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Chapter 183: Agui's Story (I)

In this turbulent and chaotic world where the flames are everywhere, the empire collapses, and the world is in turmoil, all living beings are showing their lives. There are not only mediocre people who drift with the tide, but also hermit immortals who are proud of themselves and arrogant in the world; There are not only careerists who strive for the top, but also traders who are strategizing. Someone is a participant, proudly savoring the glorious experience of going from one victory to the next; There are also people who look at the changes of the times from the perspective of a small person.

Turn the calendar back to the spring of the sixth year of Chongzhen, when the "Australian thief" had just landed 6 in Zhejiang......

In the countryside of Shaoxing County, Zhejiang Province during the Chongzhen period at the end of the Ming Dynasty, there was a village and town called Weizhuang. The village head, Mrs. Zhao, is very respected by the residents, because he is not only rich, but also the father and father of the two "literary children", and I am afraid that he will become a talented person in the future.

Weizhuang also has a hired farmer named Agui. Legend has it that he fled from Tianshui in Longxi, had no home, and lived in the Tugu Temple in Weizhuang; There is no fixed occupation, only to do short-term work for others, cutting wheat and cutting wheat, scooping rice and rice, and supporting boats. When he worked a little longer, he might also live in the house of his temporary master, but he left as soon as the short-term work was done.

On the third and a half watch of February 19 in the sixth year of Chongzhen, a big boat sailed to the river port on the Zhao Mansion in Weizhuang in the countryside of Shaoxing. The ship came from the darkness, and the countrymen slept soundly, and did not know it; It was nearly dawn when I went out, but a few of them saw it. According to the results of the investigation of the probe's brain, I know that it is actually a ship of the old man!

The boat caused great unease to Weizhuang, and before noon, the hearts of the whole village were shaken. The mission of the ship, the Zhao family was originally very secret, but it was said in the teahouse and wine shop that the trouser thieves were going to enter the city, and the old man had fled to our countryside. Only Zou Qi's sister-in-law disagreed, saying that it was just a few broken suitcases, and the old man wanted to store them, but they had been replied and transferred by Mrs. Zhao. In fact, the old man and the Zhao family have always looked at each other wrongly, and it stands to reason that there should not be a friendship of "sharing weal and woe", and Zou Qi's sister-in-law is neighbors with the Zhao family, and they have frequent contacts, so she is probably right.

However, the rumors in the Weizhuang neighborhood are still very strong, saying that although the old man does not seem to be in person, he has a long letter and has a "turning line" with the Zhao family. Mrs. Zhao thought about it in his stomach and felt that it would not be harmful to him, so he left the box and stuffed it under his wife's bed. As for the thieves, some say that they entered the city that night.

Ah Gui had heard of the "trouser thief" for a long time, but he had an opinion that he didn't know where it came from, thinking that since the "trouser thief" was a "thief" and engaged in a "rebellious" business, he was embarrassed by him, so he had always been "deeply hated and hated". Unexpectedly, this made the famous master of Baili so afraid, so he couldn't help but be a little "fascinated", and the panicked expressions of a group of birds and men in Weizhuang also made Agui more relaxed.

"It's better to rebel," Gui thought, "...... It's so hateful to create this group of unfinished birdmen! It's me, and I'm going to surrender the pants n thief. ”

At this time, Agui had too much dissatisfaction with the people of Weizhuang. First of all, since he molested the Zhao family's maid Mother Wu that time, he was not only beaten hard and kicked out, but he was never allowed to step into the threshold of the Zhao Mansion in the future. And from that day on, the women of Weizhuang were suddenly afraid, and as soon as they saw Agui coming, they hid in the door one by one. Even as for Zou Qi's sister-in-law, who was nearly fifty years old, she also hid with others, and called all the eleventh daughters in. Ah Gui was very surprised by this, and thought in confusion: "These sassy things suddenly learn to look like a young lady?" This prostitute ......"

After that, a lot of weird things happened. First, the hotel refused to let him take credit; Second, the old man in charge of the Tugu Temple said some nonsense, as if telling him to leave; Third, although he could not remember how many days, there were many days, and no one came to him for a day job.

The hotel is not credited, and it is okay to stay up; The old man in charge of the Tugu Temple urged him to leave, and Lu Su was okay, but Quan Dang didn't hear it; It's just that no one came to ask him to do a short-term job, but it made Agui hungry: this is really a very "mother's" thing.

