The city of Geranza is surrounded by the sea to the south and mountains to the north, and the terrain is mountainous and flat, so you can imagine the difficulty of building roads here. ± top novel,

"Ding Ding Ding Ding...... Dangdang......"

On the rugged mountainside, a group of people in dirty overalls are wielding hammers, shovels and other tools to clear the rocks and dirt from the mountainside, behind them a road that can allow four large carts to drive side by side is gradually taking shape, from the top of the mountain down the entire mountainside are busy figures, they are like a group of industrious ants constantly busy.

Halfway up the mountainside, there are several wooden sheds that are emitting puffs of smoke, and several people in the wooden shed are constantly busy, and the smell of food is constantly wafting out of the wooden shed.

A middle-aged man in blue overalls and a beard drove a cart to stop outside the wooden shed and shouted loudly inside: "Villa, is lunch ready, those guys outside can't wait!" ”

"Hey, don't worry...... Right away! Soon a blonde man of twenty-seven or eighteen years of age came out of the car, and he and another man together carried out a large steamer and put it on the cart, and then lifted a large wooden barrel to the cart, and then said to the visitor: "Oward has put his things away, and he can eat!" ”

It turned out that the middle-aged man driving the car outside was the former Dutch Governor General Owald, and the young man who came out carrying the barrel was Oward's former adjutant, Major Villa.

After these Dutch surrendered, they were all sent by Yue Yang to build roads around the city of Geranza, and building roads was naturally not a good job, at the beginning these Dutchmen were all bitter, and many people were still thinking about preparing to escape or even make a strike, but people are real animals, and under the threat of whips and bayonets, the original thorns have become docile and good people. Here, these people do not matter whether they are military officers or nobles. They all have one name now...... POW. These people work every day to build roads for a period of twenty years.

Our Governor Oward was no exception, and at one point he was almost whipped to death by the overseer's whip. But human vitality is tenacious after all, and after a few months of training, Oward miraculously adapted to this life, and last month the overseer here somehow appointed him in charge of logistics and food for all the prisoners of war who built the road.

Don't underestimate this position, no matter what era the logistics department is a department with oil and water. Compared to a coolie who hammers rocks all day long, a logistics staff who doesn't have to do heavy work every day, just delivers food and has a lot of free time is living in paradise, although Oward doesn't know why he was so lucky to get the position. But it is clear that he does not refuse this kind of beauty, because he has obviously gained weight during this time.

"Okay, I'm leaving, remember to leave me a meal! Also, don't steal the bottle of wine I put under my bed! After saying this, Oward patted Villa's shoulder, and the latter grinned, "No, Your Excellency, I will drink it up in the open!" ”

"Hehe......" Both of them laughed at the same time.

"Daddy!"

Suddenly, there was a shout not far away, and as soon as Oward turned around, his originally calm face showed a look of disbelief and then joy. Not far from him, a Miaoman's figure was stumbling towards him, this figure Oward was too familiar, wasn't it his favorite baby daughter on weekdays.

"Oh...... God, is ...... It's Erin! ”

Oward's mind went blank at this point. At some point, Erin threw herself into his arms.

"Oh God...... How could it be you...... How could you...... Will be here. At this point, Oward was already a little incoherent.

"Daddy...... It's me, I've come to see you! Irene, who hadn't seen her father for months, was also moved to tears. Tears flowed uncontrollably.

Finally calming down, Oward asked another cook to deliver the food for him, and he walked into the steaming wooden room with his daughter.

"Dad. Do you usually live here? Seeing the environment here, Erin couldn't help but frown.

"Yes, in fact, this place is already good, you haven't seen the living environment of other people, compared to them I am already in heaven, at least there are beds here, mosquito nets and enough to eat, and I can see a doctor when I am sick, what else do I have to disagree with." Compared with four or five months ago, Oward was much calmer at this time, like an old man who had seen through worldly fame and fortune.

Oward moved a stool over and beckoned her daughter to sit down, and Villa, who was nearby, poured her a glass of water.

"Thank you!" Erin thanked Billia politely.

"You're welcome!" Villa nodded, stepped aside and continued his work.

"Erin, I'm fine here, you don't have to worry." Oward continued, looking at Erin as he spoke, after months of not seeing, Erin seemed to have matured a lot, her complexion was fairer and more delicate, and there was a faint charm between her eyebrows.

Seeing this, he nodded: "It seems that you are doing well these days." ”

"Daddy...... I ......"

