Chapter 001 Who is the mysterious head of the Chen family
In the second year of Longfeng, Zhu Yuanzhang's Red Turban Army captured Jiqing and renamed it Yingtian Prefecture. Yingtian Prefecture then became the core base camp of Zhu Yuanzhang's army.
By the fifth year of Longfeng, the city of Yingtian Prefecture had been almost completely rebuilt. The once prosperous Qinhuai River and Xuanwu Lake had also regained their former splendor, attracting wealthy businessmen and prominent figures.
The command center of Zhu Yuanzhang's army was located on the shores of Xuanwu Lake, a place where ordinary people couldn't afford to buy a house. The wealthy Chen family's mansion was located in a prime location on the shores of Xuanwu Lake, making it the envy of other wealthy merchants.
The people all suffered from the chaos of war. But for wealthy merchants, war was a good time to “wait for the price to rise” and “make a living from rare goods”.
For example, the wealthy Shen family joined the Cheng Wang Zhang Shicheng and used their considerable financial resources to help Zhang Shicheng raise military rations and military pay. The wealthy Chen family joined Zhu Yuanzhang early on and provided logistical support for him.
Nowadays, people say that among the wealthy merchants in Jiangnan, the Shen family is the first and the Chen family is the second. Whether the first and second places will change depends on who will have the last laugh between Zhang Shicheng and Zhu Yuanzhang.
The leader of the Shen family is Shen Fu, commonly known as Shen Wansan.
The head of the Chen family is a mysterious figure. Chen Di, who is always out in the open and in charge of important matters, calls himself a "house servant." Whenever people ask about the head of the family, he always smiles and remains silent, his attitude making it difficult to understand.
Many people repeatedly inquired about the situation of the head of the Chen family and even tried to bribe the servants of the Chen family.
But no matter how greedy the Chen family members were, they were immediately frightened as soon as they heard about the head of the family's situation, as if the head of the family had some kind of extraordinary ability that could tell even the most secret things immediately.
The Chen family took over much of the Shen family's business, repeatedly disrupting Zhang Shicheng's army's food and fodder supply. Zhang Shicheng, originally a salt merchant, valued money and hated the Chen family to the core, offering a huge reward for the head of the Chen family's mysterious leader.
After Zhang Shicheng defected to the Yuan court, the Yuan court and Zhang Shicheng exchanged information and discovered that this wealthy businessman named Chen had actually snatched away many businesses from the Yuan court's nobles.
In addition, there was a severe famine this year, and the Chen family helped Zhu Yuanzhang's troops store grain early on to ensure the safety of the people. The people in the Yuan court's territories and other rebel territories fled to Zhu Yuanzhang's territory with their families.
After years of famine and war, nine out of ten houses in China were deserted. Given the availability of food, whoever commanded more people was considered stronger.
Zhu Yuanzhang counted the newly registered households every day and woke up laughing several times in his dreams at night.
So the Yuan court and other rebel forces also began to offer a reward for the head of the mysterious head of the Chen family.
Today, the head of the Chen family is worth a fortune.
Please note that this ten thousand gold refers to ten thousand taels of gold.
Chen Biao sat on a hammock hanging between two lush trees in the courtyard, his short legs dangling in the air. He touched his round head, which had just been shaved and had only a small bun on top, and looked extremely melancholy.
Ten thousand taels of gold.
Why did he feel that he might not live to see Emperor Hongwu ascend the throne?
That's right. This five-year-old boy, with a chubby face and a slightly rounded belly, was wearing a sleeveless red jacket embroidered by his mother and emerald green shorts. The red and green complemented the vibrant look, making him look like a lucky doll from a New Year's picture. This was the rumored and mysterious head of the Chen family, Chen Biao.
When you see the age of the mysterious male protagonist of the Chen family, you know that Chen Biao must be a time traveler.
Traveling through the chaotic world of the late Yuan Dynasty, Chen Biao found himself in a destitute family. Gradually regaining his memories of his past life, he heard his mother, who was holding him, say that someone's child had become a pile of meat in the neighbor's pot due to famine.
