The Great Seminary

Chapter 86 Urgent Matters

When spring comes, everything starts to grow.

The sweet berry tree in the backyard of Zhihai Village Yamen is in full bloom with clusters of purple flowers.

In the pavilion next to the fruit tree, Zhang Gui poured tea himself.

He also picked several bunches of berries from the berry bushes.

It was put into a basket woven from willow branches and washed with well water.

Placed on the stone table in the pavilion.

“Berries from sandy soil, sweet and sour.

It’s delicious.”

Guan Xihui picked up the bunch of fruits and swallowed them all in one gulp, chewing with his mouth full of purple juice.

"Commander-in-Chief Zhang is truly well-mannered. He calmed down after just a few steps."

Zhang Gui smiled bitterly and said:
It's not that I'm well-educated, but I need to do something extra to calm down.

If there is no skin left, how will the hair be attached?

We are like monkeys stealing fruits from the big tree of Song and Ming.

Ordinary big trees don’t care about drought or flooding.

But when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter.”

Guan Xihui sighed when he heard this.

“Sure enough, you think just as I do.

Even Boss Yan felt that the Ming and Song dynasties had been established for hundreds of years and still had some assets.

Even if we lose nine thousand cavalry, the Flower Dragon Cavalry will not be a complete defeat."

“That’s because Lord Yan is also a prominent figure of his time, and he’s used to being the boss.

He was unwilling to admit how terrifying Changsheng Tiemu, who had a similar background to him, was.

Lao Guan was stunned. He agreed with Zhang Gui's statement in his heart, but he couldn't say it out loud. He just said vaguely:
“Now I just hope I’m just worrying too much.

Or maybe it's said that Yuanshan is not good at water supply, so even if the smoke of war breaks out in the northern border, the southern country can still hold on."

Zhang Gui sighed and said:
“That’s really the only thing I can think of.

But I still want to thank Deputy Gang Leader Guan for telling me this information so early.

Give me more time to prepare.

Although you certainly didn't come to Zhihai Village specifically to inform me."

"Hahaha, you kid."

Guan Xihui couldn't help laughing.

Given his temperament, he would only occasionally speak to Zhang Gui in such an intimate tone and address.

It can also prove that the friendship between the two has changed from being completely false to being half-true and half-false.
They talked for a while.

Someone came to report to Guan Xihui that the cargo on the "Shrimp Soldier Boat" had been unloaded.

Ever since Zhihaizhai was successfully opened as a port, Lao Guan regarded the fifty thousand taels of silver bribe that Zhang Gui had previously taken as an investment by the Daohai Gang in the Bingzhai Wharf.

The secret warehouse used for smuggling and selling stolen goods was replaced with an open and aboveboard warehouse.

He also opened a business called "Baifan".

Selling weapons and small and medium-sized armed cargo ships.

This also made Zhang Gui further certain that after Zhang Yan and his gang rebelled against the Zhang family in Pingyang, they had established a new base.

And its scale is no smaller than the former Blackwood Town.

Or perhaps as early as the Blackwood Town era, they were using a dual-base strategy of one open and one hidden.

Zhang Gui couldn't help but hum again,

“Deputy Gang Leader Guan, the weapons business is extremely profitable.

The net profit from the goods you sold at our terminal this month alone is.”

Guan Xihui heard that he was about to bring up the topic of money again, so he stood up and bowed.
“The more you earn, the more you spend.

Besides, we sell a lot of goods at your dock, so your place is prosperous.

To run a big business, you can't just focus on the immediate small profits and ignore the long-term.

Well, it’s getting late.

I have other things to do.

Commander Zhang, let's say goodbye now and see you next time."

Looking at his back as he quickly walked away, Zhang Gui shouted with an embarrassed face:
"It's still a long way off. If I continue to act like this, I'm afraid that next time you come, I won't be the governor of Zhihai Village.

Let’s make a deal, if I manage to hold on, you must pay the increased rent next time.”

Lao Guan, who had already reached the gate of the courtyard, stopped and turned back, saying with a smile:
“Commander Zhang is joking.

