Xiao Cuo turned to look at the rain outside the window, shook his head and sighed: "That's what I said, but if I don't see it with my own eyes, how can I feel at ease? This matter is too important, and the clan has entrusted this heavy responsibility to me.
Although everyone is paying attention to his rise in status from now on, if something goes wrong, I'm afraid he will have to commit suicide in front of the ancestors' souls and die to apologize. Come on, you few evil stars who are seeking death have to chase such poetic and picturesque things.
It’s really annoying to discuss important matters with the weather! Let’s go, I and I will go to the riverside to have a good inspection and see if there are any omissions.”
After saying that, he stood up reluctantly, and with a look of displeasure ordered the maid to prepare the raincoat and hitch the carriage.
Wang Qi and the others subconsciously glanced at the continuous drizzle outside the window, and then looked at each other. In this annoying weather, the humidity was so heavy that it was chilling to the bones. After sitting for a while, they were all wet as if they had been wet by the rain. Where could they find it?
A little bit poetic?
But the slander is the slander. Everyone knows that although this young master is not the direct son of the Xiao family, he has a higher heart and compares everything to the son of the clan leader Xiao Jing. As a result, he can't be compared to a dog by painting a tiger, and he makes people feel disgusted by his rhetoric.
…
As time went by, I didn’t take it seriously.
Several people got up, each took the raincoat prepared by the maid and put it on, went out and braved the light rain, boarded the carriage covered with a layer of oilcloth in front of the door, and meandered along the bluestone path in the forest in front of the building towards the mouth of the Qiantang River.
Forward.
Under the rain curtain, the Qiantang River is quiet and beautiful, and the rolling water flows quietly.
In a river bend surrounded by hills, dozens of large merchant ships were neatly parked. A sailor was inspecting the sails in the rain. Countless carriages were parked on the shore, and the goods in each cart were packed into boxes.
Covered with tarpaulin, they are being unloaded in an orderly manner and transported to the cabin by porters through the temporary gangplank.
Not many people talked, but it was very busy.
When the oilcloth carriage was swaying down the hillside, well-armed private soldiers had already rushed out from the mountains and forests on both sides of the road to intercept it. When they saw the big man with a beard, leopard head and eyes who opened the curtain of the carriage,
He immediately saluted respectfully, then retreated into the forest again and continued to be vigilant.
Following a winding mountain road to the edge of the river bend, Xiao Cuo and Wang Qi put on their raincoats again and jumped out of the carriage.
After stepping on the muddy ground, Xiao Cuo looked gloomy: "This damn weather..."
A steward in charge of loading the goods had already come up to him from afar. After saluting, he said: "Sir, half of the goods have been loaded. It is expected to be almost ready in two days. But if the rain gets heavier, I'm afraid it will delay everything."
A day and a half.”
Xiao Cuo glanced at the busy river bend and said: "We still need to speed up as much as possible. Although it will take some time for Fang Jun to go south, and it will take more time for the navy to go to the south, but our scale this time is too large and there is no guarantee that the news will be leaked.
If that guy Fang Jun finds out, there's a risk of accidents."
"Here! The old slave will tell the slaves in the sentry realm that no strangers will be allowed to step within a radius of several miles."
Xiao Cuo nodded.
He was not worried about going to sea. Each family on dozens of ships sent probably no less than 2,000 private soldiers. Although most of them were domestic slaves who had never fought before, they were all strong and strong. Facing those
The pirates who have long since become extinct are definitely true.
He was even more worried that if the news leaked out, the ships would be attacked by the navy before they could even go to sea.
The Royal Navy is directly loyal to the emperor. Except for Fang Jun, no one can influence the will of this army. Even if a few nails are buried in it to act as eyes and ears, they will be dug out and disposed of in a few days. It is really monolithic...
…
As long as they don't arouse the navy's idea, these cargo ships can go to sea without anyone noticing after the navy moves north, and they will definitely bring huge profits to the major families.
By then, he, Xiao Cuo, will be the hero of each family. His reputation will rise, and the tide will rise. In addition, with the Lanling Xiao family as his back, it may not be impossible to enter an official career...
*****
Even the rainy weather could not stop Fang Xuanling and Li Jing's curiosity.
In the morning, they ate some special Jiangnan porridge, brewed a pot of hot tea and played two games of chess. When the rain subsided a little, the two of them put on raincoats and strolled out of their residence, along the
I walked slowly along a street behind the town office and looked around.
They were very interested in the wool weaving that Pei Xingjian talked about yesterday...
As early as when Fang Jun went on an expedition to the Western Regions to destroy the Gaochang Kingdom, he used wine and wool to appease the nobles in Gaochang. Not only did the Tang army successfully take over the entire Gaochang Kingdom, but he also made a lot of profits from it.
