Chapter 1 IKEA?

Miss Zhuo felt a wave of dizziness. "IKEA?" How could it be this?

Manager Liu, who almost immediately noticed that something was wrong with Miss Zhuo, opened his qi energy behind her to support her delicate body gently. The maid Sisi also immediately noticed something amiss, supported Miss Zhuo, and asked with concern, "Miss, are you alright?"

Miss Zhuo shook her head, as if trying to shake something out of her mind. She frowned and said softly, "I'm fine, just a little tired."

Manager Liu waved his hand, and the carriage immediately moved forward. This time, Miss Zhuo did not refuse, allowing the maid Sisi to help her into the carriage.

"Miss, shall we go to Xunfeng Pavilion now?" Manager Liu asked. "I'll have someone call the waiter to lead the way."

"No need, let's ask while we go. Let Lu Dan and the others play for a while longer, just don't forget my business," Miss Zhuo said considerately.

Manager Liu immediately had a guard find someone to lead the way in front, and the carriage moved slowly. After a while, Hang Tianqi suddenly returned. He leaned down directly on his horse and said to Manager Liu, "I've found out. Xue Yuan, the son of General Xue of Beining Pass, has surrounded the Ye family workshop with 500 soldiers, saying he wants them to stop work and give up the workshop so that military artisans can manufacture city defense equipment. The Ye family refuses, and the two sides are facing each other. When I came back, Governor Peng had already arrived with soldiers. Xue Yuan insisted on flaunting his noble rank as being higher than Governor Peng's and was cursing people there."

"Humph," Manager Liu snorted heavily. Beining Pass needs to come to Yicheng to build city defense equipment? That's a joke.

"Uncle Liu, let's go take a look," Miss Zhuo instructed softly.

"Miss, how about I go take a look? Just to prevent Xue Yuan from causing too much trouble. Miss, you should go to Xunfeng Pavilion to rest first," Manager Liu advised.

"It's okay, I won't get out of the carriage. I don't like crowded places. However, I'm afraid the Ye family has no choice but to help," Miss Zhuo said. Manager Liu didn't fully understand the meaning of Miss Zhuo's last sentence. But he knew that since Miss Zhuo had made up her mind, there was no use in persuading her.

"Hang Tianqi, lead the way," Manager Liu ordered.

The Ye family workshop was located at the end of the Yongming Canal, in the middle of a forest. The Yongming Canal was dug from the Luo River, running through Yicheng, and flowing into the Qingpu River, a tributary of the Luo River, from another direction, before flowing into the sea. Since the Ye family workshop had lacquer workers, it would inevitably pollute the water quality. Being at the end of the Yongming Canal would minimize the impact on the drinking water and washing water of the Yicheng people. The originally quiet place was now a noisy scene. The 500 soldiers brought by Xue Yuan were wearing riding armor but holding spears and without horses, surrounding the Ye family workshop tightly.

The people of the Ye family workshop did not back down at all, and actually set up semendao carts and Marquis Wu crossbow carts on the only wide road leading to the workshop. They looked as if they were ready to fight to the death as long as Xue Yuan's people dared to attack them. The 200 cavalry brought by Peng Detian, the governor of Yicheng, lined up on one side, but pointed their weapons at the ground. At the intersection, Xue Yuan was riding his horse in small circles, and Peng Detian's face was red with anger as he stood on the side. On the other side was Du Fengchi, whom they had just seen, and several middle-aged men and young men, each with their own characteristics, were surrounding a handsome boy of fourteen or fifteen, who should be Ye Tao, Ye Canghuai.

"General Xue, this is Yicheng, not Beining Pass. You have neither the order documents to requisition my workshop, nor is my Ye family under your jurisdiction. I absolutely dare not obey this order," Ye Tao said loudly.

"Documents? I, Xue Yuan, am the order document. Vacate the workshop for me. Can you afford the crime of delaying military affairs?" Xue Yuan said stubbornly.

Peng Detian, the governor of Yicheng, was only a third-rank civil official, while Xue Yuan was a third-rank military officer. In the Dongping Kingdom, in the event of military affairs, civil officials of the same rank were one rank lower than military officials and had to listen to their orders. Xue Yuan clung to the words "military affairs," and Peng Detian was half-dead with anger but could do nothing.

"You are a border soldier, and the Yibei Navy of the Yicheng military region is also a border army. Why does the Yibei Navy have to go through formal procedures, one by one, with official documents to send the crossbow carts here even to repair the taonu carts? You want to requisition my Ye family's workshop with just one sentence. Don't you think it's too overbearing?" Although Ye Tao was young, he would never give in.

