Civil affairs are complicated and harder than governing the army. Even though Zhou Shixiang was a man for two lifetimes, he could not understand everything about these specific matters involving people's livelihood, and he could not do it himself. Therefore, after putting up the pretext, he gave it to Duke Xiang of Song and Liao Ruixiang for specific handling as before.

In late June, Zhou Shi came with one person.

This person is named Xiao Bailang, a native of Nanhai, Guangdong. He was a scholar in the first year of Hongguang. Due to the Qing army's southward movement, the Southern Ming regime was unstable and the imperial examination was interrupted. Xiao Bailang failed to go further in the imperial examination. In addition, his family was poor, so he went out to sea to seek a life with a family businessman. With his intelligence and cleverness, he learned a lot of foreign words over the past ten years. Now, Macau is a professional businessman for Folangji people. When Zhou Shixiang talked about the transaction of firearms with those Folangji people in the past, Xiao Bailang was translated in the middle.

Of course, Xiao Bailang was not invited by Zhou Shi, but was tied up and tied up from his Macau home.

Xiao Bailang was inexplicably tied up from his home, and no one told him what was going on. He was covered with black cloth on his head. He didn't know where he was taken. He only said that he was kidnapped by bandits, so he was very scared. After being taken to the military commander's mansion, he felt that someone was there, so he quickly knelt on the ground with his knees, bowed his head, and praised him: "Good man, please spare my life. If you want a ransom, the young man will write to his family. The heroes will say as much as they say. The young man will never say anything, and he will not dare to trouble the heroes!"

After saying that, he knelt down and didn't dare to move. He could vaguely see his body trembling. He thought he was so scared. He had to be afraid. The kidnappers are very cruel these days.

Zhou Shixiang waved his hand to signal the personal guard to take off the black cover on Xiao Bailang's head, and then smiled and said, "Don't be afraid of Xiao Tongshi. It was my coach who invited you to come."

Why is this sound so familiar?

After removing the black cover, Xiao Bailang was still a little uncomfortable. When he looked up, he was startled: Isn’t the Ming Dynasty general who was in Qianqian’s village to buy firearms with Folang Jiren?

"this..."

Xiao Bailang didn't realize why the general surnamed Zhou wanted to tie him up and was stunned.

"You don't have to be nervous. I won't kill you. I just want to ask you something, but I'm afraid you won't come, so I have to come up with this bad idea and ask someone to tie you up. Haha. You must be considerate of me."

Zhou Shixiang didn't care what Xiao Bailang thought, and covered up the kidnapping matter with just one sentence. Xiao Bailang was still stunned, not knowing what this person wanted to do.

"Oh. Don't worry, I will let you go back after asking some questions, get up and sit down and talk."

Seeing that Xiao Bailang was still standing still, Zhou Shixiang said that he was still afraid. He comforted him and signaled the blind Li to come and put a chair in motion to Xiao Bailang to sit down and talk.

"In front of you, there is no seat for Caomin. Just stand." As if the chair was tying its butt, Xiao Bailang had no idea of ​​sitting there. He stood there covering his hands and didn't know how to deal with it.

"Let's just sit."

Zhou Shixiang ignored Xiao Bailang and said to himself: "My subordinates say you have the reputation of scholars?"

After hearing this, Xiao Bailang was stunned for a moment and said, "Caomin was a scholar who passed the exam in the first year of Hongguang."

Zhou Shixiang nodded: "Since you have fame and fortune, don't just call me a gangster, call me a student."

"Yes, sir."

When the scholar saw the official claiming that the student was right, Xiao Bailang responded in a low voice, but he was still confused and didn't know what Zhou Shixiang wanted to tie him up.

Zhou Shixiang picked up Wan'er's bowl of sour plum soup and drank a few sips. He felt refreshed. He looked at Xiao Bailang again, chuckled, and said, "Don't worry, I always keep my words, and said, "I always keep my words away and let you go. But before I let you go, you must answer my words well. If there is anything hidden or missed, then no wonder I have to keep you for a few more days."

After hearing this, Xiao Bailang was happy and quickly said, "What the adults ask, the grass-roots people... the students must tell them truthfully and dare not deceive anything. Please rest assured."

"Oh, I can trust you."

Zhou Shixiang did not immediately ask Xiao Bailang about Macau, but looked at this person with interest. Judging from his previous life, he was an elite who was proficient in several languages. If he could get it, he would have an additional diplomatic talent. In this way, he would not be afraid of being deceived by foreigners in the future.

Xiao Bailang was a little embarrassed by Zhou Shixiang's view, and said, "If the adults think that the Portuguese firearms are high, students can tell them about it and let them lower the price. How about the adults?"

"Portuguese?"

Zhou Shixiang savored these three words and his eyes were full of interestingness.

"Portugal is what the adults call the Flangjiren. We also call them Pu Lidu family, but according to their words, Portugal is more accurate." Xiao Bailang thought that Zhou Shixiang didn't know what Portugal meant, so he hurriedly explained.

