"The Kansai military government wants to requisition ships in large numbers!"

"The treasures have to be unloaded, and the grain and grass will be used before handing them over to the Hexi Army"

"Reparations? It's good to be able to return to the Great Song Dynasty alive, in my opinion, we have been deceived! ”

"It seems that the ship and cargo can't be saved, and the Xia State Mansion can give a way home, thank God!"

Soon after Zhao Xingde convened the generals to discuss the matter, all kinds of rumors and speculations spread around.

Although the sailor was discussing compensation with major trading houses such as Yajiao and Fuhai, the vast majority of the merchants did not have the opportunity to attend the meeting. For a while, the people on Longzhu Island immediately became panicked, and the maritime merchants couldn't help but feel that the sea was unpredictable and unpredictable compared to the imperial court's intentions. Especially in the Kansai Imperial Court, the Kanto merchants didn't even have anyone to talk to, so they came down with such a fluttering piece of military paper, and the gold and silver mountains in their hands came to naught. After several months of this sea journey, the owners, sailors, and sailors of the merchant ships could be regarded as sharing weal and woe, if not in the same boat. Inevitably, the merchants' complaints also affected the morale of the sailors, and there were many complaints on the island.

"It's over, it's over!" Wu Dafu sat in the crowd, his eyes glazed like a fool.

His mind was in turmoil, and his mind was full of debts that were rolling interest. The Wu family was originally a big salt merchant in Yangzhou, passed to Wu Dafu's generation, because of the Liao people's southern invasion and the vitality was greatly damaged, in order to avoid the family road, Wu Dafu relied on the shadow of his ancestors, he came out as the head of the gang to raise money to buy a ship to go to sea, many Yangzhou businessmen are looking at the face of the Wu family before joining the shares, Wu Dafu for the big shares, he not only gritted his teeth and sold a lot of property, but also borrowed a lot of debts privately. The money people in Yangzhou have always been very good at collecting debts, only recognizing money and not people, and forcing people to death is just an ordinary trivial matter. If there is no return for this trip, the Wu family in Yangzhou, which has been in the limelight for decades, will immediately fall, and Wu Dafu will either be forced to die by the creditor, or hide outside incognito.

He couldn't hear what the senior officials on the stage were saying, but some harsh whispers among the businessmen pierced his eardrums like steel needles. "It's over!" "What kind of navigation right, trade right, this is a pie drawn, digging a pit for us to jump!" "Lord Zhao is a good official, but he can't do it obediently when the imperial court comes down with a military letter." "Alas, I can't escape, I can't escape ......" "I lost a lot of money this time, how to explain to my father when I return to my hometown."

Zhao Xingde convened the largest trading houses to discuss the compensation results, first said that the sailor issued a deed on behalf of the Xia Imperial Court to compensate the shipowner for transporting grain and grass, however, the cost of transporting grain and grass by sea is far from being comparable with the profit of the treasure trade ten times or dozens of times, even if the sailor issued such a huge compensation deed, the Prime Minister's Mansion and the Protector's Mansion would never agree. Therefore, Zhao Xingde discussed with the merchants that they would give the Song merchant ships who participated in the operation the right of navigation and trade to the west of Longzhu Island.

If the Xia defeated the Romans and subdued the princes, then these Song merchant ships would enjoy the same treatment as Xia merchant ships in all ports west of Longzhu Island. The Xia capital was deep inland, with almost no ports, and there was no large merchant fleet calling at Xia, and the Song merchant ships that did not participate in the operation did not enjoy these preferential treatments. In this way, the right to trade at sea west of Longzhu Island was monopolized by these Song merchant ships who participated in maritime operations with the army. Therefore, when Zhao Xingde proposed to compensate with navigation rights and trade rights, several large trading houses such as Fuhai Xing, Sixian Xing, Yunshan Xing, Maoyi Xing, Yajiao Xing, and Haizhen Xing were quite mobile, so they convened other shipowners to discuss the compensation for the requisitioned ships.

After Xu Xiaoyun stood on the stage to explain the situation, he looked coldly at the businessmen whispering below.

Yan Yuexi, the archdeacon of Fuhaixing, sat between the shopkeepers of the leading firms, his eyes half-open and half-closed, as if he hadn't woken up. This old guy is not simple, Xu Xiaoyun glanced at him, others don't know the relationship between Fu Haixing and the royal family of Xia Kingdom, but Xu Xiaoyun probably knows. He was secretly worried in his heart, and he spent seven or eight points of energy dealing with the businessmen's gossip and questioning, and always left two or three points of his mind on this big shopkeeper of Fu Hai Xing. After Xu Xiaoyun made a statement to the Marquis of Wuchang that day, he had been secretly watching for opportunities, he was silent on the surface, but secretly contacted several people who agreed with him. As the saying goes, heaven and earth are all working together, this time the Xia State Military Government suddenly requisitioned merchant ships, and he expected that he would only need to take advantage of the situation and push Wuchang Hou in that direction by a big step.

"Lord Zhao is known for his prestige, and his governance is the most lenient to the people, and his promise should be trustworthy."

"Lord Zhao has always attached the most importance to faithfulness and righteousness, and is a model for the gentlemen in the world. However, the imperial court has always been a dead government, this time the Kansai imperial court requisitioned civilian ships, and the incident happened in a hurry, everything that the officials discussed with us was an expedient measure, and the old man was not worried about anything else, but worried that the imperial court would not recognize these terms in the future, in case, in case, in case ......"'

You Yongjie, the leader of the Four Virtuous Lines, had a worried face, he muttered for a long time, and confessed to Xu Xiaoyun.

