I

One mile away from Henglin Town, there is a new illegal currency checkpoint established by the eunuch.

The office conditions are very simple, and some temporary thatched houses are built on both sides, which are the offices for officials who handle taxes. A rope was pulled across the river to block the passage of ships on the river, and only after paying a tax could they be allowed to pass.

At dawn, it's pitch black.

Both sides of the banknote pass were lined with ships, all waiting to pay taxes and pass the customs after dawn.

When eunuchs set up private cards, they not only increase the tax costs of merchants, but also greatly increase their time costs. The river, which used to be accessible without obstruction, now has to wait in line slowly, and people don’t have to go to work at night.

Zhang Tieniu stood outside the cabin, looking at the checkpoint in the distance, and said with a guilty conscience: "When daybreak comes, and the eunuch discovers that the heads of the two brothers are missing, will he send someone to stop the checkpoint here for inspection?"

"What are you afraid of? I'm not afraid of setting fire to the county government office," Zhao Han said with a smile. "The worst he can do is get off the boat and fight, burn all the money in the officials' rooms, and throw out all the money and let others pick it up."

Murder and arson are like child's play.

Zhang Tieniu muttered in a low voice: "You are still reading the books of sages, you are a murderer."

After waiting for a long time, it finally dawned and the bank checkpoint started working.

After queuing for about half an hour, the tax collector boarded the boat to inspect it. He glanced at Yingfengzhaozi and asked, "The Fei family's passenger boat?"

Zhao Han cupped his hands and said, "The servant of Fei's family in Ehu, on the order of the young lady, sends some new year's goods to Jiujiang's family."

"New Year's goods are also goods, and tax must be paid according to the cargo ship." The tax collector was very difficult.

Zhao Han quickly said: "I made four pieces of paper at home and gave them to my relatives. My lord, the court has regulations that all pens, inks, paper and inkstones can be exempted from tax."

"Then pay the cabin tax." The tax collector laughed.

"Thank you for your noble hand." Zhao Han handed over a bunch of copper coins, which were cast by the Ministry of Industry in Nanjing in the first year of Chongzhen. They were second only to those cast in Beijing in the first year of Chongzhen - the coins minted in the middle period of Jiajing were the best, and are now rarely circulated. Well, the reason is that bad money drives out good money.

The money minting in Chongzhen's four years was no longer good, and eunuchs were all responsible for it. The weight and materials became worse.

The tax collector weighed it and estimated in his mind that it was worth about five denarii. He immediately smiled and said, "Let's go."

"Aren't you going to give a tax stamp?" Zhao Han asked.

"You still want a tax stamp?" The tax collector spread his hands and said mockingly, "Okay, you have to pay more."

Zhao Han quickly apologized and said, "I just want to ask if the officer is leaving."

There is a hammer tax stamp in the banknote checkpoint set up privately by the eunuch.

The tax collectors recruited were also irregular and did not bother to enter the cabin to check the goods. The tax collection is more or less, all depends on the tax collector's mouth, if you don't give enough bribe, you will be trapped to death!

Zhao Han returned to the cabin and said with a smile: "It's really convenient to collect this tax."

Pang Chunlai said: "Private cards are like this. I saw them a lot when I was in Liaodong."

Zhang Tieniu lay on the couch and yawned: "My dear husband, the Chinese New Year is almost here, where are we going?"

Zhao Han replied: "Go to Yiyang County first and find a doctor to treat the injury."

"The guy's head was smashed, his body was torn all over, and there were several bruises. I'm afraid he might not survive." Zhang Tieniu closed his eyes and began to take a nap.

At noon, we arrived in Yiyang.

The passenger ship docked at Gexi Shuiyi, and Zhao Han personally went to the city to invite the doctor.

The doctor was startled and exclaimed, "This is a serious injury."

Zhao Han said: "You only govern, you don't care about life or death."

The doctor removed the piece of cloth Zhao Han was wrapped in, applied gold sore medicine and bandaged it again, took the money and left.

