In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 657 Three men can make a tiger, four men can make a sheep

"This is Shi Yu, the third manager of the Beiping Taxue Trading Company, and this is his son."

"This is Narisu, the leader of Longwei Mountain in the north."

Hu Chongyi introduced the two sides.

Narisu sized up the two people in front of him, a hint of displeasure flashing in his eyes.

These two men possessed an arrogance unique to Ming Dynasty people.

Although his eyes were calm, he could still sense the contempt in them.

Shi Yu and his son were quite shocked by the person in front of them.
The short, honest-looking man in front of me is actually a grassland bandit?

Shi Yu spoke first, his face filled with a fake smile:
"So it's Chief Narisu. I've heard so much about you."

His smile only made Narisu more aware of its hypocrisy, and his disgust intensified. He nodded with a forced smile.

"Now that everyone's here, let's take a look at the goods."

Hu Chongyi gestured for him to stop:
“Narisu, please wait a moment. Today’s business deal is quite a coincidence. There is one more person involved.”

"Is there anyone else?"

Narisu frowned, sized up the four people present, and gave a soft snort:
"Brother Hu, does this kind of business require so many people?"

"A last resort. Please understand."

Hu Chongyi couldn't explain, so he could only nod with an awkward smile.

Less than a quarter of an hour later, Qu Qingfeng, dressed in casual clothes, slowly walked in, followed by two guards.

As soon as they reached the door, Narisu abruptly took a step back.
He stood with his two brothers, their scimitars drawn, and the two beside him did the same.

"Hu Chongyi, are you playing me? How come there are government officials here?"

He looked at Qu Qingfeng who was walking over, his eyes filled with apprehension.

Although I don't know who the person in front of me is,
But Narisu was absolutely certain of the smell on him.

Qu Qingfeng remained calm, sized up Narisu for a moment, and then spoke indifferently:
"You must be Narisu. You're quite petite."

"Such a beautiful place as Longwei Mountain is being wasted on you."

Seeing the situation suddenly become tense, Hu Chongyi felt a sense of helplessness.
"Lord Qu, Narisu, if you no longer wish to do business..."
Now we're parting ways and going our separate ways.

If you want to do business, speak properly.

Looking at the situation before him, Shi Yu's focus on this business deal diminished considerably.

I was originally thinking of building a new line on the grassland so I could continue doing business there in the future.
But now, he just wants to finish this deal as soon as possible.
Sell ​​all the sugar so I can go back to the commander and talk to Vice Commander Liu about the cloth business.

"Gentlemen, come and take a look at this shipment."

It's all top-quality white sugar, without a trace of impurities, and the price is very cheap.

After saying that, Hu Chongyi ignored them and walked straight into the inner room of the warehouse.

Shi Yu and his son followed.

Seeing this, Qu Qingfeng glanced at Narisu with disdain and followed.
Narisu was at the very end, his expression shifting back and forth.

"Brother, Ming officials are difficult to deal with. Can we still do business with them? What if it's a trap?"

"Yes, it's just selling white sugar, and so many people have come. They really don't know how to handle things properly."

Narisu listened to their murmurs and shook his head:

"Keep your voice down. Sugar is such a good thing, why not take it?"

Before long, the group entered the warehouse where white sugar was stored in a strange atmosphere.

What comes into view are rows and rows of neatly arranged wooden barrels.

At a rough estimate, there might be nearly a hundred!

Upon seeing these, Qu Qingfeng's heart bled.

If the scheme to steal the sky and change the sun succeeds, at least tens of thousands of taels of silver will be earned.

Now, not only are they being targeted, but they're also losing a significant amount of money.

Hu Chongyi walked to a wooden barrel and used a dagger to knock open the sealed lid.

With a crisp, muffled "bang," a snow-white expanse came into view!
Narisu stared intently, a look of longing on his face, and involuntarily took a step forward.

White sugar is pure and flawless, truly without a single impurity!
"Excellent. The finest white sugar, exactly the same as what's sold in the city."

Narisu murmured.
Hu Chongyi sighed and said in a deep voice:
“Narisu, this is not the kind of white sugar found in the city, but comes from Beiping.”

