PS: The second shift is in the afternoon

The market in Taoqiu is as lively as ever, with many shops, cars crashing, people grinding shoulders, and Chinese clothing merchants from all over the world with sweet smiles, putting their hands in their wide sleeves and bargaining in silent gestures. In the central hall of the market, the black-clothed city officials held a simple abacus and calculated the amount of taxes that the merchants needed to pay.

Chen Bo, the head of the Qi State merchants, was like an angry fighting, glaring at Cao Guo Chu Shi and asking: "The taxes of Zheng, Wei, Song, Lu, and Jin merchants are all the same as in the past, but Qi merchants have to pay three times the heavy tax, what does this mean?" What does that mean! ”

Chu Shi is a little weak-hearted, Qi Shang, Zheng Shang, these are the two major forces in Taoqiu City in addition to the nobles of Cao State. Because the Qi State was strong and prosperous, and the Cao State wanted to look up to the Qi State and the sea salt, Tao Qiu was particularly tolerant to Qi Shang in the past, not to mention Master Chu, even Dasicheng did not dare to offend too much, and developed their arrogant and arrogant attitude.

But Chu Shi thought that behind this move, it was the king who was giving orders, and it was the newly rising Xilu merchant Jia Duanmuci who was planning everything, so his courage strengthened a little.

Master Chu helped his Xuan Guan, and with it, he was almost as tall as Uncle Chen, and he tried his best to make himself neither humble nor arrogant and said, "Is Uncle Chen joking?" On the shopping mall, if there is a report, there will be a return, and the Qi State abuses the salt policy to cut off the sea salt that is transported to Taoqiu, which is unkind in the first place. We have no choice but to be unrighteous in the future, and the king has an order that from now on, all Qi merchants in Taoqiu will be subject to 'anti-monopoly tax'! ”

Uncle Chen felt a toothache, but he didn't expect it. really didn't expect that he originally thought that Cao Ren was timid and afraid of things. I definitely don't dare to disobey the big country, but I didn't expect the counterattack to come so quickly!

Qi State is not a monopoly on sea salt. Do you threaten Cao and Xilu with this? Well, the loss of salt transportation has also been pulled out from Qi Shang.

Taoqiu Chu Shi introduced measures specifically aimed at Qi merchants, stating that before Qi stopped the salt ban, all business activities of Qi merchants in Taoqiu would have to pay a high "anti-monopoly tax".

Uncle Chen knew that this idea must have been given by Duanmu!

Since the previous year, Duanmu Ci relied on Zhao Wuxian's personal relationship with Cao Bo, as well as the profits handed over by extravagance. gradually gained a firm foothold in Taoqiu and became an upstart in the market. Chen Bo couldn't even stop the young disciples of the clan from going to the extravagant place, and naturally he couldn't persuade Cao Guo to ban this industry, and he didn't want to cooperate with him like Zheng Shang, so he could only keep in touch, but he also regarded Duanmu Ci as the most dangerous opponent.

Originally, it was just an extravagant business that could not touch the foundation of Qi merchants: they sold fish, salt, silk and linen, bought copper, tin, grain, and gold, and shipped them to Gaotang and Linzi. But after the last Grand Arena was built, Duanmu Ci also began to expand into these fields. Xilu's porcelain, paper, and silk linen poured into the Taoqiu market, which made Chen Bo extremely vigilant.

"If we can't kill this son, in another ten years, we will have no place to stand in Taoqiu!"

This time, Yan Ce was led by the great descendants of the Chen family. Chen Bo was very excited, this move could hit the arrogance of Xia Duanmu Ci, and at the same time make it difficult for his supporter behind him, Lu Guoxiao Si Kou Zhao Wuxian.

The salt strategy has not yet seen its effect. But his own army was reversed! Taoqiu was extremely important for the merchant trade of the Qi State.

