Lu Ming

Chapter 30 Hangzhou
Standing on the bow of the boat, the ancient city wall of Hangzhou is majestic and majestic.

Cao Chuan and his party crossed eastward along the Tiaoxi River, crossed the West Lake, and entered the canal. It was ten miles away from the city. It was already a bustling scene: teahouses, restaurants, restaurants, densely populated, shops, and ships on the canal, end to end. , the revetment side of the force is coming and going, the merchants are bustling and bustling.

Chu Jianli has been in business for many years and is no stranger to Hangzhou City. At this time, he also went out of the cabin with Cao Chuan, and pointed out the scenery along the way while chatting and laughing.

Five miles north of the city, once you pass the Guanyin Temple, you are even entering the boundary of the city.

Since then, the traffic jam has officially started, and the boat will stop and go.A large number of salt stacks and rice warehouses began to appear on the river bank, and not far away is the Chengguan toll station - Deshengba.After queuing up to pay the road maintenance fee, the bow of the boat turned to the west, crossed the Desheng Bridge, and then turned back to the east, twisting and turning, squeezing and rubbing, until the light was on, the group of people could disembark and stand at the Wulin Gate in the north of the city. outside.

Chu Jianli was familiar with the road, ignoring the many large and small residences in the city, and walked straight into an inn called "Ruifuju".Seeing the friendly comrade-like whispers of the third master and the shopkeeper, Cao Chuan knew that this was probably the designated reception area for the heroes.

The shopkeeper quickly arranged accommodation for everyone. The two-entry yard is quite spacious for twelve people.Cao Daoren was naturally an old-fashioned man, he occupied a secluded side room in the backyard for retreat, leaving the main room for Chu Jianli.

After that, everyone had a big meal, and then took turns to take a wooden tub bath, and sleep well all night.

The next morning, Cao Chuan got up and cleaned up. He originally wanted to discuss with the third master about the number of houses, but found that Lao Chu was very busy, and kept calling people over to whisper, and then dispatched people out.

If that's the case, let's do our part first.

Call Zhao Si over, and then order three companions at will, and a few people swayed straight to the inner city.

After Cao Gongzi entered the city, he walked up to the city, looked at the rivers and mountains, and found that the West Lake Avenue, Wulin Road, and Stadium Road in his memory were all rivers at this time, and the entire city of Hangzhou was a water network. Just like the legendary water city of Venice.

Feeling that the world is impermanent and vicissitudes of life, the group walked down the city wall and walked all the way to the bustling place.In the early morning, the streets were already lively, with fishermen selling shrimps and crabs, vegetable farmers carrying heavy burdens, and traders in short shirts passing by one after another. From time to time, there were lavish servants dressed in silk and satin, surrounded by gorgeous cars and sedans.

Along the road paved with bluestone slabs, a group of people began to shop in the shops lining the street.Cao Chuan's purpose today is to go shopping. By the way, he will investigate the market conditions and see if there are any good things that he can bring back to exchange for some banknotes. It doesn't matter what the store sells.

The harvest is still not small. When the group came out of the ready-to-wear shop, the companion turned into a tyrant, and even he himself was fooled into wearing a Sufang silk robe, which according to the shopkeeper is a popular style.

When he came out of the Treasure Pavilion in a while, the jade pendant, ring, and sachets were also fully equipped. Mr. Cao had an extra bamboo fan in his hand. He walked gently in the winter, and he had a fresh and timeless coquettishness. The smell emanates from the body.

Xinma Yuzong wandered around for a day, and ordered a table in the hotel by the West Lake at noon.In general, this Ming Dynasty metropolis gave him the same feeling.The liveliness is lively, it is extremely real, but it is far less convenient than the familiar Hengdian. There are too many beggars along the way, and you have to be careful of mines at any time, and you have to change your shoes when you step on it.When crossing the bridge, you can see dead people below. Overall, the user experience is not very good.

Cao Da Gongzi, who is ignorant and inexperienced, will naturally not know that the few beggars he saw on the street today are just appetizers under the disaster of the Little Glacier in the late Ming Dynasty. Various disasters of the tide epidemic will appear in turn, and a large number of refugees will continue to wash away the prosperous Jiangnan area. It will not be long before the scene of hell on earth will officially come until the fall of the Ming Empire.
Of course, today's harvest is not without it: a set of old rosewood furniture.Cao Chuan had already asked the shop assistant to pack it and send it back to the inn, but there was nothing else.

It wasn't until the evening when a few people picked their teeth and returned to the inn. They just walked to the gate of the inner courtyard and met Old Chu head-on to send them out.

The one who was sent out looked like he was from a wealthy family, round and fat, wearing a thin silk robe, his chubby face narrowed into a line, and his voice was not small: "Third Master, don't worry, Liu He will go back soon. Report to the master, there must be news tomorrow."

Chu Jianli also bowed his hands with a smile: "It's so helpful to manage Liu."

"Third master is very kind. If it wasn't for the fact that my young master has been ill recently, and the master has no intention of foreign affairs, he would definitely want to see the third master. Fortunately, there will be a long time in Japan, and there will always be time to get close."

The two walked out of the courtyard while they were talking, but when Liu Guan saw Cao Chuan, he was stunned for a moment, and he passed by with a slight nod.

When he entered the courtyard, he saw that the set of rosewood tables and chairs he had ordered had been placed in the courtyard. Cao Chuan put the ring in without saying a word, and then went to the main room to wait. It didn't take long for Chu Jianli to send him back.

As soon as the two communicated, Mr. Cao knew that when he was shopping on the street, he had already met with representatives of various merchants, security bureaus, and colleagues.In a word, all those who have business on the ancient Hui-Hang Road and some groups on the road will probably already know that the three big insects in western Zhejiang have come to Hangzhou City to do business.

Cao Chuan was surprised and originally planned to ask if it is really good to be so public?But after thinking about it, forget it. I have only stayed in the bandit den for a few days, and it is far from understanding how these ancients behaved. Since Chu Jianli did this, it is impossible without any pressure in his heart, so he should ask something else. Bar.

He was about to open his mouth to talk about the house. The third master seemed to know what he was thinking, and said with a smile that the house had been settled.

Next he began to explain.

Just now, the plump steward Liu is a major Huizhou merchant in Hangzhou: the steward of Liu Yaozu's family.The Liu family and Pingfeng Village are strategic partners. They have been in contact with Liu Yaozu's father and grandfather since his early years.

The old Liu family also started out as a merchant, and every year on the Hui-Hang Road, there is a caravan.In two illicit messages, he sold his teammates, and he did a lot of business to help rob the Dao.Now that the Liu family has become successful, several of the supported scholars have become officials. In Liu Yaozu's generation, there is also a reputation as a regular prisoner. The Liu family has washed their feet and stepped ashore. .

Before Cao Chuan came back, he had already had a long talk with Liu He, the second manager of the Liu family, and explained everything that happened recently in the mountains.

(End of this chapter)