After walking southeast for more than twenty days, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, brothers and sisters, arrived at Yuhang, a large county on the sea.
After the two of them filled their stomachs, Kou Zhong said: "Now that we have become celebrities, everyone is looking for our treasure house. If we go to the world without practicing the unparalleled magic skills, we will only end up in a miserable end. But if we find someone
Hiding away and being a tortoise, not only will you disappoint your mother's expectations, but you will also never be able to kill Yu Wenhua's bones. What do you think we should do?"
Xu Ziling sighed: "I really want to see Brother Li and Sister Susu again, but Gaoyou is so close to Yangzhou City, and that old fool Du Fuwei must have gone to Yangzhou to hunt for treasure, so it is easy to meet him!"
He sighed again and said: "Now we don't have much money left, and I'm tired of picking people's pockets. I don't even have a livelihood. What can you teach me to do?"
Kou Zhong's eyes lit up and he said: "Brother Li thought we were dead long ago, so why would he be waiting for us in Gaoyou? You are right, we need to get some money now, otherwise we will come to Panchuan and go to Luoyang to find He Shibi."
"
Xu Ziling said happily: "What's your plan to make a fortune?"
Kou Zhong was confident: "All plans to make money are inseparable from buying at a low price and releasing at a high price. This is a salt-producing area. As long as we buy him a truckload of salt, then smuggle his birds to the inland where there is a shortage of salt."
Wherever you live, salt can be used as gold in exchange for money. Then you can find a place to practice Brother Li's Ten Bloody Fighting Styles, and you don't have to hold a ridiculous branch."
Xu Ziling asked curiously: "Do you know where the salt is most lacking?"
Kou Zhong glanced at a table in the tavern on the left and whispered: "Look at how sweet that girl is!"
Xu Ziling was worrying about firewood and rice. He didn't even have the interest to look at it, so he urged: "Speak quickly!"
Kou Zhong was serious, pointed to his big head, and said: "The most useful thing in this world is a flexible mind. Now that Lao Du has cut off the traffic of the river, who can transport salt to Liyang unless he is as powerful as the Song family?"
We are going to the counties to the west, so if we transport his bird’s load of salt there, we can make a lot of money even by setting up a street stall. Come on! If you want to make a fortune, come here!"
After paying the bill, the two left the tavern, asked where salt products were wholesale, and set off immediately.
Xu Ziling said cautiously: "Buying salt will depend on our financial resources, but how can we have enough money to buy a mule cart?"
Kou Zhong laughed and said, "You don't seem to know that there is such a terrible transport tool as a handcart in this world. Come on!"
The two walked for half an hour before arriving at the pier outside the city. They saw the vast sea stretching infinitely in front of them.
This was the first time they saw the sea, and they were stunned.
Kou Zhong exhaled a breath of cold air and said: "How about we sneak on one of the boats and go to the other side of the sea to have a look. With our own methods, we might be able to become the emperor of another country. At that time, we could have more than ten noble concubines.
It's also a joy."
At a glance, Xu Ziling saw countless ships, with masts and masts like a forest, and hundreds of porters loading and unloading cargo. Businessmen and travelers were constantly coming and going, making it very busy and lively.
He pushed Kou Zhong, who had a look of longing in his eyes, and said, "It's important to get rich, come on!"
The two squeezed into the crowd of people at the event, and not only saw all kinds of people in the world, but also businessmen among them.
Kou and Xu didn't know if there was a reward for hunting them down, so when they saw the official, they stayed away from it.
After a while, we arrived at the most famous salt goods street here. There are more than ten salt shops with high and wide open floors, lined up on the sea side. Behind the shops is the pier, full of large ships and boats loaded with goods.
All the more than ten shops were packed with people, and the salt products in the shops were piled up like mountains. It was so cheap that you could easily take a bag and a half of it without paying.
When the two saw this formation, they became timid. After a dispute, Xu Ziling was elected to take the lead. They identified an old man standing behind the counter with an abacus and finally squeezed through. Xu Ziling coughed and said: "Boss!"
We want to buy something."
The old gentleman didn't even raise his head and said coldly: "We have ordered all the goods for the past three months. Which store are you from?"
When Xu Ziling was speechless, Kou Zhong pushed him from behind and said, "Go to another house!"
The old gentleman looked as if he no longer knew they existed, concentrating entirely on his abacus.
A big man leaning on the counter looked at them coldly and said: "The two little brothers look very familiar to each other. Are they from outside?"
Xu Ziling nodded and said, "We are from out of town."
