The news that Xu Guangzu brought back shocked Su Hao. He guessed in advance that Zhang Xiang and the others would definitely fish for oil and water on the river project, but he didn't expect that they would fish so excessively. This kind of thing is an open secret in the Ming officialdom, but for Su Hao, it poses a great trouble.

Previously, the person in charge of the Ministry of Industry sent to Huai'an to control the river was Zhang Xiang, Zhang Guanlian, Li Shibai and several other officials, and corruption was something they did, and it had nothing to do with others. Now, Su Hao has come to Huai'an and become the person in charge, if the matter of collecting fire and consuming silver continues, then this basin of dirty water is on Su Hao's head, and it may be poured down at any time, drenching Su Hao all over his body and smelling unspeakably.

If anyone else is in Su Hao's position, as long as he is in the same stream with Zhang Xiang and others. Zhang Xiang and others were able to bend the law so unscrupulously, which naturally leveled the relationship between the above levels, and the new officials could sit and share the spoils together. But for Su Hao, this choice is not so easy, firstly, because Su Hao does not want to be a corrupt official and disdains to merge with Zhang Xiang and others; Second, because Su Hao's appointment as the head of the river itself is controversial, and there are many people who want to trouble him, if he is involved in the affairs of Zhang Xiang and others, I believe that those officials in the court will never let him go.

Everyone knows that the Ming Dynasty is not corrupt, but corruption is a weapon that can be used to attack political opponents at any time. It is conceivable that if the evidence of Su Hao's suspected corruption is put on the court, how many people will be indignant and demand that he be severely punished, and at that time, whether it is Wanli or Wang Xijue, I am afraid it will be difficult to keep him.

But if you don't follow Zhang Xiang and others to embezzle, what should you do? Directly exposing the faces of Zhang Xiang and others, and even bringing them to justice, is the easiest way and the most unfeasible way. The construction of the river project was carried out by Zhang Xiang and others. The managers at all levels below are their minions. Once Zhangxiang is investigated, these people will immediately resist together, and it is even possible that there will be a quality accident. The Yellow River is a land-based hanging river, and if there is a quality accident, it will be a big trouble.

Su Hao is not a reckless person, the more he faces a complex situation, the more calm he becomes. He knew that if he wanted to move Zhang Xiang and these people, he had to plan and then move, or not fight. If you want to fight, you must uproot it without leaving any trouble.

The information of Chen Guanyu's secret visit to the people was also reported. According to what Chen Guanyu learned, Zhang Xiang, Zhang Guanlian, Li Shibai and others all bought mansions in Huai'an City, and there were Zhuangzi outside the city, with an average of more than 10 concubines per person, and hundreds of slaves and maids in the family.

It is said that in addition to collecting the so-called fire consumption silver from the servants who built the river, these people also collected money through the sale of materials and land acquisition. They even asked the servants to plough the fields in the village for them. The servants were then paid from the money for the river works. The most infuriating thing is that even with this part of the reward, they still have to extract fire and consume silver, which is equivalent to blackmailing a person twice.

Of course. Chen Guanyu only came into contact with some low-level people, and they did not know much about the specific methods of Zhang Xiang and others to collect money, and some of them were just speculations or chasing after the wind, and it was difficult to form strong evidence. Su Hao told Chen Guanyu. Gather more information about these people in secret so that you can settle accounts after the fall.

In addition to information about Zhang Xiang and others, Chen Guanyu also learned about other things about Huai'an Mansion. Don't look at the famine in Huai'an Mansion for many years. The people and even the officers and soldiers of the guard station were miserable, but the life of the local officials and Haoqiang was not sad, and it could even be said that they lived more nourishingly than the officials and Haoqiang of other state capitals. The trick they can use to make a fortune is also very simple, that is, to take advantage of the natural disasters in Huai'an to make a fortune.

Due to the disaster in Huai'an Mansion for many years, the imperial court has always issued disaster relief funds, which gave the officials who handled it the opportunity to rub oil and water. Before Han Wen took up his post in Huai'an, officials at all levels from Huai'an Prefecture to the following prefectures and counties were accustomed to extending their hands to disaster relief funds, and half of the funds allocated by the imperial court could eventually fall into the hands of the victims, which was considered lucky.

As for the powerful people, they are also making national hardships. Every time there is a big flood, it washes away many farmers' crops and their belongings, leaving them in extreme distress. At this time, the powerful landlords would buy the land of these peasants at a very low price, and even let these desperate peasants sell themselves into slavery. So far, Huai'an's land annexation situation is far worse than that of other state capitals.

"This Ming Dynasty is ruined in the hands of these people!"

When listening to Chen Guanyu's introduction to Huai'an, Jiang Yida always looked angry, and he didn't know how many times he took the case, and he didn't realize that his hands were red.

