"Taiwan is not as prosperous as Nanzhou......"

"Luzon is too chaotic ......"

"Funan people are too leng ......"

"Dongzhou? Learning to distinguish between raw and ripe is enough for you to die ten times. ”

In the small tent, the old man outside the staff showed the disadvantages of various places one by one in a chatter-like tone, and said Ji Xiaolan's thoughts in the pile, which made him feel more like a confidant. But this fat man compares Nanzhou at every turn, which makes Ji Xiaolan, whose EQ is still on the passing line, have a hint of vigilance, could it be that this is a trust somewhere in Nanzhou?

"Yes, I'm recruiting people on behalf of Nanzhou Coral State."

didn't hide it outside, Ji Xiaolan said secretly, sure enough, ......

Although she was vigilant, but after talking speculatively just now, Ji Xiaolan didn't want to leave with her legs, and asked politely: "Then what are the benefits of Coral State?" ”

The staff shook his head at him and smiled: "It's not good, there are Jinshan, it's not as big as Chuzhou, there are more farms, it's better to help Nanguang, and it also raises cattle, sheep and horses, it's not as prosperous as other places in Nanzhou, and it's far away, it's ...... than those states in Dongzhou, as well as Chuzhou and Penglai Prefecture in Nanzhou."

The staff complained, under his description, Coral State is also a mountain, water and rivers, everything, but nothing outstanding, the only thing worth boasting about is only two, one is the pleasant scenery, blue sea and blue sky, magnificent wilderness, high mountains and flowing water, everything. First, there are many people, three religions and nine streams, and everything can be accommodated.

Ji Xiaolan was thrilled, the former was suitable for his wish to "live in seclusion", and the latter was more able to hide his identity.

Just as he wanted to inquire about the details, he looked at him outside, shook his head and said, "It's a pity, you probably can't go to Xiucai." ”

The trace of vigilance in her heart suddenly dissipated, and Ji Xiaolan asked in surprise, "Why!?" ”

The clerk said: "There is a special preferential treatment for scholars, if you go, you will have a house and a job, and if you have a little literary talent, you can help the governor manage the affairs and put on the official hat......

Ji Xiaolan's heart was hot, and her eyes lit up. I almost hugged this fat man and shouted that I would like to go.

But he didn't think about it and said: "Such a good thing, everyone is rushing to go, the quota has long been full, how can it be your turn?" ”

A basin of ice water was poured from head to foot, Ji Xiaolan was extremely depressed, God would throw cakes, but he couldn't hit him.

The staff member said again: "I also have a part in Coral State, but my main business is in Tianzhu. Scholar. I see that you are also loyal, why don't you follow me to Tianzhu......"

Ji Xiaolan hurriedly refused, Tianzhu was a ghost place, and he wouldn't go to kill him. At the moment, he was thinking about Coral State. Hearing that this outsider also has a part in the Coral State Company, I want to climb the relationship with this outsider to see if there is a chance, but his face is thin, and he is speechless for a while.

The staff waizheng sighed: "Tianzhu is obviously a good place, why doesn't anyone want to go......"

Ji Xiaolan rolled her eyes, calculated in her heart, and analyzed the reasons why no one wanted to go to Tianzhu with the staff, and then offered a few "publicity" suggestions. In a moment, he became closer to the outside world, and he was so affectionate that he could call himself a "little nephew".

"Master Zhong...... Over there in Coral State, does the little nephew really have no chance? ”

Ji Xiaolan struck while the iron was hot, and Zhong Shangwei was a little embarrassed: "This ...... Someone vouches, maybe there is still a chance, but you are ...... nephew."

He said something that made Ji Xiaolan tremble: "I'm afraid there is some criminal record on my body, right?" ”

Then the conversation changed: "As long as it's not murder and arson." It's nothing, listening to you, it shouldn't be a full person, but let's meet in Pingshui......"

I didn't finish the words, the meaning is very clear, what kind of friendship do we have? Why should I vouch for you?

Ji Xiaolan was depressed again, but listened to the rich young man on the side and say, "Dad, if this scholar is willing to help us recruit people to Tianzhu." It's a big help. Dad helps him again, it's the best of both worlds. ”

Zhong Shangwei slapped his face: "Yes, why can't you think of it?" ”

He looked at Ji Xiaolan, and Ji Xiaolan quickly nodded his head like a rattle, this is a great thing!

"Come on, let's sign the agreement. This is a helper agreement, this is a guarantee agreement, this is an agreement to go to the coral state, well, this can be signed first, and then I will discuss it with the governor of the coral state......"

