Verse 54 shows the first signs

There are all kinds of things, about a dozen or so courtesy transactions. Most of her only needs to prepare a gift and a post and send someone to send it, but if she does, she has to go there in person.

In addition to all kinds of etiquette, there are all kinds of people who want to visit her.

"At two o'clock in the afternoon, Mrs. Wu came to worship—"

"Oh, it's class day again." Pei Lixiu couldn't help but be a little bored, curling her sideburns with her fingers.

This Mrs. Wu is a well-known local "boudoir teacher", the widow of a famous man in Henan, who lives in Guangzhou to make a living. In order to avoid being timid, Pei Lixiu specially invited herself to teach herself some common sense and response skills.

It turns out that although this Miss Pei has the determination to be a Ming lady, she does not have enough perseverance. After studying it a few times, I complained about it, and this kind of learning began to become a wasted accident.

Even so, studying is boring. She made an excuse to change it from once every five days to once every ten days. When Pei Lixiu heard that today was another day of studying, she couldn't help but get a little bigger after a hangover.

"Today, Wu Gongzi and Dong Gongzi are also coming to visit Miss."

"Oh? The two of them were funny. Hearing these two, Pei Lixiu unconsciously became energetic. These two children of the official eunuchs, since the last time they lent money to Guangzhou Station to make a huge profit in the trading of Leizhou sugar, they admired the methods and skills of this Guo Dongzhu very much, and later Ziminglou became more and more diligent.

They have a large amount of money to squander, and they have nothing to do every day but to hollow out their minds and have fun, Ziminglou has become a place that this group of people must go to almost every day, Pei Lixiu, Guo Yi, Zhang Xin and others, knowing that this group of people have money in their hands, and the father and brother family behind them have political shili, and they are enveloped by this group of sons, not only digging out their minds to clone modern gadgets, but also specially inviting people to invite several famous Qing guests in Guangdong. Some of these Qing guests are good at arranging music and teaching singing, some are good at stacking mountains and stones, some are appreciating antiques, framed calligraphy and paintings, and domesticated flowers and birds. Two troupes are also in the pipeline.

After having "breakfast", Pei Lixiu went to her "office" as usual, Zheng Shangjie was already inside, only to hear her reprimand loudly:

"How many times have I told you, although the silver card is not a valuable item, it can't be sent by a person, you are so casually and indiscriminately, people will look down on it, do you understand? You have to want it, but you still have to have a hope. ”

Chunliu slapped the curtain and shouted, "Miss Pei is here." The voices inside stopped.

Pei Lixiu walked in, and the two stewards who were being reprimanded by Zheng Shangjie hurriedly bowed together. After Zheng Shangjie came, the business situation of Ziming Building became more orderly and orderly. Especially in marketing, there has been great progress. This has been done before, as a ticket agent, cosmetics agent, health care product agent, insurance agent, travel company agent, and copycat agent...... And so on and so forth, women are very good at pitching and promoting. Under her guidance, a sales promotion department of Zishi Enterprise was set up to promote various products and services. And the promotion activities of Ziming Building are the focus of her attention.

"Alright, you guys go first. In the future, you should pay attention to the issue of cards. Again, she emphasized this and sent them away.

After Zheng Shangjie arrived in Guangzhou, she had to change into the women's clothes of the Ming Dynasty according to the habits of the Ming Dynasty, but this kind of wide robe and large sleeves were really inconvenient, and it took a long time to barely get used to it. But how awkward it is to look at yourself.

For this reason, she rarely appears in public and spends more time on internal management and administrative matters, which just makes up for Pei Lixiu's weaknesses. The two worked together to complement each other perfectly. In addition, Lingao began to train the local indigenous personnel in Guangzhou and Leizhou in rotation, especially the original managers and management personnel were screened and trained, and a complete set of management systems were established in the business. The management of the enterprises under the Guangzhou station is much stricter than in the past.

The "cabinet room" of Ziming Building, or "General Manager's Office", is a small room, which is decorated according to the style of the Ming Dynasty, but the layout is modern style. Two rosewood desks made in a modern style were placed back to back, and Pei Lixiu and Zheng Shangjie were doing face to face.

Several of their secretaries, the so-called Yahuan, sat at the back at four small desks put together. Zheng Shangjie also has two maids under her name, one is in charge of her pen and ink clerical matters, and the other is an accountant and specializes in bookkeeping.

Pei Lixiu sat behind her desk and yawned first, and Chunliu quickly made her a bowl of pineapple tea. Zheng Shangjie glanced at her with disdain: "It's noon, haven't woken up yet?" ”

"I drank too much last night—" Pei Lixiu lay on the table weakly, "You despise me." ”

"I'm too lazy to despise you. There's still a lot to do here, though. ”

"God, did I come to Daming just to let me sit in the office from scratch and become a little white-collar worker?" She groaned in pain, "Why is this more and more like the old days?" ”

"Aren't you a courtesan at night?"

"Ahh Didn't go any further. Her head was still drowsy—and the courtesans weren't having much of an easy time.

"The matter of building the Purple Garden, Guo Dongzhu has already approved." After Zheng Shangjie arrived in Guangzhou, he also changed his name in public like the people at Guangzhou Station, so as not to attract attention.

