Ming Dynasty Detective 1546

Chapter 52: Arrogant at first and respectful at the end

When the Jinyiwei appeared, Haiyue clearly felt that the attitude of this advisor had changed.

I used to be polite, but a little arrogant.

Although he is not directly arrogant at first and respectful later, he is just not respectful in such an obvious way.

Min Ziyong actually wanted to ask, do you know where Lu Bing came from?
You don't really think that he is just a small servant, do you?
Jinyiwei Sheren is usually the son of a Jinyiwei officer who has not officially inherited the position. To be honest, he doesn't even have a rank. But this person is learning from the Jinyiwei commander-in-chief. Can an ordinary Sheren have such treatment?
As an inspector-general, Wu Lin had only a few opportunities to meet the emperor. Lu Bing could enter the palace every once in a while. Could an ordinary official have such treatment?
But Min Ziyong changed his mind and realized that it was not his turn to say such words.

Even if you know his background, you still can't curry favor with him...

It was because of this boy's sincere heart that Lu Bing could not forget him after just one meeting, and he specially sent his men to deliver a token of love.

In this case, of course he had to change his thinking.

Wu Lin was originally anxious to repay the favor, but he was also afraid that Hai Yue would hold on to it and it would be a big deal if she came to him one day to ask for help.

But looking at the current situation, it’s hard to say who will be begging whom in the future!

Min Ziyong showed a friendly look, and was just thinking about how to make up for the minor unpleasantness caused earlier, when Hai Yue asked, "Master Min, regarding the matter of the misty village earlier, you said that you spent a lot of money to find out that it was a local nightmare town. Where did you get this information?"

Min Ziyong's expression changed, and he said frankly, "Shisanlang, it's better to stay away from such strange things!"

"I didn't want to ask about it originally, but now that my roommate has had this nightmare, it's like a sword hanging over my head."

Hai Yue's eyes showed determination: "Rather than waking up one day and having my relatives and friends tell me that I had such a strange dream and being in a state of panic all day long, it is better to prepare for the future and find out the truth first!"

Min Ziyong pursed his lips and said, "The locals are very secretive about this and are unwilling to say more. He is a wandering person..."

Seeing that he was hesitant, Hai Yue smiled and said, "I was born in Qionghai, so I've seen many displaced people, haven't I?"

Hainan, located at the southernmost tip of the Central Plains, was isolated and a penal colony within a penal colony. Take Qionshan, for example. While other places boast cultural heritage and historical sites that highlight the famous figures and scholars who emerged from them, Qionshan boasts a Five Lords Temple, commemorating five prominent officials who were demoted from the Tang and Song dynasties.

It is no wonder that Hainan is at the bottom of the regional contempt chain. Even other places in Guangdong look down on people on the island, but Haiyue herself will not look down on herself and is open and honest.

Min Ziyong calmed himself down and began to answer, "This man's name is Yan Xiu. I heard he was once a retainer of a noble in the capital, but was implicated and exiled here. He's quite well-known in the marketplace, but he's extremely greedy. Whenever you ask him anything, he always demands money... I'll take Shisanlang with me!"

"Excuse me!"

Min Ziyong quickly brought two horses from the yamen and took Haiyue towards Haopan Street.

In the seventh year of Dazhong Xiangfu in the Song Dynasty, Shao Ye, the governor of Guangzhou, dug a Jade Belt Moat in the inner city to facilitate the passage of boats. Ships came and went and traded along the moat, hence the name.

After three dynasties, namely the Song, Yuan and Ming dynasties, Haopan Street had become the most prosperous commercial district in Guangzhou. As recorded in "Guangzhou Xinyu", "Incense beads, rhinoceros and elephants piled up like mountains, flowers and birds spread like seas, and foreigners flocked to it. The daily expenditure was tens of millions of gold. The feasting and the singing and dancing were many times more than those in Qinhuai."

Since the ancients often exaggerated their descriptions, it is questionable whether it can be several times more beautiful than Qinhuai. However, when Haiyue arrived at the outskirts of Haopan Street, what she saw was indeed a bustling dock scene.

Haopan Street is close to the river, with ships constantly coming in and out, and the ships are also fully loaded with goods. The boat workers skillfully operate the ships, unloading and trading goods, and are busy.

