Forty-eight years of Qianlong

Chapter 160 Thin Horse Project ([-])

Several people were talking, and Xu Dayong entered the front hall.

"Master, that toothman named Jia Wang and Mrs. Chen are here again."

"Come early enough. We'll go there."

It is said that if a business wants to develop into an industry, it cannot be formed through one or two transactions.It requires sufficient supply of goods, perfect production and processing sites and broad market demand in a certain period of time and in a certain area.

Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, officials and businessmen have colluded to squeeze the common people.Even the Ming Empire, a country that seemed likely to be powerful in the eyes of many people, because of the huge gap between the rich and the poor, internal conflicts have long been very acute.The simplest legal division of social classes in ancient China was "good" and "bad", and slaves were untouchables, the lowest social class, and had no independent personality in law.

On the one hand, the upper-class officials and gentry are full of brains and fat, licentious and shameless; on the other hand, due to natural disasters, man-made disasters, heavy taxes and corvee, etc., the poor and landless have to sell their emaciated daughters to local people in order to survive.

And human trading was originally a legal business in feudal society.There has always been a distinction between "good and bad" in ancient society, that is, the long-term combination of the remnants of slavery and the feudal hierarchy.In the Qin Dynasty, the government set up a "market for slaves and maidservants, with cattle and horses in the same barn." When the tax deed system was implemented in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the objects of taxation were divided into three categories: "sell slaves and maidservants, horses and cattle, and fields and houses."Therefore, the intermediary engaged in human trafficking has become an officially permitted behavior.

In the history of another time and space, it was not until the first year of Xuantong that the Qing court abolished the private ownership and trading of slaves and allowed domestic slaves to redeem themselves.So don't just talk about anti-Qing and Fuming and promote democracy. Do you really think that cutting off the pig's tail and holding a flintlock gun for fun means that you are advanced?The first thing to oppose is the "division of good and bad", that is, slaves turn themselves into masters!If this is not resolved, China will always be a feudal slave society.

So you see, there is a broad market demand, sufficient supply and "raw materials", and the government still has institutional guarantees.Then "skinny horse" has naturally become an industry.

Let’s talk about regional factors, because the wealthy salt merchants in Yangzhou are all rich and psychopathic, they have produced a deformed aesthetic concept that regards thinness as beauty.In fact, taking thinness as beauty as a form of aesthetics is the same as the Tang Dynasty's thinking of fat as beauty, and there is nothing wrong with it.

However, the result of excessive thinness is that women who are male appendages have endured painful torture; such as the three-inch golden lotus.

Women engaged in thin horse intermediaries are called "tooth women" and "tooth sisters-in-law", which is one of the "six women" in the commonly known "three aunts and six women".Men are called "驵侩", "侩" is a merchant, and "驵" means a trader who is engaged in the business of cattle, horses and other livestock.

Mrs. Chen didn't bind her feet because she was a boat lady.The boat lady belongs to the untouchables. If the boat lady binds her feet, she will fall into the water and drown.As for Jia Wang, he is a swindler (pronounced with the same sound) and his ancestors did sell cattle to Yangzhou.

People like them are also called "white ants", which means they will drill wherever there is a gap.These white ants are entrusted by the family that raises the "skinny horse", looking for buyers everywhere.

Because the two were the first to arrive first, they whispered outside the concierge to discuss countermeasures.After a while, Zhao Xin and Wu Siyu came out.Chen and Jia greeted each other quickly.After a brief discussion, Zhao Xin went with Jia Wang, and Wu Siyu went with Mrs. Chen.

After leaving the courtyard, Jia Wang called a carriage, and after Zhao Xin sat down, he got on the shaft and told the driver where he was going.

The same procedure has been carried out several times, and Zhao Xin has long since lost the original freshness.So Jia Wang still wanted to introduce where he was going today, so Zhao Xin said that.

In the past few days, apart from looking at skinny horses, he has been shopping wildly in antique shops all over the city.Whether it's jade or ancient calligraphy and painting, all kinds of furniture, porcelain, as long as he thinks it is good, he will pay for it.The antique dealers in Yangzhou are all talking in private, saying that a "dumb boy" from the capital has recently come.