Zheng Shangjie is now Guo Yi's cousin - specially invited to help.

Although Ziming Building has been renovated and rebuilt, the pattern has been greatly improved compared with the past, but after all, it is located in the downtown area and cannot be expanded. For this reason, Guo Yi sent people to survey the land outside the city, to find a good place with mountains and rivers to build a villa manor, which was used as a branch of Ziming Building. This place is called "Purple Garden".

"Someone proposed to ask Jicheng to build it." Pei Lixiu remembered this matter, "But this person seems to be in Jiangnan, and he has to send someone to invite him—"

"If you want me to say, it's better to put off what you want to do." Zheng Shangjie said, "We only know that this person is in Nanjing, and we don't know anything else, and those who send someone to go all the way to the country will not be able to come back for three or four months, and the cost is very large, not to mention that they may not be able to invite people." It's not very nice to audit. ”

Guo Yi specifically mentioned at the last Guangzhou station work meeting that the Cheka should soon go to the Guangzhou station to review the accounts after the audit of the People's Committee of Agriculture, and asked everyone to pay more attention to the financial and accounting work, especially the account management and cash. Unnecessary expenses are better not to be spent.

"Do you want the Purple Garden project?" Pei Lixiu doesn't have any opinions about such things.

"Normally, it stops. I'm afraid it's not good to hear the news and stop again, I think it's not bad for Purple Garden to be on it. One more place to make money. Besides, the stacking mountain master is not only a success, right? ”

"He seems to be the most famous." Pei Lixiu sighed, "We're not in Jiangnan." ”

The two women talked and dealt with the things at hand. Suddenly, Chunliu, who went to the concierge to pick up the morning's post, came back in a hurry.

She put the post on the table and quickly reported to them a strange thing.

Dong Jizhong and Wu Zhixiang, who were originally going to come to Ziming Building in the afternoon, actually sent someone to say that they would not come today because of their physical discord.

"Did they say they would change the day?" Pei Lixiu didn't think anything strange was there.

"It's strange here, if they don't come on weekdays, they always have to meet separately, and today the servant came and only said this and left."

"Maybe I forgot." Pei Lixiu also felt strange now, but she didn't feel much yet.

"No, that's not all." Chunliu told her that the number of posts received on the door today was more than thirty percent less than in the past, and many people who were supposed to come also sent servants to say that they would not come for the time being.

“？” Pei Zheng and the two glanced at each other. That's weird. It is a very face-saving thing to come to Ziming Building, because the reception capacity is limited, even if you have a drink here and take a bath, you have to make an appointment a few days or even ten days in advance. For some special items, only gold and silver card holders can make reservations. Unless something important happens, it will not be canceled.

In this way, something big happened in the city of Guangzhou, and Zheng Shangjie was keenly aware of this.

"Hurry up and send someone to Huifu Street to see Guo Yi, something happened in the city of Guangzhou."

But there was no news from Guo Yi, Zhang Xin hurriedly took care of people to inquire around, what news is there in Guangzhou recently? The crowd reported that night that everything was all right. In the evening, the traffic was busy, and the crowded Ziming Building was as lively as usual, except for those dignitaries who had canceled their appointments.

That night they finally got the first news.

The news was revealed by a Qing guest in the governor's yamen and near the governor -- on weekdays, Zhang Xin and others were in control of a group of middle- and lower-level personnel who worked beside various yamen and officials.

This man told them that Wang Zunde, the governor of Liangguang, was secretly plotting a crusade against the thieves in Lingao.

Of course, things are extremely secretive, but in ancient society, there was no real concept of secrecy, and any information would be revealed to people nearby.

"It's kind of incredible." At an emergency meeting held in the safe house of Guangzhou Station, Meng Xian said, "Why is it suddenly about to be suppressed? ”

"It's a matter of time before it happens." Zhang Xin said, "The government pretends to be deaf and dumb to a certain point, and there will always be a day when it can't pretend to be able to do so." ”

"According to the point of view of intelligence, this kind of information must first be verified."

"Well, I've already sent people to the various yamen to verify our 'relationship'. Whether it's true or not, there will definitely be news in the next few days. Yan Maoda frowned and said, "I'm afraid this matter is not good." Guangzhou station may face a test. ”

"It's good to report the situation to Lingao." Pei Lixiu was puzzled, "We are all serious Guangzhou natives now. ”

"This is just an official article." Guo Yi said, "At the beginning, they could have registered us, but this time they can also deny it." Who doesn't know that these brands are actually the property of Australians? Whether you want to rectify us or not, it's all in the thoughts of this group of officials. ”

"But aren't we nominally the people of the Ming Dynasty now? They have to have a reason. "Zheng Shangjie's days in Daming have not been long, and the officials of Daming who have seen him are at most a little obscene, and he has not seen their insidious ferocity.

