The leader of the insurance team is He Zudao. He has met Pu Guanshui and can be regarded as "acquaintances". Pu Guanshui is a few years older than He Zudao, and when he first met He Zudao half a year ago, he still thought that this weak young man was just a half-old child. But I haven't seen him for half a year, and when He Zudao appeared in front of Pu Guanshui again, he had already judged the two of them.

Standing at the bow of the boat, He Zudao waved his hand to Pu Guanshui on the opposite bow of the boat, but he was not polite. He just methodically arranged the convergence of the two fleets. According to Pu Guanshui's letter to Chen Ke at the time, after the two fleets converged, they needed to hand over the arms and materials first. He Zudao dispatched the ships exactly according to such a predetermined plan.

The flotilla of the insurance regiment consisted of five large oopong boats. The sailors on board seemed to be really well-trained, and although the river was relatively wide, the two fleets were still a little crowded side by side. Luckily, there were no other boats on the river. Coupled with the skilful maneuvering of the ships by the sailors, the two flotillas were lined up side by side. Sailors adjusted the position of the sails and oars to keep the fleet moving at a consistent pace.

Pu Guanshui looked at the fleet of the insurance regiment and saw that the sailors were all wearing dark blue uniform clothes. On the left chest there is a sign sewn with white cloth. There are some words written on it. A small number of sailors had the same short hair as He Zudao, which was very similar to Chen Ke's hair. That is, much like a monk, with extremely short hair. Most of the others have braids. The sailors did not look much different from ordinary people, except that they were cleaner and neater, and their faces were washed. Wearing a hat that shades the sun, the hat strap is tightly cuffed around the chin, and the movement is neat and neat. In the middle of the view, He Zudao's boat first joined the ship of Puguanshui.

The sailors quickly secured the two boats with ropes. He Zudao first checked whether the ropes were tied strongly, and then jumped onto Puguanshui's boat.

"Brother Guanshui, long time no see. Mr. Wen Qing asked me to greet Brother Guanshui. He Zudao said with a smile. This is not the smile that Pu Guanshui remembers with some overwhelmed smiles. It seems that He Zudao has experienced a lot of things in the past six months, and this smile no longer carries his own emotions, on the contrary, this smile is full of confidence and honesty, but he can no longer see through He Zudao himself at a glance.

"Brother Zudao, long time no see. Is Wenqing good? Puguan Shui responded.

"Mr. Wenqing is very good. After receiving Brother Guanshui's letter, he has been looking forward to Brother Guanshui's arrival as soon as possible. ”

After saying this, there was a strange silence between the two, Pu Guanshui was a little confused, and He Zudao was very patient waiting for Pu Guanshui to speak.

Silence remained for a while, and the soldiers of the Forces nouvelles and the soldiers of the insurance regiment watched as the two leaders did not say a word, and did not interject. In addition to the sound of the river flowing, and the river wind stirring the BJP flag, and the hunting sound of the New Army flag. It was silent. It wasn't until a baby's cry came from Puguanshui's fleet that the silence was broken.

Pu Guanshui didn't want to deliberately dry He Zudao, but he had a lot to say, but he didn't know where to start, and when he heard the baby's cry, he said: "Brother Zudao, I saved some victims who threw themselves into the water along the way." Can you get them on your ship first? ”

He Zudao didn't have any surprised expression, he smiled: "No problem." We also saved some people along the way. Originally, there were twelve ships in the fleet, so we first sent seven ships back to Fengtai County. ”

Pu Guanshui didn't believe too much in He Zudao's words. But He Zudao's frank face was the kind of calmness unique to telling the truth. He couldn't help but ask: "Wen Qing said that Fengtai County did not have any major incidents in this flood, is this really the case?" ”

"It's definitely not going to be easy in a disaster year, but everyone in Fengtai County finally has something to eat. There was no such thing as starvation. He Zudao replied.

"That's good, that's good." Pu Guanshui himself didn't know whether he was praising Chen Ke or comforting himself.

"Brother Guanshui, will you start picking people up now?" He Zudao didn't have any idea of wasting time. Chen Ke sent He Zudao to greet Pu Guanshui out of trust in He Zudao. However, there are a lot of things to do in the base area, and He Zudao is now a powerful figure who can be counted in the base area, and the work is actually very heavy. This time to greet Puguanshui is regarded as Chen Ke's "vacation" for He Zudao, and He Zudao is now full of enthusiasm to return to the base area to continue working.

