In the small courtyard of the Tianjin Acropolis, Liu Min sat at the stone table in a daze, and the stupid monk was holding a roast chicken and munching on it, and from time to time he lifted a wine jug and poured a few sips.

The first two divisions of the Wendeng Battalion had already set off on the ships of the Zhenhai Battalion, and more than half of the sailors of the Zhenhai Battalion had escaped a few years ago, and there were still only half of them, and the ships were not well maintained, and only 700 people were sent away at a time. The remaining soldiers and the wounded were living in the Zhenhai camp barracks.

After arriving in Tianjin this time, the two began to work on the business of shops, and the planning of the two was to set up five points in Yangzhou, Linqing, Tianjin, Tongzhou, and Jingshi, all of which were along the canal north of the Yangtze River, starting with the sale of southern goods.

Chen Xin was busy visiting the governor of Jinmen, the Tongzhi of the Qing Military Department and others in the past two days, Chen Xin originally planned to run a shop along the canal with Wen Tiren, in order to avoid paying taxes, but after a trial, Wen Tiren did not react, Chen Xin estimated that Wen Tiren planned to open a shop by himself, with his current power, ordinary people have to send money to see his mood before sending it, as long as he sends a few family members out, the magistrate will naturally give the shop silver. So he didn't want Chen Xin to mix.

forced Chen Xin to take care of the magistrate by himself, but fortunately, Wen Tiren still took care of him, sent a family member, took Wen Tiren's post, and went to Tongzhou first, Yang Guodong treated Chen Xin as a superior, and repeatedly assured that no one dared to move Chen Xin's shop.

Then I went to various yamen in Tianjin, Chen Xin is now deeply trusted by Chongzhen, there is nothing I don't know about the officialdom around Beijing, although the local civil officials can't talk about a military attaché, but I still want to give some care, after this time Jiannu entered the Kou. Many merchants from the south left Tianjin, the shops by the canal were vacant a lot, and the prices also fell.

In the past few days, Liu Minyou has deposited all the seized silver taels in the barracks, and has reconciled the accounts of the copper coin business and sea trade with Song Wenxian. When he was idle again, he didn't go to socialize with Chen Xin, preferring to stay in the courtyard like this. Walk around with some of the old neighborhoods from the original.

The stupid monk's mouth was full of chicken, and he asked some questions vaguely, and Liu Min answered absentmindedly to kill time. Until Deng Keshan knocked on the door and came in.

Deng Keshan is now kneeling to salute, he is well-informed, and inquired about Chen Xin's current power and future in Tianjin, his attitude is much better than the original, and he is very respectful to Liu Minyou.

Liu Minyou hurriedly helped Deng Keshan up, this ruffian was still the same, with a smooth smiling face, and his eyes were rolling around when he looked at people. This familiarity made Liu Minyou feel very kind, and he went to find a cup and poured tea for Deng Keshan.

After Deng Keshan took it, he turned his head to look around, and said with a smile to Liu Minyou: "Brother Liu, you are both expensive and rich now. I still miss the old neighborhood, I really miss the old. Zhou Shifa followed Lord Chen, and he also came out, what kind of military judge he was, he feasted the neighbors at his house this evening. Let me come over and talk to Brother Liu. ”

Liu Minyou agreed with a smile, and then said: "Brother Deng has a good reputation, the two of us came to Tianjin thanks to the care of your neighbors, so we were able to gain a foothold in Tianjin, and people should not forget their roots, and they can help in the future." Brother Deng, don't be polite. ”

Deng Keshan's eyes rolled, "Brother Liu, I heard that Lord Chen wants to sell southern goods in Tianjin, you know that the younger brother is a person who loves freshness, and he is tired of doing things in the clothing store, and he also wants to do the business of southern goods, especially sugar, the villain knows some merchants from Hejian Mansion, they have always come to Tianjin to buy goods, and the younger brother can do this tooth shop." ”

Liu Minyou guessed that he probably knew that sugar was highly profitable, maybe he heard Zhou Shifa say that there were sugar southern goods, and he wanted to get some benefits, but there are dental shops everywhere, Liu Minyou was looking for a job in Tianjin, and he wanted to do this business in the past.

At the moment, he promised: "It's convenient for each other, at this time, I can promise Brother Deng first, and Lord Chen shouldn't object." ”

Deng Keshan rubbed his hands, as if he saw a bright future, sugar in Tianjin is not worried about sales at all, he is making money in this tooth business, he looked at Liu Minyou, remembered what Lao Cai had said in private on weekdays, and decided to repay this person.

"Brother Liu, you open a new store, but you have to transfer people from the clothing store? A few days ago, I went to the clothing store, there were a lot of accounts and what kind of deputy shopkeeper, brother, I have been in Tianjin for many years, or the first time I heard of the deputy shopkeeper. ”

Liu Min said: "It's to transfer people." ”

Deng Keshan said mysteriously: "Then Brother Liu, don't transfer Shen Lou and his daughter-in-law." ”

"Why?"

