I was a conman in the Ming Dynasty.

Chapter 685 Investing in the Enemy

Chapter 685 Investing in the Enemy

"Cough cough!" Zhang Chengze coughed a few times and complained, "Boxin, don't talk nonsense. What dog?"

Empress Zhou thought for a moment and then said, "Lord Wang means that everyone is loyal to the country. His Majesty sent the two of you to garrison troops near Hanshan for training purposes and to recover Liaodong. Lord Wang feels that with so many troops near Hanshan, there is a risk that some unruly soldiers might enter the city and cause trouble. Therefore, he asks the two of you to restrain your subordinates."

Sun Chuanting and Zhang Chengze exchanged a glance, both taken aback. What did the Emperor mean? Did the Emperor send Empress Zhou here to appease Wang Wenzhou? Wang Wenzhou was clearly plotting a rebellion. Your Majesty, you need to purge the court of corrupt officials! How can you tolerate this?

"Little sister-in-law, have some vegetables!" Wang Wenzhou reached into Wang Lin's clothes and pinched her.

Wang Lin blushed, took a bite of food, and the taste reached Wang Wenzhou's mouth.

"Ahem..." Sun Chuanting was quite embarrassed.

Wang Wenzhou laughed and said, "Little Sun, don't be angry. I ate from your sister-in-law's mouth mainly because I was afraid you would poison me! People these days are so heartless! Even if it's your own brother, he'd rather you were dead! He'd kill your father, kill your baby, and even kill your son!"

"You rascal! Stop making veiled accusations!" Empress Zhou glared at Wang Wenzhou, then quickly took a sip of wine and fed it to him, silencing him.

With tears in his eyes, Sun Chuanting exclaimed, "Your Majesty, you have truly suffered! And the Emperor, what a terrible thing to do! He has raised a tiger to cause trouble! If he had killed that mad dog Wang Wenzhou long ago, would we be in this situation now?"

Wang Wenzhou took a sip of wine and said, "Besides bringing you some dog food, I have another purpose for coming here this time. There can't be so many of you just sitting around doing nothing all day. So, I've come up with some tasks for you. Hanshan is preparing to expand the city walls."

There's nothing you can do about it; there are always some people who can't stand seeing others have money. They get jealous when they see someone rich, and they not only try to steal their money, but they also want to take their house! They're just too wicked!

Empress Zhou rolled her eyes at Wang Wenzhou, thinking, "My nemesis, is it really meaningful for you to keep making veiled attacks?"

"Hmm?" Zhang Chengze asked, "Boxin, do you mean? You want us to send troops to help you repair the city walls?"

"Yes, yes!" Wang Wenzhou nodded, took a sip of wine with Empress Zhou, and said with a smile, "That's right, anyway, all of you men under your command have nothing to do. My sister-in-law is right, we are all loyal to the country and serve the emperor, what's wrong with earning some extra money for the brothers?"

Sun Chuanting cursed inwardly: "Wang Wenzhou, you mad dog! You've already started a rebellion, and you still dare to ask us to help you build the city walls? You wish!"

Zhang Chengze thought for a moment and then asked, "Boxin, how much can you pay each person per day?"

Wang Wenzhou said with a smile, "They are paid the same as the workers in Hanshan, five taels of silver per person per month."

"Haha!" Zhang Chengze laughed and said, "Boxin, you're certainly rich!"

Zhang Chengze calculated that his Southern Camp had a total of 18 men. If each man received 5 taels of silver per month, that would amount to 90 taels of silver per month. He couldn't keep it all for himself. If he actually sent troops to do the work, he could pocket at least 50 taels of silver per month, which was no small sum.

"Sigh..." Wang Wenzhou sighed and muttered, "What can I do? Some people are just eyeing my little bit of property. If I don't quickly make the walls of my house stronger, I won't be able to stop the robbers when they come!"

