Dezhou, Shandong Province, water transport terminal.

The annual water transportation is coming to an end, and the Cao River will freeze in more than a month, so now is the busiest time. The dock is bustling with people, and the goods are piled in disorder on the dock, waiting to be transported to Cao River.

On the ship.

Occasionally, you can see water transport soldiers wandering around the pier.

The prosperity of Dezhou, Shandong Province, almost all relies on water transportation. It is close to Tianjin Port, the terminal of the water transportation terminal. Whether it is grain and other materials transported to the capital, or goods transported from the north to the south, a large part of it is transferred through the Dezhou Water Transport Terminal.

, so many merchants will set up special shops here.

Among the six important water transport towns in Shandong, Dezhou is the largest and busiest water transport terminal, and it is also a terminal directly under the jurisdiction of the Water Transport Governor's Mansion. The local government in Dezhou is basically unable to intervene in many matters of the water transport terminal. Of course, the local garrison troops stationed there,

It is also unable to govern security matters at the water transport terminal.

Since the Zhengde period, the world has been declining, and the Ming Dynasty's water transportation has gradually become corrupt. There are checkpoints along the Cao River. The largest checkpoint is directly set up by the local government, including the bullies of water transportation. The government and the bullies have joined forces to squeeze the water ships.

, which made the ship owners engaged in water transport miserable. Every time they passed a water transport terminal, they had to be robbed. However, as time went by, these water transport ship owners also understood that they would count all the tribute money along the way as the grain.

For a penny, the water transport ship owner will eventually report the damage to the Water Transport Governor's Mansion, and the Water Transport Governor's Mansion also understands all this and turns a blind eye.

When Wu Zongrui was the prefect of Huai'an Prefecture, he drastically rectified the water transport terminals and eliminated many checkpoints, which shocked the entire water transport. The order of water transport was much more standardized. However, he left Huai'an Prefecture and became the prefect of Qingzhou, Denglai.

After becoming the governor, he no longer interfered with water transportation matters, and the entire water transportation returned to its previous situation.

The Water Transport Governor's Mansion has also become busy, especially since the rogue bandits started causing trouble in the north. Most of the food supplies in the capital rely on water transport, so the Water Transport Governor's Mansion has dispatched a large number of water transport soldiers to guard the water transport along the way and prevent the rogue bandits from getting involved.

Regarding water transportation, fortunately, Li Zicheng, Luo Rucai, Zhang Xianzhong and others mostly focused on the towns and had not yet paid attention to water transportation.

Luo Dianming, who had secretly arrived in Dezhou, came to Dezhou Pier in civilian clothes with several sergeants. Through the Denglai New Army Intelligence Department, Liu Ning and Luo Dianming already knew a lot about water transportation. According to Liu Ning's arrangements,

Luo Dianming needs to find a breakthrough to fully control the important water transportation town in Shandong.

The Dezhou Terminal is close to Fucheng and has long been a part of Fucheng. Regarding the defense of the Dezhou Water Transport Terminal, the Dezhou Government has some opinions. Some gangsters who like to cause trouble in Dezhou Fucheng will come to Dezhou Water Transport once they are pursued by the government.

The entire water transport terminal, including the shops near the water transport terminal, is under the jurisdiction of the water transport soldiers. Whether it is the sergeants of the local guard station or the government officials, they are not allowed to arrest people here. This also leads to those who cause trouble.

The gangsters were not punished for a long time, which made the people in the city complain endlessly.

Everyone knows that the gangsters in Dezhou City have an extremely close relationship with the canal transport soldiers. To put it bluntly, the canal transport soldiers are the protective umbrella of these gangsters.

Both Liu Ning and Lu Faxuan received letters from Wu Zongrui. Regarding how to control the overall situation in Shandong, Wu Zongrui said very clearly and clearly in the letter, where to use force and where to be more tactful. To put it bluntly, Wu Zongrui combined Lu Faxuan and

The opinions of Liu Ning and Liu Ning detailed many things.

Luo Dianming got Liu Ning's order immediately. Whether it was to control the place or the water transport terminal, it was best to find a suitable reason and then take action without hesitation. In this way, the emperor and the court would have nothing to say, and the local officials would be convinced.

.

Dezhou Fucheng and Dezhou Water Transport Terminal were the breakthrough points chosen by Liu Ning and Luo Dianming.

A blind old man was being held by a girl with disheveled hair. The blind old man had a shabby-looking erhu in his hand, and the girl had a bamboo basket in her hand. Behind them were three and a half-year-olds.

The children were holding sticks in their hands. Seeing them approaching, Luo Dianming moved away unconsciously.