In the entire Siyang, no, in the entire Ming and Song dynasties, besides you, there's only one person who would suddenly have the whim to open the military base's wharf for trade. And how dare they openly invite a "business" like ours to cooperate.

Not only that.

I heard that you are also in contact with some 'businesses' similar to ours in the East Inland Sea.

This is the "big broker" who wants to communicate between right and wrong.

Although the climate is not ripe yet, those who can fix this mess except you are unwilling to take the blame, and those who are willing to come are unable to do so.

In addition, there has been a big mistake in the national war.

It really proves what you often say, 'In some special times, stability overrides everything.'

Therefore, we should also focus on "stability" in everything.

Silver, 50,000 taels must be presented before the first day of the new year every year.

The rent for the shop will be five thousand taels per year starting next year, and I will pay it at the same time.

Other than that, I have nothing.”

Then he casually stroked his long beard and walked away.

Ten days later, news of the Ming-Song army's defeat in the war began to spread among the people.

After all, such a major event will inevitably become impossible to contain as time goes by.

Then another piece of news came which could be called "bad news for the country".

The Wonsan army has no military ethics.

With 30,000 Canglang Guards and Bailu Army as the spearhead, they broke the main force of Ming and Song's 500,000-strong infantry and cavalry army.

Afterwards, 450,000 light cavalrymen launched a surprise attack and won a great victory.

They broke through Yanhan Pass in one fell swoop and invaded the capital.

Suddenly, the entire Ming and Song dynasties were in turmoil.

Even Yanjing, the capital of the Ming and Song dynasties and known as "the most prosperous city in the world", is separated by thousands or tens of thousands of miles.

Zhihai Village, hidden in the wild mountains and located on the poor sea and wild beach, also became a place of panic.

This is the first floor hall of the newly opened restaurant "Yu Yuyan" on Xin Street of Tianbingzhai Wharf.

The place was bustling with people and business was booming.

A table in the corner.

Four or five middle-aged men in thin cotton shirts and a few young people were sitting there waiting for their food.

The young men stayed still, while the middle-aged men talked in low voices.

One of them was a thin man with faint bruises on his face and a gloomy expression.

"At that time, the Yuanshan people deployed the 'Sharp Teeth Formation'.

The Canglang Guard is in the middle, and the Bailu Army is on the wings.

The charge was like mercury filling the ground.

Our Song and Ming armies, under the orders of General Zhao, deployed the "Ten-Li Long Snake Formation" to defend against the enemy.

The result is like a huge water vase hanging in the air, large but useless.
The attack of the Canglang Guard and the Bailu Army penetrated the formation as if it were nothing.

At that time, the general's flag was shaken and the army's morale was low.

Then they were ambushed by the Yuanshan army's light cavalry and were immediately defeated.

The collapse of a broken bottle, the collapse of a broken bottle!
I had read military books for so many years, but only then did I truly understand why it was said:
There is no way to stop the collapse of a broken bottle.

Even a true god can’t do anything about it.”

Seeing that his body was trembling slightly as he was talking, a white, fat, and honest-looking companion advised:
"Alright, Brother Sun, in this changing world, we are all just like ants.

Some things just don't need to be thought about anymore.

The key now is to establish a relationship with the human trafficking dealers in Xihezhou and rescue the people.

I think the dock of Zhihaizhai is quite prosperous.

If we can get our hands on it, it will be of great benefit to this matter."

One of the young men really didn't understand and couldn't help but interrupt:
"Uncles, we are here to report to the governor of Zhihai Village with a letter from Master Benxiao's silly classmate Zhang.

Is anyone trying to harm him?

How did it become the other way around?”

Several middle-aged men looked at each other after hearing this.

Even Brother Sun, who was so dejected just now and looked like he was going to hang himself at any moment, did not reply to him.

The fat white man smiled and said, "Xiao Guang, eat, eat.

Some things can only be understood but not explained; you will understand them naturally after experiencing them.”

(End of this chapter)