Done! Your Majesty is going to prostitute me for free!

Chapter 112

The leader of the opposite camp was a burly man, riding a majestic horse, accompanied by followers riding inferior horses. Lu Yuefeng pointed out: "Sir, the one at the front is Wu Yiguang!"

Lin Xiaofeng decisively gave the order: "Send someone to challenge and propose a one-on-one fight. Win two out of three games. The loser will surrender immediately."

Lu Yuefeng took the order and stepped out, while Wu Yiguang on the opposite side also rode forward to challenge. Lu Yuefeng issued a challenge: "Wu Yiguang, don't involve innocent people. Do you dare to accept a one-on-one contest between my warriors?" Wu Yiguang laughed wildly and arrogantly accepted the challenge, claiming that he could fight against three people even with bare hands. .

In the crowd, Luo Huajun muttered in a low voice: "This is not a war, it is simply a child's game of house!" Everyone urged Luo Huajun to step forward to fight. Although Luo Huajun was unwilling to do so, he used the excuse that he did not carry a knife and was still injured. Finally, he took a worn-out knife and walked to the center of the battlefield.

Lin Xiaofeng looked around and found that no one had weapons except Xie Hongxin, who was carrying a concealed weapon. When he glanced at the "refugee" team, he suddenly noticed an old farmer holding a sharp knife, so he called him forward and exchanged money for his knife. Luo Huajun took the worn-out knife and examined it carefully, complaining repeatedly, but he finally gritted his teeth and stepped firmly into the core area of ​​the battle.

Luo Huajun and Wu Yiguang faced each other face to face. Xie Hongxin was urging anxiously from the side. Luo Huajun glared at him and shouted passionately: "A mere country man, I can withstand ten people by myself!" After that, he hurriedly said Holding the Pu Dao tightly in his hand, he resolutely stepped into the whirlpool of the fierce battle.

Luo Huajun's leaving figure looked particularly heavy in Lin Xiaofeng's eyes, and a series of questions arose in his heart. Although Luo Huajun is half of Xie Hongxin's master, everything in the world is changing rapidly, and there is no born strong person in the world. Even those who are as powerful as mountains and as powerful as Xie Hongxin are not invulnerable. His extraordinary strength is the result of natural aptitude, carefully prepared dietary nourishment, and rigorous daily training. However, relying solely on brute strength, only knowing how to wave your fists at sandbags and wooden stakes, and lacking actual combat experience is not a long-term solution after all. In ancient times, there was no modern TV station for them to show their courage with words. True talent and practical learning were the foundation for traveling in the world and settling down in life.

Lin Xiaofeng once invited many martial arts masters to teach Xie Hongxin, but Xie Hongxin had no choice but to use force to overcome cleverness. He often relied on his strong power to make many masters helpless. The longer he followed Lin Xiaofeng, the more he learned many insidious tricks, such as blowing sand to disturb the enemy and then attacking again. The attacks were carried out, causing many masters to lose their patience and leave one after another. In this regard, Lin Xiaofeng felt deeply helpless.

The key point in Xie Hongxin's rapid progress in martial arts was his encounter with Luo Huajun. When Luo Huajun came to Yangqu County from the mountains, he was caught stealing food by Lin Xiaofeng and Xie Hongxin because of hunger, which triggered a fierce fight. Luo Huajun was beaten black and blue and fell into a coma, while Xie Hongxin also suffered serious injuries. After Luo Huajun regained consciousness, everyone learned that he could still show such strong fighting power even after not eating for several days. Wouldn't he be even more brave once he had a full meal? Therefore, Lin Xiaofeng decided to keep Luo Huajun at all costs and let him serve as a sparring partner to help improve Xie Hongxin's martial arts skills. A month later, Luo Huajun had no chance of winning against Xie Hongxin, but he has since indulged in drinking and sex, and his martial arts seems to have been greatly compromised as a result.

Lin Xiaofeng was filled with doubts and asked Xie Hongxin: "What do you think of that young man's strength? Can Luo Huajun defeat his opponent today?" Xie Hongxin smiled and said nothing, and later replied: "If Wu Yiguang is only invulnerable, the defeat is already It’s settled! I once competed with Luo Huajun. Although his current martial arts seems not to be as good as before, I think I can defeat a hundred people, and Luo Huajun has at least seventy people.” Lin Xiaofeng looked confused after hearing this: “You. How can it be calculated with a 'ding'?" Xie Hongxin responded jokingly: "This is just a metaphor, which means that my thinking speed is as fast as a calculator."

Lin Xiaofeng was speechless for a moment, and then asked about his combat effectiveness index. Xie Hongxin glanced at him and replied bluntly: "You are only the strength of five people." Lin Xiaofeng was silent and turned to stare at the two people confronting each other on the field.

At this time, the atmosphere on the battlefield became increasingly tense. Luo Huajun slowly walked towards Wu Yiguang with hesitant steps, while Wu Yiguang showed a contemptuous expression, examined the old and worn-out knife in the opponent's hand, and determined that Luo Huajun was in poor condition at the moment and would be defeated. undoubtedly. Luo Huajun felt uneasy, not only because he was injured when he fell into the water last time and his lungs were damaged, but also because his broken ribs had not yet healed. Every step he took was heart-wrenching, but he just held on to his face and persevered.

Lin Xiaofeng saw this and couldn't help but urge: "Let's fight quickly, don't waste time for dinner!" Hearing this, Luo Huajun gritted his teeth, held the knife tightly, and approached Wu Yiguang with difficulty.

At this critical moment, a roar as if the earth was shaking suddenly came, shocking everyone. Lin Xiaofeng looked in the direction of the sound and saw more than 2,000 officers, soldiers and cavalry coming from a distance like a flood. It turned out that after receiving the news, the Military and Horse Division hurried over with the crowd. Seeing such a large crowd gathering, they must have been alert. Fortunately, Lin Xiaofeng had foreseen it and was prepared for this sudden change.

The leading general is wearing shining silver armor, with sword-shaped eyebrows and starry eyes, and a resolute face. He is none other than Zheng Niechu, the commander of the Yangtze River Troops and Horses. When the officers and soldiers saw Lin Xiaofeng mixing in the crowd without wearing official uniform, they immediately drew their bows and took aim. Lin Xiaofeng clasped his fists and said loudly: "I'm Lin Xiaofeng, may I ask if Lord Zheng Niechu is here in person?"

Zheng Nichu was slightly surprised and asked Lin Xiaofeng about his identity and why he appeared among people suspected of being a cult without official uniform. Lin Xiaofeng explained calmly: "Today's occasion is special and it is not convenient to wear official uniforms. These people are not members of the cult as outsiders say, but innocent people." Then he took out the official seal in his arms as proof and revealed that he came on the order of the emperor. , possessing Shang Fang's sword and holy intention, he can send people to check the matters related to the granary. Personnel have been arranged to wait for verification in the granary.

Zheng Nichu's eyes were sharp and he decisively sent his troops to the granary to verify the situation. He looked at Lin Xiaofeng again and smiled in approval: "You are indeed young and promising. Your Majesty's special envoy informed me that you will arrive here. But..."

"His Majesty said that you are cunning and do everything possible. If you make a big mistake, I need to remind you that I must spare your life. I cannot accidentally kill you here. You must be escorted back to the capital for interrogation." Zheng Nichu The emperor's instructions were faithfully conveyed.

Lin Xiaofeng looked up at the sky. The sky was gray at the moment. It turned out that he actually had such an image in His Majesty's mind...

Zheng Nichu glanced sideways at Lin Xiaofeng, with a sharp light in his eyes, and asked: "What does these people have to do with you? If there is no connection, this general will never show mercy." Lin Xiaofeng smiled helplessly and responded: "Zheng Sir, please be patient. They are all my subordinates. They were just deceived and I will dispatch them as soon as possible."

Lin Xiaofeng calmly continued to ask tentatively: "But Mr. Zheng, you came with two thousand soldiers and horses. It seems that your military strength is relatively weak?" Zheng Nichu replied proudly: "It seems that you are still capable of military affairs." What you don’t know is that I only led 1,500 elite troops today, which is enough to deal with more than 10,000 people who have no fighting ability. Only 500 brave warriors can handle it."

After hearing this, Lin Xiaofeng smiled slightly awkwardly, and then explained to Zheng Nichu: "In this case, I would like to ask Mr. Zheng to witness this ongoing best-of-three-game competition. The man with the sword is our talent." Zheng Nichu Chu looked in the direction he pointed, frowned slightly, and asked: "When I first arrived, there was such a talent emerging? The man's standing posture was quite military, as if he had undergone strict military training."

