I have a cornucopia

Chapter 202 Since you can’t resist, just enjoy life!

Poor salt merchant Wang looked at Huang Shu with tears in his eyes.

He did not doubt Ajige's integrity.

After all, Huang Shu is really his fellow townsman, and the Huang family actually has business in Yangzhou.

He didn't know that Governor Huang was so ruthless that he would even sell out his own hometown and clan.

But the problem is that the purpose of his trip has actually failed.

In fact, behind him are some elders from the Yangzhou Elderly Association.

After the Qing army marched south, the Yangzhou Elders Association was actually very clear that Yangzhou would inevitably face war again, but the internal division was on the issue of war and peace. Some Huizhou merchants, led by Zheng Yuanxun, advocated war. After all, the Zheng family had already become a famous scholar. Not only did he have the title of Jinshi, but as an old salt merchant, his family had more money than they could spend. Now they were not so eager for money, but they needed political status and a name in history. But another part of the Huizhou merchants, plus the vast majority of Shanxi merchants, advocated peace. The reason for this was also very simple. The huge losses in the last war made resistance not worth the loss.

What’s more, what’s the point of stopping the Qing army?

Is Gao Jie a good thing?

Is Yang Feng behind him a good guy?

They are all wolves and they all want to eat the flesh of the salt merchants. If you resist and win, they will eat you. If you lose, your entire family will be exterminated. If you don't resist, you will be eaten by Dorgon, but this will avoid the losses caused by the war.

We all run businesses to make a living, unlike you Zheng brothers who just have a bunch of gardens.

In short, everyone has his own opinion.

Therefore, some leaders of the Elders Association and the salt merchant family leaders had held a secret meeting before, and then the Wang family contacted Huang Shu. The latter, because he was from the same hometown as the Hui merchants in the city, had actually been secretly contacting the salt merchants in Yangzhou. The original plan was that they would open the city gates to welcome the Qing army after the arrival, but Gao Jie was so vicious that he directly locked up all the elders who participated in the meeting and their children and grandchildren in Wenchang Pavilion.

Of course, this also includes those who did not participate in this conspiracy.

For example, Zheng Yuanxun’s house.

After all, Gao Jie didn't know that someone had already prepared to stab him in the back, but his brutal behavior really caused a lot of trouble to these people.

Yangzhou is composed of two cities, the old one in the west and the new one in the east. The west is inhabited by government officials and local gentry, while the east is inhabited by salt merchants and outsiders.

There is a north-south wall in the middle.

Their original plan was to open a gate in the new city, and then arrange a time with the Qing army for a surprise attack to welcome the royal army into the city. Then the rest would be how to break through the old city. This would be the Qing army's own business. But the problem now is that Wenchang Pavilion is in the old city!
They were happy to welcome the royal army into the new city, and with Gao Jie's brutal character, he would definitely get angry immediately.

Those are all their children and grandchildren.

The old ones don’t matter, but the young ones are their future.

Given the age of these salt merchants, it is estimated that it will be difficult for them to have male offspring in the future. They do love money, and they can indeed welcome the imperial army to preserve their property, but the problem is that they are reluctant to give up their own children and grandchildren. If they lose money, they can earn more, but if they lose their children and grandchildren, their family will be cut off, so they fantasize about only taking out silver...

Not necessarily.

If Ajige failed to capture Yangzhou, they would certainly not have to pay any money.

The calculations are very shrewd.

The essence is still to get something for nothing. A promise is used to show the attitude to Ajige. If the latter cannot be defeated, then just treat it as a fart. If the latter can be defeated, then prepare silver to welcome the royal army.

but now……

"How difficult is this? When you return to the city this time, bring a few royal soldiers with you and discuss with other salt merchants. When they leave the city in the future, they should bring a few royal soldiers with them every time. When there are hundreds of royal soldiers in the city, suddenly open the Great East Gate and rescue people first.

As long as you take the people to Xincheng, they will be your territory and Gao Jie won’t be able to take them back.

At that time, the royal army entered the city in large numbers. "

Huang Shu said.

"in this way……"

Salt merchant Wang looked at Ajige.

"How could I lie? I, the Great Qing Royal Master, always keep my word. If I say I won't massacre a city, then I will never massacre it. Do you think highly of my credibility?"

Ajige became furious and kicked him again.

This kick actually made Wang the salt merchant feel more at ease.

He quickly got up, knelt down and kowtowed to Ajige.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me. I deserve to die. I just ask Your Majesty to avoid the new city when firing from now on. As for the important places in the old city, I will mark them for you. However, I need to go back and investigate where the gunpowder used by the Zhejiang and Susong militias is stored. In addition, the king's army all shaves their heads, so we need to think of a way to sneak into the city."

