The cultural troupe went all the way south. People along the way heard that women were buying food to save the people. Governments in various places took action upon hearing this and summoned wealthy households just to explain one problem:
Do you want to be inferior to women?
The rich people did not want to admit that they were inferior to the girls in the cultural troupe, so those who donated money donated money, and those who donated food donated food. In order to avoid official corruption, they found an old man to write meritorious deeds in his own hand, and recorded them one by one. Send food.
Ordinary people had no choice but to discuss it and approached the county government, hoping that the government could help send some food to Fengyang Mansion. The county magistrate was so moved that he wrote a memorial and sent it to the court, and then organized the people to send food.
In the land of North China, north of the Yellow River, on the roads, many people took action after reporting to the government. Countless wheelbarrows were pushed towards Fengyang Mansion with two hands.
My face is covered in sweat, wipe it.
Tired and hungry, I ate hard steamed buns.
When I feel sleepy at night, I just sleep on the roadside.
Zhu Yunwen had cultivated people's hearts for nearly three years, and it finally bore fruit at this moment. Shanxi immigrants were grateful to Zhu Yunwen and grateful to the court for fulfilling its promise and implementing it to the letter.
The people of Henan thanked Zhu Yunwen for sending up such upright officials as Qitai and Jingqing. The people of Shandong thanked Zhu Yunwen for dredging the Huitong River, which gave countless people food to eat. The people of Beizhili thanked Zhu Yunwen for his whipping method, which reduced and exempted countless taxes. The ferocious and demanding government servant...
The human heart is gold and sparkles.
Chang Baiye, who was staying in the capital, received an express message from a man in Shandong, and decided to give up the consideration of interests and donated 100,000 taels to the Shanxi Merchants Chamber of Commerce. He stood up and called on all Shanxi merchants to buy grain with all their strength and support the court's disaster relief.
The Shanxi Merchants Chamber of Commerce mobilized almost all the forces around the capital, purchased 200,000 shi of grain, and bought a large amount of ready-made clothes. Under the banner of the Shanxi Merchants Chamber of Commerce, they entered Suzhou, Songjiang Prefecture and other disaster-stricken areas.
The main force in Huizhou, Shen Yiyuan and others, had already gone to Nanyang. Zhou Dajiang obviously lacked business acumen and was unable to raise the banner of Huizhou. When he looked back, he discovered that Suzhou, Taihu, Songjiang, Ningbo and other areas that were originally Huizhou's private areas had already spread throughout the country. Plant the banner of Shanxi merchants.
Chang Baiye is worthy of being a leader of Shanxi merchants. With Hou Qianqian's support and only one hundred thousand taels to open a road, he has established a foundation in key areas dominated by Huizhou merchants and Zhejiang merchants.
After this disaster relief, Chang Baiye believes that the people in western Zhejiang will have a greatly improved impression of Shanxi merchants, and will even trust Shanxi merchants more emotionally. Huizhou merchants and Hangzhou merchants also took action, but they chose Fengyang Mansion and other places, and this step was obviously not as clever as Chang Baiye.
Western Zhejiang is a fertile land. Even if it suffers a disaster, the foundation is still there after all. Even if everything is gone, it will be prosperous again in two years. But where is Fengyang Mansion?
Compared with Suzhou and Hangzhou, it is no exaggeration to say that it is a remote and remote place! Even if he was given fifty or one hundred years, he would not be as rich as Suzhou, Songjiang Prefecture and other places.
Chang Baiye was discussing with Hou Qianqian what kind of stores to open in Suzhou, Songjiang Prefecture and other places, and how many stores should be opened. Shopkeeper Chang Jin knocked on the door and walked in, delivering a letter, saying: "My boss, this is Tong from Ji'an Prefecture. The letter sent by the shopkeeper seems to have something to say."
After Chang Baiye took it, he unfolded it, looked at it, and then handed it to Hou Qianqian.
Hou Qianqian read it over, frowned, and said: "Husband, shopkeeper Tong said this: "Grain and grass are piled up like mountains, and soldiers are on guard. It is strictly forbidden to get close. They collect grain every day, and never go out. From Guangxin, Fuzhou, Ji'an I see them a lot on the way to other places, it's very strange, I'm afraid it has some meaning."
