At noon that day, the ship finally arrived at Jining Chaoguan.
This place is only forty or fifty miles away from Yanzhou City, where Prince Lu's Mansion is located. It is also a large wharf on the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal where merchants gather.
According to Zheng Haizhu's plan, the new rice brought from Hangzhou was sold in Jining for money, because if they then took the land route to Dengzhou and then the sea route to Liaodong, rice would be a heavier burden than brocade and tea.
"Besides, these rice are all high-quality products from the Liangzhu area. Those fastidious dignitaries in the capital can afford the price. If they are brought to a place like Liaodong where there is a shortage of food and wages, it is easy to be robbed by hungry people and deserters. They treat Hang Jin who cannot eat or drink to save his life. I'm not interested in tea. This time I will take you on a quick trip. When you return to Hangzhou, you will have to tell Mr. Mao about it. There are all kinds of goods along the way, especially fine porcelain, furniture, yellow croaker fish maw and the like. Note down the prices of all the expensive goods that we have not yet handled and report them to Mr. Mao."
As the ship docked, Zheng Haizhu kept telling Xu Saner.
At the end of the sentence, she wiped her serious face and joked to him: "Do a good job, I will go to Uncle Mao to act as a matchmaker for you, maybe next year you will be the uncle of the Mao family."
Xu San was fussy, and when he finally heard the teasing sentence, he realized that Miss Zheng was referring to the scene at the Nanhui beach where his subordinates were vying to be Mao Wenlong's son-in-law, and couldn't help but giggle.
Along the way, Zheng Haizhu was quite satisfied with Xu San, whom Mao Wenlong sent to his son to do business.
Xu San is literate and numeral, and has been a soldier, so he has good skills and acumen. He dares to speak up when dealing with officials, and is not mean to trackers, sailors, and vendors. He is a second shopkeeper who can be cultivated for a long time.
"Now, go ashore and see the Yaman." Zheng Haizhu told Xu Sandao.
Mu Zaohua came over and asked: "Miss Zheng, why don't you unload the goods yet? Don't let those people think that we only want to sell in Jining, because we might help the rice bank to lower the price."
Zheng Haizhu stared at her and smiled: "Yes."
Then he said: "You speak Shandong dialect, go and talk to them. You intelligence agents, people from all walks of life, must act like them."
Not long after, Xu San returned to the boat with a man with a fair face and neat gown.
The tooth man walked straight up to Wu Bondang, raised his tooth badge on his waist and said politely: "Boss Ankang, my surname is Ding, and my given name is the Lu character of Lu land."
Wu Bondang pointed at Mu Zaohua: "My cousin is in charge of the business at home, let her talk to you."
Dingya was stunned for a moment, but Mu Zaohua already said, "Brother, please take me ashore and ask around for prices."
Hearing that she had a local accent, the Ding Ya people pursed their lips with a smile and said, "Girl, please".
Mu Zaohua and Xu San had just stepped onto the dock with the Dingya man, when a man in ragged trousers and jacket rushed out from behind and grabbed the Dingya man by the back collar.
"You are a bastard son and a third grandson, stealing my mother-in-law!"
The Ding Ya man had his back to the man, but before he could turn his head, his right elbow had already been pushed back and upward, hitting the man's chin.
This seemingly small impact actually caused the man to take several steps back, holding his chin, and the tiger's mouth was soon stained with blood flowing from his mouth.
The Ding Ya man turned around, looked at the man intently, and said angrily: "What are you talking about? I don't know you! You are slandering my name in broad daylight."
The man also recognized the face across from him clearly and realized that he had recognized the wrong person. He bowed his head and confessed, turned around and ran away.
Ding Yaren shook his head and sighed, and said to Mu Zaohua and Xu San: "It's a little bad luck, nothing to mention. Let's go to Mihang."
Mu Zaohua continued walking with an expressionless face, while Xu Sanze asked the Ya people a lot of questions about banknote tariffs, transaction taxes, and the price fluctuations of goods from the north to the south. The Ding people answered politely and fluently.
…
Zheng Haizhu stood at the bow of the boat with his arms folded, watching Wu Bondang negotiate the price with the guy who came over to do the land transportation business.
While listening, I saw Mu Zaohua and Xu San coming back in a hurry, but the Dingya people were not with them.
Zheng Haizhu was surprised: "So fast?"
Wu Bondang also dismissed the land transportation guy for the time being, walked back to the ship, and asked, "What? Is that Ya man cheating?"
Mu Zaohua looked at Wu Bond and said, "Sir, as soon as we landed, the Yaman was being sought for revenge. Although it was a misunderstanding, during the entanglement, I saw that the back of the Yaman's neck was exposed, and there were tattoos on it. The fox and the lotus.”
Wu Bondang's eyes flashed: "Taught by Wen Xiang?"
Mu Zaohua felt happy.
