Zhou An became proficient here, and on the other side, the fat merchant Qi Shuo had already left the blacksmith shop.

Along the way, he remained silent, but his brow kept furrowing, as if he was thinking about something.

The guards next to him didn't say much, and walked forward silently.

These guards are also old men from the Hengtong Chamber of Commerce.

Everyone understands that there are things that you can't ask more.

The direction Qi Shuo went to was the direction where the county government was located, and it didn't take long to arrive at the county office.

There were two catchers standing at the door.

Normally, there is no one standing at the door.

These fishers are used to fishing, where will they be on duty at the door?

But today is different.

The new county order took office and didn't let them fish.

Unless everyone can not eat this bowl of rice like Zhou An and Yu Hang, otherwise, they still have to carry out the orders issued by the county magistrate.

"Stop, what's the matter with you?"

Catch quickly stopped Qi Shuo and shouted.

Their temper is not very good today, after all, the days of touching fish in the past have passed, and it is uncomfortable for anyone to change them, so the voice shouted is naturally much louder.

Qi Shuo's brows furrowed.

The brand of Hengtong Chamber of Commerce is very big, and a small catcher dares to shout at him.

That is, thinking that this is a small county, and there may not be people who know the goods, Qi Shuo did not take it to heart.

"Lao Bo passed on the county order, and said that his old acquaintance was here." Qi Shuo said.

The two catchers looked at each other, and one of them told them to wait here, and ran into the county office.

It didn't take long for Wu Youde to come out of it.

When he came out, he lifted the hem, hurriedly, and quickly, and stepped out along the threshold of the county office.

"Brother Qi, I didn't expect you to arrive so soon, go, come into the house with me and talk in detail." Wu Youde looked eager.

Seeing this, the two little catchers quickly moved their eyes to the distant sky.

They also knew that the county magistrate seemed to attach great importance to this businessman, so they pretended not to see it.

Qi Shuo nodded lightly, but the politeness was in place, and he arched his hand: "Wu County Order, please take a step first." ”

Wu Youde did not refuse, waved his sleeves, and led the way in front.

The two walked along the door and into the county office.

In the county office, the catchers also began to get busy, and they did not return to the salted fish of the past.

"Lord Wu is new here, so he will be obedient to the rule here, and he is really a master." Qi Shuo saw this scene and said with a smile.

"Where, where, it's just doing my part, let's go into the inner courtyard with me and talk about it in detail." Wu Youde began to take Qi Shuo and the others to the inner courtyard.

Soon, they walked down the alley of the outer courtyard into the inner courtyard.

Wu Youde doesn't have real estate here, so he can only live in the county office, but fortunately, the conditions here are still good.

Qi Shuo glanced around, asked the guards to guard outside, and followed Wu Youde into the room.

After Wu Youde entered the room, he closed the door with his backhand, poured two cups of tea, and handed one to Qi Shuo.

"It's simple here, and there's no good tea, but I brought this tea from the capital, try it."

Qi Shuo just took a shallow sip and put down the teacup: "It's not a good tea, Lord Wu, let's not talk about it, let's go directly to the important process." ”

Wu Youde nodded, came to the table on the side, turned out a stack of files, and put them on the table.

"Brother Qi, when I came here, the first thing I did was to touch all the situation here, and the general situation is also here, in fact, it is very simple, as long as we develop the economy in the county, then I have a great chance of going back."

"I can pass the first hurdle of the selection, and I believe that I can pass the second hurdle, after all, I am still very confident in my talent."

When Wu Youde praised himself, he didn't blush at all, and was even very proud.

Qi Shuo picked up a few books casually, flipped through them, and then put them aside with interest.

When Wu Youde saw this state, he secretly said in his heart that it was not good, and he couldn't figure out the reason, so he didn't say a word.

Qi Shuo was originally a fat man, but at this time, the momentum on his body began to become shrewd.

The light emitted from those small eyes made Wu Youde feel a little uncomfortable.

After a while, Qi Shuo organized his language and said slowly: "Lord Wu wants to develop the economy, and we are very willing, so we came here." ”

"To tell the truth, when I was in the capital, the reason why Lord Wu received funding from our Hengtong Chamber of Commerce was also because we saw that Lord Wu's talent was good."

"This incident was an accident, but it was not a bad ending, but a good one, I really didn't expect that Anding County would have this way to make a fortune."

Speaking of this, Qi Shuo rubbed his hands with excitement on his face.

