North Street.

Silver Bird Restaurant.

Private room on the second floor.

"Let me introduce you to Mr. Hu Feihu."

Qi Yun glanced at the other seven or eight people, pointed at Hu Fei, and introduced him softly.

"I've met Mr. Hu."

The other people nodded and bowed respectfully to Hu Fei.

"Didn't I tell you that you can just call me Mr. Hu? Mr. Hu doesn't like others calling him sir."

Qi Yun heard this and said hurriedly.

"That's right, just call me Young Master. There's no need to talk about being an adult or not."

Hu Fei smiled and looked at these people while sitting on the main seat.

From the faces of these people, Hu Fei could tell that these people, like Qi Yun, were a group of unsuccessful people.

"Young Master Hu, some of them are on duty in the Governor's Mansion, and they should have seen you a few times. Others are on duty in the Military and Horse Department of the capital. They should have only heard of Young Master's name, but have never met him."

"Like their subordinates, they have always suffered from the lack of opportunities, so they have been unknown in the army. Knowing that the master loves talents, they are willing to follow the master in the future."

Qi Yun pointed to those people and introduced them softly.

"Okay, everyone, please sit down, no need to be restrained."

Hu Fei nodded and waved to everyone to sit down.

"I'm not that particular. If you are willing to follow me, I will definitely not treat you badly, and I will definitely give you a chance to get ahead."

"But there is one thing. Since you have followed me, you must be absolutely loyal to me. I don't ask you to go to hell for me, but if someone betrays you, I will never give you mercy. Death is the lightest punishment!"

Hu Fei smiled, glanced across the faces of everyone present, and said lightly, including Qi Yun.

After listening to Hu Fei's words, everyone present couldn't help but look grim.

Although Hu Fei said this with a smile, the majesty in his voice made them even more intimidated.

"Young Master Hu, you can rest assured that we are all willing to surrender to you, especially after everyone heard about what Mr. Hu did after the disaster in Changzhou, and also used the name of the imperial court to give out 100,000 taels of silver to various places.

After the distribution of annual wages among the poor, they all admired Mr. Hu very much."

"It is an honor for us to follow a wise master like you. From now on, whether we are unknown or promoted to a noble position, we are willing to follow the master to the death!"

Qi Yun stood up, picked up the tea bowl in front of him, and said respectfully.

Others stood up one after another, raised their teacups, echoed, expressed their loyalty, and then replaced the wine with tea and drank it all in one gulp.

"very good."

Hu Fei nodded with satisfaction and turned to look at Chundie standing next to him.

Chundie understood, took off the package that had been slung on her shoulder, put it on the table, then took out eight money bags and threw them to everyone one by one.

"This is my young master's thought. It's not much. One hundred taels per person. It's not for you. Take it back and give it to your family. The New Year is coming. Buy some new year's goods and celebrate the New Year happily."

Hu Fei looked at everyone and said calmly.

Before he was reborn here, he had experienced the sadness of celebrating the New Year when his family was not rich, so he hated that feeling.

He hoped that even if the people who followed him were not rich and prosperous, they would at least live a less humble life.

"Sir, we can't take this money!"

Qi Yun stood up, tremblingly picked up the money bag in front of him, and said with some excitement.

"Yes, Master, we have done nothing for you, we cannot ask for this money."

"Sir, we deserve it."

Others also stood up and refused one after another, all looking a little moved.

"Just take it and don't say anything. I said it's not for you, it's for your parents, wives and children."

"Since you have chosen to follow me, I will not treat you badly. If you don't accept it, you have no intention of following me."

Hu Fei looked at everyone, said sternly with a stern face.

Upon hearing Hu Fei's words, everyone retracted their hands one after another, either withholding or not.

"Since Mr. Hu has said so, everyone should put it away."

"Thank you Mr. Hu."

Qi Yun hesitated for a moment, glanced at everyone, and while speaking, he bowed respectfully to Hu Fei, his eyes full of gratitude.

"Thank you, sir!"

The rest of the people also saluted and thanked him.

"Okay, from now on, if anything happens to you, you can go directly to Qi Yun and follow his orders from now on."

Hu Fei nodded and said slowly.

