Mythic version of the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 7257

Chapter 7257 Receipt

"How about judging based on your mental talent?" Zhang Song glanced at Peng Cai, who had already disappeared on the horizon, and then said with a hint of helplessness.

"Of course it's doomed. If the shipyards in Wu County are going to do this, then the shipyards in Kuaiji will definitely do the same, and perhaps even worse." Liao Li said expressionlessly. He wasn't joking; it was a conclusion he had reached after careful analysis.

"Sigh, it's pretty much what I expected. These are all problems left over from before, but now they're almost at the point of exploding," Zhang Song said with a hint of helplessness. "Since you've known those shipyard executives before, you should have a vague idea of ​​what's going on here."

The separatist forces in Jiangdong are very serious, but conversely, the reason they can split is because there are local groups that band together. The core of this group in Wujun is the Xu family, and the leader, Xu Hu, is a member of the Xu family.

As for Wu County, the ancestral home of the Xu family, in a sense, the four great families of Wu County are nothing compared to the Xu family. This family truly existed from the Spring and Autumn Period to the Ming and Qing Dynasties in the official history, and its illustrious period lasted for no less than a thousand years.

At the end of the Han Dynasty, the Xu family was not at its peak, but it was not an ordinary family that could be rivaled. The so-called major families of Wu Commandery were still far inferior to the current Xu family. In addition, the Xu family was related to Sun Ce by marriage, as well as Lu Su by marriage.

It can be said that if Lu Su were in Chang'an now, anyone else would have a hard time dealing with the Wu County Shipyard matter if they found out about it, because this matter was reported to Chen Xi a very long time ago, probably in the early years of Yuanfeng, but Chen Xi did not deal with it out of respect for Lu Su.

Afterwards, Li You traveled to various parts of Jingchu, leading the southern aristocratic families southward. The Xu family became somewhat restrained during this process, but they were not greatly impacted. After all, they had the dual protection of Jiangdong and Lu Su, and even Li You had to give them face.

Later, the powerful families in Jiangdong did indeed go too far. Chen Xi asked Zhou Yu to deal with the leading Zhou and Xu families. Then Zhou Yu split up the families, taking away all the elites he liked from the Zhou and Xu families, while leaving the rest in the local area. During that time, the Zhou and Xu families quieted down. Chen Xi, out of respect for Zhou Yu and Lu Su, raised the issue high but then let it go lightly.

Later, Zhou Yu's nephew Zhou Jun, as the director of the Kuaiji Shipyard, and Xu Hu of the Xu family, as the director of the Wu County Shipyard, gave them a slap in the face and a sweet treat because of their status. The matter was left to pass by without any major incidents. When ships were needed, these two large shipyards could deliver them on time, and the higher-ups naturally did not pursue the matter further.

I just didn't expect that this incident would be such a big deal.

Frankly speaking, even if it weren't wartime, this matter would still be punishable by the military enterprise, and a very serious one at that. After all, the state provides the personnel and corresponding maintenance fees. No matter how expensive this thing is, the Han Dynasty has regulations on how often it should be maintained, how it should be maintained, and what problems should be reported.

Now that things have escalated to this point, at the very least, these people will be dismissed and criminally prosecuted. That's the lightest punishment. If they really go to military court, Xu Hu will definitely be finished on the spot, and his family will also be held accountable, since this has already involved endangering national security.

Zhang Song and Liao Li are both smart men. After seeing the shipyard managed by Xu Hu, they can roughly tell what the Kuaiji Shipyard managed by Zhou Jun will be like. These two are just scoundrels who rely on their families. They are only able to get to their positions because they have a good father, a good brother, and a good uncle. Otherwise, they would never have been able to get to their positions.

Now that Xu Hu has done this, why wouldn't Zhou Jun do the same? Zhou Jun would probably do it too!

"I'll write a report and submit it now." Liao Li said wearily. He had finally come up with a way to deal with the demon god, but now this situation had arisen. To be honest, he didn't care what others thought of him if he revealed this. After all, if this situation could occur at Wujun Shipyard, then the inventory in other places would definitely be in the same situation.

