The three of them finished the rest of the meal and went downstairs to pay the bill. They only paid two hundred cents for the change. The restaurant owner was sincere and apologized: "The main reason is that the price of rice has risen sharply, so it is a bit expensive.
There aren’t many meters left, and they might close down tomorrow.”
The three of them thanked each other and left the restaurant. They found that the pier suddenly became lively. The passenger ship had left a quarter of an hour ago. There were five rows of grain ships docked neatly in the empty space, with four ships in each row close together.
, there is a slightly smaller tent boat in front and behind the grain ship, which should be a naval warship escorting grain.
Thirty or forty porters were carrying bags of rice from several grain ships to the dock. Zhang Luyao, who was surrounded by several government officials on the dock, was looking downcast at the team carrying grain. The three of them stepped forward.
Go, He Qizhou asked in surprise: "Master Magistrate, has everything been settled?"
When Zhang Luyao saw the three people coming, he asked the government officials to disperse, and then sighed: "What the hell, Huo Yan is only willing to lend me three thousand shi of rice, and I will return it to him when the disaster relief food from Jinling arrives the day after tomorrow.
I was also asked to write an IOU, and even the letter from Governor Jin informing me that the food would be delivered the day after tomorrow was pawned."
Xu Mu frowned and said, "It's not enough for two days. What should we do the day after tomorrow? Where is the private food brought by the navy?"
Zhang Luyao said: "If he can lend me all his private food, we can make peace within a few days and not too many people will starve to death. However, although Huo Yan is the boss, there are other sailors on the ship."
Officer, it doesn't matter what he said alone, after all, too many people's interests are involved. He didn't say anything, and even revealed the news to me, saying that someone from the Chen family had jumped on the waterway where the fleet came from.
They helped get on the boat and discussed with Huo Yan about buying the grain. The price was thirty-five cents per catty, which was four taels per kilo, which was almost twice the price they paid in the north in previous years. But Huo Yan was very smart.
, he said we would talk about it when we got to Jiangling City. He still gave me some face. If I could give him forty coins, and it was cash, he said he would sell it to me. He brought almost five thousand dan with him this time, some of which
He was entrusted by a local grain merchant in Huguang to sell it on his behalf, so he only accepts cash, not even banknotes."
Xu Mu asked: "Can you use the name of Jiangling Mansion or Governor Jin as a guarantee? I will definitely find a way to raise money to their navy this time when I return to the capital."
Zhang Luyao shook his head and said: "Xiaomu, who are the really rich people in Jiangling Mansion? It's the Chen family and the Liu family. How much wealth do I have for a hollow glutinous rice ball? They don't know how much money I have? Governor Jin is actually about the same as me.
Coming to Zhili in the south is just a false name for the governor. It is just the old emperor giving the prince a face. Besides, when it comes to credit and the like, it must be based on words. They dare to establish a shady business like the navy.
According to? As for you saying that you are going to raise money, you don’t know your father’s temper. He is the only upright official in the world who dares to offend anyone, so you should stop causing trouble for him. Even if you can really raise money,
But water far away can't save the fire nearby. Alas, the day after tomorrow comes, and if you don't give up on this old face, you have to grab the food from Jinling first."
As soon as He Qizhou heard about the Liu family, an idea suddenly flashed in his mind, and he asked: "Does the Navy believe in the Liu family? And the price of food will definitely fall back in half a month?"
Zhang Luyao said: "The relationship between the Navy and the Liu family is okay. Next month they will come here to escort local tax grains. The Liu family is the big landowner here. Of course, the grain will not be sold only to the Chen family. Most of it will be sold."
To the north, some will be handed over to the navy for transportation. The navy will get benefits from the Liu family every year. If the Liu family acts as a guarantee, it will give some face. Now that the prince is in charge, in less than half a month, the court will have food and food for disaster relief.
