After dusk that day, Huang Shao, the second son of the Huang family in Ye County, rushed into the city before the closure of Kunyang County, and came to the 'Huang Cloth Village'.

At this time, it was already dark, Huang shopkeeper was waiting with an oil lamp, and when he saw Huang Shao walking into the shop with a few entourage, he hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Second master." ”

"Uncle."

Huang Shao returned the salute and immediately asked: "I have seen what you asked Xiaoliu to send, and I have listened to what you asked him to convey, but what is going on?" ”

The shopkeeper Huang raised his hand and said, "I can't finish talking for a while, I have already instructed someone to prepare the wine and food, how about the second master eat first?" I'll explain it in more detail when I get there. ”

"Okay."

After wiping his face briefly, Huang Shao went to a compartment on the second floor of the store under the leadership of the shopkeeper Huang.

At this time, Huang Shao was also hungry and ate some indiscriminately.

Immediately, he put down the dishes and chopsticks, wiped his mouth with the handkerchief he carried with him, and immediately, he took out the leaflet from his arms and asked, "According to Xiao Liu, this thing was sent by the Black Tiger Thief?" ”

"Yes, it's not."

The shopkeeper Huang explained: "To be exact, the people who sent this thing, they claimed to be the people of the 'Kunyang Brotherhood'......"

"The Kunyang Brotherhood?"

Huang Shao was stunned, his eyes were slightly wandering.

He swore that it was the first time he had heard the name 'Brotherhood of Kunyang,' but for some reason, he felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

This strange and rare way of naming, he always felt that he had heard it somewhere......

That's right!

Luye Freemasonry!

In terms of the strangeness and rarity of the name, this Kunyang Brotherhood and his Luye Freemasonry are simply not far behind.

"Impossible, impossible......"

With a little surprise on his face, Huang Shao couldn't help muttering to himself.

Noticing Huang Shao's distraction, the shopkeeper Huang reminded puzzledly: "Second master? ”

"Oh."

Huang Shao came back to his senses at this time, he first looked apologetically, then looked at the three words 'brotherhood' on the flyer in his hand, and said with a smile: "This name reminds me of a person...... Sorry, uncle, you continued. ”

Shopkeeper Huang nodded and continued to explain: "Although the people of this 'Kunyang Brotherhood' blindly dissociate themselves from the relationship with the Black Tiger Yishe, they ...... Second master, do you know the Black Tiger Righteous House? ”

"Hmm."

Huang Shao nodded and said, "As far as I know, it was a righteous house opened by the Black Tiger Thief, mainly to recruit people...... Haven't these people been arrested by the county government yet? ”

The shopkeeper shook his head and said, "I think it's hanging." …… A few days ago, Ishihara, the head catcher of the county government, caught an official of the Black Tiger House, who wandered the alleys near the Black Tiger House every night, distributing 'Black Tiger Lottery' ...... to some restless guys."

As he spoke, he stood up, took out a bamboo skewer the thickness of chopsticks from the cabinet he was watching, handed it to Huang Shao, and said, "This is it." …… I got it for five hundred dollars from a ranger. ”

Huang Shao took the bamboo stick and looked at it.

At first glance, this bamboo skewer is not much different from ordinary bamboo skewers, the difference is only that in the middle of one side of this bamboo skewer, there is a small 'tiger' character engraved, and the depression is filled with black ink.

"Is it so arrogant? Publicly distribute such tokens in the county? Huang Shao shook his head with a smile, and immediately asked the shopkeeper Huang: "What happened to the person who was arrested by the head?" ”

"It's strange here." The shopkeeper lowered his voice and said: "According to my inquiry, the county order released the person due to insufficient evidence, and I inquired carefully, and I heard that Chen Cai, the steward of the Black Tiger Yishe, personally went to the county government to complain that the head catcher named Ishihara arrested the official of his Yishe for no reason. ”

“……”

Huang Shao glanced at the shopkeeper Huang in surprise, and then said with great interest: "You mean, in the case of both the stolen goods, the county government released the person who was suspected of being a black tiger thief?" ”

"Yes."

Shopkeeper Huang nodded solemnly: "It is said that the person denied it, saying that someone gave him money to do that, and the stone catcher could not prove that this person was indeed a black tiger thief, so he could only release him." ”

"Interesting......"

