Chapter 144 – Getting Money to Kill You

Wang Ning’s face was miserable.

I only felt that at this moment, all the gazes looking at him were eerie, and the bell in the hands of the swaying Taoist was really urging for his life.

Soon, at the urging of his father and son, he entered the side room.

The place was well chosen, if it was a place like the main hall or the bedchamber, it would inevitably leave a horrible impression on his children and grandchildren, and it would not be auspicious to look at it.

As for the woodshed and other places, and too petty, at least is also the emperor’s son-in-law, can not degrade their status.

Only this small hall is always not a loss of identity, and not to diaphragm their own children and grandchildren.

The white damask had been prepared, of the finest silk, and Wang Ning’s second son had thoughtfully hung it on the beam.

After an incense burner, Wang Ning wobbled and hung from the beam, and old Mrs. Wang cried as she took her two grandchildren in to check on the situation.

The eldest grandson Wang Su then began to cry and wanted to carry Wang Ning down from the beam.

Wang Taigong, however, stopped him and said, “Let’s wait a little longer, I’m afraid I’m not dead through.”

So he waited patiently for another incense stick to make sure that he was too dead to die.

It was then that the three grandparents let go of their bawling.

Hundreds of people outside this hall, Wang Ning’s daughter-in-law, as well as family members and servants, like a conditioned reflex, after a long period of silence, suddenly issued a howl in unison, crying to the heavens and shaking the rubble.

The Taoist priests circled around the outside of the hall, sometimes chanting, sometimes jumping, bells in their hands, clanging.

Filial sons and daughters of filial piety, each grieving, almost to cry out of breath, together will be Wang Ning’s corpse into the coffin.

Because the preparation is more adequate, so the hearth is also properly arranged, the coffin into the hearth, countless people pouring in, and crying, the whole house up and down, paper money flying, ghosts crying and howling, a sad and lively scene.

……

“Your Majesty ……” tiptoeing Yiluoha entered the small hall, bowed toward Zhu Di: “Wang family has sent news, Wang Ning died.”

Zhu Di hand holding the zhangzhi, only lightly raised his head to look at also lost ha glance: “but is poor my sister ……”

With that, he paused before adding, “The Ministry of Ceremonies should send a minister to the festival.”

Yizhu said, “Here.”

Zhu Di rested his hand on the royal desk, “How did you die?”

Also Lostha said, “It says hang yourself.”

Zhu Di shook his head and said, “It’s always okay to leave a whole body, it’s on account of his past merits.”

Having said that, he did not pursue the matter any further, as if it had never happened.

He closed his eyes, his mind on the business of the merchant house.

The merchant bank is no longer small.

According to Zhang Anshi, and then rely on the capital to collect money, sooner or later, we have to exhaust the fish, this fish fry are all fucking net.

That’s why it has become imperative to expand externally!

If not, the merchant bank could not break through the bottleneck, and this profit could not be guaranteed.

Zhu actually didn’t understand the operation of the merchant bank, but he also understood that what goes around comes around.

Thus, it seems that the future profitability will fall on Zhu Gaoxu’s shoulders.

He thought for a moment, suddenly raised the Zhu pen, hastily wrote a note: “Royal Decree Zhu Gaoxu led the Han King four guards, together with the model battalion for all the way, first into Annan.”

Then, he gave the note to Yiluoha: “This is sent to Zhu Gaoxu.”

Yiluoha only looked at it, seems to understand in his heart, now the court into the army of Annam, there are two ways of people, one way is the Yunnan Mu family and Guizhou’s army, the other way is Zhu Neng led by the court in the middle of the road army.

Now there’s another Zhu Gaoxu added to the list.

Zhu Di thought, and explained: “Zhu Gaoxu four guards, do not have to court is responsible for money and food, a supply, are responsible for the financing of merchants.”

After a pause, Zhu Di added: “Teach them to specialize in each way, and whoever enters Annan first will own this land.”

Yiluoha could not help but cry and laugh, but nodded and said, “The slave girl obeys the decree.”

