Great Sui Storyteller

Chapter 486 485. The Ultimate Plan!
The final decision was for Li Zhen and Xuanzang to go to see the treasurer Cui together.

Sun Simiao was not interested.

If you have the time to find out what other people have come from, it is better to delve into the truth of the half-book Zhu Yushu in your hand.

Here you can actually see his character.

Lord Yao is more self-centered, even willful.

I'm really too lazy to get involved in things I'm not interested in.

But thinking about it from another angle, as one of the only fifteen first-grade alchemists in the world, he seems to have the capital to be willful even if he should be treated with courtesy no matter where he is placed.

Li Zhen and Xuanzang followed the boy all the way to the second floor, and soon came to a door with gold patterns on the doors and windows.

This should be the best room in this inn.

"Master Cui is in the house for the two mages, so please don't bother the younger one."

The young man bowed his hands politely, stepped aside and left.And Li Zhen and Xuanzang looked at each other, after tidying up their clothes, they politely knocked on the door, and heard a warm voice from inside:

"But Taoist Priest Shouchu and Master Xuanzang are here? Please come in quickly."

"..."

"..."

With a sense of astonishment in his heart, the door was already opened before Li Zhen pushed the door.

Amid the tangy fragrance of tea, two guards who looked very gentle, but wore swords and had the unique aura of a cultivator opened the door, one left and one right, and then neatly greeted the two of them. Give in.

At the same time, in front of the table was a fat middle-aged man who was dressed in Chinese clothes and looked very friendly, stood up and cupped his hands:
"Cui Changde, head of the food department of Cui's commercial firm, has met Taoist Shouchu, Master Xuanzang."

The tone is gentle and humble, and there is no air of a superior on his body. On the contrary, his attitude like a benevolent and generous rich man makes people feel good about him, but at least he will not hit the smiling face, whether it is Li Zhen or Xuan Zang. Can't fault anything.

That's simple, if others are polite, you should be polite too.

"Fusheng Wuliang Tianzun, who is poor and guards the beginning, has met Master Cui."

"Amitabha, the poor monk Xuanzang, has met Cui Benefactor."

The names of the two are different, and Li Zhen is more polite, but there is nothing wrong with them.

Cui Changde hurriedly returned the salute, stretched out his hand to feint, motioned for the two to sit down, and said at the same time:

"I would also like to ask the two mages to forgive me. Yucheng is small, and I heard that several people are here. I am afraid that the journey will be hard, so I came to visit in person. Please forgive Cui's business for the poor hospitality. This place is a bit rough. Appropriate. But in the end, we must do our best to be a landlord and entertain you with rough tea first, and invite a few distinguished guests to come tonight, Cui's business will sweep the couch and wait."

"..."

In all honesty, this is the most polite thing Li Zhen has heard since time travel.

Up, down, left, right, southeast, northwest, it sounds like nothing is wrong.

The etiquette, attitude, and demeanor are all comprehensive.

Although he is a merchant, he has a refined style.

This is the background of the family?

A trace of emotion flashed across Li Zhen's heart.

But at the same time, there was a faint sense of unreality in my heart.

Maybe it's because of future generations?He always felt that this kind of politeness was particularly deliberate.Although it may be mixed with the attitude of some "ancient people" when they treated distinguished guests, it makes people of this era feel that it should be taken for granted.

But he still felt that it was a bit false to say so.

It's not that he's hypocritical, but that he can't think of why he, a poor Taoist priest, deserves to be so polite.

It's awkward.

But being awkward is being awkward, the words must be polite.

"Master Cui is too polite, how can the poor man be so kind to you..."

While being polite, he sat down, and waited politely for the other party to pour tea for himself and Xuanzang, and everyone toasted to greet each other. After taking a sip of the fragrant tea, in order to prevent himself from showing timidity by continuing to chat with the other party, Li Zhen chose to take the initiative and said:
"I don't know how Chief Cui knew about our entry into the city?"

Hearing this, Cui Changde was not surprised, and said with a smile:

"To be honest, it is not difficult to know the whereabouts of the Taoist priest and the master. When they were in Luoyang, the Taoist priest Shouchu and the master Xuanzang were already well-known in the capital, and they behaved like a gentleman. They are truly outsiders. With a heart of great compassion. Naturally, no one will fail to see the two of you going out of the city."