Erin was a little dissatisfied and wanted to say something, but was interrupted by Oward, "Okay, Erin don't talk about this, let's talk about yourself, are you and your mother okay?" Do you still live in those filthy places? I've heard that there are a lot of bastards out there who harass women, and if you come across that situation, you must not be polite and break their doglegs! By the way, what about Belinda, why didn't she come? ”

"Dad, my mother and I are all fine now, the Marquis chose a maid a few days ago, and I and ...... My mom and I ...... He has been selected to work in the original governor's palace. So...... So you don't have to worry about us, as for why Mom didn't come, it's because we still have work to do, Mom stays to work! ”

By the time Erin said this, her face was as red as a big red cloth, and she and Belinda were not too comfortable these days. Since their mother and daughter rolled the sheets with Yue Yang, Yue Yang had transferred a few maids to come in and dress them, and the current small life was almost no different from the days when she was the governor's daughter. And she has also been trained from an ignorant girl to a woman who eats marrow, and now she is used to serving that man with her mother, and she has begun to enjoy the happiness that that man brings them, and the reason why Belinda doesn't come with her to see Oward today is because she doesn't know how to face him.

"I'm relieved that you're okay." Upon hearing that his wife and daughter were back in the Doge's Palace, Oward was relieved, knowing that he would not have to worry about life and safety, at least in the Doge's Palace.

"That's right, Dad." Irene suddenly said with a burst of emotion, "I heard. In a few days, the Marquis would recruit a group of men who were familiar with navigation and all sorts of techniques to work for him, and if he signed a contract with them, he could work for them as prisoners of war, with a salary of at least five escarpines (silver coins) a month. ”

"What, His Excellency the Marquis of the Ming Kingdom wants to recruit seafaring talents and skilled workers!" Oward and Villa shouted almost at the same time.

"Yes Dad!" Irene said as if offering a treasure: "This is what I have heard, His Excellency the Marquis has asked His Majesty the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty to make Dayuan his fiefdom, which means that Dayuan will belong to him from now on. Moreover, His Excellency the Marquis was still building at least three shipyards in Dayuan, and he needed many skilled seafarers and various technical personnel to work for him, and his subordinates were very lacking in this field, so they recruited from the prisoner of war camps. Moreover, some time ago, His Excellency the Marquis defeated the Spaniards entrenched in Keelung and Tamsui, and it is estimated that in a few days you will see a large number of Spaniards come to build roads with you. ”

"Did the Spaniards also defeat him?" Oward and others, who have been working in the mountains all day to build roads, are very closed. I don't know anything about the outside at all, so I naturally don't know the news that Keelung and Tamsui have been recovered.

"Of course, he's very good, and he has defeated those damn Spaniards in just a few days!" Erin didn't notice an indescribable pride in her words.

It's just that she didn't notice it doesn't mean that others can't hear it, and Oward's eyebrows raised, "Erin, do you have a good relationship with that Marquis?" ”

"Hmm...... Yes...... Not anymore! Erin hurriedly waved her hand.

"Really?" Although Oward has been a prisoner for nearly half a year, he is a person who has been a governor after all, and he still has it in his basic eyes, he stared at Erin for a while before saying, "Erin." It's okay if you have a good relationship with that Marquis, after all, he is a great nobleman of the East. If you can marry him, it will be a good way, and then you and your mother will have a much better life, but I ......" At this point, Oward waved his hand and said no more.

By this time, Irene's body had already stiffened. The little fair face turned bright red again. Could it have been seen by his father at last, but how should he tell him, he can't say don't talk about himself, their mother and daughter have already rolled the sheets with the marquis many times. Have you and your mother been trained by him to be extremely proficient?

"Daddy...... I ......"

Just when Erin didn't know what to say, Oward waved his hand and sighed, "Forget it, don't talk about it." You've grown up, and it's up to you to decide what your future path will be, but you have to remember that you must just take care of your mother, she is weak, don't let people bully her, understand? ”

"Oh...... Got it! ”

Erin, who was originally panicked, let out a long sigh of relief and bowed her head in response, and then muttered to herself, now in the Governor's Palace, except for the three new ladies of the Marquis, where do people dare to be disrespectful to them, but why have I done so many times with the Marquis, why is there still no sign of pregnancy, I heard that the people of the country pay great attention to the inheritance of future generations, as long as I give birth to a child for him, I am afraid that he will marry me immediately, which is much better than being his lover now. The thought that if she could become the Marquis's wife, she could also enjoy the same glory and wealth in the open, Erin's heart was even more excited.

Erin...... Erin......"

I don't know how long it took, Oward's voice rang in Irene's ears.

"Oh...... Dad, what's the matter? Erin, who was distracted, came back to her senses and looked at her father embarrassedly.

"You...... Alas, forget it. Oward sighed and waved his hand, "Forget it, you can go back first." Now that you and your mother have become the maids of the Marquis, I am relieved, at least no one dares to bully you. If you have time to visit me with your mother in the future, you can go back now. ”

"Oh...... Good. Erin, who was weak-hearted, agreed, and she stood up and was heading out, but suddenly remembered something, and untied a burden from her back and handed it to Oward. Dad, here are a few clothes and some food for you and my mom and me. ”

Oward took it and opened it, in addition to a few clothes, there were two roast chickens and three bottles of wine, he couldn't help but whistle loudly and smiled at Villa on the side, "This is really a good thing, Villa, we can have a drink tonight!" Erin, you go back first, I have something to discuss with Uncle Villa. ”

"Okay Dad, then I'll go back first......"