Huang Shao touched the short whisker on his chin, and said with interest: "You mean, the county order shields the black tiger thief?" ”

The shopkeeper Huang shook his head and said: "It shouldn't be enough to cover up, I think it's mostly a rat trap, second master, you also know how fierce the black tiger thieves are, last year in Runan, Kunyang and my Ye County, the county lieutenants of the three counties took nearly 2,000 officers and soldiers to encircle and suppress them, but they were still fleeing a lot, and even caused heavy losses to the officers and soldiers......"

"Hmm......"

Huang Shao nodded slightly.

He didn't know the battle losses of Runan and Kunyang counties at that time, but he Ye County did suffer heavy losses, and the more than 500 officers and soldiers led by Gao Chun of Ye County at the beginning finally only returned to Ye County, so that the Gao County Lieutenant is now scolding in Ye County.

While Huang Shao was pondering, the shopkeeper Huang continued: "As far as I know, President Lu has repeatedly urged Kunyang to exterminate the black tiger thief as soon as possible, but as far as I can see, Kunyang is not very concerned about the encirclement and suppression of the black tiger thief now. Second, these thieves may have reached a tacit agreement with the county government......"

Huang Shao glanced at the shopkeeper Huang suspiciously, after all, this can't be said nonsense.

As if he had guessed Huang Shao's suspicions, the shopkeeper lowered his voice and said: "Second master, it's not that I say it, you see these black tiger thieves, they are brave and brave, but they only care about controlling the main road between the two mountains in the north of the county, in addition, they neither rob the village, nor offend the county seat, they don't behave like ordinary bandits, I suspect that they may have negotiated with the county government, which also explains why Kunyang County is becoming less and less concerned about this group of bandits......"

"Hmm......"

Huang Shao stroked his beard and fell into deep thought.

He had personally experienced being robbed by black tiger thieves, so he paid special attention to black tiger thieves.

As the shopkeeper Huang said, the black tiger thief is very different from the ordinary bandits, ordinary thieves rob homes and kill innocents, but what about the black tiger thieves? They forced the villages below to submit to them, and paid them for helping them raise poultry and livestock, so that the local villages were not afraid but did not panic, and did not flee like other villages plagued by bandits.

All in all, the group of black tiger thieves is very interesting, and they are by no means bandits in the ordinary sense.

It's a pity that these bandits are not very friendly to their merchants, but all the caravans that pass by their mountain will be forced to hand over about 20% of the goods' of the 'road money', which is the biggest and most fundamental conflict of interest between the Talu Ye Freemasons and the Black Tiger Thieves.

Because of this conflict, Huang Shao originally thought that the conflict of interests between the two sides was difficult to resolve, but suddenly things changed, and the black tiger thief actually sent someone to his store to deliver something, does this mean that the other party actually wants to cooperate with them?

He didn't believe that all the black tiger thieves were illiterate, and he couldn't see the bright 'Lu Ye Gongji' sign.

Thinking of this, Huang Shao asked in a deep voice: "Uncle, can you find a way to contact the Luyang Brotherhood?" Contact their steward. ”

Huang Shopkeeper was not surprised that Huang Shao would say this, and said in a low voice: "The Brotherhood has a workshop in the south of the city, which has been newly opened in recent days, and has hired many people in the city. ”

"Okay."

Huang Shao nodded and said, "Let's go and test first." ”

The next day, Huang Shao, under the leadership of Huang's shopkeeper, took several entourages to the 'Brotherhood Workshop' in the south of the city.

Located in a complex of buildings in the southwest of the county, this workshop seems to have been converted into a large warehouse, and the people living around it are some poor people, and to be honest, the location is not very good.

There are two signs hanging at the door of the workshop, one is a horizontal plaque engraved with 'Chengnan Workshop', and the other is a vertical plaque engraved with 'Kunyang Brotherhood'.

The more Huang Shao looked at it, the more it felt like the way he hung up the signs of the Luye Freemasons - they also hung them up like this.

“……”

couldn't help but glance at the two signs a few more times, Huang Shao took the shopkeeper Huang and his entourage into the workshop that had been converted from a warehouse.

A cursory glance at the interior of the workshop revealed that it was very spacious, with rows and rows of long tables on either side of which were many men and women sitting on stools weaving straw mats.

