Chapter 212 I have a plan worth thousands of dollars
On the morning of May 16th, Jin Langzhi, Weng Yuansheng, Jiang Shiqiao and ten servants left Qingpu by boat and returned to Huating. Zhang Yuan, Lu Tao and others went to the pier to see each other off. Zhang Yuan said: "Brother Jin, the three of you return to Huating."
When contacting other people, you must be careful and concealed, and do not have a head-on conflict with the Dong family for the time being to avoid being attacked by the Dong family."
Jin Langzhi said: "I'll understand, when will Brother Jie come to Huating?"
Zhang Yuandao: "It will arrive within seven days."
Jin Langzhi said: "Okay, I will sweep the bed to welcome you."
After seeing off the three Jin Langzhi, Lu Tao led Zhang Dai, Zhang Yuan, and Zhang E to Sheshan to observe the Lu family's mulberry forest and cotton fields. Zhang Yuan proposed to go and have a look. Zhang Ruoxi also followed, and Zhang Ruoxi was ready to help.
Her husband, Lu Tao, manages the Lu family's mulberry fields and silk weaving——
Sheshan is fifteen miles south of Qingpu County. The 600 acres of mulberry forest there is the main mulberry-producing land of the Lu family, and there are also 500 acres of cotton fields. The Lu family has 70 cotton households and 8 silkworm households at the northern foot of Sheshan Mountain.
Ten households, 220 weaving households, have flower looms, waist looms, damask looms, and silk looms, with a total of 260 looms. The number of looms ranks first in Qingpu, and tens of thousands of cotton, silk and satin are sold every year.
, one-third of the silks and satins produced by Lu's are high-quality silk using jacquard technology. One piece of this jacquard silk can be sold for 2,30 taels of silver. Lu's silkworm weaving industry earns a net profit of no less than 10,000 taels of silver in a year——
But since the second half of last year, domestic slaves and thugs from the Dong family in Huating have been harassing the Lu family's manor in Sheshan. The silkworm farmers and cotton farmers in the Lu family's manor have also organized young people to defend themselves, but these young thugs have more or less martial arts skills.
, and they are ruthless, they will run away when they see many people, and come to fight with those who are less crowded. The silkworm farmers and cotton farmers in the manor are not united and dare not come forward when trouble occurs. As a result, Lu's autumn silkworms last year and spring silkworms this year were raised.
It has been greatly affected, and now there is not enough silk to supply the looms——
The southeastern part of Sheshan is the boundary of Huating County. The thugs hired by the Huating Dong family may come to commit evil at any time. The women and children of the cotton farmers and silkworm farmers in the manor are panicked even when they leave the gate of the manor. Some silkworm farmers are already preparing to leave the Lu family and join Qingpu.
Other families, this is exactly what Dong's intention is. Dong wants to disturb the peace and tranquility of Lu's manor. Force Lu to give up these six hundred acres of mulberry forest——
Zhang Yuan, Lu Tao and his entourage came to the Lu family's manor at the northern foot of Sheshan Mountain. Zhang Ruoxi, several servants, and Mei Xiang went into the garden to instruct the cotton farmers to prepare lunch. Lu Tao guided Zhang Yuan and others around the manor. The Lu family has more than 2,000 fertile fields.
Most of the acres are used for growing mulberry and cotton. Raising silkworms and growing cotton is more profitable than simply growing rice and wheat. Songjiang Prefecture was the cotton capital of the Ming Dynasty, known as "the world of clothes and quilts", and the cultivation of high-yield crops was very popular.
This is also an important reason why although Jiangnan is rich, there will be insufficient food supply when there is a famine——
The fields in midsummer are all green, and the slopes on the northwest side of Sheshan Mountain are gentle. Lu's mulberry forests and tea gardens are here. There are large bamboo forests on the top of the mountain. The sun is shining near noon. The mountains and forests are verdant, as bright as emeralds and jaspers.
Glow.
Lu Tao said: "The orchid bamboo shoots in the bamboo forest on this mountain are very flavorful, so Sheshan is also called Orchid Bamboo Shoot Mountain."
Zhang Yuandao: "This is a good place. The greedy Dong family of Huating will certainly try to occupy it."
