Liu Jing and Ma Ming dressed up as ordinary people, came to the Yamen of the Texas Prefect, handed the door to the doorman, and explained the reason. The porter took the bag and said, "You guys, I can't see the prefect." ”

Liu Jing said: "We are relatives of the prefect, and we have come all the way from Shanxi, so please inform us." The porter just shook his head.

Ma Ming thought that the porter was too small, and he had to dig out his pocket. The porter shook his hand and said, "That's not what you mean, you two are relatives of the master, and we are both people brought by the master from Shanxi." Let me tell you two, I really can't see my master. ”

Liu Jing asked, "Can you tell us why?" ”

The porter raised his eyes and looked inside the door, and whispered: "My lord has been invited to Jinan by the second governor, and I heard that he is here to Qincha." ”

Ma Ming asked, "Second Governor?" How come there is a second governor? ”

The porter just shook his head, refusing to say another word.

The two had to come out, not knowing what to do. Ma Ming said: "In this case, let's hurry up to Jinan to reply to the master!" ”

Liu Jing thought about it and said, "No, do you really think that we are relatives?" The lord wants us to find out the situation here. Since Mr. Zhang has gone to Jinan, we might as well visit the people. ”

Ma Ming said: "The master didn't instruct, it's not good for us to make our own decisions, right?" ”

Liu Jing said: "We run for nothing, what's the use of going back?" Why don't you go to the countryside and have a look. ”

Out of the city, the two didn't know the north and the south, and they only walked forward in ignorance. When they saw a village, the two went in, and when they saw someone, they knocked on the door, but no one answered. Push the door and go in to see, it's all empty. Finally saw an old man squatting in front of a house, Liu Jing and Ma Ming hurriedly stepped forward to talk.

Liu Jing said: "Uncle, we are businessmen, we know that you produce corn here, and we want to harvest some corn." ”

The old man looked at them and said, "Look around, and see where there is half a cob?" We have been affected by the famine in the past few years, and the villagers have fled nine times out of ten! ”

Ma Ming said: "We businessmen are the tip of our ears. I heard that Shandong had a bumper harvest this year, and the people thanked the imperial court for its relief in the past few years, and voluntarily donated 10% of the grain to the government? ”

The old man sighed and said, "That's all the government coaxing the court!" ”

Liu Jing said: "How can the imperial court be coaxed? If there is no food to hand over, how can you pay to the court! ”

The old man said, "Then you still need to ask?" It's only a matter of forcing the people! ”

After a while, some people came around, all of them old and weak. An old woman interjected: "Nowadays, people in the government don't know what they eat and grow up, and they don't know everything in the world. What do you say, if there is no food to pay, you will pay the silver! ”

The old man said, "Yes, what a joke, there is no harvest in the field, where does the people get the silver?" ”

A middle-aged man said: "I heard people outside that the current governor is incorruptible, not greedy or possessive, but he is too harsh!" I heard that he grew up in the palace since he was a child, and he doesn't understand the hardships of the people, and he is harsh on himself and the people! Alas, it is better than a corrupt official! ”

The old man shook his head and sighed: "Yes, it's just that God doesn't have long eyes, and the old man is in a famine!" This governor, we people really don't blame him! ”

Ma Ming asked: "You don't have food, so you have to voluntarily donate food to your superiors." Not to mention that you can't pay the difference, and the government can't pay the difference! ”

The old man said, "Not necessarily. Some large families have more acres of land and good land, and they still have food. ”

Liu Jing asked, "Uncle, can you tell me which family has the most land?" We want to see it. ”

The old man shook his head and said, "Then I still use the old man?" If you look at which courtyard is big, it must be a big family. I advise you not to go. You are outsiders, you don't know the depths, and you will suffer! ”

Ma Ming said: "It's okay, we are just doing business, and buying and selling is not benevolent!" ”

The two quit their fellow countrymen and continued to move forward. Sure enough, I saw a big mansion with high walls and red doors, which was very magnificent, so I went up to buckle the ring. Someone in the door answered and asked who it was. Liu Jing replied: "Doing business." ”

A small side door by the gate opened, and a man came out and asked, "Businessman?" What to do? ”

Ma Ming didn't know that such a rich family in the countryside also had money to be paid in the concierge, so he only said: "We want to meet your master!" ”

The doorman looked at the two visitors and said, "See our master?" Let me tell you, the Texas prefect Lord Zhang is better than our master! ”

Liu Jing saw that this person was rude, and couldn't help but get angry: "Your master's family is a big family, it should be a benevolent family, why are you talking so horizontally?" Aren't you afraid that your master will find out and spank your ass? ”

The doorman opened his eyes: "I'll spank your ass first!" ”

When the doorman spoke, he punched and hit the person, Liu Jing dodged it, and with a backhand palm, the doorman fell down. The doorman shouted: "You are really bold, you ran to the door of Zhu's house and beat people." Come on, there are robbers! ”

Four men flashed out of the door, all of them as strong as oxen, and they couldn't help but say, they raised their fists and hit Liu Jing and Ma Ming. Liu Jing and Ma Ming are very skilled, and the four men are not their opponents. Suddenly, the main gate opened, and the four men fought and retreated. Liu Jing and Ma Ming chased after the door, the door squeaked shut, and dozens of strong men swarmed over and surrounded the two of them.

