Han Zongyuan looked at him with slight surprise, "Why would you give this project to the Leng family?"
He thought Chen Nan would want to give the project to the Chen family.
Because he had already heard.
After Chen Nan became a level five Yin Messenger.
Chen Bohan had gone to Chen Nan's home and taken Chen Nan's mother away.
Even if Chen Nan wanted to entrust this project to someone else.
It should be the Chen family.
After all, as the old saying goes.
Recommend the virtuous without avoiding relatives!
And the Chen family was capable of undertaking this project.
What could Chen Nan say?
He couldn't possibly say, "I'm giving this to you so my ex-wife will love me and give up the idea of killing me!"
He said, "During the flood in Tongcheng, the four great families—Chen, Leng, Meng, and Gongyang—all generously contributed. If they hadn't donated money and supplies, the flood in Tongcheng would have been very difficult to manage."
"As a token of our gratitude, the government must show some recognition."
"Only in this way can public morale be appeased."
"And among these four great families."
"Only the Leng family is headed by a woman, Leng Qingmei."
"I feel, whether from the perspective of a man's strength and a woman's weakness."
"Or out of gentlemanly courtesy, we should give this opportunity to the Leng family."
Han Zongyuan shook his head dismissively, "The four great families have considerable influence in Tongcheng. Regardless of the reason, giving it to one of them would cause dissatisfaction among many."
"I was considering that if it absolutely didn't work out, we could give the project to other families."
Besides the four great families in Tongcheng.
There were other families.
Who were perfectly capable of handling this.
"I will handle this matter," Chen Nan promised to give the project to the Leng family and naturally would not let Leng Qingmei down. "How about this: tomorrow morning, call the stewards of the four great families."
"Let the four of them draw lots publicly to decide which family will build the waterway terminal."
"This way, fairness can be ensured."
Han Zongyuan couldn't help but think of Chen Nan's ability to control space laws.
If he used his spatial law abilities.
This draw would definitely be for the Leng family.
"Since that's the case, then you handle this matter!" Han Zongyuan said, picking up an appointment letter and handing it to Chen Nan, "This is an urgent appointment letter sent from Fengdu City."
"From now on, Tongcheng will establish a Waterway Bureau."
"And you will be the Governor of the Waterway Bureau."
"Whether it's the construction of the waterway terminal."
"Or future waterway matters."
"You will be solely responsible!"
Chen Nan had not expected the imperial court to actually give him an official position.
However, the position of Governor of the Waterway Bureau was not a good one.
He would have to deal with people coming and going from all directions.
A mixed bag of people.
It would require a lot of worry.
However.
The power he gained was also significant.
This was also a good thing.
He hesitated for a moment.
He said, "It's fine for me to be the head of the Waterway Bureau, but... I don't have any brothers working under me!"
"You can't make me a commander without troops, can you?"
Han Zongyuan rolled his eyes, knowing Chen Nan wanted people. "Let Wu Jiu and a few others go to your place. In addition, you can also recruit some constables who are not on the official payroll."
"Yes!" Chen Nan withdrew.
At the same time, he also sent county yamen runners to the Chen, Leng, Meng, and Gongyang families.
To inform them to come to the county yamen for a draw tomorrow.
In addition.
He also had people post notices on the bulletin board.
Tongcheng had now opened up water transportation.
Items could be transported more conveniently by water.
Improving the lives of the common people.
But a waterway terminal needed to be built.
And the construction of the waterway terminal was to be selected from one of the four great families.
For the sake of fairness.
A draw would be held at ten o'clock tomorrow morning.
At the entrance of the county yamen.
------
In the evening.
Chen Nan and Guo Yu arrived at Hua Jian Fu.
This restaurant was only of medium quality in Tongcheng.
But because of its diverse cuisine and good reputation.
After Chen Nan and Guo Yu were seated.
Many people came to greet them.
It was evident that Chen Nan had a good reputation.
And was highly regarded by the common people.
Just as the dishes Chen Nan ordered were being served.
Ma Sanyuan and his son 'coincidentally' arrived.
Then there was a period of very insincere pleasantries.
But it was limited to that.
After a brief greeting, they went upstairs to a private room.
Afterward.
The waiter brought two plates of delicacies and a pot of fine wine.
Saying that Ma Sanyuan had added dishes and wine for Chen Nan.
Chen Nan told the waiter to put them down.
Then he asked Guo Yu to pay the bill for Ma Sanyuan and his son's table.
------
Human relationships.
Were nothing more than give and take.
Given their current relationship.
It was not enough for them to sit together and drink.
A word or two was sufficient.
If they were to truly drink together.
It would not be in public.
After all, he had become the head of the Waterway Bureau.
And the Ma family monopolized water transportation.
If they were to drink together, that would be a disaster!
Chen Nan only needed to show the Ma family his attitude.
The next day.
Chen Nan arrived at the county yamen.
By now, a tailor had already made him a set of official robes to his measurements.
When he put them on, he exuded a heroic and extraordinary aura.
As if he were justice walking the earth.
At nine-thirty in the morning.
Chen Bohan.
Leng Qingmei.
Gongyang Qing, and Old Master Meng arrived at the county yamen one after another.
Seeing Chen Nan wearing a dark blue official robe, exuding an aura of righteous indignation from the inside out.
They all bowed in greeting.
Then everyone moved outside the county yamen.
Many commoners had already gathered there.
Wu Jiu and others were also there maintaining order.
Chen Nan said, "I, Chen Nan, have received immense favor from the Emperor. The Great Emperor has appointed me as the Governor of the Waterway Bureau, and I, Chen, will naturally dedicate myself to serving the Emperor!"
"And to serve the people of Tongcheng."
"And all of this will begin with the construction of the waterway terminal!"
"As everyone knows, the Chen, Leng, Gongyang, and Meng families all donated money and supplies during the flood."
"Therefore, the construction of the waterway terminal must be selected from one of the four great families."
"For the sake of fairness, we will use the method of drawing lots!"
"Each of the four great families will draw twice."
"The one with the highest number of votes will obtain the project to build the waterway terminal."
At this moment.
A yamen runner carried out a lottery box.
Chen Nan wrote the surnames of the four great families on slips of paper in public and placed them in the lottery box.
Then he let the people from the four great families draw lots.
The representatives of the four great families stepped forward to draw lots.
The first person to draw was Chen Bohan.
He suppressed his excitement and drew two pieces of paper from the box. They read: Leng, and Meng.
Upon seeing this result.
Chen Bohan's face instantly turned green!
Even if the other three all drew the Chen family once, the Chen family's chances would not be high!
He dejectedly returned the two slips of paper to the lottery box.
Then Leng Qingmei stepped up and drew two pieces of paper.
One of them was Gongyang.
The other was Leng.
For this situation.
She was not surprised at all, because Chen Nan had already promised to give this opportunity to the Leng family.
However...
He had played everyone like this, didn't his conscience hurt?
Despite this.
A strange feeling arose in her heart towards Chen Nan.
Why was he so good to her?
Could it be that he wanted to get back together?