"My biggest competitor is Gu Xianting. As long as you persuade Gu Xianting to give up the bid, I am guaranteed to win. Grain merchants from all over the country will naturally not panic. This problem will naturally be solved. Teacher De can also free up energy to help you solve the problem."
Zhu Shide's words asked Lu Tao to make a choice. As long as you, Lu Tao, don't interfere, the matter will disappear.
Lu Tao said coldly: "What others want to do is her freedom. I have no control over it."
Zhu Shide followed suit and said, "If your Excellency says that, then I can't help you."
Lu Tao glanced at Zhu Shide.
Although Zhu Shide was afraid of Lu Tao, he was also a man who had experienced ups and downs, and he had the intention in his heart that he and Zhu Clan would both prosper and suffer.
Lu Tao smiled: "Then I have to leave Mr. Zhu in the government office until my troubles are relieved."
Zhu Shide is engaged in a food rush battle with his bidding rivals. If he, the center, is detained by Lu Tao in the government office, wouldn't it be chaos there?
Lu Tao's move was indeed powerful. Zhu Shide said coldly: "My lord, threaten me!"
Lu Tao smiled faintly: "Did I threaten you?"
Zhu Shide suddenly stood up: "Why do you want to detain me?" Behind him was Zhu Clan, and he was one with Zhu Clan.
"Mr. Zhu misunderstood. I did not detain you. I just suspected that you were involved in this matter. I will keep you to cooperate with the investigation so that I can clear Mr. Zhu's innocence as soon as possible."
There are really two words for official words, black and white, and Zhu Shide was speechless.
…
Early the next morning, Zhu Quan came to report to Zhu Donglai: "Sir, Zhu Shide was invited to the government office by Lu Tao last night, and he was detained by Lu Tao in the government office at this time."
Zhu Donglai smiled slightly: "Lu Tao is anxious."
Lu Tao was anxious, indicating that the situation was no longer optimistic.
Zhu Quan said: "Master, if Zhu Shide is detained in the government office, I am afraid that this group of Jiangnan grain merchants will be leaderless and panic."
Some things cannot be replaced by others and need to be done by Zhu Shide himself.
Zhu Donglai said calmly: "Zhu Quan, come with me to the government office."
Zhu Quan asked: "But I want to say hello and inform you."
Zhu Donglai said calmly: "Just show off a little."
Zhu Quan understood: "I will make arrangements right away."
Lu Tao personally came forward to preside over the overall situation at the entrance of major grain stores to appease the people.
Indeed, Lu Tao's appearance was able to calm down the anxious people, and order naturally came into being.
Those little people who were hiding in it to fan the wind and light the fire did not dare to make any noise.
Lu Tao alone is more useful than both the government army and the government officials.
An adjutant came to report: "Sir, Mr. Zhu Donglai has arrived at the state capital."
Lu Tao smiled slightly, knowing that Zhu Donglai was here to ask for someone. If I won't let him go, what can you, Zhu Donglai, do to me?
He responded: "Go back."
When Lu Tao came to the government office hall, Zhu Donglai was already sitting and waiting, and Xu Fulai, the Jiangnan East Road Observer, was also there.
Observers are appointed directly by the imperial court and are responsible for supervising local officials and part-time supervising local politics, people's livelihood, and economy.
The official rank starts from the third rank, which is half a level higher than the governor of Zhongzhou and half a level lower than the governor of Shangzhou.
There are eight observation envoys in Jiangnan East Road, each of which is in charge of several states. Xu Fulai is supervising several surrounding states including Suzhou.
Xu Fulai also has another identity, the adopted son of Zhu Fenggong, the ancestor of the Zhu family in Suzhou.
Seeing Xu Fulai, Lu Tao knew what he was doing and greeted with a smile: "Master Xu, why are you here?"
Although Xu Fulai's official rank was half a level lower than that of the Shangzhou governor, due to his responsibilities, he was often the one who was flattered.