At this point, Wang Wenzhou hugged Empress Zhou and kissed her, then asked with a smile, "Sister-in-law, do you think I should repair the wall?"

"Hmm..." Empress Zhou thought for a moment. She was not sure how to express her opinion on this matter. If she agreed, what if Zhang Chengze and Sun Chuanting thought it was the Emperor's will? Moreover, she was not sure whether Wang Wenzhou's construction of the city wall was a good thing or a bad thing.

Wang Wenzhou reached inside Empress Zhou's clothes and groped around for a while, then said with a smile, "Sister-in-law, you have to think of it this way. When a person has money, there will always be bad people eyeing him, and he will be afraid. If his house isn't securely built, he might not be able to hold back and, in a fit of anger, go and kill the person who's eyeing him!"

Empress Zhou frowned deeply. This rascal was now resorting to blatant threats!

Wang Wenzhou continued, "Sister-in-law, I think you should agree to let me build the city wall. Once the city wall is built, I'll feel safe and won't meddle in other people's business anymore. I won't bother killing those treacherous villains either. If Zhu Youjian is willing to let them continue to push the Ming Dynasty to its doom, I have no objection!"

Empress Zhou thought for a moment. Even if Wang Wenzhou built the city walls, if the Ming Dynasty really wanted to attack, no matter how high the walls were, they wouldn't be able to defend against it. Empress Zhou also knew that Zhu Youjian was only appeasing Wang Wenzhou because the national treasury was short of money.

Thinking of this, Empress Zhou said, "Your Excellencies, I think Lord Wang's suggestion is good. After all, the soldiers also have families to support, and earning some extra money is a good choice."

Zhang Chengze quickly said, "Since Madam says so, I also think we should give the brothers a chance! Boxin! Let's discuss this matter properly tomorrow!"

"Okay!" Wang Wenzhou looked at Sun Chuanting and asked, "Little Sun, what do you think?"

“Hmm…” Sun Chuanting thought for a moment and said, “I will think about it some more.”

Even if there were money to be made, Sun Chuanting genuinely didn't want to do it. He always felt that it would be aiding the enemy. What kind of logic is it to help the enemy build city walls?

Wang Wenzhou put his arm around Wang Lin, ate a bite of food, and said with a smile, "That's enough for today, thank you for your hospitality, Xiao Sun. Um, sister-in-law, could you please take me home?"

"Bang!" Sun Chuanting slammed his hand on the table. He was furious. "Wang Wenzhou, you mad dog, you're shameless! Do you think I don't know who you are? My concubine sent you home, do you think you'll ever come back?"

Wang Wenzhou quickly said, "Little Sun, don't be angry. I'm just afraid that some people are too ruthless and might try to harm me on the way! I'm fine, I'm all alone anyway. But my sister-in-law can't die! She still has children!"

"Sister-in-law, please say something!" Wang Wenzhou hugged Empress Zhou and kissed her.

"Sigh..." Empress Zhou sighed. This rascal is shameless. He wants to sleep with any pretty girl he sees. Lord Sun, please bear with it.

"Lord Sun, please have Madam Sun escort you. I had a very pleasant conversation with Madam Sun," Empress Zhou said with a wry smile.

Sun Chuanting was both amused and exasperated. "Empress, why are you so indulgent towards Wang Wenzhou's whims? You grant him every wish?"

……

Shaanxi.

Looking at his wife Gao Guiying's letter, Li Zicheng was on the verge of tears. Knowing Wang Wenzhou as he did, he knew that his wives and concubines were gone forever!

"Sigh..." Li Zicheng sighed, glanced back at the silver Wang Wenzhou had brought, and thought to himself, "This is what my wife earned!"

Li Zicheng instantly hated Wang Wenzhou, that lecherous scoundrel. He was convinced that Wang Wenzhou was shameless and wouldn't let his wife leave. And he was right.

Li Zicheng secretly vowed that one day he would destroy Wang Wenzhou and take back his beloved wife.