Lu Ming

Sitting next to Lord Wu was a middle-aged man with an ordinary face in a plain cloth robe.

After Sister Jiao entered the door, she saw the murderous Lord Wu sitting at the head, her legs softened half a bit, and she was about to kneel down to salute.However, Lord Wu changed his normal routine today, he got up quickly, and without waiting for Sister Jiao to salute, he helped the thin woman to sit on the chair.

"They're all neighbors in the neighborhood. They don't look up and look down. Sister Jiao doesn't need to be polite." Master Wu, who is usually fierce, tried to force a smile from his face, and said kindly.

Seeing that his elder sister bowed her head and didn't answer, Jiao Er couldn't help feeling anxious when she saw that her elder sister bowed her head and didn't answer. He hurriedly smoothed things over with a smile: "Thank you, Master Wu, for your kindness, um... this... my sister has been worried about my nephew's condition recently, and she is a little out of her mind. One, atonement, atonement."

Mr. Wu first laughed, then shook his head, and then said to the woman who had kept her head down: "Sister Jiao, don't think about it any longer. It's not a precious thing to change two worthless bottles. , Neighbors, can someone Wu still harm you?"

When Master Wu said this, he lifted a silk handkerchief on the table, revealing two snow-white silver ingots underneath, and then looked at Sister Jiao playfully.

The next moment, Sister Jiao slowly raised her head, showing struggle and panic all over her face: "Master Wu, stealing from the master, if the incident happens, I can't afford to wait for the poor and small households!"

"Why should I?" Master Wu laughed loudly at this moment: "Sister Jiao, don't be afraid, those bumpkins who are waiting to come from Zhangzhou dare to act wildly in my city of Fuzhou? If there is any trouble in this matter, it will all fall on me !"

After thinking about it, Master Wu leaned over to Sister Jiao and said: "After finishing this ticket, you can find an excuse to quit your job and take the reward money to help your son recuperate first. When my nephew recovers, Rui Fuzhai How about I find you a job as a sweeper at the shopkeeper of the horse? The monthly fee is only high but not low!"

Seeing the panic on Sister Jiao's face gradually receding, Master Wu's face became more and more pleasant: "You can take the 20 taels of silver now, if the money is used up and my nephew's illness is not cured, you can come to me again .Neighbors in the neighborhood, can you still see death without saving them?"

While Sister Jiao was struggling, the gentle and unremarkable middle-aged man on the side opened his mouth with a slightly weird accent and said, "Forget it, your son has a cough like that, and ordinary people can't cure it. In this way, Yin Zi You take it away, I will send someone to deliver the medicine in the afternoon, it will be effective today, and it will be packed within 7 days, how about it?"

...Sister Jiao opened her mouth wide at this moment.

After being slightly startled, Mr. Wu laughed "hohoho": "Sister Jiao, with Mr. Song's action, your son's life is saved. This is a blessing from the previous life! Why don't you hurry up and thank you Over grown-ups?"

I didn't bother to think about how this old man knew about his child's illness. The next moment, Sister Jiao knelt down in front of Song Jia with a "plop" and said, "My lord is merciful. I don't want the money and women. I just ask the old man to cure her." My child..."

Song Jia smiled slightly at this time, and reached out to take the bamboo basket that Sister Jiao brought in, and then put the two ingots of silver on the table and a pair of blue-glazed plum vases less than 10 inches high into the basket, and then used Cover with a coarse cloth.

After bowing and stuffing the basket into Sister Jiao's hand, Song Jia said gently, "Is there any reason not to get rewards for doing things? You take the money, so we can feel at ease..."

"Traveling is beneficial, business wins the top prize, the disease is getting better, and the pursuit of fame will be fulfilled" these words floated in Sister Jiao's mind. At this moment, she finally stopped hesitating, and her eyes gradually revealed a trace of determination.

……

In the afternoon of that day, seeing her 10-year-old son fall asleep peacefully for the first time in many days after taking a few strange white pills, Sister Jiao knew that it was time for her to ask for leave and it was time to go to work.

