On the edge of the palace, an inconspicuous side door quietly opened, and Qin Feng took He Rentu and the horse monkey to dodge in. Inside the www.biquge.info door of the pen ~ fun ~ pavilion, Le Gonggong, who had been waiting there, bowed down to welcome the three of them in.

"General, Lord Ma Xiangnan of Changyang County is here, and he entered the palace with him to ask for a meeting, and the envoy of Chu State, the head of Chu State, Ma Xiangdong." Le Gonggong said in a low voice.

Ma Xiangdong and Ma Xiangnan are brothers. Hearing the two of them enter the palace together, Qin Feng couldn't help but chuckle, "You go and make arrangements, I'll see Ma Xiangnan first, as for Ma Xiangdong, you let him go to see Madame!" I'm gone. ”

"Yes, the minion will arrange it!" Turning around, Grandpa Le bent over, but he left quickly.

In the side hall, Ma Xiangdong and Ma Xiangnan sit facing each other, the two brothers have similar appearances, but the appearance is very different, Ma Xiangdong is white and fat, the skin is delicate like a woman, and Ma Xiangnan is black and thin, a pair of hands on the armrests on both sides of the chair is even more green and tendoned, Ma Xiangdong is the elder brother, but Ma Xiangnan looks much older.

"In the past few years, you have suffered!" Ma Xiangdong looked at his younger brother with some distress, four years ago, when Ma Xiangnan voluntarily applied to go to Yue to open up a second battlefield, he was extremely opposed, because it was a very risky matter. And the Ma family, when he became the left minister of the Chu State, had already reached the peak of his career, as long as he was there, he could ensure that the Ma family was thriving in the Chu State. Ma Xiangnan only needs to take over the ministry, and he can enter the center of the capital step by step from a magistrate. Even if it is impossible for him to go to the critical department because of himself, wouldn't it be better to be the previous chief officer in a noble department and live his life leisurely.

But this younger brother is a bad man, with a strong sense of self-esteem, and he does not want to be taken care of under his wing, but is bent on starting his own business. Or it is precisely because of his success in the Chu State that he stimulated this younger brother who was not convinced by him since he was a child, and made up his mind to come to Yue Kingdom.

In this respect, he still feels quite guilty.

The younger brother abandoned his family and business, and resolutely arrived in Yue Kingdom alone.

In the past four years, Ma Xiangdong can guess what his younger brother has suffered, because when he set off from Chu State, Ma Xiangnan looked similar to him, but after four years, his younger brother has aged a lot.

But what he has achieved is enormous. In the Yue Kingdom, the imperial court's evaluation of the opening of the second battlefield was that it had been initially successful. When Qin Feng accepted the Chu army to form the Baoqing battalion, Cheng Wuben, and Jiang Tao all entered the system of the Taiping army, especially Ma Xiangnan, who actually controlled a county, which greatly excited the court of Chu State.

"Zi Fei Fish, the joy of Anzhi Fish?" Ma Xiangnan smiled slightly.

"In the future, great things will be accomplished, return to Shangjing, and wait for the princess, you will be indispensable." Ma Xiangdong smiled: "Your Majesty is full of praise for you, and your achievements will definitely surpass that of your eldest brother in the future." ”

Hearing his brother's words, Ma Xiangnan frowned slightly and did not say anything.

Ma Xiangdong naturally thought that this was a sign that his younger brother was too excited, and he didn't care too much. This time, the two envoys of Chu and Qi stayed in the state guesthouse, and Cao Hui, the envoy of Qi, was still waiting to be summoned, but he was already sitting in the palace. More importantly, he came south with the horse that had just entered Beijing.

This is a dismount for the people of Qi, he just wants to show the people of Qi that the relationship between the Chu State and the Taiping Army is something that the people of Qi do not have at all.

Grandpa Le appeared in the side hall with a smile and bowed to the two. The two brothers stood up, and they both bowed back to Gonggong Le, for the big eunuchs in the palace, whether they looked down on it or not, but they knew very well that they could not be offended. These people have not achieved enough, but they have more than enough failures.

"Two adults, the general is too busy, so he can only meet Lord Ma Xiangnan first, and Ma Zuoxiang, the general, please go and see Madame, he will disappear first."

Ma Xiangdong was greatly disappointed, of course Qin Feng did not have time, he could see Ma Xiangnan, so he naturally had time to see himself, but not himself, it was just a political statement, indicating that there was no difference between himself and the envoy of Qi State. If you have to say anything different, then you can barely be considered relatives.

But Ma Xiangdong, who is the left minister, knows in his heart how pale and powerless the word relative is between countries!

"Ma Zuoxiang, the slave has arranged for someone to take you to see Madame, and Madame has also sent someone to tell you, please!" Father-in-law Le waved his hand sideways, and a little father-in-law appeared at the door of the side hall.

Ma Xiangdong took a breath, glanced at his younger brother, and made a look, which naturally wanted Ma Xiangnan to think of another way in front of Qin Feng.