Judging from the honest faces of these people, it is probably the people in the neighborhood who are employed by this workshop.

may have noticed Huang Shao's group of uninvited guests, and immediately three or five men with fierce faces stepped forward and asked unceremoniously, "What are you doing?" ”

Huang Shao took out the leaflet from his arms and explained with a smile: "You sent someone to deliver this to my store yesterday, so ...... it."

As soon as they heard this, the three or five men with fierce faces looked at each other, and immediately changed their attitudes, and the first one said with a smile: "It's here to talk about business, right?" A few of you were invited to sit in the cubicle, and I immediately went to ask the steward. …… Please. ”

Looking at the guys on the other side who still felt a little oozing despite their smiles, Huang Zhao nodded calmly and followed them to a small compartment in the workshop, and even brought tea to the other party.

Although these guys brewed tea very badly, and even splashed outside, Huang Shao felt very novel.

After all, from the other party's previous fierce appearance, it was not difficult for him to deduce the other party's true identity.

It's really strange that a group of bandits can do this kind of courtesy.

"Sit and wait."

Huang Shao said to the shopkeeper Huang, who nodded slightly.

After a while, Chen Cai, who learned of this, hurried over, and saw that there were indeed a few people sitting in the compartment, and immediately hurried over.

At this time, Huang Shao and the others also noticed Chen Cai and stood up out of courtesy.

Both sides bowed their hands.

After saluting, Chen Cai asked Huang Shao with a smile: "How do you call your feet?" ”

Huang Shao arched his hand and replied: "In Xia Huang Shao, the second son of the Huang family in Ye County...... After that, he pointed to the Huang shopkeeper and said: "This is my uncle, who runs my family's cloth village in the city, and received this ...... from you yesterday Paper book, my uncle thinks that my family and you may have a place to cooperate, so he sent someone to inform him. ”

"Oh."

Chen Cai suddenly realized, raised his hand and asked: "Under Chen Cai, he is now the manager of the workshop." Huang Gongzi, please sit, Huang Shopkeeper, please sit. ”

After Huang Shao and Huang Shopkeeper sat down, Chen Cai said with a smile: "The workshop is simple, so that Huang Gongzi can see it, and we will gradually improve this aspect." ”

"Where, where." Huang Shao smiled and waved his hand, and then asked, "I don't know what your workshop mainly produces?" Is it a straw mat? When I came in, I saw a lot of people weaving straw mats. ”

"No, no, no."

Chen Cai shook his head and explained: "That's only temporary, because my workshop hasn't received any orders yet, so I'm going to make some straw mats first, after all, straw mats are versatile and can be used everywhere...... In fact, my workshop can undertake many things, even military things, such as arrow shafts and tail feathers for arrows, including the manufacture of shields......"

Huang Shao was very surprised when he heard this, and asked in surprise: "Do you have such skilled hands in your workshop?" ”

"Uh......" Chen Cai was slightly embarrassed and said, "We can find a special craftsman professor, the people in my workshop learn very quickly." ”

"......" Huang Shao opened his mouth, but he didn't know what to say.

Fang Cai, when Chen Cai said that they could make arrow shafts, tail feathers and even shields on behalf of the army, Huang Shao was very surprised in his heart, and thought that he had lost his eyes, and his feelings were just bragging about the other party.

Wait!

『…… Why is it only mentioned to help the army make it? Are these people ......?"

Huang Shao heard something wrong, and said tentatively: "Steward Chen knows the 'military market'? ”

"Military market? What military market? ”

Given that Zhao Yu hadn't had time to tell Chen Cai about Wancheng Military City, of course Chen Cai didn't know, and when he heard Huang Shao's inquiry, his face showed a little confusion.

Seeing that Chen Cai's confusion was not fake, Huang Shao immediately understood: there were still people above this Chen Steward.

He smiled and explained: "The military market, that is, the Wancheng military market, the trading object of my Lu Ye Freemasonry over the years, mainly the military market ......" As he spoke, he glanced at Chen Cai and asked deliberately: "Steward Chen should know, my Huang family is also one of the Lu Ye Freemasons." ”

I have to say that Chen Cai is not as calm as Huang Shao, who was born in business, although he heard Huang Shao's words, but the city government is still insufficient, so that after hearing Huang Shao's words, he licked his lips and looked at Huang Shao with a smile.

