The Empress's First Running Dog

Chapter 538 Zhao Duan’s Way of Saving Money (5k)

It was beyond Zhao Duan's expectation that the guest official under King Huai'an found him.

However, he was not nervous, because Feng Xiaolian's appearance in this way, on the premise that she knew his whereabouts, showed that the other party had no ill intentions.

"Yongjia City is one of the two prefectures of Huai River. Although the prince does not live here, he has been running the city for many years. In terms of intelligence and connections, he is far superior to Mu and Jing who have usurped the throne." Feng Xiaolian explained seriously, fearing that she would be misunderstood.

Zhao Duan nodded, this made sense.

After all, the Huai River is the territory of King Huai'an. Even if this "glutton prince" has shortcomings in military strength, his intelligence tentacles have probably already penetrated into every corner.

"So? What does Prince Huai'an want to say?" Zhao Duan smiled:

"If the fact that the palace has contacted me is exposed, I'm afraid it will bring disaster upon me."

Feng Xiaolian smiled helplessly:
"With the current situation in the world, how can we avoid disasters by closing the door?"

Zhao Duan's eyes flickered as he stroked the crystal clear wine glass and said:
"It seems that the conversation between me and Lord Huai has come true. After the rebels entered the Huai River, the life of the palace will definitely not be easy.

Well, the imperial court needs military expenses for the war, and the two vassal kings Xuwen and Xu Jingtang must also need them. The Huai River is rich, and the world knows it. The Prince of Huai is even richer. I believe he has been exploited a lot these days, right?

Oh, I heard that in Yongjia City, if the common people want to live in peace, they will be blackmailed by gangs. In fact, the principles of getting along between the kings are no different from those of the thugs in the market.

Prince Huai suffered a lot from the rebels, so he sent you to contact me, hoping to establish contact with the imperial court?

No... The situation is turbulent right now, and it is still unknown who will win or lose. Even if the court wins two battles in a row, it will not be enough to affect the outcome...

Well, in this case, Lord Huai is planning to bet on two or even three sides? Is he worried that if he doesn't smooth things over in advance, if the court continues to march south and repel the rebels, the Huai Palace will be liquidated?"

Feng Xiaolian was stunned, his eyes flashed with strangeness and surprise, he smiled bitterly and raised his glass:

"The governor is indeed as the rumors say, he can see through people's hearts, and he was right in just a few words."

The actual situation is worse than what Zhao Duan described.

After the "Six Princes' Advancement into the Capital" was blocked, the two princes Jing and Mu, who divided the Huai River, realized that they could not win a quick battle and began to digest the territory.

As a result, the Prince of Huai'an, who was originally not affected for the time being, was targeted by both sides at the same time.

Two rebel groups came to his door one after another to extort money, and the "foodie prince" reluctantly bleeds heavily.

He thought that paying the protection fee would be enough, but the court's two great victories made King Huai'an unable to sit still.

Only then did he hurriedly send Feng Xiaolian, the "chief manager", to Yongjia to try to get in touch with Zhao Duan.

"Prince Huai has such a personality, and the situation is right in front of us, so it's not difficult to guess."

Zhao Duan said calmly:

"I don't want to waste time talking. When Huting opened, Prince Huai also helped me. He did not directly participate in this rebellion. I am sentimental and can talk to him on behalf of the court, but I must see his sincerity first."

He did not reject the goodwill of King Huai'an.

From the perspective of the overall situation, it is better to have more friends than to have more enemies. Even if the King of Huai'an is a fence-sitter, he may be liquidated after he has established his rule over the world, but before that, he doesn't mind taking advantage of him.

Feng Xiaolian whispered, "What does the governor need?"

Zhao Duan opened his mouth loudly:
"There must be enough food, supplies, gold and silver to support at least three camps. As long as you can provide them and send them to Linfeng, I can promise on behalf of your majesty that after we take back the Huai River, we will not invade the King of Huai."

Feng Xiaolian shook her head:
"You are joking, Governor. Not to mention how much we can take out, even if we can, how can we send so many things to Linfeng? To be honest, under the blockade of the two rebel forces, the transportation of materials is strictly controlled, and we can't even send them to Yongjia."

The chief shopkeeper was neither humble nor arrogant, and he was not at all timid, humble or embarrassed when facing King Zhao.

It can be seen that he was by no means a simple guest official, but also a "general" under King Huai.

Zhao Duan lowered his eyes and said, "Then give me the information. I need all the information about Prince Jing and Prince Mu. This is not difficult to pass on."

Feng Xiaolian's expression was solemn: "Prince Huai was meeting the governor in good faith, why did the governor have to make things so difficult for him?"

Intelligence from both armies? What a joke!
This is almost equivalent to asking King Huai'an to take sides and seek death.

