Promotion and fortune in Song Dynasty

The brilliant results that Zhong Shiheng brought back this time did exceed Lu Ci's expectations.

Relying on three thousand young men, he almost reproduced the miracle of Fan Zhongyan's ten-day construction of the city. It took only fifteen days to build a rough-looking city, but complete with all internal organs.

The reason why it is called "Qingjian" is to commemorate the precious water source: he successfully broke through the difficult problems that could not be solved in the past dynasties.

Without the restraint of water shortage, it means that the Song army has made up a major gap in the defensive chain on the western front. In this battleground, there is really an additional military strategy that can be attacked and retreated. stronghold.

However, when Lu Anshi, who is "knowing people with discerning eyes" and "boldly using generals", saw Zhong Shiheng returning in high spirits, he only had time to briefly praise the other party, and the smile on his lips was due to the huge amount of digging water. Expenses froze.

At first, he thought it was the bright spring sun that dazzled his eyes, so he misjudged the number.

When he walked easily to a place with a backlight, and blinked several times over and over again, he was sure that he had not made a mistake in the amount...

Lu Ci held the sky-high bill with his hand, trembling uncontrollably.

He gritted his teeth slowly, and turned his head silently. It took a lot of willpower to maintain the slightly upward curve of the corners of his lips, and he didn't want to throw a pot at this brat who came from a rich background and didn't know how to spend money. cold water.

After calming down the turbulent mood for a while, Lu Ci smiled and greeted him kindly: "Zhong Ping, can you talk further?"

As a conciliator, Lu Ci surpassed Zhong Shiheng's immediate boss by countless levels.

No matter how gentle and approachable he was, how polite he said this, and how high Zhong Shiheng's tail was raised at the moment, he immediately woke up and ran over in a hurry.

Zhong Shiheng didn't know that his face was full of small expressions of "wanting to ask for praise", so he pretended to be serious: "Does Lu Gong have any orders?"

Lu Ci cast a glance at him, and found that this kid from a rich family who hadn't had a hard time in front of him really didn't realize that there was something wrong with spending such a huge amount of money just for such a trip.

He couldn't help but took a deep breath, gritted his teeth secretly and said, "Come here a little more."

Zhong Shiheng's eyes lit up, he thought there was some secret instigation, so he quickly followed his advice.

When he got close enough, Lu Ci narrowed his eyes and said politely, "Turn around."

Although Zhong Shiheng was a little confused, he did as he was told.

As soon as he turned around, he missed Lu Ci's instant change of face, and the other party took advantage of the blind spot where no one was paying attention, kicked him hard on the buttocks, and cursed in a low voice: "You big spendthrift brat!"

With heavy rewards, there must be brave men. In order to motivate the nearby Qiang people who had nothing to do with the Song army to work, and to improve the morale of the tired soldiers, Zhong Shiheng chose to spend money, which was the most effective method at that time.

After all, no matter how much talk about ideals and ambitions, national hatred and family hatred, in the eyes of many people who can't eat enough, they are not as real as real money.

Lu Ci didn't agree with Zhong Shiheng's incentive method of throwing money at all: the biggest and only reason for his dissatisfaction was that the price tag was too high, which led to the total amount being too expensive!

"Do you know how much the daily expenses of an ordinary family live in Yanzhou? If you can save some money, it will be at least eighty yuan!"

Lu Ci saw that Zhong Shiheng was kicked, and he was still at a loss as to what the problem was, so he was immediately annoyed: "I'm really not in charge of the house and I don't know how much the money is. Look at you, I'm afraid I haven't bought things in the street a few times in person. Bar?"

Although Zhong Shiheng was stationed in the border town, he was still a "Confucian general" with a background in the military department. He didn't need to live in the barracks like a general, eating and living with the sergeants.

Apart from patrolling the barracks during the day, Zhong Shiheng still has to go back to the temporarily rented courtyard in the city to rest at night, and there are four or five servants sent by his family to take care of him at any time, and the salary is good... Naturally, it is not his turn To worry about basic necessities of life.

Occasionally, on a whim, I take the time to go to the street to buy something, I am afraid that I will be slaughtered as a fat sheep without knowing it.

When Lu Ci was young, he had suffered steadfastly.

Even if he is rich now, he will never forget the embarrassment he had at the time: for the school rations given out by the academy, he had to carry them back in person even in heavy snow and in the cold wind, in order to save the cost of renting a donkey .

As long as the incentive amount of seventy coins a skip is promised, it is already a generous offer that will make the Qiang people and soldiers feel excited.

As for a hundred dollars and a skip—it's something that only people who take advantage of them will open their mouths.

Zhong Shiheng, who still had a dull pain in his buttocks, nodded subconsciously.

Rather than saying that he understood, it would be better to say that he was still immersed in the shock of such a rude behavior suddenly by a person who is as elegant and indifferent as a banishment.

"I don't intend to blame you, but the ugly words are up front. Although I have covered you for this time, I have to make an exception."

Lu Ci took a deep breath with heartache, and said helplessly: "If there is a similar situation again, remember to find out the price level before you make a promise. Otherwise, if you spend such a large amount of money every time, you will not be able to do so within half a year. I'm afraid that the entire road of military funds will have to fill your hole, so how can you manage the other expenses? Make trouble again, and I dare not let you do things cheaply—you can do things like this, but you can't do it at all. Cheap."