The meeting between the two didn't last long, and Erin was sent back by Oward. It's not that Oward doesn't want to spend more time with his daughter, but he doesn't want anything to happen to Erin here, after all, he is no longer a governor, and his status is not enough to deter the captives who are thieves, robbers, and adventurers.

At this time, Yue Yang, accompanied by Chen Zhenhui, inspected the new dock that was breaking ground.

"My lord, this dock has been designed as a large dock that can build first-class battleships according to your instructions, and this dock can build two battleships at the same time, and it is expected to be completed early next year."

"Hmm. Not bad! Yue Yang nodded, looked at Chen Zhenhui, who had obviously lost a lot of weight, and said with some guilt: "It's been hard work for this time, but this is also something that can't be helped, and the available manpower is too small." In a few days, I will transfer a group of people from Yingzhou Prefecture and Hunyuan Prefecture to help you, so that you don't have to work so hard. ”

Chen Zhenhui shook her head: "Master Hou, don't say that, you have the grace of knowing me, and Xia Guan was just a useless scholar before he met you." It was you who promoted the lower official to the fifth grade general judgment step by step, and the lower official was grateful for the inexplicable hardship. It's just that the lower officials are worried that the court's reward for you will come soon, so you can prepare this morning. ”

"Haha......" Yue Yang smiled. The smile was very sharp: "Dingsheng, you can rest assured, even if the imperial court gives the big man to Benhou as a fief, they will not remove Benhou's envoy so quickly, they think that Benhou has been operating in Shanxi for so many years, will people leave the tea as soon as they leave?" ”

For the little bit of caution in the imperial court, where would Yue Yang not know, but Chongzhen also underestimated him too much. Yue Yang has been operating in Shanxi for so many years, and he has long woven a dense network, not to mention anything else, just the establishment of a huge industrial chain between him and the merchants and gentry from all over Shanxi. Since Yueyang unified Shanxi's salt business, Shanxi's large and small salt merchants have bought at least nearly 3,000 quintals of refined salt from him every month, and if Yueyang loses this supply, the salt market in Shanxi, Jinling and part of the Jiangnan region will fall into a stage of running out of stock within two months.

Although the imperial court can continue to mobilize coarse salt from other places for emergency purposes, will the people who are accustomed to eating those cheap and delicious refined salt eat that expensive and unpalatable coarse salt again?

The answer is naturally no, for this situation, the ancients have long had a famous admonition, from thrift to luxury, from luxury to thrift, once Yueyang is out of stock, not only the people will make trouble, but those vested interest groups will be the first to make trouble. This is only the first step, if Yue Yang let go, the armies he deployed in Liaodong, Shandong, and Xuanda will immediately make a fuss, for no other reason, because these armies were created by him, and no one can command them except him. What's more, their interests also need to be protected by Yueyang, once the imperial court can't protect their vested interests, then the consequences are very terrible, and no one dares to guarantee what will happen to these more than 100,000 elite troops of the Ming Dynasty once they lose control.

After inspecting for another hour, Yue Yang did not return to the governor's palace until it was almost time for dinner. As soon as he entered the hall, he saw Li Xiangjun and the three daughters sitting in the hall chatting, and Belinda was standing aside and waiting, and after seeing Yue Yang come in, Wang Yue jumped up and pounced on Yue Yang with a letter, grabbed his arm, and said with a smile: "Xianggong, you see the princess has a letter!" ”

"Oh......" Yue Yang hugged Wang Yue with one hand and took the letter with the other, but he smiled after reading it, it seems that our Emperor Chongzhen has learned to be well-behaved, and he will play a roundabout tactic and plan to start with the princess, and he also wants to take the princess back to live in the capital.

After thinking about it, Yue Yang said to Wang Yue: "Yue'er, you help Xianggong reply a letter, and tell the princess that it is not impossible to return to Beijing, but you have to wait until after the production, otherwise it will be thousands of miles from Shandong to the capital, what if something happens on the road?" If it weren't for the fact that she is not good at doing things now, I would have taken her to the eldest to give birth. ”

Wang Yue pouted and said, "Xianggong, if the imperial court really divides the big members to you, will we have to live here for a long time?" ”

Yue Yang pinched her little mouth and laughed, "What...... Don't want to stay in the big guys? ”

"It's not true, it's just that the adults are too remote and there are too few people, and people are afraid of being bored." Wang Yue said as she peeked at her husband's face for fear that he would be angry. (To be continued......)