Lin Xiaofeng smiled and acquiesced, admiring Zheng Nichu's unique vision in his heart. Then he rode his horse back to the crowd, shouting loudly: "Quick victory, don't delay any more time!" Wu Yiguang felt uneasy when he saw this scene. He saw Lin Xiaofeng and Zheng Niechu turning back after talking, and couldn't help but suspect the two. Do people want to join forces against themselves?

Luo Huajun wielded his simple sword like a strong wind whipping up huge waves. As soon as he fought with Wu Yiguang, he slashed more than a dozen times in an instant, each of which accurately hit the opponent's weak defense. Wu Yiguang originally planned to fight with fists, but suddenly realized that the situation was unfavorable and could only stop and steady his horse to defend with all his strength. Upon seeing this, Luo Huajun did not hesitate and launched a fierce attack again, slashing more than a dozen times. Surprisingly, the simple knife in his hand broke into pieces due to being unable to withstand the force!
When Zheng Nichu witnessed this scene, he was astonished and full of surprise. He decided that Luo Huajun was a rare warrior whose strength was even better than when he was young. Lin Xiaofeng was confused as to why the two were in a stalemate, and turned to ask Xie Hongxin the reason. Xie Hongxin frowned and thought for a moment, then explained: "It's not that Wu Yiguang doesn't want to fight back, but the fact is that as long as he makes the slightest move, he will be struck by the knife, so he can only defend with all his strength; and Luo Huajun is because of the recurrence of his old injury. He was hit by me last time." If you break your ribs and don’t have enough training, you may not be able to sustain your strength for a long time.”

Although he was seriously injured, Luo Huajun still stood firm and stood firm. Lin Xiaofeng was shocked when he saw this, and hurriedly ordered the fight to stop, and signaled Luo Huajun to admit defeat and leave. Xie Hongxin quickly rushed into the battlefield to meet Luo Huajun and persuaded him not to hold on, but Luo Huajun was stubborn and refused to leave. In desperation, Xie Hongxin had no choice but to knock Luo Huajun unconscious with skillful force, and then carried him back to a safe area on his horse.

Zheng Nichu looked suspicious when he saw this scene, and stepped forward to ask why he stopped fighting suddenly. Lin Xiaofeng explained: "Luo Huajun suffered from an old illness and was unable to fight again." At this moment, Xie Hongxin took Wu Yiguang's place, and Lin Xiaofeng encouraged enthusiastically: "Brother Hong Xin, defeat him with integrity!"

Wu Yiguang's heart was still full of fear, recalling the sword light just like the wild waves of the river and sea. Each sword was heavy and precise, making it impossible for him to dodge. He tried to fight with fists, but was forced back step by step by the blunt knife. The attack route was blocked and there was almost no chance to fight back. Fortunately, the simple knife was made of poor material and was not carefully sharpened, otherwise the defeat would have been doomed.

Wu Yikuan tried his best to calm down, but when faced with Xie Hongxin, who was facing an enemy with nothing but an unusually strong figure, he thought he had found a flaw. However, what was unexpected was that Xie Hongxin slowly unbuttoned his coat, and there were all kinds of weapons hanging on his body: throwing knives, daggers, scissors, screwdrivers, saws, whips, Emei thorns, finger tigers, gun heads... and hanging on his waist There was a bag of powder and a small crossbow arrow, and there were even a bunch of small bottles and jars of unknown purpose hanging at the bottom. Finally, Xie Hongxin drew his broad sword from his back and inserted it into the ground, and said calmly to Wu Yiguang: "The young master has asked me to defeat you in an upright manner. You can choose a weapon yourself."

Wu Yiguang's eyes widened and he saw that Xie Hongxin's body was covered with deadly weapons. He was shocked and confused: How could so many weapons bear the weight? Lin Xiaofeng and others only saw Xie Hongxin reveal his clothes and draw his sword, but in Wu Yiguang's eyes, Xie Hongxin had turned into a mobile armory. Wu Yiguang was stunned, with a look of panic on his face, hesitant, and for a moment he didn't know how to choose his opponent's "gift".

Deep in his heart, Wu Yiguang roared like a trapped animal: "Are you even human?" Everything he encountered today frightened him. There was such a capable and charming person hiding next to Lu Yuefeng. ! Cold sweat rolled down Wu Yiguang's forehead. After much hesitation, he made a request: "Do you dare to challenge me with my bare hands?" After hearing this, Xie Hongxin looked calm. After a moment of silence, he decisively removed the heavy trousers on his body. He took off his coat and threw it into the dust, stirring up a tiny cloud of dust.

When Zheng Nichu saw this scene, his eyes shone with curiosity and admiration, and he thought to himself: Could this heavy coat be another hidden peerless warrior? What happened today was really an unexpected surprise. Seeing that Xie Hongxin was ready, Wu Yiguang stepped forward and challenged him loudly: "Come on, let's compete!" Xie Hongxin pressed forward step by step, and every step he took seemed to be stepping on the ground. The rhythm of Wu Yiguang's heartbeat made his nerves tense to the extreme.

When Xie Hongxin got close to the attack range, Wu Yiguang rushed towards the opponent like a hungry tiger. Unexpectedly, Xie Hongxin turned around lightly and used an extremely clever movement to get behind Wu Yiguang and tore him off in an instant. Wu Yiguang's pants. Wu Yiguang instinctively wanted to pull up the waistband of his trousers. At this moment, the door was open. Xie Hongxin seized this once-in-a-lifetime flaw and accurately hit Wu Yiguang's vitals with several uppercuts. Wu Yiguang suddenly cried out in pain, fainted and fell to the ground. The battle ended in the blink of an eye.

The whole place fell into a dead silence, so silent that you could clearly hear a pin drop. Zheng Nichu looked shocked, pointed at Xie Hongxin with trembling fingers, and asked Lin Xiaofeng: "This... this person..." Lin Xiaofeng responded with a calm smile: "I heard that Wu Yiguang is invulnerable, so we can only rely on his negligence. Let's get started." After hearing this, Zheng Nichu suddenly realized that there are indeed people among the people who practice invulnerability. However, no matter how powerful this kind of martial arts is, there will always be weaknesses that cannot be defended. Finding and attacking these weaknesses is the wisest strategy. I couldn’t help but admire from the bottom of my heart: “He is really a rare master in the world!”

Suddenly, Zheng Nichu's expression became subtle. He leaned close to Lin Xiaofeng and whispered in Lin Xiaofeng's ear: "Mr. Lin, I wonder if you can part with me and give this hero to me?" Lin Xiaofeng replied unhurriedly: "These two This person was specially sent by His Majesty to protect me." When Zheng Ni heard this for the first time, a trace of astonishment flashed across his face, obviously knowing that he could not get these two powerful generals.

The entire scene was still immersed in that frozen tense atmosphere, and everyone seemed to be able to feel the biting cold air. When Lin Xiaofeng saw this, he held his head high, raised his hands and praised loudly: "Brother Hong Xin is brave and invincible!" When everyone in Yangqu County heard this, they all responded: "Brother Hong Xin is brave and invincible!" He didn’t know his identity very well, but seeing that he was so highly regarded, he also echoed: “Brother Hong Xin is brave and invincible!”

In an instant, the shouts of "Brother Hong Xin is heroic and invincible" were deafening and resounded through the sky. The momentum of the Bushan Sect opposite was completely suppressed, and the deputy leader was even more frightened. Now that the leader has been defeated, and there are strong support from the army, facing this situation, how should this dispute end?

Lin Xiaofeng saw the hearts of the enemy formation fluctuating. He waved his hand decisively, and his followers immediately lifted up a long ladder and moved forward. This ladder stands firmly in front of the Bushan believers, like a bridge to the sky. Lin Xiaofeng rode his horse to the ladder, took the horn, then dismounted and climbed the ladder firmly. When he reached the middle of the ladder, he was slightly shaken. Fortunately, Xie Hongxin supported him at the bottom of the ladder. He finally climbed to the top of the ladder and sat down. He raised his horn and prepared to give a deafening command to everyone.

