"Why are you panicking? Hasn't the sky fallen yet?" Liu Ruyi picked up the wine glass and drank it all in one gulp, looking at Xiao Liu'er displeasedly.
Xiao Liu'er is Liu Ruyi's domestic slave, and Liu Ruyi's most trusted person. Normally, this boy has a broad heart, a fat body, and a bold temperament, but he doesn't take even big things to heart! At the moment, he is so flustered,
An ominous premonition suddenly appeared in Liu Ruyi's heart.
"Young Master! I..." Xiao Liu'er felt aggrieved and even more anxious. He glanced at Liu Ruyi eagerly and hesitated to speak!
Liu Ruyi put the wine glass on the stone table and tapped the table with her fingers, "We are all family members, so just say what you want!"
"Young Master! Brothers, brothers died so miserably!"
Xiao Liu'er fell to his knees on the ground with a 'plop'. The nine-foot tall man was like a spring, but his tears couldn't stop gushing out. He hugged Liu Ruyi's calf tightly and said in a trembling voice: "Young Master, it's all right."
Eighteen brothers! They, they even have corpses..."
"What happened?" Liu Ruyi grabbed Xiao Liu'er's shoulders, squatted down and asked.
"It's the grain transport team from Jinan City who has returned. However, they just left Jinan City and had not gone thirty miles when they happened to encounter a group of desperate bandits! There were only thirty brothers, but there were not many of those bandits.
I don’t know, the brothers resisted desperately and finally fought their way out, but, just..."
Xiao Liuer had a crying voice and spoke intermittently, but Liu Ruyi understood it clearly!
"Uncle Lao Gui, Brother Sanhu, how are they?" Liu Ruyi suppressed the anger in her heart and asked.
"Uncle Lao Gui was stabbed more than a dozen times and is still unconscious. Brother Sanhu, Brother Sanhu, he, he broke an arm. I'm afraid, I'm afraid it's going to be worse!"
"Let's go, look at the people first before talking!" Liu Ruyi said with an expressionless face as she quickly ran towards the outer courtyard.
…………
The newly built Baihu Guanting is several times larger than the original one and is divided into three entrances, front and back.
The front yard occupies a large area, and dozens of houses have been built. On the east and west sides, there are more than a dozen big houses in two rows, which are the barracks of the main soldiers. The most spacious and magnificent big house in the middle is Liu Ruyi's main hall of 100 households.
The wing rooms are where some civil servants work. However, there is a shortage of talents in the town right now, so more than half of these wing rooms are vacant.
Originally, except for Liu Ruyi's 40-member personal army, the rest of the regular soldiers did not need to live in the official hall of 100 households. However, in order to show his closeness, Liu Ruyi also wanted to set an example for the later refugee soldiers.
A barrier has been set up! 'As long as the brothers work hard and practice properly, they can become the confidants of Lord Baihu!'
The middle courtyard is not large in area and is mainly Liu Ruyi's study. There are also some material and ordnance warehouses built on both sides, which is Liu Ruyi's personal private space.
The backyard is the same as the front yard and is where Liu Ruyi's family lives, and Old Man Feng also lives here now.
At this time, in a large room in the front yard, Lao Gui was lying upright on the earthen bed beside him, unconscious. His upper body was naked, and his body was covered with white bandages. There was a faint flow of blood between the wounds.
He came out and dyed the white bandage blood red. Zhao Sanhu was lying on his side, his entire right arm had been cut off, exposing half of the bones. Liu Ruyi reached out and touched his forehead.
It's already cold!
Liu Ruyi took a deep breath, his eyes were blood red, he turned around, looked at the dozen or so soldiers who were all disgraced, and said coldly: "Who can tell me, what the hell happened to this?"
"Sir, my brothers died so miserably! My lord, you must avenge your brothers!"
"Sir, those bastards are simply not human beings! They don't seem to be robbing wealth at all, they seem to be here just to kill people!"
"My lord, my lord, the bodies of our brothers have not been recovered..."
