As soon as Qin Xiao's words came out, the person who was surprised was not Wu Tianbao, but Qiuniang.
River tolls were collected not every day or two, but for many years. From the beginning, the boat girls complained all the time, but then they gradually adapted to it, and now it has become an old rule.
Qiuniang's family was in a tight situation and she had to pay river tolls, which made it difficult for her to eat, so she evaded and resisted.
But among the hundreds of boat girls, there are only a few boat girls like Qiuniang who hide in Tibet to avoid river fees.
Qin Xiao asked the Taiping Society to cancel the rule of collecting river fees. Qiuniang was naturally surprised and thought that the Taiping Society would never agree to Qin Xiao's request.
"Cancel the river fee for boat girls?" Wu Tianbao was startled.
Qin Xiao nodded and said: "If they were not forced to do so, these female relatives would not be able to show up to punt the boats. I know that the Taiping Society and Qingyi Hall have a lot of business in Kyoto and have a lot of money. In comparison, the river fee is really not worth mentioning.
The total number of boat girls in Kyoto is only a few hundred. Even if the Taiping Society accounts for half of it, the river tolls collected from 300 people a year will only add up to more than a thousand taels of silver. For you, the Taiping Society, this is
A thousand taels of silver is really nothing, but to hundreds of boat girls, they rely on them to support their families."
Wu Tianbao nodded slightly, and Qin Xiao continued: "I also know that the three major water systems in Kyoto are all connected by canals outside the city, and they are also freight waterways near Gyeonggi. There are not a few cargo ships coming and going in Kyoto every day, so of course you will also come from them.
Money is collected there. I have no control over the merchant ships. You should consider the river tolls for the boat girls."
"Since Mr. Qin has said this, it would be really pointless if I don't agree." Wu Tianbao said with a smile: "That's good, starting from this month, the river fee for the Kyoto boat girls will be waived. On the Taipinghui River,
We won't charge another penny."
Qiuniang was extremely surprised. She looked at Wu Tianbao and thought he was joking. She looked at Qin Xiao again and felt that this young man was really amazing. In just one sentence, he made the second brother of the Taiping Society directly exempt the boat girl from the river.
Fei, if I say this, no one would dare to believe it.
Qin Xiao just thought that the boat girl's life was difficult, so she took the opportunity to talk about it without having high hopes. Who knew that Wu Tianbao actually agreed readily, and was startled for a moment.
"Young master Qin, if you have any other requests, it doesn't matter. If I can make the decision, I will certainly grant them." Wu Tianbao said with a smile.
Although Qin Xiao didn't have a good impression of the Taiping Society, Wu Tianbao was able to agree to his request, which at least benefited half of the boat girls in Kyoto. He took a high look at Wu Tianbao and said, "If Mr. Wu can agree, then that's
I thank the boat girls for their blessing."
"Don't dare." Wu Tianbao hurriedly replied: "Master Qin is kind-hearted. This matter was our fault before. We should apologize to those boat girls."
Qin Xiao knew that what he said might not be true, but it was not bad to say it.
"Since Mr. Qin wants to do good things for them, Mr. Wu is here to promise you that as long as they are boat girls on our rivers, we will not charge them river fees. If anyone dares to bully them in the future, Taiping will definitely
It’s not like just sitting back and watching.” Wu Tianbao said seriously.
Qin Xiao said with a smile: "Second Master Wu, it is actually convenient for others and for yourself. Think about it, you can waive the river fee and also ensure their safety. The boat girls over at Qingyi Hall will definitely go to you if they know this news."
Go to the river. When they go, those tourists will not see the cruise ships on the Qingyitang site. They will just go to you. When there are more people, the business of those shops will be better and the profits will be more, and they will pay you money.
I am willing to do so. But there is no one here at Qingyi Hall, and the business is deserted. If those shops are asked to pay money, they will be even more dissatisfied. Maybe many shops in Kyoto will come to your ground. If that is the case, Qingyi Hall
How to fight against the Taiping Society?"
