Daqiao restlessly stroked the "Essay on Southward Travel" that had been rolled up, which Sun Shao brought back when he sent Shen Xuan back to Jianye, she had read it countless times, and she knew every word and painting in it, and could even describe the content of some paintings in detail. Reading two essays from this book every day before going to bed has become a habit for her in the past few months.

"Auntie, don't touch it again, if you touch the book cover again, it will fall off." Zhou Yu pursed his lips and smiled, took the book from Daqiao's hand, and stroked it gently: "You said that you would borrow it from me to copy it again, but you have been refusing to let go." Okay now, big brother is coming back, there must be an updated book for you to read, just borrow this one from me and copy it. ”

Ohashi glanced at her, and glanced at the book in her hand with some unease: "Then you have to be careful, don't break it." ”

"Auntie, don't worry, it can't be broken." Zhou Yu pouted, coquettish, and her eyebrows flew: "Auntie, for the sake of me being with you for so many days, can you do me a favor?" ”

"How can I help you?" Daqiao looked at Zhou Yu with a smile, reached out and pinched her nose, and smiled lovingly: "It's not for me to help, I think you want someone to help you." ”

"Auntie, don't laugh at Yu'er." Zhou Yu lowered his head embarrassedly, and said in a snort: "Although my calligraphy is not as good as his, and I can barely read it, but the painting is too far away, and I have described it a few times, but it will not work after all, and I have to trouble the eldest brother." The eldest brother now has a sister-in-law on the silver screen, and he doesn't like to play with us anymore, I'm afraid that my sister can't work for him, and only my aunt can use him. ”

"I asked you to marry, but you didn't marry, and now you regret it, right?" Ohashi smiled with some smugness and some regret. Zhou Yu's face darkened, and then he laughed again: "No, Yu'er is not blessed." ”

"Sister, you're just proud, there's no need to be happy with Yu'er." Xiaoqiao said dissatisfiedly: "You have to blame for this, you promised me at the time, who knew that it would be delayed." ”

Xiaoqiao wanted to say more, Zhou Yu stopped her, wanted to laugh, but couldn't laugh, so she could only bite her lip and endure her loss. At the beginning, Daqiao said that she wanted Sun Shao to marry her, but she didn't look down on Sun Shao, but now it's the other way around, Sun Shao doesn't look down on her, this psychology is not the same thing at all, for her who is arrogant, this is more uncomfortable than tearing her heart.

Seeing Zhou Yu's ugly face, Xiaoqiao had to keep his mouth shut, and the three of them were a little embarrassed. After a while, there was a sound of footsteps outside, and Qiao Ying walked in quickly, shouting happily: "Madam, the young master and the young lady are back." ”

"Aman......" Daqiao's face was happy, and he was just about to get up, Sun Shao had already helped Guan Feng, who had a big belly, and walked in, as soon as he saw the bridge, he and Guan Feng took two steps, walked to the bridge and bowed down, and before he could speak, tears fell.

"Mother, we're back."

Daqiao couldn't help but burst into tears, she was stunned for a while, and couldn't help but step forward and hug Sun Shao's head, hugging her tightly in her arms, a drop of tears fell on Sun Shao's head, crying silently: "Silly boy, you flew out, why did you come back." ”

Sun Shao hugged Daqiao's waist with both hands, and swallowed: "Mother, you are here, how can I not come back." No matter how far I fly, it's the same as the kite, and the string is still in my mother's hand. ”

When Ohashi heard this, he was moved and sad again, and tears rolled down in strings. Xiaoqiao also felt a little sad, but he was afraid that what they said would be too straightforward, so he hurriedly stepped forward and persuaded: "Sister, Yinping is pregnant, let's sit down and talk, it's not a matter to always kneel." ”

Daqiao then remembered that he was still Guan Feng, and hurriedly gave up Sun Shao, bent down to help Guan Feng, and showed a relieved smile on his face that was still in tears, and then lowered his face, glared at Sun Shao and said: "You child, Yinping is pregnant, why do you still let her take the boat, in case something happens, but how is it good?" ”

