Chapter 317 eats two heads, and also scores a protection fee

After Chen Qiyu was arrested, Hong Chengchou was ordered to take charge of the military affairs of Shaanxi, Jin, Chu, Henan, and Sichuan provinces with the secretary of the military department, and prepared to encircle and suppress the peasant army on a larger scale. In December of the seventh year of Chongzhen (1634), the peasant army Gao Yingxiang, Li Zicheng and other troops went out of eastern Shaanxi to Nanshan, entered Henan, Lianke Chenzhou, Lingbao, Bishui, Xingyang and other places, and the momentum revived. Emperor Chongzhen urgently ordered Hong Chengchou to go out of the customs and join forces with Zhu Dadian, the governor of Shandong, to encircle and suppress the peasant army.

On October 27, the Huguang troops came to the aid of Hanzhong, but were defeated by the peasant army, and the deputy commander-in-chief Yang Zhengfang and the general Zhang Shida were killed in battle.

At the end of the seventh year of Chongzhen, the situation in the Central Plains became more and more difficult. Thieves are rampant, and officers and soldiers in various localities do not dare to fight against the inbound thieves, and they hold the door behind closed doors. One after another bad news reached Jingshi, and Zhu Youzhen was in a terrible mood. Thinking of Chen Xie's previous performance, instead of increasing his good impression of Chen Xie, he became more and more disgusted, feeling that he had lost face in front of his courtiers.

Speaking of which, Chen Xie really doesn't read much, if he reads the Three Kingdoms carefully, he won't make Tian Feng's mistakes. Zhu Youzhen is an extremely face-saving monarch, and the correct opinion must be said at the right time and in the right way in order to be accepted by him.

Chen Xie didn't have the heart to take care of Zhu Youzhen's mood, and returned to Dengzhou, a bereaved dog who had been waiting in Dengzhou for half a year, finally met Mr. Chen. Li Guozhu looked forward to the stars and the moon, and finally brought Li Heng over. At the beginning, this maritime merchant who relied on the Li family for food has now become a figure who must be looked up to. That is, Li Guozhu's father has a little love affair with Li Heng, and Li Heng is still very concerned about his affairs.

"I met Mr. Chen. Put away your thoughts. The most important thing is to tell the truth, he looks young and old, and no one in this world can play tricks in front of him. The last time Liu Xiang came, she played tricks. As a result, Master Chen bought dozens of big guys from the Zheng family in one go, and even you were affected. Serve Master Chen with peace of mind, and ensure that you will be no worse than anyone else at sea in the future. ”

Li Heng's carriage entered Zhangjiazhuang and was checked three times on the way. The politeness of being a soldier is very polite, and the investigation is really strict. Seeing this Zhuangzi, Li Guozhu's heart was beating a little uncontrollably. It is said to be a Zhuangzi, but it is actually a fortress. Large-caliber cannons. You can see it in the car. After roughly counting, there were no less than ten forts at the head of the city. Two guns per emplacement, that's twenty 12-pounder guns. This is only one side of the line of sight, but the other side? Take a look out of the window. My heart twitched hard.

This 12-pounder gun. The ghost door sells for four thousand taels. That's not even if it's open for sale. Liu Xiang's dog day, it's really stupid. Such a good thigh, don't hold it hard. No wonder Zheng Zhilong was disabled, and he also affected himself.

In the backyard, Chen Xie was playing with the two children, lying on the ground pretending to be a dog, and giggling with amusement. This scene was really miserable, and several maids were holding back and screaming uncomfortable, and they didn't dare to laugh. The maid of the Chen family has the highest salary in Dengzhou every month, a bonus at the end of the month, a red envelope at the end of the year, and four days off a month, and no one wants to be fired for laughing at the master.

Yujing came in from outside, saw Chen Xie's appearance, and glared angrily at the nurse with the child and scolded: "How many times have you said it, don't let the master accompany the child so crazy, why don't you know how to stop it?" Do you want to do it anymore? ”

Chen Xie reluctantly got up from the ground and glanced at her: "What are you doing?" What for? Scared my daughter into tears! ”

The wet nurse immediately stepped forward and picked up the two children. After giving birth, the body became plump and full. Seeing Chen Xie reluctantly looking at the child, his heart was still very sweet. However, this matter is opposed from her point of view.

"The master likes children, and he can't learn to bark in order to please children, right? The next person looked at it, what did it look like? ”

Chen Xie lowered his face when he heard this, and said angrily: "I'm willing!" Usually less at home, it's hard to stay at home with the children, what kind of mess are you making? ”

"Okay, mine isn't. Mr. Li Heng is here, you have to go and see him, right? Yujing saw that Chen Xie's face was wrong, and hurriedly said soft words. The temper of this old man is now very clear. Now Chen Xie's career is big, and he stays in Zhangjiazhuang for no more than two months a year. The affairs in Zhuangzi are all managed by the two aunts, and they also cherish Chen Xie's time at home. However, the women of the Ming Dynasty could not be jealous, they were not wives, and Chen Xie had no intention of marrying a wife. For this, Chen Xie asked them to die without frowning. Very simply, their idea is that Master Chen is afraid that they will be wronged, after all, they have given birth to a child, so they simply don't want their wife to come back to find trouble.

"I know, I'll get out." Chen Xie said that he was leaving, but Yu Xun hurriedly grabbed him and said, "My lord, do you always wash your face and change your clothes?" Otherwise, others will not say that you are not particular, and that we will not serve people. ”

When changing clothes, they inevitably bump into each other, Chen Xie is not honest. His hand was touching in the critical place, and the rain was forced to endure the ripples caused by the attack and disturbed him, and he cleaned it up. When he was gone, he sat on the chair softly and couldn't move, and Chen Xie laughed.

