The daily life of the prime minister of the Qing Dynasty, thick black

Chapter 75

The two ships traveled together all the way, from Tongzhou to Jiangning.

Tongcheng is close to Tongling, and the upper part of the road is close to the Yangtze River. The center of the entire south of the Yangtze River is Jiangning Mansion, which is the ancient capital of Jinling and the Six Dynasties.

Today the boat has arrived in Huai'an, and will soon enter the boundary of Yangzhou, and Jiangning will soon be there.

Zhang Tingyu and the others turned directly from Yangzhou, followed the Yangtze River, passed Jiangning and Tongling, and returned to Tongcheng after landing.

When the boat arrived in Huai'an, Zhang Tingyu didn't pay attention at first, but he didn't expect to be stopped by someone halfway on the boat, saying that he would collect money for crossing the river.

Zhang Tingyu only said: "Isn't it only accepted by passing merchant ships? We are just passenger ships that drop by."

Their ship will dock in Huai'an for a while, go ashore to buy supplies, and they will dock at the pier no matter what.As soon as I leaned in, the money collector came.

Zhang Tingyu really felt angry and funny, he had already seen Liao Fengyuan throw out more than a hundred taels of silver along the way.

If it was an ordinary merchant, he would not know it, but Liao Fengyuan was a well-known person in the tea shop. He traveled all over the world, and his name was on the brochure of the Hedao Yamen. He couldn't escape if he wanted to. Give.

But he never thought that this time it would be his turn.

To be honest, Zhang Tingyu really doesn't want to give money now.

But Liao Fengyuan in front kept giving Zhang Tingyu winks, signaling him not to be impulsive.

Gu Huaishu watched from the boat, frowning. The canal spans different places, and the rules of each place are basically the same.It's just that when we arrive in Huai'an, we even have to pay for ordinary boat trips. If things go on like this, who has the money to cross the river?

On one side is the exploitation of the river government, and on the other is the control of the water transport government. A canal is eaten by two moths. It is no wonder that the water surface is getting shallower and shallower.

Gu Huaishu felt ironic, she just watched from a distance and didn't speak.

Zhang Tingyu over there also knew that there was no way to talk to the people below, even if they won a momentary argument, they would suffer in the end.

It's not unusual for anything to happen on this river.

What's more, it is also difficult to treat the symptoms but not the root cause.It is not that simple to solve the "money for crossing the river".

Endure this for a while, and discuss it later.

Zhang Tingyu's clothes were ordinary, he didn't look like the son of a rich and powerful family, so the guard next to him looked down upon him, he weighed the money in his hand contemptuously, at least let them pass.

After boarding the boat again, Zhang Tingyu had already gone directly to Liao Fengyuan's boat.

As soon as he got up, Liao Fengyuan stumbled heavily: "Tell me what's the matter, the things I'm carrying on this boat are not worth much, so it's not the most important thing. If I take the merchant boat back to the capital, what's the matter?" The son is just growing up. Look at the face of that little thing just now, isn’t he just a poor servant? Whether it’s in Yangzhou or the capital, Jiangning or Hangzhou, if it’s my place, I’ll just crush him to death with one finger. But in On the river, they are uncles!"

Liao Fengyuan had nothing but money.

Now officials and businessmen have begun to gradually move closer, especially in the rich and prosperous Jiangnan, where the relationship between officials and businessmen can be regarded as quite close.

Liao Fengyuan said that he stretched out his hand to pinch someone to death, his illness was not a joke.

Zhang Tingyu did not expect that the money for crossing the river would be received by him.

He had already given Liao Fengyuan an idea a few days ago, but Liao Fengyuan didn't say a word afterwards, and seemed to be a little hesitant.

Now, Liao Fengyuan's mind started to move again.

He asked Zhang Tingyu to sit down, and sighed: "I have thought about the idea you made a few days ago, but I dare not use it."

"Oh?"

Zhang Tingyu naturally knew that he must have some embarrassment, but just pretended not to know, and asked along with his words.

Speaking of which, there is no need to hide it.

Liao Fengyuan sighed: "I have always said that I am the second in the guild hall, but the Wanqing guild hall is a shelf I put up. You are such a thoughtful person, don't you think about the tricks in it?"