Zhong Shangwei took out a stack of paperwork like a trick, and there was hesitation on his face: "This ...... Ji Xiucai, can I trust you? ”

Ji Xiaolan's heart was both weak and moved, and she was about to settle her name on the paper after receiving a hard pen, but she was stopped by Zhong Shangwei, and the other party's eyes were full of seriousness: "Xiucai, you are a northerner, you have to get used to our Yinghua rules of doing things, there is no gentleman's agreement here, everything has to be laid out clearly." You have to read the agreement carefully and understand it before you decide. In the future, when you get along with other people, you must also keep this rule in mind, so as not to suffer losses. ”

A thick stack of agreements, afraid that there will not be thirty or fifty pieces of paper, Ji Xiaolan said in her heart that she has deceived others to some extent, and if you read this agreement clearly word by word, maybe people will come back to their senses and never have this opportunity again.

"Can someone like Master Zhong still bully his little nephew?"

As he spoke, he flipped through the agreement, the first few pages were all about writing about his deserved benefits, and he was so excited that he didn't say much, picked up a brush and signed, and then pressed his fingerprints.

"Okay, now Ji Xiucai, you and I Lao Zhong are a family, go change your clothes first, and then go to work."

The agreement was in triplicate, one for Party A and one for Party B and the government, Zhong Shangwei accepted the agreement, held his head high, his temperament was very different from before, and Ji Xiaolan had not woken up yet. He was in a dilemma, he only had some copper coins in his pocket, and this white-washed straight-leg coat was already the bottom of the box......

"Don't worry, I'll pay you three months' salary first, plus the signing fee, this is forty taels, Zhong Fu! Accompany this show to the city to buy a head! ”

Zhong Shangwei handed over a roll of banknotes, Ji Xiaolan took it tremblingly, her eyes were full of tears, what a good person! The innocent smashed the cake! Ten taels per month, and a signing fee! Although at this time in Yinghua, the general teaching gentleman is also treated like this, but for him, it is simply a long drought and nectar.

Just as he was surprised, a strange tone sounded above the side of his head: "Xiucai, follow me!" ”

Turning his head, a big man with a brown complexion and a big bun came into view, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up.

That day, the big man's eyes were full of the essence of examining the prey, and he grinned at Ji Xiaolan, revealing six white teeth, pushing a cold air into Ji Xiaolan's heart, seeping into him involuntarily shuddering, and vaguely had a bad feeling.

turned his head to look again, but saw that Zhong Shang's father and son had regarded him as nothing. Aiming at the rolling crowd.

Zhong Erhua, the son of Zhong Shang, pointed to a certain place in the crowd and said, "That ......"

Zhong Shangwei shook his head: "That scholar has been in the shop in Dongzhou for a long time, he should want to run as far as possible, he must have a deep criminal record." ”

Ji Xiaolan looked over and saw a scholar with sleeves cagged, looking around, but secretive, with a temperament that was almost the same as before.

It's like I understand something, but I don't understand anything. Ji Xiaolan followed Dabaotou in a daze.

When the Sikh servant "escorted" Ji Xiaolan away, Zhong Erhua sincerely admired: "It's still a great father, and he did this show in a few words, and he only gave him the treatment of a teacher." In other places, the number of scholars is at least twice as high. I knew that he was so stupid, and he should have changed the term of the agreement to fifty years. ”

Zhong Shangwei whiskered and said: "It's not that the national law stipulates that the work contract between the Chinese people is at most ten years, and your father and I can buy the children he hasn't given birth to yet......"

Zhong Erhua frowned again and said, "What if this scholar's case record is also very deep?" ”

Zhong Shangwei sneered: "What can this kind of stupid goose do? Give him a chicken and he won't dare to kill it! Most of them have participated in those scholars' associations to keep the case record, and after Liaodong is pacified, His Majesty will definitely give amnesty to the world, and the case record will be erased by then. ”

He sighed: "Erhua, you must not only talk about eloquence, but also about heart and eyesight. Your father and I are old, and there are not many days to take you, so I have to figure it out for yourself. ”

Zhong Shangwei's career has reached this point, and he doesn't have to be on the front line at all, just like when he was in the Jiaozhi Coal Mine, he personally stared at every car of coal out of the mine, and in the Coral State Copper Mine Gold Mine. He likes to enjoy the feeling of a little harvest accumulating from every truck of mine, and in Bangladesh at every acre of land and every woodland planting crops.

