Early the next morning.
Fu Youde received a secret letter from Hepu County.
"Marquis Changxing, come read this letter. His Highness the Crown Prince has asked us to lead our troops south now and meet them in Hepu County."
Fu Youde showed Geng Bingwen Zhu Biao's secret letter and asked with confusion on his face:
"Hepu County is just a small area. It is already difficult to feed 100,000 people. Now we are actually asked to go to Hepu County."
"Can we support our army of 100,000 people there?"
Geng Bingwen read the secret letter carefully. After seeing the content clearly, he said softly:
"His Royal Highness is not someone who cannot distinguish priorities. Since he suggested that we go to Hepu County, it certainly makes sense."
"And Hepu County is close to the sea. Even if there is not enough food and grass, the food and grass can be transported by sea."
"Unlike here, food and grass are transported from Yingtian by water first and then by land. There are hundreds of thousands of mountains in between, which is really too troublesome."
After hearing this, Fu Youde still felt that it was not easy to handle, and said in embarrassment:
"The Emperor asked us to come here in the southwest to reform the land and return it to the people."
"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince asked us to go to Hepu County first. Who should we listen to?"
Geng Bingwen was also confused. There was an old man and a son.
It stands to reason that he should listen to the emperor and I, but Zhu Biao is located in Hepu County, no more than three hundred miles away from Fu Youde and others.
It can be said that Zhu Biao may know more about the situation in the southwest than they do.
Given the character of His Highness the Crown Prince, it is absolutely impossible for him to delay state affairs without any aim. Such an arrangement must make sense.
"I think it's better for me to go first!"
"When you get to know the situation over there, you can guard the central army here and we can discuss it when I come back."
"Otherwise, if a hundred thousand troops run back and forth, I'm afraid the morale of the troops will be shaken."
Geng Bingwen proposed the most secure plan. Fu Youde pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement and said:
"In this case, I will trouble Marquis Changxing!"
Geng Bingwen said goodbye to Fu Youde, took dozens of soldiers, and headed south, heading straight for Hepu County.
...
Since Li Jin conspired with Lan Yu and Zhu Biao a few days ago, the people of Hepu County have discovered that large-scale construction has begun on many vacant lands in Hepu County recently.
Not only the ownerless land, but also some properties occupied by other people were also bought by people in a low-key manner.
By the time everyone reacted, the entire Hepu County had already begun a vigorous infrastructure construction operation.
It was just at this time that the real estate and land in Hepu County were all bought by mysterious people at low prices. Then these mysterious people began to build brothels, restaurants, inns, and large-scale entertainment venues on the purchased land. Clubhouse.
As if overnight, Hepu County has undergone earth-shaking changes.
But these changes make Hepu people feel baffled.
The reason is simple. Although there are some common people here in Hepu County, they are all poor. Why do they need so many entertainment facilities?
It is already extremely difficult for them to barely survive in Hepu County. How can they have money to visit these entertainment facilities?
However, the construction of Hepu County will not stop because of the people's doubts, but will intensify.
The entire Hepu County seems to have become a big construction site.
Not only the county seat of Hepu County is constantly expanding its real estate, but also the official roads outside Hepu County have been added to four in a row to provide convenience to Hepu County.
In addition, Hepu County's ports and terminals, as well as various factories, are also rising.
Behind all this, standing naturally are Li Jin, Zhu Biao Lanyu and others.
For wages, ordinary people and native people began to respond to Hepu County's call and actively participated in this unprecedented large-scale infrastructure construction.
When Geng Bingwen arrived in Hepu County, he saw such a scene.
Construction is going on everywhere, and all the people are like tireless machines, busy shuttling back and forth on the construction site.
It wasn't just men who worked, women were also recruited to cook and wash.
It can be said that the entire Hepu County has been mobilized to prepare for the upcoming opening of the sea.
Geng Bingwen had been in the court for such a long time, but he had never seen such a grand scene. This scene shocked him very much.
But thinking that His Highness the Crown Prince was in the city now, he must have made these things, and I felt extremely admirable for the Crown Prince Zhu Biao.
The prince is only twenty, but he can do such great things. He will definitely be a wise king in the future.
I was thinking about how to find Prince Zhu Biao when I saw a familiar figure on a construction site outside the city.
"Your Highness!!"
Geng Bingwen saw that Prince Zhu Biao actually led people to take the lead in the construction site. Although he had not seen him for many days, Geng Bingwen could still recognize the familiar figure of the prince at a glance.
He rubbed his eyes as if he couldn't believe it. After confirming that the person was Zhu Biao, Geng Bingwen did not dare to neglect and hurriedly dismounted and ran in the direction of Zhu Biao.
Geng Bingwen's formation naturally attracted the attention of many people, and Zhu Biao also saw Geng Bingwen clearly at this time.
Putting down the man in his hand, Zhu Biao casually patted the dust on his palms and walked towards Geng Bingwen.
"Hou Changxing, why are you here?"
When the two met, Geng Bingwen had not yet spoken, but Zhu Biao spoke first.
Geng Bingwen was about to bow down, but was stopped by Zhu Biao, who whispered:
"Don't reveal my identity, just call me Mr. Huang!"
Geng Bingwen nodded suddenly, and then said:
"Master Huang, after receiving your secret letter a few days ago, Marquis Yingchuan asked me to come first to check the situation in Hepu County."
"The Marquis of Yingchuan is afraid that the small area in Hepu County cannot support an army of 100,000 people."
Zhu Biao expressed his understanding and casually explained:
"You can rest assured, Marquis Yingchuan, that Hepu County will be opened to the sea soon."
"In the future, all grain and grass supplies needed by Hepu County can be transported through the open port."
"Hepu County can afford even an army of 300,000, not to mention an army of 100,000."
"Hepu County is currently undergoing major infrastructure construction. We have already built for you a school ground that can accommodate 200,000 troops in the north and east directions of the city."
Hearing that Zhu Biao had a plan, Geng Bingwen was slightly relieved, but thinking of Zhu Yuanzhang's explanation, Geng Bingwen asked again:
"Before I led the troops here, the emperor asked us to be stationed in Nanning in order to implement the policy of returning natives to exile for the imperial court."
"Now that we have changed our location without authorization, is there anything wrong with this?"
"I have written this matter to the Emperor, and I believe the Emperor will not refuse."
Zhu Biao continued to comfort Geng Bingwen and said:
"If you are worried, you can wait until the imperial edict arrives before coming to Hepu."
"As for the policy of reforming the country and returning it to local people, it is not safe to implement it immediately."
"The chieftains in the southwest are all in the same spirit. If the implementation of the reform of the land and return to the current situation really causes these chieftains to rebel, then the southwest will be completely plunged into war."
"So it will take some time to change the situation from the soil to the flow. When the time is right, the change from the soil to the flow will be successful."
Geng Bingwen was a little confused and asked:
"May I ask, sir, when is this time?"
“Hepu County opens to the sea!!”
Zhu Biao once again talked about the opening of the sea in Hepu County, and explained Li Jin's plan to Geng Bingwen again yesterday.
Geng Bingwen heard this and was deeply impressed. Then, under the leadership of Zhu Biao, he stayed around Hepu County for a few days.
Although Hepu County seems to be very depressed now, the engineering facilities seen from various construction sites make Geng Bingwen feel that this place may become the most prosperous city in the southwest of the Ming Dynasty!
