Li Xia didn't care how Jiang Chun and Fang Yankai felt, and let them discuss it.
He left Fang Yankai's official residence, passed through the house gate, and returned to Jiang Chun's courtyard. On the way, he said "Thank you" to the doors on both sides, which made them flattered.
That night, I was still practicing diligently under the moonlight.
I vaguely felt that someone was peeking at me. When I turned my head, I saw no one. Only the flowers and trees on the porch were shaking gently.
Returning to the main room in the west wing, I saw that Han Qiaoer had already made a small bed in the lower room where the maid lived, and was arranging his belongings, looking very happy.
"Qiaoer lives here?"
"Well, grandfather, father and Brother Liu live next door. They said Brother Liu's snoring was too noisy, so they asked me to live here."
Li Xia looked at it and said nothing. After all, the main room and the lower room can be regarded as two rooms.
Han Qiaoer was very happy and said: "I have also made Brother Li's bed. There is also a water room in the courtyard with hot water, which is very convenient. I brought it to Brother Li and it is covered."
"Okay, I'll serve it myself next time."
While Li Xia was washing, the little girl was talking next to him.
"When Brother Li went out just now, the county magistrate's wife came over to chat with me."
"What did she say?"
"Asked me if it was a boy or a girl, I said it was a girl and asked her not to tell anyone outside. She then asked me if brother Li was getting married, and I said you were engaged."
“Beautifully done.”
"Well, right?" Han Qiaoer laughed.
She chattered for a while, and Li Xia listened patiently. When she yawned, he sent her off to sleep.
In the night, the back office gradually became quiet.
Liu Jinsuo's snoring sound like thunder could be heard faintly next door.
Li Xia's first official day in office passed like this. He moved into the county magistrate's house. Although he was not very popular yet, he finally settled down.
Just like him, the county captain is not very popular in Qingfu County, but he has finally taken office...
Fang Yankai climbed up the small building, looked at the yard next door with his hands behind his hands, and saw the lights in each room turned off.
The county magistrate and the county lieutenant all fell asleep one after another, but he, the chief clerk, was worried about the current situation, and was distracted by the captain Li who fell from the sky.
He returned to the study, held up the candle, and looked carefully at the map again.
The cockcrow sounded, the sky became brighter, and the sound of banging came from the front office again.
…
"The landlord didn't sleep all night?"
"Um."
"Sleep is very important." Li Xia said, "The imperial court sent me here just to share some of the burden of being the landlord's bookkeeper."
Fang Yankai was too lazy to respond to these words, so he picked up a letter and threw it in front of him.
Li Xia picked it up, read it, nodded and said, "If you report this to Shi Zhizhou, I think he will agree."
"Okay, I'll send someone to Xuzhou." Fang Yankai said, "One day to go and two days to come back. There will be a reply within three days at the earliest."
Li Xia said: "Has the landlord handed over the official duties to me?"
"There's no rush. Lieutenant Li has just taken office, and a hasty handover will inevitably lead to problems. In these three days, Huang Shi will lead you to familiarize yourself with the affairs of all parties. Waiting for the approval of the state department, Lieutenant Li will personally handle the naval affairs."
"Okay, the landlord has thought it through, but I still have some specific requirements."
Fang Yankai rarely nodded and said, "Since Lieutenant Li is a straight person, I won't make any roundabout mistakes when I talk to you in the future?"
"Please say."
"I can't trust you. You suddenly got an official position at a young age. Although Yingfu County is small, with Miao, Yi, and Bo ethnic groups living together, and it is a borderland, the county lieutenant is responsible for arresting thieves, coordinating operations, and patrolling the public security.
Investigate criminal cases, investigate smuggled salt and counterfeit coins...I will never dare to hand it over to you rashly.
Last night, I thought about it all night, and I decided to leave this Qingfu Navy to you first. If it can make a contribution in the autumn defense war, it will be a good thing. If not, it will not damage the security of the county.
Of course, if County Lieutenant Li thinks... I want to share the credit but don't want to be involved, that's fine."
"Okay, is it time for me to make a request?"
"Please say."
Li Xia said: "How much money can the county spend to build a navy?"
"It can support three thousand guans for the time being." Fang Yankai said, "No more. Qingfu is not a rich county."
"It's too little, three thousand strings...can you still be called a navy master?"
"It shouldn't be called a naval officer. It's better to be called a 'river patroller'." Fang Yankai said: "When the governor approves, we may be able to allocate more money and food."
"Manpower, weapons?"
"Li County Lieutenant can transfer fifty people from the third squad."
Li Xia said: "I want to recruit another three hundred river patrolmen. Are they public officials or white yamen?"
