I do research in ancient times

Chapter 154

Early this morning, before dawn, there was movement in the inn in the alley near Zhuque Street.

The lights came on one by one, and the sound of busy footsteps could be vaguely heard.As if in a competition, the doors of several caravans opened almost at the same time, and the well-dressed guys ran to the backyard in a well-trained manner, drove out the carriage covered with thatch before, and gathered in a line to pass Suzaku Street.

Along the way, many other convoys joined.The clatter of horseshoes, stepping on the re-planned horse path in Ding'an City, has become a rhythm that the people in the city are gradually getting used to.

They have different looks and clothes from south to north, and they will say hello to each other when they meet familiar people, but there is only one destination, the "Ningcun Workshop" at the end of Suzaku Street.

"Boss Zhang, you came early today."

A northern merchant wearing a felt hat spoke blunt Ding'an official dialect and greeted another southern merchant with a smile.

"It can't be too early, Surrey, I came late last time, and the screwdriver took the lead. It's a pity that I sold so many good grains on the spot at the rice shop in Baihu Street."

The merchants from the Southlands complained.He looked at the barbarian merchants a few steps away, his eyes slightly wary.

"I said Surrey, why are you here again? Last time I heard that you got a lot of hard goods, and you sold them so quickly?"

"Isn't it fast?"

Sally smiled slyly, and pointed to the north.

"There are also women. Which woman doesn't like robes? Don't like flower soap?"

"What's more, the cotton cloth from the West Sea is thin and soft, and it is more practical than silk on the grassland!"

Merchants travel all over the place, and the merchants in the south also know the preferences of the people in the north, so they are not surprised.

As for each other's camps and positions, that's even more out of the question.In business talk business, where is it not to make money when traveling from south to north?Maybe there will be opportunities to use the other party in the future.

"Then you've made a fortune."

The Southland businessman said slightly sourly.

He didn't take this cotton cloth seriously before, after all, the Southland has been an important textile town since ancient times, and there is no shortage of silk and linen.How could the cloth from the West Sea merchants be as precious and gorgeous as the silk from the South?

Therefore, it was the first time that cotton cloth was on the market. Although he also waited and watched, he had no intention of doing anything, and secretly laughed at the big fool who wrapped all the cloth.

As a result, not long after, news came from Dingfeng City.

It turned out that the idiot was the chief steward of the Peng family in Channing. The third lady of the Peng family was named a good concubine by Emperor Guangtong (King of Dongshan) in Dingfeng City because of her meritorious service in donating cloth!

Offering cloth, offering cloth, what kind of cloth can be offered? !

I heard that someone offered precious brocade silk to Emperor Guangtong, and was scolded by Emperor Zhengtong. He said that the rebellion had not been restored, and he dared to confuse the emperor with extravagant things, agreeing to plot rebellion!

So the unlucky kid was imprisoned on the spot, all the property in his family was confiscated, his relatives were exiled and distributed, and the huge family fell apart.

The bloody example is right in front of us, and it is impossible for Shanning Peng's family to repeat the same mistakes.

Silk is expensive, and linen is really hard to get. Later, the owner of the Peng family presented this "Xihai Fine Cloth".

I heard that Mrs. Peng San in the palace made a suit of middle clothes for His Majesty out of Xihai cloth.The Xihai cloth is soft and comfortable, and Mrs. Peng San also reported that this cloth is moderately priced, simple and practical, and Emperor Guangtong admired it.

What His Majesty has personally praised, how can the people below not follow suit! ?So there was a storm of chasing Xihaibu in Dai County immediately.

Fearing that other people would steal his limelight, the proud Patriarch Peng hurriedly ordered the steward to go to Ding'an City to buy cloth again, but this time the steward returned empty-handed and scolded the Xihai merchants for being unethical, saying that the price of fine cloth had increased.

You have to buy it even if the price goes up!The position of Concubine Liang has been given to the little lady of the Peng family, how can she, as a member of the royal family, embarrass His Majesty? !