Until now, the wine produced by Fangjia Winery is still a treasure at the banquets of nobles from all over the world.
It's a pity that Guo Xiaoke was arrogant and intended to annex the Fang family's winery to obtain the grape wine formula, which directly caused all the Fang family's wineries and wool workshops in the Western Regions to withdraw to Guanzhong, and also lost the stability of Gaochang State, which directly detonated the Western Regions.
During the war between various countries, Guo Xiaoke was greedy for credit and rushed forward, so he lost his life and the good situation was ruined.
The imperial court had to send the British Duke Li Ji and the King of Wei Li Tai to lead the army to march westward, pacify the countries in the Western Regions, and keep the Silk Road open...
The Fang family is still engaged in the wool business, and Fang Xuanling knows about it.
There is a wool workshop at the Fangjiawan Wharf. Wool is purchased from the Western Regions, spun into thread, and then woven into cloth for sale. However, Fang Xuanling has never paid much attention to the affairs of those merchants, and Wu Meiniang has always been in charge of the wharf.
Naturally, he doesn't pay much attention to it, so he doesn't know the details.
Now it seems that this business has been developed to Huating Town...
The rain washes away the smooth concrete pavement, making it cleaner and cleaner. The air is moist and cool, making people feel refreshed and refreshed.
The two of them, along with a few servants and soldiers, without notifying Pei Xingjian, just walked on the streets of a residential area in Huating Town that was just completed last year. This was a house built on a piece of saline-alkali land. It was obviously planned, and the road
There are deep drainage ditches dug next to them, covered with stone slabs, and tall and straight trees are planted in front of the door. They are obviously transplanted from the mountains. Although the roots have not yet penetrated deeply into the soil, they can already vaguely see what the crown will look like in the future.
Shade.
The houses are all those with blue bricks and black tiles. They usually have about five rooms. Looking in from the not high walls, some have built several additional rooms on both sides of the yard, and some have planted some fruits and vegetables.
, some have chickens, ducks, pigs, dogs, poultry and livestock in pens, and the yards are clean, tidy and bright.
From time to time, villagers walked by on the street. They all looked surprised when they saw this group of people. However, they did not appear panicked, nor did they come forward to watch. They just took a look from a distance and left.
, everyone is busy with their own things.
There were children playing in front of the door with clear laughter. They were not afraid of strangers when they met Fang Xuanling and others. They smiled and showed off their two baby teeth. They raised a red fruit in their hands and giggled: "Seven, seven
…”
Li Jing and others were stunned, "seven"?
Only Fang Xuanling, who was teasing his grandson at home, had deep experience in this. He knew that this was the little boy asking them to "eat" the fruit. When he saw this cheerful, fair and fat child, he couldn't help but think of his grandson at home, and he suddenly felt filled with emotion and took two steps forward.
Squatting in front of the child, showing a gentle smile, reaching out to pick up the child...
"who are you?"
A cry of surprise sounded from behind, and an old woman in Gebu clothes rushed out of the courtyard in a panic, grabbed the child and hugged her in her arms, staring at Fang Xuanling and others warily.
Fang Xuanling was still squatting, thinking that she was being treated as a human trafficker?
The servant behind him quickly stepped forward and shouted: "How dare you, a country man, be rude to my master?"
Fang Xuanling waved her hand to stop him, and said with a smile to the surprised old woman: "Sister-in-law, don't worry, this person is not a child abductor, he just came to Huating Town to buy wool products. It rained heavily today, so I came here for a stroll.
, no malice whatsoever.”
The old woman hugged the child tightly, took two steps back and stood at the door of the yard. She looked at Fang Xuanling and others up and down. She seemed to feel that these people did not look like bandits, so she asked suspiciously: "Acquisition
Wool products? What do you charge?"
Fang Xuanling looked at her yard and saw that there were wing rooms on both sides, and said, "What does your house make?"
The old woman said: "My family weaves blankets, but I have already received deposits from regular customers. I have been busy weaving in the past few months and have no extra blankets to sell."
Li Jing shook his eyebrows and was a little surprised: "Business is so good?"
The business delivered to my door is not solicited, which shows that the sales are indeed very good.
"That's natural!" The old woman straightened her chest, her wrinkled face filled with pride: "Have you seen the largest warship in the shipyard? Pei Changshi said that our entire village weaves blankets and weaves
The taxes paid on cotton can buy a warship like that every year!"
Li Jing was stunned.
Although I don’t know which warship the old woman is referring to, hasn’t paying taxes been something that people hate deeply since ancient times?
Why do you still look proud and proud when you pay taxes with your hard-earned money?
Fang Xuanling was silent for a moment, then Wen Yan asked: "Even if the business fails, I wonder if I can go into your yard and see how the quality of your blankets is?"