Outside the Zhou family paper shop inside Dongzuomen, there are some scattered neighbors chatting and looking at the paper shop.
On the door panel of Zhou's paper shop, someone poured some kind of blood on it. The blood stains had not yet dried, and all the passers-by moved to the other side of the street.
A group of aunts and ladies gathered around, giving directions to the paper shop from time to time.
"Aunt Zhou saw it just now and said it was a few young people. It doesn't look like they are from Dongcheng. I haven't seen it before."
"Oh, how good is that? I don't know what kind of blood it is. If it is so filthy, it will destroy the magic power of the Stick God. How can it be good?"
"That must not be from Dongcheng. Our neighbors all know that the stick god is there, a few green-skinned bullies.
We still have to put out incense burners and fruits, and beg the stick god not to blame our neighbors."
"What am I talking about? I haven't been clean since the Zhou family came here. I'd better drive away and clean up earlier."
"Who dares to rush? I heard that Pang Bantou wanted to take this week's girl as a concubine. Maybe when he was working as a female helper, he quietly entered the outer room.
You go and catch up. When the time comes, Pang will take care of you alone. You can see which neighbor dares to help you."
"Bah, it's all nonsense. My daughter Zhou was just working as an errand at Baishun Hall, and Pang Bantou is her employer. How can she still win Pang Bantou's eyes with her looks like that?"
While they were talking, they suddenly saw Pang Bantou arriving in front of the paper shop with a few followers, followed by a carriage. The aunts immediately shut up and kept winking at each other.
Pang Yu checked in front of the blood stain for a moment, then glanced around.
When the scattered neighbors who were watching the excitement saw this formation, they turned around and left, fearing that the huge team leader would think that they had done it. When the aunts saw this, they did not dare to look at it and immediately dispersed. Cleaned up.
Pang Yu shook his head, went to the side door and knocked.
After waiting for a while, Zhou Yueru's tired voice came from inside.
"who?"
Pang Yu casually said, "My boss."
The wooden door opened with a creak, and Zhou Yueru appeared inside with disheveled hair. She didn't look at Pang Yu. After opening the door, she turned back to the store and sat down on a chair without saying a word.
Pang Yu gave instructions to Guo Fengyou and walked in alone.
The store was piled with papers, pens and ink, and there was already a thin layer of dust on them. Probably Zhou Yueru had not cleaned the store since she came back.
The door panel outside was closed tightly, and a little blood seeped in from the gap in the door panel. The shop was a little dark, and the light came in from the gap in the door panel. A ray of light just fell on Zhou Yueru's face, drawing a bright line in the center of her face. .
Whenever someone passes by the door, the light on Zhou Yueru's face changes.
"Are you here to drive the slave family away?"
Zhou Yueru said softly, "Lao Li came here before noon today and said that the county government will soon expel the Westerners."
Pang Yu did not answer her question directly, but tried to speak calmly and said, "When I came here just now, I saw the situation around me. You might as well leave earlier.
I have to go out for a while today, and when I leave, some people may come to cause trouble."
"There is no need to drive them away. In the days since my father died, no one has come to pay homage except the old servant. It is so desolate to be away from home, so there is nothing to stay here.
It’s just that my father is buried here, no matter how hard they drive, the slave family will not leave until the seventh month is over.”
Zhou Yueru raised her eyes and looked at Pang Yu, "Pang Ding comes to visit every day. I know you asked him to come. The slave family thanked the master. After seven days of work, the slave family will leave Tongcheng immediately. In the future, he will only come back to worship, or I don’t know how many years have passed. Since my boss is leaving today, I can’t say goodbye to my boss then. I can only ask my boss to take care of himself in the future.”
Pang Yu glanced at Zhou Yueru and said, "Have you thought about where to go?"
Zhou Yueru buried her head and said, "I originally wanted to go to Luzhou to visit relatives and friends, but I asked someone to take the letter and there was no reply."
"It's best if you don't go to Luzhou."
Pang Yu gently brushed away the dust on a stack of submission papers, "I received the news that Luzhou Fucheng, Taihe County and other places have posted similar notices, asking Westerners to leave on their own. I'm afraid it's even worse than Tongcheng."
Strictly, you must not go north at this time."
Zhou Yueru bit her lips and said, "I will find a place for you. I don't want to trouble my boss."
Pang Yu retracted his hand, put his hands behind his back, looked at Zhou Yueru's head and said, "You don't have to go looking for it. Now that you have called me boss, you will obey my orders. I have arranged a position and accommodation for you in Anqing. Wait.
After you have completed your service for seven years, you will go to Anqing Fucheng for duty."
Zhou Yueru raised her head and happened to see Pang Yu turning around to go out, saying quickly, "No need, Master, I..." "Pang Ding will come to pick you up on your seventh day, so pack your things first."