When the money comes, northern wheat and local autumn rice have also begun to go on the market. In the past, September was always the time when food prices were lowest. This year, they may be a little higher, but they won't be as incredibly expensive as in the city. In fact, Huo Yanneng
He was so willing to lend me three thousand tons of tax grain. On the one hand, the gold-selling governor wanted to save face with me. On the other hand, I guess he wanted to find an excuse to stay in Jiangling City for one more day. The Navy's five thousand tons of grain were just in time.
Sell at the right price.”
He Qizhou asked again: "When will the imperial edict arrive? Will it be sent to Jinling? Is it possible to ask the navy to divert the tax grains into disaster relief grains first?"
Zhang Luyao said: "Normally, they are sent to Jinling, but something happened suddenly. The most likely situation is that two imperial edicts were issued at the same time. The prince has been in charge of the country for almost twenty years. He knows the situation here best. This edict is
The imperial edict will not be delayed, and the old emperor will not interfere with it. However, the best estimate is that it will arrive in three days. Huo Yan has military affairs, and there is absolutely no way he will take the risk of staying for one more day. Moreover, after this batch of tax grains arrives at Huai River
, half of it is going west to Luoyang Cang, and the other half is continuing north to Handan Cang to prepare military supplies. The prince cannot interfere with military affairs. Xiao Qizhou, if you ask so carefully, is there any way?"
He Qizhou said: "Uncle, do you have any other good ideas? I do have an idea, and I want to think about it again. But it may bring you big trouble."
Zhang Luyao raised his head and said firmly: "I really have no other way, but as long as fewer people die and fewer people rebel because they don't want to starve to death, my biggest trouble will be solved. Think about it quickly. Think about it."
Tell me about it."
He Qizhou said: "Okay, then we will come to you in the evening."
Zhang Luyao said: "I will keep looking at these three thousand stones of grain in the afternoon. The city's grain transport fleet has arrived. Today it will be transported to various shelters for victims, and then back to the Yamen. In the evening I will have a banquet at Jianghu Tower
Huo Yan and his two subordinate officials, you'd better calculate the time accurately."
He Qizhou asked again: "Then Huo Yan and the others will return to the boat at night?"
Zhang Luyao said: "It is true that according to the law, but in the past ten years, no one has done this. Everyone turns a blind eye. As long as the escort officers stay in larger places, they will stay in the city for fun.
Have fun. Huo Yan has already sent people to ask for three upper rooms in Danguiju."
He Qizhou said: "Then I understand. If we have an idea tonight, we will come to you."
He Qizhou and the other three said goodbye to Zhang Luyao and went back to the pavilion to pick up their horses. He Qizhou asked Xu Mu, "Mr. Xu, can you help us disguise ourselves now? Then can our horses be stored at the pier? We can walk on foot."
go back?"
Xu Mu said: "Why is this?"
He Qizhou took out a wooden sign from his bag, shook it and said: "I have already thought about who I want to dress up as. I came to Jiangling City from the capital. I got off the boat at the pier today. My identity is - Liu
The censor’s purge!”
Xu Mu was shocked and said: "Do you want to die? Liu Jin'an is a popular figure in the court and a confidant of the old emperor. Even the three major forces only dare to flatter you secretly. If you pretend to be his person, no one will be able to save you if you are discovered.
of!"
He Qizhou said: "That's why I'm pretending. I believe in your disguise skills. Find a place where you can help us change our makeup. I'll tell you my thoughts and listen to your suggestions."
Xu Mu said: "There is a place to send horses in the dock warehouse. Many people only pick up their horses after returning from the same sailing schedule. Some people can send horses for several months, and you can pay money afterwards. You don't have to worry about feeding the horses well, because it only takes two days."
If you don't come to pick it up for a month, the horse will be sold by the warehouse to repay the storage costs. Let's send the horse away first. The warehouse is so big, so we can find a secluded place and the three of us can change our makeup."
After sending the horses, bows, and swords, the three of them found a warehouse in the warehouse. Since all the food had been emptied, the warehouse was unusually deserted. Xu Mu opened his package and took out a package about half a foot long and no more than four feet wide.
The wooden box is divided into two layers. Each layer has six or seven small compartments, which contain glue, eyebrows, dough, oil paint, combs and other disguise items. He Qizhou picked up a slightly transparent one with two fingers.
