"It turns out to be Mr. Chen, please take a seat." The shopkeeper came out from behind the counter to welcome him, turned around and said to the waiter at the counter, "What are you doing so stupidly? Why don't you quickly take the teapot to the backyard to make a new pot of tea?" come over."
Upon hearing the order, the waiter picked up the teapot and ran to the backyard.
"Mr. Chen, please take a seat." The shopkeeper led Chen Gong to sit down at the table under the window.
Several armor-piercing servants stood by Chen Gong's side.
After Chen Gong sat down, he put one hand on the table, looked at the shopkeeper of the grain shop, and said, "The shopkeeper's business is booming! No wonder they say that your tiger-character flag is the best at making money. Those who come in and out are all They sell grain from your shop.”
"I earned some hard-earned money, but it wasn't much, so I barely managed to break even." The owner of the grain shop spoke with a smile.
Chen Gong glanced around the grain shop and said immediately: "The Tiger Character Flag has a wealth as great as the sky. Everyone in the Xuanfu knows this. You don't need to cry about your poverty in front of me."
"Hey, this is all nonsense from outsiders. Our boss has a lot of property, but there are also many people working down there. We have to spend a lot of money just for wages. The current situation is not good, so we will pay for whatever we do. No matter how much money we have, it won't be enough to pay compensation." The shop owner complained in front of Chen Gong.
Chen Gong waved his hand and said: "Don't cry poor, I am not here to beat the autumn wind with you today. I came here this time to tell you that the Mongolian army has come to Xuanfu and is now on the grassland outside the border fort."
"Hey, the Mongols are invading the border again. These Mongols just need to be dealt with. If you have anything to do, come to our Ming Dynasty to clear grass in the valley. Fortunately, our Xuanfu Commander-in-Chief Wang has already taken office. I believe Commander-in-Chief Wang will definitely resist the enemy from the border. Outside the fort, there is no point in capturing the heads of the Mongolians. I am here to congratulate General Wang and wish him an early success and a knighthood." The shopkeeper of the grain store clasped his fists in the direction of the General Military Mansion.
After hearing this, Chen Gong narrowed his eyes slightly and said playfully: "There is no need to pretend to be confused here with me. If you still don't understand, go ask someone who understands. But I can remind you that the Mongols may come at any time." Once you cross the border fortress, it’s not certain who will be unlucky.”
After saying that, he stood up and walked out.
The shopkeeper of the grain store hurriedly caught up, stopped in front, and said with a smile: "Can you please give me some advice, Mr. Chen?"
While talking, he stuffed a silver coin into Chen Gong's sleeve.
After receiving the money, Chen Gong weighed it and then said with a smile: "It costs money to send out an army. Without money, Qiu Ba below will not go to the battlefield honestly. Do you understand?"
The corner of the grain shop owner's mouth twitched unnaturally twice.
Naturally, everyone now understood that the other party came here to ask for money on behalf of the commander-in-chief Wang Baolai.
Thinking of this, the owner of the grain shop said with a heartbroken look: "There really isn't much money in the shop. Otherwise, Mr. Chen, tell me how much money you have and I'll find a way to get it together."
"How happy it is to do this earlier." Chen Gong put away the ingot of silver in his hand and said, "I don't want more from you, so I will give it to you again according to the last number."
Hearing this, the shopkeeper chewed the flower seeds.
The last time he gave 5,000 taels of silver to the general of Xuanfu, this time he wanted another 5,000 taels. It was obvious that they were taking advantage of them.
"Shopkeeper, here comes the tea." The waiter who was making tea in the backyard came over carrying a teapot.
The shopkeeper said to Chen Gong with a smile on his face: "Mr. Chen, why don't you sit down and have a cup of tea? It's a good Longjing. I'll ask the waiter to prepare a bag for Mr. Chen later."
"Don't." Chen Gong blocked the hand extended by the grain shop owner and said immediately, "I don't have time to drink your tea. The General Military Mansion has a lot of things to do. However, before leaving, I would like to remind you that the Mongols are really If we want to cross the border fort and enter the territory of Xuanfu, my master must explain the reason why the Mongols invaded the border."
The shopkeeper said hurriedly: "Everything is easy to discuss. I would like Mr. Chen to persuade the Chief Soldier that there is no rush to get the book. After all, five thousand taels is not a small amount. It will take some time to get it together."
"It's okay, don't be in a hurry. When the money comes around, we will send out troops." Chen Gong said to the grain shop owner with a smile, and then walked out.
Several armor-piercing servants followed him and left the grain store. Wenbi Book Bar
The shopkeeper of the grain shop walked to the door of the shop and did not return to the shop until Chen Gong led the people away.
"Shopkeeper, you have tea." The waiter poured a cup of hot tea for the shopkeeper and placed it on the table that Chen Gong had made before.
The shopkeeper of the grain shop was not in the mood to drink tea at the moment. He only heard him say to the clerk in front of him: "I'm going out to take care of the shop."
After explaining, he walked to the backyard.
The waiter watched the grain store manager go to the backyard, then picked up the tea cup on the table and returned behind the counter.
The yard behind the grain store has a main room and a side room, which are used for living and storing grain.
There is a side door in the yard, which is usually used for carriages to transport grain. There are no carriages to transport grain at the moment, and the door of the side door is closed tightly.
The storekeeper of the grain store brought a ladder and placed it under a courtyard wall.
He stepped on the ladder and climbed up the courtyard wall. On the other side of the courtyard wall, there was also a long ladder leaning against the courtyard wall.
Stepping on the ladder on the other side of the courtyard wall, the grain shop owner came to the yard next door.
The yard next door is not big, with three main rooms and two apricot trees planted in the middle of the yard.
As soon as the storekeeper of the grain store came down from the ladder, the door of the main room was opened by someone inside, and a young man came out.
"Is the captain inside?" the storekeeper asked the young man who came out of the main room.
The young man nodded and said, "Come in, the captain is looking for you too."
As he spoke, he opened the curtain hanging in front of the door.
PS: Thanks to book friend Xiaoben Book Friend for the tip.
The shopkeeper took a few quick steps, passed by the young man, and walked in.
Arriving at the outhouse, he walked into the east room on the right.
As soon as he entered, he saw a man sitting cross-legged on the Kang in the room. He shouted: "Captain."
"You came just in time. I wanted Wu Liang to find you just now, but I didn't expect you to come here first. Come on, sit down." The man on the kang patted the edge of the kang and motioned for him to sit down.
The shopkeeper of the grain store came over and sat down on the edge of the kang with one leg crossed on it.
"Our people have received news that a large Mongolian army has arrived on the grassland outside Xuan Mansion. It is not clear how many people came. We need to wait for the secret spies on the side of the border to send back the news." The man on the kang said.
The shopkeeper of the grain shop said: "Chen Gong, the aide next to Wang Bao, just left the grain shop. He also went to the grain shop to see me to convey a message about the Mongols coming to Xuanfu."
"What message does he want you to spread?" the man on the kang asked curiously.
The shopkeeper said: "Wang Bao wants us to give him another five thousand taels of silver before he sends troops, otherwise he will report the Mongolian invasion to the court."
"This guy has a really dark heart. Five thousand taels of silver is not enough, so he actually wants another five thousand taels." The man on the kang had a cold look on his face.
Five thousand taels of silver is not a small amount of money. It can already be used to buy a large house in the capital.
