It is a thousand times easier to destroy than to build, and a town that prospered for tens or even hundreds of years can often be easily destroyed in a single war. Although Ningbo Mansion was not directly attacked by the Japanese thieves, this once prosperous big city was also obviously depressed and deserted, and it can even be described as a plummet, nearly 30% of the shops on both sides of the street have closed down, most of the people who come and go are hungry, and a large number of refugees with broken homes wander around the streets in a daze.

Of course, in addition to the trauma caused by the war, there is also a reason for the depression of Ningbo's industry. As the saying goes, relying on the mountains to eat the mountains, relying on the sea to eat the sea, such as Ningbo Province, the most developed industry is maritime trade, and the imperial court has always set up a city shipping department here to receive foreign missions who come to pay tribute trade, and the local economy of Ningbo Province has also benefited greatly.

However, since the beginning of last year, when two groups of Japanese envoys fought, the imperial court not only closed down the city, but also ordered a strict ban on the sea, which naturally had a great impact on the economy of Ningbo. In May this year, Xia Yan led his troops to destroy Shuangyu Port, the center of smuggling trade, and confiscated and destroyed sea vessels, which further hit the economy of Ningbo Prefecture.

Therefore, it is not unreasonable for the gentry and people of Ningbo Mansion to hate Xia Yan, and it goes without saying that the interests of the gentry and the powerful are seriously damaged, for the common people, they don't care who is the emperor, they only hope to have rice in the pot, and the whole family does not have to starve and freeze, and Xia Yan's crackdown on smuggling makes them have no food, they naturally hate, and even miss the good people of Xu Dong Wang Zhi and others, although they have violated the law of the country, but at least they have prospered the economy of Ningbo, so that the people here can earn money, and everyone has a job and food.

Keyunlou is a mid-range restaurant in Ningbo City, and now it is still open for business, but the business is very light, it is now the noon meal, and there are only a few tables of guests sitting in the lobby, after all, everyone's purse is deflated, and there are only a few people who are willing to go to the restaurant to fast.

At this time, a middle-aged man dressed as a businessman walked in, and someone at the table by the window immediately greeted: "Shopkeeper Li, sit here." ”

Shopkeeper Li went over and sat down, setting up a table with two other men who were also dressed as merchants. The shopkeeper ran over and asked, "What did Shopkeeper Li eat today?" ”

"A shallot, tofu and a bowl of white rice!"

The shopkeeper's smile suddenly collapsed, and he asked curtly, "Why don't you have some wine and meat?" ”

Shopkeeper Li rolled his eyes and said, "Don't use money for wine and meat?" ”

"Uh...... Shopkeeper Li waits, the fragrant shallots and tofu will come soon! The shopkeeper was bored and walked away dejectedly.

Shopkeeper Li muttered: "Lao Tzu is about to break the bowl and beg, who has spare money to eat wine and meat?" ”

The two businessmen at the same table also glanced at each other with a wry smile, and one of them asked, "What's the matter?" Mr. Li's honeycomb coal business is also not easy to do? ”

"Don't mention it, the market hasn't been open for a few days." Shopkeeper Li said with a stomach full of resentment.

"It's not very cold yet, and when it snows in winter for a while, business should be better." A businessman comforted.

Shopkeeper Li sighed: "It's difficult, everyone is poor, who is willing to spend money to buy coal for heating for the winter, they all collect firewood, after all, it is really good to save money and store more rations." Fortunately, there are not many goods in the purchase, otherwise the contemptible people will lose blood this year, and when the reserved goods are sold out, the contemptible people will be ready to change careers. ”

The two businessmen at the same table sighed sympathetically, and the shopkeeper Li raised his eyebrows and asked, "Boss He, you are in the paper and pen business, it shouldn't be too bad, right?" ”

Shopkeeper He smiled bitterly: "It's not the same, there are about thirty percent fewer customers than before." ”

Shopkeeper Li said a little jealously: "It's only thirty percent less!" ”

Shopkeeper He suddenly said unhappily: "Ouch, Lao Li, you don't like what you say, what do you mean that there is only 30% less, why don't you be happy that Lao Tzu has no business?" ”

"You at least have money to make, and the contemptible people are almost unable to open the pot now, no, you have to invite this meal." Mr. Li is a philistine.