When he finished speaking, Pang Yu had disappeared outside the door, leaving behind Zhou Yueru who was still in a daze in the store.
..."Master Chen, Wan'an."
In the side hall of the Susongguan Temple, Chen Shifu's eyes were bloodshot. He raised his head from the table and saw a young man wearing a long blue coat standing in the hall.
"Who are you, and what are you doing here?
Get out, do you know where this place is, do you know who I am, you can come in and out at will!"
The young man looked around with a dull expression, "I happen to know that this is the Susong County Yamen, and I also know that you are Chen Shifu. I also know that a person disappeared from this Yamen a few days ago, and his name is Wang Chonghuai."
Chen Shifu was stunned for a moment, then showed a look of fear and fear, "You are so brave, you dare to call me by my name, you are not afraid that I will ask someone to arrest you!"
Pang Yu didn't wait for him to speak and then continued, "You can tell Mr. Chen that there are only five people in this temple at this time, and they are all weak people. However, I have three good people with me. It is not certain who will catch whom.
.
Your Majesty, it's best not to call anyone. If I tell you everything Wang Chonghuai told me one by one, it will be too many people's ears."
"I...I, you dare to threaten me."
Chen Shifu stood up, the muscles on his face were trembling, and he looked stern, but kept his voice very low, "Even if Wang Chonghuai had something to explain, it was all his own doing.
You are just spreading rumors, slandering and frame-up. I am an upright conduct officer and will never be afraid of your frame-up. I am not afraid, not of you!"
"Master Chen should be afraid."
Pang Yu shook his blue long coat, which was really inconvenient for him to wear, but this time he was going to donate students to the prison, so it would not be appropriate not to wear a green tunic.
He didn't wait for Chen Shifu to greet him and sat down on the guest seat on the left. He straightened his clothes and looked at him and said, "Because the innocent souls all over the city are asking a question every night, why is it that someone clearly received the message two days in advance?"
We warned them, but did not tell them, turning them into corpses that could only be buried in a big pit, and ghosts who died unjustly. I wonder if that person dares to sleep peacefully at night in this city?"
Chen Shifu breathed rapidly, "Don't talk nonsense..." "They even want to ask, once the person who committed such a heinous act is found out by the court, will he be taken to the capital and executed in Lingchi, and his flesh will be cut off piece by piece?
Come down and wait for two days and two nights before you die."
"You are so brave. You dare to threaten the imperial official at such a young age. How dare you? You are that horse..." Chen Shifu stared at his blood-red eyes and suddenly thought of a possibility. Before he could finish the sentence, his whole body suddenly went limp and he fell.
Sit back on the seat.
Pang Yu didn't try to dissuade him. He took out a piece of sand from his arms and ate it in small bites. There was an infiltrating silence in the hall.
Chen Shifu's face was ashen, and his eyes were no longer bright. He could only lie in the chair and breathe heavily. He didn't even notice that his drool was dripping out and hanging on his beard. If his chest hadn't been heaving, he would have been no different from a dead corpse. .
After waiting for a long time, Pang Yu had not finished eating the sand in his hand, and kept paying attention to Chen Shifu's condition from the corner of his eyes. Chen Shifu was still lying on the chair, with a look of despair on his face.
Pang Yu looked carefully for a moment to make sure that Chen Shifu was not frightened to death, and then smiled and said, "Master Chen was so bold that day and dared to kill the person who reported the news in the yamen. Today it is his turn. How can he be like this?"
Mr. Chen, please do not be alarmed. You just asked me why I came here. I will tell you now. I am here to show Mr. Chen a way out."
Chen Shifu still didn't respond, but his eyes moved slightly, then moved a few times in succession, and sat up with a sigh, staring straight at Pang Yu.
"Who are you?"
Chen Shifu's eyes were red and he was breathing violently. He looked at Pang Yu like a wild animal, "Since you came to me today, you didn't want to report to the court. What do you want to get from me?"
"Mr. Chen, you were right to have thought this way earlier. Why bother scaring yourself half to death?"
Pang Yu looked at the small piece of sand remaining in his hand for a moment, stuffed it into his mouth, and then turned to Chen Shifu with a smile, "But Mr. Chen said that it is not appropriate to get anything from you. I prefer transactions." one word.
I was originally out of righteous indignation and wanted to seek justice for the people of Susong, so I was planning to go to Suzhou to report to the two departments of care and nursing, but then I remembered that we might be able to reach a win-win deal with Mr. Chen. The most important thing in a deal is fairness. I have The thing is worth a life to Mr. Chen, Mr. Chen must come up with chips that match this value, and you and I each get what we need, that is the best outcome."
Chen Shifu's breathing calmed down a little. He looked at Pang Yu's face carefully. Pang Yu was calm and composed, without any feeling of embarrassment.