Since you're here today, why don't you take the sugar I recently collected with you?

“good good”

Narisu was filled with greed and craving, almost to the point of madness.

"Should we inspect the goods again?"

Hu Chongyi walked to another wooden barrel and pried open the lid.

“I trust Brother Hu to do things right. We’ve been working together for so many years and there hasn’t been a single problem.”

Narisu waved his hands repeatedly, his breathing becoming rapid.
"So, let's do it the way we always have."

"Delivery will be made ten miles north of the city, cash on delivery, how about it?"

Before Hu Chongyi could speak, Qu Qingfeng spoke first:
"White sugar cannot leave the city now."

"Can't leave the city?" Narisu frowned, looking at Hu Chongyi:

"Brother Hu, why did you call me here if you can't leave the city?"
"I don't have the ability to take anything out of Daning City."

"Take it easy, take it easy."

Hu Chongyi looked at Qu Qingfeng without saying anything, but his meaning was clear.

Qu Qingfeng's brows gradually furrowed:
"Me? That's too dangerous!"

Hu Chongyi's expression remained calm:
"Lord Qu, you are a member of the government, and only you can transport such a large quantity of goods out of here."

You're not putting in any effort, yet you expect a share of the profits?

Qu Qingfeng's face turned ugly in an instant.

Shi Yu stood to the side, his face darkening.

Such a large business, involving so much money,
Surprisingly, we still haven't prepared a plan to leave the city.
It left him speechless.

The atmosphere was somewhat quiet. After a while,

Qu Qingfeng sighed:
"I will handle the matter of leaving the city, but I will ask for an extra ten percent in bribes."

The atmosphere fell silent again, this time with Narisu looking bewildered.

He didn't hold back in his sarcastic remarks:

"Sir, isn't it good that you don't discuss things beforehand when you do business?"

I'm hesitant to do something like that.

"Shut up, who gave you the right to speak here?" Qu Qingfeng snapped angrily.

Narisu stood there stunned, looking blankly at the people around him, then at Qu Qingfeng:
"And what are you?"
"I'm the buyer, can't I speak?"

Qu Qingfeng's face suddenly turned red:
"presumptuous!"

Narisu, without any politeness, turned cold and began to curse:

"Screw you! The goods belong to Manager Shi, and Brother Hu was the one who made the connection."
What's your role in this deal? Just taking the money for nothing?

Before Qu Qingfeng could speak, Narisu looked him up and down, a mocking expression on his face:

"If you were truly an official, I might be a little wary of you."

If you want to make money off me now, you'd better behave yourself.
At worst, we can just part ways and stop doing business.

"Stop, stop, stop!"

Hu Chongyi was secretly delighted.
Upon hearing this, he hurriedly spoke up:
"Lord Narisuqu is doing this kind of business for the first time and is unfamiliar with the rules."
Don't stoop to his level.
Business must go on, and money must be earned.

"Hmph," Narisu snorted coldly and waved his hand:

"Inspection, Brother Hu, it's not that I don't trust you."
"Because of this gentleman's involvement, I'm a little uneasy."

"Investigate. It should be investigated."

Hu Chongyi gave a smirk, then turned to look at Qu Qingfeng, shaking his head helplessly, his meaning clear.

Qu Qingfeng stood there, his face extremely gloomy.

He realized something: he was already involved.
Originally the most prestigious official position,
At this moment, it has become his constraint, and even a handle in the hands of others!

"Huhu."

Qu Qingfeng was breathing heavily, his eyes bloodshot.

After a period of heavy silence, Narisu looked at Hu Chongyi and asked:

"How about we settle the transaction outside the city in two days?"

Hu Chongyi did not speak immediately, but looked at Qu Qingfeng instead.

He didn't say anything, but simply nodded slightly.

Hu Chongyi breathed a sigh of relief:
"The handover will take place two days later at Duojingchi, ten miles north of the city."

Narisu glanced at them and waved his hand lightly:

"gone."

He said as he walked:

"Brother Hu, don't come to me for this kind of business again. I can't serve these officials."

"you!"

Qu Qingfeng watched his departing figure, her eyes blazing with fury.

