The gentry were very enthusiastic, had the money to contribute, and had the power to contribute.

As far as they are concerned, if they do not get rid of this widow, their good days will come to an end.

In the past, they mainly lived on the land to grow crops, and occasionally, they would also operate some oil extraction, winemaking, and mulberry farming business behind the scenes.

In fact, the reason why they turn a blind eye to the Japanese is because the silk they produce is often bought by some inexplicable people.

According to the information that many people secretly circulate, these people are very likely to be private businessmen.

When the sea ban was strict, it was actually harmful to the gentry.

After all, in this vast ocean, you can't get any benefits.

But when smuggling began to appear, it was more or less beneficial to many of the gentry, as it was found that the demand for silk and porcelain had increased.

After all, smugglers need to go to sea with large quantities of silk and porcelain.

Once these two things were in short supply, the demand for silk and clay naturally increased in order to organize silk and porcelain.

Silk needs to be planted mulberry to give birth, who has more land, whose mulberry trees have more, and there is silk in hand.

Clay is dug out of the mountains, but who has a mountain?

So in essence, the so-called smuggling is by no means simply a matter of a few daring smugglers.

It's a hidden chain of interests.

Overseas, a group of samurai who could not survive, as well as some outlaws, were recruited, and these people were the basis of smuggling and the armed guarantee of smuggling ships.

As the smuggling activities became more and more rampant, more and more outlaws and wandering warriors came to entrench themselves on the southeastern islands, forming a bond between each other, and occasionally, because of the uneven distribution of spoils, conflicts broke out, of course, there were many Japanese robbers, who would ransack the shores of the Ming Dynasty.

But on land? Because of these smugglers, many landlords and gentry benefited to a greater or lesser extent.

As long as someone is willing to buy their own silk and clay, who cares what the other party comes from, what happened to the Japanese and private businessmen? After all, they didn't get in the way, did they?

But now it's different, for the gentry of Ningbo, selling a little more silk and clay can make a few bucks, this sea, there are mountains of gold and silver, every few days, the boats of the water village will move the mountains of gold and silver, this silver, just like the pickup.

Let's just say that the candle made of whale oil is now popular all over Jiangnan, and it is competing everywhere, the price is twice as high as that of ordinary candles, but the same candle, the burning time, is many times more than ordinary candles, and it is brighter, or in short supply, after dealing with the whale, I don't know how many candles are made, I don't earn this money, do you still have a conscience?

Everyone was indignant, the news spread from the prefect's yamen, and the people's feelings were boiling.

Not only the gentry, but also many businessmen are in a hurry, although they have no power and power, they can only get a small share of the profits when they invest money, but such a good deal, even if it is a small head, it is considerable.

There are a lot of people, a lot of people, originally bitter farming, but because of the processing of whales, wax, clothing, and responsible for the manufacture of canvas, iron anchors have a livelihood, this Ningbo Mansion, can be described as a prosperous industry, follow the old men to work, although the days are still bitter haha, but obviously the days are much better, every month can eat a full stomach, and actually pay a little salary.

Well, now, because of the damn wokos, I don't go to sea.

What to eat without going to sea?

Everyone was in a lot of trouble, and the scholars began to plead their feelings, asking the prefect and the yamen to suppress the widows and ensure the safety of one party.

The gentry asked for money and help to help suppress the widows.

Many strong men were organized, armed with clubs, in groups of three or five, and commanded to guard the coast.

Someone stomped his feet angrily, went home to repair books for the children of Beijing, the Japanese are harmful, my son is in the court, I have to be sympathetic to the hometown, the people in my hometown are suffering, and I have to let the court quickly suppress the Japanese.

In the second half of the night, in the house of the Hou Ya Mansion, Wen Yan took a charcoal basin, and in the charcoal basin, the anthracite coal transported from Beijing was burned, and he happily set up an iron frame on this charcoal basin, and removed the internal organs of the large yellow croaker that had been cleaned up, and after brushing a layer of butter inside and out, he put it on the iron shelf.

He slowly moved the iron frame, and the yellow croaker emitted an inexplicable fragrance, and Wen Yansheng gently sprinkled salt on the grilled half-cooked fish, as well as his favorite chives.

However, this chives are not easy to sprinkle, they have to be chopped very small, such as powder, and sprinkled lightly to make it stain on the oil, otherwise, it is easy to fall into the charcoal basin.

Seeing the angry and corrupt appearance of those gentry during the day, Wen Yansheng was very happy, so she specially warmed the wine and grilled fish here to drink.

There are 32 ways to eat this big yellow croaker.

But it's still not good.

This grilled fish is the most extravagant, such a good fish, as soon as it is grilled, it shrinks by half, but this taste, especially after sprinkling pepper and green onions, tsk......

Of course, Wen Yansheng is a particular person, and he deliberately made the iron frame higher, so that he was not afraid of the flames scorching the fish.

Anyway, I can't eat hot tofu in a hurry, so I roast it slowly with a simmer, which is called delicious in the world.