Lu Tao said: "My Lu family's family property is basically here. If these six hundred acres of mulberry forest are not preserved, then the silkworm households and weaver households in the manor will disperse, and the Lu family's family property will be ruined. This is also my reason."
The reason why my father is unwilling to use these six hundred acres of mulberry forest in exchange for my second brother's release from prison, if it is only six thousand taels of silver, my father will still bear the pain and give it."
While he was talking, I saw a group of mulberry picking girls running out of the mulberry forest at the foot of the mountain. They were all so frightened that their faces turned pale. They were running so fast that their buns came apart. They took off their shoes and abandoned the bamboo baskets they were carrying.
He ran and shouted "Help - help -"
Lu Tao exclaimed in shock: "What's going on!" He hurriedly ran over. Lu Dayou and other servants of the Lu family quickly followed, including Zhang Dai, Zhang E, Zhang Yuan brothers, Neng Zhu and other four healthy servants, as well as
Mu Jingyan and Mu Zhenzhen's father and daughter also ran over together——
I saw the group of mulberry-picking girls stumbling out of the mulberry forest. When they saw Lu Tao and others, they screamed: "Young Master, those bachelors are here again and are chasing us -"
Another mulberry-picking girl felt relieved when she saw Master Lu Tao coming to meet her. She hurriedly looked for her companions and said anxiously: "Master, Xiaoping from the Fugui family and Axia from the Lianrong family couldn't run out.
I'm afraid that she's been intercepted by that gang of bachelors. Young master, hurry up and save her and the two of them. Those gang of bachelors are beasts and can do anything."
Lu Tao hurriedly ordered Lu Dayou to go back to the manor quickly and summon people to come with sticks. Those bachelors were armed with sticks and sharp knives. Generally, bankers could not defeat them with bare hands——
Mu Jingyan said to Zhang Yuan: "Master, it's important to save people. I'll go and take a look first." He jumped up, broke off a section of the mulberry stem as thick as an arm, and ran towards the mulberry forest with the mulberry stem in hand.
Mu Zhenzhen leaned over and took out her small coiled dragon stick from under her skirt, and said to Zhang Yuan: "Master, please help my father." She ran to follow him.
Neng Zhu, Feng Hu, and the four healthy servants of the Zhang family also followed Zhang Dai, Zhang E, and Zhang Yuan to the mulberry forest to find the two mulberry-picking girls.
Lu Tao asked the mulberry picking women who ran out where they met the bachelors. The mulberry picking woman said, "I met them in the tea garden."
Lu Tao then chased Zhang Yuan and others, shouting: "Jie, keep to the left. It's more than a mile away from here, over there at the tea garden."
Mu Zhenzhen heard it and called her daddy in a sharp voice: "Daddy, daddy, there is a tea garden one mile to the left, right there."
Mu Jingyan ran like a leopard in the forest. After running a few dozen feet, he heard the screams of a woman in front of him: "Help, let me go, let me go -" and a man's maniacal laughter: "Brother, what are you doing?"
I’m so happy today——”
Mu Jingyan quickened his pace and ran over following the sound. He saw seven or eight mulberry picking girls surrounding two mulberry picking girls in a small clearing in the forest. One of the mulberry picking girls had been pinned down on the grass by two hooters.
, the girl's green cloth skirt was lifted up, her bare legs kicked around, and she struggled desperately. With one blow, she slapped the mulberry picking girl hard, and shouted: "If you dare to move again, I will kill you, big dick"
Eight dollars!”
With a "whoosh" sound, the mulberry trunks with branches and leaves swept down a tree. Mu Jingyan strode over and stepped on the calf of the fallen tree with his sandals. With a "click" sound, he knocked down the tree.
The right calf bone was crushed and one of them was crippled——
The other gangsters reacted, each holding a stick and a sharp knife, and two gangsters strangled the two mulberry-picking girls by the necks, dragged them back, and shouted, "Who are you? Dare to hit me, Songjiang?"
If you can do it, do you want to die?"
Without saying a word, Mu Jingyan pressed forward steadily with the mulberry stem. Three men holding eyebrow-level sticks rushed up with screams, and the three sticks were directed at Mu Jing from three directions.
