After persuading Zhang Rui to retreat, Zhang Chengsong went to arrange for the bandits to be imprisoned, and then returned to the office study in the inner hall of the Yamenli courtyard.
In front of his office and study, Zhang Chengsong saw Yuan Meide, who had removed his official clothes, standing there with his hands behind his back, waiting for him. So, he quickly went up and raised his hands and asked:
"Sir! Why are you standing here?"
Yuan Meide heard the sound and turned around.
At this time, Zhang Chengsong handed over the five hundred taels of silver note Zhang Rui had given him with both hands. Yuan Meide took the banknote silently and put it skillfully into his sleeve.
After all, the expenses of the prefect are not small, and there is not much money to be made in such a poor and remote place, so five hundred taels is not a bad income.
Yuan Meide said to Zhang Chengsong with great satisfaction: "Master Zhang, you're welcome. Butler Sun will give you twenty taels of hard-earned money later."
"The student would like to thank you, sir." Zhang Chengsong quickly saluted and thanked you. He didn't expect that Yuan Meide would be so generous this time.
"Yes." Yuan Meide was very happy when he heard this. I was secretly happy: "Sure enough, it's much easier to deal with smart and sensible people."
"What did that stupid guy with muddy legs just want to catch up with and say?"
"My lord, he wants your lord to reward him with some property or an official position." As he said that, Zhang Chengsong couldn't help but laugh at Zhang Rui's stupid smile.
After Yuan Meide heard Zhang Chengsong's words, he couldn't help but look down on Zhang Rui in his heart, and laughed and cursed:
"This mud-legged guy is so stupid. Do you think he is really stupid or just stupid enough? He still wants a reward? Can he ask for an official position? The biggest reward for him is that I didn't jail him on the spot. But he seems to be He still has some money, do you know where he came from?"
"Just now, the student has already found out about the bandit leader. He calls himself Zhang Rui, also known as Zhang Liu, and his subordinates call him Liu Ge." Zhang Chengsong replied.
"The bandits said that they and others were betrayed by the traitor below, and they were ambushed by him without paying attention when they returned to the stronghold. He had about fifty or sixty people with bows and arrows, so they were captured."
After listening to Zhang Chengsong's account, Yuan Meide sighed secretly: "There are actually fifty or sixty people under his command. No wonder they dare to look at me. Fortunately, I didn't anger him on the spot, otherwise his stupid temper would hurt him." It’s not worth the loss.”
"Do you know how he has so many subordinates and money?" Yuan Meide continued to ask.
"It's not clear why there are so many subordinates, but the silver was probably taken from the hands of the bandits. According to the bandit leaders, he should have 80,000 taels of silver in his hands. And he likes to spend money everywhere, and especially likes to treat people to dinner. Sending money." Zhang Chengsong looked regretful when he said that he was sending money everywhere.
"Eighty thousand taels of silver?" Yuan Meide was very enthusiastic after hearing this. He did not expect that this country bumpkin could be so rich in such shabby clothes. When I thought that this guy would write such a complaint to Zhang Chengsong for five hundred taels, I felt very sad.
It seems that he has not seen the world and does not understand the benefits of money. He has a huge wealth but does not know how to use it.
If you have some money, you can ventilate your head and walk around. It is impossible to say that I could be transferred to a prosperous place in the south of the Yangtze River, which would be a hundred or a thousand times better than working in this remote place. I'm fed up with living in this poor place all day long in the open air with nothing to gain.
Therefore, Yuan Meide secretly thought in his heart: "Zhang Rui, although I hate you to the core, but because of the money in your hand, I will forgive you for the time being. Don't you want a reward? I will give it to you. Get an official position and see if you will be grateful."
"Master Zhang, that stupid guy... Zhang Rui wants a half-official position, doesn't he? Then I will find a way to give him a half-official position, and then you will find a way to get all his money."
"Yes, sir." Zhang Chengsong replied
"Well... you go and do your work first! I am busy with official duties." With that said, Yuan Meide walked to the rest area in the inner courtyard as if nothing had happened.
…
After Zhang Rui and others came out of the Yamen, they wandered around Wuzhou Mansion Street as if they had nothing to do.
Although Wuzhou Prefecture cannot be compared with Guangzhou Prefecture, it is definitely not comparable to the towns or counties surrounding Datong Village.