As if to say: So what?

Huang Shao immediately noticed that the atmosphere in the compartment froze, and he hurriedly spread his hands and said, "Don't misunderstand Steward Chen, Huang doesn't mean anything else, Huang just wants to confirm, do you really want to cooperate with us?" …… Of course, Huang is very interested in cooperating with you. ”

Hearing this, Chen Cai's eyes softened a little.

As one of the few more clever people in the cottage, he also understood at this time, the other party obviously knew that they were from the Black Tiger Village, and this made him admire their big leader even more.

"Of course."

Chen Cai nodded with a smile and said, "I don't know how Huang Gongzi wants to cooperate." ”

Huang Shao thought for a while and said with a smile: "Before talking about cooperation, let's introduce my Huang family." …… My Huang family is mainly engaged in grain and rice, cloth, leather and other businesses, in recent years, mainly cloth and leather goods, my family from all over the purchase of mulberry linen, cowhide, transported to Ye County, my family in Ye County has a few workshops, also hired some people, make the army flag, occasionally make some leather armor, or wrap leather on the shield......"

Speaking of this, he glanced at Chen Cai and said tentatively: "If you can buy mulberry hemp, animal skins, cowhides and other things for my family, my family is willing to buy them at a high price." ”

However, it was a pity that Chen Cai shook his head: "I'm sorry, I can't wait to buy these materials on my behalf." ”

『…… Doesn't it work?'

Huang Shao frowned secretly, and said, "What about entrusting your workshop to make flags?" ”

Chen Cai didn't know if it was difficult to make flags and leather goods, so he immediately agreed: "This is naturally possible." The people in my workshop are quick learners. ”

Hearing this irresponsible promise, Huang Shao almost wanted to laugh.

However, considering that the other party was behind the black tiger thief, he finally endured it, nodded and said: "That's good, I can send a special master to teach the people in your workshop and teach them how to make banners, but it's just ......."

"Just what?" Chen Cai asked puzzled.

I saw Huang Shao spread his hands and said with a smile: "I also said below, my family is short of manpower, and the linen cloth purchased from all over the country can only be temporarily stacked in Xiangcheng, can you entrust your workshop to Xiangcheng to carry it on your behalf?" ”

Rao is Chen Cai is far less cunning than Huang Shao, who was born in Shangjia, and he guessed a few points when he heard this, and looked at Huang Shao with a smile.

However, considering that this was the first cooperation sent to the door, Chen Cai didn't think of refusing immediately, he pondered: "Please let me ...... Think about it. ”

As soon as he heard this, Huang Shao guessed that Chen Cai was going to ask for instructions, and said repeatedly: "Of course, of course." ”

With that, he got up and took his leave.

As he had guessed, after he left, Chen Cai immediately went to see Zhao Yu and ask the latter for instructions.

At this time, Zhao Yu lived in an inn in the city, took Jingnu shopping every day, and paid attention to the preparations for the establishment of the brotherhood by the way. ”

Speaking of which, this Huang Shao is really related to him, when Zhao Yu persuaded Yang Tong to change the way of looting the caravans that passed under the mountain, the first one to escape was the caravan led by Huang Shao himself, and now, he is trying to find a way to cooperate with the Lu Ye Freemasonry, and it is this Huang Shao who took the lead to show goodwill.

All in all, this person is a man with a brain.

But how?

Zhao Yu hugged the quiet girl who covered her face and thought.

The next day, Huang Shao, who was waiting in Huang's cloth village, received the news sent by Chen Cai.

He immediately took two of his entourage to the workshop in the south of the city to visit Chen Cai.

After seeing Chen Cai, Chen Cai said, "Please retreat." ”

Huang Shao did not hesitate and waved his hand to signal the two entourages to leave.

Seeing this, Chen Cai walked towards Huang Shao, and Zhengse said: "The big leader said, there is no need to be so troublesome, as long as Huang Gongzi is willing to build a weaving and dyeing workshop in the city with my brother, of course, if Huang Gongzi simply moves your family's workshop in Ye County to Kunyang, it can also be ......."

Huang Shao was not surprised to see the other party uncover his disguise and talk about the conditions straight to the point, after all, he had long known that behind the brotherhood was the black tiger thief.