The rock fell, and Mu Jingyan dodged sharply to the left, avoiding the two people on the left. In his hand, Sanggan blocked the stick on the right. The front end of the Sanggan suddenly turned and thrust out, hitting the middle man in the face.
His face was bruised and bleeding, and if Mu Jingyan had a whistle stick in his hand, then the bridge of his nose would have been broken——
Mu Zhenzhen then ran over. Seeing that his father had already fought with several bulls, Mu Zhenzhen was very smart and saw that the two mulberry-picking girls were being held hostage. He quietly walked around from the forest behind the two bulls, and suddenly jumped out
, the small panlong stick was swept out, and hit the left calf bone of the left lahu with a "snap". The pain in the calf bone was the most unbearable. The lahu screamed in pain, squatted down, touched his calf with his hand, Mu
Zhenzhen twisted his wrist, followed by another blow from the stick, hitting Na Lahui in the head, and the mulberry picking girl he was holding fell to the ground together——
The other lair turned around in shock. The shadow of the stick flashed, and he was hit in the face. The bridge of his nose was broken, and nosebleeds spurted out. When he reached out to cover his nose, the mulberry-picking girl he was holding was pulled aside by Mu Zhenzhen.
The small dragon stick in Mu Zhenzhen's hand swung out again, hitting the right knee of the beast. The beast also fell down, covering his face with his hands and wailing.
The mulberry-picking girl who was pinned down by him screamed and pushed her heavy body. She was so frightened that her hands were weak and numb, and she couldn't push her away for a moment. Mu Zhenzhen went over and kicked the girl away, and reached out to pull up the girl.
The girl picking mulberry said soothingly: "Sister, don't be afraid, it's okay, it's okay."
Mu Zhenzhen went around here to save the two mulberry-picking girls. At this time, Neng Zhu and Feng Hu had also arrived. They broke off tree trunks along the way to make weapons. Together with Mu Jingyan, they frightened the six mulberry pickers in a moment.
All knocked to the ground.
One of the mulberry-picking women was quite violent. She picked up an eyebrow-level stick and hit the tree trunks blindly. Two of the mulberry pickers retorted with threats and intimidation.
Stab their mouths until their mouths are filled with blood——
The three Zhang Yuan brothers arrived. Zhang E said: "Without beating, they all fell down!" He took the mulberry stems from Feng Hu's hand and whipped them violently.
Lu Tao came panting with a few servants. The two mulberry-picking girls finally saw someone they knew. They hurried forward and cried: "Young Master, these bachelors, wuwuwu——"
Lu Tao asked: "Are you... not hurt?" He was worried that the two mulberry-picking girls had been humiliated.
Mu Jingyan said: "Master Lu, they are not injured, we arrived in time."
There was a loud shout, and the silkworm farmers and cotton farmers in Lu's manor came over with sticks and hoes. Two men ran and shouted anxiously: "Xiao Ping——"
"Axia——"
Xiaoping and Axia, the two mulberry-picking girls, shouted: "Daddy, Daddy." They ran to the two men and told them what had just happened.
Dozens of dealers surrounded the eight dealers and beat them up. If Lu Tao and Zhang Yuan had not stopped them, the angry dealers would have beaten them to death on the spot.
The villagers tied up the eight slaves with ropes and dragged them back to the manor like dead dogs. In fact, these slaves did not know what Bu Shicheng and others were doing at the Qingpu County Yazhang yesterday. They were just bored today, so they went to Sheshan.
I came here to bully Lu's banker. When he met a mulberry picking girl, he chased and teased her. I thought it would be okay to rape her——
Lu Tao didn't have time to have lunch, so he led his servants and villagers to escort the eight lasses to the county government office. Zhang E took Neng Zhu and Feng Hu to follow them to watch the fun.
Zhang Yuan stayed. He also wanted to visit the Lu family's weavers and looms. The purpose of coming to the Lu family's manor was to see the looms. Unexpectedly, he encountered evildoers. According to the manor's silkworm owners, the people employed by Dong family in Huating were
These bachelors often come around the manor every three or five days to harass, beat people, rob, molest women, and do all kinds of evil——
Zhang Ruoxi was so angry that she trembled and said, "The Huating Dong family is despicable and shameless, and they used such despicable means to invade my Lu family's property!"
