Pang Zi was very anxious, and after talking to Chen Tianhua about meddling in the nitrate trade, there was no delay, and Pang Zi immediately took people to Pingxiang.

This place in Pingxiang is on the Kushui River, and there is only a large saline-alkali flat with sparse plants that tolerate salt and alkali. There are many rope-enclosed salt flats on the beach, and the coolies draw out the bitter water that seeps out of the ground under the command of Shiotin, and then transport it to the place where the brine is boiled. The tidal flats were very slippery, and the coolies rolled like mud monkeys one by one. Theoretically, the salters in this year should have done these things themselves, but like other industries monopolized by the imperial court, these salters who should have worked by themselves have long become the ones who don't work. After hundreds of years of elimination, these industries have been monopolized by some big forces, although there is also a quota for salt, but it is already a thing on paper. All the salt quotas became a method used by the monopoly families to avoid taxes.

Now the salt is not so much a laborer as a thug. They were responsible for supervising the coolies and suppressing all kinds of rebellions. In order to make a living, the people had to sell their strength, but even so, going to the salt works to work as a coolie was a way that many people would choose when they had no way out. Not only is it hard to work here, but the wages are much less.

Pang Zi took more than a dozen people, all on horseback, and galloped all the way to the vicinity of the salt field. There were no obstacles on the tidal flats, and when the salters saw Pang Zi and the others from afar, they immediately became vigilant. The team finally slowed down, but didn't stop. The place where the brine was boiled was on a high ground on the side of the road, and Pang Zi and the others stopped when they got nearby. And the salters were already carrying knives and guns in front of the field.

"Humph!" The fat man sneered. More than a dozen of these people were armed with knives, guns, and firearms, and although Pang Zi himself did not bring a gun, the brothers behind him were carrying rifles, and at worst they were old sleeves. The comparison of forces between the two sides can be seen at a glance. Looking at the salters condescendingly, Pang Zi shouted, "Let your stewards come out." Isn't it time to pay back the money for medicine last time? ”

The salters had never seen Pang Zi, and they didn't know who this sturdy-looking young man was. Hearing Pang Zi shout like this, the salters couldn't figure it out even more. "What are you doing?" A small leader shouted.

"What am I doing?" After hearing this, Pang Zi sneered, "I'm here to collect the bills." After speaking, Pang Zi waved his hand to the brother behind him, and the brother handed over a flag from the saddle, Pang Zi raised the flag and slammed the flagpole in front of his horse. A gust of wind blew, and in the white full moon in the middle of the cyan flag, the word "Pang" could be seen clearly.

The leader knows a little bit of the word, although he doesn't know this word, he knows that Pang Zi must have a great background. He hurriedly arched his hand, "May I ask what this old man is called." ”

"My name is Pang Zi, and I'm here to collect money for medicine today. Let you in charge come out to me quickly. Pang Zi was very happy to see that after hearing this, the salters immediately changed their faces. They looked at themselves in awe. I saw that the salters whispered a few words, and someone went back to report.

Like the Ximen officials in the book, Pang Zi has a crude medicine shop under his name. Although they also see doctors, they are more likely to buy and sell medicines. This is Chen Tianhua's request, and the members of the peasant association need to see a doctor. And the price of seeing a doctor is too high these days, especially when it comes to medicine. Pang Zi simply opened such a pharmacy. The original source of funds for the pharmacy is very simple, and Chen Ke's special drug "914" for the treatment of flower willow disease is also in demand in Hebei. The fat man just saw a few big sick families, and he earned the initial capital of the pharmacy. It's tantamount to falling into such a pharmacy for nothing.

And the current owner of the salt farm is named Jing Tinglie, and Pang Zi is still a distant relative. His son went to Beijing and came back sick. Pang Zi treated him at that time, but he didn't ask for money immediately. This is the excuse for Pang Zi to come this time.