Take a boat all the way, passing through Guixi, Anren, and Yugan, then enter Poyang Lake and turn to the Gan River.

If you go to Ruijin, you can actually take a shortcut and turn directly from Xinjiang River to Fuhe River to the south. However, the waterway network was so complicated that the Fei family's boatmen couldn't figure it out, so they had to take a long detour and follow the Gan River to avoid encountering water bandits.

…

Chen Maosheng woke up in the evening. When he moved slightly, he felt pain everywhere in his body.

"Are you awake?" Zhao Han put the pottery pot on the charcoal stove, fiddled with the charcoal and said, "The porridge is cold, let me heat it up for you."

Chen Maosheng was a little confused and said weakly: "Is it Mr. Zhao? Where am I?"

Zhang Tieniu came over and sat down: "You were almost thrown into the river last night, but it was my little husband who saved you on the boat."

"Thank you."

Chen Maosheng has already recalled what happened last night. He was invited to the house by the old man. Unexpectedly, a temporary guest came to the house, and the old man kept company with him. He even went to hold a candle to enjoy the snow at night.

He was arranged to rest in the guest room, but the young master of that family suddenly broke in, coerced and induced him to do something dirty.

He was woken up by a beating at night and knocked unconscious by a series of blows with sticks. He has no memory of what happened next.

Zhao Han asked: "Is there anyone else at home?"

"Yes," Chen Maosheng replied, "My parents are both here, and I am settled in Yiyang County."

Yiyang County is right next to Qianshan and is one of the two birthplaces of Jiangxi opera. Yiyang tune later influenced the development of dozens of opera types.

Zhao Han said: "Yi Yang has passed. If you want to go home, I will find a county to let you off the boat and give you some silver to recover from your injuries in the inn. When you recover from your injuries, you can go home by yourself."

After hearing this, Chen Maosheng was speechless and stared at the cabin roof in a daze.

"Hey, you are so ignorant," Zhang Tieniu couldn't stand it, "My young husband is talking to you. If you want to leave or stay, just ask."

Chen Maosheng had no choice but to say: "Mr. Zhao, I don't want to go back. I...can I go with you?"

Zhao Han smiled and said: "I want to rebel, are you afraid?"

Chen Maosheng smiled miserably: "Those who have died once, what else do they have to be afraid of?"

"Haha, our rebel team has grown again." Zhao Han was very happy.

Zhang Tieniu complained in his heart: An old master, a young scholar, an opera singer, and a coolie like me, four people want to rebel?

Although he had little confidence, Zhang Tieniu couldn't help but fantasize.

He even arranged the positions. If Zhao Han became the emperor, Pang Chunlai could be the prime minister, he could be the general, and Chen Maosheng would simply be castrated and become an eunuch.

The cold porridge was slightly warmer, so Zhao Han poured it into the bowl and ordered: "Tieniu, help him up, and be gentle."

Zhang Tieniu didn't know how to take care of others. He reached out and grabbed the back of Chen Maosheng's neck and lifted up his upper body. The pain was so painful that Chen Maosheng almost fainted.

Zhao Han sat up and personally fed the wounded porridge.

Chen Maosheng opened his mouth and took a sip. Thinking of his own experience, he looked at Zhao Han and said: "Mr. Zhao, you are so kind. When I recover from my injury, I will be your slave and serve you every day. I am very good at it." Waiters, don't think I'm dirty."

Hearing these words, Zhao Han felt a chill all over his body. He quickly restrained his emotions and said, "I want to rebel. When I become emperor, there will be no humble status in the world. There will be no Lehu and no domestic slaves. Do you think this is good?"

"Don't you have a humble status?"

Chen Maosheng's eyes lit up, like stars in the night sky, and an inexplicable emotion was ignited. He was full of passion and spiritual power: "Mr. Zhao, I will rebel with you. You must become the emperor!"

