Chapter 359 Two Great Ministers
Didn't expect that the first one to come was Lu Jing, Minister of the Ministry of War?
Although the two had festivals, etiquette must not be lost, Xiao Chen hurriedly opened the middle door and went out to greet them in person.
"Lord Xiao, it's been a long time, you look as good as ever!" Lu Jing bowed his hands in salute, smiling all over his face, it didn't look like he was pretending.
"Isn't that Master Tolu's blessing?" Xiao Chen hurriedly returned the gift, "I'm not talented, how dare Lord Laolu come here in person? Isn't this just Zhesha?"
Invited him into the study, ordered someone to change the tea three times, and only then did he smell it, "Master Lu is busy with business, so he took the time to come to our place, so he must have learned something?"
"I'm here to express my thanks." Lu Jing said with a smile.
"Oh? Where did Master Lu say this?" Xiao Chen asked knowingly.
"Brother Xiao really believes in people! Back then you used my 3,500 army horses and said you would pay them back, but I didn't believe it. I didn't expect you, Brother Xiao, to actually return them, and you really paid them back double! King Yang sent troops to Minzhou, and urgently needed a large number of war horses, and when I was in dire straits, brother Xiao, your horses were sent here..." Lu Jing was quite moved.
"I, Xiao Chen, have always kept my promises. If I said it was a loan, I had to pay it back! Originally, I wanted to choose carefully and choose one of the best horses in a thousand miles to return to my lord, but I heard that the war in Minzhou is tense. , I think you, Master Lu, are also in a hurry to ask for it, so you hurriedly ordered them to send it quickly." Xiao Chen said with emotion, "Fortunately, you haven't missed your business?"
"It's just in time! It's extremely timely!" Lu Jing loudly said, "If Brother Xiao hadn't sent the 10,000 horses in time, I, the Minister of the Ministry of War, might not be able to do it! And the cattle you sent to the Ministry of War Sheep, the big problem has also been solved, and King Fengyang even specially let me treat him to thank you."
Cattle and sheep can also be used as military rations, and can also be used to reward the armed forces and improve morale. For Li Feng, who is in short supply of food, it is tantamount to sending charcoal in the snow.
The main thing is war horses. Once the war starts, the demand for war horses will increase greatly.
Lu Jing dispatched almost all the horses from the racecourse outside Fengyang City, and Li Feng was still not enough. Every day, eight hundred li urgently sent a message back ordering him to urgently collect horses. Lu Jing was really devastated and had nothing to do.
At this moment, Xiao Chen brought 10,000 horses, 3,000 cows, and 5,000 sheep from Shunfeng Port to Haining Bay. The horses were returned to Mr. Lu, and the cattle and sheep were given for nothing...
Lu Jing was surprised and happy, with mixed feelings, and cried at that time.
No wonder everyone said that Xiao Chen is good, although this kid is not a thing, but he is really loyal enough!
Obviously you have a feud with him, how many times have you quarreled just by fighting?
But when it comes to big things, Xiao Chen doesn't care about personal grievances, and resolutely helps him tide over the difficulties!
This is a proper and heroic move.
If I, Lu Jing, ask myself, I am absolutely inferior.
"Lord Lu, I'm returning your war horse, but it's not to help you, but to do my best for our court. The reason why I return it to you directly is because you are an upright official and wholeheartedly serve Lord, I will never be like those bastards who cheated on cards, so as to miss the military ahead!" Xiao Chen said seriously.
"Master Xiao's words are really..." Lu Jing felt even more ashamed when he heard it. He knew that he would not scold him at that time, and he would not scold him so harshly... because the more he scolded Xiao Chen at that time, now he beats himself. The face was hit harder.
I am really saving the belly of a gentleman with the heart of a villain!
"Lord Lu, the two of us didn't get along very well before, and we had disputes many times. However, our disputes between the two of us are all business affairs, but there is no personal grudge at all! , has always been respectful! Even in business affairs, we are also on the same path, but we don't conspire with each other." Xiao Chen said.
"Ah... just throwing away these powers, I'm really embarrassed to accept those fur goods that Master Xiao gave me." Lu Jing was more moved, and his face flushed red.
"What are you embarrassed about, my lord? It is clearly written on my gift list that they are all given to my wife and the son of the family, but not to your lord. There is not such a good friendship between us! I I heard that your Master Lu is extremely clean and honest, and your wife Ru Furen doesn't even have a decent leather jacket, alas..."
"Then I won't hide it from you, brother Xiao. I'm not easy to accept, but my family likes it very much... I'll thank you too!"
Lu Jing thought to himself that this Xiao Chen was not only particular about his work, but also what he said was so heart-warming, he let himself accept his gift with peace of mind, and it was extremely appropriate.
"I came back this time and brought another 5,000 war horses, and now they have landed in Haining Bay. I am thinking whether to hand them over to the Ministry of Households or Mr. Lu..." Xiao Chen gave Lu Fei another surprise.
"Give it to me, I'm in charge of war horses in the Ministry of War, what do you do for the Ministry of Households? After Chen Wenqi's hand, I can get half of the five thousand horses! Brother Xiao, please give me a letter quickly, I Just send someone... Ah no, I'll go and receive it myself, and then ship it directly to the south!" Lu Jing was overjoyed, got up and stretched out his hand to Xiao Chen.
"Look, brother Lu, what are you in a hurry for? I've ordered someone to prepare some thin wine, let's have a few drinks..." Xiao Chen said with a smile.
"No, no, no, I have to go now! Hurry up and give me a word, if someone finds out about this, they have to run to grab it!" Lu Jing couldn't help but dragged Xiao Chen to the table, and pulled out the pencil from the pen holder. A pen was forced into his hand, and he helped him spread the paper and rub the ink, urging repeatedly!
"Oh, look at you, Brother Lu!" Xiao Chen had no choice but to write a note himself and hand it to him.
"Then I'll take my leave first, and I'll invite you to drink at home later!" Lu Fei rushed away with the note in his hands, without looking back.
He really came, if he came one step later, these war horses might not be able to reach his hands.
As soon as a Minister of the Ministry of War left, a Minister of the Ministry of Industry came.
Ma Wuming also heard about the war horse, he asked for a horse as soon as he came in, he heard that Xiao Chen gave it to Lu Jing, he couldn't help being very angry.
Is it the friendship between our two brothers, or the friendship between you and Lu Jing, I ask you?
When you asked him for a war horse, he even fought with you, but when you asked me for a craftsman, brother, I gave you all the people and things, but didn't you feel a little bit unhappy?
Why did you go to Yanyun County and come back, and you don't even know who you are?
Have a meal? Eat a fart, you are already full of gas!
Xiao Chen said, why does the Ministry of Industry want war horses?
Ma Wuming said that there are no horses, so help me pull those big carts from the Ministry of Industry!
The war in Minzhou was tight, and our Ministry of Industry had only a few thousand bad horses, hundreds of mules, and even a thousand donkeys were all raided and taken away.
Didn't you see that there are no carriages, mule carts, donkey carts all over the street?
People from the Ministry of Industry have to walk out of the city to do errands!
Five thousand horses, even if you leave me five hundred horses, is it okay to give them all to Lu Jing?
It can be seen that you don't have me in your heart!
The friendship between our two brothers has been severed since then.