Chapter 66 Going to the meeting alone

Chapter 66 Going to the meeting alone

Chapter 66 Going to the meeting alone
In the afternoon, the cold weather suddenly became warmer, the wind stopped, and the clouds in the sky became thicker.

On the west bank of the Grand Canal, a team of more than a dozen people slowly moved eastward.

Leading the procession was a canopyless sedan chair carried by two people. The two dark-skinned bearers walked with great difficulty.

Ahead was a stone bridge over a small ditch, and the sedan bearer in front shouted, "Go over the bridge!"

The bearer behind could not see the road ahead because of the back of the sedan chair, so he could only follow the instructions of the bearer in front. He immediately replied, "The water flows to the East China Sea."

Meaning: Got it!
After crossing the bridge carefully, the sedan bearer in front of us shouted, "There is a straight line on the road!"

The latter replied, "The faster the horse, the faster the arrow."

There was a fat man sitting in the sedan chair. He had a round face, fair complexion and no beard. He was wearing a pair of the latest model of English sunglasses in Shanghai.

He wore a Liuhe melon-shaped hat, a silk gown, a fox fur coat, and rubbed two iron gallbladders in his right hand.

The Thirteen Guardians who followed behind were all riding horses. The sedan chair moved slowly, and the horses could only follow in small steps.

Each of the Thirteen Guardians had a face full of flesh, a beard, and prickly hair on his chest. Some of them carried a sword, some carried a six-sided iron mace on their backs, some had a mother-and-child mandarin duck-shaped hatchet hanging on their waists, and two of them were armed with French single-shot flintlock pistols.

These Thirteen Guardians are brave, but they all look like brainless men with no strategy.

Hou Boqiu did have some wise and brave men under his command, but he did not dare to use them for fear of being plotted against.

Shao Quanzhong was well-known for his gratitude and chivalrous character. He built up his prestige through his personal charm and was admired by everyone, no matter how smart they were.

Hou Boqiu, a gangster leader who is as black as a glittering black, does not have those high-end things, so he has to be careful everywhere and suppress those who come later. Well, I think I am very smart.

Hou Boqiu can ride a horse, and was a hero in his early years. But now he likes to sit in an open sedan chair, leaning against a bamboo chair, feeling like a boss.

Hou Batian shook his head and hummed the tune of Hui Opera, "The red-faced and long-bearded man is skilled in martial arts, and has a deep knowledge of military strategies. The Azure Dragon and the Red Hare are unstoppable, and he leads the mighty army to suppress Jingxiang.

I, the Marquis of Han Shou Ting, am hereby ordered by the military advisor to guard Jingxiang..."

The adopted sons were not very smart, so they had to be good at flattering others. They quickly responded, "Godfather's meeting with Shao Quanzhong is like Guan Erye going to a meeting alone.

Since then, the dragon entered the sea, flooded the seven armies, captured Yu Jin, beheaded Pang De, and shocked China. Then what was it? That’s right, it was to walk... cough cough, slap your mouth, slap your mouth! "

Hou Batian didn't take it seriously and laughed loudly, "The one who is attending the meeting alone is Shao Quanzhong, and he is the one who will lead the way.

Today he wants to bring only two people across the river to see me, which shows his sincerity.

Boys, be alert. Don't let me, your godfather, become Lu Su and be used as a human shield by Shao Quanzhong."

The Thirteen Guardians patted their chests together and said, "With us brothers here, even if Shao Quanzhong has the courage of ten thousand men, he can't do anything to godfather.

Godfather, just relax and prepare to put on the hat and be the master. "

The sedan stopped by the river. Hou Boqiu got out and looked across the river with his hands behind his back.

The Huai Army soldiers on the other side of the river were all in the dike and did not come out. A small boat was prepared by the river, and ten personal soldiers stood in a row by the boat, with silk scarves wrapped around their heads, wearing personal soldier uniforms with double-breasted collars, and wearing swords on their waists.

The small boat should be prepared for Shao Quanzhong to cross the river. Ten personal soldiers were waiting for him. Shao Quanzhong was really putting on a big show.

It is said that Shao Quanzhong has a lot of quick-firing guns under his command. Hou Boqiu also inquired about that thing in Shanghai and learned that it cost three hundred taels of silver each, so he was reluctant to buy it.

Shao Quanzhong is a government soldier and he doesn't feel bad about spending the government's money, but my money is what I saved myself.

The personal soldiers under his command were just for show and were not equipped with rapid-fire guns. Well, this way there was no threat to me from the other side of the river, so Hou Boqiu felt relieved.

Hou Boqiu was extremely envious. The personal soldiers of the government army were very skilled in their use. I, a gangster, could not compare to them.