After receiving the note, he hurriedly went to work for Zhu.

Zhu Di’s hand then picked up another zhangshi, take a closer look, but his face is gloomy.

“I Songjiang governor played: Songjiang epidemic, Huating, Fengxian, Jinshan counties more than monks and lay people born plague, the dead pillow book, especially in Qingpu County for the heavy, the people died a few half ……”

Zhu Di was shocked, and then took another zhangshi, which was sent from Taicang state, and it was actually also about the plague situation.

However, it is clear that Songjiang Province is the center of the plague, which has only slightly spread to Taicang Prefecture next door, but Taicang Prefecture also has a lot of sick people.

Immediately after …… and then Suzhou House ……

It is said that a great disaster must be followed by a great epidemic.

Regarding this situation, Zhu Di had long ago sent people to learn about the plague.

But as it is, it seems …… that what should have happened happened anyway.

The situation in Songjiang Prefecture was the most terrible, followed by Taicang Prefecture and Suzhou Prefecture.

If it is allowed to spread, it may …… even appear in the states and counties of Jiangnan.

The entire South Zhili, and even the city of Nanjing ……

Zhu Di’s brows then furrowed deeply, his face sunk like ink, and a color of worry surfaced in his eyes.

He was in the army, and he knew best the horror of the plague; after all, a plague in the army would cause much more attrition and deaths than even a protracted and violent battle.

Not only that, once the plague spreads down, the entire affluent land of Jiangnan, even including the capital, will be littered with corpses.

Zhu Di did not hesitate, immediately said: “Come on people, come on people, quick imperial edict Wen Yuan Pavilion university sergeant, ministries and ministers to have an audience, to be fast!”

At this point, Zhu Di would no longer have the heart to care for the merchant bank.

Money can be earned again.

But when life is gone, it’s really all for naught.

…………

Zhang Anshi received the note on his side, which was actually considered the Emperor’s middle decree.

Zhang Anshi was very energized since.

He originally wanted to start with Burma in a bitter way, but who knew that His Majesty was crazy about money and actually wanted to start in Annam.

Annam’s land is fertile and mostly coastal, so once you take a piece of land, it’s an absolute bloodbath.

You know, that place ……… rice is triple ripe.

Moreover, if we use Annan as a springboard, it will be more convenient to penetrate the whole Western Ocean in the future.

So he immediately let people called the model battalion and Zhu Gaoxu a few to, a few brothers fine discussion fixed, determined to immediately go out, never hesitate.

Zhang Anshi said, “Don’t worry about this side of the food, have tried to acquire, all the ordnance, the side of the Bureau of Manufacturing …… we all buy at a high price. Gunpowder this side already has some reserves, in short, now is to rush, can not let Duke Cheng and General Zhang Fu take the lead.”

“I call all the boats and ships, support this action, good thing that our shipping industry has more boats, as long as you give up money, men and horses and food, and other supplies, can be along the river through Jiangxi, and then by the Jiangxi side, transshipment to Guangxi! At that time, it will depend entirely on you.”

Zhu Gaoxu sharpened his sword and said in a neutral tone, “Good enough, I’m worried about a bellyful of sulkiness and want to find someone to vent it!”

Zhang Anshi said, “Then Fifth Brother will be the commander, he has the experience, Zhu Yong will be the deputy, Zhang Yoking and Qusong will assist, and Gu Xingzu, who will be in charge of logistics and teaching.”

Jukin also came to the meeting.

When it came, his whole body was suffocating.

What a group.

These are the imperial sons and relatives of the Great Ming, as well as future honored ministers.

Anyone here is someone I look up to! I didn’t realize that I, Zhu Jin, would have my day. I’m afraid that even if I tell them about this, they won’t believe me.

Zhang Anshi looked at the agitated Zhu Jin and said, “I’m going to draw at least half of the ships on the shipping side, and on top of that, the mules, horses, grain, ordnance, and tung oil, all get ready for me, as much as I can get.”

