After a male student transmigrated into the body of a widow,

Chapter 209 Uncle Gu might offer me some benefits in advance.

"The refined salt purified by Uncle Gu is clearly different from the official salt of Daqian in both appearance and taste. Even if I can get salt permits for Uncle Gu, this refined salt will definitely attract attention once it enters the market."

Gu Lin: "I never thought about selling salt in Daqian."

Before the young prefect could explain, Gu Lin knew that even if he refined salt to a higher quality than the official salt, he couldn't allow it to enter the market, at least not in Daqian.

Fine salt is different from white porcelain and glass. Because of Zheng Hao's status and the Fang family, no one dares to provoke Gu Lin with the latter, but fine salt is different.

Salt was controlled by the imperial court. If Gu Lin traded salt that was not produced by the court but held salt permits, it would be tantamount to handing Zheng Hao's secrets to his political enemies. Moreover, if he concealed the method of refining salt and profited from it privately, even Emperor Jian'an would not protect Zheng Hao once it was exposed.

The wealth generated by the refined salt was far beyond what the two of them could afford.

After hearing what the young man said, Zheng Hao's brow furrowed.

He lowered his head and met Gu Lin's gaze, immediately understanding what the other meant: "Uncle Gu, do you want to transport the refined salt to places outside of Daqian for sale?"

Seeing that Zheng Hao understood his intention, Gu Lin nodded: "Salt is not only a necessity for the people of Daqian, but also for the northern barbarians and many tribes on the grasslands, whose demand for salt is no less than ours."

Gu Lin turned to look at the snow-white fine salt in the vessel, his light brown eyes shining slightly. In his eyes, this white salt represented mountains of gold and jade.

The young man's lips curled up: "We can send caravans to transport refined salt to the Northern Barbarians and the grasslands. There are many princes and nobles in the Northern Barbarians and the grasslands who are just as extravagant as the high-ranking officials of the Great Qian Dynasty. Moreover, they have always had the habit of drinking milk tea, and they like to put salt in their milk tea. After they have tasted this refined salt, they will definitely buy it."

Listening to Uncle Gu's insightful analysis, which demonstrated his deep understanding of the customs of the Northern Barbarians, Zheng Hao knew that this knowledge was not something he had learned from travelogues or geographical maps, but rather something Uncle Gu had acquired in his original world.

The salty taste on his tongue faded, and Zheng Hao spoke: "Salt is an important commodity. We need to be careful when sending caravans to the northern barbarians of the grasslands to sell refined salt. Uncle Gu, please leave this matter to me."

Gu Lin nodded. He knew that it was dangerous for caravans to trade within the Great Qian Dynasty, where they had to risk their lives, let alone venture deep into the grasslands and the northern barbarians. If one didn't have some skills, they really couldn't take on this job.

Zheng Hao has many bodyguards under his command, so Gu Lin can rest assured that he can entrust this matter to him.

After deciding where to put the refined salt, Zheng Hao immediately ordered Da Zhuo to come in. Then, Gu Lin told Da Zhuo the steps for making refined salt. Da Zhuo listened and wrote down the steps on paper. After verifying that everything was correct, he left immediately.

Seeing that Da Zhuo was acting more and more quickly, and seemed to have undergone a complete transformation compared to the past, Gu Lin couldn't help but say to Zheng Hao, "Working under you is really good training."

Look at Da Zhuo's behavior now, he's completely different from how he used to work odd jobs at the restaurant.

Zheng Hao's expression softened, and he looked down at the young man: "Uncle Gu has good taste."

Although the young man didn't spell it out clearly, Gu Lin understood what he meant. The young man was obviously praising Gu Lin for his good eye when he chose people. Gu Lin's smile deepened.

Looking down at the smile on Gu Lin's face, Zheng Hao's gaze slowly shifted.