Carefully hiding the pair of plum vases under the bamboo basket, Sister Jiao walked all the way to the door of a shop not far from home.

The location of this shop is not good, it is not at the intersection or downtown, but in the middle of a small street.

Arriving at the door of this silk and satin shop named "Hengguangkang", Sister Jiao straightened her skirt a little, greeted the man in Tsing Yi with two big arms and round waist at the door, who didn't look like a buddy at all, and walked straight into the door .

Heng Guangkang's silk and satin shop, which seems to have no business, is the same as most shops in the Ming Dynasty, with a shop in the front and a bed in the back.

Sister Jiao went all the way through the front shop, entered the courtyard, and then walked past a dozen or so men who were practicing gun sticks in the backyard without changing her face, and entered the woodshed.

After coming out of the woodshed, Sister Jiao wrapped her head scarf and sleeves, carried a broom and dustpan, and began to clean the whole yard.

At around 4 o'clock in the afternoon, Sister Jiao finished cleaning the outside room, and began to clean the master's study with a bucket, a rag and a duster.

The shopkeeper of "Hengguangkang" is surnamed Zheng, and the name of Zheng Zhilong's is Zheng Sancai.

Zheng Sancai is the cousin of Comrade Zheng Zhilong who has not released the fifth service.This person was able to speak eloquently, write and calculate, and won the trust of Zheng Zhilong, so he was assigned to this important part of Fuzhou as the director of the Fuzhou Office of Zheng's Pirate Group.

Generally speaking, most of the people who come to Hengguangkang's silk and satin shop to do business are not here to buy silk, but to buy flags. In recent years, if shipowners want to pass through the Jinxia area safely, it is best to buy a Gan Zheng's recognition of the flag is more appropriate.

Of course, not many people buy high-end consumer goods such as flag recognition.Therefore, Director Zheng Sancai's daily business needs to be completed before 10 o'clock in the morning.

So every afternoon, Sister Jiao would clean the two large and small study rooms in the second courtyard and the backyard.

Sister Jiao worked extraordinarily hard today, carrying a bucket, going in and out of the two study rooms to clean for a long time.Twice among them, the wooden bucket in Sister Jiao's hand did not actually contain water, but a plum bottle covered with a rag.

There used to be a pair of blue-glazed plum vases on the shelves in the large and small study rooms.These two sets of porcelain are not particularly expensive things.It was the general goods that were bought from a street porcelain store when it was first renovated.Therefore, plum vases of the same style and specification can be easily found in porcelain shops.

Sister Jiao's task today is to replace a plum vase from each of the two study rooms.

In the evening, Sister Jiao handed over the two replaced plum vases to the connector. At the same time, an unremarkable team, surrounded by a green bamboo sedan chair, also came to the back door of the governor's yamen in Fujian.

Chapter 189 The Night Party Xiong Wencan

Fuya Back Street.

Song Jia has long since lost her image as a merchant in the early days.Now he is wearing a straw hat, dressed in a brown bunt, very unremarkable, very working people.

It was already dark, Song Jia lowered her head, sitting on an old stone drum by the street, the cigarette butt in her hand flickered on and off.

He was located 50 meters away from the back door of Fu Ya.Next to the small street is a green bamboo sedan chair and four bearers played by intelligence officers from Fuzhou Station, with one Song Jia outside, and nothing else.

As for "Cao Chuan", it was taken away by Xiong Wencan's confidant servant Xiong Qi 5 minutes ago.

After the two parties met in the back street of Fuya, Cao Chuan, who was wearing veils, followed Xiong Qi who was carrying a lantern, and quietly walked into the backyard of Fuya through a side door.

The Chinese-style government offices of most dynasties have rigid rules.Although the Futai yamen covers a large area, it is actually a large and dilapidated county yamen, equally desolate and dilapidated.

