The Xiao family is a wealthy family in Jining. They have been doing business for generations and have been in Jining Prefecture for dozens of generations. Their ancestors were also private salt traders. During the Jingnan War, their family was on the wrong team and suffered heavy losses and was almost wiped out!
However, maybe it’s God’s will!
At that time, an unparalleled genius emerged from the ancestors of the Xiao family. He first offered 90% of the entire family property in exchange for Chengzu's understanding, and then gave up all his private salt business. With his keen sense of smell, he
With his last savings, he purchased dozens of barren fields in Jiangnan and started a legal silk business!
Perhaps it was God who rewarded those who worked hard. Gradually, the Xiao family's silk became famous. With the good relationship established with the eunuch Sanbao, their silk was selected as a tribute and sold to all parts of the world along with the Ming Dynasty treasure ships!
The Xiao family was reborn from the ashes, and the family business became even bigger than before!
The Xiao Family Courtyard is located in the west of Jining City, covering an area of more than 200 acres, adjacent to the shore of Machang Lake, with green tiles and blue bricks. It is majestic and beautiful. It is like a poem or a painting, just like a fairyland on earth!
Since the name of the ancestor of the Xiao family contains the word "Mu", the Xiao family compound is also called "Muyuan".
At this time, in an exquisite small courtyard in the backyard of the 'Muyuan', Xiao Zixin was holding a thick stack of account books, carefully flipping through the accounts above, and occasionally fiddling with an abacus carved from white jade.
Her personal maid A Luo stood aside, holding a delicate cattail leaf fan in her little hand, and was fanning the young lady hard.
Suddenly, Xiao Zixin put the red pen in her hand on the table with force, turned around and asked A Luo next to her: "A Luo, is the second master back?"
A Luo was stunned and said hurriedly: "Miss, I just went to the front yard to ask about the second master, he, he hasn't come home for three months!"
"Hey!" Xiao Zixin sighed softly, "That's all, I'm thinking of something!"
The little maid A Luo wanted to say something more, so she opened her mouth, but nothing came out.
Things started three months ago!
Due to the failure of the marriage between the Xiao family and Mr. Fang last year, the head of the family, Xiao Mowen, used his connections and money to build some relationship with the 'Shenggong Yan' who also lived in Jining!
In this land, it has been the same since ancient times!
‘official businessman’, ‘official businessman’!
As a businessman, if you don’t have a reliable backer, you can’t continue your business at all. I don’t know when, all the bones and dregs will be eaten by others!
Things were going very smoothly. The name of this generation's "Yanshenggong" was Kong Yinzhi. He ascended the throne in the first year of Tianqi. In the seventh year of Tianqi, he was granted the title of Crown Prince and Taibao. In the third year of Chongzhen, he was granted the title of Crown Prince and Taifu and his status was revered!
Xiao Mowen had an old relationship with him when he was young, so when the Xiao family asked for help, Kong Yinzhi agreed after a little shirk!
With Yan Shenggong's protection, everyone in the Xiao family felt relieved, and life seemed to be back on track again!
However, there was a severe drought this year, and Jiangnan, which originally had abundant water systems, lacked rain, and the silk was seriously damaged. Xiao Mowen sent his second brother Xiao Mowu to Jiangnan to inspect and deal with the Xiao family's cocoon fields.
Unlike the gentle Xiao Mowen, although Xiao Mowu was already over forty, he still had the temperament of a playboy. When the Xiao family held a dinner party in Jinan that day, Liu Ruyi almost had a conflict with him.
After Xiao Mowu arrived in the south of the Yangtze River, he just casually checked out the cocoon fields in Suzhou and Liyang. Then he and a few friends wandered along the bustling Qinhuai River, having fun every day. He was so happy that he had long forgotten what his elder brother Xiao Mowen had told him.
back!
But the thing is, there is a kind of person in this world who is not good at doing serious things, but is good at causing trouble!
Due to a minor conflict, Xiao Mowu had a conflict with someone on the flower boat. He was drunk and accidentally killed someone!
The Xiao family was rich and powerful, and Xiao Mowu never took it seriously. But who would have thought that the seemingly weak scholar was actually related by marriage to the Mi family, a large silk merchant in Jiangnan!
The Mi family and the Xiao family have been fighting openly and secretly for many years. They have always been indifferent and seized this opportunity. How could they let it go!
At this moment, the Mi family used a trick to lure Xiao Mowu into the whole set, and lost millions of taels of silver. Xiao Mowu was helpless, how could he get so much silver? He had to mortgage the deed to the cocoon field of the Xiao family that he carried with him.
After leaving the Mi family, he sent his cronies back to Jining to report, hoping that his eldest brother Xiao Mowen would come to rescue him!
Xiao Mowen was in a hurry after hearing the news. Yutian could be said to be the life of their Xiao family. At that moment, he immediately found Kong Yinzhi, the 'Shenggong Yan', hoping to get help, but how could Kong Yinzhi care about such a thing?
Since he refused to admit his fault, Xiao Mowen had no choice but to take a boat overnight to Nanjing!
Unexpectedly, the house leaked and it rained all night. When his boat reached the shore of Weishan Lake, he was suddenly ambushed by water bandits and was seriously injured. If the servants risked their lives to protect him, his life would be at stake!