The soldiers said something to each other, and although it was confusing, Liu Ruyi's mind gradually became clear!
This is obviously not a group of ordinary bandits. Property is not their first target, but the thirty soldiers escorting this batch of supplies seem to be their real bait!
Moreover, in the past, these grain and rice supplies were escorted by Liu Hanyi's servants, and there was never any accident!
This time, Liu Ruyi spent a lot of money to pray to gods and Buddhas, and finally purchased two hundred spears and dozens of fine steel knives from the guards and major wealthy families in Jinan City. For safety reasons, Liu Ruyi
Ruyi then sent Zhao Sanhu and thirty regular soldiers to escort him. Unexpectedly, just like this, something like this happened instead!
"Brothers, you are all good! You are all good men! You did not embarrass me, Liu! You will take good care of your injuries for the time being. I already know this matter in my heart, and I will definitely give an explanation to my brothers!"
After Liu Ruyi finished speaking, she walked out of the door with heavy steps.
At this time, Zhao Canghai, Chun Wa, Huo Lang and other officers also arrived here. They looked at Liu Ruyi's cold face and didn't say much, but quietly followed Liu Ruyi.
The weather today is very good, the sunshine is soft and warm, the coldness of many days has quietly dissipated, and the branches of the treetops have a hint of green. Spring is coming!
Liu Ruyi raised her head and looked at the sky. The sky was blue, and the naughty clouds that were usually there were no longer there. Looking up, she could even see faint traces of the sky in the distance.
'Who on earth is it? To do such a dirty trick to myself?'
Liu Ruyi's brain was spinning rapidly, "Qi family? It's impossible. He has given up so much and it can't hinder her interests at all. It shouldn't be her! Mr. Fang? This is even more impossible! What kind of person is he? He can be said to be able to manage everything every day."
It's not an exaggeration, so why do you have the time to be serious with a little person like yourself? Mr. Jia? He is just a greedy and lustful old ghost! Who else could he be...'
While he was thinking about it, a soldier suddenly reported outside the door, "Sir, Mr. Zhang Laocai, the big shopkeeper of Jibei Commercial Bank, is here to visit!"
Liu Ruyi was stunned for a moment, but she seemed to catch something in her mind, "Please!"
After a while, Zhang Laocai licked his big belly and walked in unsteadily, "Haha, brother Liu, I haven't seen you for a long time, are you okay?"
That day, at the banquet of the Xiao family, Liu Ruyi had met this old man face to face. He was barely acquainted with him, but when it came to familiarity, he was far from it! However, the Zhang family was also a large family in Shandong, with its ancestral home.
In Zhangjiazhuang, south of Dongchang Prefecture (today's Liaocheng City, Shandong Province), there were many tribesmen, mainly engaged in fur and salt business, and had a very close relationship with Shanxi merchants.
Even though he is short, chubby and unattractive in appearance, his personal abilities are extraordinary!
The Zhang family originally lived in Jinan City and was not even considered a third-rate family. They only ran a few restaurants and grocery stores near Daming Lake. To put it bluntly, they were cooks and did some small business to make a humble living.
But since Kong Youde rebelled in Shandong in the fifth year of Chongzhen, this guy suddenly changed his profession and started trading goods. He purchased a large number of fur livestock outside the Great Wall from Shanxi and sold them to the interior of Shandong, and also from the coastal area of Jiaozhou.
, purchased salt and groceries in large quantities, and then sold them to Shanxi and Shaanxi. In just a few years, they occupied most of the market in Shanxi and Shandong. Now, it is not an exaggeration to say that they are as rich as the country!
The most important thing is that this person has a close relationship with Mr. Fang, the "Dragon among Men". He also has many contacts with the top leaders of Jinan Mansion and the major gentry. His energy cannot be underestimated!
"Master Zhang, why do you have time to come to my little place? I'm so flattered!" Liu Ruyi forced out a smile, but her words were a little cold.
"Haha, Brother Liu, you are such a heroic figure, and I, Lao Zhang, have been friends with you for a long time! If we don't make friends now, I'm afraid that in the future, Brother Liu, you will become so successful that I, Lao Zhang, won't be able to catch up!" Zhang Laocai seemed to have no idea at all.
