Chapter 217 Competition

Qin Mubai went back to the inn and was ready to take the salute to the barracks. Chen Yan said it right. As an official of the imperial court, especially the Beijing official appointed by the emperor, she has not appeared in Xiangzhou for a few days, which is indeed a little inappropriate.

In the inn, several previously selected hundred-rider guards are still waiting patiently. From the time Qin Mubai and Chen Yan went to the small building, they disappeared with interest.

When returning to the inn, the bodyguard told Qin Mubai that the king of Wu had sent Yuwen Hongtai to the inn to find him and said that there was something important. Yuwen Hongtai was so impatient. The guards told him that he didn't know where General Qin was going, so he had to find someone. He just turned over the inn and almost dug three feet. He also quarreled with these bodyguards, saying that they "hidden the truth" and did not report it.

Qin Mubai was funny when he heard it. Heizi is a simple and straightforward guy. Li Ke handed over the task, and he wanted to complete it. How could he think about anything else? On the contrary, there is no doubt that the soldiers of Baiqi have always been clever and sensible.

"Then leave the guest room and go to the Assassin's House!" Qin Mubai asked the bodyguards to make it clear and went to the Assassin's Mansion together.

Yuwen Hongtai is guarding the Assassin's Mansion and leading troops to patrol. As soon as he saw Qin Mubai, he rushed over and shouted, "General Qin, I've been looking for you all day. Where have you been?"

Qin Mubai and others were amused.

"Heizi, you really can't speak with this stinky mouth." Qin Mubai slapped loudly on his helmet and scolded, "What's the matter with me in such a hurry?"

"Hey hey!" Yuwen Hongtai giggled, "I don't know either. It's just that Your Highness is looking for you in a hurry, and I'm also anxious. It must be an important thing!"

"How could Your Highness send you out to do business? In the past, this was a good business." Qin Mubai took a look around and said, " By the way, why haven't you seen Yin Yang and Xue Rengui recently? Only you, a black guy, are wandering in the assassin's mansion?"

"Hey hey, you always know us!" Yuwen Hongtai smiled like ** and grinned, "If the two of them hadn't been ordered to go to Anzhou to do business, how could they have sent me out to make a shame!"

"Have you gone to Anzhou?" Qin Mubai frowned gently and suddenly realized, "Oh, yes! I'm about to pick up the princess!"

"Wow! You are always so clever. You guessed it right!" Yuwen Hongtai exclaimed, "Your Highness has come to Xiangzhou to take office. It's not too far from Anzhou. Princess Wu has been recuperating in Anzhou, but she has been separated from Her Royal Highness for a year or two, and it's time to meet her!"

"Are I old? Who did you learn this name from? Qin Mubai despised the way.

"The servants in the house! Haha, they all call us that. We feel so comfortable when we hear it! Probably people in Xiangzhou are used to such a name!" Yuwen Hongtai laughed.

"Go to your whistle, nerd!" Qin Mubai laughed and scolded, and went to the backyard to see Li Ke.

Li Ke was in the study. Qin Mubai just went in and understood what was going on, because Zheng Anshun happened to be there.

"Well, you're here." Li Ke pretended to visit behind Qin Mubai and said in surprise, "Why are you alone, Lady Chen?"

"She is not my follower. How can I care about her?" Qin Mubai calmly changed the topic, "Brother Zheng is also here. There must be something important?"

"General Qin came just in time. There is an important news for you to disappear. Zheng Anshun said, "After being ordered by you the day before yesterday, I didn't dare to neglect, so I immediately started to move. Sure enough, as the general expected, the people of Zhengchang Grain will soon find me and contact us to sell grain.

"Who's your last name?" Qin Mubai asked.

"Surname Duan."

"But it's Duan Laoqi, who is known as the seventh shopkeeper?"

"No." Zheng Anshun said, "It's Duan Rongji, the big owner of Zhengchang Grain."