"In case after we return to Middle-earth, the imperial court transfers Lord Zhao to another place under the pretext of an excuse, and the new council member does not admit his account with a face, who shall we go to cry out for injustice? If this is the case, it is better to open the skylight at the beginning and say that the lighting will be lifted, and the lord will take all these ships, and those of us who have no shame to see our hometown fathers and elders will find our own way earlier, and we will be in exile for the rest of our lives. ”

The predecessor owes debts, the descendants don't care, if you want to collect debts, please find the big official in front of you, this has almost become the practice of the officialdom of the Great Song Dynasty, the businessmen on the ship have more or less suffered a little, You Yongjie's words are like a stone stirring up a thousand waves, and suddenly many people hit the sky and shouted, and some people even pulled their fingers one by one to count their own bloody and tearful lessons, and the hall was full of buzzing sounds.

When the officials on the side saw such a "noisy court", their faces changed, and they frequently asked whether they wanted to play and suppress it.

Xu Xiaoyun was expressionless, patiently listened to the audience poured bitter water for a long time, before raising his hand to signal everyone to be quiet, and muttered: "Today's matter, involving both sides of the Kanto and Kansai sides, the lower officials were sent by Lord Zhao to come to discuss with all the good students, although they can't be the master, but Lord Zhao has words first, please don't worry, if you have anything to say, the lower officials will truthfully report to Lord Zhao, please make a decision." The lower officials are not talented, and they are called Xu Tiemian, which is all false. Lord Zhao has a pair of iron shoulders, this is indeed true. Think about it, the things in front of you are nothing compared to Lord Zhao's lone Northern Expedition, the revival of the Central Plains, the pacification of Ezhou, and the Yangzhou Zhengxin Hall. Everyone must trust Lord Zhao, even if the sky falls, Lord Zhao, he can bear it. ”

After Xu Xiaoyun said this, he glanced meaningfully at the big businessmen around him, and was silent.

"Although Lord Xu's words are good, however, You Dongjia's worries are not unreasonable."

Huang Yuanting, the big shopkeeper of Yajiaoxing, groaned: "I don't know if there is any way to avoid the death of people?" ”

"yes, yes." "It's always a foolproof solution."

Huang Yuanting and You Yongjie were originally among the maritime merchants, and this worry even said that everyone's hearts were in trouble.

The people in the hall began to talk about it.

Since the Song Dynasty opened the Qing Dynasty, the state and county schools elected the scholars, the local pastors, and the autonomous decided on the major affairs of the prefectures and counties, the wind of discussion in various places has become stronger and stronger. Even if the maritime merchants have never eaten pork, they have seen pigs running, and the discussion is lively. After a while, someone said: "The terms and conditions signed between Kansai and us, whether or not to change people to deal with it, the power lies in the Kansai Imperial Court, but we have recognized Lord Zhao, no matter how the Guanxi Imperial Court replaces, let's just talk to Lord Zhao." Another person said: "If the name is not right, it is not good, the Kansai Imperial Court has changed people to take care of the navigation rights and trade rights, and Lord Zhao will lose his reputation for disposal, even if you go to him, it will only make Lord Zhao embarrassed in vain." The other sighed, "Well, this doesn't work, that doesn't work, but how?" ”

Xu Xiaoyun and You Yongjie exchanged colors, and the latter said to several sea merchants around him: "Ladies and gentlemen, Lord Zhao went on a northern expedition to the Central Plains, revived the Central Plains, and quelled the chaos in Ezhou. We are worried that the Guanxi Imperial Court can be replaced and disposed of, so that Lord Zhao will not be allowed to interfere in this matter, but, in the old man's opinion, even if the court changes generals, Lord Zhao is willing to help us, and what is missing is nothing more than a name. Since the reputation of the imperial court is unreliable, why don't we jointly nominate a name, so that Lord Zhao can justifiably take care of this matter for us. He coughed lightly and said in an accentuated tone, "The old man looks at the current situation, except for Lord Zhao, there is no one else who can take the lead." ”

"Oh?" Huang Yuanting said with interest, "If the old owner You has a plan, why don't you say it, let's take a closer look?" ”

"Yes, why don't you say it, let's take a closer look, and then we will speak to Lord Zhao together."

The few who echoed were all very famous among the maritime merchants, and they wanted to listen to You Yongjie's detailed explanation, and the businessmen around them were also driven to listen. Businessmen are the best at observing words and feelings, even if they don't know why, when they see that everyone is like this, they don't say anything and look at You Yongjie. Tan Yuexi glanced at Xu Xiaoyun, who was looking at You Yongjie, as if he was interested in You Yongjie's proposal, and as if his proposal had nothing to do with her.

"It's not a new idea," You Yongjie said modestly, stroking his beard, "It's just that everyone is united, and its profits are golden." ”

"Because of the high cost and high risk of sea trading, one person and a family dare not do it and do not have the capital to do it, and often everyone gathers money to buy a ship. A snake cannot be headless, especially if it is a boat. Therefore, we will introduce a person with both ability and political integrity to serve as the head of the program and oversee all the big and small affairs of the ship and cargo going to sea. Many of you here are the leaders of the high hopes of your hometown fathers. He glanced at the maritime merchant who nodded subconsciously, and said in a deep voice, "The old man's proposal, we are modeled on the system of the school on land, and we are to elect Lord Zhao to be the general leader of our rootless boat people. With this title, no matter how the name of the imperial court changes in the future, as long as Lord Zhao is still our chief program, your lord can stand up for us and ensure that the imperial court recognizes the right of trade and navigation that we deserve. ”

He squatted for a moment, his eyes swept over Xu Xiaoyun, looked at everyone, and said with a smile, "What do you think of the big bosses?" ”