The father and sons from Heyin County had been worried the entire way. They were afraid that Brother Zhang and Uncle Zhang, who usually took care of them, wouldn't make it. They were also afraid that the Ning family would chase after them.
It wasn't until now that the three felt relieved. Although they didn't know which power the people on the boat belonged to, the continuous rise of fireworks indicated that they were passing on a message. As for where the message was sent, they didn't know.
The person lying on the ground drank a few more mouthfuls of water and told the people who came that the father and sons had saved him. Only then did he relax and fall asleep.
Once they reached this river, they would be home. Not to mention the Ning family, as long as they didn't really commit a crime, even if the imperial court sent people to catch them, they wouldn't be able to. There would be someone to help them deal with it. If there was anything, they should first treat their injuries.
"Father, which family's young master is Uncle Zhang?" The eldest son on the boat quietly asked his father when he saw the boat next to him lift the person up and put him on the fast boat.
"Don't guess blindly. How could a young master sell smoked chicken? Just follow them and you'll know. In a moment, if someone asks you something, just answer them honestly. "
The father tried his best to maintain a calm posture and not reveal the nervousness in his heart.
However, when the boat upstream arrived in less than a quarter of an hour and also turned around to follow them, the father didn't dare to be so sure anymore.
As soon as the new boat arrived, the previous boat sped up and left the father and sons' boat behind to go against the current. The four people on the new boat had swords at their waists and bows on their backs. They were wearing the same tight clothes, so it was obvious that they were bailiffs.
"Did the three of you send him back?" The bailiff in front swept his eyes over the three of them.
"Yes, yes. Brother Zhang was injured and we didn't have extra money to treat him. We could only follow Brother Zhang's instructions and send him here."
The father began to suspect that he had misspoken. Brother Zhang should be a young master from some family. Otherwise, how could the bailiff come here so quickly?
"Get on the boat. Someone will take care of your boat." The bailiff didn't say much. He waved his hand and the three of them carefully swapped places on the bailiff's boat.
When they saw the other bailiff jump onto their boat, the three of them knew that they wouldn't lose their boat.
At this time, the three bailiffs on the boat looked at the direction of the wind. They actually set up a folded sail and rowed with all their might to catch up with the boat in front of them.
When the yamen runner's boat was about to catch up to the boat in front, the three of them saw another boat coming down from upstream. After the same quick turn, it ran to the bow of the boat in front, hung a hook, raised a small sail, and moved the boat faster.
Two hours later, the boats that were sailing against the current had formed a fleet. Their sails were flapping, and their flags were fluttering in the wind.
There was a fast boat with the same yamen runners leading the way. All the boats in the front had to move aside and give way to the main road.
The three of them tried hard to guess who Brother Zhang (Uncle Zhang) was. They signaled back and forth with their eyes, wanting to ask but not daring to.
Another hour passed, and a slightly larger boat came upstream. When it went down the river, it was very fast. It could be clearly seen that because of its fast speed, the bow of the boat was raised up from the water from time to time.
When they were close enough, they directly floated over. A few people wearing white coats stood up with a few small boxes in their hands.
"Brother, may I ask what those people are doing? They won't harm Brother Zhang, right? "The father was curious, so he plucked up the courage to ask the cold faced bailiff next to him.
After seeing the new boat close to the boat with the patient, the bailiff's expression finally became better. He exhaled and said to the father of the three of them, "Don't worry.
Don't be afraid of people dying. They are doctors and doctors from the Tang First Medical Research Institute in Huayuan County. They are not slow. "
"Father, where is the Tang First Medical Research Institute?" The eldest son asked curiously.
"It's the place behind the Life-saving Hospital, where the Emperor personally wrote the signboard." The father suppressed the excitement in his heart and introduced it to his son.
The Life-saving Hospital was actually called the Deyi Hospital in Huayuan County by the common people. Whether it was in terms of skills or medical ethics, it was the best in Tang. Even the imperial doctors used in the Imperial Palace had to come here from time to time to communicate. If there were any difficult diseases in the Imperial Palace, they would even use the Eight Hundred Miles Emergency Report to deliver the news.
Whether in the eyes of the common people or the high officials and nobles, this hospital and the research institute behind it were the best in Tang. Many traveling doctors and doctors said that patients who needed to be prepared for their funeral could be saved by the Deyi Hospital. Therefore, the common people gave this hospital the name of Life-saving Hospital.