He was so scared that he peed his pants and quickly claimed that he was a god who had descended to earth. He couldn't even walk, so he started to tell his family word by word how to make money and store food.
Later, when Chen Biao learned to walk, he learned that although his family was not a wealthy merchant family, they were well-off and had no worries about food and clothing. The reason they were penniless was because Jiqing had been destroyed and had not been repaired. By the time he learned to walk, it was too late for him to become a pile of meat in someone else's pot.
This charlatan is already five years old, and his head is worth ten thousand taels of gold.
Thinking of this, Chen Biao couldn't help but feel sad.
In fact, he didn't have to fall to this point. It was all because of his obsession with bringing honor to his family. After learning that he was a child prodigy, he helped him become the head of the family when he could barely sit still, while he ran off to join Zhu Yuanzhang and join his old father, Comrade Chen Guorui.
After Chen Guorui defected to Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhu Yuanzhang just happened to have no big businessmen under his command. Whenever there was war, merchants played a vital role. They could not only raise food and money across enemy territory, but also inquire about news and gather intelligence.
So, while Chen Biao was busy on a hunger strike to protest his refusal to drink his wet nurse's milk, the Chen family had already boarded the Zhu family's ship and transformed themselves into Zhu family's "officials and businessmen."
Chen Biao knew that Zhu Yuanzhang was the final winner.
Zhu Yuanzhang, the Hongwu Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, who doesn’t know this?
But in his later years, Emperor Hongwu killed most of the court and was very hostile to the rich. Shen Wansan, who helped him to entertain the troops and build the city walls, died in exile!
Now that the Chen family is serving his troops, will they be exiled in the future?
Fortunately, his father was not stupid enough to tell Zhu Yuanzhang that he was a child prodigy.
Chen Biao rubbed his face and sniffed.
His father insisted that the matter was kept secret, but did Zhu Yuanzhang really not know?
Chen Biao pulled his short legs into the hammock and curled up into a ball, hugging his knees.
When the wind blows, the hammock sways, and Chen Biao's little ball sways with it, like a big tumbler ornament.
He felt like a stupid bug trapped in its own cocoon, and his dad was just a super idiot who put a stainless steel shell on the outside of his cocoon and called it protecting him.
Chen Biao hugged his knees and glanced at the letter in Xiaopang's hand.
The letter said that Shen Wansan, also known as Shen Fu, had died. He lived to be over seventy years old, a truly joyous funeral in these troubled times. The Shen family was now headed by his eldest son.
Shen Wansan, who built the city wall for Zhu Yuanzhang and was then exiled, died. Who then built the city wall for Zhu Yuanzhang? Who was exiled by Zhu Yuanzhang?
It can't be me, right?
Chen Biao rubbed his chubby little face again, tilted his body, and fell on the hammock with his knees hugged.
The little boy Chen Biao, the tumbler, fell over.
The wind blowing from Xuanwu Lake generously pushed Chen Biao's hammock. The hammock swayed, and Chen Biao, hugging his knees, looked lifeless and began to withdraw.
This is not his fault because he is immature, because he is immature to begin with.
It’s called time travel, but he was watching a movie that lasted several years in the first person.
These memories were seared into his mind, and certainly influenced his personality. But if one had to say he was that Chen Biao… well, the guy in his memory, the one from a cold and aloof family, with deep scheming and ruthless tactics, who had already become a rising star in the business world before even leaving college, was a stark contrast to his own personality.
After all, he grew up being spoiled by his parents, even though they were a bit of a jerk.
This means that he traveled through time but not completely. It was just that the two souls merged into one, forming a brand new person.
You could say his soul is influenced by his body, while his mind is still that of a child. After all, some people have completely different personalities when they are young, mature, and old, and a person's personality is greatly influenced by their body and hormones.
In short, Chen Biao is immature, he just hugs his knees and cries, and he is autistic.
He just wanted to make a straw figurine of his scumbag father and beat him with the sole of his shoe three times a day.
Just when little Chen Biao was becoming withdrawn after hearing the news of Shen Wansan's death, a loud roar came from outside the door.
"Son! Daddy, I'm back!"
