"Not too bad!"
Lord Li nodded. "I still have some influence in Yicheng. The merchants' association elected me president of the Yicheng branch last month, and I've already taken care of my connections with the Gui Yuan Sect. The Yicheng City Lord is a good friend of mine, and the local militia will nominally be placed under the City Lord's administration.
The regulations we submitted in name are based on that thing you mentioned about protecting the borders, pacifying the people, and wiping out the bandits. In reality, everyone knows it's just talk.
With gangs like the White Horse Gang around, protecting the borders and pacifying the people is impossible. But sending elite soldiers to safeguard the trade routes shouldn't be a problem. That way, everyone's costs will go down.
"What? Is there a problem?" Lord Li asked in puzzlement. Gu Sheng had explained everything to him clearly at the time, and he had followed the plan all along. There shouldn't have been any problems. So why was this boy frowning?
"The plan needs to change!"
Gu Sheng raised his head and said solemnly, "I think the local militia should follow the regulations: protect the borders, pacify the people, wipe out the bandits, and safeguard the region."
"You're crazy!"
Lord Li stared at Gu Sheng in disbelief. Was this really the same cunning little fox he knew, the one who could talk endlessly about profit?
Chu Xin tugged at Lord Li's sleeve. "Dad~"
"Ao Yu, you can't act willfully over this matter!"
Lord Li patted his daughter's little hand, then angrily lectured Gu Sheng. "You do know where the bandits around Yicheng come from, right? Most of the annual fees you pay flow through various channels to the White Horse Gang and the major gangs in Yicheng.
"Do you think