Fenghou

"Why don't I go out and find out. I have a cousin who is in the wine business in the city. I'll look for him."

"Uncle Jiang, let's go! Mei Wu and I will go out for a walk and see if we can find Changxi Commercial Bank."

"Okay, let's meet tonight."

The three soldiers divided into two groups and each went out. Zhong Huan took a folding fan and walked slowly on the street in a leisurely manner. He was born as a Jinshi, with both civil and military skills. He pretended to be a scholar, which is his true nature, not just pretending.

Mei Wu still followed behind him, with an honest and dull face, without saying a word, Zhong Huan hailed a bullock cart and came to West Street. He only knew that the Changxi Commercial Firm he was looking for was located on West Street, but he didn't know where it was. up.

Changxi Commercial Bank is the purchasing firm of the Western Army in the south of the Yangtze River. There are three in total, located in Pingjiang Mansion, Lin'an, and Yangzhou. Among them, the Changxi Commercial Bank in Pingjiang Mansion is the largest.

Zhong Huan came to Pingjiang Mansion to do business, of course he wanted help from his own people. After all, Pingjiang Mansion is the core jurisdiction of the imperial court, and the Western Army has no influence here. This Changxi Commercial Bank is the only institution of the Western Army in Pingjiang Mansion.

In fact, Zhong Huan didn't know that Pingjiang Mansion also had an institution related to the Western Army, and that was the "Beijing News" distribution office. The "Beijing News" was finalized at night, and then typeset and printed.

After the final draft is completed, it will be sent overnight to Pingjiang Prefecture and Yuezhou, where it will be typeset and printed. At present, the sales volume of "Beijing News" in Pingjiang Prefecture is [-] copies a day. This is not because it cannot be sold, but because it cannot print more newspaper.

Chong Huan walked around with his hands behind his back, and finally found Changxi Commercial House. It was a two-storey shop with a small facade and a width of only one foot. It was inconspicuous on the West Street. The firm needs to purchase 10,000+ supplies twice a year in Jiangnan, and it is even more unexpected that it will be an official organization of the Western Army. Perhaps this effect is what the Western Army wants, low-key, hidden, and unnoticed.

"Excuse me, are you two okay?"

As soon as Zhong Huan entered the store, a clerk greeted him with a vigilant look on his face. They did not welcome strangers.

Zhong Huan laughed and said, "I'm looking for Guan Lu!"

"Guard Lu is here, may I ask if you are..."

Chong Huan took out the inner guard's silver plate and shook it, and the assistant immediately recognized the inner guard's eagle head plate, and hurriedly said: "Please follow me!"

When Zhong Huan came to the back hall, he saw Lu Fan, the chief steward, who was doing accounts. Lu Fan was the eldest son of Lu Datong, born of a concubine, and he was not treated well by Lu Datong.

"Oh! What a kind of general."

Lu Fan knew Zhong Huan, he was very surprised and rushed to greet him.

"I was ordered to come here to investigate the case!" Zhong Huan said with a slight smile.

"I see, please sit down!"

Lu Fan warmly greeted Zhong Huan and his men to sit down, and asked the waiter to serve tea.

"When did General Zhong arrive?"

Zhong Huan took a sip of hot tea and said with a slight smile, "I just arrived at noon today, and I'm currently staying at the Gaosheng Inn next to Fuxue."

Lu Fan nodded, "I know where it is. In fact, General Zhong can live with me. I have several guest rooms upstairs!"

Chong Huan shook his head with a smile, "It's not necessary, it's convenient to live there, but I'm here to investigate this time, and I need to ask Guanshi Lu for help."

"Just say it and see if I can help."

Chong Huan thought for a while, and said slowly: "Jingzhao's Taibai Restaurant spent 12 guan to buy Wang Hao's Yi'an Teahouse. ?He is now considered one of the biggest businessmen in Jingzhao, but Neiwei knows nothing about his background and identity. Since this transaction involves the princess, Neiwei decided to thoroughly investigate the background of Taibai Restaurant. We only know its background The head office is in Pingjiang Mansion, but there is no Taibai Restaurant in Pingjiang Mansion, maybe it has another name."

