Jiang Wan called out to the door, and Mei Xiaofei came in in response.
The four "uneducated" guards who followed him, Hua Sanqian, You Yong, and Wen Qiang, have all been transferred to Qianhu and Baihu below, and now only Mei is left.
Xiao Fei is by his side, serving as his personal captain.
"Master Zhao, didn't you say there was a letter from the capital?" Jiang Wan asked.
"It seems not!" Mei Xiaofei thought for a while: "If there was, the staff room should have sent it over long ago. Otherwise, I will go to Mr. Zhou and ask again!"
"Go and ask, and by the way, if there is any letter from Hao Jing Ao!"
Jiang Wan waved his hand feebly and drove Mei Xiaofei out. Communication in this era was not very convenient. Even his letters from Nanhaiwei could only be transmitted manually through the inn. Fortunately, it was last year.
At the end of the year, the imperial court abolished a large number of post stations in the northwest, which slowed down the transportation between the capital and the northwest.
It is precisely because of the abolition of the post station that there is now Li Zicheng, the fourth thousandth household under Jiang Wan's command. Otherwise, Li Zicheng must have been hanging around as a postman in his Yinchuan post.
However, for Jiang Wan, who is now eagerly waiting for the news, the abolished post road is not very friendly.
The replenishment of military pay and weapons should be handled by Li Fuyao, who stayed behind in Nanhaizi. She has a palace background, and it is easier to communicate with the inner court. Jiang Wan mentioned this matter to her in the last letter, but there has been no reply.
And the news about Catherine from Haojing'ao is what Jiang Wan urgently needs now. Whether Catherine is willing to introduce sweet potatoes and potatoes to the Ming Dynasty or not, she must at least give him a message. Now he has thousands of people in Yan'an Mansion.
Thousands of refugees are eagerly waiting for this life-saving crop.
At least, in his plan, these two crops must be planted in large quantities in and around Yan'an Prefecture. No matter how severe the disaster in Shaanxi is, these two high-yielding crops can always produce more food than ordinary grains.
Some grains, not to mention the taste, but crops that can fill our stomachs and have high yields are life-saving things.
He won't be able to make the trip this year. He can rely on the Shanxi grain merchants' transactions to survive this winter. However, if there is no news about these two crops until spring next year, then Nanhaiwei will be trapped.
In Yan'an Mansion.
In Shaanxi, he could not get out even one step.
Not to mention, pacifying the three sides.
Instead of attacking Qingyang Prefecture, Jiang Wan also had this consideration in mind. Apart from adding countless more mouths to eat, what good would he gain by taking Qingyang Prefecture? Now he is struggling to maintain the status quo of Yan'an Prefecture.
Therefore, this war is about fighting for money and food, which is absolutely correct.
Without food, everything is in vain.
What he didn't know was that at this very moment, a huge sea-going ship was slowly docking at Caobang Wharf in Tianjin. Catherine, surrounded by a group of young and tough young people, was slowly coming from
Got off the boat.
Beside her, Renlao was like a loyal old housekeeper, following closely behind her.
A group of coolies struggling to make ends meet surged up on the pier and were quickly driven away by the guards of this wealthy-looking woman. Amidst the cursing of these coolies, several large cars appeared in front of them.
behind.
Several heavy boxes were moved from the ship and put directly on the carts. Then, amid the surprised eyes of many coolies, the carts drove away and left the dock.
"Didn't anyone from the Inspection Department come to check? This lady just brought her pile of seafood ashore just like that?"
"What kind of sea goods? I think they must all be gold and silver. Didn't you see that so many of them are nervous, guarding us as if they were guarding against thieves?" Another coolie snorted: "I'll come close.
After checking those boxes, those guys even pulled out their knives!"
"It's not gold and silver!" An older coolie shook his head slowly: "Gold and silver are much heavier. We have carried so many things, don't we even have this value?"
The head of the coolie came over and stared at these guys fiercely: "It's okay if they don't need us. Stop chirping here. Don't make trouble for me. I didn't see these big cars. They are not our Tianjin cars."
Is that okay?”
"Oh, what does Mr. Qi know?" Several coolies blinked and came over with some interest.
"I don't know anything!" The coolie leader rolled his eyes: "I knew that just now the people from the inspection station were coming over, but one of the coachmen stopped them and said a few words. The people from this inspection station are usually very arrogant.
Ah, in the end, after someone said a few words, a group of them left without even farting!"
"Wow, this has a background!"
"We can't afford to offend the people at the inspection station, so please be honest, stop chewing grains, and go get some work. Your mother-in-law is still here, waiting for you to come home and have dinner!
"
On the carriage going away, Catherine stuck her head out of the window and looked at the city. This was not the first time she came to this city, but every time she came, she came in a hurry and left in a hurry.
There is almost no impression here.
It was not even as good as the small town in Jiangnan where she had stayed.
Opposite her, Renlao was looking at him. After talking to the coachman outside for a few words, it was clear that he had new news to tell Catherine.
"We have already set foot on the land of the Ming Dynasty, and we are about to enter the hinterland of the Ming Dynasty. If Miss Catherine is still worried about people from the Chamber of Commerce finding her, I don't think she has to worry anymore!"
"The moment I set foot on land, I didn't worry about this anymore!" Catherine smiled: "Ren Baihu, thank you very much for your protection along the way, and for the fact that you were left in Haojing'ao not knowing whether to live or die for me.
Those subordinates, when I see you, Mr. Jiang, I will tell him everything you have done for me!"
"It's just my responsibilities!" Ren Lao's face was very calm: "Especially after Miss Catherine told me what was in these boxes, Ren felt that anyone who prevented Miss Catherine from returning to Mr. Jiang at this moment was working with Mr. Jiang.
Mr. Jiang is an enemy, and we, the people of Ming Dynasty, are enemies!"
Catherine smiled slightly, as if she had just done a trivial thing to escape from Hao Jing O after all the hardships.
"We have made arrangements along the way. The brothers sent by Ren and Wei Li will always escort Miss Catherine from Tianjin to Hejian Mansion, and then directly to Taiyuan Mansion. According to the instructions above, as long as you arrive at Taiyuan Mansion,
After we send out the news, Mr. Jiang will send someone to deal with us. At that time, Ren will also report to Mr. Jiang one by one how much effort Miss Catherine played in this matter and how much risk she took.
Compared with what Miss Catherine did, what Ren did is nothing!"