While Geng Kui was busy with Nu Qi, Geng Xiaofan was also busy with various counties.

Soon he discovered that there was no shortage of coal in Shanggu County. Taking advantage of the opportunity of "inspecting" various counties, he found several high-quality coal mines, began to organize mining in a planned way, and slowly expanded the scale. Later, this became a major coal mine in Shanggu County.

This "pillar industry" has brought great benefits to the people.

The exploration of the water diversion project also went smoothly. There was not much farmland in Juyang, so Geng Xiaofan took advantage of the situation and planned a "canal" to not only solve the county's draft problem, but more importantly, solve the irrigation problem along the route.

When he was confident and ready to start construction, Shaofu, Sikong and Juyang Ling came to him.

"Sir, I estimate that building the canal of Baishui Lake and diverting water will cost 50,000 civilians and 2 million in money and food. Where will the expenditure come from?" Juyang Ling asked carefully.

"Oh! Do you need so many?" Geng Xiaofan put down the bamboo slips in his hand and stood up.

"Maybe it's a bit generous, but it's about the same." Sikong replied from the side.

"This year, we will focus on building canals and suspend other tasks." Geng Xiaofan disagreed.

"Even like this, the people are not enough. What should we do if we still have money and food?" the young man asked again.

"Didn't you say that the treasury has more than one million yuan in money and food?" Geng Xiaofan asked back.

"Yes, but we can't use them all to build canals!"

"Why not? Once the canal is repaired, you don't know how much farmland irrigation problems can be solved and how much food production can be increased? Don't just look at the present. I think as long as the canal is repaired, the increase in income in three years will be more than a million! And, you guys

Don’t you want to drink the sweet lake water as soon as possible?” Geng Xiaofan smiled.

"Even if we use all of this, it won't be enough!" The young master still had a headache.

"I don't want all of it from you. You can take one million! The rest will be given to the two captains' mansions." Geng Xiaofan had already planned it.

"Ah!" Everyone opened their mouths.

"Seeing that there is no war in the border counties, we can't be idle in raising troops. We asked the two captain's offices to dispatch soldiers and prepare their own money and food to build the army from Baishui Lake to the south. The people of Juyang started from the county to the north at the same time."

"This! Have you discussed this with the two captains?" Sikong was stunned by Geng Xiaofan's bold idea.

"What? Isn't the Captain's Mansion under my control? I will tell them that you just do your job! Regardless of whether they send troops or not, the canal must be repaired!"

Geng Xiaofan had prepared for the worst. If he couldn't get the two captains to send troops to help him repair the canal, then at most it would take more time. If he couldn't repair it in one year, it would take two years.

He felt that he could do the job of Chen Xun. As for Guo Ting, although he was not sure, if he put some pressure on him, he would not dare to disobey him.

Just two days after the canal construction matter was discussed, Geng Xiaofan hadn't even gone to find Chen Xun, but he came here first, taking his son with him! It seemed that his son had won Chen Xun's trust! Geng Xiaofan was secretly happy.

"General Chen, Lieutenant Chen! You are so busy and you are here to kill, not to raise an army to accuse me, but to blame me for not visiting you in time! Haha!" Geng Xiaofan joked with Chen Xun.

"I don't dare, general! I heard that your Excellency has taken office, and I have long wanted to come and see you. However, I am busy with military affairs and dare not leave my post without authorization. Therefore, I have come to see you as late as today." Chen Xun was still polite at least.

"Oh, so Captain Chen is here today to have military duties?" Geng Xiaofan had actually guessed his purpose. He must have heard about his plan to build a canal and came to compete with him.

"That's right!" Chen Xun confidently pointed to Geng Kui next to him and introduced to Geng Xiaofan, "This is the new captain Shi Geng Kuang. Let him report back to your Excellency!"

Geng Kuang saluted Geng Xiaofan generously, pretending not to recognize him, and began to report seriously.

"I heard that your lord is going to mobilize the garrison of the Eastern Duwei Mansion and bring your own food and pay to build the canal. After discussing with the lord Duwei, I felt that it was inappropriate, so I came here to advise you."

"Tell me the reason!" Geng Xiaofan had expected this to happen, but he didn't expect that his son would also object.

"Civil affairs are civil affairs, and military affairs are military affairs. How can the two be confused?" Geng Kuang seemed to be well prepared.

"Keep talking!" Geng Xiaofan said with a cold face.

"The imperial court appointed the captain of the eastern part of Shanggu to defend Wuhuan. Although there have been no major wars between Han and Wu in recent years, the Wuhuan people have crossed the border many times recently and caused trouble. If your lord sends the soldiers of the captain's mansion to repair the canal, who will resist the Wuhuan

People?" Geng Kuang spoke righteously and sternly.

"Is there any more?" Geng Xiaofan was indeed not clear about the situation reported by his son.

"Also, the army's rations and salaries have always been fixed by the court, which varies during wartime and peacetime. Over the years, the court has always allocated them according to peacetime, but the Eastern Commandery has often fought against Wuhuan in recent years. Although there were not many casualties, the rations and salaries were not the same.

We are already stretched thin, where can we use the extra money to build canals?"

After Geng Kui finished speaking, he secretly glanced at his father.

"Do you have anything else to say, Captain Chen?" Geng Xiaofan asked the two men to finish what they had to say, and then refute them one by one.

"No, these three points are what we have agreed on." Chen Xun was very satisfied with Geng Kuang's eloquence. The three reasons were stated clearly and well-founded.

"Okay! Let me ask first, I just had a plan and the government order has not been issued at all. How did you know about it?" Geng Xiaofan was going to join the two men together.

"This..." Chen Xun didn't expect Geng Xiaofan to catch this and didn't know how to answer.

Geng Xiaofan smiled and glanced at his son again.

"Sir, sir! The military has its own channels for information." Geng Kuang often bickered with his father and responded quickly.

"Okay! You have your own way! I won't even ask!" Geng Xiaofan smiled, very satisfied with his son.

Chen Xun on the other side was even more satisfied! He couldn't help but want to give a thumbs up to Geng Kui. This boy is young, smart and clever. The key is that he is not afraid to meet "high officials"! A child can be taught!

"Originally, I was going to meet with Captain Chen and discuss it before issuing the government order. Since Captain Chen is here today, I will answer these three questions of yours first." Geng Xiaofan turned around and sat down in the middle of the lobby to start business.

Public office.

Just as he was about to speak, he saw a waiter poking his head outside the door. He paused and called him in directly.

"Sir, Madam may not know that you have a guest to discuss matters. She, she wanted to invite you to the back hall to meet her." The little boy hurried forward to report.

Geng Xiaofan thought for a while and figured that Liu Fei'er heard that his son had "come home" and sent someone to find out.

So he chuckled and said, "Go back to Madam and tell her that there are distinguished guests at home tonight, and ask her to prepare a banquet. We will go there after we finish talking."

The young man took the order and ran away, but Chen Xun was startled, "Sir, the last general..."

Geng Xiaofan waved his hand to stop him before he could speak.

"General Chen, don't worry too much. I can still distinguish between public affairs and private matters. Today we are doing official business and private matters are private. You and I haven't seen each other for more than ten years. After discussing the official matters, we can talk about personal matters again."
Chapter completed!