19
The word "Young Master" made Cheng Xi raise an eyebrow, but he didn't explain. He picked up the brush and started writing. After finishing, he blew on the ink and read out: "Shakou Village owes 30 dan of rice on credit, and repayment will be made in the spring of next year with sea goods. Both are based on spring prices. If there is any breach of contract, the fleet can ask for it on its own. Is this okay?"
"Okay, okay! I'll remember it!" The old village chief nodded quickly. The writing was not so literary, and he could understand it.
What’s more, it is calculated based on next year’s price, so there is no need to worry about losses due to price fluctuations next year.
"Then put your fingerprints on it." Cheng Xi turned the paper over and tapped the blank space below.
The words on the paper were thin and pointed, a little different from ordinary ink writing, and more imposing. Old man Zhang could not understand a single word, but he still quickly dipped the ink in the ink and pressed a few red fingerprints on the paper.
A few dozen stones of rice may not mean much to others, but it can save their lives.
This fleet was their savior because they were willing to accept their goods and lend them food.
Besides, just looking at the young man's expression makes people feel at ease. Such a person will definitely not lie to them!
With the signature, the IOU becomes effective.
Cheng Xi put away the paper and instructed the people around him, "Take this old man and get thirty stone of rice."
The man who looked like a guard nodded immediately and took Old Man Zhang out of the tent.
It was brightest outside, and after squinting his eyes due to the thorns, Old Man Zhang finally saw the people waiting eagerly. Thinking that the village would have another thirty dan of rice, Old Man Zhang straightened his back. He didn't know if other villages could survive, but their Shakou Village would definitely survive this winter! With joy in his heart, he trotted along to follow the people to collect the food.
Just by looking at the old man's expression, you could tell he was buying grain on credit! The others waiting outside were all excited, hoping to get their money in soon.
Only the elder of Erwang Village, who was sitting at the back, rolled his eyes and thought of other options.
Their village had been robbed before, and only about thirty households escaped during the chaos. Most of the young and strong men died, and many women were abducted. Fishing was definitely out of the question, but they couldn't just sit and wait to starve to death.
As an elder of the clan, Wang Laowu originally planned to sell a few little girls to get some money for emergency use.
Unexpectedly, the women stopped him at all costs, and he almost caused a riot. His narrow escape only made them angry, and there were few men in the village, so he couldn't control them. His worry turned his hair white.
If they hired a trafficker, they could force the person away, but the money they paid would certainly be much less. Besides, the village still relied on the women fishing to make a living, so it was not easy to use force directly.
Just as he was worrying about what to do, a caravan arrived at his doorstep. Hearing that he could buy grain on credit, he boarded the ship without hesitation.
First, buy some food on credit. If you really can't pay it back later, you can use those women to pay it back. That way, you have ready-made food and labor to work for another year. It's a win-win situation.
When the child grows up, the incense offerings in the village will continue.
Of course, that's what he thought before coming here.
Now sitting outside the tent, watching people coming out happily, his mind became active again.
This caravan seems pretty easy to talk to, doesn't it? Why not just sell a few girls to them? With so many fierce-looking men, those unfortunate women will surely not dare to stop them. This way, not only can we get some money, but we can also save ourselves from arguments. Isn't that a good deal?
"Wang Laowu, it's your turn." A man walked out of the tent and shouted at him.
Wang Laowu stood up with a start and walked quickly into the tent. His originally nervous heart immediately relaxed when he saw the person in the room.
He turned out to be such a handsome young man, who looked kind. No wonder everyone was so happy to go out. If he cried a little, could he sell those money-losing goods for a high price?
Thinking of this, Wang Laowu's face wrinkled into a ball, and he bowed repeatedly: "Sir, Erwang Village was robbed a few days ago, and there are few people left alive in the village. I beg you to give us a way out!"
His voice was mournful and his expression was terrified, which made people feel a little sympathetic. However, Cheng Xi did not even raise an eyebrow: "The credit must be repaid. How do you plan to repay it?"
"Repay! We can definitely pay it back! If you can't, you can just give us someone to pay for it!" Wang Laowu answered firmly, and then glanced at the person sitting there cautiously, "It's just that we are too poor now and can't support so many people. There are a few girls in the village, the youngest is five or six years old, and the oldest is eight or nine years old. They are all diligent and can serve. If you can buy them to serve you, it will be considered saving their lives."
He said this with a humble and cautious look, but the temptation in his expression could not be concealed.
Cheng Xi's expression turned cold, and he leaned back in his chair: "Oh, how much is one?"