Lu Fan thought for a while and asked, "What's the last name of their proprietor?"

"The surname is Liu!"

"Surname Liu?"

Lu Fan pondered for a moment, he suddenly thought of someone, and said to himself: "Could it be him?"

The first thousand and 130 chapters are undoubtedly

"Who did Manager Lu think of?" Zhong Huan asked.

Lu Fan pondered for a while and said: "There are two famous restaurants in Pingjiang Mansion, one is called Huilou and the other is called Qingfenglou. Behind them is a proprietor. I heard that the proprietor is surnamed Liu. It is said that he was once a famous restaurant in Bianliang. Grain merchants..."

"Yes! This is the person. According to the information we got, the proprietors of Taibai Restaurant are the four major grain merchants in Bianliang."

Zhong Huan asked again: "Can I get his detailed information?"

"I can give it a try!"

Lu Fan slowly said: "I know a few well-informed Yaren and businessmen in Pingjiang Mansion. They are not only well-informed, but also have a wide range of channels. They can find out all the news they want to know. Today is too late. I will call you tomorrow morning." Go find them, General Zhong will come by this time the day after tomorrow, there should be news."

……

Zhong Huan took Mei Wu back to the inn and had dinner in the inn. At this time, Uncle Jiang also came back.

"Has Uncle Jiang had dinner? I'll ask the shopkeeper to bring another one over."

"No, I ate at my cousin's."

Uncle Jiang sat down and drank a few sips of water, and said to Zhong Huan: "My cousin told me that there are a lot of dignitaries and wealthy people in the Northern Song Dynasty gathered here in Pingjiang Mansion. The proprietor of the building is also named Liu, and both of them are very wealthy, so they may be the proprietors of Taibai Restaurant."

Zhong Huan frowned, "But Manager Lu of Changxi Commercial Bank told me that the proprietors of Huilou and Qingfenglou are the same person!"

"Certainly not. Moreover, these two are enemies and have a deep hatred. My cousin is in the wine business and provides wine to both restaurants. I know them well, so I can't make a mistake."

This time he got a little dizzy, Zhong Huan thought for a while and asked again: "Did your cousin tell me who is the grain merchant in Bianliang?"

"The proprietor of Huilou is more likely. The proprietor of Qingfenglou is only in his early thirties, and he was a child more than ten years ago."

"What's the enmity between the two of them?" Zhong Huan asked again.

"I didn't ask that!" Uncle Jiang said apologetically.

At this time, Mei Wu, who had been silent all this time, said: "You can ask the innkeeper, he must know about this kind of thing."

"What do you want to ask me?" The innkeeper happened to come in with a pot of hot tea and a smile.

Zhong Huan smiled slightly and said, "It's about Huilou and Qingfenglou. I heard that the proprietors of the two have enmity. Does the shopkeeper know?"

"Of course I know. Everyone in Pingjiang Mansion knows about this. In fact, these two are uncles and nephews. We are called Lao Liu and Xiao Liu, and they are both from Bianliang. Said she was a courtesan."

From the shopkeeper, I got a third statement. The proprietors of Huilou and Qingfenglou are uncles and nephews. In fact, this statement does not conflict with the news brought by Uncle Jiang.

"Tell me specifically?"

Zhong Huan said with a smile: "This kind of thing is quite interesting."

"That's right, this kind of thing really makes people more interested. The woman is Li Rufeng, the courtesan of Baidielou. She is more beautiful than Li Shishi in the past, and her flesh and gold are extremely expensive. One night's spring night costs [-] guan. Xiao Liu is fascinated by her." I want to redeem her and marry her as a concubine. Da Liu has long been tempted by her, and then took advantage of Xiao Liu's opportunity to go to Lin'an to redeem Li Rufeng first and take her as a concubine. She hanged herself, and Xiao Liu's name was written all over her brocade handkerchief."

Chong Huan said with a smile: "I can't see that this famous prostitute is really in love with Xiao Liu!"

"I don't know if there is any real love. After Xiao Liu came back, when he heard the news, he burst into tears. He led people to beat the old bustard half to death, then went to smash Qingfeng Building to pieces, and personally led people to kill Da Liu. He was so frightened." Liu Lianye fled to the Health Mansion."

