Ouyang Bei's spirits perked up, and Meng Dongting was also interested, and they all sat up straight, listening attentively.

Ma Xingbang sighed and continued: "More than three months ago, our Guangsheng was preparing to open the passage to the border of Xuanda, and the matter was critical, and my father sent my second brother to personally transport a large amount of grain to Datong Bao, and after completing this big deal, he also opened up the main road to Beijing. My father was very happy, and said that in the future, our business can be regarded as one of the best salt merchants in Yangzhou, even if we look at the world, we can also rank among the top four, and the business will be bigger and bigger in the future, and we really celebrated. ”

Ouyang Beizi had also heard about this, and at that time, Guangsheng also held a banquet to entertain the elders of Yangzhou. Ouyang Bei also received an invitation, but he was entangled in official business and couldn't go in person. At this time, thinking back to the glory of the past few days, compared with the horse mansion that turned into ashes in an instant, it feels like a world away.

Ma Xingbang was still immersed in sentimental emotions, he sighed again, and said: "At noon that day, we had just had a banquet for guests, and a man came into the dart bureau and said that a batch of grain was entrusted to us to send to Xuanfu. At that time, we had just walked the road to the border of Xuanda, and we were very happy to hear about this business. I saw that the man was forty or fifty years old, with a dark complexion and a bearded face, just like Zhang Fei of the Three Kingdoms, and he was quite arrogant in his gestures, not like an ordinary person. I didn't dare to lose my courtesy, so I hurriedly invited the man in to talk to my father in detail. The man glanced at my father and son, and said, 'Within three months, please ask your firm to deliver 1,000 stone of grain to the Xuanfu newspaper, and after the matter is completed, in addition to the heavy amount of thanks, another salt quotation of 5,000 yuan will be given.' After saying that, he took out half of the gold and silver 10,000 taels and a salt ticket stub of 5,000 guis on the spot. ”

Ouyang Bei's heart sank, knowing that he was about to talk about the key, he hurriedly leaned forward, for fear of missing any important words.

Ma Xingbang continued: "Our Guangsheng people have all seen the world, but when we took out such a large amount of white silver, we still made everyone dumbfounded. My father suddenly stood up and said, 'Someone, send me off!' I was taken aback and hurriedly said, 'Daddy, this is not a small deal!

"My father did not pay attention to me, but said to the man, 'I am grateful that Your Excellency looks up to me for the promotion of the number, but I cannot take this business. The man looked surprised and said, "Old man Ma doesn't accept this business?" Is it because I don't have enough honorarium?' The father said: "This friend is not like a local, since he can come to me with such a large ticket of grain and silver, and he doesn't go on a business trip on the road, then there is naturally a way to send it to Xuanfu, but now he has to pay so much more than the normal range for us to help transport it, but I am afraid that there is something in the middle of the unknown origin, and Ma does not dare to take it." ’”

When Ouyang Bei heard this, he couldn't help but secretly admire this old man Ma who knew the world well and looked like a torch, no wonder he could become the leader among the salt merchants in Yangzhou, which was indeed not comparable to ordinary merchants.

Ma Xingbang said: "When that man heard his father say this, he smiled apologetically and said: 'Sure enough, Jiang is still old and spicy, and he can't hide it from Old Man Ma's eyes. One of my things is of unknown origin. When my father saw that he was happy, he snorted and said, 'In that case, let me leave it to another family!' the man continued, 'Then it is not necessary. Old man Ma, please take a step to speak. ’”

My father knew what he had secrets to say, so he found a study in the backyard for him to enter, but the man told me to guard the door. At that time, I was unhappy in my heart, knowing that he didn't want to tell more people this secret, thinking that I, Ma Xingbang, had already been the master of the house, when had I ever been so despised? But that person was the God of Wealth with money, and I was not good at it, so I took the opportunity to eavesdrop on them outside the study. ”

Ouyang Bei smiled slightly: "Characters like Ma Dagongzi actually do such a thing as eavesdropping?"

Ma Xingbang laughed and said, "You don't know this, as the so-called has to listen to the confidants, just listen to the words behind the scenes." The man talked to my father for half an hour, and even if I didn't want to eavesdrop on him, they talked loudly and quietly, and sometimes they quarreled a few words, and I didn't want to listen. ”

Ouyang Bei couldn't help grinning, and Meng Dongting was also on the side for a while, feeling that this eldest prince Ma was indeed straightforward and funny.

Ma Xingbang said: "I only heard my father ask in a rough voice: 'Since you can come and go freely with a thousand stones of grain and ten thousand taels of silver, why don't you send it to Xuanfu yourself?" The man smiled and said, "I have my own unspeakable secrets. When my father saw that he was speechless, he immediately snorted coldly, and said, 'If I don't want to explain, how dare I take your business!' If this thing is not clean, won't I make a fuss in vain?' The man smiled again and said, 'I am the old man of the previous dynasty, do you understand what I mean?' said a voice that seemed to be a sword out of its sheath, and then my father let out a low cry. I felt bad for a moment, thinking that the two of them were going to pull the guy and were about to break in, but I heard my father shout: 'Former widow, this is ...... So that's it...... No wonder you don't want to go to Xuanfu, it turns out that you are sad about the main road of Jingshi......"

