PS: Ask for a monthly pass.

A No. 2 Fu boat full of tobacco leaves docked at the Weihe Wharf in Tianjin, with the blue-background military flag of the Denglai Navy Division hanging on it, Chen Xin led his entourage to the wharf, and only then did Tianjin Governor Zheng Zongzhou personally send him to Zhenhaimen, which was unprecedented treatment before Chen Xin, and he now began to feel that his status was indeed greatly improved than before.

Deng Keshan, who saw him off, also followed to the deck, and diligently helped to follow the other generals on the ship.

Geng Zhongming also followed them, he did not belong to the Wendeng system, and he was the defeated general of the Wendeng battalion, Dai Zhenggang and others did not take him seriously, although Geng Zhongming tried his best to please them, but this group of Wendeng officers still did not pay much attention to him, and talked to him about Chen Xin and Song Wenxian along the way.

Geng Zhongming was not familiar with this kind of big ship, and he didn't know how Chen Xin arranged it, he was embarrassed with two guards, Song Wenxian walked over and took them to the cabin, Deng Keshan was also familiar with it, and enthusiastically helped Geng Zhongming carry his luggage.

Chen Xin walked around the warehouse, the cabin was full of tobacco purchased from Tianjin, Chen Xin told Dai Zhenggang and others not to use fire, and returned to the deck.

This lucky ship is the one that Chen Xin went to sea to Japan that day, the sails on it have been changed once, the layout has not changed at all, but it is much cleaner than before, there are more than 30 sailors on board, and the clothes are neater than the original, they are busy after saying hello to Chen Xin.

Chen Xin stood on the starboard guard, this lucky ship has not fought in the past few years, and the damaged places there have long been repaired, Chen Xin was lying here to participate in the first battle of his life that day, and got the opportunity to start. Chen Xin had a feeling of vicissitudes in his heart, the same ship, only time changed. In a few years, he has changed from an account office to a general with tens of thousands of soldiers, ruling more than 100,000 people, and will soon become a big town in Jiaodong.

"Lord Chen! I didn't expect to meet you here. A voice of surprise rang out.

Chen Xin looked back and saw Lu You, the partner of the original Dongyuan store, who also got on the boat with an entourage, and quickly knelt down to salute Chen Xin as soon as he saw him.

He is now the shopkeeper of a firm in Tianjin, and is also in charge of the business of the orchid clothing store, which now has a profit of seven or eight hundred taels a year, which is regarded as the private income of Liu Minyou and Chen Xin. Lu You entrusts the trading company to bring it to Liu Minyou every year, and Liu Minyou distributes it to Chen Xin. Therefore, when Chen Xin takes money every year, he can think of this old man, and it can be seen that Lu You is a little clever now.

Chen Xin laughed heartily, pulled up Lu You and said, "Shopkeeper Lu." The last time I went to Beijing via Tianjin, you happened to go to Baoding, and Erdao Street was lively that day, but unfortunately you were not there. ”

Lu You shook his head regretfully and said, "I happened to go to Baoding to buy some nitrate that day, and I didn't want to miss meeting the adults, but today is a coincidence." Be able to walk with adults and listen to their teachings. ”

This honest clerk can now speak well, Chen Xin can only sigh that the environment has changed, and when he heard that Lu You was going to Dengzhou, he couldn't help asking: "Lu You, you also want to go to Dengzhou." Did the trading company recruit you for something? ”

Lu You said strangely: "It was Lord Liu who informed me to hand over the shop to the deputy shopkeeper and rush to Dengzhou with the ship, saying that there was a conference to adjust the organization." Why don't you participate? ”

Chen Xin patted his head, and the Four Seas Trading Company also had to be reorganized. It was a matter that had been decided a long time ago, and Liu Minyou convened these shopkeepers to tell them the scope of their responsibilities in person, and the other thing was the matter of topping the stock. This top stock is also a dry stock for executives, and those big businesses also had it in the Ming and Qing dynasties, but generally you can't get it if you don't do it until you are seventy or eighty, and Liu Minyou naturally won't do this.

Chen Xin was not very clear about the reorganization of the trading company, and said perfunctorily: "Naturally, I will also participate, but Mr. Liu is mainly in charge." You just said that you went to Baoding to buy nitrate, but you bought it? ”

Lu You looked left and right and said in a low voice: "It's in the bottom warehouse, three thousand catties, and the value is only sixty taels of silver, but now the imperial court has to manage it to some extent, and it is not as smooth as before, especially when it comes to the sea." ”

Chen Xin nodded, the best nitrate in the Ming Dynasty came from Henan, where the output was also very high. At that time, the nitrate making process was complicated, and egg whites were used, two eggs per catty, and there were more impurities, adding water to the height of two fingers of nitrate, and then adding egg whites to boil, and then filtering once with a bamboo dustpan after boiling, and then filtering once with a burlap cloth, the price was roughly two cents of silver, which belonged to an important strategic resource.

