Chapter 165 The first time I heard about the Lu family in Dongcheng
Chapter 165 First hearing about the Lu family in Dongcheng
Speaking of which, it was more than a year after his rebirth in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, and Cao Peng had contact with quite a few women.
Putting aside mother Zhang and sister Cao Nan, from Huang Yueying in Jiyang, to Sister Rabbit in Xudu, to Lu Lan in Xuzhou, and now Guo Huan. It can be said that the four women have their own merits. And the woman in front of me
The beauty of the woman is no less beautiful than the first three.
She is not very tall and has the delicate beauty of a Huainan woman.
The girl walked out of the room and saw Cao Peng and others riding on horses outside the courtyard wall.
"Who are you looking for?"
She asked doubtfully, with a flash of alertness in her eyes.
"Xiaoluan?"
When Bu Zhi heard the voice, he spoke in surprise.
The girl was startled, then stepped forward and opened the door.
"Who are you?"
When she saw Bu Zhao, she was obviously a little confused.
Bu Zha looked the girl up and down, and suddenly pointed with his hand, "You are Xiaoluan, right? I am Shitou, remember? Brother Shitou from Huaiyin."
"ah!"
The girl couldn't help but take a few steps back, covering her mouth with her hands, surprise flashing in her eyes.
"Mother, mother... Brother Shitou is here!"
She suddenly turned around and ran towards the house, shouting as she ran, stumbling a little and looking very embarrassed.
Bu Zhao followed in hastily.
Cao Peng and Chen Qun looked at each other and got off their horses.
"I never thought that Zishan, who was so calm, would actually lose his composure today."
Chen Qun said and handed the reins to his attendant.
Cao Peng stood at the door, carefully looked at this slightly remote house, and then shook his head gently. It seemed that Bu Zhao's aunt was not having an easy life. At this moment, someone came out of the hut.
There was an old woman crying, she seemed very excited.
Guo Huan wanted to go in, but was stopped by Cao Peng.
"Xiao Huan, don't be reckless. We finally met each other and are about to express our true feelings. It's a bit inappropriate for us to go in at this time."
Guo Huan nodded and said softly: "Young master is really considerate."
In fact, Cao Peng was not too disgusted with Guo Huan's verbal pandering.
Growing up in the environment of Tongdanhou's family, it is inevitable that she knows how to figure out people's thoughts. It's just that Cao Peng doesn't like her affectation! If Guo Huan could be more natural, Cao Peng might be more accepting. It's precisely because of Guo Huan's affectation.
, Cao Peng always felt that she was a bit fake...
After a while, Bu Zhao and the girl helped an old woman out of the hut.
"I just lost my temper and made you wait outside the door for a long time. I hope you will forgive me."
"Bu Luan didn't know that a distinguished guest was coming to the door, but he still expected the young master Haihan."
The girl's name was Buluan. While supporting the old woman, she bowed towards Cao Peng and gave her a slight blessing.
Cao Peng said with a smile: "Mr. Zishan can see his relatives, even if he loses his temper, he still shows his true feelings. How can he apologize?" After saying that, he bowed to the old woman and said, "Old Madam Wan'an, Cao Peng is so polite.
."
Unexpectedly, the old woman kept her polite words on her lips and stared straight at her, completely ignoring her.
Bu Zhao made a gesture towards Cao Peng, which meant: The old lady is blind.
When Cao Peng saw this, he hurriedly took two steps forward, took the old woman's hand, and greeted her again. Only then did the old woman react and quickly returned the courtesy.
"This is my clan sister, her name is Bu Luan."
"There are birds, luan and phoenix, and people live up to their names."
Chen Qun looked at the girl and couldn't help but praise her, but Buluan immediately blushed and lowered his head, not daring to look at Cao Peng and others again.
"Come and sit inside."
Bu Zhao said, helping the old lady walk into the main hall.
This main hall is also a thatched hut, and it can be said to be empty inside, with only a few simple mats placed in the room.
Bu Luan hurriedly cleaned up and said softly: "We haven't had guests at home for a long time, so I'm a little neglectful... Master, please take a seat. I'll prepare drinks right now."
"Well, it's better not to work too hard!"
Cao Peng looked at the situation in the house and knew that the life at Buluan's house was very embarrassing.
He winked at Guo Huan, and Guo Huan immediately understood. He walked to the gate of the courtyard, waved to a follower, handed out the bag on his waist, and told the follower to buy some food and wine. Bu Luan could see clearly.
His face became even redder, and he quickly wanted to step forward to stop him.
Unexpectedly, Cao Peng stopped her and said, "Sister, don't misunderstand me, it's all Mr. Zishan's salary."
"ah?"
Bu Luan was startled and turned to look at Bu Zhao.
