Chapter 155: Cut the mess with a sharp knife! (Second update)
Three days later.
The small courtyard in Xicheng, Beiping.
Xia Zhibai was looking through a 'booklet'.
The above is what Dalu and others recorded based on the dictation of the little beggar on the street.
A long while.
Xia Zhibai put down the booklet.
He looked at Hei Wa aside and asked: "Hei Wa, how long will it take for the people from the imperial court to arrive? There is a clear time."
Hei Wa stood up and scratched his head. Said: "Brother Xia, I have asked every day in the past few days. The inn can't tell you clearly. They only said that the imperial court has sent people. As for when they will arrive, they are not sure yet."
Xia Zhibai frowned.
He has been in Peiping for nearly ten days.
A lot of things have been slowly getting on track, and he is just waiting for the final iron smelting plant to start construction, but before the people allocated by the court have arrived, his factory has never been completed, and he has been waiting day by day. , Xia Zhibai was also a little upset.
Xia Zhibai put his hand on the brochure, hesitated for a moment, and said: "Forget it, since we haven't arrived yet, let's not worry about the iron smelting factory first. We can solve the problem in the salt market first, and you can go and help. I will inform the seven, eight, and fifteen salt merchants who are currently in charge of the Peiping Salt Market and tell them that I have something to inform them."
"In addition,"
"I will tell them directly. .”
"I, Xia Zhibai, am here under orders this time."
"From now on, I will be in charge of the northern salt market alone."
Hei Wa was startled.
He said with some confusion: "Brother Xia, just tell them directly?"
"Just tell them directly." Xia Zhibai said in a firm tone, with a smile on his face. : "What do you think I'm busy with during this time? I'm just busy with the evidence that these people are liaising with government officials. Now that we have some clues, it's natural to strike while the iron is hot."
"While they were restless, we took over the Peiping Salt Market in one go."
"Stay as quiet as a virgin, and move as fast as a rabbit."
"Destroy the enemy with one blow!"
> "I don't have the time and leisure to waste time in the salt market in Peiping, nor do I have the inclination to go around in circles with them. The north is very big. If I spend more than half a month in every place, then I don't know how long it will take to unify the salt market in the north. ”
“I just want to cut through the mess quickly”
"Courtesy first, then attack."
"Go."
Xia Zhibai waved his hand and asked Heiwa to pass on the message.
Hei Wa nodded excitedly and hurried to deliver the message.
In the past ten days, he had hardly been idle and visited all the streets and alleys in Peiping.
He is almost becoming the little beggar leader of Peiping.
Xia Zhibai sat in his seat and opened the booklet again.
It clearly states the movements of the fifteen salt merchants in Peiping during the ten days he came to Peiping.
In the first few days, these fifteen salt merchants basically did not move around, but five days ago, when Zhu Di was investigating corruption in the military, these salt merchants started to take action one after another.
I go out more frequently these days.
Of course, not all fifteen salt merchants are like this.
There are three or four salt merchants who have made little movement.
However, Beiping was the capital of the Yuan Dynasty in the past. Under the management of the Yuan people, the collusion between officials and businessmen was unprecedented. Even though the Ming Dynasty drove away the Mongols, the atmosphere of collusion between officials and businessmen here was still strong.
It’s not that these three or four salt merchants don’t want to take action.
But the background collapsed.
As an important city in the north, Peking has only two powerful institutions.
A Chief Secretary of Peking and a Palace of Prince Yan.
More than half a month ago, the Chief Secretary of Peking was taken over by Zhu Yuanzhang, and these salt merchants suddenly lost their backstage, and the salt sales in Peiping were also greatly affected. These three or four merchants The scale of salt production is not small, with 30,000 to 80,000 kilograms of salt produced per year alone, but now it is being cannibalized step by step by other salt merchants.
Before Xia Zhibai arrived, all the salt merchants who were in the limelight were related to the Yan Palace.
To be precise, it has something to do with the military attachés under King Yan.
Zhu Di has an arrogant temperament.
I simply don’t like the small money from selling salt.
But Zhu Di doesn't like it, and his military attaches will not let it go.
Xia Zhibai picked up his pen and clicked on Ma Wenhua and Peng Jiasheng. These two families are the most popular recently. One is in contact with Qiu Fu's father-in-law, and the other is in contact with Li Bin's brother-in-law. Qiu Fu and Li Bin are both Zhu Di's trusted generals.
The Chief Secretary of Peking fell down, and Prince Yan’s palace was full.
The world is so realistic and cruel.
Xia Zhibai will not embarrass these salt merchants. This is the trend in the north. Without the support of officials behind him, nothing can be done. What he wants is for these salt merchants to hand over the salt market.
There is another booklet in Xia Zhibai's hand.
The news recorded above was even more shocking, but Xia Zhibai didn't think about it.
He did intend to stir up the storm in Peking.
But we have to do it step by step.
Only when the water is muddy can he profit from it. But if the water is too muddy, so muddy that it is a little too muddy, then it is too much.
What he wants is a slow knife to cut the flesh.
It didn’t take long.
Hei Wa is back.
He brought all the news.