Originally, he wanted to exchange gold for silver through Shen Jingdan, but Shen Jingdan told him that it would be very convenient to go to a bank opened by a Shanxi native in the city to exchange for silver notes.There are both payable at sight and long-term bills.

During the Qianlong period, because a quarter of the world's finances and taxes came from Yangzhou, there was a huge amount of silver in circulation in the market, so the gold-silver ratio was 3000:5.Zhao Xin took four boxes of Japan small judgment gold, and accompanied by Shen Jingdan and Lao Huang, went to a bank to exchange them for bank notes payable at sight, ranging from 16 taels to 37.5 taels of denominations ([-] taels a catty in the Qing Dynasty) Two, but one or two is [-] grams.)
After more than half an hour, the carriage stopped in front of a courtyard outside the city after passing through the bustling streets.Jia Wang jumped out of the carriage and knocked on the door.

"Old Chen, old Chen! Are you at home?"

"I'm coming."

The courtyard door slammed softly, and a middle-aged man opened it and walked out. "Hey, it's Jia Er! What kind of wind brought you here today?"

Jia Wang laughed and scolded: "Your memory is like a pig's brain. Didn't you ask me to help you find some buyers last month? Today I invited the buyers."

The middle-aged man looked up and asked in a low voice, "Why is there only one car? I have more than twenty daughters here!"

"Don't worry, this master has a lot of background. He is from the capital, and he wants to buy dozens of them!"

"Ah!" The middle-aged man was overjoyed when he heard that, he hurriedly stepped forward to lift the curtain of the carriage, and said, "My lord, please get out of the carriage."

Jia Wang and the middle-aged man helped Zhao Xin out of the carriage, and asked the coachman to wait at the door; the three of them entered the yard.Jia Wang pointed to the middle-aged man while walking and introduced: "Master, his name is Chen Songyuan. There are more than [-] daughters at home, and this is the one in our Yangzhou. Last month, I asked me to help find someone." Just like a thumbs up.

Chen Songyuan said flatteringly with a smile on his face: "My lord, you are a big man at first glance. You are young, handsome and talented. My daughter will be happy to see you. I don't know if you want to be young or take it back to listen in the back house. ?”

Zhao Xin smiled and said: "When you meet a good one, you naturally want to please her. If you don't like it, you are smart, and you won't treat her badly if you become a maid in the house."

Chen Songyuan said: "I don't know what kind of business my master does in the capital?"

Zhao Xin said: "It's nothing. It's just helping the palace and the adults from the north to buy some leather goods and ginseng every year. It's so boring."

"That's that, that's that." While flattering, Chen Songyuan speculated that Zhao Xin might be from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.But this is something that cannot be said or asked. Even if you ask someone's name and history, they will generally not tell the truth.Of course, those local salt merchants in Yangzhou are different.But the other party has Jia Wang to accompany him, so there should be no problem.

Jia Wang helped from the side and said: "The daughters of the Chen family are considered the top ones in our Yangzhou, and they are all first-class and stunning. Playing the piano and flute, reciting poems and painting, playing Go Shuanglu and wiping dominoes, all kinds of obscenities, all of them are excellent. Grandpa After a while, you will know that the villain is not talking nonsense."

Zhao Xinxin said, who the hell is fooling you when you talk like this every time?
Chen Songyuan walked two steps slower, and asked Jia Wang in a low voice, "Have you brought the golden hairpin?"

Jia Wang nodded with a smile, which means that it is naturally brought, don't worry.

The golden hairpin mentioned by the two is a must-have item when choosing a "thin horse".If the guest is satisfied with the girl, he will put a golden hairpin on the other party's head, then start to negotiate the price and agree on the date of marriage.Generally, after a woman enters a man's house, there will be a three-day "repentance period"; that is, if the owner is not satisfied with them, they can return them to the man.

