The First Great Ancestor of the Five Dynasties

Chapter 350
A few days later, in the early morning, the sky was gray and bright, and a steady drizzle enveloped the entire Banqiao store.

The hazy rain and fog didn't stop until noon, and after a while, two riverboats docked, and the peddlers who carried the burdens and the traders driving the carts of cattle and mules got off the ferry and took the dirt road east of the ferry to Banqiaodian.

Some of these traveling merchants want to settle in Banqiao store, and some want to find Di store to store their goods, and then go elsewhere after stopping for a while.

The Banqiao store is the transfer station for traders, from where goods from the north and south are sent to various prefectures and counties.

There were crowds of people on the muddy road, and the sounds of cows and horses were heard constantly. The slippery muddy ground was deeply rutted by the heavy trucks carrying goods. There were unlucky traders whose wheels got stuck in the mud, and they were anxiously shouting for help.

Zhu Xiu, Pan Mei, and Hu Guangyue got off the ferry, found out where the Banqiao store was, hired a truck with half a load of fur goods, and asked them to take them to the Banqiao store with a handlebar.

The cart was driving on the bumpy dirt road, the handlebars were shouting loudly and whipping, and the two old mules were working hard to move forward. The wheels of the cart turned very fast, splashing mud and water everywhere.

Zhu Xiu and the other three were sitting on the bumpy carriage, their faces turned pale and they clung to the railing, their internal organs shaking as they were shaken.

"Slow down! Slow down!" Pan Mei howled miserably.

The man on the handlebar is a Huaixi man in his 40s. He turned around and grinned at Pan Mei, showing his yellow teeth.

Pan Mei spoke in Kaifeng Mandarin. She couldn't quite understand the handlebars. She kept waving her whip. The speed of the mule cart continued unabated. A strong jolting sensation spread along the wooden wheels to the carriage board. The whole cart was shaking violently. Shake and make a clicking sound.

Zhu Xiu was too frightened to speak, fearing that the cart would fall apart as it ran and the three of them would fall headlong into the mud.

"Fuck, slow down!~" Pan Mei cursed her mother angrily.

Handlebar Style thought that the guests were amazed by his superb driving skills, so he became more and more proud, shouted and cracked his whip vigorously, and the speed of the cart increased by three points.

So, on the wet muddy road, I saw a cart pulled by two mules, driving past like lightning, splashing muddy water everywhere, and causing curses all the way.

The journey that originally took more than two hours to complete took only half an hour to reach the Banqiao store.

The mule cart stopped, jumped down from the handlebars, and started chattering to Zhu Xiu and the others. The Huaixi dialect with a strong local accent was incomprehensible.

"What a fucking bastard." Pan Mei's face turned green, she was angry and anxious. She jumped out of the car and tried to argue with the handlebars.

Zhu Xiu climbed onto the platform and waved weakly: "Give him money and let him go!"

Hu Guangyue was the worst. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he bent down with his knees and started vomiting.

The driver took the reward money, chatted again, and drove the mule cart away happily.

Zhu Xiu didn't want to vomit at first, but when he saw Hu Guangyue vomited in yellow, green and yellow, he couldn't help feeling sick, so he bent down with a "vomit" and vomited too.

Pan Mei covered her mouth and didn't take two steps, squatting on the ground and retching.

At the west intersection of Banqiaodian, three young students squatted on the side of the road and vomited, causing bursts of laughter from passers-by.

Looking at their appearance, you can tell that they are from the north. They are not used to riding on river boats, and with the bumpy rides, their legs are weak, so it's strange that they don't vomit.

After a while, the three supported each other, entered a restaurant on the street, found a table and sat down.

The waiter diligently carried the teapot and poured tea. Three rough earthenware bowls were placed. The tea poured out was also full of crumbs. It looked like it was brewed with the cheapest tea bricks.

The three of them didn't care about being particular, they picked up the earthen bowl and gurgled and poured it vigorously. Only after drinking the warm tea did they regain some energy.

"Looking at the accents, the three guests are from Henan, right? Isn't it a good feeling to take a ferry on this big river? Hehe~ The shop has a few light and appetizing dishes, specially designed to entertain people like you who have just vomited after getting off the boat. For those of you who have an appetite, do you three want to try it?"

".Just have one as you said~" Zhu Xiu couldn't laugh or cry. This store owner is quite smart.

"Okay! Guest officer, please wait a minute!"

The waiter put down the teapot and ran into the kitchen to give orders.

"The natural dangers of the Yangtze River are indeed well-deserved! I think we, Lao Pan, have also ridden on river boats, and we have also ridden on ferries on the Yellow River, Wei River, and Tongji Canal. But it is not like this time, when the river was bumpy and drifting, and a When the waves hit, the sky was spinning, and I almost peed my pants!"

Pan Mei picked up the earthen bowl with lingering fear on her face.

