Chapter 10 Whenever something happens, there will always be trouble

All the cargo ships of the chairman have gathered at Lujiaping Wharf, which is too busy for this local capable person.First of all, I heard that the news in the neighboring county is not good, and they are already dispatching generals and troops, lest it will affect the local area.He sent the farmer who escorted the boat back down the river to see if the boat could not pass Chenxi County.If you don't enter the Mayang River and moor in the Yuanshui River, don't move for the time being, or pick up the goods and collect them at the Tongfali Warehouse in the county. Hurry up and empty your boat to Lujiaping, so that the shops in the town can be sold. The 600 barrels of tung oil in Zhongshoutun, some groceries, and a boatload of oranges were shipped off.It costs a lot of money to move up and down goods in the Chenxi County warehouse, but it is safer than transporting them to this town.

When the ship loads and goes down, and arrives in Changde, the ship will not be blocked by the local team.But not long after the steward set off, forty miles downstream, he met our first boat.After asking the sailors, I learned that the boat was near Chenxi County. There were so many rumors that I dared not go up, so I waited for two days.Ask the master of Tongfa Lizhan, the president did not send any instructions.The Highway Bureau is building a wharf along the river bank, serving boatmen, carrying soil and stones, and there are many people who use them.I'm afraid that if I stop, things will be delayed, so I still drive upwards.All the boats are coming and coming ashore a little behind.After the manager Zhuang got the news, he immediately rushed back to Lujiaping to report.

Now that the ship has arrived, if a few ships of cargo are left in the town and replaced with the collected oil and go down, in case something happens, you will still gain and lose, which is not very economical.The president thought: the place is small, once the team starts, there will be no one to suppress it, and there will be troubles.After all, the county seat is a big place, and there is a stone city, and a county magistrate lives in the city, so the provincial security team will not give up easily.And if something happens, the transportation on the river is interrupted, and the ship in the city must be in special need of goods. It is better to take these ships and drag them all the way up to Mayang County, one hundred and fifty miles upstream, where we can find another ship. Pack tung oil and go to Changde.Therefore, when the cargo ship approached the pier, the chairman went to the river to watch the ship in person.

When the helm of several boats passed through Chenxi County, they had already heard that the wind was not good, and now they heard that the cargo could not be unloaded, and there was another way, so they were doubting themselves.When the president arrived at the bottom of the river, he saw that the cargo ship was in good condition, and the river had not yet fallen heavily. If the cargo was transported up, it would at most go to Gaocun to pick up and barge, lighten the load, and then go all the way to Mayang County. Six or seven boatmen were talking about the news of going down the river on the river beach. When they saw the chairman, they kept shouting.

The president also greeted there with friendship. "It's hard work! The day before yesterday, I had to go along the river to see you. I thought the boat wouldn't go into the river, so wait and see. Now it's all here, even better! " An old boat owner said: "Chenxi County is very lively, I think the wind direction is not right. Everyone hurry home, okay, we will come up when you don't believe me." The president said: "It's hard for you, it's hard for you. Boss, I think the water in the river is fine, not too dry, is it?" The tiller said: "President, the water is good. This year is no better than last year. There was rain on the frontier in early September, and the water in the small river also flooded in the big river. In the big river of the Hongjiang River, many wooden rafts were lowered. The fish head boat is also filled with tung oil and goes to Changde Mansion. Heaven and people!"

The president whispered to the old ship owner: "Old man, I heard that the situation is not good, and you must be able to see it when you go to Chenxi County. What are your plans?" The old helmsman smiled and said: "President, everything is fate, it doesn't matter. They will beat them, I still want to take good care of this boat. Those of us who eat on the water eat everywhere, no matter where I am All go." He thought that the chairman wanted to transport the tung oil mountain goods bought locally, and he was afraid that he would not get a ship, so he said, "President, we float on the water just like wagging our tails in the water. Wherever there is water, we must Go, I'm not afraid. If you want to go to Changde Mansion in time, we will put a night boat on the Chenhe River and take you to Chenxi County in two days."

The chairman said: "I don't think these cargoes should leave the shore. Everyone has worked so hard. Just help me transport them to Mayang County. While the water is clear, I will go through the customs inspection tomorrow and go on the road the day after tomorrow. I will see when I get there. Empty the boat, and there are still a few cargoes to be transported to Changde Mansion: It’s too late, there’s really something going on down here, so you can take the boat to the small river in Gaocun and take shelter from the wind and waves at the Shiyang Whistle of Yanmen. You can discuss it later. Come to my shop and sue me. If you are willing to go, it will start tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. If you don’t want to go, you can also tell me, so that I can find another ship to fill the vacancy and take stock of the barge.”

