Wu Zhixiang was a little embarrassed - he was such a smart person. He knew at a glance that this girl was probably very favored in front of Mr. Zhao on weekdays, and she was a little arrogant about being favored. She was good at making opinions and acting like Meng Lang. No wonder this girl was usually very favored. The gentle and elegant Mr. Zhao would use his brain like this: The so-called deep love means deep responsibility.
Seeing that Zhao Yingong saw that the servants were standing still, he became even more angry: "Why are you still standing there? Drag him out!"
At this time, the servants from the Nei Zhi Ban who had been following them for security no longer dared to neglect, and picked up Xi Hua, who was already in tears, and left.
Wu Zhixiang saw that she didn't even say a word to beg for mercy, but her eyes were full of nostalgia for Zhao Yingong. Mr. Wu was also a passionate person, and had lingered with several maids at home. Unconsciously, his heart softened, and he said with a smile: "Brother Zhao , why be so angry, this girl is ignorant, just teach her a few things, why bother?"
Everyone was originally frightened - this Xihua was no better than ordinary people. She was one of the few children chosen by the master to teach by his side. The servants and maids named the master were actually the students of the master. They usually acted alone. Characters. Today they were suddenly hit by the wrath of thunder, and they couldn't help but be confused.
Some were so quick-thinking that they had already guessed that this was what the master was doing to Xihua. The foreman's maid reacted the fastest, walked up to Zhao Yingong, knelt down with a bang, and kowtowed heavily:
"Master, calm down! I can't blame Miss Xihua this time. It's the slave who talks too much about how hot the factory is, and everyone can't stand it... There are so many mistakes, and they are all the fault of this slave. Please spare Miss Xihua, master." Punish the slave—"
Zhao Yingong looked slightly startled and asked, "What's your name?"
"Slave Huang Xiang——"
Seeing Master Zhao's unkind expression, Huang Xiang felt a little scared. She didn't know if her bet was right, but the matter was at this point, and she had no other choice but to bite the bullet. Then she kowtowed heavily:
"Please have mercy on me! Spare Miss Xihua!"
"Don't sell your goods here. I have a lot of things to do recently, and I don't care about managing the affairs of the village. You are getting more and more shameless! What if this continues? Since you came out to accept the crime, you still You have a loyal heart. I will spare you the pain of your flesh and blood today - Fenghua! Tell the steward that she will be punished by giving her a monthly salary!"
At this time, the execution was already taking place outside, and the sound of banging bamboo boards and the sobbing of "shenyin" came in. The female workers and slaves were as silent as cicadas, and did not dare to speak anymore. Wu Zhixiang couldn't bear to hear the sound, and came to persuade again:
"Even if she has all kinds of faults, she is still a weak woman. Brother Zhao runs a charity hall and a silk factory to accumulate good deeds. If he really wants to do good and evil, it will harm his dignity and violate the principle of mercy. I'm afraid It’s an obstruction.”
Seemingly realizing that "beating to death" was indeed too much - it would be troublesome to kill a slave with a stick. Zhao Yingong took a deep breath and said:
"Since I'm interceding for her, let her be spared this time. Pass it on: fight sixty times and fight hard!" He waved his hand, "Tell everyone to pay attention carefully one by one. Who dares to talk about the affairs of the villa again? Those who leak information will not be treated lightly!" After saying that, he stood up and raised his feet.
It was almost the same as Zhao Yingong's estimate. The next night, Hao Yuan, who was lurking in Nanxiawa, already knew about the incident: Gou Chengxuan rushed to Nanxiawa as soon as he got the news and told Hao Yuan.
"This Xihua is not an ordinary person. He is one of the most favored servants around Zhao Yingong." Gou Chengxuan was very excited. "Not only do they usually stand alone, but they can also go in and out of Zhao Yingong's inner study. If we can take this opportunity to attract her,
Coming here will be of great benefit to our operations."
Although the plan they made a few days ago has started and is going well so far, there is still insufficient information in some of the most critical areas. After several operations, Phoenix Villa has become a large manor, from the riverside to the mountain.
There are dozens of houses in Fenghuang Villa. Those places are the key points of the Villa. Where Zhao Yingong rests and works on weekdays, where the documents in the Villa are stored, and where the gold and silver are stored, are all mysteries to them.
They have several insiders in the villa, but these people are ordinary slaves or refugee workers. They have no access to the core and can only see and hear some superficial things.
Whether Gou Chengxuan, Hao Yuan, or Gou Chengxuan's master, they all adhere to the idea of striking the snake seven inches away. If this painstaking operation cannot give Zhao Yingong and his gang a fatal blow and make them unable to recover, then with their strength
, sooner or later it will make a comeback.
According to the current insider reports in the villa, they already know that there is a large team of servants in the villa, so knowing where the servants patrol and set up defenses becomes necessary intelligence for this operation. If they rashly mobilize the troops
If you go to attack the villa and rush in without knowing the details, you are more likely to be beaten directly by the servants of the villa.
Hao Yuan's attitude was much calmer and asked: "Isn't it a trick?"
