"We brothers have always been careful about our duties and never dared to provoke noble people. I wonder what the third master did wrong when he made such a big show of it? If so, even if the third master orders it, I will die a hundred times. I just ask the third master to calm down."
The head of the Ruyi Sect is called Monk Baiyu, and his real name is Gu Jinshuo. But judging from his appearance, he looks nothing like Baiyu.
If it weren't for this, it wouldn't be hidden so deeply.
Zuo Fu picked up the tea bowl and took a few sips slowly.
"You're good, you didn't poison the tea. Based on this alone, you can still be saved."
The nerves of Bai Yu, Zha Hongying, and Chen Yanqiu were always tense, and they felt very uncomfortable on the line between life and death.
Obviously, there was only one subordinate standing next to Zuo Fu across from him, and they had more people. But their years of experience in the martial arts world made them feel that if they dared to think anything wrong, they would be killed on the spot immediately.
As for poisoning the tea...
As Zuo Fu said, Bai Yu is a smart man. Knowing this moment, any resistance is meaningless.
It's not that Ruyi Sect doesn't have good players, but that's compared to the Jianghu colleagues. When you meet people from the official family, this is the situation again, and the result is doomed.
The only thing that can be done now is to wait patiently and see what Zuo Fu means.
Since they are all smart people, Zuo Fu is also happy.
"From now on, Ruyimen...can no longer be opened."
The expressions on the three people's faces froze. If they hadn't tried their best to restrain themselves, they might have exploded on the spot.
Bai Yu endured it again and again, trying her best to smile.
"The wolf travels thousands of miles, and the dog wags its tail, but all it wants is a bite of food. We brothers are just maggots in a muddy pond, but the third master is a noble man. I really don't know why the third master has set his sights on our brothers' business?
"
They thought Zuo Fu was here to steal business.
Zuo Fu laughed loudly.
"What are you thinking about? Your little business is considered a business? I came here today just for you people."
Bai Yu quietly waved her hand to stop Zha Hongying and Chen Yanqiu's impulsiveness.
"Please ask Third Master to clarify my doubts."
Zuo Fu put down his tea bowl and got straight to the point.
"Your business at Ruyimen will no longer be possible. Even if I don't take action, you won't have much of a future. I'm not afraid to tell you that within one to two years at most, the walls of Linqing City will be demolished. There will be no curfew by then.
, City Defense, is your Ruyi Gate still useful?"
This time even Bai Yu was panicked.
This news is really too shocking and has gone beyond their cognitive scope.
What is Ruyimen used for?
He relied on secret passages to help people get in and out of the city.
Because there are city walls and city gates, many people who want to leave the city have no choice but to pay for the way through Ruyi Gate.
But if, as Zuo Fu said, the city wall in Linqing City is abolished, and then anyone can come and go at will, how can Ruyi Gate do business?
This is really not Zuo Fu's deliberate targeting. There is really no market for it.
Chen Yanqiu got lucky one after another and barely suppressed his panic. He sneered and said, "Why did the third master need to trick me? Is there any city in the world without a city wall?"
Bai Yu and Zha Hongying reacted, and a glimmer of hope suddenly rose.
However, Zuo Fu's proud words made them completely despair.
"Oh, I have tens of thousands of troops on my side. Who in the world dares to attack Linqing City without opening their eyes?"
Bai Yu and the other three looked depressed, and their stature suddenly became shorter.
Linqing is the place where Zuo Menggeng started his career, and there has always been a large army stationed there. As locals, Bai Yu and others have naturally seen how powerful the new army is.
The new army can even defeat Hou Jin. Looking at the world, it is certainly a first-class strong army.
As Zuo Fu said, with such an army on the side, Linqing will be as stable as a rock whether it has a city wall or not.
In fact, demolishing the city wall is the unanimous need of all walks of life in Linqing.
With the development of industry and commerce, the city wall has seriously hindered the logistics inside and outside the city. Therefore, after discussions, everyone felt that the city wall was unnecessary.
Qu Shishu was originally worried about his safety, but the New Army gave him a guarantee.
City walls, like household registration, are actually physical restrictions on the people. The most urgent thing for the development of industry and commerce is to lift the personal restrictions on the people.
This was the first time that industry and commerce began to challenge the traditional feudal order.
Without the city wall, people cannot come in and out, and the business of Ruyimen will be ruined.
Bai Yu smiled miserably and said: "The government is determined to do this, and we brothers are unable to resist, so we have to find our own way to survive."
They are all heroes in the world, and they must have accumulated a lot of wealth over the years.
Although the demolition of the city wall in Linqing made them desperate, it is actually an exaggeration to say that they can no longer survive.
