King of Song

Chapter 148

The autumn rain is pattering, and the air is filled with a strong musty smell. The damp and cold make people very uncomfortable.

In a house in the south of Qiantang County, Zhang Ziheng, the owner of Guangji Rice Company, suffered from rheumatism again.In the early years, he traveled to Lingnan, went to northern Xinjiang, and ran here and there. Finally, he saved a family business, but he suffered from rheumatism due to overwork.

When encountering cloudy and rainy days, my legs feel uncomfortable and tight. I will take medicine and soak my feet in hot water at the same time.Lao Wang, the shopkeeper of Mihang, stood aside and remained silent until the owner finished soaking his feet and wrapped himself in a blanket.

"Master!"

Zhang Ziheng leaned comfortably on the couch and asked, "How is the grain market?"

Shopkeeper Wang replied in a deep voice: "Except for the normal price of the Meng family, all other grain markets are closed!"

"Oh!" Zhang Ziheng responded, and sighed: "Ms. Meng's family is still courageous, much stronger than the old man!"

"My boss doesn't have to worry about it. If there wasn't County Magistrate Lin behind the Meng family, they might not have dared to confront Qinghe and those people!"

"Ah!" Zhang Ziheng sighed and asked, "How is the stock in our food store?"

"In Qiantang County, we are second only to Qinghe and the Zhao family."

"Why don't we open the door to sell food too!" Zhang Ziheng said after hesitating for a while.

Shopkeeper Wang was taken aback, and hurriedly dissuaded him: "My boss is benevolent, I know that, but we don't have a backer, so we can't beat Qinghe! There are rumors recently that the people behind Qinghe have a lot of background, and we can't afford to mess with them."

"Hey, I'm so useless when I think about it. I, Zhang Ziheng, just want to do my job. But why would someone bully the market and be forced to do such unreasonable things!"

"Boss, actually..." Shopkeeper Wang hesitated, "Actually... this is also a good opportunity, and we can make a lot of money along with it."

"Old Wang, how can you think like this...it's all ill-gotten gains, how can you feel at ease!"

Shopkeeper Wang saw the host's serious objection, and immediately changed his words: "Yes, what the host said is true! It's just that the grain market in Hangzhou is now controlled by Qinghe and the Zhao family. If we are not careful, the property that the host has worked so hard to save I'm afraid the karma will be ruined!"

One sentence hit Zhang Ziheng's weakness, and he let out a long sigh: "Forget it, let's wait and see what happens!"

Zhang Ziheng is a benevolent person, and he has always been honest in his business. Like the disaster in Hangzhou this time, many people hoarded and wanted to take the opportunity to make a fortune.The proprietor Zhang didn't have such an idea, he planned to operate normally and help the common people.However, some people bully and dominate the market. If they don't follow suit, the family business they have worked so hard to save will be in vain.

"En!" Shopkeeper Wang said: "By the way, County Magistrate Lin invited my master to a banquet at the county government office tomorrow!"

"Magistrate Lin, come to the banquet?" Zhang Ziheng was a little surprised.

"I invite all the grain merchants in Qiantang County!"

Zhang Ziheng immediately understood that County Magistrate Lin was going to do something, and then he seemed to have some expectations in his heart, and said with a smile: "Okay, I will attend on time tomorrow!"

Shopkeeper Wang bid farewell and left. After going out, he shook his head again and again, wouldn't it be nice to make a fortune?Really!It's really annoying to have such an old-fashioned owner at the stall!

Not long after leaving Zhang's house, shopkeeper Wang was walking with his head buried, when he suddenly heard someone shouting from behind: "Isn't this shopkeeper Wang?"

"Brother Qin!" Shopkeeper Wang turned around and saw the familiar silk shop owner Qin Wu!

"It's a rare encounter, let's go, let's have two drinks together, to get rid of the cold!" The two were already familiar with each other, and Qin Wu was very enthusiastic.

"Uh……"

Before Shopkeeper Wang could speak, Qin Wu said, "Why, you want to refuse again? Don't give me face? You are very busy on weekdays. These few days, your Guangji Food Store is closed. Should you be free?" Picked up Shopkeeper Wang and left together.

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Qinghe grain store is the largest grain store in Qiantang County, even the entire Liangzhe Road, and even the Zhejiang-Fujian generation.Naturally, they became the overlord of the Hangzhou grain market, bullying the market and manipulating the market is easy for them.Because Zhaoji, the second largest grain store in Hangzhou, is only half the size of it, and the third largest Guangji may be less than one-third the size of Qinghe, so it is impossible to fight against it.

The backyard of Qinghe Liangxing, Qinghe Hall!

"Brother, Lin Zhao, the county magistrate, invited all the grain merchants in the county to a banquet. I'm afraid it's not easy!"

The owner of Qinghe Food Co., Ltd., Lu Ji, is in his 40s. He is thin and not tall, but he looks very shrewd, especially with his eyes that keep rolling.Being able to sit on the top spot of Zhejiang and Fujian's top grain merchants is enough to prove that this person still has two brushes in business.

Lu Ji said: "That's natural. At this time, the significance of food is self-evident. It seems that the county magistrate is also in a hurry."

"Then we..." It was Lu Ji's second brother Lu Shan who spoke!

"Don't worry, we are doing business normally, he can't do anything to us!" Lu Ji was very confident about this.

Lu Shan thought about his family background, and felt relieved. He smiled lightly and said, "That's right, the food market is the one that's in trouble now! That little girl from the Meng family seems to be against us purely, and Zhang Ziheng, an old man , as long as they are obedient, we will have the final say on the grain market in Hangzhou."