Zhou Shixiang laughed: "I know Portugal and also know where their country is. Well, it's very far from our Ming Dynasty." After speaking, his voice changed, "But you said that I invited you from afar to bargain with the Grape Man?"

Why not for this?

Xiao Bailang was stunned again. If he didn't want to do this, what would the Zhou man do to do?

"You tell me why these Portuguese people are starting prices and raising the price of firearms several times?"

The Portuguese sold a broken musket for a high price of dozens of taels of silver, which has always made Zhou Shixiang feel resentful. He wanted to figure out why these white-skinned Japanese who had always maintained a good relationship with the Ming Dynasty suddenly changed their faces and refused to recognize the Ming Dynasty's signature.

"I'm not hiding it to the adults. If only adults come to buy it, the Portuguese would not do this. After all, they came to our Ming Dynasty just to make money. It's impossible for them to make money... The reason why they couldn't reach an agreement with the adults was because the Qing army also sent people to Macau to purchase a batch of firearms, so the Portuguese raised the price and wanted to make more money from it." Xiao Bailang did not hide it and revealed the truth.

"It's that simple?"

Zhou Shixiang was a little unbelievable, and always felt that the grape men were not very friendly to him, the general of the Ming Dynasty when they were in the front parcel.

Xiao Bailang hesitated for a moment. He was just a common thing, and he would definitely not tell him what the Grape Man thought.

"Students speculate that the reason why the Portuguese were unwilling to trade with adults was probably because they were worried that the Qing army would not let them live in Macau again after knowing it. After all, the Qing court is stronger than our Ming Dynasty at the moment."

After saying this, Xiao Bailang was a little worried that he would offend Zhou Shixiang, the general of the Ming Dynasty. He didn't expect that the other party was not angry, but nodded and sighed: "If people are good and are bullied, even relatives will look down on them, let alone these profit-oriented guys."

Xiao Bailang sighed relieved and said carefully: "I wonder if adults have anything to ask the students?"

"How many Portuguese live in Macau now and how many of their troops are there?" Zhou Shixiang asked a question about Xiao Bailang staying there after hearing this.

"Why, do you don't know or don't want to say it?"

Zhou Shixiang looked at Xiao Bailang, whose face was gloomy and clear, with a faint smile on his face.

"Students dare not answer this question." Xiao Bailang swallowed his throat, as if his soul was lost, and said weakly.

"Why don't you dare to say it?" Zhou Shixiang walked to Xiao Bailang with a smile on his face.

"Students are afraid... afraid..."

Thinking of how the Portuguese would deal with him when they knew about the facts about Macau to Zhou Shixiang, Xiao Bailang couldn't help but feel frightened.

What does this Ming Dynasty general named Zhou want to do? The Ming Dynasty court allowed the Portuguese to live in Macau. Could it be that you want to drive the Portuguese away now?

Xiao Bailang was very uneasy and vaguely realized that Zhou Shixiang had a lot of plans.

"If you don't say it, I will eventually find out, but it will take some effort."

Zhou Shixiang put away his smile, looked at Xiao Bailang seriously, and said, "You are both a citizen of the Ming Dynasty and a scholar with fame and fortune. You know a lot about Folang Jiren. You can't help but waste this ability only does a small business in Macau. Well, why not as good as me to protect the court for you?"

"Adults want to give students such benefits for nothing, and students do not receive any rewards without merit. I really dare not ask for it." Xiao Bailang gritted his teeth and rejected this very tempting condition. The Portuguese knew that the Ming Dynasty was about to be over, let alone the Han people.

"You are a smart person and know that you will not receive any reward without merit. But as long as you tell me the truth about the Portuguese in Macau, you will receive any reward with me." Speaking of this, Zhou Shixiang's face suddenly darkened, "If you don't say it, I am not such a good-natured person. I may not be a kidnapper and tear back the vote!"

"Ah! Sir, this..."

Xiao Bailang was so scared by Zhou Shixiang's threatening words that he was not afraid of death. But he always felt that he sold his boss like this, and seemed to be sorry for his boss. In the past few years he worked in Macau, the Portuguese did not treat him badly. Not only did he buy a house and settle a house in Macau, but he had a high salary every month, and lived a very free life. Therefore, he was very confused and didn't know how to choose.

"You said it or not!"

Zhou Shixiang signaled slightly, and the blind Li smiled and held a big hammer and rushed towards Xiao Bailang two steps. He was so soft that he became hard. Zhou Shixiang didn't believe that Xiao Bailang could really keep the secrets for the Portuguese.

Xiao Bailang, who was thinking about it, glanced at the blind Li's one-eyed bad eyes. When he saw the other party holding a big hammer with blood that had not been wiped off, he secretly shook himself. He thought that things had come to this point, and he couldn't help but disagree. No matter how good the Portuguese are to him, is it important to his own life?

Thinking of this, he gritted his teeth and said, "Students are willing to say it!"

"Okay, is this my Ming people?"

Zhou Shixiang smiled and pressed Xiao Bailang to sit down. After the other party vomited out the details of the Macau Grape Army garrison, he laughed again.

Xiao Bailang asked nervously: "Does sir really want to send troops to attack Macau?"
Chapter completed!