Since He Zudao asked to place people now, Pu Guanshui also felt good. He said, "Okay." ”

He Zudao issued an order to the sailors, and the herald stood at the bow of the ship, waved the red and green signal flags, and directed the other ships to meet the ships of Puguanshui. In comparison, Puguanshui's fleet did not have such training. They rely entirely on shouting. A shout that exhausted his voice, plus a response. The efficiency of Puguanshui's fleet is at least three times lower than that of the insurance group. And Pu Guanshui also noticed a detail. In the flotilla of the insurance regiment, the sailors remained silent. It is completely different from the style of the Anhui New Army, which can't help but judge new things when they see them, and exchange their heads and ears.

"Zudao, how did you train these soldiers?" Pu Guanshui couldn't help but ask.

"Training?" He Zudao was a little puzzled, as a political commissar, he didn't really care about daily exercises.

Pu Guanshui said with a smile: "Look at your soldiers, they are silent one by one, but there is no such babbling as my soldiers." ”

He Zudao understood what Pu Guanshui meant, and he said indifferently: "In addition to transporting grain, everyone's daily training is to operate the boat, and they have practiced a lot." Naturally, it's fine. Moreover, if you run far away to transport grain, you will see more things, so it is not surprising. ”

Hearing this, Pu Guanshui just nodded. At this moment, he heard the cry, and he looked over there, but saw that the victims on the ship refused to move to He Zudao's ship. These people simply don't know what it means to get yourself on these strange ships. In the traditional view of the Chinese people, good officials are available but not sought. Pu Guanshui is such a good official who is willing to save people and let everyone not starve to death, but he will never meet him once in his life. The boats in Puguan Water are the place where they stay, the only place where they can live. Therefore, the people did not want to get on a strange ship at all.

At first, the soldiers of the Forces nouvelles were kind enough to persuade each other that the flotilla was their own. But the people felt that since it was their own ship, it was not the same on any boat, so why change ships?

But the people didn't listen to them at all, and some impatient soldiers began to push the people forcibly. When the people saw this, they were immediately afraid, and they fell down on their knees and pleaded. This is the beginning of the fuss.

Puguanshui asked the people to transfer to He Zudao's boat, originally hoping that everyone could live more spaciously. More than 400 people were crammed into a dozen boats, not to mention how uncomfortable it was. His own kindness is completely incomprehensible to the people, and looking at the people's pleading, it is the same as what he wants to do. His face immediately darkened. "Baguan belt, you go and ask the people to change boats quickly. Isn't it uncomfortable for everyone to be stuffed together? Pu Guanshui shouted.

"Brother Guanshui, wait." He Zudao stopped Pu Guanshui's order not to be angry. "Brother Guanshui, these people are all scared. They believe you now, and I think Brother Guanshui might as well take a small boat and say it one by one. Naturally, the people will be able to calm down. It's faster, too. ”

Pu Guanshui didn't expect to be a good person again, but he had to work so hard. But looking at He Zudao's calm expression, he also felt that there was no need to object.

He Zudao took the same boat, and Puguanshui went to each boat to advise the people that in order to make everyone on the boat more comfortable, it was now necessary to let some people go to the boat here. As soon as Pu Guanshui appeared, the people immediately obeyed the words of this life-saving benefactor.

After the personnel exchange, the boat of the insurance group was in front, and the boat of Puguanshui followed, and the fleet accelerated in the direction of Fengtai County. Pu Guanshui took the opportunity to get to the boat of the insurance group and asked He Zudao in detail how Chen Ke coped with the flood. He Zudao first rescued people from Chen Ke, and then set up a "people's home" concentration camp to manage the victims in a unified manner. In addition, the insurance corps was expanded, and the use of ships raised from various places to rush supplies. Finally let everyone survive.

"Sure enough, it is not a widow but an uneven one." After listening to the hardships of this journey, Pu Guanshui sighed and sighed. But if he didn't say anything, after this disaster relief, the people of Fengtai County must be grateful to the insurance group. Chen Ke: They can be regarded as having a foothold in Fengtai County.

He Zudao was not moved by Pu Guanshui's praise, if he hadn't followed Chen Ke's side and personally participated in the work, he couldn't have imagined how complicated the seemingly simple things could be. Spitting bitterness on Puguan Shui, or showing off the hard work of the insurance group, is not Ho Zudao's job. And He Zudao had no idea about this at all, and he went on to introduce Chen Ke to kill Zhang Youliang and force the local landlords to "borrow land". Prepare for the construction of a large farm action.

Pu Guanshui listened, but his face became solemn. Chen Ke's book once introduced the construction ideas and construction methods of large-scale farms. Pu Guanshui doesn't actually farm much at home, but after reading it, he just thinks it makes sense. Unexpectedly, Chen Ke actually implemented such a strategy in this year of catastrophe. This determination is beyond Puguanshui to evaluate.