Sun Shao shook his head helplessly, and just about to explain, Guan Feng smiled: "Mother, not only does my husband miss my mother, but I also miss my mother." The child is about to be born, and I think that if my mother is by my side, I will be more comfortable in my heart. As she spoke, her eyes were also red, and she sniffed: "Where there is a husband and a mother, where is home." ”

"Good boy, well said, well said." A warm current surged in Daqiao's heart, and he carefully touched Guan Feng's belly, and as he was touching, Guan Feng's belly suddenly jumped, and Daqiao suddenly came to his senses, and said with a smile: "The kid is so energetic, he actually knows how to kick people." ”

"But I'm in good spirits, and every morning I have to kick for a while when I hear the drums." Guan Feng smiled sweetly.

"The drums every morning?" Daqiao looked at Guan Feng in puzzlement, and then looked at Sun Shao. Sun Shangxiang, who had been wiping tears from his side, interjected: "The ship has to practice soldiers every morning, and naturally there is the sound of drums." ”

Daqiao glared at her dissatisfied: "It must be you who did it, this time I went to Jiaozhou, but I was too addicted to fighting?" ”

Sun Shangxiang rolled his eyes, smacked his lips, and said in his heart, Why are you blaming me.

A few people entered the house and sat down, Sun Shao saluted Xiaoqiao again, and said very earnestly: "Thanks to my aunt for accompanying my mother for half a year, I am really grateful." ”

"What are you talking about, she is your mother, but she is also my sister, our sisters don't have companions, do we need others to be companions?" Xiaoqiao smiled, rolled his eyes, and said, "Okay, if you really want to be grateful to me, do me a favor." ”

Sun Shao said with a smile: "Auntie is serious, if you have something to say, why use the word help." ”

Xiaoqiao glanced at Zhou Yu: "I like the southbound essay you sent back, you can help me copy a copy." How is it? ”

Sun Shao made a bitter face, thought for a moment, and then responded: "Dare not obey your fate." ”

"Then I'll wait." Xiaoqiao chuckled: "What good things did you bring back from Jiaozhou, and you still don't take them out for us to see?" We've been here for as long as we hear from you. ”

Sun Shao smiled slightly: "Auntie, don't be bored." Although there are no good things, I can't forget my aunt's. ”

The crowd burst out laughing. Guan Feng, who was talking to Daqiao, saw that Zhou Yu had been silent, but his eyes glanced at Sun Shao from time to time, and he sensitively noticed something unusual. She turned her gaze to Sun Shangxiang with some confusion, Sun Shangxiang touched her chin and nodded quietly. Guan Feng raised the corners of her mouth, and a sense of superiority arose, and she smiled faintly: "Husband, I see that Sister Yu's skin is white and delicate, and she must be very beautiful when she wears pearls, so let's give that box of Hepu beads to Sister Yu'er." ”

Sun Shao didn't understand for a while, he brought a few boxes of Hepu beads, and they were all the kind of high-grade beads with particles of more than one inch, the so-called "Yingqi Bronze Mirror, Jingyu Hepu Beads", these are all rare things, he is not reluctant, but the gifts he originally prepared for Zhou Yu are not this, these are for the bridge. Since Guan Feng said so, he didn't regret it, so he had to ask someone to bring a brocade box, Guan Feng took it, pushed it in front of Zhou Yu with both hands, and said with a smile: "It's not a respect, please also ask my sister to smile." ”

Zhou Yu looked at Guan Feng's smiling face, a little uneasy in his heart, and then opened it to take a look, inside was a bracelet made of ten round and full Hepu beads, placed on the red silk, which looked quiet and luxurious, but there was no dazzling feeling at all. She couldn't help but be taken aback, and raised her hand to cover her small mouth: "This ...... How deserved. ”

Xiaoqiao glanced at it, and was also a little surprised, these ten Hepu beads are not only large, but also the same size, the price of this bracelet is not less than 100 gold, as a meeting gift, it is indeed a little too heavy, and hurriedly excused himself. "It's better for you to keep these high-quality beads for yourself."

