Survival Three Kingdoms

Chapter 14

After a night of tossing and turning, Zhou Cang bid farewell to Lao Xu after breakfast and took Chen Zhong to continue on the road. To be precise, Chen Zhong was leading the way. It is good to have this attendant, and the road is familiar, unlike Zhou Cang who just aimed at the direction when he came. Whichever counts.

When passing by Haixi, Chen Cang went to the blacksmith's shop to pick up a few pieces of ironware he made. Although it looked rough, he was basically satisfied. The dagger was exquisite and sharp, and Lao Zhang even made a knife out of fish skin. sheath.Zhou Cang gave blacksmith Zhang an iron pot as a reward, and before leaving, he patted Zhang on the shoulder to praise him, saying that his craftsmanship is second to none even in big cities.Lao Zhang excitedly boasted in front of the neighbors for half a month.

Zhou Cang did not go the same way, but deliberately crossed Xuzhou from the south.Going west from Guangling to Xiapi, Xiapi is difficult to reach Jianghuai, connects Yuzhou to the west, and Pengcheng to the north. It is the place where Xuzhou's money and food are hoarded, and its commerce and trade are very developed.

Chen Zhong found the Chen family's shop and sold the salt smoothly for a thousand dollars.Zhou Cang was more and more fortunate to meet Chen Deng. You must know that it is against the law for you to sell salt privately. If you are caught by the government, you will cut off your limbs and secretly sell them. If it is, it is estimated that one tenth of it will be good.With nearly [-] money in his pocket, Zhou Cang felt angry again.So he generously rewarded Chen Zhong with ten coins, asked Chen Zhong to find a place to have a big meal, and went to the cloth shop to make three new sets of clothes and boots, spending a hundred coins.

Waiting for the time to make clothes, Zhou Cang first found a place to live, and then walked around.Xiapi is relatively affluent and has a large population.Zhou Cang found that Chen Zhong was indeed from a rich family. He knew a few words, was quick to settle accounts, had some insight and business acumen, and often traveled to and from Xiapi, so he was very familiar with this place and kept introducing the local customs and customs to Zhou Cang. Anecdote.

Because Langya State, Pengcheng State, and Donghai State have vassal kings, the gentry in Xuzhou are concentrated in Guangling and Xiapi counties.The big clan in Tan County, where Xuzhou is governed, is the Cao family, and the two brothers Cao Bao and Cao Hong are in charge.The big clan in Guangling County is the Chen family, and the head of the family is Chen Deng's father, Chen Gui, who has retired from office. The main industry of the Chen family is salt.The big clan in Xiapi County is the Mi family, headed by Mi Zhu, whose main industries are grain and silk cloth.The three major noble families constitute the main forces in Xuzhou, and outsiders want to gain a foothold in Xuzhou, they must obtain the support of the three major families.

Finally getting a taste of the big cities in the Three Kingdoms era, Zhou Cang enjoyed his stroll, but soon became sad again: the governor of Xuzhou is not Tao Qian at all, and Tao Qian is not in Xuzhou now.Zhou Cang seemed to have been hit by a sap, and almost began to doubt his life, and re-examined his own character.

Two days later, when the clothes were ready, Zhou Cang put on new clothes and boots, and gave Chen Zhong a set, and asked Chen Zhong to carry the rest on his back.Although the clothes are not expensive, Zhou Cang still has a new look, especially the boots are much more comfortable than the straw sandals.

"Second son, don't fight, the little one is wrong." When Zhou Cang led Chen Zhong past a grain store, he heard a commotion inside the store.

"It's Mi Fang, the second son of the Mi family, and the eldest son Mi Zhu. The Mi family has cultivated for generations, with a family property of hundreds of millions, and a group of servants and children. They are the richest household in Xuzhou. The eldest son Mi Zhu has the ability to do pottery and Zhu, while the second son Mi Fang is good at riding horses and archery. "Chen Zhong is very good at winking. "The Mi family doesn't have much contact with my Chen family."

