Chapter 433: Outstanding 4 Gu Xin is confused
Chapter 433: Outstanding Look Around and Bewildered
Liu Hong arranged ten porters, led by Zhang Laoer, to stay at the Road Blocker Tavern on Yangliu Street.
A group of ten people occupied the best private room, and the entire tavern was cleared out by the Yuezhou government.
Some guests hurried home, while others wanted to stay and take a look.
So many people went to the most domineering store on Yangliu Street,
Collection of flowers!
Compared with the past, Huajianji still occupies the best position.
But the side streets that have long been used to house street vendors have been occupied by Huajianji.
Instead, they set up tables.
Fruits, candies and tea are placed on it, so it is a place for customers to wait, and it is also a way of occupying the road for business.
This is the only store on the entire street, which makes it look very out of place.
The second and third floors of Huajianji are close to the street.
The originally closed windows were renovated and turned into a balcony that can be opened and closed and a long table can be placed.
This is unique in the entire Yangliu Street.
Some shop owners on Yangliu Street also want to do the same.
But before any rectification could be done, the Yuezhou government ordered it to stop, which made the background of Huajianji even more mysterious.
At this moment, in order to know the outcome of the opposite roadblock as soon as possible,
Some merchants came to Huajianji and occupied the tables waiting in front, spending money for it.
Some wealthy businessmen from Yuezhou specifically occupied the windows on the second and third floors.
Waiting for the government to deal with the public outrage.
At this moment, a group of elegant and graceful merchants and shopkeepers dressed in brocade gathered by the window.
The long table in front of him was filled with fine wine and delicious food, and some beautiful women were serving him.
They sipped the wine in their glasses, glancing at the people who blocked their way from time to time.
But no matter how much I drank, I felt that the wine tasted bad.
Qin Hongjun, the shopkeeper of Shengde Commercial Bank, is a fat man in his thirties with a big belly.
He was engaged in the porcelain business in Yuezhou City and had a huge fortune.
He firmly occupied a square table, and sitting opposite him,
He is Qu Jing'an, the owner of Ruixiangfu Trading Company, which is engaged in the silk business.
He is over 40 years old, handsome, and also very wealthy.
Qin Hongjun took a sip of wine, looked at the Road Blocker Tavern, with some dissatisfaction in his eyes, and snorted coldly:
"Troublemakers. They are all troublemakers!
I was so clumsy at work that I broke so many pieces of porcelain.
In the past, we had no choice but to use them and just bear with it.
Now that we have a more stable cart, you still rely on it? This is bullshit!
Those people usually take our money, but when it comes to the critical moment, they don't use it at all!"
Qu Jingan's face was also somewhat gloomy, and he slowly shook his head:
"Brother Qin, calm down first, it's true that the cart is a good thing.
But I heard that it was first used in Dali City, and later it was gradually used by merchants from Yunnan.
Who are the porters there? They are all foreigners from the border areas. The government doesn't care whether they live or die.
Naturally, whatever the boss says is what it is.
But we are different. We are all citizens of the Ming Dynasty. Even if the government wants to provoke you and me, they dare not provoke them."
At this point, Qu Jingan moved closer and pointed upwards:
"The court is watching."
"Recently, there have been rebellions in both the south and the north, all of which are caused by officials forcing the people to rebel, and officials and businessmen colluding with each other.
The imperial court sent people to arrest and kill some people, and only then did they calm the public anger.
At this critical moment, even if the government wants to favor us, the imperial court will never dare to do so."
After hearing this, some people around pricked up their ears.
A middle-aged man in his thirties said:
"Brother Qu, you are in the silk business, you have friends all over the country, and you are well-informed. Tell us, what does the court think?
Yuezhou Port is so big and has so much cargo.
How much money can be saved if a cart can be used? "
Qu Jing'an looked over and after seeing the man's face clearly, he suddenly laughed.
This person is in the grain transport business, which is based on small profits and high turnover.
If we can save a lot of labor, transporting grain can be considered a good business.
Qu Jingan waved his hand:
"Boss Han, let me say something unpleasant.
In the eyes of the local government, we still have some weight, but in the eyes of the court...
We are all no match for those strong men, so how can I know what the court thinks?"
The shopkeeper surnamed Han looked extremely unhappy, and his breathing became extremely rapid.
