Across the Water Margin: Officials of Ximen

After entering the territory of Dengzhou, Ma Kuo and Ximen Qing rode side by side, pointing him to the mountains, rivers, coastal landforms and local customs in Dengzhou along the way.

Dengzhou is located at the easternmost tip of the Shandong Peninsula. In the fourth year of Tang Wude, Tang Gaozu established Dengzhou here for the first time, leading Wendeng and Guanyang counties, with Wendeng as the administrative seat, belonging to Henan Province.

At first, the name, jurisdiction and administrative seat of Dengzhou were not fixed, and they were changed and abolished several times.In the first year of Qianyuan, Dengzhou was re-established, leading the four counties of Penglai, Huangxian, Wendeng, and Mouping, and governing Penglai.Since then, the name and governance of Dengzhou have been formally established.

After the Five Dynasties to the Song Dynasty, Dengzhou has been preserved and has become an important port for trade and cultural exchanges between the Song Dynasty and Korea and Japan across the sea.

Under the leadership of Ma Kuo, Ximen Qing marched along the official road to Dengzhou City. After passing through a forest, he suddenly saw an abandoned manor and decaying villages at the foot of the mountain ahead.

Ximenqing traveled all the way, and he saw dense villages along the way. At this time, he found a sparsely populated village not far from Dengzhou City, and felt abnormal in his heart.

Ximen Qing pointed to the manor and asked Ma Kuo: "My dear brother, it's weird! How can such a large manor be deserted? The villages outside the village are also in decline?"

Ma Kuo raised his eyes, sighed and said to Ximen Qing: "Brother, in front of you is Mao Taigong's manor! The Mao Taigong's family was massacred by Sun Li and his gang when they held a birthday party because they had an affair with Sun Li and his gang of rebels The door is full."

Chapter 4 Eleven Seems to be Taking Advantage

"It's true that Sun Li, Sun Xin, Xie Zhen, Xie Bao and others slaughtered all the old and weak women and children in this village? What a group of vicious thieves!" Ximen Qing, Jiao Ting and others listened to Ma Kuo. I couldn't help but curse.

"Not only the family members and servants in Mao Taigong's village, but even the people who came to pay homage from ten miles and eight villages were implicated innocently, and all of them were poisoned by Sun Li's gang of thieves! Brother, look at the villages outside the village. The reason for the decline is that most of the villagers in this village were guests at Mao Taigong Village that day, and they gave their lives wrongly. The remaining villagers who had not yet attended the meeting were frightened and dared not live here. The village has become even more dilapidated, and there is almost no life now." Ma Kuoyi said indignantly.

Ximen Qing sneered and said: "As the saying goes, evil will be rewarded with evil! Sun Li and others have committed so many murders here, and finally they are still unable to escape from my hands, and they have received due sanctions!"

Ma Kuo looked at Ximen Qing and said, "That's not right! That day I was ordered by my father to lead an army to hunt down Sun Li's gang of robbers, but it was a pity that I came a step too late and failed to save the people in this village. At that time, I was in front of my father and teacher. I swear that no matter how far I go after you, I will make Sun Li and his gang receive the punishment they deserve. How do you know that they fled to Yunzhou to fight against you, Brother Ximen, but they are not looking for death? When the heads of these thieves are flying around When we go back to Dengzhou and hang it on the city wall to show the public, who in Dengzhou doesn’t applaud? Who doesn’t praise the official Ximen Qing from Yanggu County as a real hero?”

After hearing this, Ximen Qing felt that if it was true what Ma Kuo said, I, Ximen Qing, have such a good reputation in Dengzhou, which would indeed help him develop here in the future.

Seeing the dilapidated appearance of Maotai Gongzhuang, Ximen Qing's heart moved, and he saw another cheap deal.

"I think the fields here are very good, so the farmers are willing to abandon these fields and leave?" Ximen Qing asked curiously.

Ma Kuo pointed to Mao Taigong's manor and replied: "The villagers in the village believe in ghosts and gods. Hundreds of people died in Mao Taigong's manor in one day. Who dares to live near here? The villagers all say that there are evil spirits here. All the people who could be moved away were far away. The remaining few families were so poor that they had nowhere to go, so they had no choice but to stay here and live in panic."

Ximen Qing sighed: "Sun Li and the others really did a lot of crimes! Not only did they kill so many people, but even the living people have to suffer because of it. Brother Ma Kuo, I think that Maotai Gongzhuang is also a big manor. Isn't there a wealthy household willing to take over his manor and reclaim the surrounding abandoned fields?"

Ma Kuo replied: "Who dares to want a haunted house where hundreds of people have died? Although Taigong Mao's family has died and this manor has become a land without an owner, no one in Dengzhou dares to covet this place." Cheap."

What a godsend to me too!Ximen Qing was secretly happy.For Ximen Qing, who came here from time to time and has no feudal superstitions, these unclaimed lands should not be for nothing!