Zheng Nichu stood below, staring at this scene, full of doubts in his heart: On the battlefield, he might do this to boost morale and attack the enemy, but now that the outcome is clear, what kind of heart-pounding announcement will Lin Xiaofeng make? The command?
Lin Xiaofeng took a deep breath, raised the trumpet high, and shouted in a loud voice: "Brothers! I am Yangtze River Inspector Lin Xiaofeng! Your leader has been defeated. According to the agreement we made before, today is a great opportunity for you to surrender to the Patriotic Church! "

After hearing this, the Bushan Cult members were in an uproar. The official actually called himself a "brother" and claimed that he was the actual leader of the Patriotic Cult. This made everyone feel stunned, and their determination to fight against the government seemed to diminish in an instant. Quite a few.

Lin Xiaofeng continued to speak loudly, and his voice was like the dawn horn, resounding through the sky: "Fellows and elders, please listen quietly to my words! The Patriotic Church is a harmonious and united family, and every member is an indispensable part of this group. , we uphold the spirit of mutual help, love and common progress, and hope that ambitious and hard-working people like you will join us and shoulder the important task of building Jingjiang and revitalizing our hometown. "

When the crowd heard this, they felt a little confused and had difficulty understanding the meaning of "family", "friendship" and the joint construction of Jingjiang mentioned by Lin Xiaofeng, but they all listened carefully.

Lin Xiaofeng then said affectionately and heartbrokenly: "Look at the friends around you. They are in ragged clothes and can only survive on porridge and pickles every day. Are you really willing to endure this kind of life for a long time?" People in Yangqu County Immediately they responded in unison: "I don't want to!"

Most of the Buyer Cult members came from poor backgrounds. They may not have fully understood the previous sentence, but this description of the hardships of life pierced their hearts. No one wants to be trapped in poverty forever.

Lin Xiaofeng waved his arms and shouted passionately: "If you can be guaranteed to have fish and meat every day and wear new clothes every month, are you willing to accept such a life?" The members of the Tieyi Gang were the first to respond, shouting like a tsunami. Answered: "Yes!"

Lin Xiaofeng pressed forward step by step and questioned: "Think again about Wu Yiguang's lifestyle. He is fat and strong, but you suffer from hunger and cold. Can such a person truly share the joys and sorrows with you?" There was a lot of discussion in the crowd. The answering voice gradually became lower, and it was obvious that everyone could not agree with Wu Yiguang's approach.

Lin Xiaofeng once again made an impassioned speech and made a solemn promise: "Follow me, and the future will be bright and bright. I promise to provide employment and distribution, so that everyone can live a rich and prosperous life!" Before he could finish his words, he stepped out of his arms. He took out the small cloth bag he had prepared in advance and after untying it, the copper plates and broken silver were scattered to the crowd like a meteor shower. People in the distance were assisted by Xie Hongxin, throwing money bags filled with gold and silver. The money bags broke and gold and silver were scattered everywhere. People rushed to pick them up. Even the patriotic church members were attracted by the sight in front of them, with envy and excitement shining in their eyes. .

Lin Xiaofeng raised his voice again and asked: "Has Wu Yiguang distributed wealth to you like me?" The crowd replied in unison: "No!"

Cheers once again swept the entire venue, as shocking as thunder. Lin Xiaofeng pursued the victory and persuaded everyone: "Join us, we will become a family from now on, share the wealth and splendor, have no worries about food and clothing, and all the gold and silver treasures are in your hand! Those who are loyal to me will be generously rewarded, and thousands of gold is no empty talk!" He turned to the patriotic believers and announced: "Don't be impatient. Even the former opponents - the Bushan believers can get a few hundred taels of silver. For those who are absolutely loyal to me, there will be thousands and tens of thousands of taels of silver in the future." Waiting for you! Let us express our determination with applause!”

In fact, the money scattered was very small, mainly in copper coins, and no one counted it carefully. The people in Yangqu County applauded enthusiastically out of instinct. After hearing the promise of huge profits, the patriotic church members also fell into a state of fanaticism. The applause was so loud that some were even moved to tears and expressed their willingness to be loyal to Lin Xiaofeng to the end.

Under the instigation of Lin Xiaofeng, the cloth-shirt believers joined in the applause one after another, and the entire scene was submerged in a sea of ​​applause and joy. Many officers and soldiers of the Military and Horse Division saw the refugee congregants being so enthusiastic, and some even couldn't help but quietly clap along. Lin Xiaofeng's move made Zheng Niechu stunned, and he thought to himself: Is this the trick of the cult leader or is there another mystery behind it? Lin Xiaofeng is indeed extraordinary, why hasn't the court eradicated him? Wouldn't acting like this cause bigger problems? However, facing everything that happened before him, Zheng Nichu could only shake his head helplessly, his heart full of doubts and worries.

Seeing that the situation had gradually stabilized, Lin Xiaofeng felt a little relieved. He knew that the people were easily influenced by the atmosphere of the group, especially the illiterate peasants, who had an innate respect for officials and scholars. Lin Xiaofeng raised the trumpet again, and his voice resounded through the sky like a bell: "Brothers from the Bushan Sect, listen up and line up immediately!" Then he issued a series of commands: "Stand at attention! Look to the right!"

In the crowd, although some people could not tell the right and left clearly or failed to obey the order immediately, they saw their companions around them doing the same and followed the trend. Although this temporary formation cannot be compared with the regular army, it has formed an orderly formation to a certain extent, just like the student team in a country school sports meeting, although it is immature but full of vitality.

When Zheng Nichu saw this scene, he cast his eyes on Lin Xiaofeng again. Deep in his heart, he couldn't help but twitch his eyebrows slightly: This person actually has such outstanding leadership skills! One moment he seemed ignorant about the war, but in the blink of an eye he managed to bring order to these rabble. No wonder His Majesty thinks so highly of him. He is truly a rare genius in governing the world!

Lin Xiaofeng declared loudly: "From now on, you will all become a member of the Patriotic Church! Share a life of abundant food and clothing, work together, and live together! Not only will you live a prosperous life, I will also ensure that your descendants will have a prosperous life." Have the opportunity to receive an education and become literate." As soon as he finished speaking, thunderous applause burst out from the crowd, and everyone's face was filled with yearning and expectation for a better life in the future.

Lin Xiaofeng continued to instruct: "Everyone, please stand here. Someone will come to arrange relevant matters later. Be sure to tell us what skills you are good at. Whether you are a carpenter, a blacksmith, or an expert at weaving bamboo baskets, any skills must be explained in detail."

After finishing speaking, Lin Xiaofeng quickly jumped off the ladder and mounted his horse, galloped to Lu Yuefeng, and ordered him to lead the people to group records. Lu Yuefeng was deeply encouraged and couldn't help but admire that the master had not dealt with such trivial matters directly for many years, but he was still so skillful and admirable.

Lin Xiaofeng rode back to Zheng Nichu. Seeing his wary eyes, he smiled calmly and asked: "Master Zheng, do you have any concerns?" Zheng Nichu was speechless for a moment, and after a while he responded: "If there is nothing else, I'll give it to you. I want to resign first.”

Lin Xiaofeng responded: "My lord, please stay. In view of the vacancy in the post of magistrate, I will temporarily act as his deputy. I will report Xun Liu's affairs and various important events that have happened in the Yangtze River recently to your majesty in detail. In a few days, I plan to publicly execute Xun Liu." Please don’t worry about Liu and other corrupt officials.”

Zheng Nichu stared closely at Lin Xiaofeng's open and fearless eyes, and couldn't help but feel complete trust in his heart. He said helplessly: "Since your Majesty has given you the Shangfang Sword, after my subordinates find out the true situation of the granary, you can naturally deal with Xun Liu according to law. This matter must be reported to your Majesty. Considering that you have many affairs at present, I will grant you a Within the time limit of three months, all details of the Yangtze River area must be reported. As long as you have no intention of rebellion, all other matters will be decided by yourself.”