But Bu Zhao waved his hand towards him, signaling her not to ask.
In my heart, I am extremely grateful to Cao Peng. Although he has been serving in Haixi for two months, his salary is actually not that much. The position of county registrar has a salary of more than one hundred dan. Calculated per month, it is
It was about sixteen hu of dendrobium. Bu Zhao ate a lot and liked to drink, so he didn't have much money saved. The only copper coin he had was given to him by Deng Ji as a reward at the end of the year.
Cao Peng's move can be said to have given him enough face.
Chen Qun didn't care about the simplicity of the hut, and sat down on his knees with Cao Peng.
"Xiaoluan, go boil some water."
"good!"
Just as Buluan was about to leave, he heard Cao Peng say: "Xiao Huan, please help her."
"Here!"
Guo Huan agreed and went over to help.
Bu Luan shook his head repeatedly and said: "How can you work when a distinguished guest comes to your door?"
However, it was obvious that she couldn't stop Guo Huan, so she finally opened her mouth and took Guo Huan to the hut next door to boil water.
When the old woman spoke, she had a strong Huainan accent.
In addition, he was excited, so his speaking speed seemed a bit fast and a bit vague.
Anyway, Cao Peng didn't quite understand. He just watched the old woman crying and laughing, while Bu Zhi was beside her, holding her hand tightly, and was also very excited.
"Can you understand the old lady?"
Cao Peng noticed that Chen Qun had a smile on his face and nodded leisurely.
"I can understand it clearly...she is speaking Xuyi dialect, and I can't understand her clearly at all."
"Then you still listen with gusto?"
Chen Qun glared at Cao Peng and said in a low voice: "Brother, this is called etiquette. Can I turn around and go out? Zishan will explain it to us."
"Well!"
Cao Peng gave Chen Qun a roll of his eyes.
What kind of etiquette is this for you? You are just showing off!
"Sir, Chang Wen, Shi Mu was a little excited just now, so she neglected you two."
Shimu is also a courtesy title, which roughly means aunt or aunt.
"The old lady's eyes..."
Cao Peng couldn't help but ask.
Because on the way to Xuyi, Bu Zhi once mentioned his aunt to Cao Peng.
Because Bu Zhi's family was poor, he was often bullied by his tribe when he was a child. It was his aunt who always protected him and made him grow up. Later Bu Zhi left his suspicion and went to Guangling to seek life. When he left his hometown, his aunt
, it seems that he is not blind yet.
"Alas, my father died of illness, and my aunt couldn't bear the bullying from her tribe, so she returned to her hometown.
But the situation in Xuyi's hometown is not very good... My aunt's brother and sister-in-law passed away, and the children were unwilling to accept her, and they also took over the aunt's property. When my aunt was angry, these eyes... Oh, it's all my fault, if it had been earlier
I know that I will never let my aunt be humiliated like this."
Bu Zhi's words were a little vague, but generally, Chen Qun and Cao Peng could understand them.
It must be the dispute over the family property. The family property was taken away by the Bu clan in Huaiyin. I thought I would still have a property to look after when I returned to my hometown. Who knew that my father and brother had passed away, and my nephew was unwilling to accept it. The old lady must also be a very high-spirited person.
, I was blinded by anger all of a sudden.
"Then how did the old lady come here all these years?"
"Xiao Luan is sensible and has been taking care of her aunt. She usually sews and mends, washes and rinses, which is barely enough for household use."
"Oh I got it!"
Cao Peng nodded and looked at Chen Qun.
"Mr. Zishan, since the situation here in Xuyi is not good, why not ask the old lady to move to Haixi? At least there will be someone to take care of her when she gets to Haixi, right?"
"Well... I'll discuss this with Shi Mu."
Bu Zhi started talking to the old lady, while Cao Peng and Chen Qun were whispering to the side.
After a while, he came back with wine, food and grain.
"Zishan, it's noon today. Let's eat first. Let's have a full stomach before talking about other things."
Bu Zhao nodded in agreement and hurriedly asked Buluan to do his work.
Food and wine were all ready, and Buluan only needed to cook the grains and rice. The eight followers sat under the porch to eat, while Buluan and Guo Huan set up a small stool at the door of the living room and ate carefully. Bu Zhao
He has been sitting next to the old lady and serving her food.
It can be seen that Buluan and her daughter probably haven't had any meat or fish for a long time, so their food is very sweet.
"By the way, Xiaoluan, have you ever heard of Yunshan Mihang?"
While eating, Cao Peng pretended not to care and asked.
Buluan covered his mouth with one hand, slowly swallowed a mouthful of food, and nodded, "Yes, it's at the east end of the city. The biggest one is."
"Can Yunshan rice be good?"
"kindness!"
