At less than three o'clock, the sun turned to the west, and the river wind blew on my face with a fishy and salty smell.
Qin Geng stepped on the pair of quick boots with thousand-layer soles and hung the River-Blocking Guard waistband around his waist, and strode into the yamen door of the Wave-Quelling Bureau at Xun River Wharf.
This area is now the most lively and chilled place in Tianjin.
There were heavily armed sailors coming and going, patrol boats equipped with artillery were docked on the shore, and the air was filled with the smell of gunpowder.
Just after passing the screen wall, we bumped into Zhou Dawei.
The commander-in-chief was not wearing any armor today. He had changed into neat training clothes and was carrying a purple sand teapot in his hand. He was obviously trying to block people here.
"Fifth Master, you came on time."
Zhou Dawei grinned, put the spout of the teapot into his mouth, and took a sip. His soldierly and official airs were perfectly natural.
"Zhou Zongqi."
Qin Geng bowed his hands.
"Don't be polite. Let's go. Talk as you go. Jiang Qianhu has given orders."
Zhou Dawei waved his hand and led Qin Geng toward the signing room inside, avoiding the main road where people came and went.
The two walked along the corridor, Zhou Dawei lowered his voice. "This time the transfer order is a bit special. Your original errand of the Wave-Quelling Bureau River-Blocking Guard, and the part-time job of the Customs Bureau Truth-Hearing Guard are still there and have not been moved."
Qin Geng kept walking and raised his eyebrows slightly. "Having three jobs?"
"Yes, those who are able should work harder."
Zhou Dawei chuckled and took out a gilded official document from his arms. He shook it in his hand without giving it to Qin Geng: "The new hat is called Underground River Department" Inspector Envoy. Although the name sounds like a casual job, the grade has gone up, Principal Ninth Rank."
"Principal Ninth Rank?"
Qin Geng thought about it in his mind. River-Blocking Guard is Subordinate Ninth Rank. Although this step is small, it is the threshold crossing from "official" to "official".
"Don't underestimate this level."
Zhou Dawei stuffed the official document into Qin Geng's arms, "This Underground River Department was personally approved by Lord Jia, and was specially designed to deal with Foreigners's underground methods. The monthly salary is five hundred yuan, and ten meritorious deeds will be recorded every month."
Qin Geng's footsteps suddenly stopped
Five hundred dollars.
Monthly Calculation of Ten Works?!
This is really a lot.
"Hold the hot hand, right?"
Zhou Dawei saw Qin Geng's reaction, which was expected, and patted him on the shoulder. "This is life money. The responsibilities are clearly written - enter Underground Dark River and draw a map from the bottom of Ping'an County Town to the interior of Yin Mountain."
"We are in the light, and Foreigners is in the dark. There are evil spirits and organizations under the ground. It is difficult to get this ocean and credit."
Qin Geng put the official document away with a calm expression. "If it's easy to get, it won't be my turn."
"He is a sensible person."
Zhou Dawei nodded, looking a little more serious. "Your immediate boss is Daoist Master Chi Song. That old Daoist priest is very capable. You are a smart man. You don't need me to teach you how to get along."
"Also, the people who were transferred with you are all old acquaintances."
Zhou Dawei counted on his fingers. "Tiger Cub, those are good hands. Although they are a bit straight-headed, they can be used as human shields underwater; Xia Jingyi, Tide-Listening Department, who is careful and has excellent water properties; Zhao Yuanji, Mo School, who plays with explosives, and is mainly responsible for surveying, mapping and dismantling mechanisms this time; and Cao Xiaoliu----"
Speaking of Cao Xiaoliu, Zhou Dawei paused. "This guy is smart and his ability to hold his breath underwater is amazing."
"Besides these few, there are a few others you are not familiar with. They are all strange people recruited from the world. You will know them when we meet them later."
"You can also tell about this configuration. They are all people with a great background."
Walking to a remote courtyard, Zhou Dawei stopped and looked around to see if there was no one around. Then he leaned into Qin Geng's ear and said, "For this operation, the caliber given above is only for mapping, not for fighting." The goal is to draw that picture and clearly mark all the water veins, caves, and Foreigners's strongholds under the ground."
"If you encounter Foreigners or their transport boat----"
Zhou Dawei's eyes turned cold, and he made a gesture of wiping his neck. "You can make up your own mind. If you die, that means you died in the line of duty, and the pension will be generous; if you kill, it will be considered a meritorious service."
"Understood."
Qin Geng nodded, his tone calm.
The meaning is very clear: if you want the picture, you also want Foreigners's life.
