Forty-eight years of Qianlong

Chapter 175

On October 49, the 28th year of Qianlong, the Thunder God left the dock carrying fifteen people including Wu Siyu, Lu Shoushan, Xu Dayong and Wang Changsheng.

The reason why Wu Siyu followed this time was to meet the woman he missed day and night.This move made Liu Sheng call him worthless, but Wu Siyu himself didn't care at all.

"By the way, I don't even have a girlfriend in my 30s. Why can't I find a good one? Even if Chen Yin'er is a prostitute, it's because of life, isn't it? Daughter. I just fell in love with her!"

"All right, all right, you are right." Liu Sheng said impatiently. "Don't say I didn't say hello to you in advance, we don't have anyone who is idle here, even if Chen Yin'er has a pair of little feet, she has to come out to do things."

And Wang Changsheng, the former second-in-chief of the pirates, looked at the pier of Beihai Town that was gradually going away, feeling a lot of emotion in his heart.

In just a few months, he changed from a captive to a laborer, and from a laborer to a supervisor, and finally became a member of the spy organization of Beihai Town, following Xu Dayong back to Jiangnan to establish an underground population transfer network.

And the reason why he was selected to join the spy organization and participate in this operation was not all because of his relationship with Xu Dayong.Before Wang Changsheng joined Xu Dayong's small pirate group, he was a member of Luo Jiao.

Wang Changsheng was rubbing his still sore right shoulder as he walked towards the ship building. He still had lingering fears from the crazy special training in the past ten days.

Ever since Xu Dayong led more than a dozen of them into the barracks, they began a nightmare life from morning to night.Except for eating and sleeping, there is almost no free time.Every day, physical training begins before dawn, and pistol shooting training in the afternoon. After dinner, I have to learn from the instructors how to get rid of stalking, how to write secret words to pass messages, and how to deal with interrogations.

In order to train people like Wang Changsheng, Zhao Xin and the six-person team from the security department took turns riding on horses every day.From experimental psychology, nine-step interrogation method to unarmed combat, the use of daggers and other subjects, the first batch of spies were poured into the first batch of spies.

How could Wang Changsheng have suffered so much if he wanted to put aside his days as a pirate.When robbing, lean on the boat, brandish a knife and jump to gangs, forcing the other party to hand over money; those who dare to resist will be thrown into the sea.

People like Wang Changsheng thought it was okay to suffer and suffer, but they didn't expect to be tortured like a grandson on the first day they entered the military camp.A few days later, I had to shoot hundreds of bullets every day just for pistol shooting, and my shoulder was about to break.

One day, Wang Changsheng secretly asked Xu Dayong during lunch, how much he could get as a spy.

Xu Dayong counted with his fingers for a while before telling him that Mr. Zhao's newly minted silver coins can get 20 yuan a month, which is equivalent to 80 taels of silver.In addition, there will be a bonus of 50 to 100 yuan after each action is completed.

Wang Changsheng and others were dumbfounded when they heard this. They never thought that they could get a salary of 80 taels of silver a month in this life.If this task is successfully completed several times a year, it will be more than the salary of a county magistrate. (In the Qianlong period, the salary of a seven-rank magistrate was 45 taels per year, 45 dendrobium for Lumi, and 1200 taels of silver for raising money.)
Therefore, Wang Changsheng, who was looking forward to having a wooden house, began to look forward to when he would be able to live in a big brick house with three entrances.

Although the days on the sea are a bit boring, Wang Changsheng and the others don't have to rub salted fish on the deck this time.In addition to eating, I sleep every day, and continue to eat when I wake up.This can be regarded as a small vacation after intense training.

Three days later, the Thunder God arrived at Flower and Bird Island, where Shen Jingdan and Huang Maocai were already waiting.

On Shen Jingdan's sand boat, more than a hundred people of different identities looked at the blue and white steel giant ship with shocked expressions.

Among these people are blacksmiths and carpenters from northern Jiangsu, local young doctors from the south of the Yangtze River, down-and-out accountants, more than a dozen vagrant women bought from Xuzhou to serve as servant girls, farmers who lost their land and sold themselves, cooks, bankrupt bankrupts, etc. Craftsmen and so on, even Shen Jingdan's servant Guisheng was among them.

In addition, a man dressed up as a man, with his head and face wrapped in cotton cloth and only a pair of eyes exposed, followed closely behind Shen Jingdan.

"Miss Yin'er, look, Mr. Wu's boat is coming."