Another boatman at Carrot Creek said: "President, for your old man's business, don't say that you have money to take us. If you don't have money, I will go. Everyone will not stop." Someone interrupted and said, "I'm afraid someone has already made a decision. The ship will unload the cargo here, and the oranges will be loaded down the Chen River. It will be too late to go to the county to release the empty ship." The president said: "Look for yourself, I don't force you. If you can go, go. If you don't want to go, don't force me. I won't make things difficult for you. You are all family members, and things are easy to discuss. Wait until you get on my account and go back and forth." Letter." The president said to a fellow farmer: "Mr. Wu, they have worked hard. You can buy five catties of landing charms and twenty bowls of wine for each boat. Send someone to deliver them. Treat the brothers on board to have a drink. You Remember, hurry up!" After giving the order, he broke up with several ship owners.The president remembered the matter entrusted by his relatives and parents, and went to the security team of Fubo Palace on Xiahe Street to visit the captain.

The captain was settling a strange account with the chief of special affairs of the headquarters, scolding the chief of special affairs for "hiding one's heart from one's heart and ignoring one's self, human tolerance and heaven will not tolerate it."I only heard the tribune say: "Secretary Chief, you understand, don't pretend to be crazy! These six hundred dollars are not meatballs. If you eat them, they may stick to your chest and won't work. If you don't know, it won't work. You are in charge, you can’t say you don’t know. A good man is a good man when he does things, and he has to get to the bottom of it!”

The special agent was not convinced.Although I dare not argue, my heart is really angry.Because the account is not his responsibility as a special agent, the captain thinks it is the careless fault of the chief agent.Fortunately, when the chairman came, he was relieved of the difficult position of the special agent chief.The captain always looked unhappy, and muttered curses in his mouth, seeing that the visitor was the president, his anger immediately calmed down. "Chairman, you are a busy person. You are so busy. I invited you to eat dog meat yesterday, but you didn't even come! There are six of us, and each of us drank twelve taels of Fenjiu, and we were dry. After we arrived, the director sang "Slick Oil Mountain" He came, and almost rolled into the river when he closed the door. He also said that he must play sixteen rounds of cards, and he was not allowed to get off the table. Whoever leaves the table will admit defeat, and three tables of sea vegetables will be fined. Adjutant Jin said: "Whoever gets off the table Who is the dog. "Fortunately, he didn't die drunk. When he was drunk, someone grabbed the dog hair and stuffed it into the crotch of the hakama. Some people really thought he was killed by a dog. "The captain said as he described it, he couldn't help laughing at the past.