He had been busy in Bangladesh for more than half a year, and the plantation had an initial scale, and the county's governance was on the right track. At this moment, the news of the Northern Expedition came, and Zhong Shangwei's mind turned to China. Li Shun, who assumed the position of governor, asked him to take advantage of the opportunity of the Northern Expedition to restore the land. Let Coral State go to the next level, and he will return to China and get busy in full swing. Bangladesh is an inheritance reserved for the eldest son, and Coral State is the property of the second son, that is, the son-in-law, and of course he cannot leave it aside.

Li Shun went to Shanxi to organize an immigrant group. Another partner, Wang Zhiyan, was in China to promote the Coral State Chamber of Commerce, while Zhong Shangwei picked up the leak in Tanggu. The immigrant group was mainly laborers and craftsmen, and Zhong Shang's task was to recruit scholars.

The most scarce thing in the overseas colonies now is the scholars, although the northern scholars are not as effective as the Anglo-Chinese scholars, and most of the old world's sets are still in their heads, but they are still usable to handle local management affairs, and the price is "low". Scholars in Britain and China, but all those who have graduated from high school, are not very willing to go overseas, unless there is a high salary and a good job, and the salary is three or five times higher than that in China to be attractive, and the northern scholars can be satisfied with the general treatment.

The general treatment overseas is not so ordinary, a person like Ji Xiaolan, even if he has a criminal record and goes to other places overseas, he can have at least twenty or thirty taels a month, and it is impossible to sign a ten-year long contract. But Zhong Shangsheng personally went out, and the effect was completely different, and the treatment that Ji Xiaolan received was completely different......

At this time, of course, Ji Xiaolan hadn't figured out the truth of the whole thing, but when he changed his outfit, returned to the small tent on the top of the clock, and started to work, when people preached the benefits of going to Tianzhu, he only knew one thing: in the eyes of that big baotou, he was a prisoner, and if he dared to escape, a pair of big palms like a fan would strangle his neck, and it would be easily twisted off like a chicken and duck.

After a busy day, Ji Xiaolan took heavy steps and returned to the designated inn under the supervision of Dabaotou. When I entered a large bunk, the bed was already full of people, and a young scholar with a rickety figure was sitting on the edge of the bed, stunned.

Ji Xiaolan asked casually: "Brother Tai also went to Coral State?" ”

The scholar looked at him, his eyes were empty and blank, so he nodded slightly, and at this time, Ji Xiaolan saw a bulge on his back, which turned out to be a Luo pot, it seemed that Master Zhong took pity on him.

Although after he went to work, Master Zhong didn't pay attention to him anymore, but he felt that Master Zhong was too busy, and the big baotou treated him badly, which was also a blessing from his subordinates, and at this time he was still full of gratitude to Zhong Shangzhi in his heart.

The scholar didn't speak, Ji Xiaolan thought of the "new life", and was about to talk to someone, and then said enthusiastically: "It's really lucky, we can all go to Coral State and be reincarnated as human beings." ”

"Lucky!? Reincarnated as a human being!? ”

The scholar spoke. There was still a vague official atmosphere between the words.

"We are not from Coral State, you should take a good look at the agreement, we are the expatriate labor of 'Sanhe Tianzhu Company', we can't enjoy the benefits of Coral State, and we are not under the jurisdiction of the Overseas Trusteeship Law......"

The scholar sneered, laughing worse than crying: "We are all under the jurisdiction of the Bengal colonial law, and we are one level higher than slaves." ”

Ji Xiaolan was dumbfounded. What does that mean?

"You were also deceived by that fat man and didn't read the agreement carefully, right? It was not the Coral State Company that signed with us, it was his Tianzhu Company. ”

As soon as the scholar said this, Ji Xiaolan woke up like a dream, and quickly pulled out the agreement and looked at it carefully. The more you look at the face, the more ugly it is, the front is the good, the back is the disadvantage, and at the end of Party A, the words "Sanhe Tianzhu Company" are clearly written.

The agreement stipulates that he has the right to transfer him to Tianzhu at any time, and what to do is not negotiable, and there are countless punishments for slacking off or bad things, and the most serious one will be imprisoned, and the annual salary will be fixed at 120 taels. Whether it rises or not depends on the company's face, and if the assessment is not good, Ji Xiaolan's face is suddenly defeated, these ten years are not an errand at all, but a sale of body and mind! It's a slave!

"This kind of work contract is not tolerated by national law! I quit! ”

Ji Xiaolan's forehead was bruised, and the face of the kind and loyal elder on the top of Zhong was suddenly clouded. He became an evil demon squeezed out of the underworld.