"I fight miserably on weekdays, brother, I am a hob meat, and I am not like this Shen lame. Shen Niangzi is now admired by everyone in the clothing store, she is a good hand at settling accounts, and he is bullied by a lame man, just to slap our orchid clothing store in the face. Brother Liu, I and Shen Niangzi are colleagues and neighbors, every time I see such a thing, I am really angry, do you want my brother to find someone to go to the casino to set up a pit for this Shen lame, and force Shen Lou to take this lady away, otherwise this lady is afraid that she will not live long. ”

Liu Minyou hesitated for a moment and asked, "Shen Niangzi is a thin-faced person, if she takes a break, she is afraid that she will not be able to survive." ”

Deng Keshan said with a smile: "Mr. Liu, you may not be right, Mrs. Shen has been in the clothing store for more than two years, and she is well-informed, and she is not comparable to those deep boudoir women, and she has monthly money to hold, I am afraid that she will be desperate." Besides, Brother Liu can send her to other places to open a shop, so he is not afraid of these neighborhood gossip. ”

Liu Minyou gritted his teeth and asked, "Can you take a break at any time?" Is there a rule for Da Ming Law? ”

Deng Keshan looked at Liu Min like a monster for a while, and finally replied: "I heard those litigants say that according to the law of the Ming Dynasty, you need the aunt or uncle of the husband's family as evidence before you can divorce your wife, but this cripple Shen doesn't have these relatives, so he doesn't need to be so troublesome." Besides......" Deng Keshan swallowed a mouthful of saliva and continued: "Brother Liu, how can there be a Da Ming law now, and having the right to silver is a Da Ming law." Brother Zhou said that you are also going to be promoted this time, with Lord Chen's current power, even if you kill Shen Lou, no one dares to fart. ”

Liu Minyou shook his head, he was going to be an official, he didn't have this kind of consciousness yet, he didn't speak again at the moment, Deng Keshan saw that he didn't react, and said goodbye and went out stupidly. As soon as he arrived at the door, Liu Minyou suddenly stopped him and said, "You can do what you just said." ”

Deng Keshan was stunned for a moment, and after he reacted, he showed a little smile on his face and went out.

Liu Minyou stared at the door and said to himself: "You can't save the world, you can always save it." ”……

Two days later. Shen Li's cry came from the courtyard of Shen Lou, and Shen Lou's mother chattered about Shen Lou, but this time Shen Lou didn't speak inside. The surrounding neighbors all gathered at the door to discuss, it is said that Shen Lou lost a lot of silver, and even promised to use his wife to pay off the debt. Liu Minyou and Zhang Erhui also mixed in the crowd.

A green-skinned man was holding a page of paper and standing at the door in a big way, and Deng Keshan was still pretending to plead there. Qingpi only shook his head and did not buy Deng Keshan's account.

"Deng Er, Lao Tzu recognizes you as true, but this matter is fifty taels of silver, and no one can do it." Qingpi then said loudly inside: "Shen lame, this is the fifty taels of silver you owed me yesterday, if you don't come out today, give your wife to Lao Tzu." It is written in black and white. If you dare to deny it, if you don't come out, Lao Tzu will smash the door. ”

Deng Keshan hurriedly said: "Brother can't help it, this is the gate of my house, and he has no door in Shen Lou." ”

The green skin is unforgiving. picked up a stone, and had to smash the door, the two of them pulled and quarreled outside the door, and the trouble was unavoidable, when the door creaked open, and Shen Li's face was full of tears. Holding a page in his hand, he walked out expressionlessly and stood beside the green skin in a daze.

Liu Min looked at her carefully, she seemed to be a lot haggard in the past two years, and there were a few gray hairs on her head.

Qingpi took the page and read it, laughed, the hippie smiling face was about to pull Shen Li, and Lao Cai, who was mixed in the crowd, shouted: "Stop!" ”

The thin old Cai came up to block the green skin, and said angrily: "Shen Niangzi is the deputy shopkeeper of my shop, how can I allow the two of you to buy and sell." ”

Qingpi raised the note in his hand and said: "What Shen Niangzi, Shen Lou wrote all the letters of resignation, and now that he has returned to Lao Tzu, he will be renamed Tang Niangzi." Tomorrow, Lao Tzu will no longer let her go to your store, when will it be your turn. ”

Lao Cai was actually a little brave, stretched out his hand to stop him, and said, "You don't want to take the deputy shopkeeper away today." ”

"The first time I heard about the deputy shopkeeper, I won't let Lao Tzu do it again."

The surrounding neighbors have been getting along for more than two years, and they are very sympathetic to this Shen Li family, and when they see that they are going to end up like this, they can't bear it, and they all scold the green skin, and the green skin sees the anger of the crowd, and his head shrinks, Deng Keshan hurriedly glanced at him, and the green skin immediately said loudly: "What are you howling, what are you howling, anyway, the resignation book is written, and the IOU is also there, Lao Tzu is selling him to the secret door, and it is none of your business, if you have the ability, you can take eighty taels and buy her, and Lao Tzu will offer eighty taels ......"

"I bought it!"