Wu Tianbao clapped his hands and shouted: "Wonderful, wonderful. Mr. Qin, please wake up the dreamer with a few words. Brothers were blinded by money before. When you said this, Wu suddenly became enlightened. Yes, the boat girl was spared."
The river fee not only gives the Taiping Association a good reputation, but also attracts tourists to come to us. Hahahaha, it kills three birds with one stone, wonderful!"
Qin Xiao thought that a good reputation may not be possible, but compared to Qingyi Hall, your Taiping Society will naturally have a slight advantage in reputation.
"Master Qin, I won't disturb you." Wu Tianbao took two steps back, bowed his hands deeply and said, "If you need any help, just come to us in Yongningfang. Wu will say goodbye first!" Without further words, he turned around and left.
The famous subordinates put the gift box on the ground, and they all bowed their hands to Qin Xiaoyi, turned around and followed him.
Qin Xiao raised his hand and shouted, asking Wu Tianbao to take the things back, but Wu Tianbao and others didn't seem to hear him and left quickly.
After leaving Kushui Lane and crossing two streets, Wu Tianbao went directly to a cloth shop. There was a carriage parked there. He walked to the window and said respectfully: "Brother, the things have been sent over. Tell him too."
Now, if you have anything, you can come to Yongningfang to find us at any time."
"What did he say?" came a voice from the carriage.
"I didn't say anything else, but let us waive the river tolls for the boat girls." Wu Tianbao said softly: "I also agreed to him."
The man in the carriage laughed and said: "Qin Xiao is ruthless in his methods, but he is kind-hearted, and he still thinks about those boat girls. After a few years of experience in Kyoto, he will regard them as trivial and cannot think of them anyway.
They talk."
"That's what the elder brother said." Wu Tianbao said softly: "If you can think about the poor and humble, you are indeed kind-hearted."
"Can you tell if he's hurt?"
"It smells of blood." Wu Tianbao said: "And I see that his right shoulder is very stiff from beginning to end. If I guessed correctly, his right shoulder should be injured."
"He was hit by an arrow?"
"There should be nothing wrong." No one was approaching the carriage. Wu Tianbao leaned close to the window of the carriage and his voice was still very soft: "After Qin Xiao came out of the Criminal Department last night, Zong Xin has been following him from a distance. Zong Xin has been following Qin Xiao from a distance.
He was good at tracking and didn't get too close. Qin Xiao probably didn't notice it. When the assassination happened in Zitong Alley, Zong Xin didn't dare to get too close. He found two assassins but no archers. Now it seems that the incident happened.
At that time, there was an archer hiding in the dark."
The man in the carriage was silent for a moment, and finally said: "It's very strange!"
"Brother, what's wrong?"
"The assassination last night was clearly intended to put Qin Xiao to death." The voice in the carriage asked: "Why didn't the archer quench the poison on the arrow?"
"Brother, you mean...?"
"If the archer mixed poison on the arrow and the arrow hit Qin Xiao, Qin Xiao would probably be dead." The man sighed: "The archer should not have made such a mistake."
Wu Tianbao whispered: "The one who was gutted by Qin Xiao last night was Song Yi from Jiangzhou. It is rumored that he is a third-grade warrior. I don't know when he came to Kyoto. Since Song Yi and the two are in the open, they can kill in secret.
He is at least a third-grade archer. I believe that a third-grade archer assassin would never be so negligent, otherwise he would not be alive today."
"You mean, there is indeed poison on the arrow?" the person in the car asked.
"yes."
"If that's the case, then Qin Xiao...?"
"I don't know why he survived." Wu Tianbao said softly: "Brother, Qin Xiao may not be as simple as we think on the surface."
The person in the car said: "It's not a bad thing that he can survive. At least he really shouldn't die now." He chuckled and said: "If he really dies, my life will be very difficult."
Of course Qin Xiao didn't know that the elder brother of the Taiping Society who gave him the gift was only one street away from him. He looked at the gift box on the ground and Qiuniang. Seeing that Qiuniang was also looking at him, he could only laugh and said: "Unexpectedly
People in Kyoto are so polite."
At this time, Qiuniang admired Qin Xiao from the bottom of her heart and couldn't help but say: "You...you are really capable."
