Zhuoying

The rest of the days passed quickly. After the harsh winter, the spring was cold.The snow in the fenced yard has just melted, and Shi Yu is about to go out.The academy is about to open, and the collection of books in the Book Pavilion is insufficient. Shi Yu is going to Jiangtang to bring back Zhong You's collection of books.Going early and returning early, Zhong You explained the location and prepared several thick shirts for him.Su Shuo's first trip to Yuanhuo after winter was also in Jiangtang, and Shi Yu was going with him.

As soon as Shi Yu left, only Zhong You and Su Zhou were left in the fence courtyard, reading and writing every day.Zhong You originally thought that Shi Yu would only be back and forth for half a month, but he didn't know that he hadn't returned until March when the spring was warm.Not only Shi Yu, but also Su Shuo has been spending time in Jiangtang.The men from the Mongolian Pavilion sent back the books and enclosed a letter, only saying that the business in Jiangtang was delayed and everything was fine, but there was no return date yet.

The peach branches in the fenced courtyard are newly sprouting, and the academy is welcoming students for the first time.On this day, Meng Chen personally came to sit in the town, and the town yamen and the village chief were all present.The plaque of Canglang is raised high, and the strange stone engraved with the school motto and rules is lifted up. Zhong You holds the tree, faces all the students, and pays homage to the ancestors of the industry.

This is considered to have met his own students.

Rong Yang narrowed his eyes, and whispered: "Sir, you have a good vibe." Shaozhen beside him didn't reply, he asked in confusion, "Shaozhen?"

Shaozhen only felt that Changhe Town was really a big place, and he could meet familiar people when he entered school.Isn't this gentleman the one who gave him the pear last time?But that's not enough, as soon as he turned his head, he could see Pu Cheng who was tied into a hemp ball.

The two looked at each other, and Shaozhen pulled the corners of his lips, showing a sarcasm.Pu Cheng hissed, and raised his chin at him, indicating that this person should not be too arrogant. From now on, everyone will be in the same courtyard, see each other without looking up, and have time to settle accounts.

Shaozhen ignored him, and only said to Rongyang: "Wait, let's stay in the same room."

Rong Yang said hello, and said again: "Is that senior brother?"

Shaozhen also saw the young man following Zhong You, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, wearing a small green shirt, and imitated his master's posture three or four points.

"That's right." Shaozhen only glanced at it.Except for Rong Yang, he has no desire to deal with these classmates at all.One is troublesome, and the other is unnecessary.Changhe Town is just that big. I'm afraid people will say bad things about what he has done in the past.Everyone made friends on the face, but no one knew what the idea was in their hearts.In comparison, he would rather have a few fights with a bastard like Pu Cheng.

The students will be taken by the Mongolians to the Zhaisha, and Zhong You will also have a scene with the gentlemen.It was almost time to thank him before talking to Meng Chen.

"It's really helpless to delay the return trip on Shiliu." Meng Chen lit the incense, bowed to the superior, and said: "The business in Jiangtang has caused some disturbances."

"Changhe Town is a good place." Zhong You answered irrelevant words.

Meng Chen knew what he meant, and only said: "It is indeed a good place."

Changhe Town is along the Changhe River, in Qingping, even Xuhang and Wuhan, it can be said to be in all directions, as long as there is a boat, you can travel from the hinterland of Dalan to all the fertile and prosperous places in the south.Meng Chen's rank in the Beiyang Army is not low, otherwise he would not be able to reach Hou Ke's side. He is the one who fought with Jinghou in Dayuan.Jinghou is also the eldest brother of the Supreme Emperor, he has a good relationship with the Supreme Emperor, why did he suddenly settle down?Want to be an old Mr. Meng who doesn't show his face in Changhe Town?

Shi Yu only runs business, and has already been stained with blood.Going further inside, Zhong You has already guessed something.

Meng Chen lit the incense, and said with his hands behind his back: "In the spring of last year, a sea port was opened on the edge of Xuhang. Sir, he knew about it. Once this port was opened, maritime merchants entered, Xuhang did not have Zhong's family, and all parties were complicated. Other things It is said that many new gadgets have been passed in. This time it has flowed into Jiangtang, and I am afraid that your father will not be able to sit still."

Zhong You walked with him under the sunlight, the surroundings were brightly lit, there were people coming and going not far away, but no one came to disturb them without understanding.

Most of the sea merchants come from the other side of the sea, and the so-called new gadgets refer to things that Da Lan has never seen before.Most of them are small objects. Last year, Xuhang Prefecture got a "jade glazed window" from a sea merchant and sent it to Kyoto. This thing is not too rare, because Dalan already had glazed products.But as soon as this happened, Haishang really fell into Dalan's eyes.