So the Peng family endured the heartache and gritted their teeth to pay for cloth.Fortunately, the city of Channing is rich, so it can support him to slap his swollen face and pretend to be fat for a while.

Hehe, price increase.

The merchants sneered in private.They are too familiar with this set of rhetoric, what about the price increase, it is clear that the old boy lied to the master, and said that the Xihai fine cloth is not worth much, but now they can't hide it anymore, and have to find a way for themselves!

But they were also very curious. Although the price of this cloth was not as good as silk, it was much more expensive than ordinary linen.So how did the steward of the Peng family explain the money spent? Could it be that there is something tricky about it?

It doesn't matter whether it is tricky or not, anyway, Xihai Muslin's reputation has been well established.

Now everyone in the world knows that the price of this cloth is moderate, the texture is fine, and it is a first-class and practical good.It's just that the price of fine cloth can't come down, so when the barbarian steward said he wanted to sell some rice back to the West Sea, many merchants had an idea.

Money cannot be reduced, but the cost can be controlled by exchanging rice grains!The price of food in the frontier is high, and the barbarian shopkeeper only knows the selling price but not the purchase price, so there is a lot of room for manipulation.

You must know that the price of grain traffic has at least doubled when it is transported to the border town, not to mention that the rice shop that sells grain is still making money!

For a while, the channel of exchanging rice grain for fine cloth was spread through the mouths of scalpers who haunted Zhuque Street all year round, and quickly spread wantonly among merchants.

The barbarian merchant in front of him seized the opportunity to take the first bite of meat, and while everyone was still waiting to see the news, he directly started, and successfully exchanged a cart of fine cloth from the barbarian shopkeeper!

What he uses is corn, which is the most common grain in the North. Last year, corn was abundant and the price has been stable.Although Hu merchants exchanged a lot of grain for cloth, it was still much more cost-effective than directly paying for money.

"It's not easy this time, brother."

The barbarian merchant lowered his voice and whispered to the merchant from the Southland.

"The Peng family brought a lot of rice this time, and it looks like they are going to do a big job."

"Brother, you know that Channing rice is famous all over the world, and she also knows the goods of the barbarian shopkeeper!"

"That's why I don't think about the muslin this time. I'll see if I can pick up some leftovers from others, and I'll be satisfied."

Hearing what he said, the Southland businessman's complexion became very bad.

He also came rushing for fine cloth. Before coming, he collected a lot of rice grains and consciously made thorough preparations.

But I never expected that this time, the powerful enemy of the Peng family, Channing, would come!As a businessman, he is naturally not as rich and powerful as the Peng family. It seems that this time the fine cloth is unnecessary.

"Then do you have any goals? Huazao and Junzi Box are even more difficult to get!"

The Nandi merchant chased after the merchant, trying to pry some useful information out of his mouth.

It's a pity that the other party is not a fool. If he has information, it is impossible to tell his competitors.

The Nandi businessman was anxious, so he excused himself to have breakfast, and went off the road into a soup cake shop.

The scalper he hired was waiting here, and when he saw the master's coming, he hurried up to greet him.

"Boss, you are here."

"I have something to ask you."

The Southland businessman brought the scalper over.

"I heard that the Peng family from Channing is coming this time?"

The scalper froze for a moment, then nodded.

"Did the shopkeeper receive the news?"

"you know?"

The Southland businessman sneered.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I only found out about the little one last night."

The scalper looked aggrieved.

"The one who rushed in before the city gate was locked last night told the younger brother Hu at the gate that they brought a lot of rice into the city."

"Then what should we do? It's too late for your news. Master, I'm not prepared at all! It seems that the goods will be opened soon, and this time it's likely to sell food on the spot again!"

Nanshang gritted his teeth, and he looked up at the scalper.

"Didn't you say that you have an old friend with the barbarian shopkeeper? You can go to Guan and talk about Guan. If I can't do it, the Peng family can still reach out to Ding'an City!"

"It's impossible to say, my lord."

The scalper said with a bitter face.

