New Empire at the End of Ming Dynasty

The two sides made an appointment to have dinner and interview in a famous restaurant in the capital. The welcome building is a famous restaurant. If they eat a meal here, it costs more than ten liang of silver, which is equivalent to the salary of ordinary soldiers for a year.

Moreover, the other party was willing to come because the Liu family entrusted him with 50 liang of silver. The other party only took a look at it for the love of 50 liang of silver.

These unique talents are highly valued by the imperial court and their officers. They rarely deal with people outside. More importantly, they do national defense industry, which is a fatal job. Once they are known by the people of the government, it will be a great crime.

The other party's name is Huang Dong, a master craftsman of Fran machine gun in the military Bureau.

Liu GUI warmly greeted the other party and immediately served good wine and dishes. After three rounds of wine and five flavors of dishes, he took the initiative to talk and invited the other party to work in the Liu family.

The Liu family in Linqing is the richest in the world. They have a certain reputation in the capital, and the other party has heard of it. However, the other party is still quite cold and said directly: "I'm delicious in the capital. Why go to Jimo?"

Because Liu GUI has a middleman here, he has no scruples. It is estimated that he said, "we can make a good price."

The middleman Zhou Chang smiled and said, "yes, brother Huang, you should know who is too much money. You are satisfied with the terms offered by the Liu family."

Huang Dong was unmoved. He said, "the king of the ordnance Bureau has done me a favor again. I have five fronts in the capital, 300 mu of land outside the city and three concubines. I have such a good life. However, I go to a small place in Shandong to do it for you? And it's legal. It's illegal. Let the court know that I will behead you."

What the other party said is reasonable. Liu GUI is thinking that this person is really hard to deal with.

At this time, the middleman Zhou Chang spoke again. He said, "brother Huang, you really don't consider? The number of a month." he stretched out a finger, which means that this month is the price of one hundred and twenty.

This is an era when money can make the devil push the mill. Money is omnipotent.

The Liu family offered a price of one hundred Liang a month, which really moved Huang Dong. A light flashed in his eyes. This light was greedy. He swallowed his saliva, but he shook his head when he thought about his identity and his current life.

In fact, this man is greedy for this money, but he is afraid of hindering his identity and work. He doesn't dare to mess around. He's afraid that he'll lose his iron rice bowl in the military bureau at one time. It's not worth the loss.

His iron rice bowl in the military bureau can be passed down from generation to generation, and his descendants can't use it and eat it. If people know that after he works for the Liu family, his future will crash and he can't eat it anymore. He doesn't want to die hard all year round like those craftsmen in the south of the city, and finally he can't even eat a full meal, The whole family was poor.

So Huang Dong just ate and drank. He stopped talking about going to the Liu family. After eating, he left directly, took fifty Liang and left. He didn't mean to miss it at all.

Liu GUI sighed. You have a big shelf. Today's trip is in vain, and the silver is in vain.

The middleman said to him, "housekeeper Liu, you said earlier that you could get 2 million liang of silver if you persuaded him to go. Is that true“

Liu GUI said to him, "although I Liu GUI is only the housekeeper of the Liu family, you should know the weight of my words. I never count my words. I never count my words. As long as you can take him to our Fushan, even if you tie him up, I can let you get 200 liang of silver."

Zhou Chang said to him, "I've also heard some news. You Liu family recruit people at no cost. Even master Li and master Zhang are willing to offer the conditions of a hundred officials. But is this rumor true?"

Liu Bu said, "of course it's true. My young master is thirsty for talent. If the other party is willing to come, he can also promise a hundred family officials to him."

Zhou Chang, the middleman, said, "this kind of official refers to young master Liu, who was personally appointed by him. It is also officially prepared by the imperial court."

Liu Guihe said, "what nonsense are you asking? My young master is now the garrison commander of Jimo camp and the thousand households of Fushan office. He has 20 hundred household officials. Of course, he can appoint 20 hundred household officials. These are official officials with merit, seal and token in the imperial court. These are the imperial court's appointed officials."

Zhou Chang, the middleman, said to him, "give me two days to do this. I will do it for you."

Liu GUI said to him, "OK! Here's my Liu family's silver. It depends on whether you can take it or not“

Middleman: he is a famous child and broker in the capital. He is a long sleeved and exquisite figure. The Jianghu people call him a rat in the wind and a big Zhou Chang. It is said that he is a person who can smell the smell of silver through the air.