Ah Gui couldn't bear it anymore, so he had to go to the old customer's house to inquire but was not allowed to step into the threshold of the Zhao Mansion, but the situation was also different: a man must have walked out, showing a very annoying appearance, shaking his hand like a beggar and saying: "...... No no! You get out! ”

At that time, Ah Gui felt strange. He thought, these people have always had to help, so if they don't suddenly have nothing to do now, there should be something strange in it. He inquired carefully, only to know that they had gone to ask Wang Hu for help if they had something. This Wang Hu is leper and Hu, others call him Wang Leprosy Hu, but Agui deleted a leper word, but he still despises him very much. Ah Gui's meaning, thinking that leprosy is not surprising, only this one beard, is too novel, people look down on it. I didn't expect Wang Hu to find his job!

Ah Gui was angry, so he ran to scold him in front of him: "...... You caterpillar! ”

“…… Leper dog, who are you scolding? Wang Hu raised his eyes contemptuously and said.

“…… Whoever admits it will scold him! Agui was very martial and brave, and said with his hands crossed on his waist.

“…… Are your bones itchy? Wang Hu stood up, put on his clothes and said.

Ah Gui thought he was going to escape, and it was a punch to grab it. Before the fist reached his body, he had already grabbed it, and as soon as he pulled it, Agui staggered and fell in, and was immediately pressed by Wang Hu again, and hit the wall.

“…… The gentleman doesn't move his hands! Agui tilted his head and shouted. But Wang Hu didn't seem to be a gentleman, so he didn't pay attention to it, touched him five times in a row, and pushed hard, causing Agui to fall more than six feet away, and then he was satisfied.

There are no women, no jobs, and no dignity, this life is really unbearable! Ah Gui felt that he couldn't get along in Weizhuang. Like many waste firewood in later generations, he believes that he is mixed into this bird-like, not because of his own problems, but because of the fault of the court and society. As long as you go to a different place and change the environment, you can live a better life, and even achieve the "Long Aotian" template, you can have whatever you want.

At this time, in Agui's mind, there was no concept of "going abroad" and "crossing" in later generations, so after a few days, he made up his mind to go to the city to join the thieves. Before leaving, Agui also went over the wall to enter the nunnery and stole a few radishes as "coils".

“…… Rebel? Interesting...... I have what I want, and whoever I like is whoever I like. ”

In Agui's fantasy, the so-called thieves are a group of pants thieves with knives, steel whips, and firearms, and came to Agui's side and shouted, Agui! Go together, go together! So they entered the "Zhongyi Hall" together, kowtowed and bowed, and then killed Weizhuang together.

At this time, a group of bird men and women in Weizhuang were funny, knelt down and shouted, Agui, spare your life! Who listens to him! The first damn ones are Wang Hu and Mrs. Zhao, as well as Xiucai, and the old man in charge of the Tugu Temple...... How many are left? The hotel shopkeeper could have stayed, but he didn't want it......

Then, Uncle Ben took whatever he wanted...... Walk in and open the box: white silver, copper coins, silk...... A Ning-style bed of the Xiucai lady was moved to the Tugu Temple first, and the tables and chairs of the Qian family were also placed, or the Zhao family was used. I don't do it myself, so I ask their little guy to move, and I want to move it quickly, and I will be beaten if I don't move it quickly...... Well, it seems that there is a woman next, Zhao Sichen's sister-in-law is so ugly, and Zou Qi's sister-in-law's daughter will have to talk about it in a few years, Xiucai's wife has a scar on her eyes...... Mother Wu? Her feet seemed to be too big.

Ah Gui walked away while thinking nonsense, and then fluttered again, as if the invincible thief was himself, but the people of Weizhuang were all his captives. While he was proud, he couldn't help but shout loudly: "Rebellion! Rebellion! "One accidentally bumped into a man around the corner.

When Agui got up from the ground and looked at it, he felt that it was Mrs. Zhao's eldest son. He went to the city to study in the county, but I heard that he somehow went to Guangdong again. At this time, he looked weird, his bun was gone, and his head was short, like a monk who had just returned to the world.

“…… I don't have long eyes! Damn bald asses! Agui originally only scolded in his stomach and didn't make a sound, but this time because he was angry and wanted to take revenge, he couldn't help but say it softly.