Tan Qi is a person with some social experience, and he is a little calm about these situations, and he persuaded Jiang Yida: "Brother Jingxi, isn't this the case from the government and the opposition?" It is said that the officials of the prefecture and county embezzled disaster relief funds, if the disaster relief commissioner from the household department did not acquiesce, how could they dare to be so bold? We followed Brother Gai to Huai'an, we came to govern the river, and we can't interfere in the government affairs of these places. Besides, didn't Lord Han come to Huai'an to be the prefect, let him deal with these things. ”

"I'm just angry." Jiang Yida said, "Bingnan, we are reading the articles of the sages, and the sages teach us to cultivate ourselves and govern the country and the world. Looking at these corrupt officials and corrupt officials, I really can't bear it. By the way, Brother Gai, Brother Duwen, you said that these prefecture and county officials are also from scholars, why don't they understand morality? ”

"This ...... It's complicated to say. Su Hao didn't know how to answer Jiang Yida's question, ** is an eternal problem, human beings have not found a special medicine to cure ** in the 21st century, not to mention that it is still the Ming Dynasty.

Ma Yu groaned: "Brother Bingnan said that these things have nothing to do with us, but I don't see it that way. If we cannot let the people live and work in peace and contentment, they will not be able to actively support us in harnessing the river. How can we just rely on a few of us to heal the river? However, how to punish these corrupt officials and corrupt officials, I can't think of a good way, the brother of the change has always been far-sighted, but what is the best way? ”

Su Hao shook his head again and again, and said, "I don't have anything to do now." I asked Daochang Chen to visit the people, just to grasp some information and look for opportunities. Brothers, let's discuss these things in private, if Zhang Xiang and others come, everyone must not show resentment, so as not to startle the snake. ”

"The age of the change is younger than ours, but he is so sophisticated in engaging in conspiracy, it is really a demon." Jiang Yida pointed at Su Hao and said with a helpless smile.

In line with the principle of keeping a low profile, after Su Hao took office in Huai'an, he either visited the officials of various yamen every day, or wandered among the neighborhoods, drinking tea and listening to music, like an incompetent Beijing official. Zhang Xiang and others came to the yamen several times to report their work, wanting to probe Su Hao's tone, Su Hao always made an amiable appearance, telling them to work hard and serve the court, as for the specific business, they couldn't say that they were ugly at all.

Zhang Xiang and others saw that Su Hao didn't understand business and was unwilling to take care of things, and they were also secretly happy in their hearts. From time to time, they sent some fish, meat, vegetables, calligraphy, paintings, antiques, etc., to the yamen, and also found a few good bed-warmers for Su Hao. Su Hao said kind words on his lips, and he accepted all the orders under his hands. Of course, he would not put those maids in his room, but sent them directly to Yuan Yamei and them to live, and let them usually be responsible for doing the housework in the yamen.

Unlike Su Hao, Ma Yu, Jiang Yida, Tan Qi and several others were not idle, they brought more than a dozen soldiers from the survey battalion and dozens of hired servants, and went to the river project site in several ways. They did not directly intervene in the river project, but led people to dig pits everywhere and collect information on soil sections. This knowledge was taught to them by Su Hao in the past, and these geological data are indispensable to carry out large projects.

Deng Kui took another part of the soldiers of the survey battalion and carried out the mapping work around the river in full swing. The first batch of recruits recruited by Huai'an Province has been put in place, with a total of forty or fifty people. Deng Kui mixed these recruits and veterans into groups and let them learn in actual surveying and mapping work.

After the practice of surveying and mapping in Banzhou, the veterans of the survey battalion have now become surveying and mapping masters, and they are all bullish in front of the recruits. After the expansion, the survey camp has become the establishment of a thousand households, and according to the regulations, there can be 10 hundred households, 10 deputy hundred households, 20 chief flag officers, 100 small flag officials, as well as positions such as pacification and officials. The veterans all have a calculation in their hearts, believing that these official positions must be filled by their veterans, and there are only more than 50 veterans in total, but there are more than 100 official positions, doesn't this mean that everyone has the opportunity to be an official?

With Bentou, everyone's motivation will naturally be more sufficient, and there is no need for Deng Kui to do any mobilization work.

The embroidery team led by Yuan Yamei also carried out a small-scale expansion, adding more than a dozen big girls recruited from Huai'an City. In front of everyone, Su Hao announced that Yuan Yamei was the candidate for the 100 households of the embroidery team, and the other four embroidery girls brought out from Jiangxi were the candidates for the small flag officer, and the embroidery team was considered to have an organizational system.

As the number of people increases, so does the cost. The expenses given by the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of War are only enough to maintain the capitation fee of a few personnel, and Su Hao's soldiers, embroiderers, miscellaneous servants of the yamen, and the informants of Chen Guanyu's secret contacts all need to be supported by Su Hao out of his own pocket. In a short period of time, Su Hao's savings can still support such expenses, and if he wants to continue to develop in the future, he can only count on the big industry in Jingshi, and Su Hao has some confidence in this.

After staying in Huai'an for a month, Su Hao finally received news that Pan Jitao, the governor of the river, had returned from inspecting the river. He immediately sent someone to contact him and asked Pan Jitao to meet him. (To be continued......)