After the immortal disappeared

"Sick?" Li Zhao stroked his white beard, "Are you sick at this time?"

So many people are waiting to meet the new general manager.

"It stands to reason that he should have entered Xiazhou territory yesterday. With such a delay, we don't know when he will reach Dunyu." Shu Qian said, "Nian Zanli sent a small group of rebels to bypass the front line and go deep into Xiazhou for nearly a hundred miles to plunder. Several shops of my family and the Zhan family have been robbed, and the losses have been huge. I think the Zhan family has decided to leave. Although you warned them, they are still selling them secretly these days. "

Old Mrs. Li sighed: "It's going to rain and my mother wants to get married. Since they don't like Dunyu, let them be."

Shu Qian secretly cursed the old fox. The Li family warned the Zhan family to no avail, so they set the purchase price very low, so low that it almost broke through the cellar. However, the Li family is the most domineering local gangster in Dunyu. No matter what price he offers, how can anyone else dare to be higher than him?

If the Zhan family really sold it at that low price, it would be like cutting out the flesh and gouging out the eyes. Seventy percent of the savings from years of business operations would be shaved off. Even if they could leave Dunyu, they would only be left with a bloody skeleton.

Now the Zhan family must hate the Li family to the core, especially since the Zhan family has produced talents in recent years and has been promoted all the way in Wang Ting. The family has also straightened up its back and spoken louder. Last year, it even wanted to compete with the Li family. .

The Li family wanted to take this opportunity to clean it up and let him know that Mr. Li was still Mr. Li.

Alas, this old guy named Li is not just a fox? He is a vulture and a jackal.

"Are you so optimistic about the new general manager?" This is what the head of the Shu family wanted Shu Qian to ask, "Can he really join forces with General Zhao Panzhao to stop Nian Zanli's attack?"

Dunyucheng's people are in a state of flux, and it is inevitable that the big family will also be dissatisfied. If we run too late, the New Year's Praise Army will march southward, turning everything it passes into rubble, and all the gains we have made after decades of hard work will be in vain.

"This General Manager He is quite talented. He killed Sun Fuping, wiped out the bandit army, and recently seemed to have saved Ke Jihai's life in Shihuan City. Otherwise, the western front would have been in trouble. He was ordered to take over Xiazhou's defense when he was in danger. He should have two brushes." Li Zhao After saying this in one breath, he took a breath, and the maid next to him immediately served him tea. The tea was neither hot nor cold, just right.

"Master Shangshu has explained that Dunyu is the foundation of the prosperity of the Li family and cannot be left easily."

He only said it couldn't be done easily, but he didn't say he wouldn't, nor did he say he wouldn't leave.

Dunyu is close to the southern state border, making escape southward relatively easy.

Shu Qian hesitated: "Will Manager He also want to take care of the fire in the granary?"

"The case is over and the criminals have been sent to the capital. The most important thing is that all the food has been burned. What else can he pursue?"

There is a birdcage hanging in the hall, and in the cage stand two lovebirds with green heads, red beaks and yellow bellies. There is a lot of snow falling outside, but inside the house is warm as spring, and these two little birds are also very active. Mr. Li walked over and put food into the cage with his own hands, while saying, "For Mr. He, the most important thing is to cooperate sincerely with the four major families."

Otherwise, He Chunhua will be constrained in everything he does here, just like all other officials in the past and present.

The four strong families and the smooth officials.

"He is an official and also has to fight. He has to ask us for money, food, or people." Shu Qian glanced at the lovebirds and found that they all had very small pieces of paper tied to their ankles, and he didn't know what to do. use.

"Then it depends on how Mr. He behaves." Mrs. Li teased the lovesick bird and smiled quite confidently. "If the government and the people cooperate, we must show sincerity."

"Then, everything remains as usual?" It's still the same as before when a new official took office. "I'll go back and discuss with my brother and give Manager He a big gift."

Shu Qian stood up.

Mrs. Li smiled and said, "That's right." Let's make a toast first.

After Shu Qian left, the smile on Old Mrs. Li's face disappeared.

The dinner was still sumptuous, but he only ate a few bites. Both sons were a little worried and kept asking questions.

Old Mrs. Li saw right through their cold greetings, and his heart became even more congested. As long as these sons can get some of his true inheritance and there is less internal fighting, the huge Li family will not have to be shouldered by himself.

After all, he is seventy and old.

The only consolation is that the sixth grandson is very talented. If he trains him well for two years, he might be able to take over his class. The sixth grandson is the child of the second son's family. The eldest brother has noticed his father's thoughts and has been trying his best to suppress his brother.

Alas, the family is unlucky.

In fact, Mrs. Li is not optimistic about Dunyu. Strictly speaking, he is not optimistic about Yuan Wangting.

The old man of the same age as him may still be immersed in the prosperity and glory of Dayuan in the past, but his eyes are not blind and his heart is not blind.

The country is in decline.

Old Mrs. Li sneered secretly. The Li family is not as ostentatious as the Zhan family, and it is well known throughout the city that their land and houses are being sold.

When the enemy comes, will the land still be valuable?

In the past two years, the Li family's money has been secretly transferred to the mainland, and he and Li Shangshu have discussed a blessed place. If the war spreads to the south, they will immediately relocate their entire family.

The warm fire in the room was heating up, and he felt sleepy again. The maid on the side saw this and whispered: "Old Master, it's time to rest."