Zhang Tingyu frowned, with a surprised expression, and pressed his forehead slightly, as if he had just thought of this question: "If shopkeeper Liao didn't mention it, I never thought of going to that place."

One can tell at a glance that Zhang Tingyu has already had an idea, but he just doesn't say it.

Shopkeeper Liao has known Mr. Zhang Er for several years, so how could he not know about this man's nature?
He just made a joke, but the next sentence continued: "Originally, I was supposed to be the number one, and people would call me the president here, but it turned out to be a 'Shen Tie Abacus' for no reason. My position Wouldn't it just be lost?"

Shen Tie's abacus?

Zhang Tingyu had never heard of it in the past, he frowned, "I have never heard of this name, shopkeeper Liao can tell you in detail."

Only then did Liao Fengyuan let out a long sigh, and told about the experience of pulling people to build a guild hall in the capital a few years ago.

Originally, Liao Fengyuan was a very famous tea farm in the Suzhou and Hangzhou area. After he ascended the throne, the Long Live Lord of this dynasty traveled from south to north to do business. He has a deep foundation in the capital and has enough contacts in his hands. For 30 years, he has almost monopolized the entire tea farm. Jiangnan tea industry.

The guild hall was negotiated and built by Liao Fengyuan and the merchants from his hometown.

At first, it was just a courtyard built for everyone to settle down, but later it felt that there was not enough space, so it expanded into a hall.

It was five years ago that the guild hall was officially completed.

As a result, in that year, there was a "shen iron abacus" out of nowhere.

This Shen Tie Abacus has a great reputation.

I heard that this person was originally a bookkeeper, and I don't know where he made a fortune. Later, he went into business, and he made a fortune all the way, and made a lot of money.

Jiangnan has always been a land of fish and rice, and tea, salt, and silk are also unique in Jiangnan.

This Mr. accountant came from selling cloth and silk, and later his business became big. The word "salt" is too heavy to touch, and tea should be a little lighter.There is a tradition of drinking tea in various places in this dynasty, not to mention that there is no shortage of this thing in the south of the Yangtze River, and it is extremely profitable to travel north and south, so Shen Tie Abacus quickly tasted the sweetness. With its strong financial resources, it came from behind and beat Liao Fengyuan. Li poached the position of the president of the Wanqing Club of this tea shop.

At that time, in order to show fairness, many businessmen elected a highly respected wealthy businessman to take the top spot.

Liao Fengyuan always felt that he had a certain chance of winning, so he didn't worry at all. How could he think that when he came up with this idea at the beginning, when the result came out, he shot himself in the foot with a stone.

Shen Tie's calculation skills were superior, and he convinced more than half of the people, taking away the top spot.

Therefore, Liao Fengyuan came second.

After so many years, it has never really been dug out again.

When Liao Fengyuan talked about Shen Tie's abacus, half of it was complicated, and half of it was admiration.

"Don't tell me, if this person doesn't have a deep hatred with me, I still want to make friends with him. When this person made a fortune, he had just reached the crown. I heard that his ancestral home is Shandong. Speaking of it, it is still a generation. Confucian businessman. His surname is Shen, and his single name is a word of “Qi” without a word. People in the south of the Yangtze River call him “Shen Wansan Second”, and we in the industry call him “Shen Tie Abacus”, but no one has ever called him by his name.”

Shen sick?

Zhang Tingyu thought about it carefully, but this one sounds quite legendary.

"Just now shopkeeper Liao said that this person was originally a bookkeeper, and suddenly made a fortune, so he started business?"

That is to say, in the life of this heavy iron abacus, this "windfall" is the starting point of everything.

Unfortunately, no one knows where the money came from.

Liao Fengyuan said: "How do I know this? Everyone in Jiangnan has such a legend, but no one really knows it clearly, or why are they all called Shen Wansan the second? Isn't there a cornucopia for the rich Shen Wansan? Go in, one life two, two life three..."

This joke is just a joke.

If this question were so simple, no one would know.

Having said so much, in the end things still have to be brought back to the point.

Liao Fengyuan's biggest problem was stuck in Shen Chao's body.

