Outside Xiguan in Guangzhou, it was originally a plain area crisscrossed by water networks. However, the part near the city was developed very early. Residents settled outside Xiguan in the Sui Dynasty, forming "fangs". The remaining "Yangren" and "Yangren" in Guangzhou City in the old time and space. The names of alleys and roads such as "Dexing" are all the names of the houses back then. So there are quite a few streets and houses in this area.
But the markets outside Xiguan stop here. Going further west, you will find farmland and villages, with rivers crisscrossing the area, lakes and ponds dotted all over, and a rural scenery like a water town. At this time, there was no big house in Xiguan. They are all small villages. You can see from one end of the village to the other. Those who live in brick courtyards are either rich families or at least small landowners. Most of them are houses with bamboo plastered yellow mud walls and door panels on the outside. Solid oyster shell wall houses are only found by wealthy people.
Near Shangxiajiufu, there is a temple called Xilai'an.
Although this ancient temple is not too large in scale, it is the predecessor of the famous Hualin Temple in the old days. And Xilai'an itself has a great background. It is said that Patriarch Bodhidharma crossed the sea and arrived in Guangzhou. Later generations respected him as an eminent monk from the Western Buddhist country, and called the place where he first landed as the "first place from the West." This name has been used ever since, and the temple built by Bodhidharma after arriving in Guangzhou is Xilai Temple, which is one of the five major jungles in Guangzhou in the past dynasties.
Not far from Xilai'an, there is a ruined temple built in an unknown year and month. Its original name is unknown and everyone calls it "Jinhua Temple". It is said that it was originally the lower temple of Xilai'an. After the Guandi Temple was taken back and rebuilt by the local government, the Guandi Temple people who had gathered in the temple took over the temple outside Xiguan and used it as the location of their own entrance.
The monks of Xilai'an are naturally not ordinary monks. However, facing this group of scoundrels who are known as "I am not afraid of even the king of heaven" and who are avoided by the gentry officials, the monks can only eat coptis in silence. Not to mention the Jinhua Temple, which has completely become a beggar's kingdom, in this Xilai Nunnery, from the main gate to the second gate, there are many beggars gathered under the eaves day and night, making noise and harassing the pilgrims day and night, and the monks dare not interfere.
The ancestors of the Gao family naturally had a purpose in placing Doukou here. Because before the Qing Dynasty, the Xiguan Plain was still a major shipping area. The dense rivers here not only existed as shipping channels, but many of them were connected to Xihao and Daguan Rivers. You can trace all the way along Xihao to the haven near Yuexiu Mountain. . You can also take shelter from the wind along the main Xiguan streams such as Liubo Yong and Lizhiwan Yong. There is naturally a lot of oil and water to be fished in the busy shipping area.
It has been a hundred years since the Jinhua Temple was occupied by the ancestors of the Gao family. Naturally, the beggars would not spend money to repair the house. The buildings inside are in dilapidated condition, and the Buddha statue altar table has long been gone. Only the original main hall is still intact, and this is the "lobby" where the Guangzhou General Headquarters usually conducts business.
Even though the hereditary head of the Gao family is just a beggar leader, his "official power" is indeed not small. There are also public cases and public seats in this palace, and there are torture instruments such as water and fire sticks and shackles on both sides. There are also two beggars standing at the door with wooden sticks and chests raised, belly folded, quite like a government office. What is particularly conspicuous in the entire "court" is a big stick standing next to the public seat, which is a foot high, has a thick mouth, and is wrapped in yellow cloth. This is the so-called "pole".
"Pole" is said to be a gift from the emperor. If a beggar commits adultery and commits a crime, the gang leader can ask for a pole and beat him to death on the spot. However, this is just talk. No one has ever seen what this pole looks like without its yellow cloth cover. Moreover, the Tuan leader has a good way to execute a beggar, so there is no need for such complicated procedures.
Go back from the "lobby" and walk through the courtyard where the masters of the Gao family work. After passing the middle gate, you will find another world. It is the private residence of the Gao family, and the dilapidated and dirty beggars' den in front of it. In comparison, it can be said to be a different world.
Although the Gao family has been the "head of the regiment" for generations, they have never been a beggar for a day. The whole family has also been working as slaves and maids, leading a life of fine clothing and fine food. Although it is despised by people of low status, they can eat, clothe and enjoy themselves leisurely. Even the big players can’t compare.
However, the Gao family has been a little deserted recently. Gao Tianshi died suddenly not long ago. Although the funeral has been held, he is still in the period of observing filial piety. Although the Gao family is the head of a beggar group, they still have to pay attention to the basic "filial piety" Of course, Xiang Cheng, the newly succeeded Tuantou Gao Ling, could not feast and sing in public - several of his brothers were not convinced about his succession and were all watching.
There was no peace at home, and there were even more dangers outside. People everywhere were noisy and uneasy, and Gao Lingxiang was not in the mood to drink and have fun.
At this moment, Gao Ling Xiang, who had been promoted from "Uncle" to "Master", was leaning on Concubine Xiang's bamboo couch. Several maids were waiting beside her with iced lychees or cattail fans.