Jing Tinglie naturally couldn't take charge of things in person in the salt farm, and it was his family's master who came. When Pang Zi saw him, he immediately asked sharply, "What about the five hundred taels of silver that you said would cure the disease?" When will it be given to me? ”

Master Jing Tingjun originally greeted him with a smile, but he didn't expect Pang Zi to say this as soon as he opened his mouth. Dengshi's face also changed, "Big nephew, what do you mean by this?" ”

Pang Zi sneered: "Last time, your family was dyed with willows, and I came to treat the disease, and I said that I would give five hundred taels." Now that people have long been healed, why hasn't the money moved. You're trying to trick me, aren't you? ”

Jing Tingjun knew that Pang Zi was here to find fault as soon as he heard it, he had also seen the world, and knew that this was not a matter of five hundred taels of silver at all, not to mention that it was impossible to ask Pang Zi for five hundred taels of money, so he simply sneered: "You empty talk, you said to cure the disease?" ”

"Good. As the saying goes, kill to pay for your life, pay off your debts. If you are bullied to me. Then you guys try it. I'll come tomorrow, right here on this flag, and I won't force you. If you don't send me five hundred taels under the flag tomorrow, you won't open this salt farm. When to pay off the money, when to open again. After speaking, no matter what Jing Tingjun wanted to say, Pang Zi turned his horse's head and galloped away with his men.

After riding far away, the horse team slowed down. The people who came with Pang Zi were all henchmen, and they actually knew that this Jing Tinglie really let Pang Zi save his son's life. But whether there is an agreement for the five hundred taels of silver, they don't know.

"Brother Pang, does Jing Tinglie really owe us money for medicine?" Someone asked.

"How much did five hundred taels of silver save his son's life?" Pang Zi said with a smile.

Whether this is too much, the brothers of these dart games actually don't judge, but Jing Tinglie is rich, and it's no problem to take five hundred taels.

"If they don't have the money, can they let us do the nitrate business? Set aside a piece of land for us, and they will not suffer. That's what the brothers said to everyone when they got back. Do you owe money to pay your debts? ”

When everyone returned to Nangong County the next day, it was noon, and half of the street south of Nangong County was now Pang Zi's territory. In the past six months, because of the farmers' association's own business, the scale of the escort team has expanded rapidly. In 1906, most of the people who walked darts were not from good families, and after making money, everyone began to eat and drink. For the rest of the team, drinking in large bowls and eating meat in large chunks is a luxury. For Pang Zi, this is a project that does not require any special expenditure.

As soon as I entered the courtyard of the dart game, there was a burst of aroma of wine and meat. Nangong smoked vegetables were already famous, and now the meat supply is abundant, and it is even more delicious. In the courtyard, as usual, more than a dozen tables were slapped in two, and the tables were full of people. There must be as many as one hundred and ten, and when they saw Pang Zi coming in, everyone got up one after another. "Captain Pang!" "Brother Huge!" The warm greeting made Pang Zi feel very comfortable.

"Captain Pang, seeing that you are so annoyed, has someone offended you?" Pang Tianshuo seemed to have drunk wine, his face was red, and he said very drunkly.

Pang Zi knew that this was an illusion, Pang Tianshuo drank a lot of alcohol, but even if he drank a small glass, it was very good. But this guy is very shrewd. Always use this illusion to fool others.

"Close the door, I have something to say." Pang Zi shouted.

Immediately someone closed the door, and when everyone saw Pang Zi doing this, they knew that there was a big deal. The anxious came around, and the greedy stuffed the food into their mouths while looking at Pang Zi.

"I have to tell everyone something, I once treated Jing Tinglie's son for Hualiu disease, and he owed me five hundred taels of silver, and he hasn't paid it back yet. Everyone said, should I ask for this money? Pang Zi shouted.

"Of course it should be returned!"

"They dare to bully Brother Dang, this is to die. Big brother, tomorrow we will go and ask for money. If you don't pay it back, you want them to look good. ”

The brothers of the dart game were immediately excited.