"It's okay." Guan Feng laughed softly: "Although this string of beads is good, the chain that my husband gave me is a few more than this, and it is bigger." Sister Yu'er has good skin, and it is just right to wear this, but it was me, who followed my husband on a trip to the South China Sea, but I got a tan. This is also a piece of my husband and me's heart, so please accept it from Sister Yu. ”

Everyone present was smart people, and they heard the taste at once, the smile on Zhou Yu's face suddenly stiffened, she glanced at Guan Feng, and then looked at Sun Shao. Although Sun Shao didn't know what Zhou Yu thought about him, he could still hear a little bit of the meaning of these words, and he didn't know what to say for a while, so he had to echo: "Yes, Yu'er should accept it, this is also a little bit of our heart." ”

Zhou Yu took the brocade box and bowed: "Thank you brother and sister-in-law, Yu'er is grateful." Then he saluted the bridge again: "Auntie, Yu'er is unwell, so she will retire first." After speaking, without waiting for the bridge's approval, he got up and hurried away.

Xiaoqiao was a little displeased, but he couldn't say anything, laughed awkwardly, got up and chased out. Daqiao looked at Guan Feng with some reproach, and was about to say a few words to her, but when he saw her pitiful appearance, and then saw her stomach, he had to swallow the words back.

After the cold noise, Daqiao said to Sun Shao with some uneasiness: "Since you are back, hurry up to the Supreme, he has sent someone to ask a few times, as if there is something to find you." ”

Sun Shao hesitated for a moment: "He knows our itinerary, why did he come here to ask?" ”

Daqiao wanted to speak and stopped, but didn't speak for a long time, just urged: "I don't know, you better ask him yourself." ”

"Whoa." Sun Shao responded, motioned to Guan Feng to take out the new nautical book, and sent it to the bridge with both hands: "Mother, this is the battle record of Xu Wen, there are some barbarian anecdotes in it, and it is quite interesting to look at it in your spare time." ”

Daqiao nodded again and again, took a look, and saw that the book cover was already a little worn, and the corners of the book were also rolled up, as if someone had rubbed it for a long time, and suddenly felt a little lost in her heart, she glanced at Guan Feng and said with a smile: "Have you seen it?" ”

Guan Feng nodded: "Yes, I have come all the way, in addition to watching the illusions and songs and dances of those Great Qin people, I just watched this to relieve my boredom." Mother, this is all what the husband has seen and heard, but it is interesting, it is the same as the Classic of Mountains and Seas. ”

Daqiao originally had some opinions about Guan Feng, but when he saw her eyebrows dancing when she talked about Sun Shao, he couldn't help but blame himself. Guan Feng and Sun Shao have such a good relationship, what Sun Shao wrote, of course, Guan Feng should have read it first, what kind of anger did he have. It's just that she is pampered and coquettish, deliberately stimulating Zhou Yu, but she is a little unethical, and she has to beat her when she finds time. Although she thought so in her heart, Daqiao always felt a little awkward, and she couldn't tell what it was like, in short, she didn't see Guan Feng very much.

After all, the Guan family is still a martial artist, and it is still not suitable to be a housewife. A thought came to me. Daqiao's heart moved, and he turned his gaze to Sun Shao thoughtfully, but saw that Sun Shao just looked at them with a smile, and when he saw her look over, the corners of his mouth were picked, and his eyes were full of joy of reunion after a long absence, and the undisguised attachment made Daqiao's heart warm.

...... "Is Jiaozhou fun?" Sun Quan asked casually while waving the book.

Sun Shao grinned: "There are many things in Jiaozhou that are different from Yangzhou, if you want to say fresh, it is still quite fresh." ”

"Just fresh?" Sun Quan approved an official document, put down his pen, blew the black trace, and handed it to Zhu Ji, then looked at Sun Shao and said with a smile: "It's only been a few months, but it's really dark." ”

Sun Shao laughed: "Supreme, I am very white in Jiaozhou, and most of the people there are black." ”

"Really?" Sun Quan smiled, rested on the case with his fingers crossed, and looked at Sun Shao with a smile: "Is the naval battle interesting?" ”

Sun Shao scratched his head, thought for a moment, and said, "It's both interesting and dangerous. Last time, I supported Bufujun with Wei Ziqi, and there were dozens of battles along the way, and some were captured, but there were also many who were almost overturned by pirates. Thinking about it now, I still have cold sweat. ”

"War, that's it, otherwise how can you say that the soldiers are in danger." Sun Quan smiled faintly: "I didn't let you fight before, you cried and shouted to lead the troops, but now that you have led the troops, you know what it feels like, right?" How's that, are you still interested? ”

Sun Shao smiled bitterly, took out the seal letter of General Henghai from his waist, and presented it to Sun Quan with both hands. Sun Shao glanced at it, but didn't reach out to take it.