"so much?!"
"yes."
Fang Yankai leaned back on his chair, frowned, and said, "Let's wait for the governor's approval. I'll try my best to fight for it."
"If Zhizhou doesn't agree, the money given by the county will be too little."
"What? If Zhizhou doesn't agree, Li County Lieutenant will still need the entire county to organize this matter?"
"yes."
Fang Yankai was speechless.
Call it surprising, this is not the first time Li County Lieutenant has said these words. He even said "Zhizhou has a prejudice against me", but if you are not surprised...
Li Xia pondered and said slowly: "When I was in Lin'an, the princes asked me to study at Taixue and take the imperial examination. I insisted on going to Shu to serve as an official, and I chose Qingfu County for this battle.
The power of the county chief’s bookkeeper and cashier is not what I want, but the power of the county captain and the landlord’s book should not be too tight.”
"Is Lieutenant Li threatening me?"
"It's okay for the landlord to think so."
Fang Yankai smiled bitterly, waved his hand and said, "I would also like to have more weapons in the county, but three thousand guns is indeed the limit."
He pulled out a booklet from the case and handed it to Li Xia.
"If Lieutenant Li doesn't believe it, you can see for yourself."
Li Xia didn't take it and said: "The landlord only took three thousand guan and fifty people, so he dismissed me as the county captain?"
"As Lieutenant Li said, the war is imminent and important matters are the most important." Fang Yankai leaned forward and said, "You and I don't want to fight for power endlessly at this time. How about we each take a step back?"
He looked very tired, his eyes were dark, and there were a few strands of white hair visible under his head.
Li Xia, on the other hand, looks extraordinary, tall and sharp.
It was said that each took a step back, but in fact Fang Yankai took a step back and Li Xia took a step forward.
But he remained calm.
Fang Yankai said: "How about waiting for the governor's approval? More or less, I will have my own grain, silver and quota."
Li Xia didn't answer.
Fang Yankai said again: "You want to build a river patrol team, and you can't do it without my support. You need me to handle the money, food, cashier, documents, and regulations for you. This is also the reason why you came to me last night, isn't it?"
"yes."
"I tried my best."
Li Xia then nodded and asked, "Where's the money?"
Fang Yankai sighed and said, "I can't give it to you first, but for the purpose of organizing the construction of river patrol troops, County Lieutenant Li can ask Jiang Yan to take charge."
"No jam? No buckle?"
"No jamming, no buckling."
Li Xia got up and went back to his office.
The county lieutenant's room is to the west of the government office. There are tables and desks in the inner room, and the outer room is where the staff and staff work.
The Han family father and son were preparing rosters and documents. Han Qiaoer was lying on the table drawing a map. Only Liu Jinsuo was lying on the chair doing nothing, yawning non-stop.
Li Xia stepped forward and kicked Liu Jinsuo, saying, "Don't you want to practice water training?"
"It's too cold in the morning."
"Follow me out in a minute."
"Okay, I knew I was waiting for you."
Li Xia said again: "I will give you an official position in the county government, and you will receive a salary in the future."
"Oh." Liu Jinsuo didn't care. He already took Li Xia's 100 guan, and when he left Lin'an, he took another 100 guan.
"Brother Li, do I have one too?" Han Qiaoer raised his head and asked.
"you have not."
"Okay then." Han Qiaoer flattened her mouth.
The Han family father and son just smiled and asked about the outcome of the conversation between Li Xia and Fang Yankai.
"Three thousand strings are still too little, not enough at all."
"But I don't know how Shi Zhizhou will reply..."
Li Xia said: "There is no need to wait for Xuzhou's approval. Let's start preparations first. Mr. Han, please contact the merchants and rent their merchants for practice."
"Rent?"
"Yes, tell them that if they don't rent it, they will be drafted when the war breaks out. If there is no navy in Qingfu County, the Mongols will also seize their boats when they come..."
Liu Jinsuo said: "That's not all, we have to rob their house! How about I go and talk to you?"
"No, don't go."
"oh."
"Mr. Yi Ning, please find a place in the east of the river as a station for the river patrollers, and then find a craftsman to come up with a drawing. It must be able to accommodate ships for berthing, have a school ground for training, and be able to block small-scale attacks, and with
The county seat is a rugged place."
"Yes, Qingfu County is located in a valley, too far away from the Changning Army, and it is an isolated city. It is indeed necessary. But this money..."
"Let's produce the drawings first."
"good."
Li Xia said again: "You also bring some manpower, go to Huang Shi, and ask him to send some Xu Ban Yamen servants to follow..."