Xichun Boat is the largest painting boat under the name of Xichun Pavilion, the premier Qinglou of Su Yuan Mansion, and the ship is divided into multiple private rooms.

Not only is the decoration of the whole painting boat luxurious, but also the people who are responsible for receiving guests on it are all famous tricks under the name of Xichun Pavilion.

However, due to the impact of the plague all over the south of the Yangtze River, this originally hard-to-find spring boat has also become crowded.

After all, for those rich people, no matter how good their fame is, they are not as expensive as their own lives.

Now don't talk about going out to visit the Spring Building, many rich people don't even dare to step out of the door, for fear of accidentally contracting the sores that make people smell and change.

However, the strange thing is that there are more than a dozen guests on this Xichun boat tonight, and these people are all famous local merchants, including many rich salt merchants.

It's just that although people came, when everyone was watching the song and dance performance, these big businessmen sat very open, and did not dare to approach the others in the slightest, let alone chat and talk when they met as before.

Except for the dancing kabuki and the musicians, everyone in the audience did not say a word, looking very strange and embarrassed.

In fact, if these big businessmen hadn't been invited by the young owners of Changqingfang tonight, they wouldn't have been willing to go out at all, let alone have close contact with other people.

You must know that now the plague is rampant, who dares to go out unless necessary. Especially these wealthy businessmen, they are far more afraid of death than ordinary people.

And the reason why they were invited to come here tonight was not really for the sake of the face of the young owner of Changqingfang, but because they were moved by some of his rumors, so they took the risk to attend.

Because of its ulterior purpose, the originally wonderful cabaret show was like chewing wax in the eyes of these big businessmen, and many even hoped that the cabaret would end soon.

Finally, as the song and dance came to an end, a group of kabuki and musicians finally slowly withdrew.

After the kabuki and musicians left the stage, Lin Changsheng, the young owner of Changqingfang, glanced at the two bodyguards beside him.

The two dark-skinned men understood, and immediately closed the door to the box and guarded the outside to prevent anyone else from approaching.

At this time, only Lin Changsheng and the dozen or so merchants were left in the entire box, and even the subordinates who were in charge of serving the tea were called away.

Lin Changsheng looked around at everyone, and then bowed and said, "When is it, everyone knows very well.

Uncles and uncles have taken the risk to attend tonight's gathering, which is indeed very face-saving for the little nephew, and the little nephew is here to say thank you first. ”

A middle-aged businessman surnamed Ma said in a deep voice: "Young Master Lin, since you know that everyone is venturing over tonight, then let's not waste time and make things clear as soon as possible."

I'm going to ask you now, do you really have a cure for the plague that you can sell? ”

As soon as the merchant surnamed Ma finished speaking, all the merchants immediately looked at Lin Changsheng and waited for him to answer.

If other people say this kind of thing, most of them don't believe it, and they will only think that the other party is a charlatan who specializes in cheating money.

After all, if the sores were so easy to treat, so many people would not have died by now.

But Changqingfang is the largest bookstore in Su Yuan Mansion, and the Su family is also a well-known merchant family in the local area, so what they say is still somewhat credible.

If the Lin family really has a prescription that can treat the sores, then in case they accidentally contract this disease in the future, they can also be treated according to the prescription.

The reason why they will venture out tonight is for this way.

Lin Changsheng said apologetically: "To be honest, the little nephew has no prescription for treating the plague, and it is helpless to use this excuse to invite your uncles to come out." ”

"What do you say? Are you kidding us?! The merchant surnamed Ma was so angry that he stood up suddenly.

The other merchants were also full of anger, and some even slapped the table hard.

Only a few older businessmen watched Lin Changsheng quietly.

They are all old foxes who have been in the rivers and lakes for a long time, and they don't believe that this young owner of Changqingfang really dares to make such a joke with them, he must have a backhand.

Sure enough, Lin Changsheng continued: "Uncles, please calm your anger, although the little nephew does not have a prescription to treat the plague, he has a miracle medicine that can prevent people from dispersing sores. ”

A businessman surnamed Mao sneered: "A miracle medicine that makes people not disperse sores? This sounds familiar.

What you're talking about can't be the same inoculation method that was implemented by the Tai Hospital, right? ”

"Mao Dongjia is right, it is indeed the method of vaccination." Lin Changsheng said calmly.

"Young Master Lin, don't blame me for splashing cold water on you. If this inoculation method is really effective, there will be no plague rampant in Jiangnan now. ”

"Mao Dongjia, the vaccination method that the little nephew said is not something from the hospital, but something from over there." After Lin Changsheng finished speaking, he pointed in a direction.