Hearing the young master's words soften, Wang Laowu was delighted: "Three taels of silver for a small one, and eight taels for a big one. Don't think it's too expensive, young master. They are all hardy girls. They can survive with just a little food. The big one can even warm your bed!"
Can a little girl of eight or nine years old warm the bed?
Cheng Xi's fingers pressed on the hilt of the knife at his waist, stroking it gently: "Don't these girls have mothers?"
Wang Laowu thought it was not good, and he quickly explained: "They are just a few stupid women. They can be beaten up a bit. It's okay. The village is in trouble, there is nothing we can do. We are all trying to make a living..."
As he said this, he whimpered twice, looking as if he couldn't bear it.
"Since there is no one in your village, you can't sell the grain on credit." A cold voice answered him.
Wang Laowu looked up in shock. What was going on? They couldn't even buy grain on credit anymore. Hadn't the other villages gotten their grain before? The people in Nantou Village were also robbed, their boats burned, and they came out jubilantly. Why couldn't they buy grain on credit?
However, what he met were a pair of cold black eyes, looking down at him with murderous intent.
Wang Laowu felt a chill on his back and his heart suddenly panicked.
Could it be that he had just seen it wrong? This person was not a kind person at all. Just the look on his face was no different from that of a wealthy seafarer!
Seeing the old man mumbling incoherently, Cheng Xi didn't want to listen to his nonsense anymore. "The women in your village are entitled to five dan of rice each. Take as many as you want. If you bring children along, you can add one dan for each child."
"This, this is too little!" Wang Laowu cried out. Even if a stone of rice costs one ounce of silver, a woman is only sold for five ounces? Even a human trafficker wouldn't give so little!
"Oh? Then you'd like to hear a way that doesn't cost money?" Cheng Xi held the knife with one hand and slowly stood up.
As she moved, the men standing on both sides glared at her, their swords drawn, murderous intent in their eyes.
Wang Laowu's legs went weak and he fell to his knees, beads of sweat rolling down his face.
He, he actually forgot that this group of people were maritime merchants, not ordinary businessmen.
What kind of person could sail out to sea at this time? He wasn't even afraid of the bandits from Luoling Island, so what was the big deal about slaughtering their village? He had boats and people, and he, the elder of the tribe, held power in his hands. Killing or slicing was a simple matter of a word!
"I was foolish! Young master is kind and the food you gave me is enough. I have no complaints... No, I am grateful! Thank you for your reward, young master!" Wang Laowu kowtowed and cried, and this time his tears were much more sincere.
Looking at the old man crawling on the ground with tears and snot, Cheng Xi frowned and felt indescribable disgust.
This old man never mentioned the young and strong people in the village from beginning to end, nor did he mention how to fish or how to work. He only thought about using people to pay off debts and selling girls to make money.
If those women and children were left in the village, who knows how much suffering they would have to endure. Since you don't want them, just give them all to her. At least give those women and children a chance to survive.
"Drag him away, and prepare food for him after reporting the number of people." Cheng Xi said coldly.
The guards in the tent immediately grabbed the man and dragged him out. At this time, Wang Laowu did not dare to struggle and beg for mercy.
Five shi is five shi, so what? At worst, I can sell a few more, which is still a lot of money. I can just get through it, right? A few fewer mouths to feed means the villagers can survive...
Without looking at the old man again, Cheng Xi sat back in his seat and continued to look through the account book.
The Lin family acted quickly. They walked along the coast, sold all the rice on the boat, and brought back some grain to several villages that offered credit.
Most of them pledged their last year's goods, but two families were willing to provide labor: two dan of rice per person, free labor for a year, with room and board provided, and bonuses if they boarded the ship.
In villages like Nankou Village, which originally had boats, there were more than ten young and strong people who could get on the boats. With a little training, they could become useful crew members.
There's no news from the Li family yet. Li Niu is a bit ambitious. Could he be trying to sell more grain before coming back? We need to send someone to check it out and make sure there's no trouble.
Just as he was thinking about it, the curtain outside was lifted and Lin Meng hurried in: "My benefactor, something terrible has happened! The Li family..."
Before he could finish his words, a man stumbled into the house, crying, "Master Cheng, my captain has been arrested!"
This was Li Niu's man. Cheng Xi stood up suddenly and asked, "Who arrested him?"
The man's head and face were covered in sand and dirt, and no one knew whether he had fallen or been beaten. He couldn't help crying at this moment: "Yes, it's the government runners!"
Cheng Xi's heart skipped a beat: "Why arrest him? Did he have a conflict with the tax collector?"
