Chapter 317 Eat two ends and get a protection fee

After Chen Qiyu was arrested, Hong Chengchou was appointed as the Minister of War and took charge of military affairs in the five provinces of Shaanxi, Jin, Chu, Henan and Sichuan, and prepared to encircle and suppress the peasant army on a larger scale. In December of the seventh year of Chongzhen (1634), the peasant army Gao Yingxiang, Li Zicheng and other troops went from Shaanxi to Zhongnan Mountain and entered Henan, conquering Chenzhou, Lingbao, Sishui, Xingyang and other places, and the momentum was shaken again. Emperor Chongzhen urgently ordered Hong Chengchou to leave the pass and join forces with Shandong Governor Zhu Dadian to encircle and suppress the peasant army.

On October 27, Huguang troops aided Hanzhong and were defeated by the peasant army. Deputy General Yang Zhengfang and general Zhang Shida were killed in battle.

At the end of the seventh year of Chongzhen, the situation in the Central Plains became increasingly difficult. The bandits were everywhere, and officers and soldiers from all over the country did not dare to fight with the bandits in and defended the enemy behind closed doors. One after another, bad news came to the capital, and Zhu Youjian was in a very bad mood. Thinking of Chen Xie’s previous memorials, not only did he not have an increase in his favor for Chen Xie, but he became more disgusted and felt that he had embarrassed his face in front of his ministers.

Speaking of which, Chen Xie really reads little. If he had read the Three Kingdoms carefully, he would not have made Tian Feng's mistakes. Zhu Youjian was a monarch who wanted to be extremely respectful, and his correct opinions must be spoken in the right way at the right time before they could be accepted by him.

Chen Xie didn't have the heart to take care of Zhu Youjian's mood. When he returned to Dengzhou, a bereaved dog who had been waiting in Dengzhou for half a year finally met General Chen. Li Guozhu was looking forward to the stars and the moon, and finally brought Li Heng to the plate. This maid businessman who relied on the Li family to make a living has now become a person that must be looked up to. In other words, Li Guozhu's father and Li Heng were a little in love with him, and Li Heng was still very concerned about his affairs.

"When I see General Chen, put away your little thoughts. The most important thing is to tell the truth. He looks young. No one in this world can play tricks in front of him. When Liu Xiang came last time, he played tricks. As a result, Mr. Chen bought dozens of big guys from the Zheng family in one go, and even you were implicated. He was at ease to do things for Mr. Chen, and guaranteed that you would be better than anyone else in the sea in the future."

Li Heng's carriage entered Zhangjiazhuang and was investigated three times on the way. He was very polite to the soldiers, and the investigation was really strict. Seeing this village, Li Guozhu's heart was beating a little hard to defend. Here it was said to be a village, but it was actually a fortress. A large-caliber cannon can be seen in the car. After counting about it, there were no less than ten turrets at the top of the city. Each gun position had two guns, which were twenty 12-pound cannons. This was just one side of the line of sight, and the other side? Change the window and take a look, and my heart twitched.

This kind of 12-pound cannon is sold for 4,000 taels per ghost, but it is not sold openly. Liu Xiang is so stupid. If you don’t hold such a good thigh, it’s no wonder that Zheng Zhilong was crippled and even implicated himself.

In the backyard, Chen Xie was playing with two children, lying on the ground, pretending to be a barking dog, making the children giggle. This scene was really terrible. Several maids were so sad that they were so sad that they didn't dare to laugh out loud. The maids of the Chen family had the highest monthly salary in Dengzhou. There were bonuses at the end of the month, red envelopes at the end of the year, and four days off a month. No one wanted to be fired for jokes.

Yu Xun came in from outside and saw Chen Xie's appearance. She glared at the nurse who was carrying the child in anger and scolded: "How many times have you said that, don't let the master accompany the child so crazy, why don't you stop him? Do you still want to do it?"

Chen Xie had no choice but to get up from the ground and glanced at her: "What are you doing? What are you doing? I scared my daughter to tears!"

The nurse immediately stepped forward and picked up the two children. After giving birth, Yu Xun became plump and full. Seeing Chen Xie looking at the child reluctantly, she still felt very sweet. However, from her perspective, she opposed this matter.

"The master likes children, and he can't learn to bark just to make the children happy, right? What does the servant look like when he sees it?"

After hearing this, Chen Xie lowered his face and said angrily: "I am happy! I usually don't have enough time at home, and I finally stay at home to accompany my children. Why are you messing around?"

"Okay, it's not mine. Mr. Li Heng is here, you have to go and meet him, right?" Yu Xun saw that Chen Xie's face was wrong, and he quickly spoke softly. He now knew the temper of this master. Chen Xie's career is getting bigger and he spent no more than two months in Zhangjiazhuang all year round. The two concubines were in charge of the affairs in the village, and they also cherished Chen Xie's days at home. However, women in the Ming Dynasty could not be jealous. They were not the wife, and Chen Xie had no intention of marrying a wife. For this reason, Chen Xie wanted them to die without frowning. It was very simple. Their idea was that Mr. Chen was afraid that they would be wronged. After all, after all, if they had children, they would simply not let their wife come back to cause trouble.

"I understand, I'll go out now." Chen Xie said as he was leaving. Yu Xun quickly grabbed him and said, "My master, you should always wash your face and change your clothes, right? Otherwise, if others don't say you are not particular, we will not serve others."

When changing clothes, Chen Xie couldn't help but touched each other, and he was not honest. He touched his hands in important places. Yu Xun endured the ripples caused by the harassment and packed them up. When he was about to come, he sat softly on the chair and couldn't move. Chen Xie laughed out loud.