Zhao Duan's face also turned cold at this moment, his eyes were indifferent, as if he had no emotions:

"It is the Prince of Huai who is making things difficult for me! In order to protect himself, he bet on three companies at the same time. It's amazing that he could think of that. He didn't clearly stand on the right side, and he also wanted the court not to settle the matter. Where in the world can there be such an outrageous business?
His Majesty's calculations were heard by everyone in the capital.

You won't give us supplies or intelligence, so why don't you go back immediately and tell me that when I go south, I will be the first to massacre the Huai'an Palace!"

These words were full of murderous intent. Feng Xiaolian was shocked and no longer had the calm demeanor.

He glanced around alertly, and saw the noisy singing and dancing around him, the guests and prostitutes enjoying themselves, and no one was paying attention to this side, so he sighed softly:

"Why is the governor so angry? That's not what the prince meant..."

Zhao Duan was too lazy to talk to this guest official, and said indifferently:

"Then show some sincerity."

Feng Xiaolian thought for a moment and said:

"The governor came to Yongjia, probably because of Zhao Shixiong. If the governor wants to deal with this man, we can help."

Are you willing to help me deal with Zhao Shixiong?
Yes, from the perspective of Prince Huai'an, he would be happy to see the Yunfu rebels weakened... Only by introducing the third force of the imperial court into the Huai River can the two vassal kings be suppressed.

Give the "foodie prince" who is caught in the middle a chance to catch his breath.

Of course, there is also the possibility of a trap... Zhao Duan is not so naive. He thought about it and said:

"Okay. I'll contact you again when I need you."

He was going to delay it.

If Feng Xiaolian is really sincere, she can be used later.

If this contact is a trap, then Zhao Duan's words can also calm the person behind the scenes and prevent the latter from rushing to close the net.

However, he tends to believe that there was no conspiracy in this contact because it was unnecessary.

Given Zhao Duan's current status and position, catching him is far more profitable than casting a long line to hook a big fish, because he is the big fish.

Feng Xiaolian nodded and immediately laughed, looking drunk, and joked with Zhao Duan, then left her seat and returned to the group of women.

The conversation between the two was brief, and in the eyes of outsiders, it was just a few casual conversations between drinkers.

After sitting for a while, Zhao Duan felt drunk and stood up to leave. When he left, the military supervisor Wang Qi had not left yet.

When I walked out of Yunshao Courtyard, I saw a group of soldiers waiting outside the door with fierce eyes.

Zhao Duan pretended to leave timidly and found that the gang member who was following him was gone. He walked around outside and made sure that there was no one following him before returning to Hongni Lane.

Could the person following me be Feng Xiaolian's men?
Zhao Duan thought about it and thought that it was probably not the case. The people under Prince Huai should not be that bad.

That should be the young thug from the Red Snail Gang that the landlord's daughter reminded him of.

Zhao Duan had no interest in these ant-like little people. He walked on the street, facing the gorgeous sunset clouds in the west, and thought:

"It's time for the Shadow Guard to gain a firm foothold."

……

……

In Yongjia city, inside a grand mansion with doors and windows closed, Song Jinxi picked up a chair and put it on the floor with a bang.

She sat down leisurely, her feminine face looking down at the middle-aged man in luxurious clothes who was kneeling on the ground, shivering.

He smiled sinisterly and said:
"Yexiang Clan... Haha, a gang that monopolizes the manure business in Yongjia City. The gang leader knows how to enjoy life, without any filthy smell."

There are several large underground gangs in Yongjia City, and Yexiangmen is one of them.

Although the monopoly of the feces business is a bit eye-catching, considering that the Beggars' Sect in martial arts novels can dominate the martial arts world, it is quite reasonable that a group of dung pickers in the Yexiang Sect can support the entire gang...

The shadow guard team led by Song Jinxi sneaked into the city a day earlier than Zhao Duan. Because they had more people, in order to avoid being noticed, this palace priest chose Yexiang Gate as their base.

Gangs are a mix of good and bad, so they are naturally suitable for hiding. Moreover, the Yexiang Clan has a monopoly on the city's manure, which means that they have a strong ability to access intelligence.

No matter how strong Zhao Shixiong is, he still has to shit, and there are always dung carriers in the military camp.

"You should be familiar with the pill I just fed you. It is a well-known poison in the martial arts world. From now on, I will give you an antidote to delay the disease every day. If you don't obey, even the best doctor in the city can't save you."

Song Jinxi said lightly.

The leader of Yexiang Sect kept kowtowing: "I will obey your orders and will never dare to disobey!"

There were several other people in the room, a man and a woman being the most eye-catching.

At this moment, a pale-faced scholar held his handkerchief, coughed, and said with a smile:

"Next, we just need to disguise ourselves as members of the Yexiang Sect, and it will be convenient for us to act."

