The first county magistrate in history

"You are indeed a spy!" Wu Xiaoyou said angrily, "Sir, kill one to warn the rest. Let's see who dares to send an undercover agent here again!"

Hong Wu's face changed, but she said nothing.

"Sister Xiaoyou, don't kill her!" Su Xiaoman was kind-hearted and immediately stopped her.

"Sir, let her go. She didn't get any information, and she didn't harm you! And she admitted it. She could have run away!"

Su Xiaoman was really afraid that the adults would kill Hongwu.

Although she doesn't like Hongwu!

Xia Mo Ning nodded: "Since the Prime Minister is honest, he should not send undercover agents again. Her mission failed, and it did not cause any losses to us. Let her go back!"

Qin Zheng looked at Hong Wu, and Hong Wu looked at Qin Zheng.

Qin Zheng suddenly said: "Xiaoyou, step back!"

Wu Xiaoyou reluctantly put away his sword and made way for the door.

Everyone thought Qin Zheng would release Hong Wu.

Unexpectedly, Qin Zheng said: "You, stay!"

Everyone was startled.

Hong Wu was startled, tears suddenly welled up in her eyes, and she kowtowed: "Your Excellency's kindness, Hong Wu will never forget it!"

Qin Zheng nodded: "Go guard the gate, this is your punishment!"

"Yes!" Hongwu stood up and strode away.

At this moment, Hongwu's body was agile and she walked like a dragon and a tiger.

Wu Xiaoyou was shocked: "Sir, she..."

Qin Zheng nodded: "A little worse than you!"

Wu Xiaoyou, Su Xiaoman, and Xia Mo Ning, the three girls' expressions changed.

Su Xiaoman exclaimed: "Doesn't that mean she can assassinate you at any time?"

Xia Mo Ning asked anxiously, "Master, why are you keeping her? What if this is the Prime Minister's plan?"

Qin Zheng sighed: "The Prime Minister has cooperated with me and will not kill me for the time being. She didn't get any intelligence, but failed the mission and will die if she returns. This is the rule!

Xia Bitu is using her to show me that he's genuinely collaborating with me, at least on the department store project. He's also saying he won't be sending any more undercover agents. This is a contest between him and me, and she's just a casualty!"

Wu Xiaoyou, Su Xiaoman, and Xia Mo Ning were silent...

Xia Mo Ning waited a long time before asking, "Master, does your spy also follow this rule?"

Qin Zheng shook his head: "Not only did I allow them to fail, I also allowed them to betray!"

Xia Mo Ning was shocked and couldn't believe it: "Why?"

Wu Xiaoyou said calmly: "Because we are from Hongtong County, we are one family!"

Xia Mo Ning was stunned...

Hongwu stood at the gate, tears still flowing.

She thought she was going to die, but she didn't expect Qin Zheng to save her, save her, the undercover!

She knew she was worthless to Qin Zheng.

Qin Zheng was not trying to influence her, but was really trying to save her.

If the Prime Minister handed her over, he would have lost the game.

Qin Zheng’s strength is self-evident as he is a man who can make even the prime minister admit defeat.

Hong Wu feels complicated...

The special agents at the door were confused. Why was Hong Wu guarding the door?

We don't need her, do we?

Suddenly, a carriage drove up and stopped at the door.

Xia Jinzhong got off the car.

When he saw Hongwu, he was stunned and his lips moved.

Hong Wu looked at Xia Jinzhong, her lips moving.

The special agents on both sides of the door looked at each other and smiled mysteriously.

A special agent walked over and asked, "Who is it, and what's going on?"

Xia Jinzhong showed his badge: "Xia Jinzhong from the Prime Minister's Mansion, I have something important to discuss with Master Qin."

Special Agent: "Wait!"

Turn around and run in.

Soon he ran out: "My master invites you in!"

Qin Zheng met Xia Jinzhong in the study.

Xia Jinzhong looked around at the empty bookcases and the bare walls, and was stunned for a long time: "You, this is a study?"

Qin Zheng was working on the blueprints for the department store at his desk. Without even looking up, he smiled and said, "I've read all the books on the market. I can't even get my hands on those rare books. What's the point of showing them off?"

"Have you seen it all?" Xia Jinzhong was extremely shocked.

There are so many books on the market that you can never finish reading them all if you read one book a day!

Moreover, reading a book is not just about looking at the surface...

