Chapter 31 Section five

The Baicao Courtyard in Yaowangmiao Town is not big, and there are not many girls.The old procuress, Dahuaxie, used to run a teahouse in Fengtian City. She was eloquent, hooked in all directions, and was familiar with people of all kinds, both black and white.Therefore, with many backers and a wide range of contacts, business will be booming. That day, Fan Chenxiang asked her to send a message to Zhao Yizhuo, the bandit leader on Luyang Mountain, to meet him in Baicaoyuan.She asked the brother who came to the courtyard to play food to deliver the letter that night.The next day, Zhao Yizhuo returned a message saying that he would arrive after lighting the lamp, so she sent someone to tell Fan Chenxiang.Fan Chenxiang is a frequent visitor to Baicaoyuan, he came before dinner, plunged into Xiaofen's room and never came out again.

Da Hua Xie was waiting for Zhao Yizhuo's time, and it happened that Yan Xiong, the heroic cavalry school of Guangning City, accompanied by Zhang Jing, a master of the Shengjing Military Department, happened to pass by and came in to rest, which frightened Da Hua Xie—— In her heart, Zhao Yizhuo is a centipede, and Master Zhang Jing of Shengjing Military Department is a big rooster.One of the two sides is the bearded head.On the one hand was the leader who caught the beards. Her herb garden was like a narrow bridge, and they couldn't support the two goats on the bridge, so she hurriedly called out Fan Chenxiang and asked him to meet Zhao Yizhuo at the intersection. Then he cheered up and went to greet Master Zhang Jing of the Shengjing Ministry of War.

After Zhao Yizhuo sneaked into Yaowangmiao Town with his bodyguard Chen Erban, he chose a secluded alley and came to Baicaoyuan.When approaching Baicaoyuan, he found a team of officers and soldiers resting on the roadside. He couldn't help feeling suspicious, so he asked Chen Erjin to tie the horse halfway, and slipped under the wall to check the situation, while he led the horse to observe the movement in secret.After a while, Chen Erjinban attracted Fan Chenxiang. After the two explained the situation, Zhao Yizhuo pondered for a while and said, "Master Zhang Jing from the Ministry of War is in Baicaoyuan, let's go back to your house to chat!" Obviously, if I force you to stay in your lair first, I won't be afraid of what you, Fan Chenxiang, will do in there.

Fan Chenxiang also knew what Zhao Yizhuo meant, and he originally wanted to meet Zhao Yizhuo at his home.But one is that he is afraid of being bumped into and hinder his reputation as the president, and the other is that he doesn't want Ma Lanhua, who is outspoken, to know that he will spread bad things about him everywhere.Now that the matter has come to an end, there is no need to worry about it anymore, so he led Zhao Yizhuo and Chen Erjinban back to his home.Wanting Liu Ma to go to Rugui Restaurant to ask for a table of food and drink, Zhao Yizhuo stopped him and said, "Eat whatever you have at home, don't disturb outsiders."Fan Chenxiang smiled wryly, and had no choice but to do as he pleases.

According to Zhao Yizhuo's intention, he and Fan Chenxiang had a drink and talk alone, and let Ma Lanhua invite Chen Erjin to come to the kitchen for a bite to eat.Fan Chenxiang understood that he was keeping an eye on each other, in case someone slipped out and made small moves, so he followed suit. Unexpectedly, in this way, it was convenient for Chen Erjinban and Malanhua.Chen Erjinban was called Chen Erjinban, and everyone in the know knew it. It was a big talk he said to others when he boasted about his crotch. Many people call him by his nickname, just guessing that he can drink two and a half catties of alcohol, but he also nods in approval, never explaining.This Chen Erjin is considered to be a master at picking flowers and stealing willows in the Jianghu. He knew that the task Zhao Yizhuo gave him was to keep the women of this family from going out to report the news, so he knew it well. , it is obviously a red apricot tree out of the wall, and I am secretly happy in my heart.When he was allowed to sit on the hot kang in the kitchen, and exchange cups with Malanhua, he made some small movements and touched Malanhua's hand again and again. Seeing that Malanhua was only blushing, she was not angry. With more confidence in his heart, he pretended to miss, extinguished the oil lamp, and took Malanhua into his arms, but heard Malanhua whisper: "Don't worry, I will send Mama Liu away." The kitchen said: "Mother Liu, take a look at the room and add wine and vegetables to them. I don't need you here." After hearing this, Mama Liu, who had already been well-trained, understood in her heart, agreed, and left go.