"yes!"

Everyone answered in unison.

Qi Yun looked at Hu Fei. In addition to gratitude, there were more indescribable emotions in his eyes. He had been given the words to save his father before, but now he was entrusted with an important task. He had never been so willing to kill a man.

"By the way, when I saw you downstairs just now, why did I feel that you were sneaking around, as if you were hiding from something?"

Hu Fei looked at Qi Yun, remembered the scene at the door of the restaurant just now, and couldn't help but ask.

"Oh, by the way, sir, just now my subordinate saw Marquis Ji'an downstairs. He used to be on duty in the Governor's Mansion. I was worried about being recognized by him, so I acted more cautiously."

Upon hearing Hu Fei's question, Qi Yun hurriedly explained.

"Marquis Ji'an? Lu Zhongheng?!"

Hu Fei was stunned for a moment and couldn't help but ask.

"Yes, that's him."

Qi Yun nodded and said.

Seeing Qi Yun nodding, Hu Fei couldn't help but feel a flash of surprise on his face. He didn't expect such a coincidence to meet such a big shot in the restaurant.

"Okay, I understand, nothing happens. You all should go back. Don't contact each other frequently when nothing happens. Make it look like you are unfamiliar to outsiders and do your own thing."

Hu Fei hesitated for a moment, glanced at everyone, and said slowly.

"Okay, sir, I'll take my leave now."

Qi Yun had no unnecessary nonsense, stood up, bowed, and said respectfully.

"My subordinates resign!"

The other eight people all stood up to say goodbye, walked out of the box in batches, and left the restaurant.

Hu Fei pondered for a while, took a sip of the tea in the cup in front of him, stood up, and walked out slowly.

"Master, should we go back to Hongbin Tower or Hanlin Tower?"

Pei Jie turned to look at Hu Fei and asked slowly.

"I won't go back now. I'm going to meet the Marquis of Ji'an for a while."

"You saw all those people just now. When you go back, secretly inquire about their details. You need to be detailed."

Hu Fei said as he walked downstairs.

It's not that he doesn't trust those people, it's that he knows the truth of knowing yourself and the enemy. In this capital, if the emperor's move is wrong, it will be doomed. He must ensure that there are no loopholes in the people around him.

"yes."

Pei Jie respectfully agreed, and followed Hu Fei with Chundie to the lobby on the first floor.

Hu Fei stood at the top of the stairs, took a look around, and saw a person. Then a light smile flashed at the corner of his mouth, and he walked over without hesitation.

He didn't know Lawrence Lu and had never met him before, but the man sitting in the corner knew at a glance that he was the person he was looking for.

He is well-dressed, has hands that look like they have been on the battlefield for a long time, and has a sad look of being unappreciated. It could be none other than Lu Zhongheng.

In terms of dissatisfaction, Qi Yun and the others simply cannot compare with this Lu Zhongheng, because it is not that Lu Zhongheng has no chance, but that he has ruined all the opportunities time and time again.

Although he was a hero in the founding of the Ming Dynasty, he always made some low-level mistakes. He once served in the governor's office, but he stopped again and again.

Even the title of Marquis of Ji'an was reduced once, and last year because of a mistake, even the public land was confiscated by Zhu Yuanzhang.

This year he was supposed to be training with Tang He outside, but he was suddenly captured and brought back to the capital.

If Hu Fei guessed correctly, he should have been released not long ago.

Such a bumpy official career has to be lamentable.

"Excuse me, may I sit at the same table with you?"

Hu Fei walked to the table, cupped his hands, and asked with a smile.

But before the other party could answer, he had already sat down without any hint of surprise.

The man raised his head and looked at Hu Fei drunkenly, with a hint of dissatisfaction on his face.

"Who are you?! I am not an acquaintance of you, why are you sitting here?!"

The man stared at Hu Fei and said dissatisfied.

This sentence alone proved that Hu Fei recognized the right person.

He is Lu Zhongheng, the Marquis of Ji'an!

After hearing Lu Zhongheng's question, Hu Fei didn't mind. Instead, he opened the folding fan and shook it while unable to help showing a knowing smile...
Chapter completed!