After Chen Xin occupied Wendeng, there was no shortage of charcoal, sulfur was bought from Japan as a high-quality product, that is, there was no stable supply of nitrate, so it also began to make nitrate locally, Wendeng did not have natural nitrate resources, generally dug old soil next to the old wall roots and toilets, and the used waste materials should be backfilled, and they could be refined again after two or three years, and the scope of nitrate production is gradually increasing.

The three components of gunpowder need to be carefully made, even the easiest charcoal should be selected balsa wood, and the wood should be pounded more than 10,000 times, and the material can only be fed after passing the test. These methods and precautions are known to everyone, but under corruption at all levels, most of the gunpowder produced by the imperial court has some problems, but the border army's own production is much better.

Ordinary Ming troops are rotten from ingredients, formulas, storage, birds, and training, no matter how good the design of firearms is, it has no effect, and every time it fights with Jiannu, the power is not as good as that of bows and arrows, and the rate of fire is far worse, and it is strange to be undefeated. Later, many generals thought that there was a problem with the firearms themselves, and they were even more reluctant to use firearms.

Chen Xin instructed Lu You: "In the future, you are estimated to be in Tianjin, and you should pay more attention to military resources here, and you must inquire more about information." ”

"The villain understands, Zhou Shifa has already said, let's summarize the news every five days, someone will come to pick it up, and if there is an emergency, put a broom outside the door......"

"Okay, no need to go into such detail." Chen Xin hurriedly interrupted him, in a key place like Tianjin, the intelligence station is separate, even Lu You doesn't know where the intelligence station is, the trading company is just one more channel for inquiry, and each semicolon has two outsourcing channels. In some small places, only trading companies are allowed to investigate.

Chen Xin advised: "Don't let those guys know about this." ”

Lu You bowed and said: "The villain understands, he didn't say it, according to what Zhou Shifa said, two people in one store know, and the other is this person who knows." With that, he gestured to the guy next to him.

"Is it the deputy treasurer?"

"No, his name is Chai Zhi. Tianjin natives, honest people, do things safely. ”

Chen Xin glanced at it, the man was tall and big, but his expression was a little cringe.

At this time, Deng Keshan walked on the deck, and when he saw Lu You, he immediately nodded and said hello, Lu You is the shopkeeper of Tianjin Trading Company, and he has a lot of dealings with Deng Keshan's tooth shop on weekdays.

Deng Keshan saw that the sailors were ready to sail and said goodbye to Chen Xin

After. Walking towards the gangplank, Chai Zhi happened to be standing there, blocking a gap, Deng Keshan waved his hand impatiently, and Chai Zhi looked back. found that he was blocking the road, and quickly flashed to the side in embarrassment.

Deng Keshan reprimanded him when he passed by: "Big Chai, you have to be smart, watch more on the boat, and take care of Lord Chen." ”

Chai Zhi didn't speak, he bowed with an unnatural expression on his face, and Deng Keshan got off the springboard. Chen Xin also said goodbye. The sailor steered the ship to shore the shore, then raised the sails and the ship went out to sea.

Chen Xingui's heart is like an arrow, and he wishes the boat could be faster. Dengzhou has a lot of things waiting for him, not to mention the matter of institutional adjustment, that is, the gold mine in Zhaoyuan has to lose hundreds of taels of silver every day, after he received an urgent letter from Liu Minyou last time. I'm still afraid that it will have an impact on the trip to Jingshi, so let them investigate first. Don't do it yet. Now that the trip to Jingshi is over, the gold mine, a business with a fixed income of more than 100,000 taels per year, he will never tolerate it flowing into the hands of those gentlemen in vain.

Lu You chatted with Chen Xin enthusiastically, talking about the later situation of some neighborhoods, several families have already gone to Dengzhou with their families, and they are also mixing well there, Lu You also plans to visit them this time, and asked how far Pingdu is from Dengzhou. After learning that there were several days to go, he shook his head and sighed, saying that he wanted to accompany his family, and Wendeng's family might not be able to go.

Chen Xin asked in surprise: "Lu You, your family has gone to Dengzhou?" ”

Lu You replied: "Yes, in the middle of last year, Zhou Laifu asked all the shopkeepers' families to go to Wendeng, they lived in Weihai last year, and last month they brought a letter to their families to say that they had arrived in Dengzhou again. ”

Chen Xin remembered that he did not ask the local shopkeeper to send his family to Wendeng at that time, including Ding Ding in Yangzhou, which was probably requested by Zhou Laifu later.

"That's not bad, now the situation in Denglai is peaceful, with my Dengzhou Town, they are more secure than in these places."

Lu You sighed: "Who said no, it's that Zhou Laifu is too strict, and even the concubine has to be sent, and I only have a maid to use when I am tired." On weekdays, I have to go through the trading company to send letters and things with Wendeng, and I can't write a sealed letter, I can only write an open letter, and everything has to be seen by the head office to get my hands. ”

Chen Xin smiled dumbly, Zhou Laifu's trick is indeed a little stricter, but he estimates that it is to prevent collusion between foreign shopkeepers and relatives, which is also a common method in chain business in this era.

