There is a saying that relying on the mountains to eat the mountains, relying on the sea to eat the sea, and one side of the water and soil to support the other side. Because of the high terrain, soil veins and sand ridges, eight or nine out of ten fields can only be planted with cotton beans, to the middle of the Ming Dynasty, Suzhou Prefecture Jiading County Tongyi planted cotton, than household weaving day and night, dusk into cloth in the morning easy money rice, cotton cloth and grain trading is becoming more and more active.

There is a town in it, called Loutang Town, although it is a projectile land, the production of kapok cloth is several times that of other towns, merchants gather, the annual trade must be more than 10,000 taels of silver, and the loading ships are often thousands.

In order to make a profit, Loutang Town, like other places in Suzhou Prefecture, "Ya Yu" (people who specialize in introducing and trading) have opened large or small tooth shops, and all cotton cloth yarn and rice, grain, firewood and grain are not allowed to trade without going through the tooth shop; The "porters" (laborers who carry goods) are even in groups, holding the lot and extorting it wantonly, often causing the goods to congest the river entrances if they do not do so.

There is a family surnamed Zhou living in the town, the owner is called Zhou Kui, who has been in the industry for five years, that is, he opened the largest cotton cloth tooth shop in the town, and the six nephews are led by the eldest nephew Zhou Duo, and the remaining five are the porter team leader, and they have mastered a team of hundreds of porters. The Tooth Store and the Porter Gang echoed each other, and the Zhou family had a monopoly on almost all the transactions in the town.

said that it was five years, but in fact, it was only a little more than two years, because counting forward, Mrs. Zhou and his brother and sister-in-law were still alive, and Zhou Kui was not yet at home.

According to the rules handed down by the ancestors, all the descendants of the Zhou family should ask the patriarch to "recognize the ancestry and return to the genealogy".

However, Zhou Kui led his sons and nephews to come to the door countless times to beg, and the patriarch Zhou Dingxin didn't know which nerve he had committed, so he didn't say yes, and he didn't even let him see him.

This time was no exception, Zhou Kui couldn't help but sigh, and said helplessly: "Before, he thought our uncle and nephew were poor, but now our uncle and nephew have some status, and the courtesy is not less than that of other people's families, but why does he still refuse to see us?" ”

The nephew Zhou Zhong shook his head blankly, and the eldest son Zhou Jian answered: "What else?" I've gone to find out, and the four elders of this old thing's secret sect have investigated us thoroughly. ”

Zhou Kui let out an "oh" and said eagerly: "What do they say?" ”

Zhou Jian paused for a moment and said: "They blamed us for the rice famine incident in the town the year before last, and said that grandpa was angry with you, and the uncle drowned because the people who wanted to take revenge on you mistakenly took the uncle for you, and the eldest mother died of a violent illness because you did something you shouldn't have done to her." ”

Zhou Kui couldn't help but gasp: "How could they know these things?" It's impossible, it must be hearsay without evidence, as long as we bite it to death and don't admit it, they can't do it. ”

After paying attention, Zhou Kui's panic was a little lighter, and he secretly glanced at Zhou Zhong, but seeing Zhou Zhong's stunned face, he tried to calm himself and asked, "Do you believe it?" ”

Zhou Jian said angrily: "Believe in his mother's dog, although Mi Huang starved to death more than a dozen people and rotted some food, can we be blamed for it?" Hmph, if those little tooth shops and little footmen are willing to be obedient, where will there be a rice shortage? ”

Although Zhou Zhong was still a little puzzled, thinking that he would have to rely on his uncle to live in the future, he hurriedly echoed: "Who said that it is not a mile, otherwise, when will our Zhou family have a bright future?" What is the most important thing, it is the most important thing to have money. ”

As he spoke, he saw Zhou Kui nodding his head again and again, and then said: "What they said about my uncle, they must be spreading rumors, and they want to divide our uncle and nephew, and my uncle must not believe it." ”

When Zhou Kui heard this, he was relieved and said with a smile: "Okay, Zhong'er has insight." ”

After receiving the praise, Zhou Zhong got a little carried away and said: "That's the case, my grandfather has been a native man all his life, and the income is barely able to make a living, my father can only grow kapok, I'm afraid it's difficult to even make a living, if it weren't for my uncle and my hard work, where would we be able to live a good life like today?"