But Chen Bo refused to admit defeat. He threatened Master Chu and said: "Since Taoqiu is harsh, we will go to Puyang and Xinzheng to trade." Is it true that only the market of Cao Guo can be farmed? ”

But Master Chu rolled his eyes: "Listen to it." ”

The most important reason why Taoqiu relies on the merchants of Qi is that the trade of sea salt will bring two-tenths of the income here, but now that the salt road has been cut off, the king also intends to grit his teeth and fight against the Qi people, so why are we still licking our faces and waiting for you?

Chen Bo was furious, and this anti-monopoly tax was only aimed at Qi businessmen, and did not affect businessmen from other countries, so no one responded to his call. He withdrew from the market under the gloating gaze of the rest of the merchants, and when he returned to the docks, his son Chen Pingzhong, sweating profusely, came running to him and told him another piece of bad news.

"Father, something really happened to Pushui and Jishui!"

This is expected, even in the era of rampant banditry, Jishui Pushui is still an important communication line from Puyang and Taoqiu to Linzi of Qi State, and you can pay part of the money to buy the road. The waterway flourished for a while after Wuxian took control of Onozawa, only to be slightly interrupted during the battle between Zhao and Qi, but was restored again after the war.

But now the salt policy of Qi State is aimed at Xilu, and Pushui and Jishui have been cut off by Zhao Wuxian.

Chen Pingzhong shook his head and said, "It's not cut off." ”

"Qi Shang is still passable in Jishui and Pushui? Here's why! Uncle Chen was taken aback, what was the idea of Zhao Wuxian and Duanmu Ci?

"In addition to copper and tin, feathers, leather and other military things, the rest of the silk and linen, ceramics, grains, and medicine can be accessed, but ......"

"Just what?"

Chen Pingzhong's face was sad: "It's just that like Taoqiu, the merchant ships entering the Qi realm have to be levied a heavy anti-monopoly tax, and checkpoints have been set up on the water in Jishuipu, and there are ships patrolling the lake with the Xuanniao flag, and none of the merchant ships have missed the net." ”

Chen Bo was stunned for a moment, and suddenly laughed: "Duanmu Clan's Su Er wants to take the opportunity to exploit Qi Shang, so we won't let him get his wish, from today onwards, all goods will be changed to the noon road!" ”

At this moment, Chen Pingzhong suddenly quieted down, and when Chen Bo turned around, he saw that the Weiguo seller Su Xiao'er in his mouth was standing by the dock, watching the salt hoarded in the treasury transported to Xilu by water.

Dressed in clean cloth and elegant manners, the whole person was as flawless as white jade on a bun, but the black jewel-like eyes shone with the cunning light of a merchant.

Zigong turned his head to look at this side, with a meaningful smile on the corner of his mouth, and he also heard a few words just now, and everything was under control.

He seemed to be an old friend who had worked with Qi Shang for many years, and his words were full of concern.

"Thoughtful as a stone, straight as an arrow. What the gentleman does, the villain sees. Although the noon road is slower than Pushui and Jishui, it is also a good choice. ”

The next sentence is a threat from the poor dagger: "I just hope that the businessmen of Qi State will not talk about it, just let out tears!" ”

……

Noon Road, in the east of the Jin Kingdom, the west of the Qi Kingdom, because the north, south, east and west thoroughfares intersect, one vertical and one horizontal for the noon, said to be the road.

It connects Bairen, Handan, passes through Jianjin, and goes to Puyang, Taoqiu, and Shangqiu for the longitudinal road. The one connecting Linzi, Pingyin, Puyang, Xinzheng and Chengzhou is the Hengdao, which is the most important communication line from Qi to the Central Plains. Among them, the Yangzhou and Yangqiao areas at the junction of Qi, Weiguo and Xilu are also known as the "Road of Yangjin", and the soldiers of later generations must fight for it.

On this day, several caravans from Puyang went to Pingyin and Linzi along the noon road.

