Winter solstice, the western suburbs of Guanhai City.

A middle-aged man paced back and forth outside several thatched huts, and his swarthy face was a little red from the north wind because he had been standing outside the house for too long.

Guanhai City was originally located at the southern end of Chen Kingdom, and close to the sea, the usual winter is very warm, but in the past few days, the north wind has somehow blown for several days, and there was a blizzard last night.

It hasn't snowed here in years.

A gust of north wind blew, and the middle-aged man subconsciously tightened the dark jacket on his body. The snow under his feet had been trampled into a mess, which seemed to reflect his anxious mood at the moment. Inside the house, from time to time there was the hoarse howl of a woman. It has been more than two hours since he gave birth last night, and he has not yet been born when he sees that the east is white.

Just as he couldn't remember how many times he had looked into the room, a clear cry was heard. Wen Po ran out and said happily: "Mother and son are safe, congratulations on giving birth to a son." The middle-aged man's hanging heart finally fell.

This middle-aged man is Qian De, who served in the Guanhaiwei Hundred Households, received the title of One Hundred Households, and was from the Five Grades.

The three generations of the Qian De family have been passed down from one generation to another, and since the death of his father, he has inherited the official position and tuntian of the hundred households. Later, he was driven out of the guard because of his bad relationship with Wang Xing and Wang Qianhu, and Tuntian was also occupied by Wang Xing, and now he supports his family by doing some idle odd jobs, and can find twenty or thirty taels of silver a year.

His inner Wen clan, whose name is Wenxiu, was originally an official eunuch, because his father bluntly said that he was guilty, and his life and death were unknown, and his mother and daughter went to Guangxi to find his eldest son, but he was intercepted by bandits on the road. Wen's mother died on the spot. Only Wen's life was great, and it happened that Qian De led the crowd to pass by to take salt, so he picked up a life.

Seeing that Wen was helpless, Qian De persuaded her to return to Guanhai City with him in order to reunite her relatives in the future. Unexpectedly, after getting along day and night, the two had a secret relationship, so they asked the matchmaker to say that they became a couple.

Looking at Wen's tired appearance, Qian De said distressedly: "Madame has suffered. ”

"Xianggong, every woman has to pass this level...... Did you choose a good name for your son? ”

"Just call the money in. Our ancestors were all military families in the last generation, and they never had a scholar. Money goes in, money goes in, and you get a jinshi in the future. ”

…………

In the blink of an eye, spring has arrived, and the village is full of green and new ideas.

This village is called Woniu Village, and it is only half an hour's walk to Guanhai City. There are more than 100 families in the village, most of whom make a living from fishing and salt drying, and there are also many smugglers who run boats. On the whole, the villagers are living a fairly prosperous life.

On the day of the 100th day of Qian Jin, all the neighbors came to congratulate. Chand got up early in the morning and was busy, and set up more than ten tables of banquets to entertain the neighbors, filling the house inside and out.

When he was about to start the banquet, several military masters walked not far away. Qian De fixed his eyes and saw that it was Liu Hu and Wang Biao brothers from the Baihu Institute, so he hurriedly welcomed them into the house.

After some greetings, Liu Hu took out a money bag from his arms and handed it to Qian De, saying: "Baihu, the brothers heard that you like your noble son, so they scraped together some money, please smile." ”

"I have received everyone's wishes, but I have to mention the word "100 households" again." Qian De and Liu Hu were old friends, so he took the money bag and handed it to Wen. It was not convenient for Wen to salute with his son in his arms, so he only bowed slightly, said a thousand blessings, and went out to say hello.

After three rounds of drinking, Qian De asked Liu Hudao: "How are the brothers of the hundred households doing now?" ”

Liu Hu tried 100 households in 100 households, and he used to be Qian De's right and left wing. After Qian De left the health center, Liu Hu was in charge of the affairs of the hundred households, but he was still a test hundred households. Seeing that hundreds of households asked each other, he said bitterly: "Since you left, that Wang Qianhu has become more and more blatant, occupying the soldiers' tuntian, deducting military salaries, and the brothers are living day by day. ”

Wang Biao next to him scolded: "This dog thief surnamed Wang, he can't wait for us all to run away, so he can occupy our land and eat our salary." "This Wang Biao is a small banner of the Hundred Households, and the ten soldiers under him were all forced away by Wang Xing, and now he is left with a bare pole, and he naturally grits his teeth with hatred for Wang Xing.

When Chand heard this, he was depressed, so he poured himself a glass of wine.

Before, he was whipped twenty lashes for coming forward to protect the tuntian of several soldiers. Now that others are no longer in the guard, there is no way to take this Wang Xing. He sighed: "I know the suffering of my brothers. This Wang Qianhu has always acted arrogantly with the support of others. I only hate the tuntian that didn't keep those soldiers. ”

Liu Hu glanced at Qian De meaningfully and said, "You don't need to blame yourself, those brothers are living a good life now." ”

"Oh? What do they do now? Chandage said.

