Dugujiu was speechless. He was silent for a moment and said, "Brother, I think there is something wrong with this matter."
Li Mu looked at him and asked, "What's wrong?"
"They are all criminals, and some of them have lives on their bodies." Dugujiu paused and said, "My eldest brother provides shelter to these people. If it is known, it may cause controversy."
"A murder must be paid with a life, and a debt must be paid with money?"
Dugujiu nodded.
Li Mu smiled and said, "I thought so before, but I don't think so now." Dugujiu was puzzled. Seeing this, Li Mu explained: "If someone wants to kill me, what will you do?"
Dugujiu said without any hesitation: "Of course I will kill him."
"Then you kill someone."
Dugujiu nodded, and immediately he understood what Li Mu meant. These people may be carrying human lives, but they may also be killing people for the important people in their hearts. In this way, who is right and who is wrong?
"Right and wrong are just different positions and different results. Don't worry too much. I need to employ people now. It's like doing business. They work for me and I give them the compensation they want. That's it.
That’s all.”
Dugujiu nodded, Li Mu patted him on the shoulder and said, "Go ahead and do it, I have to go out for a while."
Dugujiu carefully collected the list and asked, "Brother, where are you going?"
"In heaven and earth, when you have finished your work, come and find me."
…
As Li Shimin's coronation approaches, Chang'an City is much more lively than before. In recent days, there have been more and more people. These people are gorgeously dressed and have slightly different accents from Chang'an. After a little inquiry, you can find out that they are all from Luoyang.
Chang'an and Luoyang are both ancient capitals. Perhaps there is some comparison between them. People in Chang'an look down on people in Luoyang, but people in Luoyang don't seem to care much about whether people in Chang'an look down on them. This kind of sentiment is generally still there.
It goes back to the previous dynasty. Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty wanted to move the capital to Luoyang, and preparations had been done for many years. Many nobles who saw the opportunity also made preparations in Luoyang first and sent their young children there. This is why Li Jiancheng
He and Li Shimin wanted to go to Luoyang to lobby. However, after the tragic death of Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty, the Sui Dynasty fell apart, and the matter of moving the capital was shelved. The young people who had adapted to the life in Luoyang were no longer willing to return to Chang'an and became the leaders of the late Sui Dynasty.
That generation of 'New Luoyang people'.
Time flies, twenty years have passed, and those "new Luoyang people" have now become the masters of Luoyang City. During the chaos at the end of the Sui Dynasty, Chang'an was devastated and its vitality was severely damaged. On the contrary, Luoyang has not been affected by any war. Until
Today, Luoyang is no less prosperous than Chang'an. In the eyes of Luoyang people, Chang'an is like a twilight nobleman, while Luoyang is the emerging power in the future.
Especially after hearing that His Majesty the Emperor had the idea of moving the capital, he became even more arrogant and did not take the people of Chang'an seriously. In the past few days, some clues can be seen in the sky and the world. If you look around, you can order good food and wine at will.
Most of those who went up were from Luoyang. The local people in Chang'an were not that wealthy, but they looked down upon them. They all looked at them with disdain like they were country bumpkins.
"Hurry, hurry, Lord Marquis will be here soon, clear the place!"
A waiter hurried in, and soon after, the waiters at each table began to persuade. When the local customers in Chang'an heard that "The Marquis is coming to clear the place," they all cooperated and got up and left without paying for the meal.
Those who came from out of town would complain a little more, but after the waiter's persuasion, they all cooperated and left. Only the Luoyang people, when they heard that the Marquis was coming and wanted to clear the place, they were all filled with indignation: "What Marquis?"
So overbearing? He cleared the place as soon as he said it was clear? He gave me free meal money? Look at how I am dressed, uncle, do I look like I am short of meal money?!
One or two people started arguing, and it became a mess. On the other side, Li Mu had already entered the door. When the messenger saw this, he stamped his feet anxiously. Li Mu had already arrived, and he did not dare to say anything. Now the Supreme Emperor and County
The boss lives in Xiaoyao Valley outside the city, and there is no one in charge here. What should we do!
Li Mu frowned when he saw such a mess. Changsun Chong behind him saw the teacher frowning, strode forward and shouted: "Where are these country folk from? How dare you act so presumptuously in front of my mentor?!"
The people eating there were all young and energetic people. When they heard this, they immediately turned around and said, "Who do you belong to? How dare you talk to me like that? Do you know who I am? I'm not afraid of scaring you.
My uncle is the Minister of Rites!"
"My uncle is in the Criminal Department!"