"and after?"

"Later someone mediated for their uncle and nephew, and the two reluctantly made peace, but the enmity has since ended. In the past three years, it is said that the uncle and nephew have not even seen each other, and they went to the family temple separately when they worshiped their ancestors."

Zhong Huan asked again, "Is there anyone else in their family?"

"There should be! I don't know the details. Their family is quite mysterious. If it weren't for the celebrity prostitute incident, no one would know that the two restaurants ranked No. [-] and No. [-] in Pingjiang Mansion are actually owned by the same family."

Zhong Huan nodded, "Thank you, shopkeeper!"

The innkeeper chuckled and walked away.

Zhong Huan said slowly: "If the shopkeeper's news is true, then Taibai Restaurant is funded by the Liu family, and their family should have a real person in power, and their family's strength is by no means more than two restaurants."

……

The next day he had a day off, and on the afternoon of the third day, Zhong Huan came to Changxi Commercial Bank again.

Lu Fan smiled and asked Zhong Huan to sit down, and then asked the waiter to serve tea. Zhong Huan sat down and asked anxiously, "How is it? Have you found out the situation clearly?"

Lu Fan nodded, "Yesterday, I spent [-] yuan to see the land deeds of Huilou and Qingfenglou at the county government office. Their proprietors are indeed the same person, named Liu Zhen..."

"Wait a mininute!"

Zhong Huan interrupted Lu Fan, "I heard from the innkeeper that the proprietors of the two restaurants are different, they are uncles and nephews."

"The two uncles and nephews are named Liu Xiang and the other Liu Shaowu, but they are not the proprietors, but the managers of the restaurant. The proprietor is Liu Xiang's father, Liu Shaowu's grandfather, named Liu Zhen, the four major grain merchants in Bianliang back then. The leader is Liu Zhen, who invested 20 guan in Lin'an, bought half of Fengle Building, and built Huilou Restaurant by himself by the West Lake. It is said that he also spent 12 guan. [-] guan, I heard that he invested a large sum of money recently, I guess he spent [-] guan to buy Yi'an Teahouse in Jingzhao."

Lu Fan is very shrewd, he understands where is Zhong Huan's worry?He smiled and explained: "I have dealt with big businessmen in Jiangnan all the year round. Many of them bought houses in Jingzhao, but they were very cautious, and they all named their wives or daughters. Although the Liu family invested in Taibai Restaurant, they also spent 12 Guan bought Yi'an Teahouse, but they will definitely keep a low profile and don't want to be watched by the court, so that's why their family didn't show up in Jingzhao."

Chong Huan agreed with Lu Fan's explanation, keeping a low profile and avoiding risks. Even if these big families are looking for a way out in Lin'an, they will be very low-key. Please King Yong.

Zhong Huan nodded, "In this way, we basically match up with the Liu family of Pingjiang Prefecture."

……

Chong Huan thought about it, and he decided not to visit Liu's house. After all, this is Pingjiang Mansion, not Jingzhao. Once his identity is revealed, he might put himself in danger.

Early the next morning, Zhong Huan and two of his men were preparing to return to Jingzhao, but Lu Fan rushed over, "I just received a pigeon letter from Dangtu County. There is news about General Zhong from Dangtu, saying that It is very important, General Zhong must go to Dangtu County."

"Thank you for telling me, let's go to Dangtu County."

It happened that Lu Fan had a batch of goods to be sent to Dangtu County, so Zhong Huan and two of his men took a cargo ship to Dangtu County.

"Since the situation has been investigated, why is the commander still worried?" Uncle Jiang asked with a smile.

"do not know!"

Zhong Huan shook his head and said, "I always feel that the investigation is not solid enough, it's still superficial. For example, I didn't find out the background of Liu's family in Bianliang."

"That requires Commander Qin to go to Bianliang to investigate. In Pingjiang Mansion, how can we find out about Bianliang? Besides, to become the top four grain merchants in Bianliang, you must have your thighs. Otherwise, how could it be the Liu family's turn? "

"you're right!"

Chong Huan sighed, "Maybe I'm worrying too much."

Three days later, the cargo fleet arrived in Dangtu County and docked in Dangtu County.