According to Yu Gong, in the feudal dynasty under a strict centralization system, local officials did not have funds for repairs - most of the taxes were turned over to the Ministry of Households, and there was no budget for this at all.

In private, the salary of local officials in the Ming and Qing Dynasties was a contract system, and all the money for supporting the family, mistresses, and staff were included in it, and it was even more impossible to repair the government for the country.

……

Zhang Dongdong... No, it was Comrade "Cao Chuan", who followed Xiong Qi's ass not far, and walked around to the door of the small study where Xiong Wencan was.Waiting for the time for Xiong Qi to go in to report, Zhang Dongdong took off his veil and straightened his clothes.

Soon, Zhang Dongdong was invited in by Xiong Qi.

Before he had time to observe the study room illuminated by the solar lights, after Zhang Dongdong entered the door, following the standard training procedure, he stepped forward with his head bowed, raised his robe, and knelt down to the figure in the chair: "Caomin Cao Chuan greets Lord Fujun."

"Cao Chuan, you don't need to be polite, please get up quickly." Xiong Wencan, who was wearing a loose-pattern robe, leaned over and lifted Cao Chuan, whose knees were not on the ground, to his feet.

"Thank you, Lord Fujun!"

...Xiong Wencan treats the visitor with such courtesy, which is also the meaning in the title.

The old Xiong who can become a big official of the frontier is naturally not a bookworm of etiquette. At this moment, in the environment where the two are alone, it is meaningless to put on that set of official airs.

In addition, starting from Hangzhou Xiongdao, the old Xiong has collected a lot of silver and jewelry used by the officials to explore the way.On Cao Chuan's gift list three days ago, the silver ingots used to make the base were 1 taels, and 5 strings of pearls—the most rare treasure, the pure sun lamp, which is now on the table.This is a real treasure. So far, the traveler has only given away this one, and there will be no more in the future, even the emperor will not be able to get it.

In a word: short-handed.

In addition, it is also Xiong Wencan's official attitude that he has settled down before leaving Beijing.Therefore, apart from changing the object of appeasement, the old bear followed the established routine in other aspects.

Why do you want to treat people with courtesy?I have to ask Zheng Zhilong about this.

In fact, since the Ming-Ho Penghu War began 4 years ago, the Zheng Zhilong Group, which was dispatched by the government at that time to fight against the Dutch, was in a state of being recruited—fudged—continue to beckoned—continue to be fooled.

Generally speaking, the Dutchman and Lao Zheng are both chamber pots in the eyes of the government.Sometimes the government promises to appease Lao Zheng, and sometimes promises to open up trade to the Dutch. When one group of people jumps, they will use bait to attract the other group to attack and kill each other.

This kind of trick has been played until last year, that is, the first year of crossing. In 1627, the government finally collapsed.

What happened is: Zheng Zhilong felt the warm current of appeasement again after several robberies and disturbances in early 1627.This time it was Cai Shanji, who was the prefect of Quanzhou at the time, who came forward this time.

However, when Zheng Zhilong rushed to Quanzhou to meet Cai Shanji, he did not get the enthusiasm and sincerity he imagined—familiar routines, familiar smiles, familiar disdain from the bottom of his bones...

Lao Zheng realized at this moment.In the words of later generations, Lao Zheng finally let go of his burdens, abandoned all distracting thoughts, and resolutely began to implement the line of comprehensive armed struggle.

So Lao Zheng started to make a fuss.As for the government, they also skillfully organized the three-party coalition forces of officials, bandits and foreigners, but this time, Lao Zheng defeated the coalition forces.

From the moment when Yu Zigao, the general soldier, was beaten and fled, the government's set of tricks of driving tigers and wolves could no longer be played, just like those Ponzi platforms who ran away in later generations, dancing on the tip of the knife, The bubble will burst one day.

So there was the old bear Fumin.So Cai Shanji's normal attitude of looking down on pirates at the beginning has now become a superficial excuse: pay attention to etiquette, because the face has been swollen from the beating, this time it is a real recruitment, not a fake recruitment...

