I was in panic all day long!

It is most appropriate to use this sentence to describe Yangzhou City at this time. Since Guazhou Town was occupied by the Ming army a month ago, the gates of the Yangzhou City, which is so close, are closed, for fear that the Ming army will enter Yangzhou. But what made them sigh was that the Ming army stationed in Guazhou had no Yangzhou at all. Although there were rumors that the army was close to the city several times, it was a false alarm in the end.

Over time, people always slacken. The Qing army guarding the city, who had been patrolling the city all day long, slowly slackened. Over time, the temporary recruitment of the people might take turns to go home to spend the night. Even the Lijin Gate, which is close to the transportation of the transportation, opens for one or two hours every day to transport grain into the city. Of course, more importantly, even if the war comes, the salt merchants always have to do business, and the people in Jiangnan always have to eat salt. Although the dock outside Lijin Gate is not as lively as before, salt ships still continuously transport salt from the salt field through Yangzhou and transport it to various parts of Jiangnan.

As before, after sending out thousands of stones of Huai salt and receiving the letter from the shopkeeper, Zheng Xiaru came to the Lianghuai Salt Transportation Office, the Lianghuai Salt Transportation Office and the Salt Censorate Office, one in the east and the other in the west, and only a small Qinhuai River was separated by a small Qinhuai River. Although the two seem to be in charge of salt, compared with the former's poor fat, the latter is only a clean yamen - they can only supervise transportation and do not have much real power. In contrast, the salt transport officer is in charge of salt transportation and sales, levying classes, money and grain distribution, private salt cases in various places, anti-smuggling assessments, and so on. It is precisely because of this that they are the people who are the people who are favored and sincere to Yangzhou salt merchants.

As soon as he entered the yamen, a yamen servant whispered to Zheng Xiaru.

"Master Zheng, the master today seems a little uneasy. You have to be careful when you get over for a while!"

The officer's reminder made Zheng Xiaru smile.

"Thank you, Brother Li, for your reminder!"

As he spoke, he took out a silver ingot in the man's hand. The officer weighed his hand and the smile on his face became even brighter.

"Thank you Mr. Zheng for your reward!"

The servants in the yamen like the most is to inform the salt merchants. After all, these salt merchants have always been generous. Just like this, just one sentence, it is a reward of five taels.

When I arrived outside the study, the officer walked through the door.

"Tell the master, Mr. Zheng is here!"

"Quickly, invite him in!"

Gao Chaoling's shout came from the study room there. He pushed the door and entered the study room. Zheng Xiaru knelt down and kowtowed.

"The grass people bow to the master!"

People will kneel down when they see officials. Although Zheng Xiaru has a net worth of millions, he cannot change this rule. Instead, he is more cautious than ordinary people.

"No gifts, no gifts..."

After Zheng Xiaru kowtowed, Gao Chaoling said.

"Sisuke, why do you and me be so polite? Come on, please sit down and have a tea!"

After staying at the service, he left and closed the door, Zheng Xiaru looked at Gao Chaoling and said.

"Master Qibing, today I sent out another 10,000 stones of salt. Caomin has ordered someone to send it to you."

According to the rules of the past, every time a batch of salt was shipped out, the salt transport envoy could get a sum of silver. Although the salt transport envoy was only one year, the salt transport envoy was far better than that of a prefect.

"I won't talk about this now, Shisuke, how about it? Is there any news in Guazhou?"

Gao Chaoling looked at Zheng Xiaru nervously. Half a month ago, Zheng Xiaru was the first person to transport salt to Jiangnan after trapping thieves in Guazhou. This was not because he was in communication with thieves, but because he was more courageous than ordinary people. He believed that the people in Jiangnan needed salt, and even those pirates needed salt. If they blocked the salt road, they might even force the pirates over. For Gao Chaoling, who was a salt transport envoy, although he did not have the responsibility to defend the territory, as the highest-ranking official in the city, he could only imagine how to protect the Yangzhou city. It was precisely because of this that half a month ago that he agreed to the request of Zheng Xiaru and Jiangnan salt merchants, agreeing that they transport salt to Jiangnan to avoid stimulating the pirates to seize the city, and even bribed the pirates in Guazhou. Of course, his benefits were naturally not lost, even twice as high as before.

"Go back to Master, the thief stationed in Guazhou has no news except for the last time I received 10,000 taels of silver from us."

Zheng Xiaru replied truthfully that if it weren't for the Ming army guards in Guazhou who collected the silver, he wouldn't have dared to let the salt ship enter the Yangtze River.

"However, judging from the news from the passing salt ship, the thief leader seemed to have no intention of invading Yangzhou in the north."

"Shisui, you must do this job well. When the thief retreats, my official will naturally ask you for me..."

"The grass-roots people dare not take credit!"

Zheng Xiaru quickly stood up and said.

"Master, the grass-roots..."

"Shijie, it should be your merit, and it is your merit. What's the point of being dared to do? Yangzhou can survive at this time all depends on your original advice. The pirates have always been greedy for profit. If they lure them for profit, they will definitely slow down their troops. But the current situation is even more sinister than before."

After interrupting him, Gao Chaoling continued.

"I have just heard from the news that Zhu Mingzhong, who had seized Changzhou and Jiangning, had been appointed as the Jiangbei appeasement envoy by Zheng thieves. If this thief invades Yangzhou in the north, I am afraid that this Yangzhou will not be protected..."

When he was speaking, Gao Chaoling looked worried. The reason why he was worried now was because of the news he just received.

Originally, he was not very worried about the Ming army in Guazhou. After all, there were only 2,000 Ming army there. As long as he lured it for profit, he would definitely not invade Yangzhou easily. After all, no one would think that money was a big deal. But now it is different. How could Zhu Mingzhong not worry about going north?

What!

Zheng Xiaru looked at Gao Chaoling in surprise and then asked in dismay.

"Big, master, but I said that Zhu Mingzhong, who took Jiangning?"

Even in Jiangbei, Zheng Xiaru had heard of Zhu Mingzhong's name more than once. After all, the salt ships in the past always brought various news, and naturally there was news that Zhu Mingzhong's surprise attack on Tongji Gate.

"Who is that thief? This son is the longest attack on the city. His soldiers are all desperate people who are fearless and fearless. I..."

He shook his head and sighed, Gao Chaoling's face was filled with uneasiness.

"I'm afraid that once this thief attacks, Yangzhou will be in danger at that time!"

"That master, if Yangzhou cannot be defended, then what should I do?"

Although the salt transport envoy in front of him was not the magistrate of Yangzhou, as the highest-ranking official in Yangzhou City, he was the actual host of Yangzhou City. Even the defender was also a soldier in the Yanyun Yamen. That's why Zheng Xiaru asked him this. At this time, Gao Chaoling, who seemed to be full of anxiety, suddenly asked back.

"Shijie, in the previous dynasty, since you were able to serve as the Ministry of Works, why did you not intend to enter the officialdom after entering the new dynasty?"

The sudden question made Zheng Xiaru stunned and said quickly.

"Big, master, grass, grass people..."

Looking at Zheng Xiaru who was stuttering, Gao Chaoling suddenly turned sharp.

"Can you also regard yourself as a survivor in the past? If you don't serve as a righteous person in the Qing Dynasty, will you succeed?"
Chapter completed!