Buluan said: "Yunshan Rice Store is the largest rice store in the local area. It was originally opened by the Mei family in Lujiang. In the past two years, I heard that Lujiang was not very stable, so last year, the rice store was transferred to Lujiang.
Now Yunshan Rice Store has been renamed Dongcheng Rice Store."
"The plate is out?"
"yes."
Cao Peng was a little confused.
Lujiang, the Mei family? was sold to... the Lu family?
"Youxue, what's wrong with you?" Chen Qun couldn't help but asked curiously: "On the way, I just heard you talking about Yunshan Rice Line?"
Cao Peng hesitated for a moment, then shook his head with a wry smile.
"Brother, it would be a long story to talk about this matter."
So, he told the story of how he and Deng Ji left Xudu and annihilated Lei Xu in Chenliu.
Then he took out the white silk from his arms and handed it to Chen Qun.
"On this white silk, there was a mention of Yunshan Mihang, so I became interested. I had always thought that the signature on the white silk was Wang Cheng. But then I felt something was wrong! Wang Cheng was Xuezhou, and
I also know Lei Xu, and the signature should be 'zhou', not 'cheng'. In fact, it doesn't matter much...but I always feel that there is something wrong with it."
Yunshan Mihang, Lujiang Meishi...
A flash of inspiration suddenly flashed in Cao Peng's mind.
"Yunshan Mihang, when will it be sold out?"
Buluan tilted his little head, thought carefully and said: "It seems to be the first month of last year? I can't remember the specific time clearly.
What Yunshan Rice Shop sells is polished rice and millet. I have never bought anything there. So I don’t know much about what he listed. Anyway, it was very sudden... The Lu family suddenly took over Yunshan Rice Shop.
Industry, but most of them are old people from Mihang... The Mei family used to be very powerful here, but they all left at once. No one from the Mei family has appeared again!"
Cao Peng fell into deep thought.
Bu Zhi suddenly said: "Master, maybe you heard wrong?"
"Misheard?"
"Didn't you say that when we were in Chenliu, a horse thief mentioned a person named Lu Mei?"
"Oh, there is such a person."
"You also said that when that person heard this name, the other person was drunk. Is it possible that the drunk person could not speak clearly and said 'Lujiang Meishi' more vaguely, so as to
As for the other person, it’s called ‘Rumei’?”
"This is quite possible."
Cao Peng couldn't help but laugh!
He found that Bu Zhao seemed to have learned a trick.
It's his 'bold assumption' trick.
If a person is drunk, it is true that his speech may be slurred, but if another person is also drunk, it is very likely that he will miss a word or two.
So, the Lujiang Mei family became Lu Mei!
Well, this explanation seems reasonable...
As for how to prove it?
Cao Peng didn't think about it.
Because of this incident, it seems that it has nothing to do with him anymore.
The Mei family in Lujiang has already identified Mi Xing, so it is naturally impossible to investigate again. Besides, what does the matter in Lujiang have to do with him?
Thinking of this, Cao Peng breathed a sigh of relief.
But soon another question came to mind.
"Then why can't it be the Lu family? The Lu family accepted Yunshan Mihang, and Lu Mei is a descendant of the Lu family. Isn't it just as reasonable?"
"No way, no way!"
Bu Zhao shook his head repeatedly.
"My son's time in Xuzhou was short after all, so I can be forgiven for not having heard of the Lu family in Dongcheng."
"Oh? I haven't asked for advice yet."
"The Lu family in Dongcheng is also a wealthy family in Xiapi. Dongcheng and Xuyi were originally under the Linhuai County. Later, the Xiapi Kingdom was established, and Dongcheng and Xuyi were both placed under the rule of the Xiapi Kingdom. It is located in the southwest of Xuyi, and is also under the jurisdiction of Xiapi
A county in the southernmost part of the country, adjacent to Jiujiang County."
Bu Zhi carefully added a chopstick to the old lady's food and drink, and then took another sip of wine himself.
"However, due to the wars in Xuzhou in recent years, although Marquis Lu Wen occupied Xiapi, he actually gave up the governance of Dongcheng County. Since Yuan Shu occupied Huainan, Dongcheng has actually become Yuan Shu's territory... As for the Lu family, its ancestors are
The wealthy merchants of Xiapi State can also be said to be the largest grain merchants in the Huainan region. The reputation of the Lu family is very good, and it is by no means comparable to that of local powerful bullies.
If it were anyone else, I might believe it.
But I absolutely cannot believe that the Lu family is colluding with the Yellow Turban bandits.
There is another most important reason for this. Thinking about the Taiping Dao uprising, the eight states were shaken, and both Xuzhou and Yangzhou were affected.