But Zuo Fudu came to see them, and it was up to them to decide what they wanted to do.
"I have said that from now on, you are my people. Where to go? You can't go anywhere."
Zha Hongying said angrily: "Does the Third Master really want to kill everyone?"
Zuo Fu turned his head to look at her and asked, "What's the matter? Do you think the official's food is not delicious?"
The three people who were preparing for a desperate fight paused, their faces uncertain.
Bai Yu asked intermittently: "Third Master, official...what does the official meal mean?"
Zuo Fu seemed to have expected this reaction from them, and said with a half-smile: "The choice is up to you. Do you plan to continue to be a reckless person and die here today? Or do you want to follow the men and eat official meals and live openly?
You choose for yourself."
Cha Hongying's face turned red and she couldn't believe it.
"Third Master, you can't deceive us. Throughout the ages, the government has often done things like recruiting people and then killing them."
Zuo Fu spat: "Are you worthy? If I really want to kill you, why would I still talk nonsense to you here?"
The extremely contemptuous words actually made Bai Yu and the others settle down.
Because what Zuo Fu said is right, we have already reached this point. If we really want to kill them, why bother talking so much?
Chen Yanqiu's heart was pounding, and he came over and said cautiously: "Please third master to clear up the confusion."
He is different from Bai Yu and Zha Hongying.
Bai Yu and Cha Hongying are alone. One person has enough to eat and the whole family is not hungry. They can be at ease wherever they go.
He has a wife and children.
However, he became a thief. Although he had a job as a watchman on the surface, he could not afford a wife and had too many children.
The money earned through Ruyimen can help your wife and children have food and drink, but as a parent, who doesn’t want their children to get ahead?
How can a child of a thief have any hope of getting ahead?
If it becomes an official position, it will be different.
Not only can he walk uprightly in the world, but his children can also have a head start.
Zuo Fu said the purpose.
"Linqing is an important place, and your Ruyi Sect has been operating here for decades without collapse, which shows that you have some skills. Especially your ability to avoid the government's eyes and ears and dig tunnels is also very good. It just so happens that I want to use your skills here.
I’m capable, so I’ll give you a chance. Think about it, don’t regret it.”
After all, as a thief, caution is innate.
Bai Yun carefully probed: "We are afraid that the third master will learn his skills..."
They were afraid that if Zuo Fu learned their tunnel-digging skills, he would hide behind them.
Zuo Fu was not angry, but said: "You are in this city. You should ask about my general's reputation. As long as you don't have second thoughts, my general is only a man of talent. In the past, Lord Mengchang could even croak, rooster, and dog robbers."
If you make good use of it, you will have great potential."
Speaking of this, it can be said that Zuo Fu's sincerity is fully demonstrated.
Similarly, Bai Yu and the other three were left with little room for choice.
Either obey, and from now on you will wholeheartedly eat the food of the official family; or else, don't obey, and we will all die here today.
With such a simple choice, Bai Yu and the other three would naturally not make the wrong choice.
"From now on, our brothers will only serve you to the death."
Looking at the three people kneeling in front of him, Zuo Fu said seriously: "You are not allowed to kneel. You are not allowed to kneel here. Even if you see my general, you don't have to kneel down."
Bai Yu and the other three were astonished. They didn't expect that they didn't even need to lie down and make a baby.
After they stood up, Zuo Fu ordered: "From now on, you will be subordinates of my New Army Intelligence Department, and you will be treated the same as everyone else. There will be rewards for merit and punishment for demerits. From now on, can you go from being unknown to being an official?"
It all depends on your own abilities."
They were given official posts and made wishes even if they didn't come up, but Bai Yu and the other three felt more at ease.
None of them are fools.
If Zuo Fu really wanted to be rich and wealthy as soon as he came up, the three of them would be frightened.
There are no free benefits in this world.
The more I give you, the harder it will be for you to pay it back, and you will probably have to use your life to pay it back.
This normal recruitment shows that Zuo Fu really takes a fancy to their abilities, and that their abilities are very important to the new army.
Only by relying on one's ability to earn official meals can one feel at ease.
At the end of April, the new army began large-scale mobilization.
The first regiment and third regiment of the first division were stationed outside Yanzhou, and the second regiment took over the defense of Anshan Lake.
The First Regiment and the Fourth Regiment of the Second Division went to the junction of Jinan Prefecture and Qingzhou Prefecture, and formed the East Group with the Second Regiment of the Second Division originally stationed here.
Just waiting for Zuo Mengeng to come back, he will launch the final blow against the White Lotus Sect.
In addition to the impending military mobilization, everyone in the Dongchang Mansion was looking forward to it and making every effort to prepare for Zuo Menggeng's wedding.