The pork butcher is smoother than a pig butcher!

Chapter 162 Each Seeks a Way to Make a Living
The post station in Haijin Town was bustling with activity for several days because of this transaction.

During the bargaining process, it still had to be the She family and others.

They ruthlessly cut the profits of cloth shop owners who had been in business for decades, almost driving them to despair.

After the transaction was completed, the injured were still asking each other about each other:

"Brother Liu, how many taels of silver did you bet in the end?"

"Ang's private savings and the five taels he was all allocated were put in! You're usually so stingy, how many taels did you use this time? You know, the centurion and the scholar's wife each put in two hundred taels!"

"Hehehe, Brother Liu, please stop calling Ang stingy. The copper coins he saves up usually come in very handy when it matters, don't they? Ang has put in a total of twenty taels!"

"Hiss! Good heavens, the miser has finally plucked his feathers!"

“This isn’t called plucking feathers, this is called making money from money! In a few months, my twenty taels will become fifty taels or more.”

"."

Men are completely unaware of the purchasing power and potential of the cotton market; they are now simply following the crowd out of trust in those in power.

The twenty-odd women in the medical team immediately poured all their savings into the effort.

They are all very optimistic about the cotton fabric market.

This person said, "Any woman who has lived a few good days in the past can wear coarse linen or hemp for her outer garment, but she will definitely choose fine cotton that is close-fitting and comfortable for her inner garment."

The man said, "Children, there are still children! Babies under one year old have the most delicate skin. What could be more suitable for making clothes for a baby than fine, soft, and absorbent cotton?"

Another clever person analyzed:
"The cotton cloth supply for Lintao Prefecture, Jinzhou Pass, Huaiqing Prefecture, and other places all depends on Xijing City. But judging from General Tian's words, the Po Jun army in Xijing City is currently focused on our Northwest. This year, and even next year and the year after, cotton cloth may become a scarce commodity in several prefectures in the Northwest!"

The last few people sighed in unison:
"Our captain is truly decisive! The money he raised has emptied the warehouses of all the cloth merchants in Haijin Town of both standard cloth and jacquard fabric."

"I wish I could transport all this cotton cloth back to the border town tomorrow! I really want that young mistress to open her blind eyes and see that she didn't hold back her sarcastic remarks about us before we came here!"

"."

The young mistress, Madam Lü, who was being thought of by the medical team members, was currently entertaining distinguished guests at home with her husband.

The distinguished guest was Chen Qianfu, the centurion in charge of arranging labor for the Zuo clan.

On the afternoon of Lunar New Year's Eve, Chen Qianfu treated Zuo Wenxuan to a good meal and wine, and the two families began to visit each other during the New Year period.

Every few days, he would either be drinking at the Chen family's house or eating meat in the west side room of courtyard number thirty-six.

Lady Lü was clearly very pleased that her good-for-nothing husband had managed to marry such a high-ranking official.

Whenever distinguished guests arrive, we will proactively help prepare fine wine and food.

Anyway, she wasn't short of money.

The wine was excellent tonight. Chen Qianfu only drank half a jin and was already slightly tipsy. People who are slightly drunk are the most talkative.
"Good brother, you've been in the border town for a month and a half now, haven't you? You'll have to start your formal service later this month! One of you, husband and wife, will have to go ram the earth, and the other will have to go into the red tent."

These are not good places to go!

"Brother, it's not that I'm looking down on you, but without your strength, this job will really wear you out! And that red curtain, oh dear, with your good looks, your sister-in-law will suffer terribly going in there."

Lu, who had been silently pouring wine for the two of them, raised her head and asked, "Could you tell me in detail what the Red Tent in the border town is like?"

The other person slurped down half a glass of wine before slowly saying:
"The military's red tents are not like local brothels; they serve only high-ranking officials. Scholars have always been known for their tenderness and compassion towards women."

We arrived at the red tent in the military camp.

Young and beautiful women were to dance, sing, and play music for the generals during the day, and then serve them in bed at night.

Those who were older or of average appearance could only serve the lower-ranking soldiers. In the border town of Angmen, one might not see the sun again until tomorrow. Unless it was during defense or fighting, the soldiers had nothing to do but go into the red tents for amusement.

Of the 100,000 border troops, at least 50,000 were bachelors. With far more men than available positions, the brothels were always short-staffed; each wife had to entertain 10 to 20 men every day.

When Lady Lü heard this, her face turned pale.

Although she prides herself on her good looks, her age is a factor to consider.

Furthermore, she lacks skills such as singing, dancing, and playing musical instruments to entertain.

This means that she will most likely be assigned to serve ordinary soldiers.

Twenty a day!

It's a fight to the death!
Zuo Wenxuan rubbed his hands together and asked ingratiatingly:

"Brother, could you help us think of a way? We're willing to pay silver to avoid military service; we don't mind paying more."

Chen Qianfu shook his head and waved his hands again:

“A mere centurion like you can’t do all that. Don’t you have someone in your clan who can get in touch with the General? In this small town, General Zhao’s words are more effective than any imperial edict.”

"The capable man isn't here right now, so he's too far away to help us in this situation! Brother, I'm a grown man, ramming earth is just hard labor, and I've walked over three thousand miles already, it's not that I can't endure the hardship. But could you help me think of a way to make this red tent?"

What are your thoughts, sister-in-law?

Lady Lü presented a silver note with a face value of one hundred taels: "Please enlighten me, Centurion."

Chen Qianfu declined several times, but finally reluctantly accepted it.

Having received the silver note, he sat up straight:
"Do you know how many officials are in the Five Guards of the Border City? Besides the top-ranking General, there are also Assistant Commanders, Vice Commanders-in-Chief, Commanders-in-Chief, and Deputy Commanders in charge of different areas."

From the highest-ranking officers commanding the various battalions, the ranks ranged from garrison commanders, captains, and lieutenants. There were no fewer than one hundred military officers of the seventh rank or higher!

Lady Lü seemed to be deep in thought.

Zuo Wenxuan was full of questions. "So?"

Chen Qianfu was disappointed in him:

"Therefore, as long as my sister-in-law can win over any official above the rank of guerrilla general, she won't have to serve those ordinary soldiers."

"Find a powerful and influential official to protect you, and your younger siblings won't have to suffer the hardship of supporting multiple people. They might even help you with your earth-laying work!"

His suggestion was exactly what the couple wanted to hear.

Next.

Chen Qianfu then detailed the military officers of the fifth rank and above in the border town, from their ages to their respective spheres of authority, and even the situation of their wives and concubines in Huaiqing Prefecture.

During this period, there were some subtle hints.

They remained silent about the generals' temperaments and some of their little-known hobbies.

However, he inadvertently told the two of them about a 35-year-old military officer.

His wife and children were all in Shangdu, leaving only a few plain-looking concubines to serve him in Huaiqing Prefecture.

Chen Qianfu spoke casually, but Lü Shi immediately extracted the key words from his words.

A rank three official, his wife was not alive, his concubine was not attractive, and he was a 35-year-old military officer in his prime.

If he's not fat, then what is he?
(End of this chapter)