She saw that Miss Zheng still had a look of confusion in her eyes when she heard what she said, but Mr. Wu had already understood it in an instant.
This made her feel that the young master was indeed closer to her, just like a master with his disciple, while Miss Zheng was just a layman with a sense of distance.
Wu Bang Bang started to explain to Zheng Haizhu: "The Wenxiang Sect is a branch of the White Lotus Sect. The previous leader was named Wang Sen. He said that he rescued a fox on the road to cut wood. The fox bit his tail in order to thank him. Come down and give it to him. The tail is fragrant and has the power to save the world. Wang Sen used this to found the Smell Sect and tricked poor people into joining the sect. Later, he wanted to attract some rich people, so he added the lotus pattern. Get in."
Zheng Haizhu was speechless after hearing this.
Does the fox tail still smell good? Just kidding, who modern person wouldn’t think there’s something wrong with your nose?
But the people at the bottom of society in ancient times would believe it when they suffered to the point of despair.
Zheng Haizhu said: "I remembered what you said. When I brought the trackers back to Songjiang from Zhenjiang, Mr. Huang and Mrs. Gu's family reminded me to pay attention to the words and deeds of the servants on weekdays. There has been a lot of noise in Shandong in the past two years. The Xiang Cult was making a big fuss. There was a leader named Xu Hongru who wanted to recruit the followers to Songjiang. Fortunately, I kept an eye on them for a while, and there was nothing unusual about the people who were recruited back."
Mu Zaohua said: "That's right, Miss Zheng. When I first escaped from famine, someone pulled me into the Wenxiang Sect, but I thought it was a place where liars and fools gathered, so I would rather go to Jiangnan to work as a coolie."
She originally followed Wu Bang Bang's disdain for the Wen Xiang Sect, but Wu Bang Bang interrupted her: "Tell me about that Yaman, how he behaved later. The followers of the Wen Xiang Sect also do business and brokerage as usual, and even Teaching.”
"Well, he took Xu San and me to several rice shops and said the prices were too low, so he came out and told me to take the boat to the small dock three miles away from Chaoguan, where there are shops from Jingshi and Tianjin. The rice merchants collect the rice and deliver it on the ship. The rice merchants do not charge taxes, land rent, or bribe money to Jining officials. We, the new rice from Hangjiahu, can sell more than two taels per stone."
Wu Bondang raised his eyebrows: "It sounds reasonable."
Mu Zaohua shook his head and said: "Sir, I fled last year on a cargo ship near Jining. I still remember the waterways around me. The three or four miles before and after Chaoguan are full of wild reeds. Could it be that in one year, everything has changed?" Is there a lively black market? Moreover, when I went to the hut, I avoided the Ya people and found a tea shop boy to inquire. The Ya people here facilitated the transaction, and the draw was one out of 100. Selling at the dock and going to the black market For us, the difference of 200 taels of silver is only a difference of 200 taels of silver to the Yaman. He is a local who has been registered with the government, and he takes risks and seduces people just for two taels of silver. It doesn’t make much sense for merchant ships to go to the black market.”
Mu Zaohua said this in a breath, and Xu Sancai on the side added: "Miss Zheng, Mr. Wu, I think when the Yaren was attacked from behind, he fought back quickly and hard. He should be a practicing master. Therefore, Girl Zaohua and I had a drop of Gu, but we still rejected the Ya people. What if the Wenxiang Cult really wants to trick us into the wilds and rob and kill us?"
Zheng Haizhu smiled happily.
First, he pointed at Mu Zaohua and said to Wu Bangdang: "You are a good master, and the apprentice you led has come out of the mountain."
Then he said to Xu San: "You're not bad. We who do business in the world, profit is the first priority. But when we encounter such suspicious people, we should stay away from them and would rather make less. In the future, if our business becomes bigger, we will definitely If you have partners who are rash, remember to remind them.”
Xu San nodded in agreement.
Next, Wu Bond went ashore to explore in person.
Not long after walking, he saw a man wearing a Yaren robe with disheveled hair leading two servants towards him.
At a quick glance, this man actually looked a bit like the Yaman who claimed to be surnamed Ding.
The tolerant officer shouted along the pier to remind: "Dinlu, the tooth man, the tooth plate has been stolen by the gangsters, so that you, the ship owners and cargo owners, can learn that if you encounter anyone with this tooth plate, you must detain it and report it to the official."
After Wu Bond heard this, he thought to himself that he was almost hit.
He decided not to find a tooth man.
Dressed as a Confucian businessman with a reputation for success, Wu Bangde went directly to the public house where the business tax was collected, found a tax collector, and asked him to introduce a familiar Mihang.
When it comes to the price of rice alone, this rice store does not sell much. Even a fool can tell that it is the best new rice from Zhejiang, and the shopkeeper only gives one or two taels of silver per stone.
But because it was a shop opened by the tax collector's brother-in-law, the transaction tax was not a local tax included in the banknote system, so the tax collector only counted two taels of silver in total.