Qin Mubai suddenly nodded: "Yes. If you want to see a person like you, you should be the big boss. Of course, a small seven-seven shopkeeper is not qualified.

Zheng Anshun smiled slightly and said, "There is another person with him, which is a little beyond my expectation. That man's surname is Ouyang, and his single name is Jun. He is the big owner of Yongye Yanfang.

"Oh, it's true that grain and salt are not separated. Your name, the young master of the Zheng family, really works. Zhengchang Grain and Yongye Salt Square went out together. Qin Mubai said, "So, these two people are still united to negotiate with you?"

"Not bad." Zheng Anshun said, " Maybe they saw that I had a big appetite this time and thought that the financial resources could not be lost, so they were eager to do it!" However, they were very cautious and repeatedly asked me how to buy and deliver the goods this time, where to go for the food, and how to pay for the money. They asked all the details. Obviously, they came after thinking about Zhou Xiang. I also have the patience to deal with them. But in the end, they said that they could not produce 500,000 stones of grain. At most, there are only 50,000 stone lake white rice and 5,000 stones of good Huai salt.

"It's cunning enough." Qin Mubai scolded and said, "This amount of grain and Huai salt is normal for an official grain number and salt number in Shangzhou. In this way, even if they are caught by us and privately sell these official food and salt, they will not be charged much.

"Yes!" Li Ke also said, "The grain and salt transported in and out of Xiangzhou wharf every year is at least nearly five million stones. Most of the grain and salt are handed over to the caravans of Zhengchang Grain and Yongye Salt Square for transshipment or sale in other places. Even I don't believe that they only dare to sell tens of thousands of stone grain and salt in this area. Because over the years, they have covered the sky with one hand in Xiangzhou. They have never been afraid of anyone, and Wang Fa is not binding on them.

"Can the grain number and the grain bank also cover the sky with one hand?" Qin Mubai and Zheng Anshun asked together.

"Do you think anyone can become an official business?" Li Ke curled his lips and said, "Duan Rongji, the big owner of Zhengchang Grain, comes from an old rich family. He is a famous local rich gentry in Jingxiang. He has a very high reputation and appeal among the local squire. Moreover, he and Sima Weihaochen of the Assassin's Office are in the right place. Because of this relationship, the old Duan family and the Chang'an Wei family have a lot of intermarriage, so they also have a close relationship with many people in the officialdom.

"In addition, Ouyang Jun, the big owner of Yongye Yanfang, is even bigger. Mu Bai, do you still remember Wu Mei Niang's father?

"Warrior Tong, what does it have to do with him?"

"It's a big deal." Li Ke gently picked up the corners of his mouth and smiled and said, "How did the samurai Tong pros? I don't need to elaborate on it, right? In those years, Ouyang Jun's father was a good friend who did business with the warrior Tong. In his early years, he also funded the uprising of Emperor Wude. Later, the warrior Tong became one of the eight prime ministers of the Wude Dynasty because of the merit of the dragon. Ouyang Jun's father is not as good as a warrior, and he is not good at officialdom, so he has been unknown. However, Emperor Wude and the warrior Tong did not forget him and gave him a viscount. But Ouyang Jun's father soon passed away. As you all know what happened soon after that, after my father ascended the throne, the warrior lost his power and invited himself to Xiangzhou to serve as a foreign official. One of the reasons is because of Ouyang Jun's invitation. Here, the samurai Tong, a foreign official, lives a good life. An important reason is that he has the help of the Ouyang family. At the same time, the warrior Tong also took advantage of his authority to provide a lot of convenience for the Ouyang family and further promote the local power of the Ouyang family. In places like Jingxiang, there is a strong sense of exclusion. If it hadn't been for the support of the Ouyang family, the samurai Tong, the abdiced prime minister, may not be able to spend the rest of his life here. Therefore, it's a little hard to say. It's not the Ouyang family's trumpt on the martial arts family, but after the warrior Tong took the initiative to turn to this old man in the business world.