"I don't want to fight, it's better to do business."

Sun Quan didn't speak, and swept some blue eyeballs around Sun Shao's face. Sun Shao's face was calm, and his eyes were very calm, but he couldn't see any hypocrisy. He nodded secretly, stretched out his hand to pick up General Henghai's seal letter and looked at it, then threw it back on the case, and laughed disdainfully: "The old thief thinks that taking a Jiaozhou Mu and a Henghai General can separate our uncle and nephew, but now if he knows that this is the result, I don't know what his mood will be." ”

Sun Shao pursed his lips and did not say a word. He basically didn't believe what Sun Quan was saying, otherwise, he wouldn't have gone all the way to summon him back from the South China Sea. He waited quietly, waiting for Sun Quan to say his purpose.

"Your Uncle Ji is dead, the elders of the clan want to take this opportunity to gather their relatives, I have to call you back." Sun Quan said with some regret: "I originally wanted to leave you in the South China Sea, but Buqi's battle table said that you didn't fight beautifully, it's just ......" He suddenly laughed, and looked at Sun Shao with a somewhat strange look, both appreciative and funny: "It's just that the fight is too insidious." ”

Sun Shao couldn't help laughing, he wiped the corners of his mouth, and said with a smug smile: "I can't do it, if it weren't for Bufujun supporting me with ten ships, I would only have five broken ships given by Shiwei, not even a small pirate, so I had to pretend to be Cui Qian's subordinate." But......" He sank his face, his expression became serious, and even Sun Quan couldn't help but put away his smile: "Supreme, I think the strength of the Shi family is too great, and it can't be cleaned up." They hooked up with pirates, making pirates more powerful than sailors. I did Nanhai Taishou for a few days, and I also went around Yi City for a few days, and then I went to Xu Wen again, and I felt that it was a pity. The merchants were afraid of pirates, and a large number of goods were handled on the spot in Xu Wen, coupled with the extortion and robbery of pirates and sailors, the commercial tax in our hands was only 30% at most. If the arrogance of the pirates can be dealt with, Jiaozhou can be turned into a supreme treasury. ”

"There's so much potential?" Sun Quan asked in surprise.

"Yes." Sun Shao snapped his fingers, reported a series of numbers like a few treasures, and finally said: "Now pirates are rampant, the merchants are suspicious, and the losses are not small, Panyu City has such income, so what about Jiaoluan, Yuenan, and Hepu?" Needless to say, we'd be triple as well, what if we brought the pirates under control? There's always a doubling of the size, right? Not to mention anything else, from these few items alone, the commercial tax can be quadrupled. With all this money, why is the Supreme so tight-handed? ”

Sun Quan was stunned, he knew from Buqi's report that most of Jiaozhou's income was still in Shixie's hands, but he didn't expect such a large amount. He stroked his beard and groaned. As Sun Shao said, he is indeed tight now, most of the land in Yangzhou and Jingzhou under his control has been distributed to the generals, and the financial resources he controls are really limited, which makes him shrink his hands and feet, and he does not dare to restrict the generals, but he can't help but restrict the generals. If Jiaozhou can be controlled as soon as possible, then most of the increased financial resources will be his, and his strength will develop rapidly, and the enhancement of his strength will also be able to break the current deadlock.

Unexpectedly, Sun Shao went around Jiaozhou and was able to bring back this information, which is much more intimate than Buqi. Sun Quan looked at Sun Shao, who had a heavy expression, and suddenly sighed with emotion, did he really want to be a businessman? If that's the case, it's not a bad thing to put him in Jiaozhou.