When Chen Yin'er looked along Shen Jingdan's fingers, a big stupid man was standing on the deck of the Thunder God waving towards the sand ship.Fortunately, there was a cloth blocking it, otherwise Chen Yin'er's little flushed face would have been noticed.

Shen Jingdan spent a total of 2000 taels of silver to redeem her body this time.Such a high price caused a sensation in the small Qinhuai area.However, Shen Jingdan immediately sent Chen Yin'er to his house in Shanghai County after completing the redemption procedures.It wasn't until he and Lao Huang Lin set off that they finally confessed to Chen Yin'er.

When Chen Yin'er heard that the one who spent money to redeem her body was actually the master who was staring at her in the group of people she met in the boat a few days ago.And she was going to marry her as his wife, which surprised and delighted her.

However, when Shen Jingdan told him that Master Wu lived in a seaport in the north and he needed to go there by boat, he hesitated for a long time.

I am a lowly family!How can I be a regular wife?Could it be that Mr. Wu is making fun of himself?It's been a long time since we were greeted and sent away, and she still understands the truth that "people are cheap when they leave their hometown, but things are expensive when they leave their hometown".

No matter who Shen Jingdan was, he could see Chen Yiner's worry at a glance.So he patted his chest and assured her: "In the town where Master Wu lives, there are also dozens of women from Jiangnan, so you won't be lonely when you go.

Moreover, Mr. Wu is so infatuated with you, Miss Yin'er, that he doesn't care about your background at all.But seeing Miss Yin'er, you are so worried, then I will be a witness, and you can recognize Boss Huang as a righteous brother.With this relationship, Master Wu will not look down on you. "

Lao Huang agreed with a smile.To be able to establish a relationship with the leader of Beihai Town, he is naturally very willing.

So when Lao Huang took Chen Yin'er to see Wu Siyu, he said that I can give my sister to you.If you treat her badly, then I will settle accounts with you.

Wu Siyu looked at his favorite with excitement, not paying attention to Lao Huang's words at all.Chen Yin'er was so bewildered by Wu Siyu that she didn't even know where to start.However, Chen Yin'er was quite surprised by the other party's next actions, and tears of gratitude flowed down instantly.

When Shen Jingdan handed over the redemption deed to Wu Siyu, Wu Siyu opened it and took a look, then tore it into pieces; with a wave of his hand, the scraps of paper immediately flew away with the wind.

"There are no slaves in our place." Wu Siyu said with a smile.

Chen Yin'er cried, she knelt down in front of Wu Siyu with a puff, startled him immediately, and quickly stretched out her hand to help her up.

"The king is a girl, and the concubine is a flower. From now on, as long as the master is willing, the concubine will never leave."

willing!Of course I would.At this time, Wu Siyu was absolutely willing, and he gratefully thanked Shen and Huang.

Lao Huang smiled and cupped his hands at Wu Siyu and Chen Yin'er: "May the two of you have a good relationship for a hundred years and have a precious son soon!"

The goods brought by the Thunder God this time were moved to the sand ship for two full days.In addition to the cigarettes produced in Beihai Town, there are also thousands of boxes of matches, large pieces of flat glass, and the most important three tons of salt that Zhao Xin temporarily purchased from another time and space.

Although Shen and Huang stayed in Beihai Town for a while, they had never seen the salt used in Beihai Town.But when they got a small packet of samples and tasted them, they were all very surprised.Unexpectedly, the quality of the salt in Beihai Town is so high, it can be called the best refined salt!

What kind of table salt in the Qing Dynasty?

Taking Lianghuai Salt Fields as an example, the weight, size and hardness of salt grains are different in each subfield.For the salt produced in the same salt field and the same salt flat, it can be divided into upper, middle and lower grades.The difference between the third class is that the better the salt particles, the lighter the weight, and the harder the particles.

As for the refined salt that modern people eat daily, even ordinary officials and gentry homes could not afford it in the Qing Dynasty, and only the luxurious people would buy it.This is because the purification of coarse salt requires a lot of firewood and iron pots, which ordinary people cannot afford.

The salt used by ordinary people in the Qing Dynasty was generally middle or low grade.When it comes to retail outlets, the price of table salt that has been increased layer by layer is even more expensive; unscrupulous merchants often mix it with sand and gypsum.But even so, many farmers often cannot afford it.

Lao Huang asked Lu Shoushan, "How do you plan to sell this salt?"

