In the "antique" street, you can hear laughter and joy in your ears. The sun sets, and lanterns are about to hang. Crying suddenly sounds in front of you, and the miserable and desperate woman cries...

Zhu Da suddenly heard some things he had seen back then, and he felt coldness in his heart, and his hair was standing up all over his body. He was really creepy. Then he saw that Qin Xiucai beside him looked as usual. Most of the locals looked in that direction and became busy on their own.

"We are walking there, and we will know what's going on when we get there." Qin Xiucai said calmly, but continued to talk about the past of the Zheng family.

The luck is indeed unstoppable. The two caravans under the Zheng family's desperate protection have some relationship with the eunuchs in Datong. Those who dare to do business in such a messy season do have some reliance behind them. In fact, these two caravans did not expect to encounter horse thieves at the Zheng family. If they move forward a few dozen miles forward, they will come to pick them up. Of course, the origin of the horse thieves is also very strange.

When the Zheng family was about to be eliminated, a person in Datong City said a few words, "The Zheng family does not belong to the hundred households, so the land they guarded was also stripped from the garrison and became the land of Huairen County. The eldest son of Zheng Baihu inexplicably had the title of inspector. This is the chief official who was guarding one place in the local government. Although the rank of the ninth rank is far inferior to that of the sixth rank, the real power is far beyond that of the standard. This is a blessing in disguise.

With this inspection position, it is a helping hand, but what really made the Zheng family develop is their family's approach. Inspections elsewhere are set up to collect taxes. This is the place where caravans gather, and it is the most appropriate to collect taxes. However, the Zheng family did not do this. He just collected money on food and accommodation, and then took out the capital to do business according to the rules of the mall. This is where the intersection is located. As an inspector, the Zheng family has a righteous reputation. Everyone is willing to sell the goods to him. After selling it, they will not suffer any losses. Not long after, the Zheng family became the largest transit merchant in this area.

Furthermore, after the ground prospered, in addition to the farmers who came to join us, more and more people from all walks of life and the world were also involved. The Zheng family did not object to opening casinos and brothels, and promised not to pump water, but they had to participate in shares. He would spend money to build a house and help take care of safety. Other industries that were not in line with the law were also handled in this way.

The Zheng family has a requirement for all stores opened in Zhengjiaji, that is, they are sold at market prices, and they are not allowed to deceive and bully customers, otherwise the store will be closed and closed.

Some people are willing to obey these rules, while others are unwilling. Anyone who doesn't listen will be driven out by the Zheng family. After their fight with the horse thief, they have already gained a reputation in the local area, and a strong team of more than 100 people has been gathered. In addition, this inspection department that guards one side, there is no trouble that cannot be suppressed. Those who really cannot offend the Zheng family will basically not go this way.

"...There are heroes among the army. The Zheng family's method seems crude, but it concentrates people, wealth and goods in this place, turning this deserted village into a prosperous place similar to the county town..."

When Qin Xiucai said this, he couldn't help but sigh a few words. Zhu Da could fully understand the practices of the Zheng family, and it was not much different from those in a few small places in those years. It was low taxes and even tax exemptions, and the money-saving caves of wine, sex, wealth must be fully guaranteed to be safe and stable, and fair rules are operated. When these are achieved, people and logistics gather, and wealth will naturally be generated.

Shengping Salt Store relies on salt goods to concentrate customers in stores for trade, which actually uses similar principles, but the scale and direction are different.

"...The current inspector Zheng is in his forties and is the grandson of the Zheng Baihu family back then. This is the Zheng family's house..."

Without Qin Xiucai's guidance, Zhu Da could recognize the Zheng family, because there was only a large mansion in front of him, and he walked along the way. This was the one with the most regulations. It looked similar to the courtyard where he practiced martial arts during the day. From the location, the Zheng family was in the center of the Zheng family.

The earthen walls of the two of them are as tall as the four corners and several places, there are arrow towers at the corners and several places. You can see six young and strong men guarding the door facing each other with swords and spears. In addition, there are groups of three or five patrols around. These young and strong states are much better than the guards in front of the roadside store. They are vigilant and scan the crowd from time to time.

Zhu Da originally thought that the two streets in front of the Qin family were the most prosperous places in Zheng Family Ji, but when he came to the front of the Zheng Family Mansion, he realized that this place was better.

Here you can see teahouses, restaurants and brothels, and the taste of wine, meat and powder is mixed, but there are no shops selling goods. In other words, they are all entertainment and consumption places. Of course, wine and body are also goods.

"...Big business is negotiated here. The shopkeepers under the generals and the buyers of the caravans in the south are all sitting here to discuss business next month or even half a year. The Zheng family either participates or is in a match, and there is a lot of money..."