The golden hairpins that Zhao Xin carried were just a sign, otherwise people would think he was just here to play.He didn't want to give it to anyone at all. Anyway, in two days, he would have a pot of Baoyuan to make a "roll bun stew", so why waste it in advance!
As Zhao Xin walked, he found that the house was quite large, with three entrances at the front and back, and two entrances on the left and right. It seemed that many girls were housed.After entering Erjin's flower hall and sitting down, a woman brought tea.

Zhao Xin took a sip of tea, the temperature was just right.He put on an impatient look and said to Jia Wang: "Hurry up! I have to pick antiques later."

Jia Wang nodded to Chen Songyuan, and Chen Songyuan bowed to Zhao Xin and said, "Master, please wait a moment. I don't know if you are coming today. The daughters need to freshen up a bit, and they will come out in a while." After speaking, he left the flower hall.

After about 20 minutes, a woman helped a girl into the flower hall.The girl was wearing a light yellow blouse trimmed with powder on her upper body, and a light green skirt embroidered with lace.

The woman said to the girl, "My lady is visiting."

The girl didn't speak, and bowed her head gracefully.

The woman said again: "Miss, go up."

The girl still hung her head and was supported to take two steps forward.This is to let the guests see the posture.

The mother-in-law waited for the girl to stand still and said, "Girl, turn around." Then the girl shyly bowed her head and turned sideways, her face facing the sunlight coming in from outside the house.Zhao Xin saw that the girl had light makeup, delicate eyebrows and eyes, and a pink oval face, she looked like a beauty.But it looks...it looks like a little girl, at most thirteen or fourteen years old!
The mother-in-law continued: "Miss, let me take a look." After speaking, she reached out to take the girl's left arm and rolled up the sleeve.

The woman is obviously a veteran and knows how to seduce guests.She moved up little by little as she pushed up her sleeves. After the girl's thin, white hand was gradually exposed, the mother-in-law glanced sideways at Zhao Xin, and saw that there was no response from him, so she continued to move up slowly. Rolling up the girl's sleeves, the forearm like snow lotus root is gradually exposed.

Looking at the girl's slender arms, Zhao Xin couldn't help but sigh in his heart, what the hell, he just gave him some porridge for one day, you see, he made the child look thinner!When I return to Beihai, I will have three meals of steamed buns and stewed meat a day, so I have to keep up with the nutrition.

Seeing Zhao Xin's regretful expression, the woman immediately smiled, and said to the girl, "Miss, look at Mrs.

The girl lowered her head shyly, glanced at Zhao Xin for a while, then turned back quickly.Immediately a blush came to her cheeks.It is learned at a glance, and it can only be done after thousands of drills.You can't let the guests feel that your eyes are staring blankly, but you have to let the guests see your own eyebrows and eyes clearly.

The mother-in-law continued: "How old is the girl?"

The girl replied shyly: "You are thirteen years old." The voice was clear and beautiful, a little soft.

Zhao Xinxin said, he guessed right! A 13-year-old girl film.

This is the last item, which is also the least favorite of Zhao Xin and others.

The woman said: "Miss, go again." The girl listened, and stretched out her left hand to pull the skirt, and supported the woman with her right hand, stuck out her toes, and walked a few steps.The slender embroidered shoes look no bigger than Zhao Xin's palm. This is the famous "three-inch golden lotus"!A good cabbage is ruined forever!
Seeing that Zhao Xin didn't respond, Jia Wang leaned forward and said, "My lord, this girl's name is Tang Xiao, and she's the most beautiful girl here. What do you think?"

Zhao Xin nodded and said with a smile, "Let's look at the others."

After hearing this, Jia Wang waved to the woman.Seeing that, the woman had no choice but to pull the girl to bow again, then turned and went out.When the girl was about to go out, she suddenly turned her head and glanced at Zhao Xin, which made Zhao Xin tremble.It was clearly a pleading look, hoping that he could lead the other party out of the sea of ​​suffering.

In the next two hours, Zhao Xin saw more than [-] girls one after another.Among them was a pair of twin sisters named Er Tang!At first glance, it was as if they came out of the same mold, and it was impossible to tell which one was the older sister and which was the younger sister, they were all equally beautiful and lovely.But then Jia Wang said that the one with a mole on his left hand is the elder sister, and the one without it is the younger sister.