Qin Xiao shook his head and said: "Since we were eating well and were suddenly disturbed by them, these can be regarded as their apology gifts." He moved the three gift boxes into the house and said to Qiuniang: "These two bottles of wine
, Brother Gu and I each have a bottle, and the silk and pastries are all yours."
"I don't want it." Qiuniang said immediately: "They are all given to you, I can't want them."
"Sister Qiuniang, if it weren't for your help last night, I would have died on the street." Qin Xiao stared at Qiuniang, seeming a little angry: "You are still polite to me for this? Do you treat me as an outsider?
"
Qiuniang thought to herself that you really regard her as one of your own. We have only known each other for two days. We are nothing if not outsiders. But naturally it is difficult to say this. She can only say: "That jacquard fabric is very expensive. Only high-ranking officials can do it."
Talents can afford it, but ordinary people can’t even think of it.”
"Don't think about it, we have it now." Qin Xiao stuffed the satin gift box into Qiuniang's arms: "Who stipulates that good things can only be enjoyed by dignitaries? Let's just use it. I see that the satin is very smooth, look back on you
Make two pieces of clothing. If you feel like wearing them outside will make the neighbors jealous, make them into underwear to fit your body...!" He also said what he was thinking of, but there was something obviously wrong with his words, so he stopped abruptly. Qiu Niang was also a little confused.
Embarrassed, he whispered: "I don't need...!" Although he said this, he did not return the jacquard fabric.
Qin Xiao put the pastry gift box on the table, opened the gift box, looked at the dazzling array of pastries, and said with a smile: "That elder brother from the Taiping Society is really interesting. He gave me something to give, but he gave me these exquisite pastries. Yes, he knows that I
Here, I also know that Sister Qiuniang lives here, and they pretended to give it to me, but actually they wanted to give it to you. You were blackmailed in their river before, so they felt guilty and wanted to compensate you with cakes. "
"You are the only one who can talk." Qiuniang smiled charmingly, put down the silk, went over and closed the door, but it was difficult to fasten the latch. She returned to the table and sat down and said: "I'm just a boat girl, they won't look at it.
Whatever face I have is all because of you." Looking at Qin Xiao's pretty face, he couldn't help but ask: "Qin Xiao, you...who are you?"
In fact, when Qin Xiao and Gu Baiyi were talking that day, Qiuniang hid at the corner of the wall and listened. She vaguely knew that Qin Xiao was coming from Xiling and seemed to be going to the capital to report an urgent military situation.
I really wasn’t interested, so I left after listening to only half of it.
Today, when he saw the leader of the Taiping Association sending gifts, Wu Tianbao was very respectful to Qin Xiao, and he felt even more that Qin Xiao was not simple.
"Me?" Qin Xiao was startled, then took a piece of Bazhen cake from the gift box and handed it over: "I am Qin Xiao."
Seeing that the Bazhen cake was very delicate, Qiuniang hesitated and took it, saying: "I know your name, I mean... I mean, what is your relationship with the eldest brother of the Taiping Society? What is he doing?
Want to be so nice to you? Second Master Wu said that you are his eldest brother’s benefactor, and you have known him for a long time?”
"I still don't know who that eldest brother is, let alone what favors I have for him." Qin Xiao was really confused: "I wonder if he recognized the wrong person."
"That's not possible." Qiuniang said: "He is not an ordinary person, how could he admit the wrong person? Have you been to Kyoto before?"
"This is my first time here." Qin Xiao sighed: "I was just a small official in Xiling before. I worked in the prison as a jailer."
Qiuniang's watery eyes widened: "Are you the jailer?"
"You do not believe?"
"I don't believe it." Qiuniang shook her head: "If you were a jailer, how could you be so capable?"
"Sister Qiuniang, I am speaking to you sincerely, and there is absolutely no falsehood." Qin Xiaodao: "Just believe me."
As soon as he finished speaking, there was a creak and the door of the house was pushed open. Gu Baiyi stood outside the door, looking at the two people sitting across from each other. He was stunned for a moment and murmured: "What did you really say?"