It's just that Lu Tao is not just a governor, Lu Tao's identity as the leader of the Lu clan has weight. Take Zhu Donglai as an example. Although he has no official or position, no high-ranking official dares to be arrogant in front of Zhu Donglai.
Xu Fulai stood up to pay his respects: "Master Lu, the people in the city have been rushing to buy food recently. I see that you are very busy. As a local observer, naturally you can't just sit back and watch. I came here to see if I can help you."
Lu Tao sneered in his heart, "If you don't take the opportunity to read my book, I will burn incense. How dare I ask you for help?" He responded: "Master Xu is interested."
Xu Fulai raised his sleeves and pointed at Zhu Donglai respectfully: "I just happened to meet Lord Zhu."
Lu Tao snorted coldly in his heart. If you two didn't make an appointment, I would write the word "Lu" upside down and said indifferently: "Brother Zhu, why are you so casual? Are you here to help?"
Zhu Donglai responded calmly: "What can be so difficult about Brother Lu? I have other reasons for coming here this time?"
Lu Tao sat down and asked, "What's the matter?"
"I heard that Mr. Lu detained Zhu Shide in the government office last night?"
Xu Fulai immediately said, "I don't know what kind of law Mr. Zhu has broken. Mr. Lu is going to detain him. As far as I know, Mr. Zhu has always been law-abiding. As the general grain merchant of Jiangnan East Road, he has also been working hard to help the government."
Xu Fulai's words seemed like inquiries, but they were actually accusations.
Lu Tao smiled and said: "Master Xu misunderstood, I did not detain Mr. Zhu. Recently, grain dealers in counties and towns around Suzhou purchased grain at high prices, and the grain shops had no grain to sell, causing people to panic. I asked Mr. Zhu to stay in the government office to assist me in the investigation. Find out about this so that you can catch the person behind it."
Lu Tao said and glanced at Zhu Donglai gently, everyone knew it well.
Zhu Donglai said: "Since it is not a detention, please ask Brother Lu to let Zhu Shide go back."
Lu Tao smiled: "When the matter is investigated clearly, I will naturally send someone to take Mr. Zhu home."
Zhu Donglai said: "My cousin Zhang Zhengliang came to me in a panic this morning. He was worried about the moral comfort of the teacher. He also asked Brother Lu to show him some kindness for the sake of his age."
Lu Tao smiled and said, "Brother Zhu, please go back and tell Mr. Zhu that Mr. Zhu is fine here. Please don't worry."
"Brother Lu doesn't know. Zhengde suffers from a hidden disease. If he suddenly becomes ill, his life may be in danger. If something unexpected happens, it will be blamed on Brother Lu."
Lu Tao looked concerned: "Oh, what's the hidden disease?"
"Purpura!"
Lu Tao said: "There is no cure for this disease. Thank you, Brother Zhu, for reminding me. I will immediately arrange for personnel to guard Mr. Zhu day and night, in case Mr. Zhu suddenly becomes ill and cannot be treated."
Didn't you say he was sick? Then I will have an honest reason to kill him when the time comes.
Zhu Donglai naturally knew that things were not going so smoothly, and the conversation just now was just a foreshadowing, so he looked at Xu Fulai gently.
Xu Fulai said: "Master Lu, there has been an influx of people into Suzhou City in the past few days. Can the government office be able to handle it with manpower?"
Lu Tao smiled and said: "It's not bad, but it's a bit stretched."
Xu Fulai said: "Earlier, I asked a government official that I had not had a good night's sleep. Is this a problem?"
Lu Tao said: "Take responsibility and do your job. It's okay to work harder."
Xu Fulai said: "This is not possible. If we exhaust people, where can we find people to maintain security in the state capital? Well, let me find some people for Mr. Lu."
When Lu Tao was working as a yamen official, Xu Fulai called out a name loudly: "Zhu Shaozhi."
