"Fùren's opinion!" Luo Tianqiu cursed secretly in his heart. [No pop-up novel website] But he didn't say it. The eldest nainai's natal family also has a powerful squire. Moreover, I am usually virtuous in running the house, but now that the situation outside is chaotic, the first priority is to achieve "family harmony." He just shook his head and said: "Now is the time to win people's hearts. As I said, you are not afraid of being a spy for these thieves!"
The big nainai thought the same thing and could only sigh angrily. Ask the girl to put the food on the table and eat with him. A box contains eight dishes to go with wine and six dishes to go with rice. Da Nainai poured a glass of wine for Luo Tianqiu. The wine was purchased from Guo Shi Wushuang by a trustee from Guangzhou - Luo Tianqiu liked this kind of pure and sweet shochu very much - it had no odor and was mellow. Packed in a clear and transparent crystal bottle, it looks very comfortable. Da nainai also use this wine to soak medicinal materials.
"There isn't much wine left. I asked the steward to buy it. He said that the wine shop in Guangzhou was sealed by the government. As the days went by, I saw him drinking more and more, and he came out of jail again.
Luo Tianqiu smiled: "That wine shop belongs to the thieves, so of course it must be sealed."
"Is it from Kun Thief? Isn't it from an Australian?"
"The thieves are Australians, and the Australians are thieves."
"Oh my god! Isn't the famous Pei Xiuli in Guangzhou just a bitch? But everyone says she is pretty..."
"Well, Australians can be considered a type of Chinese people." Luo Tianqiu has been socializing in the county these days. He has heard a lot about the origin of the Kun thieves or the Australians. "They claim to be descendants of the Yashan Mountains of the Song Dynasty. I heard that the first A person named Wen is a descendant of Prime Minister Wen."
"Isn't that the queen of loyal ministers?" Da Nainai said in surprise.
"If you are really a descendant of the Yashan Song Dynasty, of course everyone is a loyal minister. Following the little emperor and leaving his family and career across the ocean to go to the wild lands overseas, how can he not be a loyal minister?" Luo Tianqiu has heard from many Australians. After hearing the news about the origin, after a glass of wine, the conversation became more interesting, "It's just that he is a loyal minister of the Song Dynasty and has nothing to do with this dynasty."
"Loyal ministers are always good people..." Da Nainai didn't read much, so he just picked up the concept by talking about it.
Luo Tianqiu sighed heavily: "The Australians occupied Lingao and are now surrounding Qiongzhou. The tiger gate has also been defeated by them. They will probably attack Guangzhou in a few days! It's best not to come to us... …”
The big nainai couldn't get over the fact that the Australians who could do many good things turned out to be the legendary thieves who killed people like hemp and used cannons like thunder to destroy half-demon. She has a great fondness for all kinds of things made by Australians. Now she hears that Australians have become thieves who do all kinds of evil again, and she feels very sorry.
"It would be great if the Australians were willing to recruit people. I think the imperial court would just give them a small place like Linhe. The people from Folangji are staying in Haojing."
Luo Tianqiu thought that this was actually an ideal approach, but unfortunately the people in power in the court would not agree. He said vaguely: "The thieves came with bad intentions. I'm afraid things are not that simple."
After lunch, the eldest son originally wanted to take a rest and take a nap. Luo Tianqiu couldn't sleep: The attack of the Kun thief was imminent and he had to be fully prepared. Furthermore, the autumn harvest has begun, and the matter of rent collection and rent collection will soon be put on the agenda. Housework also needs to be taken care of.
"I'd better go to the outer courtyard and take a look first." Luo Tianqiu wiped his face and went to the outer courtyard.
The place where he specializes in housekeeping is called "Zhangmao Hall". The doors of the three-bay hall are all open, and there is a bluestone courtyard outside. Several of his housekeepers, stewards and accountants stood in the hall waiting for his instructions.
Luo Tianqiu, however, did not look at the prepared account books, nor did he ask any questions. He just said: "Go to the rental hospital and have a look!"
The Luo family's rented courtyard is very large, and the walls are made of bricks and stones like other courtyards. The walls and gates are very high - this is to prevent enemies from setting fires. The rented courtyard is full of things like rice, chaff, rice bran and straw, which can easily be set on fire. High walls are a necessary precaution. The gate is very thick. There are two large gates covered with thick iron sheets. The inside is supported by a pole as thick as a bowl. It cannot be broken open with an ax or a wooden stick. There is a small attic above the gate. When necessary, the servants can They can climb up and shoot through the holes. In times of famine, when farmers rioted to resist rent or bandits entered the town, the walls of the main gate were guarded with bows, arrows and three-eyed muskets, and hundreds of people could not rush in.
Not only the rental courtyards, but all the Luo family's courtyards are built according to this standard. After all the gates were closed, the Luo Family Courtyard became like a city within a city. The various courtyards of the Luo family are connected by passages. At dawn, the inner doors in the corridor are opened and connected into a whole. After dark, each door is locked and becomes its own world.
