"Those bitches can't even copy a book from a good boy." Zhang Fei cursed with some annoyance.
Liu Bei sighed. "What I don't know, my dear brother, is that no matter how big or small, these aristocratic families all look down on us scholars from humble families. Even if I became a disciple of a great Confucian scholar, I would still be despised by my classmates."
After listening to Liu Bei's words, Guan Yu immediately nodded in agreement. "That's right, those Confucian classics books are all monopolized by aristocratic families. How can we, the head of Guizhou Province, compete with them?"
This topic is a bit heavy, and at this moment, these three young people who still have hope for the big man are a little silent. Seeing that none of the elders spoke, the young man from the Zhang family continued to tell.
"After they stopped borrowing Zhang Liang's books, this kid stayed in the village for several years, and almost no one saw him. When he appeared in Zhuoxian again, suddenly someone was willing to lend him books and copy them. However, according to my investigation, he was The people who borrowed his books are all wealthy businessmen in the county, and they are all engaged in the grain business."
"So I guess Zhangjiacun must have a secret skill that can double its grain output. I guess it was probably Zhang Liang's hand. Otherwise, it makes no sense that he has gained the respect of the villagers at a young age."
Zhang Fei nodded after listening to his servant's analysis. "Your analysis is good. Go to the housekeeper and get a bunch of copper coins. Don't tell anyone about what happened today, or I will twist off your head and use it as a chamber pot."
The young man was so frightened that he quickly knelt down and kowtowed. "Master, I see clearly that even though I have a low life, I still know my loyalty. If it hadn't been for you, I would have starved to death on the streets, and I wouldn't go around talking about it and being a rotten person who betrays the Lord."
"Yide, don't scare this child." Liu Bei quickly stood up, helped him up and comforted him a few words, and then let him go down with Zhang Fei's consent.
Zhang Fei said to Liu Bei after seeing the crowd. "Brothers, don't blame me for treating my subordinates harshly. I didn't want the incident in Zhangjiacun to spread, so I warned him sternly."
Guan Yu nodded. "Yide thought well. This Zhang Liang does have something special about him. If he really has a strategy, he is exactly the talent we urgently need to do great things."
Liu Bei thought about Zhang Liang's graceful manner in talking in front of people today, and kept repeating the name in his mouth.
"Zhang Liang, Zhang Liang..."
"Could this son be Liu Hou's reincarnation, and come here to relieve my great man's misfortune?"
"Yide, Yun Chang, let's go to Zhangjiacun early tomorrow morning, and then come back to make sworn vows." Guan Yu pinched the beard on his chin and replied. "That's what I have in mind. Let's go and test whether this kid is a true god or a fake charm."
"Hey, brothers, I am the same."
When the three of them decided to visit Zhangjiacun, there was another group of people in Zhuo County talking about this place.
"Now that everyone is here, let's talk about what to do with the food distributed by the county magistrate."
In a private house, almost everyone in the grain business in Zhuo County was present. The look on everyone's face was not good-looking, just like their dead father.
"We have to hand over so much grain to serve as military rations, isn't it costing our lives?" Seeing someone wailing below, Zhou Zisheng, the county magistrate's brother-in-law, sneered.
"This food will make you lose a layer of your skin at most, but it won't hurt your muscles and bones, so don't pretend to be in front of me. I only give you three days. If you don't pay in full, and let my brother-in-law eat the melons of the prefect, I will definitely It will make your death ugly." After saying that, Zhou Zisheng put down the teacup in his hand and left with his guards.
"Didn't he just rely on women to get to the position and hug the county magistrate's lap? What are you pretending to be here? What the hell."
"Even so, he doesn't even weigh himself or how much he weighs. He even starts shaking in front of us. He's a bastard of others."
After Zhou Zisheng left, these grain merchants who were begging for mercy in front of him immediately changed their faces and cursed this person one after another. After releasing the anger in their hearts, they began to discuss the matter.
"Zhang Jiao, what the hell is going on? Grandpa just relied on the food from Zhangjia Village to get some health this year, and now he has to be bitten by a dog again. It's really unlucky."