"But the villain can also figure it out, the blessing is also for everyone's good, and it's a little awkward, it's much better than the previous days, it's all thanks to you, adult."

Chen Xin hurriedly and politely, although there is a lot of difference in status, he has no problem with this Lu You.

Lu You led Chai Zhi to find his own residence first, and Chen Xin moved a stool by himself and sat on the bow of the boat to recuperate. After a while, Geng Zhongming's voice sounded behind him.

"If the adult is tired, please go to the warehouse to rest, and the villain and Wang Mafu will help the adult clean up the warehouse."

Chen Xin turned his head to look at Geng Zhongming, only to see that he looked cautious, and then he smiled and dragged another stool and let Geng Zhongming sit.

Chen Xin smiled and asked Geng Zhongming, "Why didn't General Geng stay with Lord Wang this time?" ”

Geng Zhongming bowed his head slightly, "The villain is Lord Chen's person, and Lord Wang's side is just a subordination." ”

Because Wang Tingtry has some relatives and friends in Beijing, he still intends to stay longer, even if the officials ask him to do his best to take office, he still intends to stay longer, most of the officials at the end of the Ming Dynasty are this style, and even some are appointed for two or three months without taking office, if you encounter a little more verbose, the time will be longer, such as the original history of Wang Zheng, he received the appointment after the first to go to Beijing to resign, the emperor insisted, he agreed, and then slowly went to Denglai, it took half a year. Chongzhen once specifically reprimanded these officials, saying that they were not as active as eunuchs.

Chen Xin stared at Geng Zhongming for a while, this person who was one of the three Shun kings had changed his fate, and Chen Xin actually didn't discriminate against him, but he would always have some precautions in his heart, so he would not let him have a chance to go to Liaodong in the future.

"General Geng will enter Beijing this time, the emperor has a lot of encouragement to you, even if the matter of Dengzhou is revealed, General Geng will no longer have to worry about the past, but the future will need to be thought about."

Geng Zhongming said without blushing: "The villain only listens to the adult, and the adult tells the last general to do something, and the last general will do it." ”

Chen Xin shook his head and said with a smile: "Lord Wang, Lord Lu, I also want to listen." ”

"The villain's life was not saved by Lord Wang, it was given by you Lord Chen, if it weren't for the fact that the villain opened the net that day, the villain should have stood on that stage with Li Yingyuan a few days ago."

Chen Xin was secretly funny, in fact, he should be the king of Sanshun, if Geng Zhongming could know the two endings, he didn't know which one he would like, so he asked casually: "What did the prince arrange for Geng Shen to do, has it been decided?" ”

"Lord Wang's side has already decided that Liu Zeqing will come to the left camp, and he arranged for the villain to guard the Ying'en Gate the day before yesterday. The villain has thought about it, and he should honor Lord Wang and Lord Lu, but he only listens to Lord Chen's words. ”

Chen Xin groaned, this Geng Zhongming's position in Dengzhou was embarrassing, between Wang Tingxian, Lu Zhi and himself, it was said that the three parties were currying favor, but in fact, the three parties did not treat him as their own. It is estimated that he is also a little at a loss, and now he has decided to completely take refuge in his own side, and he happens to be able to use him.

"General Geng can rest assured, as long as General Geng doesn't make some outrageous things, when the official speaks, he will help General Geng speak."

Geng Zhongming listened to it and put his mind at ease, he was very disdainful of Chen Xin when he was in Dengzhou, he only felt that this person was too insidious, and later Pingdu's killing of chickens and monkeys scared him into a Buddha, and became completely afraid, and later in Dengzhou and this road had more contact, and more admiration, especially in Laizhou, he personally went into battle and beat him, so that Geng Zhongming naturally had a feeling of being a comrade-in-arms.

After listening to Chen Xin's statement at this time, Geng Zhongming perked up and said: "When I came, the adult said that he wanted the villain to think about collecting business taxes, and the villain has thought about it these days. ”

"Oh? Counselor Geng has a plan so soon, can you tell me about it? ”

"It's easy to set up cards on the road, villains set flags, and adults send people to collect taxes. Dengzhou, Pingdu, Jiaozhou these cities are more troublesome, adults have to do hidden, some time ago the villain didn't figure it out, these days after looking at the Deng Keshan in Tianjin, I remembered, we can set up a tooth guild in Dengzhou, let's control this guild, through guò like this, even if others want to impeach, it is not easy to get real evidence......"

As soon as Chen Xin heard the word Yaxing, he knew that Geng Zhongming was really a flexible person, you must know that Geng Zhongming was from Liaodong and had never been to the canal, so he thought of this method in only two days, which was far better than ordinary people. And this person has a great exemplary role for Dongjiang Town.

"General Geng is a good method, I will give you a personal percentage of the tax, in addition, I have a trading company here, if General Geng is interested, the official will leave you a share of five hundred taels......"