"Do you know how much grain the Meng family has in Hangzhou?" Lu Ji asked calmly.

Lu Shandao: "The Meng family doesn't store much grain in the city, except for a granary in the south of the city that has five thousand shi, the others can be ignored... But I heard that the Meng family brought another shipment of grain from Jiangning, which is quite a lot. I'm afraid it will affect our plans!"

"Hmph, I'm afraid the Meng family's food won't be able to be shipped!" Lu Ji snorted coldly, his dark eyes piercing.

"Brother means..." Lu Shan clearly sensed something. The two brothers have a division of labor, and he is responsible for taking care of things outside.The eldest brother is in charge of controlling the overall situation, planning before making moves, and many things are inadvertently done properly, as for the methods may be more diverse.

Lu Ji waved his hand and said: "You don't need to ask any more questions, you just need to continue to arrange people to collect grain, even if the price is high, it doesn't matter, as long as you have stock in hand, you can handle them."

"What about Zhang Ziheng? He's so stubborn, doesn't he know what's important?" Lu Shan seemed a little worried. Although this guy was named "Shan", he didn't have any kindness in his bones.

"Zhang Ziheng is old-fashioned and true, but he doesn't have the courage, and he can't make any waves!" Lu Ji said disdainfully: "Just because he doesn't buy it, doesn't mean that his subordinates aren't interested! As for the little girl of the Meng family, is she really a girl?" Young woman, she doesn't know the dangers of the world! She doesn't know, a good person must be taken to the end!" After speaking, the sneer in his eyes became more permeating.

"Everything is under the control of the elder brother!" Lu Shan felt relieved when he knew it, and then asked: "By the way, how will the elder brother prepare for tomorrow's banquet?"

"This..." Lu Ji pondered: "Don't worry, I'll think about it again!"

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Recently, food is the most in short supply in Hangzhou, and food is also the most worrying thing.

Ordinary people are worried that there will be no food in their homes, and grain merchants will not be at peace, so their thoughts are more complicated!
Meng Ruoying has been restless and worried for the past few days.Master Sun braved the heavy rain and flood to escort a ship of grain from Jiangning. Thinking about the difficult voyage, even though the boatmen were experienced, Meng Ruoying was still worried.When the cargo ship arrived in Hangzhou safely, her heart would be at peace.

"Sister Ruoying, nothing will happen, don't worry!" Seeing this, Gu Yuelun had no choice but to comfort her repeatedly. The autumn rain continued, and the opening of a branch in West Lake, where Jiangnan lived, was put on hold.

"I don't know why, but I'm always uneasy!" For some reason, Meng Ruoying, who had always been mature and stable, was particularly restless this time.

"Oh, it's been raining for so long, the river must be flooded, I should have told Master Sun and the others to wait a few days before coming back!"

Meng Ruoying shook her head and said, "I can't wait, most of the shops in the food market are closed, and the people will starve if they can't buy food, and we don't have much food in stock!"

"Those people are really abominable. They hoard and spread unjust wealth. They don't have a heart of benevolence and morality. They hurt nature and justice!" Gu Yuelun's mind is relatively simple, and he is very annoyed by such unrighteous acts!
"Forget it, there's no other way, some people are just looking out for profit like this... It's just that he will be under a lot of pressure!" Meng Ruoying, who was born in a scholarly family, is very aware of the pressure Lin Zhao is facing now.It was precisely because of this that she wanted to share his worries in her own way.

Gu Yuelun's love affair has just begun, and Meng Ruoying knows her cousin's thoughts like the back of the palm of her hand, knowing that Ruoying's sister is doing this to help her cousin.The little girl was very grateful and envious at the same time. She was a little annoyed that she couldn't help anything, and she felt strange.

For a moment, Gu Yuelun was eager to do something for Lin Zhao. As for the starting point, besides being his cousin, it seemed that he had some other feelings.

Coincidentally, just as she was thinking this, Mu Sihong brought him a mission.

We are considered a family now, and we should walk around more with each other.Mu Sihong is a clever woman, she can only be Lin Zhao's concubine after all, as for the future wife, Meng Ruoying is very likely, at least in her opinion at present.

Therefore, they have maintained a good relationship with Meng Ruoying on weekdays. The previous misunderstanding was resolved, and there was a bond of Lin Zhao between them. After going back and forth, they became more familiar with each other, and gradually became friends in the boudoir.

"Sister-in-law is here!" Although Mu Sihong has not yet received the nod from Gu Qi and his wife, Gu Yuelun has already approved it, and the two have a good relationship.

"Yue Lun!" Mu Sihong laughed and said, "I'm afraid I have something to trouble you tomorrow!"

"What's the matter? Sister-in-law just say it!" Gu Yuelun's obligatory posture was quite cute.

Mu Sihong said: "Tomorrow your cousin will have a banquet at the house. In terms of cooking skills, I have limited skills. I'm afraid I have to work for you to help!"

"No problem!" Gu Yuelun finally had the opportunity to contribute to his cousin, not to mention his own housekeeping skills.

After seeing Gu Yuelun, Mu Sihong went to see Meng Ruoying again, and said, "Ruoying, thank you for the grain market!"

"I'm just doing my own business, how can I thank you?" In front of Mu Sihong, Meng Ruoying covered her ears, as if unwilling to admit her motives.

Mu Sihong knew it well, and said with a smile: "Lin Lang asked me to convey his thanks on his behalf. He also said that you don't have to worry too much about the grain market, he has a way to deal with it!"

Meng Ruoying felt a little sweet in her heart, when did Lin Zhao become so considerate?It's just that it would be better if he said it himself.

(End of this chapter)