Although the president had other things on his mind, he pretended to be full of interest and laughed along with him. The captain said again: "President, I heard that you bought a boatload of oranges, are you planning to ship them to Wuhan to make a fortune? Oranges are worthless here, but they are treasures in Wuhan!" The president smiled and said: "Where do you get rich? I think this year's oranges are especially good in the countryside here. I discussed with the surnamed Teng of Luoboxi and got half of the boat. As much as Lujiaping wants, if it’s worthless, it’s probably not worth taking it with you.” The captain said: "That's not true! How much is an orange worth, and how much money does it make? There is something I want to tell you about. Luoboxi, whose surname is Teng, is said to be your in-law. He has some money, and his neck is as stiff as a buffalo.People are too ignorant, it makes me angry!Last time I also wanted to give some gifts to my friends in Xiahe, but I couldn't think of what to give.Master Lian said that Luoboxi oranges are good, so he went there specially to have a look and make a negotiation, asking him to sell me a boatload of oranges.Buy spot with cash, fair trade, who knows that the old guy will ignore it, as if I want to snatch his oranges.He first asked me how much I wanted, told him to take a boat, and said that the big boat and the small boat must understand, and if you don’t understand, you can’t get oranges.Tell him that the big boat and the small boat need one boat anyway.The price of one hundred stones and three hundred stones is calculated.He also said that there is no need to buy it, I will send someone to send ten picks.They also thought that my surname Zong was a dragon boat rower, and they just wanted to send me out.It made me angry, so I sued him: "My surname is Teng, make it clear! You don't sell oranges, okay, I will send someone to cut down your tree tomorrow, and you go to Nanjing and sue me." Chairman, You are a sensible person, judge for me, how can there be such an unreasonable person in the world, people say that the army is deceiving, I don't expect that I, an old military officer, will still be angry with the vulgar." What the captain said was exactly what the president wanted to say. Since he raised this issue first, he followed suit and said, "Captain, this is a foolish and ignorant villager. Don't worry too much, don't worry about it! My in-laws are in trouble!" He is old, his ears are a little hard of hearing, he grew up eating raw rice, he speaks bluntly, offended the captain, and he still doesn’t understand! This man really has a stiff neck like you said, but he is a good man. His intestines are straight and he can’t turn. " The captain said: "I don't believe it, the people in your place are pretty much the same—except for you, President—the rest of these people, with a little change, have a little power, become local tyrants, and always say that there is a reason for everything." , use reason to suppress people, but it is really unreasonable to arm our comrades. They think we are outsiders and dare not do anything. This kind of local tyrant and evil gentry can also listen to him as a tyrant in this small place. Go to the province,...it's no wonder if you don't knock it down! What's the point? Clam shell plums, pearl plums, how long have they been sour!" After hearing such dubious comments, the president still suppressed his temper and made a pleasant face: "I don't see villains, I know what you said is a joke. What do country people know? How can they be unreasonable? Local tyrant, let the captain knock him down? The man surnamed Teng already understood his fault. He offended the captain by not talking too much, so he specially asked me to come here to say something nice. He was afraid that the captain would be angry for a while, so he really sent someone to kill him. Orange trees. The orange trees were cut down in that place, so they really had to grow radishes? I said to him: "Dear family, this is your fault.But don't worry, don't be afraid, the captain is a highly educated revolutionary soldier. (The two of them smiled when they said this, but the meaning of the smiles is not quite the same.) He is big-hearted, and the prime minister likes to punctuate the boat, and it will never be like this The one who destroyed our local feng shui!Let me tell you, the captain will laugh it off if he doesn't look at the golden face or the Buddha's face. "Captain, you don't know. Everyone says that the feng shui of Carrot Creek is all supported by that piece of orange trees. "The president sees that the captain is silent, so he pretends to be able to listen, and the air is just like" you say yours, The revolutionary behavior I planned to do, you Su Qin Zhang Yi lobbyist, it is useless to talk about it! "But when the chairman mentioned Fengshui, the last sentence touched his heart a little bit. Thinking of Yaoyao's dark and pretty back shadow, he couldn't help smiling. The chairman didn't understand, and said, "The captain looked at my slap-sized face, Have sympathy for this countryman and spare him. " The captain said: "Yes, it depends on the president's face, so there is no need to mention this matter." Waiting and saying: "President, let me ask you, how many daughters does that Teng have?" The question was relatively light, although the chairman could hear clearly, he pretended not to hear it, and continued to talk about the original matter.Because although there is no need to mention the matter of "offending the official", whether the oranges need a boat or how many loads must be made clear in the end.To be honest, ever since the captain found out that it would cost about 400 yuan to send oranges to Changde with two compartments in a small boat, he was not very interested in this kind of thing, thinking that the master's plan was not very clever. .It's just because of the deadlock with Changshun that he couldn't get the words out of his mouth. Now that the president comes, he does good and bad, always saying that country people dare not intentionally offend the officials, and the mistakes are unintentional.The captain was also happy to use this to rein in the sails and turn the rudder, thinking that since the president explained the matter, it would be over. Because the captain said that buying oranges was just a gift, the president said that Changshun had picked off ten old trees for a "big operation", and he dared not send them until the captain was willing to accept them. As a result, the captain felt a little embarrassed.Chatting with ridicule, he said: "He refuses to sell me. Naturally, we revolutionary soldiers can't forcefully buy folk things. I can sell ten picks. I will pay the price according to how much I want." The president said: "My brother, you really... how much is this worth?"And in this matter, playing up the captain's identity and character is like using words as a comb to comb the itchy spots of this officer's heart one by one, leaving him speechless. At the end of the talk, the captain had to admit that ten loads of oranges were enough as a gift.Seeing that the negotiation was successful, the chairman said