The black umbrella dwarf's surname is Xie, and his name is Xie Bian. In his own words, he is a businessman who goes to the north to do business.
The business is very interesting, selling bean cakes.
It was a bean cake mixed with soybeans, wheat, fish, shrimp, pig offal, and coarse salt, specially made for war horses.
The top-grade war horses of the Great Wu Dynasty have more or less the blood of monsters and beasts, and can travel thousands of miles a day. Such horses cannot just eat grass.
Xie Bi'an was such a feed supplier, but the feed business in the north was monopolized by those wealthy families, and no one wanted his goods. After staying in the north for several months, he had no choice but to return to his hometown.
On the way back home, I stopped at Sandaokou. As soon as I sat down, I saw the man at the tea shed knocking over the stove.
He helped put out the fire, but he was in a bad situation. He was falsely accused of setting the fire, and even his money was taken away.
"Going to the north to do business!"
The two parties walked together. Wang Xu was riding on the horse, looking at Xie Bi'an riding the donkey, and said with a smile: "What a coincidence, my family is also in business. How much does a pound of corn in the north cost now?"
"Twelve coins is much more expensive than in the south." Xie Bian was riding on the donkey, holding his black umbrella.
Wang Xu nodded slightly and asked again: "Where is the japonica rice?"
Corn is millet and japonica is rice.
The yield of rice in ancient times was not high and it was not resistant to drought. Only the nobles could afford it.
"Fifty-six articles"
Xie Bi'an replied, and then said: "In the south of the Yangtze River, the price of japonica rice is basically three times that of corn, and in the north it is five times. I saw in the countryside that even ordinary gentry families are reluctant to eat a meal of japonica rice on weekdays.
You can't even see her at home."
A pound of japonica rice cost fifty-six cents. In addition, people at this time had less oil and water, and had a larger appetite, so they needed two jins of japonica rice for three meals. A family of five could eat five jins of japonica rice a day.
Five pounds of Japonica rice costs 280 Wen, and a restaurant waiter’s monthly salary is about 800 Wen. How can ordinary people afford it?
"Where's Ji Mi?"
"The price of millet rice produced in the north is almost the same as that of corn in the south, about ten cents. The common people are most hungry when they eat it mixed with wild vegetables."
Question after question, Xie Bi'an responded fluently, as if he were a real businessman.
Wang Xu's face was expressionless. The demon clan's killing order on his body was still there, so it was not surprising to be cautious.
What's more, Xie Bian, who was alone with a black umbrella, didn't look like an ordinary person.
Even if he answered fluently, Wang Xu did not let down his guard and let him follow him. He was just putting the danger under his nose. It would be a good thing that Xie Bi'an was really an ordinary person. If not, he would have been dealt with as soon as he showed his flaws.
"Mr. Wang, you look like a well-educated person. Where are you from?" Wang Xu asked several times, and Xie Bian also asked back.
Wang Xu sat on the horse, put his hands in his sleeves, and replied: "People from Yangzhou and Jinshan Prefecture must have read a few books."
"Jinshan Mansion, how about such a coincidence?"
Xie Bi'an was overjoyed and said happily: "What a coincidence, I am from Zhenjiang Prefecture and we are neighbors!"
At this point, Xie Bian didn't wait for Wang Xu's reply, and then said: "Students are the kindest people. Not only do they speak nicely, but they also do things beautifully. I have relied on you all the way. Don't worry, I won't treat you badly when I return to my hometown."
your."
"Strange, did I guess wrong? Didn't Xie Bi'an accept the wanted order from the demon tribe to assassinate me, and he met me by chance? No, this black umbrella gives me a very bad feeling. It is obviously a magic weapon.
How can an ordinary businessman have such a thing? Hmph, I want to see how long you can keep pretending."
Wang Xu's thoughts were racing, but his face remained calm, and he smiled and said: "It's easy to talk, it's easy to talk. I rely on my parents at home and my friends when I go out. I like to make friends with all kinds of people."
The two of them went south together, and Wang Xu took care of all the food and clothing along the way.
