Lu Ming

Chapter 394 Generous

The Huangpu River originating from Taihu Lake is a landmark river well-known to people all over the country in later generations.The Huangpu River, shaped like a touch of jade, divides Shanghai into Puxi and Pudong. After accepting the Wusong River (Suzhou Creek) in the city center, it finally flows into the Yangtze River at Wusongkou.

In fact, before the Ming Dynasty, the current Huangpu River channel was filled with Wusong River water.

Later, in the early Ming Dynasty, due to the silting of the Wusong River channel, water invaded the people year after year, so Xia Yuanji, the Minister of the household at that time, dredged the Great Huangpu River to join the Wusong River, and opened the Fanjiabang channel to Wusongkou, which made the Huangpu River, which originally flowed across the sea, change. It has become the form of Gouyu in later generations, so there is a saying that "Huangpu seizes Song".

During this process, the original main stream Wusong River became a tributary of Huangpu River overnight, and the section of Wusong River flowing through Shanghai called Suzhou Creek merged into Huangpu River opposite the famous Lujiazui in later generations.

In fact, before the end of the Qing Dynasty, the official name of the Shanghai section of the Wusong River was not Suzhou Creek—because at that time a concession agreement was to be signed with foreigners, for the convenience of demarcation, the official name of Suzhou Creek was included in the treaty.

Time flies, and the sea has changed. Since the Huangpu River was dredged in the early Ming Dynasty, more than 260 years have passed without knowing it.

During this period, although the Huangpu River basin, including the Suzhou Creek, was dredged and repaired by the government from time to time, the symptoms of paralysis at the end of the feudal dynasty were still unavoidable.

At the end of the Ming Dynasty, although the main channel of the Huangpu River was still navigable for large ships, its tributaries, including the Suzhou Creek, were seriously silted up.This situation, coupled with the off-season heavy rains during the Little Ice Age, caused frequent floods in the entire lower reaches of the Yangtze River Delta, and extensive damage to agricultural production.

On November 1629, 11, the third day after Xiongdao received the telegram.

A ferry boat departed from the ancient Yangjiadu Wharf in Pudong, crossed the Huangpu River in a straight line, and stopped at the wharf outside the Dadongmen of Shanghai County.

The county seat of Shanghai in the Ming Dynasty was located on the banks of the Huangpu River, obliquely facing Lujiazui on the opposite bank, and it was the most affluent and luxurious county seat in the entire Yangtze River Delta Plain.

Not to mention the crowded shops, bustling streets, and lined wharfs on all sides of the county seat, but only inside the county seat, there are no white men coming and going, and there are slaves everywhere—the county seat of Shanghai in the Ming Dynasty had the highest distribution density of wealthy families in the Yangtze River Delta. an area of ​​.

A small piece of the county and its surrounding Guanxiang area gathered a large number of wealthy gentry, and it was a well-deserved stronghold of reactionary literati.It is no exaggeration to say that there are rich and powerful slaves everywhere here, "a middle-of-the-road household will break down at every turn", in a place where a brick thrown here can hit the rich and powerful slaves of the gentry, it is really difficult for ordinary people to live.

After the ferry docked, a group of passengers of various colors came off the boat soon.

The last ones are the master and the servant.The middle-aged man at the head was wearing a squirrel fur robe, with a fat body and a round face with a professional smile all the time. He was Du Yaren, a well-known intermediary in Jiading.

After Du Yaren got out of the pier, he quickly picked up a green woolen warm sedan chair from the row of taxis and sedan chairs on the side of the street, and got in, and then the four bearers worked hard to carry the guests to the south. go.

Going south from the east gate of the county seat, there are densely packed boats docked along the river on the left, and shops and large houses on the right.The prosperity of the Guanxiang outside the city alone surpassed that of most counties in the Ming Dynasty.Wherever the sedan chair goes, there are many pedestrians, radiating and exchanging shares, and the peace that the Ming Dynasty enjoyed for more than 200 years can be seen here in Shanghai County.

The sedan chair didn't stop all the way, from the Great East Gate to the South Gate, and then continued until after passing the business district, a mansion compound gradually appeared in front of it.

Not long after, the sedan chair stopped in front of a big house.After getting off the sedan chair, Du Ya looked up at the two large doors with green paint, brass animal mouths, and gray tin rings, and then led his servants to the side door.

Naturally, there are gatekeepers at the partial gate.After the Duya man passed by, he first reported his name, and then he took out the broken silver and asked the porter to pass it on according to the rules. After a while, he was welcomed in.

Walking in the exquisite and beautiful corridors with carved beams and painted buildings, Du Yaren was still a little surprised by today's meeting: You must know that half a year ago, he was also the one who went to Songjiang Mansion, and he was also the one who planned to visit this mansion. The master, however, was quickly sent away by the steward, and he didn't even enter the door.

I don't want to think that after half a year has passed, the situation has improved a lot: when I posted yesterday, the host made an appointment to meet today without any trouble.It stands to reason that if you submit a post to make an appointment, it is usually considered polite for the host and guest to meet after three days.

While thinking, Du Yaren silently followed the porter and walked obediently. Not long after, he was led to a side hall to watch tea.