"My father is a member of the civil service department!"
The eldest grandson was so angry. From the accent, he knew that these grandsons were from other places, but what he never expected was that these people would dare to fight for dad! Isn't it just for dad? I'm afraid of you! eldest grandson
Chong looked back at Li Mu, took a deep breath, and was about to reveal the name of his father, Zhang Sun Wuji, when suddenly Li Mu grabbed his shoulder. Li Mu pulled him behind him, took a step forward, stood with his arms akimbo, and shouted loudly.
, overshadowed everyone's voices: "I, Li Mu, you! You! You! You! If you are not convinced, go and call your father over. If they dare to come, I won't beat him until your grandfather doesn't recognize him."
I call you grandpa!"
"Li, Li Mu?"
"Zhuluhou?"
"Bah, you are the Marquis of Zhulu, now you are the Marquis of Luoyang!"
"Luo——"
The whispers gradually became quieter, and they all looked over timidly. It’s not okay to leave, it’s not okay to leave, I’m embarrassed on the spot. Let’s go, there are so many people behind Li Mu, I don’t know if I can leave, don’t leave, you are a fool
I know that Li Mu can't be offended, let alone these dandy boys. Even if their father really comes, no one dares to fart in front of Li Mu. He is holding Shang Fang's sword in his hand. He was cut off.
Death in vain.
After successfully losing weight, Li Tai, who has become a pretty boy, gently shook his folding fan, walked to the front, and said with a smile: "I just heard someone announcing his family name, so I should join in the fun. I'm Li Tai, my father is the current emperor."
"His Royal Highness the King of Wei!" Li Shimin had issued a decree a few days ago to officially designate Li Tai as the King of Wei.
At this time, no one dared to make any mistakes. They stood up and left the table, bowing and saluting. Li Tai’s declaration of his family status was nothing more than a step forward for them. We are not surrendering to Li Mu, but respecting the King of Wei. The King of Wei
The establishment of a literary museum has been widely spread, and many people regard it as a step forward. It is too late to flatter, and they dare not offend anyone.
"Teacher, please."
Li Tai bowed, Li Mu nodded with a smile, and walked in front. The guards behind him were like wolves and tigers, and they picked up two of the dandies who had not left yet and threw them out of the door.
The leftovers were taken away, and new tables were put on one after another. The Jin Yiwei went out with the invitations. Not long after, guests arrived one after another. Various powerful officials and Xun Gui's stewards in Chang'an City arrived one after another.
Li Mu was drinking on the second floor and kept silent. After bowing to signal, he would go nearby or find someone he knew and sit down together.
Seeing that the seats were almost full, Li Mu came to the edge of the fence with a glass of wine, gestured to the people on the first floor, and said: "I'm here today not just for a drink, but because I have something to discuss."
Everyone put down the wine glasses in their hands and said, "Master Hou, I have something to do, but I just follow my orders."
"Two things. The first one is that I don't like the merchants in Luoyang very much. It's very difficult to deal with them. There are many of them who have some relationships with everyone here. Today I will tell you something.
Go back, after your majesty's coronation ceremony, when I return to Luoyang, it will be their last chance. Those who understand the situation will be treated differently by me, and those who do not understand the situation will be treated differently."
No one responded, but someone took it to heart.
"Another thing." Li Mu raised the wine glass in his hand and said, "I have a project here and I want to find someone to help me with it. You can think of it as an order, but I prefer to call it
Bid. This project is about shipbuilding, a big ship worth tens of thousands of stones. If you are interested, you can bid."
Bidding?
People were confused, and Li Mu didn't explain, he just watched. Someone stood up, saluted first, and then asked in confusion: "Master Hou, I would like to ask, how did you come up with this price? Master Hou came up with it."
How much does it cost to hire a boat builder? There has to be a price so that everyone can lower the price."
Everyone reconsidered that they had lived in Chang'an for a long time and were very familiar with the orders and trade of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Most of the time, the orders issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs would have a price. For example, making a batch of bookshelves for the Ministry of Internal Affairs would cost 800
The base price is fifty guan, and then each company lowers the price. The person with the lowest price will get the order from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Today is said to be a bidding, but in everyone's mind, it should be similar to this order, so
, that’s why I asked this question.
Li Mu looked at the person who asked the question with a strange expression. Everyone looked at him and their expressions became very strange. They didn't understand why Li Mu was strange.
"Who gives money to whom?"
The man replied: "The Marquis wants to build a ship, so of course it is the Marquis who provides the money. Could it be the other way around?"