"Overbearing? Hahaha... I'll let you know what overbearing means." Xue Yuan actually drew his horsewhip and whipped it towards Ye Tao.

"Uncle Liu!" Miss Zhuo, who had been watching through a small crack in the curtain, said anxiously.

"Yes!" Manager Liu's response was still in her ears, and he had already darted out like a bolt of lightning. Xue Yuan's hand swung down, but the horsewhip was snatched away by Manager Liu in that split second.

"Who! Who are you?!" Xue Yuan looked at Manager Liu, who had suddenly appeared and greatly disgraced him, and roared angrily.

"General Xue, you've gone too far," Manager Liu said lightly. Manager Liu glanced at Ye Tao. Although the horsewhip had almost hit him, his expression was calm and composed, without any timidity. Manager Liu couldn't help but nod secretly, and then turned his attention to the arrogant Xue Yuan in front of him.

A soldier behind Xue Yuan saw the opportunity quickly. Seeing the beautiful and luxurious carriage parked by the roadside, he stepped forward and shouted, "Just a family servant, what are you showing off in front of my general? Invite your young lady out to let everyone feast their eyes? Maybe your young lady will have a good life if she follows my general!"

Manager Liu hooked a stone with his left foot and kicked it, smashing it into the soldier's chest with a bang. The soldier immediately flew backwards, spitting out two large mouthfuls of blood, and looked like he wouldn't live.

At this moment, Xue Yuan's face changed. Just now, it could be said that Manager Liu had launched a sneak attack, and after all, he had not used his full strength when he swung the horsewhip, so it was fine for the whip to be taken away. But now, the move that Manager Liu had revealed was somewhat frightening.

"Who are you? Looking at your ability, I suppose you are not an unknown person. Don't you think you're meddling too much by interfering in the affairs of my Beining Pass army?" At this moment, Xue Yuan was a little nervous despite his stern expression.

"Chief Manager," the maid Sisi came running over with small steps, holding a sandalwood box, and handed the box to Manager Liu with both hands, before running back to the carriage with small steps. Manager Liu took the box with both hands, respectfully opened the lid, took out the contents, and held it in the air.

A Mo Yu (ink jade) tiger tally?! It was actually a Mo Yu tiger tally!

The Mo Yu tiger tally was a token for mobilizing the Imperial Guards, representing the Dongping Kingdom's Lord's supreme trust. Granting the Mo Yu tiger tally to a person was almost like the king handing over his life into that person's hands. Holding the Mo Yu tiger tally could not only mobilize the Imperial Guards, but also inquire about military affairs throughout the world. Although Dongping was only entrenched in a corner now, its national strength could be considered quite strong, and the power to inquire about military affairs throughout the world was truly astonishing.

As soon as the Mo Yu tiger tally appeared, everyone gasped. Xue Yuan jumped off his horse and knelt on the ground, and the 500 soldiers under his command also knelt down in worship. The people on the governor's side, starting from Peng Detian, along with the 200 cavalry, immediately dismounted and knelt down, not daring to move at all. On the other hand, Ye Tao, Du Fengchi, and the others had never seen this thing before, and stood there blankly for a while. Seeing that the situation was not right, they knelt down somewhat unwillingly. This scene made Miss Zhuo, who was hiding in the carriage, chuckle incessantly.

"My young lady is traveling outside, and what she fears most is harassment from bandits, so she borrowed this thing from her elders to protect herself. Xue Yuan, am I allowed to inquire about military affairs?" Manager Liu said with a cold snort.

"This subordinate was reckless..." Xue Yuan's mind raced, but the current situation did not allow him to have any more ideas.

"I ask you. What should happen to border guards who leave their defense area by 100 li without a Ministry of War document?" Manager Liu questioned.

"This subordinate... this subordinate has a document." Xue Yuan immediately pulled out a document from his armor and presented it to Manager Liu tremblingly.

"Does this authorize you to come to Yicheng to purchase 500 military horses to equip two sentry cavalry troops, and authorize you to manufacture military equipment?" Manager Liu shook the document open, glanced at it, and his tone became even colder.

Xue Yuan did not dare to speak.

"You violated so many military orders, I don't need to teach you. Submit your letter of confession to the Ministry of War within five days," Manager Liu said forcefully, word by word. "Now, get out."

Xue Yuan responded with a "Yes," and immediately left with all his men. The corpse of the soldier who had been killed by Manager Liu earlier was also neatly collected and taken away.