Standing on the corridor outside the house was the housekeeper from the Mo family. He was walking in the corridor on a hot day, and his face was dripping with sweat. But he could only smile with his face, not even daring to wipe it, waiting for him to come in.
When the Australians just demolished the side shop in Guangzhou, Mo Rongxin asked his daughter-in-law to come to visit her with generous gifts. It was said that I wanted to wish my father a birthday. Well, not long after this birthday, my father died. As soon as Gao Lingxiang saw the Mo family, he felt strange.
Gao Lingxiang is in his forties this year. In the past, it might have been a happy event for the eldest son of a wealthy family like him to die in his prime. At least that's how his wife felt, but he was not "happy" at all. .
At present, there are internal and external troubles. My father is still alive and can control the big bones below like an arm. But I have spent a lot of effort, relying on my father's cronies and the power of my mother's family, to smooth out all the big bones. ——It is said to be settled, but in fact there is an undercurrent surging below. As long as there is a chance, those big bones and brothers will inevitably jump out and cause trouble again; not to mention that there are Australians outside who are eyeing them - he roughly knows, Gao Tianshi's sudden death is related to the "witchcraft case" that has been making a fuss in the city recently.
The matter of witchcraft was serious. Gao Lingxiang asked several of his father's capable men, but all of them were vague, but from their flashing words, he knew that this rumor was not groundless.
This is a grave crime for destroying nine tribes! Gao Lingxiang was almost shocked. His father had been shrewd all his life, how could he get involved in this? ! He didn't dare to think too deeply, so he carefully read through the various letters and notes in Gao Tianshi's study, burned everything that might be related to the matter, and sent his cronies to various sinister entrances to inquire secretly. , whether there are any specific insiders, we are prepared to slowly silence them one by one.
Seeing that the Australians didn't express anything, Gao Lingxiang felt a little relieved. He thought that after the Australians arrived, his father actually showed no expression, which was already a mistake, and getting involved in the witchcraft case would be a recipe for death. Although the Australians are calm at the moment, they are taking away the financial resources of the Guandi Temple people step by step. If this continues, it won't be long before he can maintain this stall - everyone is messing with you, they are obviously brothers. The loyalty of generations is secretly "money". The Gao family can't protect the wealth of all the people in the world. What use do the big guys want from you?
In the final analysis, my father did not go to the Australians in time and replaced himself as the "Head of the Guangzhou Prefecture of the Song Dynasty". It’s too late to seek refuge now!
He has been thinking about how to get in touch with the Australians these days. It would be best to get in touch with one or two high-ranking Australian officials and give them a heavy gift - even if it empties his own treasury. As long as we can keep our position as the leader of the Guangzhou Headquarters, we can say anything.
At this moment, the Mo family suddenly sent someone to pay homage and gave him heavy gifts. I don't know what they were planning. However, the Mo family is the head of Wenlan Academy, and they get a lot of money from this academy every year. The reason why they come to me must be related to the affairs of the academy. When the Mo family sent their own girls to bring heavy gifts to their father to celebrate his birthday, it had something to do with the more than ten academies' side shops on Chengxuan Street.
This Wenlan Academy has not been peaceful recently. Most of the directors and stewards of Wenlan Academy were controlled by a group of "evil gentry" from Guangzhou, who used it to monopolize the rich academy property for their own benefit, and were very mean to the scholars studying in the academy. The scholars rose up to fight several times, but they were suppressed by Mo Rongxin and Zhong Aijiao, the academy's "General Hengha", using various means. This will change the dynasty, and hearing that Australians are honest and honest, the scholars in the academy rose up to cause trouble again.
Thinking about how condescending his father was when he asked his concubine to marry his own sister, when he went to the Mo family to see off his bride, the Mo family was also secretive, as if they were letting them disgrace the family tradition. Speaking of courtesy, even the entire ritual is careless. Not only was the girl's mother, Sanniang, so angry that she cried, but her father also looked unhappy.
In the past, I didn’t take my family seriously. Now I can't hold back a few sour people, so I have to find someone to help! Thinking of this, Gao Lingxiang sneered and sat up. road:
"come in."
With this greeting, the housekeeper who was standing in the corridor with his hands lowered carefully crossed the threshold and walked into the cool and pleasant outer study room where ice cubes were placed.
The housekeeper of the Mo family went to the Golden Flower Temple to give a gift. On the surface, it was to celebrate his succession as the leader of the regiment, but secretly there was a letter to the trustee. The housekeeper has been standing under the eaves outside the door since he entered the house. Although he was not exposed to the sun, the heat wave outside made his face turn red and he cursed countless beggars in his heart.
Although the Mo family has a bad reputation among the gentry in Guangfu, and they belong to the first class of "evil gentry", they have achieved fame at least. On the surface, the officials of one prefecture and two counties, as well as the big and small gentry in the city, still have to give some face. It was the first time that Butler Mo received such a cold reception when he went to post a post and give gifts.
Seeing that Gao Lingxiang had sat up, he quickly stepped forward to greet him with a smile on his face.
"What kind of rule is this? Why doesn't Butler Mo even have a seat when he comes?"
The maid next to him quickly brought porcelain piers and herbal tea. Butler Mo refused to sit down and even said, "It's not polite!"