At this time, I heard a broken shout: "Where did Diao Han come from, so bold?" ”

At the opening of the human wall, there is a middle-aged man standing, who looks like a master. The doorman bowed his head and said, "Master Zhu, these two people are spreading wild here, you see, they beat me like this!" ”

The man named Zhu Ye looked at the door and said, "Go, you beat him back!" ”

The doorman walked a few steps tentatively towards Liu Jing and Ma Ming, not daring to step forward. Zhu Ye said angrily: "It's really useless, so many people support you, you are all like this bear!" Do you want someone else to call you back? ”

Liu Jing arched his hand towards Zhu Ye and said, "This old man must be the master, right?" We are businessmen, and we come to negotiate deals. But the guards at the door of your house spoke ill of each other and hit people, and I just fought back. ”

Zhu Ye snorted and said, "Go to the gate of my Zhu family, I really haven't seen anyone who dares to fight back!" ”

Ma Ming listened to the words of the surnamed Zhu, and his mouth was also full of words, so he said: "Look at the couplets on the doorpost of your house are beautifully written, poems and books are passed down for thousands of years, and benevolence and virtue are blessed!" How can this be the case in the house of poetry and benevolence? ”

Zhu Ye smiled coldly: "You two still dare to be hard-mouthed!" We don't have to do anything, as long as I shout, everyone in the house will drown you if they spit on it! ”

Liu Jing said: "I don't think your family will live by spitting, right?" You have to get down to business. The two of us just came to talk about business, how could we cause such trouble? ”

Then I heard someone shouting, "Who is making noise here?" ”

The man named Zhu Ye immediately humbled himself and bowed down. A middle-aged man who looked like a scholar walked over, this person was dignified and extraordinary. It turned out that this was the master of the Zhu family, named Zhu Ren. The one named Zhu Ye just now was just Zhu Fu, the housekeeper of the Zhu family.

Zhu Fu said: "Master, here are two wild outsiders! ”

Zhu Ren and Yan Yuese: "What are you two doing?" ”

Liu Jing said: "We are businessmen from Shanxi, and we want to come to talk about business, and we don't want to be beaten and scolded by your people, so we collided." ”

Zhu Ren looked back at those family members and said, "You are really presumptuous! I told you that everyone who comes to the door is a guest, why is it so rude? ”

Zhu Fu hurriedly apologized: "Master, I didn't discipline them well!" ”

Zhu Ren gave a gift: "Zhu has a single name and a benevolent character, he has read books for a few years, he has been on the scene, and he has fallen off the list, so he doesn't want to try, and he lives by keeping his ancestral family business." The family offended the two, and Zhu made amends. Please sit inside, two of you. Liu Jing and Ma Ming also reported their names. Zhu Ren invited the two guests in to watch the tea Ruyi.

Zhu Ren asked: "Zhu has had dealings with Shanxi merchants. Dare to ask which business name are the two of you? What kind of business do you do? ”

Liu Jingxin said: "Taiyuan Hengtai Ji is mainly engaged in ironware, and other businesses are also done. ”

Zhu Ren said: "Hengtai Ji, your owner's surname is Wang, you have admired it for a long time, and you are disrespectful and disrespectful!" It's just that my Zhu family has never done an ironware business, and the interlacing is like a mountain, I don't know what business you two want to do with Zhu? ”

Ma Ming said: "There was a big drought in Shanxi this year, and the harvest was not good. We heard that your land has a bumper harvest this year, and we want to buy some corn and sell it over, one is to help the people, and the other is to make some money! ”

Zhu Ren listened and was particularly vigilant: "How do you two know that we have a bumper harvest here?" ”

Liu Jing smiled: "Isn't it spreading everywhere!" It is said that Shandong has a bumper harvest this year. We have a semicolon in Jinan, and we heard there that the people want to give 10% of the surplus grain to the imperial court. ”

Ma Ming said: "Yes, we plan to buy some wheat in other places in Shandong and some corn in Texas. ”