... Liu Ma went to the upper room, and did not enter the room to disturb the conversation between Fan Chenxiang and Zhao Yizhuo, but leaned on the door frame of the upper room and looked at the stars in the sky in a daze. Just entering the twelfth lunar month, it is the coldest day of the year, the sky is full of cold stars blinking, the Milky Way is gray and white, slanting on the treetops.Cowherd and Vega were also pale from the cold, and they were much farther away than on the day of the Seventh Meeting in July.The Cowherd and Weaver Girl in the sky meet once a year, but the Cowherd and Weaver Girl in the world meet every day. From this point of view, the Cowherd and Weaver Girl in the sky are pitiful enough, but what kind of goods are these Cowherd and Weaver Girls in the world?Liu Ma squinted at the window in the kitchen, it was still dark.Turning to look at the upper room again, Fan Chenxiang and Zhao Yizhuo were chatting intently, their voices were very low.Looking around the Sanhe courtyard of the Fan family, except for the sound of Zhao Yizhuo and Chen Erjin's two horses grazing, the courtyard was lifeless, and the wing rooms on both sides were pitch-black.The population is getting smaller and smaller, and the family tradition is getting worse and worse. Are such rich people really rich?No, Mama Liu said in her heart.The first thing is that he doesn't even have a son.The second thing is that a girl ran away with her!The third thing, the whole concubine always sleeps with other people!Therefore, how much money he earns with a big slap is also a poor man.In the future, when he closes his eyes and kicks his legs, he will have nothing, and the yard is someone else's... Sigh, this is a matter in this world, how can I say it?

No matter how Mama Liu feels sorry for Fan Chenxiang, Fan Chenxiang's mood at this moment is excited.After the oil lamps in Malanhua's and Chen Erjinban's house were turned on again, he had already reached the expected agreement with Zhao Yizhuo: Zhao Yizhuo would come forward to grow opium separately with the local tyrants and evil gentry in Guangning City, and the total amount would be quite a lot. In 600 acres (Fan Chenxiang left a 100 acres of land), the land, seeds, and labor were all provided by the local tyrants and evil gentry. He, Zhao Yizhuo, was only responsible for protecting the opium fields from infringement, and turning the opium produced into money. The local tyrants and evil gentry add two to one and make five.And Fan Chenxiang must guarantee to buy more than 500 mu of opium at that time, and the price per catty is half of Liu Yifan's bid. Opium confrontation is just a matter of two ends, and a lot of money can be made.Where can I find such a good thing like a pie in the sky?Grandma's!Isn't it just to be more courageous and have a little more outside connections than these bumpkins who only know how to fight in their nests!When Zhao Yizhuo was about to leave, Fan Chenxiang reminded him that even though Sun Yat-sen had resigned, Yuan Datou's constitutionalist government was also imitating Sun Yat-sen's example, banning foot binding, gambling, and opium, and asked him to save time when dealing with local tyrants and evil gentry. Careful.

Zhao Yizhuo sneered and said, "Didn't they also say that Chinese medicine, marrying concubines, and visiting brothels are banned? Who listened to their tricks!" After getting on his horse, Chen Erjin bowed his hands to Fan Chenxiang and said, "Thank President Fan for your hospitality!" Then he rode away.His words should be sincere.