The old gentleman muttered: "Old Liu, if you want to chat, go to the outside of the shop to chat. Don't hinder others from delivering and picking up goods here."
Old Liu gave the two of them a wink, took the lead to squeeze out of the shop, went to the street, looked at the two of them up and down, and said in a mocking tone: "It seems that you are here to buy goods again, thinking that they can be shipped to
There are very few wealthy people in the Mainland who are as young as you. How much money can you give?"
Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling had been in the market since they were young. They didn't know they met a scammer, so they shook their heads and wanted to leave.
Old Liu immediately changed his face, blocked the way, and said fiercely: "Is it so easy to go?"
boom!
Kou Zhong punched him in the lower abdomen.
Old Liu immediately doubled up like a shrimp, then knelt down and started to hold his belly, and then his whole body fell to the ground, even the strength to moan was lost.
People nearby avoided him.
Xu Ziling looked at Kou Zhong's fist and let out a sigh of relief: "When did your fist become so powerful?"
Kou Zhong stared blankly at his fists with him, and said in astonishment: "Is it possible that I have reached the first level of the Nine Mysteries and am as powerful as a mother in Liufen?"
Xu Ziling saw at least a hundred pairs of eyes looking at them, while Lao Liu was lying on the ground alive and dead, which was an eyesore. He dragged Kou Zhong and squeezed into the crowd of people who couldn't give way.
Just as I was about to try my luck at another salt shop, someone from behind called out: "You two little brothers, stay here!"
When the two knew that the troublemaker was coming, they stopped and turned around.
I saw three big men in green clothes walking towards each other. The leading man was about thirty years old. He had a rough appearance, and his demeanor and movements showed that he was used to running wild.
But at this time, he had a smile on his face, clasped his fists and said: "I am Tan Yong, the helmsman of Yuhang Branch of Haisha Gang. Seeing the strong skills of these two little brothers, I want to make friends. Why don't we find a place?"
,How about letting me be a little host?"
The two felt that they had gained a lot of face, but they also knew that there would be no good results if they messed with the underworld.
Xu Ziling shook his head and said, "We still have to rush to do business."
Tan Yong stepped forward and said: "If you two little brothers want to sell salt, don't waste your efforts. Not to mention that the goods here are divided up by more than a dozen big merchants. Even if someone is willing to sell to you, not only the gang
You have to pay a sum for business, the government has to pay a sum, and in the end, if you add the salt tax, your hard work is just in vain. The money you earn is not enough to spend three days in a kiln. It is still the cheapest country kiln.
"
When they heard this, their hearts sank. Their dream of getting rich was in vain.
Tan Yong smiled and said: "Come on!"
The two of them exchanged glances and followed him to a nearby small restaurant to sit down. Tan Yong first introduced them to two of his subordinates, one named Xie Feng and the other Chen Gui, and then casually interrogated them about their origins.
Kou Zhong answered them one by one, and of course he was just fabricating them casually. He wanted to pretend to be a martial arts master, but he couldn't reach the top yet. But when it came to lying, he could have deceived Du Fuwei. What kind of person is this Tan Yong? He can help them.
He was so convinced that they were named Fu Zhong and Fu Ling, and that their martial arts skills were passed down from their families. Now they have become bold little hooligans who are looking for opportunities to make money everywhere.
Tan Yong said with satisfaction: "Besides boxing and kicking, what other weapons do you two know?"
Xu Ziling slapped his chest and said, "We all use knives. Even a dozen people can't do anything to us."
Tan Yong said doubtfully: "Can you let me try my little brother's sword skills?"
Kou Zhong said proudly: "True gold is not afraid of red furnace fire, but Mr. Tan had better tell me what I need to pay attention to first. In life, you only seek money. Mr. Tan understands the truth so much... Ha!"
Tan Yong laughed and said: "I fell in love with the two little brothers at first sight. Money is just a peripheral possession. Brothers want money and women, and women. When we go back and say hello to the helmsman, we become real brothers.
Is there anything we can't discuss?" Kou Zhong knew the underworld characters' behavior better than his own ten fingers. He smiled and whispered in Tan Yong's ear: "Does Master Tan have a crush on us?
The strangers from out of town are two brats who can hide anything from anyone, so they want us to assassinate someone from another gang for your Haisha Gang, and we can blame them all afterwards, hey!
This kind of scapegoat will crush people to death."
Tan Yong was immediately dumbfounded. Even though he was such a veteran, he was caught off guard and speechless. This was because this was the general reason for him to win over the two of them, just like Kou Zhong was the roundworm in his stomach. Of course, there were quite a few details.
Tan Yong came to his senses and shouted: "Wait a minute!"
