As soon as the banquet dispersed, Fan Yu and Duan Shaolian returned to the Song Embassy.

On the way, Duan Shaolian praised the Goryeo envoy Lee Jae-seok, but after some praise from the other party, his favorability rose to a very high level.

"An Lehou, the Korean people have always regarded my Great Song Dynasty as Yanhuang Zhengshuo. Lee Jae-seok said that in ancient times, the Jizi moved eastward, which was the ancestor of Goryeo and the Yanhuang branch. Duan Shaolian said in good spirits: "This Li Zaishi is not only proficient in Confucianism, but also not shallow in Buddhism. And the articles and poems are all involved. If he hadn't been from Korea, I would have recommended him to the official family. ”

Fan Yu couldn't help but be curious: "What did Duan Zheng Envoy and this Goryeo envoy talk about?" Then Li Zaishi greeted Duan Zheng's envoy like this, presumably there must be a purpose. ”

Duan Shaolian laughed and said: "This is natural, although Goryeo has also sent envoys to my Great Song Dynasty in the past, they don't have such knowledge. Li Zaishi is different, he intends to welcome me, obviously he has the intention of joining the Song Dynasty to resist Liao. Don't think I can't see it, it's not hard to see. ”

rarely showed his face, and Duan Shaolian couldn't help but show a little smugness.

"Oh, this Li Zaishi actually revealed the intention of joining the Song Dynasty to resist Liao, how did Duan Zhengzhi reply to him." Fan Yu became interested, so he asked.

"I, the Great Song Dynasty and the Liao State, have already signed the alliance of Lanyuan, and they are about to be brothers. So far, the border between the two countries has been flat for 30 years. Duan Shaolian shook his head and said, "Although Li Zaishi is sincere, the Song-Liao alliance is not easy to tear up. As for Lee Jae-seok's thoughts, I politely declined. ”

Fan Yu couldn't help but smile and said: "How can Duan Zhengzhi refuse politely, Goryeo intends to join the Song Dynasty to resist Liao, what does it have to do with the alliance of Lanyuan." This matter can be agreed to first, and after returning to the Song Dynasty, it will be reported to the ministers, and they will decide. You politely refused, but the credit that came to your hand was pushed away by you. ”

Duan Shaolian listened to Fan Yu's words, and couldn't help but be stunned, can things still be done like this? Thinking about it carefully, it seems that his envoy is only responsible for pulling the strings, and as for the decision, it has nothing to do with him. Whether it succeeds or not, whether there is a conflict with the alliance of the Yuanyuan, is a matter for the ministers in the court to consider.

It's no wonder that some of my officials in the same year were higher than my own level, it seems that I am still not flexible enough, and I can't even compare with such a young An Lehou in front of me.

In Duan Shaolian's mind, he was thinking about this at this time, and he was now a little convinced of Fan Yu.

When the carriage arrived at the Song Embassy, Duan Shaolian did not get out of the car, but turned around and went to find the Goryeo envoy.

Fan Yu didn't care about him and returned to the embassy by himself.

After the Zhengdan ceremony, Fan Yu and his envoys' tasks were completed. If there is nothing else, you can prepare to return to the Song.

The next day, Fan Yu got up early in the morning and was going to take Yang Wenguang and Di Qing out.

But he was stopped by Cao Fu, "Brother Fan got up so early today, what are you going to do?" ”

"I came to Nanjing, Liao, and I haven't been to the market yet, so I naturally want to take a look at it today and see the customs." Fan Yu said with a smile.

"I guess that's it." Cao Fu also smiled and said, "Brother Fan, you have to take me, and I'll go with you." ”

Anyway, there was nothing left and right, and Fan Yu didn't toss Cao Fu anymore, so he nodded in response.

Nanjing City, also known as Xijin Mansion, is the most prosperous city in Liao.

There were many caravans from the Western Regions here, as well as various tribes from the grasslands. Most of those caravans were safer because they went through the territory of Liao. And when you arrive in Nanjing, you can go to Xiongzhou to exchange markets with the merchants of the Great Song Dynasty.

