443 Zhao Ya said: "You, like Ah Da, Ah Er, and Ah San, are all centurions under my command, and are of the seventh rank, which is similar to Yelu's official position."
After hearing this, Chen Jie thought about it and felt that it was okay. Although he was only a centurion, he was responsible for handling matters in the underworld. This would not hinder his development of power.
And you can also become an official, which is great.
Chen Jie's current strategy is to use Zhu Yuanzhang's nine-word strategy: store up grain, build high walls, and slowly become king.
Chen Jie is now in a state of accumulating food. He wants to greatly develop his power, expand his territory, and slowly become the king. He needs to keep a low profile and live a humble life.
Chen Jie also understood this, so he followed the princess first.
Especially since he is currently in Huangzhou Prefecture, Chen Jie recently checked the information of the Fishermen's Gang. It turns out that the Fishermen's Gang was once one of the four major gangs in Huangzhou Prefecture. However, in the end, because they failed to defeat others in the struggle, they were directly driven out of Huangzhou Prefecture and became a small local gang in Mianshui County.
Following the princess, the chief of the Hubei martial arts world, he could use his power for personal gain, secretly unify the fishing gangs, and then use Mianshui County as a base to quietly occupy Huangzhou Prefecture.
Chen Jie was secretly calculating in his mind.
Already having a clear idea of the road ahead, thinking about Chen Jie looking at the princess, Zhao Ya also looked at him and said, "How about it, is my temptation not worse than Monk Peng's?"
After hearing this, Chen Jie laughed in his heart and said, "I'm sorry, Princess, your position is really not as good as Master Peng's. Master Peng gave me the position of Prime Minister, of course, that was a blank check. Although your position is only a centurion, it's not bad either."
After all, there is freedom, and you can also develop your own strength in secret.
After figuring this out, Chen Jie clasped his fists and said, "Of course, it is my honor to be able to serve the princess."
Zhao Ya looked at Chen Jie and said, "Well, that's good. Get ready. The rain is getting heavy. I'll leave first."
After hearing this, Chen Jie said, "Send the princess away."
Zhao Ya said, "Please stay and invite Madam Chen back. I came in a hurry and disturbed your meal."
Chen Jie clasped his fists and said, "Yes, my lady."
After saying that, Chen Jie escorted Zhao Ya to the door and gave her two oil-paper umbrellas.
Zhao Ya and her group left in a hurry. Looking at the dark clouds covering the sky and the heavy rain pouring down outside, Chen Jie showed a trace of worry on his face: "It's raining heavily!"
…
It rained heavily, and it lasted for nine whole days.
The entire Mianshui River was flooded wildly and the water level was rising steadily.
At this time, on a certain section of road in the Mian River, a government cavalry was galloping on the road. These officers and soldiers were wearing the uniforms of yamen runners, gray clothes with a big "巡" character written on the back.
They were river patrol soldiers sent by the Mianshui County Government.
Tang Wannian, the magistrate of Mianshui County, is now basically a dog of the garrison commander Batan. Batan has also heard the jingle about the treasure of the King of Medicine.
[The Mian River has risen by 33 feet, a dragon has appeared in the blue clouds, a dragon has fled the Mian River and treasure has appeared, the rain has stopped and the sky has cleared for 30 years! ]
In other words, as long as the water level of the Mianshui River rises to 3.3 meters, that is when the Medicine King's treasure will appear. So in order to obtain first-hand information, Batman ordered the county government to send river patrol soldiers to measure the water level of the Mianshui River.
So the county government directly sent river patrol soldiers to the scene, but going down to the river to measure the water level at this time was tantamount to seeking death.
So basically no river patrol soldiers were willing to go. Finally, there was no other choice but Tang Wannian promised a huge reward, and only then were these river patrol soldiers gathered together. These river patrol soldiers were all veteran river patrol soldiers of Mianshui County.
The average age is nearly forty.
