Overlord the sky

Chapter 250 Three Fishes in Muddy Waters

Standing outside the gate of Winterfell, Zheng Qian thought about where to get the money. 26nbsp;

War is an expensive business.

After Winterfell was destroyed by the royal palace, all government affairs were basically at a standstill.Before the king's body recovered, the internal affairs were temporarily in a state of waiting.

Winterfell City has [-] counties under its jurisdiction, which can be described as vast and fertile.But it is also such a vast land that brings certain difficulties to tax collection.

Because the royal family of Winterfell has been controlled by the Snake Clan for a long time, and the outlying organization of the Snake Clan is the Sky Meteor Group, in order to facilitate the actions of the Sky Meteor Group, the Great Protector once ordered the queen to try to change the way the royal family manages the sixty counties.From the previous delegation system to the current local self-government.As long as the sixty counties pay taxes at fixed points, no other government affairs will be interfered with.

The chief executives of the sixty counties are no longer appointed by the royal family, but are selected by the local governments in various ways. At that time, they only need to go to the royal family for the record and let the royal family know who the actual chief executives of the sixty counties are now.

After the implementation of local autonomy, the royal family did save a lot of trouble, but the royal family basically lost control of the [-] counties, and those places gradually became the territory of the Meteorite Group.

Every year, the subjects of Sixty Counties have to pay taxes equal to that of the royal family to the Sky Meteor Group in addition to the tax revenue provided to the royal family.

This pattern after a period of time.Due to the "prosperous" power of the Meteorite Group, the chief administrators of the sixty counties could only postpone the payment of the royal family's taxes, and gradually some counties began to default on their debts.In addition, the Snake Clan deliberately obstructed the royal family, and the royal family's tax revenue was reduced year by year.

Bai Ling knew exactly where the belongings collected by the Meteorite Group were.It's just because Bai Ling was in full swing when he broke the Polar Trinity Formation, and fell into a deep sleep due to exhaustion.After Zheng Qian, the treasure of the Tianyun Group, searched in the other caves but found nothing, because of time constraints, he could only save the mouthful of fat to eat later.

Now that Bai Ling has not woken up, Zheng Qian thought it would be futile to go to another cave to search for treasures, so Zheng Qian's thoughts now turned to the city of Winterfell.

Winterfell is divided into four cities, and each city has some wealthy merchants.These giant businessmen and rich merchants are usually forced to guard the four cities for the four major forces, but they have not shown their mountains.Zheng Qian is short of money now, so his idea will naturally go to these rich people.

"Know the enemy and know the enemy, and win every battle." Zheng Qian said, "Now I'll go to 'feel' the bottom to see which one is stronger and let them bleed. If the country is in trouble, everyone is responsible."

"Are you going to risk bad water again?" Tyrant Hammer asked.

"It's not called bad water, okay? It makes me have a public heart." Zheng Qian replied solemnly, "How much does it cost for those people to drink a cup of tea at Jixiang Tea House? Just think of them as more frequent visits to Jixiang Tea House Just take a trip."

Bashen Hammer has no reason to say with Zheng Qian. What Zheng Qian said is all unreasonable, but there is no lack of justice. It's just that Bashen Hammer is a bit contemptuous in terms of methods.

"You, the commander of the two armies, are not busy with the army's business, but you want to do these things. You are not doing your job properly." Bashen Hammer said.

"What's the meaning of commanding the army? There is a saying in the military book that the soldiers and horses have not moved, and the food and grass go first. I call it first, do you understand?" Zheng Qian still spoke righteously.

By the time Zheng Qian and Bashen Hammer were talking, they were already walking towards Winterfell.The soldiers guarding the city on both sides of Winterfell, who knew Zheng Qian, hurriedly straightened their bodies as straight as the guns they were supporting.Although the soldiers on the side didn't know Zheng Qian, this was a military salute only given to the chief, and he straightened his body just like that.

Zheng Qian walked slowly, and when he saw the appearance of the rear soldier, he waved his hands to let the soldier not be so nervous.