Gou Chengxuan seemed to have expected his question: "I have asked insiders in detail. There are causes and consequences to this matter, and it is by no means a sudden incident."
As he spoke, he told Hao Yuan the information he got from the insider: Xihua focused on teaching on weekdays and did not want students to do chores; the environment in the silk reeling factory was poor, and there were various discussions in the villa.
"This little lady Xihua was originally the daughter of a scholar. She was well-read and literate, and was said to be able to compose poems. Her appearance suited Zhao Tu's liking. She was very favored. She was favored and arrogant no longer. She vaguely resembled Zhao Tu.
The meaning of being the first person around me. Zhao Tu did not let her be his personal maid, but instead chose Fenghua, who is dark and ugly. He also had the intention of suppressing her."
Hao Yuan remained silent and continued to listen to Gou Chengxuan's chatter.
Gou Chengxuan became more energetic:
"... If she attacks her for no reason, not to mention my brother, even my little brother will find it strange. But when you think about it all together, this matter is at least 70-80% true."
Hao Yuan nodded and said, "Brother Gou is right."
He only said "reasonable" and did not say "right". Gou Chengxuan was such a smart person and knew that he had reservations. He still wanted to continue talking. Hao Yuan suddenly asked: "I just said that Xihua asked for help from the female workers in the silk field, which made Zhao Yingong angry.
of?"
"That's right!" Gou Chengxuan nodded repeatedly, "It is said that insiders say that this silk farm is really like a hell on earth. Most people go in to do it and have to come out to take a breath and rest within an hour. If they are weak, they will faint and die in it within a quarter of an hour.
The past few days were fine, but the weather has been hot these days, and several people have to faint every day and have to be taken out and treated with medicine. They have to work for six hours a day, and they are not allowed to rest even on the first and fifteenth day of the Lunar New Year. The female workers all say that they can't bear it, but
I just gritted my teeth and started working in it because of the high wages."
"How does Zhao Yingong treat his slaves and female workers on weekdays?"
"It goes without saying, it's better than the average wealthy family. But the control is also strict!" Gou Chengxuan said, "The insider said: The slaves in the villa are given a lot of money and food, and they are beaten hard. Everything is the same in the villa.
There are rules, and if you break the rules, you won't be lenient."
"Leaving aside the craftsmen and servants, do ordinary slaves have a lot of work?"
"More!" Gou Chengxuan said without hesitation, "Insiders say that there is no idle person in the Zhao family. We work from morning to night. But with more money and better food, everyone is willing to do more."
"I see." Hao Yuan nodded thoughtfully and asked, "You just said that Xihua took his students to boil water and wash towels for the female workers?"
"Yes, otherwise, how could Zhao Tu be offended?" Gou Chengxuan said, "Speaking of which, this girl really has a chivalrous heart."
"Is she also a chivalrous and righteous woman in normal times?"
This question immediately stopped Gou Chengxuan. When Gou Chengxuan was talking to the insider, he only asked about the details of the matter itself, and did not ask such detailed questions about the extended matters.
"It's not like I asked in detail..."
A smile appeared on the corner of Hao Yuan's mouth: "Brother Gou, I think this is most likely a ploy." He stood up, stood at the door, looked outside, closed the straw curtain, and then turned back, "
He, Zhao Yingong, has stopped attacking her earlier and later, but he suddenly used her as a trick at this moment. Doesn't it mean that Zhou Yu is beating Huang Gai?"
"But, it makes sense..."
"It makes sense both emotionally and rationally. It's just that there's a problem with the timing." Hao Yuan said, "We have insiders in the villa. Mr. Zhao has good eyes and ears in Hangzhou and Jiangnan. Now there is someone to deal with.
I’m afraid the news about him has already reached his ears.”
Gou Chengxuan was shocked: Hao Yuan was right. How could he have forgotten this issue? After receiving the news yesterday, he not only carefully interrogated the insider about the incident, but also discussed it with Cao Guangjiu repeatedly for more than an hour.
, went over the whole matter several times, and both of them felt that there was a high possibility of wooing Xihua as an internal agent.
However, they all forgot that they were secretly dealing with Zhao Yingong, and Zhao Yingong was not ignorant.
Since they don't know anything, there will be backhands. Right now, they are in the dark and Zhao Yingong is in the light. If they want to switch positions offensively and defensively, sending someone undercover is the most effective way.
When Hao Yuan said this, Gou Chengxuan felt as if he was waking up from a dream. This group of thieves is indeed extremely cunning! He gritted his teeth and said, "Thanks to Brother Hao for reminding me! I almost fell into Zhao Tuozi's trap!"
Hao Yuan said calmly: "It's okay, Zhao Yingong is blind. He thinks he is smart, so we will give him a trick." He opened the ink cartridge, picked up the pen, and quickly wrote a few lines on a piece of paper, "Brother Gou, can you please call me again?"
Once the insider in the villa asked about the things on the paper one by one. The more detailed the better."
"Okay!" Gou Chengxuan was overjoyed when she heard that Hao Yuan had another plan. He quickly took the paper, blew it, and put it in his arms, "I'll do it now, little brother!"