With a skin as thin as a cicada's wing, he deliberately asked with a trembling voice: "Brother, is this really human skin?"
Xu Mu replied seriously: "Yes, it's better to skin the ground alive."
Lin Chuan said: "Master, can I not be disguised? Or can I put some black spots on my face?"
He Qizhou said: "If you don't apply it, it will be very dark. Why don't you apply some on my face?"
Xu Mu laughed and said: "Coward, then I will tell you an undisclosed secret of the Emei sect. Remember not to tell anyone."
Seeing the two men nodding, Xu Mu shook the dough he took back from He Qizhou and said, "Actually, this kind of dough comes from a kind of fish called hibiscus fish. It only grows in a cave in southern Sichuan that never sees the sun all year round. This kind of fish
The skin of the fish is slightly transparent and red, with excellent toughness, and the dense pores on the skin resemble the pores on the human face. It is an excellent material for making masks. However, this fish grows slowly, and the smallest child's mask needs more than twenty years.
Only fish can be made. In addition, the production process is extremely complicated. It requires dozens of processes such as peeling, soaking, soaking, blending, cutting, shaping, and painting. It can take up to half a year to produce a finished product. Generally, only seven fish skins can be produced.
For first-class products like this, there are often three or four scraps out of ten. It’s not that Emei looks down on the disguise skills of other sects. In Emei, only one with a first-class hibiscus fish dough is qualified to participate in the third-rate.
Assessment of the art of disguise.”
He Qizhou blinked, flipped through the grid of dough sheets, and said, "I don't think it's anything unusual. You have about ten of them in this box, right?"
Xu Mu opened He Qizhou's hand with a 'snap' and said: "Only designated people are allowed to fish in that cave for three months a year. There are never more than twenty fish every year. I only have three pieces of fish here."
First-class products, five second-class products and two third-class products. Generally no one can notice the first-class products and second-class products when they are covered on the face. Guess how much a first-class product like this is worth?"
He Qizhou's eyes suddenly lit up and he said, "Do you have two hundred taels? If we sell one or two, won't we have enough money for gambling?"
Xu Mu said angrily: "Go away! This piece of dough is worth at least two thousand taels, and you can't buy it without the right connections. But by the same token, you can't find anyone who knows the goods in such a small place. If you really want to sell it, you will still buy it."
Exposing my identity, besides, I really can’t bear to sell it.”
Lin Chuan exclaimed: "I have never seen two hundred taels since I was born. Are you really willing to stick it in our faces?"
Xu Mu thought for a while and said: "Linchuan, you won't attract too much attention. I will give you a second-class product. He Qizhou, I will give you a first-class product. Remember not to pick your nose with your dirty hands."
, tickle.”
He Qizhou made a weird face and said, "Then you hurry up and do it. After we're done, we'll go straight to the casino!"
An hour later, the three of them completely changed their appearance. He Qizhou became a man in his thirties with broad eyebrows and high cheekbones. He put on a silk robe made of the best material around him. The corners of his mouth seemed to be naturally slightly upward.
It still had a bit of a sinister taste. After taking a look at the bronze mirror at the bottom of the box, He Qizhou complained to Xu Mu with a sad face: "Look, look, what a mess you have turned such a handsome young man into."
?So much of the flesh on the face is stuck together with glue, and a layer of skin is stretched. It feels so uncomfortable. Can you adjust it again?"
Xu Mu turned into a skinny businessman in his forties, with sunken cheeks and dark eye circles. He looked like a gambler. Seeing He Qizhou complaining, Xu Mu looked left and right at He Qizhou's face, stroking his hands and saying
: "Yes, yes, it seems that my skills are getting better and better. The area where your face touched will soon be numb, and you will no longer feel any discomfort. Remember not to scratch it!"
Lin Chuan has also changed a lot. His original thick eyebrows and big eyes have turned into small eyes that are not much bigger than He Qizhou's. His Chinese-character face's chin has narrowed a lot, and the energetic young man has become no longer eye-catching.