If you can kill, kill. If you can't kill, run. If you can't run, die.
"Okay, go in, Daoist priest Chi Song is already inside."
Zhou Dawei was about to turn around and leave, but suddenly he seemed to remember something and turned around, giving Qin Geng a meaningful look.
"Brother Qin, now you are also a busy man with many jobs. Patrolling on the river and searching for information on the land are tedious and detailed tasks. Even if you have three heads and six arms, you can't do it by yourself."
Qin Geng's heart moved and he looked at Zhou Dawei.
A smile appeared at the corner of Zhou Dawei's mouth, and he pointed to the badge around Qin Geng's waist. "Although our rules at Dragon-Guard Office are strict, we are somewhat flexible with capable officials. You can recommend a few trustworthy confidants to keep an eye on this position for you."
"As long as things are done beautifully and no mistakes are made, it is not impossible to work slowly and find a non-staff status for them, or even become a full-time official and find an official position in the future."
This is too straightforward to say.
This is telling Qin Geng that he can start to form his own team, and that he can delegate part of his power to his cronies, which will free him up to do big things and cultivate his power.
Qin Geng's eyes lit up, he cupped his fists and saluted heavily. "Thank you, Mr. Zhou Qi, for the tip."
"Go ahead."
Zhou Dawei waved his hand and walked away swaying with the teapot in hand.
Qin Geng stood at the entrance of the courtyard and took a deep breath.
This step is crucial.
Although he has gained fame and strength in Tianjin, he is still alone.
If you can bring together the old brothers in the car dealership, even just a few, then you can be your eyes and ears.
With some calculation in mind, Qin Geng pushed open the courtyard door and walked in.
The yard is not big, but it is very cold.
There were no flowers or plants planted in the yard, but there were several large water tanks. The tanks were dark and I didn't know what they were growing.
The door of the main room was open, and Daoist priest Chi Song was sitting cross-legged on a futon in the middle, holding the iconic Black-Gauze Lantern in his hand, and the light was dimly green.
Several people were already standing on both sides of the room.
Tiger Cub was naked and leaning against a pillar, grinding his nails. When he saw Qin Geng coming in, he grinned and said hello.
Xia Jingyi is still dressed in black, holding a long knife, and slightly nods to Qin Geng, with a heroic appearance, and a feeling that women are not inferior to men.
Zhao Yuanji was holding a Compass and turning it in his hand. When he saw Qin Geng, he put Compass away and held it in his hand. "Fifth Master, let's
Together again."
Cao Xiaoliu was huddled in the corner. Seeing Qin Geng come in, he said hello, "Fifth Master!"
In addition to these familiar faces, there are two "living Buddhas" in the room.
On the left hand side, stood a great monk who was two meters tall.
The monk was wearing a dusty robe, and around his neck hung a string of fist-sized iron rosary beads. Each one was so black that it made him press his hands just to look at it.
There were no ring scars on his big, bare head, and his face was full of flesh. He was holding a heavy Monk's Spade in his hand, and he was heading towards that station, like an iron tower.
"Amitabha."
When the great monk saw Qin Geng looking at him, he clasped his hands together and said in a muffled voice, "Poor monk Jingkong."
On the right side, squatting is a girl wearing blue cloth clothes.
He looked young, about sixteen or seventeen years old, with silver jewelry on his head and silver bells on his wrists and ankles.
She was squatting on the ground, holding a slender bamboo tube in her hand, teasing a palm-sized colorful spider on the ground.
"Miao Xiaolan."
The girl didn't even raise her head, her voice was crisp, with a soft southern accent, but the spider made people shudder. "Southern Border is here to play with bugs."
Qin Geng knows it well.
This Underground River Department is indeed a dance of demons.
There is a Daoist priest as the leader, and underneath there are warriors, Water Ghost, Mo School mechanics, tomb-robber monks, and a Gu master.
This configuration is luxurious.
And just as Zhou Dawei said, they are all people with extraordinary backgrounds.
"Everyone is here."
Chi Song Daoist priest slowly opened his eyes. There were no whites in his eyes, they were all black, and they looked a little penetrating.
"Pindao watched the stars Qi Reading last night and explored Feng Shui. Under the Xun River, there is an undercurrent vortex, which is three miles east of where we are. The vortex goes straight to the ground. If you follow that force, you can enter the main road of the Underground Dark River."
"That's our entrance."
Chi Song Daoist priest's voice is hoarse and his speaking speed is extremely slow.
"Underground Dark River, never seen the light of day, Yin Energy is extremely heavy. In addition to Foreigners, there are also the evil spirits accumulated over the years.
