The Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi wrote a poem: The Bian River flows, the Si River flows, and flows to the ancient ferry of Guazhou. The Si River passes through the city from Yangzhou, converges with the Grand Canal of Beijing and Hangzhou, and flows into the Yangtze River dozens of miles downstream. The intersection of the canal and the Yangtze River is the famous Guazhou Ferry.

Guazhou Ferry is the main throat for canal and salt transportation. Whether it is a ship that travels from south to north or east to west, most of them choose to stop here, so the boats here flow day and night, and the waterways are quite busy.

The government set up a patrol department at the Guazhou Ferry to inspect the ships to identify thefts and arrest the robbery. The Yangzhou Salt Transportation Envoy also set up an inspection station here, with salt councils specifically investigating and smuggling salt. Now, there are more officers and soldiers stationed at the Guazhou Ferry, which is a 100-household team from Yangzhou Guard.

Since the three important Japanese pirates, Okinawa Takeshu and Pujing, were still on the run, Xia Yan, the deputy envoy of the Imperial Commander, ordered that with Yangzhou Castle as the center, there were layers of water and land transportation routes within a radius of fifty miles, and the canal was the main channel to enter the Yangtze River, which naturally became the focus of investigation.

It was noon, and a fleet of twenty ships flowed downstream from the direction of Yangzhou City and approached the Guazhou Ferry, and was docked in a very regular manner for officers and soldiers to inspect.

All of these twenty bows of ships were hung with small flags with the words "Fujian", which was obviously the fleet of Fujian merchants. The ships carried official standard salt barrels, each wooden barrel filled with 400 kilograms of salt, which is equivalent to a salt inlet.

Speaking of the inspection of the ships passing by at the Guazhou Ferry, the filial piety received by the servants every day is quite considerable. However, for those powerful caravans, whether they are the inspectors of the Inspection Department or the salt stewards of the Salt Transport Department, they dare not make too much trouble. For example, the current Fujian merchants' salt transport fleet, the inspectors and salt stewards only checked the salt citation documents on routine matters and planned to let them go.

However, at this moment, the hundred households sent by Yangzhou Wei came forward and shouted, "Let's wait!"

The manager in charge of dealing with the Fujian Merchant Fleet changed slightly and said with a smile: "The salt citation documents have been tested, what else can Zhang Baihu give me?"

Zhang Baihu said with a stern face: "The salt gutter has been checked, but we have not checked the salt bucket on the ship yet."

The manager smiled and said, "The salt on our ship is all carried. In order to prevent moisture, the inside and outside of the salt bucket is wrapped with oil cloth and nailed. How else should Zhang Baihu check?"

Zhang Baihu rolled his eyes and said, "Of course I opened the bucket and checked it."

The manager said with a little displeasure: "Isn't this a force for Zhang Baihu? If all the salt buckets are opened and checked in our twenty-bowed ships, and then re-encapsulated and nailed, this time will not be delayed."

Zhang Baihu bowed and said calmly: "Manager Li, it's not because of a certain family deliberately makes things difficult for you. It's really the responsibility. If the thief who held the imperial envoy escaped, the family would really not be able to take it."

Manager Li's face was slightly dark, and he winked at a follower next to him. The latter immediately took off the wallet on his waist and threw it to Zhang Baihu, bowing and saying, "I'm going to ask Zhang Baihu to drink with you brothers for this little money. I hope you can't afford to give me some money."

Zhang Baihu picked up the purse, which was probably nearly ten taels of silver. After hesitating for a moment, he threw the purse back and bowed, saying, "I'm sorry, a certain family is really responsible. I'll ask Manager Li to cooperate with the inspection."

Manager Li's face suddenly turned dark. Just as he was about to attack, a big bald man walked out of the cabin and quickly said respectfully: "Li Huishou."

This big bald man is no other person, Li Chuang, the leader of the Fujian Chamber of Commerce. This guy was holding a pipe in his hand and sucked mist. He walked to Zhang Baihu, looked up and down with a fierce look, and then squirted white smoke on Zhang Baihu's face, and said leisurely: "Zhang Baihu isn't it? When I was brother to your Yangzhou Gu Kangming, commander of the commander of Yangzhou, you probably still wear open-crotch pants. A small bald man dared to climb on my head and shit and pee?"

Not to mention, Li Baldy was originally a salt owl who killed people without blinking. At this time, he was really a bit scary and fierce when he acted like a hooligan.

Zhang Baihu took a step back and said in a humble and arrogant manner: "It is just a responsibility to be with me. I hope Mr. Li will forgive me. In addition, Commander Gu is still in the prison of the government office."

Speaking of which, due to the "fire weapon theft and sale case", Xu Jin had just returned to Yangzhou City from Dongtai County and arrested the commander of Yangzhou Gu Kangming, commander Mu Zhi, and commander Li Tong. Although it was later confirmed that the "fire weapon theft and sale case" had nothing to do with the three, the three embezzled military pay and wanted to squeeze and enslave lower-class military households, so they were finally detained and were punished. It is estimated that the military position would be out of order.

When Li Guangtou saw Zhang Baihu not knowing how to lift it, a fierce light flashed in Triangle's eyes and sneered: "Very good. Since Zhang Baihu wants to check, then check it. I'll go back and take a nap first."

Li Guangtou said as he shook the ash from his pipe into the river, stretched his laziness and walked towards the cabin, while sneering: "It should take less than two years to clear the fields of Zhang and Zhejiang. The imperial envoy Xu may be eager to think about his family and will return to Beijing to report his life by the end of this year. Haha, Zhang Baihu is asking for blessings."

Zhang Baihu's expression changed slightly when he heard this, and even his brothers showed a hint of fear. It would be easy for big salt merchants like Li Guangtou to take revenge on small soldiers like them after the imperial envoy left.

"Master Baihu...why don't you forget it, you don't have to offend Li Baitou!" a personal soldier whispered in a low voice.

Manager Li said sarcastically: "Don't Zhang Baihu want to check? But move quickly, we still have to hurry up."

Zhang Baihu's face turned red and white, and he sniffed and waved his hand and said, "Check!"

Manager Li sneered with a dark face and hugged his chest and stepped aside. Zhang Baihu was obviously scared, but he couldn't let go in front of everyone, so he just pried open a few salt buckets with his hair and checked that there was no problem.

"That's right. The one who knows the affairs is Junjie. The money is still taken to Zhang Baihu for drinking." Manager Li threw the purse just now to Zhang Baihu.

Zhang Baihu took over and bowed, and then led the team straight away from the dock.

Manager Li curled his lips disdainfully and ordered the shipbuilder to set off and leave. After crossing the Yangtze River, he continued to go south to Hangzhou along the canal.

After the boat passed Zhenjiang, Li Baldou ordered people to open three salt buckets, and three people emerged from it. It was Xu Hai (Pujing), Orishimiko and Hosokawa Takeshu who escaped.

"Thank you very much for your kindness in helping you!" Takeshu Hosokawa bowed to Li Balou and said.
Chapter completed!