Li Xing actually said it casually before, but he didn't expect Jiang Hong to think about it.

There was no way, when he returned to the county office, he exchanged a copy of "My Struggle" for Jiang Hong.

I just prayed in my heart that the prince wouldn't be too crooked.

The prince took the book and left.

Li Xing was almost tired and lay down every day.

When he was about to go back to his room to rest, Tranquility came to report that Zhao Shiji had asked to see him and was already waiting in the flower hall.

This made Li Xing obviously stunned.

Didn't Zhao Shiji arrange to go to the coal mine?

Coming to the county without permission, could it be that something happened in the coal mine?

Thinking of this, Li Xing didn't dare to slack off, and hurried to the flower hall.

Seeing Li Xing's arrival, Zhao Shiji hurriedly saluted Li Xing.

Li Xing hurriedly supported him and said, "Mr. Zhao, don't be polite, come all the way, is there something going on in the mine?" ”

Zhao Shiji shook his head: "It's okay in the mine, everyone acts in accordance with the rules and regulations, and the students come to see the adults because they have two things they want to tell the adults." ”

Hearing that there was nothing wrong with the mine, Li Xing couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Only then did he say to Zhao Shiji: "Mr. Zhao, please speak." ”

"My lord, now that Lingwu New City is being built, several brick factories have been opened, and the amount of coal needed has skyrocketed, although there is a large influx of displaced people in Lingwu County, but the labor force is still not enough, the students suggest that they buy some slaves to increase the labor force."

"Slaves?"

Li Xing was stunned for a moment, and then his eyes began to glow.

He, a modern man, is one step behind the ancients.

Most of these slaves were honest peasants, and the reason why they became slaves was not because they could not survive in the great drought, so they had to be sold into slavery.

If they can be bought, as long as they work as slaves in Lingwu County, they will be stripped of their slave status.

In the future, these people will not be loyal to the death.

More importantly, if a place wants to develop, it needs a lot of labor.

So without waiting for Zhao Shiji to say anything more to persuade him, Li Xing had already made a decision.

"This is a big deal, you go and do it yourself, and all the expenses are counted in the county."

Li Xing finished speaking.

Zhao Shiji shook his head and said: "My lord, I'm afraid you still need to come forward in person in this matter, the identity of the student is just a showman, and according to the laws of Great Xia, he is not qualified to buy slaves." ”

"This is an oversight on the part of the Lord."

Only then did Li Xing remember that there was indeed such a clause in the Great Xia Law, which only allowed people and officials above the ninth rank to buy and raise slaves.

"Do you know the big slave traders?"

Zhao Shiji shook his head: "I don't know each other, but the student heard that there is a slave market in Yangquan County, and the owner behind it is the sister of His Majesty today, Zhou Shichang, the concubine of Princess Yangquan." ”

"The royal business is quite extensive, and you still do this business?"

Li Xing was also scorched by thunder on the outside and tender on the inside.

This royal is wonderful.

Who knew that at this time, Zhao Shiji suddenly lowered his voice and said: "It's not royal, in fact, behind it is the Zhou family, Princess Yangquan is the daughter of the Empress Dowager Zhou, and Zhou Shichang is the second son of the Zhou family." ”

If the Zhou family controlled the slave trade, Li Xing would understand.

It is no wonder that the imperial court has been relieving the northwest of the disaster, and Zhou Zhicheng, the head of the household department, has been prevaricating with the emptiness of the treasury.

Even if the emperor forcibly issued an edict, Li Xing's cheap father Xing Guogong maneuvered from it, and the relief grain that Li Xing shipped to Lingwu when he took office was only a quarter of what was said in the holy decree.

Li Xing also reflected at this time, Zhao Shiji did not buy slaves, and his identity was only one of them.

It is likely that he will go to buy it, and the Zhou family will be embarrassed.

So Li Xing was no longer entangled at this time and asked Zhao Shiji.

"What about the other thing?"

Zhao Shiji didn't answer immediately, but looked at Li Gou'er and the tranquility of the waiter, and whispered: "My lord, this matter is very important, I want to talk to you alone." ”

"Hmm."

Li Xing responded and said to Li Gou'er: "No one is allowed within a hundred steps of my study." ”

"Yes, young master."

Li Gou'er responded, and Tranquility went to the door of the flower hall to guard it obediently, not letting anyone approach.

Entering the study, Zhao Shiji did not say anything immediately, but began to undress.

This shocked Li Xing: "Zhao Shiji, what are you going to do?" ”

"Don't misunderstand, the student just keeps a map close to him and needs to take it out."

After Zhao Shiji explained, Li Xingcai breathed a sigh of relief.

Then he complained angrily: "What will you do in the future, say in advance, you will take off your clothes when you come in like this, and the official still thinks you have broken sleeves!" ”

Zhao Shiji said yes again and again.

Then he untied the thread of the inner lining, took out a square cloth painted with blood from it, held it in both hands, and respectfully handed it to Li Xing.

Li Xing took it and didn't understand it after watching it for a long time.

looked at Zhao Shiji, who was getting dressed, with some embarrassment: "What is this?" Why can't I understand it? ”

"My lord, this is the location map of the iron and copper mines, and I was handed over to them when I met me halfway from the absenteeism who escaped from the mine."

After speaking, he suddenly remembered something, and added: "That person is Yang You's relative, after handing it over to me, let me quickly flee from Lingwu, so as not to be found and killed, and begged me to rescue the villagers, so the student went to Kyoto to join his uncle." ”

"Iron and copper mines controlled by the Liu family?"

Li Xing asked.

Zhao Shiji hesitated for a moment, bowed to Li Xing, and then said: "My lord, the student thinks no, iron ore and copper ore are the lifeblood of the country, and if the Liu family wants to monopolize it, other families will definitely not agree, so the student deduces that these families in control of the northwest should have interests in it." ”

Zhao Shiji's analysis is reasonable.

This also coincides with Li Xing's inner thoughts.

This is also the reason why Li Xing did not ask Liu's family after Master Liu's suicide.

After all, the strength of Lingwu County is still very limited, and it is okay to fight against the mountain bandits, if the major families lose face and join forces directly, unless he exchanges the Makqin machine gun, he will not be able to fight against those families at all.

The exchange price of a Maxim machine gun is one million prestige, and that's not counting bullets.

And he doesn't have that much prestige at all now.

So Li Xing chose temporary forbearance.

"This official also thinks the same way, so this matter can't be rushed, and it must be thought out slowly."

Li Xing said this, paused, and returned the map to Zhao Shiji: "The Liu family has been destroyed, and Yang You's relatives should not have confessed to you, so now it is safe for you to hold this map, find a time to draw it again, and then give it to the official, the official will be upright, at most three months, and rescue those villagers." ”

"The students are here to thank the adults on behalf of the villagers."

Seeing Li Xing's promise, Zhao Shiji pouted.

"Bang bang bang."

Zhao Shiji's head was as if he had picked it up, and he knocked his head three times in a row.

Blood broke out of his forehead.