"Your Highness said it in great detail, and there are one or two more sentences to add." Zheng Anshun said, "The commercial ports in Jingzhou are active and the financial resources are unlimited. In fact, our Zheng family has long wanted to do business. But this place is simply that the needle can't get into the water. All the merchants are led by the Ouyang family and the Duan family, and they are obedient to them. Therefore, over the years, we would rather travel a long way to Huyang to collect goods, and rarely do business in the nearby Xiangzhou Port. Here, as long as Ouyang Jun sends a sentence, no one dares to sell a grain or two grains of salt to us, and even the little salt hawks dare not go alone.

"I didn't expect that the two local snakes, the Ouyang family and the Duan family, are so awesome that they don't even give face to your Zheng family. This really echoes that sentence. It's hard for a strong dragon to suppress the ground snake. Qin Mubai said, "In this way, things are still a little tricky. Do I still underestimate them?"

"It's really a little tricky. First, Ouyang and Duan are not ordinary businessmen who are bullied. They are very powerful, shrewd and cautious in the local area. Second, they claim that they don't have so much grain and salt, and I can't argue that they have it. Therefore, the initiative is in their hands instead. Zheng Anshun said.

"Hence." Li Ke said, "Since they don't have so much grain and salt, why do they still take the initiative to come to you? Is it that they deliberately bumped into you, the young master of the Zheng family and offended your Zheng family? It's not good for them!"

"Your Highness is wise!" Zheng Anshun smiled slightly, "Businessmen are chasing profit, but profit-seeking. Obviously, they want to make money. They took the initiative to find me. There are about two meanings. First, they want to show and demonstrate to me that if our Zheng family wants to do business in Xiangzhou, we can only cooperate with their two families and act on their faces; secondly, they may have such a huge amount of goods in private to test me!"

"Extremely likely!" Qin Mubai and Li Ke said in unison.

"So how do you plan to gain their trust?"

Zheng Anshun smiled confidently: "What they suspect is nothing more than two points. First, what's the use of me for such a large batch of grain; second, how can I transport such a large batch of grain?

"Use?" Li Ke's eyes lit up and stroked his palm, "I'll help you with this. Tomorrow, I will call all the officials of the Assassin's Office and tell them that I have received a secret order from the court to raise grain and fodder in Xiangzhou. I must raise a large amount of grain after this autumn harvest and transport it to the granary of the Guanzhong court in case of emergency.

"Wonderful, feasible." Qin Mubai said, "The court wants to collect a large amount of grain, which is nothing more than preparing for the war. Your Highness released such news, and they would have to guess. But since it is a 'secret order', it is related to social secrets. Who dares to say it? So for businessmen, they can see unlimited business opportunities!"

"Ha ha, this is feasible... The only disadvantage is that Duan Rongji will definitely take the opportunity to kill Zheng Anshun in the grain price." Li Ke smiled.

"That's okay. If I can create such a hole, I will be trusted by Duan Rongji. Zheng Anshun said, "As for the means of transshipment, it will be better solved. It was agreed later, and I will send someone to deliver letters to several port terminals. My Zheng family has been a businessman for several generations, and a few big ships can still be made up. When these big ships appear on the surface of the Han River, Ouyang Jun and Duan Rongji will no longer doubt it.

"It's so wonderful!" Qin Mubai laughed cheerfully, "Duan Rongji and Ouyang Jun, two old foxes, can still be suspicious when they see such a big movement one after another? Haha! I just don't know how big your Zheng family's big boat is, better than the big ship known as the 'divine fish spaceship' of Xiangzhou Military Mansion?

