Last year, too, at this time, Pu Shiwen remembers that he was furious. This year, he was angry again and asked the same question to his father Pu Shougeng, "Dad." This year, Fujian's wealthy households left their money early to buy incense powder and mosquito coils, and our spices can't be sold! ”

Pu Shougeng touched his slightly gray beard and was silent for a while. The situation is more troublesome than what his son Pu Shiwen said, in the past, before ambergris, frankincense and other spices entered Quanzhou, the trading channels in various places had already been booked. This year, Fujian's orders are less than 30 percent, and Yangzhou and Qingyuan Mansion's orders are also more than 10 percent lower. I sent someone to inquire, and I got the news that mosquito coils and incense powder, which were popular in Fuzhou and Quanzhou, were also popular in Yangzhou and Qingyuanfu.

The price of mosquito coils and incense powder to kill mosquitoes, snakes and insects to remove miasma is much cheaper than spices, and the effect is better than spices.

"I heard that this matter is related to the Zhao family." Pu Shougeng finally spoke.

Pu Shiwen could hear that there was a taste of retreat in his father's tone, which made him even more angry in his heart, and Pu Shiwen said loudly: "What about the Zhao family? Will the Zhao family be able to smash our jobs! ”

Seeing that his son was so arrogant, Pu Shougeng frowned and scolded, "Don't talk nonsense." I think there are only people behind this incident, why so many mosquito coils and incense powder suddenly appeared. ”

Hearing that Daddy was just cautious, Pu Shiwen immediately nodded, "Dad, that's true." If there was such a thing, it should have been there a long time ago. Suddenly there are so many, and it is just three years. It is unreasonable to say that no one is tempted. I first found out which one started in Fuzhou, and I will definitely teach that one a hard lesson, so that they will never dare to sell it again. ”

"Thou shalt not be reckless." Pu Shougeng expressed his attitude.

After receiving his father's signal, Pu Shiwen immediately went out. Seeing a small leader of the Pu family's fleet waiting outside the door, Pu Shiwen asked, "Can you catch those pirates?" ”

The little leader said with a sad face: "Young Master, we originally lured the pirate's ship according to the plan. Unexpectedly, two ships of unknown origin suddenly came, and they actually inserted a pole sideways and scared the pirate ship away. When the ambushed ship chased after them, the pirate ship took the first step, and Coco's let them run. ”

"Who dares to spoil my family?!" Pu Shiwen said angrily.

"I saw that the two ships had entered the harbor. Their ships are different from others, and they are very recognizable. The little leader hurriedly said.

Pu Shiwen's eyes widened, and the fierce light was shining. Seeing Pu Shiwen's expression, the little leader subconsciously shrank his neck. I heard Pu Shiwen say: "Those two ships are easy to recognize, that's great." We have to feed the people who were invited to encircle and suppress this time. You go and tell them that there is a lot of cargo on those two ships. ”

The little leader knew that the eldest young master of the Pu family was such a resolute and resolute personality. From past experience, although he was brutal, decisive decisions often really solved many problems. Don't dare to talk nonsense, the little leader went to carry out Pu Shiwen's order.

Looking at the back of the little leader, Pu Shiwen had a big household in Fujian in his mind, and then he no longer thought about the two ships. From the perspective of the backer, those two ships are at most the ships of the Zhao family, and pirates who dare to come to Fujian to live together often like the ships of the Zhao family. The Zhao family and officials had the privilege of transporting goods tax-free. Robbing others three times may not be as fat as robbing the Zhao family once.

After going out, Pu Shiwen went directly to the main hall of Quanzhou Jianxian Qianzhuang. The building is very solid from the outside. Thick walls, thick benzene heavy gates. Just by looking at it, it feels like a rock. As a frequent visitor to Jianxian Qian Village, his own servant led Pu Shiwen into the back. After sitting there and waiting for a while, the deputy treasurer of the money village came out to meet him.

Without greetings, Pu Shiwen asked directly: "I don't know why Qianzhuang refused to lend us money this year." ”

The deputy shopkeeper smiled professionally, "Pu Gongzi said with a smile." Shouldn't you pay back the money to the bank? ”

"In previous years, there was always some grace time, why not give grace at all this year?" Pu Shiwen's eyes widened. The reason why he was extremely angry with mosquito coils and incense powder was because Jianxian Qianzhuang was the first to tighten the money root of the Pu family. If you want to monopolize the spice business, you need to be able to buy spices from your peers. The Pu family's business is so big, but it needs money more than other places.

No matter what Pu Shiwen said, the deputy shopkeeper still smiled. He firmly said that this is just a matter of repaying debts. I hope Master Pu doesn't think about it too much. As long as it is a normal transaction, Jianxian Qian Zhuang will not refuse Pu Shiwen's request to borrow money.

