"Pawn Zhang, Lao Zhang, Lao Li, you have all worked hard. Since this official took office, uh...... There are some other things that are involved, so I haven't been able to participate in the construction of the river in person, so I really don't want to go. ”

In the lobby of the chief yamen, Su Hao sat behind the public case, looking at Zhang Xiang, Zhang Guanlian, Li Shibai and others sitting below with a smile, and his words were full of affection.

Zhang Xiang arched his hand and said: "The Lord in charge is also the errand of the Ministry of War, and the day before yesterday he fought against the Japanese and won a complete victory. This anti-Japanese matter is a top priority, and these things on the river can be done by my brothers and other brothers. ”

"Yes, yes, the Lord in charge has a lot of opportunities, and we can just hold on to the dirty work on the river."

"I can't wait to be able to work under Master Su, I can't wait......"

Zhang Guanlian, Li Shibai and others also hurriedly complimented respectfully.

Compared with when Su Hao first arrived in Huai'an, Zhang Xiang and others treated him with a much more polite attitude. When Su Hao first arrived, everyone thought that he was a rookie, either because he had left someone's relationship position, or because he was a prodigy who was particularly strong in reading, and no one thought that he had the ability to do things.

In the battle against the Japanese Invaders, Su Hao became famous in Huai'an Mansion, and Zhang Xiang and others also heard about it, and they couldn't help but be a little secretly frightened. Fighting a war is not a joke, being able to command a small team of 200 people, annihilate more than 100 people, and carry bandits who have defeated nearly 1,000 people, which shows that the quality of the soldiers and the ability of the main general are very good, is this still the little master they saw who did not have a beard?

After that, Zhang Xiang and others increased their attention to Su Hao, and they also sent some henchmen to track Su Hao's activities. I want to know if Su Hao has any unfavorable measures for them. However, after a period of observation, they found that Su Hao's mind was not on those earthworks at all, half of his energy was on recruiting and training, and the other half was on river engineering design. Including the design of culvert projects with Ma Yu and others, the planning of the main irrigation canal in northern Jiangsu, and so on.

The things that Su Hao was busy with were not directly related to Zhang Xiang's interests. What Zhang Xiang and others value is how to organize the servants to work and how to fill their pockets when buying materials, and what does it have to do with them as to which direction the river takes, what ditches to dig, and so on?

Zhang Xiang and the others focused their attention on Su Hao, but they didn't notice that some strange people were mixed in the river workers team at some point, these people usually work together with other river workers, and lead the workers to eat silver and silver together. When I have a break, I go around chatting with the river workers, asking them about their family situation, daily income, etc.

There is another thing that Zhang Xiang and they don't know, that is, the housekeepers, buddies, cooks, etc. in their house have recently made some new friends, and they will ask these people to go to restaurants, gamble money, or visit Qinglou if they have nothing to do. These guys have not received any secrecy education, and as soon as a few cups of yellow soup are poured, all the good things in the master's house will be told to others.

All of this intelligence-gathering effort. It was not directly arranged by Su Hao, the driving force behind it was Chen Guanyu first, and then Zhou Ruyuan, who was a down-and-out person, these two guys got together, and all kinds of tricks and tricks could be figured out, and the crimes of Zhang Xiang and others were quickly investigated.

Su Hao got the information handed in by Chen Guanyu and didn't rush to do it. He didn't have time to deal with it for a while. Now, the expansion of the survey battalion has come to an end, the recruits have been in place, the training has been carried out in an orderly manner, and the key link of the most important Huai River crossing project has been completed, Su Hao decided to do it.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this officer is responsible for both the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of War. Recently, the Ministry of War allowed my survey battalion to be changed into a battalion barracks, and the number of soldiers has increased sharply. Procuring equipment and training are costly. To tell you the truth, this official has recently felt deeply shy in his pocket, and he has suffered from no way to make money. So......" Su Hao finished half of his words, and then looked at the people below with a smile, waiting for them to answer.

Zhang Xiang and the others were stunned. Exchanging glances with each other, Zhang Xiang cautiously asked, "Master Su, what do you ......mean?"

"Hehe, this official is not interesting, just chatting, just chatting with you, and talking to you about the hardships of this official, you must not have any associations." Su Hao smiled fakely.

Li Shibai hesitated for a moment and said: "Master Su has something to do, how can we, as Chief Su's subordinates, not share our worries about Lord Su." The villain usually lives more frugally, so there is a slight surplus in his salary over the years. If Su is nervous about money, the villain is willing...... Donate 100 taels and dedicate it to Su as military funds. Although it is a drop in the bucket, it is also a little heart. ”

"Yes, yes, the villain can also donate 80 taels...... Alas, there could have been more, but last month, the villain's cheapness had an illness, and he used dozens of taels of silver for the decoction and medicine...... "Zhang Guanlian also hurriedly made up for it.