At the side, a woman dressed as a female warrior, carrying a long sword on her back, with half of her face covered with a bronze mask, said coldly:
"There are so many people around, I'm afraid I can't hide for too long."

The two were none other than Linfeng Dao’s gold medal shadow guards, codenamed “Scholar” and “Red Leaf”.

The latter is more likely to be a descendant of Pei Niannu and a relative of Lu Yaner. He was also transferred here by Zhao Duan this time.

Song Jinxi said calmly:

"It doesn't matter. We weren't meant to be hiding for a long time. Now that we have a place to stay, we should listen to the next instructions from our superiors. But before that, we should support this gang and use it to get things done."

Song Jinxi used his toes to lift the kneeling man's chin and said condescendingly:

"I heard that your gang has been fighting for territory with others recently? There were many casualties? What are the people on the other side called? I helped you clear them out."

The leader of Yexiang Sect was stunned for a moment and stammered:

"Red Snail Gang."

……

……

As the sun sets, the stone bridges in Yongjia City are bathed in a light red color, and the river water under the bridges seems to be extinguished.

When Zhao Duan returned to the "fourth household" in Hongni Lane and stood outside his own yard, he saw a young girl sitting on the wall.

Du Shishi's gray skirt was hanging down, and half of her body seemed to be leaning on a clump of green bamboos that protruded from the base of the wall.

Her mature face was bathed in the sunset glow, and a strange bell hung around her waist, but it was stuffed with rags, so even when her legs were dangling on the wall, it made no sound.

"Why are you in my house?" Zhao Duan looked up and looked at the girl on the wall with interest.

Du Shishi seemed to come to his senses at this moment, looked down at him, and corrected him: "This is my home."

"But during the lease period, it belongs to me." Zhao Duan took out the key and opened the door. He entered the yard and saw a ladder on the inside of the wall. The girl climbed up from here:

"Girls are climbing up and down, and your parents don't care?"

Du Shishi was scolded by him, and immediately wrinkled his nose and said unhappily:
"None of your business. You should take care of yourself. I warned you that you might be targeted by the Red Snail Gang."

Zhao Duan walked calmly to the well and drew a bucket of cold water. There was actually a watermelon soaked in the well.

He rolled up his sleeves and patted the melon, saying, "Do you want to eat the melon?"

Du Shishi frowned, looking very disappointed:
"Are you stupid? Or are you careless? Are you totally unvigilant? Perhaps you are used to a life of luxury and do not know how treacherous people are. You thought it was a peaceful time when there was chaos and war?"

Zhao Duan sat on the steps, killing a melon with a knife, and asked with a smile:

"You know a lot and are quite courageous. Did you study with your father? I heard from the old man that your father was once an official? What kind of official? He doesn't look like one."

Du Shishi was at a loss as to what to do with his simple and naive attitude. She felt that this tenant was a young man who had rarely traveled far.

Well, considering that there are no maids or guards around them, they should not be from a wealthy family. Perhaps they have some wealth at home and are unaware of the dangers.

He has no awareness of danger at all, just like a "naive naive person".

A feeling of powerlessness surged in her heart, and she said unhappily:
"What kind of official position did he hold? He was just a clerk in the government office. His monthly salary was not enough to rent a good house in the city. These two courtyards belonged to my mother. When the soldiers from Yunfu came, a new group of people were replaced in the government office, and my father had nothing to do. At least he was not arrested and sent to work in the military camp."

Hmm... is he working in the government office? Zhao Duan's heart moved, and he felt that he needed to talk to Du Ruhui.

After Du Shishi finished speaking, he realized that he had said too much. He closed his mouth in annoyance and ignored him. He looked into the distance, his expression changed slightly, and he turned his head to look at him with pity:
"The people from the Red Snail Gang are here. They should be coming for you. I'll give you one last chance. If you're willing to give me five taels of silver, I can find a way to help you get rid of them."

This girl is actually planning to do business... No wonder she stares at me... Reminds me several times... Zhao Duan smiled curiously:

"You? What ability do you have to convince a bunch of scoundrels?"

Du Shishi raised his chin, looking down at ordinary people like a cultivator, too lazy to explain:
"You don't need to ask, it can be solved anyway. When they break in and blackmail you, you will lose more than just five taels of silver."

Zhao Duan smiled, picked up two slices of bright red watermelon, climbed up the bamboo-shaded wall with a ladder, sat on the wall under the girl's suspicious eyes, and handed her a slice of watermelon:
"I don't have the habit of hiding behind women."

Well...except Zhenbao...he added silently in his heart.

Du Shishi subconsciously took the watermelon, his eyes becoming more sympathetic: It's over, this tenant is an idiot.

