Lin Gao Qiming

Chapter 1870 Removing the Old and Closing the New ([-])

Outside Xiguan, Guangzhou, was originally a plain area with water networks, but the area near the city was developed very early. Residents settled outside Xiguan in the Sui Dynasty, forming "workshops". Alley and road names such as "Dexing" are the names of the squares in those days.So there are quite a few street dwellings in this area.

But the market outside Xiguan ends here, and if you go further west, you will find farmland and villages. During this period, rivers criss-cross, lakes and ponds are densely scattered, and the rural scenery of the water town Zeguo is like.At this time, there is no big house in Xiguan.They are all small villages, which can be seen from one end to the other outside the village. Those who live in brick courtyards are either big families or at least small landlords. Most of them are houses with bamboo plastered with yellow mud walls and door panels on the outside. Houses with strong oyster shell walls are only available to wealthy families.

Near Shangxiajiufu, there is a temple called Xilai Temple.

Although the scale of this ancient temple is not too large, it is the predecessor of the famous Hualin Temple in old times and space.And the background of Xilai Temple itself is not small.It is said that when Patriarch Bodhidharma crossed the sea and arrived in Guangzhou, later generations respected him as an eminent monk from a western Buddhist country, and called the place where he first landed as "the first land from the west".This name has been used all the time, and the temple built by Bodhidharma after he arrived in Guangzhou is Xilai Nunnery, which is one of the five largest jungles in Guangzhou in the past dynasties.

Not far from Xilai Nunnery, there is a ruined temple built in unknown year and month.After the Guandi Temple was taken back and rebuilt by the local government, the Guandi Temple people who originally gathered in the temple forcibly occupied the temple outside Xiguan as their Doukou location.

The monks in Xilai Nunnery are naturally not ordinary monks, but facing this group of rascals who claim to be "the king of heaven and I are not afraid", even the gentry and officials avoid it, the monks can only eat coptis in dumb.Not to mention Jinhua Temple, which has been completely reduced to a kingdom of beggars, but even this Xilai nunnery, from the mountain gate to the second gate, there are many beggars gathered under the eaves day and night, making noise day and night to harass the pilgrims, and the monks dare not intervene.

The ancestors of the Gao family had a purpose in placing Doukou here.Because before the Qing Dynasty, the Xiguan Plain was still the main shipping area. The densely distributed rivers here not only existed as shipping channels, but also connected with the Xihao and Daguan Rivers. You can trace the Xihao all the way to the safe haven near Yuexiu Mountain. .You can also follow the main streams of Xiguan such as Liubo Chung and Lizhiwan Chung to shelter from the wind at Lizhiwan - there is naturally a lot of oil and water to be fished in the busy shipping area.

It has been a hundred years since the Jinhua Temple was occupied by the ancestors of the Gao family, so the beggars naturally would not spend money to repair the house.The buildings inside are dilapidated, and the altars for Buddha statues have long since disappeared.Only the original main hall is still relatively complete, and this is the "lobby" where the head of the Guangzhou Headquarters works on weekdays.

Although the hereditary head of the Gao family is just a beggar leader, the "official authority" is really not small.There are also public cases and public seats in this palace, and there are torture tools such as water and fire sticks and shackles on both sides.There are also two beggars standing at the door holding wooden sticks with their chests and stomachs folded, quite like a yamen.What is particularly conspicuous in the entire "court hall" is a big stick standing next to the public seat, which is a full ten feet high, with a thick bowl mouth and wrapped in yellow cloth.This is the so-called "pole".

The "pole" is said to be bestowed by the emperor.Whenever a beggar commits a crime, the head of the group can ask for a pole and kill him on the spot.However, this is just talk.No one has ever seen what this pole looks like when it is taken off its yellow cloth cover. Besides, the group leader has a way to execute a beggar, and there is no need for such cumbersome procedures.

Go back from the "lobby", walk through the courtyard where the Gao family's masters work, pass the middle gate, and you will find another world. In comparison, it can be called a hole in the sky.

Although the Gao family has been the "Tuantou" in all dynasties, they have never been beggars for a day. The whole family is also a slave and servant, living a life of rich clothes and fine food. Big households can't compare.

However, the recent Gao residence is a bit deserted. Not long ago, Gao Tianshi suddenly "died suddenly". Although the funeral has been done, he is still in the period of filial piety. Yes, Xiang Cheng, the newly succeeded head of the regiment, naturally couldn't openly feast and sing and enjoy - his brothers were not convinced about his succession, and they were all eyeing him.

The family is not peaceful, and the outside world is full of dangers. There are noisy and restless people from all walks of life, and Gao Lingxiang is not in the mood to drink and have fun.

At this moment, Gao Lingxiang, who had been promoted from "Master" to "Master", was reclining on the Xiangfei bamboo couch, and several maidservants were waiting beside him with iced lychees or fans.

Standing on the porch outside the house was the housekeeper from Mo's family. He was walking in the hot weather, his face was dripping with sweat, but he could only smile along with him. He didn't even dare to wipe it, waiting for him to call in.