But the bald donkey held a yellow-painted stick and held it high. At this moment, Ah Gui knew that he was about to fight, so he quickly tightened his muscles and bones, shrugged his shoulders and waited, and sure enough, the slap seemed to hit him on the head. Then, watching Mrs. Zhao's eldest son walk towards Weizhuang from afar, touching the hot wound on his head, the more Agui thought about it, the more angry he became, and finally couldn't help but feel full of hatred, and nodded poisonously: "...... You wait, when I go to the city and get into the pants n thief's gang, I will bring them back and kill you, arrest you and kill your head, and behead you all over the house, boom! Cha! ”

After making a few decapitation gestures, he hummed and continued his way into the city.

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When he arrived in the city, it was already noon, and Ah Gui was surprised to see that there were two "short-haired" standing guard at the entrance of the yamen, which were very similar to the shape of Mrs. Zhao's eldest son. After asking passers-by, I learned that they were the famous "pants thieves".

After that, he suddenly realized that the so-called "trouser thief" was a "thief", a "thief". Recalling the type of Mrs. Zhao's eldest son, he couldn't help but gasp, could this Young Master Zhao already be a "thief"? It seems that it is not easy to go back to Weizhuang to take revenge.

However, since even Master Zhao has voted for the "thief", it seems that being a "thief" is really more promising than taking the test of Xiucai, and he must actively strive for "joining the gang". Seeing that the gate of the yamen was open, Agui hesitated for a long time, and finally timidly walked up and approached the short-haired soldier standing guard, "...... Not...... This ......" Ah Gui slowly raised his head, and finally spoke with twelve points of courage.

“…… If you have something to say, who do you want to find? I see you've been standing at the gate for a long time! Shorthair" said impatiently.

“…… I...... I want to vote for ......"

“…… You want to join the army, right? Go to the school field in the south of the city, where the conscription is underway! It may be that there are many similar people these days, and the "short-haired" soldier quickly guessed Agui's thoughts and pointed out a clear path for Agui.

“…… Thank you for your advice! Aguiru was amnestied, and quickly kowtowed to the "short-haired soldier" to thank him, and then rushed to the school in the south of the city.

When he arrived in the south of the city, Aguijue's enlistment team lined up for hundreds of people. The people in front of them are talking about the "preferential treatment" of serving as soldiers in the "Australian and Song Dynasty", what eat three meals a day, eat meat several times a month, and new clothes every year, but unfortunately there are too few people, only 100 soldiers are recruited, and I heard that 50 of them have been allocated to the military households of the nearby guard posts (in fact, after the "thieves" captured the nearby Sanjiang Lihai and other guard posts, 50 people were selected from the captured guards and included in the county national army company), which is really unfair.

As for worries like "slave thieves", they didn't think about it at all. First, Zhejiang at the end of the Ming Dynasty was often because of tax resistance and civil uprisings, but it was not as big as the peasant army in Shaanxi and Henan, and the final result was nothing more than that the leader was arrested and killed. Second, this time the thieves swept across the province, the army was mighty, far better than those who did not make the weapons of the year, I heard that the provincial capital of Hangzhou has been laid, and even the old man in the city has renamed the thief "Great Song Heavenly Soldiers", it seems that this Zhejiang is really going to change the sky. Since even the old man is planning to "follow the thief", what else do they have to worry about?

When waiting in a long line to apply, Ah Gui saw a few shaved children, holding a flag, and when they saw people everywhere, they played allegro, shouting something: "Everyone has food, clothing, farming, work, business, money, and warmth everywhere!" Seeking ascension in the morning and seeking harmony in the evening, it is difficult for the poor to survive recently. Open the door early to worship the Great Song Dynasty, and the discipline is happy for everyone big and small. Kill cattle and sheep, prepare wine syrup, open the city gate to welcome the Song army, and the Great Song Dynasty will come to provide disaster relief. Eat his mother, her mother, and eat not enough to have a big song. Although Agui didn't believe this, he was quite happy to hear it.

Unfortunately, due to the large number of people who joined the army and the competition was very fierce, Agui finally failed to get mixed with the errand of "being a soldier and eating food". But on this day, the thief's "big recruitment" in the south of the city not only involves recruitment, but also many other positions also need manpower. When he heard that Ah Gui was not a resident of Shaoxing City, but came from a village or town dozens of miles away, a naturalized cadre spoke difficult Cantonese and gestured with suspicion, expressing the hope that Ah Gui would apply for a job as a "merchant" and sell "Australian goods" such as cloth, farm tools, needlework, and salt to the residents of the countryside on their behalf.

