Chapter 320: The word is a knife

Since the Song and Yuan dynasties, the southeast coast has gradually prospered, and Shanghai Town is known as the seven major cities in the country with Guangzhou, Quanzhou, Wenzhou, Hangzhou, Qingyuan, and Pengpu, and this maritime trade has never been interrupted. However, after the founding of the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang issued a ban on the sea, and the sea merchants gradually became extinct in the world, and the people who lived by the sea had no food and clothing. Based on the slump in livelihoods, many people can only take the risk of bringing goods to sea, although this is a life-and-death business, but because of the huge profits, you can always see the shadow of many wealthy families behind it. As for what else is behind the wealthy families, ordinary people don't know.

Adjacent to the two guards in Dinghai, Liegang is a lively and noisy scene in the cold wind. Despite the strict sea ban on going into the sea, you can see several large ships with their sails ready to go south. Probably due to years of adrift at sea, these hulls have all kinds of traces of repair. A few sailors shouted loudly, and a group of coolies in only their shoulders sweated and carried heavy boxes to the ship. And in the corner of the small pier, two people wrapped in thick clothes were talking in low voices.

"This time, the treasure ship that happened to go to the West came back, and the risk at sea was much smaller than in the past. Start the ship in November and come back in May or June next year, as long as these boats of porcelain and silk are sold and exchanged for real money, the old man will have nothing to say at that time. ”

"Second young master, don't worry, I am old on this trip, and the sailors of the nautical chart are no worse than the treasure ships of the imperial court, and they will never make a mistake. It's just that the rumors that came from this time are true or false, and the imperial court really wants to open the sea ban? If that's the case, there will be less risk in the future, after all, we're doing a headless job. ”

"Stupid! Do you understand that scarcity is expensive? If all the big families get on the ship to go to sea to trade, how much will our profits be diluted? After all, the treasure ships of the imperial court are different from ours, and the prices we offer are all the same, if those people use other means to lower the price in the future, how much money do we have? Two-thirds of the family's income depends on this sea route. If you go to the West in winter and Korea and Japan in summer, how can you let others get involved? ”

Although Lao Hei has been working hard at sea for more than 20 years to make a living and has been serving this family for many years, it is the first time he has seen a middle-aged man with such a fierce expression, and he can't help but shudder. However, his wife and children are now dependent on each other's support, and the money he has is enough for him to spend several lifetimes. Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly caught a glimpse of someone walking not far away, and hurriedly closed his mouth.

"The two of you are here to discuss this voyage? This time it's not a small deal, the five boats are full, and even the side of the boat has sunk a lot, and the profit of this round trip is really extraordinary. It's just that it was originally said that it was worth 5,000 taels of silver, but I did a cursory calculation but felt that it was more than that. Even if you count it according to a hundred boxes of porcelain and five hundred cocoons, it seems that you have to fold it into 15,000 taels of silver, right? The difference between this coming and going is far worse than what you have said before! ”

As soon as he heard this, Lao Hei and the middle-aged man in a green silk jacket suddenly changed their faces. They are all proficient in the livelihood of this sea, and how can they not know how much the goods on this ship are worth. Usually the master who is supporting behind the back just sent a random person to take a look, I thought that the steward of this trip would not be able to go anywhere, who knew that the other party looked at the dock for a while, and could estimate that it was eight or nine not far from ten!

So, the middle-aged man hurriedly explained with a smile: "Steward Fang, you really think highly of us, the goods of five thousand taels of silver make us extremely tight, how can it be worth as much as fifteen thousand taels?" Among them, there are some private goods carried by a few adults who can't push away, which are not worth a few dollars. He fumbled in his sleeve as he spoke, and finally took out a bulging bag and handed it over with a smile on his face, "You have been busy and hard these days, and a little bit of heart is not respectful......"

However, what he didn't expect was that the person in front of him was different from those guys who could be easily dismissed in the past, he didn't even look at the bag full of gold, and he didn't mean to reach out to pick it up at all, but said with a smile: "There is a way to drink water and think of the source, if it weren't for the master to block it for you, these two guards would be stationed in Dinghai, and it would be so easy for you to go to sea every time?" The master is just taking 20% of the profits, and you are actually doing your hands and feet here, this courage is too big! ”

"Steward Fang, listen to my explanation......"