After Zheng Nichu finished speaking, he led his troops and horses to leave. After listening to Zheng Nichu's words, Lin Xiaofeng secretly wondered: Why should I rebel? When we have no worries about food and clothing, why should we seek the road to death? The way to survive is to adapt to the current situation and do your duty well. How can you have the idea of ​​subverting the imperial court?
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As the night falls, the lanterns are turned on, and the lights in the boat are bright, like a bright pearl floating on the dark lake. Lin Xiaofeng and his subordinates sat around a spacious banquet. The table was filled with delicacies from all over the world, reflecting the joy and relief on their faces as the recent war came to an end. Lin Xiaofeng stood up leisurely and glanced at every brother present. His expression was as cordial and sincere as if he was looking at his own relatives. He said, "Everyone, today we are in the same boat, just like a family. Let's put aside all the hard work we have done recently." . This sumptuous dinner tonight is designed for our joint efforts, let us enjoy the delicious food while discussing the next specific matters. "

Everyone raised their glasses, the aroma of wine overflowed, laughter erupted one after another, and the scene of feasting outlined a picture of long-lost harmony. After Lu Yuefeng had eaten to his fill, he held a thick book tightly in his hand, walked steadily to Lin Xiaofeng, and respectfully reported: "Master, today I have registered the various skills of Bushan Cult and my tribe one by one. There are all talented carpenters, blacksmiths, and bamboo craftsmen, and there are even experts who are well versed in fishing. However, I was troubled for a while about how to properly arrange these talents. "

After hearing this, Lin Xiaofeng raised a thoughtful smile, raised his eyebrows slightly, and said with interest: "Fishing skills are also the way to survive. It is not easy to be a good fisherman. You have to know how many fishermen are empty-handed in the rivers, lakes and seas." And then I returned, throwing countless baits but not even a single fish took the bait." As he said this, he took the book and started flipping through it. When he saw the column "Doing Nothing", he couldn't help but frown and pointed lightly with his finger. He said: "What does this mean? Since people who are good at catching fish are recorded, why are hundreds of people labeled as having no expertise?"

Lu Yuefeng looked embarrassed and carefully replied: "Sir, these people really can't figure out what their specialties are. Even after repeated inquiries, they can't find out what's unique about them. I'm afraid they are idle people in the countryside and can't express themselves well in words." Qing, so it will be recorded as 'nothing' for the time being."

When Lin Xiaofeng heard this, he shook his head helplessly, and his worry was palpable: "If such a record is presented to Your Majesty in the future, wouldn't it show that hundreds of people under my rule are idle and have nowhere to display their talents? This will make people feel that My management is poor!" He decided decisively: "Put aside the issue of placement for this group of people and change it to 'flexible employment'!"

Lu Yuefeng's face was full of confusion, and beads of sweat broke out on his forehead. He asked timidly: "Master, may I ask what flexible employment is?" Lin Xiaofeng smiled and said jokingly: "Flexible employment, to put it bluntly. "It's a euphemism for doing nothing." Although Lu Yuefeng didn't know why, he still put away the books and returned to his seat.

The banquet continued, and Zhou Zhiwei stood up and reported: "Sir, the decoration of the brothel has been basically completed. Now it is urgent to inscribe a plaque to name it. Please give me a word." Lin Xiaofeng smiled brightly when he heard this and responded very lightly: "The brothel we want to build is not an ordinary brothel. It should be called a 'club', a high-end service platform that integrates business negotiations, entertainment, leisure and food."

Hearing this new concept, everyone looked at each other and asked in unison: "Master, what is a club?" Lin Xiaofeng patiently explained: "The so-called club is a place for gatherings and meetings." Although everyone had doubts, they murmured in private that it was just a change. Although it has an elegant name, it is still a brothel-like place. Lin Xiaofeng suggested naming it "Madou Club", which made everyone laugh secretly, thinking that the name was too vulgar and lacked elegance.

While chewing, Xie Hongxin interrupted and suggested: "In my opinion, it is better to call it a 'celebrity club'." As soon as this was said, everyone agreed. However, Lin Xiaofeng was not satisfied with this, shook his head and sighed: "These names are too banal, just like the barber shops that can be seen everywhere in the countryside." Then Zhou Zhiwei proposed: "It is better to call it 'Heaven and Earth'." Although everyone generally agreed, but Lin Xiaofeng felt that although this name sounded nice, it was not very auspicious. After some pondering, he decided: "That's it, we'll name it after 'Huayue Tower'."

When they heard the name "Huayue Tower", although everyone said nothing, they all lowered their heads and ate in silence. They all thought that the name was too common. However, now that Lin Xiaofeng has made a final decision, there will be no changes. He turned to Xiang Xiehong and asked: "Lao Xiang, have the relevant information and other details of the officials been collected in detail?" Xiang Xiehong immediately stood up from his seat, holding the book and reporting: "The family status of the officials, corruption The amount and network of connections have been clearly recorded, and the main figures under Xun Liu's family who did the dirty work have also been identified. "

Lin Xiaofeng quickly flipped through the book to confirm, and then asked with concern: "During the interrogation process, we did not use torture to extract confessions, right?" Xiang Xiehong replied: "We did use torture." Lin Xiaofeng nodded in approval: "We did the right thing, when it's time to be tough. No mercy." Then he ordered: "Starting tomorrow, officials below the level of Tongzhi can take their places; as for the two wealthy businessmen involved, I will personally interrogate them; don't worry about other trivial matters for the time being."

Finally, Lin Xiaofeng once again confirmed whether Xiang Xiehong had collected detailed information about the wealthy businessmen he had made friends with on weekdays. Xiang Xiehong replied confidently: "Don't worry, sir, my social skills are my specialty. When the business opens, I will definitely invite wealthy businessmen from all over the world to come and have a drink." , these people will certainly come in handy in future recruitment matters.”

Hearing Lin Xiaofeng's heroic words, Xiang Xiehong showed an indescribable look of hesitation on his face. He thought about it again and again, and tentatively asked Lin Xiaofeng: "Master, there is one thing that I'm afraid needs to be considered carefully. Those wealthy businessmen who like male sex. Quite a few, how should we deal with this properly so as not to lose the ability to treat guests?" Lin Xiaofeng smiled openly when he heard this, his laughter was as loud as a bell, and he answered loudly with confidence. : "What's so difficult about this? We only need to recruit a few handsome young men and let them put on women's clothes to entertain the guests. This will definitely surprise and amaze these wealthy businessmen who like men."

A discerning person at the table suddenly had an idea, raised his glass and suggested: "Brother Han Guiliang usually prefers this kind of style. We might as well let him dress up as a woman. With his sophistication and ability to adapt to changes, he will definitely be able to do this." "The role." Lin Xiaofeng's eyes turned to Han Guiliang, who looked shy. There was a hint of playfulness in his eyes, and he asked with a smile: "Old Han, what do you think?" "Han?" When Guiliang heard this, his face turned red, his eyes widened and he retorted: "This is nonsense! If you really want me to pretend to be a woman, then I will also be the leader of this group of beauties!" After hearing this, everyone roared in the hall. Laughing, an extremely joyful atmosphere instantly filled the boat.

When the laughter gradually dissipated, Zhou Zhiwei stood up and spoke in a timely manner, his words were solemn and pragmatic: "Master, now that the name of Huayue Tower has been finalized, but the follow-up preparations are complicated, and you still need to give specific guidance. The catering in the building Services, staffing, and facility layout all need to be planned in advance so that I can arrange for my subordinates to make detailed preparations." Lin Xiaofeng leaned slightly on the back of his chair, looked up and pondered for a moment, then put away his smile and gave the order seriously: "Huayuelou must establish a complete membership system, which is divided into five levels: diamond, gold, silver, bronze and iron. Customized membership cards will be issued according to the customer's consumption limit. Each level will enjoy different exclusive benefits. Enjoy treatment and privileges. The floors and rooms in the building should also be designed and arranged with originality, adding culturally rich places such as study rooms and living rooms, and collecting all kinds of unique and rare books in the world to enhance the overall cultural taste.”

"The hot spring bathing facilities must pursue the ultimate luxury. It is up to you to decide whether to inlay gold or jade. You don't have to be stingy about the cost. You can just report it afterwards. As for catering, you must highlight the three characteristics of preciousness, rareness and peculiarity, and recruit top chefs from all over the world. Master of cooking, and invited hunters to capture rare animals such as tigers and leopards, iron-eating beasts, peacocks, pangolins, etc. as ingredients. Controlling the heat during the cooking process is very important. If there is any carelessness and undercooking, the chef will be fired immediately. To prevent the recurrence of historical lessons of disease spread caused by unclean food.”