Chen Biaoqiuqiu immediately jumped up with anger, and rolled out of the hammock with a "plop" sound onto the soft grass.
He didn't have time to brush off the grass debris on his body before he rolled to his feet, kicking his short carrot legs hard, trying to escape from this dangerous place.
But the burly man with a honest and upright appearance, a simple smile on his face, like a simple old farmer carrying a hoe on the roadside, had already rushed in from outside the door like a hurricane, followed by two equally simple and honest men.
Chen Biao had not run a few steps when his silly father picked him up by the waist. He struggled with his two short little hands in vain, and then with a "swoosh", his stomach hit the back of his father's head.
"Ah..." Chen Biao held his father's head and almost spit on his father's head.
Chen Guorui held his son on his shoulders and sat him down. He grabbed his son's legs with both hands and turned around a few times on the spot, as if dancing. It was unknown what he was laughing at.
Chen Biao held Chen Guorui's head, his body trembling and his face pale.
When his father held him on his shoulders, he not only hit his bulging belly, but also used the thick and strong cervical spinous process to hit his poor baby.
There used to be a game called "Aruba" that was popular among modern stupid teenage boys. It was a game where a few stupid guys would lift one of them up and hit the other's groin against a tree.
The reserved and indifferent modern peer in Chen Biao's memory once stood on a high teaching building and looked down at his classmates playing this game. He had no idea what was fun about this game and naturally would not try it.
Now, Chen Biao understands the "fun" of this game.
It really, really, really hurts my mother so much ahhhhhh!
"Brother, brother, Biao'er doesn't look right." Xu Da scratched his head. "He seems to be holding his crotch and crying out in pain?"
Tang Bayi immediately said nervously, "Boss, Boss, did you bump into my nephew's little bird?"
Chen Guorui's face changed drastically and he quickly put Chen Biao on the ground.
Chen Biao clamped his legs together, covering his crotch, and gave his father a resentful look.
Chen Guorui quickly squatted down.
Chen Biao was nervous: "Dad, what are you going to do!"
Chen Guorui said anxiously: "Hurry up and let Dad take a look! "
Chen Biao turned around and ran: "I won't!" Don't I want to save face?
Chen Guorui waved his hand, and the two honest brothers behind him pounced on him like tigers and pressed Chen Biao to the ground.
"Let uncle take a look at it quickly."
"Don't move, let your uncle take a look. If anything goes wrong, we can call a doctor."
"It's okay, it's okay. I was so scared. This is the lifeblood of the Chen family. Biao'er, does it still hurt?"
After observing, Chen Guorui gently patted his son's little bird.
Chen Biao, whose green shorts had been stripped off, lay on the grass with his back spread out like a fish on a chopping board, his eyes dead.
So, after five years of living like this, how could little Chen Biao still think he was an adult traveling through time?!
Adults? No. I'm just a kid. I don't understand anything. I don't have any shame or dignity.
Chen Biao silently got up from the grass, pulled up his emerald green shorts, tightened his belt, and glanced resentfully at his father and uncles who were grinning innocently: "Why are you back?"
Chen Guorui smiled innocently and said, "I came back after the war. Oh, right, there's something."
Chen Guorui rubbed his big hands embarrassedly after he had just patted Chen Biao's little sister .
Chen Biao said with a gloomy face, "You want money and food again? Take a shower and change clothes first. I'll make you something delicious. Eat up first. What do you want to eat?"
As expected! I knew it! Daddy's smile is like that, so it's not good!
Chen Guorui immediately said, "I want to eat stewed mutton! You stewed it yourself, son!"
Xu Da and Tang Bayi said, "It's all fine. Biao'er, all the dishes you cook are delicious."
Chen Biao said, "It takes several hours to stew the mutton. If you don't mind overeating, I'll make it for you tonight. Now I'll make something simple."
Chen Guorui patted his chest and said, "We are all military commanders, we are not afraid of indigestion! Come on! Feel free to have some meat for lunch."