Among the twenty or so girls, according to their appearance and beauty, the outstanding ones are the first class; the others are the second class; the most common ones are the third class.

Zhao Xin watched it at the end and didn't say who he liked.This made Chen Songyuan very surprised. He knows best how good his own girls are, and he doesn't even look down on Ertang and Tang Xiao who are so beautiful. Could it be that this person is here to play tricks on purpose? !
"Crack!" As soon as Zhao Xin tapped the tea table, a 100 tael silver ticket appeared on the table. "Your reward! I have to go back and take a good look at it. I'll come back in a few days." After finishing speaking, he got up and went out.

Chen Songyuan hurriedly picked up the bank note, seeing that it was 100 taels, he was immediately overjoyed.So rich! 100 without blinking.For a first class like Tang Xiao, the price in his heart is 5000 taels.Thinking of this, he quickly chased after him.

Zhao Xin walked out of the courtyard gate, scanned everything around him, then turned around and carefully looked at the appearance and characteristics of the courtyard gate, and remembered it in his mind.Then stepped on the footstool and got into the carriage.

Chen Songyuan stood outside the gate of the courtyard, bowed flatteringly and said, "Master, come and make an engagement when you've made up your mind. My Tang Xiao and Er Tang fell in love with you at first sight."

On the way back in the carriage, Zhao Xin went to an antique shop on East Street and bought several sets of Ming edition books and two blue and white plum vases.Back home, Jia Wang helped Zhao Xin deliver the purchased antiques to the front hall.Zhao Xin said "hard work", and gave him a ten tael bank note, saying that he would not read it for the next few days.Rest for a few days, and then go to Chen's house in five days to finalize the candidate.

After Jia Wang left with a smile on his face, Zhao Xin told Xu Dayong carefully about the place he went today and the appearance of the courtyard, and finally told him: "Find out the details of that house and the surrounding conditions for me." Xu Dayong Dayong nodded after listening, and immediately went out.

Sitting on the armchair in the front hall, Zhao Xin secretly slandered: "Then Chen Songyuan actually raised more than 20 girls, each of whom was as thin as a bamboo pole. This bastard, I've got you covered!"

Two days passed in a blink of an eye.

Jia Wang has been worried that his business will be cut off for the past two days, so he hastily came to Zhao Xin's house and knocked on the door after having morning tea.Unexpectedly, no one opened the door after knocking for a long time. Jia Wang was anxious and worried when a young man in blue came from the alley and looked at Jia Wang strangely when he walked to the gate of the courtyard.

"Who are you looking for?"

"My little brother, I'm looking for Mr. Zhao from this family."

"Dong Zhao's family is gone."

"Leaving?!" Jia Wang was taken aback, and hurriedly asked: "Dare to ask me, brother?"

"I am a servant of Master Shen's family. This house was originally lent by Master Shen to Zhao Dong's family. Master asked me to come and clean the yard."

"May I ask when Master Zhao left?"

"Yesterday afternoon. It was said that there was an urgent letter from the capital, so let's go back quickly. Master Zhao and his party hired a boat from the Tianning Temple wharf and left."

Jia Wang was stunned for a moment.Seeing that the young man in green was about to open the door and enter the courtyard, he quickly took out a few coins from his pocket, stuffed them into the other's hand, and continued to ask: "Excuse me, did Mr. Zhao take Xinna's concubine with him when he left?"

"There is no concubine!" Gui Sheng put the money into his arms with a smile, and said, "You are a swindler, right? Mr. Zhao walked in a hurry, and only brought some antiques he bought, and no girls at all."

"Oh. Thank you so much." Jia Wang left dejectedly with a look of regret.

In the following morning, five or six gangsters and matchmakers came back one after another. When Gui Sheng, who was cleaning the yard, said that Mr. Zhao and his party hurried back to the capital because of urgent matters, they all stomped and sighed in frustration.

This group of masters from the capital are generous. Every time they see a girl, although they don't like one, they can give them a few taels of silver as a reward. They are the biggest fools in the world throughout the ages.What a shame to lose such a great source of wealth!

(End of this chapter)