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Chapter 83: Sweet Harbor - Heads
Zhu An always sleeps in the courtyard of the study. It's not that he hates seeing his wife - his wife has been dead for many years - but because he wants to deal with things more conveniently, he stays in the study until late every day. His main daily tasks are to check accounts, write letters to customers from other places and clerks at semicolons, and read letters, especially the accounts sent by shopkeepers who have to calculate them personally - to see if anyone has made any omissions or worse. embezzlement.
When it comes to the people below him, Mr. Zhu can hardly be called a generous boss. It is enough to give them food to eat, clothes to buy, and money to wash their clothes. Therefore, most of his workers come from the poorest places in Guangdong - people there almost don't need to be paid, as long as they have food to eat. As for how the guys' families would make a living, and how they would support their wives and children, that was never something he considered.
As a result, things like mischief by the guys in the shop often happened. Unfortunately, no one could compare to Mr. Zhu’s shrewdness. No matter how good he was at making false accounts, he could still see the clues, let alone It was said that he had an extremely accurate eye for reading people. If any waiter or shopkeeper's eyes suddenly made him suspicious, he would have to pack up and get out. So for decades, no one has ever been able to take advantage of him.
This morning, Mr. Zhu woke up very early as usual. It was his old habit to get up at dawn, not to mention that the battle with Hua Nan was in full swing recently, and he was not very restful when sleeping. In order to prevent Hua Nan from using extreme measures to deal with him, he had already increased the number of watchmen and servants around the house. times.
His body moved together, and the concubine sleeping next to him also woke up. Having a woman sleeping next to him is not for the sake of sexual pleasure, but purely for convenience when sleeping at night and getting up in the morning. Zhu Sanye is not as greedy for women as other rich people, and he has many maids and concubines at home. He often said: Women are a burden - not only physically but also financially.
Qiu Han is still serving him today. Because of Gu Dachun's relationship, Qiu Han's value in Master Zhu San's house has increased. During this turn of duty, more good things happened to her.
Qiu Han quickly got up and put on her clothes. She hurriedly washed herself in the outer room. When she returned to the bedroom, she was fully dressed and said softly: "Master, I won't sleep for a while anymore."
"Won't sleep anymore"
This conversation happens every day as usual.
Qiu Han took a thin jacket and put it on him, pushed him to sit on the edge of the bed, helped him put on socks, overalls, and shoes, and then pulled him to stand up, tie his belt, and put on his robe. Then she combed her hair and put it into a bun.
Suddenly, there was a scream outside, followed by the sound of a copper basin falling to the ground. Mr. Zhu frowned. Qiu Han quickly put down her comb and went out to take a look.
After a while, Qiu Han came back in a panic.
"There are many boxes under the eaves of the master's study room."
"Box" Zhu Sanye didn't understand for a while, but there was something fishy for sure. He walked out of the bedroom and saw eleven wooden boxes neatly placed under the eaves in front of his study room.
His heart suddenly tightened. Zhu Sanye clearly remembers that there were no such things last night. Where did they come from?
"Open" he ordered, and the servant who had already arrived stepped forward and opened a box. The servant suddenly shivered and almost threw the box out. He quickly put it down and said in a trembling voice:
"Master, it's a human head"
A woman's scream immediately echoed in the yard.
"What's your name? Let them all go out." Mr. Zhu waved his hand impatiently and walked over.
In the box, there was a complete human head preserved with lime. The blood was still very fresh, so it should have been cut off not long ago. Mr. Zhu San has never seen this person before. He didn't understand what this meant.
The boxes were opened one by one, and there were heads inside. Suddenly his heart almost stopped beating. He clearly recognized the half-burnt head of Qiu Han's brother Gu Dachun with half-closed eyes.
He turned back to Qiu Han who was shrinking behind and said, "Come and take a look."
"I dare not look at this slave—"
"Come here quickly" he yelled impatiently.
Qiu Han fainted when she saw her brother's head for the first time. After waking up, she cried loudly and crawled to Mr. Zhu's feet, asking him to avenge her brother.
As for the other heads, Qiu Han also recognized them one by one. These were the backbones of the Gu family's pirate gang, and they were all related to each other.
Qiu Han cried until she fainted again, and Mr. Zhu had no intention of taking care of her anymore. He was shrouded in a complete chill and slumped down in the chair in the study, unable to stand up for a long time.
All these heads appeared here, and it was obvious what happened: the Gu family pirates had all been wiped out. The second thing is, who can avoid the night watchman and watchman overnight, and neatly place eleven wooden boxes containing heads under the eaves of his study room?
This cold and precise behavior shows how confident the mastermind behind the scenes is that they don't take his servants seriously at all. And he knew his every move very clearly. They moved late at night, quietly evaded all the guards, and accurately found one of the many courtyards in the dark. The reality alone was enough to send chills down his spine.