At this time, under the fiery clouds in the sky, outside Hongni Lane, a large group of about twenty people came towards them with a menacing look.

Each of them held a stick in his hand and had the emblem of the Red Snail Gang hanging around his waist - an embroidered conch purse.

This gang is a small branch of the "Cao Yun" Cao Gang, and mainly makes money by canal shipping.

However, after the princes rose up in rebellion, the canal was controlled by the rebels, and the Hongluo Gang lost its livelihood. Recently, they began to fight with other gangs in the city to seize territory and business.

I am even more unwilling to miss any way to make money.

At this moment, a member of the Hongluo Gang stepped into Hongni Lane and saw two people sitting on the wall from afar. He was stunned.

A younger brother beside him said:

"That's the one. The man is from another place and is very rich. He went to Yunshao Garden this afternoon! He must have a lot of money!"

The leading man's eyes fell on Du Shishi, his eyes lit up:

"That woman too?"

The younger brother next to him reminded: "The woman is a local, it's best not to touch her."

A rabbit does not eat grass near its burrow. Gangs are reluctant to touch local people unless necessary, for fear of complications. Outsiders do not have so many concerns.

The big man was a little unhappy, and sneered as he took out a sharp knife from his pocket:

"Then rob the men first, and beat them to death if they dare to resist. The government won't intervene right now, so if they die, you can just throw them into the Yongjia River."

On the wall, Du Shishi said coldly:

"This is your last chance. I'll help you solve it for ten taels of silver. Otherwise, I'll leave it alone."

Zhao Duan looked at her in surprise. This girl even knew to raise the price...

He smiled and shook his head: "I think we can save this money."

As soon as he finished speaking, a group of people suddenly rushed out from the other end of Hongni Lane. There were about thirty of them, and everyone was holding a stick.

The leader was the leader of Yexiangmen!
At this moment, two gangs that had recently been fighting for territory met head-on in Hongni Lane.

Both sides were stunned.

After disguising himself, Song Jinxi, who was mixed in with the Yexiang Sect team, whispered to the puppet leader:

"What are you standing there for? Shout."

The gang leader reacted suddenly, pretending to be full of energy, and waved his hands with his hands on his waist:

"They are the scum of the Red Snail Gang. Beat them up!"

The next moment, the members of the Yaxiang Sect rushed towards the opposite side.

The people of the Hongluo Gang were horrified and resisted subconsciously. Although they were fewer in number, they fought more fiercely and dared to kill, so they were not afraid.

But this time, in just a blink of an eye, the Hongluo Gang was beaten and fled in panic, wailing and wailing in shock and anger. They didn't understand how a group of dung pickers could suddenly fight so well. Did they pay for "foreign aid"?
Not surprisingly, the members of the Hongluo Gang began to flee, leaving their weapons all over the ground.

The members of Yexiang Sect were extremely excited. Although they didn't know where their leader had recruited these skilled fighters, they were now venting the frustration of being bullied for days. They shouted and yelled, as if they were determined to avenge their previous humiliation.

In the blink of an eye, the two groups, one chasing and one fleeing, ran far away and disappeared. The residents in the alley also closed their doors and dared not peek outside.

Du Shishi stared at the scene in a daze and almost dropped the watermelon in his hand.

She widened her eyes and thought, is this such a coincidence?
Gang fight, saved this guy?

Zhao Duan ate the watermelon with a smile and said:

"It seems that I am lucky and saved ten taels of silver."

Du Shishi looked at him deeply, trying to find something unusual about this tenant, but with her level of cultivation, how could she possibly see through Zhao Duan's disguise?

"Sister, mother is calling you to come home for dinner!"

Suddenly, from behind the fence door connecting the two courtyards, Du Xiaobao shouted at the top of his voice.

Under the scorching clouds, smoke rises.

Du Shishi was about to go down when she remembered what her mother had told her to do, and said to Zhao Duan:

"My mother said that if you think eating out is too expensive, you can come to my house for dinner as long as you give my family five taels a month. Well, my mother is a good cook, so you can have a free meal tonight, but if you want to eat again, you have to pay."

The landlady is really working hard to generate income... Zhao Duan was standing on the wall, and vaguely saw the fierce woman Du's wife in the courtyard next door, with her ears pricked up. Beside her, a clerk in the government office named Du Ruhui was silent and kept sighing.

"Hmph." Zhao Duan took the last bite of the watermelon, spat out a few seeds, and said with a smile:

"Alright."

At the same time, his hands behind his back shook slightly as he turned and walked down the wall.

In the distance, Song Jinxi watched Zhao Duan's back disappear over the wall. He was shocked and said to the scholar and Hongye beside him:
"The Lord's order is coming!"

(End of this chapter)