While others were talking, Zhang Xiang secretly observed Su Hao with his eyes, trying to figure out Su Hao's true thoughts. He found that Su Hao always had a smiling expression on his face, neither joy nor anger, as if what everyone said had nothing to do with him.

After everyone expressed their loyalty, Su Hao waved his hand and said, "You have misunderstood." If this officer wants to train his troops, how can he use your salary and money? Besides, this bit of silver...... Hehe, it's indeed a drop in the bucket, and it can't solve the official's difficulties. ”

"That'...... What does the Lord in charge think? Zhang Xiang asked.

Su Hao said: "You have all been on an errand on the river for many years, and you have handled hundreds of thousands of taels of money and grain. I would like to ask you to teach me how to make some extra money from the river project. ”

As soon as these words came out, the hall was silent. Which of the following people has never made tens of thousands of taels on the river project, but how can such a thing be put in court? If Su Hao had shared the spoils with them in the past, then it would not hurt for everyone to discuss how to make more money. But now it's clear that everyone has never cooperated, Su Hao suddenly broke through this layer of window paper, it's too abrupt, right?

"Uh...... The lord in charge laughed, the silver on this river is all the money of the imperial court, how dare we do it? If the officials of the Metropolitan Procuratorate and the Criminal Department heard this, wouldn't they arrest me and send me to prison? Li Shibai said with a smile.

"Commander Zhang, the silver on the river really can't be used?" Su Hao turned his head to Zhang Xiang and asked, he knew that Zhang Xiang was the leader of all these wardens, and Li Shibai was gagging next to him, all of which were covering for Zhang Xiang.

Zhang Xiang quickly calculated Su Hao's intentions in his heart, from Su Hao's words, he could judge that Su Hao already knew about their corruption, and in fact, as long as Su Hao was not stupid, how could he not know these things? What Zhang Xiang can't be sure about now is how well Su Hao understands their corruption, and whether Su Hao really wants to be in the same league with them, or whether he wants to embarrass them.

"Director Su also knows that the atmosphere in the officialdom is indeed unsatisfactory. As far as the villain knows, there are indeed some officials on the river who are clever in setting up names and greedy for ink and silver. The Criminal Department investigates and prosecutes several people every year, and Chief Su must also know about these situations. Zhang Xiang said slowly, testing Su Hao's tone.

Su Hao nodded and said, "Thousands of miles to be an official, who is not for some money?" I am afraid that it is too stupid to be caught by the criminal department...... By the way, Scribe, you go on. ”

Zhang Xiang said: "What Master Su said is extremely true, the salaries given by the imperial court to officials now seem to be a lot, but in fact they are not enough for daily use. A six-grade official like Chief Su has to have a groom and attendant to go in and out, and someone needs to wait for him in the inner house, and those salaries are not enough to pay for the work and food of these subordinates. So, officials at all levels need to find ways to earn some extra money, as long as they don't violate the laws of the imperial court, I don't think this kind of thing should be blamed. ”

"You're right, what the official wants to ask is how to earn extra money without breaking the law. The warden must have a lot of experience in this regard, right? Su Hao said.

Zhang Xiang really confused Su Hao. If Su Hao is a clean official, he should be severely reprimanded for his remarks, how can there be any reason to echo it. And if Su Hao is a corrupt official, how can he discuss such a thing with himself in this public? In this hall, in addition to Su Hao and himself as the wardens, there are also Ma Yu, Jiang Yida, Tan Qi and other officials, as for the errand standing aside, it can't be regarded as a transparent object, right?

Otherwise, there is only one explanation, that is, Su Hao is indeed a rookie on this issue, he is an expert in fighting wars and making money as a layman, is this the legendary high IQ and low EQ?

"What do you think...... The villain doesn't know what Master Su is referring to. Zhang Xiang said. Su Hao refused to uncover the mystery, and Zhang Xiang didn't dare to say more, if he said something wrong, things would be difficult to clean up.

Su Hao was already at the time when Tu Poor Dagger saw him, and he said with a smile: "The salary of the chapter clerk is one stone of white rice for a month, and 12 stone for a year, which is 6 taels of silver. However, I heard that the officials of the chapter have purchased a large house in Huai'an City, and there are hundreds of acres of Zhuangzi outside Huai'an City, which is worth more than 10,000 taels? The official wants to know, what is the way of doing business for the chapter clerk? ”

Zhang Xiang was stunned all of a sudden, and didn't wait for him to react, only to hear a "bang", and Zhang Guanlian next to him fell off the stool first, attracting everyone's sideways glances. Zhang Guanlian got up in embarrassment and stumbled and said, "Master Su forgives your sins, villain...... The villain was just a little tired, and he didn't sit down properly just now......"

"Oh, Zhang Dianguan must be supervising the work on the river, it's too hard, right? The official doesn't care. Where did we just go? By the way, let's talk about the way of management of the chapter clerk. ”

Su Hao still had a calm expression like a breeze, but in the eyes of Zhang Xiang and others, this face has become more and more hideous. (To be continued......)