Push the time forward a little, when Lu Shen was working hard for the battle of Razor, Lu Tong was also not idle.

The secret conversation between the father and son in Lai'an City determined the development direction of the Lu family, and while maintaining the scale of the business, they should seize the time to cultivate more henchmen.

Whether it is a variety of skilled craftsmen or young people with military talents, they are all rare talents in this era, and even Lu Tong can't conjure them out of thin air.

He could only travel tirelessly around Huaizhou, on the one hand, to personally inspect those potential candidates who met the criteria, and on the other hand, to accept the entry of local firms at the end of the year.

On the second day of the first month, Lu Tong came to Taixing Mansion.

Huaizhou six mansions, Taixing Mansion as the station of Huaizhou Thorn History, in terms of the degree of development is second only to Guangling Mansion as the center of the north and south banks, the Lu family has more than 20 shops in Taixing Mansion City and the county seat below.

In the afternoon of the same day, Lu Tong had just finished inspecting the first shop in the city when he was very politely invited by the chief of the Assassin's Mansion.

Located in the north city, the Assassin's Mansion is an atmospheric official office that sits on the north and faces south with six paths and five halls of regulation standards, with the square in front of the door, the palace gate, the instrument gate, the main hall, the meeting hall, and the back hall as the central axis, and there are more than 20 palace buildings on the east and west sides.

When he arrived outside the door of the conference hall, Chang Shi stopped and turned around, and said to Lu Tong: "Outside Lu Yuan, Lord Thorn Shi is in the hall, please." ”

This outside the staff is not the other outside, not refers to the official position such as the outside of the staff, at first specifically refers to the person who has a reputation but is idle at home, and then gradually expanded to the honorific title of the country gentleman.

Reasoning, the chief of the Assassin Mansion naturally didn't need to be so respectful, but he obviously knew that the slightly wealthy middle-aged man in front of him was extremely hard-rooted.

"There is a lot of love for you."

Lu Tong bowed, and then walked into the conference hall with an indifferent face.

"Grass people Lu Tong, meet Master Fang Bo."

Lu Tong unhurriedly saluted the middle-aged man in his regular clothes in the hall.

Fang Bo is the honorific title of a prefect such as the Assassin History, but these two words come from the mouth of a businessman, and they have a somewhat unbearable meaning.

The middle-aged man did not show contempt, his face was clear and elegant, his smile was gentle, and his smile was like a spring breeze, it was Yao Chong, the assassin of Huaizhou.

"Brother Lu Xian doesn't need to be polite, you and I are not the first time we have met, why should we be so solemn. Come, please be seated. ”

Yao Chong's tone was gentle, and his words were not deliberate.

The strength of the Lu family firm is among the best in Huaizhou, whether it is the southern invasion of the Yan army last year or the northern expedition of the Huaizhou army this year, the government has used the Lu family firm to stabilize prices to raise grain and grass, the two have met many times before, and naturally they are not nodding friends.

Lu Tong said humbly: "Thanks to Uncle Fang, he doesn't dislike it, but the grass people don't dare to be rude. ”

Yao Chong smiled, as a feudal official in charge of the people's livelihood in a state, how could he ignore the details of a wealthy businessman like Lu Tong under his rule, although he didn't know everything about it, but he also knew that Lu Tong and Xiao Wang, the governor of Huaizhou, had a very close relationship.

The two sat down one after another, and the servant offered fragrant tea, and then quietly and silently retreated.

"The battle of the Northern Expedition went smoothly, and Ling Lang made another meritorious service and helped Xiao Dadu Governor to take several cities, which shows that Lu Xiandi taught his son well, and cultivated such a young and promising young man for Daqi. When I heard this, I couldn't help but clap my hands and make an exception and drank two glasses of water and wine. ”

Yao Chong opened the conversation with a smile on his face, and his words were full of praise for Lu Shen.

If these words came from an ordinary scene, Lu Tong would definitely be happy, but what is the situation now?

When he inspected the shop of his own business, he was suddenly invited by the Assassin Mansion Governor Shi who suddenly appeared to be polite but unquestionable, and on the way, he didn't explain what the Lord of the Assassin Shi was, and after walking into this council hall, Yao Chong also avoided talking about it, anyone with a normal brain knew that there must be something strange in it, let alone Lu Tong, who had been figuring out people's hearts for most of his life.

It's just that compared to Lu Shen's youthful vigor, Lu Tong was obviously more calm, and immediately smiled: "Uncle Fang praises falsely." Although Lu Shen has made small achievements, it is all due to the appreciation and teaching of Governor Xiao, as well as the advice and love of the generals in the army. In fact, he still has a lot of shortcomings, and he needs to calm down and improve himself the most. ”

Yao Chong sighed: "You are too modest. I don't know how many young people in the army are, how many of them can be as outstanding as Lu Shen? Not to mention others, the second son of Governor Xiao Dadu's family history joined the army as a young man, and now he is only the deputy commander of the Guangling Army, and Lu Shen will definitely be able to lead an army alone after this battle. Looking at the hundreds of thousands of border troops in Daqi, the young man who can do this in the year of the weak crown can be said to be the only one. ”

Lu Tong's heart quietly moved.

The so-called obedient and listening, Yao Chong's repeated praise must have hidden some deep meaning.

It is human nature to be a father and praise his son, but with Yao Chong's identity and status, there is no need to deliberately praise Lu Tong's godson. If he wants to close the distance and turn in the knots, a few words of praise are enough, why should he be as thick and colorful as now.