"The worst that can happen is we can just hire more people."
Qu Jingan laughed:
"Oh! That's a good idea. That's what I planned.
Water-grinded tofu, take your time.
Thinking back on what I did today, it seemed a bit reckless.
It is not right to prevent so many people from working at once and make things difficult for us.
We should change, like a frog in boiling water.
Hire 30 people this month, and 25 next month. Whoever is obedient will stay, and let them fight among themselves."
Qin Hongjun, who was sitting opposite him, slapped the table and smiled on his fat face.
He grabbed the girl next to him and squeezed her hard, his eyes sparkling with excitement:
"Great, great! This is a good idea! Brother Qu is really smart."
The shopkeeper surnamed Han also slapped his thigh:
"Yes, that's how it should be! The imperial court can't stop us from using good things!"
Everyone in the group began to talk at once, and the tense atmosphere eased a little.
At this time, the street below,
A group of more than twenty soldiers came hurriedly.
A thick aura of murderous aura filled the air, and his black armor was covered with knife and axe marks, making it clear that he was a veteran of many battles.
As soon as these people appeared, they immediately attracted everyone's attention and everyone turned their eyes over.
Qin Hongjun looked puzzled: "Are these Beijing troops? What are they doing here?"
Qu Jingan's eyes turned and he chuckled:
"It should be the Beijing Army, you guys don't know,
Although the wheelbarrow originated in Dali, it was first used by the army in Beijing.”
At this point, almost all the shopkeepers near the window looked over with curiosity.
They suddenly had an indescribable favorable impression of the Beijing Army!
A stroller is a great thing!
Qu Jingan hugged the young lady beside him, smiled, and looked at everyone:
"Besides, this cart came from the army of Shopkeeper Hua's husband."
The common people and the merchants passing by naturally didn't know about the background of Huajianji.
But those who have deep roots in Yuezhou naturally know it.
Qin Hongjun put away his smile on his fat face, and looked a little timid:
"The scout unit of the front army where General Liu is?"
Qu Jingan smiled and nodded vigorously:
"Yes! In this Luchuan battle, the front army scouts made great contributions.
This time, no one dares to provoke Huajianji. "
For a moment, many merchants present smiled bitterly and wished they were women.
As a businessman, I beg for protection all day long.
I have given away countless amounts of wealth to gain my current status.
But look at them, they easily got the protection that no one could imagine.
For a moment, a feeling of bitterness began to spread!
The grain transporter Han was not so envious of Huajianji.
The grain transport business was extremely profitable, but he was not making any money.
The money was extorted from all levels, leaving him with little.
But precisely because of this, he has many backers and a very stable position.
As long as he is willing to share the money, the big guys behind him won't do anything to him.
His only concern now was the cart.
As long as we can save a lot of labor,
That way he could make some money and start new business.
So his sight was always on the Road Blocker Tavern, his eyes rolling around, and he said softly:
"The Beijing army sent people here. Tell me...are they here to quell the situation or to suppress it?"
As soon as these words came out, the originally heated atmosphere of Huajianji suddenly stagnated.
The shopkeepers present all narrowed their eyes and their minds were in a state of confusion.
If they come to settle the matter, then these merchants will be in trouble. I heard that Duke Cao is still in the army.
But if they are here to cause trouble, then they have a backbone.
Pulling the tiger's skin and waving the banner are what they are best at.
At this moment, a loud shout and the sound of smashing and smashing came from the bar not far away, and everyone's attention was attracted over there!
What follows is a strong excitement!
Inside the Roadblock Tavern, Guan Wenzhi smelled a faint smell of blood in the air before he even climbed the stairs.
This made his face change suddenly, and he rushed forward!
As soon as he went upstairs, he saw several yamen runners covered in blood, standing outside the door with terrified looks on their faces.
Guan Wenzhi's heart skipped a beat and he rushed forward immediately!
Soon, the bloody scenes that came into his sight made his face look extremely ugly!
"Asshole!!!"
At this moment, there were many corpses lying in all directions in the huge room.
The ten porters who had been placed here earlier all fell to the ground, with three yamen runners spitting blood beside them.
The blood stained the precious carpet red, and many decorations in the house were also smashed to pieces.
