"Go check out the goods!"
The leader nodded towards the three people behind him. As if they had received the signal, the three people walked towards the cabin.
How could the changes in their expressions escape the eyes of Li Ruolian and others on the passenger ship next to them, with a hint of coldness flashing in their eyes.
Yang Shaoan immediately stepped forward and gave the leader a piece of silver.
"Brothers, please be accommodating! With this little money, I can treat some brothers to drinks. How much is the toll?"
The leader did not speak, just played with the silver, but his eyes were fixed on the cabin.
"Playing like a beggar?"
After the three people who entered the cabin came out and made a few gestures, the leader threw away the silver in his hand with a tone full of disdain.
Yang Shaoan smiled apologetically and handed over another ingot of silver: "A few brothers are doing small business to make a profit on the price. I also asked a few brothers to lend a hand to make it convenient.
After these goods are processed, how about inviting a few more people to have a drink at the Jinfeng Tower in Suzhou City? "
"Small business? We just saw that the furs and medicinal materials carried by your two boats are worth at least 20,000 taels of silver. Is this called a small business?"
The leader sneered: "I won't talk nonsense to you. The toll fee for each boat of medicinal materials and furs is one hundred taels. In addition, we will give each of our brothers ten taels of wine money. You will pay the money with one hand, and we will give you the pass documents with the other." !”
"You, you... aren't you robbing?"
Yang Shaoan's face changed drastically and his words became incoherent: "I remember a colleague said that a trip can only cost ten taels of silver at most. How come it costs ten times when it comes to us?
If we docked from the pier above and exchanged carriages, we wouldn't be able to use so much money!
We worked so hard to come here from Tongzhou, and you took half of the price difference we earned. Isn’t this robbery?
By doing this, aren't you pushing away merchants from other places? How will we do business in the future? Aren't you afraid of losing the credibility of Suzhou merchants? "
"Hahaha... don't say it so harshly. Things as barbaric as robbery have nothing to do with us. What we do is called mutual help and win-win.
You give money, we give passes, and arrange trackers to pull the boat for you, but you have to let the brothers eat, right? "
The leader was not angry, and continued with a smile: "As for what you said about forcing merchants from other places to leave, you don't have to worry.
You, who have been traveling as businessmen for many years, must have heard that there are rare goods everywhere, and there is nothing that cannot be found. There is no shortage of goods in Suzhou. If you can't stand it, it will be their loss if they leave.
Take a look at the Suzhou wharf, where thousands of ships dock every day. How many ships of goods are missing? "
Yang Shaoan's expression changed, and he murmured to himself: "Then we don't need a pass. We'll just wait here. If it's late, we'll be late. It's fur medicinal materials anyway, so we're not afraid of waiting."
"Hahaha……"
The leader laughed: "Sir, are you naive? Or are you really stupid?
Without us, your ship would not have to wait for three to five days. If it can enter the dock in three to five months, I, Cao San, will kowtow to you. "
"I, I want to complain to the Caoyun Yamen and the Suzhou prefect, but I don't believe it. If you do such evil, the government will not care?"
Looking at Yang Shaoan who was trembling with anger, the leader smiled and said: "Complain? Do you need me to send you a boat and arrange for someone to guide you?"
Oh, by the way, my name is Cao San. Don’t go there if you don’t know our names!
Whether you use us or not is your business, we have nothing to do with it.
But what you just said made me a little unhappy. I have decided that if you want to enter the dock, the price just doubled. This is a punishment for your ignorance! "
"you you you……"
"Old Li, calm down. The young master has said that he will pay according to the conditions mentioned by this brother. Just treat it as making a friend!"
A guard in short attire grabbed Yang Shaoan who was about to run away, and then turned to look at Cao San: "Brother Cao, I will bring this brother of mine to make amends for you. We will give you the money. Please arrange it as soon as possible!"
"Young people's minds are still quick. Wait, within half an hour, I guarantee you will be able to enter the dock!"
After counting the money, the people behind Cao San hung a flag on the bow of the ship.
Cao San looked at Yang Shaoan, who was still out of breath, and said coldly: "When you go out, you have to control your mouth. Talking nonsense will kill people."
After finishing speaking, Cao San glanced at the people watching the excitement around him, turned around, jumped into the boat, and left slowly.
After the boat docked, the merchants watching the excitement all breathed a sigh of relief.
A middle-aged man who was close by sighed: "Brothers, you are too straight-tempered. How dare you act recklessly here?"
"What is spoiling? Isn't this just arguing? What's the difference between their behavior and robbery?"
"Young men, you are still young and don't know what's going on here!"
"What the hell, why don't we not use their passes? Do we still have to buy and sell them by force?"
Listening to Yang Shaoan's words, the middle-aged man shook his head gently: "It doesn't matter, meeting is a destiny. Let me tell you the truth behind it.
Look at the long queue, do you think there is room for a U-turn?
If you transfer to the road next to it without permission, you will be severely punished, and other merchants are not willing to do so either!
Even if you are waiting in line here, are you sure you can enter the pier?
The trackers on both sides of the river are in their hands. How can you enter the dock without trackers?
When you arrive at the dock, do you want a porter to carry your goods?
Even if a porter is not needed, do you want a carriage?
Even if you enter the city, can you sell your goods?
As long as these people say hello, those fur shops and medicine shops will never dare to accept your goods, or the prices will be too low. You can either sell them at a low price or change the state capital.
But the eighteen prefectures in South Zhili are basically under their control, so where can you sell them? "
"Then let's sue the officials!"
"Innocent!"
The middle-aged man cursed in frustration, looked around, lowered his voice and said: "Think about it with your brain, since they dare to act so unscrupulously, can there be no one behind them?
The government will find any reason to push your goods to the official warehouse and delay it for three to five months. Can you handle it?
They even said that your medicinal materials were fake and confiscated them directly.
If you are not familiar with the earth and the earth, then the sky will not respond to you, the earth will not work, and in the end you will have to admit that you are unlucky! "
Yang Shaoan kicked and hissed angrily, and said unwillingly: "According to uncle's statement, these people are tacitly approved by the government?"