The youngest son, who had been silent all this time, suddenly asked, "Are they not doctors of Life-saving Hospital? Are they doctors sent by the research institute behind it? "
This was a very important question.
"Yes, the doctors in the research institute have better medical skills. If they can't cure the patient because of their lack of medical skills, the Zhang family's anger is unimaginable. Who is so bold? Who dares to hurt the Zhang family? "
The yamen runner looked at the youngest son and replied. Then, he asked with a gloomy face.
"The Ning family, the Ning family of Qinzhou that does business in Heyin County. The whole family is a big family. In Qinzhou, what they say is the law. They are very capable. Even the Provincial Governor is surnamed Ning."
The eldest son was now afraid. He was afraid that the Ning family would take revenge on them.
The yamen runner nodded. "Oh, so it's the Provincial Governor of Lower Province. It's okay."
"The Provincial Governor is not afraid?" The father remembered what Brother Zhang said and became more curious.
Now he knew that Brother Zhang was a villager in Zhuangzi. What a miraculous villager. He could actually mobilize more than a dozen ships.
"Not to mention the Provincial Governor of Lower Province, as long as he didn't do anything wrong, even the Provincial Governor of Upper Province in Yaozhou wouldn't dare to hurt the people of Zhangjia Zhuangzi. I have to thank the three of you for your help. We are home now. "
The yamen runner knew how protective the Zhang family was and what Zhang Zhong was doing. This area was not part of Huayuan, but Sanyuan County. He was transferred from Huayuan County to be the leader and just happened to be on patrol.
Sanyuan was also a county in Yaozhou. The good things that Zhang Zhong had done for the people of Yaozhou were not forgotten. The Zhang family could be said to be unimpeded on the entire river.
The three of them didn't know the power of the Zhang family in this area. They also didn't know how a villager could be so important. The only thing they knew was that if the Ning family dared to chase after them, they would never be able to go back.
Looking at the boat that was being protected, the three of them were moved. They had learned a lot in this life. Villagers were usually people who had no other way to make a living. If they had the ability to survive, no one would be willing to be a villager.
However, Brother Zhang (Uncle Zhang) was doing well as a villager. He could do business outside. When he came back injured, he could get so many boats to protect him. He even used the fireworks that were supposed to be used for emergencies.
If they were the villager of Zhangjia Zhuangzi, they would be satisfied for the rest of their lives.
At this time, the youngest son asked, "How did they know that someone was injured here?"
"It's written on the color of the fireworks. This is the first time they've been used. When we arrive at the hospital in Huayuan County, the people from Sanshui County should have arrived. If someone asks you something, just tell them the truth. There's no need to be afraid of the Ning family. If there's really no other choice, just move your family members here."
The yamen runner was easy to talk to. If someone asked him, he would explain and comfort the three of them.
Being a yamen runner in Yaozhou was the most difficult and happiest thing to do. They had to train hard and help the people do many trivial things. They had to find a chicken, pry open a pig, build a house, and find a doctor when someone was sick.
The people were used to looking for yamen runners for trivial matters.
Happiness came from their mood. If they were thirsty on the road, they could ask a random family for a bowl of water and they would be treated well. If a daughter was of age and wanted to get married, the first choice would be a yamen runner.
*****
A villager was beaten. It was a very small matter. The people in Heyin County didn't think much of it, and the people who beat him didn't think much of it.
Only those who knew the Zhang family understood how serious this matter was.
Song Jinggong found out about the situation four hours after the villager was sent to the hospital. The news was sent by pigeon.
"The Ning family can't deal with the Old Master over there, so they came here to bully the villager. How dare they! Heyin County? Good. Someone, send a message. The circular game held around the capital will be postponed indefinitely in Duji Province. Between the Clouds and the Water will buy a restaurant in Heyin County. Let's see what the Ning family's signature dish is and cook the same dish as theirs.
Stop the supply of tea leaves and seasonings in all the restaurants in Heyin County. Send a team of guards Between the Clouds and the Water to Heyin County. Send them to Heyin County on a fast boat. Protest and complain to the yamen in Heyin County.
The tourist group will no longer accept people from Heyin County. Tell all the merchants who have a business relationship with us that they don't want to buy anything from Heyin County. The fleet will not stop in Heyin County in the future. "
After learning about the situation, Song Jinggong passed down a series of orders. He immediately wrote a letter and asked someone to send it to Lu Zhou via pigeon. He asked the little young master to take action.