"This must be the most prosperous street in Lingnan."

Min Ziyong made his assessment and led him down a small alley, pointing to a small tavern at the end. "That's Yan Xiu's restaurant. If I go there again, I'm afraid he'll ask for an even higher price..."

Along the way, Hai Yue not only inquired about the specific circumstances before the death of Tongpan Zong Chengxue, but also heard the master nagging about how greedy the other party was. She simply said, "Why don't I go in alone!"

"Alright!"

Min Ziyong nodded and took out a purse from his waist: "This is for emergency needs, I hope Shisanlang will not refuse it!"

Haiyue did not refuse and took it: "Thank you!" Min Ziyong smiled: "Don't be polite, don't be polite, I'll wait outside!"

Haiyue actually wanted to say that there was no need to wait, but seeing that Min Ziyong would not leave, she followed him and walked inside.

When I entered the tavern, I found that compared to the bustling other shops on the street, this place was very deserted. A bartender, about twelve or thirteen years old, was taking a nap on the counter.

In front of the table in the middle, a large man in a long gray cloth gown was drinking with his back to the door. A long sword with a mottled scabbard was leaning casually against the edge of the table.

“Business is coming!”

As Haiyue walked in, the big man spoke in a slightly hoarse voice without even turning his head.

“How come you see?”

Haiyue raised her brows.

"From your footsteps, I can tell you're not a drunkard who strayed in, but you're here specifically to look for me!"

The big man put down his wine glass and turned around.

A rough, angular face came into view, with a short stubble on the chin and a hideous scar at the left corner of the eye.

Unlike the Song Dynasty where all exiles were sentenced to exile, the Ming Dynasty did not tattoo anyone except the families of traitors. This hideous scar says a lot.

If injured in this place, most people would basically be unable to breathe the air of this world, but this person could still drink leisurely. He must have some great skills.

At this moment, the big man raised his wine-smelling cup and made a toast: "Sir, are you familiar with the rules here?"

"money?"

"Not bad!"

The big man grinned and spread his fingers. "There's no secret in Guangzhou that I don't know. But no matter how small the secret is, since you asked me, Yan Xiu, I have to pay five taels of silver!"

Even though she was mentally prepared, Haiyue was still a little surprised.

Just ask for money?
Or five taels?

Why don't you go and grab it?
Unlike in TV dramas where transactions are always made with gold and silver, in real history, silver did not circulate among the people as currency until the Qing Dynasty. In the middle and late Ming Dynasty, except for the Jiangnan region where the commodity economy was developed and silver circulated smoothly, it was only used by wealthy families in other places.

Therefore, one of the points that the Single Whip Policy was criticized by later generations was that it overestimated the people's silver reserves and circulation capacity. Once the policy was implemented, people in many places were forced to sell grain in exchange for silver after the autumn harvest, causing grain prices to plummet and people to sell low and buy high.

Think about it, it's the same in the north, central and western regions, not to mention Lingnan, where silver is definitely used only by the sons of wealthy families.

Haiyue used to carry small change with her because Yinglue Society was prosperous under the management of her fourth brother. Although she was not a wealthy person, she was definitely quite wealthy among ordinary people.

Not to mention the scarcity of silver, just in terms of value, in the middle of the Ming Dynasty, around the Wanli period, the mainstream purchasing power of five taels of silver was roughly equivalent to 3,000 to 4,000 yuan in later generations. Now in the ninth year of Jiajing, prices are more humane than during the Wanli period. The monthly income of ordinary people in Guangzhou is between half a tael and two taels of silver. Five taels of silver is about half a year's income for an ordinary person.

But since Min Ziyong had been so kind as to provide the money bag, Haiyue took it out directly, pulled out a silver ingot from it, and asked directly, "Zong Chengxue, the magistrate of the Qiongzhou government office, came to Guangzhou two months ago and later met with misfortune. I want to know the details!"

"Young Master is a straightforward person!"

The big man reached out and picked up the silver ingot, squeezed it gently, and confirmed its authenticity. Then he stood up, walked to the counter, and knocked heavily: "Xiaochuan, don't sleep anymore, get up and work!"

(End of this chapter)