What could be more important to a businessman than to make a fortune.

If you really have to choose one, it's to make a fortune with a muffled voice.

"What's the way to get rich?" Wu Youde asked.

The Hengtong Chamber of Commerce is the background he left in the capital.

It's not a background, it's just when the Chamber of Commerce sponsored it. Gave him a lot of money.

Since then, Wu Youde has relied on his own cleverness to tie his position in the capital to the Hengtong Chamber of Commerce.

In fact, like this situation, Hengtong has a lot.

The most important thing for those of them who are businessmen is to be able to dredge up relationships.

Sometimes the better the relationship, the more benefits you can get.

For example, if you want to open a branch here now, you need someone like Wu Youde.

They were able to save themselves a lot of trouble.

Qi Shuo felt that he had said so much, and his mouth was a little dry.

After taking a sip of tea, I organized the language and said the follow-up.

"Iron ore."

Qi Shuo said slowly: "Anding County is rich in iron ore. ”

Iron ore?

Wu Youde was slightly stunned when he heard this answer, but quickly reacted.

"But Brother Qi, the mines are in the hands of the imperial court, and you can't get this money."

In these years, mines are an important strategic material.

Able to craft weapons and wage war.

It can also be used to build various agricultural tools to improve the agricultural income of the imperial court.

It's possible to build other things.

It's a very important resource anyway.

The Great Chu State has a firm grip on these resources.

If anyone dares to touch it, no matter how high he sits, it is estimated that he will lose his head.

"Lord Wu thinks too much, our Hengtong Chamber of Commerce looks very big, but Your Majesty's words can make us fall apart, how dare we touch these forbidden things?"

Qi Shuo shook his hand, indicating that this sentence was serious.

In these days, ordinary people want to move mines, and the procedures required are very complicated.

Let's say a blacksmith.

Every blacksmith is registered with the imperial court, and there will be a detailed record of both height and appearance and voice.

Only then can you get mineral resources, and you have to spend your own money to buy them.

The advantage of being registered is that as long as something is done, it can be found out.

Wu Youde said he was flustered.

What he was worried about was Qi Shuo's idea of hitting iron ore.

As a local prefectural magistrate, it is true that it holds iron ore in its hands.

But these things are all recorded.

When the time comes, the official will be dismissed at least and beheaded at the worst, and no one can stand this.

But hearing Qi Shuo's meaning, it seemed that he had other plans, so he continued to listen.

Qi Shuo cautiously and solemnly, took out a piece of paper from his arms.

"Lord Wu, there are things that you still need to understand, you can't say that you are in a remote place now, so you don't understand the information."

A piece of paper is placed on the table.

Wu Youde picked up the paper, and after reading it carefully, he said in surprise: "Your Majesty has opened up the authority, and now businessmen can also pour iron ore, but they can only buy it with the Great Chu Kingdom." ”

This news was indeed surprising to him.

He is a scholar, and he came here inexplicably, where would he care about this?

Qi Shuo shook his head and said: "Not long ago, the holy decree that was made, to be precise, cannot be regarded as a purchase, but a mining right. ”

"Our Majesty, you really plan to make a big difference."

Wu Youde asked, "What do you say?" ”

When Qi Shuo heard this, his brows furrowed.

He always felt that the guy in front of him seemed to be a little unbright.

In these years, after the scholar is admitted, in addition to managing the affairs of the family and the country, it is important to figure out the holy will.

Your Majesty issued a holy decree, and if the people below don't figure it out, it's easy to get into trouble.

Qi Shuo felt that Wu Youde didn't seem to be very good at figuring it out.

But it was already at this time, and he couldn't make a temporary substitution, so he could only say slowly.

"There are many benefits to giving up mining rights."

"First of all, by allowing us to exploit mineral resources in a specific area, we can reap huge benefits."

"Secondly, mining rights can provide important tax revenues and allow people to earn income from mining."

"In addition, mining rights can also attract more businessmen and promote further development."

"Finally, the chamber of commerce that holds the right to exploit can improve its competitiveness and status through resource extraction."

"In short, mining rights have important strategies for individuals, the imperial court, and the chamber of commerce."

Qi Shuo didn't care whether Wu Youde understood it or not, so he said all his analysis.

Wu Youde was also very confused when he heard it, but the overall feeling was that this thing was decentralized, and everyone was beneficial.

"I see, the reason why Brother Qi said that even if I go to Anding County, I will have the support of the Hengtong Chamber of Commerce, it is actually for the iron mine."