The Lu family suffered extremely heavy losses in that turmoil. It is said that the head of the Lu family died at the hands of Taiping Dao. His family's two forts in the east city were breached by Taiping Dao. The Lu family died at the hands of Taiping Dao.
There are countless disciples, and the hatred between them is very great."
In fact, that's what Cao Peng asked.
After the Lu family took over Yunshan Rice Store, they changed its name to Dongcheng Rice Store, which already explained the problem.
We took over in September last year, and Lei Xu was still in Chenliu at that time... If the Lu family really colluded with Lei Xu, it would be impossible to change the name.
However, after hearing what Bu Zhi said, Cao Peng became interested in the Lu family.
He narrowed his eyes and subconsciously rubbed his nose, "Then why did the Lu family want to acquire Xuyi Rice Company?"
"this……"
Bu Zhi scratched his head, unable to answer.
"How about we go to Dongcheng Rice Shop after dinner?"
Cao Peng said to Chen Qun.
Chen Qun thought for a while and said, "That's fine."
At this moment, a burst of chaotic footsteps suddenly came from the yard.
Immediately afterwards, someone shouted: "Old beggar, you have money to buy wine and meat, but you don't know how to pay back the money. What are you doing?"
Buluan's face suddenly turned pale, like a frightened little rabbit, and shrank behind the window. The old lady's face showed a look of anger, and she stood up with a cry.
A series of syllables came out of his mouth rapidly, which sounded like he was cursing.
Cao Peng frowned, stood up, and walked outside the house.
I saw a dozen burly men breaking into the yard and yelling curses.
"Hey, who is it?"
Chen Qun walked out of the house and asked in a deep voice.
Although he usually smiled playfully with Cao Peng, when he lowered his face, the majesty of a child from a noble family was immediately revealed.
"Who are you?"
The burly man in the lead cursed loudly: "I have nothing to do with collecting debts."
His articulation was quite clear, and although it contained dialect, Cao Peng could understand him clearly.
A flash of anger suddenly appeared on Chen Qun's face. He stepped out, but was stopped by Cao Peng. At this time, Bu Zhao had already rushed out of the hut.
"You heartless bastards, you robbed my aunt's property without telling me, and today you come to the house to cause trouble. You are going too far."
"and who are you?"
"A certain family's Bu Zhao is the chief secretary of Haixi."
After the big man looked at each other, he suddenly laughed coldly and said: "You, the chief registrar of Haixi County, came to Xuyi to cause trouble. Do you think I have no one in Xuyi?"
Cao Peng walked down the porch and climbed onto his shoes.
"What on earth are you doing here?"
"Nothing to do but collect debt."
"What kind of debt are you asking for?"
"The old beggar lent us a lot of money when she was ill.
We thought she was pitiful before, so we never begged for it. But this old beggar didn't pay back the money. Instead, she hid at home and exchanged it for food and wine. Let me tell you, she must pay back the money today. If she doesn't pay back, take that
It is only natural for the yamen to pay off debts."
Buluan hid in the house and did not dare to show his head.
Bu Zhi was so angry that he wanted to rush over and teach these people a lesson, but Chen Qun stretched out his hand to stop him.
At this time, Cao Peng roughly understood the reason for the matter. These people should be Aunt Bu Zhi's clansmen, or even their nephews. They had occupied Aunt Bu Zhi's property before, but then Aunt Bu Zhi fell ill, so B Luan
Go and borrow money from them...
Generally speaking, this should be the case.
But Cao Peng felt that this matter was not as simple as it seemed.
He stared at the big man at the head with burning eyes, "I can wait for them to pay back the money. But there is something I want to ask clearly. Who asked you to come?"
The big man was stunned for a moment and seemed to hesitate.
After a moment, he said: "No one asked us to come, so what's wrong with us asking for debt?"
"Haha, repaying debts is a matter of course. How much do they owe you?"
"Sir, you don't want to..."
Bu Zhi shouted quickly, but Cao Peng raised his hand to signal him not to speak.
"This..." The big man hesitated for a moment, then stretched out a finger, "It's always money."
"You're talking nonsense. You only gave me fifty dollars. Why did it become a consistent thing?"
"It's so strange that fifty dollars has become consistent after such a long time...Bu Luan, I have your receipt here, so you can't even think of defaulting on it."
Buluan's face turned red and he wanted to argue.
But I heard Cao Peng ask quietly: "Is it always money? No problem...but the money is here with me, do you dare to come and get it?"
As he spoke, Cao Peng reached back and Guo Huan hurriedly took out a bunch of copper coins from his body, ran to Cao Peng and put them in Cao Peng's hand.
There is a lot of money hanging on one finger.
Cao Peng shook his head and shook it towards the big man, "Here, the money is here, come and get it."