When I become an official, all the Thirteen Guardians will wear their personal guard uniforms, and they must show off more grandly than Shao Quanzhong.

Hou Batian stood by the river for a long time, daydreaming. Shao Quanzhong showed up no matter how long he waited. However, the ten personal soldiers on the east bank of the river stood at attention without moving.

The Thirteen Guardians were getting a little impatient waiting, "Isn't it possible that Shao Quanzhong, that bastard official, suddenly became afraid of death and didn't dare to come over?" Hou Boqiu shook his head, "After all, he has more than a thousand military officers under him, it shouldn't be that serious.

I think he was angry about being helpless against us, and felt it would be cheap for him to cross the river and see me, so he deliberately tried to provoke us.

It was useless for him to put on airs. Most likely, his godfather Shangguan would push him hard, and he would have to give in eventually.

It's warm today, so there's no need to rush.

I am actually worried about my family. The second and fourth sons are reluctant to part with the money earned from selling salt and are against my accepting the amnesty. I hope nothing will happen to me."

"Godfather, please relax. With the Third, Fifth, and Sixth Masters here, nothing will happen to Second Uncle."

Hou Batian sat on a big rock by the canal, humming one piece of Hui opera after another and smoking two bags of Luzon cigarettes. His butt was numb from sitting. Finally, he saw a sixth-rank official on the opposite side come out of the dike with two personal soldiers, stretching himself and getting on a small boat.

One of the two personal soldiers was tall and had a sword on his waist, while the other was fair-faced and beardless, looked a bit feminine, and was equipped with a goose-feather knife. The two personal soldiers rowed the boat, and it slowly approached the west bank.

Hou Batian had been left out for the entire afternoon and looked very unhappy. Just as he was about to lose his temper, Shao Quanzhong quickly jumped off the boat and walked ashore, quickly walking up to Hou Boqiu with an apologetic look on his face.

"Brother Hou, I am so sorry to have kept you waiting for so long. The elders from more than a dozen nearby villages came to the barracks to reward the soldiers. They came with gifts, so it would be a shame not to welcome them.

Before leaving, he left me two girls from the village, who insisted on serving me. Alas, it was really hard to refuse. "

Seeing Shao Quanzhong rubbing his waist while talking, Hou Batian suddenly felt like he had found a close friend. His anger subsided a lot and he couldn't help but curl his lips.

You led people to the countryside to rob food, money, and women, and came back late, so just tell me. Do you think I don't know the character of the government troops?

Shao Quanzhong patted his chest and said, "Brother Hou, don't worry. Now that I am here, your official position will not be lost.

Even that old fellow Ding Gongchen, it was easy for me to recommend him to be the eighth-rank ambassador of the Salt Transport Treasury.

My godfather is a well-known figure in the imperial court. He has absolute power in Lianghuai and it’s easy for him to get an eighth-rank official position.

Your Qing Gang is different from the rebels of the Hongmen, but you are a legal gang of our Qing Dynasty. The food and clothing of one million water transport workers depend on you, and the court has always been concerned about you.

The imperial court never destroyed the Green Gang's rice bowl. Your rice bowl was destroyed because of the rampage of the Guangdong and Nian bandits and the suspension of the grain transport.

Since he has lost his job, he should do some salt business to make a living. I think it is better to become an official directly instead of doing it secretly.

Is it possible that the godfather won’t help recommend the person I recommend?

As long as Brother Hou shares some of the salt permits with my brothers when the time comes, I guarantee that you will continue to be promoted.

Lord Hou, we will serve in the same court in the future, and we must take care of each other and make fortunes together."

As soon as the three words "Master Hou" came out, Hou Boqiu could no longer hold back his laughter, "Okay, Master Shao is quick to speak, it's settled."

The two men stretched out their right hands and clapped their hands three times.

Suddenly a strong cold wind blew and everyone shivered.

Shao Quanzhong looked up at the sky and said, "It seems like the weather is going to change. Now that we have settled the matter, let's not stand here in the cold.

Lord Hou, please go back to Guiliu City and wait. The certificate of the eighth-rank official will be delivered to Guiliu City within a month. I will personally deliver it to you. When the time comes, I will definitely invite Lord Hou to have a drink."

The two men laughed at each other, Shao Quanzhong bowed, turned around and said goodbye.

After watching Shao Quanzhong board the ship, Hou Boqiu turned and walked towards the open sedan, feeling very happy.

"I said Shao Quanzhong was sincere, and the third brother was just worrying for nothing. Look, nothing happened, and the matter was done."

Suddenly, three masked men stood up on the road fifty steps to the west, each holding a musket in his hand.

Three streams of white smoke rose from the muzzle of the gun, followed by three gunshots, "bang bang bang", and Hou Boqiu fell on his back to the ground.

(End of this chapter)