"In addition to the commercial tax, there is one more thing that deserves the supreme attention." Sun Shao was still unsatisfied, and then gave Sun Quan a surprise: "The area of Nan and Jiuzhen is fertile and fertile, and it is a good place to grow rice, and the annual output is not small. He took a sip of water and continued, "I have learned from the merchants that in the southern sea, there are many islands, and many areas rich in rice. Moreover, the people who live there are all barbarians, and there is no ruler, and if the Supreme sends people to give indoctrination, it will soon become the grain store of the Supreme One. ”

"Inside the sea?" Sun Quan gasped and felt a little funny: "Xingshi moved everyone to the sea to transport rice? Is it worth it? ”

"What's not to do?" Sun Shao disagreed: "The sea looks dangerous, but those barbarians can row a small boat, we have a warship that is thousands of times better than them, why can't we go over?" The Supreme doesn't know, I saw a lot of boats in Xu Wen this time, I really don't know if I don't see it, I was startled when I saw it, they are also called boats? Compared to our boat, that's child's play. However, it is such a ship that continuously transports Xiyi's goods to Jiaozhou, and continuously transports Jiaozhou's goods back to Xiyi. They are so windy and rough along the way, or do they enjoy it, why? Because of profitability, of course. We have such a good ship that can reduce the risk by several percent, why do we still stick to the port? If we send a fleet of ships to do business, who merchant can compare with us? ”

"The sea is vast, how can it be so easy." Sun Quan still didn't believe it.

"Of course it's not easy, but Yi Shang can do it with such a broken ship, why can't we?" Sun Shao waved his hand disapprovingly: "It's man-made, when I accumulate more capital and buy a few more boats, I plan to do such a business." ”

"You want Yu Fu and Lu Ji, is it for this purpose?" Sun Quan smiled, looking like I knew you weren't well-intentioned. Sun Shao also smiled, touching his head embarrassedly, embarrassed that Sun Quan had seen through his thoughts. "This matter is actually a matter of both public and private affairs."

"What's the matter of public and private?"

"I need someone to help me navigate the sea. However, the sailor needs it more than I do. Sun Shao smiled, and said: "The current nautical charts are not only crude, but also have a lot of mistakes, with the wrong map, how to fight?" How can you win a battle? ”

"That's a real problem." Sun Quan nodded sympathetically, sighed, took out a letter from the case and threw it in front of Sun Shao: "Buqi also mentioned this matter in the book, saying that the last battle was lost, and the reason why he failed to complete the whole work was because the chart in his hand was wrong. He also asked to send someone who is proficient in astronomy to Jiaozhou to help redraw the charts, and there is another thing, that is, he wants you to go to Jiaozhou again. ”

Sun Quan looked at Sun Shao, but Sun Shao just glanced at him, and then continued to read Buqi's book. He had told Bu Qi in advance, don't mention his merits too much, Bu Qi really listened to him, and only mentioned a stroke in it, and didn't say too much. He put down his watch, and the corners of his mouth moved, looking a little preoccupied. Sun Quan looked at him and didn't speak, Sun Shao finally said: "Actually, it doesn't matter if I go or not, the key is to send a few people who are not from the Shi family to help Bufujun, there are too few people he can trust now." Without the help of credible people, no matter how powerful Bu Fujun is, he can't get rid of that old fox of Shixie. ”

"Who do you think is a good fit?" Sun Quan put away Qi Qi's book and asked lightly.

"How do I know that?" Sun Shao replied cleanly, and then pointed to the person next to him: "There are so many capable people around the Supreme, you can send anyone, like Zhou Xun, like Zhu Ran, like Gu Gong, or Zhuge Jin." In short, don't send me. ”

Sun Quan was stunned, looked at Sun Shao in a daze, and after a while, he smiled: "Why can everyone else, but you can't?" ”

Sun Shao said confidently: "My wife is about to give birth, and I want to accompany her." In addition, I have so many goods to sell, I have to go to Chengdu, I have to go to Yecheng, how can I deal with it without a year and a half? I don't have time to help him recruit pirates. Even if I am a Taishou of the South China Sea, the money I get a year is not enough for me to pay for a shipload of goods, so I am not interested in this kind of loss-making business. ”

(To be continued)