Mrs. Li nodded, and she went outside to take down the birdcage and hung it in front of the bed curtain.

The two thirteen-year-old girls have already warmed the bed for him, and they will still curl up at his feet tonight.

Before getting into bed, Mrs. Li looked at the bed curtain as usual. Well, the two bronze medals tied to the lanyards were there. This is an evil sign. If an evil creature comes near, it will be confused by the sign and cannot see it or smell its human scent.

He pointed to the top of the bed, and the maid took a red sachet from the curtain.

Li Zhao opened it with his own hands and saw a yellow amulet hidden inside. The spell was correct.

"Put it back." Then you can sleep peacefully.

He has offended many people over the years, so he is used to being cautious.

￥￥￥￥￥

The retired manager Qian rushed to Ru County again and met He Chunhua.

"Mr. He is sick?"

The door is closed and no one else is there. He Chunhua stood up immediately, took a towel and wiped it, and the wax on his face fell off. "Where does the disease come from? I have been waiting for good news about Qian Guanshi."

The housekeeper Lao Mo brought warm tea to the table. Steward Qian was thirsty. He drank several sips before smiling and said, "Fortunately, I did not disgrace my life."

He took out a large blue cloth bag tied with five stripes and opened it.

It's also wrapped in two layers of oil paper.

Open the oil paper again, and there are two layers of straw paper inside.

In the middle of the papyrus lay a porcelain vase as big as a little finger.

The size of this bottle is suitable for drugging and poisoning people.

"This is?"

He Chunhua wanted to take it, but Manager Qian quickly reminded him: "Smelly, manager, be careful."

The manager hesitated a little: "I thought what you brought was hair, nails and the like."

The charcoal basin in the room was warm. Manager Qian came in from the freezing weather, and there was a little sweat on his forehead:

"I hope so too. But Mr. Li is suspected of being seriously ill. Last autumn, an expert gave him a divination, saying that he would have a big disaster this year. If he successfully passed the test, he would live to be eighty-eight. So the Li family is extra careful. , the old man’s cut nails and fallen hair must be specially collected and burned. It is said that he also wears an amulet that he paid a lot of money for. If the enemy stabs the villain in the back and lowers the head, it will have no effect!"

He Chunhua smiled and said: "Sure enough, he has done too many immoral things and feels guilty."

If it wasn't for a guilty conscience, why should we be so vigilant?

If you can only be a thief for a thousand days, how can you prevent a thief for a thousand days?

"I originally wanted to use two bed-warming girls to get a little bit of his hair." After all, Old Man Li was old, and his feet were cold when sleeping in the middle of winter. He also disliked Mrs. Tang's overheating, so he bought two little girls aged thirteen or fourteen to warm his bed. , "But these two girls must change their clothes and check them as soon as they leave the room. They are not allowed to take the master's things out, not even a hair."

"I have no choice but to bribe the boy who pours the night fragrance." Manager Qian spread his hands, "It's just that the people doing this job are all irregular, so it takes some effort to find the right person."

He handed over another note: "This is the birth date of Mrs. Li. Last year, his thirteenth grandson came to my shop to order clothes for his first birthday gift. At that time, his mother was full of pride, thinking that the child and Mrs. Li were in the same month and same month. I am proud that I was born on the same day and was only an hour and a half late. I confirmed it again and again."

It is not difficult to calculate from this.

He Chunhua took it and asked again: "Is there still a gap between the Zhan family and the Li family?"

"Yes, it has always happened. In the past few days, the Zhan family wanted to sell off their property and leave Dunyu. The Li family found someone to lower the price to death, so that others would not dare to pay a high price. The Zhan family was so angry that they vomited blood. Before I left, Zhan and The Li family quarreled endlessly about this and even got into fights.”

"How is your conduct different from that of a villager?" He Chunhua shook his head, "Since all the descendants are serving as officials in the Yuan Court, don't they feel ashamed?"

He personally took out a gold bar and pushed it over: "Mr. Zhu did not praise the wrong person. You are indeed his most effective subordinate."

Manager Qian laughed and said, "I don't dare take it!"

"However, this matter is confidential..."

"Don't worry, I'll keep my mouth shut." Manager Qian didn't leave any room at all and swore a poisonous oath on his mother and his eighteen generations of ancestors. If the secret was leaked, the ancestors of the Qian family would be together forever.

"Okay, there will be many places where I can rely on you and the Zhu family in the future." He Chunhua smiled, "We can look forward to the future."

After Manager Qian left, He Chunhua went back to his room and slept for an hour to regain his energy.

In the past few days, he was busy until late at night, sleeping in a separate room with Mrs. Ying.

The hour has come.

The housekeeper Lao Mo closed the doors and windows, He Chunhua took out a green candle, lit it, and placed it on the table.

He moved the table beforehand so that it was in the center of the room.

In the airtight room, the candlelight was of course straight and almost motionless. He Chunhua took out an orange paperweight and stuffed it into Lao Mo's hand, then sat down and murmured something.

This paperweight is carved from Shoushan stone in the shape of a kite, but it is as clear as honey. It is much calmer than jade in color, and it contains radish silk patterns, just like the stone is filled with tiny blood vessels.

The entire body of this kite is yellow, with only its two eyes being blood red, which adds a bit of weirdness to the overall grace.

The butler Lao Mo stood behind his master to protect him.

As He Chunhua read faster and faster, the smoke from the candle began to gather and never disperse, and it turned out to be cyan.