Back to the end of Ming Dynasty to be a warlord

Chapter 9
Yang Chao was overwhelmed with things in his heart, and couldn't rest in peace, so he left the house early.

The dream last night gave Yang Chao a sense of urgency, he couldn't wait any longer, he had to find a way to gain power.

The imperial examination is impossible, and there is no need to consider rebellion. After much deliberation, Yang Chao has only one choice, and that is to buy an official.

Buying an official requires money and a way.

If the relationship is not so good, you will get involved. Even if you have a relationship, you have to have money, and only with money can you have a relationship.

After all, it's a matter of money.Obviously Yang Chao's 50 taels of silver could not solve the problem.Yang Chao needs more money.

So today is different from yesterday, Yang Chao didn't go to Qinhuai River, but went east to Nanmen Street, and then went north.

This road is Zhonghua Road in later generations, but at this time Zhonghua Road is divided into four sections. The south is called Nanmen Street from Zhenhuai Bridge to Xiajiang Kaopeng, and the one from Xiajiang Kaopeng to Dagongfang (later Zhanyuan Road) is called It is Flower Market Street, from Dagongfang to Shuiximen is called Sanshan Street, and then north to Neiqiao is called Fudong Street.

Like later generations, this road is still very prosperous, and it is one of the most prosperous streets in Nanjing.

Especially Sanshan Street, because of the Shuixi Gate and many piers, it can go directly to the Yangtze River through the Qinhuai River.

So Yang Chao's first plan was to use 50 taels of silver to run some kind of project here. After all, it is absolutely impossible for something like Mr. Zhou to happen every day.

Even if there are people who want to see Liu Rushi every day, it is impossible for Yang Chao to help people every day. Yesterday, he helped the infatuated Mr. Zhou. Just see these courtesans.

The street from Nanmen Street to Sanshan Street is different from the two sides of the Qinhuai River. There are more citizens here, and most of them operate restaurants, shops, bookstores and printing shops.

In other words, in professional terms, the entertainment industry on both sides of the Qinhuai River is the main industry, while the commercial industry is the main industry here.

Yang Chao walked into a shop from time to time, chatted with the owner, and inquired about the market conditions.

I have been in cloakrooms, boots and shoes, even pawn shops and silver shops.

Yang Chao found that there were not many shops in the Ming Dynasty hanging signboards. The more decent ones were just a piece of cloth hanging in the wind, with words such as "leather goods", "boots and shoes", "gold and pearl exchange" written on it, or even just Write a word like "tea" or "wine" to indicate the scope of business.

These shopkeepers have little awareness of signs and brands.

What they do is long-term business, relying on long-term relationships. Those who do daily necessities are neighbors, and those who do leather goods are businessmen who buy from customers, and they are often approached by others.

Most of these businesses do not need to rely on signature brands to expand their popularity.

On the contrary, those brothels, restaurants, etc. that depend on their reputation have decent signs hanging high, such as Meixianglou.

Yang Chao thought that if he wanted to become bigger and stronger, he had to erect a signboard, expand his popularity, and truly build his brand.

Yang Chao also found that the vast majority of shops are in the form of "shops in front and factories in the back". Most of them are self-produced and sold.

This division of labor is obviously not detailed enough.

If these resources can be integrated, a lot can be achieved.

But how to do it, Yang Chao has not thought of it yet.

After walking around like this for a long time, I saw the prosperous Ming Dynasty market, and understood that the Ming Dynasty's business had prospered to cover all aspects of daily life, but the operation was relatively rough and not professional.

It was already noon, the sun was hanging in the middle, and it was time to go home for dinner.

This time when I went back, I happened to pass by the corner where the Iron Workshop meets Sanfang Lane and Pigment Workshop. The Yang family’s blacksmith shop is in this very good location, so I simply went back to the blacksmith shop with my father. I can't bear to see my father still working as hard as before.

The blacksmith shop of the Yang family was inherited from the ancestors, and after the death of the grandfather, it was passed on to the father.

It is not so cheap to buy such a blacksmith shop and one of the tools, at least three to fifty taels of silver, and the Yang family even accumulated for several generations to buy such a shop.

This is the most important capital of the Yang family.

While the father was at work, there was another man waiting in the smithy, sitting at the only table.

"Father, go back early."

Yang Chao nodded to the man first, and then shouted to his father's back.

Only then did Yang Yong turn around: "Chao'er."

Said that his father stopped what he was doing and turned his head.

Then he said to Yang Chao, "Meet Eunuch Li soon!"

Yang Chao was taken aback, the person sitting next to him was a man in his 60s or [-]s, wearing a blue gown, a cap, a white face and no beard, a gentle-looking middle-aged man, unexpectedly he was an eunuch.

Yang Chao was curious for a moment, then cupped his hands: "I met Eunuch Li."

But Yang Yong said: "This is the supervisor of the Military Bureau, please kneel down and kowtow."

At this time, Eunuch Li said: "No, no. It's not in the bureau."

Eunuch Li's voice was very thin, but not hoarse, as if he lowered his voice, to the point that he spoke quite similar to eunuchs on TV in later generations.Only then did Yang Chao truly accept that this man is really an eunuch.

Yang Yong bowed his hands in thanks, and then continued to work, no longer using a hammer, but grinding, and what was polished was a kitchen knife.

Yang Yong is skilled in craftsmanship, and he is best at cutting knives. He can use knives for chopping wood and killing people, but the best-selling kitchen knives are.

Rough grinding, fine grinding, each process is very meticulous, Yang Yong is very serious in doing it, it seems that he has been doing it for a long time, and finally cleaned it slowly, wiped it with a dry linen cloth, and wrapped it in a white cloth, and then put the kitchen knife Handed over to Eunuch Li.