During this period, Wang Xu tried several more times to find out whether Xie Bi'an was really stupid or pretending to be stupid. After several tests, he still showed no clue. If this was an act, his acting skills could be said to be perfect.
One day, two days, three days
As time went by, Jinshan Mansion got closer and closer, and Wang Xu became more and more alert.
They walked all the way together for five or six days, and now they are about to arrive at the place. It should be time to meet each other.
early morning
"Brother Wang, Brother Wang!"
That morning, Xie Bi'an knocked on the door, shouting and yelling, disturbing Wang Xu's peaceful dream.
Wang Xu got up from the bed and saw Xie Bi'an with a smile on his face. When he met, he said: "Brother Wang, in front of us is Jinshan Mansion. It's time for you and me to say goodbye. Please lend me another ten taels of silver. When I return to Zhenjiang Mansion,
You must have someone send you the money with interest."
"Brother Xie, are you just borrowing money?" Wang Xu asked with narrowed eyes.
"Brother Wang, what do you mean by this?" Xie Bi'an was confused and shook his head: "Brother, don't you understand?"
"You really don't understand?"
Wang Xu looked Xie Bian up and down and said with a smile: "If you don't understand, forget it. I have a pearl that can be exchanged for at least twenty taels in the pawn shop. Brother Fang, since you need money, just use it."
Wang Xu took out the pearl and placed it on the table at hand.
Xie Bian thanked him repeatedly, took the pearl and walked out. Looking outside, he saw that his luggage had been put on the donkey, and the donkey had parked outside the inn, and it really looked like he was leaving.
"Really gone?"
Seeing Xie Bian get on the donkey, Wang Xu muttered strangely: "Is there no reason why I wronged a good person?"
"Brother Wang, Brother Wang!"
Xie Bi'an rode on a donkey and passed by Wang Xu's window. He said loudly: "Brother, I went there. You were very wary of me along the way, but people are separated from each other. Brother, I don't blame you. This black umbrella,
I'll just leave it with you as a mortgage, and when I get to Zhenjiang Mansion, I'll have someone redeem it with money."
Whoosh!!
Xie Bian raised his hand and threw the black umbrella over.
This throw was done without any force. The black umbrella fell on the table after entering the window. Apart from the sound of collision, there was no killing move as Wang Xu imagined.
After watching Xie Bian ride away on his donkey, Wang Xu took a long time to look away and turned his gaze to the black umbrella on the table.
Soul gathering!!
On the handle of the black umbrella, the word "Juhun" is written in small seal script.
Wang Xu touched the umbrella body with his hand, and it felt cold, as if touching ice.
Who is Xie Bian? Is he really a businessman who only knows a few magic tricks. I mistakenly blamed him along the way. He has nothing to do with the demon clan. He really doesn't know himself and is not here to assassinate him?
Or perhaps, he saw his guard up and found no opportunity to strike along the way, so he had to retreat.
"Hmph, interesting!"
No matter which possibility it is, Xie Bian is a very interesting person.
With a smile on his face, Wang Xu looked forward to meeting him later. He thought that Zhenjiang Mansion was not far from Jinshan Mansion, so the time to see him again shouldn't be too long.
"The Soul Gathering Umbrella, Xie Bian"
Wang Xu picked up the black umbrella. After a moment, his expression suddenly changed: "Soul Gathering Umbrella, Xie Bian, this name looks so familiar? No, isn't this Bai Wuchang's name?"
Thinking of Bai Wuchang, Wang Xu quickly leaned on the window and shouted out: "Brother Xie, do you have a good brother named Fan?"
"What?"
Xie Bi'an had already walked far away. He didn't hear Wang Xu's words clearly. He just thought he was saying goodbye and replied loudly: "The green mountains will not change and the green water will flow forever. Brother Wang, there is no need to send him off!"
Wang Xu didn't ask clearly, and with doubts in his heart, he muttered: "Isn't it really black and white? Forget it, I have Bai Wuchang's iconic black umbrella here. He must come back to get it. I'll ask again next time.