At that time, not long after Liu Ruyi left for the war, Xiao Zixin got the news. In desperation, he had to rush back to his home in Jining City to take charge of the overall situation!
But the opponent has already laid a dragnet. Although Xiao Zixin is good at accounting, how can he defeat those old foxes of the Mi family?
Fortunately, the life of Xiao Zixin's father, Xiao Mowen, was finally saved, but his second uncle, Xiao Mowu, was missing and has never returned home.
Although Xiao Zixin has a strong temperament, she has no choice but to be a daughter, so she has no choice but to work hard to keep the family business afloat, crying every day!
At this time, a small boat flashed on the lake not far away. In a moment, it arrived in front of Xiao Zixin's yard. A servant dressed as a boatman inside couldn't help shouting to the maid at the door: "Quick, go and report to the lady."
,Second Master,Second Master,he,he has news!"
…………
It was noon, and in the school field of Caishi Town, more than 500 soldiers were sweating profusely, practicing their skills in the scorching heat!
It has been two days since I came back. Except for the four to five hundred people from Nancheng who had three days off to visit, it turned out that the veteran soldiers from Caishi Town, Liu Ruyi, only had one day left for the soldiers to go home and have a look around, and then resumed
Start gathering and training.
After experiencing the test of war, Liu Ruyi understood his own insignificance. If the forces in front of him were to protect themselves in the city, they would not be able to do it, let alone go out to fight in the city!
The indescribable feeling of oppression in her heart forced Liu Ruyi to be cruel and strengthen the training of his soldiers!
At the moment, Liu Ruyi spent a lot of money to get the craftsmen to make the gun, which has some signs of success. However, he just came back and was busy with many things, so Liu Ruyi didn't have time to take a look at it.
Zhao Canghai's body has also been brought back. As Liu Ruyi's right-hand man, it was unexpected that it was found there in vain, which is really disappointing!
Zhao Canghai has no wife or children, but a sister in her early forties. He followed her to this colorful stone town because her sister remarried! However, his sister's life was not good either. She had just married a few years ago.
In the good days, the man fell ill and died, leaving only a four or five-year-old boy.
"Tiger head, kowtow to the master!" A woman tightly led a strong boy to kneel down in front of Liu Ruyi.
"Sister, please get up quickly! I'm sorry for you!" Liu Ruyi hurriedly helped the two of them up. Although Liu Ruyi had compensated Zhao Canghai's family for more than a thousand taels of silver and had a glorious funeral, she saw what was in front of her.
Man, Liu Ruyi still feels a little uneasy in her heart!
The soldiers served tea, and Liu Ruyi hurriedly said: "Sister, have you finished taking care of Brother Zhao's funeral? Why did you come here in such a hot day!"
Zhao Canghai's sister was only in her early forties, but she looked like she was already sixty. The hardships in life really broke this woman's heart. When she heard Liu Ruyi's question, she knelt down again.
: "Thank you for your concern, sir. Everything has been taken care of! However, the civilian woman has one more wish, and I beg you to grant it! Tiger head, why don't you kowtow to your Majesty!"
"Oh!" The young man on the side also reacted, and the mother and son knelt on the ground, kowtowing desperately!
"Sister, this is impossible! If you have any request, as long as I, Liu Ruyi, can fulfill it, I will definitely do my best!" Liu Ruyi said hurriedly.
She quickly raised her head, "Sir, Canghai often said when he was alive that meeting you was the luckiest thing in his life! It's a pity that he has no son and can't continue to serve you! This child has become him
All hope! Sir, I implore you to accept him! This is also Canghai’s wish!"
Liu Ruyi looked at the young man in front of her. Although he was tall and strong, his face could not hide his childishness. Liu Ruyi patted his shoulder and asked Wenyan: "Hutou, how old are you?"
Hutou looked at the sword hanging on Liu Ruyi's waist, and there was a flash of light in his eyes. He hurriedly replied: "Sir, Hutou is fourteen this year! Sir, if Hutou becomes a soldier, he will have one to follow you.
Is it the same sword?"
Liu Ruyi took off the sword, stroked it gently, and asked Hutou: "Hutou, why do you want to be a soldier? Aren't you afraid of death?"
Hutou was stunned for a moment, then he punched his chest hard with his fist, kowtowed to Liu Ruyi, and then said: "Sir, Hutou is not afraid! What Hutou admires the most is heroes like you and uncle! In the future
, I want to kill all the people who hurt my uncle!"
Liu Ruyi nodded slightly and touched his head, "Okay, Tiger Head! You are a man! Come on, I will give you this knife!"
"Ah~~!" Hutou was overjoyed. He found the sword and couldn't put it down, shouting happily!
But his mother said from the side: "Sir, how can this happen?"
Liu Ruyi smiled and waved her hand, "Brother Zhao is my brother! That nephew is my nephew! Sister, don't worry! Hutou, I will take good care of him!"
…………
After seeing off Sister Zhao and ordering Hu Tou to join the training team, Liu Ruyi just breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Lao Gui quickly running to her side and reported in a low voice: "Sir, the one you are looking for is