"Twelve taels per quotation." This price was proposed by Wang Changsheng.At present, the market retail price of each imported salt in the Lianghuai Salt Area is about 12 taels.

In the Qing Dynasty, the amount of imported salt was two hundred catties, and each catty equaled about 600 grams in later generations.Three tons of salt is 25 yin, and 12 liang of yin is 300 taels of silver.After this batch of salt is sold out, Lu Shoushan and the others will have to figure out a way by themselves if they want to buy salt again.

Lao Huang nodded after hearing this, and then asked Liu Sheng for a few packets of salt, saying that he would take it home and enjoy it by himself.

Taking advantage of this time, Lu Shoushan took out Zhao Xin's letter to Lao Huang. "Boss Huang, my master asked me to give this to you."

After Lao Huang read Zhao Xin's letter to him, he pondered for a while and asked, "Did Master Zhao say anything else?"

"Gone."

Lao Huang nodded after hearing this, and said, "This matter can only be done when we return to Shanghai. I will hand it over to you as soon as possible."

"It's okay."

"Boss Huang, I want to ask you something."

"please say."

"The last time we did it in Shanghai, how did it end?"

"I was going to tell you about this matter even if you didn't ask. The government has been investigating for a long time, but there is no result. The final conclusion is that there is no case. Don't worry!"

When all the goods were moved and more than 100 people on his side had boarded the Thunder God, Shen Jingdan cupped his hands at Lao Huang and said, "So, I will leave the affairs of Yangzhou to Brother Huang."

Lao Huang laughed and bid farewell to Shen Jingdan, and took Lu Shoushan and others onto the sandboat.The route they went back this time was still smuggling through Zhangjiabang and Yemaotang.In fact, it is said that it is a smuggling, and the Susong navy just turned a blind eye; in fact, the purchase price for this waterway is 500 taels of silver for each thousand-stone sandboat.But it is precisely because of the high price that few boats go here.

Two nights later, Lu Shoushan and the others had checked into an inn outside the county seat of Shanghai.In order to avoid attracting attention, the 15 of them were divided into three groups and stayed in two inns respectively.

Lu Shoushan took five of his men to live in an inn in Xingrenli, Xu Dayong took five others to live in another courtyard; Wang Changsheng took two people to an inn in Yanmatou.

Early the next morning, Wang Changsheng came to the Lujiabang Bridge alone, and found a [-] stone tugboat docked on the river bank.On a shelf in the boat hung a birdcage with a thrush in it.

Wang Changsheng let out a sigh of relief, thinking that the boat is still there.He walked along the stone steps to the boat, and a man in his 50s who looked like a merchant came out of the cabin and greeted him with a smile on his face: "What does this guest officer want to buy? We have both north and south goods here."

Wang Changsheng glanced at the shelf, pointed at the thrush, and asked the old man in a low voice, "Where was the general born?"

The old man's complexion changed, he looked at Wang Changsheng for a while, and said with a smile: "Guest officer, please follow me into the cabin to look at the goods."

As soon as the two of them entered the cabin, two strong men came out from the inside, and the three surrounded Wang Changsheng. The old man asked, "Where was the general born?"

Wang Changsheng cupped his hands and said, "Kunlun Mountain."

"How high can you fly? How far can you fly?"

"High energy can fly to the sky, and far energy can fly to the sky."

"What eyebrows, what eyes?!"

"Dragon eyebrows, phoenix eyes."

"How many big hairs? How many small hairs?"

"There are 120 big hairs, and 99 small hairs."

"How many times does the general call a day?"

"The bosom friend calls, but I don't know whether to speak."

Wang Changsheng and the old man faced each other for a long time, and the more they met, the more they smiled. At the end, the three people on the boat cupped their hands at Wang Changsheng and said, "So they are all brothers in the sect."

Wang Changsheng cupped his hands and said, "Boy Wang Changsheng, from Chongming."

The old man said: "May I ask who is the old official?"

Wang Changsheng cupped his hands and said, "My teacher's surname is Li Yugui."

The old man said with a smile: "It turned out to be Li Sange's apprentice, no wonder you found here. How is your master? We haven't seen each other for seven or eight years."

Wang Changsheng said sadly: "In the 46th year of Qianlong, the Chongming tide created a flood, and the family, teacher and family unfortunately died."

Hearing the words, the old man let out a long sigh, and said, "Since I found them, they are all from my family."

Wang Changsheng clasped his fists and said, "Haven't you asked the senior official Gao's surname?"

