He Daqing, do you know how I've lived these past years?

After Jia Gui inquired about the price and explained that he would go home to get the money, he pulled the four men out and said:

"Alright, Master Jia has done his part for you."

"Dongxu, you wait here. Butler Lou will have someone take you to your work location later. Do a good job. Sister-in-law, you can go back first. Consider that room I bought for Dongxu as his wedding home."

"Haizhong, buy as many houses as you have with your money. That's all, we're done."

With red eyes, Dongxu pulled Jia Gui aside and said:

"Uncle, thank you. I will definitely take good care of you in the future, and I will repay you by being your ox or horse in my next life."

Jia Gui smiled and stroked his hair.

Madam Jia Zhang then said with a smile:

"Old Jia's older brother, one private room isn't enough. I can't stay there after Dongxu gets married. How about we buy another one? My wife and I can take care of the kids, and Dongxu and his wife can live a more comfortable life."

Upon hearing this, Jia Gui angrily pushed Jia Zhangshi away and cursed:

"You think my money grows on trees? You shameful bastard! After Dongxu's marriage, you'd better get the hell back to Jiajia Village, or your Zhangjia Village, damn it!"

After saying that, he stormed out of the factory gate without looking back, got on his motorcycle, and rode away.

Dongxu shouted out in complaint for the first time:

"Mom, what are you doing?"

"Hmph! Useless thing, can't you just ask for another one?"

Enraged, Jia Zhangshi pointed her finger hard at Jia Dongxu's forehead, then turned and left.

At this moment, Liu Haizhong also snapped out of his surprised daze and whispered:

"These officials are really something else, they have so much influence. I've only seen this head steward a few times from afar, and he always has a sullen face. I didn't expect that when Jia Gui came, I realized that he could actually smile. Should I ask for another small factory supervisor position?"

Then, looking up, he saw only Jia Dongxu, He Daqing, and himself; Jia Gui was nowhere to be seen. He hurriedly shouted:

"Commander Jia, where are you? I have something else to ask you..."

He then hurriedly ran towards the factory gate.

Looking into the distance, Liu Haizhong saw He Daqing with a somber expression, seemingly lost in thought.

A moment later, Butler Lou brought out a young man and instructed him to take Jia Dongxu to work. Then, looking at He Daqing standing to the side, he said:

"He Daqing, is it? I'm only giving you a heads-up today because of Jia Gui. You need to know your place and not be delusional. Some people or things are just out of reach. You need to have the ability to get them, otherwise even the fish in the sea will go hungry."

"Let's go, my Chef He."

He then started walking forward, with He Daqing following behind at a leisurely pace, his fists clenched. The two didn't exchange another word the entire way.

……

Le Mansion

"dong dong dong"

"Come in,"

The communications soldier pushed open the door:

"Sir, an urgent report has arrived from Seoul."

Leyou took the phone, picked up a pen, quickly scribbled a few words on it, and handed it back to the communications soldier to send it back.

The communications soldier, upon returning to the telegraph room and seeing the message on the paper, saluted in Leyou's direction and immediately began sending the telegram.

"Drip drip drip"

As the machine made its noise, a few drops of clear water fell onto the paper, and the ink slowly spread out.

A few lines of text are faintly visible on the paper:

Those who insult the nation shall be killed.

Those who deceive the people shall be killed.

Those who consider our race inferior, kill them.

"Even if I die on the battlefield, I will surely come to collect my body."

……

100 miles east of Seoul, South Korea

"Fourth Master, there's been a reward in Beijing."

Chen Si took the telegram and began to read it. His previously anxious heart calmed down.

Haha, I knew it!

"Brothers, speed up! We need to reach Guming Prefecture tonight and board the ship early tomorrow morning to head to Haishenwei. After so many years, let's show those Xiong Kingdom people the power of the Great Xia people once again!"

"Yes, Fourth Master."

……

An office in Beijing

"Chief, I dare not take this money; it's far too much."

"Hmph, what are you afraid of? Does that Le Weiguo dare to pull out a gun and kill us?"

"But almost all of my men have been killed, and they won't carry out any orders I give them."

"You're still too green. You need to let things play out a bit longer. In a few years, once you've tasted power, they won't have a say in it anymore. Do you think I didn't want to benefit the people back then? But what good was that? I ate well, drank well, slept well—that's one of life's greatest pleasures. I can work until I die."

"Director, you're right, but I'm terrified. If Le Weiguo finds out, I'm dead for sure, especially that Jia Gui dog under his command, that gluttonous cat!"

"You, I was blind to promote you back then. If you don't take it, how can I take it? If I don't take it, how will the city magistrate take it?"

"If the city magistrate doesn't take it, how will our official positions rise? How can our wealth be maximized? How can our lives be guaranteed?"

The bureau chief, seeing the timid and cowering person in front of him, was so angry that he shoved him away.

"Do you still want to be a lowly patrolman like before?"

How about getting a few free street food meals?

To seize a house under fabricated charges? Or like your brother before, who was called a "stinky-footed patrolman" by a child, and then had his head chopped off by the executioner, living a life of constant fear?

The timid man suddenly stood up and shouted:

"Stop talking, I'll take it."

"Fine, I'll take it."

The bureau chief also smiled and said:

We're all in this together.

"The autumn harvest is almost over, so you should distribute all those old funnels."

Before winter arrives, you need to gather plenty of fluff to make cotton-padded clothes and trousers to sell to Le Weiguo's troops. Once we defeat that fat, white guy and that traitor Xia, we'll both be rich!

By the way, stop dealing with that fake Western medicine for now. Le Weiguo has already sent people to investigate that lawsuit. After this is over, have someone shut down that clinic and find a pretext to lock it up.

"Hmph, if your medicine works, what am I supposed to do? How ridiculous."

The man next to him nodded frantically and shouted:

"Director, brilliant insight, truly brilliant!"

"Ha ha,"

A middle-aged man standing guard outside the door couldn't help but spit and mutter a curse:

"This is unbelievable! I should have gone to Northeast China with them. Staying here as their bodyguard just for money is a disgrace to the Boxer Rebellion."

"Foreigners are plotting how to attack us, while our own people are plotting how to harm each other."

The man, growing angrier with each curse, looked around, drew a knife from his waist, turned, pushed open the door, and went inside.

"What are you doing in here? Get out!"

"what"

"what"

Immediately afterwards, two screams rang out.

A moment later, the middle-aged man appeared, carrying a suitcase in each hand, looking as if he was struggling to lift it; they must have been very heavy.

As the man left, people could see through the crack in the door that two people were lying in pools of blood.

The bureau chief, one hand clutching his heart and the other reaching towards the door, continued speaking with a trembling mouth:

Yellow croaker

My Big Yellow Croaker

"Give me back what's mine."

Give it back to me.

……