We can't make any judgments about Chen Shifu from his appearance. He looks very young, but he is calm beyond his years. He doesn't act like a teenager. This kind of temperament can be seen in young people from a family of officials, but those The son of an aristocratic family is calm and composed. After all, he has no experience in the market. He is determined not to do this kind of kidnapping and blackmail. For the moment, he really can't guess what it is.
Chen Shifu slowly sat down again, and only then did he remember to wipe off his saliva, "Here, I don't know the surname of this young master. What do you want to trade with me?"
The young man said in a low voice, "Master Chen is the general magistrate of Anqing, so he naturally has what I want. Master Chen might as well think about it first."
Chen Shifu's expression changed as he thought about it and said, "When you mention official positions, I am a general judge, but the so-called water transportation, river defense, agricultural promotion and other matters are mostly handled by the counties, and the government does not care about the general affairs."
"Then Mr. Chen has no bargaining chips, so the deal will be cancelled. Mr. Chen can just wait for the Nanjing Jinyi Guards to come to promote him. I'll take my leave."
Pang Yu stood up and strode outside.
Chen Shifu shouted from behind, "Master, stay! Please stay!"
Pang Yu ignored it and walked to the door.
"I remembered it. I have a trillion warehouse, a trillion warehouse, a big warehouse with twenty-eight couplets, and a few small warehouses in the city. They can all be used."
Chen Shifu jumped out of the case and chased him out urgently. However, he was too anxious, and his legs were weak from fear, and he fell unsteadily to the ground.
He ignored his appearance, and with the support of his desire to survive, he hurriedly got up and pulled Pang Yu's sleeves, saying urgently, "The corridors at the ferry in the prosperous Tang Dynasty and the corridors outside the warehouses in the city are all under my control."
Yes, there are also the canal boats on the river. I can organize the boats, and there is also the inspection department along the river. If there are fields in Huaining that the young masters like, I can think of something to do with them."
Pang Yu looked at him seriously, "What else?"
Chen Shifu was stunned for a moment. He couldn't think of anything else in his hurry, so he had to say quickly, "Also, there are two outhouses in Huaining, each with a room for a concubine. If you want, I will give them to you as well."
The money will be no less than one thousand taels, no, not less than three thousand taels when I think of an idea.
Don't be anxious, young master, I still have it there, whether you want land or money, I will always be satisfied with you."
Chen Shifu was sweating profusely and looked at Pang Yu anxiously. Pang Yu stopped at the door and still didn't turn around, looking like he was about to leave at any time.
"This concubine is your concubine. You should keep it for yourself. I'll think about it later if there are any others."
"Here, the young master will definitely look down on those things about catching thieves and patrolling the river."
"Catching robbers and patrolling the river is my favorite."
Pang Yu slowly turned around and looked at Chen Shifu for a moment, then smiled and said, "Master Chen, this is the correct way to trade. Among the items that Master Chen just said, some of them are what I want. You are barely qualified to trade."
.”
Chen Shifu breathed a sigh of relief, "Can the young master keep me safe?"
"I can assure you, Mr. Chen, that as long as Mr. Chen cooperates with me, no one will know about the secret that was not reported in the future."
"Then Wang Chonghuai..." "Does Master Chen want to silence him?"
"I didn't say it. I definitely didn't say it."
Chen Shifu waved his hands repeatedly, "Just a casual question."
Pang Yu smiled and said, "That's my bargaining chip, so he will live. However, I can promise Master Chen that I will help you take good care of this person and will not let him escape."
At this time, Chen Shifu knew that Pang Yu was not here to report. Since Wang Chonghuai suddenly disappeared, Chen Shifu had not slept a sound sleep. He had been in panic all day long. As soon as he closed his eyes, he began to imagine where Wang Chonghuai had gone.
I finally got some definite information. Although the other party was here to blackmail me, it was much better than the unknown situation before.
He managed to calm down, but he was already sweating profusely. When he was about to wipe it with his sleeve, he saw Pang Yu raised his right hand again and hurriedly listened carefully.
"And I can also tell Mr. Chen that the messenger who you gave the money to escape is currently hiding in Songyang. Wang Chonghuai told you that the messenger went to Chizhou is a lie. Wang Chonghuai has a hand in Mr. Chen, and he is also afraid that you will destroy him.
His mouth, the messenger, is his means of self-preservation.”
"This dog is talented."
Chen Shifu scolded fiercely, "I trust him so much in vain."
"To show Mr. Chen the sincerity of this transaction."
Pang Yu said with a smile, "I have sent people to arrest the messenger. As long as you cooperate with me sincerely, not only will you not have to worry about the previous matter, but you will also be able to earn more money than before, take in more concubines, or
Become a bigger official.
In the blink of an eye, your Excellency has gone from confiscation of property and death to a higher level, this is the benefit of the transaction."
Chen Shifu looked at the handsome face of this young man. After being stunned for a long time, he finally forced out a smile.