Haunted?Even if there are ghosts in this world, these ghosts are unjust ghosts killed by Sun Li and others.Getting rid of Sun Li's group by himself can be regarded as revenge for them.They are not as grateful as themselves, so what reason do they have to make trouble with me?Besides, who am I, the official Ximen Qing?I am a master of Taoism, Lin Lingsu, the national teacher in Bianliang City, Tokyo, will call me Master!

Ximen Qing thought of Lin Lingsu, the corners of his mouth rose, and he had an idea.

Ximenqing decided to take advantage of everyone's fear of ghosts and gods first, and take this land as his own, as a stronghold in Dengzhou.After the manor and the land are in hand, he will lure the national teacher Lin Lingsu to this Dengzhou to pretend to be on the altar for himself to exorcise evil spirits.

With the performance of the famous national teacher Lin Lingsu, the doubts and fears of the people in Dengzhou will be dispelled.At that time, I will recruit tenants and servants again, and I will definitely not worry about no one.

Mr. Mao can be regarded as one of the most wealthy families in Dengzhou, and the manor and fields he left behind are quite a fortune.Since he has no one to inherit, then give it to me, Ximen Qing, as a thank you for avenging their family.

Thinking in his mind, Ximen Qing followed Ma Kuo into Dengzhou City, and found a big hotel to settle all his people down.

Ximen Qing, Jiao Ting, Ximen Zhong and Ximen Ping followed Ma Kuo to his family's house and visited Ma Kuo's mother, Ma Zheng's wife.

After seeing Ma Kuo's safe return, Ma Kuo's mother took Ma Kuo's hands and wept with joy.It took a while before she recovered, and entertained Ximen Qing and other distinguished guests with an apologetic face.

Ximen Qing understands Ma Kuo's mother's behavior very well.One of her two closest relatives was sent by the imperial court to the Kingdom of Jin across the sea to conduct a test, but he did not return for several months, and his life and death are unknown; I went to the Northwest Frontier with my friends, and I haven't seen my return for more than half a year.Husband and son are going to war-torn and dangerous places, so why not make people worry all day long while waiting?

After meeting Ma Kuo's mother with a salute, Ximen Qing used the same rhetoric he had told Ma Kuo to comfort Ma Kuo's mother not to worry, saying that Ma Jinji would return safely.

After having a family banquet at Ma Kuo's house, Ximenqing and Ma Kuo agreed to visit his teacher Zong Ze the next day, and then left Ma Kuo's house so that Ma Kuo could spend time with his mother alone to relieve his anxiety. His mother and son miss each other.

With nothing to do, Ximen Qing wandered around Dengzhou City with Jiao Ting and Ximen Zhong's ancestors and grandchildren, getting familiar with the customs and customs here.

This Dengzhou is worthy of being an international trade place by the sea. There are not only Song people in the city, but also Khitan people, Bohai people, Jurchen people in strange costumes, Japanese in Han Jin and Tang costumes, Khitan costumes, Jurchen costumes and others. People from Korea dressed in Song costumes.

From the costumes worn by people from all kinds of countries, we can see some aspects of the exchanges and development of countries and ethnic groups in Northeast Asia.

For example, the clothes and makeup of the Japanese in this period were brought back to Japan from China during the Han, Jin and Tang dynasties, and they retained the style of the Jin and Tang dynasties.

When the clothes of the Song people have changed and evolved, and then see the Japanese in the Jin, Tang and Han costumes, do you have the feeling of seeing the ancient style?

The inheritance and preservation of tradition by the Japanese is beyond the imagination of ordinary people.The current popular makeup of white powder on the face and round eyebrows with a brush after shaving their eyebrows is exactly what they learned from the scholar-bureaucrats in the Wei and Jin Dynasties in China's Jin Dynasty.

When the Song people had already discarded these makeup looks, the Japanese still stubbornly inherited them, and they have been passed down to the modern society 900 years later.

Compared with the Japanese who just cling to it after learning, the Koreans are much more flexible.The Korean people have always pursued the principle of greatness, and they regard whichever country is strong as the suzerain, and learn the culture of the suzerain.

Goryeo, which once regarded Song and Khitan as suzerains, always has the shadow of these two powerful countries in its clothing.Now that the Jurchen is rising, the Koreans quickly absorbed the Jurchen style.

It is said that after the rise of Mongolia, Goryeo was fully Mongolianized, and its clothing and food were no different from that of Mongolians, so it was called Little Mongolia.

Ximen Qing looked at the mixed-style Korean people in the city, and cursed in his heart: "These Korean sticks recognize their ancestors everywhere, no wonder later generations shamelessly claim that the universe belongs to them."

Chapter 4 Twelve Experiences of Dengzhou

Ximen Qing was walking on the street of Dengzhou City, pointing to the people from various countries, and said to Ximen Zhong and Ximen Ping: "Look, this place is very different from Yanggu. People from all countries come and go between Dengzhou and their countries. Selling the products of the Song Dynasty across the sea to Japan and Korea, and then transporting the special products of their hometown to sell here, the profits here are not thin! From today, my Ximen family will also participate in this maritime trade. Zhong Bo, Ping'er, this matter still requires your efforts."