Five days. In just five days, many people learned about the power of the Zhang family. They imported the same specialty products as Heyin County from other places and dumped them in the surrounding areas. All of a sudden, the local merchants in Heyin County were unable to sell their goods.
When the competition was stopped, many people who were prepared could only watch helplessly. After receiving the letter, the branch of Between the Clouds and the Water in Luoyang came to Heyin County in just three days. They bought the restaurant and directly operated it at the cost of its production. When the supply of seasonings and tea leaves was stopped, all the restaurants in Heyin County went bankrupt.
The yamen's tax was reduced again and again, and the Ministry of Justice's letter asking for accountability was sent to Heyin County.
After one method after another, people finally understood the status of the Zhang family as a village owner. They also knew what it meant to be swept away by lightning. The condemning poems and articles of the scholars in the surrounding prefectures appeared one after another. Even the girls who sang in the brothel were no exception.
Heyin County was under the jurisdiction of Henan Prefecture, which was the eastern capital, Luoyang. After learning about the situation, the officials in Luoyang were dumbfounded. Some people who were good at calculating had already calculated that the Zhang family's action for a village owner would cost them at least 2,000 strings of cash.
That was 2,000 strings of cash! A village owner could not earn that much money in his lifetime. However, Song Jinggong, who was in charge of the Zhang family, did not care about how much money he would lose.
To the Zhang family, this was not a matter of money. They had only sent out guards from Between the Clouds and the Water to protect the village, who were on the way. If they were close enough, the Zhang family could even send out Team Zero to protect the village.
Song Jinggong wanted to use this opportunity to send a signal to everyone who was thinking about the Zhang family. The dignity of the Zhang family was not to be challenged. Even if it was a village owner who looked weak to others, they still had to treat him with respect and courtesy. Otherwise, the Zhang family would personally take action. Anyone who wanted to touch the Zhang family would have to be prepared to face the wrath of the Zhang family.
After five days of comprehensive attacks, the Zhang family suddenly became famous. Countless officials were shocked, countless commoners were frightened, and countless village owners were envious.
After the officials in Heyin County reacted, they immediately sealed off the Ning family's restaurant in the county and arrested all of them in an attempt to quell the anger of the Zhang family.
However, Song Jinggong was not moved at all. It was too late. What was the point of doing it earlier? Today, Heyin County dared to not protect the Zhang family. If they let them go easily, Shanyin County or Heyang County would do the same tomorrow.
He did not believe that the Ning family had no relationship with the local officials in the county. He did not believe that they did not know about the Ning family beating people. If they could not afford to offend the Ning family, could they afford to offend the Zhang family?
*****
"Yes, Song Jinggong is really reassuring. He knows what we will do if we encounter them. He asked my father to write a memorial immediately and send it directly to the imperial court. He said to the imperial court that today's Zhang family is tomorrow's Great Tang. Today, they protect the Zhang family from being bullied. Tomorrow, Lu Zhou's fleet will protect the commoners of Great Tang from being bullied.
Yes, we are doing the same. The people of Great Tang are precious. No one can touch them. Even if they do something wrong, we have to send them back to Great Tang first. "
Pigeons spread news quickly. At this time, Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan also knew about the situation in the capital.
Wang Juan also clenched her small fist and waved it twice. "Yes, that's right. We don't care how much money we lose. We can earn back money if we lose it. However, if we lose the people's hearts, then the Zhang family is finished. Dignity is more important than life, let alone money.
Xiao Bao, the Ning family hasn't been fooled yet. Think of another way. If we don't beat the Ning family hard this time, the Ning family will be even more ambitious to deal with us. "
"Alright, let's do it. Not only do we have to deal with the Ning family in Qin Province, but we also have to deal with the people who are part of the Ning family. If we want to play, then let's play big. I want to let those who want to mess with the Zhang family know that the Zhang family is not a facade. Not just anyone can mess with it."
Zhang Xiaobao knew that this was an opportunity. An opportunity to attack the Ning family without being restrained by the imperial court. After all, the Zhang family was the one who was wronged first, and it was under the circumstances that the local authorities didn't do anything about it.
On the same day, a group of messengers rode on horses to the surrounding provincial capitals that were willing to rent to Lu Zhou's chamber of commerce. They wanted to convey a message to them.
That was, any land that was rented to the chamber of commerce would be given a sum of money to build infrastructure and build roads. As long as they could see the roads when the time came, they would not care how much it cost to build the roads. They would leave a share for greed.
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