"Smart!" Li Mu raised a thumb and said: "A boy can be taught, a boy can be taught! Of course you are the one who gave me the money. Didn't you hear clearly just now? A ship worth ten thousand stones! What I want to build is worth ten thousand stones."
Which of you can build a big ship?"
Only then did everyone realize, who could build a ship worth ten thousand stones? There is no such big ship in the world!
"Master Hou, the ships in the river are worth three thousand stones, four thousand stones is the limit, five thousand stones are rare, ten thousand stones are unheard of, this is impossible."
"That's why you have to bid!" Li Mu said matter-of-factly: "Building a ship for me is equivalent to learning the skill of building a thousand-stone ship. Shouldn't you give me money?"
As soon as these words came out, everyone could no longer calm down. They stood up one after another and started asking questions: "Is it true that the Marquis can build a ten thousand stone ship?"
"Master Marquis is willing to teach the secret method of shipbuilding?"
"Is this serious? What is the basis for it?"
Li Mu answered one by one.
"Of course it's true. When has anything I want to do not been accomplished? I can fly to the sky, so what's the difficulty in going to the sea?"
"How can I ask for money if I don't teach you the secret technique? When doing business, I always act like a child."
"You want evidence? Let's make a contract. If you can't believe the contract, I can also swear an oath. Whatever happens!"
There was no serious look on Li Mu's face. He looked like he was joking. The more he looked like this, the more people believed him. After testing each other, the bidding began.
"Fifty thousand guan! Mrs. Cui of Qinghe is willing to do all the hard work for the Marquis."
"Seventy thousand guan! The Li family of Zhao County is the best choice for the Marquis!"
"You, the Li family of Zhaojun, can do it on land, but you can't do it by water! The Xiao family of Lanling, I offer you one hundred thousand gold, and you are willing to make friends with the Marquis!"
Li Mu turned sideways and asked Changsun Chong beside him: "You are a new face, Lanling Xiao family, who are you from?"
"The Liang of the Southern Dynasties is the Xiao family of Lanling, as is the Empress Xiao who was rescued by your mentor, and the same is Xiao Yu, the former imperial censor. Although the Xiao family of Lanling is not as good as the five surnames and Qi Wang, they are second to none. Their strength should not be underestimated.
."
"Oh," Li Mu nodded without saying a word, and the bidding continued below.
After several rounds of bidding, it has exceeded 150,000 yuan. Currently, there are only three competitors left. The Li family of Zhaojun, the Xiao family of Lanling, and the Boling Cui family. Called again.
After two prices, the Boling Cui family withdrew, leaving only the Zhaojun Li family and the Lanling Xiao family still insisting. The price at this time had reached 170,000 yuan. This amount was a huge expense for both families.
The price of the house is low.
This is already considered a big gamble. Spending such a large amount of money is betting that Li Mu can really build a ship with ten thousand stones. If he can't build it, even the Li family of Zhao County with five surnames and seven sects will suffer from it.
If the bones are moved, it is unknown whether the five surnames and seven sects will fall out.
However, if Li Mu can really build it, the benefits will be unimaginable. Whoever has a ship worth ten thousand stones is equivalent to dominating the waterway. The Li family of Zhao County made a lot of money by running a carriage and horse business.
Manchuria, the world's land routes are respected by the Li family of Zhao County. Especially after they bought the patent of Li Mu's four-wheeled carriage, the business has become bigger and bigger. If they control the water routes again, they can advance both by water and land, and the five surnames and seven clans will be ranked.
The person in the top spot will no longer be the Taiyuan Wang family. The structure of five surnames and seven sects will therefore change.
It is not that each family is unaware of Zhaojun Li's plan, but they are powerless to stop it. Firstly, the money is too big and generally cannot be easily obtained. Furthermore, building a big ship requires a foundation. Even craftsmen need to be highly skilled.
There are hundreds of people. The Li family of Zhaojun is a car maker, so there is no shortage of craftsmen. But the Wang family of Taiyuan, although they have the strongest overall strength, do not necessarily have so many craftsmen. The price they asked before was only
Just trying to show off.
But now, the Zhaojun Li family is determined to win, and the Lanling Xiao family, after all, does not have five surnames and seven sects. One hundred and seventy thousand gold is already their limit, and they can't get anything more if they ask for more. The person in charge of the Zhaojun Li family in Chang'an City
Li Ying saw this clearly and added fifty guan to the 170,000 guan. As if it was a humiliation, he squinted at the Lanling Xiao family.