Zhou Chang knew that the Liu family was a famous tycoon in the world. If he could get in touch with them and win their orders, he wouldn't have to worry about running out of money in the future. Therefore, he was very interested in this matter. The Liu family finally found him. He must do it well. In the future, the two sides will build up their relationship, and there will be endless orders 。

Moreover, the price offered by the Liu family is first-class and high. Even if the royal family sent him to do things, the price is just so.

Zhou Chang saw that Huang Dong didn't buy oil and salt and didn't eat hard and soft, so he took advantage of Huang Dong's going on duty, took four-color gifts and a jar of wine, came to the Huang family and met Huang Taigong, the old master of the Huang family.

Huang Taigong, who had already retired, had enjoyed his grandchildren at home and enjoyed his life. For Zhou Chang's visit, he said he didn't know each other and had nothing to talk about, but when he saw that the other party took a jar of apricot blossom village, he immediately felt that everything could be talked about.

After Zhou Chang gave the gift to Huang Taigong, he introduced his identity and origin. Of course, his identity was the special envoy of the Liu family in the capital.

Zhou Chang said to him, "when I came here today, I actually gave you the Huang family a big fortune. Master Huang can't turn around for a moment and a half. I don't know how to grasp it."

Don't look at Huang Taigong. He's an old man. In fact, he's an old fox. He directly said with a smile: "as a craftsman, what kind of wealth can we have? We were craftsmen two hundred years ago, and our descendants are still craftsmen two hundred years later. As long as we can do a good job for the public, what kind of wealth can we have?"

Zhou often looked around. After he pretended to be mysterious, he said, "the Liu family in Fushan is going to pay a lot of money to hire master Huang to preside over the manufacture of Franc machine guns for them. The other party has offered a great price."

Huang Taigong said with a smile, "how can this be possible? My eldest brother built a flannel machine gun for the imperial court's military Bureau. He is working for the imperial court. How can he go to Fushan to work for the Liu family? If he goes, he will make a taboo. Losing his job is a small thing, and losing his head is a big thing."

Zhou Chang said, "Taigong, you are really joking. How can you lose your head? The Liu family in Linqing is the richest in the world, and the young master of the Liu family is also the Jimo garrison commander ordered by the imperial court. How can you lose your head?"

And Zhou Chang said mysteriously, "do you know what price the Liu family has offered this time?"

Huang Taigong also knew that it was taboo for him to let his son go to other places to make cannons for the vassal towns. He shook his head and said, "I don't know, but there are still some silver in the Huang family, and it's not very short. If you leave a gift, you can go."

Zhou still didn't go, but drank a cup of tea. He said, "just now, Tai Gong Huang, you said that you are just a craftsman. You were a craftsman two hundred years ago and still a craftsman two hundred years later. You have to eat the bowl of craftsman's rice for generations, don't you?"

Huang Taigong arched his hand and said, "official agriculture, industry and commerce, this is the rule set by Emperor Taizu. No one can change it. Farmers can turn over through reading, but we as craftsmen can only be craftsmen for generations. This is our life."

Zhou Chang said: "Who said that this must be your life? Do you know what conditions the eldest young master of the Liu family in Fushan offered? He directly offered you a hundred family official. If you are willing to build artillery for them, they can appoint your eldest brother as a hundred family official. This official was officially appointed by the imperial court, with official fame, body, official clothes and seal letter. From then on, you Huang family He has changed his origin. He is no longer a craftsman, but a court official. "

Old master Huang was very moved. He was shocked and said, "how could it be? Who would offer such conditions?"

Although Huang Dong, the son of his family, was highly valued by the leaders of the military Bureau and made a lot of oil, water and money, he was still a craftsman and the most low-grade craftsman in the Ming Dynasty. He had to kneel when he saw an official. He had to pay as many taxes as corvee, which was no different from the businessmen of rich and noble families.

Zhou often saw that the other party was so impatient, and then he was not in a hurry. He drank a cup of tea slowly. He said, "go to the craftsman's area and ask. Craftsman Li and craftsman Zhang have a job now. You can talk to me later."

Huang Taigong and his family are also craftsmen, but they have made a fortune and have moved out of the craftsmen's area for a long time. Moreover, they are not poor, but rich and noble. The two sides don't live together, so they don't know that both the Li family and the Zhang family have been appointed as hundreds of officials by the Liu family.

However, Liu bu also felt a little taboo about this matter, so he also asked the other party not to publicize wantonly and try to keep a low profile. Therefore, this matter has not been spread, but there are still some rumors in their craftsman circles.

Huang Taigong was very moved when he heard about it. He immediately rushed out with crutches. They were only two square areas with the craftsman area. He trotted all the way to inquire about the news to see if it was true.