As a result, Agui, an unemployed blind stream who failed to join the army, unexpectedly became an intern salesman of "Bailian Trading Company".

To this end, he first entered the "purification camp" according to the rules, shaved his head, bathed and took insecticides, and then changed into a blue short coat and breeches, and then learned from a bald man how to plan and keep accounts, and at the same time took the time to listen to a "female cadre" talk for a few days. Next, I had to carry a heavy burden and follow a senior merchant to walk the streets and alleys, observe the tricks of doing business on the spot, and practice how to sell goods by the way.

It wasn't until the summer of this year that Agui, who was completely refreshed, took an Australian self-propelled boat with black smoke and returned to Weizhuang, which had been absent for a long time. And then came to Weizhuang, there was a sturdy trolley and more than 400 catties of all kinds of groceries......

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When the villagers of Weizhuang saw Agui again, they were all surprised, because Agui's appearance after returning was very different from before.

First of all, Agui's bun is gone, he has shaved the same length as the eldest son of Mrs. Zhao's family, even his beard has been shaved, he has become stronger, his complexion is also a lot ruddy, and he also wears a very spiritual blue short coat You must know that the matter of Mrs. Zhao's eldest son's "return" has caused a lot of waves in Weizhuang before, and everyone has said that Master Zhao is "a thief". It is also said that he was forced to shave his head after being drunk by thieves in Guangdong. His mother cried a few times, and his wife jumped into the well. Since then, the people of Weizhuang have secretly called Mrs. Zhao's eldest son "the eldest young master of the fake hair". But the "wig young master" is not ashamed of his strange type, but proud, and what he says about the short coat everywhere is the new dynasty Yazheng of the Great Song Dynasty; Eguan Bo Belt is the bad rule of the former Ming Dynasty. He also said that in the future, he must be a big official

So the people of Weizhuang asked Agui one after another, is Daming really finished? What is the name of the new emperor of the Great Song Dynasty? Where did you get that short coat you were wearing? And Agui replied triumphantly that the Ming Dynasty was gone (in fact, at least half of China was still under the banner of the Ming Dynasty at that time), and the new emperor's year name was "Huameng" (purely Agui's own brain, he was just an "intern" in a trading company at this time, and he had only taken a three-day ideological education class, and his understanding of political current affairs was not as good as the "young master of the wig"), he was in the city and took refuge in the lord of the Great Song Dynasty, and the lord's tuba was "Bailian" (habitual thinking, according to the ancient Chinese tradition, the name of the business name is linked to the name of the boss), The short coat he wore was the "Song costume" of the new dynasty that the new master gave him.

In addition, Agui also said many incredible things, such as seeing a thing that can move in Shaoxing City, and he can make tens of thousands of bricks by himself in a while; I have also seen the short-haired soldiers firing their cannons, and when they heard the "boom", the earthen fort where the bandits were entrenched flew into the sky. There are also glass lamps that can be lit without fire, steel pots and stoves mounted on four-wheeled vehicles, large ships flying in the sky, and some kind of magical circular saw that can cut a large tree in one fell swoop...... There is also the black smoke of the Australian self-propelled boat, which has occasionally appeared on the river near Weizhuang since the summer, and many people in the village have seen it from afar, but everyone still doesn't understand why it can run without sails and oars. Ah Gui explained that there was a kind of smoke-filled and rumbling machine in the ship, and the "Australian chiefs" did not allow him to approach, and it was said that it was the source of all power, that is, to constantly add firewood or coal, and that more firewood was used in a day than a village in a village for cooking.

Whether you believe it or not, those who listened were stunned, since Agui can help the new dynasty lord's mansion, no matter what position he lives in, it is of course respectable.

Secondly, it was Agui who actually brought back a large cart of "Australian groceries". In this era of poor logistics, it is not easy for countrymen to buy some daily goods at their doorstep, let alone rare Australian goods. Because of this cart of groceries, this Gui's name soon spread throughout Weizhuang's boudoir.