All the officials in the seat were stunned by these remarks and listened with bated breath. Zhou Zhiwei was puzzled by Lin Xiaofeng's food requirements and couldn't help but ask: "Nowadays, abalone, sea cucumber, shark's fin, bear's paw, etc. are rare and top-quality ingredients. There are only a handful of restaurants along the Yangtze River that can cook such delicacies. Why?" Do you want to pursue more extreme and rare ingredients?" Lin Xiaofeng waved his hand and explained: "It's not an excessive move. If you want to reach the top of gourmet food, you must gather the power of famous chefs from all over the world and boldly try rare and exotic animals into dishes, regardless of species. When people are on the verge of extinction and suffering from hunger, why do they have time to care about the lives of animals? "

Regarding Lin Xiaofeng's mention of pangolins in food, Zhou Zhiwei expressed doubts: "Is pangolin really suitable for eating?" Lin Xiaofeng responded casually: "Why not? It is said that it is a great tonic, and it has a breast-clearing effect." The rhetoric attracted the attention of Xiang Xiehong, who has always studied medical science and had doubts about this: "Where did the theory of pangolins breast-feeding come from? I have not found such records in many medical books." Lin Xiaofeng responded jokingly: "Since pangolins can penetrate mountains and break through soil, they naturally have the magical effect of opening breasts. This is the wisdom of our ancestors, there is no doubt about it!" Although everyone knew that Lin Xiaofeng's words were joking, they still couldn't help laughing.

Although Xiang Xiehong still had doubts in his heart, he couldn't go into details and only muttered a few words in a low voice. Lin Xiaofeng responded proudly: "You have unknown things because you have never dabbled in the secret wisdom of my ancestors!" Then he ordered Master Wu Feng to travel around the world, visit famous temples in various places, and build a reputation by building momentum until the brothel opens. On the occasion, aphrodisiacs were secretly added to the tea, while the mage was responsible for praying and chanting sutras, taking this opportunity to accumulate prestige so that he could raise funds to repair the temple in the future. This arrangement shocked Rong Shenghuang who was present. He was so stunned that he accidentally knocked over the plate in his hand. He couldn't believe that such a method could be used here.

Lin Xiaofeng continued to teach everyone: "The service tenet of Huayue Tower is to make every guest feel at home. Even if we are helping guests find a lost kitten, we should do our best. We must ensure that guests from all over the world have a seamless experience here." Unparalleled exclusive service can not only achieve a successful career, but also enjoy considerate life care." He also emphasized that future management personnel must restrain their tempers and strictly prohibit verbal abuse or corporal punishment to any customers. Everyone here claimed that it was true, and they all carefully understood the profound meaning of Lin Xiaofeng's words.

Just as Lin Xiaofeng was arranging his clothes to interrogate the two wealthy businessmen in person, he suddenly discovered that Lu Sinan was not present, so he asked others: "Where is Lu Sinan at this moment?" Someone quickly replied: "Lu Sinan is in a stalemate with Xun Liu, and there is a stalemate between the two. The confrontation has lasted for a whole day!”

Lin Xiaofeng walked into the cell where the heads of the Wu and Guo families were detained, and saw Wu Chengjia and Guo Xunqi with pale faces and shadows of fear in their eyes. He strode in, personally pulled out the cloth stuffed in their mouths, untied the shackles on their bodies one by one, and greeted with a warm face: "Two heads of the family, please don't be formal and stand up to speak." Wu Chengjia made a dull sound in his throat. With a hoarse voice, he took a long breath, lowered his head and said gratefully: "Thank you, Mr. Lin, for your magnanimity and compassion."

Lin Xiaofeng walked to the table calmly, cooked two cups of hot tea with his own hands, and carefully brought it to the two of them. They took the tea cup, lowered their heads to drink, and kowtowed repeatedly to express their deep gratitude. Lin Xiaofeng's tone was slow and steady: "You two can put down the huge stone in your heart now." Hearing this, Wu Chengjia and Guo Xunqi's eyes flashed with a glimmer of surprise, and they asked in unison: "What Mr. Lin said is true. ?"

Lin Xiaofeng responded sternly, with a frank and upright tone in his words: "That's true. I never hide anything when I handle matters. One is one, and two is two." Before he finished speaking, his tone suddenly changed, bringing about a turning point. Condition: "However, there must be a prerequisite to leave this place." When the two heard the word "condition", their faces immediately became nervous again, and they asked eagerly: "What are your conditions, sir?"

A faint smile flashed across Lin Xiaofeng's lips. Although his attitude was relaxed, his every word was serious: "In fact, what I asked for is not harsh. After investigation of Xun Liu's incident, it has been found that you were only involved in the sale of stolen goods and were not deeply involved in it. It was nothing more than It’s for ordinary business, so…”

"For this matter, I am willing to let things go. You can still keep the money you received, but you must return all the property you exchanged for the grain in the granary. From now on, whenever I am assigned, you must be on call and cooperate unconditionally. Otherwise, Don’t blame me for enforcing the law strictly and showing no mercy.”

Wu Chengjia and Guo Xunqi looked embarrassed, as if they had unspeakable difficulties in their hearts. Wu Chengjia hesitated and hesitated to speak: "Sir, this kind of kindness..." Lin Xiaofeng interrupted his words, with bright eyes: "Is it possible that what Xun Liu can do? Wouldn't it be me, Lin Xiaofeng, who couldn't do it?" After saying this, he walked towards the two of them with steady steps and gently patted their shoulders to convey comfort: "You don't need to worry, I never want to force you. People are too smart. As long as we cooperate sincerely, we can not only preserve everything we have now, but we may also reap unexpected benefits in the future. What do you think?"

Faced with a desperate situation where all the evidence that could lead to the confiscation of their family and extermination of their clan was in the hands of others, Wu and Guo looked at each other, understood each other, and jointly expressed their stance: "I am willing to act according to your arrangements!" After hearing this, Lin Xiaofeng nodded with satisfaction: "Very good , you can leave now." The two walked out of the cell quickly as if they had been reborn.

However, just as they were about to cross the threshold, Lin Xiaofeng's voice came from behind again: "Remember, you can't have any chance of escaping. The evidence of your crimes is still in my hands. If you report it to the court, there will be consequences." No need to say more." The two were so frightened that they stopped and hurriedly turned around and knelt down: "Thank you for the gift of rebirth!" Lin Xiaofeng smiled lightly and waved for them to leave. "Go ahead." He knew deep in his heart that he had been tightly held by invisible bonds, and he did not dare to make any rash moves. He could only be cautious and rely on Lin Xiaofeng to survive under the wings of this powerful figure.

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The morning dawned the next day, and the sunlight filled the office of the government office. Lin Xiaofeng straightened her back and sat upright on the high post where Xun Liu once stood, surrounded by a group of subordinate officials who lined up and stood in the hall with trepidation. They had just experienced the stormy interrogation on the boat the night before, and after only a short night's rest, they had not yet fully recovered from the shock. Lin Xiaofeng's thunderous methods were deeply imprinted on everyone's mind. At this moment, everyone was extremely frightened and had almost lost the courage to even look at him.

Seeing this, Lin Xiaofeng smiled slightly and tried to ease the tension with a gentle gesture: "You don't need to panic too much." Then he looked solemn and declared in a deep voice: "I have called you today to hand over several crucial matters. Xun Liu and his accomplices have committed many crimes and will eventually be punished by the law. It is only a matter of time before they are found dead."

"From now on until the imperial court re-appoints the prefect, all government affairs in the Yangtze River Basin, no matter how big or small, will be under the full authority of this official and I will issue instructions. You must strictly follow them! Do you hear me clearly?"

The officials crouched and responded in a low voice: "I understand." Lin Xiaofeng said sharply: "Louder. As an official of the imperial court, but you are so timid, how can you assume the responsibility of governing a party?"

"It's clear!" Everyone mustered up the courage to shout in unison.

Lin Xiaofeng nodded with satisfaction, held up a heavy account book in his hand, and said in a deep and powerful tone: "This account book records the evidence of your corruption in detail. It has not been reported yet, and I have no intention of delving into it. I will give you three days to report the stolen money. Return the items to the treasury in full and have a designated person verify them; within seven days, a government officer must be assigned to recover the misappropriated property from each county's grain kiosks. If the verification results are inconsistent with the accounts or there is a shortage, then your fate is no longer within my control. Yes! Do you understand?"

"Understood!" Everyone responded loudly again, their hearts filled with nervousness and awe.

Lin Xiaofeng stood up and left his seat, and walked around the venue. Everywhere he passed, the people below him all lowered their heads and did not dare to look at him. He further emphasized: "From now on, I point to the east, and you must not go west. As long as you can fully cooperate and tide over the difficulties, you will get the rewards you deserve. Don't be too nervous. Although I have an easy-going temperament, if anyone dares to violate the ban , I will definitely punish you severely. Don’t think that my kindness is a sign of weakness. Once you offend me..." After saying this, Lin Xiaofeng drew out Shang Fang's sword, and his face instantly became cold and majestic: "There will be blood splattered everywhere. step!"

Everyone trembled when they heard this, and once again declared: "Understood!"