Zhao Han smiled and said: "Don't worry, I will definitely be the emperor. You need to fill your stomach first."

Zhang Tieniu supported Chen Maosheng with one hand and touched the ax at his waist with the other, muttering: "Another one is crazy."

After a brief contact, Zhang Tieniu was certain that Pang Chunlai was a psychopath.

Often without a few words of conversation, Pang Chunlai would talk about current affairs, talking about how cruel the Tatars were, and how corrupt the court was. Anyway, he just wanted to strengthen Zhang Tieniu's determination to rebel.

That kind of crazy attitude, it’s no wonder you have no problem with your brain!

…

Goose Lake Town.

After Lao Wu got off the boat, he quickly ran to Fei's house. He came back later than Fei Lin.

After bribing the master that day, Lao Wu did not leave the county immediately, but took his time to eat, drink and have fun.

When I was slightly drunk, I suddenly heard a noise, as if someone was exclaiming where there was a fire.

Lao Wu didn't take it seriously and continued to finish the food and wine. Only when he went out did he realize that the situation was serious. The escaped civil servants were telling stories in more detail.

Lao Wu was so frightened that he ran out of the city and returned home quickly.

After rushing all the way back to the inner courtyard of Gongbei Garden, Lao Wu was so tired that he stuck out his tongue and lay down at the door of the study, shouting: "Old... Master, huh huh... not good... huh... not good!"

"Come in and talk."

Fei Yuanyi is reading a collection of poems.

Lao Wu bent over and moved into the study, supported his knees with both hands, and said with a dry throat: "No... it's not good... Huh-huh, please let me slow down... just slow down... Huh-huh-huh..."

Fei Yuanyi frowned and asked, "Did the eunuchs increase taxes again?"

"No...it's not..."

Lao Wu gasped for breath, and after recovering a little, he finally said completely: "That Zhao Han killed Master and Dianshi, also killed many government officials, and set fire to the sixth house of the county government office. When I left the city, the county magistrate Manpower is being organized to put out the fire!"

"What!"

Fei Yuanyi stood up in shock and trembled: "How dare he?"

Lao Wu was also frightened: "Master, do you think he will know that we spent money to get him to jail? This guy dares to kill people and set fire in the county government office. If one day...if he comes to our house..."

"No, no, he doesn't dare..."

Fei Yuanyi walked around the study, and the more he talked, the more guilty he felt, as if Zhao Han would come to take his life at any time.

Lao Wu reminded: "Zhao Han also has a younger sister over there with the eldest young lady."

"Don't touch her," Fei Yuanyi said quickly, "Don't touch his sister. You must not provoke such a desperado again. He dares to burn down the county government office, what else can't he do?"

Lao Wu explained: "Sir, what I mean is to make up for the situation. How about accepting his sister as his adopted granddaughter?"

Fei Yuanyi shook his head repeatedly: "No, killing people and setting fires in the county government is tantamount to rebellion. I am innocent, how can I get involved with the rebels?"

"Then, reward his young sister with some wealth?" Lao Wu asked tentatively.

"That's fine."

Fei Yuanyi took off the jade pendant from his waist and said, "Take this jade pendant, pay five taels of silver, and send it to Jingxingyuan together."

Lao Wu was extremely panicked, even more panicked than Fei Yuanyi, because he handled the matter personally.

You can only be a thief for a thousand days, but there is no reason to guard against a thief for a thousand days.

Zhao Han's whereabouts are unknown now. Who knows if he is hiding nearby?

What if one day he went out to do business and was shot to death by Zhao Han, and he would have nowhere to complain in the underworld.

Desperados, don’t mess with them, don’t mess with them!

Lao Wu felt extremely regretful, so he took the jade pendant and silver coins and ran quickly to Jingxingyuan to establish good relations.

From now on, Zhao Zhenfang is his aunt.

(This book was first published on the Qidian Chinese website. Friends from other sites can download the "Qidian APP" and read the genuine novels for free by watching advertising videos.)