After Xu Lide said what he meant, Yan Huan's whole body trembled, and at the same time, a trace of panic and nervousness flashed in his eyes. Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ｂｉｑUｇE。 info He really didn't expect that the other party would come to him to cooperate with him to do such a terrible thing.

That's right, it's a deadly thing. Transporting silk and other goods overseas privately is a major event that may lose their heads at any time for the officials and people of the Ming Dynasty. No, it's not just a loss of head, maybe it's a sin of raiding the house!

After the Ming Dynasty opened its doors in the Yongle year, all countries came to the court, and sent Zheng He to the West six times, because of the limited vision of the civil officials, they began to guard the sea frontier. After Zheng He went to sea for the seventh time, the imperial court completely banned maritime affairs, except for a few coastal port cities, no other boards were allowed to go to the sea.

In the long years that followed, the maritime frontier of the Ming Dynasty was completely closed to the outside world, especially during the reign of Zhengde Jiajing, after the Japanese harassed the southeast, the imperial court even banned all matters of going to sea. But some were found by the government, and it was a natural result to raid the house and destroy the door.

It's just that after all, such a ban is like a dam to stop the flood, although it seems to block the flood for a while, but in fact, there is indeed a turbulent undercurrent in the place where the imperial court can't see, and countless private forces are doing overseas trade in various ways. There is no way, overseas countries have always been very interested in the porcelain, tea, silk and other things of the Ming Dynasty, and it is a luxury in the eyes of the magnates of those countries, they are willing to spend a very high price to buy, and the people of the Ming Dynasty have the people who have drilled into the eyes of the money to take risks, steal into the sea, and traffic goods.

In fact, Yan Huan didn't know much about these things, but he couldn't have imagined that the Xu family would actually get involved in this matter. And judging from their status, their smuggling must be extremely large-scale and extremely valuable.

It was precisely because he understood this that Yan Huan was taken aback, and at the same time he was stunned. With the power of the Xu family in the southeast, it doesn't matter if this kind of thing is found by the government, but he is different from the Cao Gang, once the matter is leaked, or the government catches the handle, there is only one result.

Seeing Yan Huan like this, the corners of Xu Lide's mouth turned up again, and he looked at the other party with a smile: "What, doesn't Gang Master Yan want to cooperate with our Xu family?" ”

Seeing it like this, Yan Huan's body shook again, and he suddenly figured out one thing-since the other party had even handed over the bottom to him, did he have any other choice but to cooperate with them? Once refused, will the Xu family let themselves go for their own safety?

The more he thought about it, the more Yan Huan's heart tightened. But after weighing and hesitating for a while, he still gritted his teeth and said, "To be able to cooperate with your mansion, our Cao Gang can't ask for it." But...... Steward Xu, you should also know that our Cao Gang has always only been on the canal, and the water situation on this sea is much more complicated than on the canal, and our Cao Gang brothers are afraid that they will not be able to adapt to it. "Now there is only such an excuse to prevaricate.

But Xu Lide shook his head disappreciatively: "Hey, Gang Master Yan's words are wrong. The so-called one reason is reasonable, and this water thing is always figured out. If your gang can go smoothly on the canal, they will never be far behind in the sea. And once you are born and twice cooked, as long as you learn more and try more, there is nothing to worry about. ”

"But......" Yan Huan was about to say anything more, but was interrupted by Xu Lide waving his hand: "Could it be that you don't want to cooperate with us, Gang Master Yan?" If that's the case, then I don't dare to force myself, so I quit! So saying, he simply stood up and made a gesture to leave.

Seeing him like this, even if Yan Huan had a lot of uneasiness, he could only take the matter seriously, otherwise it would be even worse if he completely offended the Xu Jiacao Gang and his own situation. So he hurriedly said: "Steward Xu, please stay!" We can consider this matter in the long run, since the Xu family thinks so highly of us, our Cao Gang will not be so ignorant. ”

Seeing that the other party really agreed, Xu Lide showed a satisfied smile: "It's best that Gang Master Yan can think like this." And I believe that if you and I join forces, this time things will definitely be done beautifully and properly. ”

After another secret discussion, Xu Lide said goodbye and left with satisfaction, but Yan Huan, who got up to send him out of the door of the house, looked helpless and worried after looking back: "The situation is stronger than people, it seems that the only way to take a risk is to try." But I don't know what Lin Yi thinks about this. ”

Lin Yi is the most trusted person in the Cao Gang today, and he is the right-hand man left to him by his father. Now, there is a problem in the gang, and Lin Yi is also worried about it, and he has been thinking about how to find a few more big businesses for the gang all day long. In this regard, Yan Huan naturally saw it in his eyes and trusted him more, so as soon as he took over this hot cooperation matter, he wanted to discuss it with Lin Yi.

