No matter how angry Hirata Masao was, facing more than a dozen ferocious fellows, he really didn't dare to act rashly at this time.
After all, this was the Great Song Dynasty. If they caused too much trouble here, they would probably be locked up in the yamen again. They were already penniless, and if they were thrown into prison again at this time, given the darkness of the Song dynasty government, they might never have a chance to get out again in their lives.
"Very good! Shopkeeper, I've noted this down!"
After gritting his teeth fiercely, Hirata Masao finally took the jade token in his hand and turned to walk out of the pawnshop.
"Pah! What a thing? Send someone to notify everyone, and tell all the shopkeepers to deal with these Japanese barbarians!"
Even Hirata Masao himself did not expect that a harsh word he uttered as he left would bring more trouble to their already strained lives.
In this era, especially for those who ran pawnshops, it was not a business that ordinary people could operate.
Behind them were often the aristocratic families of various regions. In this social relationship formed by the clan system, there were often marital ties, family status, and various relationships between aristocratic families.
Many times, for the sake of common interests, these merchants would secretly collude.
Offending one of them was basically equivalent to offending all of them.
Although this pawnshop was inconspicuous, the problem was that its operator behind the scenes was the largest temple in Mingzhou, Baoguo Temple.
It was his simple sentence that completely blocked Hirata Masao's path.
Even though he held a high-quality jade token in his hand, no matter which pawnshop he went to, the price quoted was never more than five guan.
After struggling for more than two hours, Hirata Masao returned to Ping Zheng Sheng with a dejected look.
"What's wrong? Why did you take so long?"
After waiting for such a long time and enduring so many disdainful glances, Ping Zheng Sheng looked at Hirata Masao with displeasure and asked.
"Patriarch, these damned Song people acted as if they had agreed beforehand..."
Looking at Ping Zheng Sheng's questioning gaze, Ping Tian Zheng Fu recounted the previous incident with a wronged expression.
"Five guan?"
This time, even the samurai around Ping Zheng Sheng began to complain.
There were still 15 of them. If this jade token could only be sold for five guan, it would be difficult to even solve their food problem.
"This is high-quality Hetian jade!"
Ping Zheng Sheng asked in disbelief.
"I told them, but they all said... they all said that the Yamata no Orochi carved on it was too..."
At this point, Hirata Masao also felt wronged.
"Scoundrels! They are taking advantage of our misfortune!"
"Patriarch, let us use our swords to teach them respect!"
Before Ping Zheng Sheng could speak, the retainers around him could no longer tolerate it.
"Shut up, what do you want to do? Don't forget we are in the Great Song Dynasty. Do you want to stay here forever!"
Although Ping Zheng Sheng himself felt that what these people were doing was indeed too much, he had to bow his head when he was under someone else's roof.
"But..."
"That's enough, there's always a way out. Five guan is five guan!"
Although Ping Zheng Sheng also felt very reluctant in his heart, hearing the growling stomachs of the samurai, he finally said dejectedly.
"Yes!"
Even Ping Zheng Sheng himself did not expect that the cost of living in such a small city like Mingzhou was no less than that of Bianliang City.
Before, when he was rich, he didn't care about such a small amount of money. But when all of them, more than a dozen people, had to live on these five guan, he realized that with the money they had, even if they ate the most inferior food, they could only survive for seven days at most...
The dignified head of the Ping family would be reduced to wandering the streets after seven days...
"They live in a place like this?"
As soon as dusk fell, Han Mo, led by Jiang Yan, arrived at the temporary dwelling of Ping Zheng Sheng and his group.
Looking at the low thatched huts in front of him and smelling the unpleasant stench in the air, Han Mo couldn't help but frown.
"These guys are already penniless. The reason they could rent such a dilapidated house here is because they sold their personal weapons!"
When he said this, Jiang Yan couldn't help but chuckle strangely.
"Let's forget it. Find someone to invite their patriarch out!"
After walking a few dozen steps forward, seeing the various animal dung scattered on the ground, Han Mo was truly unbearable and decisively retreated.
"Yes!"
Seeing Han Mo's furrowed brows, Jiang Yan couldn't help but chuckle.
Indeed, the environment of this place was not something that ordinary people could tolerate.
"May I ask who you are?"
Half an hour later, by the Fenghua River, Han Mo finally met Ping Zheng Sheng, who was almost at his wits' end.
Just looking at the luxurious clothes Han Mo was wearing, Ping Zheng Sheng involuntarily lowered his stance when he spoke.
"You don't need to know who I am. You just need to know that I am the only one in Mingzhou City who can help you!"
Han Mo smiled and said casually.
"We are already penniless and at our wit's end. I wonder what we can do for you, esteemed sir?"
Although Han Mo spoke courteously, Ping Zheng Sheng was not a novice who had just started out. So, before Han Mo could speak, he proactively asked.
"Not only can I help you out of your current predicament, but I can also help you establish a complete trade route, and I can also help your Ping clan unify Japan!"
Instead of answering his question, Han Mo spoke to himself.
"Does esteemed sir also know of the Ping clan? I wonder what you need me to do?"
Although each of the conditions Han Mo proposed was very tempting to him, he still suppressed his excitement and asked.
"This is what I want! Take a good look, don't rush to answer. We'll meet here again in three days!"
Han Mo smiled, then took out a thin booklet from his sleeve and handed it over.
"This, this..."
Just by glancing at the contents of the booklet, Ping Zheng Sheng's eyes widened.
"Don't be so surprised. Everything requires a price, doesn't it? Moreover, these things never belonged to you. If you die here, I can completely cooperate with the Gen clan! In the entire process, besides you dying and the Ping clan being completely finished, there seems to be no other impact!"