With that said, he cupped his hands:

"However, this matter must also be made clear to the two mages. This is not surveillance. Luoyang is an important place in the capital. Although Cui's family is located in Shandong, there are also many kinds of livelihoods in Luoyang. Businessmen value profits. Sometimes, the speed of a piece of news depends on it It is the food, clothing and livelihood of many people in the business, so the news of Luoyang, Cui's business has always been very important. It happened that some people in the same company recognized the Taoist priest and the master, so they recorded it in a few words when sending the message. Here, Cui Changde will apologize to you two, if you offend me, please forgive me."

At the end of the conversation, I had to stand up and hand over my hands to express my apology.

Li Zhen quickly pressed the opponent's arm.

My heart said good guy, this is too polite.

"Master, you don't have to be so polite. But... even though that's the case, why do I feel that the master knows our whereabouts very well. We only entered the city for half an hour, and we managed to find this place..."

He is telling the other party's words.

After all... Little Xia Cui is still outside.

Cui Changde didn't know if he understood, and continued with a smile:

"It's actually a coincidence that we know each other. Half a day ago, didn't the Taoist priest meet a group of people? The Jinding Company is one of the sub-colons of Cui's business, and the guard leader Wu Bi looked at the chariots and horses that the Taoist priest and the master were riding on. It's not an ordinary thing, and there is the Daoist Gao Gong who is riding a tiger next to him. After a few words, when he came, he passed the news. Let's talk about the news of the Taoist priest and the master leaving Luoyang , I will understand that it is the Taoist priest and the master who have entered the city, and they are here to pay a visit."

"I see."

Li Zhen nodded, not bothering about the truth of what the other party said, and complimented:
"Master Cui is really as careful as a hair, and I admire him."

"Haha, the Taoist priest deserves the prize, the prize is over."

Let's just figure out the ins and outs of the matter, besides, it seems that the girl Cui has not been "exposed", so Li Zhen feels more at ease.

And at this moment, perhaps seeing that the topic had ended, or perhaps because he had been having doubts in his heart, Xuanzang suddenly said:
"Amitabha, Benefactor Cui, the poor monk has something unclear, please ask Benefactor Cui to clarify."

Cui Changde responded politely:
"Master, just ask, I know everything, and I can say everything."

"At the gate of Shicai City, the poor monk heard that someone in your bank recruited porters and said: "One day to raise rice, but you have to pay [-] Wen for a fee. Please ask the benefactor to explain the confusion. What does this mean?"

Xuanzang's eyes were full of doubts, but Cui Changde was not surprised when he heard it. After he finished asking, a very unique compassion appeared on his face.

Just when Li Zhen wondered why the other party showed such an expression, he shook his head:

"This matter... hey. If other people ask, I will definitely deny it. But the two have high character, and I admire it, so I dare not hide it..."

Li Zhenxin said what time is it and you still put a high hat on me.

Just say it.

Cui Changde seemed to agree with what Li Zhen thought, and said bluntly:

"To be honest, those people outside the city... are originally Li people from Hedong County."

"..."

"..."

Both Li Zhen and Xuanzang showed stunned expressions, and their minds didn't turn around for a while.

Then, the next sentence came out from Cui Changde:
"Of course, that was before. But now... the identities of these people, officially, are all... rebels who have had their household registration removed."

"!"

Seeing the stunned looks of the two, Cui Changde nodded:
"After the defeat of Wu Duan'er, these people fled to various places in the east of the river. They had no home...or if they had a home, they dared not go back, so they could only wander around. In the end, they gathered on our side like this, and Master The reason why our people want to collect money is actually the same as what the Taoist priest saw. It’s not that they don’t have money in their pockets. On the contrary, when Wu Duan’er was alive, they allowed their subordinates to plunder money. There are more or less some silver taels in it. Some people even carry as much as a hundred taels..."

"...Why don't you buy food when you have money?"

Xuanzang couldn't help asking.

This time, without Cui Changde's words, Li Zhen, who had already understood everything, came up with a sentence:
"Where do you buy it from?"

"...grain merchants... rice stores, shops..."

"Who dares to sell? Or... who is enough to sell?"

With that said, Li Zhen looked at Cui Changde:
"Right, Master Cui."

To be honest, Cui Changde was also quite surprised.

I thought that this Taoist had such an exquisite mind, but he actually explained the mystery in one word.

But with that look of pity still on his face, he nodded:
"That's right. Although Yu Kuan was able to survive the war, the people in many places in Hedong have been tossed by Wu Duan'er's bandit army. Don't talk about food. How can Wu Duan'er He De confront Li Gong in the battle of the Acropolis?" For two months? Didn’t it rely on the crops looted from people’s homes? The whole of Hedong has long been out of grain.

