"Look, boss, this is Anqing Pier, formerly known as Shengtang Ferry."
Pang Yu rubbed his forehead and walked slowly by the river. Liu Ruogu behind him introduced him as he walked.
Yesterday, I was dizzy after drinking at Zhongjiang Tower, so the group stayed at a villa by the Ruan Dacheng River. After dawn, Pang Yu had to go to the government office to do some work, so he got up and had some breakfast, and then prepared to enter the city through Shengtang Gate.
The southern city wall of Anqing City is very close to the river, and the Zhongjiang Tower is almost on the river bank. If you climb the tower during the day and look far, you can have a panoramic view of dozens of miles away.
"No wonder Master Pi didn't build an enemy platform at the south gate."
Pang Yu looked at the riverside and said to Liu Ruogu, "The south wall is too close to the river, so the rogue troops cannot deploy. No matter whether they move troops from the east or west to the south wall, they will be attacked by the entire city wall. I'm afraid they will be attacked before they arrive."
It collapsed."
"I don't understand this, but I know that Anqing, the ferry crossing in the Tang Dynasty, has always been more important than the land route. There are two special gates in the south city wall. There is a Tang Gate here, and the one to the east is Kangji Gate."
Pang Yu walked to the outer edge and looked around. There were many steps along the river from Shengtang Gate, leading to the water's edge. Those wooden boats loaded and unloaded goods from these steps.
It was already late when we were drinking last night, and Pang Yu didn’t take a closer look. At this time, looking along the way, there was an endless stream of boats on the waterway on the river. There were wooden boats parked along the river, and sailors were lying on their backs on many boats. There were rows of shops near the pier near the river, and people of all kinds.
As people came one after another, the largest number of them were people who looked like porters, standing near the pier. When a ship docked, they would swarm over to see if there was any work.
After walking for a while, we saw several scenes of porters fighting. The fights were not too fierce, because one party quickly backed down, and the victors were mostly those with red ropes tied around their waists.
Others looked like they were tooth shops. They shuttled merchants between shops, and there seemed to be too many shops. One merchant would be followed by three or four tooth shops.
Pang Yu looked at the bustling market and asked casually, "Is it usually this busy?"
"It's worse than usual. The water flow in this section of the river is stable. It has been a well-known ferry since ancient times. Ships traveling to and from the river often stop here. Silk and cotton from the south of the Yangtze River, grain ships from Huguang and Jiangxi, and salt from the two Huaihe Rivers.
All kinds of commercial goods pass by the river here, and it is always lively.
After the rogue bandits passed, it was still no longer the same as usual."
"I think it also has an impact."
Pang Yu pointed to the piles of porters on the pier, "Although there are many people, there are few merchants. Most of them are waiting to beg for food. Recently, there must be more people fleeing from various places. These people have nowhere to make a living.
The only place to work is on the pier.
But there are fewer foreign merchants coming, and everyone along the river knows that rogue bandits have entered Anqing, so merchants naturally have to avoid risks for the time being and wait until Anqing is at peace before coming."
Liu Ruogu agreed, "What my boss said is reasonable, but it is better to be on the river than on land. We came all the way from Tongcheng, and we didn't see many merchants. We only met some Jiang disciples on the river. These people were also walking on the river."
Those who want goods, at most they grab some commercial goods, and those who hurt people's lives are rare, unlike those rogue bandits."
"The cost of maintaining security is highest on land."
Pang Yu looked at the river and said, "The efficiency of water transportation is much higher than that of land transportation. Water transportation will open up markets and promote trade. Trade will promote division of labor. Division of labor will improve efficiency and promote improvement. Therefore, under normal circumstances, the coastal areas along the river are richer than those inland.
, thanks to water transportation.
Nowadays, when bandits are raging, the cost and risk of land transportation are even higher. If you want to make money, you have to abandon water transportation.
Shopkeeper Liu, look towards the river, what can you see?"