It seems that the person sitting in front of him is not a rich businessman in a state, but a big man at the level of the prime minister above the court.

"Uncle Fang's fist cares, and the grass people thank him on behalf of the dog, but he really can't afford to deserve such praise."

Lu Tong's face was calm.

Yao Chong smiled faintly, and when he saw that the heat had not yet arrived, he diverted the topic and said: "Please come over today, first, I haven't seen each other for a while, and I just learned that you have arrived in Taixing Mansion." The second is that the Lu family firm has contributed a lot before, and I would like to thank you in person on behalf of the Huaizhou Thorn History Mansion. ”

Lu Tong said unhurriedly: "My lord is serious, it is the duty of the Lu family to contribute to the Northern Expedition, how can he take credit?" In fact, the grass people originally had the intention of visiting the adults, thinking that the recent period was the critical period of the Northern Expedition, and the adults must be busy with official business, so they did not dare to come to the door to disturb. ”

"This is an outward sight, if you have free time in the future, you can come to Taixing for a walk."

Yao Chong made the gesture of Corporal Lixian today, and immediately continued the previous topic: "As for the third reason, I heard by chance some time ago that Brother Lu Xian had the experience of joining the army before?" ”

Lu Tong's expression remained unchanged, but he laughed in his heart, and said indifferently: "Don't hide it from Uncle Fang, the grass people did have a period of military experience when they were young. I'm ashamed, the grass people don't know martial arts and don't know anything about military affairs, and they were driven out of the army by the chief officer not long after, and finally had to take over the family's foundation and run the way of business. ”

"It's a blessing rather than a curse."

Yao Chong's expression was gentle, and then he said: "If Brother Lu Xian hadn't left the army, how could there be today's Lu family's righteous businessmen who are rich in wealth and loyal to the country?" Moreover, although Lu Xiandi himself is not in the army, he also cultivated the child Lu Shen, and now he has made many meritorious deeds in the army, which may not prove your ability, which is enough to show that the main general who let you quit the army at the beginning has no ability to know people. ”

Lu Tong didn't take the words, just smiled respectfully.

Yao Chongruo asked unintentionally: "Having said that, I don't know where Brother Lu Xian served in the army in the first place?" ”

When he asked this sentence, Lu Tong's heart suddenly brightened.

He deliberately frowned and thought for a moment, and then said ashamedly: "It's a long time, so I can't remember it for a while, and I hope your lordship will forgive me." Caomin joined the army in March of the first year of Yuankang, and was cleared in the spring of the second year of Yuankang, and still remember that it was the Lingzhou Changshan Army at that time, and it was stationed in the territory of Weinan Road in today's pseudo-Yan. The establishment of the Changshan Army has long been canceled, and the general who cleared the grass people back then was named Han Baichun, I don't know if you have heard of it? ”

"I haven't heard of it."

Yao Chong smiled slightly, but he was a little bored in his heart.

It stands to reason that Lu Tong's military experience will definitely be archived, but this is not the case.

After the Yuanjia Change, Li Duan hurriedly ascended the throne in Yongjia City, and some of the gate lords and magnates in the north crossed to the south in a hurry, who would pay attention to the files and documents of the various ministries in Heluo City?

One or two decades have passed, where can I find the original record?

Although the person back then has not yet died, it is not completely hopeless to really want to track down Lu Tong's resume, but at most it is to confirm a rough idea.

If you follow Zuo Xiang's instructions, it is impossible to connect Lu Tong with the Yang Dashuai back then, at least judging from the information we have now.

Yao Chong judged from Lu Tong's reaction that his account should not be fake, but the Lingzhou Changshan Army had been dismantled before the Yuanjia Change, and that Han Baichun had already died on the battlefield, who could know why he wanted to clear Lu Tong? Who can conclude that this was at the behest of Yang Guangyuan?

In this era of extremely blocked information, if you want to look back on an old incident in the army twenty years ago, Yao Chong asked himself if he had the ability.

So far in the conversation, although Yao Chong has been talking about him left and right, Lu Tong has roughly guessed the other party's true thoughts, so he asked quietly: "Master Fang, could it be that there is something wrong with the grass people's past?" ”

His eyes were slightly sharp.

Yao Chong could naturally feel the change in the demeanor of this middle-aged man, in fact, if he was as Lu Tongming, no matter how rich the Lu family's business was, he would not be taken into account by the history of Yizhou.

However, even regardless of the relationship between Lu Tong and Xiao Wangzhi, just because of Lu Shen's status in the army and the appreciation of the Son of Heaven for him, no official would dare to have a bad attitude towards Lu Tong, an intermediary businessman.

After a moment of silence, Yao Chong finally lifted the first layer of fog, looked directly into Lu Tong's eyes and said, "Brother Lu Xian may not know that there has been a bizarre rumor in Beijing recently, which is related to you and Lu Shen. Zuo was quite concerned about this, so he ordered me to inquire privately to avoid some unnecessary misunderstandings. ”

Lu Tong asked: "It can actually alarm the left minister, but I don't know what rumors it is?" ”

Yao Chong sighed lightly and said word for word: "The rumors are sensational, saying that Lu Shen is not Lu Xiandi's biological son, but the widow of Yang Guangyuan, the criminal minister back then, and you raised him on your behalf. ”

As he said this, his eyes were glued to Lu Tong's face, trying to find clues from the subtle changes in his expression.

(End of chapter)