Although only the two surnames of Qian Zhao in Weizhuang are deep boudoir houses, in addition, they can only be said to be shallow boudoirs at most, but the boudoir is the boudoir, so it can be regarded as a miraculous thing. When the women met, they must have said that Zou Qi's sister-in-law bought a blue silk skirt from Agui, and it only cost nine dollars of silver. and Zhao Baiyan's mother also bought a big red gauze shirt worn by the child, which only cost 300 yuan. So Yimen changed their previous attitude towards Agui and stayed away, they all wanted to see Agui, those who lacked silk skirts wanted to ask him to buy silk skirts, and those who wanted yarn shirts wanted to ask him to buy yarn shirts, not only did they not run away when they saw it, sometimes Agui had already walked by, but they also had to catch up and stop him, and asked: "...... Agui, do you still have a silk dress? No? Do you want a gauze shirt and a leather vest? ”

Soon, the thirty pieces of clothes and ten pieces of cloth that Agui brought with Weizhuang this time were sold out, and by the way, matches, needlework and soap were also sold. Subsequently, more than 30 pieces of iron farm tools (only the iron part, the wooden handle needs to be made by the buyer) and scissors and kitchen knives in the trolley were also sent by the Qian family to wrap them up. Those boxes of hard grain bricks (disposed of near expiration thrown out by the navy), because of their cheap prices, boiled into a paste and eaten to resist hunger, were divided up by several thrifty families in the blink of an eye. Then there was salt and sugar, which sold out a little more slowly until it was almost dark. In the end, Agui's trolley was basically empty, and only a small number of more expensive "luxury goods" were left unsold for the time being, so they could only talk about it slowly.

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Subsequently, by the afterglow of the sunset, A Guimei smiled and counted today's harvest, there were more than 60 taels of silver of different colors, and more than 3o hanging money, which was almost close to a hundred taels of turnover, but I don't know how much "Huayuan" can be exchanged for the new dynasty?

Although these goods were all on credit, before returning to Weizhuang, the "steward" of "Bailian" told him in advance that he would hand over sixty taels of silver or the equivalent of rice as a book afterwards. But even if you don't count the goods that haven't been sold, you still have at least thirty taels of silver. In the past, I couldn't save ten taels of silver a year by working part-time jobs everywhere in Weizhuang, but now one day's harvest is equivalent to the hard work of the past few years!

It's time to get moving! This made Agui's heart float up all of a sudden, and it seemed that he was about to fly.

So, in order to show his excitement and joy, he appeared in front of the hotel in a hurry, approached the counter, stretched out his hand from his waist, filled it with silver and copper, threw it on the counter, and said, "...... Cash! Settle all the debts! Two more bowls of good wine! ”

The shopkeeper looked at Ah Gui in surprise, looking at his short brand-new short coat and a big tie around his waist, and Shen Tian lowered the trouser belt into a very curved arc. According to the old practice of Weizhuang, seeing a slightly eye-catching figure, it is slow and respectful, although now I know that it is the blind flow Agui in the original Tugu Temple, but the short gown and the waist of the big connection, so that Agui has become the same as before, it is really "Shibei three-day bento should be impressive", so the cousin, the shopkeeper, the drinker and the passer-by, to Agui will naturally show a condensed and respectful form.

“…… Huo, Gui, you're back! ”

“…… Well, it's back. ”

“…… Right now...... Rich? ”

“…… Wealth? Nature. Hehe, I can buy your shop now......"

“…… Don't dare to be, don't dare to be, don't forget our poor friends when you are rich. ”

“…… Friend? Why haven't I seen you treat me as a friend before? Agui pursed his lips, picked up the wine handed by the shopkeeper and drank it himself. He had not been less affected by the white eyes of this shopkeeper in the past, and his heart was slightly uneven; In addition, after drinking two bowls of empty belly wine, I got drunk faster and faster.

So, on the way back to the Tugu Temple, the drunken Agui was both excited and proud, and raised his head and sang straight over, "...... De, Qiang, Qiang, Qiang, regret shouldn't be, I beheaded Brother Zheng Xian by mistake at the beginning...... "It seems that the depression and injustice of the past have all been swept away.

Back at Tugu Temple, Agui's wine gradually woke up. This night, the old man in charge of the ancestral hall was also unexpectedly kind, and actually invited him to tea; Ah Gui asked him for two cakes, dipped them in a jar of treasured Australian soybean chili sauce and ate them, and after eating, he asked for a lighted candle and an old candlestick, lit them, and lay down alone in his hut. Looking at the candle flame like a lantern on the night of the Lantern Festival, I couldn't help but feel confused and sleepless all night.