"Do you think it's that serious? But if I stay here with you for a while longer, won't those people go crazy?" Zhong Yanchong said with a mischievous grin.
"I'd say you should forget about it. You should focus on how to squeeze every last coin out of them! There will be many more expenses in the future, so any savings count!"
After Han Mo finished speaking, Zhong Yanchong suddenly stopped talking. He stared at Han Mo as if he were looking at a monster.
"Why are you looking at me like that? I feel like you're up to no good," Han Mo asked, frowning and looking at Zhong Yanchong with a strange expression.
"If I recall correctly, you're supposed to be a year younger than me! Why is it that every time you speak, I feel like my father is sitting opposite me?"
"I wouldn't dare take that advantage. Otherwise, when your mother comes looking for me, I won't be able to handle it!"
"Get lost! You're taking advantage of me!" Zhong Yanchong was also amused by his words.
Since they stepped into officialdom, both of them had been treading on thin ice. Having to speak one way to officials and another way to commoners every day, it felt especially heartwarming to have a moment like this once in a while.
"Alright, you should take this opportunity to rest well. Tomorrow morning, you can go to Tangyin County to take care of your business!" Han Mo said, finishing his hangover soup in one gulp and returning to his room, rubbing his temples.
"Don't you two drink so much every time you meet? Aren't you afraid of drinking yourselves to death someday?" As soon as he entered the room, he heard Zhe Yourong's complaining voice.
"It's just the joy of a reunion! By the way, how has business been lately?" Han Mo said, sidling up to her with a playful smile.
"Thank you for your concern, Your Excellency the Scholar!" Zhe Yourong said, rolling her eyes before turning to busy herself with her own things. Even someone as thick-skinned as Han Mo felt a bit awkward at this moment. It seemed like this was her way of retaliating for him being dead drunk last night.
However, he couldn't afford to worry about that now. The hangover headache was truly agonizing. Fortunately, at this moment, Chun Tao quietly leaned over and gently massaged his temples.
"Madam stayed by your side all night, not leaving for a moment, until dawn before she went to get a little sleep!"
"She really worked hard. By the way, did Lieutenant Lu come by today?" Han Mo asked casually while enjoying Chun Tao's gentle massage.
"He did come by this morning, but you weren't up yet. He left a box, saying that everything you needed was in there!" Chun Tao said, pointing to a brocade box on the bedside table.
"I'm fine. You go ahead and get busy. I'll sleep a little longer and talk later!" Han Mo said, reaching for the box. After glancing at its contents, he put it back down with satisfaction.
At this time, Zhong Yanchong had not yet made his move, and Liao Wenxing dared not offend Han Mo. Therefore, he specially sent Lu Ying to help Yue Fei and the others transfer their household registrations here. With these documents in hand, Han Mo's initially gloomy mood suddenly became much brighter. Although he couldn't directly recruit Yue Fei, it didn't stop him from drawing Yue Fei into Zhao Zhen's camp. He wasn't sure how things would develop in the future, but if Zhao Zhen could truly win over Wu Lin, Wu Jie, and Yue Fei, then even if he couldn't become emperor, he could still control everything with an iron fist. They were truly pillars of jade and gold, each capable of standing alone. Even if Zhao Gou was favored by destiny, with these three, Zhao Gou would be forced to retreat in disarray.
Amidst Liao Wenxing's anxiety, a day finally passed. The next morning, he eagerly led his men to wait outside the county office of Neihuang County. However, it was almost noon, and Zhong Yanchong still showed no signs of coming out. This made Liao Wenxing feel like cursing. He had only borrowed this money for three days, and now more than half of that time had passed, yet Zhong Yanchong and his group hadn't even left their residence.
"County Magistrate Liao, why are you here?" Just as Liao Wenxing was about to return dejectedly, Zhong Yanchong's voice suddenly came from behind him.
"Your subordinate just came to see you, Your Excellency. When will you be free to leave, so that I can arrange your itinerary? It's alright, if Your Excellency feels unwell, we can postpone it to another day..." The moment he turned around, Liao Wenxing's face instantly broke into a fawning smile.
"So that's how it is. Thank you for your trouble, County Magistrate Liao!" Zhong Yanchong said, patting his shoulder.
"Since everything is ready, I think you should go back soon!" Han Mo said, looking at Liao Wenxing's obsequious expression.
"Very well, very well. In that case, Brother Han, I'll see you again later!" Zhong Yanchong said, winking at Han Mo.
"As an official of the imperial court, I can't help myself. Brother Zhong, take care!"
"By the way, County Magistrate Liao, thank you for the matter of the documents!"
"Your Excellency Han is too kind. They are just some commoners, it's nothing important!" The poor Liao Wenxing, even at this moment, had not realized that Han Mo had truly undermined him, yet he could still say such things.
"Your Excellency, I have prepared the fields and houses you requested. I have selected the best land, are you satisfied?" Seeing Zhong Yanchong and his party leave, Lu Ying cautiously approached with a document.
"It looks good. You've been very thoughtful in handling this! These are the documents you delivered yesterday, I've had them all processed. You should deliver them to them today! With these, they can settle down in Neihuang County as quickly as possible!"
"Yes, sir!" Regardless of anything else, Yue Fei had greatly helped Han Mo this time. He had single-handedly broken through enemy lines and captured the bandit leader Li Mao'er. This alone made Lu Ying admire him. This was not just a matter of martial prowess; in terms of character and strategy, he was an excellent choice to be a general. With chaos rampant throughout Hebei, although the bandits within Neihuang had been wiped out, there was no guarantee that bandits from other areas wouldn't infiltrate. At a time like this, having someone like him in Neihuang County would be a powerful asset in critical moments.