He was just weighing the other side's offer.

After frowning and thinking about it, Huang Shao nodded heavily: "Yes." ”

Seeing this, Chen Cai raised his right hand, as if he was holding something.

Huang Shao suddenly understood, stretched out his hand and continued, only to hear a click, something fell from Chen Cai's hand to Huang Shao's palm.

He looked closely, only to see that it was a pitch-black wooden plaque, slightly heavy.

Picking it up and looking closely, he saw that on one side of the wooden plaque was engraved the words 'Brotherhood', and on the other side, it was carved with a long-tailed tiger striding forward.

『…… Is it so arrogant? Perhaps this county government in Kunyang is not just a rat trap. But...... What do you have to do with me?'

After playing with the wooden card in his hand, Huang Shao quietly took it into his arms, and then smiled and said to Chen Cai: "Then...... Thank you for your continued support. ”

"Huang Gongzi is serious, everyone is their own people." Chen Cai returned the salute with a smile.

looked at each other and smiled, tacitly.

Although he got a certain promise from Chen Cai's side, Huang Shao didn't know if it worked.

Two days later, in order to confirm the validity of the promise, Huang Shao personally went to Xiangcheng and organized a caravan composed of twenty carriages to carry mulberry hemp, leather goods and other goods to Kunyang.

As before, when his caravan passed under the mountain of the Black Tiger Village, black tiger thieves immediately appeared, lined up in the middle of the road, blocked the way, and demanded to buy road money.

Huang Shao, the leader of the bandits with two knives, is no stranger, that is one of the black tiger thieves, Wang Qing.

After signaling the entourage and guards in the caravan not to act rashly, Huang Shao personally came to Wang Qing and greeted him with his fists: "Commander Wang." ”

That Wang Qing ignored Huang Shao until Huang Shao took out the token.

I saw that under Huang Shao's attention, Wang Qing snatched the token and glanced at it twice, and when he saw the long-tailed tiger on the back of the token, he sighed, and then squinted at Huang Shao: "The Huang family in Ye County?" ”

As soon as he heard this, Huang Shao knew that the Black Tiger Thief in Kunyang County had already greeted the Black Tiger Village, and hurriedly said, "Yes." ”

Hearing this, Wang Qing threw the token in his hand back to Huang Shao, and said lightly: "Next time, directly hang the banner of the Huang family in your Ye County, and cause Lao Tzu to run for nothing." …… Let's go. ”

Unprecedentedly, Huang Shao led the caravan to pass quickly, and did not pay the road purchase money to the Black Tiger Village.

Seeing this, the entourage and guards in the caravan looked at each other and looked at Huang Shao frequently with an incredulous expression.

On the same day, after leading the caravan to Kunyang, Huang Shao personally went to the county government to ask for a meeting with the county commander Liu Bi, hoping that the latter would allow him to enclose a piece of land in the city for the construction of a weaving workshop and a dyeing workshop.

At this time, Zhao Yu had also received the news from the Black Tiger Village, and learned that Huang Shao had deliberately tested the effect of the token.

He was not surprised by this, after all, businessmen have always paid attention to practical profits, but they ......

『…… When the cooperation between the Huang family and our side spreads, I believe that more and more Luye Freemason merchants will follow suit."

Standing at the window on the second floor of the inn, Zhao Yu looked at the street below and thought secretly.

Regarding the Huang family's affairs, Wang Qing had already sent someone to raise objections to him, or simply said that the guy had complained, of course, this was not enough to change Zhao Yu's mind.

Living by plundering will not be able to get the understanding and acceptance of the mainstream world after all, so if the Black Tigers want to survive, they must integrate into the mainstream world and cooperate with some businessmen of the Luye Freemasonry, which is a good turning point in Zhao Yu's opinion.

Over time, the Kunyang Brotherhood, supported by his Black Tiger Clan, may not be able to replace the Luye Freemasonry......

Thinking of this, Zhao Yu couldn't help but feel a little melancholy.

After all, he was the one who founded the Luye Freemasonry in the past, and now he wants to tear it down with his own hands and make it disintegrate so that it does not become an obstacle......

"Maybe I should go and see that Lu Kuang?"

Zhao Yu frowned and thought secretly.