Two hundred and forty-two chapters remove the old and cloth the new (5)
Outside Xiguan in Guangzhou, it was originally a plain area crisscrossed by water networks. However, the part near the city was developed very early. Residents settled outside Xiguan in the Sui Dynasty, forming "fangs", which are the remaining "Yangren" of Guangzhou City in the old time.
, "Dexing" and other lane names and road names are all the names of the houses in those years. Therefore, there are quite a few streets and houses in this area.
But the markets outside Xiguan stop here. Going further west, you will find farmland and villages. Rivers crisscross the area and lakes and ponds are dotted, giving it a rural scenery of a water town. There are no big houses in Xiguan at this time.
They are all small villages. You can see from one end of the village to the other. Those who live in brick courtyards are either wealthy families or at least small landowners. Most of them are houses with bamboo plastered yellow mud walls and door panels on the outside.
Solid oyster shell wall houses are only found by wealthy people.
Near Shangxiajiufu, there is a temple called Xilai'an.
Although this ancient temple is not too big in scale, it is the predecessor of the famous Hualin Temple in the old time. And Xilai'an itself has a big origin. It is said that when Bodhidharma crossed the sea and arrived in Guangzhou, later generations respected him as the Buddhist from the West.
The eminent monk of the country called the place where he first landed as "Xilai Chu Di". This name has been used ever since, and the temple built by Bodhidharma after arriving in Guangzhou is Xilai Temple, which is one of the five major jungles in Guangzhou in the past dynasties.
Not far from Xilai'an, there is a ruined temple built in an unknown year and month. The original name is unknown, and everyone calls it "Jinhua Temple". It is said that it was originally the lower temple of Xilai'an. Emperor Guandi
After the temple was taken back and rebuilt by the local government, the Guandi Temple people who had gathered in the temple took over the temple outside Xiguan and used it as the location of their own entrance.
The monks of Xilai'an are naturally not ordinary monks. However, facing this group of scoundrels who are known as "I am not afraid of even the king of heaven" and are avoided by the gentry and officials, the monks can only be dumb and eat coptis. Not to mention completely reduced to a kingdom of beggars.
Jinhua Temple is the Xilai Nunnery. From the main gate to the second gate, there are many beggars gathered under the eaves day and night. They make noise and harass the pilgrims day and night, and the monks dare not intervene.
The ancestors of the Gao family naturally had a purpose in placing Doukou here. Because before the Qing Dynasty, the Xiguan Plain was still a major shipping area. The densely crisscrossed rivers here not only existed as shipping channels, but many of them were similar to those in Xihao.
Connected to the Daguan River, you can follow Xihao all the way to the shelter near Yuexiu Mountain. You can also follow the main trunk streams of Xiguan such as Liubo Yong and Lizhiwan Yong to get shelter from the wind in Lizhiwan - there is naturally a lot of oil and water to be fished in the busy shipping area.
It has been a hundred years since the Jinhua Temple was occupied by the ancestors of the Gao family. Naturally, the beggars would not spend money to repair the house. The buildings inside are dilapidated and the Buddha statue table has long been gone. Only the original main hall is still intact.
, this is the "lobby" where the Guangzhou General Headquarters usually does business.
Even though the hereditary head of the Gao family is just a beggar leader, his "official authority" is indeed not small. There are also public cases and public seats in this palace, and there are water and fire sticks, shackles and other torture instruments on both sides. There are two more at the door.
A beggar standing with a wooden stick, chest raised and belly folded, looks like a government official. What is particularly conspicuous in the entire "court" is a big stick standing next to the public seat, which is a foot high and has a bowl mouth.
Thick and wrapped in yellow cloth. This is the so-called "pole".
The "pole" is said to be a gift from the emperor. Whenever a beggar commits adultery and commits a crime, the gang leader can invite the pole and beat him to death on the spot. However, this is just talk. No one has ever seen this pole without its yellow cloth cover.
What does it look like? Moreover, the Tuan leader has a good way to execute a beggar, so there is no need for such complicated procedures.
Walk back from the "lobby" and walk through the courtyard where the masters of the Gao family work. After passing the middle gate, you will find another world. It is the private residence of the Gao family and the dilapidated and dirty beggars' den in front of it.
In comparison, it is a completely different world.
Although the Gao family has been the "head of the regiment" for generations, they have never been a beggar for a day. The whole family has been working as slaves and maids, and they have lived a life of fine clothing and fine food.
Even the big players can’t compare.
However, the Gao family has been a bit deserted recently. Gao Tianshi died suddenly not long ago. Although the funeral has been held, he is still in the period of observing filial piety. Although the Gao family is the head of a beggar group, they still have to pay attention to the basic "filial piety"
Of course, Xiang Cheng, the newly succeeded Tuantou Gao Ling, could not banquet and sing in public - several of his brothers were not convinced about his succession and were all watching him with eager eyes.
There was no peace at home, and there were even more dangers outside. People everywhere were noisy and uneasy, and Gao Lingxiang was not in the mood to drink and have fun.
At this moment, Gao Ling Xiang, who had been promoted from "Uncle" to "Master", was leaning on Concubine Xiang's bamboo couch. Several maids were waiting beside him with iced lychees or cattail fans.