And the Jinding company that the master saw just now came from Shandong, and it came here specially to deliver grain to Yu Qun.Before His Majesty did not provide relief, except for those of us who are relatively wealthy businesses to bring in grain, ordinary people can only go to the land to plan food!They buy food?Where to buy it?
What's more...Master, don't forget, these people... His Majesty has not pardoned them.They are rebels, and selling food to rebels... is collaborating with the enemy, and they will be beheaded! "

Xuanzang's brows were all wrinkled together.

It's not that he doesn't understand what the other party means, but...

"Then why didn't you escape out of Hedong? Instead, they gathered outside the city, relying on this... way of paying money and working hard to get a liter of rice that is not equal... to survive?"

Hearing this, Cui Changde shook his head even more:
"How did you escape? Where did you escape to? Has Master ever seen women and children outside the city?"

"...not at all."

"That's it. Your Majesty has ordered Li Gong, the hero of the bandit suppression, to be the consolation ambassador of Hedong, Shanxi. Before Li Gong came and pacified the rebels who occupied the mountains in the middle and north of Hedong, all the males in Hedong, Even if you can't get rid of the suspicion of rebels. What if you can escape? Don't enter the city? Don't dig out a guide? If you see that the person is from Hedong, can you guarantee that you won't be caught?
...Even if you don't enter the city, but go to some Zhuangzi mountain villages, won't you be reported and exposed?You know... there is a land reward for reporting traitors!Where can they escape?If women and children don't participate in the war, people from other places can turn a blind eye to it, but if the men from the east of the river appear...then they are all real fields, aren't they? "

"..."

Xuanzang's brows had already become pimples, which could not be untied.

At this time, Li Zhen spoke:

"That is to say, by doing this, you are actually giving these...these..."

After searching for a long time, he found a suitable adjective:
"A chance for the poor to live?"

"!"

Cui Changde finally couldn't hide the surprise in his eyes this time.

This Taoist...

Really not easy!
It's really not easy!
"That's right, Taoist Priest Shouchu really has a clear mind, I admire you."

After a compliment, Cui Changde turned to Xuanzang and explained:
"That's true. If Master doesn't believe it, you can go and have a look. The food given to them is not bad food, but planted food. After Wu Duan'er was defeated, some of these desperate people continued to become bandits, and some, It was originally forced, but now that the bandit leader has fallen, he naturally wants to return to his hometown.

But the problem is that you can't go back to your hometown, you can't go to the court, and you can't go out of Hedong, what should you do?Just wandering around.And those who are capable among these people have already given money to their wives and children and ordered them to go outside to beg for a living.Those who are helpless, or who died in battle... their wives and children can't survive in Hedong, so they can only flee to beg outside.

And those who remained in the end all made a living near several cities that were not affected by the war.To be honest, I, Cui's firm, have a clear conscience.Now we only need to wait for the complete peace of Hedong, then the banditry will be eliminated. Even if these people want to come, even if they can't return to their original places, at least the county magistrate will be kind enough to allow them to survive near Yujiao.And this liter of rice is their hope for generations to come.

A few liters of rice, ten thousand grains of grain, and a household registration of Yu Qun can give them a chance to live again.But in the end, Yu Qun was only this big, and the magistrate of the county had an order that refugees were not allowed to enter the city, so that the people in the city would not be disturbed, but it was not to block their way of life.In the evening, every day my Cui's firm will go out of the city to sell some food to comfort people's hearts.

And the people in the city will go out of the city to sell some food to keep them alive.In this way, I dare to ask Master, can I, the people of Qunji, treat these poor people with the utmost benevolence and righteousness? "

"..."

"..."

Li Zhen and Xuanzang digested these words for a while.

During this period, neither of them spoke.

because I don't know what to say...

Speaking from the heart, to be honest, Li Laodao now has only two words in his heart...

"admire."

This admiration has many aspects.

On the one hand, it is true that Yu Qun has given these refugees hope to survive.On the other hand...

Free... and even profitable labor.

High profits.

The gratitude of the people inside and outside the city.

And when Li Yuan arrives, a piece of political achievement that can be delivered directly to your door...

All that is needed is to open an opening that is just right for these people outside the city, so that they can see the hope of surviving.

This plan...

It's absolutely perfect.

What did anyone think?
(End of this chapter)