When the merchants looked in the direction he was pointing, their faces suddenly changed.

The direction that Lin Changsheng was pointing to was the northwest occupied by the Ning family.

After a while, the merchant surnamed Mao asked in disbelief: "What you said is true?" ”

Lin Changsheng said with a mysterious expression: "Naturally, it's true.

Have you ever wondered why the same inoculation method is useless in hospitals, but it is useful over there?

In the final analysis, it is actually because there is a problem with the medicine used in the hospital.

For this reason, the little nephew deliberately spent a lot of money to buy some miracle medicines from there some time ago, and he has been vaccinated on himself and his family.

In other words, the little nephew's family is no longer afraid of sores. ”

After hearing what he said, all the businessmen were immediately excited and excited.

Indeed, with the same inoculation method, the medicine in the Tai Hospital has no effect, and there have been no more sores in the west for so many years, and the contrast between the two is too obvious.

Perhaps, as Lin Changsheng said, it was the problem with the medicine used in the hospital that caused the inoculation method to not take effect.

If this is true, then as long as you use the medicine from the northwest, you may be able to really stop the sores.

The merchant surnamed Ma, who was the first to speak, couldn't help but ask, "Young Master Lin, do you still have the magic medicine you bought from there?" ”

The other merchants also looked at him nervously and expectantly.

Lin Changsheng smiled and said, "Naturally, there are many, otherwise I wouldn't have asked your uncles to come here tonight." ”

When everyone heard this, their eyes immediately lit up.

Everyone is a businessman, and Lin Changsheng himself said that this is a magic medicine that he bought from the northwest for a lot of money, so naturally there is no reason to give it away in vain.

The merchant surnamed Ma immediately asked a question that everyone wanted to know the most: "Young Master Lin, you might as well make a price, how much is this magic medicine to sell?" ”

Lin Changsheng didn't speak, just stretched out three fingers.

"Three thousand taels?" The merchant surnamed Ma did not quote three hundred taels, because the price was only a shame. No one believed that the Lin family went around such a big circle just to do business for a few hundred taels.

Lin Changsheng shook his head and said, "I don't want silver, I just need grain, three thousand stone grain for one person."

In other words, whoever gives me 3,000 stone of grain, I will inoculate one person with a miracle medicine. ”

"That's too high, isn't it?"

Many of the businessmen had surprised expressions.

Jiangnan is the main grain production area of the Great Wei Dynasty, not only the soil is fertile, but also the annual grain production accounts for more than 40% of the whole Great Wei Dynasty.

If it was in normal times, three thousand stone grain was nothing to these wealthy merchants, and it was not even worth three thousand taels of silver.

But now, due to the rampant plague and the fact that the Hu people are preparing to invade Jiangnan on a large scale, the price of grain in Jiangnan has skyrocketed several times, and it is one price a day.

If the situation continues to deteriorate, it is very likely that even silver will not be able to buy food.

As a result, no one dares to sell grain easily, and all of them hide their grain tightly.

Not knowing what would happen in the future, the big merchants present preferred to spend more money on medicine than to exchange their own food for medicine.

"Young Master Lin, everyone is a local businessman, and they are also old acquaintances with your father, don't you even want to give this face?" The businessman surnamed Mao changed his previous arrogance and persuaded him in a good voice.

Lin Changsheng smiled bitterly: "Mao Dongjia, it's not that the little nephew doesn't give face, but when I bought the medicine, I also exchanged a large amount of food for it.

They will only accept grain, but not money.

For these medicines, my Lin family can be regarded as giving everything they have.

My Lin family, including the clansmen, subordinates and many craftsmen, has too many people to support, and if there is no food in hand, the little nephew will panic. Thank you for your understanding. ”

Regarding Lin Changsheng's excuses, all the businessmen are human spirits, so they naturally don't believe it.

But since he must have food, the merchants have nothing to do with him.

This miracle medicine for immunity and sores is not like other things, and it is not something that can be easily bought in the northwest.

This Lin Changsheng didn't know where to get the way, and he could even get this kind of thing.

As for whether Lin Changsheng was lying to them, the businessmen present were not worried.

They are all big businessmen with heads and faces in the local area, and if they really join forces to deal with the Lin family, the Lin family may not even know how to die.

Unless Lin Changsheng was really crazy, he would not dare to do such a thing that would offend the anger of the public.

In the end, after bargaining, the merchants pressed the price to 1,200 stone of coarse grain for one person.

Everyone signed a contract with Lin Changsheng and agreed to trade within three days.

