Chapter 346: The higher the Tao, the higher the devil
Xie Yuchuan and Han Qiguang were both happy about Yan Jin's arrival.
"The current situation in Yucheng is a bit complicated. Since you've just arrived, it's not appropriate for you to show up in public. It's best to keep a low profile."
"It should be so." Given his current situation, Yan Jin understood that what Xie Yuchuan said made sense.
The other party did not reject his suggestion to go to Laozhou, so he felt relieved. When a person is relaxed, his mind tends to be active.
"After coming here, I discovered that the scenery in the Central Plains is indeed different from that in the Northwest. Although I haven't been to the North, I imagine the borderlands aren't much different. Yucheng has a particularly strong and durable fabric that's perfect for places with harsh conditions. If we import a batch and bring it over, we'll definitely have no trouble selling it. Furthermore, when I drove here and passed by the street market, I saw that the fabric shops along the street were doing a booming business, with many merchants from other places buying."
When Yan Jin talked about the local products of Yucheng, it seemed as if he had been there many times.
Han Qiguang looked at him in surprise and asked, "Songzhi, have you ever been to Qingzhou Prefecture before?"
"Never." Yan Jin shook his head. "I've only been to the capital and the Jiangnan and Huaibei regions in the hinterland. I've never been to the north. The climate is a bit colder than ours, but not much different."
This was his observation as he traveled north.
Han Qiguang asked, "Then how did you become so familiar with Yucheng's affairs in just a few days?"
Yan Jin was slightly stunned. "I asked around."
"How did you find out?"
Han Qiguang was very curious. His people had been in Yucheng much longer than him, but they felt that they could not compare with Yan Jin's detailed observation of Yucheng.
He also had a temporarily formed caravan in his hands, which was also intended to facilitate the "arrangement" of Xie Yuchuan's people in the future. The caravan spent money lavishly in Yucheng, making it lively and bustling, but it seemed that it was just to make itself known to the shop owners of major shops in Yucheng. The disguised identity was qualified, but not outstanding.
At least, as far as he knew, the few influential figures in Yucheng had not attracted their attention.
This was also the main reason why he could never send people to sneak into the Yu family to investigate. He originally thought that with those smart people under his command, this matter should not be so difficult. He never expected that the Yu family was one foot high and one foot high of evil, loose on the outside but tight on the inside, which was unusual.
Otherwise, he would not have set his sights on the family god behind Xie Yuchuan.
But the appearance of Yan Jin suddenly made Han Qiguang seem to have an epiphany.
Did the people of the Yan family have an abacus in their hands since they were born?
He would not be like him, who would take a car to meet friends and observe the people coming in and out of other people's shops on the way.
Yan Jin didn't know what Han Qiguang meant.
But when you are in an unfamiliar environment, it should not be difficult to inquire about local news. It is just a matter of paying a little more money to get in and out of all kinds of people. If you are not sure about the news, ask a few different people in the same way, compare them together, and you will be able to get a general idea of the situation.
This... is quite simple.
Han Qiguang looked at Yan Jin for a moment, then turned to Xie Yuchuan and said, "How about I give my caravan to Song Zhi? That way we can both do something else."
Xie Yuchuan pondered for a moment and nodded, "Songzhi is good at business, he is the most suitable."
Yan Jin looked around and asked, "What are you talking about?"
Han Qiguang patted him on the shoulder and said seriously, "Since you're here and won't leave, I have something I'd like you to handle. There are four major merchants in Yucheng, two of whom have extensive connections in Beijing. In two days, Yuheng and his crew will be leaving, and you and I will accompany them. I'll go with the escort Xiong Jiushan, and you'll take my place as the caravan's chief steward, escorting the goods north."
Yan Jin's eyes lit up when he heard this, "I'm the one who's in charge of the caravan?!"
"Of course, you're not alone here, are you? I'll get you some help. Take advantage of the next few days in the city to see what other goods you need. The north will be in chaos after you leave the border, so be aware and don't bring anything that's too troublesome. There's another caravan coming with us now, and I'll say a few words to the escort. It shouldn't be a problem."
Yan Jin nodded and asked, "What is the purpose of forming this caravan?"
When talking about business, Yan Jin's mind worked very quickly. Xie Yuchuan and Han Qiguang were both from famous families, and they thought differently from him who came from a merchant family.
On the way to exile, what was the purpose of this caravan in their hands? He had to ask in advance: was it to make money in the north in the future? Or was it for some other reason?
Only by understanding the key issues can he consider them more effectively.
Xie Yuchuan said to him: "A caravan is a caravan. On the surface, it's no different from any other caravan."
"What about in private?" Yan Jin asked. What happens in private is the key.
Xie Yuchuan took a sip of wine and said calmly, "I have a group of people who need identities to accompany me."
Yan Jin nodded, "Then I understand."
Turning to Han Qiguang, he said, "Leave the caravan to me. I will never let you suffer any loss."
Han Qiguang loved hearing this, and happily clapped his hands and said, "Then it's settled. You come with me later, and I'll take you to meet the two of them."
While the three of them were reminiscing about the past in the house, at the gate of Yucheng government office, Xiong Jiushan accompanied the magistrate Feng Chen all the way to the inn where the fugitives were camping.
Cheng Ye was caught off guard when he heard the letter.
He hurriedly drank a few sips of water, rinsed the alcohol from his mouth, and washed his face before going downstairs to meet people.
"I am Cheng Ye, the captain of a hundred households. I am honored to meet His Excellency the County Master!"
Feng Chen, accompanied by two armed yamen runners, walked all the way from the gate to the open space in the courtyard before stopping.
He was surrounded by officials and hundreds of fugitives who were escorting people from the capital. He looked around and saw that although there were many people, the arrangements were in good order. He couldn't help but have a better impression of Xiong Jiushan.
"I didn't expect that Jie Cha Xiong would have such a heavy responsibility this time. Don't worry, if there are no problems among the exiles, you don't have to worry about the paperwork."
"Thank you for your understanding, sir." Xiong Jiushan said from the side.
Feng Chen walked forward a few steps, then turned to his men and said, "We'll have two coroners come over to check. If there's nothing wrong, have them take the body away, bury it, and register it."
"Yes, sir!" the Yucheng yamen runner responded.
Xiong Jiushan stood at the back, looking at the young county magistrate in front of him. His attitude towards Feng Chen was no longer the same as what he had thought before at the yamen gate.
Feng Chen, this small official, may be a bit hot-headed, but he is actually fair in his work and conduct.
Even if it was a small matter mentioned casually, there was no need for him to pay his respects, and someone would already be assigned to handle it.
Xiong Jiushan's attitude towards him became unconsciously more respectful.
Feng Chen looked at it for a moment, then turned and said, "Your group of exiles has a number of wealthy individuals being escorted. The aroma of food fills the air in this courtyard." He sniffed, "There seems to be some wine, too?"
Cheng Ye, who was standing next to Xiong Jiushan, quietly stepped back.
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