Li Ban...... Immortal? Yes, it's in Li Zhuang. ”

On the north bank of the river, the boatman replied while glancing at the two guests who were about to cross the river.

"The guest officer is from Shaozhou? Is it to buy horse lanterns, walking boots, colored glass or blue iron hardware? Which one has which goods, which one has the lowest price, I know the best! Foot power bow bow, tooth inspection deed, my little Xie should be all-inclusive! ”

On the south bank of the river, a young man with slippery eyes stopped the two of them, and his tongue turned round, looking like a wandering tooth man.

"Looking for Li Ban...... Immortal? Hey...... Is it for fortune telling? ”

That Xiao Xie listened to the questions of the two, and his face was a little weird.

"Uh-huh, yes, yes......"

Both of them were dressed as ordinary businessmen, and the middle-aged man among them was a little more sophisticated, and he talked back to Xiao Xie.

"Oh...... Then you will know when you enter the Qingtian set and ask. ”

Without business, Xiao Xie was no longer interested, so he made a perfunctory sentence and went to the others.

The south bank was already a small and prosperous ferry, and two mules were hired here, and the two of them headed south, not noticing that Xiao Xie behind them looked at them a few more times.

"I remember that at this time last year, I didn't see such a scene, not only the ferry, but even the road was paved."

A dirt road splits through the half-man's height of the barren grass, and although it is far inferior to the brick and stone road near the town, the road surface is finely tamped, and the mule walks quite smoothly. The young man looked around, looking surprised.

"Tianxin River does not allow outsiders to sail, so it can only go from here, of course, the road has to be built, there is really a mystery in this."

The older merchant looked ahead, his eyes full of anticipation.

"What else could be the mystery? The crystal glass in Hunan, it should go out from here, look at this lively energy, that is, it only broke out this year. ”

People and cars come and go on the road, and young people have already made up their minds.

"I know all this, that's why the family asked us to take a look. But the things to see are not simple, if here is just a craftsman, understand the production method of crystal glazed products, then it's nothing, let the line of ideas to recruit to Guangzhou. But if you understand the preparation method of crystal material here, it will be a little tricky. ”

The middle-aged man can see through it, but the young man seems to think that he thinks too much.

"Sixth uncle, the production method of crystal products, even we haven't figured it out, how can the villagers in this small county in northern Guangdong understand? Not to mention the crystal material, cut ...... For so many years, Boshan [1] has not become famous! If you really get the frit here, everyone in the world will be scared! In my opinion, most of them colluded with other merchants here, and they only dared to sell them to Hunan, obviously trying to avoid our Anhetang. ”

The young man's nagging, the middle-aged man only chuckled, and the two really looked like uncles and nephews.

"Just go in and inquire carefully, anyway, the people in Hunan say that it seems that behind the Peng family, there is that Li Banxian, it is said that the power is not smaller than the Yingde Peng family, we have to pay attention."

The middle-aged admonishment, the young man didn't care: "What is the Yingde Peng family?" Whoever sends charcoal to our Anhetang can compare with him! What kind of Li Banxian, it is estimated that he is a loose tooth who has mixed with Guangzhou! ”

He twisted his shoulders and shook his waist, as if he was not used to the leisurely and slow steps of the mule under his crotch, and added: "Let the sixth uncle, you, the shopkeeper of Shaozhou, come to run such a trip in person, I really look down on them." According to my thoughts, call a few guys to come over and light up our hall number, so as not to scare them to death! ”

The middle-aged man sighed and shook his head: "Ah Wei, you...... It's good to have a heart, but you have to have a wider horizon, this Yingde has stirred up a lot of things this year, even if it is a poor country, there are always a few characters. ”

As he spoke, the road ahead changed again, and the road ahead was no longer a dirt road, but a wide road paved with gravel that could accommodate at least two large carts to cross together. There was also a row of neat houses on the side of the road, and a few green battalion soldiers wearing vests with the word "soldier" blocked the road and searched for pedestrians.

"Huh? When did you have a pond mouth here? ”

The two were very surprised, but this was an officer and soldier, and the two did not dare to disobey the beckoning of the soldiers in front of them, and obediently lined up for inspection.

"Where did it come from? Do what? ”

A soldier who seemed to be a long-eyed soldier asked, that voice made both of them stunned, it is estimated that he is not yet sixteen years old, is it lacking at such a young age?

"Anliu, Anwei, Shaozhou merchants, come here to buy some local goods."

The middle-aged man replied respectfully.

"Dirt?"

The soldier stared, and the two of them couldn't figure it out.