Object."
Speaking of this, Daoist priest Chi Song's eyes swept over everyone as if they were real, and finally landed on Tiger Cub and that Miao Xiaolan.
"You are all experts with your own abilities, with great backgrounds and high ambitions."
"But the ugly words are ahead. This matter affects the fate of the country and the people of the world. When you enter Underground River, there is only one rule: follow orders and prohibitions."
"You should know that drawing a map is your first priority, and don't be greedy for credit. If you want to grab the heads of one or two Foreigners, it will ruin the overall situation, or disturb something you can't afford to offend----"
Chi Song The lantern in Daoist Master's hand suddenly lit up, with a dense blue light.
"The poor Lei Fa doesn't recognize people."
The temperature in the room instantly dropped several degrees.
Tiger Cub shrank his neck and said with a smile, "Don't worry, Daoist priest, we are rough people, but we are obedient. We will hit you wherever you point."
Jingkong Monk proclaimed the name of the Buddha: "Monks do not tell lies, poor monks only protect the Dharma."
Miao Xiaolan put away the spider, stood up and clapped his hands. "As long as no one messes with my baby, I will be obedient."
Zhao Yuanji and Xia Jingyi also expressed their opinions.
Qin Geng Needless to say, he is the most disciplined, so he immediately handed over his hand and said, "I will obey the Daoist Master's decree."
Chi Song Daoist Master nodded slightly and restrained his overwhelming momentum.
"The pressure from above is tight. This time, we have to go down continuously. Explore for twenty-four hours, which is two days, and then come up to rest for twelve hours. During this time, we will eat, drink, and relieve ourselves under the water. Everyone should prepare dry food and Water-Evasion items."
"Tomorrow at midnight, we will launch the water on time. Don't be late, please go back and be prepared."
"Disperse."
Everyone filed out.
Qin Geng When he walked out of the Yamen, it was already dark.
He was not in a hurry to go home. Instead, he went to the car dealership first and explained a few words to Abacus Song. Then he went to the market, bought some roast chicken and soy sauce meat, and weighed a few kilograms of Burning Knife before walking towards Clothes-Washing Lane.
Clothes-Washing Lane is an old alley of Ping'an County Town.
The road in the alley is bumpy and uneven, and the walls on both sides are peeling off, exposing the Blue Brick inside.
When I walked to the door of a large courtyard deep in the alley, I heard noisy voices coming from inside before I entered.
"Have you heard? The boy from Old Liu's family was caught and said to have stolen the employer's flour----"
"Hey, I can't survive in this world."
Qin Geng Push the door and go in.
A dim oil lamp was lit in the yard, several old tables were put together, and seven or eight men were sitting around them.
Sitting at the top are Xu Chun and Jin He.
These two grew up watching Qin Geng, and they were also the masters who taught Qin Geng how to pull a bicycle.
Sitting next to them are Li Gou Ma Laifu, and several Carriage Driver who we had a good relationship with before.
When Qin Geng opened the door and walked in, the originally lively courtyard suddenly became quiet.
At that moment, the air seemed to freeze.
Everyone stood up almost subconsciously, rubbing the corners of their clothes helplessly.
Xu Chun opened his mouth, and the smooth "Xiao Wu" came to his lips. He swallowed it hard and replaced it with a reserved "----Fifth Master is back."
Li Gou even lowered his head and rubbed his hands on his trouser legs again and again.
This is the gap caused by status.
If it were in the past, when Qin Geng came back, everyone would just say hello or coax him to treat him.
But now, Qin Geng is an official.
He is a big shot who wears official clothes and wears a waistband, can challenge Foreigners, and can talk to Governor's Residence.
Even if they have grown up watching Qin Geng, they now feel that Qin Geng is carrying a light that pierces them so much that they cannot open their eyes and dare not approach it.
Qin Geng stood at the door, watching this scene, feeling slightly sad in his heart, but happy on his face.
He put the roast chicken and wine jar on the table, making a "bang" sound.
"What's going on? Are you guys trying to break up with me?"
Qin Geng sat down on the broken bench that was missing a leg and was padded with bricks. He crossed his legs and didn't care whether his official clothes would get dirty.
"Uncle Xu, Uncle Jin, are you treating me poorly? Or do you think I ate delicacies in the yamen and can't stand this Burning Knife anymore?"
Qin Geng said as he skillfully opened the mud seal of the wine jar, and a spicy aroma of wine wafted out.
"Come on, come on, Li Gou, what are you doing standing around? Go get a bowl! Ma Laifu, take out the pickle dumplings you are hiding, so I can take a bite!"