Strangely, neither Shi Yu nor Hu Chongyi made a sound.
This made Qu Qingfeng even angrier and more frustrated.

After Narisu had completely left, Qu Qingfeng glared fiercely at Hu Chongyi:

"Manager Hu, why do business with such people?"

Hu Chongyi was also getting impatient: "Lord Qu, Narisu is the most generous person when it comes to spending money. If we don't ask him, who else should we ask?"

Without giving him a chance to continue speaking, Hu Chongyi continued:
"Lord Qu, when will Dongxi leave the city?"
Have you decided how you intend to leave the city?

Qu Qingfeng's expression shifted repeatedly, and he said fiercely:
"The general on duty north of the city tomorrow evening is one of my former subordinates; we'll depart from there."
To be on the safe side, not a penny less should be paid.

Hu Chongyi and Shi Yu exchanged a glance and nodded slightly.

Hu Chongyi said, "Lord Qu, this money needs to be arranged by you."
Manager Shi and I have exhausted all our efforts on this matter; you should also lend a hand.

"it is good!"

Qu Qingfeng just wanted to end this absurd business as soon as possible.

Shi Yu secretly breathed a sigh of relief and cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards the two of them:

"Lord Qu, Manager Hu, I'll take my leave now."

After saying that, he turned and left without looking back, his fists clenched.

If they hadn't gotten in touch with Vice Commissioner Liu this time, they would have lost a fortune on this deal.

He secretly warned himself that he should never act impulsively again.

As dusk approached and darkness fell, two figures lay silently on a rooftop not far from the warehouse.

One of them held documents and records, while the other used binoculars to look at the location of the warehouse.

A short while later, Gong Xianzhi's eyes lit up, and he spoke in a deep voice:
"Narisu came out, their faces filled with anger, and the three of them were muttering something to each other."

The person standing nearby quickly took notes.

After a short while, Gong Xianzhi continued speaking:
"Shi Yu and Shi Baifeng left, and their expressions were rather grim."

Hu Chongyi and Qu Qingfeng left together.

The two were exchanging heated words and looking angry, seemingly unable to reach an agreement.

Gong Xianzhi slowly moved the telescope away, his face showing deep thought:

"What's going on here? Why are so many people here for this kind of thing?"

The other person wrote quickly and soon finished the record, saying:
"Why do you care so much? Quickly send someone to follow them, or they'll get lost."

Gong Xianzhi nodded repeatedly, got up, went to the edge of the house, and whispered down:

"They've left, go after them."

"it is good"

There was a reply in the small courtyard; the door opened.

One by one, ordinary-looking people, who would be easily overlooked in a crowd, walked out.

They moved quickly and were agile.

After doing all this, Gong Xianzhi pondered for a moment and said:

"You wait here, I'll go to the warehouse and see if I can find any clues."

"Don't do anything risky," the person beside me reminded me.

"You can't tell just by facial expressions and demeanor; you need other corroborating evidence. You wait and see."

"Go quickly and come back fast, be careful!"

Half an hour later, the sky grew even darker.

The orange-red sun hung on the horizon, tinging the dark clouds with orange-red hues.

At the headquarters of the Regional Military Commission, Gong Xianzhi hurriedly entered Lu Yunyi's office and reported urgently:
"grown ups!"

Lu Yunyi looked up from the documents:
"You're back? How's it going?"

"Sir, this is the document."

Lu Yunyi took the document and read it carefully.
"The transaction is about to begin?"

Gong Xianzhi's expression was solemn:
"Your Excellency, my humble opinion is as follows."
Although they both seemed very angry, and there was a tendency for them to reach an agreement,

However, his subordinates risked entering the warehouse and discovered that at least twenty wooden barrels inside showed signs of having been opened for inspection.

If there were no intention to make a deal, there would be no need to take such action.

After pondering for a moment, Lu Yunyi nodded slightly:
"Okay, I understand. Keep an eye on them."

If those nomads leave the city, capture them without hesitation.

"Yes!"

Gong Xianzhi straightened his back, turned around and left.

After he left, Lu Yunyi held the documents in his hand, lost in thought.

"Call Zhang Huai'an over."

"Yes!"