When he heard Qin Xiucai's explanation, Zhu Da added in his heart that the expenses in this teahouse, restaurant, brothel were also quite profitable, but he was more interested in the regulations of the Zheng family mansion. This is actually a reduction in the number one earth enclosure. If an enemy really breaks the defense outside, the Zheng family mansion is the defensive fortress in the inner circle.

However, in such laughter and bustle, there were always miserable crying. Zhu Da had already seen where he was crying. Three ragged men and women kowtowed and cried beside the main entrance of the mansion. What surprised him was that the guards looked around vigilantly, but ignored the three of them.

Aren’t we going to keep decent in front of our homes? How can we be so eye-catching when we see such a poor man crying? How can a powerful man like the Zheng family tolerate swords and guns?

What made Zhu Da even more puzzled was the reactions of passers-by. Those who stopped and watched seemed to be outsiders, and locals turned a blind eye to them, and even outsiders who often came were not curious.

“… Another one died…”

When Zhu Da heard passers-by say this, he understood a little bit. Could it be that such things happen often? Just as he was thinking, he heard Qin Xiucai say: "For five consecutive years, there are always three or four women who die in the surrounding villages every year, all of whom are the daughters of poor families. They can only come and ask Inspection Zheng to take charge of the arrest."

While speaking, a strong man with a low figure walked out in front of the gate. Compared to the cotton coat and leather robe outside, the man was wearing fine silk cloth, which was carefully cut. He had good leather boots under his feet, and he looked rich and noble. He walked to the three people who were kneeling and crying. When the three people saw him coming out, the frequency of kowtows became more rapid and the crying became louder.

The man in silk comforted him for a few words, then took out something from his arms and handed him over. The three men and women who were kneeling hurriedly kowtowed again, but the crying sounded much smaller. The man in silk did not delay for too long. When he turned around, he could still see those people kowtowed.

"This person is Zheng Chengyong, the eldest son of inspector Zheng, and he will take over this inspection position in the future. The Zheng family is quite righteous in doing things on the ground under its jurisdiction. Although they cannot solve the case, they will always receive some money."

While speaking, they walked forward, but they saw the three kneeling men who had already stood up and walked directly opposite them. The faces of the two men and one woman were washed away by tears and were covered in a ball. They wiped them casually and ignored them, but they all stared at the scattered silver money in the hand of the man, which was also the help of the eldest son of the Zheng family just now.

The woman looked over fifties and had sadness on her face. Two men of about the same age were only staring at the money. Zhu Da didn't dare to judge his age. He had already had a concept. The poor men and women of this era were very devastated by life. They looked very old when they were thirty or forty.

Age is the same thing, but the expressions of the three people made Zhu Da feel cold. The dead woman should be their closest relatives. Did they pretend to be their mourning and despair just now?

After passing by, a quarrel broke out behind him, and the three of them started to make a fuss about who should have the more money, "My daughter belongs to my family, what are you an uncle who is involved?" "Your daughter has had a meal at my house," and other words.

"They knew that the case could not be solved, and going to the yamen in the county would be criticized and extorted. It would be better to come here. If someone dies, they can't count on it and they can exchange some money for subsidies. Last year, there was a tragic incident. A family in a village fifteen miles away was seriously ill. The family was unwilling to go to treat the disease. They killed the person and kowtowed and begged. If his child hadn't told him about it, he would have cheated the money away."

At the beginning, Qin Xiucai and Zhu Da talked about him as a child. As the communication deepened, he was treated as an adult. Zhou Qingyun also had a strong tolerance for it. He could hear most of the words, and he always looked calm.

Listening to Qin Chuan's story, Zhu Da's expression became stiff. In this era, this society is indeed a cannibalistic society. A few young women die every year, and it is well known, but there is no turmoil. Very little money can be used. Everyone doesn't think there is anything wrong with this. The murderer has never been caught and is still active outside. Isn't anyone worried?

As I spoke, it was already dark, but the road was still clear. I was willing to use candlelight in the lanterns in front of the store, and there were grills directly in front of the restaurant. There were fat sheep flips on it, and the fragrance was overflowing. Using this to attract customers, the barbecue fire was also very bright.

The brightest place should be in front of the doors of three brothels. There are four large lanterns on the door, and there are thick makeup-covered pink heads standing below. They greet people with a smile. Under the lamp, they see the beauty in seventy-sixth percentile. They are used to being in a difficult situation on the road of merchants traveling from south to north. They always stop to watch, or walk inward. There are also some familiar guests who are looking for joy, and they are also very lively.

The setting in front of the brothel is very interesting. The fans are standing at the main entrance, but the guests walk through the small door next to it, which looks much darker. Few guests are looking for flowers and willows and are willing to show off.
Chapter completed!