Standing on the corridor outside the house was the housekeeper from the Mo family. He was walking in the corridor on a hot day, and his face was dripping with sweat. But he could only smile with his face, not even daring to wipe it, waiting for him to be called in.
As soon as the Australians demolished the side shop in Guangzhou, Mo Rongxin asked his daughter-in-law to come to visit with generous gifts. She said she wanted to celebrate her father's birthday. Well, not long after the birthday, his father died. Gao Ling
As soon as Xiang saw the people of the Mo family, he felt strange.
Gao Lingxiang is in his forties this year. In the past, it might have been a happy event for the eldest son of a wealthy family like him to die in his prime. At least that's how his wife felt, but he was not "happy" at all.
.
At present, there are internal and external troubles. My father is still alive and can command the big bones below like an arm. But I have spent a lot of effort, relying on my father's cronies and the power of my mother's family, to settle all the big bones.
——It is said to be settled, but in fact there is an undercurrent surging below. As long as there is a chance, those big bones and brothers will inevitably jump out and cause trouble again; not to mention that there are Australians outside who are eyeing them - he roughly knows,
Gao Tianshi's sudden death is related to the "witchcraft case" that has been making a fuss in the city recently.
The matter of witchcraft was serious. Gao Lingxiang asked some of his father's capable men, but all of them were vague, but from their flashing words, he knew that this rumor was not groundless.
This is a serious crime of annihilating the nine tribes! Gao Lingxiang was almost scared to death. His father had been shrewd all his life, how could he get involved in this?! He did not dare to think too deeply, so he only thought Gao Tianshi
I went through the various letters and notes in the study carefully, and burned everything that might be related to this matter. I also sent close associates to various places to inquire secretly whether there were any specific insiders, and I was prepared to slowly bring the matter to a close.
They silenced them one by one.
Seeing that the Australians didn't express anything, Gao Lingxiang felt a little relieved. He thought that after the Australians came, his father actually showed no expression, which was already a mistake, and getting involved in the witchcraft case would be a recipe for death. Although the Australians are now
He doesn't show any emotion, but gradually deprives the people of Guandi Temple of their financial resources. If this continues, it won't be long before he can maintain this stall - everyone is fooling around with you, it is obviously the loyalty of brothers for generations.
He is just "money" secretly. The Gao family can't maintain the various financial paths in Doukou, so what use do the big guys want a gang leader like you?
In the final analysis, my father did not go to the Australians in time and replaced him with a document as the "Head of the Guangzhou Prefecture of the Song Dynasty". Now it is too late to go to the Australians!
He has been thinking about how to get in touch with the Australians these days. It would be best if he could get in touch with one or two Australian officials and give him a big gift - even if he empties his own treasury, he would not hesitate to do so. As long as he can keep it
As for the position of the head of the Guangzhou General Group, everything is easy to say.
At this moment, the Mo family suddenly sent someone to pay homage and gave him heavy gifts. I don't know what they are planning. However, the Mo family is the head of Wenlan Academy. They get a lot of money from the academy every year. Now they are coming to find themselves.
, must be related to the affairs of the academy. When the Mo family sent their own girls to send heavy gifts to their father to celebrate his birthday, it had something to do with the more than ten side shops of the academy on Chengxuan Street.
Wenlan Academy has not been peaceful recently. Most of the directors and administrators of Wenlan Academy are controlled by a group of "evil gentry" from Guangzhou, who use this to control the rich academy property for themselves, enrich themselves, and exert influence over the academy.
The scholars who studied there were very mean. Several times the scholars quarreled, but they were suppressed by Mo Rongxin and Zhong Aijiao, the academy's "Heng Ha Second General", using various means. This will change the dynasty, and I heard that the Australians
Since he was honest and upright, the scholars in the academy rose up to make trouble again.
Thinking about how condescending his father was when he asked his concubine to marry his own sister, when he went to the Mo family to see off his bride, the Mo family was also secretive, as if they were letting them disgrace the family tradition.
Speaking of courtesy, even the entire ritual was done hastily. Not only did the girl’s mother, Sanniang, cry with anger, but her father also looked unhappy.
In the past, I didn't take my family seriously. Now I can't suppress a few jealous people, so I have to find someone to help! Thinking of this, Gao Lingxiang sneered and sat up. He said:
"come in."
With this greeting, the housekeeper who was standing in the corridor with his hands lowered carefully crossed the threshold and walked into the cool and pleasant outer study room where ice cubes were placed.
The butler of the Mo family went to the Jinhua Temple to give gifts. On the surface, it was to celebrate his succession as the head of the group, but secretly there was a letter entrusted to the trustee. The butler has been standing under the eaves outside the door since he entered the door. Although it is not that
Being exposed to the sun and the heat wave outside the house also made his face turn red, and he cursed countless times in his heart.
Although the Mo family has a bad reputation among the gentry in Guangfu, they belong to the first class of "evil gentry", and they have achieved fame at least. Officials in one government and two counties, and the big and small gentry in the city, still have to give some face. Housekeeper Mo is going
This is the first time that I have been treated so coldly for posting and giving gifts.
Seeing that Gao Lingxiang had sat up, he quickly stepped forward to greet him with a smile on his face.
"What kind of rule is this? How come Butler Mo doesn't even have a seat when he comes?"
The maid next to me quickly brought porcelain cups and herbal tea. Butler Mo refused to sit down and even said: "There is no such etiquette!"