There are more than 10,000 refugees in the southwest, and this time it has also attracted the attention of various families in the capital.
Duanmujie, Tuoba Lie, Gongyang Jing, Dugu Chen... Representatives from each family gathered together, frowning.
There are many aristocratic families in the Great Zhou Dynasty, but there are less than ten large aristocratic families that can reach a large scale and monopolize high-ranking officials.
"We can't let Liang Xiao succeed again!" Tuoba Lie smiled bitterly and glanced at everyone who also looked uncomfortable.
Liang Xiao's method of recruiting refugees made these big families covet him.
However, they didn't want to give such good treatment.
In their eyes, refugees are basically "untouchables" who are inferior to the local people in the capital.
Of course, the local people in the capital are no better than the "untouchables" in their eyes. It's just that because of the respectability of the aristocratic families, they need popularity and maintain the surface peace.
Behind the scenes, these aristocratic families are still like iron combs, always finding ways to scrape out layers of oil and water from these common people.
"Those refugees are grateful to Liang Xiao. I'm sure that even if Liang Xiao wants to lead them to rebel, they will not look back!" Duanmujie said through gritted teeth.
Gongyang Jing frowned and said: "For the people of the capital, he treats these untouchables so favorably. Doesn't that mean he favors one over the other? Why not start from this aspect and sow discord between the people and him? Furthermore, those untouchables have become workers and have a close relationship with Liang Xiao signed the contract and lost his personal freedom, so we can also send people to encourage them to leave Liang Xiao!"
Everyone's eyes lit up: "Wonderful!"
"But at the moment, we still need to prevent Liang Xiao from recruiting so many grateful refugees and sending people to infiltrate them. It is also unrealistic. Liang Xiao's method of providing work-for-relief should be eliminated from the root." Dugu Chen said with a solemn face.
Everyone was thoughtful: "It's impossible for us to resettle these refugees, right? If we let Hun Jun resettle them, they will be grateful to Hun Jun, isn't that the same thing?"
Dugu Chen glanced at everyone with cold eyes and suddenly smiled.
"From now on, any refugee group that is close to the location of Liang Xiao's industry will be labeled as rebels!"
After Dugu Chen finished speaking, he made a gesture of wiping his neck in front of everyone.
Everyone's hearts trembled. First they were filled with disbelief, and then they all nodded: "That's a way. In this way, it can also intensify the conflict between the imperial court and the local refugees."
Dugu Chen then smiled and said: "First send someone to pay attention to how many workers Liang Xiao will hire! I heard that his bookstore will open soon, and there may be hundreds of workers missing."
Everyone discussed again, and after the meeting ended, Dugu Chen got into the open-air carriage and returned to his ancestral home in the capital.
On the street, Dugu Chen's open-air carriage and a fragrant carriage were walking towards each other.
The curtains of the carriage were opened, and it turned out that Mu Qinxue was looking to the southwest, urging the accompanying cavalry guards: "Hurry up, Mr. Liang should have arrived at the scene."
Dugu Chen, who was thinking, caught a glimpse and couldn't help but lose consciousness.
After Dugu Chen came to his senses, Mu Qinxue's carriage had already gone away.
"Whose lady was that just now?" Dugu Chen asked the coachman urgently.
The coachman said: "Young master, that is Mu Qinxue, the daughter of the Marquis of Dingguo."
Dugu Chen took a deep breath and murmured to himself: "There is such a beautiful and delicate woman in this world. This woman is famous far and wide, and she is a lady..."
But soon, Dugu Chen's eyes returned to coldness: "The 'Mr. Liang' in her mouth must be Liang Xiao. The rumors between them are indeed..."
Filled with jealousy, Dugu Chen punched his leg hard and immediately ordered the coachman to turn around: "Follow me!"
The Da Chu mission also received news about the refugees.
"Little Marquis, I heard that Liang Xiao rushed to the southwest again!"
Xing Feng looked at Li Xinwen, whose eyes were getting more and more ugly: "General Li, do you want to go together to see what other methods Liang Xiao has?"
Li Xinwen sneered: "It's just a way to gain fame. Haven't your family and mine used it before?"
Xing Feng said disapprovingly: "Then he spent all his wealth two years ago to take care of the refugees. Is this just to gain a false reputation?"