Zhang Yuan said: "Sister, if you are not so angry, it is time for Huating Dong family to be full of evil. No more bachelors will come here to do evil."
After lunch, Zhang Dai and Zhang Yuan followed Zhang Ruoxi to visit the weaver's house. Zhang Yuan knew nothing about looms, but they saw that the looms operated by Lu's weavers were quite complicated. There were four or five people working on one loom.
To operate, a painter first draws a flower pattern on paper, and then a weaver will move thousands of warp threads up and down regularly on a complex loom, and dozens of knotting threads will be arranged across them in order to create a weaving pattern.
A complete set of pattern memory devices. The pattern is knotted and weaved on the machine. The weaver and the weaver cooperate with each other. According to the change of the pattern, one weft thread is woven forward, and the magnificent pattern appears. This is the jacquard technology.
, Zhang Yuan was dazzled——
Science and technology in the late Ming Dynasty was quite prosperous. This can be understood from Xu Guangqi's "Agricultural Policy Complete Book" and Song Yingxing's "Tiangong Kaiwu". Xu Guangqi was a native of Shanghai County, Songjiang Prefecture, and Jiao Hong was his room master during the rural examination. He should be in
He has a casual position in the Hanlin Academy. After Zhang Yuan enters Beijing, he should be able to meet his senior brother Xu Guangqi. Song Yingxing is from Fengxin, Jiangxi Province. When Huang Meilei, a student from Jiujiang Province, was studying at Dashan Temple the year before last, Zhang Yuan asked Huang Meilei about Song Yingxing, but Huang Meilei said that he had never heard of it.
It must be just a show, Zhang Yuan thought: "The book "Tiangong Kaiwu" represents the highest peak of ancient Chinese science and technology, but it became a banned book in the Qing Dynasty. The great regression of civilization caused by the Qing Dynasty's takeover of the Central Plains is shocking."
There are different looms for weaving cotton and silk of different textures. Some weavers specialize in damask looms, and some use silk looms. They are very skilled in operating them. The scale of the textile industry in Lu's Manor is not small. Zhang Yuan does not understand loom technology and cannot
He proposed to improve the loom, but he had a business vision for later generations. He asked his sister Zhang Ruoxi: "How were Lu's cotton and silk sold in the past?"
Zhang Ruoxi said: "A cloth merchant came to buy it."
Zhang Yuandao: "Isn't that a lot different from the retail price in the market?"
Zhang Ruoxi had never heard of the word "retail", but she understood its meaning and said, "It's almost half the retail price."
Zhang Yuandao: "Wouldn't it be better for us to earn this money ourselves?"
Zhang Ruoxi said: "The Lu family has several cotton and satin shops in Qingpu and Suzhou, but they don't sell many in a year. They mainly rely on bulk purchases by cloth merchants."
Zhang Yuandao: "I have a way to make the supply of Lu's cotton and silk exceed the demand."
Zhang Ruoxi knew that this younger brother had fucked other people before, so she quickly asked: "What method?"
Zhang Yuan smiled and said: "My clever plan is worth ten thousand gold, how can I tell it so easily?"
Zhang Ruoxi rolled her eyes at her younger brother and said in a threatening tone: "Speak quickly!"
Zhang Yuandao: "Sister, I'm not joking. With my method, Qingpu Lu family will be as rich as Songjiang in less than ten years. I'm not doing it for personal gain, but maybe when I need a lot of money in the future, my sister and brother-in-law shouldn't be stingy."
.”
Seeing Zhang Yuan's serious expression, Zhang Feixi became serious and said, "I'll come back to the city with your brother-in-law in the evening to listen to your clever plan. In fact, if you need money, my sister can give it to you."
Zhang Yuan said with a smile: "I'm not that easy to get rid of. I haven't noticed my sister's small amount of private rent."
——————————————————————
The end of the month is approaching, so I would like to ask my book friends for a monthly pass, please support Yasao.