After hearing this, Ximen Zhong and Ximen Ping hurriedly expressed their determination to Ximen Qing.After talking about his ambitions, Ximen Zhong knew that Ximen Qing had promoted and reused his grandson, and he was grateful, but he was also afraid that he would ruin Ximen Qing's business because he was unclear about the sea trade.Therefore, Ximen Zhong asked Ximen Qing again, where should he start? Do the officials have any goods they want to sell?

Ximenqing said to their grandparents and grandchildren: "I asked Ma Kuo. Although there are many foreigners in this city, they are all different. The normal trade with my Song Dynasty is mainly Korea and Japan. And Dengzhou to Koryo and Japan traded mostly from our Song Dynasty, and there were also some Koreans and Japanese. Because of the war in Liaodong, the sea trade route from Liaodong and Jin to Dengzhou was not smooth. Those Khitan people on the street, Bohai Most people and Jurchens fled to the territory of the Song Dynasty to avoid disaster. Therefore, I plan to let Ping'er cross the sea to Japan to get familiar with Japan and see what goods can be sold to Japan. When returning from Japan, I will buy all local products The high-quality sulfur will be transported back to Qingzhou and handed over to Ling Zhen. I will ask Ma Kuo to introduce two reliable Japanese businessmen to Ping’er, and take Ping’er to Japan.”

Seeing that Ximen Qing was confident, Ximen Zhong felt a lot more relaxed.He then asked Ximenqing, my Ximen family has been in the crude drug business for several generations, is it possible to consider expanding this business overseas?

Ximen Qing looked at Ximen Zhong approvingly and said: "What Uncle Zhong said is not bad. Now the medical standards of Japan and Korea are worse than my Song Dynasty. It is true that some rare medicinal materials in these two countries can be sold in the past and earn a lot of money. Profit. And, when returning from Korea, you can buy the Korean ginseng produced there at a low price, and in a few years, when Shangdang ginseng is in short supply, the Korean ginseng can be sold at a high price.”

At this time in the Song Dynasty, people still used Shangdang ginseng from the Taihang Mountains. Liaodong ginseng and Korean ginseng had not yet been popularized, so the price of Korean ginseng was low.

Ximen Qing knew that a few years later when the Song and Jin Dynasties fought together, Hedong and Hebei, where Taihang Mountain is located, would become the main battlefields, which would inevitably affect the supply of Shangtang ginseng and cause a temporary shortage of domestic ginseng.

Ximen Qing thought that instead of allowing the Koreans to take the opportunity to sell Korean ginseng produced in their country at a high price, it would be better for him to quietly hoard it at a low price and earn the money that the Koreans should earn.

Although Ximenzhong didn't know why Ximenqing was so sure that there would be a shortage of goods at the Shangdang Participation Meeting in a few years, but since the owner paid for it, he would naturally try his best to do it.How to buy at a low price and be picky in every possible way, this is the forte of Ximen Zhong, the old director who has been in the crude drug business for decades.

Of course, if you trade with Japan and Korea, you can buy more than sulfur and Korean ginseng.For example, Japanese war horses and swords are of good quality. Another example is the Koryo fan, which was popular in the Song Dynasty.

Ximen Qing knew that there were many choices, but instead of telling Ximen Zhong and Ximen Ping one by one, he let them find out by themselves.Only in this way can Ximenping truly grow up and become his right-hand man.

Ximen Qing walked and talked with Ximen Zhong, Ximen Ping and Jiao Ting, and told them that he had set his sights on Mao Taigong's manor outside the city, and that he planned to take the land and the house as his own after meeting Zong Ze with Ma Kuo , as the other business of Ximen's family in Dengzhou.

When the old supervisor Ximen Zhong mentioned that the legend of the haunted manor would affect the recruitment of locals, Ximen Qing smiled lightly and said that he had a solution.

Along the way, Ximenping was encouraged by Ximenqing, and he was also eager to try, and he was full of confidence to go to Japan to show his skills.

Ximen Qing told him, don’t just land in the port of Kyushu, Japan for trade, but travel all over Japan’s Kyushu, Shikoku, and Honshu Islands, especially Heian-kyo, Japan, to master the customs and customs of all parts of Japan, Bring back information from all over Japan.If necessary, some reliable Japanese can also be recruited for the Ximen family.

For a young man like Ximen Ping, the more tasks the master entrusts to him, the more he is valued. When the master said that he wanted to travel all over Japan by himself, Ximen Ping's heart was full of enthusiasm, and he understood that Ximen Qing was training himself. You have to give it to yourself.

In fact, Ximen Ping didn't know that the owner Ximen Qing had another intention to familiarize himself with Japan.After Ximen Qing knew that Yue'er might be pregnant and returned to Japan, he decided to go to Japan to find her.