Emperor Ming Dynasty

Chapter 981
Years later, the city of Beijing is still a vast expanse of whiteness.

"Hey-"

"Clap--"

The sound of whips resounded through the sky, and the chariots and horses moved.

A convoy, heading west slowly from Chongwenmen, consisted of a hundred camels and two or three hundred draft horses, forming this huge team.

There are more than a hundred grooms driving the carriages alone.

Along the way, passers-by were pointing, curious about such a huge team.

The goods on the carriage were fully bundled, and a small flag was planted on the carriage, and it fiddled back and forth in the cold wind. After a while, it froze, like a piece of wood.

"Dragon Gate Escort"

The four big characters are extremely conspicuous.

In addition to the coachman, there are more than a hundred strong men, either riding horses, or looking around, with their heads held high, each with a machete on their waists, guarding the team, very capable.

Camels are at the forefront. Their legs grow faster and their burdens are lighter. They are just humped.

In the middle of the team, there are more than a dozen fat and strong draft horses, which are first-class at first glance, and can even be used as rides.

The groom in the carriage, wearing a wool felt hat and fur jacket, sat upright and proudly waved his whip.

The most central carriage, pulled by two horses, is as spacious as two carriages. Although the decoration is simple, it is extraordinary at a glance.

In the carriage, two men sat facing each other.

One of them was wearing a royal blue cotton robe and a felt hat on his head. His round face was full of doubts: "Brother, we're going so early today, I'm afraid the road will be difficult!"

"Early bird gets the worm."

The big man sitting opposite opened his chest, revealing the black shirt inside. He smoked a pipe and said leisurely:

"Since fighting Shaowu for ten years, the Escort industry has become more and more popular. There are hundreds of Escorts in the entire Forty-Nine City."

"If our Longmen Escort wants to stand out, we have to do what others can't."

The round-faced man sighed and said nothing.

"Second brother, don't look at the road being blocked by heavy snow at this time. By the time we arrive at Mobei, the snow has already melted, and it's time to eat soup."

The boss smoked a dry cigarette, and said happily: "We are the first one this year to travel to Mobei, and we can make a lot of money."

"But brother, after winter, those herdsmen's eyes are glowing green..."

"Don't be afraid, I have my own plan."

During the Shaowu period, the summer and autumn taxes were basically delivered by the court itself, but the commercial tax once in March made the local government overwhelmed.

The provinces have just sent the commercial taxes for the spring to Beijing, and the commercial taxes for the next season have already been collected, but the escorts are in Beijing and have not yet returned.

At this time, the Escort industry, which began to sprout in the late Ming Dynasty, showed its prominence.

In order to flatter the officials, a few people with strong official and business backgrounds set up an escort agency to help them escort merchants to Beijing.

Its cost is cheaper than that of its own people, so the government naturally adopts it.

And once there is a precedent, it means that someone has opened the way, and the number of people following behind is countless, and escort agencies have sprung up like mushrooms after rain.

Escorting commercial taxes for the officials, not only can the checkpoints on the road be reduced, but also ordinary thieves dare not mess around, let alone those thieves.

Whoever robs the business tax is more terrifying than rebellion, just wait to be encircled and suppressed.

In this way, the mode of earning the meager profits of the escort business tax, using it to escort other goods, and earning freight in addition, has sprung up throughout the folk.

Since the Escort industry started to grow, it has been divided into two parts in the past few years.

Part of it is the Great Escort Bureau, which cooperates closely with the government and communicates with the capital, and is called the official dart.

Safe and secure, but expensive.

The other is the private bodyguard, as the name suggests, is a bodyguard agency that specializes in smuggling people, such as escorting family members, moving, and transporting goods.

Some scholars rushing for the exam will also raise money and hire some bodyguards to escort them to Beijing.

Not only save time and effort, but also safe.

The most common is to deposit goods.

Most of the roads he travels are in Suiyuan, Northeast China, and even Anxi, Mobei and other places.

Earn some hard money.

Some bodyguard bureaus have even developed coffins for transporting unfortunate dead people back to their hometowns.

The Longmen Bodyguard Agency often smuggled bodyguards, traveling between Suiyuan and Chahar, escorting those traders to do business.

The big chamber of commerce has its own guards, and the small traders are weak on the grassland, so it is normal to gather together and hire bodyguards.

The Longmen Escort Bureau took half a year to come down. There were many merchants, and they were willing to pay, and they gave enough money every time.

"Chief Escort, we're in Yuquan Town."

A day later, the convoy had only traveled thirty or forty miles, when an escort came to report.

"it is good!"