You have to know that in this era, fifty years old is basically considered old, and forty years old is an old man. Wu Zhong, Uncle Zhong, is only forty years old, but he is already considered a senior.
The average life expectancy of people in this era is low, so people aged 40 are already considered old.
This group of river patrol soldiers rode on the old horses given by the court and set off.
But when they reached the river, they realized that they didn't have a boat to go down the river, and everyone became anxious.
Just when they were at a loss, they saw an earthen house not far away. It should be a temporary resting place for the boatmen. There should be boats and even boatmen there.
This helped them a lot. They rushed over and surrounded seven or eight boatmen.
The boatmen were warming themselves by the fire in the mud house, watching the heavy rain outside.
At this time, a boatman said: "Oh my God, the world is about to leak."
As they were talking, they saw the group of river patrol officers and soldiers rushing over. A group of them drew their swords and said, "Listen carefully, we are from the government office. We are going down to the river to measure the water level. You pull us down."
After hearing this, many boatmen remained silent.
Going into the river at this time was almost like committing suicide, so no one paid any attention to the officers and soldiers.
At this time, the officers and soldiers were immediately furious and shouted, "We are sent by the county magistrate. Now we need you to go down to the river and measure the water level!"
After hearing this, a boatman put down the pancake in his hand and said, "Sir, it's raining heavily now. The river is turbulent, with strong winds and waves and undercurrents. Who dares to go into the river? Isn't it a death sentence to go into the river now? You can go if you want. We won't!"
After hearing this, an officer was furious and said, "How dare you disobey orders? Are you planning a rebellion?"
After hearing this, another boatman said, "Sir, don't accuse me. Look, our boats are parked on the shore. You can push them into the water and use them. We don't want the boats anymore, but we won't get off the boats. We don't want to lose our lives. If we get off the boats now, we're crazy."
"Yes, sir, you can use the boat as you like, but we won't send any of you. You can get off by yourselves."
The boatmen were talking. After hearing this, the patrol officers and soldiers were furious. They pointed their knives at each other and said, "You unruly people dare to disobey my orders. Believe it or not, I will chop you down right now!"
After hearing this, the boatmen were also annoyed. One boatman stood up with a bench. The rest of the boatmen, some holding sticks and some holding fish knives, all stood up and looked at the patrol soldiers and said, "Damn it! You made us go into the river because of the water. Don't you want us to die? I'll take you, a bunch of dog officials, with me when I die. Come on, fight!"
When the officers and soldiers saw the boatman like this, they did not dare to attack for a moment. After all, their average age was 40, and the boatman in front of them was only in his twenties or thirties, which was the right age to fight.
At this time, the officials were helpless. An old man who looked to be in his 50s came out and said, "Everyone, calm down. We were wrong just now, but we also received orders from above. If we don't go down to the river, we can't measure the water level. If we don't measure the water level, the villages downstream may be in trouble. We, we are doing this for the good of everyone, right?"
After hearing this, the boatmen relaxed a little and said, "Uncle, you are right, but no one dares to go down the river in this weather and water. Anyone who dares to go down the river now is courting death, unless he is a madman!"
After hearing this, the officials all looked gloomy and dared not go into the water.
Everyone knows that going into the water now means death! In the past, many sailors died in major floods, so no one wants to go into the river now.
Although some of them have been sailors for generations, they were told that sailors should not fear death when faced with such a situation. But what is this crappy imperial court? If I don't fear death, I only get two cents of silver a month. Why should I risk my life for it?
Just as they were thinking about it, there was suddenly a noise coming from outside.
"Brothers, this is the best place to measure the Mian River. Right here, tie the ropes tightly. Whether this boat can hold up depends on you."
The officers and soldiers who were arguing in the house and the boatman were all stunned. At this time, they pushed open the door and saw a group of people in black clothes with the word "Fisherman" embroidered on their chests coming to the water's edge.
At this time, they were using a thick rope to tie the keel of the boat, and the other end was tied to a thick tree.