As for the various tribes coming to Nanjing, in fact, it is also because they can exchange markets with the Great Song Dynasty. Tea, silk, and porcelain are all popular goods loved by various tribes. Similarly, their cattle and sheep were also needed by the Great Song Dynasty.

The east and west squares of Kaiyang in the outer city of Nanjing are the livestock markets of Nanjing.

Fan Yu and his party came to Kaiyangfang and walked all the way. The cattle and sheep in Nanjing are bigger than those of the Great Song Dynasty, this is not foreign incense, but these profiteers, most of the cattle and sheep sold to the Great Song Dynasty are thin and old. And the real good cattle and sheep will be digested in the realm of Liao.

What's even more annoying is that the price of those thin, old and sick cattle and sheep is much more expensive than that in Liao.

Seeing these fat and strong cattle and sheep, Fan Yu frowned and said, "The livestock dealers of this Liao country don't know what to think. If these good cattle and sheep are transported to the Great Song Dynasty, then a lot of money will be made. ”

There was an old Han man who was watching cattle, but he heard Fan Yu's words.

"This little brother, you don't look like a businessman, and it's nothing to say such layman's words. If I had known, I wouldn't have said that. The old man smiled: "Since it is a profitable business, why no one will do it, it just depends on whether it is suitable or not." ”

Fan Yu couldn't help but have the idea of talking to the old man, so he stepped forward and arched his hand and said, "The old man must know, can you explain it to me." ”

"I know some, but it should be enough to solve the little brother's doubts." The old man was a talkative man, and when he saw that someone was willing to talk to him, he opened the conversation.

"I heard from the little brother just now that the thin, old and sick cattle and sheep were sold to the Great Song Dynasty, which is not credible." The old man shook his head and said, "Because the cattle and sheep sold to the Great Song Dynasty are all at a high price, when the cattle and sheep are sent to the mutual market, the cattle dealers will no longer care about feeding. A large herd of cattle and sheep, the money for forage is not a small amount. If you can save it, you will earn it. Another reason is that the Song people are not good at feeding cattle and sheep. Often seeing that the cattle and sheep are thin, they want to feed more forage, and if it is excessive, it will kill a lot of cattle and sheep. In particular, cattle are prone to air puffing, and if they are hungry for a few days and eat a full meal, they will die of bloating in their abdomen. In fact, there are not many old and sick cattle and sheep, and most of them are swollen to death. ”

When Fan Yu heard this, he understood, "What the old man meant, this cattle and sheep all died like this, but he wronged these livestock dealers." ”

Cao Fu was also listening beside him, and interjected at this time: "Those livestock dealers in the Song Kingdom are also stupid, don't they know the reason." ”

"There is no business and no treachery, but it is not wronged, there is always fraud." The old man shook his head and smiled: "It's useless for the Song people to know the reason why the cattle and sheep died, sometimes it's the dealers of this Liao country who feed them first, and then go to the mutual market." The dealers of the Song Kingdom didn't know how much to feed, and this cattle and sheep were the most unlucky. As long as the cattle and sheep in the Song Kingdom died, they had to buy more cattle and sheep. Little brother, do you think that's the reason? ”

Fan Shou couldn't help but smack his tongue, these cattle dealers are really quite dark.

"The merchants of the Great Song Dynasty are still honest." Cao Fu couldn't help but speak.

The old man snorted slightly: "Honest? Those Song merchants were even more refined and ghostly, and most of the tea they sold was leaf stems. You're still too young to understand the sinister nature of these guys. Aged silk and tea are the most popular goods in the market, and most of those porcelains are also defective products of the Song kiln. It's not that there is nothing good, each product is a few grades, lower grade, middle grade, upper grade, and best grade. The price of the inferior and the best can be a hundred times different. ”

Cao Fu nodded, "If it were me, I would buy that superb goods." ”

"That's right, if you have money, you have to buy the best of the best. Song Shang not only made money from high-ranking officials and nobles, but also sold those medium-grade and low-grade products to the people of Liao, and they did not let go. The old man patted his thigh and said.

"My husband is really well-informed, and the kid has been taught." Fan Yu thanked the old man.

After thanking the talkative old man, Fan Yu pulled Cao Fu away. It seems that there is a lot of knowledge in the mutual market.