Even if he made money, the taxes would still be a considerable amount. Could it be that Li Niu was crazy enough to encourage people to resist taxes?
The man cried and shook his head. "Originally, the elders thought they were here to collect taxes, but as soon as they entered the village, they started smashing things up, accusing us of harboring fugitives. The ancestral hall was destroyed, and the clan leader was beaten until he vomited blood. The captain couldn't stand it anymore, so he led his men to fight back, but they were held down by a group of yamen runners, and six of them were dragged away in one go!"
Cheng Xi and Lin Meng's faces changed color. If it was tax resistance or even smuggling, it could be forgiven. But hiding a fugitive was another matter, and it was a capital crime!
Lin Meng said anxiously: "My benefactor, we can't provoke this matter! After all, it's the government..."
Before he could finish his words, the messenger from the Li family knelt down in front of Cheng Xi with a thud. "We are being wronged! The captain is the pillar of our Donggou Village. The clan leader said that all the villagers here obey Master Cheng's orders. As long as we can rescue the captain, we will pay any amount of money!"
In this world, losing a reliable captain would be a disaster for a village that relies on sea travel for its livelihood.
Linjia Village had only turned things around because they had a savior like Cheng Xi. But now, Donggou Village was facing a government official who was even more terrifying than the thieves. If no one rescued them, they would really die in prison! It was for this reason that the elders of the Li clan sent people to ask for help, hoping for help.
Cheng Xi frowned, but before he could say anything, a group of people rushed in from outside the door, all with clenched fists and bruised faces.
The leader was none other than Li Lai, the helmsman of the Li family's ship. He stepped forward and shouted, "Master Cheng, we must save Brother Niu. Without him, the Li family will collapse!"
These words were like a powder keg that exploded, and seven or eight members of the Li family shouted in unison.
"Master Cheng, my life is at your disposal!"
"We can attack the county town!"
"Yes! Kill that bastard official! Rescue Uncle Niu!"
Seeing the crowd's slogans becoming more and more intense, Cheng Xi's face darkened and he shouted in a low voice: "Shut up! Do you know how many officers and soldiers there are in the county? You are shouting for war and killing without knowing the situation clearly. Are you trying to save people or harm them?"
This scolding finally suppressed their indignation and made the group of Li family members purse their lips.
However, his eyes still revealed ferocity and unwillingness, as well as an extremely strong murderous intent.
These are men of the sea who have seen blood and even killed pirates. How could they let go of injustice?
Looking at the crowd in front of him, Lin Meng was already sweating profusely, and his back was cold. Although Li Niu had taken many people away to sell grain, there were still a dozen young and strong men left here for training, and even the boat was parked on the shore.
If this gets out of hand, I'm afraid all the people with the surname Li will rush to fight the county magistrate. If this isn't handled properly, it will cause a huge mess!
Cheng Xi's expression remained unchanged. He turned to Lin Meng and said, "Go and ask your village elders, Sun Erlang, and the head of the Sun family to come over. I have something to discuss with you."
Lin Meng didn't dare to delay and went out to look for someone immediately.
Now was the critical moment for the construction of the rice pounding mill. Sun Erlang and the elders of the three villages were guarding there, so it didn't take long for several people to rush over.
The one who came from the Lin family was Lin Meng's fourth uncle, the most mature and steady. The one who came from the Sun family was Sun Erlang's uncle, also one of the elders of the Sun family.
As for the Li family, the one who came directly was Carpenter Li. He was of high enough generation and was Li Niu's uncle, so how could he sit still after hearing the news?
As soon as he entered the room, Carpenter Li spoke first, "Who did Ah Niu offend? How did he get charged with harboring a fugitive? Isn't that like taking off your pants to fart?!"
This is the truth. Li Niu was a privateer captain. Shouldn't his biggest crime be smuggling at sea, violating the maritime ban? Taking advantage of such a big loophole and not arresting him, but instead accusing him of harboring a fugitive, it just doesn't sound right.
After being scolded by his uncle, the Li family member who delivered the message hurriedly defended himself, saying, "I didn't offend anyone. The captain has been sailing at sea for the past two months. Who could he have offended?"
Uncle Lin frowned and said, "Didn't you go back to your hometown to sell grain? Did you run into any trouble?"
"No!" the man said firmly, "I've already sold 400 dan of grain, and there are still a few people who want to buy on credit. How could I offend them?"
Lin Meng frowned when he heard this. "I only sold a little over 200 dan here. How come you guys sold it so quickly? Didn't you run into any problems?"
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