Moreover, Chen Ke clearly wanted to take advantage of the disaster year this time, and the government refused to intervene too much in the people's self-help, and turned a blind eye to Chen Ke's approach. But once the next year comes, the landlords will not stop so much. Since ancient times, the famous land borrowing incident is "Liu Bei borrowed Jingzhou". This is clearly a matter of borrowing and not repaying. What's more, once a large farm is built, where can it be divided into whose land? At that time, even if it is a land division, it will be Chen Ke's final say. Pu Guanshui doesn't think that the landlords are smart, but the landlords understand such a simple ideal.

After He Zudao said this, he stopped politely and waited for Pu Guanshui to speak. saw Pu Guanshui's brows furrowed and he didn't say a word. In such a large amount of work, He Zudao has learned to be patient. He wasn't in a hurry, just waited quietly.

Pu Guanshui thought for a while, but he didn't come up with any good way to solve the landlord's counterattack, he asked: "How is Wenqing going to deal with the landlord?" ”

"Mr. Wen Qing didn't say anything in detail about this matter, if Brother Guanshui wants to know, just ask Mr. Wen Qing directly when he arrives in Fengtai County."

Hearing this, Pu Guanshui nodded. That's all there is to it. Although he couldn't put his mind at ease about the landlord's affairs, he learned that Chen Ke really withstood it in this year of disaster, and Pu Guanshui was also happy. He no longer mentioned the landlord, but asked about more detailed things.

He Zudao didn't pick up this stubble, he said with a straight face: "Brother Guanshui, since you mentioned the landlord's matter, I have something I want to ask you for help." ”

"What?" Pu Guanshui looked at He Zudao's serious look and asked seriously.

He Zudao's words were very slow, "This time, Mr. Wenqing greeted Brother Guanshui and lined up for a big battle. All the leading local figures were invited. Therefore, I would like to ask Brother Guanshui to salute Mr. Wenqing first after seeing Wen Qing. ”

Hearing this, Pu Guanshui was slightly stunned. If Pu Guanshui salutes Chen Ke first, it means that Pu Guanshui took the initiative to admit that his status was below Chen Ke. Although Pu Guanshui is the third-in-command of the Anhui New Army, it is in Anqing, the provincial capital, and there are few people who can make Pu Guanshui salute first.

He Zudao looked at Pu Guanshui's expression carefully, but saw that Pu Guanshui only pondered for a moment, so he smiled and said: "Since Brother Wen Qing can gain a foothold in Fengtai County, then I should salute him." You can rest assured. I'll salute first. ”

He Zudao has always been very calm, but after listening to Pu Guanshui's reply, He Zudao breathed a sigh of relief.

"Zudao, apart from this, did Wen Qing explain anything else?" Pu Guanshui then asked.

"Nope." He Zudao hurriedly said.

"Well, I have some things to ask." Pu Guanshui then began to ask about the things he cared about.

Pu Guanshui asked countless questions, until He Zudao and Pu Guanshui themselves were exhausted, and they could be regarded as resting. As soon as Pu Guanshui returned to his boat, Ba Yougong leaned in. "Co-ordinator, what is the origin of these people?"

Pu Guanshui picked up the teapot and poured himself a bowl of water. Insurance groups don't just come by boat. At least the insurance group brought enough clean tap water for Puguanshui's fleet. The clear water quality makes Puguan Water very satisfied. In the past few days, they did not dare to dock, and the reserve water on the ship was not sufficient, and if they did not meet the insurance group, everyone had to drink the water from the river. "That's the friend I'm talking about."

"They're drafters?" Ba Yougong asked with great interest.

"It's not." Pu Guanshui replied.

"Then how come they have so many ships, and these sailors are also very ordinary." Ba Yougong is also an old soldier, and he can see the key at a glance.

"My friend is now just occupying Fengtai County. This time I went to see him, and I had to do him a few favors. Pu Guanshui said it very bluntly. Anyway, even if you don't talk about it now, you can see it when you go to Ba Yougong in Fengtai County. It's even more sincere to say it now.

"I see." Ba Yougong nodded meaningfully. This forty-year-old middle-aged officer didn't hate Pu Guanshui in the first place, although he prevented Pu Guanshui from saving people, but it was not because Ba Yougong was brutal, and in the face of such a natural disaster, Ba Yougong had no way to do it. And Pu Guanshui's compassion makes Ba Yougong respectful. Since Pu Guanshui said so sincerely, Ba Yougong felt that in this period of natural disasters, as long as it was not completely unacceptable, he would still fully support Pu Guanshui.