He said.

It’s actually very simple to get into the city.

The actual controllers of the new city are these salt merchants.

They had their own residential areas in the city, all the shops belonged to them, the coolies living in the city also worked for them, and even the militia were mostly their guards. The defense of the new city gates was done by these Yangzhou militia.

So if they wanted to leave the city, they just had to say one sentence, and if they wanted to return to the city, they just had to say one sentence.

It doesn't matter that you didn't bring anyone back from the city.

Because their business is spread all over, Jingkou, Huai'an, Taizhou and even upriver, what's the big deal about bringing a few guys who were originally working outside back to Yangzhou? But the premise is that you can't have a rat tail. Even if the guards at the city gates won't check, you still have to prevent being accidentally discovered!

"Isn't that easy? Just peel off a few scalps and give them to Master Wang. Forget it, I'll go into the city with you!"

Huang Shu said.

As he spoke, he also touched his own golden rat tail...

"Looks like I have to peel one too."

He said.

"Go, give Governor Huang a scalp!"

Ajige shouted at his personal soldiers.

Wang the salt merchant felt sick. After all, for a refined person like him, the thought of having someone else's scalp on his head was still disgusting. However, this was indeed a solution. More importantly, if they could really bring a few hundred elite Qing troops into the city in this way, they could really open the Dadong Gate, which was not well guarded. This gate was on the middle wall. It was originally the main passage for transporting materials from the new city to the old city. It was usually open. As long as they rushed through this gate, they could quickly deal with the servants in Wenchang Pavilion and release the people imprisoned inside.

Even if someone sets a fire, it can be put out quickly as long as the city gates are controlled.

As long as we rescue these people, there is nothing else to say. We will open the city gates and welcome the royal army.

The prince has promised that there will be no massacre in the city.

The key is...

"Don't worry, the Qing army is here to punish the criminals and help the Ming Dynasty rebuild its government. We will also work together to wipe out the rebels. The Qing army is here to save you."

Huang Shu patted him on the shoulder like a traitor translator.

Ajige was standing next to him, smiling like a Japanese colonel.

Salt Merchant Wang laughed as if he was crying.

Of course, he had no right to refuse. If he dared to refuse, he would probably be scalped. In the end, he trembled and led Huang Shu and a dozen other Qing soldiers with new scalps back to Yangzhou, and then entered the city without any inspection at the city gate. This was quite normal. Although Huang Shu and others' scalps were indeed a little abnormal, everyone wore hats in this season, and no one would really pay attention to this problem unless they took off their hats.

Taking the scalp was just in case. After returning to Yangzhou, Wang the salt merchant quietly summoned the salt merchants who participated in the plan...

They are all Shanxi merchants and Huizhou merchants.

Qin merchants did not dare to use it.

The Qin merchants had a close relationship with Yang Feng, and under the joint exclusion of the Huizhou merchants and the Shanxi merchants, they had basically been squeezed out of the salt industry. Currently, their main business is tea and the rest is trade with Yang Feng and Li Zicheng.

However, Huang Shu unexpectedly met an acquaintance at Wang's house.

"Brother Chaozong?"

He looked at Hou Fangyu in front of him with surprise.

"Brother Zhonglin."

Wearing an old robe, looking like a down-and-out teacher, Mr. Hou forced a smile and bowed to Huang Shu. Poor Mr. Hou finally escaped from Nanjing, but it was not because of his ability, but because of Li Xiangjun's wide network of contacts. The latter secretly went to a certain university scholar or minister in the court at that time to cry for help, and the latter was still willing to help them. After all, everyone knew the purpose of Yang Feng, the bastard, to catch them. Even in order to prevent Li Xiangjun from falling into Yang Feng's clutches, those ministers were willing to do something. But after escaping from Nanjing, they had nowhere else to go. After all, Hou Fangyu was still wanted, and his hometown was Guide, and it was also dangerous to go back with this identity.

At that time, Guide was actually Li Zicheng's territory, but because Li Zicheng could not reach it, Nanjing did not dare to overstep its authority, so in fact it was under the control of Yang Feng.

Going back would be walking into a trap.

In the end, it was thanks to Li Xiangjun's wide network of contacts that she found the Wang family, whom she had always admired, and she temporarily hid here as a guest.

A gigolo!

As a real man, what's there to be afraid of if you're a gigolo?
Li Xiangjun went out for social events, and supported him so that he could live a carefree life.

Although Li Xiangjun did not dare to reveal her identity, people of her status were actually sought after by Yangzhou salt merchants. Especially this kind of exile, hiding one's identity and so on, was particularly exciting. Zheng Yuanxun and others were also kept secret. Zhang Guowei probably knew about it, but he was not interested in betraying them.