"There are so many reasons. The official word is two-mouthed, no matter how he says it, it is his reason. Yan Maoda said, "Things are indeed very dangerous"

Guo Yi nodded and said, "Daming's household registration is unreliable. Don't say that we are impostors, we are serious Guangzhou natives, and those who are officials are different and can clean up if they want to. Not to mention that there is such a big industry as Guangzhou Station, many people have long been red-eyed. If the matter of cracking down on the thieves this time is really successful, I am afraid that the officials and gentry who are plotting to seize these brands will break their heads. ”

Speaking of which, everyone is a little silent, in the past few years, Guangzhou Station has been windy, rainy and rainy. Several of the people in charge have become well-known figures on the ground in Guangzhou. If he Guo Yi goes out with a post, someone from Guangzhou Prefecture, Nanhai and Panyu counties will immediately come forward, and general matters can be settled immediately. Even if they go up to the yamen of the sub-patrol road, the yamen of the political envoy, and even the yamen of the governor and governor, they all have the same communication, and they can go through the inner door at any time. Any message can be delivered anytime, anywhere.

During this period, the special investigation team repeatedly worked wet and dry in the city of Guangzhou, and killed people and set fire to the whole family, because the relationship with the government was hard, and the background was sufficient. Not to mention the bitter master's investigation, there is not even a talkative person.

This situation gave them the feeling that they were the "invisible godfathers" of Guangzhou. Guangzhou Station is as steady as a rock. When the meeting was held in the safe house, making fun of the **, greed and incompetence of the Ming government had almost become a kind of routine in the meeting - as long as you were willing to spend money, you could do anything. This has become the thinking mode of the people of Guangzhou Station.

Some people even joked when they drank too much: Even if the headquarters of Lingao collapses one day, the foundation crossing group of Guangzhou Station can regroup.

Now, just one piece of news about the imminent use of force against Lingao made them feel like they had been struck by lightning.

They have never felt so truly dependent on the entire Lingao Group. There is no need to consider, measure or calculate anything, without the support of the entire group behind it, the collapse of Guangzhou Station is a matter of moments - they are just a big piece of fat.

"Let's not rush all the time." Yan Maoda said, "This news has not been confirmed for the time being. However, since it came out of the governor's yamen, I think the authenticity is more than ninety percent. Some preparatory work should be done. ”

"Well, I agree with Lao Yan." Zhang Xin said, "Although this matter is a bit strange, it can't be a defense. My opinion is that people are the most important thing, and if there is no need to worry about goods and things, if the matter is urgent, retreat immediately. ”

"Do you want to start Operation Muddy?"

Operation Hun was the general retreat of the Guangzhou station. This includes the dismissal and evacuation of personnel, the repatriation, concealment and burial of goods and goods, and the handling of various business relationships. This plan has been formulated since the establishment of the Guangzhou station, and as the scale of the Guangzhou station has become larger and larger, the Jihua book of the Hun action has become thicker and thicker.

Guo Yi said: "Of course not, now it is just a possibility, we don't need to be too nervous, and we can't mess around." ”

"Once they want to attack Lingao, we will definitely not be able to defend here." Zhang Xin said.

"Whether it will conquer Lingao, this has not yet been confirmed." Guo Yi said, "We can't rule out the possibility that someone is trying to take advantage of the fact that we are Australians and cover us with big hats." ”

"What do you mean?" Zheng Shangjie didn't quite understand.

"Are you saying that some people are using the crusade against Lingao to force us to spit out our interests, but it is not certain that they will attack Lingao?"

"Yes. We need to consider such a possibility. Guangzhou Station is a piece of fat, and there are many people eyeing it. In this Guangzhou city, are there still few things to buy and rob when people do well? We have always been a big root in the background, and if we want to eat the meat of the Zi Group, we have to rectify us from the root. Unleashing such true and false news has forced us to mess up. ”

"You're saying the news could be fake?"

"No, the news may be true. However, the crusade against Lingao may not be carried out. The so-called crossbow does not open arrows. ”

"The sight of this group of officials makes the rudder itself very big. That's why I said, even if there is such a thing as attacking Lingao, we don't need to be in a hurry. There are many aspects involved in Guangzhou Station here, and once it is finished, many people's interests will suffer serious losses, and they will not let it go -- such as exaltation. Even if each other's payments could be hedged against each other, he still lost the supply of Australian goods, and the gains outweighed the losses. Yan Maoda said.

"Now let's find various channels to confirm the news, and by the way, also find our allies. so that they may come out and speak for us when necessary. Guo Yi said, "Of course, this news will be reported to Lingao tonight." From today onwards, Guangzhou's movements will be reported twice a day. ”

"Okay." There was a lot of agreement.

"And Meng Xian's side." Guo Yi said, "There is very little public contact between Delong Bank and Guangzhou Station, and there are a large number of private deposits of official eunuchs, so it is estimated that it will not be affected too much." You don't want to be in the purple store recently. If there is something to contact the traffic officer, if something really happens and you lose contact, you can arrange your own retreat or temporarily stand by according to the situation. ”

"Okay." Meng Xian nodded heavily, "I'll try to insist." ”

"Also, you'd better take inventory of the deposit and see how many can be called." Guo Yi said, "I estimate that if this news is true, these purple enterprises will face a large-scale run in a few days." I'm afraid you'll have a run on it yourself. Each family should prepare at least 50,000 taels of silver. ”