This is a cold and realistic threat, and it is also a warning - South China has no way to deal with him. But he was already at the end of his rope.
On the same day that Bei Wei and others "gave gifts" to Zhu An, Wen Tong began to take action against various businesses in Haiyitang. Liao Daxing took the gifts and entourage to Hai'an Street, visited each candy store one by one, and presented six-color water gifts.
This is the first time that South China Sugar Company has made a public appearance on Hai'an Street. Although Liao Daxing's greetings were delivered, most of them were very polite and said that the owner was out of the way, but no one refused to accept the gift. There were also a few families who received him and said a few polite words to each other before sending him out.
This test confirmed the inference of Chen Tianxiong and others - most of the merchants in Haiyitang have relaxed their attitude. Once the news comes out that Gu Dachun was annihilated at sea, Mr. Zhu's reputation in Hai'an Street will plummet. These sugar shops in Haiyi Sugar have changed their stance in the past few days.
The anecdote about the eleven heads in Zhuzhai is being circulated in every teahouse in Xuwen. The people who tell it are vivid and lively, and they are full of interest. Although Hai Yi Tang came forward to announce to various teahouses on Hai'an Street that the shopkeepers should stop guests from spreading these things, Hai Yi Tang was not a government official after all, so people listened to what they said and listened to.
A dull and tense atmosphere permeated Hai'an Street. What is incompatible with this atmosphere is that the proprietors, shopkeepers and managers of various sugar shops are actually inviting each other to the theater, banquets and wine every day. On such occasions, everyone is discussing with each other nervously in private. exchanging opinions with each other.
It is rare to see Mr. Zhu Sanye, the backbone of Hai Yi Tang, on such occasions. Because he was "sick." As for what the illness was, Zhu Di was tight-lipped. Even if he is not "sick", it will be difficult for him to be as convincing as he used to be. People's hearts are broken. This is something everyone in Haiyi Hall knows: nearly two-thirds of the crushing season has passed, but their sugar warehouse is empty. Huanan does not look like it will collapse at all, and their ships are still there. Entering and exiting Hai'an Port, sugar is transported continuously. Seeing that the number of sugarcane farmers selling sugar is decreasing, everyone is inevitably panicking. The consensus reached by everyone is that this stalemate cannot continue.
"Master," Wen Qing said to greet Chen Tianxiong and Wen Tong who were "playing a game of chess after dinner", "There is someone outside asking to see you. It was Boss Zhu from Dachang Rice Shop who brought him. Please tell me: see you or not see you." Chen Tianxiong was thinking hard about how to play the game, and he hesitated to let go of a "horse" in his hand.
“Who didn’t ask clearly?”
"It's because I came from Hai Yi Tang——"
"Do you want to meet?" Wen Tong asked.
"There is no excuse. Just ask him to come in."
Zhou Shizhai, who was "watching the chess without saying a word", said: "Be careful, it's already dark, just in case..."
"Don't worry," Chen Tianxiong said, "Master Zhu doesn't have the guts to do this." He smiled, "Besides, with your brother here, what are we afraid of?"
The visitor was wearing traveling clothes and a bamboo hat, and seemed to be deliberately hiding his face. When he opened his bamboo hat, Chen Tianxiong nodded.
"Boss Feng, I'm here late at night. I don't know what I can teach you."
The person who "dare not" come is Feng Guangfeng, the owner of "Richangji". Hearing the stranger in front of him call out his name, he couldn't help but be shocked, "Yes, the young one is Feng Guangfeng." He bowed his hands and said, "This is shopkeeper Wen, right?"
"This is the shopkeeper, I'm just a small copywriter below." Chen Tianxiong said.
I saw the ceremony twice. Chen Tianxiong didn't want the other party to remember him too clearly, so he didn't even say his name and deliberately sat in a place with dim lighting.
"Two shopkeepers" Feng Guangfeng spoke very sincerely, "This time there was a misunderstanding between Huanan and Haiyitang. Haiyitang has offended many times, but this time, I came here specifically to apologize."
Comrade Wen said, "Our sugar industry is one family. Originally, we were not divided into north, south, west and east. From now on, I will ask my brother to give you guidance and care everywhere."
"Easy to say, easy to say." Feng Guangfeng said, "I'm here this time."
"Wait a minute," Chen Tianxiong said, "Boss Feng is here to represent Richang Ji or Haiyi Tang."
There was a big deal in these words. Feng Guangfeng did not dare to answer casually. He said after a moment of delay, "Of course it's Haiyitang."
"So, even Haiyitang knows you are here."
"I'm not omniscient -" Feng Guangfeng quickly explained, "but everyone in Haiyi Hall is probably happy to see me here."