Guarding the city gates were soldiers from the Snow Wolf Battalion, their snow-white armor gleaming in the sunlight.The defenders of the Snow Wolf Battalion respect Zheng Qian so much, it can be seen that Duan Hun has already ordered the whole army to promote him to the command of the two armies.

"Don't be nervous, I'll ask you something." Zheng Qian walked up to a soldier and leaned into his ear, "Tell me, do you know who is the richest person in Dongcheng?"

"Humen!"

"Ah. Except for Humen."

"The two families of Wang and Li are big families, second only to Humen." The soldier answered very standard, without a word of extraneous words.Although Zheng Qian let him relax, his body was still straight.

"Okay, okay." Zheng Qian patted his hand on the soldier's shoulder in an old-fashioned way, "You are not bad." Then he turned and walked towards the city.

"That's right, so there's no more content?" The Tyrant God's Hammer popped up again.

"Otherwise, what do you think we should do?" Zheng Qian asked.

"Since it's good, as the officer, why don't you reward me with something?"

"I am still counting on others to reward me. How can I reward him with extra things?" Zheng Qian laughed.He took out his military uniform pocket, and he really didn't have anything, "Wang and Li's family are very rich, I seem to have a relationship with these two families last time."

Zheng Qian remembered that when he sneaked in from Dongcheng last time, it was the Wang and Li families who were fighting with weapons. "If you hide weapons privately, you will be fined." Zheng Qian said.

"Think of an excuse to get money so quickly?" Bashen Hammer sarcastically said.

"If you want to get money, you can do whatever you want, as long as you get the money. As for the reasons, you can tell hundreds of them, and each one will not repeat."

"He is a 'traitor' businessman, you are a 'traitor' official." Bashen Hammer said.

"Don't worry about it. Just get the money. There are tens of thousands of brothers in the Huben Regiment, and they're going to fight to the death. If you make them feel burdened because of the money, that's called right and wrong."

Zheng Qian caught a man in the street, asked where the gate of Wang and Li's family was, and went straight there.

Both Wang and Li are located on the most prosperous commercial street in Dongcheng. There are many shops at both ends of the commercial street, but the shops of Wang and Li occupy the most convenient location on this street.

"Depending on the situation, this street is centered on the Wang and Li families. I don't know what kind of business they are doing." Zheng Qian said to himself.

The news that the emperor was going to attack Winterfell was still tightly blocked by the two armies. The streets were noisy as usual, and there were people everywhere.Zheng Qian's appearance is not very outstanding. Although he has a prominent status now, if he sticks in the crowd, he can hardly tell the difference from ordinary people.

"Silk!" Zheng Qian saw the cloth sign floating in front of Li's shop: Li's Silk Shop.Look at the opposite side again, and the floating signboard reads: Wangji Silk Village.

"The door said that the two businesses are opposite to each other." Zheng Qian discovered this.

Going a little further, there are shops along the street where Wang and Li's shops are indeed one on each side, and they all sell the same things.

"Silk, restaurants, inns, tea, 'medicine' materials, both of them are really rich. But I haven't seen a shop in Humen so far. Humen doesn't do business?"

"Just ask and you will know." Bashen Hammer said.

Zheng Qian walked to a medicine shop in Wang's house.Just after entering the door, a strong "medicine" fragrance came to the nostrils.

The uniform of the Huben Regiment that Zheng Qian was wearing looked like a soldier who sneaked out of the barracks to fool around. Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that it was the uniform of the Huben Regiment, not to mention that the Wang family was businessmen. Before Qian Qian entered the door, the shopkeeper of the 'pharmacy' shop had already scanned Zheng Qian with sharp eyes, and at the same time estimated Zheng Qian's identity.

"Master Jun, what do you need a little help for?" A clerk greeted him at the instigation of the shopkeeper.

"The regiment wants to buy a batch of 'medicine' materials. I don't know if you have enough stock here?" Zheng Qian said in an official tone.

"Master Jun, may I ask what kind of 'medicine' materials you always need, and how much do you need for each kind of 'medicine' materials? I dare say that in Dongcheng, if the 'medicine' that my Wang family's 'pharmacy' store can't get materials, there is no one that can get them out.”

"You mean, your goods are the most complete in Dongcheng?"