"Jing Tinglie is not short of this money! Five hundred taels saved his son's life, how much is this money? Pang Zi then shouted.

"Not much, not more!" The brothers then shouted.

Pang Zi continued to incite: "I originally looked at the villagers, but I didn't ask for money at that time when I was treated, and now I see that Jing Tinglie will definitely have to pay the bill." I'm afraid that he will definitely not admit it. Brothers, everyone knows who I am Pang Zi, can I still talk nonsense about this kind of thing? To see a doctor is to see a doctor, and if you don't see a doctor, you don't see a doctor. This kind of thing looks like a god. Tomorrow choose fifty people and follow me to ask for money. I kept three hundred taels for the medicine shop, and divided the rest among my brothers. Those who followed me were divided into two portions for each person. ”

Now that Pang Zi has offered a heavy reward, the brothers of the dart game are naturally more energetic. But some people are a little worried, "What if Jing Tinglie dies and doesn't admit it?" ”

"It's not productive, isn't it just fighting? Afraid of what. Can't we beat Jing Tinglie? Immediately someone started scolding the worried man.

There were also some relatively serious people who were not so excited, "Captain Pang, what if Jing Tinglie refuses to pay back?" ”

"Why isn't Jing Tinglie short of money? What kind of business is he doing? It's not that you can make so much money by buying and selling nitrates. Everyone knows how profitable this business is. Pang Zilang said.

"Oh!!" There was an exclamation below. Nangong County produces nitrate, and the saline-alkali water overflowing from the banks of several Kushui rivers is rich in salt. Although salt from Shandong is sold back and forth along the canal, there is no shortage of sales for nitrate salt in these years. But it's a big deal.

"If Jing Tinglie refuses to pay back, it's simple, and we will dry up the nitrate business in a divided plot. This is not the matter of five hundred taels of silver, if Jing Tinglie is bullied on our heads, will we do it again in the future? ”

Someone hurriedly bit off the meat on the leg bone of the chicken leg from his mouth, and then shouted: "Brother Pang, let's do it." ”

"That's it, it's a pity that we don't do this deal."

Pang Zi provided plenty of wine and meat, but the brothers of these dart games had eaten for a few months, and although they couldn't say that they were tired of eating, they had long since lost their initial excitement. Because of the abundant supply of wine and meat, the salary of the dart board is not very high. If you can take advantage of the nitrate trade, the money you get will definitely increase a lot. Thinking of this, the brothers were immediately excited.

"Captain Pang, this nitrate trade is our own dart bureau, right?" Some ask more bluntly. After all, the peasant association is "its own people", and it provides wine and meat, and the fat man does not let him charge more money, and everyone does not dare to ask for more. But in these years, there are not so many goods to be bought and sold, and if you want to feed hundreds of people, these people naturally can't get too much money.

How could Pang Zi not know the thoughts of these people below, he smiled: "Don't worry, this transaction will not make everyone short of money to spend." ”

As soon as these words came out, the brothers below immediately burst into joy. "It's done!" "It's done!" Everyone expressed their opinions.

"My mother said last time that she would marry me a daughter-in-law. But there are a lot of bride prices that people want. Brother Pang, I'll follow you to do a good job! A young man said wistfully.

"You? Do you marry a daughter-in-law? I said you had a crush on Little Pink. Pang Tianshuo quipped. The so-called girls who are well-fed and hungry, these young men drink wine and eat meat all day long, and they have already accumulated enough energy. The brothels in Nangong County are now the biggest customers of these people. Listening to Pang Tianshuo's teasing, everyone burst out laughing.

"Then hurry up and give me food now. Let's sum it up, and the day after tomorrow will go to Pingxiang to explore the way. Pang Zi said. Naturally, everyone agreed. Seeing that everyone agreed, Pang Zi shouted: "Hurry up and serve me food, I'm hungry too." ”