Thief Emperor

Chapter 151: Present and Future

In a restaurant in Dongyang County.

Li Yun was invited to sit in the main seat, and Li Zheng also sat at the same table.

Magistrate Hu and a group of officials from Dongyang were there to accompany them.

This was the first time that Li Yun was invited to sit in the main seat after he came down the mountain, especially after he started dealing with government officials.

This feeling is still very magical, like being the moon surrounded by stars.

Everyone revolves around him, he talks, and others dare not interrupt him. When he picks up his chopsticks, others will obediently put them back.

When others toast him, Li just responds casually.

After all the flattery, Li Yun couldn't help but feel a little elated.

This is the accessory, or accompanying treatment, that comes with power, which can easily make people addicted and unable to extricate themselves.

Even Li Zheng, after being praised a few times, drank so much that his face turned red and he happily chatted with the people around him.

After three rounds of drinking, Magistrate Hu raised his glass and toasted Li Yun with another glass of wine. He smiled and said, "When we were in Dongyang, we heard about General Li's reputation. General Li bravely captured Linshui and wiped out hundreds of rebels in one battle. He is truly a peerless hero. Come, let me toast General Li with another glass of wine."

If Li Yun was already a captain now, then there would be nothing wrong with him being addressed as a general, but he was only a colonel, and Magistrate Hu seemed to be flattering when he addressed him like that.

Such flattery must be for something.

Li Yun clinked glasses with him with a smile, then raised his head and drank it all in one gulp.

Bandits usually don't have many entertainment activities because it is not convenient to go down the mountain and move around, and naturally they don't socialize much, so drinking becomes one of their few entertainment activities.

Even in times of famine, you could exchange wine with other villages and get food directly in return.

As the second generation who grew up in the village, Li Yun and Li Zheng were deeply influenced by it. They both started drinking when they were five or six years old. Even now, they can't drink a thousand cups without getting drunk, but their alcohol tolerance is much better than that of ordinary people.

After drinking this glass of wine, Magistrate Hu smiled and said, "General Li is a powerful figure in Linshui and has become famous in Jiangdong. There are several women in Dongyang County who admire the general and want to offer themselves to him."

"At this moment, I am waiting for the general in his residence."

Li Zheng, who was standing by, widened his eyes upon hearing this. He first looked at County Magistrate Hu, then at his second brother, and couldn't help swallowing.

After Li finished the glass of wine, he looked up and glanced at the people present, then looked at Magistrate Hu, and said with a smile: "Master Hu, this is bribery."

Magistrate Hu's expression changed slightly, and he shook his head slightly: "General Li, what are you talking about? This is our first meeting, and we are not subordinate to each other..."

At this moment, Magistrate Hu was already cursing in his heart.

Savage stinking soldier!

He had been an official for many years, but this was the first time he had seen someone speak so directly and bluntly.

Mr. Li took a sip of wine and said, "County Magistrate Hu, I'm grateful that you have invited me and my brother to have this meal. There's no need for us to beat around the bush."

"You just want to use the suppression of the rebellion to make some money for yourselves, or to settle some difficult accounts."

"This matter."

Li Yun smiled and said, "We can discuss it."

Hearing this, Magistrate Hu was overjoyed. He quickly filled the glass with wine, stood up, bowed his head and said to Li Yun: "I toast to General Li again!"

Li Yun waved his hand and said, "I haven't finished speaking yet, so there's no need to rush to drink this wine."

Magistrate Hu put down his wine glass, his face full of smiles.

"General Xiao Li, you speak, you speak."

Li Yun sat in the main seat, looked around at everyone, and said, "You, Dongyang County, need to do this account. You, Dongyang County, should report it. In our army, we only record what you, Dongyang County, sent and how much, not the price."

"Does Magistrate Hu have any objection to this?"

Hearing this, County Magistrate Hu froze in place. He was originally a little drunk, but now he sobered up as if he had been poured with cold water. He looked at Li Yun, hesitating.

"This... this, this is naturally no problem."

"Okay, let me tell you the next condition."

Li Yun touched his chin and thought for a while, then continued: "Your Dongyang County accounts must be shown to me before they count. In the end, no matter how much money and grain the county has paid, County Magistrate Hu, you..."

He looked at the officials present and continued, "Take at most 10%, and give the rest to me to quell the rebellion."

This time, Su Jing, who was in charge of the local area, wrote a note, so the money and food that Wuzhou provided to Li Yun could be paid from the taxes of the imperial court.

In other words, this was money originally given to the imperial court. No matter how much or how little Li Yun took, it had nothing to do with the local people.

In this case, he still has to take some money, even if it is just to improve the lives of his subordinates, he has to take the money.

Magistrate Hu was stunned.

In the officialdom, is there such a naked conversation? Such a naked transaction?
He looked at Li Yun without saying anything for a long time. After a long while, he turned his head and looked at the people sitting with him.

"You...you all go out. I want to have a few words with General Xiao Li alone."

Everyone quickly stood up and walked out. Li Zheng looked at Li Yun. After seeing Li Yun nodded, he pretended to walk out.

After everyone left, County Magistrate Hu sighed and said, "General Xiao Li, suppressing the rebellion is not a matter of one or two days. It may take several months or even a year and a half. Even if all the taxes in Dongyang County were collected, it would not be enough for General Xiao Li to support him, let alone have any spare money."

