Daming Yinghua

Chapter 140 Runaway Slave
Liu Baihu, who was off duty, was sitting behind his hut, basking in the sun, with a few silver coins in his pocket, planning to go to the city with his wife in a few days to buy some good goods.

His eldest daughter suddenly came to call him: "Father, Aya and a woman riding a horse are back."

Liu Baihu got up in surprise and turned to the front of the house. Zheng Haizhu was dismounting from his horse, handing the reins to Xu San who was sweating from running to find her, and then pulled the woman who shrank behind him.

"Master Liu, I really didn't expect that this is your family member. Today my horse was startled when it heard the sound of firearms. It was Aya who saved me."

Liu Baihu was stunned for a moment, and then slapped his thigh: "Are those sailors trying to shoot bird guns? Oh, I should remind Zheng Dong's family. There are some big ships in the port, and they are easy to be snatched by Japanese people when they go to North Korea. When in port, firearms practice."

Liu Baihu's daughter-in-law also came from the backyard, glanced at the sable Zheng Haizhu was wearing, and then at the Songjiang Flare cloth jacket on Aya.

Liu Baihu reprimanded: "Silly woman, hurry up and greet Zheng Dong's family."

Only then did Liu's daughter-in-law realize that the broken silver in her hand was given by the Goddess of Wealth in front of her.

She hastily pulled a girl over with one hand, squatted down deeply, and thanked her a lot.

Liu Baihu saw that although Zheng Haizhu said kindly, "Sister-in-law, why are you polite", his eyes wandered between the two women.

He coughed dryly, touched his nose, and said embarrassingly: "Zheng Dong's family, Aya is from Li Chao. My brothers in Liaodong saw her in a miserable situation, so they sent her to my family and became my concubine. If my husband and wife eat a meal, they will be hungry." Leave her alone."

Zheng Haizhu said calmly: "Oh, it's from North Korea. It's not bad to ride a horse. If it wasn't for her, I would have fallen into a deep ditch with a man and a horse. Xu San, go to the shop to buy some cotton shoes when I return to the city. , bring it tomorrow. At this time of year, don’t freeze your toes while wearing straw sandals.”

Xu San flattered him.

Liu Baihu, his wife and their two daughters were all wearing cotton boots, but Aya was wearing straw sandals made of jute.

Liu Baihu is a slippery old man, so he couldn't understand the meaning of Zheng Haizhu's words, so he cursed inwardly: You little aunt who can't get married, it's your turn to make irresponsible remarks about my family affairs.

He has already learned from Cheng Ba's office that Zheng Haizhu and Mao Wenlong are in business partnership, but the most important thing is that they have an unusual relationship with the Lu Fan clan in Yanzhou fiefdom, so they can't afford to offend them.

Liu Baihu then smiled awkwardly, and said to Zheng Haizhu: "Dong Zheng's family has relaxed the Bodhisattva's heart. Although Aya came to be a concubine, she is still my woman. Besides, she has it in her stomach. We two, how can we freeze it?" starving her."

Zheng Haizhu was surprised when he heard this, and went to look at Aya's abdomen.

A skinny person can't tell she's pregnant.

This pregnant woman did not hesitate to come forward to save others in an emergency.

Zheng Haizhu took another look at Liu Baihu's two daughters.

The older one looks like a girl of sixteen or seventeen, and the second child has already developed. At their age, they don't have any younger brothers. It is estimated that the Liu family's wife will not be able to give birth.

For the North Korean Aya, Liu Baihu's so-called "acceptance" seems to be nothing more than using it as a reproductive tool to give birth to a son.

He didn't treat her as a human being, and he didn't intend to let her have enough food and clothing.

Zheng Haizhu endured his disgust, and said in a harmonious voice: "Master Liu, sister-in-law Liu, Aya's kindness, I wrote it down today. When the boat returns, it will be next spring, and I will come to see her again."

Liu Baihu responded with a smile, and then scolded Aya: "Hurry up and take off the jacket and return it to Zheng Dong's family."

Zheng Haizhu waved his hand, his face became colder: "What do you pay for? I gave it to Aya. Isn't my life worth a coat?"

She bit the word "Aya" a little harder, turned around and patted the poor woman's shoulder: "I will definitely come to see you again."

……

At Shenshi this day, Wu Bangde at the post station in Dengzhou City saw Zheng Haizhu coming back, so he hurriedly called the post chief.

The postmaster came and handed over a letter graciously, saying that it arrived a few days ago, sent from Songjiang Mansion, via the official postal route, the post station was very cautious, and had to be handed over to him.

Zheng Haizhu opened it and saw that it was written by Huang Zunsu, saying that the piano that was "meaning between pine and stone" was bought away by an Huizhou merchant for 8 taels of silver.

Just a few lines of words made Zheng Haizhu ecstatic.

When she set off from Songjiang, she told Huang Zunsu and others that she planned to arrive in Dengzhou during the light snow solar term, and set off before the frozen port.

Presumably, Huang Zunsu knew that she would use Liu Shimin's Xiaokan to share the official post along the way, so he tried to send the letter to the Dengzhou post.