The sumptuous dishes on the table were also knocked over to the ground, making a mess.
There was obviously a fierce fight going on in the room.
Guan Wenji grabbed the yamen runner beside him, his face gleaming with ferocity, and shouted:
"Who told you to do this?!"
When dealing with civil unrest and rebellions, the imperial court usually severely punishes the ringleaders and does not question those who followed them under duress!
But they just killed everyone without any trial.
Guan Wenzhi has been in officialdom for so many years, but he has never seen this!
The bailiff's lips trembled, his eyes filled with fear, and he stammered:
"They, these unruly people wanted to leave, we stopped them, and then a fight broke out."
"I we didn't mean it."
A yamen runner beside him probably realized the importance of the matter. The long sword in his hand fell to the ground with a clang, and he fell to his knees with a thud.
At this time, Liu Hong, the Tongzhi of Yuezhou, came up hurriedly, holding two roast geese in his hands.
He came to the door and saw the scene inside.
My eyes rolled back, my head went dark, and I fell to the ground with a thump.
"grown ups!"
The clerk who came with him cried out in surprise, and hurried forward, shouting in unison:
"Quick, find a doctor!"
Seeing Liu Hong being hurriedly carried away,
Guan Wenzhi breathed rapidly and looked at the yamen runners meaningfully, with a myriad of thoughts in his mind!
He is not a fool. This matter is definitely more than just a civil uprising!
Taking a deep breath, Guan Wenji ordered the soldiers who followed him:
"Protect the scene. No one is allowed to approach. I will go back and report to Duke Cao!"
In the Yuezhou Naval Port, Liu Heiying, who had just received the mission and got off the ship with a serious face, met Guan Wenzhi who was jogging back.
Seeing his hurried and serious expression, Liu Heiying paused and asked:
"General Guan, why are you so flustered?"
Guan Wenji recounted what had happened previously.
Soon, Liu Heiying and Guan Wenzhi returned to the ship and hurried to the cabin where Li Jinglong was.
The Duke's cabin is very large, with a main hall, a side hall, and a study.
At this moment, in the cabin, Lu Yunyi stood by the window with his hands behind his back, looking out with a thoughtful look on his face.
Li Jinglong sat on the table, holding the teacup in his hand and kneading it back and forth.
Thinking about the clues that might be contained in this matter.
What a coincidence! Just as the troops from Beijing arrived, a civil uprising broke out.
At this moment, the hatch was hastily pushed open.
Guan Wenzhi appeared at the door, and Liu Heiying also appeared with him.
The two people in the warehouse looked over at the same time, their faces changed slightly, and their hearts sank.
"what happened?"
Lu Yunyi turned around abruptly and walked closer quickly.
Guan Wenji looked flustered, and his breathing became a little rapid:
"Those ten Lifu are all dead!"
"what?"
The stool fell to the ground with a bang, and Li Jinglong stood up with a look of absurdity on his face.
Lu Yunyi's pupils suddenly contracted, and murderous intent was revealed all over his body!
At this moment, he was almost certain.
This is a trap created using a "cart"!
However, he had some doubts in his mind: did the prefect of Yuezhou want to live?
He was almost certain that the court would not forgive him for acting so recklessly.
But unfortunately, such a ridiculous thing happened again.
At this time, Liu Heiying, who had always had some talent for shady things, noticed something was wrong. After thinking for a while, he said in a deep voice:
"Duke Cao, Brother Yun'er, the situation outside is chaotic.
You better not get off the boat so easily, so as not to give people something to talk about. Wait for me to go down and find out a little bit before making any plans."
Lu Yunyi had no objection to this proposal.
When dealing with something that you don't understand and don't know the pros and cons of, the best way is to stay away from it and wait and see how it develops.
At this time, Li Jinglong looked at Guan Wenji and waved his hand:
"First, take people to protect the scene, and have the coroner from the Yuezhou government office perform an autopsy. Bring a coroner from the army as well, and compare the two. Then, record all the causes of their deaths. Don't do anything else."
"Yes!" Guan Wenzhi responded and ran out quickly.
When he left, there were only three people left in the cabin.
There were three people left in the cabin. Lu Yunyi spoke in a deep voice.
“Find out if there’s any mishap in the Yuezhou prefect’s home, or if he’s done anything.