Shopkeeper He said angrily: "Fart, why let Lao Tzu invite you, you originally asked Xia Yan, the deputy envoy of the Qin Mission, to invite!" ”

Shopkeeper Li said stupidly: "Phew, even if the surname Xia invites Lao Tzu to eat, if it weren't for this forgetful bastard who is full of nosy things, Lao Tzu's business can plummet?" Can you tighten your belts to get by? ”

There happened to be a table of scholars eating in the lobby, who was a student of a nearby academy, and when he heard that an ugly businessman had insulted Qincha, he immediately stood up and scolded him: "How can this be true, you selfish and ugly businessman, you are not good at business, and you insult the officials of the imperial court." ”

Shopkeeper Li sneered: "If a good official scolds him for what he does, if he is a bad official, why can't he be scolded?" He Xia Yan did mischief in Ningbo Mansion, making the people miserable, and contemptible people dared to scold him even in person! ”

The scholar said angrily: "It's just nonsense, it's Wang Zhi and Xu Hai who make the people unhappy, if it weren't for Lord Xia guarding Ningbo City, it would have been broken by the thieves a long time ago." You don't scold the thieves who burn and kill and loot, but scold Lord Xia, what kind of truth is this! ”

Shopkeeper Li sneered: "If it weren't for Xia Yan's encirclement and suppression of Shuangyu Port, forcing people to be cornered, would people rebel and make trouble?" Besides, Ningbo Mansion is not guarded by his Xia Yan, if it weren't for the Governor Xu Daren who led the army to defeat the thief leader Mao Haifeng, he Xia Yan could hold it? Don't put gold on his face. ”

The scholar frowned and said, "It is the will of the imperial court to enforce the sea ban, and Lord Xia is just acting in accordance with the laws of the country, what did he do wrong?" ”

Shopkeeper Li was probably angry, and said without hesitation: "The imperial court should not ban the sea, this is forcing us people who rely on the sea to a dead end!" ”

"You selfish businessman insults the officials of the imperial court, even if you dare to slander the laws of the imperial court, you can't spare you, come, come and explain it to the official mansion with me!"

"That's right, twist him to see the official, this old dog keeps insulting the court, maybe he is a spy who fornicates with thieves." The scholars at the same table stood up one after another with righteous indignation.

Li Yuanwai's face couldn't help but change, and he regretted it in his heart, and the two businessmen at the same table also changed their complexions, if the shopkeeper Li was labeled as a thief, then the two of them at the same table were afraid that they would also be implicated. The shopkeeper He hurriedly stood up and said with a smile: "A few sons are angry, and Shopkeeper Li is talking nonsense because he is in a bad mood, you are all sages and scholars, why bother with me as a businessman." I'm sorry, I paid for your meal, and I apologized to all of you. ”

Shopkeeper Li also came to his senses at this time, and quickly stood up and nodded and apologized: "The contemptible person is confused for a while, and you don't remember the villain, I'm sorry!" ”

Fortunately, these scholars were not bad-hearted, and when they saw this, they no longer bothered with Shopkeeper Li, but only taught a few words and continued to sit down to eat.

"Lao Li, you, you, you're all old, let me say hello!" In the whispered complaints of the two businessmen at the same table, Shopkeeper Li sat down again in a cold sweat, but he didn't dare to complain anymore, and honestly ate his shallots and tofu.

At this moment, another man dressed as a local tyrant walked in, and the merchant surnamed He lit up, and immediately stood up and waved enthusiastically: "Luo Yuanwai, what a coincidence, there is a position here!" ”

At this time, it was the Hui merchant Luo Longwen who walked in, this guy was accompanied by eight Tsing Yi family members, and two maidservants were waiting beside him, showing his true colors as a local tyrant.

Luo Longwen thought for a moment before smiling, "You are ...... What a shopkeeper, what a coincidence! ”

The shopkeeper He is just a small businessman, and he is not at the same level as a rich man like Luo Longwen, but this guy is in the business of the four treasures of the study, and he has entered Huimo from Luo Longwen before, so he has met before.

When the shopkeeper saw that Luo Longwen finally remembered himself, he felt that there was a great light on his face, so he proudly introduced himself to his companion and invited Luo Longwen to share the table.

When the two maidservants and the family outside Luo Yuanwai saw the plate of tofu on the table, they all showed disdain, and the shabby guy who only ate tofu was embarrassed to invite his master to share the table!

Luo Longwen was originally a bold and generous person, so he invited a few people to the private room on the second floor for a big dinner. So the three small businessmen followed excitedly to the second floor, after all, the opportunity to have lunch with a big tyrant like Luo Longwen was very rare, and the other party's fingers casually leaked some food, which was enough for them to fill the bowl.

It is said that since Xu Dong and Wang Zhi were involved in the accident, Luo Longwen has become the banner figure of the Hui businessmen, and was elected as the new head of the Hui Merchants Consortium last month. In addition, in Chongde County, Jiaxing Prefecture, Luo Longwen fought side by side with Governor Xu to defeat the thieves, and was rewarded and praised by the imperial court afterwards.

So now Luo Yuanwai's reputation in the business community is very loud, with Xu Jin's "backer", even the provincial officials are saluting Luo Yuanwai for three points, so Luo Yuanwai's business is doing well, Huimo is selling super hot in Jiangnan and Jiangbei, and he also began to do salt business. ()

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