Flowers in full bloom

Chapter 704 Hard work fee

"Master Hua, Master Pei, I haven't seen you for a few years. I didn't expect to see you in Xijiang. I didn't expect that you have become the parents of the people of Xichang. It's really a cause for celebration.

Especially Lady Hua, it was not easy for her to become the first female official of the Great Sheng Dynasty. I heard that Lady Hua and Lady Pei came to the military camp this time to ask the craftsmen of the Crossbow Office to help make the vertical well waterwheel.

To prevent possible droughts, Miss Hua is really prepared for a rainy day and has a long-term vision. In the past, my grandfather praised Miss Hua for her kindness and for providing a lot of good things for our soldiers in the Western Frontier.

Unexpectedly, Mr. Hua has now gone a step further and has started to seek benefits for the people of Xichang. The people of Xichang are so blessed to have a parent official like Mr. Hua. "

In the past few days, Bai Yunhe had already found out the purpose of Hua Lei's visit to the military camp. Seeing that Hua Lei was in trouble, he took the initiative to speak and helped Hua Lei bring up the topic.

Bai Liyun, who was sitting in the upper seat, glanced at his son, feeling somewhat disappointed. Even now, he was still thinking about the other party. Tsk!

Rong Jin looked up at Bai Yunhe with mixed feelings. Now as Hua Lei's subordinate, he couldn't speak until Hua Lei figured out how to start the conversation.

Otherwise, it would be overstepping one's authority and not giving face to Hua Lei, her superior, in front of Bai Liyun. Although Hua Lei had mentioned in the visiting card that she wanted Bai Liyun to help her.

But Hua Meimei was worried that the other party would reject her directly without even meeting her, so she didn't elaborate. As the party A, Bai Liyun would definitely not rush to make it clear.

In addition, Bai Liyun has a strong character and is taciturn, and Hua Meime has never dealt with him before, so she might not be able to ask for help directly.

But now, Bai Yunhe helped to bring up the topic directly, so it was relatively easier for Hua Meime to speak. Rong Jin looked at Hua Lei next to him, and sure enough, he saw Hua Lei's slightly shining eyes, and continued Bai Yunhe's words.

"Thank you for your compliment, Captain Bai. I am not as good as you say. I am just doing my job.

This time I have the audacity to come here because I really have no other choice. The craftsmen in the government office are not enough to make the waterwheel alone.

Some time ago, Lord Pei, other colleagues and I developed a threshing machine. Due to the urgent time, we were far from enough craftsmen, so we wanted to ask General Bai to help us make a waterwheel and a threshing machine. "

"Lord Hua, please speak frankly. How can you ask the Nufang Office for help? But I have to make it clear in advance that these craftsmen cannot leave the military camp at will." Bai Liyun looked at Hua Lei and spoke.

He also admired Hua Lei. Ever since he saw that several prefectures under Xichang Prefecture began to dig ponds and wells to prevent drought, he felt that Hua Lei, the female prefect, would be no worse than any previous prefect.

In addition, the waterwheels Hualei had made in Shangjing City were now used in many prefectures. After arriving in Xichang Prefecture, he made a vertical well waterwheel according to local conditions.

Now Hualei said that she had developed a thresher. Bailiyun was surprised, and at the same time, he finally understood why his father praised Hualei so much.

A few days ago, he received a visiting card from Hua Lei, which was indeed beyond his expectation. As for the purpose of Hua Lei coming to the military camp, even if the visiting card was obscure, Bai Liyun knew at a glance that she wanted his help.

However, sometimes, the military and the government cannot get too close, so as not to bring unnecessary trouble to both sides. So, I originally wanted to refuse directly.

However, when I think about the fact that Hua Lei was specially appointed to Xichang Prefecture by Emperor Shengwu, he must have been impressed by Hua Lei's character and ability.

Moreover, what Hua Lei requested was not for herself, but for the sake of the people, so he nodded and agreed to meet, just to see what kind of reasons Hua Lei would come up with to ask for his help?

These past few days, he had been thinking about what method he could use to help Hua Lei while preventing any subsequent trouble for both parties.

"General Bai, I know that the craftsmen cannot leave the barracks at will. So, I am thinking, can we let the craftsmen stay in the barracks to help make water wheels and threshers?

When it is done, I will send someone to the gate of the military camp to pull it. Of course, I will not be stingy with the hard work of the craftsmen.

General Bai named a price, and I can pay part of it in advance." Hua Lei looked at Bai Liyun's serious face and told him her plan.

"Harness fee?" Bai Liyun thought of many ways, but he didn't expect Hua Lei to ask for money from the Nufang Office, so he was surprised.

"Master Hua, does the government have so much budget expenditure? As far as I know, the government office may not be able to be self-sufficient every year. Sometimes it has to ask the court to allocate silver to the local area to pay the salaries of local officials."

Xichang Prefecture was the poorest prefecture in the Great Sheng Dynasty. Everyone knew that sometimes, even the salaries of officials were not enough, not to mention the sudden extra expenses.

Budget? How could there be a budget for water trucks? It would be good if the government office could not spend money beyond its means. Hua Lei thought about the balance in the government office account and sighed inwardly.

However, what should be paid still needs to be paid. It is impossible to let the Nufang Office help the local area to work for free. Even if I pay the money first, the government office will pay it back to me when it has money in the future.

After all, the lychee buds in Changliang Prefecture are very promising, but it takes a long time to transport them back to Shangjing City and wait for the money to come back.

"General Bai, to be honest, there is indeed no extra money in the government's household account to pay for the waterwheel processing fee of the Nufang Office.

However, General, you can rest assured that I can advance the fee. My shop has made good money in recent years. The wool sweater business with Bai Qianhu has continued to make profits in recent years. "Hua Lei said honestly.

"Master Hua is paying for it himself?" Bai Liyun, who always abides by the rules, was even more surprised, and Bai Yunhe, who was sitting opposite him, looked at Hua Lei in disbelief.

Isn't the purpose of being an official to get a salary from the government? Now, Hua Lei is actually paying for the government out of her own pocket? In Bai Yunhe's impression, Hua Lei is also a very shrewd businessman.

I remember when I first arrived in Xijiang, she sent me goods several times and then proposed to raise the price of the goods. The explanation she gave was that the price of goods supplied to other customers had also been raised, so in order to treat them equally, she also had to raise the price for herself.

At that time, I felt upset for a long time. In fact, she didn't need to tell me whether to raise the price or not. I had left my private seal to her, so I had to accept whatever price she wanted to give me.