This type is a typical busker, which can be found all over the Ming Dynasty. Some buskers are organized by a certain person or a certain gang and are controlled at all times. They are well-dressed and exist in the form of a troupe. This type of busker cannot control his own performance.

Destiny, the ending is often not very good. Some buskers are people from poor families. They are forced by life and have no choice but to come out to perform. They have no one to rely on and are always bullied. They are cautious everywhere they go, for fear of offending anyone.

The buskers Luo Dianming saw must be people from poor families who were forced to perform as performers.

...

"Damn old man, you don't have eyes, can't you see the road..."

Several red-faced and arrogant young people surrounded the blind old man. The young man in charge had a bad smile on his face. He clearly knew that the old man in front of him was blind, but he said such words, which was obviously looking for trouble.

The blind old man followed the direction of the words and quickly clasped his fists and spoke.

"I'm offended, I'm offended, I, I can't see..."

Before the blind old man finished speaking, the young man at the head grabbed the old man.

"Offended, to put it lightly, you bad old man, don't you understand the rules here? If you offend me, you have to pay. Stop talking nonsense. If you take it out, you can perform here for five cents. If you can't take it out, don't blame us.

polite..."

The young man's words made the blind old man tremble. The girl who was supporting the blind old man shrank back, and the other three and a half-year-old boys had angry looks on their faces.

"I, I can't get the money out, so I'll kneel down and apologize to you..."

The blind old man knelt down with a plop.

Several young people looked at the blind old man kneeling on the ground and laughed wildly.

Many people around saw this scene, but no one stood up to speak. Some people had a look of disgust in their eyes. Luo Dianming found it strange that no one was around to watch.

The young man at the head was still unfinished, his eyes had already been directed towards the girl behind the blind old man.

"Old guy, you don't have to kneel down anymore. I think the girl behind you is pretty good, so let her follow us and apologize on your behalf..."

The old blind man's body began to tremble violently, and he began to kowtow vigorously to several young people.

"Gentlemen, please spare us..."

The young man at the head ignored the blind old man who kept kowtowing. He walked over, grabbed the trembling girl, and pulled her over with a little force. Maybe the girl didn't smell very good. The young man waved his hand and tried to fan away the smell.

Dezhou Water Transport Terminal is a mixed bag. There is a notorious human market here, which is the human trading market. A few young people probably know that it is impossible to extort money from the blind old man. The girl behind the blind old man, no matter what she looks like

Anyway, if you send it to the human market, you can always exchange it for some silver.

"You, let go of my sister..."

The three and a half-year-old children couldn't help it anymore and rushed forward together, trying to reason with these gangsters.

The young man who reached out to grab the girl barely looked at the three and a half-year-old children rushing towards him.

The remaining young people suddenly showed ferocious expressions on their faces. Without saying a word, they rushed forward and attacked the three and a half-year-old children.

Three and a half-year-old children still have some skills. After all, they have been performing outside for a long time and have a lot of experience.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch..."

The screams actually came from several young people.

Luo Dianming, who was standing not far away watching the fun, nodded secretly. A layman is watching the fun, and an expert is watching the door. He has discovered that the three and a half-year-old children are very skilled, but they are not strong enough. This is related to their age, and also

It has something to do with their long-term lack of nutrition. Children like this are bound to become brave soldiers when they join the Denglai New Army.

Several young people were beaten to the ground.

The face of the young man who caught the girl turned ferocious as he looked at the three and a half-year-old children in front of him.

"Damn it, you guys, you are so brave, you dare to take action here, you are risking your life, do you want to rebel..."

The young man had let go of the girl and became a little lewd and intrusive.

The blind old man kneeling on the ground obviously knew what was happening.

"Don't do anything, gentlemen, it's all my fault, please let us go..."

The blind old man is obviously an old man, and he is stepping down for a few young people.

Several young men who had been beaten to the ground stood up unsteadily.

The young man at the head looked at the three and a half boys who were still clenching their fists with angry expressions on their faces, and gritted his teeth and spoke.

"Okay, okay, you wait, I will let you know in a moment what life is worse than death..."

...

Seeing several young people retreating, Luo Dianming prepared to step forward.

Buskers like the blind old man are helpless. The three and a half young men behind him have no social experience. They are easily plotted. Those young people who are causing trouble are obviously gangsters in this area. They are shameless.

It's obscene and can do anything.

Luo Dianming planned to remind the blind old man to leave the dock and leave this place of right and wrong.

"What are you doing, what are you doing, who is making trouble here..."

A dozen canal soldiers came over.

Several young people who were ready to leave in despair immediately went forward as if they had seen a savior, and the expressions on their faces also changed.

The young man in the lead walked up to an officer and whispered a few words.

The officer looked at the blind old man who had just stood up, and then carefully looked at the girl behind the blind old man.
Chapter completed!