As soon as the Australian demolished the side shop in Guangzhou, Mo Rongxin asked his daughter-in-law to bring generous gifts to visit relatives.He said he wanted to celebrate his father's birthday, well, this birthday was not long before his father died.As soon as Gao Lingxiang saw the Mo family, he felt uncomfortable.

This year is Gao Lingxiang's [-]th birthday. In the past, for the eldest son of a rich family like him, the death of his father in his prime might be a happy event, at least his wife thinks so, but he can't be "happy" at all. .

At present, there are internal and external troubles, the father is still alive, and he commands the big bones below like his arms, but he has spent a lot of effort, relying on his father's cronies and the influence of his mother's natal family, to settle all the big bones ——It is said that it is settled, but in fact, there is an undercurrent surging below. As long as there is a chance, those big bones and brothers will inevitably jump out and make trouble again; let alone there are Australians outside who are watching... Gao Tianshi's sudden death is related to the "Witch Gu Case" that has been raging in the city recently.

The matter of witchcraft is serious. Gao Lingxiang asked some of his father's capable men, but all of them were vague, but from their flickering words, he knew that the rumor was not groundless.

This is the great crime of exterminating the nine races!Gao Lingxiang almost dropped his jaw in fright, his father has been shrewd all his life, how could he get involved in this? !He didn't dare to think too deeply, so he just read through the various letters and notes in Gao Tianshi's study, burned all the things that might be related to this matter, and sent his cronies to each sinus to inquire secretly , Is there any specific insider, ready to slowly silence them one by one.

Seeing that the Australians didn't show much, Gao Lingxiang felt relieved. He thought that after the Australians came, his father would not express anything.Although the Australians are not showing any interest at the moment, they are taking away the wealth of Guandi Temple's people step by step. If this continues, he will not be able to maintain this stall for a long time-everyone is messing with you, obviously they are brothers The loyalty of generations is secretly "money". His Gao family can't maintain the wealth of Doukou from all walks of life. Why do the big bones want you as a group leader?

In the end, Dad didn't go to seek refuge with the Australians in time, and changed to a document from the "Head of the Guangzhou Mansion of the Song Dynasty".It's too late to go to seek refuge now!
These days, he has been thinking about how to hook up with the Australians. It would be best if he could hook up with one or two high-ranking Australian officials and give him a big gift—even if he emptied his own treasury.As long as you can keep the position of the head of the Guangzhou headquarters, you can talk about anything.

At this moment, the Mo family suddenly sent people to pay homage, and even presented them with great gifts, so I don't know what plans they were planning.However, Mo's family is the head of Wenlan Academy, and they have to get a lot of money from this academy every year, so they will come to find themselves, and it must be related to the affairs of the academy.At the beginning when the Mo family sent their own sister to give father a big gift to celebrate his birthday, it was related to the more than ten side shops of the academy on Chengxuan Street.

This Wenlan Academy has not been peaceful recently.Most of the directors and stewards of Wenlan Academy are controlled by a group of "evil gentry" in Guangzhou, who use this to control the rich academy property for their own personal gain, but they are very mean to the scholars studying in the academy.The scholars rose up to fight several times, but were suppressed by Mo Rongxin and Zhong Aijiao's "Second General Hengha" using various means.This will change the dynasty, and hearing that the Australians are upright and honest, the scholars in the academy will start making trouble again.

Thinking of this, the in-law's father was a little condescending when he asked the concubine to marry his younger sister. When he went to the Mo's family to see off his relatives, the Mo's family also kept a secret, as if they let their superiors humiliate his family. Talking about courtesy, even the whole ceremony was hastily done.Not only did the girl's mother, San Niang, cry, but the father was also very unhappy.

In the past, I didn't take my family seriously.Now I can't hold back a few sores, so I have to find someone to help!Thinking of this, Gao Lingxiang sneered and sat up.road:

"come in."

With this greeting, the butler, who was standing in the corridor with his hands down, carefully stepped over the threshold and walked into the cool and pleasant outer study room with ice cubes.

The housekeeper of the Mo family went to Jinhua Temple to give gifts. On the surface, he said that it was to celebrate his succession as the head of the regiment, but secretly there was a letter of trust.The butler has been standing under the eaves outside the door since he entered the door. Although he will not be exposed to the sun, the heat wave outside the house has made his face turn red and dry, and he has cursed a lot in his heart.

Although the Mo family had a bad reputation among the gentry in Guangfu, they belonged to the first-class "evil gentry", but at least they had made a name for themselves.On the bright side, the officials of one prefecture and two counties, and the big and small gentry in the city still have to give some face.It was the first time that Housekeeper Mo received such a cold reception when he went to post and give gifts.

Seeing that Gao Lingxiang had already sat up, he quickly smiled and stepped forward to salute.

"What kind of rule is this? Butler Mo doesn't even have a seat when he comes."

The maid next to him hurriedly brought porcelain pie and herbal tea.Butler Mo resolutely refused to take his seat, and even said: "It's not that polite!"

(End of this chapter)