If Uncle Gu were as hard-hearted as he was, Yu Ercheng and Lin Xiaoyao would have undergone a complete transformation like Da Zhuo. But he knew that Uncle Gu was soft-hearted, and as long as his subordinates did not cross his bottom line, Uncle Gu would never be willing to treat them harshly.

Zheng Hao watched from the sidelines and saw that Yu Ercheng, Lin Xiaoyao and the others were all methodical in their work, did not treat Uncle Gu perfunctorily, and seemed to be sincerely convinced by Uncle Gu, so he did not interfere.

Uncle Gu has his own way of treating his subordinates, and he doesn't need to expect Uncle Gu to be exactly the same as him.

The Zhenbei Army barracks.

A few days ago, the Marquis of Zhenbei sent an invitation to Zheng Hao, the military supervisor, to attend a banquet. After finishing his business at the government office, Zheng Hao did not take a carriage but went directly to the military camp on horseback.

After the group took their seats, the Marquis of Zhenbei sat at the head of the table, raised his large bowl and thanked the young military supervisor: "The early arrival of the provisions is all thanks to Lord Zheng speaking well of our Zhenbei Army before His Majesty. On behalf of the soldiers, I thank Lord Zheng."

After saying this, the Marquis of Zhenbei raised his wine bowl and drank it all in one gulp. Although the action was bold, not a single drop of wine spilled, which showed that he was truly grateful for Zheng Hao's actions.

After finishing his drink, the Marquis of Zhenbei put down his wine bowl.

Zheng Hao also raised the large bowl in front of him, his posture neither humble nor arrogant, and said: "The Zhenbei Army bravely fought against the northern barbarians. What I did was my duty. There is no need for you to thank me, my lord."

After speaking, his deep eyes remained unmoved, his Adam's apple bobbed a few times, and in the blink of an eye, he finished the wine in the bowl with a speed no less than that of the Marquis of Zhenbei.

After finishing a bowl of strong liquor, the young military supervisor's face didn't even turn red. Upon seeing this, the Marquis of Zhenbei's eyes flashed with surprise.

He smiled and praised, "Lord Zheng has a good capacity for alcohol."

"I dare not compare myself to the Marquis," Zheng Hao replied.

Marquis Zhenbei smiled and didn't take it to heart.

Then, he said to the young officials below, "Lord Zheng has been in Youzhou Prefecture for quite some time now. He must have resolved a lot of the accumulated official business in the prefecture. Now he can also take some time to deal with the military affairs of the Zhenbei Army."

Previously, when the young military supervisor first arrived at the Zhenbei Army camp, the Marquis of Zhenbei did not show any resistance to him, but he also did not allow the young military supervisor to have any contact with the military affairs of the Zhenbei Army.

Some time has passed since then. Seeing that the young official was fearless and decisive in dealing with the merchants in the city who colluded with the local powerful families, the Marquis of Zhenbei finally took notice of him. Later, when he learned that Zheng Hao had spoken up for them and secured military supplies, the Marquis of Zhenbei's prejudice against Zheng Hao gradually diminished.

It wasn't good to be constantly on guard against the military supervisor. Seeing that the young official was different from the previous military supervisors and was not a troublemaker, the Marquis of Zhenbei decided to let him get involved in some military affairs.

Even after hearing that the Marquis of Zhenbei was willing to relinquish power to him and no longer isolate him from the Zhenbei Army, Zheng Hao remained calm and composed, his expression unchanged.

He first thanked the Marquis of Zhenbei, and then said, "The five hundred soldiers I borrowed from you last time still have some matters to attend to. Please be patient with me for a few more days. I will return them to you in good condition after the matter is settled."

Upon hearing this, the Marquis of Zhenbei's expression shifted. He had clearly thought of the information his personal guards had gathered. He had originally assumed that the young official, being new to the area and facing retaliation from the local powerful families, would be more subdued and accept the offer of a way out. However, it now seemed that the young official was not going to let things go peacefully.