Kou and Xu thought he was angry because of shame and prepared to prepare.
Xie Feng and Chen Gui also looked fierce and prepared to take action.
Tan Yong sighed and said with a wry smile: "Brother Fu is really awesome, so why don't you just talk about it..."
Kou Zhong stopped him and said: "You must not say it. If you do, according to the rules of the world, we will never be able to escape."
Xu Ziling also laughed and said: "We two brothers went to the world to establish a brand, relying on our skills, but we have no intention of relying on any strong force."
Tan Yong and the other three were stunned when they heard this. The sophistication of these two boys that was definitely out of proportion to their age was truly astonishing.
Kou Zhong pulled Xu Ziling to stand up. After clasping his fists and saluting, he ignored the three of them and turned around to leave.
When they came to the street, both of them were a little worried and unconsciously walked towards the pier again.
At this time, a huge ship was suddenly seen, approaching from a distance, and two official boats approached it, as if they were waiting for the arrival of the huge ship.
The main reason why this giant ship attracted their attention was that both its appearance and its flag were full of exotic sentiments.
The giant ship came to a stop on the shore, and people could be seen on the deck, but because of the distance, they couldn't see clearly.
Only after four officials escorted an official to board the ship via a ladder did the two of them look away.
Kou Zhong put his arm around Xu Ziling's shoulders and sighed: "It's not easy to be a normal businessman. Those who have always made a fortune are unscrupulous profiteers. Ha! I have another clever plan. Let's try this again tonight.
Come, steal his boatload of salt, and then run away without even saving a few cents."
Xu Ziling said excitedly: "They have so much salt. Stealing ten bags will definitely destroy their family! Just steal the one just now! I get angry when I think of the shopkeeper."
Seeing that he agreed, Kou Zhong said with great joy: "This is really my good brother, but every thief should have the thief's belongings, such as wires for unlocking locks, weapons for self-defense, ropes for tying stolen goods, etc. From now on, whether you eat porridge or eat, it doesn't matter.
It’s up to you to check out this store."
Xu Ziling said: "You came up with the idea of becoming a thief, so naturally you have to organize these things."
Kou Zhong chuckled and said: "Together we are strong, but apart we are weak. We are two brothers in the same generation. You don't want me to run around and work alone. I am so tired that I can't even move my feet tonight. I have to do it alone, brother Ling."
thief."
Xu Ziling had long been accustomed to his tricks and said it just for fun. Kou Zhong loved his younger brother very much, but he always wanted to take advantage of him from time to time. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly noticed that Kou Zhong looked straight to the left, and his expression changed drastically.
.
Xu Ziling quickly looked around and saw a group of forty or fifty people, like gangsters dressed as porters, holding sharp hooks, spikes, and burdens, approaching them. The leader was the old man.
Liu, completely blocked the escape route.
The people on the dock immediately fled, including several businessmen, as if there was no imperial law at all.
Kou Zhong took a breath and said, "Xiao Ling! Did mother ever teach us how to fight with bare hands?"
Xu Ziling had never seen such a large battle before and shook his head.
Then with a shout, the two boys turned around and fled towards the pier and the sea.
The men shouted for killing and chased after him wildly. The situation suddenly became extremely chaotic.
The two of them obviously ran faster than the group of big men. They weaved in and out of the piles of goods, passed the fleeing people, and reached the seaside in an instant.
Kou Zhong grabbed Xu Ziling and rushed towards the huge ship that had just docked. If it was an envoy from another country, he was naturally a respectable person. These evil men should not dare to chase after him.
In the blink of an eye, the two of them crossed a distance of nearly a hundred feet and reached the ladder to board the ship. Without any hesitation, they climbed up to the ship with all their strength.
This hanging ladder was five feet high. As they approached the top of the ladder, four long swords blocked the way. Someone shouted angrily: "Go back!"
The two of them turned around and looked down, only to see that many of the evil men were already chasing up the ladder.
At this time, there was really no way forward, and there were soldiers chasing him. The only way was to jump into the sea.
While he was complaining, a soft and melodious female voice faintly came from above: "Let the two of them come up!"
Someone responded: "Yes! Madam!"
The sword moved away.
As if they were pardoned by the emperor, they crawled up and ran up.
As soon as we reached the deck, there was already action from behind. Four strong men in white samurai uniforms chopped down the melons and vegetables of the chasing gangsters and knocked them off the ladder, forcing them to fall into the sea.
Others were so frightened that they turned around and retreated to the dock, not daring to board the ship again.
Except for these four warriors, there was no one else on the deck, nor was the lady who had just asked them to board the ship.