Chang Baiye opened his fan, blowing wind to Hou Qianqian, and said: "The presence of soldiers indicates that this batch of food is military food for the imperial guard, not local relief food, nor a merchant's grain depot. It is piled up like a mountain, and it is still collected every day. The grain is never sold out, which shows that this batch of grain requires many people to eat it. Uncle Eighth, I remember that the imperial court set up a large granary in Ji'an Prefecture."
Chang Jin nodded and said: "The imperial court has eight major granaries, one of which is Ji'an Granary. However, as Shopkeeper Tong said in the letter, it is not like Ji'an Granary, but more like a temporary warehouse. No walls are built, only a stockade wall."
Hou Qianqian read the letter carefully and pointed out an important point: "They are often seen on the way from Guangxin, Fuzhou, Ji'an and other places. The imperial court has eight major granaries, but there are no Guangxin and Fuzhou."
Chang Baiye turned around and took out a map from the desk, pointing to Guangxin, Fuzhou, Ji'an and other places, his expression became solemn.
Hou Qianqian stared at the map and said, "These three places seem to be on a line."
Chang Baiye signaled Chang Jin to step back, then closed the door and said to Hou Qianqian: "I'm afraid this matter is serious. If I'm not wrong, Ming Dynasty is probably going to go to war."
"What?"
Hou Qianqian looked at Chang Baiye in surprise.
fight?
At present, there is a severe drought in Fengyang and a severe flood in western Zhejiang. How can the imperial court still have the strength to fight? Besides, there are no enemies in Jiangxi.
Chang Baiye pointed to Shopkeeper Tong's letter: "Shopkeeper Tong is an old man of the Chang family and would never lie about this kind of thing. Look, Shopkeeper Tong wrote about grain and grass, not grain, and there are soldiers on guard. It’s undoubtedly military rations.”
"Even if we have military rations, we may not go to war. Maybe we just have a place to store up in case of emergencies."
Hou Qianqian said bluntly.
Chang Baiye smiled and pointed at the map: "You see clearly, these military rations are located in Jiangxi. Jiangxi is stable and there is no rebellion anywhere. If you want to reserve places, you should also reserve them in and around the capital, such as Yangzhou, Zhenjiang and other places." .”
Hou Qianqian couldn't understand: "Then tell me, why does the imperial court reserve military rations here?"
Chang Baiye pressed his finger on the map in the direction of the capital, and then moved slowly to the lower left, clicking on Ningguo and Huizhou, and then downwards, clicking on Raozhou, Guangxin, Fuzhou, Ji'an and other places without stopping. , pointed straight to the lower left, and clicked on Ganzhou and Shaozhou, and finally landed on Xunzhou and Nanning!
"If you ask someone, I believe there will be a large amount of food and fodder at these points!"
Chang Baiye said seriously.
Hou Qianqian stared at Nanning's position, and moved his eyes slightly downwards. That was Siming Mansion, and further down, there was Annan Kingdom! If such a clear line really exists, then the target of the war is self-evident.
"You mean..."
Hou Qianqian looked at the direction of the door and lowered his voice: "The Ming Dynasty is going to use troops against Annan? But I heard that the Annan Kingdom begged to surrender and give up the throne. The court sent Chen Tianping back to Annan. The matter has been settled."
Chang Baiye frowned and said: "This is the strange thing. The imperial court sent Chen Tianping back to Annan in mid-January, but it is already late May, and there has been no news that Chen Tianping returned to Annan to inherit the throne. It has been four months. Isn’t it too long?”
Hou Qianqian guessed: "Maybe he got sick on the way and took a while to recover."
Chang Baiye glanced at Hou Qianqian and said with a smile: "Even if he is sick, he should have arrived in Guangxi at this time. According to me, Annan's begging for surrender may not be true, and the imperial court may not be able to send Chen Tianping back to his country smoothly. Qianqian, you If you have never met Emperor Jianwen, you don’t know what kind of emperor he is.”
Hou Qianqian smiled, stood up, poured a cup of herbal tea, and gave it to Chang Baiye: "They say he is a benevolent king who cares about the people and cherishes their power. But in my opinion, his greatest advantage should be his boldness."
"Bold?"