Knowing this, who can still believe what they say? As for my mother's death, it is even more nonsense, my mother clearly missed my father too much and died of depression, and my father accidentally fell into the water because he was drunk and choked to death. ”

What Zhou Zhong said was exactly what Zhou Kui declared to the outside world, Zhou Kui nodded, and was thinking about what to say, Zhou Jian said again: "Hmph, what kind of patriarch is he?" On the basis of these trumped-up charges, they repeatedly turned us away. ”

Zhou Zhongdao: "Isn't it because our power is not big enough? Hmph, if our power is greater, see if he still dares? ”

Zhou Jian said: "He came up with cruel words, saying that as long as he is alive, we will never be allowed to recognize the genealogy, this is not a trivial matter, it seems that it can only be as Zhou Zhong said." ”

Zhou Kui said: "It's only like this, anyway, we can't be lonely ghosts, we have to think of a way to get this done." ”

Zhou Zhongdao: "In that case, we can no longer be limited to Loutang Town, we must look far away, to Jiading, and even the entire Suzhou Mansion." ”

Zhou Jian said: "It should be so, but at present, even Loutang Town is not stable, and we still have a lot of things to do." ”

Zhou Kui nodded contemplatively, and before he could speak, his right eyelid suddenly jumped out of place, and then kept jumping.

"Jump left for wealth, right jump for disaster." Zhou Kui involuntarily muttered.

Zhou Kui originally didn't believe his wife's mantra that he heard out of nowhere, but after he became rich in Loutang, Zhou Kui began to believe it, not only believing, but also completely superstitious.

Chattering, Zhou Kui panicked. In order to hide this panic, he got up and paced back and forth, as if he was thinking, but in fact, he was at a loss.

"What kind of disaster will it be?" Zhou Kui asked himself, couldn't think of it, and became more and more afraid.

Coldly, Zhou Kui's eyes jumped out of Tian Jiya's shopkeeper Tian Sanbao: "This turtle grandson has a vicious face!" If we hadn't done him first, how could we be where we are today?

It's only been a few days, and this turtle grandson has actually become like this, what does he want to do? Could it be that he wanted to rebel? Surely the right eyelid jumped this time must have been on him. ”

Thinking secretly, he waved his hand at Zhou Jian and Zhou Zhongyi, and said, "Quick, go home." ”

Zhou Jian said: "It's getting late today, can't you go back tomorrow?" ”

Zhou Kui had something on his mind, so he didn't bother to take care of him, so he got up and got on the boat.

Although Zhou Jian and Zhou Zhong were inexplicable, seeing him like this, they had to command their subordinates to carry the gifts they brought back onto the boat.

Zhou Kui waved his hand at the boat boss, and the boat boss was willing, pulled the anchor and set sail.

After walking for a while, it was already dark. Suddenly, countless lights suddenly appeared on the water. Everyone knows that every light is a boat.

"It's broken, something happened!" Secretly, Zhou Kui panicked, and pretended to be calm and rushed to the old avenue: "Quick, lean up and see what's going on." ”

The captain of the ship was silent when he heard this, and sped up to meet him.

In the darkness, there was a small boat rowing by, it must be because the boat was too small, the load was too large, and the rowers were in a hurry, and the speed of progress was not fast, and the boat behind was chasing closer and closer.

Because it was too dark and there were no lights on the boat, Zhou Kui couldn't see clearly, and the ominous premonition in his heart couldn't help but get heavier and heavier, and he couldn't help but ask loudly: "Who is in front?" ”