Liu Hu looked around, lowered his voice and said, "Private salt." ”

"Shhh...... That's a felony. Chand exclaimed.

"Baihu, do you remember that the man surnamed Wang asked us to take a trip to salt more than a year ago? That's his private salt. This guy lied to us and said that it was official salt, and he didn't even give us a few hard-earned money. If it weren't for the brothers of the other hundred households, everyone would not know how long they would have been kept in the dark. Wang Biao said.

Hearing Wang Biao say this, Qian De remembered that when he had just finished harvesting the summer grain last year, Wang Xing had ordered him to go to Shaozhou with salt, and it was precisely that time that he happened to save Wen's family.

Originally, in addition to the battle of Tuntian, the soldiers of the guard also had miscellaneous services to escort grain and repair the city wall, but they were all bound by the decree issued by Emperor Gaozu. If it is really as Wang Biao said, this Wang Xing will be suspected of being a private sergeant.

Liu Hu next to him said lightly: "It shouldn't be a year or two for this guy to do this business." ”

When Chand heard this, he couldn't help but feel a chill down his spine.

You must know that this Wang Xing is only a thousand households, and there are also officers such as Wei Commander, Commander Tongzhi, and Commander Servant, and Wei Commander Zhang Jiang is still a member of the three grades. Since this guy dares to sell illicit salt, he must have received the instructions or approval of these officials. No wonder this Wang Xing has been doing domineering things, but he has never been punished.

At this time, Wang Biao got up and said: "Hundred households, everyone is forced to run out of life, why don't we call back those brothers who escaped, and everyone go to sell salt together?" ”

Qian De glanced sideways at Liu Hu, with an inquiring look in his eyes.

Liu Hu also said: "Baihu, on the way here, a few of us have discussed it, and I want to invite you to take charge." ”

Having said that, it is obvious that Liu Hu wants to pull Chande into the gang. Chand couldn't help frowning and pondering.

He urinated and knew Liu Hu and Wang Biao, and his parents were also military households of the Guanhai Weitun Army, so their friendship was extraordinary, and they also knew each other.

Nowadays, several people are not having a good time. Chand's own casual work, a year's income is not as good as a groom, and now that the family has a new population, the family's expenses are already a little stretched. Liu Hu's stay in 100 households was also unsatisfactory, and he didn't know when he would be displaced. Wang Biao has not married a daughter-in-law yet.

If they hadn't been forced to be helpless, they would never have dared to fight the idea of this private salt. You must know that the sale of illicit salt has always been strictly prohibited by the government, and if caught, you will be punished with a hundred canes and a penalty of confiscation of all the money and goods. Few of those 100 kills survived.

But even so, there are still many people who take the risk to sell illicit salt, simply because it is very profitable. A pound of raw salt is only five cents of silver in Guanhai City, but it is sold for more than three cents when it is transferred to the mainland, which is more than five or six times. Private salt saves all kinds of exploitation, and it can be earned by selling it for half the price.

Chand's greatest wish is to hope that his son will be named on the gold list in the future. But the family looks shabby, and I don't know that the Year of the Monkey can save money. Thinking of this, he took a drink from his glass and said, "This business is done carefully, but it can be done." ”

Liu Hu and the others saw that Qian De had finally made up his mind, and their hearts were settled. Everyone, you and I began to discuss the specific charter word by word.

"Guanhai City produces salt, and salt farmers also dry more salt in private, so it is not difficult to enter salt."

"Don't worry about sales, as long as you can ship it out, the price is cheaper than official salt, and you are not afraid that you won't be able to sell it."

"The most difficult thing is transportation, there are many checkpoints on the official road, you need road guidance and salt guidance, salt can pass, and the soldiers who guard the card eat more and take the card."

Qian De thought about it for a long time and got a plan, only to hear him laugh and say: "Since Wang Qianhu has taken our tuntian, how can he not help us in this business?" ”

The crowd was puzzled.

Qian De divided a few people and said: "In the future, if Wang Qianhu wants to charge salt, everyone will rush to help him charge." He transported salt, and our salt also followed, and when the government investigated it, we played the banner of Wang Qianhu. ”

"That's a good idea." Everyone praised one after another.

"Liu Hu, those brothers who escaped will be called back if they are willing to work together, this business needs people inside and outside. As for you, I'm afraid you still have to stay in the Hundred Households with peace of mind. First, when the government and the army come to check the salt, you must pass on the news in time; Second, although we play the banner of Wang Qianhu, we still have to bet on this salt ourselves, and we can't be reckless. ”

Chand took a sip of his wine and continued, "Remember, everyone, all those involved in selling must be trustworthy. Liu Hu, you are familiar with the hundred households, and you will come forward to contact you about this. If you are willing to do it, you can get a share, and when you make money in the future, you will share the dividends according to your share. If you have a job, the salary will be calculated separately. ”

"That's very good." Everyone agreed.