Li Yun suddenly realized and said, "What Magistrate Hu meant is that this matter is the governor of Wuzhou..."

Magistrate Hu was so frightened that he waved his hands repeatedly and said, "I didn't say that! I didn't say that!"

"That's it."

Li Yun curled his lips and said, "Since that envoy wants to settle the account and make money, why doesn't he do it himself? Why does he have to go through so much trouble?"

Magistrate Hu stood there in a daze. After a long while, he gave a bitter smile and did not respond.

It's really uncomfortable to talk to these soldiers. I'm not used to it at all.

Mr. Li drank a glass of wine and continued, "Then Magistrate Hu, please negotiate with the envoy of Wuzhou on my behalf according to this condition."

"If you can agree, then agree. If you can't agree, let's handle the matter impartially and each of us will check our own accounts." "You can also continue to report false accounts. As for whether the court will investigate and whether it can find out, it all depends on the strength of the background behind you gentlemen."

"correct."

Li Yun remembered something and added, "Suppressing the rebellion is a big deal. If we are not careful, the Yuezhou rebels may attack us. When I am in Dongyang, I hope that Magistrate Hu can fully cooperate with me."

"Otherwise, we might end up causing some unpleasantness if we act in an emergency."

Having said this, Mr. Li just ate his food and said nothing more.

He had said all he had to say.

Magistrate Hu sat there, took a deep breath for a long time, and then said, "General Xiao Li, I have no say in these matters."

"Then we have nothing to talk about."

Li Yun put down his chopsticks and said with a smile: "Either you do what I say, or we can each do our own thing."

At this point, Mr. Li stood up and said, "Let's stop eating today."

At this moment, Magistrate Hu no longer dared to underestimate Li Yun. He saluted and said, "General Li, Dongyang County will gather 500 dan of grain as soon as possible. As for the rest, I will write to Envoy Zhu."

"You can send your letter yourself, but I have things to do. I will send people to patrol the border between Dongyang County and Yuezhou. The county government will also summon the local militia to help keep an eye on the movements in Yuezhou. If there is anything, report to me immediately."

Magistrate Hu smiled bitterly: "I didn't expect that General Li, at such a young age, is not only good at fighting, but also..."

"I'm actually not very good at fighting, and I'm still slowly learning."

Mr. Li said calmly: "Besides, whether or not one can fight a war has little to do with how smart one is."

He put his hands in his sleeves and strode outside.

When he reached the door, he looked back at Magistrate Hu and continued, "Mr. Hu, I also need detailed information about the bandits in Dongyang County. You don't have it on your map, but you must have information about the bandits, right?"

"Yes, there should be."

Magistrate Hu said quickly, "I will ask the Dianshi in a moment."

"Well, send it to our army as soon as possible."

Magistrate Hu chased after Li Yun and asked as he walked, "What information does General Li want about these bandits..."

"Training."

Li Yun glanced at him and said with a smile, "Why, County Lord Hu is not happy about suppressing bandits in your Dongyang?"

"Is it true that some villages are difficult to move and cannot be moved?"

"No no."

County Magistrate Hu forced a smile and said, "It is great that General Li is willing to help Dongyang suppress the bandits. We in Dongyang County are looking forward to it."

"Then it's settled."

Mr. Li waved at him, and then called Li Zheng who was waiting outside.

"What are you doing standing still? Let's go!"

Li Zheng hurriedly caught up with Li Yun, and after walking a few dozen steps, he asked in a low voice: "Second brother, don't we live in the county town?"

Li Yun turned around and glanced at him: "Did those people outside just now promise you that they would find you some girls tonight?"

Li Zheng hesitated and dared not speak.

Li Yun kicked him and cursed with a smile.

"Then you can sleep in the county town tonight. In a year or so, they will give you a son. Let's see if you can get rid of him!"

Li Zheng shuddered and hurriedly caught up with Li Yun.

"I'm going with my second brother!"

"Skinny monkey."

As Li Yun walked, he reminded her, "In the future, we won't always be in small places. At your age now, you must be careful about matters between men and women."

"Those people have evil intentions. If they get hold of something, it will be a lot of trouble."

Li Zheng is now eighteen or nineteen years old, with thriving hormones, and is most likely to suffer losses in this regard.

Hearing this, he looked at Li Yun and then lowered his head.

"I remember my second brother."

"Second brother, you just said that we won't stay in a small place. Where will we go in the future?"

Li Yun stood with his hands behind his back, looking up at the bright moon in the sky. The moonlight spread down, casting the long shadows of the two brothers on the ground.

"God knows."

"However, since you are following me, I will naturally try my best to give you a future."

Li Zheng chuckled: "In the future, if I can be like my second brother, a lieutenant with hundreds of men under my command, I will be very satisfied."

"At that time, I had the confidence to propose marriage to others."

Li Yun stopped, looked back at him, and asked with a smile: "Which family are you going to propose marriage to?"

"Qingyang saw it."

Li Zheng lowered his head, feeling a little embarrassed.

“I didn’t dare ask who it was.”

He also looked up at the sky and muttered.

"I wonder if he has promised it to someone..."

(End of this chapter)