RPAGF Chapter 7 Lin Ruhai
Chapter 7 Lin Ruhai
Liu Feng suddenly found himself receiving a government salary and becoming a salt soldier in the Salt Inspectorate, with a formal position.
Salt soldiers received the same treatment as patrol soldiers: 12 taels of silver per year, plus 6 shi of rice, with food and lodging provided, and winter and summer uniforms issued.
However, this job is extremely risky, often involving head-on clashes with armed smugglers, and a single mishap could cost one's life.
Despite the great risks, for the disaster victims, this is a windfall, a way out.
"Line up and move in. No cutting in line, no pushing..."
Liu Feng became a proud gatekeeper, responsible for guarding the gate and maintaining order.
"Damn it, what a waste of those few pieces of silver!"
Thinking back to that day, Liu Feng felt both angry and amused.
Early the next morning, notices from the Salt Commissioner's Office recruiting salt soldiers were posted all over the disaster relief camp.
Fortunately, being in a good position, he quickly rose to the rank of corporal.
Not only did they receive more pay than ordinary salt soldiers, but their treatment was also significantly different. Overall, the money was well spent and they made a profit.
Most importantly, Lin Ruhai already recognized him, which is the benefit of being the first to try something new.
However, Liu Feng, the sergeant, was still a lone commander, guarding the gate alone, wearing a blue cloth uniform with the word "salt" printed on the chest and back, and a standard-issue knife at his waist.
According to Uncle Lin, they would also be equipped with long spears, shields, and muskets.
Sigh, after all this time, I've ended up working for the government!
With these skills, as long as he is careful, he can keep his life, make some contributions, and become a captain. That would be enough for him.
I'll buy a few acres of land in Yangzhou, get married, have a wife and kids, and live a comfortable life. That'll be enough for me.
I just don't know if this Lin Ruhai is the same Lin Ruhai from *Dream of the Red Chamber*. You can't just ask, "Do you have a daughter named Lin Daiyu?"
Liu Feng gripped the knife hilt, his gaze sweeping over the disaster victims.
"Liu Feng!"
It was Uncle Lin, followed by two salt soldiers. Was he here to provide himself with underlings?
"Uncle Lin," Liu Feng greeted him with a smile.
Uncle Lin pointed to the two salt soldiers: "Leave this to them, you come with me to the construction site with the master."
"Yes."
Liu Feng didn't ask any more questions and followed Uncle Lin directly to Lin Ruhai's tent.
Lin Ruhai came to Xuzhou with two main tasks: recruiting salt soldiers and rebuilding the Yellow River dike that had been breached by floods.
The disaster relief work was left to local officials in Xuzhou, and Lin Ruhai generally turned a blind eye as long as they didn't go too far. However, he had to personally oversee the Yellow River dike project on-site.
It's only mid-September now, and the autumn flood season won't officially end until October. However, the water flow from upstream has gradually decreased, the overflowing floodwaters have slowly receded, and the land on higher ground has been exposed again.
Under the direction of river officials, the river workers cleared the silt and gradually advanced towards the breach. Once all the earth, stones, sorghum stalks, and other materials requisitioned from various places had arrived, the flood season would be almost over, and the roads leading to the river embankment would be thoroughly cleared and unobstructed. At that time, the breach could be directly sealed and the embankment rebuilt.
Not far away, Liu Feng led several salt soldiers to protect Lin Ruhai, and they arrived at the place in no time.
Uncle Lin had something come up and couldn't come.
From a distance, the scene appeared bustling with activity. Tens of thousands of river workers were carrying loads on their shoulders and pushing carts back and forth, busy clearing away the silt.
On the official road, carts carrying materials came and went in an endless stream, and the materials and supplies requisitioned were being transported to the storage yard.
Lin Ruhai stood on the mound of earth and nodded in satisfaction.
Suddenly, a quarrel broke out from the storage yard.
Liu Feng glanced at it and whispered, "Sir, it seems that the people delivering supplies are arguing with the constables."
Lin Ruhai frowned: "Let's go, let's go take a look."
"Yes."
Liu Feng reached out to help Lin Ruhai down, then turned and walked towards the storage yard.
At the entrance to the storage yard, oxcarts and mule carts loaded with sorghum stalks were blocked by a fence made of whole logs.