"Ma Junshou, the servant will take you to meet the general." Grandpa Le said with a smile.

Ma Xiangchong nodded at his brother, turned around and strode away with Grandpa Le.

Ma Monkey was guarding the door of the study, and when he saw Ma Xiangnan coming over, he pushed open the door of the study sideways for him: "Ma Junshou, the general is waiting for you." ”

"The hard horse is in charge!" Ma Xiangnan shook his fist at the horse monkey and stepped into the study, the door closing gently behind him.

Qin Feng stood in the middle of the room, tilted his head to look at Ma Xiangnan, and said with a smile: "Compared to half a year ago, it is much darker and thinner. Great work! ”

Ma Xiangdong also said that it was hard, and Qin Feng also said that it was hard at this time, but the meaning of the hardship that the two said was very different. However, in Ma Xiangnan's ears, Qin Feng's voice was hard, but it had a greater affirmative significance.

"Entrusted by the people, loyal to the people, General Qin, Ma is fortunate not to be dishonored, this time I was called to enter Yuejing, and I also reported to the general!" The horse clenched his fist to the ground to the south.

Listening to Ma Xiangnan's words, Qin Feng laughed, until now, Ma Xiangnan still refused to consider himself a subordinate, but only a partner.

"Ma County Shou, also tell me, how you feel about serving as Changyang County for most of the past half a year, in a word, to summarize?" Qin Feng made a gesture to sit down, and he also sat back behind the big case.

One word! This made Ma Xiangnan a little difficult, in his opinion, he has experienced hardships in Changyang County in the past six months, even if it is said for three days and three nights, it is difficult to finish.

It took a long time for him to spit out a sentence, "General, if you use one sentence, it should be pain, and happy!" ”

"It's a good pain and happiness!" Qin Feng praised the festival, "Ma Junshou really has a splendid chest, such a golden sentence and a martial artist like me, I can't say it no matter what." ”

Ma Xiangnan smiled and said in his heart If you are just a martial artist, how can you have the opportunity to sit here.

"What is the situation in Changyang County now?" Qin Feng said lightly, since Ma Xiangnan appeared here, the situation in Changyang County was naturally good.

"It should be said that the initial difficulties have been overcome!" Ma Xiangnan said: "With the help of Shayang County, we have survived the most difficult spring famine, the seeds sown in the spring, it looks like it is about to be harvested, God is also very powerful, this half a year, the wind and rain are smooth, this autumn, it must be a bumper harvest." ”

"That's great, Ma Junshou, after this year, will Changyang County be able to be self-sufficient?" Qin Feng asked with concern, the current Changyang County is still a big burden for the entire Taiping Army, and a large amount of money and food has been invested in it, which has had a great impact on the operation of the entire Taiping Army.

"It's a bit difficult, but it's not that big of a difference." Ma Xiangnan affirmed. "What Changyang County lacks most now is labor. In the past two years, Changyang County has really consumed too much youth. And now, there is still a continuous exodus. General, this must be contained. Otherwise, the situation in Changyang County will not change for the better, and the general will not be allowed to leave the country without a road card signed by the county guard. ”

"Why is that?"

"It's not because of the Taiping Iron Mine." Speaking of this, Ma Xiangnan suddenly became angry. "Taiping Iron Mine built a city, you personally named Daye, this iron mine, itself is mainly composed of young and strong people in Changyang County. These young and strong family members left Changyang to reunite with their families in Daye, and I also admit it, I can't let people separate the two places, right? But Jin Jingnan is too much of a thing, the people he sent back, dressed like local tyrants one by one, and sold a lot of silver, preaching all kinds of benefits of Daye everywhere. hooked the people of my Changyang County to move, and they had to try their best to slip out. He is short of people there, so he can go elsewhere to recruit, how can he hit the idea on the head of our Changyang County? We're more bitter than them haha! Later, I inquired carefully, and the silver used by those who came back was specially distributed by Jin Jingnan, for the purpose of coming back to hook people. General, don't you know, people from village to village are running out! You say that he lacks virtue and does not lack virtue. ”

Qin Feng couldn't help but laugh when he heard it, "It's really lacking in virtue." Daye built the city, this is our overall plan, we need such a stable steel base. ”

"But you can't use that method." Ma Xiangnan was indignant.

"Ma Junshou, this shows a reality, we are short of people now! The country of Vietnam has been in war for many years, and too many people have died. Your method, of course, will be effective for a while, but it is not a long-term method, if Changyang County has not improved, or struggling on the poverty line, more and more people will run out. After all, relatively speaking, Daye is easy to make money! ”

"I know, but it's a vicious circle. If Changyang County wants to develop, it needs a lot of manpower. Ma Xiangnan affirmed.

"The important thing is to let the economic development of Changyang County develop, in fact, although Daye money is easy to earn, it is also extremely risky, and people are dying every month! If the income of Changyang County can be greatly increased, then I think it will be natural to be able to keep people. Majun Shou, what methods have you thought of? I'm afraid that farming alone will not work. (To be continued.) )