Liu Ruogu looked at the river for a long time. Only a few ships passed by. He stayed for a while and then said, "They are all ships... and they are also money?"
"That's right, silver.
A water system composed of large rivers and tributaries and lakes along the way, connecting tens of millions of people, is currently the world's largest economic region and the world's greatest wealth. Even the Mediterranean coast may not be able to compare with large rivers.
Countless goods are traded through the river every year. When it comes to making money, there is no place like this river."
Liu Ruogu became more and more confused. In his mind, the world was the Ming Dynasty, plus the rumored Tatars in the north, and the Mediterranean Sea, which he had never heard of. This river had been seen since he was a child, and it seemed not as mysterious as Pang Yu said.
"What does the owner mean..." "I told you before I came here that I was doing business in Anqing. Now that the bandits have just passed, many gentry are going downstream. When there are more people selling real estate, the price will reach a low point, but Anqing's city defense is strong.
And with the advantage of water transportation, it won't fall too much, so we have to take action in time.
There are stores on the pier that sell them. If the price is right, we can buy them from two or three places. You can also buy them from a few residential shops near Shengtang Gate and Kangji Gate."
Liu Ruogu understood these words and immediately agreed, "Don't worry, boss, I'll do it today. I'll go see Fang Ya first."
Pang Yu glanced at the busy people on the pier again, smiled, turned around and entered Shengtang Gate, and walked along Sipailou Street to the government office.
..."Pang Xiaoyou defeated the bandits this time and beheaded nearly two thousand people, including more than 700 strong thieves. Mr. Ma has confirmed the battle achievements on behalf of the governor's Yamen. The officials who patrol the Yamen have also arrived today, so there is no problem in coming."
Pi Yingju met Pang Yu in the second hall. This was usually a place for private discussions and meetings with superior officials. It was considered a high courtesy to allow Pang Yu to come here.
Although Pang Yu was still a government servant, the emperor had heard of his name during the civil unrest, and this time he defeated the rogue bandits. In this invasion of southern Zhili by rogue bandits, Tongcheng had the most beheaded people, and other places only successfully defended the city.
With Pang Yu's reputation for quelling the chaos last time, this victory is very convincing, and the emperor will not be too suspicious. This can open the gap between Zhang Guowei and Yang Yipeng, and reduce the risk of being severely punished by the emperor's wrath.
The same goes for Pi Yingju, who lost three counties. Last time I accompanied Mr. Ma to Tongcheng, and then to Qianshan. The road was devastated. Mr. Ma only saw Qianshan, not Taihu Lake or Susong. I guess the tragedy was roughly the same.
almost.
After returning to Anqing, he had just seen off Mr. Ma. With the so-called great victory in Tongcheng, Pi Yingju felt much more at ease.
Therefore, he has been very pleased with the people coming from Tongcheng recently. In normal times, he would not meet Pang Yu in person.
Even so, he did not let Pang Yu sit down. Not only did Pang Yu have to kowtow, he could only stand in the hall and reply.
But now when Pi Yingju looked at Pang Yu, he was smiling and his attitude was very kind. "As the local shepherd guard of Anqing, I hope that there will be more loyal and brave people like Pang Bantou, so that the rogue bandits can be eradicated."
"Killing thieves for the country is a duty."
Pang Yu said respectfully, "After all, this villain is just a slave in Tongcheng. He was bent on killing the enemy that day. He only regretted that he only had a few strong men in his hands. He was too ambitious but not powerful enough to wipe out the bandits.
After seeing and hearing about the tragic situation in the four townships of Tongcheng, I often feel sad in my heart."
Pi Yingju sighed softly and said, "Pang Bantou has tried his best. There are hundreds of thousands of bandits here, and there are more than a million bandits in the world. The imperial court has not yet accomplished the full success of all the soldiers and horses in the world. How can it be done with the strength of our Anqing government?"
Can be destroyed.
Being able to defend the city means protecting most of the people, which is already rare."