Zhu Ren smiled and said, "Your ears are very pointed!" Just, you know what? The governor of the yamen announced that not a single grain of grain in Shandong should be sold to other provinces! ”

Liu Jing was very puzzled and asked: "Why is there a surplus grain and the people are not allowed to sell it?" ”

Zhu Ren smiled mysteriously and said, "Actually, hey, it's okay to talk to you foreigners, in fact, there is no surplus grain in Shandong!" The two of them were rude to Zhu's family just now, and there was a reason for it. We have been plagued by famine for many years, and many people have gathered together to rob them. The doorman shouted that there was a robber, and the housekeeper heard the noise and rushed away. ”

Ma Ming looked at Liu Jing in surprise and asked, "No surplus food?" Why is it groundless? ”

Zhu Ren said: "It can also be said that only a big family like my family has surplus grain, and no one else has anything to eat, where is the surplus grain?" ”

Ma Ming deliberately got angry: "Hey, who is talking nonsense?" It made us have to work hard. Big brother, let's not bother Master Zhu, let's go back. ”

Liu Jing told Ma Ming not to worry, turned back to Zhu Ren and said, "Master Zhu, my brother is in a hurry. I think since Mr. Zhu's family has surplus food, can we do business? ”

Zhu Ren looked very embarrassed: "Didn't I say it?" The governor's yamen announced that it was forbidden to sell grain to other places! ”

Liu Jing said: "Master Zhu, all of us who do business have dealt with the yamen. Yamen, there is always a way to dredge it. ”

Zhu Ren was quite proud, and said: "Don't hide it from the two of you, if you want to say that this yamen in Shandong, no matter how much you dredge it, you can't get through it." As long as the price is good, the yamen is fine. ”

Liu Jing was very bold and said: "Master Zhu, as long as the price is negotiated, how much grain you have, how much we want." ”

Zhu Ren became interested: "Really? ”

After coming and going, the business was negotiated. Liu Jing was very happy and said, "Master Zhu is really a cheerful person. Okay, so let's go to the warehouse to see the goods. ”

The two were about to get up as they spoke, but Zhu Ren shook his hand and said, "My family's grain business is all done in Jinan, and the wharf over there is good." Corn is hoarded in the granary of the Zhu family in Jinan. ”

Liu Jing's face was embarrassed, and said: "We can't see the goods, this ......"

Zhu Ren laughed and said, "Don't worry, don't worry!" It's getting late today, and the two of you are aggrieved to stay in the cold house, and we'll talk about it tomorrow. ”

Liu Jing and Ma Ming pretended to pretend to say a few words, and settled at Zhu's house. The two discussed quietly at night, and felt more and more that Zhu Ren was extraordinary, and would simply send him to Jinan tomorrow. After breakfast the next day, Zhu Fu had already prepared the sales contract and gave it to his master for a look. Zhu Ren took it and handed it to Liu Jing. Liu Jing looked at it, puzzled, and asked, "Master Zhu, why do you pick up the goods in Yicang?" Isn't it in your Zhu family's granary? ”

Zhu Ren didn't say much, but said: "Don't worry, you just need to sign, don't care whether you pick up the goods in Yicang or where, just keep the grain." ”

Liu Jing said: "Of course I am relieved. But I have a reluctant request. ”

Zhu Ren arched his hand and said, "But it doesn't hurt to say it!" ”

Liu Jing said: "Such a large transaction, this contract has to be signed by my master." But this comes and goes, and I am afraid that the business will be delayed. Can Master Lao Zhu go to Jinan in person, so that he can meet my master? ”

Zhu Fu interjected and said: "Two bosses, my lord is a scholar, he only reads all day long, recites poetry, and everything in business is taken care of, but he never comes forward." ”

Liu Jing said: "My lord is also a scholar, and he is easy to make friends, so maybe he can talk to Master Zhu very much." ”

Zhu Ren smiled: "Really? In that case, I think I'll meet you, sir. Okay, I'll go to Jinan! I have a lot of old friends over there, and I want to do the same! ”

Liu Jing turned back to Ma Ming and said, "That's great." Ma Ming, you might as well hurry back to Jinan Master Yuming, and I will accompany Master Zhu to arrive later! ”

Zhu Ren smiled: "Brother Liu is in a hurry!" ”

Liu Jing said: "My lord has a saying, shopping malls are like battlefields, and soldiers are fast!" ”

Zhu Ren clapped his hands and smiled: "Well said, well said, no wonder your Hengtai Ji business is so big!" ”

Ma Ming left Zhu's house, hurried away, went straight to the post station, showed the survey certificate of the military department, asked for a good horse, and flew to Jinan. Here, Liu Jing and Zhu Ren took the carriage and went to Jinan unhurriedly.