Xia Zhibai nodded, picked up a fallen leaf from the ground, threw it into the vegetable garden in the courtyard, and said lightly: "How did these salt merchants recover?" Hei Wa said: "How else can they recover? ? I can only agree and say that I want to meet and talk to Brother Xia."
"But these people looked really ugly when they heard those words."
Thinking of the ugly faces of those salt merchants, Hei Wa couldn't help but cover his mouth and laugh.
Xia Zhibai smiled and said: "Yes, of course we can see you. The time is up to them. They should go to the military attachés to discuss it. Remember to ask the spies on the street to keep an eye on it. This is also one of the 'evidences'." One."
Hei Wa nodded repeatedly and said with a smile: "Brother Xia, don't worry, I will remind you on the way."
"They are all in good spirits."
“During this period, they have food every day. This is something they never dared to think about before. Not to mention being more active in doing things, they just wish they had a few more pairs of eyes or turned into The salt merchants’ homes were staring intently.”
Xia Zhibai also couldn’t laugh or cry.
He just asked those little spies to follow and obtain information, but he didn't want these little spies to risk their lives.
However, as an important town, Peiping has a large population and does not have the awareness of prevention for future generations. If you find some little beggars to stare at, there will basically be no accidents. Even if the salt merchants find that there are little beggars staring at them, they will probably not do anything. If you take it seriously, you will just curse a few words and drive him away unluckily, but you will not take action in anger.
This gave Xia Zhibai an opportunity.
The cost is also quite low.
Food to satisfy your hunger.
Xia Zhibai reminded: "Remember to ask them to pay more attention to safety. If they are discovered, leave immediately. Don't insist on staying. Don't go back for a while, or switch guard with others. But they shouldn't be guarded for too long. . ”
“These military attachés are busy with their own affairs, so they have no spare time to care about the salt merchants.”
Xia Zhibai is taking advantage of the situation.
While the military attachés of Prince Yan's Mansion were busy dealing with their own dirty affairs, they intervened in time to seize the salt market.
Although the salt market is destined to fall into his hands, it is obviously more cost-effective to seize the food from the tiger's mouth than to pay a certain price and consume more time and energy.
Hei Wa's eyes were rolling. He hesitated for a while, and then asked with some lack of confidence: "Brother Xia, when this matter is over, what are we going to do with these little beggars in Peiping? Continue to let us go." Are they living on the streets? Or are they looking for something else to do?"
Hei Wa's voice became smaller and smaller.
In the end, it was as quiet as the chirping of mosquitoes, and you couldn’t hear it unless you listened carefully.
“I think they are quite pitiful.”
“How about.”
"."
Seeing Hei Wa's helpless look, Xia Zhibai laughed, touched Hei Wa's head, and said seriously: "Don't worry, when this matter is over, I will take care of them." Leave it in the hands of Ta Lu and others, and let Ta Lu teach them how to read and write. "
"You, Hua Que'er and others will also go. When you can learn some basic words, I will find some more for you. Teacher, teach you other knowledge.”
“I have high hopes for you.”
“Don’t let me down.”
Hear the words.
Hei Wa, who had his head lowered with a look of embarrassment, suddenly raised his head, his eyes flashing brightly, and said in disbelief: "Brother Xia, are you telling the truth? Do you really know how to stay? Want to teach us how to read and write?”
Xia Zhibai said: “It’s absolutely true.” It is your plan to read and write.”
"You have been in salt factories and coal factories, and you know the conditions inside. There are too few literate people in my hands, and the court will not arrange for more scholars to come over. Most of those scholars are not willing to condescend, so naturally they can only train themselves. ."
"But I am not training you to be scholars who only read books about sages."
"I want to train you to be engineers."
" Innovative people.”
“Don’t be too happy now, you may not even have time to cry.”
"The days of studying are very boring."
"Haha."
Xia Zhibai couldn't help but joke.
Hei Wa looked unconcerned. How many people dream of studying?
He was a beggar before.
Being able to follow Xia Zhibai is already a blessing. I never thought before that I would still be able to study in the future. I have this opportunity, but I can’t cherish it. Are you afraid of hardship? When had he ever been afraid of hardship?
Xia Zhibai said: "Don't announce this in advance."
"Beiping is not yet stable."
"Tell them when the time is right."
Heiwa nodded his head like a chicken pecking at rice, and covered his mouth with one hand.
Xia Zhibai chuckled and shook his head.
Xia Zhibai has been thinking about cultivating talents by himself for a long time.
What he wants to do cannot be supported by outsiders. Sometimes he can only cultivate it himself.
The scholars outside have read too many books by saints and sages, and their minds are full of "what is right" and "morality, benevolence and righteousness". This kind of blind reading will not have much effect on the world. On the contrary, it is "engineers" who are talented. It is what the world really needs.
This part can only be cultivated by yourself.
What he wants to do, in a way, is not teaching.
But literacy.
Seeing that Hei Wa was still excited, Xia Zhibai did not bother him and went straight back to the house to prepare for the meeting with the salt merchant.
Afternoon.
The representative of the salt merchant sent an invitation.
Invite Xia Zhibai to meet at Ma Wenhua's home tomorrow.
Discuss the Beiping Salt Market.
(End of this chapter)