"You don't know, this guy looks great, but he has problems all over his body. He is rich and can run the government well. His own merchant ships will not have any problems, but he doesn't care about our tea shop. If it is true When we start a fight, the only ones who suffer are those of us who are excluded. Sigh... it really happened..."

When talking about Shen Tie's abacus, Liao Fengyuan could only sigh.

"If the entire tea business unites to raise the price, this Tie Abacus must nod in agreement, so your question is actually—afraid that Tie Abacus won't agree?"

Zhang Tingyu finally figured it out.

He has always been in the capital, and even if he returns to the south of the Yangtze River, he makes friends with scholars, but the word "business" seems to be far away from him.

He never thought about not being an official, but being an official is also a science.

Like the boundary that the entire canal passes through now, these officials are all idiots.An official can't do this. If you want to please people, you have to be sure to please.Instead of searching for people's fat and people's anointing, to please a prince who may not be able to ascend the throne, it is better not to wade into this muddy water, otherwise one will lose his head if he is not careful.

If Liao Fengyuan was really cruel, it would be a big storm.

So, for things like being an official, it's better to be careful and sail for thousands of years.

Zhang Tingyu had a lot of things in his mind, but very little showed on his face.

Liao Fengyuan nodded: "That's not the case. It's a pity that Second Young Master Zhang is in Tongcheng. He would not stay in Yangzhou or Jiangning Mansion, let alone go to Hangzhou. When he arrives there, no one will be able to ask."

"actually not."

Hearing this, Zhang Tingyu shook his head with an inscrutable look.

Liao Fengyuan was startled: "What do you mean by Second Young Master's words?"

That's easy.

Zhang Tingyu put down the teacup in his hand, got up and put on a lake-blue robe, went directly to the side, lifted the curtain outside, and the skylight from outside came in.

In the distance, Wu Sidao was still lying there sleeping.

Zhang Tingyu pointed to the slanted and downcast figure, but said: "This friend should be able to help you, but Tingyu doesn't know if he is willing to help."

Liao Fengyuan never expected that Zhang Tingyu would appreciate the nonsense that day so much.

Originally Liao Fengyuan wanted to kill someone to silence him, but because Zhang Tingyu was by his side, although he wanted to kill him, he never did it, but now he heard Zhang Tingyu say that this person is useful, he couldn't help being startled again.

This person looks like a crazy man who drinks all day long, is down and out, thinks he has a talent for managing the world, and doesn't meet him. How can he look like someone with real skills?
However, people cannot be judged by their appearance, and sea water cannot be measured.

Thinking about Shen Tie's abacus, wasn't it not well-known at the beginning?
When Liao Fengyuan thought about it, he knew that he had committed a big taboo.In the past two years, he has been busy fighting with Shen Tie, and he is used to being pampered, so he doesn't care about it any more.

Feeling sweaty in his heart, Liao Fengyuan looked outside at Wu Sidao who didn't know about it, then at Zhang Tingyu, and said, "Thank you, Mr. Zhang, for your guidance. If there is any progress in this matter, no matter whether we are In Jiangning, Yangzhou or Hangzhou, someone will send you a letter quietly."

Zhang Tingyu squinted his eyes and smiled, nodded, but said: "My wife is still waiting for me, so let's go now, shopkeeper Liao, you should be busy."

Keep busy, there is still work to do.

Zhang Tingyu changed the bamboo rafts and went back, when he boarded the boat, he saw Gu Huaishu dozing on the inner couch, Xiaoshi Fang at the stern was talking to the master who was rowing the oar, the two of them were talking and laughing.

He glanced at it, then looked away, and then went in.

Qingdai was also drowsy, but as soon as Zhang Tingyu came in, she was startled awake when she fell asleep.

"two……"

Just when she was about to speak, she saw Zhang Tingyu booing her, so Qing Dai quickly shut up.

But with just that sound, Gu Huaishu had already opened his eyelids.

She hadn't fallen asleep at all, so she knew Zhang Tingyu had returned when she heard the voice.

Waving his hand, Gu Huaishu let Qing Dai go out, but pinched the fan that was left on the side, shaking it intermittently, and asked lazily: "Are you done talking?"