Zhong Huan went ashore, but unexpectedly saw Qin Kuangming, the commander of the internal guards, which made Zhong Huan startled. Isn't Qin Kuangming responsible for investigating Bianliang?How did they come to Dangtu County?

Did he find something in Bianliang?

The first thousand and 130 six chapters are weird

After Chong Huan landed, Qin Kuangming stepped forward to salute and handed him a pigeon letter, "Let's take a look at this first, it's an urgent letter from Jingzhao from Wang Tongzhi!"

The message tube has not been opened yet, it is a red message tube, which means the situation is urgent, and there is a line of small characters on it, 'Please transfer to Zhonghuan, Pingjiang Prefecture'.

It was this small line that informed him to come to Dangtu County.

Chong Huan opened the letter box, took out a small roll of pigeon letters, slowly unfolded it, and read it carefully in the sun. It was a letter written by Wang Hao, the governor. There was only a short sentence on it, "I found that the shopkeeper Liu was hiding in Xianyang, not leaving. Jingzhao'.

Chong Huan was stunned. The shopkeeper Liu of Taibai Restaurant was actually in Jingzhao. He didn't come to Pingjiang Mansion. Obviously, someone leaked the news during his own investigation the day before, and the shopkeeper Liu went into hiding. That steward Wu lied to him!

But the question is, why did Steward Liu hide?Why did Manager Wu lie to himself?

Confused, Chong Huan asked Qin Kuangming again, "What did you find in Bianliang?"

"I found something, this is not a place to talk, why don't we talk about it after we return to the camp! Hey, it's really weird."

……

"what?"

Chong Huan jumped up in shock, "Liu Zhen, a great grain merchant, is dead, and his whole family has been exterminated. You are talking nonsense!"

"Humble job is not nonsense at all. Liu Zhen died in a large passenger ship on the Bian River in the early years of Jingkang. Their family of eleven were all killed. The wealth that was going to be transferred southward by more than a dozen ships was missing. A few friends replaced them. The whole family collected the corpses, and even visited the cemetery, the cemetery of Liu Zhen's family."

Zhong Huan felt as if he saw a ghost in broad daylight, and felt extremely weird. Liu Zhen's family was killed, so who is Liu Zhen in Pingjiang Mansion now?Could it be the murderer who killed Liu Zhen?

Zhong Huan recalled Wang Hao's express letter again. Manager Liu of Taibai Building hid, indicating that these domestic servants knew the inside story, and there must be something wrong. Thinking of this, Zhong Huan shuddered, no way!He wants to return to Pingjiang Mansion immediately.

This time, Zhong Huan took Qin Kuangming and twelve of his men back to Pingjiang Mansion by boat.

It was too conspicuous for more than a dozen people to enter the city together, so Zhong Huan booked an inn outside the city, and everyone settled down first, and then Zhong Huan went into the city and found Lu Fan again.

Lu Fan didn't expect the situation to become serious, he asked a little nervously, "What does General Zhong need me to do?"

Chong Huan told him: "I want a domestic servant of the Liu family, a little farther away from the county seat, such as a steward of a certain manor. You can help me inquire about such a person. Don't ask too many people, so as not to leak the news."

Lu Fan thought for a while and said: "I know a man from Zhuangzhai who is very well informed. As long as he is willing to spend money, he can find out everything about Pingjiang Mansion, and he keeps his mouth shut."

"Go and find out! Come and find me at the Fang's inn outside Changmen tomorrow, do you know that inn?"

Lu Fan nodded, "I know that inn!"

Zhong Huan then left and went back to the inn.

……

At noon of the next day, Lu Fan came to Fang's inn outside Changmen as promised, money can make ghosts go, let alone just asking for news, the high price of [-] guan is enough to buy all the news that can be obtained.

Lu Fan smiled and said to Chong Huan: "It is true. Near Yushan Mountain in Changshu County, the Liu family has a Shenjun Manor. The steward of the manor is called Liu Lu, who is the domestic servant of the Liu family. He is at home these two days. Will go to the manor."

Zhong Huan asked again, "Where is his home?"

Lu Fan took out a note and handed it to Zhong Huan, "This is the detailed address of his home!"