"My adoptive father has a lot of treasures. You can go and read them when you have time," said Xia Jinzhong.

He had already received orders from his adoptive father to release Qin Zheng directly when he came to the house.

This is the first person in the Daqian Dynasty who can be valued so much by his adoptive father.

Qin Zheng smiled and nodded: "Okay. Sit down!"

Xia Jinzhong sat down and looked at the paintbrush in Qin Zheng's hand, the shiny triangle ruler, and the white and delicate paper with a look of shock.

He had never seen such a pen or ruler before, let alone such fine white paper.

"All stationery and paper have been put into production in Hongtong County and will be sold in the department store in due time." Qin Zheng seemed to know what he was thinking.

Xia Jinzhong asked, "Is your carriage also on the shelf?"

Qin Zheng smiled and said, "Put it on the shelf!"

Xia Jinzhong took a sip of tea and stood up: "My adoptive father asked me to sign the cooperation agreement on his behalf. He also told me to only sign the contract with you."

As he spoke, he placed a land deed and a thick stack of banknotes on the desk.

Suddenly he exclaimed, "This is a department store? The tenth floor?"

Xia Jinzhong was shocked!

How can it be?

"It's the tenth floor!" Qin Zheng opened the drawer and took out two contracts: "It's ready, take a look."

Xia Jinzhong was even more shocked when he saw the contract with a very exquisite cover.

This is so beautiful and neat, it looks like a book.

Xia Jinzhong read the contract carefully.

As he looked at it, his expression suddenly changed: "You want my adoptive father to be responsible for exporting the products to foreign countries?"

This is what his adoptive father has been doing in secret.

Qin Zheng must have known.

But if it is not destruction, how can it be condoned and even openly written into the contract?

Qin Zheng was still drawing and said, "This is called exporting. Selling it to foreign vassals can earn you several times the money, so why not? Besides, the Daqian Dynasty must have spies from foreign vassals. If you don't sell it to them, won't they get it?

Some things can be imitated, but even if you sell them to them, they won't want them. Of course, some goods cannot be sold to foreign vassals."

Xia Jinzhong looked at Qin Zheng deeply, hesitated for a moment and said, "You are very similar to my adoptive father. You are the only one who understands my adoptive father."

Qin Zheng laughed and said, "He colluded with the foreign vassal states, but in fact he was selling products to earn military funds. Otherwise, the Daqian Dynasty could not afford to support those troops."

Xia Jinzhong was shocked. "You, how do you know my adoptive father's true intentions? Many people say that my adoptive father is colluding with the enemy. They also say that the Daqian army lied about military intelligence, numbers, and expenses, deceiving the Ministry of Revenue into allocating more military funds."

Qin Zheng nodded: "The deception is true."

Suddenly he sighed, "The soldiers won't get these falsely reported benefits. Furthermore, even if the military budget is sufficient, the soldiers' basic wages will never be fully paid. These benefits all go into certain individuals' pockets. If your father hadn't done this, the soldiers would have suffered even more."

Xia Jinzhong looked at Qin Zheng in astonishment: "You are the first person to speak for my adoptive father."

Qin Zheng said calmly, "I'm just observing from a bystander's perspective, looking at it impartially. But I don't agree with your adoptive father's actions."

Xia Jinzhong quickly asked, "What would you do?"

Qin Zheng said: "I will make public the salary of every soldier, and I will also make public the annual military expenditures of each department of the army!"

Xia Jinzhong didn't say anything, trying to understand what Qin Zheng meant.

Qin Zheng ignored him and continued drawing.

After a long pause, Xia Jinzhong's eyes lit up. "If they make false reports or withhold the soldiers' pay, it will cause discontent among the soldiers. They might even overthrow their current leader and start fighting among themselves. The leader will surely be afraid and won't dare to do anything like this."

Qin Zheng smiled and said, "That's exactly what I mean!"

Xia Jinzhong stared at Qin Zheng with awe in his eyes.

Suddenly he said, "You are so scary, it gives me chills!"

Qin Zheng was startled and looked up at Xia Jinzhong: "Brother Zhong, I'm so handsome, gentle, virtuous and talented, and you say I'm scary?"

"..." Xia Jinzhong smiled bitterly and said sincerely: "I hope we can be friends and never enemies."

Qin Zheng suddenly asked, "Are you familiar with Hong Wu?"

Xia Jinzhong's face changed drastically and he looked at Qin Zheng in shock.