After putting away the contract signed with everyone, Lin Changsheng said solemnly: "Little nephew is here to remind you uncles, where the medicine came from, you already know in your hearts.

In case the government knows, not to mention that the little nephew is in a catastrophe, I believe that the uncles will not be able to get rid of the relationship.

Please also ask all uncles to keep quiet about this matter, so as not to let everyone fall behind. ”

"Young Master Lin, don't worry, we know the severity."

"That's right, we will definitely keep this matter a secret, and ask Young Master Lin to give medicine as soon as possible."

"If Young Master Lin is worried, how about we make a poisonous oath here?"

Lin Changsheng waved his hand and said, "All uncles are old and respectful, and the little nephew believes that you know the seriousness of the matter, and you will be spared if you swear poison."

In addition, it is best for uncles to send their family members who want to administer medicine to the Lin family after dark, so as not to attract attention. ”

Hearing his arrangement, everyone realized more and more that this matter was reliable, and they offered to leave.

……………………

"Uncle Zhang, you send someone to send a post to these rich gentry in two days, and I want to talk to them face-to-face." Lin Changsheng handed the stack of invitations he had just written to the old housekeeper.

"Yes, young master."

After the old housekeeper took the invitation, he suddenly hesitated, and then asked worriedly, "Young master, wouldn't it be too risky to do this?" ”

The housekeeper Uncle Zhang knew very well in his heart what the real purpose of the young master was to raise food everywhere.

Lin Changsheng sighed and said, "Uncle Zhang, you watched me grow up, and I don't want to hide it from you."

If there is really no risk at all, how can I let my father and mother secretly go to Jiujiang for refuge.

But as the so-called wealth and danger are sought, if our Lin family wants to register with the Ning family in the future, or even become an imperial businessman, this is the best opportunity to make meritorious contributions.

Before, I wanted to make meritorious contributions by helping the side buy a large number of war horses, but unfortunately, the Hu people have strengthened the supervision of the export of war horses from all over the country, and this road is no longer possible.

Since Mr. Su has asked me this time, I can't refuse no matter what, and I must help him handle this matter. ”

"But if we let the government know that we have a connection over there, how about that."

"Don't worry, Mr. Su has already laid a lot of eyeliner all over Jiangnan, and if the situation is really not good, he will inform me in advance.

Uncle Zhang, in a few days, you should go to Jiujiang to be with my father. I'm afraid that if the situation changes, it will affect you. ”

"Young Master, don't say any more, since I have decided to stay, I will not change my mind.

The lord and the lady are no longer here, if even I am gone, who will preside over the Lin family. It will only make people more suspicious. ”

Lin Changsheng knew that he was right, so he had to say, "Okay, you act carefully."

Once you find that the situation is not right, you must leave the Lin family immediately. I'll find a way to meet you. ”

"Yes, young master."

After the housekeeper answered, he couldn't help but ask: "Young master, is there any natural disaster that happened when you are in such a hurry to raise food over there?" ”

Lin Changsheng shook his head and said, "As far as I know, there have been no natural disasters over there, and it seems that a new overseas crop called potatoes has been introduced over there in the past few years, which is said to be extremely drought tolerant and high-yielding.

It is a miracle that even such a barren and arid place can produce a good harvest.

So it stands to reason that there is no shortage of food over there. ”

"Could it be that the other side is preparing to send troops in a big way?"

"I think so too. Since the beginning of the year, the side has already raised a large number of troops against the Jiangxi region, and the next step is likely to be ready to swallow the entire northern region in one go. That is why it is necessary to raise a large amount of food to cope with the problem of insufficient military rations.

It's just that I still can't figure out how Mr. Su is going to transport so much grain from Jiangnan to there.

I believe that not only our Lin family, but Mr. Su must have instructed others to exchange medicine for food in various parts of Jiangnan.

The sum of these exchanged grains is by no means a small amount, and it would be difficult to make the trip without the help of a large number of people.

Moreover, there are many displaced people in various places, and how to ensure the safety of these grains on the road is also a very difficult problem. ”

The old butler thought carefully for a moment before saying, "Maybe that person wants to be transported out by sea."

It would be much safer if you transferred by land to the nearest port and then by sea to Jiujiang.

But even by sea, there is still a long way to go on land.

As the young master said, a large number of people are needed to transport and protect the grain along the way. Where this person came from is really hard to figure out. ”

At this time, Lin Changsheng and the housekeeper Zhang Bo did not know that in various parts of the Yangtze River, a secret non-governmental organization called the "Mutual Masonic Society" was quietly rising and growing rapidly.