After listening to Guan Zhongming's words, Zheng Anping felt that he was really a frog in the well. Unexpectedly, there are four car dealers in the small Huayang City. They usually treat everyone they meet with, but they have such a background. He suddenly thought of Uncle Tang, that poor, coolie-like man, couldn't he also drive? Even in Xingyang City, there are countless car dealerships.
He asked Guan Zhongming: "How come a car dealer must have wealthy businessmen and heroes before him?"
Guan Zhongming said: "At this time, the world is in chaos, and heroes are rising together. If one has to travel thousands of miles to seek profit, what can he do if he is not a wealthy businessman? What can he do if he is not a hero?"
Zheng Anping asked: "Sir, can you lead the carriage?"
Guan Zhongming said: "I am a humble man but I only run a shop. It is difficult to know how to drive a car! What I said before is all hearsay and cannot be relied upon."
Zheng Anping said: "Sir, is there a car to the east?"
Guan Zhongming said: "We are doing business all over the world, so I think it must be related to the car dealer. As for whether it is a car dealer or not, I really don't know."
Zheng Anping said: "Uncle Tang in Xingyang, his life is shabby, he doesn't seem to be a wealthy man, but he is also a car dealer, why?"
Guan Zhongming said: "Xingyang, the capital of Zheng, is also known as the capital of the world, together with Chen and Tao. Although it belongs to Han now, it is difficult to reach it; princes and even heroes from all over the world have come together to establish their own gates. In Xingyang City, there are countless carriages. , are all operated by powerful people from all sides. Uncle Tang is not like that. He is not dependent on business. He is a professional car dealer and has a great reputation. He has been in the transportation business for ten years and has never failed, which is miraculous. However, he can't go out of Xingyang, and he can't go anywhere. Three hundred is also a strange thing. Everyone has rumored that he is a hero of one place, so he cannot leave his place. He is not like a wealthy businessman who seeks wealth from all directions."
Zheng Anping said: "Sir, do you also know Uncle Tang in Xingyang?"
Guan Zhongming said: "Xingyang is the gateway to Luoyang. Luoyang and Xingyang are one and two, and two and one. It is difficult to separate. Luoyang's business cannot be done without passing through Xingyang. Therefore, we know the shape of Xingyang."
Under Zheng Anping's questioning, Guan Zhongming explained in detail what he knew about the distribution of forces in Xingyang, including the vertical and horizontal forces. However, Zheng Anping didn't know what he said, so he had to write it down without understanding. Generally speaking, various countries have intervened in Xingyang and established their own territories; major merchants also have their own businesses in Xingyang. Merchants and princes either cooperated or fought to form several large groups (Zheng Anping couldn't figure out the specifics). In the gaps between the development of these large forces, there was also room for the development of small and medium-sized businesses. Guan Zhongming said with some embarrassment that although he was doing well in Guanyi, his boss did not have a branch in Xingyang at all. Everything needed was handled by the branch in Luoyang himself in Xingyang - this was also As a result, Guan Zhongming was very familiar with the superficial situation of Xingyang.
The flames of the campfire began to dim. Cao Bao came over to ask for instructions. Are you going to cross the bridge and burn the wasteland now? Zheng Anping nodded in agreement. So the five people, plus Wuwang and Wuer, each found a relatively burning branch from the nearby fire and held it across the bridge. Cao Bao also loudly called to the children who were standing by the independent fire, and they all Cross the river and burn a big one. Perhaps because they had done some work in advance, the dozen or so half-year-old children beside the fire also picked up branches from the fire and followed the five people.
Cao Bao tested the wind direction and led people to the northwest wind outlet, which was roughly in the center of a patch of grass. He asked everyone to stand apart and throw the kindling in the grass. More than a dozen fires gradually ignited the grass. Cao Bao greeted and continued to move upwind with the lit kindling, and lit another piece. As they advanced piece by piece, the fire grew stronger and stronger until the entire area east of the abandoned city was completely ignited. Wuwang and Wuer seemed to have become one with the group of children, and they took great initiative to take care of them, counting the number of people to ensure that no one was left behind; and those children also obeyed their control.
In the raging flames, Cao Bao and others led the children through the abandoned city, crossed the river from another bridge, and returned to the fire.
After the children crossed the bridge, their mother waited anxiously by the river, scolding her disobedient children from time to time, or saying "enough playing, it's time to come back" until the flames completely engulfed everyone's figures. Now I saw everyone coming back from another bridge. They all swarmed up and took their children back. Some of them even hit them on the head a few times.
As several pieces of grass were ignited one after another, the fire was quite fierce. The flames soared so high that some sparks actually fell into the ruined city and ignited several pieces of grass in the city. Now Cao Bao was so frightened that his face changed: If the city burned down, the pile of huge wooden pillars would suffer. Cao Bao screamed and ran across the river, and everyone rushed back. After a closer look, fortunately, the city was vast, and the wood was placed on the foundation in the south of the city. The fire was mainly limited to the north of the city, and only burned an area in the northeast corner. The small area did not spread, so I felt relieved. But he didn't dare to leave until the flames outside the city were completely extinguished. By this time the moon had passed its zenith, people had left around the fire, and the crowds were no longer so dense.
Most of the people staying by the fire were young and middle-aged men and women. Without the focused eyes of their elders, they seemed more energetic. The children who were not sleepy at this point were all teenagers. Regardless of family, they gathered around a fire. Wuwang encouraged them to pick up stones with him tomorrow, but Wuer laughed at him and said that he He only knew how to do farm work and didn't know how to play at all - he let the children play sumo wrestling with him. Although some children were very interested in this, because Wu'er was older than them and obviously taller and stronger, they did not dare to go up. Instead, they encouraged Wu Wang to go up and compete with Wu'er.