Zhu Jin immediately put away his excitement and was taken aback.

That’s close to 50,000 men, and it’s a staggering expense to be responsible for such an enormous amount of sustenance.

There is money on the books now, but it’s nowhere near as simple as supplying a war of massive proportions straight away.

Who knows Zhang Anshi added: “Don’t spare the silver, everything must be furnished with the best, soldiers are precious, I demand the entire army to be mules and horses.”

“What does mulesing mean?” Zhu Gaoxu was the first to question.

Zhang Anshi said, “It is to make sure that all the provisions, all the personnel, are ridden by carriages and horses, and also transported by mules and horses.”

Zhu Gaoxu was appalled and said, “How much will this cost.”

“Is spending money something you think about?” Zhang Anshi said, “Just think about how to take Annam for us, and never let the Duke of Cheng and Generals Zhang Fu have the upper hand and let them have their way.”

Zhu Gaoxu was breathing heavily.

The battle of Yasukuni if a beggar’s turn.

Then what is being fought now, can be really rich war. He felt that if this is all for these birds like Cheng Guo Gong and Zhang Fu to compete for the first place, he has no face to live.

“If big brother has orders, I will follow them, I will go and gather the army.”

Zhang Anshi then turned back to look at Zhu Yong a few: “Do not talk to your father and brother, this can involve our brothers camp, the king of heaven came, there is no mercy to say.”

Zhu Yong only felt his blood boiling, and wailed, “Big brother, my father doesn’t know how to appreciate me, I’ll teach him a lesson as usual.”

Zhang Anshi patted fearfully on his shoulder and stared at him appreciatively, “Good brother.”

At that moment, the arrangement came down, both Zhu Gaoxu, as well as Zhu Yong a few, each rubbing their fists.

Only Joojin is the one with his head hanging down, he has to calculate how much this is going to cost.

Obviously, the loss of supplies required for this one is astronomical.

After all, the court could conscript soldiers and allocate money and food in the treasury.

But all the wear and tear of the 50,000 men and horses of this merchant house had to be bought with silver by themselves.

Finally, after a busy day, Zhu Jin quickly came back to Zhang Anshi and said, “Uncle, there’s a bad news and a good news right now.”

Zhang Anshi said, “I only hear good news.”

Zhu Jinbian then said without much nagging, “The good news is that these days, we will be quite a few squire’s silver sucked dry, so they are now selling their food, plus …… a lot of land in our major money banks, there are also some revenue, food and tung oil, these basic needs, but can be be purchased at a flat price.”

Zhang Anshi nodded and said, “This would be great, I was afraid that with a large-scale purchase, someone would hoard and cause the price of rice and mules to rise.”

Zhu Jin laughed bitterly: “Now can not dare, tung oil thing just past it, make so many people lose their money, now even if someone has this thief heart, afraid that there is no such a thief gall!”

“But …… we draw so many boats out, the wages of the boatmen, and other manpower, I’m afraid the cost is not a few, small fine calculation, I’m afraid that the cost, have to be in a million taels of silver up and down.”

“Only one million taels?” Zhang Anshi said in surprise, “When you equalize it out, this one soldier, it’s only twenty taels of silver? Who are you looking down on?”

In fact, this number, has been counted very high, Tai Zu high emperor’s time, thrifty and frugal, draws are their own to feed their own guards soldiers, can be compressed to the minimum cost of the war, a war, may be a soldier’s cost, spread evenly, is only seven or eight taels of silver only.

It can be said that Emperor Taizu Gao gave full play to the old peasant style of thrift.

However, Zhang Anshi thinks differently, and what he believes in is always high investment and high return.

What sense is it to fight a war if you are all frugal.

Zhang Anshi directly and boldly said: “Prepare three million taels of grain silver! If three million taels is not enough, you can continue to add more, draw all the available funds on our books, give me every effort to support the four guards and model battalion’s army and horses, don’t always think of saving silver, the account is not calculated like this.”

Jurgen was startled.