Marquis Zhenbei had long wanted to deal with those people and also wanted to see how Zheng Hao would treat them. He pretended to be indifferent and said, "Lord Zheng, there's no need to rush. These half-grown boys are going to bankrupt me. I wish Lord Zheng could keep them for a few more days and take care of their meals."

Neither of them explicitly revealed their feelings, but they tacitly reached a certain agreement.

After a hearty meal, Zheng Hao did not immediately return to the city. The Marquis of Zhenbei summoned a general and turned to Zheng Hao, saying, "This is Ping Jin, a wise general in the Zhenbei Army. If you need anything in the army, you can consult him."

Then, the Marquis of Zhenbei said to Pingjin, "Lord Zheng is the supervisor of the Zhenbei Army. You must treat him well. Later, after you take Lord Zheng around the army to familiarize himself with the situation, hand over the military affairs that the supervisor needs to handle to Lord Zheng."

Ping Jin clasped his hands in a fist salute and said, "Yes!"

The Marquis of Zhenbei turned to Zheng Hao and said, "I will not accompany Lord Zheng any longer."

Zheng Hao cupped his hands in greeting: "Your Excellency, please handle military affairs. I will take my leave now."

Marquis Zhenbei nodded, and Zheng Hao turned and walked out of the tent with Pingjin.

Ping Jinchao, the young military supervisor, said, "Lord Zheng, there are many forbidden areas in the army. If you come with me, please do not go into any of them."

A guard beside the young military supervisor asked casually, seemingly out of curiosity, "What are the restricted areas in the army used for?"

Ping Jin turned to look at Da Zhuo. His features were resolute, and years of military campaigns had left him with the scent of sand and dust. His eyes were deep and bright, and when he suddenly looked at Da Zhuo, it was as if his gaze could pierce through people's hearts like a sharp arrow.

Da Zhuo had served under the young prefect for a long time, so how could he break his composure in front of Ping Jin? Seeing that Ping Jin did not answer, Da Zhuo put on an embarrassed expression: "If it violates military discipline, then General, please do not say anything."

The young official spoke up at the opportune moment: "My men are used to talking with the villagers when they go to the countryside, and they didn't notice for a moment. I hope the general won't take offense."

Ping Jin lowered his guard and stopped looking at Da Zhuo. He thought Da Zhuo wouldn't speak, but the man said, "The military restricted area is divided into three places. One place is where enemy scouts are imprisoned, one place is an armory, and the other place is where the Marquis handles military affairs."

The first forbidden area is where scouts are imprisoned. Given the importance the army attaches to this, these scouts were likely not captured at the front lines, but rather spies extracted from within the Zhenbei Army. The second forbidden area is the armory, which stores all the army's weapons. For an army, the most important things are manpower, food, and equipment, so it is not surprising that it is a forbidden area. The third area is where the Zhenbei Marquis's office is located, where many important military matters and secrets must be stored. These three places are indeed the forbidden areas of the army.

As Ping Jin finished speaking, Da Zhuo put on an "I see" expression, while the young official in front of him remained calm.

On the way thereafter, aside from asking some trivial questions, Da Zhuo did not ask any more questions about the Zhenbei Army. Ping Jin was not a talkative person, but with the Zhenbei Marquis's order in place, Da Zhuo's questions were not unanswerable. So, he and Da Zhuo talked back and forth, and occasionally, the young official would also say a few words.

After walking a long way, the three finally arrived at their destination.

Ping Jin pointed to a tent but did not go in. He turned to the young official beside him and said, “Lord Zheng, that tent is prepared for you. You can work or rest there. Later, I will send someone to assist you. If you have any important matters, you can give them instructions or send soldiers to my tent to summon me.”

After speaking, Ping Jin changed the direction of his arm and pointed to the camp not far away, indicating to the young official that that was his camp.

Then, he turned to the young military supervisor and said, "If Lord Zheng has nothing else, I will take my leave now."

Zheng Hao cupped his hands in thanks: "Thank you, General Ping, for leading the way."