"Mr. Jun, I'm not boasting about Haikou. Among the four cities of Winterfell, Dongcheng has the most complete 'medicine' materials, and Dongcheng, my royal family's 'medicine' materials are the most complete."

"You can just say that your royal family's 'medicine' store is the number one in Winterfell? Isn't it annoying to go around?"

Xiao Er was about to talk nonsense again, but was choked by Zheng Qian, and the rest of the words were blocked in his mouth.

"You said that your family's 'medicine' materials are the most complete, why does the Li family opposite say that his family's 'medicine' materials are the most complete? Are you more complete than the Li family's 'medicine' materials?" Zheng Qian Started provoking.

It is only when the water is muddy that we can 'fish'. With the current business of the Wang and Li families in such a law-abiding manner, Zheng Qian can't find any reason to let them bleed.

"How can the Li family compare with our Wang family?" Xiao Er felt uncomfortable, and his attitude towards Zheng Qian also took a 180-degree turn.

"Oh, how do you say that?" Zheng Qian seemed very interested.

"My family's 'medicine' materials are produced by the authentic Tianji City. The 'medicine' materials of Tianji City are all purchased by my Wang family. Can the 'medicine' materials of Li's family also come from Tianji City?"

"Cough, cough..." The shopkeeper came up, coughed twice, and stopped Xiao Er from continuing to say.Xiaoer bowed and stepped back.

"Uh, this military lord, my servant doesn't understand the rules when speaking, so please don't take offense." The shopkeeper has a goatee beard, and he looks a bit old-fashioned.

"Regardless of the rules or not, what I want is the most complete 'medicine' materials. If your family doesn't have them, then I'll go to the 'medicine' shop of Li's across the street." Zheng Qian said in a military tone.

"This military lord has a very good face, how dare I ask where this military lord is employed?" the shopkeeper asked neither humble nor overbearing.

Zheng Qian's heart sank, this shopkeeper is a bit famous.

"I'm not afraid to scare you. I'm a member of the Huben regiment. Our coach specially asked me to come here to buy some 'medicine' materials for emergencies."

"Hehe, it turned out to be the military master of Humen, so it's easy to say. However, I am basically familiar with the people who are in charge of purchasing the military master of Humen. It seems that I have never met you, military master. Is it because the personnel of the Humen regiment has been adjusted now? ?” The shopkeeper still asked with a smile.

"I said you sell 'medicine', it's none of your business whether the Huben regiment adjusts its personnel or not? You are only responsible for managing and selling your 'medicine' well, and you can inquire about major military affairs?" Zheng Qian pretended to be angry.

"Don't dare, dare not. It's just that the 'medicine' materials of the Huben Group have always been provided by the small shop. I don't know why the military master went to Li's first this year, instead of coming to my Wang's 'medicine' shop as usual?" The shopkeeper looked again light up.

"I don't care who bought the 'medicine' in the past, but since I'm in charge this year, of course it's according to my rules." Zheng Qian said.

Zheng Qian had already thought in his heart that there might be something tricky between the Wang family and the people in charge of purchasing in the Huben group.Thought to come from the same family, the Huben group is not monolithic, and the needles cannot be 'inserted'.

None of the three Hu brothers are very delicate people.Only Hu Liang could possibly discover this.Since Hu Liang found out and didn't tell the three Hu brothers, there might be something else going on.

"Hu Liang, it's better that this matter has nothing to do with you." Zheng Qian thought secretly.

"Mr. Jun, can you please come in for a talk?" The shopkeeper made an invitation gesture to Zheng Qian.

What made the shopkeeper make this decision was mainly because of Zheng Qian's military uniform.The uniforms of the Huben Regiment are the only ones in Winterfell, no one else dares to wear them indiscriminately.If it is found out by the Huben regiment who is wearing military uniforms and using the name of the Huben regiment, the crime will be very serious.

This is exactly where Huwei is strict in governing the army. The uniforms of the Huben regiment are only for use within the regiment, and it is strictly forbidden to take them out of the camp without permission.

This military uniform is the signature of the Huben regiment.

Zheng Qian looked at the gesture of the shopkeeper's inviting hand and smiled inwardly.

Fish, take the bait.