Gowang is a short man and has never known what sumo wrestling is. Wuer explained with excitement, and Wuwang finally understood that sumo wrestling is all about wrestling and fighting. I thought that no one knew how to fight, so I took advantage of Wu'er, but I didn't even touch the corner of Wu'er's clothes and was knocked down twice. I became angry and went up to fight with my fist, but Wu'er turned him east and west. After a turn, there were two more somersaults; I could only go back to the fire and sit down angrily. Zheng Anping saw the sumo wrestling happening on this side and asked Brother Su: "What do you teach?"
Brother Su said: "I can do this, based on what I learned in the countryside."
Zheng Anping asked: "Is there anyone in your hometown who does this?"
Brother Su said: "It is an old custom in the village that when drinking in the village, young men would perform sumo wrestling as a sport, and the winner would be given food, clothing and other items. Therefore, many people can do it."
Brother Dog smiled and said, "Brother Su will definitely be able to do this when he is young!"
Brother Su said: "When I was young, I was very strong and I often won with strength. It's not like this guy who can win with skill."
Xiao Si said: "Brother Su, do you want to use this son as a force in the fields? Do you want to think of him as a martial artist?"
Brother Su said: "My young brother, I have to take care of him. Maybe he can get his idea and make a living."
Xiao Si said: "Brother Su, although I have said that I will be able to farm the land again, but if I get the land, I might be like my brother who will leave it behind and have nothing to do with it."
Zheng Anping said: "Four brothers don't want to fight in the field?"
Xiaosi said: "Among the five of us, Brother Zheng is the only one who is really willing to work in the fields. Mr. Cao must have no ambition; Brother Quan is half-hearted; Brother Su and I really have no ambition. I The other four hundred acres will all belong to Brother Zheng. I dare not say anything about the harvest of the other acres. I dare not take even a grain, and all will belong to my brother. I only cultivate my share of the land to obtain food and clothing."
Zheng Anping said: "If you are farming, how can you take less than a hundred acres of land instead of a hundred acres?"
Xiaosi said: "My allotment of land is a mature field; but weeding, watering, and manure are sufficient for use. Managing the fields in the city is also a matter of growing the fields. Sooner or later, I will have to deal with many matters to get my harvest!"
Brother Dog said: "My share of the land has been entrusted to others. I will cultivate the acreage."
Brother Su said: "Although my brother has no intention of farming, he still has nothing to lose. He has a rough understanding of farming plans. I will also help him. A hundred acres of land is not enough to cultivate."
Xiaosi said: "Since all the brothers are willing to work hard, my brothers dare not step in. If you get a hundred acres, you should get it in abundance and in harvest."
Zheng Anping said: "The land we are allocated is enough for our food and clothing. We cannot waste it. The land in charge of the town is sufficient for its use. The five of us are alone in the town, and we rely on others to meet our needs." If you don’t have enough to use it, how can you establish your authority? That’s why you must be rich and have enough to use it.”
Xiaosi suddenly said: "We have been discussing it for a long time, why don't Mr. Cao say something?"
Cao Bao said: "Guan Ling's plan coincides with that of your Majesty. I respect you secretly and dare not say anything more. Your Majesty also said that not a drop of what he cultivates will go into the beams, but it will all be returned to Guan." "
Xiao Si said: "Mr. Cao would rather take a hundred acres and cultivate it!"
Cao Bao said: "I am a commoner, and I am not registered in the society. I am not like the princes who hold a noble position and can get their acres. Although I want to cultivate it, I have no place to do it!"
Xiao Si curled his lips and expressed disdain for Cao Bao's excuse, but since it was also true, he couldn't say anything more.
Zheng Anping thought to himself that most people who come out to work in the world probably don't care much about farming. Someone like me who has been a soldier for ten years and is still enthusiastic about farming can only be regarded as an anomaly.
When he saw Cao Bao talking to him, he wanted to express his gratitude to Cao Bao and asked, "What's wrong with the carriage business that Mr. Cao Bao is running?"
Cao Bao said: "I went to Xingyang and met Uncle Tang. Uncle Tang agreed upon hearing it. However, the newly established car dealership is not run by one person. The grace period is ten days. After ten days, I will invite my colleagues to come together to discuss it. I can't do it anymore. You’ll get a meal if you disturb the police!”
Zheng Anping said: "What's the point? It's natural. The four brothers are in charge of the inn, Mr. Cao is in charge of the car dealership, Brother Su is in charge of hunting for thieves, and Brother Quan and I are in charge of the fields. Each of the five of us has a boss, and we can help each other in times of crisis. , you will be able to govern the city, be a commoner, and be rich!"
Cao Bao said: "I obey your order!"
Zheng Anping said: "We are all warriors and not good at literary talent. When writing the text, Mr. Shang Lao did it himself."
Cao Bao said: "I sincerely accept your advice!"
Zheng Anping said: "Ten days later, we have agreed with Uncle Tang and others that you can go to Daliang in person and report our opinions to your Majesty to ask for his advice!"
Cao Bao said: "The matter proposed is extraordinary. I would like to take charge of it and go there in person!"
Zheng Anping said: "I wouldn't dare to do anything if it weren't for me. If I'm not as pure and thoughtful as your husband, I might be careless and have trouble fulfilling your wishes."
Seeing that Zheng Anping was speaking sincerely, Cao Bao said, "Your respects!"
The bonfire gradually dimmed, and the young and middle-aged people also put away their tableware, called their children, and prepared to go back to sleep. Guan Zhongming called to his tribe, fetched water, and put out the fires one by one.