Quanzhou knows that Pu Shiwen has a violent personality and likes to use violence. The deputy shopkeeper Qian Zhuang is not afraid, Qian Zhuang also has its own armed forces, even if it is not like the Pu family who is 'rumor' outside, colluding with the pirates who occupy the city, there is still no pressure to clean up a Pu Shiwen in the Qian Zhuang.

Sent away Pu Shiwen, who was almost angry, and the deputy shopkeeper immediately went to see Qi Shijin, the owner of the money bank. As soon as they met, the deputy shopkeeper hurriedly told Fang Cai's story, and finally concluded: "The owner, what Qi Ye said is right, the Pu family is really in trouble with money. Pu Shiwen tried everything possible to get us to lend him money. ”

"Hmm." Qi Shijin, the boss of the bank, responded. Qi Ye is Qi Shijin's nephew, and he is also the first member of the Qi family to propose that the spice business will be affected by mosquito coils and incense powder.

"Boss, are we really no longer lending money to the Pu family?" The deputy treasurer asked.

"Since the Pu family is already tired, why should we take this risk." Qi Shijin expressed his attitude very implicitly.

"The owner, if we don't lend money to the Pu family, we can have some money in our hands now. Don't know who to turn to? "The deputy treasurer asked a very real question. At this time of year, the Pu family is a big borrower and provides a considerable percentage of the profit to the bank.

Looking at the silent appearance of the shopkeeper of Jianxian Qian Village, the deputy shopkeeper swallowed the rest of the words back into his stomach. For two consecutive years, Qianzhuang has made a lot of money from the mosquito coil trade, and if he is willing to invest a lot, the profit is very considerable. However, Qi Ye's position is a little awkward, and Qi Shijin is already ready to let his eldest son be the chief treasurer of Jianxian Qian Village. If it was an ordinary time, Qi Ye could actually preside over the matter.

After pondering for a while, he saw that the owner of Xianqian Zhuang said: "Let Qi Ye go back to Quanzhou and send Qi Rong to Fuzhou." ”

While speaking, Qi Shijin's personal entourage hurriedly came to report. "The owner, Zhao Jiaren and Zhao Tidian are already going back to Fuzhou. He said that he would definitely come to visit next time he returned to Quanzhou. We couldn't meet this time. ”

Qi Shijin's face suddenly became difficult to look at. Qi Ye has been doing a lot of things in the Fuzhou branch in recent years, because he and Zhao Jiaren are very close. The reputation of the Zhao family in Quanzhou is not very good, even if it is not a stinky street, no one treats the Zhao family. Jianxian Qian Zhuang was very dissatisfied with Qi Ye's deviance.

I finally thought that Zhao Jiaren might be able to cooperate, but I didn't expect this guy to be the same as the Zhao family at a young age, and the shelf was very big. Qi Shijin snorted, "Then forget it!" ”

Zhao Jiaren didn't know that he was inexplicably hated by Qi Ye's uncle. The reason why he left was because the matter in Quanzhou was over, and Zhao Jiaren didn't want to waste time. Zhao Jiaren was already very short of money at this time, and he was in a hurry to return to Fuzhou and ask Qi Ye to give him the money for the medicinal powder.

No matter what Xu Yuanzhi, the governor of Fuzhou, thinks, Zhao Jiaren plans to build the lighthouse between Fuzhou and Putian and continue to build it to the north. It is good to open up the route between Fujian and the eldest brother Zhao Jiaxin first.

And Zhao Jiaren's ship also needs to be refurbished, which has used up Zhao Jiaren for a whole day, and he still needs to be busy the next day. Ship repair is more important than eating and drinking.

On the third day, Zhao Jiaren was tired and ordered to set sail. Those rigging or something is fine, the operating hemp rope has been blistered, and it decays relatively quickly. This is not a matter of just changing the ropes, Zhao Jiaren has been busy all night to adjust the steering systems of the two ships.

When the ship set sail, Zhao Jiaren yawned. As soon as he sailed out of port, he went straight to the cabin and lay down to sleep. This sleep was deep until someone woke Zhao Jiaren up.

"When?" Zhao Jiaren asked in a daze.

"Third son, we seem to have met pirates!" Zhao Yong said loudly to Zhao Jiaren.

"Pirates?" Zhao Jiaren was stunned, he didn't expect that he, a law-abiding and good official, would actually encounter pirates. Sitting up and adjusting his thoughts, Zhao Jiaren asked, "How long has the ship been out?" ”

"About four hours." Zhao Yong replied anxiously.

"Interesting!" Zhao Jiaren rubbed his eyes and stood up, ready to go to the deck to take a look.

It only takes four hours to start from Quanzhou, and even if it is downwind, it can run 6 nautical miles, which is 12 kilometers in one hour. Four hours is only 50 kilometers. Who took a fancy to the Zhao family's money? Is there a ghost in the crew?