Luo Tianqiu walked through the corridor and came to the rented courtyard. The main door of the rental courtyard is open, and there is a large open space of bricks and stones in the middle, but it is empty at the moment - the time for renting has not come yet. The courtyard is surrounded by rows of houses. This is where the accountants of the rental courtyard work and live. In the middle is the place where the rent is inspected. There are three open halls with canopies, and several large scales are pressed in front of the door. Various baskets, brooms, and straw bags were piled as high as a mountain, all prepared for rent collection.
Luo Tianqiu took a look and felt quite satisfied. People who work take things seriously. He nodded to express his satisfaction and headed back to the backyard.
The backyard of the rental house is a warehouse where grain and straw are piled. The warehouses are kept very clean. Luo Tianqiu asked how much he still had from last year's grain storage. He had other accounts in his mind. When the number reported by the steward was roughly consistent with his memory, he was satisfied. Luo Tianqiu randomly asked someone to open a warehouse and check the numbers, not all the accounts. Check to see if there is any difference in the type and quality of stored grain.
He felt that there were obvious problems in several of the warehouses. The total amount of grain was correct, but the grain was very aged - he remembered that this batch of grain was not too seriously aged when he inspected it last year. Luo Tianqiu sneered, needless to say, he was playing Li Daitao's trick again. He glanced at the few people who were hunching down and following him. "A dog can't change its habit of eating shit" suddenly came to his mind. Which of these people has not received his great kindness? Some people even have a "love relationship" with others - Sun Yùlin, the steward in charge of these warehouses, was originally his schoolboy and prostitute. He doted on this "little boy" very much back then, and the two of them were more intimate than a couple. Later, when "xiaoyù'er" got older, he came out to work as a clerk in the grain depot. In less than five years, the originally handsome young man had turned into a fey and rough man, and he had almost mastered the art of guarding and stealing!
Luo Tianqiu didn't act on the spot. He was a vicious and ruthless person, but he never expressed his true thoughts easily. In the past two years, he has not been as strict with his subordinates as he was in the past - there is no fish in the water. What's more, the world is gradually changing, and being too harsh on your servants will only attract the resentment of the servants. If someone has evil intentions to seduce the bandits and act as internal agents, the consequences will be very serious.
He had to resolve this matter quietly separately. He made up his mind but remained silent. Then we went to the west branch of the rented hospital.
"Master, where are you going and what are you doing? It's dirty and smelly..." the housekeeper asked in surprise.
"Go and have a look." Luo Tianqiu said simply.
The West Branch Courtyard is called the "Interrogation Center" to the outside world, but it is actually the prison court set up by the Luo family. Tenants who cannot rent their houses and those who are in debt will be caught here, tortured and imprisoned.
The door of the west courtyard is very small and locked. There are several servants sitting with swords and whistles in front of the door. When the owner of the house arrives, they quickly open the closed door. The steward inside also rushed out to greet him.
The yard was very large, and in the surrounding rooms there were more than a hundred people who were in debt and were imprisoned. Some were mourning and crying, while others were moaning in pain.
In the middle of the yard, a man with blood dripping from his buttocks and thighs was tied to a torture bench and was screaming loudly. There were a few cracked bamboo boards lying on the ground. Two or three shirtless servants were sitting nearby drinking water.
Luo Tianqiu originally didn't care about this kind of thing, but now the situation is different. The thief is close at hand, and there are so many people imprisoned in his house. It will be difficult if any family members have bad ideas and seduce the thief to attack Sanliang City.
"What's going on with this guy?"
"Reply to the master! This is Hao Shengke. Last year's rent was not paid in full. He wrote a "Ganjie" letter, but it still hasn't been paid this year. He was asked to take his wife to work in the house for a few years to pay off the debt. He said that he had already paid the rent. My wife is divorced - this is not an obvious lie to the master..." The manager said while cursing fiercely, "Beat him for a few times and then pretend to be dead!"
"Master, I don't dare to speak..." When Hao Sheng saw that it was Master Luo who was coming, he was frightened out of his wits. He had beaten people to death on the spot with a wooden board in the West Branch Courtyard, so he couldn't be sure that Luo would be like this. The old man's face changed and he wanted to kill him. Even if he wasn't beaten to death, he would still be half disabled. Regardless of the pain, he kept whining and begging for mercy: "It's not that Xiao didn't mean to resist the payment, it was actually my mother who got seriously ill last year, which caused a huge loss! I hope the master can give me a few more months of grace, and Xiao will definitely pay with the capital." Pay in full..."
"Is it Hao Sheng? Forget it, he has been an old tenant for several generations." Luo Tianqiu said slowly, "You are treating my mother's illness, which can be regarded as an act of filial piety! Master, I will be a little more generous, and this meal is considered a filial piety." I've paid off your old debt." As he spoke, he nuzzled at the steward, "Take care of him and let him go!"
The steward was stunned for a moment, then came to his senses and quickly called for someone to come over and release the person from the torture bench.
"You are so lucky, little one! My master has been very kind today!"
Hao Shengke was stunned until he was put on the ground and kicked by the steward before he came to his senses. He quickly lay on the ground and kowtowed a few times before being taken down.
"All the people in charge of the West Branch Courtyard should be cleared out." Luo Tianqiu ordered the people in charge, "Let go of those who are not serious."
To be continued