The scholar said gloomily: "As I said just now, this contract is in accordance with the law of the country, Bangladesh law, and if you don't do it, you will be in breach of contract." ”

Thinking of being a slave for ten years, Ji Xiaolan felt that life was worse than death: "If you break the contract, you will break the contract!" Isn't it just to terminate the contract with money? Even if you break the house, you have to break this contract! ”

The scholar sneered, "Can you afford to pay the termination fee?" Triple the termination fee, which is three thousand taels. ”

Three thousand!?

This number was like a big stick knocking on the door of Ji Xiaolan's head, knocking on his Venus. I almost fainted, how did this number come about?

"The salary advance, and the guarantee agreement, you didn't see it, the guarantee agreement said that the ship fare and settling-in fee have been paid for you. A lot of fees such as the paperwork fee for the government, and I also made a loan of five hundred taels for you......"

The scholar said in a tone of schadenfreude, as if he could see the painful faces of others, and his heart would be better.

A cold air twisted Ji Xiaolan's intestines, making him want to faint.

"It's okay if you can't pay the termination fee, and it's okay to go to prison for three or five years."

The scholar said this again, Ji Xiaolan was in a trance, and felt that her throat was a little sweet, and she was in prison!? That's not a matter of three or five years, he still has a criminal record!

After gurgling and boiling for a while, Ji Xiaolan finally accepted this reality, he was abducted...... Thinking that he was going to be a slave for ten years, he threw himself on the bed, biting the mattress and choking out.

The scholar said quietly: "It's good to cry out......"

After venting for a while, Ji Xiaolan suddenly asked: "Brother Tai, you should be more sophisticated than the younger brother, how can you fall into the way of that fat man!?" ”

The scholar's cheeks were also distorted, and he said vaguely: "That guy said that everyone can be covered, not to mention that I ......"

As if touching a secret, the scholar quickly shut up, but Ji Xiaolan's heart was much better.

"That's a demon!"

"Otherwise, why is it called Nanban, this is an insight!"

The two of them cursed indignantly at the same time, and the people who quarreled with the other beds were all deceived into getting on the boat, and they scolded angrily, and the two quickly lowered their voices.

"Little brother Ji Xiaolan ......"

"Liu Yong......"

Liu Yong reported his pseudonym, the reason why he got on the thief ship of Zhong Shang's position was that his fake name could be guaranteed by Zhong Shang's position, strictly speaking, he was not deceived, but he didn't realize that the price would be so expensive.

He didn't have a choice, after escaping from Ningyuan City, he didn't know where to go, his mind was almost collapsed, he didn't have gray hair overnight, but his back was hunched.

I almost begged all the way over, and like Ji Xiaolan, I also wanted to take refuge in the sea, but I bumped into Zhong Shang. The fat man's eyesight is really vicious to the extreme, even if he is in rags, but he still sees the general details, after some exchanges, Liu Yong was stunned to sign a lot of agreements, and he was still full of joy at the time, and then he woke up like a dream.

It's a pity that he has no choice, although the fat man doesn't know his exact origin, he knows that he has some criminal record, and he lost it to the government, and he has never lived well in his life.

"Being able to stay overseas for 10 years is not necessarily all bad."

"Yes, if you do a good job, you can really get into the Coral State nationality."

The two of them have the same illness and sympathy, and they have also begun to re-do psychological construction, and things have come to this point, so they have to look at the benefits.

Tanggu Wharf, even at night, is still very noisy. In Zhong Shang's shop, a companion rushed over and shouted at Zhong Shang: "Director Si, Dongzhou robbed our people!" ”

Zhong Shang's eyes were stunned, and he suddenly turned into a fat and angry tiger: "Fan Liuxi is also doing this!?" When this is his territory! Let's go, find him to theorize! ”

Companion said: "There are a lot of Li people around that guy!" ”

Zhong Shangwei said: "What are Li people, I still have a big bun!" Zhong Gui, hurry up and call your brothers! Attention, don't carry knives! ”

He rolled up his sleeves and cursed in his mouth: "My Zhong is a bully!?" ”

Not long after, a brawl broke out in Tanggu Harbor, with the yellow Dongli people on one side and the brown Sikhs on the other. The two proprietors were spitting and scolding on the side, and a few showmen cowered and hid to the side, at a loss for what was in front of them.

This night, Tanggu Port, as usual, is still sleepless, and the entire land of China is also full of sleepless nights.