"My elder brother has entered the court, and the Zhong family dare not cross this line." Zhong You said lightly, "Father wants to extend his hand, but he also needs to consider whether it is worthwhile."

Hong Xingnian had a Yan Jue book dealer, Gai Dalan, who monopolized food and grass first, and now the Holy One will definitely not allow the merchant's family to dominate.The Zhong family has already acquired the Jiangtang, if they are delusional about Xuhang and the seaport, then the smooth flow given by the imperial court can be invalidated immediately.

Mengchen paused, and suddenly asked: "Have you heard of 'Yansu'?"

"Never." Zhong You also stopped in his tracks, "New food brought in by the sea merchants?"

Meng Chen said: "It's not food, but something for entertainment." He frowned, and said: "It is said that this thing is very fragrant, and it is smoked by bongs. Now Xu Hang has set up several tobacco shops, which are exclusively for this thing. Its price is very high, and it is only exchanged for gold. It is not only handled in Fujiali, but also passed on to officials in Fuzhou. This year, a batch has already entered Jiangtang. This is a very profitable thing. This thing has been turned upside down years ago." He looked at Zhong You, "At this moment in Jiangtang, your father has taken over the branch of a maritime merchant and wants to do this business. Sir, he knows best that His Majesty has long had the idea of ​​digging a canal. Once this thing enters Zhong's house, it may run through the north and south of Dalan, and go straight to Jingzhen and even Dayuan."

What is a long river?

Together with the prosperity of the three lands of Dalan, it is known as the direct channel of Dalan's granary.Jiangtang, Qingping, and Xuhang have been prosperous for a long time, and the Zhong family has stable control of the Changhe waterway. Once this thing is sold exclusively, they will definitely reap huge profits.Zhong You said in the foreword that his father would not reach out easily, but that was under the premise that Xu Hang's chaos had no opportunity.

This is an opportunity to become a wealthy merchant in Dalan. As long as there is an opportunity, I would like to ask the merchants in the world, who can resist such a huge gold profit?If it goes well, Jiangtang Zhong's family will no longer be just a Jiangtang Zhong's family, and I'm afraid they will no longer be inferior to the Jingdu Zhong's family as they are today.

"The Holy One is ambitious." Meng Chen's eyes were faintly worried, "The Zhong family was not allowed to cross the border before, because they were afraid of raising tigers. But now, the canal is short of money, and with the huge profits, the Zhong family may not have the confidence to spend a lot of money to open the canal. If the Holy Majesty wants a canal, it is not impossible to promise the Zhong family an imperial merchant, but as long as the canal is connected."

According to this idea, as long as the canal is connected, the Zhong family still has two paths.One is to pay the smoke and millet, return to Jiangtang, and continue to sit firmly on the waterway.The second is to monopolize the millet, gather huge profits, expand the canal transportation, and fight the imperial court to the death.

This first way... I am afraid that at that time, I will no longer consider it.

But Zhong You gradually frowned, he said: "What exactly is Yan Su?"

What is worth thousands of gold?

"Exactly this thing." Su Shuo shook off the silk, revealing a corner wrapped inside, and handed it to Shi Yu.

Shi Yu accepted.As soon as you touch it, it is tangy and sweet, but the thing is no more than half a finger long, and its appearance is not good.Shi Yu turned his fingertips and said, "Thirty gold?"

"It's so expensive that it kills you." Su Shuo smoked a pipe and threw it over, "It's because of this." He smacked his lips, "Listen to this price, even the Yulu window, which was popular in Kyoto before, can't compare. This business is so high Scary."

Shi Yu was still looking at Yan Su, and heard the words: "The Zhong family has already picked it up?"

"I just picked up Haishang and went to the house to discuss in detail." Su Shuo sat on the cargo and said to Shi Yu: "It has been rumored outside that they are determined, but I feel that the old man of the Zhong family is hesitating."

Just as he was talking, the brother outside suddenly pushed the door open and raised his head, and said to the two of them: "The 'Yuanbao' in the main room has gone to the restaurant."

Zhong Zi, the second son of the main house of the Zhong family, was called "Zhong Yuanbao" by people in Jiangtang, because he was born obese, and he liked to smash people with gold.Meng Chen asked them to keep an eye on Zhong's house, not only because of the direction of Yansu, but also because there was a problem with the weapon business on the first trip after the year.

Mengguan accepts ordinary goods in public, but in private, it really deals in weapons from military camps in various places.Except for the Jingdu Jingwei Division, all the remaining barracks equipment in Dalan, since the Yongle Year, how much was destroyed and scrapped, and how much was newly forged and repaired, all the amounts were kept in Meng Chen's hands and remembered clearly.

Meng Chen knows clearly, which means that the people above also know.Beyond today's Holy Majesty, in Nansui Mountain in Shanyin, there are people who always control the movements of the military camps in the world.Any trouble, you can see the details.