This is a kind and elegant act, and they are not bad people...

Just being persecuted.

In short, they just kept hiding in the Wang family.

"Brother Chaozong, the Qing imperial army will cross the river soon, and your father and you will finally be vindicated."

Huang Shu pulled him and spoke with emotion, as if they were close friends.

Hou Fangyu immediately perked up.

"Brother Zhonglin, are you serious?"

He said eagerly.

Huang Shu smiled slightly, lifted the scarf on his head, revealing the scalp that was obviously a little different, then proudly lifted the glued edge to reveal the blue scalp that had just been shaved, and then signaled to the other Jianlu with his eyes...

"In less than half a month, Yangzhou will belong to the Qing Dynasty. The regent is aware of your father's affairs, and when the time comes, the prefect will have to pay homage to the emperor."

he whispered.

"God has mercy on us. Finally, I can avenge my great vengeance. Xiangjun no longer needs to worry about being taken away by that monster."

Hou Fangyu rubbed his hands excitedly.

They didn't notice that Li Xiangjun, who had been sitting next to them tuning her zither, was looking at them...

At this time, in the distant Tianjin, the demon was standing among the broken corpses, like a demon from hell, holding down a man who was kneeling and kowtowing with his iron hammer. The latter was lying on the ground, kowtowing and saying something in a language he could not understand. On the battlefield that was about to end, the followers were riding horses among the corpses of people and horses. From time to time, someone on horseback raised a short gun and pulled the trigger at the fleeing enemy.

The latter fell one after another amid the gunfire.

The Qing army besieging Tianjin had already fled, but they actually dared to resist. This surprised Yang Feng. After all, Man Dahai was still young and didn't know his own limitations.

Of course, revenge for my father’s murder!

If Man Dahai escapes without fighting, he will be despised by his subordinates in the future.

As for these, they seem to be Mongolians rather than the Eight Banners. They were responsible for harassment on the north bank, but were left behind by Man Dahai as scapegoats. This also gave Yang Feng a chance to show off.

"What is he saying?"

Yang Feng, covered in blood and body parts, turned around and asked his sister Dayuer who was walking towards him.

"He is just begging for mercy. He is Gulusiqibu, Zasak Beizi of the Right Banner of Kalaqin, and the son of Duoyan Subudi. Haoge had asked him to lead his troops south to attack Tianjin. He said that when he followed Abatai to Shandong before, he had witnessed the might of his master on the battlefield. Now he believes that his master is the reincarnation of an arhat, so he is willing to surrender to his master with his people."

Sister Da Yuer said calmly.

She has now become indifferent to everything, her heart is as calm as still water and she no longer has any illusions.

It's of no use anyway.

It only added to her pain. Besides, Yang Feng didn't really torture her. He just used her to make money...

Well, this bastard asked her to serve other knights for a fee. It's not that Yang Zhuguo loves money, but as Yang Zhuguo's servant, it would be against the rules if she didn't charge. Anyway, that's it, but there's really nothing else to say. My Holy Mother Empress Dowager of the Qing Dynasty has a broad mind. After the last experience, she is very adaptable now, so she has become very open-minded about this kind of life and even started to learn to enjoy life.

Since you can't resist, just enjoy life!

"Have you been to Shandong? Ah, yes, there were indeed quite a few Mongolian cavalrymen last time. Is this guy stupid? Doesn't he know how I dealt with Abatai?"

Yang Feng looked at Guru speechlessly...

Gulusiqibu.

Guru also raised his head and looked at him with a flattering smile on his face.

Yang Feng raised the iron hammer in his hand.

Guru let out a long sigh.

But the next moment he fell to the ground screaming from a heavy blow from behind.

Yang Feng swung the iron hammer in his hand violently, and his body flew out in an arc with blood flying all over it, then fell on the ice surface of the Haihe River, then twitched and stopped moving.

"You can actually subdue him. He is still very capable in fighting."

Sister Dayuer sighed and said.

"Submit him? Is he worthy? Is a Tabunang qualified to be subdued by me? At least a Taiji can be qualified. And your family is not Taiji, right?"

Yang Feng said.

Sister Dayuer smiled and said nothing.

She really isn't. Taiji is a direct descendant of Temujin, and her ancestor is Temujin's younger brother, Hasar. So even though they have the same surname, they are not actually from the Golden Family. But after all, she is better than Guru. Guru is just a Tabunang, the son-in-law of the Golden Family, and his ancestors were only generals.

"Don't worry, as long as your family surrenders, I can still show leniency."

Yang Feng patted her shoulder and said.

"Thank you, Master, for your grace."

Sister Dayuer responded casually.

(End of this chapter)