After drinking two sips of tea and eating a winter jujube in the fruit plate on the table, Du Yaren heard a series of footsteps coming from behind the screen.Later, surrounded by a servant girl and a servant, a middle-aged man in a thick robe turned out from behind the screen.

This person was about forty years old, with a long face, phoenix eyes, a long beard under his chin, fair skin, and gold and jade fragments hanging all over his body, he looked like a son of a wealthy family.

But Du Yaren hastily left his seat and got up to salute: "I have seen Master Xu."

"Old Du, you don't need to be polite, sit down and drink tea." The middle-aged man stretched out his arm with a smile at this moment, signaling Du Yaren to sit down.

Xu Jin and Xu Xiucai, the great-grandson of Xu Jie, the elder of the ancient pavilion, the brother of Xu Bengao, who is currently the commander of Jinyiwei, and the speaker of Xu's parents.

Xu Jin, Mr. Xu is the eldest son of the Xu family's generation. Now that the old man is old and frail, Xu Jin basically has the final say on the Xu family's official affairs.

Half a year ago, Du Yaren went to Xu Jin's old house in Songjiang to see Xu Jin, intending to talk about buying land, but was kicked out.

However, just yesterday, Du Yaren was somehow entrusted by Xiong Dao again to post a post at the Xu family's villa outside Shanghai County, intending to talk to Xu Jin about the purchase of the land again.As a result, the anxious Du Yaren followed Xiong Dao's instructions without any effort this time, and met Xu Jin and Master Xu in this villa.

After the two parties were seated, Mr. Xu, who had a very kind attitude, didn't see him, and opened his mouth with a smile and asked, "Old Du, you are a mediator. You are probably a lobbyist for the Zhuangzi in Jiading today, right?"

It is not surprising that Du Yaren spoke so directly to Master Xu.

First of all, if the Xu family was willing to meet him, they must have found out his details and intentions in advance. Otherwise, Xu Jin has a high status, how could he meet a man from the market so casually?
Secondly, for Du Yaren who often visits rich families, Xu Jin's behavior is normal: What can someone talk to a Yaren?Just say it directly.

"Hehe, Mr. Xu knows things like a god." Du Yaren had a professional smile on his face at this moment, and stretched out his thumb: "Old Du has the audacity to come to the mansion today to accept Qingguang, just to make this beautiful event come true. , to help the two masters connect, and everyone will benefit and earn together."

"En." Xu Jin nodded upon hearing this, took a sip from the tea bowl, and then said: "I have heard about that Mr. Xiong for a long time. I heard that he has a lot of money, he is righteous, and he has done great things."

"Don't dare." Du Yaren cupped his hands with a smile on his face at this moment: "Master Xiong likes to make friends, it's true."

"That's the case." Xu Jin put down the tea bowl at this moment, and stretched out a hand with her head sideways.The next moment, the servant standing behind him took out a piece of yellowed paper from a black wooden box in his arms and handed it to his master.

After Xu Jin took the yellow paper, she handed it to the next Du Yaren: "Old Du, why don't you tell me, what benefits can this deed get from your master?"

Du Yaren took a look, and sure enough, this piece of paper is the general deed of Xujiazhuangzi, which is to the north of Zhangsutan, next to Shanghai Port.By this time, Du Yaren had already made up his mind: Today's big deal is bound to be a deal!

So Du Yaren, who was full of joy, raised his head and said with a smile: "To tell the truth, Mr. Xu, Mr. Xiong gave orders before Mr. Du came. It is said that as long as Mr. Xu can reward this time, then the land on this contract will , not only are they all at the price of the top-grade paddy fields, but there is always a treasure that will be taken out to the Xu family to sell on behalf of Master Xiong afterward. Hehe, Master Xu, this is the treasure of the crystal mirror class!"

When Du Yaren said this, his saliva almost flowed down—the crystal mirror in Master Xiong’s hand could sell for hundreds of taels of silver for a palm-sized piece.
"Hahahaha!" After hearing this, Xu Jin couldn't help laughing.After laughing a few times, Master Xu stopped talking, reached out to pick up a box of high-end Ashima cigarettes on the coffee table, and took out one.

After the sound of "ding", the maidservant stretched out her tender white hand in time, and helped the master light a cigarette with a handful of rotten silver Zippo.

Skillfully, after taking a deep puff of smoke, Master Xu nodded to Du Yaren with a smile all over his face: "Master Xiong is really generous, a village can exchange the goods for that crystal mirror."

Du Yaren nodded repeatedly at this moment: "Hehe, it's also my master who sincerely wants to be friends with Master Xu, so he has such a big generosity!"

"Okay, okay! Great money! I like big money!" Xu Jin took another puff of cigarette at this moment, and then patted her thigh: "If that's the case, I'll give you the land deed!"

The next moment, I saw the young man standing behind Master Xu take two steps forward, and then gently put the black box in his hand on the tea table beside Du Yaren.

"Huh?" Du Yaren didn't understand the situation for a while, he looked at the yellow paper on the coffee table, then at the black box, and looked up at Xu Jin inexplicably.

"Aren't you looking around for the land deeds? It's all here." Master Xu still had a smile on his face at this time, and he leaned forward and stretched his arms, and gently opened the black wooden box.

(End of this chapter)