that several boats had come aboard and they were going to take care of them, and he was about to get out and walk.At this time, the captain held back the president, smiling and smiling, as if he had something to say, but he was a bit out of habit, so he couldn't speak.For a long time, Fang asked suspiciously: "President, I have something to ask you, does the little girl from the Teng family in Luoboxi have a rival?" The president understands the meaning of this question, but diverts the question, deliberately contradicting: "Captain, do you have any good friends who have taken a fancy to that little girl? It's a pity that there is already someone who is studying in the third middle school in the province. !" The captain felt embarrassed and said casually, "Oh, that's a pity. I have a good friend, an old classmate from the military school, who is from Xiangxi, and his father has served as the governor for three times. He has a wealthy family and outstanding talents.I accidentally saw that daughter of your in-laws the other day, and I thought that being with that friend would be a real beauty..." The president understood that this was just talking nonsense, so he said a few irrelevant words to the captain Gossiping, without delay, walked out of Fubo Palace. This time, one matter was finally settled, and I felt happy. I met a young man on the main street, and asked him to go down the carrot creek, and spread the word For Changshun's in-laws, the matter of cutting down orange trees to break Feng Shui has been resolved through mediation, so don't worry about it anymore. Send ten loads of oranges to Fubo Palace tomorrow morning, and everything will be done. He also said that a few boats have arrived down the river today, and he has something to do , Changed the world to see him in Carrot Creek. Not long after the president returned to the ship, the helm of the ship arrived in a swarm, and they were sitting and standing in the hall of the president's house to discuss matters going forward.Everyone is willing to go to Mayang County, and take advantage of the water to go up without mentioning the original boat.There is only one person who has promised Xikou people to carry radishes and cabbage to the Chenhe River in advance, so it is inconvenient to break the contract. It just so happens that this boat will be used to dress cotton yarn. This month is the time to buy cotton yarn for weaving, so it is better to keep this boat of flower yarn and sell it in a month.Although the situation at the border is a bit tight, it looks like the situation won't cause any trouble to come to this place within a month.So make it right, come to the boat for a day off tomorrow, and start going to Mayang County the day after tomorrow.The boat loaded with floral yarn will be shipped locally. The day passed just like that. After breakfast the next day, the owner of the Carrot Creek Orange Orchard came to see the president and thank him.Because everything has to be mediated by the president, turning danger into luck.I also heard that there are a lot of goods on board, and I want to buy some New Year's goods, clothes and food, and see what I can buy.The habit of the town is to make goods at the Dazhuang, but they are nothing more than flowered gauze, kelp squid, yellow fungus, cigarettes and firecrackers, all of which are daily necessities.I don't have a lot of more expensive things, and I brought some here and there, and as soon as the news spread, they were divided up by several local wealthy people as usual.Especially the New Year’s goods in the winter and the twelfth lunar month, as well as high-quality and expensive cigarettes, Fen wine from Shanxi, mushrooms from Gubeikou, satin silk from Nanjing and Hangzhou, and dried lychee medicines from Guangdong. , Fang has a chance to get it. When Changshun arrived in the town, he saw the president holding a receipt by the pier, busy directing the sailors to carry the goods.Some are unloaded and some are reinstalled.After asking, I found out that all ships are not carrying cargo and are ready to go up.Some goods have no market, so they are removed from the hold and left in Lujiaping.On the cobblestone river beach, there are huge packages everywhere: those wrapped in coarse cloth and bound by iron sheets, packed in boxes, wrapped in cattail mats, packed in bamboo baskets, you can find everything you want.There are dozens of sailors, talking and working. Chang Shun said: "My in-laws, it's really hard for you to waste your time and get that thing done!" The president said: "Dear family, this little thing is nothing. You and I have one more thing than one less thing. Just send the oranges. I was planning to visit you in Luoboxi in the second half of the day, and I will tell you another thing." "How much did you get?" A manager in charge came to talk to the chairman about the tax affairs.The president said: "You can do it as you see, third brother. This matter is always indispensable. The director is a man of face and easy to talk to. The people below must use the accent, and that is the one (gesturing to indicate the number). It's almost done, let's arrest the old officials, no more!" Changshun looked at how many ships on other ships were loading cargo, and the reason why the chairman's ship was going up was confusing, so he asked the chairman: "What's the matter with your cargo?" The president shook his head, spread his hands, still smiling. "Father, it's such a hassle! I looked at these few ships and asked them to load them in the county town instead of picking up the goods here. " In addition, another dealer came over, took a stack of receipts in his hand, asked the president what to do, and diverted the conversation.The president said to Changshun: "Dear family, please wait, I will finish my work in a while. Come to my house and have a cup of tea. I have something to discuss with you. Do you have anything else to do? Get ready. Watching people in the street, or just walking by the river?" Changshun said: "President, just do what you have to do. I have nothing important. I heard that you and Zhang Sanyi are on board the cargo ship. Let's see what you need and buy a little." Changshun opened his nostrils, and a The old sailor's method, in the chairman's expression, and in the haste of unloading the goods, seemed to smell a little special.So he gave the chairman a hand, moved a little away from the people on board, and asked gently: "What's the matter with the chairman, is there a fight down here, Hubei? Hunan?" The president smiled and said, "No, no. Let's talk about it later. I'm just going to tell you that it's not a big deal." "President, if you have something to do, you can take care of yourself. After finishing the business, we will talk slowly at home. I just came to see you and the riverside. You don't need to worry about me." The chairman saw that Changshun wanted to go. "In-law, in-law, don't go! I'll call you back when I'm done. I still have something to tell you." Chang Shun said: "President, I'm not busy! Just do your own thing and go home when you're done. Wait for me to come to your account, I will come in a while, I will go over there to have a look.