Chapter 53: Deep Talk

Lu Chengxiang was originally holding an account book and wanted to report to Zhang Zhimu. But when he saw the dead horse on the ground, he shouted loudly: "Liu Yun, hurry up and find someone to pick up the dead horse's skin, and cook all the horse's meat." Liu Yun hurriedly assigned a few people to drag the dead horse. The newly accepted cook, including the groom, stepped forward to help, dragging the horses and skinning them. Yan Boju couldn't see this the most, turned around and hid away, Chen Yufeng jokingly shouted: "Cough! Old thing, you won't eat it for a while? Actually, Yan Boju didn't dare to look at it, but he ate no less meat than others. Zhang Zhimu is also strange, he is not afraid of killing the "Cybernaut", and he doesn't dare to look at the dead horse. Lu Chengxiang called Zhang Zhimu to a room in the stockade and reported to him. Zhang Zhimu sat down, and Lu Chengxiang said, "Mr. Zhang, it's sent again." There were fifteen,675 taels of gold, 43,466 taels of silver, and 3,760 pieces of copper coins. Jewelry, three boxes. All kinds of goods from the north and south, too many. It's still counting, but it's enough to pull more than a dozen carriages.

Before he finished speaking, Liu Yun came in, and seeing that the two were talking, Liu Yun wanted to go out. Zhang Zhimu stopped him. Liu Yun said: "This time, a total of 219 bandits were killed. Eleven were taken prisoner and six more were killed. Seventy-two horses and eight cattle were seized. The cart is fifteen hanging. ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "There are a lot of bandits, but there is not too much money. Liu Yun said: "This is a temporary cottage for bandits, their original hill was taken by Li Zicheng, these things were brought out of the tunnel when they escaped and later robbed here." According to those bandits, there were many more copycats than this, and the money was even more innumerable, and now they were all taken by King Li Chuang. ”

Zhang Zhimu suddenly remembered that the goods and horses of the Shandong merchants should be found out for him and returned to them. At this time, Chen Yufeng also came in. Zhang Zhimu asked Lu Chengxiang and Liu Yun to explain the situation again. Zhang Zhimu said: "Then the Shandong merchant still owes a few horses, so give him a few horses." ”

Lu Chengxiang said a little distressed: "Doing business in this troubled world is like gambling, and if you lose, you have to admit it." He won't give it to anyone else if he wins. Zhang Zhimu said, "Mr. Lu, let's help him." I still have something to ask him for help with. ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "Let's stay here for one night today, and stay in Hanguguan for another day tomorrow, some goods can be processed there first." Several people came out together, and when they saw Lin Xinmin, Zhang Zhimu told him what they had just discussed, Lin Xinmin was about to kneel down again, Zhang Zhimu hurriedly helped him up and said, "Don't do this in the future." Lin Xinmin got up. Zhang Zhimu said again: "You just don't go to Tongguan with these three packets of goods, just handle the goods in Hangu Pass." Come home with us. Lin Xinmin sighed: "Alas! Can't go back! Zhang Zhimu asked, "Why?" Lin Xinmin said: "When I came out, in order to bring more goods, I mortgaged the store and borrowed a lot of silver, but now the goods are gone." How will I see my family when I go back? Let the family think that we are dead outside! Zhang Zhimu said: "It doesn't have to be like this, we have to buy some grain and other goods when we go to Shandong." You can also do a little bit of a favor and make some money from it. No matter what the problem is, we will find a way together to help you get through this difficulty. Lin Xinmin was about to kneel down again when he heard this, but Zhang Zhimu hurriedly stopped him. Lin Xinmin said: "Then listen to Engong" At this time, Lin Xinmin, although he didn't dare to fully believe that there was such a good thing in the world, he already had the feeling of being in a desperate situation. Besides, people have nothing to lie to you about.

Seeing that there was nothing wrong, Zhang Zhimu asked Lin Xinmin: "Your Laiyang pears are delicious!" "Yes, our pears are not only delicious, but also hangover-free. Boiled water can also cure thirst disease (now called diabetes). Lin Xinmin said.

Zhang Zhimu asked again: "Do you have more graphite and zeolite there?" "Graphite is all over it, and zeolite has not been heard of?"

"It's a very light stone that can absorb water." Zhang Zhimu explained. "That's, there is that kind of stone, after drying, put it next to the grain, it can absorb moisture." Zhang Zhimu asked, "Is that kind of stone expensive?" Lin Xinmin said: "I haven't heard that there are those for sale, just go to the mountain and find a stone pit and get some, no one will buy that thing." Zhang Zhimu said: "Great. You've got both of the things I'm looking for. I'm going to go to your house to see where I can. Lin Xinmin said: "If Engong can come to my house, it will be the honor of my Lin family." Zhang Zhimu said: "You're welcome. Actually, as soon as Zhang Zhimu heard that Lin Xinmin was from Laiyang, he already knew it in his heart. Because in his previous life, he said that Laiyang is an important production area for these two things.

