Chapter Thirty-Seven: The General's Flag

  During the day, he went through the motions of New Year's greetings, and at night, he thought about his future development. No matter how hard Li Meng tried, he couldn't think of what he could do with just a few hundred men in this big trend. In the end, all he could come up with was to take things one step at a time, doing each task solidly and earning every last penny that he should.

  On the third day, the crowd finally thinned out, and Li Meng also got a rare break. Zhao Nai got up early in the morning to get his mother to cook and make wine, saying that he would invite Chen Liu Zi and Wang Hai to come over for a drink at noon. Li Meng came over to chat with Zhao Nai after finishing his exercise in the courtyard, but heard Zhao Nai complaining:

  "That Ma Baihu is so old, yet he doesn't understand human relationships. Brother Li, you saved his good-for-nothing son, such a great kindness, and not even a visit during the New Year to ask about his well-being."

  Li Meng smiled, knowing that the title of Ma Baihu still had some deterrent effect on these military brothers around him. If Ma Baihu came over to bow and pay his respects, their morale would definitely be boosted. Just as he was about to respond, someone outside knocked on the door and shouted:

  "Is anyone there?"

  The voice was indeed Ma Baihu's, Li Meng glanced at Zhao Neng beside him and smiled as he walked forward to open the door. Outside the door, Ma Baihu stood wearing a cyan robe. Considering Ma Baihu's age, he was after all Li Meng and Zhao Neng's elder, so they had to be polite for a while.

  It's just that since the beginning of last month when Ma Ge was rescued, Ma Baihu has not visited. Li Meng didn't mind, but felt that this old man was too arrogant, so after exchanging New Year's pleasantries, he didn't intend to keep him as a guest. Just as he was about to see him off, Ma Baihu cleared his throat and took out a neatly folded paper and a small cloth package from his pocket, saying:

  "Li Meng, you brought that beast back, this great kindness is really hard to repay. How much silver did you spend? I, the old man, can't afford it either. But I still put out this old face and knelt in front of the commander's gate for two days to beg for this general's letter of pardon..."

  Li Meng's eyes widened, staring fixedly at the bundle and paper slip. Zhao Neng beside him was even more stunned. Wei's command consisted of five thousand households, each with ten hundred households under them, and two general flags and ten small flags under each hundred household. This is the current system of Wei's camp.

  These titles of qianhu and baihu are hereditary, nominally having the right to govern the military households under their jurisdiction. However, in this poor and barren place, even with this title, one can't earn much more than a few silver coins, but still have to exhaust themselves going around collecting taxes, labor services, and offending fellow villagers. It's clearly an unpleasant task that no one wants to do. The zongqi is essentially the deputy baihu, if we say the mabaihu is the village head, then the zongqi is the deputy village head. There are no benefits at all, but rather more hardships.

  But this title of the general flag was too important for Li Meng, no matter how bad the general flag was, it was also an official, although it was a small military officer who couldn't be smaller. For Li Meng from modern times, he deeply knew that having an official background would be of great help in doing business, whether it was legitimate or illegal.

  Moreover, this token of authority can bring convenience to many things, not just in the matter of private salt. Ma Baihu looked at Li Meng's face and saw his unbridled excitement, and he felt a sense of relief in his heart. When he took the letter out the door, he was scolded by both his wife and son, saying that who would want to do such a thankless job that offends people, and that Li Meng's business dealings were notorious, so who would still look up to this token of authority.

  Li Meng unfolded the letter of introduction with some impoliteness and examined it carefully. Although it was written in traditional Chinese characters, it was not difficult to recognize. Inside the cloth package was a small copper seal, which was the seal of approval.

  "What's the use of this thing, it's just a waste of food and money, if there's not enough, I'll have to make up for it myself..."

  Zhao muttered under his breath, but was glared back by Li Meng's piercing gaze. Turning around, Li Meng gave Ma Baihu a deep bow and said in a solemn tone:

  "Many thanks to Ma Baihu, from now on if there's anything, Li will absolutely not decline."

  Ma Biao was stunned, thinking that this thing was just a good reputation, why so solemn, and was about to be polite, but then thought of his own affairs, first supporting Li Meng, clearing his throat and saying:

  "To be honest with General Li, I have another request this time."

  The request came quickly, Li Meng didn't mind, made a gesture of vice-please speak, Ma Baihu's old face was slightly red, but shouted towards the outside:

  "You little scoundrel, what are you hiding there for? Let your old man beg here!!"

  A loud shout came from this side, and a person slowly walked over to the gate of the courtyard. It was Ma Gong. The silly look he had in Fengmeng Town was gone. He lowered his head there. Ma Baihu sighed and asked:

  "Li General, this young whippersnapper knows some martial arts and is quite robust. He's been pestering me for days to follow you, Li General. I think he might be of some use, so I'm pulling out all the stops to ask you to take him in."

  After finishing, the old hundred households used a more respectful attitude to hold fists and make a bow as a courtesy. Looking at the elderly opposite him, he was embarrassed but still made such a big gift to a young man who was younger than himself and lower in official position. Li Meng suddenly felt his heart soften, and Ma Gang, such a sturdy young man, was indeed what he needed. He smiled politely and said:

  "What's with all the fuss, Ma Biao? This young fellow Ma Gun is quite decent. I'll take him in."

  When Li Meng said this, Ma Baihu was slightly excited and raised his head to say:

  "Li Zongqi, this little scoundrel is now yours. You can beat him or scold him, even if you kill him with a knife, it's his own fault. I won't say more."

  Ma Baihu was straightforward and efficient, and after paying his respects, he turned around and walked to Ma Gong's side, scolding him a few words, and then went home. Li Meng looked at Ma Gong shrinking back and forth, and couldn't help but say loudly:

  "Kid, aren't you resentful in your heart?"

  This horse is indeed unmanageable, and it's necessary to tame it. Li Meng could naturally see that, and the horse replied in a low voice at the door:

  "Your fists and feet aren't bad, but when it comes to weapons, you may not be able to beat me!"

  Li Meng burst out laughing and thought to himself, "This really is a child," then immediately spoke up:

  "Alright, follow me to the seaside, let's have a competition!"