When Meng Chen came to Jiangtang years ago, he bought a batch of new forged weapons for the Beiyang Army in Jingzhen, which were the sharp thorns in Shi Yu's hands.The quantity is not small, but when Su Shuo picked up the goods after a few years, he found out that the goods were forged and cut corners during the inspection, and he would have to discount at least half of them when sending them to Jingzhen.After investigation, it turned out that Zhong's family was mixed with the forging privately, and it was this Zhong Zi.

This thing can't be done, it must be hit again.But Zhong Zi didn't accept this reasoning, he pressed Jiangtang to ship the ship, and asked Su Shuo to increase the money.Su Shuo has been following Meng Chen all these years, and what he lacks most is his temper. He turned his head and cut off the medicinal materials from Zhong Zi's pharmacy.If the thorns are not reforged, the pharmacy under Zhongzi will be out of stock.But this pharmacy is no different than other businesses, and the demand is urgent.The two parties have gone back and forth in the stalemate in Jiangtang several times, but they have not reached an agreement.

Shi Yu was impatient.

After the brother finished speaking, Shi Yu threw the millet back to Su Shuo, "I'll look at this thing when I come back tonight. I'm going, big brother."

Su Shuo looked at the cold profile of his side face, which was completely the same as when he was doing business. For some reason, he remembered his smile in the fenced yard again.

Two completely different looks.

Su Shuo suddenly felt uncomfortable.He told his master that he wanted him to meditate and cultivate his nature, but he was allowed to go in and out of business time and time again.In the past, solving things secretly relied on Shi Yu's thorns.Later, Shi Yu was indifferent, but Meng Chen vaguely felt something was wrong.But Shi Yu was already half in the dark, and they were startled to pull people.But can this matter be pulled out easily?

Su Shuo was worried about his getting married, and also wanted him to have someone who knew how to keep warm and guarded him, and then he would fade away Shi Yu and focus on bright business.But Shi Yu didn't know why, he had no intention of getting married at all, and he didn't even touch the girl.

Su Shuo didn't sigh at the time, but just patted him on the shoulder, and said: "This man is quite favored among the many children of the Zhong family. Be careful and don't overdo it."

Shi Yu hummed and went.

Zhong Zi is the most admired by people, so every time he eats wine in the pavilion, no matter whether he is male or female, he will be praised all over him, as if he is no match for the gods in the sky.When Zhong Zi was happy, he would throw gold in rewards, depending on his interest.

He drank too much today, which is the time to talk nonsense.Listening to the person next to him said: "Brother Zhong is very capable now, he entered the Ministry of Education, and I heard that he has been favored by the Holy Spirit, and he has interviewed the Holy Spirit several times!"

Zhong Zi snorted, knocked on the edge of the table, and said drunkenly: "What is that? You all praise him to the sky! Father also regards him as a treasure. But here, in this Jiangtang, in this business relationship , I am the pillar of the Zhong family!"

The people around him earnestly said yes, Zhong Zi has been in a state of distress over the past few days because of the pharmacy, and his father reprimanded him, which is the time when there is nowhere to turn the fire.He got up with a bang, knocked open the tables and chairs, pulled a prostitute, squeezed his face and looked at it for a while, then pushed the prostitute to the middle, and cursed: "You bastard! You have double hook eyes!" He ruthlessly With a bah sound, he said to the prostitute: "Get up and give me a bow!" He leaned closer to his face and sneered, "Take all your laughter away! Be ruthless and cut off!"

But how dare this prostitute be cruel to him?Zhong Zi yelled again, and cursed: "I don't understand!" He kicked the tables and chairs, "The bastards are all on the head of the master now!" He staggered and pointed around, and shouted: "Have you heard of anything? Idle clouds and white gulls? That's the pickle at home! A dirty thing! You don't even deserve to lick your shoes in front of your face! What is that thing? It's a thing that doesn't even have a seat in the house during the holidays! "

Zhong Zi bumped into the leg of the chair, couldn't stand still and fell down, the neighbors were clamoring for help, he copied the porcelain cup on the ground and smashed it, smashing it hard, and smashing it angrily, as if he was going to get angry.He smashed it on the ground, cursing over and over again: "I'm in Jiangtang! I didn't do anything for business! Now I'm a bastard, but I'm not as good as you!" , it’s not certain if it’s the old man’s kind!”

Someone nearby was whispering, vaguely passing the word Zhong You.

Zhong Zi propped himself on the ground, trying to get up.Unexpectedly, there was a sudden weight behind him, his body was shaking violently, and he was trampled to the ground with a thump.The person who was stepping on him leaned over, crushing his cheek and sticking it in the debris, as if he couldn't hear Zhong Zi's frightened shouts and the panicked screams from the side.

Those eyes were exactly what he wanted, ruthlessly and desperately.