Meng Qingbiao patted his sleeves, tidied up his clothes, turned his head to Zhu Baisong and said to his second son, "Your boy should also tidy up, at least wash your face."

"I'm going to see my boss. If I lose face, I'll see if I will cut you off."

"Yes!" The round-faced Zhu Baisong was also unambiguous. Not only did he change a piece of clothes, but after getting out of the carriage, he picked up a piece of clean snow on the side of the road with both hands and rubbed it against his face.

After a while, his face was red and black.

"Something like that."

Meng Qingbiao nodded, let the convoy stop at Yuquan Town, and then rode out of the town with Zhu Baisong and a few bodyguards.

This is a village.

It built a chest-length low wall, and several servants, carrying spears, warmed up in the low room at the door.

Several people reported their names and waited by the fire.

"Recently there are many wild wolves in Yuquan Mountain, and they come out to grab people from time to time. My brothers can also come out in this weather, which is amazing."

The servant gave a thumbs up.

Meng Qingbiao made a statement: "If you encounter a tiger or a wolf, it will be fine. It's just a good time to wrap a piece of skin to make a jacket for my master."

After a while, someone came to pick him up in person.

The bodyguard kept warming himself by the fire, while the two entered the village.

In front of you is a long street paved with stone slabs, leading directly to the last spacious house.

Its scale is comparable to that of an ordinary prince's mansion, covering an area of ​​no less than thirty or forty mu.

There is a huge word "Zhu Zhai" on the plaque, which is particularly conspicuous.

"Meng Qingbiao (Zhu Baisong) has met his boss—"

The two were introduced into the mansion, and the passing maids and servants were all handsome and ordinary, so they came to the hall without looking sideways.

Seeing the woman in the red satin jacket in front of them, they immediately knelt down on one knee, lowering their heads and not daring to look directly.

His huge chest, even if he was wearing a jacket, could only cover half of it, and they couldn't help but bow their heads.

"Get up!"

The crisp sound sounded, and the two dared to stand up, their eyes shifted slightly.

Only then did he realize that the two young masters had already sat down, so he saluted again.

"Boss Meng, is there a charter for this trip to Mobei?"

Bian Yujing has been in charge of the family for many years, and she is no longer Wuxia Amon. Her voice is slender, but with a little bit of questioning.

"Ma'am, on this trip to Mobei, almost all the Longmen Escorts were dispatched except for a few old and weak. They also brought a lot of weapons, and some small tribes can be wiped out with ease."

Meng Qingbiao said in a deep voice: "Even if you encounter some big tribes, you dare to fight against them, and you will not fall behind."

"I don't understand some swords, guns and arrows."

Bian Yujing said leisurely, with a serious look on her face: "However, in this world, firearms are king, and even the cavalry of the imperial court are equipped with muskets. It is dangerous for you to travel nearly three thousand miles without muskets."

After saying that, she clapped her hands, and several servants came out carrying two wooden boxes:

"Here are twenty flintlock guns. You all retired from the army, so you should know how to use them."

"For gunpowder, I can only get two hundred catties, which should be enough!"

"Ma'am—" Meng Qingbiao was taken aback, and a turbulent wave arose in his heart.

Although the imperial court had no restrictions on muskets, they were only shotguns. Even matchlock guns were restricted a lot. There were not many matchlock guns in the police headquarters in the capital.

And the flintlock is the most forbidden.

Among gunpowder, charcoal and saltpeter are not lacking, but sulfur is monopolized by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and private sales are not allowed.

It was too scary to get two hundred catties of gunpowder all at once.

He and his second child Zhu Baisong looked at each other: this club is really extraordinary.

Bian Yujing noticed the doubts in the eyes of the two, and she explained: "This trip, there will be official things inside, so I can get these."

"As long as this trip is completed, the taxes of the Dudu Mansion in Mobei will be escorted by our Longmen Escort Bureau in the future. This is a big deal."

When Meng Qingbiao heard this, his heart agitated.

The second child, Zhu Baisong, was also inexplicably excited.

There are no official escorts in private escorts, and they can earn money comfortably, as long as there are no mistakes in the process, this is a business that has spanned decades and hundreds of years.

The background of the club is really too strong.

The two took their things and left.

The boss, Zhu Li, then said, "Mother, what are you doing?"

It's musket and gunpowder, it's too scary.

"Relax, we are doing things for the imperial court."

Bian Yujing smiled lightly and said, "You two brothers should study hard. If you fail the college entrance examination, you will have good fruit to eat."

After teaching his two sons a lesson, Bian Yujing returned to the backyard.

I saw a man in thin clothes lying on a spacious bed. He opened his arms wide open, hugging two women on the left and right, very happy.

