Go back to the Ming Dynasty to be a thousand households

Chapter 64 Qu Xiuhe Zhou Wendong

The fifth younger sister wrinkled her little nose at Qu Liangwan, pouted and said, "I'm bored in the backyard, so I came out to meet my uncles and uncles... Does this elder sister think so?"

She happily shuttled in front of everyone, and at this time she was in front of Gu Yunniang.Gu Yunniang was stuffing a piece of chicken into her mouth, but she just nodded when she heard the words.

The fifth younger sister looked sideways at Gu Yunniang and said, "This sister is so beautiful, what's her name?"

Gu Yunniang saw that she was very innocent, and she praised her beauty, and liked her very much, so she smiled and said, "My sister's name is Gu Yunniang, how about you, sister?"

The fifth younger sister said: "Little sister is called Qu Xiuhe. There are too many people here. Sister, come with me. My sister has something to say to you." Speaking familiarly, Gu Yunniang pulled Gu Yunniang up, and Gu Yunniang only said something to Huang Laifu : "Brother Laifu..." Qu Xiuhe dragged him away, leaving everyone here to look at me and I look at you.

Qu Tingzhu and Qu Liangwan looked at each other, shook their heads helplessly, Qu Tingzhu coughed lightly, and raised his glass to Huang Laifu with a smile: "The little girl has this temperament, come here, young and old, I will respect you again A glass of..."

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The streets were bustling with people coming and going, Huang Laifu was leading Gu Yunniang to walk on the streets of Taiyuan, and Qu Xiuhe beside her was chirping beside Gu Yunniang like a bird out of a cage.

In just a few days, Qu Xiuhe and Gu Yunniang talked about everything, as close as sisters.The situation of the two daughters is quite similar, both have no playmates since they were young, they both have several older brothers in front of them, and there is only one girl in the family, and they are more favored at home.

Huang Laifu took the second daughter with him, and heard the second daughter chattering about some girls beside him. Jiang Dazhong and Yang Xiaolu naturally followed behind the three of them, and everyone seemed to be in high spirits.

It is the fourth day since I arrived in Taiyuan on the 22nd.In the past few days, Huang Laifu not only went to the Taiyuan Metropolitan Office to submit official documents, but this morning, he also visited the Commander Liu Fuyu, who seemed to have a good impression of Huang Laifu. After receiving Huang Laifu, he also encouraged him a few times. sentence.This made Huang Laifu feel very happy.After today, it was time for Huang Laifu to get up and go to the capital again.

And after hearing that Gu Yunniang was going to leave with Huang Laifu tomorrow, Qu Xiuhe felt a little bit reluctant. She kept asking Gu Yunniang to stay and let Huang Laifu go by herself, while Gu Yunniang could stay in Taiyuan to play with her and wait for Huang Laifu to leave. It’s not too late to leave after passing through Taiyuan after returning from a replacement job in Beijing.

Hearing Qu Xiuhe's words, Huang Laifu was also a little moved. Gu Yunniang and him were far enough from Kelanzhou to Taiyuan, and from Taiyuan to Beijing City, it was nearly a thousand miles.She is a girl, how can she endure a long journey?
But after telling Gu Yunniang about this, she insisted on going to the capital with Huang Laifu. As for Qu Xiuhe, a new friend, after returning from Beijing, she just spent a few more days with her in Taiyuan City.Huang Laifu couldn't say no, so he had to let her go.

Several people were walking by an arch bridge, and saw an old carriage parked by the bridge. Huang Laifu felt that this carriage was familiar, when he suddenly saw a man standing by the bridge, shouting towards the river: "The law of heaven is not fair!" Ah." A young woman was holding a baby, crying silently beside him.

Everyone on the side of the road looked at this man like a madman, but Huang Laifu recognized this man. It turned out to be Zhou Wendong, a down-and-out scholar whom he had seen outside Taiyuan that day. There was some debate.

Huang Laifu walked over and said, "So it's Brother Zhou, why are you here?"

Zhou Wendong turned his head, eyes a little red, looked at Huang Laifu for a long time, recognized him, forced a smile and said: "It turns out to be Brother Huang, we really don't meet each other in life, I didn't expect to meet Brother Huang here again. "

Huang Laifu said with concern: "What happened to Brother Zhou, why are you crying here?"

Zhou Wendong let out a long sigh, and then told his story. It turned out that he went to join his uncle who owned a silk and satin shop a few days ago, and planned to be a tent. This was agreed half a year ago. When Zhou Wendong arrived, There will be jobs.Unexpectedly, when Zhou Wendong arrived, the tent had already been recruited, and his uncle could only let Zhou Wendong temporarily work as a handyman.

The work in the account room has already made Zhou Wendong feel that he has lost his status as a scholar, how can he still be a handyman?After saying a few words, his uncle began to speak sarcastically. Although Zhou Wendong looked very flexible and easy-going on the outside, he was actually sensitive and arrogant in his heart, and he was easy to get into the horns.How can I stand my uncle's sarcastic remarks?In a fit of anger, he left his uncle's house and went to the street, but he didn't know where he was going for a while.

Thinking of his ambitions and the anger he suffered at his uncle's house, he felt sad for a moment.

However, Huang Laifu's heart was moved. When he talked with Zhou Wendong that day, he knew that he had a lot of experience in bookkeeping, but he was a talent. Thinking of the lack of accounting personnel in Wuzhaibao, he said: "Brother Zhou, don't leave any money here. People, I have my own place to keep people, my business in Wuzhai Fort is booming, if Brother Zhou is interested, you can come to my Wuzhai Fort, and they will definitely be reused!"