Hu Guangyue's face turned pale and he smiled bitterly and said: "The handlebar mule cart is not easy to ride on either. It made me vomit all the gall water."

Zhu Xiu felt disgusted, changed his face, and glared at him: "Shut up!"

The three of them drank tea in silence, no longer discussing their experience of going south and crossing the river by boat, lest their stomachs, which had just calmed down, start to trouble them again.

After a while, the waiter brought all the dishes.

A plate of steamed river prawns, a plate of dipping sauces, a plate of lotus leaf glutinous rice cakes, a portion of puff pastry, and two bowls of light soup.

Pan Mei scooped up a bowl of soup and tasted it. It was really fragrant and delicious, and she drank three more bowls in a row.

The three moved their chopsticks, but the waiter didn't coax them. These light dishes were really refreshing and appetizing.

"How are you, sir? The dishes in our Banqiao store are not bad, right? I dare not say anything else. As for the food, there are more than fifty restaurants in Banqiao store, big and small, and not one of them is bad! Even a piece of it. Ordinary old noodle steamed buns, the ones made by our Banqiao store are better than those made outside!"

The waiter was very proud of his identity as a native of the Banqiao store.

Zhu Xiu winked, and Pan Mei took out a thumb-sized piece of broken silver from her arms and stuffed it into the store clerk's pocket.

The waiter was stunned for a moment, and subconsciously tightened his fists. The look of joy was like water waves, rippling from between his brows.

"Ouch!~ The three officials are so polite! If you need any help, just ask! I was born and raised in this Banqiao store, so there is no one or thing that I don't know about!"

The waiter in the shop bowed his head with a smile on his face.

Although I saw a lot of traders who traveled all over the country, I never met a single high-roller who rewarded me with silver taels as soon as I made a deal.

Zhu Xiu smiled and said, "From your tone, you seem to know what we are doing here?"

The waiter smiled flatteringly and said: "You three speak Kaifeng Mandarin, and are lined with fine silk clothes. These two are also wearing weapons. At first glance, you don't look like businessmen. You came to this Banqiao store not to find someone." It’s just business!”

Pan Mei looked at him and said in surprise: "You have a good eye!"

The waiter said proudly: "There are more customers to greet, so my eyes must be brighter."

Zhu Xiu smiled and said, "Do you know if there is anyone named Zhu in this Banqiao store?"

The shop waiter smiled and said: "In our area, although there are few people with the surname Zhu, there are still a few. I don't know which one the officials are asking about?"

Zhu Xiu thought for a while and said, "I can't tell which family is the specific one. I only know that this Zhu family is not a local. It probably moved from the north a few years ago. The accent should be from the Huaidong Haozhou area." The waiter scratched his head. He asked, "The officials really asked me about it. The few families with the surname Zhu that I know are all local people, and none of them moved from other places."

Pan Mei glared at him: "Useless thing! Just now you were bragging that you were born and raised and know everything!"

The waiter blushed and said sarcastically: "The Banqiao store has a lot of outsiders coming and going. I don't know how many people come in and out every day. Black households, runaway households, refugees of all ages, those without a mouth or registration, and villains." But I really don’t know.”

Zhu Xiu waved his hand: "Forget it, go down and do your work, and help us inquire carefully. If there is anyone from Huaidong, please let me know."

"Hey~ I remember it!" The waiter nodded and bowed. He just turned around and took a few steps. He patted his forehead and ran back and said, "I just remembered something, and it has something to do with the person named Zhu."

Zhu Xiu said hurriedly: "What's the matter? Tell me quickly!"

"That's it. A few days ago, in the Nanwazi area, I heard that a tenant farmer named Zhu was planning to flee to the north, but was caught by the owner's family! The whole family was captured by officials and taken to Jiangning. , said he wanted to be convicted and beheaded!
It is a serious crime for a tenant to deregister without permission, and the family is afraid that they will have no way out.

The man surnamed Zhu works as a handyman at Tongyuan Cargo Store. He is familiar with several Lifu brothers in the store and heard about it from their mouths."

Zhu Xiu listened carefully and asked, "Where is this Zhu family from?"

The waiter in the shop recalled: "I don't know exactly where the people are, but they are definitely not from the hometown! The people living in Nanwazi are all poor tenants, and there are coolies doing odd jobs in various businesses. Most of them are foreigners."

Pan Mei asked strangely: "Even if you run away, your whole family will not be beheaded and you will get official trouble? The same goes for the Zhu family. If you are a good tenant, why should you run away?"

"Hey, the officials don't know. The head of the tenant surnamed Zhu is the famous Zhou family. The head of the family is Zhou Ling, the commander of the Gongsheng Army and the general of the Forbidden Army!
The Zhou family is amazing, it is a first-class wealthy family in Jiangnan, and has relations with many prominent dignitaries!

Zhou Ling became a general at the age of 32 and led the imperial army to defend Jiangning.