"Ah Yuan! I'm here to take over! ”

As he was talking, another young soldier came over, and at this time the two of them noticed some details, such as the five or six soldiers at this pass, all stepping on the kind of "walking boots" that Xiao Xie said before, and the boots were simple and heavy, which made them look a little more stance. The waist is not an ordinary waist knife, but a straight sheath blade of about two feet, holding a wooden stick of three or four feet in his hand, one end is thick and the other is thin, it is very strange, each person also carries a small rattan card on his back, and the whole outfit is very different from the general Tang soldiers.

"Hengzi, wait, I've checked these two and then handed over the shift."

The boy replied, then continued.

"Who introduced you? What exactly do you want to buy? And also...... What about the guides? ”

The young man named Anwei couldn't help it.

"It's not a bandit, why are you so close to interrogation!? Who still has that thing with Lu Yin? ”

He pointed to the passers-by next to him who had been let go without questioning.

"Why don't they check?"

The young soldier Ding laughed, and An Liu hurriedly stopped in front of An Wei.

"It's just to come to see the customs, in addition to the specialties, I also want to visit Li Banxian."

As he spoke, he handed over his sleeve, and there was a small silver horn estimated at two or three cents in it.

The young soldier smiled again, his face became more and more strange, but he didn't refuse the silver, and took out a small note from his waist, "This is the way into the market, without this, the patrol there will not let you in, as for Li Banxian......"

Speaking of this, the young soldier who called him from behind came over and glanced at him, and the young man continued, "It depends on whether you have a chance to meet him." ”

Looking at the backs of the two of them in the distance, Luo Tangyuan threw the silver horn up and down, and ate and laughed with Fang Tangheng.

"Li Banxian...... Haha......"

"The Director-General wants to hear it, and I don't know what the expression on his face is."

The two surnamed An naturally didn't hear this, and they didn't understand when they heard it, but after walking for a while, they finally entered a big market, and they were immediately shocked by the strange layout in front of them. A large area of flat masonry ground, the length and width of each twenty or thirty zhang, but also parked all kinds of cars and horses, carts to cars, mules and horses to mules and horses, rows of bolt piles neatly drawn out of the ground. The market is at the back of the square, surrounded on all sides by a high wall, only a gate is blocked, and in front of the door there are a few messengers wearing "patrol" vests standing straight, behind them, it is the bustling flow of people.

Came to the door, handed out the road strip given by the young Tang soldier before, and saw that although the patrolman who took the road strip was rude, he was only sixteen or seventeen years old, and both of them said in their hearts, why is this place full of young people?

When the patrolman saw the road, his thick eyebrows twisted like silkworms, and he looked at the two of them with rather strange eyes, and saw that their hearts were furious.

"If it's inconvenient, I'm not in a hurry to enter the market, I just want to inquire about Li Banxian's residence."

An Liu felt that something was wrong, maybe the road given by the young man before was a signal to this patrol, the two of them were fat sheep that could be slaughtered, there were a lot of things in Guangzhou, so hurry up and get out.

"Li Banxian? Where did you hear that? What to do with him? ”

The inspector asked.

"I heard people talk about it in Shaozhou, saying that he is very accurate in fortune telling......

An Liu, an old world, naturally makes up for the ability that "Li Banxian" should have.

The stocky young patrolman stretched out his hand and said, "Hmm...... He lives there, just take this and ask the door directly. ”

Following the direction, the two saw the shadow of a longing house half a mile away, which was a big Zhuangzi.

"Wang Tanghe, go find someone to keep an eye on them, and prevent Han Yi from getting rid of it."

Seeing that the two of them were gone, the patrolman called one of his subordinates to explain so.

"Okay, Brother Hanshan."

The two people didn't know that they had already been the focus of the target, and when they came to Zhuangzi, they saw a trench surrounding Zhuangzi, and only a suspension bridge connected the inside and outside, and there were four or five people standing inside and outside the bridge wearing the word "Yong" vest, which should be practicing Yong.

"Li Banxian...... Hey hey ......"

The little leader of Lian Yong is a teenager again, and when he heard the excuse that the two of them pulled out as a shield, he couldn't help laughing, and before the two of them could understand, the young man waved his hand: "Take it!" ”

was tied up by several teenagers, and the two surnamed An hadn't come back to their senses, and the thin Lian Yong young man said coldly: "Where did the thieves come from?" Find excuses to cover up and don't look for profits! What Li Banxian...... You hear me clearly......"

In the main hall of the Tax Factory Office, a young man with a cold face was reprimanding dozens of people kneeling on the ground.

"Listen carefully, I'm not a pen poster! Nor is it an overseer's servant! I, Jiang, am an official! The official of the five grades! Not only an official, but also an official of the Ministry of Internal Affairs! Long live the personal coating of the Lord! ”

His fingers were like knives, and every time he pointed at a man, that person's head pierced deeper into the ground.

