr. Yi's hand only has four volumes of "Construction Chapter", I think he may pass it on to someone in the Hanshui Taoyuan, I asked Wu Sheng and Tingxue before, and they have not passed it on, it turned out to be passed on to Mingchen. "Examination of the work" records the matter of 100 work, a total of six articles and 30 volumes, "construction" hidden in Jinghu, "Boat Master" was originally the Nanping Rong family's things, later for my father to obtain, the Cai family has the "Instrument Chapter" of the first part, Yongyang Mei family has the "Instrument Chapter" of the next part, and the other three articles describe the rest of the work, divided by each family. Uncle Sun, the General Affairs Officer of the Qingyan Army has a construction department, and Mr. Ni and Mingchen are the main and deputy positions. ”

Ni Tuozi hurriedly waved his hand and said: "I'm a Ni Tuozi, and I have to be called Mr. by General Xu, and I'm already satisfied, how can I have the courage to manage the construction department?" ”

Xu Ruyu glanced at Xu Boying to see what his opinion was. Although Uncle Sun Fangwu is the general affairs officer, it is because Xu Boying is still nominally a member of the Xiangfan Society, as long as Xu Boying leaves the Xiangfan Society, he will take over the post of general affairs officer, and it is natural to ask for his opinion at this time.

Xu Boying thought for a moment, and felt that although Ni Tuozi was experienced, his courage was not as good as Gu Mingchen's, and seeing that Xu Ruyu let him decide, he didn't shirk the committee, so he took a step forward and said: "Mr. Ni is getting older, and it is not appropriate to do everything, so it will not be too tiring for him to assist Mingchen." ”

Xu Ruyu saw that he intended to put Gu Mingchen on the throne, so he complied with his wishes and let Gu Mingchen specialize in building. At this time, when I heard Xue and Jue'er coming over, and seeing that they were full of energy and beautiful eyes, I knew that they had rested comfortably last night. Xu Ruyu showed an envious look.

Listening to Xue's delicate expression, she said: "People don't just sleep, aren't you suspicious of lack of manpower?" I just went with Sister Jue'er to ask those private boat owners, and they felt that they couldn't leave for the time being, so they could hire people on the handboat to us, and each person could pay ten yuan a day and take care of food. We've got it done, and we're waiting for you to decide. ”

Xu Ruyu also had this thought, and didn't want Tingxue and Jue'er to take the lead. In this way, three or four hundred laborers can be obtained, and the construction speed of the camp will be more than doubled.

Xu Ruyu pointed to Gu Mingchen, who was still very restrained, and said, "Now he is in charge of building, you can pull him over." ”

Tingxue looked at Gu Mingchen in surprise and asked, "This matter belongs to Gu Heizi?" Gu Heizi listened to me the most, I said okay, he wouldn't say no, didn't that become my specialty? ”

When Gu Mingchen said this to her, her face turned purple red, and she couldn't say a word. Xu Ruyu pointed to the turbulent water behind him, and said with a smile: "If you can build a ten-zhang high stone platform in this water, I will let you take Mingchen's place." ”

Tingxue watched the turbulent flowing water whirling in the morning light, spit out her fragrant tongue, and said, "It turns out that Gu Heizi's ability to build walls can still be mixed with an official and a half-job?" I can't. ”

Since then, Gu Mingchen has been dubbed the bandit "Gu Heizi who builds the wall", until he was in charge of the Ministry of Works, and he failed to gag others' mouths, because sometimes Xu Ruyu also called him so.

Xu Ruyu talked with Ni Tuozi and Gu Mingchen about the construction of the camp for a while, and saw that their knowledge in this area far exceeded his own, so he assured that they would be busy. I was about to turn back to look for Youli, but I heard a rapid sound of horses' hooves, looked up to the south, and the forest trees blocked the view, and after a while, I saw more than ten figures galloping on the hillside. Ming Xi and Meng Yi, who were on duty in that direction, each led ten people to meet them.

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