Not long after, Zhang Huai'an, sporting dark circles under his eyes, hurried over, looking desolate.

These days have really worn him out.
As I became more familiar with many veteran soldiers and learned more about them, I found operational documents increasingly difficult to prepare.

Things are not progressing as quickly as they did at the beginning.

"What's wrong with you?"

Lu Yunyi looked up from the documents and stared at him with some surprise.

Zhang Huai'an gave a wry smile: "My lord, the strategy is too difficult to devise."

"Ha ha ha ha."

Lu Yunyi let out a hearty laugh:
"There's no rush for the strategy. It won't be needed until at least next spring. There are still a few months left, so we can work on it slowly."

"I've summoned you here today because I have a military task for you to perform."

Zhang Huai'an immediately straightened his body:
"What are your orders, sir?"

Lu Yunyi handed over the document:

"That's the matter. I'm having dinner at Black Hawk's house tonight, so I don't have time to handle things. You need to get this done properly."

Zhang Huai'an glanced at the document in his hand, and a look of surprise quickly appeared on his face:
"Sir, what's in this warehouse?"

"Sugar." A cold glint flashed in Lu Yunyi's eyes.
"Sugar from Beiping."

"What? They're here to steal our business?"

Zhang Huai'an exclaimed in surprise, his whole body radiating a fierce aura.

Lu Yunyi shook his head:
"No, it was a series of coincidences."

But consider this a business opportunity; we must be discreet and avoid arousing suspicion.

"Yes, Your subordinate will complete the military mission!"

"Yes, go down. It's almost the New Year, spend more time with your men, don't lock yourself in the office all day."

The night was pitch black, so thick it seemed it could drip down.

The city of Daning fell asleep under the cover of night, with only a few scattered lights flickering in the cold wind.

The warehouse at No. 19 Tianfu Lane was silent.

The two guards wrapped their cotton-padded coats tightly, stamped their feet to ward off the chill, and the torches in their hands flickered in the cold wind.

"This awful weather, the latter half of the night is going to be even harder to endure."

One person exhaled white mist, rubbing his hands and complaining.

"Even during the Lunar New Year, there's no peace. I hope I can make more money this year."

Before he could finish speaking, several dark figures suddenly flashed past the alley entrance.

Before they could react, a cold light suddenly appeared.

Two sharp blades were thrown with pinpoint accuracy.

It tumbled rapidly in the air and precisely pierced the guard's throat.

The two stared wide-eyed, making gurgling sounds in their throats.

Before he could even cry for help, he collapsed to the ground, and warm blood quickly spread across the bluestone slab.

Fifteen minutes later, a burst of orange-red flames suddenly shot up from the warehouse.

In the blink of an eye, the flames spread rapidly along the dry thatch and wooden frame like venomous snakes.

The crackling and popping sounds shattered the tranquility of the night.
The flames greedily licked every corner of the warehouse.
Thick smoke rose rapidly, churning into a massive black fog in the night sky.

"It's gone!!"

The night watchmen of other shops in Tianfu Lane rushed out, exclaiming in surprise.

Many people were jolted awake, shouting in panic and rushing towards the fire with buckets of water.

However, the fire was simply too intense.
The white sugar piled up in the warehouse quickly turned into syrup under the intense heat of the fire.
Mixed with burning wooden frames and debris, it fueled the fire, making it even more intense.

The news spread like wildfire, quickly alarming nearby residents and patrolling officials.

Everyone rushed over, but could only watch helplessly as the warehouse struggled in the inferno.

The water poured from the bucket,
It instantly turned into rising steam, which was completely unable to contain the fire.

Hu Chongyi rushed over after receiving the news.

Looking at the warehouse reduced to ruins, I almost fainted.

"My house!!!"

Shi Yu also received the news and rushed over in a hurry.

By the time he arrived, the warehouse had been engulfed in flames, the towering firelight turning the night sky crimson.

Shi Yu stared blankly at the tragic scene before him, a sob escaped his throat, and his legs gave way, causing him to collapse to the ground.

He stumbled and lunged at Hu Chongyi, his voice rough:

"Manager Hu, where are my goods?!"

(End of this chapter)