Feeling Liu Ruyi's coldness, not only his words were enthusiastic, but his posture was also very low, without any pretense, which made people feel like a spring breeze, and they unknowingly developed a liking for him.
"Master Zhang is so polite. I cannot be so virtuous as Master Zhang!" Liu Ruyi cupped her hands, her face softened a little, and she said jokingly: "Mr. Fang remembered me again and asked Master Zhang to give me some advice first.
One sound?"
"Well?"
Zhang Laocai's fat body was startled. He glanced at Liu Ruyi with some embarrassment and said with a smile: "Brother Liu, what are you talking about? Although I, Lao Zhang, are a profiteer, I still understand some truth! Mr. Fang is Mr. Fang.
, I, Lao Zhang, am myself! Although I, Lao Zhang, have heard about the little misunderstanding between Brother Liu and Mr. Fang, I have never thought of getting involved! However, speaking of mentioning, I do have some news,
You want to sell it to Brother Liu, you know!"
Liu Ruyi's heart moved, she stared at Zhang Laocai's slender eyes calmly, and said calmly: "My little brother is stupid and doesn't quite understand what Mr. Zhang means!"
"Hahaha!" Zhang Laocai laughed loudly, pointing to the newly built buildings around him, "Brother Liu, you don't know who you are, but Zhang knows very well! How can you run this dilapidated town?
If you look like this, even Zhang himself might not be able to do this! Brother Liu, do you think so?"
"Mr. Zhang, please come in!" Liu Ruyi didn't say much, but she made a gesture of invitation!
"Haha, okay! Together, together!" Zhang Laocai reached out and took Liu Ruyi's arm, and together they walked towards the Baihu Official Hall.
The Baihu official hall has not yet been completely completed, and the interior is very simple. There are only a few large wooden tables and wooden chairs. Zhang Laocai didn't care at all. He didn't look like a wealthy man with a fortune at all. When the maid served tea,
There was no one around in the hall. Zhang Laocai glanced at Liu Ruyi lightly and said calmly: "I heard that Brother Liu, you seem to have encountered some trouble today?"
"Please give me some advice from Mr. Zhang!" Since both parties knew it well, Liu Ruyi didn't waste any more nonsense and went straight to the topic!
"Haha, Brother Liu, you are a happy person! I like it!" Zhang Laocai laughed loudly. After a moment, he changed the subject and said jokingly: "But, Brother Liu, I, Old Zhang, am a profiteer! I don't have any money.
I, Lao Zhang, don’t know how to do things!”
"Haha!" Liu Ruyi also smiled slightly, "Silver? It's just an external possession! Mr. Zhang just say it straight away! If Liu can afford it, then that's good. If he can't afford it, I'm afraid he will disappoint Mr. Zhang.
!”
Zhang Laocai picked up the tea and took a sip. His expression suddenly became solemn. He stood up, walked to Liu Ruyi, and whispered: "I, Lao Zhang, don't lack some money or anything! Brother Liu, your friend,
But it’s settled!”
He took out a stack of banknotes from his arms and handed it to Liu Ruyi, "Brother Liu, I am a common man and have no ability! It is just money but there is still some money! These three thousand taels are what I give to you as my brother.
Let’s meet and greet!”
After saying that, he flipped his wrist, and a small brocade box slipped out of his large sleeve robe, "Brother Liu, everything you want to know is in it! I have important matters at hand, so I can't have a good time with Brother Liu.
! Let’s meet again another day! Farewell!”
Without waiting for Liu Ruyi to persuade him to stay, Zhang Laocai walked away without any hesitation!
Liu Ruyi opened the brocade box and glanced at it gently!
Suddenly, Liu Ruyi rushed out of the door, but saw Zhang Laocai's chubby figure stepping out of the door!
'do not judge a book by it's cover!'
Liu Ruyi held the brocade box in her hand tightly and slowly fell into deep thought!