Although Wu Youde can't figure out the holy will, once it comes to his own interests, he thinks a lot.

"For iron ore?"

When Qi Shuo heard this, his brows furrowed even deeper, and he was already not very happy in his heart.

"Master Wu reads a lot, but when he speaks, he still has to pay attention to measure."

It's hard to hear, and even though that's what they planned, at least they have to get over it for the sake of face.

"Win-win? Got it? Qi Shuo said.

Wu Youde also heard that the other party was unhappy, and nodded hurriedly, indicating that it was indeed a win-win situation.

"Originally, it was very uncomfortable today, Brother Qi's explanation, I felt a lot more comfortable, I invited Brother Qi to dinner in the evening, and gave Brother Qi a pick-up."

After coming, of course, you have to pick up the wind and wash the dust, which is the norm.

Qi Shuo was a little curious: "In this acre of three-point land, you are the number one, how can you be uncomfortable?" ”

"Don't mention it, there's a thorn in the head, I said I wouldn't do it in the morning, it's really shameless, don't let me meet him to commit a crime, if I really encounter it, I will definitely deal with it seriously." Wu Youde suddenly thought of Zhou An's face, and he was so angry that he couldn't stand it.

Qi Shuo was just having fun, and didn't go deeper.

Then the two chatted for a while, but the more they talked, the more Qi Shuo felt that Wu Youde was a bit short-sighted.

I didn't see it when I was in the capital before, but when I arrived in Anding County, this short-sightedness became more and more exposed.

Especially the fast catch that Wu Youde was talking about, saying that he must find the field and so on, he always felt a little redundant.

If it were him, he would definitely not have had trouble with a catcher.

The reception feast is going on as usual.

The other side.

Zhou An had already gone home at noon.

Until the evening, he had been practicing the Ku Ding Ox Knife Technique in his room.

When it was time to eat, Yu Hang came to the house with a basket of vegetables and meat.

"Whole, dinner!"

Yu Hang said happily.

Since the fight was not fast, the two have been idle, one is liver proficiency, the other is reading, but they haven't had a meal together for a long time.

Today, Yu Hang plans to start a start.

He even brought a jar of wine.

"Yo, Lao Yu, you can break the bill today." Zhou An saw this dish and quipped.

Even if he had a dinner on weekdays, he didn't see Yu Hang buy so much meat.

"Aren't you happy, the selection will not take a few days, and after the selection, it will be the turn of the imperial examination." Yu Hang said with a smile.

"When the time comes, I have to leave Anding County first, and I have to get together with my brothers."

Zhou An understood and asked, "When are you leaving?" ”

At present, the inspection work is coming to an end, and the selection examination has not been scheduled for long.

Counting the round-trip journey, it is estimated that it will take half a month in total.

Yu Hang said: "We have to advance a few days in advance, it is estimated that it will not be long." ”

"Then you don't have to make a big fish and a big meat today." Zhou Andao.

Yu Hang put the vegetable basket on the table: "Have some wine tonight, there are some things I want to talk to you about." ”

Zhou An hadn't seen Yu Hang very solemn yet, it was estimated that there was something important, so he didn't ask much, and went to the kitchen to cook first.

It's better to talk at the table when the time comes.

It doesn't take long for the dish to be ready.

The two sat at the table, looking at each other.

Yu Hang poured a bowl of wine for Zhou An, poured a bowl himself, touched the glasses, and drank it in one gulp.

Zhou An also drank the wine in the cup.

He's not a good drinker, and he doesn't usually like to drink, but that doesn't mean he can't drink.

In a situation like this, it doesn't matter if you have a drink.

"Lao Yu, I always feel that you have something on your mind, and now that you have drunk wine and eaten food, it is time to talk about it." Zhou An took a bite of the freshly fried back to the pot.

Yu Hang filled the wine again, also ate a bite of meat, as if he had made up his mind, took out a book from his arms, and put it on the table.

"Lao Zhou, I think I still have to give you this thing."

Zhou An was slightly stunned and picked up the book.

When he saw the words on the book, his brow furrowed.

"Water burial method, Lao Yu, where did you get the book? You haven't cultivated, have you? ”

What is recorded in this book is the water burial method in the Five Elements Burial Method.

He couldn't understand why Yu Hang had this.

Yu Hang drank the wine dry, with confusion in his eyes: "Heh, it's a coincidence, Chen County's order gave it, not long ago, he found me......"

(End of chapter)