Daming: Apocalypse of Longevity

Chapter 60 Grain Merchant Wu Sanchai

The shopkeeper of the grain store, known as "Lao Wu", was about to get angry when Zhang Shili snatched away his pipe, but when he jumped up and took a closer look, he saw that the person standing in front of him was Zhang Shili, and he felt helpless. He took out a breath and cursed angrily with a smile: "So it's you who is a bastard!"

Shopkeeper Wu then sat back on the chair, smiled teasingly and said, "I said, Lao Zhang, didn't you just come here last month? It's only been a few days, and you came here again, I said You’ve been running a little too hard lately, maybe you’re raising a woman here, right?”

Zhang Shili couldn't help but darken his face after hearing this, but with Zhang Guoji and others standing behind him, he couldn't help but wink at Shopkeeper Wu, gritted his teeth and whispered in a low voice: "You are so ridiculous, I just You didn’t hear a word of what I said, this person behind me is Mr. Zhang from the capital, why don’t you hurry over and salute?”

"Capital Master? Which Capital Master?" Shopkeeper Wu was a little confused at first, but he came to his senses in just a moment. He quickly jumped up from his chair, trotted around the counter with a look of panic, and ran to Zhang Guoji. He knelt down in front of him and said, "Wu Sanchai, a common man, is here to greet you. I am a young man who has little eyesight but does not know the truth. I have neglected all of you. I hope you will forgive me!"

People like Wu Sanchai and others who have settled in Annan for more than ten years have actually escaped from the control of the Ming Dynasty for a long time, but after all, they still believe that they are the people of the Ming Dynasty, so they met the Ming Dynasty Officials do not dare to be disrespectful.

Zhang Guoji didn't put on any airs. He smiled kindly and personally leaned over to help Wu Sanchai up: "Shopkeeper Wu, please get up quickly. There are no outsiders here, so there is no need to be so polite!" After all, there is still more to come. Rely on Wu Sanchai's help.

Wu Sanchai was a little flattered. He didn't know how big an official Zhang Guoji was, but he had lived for so many years and never had an official be so polite to him. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but be a little surprised. He glanced at Zhang Shili secretly, somewhat unable to guess the relationship between Zhang Shili and Master Zhang.

Although Wu Sanchai was confused, after getting up, he hurriedly moved the chair over, leaned over and wiped it with his sleeves, and said with a smile: "Sir, please sit down. This small place is too simple. It's really not good, so why not?" Please, gentlemen, please move on to the villain’s village to have a rest!”

Zhang Guoji waved his hand, "That's not necessary. Shopkeeper Wu, you don't have to be so polite. We are here to visit this time to purchase some grains and rice. We hope that Shopkeeper Wu will put in the effort!"

"Hey, don't you dare!" Wu Sanchai hurriedly bowed and saluted. Seeing that Zhang Guoji was in a hurry to do business, he stopped saying any more polite words and immediately asked, "I wonder what you want to do when you come here this time?" How much grain and rice are you going to purchase? Please give me a specific number, so I can help you raise the money!"

Zhang Guoji did not answer directly, but asked first: "I wonder what the price of rice is now at Shopkeeper Wu?"

Wu Sanchai turned his head and glanced at Zhang Shili next to him, and then gritted his teeth and said: "Since we are adults and members of our own family, naturally we don't dare to ask for more rice because the price is so small. Just pay it at six yuan per stone!"

Zhang Guoji couldn't help but nodded with satisfaction after hearing the price. This was similar to what Zhang Shili had told him before. Thinking about it, Wu Sanchai didn't dare to ask for more from him. After adding up the money in his hand, he immediately He raised his hand and stretched out two fingers!

Wu Sanchai glanced at Zhang Guoji's fingers and asked cautiously: "Twenty thousand shi?"

Zhang Guoji shook his head with a smile and said: "Two million stones!" "Two million?!" Wu Sanchai couldn't help but exclaimed, looking at Zhang Guoji in disbelief. Even Zhang Shili on the side was shocked. He was stunned, and he didn't expect Zhang Guoji to have such a big appetite!
Zhang Guoji had long thought that Wu Sanchai, a small grain store, did not have the strength to produce so much grain and rice, so he had to smile and continue: "Shopkeeper Wu, you don't have to worry, I will give you as much grain and rice as you can raise." How much do you charge? As for the rest, I’ll just figure it out. Of course, it would be even better if you could introduce me to a few of your colleagues!”

It took Wu Sanchai a long time to come back to his senses. He thought for a moment and then said: "Sir, if you want to purchase so much grain, even if you only rely on a few small grain merchants like Xiaoren, it will be far away." It’s not enough, so we have to find some big village owners nearby to join in!”

Zhang Shili hurriedly explained to the side: "Sir, these village owners that Lao Wu is talking about are the large landowners nearby. There are many large farms to the west of the dock, and each of them has at least thousands of hectares of fertile land. The food in the hands of these farm owners has gone to sea!"

Zhang Guoji nodded slowly, then looked at Zhang Shili and Wu Sanchai, and asked, "Then how are we going to find these village owners? Do you have any connections?"

Wu Sanchai quickly replied: "Sir, please don't worry. I am a frequent visitor to the nearby farm. I sell a lot of their grain and rice, so I can still speak!"

"Since that's the case, please trouble shopkeeper Wu to help you contact the nearby owners!" Zhang Guoji also immediately raised his hand to Wu Sanchai.

Seeing this, Wu Sanchai hurriedly bowed back in fear.

After getting along with each other for this period of time, Zhang Shili knew that Zhang Guoji was impatient and could not tolerate any delay, so he quickly winked at Wu Sanchai and told him to stop being stunned and set off to do things quickly!
Wu Sanchai understood, hurriedly rubbed his hands and said: "Then please go to the villain's house to rest first, and then the villain will go to the nearby farm to help the adults raise food!"

Wu Sanchai immediately closed the shop, found a few carriages, and took Zhang Guoji and the others back to his small farm. His fields here were not large compared to those of several surrounding farms. Dozens of hectares of paddy fields, but if this scale is placed in Daming, it can be regarded as a big landlord!

The carriage was traveling on the dirt road among the rice fields, and it was very bumpy, but through the window of the carriage, Zhang Guoji looked at the endless rice fields, but felt very comfortable.

Spring is approaching now, and the rice will be harvested in more than a month. The ears of rice, which are about to mature, are swaying gently in the wind. Occasionally, you can see a few Vietnamese women wearing triangular hats busy in the fields, and they are thriving. scene.

At the end of the road is an earthen wall several feet high, built like a city wall, with several men patrolling it carrying bows and arrows and holding spears.

There is a two-foot-wide gap in the middle of the earthen wall as a gate. Through the gate, you can see a quite large house inside. The construction style looks no different from the houses of wealthy merchants and gentry of the Ming Dynasty.

(End of this chapter)