A middle-aged man walked in wearing military uniform and armor.
Looking at the military uniform worn by this man, Lu Tao's expression changed slightly.
Xu Fulai ordered: "Zhu Shaozhi, I have met Mr. Lu."
"The last general, Captain Zhu Shao, has met Mr. Lu directly."
Lieutenant Zhe Chong is a military attaché of the fifth rank.
Daguan State has a real military system. There are 514 military offices in various provinces, prefectures and counties in the country, collectively called Zhechong Prefecture.
Implement the system of going out as soldiers, entering as people, and hiding soldiers among the people.
These soldiers usually work as farmers and have weapons and armor at home. If called upon, they can immediately go into battle.
Take Zhu Shaozhi as an example. He is usually a commoner, but if he is called upon, he will be immediately restored to his original position.
Xu Fulai showed his fish talisman and said to Li Shaozhi: "You immediately mobilize all the troops and cavalry troops."
Captain Zhe Chong took the order and retreated.
In order to prevent cliques, separatism and monopoly, Lu Tao did not have the right to mobilize the government army, and he did not expect that the Zhu clan would take this action.
Seeing that Lu Tao was silent, Xu Fulai smiled and said to Lu Tao: "Master Lu, as the observer of Jiangnan East Road, I have the duty of supervision. In order to avoid riots, I have to be prepared to suppress them."
Lu Tao secretly wondered who he was trying to suppress, but he responded with a smile on his face: "Master Xu just doesn't trust my abilities."
Xu Fulai said: "Just in case, if Mr. Lu is short of personnel, Zhechong's army can make up for it in time."
Zhu Donglai saw the card shown to Lu Tao and said, "Master Lu, can I take a look at Zhang Shide?"
"Can."
Zhu Shide, who was under house arrest by Lu Tao, walked back and forth in the room, anxious.
He was currently competing with his rivals to purchase grains. Not to mention being under house arrest by Lu Tao for ten or eight days, even for one day, the Jiangnan grain merchants would be in chaos without a leader.
Lu Tao's move was really vicious, but there was nothing he could do about it.
At this moment, the door opened and a voice that made Zhu Shide extremely excited came: "Shide, are you okay?"
I saw Lu Tao leading two people in, namely Zhu Donglai and Xu Fulai, "Master Zhu, Mr. Xu."
Lu Tao smiled and said: "You see, Mr. Zhu is well fed and well accommodated, so he has not been detained."
Zhu Donglai said: "Master De, my uncle is very worried about your disease. I wonder if you are feeling unwell at the moment."
Zhu Shide immediately understood that if he wanted to go from Lu Tao, there must be a reasonable step that would make both parties look good.
He raised his hands and said, "Master Zhu, Youlao, is worried. Mr. Lu asked me to assist in the investigation. Master Youlao, go back and tell your father that everything is fine with me here and there is no need to worry."
Zhu Donglai said: "Teacher De, if you are in good health, you don't need to worry about a sudden illness."
Zhu Shide chuckled: "Master Lu has a request, and Shide should dedicate himself to it..."
As he spoke, he suddenly fell straight to the ground, his body twisted, and he looked like he was having a seizure.
Zhu Donglai said in shock: "Quick! Take Shide to the hospital for treatment."
Lu Tao took the lead and came to Zhu Shide's side, took off his shoes and boots, clamped Zhu Shide's mouth between his two fingers, and stuffed the shoes into Zhu Shide's mouth.
I snorted in my heart. If you like acting, then I will act with you.
Zhu Shide had a smelly shoe in his mouth and was insulted, but he complained secretly and did not dare to swallow the shoe.
When the people brought by Zhu Donglai entered the room, they carried Zhu Shide on his back. Lu Tao ordered: "In order to prevent the patient from biting his tongue, the shoes must not be removed."
"Brother Lu, I'm leaving first."
Zhu Dong finished speaking and left in a hurry.