This tenant surnamed Zhu dares to offend the Zhou family. Isn't this the birthday man who eats arsenic and is seeking death?
As for why the Zhu family wanted to become fugitives, I can't really blame them.

The rent of the Zhou family's tenants has been rising year by year, and they are called a pickpocket behind their backs. Which of the Zhou family's tenants is not miserable?
In the past, there were people who dared to ask the Zhou family to make a theory. It didn’t take long for the family members to disappear or die suddenly. They all knew that they were the murderers of the Zhou family, but whoever said that they have a strong backing and a thick waist, how can ordinary people fight it~”

The waiter salivated.

Zhu Xiu frowned. It seemed that the family named Zhu had caused a lot of trouble.

"How to get to Nanwazi?"

"Just cross the intersection and go south."

After asking about the place, Zhu Xiu asked the shop waiter to leave.

"After dinner, let's go to Nanwazi to inquire about it first," Zhu Xiu said.

Pan Mei picked up the shrimp and stuffed it into her mouth: "Let me see, that unlucky family is not the person we are looking for."

Hu Guangyue glanced at Zhu Xiu and whispered: "The people brought by Lord Marquis from Suzhou are all hiding in Jiangning. Do you want my subordinates to notify them to come?"

Zhu Xiu shook her head: "Don't worry, first find out the situation before we talk."

Pan Mei sneered and said: "It seems that the Jiangnan court is not much better. It allows the generals of the Forbidden Army to prey on the people. The people have deep grievances but have no place to appeal. Sooner or later there will be a big mess!"

Zhu Xiu smiled and said nothing.

Li Jing can be regarded as a quite satisfactory emperor, with no great achievements and no major crimes.

It's not that Li Jing can't see the situation where there are many gentry in the south of the Yangtze River and control power, but he just doesn't have the ability to solve it.

Since the Jin Dynasty moved south, Jiangnan has become a natural refuge for noble families. It has become a habit and routine for the nobles to flee to the south of the Yangtze River during wars in the north.

Since the Huainan Jiedu envoy Yang Xingmi sealed the Wu king's separatist rule in Jiangnan, and then Xu Wen usurped power, Xu Wen's adopted son Xu Zhigao accepted the Zen title of emperor, restored the surname Li and established the Southern Tang Dynasty, the political power in the Jiangnan area has remained stable.

Therefore, the family politics that has basically declined in the north is still lingering in the south of the Yangtze River.

Relying on the power of the family like Zhou Ling, there are not a few descendants of aristocratic families who ascended to high positions at a young age and did evil in the local area.

After dinner, Zhu Xiu and the others rushed to Nanwazi.

"Oh~ It's really a mess!"

After entering Nanwazi, Pan Mei muttered as she stepped on the slippery mud.

Dirty and messy is not enough to describe this muddy puddle where poor households gather. A mixture of excrement, urine, and muddy water flows everywhere, with a stench. The low mud houses and thatched cottages, and the skinny men, women, and children in the mud courtyards are curious and wary. staring intently at strangers passing by their door.

Pan Mei and Hu Guangyue asked around, but the strange thing was that when they heard that they were looking for a family named Zhu, the poor people in Nanwazi lost their good looks and drove them away in disgust. No one told them where the Zhu family lived.

Fortunately, on the way, I met an old man with a lame leg and deaf ears. Hearing that they were inquiring about Zhu's family, the old man was silent for a while, and pointed in the direction.

The three of them followed the direction pointed by the old man and came to a small, messy earthen courtyard.

Most of the low courtyard wall made of yellow soil collapsed, the bamboo fence gate was chopped to pieces, the courtyard was filled with mud and water, and only some broken pots and bowls were thrown on the ground.

The two mud huts were turned into a mess, and all the usable items were picked up by the nearby dilapidated households, and even the firewood piled in the corner was looted.

Yellow muddy water pours into the earthen house. If it is not cleaned, the walls will be soaked in a few days, and the house will collapse little by little.

"This shabby place cannot be inhabited." Pan Mei shook her head, kicked open a broken Buddhist niche, and two wooden plaques fell out of it.

"What's this?" Pan Mei picked up two wooden signs from the mud, wiped off the mud, and revealed the handwriting engraved on the front.

When she saw the inscriptions on the tablet clearly, Pan Mei's eyes widened in shock: "What the hell is this!"

Standing in front of the earthen house, Zhu Xiu stared at the dilapidated house in a daze. Hearing Pan Mei's bluffing, she turned her head to look at him.

Pan Mei came running through the muddy water: "Look at this thing!"

Zhu Xiu couldn't help but be stunned when he took a look at the two tablets.

There is a tablet among them, and the name enshrined is exactly the same as his.

Pan Mei swallowed her saliva and her lips trembled: "Have you found it!? Could it be that the unlucky Zhu family, that's it... that's it"

Pan Mei didn't dare to continue talking, so she suddenly raised her hand and slapped her mouth twice, with a sad face: "I have this damn crow's mouth!~"

(End of this chapter)