Shen Li and the other neighbors turned their heads in surprise at the same time, and Liu Minyou stood proudly in the crowd. There was a moment of silence in the neighborhood, and suddenly there was a burst of cheering......

Li Ranzhu, this is the original name of Shen Li's family, no one has called her for a long time, so long that even she is about to forget it, but the moment Liu Minyou bought her, she suddenly remembered it very clearly.

She went out of the house, didn't bring anything, and gave all the more than ten taels of silver she hid to Shen Lou's mother, it seemed that what she handed over was not silver, but all the hardships in the past, Li Ranzhu followed the figure in front of her, through the noisy crowd, the sun shone down, shining on her face, warm and bright. In Li Ranzhu's eyes, the surrounding qiē was so beautiful, and even those slightly strange eyes did not feel dazzling.

Liu Minyou's soft voice came from the front: "You live in the clothing store first, and then go to Weihai to be a shopkeeper in a few days, where a new life awaits you." ”――

Outside the blue flag dungeon, Zhang Zhongqi, who was dressed in satin, rode a horse, and followed Niu Lu Ezhen in high spirits, the shadow of the dungeon was in front of him, and an urgent and excited mood suddenly appeared in Zhang Zhongqi's heart.

He muttered to himself, "What's so good about a stupid dumb person." ”

Then he touched the blanket on his body again, and most of the silver in it was given to Niu Lu Ezhen and Tak Tan, and there were still a few dozen taels left, which should be enough to buy back the dumb man, and a smile appeared on his face again. This Niu Lu Ezhen held the urn city in Luanzhou, was injured and comatose before being dragged down the city tower, verified by a number of armor soldiers, was not punished, and remained in his original position, they were all allowed to keep the looted gold, silver and cloth. Under the care of this master, Zhang Zhongqi has already opened an account, that is, he has raised the flag, and he is now qualified to buy the dumb man.

There was no one at the entrance of the village, Niu Lu really threw the whip, when the first to the wooden fence in the middle of the village, the others looked at it, they all dispersed, and hurriedly went home, Zhang Zhongqi and Taktan went to their yard together, Zhang Zhongqi jumped off the horse, and waited for the Taktan father and son to meet the hug, and also knelt to meet the Ama of Taktan, and then took advantage of the time when their father and son spoke, he hurriedly confessed and went out, he took off the blanket and carried it on his shoulder, took out two cakes from his arms, and hurried to Uncle Ilantai's house, turned a few corners and finally saw the courtyard door of Ilantai's house.

He excitedly came to the door with the cake, slapped it a few times, and it was Elantai's daughter Hailan who opened the door, she seemed to have forgotten who Zhang Zhongqi was, and said coldly: "Dog minion, knock on what to knock." ”

Zhang Zhongqi bent over and said to Hailan: "Master, the slave has raised the flag and wants to buy a woman with the master." ”

Hailan scolded with a disdainful face: "You dog slaves, my father died in the Ming Kingdom, but you came back alive, God doesn't open your eyes." You Nikan, you are dog slaves when you carry the flag. ”

Zhang Zhongqi carefully accompanied the smiling face, "What the master said is that the master of Hailan has been the master of the slave all his life. ”

Hailan looked at him expressionlessly, and asked for a long time: "Anyway, I didn't eat, I sold one to you, which woman do you buy?" ”

Zhang Zhongqi freed up one hand, took out two ingots of silver in the blanket, and flattered Hailan in front of him: "That dumb woman." ”

"Dead."

Zhang Zhongqi stayed on the spot and repeated mechanically: "Dead?!" ”

Hailan was about to close the door, but Zhang Zhongqi stopped him violently and asked hurriedly: "Did you buy it from the master of Taktan......

"I know what else could have been dumb and would have died a few days earlier."

"How can I die, ...... when I leave"

"My Ama is dead, and I don't have any money back, how can she eat, get out!" Hailan yelled impatiently, kicked open Zhang Zhongqi, and closed the door with a bang.

Zhang Zhongqi hurriedly pounced on the door again, and asked loudly at the crack in the door: "Master Hailan, where is the corpse?" ”

Hailan's cold voice came back from the courtyard: "The west of the village is feeding the dogs!" ”

Zhang Zhongqi dropped the cake and silver ingot, and ran towards the west in a daze, he no longer knew what he was looking for, but subconsciously identified the road in the village, and staggered all the way to the west entrance of the village, where there were a few wild dogs biting something by the edge of the grove.

Zhang Zhongqi pulled out the knife on his body, howled and slashed at a few wild dogs, a few wild dogs ate too much human flesh, and their temperament was far fiercer than that of ordinary dogs.

Zhang Zhongqi turned around in a daze, looked at the ground, there were some fragments of tattered clothes on the ground, and a few white bones, he knelt on the ground and picked up a piece of clothing, which was the one that the dumb man usually wears, he dropped the fragments, his hands trembled and stroked those bones.

"Why did you die, so that you have a chance to steal food, and the bread has brought you ......"

After a while, a low howl sounded slowly at the edge of the woods, like the whimper of a wild beast in the wasteland, and several wild dogs seemed to be afraid of the monster in front of them, barked a few times, and disappeared into the woods.