"I didn't expect Daijun to value fine cloth so much. Brother Hu secretly confided to me that the manager of the Peng family is quite powerful and has an unusual relationship with the Hu shopkeeper. We may not be able to compete."

Hearing this, Nanshang immediately became angry.He stretched out his foot and kicked the scalper a somersault.

"Then why should I support you?!"

"Don't want the commission this time!"

As soon as he heard that he would not give money, the scalper immediately became anxious.

"No, no, no! Master, don't worry! I... I will find a way! I will find a way! I... I... I can find a way!"

He lowered his voice and whispered to Nanshang.

"I have inside information. I heard that the Xihai caravan will bring fresh goods this time. If the master can eat it, the profit may not be less than that of Xihaibu."

"Fresh goods?"

Nanshang frowned.

"What fresh goods? Can you tell the master about it?"

The scalper thought for a while, and lowered his voice even more.

"I heard... I heard it's a silver mirror."

silver mirror?

Nanshang thought about it and felt that this was indeed a rare item.

Mirrors nowadays are mostly made of copper, but can silver also be used to make mirrors?

Thinking like this in my heart, but my mouth still feels disgusted.

"Mirrors are so rare. The master has a bronze mirror at home, how can it compare with that fine cloth?"

"No no no, it's different."

The scalper shook his head desperately.

He hesitated for a long time, and finally gritted his teeth.

"If the shopkeeper trusts me, follow me to a place where you can see the appearance of this silver mirror with your own eyes!"

"It's just that in this way, the exchange price of this mirror will be higher. After all, money is needed to clear the relationship..."

Hearing what he said, Nanshang was also a little hesitant.

It's not just about money.His batch of goods is what the nobles in the capital want, and Dingfeng City has cloth, so how can the capital be short of it?

The blame only blames myself for underestimating the enemy, thinking that the opponent is only a small household like a merchant, who is not well prepared for the battle.

But if this word is passed back to the capital, he will not be able to go around, and now he can only find another way to see if he can make up for it from new goods.

Gritting his teeth, he patted his thigh.

"Forget it, I'll trust you again and take me to have a look!"

"okay."

The scalper slapped his hands and led Nanshang into a narrow alley.

He walked to a black painted door and knocked three times, and the door was quickly opened, revealing a long face.

"Third Brother, I'll bring a shopkeeper over to look at the goods."

The scalper sneered.

The long face stared at the two of them for a while, then turned sideways to let them into the room.The yard is very cramped, and the house is dilapidated. It doesn't look like it can be lived in at first glance.

"Looking in the silver mirror?"

That long face asked in a cold voice.

Nanshang nodded.

For some reason, he always felt that this long face was a bit strange.Although he was wearing work clothes, his whole body had a sense of chill and oppression, much like a bloody soldier who had seen on the battlefield.

But he dared not ask.

He's just a businessman, so he can't control these people in the doorway, it's the right thing to see the goods.

Fortunately, the scalper didn't lie to him, and the long face quickly took out a wooden box.

"It doesn't matter if you can buy the goods from the West Sea or not, but it costs three stones to open my box to see the goods, how about it?"

A bit expensive, after all, it's just a glance.

But Nanshang did not hesitate.If this kid can get the new goods from Xihai in advance, he must have connections within the caravan.

"to make."

Nanshang took out a wooden sign from his pocket.

"This is the pick-up card for Zhangji Rice Square in Ding'an City. With this, you can pick up a stone of rice."

He counted three and handed them happily to Rong Changlian's hands.

"Please take care of my little brother."

With such a good way, Rong Changlian expressed his satisfaction.Put the wooden sign in his arms, and then opened the wooden box.

The next moment, Nanshang's breathing stopped!

This this this this this!There is such a magical mirror in this world!The crystal is inlaid with a silver surface, the light is pleasant, flat and clear, it's just... just...

Nanshang didn't know what words to use to express his feelings.At this moment, there is only one thought in his mind, that is, he must take down this mirror, take it down!This is his best chance to make a fortune!

"This mirror... How much rice does this mirror need?"

