391 Who Dares to Bully Me?
Yu Youyao pouted. “I’m not stupid. When Prince You is rehabilitated, Cousin will be able to recover his title. At that time, Cousin will be a prince with military power. Of course, I have to hug Cousin’s legs tightly before he makes a move. In the future, no one will be able to compare to my status in Cousin’s heart. Let’s see who still dares to bully me.”
With that, she rested her chin on her hand with an expression that said, “Aren’t I very smart? Praise me quickly.”
However, Zhou Linghuai was amused. “Cousin, please take care of me in the future.”
He also controlled a trade route in the north and west of Shanxi. He also managed many businesses. Since the little girl was ambitious and wanted to earn money, why won’t he fulfill her wish?
Yu Youyao patted her chest. “Cousin, don’t worry. As long as my escort business is completed, I won’t lose anything. When Zhou Yonghe’s plan is done, I’ll show it to you.”
Upon hearing the little girl mention the name of the man beside her, Zhou Linghuai’s eyebrows twitched slightly. He immediately remembered who this Zhou Yonghe was and said, “He’s a talent. He’s a weak scholar who took on the job. He’s quite a bold and ambitious person.”
Yu Youyao had many people by her side, but the only person she liked was Zhou Yonghe.
Yu Youyao nodded. “Not only that, but he doesn’t lack methods and wisdom. He’s also doing things appropriately. After training in the escort business for a while, he can take on a big role.”
On one hand, she placed Zhou Yonghe in an important position because this person had been given to her by her grandmother and was worthy of her trust.
In addition, she also admired Zhou Yonghe.
Zhou Linghuai changed the topic. “The guards of King You’s Residence are set up on the left, right, front, back, and middle. Each of them has a thousand households and a hundred households, which means a total of 5,000 people.”
Yu Youyao’s eyes widened. “According to the ranks of the officials in this dynasty, there are strict rules. The vassal lords can only have 2,000 guards at most. Why are there so many people in the King You’s Residence?”
She said a little more because King You was a member of the royal family.
Zhou Linghuai chuckled. “Actually, although the so-called guard regulations are clearly stipulated, the person in charge of the real power already has many privileges. In addition, my father is a member of the orthodox royal family. It is clearly stipulated in the “Weekly Rites” that the prince can deploy 3,000 guards as his birthright, and the descendants of the princes will have similar power but fewer guards. In this way, within the regulations of Youwang Mansion, 5,000 guards can be used, but with various privileges. In fact, a maximum of 8,000 guards can be raised. There are also hidden guards, which add up to tens of thousands.”
Among them, 3,000 were hidden dragons that he had raised in secret. They were elite cavalry.
Another 2,000 were elite troops.
These two armies were powerful in combat. They were good at defeating many with few troops and had powerful expeditionary combat abilities. To be able to travel 400 kilometers in a day, their power was not inferior to the strongest Liaodong army in the previous dynasty.
The 2,000 elite soldiers were best at army formations and surprise attacks. They had a miraculous effect of restraining the cavalry.
Yu Youyao was shocked. “So many?!”
Zhou Linghuai nodded. “Since we’re going to run an escort business, there will naturally be a lot of people needed. I’ll send a thousand people to you. They’ll arrive one after another in three months. When the time comes, you can make your own arrangements.”
Yu Youyao was shocked and quickly waved her hand. “Cousin, I don’t need so many people. 500 people is about enough. A thousand is too many.”
Zhou Linghuai chuckled. “If I give it to you, it’ll be yours. In the future, you’ll distribute their food yourself. You can order them around however you want. Once your escort business is established and you open a trade route, you will need many people.”
Yu Youyao wanted to refuse, but on careful thought, her cousin’s words made sense, so she nodded. “Thank you, Cousin.” With that, she took an old camphor treasure box from the table. “Cousin, this is the banknote I can use for the time being. Take it and use it first. If it’s not enough, ask me for more.”
She wouldn’t take advantage of her cousin for nothing.
If her cousin treated her well, she had to treat him well too.
Zhou Linghuai opened the box and saw a stack of banknotes inside. The corners of his mouth couldn’t help but twitch a few times. Coincidentally, he heard the little girl boldly telling him to ask her for more money if it was not enough. Fortunately, he swallowed the tea in his mouth. Otherwise, he would have choked again.
How did he give the illusion that he was very short of money?
To make the little girl feel that he was like a “freeloader”?
Zhou Linghuai was puzzled and could only refuse. “I don’t lack money for the time being. Cousin, take back the banknote. If you want to do an escort business, you’ll need to spend a lot of money.”
Yu Youyao pushed the box back to her cousin and smiled. “I know that it’s not easy for you. You still have tens of thousands of guards in your hands. You don’t lack money now, but you definitely will in the future. Cousin, you don’t have to feel embarrassed. This money is considered the rental fee for a thousand guards, so you have to accept it. No matter how much you suffer, you can’t let your subordinates suffer. It’s not easy for you to come this far after having your family destroyed. They’ve followed you loyally all the way. You have to treat them well.”
The King You’s Residence had been betrayed and had all the assets. Her cousin still had to raise so many people. It must have been difficult for him in the past few years.
He had only said that he wasn’t short of money for the time being because he was used to being humble. He couldn’t possibly say that he had a lot of money and wasn’t short of money at all!
However, he did not know what the little girl was thinking. She actually felt that he was too embarrassed to accept the banknote. She had even taken the initiative to help him find an excuse: a thousand yuan rent for the guards!
It was to thank him!
Zhou Linghuai was completely speechless. “I’m really…”
Yu Youyao smiled. “Cousin, why are you being so polite to me? Look, I’ve never been polite to you. If I want to run an escort business, I just ask Cousin for help. If I lack people, I just ask Cousin for them.” As she spoke, she wrinkled her nose and was a little unhappy. “Cousin doesn’t want my money. Could it be that you’re distant from me?”
Zhou Linghuai rubbed his forehead. “Okay!”
In the future, he could also help her from other places, in case he made the little girl unhappy.
After all, the little girl had promised to help him raise an army.
He couldn’t possibly refute her good intentions!
After the matter of the escort business was settled, Zhou Linghuai found two more rangers who had been in the martial world. Yu Youyao understood some of the rules and matters within the escort business and organized them in books to study carefully.
After that, the two rangers were sent to Little Zhouzhuang to help Zhou Yonghe manage the escort business.
Unknowingly, it was June.
The weather was getting hotter and hotter, and it hadn’t rained for more than a month.
Rumors spread throughout the Great Zhou Dynasty. Everyone said that King You had died with injustice, angering the heavens and sending down a fire punishment. Only when King You washed away his grievances would the heavens send down rain.
The commoners did not know anything about the royal court.
However, there was a saying that went, “The wind rises at the end of Qingping.” Changes in the world often began in the royal court. Among the commoners, the more insignificant one was, the faster they could experience the changes in the world.