It's just that when he came to the courtyard where Lin Yi was every day, he found that the other party was not among them. In desperation, Yan Huan could only leave a message for his brothers, asking them to ask him to come to see him when they saw Lin Yi.

At this time, Lin Yi was in the Tianzi room of the famous Qinglou Cuixin Garden in Yangzhou City, in front of him was a good wine and food banquet, and there were two charming and lovely women beside him serving wine and cloth dishes for him, looking very unhappy.

Lin Yi is in his forties, born rich and handsome, and in the past, he was also a loved one who was coveted by the sisters of all buildings in Yangzhou City. However, in the past few years, the situation of the Cao Gang has deteriorated, and he has lost this Yaxing and funds. Today, it is also because I want to negotiate a big business, so I came to Cui Xin Yuan.

In front of him, there were also two men, one was Weng Jiuru, a wealthy businessman in Yangzhou who had some friendship with him, and the other was Weng Jiuru's big guest who was looking for him, Cui Dingshan, a salt merchant. This is a businessman in his fifties, wide and fat, with a smile on his face.

After some greetings and compliments, toasting each other, and laughing a few more words with the women beside him, Weng Jiuru waved his hand at the women and sent them away. As soon as Lin Yi saw this posture, his heart moved, it seems that there is something strange about this business today.

After those women retreated, Weng Jiuru said with a smile: "Brother Cui, Brother Lin, now there are only a few good friends here, so you might as well spread out some words." What do you two think? ”

Lin Yi naturally didn't have any opinion on this, and he set his eyes on Cui Dingshan at that time: "Everything should be decided by Brother Cui." ”

Cui Dingshan also smiled: "I also know the name of the Cao Gang, and I know that Brother Lin is a person who can speak in the Cao Gang, so I will move this thought." However, before I talk about the business, I hope that the two of you will agree to the next point. Whether you take this matter or not, I hope you don't spread the word. As he spoke, he solemnly arched his hand towards the two of them.

"Of course. Our Cao Bang brothers talk about the word faith, and keeping the confidentiality of our guests is our criterion for doing things. Lin Yi immediately agreed, but he was a little confused in his heart, and he didn't know what kind of business the other party wanted to do.

Weng Jiuru seemed to see his doubts, so he smiled as if he was helping him: "Brother Lin, if it is an ordinary small business, with the current status and prestige of the Cao Gang, I am afraid that it will not be looked down upon." It is precisely for this reason that I introduced Boss Cui to you, brother. Don't worry, as long as the matter can be done this time, the silver or anything is not a matter at all. ”

"Really? Then ask Boss Cui to tell me what he wants our Cao Gang to do. Lin Yi asked again. Somehow, his heart became a little nervous, something he had rarely felt when fighting people before.

Cui Dingshan nodded, lowered his voice and said, "What are you doing, you must both know it, right?" However, this salt sale seems to be very profitable, but in the middle, it has to deal with many yamen officials, and they have to withhold it layer by layer, but in fact, what can be earned under it is just a little hard money. And if you really want to make money in the salt market, you have to take some risks. ”

"You mean selling illicit salt?" Lin Yi is an understanding person, the other party has only made a start, and he already understands what the other party wants to do. Indeed, the imperial court is very strict about the salt industry, but if it is found that there are people selling smuggled salt, it must be a strict sentence, and it is very easy to kill the head. But because of this, selling smuggled salt has become a lucrative business, in fact, the Cao Gang itself has also done this business. It was only because of the small amount of salt that I could get at hand that I couldn't do it in the end.

Cui Dingshan nodded vigorously: "Not bad." If it is an ordinary person who sells smuggled salt, it is naturally very dangerous. But if we have the identity of salt merchants, it will be much easier. ”

Lin Yi nodded knowingly. Although the government has a quota for the salt in their hands, it is impossible to find out how much salt they are selling. In this way, these people have loopholes to exploit, and they can often sell a large amount of private salt at the price of official salt, so as to make a big profit.

"Does Boss Cui want us to help you bring salt to the north?" Lin Yi asked with some confusion. He already knew that the other party was a merchant selling salt from the north and south, so he asked this question.

"Of course it's not that simple. If you just bring some private salt, you won't come to ask for help in the next place. Cui Dingshan shook his head at that time.

"And for what?"

"Well...... this" After a little hesitation, Cui Dingshan said softly: "In addition to hoping that you can help me send the salt, I also hope that your gang can do one thing - destroy all the salt ships that were loaded and transported from the canal to the north during this period of time!" ”

"What did you say?" Lin Yi stared at the businessman in front of him in disbelief, who looked like a smiling Maitreya, and the whole person was stunned......