Entering the living room, Chen Xie's face immediately sank, he looked Li Heng up and down, and said with a smile: "Brother Li, I said that you don't need to look for these troubles, what do you mean?" Li Heng said with a smile: "Back then, I ran a business in Dongying, and I got the help of Master Li. This little incense please, I haven't had a chance to repay it, and I also ask Master Chen to make it convenient. ”

Chen Xie glared and said angrily: "Lao Li, what are you scolding? Do you talk like that? What kind of friendship do you and I have, call the master again, you go out, don't enter my door in the future. Li Heng smiled and said, "Okay, Lord Chen, I was wrong, okay." ”

Chen Xie crooked his mouth and sighed: "This person is really boring, when he first came out to mix, he didn't have so many courtesies, right?" Lao Li, don't come to this set between us, if you want to be called by the master, then you should not have me as a friend. ”

Li Heng smiled: "Okay, Sihua, I'm welcome." Chen Xie said: "That's right, sit down and talk." After speaking, he glanced at Li Guozhu, and the thing had been standing. Chen Xie looked at it for a while before asking Li Heng: "Brother Li, what are your plans?" ”

Li Heng sighed a little before he said: "Now in the southeast sea, Zheng Zhilong's family is dominant, and it is a ship that takes the route of Dongying, and he has to pay protection money to his family, and my ship is not immune." To be honest, I also had a lot of thoughts about his friendship, and he ended up telling me the rules. This thing makes me really uncomfortable. In this way, a ship of 500 materials, if you make a price, how much can you sell, I will never bargain, how much you want. ”

Chen Xie heard it, this guy is also a master who can't afford to be profitable, but he is very knowledgeable and doesn't mention any big ships. After pondering carefully, Chen Xie came back to his senses. smiled: "Brother Li, this means that you don't want to cooperate with me." ”

Li Heng laughed when he heard this: "Just wait for Sihua's words, I'm a businessman, I don't need so many ships, right?" ”

Chen Xie nodded and said, "Zheng Zhilong is now an official in Fujian, so it's not good to get into trouble with him." In this way, let him get away for a while. Next spring, I'll take out 40 of the 500 boats. But then again, you have to vouch for this man. If something goes wrong, I'll ask you for a loss. ”

Chen Xie didn't have a good heart, Zheng Zhilong collected protection money at sea, millions of taels a year, and this money couldn't be earned by him alone. You have to share a little with him, otherwise your heart will be unbalanced.

"Sihua, I think it's okay to do this, first give him some hardship, and then everyone sits down and talks." Li Heng had an idea, and Chen Xie thought about it for a moment and said, "I definitely can't come forward in this matter." ”

Li Heng said with a smile: "You don't need to come forward, go back and let Guozhu go to the sea and settle some accounts with him." ”

Chen Xie nodded and said: "That's okay, I'll let Xilao Jing cooperate, by the way, first the gentleman and then the villain, no matter what you talk about, I want thirty percent of the benefits." Besides, I can't give these ships for nothing, can I? ”

Li Heng glanced at Li Guozhu, this product was very eye-catching, and immediately took out a money order from his arms and put it on the table. Chen Xie looked down, 500,000. Immediately sneered a few times and stopped talking. Li Heng smiled when he saw it, took out a bill of exchange from his pocket and put it on the table. Chen Xie looked down, and then smiled: "Then it's decided." By February next year at the latest, you will bring someone to get the boat. ”

Li Heng smiled: "Sihua, you have to match the guns, right?" Chen Xie smiled: "This is natural." Each ship had one 12-pounder gun, four 6-pounder guns, and eight 3-pounder guns. But let's talk about it first, the medicine is another money. ”

Li Heng was anxious, stood up and said, "I said Sihua, this is not kind." You also sent 50 rounds of artillery shells and medicine packs to the Zheng family. Why do I need money here? No, no. ”

Chen Xie sighed twice, and said with a very disadvantaged expression: "That's okay, 50 rounds is 50 rounds." Brother Li, you are a profiteer, I can't talk about you. By the way, in addition to the cannon, the smoothbore gun does not come a little? For the sake of everyone's old friends, I will send you 200 pieces, and other purchases, 20% off. ”

Li Heng said: "If I want it, but I don't have any money, can I get it on credit?" It was still a good atmosphere just now, just like that, Chen Xie jumped up, pointed at Li Heng and said, "My brother still settles accounts?" How can you do that? This smoothbore gun, no matter who comes, is 200 silver dollars a piece, without counteroffer. Last month, Guan Ningjun wanted to sell 2,000 pieces, and I didn't have any stock. ”

Chen Xie is a nonsense, Guan Ningjun came to buy artillery, and Chen Xie made a batch of 3-pounder guns to fool people. Large-caliber artillery, Chen Xie went to Fujian to buy, that was because Zheng Zhilong could buy it from the ghost. Sell it to Guan Ningjun, I don't know who is cheaper. Therefore, this arms deal is also divided into people. Sold to Guan Ningjun, there is a chance that it will hit the head of the Dengzhou battalion in the future, and of course Chen Xie can't sell the big guys. Sold to Zheng Zhilong, it will be different, it will not fall into the hands of Houjin.

Li Heng pestered again and again, and finally had to give up, took out a bill of exchange of 200,000 yuan, bought 2,000 smoothbore guns, and finally insisted on 100 rounds of ammunition.

In fact, this business, even if the ammunition does not cost money, Chen Xie will make money, which is an absolute profiteering. One point is crucial, without Chen Xie's ammunition, the power of these weapons is greatly reduced. Zheng Zhilong has to pinch his nose to buy ammunition now. Chen Xie is very shrewd in his calculations here, and he buys arms on both sides first. Go back and let the sailor help fight Zheng Zhilong, and you can also share a protection fee. (To be continued......)