"I am not embarrassed for you. This trip to Nanyang, the road to the loss of thirty percent, after coming back, even if the profit is ten times, Hou Ye will get at least 20,000 taels, even if it is not converted into gold according to the official price according to the market price, it will also be several thousand taels of gold. If there is less than that, you will see for yourself! ”

Seeing the young man wearing a lotus-blue velvet and turning away without saying a word, the old black face suddenly showed a fierce light: "Second young master, this kid dares to point fingers when he first arrives, he doesn't understand the rules too much!" It's that master, who got so much silver this time, and he should have been fed a long time ago! Hengzhi is on the sea, and when the time comes, he will capsize, and he will not be able to spread this word! ”

"Forget it, don't make any extraneous branches!" Seeing that Lao Hei revealed the true colors of the pirate leader again, the middle-aged man couldn't help frowning, and immediately sighed, "The regulations of the imperial court are still unclear, and it will be even more troublesome if you offend that master again." This person is young and vigorous, I invited him to his house first, wine and wealth, as long as he works hard to grind, I don't believe that he really can't get in oil and salt. The sea is all in your hands, be careful! ”

Lao Hei smiled, took a step back and arched his hand: "Then I am also here to wish the second young master success and take the position of the head of the family in one fell swoop!" The eldest young master is so bold, he has to give up a good way to make money, but he doesn't want to think about what so many people should do. Our brothers naturally all listen to the second young master, what kind of etiquette for the elders and young, we who are struggling for our lives at sea only know one truth, whoever has the most power, the first position is who's! ”

The middle-aged man was not surprised by this answer, nodded with a smile, and after seeing the people leave, he immediately turned and walked a few steps, and after meeting up with two capable retinues at a reef, he made his way to an even more humble dock on the other side. Seeing his humble boat, he narrowed his eyes slightly and beckoned a sailor.

"Get ready to set sail and go back today."

While the three large ships set sail south, a small boat also quietly slid into the sea from the other side of the harbor. In a cabin near the bow of the ship, the middle-aged man took off the thick green silk coat on his body, changed into a close-fitting silk jacket and fox fur robe, and sat on the bed with a stove in his hand and pondered.

The Yang clan of Songjiang Mansion has been passed down from the Tang Dynasty to the present, and the branches cannot be calculated, and even the old man who has always claimed to be a descendant of the main branch actually knows that their branch may not be really rooted in the seedlings. Compared with the Wu family, which has never been famous in the entire Yuan Dynasty but is still famous, compared to the noble Shen family, compared to the He family, which has an excellent reputation, and even the Du family, which was not as good as them, the Yang family now only has a few dollars. The eldest brother Yang Jinde is as his name, he just wants to make friends with scholars and make a reputation, but he doesn't want to think about who else in the countryside can afford if the Yang family has no money?

Thinking of this, Yang Jin couldn't help but sneer. Sister Yang Lin and brother-in-law Fang Qing came back to visit relatives at this time, and they said that they were worried about the old man, or to mediate the dispute between their brothers, but who could tell the purpose behind the scenes? I heard that the Fang family has been in arrears for many years, and they have received a lot of salt one after another, and now that they have the confidence, it is difficult to guarantee that they will not look at their own wealth. If it drags on any longer, God knows who will end up with those family properties and wealth!

Having said that, this time the Fang steward's surname is Fang Mingrui, and he has the same surname as his brother-in-law, how can he provoke some Fang family members?

The ship sailed at sea for two days and two nights, and Yang Jincai tried his best to talk to Fang Rui, but he couldn't find the other party's way. That night, a knock on the door woke him up from these calculations, followed by a deep voice: "Second Young Master, let's put a small sampan ashore from the middle of Chuansha Castle and Baoshan as before, and the people who answered must have been waiting there." There is no entrainment of things horizontally and vertically, and even if you meet a patrolman, you won't have an accident. ”

"Okay, follow the old rules. After going ashore, I still sailed the boat to Hengsha to hide it, and I will naturally let you know if there is anything. ”

In the dark night, two small sampans arrived at the edge of the sea pond one after another. As seven or eight people jumped off the boat, the two boats found their way back again. After going ashore, the leader skillfully lit an oil lamp in his hand, and the dim light dragged long shadows behind the people. The mermaids walked through the pond and soon found a nearby fishing village. Less than half an hour later, two sturdy carriages were on the road.

Along the way, although he met two groups of inspectors from the inspection department, because the coachman coped well and was generous, plus the inspector picked up the curtain and saw that there were only people and nothing, so he gently and skillfully let it go, not knowing that the second young master of the Yang family in Songjiang Mansion was in the carriage. It wasn't until dawn that the two carriages stopped at the back gate of Yang's mansion.

Although Yang Jincai did not make a noise, there was no secret in the door of the mansion, and the owners everywhere learned the news in a moment. Fang Qing, who was woken up from his sleep by his wife Yang Lin, learned that his second uncle had returned, frowned slightly, and immediately asked his wife, "How many days has the messenger to Nanjing left?" ”

"It's been seven or eight days, and there has been no news at all."

"Then something must have changed." Fang Qing sat up with his clothes on, pinched his fingers and calculated, his face gradually became solemn, "From Songjiang Mansion to Nanjing, the road will take two days at most, and this time is enough to fight two round-trips." According to Xiao Zhang's temperament, he will never ignore it intentionally, let alone detain people. What happened in Nanjing? ”

Just when he was full of doubts, a girl's voice suddenly came from outside: "Uncle, someone on the door voted for a Cambodian post, saying that it is your old friend, young master." ”

"Old friends?" Fang Qing was surprised when he heard this, and hurriedly asked, "Bring the post in and show it to me!" ”