After entering the living room, Chen Xie's face immediately sank. He looked up and down at Li Heng, and said with a slight smile: "Brother Li, I said you don't have to cause these troubles. What do you mean?" Li Heng smiled and said: "I was in Japan when I was in business and got the help of Mr. Li. I have never had the chance to repay this incense. I also asked Mr. Chen for convenience."

Chen Xie glared and said angrily: "Old Li, are you cursing? Are you talking like this? What kind of friendship do you and me do? Let's call the master, go out, don't enter my door in the future." Li Heng smiled and said: "Okay, Lord Chen, I was wrong, okay?"

Chen Xie sighed and said, "This person is really boring. When I first came out to do it back then, there wasn't so much etiquette, right? Old Li, don't do this between us. If you want to call me, then just pretend that I don't have a friend."

Li Heng smiled and said, "Okay, Sihua, I'm not polite." Chen Xie said, "That's right, sit down and talk." After saying that, he glanced at Li Guozhu, who was standing there. Chen Xie looked at him and asked Li Heng: "Brother Li, what are your plans?"

Li Heng pondered for a moment and said, "Now in the southeastern sea, Zheng Zhilong's family is the dominant one. He is a boat that takes Japan's route. I have to pay protection fees to his family. My boat is not spared. To be honest, I have a lot of thoughts about my friendship with him, but he told me the rules. I feel so uncomfortable in this matter. Let's do this, you can buy a 500-meter ship and I will never bargain as much as you can."

Chen Xie heard that this guy was also a good guy who could not get up early, but he was very sensible and didn't mention the big ship. After careful consideration, Chen Xie recalled the smell and smiled and said, "Brother Li, this is the intention of not wanting to cooperate with me."

Li Heng laughed loudly after hearing this: "Just wait for Sihua's words. I am a businessman, so I don't need so many ships, right?"

Chen Xie nodded and said, "Zheng Zhilong is now an official in Fujian, so it is not easy to make trouble with him. In this way, let him be free for a while. Next spring, I will take out 40 ships of 500 materials. But then again, you have to protect this person. If there is a problem, I can ask you for losses."

Chen Xie was not kind-hearted. Zheng Zhilong collected protection fees at sea, several million taels a year. He could not earn this money alone. He had to share a little with him, otherwise he would feel unbalanced.

"Sihua, I think this can be done. First, give him some trouble, and then everyone sit down and talk." Li Heng had an idea. Chen Xie thought for a moment and said, "I definitely can't come forward for this matter."

Li Heng smiled and said, "You don't have to come forward. Let Guosuke go to the sea and calculate some of the past accounts with him."

Chen Xie nodded and said, "Okay, I'll let Xilai Jing cooperate. By the way, gentlemen are the first and villains. No matter how you talk about it, I want 30% of the benefits. Besides, I can't give these ships for free, right?"

Li Heng glanced at Li Guozhu. The guy was very eye-catching. He immediately took out a bank bill from his arms and placed it on the table. Chen Xie looked down at him for 500,000 yuan. He immediately sneered for a few times and stopped talking. Li Heng smiled slightly when he saw it, took out a bill from his pocket and placed it on the table. Chen Xie looked down and then smiled, "Then let's make up that way. At the latest, you will bring someone to get the boat."

Li Heng smiled and said, "Sihua, you have to match guns and cannons, right?" Chen Xie smiled and said, "Of course. Each boat has a 12-pound cannon, four 6-pound cannons, and eight 3-pound cannons. But let's say it first, the medicine is calculated as the money."

Li Heng was anxious and stood up and said, "I said Sihua, this is not kind. You also sent 50 shells and medicine bags to the Zheng family's goods. Why did I need money now? No, no."

Chen Xie tsk twice, and said with a look of my loss: "Okay, 50 shots are only 50 shots. Brother Li, you are a profiteer, and I can't tell you. By the way, apart from the cannon, there are no smoothbore guns? For old friends, I'll give you 200 shots, and other purchases will be 20% off."

Li Heng said: "If I want it, but I have no money, can I take credit?" Just now, there was still a good atmosphere. With just this sentence, Chen Xie jumped up and pointed at Li Heng and said: "Brothers, are you clear about the accounts? No matter who comes this smoothbore gun, no matter who comes, it is 200 silver dollars, without bargaining. Last month, Guanning Jun wanted to sell 2,000 pieces, but I didn't have any goods."

Chen Xie is a nonsense. Guan Ning Army came to buy artillery. Chen Xie made a batch of 3-pound cannons to deceive others. Chen Xie bought large-caliber cannons. Chen Xie bought them in Fujian because Zheng Zhilong could buy them from the foreign ghosts. He didn't know who was cheaper. So this arms deal would be divided into people. Sold to Guan Ning Army. In the future, it would probably be hit by the Dengzhou Camp. Of course, Chen Xie could not sell them to big guys. If he sold them to Zheng Zhilong, it would be different. He would never fall into the hands of the Later Jin.

Li Heng had been entangled for a long time, but in the end he had to give up. He took out another 200,000 bill of exchange, bought two thousand smoothbore guns, and finally demanded 100 rounds of ammunition. Chen Xie pretended to be heartbroken and agreed to his conditions.

In fact, even if the ammunition is not money, Chen Xie will make a death toll. This is an absolute huge profit. One thing is very important. The power of weapons such as Chen Xie's ammunition is greatly reduced. Zheng Zhilong has to pinch his nose to buy ammunition now. Chen Xie is very smart here, so he buys arms on both sides first. Go back and asks the navy to help fight Zheng Zhilong, and he can also get a protection fee.r1152
Chapter completed!