These days, the silver from the hard work of fooling the gentry, won’t it all be smashed in?

Zhu Jin hesitantly said, “This …… this if something goes wrong, there will be no return of blood money ah.”

Zhang Anshi laughed mockingly and said, “Blood money? It’s only when you lose the fight that you get nothing back. So we can only have one choice, how to win how to win, not letting the generals eat and drink enough, not letting them have enough stamina, not giving them enough sustenance, not supplying the best firearms and ordnance, on what basis can we make people sell their lives?”

“You people in business know how to be calculating. At a time like this, is it the time to be calculating about silver? These are not things you should consider, what you should consider …… is how to draw all the gold and silver and resources we can use to support the four guards and the model battalion.”

Zhu Jin thought about it, although he couldn’t understand this notion of Zhang Anshi spending money like water, but to him, anyway, he just obeyed obediently.

One must know that he had followed Zhang Anshi for so long and had seen much of Zhang Anshi’s ability, and was very convinced of him.

So, he said, “Good, I will certainly live up to Uncle’s expectations.”

…………

The army opened up.

When the Han King’s Tianze four guards and men saw Zhu Gaoxu, each one of them was energized.

This Zhu Gaoxu was convicted, the four guards are in an unprecedented panic, who do not know, Zhu Gaoxu will not be implicated in the matter of them, coupled with less Zhu Gaoxu this big backer, the future of the future of this up and down the future of the future are slim.

Now that they saw Zhu Gaoxu appearing alive and well, how could they not be energized.

Summoned the military generals, Zhu Gaoxu did not say anything, only in the face of a sentence: “A day to prepare, this hour tomorrow to pull out the camp, and immediately set off for Annan! All people …… change to the military flag of the merchant bank, everything else as usual, this model battalion as a pioneer.”

Lightly dropped these words, but this up and down the military officials are still all excited.

As long as Zhu Gaoxu was still alive, they still had hope.

As for where to go, this is rather unimportant.

When Zhu Gaoxu does anything, he won’t forget everyone, anyway, as long as you follow him to fight for your life.

At that moment, this four-guard camp was bustling with activity, and all the people were getting ready to travel.

And in the Brotherhood of Ships, a large number of ships began to draw.

The advance men had also started out, to arrive at the docks beforehand and regulate the ship traffic in each place.

A large number of boatmen were drafted well enough to be on the merchant’s own boats, and the boatmen were paid as usual, and even promised some allowance for being away from home.

On the other hand, large quantities of grain and medicine began to be purchased, and many grain merchants were summoned directly. Zhu Jin personally stepped in and set a price, and those who were willing to sell were immediately delivered.

Now a large number of gentry have sold a lot of grain to the market because they need money, and it is important to know that there is a lot of grain in the hands of these grain merchants.

As for taking this opportunity to hoard, if there is no such thing as tung oil, perhaps there are really grain merchants who will unite behind the scenes to operate one or two.

But with this warning, coupled with Zhu Jin in the business sector, has vaguely begun to emerge, we all know that his background is extraordinary, at this time who still dares to go against him, roughly are looking for death almost.

Thus, large quantities of grain, food, and medicine, besides much ordnance, and gunpowder, were loaded on board.

Zhu Jin’s mobility is still very fast, mainly because of the bottom line, coupled with these days, the search for a lot of competent talent, we know that working for the merchant bank, will not be less favorable, the future can be expected, so they are willing to work hard.

Everyone was so busy that Zhang Anshi was free instead.

After all, militarily there were people like Zhu Gaoxu and Zhu Yong, and logistically there were Zhu Jin and Gu Xingzu.

Instead, he found himself with nothing to do.

When he had time, he went to the Eastern Palace with great gusto.

Originally to go to the Crown Princess Zhang’s bedchamber to find her own sister, but outside the bedchamber to see Zhu Zhanji drooped his head and sat on the steps fuming.

Zhang Anshi went up and touched his head, and he still looked sullen.