It's safe to say that many people would be furious if Liao Li had made such a fuss, since there would be collateral damage in such matters. Just like Wu County and Kuaiji Shipyard, even though Zhang Song didn't have any management authority, he would still be criticized for this incident.

Zhang Song didn't care. He was eager to remove these two obstacles. This was very different from the situation in Yanzhou. Although Yanzhou was the private domain of the agricultural sector and was not under the control of the Yi people, it continued to produce and support Yanzhou. However, the shipyards in Wu County and Kuaiji had practically become the private domains of the Zhou and Xu families, which made Zhang Song very uncomfortable.

“I’ll go with you to Jiangling to see Marquis Chen then.” Zhang Song thought for a moment and felt that such a big matter couldn’t be explained in a mere report. He also didn’t have any respect for Chen Xi. Since he had the time, going to see him would allow him to clarify things.

"Are you worried about the troop deployment verification issue?" Liao Li instantly realized this. This wasn't an explanation, but rather a deeper psychological preparation.

“Yes, Lord Chen is here and he’s stationed in Jiangling. So the northern troop deployment is most likely a feint. We’ll be the ones getting hammered. Governor Shi’s side is too busy. Even if he does deploy troops, it’ll just be the security departments of the various factories. It’s not difficult. We need to mobilize the conscripts. Be prepared.” Zhang Song said calmly. Although he was ugly, he was really smart.

“I have the same feeling. Among us governors, who do you think is most likely to have problems in this area?” Liao Li nodded first, then suddenly asked a question he shouldn’t have asked.

Zhang Song was silent for a while, then pointed to the west. Liao Li sighed. Just as he had predicted, they all felt that Chen Deng might be in trouble this time. The territory of Yizhou was too large, and there were too many ravines. From Chen Deng's suggestion during the Grand Court Assembly to include certain areas as non-citizens, it was clear that Chen Deng still had not solved the problem of detailed statistics on the people of Yizhou.

Under these circumstances, it would be a miracle if Chen Deng could accomplish Chen Xi's troop deployment objective.

"Then let's go there together. I'll take these four naval guns back first. I think Marquis Chen should have arrived in Jiangling by now. It would be impolite of me not to pick him up." Liao Li looked at the four naval guns on the cart next to him and sighed.

Zhang Wen stood aside pretending to be a wooden doll, but in his mind he was thinking. Tao Tong followed Liao Li around all day and listened to these things every day, so why didn't he have the desire to complain to his brothers? If he, Zhang Wen, listened to them every day, in less than two days all the brothers would be able to hear a bunch of jokes.

To be fair, precisely because of this, even though Zhang Wen's image is better than Tao Tong's and their strength is only about equal, Tao Tong is usually kept by Liao Li's side and has a higher rank. Knowing when to shut up and act like a mute is still very important.

On the other side, Peng Cai ran towards Kuaiji as fast as he could. Over the years, he had only run this fast a few times. This time, he basically used all his strength and managed to squeeze out a quarter of an hour from an hour.

"Brother Zou, are you there?!" Taking advantage of the little time he had managed to squeeze out, Peng Cai rushed to Zou's house. This time, for safety reasons, he didn't even go through the front door and climbed over the wall to get in.

"Damn it, I thought a thief broke in during the day!" Zou, wearing only a pair of shorts and carrying a knife, came out and cursed when he saw it was Peng Cai. He was just about to indulge in his lustful desires at home when he noticed someone climbing over the wall into his house. As a ruthless person who won the individual championship in the Grand Martial Arts Points Tournament, no matter how well he hid or how much luck he had, his strength was not something to be trifled with, given that abnormal environment. So when he noticed a ruthless person coming in, he didn't flinch at all!

"Brother Zou, something terrible has happened!" Peng Cai roared. Zou, who was about to rush over to fight, stopped and looked at Peng Cai.

"What happened?" Zou asked Peng Cai, sticking his broadsword to the side.

