When he returned to the courtyard, Zhao Fusheng was already waiting for him. When he saw Lin Ming return, he asked in a hoarse voice how the discussion went.
Lin Ming sat down and shook his head.""No progress."
Zhao Fusheng said with shame," It's the first time you're discussing schemes with someone. It's right for you to be neither arrogant nor discouraged in victory or defeat. As for me, I lost my balance yesterday and argued with those big white idlers. I couldn't warn you in advance."”
Lin Ming drank some tea and suddenly said," When I spoke to that Zhang Caotou today, I was a newbie while he was a newbie. We exchanged a lot of things, but for some reason, he suddenly changed into a different person. No matter how I tried to probe him, I couldn't find out his depth. It had only been ten minutes, but a person could behave so differently? I'm quite puzzled. Can you help me?”
"Oh? But what? Miss, please tell me in detail."
Hence, Lin Ming told Zhao Fusheng the details of their conversation today. First of all, she would talk about how she had let Zhang Caotou have the upper hand during the tea discussion, how Zhang Caotou had used his friend's drunkenness yesterday to test whether she was " Wang Qiang's recommendation ", and how she had used the slightest mistake to set the mountain on fire, using the drunken friend's wild words as evidence of the Zhang family's dissatisfaction with the court. In this way, he told Zhao Fusheng everything that Zhang Caotou had said.
When Zhao Fusheng heard this, he pinched his beard and frowned.""I have met Old Zhang Cao Tou twice. From what Young Miss described, although there are some differences, it seems like Old Zhang Cao Tou's perfunctory manner. The first half of the sentence was his own way of dealing with people. Miss Hou's words were sharp and aggressive. He had no countermeasures and could only learn from his father.”
Lin Ming then asked Old Zhang what he did, and Zhao Fusheng told him what he knew in detail. Lin Ming listened and analyzed in his heart. He felt that Old Zhang had indeed learned his manners.
Little Zhang Cao Tou was a self-proclaimed elegant playboy. When it came to matters, he actually lost his mind and learned from his ancestors. Thinking of this, the two couldn't help but feel amused.
Lin Ming said," I'm just a ten-year-old girl, and he has the upper hand. He's actually blushing and speechless. If that's the case, it's no wonder that he always refuses to meet and avoid the official road."”
"That's right," sighed Zhao Fusheng. Who would have the time to probe him when he was not in charge of the affairs of the canal? At this time, he suddenly got on the horse and guarded it tightly. We couldn't see his face. We were like looking at flowers in the fog, but we couldn't tell what his ability was. In the past, he had only heard about it, but now he had seen it with his own eyes. Sigh, he didn't expect this new head to be so indifferent. Fortunately, his father had died at this moment to help him fill in the capital to ask for a price from the imperial court. If it was in the past, a few fingers would have pierced through this paper tiger of his, and it would have been easy for even his Zhang family's water transport to be leveled. Master Lin said that he wanted to build his own ship…"
At this moment, the servant girl came in to ask for orders. She said that the food was ready and invited them to the side hall to eat. The two of them immediately started discussing.
Because Lin Ming was here for official business, the Zhang family's young lady and madam did not accompany him for dinner. They only met for dinner on the first day, and then they let her hold a banquet in her own courtyard. When they arrived at the side hall, Lin Ming and Zhao Fusheng didn't pay much attention to it. They just treated it as a routine in the officialdom. One of them sat in the main seat, and the other sat in the secondary seat. There were five or six maids waiting on them to eat.
Normally, the Zhang family was a new rich family, so their style was naturally not as good as that of the aristocratic families. However, along the way, the wealth and luxury here were not inferior to that of the aristocratic families. Not to mention the appearance of the servant girls, just the dishes on the table alone were flying in the sky, running on the ground, swimming in the water. There were more than ten of them. If Yangzhou was a prosperous place near the water, livestock and aquatic products were not very rare, but the most eye-catching were the vegetables.
Although it was already spring, the vegetables were still very expensive. There were all kinds of vegetables on the table. There were also two that he had never seen before. After asking the servant girl, he found out that they were foreign vegetables. One was called "Potoutou" and the other was called "Thousand Layers of Green".
After the meal, Lin Er said," Speaking of which, when I looked at Zhang Caitou just now, his ten fingers didn't have any calluses on them, nor did he have calluses on his brush. His complexion was also very ruddy and delicate, not much different from a young master from an aristocratic family. I already felt that he was meticulous. However, now it seems that his family is even richer than mine. Water transport is so extravagant, sir, do you have a way to make him donate some money and grain? First, the situation at Guanxia is urgent, so he donated nearby. It will be a day or two faster than the imperial court's allocation, and it will also save hundreds of lives. Moreover, the Imperial Court was pressing for money. If he donated it, it would be more or less helpful in easing the situation.”
Zhao Fusheng thought for a moment and shook his head." During today's negotiation, he was just like his father, half-hearted. It seems that this new head of the canal is self-aware. He only wants to keep the peace. There's no need for him to curry favor with the court." Besides, he has a bargaining chip in his hand that can hold us back. It's not easy to persuade him to get lucky. It's probably difficult to get benefits from him.”
Lin Ming said," Even if it's not easy, you and I will think of a way. If it works, it's naturally good. If it doesn't, there's no harm."”