Ouyang Bei was itchy when he heard it, and Meng Dongting was even more foggy, unable to guess what was called "the old man of the previous dynasty", and hurriedly said: "What is the origin of this person, can Master Ma know?"

Ma Xingbang smiled and said, "I won't tell you, our businessman ancestor has passed down a rule." That is, the name and origin of the person entrusted must not be easily revealed. So whether I know it or not, I can't tell you. Master Bei, little brother, if you want to know, you have to guess by yourself. ”

Ouyang Bei persuaded: "Now that the foundation of the Guangsheng has been ruined, and the old man Ma has been murdered, if the eldest son of Ma still abides by the rules like this, won't it make the relatives and enemies happy?"

Ma Xingbang shook his head and said: "Master Bei, this is why you underestimate my surname Ma! Even if my Ma family suffers misfortune now, and the Guangsheng has been in a slump since then, there will be no chance to regroup and make a comeback in the future, and it is impossible for me to abandon the rules now!"

Meng Dongting, who was listening to him on the side, cast an approving look, and Ouyang Bei couldn't help but admire when he saw that he was still ambitious and immortal, and thought: "It seems that this eldest prince of Ma has matured a lot after the sudden changes in the past few days. Thinking that Ma Dechang had a successor and that reviving his career was just around the corner, he couldn't help but feel very relieved, so he said: "Even so, I won't be reluctant!

Ma Xingbang continued: "After my father exclaimed, both of them lowered their voices when they spoke, and I really couldn't hear it outside the door, so I had to walk away boringly. After a few moments, my father came out of the study, and I hurriedly greeted him, and asked, 'What are you talking about, what about the others?' and my father said with a shocked expression, 'It's gone.' I was a little annoyed, and said, "Just leave, can you still do this business?" Seeing that I was angry, my father sighed and said, "Yes, this time we will go out and take this business." I closed my mouth with joy, but my father said nothing. Hey, now that I think about it, it's not the God of Wealth who came to the door, but the God of Death......"

Meng Dongting on the side heard him say this, and couldn't help but sigh: "The so-called misfortune and blessing are relied on, and the blessing and misfortune are lurking, and it is really difficult to say whether it is a disaster or a blessing between the encounters in life." ”

Ma Xingbang couldn't help but smile sadly and said, "What this little brother said is very true. Since taking over this business, my father has not been idle for a day, he arranged for the second brother to personally deliver the grain, and let me take the salt ticket stub lightly and go all the way, from selecting capable forces to arranging the transportation route, he personally handled everything, and did not allow others to say more. ”

When Ouyang Bei heard this, he thought to himself: "Why did this old man arrange for the two brothers to send different things on the road, could it be that there is something strange about this?"

Ma Xingbang also asked at this time: "Master Bei, everyone says that you are a famous arrester in Yangzhou, hearing this, can you hear what your father meant?"

Ouyang Beidao: "Don't dare to be a famous catcher." According to what I think, Mr. Ma has arranged two routes, one bright and one dark, and arranging your second brother to transport grain is in the dark, which is really to hide people's eyes, and arranging for you to take the salt ticket stub on the road is in the dark, which is what is actually to be sent. I don't know if I'm right?"

Ma Xingbang raised his thumb and praised: "Bei Ye is really sharp-eyed, and he can't hide it from you at all!"

Ouyang Bei smiled and said: "It's still Old Man Ma who is thoughtful, I think he must have a deep meaning in arranging this, so I dare to guess like this." What's the point of this salt ticket stub that you want to bring?

Ma Xingbang shook his hand and said: "Beiye, don't be anxious, listen patiently and know yourself." ”

Then he continued: "My father has made all the arrangements, and told my brothers to remember to be cautious before they set off, and not to go out to cause trouble again. Hey, I don't have any hobbies, occasionally gamble a few money, but my second brother is a scholar, his hobbies are more elegant than mine, he likes to drink and chant poetry, and the tune of the moon before the flower, he has a good relationship in Fengyi Building. ”

When Ouyang Bei heard that he had now reached the crux of the case, he couldn't help but ask nervously, "But that Yunlian girl in Fengyi Building?"

Ma Xingbang nodded and said, "Yes, there is another story here." This Yunlian girl is not an ordinary Qinglou woman, she is the youngest daughter of King Liaohui, about seven or eight years ago, this King Liaohui was framed by a traitor and was removed from the domain today, Yunlian was sent to Yangzhou as an official prostitute, and my old Ma family's ancestral home is in the fief of King Liaohui, and the old prince has many contacts, and my second brother and Yunlian have known each other since childhood. ”

In this way, the second brother can renew the relationship with her in Yangzhou, but these things are hidden from my father, hey, they are also a pair of hard-working mandarin ducks. ”

Ouyang Bei couldn't help but sigh, it turned out that there were still these twists and turns in it, and then motioned to Ma Xingbang to continue.

Ma Xingbang continued: "My father arranged for the second brother to transport food first, before leaving, the second brother had not met Yunlian for more than three months, and he was worried that this time he would go for three or four months, so he didn't know that he secretly went to Fengyi Tower to find Yunlian behind his back, but how could he think about it...... Which Cheng wants to ...... Ay...... It's all my fault. Speaking of this, Ma Xingbang couldn't help but have moist eyes, and his throat stirred and he didn't say any more.