Peng Cai quickly told Zou Ta what had happened at the Wujun Shipyard. Zou Ta gasped after hearing it. Wasn't this just like the weapons that the Zhou family brats had given them back then? They were unmaintained, just shiny, and broke on the spot when they fought the Kushan forces.

It was only because Zhou Yu found out afterward and executed the quartermaster who had done this that Zou and the other surviving veterans believed that Zhou Yu hadn't acted recklessly, but that there were all sorts of birds in a big forest, and they continued to follow Zhou Yu. Otherwise, these enraged soldiers might have caused a ruckus on the battlefield and betrayed Zhou Yu along with them.

The difference between the army and the navy is that if the army soldiers are collectively dissatisfied with a general, a mutiniing can be heard from the battalion, and the general can be carried off. But this is not possible in the navy. The navy is all on a ship. If there is no opponent, they can block the naval officers from the front and back of the ship and kill them. This is also why all the naval officers are nobles and very respectable.

Even in later generations, it remains unchanged that the navy operates within vehicles with limited space. A few soldiers can easily subdue the captain by blocking the front and back of the ship, thus giving the navy greater human rights.

Conversely, the navy does not sell out its generals during a major war, because if it did, it would be doomed.

Essentially, this can be seen as different outcomes resulting from different environments.

Therefore, once Peng Cai finished speaking and recounted everything, Zou completely understood the current situation and why Peng Cai had come.

“Brother Zou, give me the truth. I’m not going to the Kuaiji Shipyard anymore. Does the shipyard still have any naval guns? If it does, I’ll go and get back to you right now. If not, Brother Zou, you should report it. It’ll be a way of redeeming yourself.” Peng Cai said to Zou Ta in a deep voice, “Brother Zou, don’t tell me you don’t know. I’ve only been at the Wujun Shipyard for a little over a year, and I’ve already heard some rumors. Brother Zou, you’re practically retired in Kuaiji, so you can’t be kept in the dark about what’s going on here!”

When Huang Tao was in Yangzhou, he was probably the strongest veteran. But after Huang Tao left, Zou was definitely the strongest veteran in Yangzhou. In fact, if it were a one-on-one fight, Zou would be stronger than Huang Tao. To be able to reach the top of the individual points in the Grand Martial Arts Competition, even if there was an element of luck involved, is no joke. In the later stages of that circle, if you wanted to get a kill, you would have to fight a top-level sixth-level expert.

“Empty.” Zou was silent for a moment before giving his answer directly.

"Damn it!" Peng Cai's face turned green. He had considered all sorts of possibilities when he came, including the fact that the naval guns at the Kuaiji Shipyard were not maintained at all, and that even the superficial maintenance was neglected. But he never imagined that the warehouse storing naval guns would be completely empty. "Are they crazy in Kuaiji? They dare to sell this kind of thing? No, damn it, who would dare to buy this kind of thing!"

Yes, that's the crux of the matter. This kind of thing isn't something you can just sell whenever you want; you need a buyer. And any local bigwig with a brain will see this and, unless you produce official documentation—specifically, documentation bearing the central government's seal—no one will buy it. After all, it's the same principle as hoarding armor or crossbows in the past—it's tantamount to rebellion!

"You didn't sell it to the Kushan Empire, did you?!" Peng Cai immediately realized the problem.

"How could that be? Don't fucking talk nonsense! I still want to live!" Zou quickly retorted, "It's just that the warehouse is empty. Now, Governor Liao's side needs a certain number of units."

“At least twenty units are needed.” When Peng Cai heard Zou’s words, he knew there was something fishy going on and there were variables, but no matter what, things weren’t as bad as he described, so there was still hope.

If the naval guns were actually sold to the Kushan Empire, it would be a major disaster. Even if Zou was a meritorious official and only the head of the security department at the Kuaiji Shipyard, he would still be taken down.

"Twenty units?" Zou's scalp tingled when he heard that number, but given the current situation, did he have any other choice? Of course, he had to prioritize Liao Li!

“Come with me to see Director Zhou.” Zou was initially surprised, but then realized that this was not something he could handle alone; the entire Kuaiji Shipyard's resources had to be mobilized. So he decisively grabbed Peng Cai and asked him to come with him.