The comrades in Songjiang are so awesome!

8 taels!

Back then, Emperor Longqing bought rouge, gouache, and head flowers for the entire harem, but he asked the Ministry of Households to ask for 10 taels, but he still didn't get it.

Although Huang Zunsu's letter was very succinct, it only talked about the result and did not describe the process in a single sentence, but Zheng Haizhu can certainly imagine that even Su Dongpo's used piano can be exchanged for such a freshman in just two months. The sum of money, from Huang Zunsu to Wang Yuesheng, and then to Lu Xiangsheng, must have been painstaking.

That night, at the banquet where Tao Langxian, the governor of Dengzhou, hosted a banquet for Zhu Yipai, the general of Zhenguo, Zheng Haizhu, who was rich and energetic, introduced to Tao Langxian that he was inviting the court through several masters. Approved artillery casting plans.

Tao Lang Xianguo, as Zhang Yaofang said, is not a vegetarian.

However, with his current official position, he still can't get involved in the coastal defense of Liao, and the soldiers recruited to suppress Wenxiangjiao often use cold weapons. He is not as familiar with Western learning as Xu Guangqi and Sun Yuanhua, so he is not familiar with firearms.

But when Zheng Haizhu finished talking about the naval battle experience of Spanish ship-borne guns, and that the Frankies in Haojing had begun to cast guns to arm Macao and prepare to deal with the Dutch invasion, Tao Lang immediately thought of going to the imperial court. The governor came forward and led the prefect of Dengzhou and the coastal defense road of Denglai to work together to transform Dengzhou Water City and add forts.

Taking advantage of the situation, Zheng Haizhu also put forward specific suggestions such as relying on Danya Mountain to arrange cross firepower, and a new fortress-style hollow fort outside the breakwater.

Tao Langxian had heard from Zhu Yipai that a merchant woman from the south of the Yangtze River had played a leading role in smashing the hijacking plan of the Wenxiang Sect, and he was still a little puzzled. He met a real person at the dinner party and listened to Jun's talk, so he believed that the other party really had The two brushes said bluntly: "Miss Zheng, if I really get money from the imperial court, I will definitely ask your firearms workshop to buy cannons."

Zheng Haizhu said with a smile: "Caomin has promised Wang Yushi that the first few doors will not be able to collect money. Thanks to Tao Zhifu's favor, we will allocate a few tile-roofed houses for our own artillery instructors and artillerymen to live in and pay a few taels." Use the money, and it will be done."

Tao Lang first agreed, and then asked Zheng Haizhu the return date for Zhu Yipai to recruit miners, about three or four months after the Liaohai freeze next year. Good contact matters.

……

In the early morning of the next day, Zheng Haizhu and his party bid farewell to Zhu Yipai and his wife, finished loading at Jindaotun Private Port, and set sail northward.

In the Liaohai Sea in the near winter, the waves are calm, and the white figures of seagulls pass by from time to time on the blue water.

Not long after, the sailors said that the big island they had just passed was Changshan Island. Even if the wind was not favorable, the boat could reach Lushunkou at noon the next day.

This made Zheng Haizhu experience on the spot, no wonder Daming put Liaodong under the jurisdiction of Shandong administratively.

In the era without steam power, the voyage between Deng and Liao could be so short with sails alone.

So what exactly did Gui Daming do?

If we insist on managing the two areas of Dongjiang Town (Phi Island) and Lushun, station strong troops like the Zhejiang Army or the Sichuan Army in Lushun, keep supplying military supplies from Dengzhou and Laizhou, and at the same time support the Liao generals represented by Mao Wenlong in Dongjiang Town.As long as Jiannu led troops to plunder the wealthy western Liaoning, people from southern Liaoning would attack Hetuala, their old nest, burn supplies and snatch Dingkou back. How could Jiannu go west in one go?

From Fushun to Qinghe, from Kaiyuan to Tieling, from Liaoyang to Shenyang, the vast Liaodong territory of the Huanghuang Empire was engulfed by slavery military tribes from deep mountains and old forests, bit by bit eating away at fortresses and barriers, and ravaging cities and villages everywhere. .

In the meantime, there are all kinds of annoying details such as using the wrong person, running to the wrong place, fighting in the nest, pulling back legs, killing good generals, and destroying the three views. The serials of later generations can shoot a hundred episodes, and the slots of each episode are not the same.

Zheng Haizhu breathed out a turbid breath from the bow, closed his eyes, and meditated on the big event that will happen in Fushun next April in the sunshine and sea breeze.

Suddenly, Mu Zaohua's voice came from below the deck.

"Mr. Wu, Li Daniu, why is there someone hiding in the warehouse!"

Zheng Haizhu suddenly opened his eyes, walked to the side of the cabin, and looked around.

But they saw Wu Bangde and the three of them, escorting a thin woman, appearing beside the wooden ladder.

The woman looked up.

Zheng Haizhu was taken aback: "Aya, why is it you?"

(End of this chapter)