Lin Xiaofeng returned to his seat and ordered everyone to perform their duties. When everyone was preparing to leave, they suddenly heard a sharp and passionate shout from the distance: "The imperial decree has arrived! Xun Liu, the prefect of the Yangtze River, is here to receive the decree!"

Lin Xiaofeng's heart tightened when he heard the sound, and he immediately ordered someone to quickly invite the messenger to come in. After a moment, a thin figure with a haggard face walked in quickly, which was different from the solemn temperament of ordinary messengers. As soon as this person stepped into the house, he screamed again: "The imperial edict has arrived, the governor of the Yangtze River will receive it!"

Lin Xiaofeng took a closer look and couldn't help being surprised: "Oh, Yongyong, why are you here?" When Ou Zhiyong heard the familiar voice, he was also overjoyed: "Mr. Lin!"

Lin Xiaofeng hurried forward to greet him. Ou Zhiyong was full of exhaustion. When he saw an acquaintance, he couldn't help but reveal a long-lost smile, and even instinctively opened his arms to hug him. However, before it was touched, Lin Xiaofeng snatched the imperial edict in his hand and quickly started to read it in detail.

Lin Xiaofeng waved his hand to signal the others to leave: "This matter has nothing to do with you, just go back and perform your tasks!" After hearing this, everyone was relieved and dispersed without a trace in an instant. Only Ou Zhiyong and Lin Xiaofeng were left facing each other in the public room.

Lin Xiaofeng held the imperial edict in hand and asked Ou Zhiyong: "Is this an edict issued by His Majesty himself?" Ou Zhiyong looked worried and replied: "It was... the prince did it."

Lin Xiaofeng held the imperial edict tightly, her heart racing, thinking to herself that the prince had indeed acted according to his previous hints. The first thing at the moment is to handle it properly so as not to involve Li Dexian. Ou Zhiyong was worried about Xun Liu's safety, so he knelt down on the ground and hugged Lin Xiaofeng's thigh, crying and begging: "Master Lin, please don't kill Master Xun under any circumstances!"

Lin Xiaofeng pushed him away helplessly, feeling funny and angry at the same time: "Why are you so anxious!" Then he ordered a banquet to be prepared outside for Ou Zhiyong.

Ou Zhiyong was still begging on the ground. Lin Xiaofeng helped him up and continued to ask for details: "Other than you, who else knows about the prince's false edict?" Ou Zhiyong's eyes were filled with tears: "There are still princes and other people around the prince. The two guards knew about this."

Lin Xiaofeng then asked: "Is Xun Liu really doomed?" Ou Zhiyong burst into tears: "Master Lin, killing the prefect is a heinous crime!" Lin Xiaofeng comforted: "Xun Liu's sin is serious, I will truthfully tell the truth about this matter Report to Your Majesty. All you need to do is tell me, did the prince send you alone to deliver the message?"

Ou Zhiyong replied: "There are two more guards coming with me and will arrive here soon. As for the prince himself, he was still in the palace when I left the palace." Lin Xiaofeng thought for a moment: "Okay, then first Arrange it this way.”

Lin Xiaofeng asked Ou Zhiyong to stay here for two days, write a memorial and send it to the palace, and told him that if he was worried about exposing his identity, he could entrust it to the prince for forwarding. At the same time, it is guaranteed that the edict in hand will be delivered in time. After saying that, Lin Xiaofeng took out fifty taels of silver notes from his sleeve and gave them to Ou Zhiyong as a reward.

Ou Zhiyong took the banknote with a complicated expression. He wanted to smile bitterly but was worried at the same time. He hesitated and asked: "Mr. Lin, is it appropriate to let others give it to someone else for pretending to convey an imperial edict?" Lin Xiaofeng smiled calmly: "Since all of this is a fake edict. "What's inappropriate? You can rest in the side room for the time being, and let them eat and drink before continuing to deliver the imperial edict."

Ou Zhiyong agreed and went into the side room to rest quietly.

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After Ou Zhiyong settled down, Lin Xiaofeng once again recruited his close confidants, made a detailed plan, and then personally boarded the boat that carried Xun Liu's fate. Xun Liu, an old man, has been imprisoned in the boat for more than several days. His physical condition is really unknown, which makes Lin Xiaofeng always have an invisible weight hanging in his heart.

As soon as he stepped into the cell, a damp and oppressive atmosphere hit his face. Lin Xiaofeng was shocked to find that Lu Sinan was also accompanying Xun Liu inside. The two sat opposite each other, like two extremely tired stone statues. Their eyes were bloodshot from endless fatigue and anxiety, like two red waning moons. In order to prevent Xun Liu from committing suicide again, his hands were tightly tied with heavy hemp ropes. Lin Xiaofeng couldn't help but wonder.

Lin Xiaofeng patted Lu Sinan's shoulder, and asked with doubts in his eyes: "What's the important thing for you to wait here?" Lu Sinan got up immediately after hearing the sound, and replied respectfully: "Sir, I am responsible for taking care of Mr. Xun here. Lin Xiaofeng was even more puzzled after hearing this: "Master Xun has been seriously injured and unable to speak, so why does he need to be so closely monitored?" Lu Sinan told the truth: "Master Xun has been there for several days." I haven't eaten yet, so I can barely maintain my strength with sugar water." Lin Xiaofeng turned to face Xun Liu, with an indifferent yet meaningful smile on his face, and said sharply but with a hint of regret: "Eat as much as you can, we don't have much time. Well, when everything settles tomorrow, I will help you get rid of your bondage." Upon hearing this, a cold sneer flashed across Xun Liu's face, and Lu Sinan added in time: "Master Xun is using silent words to talk to the master. Cursing." Lin Xiaofeng was surprised: "You can also detect this? What is he cursing?" Lu Sinan replied: "The specific content is not fully identified, but it must be insulting." Lin Xiaofeng couldn't bear it and ordered Xun Liu to be punished. , slapped twice. Xun Liu closed his eyes after feeling the pain and no longer looked directly at Lin Xiaofeng.

Lu Sinan obeyed and retreated, and Lin Xiaofeng called Xiang Xiehong to take over. Xun Liu opened his eyes again and stared at Lin Xiaofeng with bright eyes. Lin Xiaofeng walked forward slowly and expressed his plan in a serious voice: "Although your hands are tightly bound, your fingers can still write. The essence of the reason why you insist on keeping the secret is to protect your wife and children from being implicated. However, Once you pass away, your family will have no one to rely on. I will give you the pen and ink to advise you to be frank and lenient. Maybe you can be used as a taint witness. I am willing to do my best to protect your family and at least ensure the safety of your son. "

Xun Liu faced Lin Xiaofeng's painstaking efforts and remained silent, turning his head to avoid his sight. Seeing that rational persuasion failed to touch Xun Liu's heartstrings, Lin Xiaofeng tried to impress him with family affection: "I don't care about the powerful people involved behind you, but I just don't want innocent people to be involved in this storm. Even if I am in danger, I You must also know who your opponent is. If you can help me, I will remember this kindness and swear an oath in the name of Lin’s innocence. As long as you sincerely repent, I will do my best to protect your family, especially your heirs. ”

The anger in Xun Liu's heart was as fierce as fire. He glared at Lin Xiaofeng and spat on Lin Xiaofeng's gorgeous official uniform. However, Lin Xiaofeng did not get angry because of this. Instead, he wiped away the stain calmly and said coldly: "Since you insist on keeping silent, just wait for the judgment of fate." Xun Liu is like a stubborn rock, no matter how hard he knocks Even the blows were unable to pry his mouth open. Lin Xiaofeng felt deeply helpless and could only choose to leave and sit alone in front of the case, quietly drinking tea and thinking.

Xiang Xiehong walked into the room and asked what he had to do. Lin Xiaofeng was concerned about the progress of Xun Liu's interrogation, while Xiang Xiehong shook his head and said that Xun Liu's perseverance was beyond imagination and he had not yet obtained any valuable clues. Lin Xiaofeng felt a little regretful and quickly changed the topic to arrange other government affairs: "The patriotic believers in the city and the displaced refugees outside the city urgently need to improve their sanitary conditions. At a time when the heat is unbearable, you can buy a few bathhouses. Before recruiting workers, they must take a bath When changing clothes, men are given pants and women are provided with clothing, which must be cheap and high-quality.”