"You unqualified scribes are still trying to pinch me!? I said casually, your livelihood in this life is gone, forever! Do you think that if you eat in this factory from generation to generation, you will be able to hold me up? Don't let me find any hands and feet, I, an official, can also kill! ”

After a pause, he shook his head disdainfully.

"But what kind of official, what kind of coating, I, Jiang, still disdain to smash ants with a hammer! Let's just talk about it......"

With a bang, he swept a large pile of paperwork from the copywriting beside him to the ground.

"Take these books to coax me? When am I a three-year-old? You don't have to look at me to know that even those pro-fillers are fake! Private book! Within three days, you have to put your private books in order for me, otherwise you ...... Don't think about it this year! ”【2】

He pointed out the door again.

"Wen, Master Shaoxing Qianliang, Guangzhou Foreign Bank shopkeeper, I brought them all! Wu, Goshha beside me is a soldier under the Admiral of the Nine Gates! What kind of play do you want to play, I Jiang Zan will accompany you to the end! ”

Jiang Zan took a deep breath, and the peacock feathers on the winter hat swayed leisurely, reminding the kneeling people in the hall that his noble status was unusual.

This reprimand was like a cold wind, blowing the cold air in the main hall that had no winter intentions, and everyone kneeling even shivered.

Seeing that everyone's anger was completely suppressed, Jiang Zan slowed down his tone, "The New Year has arrived, and the filial piety of the New Year is waiting for the New Year. Privateness is the saying, otherwise Taiping Guan will not sell my favor. If there is really a difficulty and you can't get out of your pocket, then you can grit your teeth and get through this difficulty with me Jiang, how about it? ”

First the cold wind, then the spring rain, the group of scribes under the hall were kneaded, and no one dared to answer a word.

"Thirteen thousand three hundred taels of silver, two thousand one hundred taels of copper and two catties of silver, a surplus of seven thousand four hundred taels, and a surplus of one thousand taels of wood tax, a total of twenty-three thousand eight hundred taels, this amount you must make up......."

Jiang Zan said slowly, and the scribe in the hall seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

"In addition...... New Year's Festival, Fire Consumption, Etiquette, Miscellaneous Expenses......"

At this point, the scribes changed color again.

"If you don't give a private book, just come as an integer of 30,000!"

Jiang Zange gritted his teeth and spit out the number, which shocked everyone to stop breathing.

"Get out!"

With a wave of the horseshoe sleeves, the scribes withdrew from the main hall with pale faces, making eye contact as they walked, and when they arrived at the side hall, everyone suddenly became bustling.

"Yang Chun was in turmoil, Xun Xun was robbed, and he didn't confiscate any tax money for half a year, and the above also knew that this Jiang Zan not only had to pay the full amount, but also increased the miscellaneous items, which was intended to kill us!"

"This person is big, looking at his work and talking, it's not those wine bags and rice bags before, this time it's really a catastrophe!"

"Yes, he has prepared both civil and military affairs, even if he doesn't use official authority, it will be difficult for us to deal with it, but he is still an official of the Internal Affairs Office! In terms of grade, he should be directly appointed as the superintendent of Taipingguan, how did he come to our Xunhuan factory to be a committee member...... What is this road number? ”

"There are still aftermaths of the banditry, the previous committee member was directly killed in the office, whether it is afraid of feng shui, or afraid of another disaster, the superintendent is almost immobile, this Jiang Zan should be a ruthless person invited by the superintendent directly from the Ministry of Internal Affairs."

The scribes exchanged sorrows, and then someone asked a man in the corner.

"Xiang Desk, what charter are you?"

This man is forty or fifty years old, with a rickety body, but his face is more indifferent than everyone else.

"Look at you, just make it clear to you, hand it over privately, with this Jiang Zan's spleen surname, it is estimated that we are going to be eaten to the bones. If you don't pay it, 30,000 taels ......"

Another person said hatefully: "That's not a bone slag!" It's not just 30,000 taels, we can't even make up the right items, it's more than 40,000 taels! ”

Another gritted his teeth: "Let the merchant come out!" ”

Sneering at the desk, the others shook their heads.

"Tao Guanya and Inspector Liu can't deal with this Jiang Commissioner, but they can deal with us enough."

Speaking of this to the desk, everyone nodded.

"At this point, it's time to ask the people behind them for help."

These words made the scribes suddenly wake up.

"It's Li Ban......"

In the back hall of the office, a Goshha came up and muttered a few words to Jiang Zan, who had just changed into his official uniform, and Jiang Zan sneered crookedly.

"They may have been desperate and are going to burn incense and pray to God, ha...... What Li Banxian, foolish! ”

Li Zhuang, Yu Hanyi said coldly to the two An family members: "There is no Li Banxian, only Li Ban...... County. ”

(To be continued)