The next day, the other ships of the insurance group also came to rendezvous. Everyone shared the load again. Pu Guanshui could see that the insurance group's fleet was more well-trained and more familiar with the waterways here, so he simply let the insurance group's people take over the operation of the fleet. As he expected, the entire fleet moved faster.

On the evening of the fourth day, the fleet finally arrived at the wharf of Fengtai County. After dangling on the boat for ten days, everyone already wanted to go to the ground. Seeing the sickle and hammerhead flag on the wharf, the officers and men of the Anhui New Army knew that they had arrived at their destination. Even Pu Guanshui, who was dressed neatly in the uniform of the New Army, had a smile on his face. The boat was getting closer and closer to the pier, but Pu Guanshui saw a figure standing there. It should be Chen Ke, he just stood there so naturally, but he could see the difference from the others around him. It's not just that Chen Ke is taller than others, that kind of confidence, that kind of calmness, that kind of patience, and that feeling of being full of vitality, people can't help but notice Chen Ke's existence.

He Zudao talked about the development of the insurance group, and Chen Ke is now the leader of a county in Fengtai County, with 8,000 people under his command. Pu Guanshui never dreamed that Chen Ke would be able to form a team of 8,000 people in half a year. Not to mention the quality of this unit, the number alone has already surpassed that of the 31st Mixed Association stationed in Anhui. Moreover, the flotilla of the insurance regiment gave Pu Guanshui enough confidence, as long as it could reach the level of the soldiers of the fleet, it was by no means a fantasy for the insurance regiment to sweep Anhui.

Ba Yougong, who was standing behind Pu Guanshui, also noticed Chen Ke. From the standing position, it can be seen that Chen Ke is the leader of these people. But Ba Yougong's attention was attracted by those behind him. Among these are officials wearing county official uniforms, and there are "fake foreign devils" in suits and leather shoes with short hair. More of them were gentry in robes and coats. Such a group of people should be all the leading figures in Fengtai County. And Chen Ke was dressed in dark blue clothes that were no different from the sailors on the ship, except that he had a belt around his waist. But it is short hair, and in such a group of people, it looks particularly unusual.

As soon as the ship docked, Chen Ke descended the stairs. Pu Guanshui jumped on the pier, but felt that his feet were empty. It was as if the whole ground was shaking. Chen Ke grabbed Pu Guanshui, "Brother Guanshui, I look forward to the stars and the moon, and I finally hope for you." ”

Pu Guanshui looked Chen Ke up and down, and saw that Chen Ke was a lot darker, thinking that he had been exposed to the sun for days. The others are still the same as they were half a year ago, and they don't look desperate at all. On the contrary, he looked more cheerful, and Pu Guanshui smiled: "Brother Wenqing, I have wanted to come a long time ago." ”

"It's good to come, it's good to come." Chen Ke finally smiled.

Chen Ke brought all the gentry of Fengtai County this time, and let them see their relationship with the deputy commander of the Anhui New Army, which was very helpful to Chen Ke's personal prestige. In fact, when these gentry saw Pu Guanshui's brand-new military uniform and the group of new soldiers on the boat behind, they knew that Chen Ke did have a big background. The original confrontational psychology has also weakened a lot.

While the two were talking, He Zudaoba Yougong also jumped on the dock. came to the side of Chen Ke and Pu Guanshui. Ba Yougong thought that Pu Guanshui was going to introduce himself and other officers of the New Army. saw Pu Guanshui take a step back, and then seriously saluted Chen Ke. "Pu Guanshui, deputy co-commander of the Anhui New Army, reported to Brigade Commander Chen."

"Shhh Ba Yougong gasped when he heard many of the gentry in the group of gentry. Not only them, but Ba Yougong himself was also shocked. He looked Chen Ke up and down, his mind confused. What is the origin of this Chen Ke, who can actually make a deputy co-ordinator salute him?

Chen Kezheng replied with a strange military salute, "Comrade Pu Guanshui, welcome to Fengtai County." ”

Then both stepped forward and clasped their hands tightly. Behind Chen Ke, the official wearing the county commander's uniform was the first to start applauding, and He Zudao, who was wearing the same dark blue clothes as Chen Ke, and the soldiers also began to applaud. One by one, the gentry also began to applaud with different expressions.

Chen Ke turned his head and said with a smile: "Come, gongs and drums are beating, and the comrades of the New Army are welcome to come to Fengtai County." Then came the drumming. Chen Ke was in front, Pu Guanshui was behind, and the group climbed the stairs.

Ba Yougong determined one thing in a confusion, Pu Guanshui was not wrong, this person named Chen Ke is not just the actual ruler of Fengtai County now. Even already a nominal ruler.