The poor dignified emperor, even reluctant to eat clams, just to save more palace expenses.

Not only that, Zhao Zhen has been withdrawing money from the internal treasury, and all subsidies have been used by the military.

Although the current treasury of the Great Song Dynasty can still withstand the military expenditures on the east and west, the second line, but I don't know how long the war will last. Of course, it is better to save as much as possible.

Zhong Shiheng fully agreed, but couldn't hold back the urge to make a joke, and said brazenly: "Xiaguan originally thought that the Lu Gong who guarantied for Xiaguan has no wife or family members, and his family is very simple, so he can help you in the future." As soon as I was an official, I first paid the expenses with my salary..."

The corners of Lu Ci's mouth twitched slightly, and he said, "Zhong Ping looks ordinary, but he thinks it's pretty."

——Who, like you, is still a single dog who does not need to support a family?

Especially his lover is full of gluttonous appetite, it is not easy to feed that little raccoon slave.

At this time, Di Qingyin had been in a state of wandering with soldiers, and had no way of knowing that his lover had arrived in Yanzhou City.

In order to cover the thousands of Song soldiers who came to build the city at the former site of Kuanzhou, he had to lead [-] soldiers to change his previous style of attacking and rushing. Bing played the trick of hiding in Tibet.

After he wandered far away from the old city of Kuanzhou for more than half a month, he estimated that the time was almost up, so he went around and came back.

Di Qing was about to send people to investigate the progress of the construction of the city, but he first learned from the nearby Qiang tribe that the new city named 'Qingjian City' had been built by Song Jun half a month ago.

Di Qing couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Although it was expected, all the long-term benefits symbolized by this fortress are not worth the immediate benefits to him—it will finally solve his urgent need of exhaustion.

Even hard-working people are already at the end of their strength after going out to fight and eating and drinking for more than a month.

To be on the safe side, Di Qing still sent soldiers to investigate. After confirming that Qingjian City had been completed, he made a decisive decision and led the army to rush there overnight.

Before he arrived at the tower, the soldiers standing guard at the top of the city immediately recognized the identity of the bronze-faced Song general who was the leader, and he ordered people to get ready, and only waited for Di Qing to officially reveal his identity before letting him into the city .

After all the soldiers had successfully entered it, Di Qing had the leisure to look at the newly built fortress.

Although the city wall was newly built, it was made of good bricks collected from nearby Qiang tribes. Zhong Shiheng personally went to the field to supervise every day, and the soldiers were willing to work hard. The stockade is much better.

Most of the barracks for the sergeants to rest are very rough, but for the soldiers who have always been in the sky, being able to have a tile to cover them is a great comfort.

Di Qing wasn't worried about this either: before he came, he had prepared to recuperate here for a while, and he would consider further plans to raid Xiazhai after the chasing troops were completely disrupted.That just allows the soldiers to take some time to repair these barracks.

What he pays most attention to is the water source in the city.

The largest water source in the city is a newly dug large pond, and there are twenty wells neatly distributed in other places in the city.

Because these are all flowing water from the extremely deep underground, no matter how much the enemy troops outside try to tamper with, they will be helpless.

Seeing that Di Qing nodded in satisfaction, Vice General Lin, who had gone out with Zhong Shiheng before and was now temporarily stationed here, was even more proud, and couldn't help explaining the city building to him completely.

Di Qingyuan was still immersed in his own thoughts, and only slightly distracted to listen, but after catching the familiar name and surname, he was completely stunned.

He suddenly raised his head, looked at Vice General Lin who was still talking, and interrupted him involuntarily: "What did you say?"

Vice-General Lin was taken aback.

Facing the imposing and deep pupils, he subconsciously thought he had said something wrong, and when he was searching his stomach for recollection, Di Qing, who couldn't wait for the answer, had already firmly grasped his shoulders, and asked further: "Did you mention it just now?" The word 'Lu Jingfu'?"

Only then did Deputy General Lin understand what Di Qing was going to ask, and although he was confused, he nodded firmly.

"That Lu Jingfu from Beijing..." Di Qing paused nervously before continuing, "But the one whose surname is Lu Mingci?"

Hearing this, Vice General Lin couldn't help but laugh: "Who else could there be besides the one named Lu Mingci? And when it comes to Lu Jingfu, Ling Xia's knowledge must be much more detailed than the Xiaguan's." !"

After confirming the guess in his mind, Di Qing had mixed feelings for a moment.

The first thing that fills my heart is the ecstasy that my lover is near the city of Yanzhou, and we may meet again soon, to quench my thirst for longing.

And with such a wise man who is the most trustworthy and good at trusting people sitting in the rear, he can concentrate on fighting on the front line, and he no longer has to worry all day long that the court will appoint an officer who does not understand military affairs and puts on airs along the way. Master, for no reason disturbed General Cao's careful layout.

In addition, he couldn't restrain his worries about the safety of his lover and the inexplicable change of position.

No matter in anyone's opinion, it is much better to serve as an important governor on the frontier where the flowers are flourishing and the flames of war are not yet reached, than to come to the frontier where the war is full of fire and smoke to serve as the terrible commander...

The grandfather's grace to save His Majesty by sacrificing his life is enough to block the mouths of Youyou, how could he be reduced to such a situation?

Di Qing could not wait to fly back to Yanzhou City in the next moment, to confirm the safety of the grandfather with his own eyes, and then ask the truth with his own mouth.