This is all right?It seems that brother's luck can't be stopped, and he unexpectedly met someone from the Mi family here.Although Mi Fang was looked down upon by others because he betrayed Guan Yu in the end, Zhou Cang knew that the Mi family had nothing to do to the three elder brothers. In order to support Liu Bei, the Mi family lost all their wealth, servants were also sent to the army, and even the younger sister was given to Liu Bei. After becoming a wife, she was abandoned by Liu Bei many times, and finally died in Chang'anpo.Cao Cao appointed Mi Fang as Prime Minister of Pengcheng, but Mi Fang never took up the post.Guan Yu relied on Mi Fang for all the food and grass supply in Jingzhou, but Guan Yu always looked down on the Mi family and often humiliated Mi Fang. How could Guan Yu blame others for his carelessness in Jingzhou?In order to protect the glorious image of leaders and heroes, it is not one or two who wronged little people to make sacrifices.Thinking that the death of "Zhou Cang" was also related to Mi Fang, Zhou Cang couldn't help smiling wryly.

"Second son, Zhou Cang is being polite." Zhou Cang stepped forward to salute.

"Be polite, be polite." Mi Fang was only fourteen or fifteen years old, seeing Zhou Cang dressed neatly, with servants, and leading a horse, who was also a person of status, she cupped her fists in return.

"I don't know why the second son is angry?" Zhou Cang asked. "The servants are not strict in discipline, Brother Zhou laughed at me." Mi Fang didn't answer directly, it seemed that she didn't want to say it.

"My lord, the villain has been wronged." Seeing someone come forward, the shop servant cried out.

"What are you wronging? The evidence is solid and you still want to deny it." Mi Fang shouted.

"Every time the food is delivered, the small ones have to personally verify it. I dare not slack off. This kind of thing will never happen. Please learn from me, my lord." The shop servant continued to cry out.

"Well, Second Young Master. You might as well tell me why, so that he can be convinced." Zhou Cang said.

"Oh, it's hard to say. A few days ago, Xuzhou received the grain sent by Xiapi, and there were rat droppings in it. Although it was not much, my Mi family has always paid attention to credibility in Xuzhou. When this happened, my brother was furious. , sent me to investigate this matter, but it made you laugh." Mi Fang said in a low voice.

"Where is the evidence, can you show me?" Zhou Cang asked.

Mi Fang took a small bag from his hand, Zhou Cang opened it and saw that there were a few grains of rat droppings in the grain, Zhou Cang picked it up, squeezed it with his hands, and sniffed it again.Ask the shop servant, "When did you pack the food you distributed and when did you ship it?"

The shop servant thought about it, "The bagging started about a month ago, and the shipment started half a month ago. I have been watching the whole process, and there is nothing wrong." Mi Fang nodded, indicating that the day was right.

"Then it's clear." Zhou Cang turned around and said to Mi Fang, "Look, my lord, there is still some dampness in this mouse feces, which is obviously not too long ago. If according to what he said, it will be bagged in a month and shipped in half a month. The weather is dry, so the rat droppings must be completely dry and won't look like this."

Hearing this, the shop servant knelt down and kowtowed, "That's right, that's right. This young man has sharp eyes, and he can see the clue at a glance."

"Since this is the case, this matter has nothing to do with you." Mi Fang thought for a while and said, "Retire." The servant hurriedly withdrew as if he had been pardoned.

"I've heard for a long time that the second son of the Mi family is eager to fight for justice, he can distinguish right from wrong, and has a gentle temperament. As expected." Zhou Cang replied, "I'm wandering around, passing through the local area. I don't want to meet you. I wonder if you have time to talk about it."

"Well, that's good. There's a restaurant in front. Let's talk in the restaurant." Zhou Cang's behavior and words, Mi Fang felt that he was not an ordinary person, so he led the way in front, and Chen Zhong followed closely.

After drinking a cup, Mi Fang asked: "I don't want to make Brother Zhou laugh at such a scandal at home. It's just that my brother asked my younger brother to investigate thoroughly, and the clues were cut off. What's your opinion?"

(End of this chapter)