Xing Hai echoed: "The little Marquis is right. His kindness to the refugees must be genuine. Recruiting the refugees as workers may be an excellent way he has recently discovered. Moreover, these workers are treated very well, which ordinary people cannot afford. Only he is willing to do so."
Li Xinwen glanced at Xing Feng, got up and returned to his residence.
"Since you appreciate him for this matter, you should go and see him. You don't have to always take care of my deputy envoy's face!"
After Li Xinwen left, Xing Hai said anxiously: "Little Marquis, if she holds such a big prejudice against Liang Xiao again, I'm afraid something bad will happen!"
Xing Feng stood up and said: "I asked her as a matter of routine. Of course she knows that my mother and I have also become refugees. She just didn't want to expose it in public. Let's go."
…
An hour later.
Tens of thousands of refugees, mobilized by the Zhou Dynasty's special pacification department, stayed at the southwest gate of the capital.
There are still some dignitaries on the city wall watching the scene, hoping to learn some experience from Liang Xiao, who has recently become famous.
In addition to Gu Pingxiu and others, Liang Xiaoer also came with the elderly and children from some workers' families, who were responsible for assisting the refugees.
According to Liang Xiao, old people who were once refugees can give these refugees a certain sense of intimacy, and these children can take this opportunity to cultivate kindness and gratitude.
This time, Liang Xiao's team brought dry food that was easier to carry and chew and swallow, making it easier to give aid. After all, there were too many refugees coming this time.
Gu Pingxiu stood aside, looking in awe at Liang Xiao who was mobilizing young and old.
The increase in the number of refugees was not conducive to public security in the capital, and it would also bring disgrace to his master. After all, the Ministry of Revenue had always opposed the emperor's use of national treasury silver specifically to appease the refugees.
Liang Xiao solved this problem perfectly by using a work-for-relief method of recruitment.
And now, their master is slowly getting rich...
"Master Marquis, there is a middle-aged man who has been refusing to accept solid food!"
A boy was holding a scallion pancake and pointing at the middle-aged man in the distance with a sad look on his face.
Liang Xiao patted his shoulder, told the boy to rest first, and walked towards the middle-aged man in the distance.
This man had a stubble on his face, and his face was sallow. He looked at Liang Xiao and said, "Are you a good person?"
Liang Xiao thought of the allusion of "food that comes from afar", nodded, and asked: "These onion pancakes are free, you can't eat them, or are you?"
"Boss, let's do some work for you first and then take it away!" the middle-aged man said seriously.
Liang Xiao was stunned and looked at the family of more than a dozen people behind him. They were all sallow and thin. They looked at the scallion pancakes in the distance and swallowed their saliva.
Seeing this, Liang Xiao was secretly amazed.
"Let's do some work for you..." This group of family members agreed one after another.
Liang Xiao smiled and said: "Eat first, then work again when you have the strength."
"No, no, no, this is my family's ancestral motto, boss, wait until we do some work before accepting the reward!" the middle-aged man said firmly.
Seeing the firm eyes of this group of people, Liang Xiao thought for a moment and said with a smile: "Then give these old men who give out cakes a pat on the back."
The middle-aged man was stunned for a moment, then nodded with a smile and called on his family members to give the old people a pat on their shoulders.
Xing Feng, who was on the tower, quickly learned about the conversation between Liang Xiao and the middle-aged man from the subordinates who went upstairs, and sighed to the people accompanying him: "This man can maintain the dignity of others. In the future, there will definitely be many capable people under his command, and he should not be underestimated." , it’s a pity that it’s not in Dachu.”
Everyone in the Dingguo Hou Mansion of Da Chu nodded repeatedly and looked at Liang Xiao with even more awe.
A quarter of an hour later, Liang Xiao stopped the middle-aged family and said, "Okay, you can eat with confidence. This is your reward."
The middle-aged family was relieved. After thanking them, they wolfed down the dry food and water.
After they had eaten, Liang Xiao called the middle-aged man in private and asked, "I wonder what your name is?"
The middle-aged man replied respectfully: "My surname is Pu, my given name is Yuan, I am from Bashu, and my family has been a blacksmith for generations."
