Paper Maker: This is the end of the Ming Dynasty in Liaozhai

Chapter 69
But once it takes a big price to do it, people will not pay attention to them. After all, compared with their own career, the money is bullshit.

Therefore, if the Fan family wanted to become a real wealthy family, they had to step into the officialdom, cultivate their own power in the officialdom, and protect the family. That was the real wealthy family. Their Fan family is now just a merchant family.

"The imperial examination will be held in August next year. Among the members of our Fan family, there are currently three people who have the honor of being a scholar."

Fan Yongcheng said in a deep voice: "The clan elders are going to pay a lot of money to let them go to Songyang Academy to study in order to be able to pass the imperial examination next year."

Although the Fan family has been rooted in Datong Mansion for more than a hundred years, the real fortune began only after his grandfather had first-class strength. It has only been five or sixty years now, and most of the family's energy has been devoted to martial arts and business. In fact, I don't pay much attention to the imperial examination.

"Is there any other way?"

Hearing this, Fan Yongdou frowned and said, although he is not in the officialdom, he is well aware of the difficulty of the imperial examination. It is easy for scholars to take the exam. There are not dozens of scholars in any county, but Juren is different. Three or five Juren is a big county.

As the so-called poor scholar, the master of Juren, the two titles fully demonstrate the status of scholar and Juren. How many people are still poor scholars from immature children to gray-haired exams. Among the three scholars, one of them can win the exam is the ancestral grave It's smoking.

"Except for next year's imperial examination, only entrusted relations will be sent to the Imperial College."

Fan Yongcheng shook his head and said: "In Shanxi, we can still make plans. If we go to the capital, we can only rely on their own abilities."

"Let them go to Songyang Academy."

Fan Yongdou shook his head. Although their Fan family also had backers in the capital, they were actually just paying protection fees. The imperial examination is a grand ceremony for the imperial court to select scholars. Maybe those connections I made over the years can still be useful.

Fan Yongcheng nodded: "Well, I will notify the clan elders."

"By the way, that little bastard has a reputation as a scholar. Maybe he will sneak back to take the imperial examination. When the time comes, someone will check it carefully. Once that little bastard signs up, he will apply immediately!"

Fan Yongdou continued.

"Okay, brother, I will give orders."

At this time, Fan Yongcheng seemed to have suddenly remembered something, and took out a letter from his pocket and handed it to Fan Yongdou: "Brother, the Jurchens in Liaodong have sent letters, saying that they want more food and armor."

"How much do they want?"

Fan Yongdou said in a deep voice, he was not surprised by this situation. During the battle of Guangning last year, the entire western Liaoning fell into the hands of the Jurchens. With such a large territory, those Jurchens would definitely want to expand their army.

Fan Yongcheng said: "40 shi of grain, [-] armor!"

"so much!"

Hearing this, Fan Yongdou frowned. The Fan family had operated in Datong Mansion and Zhangjiakou Fort for decades, but it was impossible to gather so much food and armor, not to mention that such a big movement was difficult to cover up.

Although many people from Datong Mansion to Liaodong have taken advantage of their Fan family, it does not mean that they can be unscrupulous. If they attract the attention of the court, those people will definitely not mind letting others replace the Fan family.

After thinking for a moment, Fan Yongdou said in a deep voice, "You send someone to invite Wang Dengku and Jin Liangyu to come over. Our Fan family can't afford this deal."

40 shi of grain, 200 soldiers and armor, and at least [-] million taels of silver are definitely not something that the Fan family can eat by themselves.

"it is good!"

Fan Yongcheng nodded and turned to leave.

.........

Yellow River.

Su Hao leaned on the side of the boat, facing the wind blowing from the river, a dozen large and small boats sailed on the river, including fishing boats and merchant ships.

This time, because it was to investigate the disappearance of merchants on the Yellow River, after leaving Kaifeng Mansion, the five people came to the ferry, disguised as merchants, and chartered a fishing boat to Mengjin.

At this time, Jiang Shizhong, who was acquainted with himself, had already talked to the owner of the boat: "Brother, I heard that merchants have often disappeared on the Yellow River in the past two years, and there are no dead or dead. You are driving a boat on this river alone. Aren't you afraid of meeting those murderers who kidnap merchants?"

The owner of the boat is a man in his 40s. He has been exposed to the sun for a long time, and his skin is extremely rough and dark. He has been rowing and paddling for many years, and the muscles in his hands are extremely thick.

Hearing Jiang Shizhong's words, the captain looked at Jiang Shizhong meaningfully, and then said with a smile: "This little brother is from the yamen."

"how do you know?"

Jiang Shizhong was taken aback by what the ship owner said, because Jin Yiwei's official uniforms were too conspicuous, so before they left, they had already taken off their official uniforms and changed into regular uniforms. Even Taoist Master Zhenxuan took off his Taoist robes. It was immediately recognizable once on board.

The owner of the boat smiled and said, "I have spent most of my life on the Yellow River. Although you are dressed as merchants, I knew you were not merchants as soon as you boarded the boat."

"why?"

Jiang Shizhong wondered, in order to disguise, they also specially spent more than a dozen taels of silver to buy some goods, but they didn't expect it to be seen through at a glance.

The captain shook his head and said with a smile: "You have exposed too many flaws. The first flaw is that you chartered a boat to Mengjin, but you didn't bargain much. Instead of those businessmen who are full of money, they want a coin to be broken in half. How could it be like that?" You are so straightforward."

"The second flaw is that you are too careless about the goods. Those merchants regard the goods more than their lives. How can they be like you, who don't care about the goods at all, and don't even think about those goods."

"The third flaw is you, little brother. Although there have been merchants missing in the past two years, not many people know about it. In this rolling Yellow River, there will be thousands of 800 people who die every year. The hundreds of people who disappeared , In fact, the impact is not that great, but the moment you open your mouth, brother, the merchant is missing, who would know so well except the people in the yamen?"

Hearing the captain's words, the five of them were all stunned, and Jiang Shizhong was the quickest to react, smiling and cupping his hands and saying: "Brother, you have good eyesight! We are from the government office. In the past two years, the government office has received more than a hundred petitions, and more than a hundred lives There are no dead or dead bodies, and the family members of those people often go to the yamen to make trouble, which makes the head of the mansion grow big."

Speaking of this, Jiang Shizhong sighed and said: "Now that spring is here, merchants on the Yellow River will come and go more frequently. The Fuzun is worried that the murderer will commit crimes again, so let's pretend to be merchants and see if we can bring the murderer to death." Fish out."

"Brother, you have spent most of your life on the Yellow River, have you heard any rumors?"

　() Three requirements for quality, seeking collection, recommendation, and pursuit
　　


(End of this chapter)