"What did you say!?" Wang Zelkova was furious when he heard this, "Sold all the inheritance from your ancestors? ”

"Big brother, don't be angry yet." Wang Hua hurriedly persuaded, "What the third said is not unreasonable, let's listen to the third first." ”

"Big brother, second brother." Wang Pu said sincerely, "Shanxi, Shaanxi, Beizhili, Henan, and Shandong provinces have suffered a severe drought for three consecutive years, and the people have no harvest, so that the thieves have risen and the people are not able to make a living. ”

Wang Hua lost his voice and said: "Third child, are you a little alarmist when you say this?" ”

"It's not alarmist." Wang Pu said in a deep voice, "Second brother, you are not in the army, so you don't know the reality of the Ming Dynasty's official army, in fact, the elite border army of the Ming Dynasty has already been exhausted in the vicious battle with Jiannu, and now the officials and troops who are suppressing the Kou in the provinces are actually a rabble, and it is impossible to count on them to eliminate the thieves." ”

Wang Zelkova said in a condensed voice: "You mean that the Ming Dynasty is no longer able to return to the sky?" ”

Wang Pu said solemnly: "Whether the Ming Dynasty has no power to return to the sky, it is difficult to say now, but there is no doubt that the five northern provinces are about to erode, and it is precisely because of this that the younger brother will persuade the eldest brother to quickly sell all the properties of our Wang family while the situation in Shanxi has not completely eroded." ”

"What if you sell your property?" Wang Zelkova said gloomily, "As soon as the rebels arrive, the silver is not all someone else's. ”

"Not really." Wang Pu said, "The eldest brother can sell the industry in Shanxi, and then use the money to go to Jiangnan to buy new industries, and he can also run a new business." ”

"You mean to transfer the industry to Jiangnan?" Wang Beech shook his head and said, "It's not easy to talk about!" How should the huge amount of silver taels obtained from the sale of the industry be transported to Jiangnan? In the middle, you have to pass through the territory of the thieves, and there are those officials and soldiers, who are more ruthless than the thieves when they grab the merchants. ”

"It's up to the little brother." Wang Pu said, "Big brother, tell the younger brother, if you sell all the properties of our Wang family, how much silver can you exchange for?" ”

Wang Beech said: "Our Wang family has been operated by our fathers and ancestors for two generations, and already has 13 silk shops, 36 tea shops, 19 porcelain shops and tens of thousands of acres of land in Shanxi, plus this old house and six granges, all of which are worth more than one million taels of silver." ”

Wang Pu said: "Big brother, listen to the younger brother, you can hurry up and sell all the properties." ”

Wang Zelkova frowned and said, "The question is how to transport this silver to Jiangnan?" ”

"This silver doesn't need to be transported to Jiangnan." Wang Pu said, "The younger brother went to Liaodong this time and took back a large amount of gold, silver and jewelry from Jiannu and North Korea, some of which were brought to Beijing by the younger brother, and most of the remaining property was left in Jiangnan by the younger brother, and this batch of property is worth at least five million taels of silver!" ”

Wang Hua's face changed drastically and said: "Third child, you have hidden such a large amount of property, this is a bully!" ”

"Bullshit." Wang Pu said coldly, "That's the silver that the brothers exchanged for their surnames, why should they hand it over to the court?" ”

Wang Beech and Wang Hua were surprised when they heard this, fortunately, the three brothers of the Wang family were not serious readers, and they were not poisoned by the Confucian idea of loyalty to the monarch.

Wang Beech finally understood what Wang Pu meant, and said in a deep voice: "Third child, do you mean to take a part of this batch of property to cover all of our Wang family's properties in Shanxi?" ”

"That's right." Wang Pu said, "In this way, the younger brother will have a large amount of cash in Datong to recruit troops and buy horses, and our Wang family's industry can also be easily transferred to Jiangnan, and more importantly, after our Wang family's industry is transferred to Jiangnan, because there are no thieves in Jiangnan, and relying on the convenience of shipping by sea, the eldest brother can make the business bigger and let the money make money, instead of sitting still like now." ”

Wang Hua said: "Big brother, this is a good way. ”

"Ugh." Wang Zelkova sighed and said, "Although it is difficult to leave the homeland, it seems that there is no other way now, okay, tomorrow the eldest brother will start to sell the ancestral property." ”

Wang Pu said: "Big brother Mingjian." ”

Wang Zelkova said: "It's not early, the two brothers should go back and rest." ”

Wang Hua and Wang Pu responded, and came out of the main house and went back to the house without mentioning it.

■■■

The next morning.

As soon as Zhang Zi'an, the eunuch guarding the town of Datong Mansion, finished washing up under the service of the two little maids, a little eunuch came in and reported: "Godfather, Mr. Wang has come to visit the mansion. ”

"Mr. Wang?" Zhang Zi'an asked in a weird manner, "Is that the horse master?" ”

"That's him." The little eunuch replied, "I also brought a heavy gift." ”

"Hmph, we guess it's time to come." Zhang Zi'an smiled, "Go, just say that our family has an invitation." ”

The little eunuch took the order, and in less than a moment led Wang Pu into the hall, Wang Pu was followed by four family members, and carried a heavy big box in, Zhang Zi'an hurriedly greeted him from behind the screen, and chuckled: "Hey, what kind of wind blew the horse master here today?" ”

"Grandpa Zhang." Wang Pusu pointed to the box beside him with his hand and said with a smile, "It's just a small courtesy, and I hope to accept it." ”

Zhang Zi'an smiled: "Oh, Master Ma is so polite, too polite." ”

Wang Pu said loudly: "Open!" ”

The four housekeepers standing on the edge of the box opened the box, and it was filled with white silver, such a large box, to say the least, was 50,000 taels! Although Zhang Zi'an is a eunuch guarding the town, Datong is a barren place, and the filial piety of the magistrate is only a few thousand taels at most.

"Grandpa Zhang? Grandpa Zhang! ”

Wang Pu screamed twice in a row before he woke Zhang Zi'an from the huge shock.

"Oh, Master Horse, your gift is too heavy, our family can't afford it."

"Where." Although Wang Pu was reluctant in his heart, in order to recruit troops, he couldn't help but say something that made him feel disgusting, "Gonggong Zhang is in charge of the mines, salt transportation, weapons workshops, and military grain and grass in Datong Mansion. It is also appropriate to give some small gifts below. ”

Zhang Zi'an smiled and said: "Since the master of the horse has said so, then our family has no choice but to bear it." ”

Wang Pu waved his hand and motioned his subordinates to withdraw from the door, Zhang Zi'an understood, and also let the two little eunuchs waiting next to him retreat, Wang Pu lowered his voice and said: "Father-in-law Zhang, there is something that you still need your old man's help." ”

Zhang Zi'an said: "Although the master of the horse commands, as long as our family can do it, we will do it." ”

"That's right." Wang Pu said, "I want to use the three weapons workshops under my father-in-law to build a batch of new firearms, of course, the cost of materials needed to build firearms, the labor cost of craftsmen, and various losses are all paid by me, after the matter is completed, there is another filial piety to my father-in-law." ”

"That's it?" Zhang Zi'an said disapprovingly, "Our family thought it was a big deal, okay, Ming'er, our family will say hello to the stewards of the three weapons workshops, and the master of the horse can go when he wants, the materials and labor required are all ready-made, and there is no need for a tael of silver." ”

Wang Pu hugged his fists and said: "Then thank you to Grandpa Zhang." ”

Zhang Zi'an smiled: "What's polite to our family." ”

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