When Xiang Xiehong recorded it, he hesitated and asked: "Where should this expenditure be allocated from?" Lin Xiaofeng responded without hesitation: "Of course it comes from the government treasury, how can it be privately borne? Let us advance it first, and then we will pay it later." Go through the reimbursement procedures." Then, Lin Xiaofeng ordered Xiang Xiehong to get a map of the Yangtze River Basin, enlarge it, and accurately mark the important road sections in the city and the location of the Yangtze River water conservancy facilities on the map according to the standards of the Huayue Tower stage background. Be fully prepared for future planning and use. After Xiang Xiehong finished recording each item, he asked about the intention behind this move. Lin Xiaofeng sighed softly: "It's just planning projects in advance and repairing bridges and roads. When Huayue Tower opens and businessmen gather, we can hold on-site bidding for the project. Although road construction seems to be a huge investment, it is In the long run, the benefits will be huge and it will help mobilize people's enthusiasm for participating in public affairs. The current priority is to set an example and build various public welfare facilities. The other matters need to be implemented step by step. "

Lin Xiaofeng continued to instruct Xiang Xiehong to immediately set up a school outside the city. All children under the age of twelve can attend school for free and provide two meals a day. This task cannot be delayed. In addition, there are still many important government affairs that need to be arranged and handled urgently. Lin Xiaofeng secretly thought: Although the imperial court strongly encourages people to actively participate in urban construction, people are often not very enthusiastic about public welfare undertakings such as temples and Taoist temples because they lack direct economic benefits. Only measures such as building roads that seem to be huge investments actually contain far-reaching and rich return potential. Therefore, we decided to use this as a breakthrough to gradually promote and implement other livelihood measures.

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Two days passed quickly, and Lin Xiaofeng quickly took care of all related matters like a gust of wind sweeping away fallen leaves, and spread the news throughout the city, informing everyone that Xun Liu, the prefect, was about to face the verdict of beheading. As a result, the people in the entire city were moved by the news and rushed outside the city walls. Countless pairs of eyes were focused on the upcoming life-and-death showdown. The city tower was towering and straight, reaching into the sky. Xun Liu and his colleagues, with disheveled hair and shackles, were forced to press on the crenellations of the city wall, like two lonely boats swaying in the wind and rain.

In order to let Xiang Xiehong experience the seriousness and responsibility of officialdom, Lin Xiaofeng intended to let him participate in the execution process. However, Xiang Xiehong politely refused, indicating that he preferred the stable life brought by an official uniform. Compared with the turmoil and struggles in his official career, he was more attracted to the peaceful and free world of Yangqu County. Lin Xiaofeng was well aware of the risk of his identity being exposed, so he deliberately disguised himself, smeared his face to hide his true appearance, and wore a pair of patched and worn trousers to hide his identity from others.

At this moment, Lin Xiaofeng was holding the Shangfang Sword, which symbolized the supremacy of imperial power and the control of life and death, and stood with one foot on the edge of the crenellations of the city wall, overlooking the crowds of people gathered around, with a calm and solemn expression. In the distance, Zheng Nichu witnessed this scene, and his heart was as heavy as lead. He never expected that Lin Xiaofeng's high-profile act would attract onlookers from the whole city. He was worried that the gathering of people might cause an accident, so he led a team of officers and soldiers to prepare for the danger before it happened.

Xun Liu underneath him roared hoarsely: "You have no right to kill me! How can you take my life without a judicial review?" After hearing this, Lin Xiaofeng slowly drew out his sword, and at the same time took out a clean cloth from his arms, meticulously He wiped the edge of his sword on the ground. Even though he had not personally carried out an execution for many years, there was a subtle tension in his heart at this moment. The last time a prisoner died due to the misuse of penicillin, he regarded it as a medical accident and never felt guilty; for those death row prisoners who suffered torture and died, in his view, death in his hands was the end of a painful relief. . Looking back at the past, the first execution was by a local judge who killed several young beggars. In anger, Lin Xiaofeng did not hesitate to draw his sword and kill the evil official. From then on, Xie Hongxin carried out most of the executions. This iron-blooded mission.

In response to Xun Liu's protest, Lin Xiaofeng looked majestic and responded: "No need to say more, I hold Shang Fang's sword, why do you need a lengthy trial to punish you?" After hearing this, Xun Liu struggled even more fiercely, and his voice was extremely hoarse: "Your sword It's a fake! You will never be allowed to kill me without a trial!" Lin Xiaofeng did not pay attention to his doubts and continued: "Now that the disaster is critical, I can't waste time. I will kill you and others to warn the others not to make the same mistake. , and the second is to calm the people's hearts." As soon as he finished speaking, he turned his eyes to the surging crowd at his feet, and saw thousands of pairs of eyes looking eagerly at the top of the city, looking forward to witnessing this rare scene of beheading the prefect in public.

Lin Xiaofeng deliberately lifted up the hem of his official uniform, revealing a pair of worn-out trousers covered with patches. This move made Xun Liu pale in astonishment. Lin Xiaofeng raised his arms and shouted: "Fellows and fellow villagers, I am Yangtze River Patrol Supervisor Lin Xiaofeng, and I am here to provide disaster relief under the emperor's order! Who knows about the crimes committed by Xun Liu and his colleagues? Food prices have soared, and the victims are only Living on thin porridge, bones everywhere, and public resentment boiling, all because of their corruption! My emperor, the Holy Ming, specially issued an order to open grain warehouses to stabilize prices. All parties inside and outside the capital urgently raised grain, but these two people were so bold that they stole and sold it. The amount of grain stored in the state and rotten rice exchanged for new rice is appalling! The life-saving grain that was supposed to save the people from disaster was swallowed up by their greed! You are suffering from hunger, but they are well clothed and well-fed at home. I ask God, are such officials not so good? Is it worthy of death?”

"Deserve to death! Should be cut into pieces by a thousand cuts!" The people were excited and shouted loudly, gnashing their teeth in hatred for these corrupt and unscrupulous officials. Faced with such pressure from public opinion, Xun Liu and his colleagues looked as pale as paper. They lowered their heads and did not dare to speak. They just stared at the bricks and stones under their feet in a daze.

Lin Xiaofeng's mood became more and more high. He looked up at the sky and then looked down at the suffering people. His face was full of sorrow and he said heartbrokenly: "I am a step too late. I am so ashamed of all the villagers!" Zheng Niechu in the distance secretly thought in his heart, Lin Xiaofeng once again Use incitement tactics. Lin Xiaofeng continued: "As a Yangtze River patrol inspector, I feel guilty and uneasy when I see the people suffering from hunger! Such inhumane corrupt officials have put the people in dire straits and even led to starvation and death everywhere, and they are still greedy. You are just rubbing salt into your wounds, you are no better than a beast! Today, I apologize to everyone on behalf of these sinners!" As he said this, Lin Xiaofeng cut off a strand of his own hair with Shang Fang's sword, which showed his determination. It deeply moved everyone present. The people were all moved and shocked. They unanimously praised him as the just and selfless "Lin Qingtian", "This is the real Lord Qingtian in our hearts!"

Some people in the crowd were the first to raise their arms and shout, and then the responders were like wild waves crashing on the shore, and their calls to the blue sky resounded throughout the sky. Lin Xiaofeng was slightly surprised and looked down, murmuring in his heart: There was no one arranged to encourage people today, how could there be such an enthusiastic response? Hearing the cries of the crowd, Xun Liu almost burst into tears. He struggled to resist, but the government officials behind him tried their best to hold him down. Xun Liu cursed in his heart: Lin Xiaofeng, if you use my words to incite things, you will be punished by God!

Lin Xiaofeng seized the opportunity and said sternly: "These two thieves ignore the dignity of the law and the life and death of the people. They are shameless and unforgivable! Since their hearts towards the people of Li are harder than iron, I will never show mercy in enforcing the law." Face!" After saying this, Lin Xiaofeng waved Shang Fang's sword, closed his eyes and slashed decisively towards Xun Liu's neck. With a crisp but low "pang" sound, the entire scene instantly fell into deathly silence...

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"Ah——!" From the top of the city tower, Xun Liu's heart-rending cry was like a sharp sword piercing the sky. Lin Xiaofeng lowered his eyes and scanned the dumbfounded and silent people at his feet. Suddenly, he opened his eyes, but he did not see the tragic sight of five steps of blood splattering as he expected. He only saw a light wound on Xun Liu's neck, and bright red blood was slowly flowing. The Shang Fang sword that was tightly held in his hand was actually broken into two pieces at this moment. Lin Xiaofeng was sweating on his forehead, and his palm holding the broken sword couldn't help but tremble. He secretly thought in his heart: The quality of this sword is so poor, it is unexpected, and it was a moment of carelessness. Made today's loss.