Seeing Zhang Cai swearing, the owner of Zhou's grain store said angrily. "Oh, you surnamed Zhang have many capable people. There is Zhang Jiao who rebels and causes chaos, Zhang Cai who goes around selling rice to steal people's business, Zhang Fei the butcher who kills pigs and sheep, and Zhang Liang the scribe who knows everything from birth. "
As soon as these words came out, the whole house burst into laughter. Other families also used this to ridicule Zhang Cai. Because the scholar in their family had offended Zhang Liang, only Zhang Cai had eaten the fat meat in Zhangjia Village and relied on selling grain. Making a lot of money makes everyone jealous.
Zhang Cai's face was very ugly. He also saw that these people did not welcome him, so he walked away without arguing.
At this time, a middle-aged man with a sharp mouth and monkey cheeks took a sip of tea and spoke slowly. "Lao Zhou, you must have something to say before you take Zhang Caiqi away."
"Yes, Zhang Cai is too involved with that Zhangjiacun. I don't want him to ruin our good deeds."
"you mean?"
Zhou Zhili looked around at everyone present and laughed in a sinister voice. "Who said we have to give up these grains? Zhangjia Village already has them."
Li Ling, who was drinking tea, suddenly spit out a sip of tea and looked at Zhou Zhili with wide eyes. "Whatever you want to do could cost hundreds of lives, and if the news leaks out, the consequences will be disastrous."
"Hmph, what kind of news has been leaked? Now it's just the Wang, Li, Zhou, and Qian families. If I open the sky and speak frankly, won't you be greedy for Zhangjiacun's secret recipe for increasing production?"
"No one is a fool. Calculate how much grain Zhang Cai has produced this year. I estimate that he has cleared more than half of the old grain from previous years. How much is that?" Zhou Zhili's eyes turned red as he spoke. Several family heads also fell silent.
Since ancient times, wealth has attracted people's hearts, but war is about to happen. What is the most important thing in this upcoming troubled world? That's right, it's food.
Only those who have food can sit firmly on Diaoyutai, and the secret recipe for increasing production in Zhangjiacun is very important to the family behind them. With this thing, they don't have to worry about getting into trouble with the people behind them.
Li Ling, who wanted to understand, chuckled and asked. "Do you want to blame bandits or yellow scarf thieves?"
"Yellow scarf thieves, it's best to put the blame on them. As for the truth, I think as long as the officials are fed, they won't bother to find out. I need your servants, the kind of family that I can trust, and those who have seen blood are best. , each family has fifty people. It just so happens that I have a ranger under my command, and I asked him to take the lead in doing this."
Li Ling and the others looked at each other, and everyone nodded in agreement, so they all got up and went back to prepare. Zhang Cai, who had already arrived home, had been thinking about this on his way home. After thinking for a long time with a frown, he was suddenly shocked.
Could it be that these evil-hearted people wanted to attack Zhangjiacun, which made him a little anxious. This matter was indeed a bit tricky. There are rules in the circle. Behind these grain merchants are important figures in the county. If they let the other party know that they ruined their good deeds, it will bring huge trouble to the Zhang family.
So I couldn't send anyone to help, so I might as well not help. All my experiences with Zhang Liang for so long came to mind.
Perhaps Zhang Cai is the only one in Zhuo County who knows how evil Zhang Liang is. Who knows what is hidden under that face that always smiles at people.
Zhang Cai finally trusted his intuition. He always felt that Zhang Liang, who allowed the food to leak out, would not be without a back-up plan, but the Zhang family grain store didn't want to see the back-up plan, and neither did the Zhang family behind it.
"Old Seven, I have two letters here. You go out of the city before the curfew and deliver one letter to Zhangjiacun. Just shoot it in with an arrow. The other one should be returned to the county quickly and handed over to the head of the family in person."
"No." A man with a scarred face walked in from outside the house, took the letter from Zhang Cai, then turned and left.
"Zhou Zhili, Zhou Zhili, you are looking for death."
Zhang Cai looked out the window with his hands behind his back and murmured to himself. "It's such a troubled time. I don't know when the sky will light up for this big man."