Nanshang stared at his ferocious face in the mirror, and asked cautiously.

He was already mentally prepared to be hit hard. After all, this kind of mirror is rare in the world. The first batch is definitely a rare thing, and it is impossible for Xihai people to sell it at a low price.

As a result, the expressionless long face on the opposite side almost made him faint with just one sentence.

"It depends on how big you want."

Rong Chang said calmly.

"If it's just this kind of palm-sized one, then ten stones of millet will be about the same. If you want the body-sized one, then you have to count it by cart."

"What... what?!"

Nan Shang trembled and asked stammeringly.

"And...there is a body-sized mirror?! Really...is there really a mirror that can be as big as a person?"

"Naturally."

Rong Chang said impatiently.

"The biggest one is as tall as a person. This is the top-notch product that can be shipped from the West Sea. You will be charged according to the size. The bigger the product, the more expensive it will be."

"brother……"

Nanshang grabbed Rong Changlian's hand at once.

This kid's palms are extremely rough, with calluses on the fingertips and joints, which are the characteristics of people who have held weapons for a long time.

But Nanshang didn't care, he felt that what he was holding was not a hand, but a great chance to rise to the top and go straight to the ninth heaven!

"Brother, I like big ones, the bigger the better, not the small ones, you can do it, right?"

"Are you sure you want it? Can you eat it?"

Rong Chang asked with a frown.

"Yes, yes! It's amazing! I can eat! I brought ten carts of grain into the city. If it's not enough, I can find other merchants to exchange for it."

Everyone knows that bartering grain is cost-effective, so many merchants will bring grain into the city.But not everyone can grab the goods they want. Many people who return empty-handed will dispose of the food on the spot, lest it will not only cause loss, but also fail to sell at a price.

The most ideal buyers are naturally merchants, especially merchants who have eaten but not enough. Selling to these people can make a small profit, which is not without small supplements.

"Hey, is he reliable?"

With a long face, he turned his head and asked the scalper.

Under Nanshang's begging gaze, the ox was very strong, nodding its head like a woodpecker.

"Reliable and reliable! It's my old friendship, I guarantee it with my head, and it's absolutely true."

"Yeah yeah!"

Nanshang held Rong Changlian's hand, and wanted to hook his shoulders with him pretending to be affectionate, but was thrown away in disgust.

With a long face, he signaled the scalper to watch people from the side, and then he walked out of the small courtyard.

"He... why did he leave?"

Nanshang looked shocked, wondering whether he had offended him by saying something inappropriate just now.

"fine."

The scalper laughed.

"The third brother went to pick up the goods for you."

"Although the third brother looks fierce, he is actually quite a nice person. You can't be too ostentatious in their business, master, you understand."

I understand, I understand, I understand!Guarding himself and stealing, privately selling good things from the owner's house to report loss, he has also used this method before!

"Good boy! I can't see that you are really not bragging, you have two tricks!"

Nanshang reached out and patted the scalper.

The scalper was praised, and immediately hit the snake with the stick.

"Then master, my reward...?"

"If something is good, I'll double it for you!"

"Okay! Then I wish the master all the best and make a lot of money!"

The people inside the door were overjoyed, and the long face outside the door stood at the door and listened for a while, then turned around and turned into the next yard.

Aunt Mei, who was supposed to be in the shop, was sitting in the yard, when she saw Rong came in with a long face, she greeted him.

"Captain Zhang."

"Aunt Mei."

Rong Changlian arched his hands, and explained the situation again, Aunt Mei nodded, and handed a price list to Rong Changlian.

"Based on the above price, the more the better."

So, an hour later, Nanshang and Huang Niu pulled a wooden cart out of the alley and walked out cautiously.

Although they still need to collect some food to make up the price, the faces of both of them were full of joy, as if they had picked up a big sesame seed cake that fell from the sky.

Not long after they left, another middle-aged scalper led a fur merchant wearing a felt hat into the alley furtively, went straight to the black painted door and knocked three times.

"Third Brother, I'll bring a shopkeeper over to look at the goods."