At this moment, the crowd was eagerly anticipating the final verdict. Suddenly, they heard Xun Liu burst into laughter. He turned to look at Lin Xiaofeng, his eyes full of provocation and ridicule. Tongzhi also took this opportunity to laugh loudly and said: "Hahaha! God's eyes are opened! God really has eyes! Lin Xiaofeng, you hurt innocent people by mistake, this is a clear law of nature! Folks, see his true face, he is a hypocritical evil thief He talks about benevolence, righteousness and morality, but he actually deceives the world and steals his reputation. You must not be deceived by his clever words and tricks!" After hearing this, Lin Xiaofeng frowned and was filled with anger. He immediately kicked Tongzhi hard in the ribs, and his arrogant laughter instantly disappeared! Make a wail of pain.

The people originally had high hopes for Lin Xiaofeng, but now they were incited by fellow intellectuals. They started talking about it, their beliefs were shaken, and they were filled with doubts. Lin Xiaofeng's face was as gloomy as iron, and he quickly gave an order to the government servants beside him: "Go and get the knife quickly!" Before the order was delivered, someone in the crowd shouted: "The sky has eyes! These two moths have stolen our Food, how can we let them die easily?" This voice was like a fuse, arousing the anger of the people, and people echoed, and the voices of condemnation were endless.

When Lin Xiaofeng turned to take the knife, he caught a glimpse of an unkempt young man in the crowd below. Although his face was covered with dirt, his white-toothed smile was particularly eye-catching. Lin Xiaofeng felt familiar to the dozens of faces accompanying him. Looking carefully, Lin Xiaofeng was shocked: Isn't this the current prince? He was so courageous that he rushed to the scene as soon as he received the imperial edict. If there was another incident, he would probably be blamed!

Now that the prince has arrived, Lin Xiaofeng can only adapt to the situation. The two looked at each other. Lin Xiaofeng's lips curved into a wry smile, and then he raised the broken sword again and declared loudly: "It is indeed the case, this is God's arrangement! The sins of these two thieves are so heinous that heaven and earth are... No, I will be the one to carry out the punishment of heaven today!" As soon as he finished speaking, he swung his broken sword and hit Tongzhi violently on the head.

Tongzhi was hit hard and screamed again and again. The shrill sound echoed in the air. Lin Xiaofeng held a broken sword and kept hitting it. I don't know how long it took, and I don't know how many blows. Although Tongzhi was still struggling tenaciously. He roared, but his head was covered with tiny wounds and his face was stained with blood. The scene was shocking. The people who witnessed all this vented their anger and believed that this was God's response to their suffering.

After hearing Tongzhi praying for a quick death, Lin Xiaofeng threw away the broken sword and ordered the government servant to quickly get a sharp beheading knife. Taking the cold and sharp knife, Lin Xiaofeng took a deep breath. After testing the knife several times, he closed his eyes and aimed at the colleague's neck. He turned his wrist and slashed with the knife. Immediately, the head rolled away into dust. The officials on the left and right hurriedly covered the body with white cloth. Later, Lin Xiaofeng stepped closer to Xun Liu, who had fainted. The wound on Xun Liu's neck was still bleeding.

Lin Xiaofeng looked at Xun Liu with a calm and firm expression: "Don't worry, I don't bother to torture others. I'll give you a good time." He asked the person behind it again, and prepared a pen and paper to wait for Xun Liu to wake up and confirm. Xun Liu seemed to sense the breath of death when he was unconscious, and instinctively stretched his neck. Lin Xiaofeng closed his eyes again and concentrated, holding the sharp knife in his hand and said: "Strong man, let's embark on the road to hell!" After that, he swung the knife again without hesitation. , Xun Liu's head also separated from his body and fell to the ground.

Lin Xiaofeng ordered the corpses of the two corrupt officials to be properly disposed of, then walked back to the crenellations of the city wall and announced loudly: "The master who brought disaster to the country and the people has been punished!" Then he made an impassioned speech: "Why should these treacherous people like silverfish be executed in public? Because they regard the common people as nothing but trash and human life as dirt. Killing chickens to scare monkeys is to wake up everyone. The imperial court is always concerned about your peace of life!" "His Majesty is extremely concerned about the floods in the Yangtze River and has sent special officials to come to the rescue, including His Royal Highness himself. Come to the Yangtze River to supervise the war! The prince’s arrival means that the disaster in the Yangtze River will be completely solved; the prince’s arrival means that justice will return to the world!”

Lin Xiaofeng promised: "Starting from tomorrow, the rice porridge supplied by the porridge shed outside the city will become increasingly abundant!" When mentioning the arrival of the prince, the people in the city were so excited that they knelt down and shouted "thousand years old prince", and even followed Li Dexian. The reporters who came were also infected by the warm atmosphere and knelt down to pay homage. In the distance, Zheng Nichu felt panicked and looked around, trying to find the prince's figure, but he didn't know that Lin Xiaofeng had not informed him of this in advance.

As everything returned to calm, Lin Xiaofeng waved his hand and said, "Today's events have come to an end. Please go your separate ways. I believe that the days ahead will be better." After saying that, he leaned exhaustedly against the crenellations of the city wall and sat down slumped. The deafening speech just now exhausted his energy, and after killing two people in a row, he felt uncomfortable inside. After all, such bloody scenes were not his specialty. Originally, Xie Hongxin should have taken over handling these matters.

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After a short rest, Lin Xiaofeng jumped up from his seat like a spring, and ran straight to the city with his footsteps as fast as a flying swallow. At this moment, under the city gate, people were entering the city in an orderly manner like a school of fish crossing a river, under strict inspection by officers and soldiers. Lin Xiaofeng stood steadily aside, his sharp eyes like an eagle shooting into the sky, constantly searching for some vital clues in the bustling crowd. The hour hand turned silently, until at a certain moment, he finally caught the familiar figure in the crowd. He saw the man waving to him and shouting: "Old Lin!" Lin Xiaofeng did not hesitate and waved back in response. , signaling the other party to approach quickly.

Following Li Dexian, Yang Baixi and other reporters also gathered around with smiles of curiosity and admiration. They were as agile as hounds, following closely the core figure of this storm - Lin Xiaofeng. He led everyone straight into the depths of the government office. After entering the public room, he decisively cleared out all the irrelevant people. He then turned to Li Dexian with a warm smile and asked: "Why did His Highness the Crown Prince come here in person and bring a group of newspaper colleagues with him?" Let's go together?" Li Dexian chuckled, and his words were full of praise and admiration for Lin Xiaofeng: "Old Lin, Old Lin, you are such a great genius! With a wave of your hand and a move of your feet, you can set off a magnificent drama. You can punish a magistrate who has all the power for a while!" After hearing this, all the reporters were dumbfounded and all their eyes were focused on Lin Xiaofeng. They were obviously quite surprised to be caught up in such a thrilling incident just after arriving at the Yangtze River, and they were even more excited. The enthusiasm for reporting was ignited, but unfortunately their newspaper did not set up a branch here and could not deliver this important news in a timely manner.

Lin Xiaofeng led Li Dexian to a secluded corner, lowered his voice and continued to get to the bottom of the matter: "Why did His Royal Highness choose to come to the scene in person and bring many reporters with him? Are they here for official business, or are they just on vacation?" Li Dexian answered candidly. Wufa: "It's all a vacation trip." After hearing this, Lin Xiaofeng felt a stone fall in his heart, and thought to himself: "In this case, just make up the working hours on the return trip." Li Dexian also said generously that he had made appropriate arrangements for this matter. , reassuring.

However, at this moment, Li Dexian's mental state was obviously depressed, and his tiredness swept over him in waves like a sea wave. His eyelids seemed to be hung with heavy lead, almost drooping. With a bitter look on his face, he begged Lin Xiaofeng: "Old Lin, please help me find a place where I can eat and rest first. I am really sleepy. I have barely slept a wink in the past ten days or so. I urgently need to replenish my strength and energy." At the same time, Li Dexian revealed a secret in a low voice: "About the matter of correcting the edict, no one has been informed so far, and this matter must be kept confidential." Lin Xiaofeng nodded in agreement, and his tone was firm and powerful: "Understood, I will find a person for you and everyone right now. A quiet and comfortable place to rest, ensuring that everyone can rest peacefully!" Then, Lin Xiaofeng took a steady step forward, knowing that every step would have far-reaching consequences and would determine the direction of the entire situation.

(End of this chapter)