Pang Yu bowed and looked at the ground, "What the adults said is true, but the villain always thinks that if the bandits can be kept out of Anqing, the people in Anqing's countryside will no longer be troubled by bandits."
Pi Yingju said oh, he didn't quite understand Pang Yu's intention, so he didn't speak casually.
"When Mr. Ma came this time, he mentioned that Anqing's military preparedness was poor and the garrison was in disrepair."
Pang Yu raised his head slightly and glanced at Pi Yingju, "I heard that most of the camp guarding Pan Keda in Anqing was occupied by soldiers without pay.
Today is no better than in the past. He used to eat empty pay, drink soldiers' blood, and not accumulate the blood of others. But now is the time to use troops, how can it continue like this?
When the villain was defending the city in Tongcheng, he thought that if a force of imperial troops came from Anqing to rescue them, and they were attacked from both inside and outside, the number of beheadings would be three times as many as they are now, and maybe the three counties of Qianshan could be saved."
Pi Yingju nodded slightly, but still said nothing, but he probably knew that Pang Yu's target was Pan Keda.
However, this matter had nothing to do with him, because the prefect could not control the garrison, and the power of appointment and dismissal rested with the Bingbei Road and the governor's Yamen.
Pang Yu paused for a while and then said, "Pan Ke has put a lot of money into his own hands. The camp is full of beggars and green-skinned men, and there is little training. They will be vulnerable to a single blow. If they encounter the enemy, they will have to return without their troops."
Mr. Pi, you have the responsibility to defend the territory, but you only have these troops and horses at your disposal. Could it be that you are being dragged down by this man?
Whenever the villain thinks about this, he becomes extremely anxious. This time when Mr. Ma comes, the villain cannot bear the anxiety in his heart. He has already taken the initiative to ask Mr. Ma to serve under Zhang Dutang, so that he can be useful and ensure the safety of the people of Anqing.
.”
Pi Yingju looked at Pang Yu in surprise for a moment, then couldn't help but stand up and said, "Pang Bantou is going to join the military?
Then...who will guard Tongcheng?"
Pang Yu buried his head and said respectfully, "Don't worry, sir. Tongcheng's soldiers and government officials are all guarding the city well. If I enter the military service, I will definitely be stationed in Huaining, and I can echo each other with Tongcheng."
If the rogue bandits come again, they may not come to attack Huaining..." Pang Yu paused, and Pi Yingju followed this train of thought. He was also worried that the rogue bandits would come again. If Huaining was captured, it would not be a matter of serious punishment from the court, but his life.
At this critical moment, having Pang Yu guarding him would be safer than Pan Ke, who had fled this time.
Compared with Huaining, Tongcheng is not that important.
By this time, Pi Yingju already knew that Pang Yu was interested in Pan Keda's position, and he came here to make trouble for the government.
Pang Yu came to the government office not because Pi Yingju could appoint and remove Pan Keda, but because the assessment and investigation of military achievements in the Ming Dynasty required the verification of local pastors. As long as the government office wrote a document to the governor's office, impeaching Pan Keda for being a traitor.
That was a heavy shell, and Pan Keda's situation must be extremely bad.
Pi Yingju sat back on the Grand Master's chair. He didn't care about Pan Keda's life or death, but in the officialdom, you need to consider rewards for everything you do. You can't offend others without any reason, even if it's just a military attache.
He closed his eyes and thought for a moment, then opened his eyes and looked at Pang Yu and said, "It's rare for Pang Ban to have the heart to serve the country, but I am the pastor of this place and there are some places in the city that I can't control. I'm powerless."
Pang Yu naturally knew, and whispered at this time, "Since I came from Tongcheng Yamen, I have always taken good care of you.
If a villain comes to lead the army, there will be some places in the city that an adult can take care of. If a villain is lucky enough to achieve military exploits, then there must be an adult's effort in it."
Pi Yingju looked at Pang Yu carefully, narrowed his eyes and smiled.