A group of people delivering supplies were bowing and pleading with several constables.
"Sir, it took us five days to get here. If you don't accept our materials and labor, and won't give us a return ticket, we won't be able to explain ourselves to the county magistrate!"
"Sir, we haven't even received our wages. We've been eating cornbread we brought with us the whole way. We really have no money..."
"Sir, please have mercy on us and let us pay our wages and materials so we can go home and report back. You are our greatest benefactor. I... I kowtow to you gentlemen here."
The people delivering the supplies all knelt down and kowtowed.
The head constable waved his hand impatiently: "If you don't have the money, take the materials back!"
"master......"
A constable brandished his whip and roared, "Move the cart aside! Don't delay others from delivering their materials!"
Lin Ruhai, who had arrived at the scene, learned the whole story from the other people who were delivering supplies, and he was furious.
Liu Feng was also stunned. Delivering materials to the government required upfront payment; otherwise, they wouldn't accept the goods. Was there no justice? Was there no law?
Seeing the bailiff's whip lashing at the heads of the people, Lin Ruhai pushed aside Liu Feng, who was protecting him, and strode over.
Liu Feng and several salt soldiers hurriedly followed.
With a sharp "crack," the whip lashed across the heads of the people.
The whip-wielding bailiff snarled, "Get out of here! If you dawdle any longer, I'll really use my hands!"
The people delivering the supplies remained kneeling on the ground, pleading desperately.
The lead constable's eyes flashed with a fierce light, and he raised his hand to chop down hard: "Beat these lowly commoners!"
"presumptuous!"
"Who's talking? You're asking for trouble..."
The head constable looked up and immediately turned pale, hurriedly bowing and saying, "Your Excellency, what brings you here...?"
Lin Ruhai ignored him and helped the people up.
Upon hearing that Lin Ruhai was an imperial envoy, the people delivering the supplies dared not stand up, and those in line behind them all knelt down.
Fearing exposure, the bailiff immediately splashed dirty water on the people, insisting that they were troublemakers and that the materials they delivered were substandard.
As the old saying goes, "A local official is more powerful than a distant one," and the common people dared not offend these local bullies, so they were all angry but dared not speak out.
Liu Feng then recognized the constable as the villain who had colluded with human traffickers and forced women into prostitution in the disaster camp.
Seeing Lin Ruhai's gloomy face, Liu Feng stepped forward and slapped the constable across the face, making him see golden light before his eyes.
The constable covered his face, both shocked and furious: "You... what right do you have to hit me?"
Liu Feng, too lazy to waste words with him, turned to Lin Ruhai: "My lord..."
Lin Ruhai's eyes flashed with a cold light: "Profiteering from the national crisis and feeding on the people! It would be against all reason not to kill someone like you!"
The constable panicked: "Sir! Sir! Please, for the sake of the prefect, spare me..."
Lin Ruhai shouted, "Guards!"
The salt soldiers were locals from Xuzhou, and they were all a little intimidated when they heard that the other party was from the prefect's office.
Liu Feng ignored all of that and loudly replied, "Here!"
"cut!"
"Sir, spare my life——"
Liu Feng drew his sword with a swift motion; a flash of cold light, and a head flew off...
The people at the entrance of the storage yard cheered in unison!
Making an example of someone wasn't enough; killing just a small fry wasn't enough. Lin Ruhai also dismissed and imprisoned the prefect of Xuzhou.
Liu Feng thought it would be like in the TV series, where the imperial sword flashed and the prefect of Xuzhou was beheaded.
Later, after asking Uncle Lin, I learned that Lin Ruhai did not have the Imperial Sword, and even if he did, he could not kill the Prefect of Xuzhou.
According to the rules, only the emperor could decide the life or death of officials of the fourth rank and above; no one else had the right to execute first and report later.
Of course, there are exceptions. Only the commanders who go to war have the power of life and death in the army, while the imperial envoys who provide disaster relief do not have this power.
Because Liu Feng acted decisively and carried out Lin Ruhai's orders without fail, Uncle Lin's attitude towards him changed noticeably. He was no longer the cold, businesslike person he once was; instead, he showed more of a sense of closeness and trust, like one of his own.