Chen Biao said unhappily, "Only eating meat is bad for your health. Especially for generals like you who are constantly on the march and fighting, and can't replenish their vitamins and dietary fiber... Forget it, you won't understand even if I tell you. I'll just make you something to eat. Just a few of you?"
Chen Biao leaned behind Chen Guorui and asked, "Where's my mother?"
Chen Guorui smiled with a guilty conscience. "Your mother, your mother, she's weak, so riding in a carriage is slow. We brothers rode horses and got there first. Besides your mother, there's also your cousin Li Baoer and your cousin Chen Wenzheng."
Chen Biao nodded: "I will make some nourishing and digestible dishes for Mom. Please don't eat them secretly."
Chen Guorui immediately assured: "Of course I won't cheat! Your father is not that kind of person!"
Chen Biao rolled his eyes at his father in an unfilial manner: "Aren't you?"
Xu Da said honestly: "Yes."
Tang Bayi nodded: "That's true."
Chen Guorui immediately glared at his two brothers with a frown, showing the majesty of a decisive and murderous leader.
But in front of Chen Biao, Xu Da and Tang Bayi were not afraid of Chen Guorui at all and even dared to glare back.
"Okay, okay, stop making trouble and go take a shower first." Chen Biao glanced at the servants who came in.
Because of his father's commotion, all the servants guarding outside the yard came in.
"Take my father and my uncles to take a bath, and warm up the water for my mother and my two brothers in advance." Chen Biao thought for a moment and said, "Call Brother Ying back and ask him to hand over the task to others."
After receiving the order, the servants dispersed. Chen Biao first went to the kitchen to direct people to cook, and then took a shower and changed clothes.
He is now a member of the evil landlord and wealthy businessman class. When he says he "cooks by himself", he is actually directing others to cook.
During the Song and Yuan dynasties, maritime trade was very prosperous. Chen Biao only needed to follow the map and have people collect edible plants and spices.
He had someone kill a cattle ox that was traded from the Mongols and make Chaoshan beef hotpot for his father and the others.
A clear soup is made with beef bones and white radish, and the beef is cut into translucent thin slices according to different parts. Green vegetables, bamboo shoots, and mushrooms are piled on a plate, and a basket of noodles is cut... There are meat, vegetables, and staple foods. A whole cow is enough to feed those old uncles and brothers who have ridiculously big appetites.
The essence of Chaoshan beef hotpot, besides its freshness, is the shacha sauce.
The preparation of shacha sauce varies from person to person. Chen Biao's secret recipe of shacha sauce is to use dried shrimp, fish, and diced beef fat, add onions, ginger, garlic, peanuts and white sesame seeds, and then add cloves, pepper, turmeric, tangerine peel and other spices.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t go to the American continent to find chili peppers, so I could only use mugwort oil made from dogwood instead of chili oil.
Thinking of this, Chen Biao was filled with anger.
If Zhu Yuanzhang's unrestrained demands had not slowed down his pace of going to sea, his men would have already gone to search for the American continent.
It was fun to watch Zhu Yuanzhang exploiting wealthy businessmen in movies and TV dramas, but Chen Biao felt unhappy when he became a wealthy businessman exploited by Zhu Yuanzhang.
I don’t want to donate the cow because I really have a cow!
When Chen Biao was cursing Zhu Yuanzhang as usual, Zhu Yuanzhang...that is, Chen Guorui, also mentioned the American continent.
Zhu Yuanzhang, also known as Zhu Guorui and Zhu Chongba, is currently one of the leaders of the Red Turban Army. With a moderate amount of territory under his belt, he's a serious contender for world domination.
Zhu Yuanzhang was enjoying a comfortable bath when he complained to his two old friends, "Biao'er keeps wanting to go to America to look for corn, potatoes, and peppers. Now we have to fight Xu Shouhui, how can we get a ship to take him to America?"
Zhu Yuanzhang looked worried.
His son's prowess was also a problem. He was all finger-pointing, making plans. As a father, I lost more hair than I ever did in battle, sending people to execute them.
Zhu Yuanzhang never expected that after he became the Grand Marshal, he would have been a wealthy businessman in addition to being a farmer, beggar, monk, and soldier.