At this time, Lu Chengxiang came over and asked, "Those few people pressed on Mrs., are they killing or staying?" Zhang Zhimu then remembered and forgot about it. He said, "It's still early, let's set up a car, and each family will be given ten taels of silver, let them go!" What? Lu Chengxiang's head couldn't turn for a while, and he didn't understand what it meant. Not only did he not kill it, but he let it go, and he gave it back to the trailer and gave him silver. He couldn't figure it out anyway. "Mr. Lu, they were all robbed up the mountain, and they were all victims. No matter how much evil those bandit leaders have done, they should not be held responsible. Do as I say. ”

Those ladies didn't expect it, thinking that they would definitely be cut down and eradicated. I didn't expect to be able to release them and give the car silver. When the carriage had started, I was sure it was real. The wife of the big leader jumped down from the carriage again, came over to give Zhang Zhimu a big gift, and then, from her personal arms, took out a very delicate sheepskin bag, handed it to Zhang Zhimu, and said: "This is, the master asked me to keep it, I don't know what it is, I have nothing to thank you, so I will give this to you." After saying that, I got in the car and left. ”

Zhang Zhimu opened the sheepskin pocket and saw that there was a sheepskin full of maps, and on both sides of the sheepskin, there were different curves and signs, Zhang Zhimu could basically conclude that this might be a dense map of the bandits' buried treasures, otherwise the big boss would not have left Namo's things alone, and just kept this map for his wife. However, Zhang Zhimu was strange why the wife of the big boss gave this thing to himself. Could it be that she was grateful that she let them go, or maybe she wanted to stay away from everything related to bandits from now on. Zhang Zhimu didn't figure it out, and he didn't see the reason for it on the map. I'm going to put this treasure map away first, because now is not the time to study it.

Zhang Zhimu doesn't have to worry too much about the rambling chores outside, and the brothers have handled them very well.

At night, Zhang Zhimu and Chen Yufeng slept in the same room, and the two had a long talk. Chen Yufeng said: "Zhimu, there is something in Tongguan, I just want to ask you, I have not been free." I know that you have a big heart and a lot to do, which requires a lot of money, and you are now risking your caravan in this troubled world just to earn more silver. However, the gold and silver we got from "coming to Tongju" in Tongguan are quite a lot, and I want to do something about the same. Why do you want to take risks? Zhang Zhimu said: "Uncle Chen, I know that you have always supported me, without your support, I can't do these things." But what I'm doing now is laying the foundation for what I'm going to do in the future. I have some money, but it's still far from what I'm going to do. Besides, sooner or later this dead money will be spent, so I want to open up a trade route, so that our wealth will become a source of water, and there will always be a source of money. In addition, what I will do in the future will not be able to be done with money alone. There are many things, we all need to personally deal with and implement, so that we can do things in the future, so that we can know in our hearts. Besides, if we open up a trade route, it will benefit many people. People in the north and south can turn their products into silver, and with this silver, they can sell what they need. Therefore, we are not only doing business to earn money for ourselves, but also to do good deeds for heaven and man, and it is also immeasurable. Chen Yufeng heard Zhang Zhimu say this, but he was speechless. Zhang Zhimu asked Chen Yufeng: "Uncle Chen, you said that the Great Song Dynasty was so powerful, why can't it beat the Yuan Dynasty?" ”

Chen Yufeng said: "I can't say this well. Zhang Zhimu said: "In fact, the Great Song Dynasty and the Yuan Dynasty were sharpening their knives at the same time. The Great Song Dynasty sharpened the knife to carve flowers, while the Yuan Dynasty sharpened the knife to prepare to kill. In this way, who wins and who loses, if there is no war, it is actually decided. ”

Chen Yufeng nodded and said, "There is some truth in this. Zhang Zhimu said: "When we go back to Yaogang, what I want to do is definitely not just to make a few steel spring carriages, I am ready to develop a lot of industries, which is why I am not afraid to find so many people." But in these troubled times, the greater our development, the greater the danger. Therefore, after we sharpen the knife, we must not only be able to carve flowers, but also be able to kill. Both hands should be hard. Chen Yufeng said, "Yes." We must have a special guard, and everyone must practice martial arts and guns. Work in peacetime, fight in wartime. ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "After several battles, many of our brothers have been trained, and the soldiers who have had actual combat experience are absolutely different from those who have not experienced actual combat, and they will be our backbone in the future." However, see also. These actual battles are not hard-fought battles, and the component of sneak attacks is larger, especially this battle, which is completely the same mode as Wild Boar Ridge, that is, the scale is larger. ”

Chen Yufeng said: "Our caravan will encounter similar battles in the future, after two times. If there is such a thing in the future, and I have experience, I will fight better and better. ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "After they go back, these people will have to be trained and trained, and in the future, they will not only be able to serve as combatants, but also have the ability to command." They are future officers, future generals. Also, Uncle Chen, why didn't I let the boat go a little further downstream, directly in front of Sanmenxia, but to Tongguan, and walk a dry road again, looking for so much trouble? Chen Yufeng said: "Say it! ”

"I just want to look at Tongguan, and then look at Hangu Pass. In the future, if we have the strength to occupy these two passes, we will be able to choke the throat of Guanzhong and the Central Plains, and if there are a few more warships on the Yellow River, the entire south of Shanxi will be worry-free, and we can attack and retreat and defend. At that time, there will be the Yellow River in the west, the Taihang Mountains in the east, and the Mongolian steppe in the north. Zhang Zhimu said.

Chen Yufeng was happy and said, "It seems that your heart is much bigger than I thought. Also, when the time comes, we will not be self-reliant, but will be subject to others. If you have such a big heart, I will accompany you to the end. From the moment I saw you, I knew you weren't in a cage. Ha ha! ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "I see that you are okay to read those war books, and I also feel that Uncle Chen is by no means a thing in the pool." Chen Yufeng laughed and said, "Come on, let's not praise each other." ”

This is also the first time that Zhang Zhimu and Chen Yufeng have had such an in-depth conversation. Since then, the two have a common goal, and their cooperation has become more tacit.

Zhang Zhimu said: "When I go to Hanguguan tomorrow, I have to take a good look." ”