Zhang Anshi then said, “What is on the mind of the nephew of the most dear and beloved Zhanji, tell him a bit about it with Aunty.”

Zhu Zhanji raised his head, glanced at Zhang Anshi, then sighed, “A-uncle, why is it obvious that second uncle has made a mistake, and father and you are still pleading for him? I thought there was fun to be had.”

Zhang Anshi patted his head and patiently said, “Because he is your relative, why can’t you always see the good in your relatives? Zhanji ah Zhanji, outsiders and relatives are not the same, relatives no matter what mistakes they made, but they are still connected to your blood!”

“If you think like this, how can it be? In the future, are you going to kill your uncle if he commits a crime?”

Zhu Zhanji cocked his head and said, “But …… shouldn’t there be right and wrong?”

Zhang Anshi said: “Right and wrong, also depends on who to use in the body, people should be flexible Well, you are not again by your few masters taught bad, you do not listen to them.”

Zhu Zhanji beamed and thought for a moment, “Then this matter will be left at that?”

Zhang Anshi said, “Your second uncle is only scheming, what kind of big mistake is it? Alas, I advise you to be generous, you need to learn more from your brother-in-law.”

Zhu Zhanji feel where not right, can his little head, seems to be unable to refute the uncle, anyway, the uncle said anything seems to have a reason.

So, it had to hang its head and say, “I’m angry and I want a popsicle.”

Zhang Anshi gave him a blank look, “You go talk to your sister yourself.”

Zhu Zhanji said bitterly, “I don’t dare to say.”

Zhang Anshi said, “That’s it, you don’t dare to do it yourself, but what are you doing talking to me? Junji, Aunty is doing this for your own good, let’s see Aunty, he’s worried about you.”

Zhu Zhanji winked, “Counting the interest, Uncle owes me eight popsicles.”

Zhang Anshi patted him on the head, “I’m not going to talk to you more, I’m going to talk to Sister about things.”

When he said that, he left for the bedchamber in a huff.

Zhang was in front of the bookcase at the moment, lifting her pen to write.

Zhang Anshi gently approached before saying, “What is Sister writing?”

“Mime the Buddhist scriptures.” Zhang didn’t look up as she continued to wield her quill.

Obviously someone had already come in to inform her earlier, so she was not at all surprised that Zhang Anshi had appeared.

On the contrary, Zhang Anshi surprised: “Buddhist scriptures? I’m familiar with this, I have a friend who is a high priest, and he said hello, he can memorize a hundred of them, do you know the blood sutra? Is to use the blood of monks to make ink, transcribe out of the sutra, this thing is more advanced, my friend can also do it, is a little costly.”

Zhang said, “You can’t fake this stuff out, it’s only with a sincere heart that it works.”

With that, she finally looked up and said, “Who is that friend you were talking about?”

Zhang Anshi vaguely said, “This …… is not easy to say, he does not like to show his face, after all, he is a high priest.”

Zhang didn’t ask any further questions, “Alright, alright, I’m going to transcribe the Buddhist scriptures and send them to the palace’s Hall of Lights to show to mother, I don’t have time to talk to you right now, so go and play with Zhanji.”

Zhang Anshi said sadly, “Zhanji is always jealous of me as his uncle, and I’m afraid that if I’m with him, he’ll pick on me again.”

Zhang smiled sweetly and said, “You are going to be a family man, but still angry with the child, he recently did not say bad things about you in front of me, you relax.”

Zhang Anshi exhaled, then said, “Why is Sister suddenly copying Buddhist scriptures?”

“This you do not know?” Zhang was surprised to look at Zhang Anshi, and then said, “Songjiang Province out of the pandemic, died a lot of people, Father was also shocked, how do you know, that the Songjiang Province was previously unaware, wait until the pandemic dispersed in all directions, only then rushed to play the report!”

“Nowadays, not to mention Songjiang Province, even Suzhou Province and Taicang Prefecture have also appeared sick. Now this court up and down, all in chaos, who knows how far it will spread, not to mention how many people will be in trouble, I’m afraid that after not many days, it may also come to Nanjing City.”