The woman on the left looks about forty years old, with an oval face, delicate features, a small cherry mouth, and a slender jade neck, she looks extremely beautiful.

On the right is a long-legged mature woman with an oval face, bright eyes, delicate waist and round body.

Holding a bunch of grapes in his hand, he kept feeding them into the man's mouth.

The grapes in the winter are naturally due to the ground heating regardless of the cost.

Playing and playing, the waves are rolling, what a beautiful spring.

"Okay, I'm busy in the front, but you three are happy."

Taking off his coat, Bian Yujing revealed his stalwart chest.

The floor heating was scorching hot, and the whole room was like a spring day.

"It's rare to come out of the palace to see you once, why don't you play to your heart's content?"

Zhu Yixi hugged Li Xiangjun and Kou Baimen with a relaxed smile on his face.

After the Winter Solstice Dynasty and the Zhengdan Dynasty, he had a complete rest. After the new year, he couldn't stay in Beijing anymore, and thought of the woman he raised outside.

There are too many rules in the palace, even the emperor has to abide by them, how can they be comfortable wearing shackles for a long time?

"Grandpa, you should come out often."

Squeezing into the bed, Bian Yujing's face showed an intoxicating blush, she casually grabbed the hand on Kou Baimen's leg and put it in her arms.

For a moment, Zhu Yixi felt that his spirit was empty.

One word: very moisturizing.

This is the product of nature and the foundation of the development of human civilization!
"I can't help myself!"

Zhu Yixi sighed: "I have to go back at night. If I'm not here for a long time, the city will panic."

"By the way, how about what I entrusted to you?"

Saying so, he pressed Li Xiangjun down, and said softly: "I haven't heard Xiangjun sing for a long time..."

Li Xiangjun rolled his eyes, lowered his head obediently, and began to sing.

Kou Baimen was also sensible, and changed the emperor's hand and placed it on his own leg.

Bian Yujing endured the mischief, and said: "This batch of gunpowder is [-] catties, so it should be able to be sent over."

"My lord, you already have an army, why don't you send them directly to Mobei?"

"What do you know?"

Zhu Yixi shook his head: "If there is a large army infested, wouldn't we startle the snake?"

"Only under the escort of the Escort, will it not attract attention."

Bian Yujing didn't understand the truth, but she listened with gusto.

Because she understands that besides entertaining people with sex, she can also help the emperor to do things. This is a big event and cannot be delayed.

After listening for a while, her eyes were reddish, and her winking eyes were like silk, obviously she was emotional.

Zhu Yixi got up all the way, turned over and pressed down, and started the four-player mahjong mode.

After the incident, he felt that he had recharged his batteries for many days, and at this time he had already spent all of it.

Obviously, thirty is like a wolf, forty is like a tiger, this statement is true.

For the Manchus, they have been pampered for a long time, too long is not good.

According to Zeng Ying's report, the Chechen Ministry was completely wiped out by the Manchu Qing, and was completely absorbed as a boost, greatly increasing its strength.

He barely maintained in Mobei, which would be extremely detrimental to the imperial court in the long run.

Because the distance between the Manchu and Qing Dynasties was closer, only a thousand miles away, while Beijing was three thousand miles away, and the support was not timely.

"Shunzhi, how did he live so long?"

Zhu Yixi cursed secretly: "Historically, he died in his 20s. How come I have lived longer here? There is no sign of leaving."

"Could it be that the climate is not acclimatized in history? Or died of grief?"

All in all, once Shunzhi is the master of longevity like Kangxi, the threat to Daming will be great.

He didn't want to have a so-called Beiqing by his side.

This will affect the rule of the grassland.

So for the Qing Dynasty, the emperor prepared for many years, ready to kill with one blow.

Naturally, in order not to disturb the Qing Dynasty, we can only adopt the model of ants moving, and the Escort Bureau is the main one.

Escorts and caravans spent half a year constantly transporting military supplies.

At that time, the army will deliver a fatal blow.

With the existence of canned food, Zhu Yixi felt that it was time for Man Qing to die.

The place of Lake Belier is much better than Mobei, and it should be directly managed by a governor's mansion.

……

Meng Qingbiao took Zhu Baisong and left Zhuangzi. The two looked at the musket in the box, and they were excited for a while.

"Brother, with these muskets, don't say it's Mobei, even if it's Fengjing, we can go there."

Zhu Baisong laughed heartily: "I heard that one piece of cloth can be exchanged for two or three horses there, which can make a lot of money."

"Don't be arrogant." Meng Qingbiao said in a deep voice, "Let's take care of our darts!"

(End of this chapter)