Chang Baiye raised his eyebrows.
Hou Qianqian chuckled and said confidently: "If you weren't bold, how could you have done so many things that violated the ancestral system? If you weren't bold, how could you stay in Hangzhou leisurely when the King of Qi rebelled? If you weren't bold, , how could King Yan and King Ning start a war with Bei Yuan in the north?"
Chang Baiye clapped his hands repeatedly, praising Hou Qianqian's knowledge, then folded his fan and said, "But boldness does not explain everything about him. I have seen him, and his eyes are extremely sharp, and he seems to be able to see through people's hearts. His knowledge He is extremely knowledgeable, whether it is business tricks, craftsmen's skills, military tactics, or people's survival methods, he seems to have them all at his fingertips!"
Hou Qianqian was silent, these things seemed to be facts.
Medical gauze and alcohol, which were classified as military supplies, occasionally found their way into the hands of nobles. The Chang family was lucky enough to buy three boxes. I heard that the creator was Zhu Yunwen, and the new stove, pure glass, magnifying glass, woolen sweater...these were behind the scenes. , all have the shadow of Zhu Yunwen, and there are even rumors that the Second Artillery Bureau's firearms improvements were extremely effective, and played a huge role in the forced landing of Duoyan Guard outside the pass, and the Second Artillery Bureau was set up by Zhu Yunwen...
He was the monarch of the Ming Dynasty, and he was not like a simple emperor. He did not work in Fengtian Palace honestly, but came out with some things from time to time, and these things were accepted by the people and played an important role in many occasions.
Chang Baiye said seriously to Hou Qianqian: "My uncle Zeng's evaluation of Emperor Jianwen is unfathomable. My understanding of him is that he is a talented man with great strategy!"
"so?"
Hou Qianqian's eyes were like stars.
Chang Baiye picked up the map: "So, he did something to prove that he is a talented and strategic monarch. From the news here, we can see that the court has been preparing for this battle for some time."
Hou Qianqian asked: "If we go to war with Annan, we need a reason, right?"
Before Chang Baiye spoke, Hou Qianqian sighed and sighed: "Chen Tianping, this poor man..."
"Actually, this is a good thing for us."
Chang Baiye propped his hands on the table and stared at Annan's location on the map.
"You're not trying to trick Annan, are you? No, it's too dangerous there, and no one will go with him."
Hou Qianqian immediately refused.
Chang Baiye smiled and asked: "Why does Shen Yiyuan dare to go to Nanyang?"
Hou Qianqian said without hesitation: "With the Ming Navy here, where can't we go?"
Chang Baiye nodded and clenched his fists: "For the same reason, if the Ming army is there, where can't we go? I heard that there are countless rare treasures hidden in Annan's Shenglong Mansion, with mountains of spices and thousand-year-old trees. If we Wouldn't it be great to follow the army to Shenglong Mansion..."
"You're crazy. How could the army allow businessmen to follow... uh..."
Hou Qianqian was a little unsure. The Ming Navy did allow the merchant to follow.
It’s just that the main mission of the Ming Dynasty Navy is to send envoys to maintain peace in Southeast Asia and conduct official trade at the same time. Once the imperial court launches a large army to attack Annan, it will be a pure war!
Chang Baiye said confidently: "There will always be a way."
Blue sea, refreshing wind, intoxicating coral islands, palm trees everywhere, this is an island.
The priest William looked at the smashed ships on the shore with tears streaming down his face.
Jacob is dead.
Jerome also died.
The two young captains who led the ship died at sea.
Setting sail from Venice, five ships loaded with cargo were either robbed or encountered a storm. They were also arrested by the Ottoman Empire and imprisoned for a long time. After they were released, three-fifths of the cargo was gone.
Jacob insisted on sailing, all the way eastward, eastward, but where was the distant Seles (China)? It was so far away that he couldn't see it.
A storm ended everyone's dreams.
Ships were destroyed and people died.
William gathered the bodies of the crew members, and suddenly found that a young man was still alive, so he couldn't help but drag it to the shore. William knew this young man, his name was Adam, and he was an outstanding sailor.
Adam woke up, looked at the dead captain and everyone, and asked the busy William: "Priest, can we still get to Selis?"
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