The two of them breathed a sigh of relief, secretly happy to have saved their lives, and did not forget to wave to Lao Liu and others who were noisy on the pier below.
A female voice sounded from behind, "You two young masters, please follow me!"
The two were startled, turned around, and their eyes immediately lit up. It turned out to be a young and pretty maid, looking at them with a smile.
Since they saved them, they should obey their orders.
Kou Zhong pretended to be polite, bowed and said: "Sister, please lead the way!"
The little maid smiled, turned around, and led the way.
The two of them pushed each other and followed behind. Looking at the beautiful back of this pretty maid, they both felt that not only was there no road ahead, but God was treating them exceptionally well.
Stepping into the cabin door, a passage stretches forward, with three doors to the inner cabin on each side, but no one is seen, giving off a rather mysterious atmosphere.
The pretty maid led them to the last cabin door on the left. Beyond that was the stairs leading to the upper and lower cabins.
While the two of them were looking around curiously, the pretty maid pushed open the cabin door and said softly: "You two gentlemen, please come in."
The two of them walked into the room and were both shocked.
It turns out that this room is very spacious, but it is divided into two parts with a curtain in the middle. Oil lamps are lit in the four corners near the door, and a set of benches and tables are placed for people to sit on. There are also several paintings hung on the wall.
The layout looks very thoughtful.
Since this side of the bamboo frame is much brighter than the other side, unless you lift the bamboo frame, you can't expect to see the mystery inside the bamboo frame. But if you look at it from the other side, you will definitely see it clearly and every detail will be visible.
The maid said politely: "You two gentlemen, please sit down!"
After the two sat down, the maid left and closed the door.
Facing Zhulian, they smelled a faint fragrance coming from Zhulian, which was very tempting.
When Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were confused, a delicate female voice came from Lian Nei and said: "Why are the two young masters being chased by the gangsters at the dock?"
Kou Zhong recognized the voice and respectfully replied: "It's Madam! My two brothers have thanked you for your help."
Xu Ziling was afraid that he was talking nonsense, so he added: "We once fought with one of them, and he summoned people to deal with us."
The lady said calmly: "The two young gentlemen are well-spoken and capable, but they don't seem to understand martial arts. What is going on?"
Kou Zhong said with a smile: "Our skills were all taught by my mother, and reading and writing were all taken care of by her. After my mother passed away, we wandered around to see what kind of business we could make money..."
A moan came from Lian Nei, interrupting his words, but it was obviously not the lady's voice.
The two of them were shocked, and then they realized that besides the lady, there was another woman, and her status was not lower than that of the lady.
But why would she express displeasure with Kou Zhong's words?
The lady's voice sounded again: "What intentions does the other young master have?"
Xu Ziling knew that she was asking him, so he shrugged and said, "We share weal and woe. If he wants to get rich, I naturally want to get rich too!"
The lady sighed and said, "Besides making money, what else do you want to do?"
Kou Zhong said: "Madam, that's a good question. After you get rich, of course you have to establish a good reputation. It's best to be an official. Then you can honor your ancestors and be majestic in all directions."
The lady's tone changed from gentle to cold, and she said calmly: "So many people outside are suffering from war and tyranny. Haven't you ever thought about helping the people and doing your best for the common people in the world?"
Xu Ziling said in astonishment: "We are small and weak, and it is difficult to eat three meals a day. I have never thought of such a thing."
Kou Zhong thought of Li Jing and said with an apologetic smile: "A great hero can take on such a big thing."
The lady said calmly: "Everyone has his own ambitions, please get off the boat!"
The two people shouted in shock: "How can this be done!"
The door opened, and the maid walked in expressionlessly, and said rudely with a pretty face: "Please!"
The two of them looked at her as if she had changed. They knew that begging for mercy would only lead to ridicule and scolding, so they had no choice but to puff up their chests and follow her to the deck.
Near the ladder, the four warriors stood with their swords in hand, as if chasing away guests.
Lao Liu and other gangsters were still gathered on the pier, waiting for them to arrive, but they did not dare to make any noise, apparently because they were afraid of the samurai on the ship.
There seems to be even less royal law here than in Yangzhou City.
Kou Zhong gently tugged at the corner of Xu Ziling's clothes and whispered: "Jump off the ship!"
Xu Ziling understood, and without saying a word, the two of them ran at full speed towards the edge of the ship far away from the dock, flew over the fence, and threw themselves into the sea.
The pretty maid looked at the direction in which they disappeared, a smile appeared on the corner of her mouth, as if she had heard their answer before, but she didn't stop them.