"It's better to use your hammer knife. It won't chop badly."

Eunuch Li nodded, took Yang Yong's kitchen knife without opening it, and continued to praise in a shrill voice.

Yang Yong bowed his head and said, "It's good that Eunuch likes it."

Eunuch Li nodded: "Yeah. I won't give you the money. Our family will pay for you."

Yang Yong hurriedly said: "How can I let my father-in-law spend the money. The money is here, and it has been prepared a long time ago. I will trouble my father-in-law to help pay it."

Yang Yong had already reached out his hand to take out a piece of broken silver from his bosom, and handed it to Eunuch Li respectfully.

Eunuch Li chuckled, and reached out to take it politely: "You are still sensible."

After speaking, he turned around, waved his hand, and left.

Yang Chao has been standing aside watching without speaking.

This Eunuch Li is the eunuch of the Supervision Bureau of the Bingzhan Bureau, and Yang Yong is the craftsman of the Bingzhan Bureau, and he is under the management of this Eunuch Li.

As one of the earliest eight bureaus in the Ming Dynasty, the Bingzhan Bureau not only had a eunuch supervisor bureau, but also a eunuch who was in charge of printing, and a eunuch who supervised the armory, and had officials such as management, shushu, director, and supervisor. .

Just like this father-in-law, if these officials lack tools at home, they often ask the craftsmen in the bureau to help them, and they never give money.

"Eunuch Li's family hired a new cook, and they lack a kitchen knife."

After Eunuch Li left, Yang Yong said.

A good cook has a knife. The kitchen knife is not as imagined. Chinese cooks generally use one knife. They cut, chop, and cut. They are all kitchen knives. it.

Therefore, Chinese kitchen knives must not be broken or blunt.

Therefore, a good kitchen knife often needs to be tempered a thousand times, which is almost equivalent to a steel knife made a hundred times.

But this is for officials, the kitchen knives of ordinary people are much simpler, and the kitchen knives Yang Yong usually makes are not so troublesome.

"If you don't have a knife, ask us for it."

Yang Chao said, his tone was a little low, it was obviously asking for bribes.

Yang Yong said: "This Eunuch Li is considered a good man. Usually he rarely troubles us craftsmen."

Yang Chao lamented in his heart, this kind of finding someone to fight with a knife is still good. The other officials of the Military War Bureau should be filial. Every year and festival, the Yang family will wrap some money for them, not much, and each family has a few cents. Silver, at most, is no more than one denarius.

But there are hundreds of craftsmen like the Yang family, big and small, and they are a huge sum of money when gathered together.

No one thinks there is anything wrong with the money. The corruption of the Ming Dynasty has reached its root, which is good.

"Father, let's go back together."

Yang Chao can only lament that the common people are very grateful that officials don't make trouble, so no common people like to be officials, and they all hope that they or their children can be officials. This mentality is also helpless.

"No, you go back first."

Yang Yong said: "Then I'll wait for you!"

Yang Chao insisted.

Yang Yong thought for a while and said: "Okay. I have been busy with this kitchen knife for the past few days. I finished it today, and I will go back early. I heard from your sister in the morning that Hu Quan sent two taels of meat. Your mother will pack it today. Eat dumplings."

Hearing the dumplings, Yang Chao felt complacent, not because he wanted to eat dumplings, but because Hu Quan sent meat, which Yang Chao told him.

When we broke up yesterday, Yang Chao gave Hu Quan an ingot of silver, a full ten taels, of which Yang Chao gave Hu Quan five taels, which was regarded as a dividend for helping him earn money yesterday. The meat is delivered every three days.

Of course, the family members don't know, because Yang Chao really can't talk about his earning money. If he earned it in other ways, it's okay to talk about it, but it's like helping the son to meet famous prostitutes, no matter how you look at it, it looks like pimping.

Yang Yong didn't let Yang Chao help, he packed the tools by himself, put out the fire, carefully locked the wooden door of the blacksmith shop, and then went home with Yang Chao.

Yang Chao thought to himself, he went out in the morning, usually two meals at home, he and his father had preferential treatment, his father did physical work, and he studied by himself, so the two of them could have an extra breakfast.

My mother must be very worried that I went out without eating breakfast today.

Thinking about going by myself in a while, my mother will definitely nagging, calling for my sister to help the scene of making dumplings immediately.

As soon as I got home, I found that the atmosphere at home was very depressing.

In the main hall, a person has been waiting for a long time.

This man was well dressed, in muslin, and with a very elegant hat, sitting on a chair, not at all interested in the tea next to him.

Mother Zhao and younger sister Yang Yue stood aside cautiously, their faces full of worry.

Father Yang Yong's face changed when he saw this person, and he walked forward quickly.

As he said that, he was about to kneel down: "Yang Yong, a grassroots man, pays his respects to Lord Baihu."

Yang Chao also knew this person, his surname was Xu, and he lived in Xujia Lane, northeast of the iron workshop.

The Xu family made great contributions in the early Ming Dynasty. They are hereditary Jinyiwei hundreds of households, and they live together as a local family. Even the alley where they live is called Xujiaxiang.

In addition, the Xu family is not only a hereditary official, but also runs pawnshops and silver shops.

"Free, free!"

Xu Baihu was quite impatient and did not ask Yang Yong to salute.

Instead, he took out a piece of paper from his pocket: "This is your IOU. I'm a little tight today, and I'm here to collect the bill."

Xu's family operates pawnshops and silver shops, as well as lending money.

(End of this chapter)