This voice broke the solid atmosphere.
Xu Chun blushed and laughed and cursed, "You still behave like this when you become an official! I thought you were the butt of an official, and you can't sit on this broken bench like ours!"
"That's right!"
Jin He also breathed a sigh of relief, sat down again, and knocked on the table with the tobacco pole. "I just said Xiao Wu is not the kind of person who forgets his roots! Li Gou, go get the bowl quickly!"
Li Gou sighed, ran into the house quickly, and took out a stack of large porcelain bowls.
Pour the wine and tear the meat apart.
After a few bowls of wine, the estrangement disappeared with the strength of the wine.
Everyone started bragging and spanking as before, talking about anecdotes from the street, and cursing the damn world.
Qin Geng Listen, occasionally interjecting a few words, but mostly laughing.
After three rounds of wine, five flavors of food.
Qin Geng put down the wine bowl, wiped the oily star from the corner of his mouth, glanced at everyone, and finally landed on Li Gou.
"Li Gou."
"Hey, Fifth Master."
Li Gou has a big tongue and his face is red from drinking.
"Don't call me father, call me brother."
Qin Geng said seriously, "There is something I want to discuss with you."
Seeing Qin Geng's serious face, everyone at the table stopped using their chopsticks and listened quietly.
"In addition to doing Wave-Quelling Bureau's errands, I also hold a Customs Bureau Truth-Hearing Guard position in the yamen."
Qin Geng tapped his fingers lightly on the table. "This Truth-Hearing Guard, to put it bluntly, is the ear of the yamen. It is responsible for inquiring about news on the street, Three Teachings and Nine Schools's movements, Foreigners's little moves, and the gang's fights. They have to listen and remember them all."
"But I have a lot of errands to do now, and I have to go to the Underground River tomorrow. I will be away for several days and nights. I don't have enough time to do things on this land."
Qin Geng looked at Li Gou with piercing eyes. "You are smart and quick on your feet. You know the streets and alleys of Tianjin better than anyone else. You can tell if there is any trouble in any house."
"I want you to do this job for me."
Li Gou was stunned for a moment, and he was mostly awake from the wine. "I will do it for you?"
"Yes."
Qin Geng nodded. "From now on, Truth-Hearing Guard will be responsible for collecting intelligence. You don't have to pull the cart anymore. I will pay you twenty yuan a month."
"And,"
Qin Geng paused and threw out the most tempting bargaining chip. "You are working for me now, and you are considered a non-staff member. But as long as you do well and make contributions, I can also recommend you to the superiors. When the time comes, I may not be able to find you a formal official position, wear this skin, and eat royal food."
"Clang!"
Li Gou The chopsticks in his hand fell to the ground.
There was dead silence all around.
Xu Chun and Jin He opened their mouths so much that they didn't even notice that the cigarette pot fell on their crotches and burned a hole.
Twenty dollars!
Find an official position!
For people like them who live in the quagmire, this is simply a golden pie falling from the sky, a blessing that has been cultivated over several lifetimes.
In this world, having money is not as good as having power.
Even the smallest servant is a member of the official family. Who dares to bully him casually?
Li Gou was shaking all over, and his eye circles suddenly turned red.
He knelt on the ground with a thud, and was about to kowtow to Qin Geng.
"Fifth Master----No, Fifth Brother! You are----this is the gift of reinvention!"
At the same time, mother Li Gou, who had not dared to come out of the house, heard this and groped her way out, tremblingly about to kneel on the ground.
"Fifth Master----You are the great benefactor of our old Li family! If this child can have an official career, I can even close my eyes when I die----"
"Auntie! Don't bother me!"
Qin Geng, with quick eyesight and quick hands, supported the old lady and pulled Li Gou up.
"We are all brothers, no matter what kind of favor or not."
Qin Geng pressed Li Gou back on the stool, looked at the envious, awed, and moved eyes of those around him, and said in a deep voice, "I, Qin Geng, am Uncle Xu, the one you gave me to eat."
"I'm trying to make a living out there, so I can't just eat meat for myself."
"As long as everyone trusts me and follows me, I dare not say that I will make everyone rich and powerful, but at least, in this Tianjin world, no one dares to bully us casually!"
"Okay!"
Xu Chun slapped his hand on the table, crying, "Xiao Wu, with your words, my life has been worth it!"
"If anyone dares to say anything bad about you in the future, I, Li Gou, will be the first to fight against him!"
Li Gou wiped away his tears with a fierce look in his eyes.