After everything was done, a man wearing a bamboo hat and a straw raincoat slowly came over and pulled the rope to see if it was strong.
Then he turned around and said, "Brothers, the leader said that the Mianshui River concerns the lives of tens of thousands of people upstream and downstream, so we must accurately grasp the dynamics of the water level. But we all know that going into the river at this time is seeking death."
"But the boss's order is a military order, we must complete it, so who will go?!"
"I'll go!"
"I'll go!"
"I'm going too!"
As soon as Zhou Chu finished speaking, a group of young men from the fishing gang raised their hands enthusiastically. Zhou Chu saw this and said, "Okay, brothers, according to the rules, if you are the only son in the family, step back!"
After hearing this, several people in the crowd reluctantly took a step back.
Zhou Chu glanced at him and kicked a boy who was about sixteen or seventeen years old: "Xiaosong, aren't you the only son in your family? Back off."
Xiao Song staggered after being kicked, and then he took a step forward stubbornly and said, "Master, I am not, I have a brother."
Zhou Chu frowned and said, "Didn't your brother die in battle while escorting Doctor Bai half a year ago? You are the only son now, so leave."
"I'm not. I have a brother, so I'm not an only child!"
Xiaosong said stubbornly that he was the younger brother of the 28 heroes who escorted Bai Wenjing.
Zhou Chu looked at the stubborn boy, patted him on the shoulder and said, "Don't make trouble, kid. Wait until you are older. Chen Xiaosong, step back. This is the order of the hall master."
"yes."
Xiaosong responded with a crying voice.
At this time Zhou Chu continued: "Those who are not married should step back."
After hearing this, another group of people reluctantly retreated.
"If the child is under three years old, please stand back."
Zhou Chu continued.
Back off again.
After searching for a while, they finally selected six people. These six people then drew lots, and the one who drew the shortest number went into the river.
After hearing this, six people came over to draw lots, and soon the two brothers clasped their fists and said, "Everyone, the credit this time goes to us brothers. Thank you, thank you."
The people around looked at these two people with sad expressions. These two people looked cool and carefree, but they were actually going to die.
Zhou Chu stepped forward and said, "Brothers, take care of yourselves. If anything happens to you, your parents, wife and children will be taken care of by the gang. If you can come back safely, you will be awarded a third-class merit, 100 taels of silver, and a set of Liujin Realm skills."
"Thank you, Hall Master, brothers, for giving us a push and getting down to the river!"
After hearing this, Zhou Chu said, "Go down to the river."
As they spoke, the two of them took a small boat and went directly down the river. Zhou Chu grabbed the rope and shouted, "Brothers, we have caught them. Their lives are in our hands."
As they were talking, the two of them rowed down the river. The river was full of undercurrents and they moved forward with difficulty. Suddenly, an undercurrent shook them and they almost fell into the water. A huge force made the people on the river bank grit their teeth and hold on.
At this time, the officers, soldiers and boatmen who were in the house and saw this scene were all stunned. These people from the fishing gang were risking their lives! They were risking their lives!
They don't understand what kind of spirit makes them risk their lives to go down to the river to measure. They don't understand, but they understand better.
But in the moment of shock, the oldest water officer shouted, "Hurry, help!"
At the command, everyone in the room rushed out and grabbed the rope together, while the two brothers on the boat tried their best to right the boat and then inserted the pole for measuring the water level into the water.
One zhang, two zhang, thirty zhang, three!
"Master, three feet three!"
At this time, the little brother in the river shouted.
"What!"
Zhou Chu's face was filled with shock, and then he heard a rumbling sound in the sky. Then he saw a dragon with a sharp horn rising into the sky from the depths of the Mian River and soaring into the clouds.
"Ouch!"
Let out a terrifying roar!
Seeing this scene, everyone in Mianshui County who was observing the Mianshui River was shocked!
"A dragon has escaped from the Mian River!"