After Ping Jin turned and strode away, Zheng Hao and Da Zhuo entered the camp.

The campsites were not elaborately furnished, but they were not extremely shabby either.

Zheng Hao looked up and took in the scene inside the tent. The furnishings were simple and elegant, with a table, a simple wooden bed, and some essential daily necessities.

Because the walls have ears, Zheng Hao and Da Zhuo did not discuss anything else after they came in.

Zheng Hao walked to the table, where some official documents were placed. He casually picked one up and started reading. After flipping through a few pages, he saw that it was the grain and fodder account of the Zhenbei Army, so he put it down.

Da Zhuo glanced at the document and saw the contents of the "official business" section. He frowned and said, "You are the military supervisor of the three armies, yet the Marquis has entrusted you with the task of managing the provisions as an official business. Isn't that being overly suspicious of you?"

Should we be wary of him?

Zheng Hao's eyes were half-closed, which didn't seem to be the case.

Unlike Yu Feng, who was afraid that the Marquis of Zhenbei would take away his power and was desperately guarding against him, the Marquis of Zhenbei seemed to be wary of him, but after testing him, he was willing to give him power. Although it was about food and military pay rather than important military matters, Zheng Hao did not feel that the other party was wary of him.

Entrusting him with the most important supplies and military pay is crucial. The army's supplies must be secured before it can move. If the Marquis of Zhenbei were truly wary of him, how could he possibly entrust the lifeline of the Zhenbei Army to him?

The young official did not explain to his subordinates.

He instructed Da Zhuo: "When there is nothing to do at the government office in the future, you can send your official business to the military camp and I will handle it together."

Military officers are not allowed to take official business home.

Da Zhuo should be.

After returning home, the young military supervisor told the young man about the matter. Gu Lin was somewhat surprised when he heard it. After a moment, he said, "The Marquis of Zhenbei must have seen everything you have done since you took office and realized that you are not the same kind of person as the previous military supervisors, so he delegated authority to you."

“I think the same thing as Uncle Gu.” Zheng Hao: “For the next month, I will often stay overnight at the military camp. I will send someone back to inform you when that time comes. Uncle Gu, don’t wait for me.”

Gu Lin nodded to show he understood. He thought it would be time for dinner after discussing this matter, but the young man lowered his head and stared at him with his dark eyes. Gu Lin looked back at him, somewhat puzzled: "What's wrong?"

Seeing the doubt in the other person's eyes, Zheng Hao's expression showed a hint of helplessness.

He stepped forward, lowered his eyes, and said in a low voice, "I will be staying in the military camp and will not be able to go home often. Uncle Gu, could you perhaps offer me some benefits first?"

Gu Lin didn't understand what the young man meant by "benefits," but when he looked up and saw the burning desire in the other man's eyes, the young man's brow twitched, and he asked in a low voice, "Didn't we just do it not long ago?"

Zheng Hao remembered everything about his intimate encounter with Gu Shuhuan.

He said, "Several days have passed."

Food and sex are human nature, and Gu Lin, being a man, was no exception. However, he was busy with many things during the day, such as potatoes, white porcelain glass factory, and refined salt. After returning home and having dinner, Gu Lin had no energy left to think about these things.

Logically speaking, young people should be busier than me, so why am I so enthusiastic about these things, acting like I have nothing to do every day?

Suddenly, Gu Lin thought of the other person's age and gasped. If this were modern times, he would be a real torturer!

Fortunately, he lived in ancient times.

"Uncle Gu..." Seeing the young man lost in thought again, Zheng Hao's eyes darkened, and he took a few steps forward once more.

Before Gu Lin could react, the young man pressed down on him, forcing back the words he was about to utter.

Gradually, the young man's consciousness shifted from lucidity to debauchery, and he closed his eyes to share the pleasures of love with the other young man.

[A boys' high school, Uncle Gu simply can't handle it!]