There is also Liu Hong, the Tongzhi of Yuezhou who was in charge of resettling the laborers. Now that the man is dead, he cannot escape responsibility.
Let's check again, where the issue of the trolley came from,
What makes many business owners not have to work hard today?
In addition, personnel changes in the Yuezhou government office and even the three government offices in Huguang should also be investigated.
Let's see if the court has been too aggressive these days and the localities have resorted to resistance."
Liu Heiying looked solemn and nodded heavily.
"I understand, Brother Yun'er."
Liu Heiying then looked at Li Jinglong with a questioning look on his face.
Li Jinglong quickly walked to the table nearby.
He took a pen and wrote a note and handed it to Liu Heiying.
"If you can't find anything, take the note to the Dusi.
The assistant official of Huguang Dusi is an old subordinate of my father, and he met me in Beijing last year.
After the two of them explained something more, Liu Heiying left in a hurry.
Wait until the cabin is completely quiet.
Li Jinglong had a gloomy look on his face. He paced back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back, feeling gloomy in his heart.
At this moment, the cabin door was gently opened, and the two people in the room turned their heads abruptly and were stunned.
I saw a beautiful woman in green.
Holding a food tray in his hand, he stood at the door with a somewhat aggrieved look in his eyes.
"Sir." The woman was the courtesan who was not yet pregnant.
Li Jinglong looked at her in disbelief and suddenly became violent.
"Get out! Who let you in?"
The woman in green seemed to be startled by the sudden roar, and her body shuddered.
He stood there blankly, looking increasingly aggrieved.
"Master, I want to bring you a bowl of porridge to warm your stomach."
She slowly lowered her head, and tears as big as beans began to drip, making her look even more aggrieved.
Seeing this scene, Li Jinglong became even more angry, and his breathing suddenly became rapid.
“Get out!! Get out!!”
"Someone, drag her away!"
The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. Li Jinglong picked up the teacup on the table and smashed it over!
Bang! The teacup shattered.
The woman stood there in a daze, at a loss as to what to do.
At this time, two guards came over, grabbed her arms without saying a word, and dragged her away.
When the door closed, Li Jinglong lowered his head in annoyance and pinched his brows:
"Things that don't understand the rules."
Lu Yunyi was standing not far away and also felt extremely upset.
"Duke Cao, please stay on the boat. I will go off and take a look."
Li Jinglong raised his head abruptly: "You want to go too?"
Lu Yunyi's eyes flashed with gloom, and he shook his head gently:
"Just got off the boat to see how many people were watching us.
Maybe we can find some clues from it and guess who the enemy is."
Li Jinglong's expression suddenly became hesitant, and he expressed his guess:
"This is Huguang, could it be..."
Lu Yunyi knew who he was talking about, but he thought about it and shook his head:
"I don't think so. The public outcry won't hurt us.
The court will not punish us for this.
This seems like an intentional act to disgust people.
And that person, judging from what happened in Yunnan, his first move was a killing move, but now it seems unlikely."
Li Jinglong also felt that what he said made sense.
Since the two sides have already torn their faces apart, these measures will not change the outcome.
Lu Yunyi continued:
"And this kind of method of doing things in accordance with the trend,
I feel it is somewhat familiar, and it seems to be the work of Yu Tongyuan."
"Yu Tongyuan?"
After nearly a year of peaceful days,
Li Jinglong had almost forgotten about him. When he suddenly remembered him, he was also stunned.
If you think about it carefully, it does look like his handwriting.
From the initial praise and covert criticism when conferring the title, to the later wide-ranging of the Junshan Island, to the current use of the power of others to defeat the power of others
"Yun Yi, now that you mention it, they do look somewhat similar."
Lu Yunyi was somewhat emotional:
"It doesn't matter who did it. There aren't that many obstacles for us.
It made me see some things clearly.
Duke Cao, do you think the two carts in the army are good things?"
"Of course it's a good thing, saving time and effort.
Whether it is setting up camp or transporting military supplies, it must be at least 50% faster."
Lu Yunyi nodded:
"Okay, now the question is, this thing is absolutely good for cargo turnover.
But for the countless strong men in the world, it is something that can cost lives.
So is this thing good or bad? Should it be promoted?"
(End of this chapter)