……

"At a young age, it's not easy, not easy." Xiong Wencan stroked his beard lightly after Cao Chuan sat down, and said gently: "Cao Chuan, you are here today, and your ability to judge the situation is amazing. Not too small, hehe."

"It's all about the love of the adults, and not the despicability of the villains. How dare Cao Chuan pay his respects?"

"Ha ha……"

A wave of business bragging at the beginning is a necessary routine.One pretends to be a mentor, and the other recites the teacher's example. The scene is very harmonious.

Then the topic unfolded.

The first question that Lao Xiong asked in the conversation did not meet Zhang Dongdong's expectation: Why did the people from across the world want to grab Zheng Zhilong's consolation?

Zhang Dongdong then explained his motivation from a relatively unique angle according to the answers he had prepared beforehand: commodities.

Zhang Dongdong said that, including the kerosene lamp given to Lao Xiong before, and the glass bowl and other goodies, they were all made by the secret method learned from the Taixi people by the traveler, and he opened a kiln in Dayuan.

Therefore, the time-traveling crowd is different from the Zheng Zhilong gang that doesn't do production. The cross-travel crowd is good people with high-quality products, family business and perseverance. The only thing missing now is the Daming market after the court's approval...so we need to recruit.

……

Xiong Wencan nodded slightly after listening.

The Confucian officials of the Ming Dynasty did not understand how wealth was generated through domestic demand and external demand trade.Therefore, people like Zheng Zhilong transport domestic products to foreign countries for sale. In their view, this kind of behavior of buying and selling instead of production is just digging the corner of the country.

However, the situation that Cao Chuan told him just now is much better than that of the Zheng family - at least they also have output, although they are not genuine goods such as grain and cloth, but the oil lamp glass bowl is also a daily need, isn't it?Maybe it can be used as a tribute.

If this is the case, then the time-traveling forces who have a family, a business, and pots and pans are indeed of a higher level than rogues like the Zheng family.

After Xiong Wencan thought for a while, he put the matter aside for the time being, and instead considered Zhang Dongdong's judgment on the current situation.

Of course, this aspect is the strong point of "Cao Chuan".

Xiong Wencan's question, to put it bluntly, is that if the old man goes out to appease the queens, how will Cao Chuan and the others wipe out these big and small gangsters on the sea?

Zhang Dongdong answered this question in two steps.

The first point: Zhang Dongdong said that all the cross-travelers have sharp firearms, and the main ships are all built with Western methods, so they have strong firepower and strong combat effectiveness-you see, the Dutch were all beaten away by their brothers.

The second point: Zhang Dongdong modestly stated that the soldiers under his command are brave and brave, but the number is small, and they are only suitable for breaking through the formation with sharp knives and taking the heads of enemy generals... As for the strategy, Boss Xiong will still be needed to preside over the overall situation in the future. Let's just listen to the yelling, and cut whoever you say!

……

Xiong Wencan narrowed his eyes when he heard this.

The people who have studied the old bear's mind thoroughly for a long time, every word he said now scratched the old bear's heart.

In history, the old bear pinched his nose to appease the old Zheng, and then used the old Zheng to dominate the rivers and lakes, so that the old Zheng couldn't lose his tail. In just a few years, the power of the whole province of Fujian could no longer control the old Zheng.

After Zheng Zhilong was caressed, the Ming court issued many edicts, intending to transfer Zheng Zhilong to the north and south, to fight with all walks of life... However, Zheng Zhilong stuck to his old nest and refused to obey the edict. The Ming court had no choice.

Xiong Wencan, who has read the history books, couldn't see this situation of separatism in the feudal town when he recruited him back then?

In fact, Xiong Wencan knew very well what would happen after recruiting, but he had nothing to do—Old Xiong was a traditional bureaucrat who hoped to get rid of all problems during his tenure. Facing Zheng Zhilong's dominance, what could he do?He is also very desperate!

