readsfreenovel Chapter 161 Special Incentive
Chapter 161 Special Incentive
Wu Zhi was kicked so hard that he was stunned. It took him a long time to get up from the ground with the help of the soldiers from the garrison camp behind him. He looked at Gao Yuan as if he was looking at a wild beast.
Gao Yuan remained expressionless, but as one pushed with his hand and the other kicked with his foot, their attitudes were self-evident.
After separating the two, he quietly retreated to Zhou Chang's side.
"With just this little fighting power," Zhou Chang did not expect Gao Yuan's one arm to be so powerful. He was very happy and took the opportunity to mock, "Are you planning to die on the battlefield? You really have a commendable spirit."
Wu Zhi's eyes were full of indignation, but after all, due to their different statuses, he could only swallow his breath.
Zhou Chang saw it, but didn't intend to care about it. After all, there were important things at hand, so he waved to Wu Zhi.
Wu Zhi took two steps forward, looking as if he was unwilling to accept the order but had to listen to it.
"Twenty taels of silver is the most I can give you. Do you want to replace the imperial guards?" Zhou Chang had no choice.
Some things can be settled by force, some things can be settled by money, and some things can be settled by both.
Wu Zhi had lost so much face and was still unwilling to accept it, so how could he agree easily? He lowered his head and said nothing.
Many officers and soldiers of the garrison camp behind him looked at each other and were quite excited.
A man who looked like a deputy stepped forward and pushed Wu Zhi.
Wu Zhi glanced sideways, seeming hesitant.
"Still think it's too little?" Zhou Chang smiled, "How about thirty taels?"
Now the imperial guards couldn't help but make a commotion.
Doesn't this mean that the people in the garrison camp work for one night as if they had worked for three nights in a row?
Wu Zhi's expression relaxed and he looked back at his deputy behind him.
The deputy was eager to try and wished he could step forward and agree on behalf of Wu Zhi.
Wu Zhi turned around and looked at the imperial guards again, and suddenly straightened his ribs that had just been bent by Gao Yuan's kick: "Your Highness Prince Yi, thirty taels, the West City Garrison Battalion is willing to..."
"Alas, I'm sorry, but my patience is limited," Zhou Chang said, smiling, interrupting Wu Zhi's words, "I didn't answer your question for three breaths, thinking that you were a noble soldier in the garrison camp, and I looked down on you. Now I only have twenty taels left."
Zhou Chang glanced at the imperial guards and saw the resentful look on everyone's face.
"This..." Wu Zhi felt like he was being fooled, but he couldn't get angry.
The deputy behind him thought he was slow to react and whispered in his ear: "Twenty taels is fine, that means twenty taels."
Wu Zhi didn't know what Zhou Chang was up to, but it was clear that many people behind him were willing to do this deal. After all, twenty taels was equivalent to their annual salary, so he said with a stiff face: "Twenty taels, Your Highness Prince Yi, and twenty taels for the soldiers in the garrison camp..."
Zhou Chang stood with his hands behind his back, smiling, but with a look of regret: "Alas, if Captain Wu agreed, why didn't he ask earlier? It's too late now."
At this point, the deputy thought Wu Zhi was stupid and said in a hurry: "Your Highness Prince Yi, fifteen taels, fifteen taels is fine."
Many of the soldiers from the garrison camp behind him were hearing for the first time that they would be given so much silver, and they all nodded.
"Alas..." Zhou Chang shook his head with regret and sighed, "Fifteen taels should be the price during the day. Now it's so late, there are only five taels left."
Wu Zhi and his adjutant were both dumbfounded.
"Humph," Zhou Chang snorted coldly, intending to find fault with the Garrison. "When I offered 20 taels earlier, you kept making excuses. When it was raised to 30 taels, you were still hesitant. That means the Garrison Captain Gaogui didn't like it. Now it's only 5 taels, so you definitely can't do it."
Most of the ordinary soldiers from the garrison camp who came to escort the transport were unaware of this. Now they heard that the thirty taels of silver had been rejected without their knowledge, which was three years' salary for them, and they became agitated.
"Ten taels, Your Highness Prince Yi..." The deputy beside Wu Zhi still wanted to fight for it.
"No need. Even if it's one or two ounces, how can I give it to you now to justify those who have been here for three days and three nights without stopping?" Zhou Chang raised his hand to interrupt, and then looked at the Imperial Guards, "I believe that with the Imperial Guards here, they will do their best to prevent the hands and feet of the soldiers on the front line of Yuebei from being frostbitten and cracked, and to enable them to pick up weapons and fight the enemy."
This method is not really very clever, it is just stepping down on one and praising another, but there is no other way.
There were obvious conflicts between the imperial guards and the garrison camp.
She didn't mind if the garrison battalion was paid normal wages now, but she was afraid that it would cause dissatisfaction among the imperial guards and might delay the original progress.
If this is the case, it would be better to use the garrison camp to motivate a group of imperial guards.
I don't know how the people in the garrison camp felt after hearing this.
The imperial guards were somewhat excited after hearing this.
Tang Mao took the opportunity to say, "Your Highness Prince Yi thinks too highly of them. The Garrison Battalion has always only been guarding the imperial capital, and many of them have never been on the battlefield. On the contrary, many of my imperial guards have fought on the battlefield and have been promoted to guard the imperial city."
"Oh, I see." Zhou Chang really didn't understand, but he bowed to Tang Mao and the imperial guards and said, "So, please work harder."
Tang Mao also gritted his teeth and raised his arms and shouted: "As long as you have breath left, get moving."
The guards began to move, but each one moved as slowly as a rusty robot.
On the training ground, half of the firewood for the fifty big black pots had been burned out in this short while.
Zhou Chang was anxious, obviously not motivated enough.
Suddenly, Prince Yi regained consciousness and an idea came to his mind.
Zhou Chang understood and raised his voice: "My fellow soldiers and masters, although I can only give you this much silver, how can it be enough to repay you for your hard work these days? I promise here that as long as this batch of frostbite cream can be delivered on time, I will book the best and largest music hall in Jindu City, so that you can enjoy the music and relieve your worries."
The crowd was suddenly excited.
The originally tired and dim eyes of the imperial guards suddenly lit up.
"Your Highness, are you talking about Yaoyuefang?"
"The biggest and best? But Yaoyuefang?"
"It has to be Yaoyuefang."
"Yao Yue Fang, Yao Yue Fang..."
The imperial guards shouted loudly.
Sure enough, those who understand will understand.
Prince Yi's method worked. Although Zhou Chang shook his head in his heart, he was also infected by the atmosphere.
Why wouldn't he agree at this time? He raised his arm and shouted, "Yes, it is Yaoyuefang. Everyone, I will book the place for the whole night, so that you can have fun to your heart's content."
The imperial guards were in an uproar.
Yaoyuefang is different from ordinary brothels. Not only is it expensive, but most importantly, not everyone with money can enter. But now that a prince has publicly guaranteed it, there should be no problem.
Zhou Chang pressed his hands down, never forgetting the point: "So, everyone, work harder, do a good job, and finish it tonight."
"Okay." The imperial guards agreed in unison and cheered.
The West Parade Ground suddenly became bustling with activity. "Happy Dragon Boat Festival!"