Said, Zhang sighed quietly, said: “Father’s side and not to mention, mother’s side is also as worried as burning, last year was flooded, this year there is a pandemic, I do not know how many people suffered, so the mother in the palace to copy the Buddhist scriptures. I thought, I do daughter-in-law, also can not be idle ……”

Zhang Anshi said, “What is the use of copying Buddhist scriptures at this time?”

Zhang said, “Don t you talk nonsense, there are some things …… rather believe in it, do not believe in it, perhaps the sincerity of the mother moved the heavens? After all, heaven has the virtue of good life, can teach this calamity to pass only good. You ah, sometimes understand, sometimes confused.”

Zhang Anshi certainly knew, in ancient times, the horror of this pandemic!

Not to mention the history books at every turn, such as corpses and other records, even if it is the royal family, such favorable conditions, but also still have to die a lot of people.

No wonder A-chan, who usually did not honor the Buddha, is now making a temporary effort.

Zhang Anshi said, “What kind of epidemic is it and what are the symptoms.”

“A pandemic is a pandemic ……” Zhang said, “What are you …… poking around for?”

But he saw Zhang Anshi actually turned around and ran away, saying under his breath, “A sister you know a bird …… goodbye ……”

Hearing this, Zhang was furious, her face was gloomy, but Zhang Anshi ran fast and disappeared in a whoosh.

So Zhang’s willow eyebrows slightly frowned, and her heart was in a mess, the pen in her hand shook, and a drop of ink washed out on the hand-copied sutra, pasting a piece of it.

“Men, men, next time he dares to come, don’t let him get away so easily!”

“Yes, ma’am.”

…………

The pandemic has not yet reached the capital, but there are already people who have been informed in advance.

A lot of people were emboldened.

The past few years have been quite peaceful, but many old people still have memories of the tragic situation after the pandemic was bred.

Zhu met with various ministers almost round by round.

And the crown prince Zhu Gaoqi, at this time almost all night to stay in the palace, ready to prepare for possible situations.

People always carry a different kind of fear of the unknown.

Even a murderous person like Zhu Di couldn’t help but palpitate over it.

For at the moment his enemies, are invisible, and no one even knows what this so-called pandemic is all about.

And just in Huating County, Songjiang Prefecture.

A manor house, but the local magistrate Liu Sheng’s sedan chair has arrived.

The epidemic was most severe in Watkins County.

The county magistrate Liu Sheng anxious, he was lucky, temporarily did not get sick, but the county up and down, but has died six people, plus sick at home, the county of the zoological officers and servants have been less than half.

Coupled with the prevalence of epidemics, the entire county has become an inferno.

He has long been scared to death, but trembling, looking at one bad report after another, Liu Sheng is helpless.

In the past few days, he did not sleep or rest, trying to do everything he could to contact the local gentry to discuss the strategy to deal with it, and looking around for doctors, but it is a pity that …… many of the famous doctors in the county who want to invite them, have heard that they are all sick.

The remaining few, prescribed various prescriptions, were of little use.

Just at this time, Liu Sheng but heard a message …… Huating County, a manor, actually up and down, no one infected with the disease.

More than four hundred people in the manor were, after all, intact.

It was rumored to be a showman who found a way to deal with it.

Xiu Cai ……

Once heard this, Liu Sheng only feel incredible, because recently all kinds of ghosts and monsters rumors everywhere, but after letting people go to investigate, but none of them are people in panic than made up all kinds of stories.

Therefore, he first let the errand boy go to know the truth, but the result …… was found to be actually true.

At that moment, Magistrate Liu was overjoyed, but worried that the situation was untrue, so he hurriedly rushed to this village.

And I want to see, how is the situation of this manor, and see this marvelous showman again.

If …… there is really a countermeasure …… then …… then …… then …… it is really living people, heavenly merit ah.

Even …… this reader …… is really a model for the scholars when they are really worthy of it.