Zhou Wendong looked at Huang Laifu suspiciously, and said, "Brother Huang is in Wuzhai Fort?"

Huang Laifu smiled and said: "I didn't say it that day, but I will explain it today. Huang is the Daiqianhu of Wuzhaibao. He is about to go to Beijing to replace his post. When he comes back, he will officially lead the position of Qianhu in Wuzhaibao. My Wuzhai Fort is now developing various farms and needs a lot of talents, if Brother Zhou wishes to come to Wuzhai Fort, he can use what he has learned."

Zhou Wendong hurriedly saluted Huang Laifu: "So it's Mr. Qianhu, it's the student who is being rude, it's just..."

He was a little hesitant. After getting acquainted with Huang Laifu, he came to Wuzhai Fort. It was obvious that he was reused. How many opportunities?

Just think again, what can I do in Taiyuan?It is said that it is better to be a chicken head than an oxtail.Hearing from this little thousand householder, Wuzhai Fort is the time when all industries are booming, if I go there, I will be considered a hero when Wuzhai Fort develops in the future.The future career status is obviously better than being a small tent somewhere in Taiyuan City.

The expression on Zhou Wendong's face changed for a while, and he hesitated to make up his mind.Huang Laifu said: "Anyway, I'm going to the capital to replace my post. Brother Zhou doesn't need to rush to answer me now. I can talk about the final decision when I return to Taiyuan."

He said, "Where does Brother Zhou live now?"

Zhou Wendong smiled bitterly and said, "Now the students and Zhuo Jing can only live in the inn." Pointing to a nearby inn, he said, "Maybe they will stay here at night."

Huang Laifu said: "Okay, I'll come here to look for you after I return to Taiyuan."

He gestured to Yang Xiaolu, and Yang Xiaolu took out an ingot of ten taels of silver from his backpack, Huang Laifu took it, and handed it to Zhou Wendong, saying, "Brother Zhou, take these money, Taiyuan Migui, It’s always good to have more money on your body.”

Zhou Wendong said in surprise: "This...how does this make..."

Huang Laifu put the money in his hand and said: "Okay, take it, don't act like a son and daughter, remember our agreement." He laughed and walked away with Gu Yunniang and Qu Xiuhe .Jiang Dazhong and others hurriedly followed with their bags and bags, leaving Zhou Wendong standing there in a daze.

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Early morning on July 1590, 6.

Huang Laifu took Gu Yunniang and others, and left Taiyuan again, heading for the capital.Qu Tingzhu and the others had been sent out of the city, and Qu Xiuhe also came to see off sister Gu.

During these days, Qu Tingzhu has been entertaining Huang Laifu and others graciously, but he didn't ask for anything. I am grateful for his kindness, and I will definitely give him some face in the matter of Wuzhaibao's food source in the future.

Of course, the relationship between Huang Laifu and Qu Tingzhu was just a transactional friendship, and they just said goodbye politely before leaving, but the two daughters Qu Xiuhe and Gu Yunniang seemed to be parting from life and death, crying with tears, and said one by one: "Sister, do you want to leave?" Hurry back to Taiyuan."

One said: "Sister, don't worry, I will come to you as soon as I return to Taiyuan."

Hearing this, Huang Laifu couldn't laugh or cry, thinking to himself that these two women have only been together for a few days, how can they be so good?

From Taiyuan to the capital, passing through Shijiazhuang, Baodingfu and other places, it is about a thousand miles away.Even riding a horse, walking slowly like Huang Laifu and others would take more than ten days.Counting myself, since I left Wuzhaibao on the 10th, 17 days have passed without knowing it, how fast this time flies.

Along the way, everyone walked along the post road.The Ming Dynasty paid great attention to the management of land transportation. The transportation roads at and above the county level in the country were under unified management to ensure smooth flow, and post stations were set up along the way.

Generally speaking, transportation in the Ming Dynasty was relatively developed. The dense post-road transportation network centered on Beijing radiated to all directions of the country, with dense post stations.Generally, a station is set up at 60 or 80 miles away, and each station has 30 or 80 horses, while small stations have as few as 5 to 10 horses, and water stations are equipped with boats.

Of course, the roads at this time are still gravel or dirt roads, there is no asphalt or cement roads, and walking is full of dust.Everyone travels during the day and rests at night. If there is no town inn, they will rest in the post station. Of course, they have to pay for food and lodging.At the time of Zhang Juzheng, it was stipulated that all non-official travel expenses of Ming officials should not be borne by the post station, but should be charged.Huang Laifu hadn't officially replaced his post yet, and he didn't have any official duties, so he naturally had to spend his own money.

Along the way, Gu Yunniang and the others only cared about admiring the scenery along the way, while Huang Laifu carefully observed the situation in various places. According to his observation, the agricultural conditions in various places along the way were generally not good, but along the way, there were various commercial towns everywhere. It can be seen that in every town, there are ragged refugees and luxuriously dressed merchants mixed together, forming a strange situation.

The only reason why the Ming dynasty is stable now is because the refugees have not reached a certain scale, and the finances can handle it. The annual relief is more effective, and the food in the south of the Yangtze River is continuously coming from the canal, like a big blood vessel full of vitality. , maintaining the vitality of Daming.In order to maintain this vitality, the Ming Dynasty set up many warehouses and granaries along the banks of the canal, especially in the capital and Tongzhou, collectively referred to as Jingtong Ercang, which stored 400 million shi of grain every year.

July 1590, 7 AD.near noon.

Huang Laifu, Gu Yunniang and others arrived at the Huitong Hall outside Beijing, which was the general hub of national post stations located in the capital at that time.Arriving here means that Beijing City has arrived.

(End of this chapter)