The old man said: "I am your master's sworn brother. My surname is Liu, and my name is Zhao."

Wang Changsheng was startled when he heard the words, immediately knelt down on the ground, and said in his mouth, "So it's Martial Uncle Liu. My boy please greet Martial Uncle Liu." After speaking, he kowtowed three times.

After Liu Zhao helped him up, Wang Changsheng said: "Master told me about the old boat before, so I came here to try my luck this time. I never expected to meet Uncle Liu."

Liu Zhaodao: "I just came back from Tianjin yesterday. If you came to look for it before yesterday, you wouldn't be able to find it. Recently, the imperial court has been very strict with me, Luojiao, and we almost stayed in every place for two or three days before leaving. Come on. , first follow me in to pay homage to Luozu."

Wang Changsheng followed the old man into the cabin and opened a curtain, revealing a small space.It was set up like a Buddhist hall, with a Buddha-like statue enshrined in the center, and fragrant flowers, fruits and sandalwood candles enshrined on the table.

Here is the secret hall of Luojiao (Wuweijiao) on the canal.This boat is called Laotang boat, also called incense boat.

It is said that the founder of Luojiao is Luo Menghong, whose dharma name is Puren (Jingqing), dharma name is Wukong, and Taoism name is Wuwei Jushi. He was born in a Shandong military family in the seventh year of Zhengtong in the Ming Dynasty (1442-1527).It is said that Luo Menghong was inspired by "King Kong Rituals" and became enlightened.Before enlightenment, this person served in Gubei oral service, and was a land transport soldier in the Miyun guard who was engaged in grain transfer.So after he became enlightened, he preached in the nearby Simatai Fort.

After the Baihe River was diverted into Miyun’s Chaohe River in the Ming Dynasty, the military rations transported from Tongzhou to Miyun continued throughout the year. The rice transported by water and land each year accounted for more than [-]% of the total annual military ration reserves in Miyun County at that time.Luo Menghong chose to preach here, and his social connections are mostly related to water transport sailors.Therefore, Luo religion spread rapidly among water transport sailors, and Miyun became a holy place for water transport sailors in the north to believe in Luo religion, and even sailors transported grain from the south to worship Luo Zu here.

As for the widespread spread of Luojiao in the south of the Yangtze River, it must be attributed to Luo Menghong's first-generation disciples Weng Yan, Qian Jian, and Pan Qing.These three people are also known as the "Three Patriarchs".Among the water transport sailors in Jiangnan in the Ming Dynasty, tens of thousands came from Shandong, Henan, and North Zhili.These people have nowhere to rely on, both spiritually and in life.

Since it took half a year for the tank boat to return to empty, the inn and restaurant were unwilling to accommodate them, so living in a nunnery became their only choice.The panic of birth, old age, sickness and death that no one cares about made them choose to join Luojiao, entrusting life and death, and continuing the incense by accepting disciples.And the water transport sailors in a society with a strong clan concept are dreaming of these.Within the Luojiao, sailors could help each other, and there were people taking care of them in Huai'an, Tianjin, Tongzhou, Jingshi and other places where grain transport ships stopped.

During the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty, the Luo religion of the water transport sailors was discovered by the Qing government.The Qing government ordered a strict investigation of the Luojiao, demolished or repurposed the nunnery of the Luojiao.In the fifth year of Yongzheng, a bloody case occurred among sailors from Jiangsu and Zhejiang. During the interrogation, the officials learned that most of the sailors for water transport believed in Luo religion.The incident alarmed the emperor, and he ordered the local officials to conduct a thorough investigation. As a result, there were as many as 72 Luojiao nunneries, and now there are more than [-]. At that time, Emperor Yongzheng himself believed in Buddhism, so he took a more lenient Some of the nunneries in Hangzhou, Suzhou and other places have survived.

In the 33rd year of Qianlong, Luojiao was suppressed by the Qing court because of the involvement of a famous national rumor-"Soul Calling Case".The original small nunnery was raided, and the first offenders Zhu Wenxian and Xing Hai were all planned to be hanged and imprisoned according to the first law, and the others were either punished with sticks or exiled.Luo Jiao thus went underground.

The nunnery on land could not be opened, so the Luojiao people transferred the nunnery to the boat.The tugboat that Wang Changsheng found was normally used as a cover for selling North-South goods along the canal; but its true identity was the secret meeting place of the Luo Sect.

(End of this chapter)