The wide streets (in the eyes of the team members) are densely populated with various shops.
There are firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar and tea shops, clothing and cloth shops, restaurants and restaurants, carriage shops, escort agencies, gold and silver jewelry shops, casinos and brothels, weapons and blacksmith shops... there are all kinds of them.
The "busy" streets made the Swordsmen and Shield Soldiers stare blankly at each other.
At this time, although the sword and shield soldiers felt the bustling streets, they were a little scared. I felt a little out of place and felt out of place. Only by following Zhang Rui closely did I feel at ease.
In their opinion, as long as Zhang Rui is here, there is no need to worry if the sky falls, because Brother Six will definitely help them solve the problem.
"Everyone, you are all hungry. Let's go eat together." Zhang Rui said to the people behind him
"Fortunately, Sixth Brother, eating here is probably not cheap! Otherwise, it would be much more cost-effective if we eat elsewhere."
…
Everyone advised:
"It's okay. It's rare for everyone to come to the state capital. Just treat me as having a meal like this." Zhang Rui continued to talk to everyone.
"Although Sixth Brother said so, I still think it's not worth it..."
…
Everyone still feels uncomfortable, and this discomfort implies low self-esteem. They felt that they could wait outside for Zhang Rui to come out after finishing their meal, instead of going into a restaurant to eat, for fear that others would say they were waiting for a bumpkin.
…
In the end, under Zhang Rui's insistence, all the bandit suppression teams followed Zhang Rui into a restaurant called "Tianxiang House".
The waiter in the shop was very nervous when he saw more than 20 people holding steel knives, but he couldn't say he was scared. After all, this was the inner city of Wuzhou Prefecture, and there was usually no direct trouble without opening his eyes.
Although they were visitors, the waiter looked at Zhang Rui and others as they didn't look like wealthy people, so he looked down upon them. And this group of bandit-suppressing team members who were not afraid of fighting could not hold their heads up due to the contempt of the waiter.
Zhang Rui gave the waiter a hard lesson and took out a large ingot of silver. Only then did the bandit suppression team members raise their heads one after another, and followed Zhang Ruihu to eat and drink in front of the whole table of delicious food.
…
Coming out of "Tianxiang Tower", bypassing the "prosperous" inner city area of the state capital, you will find a unique outer street as you exit.
This is the place where civilians and rich people meet. Most of the black trade, human trafficking, etc. are located on this street.
Zhang Rui and others walked along, and the crowded street was actually filled with children and even women with straws in their heads.
All of them were sallow and thin, standing there listlessly and numbly. There are some land scoundrels and wealthy young men who are teasing and teasing those who sell their children, daughters and wives. There are also some rich housekeepers who come to buy slaves.
Passing by here, I saw these poor people who were selling their children and selling their daughters to suffer from hunger and emaciation. The bandit suppression team members suddenly felt lucky, especially some of the people who had eaten so much and burped from wine just now.
"If it weren't for Sixth Brother, I don't think my family might be like this this year! Can we still have enough to eat like now?"
When passing by some children who were crying and hungry and wanted to eat, Zhang Rui stopped. Zhang Rui thought that he was cruel enough, but it seems that he was not cruel enough.
The anti-bandit team members stopped behind Zhang Rui one after another. They looked at the children crying and saying they were hungry. They felt very sad. They remembered that there had been times when they cried and said they were hungry at home.
The seven women even shed tears, suddenly feeling guilty in their hearts. I couldn't help but think that the delicious meal that I and others just had was a waste of money. If that meal were replaced by steamed buns, I don't know how many children could be fed.
"Brother Six, what's wrong?" the first bandit suppression team member looked at Zhang Rui who stopped and asked.
"Team 2, go and buy all the steamed buns nearby. Team 1, take a fancy to the people selling their sons, daughters, and wives here. Go tell them that I'll treat them to a meal. Don't let others come in for petty gains." Zhang Rui said to the bandit suppression team members beside him
"good."
"Brother Six, don't worry...I'm optimistic about them."
The bandit suppression team members immediately became enthusiastic and answered one after another.
"Sure enough, Sixth Brother just can't see us poor people suffering."
"Well, Sixth Brother, we also want to help, okay?" the women said one after another
"Go!"
Zhang Rui replied