Zhang Tingyu sat up and lay down beside her, with his hands behind his head, very relaxed: "I was thinking, if I really become an official, how can I not keep it all?"

"Toss around."

Gu Huaishu sneered.

She guessed that Zhang Tingyu just couldn't sit still and wanted to make trouble.

Zhang Tingyu said slowly: "The days will not be boring soon, there is a good show to watch, let's have fun together..."

Gu Huaixiu was speechless for a moment, how boring must this person be to come up with such an earth-shattering idea?

Raising the price of tea is just a simple word, but if something happens, it will be a matter of common people's mouth.

"When the price of tea rises, rice noodles, cotton, linen, silk and kudzu all over the place...will also rise accordingly, and it will affect the whole body, and things will become serious. Are you really afraid that you will be traced?"

There have been cases of driving up rice prices in previous years, but those were all famine years, and things were in short supply.

That also caused ordinary people to smash rice shops of various commercial firms wantonly. Where did the reason for the price increase come from?
Once it rises, something will happen.

But Zhang Tingyu's idea is to speed up the rise in tea prices.

If he doesn't make this plan, the north-south traffic will rise sooner or later, but the time will be delayed.

Ugh.

Gu Huaixiu secretly sighed, her husband's mind is a little strange, why don't she allocate more time to Zhang Tingyu, so that this master will not turn out one day and be fooled by others? It's not good to turn the world upside down if the counselor comes up with an idea.

As for the excitement now, you can watch it if you can.

Gu Huaixiu was not in a hurry.

The two of them lay down and followed the boat's rocking. After a few days, they arrived in Jiangning, bid farewell to Liao Fengyuan's big boat, went all the way up the Yangtze River, landed from Tongling, and headed overland to Tongcheng.

Tongcheng is backed by three mountains and surrounded by two waters, so it is a place with good Fengshui.

Gu Huaishu had been here once before, and it was at this time that he remembered that he had contact with Zhang Tingyu.

Revisiting the old place, Gu Huaishu inevitably felt a little embarrassed.

In just one year, a lot has changed.

Tongcheng is not a big place, when Zhang Tingyu and Gu Huaishu came back, there was a crowd of onlookers.

Everyone didn't know where the rich family came from. Someone followed and saw that the carriage entered the Zhang family's mansion in Tongcheng. Only then did someone recognize it. The second son of the Zhang family brought the second young lady back to live in Tongcheng.

After all, it is not a very prosperous place, and the folk customs are still simple. No matter it is kind-hearted or has other purposes, many neighbors in the neighborhood send some local food over.

As for the fact that Gu Huaixiu was still in Zhang Luo's mansion, the Zhang family's mansion was not small, they only lived in one courtyard, Zheng Bo, who was also a native of Tongcheng, was here all the year round, and now he was leading Gu Huaixiu to look around.

The woman outside brought a lot of things beamingly, "Second young lady, these are sent by the neighbors. They are all worthless little things. You can eat what you want."

There are some homemade pastries and all kinds of Jiangnan snacks on the plate, which look very interesting.

Gu Huaishu asked someone to take it down and put it away, and then ordered the maid beside him to send back some things from the capital.

As the saying goes, distant relatives are not as good as close neighbors. I don't know how long I will live in Tongcheng.

Gu Huaixiu is steady and steady, take his time, after all, it's better for him to live comfortably in this day.

Standing in front of the court, Zhang Tingyu saw Gu Huaixiu approaching, pointed to the Diandimei tree that was still in bloom and said, "You should have seen a clump of Diandimei in the flower hall of the capital, it was transplanted from here. .The flowering period is short over there, but it is still blooming here.”

Gu Huaixiu pinched a flower between his fingers, sniffed it lightly, but said: "I don't think the second master is a person who loves his sons and daughters, and he probably doesn't miss his relatives in the capital. I can come out to breathe."

Hearing this, Zhang Tingyu suddenly burst into laughter. He reached out and took a light purple spot plum in Gu Huai's sleeve, and let it fall to the ground. He lightly stepped on it and sighed softly. : "Those who know me have sleeves."

(End of this chapter)