Zheng Anshun smiled and said, "I have seen the Shenyu spaceship below. It is a military ship transformed from a blessing ship around Wuyue. After the transformation, this kind of ship is strong, but it can withstand the wind and waves and collisions, but the loading capacity is only average. Most of the big ships of my Zheng family are in the Peng and Ying area. The merchants travel between Silla and Baekje, and occasionally I have been to Japan once or twice. Therefore, whether it is the load or the strength, it is slightly better than the lucky boat.

Li Ke couldn't help staring in surprise: "Master Zheng's 'slight victory' must have won a lot. Just say it bluntly, the Zheng family's big ship is several times more than the lucky boat?

Zheng Anshun smiled modestly: "About... two to three times!"

"I... fuck!" Qin Mubai scolded in his heart: The Shenyu spaceship is already a unique giant ship in the river. Isn't the Zheng family's ship like a ship carrier? This family is really a pervert...!

"But won't such a big boat run aground in the river? Where can I park at the dock in Xiangzhou? Li Ke asked again.

"Your Highness is very worried." Zheng Anshun said, "Generally, such large ships walk on the sea and occasionally enter the Yangtze River. Therefore, when I discussed with Duan Rongji and Ouyang Jun, I said that if I transfer such a big ship, they need to find a way to transport the goods to Jingzhou so that I can load and unload.

"Wet great!" Qin Mubai said, "I'd like to see what they use to transport such a large amount of grain and salt out of Xiangzhou!"

"At that time, General Qin will lead the army to catch the thief and catch the stolen goods." Zheng Anshun smiled and said, "In this way, the strategy of leading the snake out of the hole is successful."

"It's not that simple." Li Ke curled his lips and said, "At least Qin Mubai can guarantee that there is no eyeliner between the Duan family and the Ouyang family in the Xiangzhou military palace under his command, but this is obviously difficult. Duan Rongji and Sima Wei Haochen of the Assassin's Office are in line with each other; Wei Haochen and Du Chengyuan, the lieutenant of Guoyi in the Military Mansion, are friends with each other. In addition, coupled with Ouyang Jun's local appeal and influence, his confidants and helpers must be everywhere. I even suspect that the Xiangzhou military government has been escorting them all the time, which is a moles.

Zheng Anshun frowned: "In this way, are we weak? Even if you succeed in leading the snake out of the hole, it is very likely that there is nothing you can do with the other party? Or did you leak the wind in advance, and the bamboo basket was empty?

Qin Mubai's expression was a little solemn. He waved his hand and said, "Your Highness is very worried, but Brother Zheng, you don't have to worry. Let's follow the plan and implement it step by step!" I have my own way to settle the affairs in the military government. In the final analysis, we will eventually rely on the absolute strength of the army to fight against them. Leave this task to me!"

Li Ke smiled and said to Zheng Anshun, "Master Zheng, you can rest assured. Qin Mubai rarely took the initiative to pat his chest and promise something. But as long as he agrees, he will definitely do it. Besides, it will be beautifully done!"

Zheng Anshun glanced at Li Ke and Qin Mubai left and right. He smiled and arched his hand and said, "It's really a great blessing and fun to cooperate with two such smart people. Zheng, it's a great honor!"

"Qin Mubai, it's up to you next." Li Ke smiled and said, "Don't be greedy for gentleness and forget your business!"

"What are you greedy for?" Qin Mubai smiled jokingly, "My gentleness is all in Chang'an."

"Oh, it's a cover in front of me!" Li Ke deliberately slapped his face and shouted, "Be honest with me and remember to flatter me. Otherwise, I will betray you!"

"What are you selling me to?" Qin Mubai smiled, and Zheng Anshun also smiled.

"You're still stubborn, aren't you?" Li Ke said seriously, "In case I talk fast, I will tell my precious royal sister about the indescribable affair between you and some heroine... Humph, that's enough for you to drink several pots! To tell you the truth, in fact, I am the spy lying next to you. Gao Yang has already bought me!"

Qin Mubai and Zheng Anshun laughed together.

"Your Highness, you can be so open and righteous as a spy, and you are also unprecedented!"