When the time came, the tax collector did not forget to remind Wu Bangde: "This young master, three or four hundred shi of rice is not too little in the court's grain ship. With your wealth, at the dock today, I'm afraid you have taught all kinds of people You can see it all in your eyes. I would like to remind you, if you want to take the remaining brocade tea leaves overland, even if you arrive the next day, you'd better hire some bodyguards."
Wu Bangdang thought for a while and said simply: "Let's introduce him together. Let's go to Yanzhou City."
The tax collector happily agreed. Hey, I can earn another filial piety money from the escort agency.
…
The heavy rice turned into a few thin banknotes, and the burden of land transportation was suddenly reduced.
Everyone hired mule carts and bodyguards, loaded up brocades, tea leaves and lanterns, and headed east in a relaxed mood.
However, after leaving Jining Zhoucheng, the scene in front of him pulled Zheng Haizhu into the heavy reality.
The wind has started to rise, but both sides of the road are full of thinly-clad and skinny escapees.
Some are still helping the veteran to walk hard, while others have fallen on the grass, with only enough strength left to open their mouths to breathe.
When Zheng Haizhu was walking in the south, he did not see scenes of misery for the people, but on both sides of the official road from Fujian to Jiangnan, there were not as many people dying of hunger as in the north.
"Female Bodhisattva, female Bodhisattva, give my baby something to eat, please, please female Bodhisattva."
Someone from behind the car called for help.
Zheng Haizhu turned around suddenly and saw a young woman with disheveled hair, holding a baby in her arms, running after the mule cart.
Zheng Haizhu suddenly thought of Dong Erya and her daughter, and was about to call the driver to stop.
Wu Bangdang stopped her: "The escort said that if you see women or children on the road asking for help, you should ignore them. Among the refugees, there are young and strong people lying in ambush nearby, releasing weak women or old people as bait, just to steal goods and wealth."
Zheng Haizhu waved away Wu Bond's hand: "It's so pitiful, I can't be cruel."
Wu Bangdang restrained her shoulders and said in a serious tone: "Can you save dozens or millions of hungry people?"
Before he finished speaking, Mu Zaohua, who was sitting in front of the car, crawled past the two of them, grabbed the dry food bag at Zheng Haizhu's feet, and jumped out of the car.
A mule can't run as fast as a horse, but it still has speed after all. Mu Zaohua was extremely strong, but she didn't have the skill to develop her kung fu, so she fell to the ground and stumbled.
Fortunately, her body was strong and she quickly got up, walked quickly to the woman holding the baby in her arms, took out a pancake and stuffed it into her mouth.
Seven or eight men, old and young, immediately gathered around to grab Mu Zaohua's dry food package.
Mu Zaohua was outnumbered, and only had time to grab two pancakes, and then the dry food bundle fell from her hands.
The hungry people were like wild dogs tearing apart dead bones, fighting for the cakes that had fallen into the dust.
Mu Zaohua grabbed the frightened young mother, picked up the child in her hand, stuffed pancakes into the child's mouth, and urged the mother: "Swallow quickly, or someone will dig it out and snatch it away." "
Sure enough, immediately a man who couldn't beat a man jumped over to look for a way out of the woman.
Mu Zaohua hugged the unfamiliar child tightly and kicked him.
The mother also rushed forward, grabbed the man, and shouted to Mu Zaohua: "Female Bodhisattva, please take my baby away."
More refugees came over to grab food, and Mu Zaohua fell to the ground.
The child also rolled to the side, holding his head with two dirty little hands, avoiding the trampling of adults, but still holding the pancake in his mouth.
"Swish, swish", several whips sounded.
Wu Bondang arrived on the escort's mule and drove away the refugees with a whip.
Mu Zaohua struggled to get up, and Wu Bondang pulled her onto the back of the mule.
Behind him were only the angry curses of the refugees and the wailing of the miserable mother: "Female Bodhisattva, take my baby away, take it away."
Back in the truck, Wu Bond's face was gloomy.
Another male intelligence agent accompanying him had previously partnered with Mu Zaohua to investigate insurance fraud. Seeing his female partner's face stained and depressed, he couldn't bear it and took the water bag and handed it to her.
Mu Zaohua shook her head and lowered her eyes in a daze.
Wu Bond said coldly: "Today I am saving you for Miss Zheng's sake. Just this time. Even if Miss Zheng asks me to save you next time, I will not save you. My team does not need a Bodhisattva, especially myself." It’s hard to save the clay Bodhisattva who still has to cross the river to ferry people.”
Zheng Haizhu sighed, took out the handkerchief, wiped the blood on Mu Zaohua's face, and said warmly: "Master Wu is right."
"My subordinates have remembered it." Mu Zaohua choked with sobs.
Through the curtain of tears, the figures of the refugees in the distance became more and more blurred.