The old businessman of Qiren sat on the car with his legs, commanded his children and grandchildren to drive, and muttered: "We were cut off by the war, and we stayed in Diqiu for half a year. From the winter of last year to the spring of this year, the plague ravaged Pingyin, killing thousands of people, and now most of them have been buried, you don't have to worry, with the Bu bone protection issued by Chuqiu Wuzhu, the epidemic will definitely not invade! ”

He patted the skirt on his chest proudly, but one of his sons turned around and said sneeringly: "It is said that the plague has been cured by the healers named Lingque, and the boy is worried that after the catastrophe, will there be a group of robbers who will take risks to plunder the merchants on the noon road." ”

The old merchant of the Qi people waved his hand and said reassuringly: "Although the little Sikou of the Lu Kingdom is warlike and likes to kill our Qi people, at least he has done a good deed. That is to sweep away the bandits of Onozawa, since last year, the group of bandits who used to wander here to plunder the merchant travel have long disappeared without a trace, don't worry......"

As soon as he finished speaking, he was slapped in the face by reality, and a whistling feathered arrow fell from the sky and was nailed exactly in front of the convoy, the tail of the arrow trembled, the horses neighed in fright, and the children and grandchildren were so frightened that they almost fell off the car.

Old Qi Shang's heart also seemed to be shot by that arrow, his head was buzzing, he raised his head, but saw that in the hills and woods on both sides of the road ahead, there were already nearly a hundred armed men with bows, arrows, and short spears. And on the giant tree that stretched across the avenue, a tall and handsome bandit leader with his arms like an ape, was holding a longbow, staring at them with a smile.

It's like a hungry tiger that hasn't opened meat for a long time, looking at its prey......

The big man's voice was as loud as if the yellow bell was ringing: "Qilu is difficult, the noon road is confined, and all the goods are taken over by Liu Xiajiao!" ”

……

At the end of February, the state of Qi was in Linzi.

Because he felt that his salt ce had returned the Zhao family's sword, Qi Hou had been in a good mood recently, not only did he start to take care of government affairs again, but also actively participated in some sacrifices, wanting to save his image of neglect in the past few months.

In the country of Qi, the auspicious day of February in mid-spring is A and B, and it belongs to wood in the five elements. So according to the rules, Qi Hou lived in the main room of the Dongxiang Ming Hall, rode a car with a warbler bell, drove a cyan tall horse in front of the car, and the flag painted with the green dragon was inserted on the car, wearing a cyan spring coat, wearing a cyan ornament jade, and the texture of the utensils used was rough and accessible. He no longer eats chicken every day, but wheat rice and yokan.

Towards the end of the month, swallows flew in and nested everywhere under the eaves of Linzi in the Qi Kingdom. On the day when the secretary informed the arrival of the swallow, the Marquis of Qi asked people to sacrifice the "god of high planning" with cattle and sheep and three animals, and he went there in person during the sacrifice, accompanied by Yan Ji, who was depressed because of the loss of her son for many years, and Rui Ji, who was humble but gave birth to a son and was much favored.

The absurdity of the first few months of Qi Hou was still fruitful, the two concubines in the palace were pregnant, and he held a ceremony for the pregnant concubines in front of the god of Gaomou, put on bow covers for them, awarded them bows and arrows, and prayed to the god of Gaomou to bless the birth of a boy.

Except for the eldest son who died early, and the youngest son Tu, who was pampered in his arms, in Qi Hou's opinion, the rest of the sons were the same. If you are captured, you will have another Yangsheng, and you will exchange it for the core interests of the Qi State? He was reluctant.

Just as Qi Hou was teasing his beloved son, Bao Mu, who had just ascended the throne, walked over in a hurry.

He is the son of Bao Guo, and he has the youngest seniority in the four secretaries, but he is the oldest, more than fifty years old. Although he has just become the head of the family and the secretary, because he has been in the position of a doctor for many years, Qi Hou is also relieved to hand over political affairs to him to assist, even if he is not as good as Bao Guo, but he is stronger than Gao Zhang.

Looking at the pink and cute son, who stretched out his hand to pull his long beard, Bao Mu reluctantly showed a smile, and then whispered in Qi Hou's ear: "Your Majesty, something is wrong!" (To be continued.) )