Zou quickly changed into his full set of equipment. After all, he had to be prepared to fight if negotiations failed. Soldiers like him knew the difference between wartime and peacetime, but the scions of wealthy families in the rear might not.

So when it's time to use a knife, you have to use a knife. Don't be afraid of offending people. If you can't handle it, since you're probably going to die anyway, you don't need to be polite to anyone.

"Brother Zou, you're dressed so warmly, I'm a little scared." Peng Cai looked at Zou, who was already wearing a fortress and even had his javelins on, and then looked at himself, who was only wearing simple inner armor. If a fight broke out, the other party would probably kill him in a few moves.

"Shut up, I still have the fortress that I replaced earlier. Put it on first and come with me to the Kuaiji Shipyard." After Zou put on the fortress, his aura was completely different. At least he no longer showed any panic and had a sense that his fate was in his own hands.

"Being number one is really great!" Peng Cai muttered to himself, without any complaints. He quickly put on the armor that Zou Ta had discarded. As the saying goes, without the armor, it felt like his fate was not in his own hands, but once he put it on, he felt a bit like, "My fate is in my own hands, not in the hands of heaven." It felt great!

When Zou Ta and Peng Cai entered the shipyard wearing fortified armor, the shipyard was almost in an uproar. More than twenty lazy members of the Security Department surrounded them, but none of them dared to step forward. After all, fortified armor was basically considered top-tier in the Han Dynasty, and there were very few veterans who could wear it without it. In any case, none of the Security Department members present could do it.

Fortunately, while the group was chanting slogans, Zou pulled up his face shield and said, "Everyone, go practice more, and don't hang around here unless you have to!"

"Yes, Commander Zou!" Zou's deputy was relieved to see that it was Zou, and quickly replied. As always, Zou's deputy knew best how strong Zou was. Normally, he was all smiles and jokes, but when Zou was speaking with a cold face, it was best to obey.

The factory manager might not be able to kill them on the spot, but Zou, the head of the security department, could definitely crack their skulls open.

The group scattered like birds and beasts. Zou led Peng Cai directly to the place where the director of the Kuaiji Shipyard was located. They knocked on the door and went in. When Zhou Jun saw the two strongmen enter, his face turned green.

With this setup, even Zhou Yu would have been killed if he wasn't careful, let alone Zhou Jun. Fortunately, Zou pushed off with his faceplate, and Zhou Jun's trembling old leg was cured on the spot.

"Damn, Brother Zou, you brought a whole fortress in here, it scared me to death!" When Zhou Jun saw that it was Zou Ta, he quickly pointed to the big chair next to him and gestured for Zou Ta to sit down. He didn't care that Zou Ta's armor might make the chair crack when he sat down, and he even raised his hand to pour tea for Zou Ta.

"This is Peng Cai, my old brother. The Wujun Shipyard was investigated, and he rushed over as fast as he could. They need twenty naval guns of the next model right now." Zou didn't even drink his tea or sit down, and went straight to the point.

Zhou Jun's hand trembled slightly after hearing this, and at that moment Peng Cai also lifted up his face mask.

"Twenty units?" Zhou Jun took a deep breath, suppressing his trembling, and asked as calmly as possible, "Twenty energy-type naval cannons of the previous model, right?"

"Yes, there are twenty units, and if they can be delivered to Jiangling within the normal timeframe, then everything should be fine. If not..." Zou said in a deep voice.

If you can't do that, just write your will. There's nothing more to say!

"A little nervous, but I can handle it." Zhou Jun didn't hesitate and gave the answer directly. This was a tough nut to crack. He wasn't entirely sure if he could do it, but failing would be the end of him! So why even think about it or haggle?

"Please provide a receipt. I will return to report now." Peng Cai said no more and bowed.

Zhou Jun immediately picked up a pen and paper, quickly wrote a reply, stamped it with his seal, and handed it to Peng Cai. Peng Cai didn't want to know what was going on and turned to leave!

The situations regarding fleeing were slightly different in Kuaiji and Wujun, but both were violations of regulations.