They had just finished eating when the servant girl came to invite them, saying that Second Young Lady had something else to ask for. Ever since Lin Ming came to Yangzhou, Second Miss Zhang had sent people to prepare a porridge shop. These two days, she had been going back and forth for days. She often panted and pulled Lin Ming to ask for advice, but she didn't seem tired at all.
The second daughter of the Zhang family was wearing a silver robe and holding her arms in the cage. She was talking to a fat mother. When she heard the footsteps, she quickly turned to Lin Ming and pulled him back."You came at the right time. I was just telling Mother Zhu that I wanted to go to the porridge shop to take a look. The carriage is ready-made.”
Lin Ming followed her and asked,"Porridge shop?"”
"That's right," said Second Miss Zhang. "Let them do something, but it's a mess. They came back and forth to ask me, but I didn't have any ideas. I just happened to invite you to our site to develop. The sooner we set up the porridge shop, the more people we can save from starvation.”
As they spoke, they left the door and the Zhang Clan's second young mistress pulled Lin Ming into the carriage. With a glance, Lin Ming knew that the carriage belonged to the head of the Zhang family. From this, he thought that the head of the Zhang family also knew, so he let her go.
The horses on the water transport were different from those of the aristocratic families, especially the horses in this carriage. Not only were they exquisitely dressed, but they were also burly and good-looking. Their leg strength was extraordinary. When they ran, even the curtains were blown loudly.
The second young mistress of the Zhang family urged the coachman a few times, only telling him to hurry up. Lin Ming saw her anxious face and asked what was going on.
Second Miss Zhang's eyes were red." I didn't dare to say it at home just now," she said." I was afraid that Father wouldn't let me go if he found out." Just now, a servant came to report that the people who prepared the porridge at the porridge shop had fought with the hungry. I asked them to set up a porridge shop to save people, but they hurt people instead. Mother Zhu said a few words to Steward Li and asked Steward Li to get someone to stop them outside.”
"The one who spoke to you just now was Mother Zhu?" Lin Ming asked.”
Second Miss Zhang nodded." Mother Zhu also said that they embezzled money and food. The pot of porridge was so clean that one could see their shadows. Tell me, how can they do things like this? If I don't go, who can stop them?”
Lin Ming patted her hand and advised her not to be anxious. He only said that he would make a fuss when they met at the place.
The carriage was conspicuous. When it was still far from the porridge shop, it heard many pleas such as "Master, please do me a favor" and "Give me some food".
A few sharp-eyed hungry people saw the carriage and ran over to the ruts to beg. The coachman whipped them hard, but they refused to let go. One of them reached into the carriage and almost grabbed the corner of the Zhang Second Miss's robe, scaring the Zhang Second Miss into screaming. Fortunately, the water transport men who were guarding the porridge shop rushed over in time. There were more than twenty of them. They protected the carriage while shouting and driving away the hungry people who came up to beg.
The carriage stopped at the back of the porridge shop. Steward Li came to welcome the main family out of the carriage. He shouted "Second Miss" twice, but it was drowned out by the cries of the hungry people.
Lin Ming took the jewelry from his head and put it in the box in the carriage. He said,""Manager Li has come to invite us. Let's go. You should also remove the beaded jewelry and put it in the car.”
Second Miss Zhang nodded, but she kept sitting there without moving. Lin Ming asked what was wrong, and she suddenly cried,"It's so scary. These cries sound like they're exploding in my ears. I'm scared. Just now, just now, that person came to pull my skirt. I'm so scared!"
Second Miss Zhang's face was pale. She was uneasy and terrified. Lin Ming was about to persuade her, but Manager Li said,"Second Young Lady, it's best if you don't get out of the car. Two pots of porridge have just been put in. The hungry people will definitely come here when they hear the news. When the time comes, there will be more and more rioters.”
Lin Ming patted Second Miss Zhang's hand and said,""Since that's the case, you should stay in the carriage. Manager Li is right, when the people who bring the porridge gather, it will be even more chaotic. You stay in the carriage and estimate the number of hungry people. I'll go and take a look outside.”After saying that, he got out of the carriage and asked Steward Li to lead him to see the injured hungry people.
There was a straw shed not far from the porridge shop, and the injured hungry people were tied up in the shed. There were about 20 to 30 of them, and all of them were young men.
"Lin Guan Jie, these are the rioters who are causing trouble." Manager Li said.”Because Lin Ming was representing the official family to discuss matters with Cao Tou, the official Li was also straightforward and straightforward, so he made up the title of "Sister Lin Guan".
"Butler Li, you don't have to be so polite. Just address me as usual." What's going on with these people?"
"Yes," said Manager Li. Second Miss Lin, my Second Miss is giving out porridge and food for these rebels. I didn't expect them to really not know what's good for them. We just shipped the rice over, and they actually dared to snatch it! How can our water transport be robbed by these beggars? This lowly one will get someone to tie them up."
"How much rice did you transport today?" Lin Ming nodded. According to the current situation, how much could he give up?”
Manager Li said," The money that Miss gave me bought a total of 428 stones of brown rice. A total of 100 stones were shipped today. I asked them to cook it clearly. They came here before dark. Each person can drink a bowl."”
"Miss Guan!" A tied up man twisted his body and shouted," Miss Guan, we still have the elderly and children at home. They're sick and can't come, so they can't get food. We just want to bring food back for them!”
Manager Li kicked him and scolded,""So you gathered a group of beggars to rob it? You guys snatched them all, and they starved to death for nothing?! It's their bad fortune that your family can't come!”
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。