After turning the iron frame a few times, Wen Yansheng took the hot rice wine on the side, took a sip, sighed in his mouth, and then shook his head and began to hum: "When the mile, when the mile, when the mile, the mile...... Speaking of Shandong's good Han Wu Erlang, go home and pass by Jingyanggang, Jingyanggang, Jingyanggang......"

What he sang was Shandong Kuaishu, but it was in a Henan accent, and in many places, it was a little ambiguous.

Anyway, he doesn't sell his art, he just wants to have fun for himself.

After singing a few words, he took a sip of rice wine, and his stomach burned a little, his blood boiled, and his whole body was comfortable.

Next, continue grilling the fish.

He enjoyed the process and, of course, looked forward to the outcome.

But at this time, someone hurriedly came in: "Master, that Mrs. Chen, ask to see you." ”

"What?" Wen Yansheng smiled slightly, although there was an unbelievable look in his tone, but in his eyes, there was a smile in his eyes: "He said so much during the day, why did he come back at night, did he know that the mansion was grilling fish?" ”

"He said he had something important."

Wen Yansheng regretfully took the oil brush and oiled the fish first, and then said, "Call in." ”

After a while, Mrs. Chen came trembling slightly.

Wen Yansheng also seriously grilled fish.

Mrs. Chen's face pulled down: "Governor Wen, the enemy is current, in the middle of the night, how can Governor Wen still grill fish?" ”

"I'm hungry." Wen Yansheng replied lightly.

“……”

This reason is indeed very powerful.

"Come, please sit down with Mr. Chen, Mr. Chen, are you drinking?"

"Old." Mrs. Chen sighed: "I can't eat it, my body is not good." ”

Wen Yansheng breathed a sigh of relief, it seems that he is old, he can't drink wine, this grilled fish, I'm afraid I can't eat it indiscriminately, don't eat it.

"Mr. Chen is here, what do you have to teach you?"

As soon as Mrs. Chen saw Wen Yansheng take the green onion and patiently sprinkle it on the fish, he wanted to bare his teeth, but he still suppressed the anger in his stomach: "The old man came here, and he suddenly remembered one thing, overseas Japanese are rampant, but on land, it is difficult to ensure that there are no people who collude with the Japanese invaders, otherwise, what kind of climate can a group of Japanese robbers become." ”

"Hmm......" Wen Yansheng nodded his head in a hurry: "It makes sense." But he was in a hurry, and turned the iron frame, for fear that the fish would be burned.

Mrs. Chen was patient: "The old man is thinking again, in our Ningbo Mansion, is there such a thief?" The old man felt uncomfortable when he thought of the wreaking havoc in the township. We are all the families of the Ming Dynasty, and we have been favored by the country for a long time, so we should report to the court and settle the people, which is the righteousness of the gentleman's family. ”

Wen Yansheng raised his thumb at Mrs. Chen: "Mr. Chen, this is the words of seeking the country, admire." ”

Mrs. Chen thought for a while: "The old man has been in Ningbo for a long time, but he thinks that there is a family, very suspicious, he has been buying silk or finished silk in Ningbo for many years, almost how much, how much, and never negotiating the price with others, after receiving it, the whereabouts of these silks and silks are unknown." Of course, the old man didn't mean to accuse him of being a Japanese party, it was all from the villagers...... Right? ”

"Yes, yes, yes, what's suspicious?"

"Another time, when his son got married, and the old man was older, he was invited, and sat on the upper seat, but he was not strong enough to drink, so he was carried to the back room to rest, but guess what?"

"There must be a lot of overseas treasures that you haven't seen before, and there are so many kinds of treasures?"

Mrs. Chen slapped his thigh: "Governor Wen is right, it's really like this, I actually saw a lot of rhino horns, and a lot of strange things." The old man used to see him, and he was also a scholar, for generations, he was a good family, and he was loyal and good, so it stands to reason that he should not collude with the Japanese Kou, so he didn't think about it deeply, but in retrospect, he felt more and more suspicious. ”

"Oops......" Wen Yansheng saw that the fish was cooked, and he took off the grilled fish in a hurry, but because he accidentally caught the red-hot iron chisel, he grinned with hot teeth, took off the fish in pain, and said with a painful face: "Mr. Chen said earlier, this family is suspicious, check it out, and you will know that if it is a private businessman, you will definitely find out something." ”

Chen Taigong said with a smile: "Yes, if you turn his family upside down, you will understand everything, the so-called extraordinary times and extraordinary things." Oh, this person's surname is Zhang, and he is from Laotang in Yinxian County. The old man is tired, eh, he is old, he is easy to fall asleep, and he has to go back to rest, Wen Governor's Mansion, the military and civilians of Ningbo, but they are all entrusted to Wen Governor's Mansion. ”

After saying the name of the place and what the surname was, Wen Yansheng counted it.

Wen Yansheng said: "Mr. Chen's report on private businessmen is really a feat, and it will ...... in the future The government wants to take credit for Mr. Chen. ”

Mrs. Chen was a little embarrassed, and shook his head busily: "Don't dare, don't dare, this is all the credit of Governor Wen's mansion, these are all native people, cough cough...... If it weren't for the rampant slaughter of our people, the old man really wouldn't have been able to open his mouth, and the Wen Governor's Mansion would still keep it a secret. ”