Song Che did not participate in the follow-up matters of suppressing the bandits. He found a small boat in Guankou that night and prepared to sail down the river back to Suzhou.
Xu Xiao originally planned to escort him personally, but Song Che said: "Although I don't want to be overjoyed, but the Suzhou Army should take the majority of the gold and silver treasures in the bandits' den, and Xu Dutou should be left behind to buy them. Don't forget that each of us has a big fat head." Pig’s Promise.”
Xu Xiao sighed: "Everyone has a pig, but Brother Song doesn't take any of it?"
Song Che shook his head. The money from the bandits was collected from the people who were slaughtered to make money. Naturally, he didn't bother to ask for it, not to mention that he didn't lack the money.
He jumped on the boat, and Xu Xiao arranged for two government officials to escort him on the boat, and asked: "Does this mean that Song Che has not been here to suppress bandits this time?"
Song Che stood on the bow of the boat with his hands behind his back, his big sleeves rising in the wind, and said lightly: "Fame and wealth are like floating clouds and smoke in my eyes. Even if we are far away from the rivers and lakes, we may not be able to settle down in the world... Please row the boat, I feel like I am home." arrow."
Home is more important than anything else.
Xu Xiao didn't have much to say and sent each other off with fists in his hands.
The yamen servant rowed the boat and rowed the oars to see Song Che out of the beach.
The boat sailed down the river at a speed that was not too slow. It set off at Yinshi and arrived in the west of Suzhou before noon.
The yamen servant rented a carriage at the pier and shouted while taking Song Che back home:
"Fellows and elders, the bandit suppression in Qili Mountain has been a great success. All the Feiyun Gang bandits were defeated last night. We no longer have to worry about bandits!"
"Is it true?"
"How can the words coming from Mr. Chai's mouth be false!"
"I can finally go back to Jiangdong to visit my old mother!"
"The sky has eyes!"
Hearing this good news, the people are all happy!
Hearing the cheers, Song Che in the carriage was also very happy. After the Feiyun Gang was eradicated, the roads in Jiangnan, Jiangdong, Jiangbei, and even the Central Plains were opened. Logistics and trade would gradually recover, and people's lives would only become better and better. good.
…
Shen Mansion, inner courtyard.
Shen Wenjun held a plate of fish food and sat by the pavilion, occasionally picking up a few pellets to feed the koi in the pond.
After not seeing her for just three days, she seemed to be quite haggard, with thick bags under her eyes, heavy dark circles, and her face was slightly pale.
"Yu'er, I really envy you. You are free and happy, with no worries and no worries." She sighed softly.
At this time, a laugh came from outside the pavilion: "You are not a fish, how do you know the joy of fish?"
She looked back suddenly and saw Song Che walking from the corridor with a food box in his hands. She was surprised at first and wanted to rush forward to greet him, but suddenly she pouted again, stomped the feed on the bench, turned her head and snorted: "You still know how to come back!"
Song Che shook his head and smiled, took out a few dishes and two bowls of rice from the food box and placed them on the stone table, "I heard from my parents that you haven't thought about food and tea these days. Are you planning to lose weight?"
Shen Wenjun hummed again: "My stomach is full with anger, how can I still have the appetite to eat?"
"Who is angry with you? I will teach him a lesson for you!"
"The husband who left without saying a word, leaving only a letter!"
"Ah? Isn't that me?"
"It's you! It's you!" Shen Wenjun almost jumped up and pointed at Song Che's nose: "Do you know how worried I have been about you since I saw that letter? I even wanted to chase you out of the city to find you! You You are dressed in white and don’t know martial arts, so you are going to go with the army to suppress bandits, just in case..."
She held back her tears, clenched her fist, and punched Song Che's chest feebly, "What if something happens to you, wouldn't I be a little widow?"
"Well...if I die, the little widow can ask for another one."
"You...you still dare to hit me, haha, I...I'll pick up a piece of bamboo and beat you into a Bodhisattva's head!"
She looked angry, and a lot of color returned to her face. Song Che hugged her into his arms and spoke sincerely: "The bandits have been wiped out; the people are fine; the shop will continue to open; the stalls will continue to be set up; of course, And the most important thing.”
Shen Wenjun raised his head and asked with big watery eyes: "What is this important matter?"
Song Che picked up the rice and said with a smile: "You still have to eat rice."
Shen Wenjun shed tears, took the bowl and chopsticks, and ate it into his mouth while asking with a smile: "Hey, it will not be easy for you to join the army to suppress bandits this time. Can you tell me a little bit about it?"
"There's not much to talk about. It's just that my husband is resourceful, wise and courageous, scheming, shrewd and capable, knowledgeable about the past and the present... and so on, some trivial things that are not worth mentioning. Since Madam wants to hear it, I will pick two of them to share with you. Let’s talk about it.”
The next day, the Suzhou army returned in triumph, and the people came out of the city to welcome them.
Maybe everyone felt at ease, and Suzhou City soon regained its vitality.
Private stores took advantage of this wave of enthusiasm to open their doors, and business was booming!
Song Che also started to open up the land he bought. He planned to reclaim 300 acres of wasteland into fertile farmland suitable for mulberry farming by the end of this autumn. The workers he hired were all refugees. In addition to the 30% subsidy from the government, Song Che also privately paid the wages. An extra 10% would be added. In this way, if one person from each refugee household came to help, at least the family would be able to ensure that they would not go hungry.
After the fertile land is reclaimed, manpower will definitely be needed to raise silkworms in the spring and summer and plant vegetables in the autumn and winter, and to feed and clothe a group of refugees.
Logistics channels in the south are gradually opening up, and my father-in-law is also considering resuming his trading business. You know, many old customers in Jiangxi, Jiangdong, and Central Plains are looking forward to buying a piece of silk cloth.
Under Song Che's guidance, Liu San'er's gambling house business flourished, and Yangzhou's second uncle's distilled liquor also sold quite well. Now, even if he is sitting at home, he has a lot of money flowing into his pocket.
Nowadays, the Shen family in the north of the city far surpasses the Chen family in the west of the city in terms of reputation and sales in the cloth industry.
Song Che is not the kind of person who will smash the pot after eating. As long as Chen Rencai stops asking for trouble, he will even welcome Chen to join.
However, judging from the way the Chen family is still hoarding silk cloth in large quantities, they do not want to give up the opportunity to compete with the Shen family for first place.
Only with competition can there be progress. Reasonable competition is inevitable, but if you use bad means, you must do it submissively!