Now everything is different.

When "Cao Chuan" said: I am very fierce, but my foundation is not enough, so I will listen to you in terms of the overall situation, including the large troops that will be used to strengthen the momentum in the future. Itchy meat is on.

What are the government's strengths?Isn't it just a lot of resources?The old bear can send money to the vassal treasury, he can mobilize the soldiers and horses of the whole province of Fujian, and he can seal the civilian ships of the whole province. The only thing he lacks is a fierce general who can break the formation!

And the cooperation method proposed by Cao Chuan tonight is exactly the situation that Old Xiong wants to see most: a few elites will come forward to kill the chiefs and break the formation, and the officers and soldiers will cover up and kill them later.Afterwards, most of the meritorious officers and soldiers took away most of them, the number of them is small, and they have no foundation in Fujian. They will rely on his old man to live in the future. If this is the case, the initiative is in their hands at any time, so naturally I am not afraid that Cao Chuanwei will not lose...

At this moment, Xiong Wencan fell into deep thought.

Comrade "Cao Chuan" naturally wouldn't interrupt Old Xiong's thoughts at this time, so the small study fell into a period of silence.

……

When Xiong Qi came in with a tea tray to change the water, he found that the conversation between his master and Cao Haizhu had come to an end, because they were already talking about some unimportant business matters.

However, at this moment, Xiong Qi heard a sentence that made his heart beat 180 in an instant: "It doesn't matter where you take office in the future, the business of the glass cups and bowls of Xiaomin will always have to trouble you to find some buyers locally. It’s not easy to do business now, and the alley is too deep for this wine!”

Xiong Qi walked out of the study with trembling legs. What floated in his eyes at the moment were those crystal clear glass bowls and monstrous silver ingots: Do you need to look for buyers for this kind of treasure?

Xiong Qi immediately reacted: I am afraid that as long as my master nods, the business of this glazed bowl in Fujian will be handled by Xiong as the general agent in the future!

Ah, what kind of grass is this... Xiong Qi's soul is out of his body at this moment, he just wants to turn around and rush into the house, hugging his master's thigh and crying: When you grow old, you must send your loyal servant Xiong Qi to be the shopkeeper! !

Chapter 190 Detour

A pleasant conversation can shorten the time, especially when both parties have mutual interests.

So when Song Jia finally waited for "Cao Chuan" to return from Fuya Back Street, it was already 11 o'clock in the middle of the night.

In just a few hours, Xiong Qi, who was leading the way, seemed to have a much better attitude.Not only did he diligently help Cao Haizhu to draw up the sedan chair curtain, but he also hung a lantern with the words "Governor's Yamen" on the sedan head.

Ever since, Song Jia and his party returned to the other courtyard safely. The patrolmen they met along the way did not step forward to question after seeing the lantern.

After returning to the house, Song Jia, who had already predicted from the time someone stayed in the yamen and Xiong Qi's attitude changes before and after, that the summit should have a good effect, heard Zhang Dongdong's good news as expected.

That night, radio waves not only shuttled over the city of Fuzhou, but also traveled across the ocean, and the people who traveled as far away as Dayuan and Hangzhou also received good news at the same time.

……

Early the next morning, Huang Ping was summoned by Xiong Wencan.

Huang Juren, who had already learned the main points of last night's talk from the radio, was not stage frightened in front of Lao Xiong at this moment, and talked freely: with a seemingly fair attitude, a seemingly fair comparison, and a seemingly fair evaluation, he will make the old Xiong go without a trace. Zheng Hei made a pass.

The old Xiong suffered because he hadn't been connected to the Internet of the later generations, and he was not very familiar with these bright and dark routines, so he accidentally fell for it... After listening to Huang Juren's unique style of strategic analysis, the old Xiong finally decided to Decided to continue receiving the senior officials tonight.

This time there are two protagonists: Lao Xiong not only wants to meet Cao Chuan, but also wants to meet Cao Chuan's general: Sha Zhengming.